Children
Baby on Board
Jul 19th
I recently flew American Airlines from Los Angeles to Chicago to Philadelphia on my way back from a business trip. I spent most of my time in L.A. meeting clients and, in the evening, catching up with administrative work.
I was staying at the Le Merigot in Santa Monica and would end the day on their outside patio, balancing accounts and enjoying the wit of Neil, the bartender at the property. The Le Merigot is a home away from home and has a great staff of employees, headed up by their general manager, Paul Hortobagyi, and their public relations director, Debra Matsumoto. I will be reviewing the property for a GTtested very soon.
On my return flight, parents entered the first-class cabin, each carrying twin infants. The mother sat in row one and the father in row five, next to guess who? Me! I was fine, as I had downloaded Season Five of 24 and was engrossed most of the flight until my battery died. The baby was mostly unhappy but occasionally slept.
As it turns out, the couple wanted to sit next to each other, which probably would have helped calm the twins, but AA would not allow them to do so as there are not enough oxygen masks in first class. Then, I imagine, you would go to coach?
I suggested the father walk the baby up and down the aisle. There is a lot more for the baby to look at back there, I mentioned. He walked him, but stayed in first class. When the flight attendant moved the beverage cart across the aisle because the Captain was coming out to use the facilities, she asked the gentleman to sit or stand behind the curtain.
“Do you think I am going to storm the cabin with a baby?” he said. I just cringed. I have to hand it to the flight attendant. She simply told him that these were the rules and there were no ways around it. Others may have had him restrained for that kind of comment, and I’m not kidding!
The reality is terrorists have used pregnant women, children and the mentally challenged in their attacks. So nothing surprises anyone anymore.
I had become chummy with the flight attendants. When I went up the first time, I joked, “Nice nursery you have. I mean first class,” and they chuckled. Then we had a conversation about holding infants versus purchasing a seat and putting the child in a car seat. I told them that in a crash or a loss of altitude, which does happen, those babies would not survive. They agreed. FAA, when are you going to do something about this? This very scenario was highlighted in a Jeff Bridges movie, Fearless.
Any parent who carries a baby on their seat in a plane is not thinking of their child’s safety or best interest. Saving a few dollars is not the best way to ensure the safety of your child. I am pleased to tell you that I bought seats for my daughters when they were young, and it was for safety. Remember, children are used to car seats, as they sit in them all the time, and this method definitely helps calm them.
Please don’t carry your children on planes for the sake of the child and the other passengers on board.
– Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO
Remembering Barb
Jul 11th
Just three months ago in my blog, I shared my memories of my cruise in the Mediterranean last spring with my sister-in-law, Barb. Less than two weeks before I wrote that piece, Barb had been diagnosed with lung cancer which had rapidly spread throughout her body; and the day after the blog was published, Barbara Ann passed away. She was the first in our family of my generation (siblings, cousins and spouses) to die, and I know I am not alone among us in still processing that fact and coming to terms with the idea that I will not be sharing another wonderful trip or girls’ weekend with her.
Barb was warm, generous, kind-hearted and full of fun in life, and her husband Glenn wanted to be sure that any sort of memorial service for her reflected her spirit. Neither of them liked traditional funerals, so my brother knew what Barb’s service should NOT be like. He waited until the initial shock at her passing had passed and the calendar was more amenable to travel. He then sent out a notice that on July 10 there would be a gathering in a park near their home. He recalled how much Barb, a Southern California native, had loved the crowds of evergreens on the hills of her adopted home in the Pacific Northwest. He asked that those who were able plant a tree in Barb’s memory and attend the gathering if they could.
Yesterday a whole bunch of Barb’s loved ones — family and friends going back to her childhood and from near and far — gathered at that park and shared memories and stories of her. There was no speech-giving or song-singing, and prayers were of the silent kind between each individual and his God. Instead, it was so like Barbara’s favorite kind of get-together, where everyone mingled and caught up with everyone else while the kids played on the swings and jungle gym. Cousins who hadn’t seen each other in a dozen years or more hugged and exclaimed over how big the children had grown and how good it was to reconnect again. Far from being a solemn occasion, this one boasted much laughter; and off to one side was a large bulletin board on which Glenn posted pictures of some of the trees planted for Barb along with pictures of her from throughout her life (including several from that cruise we shared the year before) and those dearest to her — particularly grandson Gavin.
Later, a smaller group of us gathered at my brother’s home and shared more time together while we sipped Barb’s favorite libation, lemon drops. As the day drew to a close, each of us prepared to head for home or overnight accomodations. Hugs were exchanged and plans made to see each other again soon, call or write. Glenn seemed so pleased that the day had been everything he had hoped it would be and none of what neither he nor Barb didn’t want. It was, just like our dear one, full of life, love and laughter, and a true celebration of her spirit that all of us continue to carry with us.
– Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor
The SCAW Difference
Jul 7th
Dave Dryden has flown several thousand miles and is on his way to one million, but a different million was his goal (actually, originally his father’s goal), a goal that was met last year. Dave, through the organization Sleeping Children Around the World, oversaw the distribution of its one millionth bedkit. (Bedkits consist of a mattress, blanket, pillow and other bedding essentials.)
