Since India is famous for the development of ayurvedic spa treatments, it was decided that I would write a spa report on the Leela Resort where I stayed in Kovalam. As such, I was given three spa treatments throughout my stay in India (two in Kovalam, one in Mumbai) and let me tell you, my first one was an eye-opening experience.

I walked into the room for my massage and was instructed to strip down completely. The masseuse never left the room and I felt a bit awkward disrobing while she stood there. However, eager for the massage, I quickly got over any awkwardness and lay down. Perhaps it was my naivete, but I expected a full-body massage similar to ones I had experienced here at home; boy, was I wrong! Full-body in India translates to full-body. Modesty flew out the window as my backside and chest were massaged. My eyes flew open when I felt hands working on areas strangers do not normally see, let alone touch. Needless to say, I was not too relaxed. Since you are rubbed with a therapeutic oil (not known for its fragrance), I had to shower after the massage. The ever impeccable level of service at the hotel reached new heights when the masseuse offered to help me dry off and assist me in getting dressed!

 It was an interesting experience to say the very least, and when I recount the story to my friends and family who know me very well, they crack up. Friends have called days after I told them of my experience and told me how they have passed it along to so-and-so and how they keep thinking of it and laughing.

My next spa experience was a head, neck and shoulder massage. After the massage was over, I lay back while the spa technicians poured hot oil over my head for a half hour. It was incredibly relaxing and I had the best sleep of my trip that night. The following day I had another full-body massage (I requested some additional coverage!), followed by a treatment with herbal pouches.

I would not call myself an overly modest person, but I must admit that the first treatment made me uncomfortable. However, I respected the cultural differences and experienced the massage as it was intended. This was a perfect example of cultural differences.

This is my last blog dedicated to India. It was an interesting trip to take, and I hope you all found it interesting to read about!

-Kimberly Krol, Circulation and Public Relations Executive

I just returned from a business trip to Chicago where I stayed at the Affinia Chicago Hotel, formerly the Fitzpatrick. It is located on Superior Street between the Magnificent Mile and Northwestern University’s Chicago campus.

The hotel is in the midst of refurbishment, with protective scaffolding on the exterior and protective coverings on all the carpet/flooring in the public spaces in the hotel. My first impression on entering, when walking through the exterior scaffolding, was that I was entering “Hotel Beirut.”

I was told that the remodeling would be finished by late November/early December.

This is not a review of my stay, rather it is in praise of the power of the Affinia staff’s friendly and attentive service that was always delivered with a ready smile to make the best of an inconvenient situation.

Everyone I encountered at the Affinia went out of their way to smile, to say hello and to ask if I needed anything. Their welcoming attitude more than made up for the fact that only one elevator was functioning and there were no snacks in the mini-bar and there was no food service available in the hotel.

My room on the 18th floor was one of the recently refurbished ones. It was very attractive in a spare modernistic motif. I especially liked the desk-level outlets for my laptop and cell phone charger…no crawling around on the floor looking for an outlet. Someone was really thinking of business travelers with all their electronic gear.

As I checked out, the receptionist asked if I had a good stay and asked me to come back. I told her I would.

Encountering the smiling staff at the Affinia was in contrast to the Continental flight attendants that Fran Gallagher and I encountered on our flights to and from Chicago, who never smiled. They were efficient and did their job well but never cracked a smile.

In my book, a friendly smile will always make up for snafus and such.

-Dick Evans, vice president

I just returned from a vacation in my own backyard. Okay, I wasn’t exactly in my backyard, but I was pretty darn close. This year, we decided for the first time in ages to take a summer vacation. What’s so unusual about that, you might ask. We’re beach people who are lucky enough to live within easy access distance of some of the most beautiful beaches on the Massachusetts coastline. In other words, vacation or not, we spend most of our free time from May to October at the beach.

So, this year’s vacation wasn’t so much about the destination (the beach of course). It was about shaking up our routines, weaning ourselves from email and voicemail, and remembering how to live in the moment. We ventured just 70 miles to the Cape Cod town of Orleans where we settled into a rented house about a miles from Nauset Beach.

And a funny thing happened on the way to tranquility. Instead of getting caught up on email first thing every morning, I went out to a local bakery to pick up breakfast and the daily newspapers - then I read them all cover to cover. Instead of grabbing a snack and eating in front of my computer, I packed a lunch and headed for the beach. Instead of sticking my nose in my issue workbook to review pages in progress, I reclined in my beach chair and watched a herd of seals frolic offshore. And instead of returning to the computer after dinner, I stretched out on the deck and watched the stars fill the night sky.

I’m back at my computer now, but it’s with a renewed enthusiasm. Sometimes it’s necessary to shake up your routine a bit in order to appreciate all the good things about life.

-Lisa Matte, editor-in-chief

This week I’m happy to say that I did not have to move from my living room to get my international experience. Two friends from Stockholm arrived yesterday and I haven’t stopped smiling or laughing since they arrived. I love when visitors come to town and I get to see NY through their eyes. And of course, by the time they arrived at my apartment they already had stories to tell.

My friend Anna had admitted to me that she did not expect NY to be so friendly and welcoming. Her original thought was contradicted almost immediately after stepping off the plane at Newark Airport when they bought their train ticket to Penn Station. “No sweat,” they thought, there can’t be more than one Penn Station. Well to their pleasant surprise, their train ride was very short. However, they were at Penn Station Newark, but a very nice homeless man helped them on their way and did not ask for a penny in return.

Once they made it into Manhattan they went to a Starbucks to get their caffeine fix and rang me that they were starting to walk to my apartment. My only welcoming words to them were “Get in a taxi and I’ll meet you outside,” for my apartment is far too far to walk with baggage in hand. When they arrived they already had a working knowledge of the Bronx, real estate prices in the Bronx, where to rent bicycles for a ride in Central Park and even watched the taxi driver chase down the passenger before them to return a camera case they left behind!

After catching up, we took a short walk to Times Square, bought some groceries from Whole Foods to tide us over and called it a relaxing evening in the city that never sleeps. I will sleep well knowing that my favorite hometown is welcoming to visitors now more than ever! I can’t wait to hear the stories the rest of the week will bring!

-Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher

I frequently travel and mostly I am by myself and when I launched this company nearly five years ago, I found the wireless internet at Starbucks a necessary asset. In LA, I would hit the Starbucks on Sepulveda Blvd. in El Segundo, often I would just pull into the parking lot and open my laptop and sign on. I would get my mail and read it and respond while waiting for my next meeting.

In New York City, I would stop at various Starbucks and when colleagues would call me they would say “Where are you?” I would reply Starbucks and they would say, “Oh your office.” It became a running joke amongst my friends. The funny this is, I seldom bought coffee as I was in such a rush. So, I really was not a good customer.

Now that my business is up and running successfully, there are less “office” visits to Starbucks and more coffee stops and this is the real subject today. Why does it take Starbucks so long to serve a cup of coffee?

I can be almost anywhere in the world and encounter a long line and it is not just for specialty drinks. I stopped at a Starbucks in Towson, MD and counted six employees behind the counter. Granted it had a drive-through, but, in line were 5 people and there seemed to be little or no movement. When I finally got my coffee, just coffee mind you, all the pitchers of half and half, milk and whatever other white liquid were empty. With six people these cannot be filled? Travelers are on the go and the coffee is not that good.

Lastly, in those internet days, I found that even though a Starbucks was a welcome spot for email, it is the noisiest and often time dirtiest place to be. The worst for noise has to be Starbucks on Madison Avenue and about 46th Street. And the worst for cleanliness is probably the one at Grand Central Station, there I have to battle the homeless for a seat.

I just had to vent about my venti!

-Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO