For the past several years I've dealt with a terrible problem: when the weather gets warm, I long to zip around the city on a scooter. They're perfect for quickly getting around and use very little gas. Unfortunately, for a four-seasons city like Chicago, they're not useful year-round, and I'm terribly paranoid about it getting stolen. But this new Zipcar and bike sharing inspired program, Scoot, could be the perfect solution! More

The neighborhood of Silver Lake is getting Los Angeles' first experimental pedestrian plaza as part of a pilot program that draws inspiration from San Francisco and New York. It will be called "Sunset Triangle Plaza" and is adjacent to where a twice-weekly farmer's market takes place. More

As USB ports, auxiliary jacks, and Bluetooth connections become increasingly standard, many of today's cars are well-equipped for both music and phone calls. If you're like me, however, your aging ride rolls along with little more than a fuzzy radio and a cassette deck. For cars like these, however, integrated music and hands-free calling are not out of reach. Here are three solutions for those wishing to bring a touch of today's tech to yesteryear's wheels... More

When I decided to live out of a suitcase, I never thought I would spend about 6 months of my life researching, shopping and just plain going dizzy from all the online suitcase trolling. Every time I would pass a luggage shop, I'd get whiplash trying to peek inside, always stopping in to test drive a new model. After becoming insanely particular about each and every detail, I feel like I've finally made the right decision for me. Luggage is such a personal choice and an object that becomes a part of our individual travel histories, so why not be choosy?

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Have you ever brought too much on a trip? There's nothing that can make you feel more like a bumbling tourist than waddling down a hot, crowded, cobblestone street with heavy, overstuffed bags hanging from aching shoulders while frantically searching for the hotel you were sure was on this corner. My goal when packing for any trip is to never have more luggage than I would feel comfortable carrying for an entire day.

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While visiting Portland, Oregon last week, I made one last stop on my way to the airport to visit some good friends. To my surprise, under a blue tarp in their driveway, was this wonderful 1971 camping trailer that they have been refurbishing. More

Almost every time I take a trip, I end up in a terrible pickle. I fall in love with a new place, and swiftly decide to move there right away. I have dreamed up many hair-brained schemes to try to end up elsewhere. In my mind, Paris desperately needs another apartment-style bed and breakfast, (run by yours truly, bien sûr). Then there was the 1960's motel near the Georgia coast that just needed the right renovations, (I could totally get my Southern accent back, y'all). And at one time I was certain I would be going to graduate school in Italy (and eat my way into the most glorious nightly food coma). But how to choose? There are so many fantastic places in the world, and you can't move everywhere at once, right? More

Some of you may remember Peter Treadway as a regular contributor to Unplggd. The man loved his home audio and DIY projects, and he's since moved onto doing bigger and brighter things in the realm of personal mobility. Check out his keen Kickstarter project, spnKiX, the result of years of working on a dream of getting us all moving wearing motorized skates!

For the avid cyclist, biking is more than just a means of transportation, it's a way of life. And with the two-wheeled trend on the rise, there's a slew of options available to make your ride smoother or even more stylishly cool. With the help of my cycling-nut boyfriend — along with some of my own favorite products and gear — I've compiled a list for the biker in your life, from practical and indispensable to just plain fun. More

In case you haven't heard, Alec Baldwin was recently kicked off a plane at LAX for failing to turn off his electronic device when the cabin crew instructed him to do so. We all know that it's not fun to turn off devices during take off and landing, but we do it because it is the FAA rules. We all know the rules exists, but why? In this post we turn to the experts to get an answer on why we are instructed to turn off our devices during takeoff and landing. More