I guess I’m the sucker - just ask Alex and Courtney. A & C (as we will call them for this blog) came out to World Headquarters this past Friday. We spent the day reviewing accounts and strategies. At about 1 pm, I took the team to lunch at the Washington Crossing Inn (me, A, C and Kim), hoping we would see some of the local personalities like Pirate, Jellybean and Puppet (but, this is another blog altogether).

Afterwards, we came back to the office and wrapped things up for the day. I drove A & C to the Trenton Train Station. Alex has always been quite fond of TRE and, in particular, of the “Candyman” who used to work at the newsstand. Alex has been traveling to and from TRE from NYC for five years. A few years ago she told me about the guy at the newsstand who would mumble vulgarities and other unspeakable things to her when she picked up water or magazines for her rides back to NYC. One day I was at the train station very early and I was crabby. As I was buying the newspaper to read on my trip into NYC, I saw the “Candyman”. Without thinking, I told him I didn’t appreciate the language and comments he was using around my employee. You can imagine how he felt. With about six other people in the line, all he could was apologize. But, again, that is not what this blog is about.

It’s about the little side trip we took on the way to the station on Friday. We stopped into Pete Lorenzo’s steakhouse, located right across the street from the station. As we pulled up (this is a usual side trip!), we turned over the Z28 (1994) with the top down to the friendly parking attendant. He keeps the car about front for a tip (and will even vacuum the vehicle if you are there long enough). And into the bar we went for a cocktail. Courtney likes the Absolut martinis. I also indulged with a martini; Alex stuck to white wine.

I began chatting with a gentleman who came in. When he told me it was his birthday, I wished him a happy one and bought him a beer. As we continued chatting, he asked to borrow my phone. I dialed the number for him and handed over the phone. He said we should have a drink together and suggested I buy the round - I did. He made another call - trying to get a ride home - no problem. Then he repeatedly said he needed to have a conversation with me. He asked if A & C were my daughters. I said yes, but that Courtney was adopted. Jokingly, she said I was a mean father because I always told people she was adopted. We all laughed, but I think the gentleman believed us. He remarked he could tell Alex was my daughter because of the dimples; “They’re fake,” I responded. Then came our conversation. He needed “cab fare” to his apartment ’cause his “girl” was too intoxicated to drive and pick him up. I asked how much, he replied $20. I said sure as Alex and Courtney rolled their eyes. “There by the grace of God go I,” I said.

My father always had a pocketful of change. I never knew why until he died, when a friend told us he never passed a homeless person without giving them something. I have another friend that is so generous to the homeless. I remarked how great he was, handing out $20 here and there. He told me he had been there and knew what it was like. There by the grace of God go I, I thought.

-Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO

The village of Rosemont, IL was founded in 1956. Rosemont sits between northwest Chicago and O’Hare Airport. It is roughly 1.7 square miles and houses about 4,000 people. Because of its location, almost every major US hotel chain has a property in Rosemont, including the InterContinental which is due to open in September 2008.

If you are in Rosemont on business, chances are that you will be at a convention at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. Built in 1975, it boast 840,000 square feet of exhibition area. Its proximity to O’Hare, many fine restaurants, hotels, parking, public transportation and nightlife make this an attractive convention alternative to Chicago.

According to Susan Prather, spokesperson for the Stephens Convention Center, the Convention Center ranks #1 in Illinois in terms of volume (about 100 conventions per year) and #2 to McCormick Place in overall revenue. Prather stated, “Conventions (and residual business) bring in over $100 million to Rosemont annually.”

Besides the raw numbers and rankings, one important fact must be noted. “The unique thing is that it is one of, if not the only, municipally-owned center which returns revenues without any subsidies and that is truly remarkable,” explained Prather. That is a great testament to the success of the convention center.

Another part of the success is that is has not become outdated. It is still an attractive, accessible, comfortable place to attend a business event. It has adapted nicely and fits right in with the ever-growing surrounding area.

Within a quick drive of the convention center are many dining choices from the usual fast food franchises to top-notch restaurants. Gibson’s Bar & Steakhouse, Rosewood, Harry Caray’s, Morton’s and Maria’s are a few of the excellent dining options. Shoeless Joe’s or many of the fine hotel bars are great for relaxing after dinner.

For other amusement, the Allstate Arena (formerly Rosemont Horizon) is home to the 2008 champion Chicago Wolves (AHL hockey), the defending champion Chicago Rush (arena football) and the DePaul Blue Demons (NCAA basketball). The Rosemont Theatre is a plush, intimate venue for concerts, musicals and more.

