I am going on almost three years at Global Traveler, and during this time there has been a lot of change in my life. One change in particular occurred last fall — I was thrilled to become a first-time mommy to a beautiful baby boy named Gabriel.

While I have loved traveling with GT and learning about new cultures, people and places, it becomes quite difficult when you have a little one at home. Although it’s bittersweet, I have decided to make a change and commit to a new job opportunity which will allow me to stay local in the Philadelphia area without having to travel. As this will be my last blog with GT, I thought I would reflect on my top 10 experiences during my time at the magazine. This list could also act as a recommendation guide for your next trip or travel experience!

1) Dining at the exclusive, members-only Club 33 in Disneyland. Global Traveler‘s team was in California for our annual Leisure Lifestyle awards, and we were lucky enough to visit Club 33 thanks to a very kind member of our Globility Board.

2) Enjoying a cocktail with GT‘s Publisher Fran Gallagher in at.mosphere, the bar located in the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. With the Burj Khalifa currently being the tallest building in the world, you can only imagine the view!

3) Flying business class on Etihad to Abu Dhabi. My first time flying business class internationally, and from take-off to landing the service was impeccable.

4) Thanks to South African Airways, I attended the UBUNTU: Music and Arts of South Africa event at New York’s Carnegie Hall. South African’s legendary artists Hugh Masekela and Vusi Mahlasela had an unforgettable performance.

5) I visited Seattle for the first time to witness the new delivery of Etihad’s aircraft at the Boeing facility. During some free time I had the chance to see the first (ever) Starbucks and experience Pike Place Market.

6) Dining at The Restaurant at The Setai Miami Beach. It felt like a neverending amount of courses were being served, each one more delicious than the last. I loved that it offered an open-kitchen concept, where you could watch the chefs prepare the dishes.

7) Watching the over-the-top nightly water show in Downtown Dubai while eating sushi at the Armani Hotel’s Hashi restaurant. The water show is accompanied by a different song each hour. My favorite was Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.”

8) Staying at the Hotel Zaza Houston property. Each room and floor has a different theme. We received a private tour and were even able to see some of the suites that were not occupied.  The decor is extravagant and extremely unique in every area of the property. It felt very different from your standard hotel atmosphere. My colleague had the opportunity to stay in the Tycoon suite, which had a lovely balcony overlooking the city with an outside soaking tub!

9) I had the pleasure of staying at The Taj Dubai property, which was newly opened when I was there. I decided to try the hotel’s fine-dining Indian restaurant, Bombay Brasserie. I asked the server to basically choose the menu items for me to provide for the most authentic Indian dining experience. He did, and it was ideal! Another open-kitchen concept, I sat directly at the bar area and had full view of the chefs at work. The view of the Burj Khalifa from the restaurant’s window wasn’t too bad, either!

10) During the time I was expecting my little one, I was lucky enough to experience a signature maternity massage at the Ritz-Carlton South Beach. Very relaxing and much needed after a long day of being on my feet and in business meetings.

It was hard to keep this list to only 10, but wow! Looking back on these moments, I feel very grateful and fortunate to have had these experiences during my time at Global Traveler magazine.

 

— Olivia Falcione, sales and marketing manager