Greetings from 37,000 feet! That’s right, I am writing this blog from seat 7D on American Airlines using the new Go Go Inflight wireless service. I know this blog is later than usual, but I was excited to try out the service and report back as I was using it. Last night was our annual awards event, co-hosted by the Hotel Bel-Air, and it was a great night! The staff at the Hotel Bel-Air, once again, put on a great party — from the decorations to the food. The Tourism Authority of Thailand also helped make the event fabulous by inviting Thai musicians, dancers and fruit carvers to entertain our guests. Last night signified the kick-off of our annual auction, which will run online from March 15 through May 15. The donations are rolling in, and I can promise you there will be some excellent items up for bids. This year’s auction will benefit Pencils for Kids, an organization dedicated to supplying children in Third World countries with school supplies and the chance at an education. Patrick Warburton, star of Seinfeld and Rules of Engagement, spoke to the crowd on behalf of Pencils for Kids. He had everyone cracking up! Of course, it is always great for our staff to have a chance to get together and have fun — and we did just that. We spread out across Beverly Hills, staying at a variety of great properties, and we all flew out on a number of different airlines. Be sure to check out our reports in Global Traveler, The Luxury Book and eFlyer. We experienced some delays getting out of Los Angeles this morning. Due to mechanical issues, we departed about two hours after our scheduled time. However, the Admirals Club at LAX was a great place to pass the time. The premium business service on American has been great, but I don’t want to give too much away. Be sure to check out my review in the Luxury Book, a supplement published with our April 2009 issue. Lastly, using the GoGo Inflight wireless service is a cinch! As soon as my computer started up, the wireless service came up, connected immediately, and in less than two minutes I was online. The service is available on a variety of AA flights and is powered by AirCell. There is a $12.95 fee for using the service. Each time I look up I feel a hint surprise as I realize I’m online on a plane! Sometimes, a plane ride is a great chance to escape reality and get away from all the emails that pour in for a few hours, but having the option to be online while in flight is a great way for busy business travelers to get some work done and stay in touch. As we cruise over Las Vegas, I inch farther from the beautiful LA weather and closer to the single-digit weather at JFK. I am not looking forward to the cold weather, but I am looking forward to the inflight meal — the smells from the airplane galley are wonderful! -Kim Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and PR executive