All New ChoiceHotels.com is Stellar!
As you know, travel is a big part of my job. Huge part. It’s not that my gig is all about travel, but when in sales, and working for an old company that still believes in the value of face to face contact, well, you travel. And I’m happy with my job, the travel, new places to see and stay. Great food to eat. All the above.
What’s less than satisfying, sometimes, however is the tools that travelers like myself are sometimes forced to use to allow us to do our jobs. Currently I have at least a dozen different rewards programs for airlines, hotel chains, car rental places and various others. When I started oh so long ago, I was told this would be one of those “off the books” perks. At first I didn’t put much effort into it, but then I got wise.
One of the programs I tend to use a lot, and get rewarded for a lot is my Choice Privileges account. Not sure how long I’ve been using it, but seems like forever. As such, when I’m booking my travel for the month, they are one of the first links that I go to in order to see if they have the best deals for when and where I’m staying.
Just this morning I thought I’d get a jump on some of my scheduling for next month and headed over to the Choice Hotels website.
Wow! Apparently they did a complete site redesign and boy does it pop. I guess the best way to describe it is that things are much more refined, and cleaner. Not sure if “de-cluttered” is an actual word, but that’s sort of the feel I get now when I hit their home page.
The only thing I’m not wild about is the large banner just under the top navigation and search bar at the top of the page. I’m guessing, though, that this will either get smaller or go away after the “new site is here” time has passed.
I think my favorite feature on the home page is that they have placed the find hotels search right up near the top of the page. It feels clean, orderly and has less distracting links. Now, as I’m doing my searching for the various legs of my trips, I’m able to get right to the results.
Like I mentioned earlier, often times the tools make or break the sense that this type of work is great or just blah. I feel confident that the new Choice Hotels redesign will push me towards feeling great about my work. Give it a try for your next trip and then let me know in the comments how you feel about it.
Can’t wait to hear from you soon!
In My Downtown Denver Hotel but Remembering Dallas!
If you are following along with any regularity (apparently you can subscribe using that RSS thing if you do the feed reader stuff. I don’t, but maybe I should?) you know that I was in Dallas, TX over the weekend.
I may be comfy and cozy right now in my nice Downtown Denver hotel, but this past weekend was crazy! After my incredible meal at the Cafe Brazil (I wrote something about that a few days ago) I got a call from a cousin that I grew up with.
Danny lives in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, though the last time I heard from him he was about to board a plane for Stuttgart. That was like 6 years ago. I come to find out that his Mom was talking to my Mom (yeah, I guess that makes them sisters 
) and my Mother shared that I was doing a lot of traveling now. She must have mentioned this new web site thing, because he said that’s how he found me.
Anyway, I got his call right as I was getting back to my Dallas suite and given that it was the weekend, he came over for a catch up session.
We must have stayed up most of the night, but catching up was so worth the lack of sleep. On his way out early that morning he asked if I’d any plans for the weekend.
“Nope”
Well, we first had a late lunch the next day at Steuben’s, which was fantastic. I really didn’t think I’d be eating for a week after the Cafe Brazil experience, but I did. It was good. Very good.
Then we planned for an evening at the American Airlines Center where we watched the Mavericks take on the Oklahoma City Thunder. I’m only a marginal basketball fan, but being in any live audience for an event has a lot of energy and fun. Oh, Mark Cuban’s quality beer vending helps that a lot as well!
And we were right back at that very stadium the next night to watch the Stars take on the Detroit Red Wings. I’ve never been to a professional hockey match before. Have you? I can tell you this. Even if you could care less about the sport (me) you will massively enjoy the experience.
Not really sure why Danny likes it so much, but he’s a Stars season ticket holder. Clearly he likes it a lot!
Being a long time OutKast fan, when my cousin mentioned he knew a guy in security at the House of Blues, we headed right over after hockey to catch the last sets of Goodie Mob!
Still trying to pull myself together, but what a great time hanging out with Danny again after so many years. Great, great time!
Get in My Belly, Cafe Brazil!
Clearly I talk about food a lot in my little web site here. If that offends you, I’m really sorry. My apologies. But when you travel as much as I do, you need to have hobbies. Eating just happens to be one of mine.
When I’m home, I cook for myself. When I’m not eating pizza all weekend of course 
So, it’s more than just stuffing industrialized, overly processed food stuffs in my gullet in order to fill up my belly (side note: for some strange reason, when I typed that last line I was speaking in the Fat guy character from the Austin Powers Movies “Get in my belly!” Not sure why that cracks me up )
Anyway, I was saying that I like eating. Very much have enjoyed taking up cooking and actually try to do some amount of my own food preparation when I am out on the road. Usually I find that the kitchenettes in the extended suites help in this regard quite a bit. My place here at the Comfort Suites DFW airport hotel has a nice little cook place with all the tools and whatnot as well.
But, I don’t think I’m going to get to use the facilities in my room during this trip because some of my clients are taking me out to this place: Café Brazil!!
Oh, yeah, baby. Have you been to these types of restaurants before? They are the ones where the food servers are ripping around the tables carrying large skewers of meat, chicken, lamb, etc. You have large medallion coin with green on one side and red on the other in front of your plate.
As long as you have the green side facing up, when they come by, they’ll carve you off a slab of whatever they have and serve it up right there, right now. It’s the best kind of place I’ve ever eaten at.
Not sure about this place but, other’s I’ve been to in the past have amazing buffet tables filled with just every imaginable fruit, vegetable and the widest variety of side dishes as well. Oh, my!
Please, some one roll me out and get me back to my bed after this meal. The things we have to do to make our clients happy 
What to do in Roanoke, VA?
Just arrived into Roanoke, VA. I’ve never been here before so, I’ll have to do some research online in order to figure out what to do with my off work time. I will say that my room at the Extended Stay Roanoke is just fabulous. You know how crappy it can feel when you travel all day long, check in at your hotel with a really nice lobby, and then get to a less than spectacular room.
It is just the absolute worst thing. Well, that definitely didn’t happen this time. I have plenty of space for laying out my laptop and other work papers. There’s a lovely view from the small patio balcony. And being a non-smoking room, I have just the most pleasant, lovely non smoke smelling place. This always makes me happy!
Going to go check out what I should do for the night and report back here before I submit this post to the site. BRB!
Whoa! Have you ever heard of this site 10Best.com: Trusted Advice for Travelers? Wow, what an amazing resource they are offering.
I was just doing a general google search on “Things to do in Roanoke, VA” and this site was one of the top results. Amazing. I love the Internet and all the knowledge and information that it holds. Better, of course is when you can find such clear, succinct answers to your questions. I guess the search engines are getting better that way.
Anyhow, I’m going to do some deep diving into the Roanoke pages on 10Best.com and will share my adventures with you tomorrow.
Views From the Empire State Building
What a rush it was just to be up there. Hope these shots help to convey what I was feeling up there. Enjoy!!
While it was cold for most of the day (under 30 degrees!) there were no clouds, just clean, clear sunshine. I fully understand why people love New York City!
The Great Thing About Saturday Travel
Even though most travel experts will tell you that the best days for flying anywhere in the U.S. are Monday through Friday, I have to wonder if they are not just buying into the Airlines marketing hoopla. You know as well as I do that most air fares that don’t include a Saturday night stay are higher priced. So, of course, they are going to be more expensive and higher trafficked.
In my years of experience, however, I always try to schedule flights on Saturdays because it just “feels” like the easiest day to travel. Maybe that’s because everyone is “staying over night” on Saturday and not actually flying that much? Who knows. Of course long weekends make Sundays nice to fly as well, but even generally speaking, I like Saturday over the other six days in the week.
I’ve just checked in online at both the airline as well as my Comfort Inn JFK Airport Hotel, so all that is taken care of. Even though I’ll be into the NYC area late afternoon, I’m excited to have no business responsibilities for all of Saturday night and the entire day Sunday! Woo Hoo!
Many years ago, before 9/11 occurred I flew into JFK and was picked up by my brother. It was late at night and we were driving back to his home in Connecticut for my stay that trip. But being ever adventurous, we decided to drive around Manhattan for a bit that evening.
The only two things I remember vividly was the Pad Thai we ate (somewhere. That part I don’t remember!) and driving down the street right next to the World Trade Center. I mean, we actually stopped right at the side of the building and looked up through the open sun roof.
We didn’t have a camera with us, and this was really before cell phones all had them built in, so no lasting physical memories. But let me tell you: I can still see that vision clearly in my mind. Those buildings were amazing. I only wish I’d had the chance to see the view from the top of one of those towers.
So, on Sunday, I totally plan on taking the time, standing in line and going to the top of the Empire State Building. And now that I’m an “expert” (yeah, it’s in quotes, so you know what that really means ) with taking pictures from my phone. I’ll do my best to post a pic or two from the top of the ESB.
