Author: Ethan More

Chase has widely been considered a leader in credit card rewards for years. When it introduced the Chase Sapphire cards in 2009, Chase was catapulted to the front of the credit card space. Try Chase Ultimate Rewards that are flexible in every way and give people useful information through your blog. In order to get more views check out SocialGreg.

In 2016, Chase reached the peak of popularity with the launch of its Chase Sapphire Reserve® card. Chase’s new luxury card product had such high demand in the month of its release that Chase actually ran out of cards to print. However, the Chase Ultimate Rewards® program is beginning to lose its allure. The program hasn’t made any changes to its partners in some time, and other credit card reward programs are beginning to challenge Chase through perks with their various rewards credit cards. 

Why Is Chase Ultimate Rewards so popular?

Chase Ultimate Rewards established itself as a leader in credit card rewards through its excellent credit card products and customised redemption options. 

The cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards offer hefty sign-up bonuses, broad spending categories, comprehensive travel insurance, purchase protection and more.

Furthermore, between the Ultimate Rewards portal and Chase’s transfer partners, your redemption possibilities are nearly endless. If you prefer convenience, you can book a flight through the travel portal and receive a 25% to 50% bonus if you own the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card. You can achieve an even better value by transferring your points to Chase’s partners. For example, you can transfer your points to the British Airways Executive Club and book American Airlines flights using British Airways Avios.

This full offering of outstanding card products along with robust redemption options has made Chase Ultimate Rewards cards hot commodities. Competitors like American Express and Capital One have historically lacked a strong card product or valuable redemption options. It has only been in recent years that competitors have made efforts to enhance their products to compete with Chase.

Chase Ultimate Rewards cards

Cards	Great for…	Sign-up bonus	Spending categories	Annual fee
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card	Occasional travelers	Our best offer ever! Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $1,250 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.	2X points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases worldwide	$95
Chase Sapphire Reserve®	Frequent travelers	Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.	3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit. 3X points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.	$550
Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card	Small business owners with high spending.	New Offer! Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.	Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases—with no limit to the amount you can earn.	$95

Recent changes to Chase Ultimate Rewards cards

Recently, the value of Chase’s cards have come into question amid strong competition from other card issuers, along with some recent changes that have decreased the value of its products. At the beginning of 2020, Chase announced that it was raising the Chase Sapphire Reserve®’s annual fee by $100 to $550 per year. While several benefits were added to the card, many cardholders began to question its value. Shortly after the increase, the country began its shutdown due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Chase made adjustments to both the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® cards in response to COVID-19. With cardmembers not utilising benefits such as travel credits and travel insurance, Chase compensated by adding several limited-time benefits, including new earning categories and new categories for the Chase Sapphire Reserve®’s $300 travel credit.

Unfortunately, while these benefits may help retain cardholders, they fall short of the value of the cards’ travel benefits. In the meantime, Chase has made little progress in differentiating the Ultimate Rewards program from its major competitors: American Express and Capital One.

Chase Ultimate Rewards vs. American Express Membership Rewards

There have been conversations for years in the points and miles space on who is the top dog between Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards. While American Express has been doing an excellent job to cater to customers’ wants and needs during the coronavirus crisis, its rewards program easily demonstrates better value through its travel partners.

Here is the breakdown between the partners that both programs have in common and the unique partners for each program:

Partner	Chase	American Express
Aer Lingus
AeroMexico
Aeroplan
Alitalia
ANA
Asia Miles
Avianca
British Airways Executive Club
Choice Privileges
Delta Air Lines
El Al
Emirates Skywards®

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American Express has a much longer list of both domestic and international airline partners, as well as unique hotel partners.

The only partner that Chase can hang their hat on is Hyatt. The World of Hyatt® program is extremely valuable as it has a wide range of properties, and its fixed award chart keeps Hyatt points at a high value.

Southwest and United Airlines, on the other hand, are less valuable partners as their award pricing is dynamic. This means that the amount of points or miles needed for a flight can fluctuate at any moment based on demand, making the rewards less desirable.

Further to its credit, American Express offers a robust portfolio of personal and business credit cards to earn Membership Rewards. In comparison to Chase cards, American Express overall provides a much better return on spending. Many credit card fanatics call the “Amex Trifecta” — including the The Platinum Card® from American Express, American Express® Gold Card and The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express — one of the best points earning combinations available.

If you are more focused on cashback rewards, American Express has excellent cash back options as well. In all, American Express has a better credit card portfolio for three reasons: more products, less restrictive application rules than Chase (i.e. Chase 5/24) and more robust travel partners to transfer points to.

If keeping it simple with one credit card for your spending better suits you, any of these American Express cards can potentially reward you for your spending:

• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card

Chase Ultimate Rewards vs. Capital One miles

Capital One has routinely fallen behind Chase and other competitors. Its portfolio of cards is limited as it only has the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Cards, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card and two business credit cards that earn Capital One miles. However, Capital One has a much broader list of transfer partners than Chase, including recent additions, Wyndham and Accor.

One important note when transferring rewards is ratios. All of Chase’s travel partners transfer points at a 1:1 ratio. So for example, transferring 10,000 Chase points equates to 10,000 United Airlines miles. With Capital One, the ratio is 1:1 for some partner, 2:1.5 for other partners, with some partners at 2:1. So by transferring miles with Capital One, you are losing a bit of value in some cases. But if you find a great award flight or hotel room, it may be worth it.

