A surprise!

This weekend we are in Chicago visiting our friends Barabara & Dan. We had several nice treats while here:
1 - a stay at the beautiful Fours Seasons Hotel
2 - dinner at NoMi
3 - tickets to the Bears football game
4 - an introduction to a new restaurant (to us) called Bin 36
5 - the wonderful Hart Davis Hart wine auction!

After all of that (in just 2 days!) we were headed to Dan and Barbara's new home in Orland Park and decided to stop off at Binny's, a liquor "super store" we like to frequent because of both the great prices AND the great selections.
While we were browsing through the single malts for some Auchentoshin, which I hadn't been able to find since our trip to Scotland, we came across the Bruichladdich special gift packaging which we had done with our very hands while at the Academy there in September! Nice to see the results of our hard work on the shelves in Chicagoland!

Islay, Scotland

Once we had completed our work at the Academy at Bruichladdich (and had smapled LOTS of their wonderful Scotch whisky!) we were ready to see more of Scotland.
One day while staying at Bruichladdich, we went to the Port Charlotte Hotel for their oysters. Our classmates had told us how amazing they were and we couldn't wait to try them.
The Port Charlotte hotel is a lovely little treasure just a few miles down the road from Bruichladdich. We arrived there around 4 in the afternoon, ordered our Scotch and asked for 6 oysters each. The barman told us that the kitchen normally only prepares the oysters at lunchtime as they get too busy in the kitchen after that. We grovelled and begged and said how we had made the trip from America ONLY to have their wonderful oysters. He soon took pity on us and convinced the chef to prepare some for us.
These are no normal oysters, mind you. Each one was the size of a large pierogi. And they were so sweet and delicious! When we finished, we went outside and took some lovely photos of the area around Port Charlotte. Ree, our cook from Bruichladdich, then came to pick us up.

Poppy is growing up!

I thought it was time for an updated photo of Poppy, our little Papillon. She is now 8 months old and is almost a "dog" instead of a puppy!

More photos of the Scotch making process

Mixing the mash


Adding the Yeast to the fermentation tank









Filling the barrels




Checking the alcohol level at the Spirit Safe

Making Scotch Whisky

PEAT THAT HAS BEEN CUT & PILED TO DRY DIGGING THE PEAT

It's hard to believe, but in a matter of days, we learned how to make Scotch whisky. We did this while attending The Academy at Bruichladdich distillery on the island of Islay of the western coast of Scotland. Islay lies just north of Ireland so with the combination of the Scots and the Irish, whom I both think of as people who know their whisky, it's easy to see why Bruichladdich does all right in that location!
There are six students in the academy at a time. Don & I were the only Americans. At the beginning of the week everyone is divided up into pairs to learn the various processes involved in making the Scotch. Don was paired with Patrik from Sweden and I was paired with Johann,also from Sweden.
We did everything from going to the peat bog to cut the peat for the toasting of the malt to a visit to the water source, milling of the malt, making the "mash" from malt & water, fermentation with yeast of the "wort" or sweet water that is the runnoff of the mash, distilling the whisky and filling barrels, storing barrels, bottling the whisky and shipping it off to its destination. Whew! If you think that was a long sentence, you should be there actually DOING all those things!
The pictures attached represent each step of the process.

Beverly Hills - a break from Scotland

Since we are taking a little break in Beverly Hills, I thought I'd use the opportunity to write about something different today.
Having never been to Beverly Hills before, I decided to join Don on his trip here for a meeting. It has been most interesting.
By far the most unique shop on Rodeo Drive is Prada. Nowhere is there a sign to tell passersby what store it is. All you see from the sidewalk are the glass covered caverns with displays of luggage, handbags and clothing. If you "know" your Prada, I guess you would be able to identify the store from that. I'm not so astute -- I had to go in and look at a label!
One surprise about Rodeo Drive is the Village Gallery. We found some Michael Godard items there for less than we have seen them elsewhere. Apparently, that is because of the large volume of sales the gallery has.
My favorite restaurants are the Grill on the Alley and McCormick & Schmick's. Dining outside at M & S is great. Not only do you sit at the top of Two Rodeo to see al the shoppers there but you also look down on the Beverly Wilshire and their outdoor tables.
Monday we were treated to a great Studio tour at Sony Pictures, courtesy of Stephanie, the daughter of one of my golfing buddies. After the tour she also took us to the private dining room on the lot at Sony. What a treat!

