About Kiss & Tell Kiss & Tell

is a private social network with integrated group bookings that gets everyone to weddings and gatherings without the headache.

When you’re ready to gather, plan & go again, we’ll get you there!

Hosts

* Build and book events and room blocks

* Manage guest list, group travel and communications

* Automated vendor deal flow, group booking updates and transportation logistics

Guests

* Manage your attendance to multiple events in one place

* Group communication, roommate pairing and payment splitting

* Integrated travel and group activity bookings Vendors

* Fee free marketplace for your business

* More accurate customer matches

* Automated package building, customer deal flow and billing

Learn more:

www.kissandtell.com/referrals

www.kissandtell.com/about-us

www.kissandtell.com/partnerships

Kiss & Tell Founder Amy Jarczynski highlights the stunning wedding locations of Chrissy Teigen & John Legend in Lake Como Italy, Joe Jonas & Sophie Turner in Provence France, Malin Akerman & Jack Donnelly in Tulum, Mexico and Ciara & Russell Wilson in England. Each location is not only magical for your own wedding celebration but Amy highlights how it can be done for the same price as your average American wedding, $40,000.

Great Day Washington host Ellen Bryan shares that she’s a bride to be and is just starting her wedding planning journey.

Kiss the headache of group gatherings goodbye on KissandTell.com

Kiss & Tell Founder, Amy Jarczynski interviewed by host Bob Clark on the On Fire B2B Podcast. We discuss working with other businesses and how Kiss & Tell’s B2B2C platform serves the consumer and industry’s needs. Amy shares tips for other small businesses on growing B2B relationships and flips the cards on Bob in the end, quizzing him on his most memorable weddings attended.

Visit Kiss & Tell https://www.kissandtell.com Gather, Plan & Go!

Amy Jarczynski founder of KissandTell.com shares tips on how to book a celeb style destination wedding, without breaking the bank.

Valentines Day guest appearance of Kiss & Tell Founder, Amy Jarczynski on NBC CT Live to discuss some of our favorite celeb destination weddings with hosts Jimmy Marlow and Taylor Kinzler. Chrissy Teigen & John Legend in Lake Como Italy, Joe Jonas & Sophie Turner in Provence France, Malin Akerman & Jack Donnelly in Tulum, Mexico, Ciara & Russell Wilson in Cheshire, England and Adam Levine Prinsloo in Cabo.

Visit Kiss & Tell

https://www.kissandtell.com

Gather, Plan & Go! Follow Kiss & Tell Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/doyoukissan…

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/doyoukissand…

Twitter – https://twitter.com/doyoukissntell

About Kiss & Tell Kiss & Tell is the only private social network with integrated group bookings where you create your event and get everyone there without the headache. When you’re ready to gather, plan & go again, we’ll get you there!

Hosts

* Build and book events and room blocks

* Manage guest list, group travel and communications

* Automated vendor deal flow, group booking updates and transportation logistics Guests * Manage your attendance to multiple events in one place

* Group communication, roommate pairing and payment splitting

* Integrated travel and group activity bookings Vendors

* Fee free marketplace for your business

* More accurate customer matches

* Automated package building, customer deal flow and billing Learn more:

http://www.kissandtell.com/referrals http://www.kissandtell.com/about-us http://www.kissandtell.com/partnerships

Kiss & Tell Founder & CEO Amy Jarczynski shares the San Miguel de Allende, Mexico destination wedding of Naseem Alavi and David Sawyer along with travel tips and where to stay for the whole group. Conversation with Nikki Noya and Bobby Laurie at The Jet Set.

Visit Kiss & Tell

https://www.kissandtell.com

Gather, Plan & Go! Follow Kiss & Tell

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/doyoukissan…

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/doyoukissand…

Twitter – https://twitter.com/doyoukissntell

About Kiss & Tell

Kiss & Tell is the only private social network with integrated group bookings where you create your event and get everyone there without a headache.

When you’re ready to gather, plan & go again, we’ll get you there!

Hosts

* Build and book events and room blocks

* Manage guest list, group travel, and communications

* Automated vendor deal flow, group booking updates, and transportation logistics

Guests

* Manage your attendance at multiple events in one place

* Group communication, roommate pairing, and payment splitting

* Integrated travel and group activity bookings Vendors

* Fee-free marketplace for your business

* More accurate customer matches

* Automated package building, customer deal flow, and billing

Learn more:

http://www.kissandtell.com/referrals http://www.kissandtell.com/about-us http://www.kissandtell.com/partnerships

Kiss & Tell Founder & CEO Amy Jarczynski shares urban destination wedding and group travel tips for a NYC fete with Gailen David on The Jet Set.