Wish me luck. And don’t look down!
Deep Dish Dining Delight
Wow! How great does that look? I ended up taking a ton of pictures with my BB Storm while I was in the restaurant but only the ones of the food on my plate actually seem to be exposed correctly.
It took me a while to figure out that the easiest way to get the photos off the phone and onto my computer was to just email them. I actually hadn’t done that before, so it took me a while, however I finally figured it out.
If there’s a better, easier, faster more technically correct way to take pics with your phone and then get them onto the web site I am all ears. Don’t be afraid to hurt my technically challenged self if you have the right way I should do it.
Anyway, there you go. I was able to have some amazing deep dish pizza and share the photo of it with you. Have to say, however that only sharing with you the visual aspect of that meal is almost criminal. The flavors were AMAZING!
Muwahahahaha!! Have a good weekend!
From My Midway Airport Hotel to the Nearest Pizzeria Uno
After finally having made it from the airport to the Sleep Inn Midway Airport Hotel, I have to find something yummy to eat. It’s still early in the evening, as I sit here in my room, however, room service just isn’t that appealing.
Even given the falling temperatures outside, I just have the yearning to get out and move around. Probably as a result of sitting on the plane while they fixed flat tires and who knows whatever else.
Normally, I like to save pizza meals for the weekend. Do you do this as well? I’ll buy the super deluxe, jumbo large everything plus kitchen sink special pizza from my local place. Unless buddies come over for the games on Saturday or Sunday, that one pie purchase makes it through till lunch time on Monday!
Really, it does. I mean, come on. Who is not a fan of French pressed French Roast coffee and cold pizza in the morning? Oh, yeah!
But it’s not Friday and I’m not at home. However, when you’re in Chicago there are just some foods you HAVE to eat during your visit. Pizza usually tops most folks list (it certainly tops mine!), followed by Chicago style dogs (love those hot peppers. Yumbo!!). Steak houses are also big here from what friends and business associates tell me.
Pizza it will be however. There’s nothing better than Chicago deep dish pizza (when you’re in Chicago. I might be saying something different when I hit NYC And I’ve always want to go to Pizzeria Uno, so that’s exactly what I’m going to do!
I need to get out of here now. I’ll try to take a picture of my feast (if I can figure out how to get a photo from my phone to the website. Don’t count on it, but hey, miracles do happen!)
Catch you later.
3 Traveling Items I’m Never without During Winter
Just some quick thoughts that occurred to me once we were finally allowed off the plane at Midway Airport. I make sure I never travel without these items during the cold months leading up to and just after winter the winter months.
- Gloves: not those big mitten sized ones. Even just the thin little slip ons will suffice. When you get off the plane, like I did earlier, here in Chicago and there are snow flurries and a low of 23 degrees, you need something to cover the skin on your hands. If not, they are chapped, freezing and pretty much useless
- Knit cap: pretty much the same reasons as having the gloves. At worst, you need to be able to cover your ears. While it’s not extremely windy now, it is cold. And if it were windy, my ears would fall off my head!
- Sweater or thin wind breaker: I prefer the wind breaker simply because of bulk. They roll up easy and can fit nicely into a pocket of a carry on (never put them into your checked luggage. By the time you get them out, you’ll be a frozen solid block of ice!)
From Red Eye to Flat Tire. UGH!
The red eye flight from John Wayne Airport (love they named their facility after The Duke!) to Midway just landed, but they’re telling us we won’t be able to “deplane” (is that really a word) for some unforeseen amount of time. I gather there are some challenges with the wheels of the plane, and now that we’re on the ground, actually moving this vehicle is somewhat less than feasible.
Ugh!
I know I use that silly word a lot, but sometimes I actually catch myself uttering “UGH!” out loud. I know, silly. But after an all night flight to sit in a plane at the destination is just no fun at all.
What was fun, however was the time I got to spend with my long, lost friend Nicole. Oh, nothing torrid and unconventional, mind you. Like I’d recount that stuff here
Actually it was really nice to reconnect with an old college mate and get caught up on both our lives. Kind of like the high school reunion meet up without the high school reunion going on around you!
Oh, getting the word we’re able to move now so I’ll sign off and get this posted later today sometime. And I’ll think about telling you all the fun we had in the evenings when I was not working the booth at the convention.
Maybe
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Who Am I?
Just a fellow business traveler who's been hopping from city to city across the country for years now!