1. The Venice Boardwalk
Venice Beach is the place to go if you are into people watching. The mile and a half stretch is full of street vendors, performers and sights you may not see elsewhere. From jugglers to magicians, break-dancers to mimes you are sure to be entertained. Check out local artists’ paintings and sculptures, purchase t-shirts, or get a tattoo or piercing. You can dine in restaurants or cafes, or just grab a beer or cocktail. A bike path is also available, along with roller-skating and skateboard ramps. Remember to bring some ones with you to tip performers!
 
2. Marina Del Rey
Marina Del Rey is great for water sports. Hop on a cruise, or do some fishing. You can rent all kinds of water vehicles, such as a paddleboard, kayak, sailboat or motor boat. You can also take off on a jet-ski! There are plenty of monthly events held here, such as concerts, plays and special tours.
 
3. Flight Path Learning Center
The center, located in LAX airport, is an aviation museum and a hands-on learning environment. Offering free parking and free admission, it is a great place to spend some time browsing aircraft models, photographs and history of the area. You can check out the Howard Hughes memorabilia.
 
4. Santa Monica Place
If you love shopping, this is the place for you. Browse high end fashions from Coach and Louis Vuitton, Pandora and Swarovski. Check out some delectable goodies from The Cheesecake Factory, or grab a burger from Johnny Rockets. The Santa Monica Pier is close by, and the home of Pacific Park, the only amusement park on the west coast that is located on a pier.
 
5. Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
Head to the great outdoors and enjoy nature at this beautiful park. There are some awesome hiking trails where you can spot plenty of wildlife. Coyotes, rabbits, lizards and snakes all make their homes here. You might spot a barn owl or hawk. Relax by the Japanese garden and gaze at the pond and waterfalls. There are also exotic koi swimming around. If the kids need some exercise, this is the perfect place for them to go. There are plenty of play areas to keep them well entertained.
 
6. Manhattan Beach
This is the perfect mini-vacation spot if you are on a tight schedule. If you only have a few hours due to a long layover, de-stress and recharge by heading here. You can rent a bike and cruise the bike path, or just check out the surfers or watch a volleyball game. There is a small aquarium at the end of the pier with touch tanks and a kids area. There are restaurants scattered throughout the area to please any palette.
 
7. Hollywood
You can never go wrong with a stop in Hollywood. Whether you have plenty of time to spend or just need to fill a few hours, Hollywood won’t disappoint. Check out the boulevard, see the famous sign, or just browse the Walk of Fame. You might get lucky and spot one of your favorite celebrities!
 
8. Westchester
If you have the spare time, stop in the Westchester Golf Course and play a round. The course is lighted at night and open until 10 p.m. While in Westchester, stop in the famous In-N-Out Burger. Their burgers are 100% beef made fresh to order. Don’t forget the hand cut fries and real ice cream shakes!
 
9. Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Another area great for the shopaholic! The area features local artists and designers, showcasing the best in artwork, jewelry, furniture and boutique clothing.
 
10. Ocean Express Trolley
The trolley is actually a bus, but it offers $5 round-trip rides to the local beaches, shops and restaurants. Tickets can be purchased at LAX.

Filed under: Traveling by Michelle Gushard
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Los Angeles is not only a city full of celebrities and traffic, but there are beautiful scenic drives, awesome hiking trails, sunny beaches and even skiing. Here are some tips to get the best out of your visit to the City of Angels.

The city of LA is home to about 4 million people, so it is easy to feel lost or overwhelmed when you are one of 42 million people who visit the area every year.

The best time of year to visit is from April through September, when it is not quite as crowded. You can spend about $200 a day, including your hotel and meals, so be prepared.

There are several cities that connect to form this awesome area, and it can seem bewildering getting around on the massive freeways, but it doesn’t have to be a hassle. Let’s start with one of the most famous areas, Hollywood.

One of the hottest spots in the city would be TCL Chinese Theater, which was once known as Grauman’s. It opened in 1927, and has been a popular sight, not only for the awesome architecture of the building itself, but for the thousands of celebrity hand and footprints placed around the building in the cement. The Hollywood Museum is where you will find props, costumes and photos from many classic films.

The Dolby Theatre is where you can find the awesome red carpet so famous at the Academy Awards. You can see the Hollywood Sign through the archways of the Hollywood & Highland Center, which is next door to the Dolby. Here you can find some awesome eateries offering foods of all types.

If you feel like hiking, check out Griffith Park. Here you can do some stargazing at the observatory, or just hike the trails and see the spectacular views of the city around you.

The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is an icon you won’t want to miss. This is where the first Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929. Loews Hollywood Hotel is another place you can star search, especially on Oscars night.

Santa Monica & Venice Beach are the perfect spots for people watching. Here you will find surfers, volleyball games, cyclists, skateboarders and plenty of street performers to entertain you. Santa Monica Pier is home to the only beachfront amusement park in the area. The Venice Beach Boardwalk is another place to spot all sorts of performers, from bodybuilders to magicians, dozens of craft vendors, and entertainment all around you.

In Downtown Los Angeles you can relax at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The Museum of Contemporary Art has an awesome art collection from the 1940s to the present. Find works by Mark Rothko, Dan Flavin and Joseph Cornell, among many others.

Be sure to bring a small jacket or sweater when visiting in the evening as it can get chilly. Remember it is illegal to use your cell phone while driving, so be sure to have a hands free device, or just wait till you reach your destination before using your phone.

Filed under: Travel Tips, Traveling by Michelle Gushard
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There’s nothing worse than sitting in a car for hours on end trying to get to your destination. Travelers find this happening in Los Angeles more than anywhere else. The busy freeways can make for an exhausting, stress-filled commute. Here are some ideas to see things without sitting in the bumper to bumper madness.

Flyaway buses are becoming the way to get around the area. For just $8, these buses connect Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) with Downtown Los Angeles ( about 35 minutes travel time) Santa Monica (about 40 minutes) and Hollywood (1 to 1-1/2 hours). These buses leave from the arrival level of each terminal. Look for the green signs. You can get tickets online or on board the bus, and they do accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express!

For public transportation, check out Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or Metro, for only $1.75 fare or $7 for unlimited day passes. $25 will get you a weekly pass. In Santa Monica the Big Blue Bus company will get you around for only $1.

Flyaway shuttle buses let you off at Union Station. This is Los Angeles’s main rail terminal, and was built in 1939. The architecture is worth a look, and you can get quick access to hotels from here.

In Hollywood the Flyaway bus ends near the Metro Red Line Subway stop at Hollywood & Vine. You can also depart at the intersection of Hollywood Blvd and Highland Ave, for super quick access to the Chinese Theatre, Dolby Theatre, and the Hollywood Museum.

A couple miles away is West Hollywood, or WeHo as they call it. It is an awesome walking area during the day and you can find sizzling nightlife in the evening. Check out the Sunset Strip, Santa Monica Blvd, or just do some window shopping at some designer boutiques.

You can rent bikes or take a cycling tour of Hollywood and Beverly Hills, go celebrity hunting on a stars’ homes tour, or go all out on the 32-mile “LA in a Day” tour that will take you from West Hollywood to the ocean.

Head to the beaches of Santa Monica and Venice on the Flyaway Bus…it will take you to the Civic Center area, with plenty of things within walking distance. Check out the ocean, hop on some rides at Santa Monica Pier’s amusement park, or just get in some people watching.

The Big Blue Bus will get you to Bergamot Station where art lovers can check out an array of galleries.

Venice is another place for outdoor fun, relaxing on the beach and people watching. Jim Morrison once called this his home, and for good reason. There is plenty to see and do, and you can get here easily from Santa Monica by taking the Metro bus 733 down Ocean Ave and Main Street, or you can take a relaxing and energizing walk on the beach for about a half-hour and you will be there.

Within a few years, the Expo Line will be fully completed and travelers can go from Downtown LA to Santa Monica station in about 45 minutes.

Filed under: Travel Tips, Traveling by Michelle Gushard
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Road travelers can do a few things to ensure they will have a safe travel with no hassles to deal with when you arrive. First of all, if you are renting a vehicle, take the time to make sure it is in good working condition before you drive away. To be extra cautious you can take pictures of any dings or interior problems so you won’t be accused of being responsible for them later on.

Take well-traveled roads and make sure you have a map…whether paper or GPS. Do not take unfamiliar short cuts or unmarked, back roads if you are alone. If you need to reference your map, try not to do it in plain sight as others will immediately know you are not local and possibly lost.

Always lock your doors, and be sure to leave any important items or valuables in the trunk so they are out of sight. Those looking to steal are a lot less likely to take the time to break into a car that looks completely empty.

If you need to take a break from driving and don’t have time to stop overnight, make sure you go to a well-lit rest area or in front of a busy store before you take a nap. Always lock your doors if you are resting in the car.

Air travelers can follow some safety tips as well. Be sure to only check items that you can bear to lose, just in case. Don’t send something you can’t live without or replace into the baggage handlers trust, as problems do occur and you may not get those items back. Keep a list of what you have checked in case you need to replace anything. Be sure you only hand your bags off to an authorized person. Make sure you keep your eyes on your carry-on items and don’t trust the nice person next to you to watch them for you until you return. Also don’t leave your items alone while waiting in the airport or hotel lobby.

While you are at your hotel, request an upper room, as ground floor rooms are more often broken into. Make use of your hotel room safe for valuable items. Keep your door locked and make sure to use the peephole to check on visitors. If you are unsure if someone is hotel personnel you can always check with the front desk before opening the door.

Make sure you have a floor plan map on your hotel door or in your room. If not, take the time to check where the nearest exits are to your room in case of emergency.

Businesses can protect their employees several ways as well. Be sure travel insurance policies are up to date, and that employees have access to contact numbers that may be needed in emergency. Try not to send an entire group of extremely important employees together at the same time, in case of delays or other emergencies.

Make sure sufficient security is on all laptops and tablets so that none of your important information can be stolen or otherwise messed with.

Be sure your employees have access to a travel assistance provider to help with cash advances for emergency situations, or to find lost items.

Your health plan may not include travelers who are outside of the country. You can make a short-term package available to them for when they are traveling globally.

Follow these tips and you can be sure your trip will be hassle free.

Filed under: Travel Tips by Michelle Gushard
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Even business travelers sometimes want the best of the best. If you are traveling to New York and want to be pampered while you are there, check out one of these awesome hotels.

The Carlyle is a five-star haven where you can enjoy fantastic views of the city skyline from your private terrace. Relax in a boudoir chair or practice your skills on the grand piano. Each room has its own personal decor, and the artwork on the walls is truly magnificent. A fitness center and spa are available if you need to unwind, or you can request an in-room massage to de-stress before the big meeting. There are many boutiques on site for your shopping desires. Your pet can also join you here for the best of services, such as beds, bowls, snacks and Fiji water. Walking service is also available.

The Mandarin Oriental is located at the top of the Time Warner Center, just across from Central Park. Gaze at the park from your suite, and enjoy the spectacular New York skyline at its finest. The five-star spa includes a 75-foot lap pool, Thai yoga suite and an Oriental tea lounge. The VIP Spa suite is an oasis for couples who want to be pampered and relax.

St. Regis New York will provide you with 24-hour butler service, a full breakfast, and a bottle of champagne. The silk wall coverings and beautiful furnishings make each room exquisite. Enjoy an elegant dinner in one of the renowned restaurants, or sip a cocktail in the King Cole Bar. Your personal trainer will give you pointers at the fitness center, or you can just indulge at the spa with a customized treatment.

The New York Palace gives guests a choice of accommodation, ranging from Superior, to Club and the Towers. You may also choose a Penthouse triplex suite. The penthouse suite includes a rooftop terrace for amazing city views. The marble bathrooms will make you feel totally indulged, while the art work will impress you. Complimentary house car service will make your outings stress-free, and the concierge will help you to plan your stay to perfection.

The Plaza Hotel may be the most luxurious hotel in all of New York. The immaculate white glove service will immediately let you know you will be treated like royalty. The tranquility garden with its reflecting pools is a great place to start your stay. The chandeliers and exquisite artwork in the rooms are designed especially for each room. Each room has an iPad, so you can order room service, print boarding passes, and organize your stay. Unwind at the champagne bar, or enjoy dinner in one of the famous restaurants.

Who says business travel has to be all work and no play? Why not get some relaxation time in and treat yourself to a little pampering.

Filed under: Blog, Points of Interest by Michelle Gushard
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If your next business adventure takes you to Hong Kong, here are some local dishes you may want to check out.

Hong Kong is well known for its variety of mouth-watering dishes. You can find foods from around the world here, but mostly Chinese and Cantonese dishes. Much of the food has been influenced by the Western fare, such as bread, beef, pork steak and potatoes. But the true flavor of the city is Chinese. Listed are a few of the dishes you will definitely want to try when visiting Hong Kong.

