This has been a heck of a week, folks. Like, maybe one of the Top 10 All-Time Hardest Weeks for this blogger. I, for one, almost wept with gratitude when I looked at the calendar today.

Friday means Saturday is just around the bend. Friday means the babysitter comes. Friday means there's a chance I might go to Happy Hour with my husband.

It also means it’s time for TravelMusing’s Friday Favorites! This week, I needed to get my funny on, folks.

Moms and dads know all about diaper changes on the go. Kayt Sukel shares her list of strangest places she’s changed her son’s pants, and she’s got some good ones. Go share your own stories and share her pain, will you? – TravelSavvyMom

This next one made me laugh like a 14-year-old boy. I dare you not to giggle while watching this hilarious clip from CNN. – Tripso

There’s nothing funny at all about the current economic climate, but one mother makes the case for dreaming of travel to far-off places. – The Mother of All Trips

Speaking of dreams, how about a trip to Switzerland? I loved the photos in this great post about how to enjoy the mountains if you’re a non-skier. I’ll read this one again when I’m recovering from knee surgery next week. – Here To Geneva

Not going anywhere anytime soon? Like me? Live vicariously through other people’s vacation photos. Our own talented Calista Chandler offers some super tips on finding great images on Flickr, as if the Internetz didn’t suck up enough of your time already. – TravelMuse Photo Blog

I’m outie, people. Time for you to ante up—please, for the love of Pete, send us something, will you? Send your own Friday Favorites to editor AT travelmuse DOT com.

How does 66,000 pounds of chocolate sound to you?

Sounds like heaven to me—and now, heaven is right here on earth, in the Italian city of Turin. Cioccola-t, the annual Great Chocolate Festival, is set for March 6 to 15. The event will offer a 10-day extravaganza of tastings, parings, entertainment and seminars, all about chocolate and its cultural meaning.

The festival will feature more than 60,000 pounds of this amazing confection in all its forms: dark, milk, Nutella (my personal breakfast favorite), pralines and truffles … you name it, you can eat it.

God, I’m drooling just writing about this. Listen to this—buildings surrounding Turin’s historic Piazza Vittorio Veneto will be transformed into “grand temples devoted to chocolate.”

Or how about this—a bake-off contest between world-renowned chocolatiers will give visitors the chance to taste thousands of artisanal recipes. Plus, a “Chocolate Dinner” will be prepared entirely by superstar female chefs from the Piedmont region, and there is even a film about chocolate’s portrayal in cinema as a symbol of guilt and seduction.

Guilt and seduction. Yup, that sums it up. That’s exactly how I felt after I ate an entire candy jar filled with chocolate hearts on Valentine’s Day.

Oh yes, I did.

There’s more, but I can’t bear to talk about it anymore, so go visit  www.cioccola-to.com. Additional information on Turin, Piedmont and how to purchase a ChocoPass is available at www.torinopiemonte.com.

It’s Mardi Gras, so as those in New Orleans say, “Laissez les bon temps roulez!” In honor of the big day, I put together a list of all my Crescent City Mardi Gras picks.

Photo: Toast to Life

Best Mardi Gras Parade for Adults:

Krewe d’Vieux. Although not an officially recognized parade, this event, which has become known as the “Parade of the People,” features satirical “floats,” extreme costumes and a fair share of paraders in underpants and less.

Best Mardi Gras Parade for Families:

Endymion/Barkus. Endymion, which rolls the Saturday before Mardi Gras, is one of the most popular parades of the season, for good reason: The floats are some of the best of the season and celebrities regularly make an appearance. On Sunday, doggies of all shapes and sizes take to the streets of the French Quarter for their own day of celebration.

Best Place to Watch Parades:

St. Charles, between Napolean and Louisiana. For families looking to get away from the downtown hullabaloo, the Uptown stretch of the parade route has fewer people and more bathroom opportunities for the little ones. Because there are no barricades, kids can get up close to beg for some parade loot.

Best Bead-Winning Saying:

“Throw me somthin’, mistah.” I was taught this phrase during my college orientation, and it came in handy my first Mardi Gras. Krewe members find it hard to resist adorable kids shouting this from the crowd.