While Chase remains at a standstill with making enhancements to their program, Capital One continues to innovate to deliver value to its cardholders.

Partner	Chase	Capitol One
Accor Live Limitless
Aer Lingus
Aeromexico
Air Canada (Aeroplan)
Alitalia
Avianca
British Airways Executive Club	>
Cathay Pacific
Emirates Skywards®
Etihad
EVA Air
Finnair

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The choice between Chase and Capital One, depends on which set of travel partners better fits your travel needs. However, Capital One’s list of transfer partners is slightly more valuable because of a wider variety of airline partners.

Is Chase Ultimate Rewards still worth it?

Chase’s luster is fading as other programs continue to add partners and add new incentives. If Chase continues to be stagnant in its value proposition, it could potentially lose ground as one of the best credit card rewards programs.

However, Chase Ultimate Rewards is absolutely still worth investing in, if it works for your travel needs. With excellent personal and business credit card options, Ultimate Rewards is nothing to scoff at. Regardless if you book through the Chase travel portal or transfer your points, Ultimate Rewards points are still extremely valuable.

We were due to fly home from Corfu to Newcastle with easyJet on Sunday 9 October 2016. On Saturday morning when I checked my emails, I noticed an email from easyJet informing me that our flight had been cancelled due to a strike by Greek air traffic controllers.

At that stage, the strike was due to last until Monday 10 October, with the possibility of another two day strike on Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 October.

As I had booked the easyJet flight and our accommodation at the Mayor Capo Di Corfu through Broadway Travel, I thought that I’d better phone them once I received the cancellation email. When you have not booked your own flight directly on the easyJet website, you can’t manage your booking online. You can live-stream about flight cancellations on your Twitch channel and increase viewers with the help of StreamOZ.

After three attempts to call, the final taking more than one hour, Broadway Travel informed me that as I had purchased a dynamic package, versus a package holiday, they could only look into alternative flights for me. I would have to arrange and pay for our accommodation and then reclaim it from easyJet.

I asked when I would hear back from Broadway Travel regarding flight options. There was no time given, just that customers with flights the following day were a priority.

When I hadn’t heard back from Broadway Travel by 5pm, I thought that I’d better phone easyJet. The options of departing from a different airport in Greece and/or flying back to different airport to the UK or getting a refund for our flights were discussed. But with the possible virtual back to back strikes by Greek air traffic controllers, the best option appeared to be to get booked on the next Corfu to Newcastle flight on Sunday 16 October.

Once the easyJet customer service rep had re-booked the flights, I asked her for confirmation that easyJet would refund our accommodation costs for the additional seven days. I told her that my intention was to stay on at the Mayor Capo Di Corfu, assuming that they had availability. She told me that I would be reimbursed for the accommodation.

In fact, the strike was called off on the evening of Saturday 8 October, but it was too late for easyJet to reinstate the flight the following day.

On Sunday morning, I went to the hotel reception to check if they had availability for the week.

Our original stay at the Capo Di Corfu was on an all-inclusive basis. However, as I wasn’t sure if easyJet would cover this, as it states on their website that reasonable expenses including accommodation, meals and refreshments (excluding alcohol) will be refunded.

Now as I’m a teetotaler, I wouldn’t have been drinking any alcohol. My husband drinks the odd glass of wine or beer. Personally, I did feel that it was reasonable to continue on the same board basis.

There was also the issue of the cost, as I was going to have to pay for the accommodation upfront. I had no idea how long it would take for easyJet to refund me.

The hotel did have availability for the week They quoted 960 Euro for a seven night all inclusive stay. The cost for half board was 738 Euro.

I decided that, on balance, I had better go for the half board option, I felt that easyJet would be less likely to contest this, and I didn’t want to be even more out of pocket for an undefined period.

We had a hire car, which had to be returned to Corfu Airport on Sunday 9 October. I doubt if easyJet would have refunded another week of car rental. Returning the hire car to the airport was very inconvenient, as it’s a minimum one hour drive from the resort to Corfu Airport.

I will have to pay 70 Euro for a taxi to the airport on Sunday 16 October, assuming that there are no further changes to our flight. I will have to pay this in cash. As I was coming on an all inclusive holiday, I only brought a few Euro in cash with me. I will have to ask the taxi driver to stop at a  cash machine enroute to the airport.

In my opinion, it is really bewildering to be left in this situation.

Now I’m not blaming easyJet. That strike by Greek air traffic controllers was outwith their control. The pay upfront for your expenses and then reclaim procedure, is standard under EU regulation.

What I’d like to see is a change in the EU legislation.

There should be a detailed explanation of reasonable expenses on the website of every airline covered by EU legislation. How on earth can I judge what the airline will consider to be a reasonable expense?

The airline should be obliged to pay the accommodation supplier directly in a situation like ours.

Now while being in Corfu for another week is not exactly a hardship, especially with me being able to work online, the £666 which I have had to pay for our accommodation is weighing on my mind.

My credit card statement is due on 16 October. So I will have to pay the balance around three weeks later. I am not convinced that I will have received the refund from easyJet by then.

There is also the issue of currency fluctuations. If the UK pound keeps falling, a refund of Euro converted to a lower rate will leave me out of pocket. To try to avoid this, I have taken a photo of my credit card statement, which shows the amount paid for the accommodation in UK pounds. But the receipt from the hotel is quoted in Euros.

I really feel left hung out to dry. Dealing with the flight cancellation took hours and spoiled the holiday. Now I am concerned if easyJet will fully reimburse me, and when I will receive the cash from them.

We went to Corvette Diner on our second night in San Diego. Immediately upon walking in the door, we saw how fun and vibrant the atmosphere is. While we waited for our table, we enjoyed visiting their full arcade – my kids loved playing classic games, like Ms. Pacman and pinball. If you travel a lot with children, be sure to visit this restaurant. Share this information with people who enjoy going to restaurants with their kids. You can connect more easily with them if you buy social media services from Jaynike.

The wait staff, who all seem to love their jobs, add to the fun. Each waiter or waitress does fun straw hairstyles for the female kids in your party – my daughter couldn’t wait for our server to come over and do her hair. There’s also a balloon artist that rotates around the dining rooms, creating balloon animals and other creations in exchange for tips. It’s definitely a fun spot with kids – we’ll definitely be back when we go back to San Diego.

The Fishery

The Fishery, located in North Pacific Beach (in Mission Bay), offers a fish market in addition to a restaurant. Although they don’t have a kids’ menu, we ordered the fish and chips entree and my kids happily split it. In addition to fish entrees, they offer sushi, which is what I ordered.

The Fish Market

The Fish Market, which is located right along the waterfront in downtown San Diego, was my biggest surprise on our vacation. Because of its central location, I automatically assumed that it was more of a tourist restaurant. After searching Yelp while on our harbor cruise, the Fish Market popped up as one of the top picks for the area. I made a quick reservation, and after the boat docked, we headed out to lunch.

The Fish Market offers indoor and outdoor seating. While the temps in the high 60s was a little too chilly for most Southern Californians, we were happy to sit outside and enjoy the sun. Most importantly, however, the food at the Fish Market is excellent. Menus are printed twice a day to reflect the absolute freshest catch. The sushi appetiser I ordered was some of the best sushi I’ve ever had, and the swordfish tacos were excellent.

Waypoint Public

When we were in Balboa Park, I used the Yelp app to find a great spot for lunch. Waypoint Public had some fabulous reviews, so we decided to head that way.

While it didn’t immediately look like a kid-friendly restaurant, it definitely is. Our waitress was fantastic, offering meal suggestions, and we decided to order a few different things to share. Everything we ate was great. While we were there for lunch, it also looked like a great brunch spot.

Cucina Urbana

A few people recommended Cucina Urbana to us, so we made reservations on our last night. Located in downtown San Diego, Cucina Urbana is a chic little Italian restaurant and wine bar. It’s also kid-friendly, and my kids both ordered the make your own pizza. The waiter brought over a pizza crust and ingredients and the kids assembled their dinner, then it was brought back to the kitchen to be cooked. It’s a fun, unique experience that my children enjoyed. While they ate their pizza, we enjoyed our delicious Italian entrees.

Draft

On our first night in San Diego, we walked to Belmont Park to eat at Draft, which is located right on Mission Beach. Unfortunately, they weren’t taking walk-ins, so we planned to visit a different day. Thanks to the location right on the beach, it’s definitely a must-visit. The food is good – standard pub fare – and there are lots of great drink options. Go early, and ask for a seat along the boardwalk.

The Mission

The Mission has three locations in San Diego, including one on Mission Bay. On our last full day in San Diego, we headed there for brunch. My kids absolutely loved the pancakes – they made my son chocolate chip pancakes, even though they aren’t on the menu. My entree, along with my husband’s, was excellent as well.

Disclosure: Our meals at the Corvette Diner were complimentary for review. All other restaurant bills were paid for by us. All opinions are my own.

Understanding Ile de Ré means being au fait with the French term, bobo: bourgeois-bohemian. Spanning just 30km, this Atlantic island in the south west of France is known for its understated, inherent chic. Dreamy ports, crashing waves and vibrant markets are all part of its day to day charm, as are jacket-wearing donkeys (tres chic non?) and idyllic seafood restaurants. Long has it been the go-to sunning spot for rich Parisians and savvy A-listers; locals know that Audrey Tautou fetches her morning baguettes from the market at Ars en Ré, and where to find Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis’ old holiday home. But it’s the done thing to play it cool, meaning despite its star-studded summer months, Ile de Ré remains fresh and untouched by the masses (and little documented online). Still, every summer the population surges from July to September, known as “la saison”. Summer is the best season to travel in France! Capture the best moments of your lifetime, upload on your Instagram and increase followers with the help of SocialWick.

 Holidaying on the island means submitting to the relaxed vibe and letting wild beaches and cobbled streets whisk you away. From the moment you set foot to sand, you renounce stress, resign the car to driveway and while away the hours riding old-school bicycles – the preferred mode of transport – to one of three spots: beach, market or restaurant. Vast oyster farms and salt marshes stretch across the land, and with herons and seagulls swooping around them, the call of nature is never far. At the top of your island bucket list should be oyster tasting. Why? Ile de Ré oysters are tipped as the best in the world.

Nature aside, the island is made up of several small villages – St Martin is the largest and La Couarde the chicest – all of which are interconnected by bike paths. Due to building regulations, each of them has remained quintessentially Ile de Ré – never taller than one story and white-washed with shutters painted in traditional maritime colours.

Having spent a lifetime holidaying in La Couarde, and later moonlighting in summer jobs as supermarket cashier, ice cream girl and oyster farmer, take it from an insider: Ile de Ré is one of the most wildly attractive and addictive places you’ll ever discover. Book your flights and pack the espadrilles; here’s how to spend a summer weekend off radar on Ile de Ré, including the best bits you won’t find online.

TO STAY

Hôtel Le Vieux Gréement

This three-star hotel sits in the beating heart of La Couarde – the most elegant village on the island. With leafy tree branches spilling into each other over the terrace and an old carousel still turning merrily a few metres away, it’s the true Ile de Ré experience. Rooms are no frills, yet clean and painted in the island tones of white, grey and light blue and sea green. It’s a simple unembellished glamour that matches up with the relaxed local ambience. The breakfast (very important) might just be the best you ever had. Thanks to Monsieur Marin’s renowned bakery a short way down the street, you’ll be presented with boundless springy pastries and breads, with local jams to match. Tranquility is inescapable. Rooms from €85.

Le Clos St Martin

For all the sweet, understated hotels of the island, there’s one that smacks of luxury. Located in the main town of St Martin, four-star Le Clos is tucked away just behind the buzzing centre. Sticking to a traditional colour palette of blue-grey and white, the rooms offer spacious, relaxed living and the staff on reception (who are used to hosting famous faces) know how to look after their guests. Unlike most hotels here, this one is also equipped with a spa, Le Spa by Clarins, which is available for personal hire even if you aren’t staying there. With relaxation spots, herbal teas, Clarins treatments and hammam spa facilities, it will set you straight into holiday mode. As for restaurants, they are just around the corner – go explore. Room price varies.

TO EAT

La Cabine de Bain

Translating as “the beach hut” La Cabine de Bain is every bit the shabby-chic lieu that people flock to the island to enjoy. Located on the corner of La Couarde’s quintessential cobbled main street – which makes up the idyllic view from its terrace – the restaurant is a favourite among locals and tourists. Don’t let its chilled atmosphere fool you, though: it’s owned by a decorated Northern Irish chef (known for his phenomenal sauces) and his French wife. The menu varies day to day depending on the fisherman’s catch, but you can expect freshly caught seafood, beautifully assembled dishes that pack a punch and sauces you’ll never forget. Smart diners book in for lunch to make the most of the cut price set menu.

La Baleine Bleue

Popular is underrated. A seat on the elegant blue and white terrace of the island’s most famous restaurant, La Baleine Bleue, is hot property for good reason. Here, it starts and finishes with electric ambience; situated on the inner rim of the port in St Martin, it’s best on a summer evening, when the sun sets and casts a red hue over the boats and water. The classic French menu is heavily influenced by seafood given its surroundings, but is intended to suit all. Pricey it may be, but for the quality, the buzz and the view, it’s very much worth it. Don’t go home yet. Once dinner’s over, the tables are pushed back to make room for dancing, and when that wraps up is anyone’s guess.

La Salicorne

Treat this restaurant as our little secret. Only open during the summer months and hidden away in the backstreets of La Couarde, La Salicorne has an exclusive, fine-dining feel and it certainly doesn’t shout about itself (it’s France – nonchalance always works). People come here to indulge; think rich French cooking, unexpected combinations like scallops in roquefort sauce and expertly selected wine to match. Unlike most restaurants of this calibre, the short menu at La Salicorne virtually never changes; as the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”, and believe us, broke it ain’t.

• +33 546 298 237
• 16 Rue de l’Olivette
  La Couarde-sur-Mer
  17670

Au Gouter Breton

Ile de Ré is made for cycling, but after kilometres out exploring, your body’s bound to beg for a well-earned treat. Au Gouter Breton is a takeout creperie on the oft travelled cycle route to Ars en Ré and – frankly – it’s a must visit. Just a few metres up from the main port of the village on (yet another) pretty cobbled street, the little shop serves galettes; savoury pancakes originating from Brittany, that are usually packed with egg, ham and cheese. It’s the ultimate comforting lunch and the most French fast food you’ll ever discover. The bonus? It’ll set you back virtually nothing. Wander down and eat yours by the port, watching the boats sail by.

TO DO

Hire a bike

One rule: Ile de Ré without a bike is not Ile de Ré at all. As soon as you arrive, head for one of the many rental shops and hire your bike out for the whole weekend. From coastal routes where waves crash and foam every few pedal strokes to scenic rides by the fresh salt marshes and oyster farms, the island is covered in intertwining cycle paths. Take the route to Le Phare des Baleines, the towering white and red lighthouse on the west coast which dates back to 1849, to swat up on history and catch an incredible view. But it’s the simple pleasure of evening air against sunned skin as you pedal towards dinner and back that’s most charming of all. That quirk alone is what makes Ile de Ré addictive, romantic and impossible to forget. Check out Cyclosurf, a network of eight bicycle rental shops on Ile de Ré.

Oyster Shacks

Renowned for its world-class oysters, Ile de Ré is speckled with seafood shacks as common as you might imagine rum bars in Martinique. Heed our advice: skip ordering oysters in restaurants. Time dies when you’re eating seafood straight from the producer, surrounded by their salt marshes, oyster beds and the herons that stalk around them (and you’ll be saved an unnecessarily huge price hike). Follow signs saying “degustation” (that means “tasting”) and you’ll be discreetly tucking into ocean fresh oysters, mussels and clams in no time. La Cabane du Feneau in Loix comes highly recommended; lost to the world between the marshes, their oysters are served in rustic baskets decked out with seaweed.

Le Palais de la Glace et du Sorbet

A hard life of sun, sea and cycling requires well-planned stop-offs; cool off from the heat at this La Couarde ice-cream shop. Small, it may be, but Alain, who founded the business 36 years ago, keeps his shop well stocked with unforgettable flavours – over 60, to be precise. Chocolate lovers will be hooked by the zingy chocolate orange, but for a taste of the island’s specialty, opt for a scoop of salted caramel. Made with “fleur de sel” – the fine salt you’ll see piling up in the sun-bathed marshes – it packs a punch. Alain also serves crepes and waffles, because…when on holiday, why not?

Beaches and markets

Being a small island, beaches are never hard to find, no matter where you choose to stay. Lucky enough, the best ones are also in close proximity to markets. Our suggestion? Make a day of it and cycle into La Couarde in time to catch the morning market, which sells fresh fish, meat and vegetables, as well as clothing and souvenirs. Once suitably stocked, make for the beach. Surfers and watersport seekers will love la plage de la Pergola, but if you want to lounge with metres of sand to yourself (and zero sign of tourism) turn right and walk along. It quickly gets less and less busy, meaning peace and quiet, but for the crashing of the waves and the squawk of the gulls.

TO DRINK

La Pergola

Party people, direct yourselves to La Pergola, La Couarde’s only nightclub. The beachside bar, club and terrace is invariably packed as soon as la saison kicks in. Locals mix with holiday makers, and the island ambience can get wild (in an innocent Euro-pop kind of way). It’s a classic French discotheque, so be ready for anything, from US charts toppers to Mika, Shakira and old bangers like the Grease mega-mix. Here, anything goes, and the bartenders’ stealthy cocktails certainly encourage clubbers to throw some shapes. It’s not Chiltern Firehouse, but you’re on Ile de Ré: it’s most fun when you let your hair down and leave everything else behind.

La Part des Anges

This très chic wine bar is located on the main street of La Couarde, and benefits from a constant stream of well-dressed aficionados. With an outdoor terrace and garden as well as indoor seating, the light interiors make for a welcoming environment in which to sample fine French wine, charcuterie and cheese. One vital piece of advice: don’t waste time with the wine produced on Ile de Ré. It’s not good, and all the locals know it. Ask the staff to point you in the direction of something from further south to make the most of your visit. You’ll lose track of time, but that’s not such a bad thing with a glass of Bordeaux firmly in hand. In the morning, stop by for a coffee en route to the market.

L’Accro Paul

Those not in the know would have a hard time finding this small wine cellar on the main street of La Couarde, run by a friendly monsieur named Greg. It’s not a bar, per se, but he’s a real connoisseur and great salesman and you’ll quickly find yourself taken by his humorous conversation and amusing t-shirts, with several tasters in hand. A huge mix of people frequent the small, bottle-covered cellar, from locals, to visitors from as far afield as Russia. (And rumour has it that Greg has recently started serving pizza, which is an undeniable bonus.) L’Accro Paul offers a unique experience that money can’t buy. Splash out a little, though, and leave with a bottle chosen to suit you perfectly.

Le Bastion

This St Martin club is legend. It’s changed hands and names a number of times, but the important news is that it’s still going strong. Given the relaxed feel of the island, a surprising amount of revelers party at Le Bastion by night and only begin to wander home when the sun starts to rise. It’s as close to Ibiza as Ile de Ré comes, and with a line-up of locally well-known DJs, the hype is real. Needless to say, it’s best on a Saturday night; turn up around one am when the party really gets going.

Have you ever wondered what a day in the life of a zookeeper was like? With each visit to a zoo, my daughter and I like to chat about how much fun it must be to get a “behind the scenes” glimpse of the goings on, how the keepers care and feed the animals, and honestly, we have always been curious as to what it looks like. Exchange your emotions and experiences about this amazing adventure of your life through Tiktok live! For more views, check out TikTokStorm 

This autumn, my teen daughter had one of her dreams come true: Zookeeper for a Day at National Aviary in Pittsburgh! An accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, the aviary is the only independent indoor nonprofit zoo dedicated to birds in all of America.

They care for well over 500 birds representing 150 species on a daily basis and, you know what that means, there’s always a hustle behind the scenes to make sure the birds are feed, stay healthy, and even put on a good show.

We were delighted to sample a little bit of everything during our visit, from helping the birds paint (a few are skilled artists!) to making sure they maintain the proper diet. We had the time of our lives.

Painting with the Parrots

Our first plan of action was painting with a Blue-Fronted Amazon Parrot named Lucky. Painting is used for not only recreation but it’s a great way to mimic experiences that they would do in the wild, like grabbing sticks to make nests.

My daughter and I picked out two colours each and Lucky put his artistic skills to work via nontoxic paint and actual canvases. A couple of the in-house penguins like to dip their feet in the paint and create masterpieces as well, and visitors can register for Penguin Paintings via the official website.

PENGUIN FEEDING

After we learned all about avian painting program we headed out to Penguin Point to assist the zookeepers in the morning feeding of its 18 African Penguins, which are fed three times per day. Before the feeding began, we learned all about a penguin’s diet, what type of fish each one likes best, and how daily vitamins and minerals are added to the fishs’ gills to ensure the penguins stay healthy. The keepers have a chart and, after each penguin downs a fish, my daughter was able to check them off on the chart. 

What I loved best is how a couple of the African Penguins were more interested in my daughter and I than what was for breakfast. Getting to stand a foot away from a couple of penguins was definitely a highlight for both of us!

FEEDING TIME FOR THE REST OF THE BIRDS

There’s always something going on behind the scenes at National Aviary and most times it involves- you guessed it- food! We took a quick trip to the kitchen where the avian diets are prepared and got a glimpse at the ingredients. Not only are seeds and berries used, but the zookeepers and rest of the team add vitamins and minerals, worms, and even a few crickets to the mix. The carnivorous birds dine on thawed mice and chicken pieces as well.

I had to ask why the meat-eating birds are given frozen/thawed meat in their diets and the reason is simple: if the birds were given live mice or chicken their food could attack and injure them. Makes perfect sense to me.

A Trip to the Hospital

If one of the zookeepers at National Aviary ever sees a bird that looks injured or sick, it’s immediately taken to the on-site hospital for care and rehabilitation. We were able to visit the hospital to learn about the proper care of the birds who call the Aviary home.

My daughter fell in love with Milo, a 14-year-old duck who is now under permanent hospital care, compliments of her long life (the average life for a duck is around 6 or 7) and a couple of internal issues. She was such a sweetheart and is part of the aviary’s educational program. And, no worries about her being in a teeny cage: her spacious home was being cleaned when we visited.

Flamingo Encounter

Our last stop of the day was my daughter’s favourite- a flamingo encounter! We met our guide in the Wetlands exhibit, and stepped through a secured gate. Off we went to sit on a giant log to interact with the flamingos.

Our zookeeper gave us the scoop on why flamingos are pink (it’s compliments of the way they process canthaxanthin, a naturally occurring dye found in brine shrimp and some algae), explained to us that the birds do not liked to be touched but they like to touch humans (in the wild, if another animal is touching them it means danger), and let us in on why their “knees are on backward”- it turns out that the joint that looks like a knee is actually an ankle bone.

We were given a chance to feed the flamingos by holding a bowl filled with food pellets and water. Beaker, one of the flamingos, took us up on our offer and managed to get my daughter soaked while he ate. She loved it!

How You Can Be a Zookeeper at the National Aviary

Happily, all bird lovers are able to encounter what we did during our Zookeeper for a Day program. I was delighted to learn that guests may customize their experiences and what type of birds they’d like to learn more about. Want to take part in  a zookeeper program at National Aviary? Here’s all of the information to get you started.

I was hosted by the National Aviary to give you fine folks the scoop on what makes it so great for families. I was not asked to state a particular point of view and all opinions are my own!

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Karyn Locke is a former military brat who caught the travel bug at a very early age, Karyn loves road tripping with her family and writing about her travels from small town Ohio to Sand and Snow…and everywhere in between! You can also find her working on Trekaroo.com as the Marketing and Social Media Guroo and newly-appointed Mid-America Guroo.

KuCoin is a platform launched in September 2017. Within a very short time, it becomes one of the top-rank crypto exchanges. The fast progress of KuCoin is backed by its best policies and a team of experts who work magnificently. KuCoin reinvests it’s most of its revenue to increase its growth. Several offers are running on the KuCoin site to provide the best services to new or existing users. In this post, we will talk about opportunities provided to earn some passive income with KuCoin.

Several Ways To Make Money With KuCoin

Best Perks

KuCoin provides different perks, including lending and holding KCS in return for bonuses. You can also earn passive money by lending many other stablecoins for different time frames. You will get as high as 730% on 14 days of lending. Other coins like Atom, Shib, Doge, and Sol give you 

73% of the return. Leveraging is easy on the KuCoin platform and other crypto markets. To borrow and lend money, you don’t have to go through different rules and regulations. You will also get different loans without any paperwork on simple agreements.

KuCoin Affiliate Program

Most exchanges provide you with several amounts of money for a referral. However, on KuCoin, you will get a 40% trading fee when your referee does trade. This will make you a lot of money without doing anything. The affiliate bonus provided by KuCoin is separate from any other platform and plays a major role in their exchange’s success. Due to this reason, many big traders recommend this site for your daily trading.

KuCoin Content Creating Program

KuCoin is interested in attractive content that elaborates its services. Moreover, the kucoin offers its content creators the BTC giving that occurs mostly at the end of each month. This program however offers various tropics now its depends on the content creators to select their respective ones. The best content will receive 500 USD worth of bitcoins, and you can easily transfer this BTC to different coins like USTC, KCS, etc. Content creators have a chance to avail this opportunity and receive a good amount of money via this program.

Well, it is to be noted that kucoin only accepts the content in English as its an international language. The top content writers are selected at the end of the month after deep analysis. The content created with excellent performance will get the opportunity to work for KuCoin for long projects and receive KuCoin’s best content creator certification.

KuCoin also supports this content creator through its official social media platforms.

Conclusion

KuCoin is growing excellently. Different promotions and offers play an utmost role in KuCoin’s success. KuCoin always has special offers for new and upcoming users. You can find a lot of ways to earn money on KuCoin. This article discussed several ways to get money from the KuCoin platform. KuCoin growth is also dependent on the growth of cryptocurrency in today’s time when many big investors and institutes take an interest in this digital currency. People on a large scale have started accepting cryptocurrency and entering this trading world.

KuCoin is not the oldest exchange of crypto Markey. However, in 2022, they will rank in the top 3 crypto exchange in the world. It is because KuCoin provides the best services to its users. In recent times KuCoin built connections with 150 plus investment institutes and invested in over 30 blockchain companies. KuCoin plays a vital role in adopting cryptocurrencies in different world currencies. In this article, we discuss 10 important cryptocurrencies along with Luna which you can trade on Kcs

Top 10 Crypto Currencies to Trade

Let us suggest to you top cryptocurrencies to invest in for good profit.

1. Bitcoin

BTC is the best currency to trade in because of its high trading volume and volatility. You can also find this cryptocurrency listed on all exchanges of the world.

2. Ethereum

Ethereum is a highly volatile coin in the crypto world. It is the favorite of active traders or day traders. The daily trade volume of ETH is also wonderful.

3. Ape Coin

We recommend this coin trading because of its high popularity among investors. The price of APE is increasing very smoothly, which attracts more trade volume.

4. Uniswap

It is one of the highest traded decentralized coins. Uniswap is a multi-purpose cryptocurrency listed on most of the world’s exchanges. Its also widely used in staking on different trading platforms.

5. Dogecoin

Doge is one of the most traded meme currencies. It gets the attention of many public figures, and people pay great attention to this coin. The price and trading volume of DOGE is too high.

6. Binance

Binance is a very popular cryptocurrency in today’s market. It is backed by one of the top crypto exchanges. Therefore, the demand for finance for trading is always present among the traders.

7. Solona

Solona is supported by one of the smart contract platforms. Different NFT sites also used this currency, which plays an utmost role in its popularity.

8. Dot

This coin is highly popular among scalpers because of its high volatile price and huge trading volume. Also, different investors predict a huge rise in its price in the future.

9. Shiba

After 5 months of launch, Shiba got a huge rise in its price, which was about 5 million percent. Due to that, this coin seems to be very volatile.

10. AVAX

It is also one of the favorite cryptocurrencies of active traders or scalpers. Due to its high volatile price and trading volume, many traders keep an eye on it.

Conclusion

KuCoin offers you to trade all of these top 10 currencies. It’s up to you whether you want to trade them on the spot or in the future. You can also invest them in a long-term mindset. In this article, we talk about some popular coins in the crypto market. However, if you want to invest or trade them on a KuCoin, you should do some homework yourself. In this way, you will make a good profit from the crypto market or become a successful trader.

In a highly competitive digital world, content is the master of reeling in users onto any platform. As in any industry looking to draw in potential customers, leading gambling sites like Vulkan Vegas Slovenia have also chosen to invest in campaigns that are visually appealing to target audiences. 

Time and time again, research has shown that image-based marketing strategies are much more effective since they are more likely to evoke emotive responses. So, today, we’ll look at the most impactful types of visual content gambling sites use on their platform to engage their audiences.

High-Definition Photography

The images used in an engaging online gambling platform are critical and vary depending on the position and purpose. Some of the most compelling images that casinos use include: 

• Promotional imagery which entails images with some lens flares and a shallow focus to generate some kind of visual identity. 
• A landing page for a specific game or genre of games with some crisp, clear brand images to draw attention to the game(s). 
• Banners that mimic exclusive stamps tagged on retail products whenever they are on offer or they contain something special.
• Coupon tickets for redeeming bonuses and unlocking additional perks.

Images have been known to get more impressions by between 30% and 150% depending on the platform in use.  

Visual Calls to Action

If you have visited an online gambling platform, you will notice the strategically placed CTAs on pretty much all the pages. The call-to-actions are usually situated in positions that feel right based on the target user’s stage in the conversion funnel. The most common include the ‘Join’ or ‘Sign Up’ buttons at the top, bottom, or side of a page. 

So, most gambling sites also have the registration window pop up occasionally to increase the chances of signing up. In addition, the welcome bonus is usually added to this window to make it even more appealing. Finally, in the case of promotions, users are typically treated to floating windows that highlight any bonuses or tournaments that the user may want to claim.

Step-by-Step Tutorials

Bonuses, especially those that come with coupons, are a magnet for most users, and having a guide on how to claim them is a sure way to increase the site’s conversion rate. Giving the instructions in words won’t be as effective as applying creativity in the execution will make it more fun for the user, influencing them to engage. This may be in the form of a video or a set of images with very minimal text to avoid distracting the user. 

