Fly Clear: The New Way to Fly

Fly Clear

Let’s face it, air travel is becoming more and more complicated and stressful. There is nothing worse than showing up to the airport a couple hours early, only to find that the security line is ridiculously long! Then once you finally get to the TSA agents, you now have to basically strip yourself of shoes, belts, jewelry, laptops and of course the 3 ounce liquids. It’s like an episode of the Amazing Race, except you not only have to do it as fast as humanly possible, but with an audience behind you staring you down as if to say “Hurry the &%$# up!”. If you’re lucky enough to be a frequent or first class flier you can skip most of the line and hit the “special line” which is usually shorter, yet in the end you still get thrown into the same chaos.

Now, imagine a world where you show up for your flight with your preprinted boarding pass and you waltz through security in just a few minutes with the help of a concierge. Your flight concierge helps you unpack and repack your electronics and quart size bag of liquids. This would never happen right? Wrong, now there is Fly Clear.

Currently, Fly Clear isn’t available in Atlanta, so I haven’t gotten to experience it first hand. However, I know a very successful doctor and business man that has. Here is the Fly Clear experience of Dr. Darren White.

1. How hard was the application process?

The process was quite simple. From home I logged onto Fly Clear and filled out the online application and paid the $128.00 for one year. The second part of the registration must occur in person at the Fly Clear in the airport or satellite location. Since I live in Seattle and Fly Clear isn’t in Seattle yet we had to wait until we flew to Oakland, CA to do the second portion. They require to pieces of government I.D., a retinal scan on your eyes and fingers prints. The whole process was completed in fifteen minutes. About one week later my wife got the email that she was CLEAR. I was left to sweat it out two more weeks before they decided I was okay. But then again, I am a British citizen living as a permanent resident in USA (or maybe it was that thing in 1998…).

2. How long does it take you to get through security now as compared to before Fly Clear?

Depending on the airport and time of flying, before Fly Clear it took me a good 20-50min to get through security, which made it about an hour process from curb to gate. Now, you print your boarding pass at home, carry on your Tumi luggage and you are at the gate with Starbuck’s latte in under 10min.

3. How does the Fly Clear security line compare to that of the First Class/Club members line in speed?

HA! My wife and I were in the First Class security line with Dennis Kucinich at Reagan Airport in D.C. We stood in that “First Class” line for more than 35min, great if your chatting with your favorite politician, sucks if you are trying to catch the flight. Right next to us was the Fly Clear…EMPTY! That is when we made our decision to raise our standards.

4. What is the Fly Clear process like at the airport?

We have never seen a line at Fly Clear. You basically step up to the Fly Clear machine ender your card and get your eyes and fingerprints scanned. BAM! you are “CLEAR” Then you can proceed straight to an empty metal detector screening. This part can’t be avoided however Fly Clear has a “concierge” to help you strip down.

5. Would you recommend Fly Clear to frequent travelers?

If you don’t fly first class or have not attained the upper elite tier of a frequent flyer program AND you you fly between airports that currently have Fly Clear… it is a MUST. Otherwise, there is really no rush until it is available at more airports.

6. Are there any improvements/changes that should be made with the Fly Clear process?

I’m looking forward to this becoming standard at all major airports. The biggest nuisance is still having to strip down and put your belongings into five trays as you walk barefoot through a scanner trying to hold up your pants. I think if we have had a full background check then we should be able to have a reduced security screening. With all our technology there has to be a better way than having to strip down every time.

So, there it is. Fly Clear is expanding quickly and luckily for me, it’ll be available in Atlanta in the Fall of 2008. As soon as I’m CLEAR, I’ll let you know how it’s impacted my air travel experience.

I’d love to hear more Fly Clear experiences…so please comment if you’re CLEAR!

Ciao!

Kimberly

Outsourcing Through Elance: My Experience

When your computer problems get too much to handle just Elance it!