Best Way to Get a Zulu Coconut:

Bribes. Zulu coconuts are one of the most treasured of all Mardi Gras throws. Given out during the Zulu parade on Mardi Gras morning, I have heard stories of the extreme lengths that people will go to in order to get one of these unique Mardi Gras treasures. In 2006, I was able to get a grand total of seven Zulu coconuts by simply bribing those krewe members with cheap beer. Walk up to the float, holding a can as an offering, and a kind (and thirsty) krewe member will likely exchange. Situate yourself early in the parade route where coconuts are plentiful.

Best Place to Spend Mardi Gras Day in the French Quarter:

Royal Street. Royal Street is a great alternative to the crowded and rowdy Bourbon Street. While only a block away, the street is clear and revelers can be seen on art gallery balconies enjoying their Mardi Gras parties.

For more Mardi Gras tips, read our New Orleans Feast of Festivals article.

It’s been a long week, hasn’t it? But never fear, intrepid travelers. Friday is here, and somewhere in the world it’s time for a stiff drink. It’s also time for TravelMusing’s Friday Favorites!

Nothing catches my attention like the words “nearly naked.” The Coney Island Polar Bear Club and Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises are teaming up for a benefit to help raise funds for the Wildlife Conservation Society, which runs several of New York City’s zoos: take a Feb. 28 Hudson River cruise in your bathing suit and help the real polar bears. —NewYorkology

One California family of three is leaving everything behind to start a new life in the jungles of South America. Jen asks what we’d take with us. Me? My laptop and wireless router. What? They don’t work in the jungle? Yeah, I’ll be staying home. —One Plus Two

Do you love your city so much you want to marry it? Albert Lee of Philadelphia does. He tells us why he hearts his hometown. The photo with this post had me humming the theme to “Rocky” all morning. —Intelligent Travel

Last but not least, combining kids with travel requires a serious sense of humor. Parents will appreciate the sentiments behind this hilarious road sign. —Vagabondish

That’s it, that’s all I’ve got, folks. My weekend travel will be limited to a trip to Target, but at least I get to live vicariously. And stop being so shy—send us some of the great stuff you’re reading on the old Interwebs, will you? Send your faves to editor@travelmuse.com.

Bottom’s up!

My closet is strewn—and I mean strewn—with rejected diaper bags. When you are on the go with your kids, you need a bag that is practical, portable and functional.

Lots and lots of bags lure you in with their sexy good looks, only to disappoint on your first date. This is especially true when you’re traveling. Heaven knows you need a sherpa when you’re on the road with the wee ones.

That’s why this awesome contest over at DeliciousBaby (one of TravelMusing’s favorite travel blogs) caught my eye. Debbie is giving away an actual Baby Sherpa Diaper  Pack.

If the photo is any indication, this bag could be your new best friend, no matter if you’re on your way to Nepal or the local mall.

Go check it out, enter the contest, and tell her TravelMusings sent you.

Although Hurricane Katrina may be a distant memory for some, it’s anything but that in New Orleans. In the tourist areas of the French Quarter or Garden District, you might not see much evidence of the deluge suffered by the city in 2005, but other parts of the city are still reeling.

While merely visiting the Crescent City and spending your tourist dollars certainly helps local folks, another great way to help is volunteering some of your time. Here is information on a few of the many options available in for volunteering in New Orleans.

The St. Bernard Project began rebuilding homes in nearby St. Bernard Parish in August 2006. As of January 2009, more than 10,000 volunteers have helped them. In one day, you can paint a small house, install a floor or spackle walls. Tel. 504-277-6831, ask for the volunteer department. www.stbernardproject.org

The 2009 goal for Habitat for Humanity is to build 100 homes in New Orleans. That may seem small, but imagine the 100 families who are displaced in trailers or living in temporary housing across the country, just waiting for those homes. Tel. 504-861-4121. www.habitat-nola.org

HandsOn New Orleans has projects from building in the Lower 9th Ward to serving meals to gardening. The organization can even provide housing for up to 50 volunteers per night in its volunteer home. Tel. 504-483-7041. www.handsonneworleans.org

For additional ways to help, visit the Voluntourism section of the New Orleans Convention & Visitor’s Bureau Web site.