Visit Kiss & Tell

https://www.kissandtell.com

Gather, Plan & Go! Follow Kiss & Tell

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/doyoukissan…

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/doyoukissand…

Twitter – https://twitter.com/doyoukissntell

About Kiss & Tell

Kiss & Tell is the only private social network with integrated group bookings where you create your event and get everyone there without a headache.

When you’re ready to gather, plan & go again, we’ll get you there!

Hosts

* Build and book events and room blocks

* Manage guest list, group travel, and communications

* Automated vendor deal flow, group booking updates, and transportation logistics Guests

* Manage your attendance at multiple events in one place

* Group communication, roommate pairing, and payment splitting

* Integrated travel and group activity bookings

Vendors

* Fee-free marketplace for your business

* More accurate customer matches

* Automated package building, customer deal flow, and billing

Learn more:

http://www.kissandtell.com/referrals

http://www.kissandtell.com/about-us

http://www.kissandtell.com/partnerships

Having spent the majority of my adult life as a global traveler, I’m most thankful for the opportunity that I’ve been given to meet people of all backgrounds, religions and walks of life from every continent. I’ve traveled in depth to many countries considered allies and some considered adversaries, yet everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve been welcomed with kindness, curiosity and generosity by the vast majority of the people, regardless of the policies and rhetoric of their political leaders.

These traits of kindness, curiosity and generosity are what I’ve come to know simply as “human nature”, not exclusive to one nationality, ethnicity or religion, but the same basic human goodness that exists in us all. Human goodness truly is everywhere, regardless of how certain groups of individuals are being portrayed by whatever media or leaders’ ideology you follow. We must remember to look for this good in all people, give them the benefit of the doubt and know that these good people need our help now more than ever to speak up against this injustice.

As a global businesswoman and lover of travel, I’ve responsibly moved about the world for 19 years, taking the time and necessary measures to legally obtain required travel and residential visa documentation everywhere I’ve gone. This wasn’t always a simple process, even as an American, the paperwork and vetting could be tedious at a minimum, or excessive in cases like Iran, but regardless the country, I could always count on getting off of my plane, going through the immigration lines and returning to the comforts of my own home, because I was entitled to be there having taken care of the residential legalities.

With one careless signature, no logistical planning and very little thought towards the global repercussions, the United States, a beacon of freedom in the world, has denied the right to enter to so many who are legally entitled to reside here, under the deceptive name of “National Security”.   Productive members of our community who have worked and resided here for years were turned away along with good people who finally got their chance to escape hell on earth for a taste of our freedom.

I’m grateful for the example of freedom that the US has set globally over my entire lifetime.   That freedom has inspired many great minds to immigrate here, be leaders in our society, innovate and flourish alongside natural born Americans. It’s inspired so many of our allies to have modeled their foreign and homeland policies after ours, including Thailand, which permitted this American Girl to enter 4 years ago and meet a kind, curious and generous Iranian Boy who later became my fiancé. Now, as we’re in the comfort of our home in the US, after Nima passed 2 years of immigration vetting, there will be no returning to Thailand anytime soon nor departing the United States due to this “Muslim Travel Ban”, but my concern is not for us. We’ll be fine.

My concern is that the denial of immigrants is not only against our American values, but this denies the glimmer of hope that exists in the masses around the world. Many of who will never set foot in the United States, but they look towards us on a daily basis as a beacon of freedom, whether via US invented social media, Hollywood movies or their trusted American media source, our image as Americans above all is Freedom. If we allow this weak and uniformed measure to close our doors to the good people of the world, then we risk extinguishing that glimmer of hope around the world and that hope is our number one ally in the fight for all things good.

In simple business terms, the brand of the United States of America offers Hope to billions worldwide and our President’s actions are chipping away at the brand strength, allowing competitors to enter the market.  If our President is as good of business man that he claims to be, why would he want to destroy the brand strength of his strongest brand?

You may not all agree with the thoughts that I express in the following paragraphs, but I ask that you read this through, then make comments as you wish. First of all, let’s start off on some common ground, with some mutual adoration of the great American icon and my personal literary idol, Mark Twain. Across all political spectrums, I would be hard pressed to find any American who would speak up and say “I hate Mark Twain”, “Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn were deplorable” or “I refuse to read his works.” Nope, no ill will towards Mark Twain within the greater American public.

Mark Twain, like myself was a traveler. We all know him for being one of the greatest American writers and story tellers who ever lived, but what we may or may not know, are the exact experiences that inspired those stories that he so eloquently put to paper and will live for generations to come in our hearts.

Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai, UAE

The common threads throughout his adventurous tales were the everyday characters and their relationships with one another.   Although his settings were clearly inspired by his small town, southern upbringing, much of the inspiration for the human interactions actually resulted from his travels around our country and abroad, that created a unique and globally minded perspective ingrained in who he was, what he wrote and how he lived.   Mark Twain was a risk taker, a forward thinker, certainly eccentric on more than one occasion, but a true progressive of his time.

After spending half of my adult life traveling the world extensively, visiting every continent, living for extended periods of time in various countries so different from my own, and truly diving face first into their cultures, I too was afforded that unique and globally minded perspective, at quite a young age.

One of the most beautiful things about a globally minded perspective is your ability to reflect on different aspects of your own culture from both an insider and outsider’s standpoint. By gathering decades of knowledge gained from conversations with friends and strangers, across Europe, Latin America, Africa, The Middle East and Asia, with people of all society levels, representing a vast spectrum of opinions, it has made me a strong communicator and acutely aware of the vast amount of good that exists in our culture and our political system.

These conversations weren’t always easy or my preferred topic, but I am thankful that I never shied away from the thought provoking and challenging topic of American politics and culture that fell into my lap from my late teenage years, as these exchanges of thoughts truly shaped how I would think and express myself as an adult.

Karpenisi, Greece

They began early in my travels with curious Spaniards asking me, the blonde, late-teen American girl, who lived in their neighborhood, what I thought of the Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal, as it played out in the tabloid news everywhere I turned, and how was Bill Clinton as a president?   As the conversations progressed, the floodgates of opinions opened up, often leading to that individual’s greater opinion of American culture, and then to be discovered in most cases, that they had never even visited our country, all the while my ears listened and my mind opened widely.

Throughout the excessive tabloid fodder that summer, the vast majority of these conversations ended in the revelation that these Europeans still loved Bill Clinton as a world leader for all of the good that he had done in the US and more visibly to them, his achievements internationally, so fortunately for us Americans, this scandal did nothing to tarnish our standing in the world, as many Americans were lead to believe back at home. Furthermore, the global taste for “all things American culture” couldn’t be more appetizing, with phenomenons like Titanic still in theatres all over the world, pop acts like Britney Spears and “boy bands” on the rise, and Nike being the shoe of choice for kids everywhere, erroneously pronounced (Nyyk) with only one syllable as the Spaniards to this day!

Returning to Europe for 6 months in early 2000, I expected to receive much more critical opinions than those from the conversations of the summer of ’98, after all, a division had begun in my own country and there were many on the conservative side of politics who were enraged at Bill Clinton and wanting him impeached. Interestingly enough, when similar conversations popped up, overwhelmingly, the European people on all levels of society, were well informed and their opinions remained quite positive towards Bill Clinton as a leader.

United States Embassy, Madrid, Spain

For me, an independent young woman, with strong morals and a developing sense of self, I was certainly a little embarrassed by my President’s marital indiscretions, especially being repeatedly subjected to questions on the topic by random people, who identified me as the “Token American” abroad, but more than anything I realized there was a huge disconnect between these Europeans’ pragmatic outlook and the masses in my own country who were irate and wanting extreme consequences for Clinton’s personal mistakes.   My fellow American people were considerably “less informed” than those individuals who had far less in this stake, those individuals who weren’t Americans, weren’t living in the United States, but merely displayed an open minded curiosity of foreign affairs and a desire for educated dialogue.

Of course I was saddened for Hillary and Chelsea Clinton who both had to deal with this unfathomable family crisis in the public eye, but I came to the adult conclusion that I was still proud of Bill Clinton as my President, and his personal mistakes did not detract from the great accomplishments that he achieved for our country, both at home and abroad.

Not being an overtly political individual, I didn’t seek out these conversations, but as I continued to live and travel abroad for much of the next 18 years, and carry on thought provoking conversations with locals and other avid travelers internationally, American Politics often resurfaced as the topic. An interesting juxtaposition had also begun to happen, shortly after September 11^th. Initially, there was a great outpouring of sympathy and unity towards Americans by people of all nationalities, along with a genuine warmth expressed towards our new President, George W Bush, but that sentiment quickly dissipated with his choices to invade both Afghanistan and Iraq and the usage of extreme rhetoric like “Axis of Evil”.

Tochal Mountain, Tehran, Iran

Americans at home exhibited high morale towards our President and strong unity towards one another, partially due to the benefits of the Clinton economy still in full throttle, but each time I left the country during the Bush administration, the outside world’s opinion of our President was diminishing rapidly and eventually that diminished reputation was applied to the American people as well.

