Last week my colleagues and I headed to Chicago for the Global Business Travel Association convention as well as our The Trazees awards and Wherever Awards. Now, I have been to many Trazees and Wherever Awards events in the past, but I have never been to GBTA or Chicago.
We were staying at the Peninsula Chicago, so we had a little bit of a ride from the airport. By the time we got to the hotel and got checked in, there wasn’t much time to go out and explore; so I got settled in, did some work, and got ready for drinks and dinner with the rest of the team.
Drinks took place at Z Bar, the Peninsula’s rooftop bar. I got an espresso martini because I needed a little pick-me-up from a day full of travel. Once we were all done with our drinks, we took a short 10-minute walk to the restaurant, Alpana.
Alpana’s décor was one-of-a-kind. It had plants all over the place, dim lighting, and a vibrant wallpaper with exotic plants and animals. The food was amazing. We got a variety of appetizers to split amongst the group, and then we each got our own dishes. I was in between the filet and the short rib pasta. Luckily, my colleague next to me was, too, so we decided to each order one and split the dishes. I’m not sure which one I liked best, but I highly recommend both for anyone who happens to visit.
The next day brought breakfast at Wildberry Cafe before heading over to the GBTA convention for Media Day and to walk the expo floor. I didn’t know what to expect walking in, but I’m glad I got to experience it. The floor was filled with people in the travel industry, booths sharing useful information and much more. Some even had some fun giveaways.
Since I’ve never been to Chicago, I had to get a deep dish pizza before heading home, and after GBTA would have been the only time to get it, so my colleague Kim and I made sure to stop on our way home. We stopped at Lou Malnati’s. I’m glad we stopped because it was delicious.
Once I got back to the hotel, I had a little bit of time to relax and get ready before heading out to The Trazees and Wherever Awards. The awards were a hit! We had guests from all across the travel industry, the food was delicious, and the live music was amazing!
Will we see you in Los Angeles this December for the GT Tested Reader Survey Awards?
— Mary Melnick, digital content producer
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FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
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