Kimpton Hotels and Resorts cooks up a delicious approach to doing good this July.

Sometimes it’s just so easy to do the right thing.

In this tough job market, with so many people looking for work, imagine how difficult it would be to compete if you didn’t even have proper clothes for the job interview?

It’s an obstacle that keeps thousands of women impoverished. But you can change that, simply by eating ice cream in July — something you’re likely to do anyway — at a participating restaurant.

The idea is the brainchild of Kimpton Hotels and Resorts, who have long put a premium on giving back. They’ve paired up with the non-profit Dress for Success organization, who provide interview suits and training to help low-income women raise themselves up a notch. It’s good for them, and good for the economy, too.

Want to do a little good? Just eat some ice cream. (How easy can it get?)

For a list of participating restaurants, just go to the Kimpton page that describes it all. Thanks!

Who wouldn't want a great hotel deal in this neighborhood?

Is it just me, or are there others who never, ever, ever want to stay in a $19 hotel room?

I’m much happier with deals like these that have come across my desk at about the same time, any of which will provide something far more memorable than the savings one forgets with the turning of the calendar.

In New York, families reign at the Sofitel where rates begin at a mere $259 a night (a bargain in Manhattan) and where children get a second room for 50 percent off (even better). Breakfast is included, just the thing to get you out the door to family favorites like Rockefeller Center, the New York Public Library, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Times Square, all very walkable from your West 44th Street location. You just know that next year, it will cost twice as much. More info: Sofitel New York.

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France's high-speed train, Thalys, boards passengers in The Hague, Netherlands.

Those in Europe who are responsible for high-speed rail service are thinking about business travel needs, but leisure travelers can also benefit from ever-improving European rail service.

Why Travel by Rail?
One big advantage of rail is that itʼs a less stressful way to travel, partly because it is more comfortable, and partly because the rail station experience is so much more tolerable than a typical airport. Also, with far fewer weather delays, one can generally count on on-time departures and arrivals. And finally, for journeys of two to four hours, the door-to-door time for passengers is usually shorter via rail than via air.

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The troubled Maui Prince Hotel occupies a verdant location with adjacent golf course.

The Maui Prince Hotel is the latest to fall (perhaps) victim to the economy. Although the hotel went into foreclosure a week ago, its banker (Wells Fargo) had hoped the operators would keep it open. After all, the all-ocean-view resort that sits at the foot of Haleakala had just undergone a big renovation to attract quality guests.
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The President and Mrs. Obama are taking their kids to the beach this summer for a little family bonding time. The beach in question? Marthaʼs Vineyard.

Some have raised their eyebrows because itʼs a pricey choice. Then again, where does a family go when Dad is the Leader of the Free World who must travel with a huge security entourage, receive classified satellite communications, and make sure the nearest neighbors can pass an FBI background check? What vacation rental provides a private entrance sufficiently distant from prying paparazzi to allow (say) a high-profile ambassador, a cabinet secretary, or a relative to drop by for lemonade and a confidential chat?

Martha's Vineyard