tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51010664171206051612024-03-13T02:53:11.488-06:00Chicks That Trip™ - Lobby Bar Confessions™A blog where we share our travel related experiences around accommodations, food, entertainment and more. We welcome other travelers’ to join in and “confess” their experiences too.That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.comBlogger178125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-4619424689418203972015-12-25T16:03:00.004-07:002015-12-25T16:03:50.511-07:00Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year!<br />
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<b>May the holiday season bring joy, laughter, fabulous food and a time of peace and reflection. And may the New Year be full of wonderful surprises and new destinations to explore!</b></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple;">Cheers from Chicks That Trip</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="color: black;">*<i>Photo from http://www.netanimations.net/Christmas-Trees-decorations-animations.html</i></span></span></span><b><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></b></div>
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That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-7562784360929272062015-11-26T09:35:00.002-07:002015-11-26T09:35:34.856-07:00HAPPY THANKSGIVING!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wishing you and your families a warm and wonderful </div>
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Thanksgiving Holiday!</div>
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Cheers!<br /><b><i><span style="color: purple;">Chicks That Trip</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i><span style="color: purple;"><span style="color: black;">*</span></span></i></b><i><span style="color: purple;"><span style="color: black;">Photo provided by Freedigitalphotos.net courtesy of debspoons</span></span></i><b><i><span style="color: purple;"> </span></i></b></span></div>
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That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-72823522956347387092015-03-22T10:41:00.002-06:002015-03-22T17:19:00.945-06:00Winery Spotlight: Matthews Winery <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5lQbiNQHI410XpQ8gjoUibvjo0VUtZnbpwuIbbIzw2229mJkKtyui8NisCpnQN445rDagsMETjRSqnwvcYe6rmUsYyZp173hpQFntFl-VDTVRbG9o0RwG110ppOvxzaMfOZYjMyKvZrJ/s1600/MattewsWinery_Room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5lQbiNQHI410XpQ8gjoUibvjo0VUtZnbpwuIbbIzw2229mJkKtyui8NisCpnQN445rDagsMETjRSqnwvcYe6rmUsYyZp173hpQFntFl-VDTVRbG9o0RwG110ppOvxzaMfOZYjMyKvZrJ/s1600/MattewsWinery_Room.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matthews Winery - Wine Tasting Room </td></tr>
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Spring has finally sprung and this is the time of year where we are all antsy to get moving and thinking about big trips and mini local trips that we can take in order to enjoy ourselves - near and afar!</div>
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Winery trips are always a treat to me. Whether it's a trip through Napa Valley, or a famous wine house in France; anytime is a perfect time to visit a winery and a wine
tasting room - in my opinion. Those of us who appreciate and benefit from all
of the work that takes place to transform those delicate grapes to the divine
elixir of wine is something not to be taken lightly; after all, there is a lot
of time, attention and dare I say, money, involved in the entire process to go
from vine to wine.</div>
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On a late, rainy afternoon (yes, I'm in the Pacific
Northwest, so I believe that may go without saying), I ventured out to Matthews
Winery to meet one of the proprietors, Diane Otis, and of course, to have a
taste of their delicious wine. We were supposed to meet a few weeks prior, but
it was harvest time; therefore, her time was tight, and it was determined it
would be best for me to come out after the harvest had been completed. </div>
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Matthews Winery is ensconced in the serene community known
as Woodinville. Given the location is a mere twenty miles from downtown
Seattle; when you are there, you feel miles away from the hustle and bustle of the
city. There are slight rolling hills and vast acres of land where the grapes
are harvested. Numerous wine houses sprinkle the main corridor of Woodinville,
and entice you in with their intricate signage that is strategically located in
order to get you to veer off course and stop into their tasting rooms.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBCqgJohrpRL9icHiIaqJmgpQonRQNBbbhXaD1k8SNK_gTv01Ix1aI-VLms2CGHb3H3_LAgHFrGZlxmhOporsBupP9-allKCBopRtNKnVGYFLtBqZrp_GiLTlq0f8rz2SJQpkWdnmcTmv/s1600/MatthewsWinery_Sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBCqgJohrpRL9icHiIaqJmgpQonRQNBbbhXaD1k8SNK_gTv01Ix1aI-VLms2CGHb3H3_LAgHFrGZlxmhOporsBupP9-allKCBopRtNKnVGYFLtBqZrp_GiLTlq0f8rz2SJQpkWdnmcTmv/s1600/MatthewsWinery_Sign.jpg" height="200" width="184" /></a></div>
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I pulled into the parking lot of the tasting room and got
out of my car. I took in a deep breath and inhaled the smell of trees, rain and
a bit of dirt. It's a refreshing experience and relaxing. It is as if all
vestiges of stress roll off of your body and you become one with the softness of the surroundings.<br />
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During my visit, I had the opportunity to speak with Diane about her venture into the wine world, and it was worthy of a "Wine 101"designation, given all of the useful insider information that she provided during my visit.<br />
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I was surprised to learn that initially the production of Matthews wine was in their Woodinville location; however, in 2010 they moved a portion of their wine producing to Walla Walla, Washington, and today, almost all of their production is in Walla Walla, with only a small amount being produced in Woodinville.<br />
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Their ultra premium label, Tenor, has become highly popular since it's launch back in 2008. Showcasing some of their single varietals of the fruits of Washington State, like their Syrah and Chardonnay. I was able to taste a pour of the Chardonnay (as I prefer whites over reds). It was liquid silk coating my tongue. The body was full and had hints of lemon; yet tinged with a bit of spiciness that was not off putting or too "in your face."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCnRDUjKRscYc_UqE1ruJyyntk9fMvj9Of0THFpPYVeDV1hHZ4cKsfEFBziJpwcd4mmDyB_T2soSZ_XwSeHsGkNTlJCHhT2kJ3oELJZwI5pdJnbIsboPksV1AJyewnXijkLXwNUVWfX5y/s1600/MattewWinery_SittingRoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCnRDUjKRscYc_UqE1ruJyyntk9fMvj9Of0THFpPYVeDV1hHZ4cKsfEFBziJpwcd4mmDyB_T2soSZ_XwSeHsGkNTlJCHhT2kJ3oELJZwI5pdJnbIsboPksV1AJyewnXijkLXwNUVWfX5y/s1600/MattewWinery_SittingRoom.jpg" height="246" width="320" /></a></div>
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Matthews Winery is continually enhancing not only their wine offerings; like their wine-of-the-month clubs, but also encouraging small and medium-sized gatherings in the large area located right off of their tasting room. Diane said they have several events they host throughout the year, as well as private events that are held in this space.<br />
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They also boast an intimate Estate House which serves as their on site Bed and Breakfast, with two guest rooms, as well as the ability to serve small scale gatherings such as a cooking class or private birthday party celebration. <br />
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I would recommend anyone to stop through and enjoy a glass of wine and feel the warm welcome that is extended by Diane, her family and their staff.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Photos taken by That Chick Té </span></i><br />
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<span style="color: purple;">www.chicksthattrip.com </span></div>
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That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-23441919046907139272015-01-01T09:46:00.000-07:002015-01-01T09:46:01.821-07:00HAPPY NEW YEAR!<br />
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Wishing You a Healthy, Prosperous and World Traveling New Year!</div>
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<span style="color: purple;"><i>Chicks That Trip</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Photo from freedigitalphotos.net by noppasinw</span></i><br /><h1>
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That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-61028373936540178822014-07-02T12:51:00.000-06:002014-07-02T13:03:30.158-06:00The Sterilization of Starbucks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>The Sterilization of Starbucks</b></div>
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Whether you are a coffee drinker or not, you will turn into one after a while of living here (in Seattle). Most of my friends can attest to the fact that I am<i> not</i> a coffee connoisseur. I have low expectations, and typically drink one of three coffee variations: regular coffee, vanilla latte, or some mocha type of concoction.</div>
