I often report what it’s like to be me on a typical day – – – in Myanmar … or Baja … or Havana. But I don’t often share about a typical day when I’m in the office.

Truth is – I’m still traveling in my mind and my imagination. Which can be every bit as glorious (and the jet leg is not nearly as challenging!)!

This was my Wednesday in Woodland Hills:

It’s 10:10am and three guests have arrived for their scheduled appointment with my VP, Gabriel Haigazian, and me. Two are representatives from DMCs (destination management companies) and the third is the person who represents an entire portfolio of worldwide DMCs.

[A note about DMCs: These in-country resources are invaluable partners which help us design and deliver the extraordinarily creative programs for which we’re known. There’s no way we could possibly know everything about a particular destination. We rely on our DMC partners to clue us in to the best possible restaurants, private party venues, activities, guides, entertainment, and other unique and unforgettable attractions in their region that meet our criteria for group size, interest and budget. In the process of collaborating, we become great friends, as I’ve previously blogged about regarding my relationship with my Irish DMC.]

Pierre is a handsome and charming Frenchman (really, is there any other kind of Frenchman?) representing a company called Raising Stones, with which we’ve done quite a bit of group business in the south of France. Surprisingly, this is his very first visit to California – about which he’s over-the-moon excited – since the temperatures in recent days have been in the 80s. Pierre is a surfer, and is looking forward to the weekend. I have no travel advice for him, except to suggest that he rent a convertible!

After our congenial small talk, he updated us about what’s new in the region, what’s hot and why we should keep the south of France top-of-mind for our incentive groups. He makes a compelling case with examples like these:

• A private party (reception or dinner) at the Princess Grace Academy of Dance
• Transporting guests in vintage limos (as we did for an incentive group last year) . . .
  

  A convoy of classic vintage Citroens jammed the courtyard of our hotel, with chauffeurs waiting to transport our guests to their gala dinner

Pierre and Gabriel reminisced how our clients (which had transferred from Sicily in a chartered jet) enjoyed the life of the rich and famous at the magnificent Hotel Cap Estel, a 28-room seafront villa which we had reserved exclusively for them. (Mind you, I was not involved in the operation of this particular program – but Gabriel was appropriately spoiled by the experience!)

The stunning Cap Estel luxury hotel in Eze, France.

At the conclusion of his sales presentation, we chatted about the origin of his company – which was founded in 2009 with a nucleus of people who were once with a legendary DMC named Lenny Spangberg that I hadn’t heard of in years. I remember working on proposals and programs with Lenny  in the early days of my career. It’s just another a reminder that I am an industry veteran (synonym: old timer).

[And that’s the truth, as CTP will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year. (Time to start planning the party, Andrew Johns!)]

The second presentation also brought back great memories. Sofia represents a company called Portugal Travel Team, with whom we’ve done lots of business over the years – though nothing recently. She fills us in on what’s new and hot in this lovely, cost-effective, often overlooked corner of Europe:

• New high-end boutique hotels have opened in Lisbon and in Porto, where the only option for a group I operated in 2008 was a better-than-average Sheraton. It wasn’t The Yeatman by a longshot!
• Sofia told us about a family-owned estate (quinta) near the medieval town of Obidos, where our group would be greeted by Grandma, given a tour of the winery by the Grand-Daughter who is also the sommelier and then served a delicious home-cooked lunch prepared by Mama. (Is it lunchtime yet?)
• In a bit of promising airline news, TAP Airlines, which had been government owned, sold 61% of its shares in late June to a pair of entrepreneurs, one of whom – David Neeleman – has owned several successful airline brands (JetBlue and Westjet among them). New planes, new routes, etc. are on the horizon for Portugal. A Wikipedia article includes this bit: Neelman has said that in the early years of JetBlue he always sat in the last row in a seat that did not recline, to demonstrate that “pleasing the customer was more important than pleasing the chief executive.”  That is a very good omen, I think, for the future of TAP Airlines!
• Portugal is one of the best values in all of Europe. Great history, culture, food, scenery, wine, golf – and, something that everyone is seeking these days: safety (knock on wood . . .)

After saying goodbye, I was in a Portuguese state of mind. On the window sill of my office, I noticed the lovely hand-painted blue-and-white tiles that had been gifted to me on my site inspection trip. I googled “Mariza,” cranked up the volume on my laptop and was transported by the soulful, sultry sounds of traditional fado music – unique to Portugal. And I savored the sweet taste of a vintage 1954 Maderia that I had cracked open on my 60th birthday.

Three of my favorite Portuguese things: hand-painted blue-and-white tiles; fado music by Mariza; and Maderia wine (the 1954 vintage was one of the finest!)

But, alas, it was Wednesday afternoon in Woodland Hills . . .

At 3pm, we received a group of hoteliers from Radisson Blu – and shared more conversation which ignited my inner travel bug and got me all juiced up to operate a program to these places:

• Prague . . . one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, where we learned that we could offer our clients a unique SWAT experience at a former Soviet military base; and we learned that dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant could be included in our budgets for only about €60 in the iconic restaurant of the historic Alcron Hotel, restored to its 1930s art deco splendor.

Authentic 30s-era glamour at the Alcron Restaurant

And I could not suppress some of my favorite memories of this magical city: catching a breathtaking first glimpse of the golden balls atop the Tyne Church in the Old Town Square on my very first visit in the dead of winter; and my total amusement when I saw the whimsical “Peeing Men” sculpture by the wickedly-creative sculptor, David Cerny.

Only a true artist could think up something this bizarre: The stream of water writes quotes from famous Prague residents. If the viewer sends a text to the number shown next to the sculptural grouping, the figures will “write” your text message.

Ahhh, yes – I’ve been transported to Prague . . . but there’s another destination on the table . . .

• Chicago

Chicago? Well, yes – it is a great town, but how am I supposed to be impressed with Chicago, after listening to Lenka’s inspired presentation of Prague? But I must commend the Group Sales Manager, Elayne, for doing an admirable job!

• The Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel is an impressive piece of progressive architecture in a city that’s become renown for world-class architecture. An 81-story tower with a wavy, undulating facade of irregularly-shaped balconies that offer stunning views, and serve as sun shades. (Did I mention it was designed by a female architect, Jeanne Gang?)
• I asked Elayne to suggest some novel and compelling things that we could include in a proposal for a place like Chicago – for which we don’t get a lot of specific requests. For our sports-oriented clients (which habitually request golf at Pebble Beach which is predictable and prohibitive!), she suggested that we could reserve a rooftop for a Cubs game at one of the houses overlooking legendary Wrigley Field.
  

  How fun would it be to reserve a rooftop overlook Wrigley Field for a Cubs game? (Beats Pebble Beach golf in my book!)

  After hearing more about Milan and Frankfurt, my whirlwind imaginary travels were complete for this particular Wednesday. How fun it is to travel … even in my imagination!

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  How about you – where have you gone off to in your imagination lately?