Business conventions don’t have to be 12 hour days followed by room service in a small hotel room. The best ones limit the hassle and maximize the enjoyment while you are on duty and offer a wide array of activities when you are off the clock. The Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL is one of the best.

-John Wroblewski, distribution specialist

Goal!!! And it took only one goal for Spain to beat Germany in the Euro Cup finals this past Sunday and what a great game it was. Soccer is a sport I played growing up, but I lost interest in once I went to high school. I fell in love with it again during the summer of 2002 when I lived in Brussels. The World Cup was going on and it was during the tournament where I truly understood what passion for a sport and for a country really meant.

Since then I have followed the major championships and the most recent was the 2008 Euro Cup where Spain won the championship for the first time in 44 years! It was a great victory to see. I watched the game at Mickey Mantle’s Sports Bar with about 100 other fans (mostly Spanish supporters) and it almost felt like we were in Madrid! I have not come across another sport shared around the world where fellow countrymen come together to support their team than I have with soccer. After the match I saw Spaniards unite in the streets of Manhattan, singing, cheering and running with the Spanish flag everywhere. There was a great scene at Columbus Circle where the whole area was filled with a sea of people, in red, gold and black, taking in the moment.

If you’re a traveler and a sports fan, I beg you to go to a soccer game overseas, or watch in a town square, or a local bar and you will then begin to understand what I mean about passion!

-Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher

I have been in Mexico City this week and I am very surprised at how much I am enjoying this city. Before coming here I was told by many that it is dangerous and to be very careful, but that is true in any city. I don’t see Mexico City as any more dangerous than New York or Los Angeles and as for pollution, again no different. Maybe I just don’t trust air I cannot see anyway.

Last night I was in a cantina and got swept up in the excitement of a soccer game on the television screens. Every time the Mexican team scored I found myself high-fiving the waiter and clinking beer glasses with other patrons. It was a chance encounter, but I was an honorary Mexican for the evening and I felt completely welcome. One never feels like an outsider here.

I am here on business and must tell you that I will be back soon. The people are lovely, the cuisine is top-notch and the city itself is very nice. I have not encountered one resident without a smile or a happy greeting. The old adage of “Don’t drink the water” has me wondering if it is because the pleasant attitude of the city is in the water! They want to keep it for themselves perhaps?

-Morissa Pawl, vice president western region

In this week’s eFlyer, I wrote about US News & World Report’s “airport misery” index. Based solely on delays and high passenger loads–which themselves contribute to delays, as anyone who has stood in an airplane aisle waiting for people to find a place to put their carry-on knows–they ranked Chicago O’Hare (ORD) “most miserable.”

I was in a mood to agree, having spent way too much time at O’Hare myself recently. At the same time, I know that it’s one of the great airports, ranked by GT readers as Best in North America. I have to say that United’s Red Carpet Club certainly helped smooth out my delay experience–I got work done, and then joined some friendly fellow passengers to Tampa at the bar.

And I have to say the delays weren’t all Chicago’s fault. Initially flights were backed up from a snowfall earlier in the day, but when that traffic cleared, the next delay was due to a ground hold for stormy weather in Tampa.

I have no one to blame but myself for choosing to transit O’Hare in midwinter. Weather happens. Unless you live there, the rest of us choose O’Hare as a connecting point because it’s such a massive hub and we can get just about any connection we need there; and sometimes, as in my case, we choose it because the fares are better than those for some of our other options.

I must admit that as I was in my sixth hour of waiting around, I started thinking that I had been penny-wise and pound-foolish for not spending the extra $500 to fly out of the South. That moment passed, though. Misery is in the eye of the beholder, and I’d rather be stuck at an airport that has a lot of flight options, plenty of bars and clubs and dining and shopping, than at an airport that is “less miserable” by virtue of having not so many flights and not so many passengers–and therefore fewer amenities to amuse them.

If you get stuck at Chicago and you can’t take it anymore, there’s even a hotel, the O’Hare Hilton, right in the terminal that has day rates. On my outbound flight, I’d booked myself a long connecting time to allow for weather, and had booked myself into the Hilton for the day. When I had to change my flight and wasn’t going to get a chance to use the Hilton, I called at the last minute and they didn’t even charge me for the cancellation. So I’ve stopped my grumbling; over all, O’Hare treated me well.

–Mary Hunt, editor, eFlyer