Over the weekend, I was invited by Tourism Ireland to attend the kick-off dinner and private preview of the Philadelphia Flower Show. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society heads up the event and festivities, and the show is the largest indoor flower show in the world. It is a wonderful touch of spring, particularly here in the Northeast where we have been pummeled with significant snowfall.

Countries from all over the world show off their best — Brazil, South Africa, Singapore and, of course, Ireland. Tourism Ireland had the area painstakingly planted and decorated with award-winning style. Each year there is a specific theme to the show; this year it was Passport to the World, very fitting for the readers of Global Traveler. In 1997, the theme was Ireland, which was the catalyst for stepping up Tourism Ireland’s involvement.

In attendance was Dara Calleary, minister of labour affairs, who linked the flower show to Ireland’s tourism industry. Tourism represents so much of Ireland’s job market that it is important to focus on anything like the flower show to drive travelers to Ireland. The flower show attracts the right type of individuals, who are interested in history and gardens, which are associated with Ireland, its castles and manor homes.

The Philadelphia Flower Show is deeply rooted in the 183-year history of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS). Over the years, members brought their plants to show other members and, eventually, to share with the public. In the 1960s, PHS took over management of the show, also encouraging participation by amateurs, individuals and garden clubs.

With the help of hundreds of volunteers, the show raises significant funds to support PHS’s community greening programs and other civic initiatives in Philadelphia. Philadelphians have more gardens than other cities because the PHS encourages open spaces to be created and turned into places to plant. Additionally, the city hosts the largest in-city park, Fairmount Park, with 9,200 acres.

– Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO

My globe-trotting daughter’s overseas travels will soon be coming to an end. She has finished up her month-long community health nursing studies in England and will be flying back to Chicago this coming Wednesday. She’s had a thoroughly marvelous time and says she will really miss lovely England and all of the other places she has visited. Clearly the travel bug has bit hard, and neither of us is unhappy about that at all. Fortunately, aided by plenty of planning and preparation and a slew of good advice from others who were familiar with the cities on her itinerary, she met with few bumps in the road or unexpected difficulties along the way.

Since this journey was first planned, the final leg, after the studies in chilly England were complete, was to be a long weekend in Greece, primarily in Santorini. Jenny and her friends decided that rather than spend time in another big city, they would only stop over for a night in Athens on either side of some island time. The idea of warm days (at least, comparatively warm) spent at a relaxed pace after all the rush and bustle of the rest of the trip has been a bright beacon for the last several months.

So it is with some trepidation and more than a little interest that I’ve been watching the news of financial crisis and strikes in Greece over the last several weeks. Jenny has had little desire or opportunity to closely follow the news while abroad, but I didn’t burden her with constant updates about what I was hearing concerning her final stop. I did give her a brief heads up a few weeks ago when the stories of the first batch of strikes cropped up. I purposely kept my remarks low-key; I saw no need to make her anxious and figured if something of the events in Greece filtered through to her, better that it come from me. I didn’t want to scare her or her friends off of their plans; the situation doesn’t seem dangerous to them, and the last thing the Greek economy needs is tourists and their money staying away.

This past Wednesday saw the largest demonstrations (mostly peaceful) yet in Athens, with civil servants protesting the government’s austerity plans aimed at fixing the debt crisis and proving to the European Union that it can get the economy under control. In addition, strikes grounded flights, stopped ferry service and affected public transportation in Athens. I let Jenny know all of this, since they were to fly to Athens, take the metro to Piraeus where they would then catch a ferry to Santorini. I told her that I doubted more strikes would follow so quickly on the heels of this one-day event. I was glad to hear that she was not overly concerned, even if her travel plans might be affected along the way. She seems to have acquired enough travel savvy and confidence that the recent events in Greece will not faze her or deter her from her plans.

