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Polly Higgins
Polly Higgins is Newsday.com's Lifestyle and Entertainment editor, covering home and garden, food, restaurants, pets, travel and entertainment. Her education includes a journalism degree from Indiana University and a masters in Media Arts from the University of Arizona. She called Arizona home for a number of years, working for both the Arizona Daily Star and (now shuttered) Tucson Citizen. In her spare time, Higgins can be found walking Otto the beagle in her Brooklyn neighborhood, logging miles on her running shoes and watching reruns of "Dallas."
Travel deals: Cheap cruises, save at Disney World, more
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JetBlue limited-offer flights to Florida
Fly from LaGuardia to Sarasota, Tampa or Fort Myers, from $99 (including tax) one way. You just need to make your plans quickly, as your deadline is 11:59 p.m. June 5. Travel dates are June 11 to Aug. 30, 2012. More: jetblue.com.
3-night cruise in the Bahamas
Carvinal Cruise Lines has a deal that can save you up to 76 percent on a cruise...
Read more »JetBlue expansion at JFK approved
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The agency that runs New York's airports has approved an expansion plan for JetBlue Airways that will add 145,000 square feet of space at JFK Airport.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's Board of Commissioners approved the expansion plans Thursday.
The agency said JetBlue will invest more than $200 million to expand Terminal 5 at JFK by creating a new international arrivals...
Read more »U.S. seeks device to replace pat-downs
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The federal government says it has plans to use advanced technology to dramatically reduce the number of pat-down searches performed at the nation's airports.
The Department of Homeland Security recently put out a request for technology companies to come up with a hand-held scanning device that can be used instead of pat-down searches on passengers who set off alarms on full-body scanners.
The...
Read more »Travel deals: the week's best
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This week's best travel bargains around the globe.
MIRAVAL RESORT (TUCSON, ARIZ.)
Miraval, an all-inclusive resort and spa in Tucson, is offering summer freebies. With the Life in Balance Spa Sampler package, book a three-night stay and get a complimentary room upgrade ($225 value), manicure and pedicure ($165), and spa gift ($30), plus 20 percent off boutique purchases. A deluxe room...
Read more »Memorial Day weekend: New York traffic stats from AAA
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The number of Memorial Day travelers is expected to increase this year, after dipping slightly in 2011 due to high gas prices.
AAA's annual holiday weekend forecast projects 34.8 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home Thursday through Monday, up 1.2 percent from a year ago.
The same is true for New York, where almost 2.2 million people are expected to travel, up 0.5...
Read more »Long Island beach ranks among nation's best
Photo credit: Newsday / J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Although we might sometimes take it for granted, we knew it all along: Long Island's miles of sandy Atlantic shores boast some of the country's best beaches.
Sun and surf seekers come from miles around to lay their blankets on Jones Beach, Robert Moses, Long Beach. And today we get national recognition for an East End gem: Main Beach in East Hampton came in at No. 3 on Dr. Beach's annual list...
Read more »Airline responsibility in flight changes
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Q: We booked a cruise through Celebrity Cruise Lines and had Celebrity book the airfare and took out insurance. When we arrived for our connecting flight, US Airways said there was a mechanical failure and they needed 20 volunteers to give up their seats. They did not get their 20, so we got bumped. The best the airline could do was get us to the first port of call, which was two days later. US...
Read more »Cruisewise.com gives you cruise control
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NAME cruisewise.com
WHAT IT DOES Gives you more power to book a cruise online. If you like what Hipmunk has done for flight search, you will love what CruiseWise will do for cruises.
WHAT'S HOT It's all about the visual map. Select your destination, departure port and dates, then watch as your search results appear on a map on your screen. Detailed info such as price and room options...
Read more »Six Flags on Memorial Day weekend
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Yes, it will be crazy over Memorial Day weekend, but ... it's Six Flags! The coasters alone are enough of a lure, but there are further temptations, including some newbies.
The new SkyScreamer, which has swings that rise up more than 240 feet and churn at 40 miles per hour, opens Wednesday. (A note: I love swing rides. So much. But there is a new divide between the old, baby kind and the new,...
Read more »Free in NYC this weekend
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Our picks for free events this weekend.
FRIDAY
Music
"Good Morning America's" 2012 Summer Concert Series begins Friday with singer-songwriter — and “Duets” judge — Robin Thicke. (The roster still has some holes, but other shows include the Beach Boys June 15, LMFAO June 29 and No Doubt July 27.) In its fourth year, the series takes place at Rumsey Playfield in Central...
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