tale: joint post with Kendra Thornton - Doing Vegas Family Style & Road Warriors Weekend in Hong Kong

hi all!


i hope you are having a great weekend.  i have a special treat for you today.  for the past couple of weeks i've been working with the wonderful Kendra Thornton on a joint post.  for those of you that don't know Kendra is the former director of communications for orbitz.com and is now a full time stay at home mom of 3 in chicago.  we've got a two part post of you today.  Kendra starts out by giving some tips on "Doing Vegas Family Style" and i'll follow it up with "a road warrior weekend in hong kong."  i hope you all enjoy, and please be sure to check out Kendra's website at www.thorntonpr.com. 

Doing Vegas Family Style

Las Vegas is a great place to visit, over and over again. With the myriad of restaurants to try and things to do in and out of the city, each trip is a treasure all its own.

1. Detect and Deduce: My Personal CSI Experience

We can't always get out of the house to have date night. To make up for this, we have started having date nights in, watching CSI. You can't even imagine my excitement when I found out that the MGM Grand has a live CSI Las Vegas experience. It's such a neat atmosphere, and the creators went all out on the design. We really enjoyed being on the case at CSI Las Vegas. 

2. Dive in With Dolphins 

Another unique Vegas experience is getting to be a dolphin trainer for a day at The Mirage. Participating in this program we got up close and personal with Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. The whole family got to interact with a family of Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins. In addition to getting hands on with them we learned about how the dolphins are cared for, dolphin health and what is coming up next for dolphins in Vegas. It was a very educational experience for the kids and we even forgot we were in the desert that day!

3. Dare to Fly

While heights aren't necessarily my thing, I do really enjoy seeing the Vegas strip from the sky with Maverick Helicopters Las Vegas. From the beginning to the end of the trip we are treated like VIPs, the pilot always greets us warmly, indulges our desire to take some pictures with him outside the helicopter, and helps me forget that I'm a little intimidated by heights. Once we're airborne, he explains where we're going and what we'll be seeing and lets us ask all the questions we want about Las Vegas. We all get fitted with headsets and that lets everyone feel involved and official. This is a great day trip for the whole family, one the kids still talk about. 

4. Dine, with Wine

There are so many good places to eat in Vegas; I have a hard time narrowing down where to start. Since I always love a good steak with a glass of red wine, I usually want to go to SW Steakhouse at the Wynn. The water show is visible from inside here, so everyone is mesmerized while we wait for our meal. Meals in Vegas can get expensive, but they are worth every penny. Both the atmosphere and the food are divine!

The Las Vegas experience is truly unique, and somehow every trip is different than the one before. Las Vegas is one of a kind with even one of kind hotels that cater to any kind of traveler. There's always something new to see and do in Vegas!

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a road warriors weekend in hong kong

For those of you that haven’t been to Hong Kong let me take a quick moment to introduce you to this precious gem.  The “pearl of the orient” is a fantastic international city located in the south of China. This is most certainly an asian city, but with a tremendous amount of global influence.  Activities abound in this fantastic place.  From a myriad of scrumptious restaurants to some of the best shopping in the world I’m sure if you are looking for it, you can find it in Hong Kong.

Not only is there a tremendous mix of cultures and activities here it is simply just a beautiful city.  There are so many buildings lit up with the amazing glow of colorful LED lights that match the unmistakable energy of this place while creating a truly breathtaking skyline nestled between the towering mountains and one of the world’s most busy ports.

You can also enjoy sweeping vista’s of Victoria’s Harbour watching the container ships loading and unloading the world’s cargo in this mecca of trade. 

Shopping
As one of the crossroads of the trading world Hong Kong offers some of the best shopping anywhere in the globe.  From Luxury items in high end shopping malls to affordable trinkets from a small street market you can find anything your heart desires.  

If you’re looking for some shopping malls I recommend you check out Cityplaza, G.O.D, and the Fashion Walk.  Between these three locations you can find anything from the hottest in luxury fashion to knick-knacks for around the house.

