I can’t believe Thanksgiving has come and gone already. The remainder of the holiday season is in full swing and 2009 is quickly wrapping up. Wow! And as the temperatures continue to drop, I am reminded of a mid-October jaunt to Houston, where the weather was unseasonably hot.

My colleague and I were shocked when we stepped out of George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Heat hit us in the face like a ton of bricks. Temperatures were reaching the mid-90s while our friends and family at home in PA were experiencing chillier than normal, wet weather. I had attempted to pack for the heat and have warm clothes for the return, but I just ended up getting it all wrong.

Houston, in my opinion, is an odd city. It does not have a very city-like feel because of its widespread area. The downtown is far less populated than in other cities, and it seems more city action takes place outside of the city’s center. Our trip started with a visit to the downtown area, where the convention center, baseball stadium and several hotels and restaurants reside.

A trip down the highway took us to the Galleria section, where high-end shopping reigns supreme. The area is full of hotels, stores, restaurants and shopping centers. It seems to me this is also a more popular residential area than downtown. To be honest, downtown seemed dead. No one was wandering around, but we later learned this is because of an underground tunnel system that allows people to move around the area and avoid the oppressive heat. Apparently, underground is quite abuzz with activity.

Our hotel, the brand-new Hotel Sorella CITYCENTRE, took us to the newest up-and-coming area of the Texas city, located across from the Energy Corridor. The area is full of restaurants, business, condos and activities. People from all over the city flock to the new sushi place, high-profile chefs are moving restaurants into the area, and I suspect that on my next visit, the CITYCENTRE will be packed with people.

Having sampled each of these three areas, I see the appeal of each and I understand why people rave about Houston, but I think the city’s layout would definitely take some adjustment. One thing that takes no getting used to is the hospitality and kindness of the Houstonians. Everyone I met was so friendly and more than willing to help or chat. I will return to Houston in August for the annual NBTA Convention. I look forward to learning more about the city. However, I have to admit, I am not looking forward to the summer temperatures!

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

It was with a tinge of sadness I watched the last out of World Series game six on Wednesday night. As Shane Victorino grounded out, Yankee Stadium erupted with the cheers of ecstatic fans whose favorite team had just won their 27th world championship. Not so long ago, just a little bit over a year ago, I was one of those fans.

Well, congratulations to the Yankees. But, also, congratulations to the Phillies on another stellar season. I am not disappointed in my team; I am proud of them for commanding a lead all season and beating the Rockies and the Dodgers to be the first National League team to return to the World Series consecutively since the ‘95-’96 Braves.

At a meeting in NYC on Wednesday, I refused my friend’s pleas to stay in the city that night for the game. I didn’t want to be in New York, I wanted to be in Philadelphia, rooting on my team with fellow fans! I truly believed the Series was going to game seven, and I didn’t give up believing in them until the last out was on the board.

And today, just two days after the last game, I already miss baseball season — and I can’t wait until spring training starts. And, not to badmouth the other team, but I need to comment on one small thing — Yankees Stadium was not even sold out for the games.  In Philadelphia, those tickets go — and quickly. With the Philadelphia fans firmly behind their team, I think we have a long future of successful seasons ahead of us. See you in 2010, boys!

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

Last week, the Ricketts family was formally introduced as the new owner of the Chicago Cubs. During the announcement press conference, much of the talk was focused on Wrigley Field.

First and foremost, it seems naming rights will be available. I am sure “Wrigley Field” will remain in the name, but there is too much money to be made by selling naming rights. In the near future, expect to see Wrigley Field at X Company Plaza.

Second, the Ricketts family is promising improvements in the park. Some of these changes involve modernizing certain features of the concourse (like the restrooms and dining choices). Other changes will be aesthetic, but definitely appreciated.

Third, there was talk of acquiring land across from Wrigley Field for various purposes. Some of these would include off-field team facilities, while others would include fan-related additions (restaurants, activity centers, parking).

Intermixed in all of this was the promise to build the Cubs into winners. I am sure winning is a goal, but, as in most businesses, I say it all follows the green (and I am not talking about the ivy-covered outfield walls).

It was stated that they would like to see Wrigley Field as a “go-to destination.” The funny thing is that this season the Cubs averaged more than a 95 percent capacity crowd. Therefore, to get more dollars, the park needs to get bigger and revenue-producing features need to be added.

I really believe what the Ricketts family is saying. I think we will see changes on and off the field. I might not agree with some of the changes, but it is going to be very interesting to watch the developments. This will make for a great business model, and I am going to enjoy watching it all up close.

– John Wroblewski, distribution specialist

A week ago today we traveled to Corvallis, Ore., to watch the Oregon State Beavers play the Stanford Cardinal in Pac-10 college football. We bid on a package at a church fundraising auction last month that provided us with 50-yard-line tickets, a parking pass and assorted other goodies, along with the chance for my husband to revisit his alma mater.

Driving in to town, Harry remarked on the changes and pointed out his dorms and the scenes of his undergraduate escapades. Entering our assigned lot, we passed elaborate tailgate party set-ups, some boasting generators to operate TVs with satellite dishes. Scents of grilled food filled the air along with the sounds of broadcast pre-game shows, excited laughter and shouts and the occasional rendition of the OSU fight song. Bright orange was everywhere: t-shirts, flags, blankets, hats — and liberally smeared on faces and other body parts.  Walking to the stadium, we joined a sea of fans caught up in the excitement of Game Day on a beautiful, sunny fall afternoon.

Harry hadn’t been back for a game since he graduated 30-plus years ago, when then-Parker Stadium (now Reser) had a smaller capacity and dowdier profile and the Beavers were embarking on a decades-long stretch of losing seasons. I attended college at a much smaller, 3,000-student state teachers college 20 miles up the road, and our football team, though quite successful, played in a single-grandstand stadium similar to what one finds at a good-sized high school. The last time I had observed this kind of big-time college football hoopla first hand was 30 years ago while attending graduate school at a different OSU — Ohio State University.  

Because of high demand for tickets (even students had to enter a lottery for a chance to snag a bleacher seat) and a lack of funds (I needed to eat, after all), I never actually attended a game. Walking down fraternity row on game days, though, exposed me to all the “pre-function” revelry, complete with one alum’s crimson-and-gray van bleating out the school’s fight song whenever the horn was honked. I’d sit in a study carrel in the deserted library tower half a mile from the jam-packed stadium, hearing the roar of the crowd with every great play. Posters of quarterback Art Schlichter adorned the walls of the campus bookstore, and it seemed the whole state lived and breathed Buckeye football. I’d certainly never seen anything like it in Oregon!

In the intervening years, though, it seems that Beaver fans gained the ability to match their Big Ten brethren for boisterousness and devotion (if not insanity!). The 40,000-plus fans that packed the stadium cheered, stomped, booed and sang (as the situation demanded) with impressive enthusiasm, leaping to their feet at the slightest hint of a break-out play so as not to miss a thing (though the presence of the jumbo-tron made that unlikely). All of that, plus our great seat location, the perfect weather and the 38-28 win over Stanford, made for a really fun, exciting day.

I’ve noted the discussions in the GT “Mail Call” letters and responses to John’s blogs about sporting events being great opportunities for bonding with business associates and schmoozing with clients. I can certainly see that being true, especially at a baseball game or if one has access to a suite or box. The one thing that ran through my mind last Saturday, though, as I put in earplugs to try to lessen the hearing loss from the pre-game music blaring at deafening levels in the stadium, was that a college football game would NOT be the ideal situation for a little light business talk!

Hope you have the opportunity to take in a game on a crisp afternoon sometime soon!

– Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader 

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