Jennifer Mattson https://jennifersmattson.com Sat, 30 Mar 2024 03:28:39 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.4.16 https://jennifersmattson.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/cropped-cropped-10043291766_e634f1e358_b_bio-32x32.jpg Jennifer Mattson https://jennifersmattson.com 32 32 Get Unstuck and Start Writing Again https://jennifersmattson.com/2018/07/03/get-unstuck-and-start-writing-again/ https://jennifersmattson.com/2018/07/03/get-unstuck-and-start-writing-again/#respond Tue, 03 Jul 2018 23:18:31 +0000 http://jennifersmattson.com/?p=764 Continue reading ]]>

Feeling stuck? Love to write but aren’t sure how to get back to it? Spring, a time of renewal, is the perfect time to reaffirm your intention to write more.

Many of my students mistakenly assume that “real” writers don’t get writers’ block. But getting stuck is a normal part of the writing process. Inspiration comes and goes. The trick is to keep writing even when it’s not flowing easily. In my years of teaching, I’ve found that the key to Getting Unstuck is the ability to Begin Again. No matter how long you’ve been away from the page, you can always start anew.

Just as a runner might be a bit rusty if she hasn’t put on her running shoes in a few months, the practice of writing requires routine, patience, and warm-ups before diving back in. Sometimes all you need is to start.

If you haven’t written in months, or perhaps years, it might not be pretty the first time you sit down to write. Let go of your expectation that it has to be perfect, or even good, and let yourself enjoy the act of writing itself. Remember, we write because we want to, or we feel we need to—how it turns out is out of our hands. Like the weather, some writing days will be sunny, others cloudy, others downright stormy. In order to get unstuck, we have to let go of trying to control the outcome.

When my students are stuck, I advise them to set the bar low. Try writing for 15 minutes or filling a quarter of a page to build your writing muscles back up. You might want to get off the computer and grab a pen and a favorite notebook, curl up on your couch with a cup of tea, and have some fun!

As is true with any creative practice, you can’t be a productive writer without having an understanding of your own habits. Thus, knowing where we like to write, when we are most inspired, and how to create a routine is just as important as having something to say.

If you feel stuck, here are some questions to ask yourself to find out what kind of writer you are:

  • Where do you like to write? (at home? at a cafè?)
  • When do you like to write? (morning, night, mid-afternoon?)
  • How do you like to write? (pen and paper, computer, old-fashioned typewriter?)

At its core, my method comes down to the Buddhist approach of letting go of perfection—looking at writing practice as you would a yoga or meditation practice. The real work starts when we can be okay if the writing doesn’t show up exactly as we want it to, and still keep coming back to the page day after day.

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Places You Should Visit in 2018 Before They Get Too Popular (Fiji) https://jennifersmattson.com/2018/01/20/places-you-should-visit-in-2018-before-they-get-too-popular-fiji/ https://jennifersmattson.com/2018/01/20/places-you-should-visit-in-2018-before-they-get-too-popular-fiji/#respond Sat, 20 Jan 2018 16:08:27 +0000 http://jennifersmattson.com/?p=750 Continue reading ]]> For every primo travel destination, there’s a sweet spot to find it. Visit too soon — say, before the airlines start offering half-decent service there — and you’ll be forking over a stack of cash to ramble around a place without cell phone towers. Visit too late? Then you’re one of the waddling herd, overpaying for a beer, checking off a box because, well, everyone else has been, so why not you?

Better plan: Discover the places that don’t cost two months’ rent to fly to, yet haven’t gotten so overexposed that swarms of American tourists have descended and Instagrammed the lifeblood out of it. Think how psyched you’d be to hit Iceland circa 2011. Or Austin in the 1980s. Hawaii in the 1950s. Paris in… hell, what, the year 1500? In time to be one of the cool kids, anyway.