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Despite the fact that I've never been a huge coffee drinker, I've always chilled at Starbucks, and a couple of other coffee establishments; however, Starbucks had always been my favorite, because I'd get to know the Baristas and they wouldn't chastise me for my lack of coffee culture, and the environment had always been cozy and inviting; <u><i><b>HAD</b></i></u> being the operative word.</div>
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Prior to my move to Seattle from Denver, I had been seeing a rash of updating of the Starbucks in the area. Hey, I'm all for updating and staying "fresh." The problem comes when the cozy, comfy leather chairs and odd sofas are replaced by cold and uninviting furniture; which does NOT encourage lingering. Hmmm, maybe that's the point.</div>
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About a month into living here in Seattle, I scooted into one of the Starbucks that was close to my house. There was a sign on the door that read (paraphrasing), "We'll be open during our remodeling. Please continue to frequent our location during our remodeling process." I stepped inside and chose a space that was a long, bench like seating, covered in a soft fabric, with several single tables next to one another. It's one of those situations where you have to squish between the tables to sit down, and you hope your rear-end isn't in someones face before you plop down.</div>
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I hunkered down into my seat, and began working away on my computer. A short time later, a perfectly coiffed lady in her late 60's sat next to me; curled her legs underneath herself, and pulled out her Kindle (or could have been a Nook...I'm not sure). She glanced in my direction and gave a light smile. I returned the smile and continued working on my computer. </div>
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About thirty minutes later she put her device down and looked around the place. It was humming with a lot of energy. The loud hissing of the steam machines; idle chatter, and heated discussions surrounded us. She turned to me and said, "You know this is all going to end don't you?" </div>
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I cocked my head to the side and said, "How is that?"</div>
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"All of these places [Starbucks] are getting 'renovated.' They are taking the heart away and making it so...so, <i>Corporate</i>. I mean, I know they are big time, but it's sad to see what they are doing," she uttered in a melancholy voice.</div>
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I replied, "Yes, it's a sterilization."</div>
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She perked up, "That's the exact word. Sterilization," she sighed.</div>
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We chatted a bit more, and then she settled back into her reading, and I returned to my work on the computer. </div>
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Now, with that being said, it's forced me to branch out and not seek out the comfort of a place I'd been going for sometime, but to try new places. I'm delighted to report that while Starbucks definitely has a tight grip on the coffee locations in this city; there are countless coffee shops and café's that are, and have been giving them a run for their money. I have a couple that are starting to become my "go to" places too, and I will share a bit about them as I venture out and spread my wings.</div>
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Bottoms up!</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Photo taken by That Chick Té</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: purple;">www.chicksthattrip.com</span></div>
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<b> </b> </div>
<br />That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-68163054139743371672014-05-03T12:24:00.001-06:002014-05-06T09:44:47.435-06:00Welcome to the Emerald City!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Welcome to the Emerald City</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>That Chick Té is</i> baaaaack! The last few months have been a whirlwind of activity; therefore, I apologize for the delay in updating my blog with THE BIG MOVE!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I have quite a few stories about my drive out to Seattle, Washington, and I have to admit <i>(coming from someone who prefers not to drive)</i>, I had a wonderful time driving out with my mother, as I start a new adventure and page in my life in the phenomenal city of Seattle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This city is SPECTACULAR! You can be in the city; by water, or in the mountains (some of these things are accomplished simultaneously) in what seems like a ten minute time frame. Driving across the bridge over Lake Washington, to downtown Seattle when I entered the city took my breathe away. I'd been to Seattle on many occasions, but I rarely had the opportunity to get out of the city and visit the surrounding areas. The only other place I'd been before was Olympia, and while that was nice; there are no breathtaking views (to me) like there are in and around Seattle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I am looking forward to checking out the bevy of wineries throughout the area; some only a fifteen minute car ride from where I live, like the popular and highly recognizable, Chateau St. Michelle Winery, located in Woodinville, Wa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">While I enjoy and take in as much as I can of this vibrant city, I look forward to sharing my experiences with you all too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Cheers!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Photo taken by That Chick Té</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">www.chicksthattrip.com</span></span></div>
That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-37116002894961604272014-02-10T10:32:00.002-07:002014-02-10T10:33:27.188-07:00International Wine Guild CruiseMy friends from the International Wine Guild will be hosting a wine cruise. The flyer below contains most of the information. <br />
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Join Us For A Wine Cruise</div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_872637761" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">June 28 - July 5, 2014</span></span> PLUS a trip to Umbria before the cruise<br />
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From Rome To Barcelona!</div>
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<b>10-Night Luxurious Wine Cruise</b></div>
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Our <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_872637762" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">June 28th</span></span>,
10-day "Rome to Barcelona" cruise is in its final stage of booking. If
you have not yet booked your cabin, please be aware we can only
guarantee cabin inventory until <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_872637763" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">February 15th</span></span>! After this date, booking requests will only be honored on a "space available" basis.</div>
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So if you
want to go, please book now so you can enjoy the widest selection of
prices and cabins. This 10-night luxurious wine and food journey would
make a wonderful Valentine's present! Per person pricing, based on two
to a cabin, begins at $4,474 including round trip airfare from 26 US
cities.</div>
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<br /></div>
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And if you book now, Oceania's normal deposit payment has been reduced to just $750 per person.</div>
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This
cruise begins in the "Eternal City" of Rome, and we know you'll want to
arrive early to insure you don't hear those fateful words "You just
missed the ship"! To encourage early arrival, Food & Wine Trails
has released their special 2-night pre-cruise package that includes a
boutique Rome hotel, an overnight at a Tres Bicchieri rated winery in
Umbria with a wine-dinner, a cooking class in the classic hill town of
Orvieto and a transfer to the ship. Claude Robbins will be onboard as
the host, and the full 10-night tour will count as one of your required
Level 3 wine trips if you are working on a Level 3 diploma!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Onboard
the ship Claude will host a Welcome Reception for the group, a special
wine pared dinner and two private wine education seminars. All these
events will be with wines chosen by the Guild.</div>
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<br /></div>
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During
your cruise, you have the opportunity to participate in two optional
private excursions. In the port of Livorno, you will enjoy a perfect
Super Tuscan-day visiting Azienda Agricola Tua Rita , the very first
Italian winery to receive a perfect 100/100 score from Robert Parker.
In Marseille, France the group will visit the world renowned wine region
of Chateauneuf du Pape with a wine-paired luncheon cooked by a
Michelin-starred chef and a private tasting Domaine de la Janasse,
another highly rated winery.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0;">
Contact our travel partner <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XEKQRTGwrbAjajaxfM0sKNq0lFeaSKb249OXfvqjv_kHRpvTS5Ik3M2tiKUAt3BwHbcH1ZG5RedQIIzsiKwrqk4CqM35y0uli1vedwy0SWzn6Hvuq3b6kjB5zZmXkuSXeMJA4DPAsUSQ6BNcfrkSieuUYF5rqQDPD7PRosLWuPkUlDcA2UwPI4X6hPhDyqg9XBHWYjMnCzs=&c=zsvU1gL1R4JfvhluwRF_benvxPI3nLS2KIgmISzUpvNAfvgQ6oNQkQ==&ch=wN6Tm4PjrtDD47MDBbShphxu6rg38-PID4AXvifnYaHMHonSAZwKrA==" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Food & Wine Trails</a></div>
or visit <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XEKQRTGwrbAjajaxfM0sKNq0lFeaSKb249OXfvqjv_kHRpvTS5Ik3Adtv6WB5skAbcAvQvjRn3kdVmU8fS2jD733JNNhRzfSMaxobEyzjHb9Vyi8rdRiARc_4A8rOVL3XHMk00o3V022WoMX05yLNcvH86iXHqHgtktpK7-8vC95glmuU_biHbxRMpIyzBSLn0kwpgsLN3g=&c=zsvU1gL1R4JfvhluwRF_benvxPI3nLS2KIgmISzUpvNAfvgQ6oNQkQ==&ch=wN6Tm4PjrtDD47MDBbShphxu6rg38-PID4AXvifnYaHMHonSAZwKrA==" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.foodandwinetrails.com/<wbr></wbr>wineguild/2014 </a>before
it's too late to reserve your stateroom and pay a lower deposit PLUS
FREE airfare to Europe, FREE pre-paid gratuities, FREE internet package
and up to $150 in shipboard credit to spend on Oceania Cruises beautiful
ship, Riviera. Those are some awesome perks!
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0;">
Claude is
looking forward to sharing his knowledge with you about these amazing
wine producing areas and creating an experience that you will remember
for a lifetime.</div>
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That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-4490011163431046492014-01-28T09:25:00.002-07:002014-01-28T09:25:50.576-07:00Wishing Our Olympians Success, Safety & Fun!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1tOjMo1J_Ifo4_iIbbHe-wmXiP-j26-XBXF6j6fkWVjFiJ0MervFejbAggwrqtYcwMp35Du7n5nlCKKiQECKNmLID6RLc_XIvkPE9PAvYTKU0w0VDHAvsc-UtpEmTCojQjr8gEAEXN6d/s1600/Skier_in_Powery_Snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1tOjMo1J_Ifo4_iIbbHe-wmXiP-j26-XBXF6j6fkWVjFiJ0MervFejbAggwrqtYcwMp35Du7n5nlCKKiQECKNmLID6RLc_XIvkPE9PAvYTKU0w0VDHAvsc-UtpEmTCojQjr8gEAEXN6d/s1600/Skier_in_Powery_Snow.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Wishing Our Olympians Success, Safety & Fun!<br /><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In a little more than a week, the Winter Olympic Games being held in Sochi, Russia will commence.<b> </b>There has been quite a bit of televised awareness around these olympics, but not for the usual reasons. Unfortunately, heightened degrees of security and travel alerts have been made due to the possibility (suspicion) of terrorist activity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">While safety is clearly the most important factor, I am disappointed that it has become the main focal point of these events. There are women and men coming from all over the globe in anticipation of winning in their respective events, as well as attendees coming to cheer on their friends, family members and fellow country men and women.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I am sending my positive vibes into the universe for all of the attendees and participants; while also wishing them safe passage, and the ability to enjoy this (possibly) once in a lifetime experience. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>*Photo "Skier in Power Snow," taken by franky242 and used from freedigitalphotos.net </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><b>www.chicksthattrip.com</b></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-13439228791724439922014-01-01T08:52:00.003-07:002014-01-01T08:52:51.672-07:00HAPPY NEW YEAR!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzsU7A85qLkQPMsUq9LT5RrQG8tafwzJEKlcuxZPBPlx_99q0c2HBgEwFVK4SWSckbOJ_af4pbI8dtMi-TKLUnmmF7vrHFX2nQSZvmYmNnS-049VEpfccSqV4A0sTxgefgEQfVKRaqIHy/s1600/HNY_Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzsU7A85qLkQPMsUq9LT5RrQG8tafwzJEKlcuxZPBPlx_99q0c2HBgEwFVK4SWSckbOJ_af4pbI8dtMi-TKLUnmmF7vrHFX2nQSZvmYmNnS-049VEpfccSqV4A0sTxgefgEQfVKRaqIHy/s400/HNY_Photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Looking forward to another fabulous New Year!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Welcome to 2014!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;"><i>Chicks That Trip</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Photo from freedigitalphotos.net</span></i></div>
That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-18059134458424994132013-12-25T10:10:00.002-07:002013-12-25T10:10:44.342-07:00Happy Holidays & Seasons Greetings!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpkZ34UJeieipjaw7-giqsUj0lT-nqSLy2gcMCb_obQM2s0JXV0iGrWfTbkj3mMJ6L0fx-eNosGT0k0XaJ3leyoJAPHIAHrTAmDu4ivnLEa98_i97dv_LyMSdU6_j_QWlUElCn-YtP0lX/s1600/Christmas_Ornaments.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpkZ34UJeieipjaw7-giqsUj0lT-nqSLy2gcMCb_obQM2s0JXV0iGrWfTbkj3mMJ6L0fx-eNosGT0k0XaJ3leyoJAPHIAHrTAmDu4ivnLEa98_i97dv_LyMSdU6_j_QWlUElCn-YtP0lX/s320/Christmas_Ornaments.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Happy Holidays & Seasons Greetings!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<i>Wishing you all a beautiful holiday season full of </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>friends, family, fun and frivolity.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>Looking forward to another wonderful new year</i></div>
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<i>filled will many more possibilities to</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>be explored.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;">Chicks That Trip</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>*Photo used from freedigitalphotos.net "Christmas Decoration" by feelart </i></span></div>
That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-58076642626615466582013-12-18T10:51:00.004-07:002013-12-18T15:09:02.476-07:00Find Your Zen to Reduce Stress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikYSV_u2O8CUzaAisi5c3W8ydA9DSDF1bqUzIhM-8QPs2XSe5lSPAE4mR6eMVvSyYnS5q6EP7Pqxf7sm3uWzgfFaq_jGG9-8hUAD_Xb_UcYukHP7gTVtXZdNrsp2A2A2J54AsWZ6GxWhh/s1600/St.Regis_Entrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikYSV_u2O8CUzaAisi5c3W8ydA9DSDF1bqUzIhM-8QPs2XSe5lSPAE4mR6eMVvSyYnS5q6EP7Pqxf7sm3uWzgfFaq_jGG9-8hUAD_Xb_UcYukHP7gTVtXZdNrsp2A2A2J54AsWZ6GxWhh/s400/St.Regis_Entrance.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Find Your Zen to Reduce Stress</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The holiday season starting from around late October to mid-January has been marked as being the <b>most</b> stressful time of the year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Everyone is racing around trying to get all of their holiday shopping completed; while also maintaining a job (<i>yeah, you know that thing that helps you pay for unbelievable travel)</i>. It's no wonder that people are stressed out. Lines are longer, and it would seem that patience levels are significantly shorter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I was just in Staples the past evening to purchase some items and I was conversing pleasantly with the young lady ringing me up, and she commented during our conversation that during the holidays, "<b>People are just mean during this time of year. They are pushy and intolerant. Just mean."</b> I nodded my head in agreement, because I've been seeing my fair share of "meanies" too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This time of year isn't particularly stressful for me, because in my family we really don't exchange gifts, so we don't have that stress of finding the "perfect" gift; procuring it, and hoping that the person likes it. Furthermore, I've been working extremely hard this year to find my <b>Zen</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">While I am not a particularly religious person (though I was brought up in the church); I am a spiritual person. I believe that you treat others as you'd like to be treated, and that you should simply - be nice <i>(although I do fail at this at times too)</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">With that being said, I have had my fair amount of stress this year; specifically from September through October, so I get it. Stress...well, it's a natural part of life. We all have it, and as some studies have indicated, a certain level of stress is actually a good thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My approach has been really immersing myself into things that lessen my stress. There are things I have to get done on a daily basis; therefore, I make sure those important items get done, and then the rest can wait. Also, I've found that revisiting pictures from my travels really helps put things into perspective. I place myself in those spaces that make me feel all warm and cozy and from there - I find my <b>Zen.