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Check in as Jay Gatsby at the Plaza

Check in as Jay Gatsby at the Plaza

May 8, 2013 · File Under: , , ,

On May 7, Baz Lurhman’s adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio debuts in theaters across the country. We have all read this Great American Novel and know that some of the most important plot points take place at a lunch hosted at The Plaza Hotel. But did you know F. Scott Fitzgerald frequented the Plaza as much as Gatsby did?

On April 30, The Plaza Hotel in New York City debuted its brand new Fitzgerald Suite, inspired by the famed story and its author. Located on the hotel’s 18th floor (only a few rooms down from the famed Eloise Suite!), the suite was created by Oscar-winning Christine Martin, the film’s set and costume designer. Outfitted in Deco-inspired furniture, the 700 square foot suite features a library nook and built-in bar (both nods to Fitzgerald’s main interests). For less than $3,000 a night, you can be transported back in time and live in Gatsby’s world for a night. Don’t worry — no modern comfort has been sacrificed; the suite even features a 3-D television!

Photo: www.theplazany.com

National Travel & Tourism Week: Celebrating the Travel Effect

National Travel & Tourism Week: Celebrating the Travel Effect

May 7, 2013 · File Under: , , ,

Travel and tourism is one of America’s largest industries. The U.S. Travel Association has discovered that travel injects $2 trillion into the U.S. economy, which supports 14.6 million American jobs. What’s more, travel is proven to strengthen relationships among families, couples, and friends.

At rallies and events across the country this week, hotel companies, tour companies, travel agencies, cruise lines, and tourism bureaus are celebrating the Travel Effect, the year-round impact that travel has on the nation’s economy and well-being. Here’s glimpse of what the travel effect means to us:

TSA opens Pre✓™ to International Travelers

TSA opens Pre✓™ to International Travelers

May 6, 2013 · File Under: , , ,

Some news that’s been eagerly anticipated by business travelers whose jobs take them abroad: the TSA has expanded its Pre✓™ program to international flights.

Amid the cutbacks and furloughs that have been snarling travel plans over the past few weeks, this is a step towards efficiency in airports that we sorely need right now.

Beginning tomorrow, May 7, TSA Pre✓™ participants can use their pre-screened status while passing through security for select international travel itineraries, the TSA announced today. Participating airlines are Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and US Airways. The program is currently in place at 40 US airports.

TSA Pre✓™ travelers enjoy the perk of breezing through security checkpoints without removing belts, shoes, and outerwear, and leaving liquids and laptops packed. Adding an international component to the program means that travelers arriving in the US may use the Pre✓™ lanes when connecting to a domestic flight after passing through customs. (And you’ll positively zip by the whole process when using it in conjunction with the Global Entry program!)

TSA Administrator John S. Pistole said that this move represents a “commitment to identifying innovative ways to securely move travelers more quickly through our airports.”

We’re looking forward to the continued success of these programs. Ask your FROSCH agent for more information about how to enroll.

 

Around the World: Gina’s Travel Diaries

Around the World: Gina’s Travel Diaries

May 6, 2013 · File Under: ,

Move over, Magellan! Gina Kemper, a FROSCH Leisure agent in our Denver office, just completed an around-the-world journey with Ker & Downey, one of our preferred tour operators. We’re sharing some excerpts from her travelogue. Check back soon for more!

March 15-17 (UAE): In Dubai, everything is the biggest and the best. There’s the world’s tallest tower (which housed our hotel,Burj Khalifa the Armani), the world’s biggest mall (with an entire level of shoes!), and the world’s largest dancing fountains (similar to the ones at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, but three times bigger!)

Our guide taught us a lot about the country as he showed us the sights, including the gold and spice souks and the Sheikh’s palace. The government really takes care of its people and offers a very high quality of life for residents of the U.A.E.

We went from Dubai to another region of the UAE and stayed two nights at the Banyan Tree Al Wadi Resort in the middle of the desert. The highlight here was the sunset camel ride! We spent our days at the beach: now this is the place I want to return to, beautiful sand beaches, warm clear water in the Arabian Sea, fringed by beautiful golf courses. This should be on everyone’s bucket list.

Part 1: New Zealand
Part 2: Hong Kong
Part 3: Vietnam
Part 4: Dubai

 

Around the World: Gina’s Travel Diaries

Around the World: Gina’s Travel Diaries

May 3, 2013 · File Under: , ,

Move over, Magellan! Gina Kemper, a FROSCH Leisure agent in our Denver office, just completed an around-the-world journey with Ker & Downey, one of our preferred tour operators. We’re sharing some excerpts from her travelogue. Check back soon for more!

March 12-13 (Vietnam): Just the word Vietnam conjures up so many emotions, many of them unsettling, and this was one place I was very anxious about visiting.  As we drove to the hotel, we found out that is the city of motorbikes.  There are 8 million people living in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and 6 million registered motor bikes.  I witnessed every type of person on these: business men and women wearing 6 inch heels, an entire family on one bike, a water delivery guy carrying ten 5-gallon jugs, a man with boxes of copy paper and even a woman nursing her child.

One evening we went to the night market, where what struck me the most were the children selling the goods. I had little girls coming up to me to sell me items. I was also approached by young girls holding sleeping babies; this was very hard for me to understand.  We went on a little walking tour we visited a beautiful little church, a beautiful replica of Notre Dame in Paris.  Then on to the Vietnam War Museum, which really affected Bert and made me understand a little more about that part of history.

Mekong DeltaThe Mekong Delta was very much an eye opener to the fact that even though I may think I understand the word poverty, I had no idea.  This was an excursion that I am very glad I took.  There are parts of it that is beautiful and then there are parts that will tear your heart out. It began with a journey on a little boat. As we floated past the city we came upon a lot of structures that were big sticks in the ground on which people had placed floors and tin walls. They used the river as their bathroom and trash bin for what they couldn’t burn, so it was very polluted.  We ate a lunch of sandwiches, fresh fruit and beverages, and we had plenty of leftovers. A couple of times the captain would blow his horn and pull over to the side and the children would come some carrying their baby siblings to get our leftovers.  It caused my heart to ache, but these children were smiling and happy.  We stopped in one village in Mekong and a family kindly invited us into their home.  There were no doors, there was 1 bed and 2 hammocks, a dining room table a picture of Jesus on the cupboard.  This tiny house sheltered a family of 7. Mekong Delta

We visited an orphanage, which I was hesitant to see, but I was glad to see that these children were well taken care of and were getting an education.  Our return to the hotel in Saigon was jarring after having witnessed those conditions. But I feel that this is an excursion not to be missed. We also learned that our tour guide was one of the lucky children that was able to leave Mekong where his family still lived.

Part 1: New Zealand
Part 2: Hong Kong
Part 3: Vietnam
Part 4: Dubai (coming soon)

 

Around the World: Gina’s Travel Diaries

Around the World: Gina’s Travel Diaries

May 1, 2013 · File Under: , ,

Move over, Magellan! Gina Kemper, a FROSCH Leisure agent in our Denver office, just completed an around-the-world journey with Ker & Downey, one of our preferred tour operators. We’re sharing some excerpts from her travelogue. Check back soon for more!

March 8-11 (Hong Kong): Upon arrival in Hong Kong, we were met by our guide, Rosita, and a driver. Our Hong Kong home was the Peninsula; if you ever have a chance to splurge a little, everyone should experience this kind of treatment at least once in their life. Our room looks out at the Victoria Harbor, a bustling view during the day and a beautiful backdrop of city lights at night.

We cruised on a Chinese Junket and watched the light show from the center of the harbor. On Sunday, Rosita took us on a tour of the real Hong Kong.  We could not go ten feet without someone trying to sell us a watch, handbag or a tailored suit that they would make for you in a few hours. But then we were introduced to a quieter version of Hong Kong.  We visited local markets, ate Wonton Noodle soup, and drank milk tea.  We saw all their special herbs and some parts of animals I really never want to see again. It really made a difference to have a personal guide, a specialist who calls this destination her home.  The next day, Bert and I ventured out on our own on the subway system.  We traveled to a zen garden and nunnery and sought out the local Catholic Church, rare oases of serenity and spirituality amid the hubbub.

Part 1: New Zealand
Part 2: Hong Kong
Part 3: Vietnam
Part 4: Dubai

 

Safari: South Africa

Safari: South Africa

May 1, 2013 · File Under: , , , ,

They say that smell is the sense with the strongest ties to memory. So perhaps the smells of the African savannah at dusk—cool and green, thick with oxygen under a veil of stars, with a hint of dust and whiffs of the fauna that hides in the darkness—hark back to the shared ancestral memory of where it all began.