We included a travel article on California’s Carmel-by-the-Sea in a recent Friday Favorites post, and lo and behold, we now have a Carmel deal to share with you, making a weekend escape to the seaside town even more affordable.

The Highlands Inn, A Hyatt Hotel is offering a Highlands Inn-vitation Package for guests who stay at the property between now and April 30, 2009. The deal includes:

• Overnight accommodations in a deluxe ocean view king room

• Rates from $199 (about a 40 percent savings)

• 25 percent off dinner at the Inn’s Pacific’s Edge restaurant

• Complimentary valet parking

© Highlands Inn

Located in the Carmel Highlands overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Highlands Inn offers ocean views, wood-burning fireplaces (pre-stocked and ready to light), binoculars for whale-watching and a private balcony to enjoy those spectacular Pacific sunsets. The property was recently included in Travel & Leisure 500 World’s Best Hotels 2009 and Conde Nast Traveler 2009 Gold List issues. For more information, call 831-620-1234 or visit www.highlandsinn.hyatt.com.

For families, the Inn also offers service from BabiesTravelLite, a delivery service for baby supplies that Hyatt Hotels has partnered with. From food and formula to diapers and toys, you can order most products you’ll need and have them waiting for you upon your arrival as opposed to having to pack and carry everything with you.

Last night we ended our Quebec Winter Carnival experience by watching the final parade of the festival. Scores of floats, dancers and fanciful characters made their way past us as we waved and cheered them on. Because the theme of the festival this year was “Masquerade,” there were plenty of harlequins and revelers in masks.

Today, we drove about 30 minutes outside of the city to Valcartier Village Vacances (or Vacation Village), which professes to be the largest winter playground in North America. With 42 snow slides of varying degrees of difficulty, it’s easy to believe. The set up of the park is pretty ingenious. You walk in and grab an inner tube—there are 5,000, so there is never a wait for one—then you make your way to a snow “taxi.” These are inner tubes on mechanical lifts that whisk you up to the tops of the hills, similar to ski lifts. Plop yourself on a tube as it is pulled by, timing your fall into the tube just right (you hope) and ride up to the top of the hill towing your own tube. Once at the top, hop off and decide which hill to tube down.

Varying degrees of difficulty are available, but the largest and scariest slide is called Everest. You have to climb up three flights of stairs just to get to the top of this 110-foot-high monster (after riding up two taxis), which has an almost vertical incline. Looking at it was enough to take my breath away. I did it anyway, just for bragging rights. I admit I closed my eyes and did not want to do it again. The most fun for me was the section called the Himalayas, with four long slides. Sadie, Rob (my daughter and husband) and I did them over and over.

Rob and Sadie also went skating on a half-mile ice skating path the park constructed through the woods while I took a break. The park has several cafes, restaurants and bars, as well as skate rentals, so it’s no problem to spend all day there if you like, which is just what we did. In the summer, when the ice is long gone, the place is transformed into Canada’s largest water park, with a wave pool and loads of water slides. We can’t wait to come back.

All the goodwill engendered by hero pilot Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger drained out of my heart when I saw the latest attempt for airlines to thwart customers.

United Airlines decided this week to do away with a call center dedicated to customer complaints, and instead will force disgruntled fliers to submit an e-mail or letter detailing their problem or issue.

Outrageous.

I’m sorry, I know times are tight, but what next? Seats? Toilets? Airlines have cut almost every single amenity that makes flying bearable, including the number of personnel on-board flights and in airports.

It is nearly impossible to have a positive experience in the air now. You’re lucky if you even have a mediocre experience. I’ve actually stopped flying with my children—even passing up a chance to go to Mexico for a week, for free—because I couldn’t bear the idea of getting on a plane with my son and daughter.

Last time I flew, the airline seated me and my then-3-year-old in different rows, despite my clear instructions not to. And then, when we got to the airport, the attendant told me, “I can’t help you with that,” forcing me to ask a stranger to move so I could tend to my toddler.

You bet your bippy I called the complaint line. I didn’t get much satisfaction beyond telling someone off, but still, there was a human on the other end.

Now? I can just see the “complaint room” at United Airlines: a huge warehouse of stacks and stacks of unopened mail, and one computer terminal endlessly pinging with unanswered e-mails.

I just can't help but feel that this is the airline industry's way of thumbing its nose at customers. Who are, by the way, the only reason airlines stay in business.

Hard to believe it’s Friday again, isn't it? But it is, oh, thank God, it is.

What does that mean? It means happy hour, crowded late-evening flights and that tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. It also means it's time for Friday Favorites, TravelMusing's round-up of great links.

Traveling with your mother-in-law anytime soon? For the love of all things holy, go read about how to handle traveling with the grandparents — Fodors.com, by Jamie Pearson of TravelSavvyMom.

You can’t put a price on love, right? Those who waited until the last minute to show their sweetie some love can make up for it by chartering a private plane. Sure, it costs $3,500, but it comes with chocolate-covered strawberries. — Tripso.com

Take your kids on an educational trip and get some free beer. FInd out why one pregnant mom took her kids on a tour of Redhook Brewery in Woodinville, Wash. — DeliciousBaby.com

I know that pesky groundhog saw his shadow (bad groundhog, bad!) but winter has to end sometime. Catch spring fever with a great guide to camping trip essentials. — Matt's Nomadic Travel Site

Speaking of warmer weather, this February has me yearning for sun and sea. If you’re planning a winter escape, how about 36 hours in Antigua? A girl can dream, can’t she? — The New York Times

What’s on your reading list this week? Do tell.

My inbox has been filling up with last-minute Valentine’s Day deals. If you’ve been vacillating about getting away this upcoming long weekend, or later in the month, take a look at these packages to help you make up your mind.

California

San Francisco

Campton Place is offering a Leave Your Heart in San Francisco Package that includes:

• Deluxe room accommodations

• Champagne and strawberries upon arrival

• Breakfast in bed for two

• Complimentary Molton Brown bath amenities

• Pre-fixe dinner with wine pairings at Campton Place Restaurant

Rates start at $275 a night and are valid through Feb. 28, 2009; for reservations, call 415-781-5555.

The Westin St. Francis is promoting affordable luxury, with $179 rates that include breakfast for two or in-room champagne upon arrival. Want both? Rates start at $299, and include a stay in a junior suite. Valid through Feb. 28, 2009. The hotel’s spa is offering a complimentary split of POP Champagne, chocolate truffles and a long-stemmed rose with the purchase of any 50-minute spa service, Feb. 9 to 17. Tel. 415-397-7000.

Half Moon Bay, about 30 miles south of San Francisco on the coast, also has several offers on tap, from $100 dinner credits and prix-fixe dinner specials at local restaurants, to packages at the new Hotel Oceano and Spa and the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay. See details.

Central and Southern California

Ojai Valley Inn & Spa makes Valentine’s Day a full weekend celebration with the Ojai For Lovers package. Stay Friday through Monday and receive a welcome gift and either two massages or a romantic in-room dining experience. The package is good every weekend of February. Rates start at $605 per night for two; tel. 888-697-8754 for reservations.

The Montage Resort & Spa, Laguna Beach in Ocean County overnight package Evening of Romance includes:

• Ocean view accommodations

• Welcome champagne

• Pre-fixe dinner for two at The Loft

• Afterglow in a private cabana with port and chocolates or cognac and cigars

• A couples’ massage at Spa Montage

• Complimentary parking

Rates begin at $995 and are valid through April 30, 2009; tel. 866-271-6953.

Hawaii

The Kahala Hotel & Resort on Oahu is all about love with the Kahala for Lovers Weekend. The package includes:

• 3 nights in a newly redone room

• Champagne and strawberries upon arrival

• “In the Mood” dinner for two at Hoku’s, featuring a five-course menu with aphrodisiac ingredients

Rates start at $1,298 and are valid Feb. 10 to March 16, 2009; call 800-367-2525. Bonus: Two additional packages available at the Kahala: Suite for Lovers, $2,985; and the Ultimate Lover’s Weekend, $5,212.50.

Arizona

Enchantment Resort and Mii Amo Spa in Sedona Is offering a chocolate cooking demonstration, an aura soma color reading, a sweetheart yoga class and dinner at the award-winning Yavapai Restaurant. Rooms at Enchantment start at $295 a night and are valid Feb.13 to 15. For reservations, call 800-826-4180.

Caribbean and Central America

Nevis

The gorgeous island of Nevis is extending its love on some of these deals into April.

Those looking to follow in the footsteps of Horatio and Fanny can take advantage of the Passion and Love Package at Montpelier Plantation Inn. This offer includes:

• Five night/six days accommodations

• Couples massage

• One dinner for two at the intimate Mill restaurant

• Two dinners for two at the acclaimed Terrace restaurant

• A complimentary bottle of champagne and basket of fruit upon arrival

The package is priced at $2,805 per couple, inclusive of tax, and is valid now through April 14, 2009. For more information, call 869-469-3462.

Couples can hide away at The Hermitage Plantation Inn with its Romantic Retreat at the Hermitage Package, which includes:

• A deluxe cottage for five nights/six days

• Complimentary bottle of champagne and bouquet of flowers upon arrival

• Daily plantation breakfast and candle-lit dinners

• One in-room massage per person

• A romantic sunset sail with cocktails

The package is valid Feb. 13 to April 12, 2009, $1,950 per couple, including all taxes.  For information, call 800-682-4025.

Through the month of February 2009, couples and families can relax at Mount Nevis Hotel & Beach Club with the February Friends and Family package. Guests who book a minimum of four nights will receive an equal number of complimentary room nights.  Nightly rates range from $375 to $450, based on double occupancy. For information, call 1-800-756-3847.

Belize

The Ultimate Romance Package at Cayo Espanto, near Ambergris Caye, includes:

• A customized four-night stay in Casa Ventanas, Cayo’s over-the-water bungalow,

• A complimentary bottle of champagne

• One massage per person

• Private snorkel trip and a romantic beach picnic

• Three tailored meals per day

• All snacks and drinks (excluding champagne, wine and cordials)

• Full usage of non-motorized water sports equipment

• Guests will be attended to by a personal houseman

This offer is available for reservations made before Feb. 28, 2009, valid for travel until Aug. 31, 2009; $4,995 per couple (including all taxes and resort fees). Guests who select Cayo’s signature Essence de Café and Coconut Scrub spa treatment will also receive chocolate-covered fruit and a bottle of champagne.

I’m in the midst of making my travel plans for the year, so any articles with the words bargain, deals or free in the title tend to catch my eye.

USA Today started the week off alerting readers that now is a good time to get bargain airfares, with some routes the cheapest they’ve been in more than a year: $139 round-trip between Atlanta and Tampa, 56 percent less than last year. Also $69 each way between Providence and Las Vegas; one traveler quoted even found a $15 one-way fare from Columbia, S.C., to Orlando.

Online travel blog Jaunted added Silicon Valley’s San José International Airport to its list of airports around the United States that offer free Wi-Fi. For those who are attached to their laptops and frequent secondary airports (and who don’t yet have an iPhone, BlackBerry or other PDA with Internet capabilities), this list is a travel necessity.

The Frugal Traveler at The New York Times ponders the true value of Valentine’s Day packages and ends up by giving readers info on some pretty decent packages. I’ll be posting last-minute deals I received this week later tonight.

Finally, I’d like to give a shout out to our pals at UpTake, which launched its Travel Blog Network of six (count ‘em!) blogs this week, with contributors who also are friends of TravelMuse. Congrats!

The sixth annual New York Times Travel Show, sponsored by American Express, starts today and runs through Feb. 8 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. The show will feature nearly 500 exhibitors representing destinations in more than 100 countries, along with six stages for live entertainment.

The New York Times Travel Show  is open to the travel trade only on Friday, with the public welcome on Saturday (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and Sunday (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) There’s even live entertainment for the kids. Tickets are $15 per day.