colombia
Cartagena, Colombia | Matthew Micah Wright/Lonely Planet Images/Getty Images
flores island
Flores island, Azores, Portugal | Maya Karkalicheva/Moment/Getty images
Old Town in Tbilisi City of Georgia
Old Town in Tbilisi City, Georgia | Tanatat pongphibool,thailand/moment open/getty images
Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Chengdu, Sichuan, China | kiszon pasca/moment/getty images
Mazunte, Mexico
Mazunte, Mexico | Flickr/Hendrik Terbeck
Bergen, norway

 

Bergen, norway | Tatyana Vyc/Shutterstock
St Paul Church
St Paul Church, Thessaloniki, Greece | Andrei Bortnikau/EyeEm/Getty Images
Antarctica
Antarctica | Katiekk/Shutterstock
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua | PixieMe/Shutterstock
Modena
Modena, italy | Francesco Riccardo Iacomino/Moment Open/Getty Images
KOH RONG ISLAND, CAMBODIA
KOH RONG ISLAND, CAMBODIA | Hang Dinh/Shutterstock.com
BELGRADE, SERBIA
BELGRADE, SERBIA | kirill_makarov/Shutterstock.com

This article originally appeared on Thrillist 

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Everywhere We Plan to Eat, Drink, and Stay in Healdsburg This Summer https://jennifersmattson.com/2018/01/17/everywhere-we-plan-to-eat-drink-and-stay-in-healdsburg-this-summer/ https://jennifersmattson.com/2018/01/17/everywhere-we-plan-to-eat-drink-and-stay-in-healdsburg-this-summer/#respond Wed, 17 Jan 2018 19:01:05 +0000 http://jennifersmattson.com/?p=742 Continue reading ]]>

Published On Thrillist 07/15/2016

Valette
Kim Carrol

Valette

344 Center St

Brothers Chef Dustin Valette and Aaron Garzini cook and greet guests at this high-end, chic restaurant, which has a reputation for beautifully constructed, artistic food plates and minimalist decor. A canvas for local farmers and winemakers, we’d recommend the chef’s tasting menu (and spring for the wine pairing). Highlights include Hawaiian ahi poke, summer squash soup, and char grilled prime New York steak. For dessert, your options only get better: go for the strawberry jam toasted brioche with salted brown butter ice cream, or the popular Chocolate Bloc, a chocolate mousse with sea salt and toasted meringue.

SHED
Eric Wolfinger

SHED

25 North St

SHED is everything you’ve ever wanted in a food space. It’s a café, coffee bar, produce market, restaurant, wine bar, and store. This is California’s answer to Eataly, plus it offers a fermentation bar, which serves homemade kombucha on tap, kefir water, and shrubs. Plan to spend a few hours eating, shopping, and generally perusing food nerdery, including cookbooks, fancy cooking utensils, herbs, and wines.

Barndiva

231 Center St

The stylish, barn-like atmosphere of this farm-to-fork restaurant is genuinely gorgeous (just soak in that spacious garden patio), so it’s no wonder that a lot of people are hosting weddings here. Barndiva’s motto, “Wherever you are, eat the view,” speaks to the view on your plate: it’s stunning. Prepare for plenty of edible flowers and dishes that look like paintings, and a focus on fresh, seasonal vegetables and fruits. Start with the house Champagne cocktail, made with orange peel infused with Korbel brandy, coriander syrup, and Creole bitters.

Noble Folk Ice Cream and Pie Bar
Noble Folk Ice Cream and Pie Bar

Noble Folk Ice Cream & Pie Bar

116 Matheson St

OK, we almost lost our minds when we discovered this place: only in Healdsburg would you find a pie bar that makes crust from old-world grains like bolero, faro, and buckwheat, and pairs them with mind-blowing, homemade artisanal ice cream flavors like pumpkin chocolate and corn flake crown maple. The staff especially recommends the following pairings: spiced apple pie with salted caramel ice cream, lemon custard pie with lemon lavender ice cream, or the maple chocolate walnut pie with organic vanilla bean ice cream. We’re here for all of them.

Flying Goat Coffee

324 Center St

Otherwise know as FGC, you’ll want to show up early here… but not too early. Pour-overs don’t start until 8am, after all. In a town that takes its food seriously, Flying Goat is no exception: the coffee is strong, the staff knowledgeable, and the atmosphere stark.

Jordan Winery
Courtesy of Jordan Winery

Jordan Winery

1474 Alexander Valley Rd

Inspired by the Bordeaux tradition, this vineyard make only two wines: Alexander Valley cabernet sauvignon and Russian River Valley Chardonnay. Located just outside town, Jordan Winery offers daily wine tastings, but you can also arrange for guided tours of the estate’s scenic vineyards, lakes, chef’s garden, and apiary. While you tour the grounds, you can taste their wines and olive oil, while sampling food pairings from the chef.

Mateo’s Cocina Latina

214 Healdsburg Ave

Chef-owner Mateo Granados was executive chef at Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen before opening Cocina Latina, a nod to his Mexican roots. He sources local vegetables in season and sustainable meats from nearby farms (all listed on the menu). Some of the menu’s gems include tacones, empanadas, and olive oil guacamole. Come here for the mixed drinks or agua fresca, if you need a break from wine tasting (what, it happens).

Bear Republic Brewing Company
Courtesy of Bear Republic Brewing Company

Bear Republic Brewing Company

345 Healdsburg Ave

This family-owned brewpub makes award-winning craft beers. Step inside, and chances are there will be a game on (Go Warriors!), so come here amped up for some crowds and noise. The brewery’s three most popular beers are Grand-Am, Ricardo’s Red Rocket Ale, and Racer 5 IPA, a full bodied, hoppy IPA that’s won countless medals.

Spoonbar

219 Healdsburg Ave

Spoonbar offers contemporary California cuisine in a lofty, open-plan interior. Chefs Casey and Patrick Van Voorhis are well-respected for their unique take on traditional American fare, but the award-winning “farm-to-bar,” cocktails made from local herbs and natural ingredients, really shine here. The signature drink, Three Dots and a Dash, packs a powerful alcoholic punch. Also try the Bergamot Blossom, which involves vodka with orange blossom water and raspberry shrub, for a lighter alternative.

Moustache Baked Goods
Courtesy of Moustache Baked Goods

Moustache Baked Goods

381 Healdsburg Ave

Moustache serves rich, creamy cupcakes stuffed with everything from homemade jam to cream cheese. They also serve French macarons, seasonal ice cream sandwiches, financiers, and the Moustache-O, which is basically an oversized, organic version of an Oreo cookie. But if you’re only going to get one thing, go for the cupcakes — these may be the best you’ll ever eat. Recommended: the Mistress (lemon cake with blackberry rosemary jam filling) and The Outlaw (caramel filled chocolate cake with sea salt.) Oh, they also serve Four Barrel coffee to wash it down.

Costeaux French Bakery

417 Healdsburg Ave

Locals flock to this open-air bistro at lunchtime for the chicken salads, French onion soup, and the artisan breads. We like to order the Cousteau French Dip, with thinly sliced rib eye, Roquefort aioli, and caramelized onions on a classic sourdough roll.

Relish Culinary Center
Courtesy of Relish Culinary Center

Relish Culinary Center

14 Matheson St

Learn how to prepare meals you actually want to eat under the tutelage of owner Donna del Rey. After you prepare dinner, you and your fellow classmates can down to eat the seasonal menu, which includes easy recipes for Pollo alla Mattone (literally chicken under a brick), quinoa with cherry tomatoes, and grilled farm peaches with ricotta and honey.

Campo Fina

330 Healdsburg Ave

If you’re tired of fancy food, grab a pizza and a brew at Campo Fina, then sit out on the patio. After a few slices, you may be inspired to challenge your friends to some bocce on the outdoor court.

Quivira Vineyards and Winery
Courtesy of Quivira Vineyards and Winery

Quivira Vineyards and Winery

4900 West Dry Creek Rd

Rent a bicycle from Wine Country Bikes and peddle out through Dry Creek Valley to the Quivira tasting room. This scenic, hour-long ride along back roads involves minimal car traffic and just a few hills. All of the wines made here are biodynamic — though you’ll want to be tasting that 2015 rosé in particular. You can order a glass and drink it on their outdoor patio, which overlooks breathtaking views of the winery’s vineyards and surrounding region.

