The Shannon Airport Has WiFi!
22 May 2007
I'm updating temporarily
until I can get home and say more about my great last
three days in Ireland. Stay tuned...
Images Of Doolin Proper
20 May 2007
coming soon
Driving To Doolin
20 May 2007
coming soon
Touring The Galway Coast
20 May 2007
coming soon
Last Night Out ~ Ashford Castle
19 May 2007
What an unbelievable end to an incredible conference... A procession into Ashford Castle, complete with bagpipe player and dancing waters. We collected for a cocktail party and then gathered in the main dining hall for an unbelievable four-course meal. Click here for a full tour of the evening.
The Editor Meet & Greet, Day Two
19 May 2007
Whirlwind schedule today,
with special apologies to Bruce at Via, who waited patiently for me
while I made it from the opposite side of the lobby
to the back corner of the g's upper level for our
meeting! My schedule was brimming with awesome
editors from:
- Islands
- Men's Journal
- Robb Report
- Via magazine (the AAA Travel Companion)
- Body + Soul
- Islands
- Men's Journal
- Robb Report
- Via magazine (the AAA Travel Companion)
- Body + Soul
Hotel Meyrick: big-screen TV, stage and dancing floor
18 May 2007
The tour bus ferried us (what
seemed like) 27 yards to our host hotel. Kicking
off with a cocktail party and a gaggle of parading
Elvises (I never thought I'd need Elvis in the
plural; is it Elvi?), we moved into the dinner
hall for a great dinner and lots of singing,
drinking and dancing.
Champ was served, the wine flowed, nuttiness ensued. Pictures here.
The View Outside Hotel Meyrick
18 May 2007
Off To Dinner
18 May 2007
The Editor Meet & Greet
18 May 2007
We had two panels this
morning, both of which spurred me to furious
notetaking. "Capitalizing on the Wellness Factor"
discussed how the growing desire for healthy lifestyles
is driving coverage; and "Travel Writing: Service vs.
Story," discussed when a longer narrative wins out over
providing a direct-connect between resource and reader.
The message of that last panel is that striking a
balance between the two is usually critical. As for the
former topic, I've been living that practice for quite
awhile (see previous entry on ESPA). For more, jump to the
Travel Classics
Agenda.
We're spending the afternoon in one-on-one meetings with some of the editors, which I'm looking forward to big time.
Today's Agenda:
- Portico Magazine
- Travel + Leisure
- Saveur
We're spending the afternoon in one-on-one meetings with some of the editors, which I'm looking forward to big time.
Today's Agenda:
- Portico Magazine
- Travel + Leisure
- Saveur
A Room With A Galway View
18 May 2007
Waiting For Registration
17 May 2007
Registration, reception
and dinner for Travel Classics
will start in a few
hours... Looking forward to meeting some cool new
people.
The Irish Blueprint For The Rest Of The World
17 May 2007
Bombings in
Gaza. Misery in Iraq. I feel lucky to be in
Ireland at a time of
peace. Is
the world paying attention?
Spa Treatment To End All
16 May 2007
OK so admittedly, I'm a complete
snob when it comes to spa treatments. Rightly
so... If you open yourself up to being pampered
(which more of us should do -- HELLO), then why
not expect the best? "ESPA" at the g hotel was by far the best experience
I've ever had. Here's why:
- The Thermal Suite included things like a warm eucalyptus shower; a huge sauna and steamroom; a gy-normous whirlpool with ergonomic underwater metal lounge chairs with multiple jets; two high-powered shower nozzles that looked like the neck of a swan, only made of steel; and finally, shaped radiant-heated loungers made of glass tile.
- ...all that was before the Pitta Pacifier, which is designed for people with sensitive skin and who are beaten up by hot weather. (I'm an Atlantan, after all, so that one made sense.) My goal was to reset myself after a long trip, and by God was it worth it. My only trouble was staying awake long enough the rest of the day so I could be a functioning human being the next morning. If you've not experienced a salt rub before, I highly recommend it.
- The spa day ended with me in what can only be described as a movie set -- contoured lounge chairs looking out of floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of 20-ft. tall bamboo shoots waving in the wind. Unbelievable. Soothing instrumental music played in the background while I snacked on nuts and fruit and sipped on bottled water.
I skulked back to my room and could hardly move...
Clip courtesy of The Homestead, a favorite destination of my parents in Virginia.
Number Synchronicity: Room 126 At The g
16 May 2007
Those of you who know me from my
high school days know why this is important...
Hint: brownstone address.
...And An Even Easier Drive To The g Hotel
16 May 2007
Note to vacationers in San Jose:
Driving on the left side of the street, through
narrow roads and crazy roundabouts (aka "Idiot
Circles") here in Ireland, is a *cakewalk*
compared to driving in that esteemed
Costa Rican town. The scenery was a skootch
better, too.
I can't wait to go out and play in the countryside. And... shoot some pictures.
An Easy Flight From The ATL To Shannon...
16 May 2007
The flight from Atlanta to
Shannon was easy breezy... I sat next to a guy
named (ironically) Matt who lives in Dunwoody with
his family. Works in insurance operations. Nice
chap, nice chat. The flight was over before I
could even pull out my TV monitor, and I managed
to not open my PowerBook the entire time! Someone
should call the media that I spent seven hours in
the air without making a single keystroke.