Exceeding Expectation

Before I go into all the details of what we learned about making Scotch whisky, I want to interject a comment about our experience in Scotland overall.
When I put this trip together, it was for my husband Don. I wanted to surprise him with something great for his birthday as a way of saying "thanks" to him for all the great things he does for my life.
I was "going along" to someplace I had never really been deeply drawn towards because I wanted to see his delight in the experience. I expected to see gray, rainy skies and temperatures that would require a great deal of layering to be comfortable -- especially coming on the tail end of a nice warm summer in Ohio.
As you can see by the pictures here of Islay, I neither needed my raincoat nor my heavy sweaters. The only two days it rained were the day we arrived and the day we left. The rest of the time the sky was vibrantly clear and the temperatures were in the low 70's. The water looks like something from the Caribbean or Hawaii.
As if the weather wasn't enough to win me over, the PEOPLE of Scotland were such a delight! From the first stop at our B & B with Val and Keith, through the Bruichladdich experience with Ella, Andy, Adam, Alan, James, Peter I and Peter II, David, Budgie and so many more, though our new friends in Glasgow at Whisky Live and right up until our final dinner where our waiter offered to take our picture and did a fantastic job of it, everyone was delightful!
I only hope that in my travel planning profession, I am as successful at exceeding expectaions as of of these folks were for me.

Arrival at Islay International airport!



The drive from the Islay airport to our "home" for the next 5 days at Bruichladdich's Academy took about 30 minutes. We passed through Bowmore and saw the three peaks of Jura in the distance.

Our Academy mates were already settled in when we arrived so we met them right away. There was Jim from Scotland and Patrik, Johan and Bertyl from Sweden. The two ladies that would be feeding us and taking care of our rooms were Ree and Mary.
Our first meal consisted of Asparagus soup, ham steak, potatoes, cauliflower, cooked cabbage and salad. We had a wonderfully decadent brownie pie for dessert then an assortment of cheeses and coffee and tea. There was always plenty of beer, wine and, naturally, Bruichladdich Scotch for everyone.

This evening we learned who our work partner for the week would be and were given our schedules. The schedule was broken down into Mashing, Milling, Fermentation, Distilling, Peat cutting, Water supply,Warehousing, Filling, and Bottling hall. We would report to work at 8:30AM and work until around 4:30 with a break for lunch. It was only when we saw the schedule that we also learned we would have an EXAM at the end of the week! Yikes!

Our "welcome gift" at Bruichladdich

More on Scotland

PHOTOS OF THE DRIVE FROM GRANTON-ON-SPEY BACK TO GLASGOW



The next morning we rose early (and also caused Val to do so to prepare our breakfast!) so that we could have plenty of time to make it back to Glasgow for our 2:25PM flight to Islay. Armed with new directions from Keith, which would help us avoid the traffic between Stirling and Glasgow, we headed out following our final wonderful breakfast in Granton-On-Spey at An Cala Guest House.
It was a beautiful morning and we were treated not only to lovely scenery but even a few rainbows enroute! Our route took us past Loch Lomond but we didn't take time to look around as we feared missing our flight. Had we called ahead, we would have learned that we had plenty of time since our flight had been cancelled and we were now booked on the 5:00 flight! Bummer! Even worse, we had to wait in a long line to get the ticket reissued. British Airways did, however, give us a meal voucher so we had lunch and a beer (or two) at Garfinkels in the airport.
We still had about 2 hours to kill so we wandered the airport a bit. Found that the duty free shops in Scotland give samples! :>)
We did finally get on our way to Islay by about 5:15 and arrived there about 6:00. Two of our three bags did the same. The third naughty little red bag had separated itself from us and we would not see it again until the next day.
Tomorrow -- all about Islay!

Scotland continued

After leaving Ballandollach, we headed for Cardhu distillery. While Cardhu itself seems quite tiny, it is a part of the enormous Deagio (sp?) chain which is the parent for a great number of both single malts and blends, such as Johnny Walker. The tour at Cardhu was the equivalent of $8 US but it was applied towards the purchase of their whisky. Our tour guide, Debbie, signed a bottle of Craggenmore for us since her dad works there!
From little Cardhu, we headed (amongst even more pheasants) to Glenfiddich. Glenfiddich is an enormous operation -- perhaps the very largest distillery in Scotland. The comparison of them to Cardhu reminded us of one to T Vines vs Mondavi wineries in Napa! There is no charge for the tour at Glenfiddich and they still give you a "wee dram" taste after the tour.
That evening we had dinner at the Garth Hotel in Grantown-On-Spey. A few unique things about the restaurant service in Scotland: First, they don't fill the restaurant and try to "turn tables" as in the US. Instead, they have maybe a third of the tables filled at one time so the staff can more effectively serve those tables. Second, when you arrive, you are seated in a comfortable lounge area while your table is prepared. It is there you are offerd drinks instead of at your table. I personally liked these concepts a lot. It seemd to make for a lot more relaxing dining experience.
This evening Don had a smoked salmon appetizer followed by Garth's famous chicken which was stuffed with brie then wrapped in puff pastry. I had a vegetable crepe to start then their "Mussel Extravaganza". Delicious! Some restaurants offer an "early bird" discount. At the Garth we received 25% off our bill by eating at 6:00PM.
THe day had been very sunny and pleasant but the clear sky made it a bit chilly that evening. Still, we had a nice walk back to our lovely An Cala.

photo of An Cala Guest House

Scotland Journal cont.

Our first Scottish meal was a delight. We found that Craggen Mill, as well as most restaurants in the GOS area, use local produce in their cooking. This includes lake grown mussels, river Salmon, vegetables and fruits. For a starter, I had Cullen Skink which is a soup with fish and potatoes, much like a New England clam chowder. Next I had local salmon with a really nummy sauce and for dessert I had homemade blueberry, lime and coconut ice cream. We had walked to the restaurant and Val gave us a “torch” (flashlight) for the walk home in the dark. We were happy to have to walk back as it helped burn some of the extra calories we consumed!
The first morning after our arrival, we were treated to a wonderful home cooked breakfast by Val. I had expected Scottish food to be much like English – a little bland and not very appetizing – but Val quickly changed my opinion about that! Wonderful coffee accompanied porridge, eggs, bacon, juice, toast, tomatoes, mushrooms as well as a variety of cereals and fruits.
After a briefing by Keith on what was in the area to see and do, we headed out to Ballandallach Castle (see picture), a privately owned castle about ½ hour away by car. The family living in it has had it in their family since 1542! To get there, we took the VERY narrow river road. Along the way we must have seen 1000 pheasants – another local product, it seems!
We watched the introductory video then toured the interior of the castle then took a walk on the grounds along the River Spey and on to the point where the Avon and Spey Rivers merge (other picture is Don at that junction). This is the area where much of the Highland salmon comes from. The castle owners have a herd of Aberdeen Cows whose lineage goes back several hundred years.

My Scotland trip journal

We started our trip to Scotland by landing at Glasgow then picking up a car to drive to the Highlands. Glasgow airport is very easy to navigate and we had our bags in record time. Had to wait a few minutes at the car rental desk but we were on our way to Grantown-On-Spey well before noon. We only made one wrong turn during the entire 3½-hour trip and that was upon leaving the airport!
The rain was with us all the way north until we exited the highway at Aviemore to head east to Grantown-On-Spey (GOS, as the locals call it). Then the sun came out and stayed out for nearly our entire trip!
In GOS, we had arranged to have the room with the 4-post bed at An Cala Guest House. Our hosts, Val & Keith Dickinson, couldn’t have been nicer! They have a lovely sitting room with comfy chairs and sofas where you can relax and watch TV, read or look at the collection of menus they have provided for the local restaurants. Once we had done the latter, we asked Val to make a reservation for us at the Craggen Mill restaurant which was about a 20 minute walk from An Cala (through a cow pasture!)
Before dinner we had a walk to the center of GOS. Our first stop was at the Wee Spey Dram Whisky Shop – surprise, surprise! We sampled a few single malts and I had something called Heather Cream which was a bit like Bailey’s but with more oomph.
We walked down the main street then came back on Grant Street where there were a few restaurants and many homes with absolutely picture-perfect flower gardens such as the one pictured here.

Scotland - beginning of my journal at last

This is my favorite picture from Islay! Who would believe this is SCOTLAND? It is so beautiful. When your feet touch Islay, your heart rate immediately slows and you find yourself enjoying things in life that you have taken for granted or been moving so fast that you passed them by.

Time sure does fly

How can it be a month and a half since my last post??? Incredible!
It's also hard to believe we have been back from the Bruichladdich Academy on the island of Islay in Scotland for almost 2 weeks. I have sooooo much to write about that as well as the rest of Scotland and some beautiful photos, too.
All that will have to wait until tomorrow (or the next day). Right now my clients'trips take precedence.
Cheers.

photos from Nemacolin

A picture is worth a thousand words. Here are three that just touch the surface of the beauty of Nemacolin Woodlands Resort!