Dry Creek Kitchen

317 Healdsburg Ave

Celebrity chef Charlie Palmer put Healdsburg on the map when he first opened this groundbreaking restaurant for Progressive American cooking at the Hotel Healdsburg. The rest, as they say, is history. Since then, some of the country’s best chefs have followed him here, setting up shop in town. This place is still very much worth dining at, and the kitchen has a list of over 500 wines to pair with your meal (so, you know, we’d call that extensive). Recommended: the garlic-crusted chicken breast with Bloomsdale spinach and baby carrots.

Hotel Les Mars
Hotel Les Mars

Hotel Les Mars

27 North St

This hotel makes a true ritual out of turndown service: look for a small box of chocolates on your pillow each night, along with a variety of treats, including French macarons and freshly baked Moustache cupcakes. Each evening, you will find a menu on your door handle, to fill out your breakfast order, which staff deliver to your room. Wake up to a small tray of fresh coffee, croissants, homemade jam, fresh eggs, Greek yogurt, and fruit. Other tasty benefits of staying at this European-style hotel include an in-room espresso coffee station and a wine and cheese reception each evening — all inclusive

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The Best Things to Do on and Around the High Line Right Now https://jennifersmattson.com/2018/01/17/the-best-things-to-do-on-and-around-the-high-line-right-now/ https://jennifersmattson.com/2018/01/17/the-best-things-to-do-on-and-around-the-high-line-right-now/#respond Wed, 17 Jan 2018 18:37:04 +0000 http://jennifersmattson.com/?p=731 Continue reading ]]>

Published On Thrilllist 01/10/2018

Once a decaying railroad track looming ominously over a stretch of Manhattan’s West Side, from the blood-stained streets of the Meatpacking District to the bottom of Hell’s Kitchen, the High Line was transformed into a lush urban garden in the sky in 2009. What began as an urban experiment is now an elevated park with a unique vantage on the city. For nearly a mile and a half, visitors and locals mingle, taking in killer views of the Hudson River, Lower Manhattan, and the Statue of Liberty.

 

The park lives up to its hard-to-kill history. The garden design flanking a concrete walkway was inspired by the wild landscape growing on the rails during the 25 years after trains stopped running. The grasses, flowers, shrubs, and trees were chosen for their hardiness, sustainability, and variation. You should go there if you want a great spot for a date, or to people watch, to sunbathe, to loll, to chill, to snuggle. Find your way there anytime between 7am till 7pm in the winter, until 10pm in the spring/fall, and until 11pm during summer. It’s a year-round attraction, rescued from urban decay, that has become integral to Manhattan.

Gansevoort
Gansevoort from the Highline | Marc Venema/Shutterstock.com
street art
Erin Cardigan/Shutterstock.com
10th ave overlook

10th ave overlook

GagliardiImages/Shutterstock.com
whitney museum
andersphoto/Shutterstock.com
The Standard, High Line
The Standard, High Line
Santina
Santina | Cole Saladino/Thrillist
Nick Starichenko/Shutterstock.com
The High Line Hotel
The High Line Hotel
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Trading New Year’s Resolutions for New Year’s Intentions https://jennifersmattson.com/2018/01/01/trading-new-years-resolutions-for-new-years-intentions/ https://jennifersmattson.com/2018/01/01/trading-new-years-resolutions-for-new-years-intentions/#respond Mon, 01 Jan 2018 16:52:29 +0000 http://jennifersmattson.com/?p=726 Continue reading ]]> By Jennifer Mattson

New Year’s is a time when we reflect on our goals for the year ahead—better health, losing weight, a new job, travel, or finding a relationship.

But change is hard. It requires a real commitment, planning, and follow-through.

A 2007 research study by psychologist Richard Wiseman found that 88% of people fail to achieve their New Year’s resolutions. The reason: Setting and reaching goals isn’t strictly about self-discipline or willpower; it’s about intention and finding pleasure in pursuing what matters to you.

In fact, Wiseman’s research found that humans have a fairly limited reserve of willpower, so trying to change more than one thing at a time tends to be overwhelming for most of us.

