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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – JUNE 2016

The Silver Chalet Dome at St. Louis Union Station wants to be your group party venue

The Silver Chalet Dome at St. Louis Union Station wants to be your group party venue

In this issue: Vintage Trains roll on in St. Louis and Napa Valley
Making Moonshine: the new teambuilding event guaranteed to bring smiles
Exotic destinations and discount offers
HOT DEALS!!!!!
Exotic getaways that offer discounts or incentives is always exciting, but Design Hotels, has cranked up their summer offerings. Take for instance, the chance to enjoy a three-course set menu dinner in The Dining Room, a trendy new restaurant at Blakes Hotel in London, UK. The South Kensington couture hotel designed by former Bond girl, Anouska Hempel, features individually-styled boutique furnishings in each guestroom. No minimum stay requirements. At the Nakar Hotel in Palma De Mallorca, Spain you will have to book at least three nights, but you get great rates, free breakfast and WiFi, and the chance to be on Avinguda Jaume III, one of the area’s liveliest shopping streets. The 57-room hotel is fashioned from local materials and the onsite restaurant serves authentic “urban Majorquine” cuisine. Of course, if you’re looking for a relaxing, food-driven stay without all the

C-hotel, Lake Como, Italy

C-hotel, Lake Como, Italy

glamorous décor, check out C-Hotel & Spa in Cassago Brianza, Lake Como, Italy. You can smell the rich chocolate notes of freshly ground coffee the moment you step in to the stone-clad lobby that emanates from the family-owned 18-room hotel’s Italian bar and confectionary shop. Incentives include breakfast and those tantalizing dishes made from locally-sourced products.
www.DesignHotels.com
Omni Hotels & Resorts knows you work hard and wants to reward your efforts by using your work travel as a vacation opportunity when staying at one of their luxury hotels. Group guests (at participating Omni properties) can extend their stay by two days either before or after the original stay dates at an exclusive rate. Simply apply the promo code EXTENDG for 15 percent* off the best bar rate. Omni will also send a “reminder” email two days after a room reservation to notify the guest that the reservation is eligible for the exclusive rate extension. The offer only applies to reservations that are originally less than six nights. There are other restrictions but you can check Read more

PATAGONIA: Part Five – Santiago, An Urban Awakening After Patagonia

Close up of The Masif under a brilliant sunrise. photo by Russ Wagner

Close up of The Masif under a brilliant sunrise. photo by Russ Wagner


April 1. April Fool’s Day and the biggest joke of the day was our group thinking our early morning LAN flight to Santiago, Chile would leave on time. We were at the Puerto Montt Airport by 8 am for a 10:15 flight. Technically, our airplane was there but it was somewhere above us circling above the dense fog that rendered anything beyond the glass windows just an opaque smoky haze.
The arduous pace our group has kept has taken its toll. Some are sick. Most of us are exhausted. The hours of fog-induced delay have pushed our schedule back. The plan to tour Santiago before our night’s activity became an hour stroll among crowded streets and an even more crowded plaza (watch out for the pickpockets!!). We spent little time in Santiago but my initial impressions are of a tattered-appearing city, overcrowded and ill-adept or disinclined to preserve their historical architecture. After a quick shower and change of clothes, we met inside the lobby of Hotel Atton Vitacura to find out which home we’d each be visiting for dinner with a local host.
Statue in plaza in Santiago, Chile. photo by Russ Wagner

Statue in plaza in Santiago, Chile. photo by Russ Wagner


As this was Russ and my first group tour, we didn’t quite understand what dinner with a local host meant. In this case, volunteers who are part of the Smithsonian community agree to host a home cooked meal for a designated number of people. As we came to understand, the host is provided requested provisions. Our group of four couples was assigned to Andrea, a well-travelled woman in her 30s who spoke fluent English. A driver picked each group up and delivered us to the respective front door. In our case, Andrea and her five-year-old (total cutie) son Read more

PATAGONIA: Part Four – Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas, the land of volcanos, salmon and a lake that thinks it’s an ocean

