Monday, November 28, 2011

Residence Inn Giveaway - A Traveling Family’s Residence for All Seasons



With the holidays upon us, now is a great time for families on the road to stay with Residence Inn by Marriott. With suite style accommodations, full kitchens, and free hot breakfast, moms can rest easy knowing their family will be taken care of while traveling. To celebrate the start of holiday travel, TravelMamas.com's Colleen Lanin announced a $300 Residence Inn by Marriott gift card giveaway good at any of over 600 Residence Inn locations. To enter, visitors had to answer which Residence Inn family-friendly convenience they like best and share which Residence Inn location they’d most like to visit.

Nearly 2,000 moms entered the contest which ran November 6 - November 20, agreeing some of the brand's best family-friendly amenities include the 24-hour in-lobby market, outdoor grills, and on–site laundry facilities. Favorite locations included Residence Inn Calgary, Orlando, New York City, Atlanta, Anaheim, and Phoenix.

And the winner is …. Residence Inn loving mom Kerry! Kerry highlighted the great free breakfast and laundry facilities as reasons she chooses to stay at Residence Inn hotels.


Check out the full giveaway coverage on TravelMamas.com as well as Colleen's great review of Residence Inn San Diego Gaslamp 


To become a fan of Residence Inn by Marriott on Facebook, click here and to book your next family-friendly stay, visit Residence Inn by Marriott  

Friday, November 11, 2011

Montréal Declared Best Global Destination in Logo’s NewNowNext Travel Awards!


The fans have voted and the results are in – Montréal is the “Best Global Destination” for LGBT travelers! Bursting with exciting festivals and events and a venerable hotspot for travelers in all spheres of life, it’s no wonder why the city edged out Tokyo, Marrakesh, Corsica, London and Shanghai for this honor in Logo’s 2011 NewNowNextTravel Awards. No stranger to the awards, Montréal received back-to-back nominations for Best Global Destination and last year Tourisme Montreal President and CEO The Honourable Charles Lapointe, P.C. was honored with the “Gay+ Award for Achievement in Making this World Gayer.”

Montreal is the perfect mix of old-world charm and romance and forward-thinking modernism, full of trendy shops, chic bistros, and happening clubs. It proudly declare its tolerance for diversity with one the biggest Villages in the world, and can’t-miss events include the colorful Pride Celebrations, Divers/Cite Festival, image+nation LGBT film festival, Black & Blue Festival and Bal des Boys New Year’s Eve bonanza. In summer 2011, Montreal celebrated diversity with its second-annual innovative and exciting global search for “Queer of the Year” (get your entry ready for next year!).

LGBT Package Offer
Tourism Montreal offers great packages all year, including the LGBT Package with hotel rates starting as low as $129 CAD per night.

For more information on planning your trip and the latest Montreal LGBT news…
Visit Tourism Montreal’s website: www.tourisme-montreal.org 
Visit Tourism Montreal’s Gay Life blog: www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/gay-life/
Follow Tourism Montreal on Twitter: www.twitter.com/VisitMontreal 
Become a fan of Montreal on Facebook: www.facebook.com/montreal

Where in the World Does LDPR Want to Go Next?


Obviously, travel is our passion at LDPR so we love The Today Show segment Where in the World is Matt Lauer (though we should probably be better about following the clues and choosing the right destinations. I won't go into some of the places we guessed this year #cluefail). Now that the 10th Anniversary of the show has wrapped up in Barbados, what were some of the agency's favorite destinations? 

The winner here seems to be Day 4 - Jungfraujoch in the Swiss Alps:
 - Ashley MontBlanc Day has long wanted to travel to the Alps and the town of Mont Blanc (obviously!) and now she'll be adding the Sphinx Observatory to the itinerary.
 - Kelly Brewer loves amazing train travel (NJ Transit and NYC subway - here's NOT looking at you) so taking the train to Europe's highest railway station would be the ultimate experience. 

Namibia was a close second, however. We love heading out West for fresh powder days, but are open to a different type of skiing it seems:
 - Tricia Lanigan is ready to hit the dunes just like Matt, who we all thought looked very professional on skis. Helmet cam that please, Tricia! 
 - Chandra Dillon has family roots in South Africa, but hasn't been to the Skeleton Coast so it's now on her wish list. 

And you can't go wrong with Madrid:
 - Stephanie Preston loves the idea of late dinners and dancing. We recommend she tag along with Meredith Phares who is fluent in Spanish. Though language barriers often lead to some of the funniest travel experiences, it's always nice to travel with someone who can communicate well with the locals! 

We'll let you know if any of the LDPR staff makes it to one of these destinations in a future "Just Back From..." post. In the meantime, we're already excited for next year's Where in the World is Matt Lauer. And Matt, let us know if you need suggestions! 


LDPR Recognizes Ashley MontBlanc Day




This month, we are very proud and excited to shine the spotlight on one of LDPR’s superstar staffers, Ashley MontBlanc Day, who has been promoted to Account Director. Ashley is a results-driven, dynamic publicist who joined the LDPR family in 2006, and has been wow’ing us ever since. Her unique work style with clients, media and LDPR staffers is admirable. Ashley's earnest approachability, social savvy, humor and smart story telling is a powerful combination. Since joining the team, Ashley’s travels have taken her across the globe, from Scotland to Spain, Africa to Australia, Montana to the Bahamas. Therefore, we thought we’d check in with this globetrotter to get some travel tips and her viewpoints on agency life…

One of your most memorable travel experiences?
Traveling to Zambia with Sanctuary Retreats and Abercrombie & Kent. It was my first trip to Africa and was the most dramatically unique location I had been to – From the landscapes to the wildlife and the locals, it was an incredible adventure.
 
Any travel tips to share?
Be adventurous…Whether it is renting a car and driving on the "wrong" side of the road to see more of a country or trying a new activity, food, drink – Take it in. Traveling is your chance to walk in someone else's shoes. Learn, relax and be inspired! 
Your "must-pack" travel item?
Sneakers and my iPod. Going for a run in a new location is a great way to see the area. (Also a good way to counterbalance all of the food and drink that I inevitably indulge in while traveling)

Favorite thing about working at LDPR?
My LDPR family – Both the staff and our clients. It is incredible to be able to work with a crew that inspires, supports and keeps me laughing!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Art, Design and Fashion Converge in Bal Harbour, Florida



Art and design have forged an alliance in the fashion capital of Bal Harbour. Visual synergy created by top brands, South Florida based artists, local galleries and museums happened last season at Bal Harbour Art Nights and is back this season - bigger and better!  
During the 2011-2012 season, Bal Harbour Village, Bal Harbour Shops, The St. Regis and Art Nexus will host four collector worthy evenings, which will start on Thursday, November 3 at 6pm at the Bal Harbour Shops. Bal Harbour’s intention is to please the eyes and inspire the mind by creating a platform that celebrates the relationship between fashion and art.  The Art Night events also embrace the high level art components present in South Florida through museum presentations, Miami-based artist installations, and innovative chats. Future Art Nights are scheduled for January 11, February 8 and March 29.

A few highlights of this first event:
-Bal Harbour Chat Series, Neiman Marcus (2nd floor): "Miami: A Cultural Chronicle" with Tony Goldman, developer and visionary. Tony Goldman is known for transforming declining historical districts into thriving, global destinations.  He is the driving force behind the evolution of SoHo in New York City and South Beach and Wynwood in Miami (Interview by Nina Johnson-Milewski, Owner and Director, Gallery Diet)
-100% Capri will feature the work of Miami-based artist Michael Genovese, benefiting MAM (Miami Art Museum). 
-Ellie Tahari will feature a Renato Freitas photography exhibition, benefiting Care Resource.
-Books & Books will celebrate artist Sheila Elias and her dynamic collection with the book Somewhere-Anywhere. The book highlights her collection of paintings, collages, sculptures, photographs and installations over the past three decades.

And much more with exhibitions throughout the iconic Bal Harbour Shops.

LDPR

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For over 20 years LDPR has guided some of the world’s most prestigious travel brands through an evolving media landscape with creativity, professionalism and enthusiasm. We are a highly driven and innovative travel and lifestyle public relations agency based in New York City with a global roster of clients from destinations and tour companies to exclusive private islands, hotels and resorts. Our unique culture is defined by our collaborative and strategic approach to working with clients, media and our staff, leading to a strong partnership with measurable results.