January 2024

1/5/2024

Happy New Year,

I hope your holiday season was festive, and you are easing into 2024.

December was - you guessed it - another busy month for my family. At the beginning of the month, Sandy and I went to the Madison Symphony Orchestra for a holiday concert. It was my first time seeing a symphony, and I loved it. We’re already making plans to go again this spring.

We were lucky to see two sets of holiday lights this year. What started as a way to do something outside during the pandemic has evolved into one of our yearly traditions. Similar to last year, both kids were in the Children's Nativity Service at church. And again, Peter was a lamb, and Sarah was an angel. They both did great, but I think they were almost more excited about all the treats after the performance.

Christmas was a low-key holiday for us. It was just the four of us. Some gift highlights were a toy electric guitar and drum kit for Peter (send earplugs). Sarah enjoyed her Magic 8 Ball (some gifts never go out of style) and a squishmallow. Sandy received two books (an easy gift for a librarian), and I loved a new sweatshirt and books. After opening gifts, we had our traditional Christmas morning meal of poundcake and went to the movies in the afternoon.

For the New Year's Holiday, a local children's museum had a "Noon Year's Eve" party which was a fun family event. In the evening, Sandy and I went to friends for a few hours but were home and in bed before midnight. On New Year's Day, we went for a swim at our local fitness club, and in the afternoon Peter and I went ice skating.

The past few weeks have seen an influx in inquiries for vacations this spring and summer. A few of you are still interested in spring break. Availability may be down, but I will try and find you something. Flexibility is key.

I had clients who needed to use travel insurance more in 2023 than any previous year as an agent. I may sound like a broken record, but I strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your vacation.

I will be traveling at the beginning of February and will skip sending a First Friday email. I'll pick back up in March. Stay warm!

Have a great weekend,

Brian

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December 2023

1/5/2024

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Season's Greetings,

I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the end of 2023. This year flew by for us.

November came and went, and was another busy month for our family. As many of you know from past First Friday updates, we have a small storm-water pond behind our house. Each winter, when it freezes, we like to ice skate. Slowly but surely, the kids have been improving each year. This year, we signed them up for ice skating lessons before getting to the stage in the winter when our pond is frozen. They've been going once a week and have each made great progress. Might we have a hockey player in the family? Time will tell.

We had a nice Thanksgiving. I took a spin class at our athletic club, then Peter and I went swimming. I typically don't make a turkey and this year was no exception. Everyone in our family picked out one food we would eat. Sarah - cranberry sauce, Peter - cornbread, Sandy - baked chicken and spaghetti, and Brian - cannoli pie. Sandy's parents visited from Michigan, and we all enjoyed the day and weekend.

The other highlights of the month included the usual - swim lessons, attending birthday parties, our local fire truck parade, visiting the children's museum, and of course - the first round of children's sickness for the season.

From the Caribbean to Europe to Trans-Atlantic Cruises, 2023 was another fantastic year for helping you plan your travel adventures. There isn't too much time to reflect, as January begins what is typically a busy time of year for travel agents. After the holidays, many people get antsy and begin planning their next journey. Please don't hesitate to let me know how I can help!

In closing, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, and an amazing 2024.

Have a great weekend,

Brian

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See previous monthly emails here.

November 2023

1/5/2024

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Greetings Friends,

I hope you are all doing well and enjoying autumn. October was a busy and fun month for our family.

I typically do my recaps in chronological order from the beginning of the month to the end, but I feel like it’s appropriate to start at the end - Halloween!

This year, Sarah's costume started as a princess, but by the end of Halloween had morphed into a butterfly. Peter went as a dragon. We went to multiple celebrations - school, Girl Scouts, city trunk-or-treat, and then finally, the regular “Halloween” trick-or-treating. The night was cold, it's Wisconsin - anything can happen weather-wise! Peter did a great job - he ran fast to keep up with the big kids. I was impressed! The kids received more candy than they needed - and I have no problem taking a few mini-Snickers from time to time.

The other big event that happened in October was Sarah turning seven. On her birthday, I was a “Watch Dog” at her school. This is a program where dads/father figures go into schools to help be a male presence. It was an eventful day, and I was happy to be there with her. The following weekend we had a birthday party with about twenty of her friends from school and other areas of life. Sarah had a great time celebrating, and as a parent, there’s nothing better than seeing your kids happy.

The rest of the month was rounded out by finishing up the fall soccer season by coaching Peter’s team, swim lessons, and school conferences for both kids. And last, but certainly not least, I spent a weekend in Chicago with two great friends seeing Phish. These were my third and fourth Phish concerts of the year for those tracking at home :)

From the travel side, I wanted to highlight one other resort from my visit to Mexico last month - Impression Moxche by Secrets. This resort was on the same property as Secrets Moxche, basically a "resort within a resort". However, it has its own unique and exclusive features. I'm not exaggerating when I say this was probably in the top 3-4 resorts I've ever seen.

For starters, before you even arrive, your butler will call you up to get your preferences for your stay. Upon arrival, you are able to check in and go to your room, regardless of the time. There's no "waiting until 3 pm". The same is true when you leave, if you have a late flight, you can stay in your room as long as you need to, there's no "out by noon". The resort is never at more than 75% occupancy to make sure it never feels too crowded.

The rooms were large, with great views of the ocean. One room we saw had a private plunge pool, which was bigger than any private pool attached to a room I've seen at a resort. There are three restaurants and a snack bar just for Impression guests. They also have access to all restaurants at Secrets Moxche.

I said this with my review of Secrets Moxche last month, but the pools here were outstanding. At Impression, there were three pools, including an amazing rooftop pool. The vibe overall was relaxed and unhurried. If you are the type that wants a VIP vacation, with lots of options, but also some exclusivity, then this is the resort for you.

One last thing related to travel this month that is worth repeating from time to time - the importance of travel insurance. I always recommend it for each trip you book. Best case scenario - you never need to use it. Unfortunately, the worst-case scenario is that you do need to file a claim. This summer I had multiple clients need to cancel their vacations for a variety of reasons. Lucky for them - they all had purchased insurance and didn't lose any money. Not to mention, if there are ever flight cancelations, lost luggage, or even a situation where you need medical coverage outside the country, you are covered.

With Thanksgiving coming up, my family tries to discuss something we're thankful for each night at dinner during the month of November. To be honest, it's an exercise we could and should do year-round. One thing I do say each year is how thankful I am for you - my wonderful clients. I genuinely hope you have a nice Thanksgiving, and are able to take some time with family and friends and enjoy a meal, adventure, or just relax and reflect.

Please don't hesitate to let me know how I can help plan your next vacation. And perhaps I don't say this enough, but I always appreciate any referrals.

Have a great weekend,

Brian

Contact Today

See previous monthly emails here.

January 2024

Happy New Year,

December 2023

Season's Greetings,

November 2023

Greetings Friends,

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January 2024

Happy New Year,

December 2023

Season's Greetings,

November 2023

Greetings Friends,

From yourtravel advisor

Archives

Categories

Connect

From your
travel advisor