Some sites also use instructographics – a series of images detailing the steps needed to do something, in this case, claim an offer, enroll in a tournament, or play a game. Most images usually emulate video game graphics, making it easier for players to relate to the content and take action. Also, instead of focussing on only one photo on the page, most sites will have a slideshow of other images showing different aspects of what is on the table.

Videos

It is said that an image is like 1000 words, but in today’s digital world, videos tell it all. Borrowing from YouTube shorts and Instagram and Facebook reels, the use of videos that last less than a minute is also becoming popular in the gambling world. It could be a simple game highlight or an embedded YouTube video describing a specific aspect of the gambling site. Presenting some of the content in video format no doubt adds value to a site and beats the monotony that may arise as a result of getting bombarded with too many worlds when navigating.

There are so many factors that influence a player when it comes to selecting a casino to play. Current social media trends, which have generally reduced the attention span of most players, are also a big part of that. The overall design of a gambling site and how the developer has presented the content will go a long way in determining whether the player will keep going or get distracted by something more sophisticated. 

Every color choice, image, and video needs to be placed with the user in mind, and that’s what the most successful online casinos and sports betting sites get right. For any content marketing strategy to bring in substantial results, it has to involve an elaborate plan to include visual content. Otherwise, potential customers may get bored, or their attention may be seized by something that excites their visual senses a lot more.

Did you know that recent studies indicate that 65% of people are visual learners? Well, the fact that YouTube viewers watch over 1 billion hours of videos every day cements the importance of using visual content in marketing. Data and statistics aside, don’t you find it easy to understand the information presented with visuals rather than a block of words alone?

As individuals focus closer on medical problems, a large number of them decide to exercise to stay in shape. In any case, the unseemly development or abundance of measures of activities could create a few issues like shin braces, muscle issues, and muscle fits. Consequently, individuals need a sponsor rub weapon to ease the aggravation. Promoter Massage Gun X2, the best back rub firearm 2021, is a brilliant decision.

What is Booster Massage Gun X2？

Before knowing the advantages of the boostergun.com.au X2, you want to understand what it is. The Booster X2 Massage Gun is a back rub instrument used to treat sore and tired profound tissue muscles after a long and escalated exercise. It is a lightweight and convenient treatment gadget, intended for profound muscle kneading and takes into consideration muscle help with discomfort as well as quick recuperation.

How does Booster Massage Gun X2 function?

The Booster X2 utilizes a particular strategy called “Percussion Therapy”. It reaches and treats profound muscle tissues in a more forceful manner than different types of restoration. The objective of percussion treatment is to speed the mending and recuperation interaction of a confined muscle, injury, or a physical issue.

What are the 6 Benefits of Booster Massage Gun X2?

The Booster X2 knead firearm is the ideal weapon to work on your body’s usefulness. Could it be said that you are feeling sore, tight, and like you mightn’t? The advantages of the Booster rub firearm are various and can help. Here are the 6 advantages of utilizing the Booster Massage Gun.

 Getting free from lactic corrosive

At the point when we lift loads, lactic corrosive develops in our muscles. It gives us the consuming sensation when we lift, and it likewise can keep us sore the following day. Utilizing a Booster, you separate development and allow your muscles the opportunity to re-establish themselves back to new.

Muscle hitch discharge

Feeling like you have a muscle tie you can’t work out? The Booster kneads weapon zeroes in on these bunches, enabling you to work them over and over until they discharge. This restores your muscles and permits them a loosen up recuperation.

Separates scar tissue

Now and again portability and adaptability give basically come down to scar tissue. A back rub firearm separates the scar tissue. Your body recuperates itself after this separate, assisting you with recapturing your innate capacity to move, and your adaptability, and that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

 Diminished recuperation time

A fantastic advantage to what some have called the best back rub firearm in Canada is a decreased recuperation time post-exercise on irritated muscles and athletic wounds. This implies you don’t have to stand by as long to return to doing the athletic movement you know and love. Just by utilizing the back rub weapon on a consistently booked plan post-exercise, you work on your wellbeing and your capacity to work as a competitor.

 Expanded blood course

An enormous component of why the Booster X2 knead firearm is so powerful is a result of its capacity to increment blood flow. As course increments on an assigned region, fresh blood brings supplements and other mending systems that will fix delicate tissue.

Expanded scope of movement

An immense advantage of a back rub firearm like this is an expanded scope of movement. The Booster will get your muscles free and enable your body to move in a manner it perhaps never has or hasn’t in quite a while. Assuming that you have any adaptability or versatility issues, a back rub weapon is one method for helping with backing those out of you so you can move like you need and do the action you need.

To put it plainly, you can acquire many advantages by utilizing the Booster Massage Gun. A decent device assists you with easing torment as well as recuperation. These 6 key advantages are the reason more Canadians are coming to Lierre.ca looking for the Booster X2 rub weapon. The top name in its classification, you will love getting this apparatus and putting it to utilize!

To find knead firearm close to you or purchase a rub weapon, make sure to Lierre.ca. We offer proficient back rub firearms, wellness instruments, and back rub supplies for you to pick from.