Book Apple Vacations to the Caribbean, save on your passport

Apple Vacations doesn't want the cost of obtaining a passport ($97 USD per person) to keep you from traveling. So from July 16 until October 31, Apple and participating hotel partners will pay for your passport when you book an Apple Vacation departing in 2007. That's right! Book a 7-night stay including roundtrip air on USA3000 Airlines or any Apple Vacations’ exclusive charter* flight, and they'll pick up the basic $97 tab for passports for the entire traveling party! Better yet, there's no red tape-- no forms to fill out or proof to send in. They've already taken $100 per person off the great price of your vacation!
See the Apple Vacations link to the right.

more on Nemacolin Woodlands

Did I speak yet about the Butler assigned to us in our room at Falling Rock???
One touch of a button on the phone and the Butler was there to fulfill nearly any request we could make. Draw a bath. Bring our breakfast. Get us drinks. Turn down our beds. Open the drapes. Oh, yes, and bring our choice of pillow from the "Pillow Menu" offering up 16 different choices! (My friend and I both chose 1 buckwheat and 1 water pillow. The water pillow was the BEST!)

On day two, we played the other 9 holes that had been rained out the day before. This was the back nine on the Links course. The Links was a good choice for us -- challenging enough to keep our interest but fair enough to keep us from frustration.
There were several interesting "diversions" on the back nine: first was an area (caged, thankfully!) with a mother black bear and her two adorable cubs. As we teed off the hole nearest them, we looked over and spied one of the cubs peeking up and spying on us in return. The second diversion came with a herd of 11 zebras adjacent to the fairway on #16 (I think). Anyhow, zebras in Ohio were a bit of a surprise.

After golf, we took a tour of Chateau Lafayette with our gracious host, Brian Pruden. Brian showed us the beautiful ballroom with the six chandeliers valued at $1,000,000 (yes, MILLION) each. We also saw some of the unique pieces from the resort's private art collection and the beautiful top floor concierge level. We had a great lunch at The Tavern before heading out for a Trail Ride at the Equestrian center.
more to come...

Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa

Just before Independence Day, a friend and I had the pleasure to experience a brief getaway at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort .
Nemacolin is just a 3 hour drive from Akron but it feels as though you've entered another land: a land of understated luxury and surprises at every turn.
There are two main accommodation buildings at Nemacolin, the very French Chateau Lafayette, styled after the Ritz in Paris, and Falling Rock, a luxury boutique hotel inspired by the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright with 42 rooms and personal butler service. We were delighted by our wonderful room in Falling Rock. It looked out over the 18th green of the famed Mystic Rock course, the sight of the 84 Lumber Classic each September. In the early mroning, the mist over the mountains made me feel as though I was in the clouds (actually, I was!)
We spent our first day playing golf and dodging thunderstorms. After the second lightning alert, we packed away our clubs for the day and were satisfied that we at least got 9 holes in that day.
The dinner we enjoyed at Falling Rock's Aqueous was a twelve course gourmet wonder. According to the Nemacolin website, "The cuisine at this restaurant imparts the aspects that set Frank Lloyd Wright apart from his peers: harmony with natural surroundings, calculated use of angles, progressive thought, and use of regional materials. The menu at Aqueous features "Forward Thinking American" cuisine, which give the freedom to be bold and creative, using the finest selection of ingredients found in the United States. Chef de Cuisine Dave Racicot places strong emphasis on using only American products, choosing to showcase the foods of small farmers whose passion for their craft matches that of the Aqueous culinary team.
The dining experience at Aqueous brings Wright’s “progressive thought” to the forefront by concentrating on key flavors in each dish and manipulating their texture and temperature as a way to keep dining interesting. For example, one main ingredient such as Perfect Spring Asparagus could be served with three flavor profiles such as sweet, smoked and spicy. Dessert also focuses on American methods and flavors, using both sweet and savory ingredients to complete the dining experience".
Each course was accompanied by a wine specifically paired to the food. It was easy to see why Aqueous has been named as one of the Top 25 restaurants in Pittsburgh (about an hour away).
(More in my next post)

FREE Passports for 2007 Caribbean travel!

Found this article today!

Caribbean offers to reimburse passport cost to US travelers
By Hazel Heyer l Special to eTN

At the recently concluded 2006 Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference organized by the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA), tourism leaders expressed serious concerns over the proposed Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requiring Americans to have their passports ready by January 1, 2007 on traveling back from the Caribbean by air and sea. The issue is not so much the requirement as the effective date itself affecting US vacationers planning trips to the CARICOM.

According to a research by the WTTC on behalf of the Caribbean Hotels Association, visitor market share from the United States to the Caribbean and the percentage of those visitors who do not use a valid US passport will decline dramatically. Currently, about 20 percent of Americans do not possess a passport.