SCAW was founded by Murray and Margaret Dryden. Murray always thought a sleeping child was a beautiful thing on so many levels. He decided to capture this beauty by photographing some sleeping children, which he planned on turning into a book. On a picture-taking trip in India, he saw a child sleeping in the street and decided to do something about it. SCAW was born in 1970, and 50 bedkits were distributed in Pune, India.
Both Dave and SCAW have come a long way from their beginnings in the Dryden home in Toronto. Dave and his younger brother Ken went on to have stellar pro hockey careers. After retiring, Dave coached for several years, but his true calling was continuing what his father had started.
Now beyond the original goal of one million, Dave says SCAW has gone through a strategic planning process. While another million is certainly a goal, they want to emphasize “giving from the heart, not from a guilty conscience.”
What makes the success of SCAW more interesting is that they do no advertising. Dave told me their marketing committee (with a budget of zero) has to find creative ways to publicize SCAW. Perhaps their biggest and best publicists are the 100 volunteers who travel for SCAW. They come back so pumped up and spread the word themselves. They do also take advantage of free services, such as Facebook and a blogsite.
While distributing the bedkits, Dave had been to numerous countries, but says he has not been to a museum or art gallery, nor to the tallest buildings downtown. Instead, he spends his time with the people. He is always amazed at the universality of children worldwide, rich or poor. He also said “family” is probably the most common value he encounters.
SCAW has distributed bedkits in more than 33 countries. Because of the efforts of SCAW and people like Dave, more than one million children have received bedding. He is certainly a humanitarian, and over the years, he has become quite a global traveler.
– John Wroblewski, distribution specialist
Matakana Market
Jun 26th
I’ve written in the past about how much I enjoy visiting farmers’ markets — not only in my hometown but also when I am traveling. I’ve found it’s a great way to make personal contact with both the vendors and the shoppers and get a real sense of the people and the area I’m visiting. It’s nice to be able to support the local economy and sample local food and crafts directly from the growers and producers of them. The most frustrating part of the exercise when I’m on the road is knowing I can’t take home everything I’d like to!
You can imagine how pleased I was, then, when I learned that our itinerary during my Auckland, New Zealand, trip included a visit to the Matakana Farmers Market, up the eastern coast about an hour’s drive from the city. When I left home at the end of April, spring was bursting into bloom and our own market was just starting up, featuring early greens and cold-weather veggies. In New Zealand, though, fall was fully established, and I looked forward to visiting the Matakana Market during the height of the harvest.
Early Saturday morning we left The Langham and drove north over the Auckland Harbour Bridge and through the northern suburbs. Our route took us past several large marinas crowded with boats of every size and description — validation for Auckland’s nickname, City of Sails. It was a clear, sparkling morning, and I enjoyed noting the similarities and differences between the local countryside and my own. (Here’s one feature I spied: Snowplanet, an indoor skiing slope housed in a large, hangar-like building draped down the side of a hill. I got a kick out of the sign outside: “Crap skier? Get help here.”) Part of the way we drove along the Hauraki Gulf, home to a number of conservation islands and a marine park and a favorite vacation destination for New Zealanders. Beyond the beaches there are farms and vineyards scattered all over the hills and valleys leading down to the sea — a really lovely landscape.
We arrived in Matakana Village and walked down to the site of the market. It operates every Saturday year-round out of a series of permanent wooden booths set alongside the Matakana River (more of a steam) and surrounded on three sides by two-story buildings housing a variety of galleries, boutiques, cafes and a cinema — the heart of the Village. We met Richard Didsbury, one of the founders and developers of Matakana and, one senses, the driving force behind much that goes on here. He shared a little history and toured us through his cinema — three uniquely decorated theaters with the most amazingly comfortable seats I’ve ever seen. Several of we weary travelers were tempted to wait out a passing cloudburst with a quick nap in one! But too many enticing goodies were waiting outside at the market, so I plunged in as soon as the rain abated and began my own tour.
With only about 35 vendors, the market was a little disappointing in size (I had imagined, from what I’d already heard of the place, much more) but not in its offerings. I was able to enjoy a little winetasting at a few booths, admired plants from a small nursery, purchased a jar of the most delicious local honey, gobbled up a few pastries and tried some local sausages and mustards. Crafters offered jewelry, woven goods, wood products, ceramics and baskets. Off to one side a three-piece band played folksongs and a little bluegrass, and shoppers mingled and chatted. There seemed to be a good mix of tourists and locals, and snatches of conversations indicated to me that the market was the place people caught up with each other each week while they picked up a little of this and that for their tables.
One of my favorite moments came when I strolled down with a cookie to a little dock alongside the river where a tiny, blond girl of no more than three stood admiring a flotilla of ducks. I was a bit alarmed to see her teetering so close to the water with no adult close by, so I squatted down beside her to keep her company and from harm’s way. Not at all shy, she happily chatted to me about the ducks (some of which I understood), her bright blue eyes lighting up when I asked if she thought the birds might enjoy a bit of my cookie. I broke off small bits of it and offered them to her so that she could toss them into the water and watch the ducks scrambling for the morsels. It was a lovely conclusion to my visit to the market, making a connection with this sweet Kiwi child.
My travel tip to you this week is to take every opportunity, wherever you are, at home or abroad, to visit a farmers market and sample the local fare, people and lifestyle. You won’t be disappointed.
– Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor
