Just thought I would write a quick post about my latest adventure. In a nutshell I will be appearing on the Anderson Cooper show.
http://www.andersoncooper.com/
They are doing a program about Mom’s drinking during play dates and generally during the days. Apparently I will be drinking casually throughout the recording of the show .On completion of the hour there will be a doctor who is specialized in the affects of alcohol on your body. I will be asked to do a few cognitive tests to see the effect it has had on me physically. It will be an interesting show regardless and to see what the general opinion is amongst people here in the US.
At first I was very hesitant as I have to admit the thought of meeting Anderson Cooper is totally intimidating. However after a bit of communal support from Hugo and friends I have decided to do it. I will be definitely stepping out of my comfort zone.
I see this as an amazing experience and only one that could happen here in New York.
I am allowed to take some friends so hopefully they will be able to offer their support on set.
I will keep you all posted and look forward to writing all about it!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Meat Pies & Sausage rolls
It was Australia Day this week and I finally felt some waves of homesickness. As I read FaceBook I felt a sense of nostalgia. I also felt a sense of longing to be part of such a patriotic day. I have not felt that for a while so it actually has caught me by surprise.
I also found out a bakery called Pie Face had opened a bakery here in Manhattan. I quickly looked it up and it was not too far from us either. They were actually going to give out free pies on Australia day which I thought was so Australian!!
Pie face I used to go to years ago at Bondi Junction. I remember them vividly so I was very happy to hear they were opening one here.
I had a Mom from the school rush up to me with a menu letting me know that this new “Aussie” establishment was in town. I then proceeded to describe to her what a pie was to us. She said it sounded “awesome” and I thought to myself yes they are.
I have been craving a sausage roll for days now. I asked the girls if they remembered what they were and unfortunately neither one did. I refreshed Isabel’s memory and finally she remembered.
So being a relatively mild day here today only about 5 degrees we walked down to 53rd and Broadway to finally have some Australian gourmet cuisine. Much to my delight it was right on the corner next to where they film David Letterman. We ordered and I had a chat to the server who was American but obviously very “Australianised”. I ordered my sausage rolls and asked if they had ketchup. He automatically knew what I meant those little packs of “tomato sauce” we have back home. He told me they didn’t have them as they are unable to get them in the US.
Oh well these sausage rolls where amazing regardless and the girls loved them!
So now I know when I get my little twinges of homesickness I can venture there and look at the pictures of Bondi that decorate the walls. I think it’s my little slice of the Eastern Suburbs right in the heart of Manhattan.
Link to Pie Face :
http://pieface.com.au/locations/?state=ny&store=pie-face-broadway
I also found out a bakery called Pie Face had opened a bakery here in Manhattan. I quickly looked it up and it was not too far from us either. They were actually going to give out free pies on Australia day which I thought was so Australian!!
Pie face I used to go to years ago at Bondi Junction. I remember them vividly so I was very happy to hear they were opening one here.
I had a Mom from the school rush up to me with a menu letting me know that this new “Aussie” establishment was in town. I then proceeded to describe to her what a pie was to us. She said it sounded “awesome” and I thought to myself yes they are.
I have been craving a sausage roll for days now. I asked the girls if they remembered what they were and unfortunately neither one did. I refreshed Isabel’s memory and finally she remembered.
So being a relatively mild day here today only about 5 degrees we walked down to 53rd and Broadway to finally have some Australian gourmet cuisine. Much to my delight it was right on the corner next to where they film David Letterman. We ordered and I had a chat to the server who was American but obviously very “Australianised”. I ordered my sausage rolls and asked if they had ketchup. He automatically knew what I meant those little packs of “tomato sauce” we have back home. He told me they didn’t have them as they are unable to get them in the US.
Oh well these sausage rolls where amazing regardless and the girls loved them!
So now I know when I get my little twinges of homesickness I can venture there and look at the pictures of Bondi that decorate the walls. I think it’s my little slice of the Eastern Suburbs right in the heart of Manhattan.
Link to Pie Face :
http://pieface.com.au/locations/?state=ny&store=pie-face-broadway
Saturday, January 28, 2012
First Snow storm for winter 2011-2012
I have been rather busy lately so have found it quite hard to find time to come in here and write. I have had quite a few Clients lately and that has been taking up a lot of my time. I find that I am slowly building a Clientele which is great so I really want to do the best I can for them. I am a very passionate person by nature so when I jump into something I tend to go all the way.
This winter has been so much milder than our first one here in New York. Although we had a snow storm last week, it’s really been quite mild in comparison. Isabel and Annika were over the moon when they awoke to a snow covered Upper West Side last weekend. We enthusiastically got to the park as soon as we could to do some much anticipated sledding.
It seemed Annika still had recollections of her “face planting” experience last winter. She was very hesitant to attempt a ride down the very kid friendly hill we choose. After some “Mummy” negotiations I managed to convince her to go down with me. She then decided it was fun.
I am still in absolute amazement at how amazing Central Park changes through the seasons. The many tourists that were lucky to see the park in its true winter glory were photographing like crazy. I love the first couple of hours after the snow has arrived as everything is so clean and pretty. It does not take long however unfortunately till it turns in to dirty slush.
This winter has been so much milder than our first one here in New York. Although we had a snow storm last week, it’s really been quite mild in comparison. Isabel and Annika were over the moon when they awoke to a snow covered Upper West Side last weekend. We enthusiastically got to the park as soon as we could to do some much anticipated sledding.
It seemed Annika still had recollections of her “face planting” experience last winter. She was very hesitant to attempt a ride down the very kid friendly hill we choose. After some “Mummy” negotiations I managed to convince her to go down with me. She then decided it was fun.
I am still in absolute amazement at how amazing Central Park changes through the seasons. The many tourists that were lucky to see the park in its true winter glory were photographing like crazy. I love the first couple of hours after the snow has arrived as everything is so clean and pretty. It does not take long however unfortunately till it turns in to dirty slush.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Help!!
I would like to start this post saying how truly sorry I am for all the people affected by the accident on the Concordia last week. Its just horrible and very upsetting to think the negligence of one human being can cause such a catastrophic accident.
In saying that I know the Cruise Industry in some what of a situation where the media is really pointing out all that can go wrong. My personal view coming originally from the aviation industry is that human error is human error.
I know many have vowed they will never cruise and that is most definitely their choice. I suppose the same can be said about flying. I know even being a Flight Attendant I was very traumatized with 9/11 and I felt very uneasy about boarding a plane for a while.
I hope that the full story comes out and that those who are to blame get their just punishment.
On a more positive note I need a huge favor to ask.
I have entered a Facebook Small Business contest. I need to get as many "likes" as possible by March. If I get over 100 I go into the next level. So please if you have not already done so please like my page. Also I would appreciate if you could pass it on to your Facebook friends.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Expedia-CruiseShipCenters-Tanya-Lindin/149864021751995
In saying that I know the Cruise Industry in some what of a situation where the media is really pointing out all that can go wrong. My personal view coming originally from the aviation industry is that human error is human error.
I know many have vowed they will never cruise and that is most definitely their choice. I suppose the same can be said about flying. I know even being a Flight Attendant I was very traumatized with 9/11 and I felt very uneasy about boarding a plane for a while.
I hope that the full story comes out and that those who are to blame get their just punishment.
On a more positive note I need a huge favor to ask.
I have entered a Facebook Small Business contest. I need to get as many "likes" as possible by March. If I get over 100 I go into the next level. So please if you have not already done so please like my page. Also I would appreciate if you could pass it on to your Facebook friends.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Expedia-CruiseShipCenters-Tanya-Lindin/149864021751995
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Cruising is it right for you?
I have decided to write a piece about the reasons why I believe a Cruise Holiday is such a fantastic option for most.
Like most things in life there are good fits and there are not so good fits.
I suppose the best question I find when initially “interviewing” my Clients is ascertaining some critical information. Why I call it critical? It’s crucial to me and to anyone in this industry who truly wants to provide their Clients with the best possible vacation their budget will allow them to have. I ask them to tell me what they loved about either their last vacation or one that they truly enjoyed from start to finish. I also then ask them about the one/s they didn’t enjoy. I ask for specifics and this quite clearly to me narrows down to what they are after when it comes to a pleasurable vacation experience.
I will concentrate on the Clients that I truly believe will benefit from a Cruise Vacation.
I do specialize in families however Cruises don’t necessarily only suit families. Here in the USA there are so many Cruise Lines that do cater for different demographics.
In general the Client needs to be someone who really wants to not worry about packing and unpacking. Obviously the more adventurous you are you can choose destinations that are out of the ordinary. Also you can choose longer cruises but basically you want to not have to worry about organizing and enjoy having it all done for you.
There are so many categories again that there really is something for everyone.
So here are my points that will defiantly sell you a Cruise!
All inclusive- So when you get the cost you basically know the majority of your vacation has been paid for. This actually really helps you stick to a budget. Items such as some drinks and liquor are additional costs. You have various activities on board such as spa treatments and gambling also that would be additional costs.