If you plan to travel the world, take more time off and spend more time enjoying your life (as opposed to working), than you probably have a muse (a.k.a. Business that funds you lifestyle). And if you have a muse, then eventually, you’re going to get stuck somewhere along the way in this technology obsessed world. When you do, it’s Elance to the rescue…maybe.

Elance is basically a service that helps you outsource all the things you can’t or don’t want to do to someone who can. You can Elance everything from marketing or web design to legal or administrative work. Companies or individuals bid on your project. This is often a faster, more inexpensive way to solve your pesky problems. Personally I’ve only Elanced problems with web design and Wordpress (which I have plenty of, why can’t someone just make Wordpress a little easier for the non-computer geek!

Being an “outsourcing virgin” Elance was my first. I find the website confusing and the system definitely has flaws, but in the end it’s worth the aggravation because my problems get solved.

Here’s what I learned, what I wish I had known and my outcomes.

Experience #1: I needed some help with Wordpress blog stats, website crop navigation and PDF to HTML conversion. I posted the job on Elance and within an hour I had an offer. I was so excited that I actually got I bid, that I jumped right in and awarded the project immediately.

What I learned: The project objectives and time line should be completely clear before awarding the project.

What I wish I had known: I wish I had used milestones to not only fund the project, but to make sure the guidelines were followed. Also, I realized after the fact that correspondence should always go through the Elance private message boards and not my own email or phone to protect myself from he said/she said problems.

Outcomes: Often I found myself repeating the objectives of the project. The Elance worker began wanting to be paid even though silly mistakes had been made and not corrected. I found myself wondering why the quality of what the Elance worker did was so poor and not what I was looking for. Then I figured it out. I pay him, he pays workers a fraction of it to actually do the work. Most of the time, he hadn’t even seen the project before he told me it was completed!

My Wordpress problem and crop navigation were completed to satisfaction eventually, but not nearly on the time line that the Elance worker had predicted. The PDF conversion to HTML, was a disaster. He would literally email me the link for what he called a “completed project” with the same errors that I had previously asked him to fix. He tried a few sneaky tactics to get paid, but I caught onto him. This one just didn’t workout. I had to pull the project and re-Elance it. Hence, experience #2.

Experience #2: The PDF to HTML conversion redo project. I received multiple responses and this time I basically interviewed of all of them. In the end I found the right guy for the job.

What I learned: If you spend the time before the job is awarded making sure the objectives are understood, then you’re chances of a better experience increase drastically.

What I wish I had known: Nothing.

Outcomes: Perfection and delivered on time. He’s respectful, honest, hard working and only delivers a polished final product. No sneak, sneaky.

So, what has Elance done for me? My blog stats are fixed, the beautiful crop navigation on my blog is complete and of course, my PDF to HTML conversion of The List for each destination on our website is beautiful.

I love to give recommendations, so here’s the link for my Elancer, Bhupendra Singh Kunwar.

If you have any Elance stories you want to share or recommendations for Elancers, please post!

Another guest blog on Hotel Chatter, this time it’s The Belvedere Hotel!

Above: Rob and I enjoy a glass of Rosé, the sunset and The Belvedere Hotel

Going to Mykonos? Check out my review on Hotel Chatter of the #1 place to stay on the island,The Belvedere Hotel.

FYI: The pictures are mine too, and yes, that’s my husband in the third picture down rocking his P90X body!

Enjoy!

Top Eleven Restaurants I Love in the World

Who doesn’t love food. Even the Skinny Bitch loves food. Let me just say, I’m not a foodie, nor do I want to be. But I do enjoy learning about a culture through my belly. To me, food is not just for nourishment, it’s about culture, experiences, friends, family…you get the picture. So here it is, the Top Eleven Restaurants I Love in the World.

1. La Giostra in Florence, Italy

This Italian restaurant is the only restaurant the I constantly crave. To me, this is the best restaurant in the world. I spent a week in Florence and I think I ate her half of that week, including New Year’s Eve. You may be saying, “why would you go to the same restaurant over and over?”. Go once, then ask me that question. This father and son prince team are as eccentric as the food is amazing. The son (who invented Criss Angel’s look many years before Criss Angel) spent five minutes doing this decanting ritual with our wine only to taste it first himself and decided it was not good and got another bottle.

2. Marismo in Jose Ignacio, Uruguay

Follow the dirt road with no lights for 2km, turn left into the woods (don’t look for a sign, there isn’t one), then look for a guy with a flashlight waving you as to where to park. This sounds more like an off road adventure than directions to the best restaurant in Jose Ignacio. But as you enter this sand floor, tree house-ish, candle and bonfire lite restaurant, you’ll know you’ve arrived at the most “in the know” spot in Punta del Este. The food is unbelievably amazing, however you can’t pinpoint it to any one cuisine. Sorry Amex, it’s cash only.

3. Los Bandidos in Puerto Banús, Spain

Who thought I’d fall in love with a little port side French & Swedish restaurant? Not me! However, after one night in this laid back yet very hip open air eatery I was singing another tune. Not only is the food amazing, but because it’s adjacent to Louis Vuitton, the people watching was second to none! Reservations are a must.

4. Ambrosia in Santorini, Greece

Santorini is one of the most picturesque places in the world and the owners of Ambrosia were smart to capitalize on it. With just a few tables on their famed top deck, it’s the perfect place for a romantic dinner with the one you love. The menu is limited but the food is delicious. Watching the moon rise over the caldera is an experience you’ll never forget.

5. Kiki’s in Mykonos, Greece

This is as simple as it gets. Located on Agios Sostis beach. There’s no sign, and it’s not so easy to find. But if you’re one of the lucky few that do, you’ll soon see why this is the hidden gem of Mykonos. No electricity, no frills, just a dozen fresh salads, bread & olive oil, house wine and grilled favorites like octopus, eggplant and the catch of the day. With less than 10 tables, there isn’t a bad seat in the house.

6. Casa Tua in South Beach Miami, USA

Easily the most consistently amazing restaurant stateside. With high perfectly manicured bushes surrounding it and without a sign, it’s easy to miss. However this family owned Mediterranean hideaway serves up a chic, romantic experience with authentic Italian cuisine. My favorite part is the menu. Each page has a large candid photo of the owner’s beautiful family engaging in day to day life. Reservations are a must.

7. Aqua at the One & Only Palmilla in San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico

This will be controversial, however the more casual dining experience at the One & Only Palmilla is far superior (in my opinion) to their high end C by Charlie Trotter restaurant. And I don’t think I’m the only one that thinks so. I just love this candle lite, outdoor, set on the ocean, Mexican flavored restaurant and adjacent bar. On my last dinner there, we heard this very familiar and infectious laugh coming form the table behind us…it was Will Smith! If he chose Aqua over C, then I must be onto something here!

8. Nammos in Mykonos, Greece

Located on jet set Psarou beach, this is one of the see and be seen spots in Mykonos. You may approach it around 3pm on any given day and see 90% of the tables empty. However, if you try to get seated, you’ll quickly be denied and told that they are full with reservations. You won’t believe it, but just wait an hour and you’ll see the wealthy Athenians rise from their beach chairs and fill every table in this place. And yes, everything you order will be delicious. Go for lunch as there’s a better view and people watching.

9. Chez Black in Positano, Italy

Celebrities come here, movies have been filmed here and locals love it. Located directly on the beach of Positano, Chez Black is somewhat of an institution on the Amalfi Coast. With fresh ingredients, mostly that came out of the ocean or off the vines earlier in the day, any meal you choose is sure to be perfect. Great for large parties of friends or even a romantic dinner for two.

10. La Huella in Jose Ignacio, Uruguay

This is the place to see and be seen for lunch in Jose Ignacio, but unless you have a reservation, you’ll be standing in line for a very long time. This favorite noshing spot of the Buenos Aires elite serves up a little bit of everything, brick oven pizza, sushi, leg of lamb and gazpacho. You would think with such a variety of food items on the menu, that nothing would be good, but you’d be wrong. Everything is amazing! This is easily the best place for a long, lazy lunch. The line that forms at the from of this open air restaurant will blow you away. They actually have to block the doorway so they people waiting don’t overflow into the restaurant!

