The Liebster Award!

January 1, 2019February 10, 2022 Niche Travel Design3 Comments

Niche Travel Design has been nominated for The Liebster Award!

I was nominated by A World in Reach for this peer award. For a somewhat new blogger like me, this is a special treat. It’s always a great feeling to be recognized by your peers. Thank you, Sydney and A World in Reach.

What is the Liebster Award?

The Liebster Award is a peer to peer award, given to bloggers, by bloggers as a way to foster collaboration and support. What a nice idea.

I noticed a message board in my German friend’s house that said “liebe und respekt.” I asked what liebe or liebster meant. She told me it means dearest or kindest. Thus, bloggers being dear and kind to one another. This is an award I can get behind. I am always seeking advice from others and I am happy to promote the idea of collaboration. I strongly believe in the theory that what you give comes back to you.

The Rules of Engagement

Once you’re nominated with the Liebster Award, you have to follow a few rules to celebrate your win and spread the award throughout the blogging community.

1. Thank the person who nominated you, and put a link to their blog on your blog.

2. Display the award on your blog.

3. Write a small post about what makes you passionate about blog posting.

4. Provide 10 random facts about yourself.

5. Answer the questions from your nominator and provide a fresh set of questions for those you nominate.

6. Nominate 5 – 10 blogs that you feel would enjoy blogging about this award.

7. List these rules in your post.

How I Began My Blogging Journey

I began blogging when I first moved from California to Parma, Italy in 2011.

When my daughter was a toddler she frequently made up words that sounded similar to the adult versions. She would say strawbellies instead of strawberries; froggy instead of foggy. One of the words she transposed was Parmesan. In her toddler mind, Parmesan cheese was Purple John cheese. For years our family asked each other to pass the Purple John cheese at the dinner table.

Imagine our surprise when we realized that we were moving to Parma, Italy – the birthplace of Purple John cheese. Apparently, the universe has a sense of humor. It seemed like serendipity. What we did not know is that an international move is difficult. Life in another country is difficult. It is not all adventure. I had 2 very sad children who did not want to move and leave the comfort of their home.

[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Read about the reality of an international move here.[/dropshadowbox]

All that being said, life in Italy was often quite funny because things were soooo different than what we were used to. Thus, my original blog, Purple John, began by me just telling friends about the difficulties and the funny stories that we encountered along the way.

[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Read funny stories about life in Italy in the drop-down menu here. [/dropshadowbox]

And of course, just when we were settled into life in Italy, the universe struck again and we had a second move to Malmö, Sweden. Once we moved and settled into Malmö, I toyed with the idea of reworking my past experience as a travel consultant and incorporating the blog as part of the business. The kids were older and they did not need me as much as they did in Italy. This last year I began my existing blog Niche Travel Design using my name and domain name from the travel business that I ran in the USA. So now my travel business has a blog attached to it.

My blog still occasionally includes funny ex-pat tales of excitement and woe, but now I am more focused on the business of travel. The funny thing, though . . . that little toddler that inspired my first blog name, she now works with me on the business.

At Niche Travel Design, our philosophy is that designing the perfect vacation is as much an art form as designing a home’s interior or a garden’s landscape. We curate a unique experience for each of our clients.

We are experts in finding the best cup of coffee, the most interesting art gallery, the best place to sip Prosecco while watching the sunset, and the best accessories to make your adventure more comfortable.

The perfect cappuccino

Aperol Spritz – the classic summer cocktail

Niche Travel Design is more than a travel blog. We are a community featuring stories of life abroad, cultural experiences, recipes, ideas, and tips for creating unique memories to last a lifetime. We also recommend products and services.

