Life is a Journey…

“Life is a journey that must be traveled no matter how bad the roads and accommodations.” ~Oliver Goldsmith

Life is a journey… and birthdays are a time for rejoicing, reminiscing and reflection. Each year I step back, look at what the year brought me – the rewards, the mistakes, the opportunities – and  look ahead to the new year. I have my good friend The Missus read my numerology report and provide me with some thoughts for looking ahead.

According to the legend of numerology, starting Saturday I’ll be in Year 3, which I’m told is a very social year. Year 3, she says, is where all my hard work will pay off. It’s about forward movement in my career and my personal life. Doors will open, and some doors will shut, but the doors I choose to walk through will be ones that pave the way for the year.

As my birthday approaches, I’ve reflected on the past year look and I look ahead into the new year. This year, I’ve embraced my lux side, and I’ve loved every minute of it. Continue Reading…

Investing in Your Lux Side

Can money buy happiness? The answer is personal, but for the purpose of this blog post the answer is a resounding “YES!” Women’s Health Magazine offered their top five ways to buy yourself a good mood, and the concept got me thinking – what are some of the best luxury items you can indulge in to add a little happiness to the close of a long week?

While we don’t need to spend money we don’t have, it’s OK to splurge on ourselves once in a while. Take a moment to invest in your luxurious self with these simple luxuries:

70 Park Avenue Hotel room

Stay overnight at a lux hotel: Who said you have to leave town to get a vacation? Sometimes getting away just isn’t that easy, so consider staying one night in your hometown, outside of your own bedroom. Hotels are hosting major sales these days. Check out the rates at your local Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Kimpton or W Hotels. Chances are, the room rate is equal to dinner and drinks with friends on a Saturday night.

Treat yourself to the spa: Spa Week is coming up, which means 50% off spa treatments. Enjoy a lavender-infused massage or champagne facial from one your favorite spas. Get there early and enjoy a steam, sauna or just lounging around in one of the spa robes. If you miss Spa Week, contact your favorite place in your city and ask what promotions they’re offering – it’s likely you’ll get a steal on a mid-day appointment. Continue Reading…

Summer in the City: North End Nights

Summer nights sizzle in Boston. The city oozes with heat as people crowd the streets in the North End.

Friends congregate on the corner of Parmenter and Salem streets to plan out their next destination for the night. Parents hold tightly to their kids; kids hold tightly to their ice cream cones and Italian ices. Couples are unfazed by the drips of sweat that trickle through their entwined hands.

Cell phones sing in the background of the neighborhood band, which presents the Lady Madonna as she’s carried through the streets. People crowd the statue to add their dollar bill to the Society.

Scene: North End Fisherman's Feast

Sausages and peppers sizzle on the portable grill. Mike’s Pastry welcomes a long line of tourists eager to get their hands on a cannoli or almond cookie. The sounds of carnival games get louder as the night gets longer. We slowly make our way down Hanover Street to check out the buzz, weaving our way through the hundreds of people who flock to the feasts. The not-quite-teen-not-quite-adult boys stand perched in a corner, eying the the newcomers to the area and wondering which of the young ladies might be back next weekend for another feast. I love watching the excitement on the faces of little kids the first time they knock down all the soda bottles and get a prize, and the proud expressions on the faces of elderly residents who have been part of the feasts for 50 or more years. Continue Reading…

Simple Luxury: Style on a Budget

Avenue des Champs-Élysées

Everyone wants a little luxury in their life. From food to clothes to travel, there’s room for luxury in everyone’s life, but what you spend on luxury is what dictates your ‘luxury status’. I live by a “simple luxury” motto: I set a realistic budget for what I want, and get the most out of what I have to spend. This is most important when it comes to travel.

I travel on average once every six to eight weeks and my destinations span the globe. But I’m a picky traveler – I’ve earned my wings and I enjoy a little hotel luxury, an upgrade to first class, and a spa treatment when I have time. I get asked on a regular basis, “How do you travel without breaking the bank?” The answer is simple: know what you want, and ask for it. Here a few of my simple luxury travel tips that any traveler can put into practice:

Set a realistic budget. Cheap flights and hotel deals are better than they’ve been in years. But, if you set your budget to reflect the prices from six months to one year ago (when travel deals were still lower than market) then you’ll be pleasantly surprised with what you can afford and it’s likely you’ll come in below your set budget. Continue Reading…

The Gift of Eunice

I remember the first day I volunteered with the Special Olympics. It was in high school and I coached track for the 8-10 year olds. The kids were inspiring… full of hope and excitement. Nearly two decades later, I remember the feeling I had when I handed one athlete a medal. He was so proud.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver, 1921–2009

Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s passing reminds us all that hope, hard work and a little faith can turn obstacles into miracles. While her brothers, John, Bobby, and Teddy, all tackled politics, Eunice tackled people. She lent a hand to those who had no strength and made them heroes. John F. Kennedy once said he feared seeing Eunice in the White House because ’she always had an agenda.’ Thankfully, her agenda was heard.

I remember just a few years ago helping out the Special Olympics in Boston. I made sure each of the athletes had enough water, enough food and enough fun to carry them through their day. The reality is that they didn’t need any of the handouts from the table — they were given a gift from Eunice a long time ago, and every year the Special Olympians re-open their gift and make their patron Saint very proud.

When Eunice Kennedy Shriver passed on Aug. 11, 2009, a silence fell over the people she gave a voice to, but her legacy lives on in all who maintain their dreams.

“You are the stars and the world is watching you. By your presence you send a message to every village, every city, every nation. A message of hope. A message of victory.” ~ Eunice Kennedy Shriver

Hotel Customer Service: 10 Ways to Boost Loyalty

Building Loyalty

Here’s a friendly hint for hotels: Loyalty is your best defense against bad reviews.

How can you generate loyalty and retain repeat guests? Simple: roll out the red carpet of customer service. There’s nothing more frustrating for a traveler than a rude receptionist, unfriendly concierge, or inattentive booking agent. Your clients pay money to stay with you and in this day and age, no one wants to see their money go to waste with a bad experience that could have been avoided. The end result can be everything from bad online reviews to bad press, and when it’s all said and done, there’s little you can do to rectify a bad situation after it’s happened. But there’s good news! There are very simple things you can do to prevent a bad experience from happening. Continue Reading…