11. Villa Rosa in Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech is filled with tons of “traditional Moroccan” restaurants. But, after you eat your 100th tagine, you may want to try something a little different, a little more refined, a little sexy and if you do, this is it! This high end French restaurant has the ambiance of Paris, the patrons that look as if they stepped off the runway and a menu that can compete with the best in the world. This is the new Marrakech!

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For our complete list to hippest hotels, hottest restaurants and all that other good stuff in the coolest destinations around the world, check out our site at www.JetSetLife.tv

The Last Lecture & My Jet Set Life

Thankfully, I was raised by parents that gave me the ability to make my own choices in life, even at a young age. By their examples, they indirectly taught me to follow my heart and my passions. Because of my parents, I’ve always been a passion person, first with gymnastics and then leadership. Thankfully, in eighth grade it became travel with a three week trip to Russia with People to People. That’s where I first got the bug for travel, culture and exploring how other people lived. My parents were brilliant, they guiding me and allowed me to have these experiences that would truly change the path of my life, and (as usual) they were right.

People can look at how I live my life in one of two ways; either it’s a shallow existence with expensive hotels, posh dinners and new veneers or you could see that I’m living my life, a life I designed around my passions and my childhood dreams. My hope is that you see it’s the latter of the two.

Here is a story of a terrific man, an inspiring teacher, a doting husband and a role model of a father that followed his heart, his passion and in the end, literally accomplished all of his childhood dreams. And now, leaves his legacy to the world, his students and most importantly, his children.

Randy Pausch was a professor of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon. He delivered the annual “Last Lecture” in September of 2007 to a packed house. The name of the lecture had more meaning to him than any one else because he was dying of cancer and only had 3-6 months to live. The lessons that he learned in his all too short life seem like a compilation of The Secret, Tony Robbins and even Tim Ferriss. Maybe he read these books or saw these lectures, but I have a feeling this was just who he was as a person.

You may ask, what does The Last Lecture have to do with My Jet Set Life. That’s easy. It’s about passion, accomplishing your childhood dreams, enabling others to accomplish their dreams and of course about life lessons learned along the way. Not to get on a soap box, but I consider myself a child of the world. I love the cultures, the history and more than anything, the people that I meet in other countries. For me, Randy Pausch solidified my desire to have a muse that I LOVE; and never give up on my dreams and goals, no matter how big or small; to realize that the experience you’ll get from trying to obtain your goals is your real gift. He reminded me of all the things I know deep inside, but maybe get lost among the clutter of everyday life, like gratitude and karma. He talks about the brick walls that you’ll come up against when trying to accomplish a dream or goal. He says that brick walls are designed to show you how badly you want something. I really believe that the brick walls in your life are what make you who you are.

Personally, our company Jet Set Life is the legacy that we want to leave the world. Our travels have inspired us to live a better more well rounded life, worldwide. From our travels we’ve learned to enjoy a cup of coffee with friends and truly live in the moment. Our ultimate dream is that people will follow our lead and become inspired to live life now and find a way to get off the deferred life plan. To stop allowing the brick walls of life to come between you and your life, your passions and your childhood dreams. Hence, “Excuses are over. It’s time to live!”. I think we’re on the same page as Randy Pausch and are thankful for his final lecture.

For me, I believe that everything, good or bad happens for a reason. Even the recent passing of Randy Pausch at the early age of 47 years old, happened for a reason (by the way, he lived almost a year instead of the 3-6 months that doctors gave him). I believe the reason was so this lecture would be seen worldwide and the world would be a better place because of this one man. Here’s the lecture, please watch it to the end including the minute and a half of the standing ovation. Get your Kleenex, a pad of paper and take it all in. Enjoy!