Based on the WTTC research, total visitor exports earnings in the Caribbean region are estimated at US$20.7 billion. Contribution to regional GDP for 2004 accounted for 14.8 percent of the total GDP representing US$28.4 billion for the region, according to the sponsored study. In 2006, the Caribbean travel economy went a couple of notches up 2005’s GDP contribution - going beyond the 15 percent mark.

The WTTC recognizes the Caribbean is the most dependent region in the world on tourism. If globally, the travel and tourism sector employs on in every five people, in the Caribbean, the figure is one in every four with 2,416,500 jobs created since 2004.

When the law takes into effect January 1, 2007, more than US$2.6 billion of visitor export earnings and more than 188,300 tourism jobs in the CARICOM could be at risk. Considering US visitor market share to the Caribbean is 51 percent of the total visitor market share and represents the largest market segment to the Caribbean, the repercussion to trade is huge.

USA’s market is double the size of the second regional visitor market share.

The hotel association recognizes the best way to demonstrate the impact of this on the Caribbean is to quantify in monetary terms. There are 35 countries in the organization, only 8 –Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Dominica, Guyana, St. Lucia, St. Eustasius, Trinidad and Tobago – require US citizens to enter with passports. There are 27 countries that do not require US visitors passports just yet. But come 2007, things will dramatically change.

Jamaica, counting on 58.4 percent US tourists, will feel the pinch, the most. Cayman Islands depends on 40.5 percent US visits, while the British Virgin Islands 32.2 percent, Bahamas 21.7 percent, St. Kitts and Nevis 20.4 percent, Aruba 18.2 percent, St. Vincent & the Grenadines 14 percent, Grenada 13.8 percent and the Dominican Republic 12.7 percent will have to look elsewhere for traffic.

Similarly, the United Nations-World Tourism Organization recognizes the powerhouse in the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic whose tourism receipts represent up to as much as 90 percent of their service exports. Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism contributes directly and indirectly to economy with over 75 percent of the GDP, according to UN-WTO Secretary General Francesco Frangialli.

Thus far, any regulation governing tourism to these countries will have significant toll.

Outgoing president of the CHA, Berthia Parle in her term recognized the real negative impact of the Western Hemisphere Initiative on the economies and jobs of the Caribbean countries and the hotel members of CHA. She submitted a position paper to the US Department of Homeland Security explaining the earlier introductory date proposed for the Caribbean will also have a potential to spark up social unrest and other imbalances in the region and beyond. Upon her departure as CHA head, she alluded to the issue before the CHIC attendees saying: “We must protect our hard-earned investments and the livelihood of the thousands, who depend on us for survival, whether our industry is threatened by the Western Hemisphere Initiative and other detrimental policies.”

Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, a firm believer of the use of the Internet to promote tourism to the maximum, thinks the information super-highway can be tapped to address the passport requirement issue. “We recommend for travelers trolling on websites looking for vacations to use those sites to educate themselves on the passport requirement. Rather than using en-masse advertising to tell the people, we are going through specific sites to direct our audience,” he said.

“Second of all, the second initiative we’ve launched is paying Americans for the passports,” said Vanderpool-Wallace. An additional negative impact by the initiative alongside the immediate decline will result from Americans having to choose another destination while they are not willing to pay the extra cost of a passport. Costs could approach $400.00 for a family of four. The impact could render itself permanent where US citizens without passport can only select to visit US territories in the Caribbean.

The CTO chief said the way to do that is to pay out of the commission to be paid to the website used by the traveler. One site has already started to do so. “We encourage others to do the same,” said Vanderpool-Wallace adding, “In that way, the customer will not have any difficulty whatsoever getting a travel document.”

Aren’t the islands spoiling the US travelers rotten by covering the cost of an official document every traveler in the world needs to have anyway in this day and age? “We have thought about it and the only option to take is to go someplace else. We’d rather pay some small sum of money for their passport through some private sector sites, than allow the tourists to stay closer to home or within.” For the cost of a $100, we get a new customer spending thousands of dollars in the Caribbean is not even a choice, he said adding that in effect, “We are actually reimbursing them for the passports they pay for to travel to our destination.”

Calling on the US policy-makers for reactions, eTN learned the gesture is welcomed.
“We perceive this as a positive development in line with the Western Hemisphere Initiative,” said US State Department spokesperson Joe Mancini. “However they receive or pay for them as US individuals, is perceived as positive development. As long as they comply, we are fine with that. ”

About a potential security breach and safety concern while making it dead easy for Americans to venture out, Vanderpool-Wallace said: “There won’t be any issue with security. We will reimburse provided we know the use of the passport first-time is for the Caribbean.”

