Taking preemptive measures on Tuesday, airlines began canceling Wednesday flights from New York to Chicago and easing ticket-change fees because of the nor'easter expected to hit the storm-weary East Coast on Wednesday.

In what seems like a repeat of preparations for Superstorm Sandy, some residents hardest hit by the Oct. 29 storm in places like New York's Staten Island and the Rockaways were again urged to leave, according to NBC News.

Online airline tracker FlightStats.com reports that for Wednesday, 165 flights were canceled at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), 42 flights at La Guardia Airport (LGA), 22 flights at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and 21 flights at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.

United Airlines leads the pack of flight cancellations with 172, followed by two small airlines -- ExpressJet and CommutAir -- with 52 canceled flights combined.

Delta, United and JetBlueposted a notice to passengers that they would waive fees on changes and...

Stake out a cool view of the Gulf of California from the renovated pool at Mexico's Las Ventanas al Paraiso, an upscale Baja resort that is celebrating its 15th year with a multimillion-dollar upgrade.

The hotel, between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, has updated its pool, redesigned the spa adding an indoor/outdoor setting and opened La Marisqueria raw bar and demo kitchen. There are new beach cabanas with private plunge pools and Jacuzzis. 

The resort also is offering a new menu, which managing director Martein van Wagenberg calls "locally sourced, nationally inspired."

"It celebrates regional Mexican cuisine," he said. "The dishes were adapted from the traditional family recipes of the chefs' own families, passed down through the generations."

The new cuisine marks a departure from the restaurant's tradition of "Baja Mediterranean" cuisine, a term the resort coined 15 years ago at its opening.  

A wavering El Niño makes this year’s winter outlook less certain than previous years, NOAA forecasters say. The phenomenon has not shown up as expected, making this one of the most challenging winters ever for forecasters. Typically, El Niño means warmer ocean water that can influence the strength and position of the jetstream and storms over the Pacific.  An El Niño watch remains in effect because there’s still a window for it to emerge . . . . Speaking of outlooks, a lighthearted survey of 1,062 people by Cheapflights.com finds that nearly equal numbers would choose President Obama to “fly their plane” as they would to “throw him off.” From a list of 19 past and current candidates, he was selected most often as the choice to pilot the plane as well as to be bumped from the flight. He was also top choice for a seatmate on a long fight . . . . . Explore the mystery of life along San Diego’s coastline during tidepooling excursions this month...

Greyhound will roll out its new Express service between Los Angeles and Las Vegas starting Wednesday with five round trips daily and two added round trips on Fridays and Saturdays. And seats start at just $1 each way.

Sound familiar? It should. Megabus jumped into the L.A. market in 2007 with super-cheap fares from L.A. to San Francisco and L.A. to Las Vegas. The company, which continues to operate in the East and Midwest, left the L.A. market less than a year later, saying ridership was too low to continue.

Greyhound seems to have taken a page from its playbook. It follows the same come-on that Megabus promised: Book early enough and you'll pay just $1 for a seat. (The online booking site showed $1 fares available on Friday, Dec. 7, as of Monday afternoon, for example.)

But Greyhound is trying to do something more here. The company wants to shake up the stodgy bus-travel image and replace it with a premium service that it hopes will appeal to riders.

Express service means leather seats,...

Though fall is far from over, the Kaanapali Beach Hotel on Maui has put together a spring break deal that's good through the end of November. Daily breakfast for two and a rental car come with rooms starting at $215 a night.

The deal: Besides the extras, the Spring Bonus Rate Special allows a third and fourth person to share the room at no additional cost. The compact car from Budget Rent-a-Car can be picked up from Kahului International Airport, but drivers must be 21 or older.

When: The offer is good through Nov. 30 for stays March 1 to May 31, based on availability.

Tested: I checked online for dates around the Memorial Day holiday and found a room that can accommodate up to four people for $215 a night plus tax. The rooms in this deal have a pool or courtyard view. By comparison, a pool-view room with breakfast only (no rental car) on the same nights starts at $343 a night, plus tax.

Contact: Kaanapali Beach Hotel, (800) 262-8450

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Mary.Forgione@latimes.com
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Hotel guests and area residents can get their morning jolt of java or ease into the  evening with a glass of wine at Stonehaus, which opened last week in Westlake Village.

The rustic venue, a blend of coffeehouse and wine bar, is set amid the vineyard and olive groves at the Westlake Village Inn, a 141-room boutique hotel near the 101 Freeway in the Conejo Valley.

For early risers, the gourmet coffeehouse serves private-label roasted coffee drinks, breakfast items and freshly baked pastries and breads. At lunch time, salads and paninis are available. As day turns into evening, the space takes on the character of a European wine bar and tasting room where patrons can either sit indoors or on a large patio warmed by an outdoor fireplace.

The inn’s private-label wines are available, as well as a selection of California and international varietals and 45 wines by the class.  Fine cheeses and charcuterie round out the offerings. Wine tastings are available by appointment.  

Info: Stonehau...

On that day, Estes Kefauver, a U.S. senator from Tennessee, brought his anti-racketeering road show to Las Vegas’ federal courthouse, turning the national spotlight on the organized crime tentacles that reached deep into the city’s casinos.

That infamous era is remembered at the Mob Museum, now inside the downtown Las Vegas building that once housed the court and the city’s post office.

To mark the anniversary of the event, Nevada residents will get free admission to the museum on Nov. 15, and two out-of-state visitors will get in for the price of one ($19.95).

Throughout the day, a new documentary by filmmaker Jon Rubin will be screened. “Crimebuster: Sen. Estes Kefauver, Politics, Television and Organized Crime” sums up an important element of the film: that television, which was then in its infancy,...

It's a presidential election year, which also means that 2013 will be an inauguration year for whomever emerges as the victor Tuesday. If you plan to go but haven't yet made hotel plans, well, that's a good thing.

"Most people making a visit to D.C. on average book three weeks in advance," says Kate E. Gibbs, media manager for the district's tourism agency Destination DC. "So this is still very early, even though it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." She says many hotels still haven't posted their rates and special packages yet.

But all that changes Wednesday after the results are in. There are inaugural balls and parades to be planned, and those who want in on the city's biggest party-time will be making plans too. In 2008, an estimated 1.8 million people came to the district's National Mall to celebrate.

This year the inauguration falls on Jan. 20, a Sunday, which means the president will be sworn in privately at noon and all the public hoopla will be pushed back a day to the  Monday...

The historic Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix is putting rooms on sale for the holidays -- but only this week. Stay for the holidays (Thanksgiving or Christmas) and pay just $89 a night.

Expect a 60-foot Christmas tree and a menorah to be in place and special Santa visits too. That's a lot of holiday dazzle for a little price.

The deal: The holiday rates are jaw-droppers at this hotel where rooms typically cost double that amount. It requires full payment in advance and allows no changes. There's no trick to getting this deal: You can find it online by popping in your dates or by calling the hotel.

Saving on the room means you could spring for holiday meals at the hotel. Thanksgiving dinners -- from a four-course meal at Wright's to a holiday buffet -- run from $48 to $95 for adults, $24 to $50 per child 12 and younger. Reservatons are required; call (602) 381-7632.

When: The offer is good until Friday. The deal rate applies to stays Nov. 18-Dec. 1 and Dec. 14-Jan. 1.

Tested: I found...

Question: Several readers have asked for information about what to do when a relative who plans to make an airline trip dies before the trip can be taken. Does nonrefundable mean nonrefundable?

Answer: When airlines say "nonrefundable fare," they usually mean it.

Except when they don't.

Don't get excited. This doesn't mean you'll get your money back if, say, you change your mind about going to (fill-in-the-blank place) because you're worried about (fill-in-the-blank anxiety-inducing issue). Keep in mind, too, that you can usually change your ticket — you'll pay as much as $150 for a change in a domestic ticket or $250 for an international ticket in most cases (Southwest doesn't charge), and you will also pay the difference between the new fare you're buying and the old one.

But in cases of death or an illness that grounds you by doctor's orders, "Most airlines do not want the PR nightmare," said Joe Brancatelli whose "Joe Sent Me" newsletter is the bible for business travelers.

That...