Intentions

Kripalu Lead Nutritionist Annie B. Kay, MS, RDN, LDN, RYT, recommends that this year, instead of setting a resolution, you could try setting an intention. You might get better results.

The first step is to clarify that intention. Ask yourself what you want to cultivate in your life.

Let’s taking the example of losing weight, one of the most common New Year’s resolutions. Instead of telling yourself, “I want to lose 10 pounds,” your intention might be “I want to have a healthier relationship with my weight.”

Annie says that, while the first approach is about sacrifice and depends on self-control, the second is based on acceptance. Yes, you still have to put in the work, but it’s coming from a very different mental place.

Try visualizing your intention. Imagine what that better relationship with your weight would feel and look like. How would it show up in your life?

Affirmations

The next step is to develop an affirmation to help realize that intention. Affirmations are clear, positive statements, in the present tense, that encapsulate what you want to create. Write them down, be succinct, and repeat them out loud. Here are some examples:

Intention: “I want to be able to digest my food more easily.”

Affirmation: “I digest my life with ease.”

Intention: “I want to be more in the moment.”

Affirmation: “I am fully present to what life brings.”

What are your New Year’s intentions?

Originally appeared at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health

 

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WRITING LIFE: Joan Didion and Me by Jennifer Mattson https://jennifersmattson.com/2017/12/31/writing-life-joan-didion-and-me-by-jennifer-mattson/ https://jennifersmattson.com/2017/12/31/writing-life-joan-didion-and-me-by-jennifer-mattson/#respond Sun, 31 Dec 2017 19:41:04 +0000 http://jennifersmattson.com/?p=717 Continue reading ]]>

One cannot talk about writing essay, without first talking about Joan Didion.

Of all her essays, ‘Goodbye to All That,’ has a special place in my heart. The iconic piece is the final entry in her 1968 classic, Slouching Towards Bethlehem which borrows its title from the famous Robert Graves autobiography of the same name.

‘Goodbye’ has inspired countless tales of women writers “loving and leaving New York,” including, most recently, a best-selling anthology edited by Sari Botton.

The essay, which continues to remain relevant today like so much of Didion’s earlier work, is a testimony to its longevity, and the intimate relationship the author inspires with her readers, especially women.

While ‘Goodbye to All That,’ appears to be about her decision to pack up and leave New York for California (something I recently did), I would argue it is essentially a coming-of-age story about the meaning of “home.” For Didion, home can be a place, a city, a feeling, a person—or wherever we find ourselves. The essay is a nostalgic look at where we (author and reader) have been, and where we are heading.

For many young female New York writers like myself, Didion has been a guiding literary light. As we grow from girls into women, and readers into writers, it is easy to see how we, too, are the heroines in our own lives and stories.

***

I discovered Joan Didion late in life. Or should I say, I rediscovered her. She was always one of those authors I wanted to like. As a college English major in the 1990s, it was hard not to be drawn to her. She was already iconic, a literary rock star—cool, fashionable, a beauty who knew how to write. One day, I made a pilgrimage to my favorite bookstore, sat down on the floor, and opened a book of her essays. I remember reading about California: the politics, the water, and the Manson trial. My first thought was I don’t get it. It just seemed so dated. My 19-year-old self was not ready for Joan Didion.

It wasn’t until I starting teaching essay writing about five years ago that I was able to connect with her writing. In an effort to put together a syllabus for my class 6 Weeks, 6 Essays at Grub Street, I finally picked her up again, starting with Slouching Towards Bethlehem.

And this time, 20 years later—when I read “Goodbye to All That,” from start to finish—I cried my eyes out, because I understood.  I cried because there was a truth in what I read. I cried because her truth was my own. I, too, was That Girl, even if I was all grown up.

“It is easy to see the beginnings of things, and harder to see the ends.” Those are the kind of lines that stay with me now.  It is how I feel about New York, about past relationships, and about writing itself. You just don’t see it coming, and by the time you do, it’s too late.

 

“I can remember now, with a clarity that makes the nerves in the back of my neck constrict, when New York began for me, but I cannot lay my finger upon the moment it ended, can never cut through the ambiguities and second starts and broken resolves to the exact place on the page where the heroine is no longer as optimistic as she once was.”

 

I got it now. I was older. I had changed. I had suffered loss and lived enough to relate to her concerns. We were traveling on the same path, Joan and I.

I could understand regret and nostalgia, and could see how Didion was reflecting back the anxieties of a particular time while questioning her own role in them. As a more experienced writer, I understood the way she created a narrative and built her stories sentence by sentence, carefully using details, facts, and her own observations.  As an author, she was asking questions, observing life, and recording it on the page, just as I was doing myself.

That carefully crafted narrator and persona felt just like me: emotional, moody, self-involved without realizing it. I could identify with this voice. Finally, I could relate.

After Slouching, I read The White Album, and by that time it seemed to me I had found my literary mentor. And I began to think of myself not only as a writer, but as an essayist.

***

When I found out the Authors Guild was holding a dinner in honor of Joan Didion last April, I knew this could be my last chance to meet her. After reading The Year of Magical Thinking, I was acutely aware that Time Was Running Out. I might, at least, have the comfort of knowing I had been in the same room with her before her death.

My excitement peaked as I walked up the stairs of the Edison Ballroom, past novelist Scott Turow who was telling a reporter that his next book was “set at the International Criminal Court at the Hague.” I checked in next to Gay Talese, and walked into the cocktail area before dinner. Women in long dresses were drinking champagne. Men, young and old, were wearing tuxedos. At the bar, I struck up a conversation with Hannah Tinti, who was excited to see John Freeman. It was magical. I was an outsider, but tonight I was on the inside. It felt like “home” in the most Didion-esque sense.

Soon, I was seated and the formal dinner began. I sat through speaker after speaker—but no Joan. Writer Roxana Robinson, who gave a beautiful tribute to the author, later told me Didion wasn’t feeling well and the Guild had actually known for some time she would not be attending.

All that anticipation for nothing.

I realize now I myself was engaging in magical thinking, and that Joan and I were not meant to cross paths. We shall likely never meet.

Not meeting her was disappointing but, in some small part, liberating. It reminded me that the work, not the author, is the real teacher. There are so many questions I would love to ask Didion over dinner, the kinds of answers I know I’ll need to find in the pages of her books.

On my own, I am slowly re-reading Didion’s work and learning the art of the essay.  While others will likely remember her foremost as a “Writer,” for me, she is, and will always be, a kindred spirit, and a fellow New Yorker who opened my eyes to the power of narrative, self-reflection, and ultimately, essay as a literary form.

Originally published in Hippocampus Magazine

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Buying Back Expired Airline Miles Is Easier Than You Think https://jennifersmattson.com/2017/12/31/buying-back-expired-airline-miles-is-easier-than-you-think/ https://jennifersmattson.com/2017/12/31/buying-back-expired-airline-miles-is-easier-than-you-think/#respond Sun, 31 Dec 2017 18:36:08 +0000 http://jennifersmattson.com/?p=702 Continue reading ]]> Here’s how to reinstate those lost miles.

Jennifer Mattson, Travel and Leisure

August 04, 2017

Few things are more frustrating than losing your hard-earned miles. For many airline loyalty programs, miles vanish if you don’t use them by a certain date or keep your account active. But did you know you can buy them back?

Miles expire after 18 months on American, United, and Hawaiian Airlines. Alaska Airlines and Southwest have a more generous 24-month policy. And miles never expire on Delta and JetBlue.

When to Buy Back Your Miles

“I think most people that are letting their miles expire are better off keeping the cash,” says Gary Leff, founder Book Your Award, a mileage-redemption service. “But for someone who has a lot of miles, and is ready to use them, it can be worth it.”

If you are going to use them for premium cabin international travel, for example, Leff says you should reactive those miles. That’s because you are going to get substantially more value than the cost of the points.

Most airlines charge about a penny per mile to buy back expired miles. Even at the best promotional prices, most airlines do not sell them for less than 1.7 cents. That makes it a “good deal” by comparison.

“However, there are a few catches,” says Ben Schlappig, founder of PointsPros and the One Mile at a Time blog. He advises you to reactivate miles only if you know what you want to use them for and won’t let them expire again.

“There’s a reason airlines let people reactive miles at a fairly reasonable cost,” he says. “They know these are also the people who may forget the expiration date yet again.”

“Be sure to check paid fares before you pull the trigger,” adds Zach Honig, ‎editor-in-chief at The Points Guy. “Since in some cases you could purchase a ticket for less than you’ll spend to restore your frequent flyer balance.”

How Much You Should Pay

Schlappig says some airlines, including American and United, have better deals for those reactivating a lot of miles. “Both airlines have tiered pricing,” he says. “For example, if you have 500,001 to 750,000 United miles expiring, you can buy them back for just $700, which is roughly 0.1 cents per point — that’s less than a tenth of what I value them at.”

That means for $700 you’d have enough miles for six business-class tickets between the U.S. and Europe, which Schlappig points out “would otherwise each cost thousands of dollars.”

American charges quite a bit more for miles. For example, buying back 250,001 to 500,000 miles costs $2,000. “But I still consider that a good deal, as it’s less than a penny per point,” says Schlappig.

Know When They Expire

Having trouble keeping track of the expiration dates? Leff uses AwardWallet.com to keep track of frequent flier miles, hotel awards and credit card points. “They send me an email several months before awards are going to expire,” he says. “Usually I can buy something online I was going to purchase anyway, to reset my account.”

Leff says expiration policies can vary wildly, especially, for non-U.S. airlines. For example, Singapore Airlines miles expire after three years, even if your account has recent activity. But for a fee you can extend the miles for six months — or 12 months for elite travelers.

Alaska Airlines closes mileage accounts and deletes balances after 24 months — but will reinstate miles for a $75 fee for up to one year after the date of deletion.

“At the end of the day, cash should always trump miles,” says Schlappig. “Cash is a very real currency that you own, while the miles in your account can be devalued without any sort of advance notice.”

Originally printed in Travel and Leisure

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Travel Articles https://jennifersmattson.com/2017/12/31/travel-articles/ https://jennifersmattson.com/2017/12/31/travel-articles/#respond Sun, 31 Dec 2017 18:02:10 +0000 http://jennifersmattson.com/?p=683 Continue reading ]]> Travel + Leisure: Buying Back Expired Airline Miles Is Easier Than You Think

Thrillist: The Best Things To Do and See Near The High Line in NYC

Thrillist: Everywhere We Plan to Eat, Drink, and Stay in Healdsburg This Summer

Thrillist: Best Places to Visit for Vacation in 2017 – Thrillist

Thrillist: 9 Surprisingly Great U.S. Food Cities You Have to Visit

Thrillist: The Coolest End-of-Summer Things to Do Across America

WeWork: Made in Detroit: Homegrown Chefs Create a Sizzling Food Movement

 

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Mindfulness and Wellness Content https://jennifersmattson.com/2016/09/16/mindfulness-and-wellness-content/ https://jennifersmattson.com/2016/09/16/mindfulness-and-wellness-content/#respond Fri, 16 Sep 2016 15:50:47 +0000 http://jennifersmattson.com/?p=626 screen-shot-2016-09-16-at-11-53-02-am

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Book News: 642 Things To Write About Me https://jennifersmattson.com/2015/05/16/book-news/ https://jennifersmattson.com/2015/05/16/book-news/#respond Sat, 16 May 2015 21:27:11 +0000 http://jennifersmattson.com/?p=421 Continue reading ]]> I have some good news, I want to share… I’ve just written, along with 15 other writers at the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto, the next 642 Things to Write About Me. This is the latest in the popular series out from Chronicle Books and out in bookstores everywhere. Stay tuned for a sequel later this year.

In addition, I am working on proposals for two books – a non-fiction wellness book and a memoir. If you are an agent or editor interested in my work, feel free to contact me.

9781452147307_p0_v4_s550x406

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