Basketball Trips
It's amazing how a pandemic affects us all as far as travel. In my case, the lost revenue due to a lack of travel from just my situation really adds up. My son and I traveled to Boston, Massachusetts, at the beginning of April 2019 to play in a basketball tournament. Since we were all traveling from Chicago, we all needed transportation to the airport and, while there, most of us had something to eat. We stayed at a hotel outside of Boston and also rented a car for three days. While in town, we ate at local establishments multiple times. There was also an entrance fee associated with the tournament. Since there were about 25 kids and adults altogether, there were nine hotel rooms and five vehicles rented in total.
Book Recommendations
We all have a bit more time on our hands these days, and I am practicing social distancing by doing what I do best — reading. I calculated a few months ago I have read about 300-plus books in the last five of six years, which I almost find embarrassing … maybe I should get out more?
Unconventional Thinking
Wizard World is a multi-genre fan convention held in several cities every year. Hundreds of celebrities appear, thousands of creators have booths, and millions of people attend every year.
Travel Dreams
I received the news last Tuesday that my company would shut down for two weeks due to COVID-19. Admittedly, this news sent me into a daydream of all the travel I would do if given a two-week break from work during a time when there wasn’t a pandemic happening.
Alentejo Sights
Last week I related the first half of our day's drive from Lisbon to Badajoz, in Spain. After a lengthy stop in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Évora, we jumped back in the car to make our way to our stop for the night. Again choosing to stay off the main roadway, the A6, we traveled along a roughly parallel route which allowed us to get a little closer to some of the historic sites and stunning vistas in this part of Portugal.
Games and Puzzles
These are, undoubtedly, crazy times. Here in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, we are under Stay at Home orders, and we’re all doing our parts to social distance and help stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
At-Home Cooking
In the recent weeks of navigating shelter-in-place orders and social distancing, my husband and I have taken advantage of time at home to do cooking projects. We cook at home often, especially during the week. Although we usually stick to simple recipes or our well-tested favorites, we decided to try some new recipes and long projects.
Working from Home? This Is for You!
It is no secret most of us are still trying to process the current global situation. While many can adapt to change and have a plan of action in motion quickly, others may struggle in finding a balance — and that’s okay, too.
Quarantined Dreaming
I’d been daydreaming about it for months — a Memorial Day weekend trip to the beautiful Dominican Republic. There were going to be beaches, food and, most importantly, family. I even downloaded (and actually used) Duolingo and couldn’t wait to test everything I’d learned! And then came COVID-19 and its ensuing chaos and, suddenly, daydreams were the stuff of the past and there wasn’t room to focus on anything but the task at hand. I don’t know about all of you, but I think we need those daydreams more than ever.
#globility
Insta FeedApril 2020
Apr 1, 2020Eco-Friendly Methods of Grape Growing
THE LABELS ON SOME OF TODAY’S wine bottles sport a relatively new vocabulary, one that explains how the grapes were grown and made into wine. They include such terms as sustainable, organic and biodynamic, among others, and they warrant some explanation. Were the grapes grown by sustainable farming? Were they sprayed with organic fertilizers? Is the wine biodynamic? A number of the terms are new to many consumers. Some are controlled by the U.S. government; others are not. For simple definitions of this relatively new vocabulary, consider the following.
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The Perfect Fit
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy, small businesses create two-thirds of net new jobs and account for nearly 48 percent of the U.S. private sector workforce. And small- and medium-sized businesses outpace all other sectors as one of the fastest-growing in the United States. InterContinental® Hotels Group (IHG) goes above and beyond to create opportunities for this segment with its IHG® Business Edge program, voted Best Small- to Mid-Sized Business Program in Global Traveler’s 2019 GT Tested Reader Survey awards.
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Apr 1, 2020San Francisco Cultural Institutions Offer Virtual Experiences
Much like cities around the world, San Francisco closed its museums and performing arts venues temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to technology, those sheltering in place can experience many of these cultural institutions from the comfort of their own homes. Here are the places opening their doors remotely.
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Apr 1, 2020J.D. Power Study: Travelers Satisfied with Travel Industry Response to COVID-19 Pandemic
Data analytics and consumer intelligence company J.D. Power conducted a survey on the response of the travel industry to the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey of 1,633 business and leisure travelers in the past year was conducted March 12–13. In general, those surveyed have faith in the travel industry and are satisfied with the industry’s response to the pandemic thus far.
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Earn and Redeem with oneworld
oneworld is an alliance of 13 world-leading airlines committed to providing the highest level of service and connecting you to more than 1,100 destinations around the world.
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Apr 1, 2020Munich Airport Secures Future Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
As a result of travel restrictions and drastic reductions in flights worldwide, Munich Airport is suffering from decreases in nearly every area of its operations. Take-offs and landings reached a low last week, with traffic plummeting to less than 10 percent of the number year over year. Passenger traffic is at 5 percent of last year’s level.
COVID-19 Pushed Back REAL ID
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Mar 31, 2020Daily
Mar 30, 2020Seoul Convention Bureau Enhances PLUS SEOUL Program in Response to COVID-19
Seoul Convention Bureau is poised for a strong bounce back from the COVID-19 virus. The company rolled out a new PLUS SEOUL program to offer extra support to the meetings, incentive, conventions and exhibition industry in response to the virus.
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Athens: A city that charms its guests and stirs their emotions
The city took its name from Athena, goddess of wisdom, strategy and war, and protector of the city. The financial, political and administrative center of the country and an all-powerful city-state in antiquity, Athens is a major center of culture. A visit to the first-ever museum dedicated to Byzantium, a stroll around the National Garden and a trip to the Olympeion archaeological site will take you back through time.
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Mar 30, 2020Virtual Travel Opportunities Around the Globe: Japan and Chicago
Japan National Tourism Organization While would-be travelers around the world are self-isolating and putting travel plans on hold, Japan Nation Tourism Organization sends the fun home. While everyone’s wanderlust grows, JNTO offers virtual experiences showcasing the best of the island country.