So much to do onboard- The Cruise Lines have really made sure that their guests have plenty to do onboard. For obvious reasons I cannot name each and everyone however they carefully select what they believe their type of guests will enjoy. The Cruise Companies are constantly updating and reevaluating. They know that repeat Clientele is a major aspect in their future sales. There is a very heavy focus of this and Clients do benefit. There are various privileges and discounts past passengers are entitled too.
Kid’s programmes- This to me as a mother of two would have to be one of the biggest selling points. They all have different programs however the opportunity to keep the children entertained seems ideal especially if you would like to do a bit without the kids. There is really an amazing amount on emphasis placed on these programs by the Cruise Companies that I am certain parents would be very pleasantly surprised.
Destinations- There really is something to suit everyone. These days you can really go to any part of the world on a cruise. With kids the main places here in the US seem to be down to the Caribbean. Some of the Cruise companies such as Norwegian and Disney have their own private Islands too. It’s pretty amazing. There are the options for shore excursions too which you can do as a family. Parents also have the option of leaving the kids on board and doing one on their own.
I have been asked by so many to finally post a bit about Cruises so this I thought would be the start.
I would be honored if anyone on of you would like me to plan a cruise for you and your family.
To my Australian followers I already have a few that have booked some amazing Disney Cruises in 2012. I am more than happy to plan or even just give some advice. It would be best to email me via my website as it’s easier for me to send quotes that way.
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/TanyaLindin
My website is FULL of information too!!
Like most things in life there are good fits and there are not so good fits.
I suppose the best question I find when initially “interviewing” my Clients is ascertaining some critical information. Why I call it critical? It’s crucial to me and to anyone in this industry who truly wants to provide their Clients with the best possible vacation their budget will allow them to have. I ask them to tell me what they loved about either their last vacation or one that they truly enjoyed from start to finish. I also then ask them about the one/s they didn’t enjoy. I ask for specifics and this quite clearly to me narrows down to what they are after when it comes to a pleasurable vacation experience.
I will concentrate on the Clients that I truly believe will benefit from a Cruise Vacation.
I do specialize in families however Cruises don’t necessarily only suit families. Here in the USA there are so many Cruise Lines that do cater for different demographics.
In general the Client needs to be someone who really wants to not worry about packing and unpacking. Obviously the more adventurous you are you can choose destinations that are out of the ordinary. Also you can choose longer cruises but basically you want to not have to worry about organizing and enjoy having it all done for you.
There are so many categories again that there really is something for everyone.
So here are my points that will defiantly sell you a Cruise!
All inclusive- So when you get the cost you basically know the majority of your vacation has been paid for. This actually really helps you stick to a budget. Items such as some drinks and liquor are additional costs. You have various activities on board such as spa treatments and gambling also that would be additional costs.
So much to do onboard- The Cruise Lines have really made sure that their guests have plenty to do onboard. For obvious reasons I cannot name each and everyone however they carefully select what they believe their type of guests will enjoy. The Cruise Companies are constantly updating and reevaluating. They know that repeat Clientele is a major aspect in their future sales. There is a very heavy focus of this and Clients do benefit. There are various privileges and discounts past passengers are entitled too.
Kid’s programmes- This to me as a mother of two would have to be one of the biggest selling points. They all have different programs however the opportunity to keep the children entertained seems ideal especially if you would like to do a bit without the kids. There is really an amazing amount on emphasis placed on these programs by the Cruise Companies that I am certain parents would be very pleasantly surprised.
Destinations- There really is something to suit everyone. These days you can really go to any part of the world on a cruise. With kids the main places here in the US seem to be down to the Caribbean. Some of the Cruise companies such as Norwegian and Disney have their own private Islands too. It’s pretty amazing. There are the options for shore excursions too which you can do as a family. Parents also have the option of leaving the kids on board and doing one on their own.
I have been asked by so many to finally post a bit about Cruises so this I thought would be the start.
I would be honored if anyone on of you would like me to plan a cruise for you and your family.
To my Australian followers I already have a few that have booked some amazing Disney Cruises in 2012. I am more than happy to plan or even just give some advice. It would be best to email me via my website as it’s easier for me to send quotes that way.
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/TanyaLindin
My website is FULL of information too!!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Our first offical vacation here in the USA
Well finally the day arrived that we were leaving for our very first vacation here in the USA. Unlike back home the word “vacation” is what is used rather than “Holidays”.
We caught the flight which was a pleasant 3 hours and after a short cab trip we arrived to our hotel.
For those who have never been to Orlando it was basically developed due to Disney Resort being built there many years ago. Apparently it just grew at a very fast pace due to the huge success of Disney. This then also opened the door to various other theme parks.
