The Importance of Visiting a Farm

Posted on May 21, 2013 by

Image

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” excerpt from Walden by Thoreau

This past weekend my fiance and I drove to a farm in Hustontown, PA, to visit an old friend of his from elementary school. At first I was just curious about meeting someone who was born and raised in New York City who walked away from the bright lights and fancy clothes to lead a very different life. Although I did enjoy meeting this very sweet person and discussing her views on society and life, I also ended up learning more about myself.

We caught up on life over the 2 1/2 hour drive from Washington, DC, but quickly became a little concerned after we crossed into Pennsylvania and noticed a few confederate flags (hanging from houses and printed on signs). Now, you can sell me on the historical reason for hanging the flag if I see it swinging in Alabama…but correct me if I’m wrong, the north won…right? Anyway, we kept driving with the doors locked and was sure not to blast any rap music :) and continued on our journey to the farm.

The drive through the farm lands was peaceful, it’s not every day that you see cows, horses and large fields of beautiful green grass. Once we arrived we stepped out of the car, took a big breath of fresh air, listened to the silence and knew we were far from the city. Instant relaxation. Vicky greeted us with fresh made tea and we talked for hours. She made us dinner that night, all fresh ingredients from the farm and her boyfriend Derek discussed the importance of eating in season and which veggies freeze well to eat over months. We played games and talked all night, no TV, no Facebook, just good old fashioned conversation. I almost forgot what it was like to talk to someone who wasn’t instantly looking down at their phone to check for a text, update their status, or to fact check a topic of discussion.

The next day I woke up thinking about that quote from Thoreau that led this blog post. Clearly my mind was already at peace. After a delicious breakfast, we took a canoe down to the main farm for a tour. ImageWe didn’t realize until that morning that this farm actually had a connection to DC. Derek works for New Morning Farm, which is the farm that helped set up the white house garden for Michelle Obama. The farmer was actually pictured in her book American Grown. Derek walked us over to the chicken coop, where we could see that even though Chickens have a door where they can walk out into the yard…they tend to just hang out together in their little house. Much like humans, they are followers and like to stick together.Image

Derek showed us the full life cycle of certain vegetables and it was interesting to see all the different stages of growing, the different ways of blocking out certain insects or wildlife from eating the vegetables and the way veggies taste at specific levels of growth. We tasted basil, spinach, swiss chard, and carrots (in their infancy). I never liked swiss chard when I bought it at a grocery store, but discovered that baby swiss chard tastes completely different and I could have eaten a bag full straight out of the ground at the farm. We discovered that you can cook the greens that are attached to beets and they have a sweetness to them. ImageImage

We came home from the farm with beets, bibb lettuce, baby swiss chard and an invite to come back in August when all of their vegetables are at the peak of production. It’s amazing how a short trip to a simple place like a farm, can make you feel mentally like you had a week long vacation. We came back feeling healthy, in search of fresh fish to go with our fresh veggies and a desire to make a more concerted effort to shop at farmers markets. I also plan to research the food co-ops that Derek mentioned so that we can eat farm to table all summer.

I encourage everyone who lives in the city to take a weekend and get away to discover yourself and the beauty of nature. Leave the phones in the car (we still needed the GPS feature to get home..once we found a signal) and talk to each other without distraction. For those of us in the US, you are probably just a short drive away.Image

Image

Image

Image

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

10 Tips for the best 24 hours in the Windy City

Posted on March 25, 2013 by

Chicago, Illinois is a great city, filled with amazing architecture, culture, and endless quality dining experiences. I normally travel there about twice a year for work and always try to add on a day or two to make sure I can enjoy my favorite Chicago culinary delights. I am just returning from Chicago and was able to enjoy some of my favorite regular spots in addition to a new one. If you come to Chicago and only have 24 hours to see and eat your way through the town, here is my recommended agenda:

1) Start with breakfast at the “Original” Pancake House – There is a reason this place was the first of what would become a nationwide chain, because it does not disappoint. I thought I was going to have a healthy egg white omelet, but from the way they whip up those eggs I had an omelet the size of my plate. Don’t get me wrong… I ate that delicious masterpiece, but I felt a little guilty. My friend ordered the bacon pancakes and still to this day she keeps a picture of that amazing blend of salty and sweet on her phone.
Now that you have a full belly and assuming its not the dead of winter when you make this 24 hour trip…
2) Grab a ticket for the hop on hop off bus tour around the city. You will hear a great summary of the history of the city, including the real reason why it’s called “The Windy City.” It’s not because of the temperature, even though it was (as) windy as could be last week. Here’s a hint: What do people often complain politicians are full of?
Answer: Hot Air (Thank goodness they aren’t asking what today’s politicians are full of, or Chicago could have a very different nickname.)

3) While on the bus tour, hop off at the John Hancock Observatory and head to the top for the amazing view. It’s a little pricy (to me) but if you’re only there once and on a clear day, you need to see the breathtaking view.

4) Lunch must be deep dish pizza: My absolute first stop on every trip to Chicago is to Giordano’s pizza http://www.giordanos.com. This famous restaurant has locations all over downtown Chicago and the suburbs and they deliver nationwide. I know that every resident of Chicago has their own preference as to the best pizza place in town, but for me it’s Giordano’s. This cheesy goodness is consistently a perfect balance of cheese to toppings with fresh tomato sauce. It’s always worth the 45 minute wait for them to cook it and the normal 30 min to an hour wait for a table. Remember it’s deep dish, so ask the waiter what size pizza to order.

5) Take a walk up Michigan avenue towards the Chicago river. You may want to do some window shopping as you walk up what is referred to as the magnificent mile. However, if you want to do some serious shopping, cross the river and go to State Street where the locals shop at similar stores with better pricing.
Once you have walked off some of the pizza, you will want to…
6) Take the architecture boat tour. The tour I normally take leaves from the corner of Michigan avenue right next to the Wrigley building. The company on that corner is Wendella tours http://www.wendellatours.com and their 90 minute architecture tour is always filled with fun facts about the beautiful buildings and the history of the city. If you go on a tour that leaves before sunset you will have some fabulous photo opportunities!
It’s time to eat again and this time its…
7) Dinner at the Purple Pig: I highly recommend a stop at this restaurant the next time you are in Chicago. It’s a foodie haven with a tapas style menu that is sure to delight without completely busting your budget. Their tag line is “cheese, swine and wine” which actually kept me from visiting my past couple of trips since I’m normally looking for a more complete dinner on my short trips. But don’t let the tag line fool you, they have a full compliment of quality food, a range of international wines (no domestic), topped off with great service. This place is packed at all hours, so arrive with about 45 minutes to spare. Trust me its worth the wait. We stopped in around 2pm just to look at the menu and they were at capacity with 20 people waiting outside. We planned to go back around 7pm for dinner, but my brilliant boyfriend decided we should head over around 6, since we would need to wait. We got a lucky break and were seated immediately at the bar directly in front of the chefs. It was like a “mini bar/chefs table” experience, without the heavy price tag because we watched them prepare dishes and made our choices based on what looked good. No need to look at the menu when the food is being made in front of you. Plus the chefs had this great system of calling out items as they came in that was quite entertaining. We had no idea we were going to get dinner and a show. The wait staff and servers are all very knowledgeable about the menu and the wines. Even though they were busy, you never felt neglected or rushed. I am normally not a fan of tapas restaurants because I feel like you pay full size plate prices for a smaller serving. This is not the case at the Purple Pig http://www.thepurplepigchicago.com.
If you are up for a little night cap and maybe chocolate for dessert…
8) Head across the street to Eno. When Eno opened they only sold chocolate, cheese and wine…every woman’s dream, right? I think the Pig has had an impact on their business, because when I stopped in last week they were pretty empty and they mentioned that they also had small plates available. I didn’t try the food, but the chocolate is lovely. I’m allergic to chocolate but its worth taking the allergy drugs for just one piece of their fancy salted carmel chocolate. Plus they offer wine flights that are creatively paired so stop in and enjoy.
If you want to hit the town for a little late night fun…
9) Head toward Hubbard St. There you will find jazz clubs, dance clubs and bars on every corner.
10) If you just want to grab a drink at a bar with great mix of top 40 and dance music, then walk a few blocks over to English http://www.englishchicago.com. If I’m in town on a Friday or Saturday it is always a must hit location with a good crowd.