From what I can tell from a few brief lines on Jenny’s Facebook page, so far everything has gone as planned. Santorini is “gorgeous” and time at the beach is on the schedule for today. I’m so thankful my little girl has had such a fantastic and horizon-expanding trip. Even if she should meet with a few unexpected surprises on her way home, she’ll be able to add them to her list of events that have helped her evolve into an experienced global traveler.

– Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader

On Wednesday night, five of my friends and I trekked into Philadelphia for Shecky’s Girls’ Night Out. The event, held at the Crystal Tea Room in the Wanamaker Building, is a shopper’s dream. Booths of jewelry, shoes, clothing, accessories and more offer savings of up to 80 percent for attendees. Shecky’s, however, is well known for its goody bags. A $25 ticket guarantees admission, free cocktails (provided by a variety of sponsors) and a goody bag. Our red, reusable goody bags were stuffed to the brim with a variety of beauty products. Some of the notables: Softlips chapstick, Neutrogena make-up, Dial’s newest body washes, hair accessories. I literally could not stop talking about all the freebies.

We had a blast, perusing the wares and sipping on interesting drinks, including Michelob pomegranate-raspberry beer, Midori margaritas and X-Rated Fusion liquor with lemonade. Of course, we also shopped. I came home with two necklaces and a pair of Emilio Pucci sunglasses. It was too hard to resist the great deals. If you love to shop, I highly recommend a visit to Shecky’s Girls’ Night Out. Similar events are held in Dallas, New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco and Atlanta.

And, speaking of shopping . . . Monday is the kick-off of our annual charity auction! It’s important to help today’s youth, which is why we have partnered with the Mentor Foundation this year. As our charity, 100 percent of the proceeds from this year’s auction will benefit the organization, dedicated to keeping children off drugs and promoting general well-being.

What is up for grabs this year? Business-class tickets from American Airlines, SWISS, Lufthansa, British Airways, Asiana, Emirates, OpenSkies and more. Hotel stays all around the world, including Asia and Europe. Vacation packages to London (one of my personal faves) and Orlando. And that is only a sampling! For all the information, visit the website. Bidding begins Monday and ends May 1. Good luck!

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

I penned my letter from the publisher recently and took a bullish stance on the future of travel based on the return of the Emirates A380 to New York and OpenSkies‘ new service between Washington, D.C., and Paris.

Add to that the recent announcement that American Airlines will be increasing international flights from New York. This spring, AA will add three new destinations from JFK, including San Jose, Costa Rica; Madrid, Spain; and Manchester, England. The new flights to San Jose will begin April 6, while service to Madrid starts May 1, and flights to Manchester will begin May 13.

Jim Carter, American’s vice president in New York City, rightly stated: “New Yorkers are international travelers.” He is absolutely correct. Add the feeder markets around New York, which can stretch as far south as Philadelphia, and there is a huge potential market for AA.

Hopefully, this is another sign that travel will continue to pull the country, and the world, out of the global recession.

– Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO

I was recently asked if I have a favorite hotel in London. I’ve stayed at a number of luxury hotels in London over the years, but, on my recent visits, I have stayed with friends. My assessment of the best hotels in London may not be too accurate.However, I do know that one of the most expensive and luxurious hotels in London is the Lanesborough. I recently found out the Lanesborough was originally St. George’s Hospital, opened in 1733. In 1991, it opened as a Rosewood Hotel & Resort and then, in 1993, it became a St. Regis.This knowledge reminded me of an Istanbul property. The Four Seasons Istanbul was originally the first jail house, built in 1918 during the Ottoman Empire. It was abandoned in 1969, later used by the military and then finally transformed into a world-class luxury hotel in 1996.While both of these properties were gutted and completely renovated, I can’t help but think about what happened in those halls when they were a hospital and prison, respectively. If I’m asking if you believe in ghosts, I also have to ask if you believe in mind over matter. While I have not stayed in either hotel, I do know both properties are known for superior service and luxury amenities. However, if I were to stay in either property now, knowing the history, I dare say I would be a little on edge, wondering if ghosts are really wandering the corridors!– Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher