Jenny believes one of the best parts of the trip was their accomodations at the Duane Street Hotel in the TriBeCa neighborhood. She had had her fill of youth hostels and the YMCA after her two months overseas, and she and Emily spent plenty of time researching to find a nice place that could accomodate their budgets. Located conveniently not far from Wall Street and the financial district and in a trendy area with great restaurants and shopping, the Duane Street Hotel sounds like it would meet the needs of both business and leisure travelers. The girls appreciated the fact that they could hop on the subway just two blocks from the hotel  and get to the myriad sites on their extensive list of “to-sees.” With only 45 guestrooms, this was a good choice for them, and they found the staff friendly and very helpful with tips and directions. They also appreciated the property-wide free Wi-Fi, warm cookies available 24/7, plush bathrobes in the room and a spacious, well-appointed bathroom.

I got a kick out of Jenny’s Facebook posting on her first morning in New York: “You know you’re in NYC when: they are filming Law & Order right outside your hotel.” Another New York moment (on the other end of the thrill scale) was spotting rats on the subway platform, but it seems everything else was pretty much a thumbs-up. Both girls were moved to tears at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum (just blocks from their hotel) but were glad to have experienced it. They also visited MOMA and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, took the ferry to Liberty and Ellis islands, stopped in at a jazz club on the Upper West Side and saw The Lion King on Broadway. They wandered around Little Italy, compared New York pizza with the Chicago variety they know well and, of course, enjoyed the shopping (”Mom, no sales tax on clothes!!!”). One disappointment: They weren’t picked up by Cash Cab.

Arriving back in Chicago late Friday night, Jenny now looks ahead to her final months of school. She will graduate not only with her formal degree but also some great real-world experiences gained on her travels. Best of all, she’s grown in confidence in herself and her ability to navigate a big new city (even if she mistakenly ends up in Brooklyn at some point!) and has gained a grand appreciation for the world and its peoples. 

– Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader

Believe me, there are times when I wish I could wow someone with an exciting and unusual job description. Just the other day I was listening to an interview on NPR with a young woman who, as a graduate student, worked as a “date” booker for a high-end call-girl agency. Now there’s a person who I am sure provides plenty of stimulating conversation at parties! Conversely, her work might be an awkward topic around the family table at Thanksgiving; my profession might be terribly mundane, but it isn’t likely to cause Grandma to choke on her turkey!

However, my purpose goes beyond merely making sure punctuation is properly used, the right words are capped, spelling is correct and the rules of grammar are observed. I fact check and keep an eye out for inconsistencies and style issues. These are things which editor in chief Lisa Matte and associate editor Jan Hecht watch out for, too, and periodically we put our heads together and hash out a solution or answer to some issue which crops up as we’re reviewing an article. If you’re not asleep yet, let me give you an example.

Several pieces in each issue provide contact information for hotels, restaurants and places of interest in destinations all over the world. Whenever possible, we provide addresses, phone numbers and website addresses so that our readers might be able to visit those locations, or at least easily get further information about them, on their own. The question arose the other day as to what form we should use to present an address. For instance, in some cultures, street numbers follow the street name rather than preceding it, as we are used to here in the United States. Should we “Americanize” the address for the majority of our readers or present it in the form typical of the country of its origin? Should we use abbreviations and spellings familiar to English-speakers or use the form in the original language?

Such questions may appear to be so much dithering over unimportant details, but let me assure you that the editorial staff at GT seriously consider that our readers are real people who will use the information we provide to help them make travel plans and visit the places written about in the magazine. Our decisions usually are made against this final arbiter: What will make the most sense and be most useful to someone in a different culture who doesn’t speak the local language?

In this particular case, we imagined travelers jotting down the address of a fabulous restaurant that had been praised on our pages, eager to try the unique cuisine offered there. It might be on their first night in a city completely new to them, and they might not be able to speak the local language. Hungry, tired but excited to step out in this fascinating destination, they hail a cab and hand over the name and address of the eatery to the driver. What will make the most sense to HIM, the one responsible for getting his passengers to their destination? An “Americanized” version of an address, or a form familiar to him and used throughout his city or country? Voila! The answer is clear, yes?

It’s the attention to those little, seemingly inconsequential yet important details that I believe helps make Global Traveler an excellent, reliable source for the business and leisure traveler. And, while it ain’t very glamourous, I’m proud to do my part!

– Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader

I still follow the basketball team fairly closely now, and this was a great season to be a fan. SU finished the season ranked No. 3 in the nation with a 28-3 record. At one point, we were tops in the nation. Our home game against Villanova was the highest-attended college basketball game in history. Yesterday was disheartening. After a double bye in the Big East tournament, we lost to Georgetown yesterday and had a scare when mainstay Arinze Onuaku left the game due to a knee injury. Luckily, it looks rest will do the trick and Onuaku should be back in the game for the NCAA tournament.

So, now I look forward to Selection Sunday. Go Orange!

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

This is something only the budget traveler should keep in mind, as booking a package trip might place you right in the heart of the college Spring Break action. For cheaper airfare, however, it might be worth checking out.

– Courtney Centeno, account executive

Last week, she made her decision. She chose Southern Illinois University, home of the Salukis.

I admit SIU would not be my choice . . . I mean for her, of course. However, I know Sam (and her parents) put a lot of thought and research into the decision. I also know that Carbondale is just 342 miles (give or take) away, which translates to a 5.5 hour trip. Not too bad.

I also know that the Salukis have made six NCAA tournament appearances since 2002. Not too bad, either (and better than my DePaul Blue Demons).

I also know that Carbondale is generally several degrees warmer than Chicago. It might not sound like much, but a few degrees is always welcome in the middle of a Chicago winter.

I learned that SIU has a teaching museum (the University Museum) on campus, which houses 60,000 artifacts and hosts traveling shows from artists. SIU also has one of the largest student unions in the country and a huge Student Center, along with a Rec Center and Health Center. There are also a number of popular food franchises on campus, including Chick-fil-A (one of Sam’s favorites).

SIU’s notable alumni include Jim Hart (former star NFL quarterback), Walt Frazier (NBA Hall of Famer), Dennis Franz (actor) and Scott Olofsson (a longtime Global Traveler fan). Unfortunately, Jim Belushi is also an alum, but I digress.

The city of Carbondale also has a lot to offer. The Shawnee National Forest, the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge and Giant City State Park are all in the Carbondale area. For the golf enthusiasts (aka our publisher, Fran Gallagher), Golf Digest awarded Hickory Ridge Golf Course a 4-star rating for the past six years.

Reviewing these facts (and Sam’s wishes, of course), I will become a proud supporter (and hopefully occasional visitor) of SIU. Go Salukis!

– John Wroblewski, distribution specialist

However, I believe adventure travel can be defined in many ways. Each month GT features an “Adventure Add-on” destination article, ranging from eco-tours to trekking the mountain peaks of the Andes. Personally, I think the pictures accompanying the article are stunning. But I’m quite happy reading about and looking at them from the pages of GT.

On the other hand, I am one to get on a plane and go anywhere off the beaten path. I believe it’s just as adventurous to go to a politically unstable environment as it is to jump out of a plane. One opportunity involving sport and travel that I would take advantage of, if it came my way, is heliskiing. Jumping out of a helicopter is a little more manageable for me than an airplane, especially since there are fresh tracks to be skied that have yet to be touched by another person.

What’s your idea of adventure travel? Don’t forget to take a look at GT’s auction to see what prize suits your adventure needs!

– Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher

Global Traveler’s auction benefits a great cause that helps children around the world avoid getting involved with drugs and alcohol, which is one of the largest issues facing our children. While your bids will help children, you and your company will benefit from great deals and offers. Some of the selected items for bid include:

- Two business-class tickets on American Airlines

- Two business-class tickets on Asiana Airlines

- Two business-class tickets on Singapore Airlines

- Four business-class tickets on British Airways

- Two business-class tickets on  Emirates

So get online and bid, take a fabulous trip and help Mentor!

– Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO

More than 30 vendors offered tastes and sale of their products at the lovely and historic Ashland Springs Hotel (formerly known as the Mark Antony), just steps away from the OSF theaters. The entire town was focused on the chocolate event this weekend: Friday night the monthly First Friday Art Walk included chocolate goodies in many of the galleries, and all weekend theater-goers could enjoy 50 percent off their evening show tickets by mentioning “chocolate” at the ticket windows. (We weren’t able to take in a show this year but will have to keep that in mind next spring!) Able to devote just a few hours on Saturday, we nonetheless made good use of our time and had our fill of all manner of chocolate and chocolate-related goodies.

Four local wineries offered tastes of red wine varietals and blends as well as sweet dessert wines that paired nicely with the baked goods and truffles on hand. Rogue Ales offered samples of their Chocolate Stout, and Organic Nation Spirits provided sips of organically produced vodka and gin — distilled right in Ashland. All of the companies represented at the festival are genuinely Oregon-based, and many hail from the southwest region; a heartening thought: I don’t have to travel far to get a chocolate fix or something delectable to go with my favorite vice!

I noted a couple of interesting variations on your typical chocolate decadence. Two vendors offered raw chocolate confections: no sugar at all, but sometimes flavors such as ginger or chiles were added. The idea, I guess, is to get the nutritional benefits of chocolate without those added, processed calories. And Missionary Chocolates out of Portland creates dairy- and gluten-free truffles; their creations are a feast for the eyes and the palate!

Several local restaurants participated in a Chocolate Dessert Competition, and this presented a nice opportunity to the crowd of sweet-lovers. Plates of the contested items were available at a silent auction, with proceeds to benefit a local food bank. Although we didn’t place a winning bid, it was great to see some truly extravagant presentations and make a note of a place or two where we might drop in for a special dessert some evening in the future.

Once we’d had our fill of chocolate (hard to imagine, I know, but it is possible) and the crowds, we took advantage of the sunny, warm, early spring afternoon and strolled Main Street for a bit of window shopping. Ashland is a charming town with plenty of fascinating shops which appeal to its flood of play-going visitors, and we’ve barely begun to plumb what it has to offer. I’m sure we’ll be back over and over again — especially if the chocolate is out!

– Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader

This year, as everyone who has even a passing interest in film knows, the Oscars offer some added interest. For the first time in decades, 10 films are vying for Best Picture, instead of the usual five. And not since the late ’80s has there been more than one host (although, don’t you find that after the opening monologue/production number, that job usually fades into the woodwork?), with Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin doing the honors this year. What’s really got me anticipating the show, however, is the array of really great films and roles nominated this year. Admit it, some years the pickin’s are pretty slim and it isn’t hard to figure who the winners will be. Happily for those who look forward to entertaining, enlightening, thought-provoking cinema, there’s been a lot of that to choose from this past season.

While between the two of us Harry and I have seen seven of the 10 Best Picture nominees (I haven’t seen Avatar yet, and he doubts he’ll see Precious), we are still frustrated that the movies and performances we most want to see haven’t appeared at our local multiplexes and aren’t likely to, either. We have to drive at least 30 miles to find the one small movie house that will regularly schedule smaller, independent films, and if we can’t get there within a week or two, those are often gone before we can take them in.

It is certainly one of the things one must accept in living in a smaller city, but it can be especially annoying when there are so many good films that just don’t get here. I’ve been eager to see The Hurt Locker, An Education, A Serious Man and A Single Man; and don’t even get me started on the documentaries and foreign films (those are nearly always a wait-’til-it’s-available-through-Netflix situation). I guess I just have to remember to budget some time when I’m in the Big City to zip in to a nearby theater and catch a movie I can be pretty sure won’t make it to my town (if it isn’t distributed by a big studio and it doesn’t have a doomsday scenario, lots of horny and/or murdered teenagers, supernatural creatures, fast cars or lots of explosions, it’s a candidate).

Anyway, here’s to an entertaining awards show tomorrow night; I hope your favorite wins!

– Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader

I am completely happy with my decision to go electronic. I’m a huge reader, so I was a little skeptical at first, but I couldn’t be more pleased with the Kindle. My book habit was getting expensive; in an attempt to save money, I tried going to the local library, but then my late fees were costing me an arm and a leg. It’s hard to put a time restraint on a book. Plus, books were bulky on my travels, and it always seemed like I was just about to finish a book just as I was leaving for a trip, so I ended up lugging two books around. And I hated the lull in between books. I would finish reading one and not have another to start until I had the time to go buy one.

The Kindle was the solution to all my problems. All the books, magazines and newspapers are cheaper on Amazon then buying them in the store. So even though I’m still shelling out money, I’m saving too. I just bought a book that is a bestseller for $4.98. The device is super lightweight and can store up to 1,500 books. I can lug hundreds of books around at once without any back pain. My Kindle works wirelessly around the world, and books download in seconds. I can finish a book and be started on a new one in minutes. And the best part is, I can read a free sample of any book before I buy it. If you are a voracious reader, you should definitely consider purchasing a Kindle.

And I didn’t have to give up on printed books. My grad school professor made sure I had to purchase plenty of them!

Travel tip — Kindles are treated like laptops, so be sure you take them out and put them in a separate bin before going through security.

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