A key theme this year with be on how to find value in your travel choices, and I’ll be scouting out deals for destinations, cruises, tours, spas and activities to share with you over the next few days. I’m also looking forward to the education sessions on hearing some of the keynote speakers and travel experts, including Rick Steves, Arthur and Pauline Frommer, Samantha Brown and bizarre food master Andrew Zimmern from the Travel Channel, and The New York Times food columnist Mark Bittman.

In addition I’ll attempt to Twitter (www.twitter.com/TravelMuse) from the show floor, depending on how well my rather dated PDA holds up… Come follow!

For more information on the show, visit www.nytimes.com/travelshow.

“Remember, Pizza! Pizza!,” I urged my youngest son Ted, reminding him to create an Italian slice-like wedge with his small skis. Fresh from ski school, he was an athletic 5-year-old, eager to catch up with his older ski-savvy brothers. Ski weekends and more extended mountain holidays have been an important part of our annual vacation mix, providing a healthy contrast to our desert lifestyle.

Today there are myriad ways to introduce your children to the exhilarating world of fresh powder! With offers of free rentals, lift tickets and even airfare, creating memories in the mountains has gotten easier. There are plenty of spots where families will find professional instruction, good value and a high altitude adventure.

Snowmass

Already popular with families, Snowmass kicked it up a notch with last year’s debut of its $17 million Treehouse Kids’ Adventure Center and the mid-mountain Elk Camp Meadows Learning Area. The creatively designed center makes it easy for parents to check in for ski or snowboard school, and take care of rentals or last minute slope-side needs. While the Center offers great access to the entire mountain, kids will be hard-pressed to leave the climbing gym and cleverly themed rooms, brimming with engaging activities. Children from 8 weeks and older are welcome at the Center. Snowmass is nine miles from Aspen. www.aspensnowmass.com

Telluride 

Telluride has never been a mountain short on variety. It has long been an ideal destination for families toting skiers and riders of all ages and abilities. With long cruisers, terrain parks, bump runs and the steep chutes of Gold Hill for the more fearless, Telluride offers an incredibly wide variety of terrain. Telluride’s latest addition, its first lift-served expansion since 2001, has put it on the short list of elite destinations for big-mountain skiing. The Revelation Bowl, Telluride’s first lift accessed bowl, brings an entirely new dimension to an already world-class mountain. The 50-acre high-alpine bowl sits on the northeast face of the mountain and is a magnet for snow blown off the adjacent Gold Hill, making Revelation a new priority on powder days.

Skiers can make laps on the Revelation high-speed quad, which rises to a blood-thinning 12,670 feet. With stunning views of the San Juan mountain range that are second to none, I am hard-pressed to think of another mountain on this continent that can match the experience of Telluride’s Revelation Bowl. See for yourself. Tel. 800-778-8581, www.tellurideskiresort.com.

Safety Tip: Encourage your kids to wear helmets! For more information about resorts offering free lodging, rentals, lift tickets and airfare for children traveling with adults, visit www.ski.com.

Well-behaved dogs are invited to the Hotel Indigo in Atlanta’s Midtown when their people visit, with no weight limit and no deposit necessary! I can’t tell you how much that means to me, a big bruiser of a Labrador. If you mention you’ll be bringing your canine pal when making your reservations, the hotel will even include a dog bed, food and water bowls, and a dog-focused magazine in your room.

Visit the Hotel Indigo between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and your pooch gets a special treat—the Canine Cocktail Hour. Every Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m., bring your pup to enjoy complimentary treats and water, while people indulge in more traditional libations. You can even order a more substantial meal for Fido from a doggie menu, which includes chicken and steak entrées.

Stay for pet photo ops from the pupperazzi, in the signature Hotel Indigo chair. Sounds like the perfect place for me: a chair, some food and drink, and camera attention!

Standard room rates start at $149 (weekend) and $179 (weekday) per night. 683 Peachtree St., tel. 404-874-9200. www.midtownatlantahotel.com

Courtesy of Hotel Indigo Atlanta Midtown