It did remind me a lot of LA with the freeways and the amazing amount of “chain” stores which is so distinctively different to New York.
We excitedly unpacked and headed to the swimming pool. It was a beautiful 26 degrees so the girls were beside themselves.
The next week can only be described as “full on”. We apparently had arrived at the tail end of a huge boom season they have not seen for many years. We had a 4 day pass to the Disney Parks and we had set aside a day to go Universal Studios.
The first day was exhausting! The girls were very excited however the challenge of either lining up for 60 minutes plus or racing around to get “fast passes” was extremely overwhelming. I can honestly say that at my age my patience is very thin. Regardless we tried to make best by just powering through the many meltdowns and tantrums that I am sure were due to the overwhelming experience of it all.
The four Disney Resort parks we visited were outstanding. As a Travel Agent I can tell you all that Disney has definitely perfected the whole theme park experience. The parks were faultless as were the attractions and overall the staff. I was so impressed that I cannot recommend them enough. On that note please anyone that would like my perspective on the parks in a lot more detail please feel free to contact me. I welcome any questions. I also am able to book Disney so again please feel free contact me either via this blog or email me directly via my work email which is on my website.
Hugo and I decided that it was best due to the crowds not take Annika to Universal. Instead Hugo would spend a relaxing day with her at the hotel as I know after day 3 she was pretty exhausted. Isabel and I spent an amazing but busy day at Universals "Islands of Adventure". We waited a whole two hours to finally ride on the "Harry Potter" forbidden journey. It certainly exceeded my expectations and again shows the absolute perfection and imagination these amazing theme parks have to offer.
We departed Orlando seven days later and I have to say I was so looking forward to getting back home. I realized how much my life is now entwined in this amazing city I now call home. I cherish the fact I walk everywhere and that everything is done so fast and efficiently. I realized during a much deserved coffee at Starbucks Universal how much of a “New Yorker” I have become. As I waited to initially place my order and then wait for my latte at how incredibly slow they were to what I am used to. The Barista's seemed to talk and joke around while they had a queue that was considerably long. I almost felt like jumping over that bar and making it myself. Oh dear how will I ever cope living outside Manhattan??
We caught the flight which was a pleasant 3 hours and after a short cab trip we arrived to our hotel.
For those who have never been to Orlando it was basically developed due to Disney Resort being built there many years ago. Apparently it just grew at a very fast pace due to the huge success of Disney. This then also opened the door to various other theme parks.
It did remind me a lot of LA with the freeways and the amazing amount of “chain” stores which is so distinctively different to New York.
We excitedly unpacked and headed to the swimming pool. It was a beautiful 26 degrees so the girls were beside themselves.
The next week can only be described as “full on”. We apparently had arrived at the tail end of a huge boom season they have not seen for many years. We had a 4 day pass to the Disney Parks and we had set aside a day to go Universal Studios.
The first day was exhausting! The girls were very excited however the challenge of either lining up for 60 minutes plus or racing around to get “fast passes” was extremely overwhelming. I can honestly say that at my age my patience is very thin. Regardless we tried to make best by just powering through the many meltdowns and tantrums that I am sure were due to the overwhelming experience of it all.
The four Disney Resort parks we visited were outstanding. As a Travel Agent I can tell you all that Disney has definitely perfected the whole theme park experience. The parks were faultless as were the attractions and overall the staff. I was so impressed that I cannot recommend them enough. On that note please anyone that would like my perspective on the parks in a lot more detail please feel free to contact me. I welcome any questions. I also am able to book Disney so again please feel free contact me either via this blog or email me directly via my work email which is on my website.
Hugo and I decided that it was best due to the crowds not take Annika to Universal. Instead Hugo would spend a relaxing day with her at the hotel as I know after day 3 she was pretty exhausted. Isabel and I spent an amazing but busy day at Universals "Islands of Adventure". We waited a whole two hours to finally ride on the "Harry Potter" forbidden journey. It certainly exceeded my expectations and again shows the absolute perfection and imagination these amazing theme parks have to offer.
We departed Orlando seven days later and I have to say I was so looking forward to getting back home. I realized how much my life is now entwined in this amazing city I now call home. I cherish the fact I walk everywhere and that everything is done so fast and efficiently. I realized during a much deserved coffee at Starbucks Universal how much of a “New Yorker” I have become. As I waited to initially place my order and then wait for my latte at how incredibly slow they were to what I am used to. The Barista's seemed to talk and joke around while they had a queue that was considerably long. I almost felt like jumping over that bar and making it myself. Oh dear how will I ever cope living outside Manhattan??
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