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The picture above was taken during one of my visits to Puerto Rico. It is the entrance to the St. Regis Resort & Spa in Bahia Principe, Puerto Rico, and let me tell you, the property is </span><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">AMAZING. </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It has an exquisite golf course (played by many pros in the golf industry); areas that remind me of Jurassic Park (though it was actually filmed in Hawaii). It simply permeates a calming feeling that resonates throughout every space on the property. I did a site inspection and was toured around the entire property (I'll put a full review up soon). I was there for almost two hours, and let me tell you, it broke my heart to have to leave. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Now, whenever I feel a bit anxious or uptight, I place myself (mentally) back on that property. Immediately I can smell the ocean air and picture the exotic, indigenous foliage that surrounded me while I was visiting. The visions take me to a safe place and I can then shake off any of the nasties that may have been resting on my shoulders. I lean back. Take a deep breath, and immediately I'm in my <b>Zen</b> place. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">During this stressful time of year, make sure you take time for you! It's easy to get caught up in the fray, so my advice is to be nice to yourself and enjoy the here and now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Namaste.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Photo of St. Regis in Bahia Principe, Puerto Rico was taken by That Chick Té</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: small;">www.chicksthattrip.com</span></span></b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> </b></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: purple;"></span></span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: purple;"></span> </span></i></span></div>
That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-52632552251020177022013-11-26T10:22:00.001-07:002013-11-26T10:22:34.125-07:00Happy Thanksgiving!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdU_qv-0ofCP9FulnJ1odBlE1itMD1aeTd8pgGxttmZME30cjpY5tLwcEpKbJ6fttAD5R7m9pd5PBqY2zhcc_Err-DZHzSAQSGpZy6wbfP4J_kvqraBZz08DzuCDnbpx71ce72HsD8eeea/s1600/Thanksgiving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdU_qv-0ofCP9FulnJ1odBlE1itMD1aeTd8pgGxttmZME30cjpY5tLwcEpKbJ6fttAD5R7m9pd5PBqY2zhcc_Err-DZHzSAQSGpZy6wbfP4J_kvqraBZz08DzuCDnbpx71ce72HsD8eeea/s320/Thanksgiving.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Wishing you and your families a beautiful</div>
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and food filled day of thanks.</div>
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<i><span style="color: purple;">Chicks That Trip</span></i></div>
That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-14348845210085855792013-11-05T09:36:00.003-07:002013-11-05T09:36:46.298-07:00Event Showcase: Restaurant Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDu_5TdW8kwxVD0iLyayLvDw85xwOz6mrhS-UntePUe8q4zVVvn4zkArJd7DPInLsvyfQENYFT62SaSmF_0MmSw7VxxMB8lWFlGU62dpYwQ9JEyoMkTVGONjEgBB-0QmhPvnxFVO7yV_aS/s1600/CTT_Blog_RestaurantDay_Post_11.5.2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDu_5TdW8kwxVD0iLyayLvDw85xwOz6mrhS-UntePUe8q4zVVvn4zkArJd7DPInLsvyfQENYFT62SaSmF_0MmSw7VxxMB8lWFlGU62dpYwQ9JEyoMkTVGONjEgBB-0QmhPvnxFVO7yV_aS/s400/CTT_Blog_RestaurantDay_Post_11.5.2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Restaurant Day - November 16, 2013</b></div>
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As much as I consider myself to be a "foodie," I am embarrassed to say that I had never heard about <a href="http://restaurantday.org/">Restaurantday.org</a>. Recently on my linkedin account (that I am remiss in checking on a regular basis), I received a posting about <a href="http://www.restaurantday.org/en/">Restaurant Day</a>, so I had to check it out.</div>
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Restaurantday.org describes the Restaurant Day concept as:</div>
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<i><br />"<a href="http://www.restaurantday.org/en/">Restaurant Day </a>is a worldwide food carnival when anyone can set up a
restaurant, café or a bar for a day. It can happen anywhere: at your
home, at the office, on a street corner, in your garden or inner
courtyard, at a park, or on the beach – only your imagination is the
limit." ~ Restaurantday.org</i></div>
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The event started with just a humble smattering of 13 cities and 45 restaurants participating back in May, 2011, and has swelled to an impressive 220 cites, 35 countries and<b> 1683 </b>restaurants (at their last event, August 18, 2013.)</div>
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For more information on the next <a href="http://www.restaurantday.org/en/">Restaurant Day</a> being held on November 16, 2013, visit their site: <a href="http://restaurantday.org/">Restaurantday.org</a>, for more detailed information.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>*Picture provided by That Chick Té</i></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple;">www.chicksthattrip.com</span><i> </i></b></div>
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That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-42638109975048785612013-10-03T14:51:00.001-06:002013-10-03T14:52:46.410-06:00Launch of: Women Play Golf Too!<img height="120" src="http://www.womenplaygolftoo.com/uploads/3/3/1/2/3312991/1380768384.png" width="400" /><br />
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Wow! I can't believe it's already October. Where has the year gone? I've been busy, busy, busy, and so has one of my close friends, Shanon, who recently launched her new site: <a href="http://www.womenplaygolftoo.com/">Women Play Golf Too</a>. <br />
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This cheeky site not only provides an insight into the forays of Shanon's golf outings, but also provides some musings (about golf, of course), as well as resources related to golf. There is also an events page showcasing future golfing trips! Shanon's premier golfing trip will be next October 2014, to the Reunion Resort property in Orlando, Florida. CEO and Founder of BET, Sheila Johnson, has the midas touch, and with that touch she has launched a string of luxury resorts. <br />
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I will be the first to admit that I am <i>not</i> a golfer; however, I enjoy being <b>on</b> the golf course and pretty much whacking the heck out of the greens. <i>Hmmm, perhaps I should revisit the golf lessons I took years ago.</i><br />
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Swing through the new site: <a href="http://www.womenplaygolftoo.com/">Women Play Golf Too</a>, and check out what Shanon's been up to on the course!<br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><b>www.chicksthattrip.com</b></span></div>
That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-89167668730820173592013-09-05T10:50:00.001-06:002013-09-21T15:35:39.151-06:00Launch of Travel Professional Association - Check out the video!For those of us who take pride in our work and providing top-notch customer care for our clients, it's great to have organizations that not only support our efforts, but also provide us with the tools to be able to go above and beyond.<br />
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Recently a new organization was launched called, the Travel Professional Association, and I am proud to be a part of this association, which is headed by the Ogg's who have been an integral part of the travel industry for many years. They've written travel books; operated travel agencies; headed up travel organizations, and spearheaded other worthy travel related initiatives.<br />
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Here is a great video to watch extolling the benefits of working with a travel professional! Stay tuned for more great videos provided by the Travel Professional Association. <br />
<a href="http://<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/tCsrkUaFIps?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/tCsrkUaFIps?rel=0" width="420"></iframe></a><br />