Close up of The Masif under a brilliant sunrise. photo by Russ Wagner

Close up of The Masif under a brilliant sunrise. photo by Russ Wagner


Our lake thinks it’s an ocean with a tropical storm pushing its waves into foamy peaks before it slams onto the shore. The lake is just across the street from the picture window of our room in the Gran Hotel Colonos del Sur in Puerto Varas, Chile.
It’s day 12 of our 18-day expedition to Patagonia with Smithsonian Journeys. Getting to Puerto Varas was tedious. Our group of 20 travelers from across the United States and Switzerland, as well as our illustrious Tour Director, Nick Tozer, left the iconic mountains of Torres del Paine National Park, drove three hours by coach to the Puerto Arenas Airport, flew two hours and then drove another half hour by comfy coach to our fifth hotel. Each hotel becomes progressively more modern, more beautiful.
View from our room at Gran Hotel Colonos del Sur, Puerto Varas. photo by Russ Wagner

View from our room at Gran Hotel Colonos del Sur, Puerto Varas. photo by Russ Wagner


Our travel was delayed yet again by a late LAN flight. So far they’re batting 100%. No flight has left on time.
We don’t arrive until 11 pm, still the dinner hour for many Latin Americans. Though we are a tired party, none of us turn down welcoming gestures of the bartender’s freshly made pisco sours and the chef’s homemade miniature empanadas. As if the delectable bites weren’t a treat, our room bears another plate of tasty bites: cheeses, nuts and slices of lunch meats. We nibbled, put the rest in the fridge, and decide this room, rich in creams and brown tones, was comfortably cozy. Maybe because the 98-room contemporary hotel is now a part of the Radisson Hotel family, we can flush toilet paper in the toilet! (If you don’t get my exhalation of joy, read Read more

PATAGONIA: Part Three – Torres Del Paine, One Of The World’s Most Beautiful Natural Wonders

The beauty of Patagonia outside our hotel window in Torres del Paine National Park

The beauty of Patagonia outside our hotel window in Torres del Paine National Park


Google Patagonia, Chile and the iconic picture that pops up is likely of The Masif. Photos of the 10,000 foot high giant rarely do it justice, especially when you’re staring at its snow-bald cap under a startling blue sky streaked with puffy white clouds. Few get to see The Masif preening in all its glory. Mostly the base is visible under a heavy blanket of fog or grey rain. Once again, the weather gods were kind to our intrepid group.
We’d seen the Masif in the distance, but our six-hour bus ride from Punta Arenas (where we’d disembarked from our ship, the Stella Australis) brought us up close and personal. For the next few days, the rustic 95-room Hotel Rio Serrano, located near the entrance of Torres del Paine National Park, would be our home. Our
An early morning rainbow bursts from the mountain in Torres del Paine area, just outside of our hotel. photo by Russ Wagner

An early morning rainbow bursts from the mountain in Torres del Paine area, just outside of our hotel. photo by Russ Wagner


Smithsonian Journeys-arranged lodging backed up to a horse farm, green and gold grasses, glaciers glinting in the sunrise orange sky and a rainbow bursting from the cracks of steep craggy Read more

PATAGONIA: Part Two of a Series – To the End of the Earth in Ushuaia and Cruising Aboard the Stella Australis

The beauty of Patagonia outside our hotel window in Torres del Paine National Park

The beauty of Patagonia outside our hotel window in Torres del Paine National Park. photo by Russ Wagner


Thousands of shipwrecked sailors’ bones are forever entombed in the turbulent sea crashing against Cape Horn, the 1,400-foot high promontory soundlessly monitoring the endless savage confrontation of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Gusty winds and roiling seas batter the tiny isle of Cape Horn, of which the fabled promontory is like a jutting chin facing down the world’s most treacherous waters. Naturalist Charles Darwin tried unsuccessfully in the 1820’s to do what our intrepid group of adventurous tourists accomplished; we landed and hiked on Cape Horn (National Park), the northern boundary of the Drake passage and the last spit of land before one reaches Antarctica.
We reached Cape Horn aboard the Stella Australis, a sleek white Expedition ship. But before our afternoon boarding of the elegant lady, our Smithsonian Journey’s Patagonian Expedition group of 20 spent two days in Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city.
Usushaia, Argentina
There are many reasons why Patagonian adventures begin in Usushaia. It’s where our ship would launch.
It’s an easy ride to Tierra del Fuego National Park, a 155,676-acre nature preserve created Read more

PATEGONIA : Part One of a Series — Buenos Aires, Argentina

The beauty of Patagonia outside our hotel window in Torres del Paine National Park

The beauty of Patagonia outside our hotel window in Torres del Paine National Park. All photos by Russ Wagner


Russ retched up to the moment we gingerly stepped into the zodiac that bounced in the rolling sea. If the Captain of the Stella Australis didn’t call us back due to a rapid gusting wind or sudden stormy skies, we would be among the few tourists this season to land at dawn on the legendary (Island of) Cape Horn (Cabo de Hornos), the last bit of land before reaching Antarctica.
But that historic (for us) landing was many days after our group of 20 international travelers began our 18-day Patagonia Expedition with Smithsonian Journeys. It was not an adventure I would have chosen, but it fulfilled my husband’s dream to travel to the ends of the earth to visit one of the most recognized beautiful and relatively primitive destinations left on earth. This was not a laid-back vacation, but an adventure for even seasoned travelers.
Like all journeys, this one began with travel. Over the course of the next 18 days, Read more

HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – APRIL 2016

Russ and me, after our successful hike in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile.

Russ and me, after our successful hike in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile.


I’ve been away travelling, hiking up mountains, glaciers and volcanos throughout Patagonia. Until I can focus on telling you the details of that thrilling adventure, here’s a lot of information on which you can chew and plan your vacation or group meeting. There’s a lot of info here, so grab your favorite beverage, plop yourself into a comfy chair, and dream about the possibilities.
HOT DEAL!
Tech-savvy groups won’t want to miss out on the wizardry  The Mira Hong Kong offers along with its unique thematic coffee breaks, nine meeting rooms that can host from 18 to 800 people, and state-of-the-art AV services. Located in Tsim Sha Tsui, China, The Hong Kong prides itself on Asian hospitality, views of Kowloon Park, and that each of the 492 rooms and suites is equipped with a sleek, portable, and complimentary Wi-Fi device for use on-the-go, allowing for 24/7 connectivity and sharing the signal to up to 10 devices. Book this hotel by August 31 and here are just some of the perks you can gain for your group.
8 to 49 rooms: – For every 5 rooms booked, the 6th room booked will be upgraded to the next category, plus additional privileges
50+ rooms: – For every 50 room nights booked, enjoy one complimentary night for your next visit; Complimentary 60-minute cocktail at the open-air lounge bar or at one of the Specialty Suites designed for entertaining; additional privileges
https://www.designhotels.com/hotels/china/hong-kong/the-mira-hong-kong?utm_source=8800001&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=the-mira-hong-kong&utm_campaign=1604
Osthoff Resort cooking school, classes for kids and for adults

Osthoff Resort cooking school, classes for kids and for adults


How come when I vacationed as a youth with my family no one offered kid’s culinary classes like this year’s Summer Pleasures™ at The Osthoff Resort?  The Elkhart Lake, WI AAA Four Diamond resort compounds its “Culinary Kids” cooking classes with junior-sized fishing, Village history treasures hunts, and “Kidz Kraftz” projects for children from four to 10 years old. The summer promotion includes two nights in an elegant guest room and $15 per day towards our Summer Pleasures™ program, which runs May 27 – June 1 and Sunday through Thursday, June 2 – September 30. The Osthoff is one hour north of Milwaukee, less than two hours from Madison and approximately three hours from Chicago.  The resort contains 38,000 sf of state-of-the-art function space, four restaurants, a 20,000 sf Aspira Spa and a classic cooking school.
www.osthoff.com
I’ll for any opportunity to dance. Throw in a luxurious lodging package and the chance to watch celebrity performances during the 28th annual Vail International Dance Festival, July 30 – August 13, and it sounds like a mountain-high grand idea. The Sonnenalp Hotel in Vail Village, CO thinks a package that includes 15% off all spa services, $18 reduced price valet parking and complimentary basic WiFi might be a great incentive for arts patrons. The hotel’s mix of alpine adventure and timeless European elegance are the perfect backdrop to a festival that features Isabella Boylston as Artist-in-Residence, Company-in-Residence BalletX, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Dorrance Dance, and Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance. There will be a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Festival’s Artistic Director, former New York City Ballet star Damian Woetzel and at least 10 world premieres of dances.
www.sonnenalp.com; (866) 284-4411; www.vaildance.org
PSST! The secret password to get a special 20% discount on room rates for the newly-opened The Kimpton Cardinal Hotel is GRAND. The rate is available for travel through December 2016. The upscale boutique chain, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, has located their latest property in the first six floors of the historic R.J. Reynolds Building in downtown Winston-Salem, NC. The April 26 opening earmarks Kimpton’s first foray into the Carolinas. I’ve stayed at a number of Kimpton hotels. Each has been eclectically styled and elegant. The Kimpton Cardinal has 174 luxe guestrooms, including 15 suites, each blending the tradition of monograms and tartan fabrics with modern furnishings and playful artwork. Each element tells a story, from the emerald green accents in each bathroom – an ode to the state’s official gemstone – to the oversized portraits of luminaries R.J. Reynolds and Colonel Winston woven into the detailed carpets of the boardroom and mezzanine. Named to the National Register of Historic Places, the building remains an architectural showcase of original gold leaf, rich marble and burnished brass. Common areas include the welcoming Living Room on the lobby level dressed in Carolina-inspired artwork with pops of fuchsia and monograms and a nearly 2,000-sf Rec Room with a basketball court, bowling alley and adult-sized twisty slide. The Katharine, a traditional French brasserie that draws fresh inspiration from classic Southern cooking and overseen by Executive Chef Ed Witt, sits adjacent to The Kimpton Cardinal. The hotel has more than 6,300 sf of function space, including two ballrooms with room for up to 400 guests on the mezzanine level. The 20th-floor office spaces of R. J. Reynolds have been transformed into three meeting rooms, offering views of downtown Winston-Salem and the mountains to the west. Upon arrival, guests of The Kimpton Cardinal will be greeted with a Winston-Salem tradition of Moravian cookies and sweet tea in the Living Room. Other unique local amenities and experiences include an Art-o-Mat® in the hotel’s Rec Room, a traditional cigarette machine repurposed to distribute small pieces of artwork, and the option to utilize the hotel’s yoga mats and bikes for a quick ride and yoga session at nearby Bailey Park. Also tying into its local cycling community, the hotel will be developing specific packages and amenities for cycling enthusiasts. The Kimpton Cardinal takes pet friendly to a new level. Four-legged guests are provided a VIP (Very Important Pet) amenity, pet bowl and pet bed… at no extra charge.
www.thecardinalhotel.com; www.kimptonhotels.com.
Blast off your summer by joining MeliáRewards and get a 15% off the brand new Me Miami, by Meliá Hotels International. You must book before June 30 and stay by that date to take advantage of the offer. The Miami, FL property has 14,000 sf of function space and is in the heart in the heart of downtown, nearby to Adrienne Arsht Center, American Airlines Arena, Perez Art Museum and the new epicenter of the city, Miami Worldcenter.
http://www.melia.com/en/hotels/united-states/florida/me-miami/index.html?
Springmaid Beach Resort's Southern Tide Bar & Grille. A new beginning on the Springmaid Pier.

Springmaid Beach Resort’s Southern Tide Bar & Grille. A new beginning on the Springmaid Pier.


Just in time for a summertime trek to the popular Myrtle Beach, SC, the 30-acre oceanfront Springmaid Beach Resort has completed the first round of its major renovation project. All 452 waterfront guest rooms and the Springmaid Pier restaurant, renamed Southern Tide Bar & Grille, have been fully renovated and redesigned. To celebrate its rebrand as the DoubleTree Resort by Hilton, Myrtle Beach Oceanfront, you can receive a special 15% off introductory savings on all accommodations, F&B, and gift shop purchases, for travel through September 30. You must book by April 30.
Located in the resort’s Live Oak and Palmetto Towers, the redesigned guest rooms feature 40” HD TVs, DoubleTree’s signature Sweet Dreams® bedding, mini-refrigerator, microwave and private balcony with outdoor seating. Outfitted with new ebony wood furnishings, the rooms are dressed in a fresh palette of ocean blues and cool grey, creating a contemporary coastal design. The newly-named Southern Tide Bar & Grille features driftwood finishes, sand and surf hues and a wall of windows overlooking the historic Springmaid Pier. By the end of summer, renovations will also include an all new Main Building and waterfront focal point for the resort with guest registration; the Ocean Blue Restaurant & Lounge with waterfront outdoor seating and private dining room; lobby bar; The Market grab & go snack area; Ocean Terrace and Ocean Boardroom. Additionally, the resort’s 35,000 sf feet of flexible event space and largest ocean-view conference center in Myrtle Beach is receiving an upgrade.
www. SpringmaidBeach.com; (866) 764-8501
You can save up to 45% with this offer by The Wyndham Reef Resort in Grand Cayman. Yes, you read that correctly. 45%. Travel by June 17, book by May 12. No minimum night stay. The secluded 150-room Wyndham Reef Resort is the only full-service, all beachfront resort in the Cayman Islands with all-inclusive packages. Every room features spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea, and all one and two-bedroom suites include a full kitchen and dining area. The resort is also minutes from George Town, Seven Mile Beach, Stingray City and other popular island locations.
www.WyndhamCayman.com; (888) 232-0541.
LOOK WHO’S GETTING A FACELIFT!
A new coat of exterior paint and a redo for Pelican’s dockside restaurant and Sheraton Bay Point Resort will be ready to take the spotlight by Memorial Day Weekend. The Panama City Beach, FL resort has 320 rooms, including 60 golf villa suites, 60,000 sf of indoor/outdoor meeting space, two 18-hole golf courses, including the only Nicklaus Design Course in NW Florida; and the 12,000 sf luxury Serenity Spa.
www. www.BayPointResorts.com
The Mall of America (MOA) opens two new projects this month: the new Parkview Meeting + Event Center and its newest attraction, FlyOver America.  The Saint Paul, MN projects were completed by Krech, O’Brien, Mueller & Associates, Inc. (KOMA), from Inver Grove Heights. FlyOver America is a flight simulation ride that takes guests on a breathtaking, aerial tour of some of the greatest landmarks and regions throughout the United States using virtual flight technology. The ride is adjacent to the new Parkview space in the southwest corner of Nickelodeon Universe and spans from 10 feet below the park up to 55 feet in the air. KOMA was tasked with coordinating a pre-designed three-level ride and screen structure within a newly designed building enclosure within the park. The building is comprised of pre-show exhibits, a 45-foot high theater space, retail areas, box office and administrative spaces and a renovated park plaza. The event center is a marriage of creativity and functional design, evoking an indoor-outdoor feeling overlooking Nickelodeon Universe. Soundproofing was an essential element. The 4,000 sf of private event space has a 700 sf balcony overlooking Nickelodeon Universe. KOMA’s design incorporates perimeter programmable LED lighting and SageGlass LightZoneTM glass in order to give the space a luminescent glow. Customers will be able to control the opacity of the windows overlooking the park.  The space also features a scalloped ceiling, custom carpeting, custom large-scale digital wallcoverings, floor-to-ceiling upholstered banquettes and rich walnut accents. There’s full A/V capabilities, private restrooms, and can accommodate up to 400 guests.