Being a kind and open minded representative of my country when I was abroad became my personal goal, in an effort to counteract the negative effects that the Bush Administration was having on our international standing. Yes, it was idealistic but I touched many people and have friends the world over who have a stronger and more positive view of American people than had they not met me.

The unfortunate side of this juxtaposition is that while I was aware of the rapidly diminishing reputation of Americans internationally, the vast majority of the American people had no idea of our diminished standing in the world, and didn’t realize this until years after Bush was no longer our President, somehow choosing to place the blame on the Obama administration when they were responsible for successfully restoring our strong international standing and did so even amidst the great adversities that persist in the Middle East.

AroosJoon.com Engagement Party Dinner with Influencers Mina Al Sheikhly, May El Abany, Muroj Saadi and Jessy Karam

Had my fellow Americans traveled, opened themselves up to other cultures of the world, had real conversations with the people of these cultures, explored the differences that we have in our world, we would all understand that we have the greatest government and “system” in the world, with the least amount of corruption and the most efficient spending of our taxpayer monies.   That strong Federal, State and Local governments are all needed to keep a free, fair and inclusive country of 320 million citizens functioning in the way that we do.

Through travel and cultural exploration, you’d learn that we’re not perfect, we certainly have room for improvement, but that no other country in the world has systems in place that work as well as ours, and that faith in the system creates hope and hope fosters creativity and creativity leads to growth, so we must responsibly inform ourselves on how our system is not broken, so that we never lose hope. We must open our minds, become students of the world to know what is being done better by other cultures and adopt those solutions, tweaking them to be the right fit for our own nation, just as the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Persians and the Romans did as they established what we know as civilization is in this world.

Istanbul, Turkey

If we’re doubtful of the positive efforts that our government has made over these extremely challenging 8 years economically, I encourage you to travel the world and explore the other economies and compare how we’re faring in this global economic crisis versus everywhere else. Visit the hugely populous countries like China, India, Brazil, Russia and Pakistan then return to the United States and reflect upon what you’ve seen. How did their public transportation work, their infrastructure, their criminal justice system, and their emergency responders? Make note of environmental factors like air and water quality, pollution, waste management and recycling along with visible signs of poverty.

Then visit the developed countries in Southern Europe that were all hit as badly as the US by the economic crisis that began in 2008, and for much of the same reasons; the housing / real estate bubble bursting and mortgage / banking system crash due to lacks in regulations. Walk around in the major cities and small towns throughout Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Greece. Ask their people about their employment statistics, their retirements, their savings, observe how many storefronts are closed down on your average city block in an affluent neighborhood, or entire blocks abandoned in the small towns and rural areas. You will find far more desolate scenarios in all of these countries, in 2016, 8 years later, compared to the our current economic state. The fact that we have pulled ourselves out of the economic crisis due to the resilience of our people and the strength and regulations put in place by the Obama administration must not be forgotten.

Cabo da Roca, Portugal

We did this on our own because we are great people and America is already a great country. There were no economic bailouts from neighboring countries, yes, our government used our own monies to bail out some industries so that we could grow and get back on track, but we overcame this huge challenge because we were strong, we worked hard and we sacrificed together! We Americans invented the concept of Team Work, so now is not the time to quit the team.

Our responsibility of hard work is never over, but we must not allow ourselves to lose hope in our system, blame other countries for our economic woes or be ill informed of the reality of our true economic standing on a global scale, as altered reality will lead to the downward spiral killing creativity and growth. We are still the global economic leaders, the innovators and the example that the rest of the world looks up to and we must never lose this standing. Step outside of our country and look at the technology that the people have in their hands, the brands that they’re coveting, the industry leaders who the international youth aspire to emulate or that President that citizens of the world admire as if he were their own leader, and all of those things right now are uniquely American.

The W Hotel, Barcelona, Spain

If OBAMACARE is the Boogey Man in your life, ask yourself what is the best plan for you and your family. Think of the Affordable Care Act as “one of the biggest startups of all time”, per the wise advice of Mark Cuban, and have faith that our government will improve this system, working out the kinks and growing pains that much of our independently employed middle class are feeling. I’m with you on this and have seen my personal insurance rates increase significantly, so I feel your pain, but we must look towards the many examples of fully functioning universal health care systems that exist in nearly every other developed nation in the world and aim to move our system in that direction, which can only be done through thought provoking conversation, not gridlock and obstructionism.

Encourage your representatives in congress and the senate to move towards a better solution and not just block progress. Ignore the fear mongering and false realities being preached and travel to the countries where these universal health care systems are in place and fully functioning, like Canada, Australia or any Western European country, including the UK and all of Scandinavia and talk to their citizens. You’ll be shocked to hear that the vast majority of people in all of these countries and on all social levels believe that universal health care is a right to all citizens and that its barbaric that the United States, the global leader in democracy does not have health care for all of it’s people.

You’ll quickly learn that universal health care is not just crazy rhetoric that you’ve heard from the “Socialist” candidate Bernie Sanders’ over the past 18 months, but the real health care solution that every other developed nation in the world chooses. Those of you concerned about the rumors of “long lines” and “months long wait lists” to see doctors on this universal system, rest assured that supplemental private insurance plans still exists in all of these countries and having one alleviates these long waits and they’re actually very affordable.

Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok, Thailand

Walk into a pharmacy while you’re in any of these countries and observe the prices of most of the same prescription drugs that you take in the US, stock up while you’re there, just as I’ve done, in Spain, Italy, the UK, Germany, Turkey, Thailand, Hong Kong, the UAE, Mexico and Iran, all countries where I have spent extensive time and all countries where their governments do not allow the pharmaceutical companies to price gauge the consumers. Yes, I’m aware that these countries are not all model democracies nor all considered part of the greater “developed world” but they are actually ahead of the US in pharmaceutical regulations.

Turn on the television and open a few local magazines and newspapers during your travels abroad and you will quickly find them absent of all prescription drug advertisements, one of the main culprits for our soaring drug prices in the United States.

Antalya, Turkey

If you believe the Trump healthcare plan is the one for you, I encourage you to research the most similar program in the world, which currently exists in the UAE, a country of 9 million. There, the upper echelons of the society benefit from a robust coverage that even extends to reconstructive surgery after child birth, yes that means in some cases a tummy tuck and vaginal rejuvenation surgery for the mother, and child care costs covering the likes of nannies. In order to make this luxurious health care plan possible for the elite, the vast majority of their 9 million population have little to no coverage at all. We Americans can travel to the UAE easily without a visa and airfare on Emirates and Etihad are relatively affordable, so I encourage you to do so.   You can even start the thought provoking conversation prior to arrival with the cabin crew on your flight. Both of these airlines are UAE based companies, so you can ask the multi cultural crew about their compensation and their health care. One of the biggest surprises that you’ll encounter is that an Emirati national, a white American or a white British national will likely be earning higher wages and have a better health care package than their counterparts from other countries and cultures.

I place zero judgment on this system at all as every country has the right to choose how they would like to regulate their industries and distribute their wealth, but is this the health care plan that we want for the United States, a country of 320 million?   How much of our population would be left out of health care altogether so that this luxurious health care plan that benefits wealthy working families can succeed? Perhaps Ivanka Trump, being the strong business woman that she is, benchmarked off of the UAE model when she advised her father on his health care plan.   To the UAE government’s defense, they regulate the pharmaceutical industry, providing their residents with much more affordable prescription drugs, something that is completely absent from the Trump plan.

Tehran, Iran

Through conversations with one another, listening to what the other side has to say, digesting the thoughts, and calmly replying with your opinion, we can discover the truth together and work towards making ourselves members of a stronger team and a better America.

In August, while I was at the beach in South Carolina, I took the opportunity to initiate a thought provoking conversation with a Trump supporting family. I calmly asked them a few questions, starting the conversation on the topic of travel, curious whether they’d traveled internationally, which they had not, apart from the father having been stationed at a few US Military bases abroad, but never took the opportunity to have his family travel with him nor explore the local cultures beyond the bases.

I then inquired about the challenges that they currently faced with our system and their motivations behind their vote. The father, now retired from active duty in the army was instantly on the defensive, and only replied with the angry rhetoric that we see on the news at Trump rallies then stormed off. To his defense, he probably had a few too many beers during his day on the beach. Before he stormed off, his college-aged daughter expressed that she supported Bernie Sanders so wasn’t sure who she would now vote for on election day, and he continued to speak over her and state that she had to vote for Trump living under his roof, while she was calmly trying to explain why she supported her candidate.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

The mother was very thoughtful and somewhat embarrassed by her husband’s actions. She explained her reasoning for supporting Trump, whom she didn’t particularly like, but being part of the middle class drastically affected by rising health care costs, she felt her only option was to vote for the Republican candidate. In her opinion, the entire fault of rising health care costs fell Obama Care and the Obama administration, but she did acknowledge my point that pharmaceutical regulations and health care provider regulations would contribute to solving this equation for the American people. Their two young sons built sand castles on the beach beside us and were in their own world for much of the conversation, or we may have thought, until one completed his castle with the Trump brand etched in sand as the finishing touch. I’m thankful for this conversation and the insight that this family shared with me. Rains came in before I was finished chatting with the mother and daughter and I would have loved to see what common grounds we could come to. The whole experience reinforced my views of the importance of travel and getting to know other cultures of the world and differing opinions of the world, while it also reinforced the concerning reality that many of my own countrymen are unwilling to open up, listen, and discuss both sides of the political spectrum, even with those who disagree within their own families.

Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai, UAE

I don’t write this today to tell you who you should vote for on Tuesday, that is your personal choice, but I do ask all of my fellow Americans, before you vote on Tuesday and before you criticize the other political party now or any day after the elections, make certain that you are well informed of the facts, seek out a global perspective through conversations with people whom you agree and disagree with and travel abroad as soon as you have the opportunity. I guarantee that your mind will become open on at least a few subjects, and you will have a newly found pride in the greatness that is America.

If Mark Twain were still alive, I’d like to think that he’d agree with my thoughts and who knows, perhaps he’d even Re-tweet this essay, as I’m sure we all would be his followers on Twitter.

#ImWithHer

Hope to bump into you in one of these places….

There are many uncertainties in the world these days, and where to travel can definitely be one.  Whether considering a “once risky” destination, or a tourism “hot spot” facing recent challenges, I’ll help you navigate these waters with a few tips from my recent Great Day Houston segment on Forbidden Travel.

On the upside, packing smart helps lend to a smooth journey and a less painful unpacking process.  Helping you pack a little smarter these days, here are my tips that I shared from the Green Room of Great Day Houston recently.

CIROC Peach Sangria

Recipe:

10 oz CIROC Peach

5 oz Cognac

5 oz Fresh Lime Juice

5 oz Fresh Lemmon Juice

5 oz Simple Syrup

40 Dashes Bitters

20 oz Club Soda

*Stir over ice in a 64 oz pitcher and enjoy!

Looking for an easy, spill proof and authentic way to transport your sangria to your neighbor’s BBQor down to the beach for the afternoon?  My suggestion is to pick up a great swing top glass bottle, just like the ones they use in Spain, the birthplace of Sangria.  These Bormioli Rocco bottles are available at EverythingKitchens.com and add a colorful splash to your Labor Day Weekend bar setting.

Let the Labor Day Weekend festivities begin!  Cheers and drink responsively!

Girls Trip / Guys Trip Musts for Atlantic City, NJ:

Aqua Hydrate Electrolyte Water – If partying is the objective of the weekend, then it’s essential to stay hydrated & replace the electrolytes lost in the all nighters.

His & Hers Warby Parker Sunglasses – Beat the glare from the windshield, survive under the sun at one of AC’s many beach bars, hide your tired “all nighter” eyes and keep your poker face at the game table…need I say more?

Couples Trip Musts for Finger Lakes Wine Country, NY:

Picnic Time Metro Insulated Basket – Perfect for storing waters and snacks for the drive and then re-using throughout your stay for toting wine, cheese and other goodies perfect for a picnic!  What’s best about this basket?  It collapses down flat when empty and is also very quick drying, so can easily fit into luggage as well.

Jack Links Small Batch Beef Jerky, Babybel Cheese & Dukan Oat Bran Biscuits – These snacks all pass the test for being “Road Trip Worthy”, as in a quick, tasty, heathy and filling fix, easily consumed on the go, plus they all pair really well with wine, for that double duty of a wine country picnic.

Ciroc Peach Sangria – Wine Country, Beach, wherever you’re headed this Labor Day Weekend, it’s always fun to have a signature drink.  I’m loving this fresh and fruity Peach Sangria that will leave you savoring every last sip in an effort to savor the summer.  RECIPE HERE.

Large Group of Friends or Family Trip Musts for The Outer Banks, NC:

Board Game Beach Towels – Throw down a Twister or Checkers printed beach towel on the sand and instantly have some group games and activities.

Rubbs Bracelets – These colorful bracelets are great for identifying teammates for games and are a fun and waterproof accessory for all ages at the beach this weekend.

Xmini Capsule Speakers – Plug the Xmini into your iPhone or iPod for instant tunes on the beach, loud enough for your group, but not overbearing on the neighbors.  Tiny, portable and light weight make them a Must Pack for every trip.

Family Trip Must for Greater Williamsburg, VA:

Road Trip Bingo & The License Plate Game – Keeping the kids occupied on the road is key to keeping your sanity, so pack these road trip games or download the digital versions on your iPad for the tech savvy family.