Perhaps the hustle and bustle of a local street market is more of your scene.  If it can be bought and sold I’m sure you can find it in one of these locations.  You can find a number of street markets on Hong Kong island but I’d recommend stopping by the Stanley Market and Jardine’s Crescent.

The Peak
I’m sure you recall those sweeping vista’s I was talking about earlier.  Well in my opinion, one of the best places to take in the most breathtaking views of Hong Kong is from The Peak.  You can simply get to the top of The Peak by taxi, but I recommend the unforgettable experience of a ride on the Peak Tram.  At a gradient of anywhere from 4 to 27 degrees the tram climbs nearly to 400 meters above sea level and when you reach the top you can soak in 360 degree views of the “pearl of the orient.”  

Not only can you enjoy tremendous views of the city, there are also plenty of souvenir shops and restaurants you can visit.  One of my favorite things to do is to arrive to the top of The Peak a little bit before dusk and enjoy a quiet dinner in one of the many restaurants while watching the golden glow of the sun set over this bustling city.  An experience I recommend that you don’t miss.

A ferry ride to Macau
Perhaps you’re the type of person that enjoy’s to gamble.  If so, I would suggest hopping on one of the many high speed ferries to take the hour long jaunt over to one of the world’s top gambling destinations, Macau.  Please remember to take your passport, because you will need it to both enter Macau and return to Hong Kong.  And for those of you that like to stay out late these ferries operate 24 hours.

Once you arrive in Macau you can find any number of fantastic hotel & casino’s where you can place your bets and try your luck!  With more money gambled on an yearly basis than Las Vegas you won’t be alone.

For those of you that don’t like to gamble so much you can find some great shopping and dining experience as well.

whatever you chose to do i'm sure you'll enjoy the "pearl of the orient."

happy travels wherever the road may take you.

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tale: an evening in cologne

hi all,

it's been a little while since my last post...i've got lots of new tips, tastes, & tales from my months of traveling so stay tuned for new posts!

one of the new places i visited this year was the wonderful country of germany.  i spent most of my time in dusseldorf, but one evening i decided to take a little journey about 1 hour to the south to meet a friend of mine for dinner.  my destination was the wonderful city of cologne.

i hopped on the train for the short train ride through the german countryside.  unfortunately for me it was already dark, so there weren't so many sights i could soak in while on the train, but little did i know once i arrived i'd have plenty of amazing things to see.

after a short ride i pulled into cologne station and disembarked my train.  as i got my bearings and walked out of the train station my eyes fell upon an incredible view of the cologne cathedral.  the cathedral is a magnificent medieval structure that will take your breath away.  the construction of the cathedral was started in 1248 and finished in 1880 and when you get closer to take a look you will see what took so long.  as you gaze upon this mammoth structure you will find the most intricate stone carvings covering every inch of the building.  i can only imagine how long it took to carve these masterpieces out of blocks of stone.

after getting my fill of the cathedral (ok i couldn't get enough but i was running late!) i met my friend and we decided to take a stroll through the town to find a restaurant.  we decided to find a nice local place where we could have some delicious german food.

so we started to wander the cobblestone streets looking for our culinary sanctuary.  we strolled through the local shopping area where you could find a variety of different stores but the only restaurants we could come upon seems to be chinese! (i thought this was so strange).

after a 45 minute walk, getting hungry and a bit disappointed we decided to consult with the locals to find a place.  for those of you that don't travel often when in doubt consult with the locals...you'll always get pointed in the right direction.  after speaking with a lovely couple and following their directions through the maze of ancient german streets we came upon a local brewhouse named fruh.

as we stepped through the ancient wooden doorway we were immediately met by the clamor of conversation, the clinking of glasses filled with cold frothy beer, and the tantalizing smell of pork and sauerkraut. now this was exactly what we were looking for!  we grabbed a table and immediately ordered a variety of pork based dishes and of course the local beer which was actually begin brewed by the brewhouse.