www.komainc.com
The work is underway on the renovation of the 1000,000 sf Benton Convention Center in downtown Winston-Salem, NC. The multi-million-dollar renovation includes significant structural, design and technological upgrades to the interior and exterior of the building.  Key design elements are to create more open, flexible meeting space and pay tribute to Winston-Salem’s historic arts, tobacco and textile roots.  The plans also include expanding the front facade to provide more practical, pre-function space.  More windows and skylights will give the venue a contemporary, open and inviting aesthetic.  The center remains operational during the renovation and is expected to be finalized May 2017.
http://visitwinstonsalem.com/images/BentonFloorPlan.pdf
CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT GOES CODE GREEN WHEN IT HOSTS THIS YEAR’S MEETING PROFESSIONALS INTERNATIONAL (MPI) MPI WORLD EDUCATION CONGRESS (WEC)
Code green is Caesars’ multi-year strategy to identify, measure, manage and reduce their material impacts on the environment. No better time to display their efforts than at Harrah’s Waterfront Conference Center in Atlantic City, NJ when the entertainment company hosts MPI’s World Education Congress, June 11 – 14. Caesars will showcase some of the elements that has won them a silver IMEX Green Supplier Award and Green Key Eco-Rating, such as paperless online event menus, meeting guide, BEOs and billing. All China, flatware and linen are offered in lieu of disposables and water is present only on request.
CaesarsMeansBusiness.com; 855-MEET-CET; Meet@Caesars.com; www.mpiweb.org/Events
TECHNOLOGY TIPS TO SAVE MONEY AND STRESS
As an experienced traveler, I am aware that Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are the best days to fly and that Tuesdays can be the best day to buy airline tickets. Not everyone possesses the knowledge I do, and for those of you who don’t, check out this information by David Weliver, a nationally cited authority on Millennials and money, and other tips he offers on his Money Under 30 site.
http://www.moneyunder30.com/best-time-to-book-a-flight.
If only the fellow travelers on my recent trip to Patagonia knew about this handy accessory they wouldn’t have been struggling with schlepping their camera gear. Tenba’s BYOB Camera Insert converts any existing bag into a camera bag. This new accessory also fits inside their Packlite Travel Bags, the world’s first packable, self-stowing camera bag.
www.Tenba.com
OK, while this admittedly is not technology, I do think it “smart” of Gaylord Hotels to declare what the season’s trendy colors are. The Marriott International brand provides appropriate set designs as visuals for the color schemes. The company says this year’s colors are Rose Quartz and Serenity (promotes happiness and fluidity), Snorkel blue for a nautical theme, Buttercup to create a sunny and cheerful atmosphere, Fiesta (deep reds), and Green Flash for a splash of Spring.
http://www.meetingsimagined.com/tips-trends/ring-spring-pantone-s-2016-palette?scid=d17cf187-f30a-4e69-9de4-25c0d85a9916&elq_mid=3417&elq_cid=1625917&CH=GH041216_MeetingsNews
Karen Kuzsel is a writer-editor based in the Orlando area who specializes in the hospitality, entertainment, meetings & events industries.  She is a Contributing Editor-Writer for Prevue Magazine and is an active member of ISES and MPI and is now serving on the 2015 – 2016 MPI Global Advisory Board for The Meeting Professional Magazine. Karen writes about food & wine, spas, destinations, venues, meetings & events. A career journalist, she has owned magazines, written for newspapers, trade publications, radio and TV. As her alter-ego, Natasha, The Psychic Lady, she is a featured entertainer for corporate and social events. karenkuzsel@earthlink.net; www.ThePsychicLady.com; @karenkuzsel; @thepsychiclady.
 