But how will the private sector groups, travel agents and site managers know they will be the first destination to be visited?

“In truth, we won’t,” closed the CTO chair. “But by reason of their name and booking, we would know they are coming to the Caribbean. There’s almost an honor system.”

Excitement in Akron, Ohio!

Tonight was the "unveiling" of the new logo for the new Akron Art Museum, scheduled to be open in Spring of 2007. What a simple yet effective design! We were privileged to have been invited to this event held at the Oneil House Bed and Breakfast due to our involvement with the Art Museum's annual Wine Auction.
Oneil House is an absolutely delightful bed and breakfast which was the former home of one of the families in the rubber industry in Akron in the early 1900's. Not only is the house a charmer, the food is INCREDIBLE! If your path leads you to Akron DON'T MISS THIS ONE!

We're going to Scotland!

My husband Don had a birthday a few weeks back. He's NOT the easiest guy to buy for. If he wants something he just goes and gets it. This year, I finally found something unique that he was wild about. Using HIS frequent flyer miles :>) I arranged a trip for us to go to Scotland. I had read in the Wall Street Journal about a scotch distillery on Islay where you can go and live on the premises including all of your accommodation, meals and BAR for 4 days whilst working side-by-side with the employees to make Scotch Whisky!!
With dogged determination, I was able put the whole thing together for him as a surprise. We'll go in September We’ll also do the scotch whisky trail and a night in Glasgow and 3 in Edinburgh. Can’t wait! Neither of us has been there before.
Yippee!

A day off...

Or at least part of one. This morning I'm playing hooky to play golf with some friends. Ditto for this afternoon! I am eager to get back later this evening and do a "real" post, however, so see ya then!

Above The Crowds Travel deals

While I'm not overly fond of advertising on my blog, today I learned of a fantastic deal. This one is almost too good to be true but since it comes from Apple Vacations I know that it IS true. If you've been longing to get away, here's the scoop:
Cleveland to Cancun's Riviera Maya at Iberostar resorts (all are 5 to 6 "Apples" in rating) and all are all-inclusive.
At Iberostar Tucan and Iberostar Paraiso del Mar, Kids 12 and under stay, play and eat for FREE Adult prices are 3 nights for $499, 4 nights for $569 or 7 nights for $759. All prices include air, all meals, drinks, activities.
At Iberostar Paraiso Maya the costs are $899 for 3 nights, $999 for 4 nights nad $1399 for 7 nights.
Iberostar Paraiso Lindo is the 6 Golden Apple property and they are featuring 3 nights for $879, 4 nights for $999 or 7 nights for $1359.
Here's the sweet part -- prices apply for select departures from August 18 through October 29! All you have to do is book by June 17.
And you can do that by calling me at 330-644-1870 or e-mailing me at abovethecrowds@sbcglobal.net

A Book for Remembering

Last week I received my order of "for my Grandchild. A GRANDMOTHER'S GIFT OF MEMORY" books. I ordered one for myself and two for friends who are also Grannies. I learned of this book through a newspaper article that referred me to AARP to buy it (which then directs you to Barnes & Noble). If you buy it through AARP, it is less than $10 per copy.
So what is this book? It is a place for you to record all the facts and fun and photos all about YOU to give to your grandchild(ren). It is kind of the opposite of one of those Baby Books that you filled out for your kids way back when.
From the cover flap: "Today's grandmothers lead full and active lives that include everything from working and traveling to taking classes and volunteering". Thay got MY attention! Sounded like they were writing about me! Anyhow, I'm looking forward to filling my book(s) and handing them out, maybe as birthday presents for the older grandkids -- along with their normal present, of course.

Got minutes?

Today I read about a really cool thing that you can do with those unlimited weekend minutes on your cell phone. When traveling to places like New York, Boston and Washington DC, you can listen to audio tours narrated by celebrities such as Larry King, Steven Tyler and Sigourney Weaver.
Check it out at TalkingStreet

Check out this website

Just a note today about the really fine job Phat Web Solutions has done on their new web site. If you'd like to check it out, see
Phat Web Solutions
It is simple yet effective; easy to navigate yet "punchy". Good job guys!

As promised .... Here's Poppy!

Sometimes you have to just play

After a dreary weekend full of gray skies and rain, the past two days have been glorious. Will anyone blame me for not composing a blog full of deep thoughts but just going out to play golf instead??????