<br />That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-88883206904174638192013-09-04T10:29:00.000-06:002013-09-04T10:29:10.957-06:00Technologies Creation of New Pen Pals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXpcYCA9jSmOOIszqAqvDaPbW5pDE4uv2Tw3OpKMKWDLzAy71wjtJxWtt8DUItxza2snyhh-wnTO9pIhPnIpnNcDRIiJNtdHAdjbfjj5XqKJT2_ybKE6DIWck6k6Liw58MMroQlbMD5Ge/s1600/StudyPad_Blog_Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXpcYCA9jSmOOIszqAqvDaPbW5pDE4uv2Tw3OpKMKWDLzAy71wjtJxWtt8DUItxza2snyhh-wnTO9pIhPnIpnNcDRIiJNtdHAdjbfjj5XqKJT2_ybKE6DIWck6k6Liw58MMroQlbMD5Ge/s320/StudyPad_Blog_Photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Technologies Creation of New Pen Pals</b></div>
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When I was growing up I had two pen pals; one was from France, and the other one was from (I think) Spain. My French pen pal began in either the third or fourth grade, and my Spanish pen pal started in middle school. I used to love coming home and seeing the letters with their exotic stamps. My pen pals were intrigued by me being from America, and I was equally intrigued by their beautiful cultures and foreign languages. </div>
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It's a shame that we lost touch, because they helped brighten my life, and began my interest in travel at a very young age. Little did these cute, foreign girls know that they would influence a large portion of my life.</div>
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Today, we have pen pals of sorts. They are everywhere in social media like: Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and the like. We are able to connect with people all over the world, in a medium that is familiar and comfortable to us all. </div>
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In Linkedin, I belong to various business, hospitality, food and travel related groups. While the topics are interesting and diverse, I am much more fascinated that I am able to connect and communicate with people from small, nondescript parts of the world. Further, it's interesting to find that we all have some of the same issues and struggles in our professional and personal lives. I learn so much just from reading their questions, and responses to questions that are posed on the myriad of threads that pop up on a daily basis. </div>
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Sometimes I get bummed out because I think we are losing some of our personal relationships by so much being done online; but then I'll receive an email from an individual who has read something I've written, and they will write saying that they felt compelled to reach out to me and let me know how much they enjoyed reading it. Or, my most recent endeavor involved the usage of SKYPE, wherein, I was able to interview two chefs that reside in London and Edinburgh. </div>
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Despite how big the world is, it's also shrinking, and while I enjoy meeting my new form of pen pals via the net, I can undoubtedly say there is no greater feeling than making new friends while traveling abroad. </div>
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Cheers! To our new wave of Pen Pals!</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*photo used from freedigitalphotos.net by digitalart</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: purple;"><b>www.chicksthattrip.com</b></span></div>
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That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-79372205534359516682013-08-06T15:49:00.001-06:002013-08-06T15:56:09.628-06:00Rock on Chef Elise Wiggins of Panzano - Denver, CO!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzyqsF9foOW1vI-fXvHowYSGLx8MBhU69u4gER6z0aJLAC7puubnPwDFIK3To_bxgLILvT6Z74KnJgYjPc4PtYIeeB2KuTLnpkzsgCbzn9alAp1wLZx7Q4jg547Hg-F_E3dwxktlNwPjK/s1600/Chef_Elise_May2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzyqsF9foOW1vI-fXvHowYSGLx8MBhU69u4gER6z0aJLAC7puubnPwDFIK3To_bxgLILvT6Z74KnJgYjPc4PtYIeeB2KuTLnpkzsgCbzn9alAp1wLZx7Q4jg547Hg-F_E3dwxktlNwPjK/s320/Chef_Elise_May2013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Rock on Chef Elise Wiggins of Panzano - Denver, CO!</b></div>
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<a href="http://chasingwomenchefs.com/bringing-the-sexy-to-cooking-interview-with-executive-chef-elise-wiggins/">Chef Elise</a> has been featured in, <a href="http://bestchefsamerica.com/">Best Chefs America</a>. The yearly publication features some of the top chefs around the country who are nominated by other fellow chefs, food enthusiast, and other culinary professionals. I can attest to the delicious food that <a href="http://chasingwomenchefs.com/bringing-the-sexy-to-cooking-interview-with-executive-chef-elise-wiggins/">Chef Elise</a> prepares, and with her incredible personality and "can do" attitude, it's no surprise to me that she was one of the featured chefs for, <a href="http://bestchefsamerica.com/">Best Chefs America</a>.</div>
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Again, a great big ole' congrats to one of my favorite chefs! You go <a href="http://chasingwomenchefs.com/bringing-the-sexy-to-cooking-interview-with-executive-chef-elise-wiggins/">Chef Elise</a>!</div>
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That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-57035352397578032872013-07-22T11:20:00.001-06:002013-07-22T11:22:40.140-06:00Win Two Roundtrip Tickets Anywhere in the US! See How!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIObGkJrwWUTsqrGvF_Ig90ffvC39szt4ljDSudAqWWGdbmLcdA6iLMCpQchJxaeSVoAB3lAADDyU5NvWkHfF6_8HBNZfUDGhaJGEvz2AqLcw4xs8pJR_icPR1hcPZ087LC0VPZXlDEyn2/s1600/ID-100103634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIObGkJrwWUTsqrGvF_Ig90ffvC39szt4ljDSudAqWWGdbmLcdA6iLMCpQchJxaeSVoAB3lAADDyU5NvWkHfF6_8HBNZfUDGhaJGEvz2AqLcw4xs8pJR_icPR1hcPZ087LC0VPZXlDEyn2/s320/ID-100103634.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Whoever said there's "no such thing as a free lunch," well, they were wrong. Although technically, this isn't lunch - it's actually a much better deal!<br />
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Bestselling author Ramit Sethi, and writer on his site, "I Will Teach You To Be Rich," is giving away TWO roundtrip tickets for anywhere in the US!<br />
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Click on this link:<a href="http://awe.sm/cGQPe"> http://awe.sm/cGQPe</a>, and you can be entered to win the tickets. All he asks is that you tell where you would go if you won! This awesome opportunity will be over by August 5th, when he announces the winner!<br />
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Happy travels!<br />
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*Photo from freedigitalphotos.net, called, "Young Man Holding Globe" by stockimages<br />
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<b><span style="color: purple;">www.chicksthattrip.com</span></b></div>
That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-12846168047537138602013-07-20T10:10:00.000-06:002013-07-20T10:40:32.887-06:00Woman's Day vs. The Travel Agent Community<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6VQVUPt6uOtDVj5JMJiK_ombFcIjg7egh2fA0lH0s_JFq8Zv1TwbZ6WPjCc8SCU1HqkI4OcDth_Ge06zIlQqsUdrKthhm7IpD5ILri1Z-mzf8eUnx8F70EAP7M8MPxhVZZIJee5KLUViH/s1600/ID-100147922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6VQVUPt6uOtDVj5JMJiK_ombFcIjg7egh2fA0lH0s_JFq8Zv1TwbZ6WPjCc8SCU1HqkI4OcDth_Ge06zIlQqsUdrKthhm7IpD5ILri1Z-mzf8eUnx8F70EAP7M8MPxhVZZIJee5KLUViH/s320/ID-100147922.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Woman's Day vs. The Travel Agent Community<br /><br /></b></div>
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I took a few days to decide if I wanted to jump into the fray surrounding the controversial article that was written a few days ago by Woman's Day magazine titled, <i>"<strike>10</strike> 9 Things Travel Agents Won't Tell You." </i>Notice, I crossed out the 10 and changed it to 9, because throughout the past few days, the piece that was originally written (with outrageous <b>misinformation</b>) has been changed numerous times; therefore, I've lost track of what the original article even stated, but the non-edited version is still floating around somewhere on yahoo.com. I'm sure you can find it if you are so inclined.<br />
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Back in April I wrote a piece,<i> <a href="http://chicksthattrip-lobbybarconfessions.blogspot.com/2013/04/whats-in-it-for-me-when-working-with.html">"What's In It For Me When Working With A Travel Professional,"</a></i>, in that piece, I pointed out some benefits of working with a travel professional. I read the Woman's Day piece with much chagrin, because they pretty much trashed the travel agent community as a whole, but rest assured, the travel community took notice, and not just the agents, but numerous travel organizations like <a href="http://www.asta.org/News/PRDetail.cfm?itemnumber=10646">ASTA</a>, as well as some of the heavy hitters in the supplier community like <a href="http://www.applevacationsblog.com/2013/07/apple-vacations-suggests-you-ask-an-agent/">Apple Vacations</a>. There were so many comments posted on the Woman's Day piece, as well as on their twitter account, that it was rumored that a lot of the comments had been deleted. Curious. Now that has me scratching my head.<br />
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Of course, I may be biased since I am a travel professional, and I take my work very seriously; especially when clients are forking out a few thousand dollars on a vacation, because it is my goal and soul desire to ensure they have the best experience they possibly can - with zero to few problems. While I can't guarantee there won't be issues during a clients travels; I can help to alleviate some of those issues, and essentially put those issues on my shoulders and make sure they are handled as expeditiously as possible, and hopefully in my clients favor.<br />
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There are unscrupulous and unprofessional people in every industry, but they are typically the exception, not the rule. Unfortunately, it is the negative or controversial items that seem to get legs and run away; versus the positive stories. My final comment is that while the piece that Woman's Day wrote was clearly negatively slanted, it was refreshing to see so many organizations and clients of travel professionals, who bandied together to write comments and email the editor(s) of Woman's Day in support of the travel community...which, by the way isn't the dying breed that so many doomsayers have proclaimed it to be.<br />
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If you'd like to stay abreast of this continuing saga, check out Stephanie Lee's site, <a href="http://hostagencyreviews.com/what-the-womans-day-why-the-hate/">Host Agency Reviews</a>, which has links to most of the rebuttals to the controversial piece that was published by Woman's Day.</div>
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*Photo used from freedigitalphotos.net<br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><b>www.chicksthattrip.com</b></span></div>
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That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-65744815456764546592013-07-18T08:51:00.004-06:002013-07-18T09:34:15.347-06:00See Where Your Luggage is Traveling With Trakdot!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiC3fAjnSGHErb6mUIpV6UeUCyvzFmAg7Pj08yM7Q-RIBld4eqFTEBeG2WFn0JaZkryBXIxa2jGOq3GtW_A1CSG4PxHmLjIrL8_XgifJr-0lBvYZwfyQYsfwZki8nC4VFh1PBST0agSwDd/s1600/TRAKDOT+DEVICE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiC3fAjnSGHErb6mUIpV6UeUCyvzFmAg7Pj08yM7Q-RIBld4eqFTEBeG2WFn0JaZkryBXIxa2jGOq3GtW_A1CSG4PxHmLjIrL8_XgifJr-0lBvYZwfyQYsfwZki8nC4VFh1PBST0agSwDd/s320/TRAKDOT+DEVICE.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>See Where Your Luggage is Traveling With <a href="http://www.trakdot.com/TrakDot/index.jsp">Trakdot!</a></b></div>
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Have you ever been hit with the sense that your luggage may be having a better vacation than you? Probably not, but the point is, many of us have checked in luggage, and it has theoretically "disappeared." Sure, some of us <i>may</i> get that luggage back...maybe, but for those who have lost their luggage to the wild abyss of airline mishandling, <a href="http://www.trakdot.com/TrakDot/index.jsp">Trakdot</a> is a state of the art device that is placed inside of your luggage so that it can be tracked when it's not with you.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0LIFalJNy138KHJpGJRuc8vWpThTQeCKnTt2Cldp8bk_xE2i4BjsUKsmwggYgU8zirJli635jOTvsAswGbfDWw65zTaRTr8Kbj3wMAsAJwFcVbnM94yUMJj9a_-MXJTdiaqGylOcfj7O/s1600/Suitcase_with_Trackdot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0LIFalJNy138KHJpGJRuc8vWpThTQeCKnTt2Cldp8bk_xE2i4BjsUKsmwggYgU8zirJli635jOTvsAswGbfDWw65zTaRTr8Kbj3wMAsAJwFcVbnM94yUMJj9a_-MXJTdiaqGylOcfj7O/s200/Suitcase_with_Trackdot.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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It is described as:</div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">"</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">First-ever luggage positioning solution with worldwide location reporting keeps you connected to your valuables </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></i></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Place the palm-sized device in your luggage and it will send you a text with the location of your luggage as soon as you arrive</span></i></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Provides peace of mind over baggage and valuables, used advanced technology to track luggage anywhere in the world <span style="background: white;">from mobile phone or online</span></span></i></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Empowers you with the knowledge of your bag’s location, even if your bag does not arrive with you</span></i></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The lightweight design is built for travel and easy to use with a free app that works anywhere, no roaming fees</span></i></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Compatible with Android and Apple smartphones" </span></i></li>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">(*Information provided courtesy of <a href="http://www.trakdot.com/TrakDot/index.jsp">Trakdot</a>)</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">According to a February 12, 2013 press release issued by the Department of Transportation, it was stated that:</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">"</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>The U.S. carriers reporting flight delays and mishandled baggage data
posted a mishandled baggage rate of 4.15 reports per 1,000 passengers in
December, up from both December 2011’s rate of 3.22 and November 2012’s
rate of 2.64. "</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>(Press release number: DOT 15-3 "Airlines Report Lowest Mishandled Baggage Rate in 18 Years in 2012")</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Despite the fact that lost and/or mishandled luggage is down significantly over the past 20 years; there is still a significant amount of lost and/or mishandled luggage to date, not to mention the stress and time involved with getting that luggage returned, as well as the condition of that luggage once it has been returned. <a href="http://www.trakdot.com/TrakDot/index.jsp">Trakdot's</a> revolutionary tracking device and service can take some of the stress out of worrying about your luggage; especially for those frequent travelers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*<a href="http://www.trakdot.com/TrakDot/index.jsp">Trakdot </a>photo provided, courtesy of <a href="http://trackdot.com/">Trakdot.com</a> via Max Borges Agency; photo of suitcase provided by freedigitalphotos.net taken by Victor Habbick</span></i> </span><br />
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That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-46158593038702581402013-06-25T09:13:00.000-06:002013-06-26T10:01:36.935-06:00Saying Goodbye to Longtime Restaurant - Strings in Denver, CO<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7qUNEiUsSLb0axTtHBSQiSJORuvHDu2p14H9DyfRaFOcNX558F6K_rGbTtltcXmNI_opZZ7wMwVxbCw0Tw6gv3o63ctwxcL5o6Nf5lfTkS-cCE1pLTeHw-qJ3snpDRDHbHN4LQjaLOEK/s1600/Strings_RestaurantClosing_4.2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7qUNEiUsSLb0axTtHBSQiSJORuvHDu2p14H9DyfRaFOcNX558F6K_rGbTtltcXmNI_opZZ7wMwVxbCw0Tw6gv3o63ctwxcL5o6Nf5lfTkS-cCE1pLTeHw-qJ3snpDRDHbHN4LQjaLOEK/s320/Strings_RestaurantClosing_4.2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Saying Goodbye to Longtime Restaurant -</b></div>
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<b>Strings in Denver, CO</b></div>
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I attended a lunch in mid-April, right before the closing of a longtime favorite, <i>Strings</i>, closed on April 30, 2013.</div>
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This restaurant had been around for years. It was the place to go on special occasions, and was a favorite for those who lived in that community located by city park, and for those of us who lived a bit farther away.</div>