SCANDINAVIAN ADVENTURES: DENMARK, SWEDEN & ICELAND

Russ and me and the rainbow at Gullfoss Falls, Iceland

Russ and me and the rainbow at Gullfoss Falls, Iceland


The opportunity to visit Copenhagen, Denmark began when a bright, red-headed newly-arrived exchange student from Denmark walked into the Merritt Island High School newspaper office and announced in perfect English that she wanted to participate. Little did I know then that my position as Editor and Else’s as Proof Reader (with her grammatically correct English) would form a bond that has endured more years than I wish to publicize.
It was her Facebook search, many exchanged emails catching up those years, and later a visit by her, her charming husband Erik, and their group of witty and affable golfing buddies visiting the Orlando, FL area, that culminated in my husband, Russ, and I selecting Copenhagen the next year as our next big adventure. Coincidentally, Else and Erik celebrated their wedding anniversary while here and we would be celebrating ours while there.
Once Russ began his meticulous research into Copenhagen and took the advice of our Danish friends to fly Icelandair, he received a package offer from the airline that was too tantalizing to ignore. If we stayed two nights in Iceland, a necessary layover between Orlando International Airport and Copenhagen, we would receive a reduced rate for the overall visit.
canal rides at Nyhavn, Copenhagen, Denmark. photo by Karen

canal rides at Nyhavn, Copenhagen, Denmark. photo by Karen


Russ reserved rooms in Copenhagen and in Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik and then we told Else we were coming, hoping that for at least one of those days or nights, we’d be able to connect with them and our other new friends. We were overjoyed and overwhelmed by the generous invitations and detailed agenda plans Else sent, indicating that each day she and Erik would guide us through Russ’ assembled list of places to visit. Else included places that are insider’s treasures. She noted places and events for us to visit on our own and Read more

SCANDINAVIAN ADVENTURES: DENMARK, SWEDEN & ICELAND

Russ and me and the rainbow at Gullfoss Falls, Iceland

Russ and me and the rainbow at Gullfoss Falls, Iceland

The opportunity to visit Copenhagen, Denmark began when a bright, red-headed newly-arrived exchange student from Denmark walked into the Merritt Island High School newspaper office and announced in perfect English that she wanted to participate. Little did I know then that my position as Editor and Else’s as Proof Reader (with her grammatically correct English) would form a bond that has endured more years than I wish to publicize.

It was her Facebook search, many exchanged emails catching up those years, and later a visit by her, her charming husband Erik, and their group of witty and affable golfing buddies visiting the Orlando, FL area, that culminated in my husband, Russ, and I selecting Copenhagen the next year as our next big adventure. Coincidentally, Else and Erik celebrated their wedding anniversary while here and we would be celebrating ours while there.

Once Russ began his meticulous research into Copenhagen and took the advice of our Danish friends to fly Icelandair, he received a package offer from the airline that was too tantalizing to ignore. If we stayed two nights in Iceland, a necessary layover between Orlando International Airport and Copenhagen, we would receive a reduced rate for the overall visit.

canal rides at Nyhavn, Copenhagen, Denmark. photo by Karen

canal rides at Nyhavn, Copenhagen, Denmark. photo by Karen

Russ reserved rooms in Copenhagen and in Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik and then we told Else we were coming, hoping that for at least one of those days or nights, we’d be able to connect with them and our other new friends. We were overjoyed and overwhelmed by the generous invitations and detailed agenda plans Else sent, indicating that each day she and Erik would guide us through Russ’ assembled list of places to visit. Else included places that are insider’s treasures. She noted places and events for us to visit on our own and Read more

Six Wines, Three Flatbreads and an Afternoon of Tasting

We’re very fortunate living in the Orlando, FL area. While the rest of the country is still experiencing the bluster of March, we’re enjoying blue skies, low 80’s and gentle breezes. It was perfect weather for sitting on the back porch of Seasons 52 overlooking the lake, sipping on slights of wine and munching on flatbreads.
Seasons 52 is a Darden Restaurant original brand that specializes in fresh, locally sourced foods, with meals, appetizers and mini-desserts typically weighing in at no more than 500 calories, including the aforementioned flatbreads. The menu changes seasonally, and the wines offered on their stellar program called Flights & Flatbreads changes frequently. Each wine comes with tasting notes. The program is available daily up to 6 pm.
For $15, you can have a choice of whites or reds (roughly 3 ounces each) and one flatbread. For $20, their Acclaimed red wines are rated at 90+ points. According to Seasons 52, the Acclaimed wines are rated by Wine Spectator, The Wine Advocate, Wine Enthusiast Read more