Dim Sum:

Dim Sum means “point of the heart”. This comes from the tradition of sharing this dish with others. Dim Sum is actually small bite-sized portions of food that is placed in baskets or small dishes for everyone to share. This is an important ceremony that is held at the table, and is almost always accompanied by Yum Cha, which means to “drink tea”. Some families start this meal as early as five in the morning. It is a morning dish, and is not served after 3:00 in the afternoon. Dim sum can be pot stickers, shrimp dumplings, BBQ pork buns, veggie dumplings, and many other varieties.

Wife Cake:

Also called a sweetheart cake, this Chinese pastry has many legends about where it came from. The flaky crust of this cake is made of winter melon, almond paste and sesame and is flavored with Chinese spices. The filling is basically made of sugar and flour. You can find wife cakes at basically any regular food eatery.

Seafood:

The seafood in Hong Kong is possibly the best you’ve ever had. You know they are fresh since there are tanks of live fish everywhere. Not to mention live scallops, crabs, oysters and clams. You can choose your dish and get it cooked to perfection. Cantonese chefs are masters at preparing fresh, live seafood. The waterfront dining eateries are abundant, so you can choose the location that suits you for your fabulous seafood meal.

Char Siu:

Also known as a crispy fried meat, or barbecued pork, this is a very popular item in Hong Kong. The meat is usually pork belly, pork loin or pork butt. Other meats can be used, but pork is the normal. Char Siu literally means “fork burn/roast”. This is what is done with the meat after it is placed on skewers. The meat is seasoned with many different flavors, and cooked in an oven or over a fire to bring out the taste. If you visit Hong Kong you will see these meats usually hanging in the windows of the restaurants and shops to entice you to purchase them to take home and cook yourself.

French Toast:

If you love breakfast, and you love French toast, you have got to try Hong Kong’s version. This is French toast like you’ve never tasted before. First the bread is spread with peanut butter. Then the slices are soaked in the egg batter and fried in butter. So maybe it isn’t the healthiest thing you will eat, but it will definitely be the most delicious.

Filed under: Traveling by Michelle Gushard
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Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, you want to be sure your photos are the best they can be. Here are a couple apps designed to help you create some awesome memories.

Autostitch is perfect if you are going to be taking some breathtaking landscape photos. You take photos with your camera, say a beautiful mountain setting, and autostitch seamlessly connects them all to create a wonderful panorama that reflects the image exactly as you saw it.

It doesn’t matter how camera savvy you are, you just take a group of pictures from the same point of view, load them into autostitch and you will be rewarded with beautiful panoramas that seem like they were taken all at one time. Free demo versions are available for download so you can check it out yourself.

Another awesome picture app is Hipstamatic. This is a mobile app that will transfer your photos into vintage masterpieces. Hipstamatic uses your phones camera and applies all sorts of software filters to create a vintage look to your photos. With the tap of a button you can change lenses, choose different films, and create all sorts of amazing pictures.

DSPO, another app by Hipstamatic, creates a group camera to share with your friends and family. Set up your group camera and invite friends via Facebook, Twitter, etc. Choose your movies length, an hour or a year! Chat with your friends and add doodles to your pictures for everyone to see. Once the timer runs down to zero, the pictures are all up for sharing. Everyone sees them at the same time. You can comment on them or just chat about your day.

Cinamatic will help you to create amazing short films. Record multiple short clips and watch them transform into awesome short motion pictures. They can be shared easily on Facebook, Vines or Instagram.

For the best editing apps, why not check out Snapseed. With a free download, you can be enjoying all the features Snapseed has to offer. Improve your photos color, exposure, brightness and contrast. Add filters like black and white, vintage, textures and tilt-shift effect.

Camera+ is a camera and photo editing app that offers many features such as separate focus and exposure lock. It comes with five editing categories: Scenes, Crops, The Lab, Filters and Frames. Turn your pictures into masterpieces with Camera+.

Photoshop, Photoshop Touch and Photoshop Express are all good for layering, blending, removing blemishes and other touch ups.

If you love black and white prints, check out Noir Photo. It helps create awesome black and white or monochrome photos. By applying selective lighting for illumination, you will be rewarded with some very dramatic images.

Color Splash is perfect for converting pics to black and white while retaining the color in only the parts you wish. If you want to keep only one colored image standing out in the picture, this is the perfect app for you.

Today’s technology has many ways to turn your boring picture into a work of art. Many are free to download, some have a small download fee. Check out some of the photo apps and see what you can create with some photos and your imagination.

Filed under: Travel Apps by Michelle Gushard
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Face it. We all know the stories about “When I was a kid…”.  If your younger years were lived before 1983, then you did not have the internet or many other things while growing up. The younger generation today doesn’t know the hardships and inconveniences many of us grew up with.

Younger people today can’t imagine not having video games, cell phones, iPads and all the other instant gadgets they live on daily. Back then we talked on telephones, or even walkie talkies if you wanted to have “private” conversations. Video games consisted of “Pong”… hitting a ball back and forth with a paddle on a basic blue screen. If you went somewhere you told people where you were going and when you would return. There was no constant contact with anyone.

Today’s young business travelers have grown to love the same conveniences. Studies show they are willing to pay more than their older counterparts for many things while traveling. Room service, alcohol, first class seats and entertainment are just a few of the things they splurge on. They have matured with the idea that they can get what they want immediately. From microwave food that is ready in an instant to messages and pictures that appear on their phone in seconds.

How many of them would be able to survive if they were thrown back into the old days where you had to gather wood to start a fire and hunt for your meal before you could cook it and finally enjoy dinner? What about having to send a letter through what they now call “snail mail” and wait for weeks sometimes for a reply?

Technology has grown in leaps and bounds for most of the younger generation and they expect it to go faster and have even more at their fingertips. This has made for stress-filled traveling and impatience on the part of those who have to wait in lines, at restaurants or fight through crowds.

Some of them may never know the feeling of waiting for a slow cooked meal at a restaurant while spending the time enjoying friends and family. Or the excitement of going to the mailbox and finally getting a letter back from your best friend.

Business travel has sped up through the years as well. We want to be connected at all times, whether we are waiting at the airport, in flight, or in our taxi or hotel room. Even the older travelers are used to more conveniences and quicker service, though they don’t seem to spend as much on frivolous extras as the young crowd.

Business travelers who book a hotel ranked the location of the hotel as their number one priority. Personal travelers are more concerned with the price of the trip.

Younger travelers generally spend much more on flights, hotels and transportation. They are also more likely to extend their business trip into a personal holiday.

On the bright side, most business travelers still agree they would rather hold a face-to-face meeting than a video chat. Now if only the younger crowd would realize that talking in person, or even on the phone is much more “real” than just sending texts back and forth, we may see the “social network” actually turn back into socializing, face-to-face and with real live people.

Filed under: Blog by Michelle Gushard
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City living has many advantages as opposed to country living. If you enjoy the excitement, the people, and are always on the look-out for something new to do, then city living is definitely for you.

In a big city there are plenty of job opportunities since there are so many more places in which you can work. Smaller towns sometimes only have a few major businesses, and many of the smaller businesses are family owned. The employment choices in a big city can be endless.

If you love to shop, big cities are the place to be. You can find almost anything you seek for while shopping. From clothing, to household items and electronics there are many different establishments available to choose from. You have many more choices, whereas in a small town you may only have one store in which to browse items. The convenience of having so many more stores also cuts down on your driving time. In many cities you can easily walk from store to store, and have items shipped to your home. In the country you may have to drive many miles just to get to the store of your choice.

Prices of many items you shop for will be much more competitive in the big city due to the abundance of other stores. The more popular your item is, the more stores carry it, and the lower they will put their prices to get your business.

Family activities can be scarce if you live in the country. Big city entertainment can range from theme parks to museums, aquariums, sports complexes and other attractions. You can choose from several different movie theatres to find the movie you wish to see.

If you love dining out, you will have many more eateries to choose from. Instead of just going to the only diner in town, you can choose from all different cuisines. Romantic cafes, kid friendly fast food places and family restaurants are abundant. Dinner theatre shows are also popular in the city. Enjoy an exciting show with entertainers, animals and comedy while you feast on the fare of the evening.

Transportation can be much more convenient for you if you travel a lot. Cities have the choice of taking a bus, taxi, train or subway to your destination, instead of just driving yourself everywhere you go. You can even hire your own limo for that perfect night out.

When it is time for some awesome nightlife, the city is the place to be. Go to a live concert at the local venue. Or choose from many different taverns or pubs. Find the spot that suits your preference, such as the all night dance club, or the romantic piano bar. Go to a live comedy show for a night of laughs. Nightlife in the city is never ending.

You can also find many opportunities to join clubs or groups in the city. Perhaps you want to be in a yoga class, or maybe you want to play mah-jong with a group of people. You can place your child into dance classes or karate classes or even gymnastics. Join a bowling league, meet new people and have fun.

Living in the city can provide you with everything you desire; convenience, plenty of choices, and daily excitement.

Filed under: Blog by Michelle Gushard
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