our waiter returned in a flash with glasses of the cold elixir we had been craving.  after dropping the beer off he started a little tally on our coaster to keep track of how many we drank! (for those of you wondering it was 21 before we left!) he returned shortly with our smorgasbord of pork dishes that included: pork knuckle, jagerschnizel, wiernerschnizel, and blood sausage.  all of which were spectacular.

after we had our fill of beer and pork we decided to call it an evening.  keep in mind you'll need to cash to settle the bill at this local haunt (no credit cards accepted) but i promise you will leave full and happy!  if you are ever in the area i recommend you stop by and check this place out www.fruh.de

happy travels wherever the road may take you.

until next time..

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taste: the standing room

hello all,

i hope everyone is doing well.  a couple of weeks ago i was out in southern california again (one of my frequent destinations) and a good friend of mine introduced me to the ultimate burger joint in the south bay area.  calorie counters beware...but for those of you that are willing to pay the price of some extra calories in order to satisfy your taste buds keep reading....

the little culinary goldmine that i visited is called the standing room located in redondo beach, ca.  it's a small little burger joint located inside a liquor store called, catalina liquor  if you didn't know it was there you would drive by it 1000 times without even knowing it...and you would be missing out on some amazing burgers.

there is a small counter inside the liquor store above which hangs a chalkboard menu.  on this menu you will find an array of scrumptious burgers and "sammies" to choose from....with some interesting names such as danger, bull, oscar, k-dilla, fu-fu sammie and more.  you'll have to order at the counter and then go to the liquor store cash register to pay the bill.  everything is gourmet american food, but there are some items with a korean twist.

now the burger that we went for (and yes we, it was certainly enough for 2) is called the napoleon.  my goodness this was a monstrous burger and was probably enough calorie intake for the next couple days...but boy was it delicious.....

just listen to what comes on this colossal creation....1/2 lb pattie, bacon, smoked gouda, chedder, caramelized onions, spring mix all topped with a fried egg, truffle parmesan fries, and oh yes i almost forgot a beef short rib.....feast your eyes below (....and i apologize for making you hungry....)

i must say this was most certainly one of the best burgers i have ever eaten.  the pattie was very flavorful most and delicious.  the truffle fries were out of this world.  and let's be honest can you ever go wrong with bacon and a beef short rib...i think not.

so for those of your carnivorous calorie cravers check out the standing room next time you're out in the south bay area of los angeles.  i promise that you will not be disappointed!  check them out at www.letseat.at/standingroom

happy travels wherever the road may take you.

until next time...

stay tuned for the next viewfromtheair



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tale: catching the sunset in the south bay

hello all,

as many of you know from my last post i spent some time in southern california last week. one of my favorite things to do when i'm in so cal is the take in the sunset.  i was traveling out that was for almost 3 years before i ever made some time to soak in the magic of a west coast sunset..and since i did the first time, i now make it a regular occurrence.   it's great for the soul!

so on one particular evening, i headed out to the redondo beach pier to hit happy hour and bathe in the soft rays of a south bay sunset.  there is a great restaurant there called kincaid's where you can grab a great meal, or just a couple drinks on their outdoor patio and watch the golden sun slowly slip below the surface of the pacific ocean.

when i first arrived it was probably about 90 minutes before the sun would disappear for the evening.  the sail boats were heading into the harbor and there was a gentle salty breeze blowing as the sun sank and it's warm rays danced on surface of the ocean.

i took a stroll on the pier around the restaurant watching the pelican's swoop down to catch their last meal of the day while the seals were frolicking in the harbor enjoying the final rays of sunshine.

after grabbing a drink a kincaid's i took a stroll to the other side of the pier, and while doing so was able to catch some beautiful views of the sunset.  as the sun sank lower and lower the sky was bathed in fiery oranges & reds fading to the soft blue's of the evening sky that were quickly encroaching.

another 10 minutes later the sun had slipped beneath the horizon casting it's final golden rays across the sky until it rises in the east the next morning.  for anyone that get's a chance to spend some time out in the south bay i highly recommend checking out redondo beach pier to catch the sunset.  there are a bunch of great restaurants and some nice souvenir shops  you won't be disappointed!

happy travels wherever the road may take you...