Consistency is key

As much as I know this, it is still sometimes difficult to accomplish!
All I know about blogging says to write SOMETHING every day and yet there are times when it JUST ISN'T THERE!
Just as I'm beginning to get postings to my blog and should be going with the flow, when what comes into my life but a NEW PUPPY! Being a new parent at least gets you "in the mood" for nine months but with a puppy it's kind of BANG -- here you go!
That said, I will soon post a photo of our new little darling. Her name is Poppy and she is a Papillon. She was acquired at a charity auction. Both my husband Don & I thought we had had too many martinis prior to the event as we woke up the morning after saying, "What have we done????!!"
Now we're saying, "This is nice".
Poppy is officially 12 weeks old today and is a bundle of energy and comfort all wrapped up in a soft, furry, black and white ball with HUGE ears. We adore her!
So, just when you think you have nothing to write, a puppy comes into your life and -- VOILA!

Jet Blue

Came across this in my daily e-mails and thought I'd pass it on. Thanks eTN and Dr. Garely!

There is Jet Blue – and Everyone Else
Courtesy of eTN, Dr. Elinor Garely
Have a choice? Take Jet Blue! There is a quantifiable difference between Jet Blue and almost every other US airline and the differentiation starts with the reservation system, extends through the in-flight experience and crests at luggage retrieval. The Jet Blue folks have got the system as close to “right” as any US carrier I have recently experienced.

The on-line technology is user-friendly and almost intuitive. Can’t find the right link? A call to the 800 number representative delivers quick and pleasant instructions; no patronizing tone, no “too busy to deal with your stupid question,” just a clear, precise staffer who asks the right questions and moves the issue to resolution.

Back on the site, instructions steer me to finding flight information and seat selection, payment options, confirmation instructions and print-out guidelines. The extra-goody is the Jet Blue follow-up. The day before flight departure, an email arrived at my inbox, reminding me that I was flying Jet Blue the next day, asked me if I wanted to make any changes in the flight or seat selection. To review the flight time or seat location takes only a moment, and the software works effortlessly. No – I had no changes so I was processed through to a request for luggage information. Checking a bag? Click here. No bags? Another click. A quick print-out of my boarding pass and I was good to go.

Next day –I arrived at the Jet Blue terminal, slipped my credit card into the kiosk, pulled up flight information, checked out the departure gate – and that was it! Problem? Question? Jet Blue staff is eager to help – actually they are happy to help! Since there are so few problems they appear close to being bored. Jet Bluers’ remind me of the Maytag repairman advertisement that shows the guy sleeping, implying that since the appliance never breaks down there is nothing for the guy to do except sleep. At the moment, the Jet Blue system has so few “wrinkles” the major task of the airport employee is to be pleasant.

Onboard – the seats are cushy leather and almost large enough to be comfortable. Operationally, the cabin is a tribute to efficiency. From the first offer of liquid refreshment and the subsequent passage of garbage bags for the plastic toss, followed by the snack pass and the almost immediate garbage collection– passengers are almost programmed to “select” “eat” and “toss.”

Would I change the cabin experience? Yes! Take away the carbs, calories and salt, offer me something heart-healthy. With new packaging available, it should not be a “no-brainers” to offer fresh fruit and unprocessed cheese. I would also add sports drinks to the beverage list. Gatorade and Propel are much easier to digest (and healthier) than soft drinks and go a long way to stemming the queasy tummy feeling that is frequently part being in orbit.

Fast forward – and we are on the ground. Jet Blue understands the passengers’ need to “get out” at faster than light travels so- as the plane lands the doors are opened, and the cabin crew gets out of the way of the passengers as they stampede to daylight and the terminal. On many flights it seems that the cabin crew is first reading the training manual trying to figure out the best method for getting the doors opened, while the airport team stumbles over themselves getting the jet-way into position. The rush for luggage is also rewarded with a fast-tracked retrieval system. Before disbelief set I had my duffle in hand and was outside the terminal, looking for my car service.

Rarely do I find anything nice to say about an airline. The activity is not pleasant and short of teaming up with Captain Kirk and the Star Trek crew – I have no choice but to use an airplane for moving from A to B. Jet Blue was so good on my recent flight from New York to Anaheim that I think they should start a training program for all the other guys that are only pretending to run an airline company. To paraphrase Emeril Lagasse-- “Jet Blue Rules.”