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The first time I ever went to <i>Strings</i>, I was in high school. One of my classmates parents' took us there for dinner. My friend and I felt so mature and grown up, because it was definitely a restaurant for adults. The the vibe was always laid back, and the decor and atmosphere were professional and well-maintained. They served delicious salads, steaks and fish dishes that were immaculately prepared, but never fussy.</div>
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As life progressed and I moved away from Colorado; I would still frequent this restaurant when I would come home during summer and winter breaks. Despite the saying, "you can never go back," that wasn't the case with <i>Strings</i>; regardless of the change of time and age, it was always a place that I could go to and enjoy myself and reminisce on "the good old days."</div>
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When I moved back to Colorado a few years ago, I attended an event that was hosted by the Aruba Tourism Board, at <i>Strings</i>. I hadn't been there in several years, but the moment I stepped through the door it was as if I was that young girl in high school again.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9u2L3GwTKEycEIXJ9rcOuQjhE-OJosNGB46UqSEpZOPrvVZV4EXZS0_p2BIM8czsKNeH1ROrTGr0PFShNd2a3vloSm5iciG-9cYV329bJwRQefOK9h-WBflBh4VOD0GdUR-qy7BqPW9M9/s1600/Strings_Beef_Salad.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9u2L3GwTKEycEIXJ9rcOuQjhE-OJosNGB46UqSEpZOPrvVZV4EXZS0_p2BIM8czsKNeH1ROrTGr0PFShNd2a3vloSm5iciG-9cYV329bJwRQefOK9h-WBflBh4VOD0GdUR-qy7BqPW9M9/s200/Strings_Beef_Salad.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steak salad @ Strings Restaurant</td></tr>
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My last visit was a luncheon being held by a family member, Lucy Walker, of <i>Eden Theatrical Workshop</i>. Lucy has been a part of the community even longer than <i>Strings</i>; however, given its close proximity (walking distance) from <i>Eden Theatrical Workshop</i>,<i> </i>Lucy had been a long time guest of <i>Strings</i>, so it was apropos that Lucy would so graciously hold a final luncheon there, to say goodbye to a favorite neighborhood restaurant.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*photos taken by That Chick Té</span></i></div>
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That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-85710043296807489202013-06-21T08:32:00.002-06:002013-06-22T13:05:29.006-06:00Fright of Flight!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Fright of Flight!</b></div>
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With that title, I'm sure you are expecting me to be talking about the flying experience - but I'm not; it's actually about all of the fees being raised and instituted by the major airline carriers.</div>
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I am all for businesses making money, because there is a cost to doing business; however, some of these fees are getting ridiculous. In late April of this year, several airlines increased their change fees to $200-250 (<i>this is for non-refundable tickets</i>). That's per person, so a family of four would be looking at a minimum of $800-$1000 if they had to change their flight. Also, just to be clear, this fee is<b> ONLY</b> for changing your ticket, that is not taking into consideration if there was a change in your flight costs. </div>
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<b>Example:</b></div>
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Sarah is taking her daughter to New York to celebrate her 16th birthday. She's worked with her travel professional and provided all of the date information and booked and paid for the vacation six months in advance. Later, Sarah finds out a month prior to her trip that she needs to change their flights because she has a work obligation that she can not get out of, so they need to depart a day later.<br />
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The initial price of her round-trip tickets per person were $350 dollars; however, the price of that flight has shot up to $500 dollars. Not only does Sarah need to pay the difference in the price increase of $150 per person (which will be $300), but she will also be paying a change fee as well. If her flight was booked with one of the carriers that charges $200 per person, then she will be paying $400 to change her and her daughter's tickets. The total price she will be paying additionally out-of-pocket will be $700. I don't know about you, but that's a lot of money!</div>
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Sadly, it's all about "follow the leader." If one carrier sees that a major carrier has increased their fees; rest assured, many others will be following suit. </div>
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<b>Quick tips to possibly alleviate this issue:</b></div>
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<li>Make sure your dates of travel are set, and there are no potential conflicts that may make you have to change your dates. Yes, things do come up, but the better prepared you are, the better off you will be.</li>
<li>Double and even triple check all documents you receive to ensure the dates of travel are correct, because if there is an error and it's not caught prior to purchase (or with some carriers, within twenty-four hours), you could be in for a rude awakening when you are hit with a change fee because you need to make a correction.</li>
<li>In some cases, the purchasing of travel insurance can help defray some of the costs of non-refundable payments that have been paid. This is a case-by-case situation, but is definitely worth considering and looking in to when you are planning your travels.</li>
<li>Finally, cross your fingers and hope for the best. Ok, ok, I know that's probably not the best tip, but hey, it's true! Many things happen that are out of our control. </li>
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The site, <a href="http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/">www.airfarewatchdog.com</a>, is good about updating information in respect to most of the major carriers and their fee schedules. I've only scraped the tip of the iceberg on all of the fees that can be potentially assessed, so if you want more information, you can check out their site. Their last update was on May 1, 2013 (as of today).<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Photo used from freedigitalphotos.net</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><b>www.chicksthattrip.com</b></span></div>
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That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-46400304066315495932013-06-06T14:31:00.005-06:002013-09-05T08:02:39.086-06:00Travel Tips Learned from Game of Thrones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Travel Tips Learned from <i>Game of Thrones</i></b></div>
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I will gladly admit that I've succumbed to reading George R.R. Martin's, <i>A Song of Fire and Ice</i> series, starting with, <i>A Game of Thrones</i>. Masterfully written (well, at least books 1-3), and entertaining; the entire process by which Mr. Martin must have taken to put together these tome's is exhausting to imagine, and also quite inspirational and impressive.<br />
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While reading this series, I was struck by the many lessons that were being taught that could so clearly be connected with traveling. Alright, I can see you sitting there scratching your head saying, "How can some mythical world have anything to do with travel?" Well, let me lay out a few items that I can easily relate to travel:</div>
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<li><b>You're going to get lost. Keep a map. </b>Throughout the characters' various journeys both by land and sea; they would get lost. Granted, they somehow always seemed to get back on track, but as one character pointed out (paraphrasing, and no spoilers here), "How can we know <i>which</i> lake we are too follow? And how do we even know this is the right one?" Keeping a map and/or GDS system handy is key. Whether you are traveling near or abroad, having reliable directions will be the difference between a wonderful vacation versus one fraught with aggravation.</li>
<li><b>Do a bit of research on your destination prior to arrival.</b> Countless characters throughout this series had limited or faulty information about the destinations they were traveling too (and trust me, there is a LOT of movement throughout this series). What seemed like it would be a divine place to go; oftentimes turned out to be (figuratively speaking) one of the seven circles of hell. While some characters believed they were traveling to destinations brimming with food, opportunity and safety; more often than not, their "dream" destination turned out to be a nightmare. The lesson here: don't just believe what you hear from one person, do a bit of your own research.</li>
<li><b>Be open to eating different and unique foods. </b>Hmmm, this is a bit dicey because there were a lot of the meals described in the series that I just was not keen on (can we say, horse heart anyone). Suffice to say, there were also quite a few of the meals described, that actually sounded delicious. Several of the wedding dinners and large gathering meals that were described didn't seem altogether bad. There were some detailed descriptions of pies, meats and desserts that were elaborate, and my imagination was able to take over. And, lest not forget the wines. It would appear that no one was without some (weak or strong) ale and/or wine to wash down any of their meals. The lesson here: it may sound trite, but it's true, be open to experiencing something different that you wouldn't ordinarily eat. While fried grubs may not be high on your list of foods to eat, you may be surprised and find out...hey, they do taste like chicken!</li>
<li><b>Pack light. (Or you'll lose it.)</b> I think this one is self-explanatory, but always bears repeating. When you are traveling by horseback and carriage, it's easy to see how some items will be lost along the way. It just works out that way. What seems like a good idea to pack on day one, turns out to be a nightmare and pain to drag around by day twenty. Fortunately, this is the twenty-first century, so it's not <i>quite</i> that bad (although, many who travel via the airlines on a frequent basis may disagree). Regardless, less is definitely more. Many hotels have on-site dry cleaners and laundry facilities so there is no reason to pack everything you've ever owned. Also, as I learned at a young age when camping; if you pack something that you don't want to carry for about 10 miles on your back, leave it at home unless it's absolutely necessary.</li>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Photo from "Fresh Crown Of Thorns" by Iamnee; provided by freedigitalphotos.net</span></i></div>
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That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-27444112426000599862013-05-29T09:42:00.001-06:002013-05-29T09:42:02.315-06:00Grooving Into the Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Grooving Into the Summer</b></div>
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All times of year are beautiful, but there is a <b>heightened anticipation for Summer</b>, because it is a time of frolicking, fun, and sunshine. The enjoyment is made even better by lazy afternoons languishing in a pool; chilling at a BBQ, or simply lying in the grass or at the beach.</div>
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For me, <b>Summer kicks off a lot of wonderful smooth jazz concerts</b>, and one of the top-notch concert series is held at the <a href="http://www.thorntonwine.com/">Thornton Winery</a>, in Temecula, CA. The winery is host to some of the top talent in the smooth jazz industry, from Brian Culbertson, to Boney James (both are two of my ULTIMATE favorites to see in concert). </div>
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This year is no exception, as they will be hosting the likes of Jonathan Butler, Dave Koz, Hiroshima, David Sanborn, Bob James...the list is jam packed with primo talent, and lest I forget <a href="http://jessyj.com/">Jessy J</a> (a USC Alum, like myself); an incredible saxophonist that has busted onto the scene with a vengeance (if you haven't heard of her, you need to check her out; especially one of my favorite songs by her, <i>"Tequila Moon."</i>)</div>
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<b>Here's to a wonderful Summer of great music, food and (of course) wine!</b></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*photo provided by "Music World In Abstract Background " by jscreationzs from freedigitalphotos.net</span></i></div>
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That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101066417120605161.post-6967010067842888172013-05-11T10:22:00.001-06:002013-05-29T09:47:33.945-06:00New Book Release: Into Wine by Olivier Magny<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>New Book Release: Into Wine by Olivier Magny</b></div>
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Last August I wrote about the opening of a new wine bar in Paris called, <a href="http://chicksthattrip-lobbybarconfessions.blogspot.com/2012/08/french-wine-bar-o-chateau.html">Ô Chateau</a>. I met co-owner, Olivier, on a trip to Paris when he still held wine tastings in his flat...ohh, la, la. Now, he's big time, and not only does he have a wine bar to add to his list of accomplishments, but he's also released yet another book titled, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Into-Wine-Invitation-Olivier-Magny/dp/0615658431/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368020691&sr=1-1&keywords=into+wine"><u>Into Wine.</u></a><br />
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As an added enticement to purchase his book, he has an offer (which sadly will only last until Sunday, May 12, 2013), just in time for Mother's Day. The details follow:<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span>Get a copy of <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bPkcLmhCwWFHb9l5hx3s-TkWzsyp13IZHwOzrBDqeEmmHw5F7BS8gFhlpO72f6XoWK1_aPD1hSzeMrZrcEg1P_bGeAvlFw4AHRWt5cfyk1TFomszFRbVnK4M6Q-RMrlQWiEczI9zGfUc8_rzH3-tvD8tL9nSHnFrGSdMm_zGGO3IkEhPD33ebuiBEI_6xfiBu1GbRxSiLrEs5NHW6_X9rPKqgpTpAqwbsbOKi5EUnx28CCoKkPALcZh4md703iC33YK9m9rR1M2VFJW4xTFNutMpU4p8eAqfnLO1mQrJUoD0STIVkL1UKw==" shape="rect" style="color: #262626; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Into Wine</a> on Amazon... </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">...and receive $349 in FREE gifts</span> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><b>Gifts include:</b></span></div>
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- <span style="font-size: 9pt;">Free premium access to HD wine videos, </span></div>
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- The list of the 50 best Food & Wine destinations in Paris, from the author of 'Stuff Parisians Like'</div>
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- A discount code giving you 10% off on any purchase on O Chateau's site.</div>
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- The list of my favorite (and best value) wineries worldwide</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 9pt;">- The full presentation of my "History of wine class"</span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 9pt;"><i>This offer is only valid until <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_190615002" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Sunday</span></span></i></span></div>
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To take advantage of this offer: <br />
simply email your Amazon receipt to <a href="mailto:misterwinetasting@gmail.com" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">misterwinetasting@gmail.com</a></div>
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Click on the following <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Into-Wine-Invitation-Olivier-Magny/dp/0615658431/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368020691&sr=1-1&keywords=into+wine"><u>Into Wine,</u> </a>and you will be taken to the Amazon page to purchase his book. Don't miss out on this spectacular opportunity to obtain $349 in FREE gifts just by purchasing what will be an incredible read; with plenty of wine information, and spiced with Olivier's cheeky personality.<br />
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Cheers!<br />
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p.s. I do not get any compensation for referring his book. I just like Olivier and want to help spread the word about his wonderful wine bar and his new wine book.<br />
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p.s.s. I purchased a copy too!<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*photo provided by "Glasses Of Champagne" by Rosen Georgiev </span></i><br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><b>www.chicksthattrip.com</b></span></div>
<br />That Chick Téhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556671350594480244noreply@blogger.com0