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taste: polly's on the pier in redondo beach, ca

hello all,

i hope you enjoyed your weekend!

last week i had the chance to spend some time out in the los angeles, ca area.  on my last morning there i had a chance to grab an ocean side breakfast with a friend/colleague of mine.  let's just say i had a long night the evening before and needed a nice hot coffee, something to fill up my stomach, and a few minutes to just relax.

i picked him up at his hotel on PCH in hermosa beach and we headed over to the redondo beach pier.  we found this tiny little dinner called polly's on the pier tucked away on the sport fishing pier. let me just say the food was amazing (just what this slightly hungover guy needed...) and very inexpensive.  a cute little place where you can soak in some rays while watching the local fishing boats bring in their daily catch.

we walked up to this small weathered diner and there were 4~5 tables outside on the pier where you could dine in the sunshine.  unfortunately for us they were all full so we headed inside to find a cozy little dining room with 15 or so tables.  we pulled up a seat next to the window and we were immediately greeted by the friendly wait staff who quickly brought over much needed coffee.

the menu is full of a veritable cornucopia of tasty morning delights from eggs, to pancakes, omelettes, biscuits & gravy, hot & spicy huevos rancheros, and kielbasa & egg sandwiches to name a few.  my colleague ordered the huevos rancheos and i decided on the corned beef hash & rye toast.

shortly after ordering, we were served with two massive plates of the most tasty food.  i didn't get to try the huevos rancheros but my colleague found them to be absolutely delicious.  as for the corned beef has, it was impeccable.  the hash was fried up nice and crispy, but not too burnt.  the eggs were over easy and a bit runny just like i love them.  and the home fries were cooked up with a nice crispy skin.  put it all together with another cup of coffee, some buttered rye toast and a little blackberry jam...a little slice of heaven.

after finishing up with breakfast we took care of the bill hung out for a bit to soak in the scene and a couple rays of sunshine before we took off to get on with our day.  

if you ever are in need of a great, inexpensive, ocean front breakfast please check out polly's!  here is there website for anyone that's interested: www.rbmarina.com/pollys.html

happy travels wherever the road may take you....

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tip: always check in before getting to the airport

hello all,

i hope you are having a great week!

now i consider myself a pretty savvy traveler, but every now and again even savvy travelers drop the ball a little bit.  let me start with my tip: always check in for your flight in advance.

so for those of you that don't know, last week i was out in southern california for a few days.  i'm on the road a considerable amount, so to say the least i have a pretty high status with both star alliance & one world airlines.  this status makes life a little easier as a business traveler: shorter security lines, first group to board the plane, no checked baggage fees (if you ever have one), and of course upgrades to business or first class.

well my return flight from LA was a connection; LAX to PHL to LGA on US Airways and lucky me i had been upgraded to a first class seat a couple days earlier.  it departed LAX at 6:25am.  i wake up about 4:45am to shower and head out from my hotel in torrance to drop off my rental car and head to the terminal.

now i was just having one of those mornings.  i get up and of course it's raining.  i hop in the car and wouldn't you know it my GPS wasn't working.  luckily i spend a lot of time in LA, so i had a pretty good idea about how to get to the airport....except for that first wrong turn out of the hotel that took me 10 minutes out of my way.  anyway, after getting back on track i make it to drop off my rental car...its about 5:25am as i get on the shuttle bus..plenty of time for an avid road warrior like me i thought.

i get to the terminal in a few minutes, head to a kiosk to get checked in to my first class seat on both flights, and i get this interesting message when i tried to check in, that said no seat availability please see the gate agent.  just excellent i thought, now i need to go stand in line to get checked in.

i head into the line for the first class counter, and after a few minutes i finally was able to speak to a gate agent.  its 5:50am...35 minutes before my flight...plenty of time.  well the gate agent proceeds to tell me that i've been bumped off of my 6:25am flight because there isnt "enough" time for me to get through security and they would have to rebook me on a 7:30 flight through charlotte getting into new york a couple hours later.  i of course objected, but the gate agent stood firm and said well if you get through security fast enough go to gate 8 and see if they can get you on the flight.

it's 5:55am now, 30 minutes before my original flight and i hit the priority security lane..only about 5 people in line ahead of me.  i breeze through security in about 5 minutes and quickly head over to gate 8.  i speak to the gate agent and explained that i was originally on this flight, i had a first class seat, and the gate agent out front bumped me from the flight because i "wasn't able to make it on time"

a long story short, i was able to negotiate to get a seat on the flight. but it was a middle seat in the back as opposed to my comfy first class seat.  now i was happy to get home on the same flight, but of course was a little disappointed about being bumped to a middle seat in the back.  now had i checked in ahead of time, i wouldn't have had any problems.  so to make sure you board your original flight with your original seat please take 30 seconds to check in when you get that reminder email and you won't have the trouble i did.

happy travels wherever the road may take you...

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taste: hostaria piave in redondo beach, ca

hi everyone!

happy sunday, i hope you're enjoying your weekend.

for those of you that follow me on twitter you know that this past week i had my first trip of the year to sunny southern california.  and let me just say it was sweet...while it was frigid back here on the east coast (sorry friends) i had a chance to catch some warm rays of sunshine and enjoy some good eats with some great friends/colleagues. (in between all of my meetings & such of course).

on my last night in LA i had a chance to enjoy a spectacular meal with a great friend & colleague of mine.  we went to this wonderful new italian restaurant called hostaria piave.  they've been open just over a year and if you were headed down PCH you might just drive by....and by doing so you'd be making the mistake i did many times since they opened.

it's a romantic little spot, tucked away on PCH near torrance blvd.  you enter through a glass door into a small outdoor dining area with 6~8 tables.  to your right is another glass door to enter the main dining room of the restaurant.  there is a small bar in the back with a few chairs and about 12 tables with a small candle and beautiful table settings.  the dining room is very open and lofty, filled with the soft chatter of guests being soaked up into the gentle glow of candle light.

we had a small table in the front corner of the restaurant.  we were immediately greeted by a very friendly wait staff with warm fresh bread & butter and the owner even stopped by to say hello.  let me tell you folks, you will not be disappointed in there service at this place...i was blown away.

we ordered a nice light italian beer called moretti and began to peruse their wonderful menu.  the menu is very seasonal with many wonderful choices...and changes frequently..you won't get bored.  we decided to grab a couple appetizers to start; octopus carpaccio, wild mushrooms & polenta, and the braised venison.

the octopus came out first.  thin slices of octopus, with little crunchy bits of celery, and hint of citrus and some sea salt.  this was a light fresh uplifting dish that was a great start to a great meal.  next came the wild mushrooms & polenta.  delicious mushrooms on top warm soft polenta.  a wonderful warm comforting dish. great for a cool winter evening in LA.  last came the braised venison.  this was my favorite appetizer of the evening.  thin tender slices of venison with juniper.  mind blowing, i highly recommend it if you get the chance.

after the appetizers we decided to order a half bottle of wine.  their bottle list was extremely extensive, many choices, some expensive.  at the recommendation of our wonderful server we ordered a really nice full flavored califoria cab.  we then ordered an entree to share.  gnocchi with braised duck leg & marjoram.  soft warm gnocchi covered in tasty little bites of duck leg.  how can you go wrong with that?

we finished up dinner (which was very reasonable...~$100) and headed outside to a table to finish off our wine.  as we sat outside our server had sent out some golden raisins soaked it a nice italian digestive as a nice end to a great meal.

if you're ever in the south bay i highly recommend giving this place a try.  check them out at www.hostariapiave.com

angelo thank you for a spectacular and memorable dining experience.  you can be sure both my friend and i will be back!

happy travels where ever the road may take you....

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