Well if you made the most of your 24 hours in Chicago, it’s now 2am and you are heading back to your hotel. The next time you’re in town, be sure to see a Cubs game. That is a full day experience on its own, so try that on the second trip to Chicago.

Have fun!

20130325-090735.jpg

20130325-090756.jpg

20130325-090824.jpg

20130325-090843.jpg

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Greece Trip Booked… 5 things I can’t wait to do!

Posted on March 8, 2013 by

I just finished booking a trip to #Greece with a group of friends for travel June 28th through July 7th. We are staying on the island of #Mykonos for 4 nights and then staying in #Santorini for 4 nights (along with one night in Athens on the front end because of flight times).  I haven’t been to Greece in several years and I am thrilled to go back with such a fun crew. Here are a few things I can’t wait to do:

  1. Eat Greek Salad: Nothing beats a REAL Greek salad, which in no way includes actual lettuce. Instead it’s a mix of the most amazing and fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, feta (skip the onion) and olive oil with a sprinkle of some special seasoning.  I will probably eat one every day.

 

  1. Staying in Mykonos: We are spending 4 nights on the island of Mykonos and I have heard amazing stories about the nightlife.  I am excited about experiencing a new location, meeting the people who live there and it adds a new item to my bucket list (stay in on a new island). As we get closer to the travel dates I will have to look up some “must see” activities.

 

  1. Finding a Great Beach and People Watching: Yes, I recognize that the Greek Islands are basically all volcanic rock beaches, but I feel like Mykonos has to have a good one.  Also, peak season on the islands is sure to be a “show” and I can’t wait to see all the beautiful and not so beautiful people strut their stuff on the beaches, at the clubs and just on the streets. I’m assuming it will be like visiting NYC to get into a club on a Saturday night during peak season, so fingers crossed.

 

  1. Sunset in Santorini: Santorini was rated the number one island by Travel & Leisure in 2011 and it really is a great place. Sunsets in Oia, great shopping, lovely dining and nightlife in Fira town; I look forward to all of this and more in Santorini. Plus I want to do some 4-wheeling while I’m there, I saw someone take a tour on one the last time and it looked like fun.

 

  1. A Great Hotel in Santorini: As I mentioned earlier, I booked a group trip to Greece a few years back and one of our stops was Santorini.  I was happy to hear that my contact was still at the #Kallisti Thera Hotel and of course I had to book my stay at that property. The great location, beautiful facility and personal service are items everyone should look for in a hotel. It will also just be nice to see a friendly face.

 

There is a sense of relief that falls over me when I know that I have a vacation on the schedule. Yes, it’s a little crazy but I need something to look forward to as I go through the everyday grid at work.  I hope you are also working out your summer #vacation plans. If you need help you know I love planning and I’m just an email away!

Image

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Girlfriend Getaway to Istanbul: 7 tips for a fun adventure

Posted on February 12, 2013 by

1st – Stay in the Old City

Location – if your goal is to sight-see at their historical mosques, etc I would recommend staying at a hotel in the Old Town. We stayed at the Best Western Empire Palace and (just as many of the trip advisor reviews stated) it was in a great location. The room came with two complimentary bottles of water each day, free wifi in the lobby and a nice breakfast in the enclosed rooftop restaurant.  Just a short walk up the hill and you are at the Archeology museum and then a few more steps to the Palace.  Another great little spot near the main sites was a 2 year old property, Hagia Sophia Old City http://www.hsoldcity.com/en/index.html.  Even though the outdoor café was closed due to the off season, it looked like it would be a prime spot for a drink and people watching in the summer.  This 63 room hotel has reasonable pricing, fun accents like the TV behind the mirrored walls in the rooms and all the standard amenities. Even though I wasn’t staying there, I couldn’t help but take a tour of the property and the rooms at this hotel…so I thought I’d share my two cent review. :)

2nd – Don’t miss the major sites and experiences

Sightseeing – We visited most of the sites they mention in the standard tour guide for Istanbul.  You must take the time to visit the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, #Topkapi Palace (and pay the extra fee to visit the Harem), the Basilica Cistern and walk through the Byzantine Hippodrome.  We did not visit the Archaeological Museum, but our tour guide recommended it.  We left off the locations that wouldn’t be a great stop in the colder season (like the Bosphorus cruise).ImageImage

