As many of you who travel for business know, summer is a time to take the family along for a little getaway. I am writing this from the Outer Banks of North Carolina as we prepare for an unwelcome guest by the name of Arthur. Arthur is the first hurricane to hit the coast of North America this year, and we are battening down the hatches for his arrival. Even the Global Traveler flag will be lowered in preparation. Arthur, a Category 1 hurricane, will move swiftly through the area. All Fourth of July plans have shifted from Friday to Saturday, including fireworks and cookouts. The Gallagher clan will make it to Ocean Boulevard in Kitty Hawk for dinner Friday night, where owners Donny and Heather King will entertain us with their jocularity. If in the region, you must make a stop and ask Donny for the GT Martini he created in our name. It’s by far one of the better, if not best, restaurants on the barrier island.

I have been asked to re-chair The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Red and White Ball in Philadelphia March 21, 2015. The 500-person black tie event will take place at the beautiful Westin hotel, where Philadelphia’s finest will gather to help cure blood cancers. Last year, we raised nearly $300,000 — and we have even more aggressive goals for 2015. Kimberly Krol, Global Traveler’s managing editor, agreed to chair the silent auction committee for the ball and welcomes any donated items we can turn into cash to cure cancer. Please reach out to her via email at kim@globaltravelerusa.com.

This issue includes my review of Treetops Resort’s Signature golf course, designed by famed golf instructor Rick Smith, who helped Jack Nicklaus, Lee Janzen and Phil Mickelson improve their PGA Tour performances. ESPN’s Par 3 Shootout featured one of Treetops’ five courses, The Threetops Course, ranked the best par-3 course in America. Global Traveler just returned from Treetops, where we conducted our annual employee conference. The staff at Treetops were incredibly friendly and helped make our conference an overwhelming success.

We ended last month with a retro party at the Figueroa Hotel in Los Angeles, where subscribers and industry executives gathered at Rick’s Place, which has a Moroccan theme reminiscent of the classic movie Casablanca. Party attendees were decked out in the style of Bogey and Bergman.

This fall we’ll be traveling all around the world to bring you the best the industry has to offer. Until then, enjoy the rest of the summer, and I’ll see you at security!