Cape Buffalo

On safari, your days are inverted. The day is bookended by game drives, with a restful midday period that lends itself to taking it easy in the shade—following the example of the wild animals, which are most active at dawn and dusk. That’s good news for photographers on a quest not just for that close up or thrilling action shot, but the perfect light to shoot it in.

giraffe

Lion

RHINO

I’m glad to share some of my photography from a recent FROSCH trip to South Africa with Ker & Downey, where we explored the private concessions associated with Mateya Safari Lodge (Madikwe Game Reserve), Singita Lebombo (Kruger National Park), and Royal Malewane (Thornybush Game Reserve). In these private concessions, the rangers have permission to take the vehicles off-road to track game and get that perfect angle.

leopard and leopard cubs

Elephant close up

A lot of people have asked what camera I used on the trip—I shot with a Nikon D-40X camera and a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. What’s important is that you are comfortable with your photo equipment. We were so close to the animals sometimes that a lot of our group got incredible shots with point-and-shoot digital cameras and even iPhones!

hippos

My first trip to Africa was all a learning experience, but it’s nothing new to our South Africa specialists, who work with our preferred vendors such as Ker & Downey to craft incredible safaris for our clients. Their years of first-hand experience and personal relationships with those on the ground in South Africa and beyond translate into an adventure that’s safe, memorable, and awe-inspiring.

Singita Lebombo

lion cub

 

Navigator of the Seas to Sail from Galveston Year-Round

Navigator of the Seas to Sail from Galveston Year-Round

April 30, 2013 · File Under: , ,

Royal Caribbean has Texas-sized plans for its Voyager-class ship, the Navigator of the Seas. She’s leaving the Mediterranean for good to head for dry dock, where she’ll undergo an extensive revitalization project before heading to her new home port in Galveston, Texas.

A host of exciting new features will debut on the Navigator when it arrives in Galveston next February, including the Virtual Balconies– floor-to-ceiling high-definition displays in interior cabins that act as “windows,” displaying a 24/7 live view of what’s outside.

Texans will have another option for Western Caribbean cruises when the Navigator begins its 6- and 7-night sailings in May 2014, calling at the ports of Costa Maya, Cozumel, Roatan, and Belize City. On-board amenities will include new dining options, recreation venues including a rock wall, ice rink, and mini golf course, and duty-free shopping.

Remember, too, that you’ll tap into an array of exciting amenities–including free shipboard credit to spend on board!– when you book your Royal Caribbean cruise through FROSCH.

 

 

 

Ritz-Carlton, D.C. Previews “Out in Pride” Package

Ritz-Carlton, D.C. Previews “Out in Pride” Package

April 29, 2013 · File Under: , ,

In time for this summer’s Capital Pride Festival, The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, DC has released an amenity-filled hotel package for GLBT guests. The package, with pricing starting at $354/night, comes with a donation made in the guest’s honor to the Human Rights Campaign, plus a “survival kit” for Pride Weekend.

Ritz-Carlton was one of the first hotel companies to offer equal benefits to same-sex couples nationwide, which contributes to its top ratings on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index. Their goal is to make gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender guests “feel at home in every hotel.”

Contact your FROSCH agent (or click here to find one) for more information about how to book.

 

Around the World: Gina’s Travel Diaries

Around the World: Gina’s Travel Diaries

April 26, 2013 · File Under: , ,

Move over, Magellan! Gina Kemper, a FROSCH Leisure agent in our Denver office, just completed an around-the-world journey with Ker & Downey, one of our preferred tour operators. We’re sharing some excerpts from her travelogue. Check back soon for more!

March 1 (Denver): Around the world… I still can’t believe it. Everything is finalized; we have our itineraries, and our suitcases are almost packed.  I am excited, nervous and anxious all rolled up into one.  I have learned a lot about preparing for a trip like this.  I have learned about shots, safety precautions, food, currency, visas, and entry and exit fees.  I can only imagine how much more I will learn while I am actually on this trip!

Auckland New ZealandMarch 5-7 (New Zealand): As our plane began to descend from a long trans-Pacific flight, I grew a little anxious: What to expect? But my worries were erased as soon as we touch down in Auckland and find our driver, who whisks us off to our hotel, the Sofitel. The hotel was beautiful and the people are amazingly friendly.  I have never seen so many sailing boats and racing Catamarans in my life!

The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, New ZealandThe next morning, we boarded a tiny plane for a short flight to Napier. I’m not a fan of little planes, but I’m all about expanding my horizons! We landed and drove to one of the most beautiful spots I have ever seen, the Farm at Cape Kidnappers, where we were told to treat this as our home—as though my home has a beautiful golf course and breathtaking ocean views, much less a sommelier and live music at dinner! We visited the cliff-side gannet colony, lounged by the pool, and hiked through lavender fields—two wonderful days.

Part 1: New Zealand
Part 2: Hong Kong
Part 3: Vietnam
Part 4: Dubai (coming soon)