#Turkish Bath (Hamam)…not your everyday trip to the spa.  If you are visiting Turkey for the first time, many will recommend experiencing the #Hamam, where you lay on a warm marble slab as they give you a body scrub and foam bath.  Let me pass along some advice to those that are considering a first time Turkish bath experience. Bigger is not necessarily better. The bigger the spa the larger the marble slab which means the more people they put on it at one time!  My friend Betty & I went to a small hotel Turkish bath, which reserves the room for just the two of you. Please note, you still need to be comfortable laying on a marble slab next to your friend with nothing on your body but a small towel they place over your lower girly parts. The woman will then proceed to toss several buckets of warm water on you, then scrub your body with a Turkish loofa (much like your mom would do if you were a little kid who had just jumped in a mud pond), all while she makes comments on what she thinks you ate too much of while scrubbing your belly (kabob, beer, Turkish delight) and while pointing out how much dead skin she is getting off of your body. Then on to your friend where she does the same thing and then tosses more buckets of water on you to wash off the dead skin before you flip over. For those germ freaks out there…that means you are laying in both you and your friends dead skin for a little while (now do you see why the larger spas are worse). This experience will leave your skin baby soft, but it does require you to let down your “personal space” guard as they will wash all of your “parts” and leave you feeling like you just left a bizarre one night stand.

3rd – Enjoy the bargaining experience when you shop

I feel fairly confident telling you that everything in Istanbul (aside from dinner pricing) is negotiable.  Not just the stores at the grand bazaar, but every store that sells goods will offer you lower prices if you are willing to bargain with them. There are a few stores that have a sign that states “fixed prices” and even those stores will give a little, but any other store will give major price adjustments, so never pay the price they offer up front. I went to buy a scarf from a small store a couple streets away from the Blue Mosque and they had a sticker price next to it that read “120 TL” I ended up paying 35 TL.

The Grand Bazaar, with 4,000 shops is quite a sight to see and a must hit location.  Please note, many standard items like ceramics, tiles, leather goods and jewelry can be found away from the bazaar and sightseeing locations at lower prices.

We found the best pricing for some of their classic products (tile, ceramics, jewelry and scarves) away from the major tourist areas.  So don’t buy a scarf and ceramic plate at a store directly across the street from the Blue Mosque…it will be a lower price if you go to a store a few streets away. If you want a carpet, be very careful and shop around. I’ve heard stories of people paying $40,000 for a carpet that was worth $10,000. You can find a nice carpet for less than $1,000, so shop around.

We decided not to visit the Spice Market since the reviews are that it’s no longer the spice mecca that it used to be and is now more t-shirt shops, etc.  We had a couple of great spice stores across the street from our hotel, so that’s where we shopped.

4th –Eat a kabob and savor the calamari

We found great spots to eat all over the old town. We did not make it out of the Old City, so we missed on out the great restaurants that are over in Taksim, but for our 3 night stay we were fine in the city. Turkey is known for their seafood in addition to the expected Mediterranean dishes like grilled chicken drizzled in honey, eggplant and lamb, don’t miss the calamari it is incredible.  A great spot for dinner was the Medusa Restaurant, where we had the lamb kabob which was amazing and perfectly cooked. We also had dinner at the Panoramic Restaurant which had breathtaking views of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. They also have a rooftop deck above the restaurant to expand for summer business.Image

5th – Dance the night away

This will be short, since I didn’t party at all in Istanbul. However, we were told by our guide (girl in her 20’s) and several waiters (which we didn’t trust until our guide confirmed it) that Taksim Square is the place to go for clubs, bars and restaurants. It is over on the Asian side (across the water) and is not too be missed if you want to hit the town. We decided to focus on touring all day, then shopping and eating all night.

6th – Avoid the street stalkers, aka carpet salesmen

The number one thing I would avoid are the random men in black jackets on the streets that try to stop you with the line “may I ask you a question” or “where are you from.” These are commissioned carpet salesmen who annoyed the crap out of me.  You don’t know anyone in Istanbul, so don’t stop, just keep walking and say no. This is not rude; this is simply the only way they will stop following you. They will also try the “beautiful ladies” and other random fake compliments.  Feel free to say thanks…as you continue to walk and say no to the follow up question that is certain to be related to stopping in their shop.  Be strong ladies!

7th – Read up and be prepared

On the United flight to Istanbul our flight attendants seemed worried about two girls traveling alone after the recent events.  They told us that the lady who was killed the previous week was on their flight. I had to remind myself that terrible crimes take place every day in Washington, DC, but tourists continue to visit. You just have to be smart when you travel, don’t talk to strangers, avoid off the beaten path areas at night and read up on the culture so you are prepared.  In Istanbul there is a “call to prayer” five times a day. It takes a little getting used to if you are walking through an area with a couple of mosques as the call is pretty loud and they will turn off the sound of music or TV in a restaurant during the call.  We noticed that about 99% of the workers in the Old Town (waiters, hotel staff, salesmen, bartenders, etc) are men. When we asked a salesmen at a jewelry shop why we don’t see women in these sales roles they stated that the Old Town is more “conservative” whatever that means. I point this out because it is a bit different to visit a town when there are only men. In addition, many waiters are very forward and flirt with just about every woman who comes into their restaurant…unless they are with a man. We had one waiter ask us “why did you come to Istanbul without your men.”Image

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

2013 goals: Creating my first bucket list

Posted on February 7, 2013 by

I was reading a blog that I recently stumbled upon and was inspired to follow their lead. Lesley Carter lesleycarter.wordpress.com stated “people often make a bucket list when they think they might die. I want to make a bucket list to live.”
I agree! When people used to ask me why I traveled so much, I always said “tomorrow is promised to no one, so live for today.” Several years ago I began traveling to Europe, Asia and anywhere else my favorite airline would take me. I also found a love of cruising because of the number of different places I could visit without having to unpack and repack. In 2012, I slowed down my travel schedule to focus on my work and personal life and to find balance. In 2013, I would like to create my own #bucket list, with hopes that it will continue to help me focus and achieve my goals.

2013 Bucket List
1. Volunteer locally
2. Visit one new city in the US
3. Visit one new city internationally
4. Visit one new country
5. See one of the 8 wonders of the world
6. Help two friends book an amazing vacation
7. Blog at least once a month
8. Exercise at least three times a week
9. Plan events for three new companies: http://www.afsem.com
10. Attend my first NBA game
11. Have oysters in British Colombia
12. Visit a west coast winery
13. Eat at one of the top 50 restaurants in the world
14. Take a new class
15. Go on an executive tour of the White House

Wish me luck with my list and may each of you find your own bucket list to create and follow. Have a wonderful 2013 and happy traveling!

20130207-150850.jpg

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

6 Tips for the all-inclusive resort traveler

Posted on January 25, 2013 by

I recently attended a wonderful destination wedding in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The wedding was held at the #Iberostar Rose Hall Suites, which is one of three resorts on property along with the Rose Hall Beach and Rose Hall Grand. Another friend recently visited an all-inclusive resort in Mexico over NYE weekend and based on their experience, I decided to pay a little more attention to the differences, benefits and features of this resort and the overall travel experience. I also gathered feedback from others who were at the wedding but staying at different resorts. Here are a few tips:
1. Airport transfers require patience and logic.
It seemed that everyone had a similar experience with their airport transfers. Even though we booked through a variety of tour companies, everyone seemed to experience a 15 minute to as long as 1 hour or so delay waiting in the bus/van for other guests. One group thought the driver was waiting for other guests, but after an hour and no new guests, apparently he was just waiting for approval to go. Many of us had the van/bus stop at one or more other resorts before they dropped us at our hotel. Some drivers were quiet, some were talkative and gave a little island history in route and some were bullies who tried to demand a tip upon arrival. At the end of the day, the length of time you wait and attitude of your driver is a crap shoot. Just cross your fingers, speak up if you are waiting too long and don’t feel obligated to tip anyone who didn’t work for it.

2. Check in time is almost always 3pm, so come prepared.
If your flight arrives in the morning I always recommend that you pack a swim suit and change of clothes in your carry on. That way, if your room is not ready for early check in, you can just change and sit by the pool and/or beach. This will help you relax and immediately begin enjoying your vacation.

3. Room issues require immediate action.
Once you check in to your room, if you notice problems…A/C doesn’t work, bad smell, etc be sure to speak up immediately. Also, depending on the issue, don’t fully unpack as it may require a room change. Call the front desk to request the situation be resolved. If it is not resolved before the end of the evening, request a room change. I’ve stayed at a variety of hotels, including 5 diamond properties and every hotel can have issues with a room or two. Don’t judge the whole resort based on a problem with one room, but make sure the staff addresses the problem.