10 Random Things About Me

I once sort of crashed a funeral. My friend was supposed to go and I was staying with her so I went too because it was celebrity filled. In the end, I felt like a heel and a looky-loo. People (even celebrities) were grieving. I don’t recommend it. Not my best moment.
I always top off my gasoline, despite the warnings.
I love Gene Kelly movies and I got to meet him once and had a conversation with him about his more obscure movies. It was amazing and he was so kind.
I am secretly a Carpenters fan. I guess it is not a secret anymore.
I sing all the time in public even though I really shouldn’t.
I once got into a car accident on the way home from a car accident and neither one was my fault. I know you don’t believe me, but it is true.
Apparently, according to my family, I say Google incorrectly? Who knew?
I hate, I mean really hate, The Pillsbury Doughboy. His voice makes my skin crawl.
I once stayed at a “pensione” in Barcelona that was actually the host’s children’s room. He was clearing toys out of their bedroom. It was weird, but it was late and there was a train strike so I paid to sleep in a stranger’s kid’s bed.
I generally don’t like chick flicks despite being a chick. I seem to be missing a gene or something.

A World In Reach’s Questions For Me

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned during your travels? That once one strips away all the cultural differences, we are all the same. We all just want safety, family, friends, love, and respect in our lives.

What’s your favorite part of traveling? Exploring and learning about a place. Finding off the beaten path things to do. I am a researcher and enjoy the discovery of new things to do, a great local restaurant, a specialty shop, an unusual experience in a typical tourist spot. Least favorite? The getting there bit. The airports, etc. Ugh.

Do you collect any souvenirs from your travels? I used to collect art from each place but now I have too much. I had to stop. No more room to hang anything. We have also always collected ornaments for our Christmas tree. It is nice to remember our trips as we put up each ornament every year. Now I collect photographs and memories.

What is the most unique experience you’ve had with a local while traveling? Swimming with horses in Croatia. Just incredible.

[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Read more about swimming with horses here. [/dropshadowbox]

If you could travel with one person you’ve never traveled with before, who would it be? Barack Obama. He is intelligent, funny, has done some cool stuff and met a bunch of interesting people. I’ll bet he has good stories. Plus, he gets V.I.P. treatment and if we were traveling together I’d get V.I.P. treatment too.

How did you come up with your blog name? It was the name of my travel business in the USA. I focus on niche, unique, unusual travel experiences. I curate and design your trip for you.

What tip would you give to a new blogger? Learn all the technical stuff before you begin.

Is there a book or a movie that has inspired your wanderlust? No. My wanderlust was developed as a child. Actually, I feel like it has always been there.

What are the top 3 things on your bucket list? Africa – all of it! Australia/New Zealand and Asia.

What is your biggest travel regret? I had a chance to go to Africa for a summer. I didn’t go because it wasn’t practical. I should have gone.

My Nominations for The Liebster Award

I have really enjoyed the Liebster Award process. I also enjoyed reading about each of these bloggers that I am nominating. I hope that you each take the time to read up on what they have to offer.

1. Divine Kabwe at beingyourselfblog.wordpress.com

2. Diana Danciu at ourblindlife.com

3. Jenny Toney Bhatia of travelingpartyof4.com

4. Temeka Flack Green of worklifemommyhood.com

5. Heather Eyre of thefemalefactor.me

6. Jamie Joseph of wearefreeindeed.wordpress.com

7. Samantha Norman of SammiNormanFit.com

8. Louise Emerson of 12books.co.uk

9. Mallory Herrera of mamaonparade.com

10. Megan Henderson of thehendersonhouse.org

Questions For My Nominees

Since I have a travel blog, my questions are all about travel.

Where would you go if money and time were not issues?
What is the best advice you would give to new travelers?
What is the one accessory that you cannot travel without – your phone and/or computer don’t count?
Where is one place you would return over and over again? And why?
Where is one place you’ve been but never want to return to? And why?
What is the funniest travel mishap you’ve had?
What is the scariest travel experience you’ve had?
What is your favorite travel souvenir?
What is your favorite local cuisine?
What is your next destination?

Looking forward to reading my nominees’ answers and getting to know them better.

And once again, a BIG THANK YOU to A World In Reach for my nomination!

Everyone, please be sure to check out Sydney’s blog for ideas on budget travel. A World In Reach can provide you with all sorts of ideas on traveling on a budget.

Adventure travel · Americans abroad · Croatia · European travel · Honeymoon travel · Insider Tips · international travel · luxury travel · Off The Beaten Path · swimming with horses · The Unique and Unusual · Zadar

Swimming With Horses | Zadar, Croatia Off The Beaten Path

December 18, 2018February 10, 2022 Niche Travel Design2 Comments

Are you looking for a unique travel experience? Something off the beaten path? Swimming with horses in Croatia may be just the thing you are looking for.

STABLES NEAR ZADAR | Riding Club Vencil

A horse at the stable in Zadar, Croatia. Ready for swimming with horses. — Ready to go swimming.

There are a number of stables throughout Croatia for riding horses in lakes, rivers, and the sea.

We happened to be spending a month in Zadar so we chose Riding Club Vencil located just outside Biograd na Moru.

The whole experience was beyond all of our expectations. We arrived at the stable which was located in the spectacular Croatian countryside. The grass was Jade green. The cerulean sky was spotted with the occasional fluffy white cloud. The sun was shining and the morning surrounded us with a steady drumbeat of nature sounds.

The owner of the riding club was quite careful with each of us to determine our level of skill and any fears we may have. In the end, they chose the perfect horse for each of us.

Then our adventure began. We eased into it with an hour long ride through the rolling hills to Lake Vrankso. The ride was mostly a slow walk for the beginners. We did have some more experienced riders in the group and they were allowed to gallop off so long as they stayed within eyesight of the guide.

SWIMMING WITH HORSES | Lake Vransko

Young women sitting atop horses that are swimming near Zadar, Croatia — The horses are swimming!

As the sun beat down, we eased closer to our swimming spot, Lake Vransko. Summers in Croatia are hot. That day it was 38 C/100 F. We were all ready to cool off. And no creature was more ready than the horses. The lake called to us like a siren of the sea. The horses began to show their excitement. They had done this journey before and they knew that they were about to cool off. Each horse began to trot a little faster and they started talking to one another like a group of teenage girls. One horse even did a little dance of excitement. Once in the water, he began to play.

And this is the part where the ride became my favorite experience in Croatia. Here is where it gets interesting. Where it went from being a simple horse ride to a very unique experience. Sitting there atop our horses, they entered the water. The cool water hit our legs and the horse stopped for a moment to enjoy their respite from the heat. Then, as if guided by an unseen force, they moved farther out into the lake and began to swim. It felt like a cross between floating and being powered by a paddle boat.

This was our chance to bond with animals in a whole new way.

SWIMMING WITH HORSES | What To Expect

Now I have been swimming with dogs in the past, but swimming with a dog is just not the same as swimming atop a horse. A dog is, of course, smaller than a horse and a dog swims alongside you. One would never sit atop a swimming dog. And simply put, a dog is not as powerful as a horse.

I think that was the coolest feeling of the whole experience – feeling the horse’s sheer power. While you sit atop the horse as it swims you feel every one of its powerful muscles engage. It felt like you were united with the horse like some sort of centaur. I was at its mercy and had to give over to its expertise at navigating the waters.

The horses and our group played in the water for over an hour. Once we tired out, we promptly laid ourselves out on the field of grass and wildflowers to warm up and dry off. Then we enjoyed a picnic of Dalmatian food.

The entire adventure was about 4 hours round trip. Given the uniqueness of the experience as well as the picnic and photos which were included in the price, we felt that we scored quite the bargain. The entire cost was only 720 HRK or $109/€97 per person.

About Riding Club Vencil

I highly recommend swimming with horses if you get the opportunity. If you happen to be in Dalmatia, check out Riding Club Vencil. They were ever so helpful and professional.

GPS coordinates: N43.9622 ° E15.4962 °.

Adventure travel · Americans abroad · European travel · Honeymoon Planning · Honeymoon Questionnaire · Honeymoon travel · Insider Tips · international travel · luxury travel · Off The Beaten Path · Travel

Planning The Perfect Honeymoon

December 18, 2018February 10, 2022 Niche Travel DesignLeave a comment

THE PERFECT HONEYMOON – MYTH OR REALITY?

Just Married. Photo credit: NikolayFrolochkin on Pixabay

THE PERFECT HONEYMOON | THE KEY IS COMMUNICATION

Your honeymoon . . . the stuff that dreams are made of . . . and second only to your wedding day in terms of expectations. The key to planning the perfect honeymoon? TALK! TALK! TALK! TALK! And then talk some more.

There is no sense in planning the perfect beach resort vacation if your spouse hates the beach. What if your spouse’s idea of the perfect beach vacation is camping and you had an all-inclusive resort in mind? Nothing is insurmountable though and you can both have your ideal honeymoon if you sit down and have a conversation.

Additionally, while the internet has made trip planning easier, there still is no substitute for a professional travel agent when planning a trip as important as your honeymoon. For any other trip besides your honeymoon the DIY approach may be just fine, but because there is so much expectation placed on a honeymoon, using a professional travel agent can save you from that dreaded moment years down the road when one of you, in the heat of an argument says “This is JUST LIKE OUR HONEYMOON. You screwed that up too!”

Before meeting with a t ravel expert, schedule some time with your intended to cover the intended topics. Take time to go over these honeymoon planning questions. You can print out a copy here to fill out and take with you to your travel expert

HONEYMOON PLANNING QUESTION NO 1. | WHAT IS THE BUDGET?

Discussing your budget is key to a successful trip. Do you want to start your life together on the vacation of a lifetime or are you more comfortable saving for a house? Financial discussions are the cornerstone of all good marriages so you may as well begin your life together on the right foot by discussing realistic budget concerns for your honeymoon. Additionally, consider registering for your honeymoon to help offset the cost. That way you may just get the dream honeymoon and be able to save for your first house.

HONEYMOON PLANNING QUESTION NO. 2 | DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL VACATION?

A beach vacation may not be for everyone. Photo credit: tigertravel on Pixabay

City adventures may be too tiring after a big event like a wedding. Photo credit: gellinger on Pixabay

Does one of you like exploring cities, art galleries, theater, and the best restaurants while the other just wants to sleep late, lounge by the pool and drink umbrella drinks? Discuss your ideas and see if there is a destination that offers activities that both of you enjoy.

HONEYMOON PLANNING QUESTION NO. 3 |WHAT TYPE OF ROOM DO YOU LIKE OR NEED?

Do you want to save money and sleep in a hostel? Photo credit: Hans on Pixabay.

Or do you want luxury? Photo credit: Engin_Akyurt on Pixabay

Some people could not care less about the room they are in as they anticipate being outdoors, on the go, etc. Other people need a certain thread count before they are happy. Others still, need a certain hotel floor, to be away from the elevators, air conditioning, etc. before they can get a restful night’s sleep. No one wants to be sleep deprived and cranky on their honeymoon.

HONEYMOON PLANNING QUESTION NO. 4 | ARE YOU COMFORTABLE VISITING COUNTRIES WHERE ENGLISH IS NOT COMMONLY SPOKEN?

Photo credit: Tumisu on Pixabay.If one of you is a seasoned traveler with an explorer’s soul and the other is terrified to be somewhere they cannot communicate effectively, you need to compromise. Perhaps an all inclusive resort or a cruise would be the way to introduce your spouse to international travel. Of course in this day and age with technology, one can easily translate on the go. Perhaps a dry run with translation is in order to ease your fiancee’s fears.

HONEYMOON PLANNING QUESTION NO. 5 | WHAT CLIMATE ARE YOU MOST COMFORTABEL IN?

Photo credit: Free-Photos on Pixabay

Photo credit: 12019 on Pixabay

Definitely discuss sun versus snow, but also tackle questions you may not have thought of. Example, are you comfortable when it is humid and there is no air conditioning? Many condos in Hawaii. Costa Rica, and the Caribbean do not have air conditioning and this can pose a threat to a honeymoon if one of you cannot sleep in humidity.

