Will using a travel agent help you save money for your upcoming trip? LearnVest has the answer. Are travel agents back? This question, posed by The New York Times, got us thinking. According to the piece, nearly one in three leisure travel agencies is hiring, and in 2011 travel agencies experienced a second consecutive year of growth; in fact, their bookings accounted for a third of the $284 Read more

When Australian tourist Rachel Evans unexpectedly went into labor at Vancouver International Airport last Summer, some three months before her due date, the baby's health and well-being were the immediate concern for the new mom and dad John Kan. After the baby, Piper, was born, she needed 90 days of neonatal care, and while the couple took out travel insurance and extra coverage, they did not Read more

Nearly as big as the highly anticipated Oscars on Feb. 26 is Elton John's AIDS Foundation Oscars party, hosted annually by the musician and his husband, David Furnish. Guests at this year's fête will be fed courtesy of Cat Cora, who'll be pulling out all the stops with an all-out global-inspired menu. I spoke to the Iron Chef about what she's making for this bash (and her tips for hosting your Read more

Welcome to our new series A Day in the Life, where we examine at what it's like to be a professional in the food industry. In honor of the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, we look at a day in the life of Kate Krader. As the magazine's restaurant editor, Kate is a girl about town and friend to many chefs. Here's what she did yesterday, Thursday, June 15. Disclaimer: This is not a normal day in my Read more

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy! Don’t look now, but here come the holidays (really, they’re just 11 weeks away!). This year, though, we’re going to make planning and budgeting for them a snap. First up, it’s time to decide where you’ll spend each holiday and figure out your travel plans—now. Plan as early as possible to get the best deal on your Read more

Jet-setters, backpackers, hotel aficionados beware — your carefree travel from point A to point B may not be so innocent after all. There are germs lurking on the check-in counter at the airport, on the subway seat during your morning commute, and on the ice bucket in your hotel room. If you've watched the movie Contagion, you'll most likely already be on high germ alert. Here are are five Read more

This week, I had the opportunity to chat with interior designer Kathryn Ireland, a cast member of Bravo's hit new reality show Million Dollar Decorators, about her career, clients, shopping routine, decorating advice, and experience on the series. Check out the first part of our interview below!CasaSugar: So how did you get involved in Million Dollar Decorators? Kathryn Ireland: I was a guest Read more

Google's latest search product Google Flight Search offers another option for finding the best deals in the fast-moving world of online travel sources. Search airline ticket prices by entering the travel query in the main toolbar and clicking "flights" on the results page or access Flight Search directly. Results based on departing city show up in near instantaneous speeds with plenty of Read more