Last night I went to see the Knicks vs. the Wizards at Madison Square Garden. Although I live in New York, I was there to support the Wizards. I am not much of a sports jersey kind of girl, but I showed my support by wearing a shirt with a real wizard on it!

Unfortunately, with Arenas suspended from the team and Butler injured, the Wizards started off strong and ended poorly. I was disappointed in the team’s loss, but it wasn’t anything a foot-long hot dog and an ice-cold beer couldn’t remedy. It was a great night to get out and enjoy MSG. One of the things I enjoy about the NBA is that the crowd is a little tamer than with hockey or football. Nonetheless, I enjoyed being one of the four fans in the entire crowd rooting for the Wizards. At the end of the day, even if it feels as though the majority is against you, you must stick to your guns!

– Courtney Centeno, account executive

I thought you would all be interested in an update on the Hotel Bel-Air. As you know, Global Traveler held many events at the property, and it become our home-away-from-home. It closed this past October for massive renovations, including the completion of the spa.

The Hotel Bel-Air refurbishment is still in the design phase, and I am told it will be spectacular. The owners are bringing the property up to the standards of today’s guest while still maintaining the residential feel for which the HBA has been known for many years. Those of us who frequented the property are anticipating the changes as well as looking forward to what will remain the same.

The swans are still on property and are very happy to be home throughout the refurbishment. As those who have been to the Hotel Bel-Air know, the swans are a signature of the property. They make their home in the little pond over which guests cross to enter the hotel.

Alexandra Champalimaud, the famed designer of other Dorchester Collection properties as well as Boston’s Liberty Hotel and the American Airlines Arena skyboxes, is the interior designer. She just won an award for “Interior Designer of the Year.” David Rockwell, the HBA restaurant designer, was just awarded, for the second year, the opportunity to do the 82nd Academy Awards production. The Hotel Bel-Air definitely has the top people on this project!

The Bar will be also be upgraded, yet the area’s illustrious history will be maintained, which I think is very important. Overall, I am told the process is going well, with an anticipated completion date in mid-2011. That might be a bit optimistic, but one never knows.

– Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO

We all now know that the GT team is made up of avid sports fans who stand behind their hometown teams. I admire anyone who takes pride in the home team — even if the home team happens to be my home team’s rival. A little competition is healthy in my book.

Last night I went to my first NY Rangers game of the season and loved every minute of it! I especially loved each of the minutes when the seven goals were scored against the two weak goals of the Toronto Maple Leafs. I also loved the fact that my brother invited me to go with him. A treat for his little sister that never grows old — even as the gray hairs become more prevalent!

We had dinner before the game at a favorite GT haunt, Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse, with our mom and a few family friends visiting from Tokyo. Most of the evening was spent talking about the Japanese baseball players currently playing in the MLB, but all the Rangers fans around us, proudly sporting their jerseys, kept reminding us of the night’s events.

During the Rangers game, there were whispers of the Phillies win, which takes them one step closer to a repeat World Series championship. I know my colleagues are die-hard Phillies fans, but the whispers around Madison Square Garden last night, including my own, were not in favor of the Phillies. Sorry guys. No matter what sport is capturing your interest at the moment — hockey, football or the imminent World Series — may the best teams win!

– Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher

I take about ten trips a year, most stemming from business. I always try to attend a sporting event in my destination city. I am pretty good at scheduling, so I rarely even have to extend the trip to accommodate a ball game.

This year, I have seen baseball games in Houston, Detroit, Milwaukee, Minneapolis and both sides of New York. I have gone to these games with many combinations of people, including friends, relatives and business associates. Later this year, I will be seeing a football game in Houston and possibly a college game at the University of Michigan.

In the September issue of Global Traveler, several men (from several cities) combined on a letter talking about their experience at Houston’s Minute Maid Park. They said they often used baseball as the backdrop for an evening of light business talk and bonding.

I know some people who always try to visit the city zoo when traveling. Others always want to see the downtown area, whether the city is a thriving metropolis or a small, folksy town. Some of my friends are into architecture and seek out interesting structural forms.

Obviously, everyone has different interests, and most cities will have something for everyone. Even the tiniest towns in the middle of nowhere have points of interest; but then again, those towns probably don’t get a whole lot of business travel, anyway.

I would love to hear if any readers out there seek out specific things while traveling on business and if you add extra time on your trip to accomplish your goal. Do you have “must-see” places like museums, ballparks or historical locations? If your business trips are “just business”, let’s hear about that, too.

GT magazine’s section of readers’ letters is limited by space and topics. This blog has endless space (okay, I am sure there probably is a gigabyte maximum, but I doubt we will approach that). So as the late Harry Caray bellowed before singing during the 7th inning stretch, “Lemme hear ya!”

–John Wroblewski, distribution specialist

Almost everyone is familiar with the Best Picture Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire. Well, it seems myself, my colleagues and my friends have a weird knack for running into its stars!

It all started in February. Fran Gallagher and I were in Los Angeles for a few meetings, en route to more meetings in San Diego. We were at a meeting at Creative Artists Agency, and on the way out we noticed Anil Kapoor, the actor who portrayed the game show host in the movie. I had not yet seen the film, but Fran had. This was right in the midst of the Academy Award buzz, and Kapoor was on his way to becoming a “name.” Fran told him, “Great job!” and we went on our way.

Then, just last week, my friend Beth, who lives and works in New York City, took advantage of the city’s Restaurant Week and had dinner at Tao. Guess who was seated just a few tables away? Dev Patel and Freida Pinto, the two leads in the movie. As Jamal and Latika, their stories stole the movie. Never one to be shy, Beth asked the real-life couple for a photo, and they happily obliged.

Maybe it is the season of celebrity sightings. In January, the GT staff met Patrick Warburton at our awards event. Anna Pudzianowski caught a glimpse of Sigourney Weaver leaving the Hotel Bel-Air. Dick Evans spent an evening in NYC with the likes of Bernadette Peters and Martha Stewart. Jackie Adam and Dick Evans shared a flight with Victor Garber. Both Beth and Dick spotted Angelina Jolie filming in NYC. Last year, Alex Young, Dick and I lunched at the same restaurant as Melanie Griffith and Sharon Stone. Anna and I spotted Anna Faris doing a photo shoot on Rodeo Drive. I (sorta) saw Beyonce in Connecticut last weekend. John is always meeting stars and sports figures. Even if one is not a celebrity follower, it is always fun to catch a glimpse.

Tomorrow night, Jackie and I are off to the Elton John/Billy Joel Face to Face concert at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park. Perhaps a chance encounter with the famous musicians is in the cards for us?

–Kimberly Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executive

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