4. Stroll around the resort early in your trip.
Many all-inclusive resorts have a lot of features that require a little exploration to find. If you are staying at a resort for 4, 5 days, or more you should walk around and get the lay of the land. Find all the restaurants, tennis courts, and the details on the included non-motorized water sports. We had tennis courts at our resort, but didn’t notice them until the day we were leaving. Also, many resorts have restaurants that require reservations. Be sure to read http://www.tripadvisor.com and the hotel website to find out when you have to book those reservations and if you can book multiple nights in a row. Some hotels require that you book restaurant reservations each day during a certain time frame. While we were staying at the Iberostar Rose Hall Suites we walked the beach to compare our pool area to the space at the Rose Hall Grand and the Rose Hall Beach. In my opinion, the pool area at the Suites with the infinity pool is the best, thus the reason they use that image to market all three resorts. However, the differences in quality of set up are small; for example the beach chairs at the Beach are plastic, but the beach chairs at the Suites are wicker and at the Grand a higher quality of wicker chairs. There is more shaded area available in the Suites pool area. The rooms at the Beach are the size of a standard hotel room, but the Suites are larger because they are “suites” with a step down sitting area that includes a couch and desk. The size of balconies look comparable from all three resorts, depending on where your room is located. Just remember, if you paid to stay at the higher valued resort, take the time to see the other properties and maybe make dinner reservations at those properties for a change of pace.

5. Determine your hotel benefits in advance.
At Iberostar, if you are staying at the Grand you can play at all three resorts, if you are at the Suites you can visit the Beach and if you stay at the Rose Hall Beach you have to stay within that resort, except for the night club at the Suites, all three resorts access that night club. Many large resorts have a “stay at one, play at all” concept, but each have different rules. We didn’t realize that we couldn’t access the Grand until we were conducting our “lay of the land” research. That’s when we discovered you could play down, but not up. I’m glad we booked in the hotel where the wedding was held, or we would have had to go back to our property after the wedding activities.

6. Have fun!
This is vacation, step out of your norm and let your hair down. Talk to strangers, you can make some nice vacation friends when staying for multiple days. Join in the activities and dance at the club. You can’t embarrass yourself, after all they are strangers! Plus who knows, you may inspire someone else to do the same.
So, this is my non-official endorsement of Iberostar Rose Hall Suites for your next vacation or destination wedding in #Montego Bay, #Jamaica. Great location, great service and very clean. I can’t wait to go back.

20130125-174934.jpg

20130125-174957.jpg

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Onboard apps, technology still needs improvement

Posted on December 12, 2012 by

Here I am, another week…another cross country flight. This time I’m on #Delta, which means I must connect to get to pretty much any destination. After all, before the merger with Northwest Air, Delta used to stand for Damn Everything Leaves Through Atlanta. Today’s destination is Denver, so I’m connecting through MSP, making this a lovely 5 1/2 hour journey.
No worries, I have my trusty iPad this time and was happy to receive a free 3 month subscription to Food & Wine magazine. All I need to do is download the December issue and I’ll be entertained for at least my first leg of the flight. Little did I know that one issue is 557MB and downloads at the speed of dial-up. I can hear the modem connecting in my head. OMG! I tried to download it on my wifi at home about 15 minutes before I left. My mistake, I didn’t realize it would take longer then 15 minutes. Im determined to make some Christmas meal planning decisions, so I’ll go ahead and buy the 90 minute wifi connection onboard…that will clearly be enough time. Wrong! (see picture below for 90 progress)

How can a publisher launch essentially a book app that takes more then 3 times the length of downloading a full feature film? I’m clueless. Not only did this “free subscription” cost me $9 already, but there is no way I would pay for a subscription in the future.

So just a tip to my traveling friends, be sure to download all reading material and other app driven tools the night before your trip. Also a note to magazine publishers, i.e. #AMEX (who i believe publishes F&W) make sure the technology is built to move at the speed of your customer demographic before you launch. Let’s be honest, everyone who knows me understands that I am definitely the target audience for this magazine.
Happy holiday cooking everyone!

20121212-163536.jpg

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment