Rally to Restore Sanity, Washington, D.C.

Like a trail of ants, thousands of people from all corners of Washington, D.C., head toward the National Mall for the Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert rally.

Photo by Amy Chen

How to Score a Free Travel Upgrade

If you’re not a business traveler with elite status, getting upgraded can seem like a long shot. Want a better seat on the plane? These days, extra legroom or an aisle seat will cost you extra. Want a nicer hotel room? You can pay a bit more at check-in for a room on a higher floor.

So how exactly do you ask for a complimentary upgrade without coming across as a demanding customer or a complete cheapskate?

I asked travel experts with the power to grant or deny an upgrade -- including a front-desk manager, a car-rental agent, and airline experts -- for tips on how to score that coveted upgrade and other perks even if you’re an infrequent traveler.

Check out my "How to Score an Upgrade" story on CNN.com or pick up a copy of the October issue of Money magazine.

UPDATE: "How to Score an Upgrade" has been picked up by Yahoo! for the homepage carousel. Thanks to everyone who noticed and let me know about it!

Photo by Amy Chen: An ocean-view room at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Oahu.

Best Fall Travel Deals: Barcelona, Hilton Head Island & Sydney

I was asked by Money magazine about where to find the best travel deals this fall. Rather than resort to the obvious choices (Las Vegas? been there, done that), I consulted some industry experts, did the math, and came up with a list of winners: Barcelona, Hilton Head Island, and Sydney.

Check out this slideshow for the best shoulder-season destinations this fall.

Photo by Amy Chen: A wine bar in Barcelona's Raval neighborhood.

NYC's Restaurant Grades: Grossed Out by a C Rating

I first wrote about New York City's restaurant grades for Gadling.com when I set up a poll to ask: Would you eat at a place with mice?

Since then, I've seen more restaurants around the city receive letter-grade signs that must be displayed prominently in the window. I was walking around the West Village yesterday when I saw my first C-rated restaurant -- in this case, it was Mojo Coffee, a sweet little cafe that would've otherwise been tempting -- until I saw the C grade displayed in the window like a huge "stay away" warning. How could it have earned a C? I couldn't help but imagine that perhaps rat droppings were mixed in with the coffee beans.

I've since looked up Mojo Coffee on NYC's Dept. of Health site and found that among the health violations, there was "evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas" and "filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist."

Tasty.

Rafael Nadal at the 2010 US Open, New York City

Last night in New York City, Rafael Nadal beat Teimuraz Gabashvili in Round 1 of the 2010 US Open.

I shot this video from the Club Level at Arthur Ashe Stadium using the Olympus Pen E-P2 camera with a powerful yet compact 75-300mm lens. The telephoto lens ($899.99) will be available in Dec. 2010.

To see the action in HD, double-click on the video to view it in its full-screen glory.