Dinner Out of Town

If there is someone on your list who lives far away...or someone who is planning a trip to a distant locale... the internet makes it easy to buy them a nice dinner at a great local restaurant, wherever they are.

1. Check out restaurants in their city or destination by visiting TripAdvisor.com. Just click on "restaurants," enter the city name and go. Most restaurant listings include diner reviews and links to the restaurants' websites.

2. Follow the link to the website of the restaurant that you think the recipient will enjoy -- bonus points if you pick a popular local restaurant that is not part of a chain. If they sell gift cards (chances are they do), make your purchase and have the gift card or certificate shipped to you at home so it can be properly packaged for gift-giving.

3. How you wrap up this gift can make it extra-memorable. Include a printout of the restaurant's menu, and put the card in a clean Big Mac box (between two buns, perhaps?)...or a Chinese food to-go container weighted down with uncooked rice...or an empty box that once contained Lean Cuisine or pasta or taco shells...or attach it to a cookbook, or a book about the city...be creative and have fun with it (and let us know if you come up with something great)!

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