books, books and more (good) books

Ever since we cancelled the cable and put away all the TV’s 2 ½ years ago, I have become a voracious reader. This is really saying something for someone who could barely finish their reading assignments in High School and college!
Anyhow, I look to many sources for recommendations of good books and have learned which friends like the kind of books that I also enjoy.
Recently, I have participated in a number of “webinars” sponsored by Cruise West, a small-ship cruise company. The presenter for these webinars was Lisa Haneberg who is the sole propietor of her company, Haneberg Management, and the author of H.I.M.M.: (High Impact Middle Management): Solutions for Today's Busy Managers, Organization Development Basics, Coaching Basics and several short e-books.
Though Lisa is not "literally" a friend (she lives 2500 miles from me and we have never met in person), I truly value her book recommendations. Why? Because every one of the book authors she tauts displays the same passion about their subject that Lisa displays in her management business and that I (hope) I display in my Travel Planning business. Without fail, I come away from the books with new ideas, new passion and renewed energy for my business.
Just when I had finished the last of the books from last month, I went to Lisa’s blog and – TA DA! – just today she wrote about a new one! The latest is is called Encyclopedia of Positive Questions - Volume One by experts in Appreciative Inquiry, Cooperrider, Whitney, Trosten-Bloom and Kaplin. I am generally able to obtain the books at my local library so, guess where I’m headed next!
Anyone reading my blog who has read something great that you'd like to share, bring it on!

Active Grannies

Today I learned that I'm not the only active Granny out there looking to do much, much more than sit around the TV knitting!
There are soooo many trips designed precisely for today's "Mature Traveler" (ugh!) Whether you want to GrandTrip (travel with the grandkids to explore and learn together), take epoch journeys or short trips, drink wine and dine on fine food, visit great gardens and enhance your gardening skills, follow the "DaVinci Code" trail or just go relax after all your hard work at home --- there are trips out there for YOU!
Don't see what it is that floats your boat in this list??? Contact me and I'll find the right one for you.
Linda

Dance With The Stars

For those who have become addicted to the popular TV program, read on:
With the season finale of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars," The Roosevelt Hotel is offering guests their dancing fix even after the show's culmination, with the "Rumba at the Roosevelt" program, starting at $325 per couple, per night through Aug. 30.
More details can be found at http://www.theroosevelthotel.com/

Works for those of us who don't have or watch TV, too! At least this way you can get a little exercise while spinning around the dance floor.

Cruising with kids

Cruising with Kids
Families are the fastest growing segment of the cruise market. Many cruise lines are now catering to families and their unique needs. While most now offer children’s programs and kid friendly food options, choosing the best cruise for your client can take some research. Below are some tips to assist in determining the best cruise line for your client along with links for more information on each cruise line’s children’s program.
Time of year – not all of the cruise lines offer year-round children’s programs. Some operate only with a minimum number of children. If your client is not traveling during a school break, be sure to recommend one of the larger, well-known ‘family friendly’ cruise lines that offer a year-round program. The longer cruises (10 days or more) tend to have an older clientele, while 3 or 4 night cruises tend to have a younger, ‘partying’ clientele. The 7-night cruise is the most popular among families. The Caribbean and Alaska are the most popular destinations.

Family accommodations – many of the new ships have been built with families in mind offering family suites or a variety of connecting cabins.

Cruise line’s newer ships – the newer ships tend to not only have more family accommodations, but larger and more elaborate children’s centers, pools and public areas.

Soda Card – some cruise lines offer a pre-paid soda card good for a set number of non-alcoholic beverages.

Below are Cruise Lines offering Kids programs

Carnival Cruise Line – Camp Carnival
Celebrity X-Club Youth Program
Costa Cruise Line Kid’s Club
Crystal Cruises Junior’s Activities
Disney Cruise Line
Holland America Cruise Line – Club Hal for Kids
NCL Kid’s Crew
P&O Cruises
Princess Cruises
Royal Caribbean Cruises
Windjammer Cruises

Frequent Flyer Miles

So many places to travel, so little time!
Has anyone else tried to redeem their frequent flyer miles lately? Only to find that there are NO dates available, no matter where you want to go? It's really frustrating. So we go on looking for bargain fares and accumulating even more miles that we can never redeem!
There are charts to tell you "how much" your miles are worth (currently about 1.2cents per mile). With package trips keeping air fares so low, I'm thinking I'll cash in my miles for merchandise I wouldn't normally spend the extra $$$ to get.

serendipity

Isn't it strange and wonderful how strangers with like minds often meet in the most unlikely places? What is it - a personal radar field, a super awareness or just plain coincidence?
Keep your eyes open for those unplanned and unexpected events. Thay may change your life!

Linda 

Trips galore!

What an exciting start to 2006! We have a Stately Homes & Gardens tour booked for Stan Hywet in May of 2007 plus FOUR cruises that will benefit Akron Children's Hospital with donations made on behalf of each passenger booked. Other exciting trips are the Gals 'n Pals trip to New York City in May and the Napa Valley Wine Tour for Silver Lake Country Club.
Niche groups are great!