Eat @ Joe's By Ralph Raffio for 2018 WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT RALPH RAFFIO Ralph Raffio has been a writer and editor for more than 35 years. He is former editor-in-chief of Restaurant Business magazine and currently writes the award-winning food blog Mister Meatball. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, he is now based in suburban Portland, Maine, and curses United Airlines whenever he has to connect to almost anywhere. He'll always stop for BBQ at The Salt Lick when he's at Austin-Bergstrom International and is convinced you should eat at Don Peppe while stuck at Kennedy Airport in New York. December 21: WHAT I'D TAKE ON A LONG HAUL I'LL NEVER FLY I recently had an opportunity to fly 18 hours nonstop from Newark to Singapore. For free. I said no, but I did find myself making a list of the music, movies and other things that might possibly sustain me should I ever choose to fly for so long a period. August 23: EARN 'EM AND BURN 'EM? I'D RATHER HOARD THEM The "experts" say we should earn and burn our miles and points as quickly as possible. But I'm a hoarder and I am happy with my choice. May 24: THE TWELVE DAYS OF JET LAG I recently returned from a week in Hong Kong and it took twelve whole days for me to get right. Jet lag is a cruel mistress. May 3: UNITED AIRLINES IS STILL DEAD TO ME I despised United Airlines and vowed I would never fly them again. But I flew them again after four years. They weren't terrible. But I still hate United. April 19: FEAR AND LOATHING AND 15-HOUR FLIGHTS Let me sum up my first ultra-long-haul experience: Fear and loathing and 15 hours of flying do not a happy traveler make. Even when you fly a good airline like Cathay Pacific and even if you stay at a good hotel like the Cordis in Hong Kong. February 15: BURGERS AND THE BUSINESS TRAVELER I know how important a good burger can be to a business traveler. I bet American road warriors eat more burgers in airports and hotels and out-of-town ports of call than they do in their hometowns. And we know the best-selling item at those fancy steakhouses popping up at nation's airports is not steak, but burgers. Here's my guide to the good ones. These columns originally appeared at JoeSentMe.com. Copyright © 2018 by Ralph Raffio. All rights reserved.