August 2014

 

 

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As Old Blue Eyes put it, “One day you turn around and it's summer, next day you turn around and it's fall.”  September is one of my favorite times to take a vacation.  Here is why it should be for you:

Sports at Their Best

There is no better time to visit your favorite ball parks than in September. You have the Major League Baseball Season wrapping up, providing some teams additional motivation to play harder and actually make the playoffs.  Or you’re the Texas Rangers. 

Football Season gets into the swing of things in September, too and as long as you aren’t in the NY metropolitan area, it is a really exciting time with high hopes and great expectations.  This is one of the few times when you can go to Wrigley Field on a Saturday and watch the Chicago Cubs and then head over to Soldier Field and catch a Bears game the next day.

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest started in Munich, Germany in 1810 as a Royal Wedding Celebration and continued as a horse race after that.  Some of the biggest Oktoberfest events are located outside of Germany.  The USA is no slouch when it comes to celebrating the age old event. Almost every city has an Oktoberfest featuring but not limited to: Beer, sausage, beer, amusement rides, beer, pretzels, beer, Oom-pah bands and of course, Lederhosen.  Believe it or not, Oktoberfest actually takes place in September. The reason being, the weather was more habitable the earlier the festival was held.

The Harvest

Fall is such a plentiful time for crops.  Although we live in an ever-decreasing small world where many foods are available year round, there really is nothing better than getting something that is super fresh and right in season.  Depending on where you are visiting, you will find fruits like apples, pears and pumpkins; root veggies like potatoes, carrots and beets; flowering varieties like broccoli and cauliflower, all kinds of greens from chard to arugula, as well as artichokes, cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, etc.  The list goes on and on.

The Foliage

“Leafers” or “leaf peepers,” slang terms for people who travel north to see the fall foliage, aren’t really as bad as the locals would have you believe.  Those same locals have absolutely no problem putting a premium on hotel rates and restaurant prices during the prime viewing season.  Make sure you go online and find a fall foliage map; there are many.  September starts the fall color season with the northeast. 

The Beach

If you are thinking of heading to the Mid to South Atlantic Coast or the Gulf Coast, September is a great time to do it.  The kids are already back to school, which shrinks the crowds quite a bit.  The weather isn’t as scorching and the water temperature is still in the mid to high 70s.  After living on Hilton Head, S.C. for 12 years, I can tell you it is also a little bit easier to make restaurant reservations and golf course tee times.  (Although it seems as if the secret’s out on the golf: lately there are a ton of golf packages aimed at the fall).

So the summer is almost over.  So what?  Wake me when September starts!

article: Travel Pulse 

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SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (August 13, 2014) – It’s been nearly forty years since the iconic television show The Love Boat went on the air and introduced viewers to modern day cruising and, in the process, made Princess  and its ships synonymous with vacations at sea.

As Princess prepares to celebrate its milestone 50th anniversary year in 2015, the company is honoring the role that The Love Boat played in its history by selecting the original Love Boat cast members to serve as godparents for its new cruise ship Regal Princess.  All six Love Boat cast members - who played the roles of Captain Stubing, Gopher, Isaac, Doc, Julie and Vicki – will reunite to christen the new ship on November 5 in Fort Lauderdale.

The ceremony will officially launch the golden year anniversary celebrations for Princess Cruises, which will celebrate five decades of operation throughout 2015.

The actors include Gavin MacLeod (Captain Stubing) Fred Grandy (Gopher, the chief purser), Ted Lange (Isaac, the bartender), Bernie Kopell (Doc, the ship’s doctor), Lauren Tewes (cruise director Julie) and Jill Whelan (Vicki, the captain’s daughter).

“We can think of no more suitable godparents for our newest ship than the cast of the show that put Princess Cruises on the map,” said Jan Swartz, the line’s president. “The show has been such a visible part of our company’s history, it made sense to kick off our anniversary celebrations with this special tribute.”

The pilot episode of The Love Boat, shot aboard Princess’ 730-passenger original Sun Princess in 1977, began the relationship between Princess Cruises and the show, which for ten seasons eventually became one of the highest rated and longest-running shows on television. The Pacific Princess and Island Princess were the primary floating stars of the show, while later episodes and specials were filmed aboard many of Princess’ other cruise ships in destinations around the globe.

“I’m absolutely thrilled that my former cast mates and I will be part of Regal Princess’ U.S. debut,” said Gavin MacLeod, who has been Princess Cruises’ ambassador since the show ended in 1986. “The fact that The Love Boat continues to air in international syndication around the globe is a testament to the show’s longevity and the world’s fascination with romance on the high seas.”

The 3,560-guest Regal Princess, which entered service in May of this year, is arriving in Fort Lauderdale to begin her maiden season of Caribbean cruise vacations. Among the special features found on board is a dramatic multi-story atrium serving as the social hub of the ship, offering a host of dining and entertainment options; an over-water SeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway extending 28 feet beyond the edge of the ship; plush private poolside cabanas that appear to be floating on water; the Princess Live! television studio; the largest pastry shop at sea; a special Chef’s Table Lumiere, a private dining experience that surrounds diners in a curtain of light; and balconies on all outside staterooms.

“The ship’s naming ceremony is just the beginning of the celebrations that will mark our company’s golden anniversary,” said Swartz. She added that beyond the Regal Princess festivities, guests sailing on any of the line’s fleet of 18 cruise ships during 2015 will enjoy a wide range of anniversary experiences.

 

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Lose your Phone Charger while Traveling? Head to Starbucks!

Power cords are so last decade.
The New York Times’ Eric A. Taub reports customers enjoying a latte at Starbucks or a
 ride in a fancy Cadillac may soon be able to power their phones without the need for a 
cord.
Oh, what a time to be alive.
Taub reports the two companies are eager to incorporate technology like that offered by 
Powermat. That company’s president, Daniel Schreiber, was understandably hopeful of 
what this might mean to consumers: “Once you have wireless charging in cars, your
 bedroom and a coffee shop, you don’t have to think about power.”
And for travelers, the technology would be as remarkable as the advent of the free 
continental breakfast.
Imagine traipsing around the country only to notice a sudden and surprising lack of 
bars on your phone. Rather than forego that selfie by the landmark you oh so wanted,
 you can just head to one of the Starbucks locations that are already ubiquitous 
around the nation.
Get a jolt of caffeine and some power for the phone without having to remember your 
infernal power cord. At least, that seems to be the idea if this all comes to fruition.
Taub explains the budding technology:
“There are two main competing versions of wireless charging trying to gain market share.
 Both use a similar technology that allows users to place smartphones or tablets on a 
charging mat and power up in no more time than using a cable would take. For the 
wireless connection to work, a receiver — which could be in the device but at this point 
is more likely to be in a special case that you have to buy — picks up an electrical charge 
from a transmitter coil in the charging mat.”
Armed with a corresponding pack or case, the phone could literally be dropped on a mat 
and charged while you enjoy a cappuccino or some other overpriced beverage. Heck, 
splurge to your heart’s content; you’re charging your phone after all.
Now you don’t have to be all that patient, because Starbucks plans to employ 
Powermat devices in all “major United States markets” by late 2015.
One would assume it would take but a viral increase of the technology to see it used 
in other venues. Perhaps one day, hitting up a pub will be practical as well as a great time.
Until then, we worldwide adventurers will just have to remember to plug in the smartphone
 at the hotel like we were some darn cavemen or something. 

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WOMENS CHRISTIAN RETREAT CRUISE

Grab your sisters, your mother and your female friends for a WOMENS RETREAT CRUISE! IN Feb, get out of the gloomy gray of winter and head for Fort Lauderdale, Cozumel & Key West! 
"YOUR LIFE YOUR FAITH ABINGDON WOMEN CRUISE" 
February 2 - 7, 2015
Starting at $399* for inside stateroom, does not includes taxes, govmt fees or gratuities AND DOES NOT INCLUDE AIRFARE. We are a travel agency, booking this and this will sell out fast, so book soon! http://www.getawaycruiseplanner.com

Date Port

Feb. 2 Fort Lauderdale, FL 

Feb. 3 Cruising 

Feb. 4 Cozumel, Mexico

Feb. 5 Cruising

Feb. 6 Key West, FL 

Feb. 7 Fort Lauderdale, FL



Guest Speakers:

Babbie Mason

Babbie is a Dove Award-winning, Grammy-nominated, American gospel singer and songwriter; a tireless women's conference speaker; a worship leader and author of Abingdon studies, Embraced by God and This I Know for Sure. She has led worship for national and international events hosted by Billy Graham, Charles Stanley, Women of Faith, and others.

Jessica Lagrone

Jessica is Dean of the Chapel at Asbury Theological Seminary and an acclaimed pastor, teacher, author, and speaker who enjoys leading retreats and events at churches throughout the United States. She is the author of Namesake: When God Rewrites Your Story, and Broken and Blessed: How God Changed the World Through One Imperfect Family. She and her husband, Jim, have two young children.

Melissa Spoelstra

Melissa is a popular women's conference speaker, Bible teacher, and writer who is madly in love with Jesus and addicted to the study of His Word. Her passion is helping other women to seek Christ and know Him more intimately through serious Bible study, attentiveness to the Holy Spirit, and a tenacious dependence on God at all times, even through the storms of life. She lives in Dublin, Ohio, with her pastor husband and four kids.

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