HONEYMOON PLANNING QUESTION NO. 6 | DO YOU WANT TO COMBINE YOUR WEDDING AND HONEYMOON WITH A DESTINATION WEDDING?

Photo credit: Laughing Raven on PixabayDestination weddings are popular and look amazing in photos. They also can save you a considerable amount of money as many hotels and resorts offer package deals. And when you honeymoon in the same hotel, you can start the honeymoon immediately. The other consideration, however, is that you are sharing your honeymoon with your guests who have also flown to the site to attend your nuptials so you may not have the privacy that you were hoping for on your honeymoon.

HONEYMOON PLANNING QUESTION NO. 7 | DESCRIBE YOUR HOEYMOON FANTASY TRIP.

The only way to guarantee that your honeymoon dreams become a reality is if you talk about them. Like most things in life, perfect honeymoons don’t just happen. They take planning. The more you do your honeymoon homework, the more romantic – and the more fun – your honeymoon will be.

Americans abroad · Buon Natale · Christmas · Christmas cocktails · crèche · European Christmas Markets · European travel · ex-pat life · Frohe Weihnachten · Germany · Hamburg · Insider Tips · international travel · luxury travel · Off The Beaten Path · The Unique and Unusual · Travel · White Christmas

German Christmas Markets – Hamburg, Germany’s Most Elegant Christmas Market

December 8, 2018 Niche Travel DesignLeave a comment

I love a Christmas market. In fact, I have yet to meet a Christmas market that I didn’t like. I love the vibe, the decorations, the music. I love the bustle and the throngs of people all enjoying the season. And living abroad, I like learning about how each country celebrates the season a little differently. Hamburg’s White Christmas Market is a little different than the rest. It is smaller, set along the water, themed with all white market stalls and quite tranquil in feeling. The reason that I loved Hamburg’s all white Christmas market was that it was peaceful and elegant. I think it is Germany’s most elegant Christmas market. It evoked a feeling of respect for the season. The all white stalls set against Alster Lake were breathtaking. The glow of the white stalls and lights drew us in like moths to a flame.

GERMAN CHRISTMAS | A CELEBRATION OF FOOD
While I cannot profess to be an expert on German Christmas after three days, I can tell you that the predominant feature of every Northern German Christmas market (and we went to no less than 5 in 3 days) was food!

Food, food and more food. We sampled flame broiled bratwurst, grilled sausages, hams, currywurst – a fried or grilled sausage is cut into thick slices and seasoned with spicy ketchup and generous amounts of curry powder (usually served with french fries), fischbrötchen – a fish sandwich served with pickled or fried fish and onions and sauerkraut – fermented cabbage. We also saw big vats of boiled potatoes, sausage in green cabbage. Also for sale were potato pancakes served with applesauce.

GERMAN CHRISTMAS | A CELEBRATION OF SWEETS!!
After your main meal, one finds a vast array of desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth. My favorite was fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar (called muzen in Lübeck and schmalzkuchen in Hamburg). We also tried marshmallow cremes dipped in chocolate (schaumkuss) which were surprisingly delicious as I am not a marshmallow fan usually. These marshmallowy treats were not as sugary as their cousins in America. There were also lots of mini pancakes (profferjes) filed with your choice of Nutella, butter, sugar, marzipan, apples, mint, cherries, Grand Marnier, Baileys, Cointreau, Amaretto, vanilla to name a few. We didn’t try those and I wish we had, especially with some Grand Marnier. Next time!! Northern Germany is also famous for marzipan in every shape, color and form that you can imagine and these large gingerbread cookies with various messages of Christmas and other festivities written in hard frosting on them.

GERMAN CHRISTMAS | A CELEBRATION OF WINE
To wash it all down, one can stop at one of the many glühwein (mulled wine) forests constructed all over town. Glühwein is usually prepared with red wine. It is heated with cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, citrus, sugar and vanilla beans. It is offered as is or mit schuss (with a shot), which means that rum or some other liquor is added.

GERMAN CHRISTMAS | A CELEBRATION OF DECOR
THE CHRISTMAS STAR
We noticed that the northern Germans also embrace the Christmas star as they do in Sweden, but more often than not, the German star is more three dimensional, resembling a thistle or bur.

THE CHRISTMAS PYRAMID
Another similarity to Swedish Christmas is the German
Weihnachtspyramide or the Christmas pyramid which is like the Swedish änglaspel in that the pyramid device works by generating heat from candles to turn the wooden blades. While these beautifully carved wooden pieces look nothing like what I was taught a pyramid looks like, they are called pyramids nonetheless. They reminded me of multi-leveled carousels. All of them depicted a Christmas theme such as the Nativity, angels and the Wise Men. Much larger than their Swedish counterparts, the German versions are often 3 or 4 stories high and made entirely from wood as opposed to brass in Sweden. I was told by one woman in a shop that the German Christmas pyramid predates the Christmas tree. Fascinating!

CHRISTMAS TOWNS
Also wildly popular at every market were these miniature towns – very intricate miniature wooden carved people, houses, animals, trees – entire villages really complete with town halls and churches.

CHRISTMAS GNOMES
There also seems to be a German version of tomte, the Swedish elves that I have fallen in love with. Tomte are known to help you with your housework over the year if you leave them some porridge on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, I did not get an accurate name or story for their German relatives – the gentleman and I were trying our best to communicate across the language chasm. I did buy one and much to my daughter’s horror, I think his hair is real animal hair. I love him and think he is adorable. Lena is creeped out by his hair. I only hope that bringing him into the house will not piss off the tomte in our basement as I am serious about wanting that help with the housework.

Frohe Weihnachten jeder! Buon Natale! God Jul! Merry Christmas!

Americans abroad · celebrity travel tips · concierge · European travel · ex-pat life · ex-pat reality · Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows · Insider Tips · international travel · luxury travel · spa · The Private Suite · Travel · travel safety · USA

How To Travel Like Matt and Oprah

November 21, 2018February 10, 2022 Niche Travel Design2 Comments

I was watching Oprah Winfrey interview Matt Damon and I heard them giggling about all the ways they avoid the hassles of travel. Oh, those bougie A-listers and their celebrity travel.

Matt and Oprah spoke of mythical services where all they had to do was arrive and walk onto the airplane. No stopping in lines, no security, no carrying their bags, and no hanging out in airport lounge chairs designed by Attila the Hun.

a young woman waiting in a chair at the airport. Not in the celebrity lounge. — Waiting in the general airport lounge. Not the celebrity lounge. 😦

I went to Oprah.com and poked around. I emailed her, and I researched airport concierges. While I never did identify the exact service referred to by Matt and Oprah, I did encounter a number of services certain to ease your travel woes and allow you to embrace your inner celebrity when you travel.

Can You Hear Me Now?
Before you leave on your trip program your airline’s toll-free reservation number into your cell phone. If your flight is delayed or canceled call your airline call center directly to rebook your flight instead of standing in line. The reservation agent at the airline call center is the one with the most current information. The gate agents get their information from the call centers too so cut out the middle man and possibly catch that next flight leaving in ten minutes.

coffee to go and an airport magazine. — Airport Lounge.

Less Is More.
Try, try, try to fit all your belongings in your carry on luggage. Even as I write this I realize how impossible this is for 99% of the people out there (myself included). If you must bring along baggage, check it at the curb or send your luggage ahead of you through a luggage delivery service. Many of these services will ship golf clubs, skis, snowboards, surfboards, bicycles, and strollers all for your convenience allowing you to stroll on and off the plane in no time at all. I have not used any of these services myself . . . yet, so please let me know your experience with them if you have used them. www.luggageforward.com , www.luggageconcierge.com, www.luggagefree.com, www.theluggageclub.com.

a girl with a lot of suitcases — Less is more? We needed that celebrity concierge.

Rock Star Parking.
To ensure that you have a parking spot in the airport lot many private lots will allow you to reserve a specific spot in advance. This not only saves you time as you depart, but you can ensure a spot close to the exit if you’re itching to get out of the lot in a hurry upon your return. Many private lots are also less expensive than the airport run lots and some airports now offer valet service. Check your individual airport for its specific parking services. And the bonus . . . no more getting yelled at by the angry traffic cop in the loading and unloading zone.

I Wouldn’t Join Any Club That Would Have Me.
Many airports now offer registered traveler programs. Registration with these clubs allows travelers to breeze through security checkpoints because they and their luggage have been pre-screened and met all security standards. To date, San Jose, Orlando, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and New York’s JFK airports offer the service. My brother uses www.clearme.com and swears by it.

Concierge and Ambassador Programs
Many airports also offer airport concierge services or ambassador programs. These volunteers are at the airport simply to help you out with any problems that you may encounter. Not all airports have them but if you are flying out of Los Angeles, Orange County, Ontario, San Diego, Boston’s Logan, Dallas, or Chicago O’Hare to be sure to ask for an Ambassador if you are encountering a problem at the airport. They are sure to help get you back on track. These are just a few of the airports that offer this service so be sure to check both your airports before leaving on your trip.

And, if you are staying in Los Angeles, one can also take advantage of the Suite to Suite program offered by the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows. The package will make you feel like a celebrity at both the hotel AND the airport. Prices vary, but, on average are in the $2,000 range. The Suite to Suite package includes: your stay at the hotel; airport transfers for 4 people; $60 breakfast allowance; access to the famed hotel beach bungalows for 4; and use of BMW beach cruiser bicycles. When you are ready to head to the airport, that is where the real luxury kicks in as the package includes access to all the goodies that The Private Suite at LAX offers.

The Best For Last . . . Private Terminals!
And, of course, because Los Angeles is the land of celebrities and excess, they have one of the best airport concierge services around. Actually, it is more than a concierge service, it is a private terminal. Yeah. A private terminal just for people who can afford not to deal with the hassle of travel.

The Private Suite is a private terminal and gate at LAX. Membership fees are not for the faint of heart, but how else do you keep the riff-raff and paparazzi out?

And membership, indeed, has its benefits. Private Suite members do not have to deal with waiting in any lines because private TSA screening is done at the building by an assigned staff member.

Moreover, each member gets a private suite to wait in before their flight. Because each suite is private, you only wait with the people that you are traveling with. No crying babies, or people taking their shoes off – unless they are part of your entourage. The suites have a team of eight staff people at your beck and call. Upon arrival at the airport, a team member helps the travelers into the compound, escorts them to their assigned suite, and, addresses any special needs, food allergies, etc. that any member of the group may have. While travelers wait, a team member makes sure that your bags are screened, passed through TSA and loaded onto the plane.

Each suite is equipped with its own bathroom, pantry, daybeds, manicurist, on-call doctor, gourmet food, and masseuse.

When it’s time to board, Private Suite members are driven from the private terminal to the aircraft in a BMW Series 7 and delivered directly to their aircraft where a team member waits at the aircraft steps to assist travelers on to the aircraft.

an airplane — Private celebrity airplane delivery is only a membership fee away.

Fees vary depending on whether your route is domestic or international. The annual membership fee is $4,500 and covers the primary member as well as their immediate family. Corporate memberships are also available.

Admit it. It sounds a bit like heaven doesn’t it?

Even if The Private Suite is out of your price range, I hope that some of these tips may make your travel a wee bit more enjoyable. And if you partake in the celebrity bougie bits, please say hello to Matt and Oprah for me when you see them.

What is the Liebster Award?

My Nominations for The Liebster Award

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SWIMMING WITH HORSES | Lake Vransko

About Riding Club Vencil

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THE PERFECT HONEYMOON – MYTH OR REALITY?

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