Uggs Driving Loafers – Comfort in the car is just as important as comfort while sightseeing around town and these Uggs loafers pull a serious double duty, being wool lined, they feel like bedroom slippers, yet give you the support that you need for hours on your feet.  Did I mention, they were originally made for the beach, so they’re waterproof as well, perfect for hours at Bush Gardens, even if you do choose a water ride.

OPI “Are We There Yet” Nail Laquer – No road trip is complete without the kids asking the parents about a million times “Are We There Yet?”, so even if your road trip is sans children this Labor Day Weekend, Ladies, be sure to get your mani and pedi with this fantastic OPI color that will have you reminiscing of your childhood days nagging your parents to see “Are We There Yet.”

I had a great time chatting with WBAL News in Baltimore this weekend about Labor Day Weekend Road Trips and a few must pack items to throw in your trunk…beachside Twister in the Outer Banks anyone?

I can’t wait to hear where you’re off to on your holiday weekend and if you’re still planning your trip, more details on my Labor Day destinations and must pack items can be found Here.

Although my driving skills may be a little bit rusty having been much more of a passenger over the past decade, before heading off to another faraway land, I’m thinking it’s time to hit the open road. What better way to enjoy the Labor Day Weekend Holiday than a good old fashioned Road Trip.

Partying it up in Atlantic City? Wine country and the great outdoors in the New York Finger Lakes? Beaching it with friends in the Outer Banks or a little Cultural Family Time in Williamsburg….I’m there! The only question now, what to drive?

Girls Trip / Guys Trip to Atlantic City  – The Jeep Road Trip

*     Kick off your Labor Day Weekend right with a Friday night concert of Journey, performing at Caesars and keep the party going straight through Sunday via resident DJ Pauly D’s “End of Summer Blowout” at The Pool After Dark.

*      Fill up on gourmet bites at top rated restaurants Izakaya, Village Whiskey and Il Mulino before trying your luck at a little gaming.

*      Have some fun in the sand at some of AC’s top beach bars, or even driving your 4 wheel drive vehicle right onto the beach in Brigantine.

*      Pre party with a different perspective via Atlantic City Cruises daily Happy Hour Cruise.

*       Although many casinos are already sold out, there are still deals available via Trivago.com offering luxury at The Borgata for $450 / night and the Courtyard by Marriott for under $280.

*       Packing Tip – A great pair of sunglasses are a must for beating the glare of the drive, hitting the daytime beach bars and helping you maintain your game face at the poker table. His & Hers Warby Parker shades – $95. Keep hydrated with a Brita filtered water bottle.

Couples Trip – NY Finger Lakes Wine Region – The Convertible VW Eos Road Trip

*       Over 100 area wineries to explore, situated on picturesque lakes.  Pack a picnic, linger over some great wine and enjoy the view!

*      Take in the great outdoors by  sailing at Seneca Lake, hiking at Watkins Glen State Park followed by a dip in a secluded waterfall or a sunrise hot air ballooning flight.

*      Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel offers Romantic Package including champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, roses, deluxe accommodations and complimentary tastings to local wineries, or cozy up at one of the many intimate B&Bs to spark the flame.

*      Packing Tip – Pack a collapsible “Picnic Time Metro Insulated Basket” with road trip / wine country friendly snacks – Dukan Oat Bran Biscuits, Babybel cheeses, Jack Links handcrafted small batch beef jerky. All filling & non messy snacks that are great for the drive and pair well with wine upon arrival.   Celebrate your arrival with a premade bottle of CIROC Peach Sangria in a leak proof Swing Top Bottle

Group of Friends / Big Family Gathering– The Outer Banks, NC – The Nissan Armada Road Trip

*       The Outer Banks have always been that idyllic, relaxed beach setting for large families and groups of friends, perfect for that Labor Day Weekend reunion.

*      Enjoy the best of the beach and nature by hang gliding from the dunes of Nags Head, horse back riding on the beach or partaking in limitless watersports.

*     Typically The Outer Banks can be really pricy for holiday weekends, but pack everyone in to one of the many “Oversized Beachouses”  that dot the coast line and your in for a 72 hour reunion.  Right now on HomeAway.com you can still find great beach house rentals for around $2000 for the entire week that sleep up to 14 people and of course many smaller condos as well.

• Packing Tip – Don’t forget your Board Game Beach Towels, Rubbs bracelets to create team unity and Xmini portable capsule speakers to keep the weekend reunion lively…Beachside Twister anyone?

Family Trip – Greater Williamburg, VA – The Subaru Crosstrek Road Trip

*       It’s easy to experience it all as a family when Kids Stay, Play and Eat free at the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotel, starting at $159 / night based on a family of 4 and 4 night minimum stay. Kids golf free at the Golden Horshoe Golf Club, play tennis for fee at the Williamburg Inn Tennis Club and receive free tickets to enjoy the Revolutionary City and art museums, all while enjoying free breakfast at the hotel daily and free dinner when ordering off the childrens menu at a variety of local restaurants.

*      For shorter stays, the historic Powhatan Resort starts at $111

Packing Tips: Keep your sanity by entertaining the kids with The License Plate Game and Road Trip Bingo  available in retro board game format and digital apps.  Maintain your comfort while driving or sight seeing with wool lined Uggs Driving Loafers for the whole family. Moms & Daughters have a laugh at the most famous Road Trip words of all time “Are We There Yet”  with the new OPI nail lacquer colored manicures.

Fill up the tank and meet me there!  Here’s a peek at what’s going into my trunk:

Hey Houston…It’s about that time again that I’ll be coming you way.  Check me out on Great Day Houston, on Tuesday, Aug. 18th!  I can’t wait to share some more of my recent travels with you all!!!

See you then!

Your Gypsy…Amy

Whether you’re trying to squeeze in one last family getaway before school starts back in a few weeks, or you forgot to plan ahead for that big celebration or milestone anniversary, sometimes the early bird does not get the worm, and in this case, it’s better to be fashionably late. I’ve got 3 amazing last minute travel deals to share, so pack your bags!!!

Jamaica for the Whole Family at the Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall

The newly opened Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall Resort is one of the many Luxury All Inclusive Jamaica properties that are offering killer deals for traveling families, however, Hyatt Ziva stands out as they’re located on one of the most exclusive stretches of beach on the whole island and they’re only a short drive away from the Montego Bay Airport. They offer tons of kid friendly amenities and activities like a Kids Only Pool and Moon Bounce Park in their Kids Club, aimed for the younger kids and a great variety of Water Sports, plus daily games of Water Basketball and Beach Volleyball really for kids of all ages.

To draw the travelers to their new resort All Inclusive resort located in Montego Bay, Hyatt Ziva is offering super low rates of $175/ night / person (a 55% discount from regular rates), + kids stay free. They also throw in complimentary activities like a private catamaran cruise for the family, a round of golf for Mom and Dad at top nearby courses and round trip airport transfer.

For a family of four, these savings can totally add up making room in the budget for a few adventures off of the resort, like zip-lining in the jungle, horse back ride and swim or exploring the Dunn’s River Falls, one of Jamaica’s natural treasures.

This is a phenomenal deal for a family getaway of 3 days or more, but reservations must be made by Aug. 3^rd to take advantage of the Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall’s package.

A Unique BVI Yachting Trip For The Adventuresome Group

Have you ever wanted to vacation like the rich and famous or to go island hopping on your own private yacht without lifting a finger? Now is your chance with Festiva Sailing Vacations massive Summer Blowout Sale for their private catamaran cruises throughout the British Virgin Islands in August.

You and your “entourage” can live in the lap of luxury on a 45 ft. sailing catamaran, complete with a captain and chef handling every last detail so your only worry is which beach next.

Your group of friends or 3-4 couples can share the entire catamaran for $1700 per person for the whole week. This is an All Inclusive of meals, snacks, beverages, full open bar, water sports, port taxes and fuel. With a savings of 1/3 off of regular rates, this very exclusive travel experience could actually be doable for once.

A Memorable Family Getaway to Atlanta

If you still haven’t done an educational or cultural trip with the kids this summer, time is running out, but luckily Atlanta has a lot going on for families this August, so a trip there will be educational, cultural, fun and economical.

Mix your itinerary with educational activities like a visit to the Georgia Aquarium and Zoo Atlanta to give the kids plenty ideas for science projects in the school year ahead and infuse a ton of fun with a visit to LEGOLAND discovery center, a tour of World of Coca-Cola and the Inside CNN Studio Tour, leaving them with bragging rights on the playground.

Legoland and the nearby, Embassy Suites Buckhead, have teamed up for a summer Family Special, for only $169 / night, you get a large, suite like accommodations that comfortably fits a family of four including breakfast for the whole family, parking, one day’s admission to the LEGOLAND Discovery Center for one adult and one child, and a shuttle bus to LEGOLAND (although its only a few blocks walk away). For the other must do activities, the Aquarium, Zoo, CNN Studio Tour and World of Coca-Cola, The Atlanta City Pass has got you and your family covered with expedited entry into each one, because who really likes waiting in line in the heat…especially when you have two eager youngsters along with you, and right now, Atlanta City Pass is on sale, Adults for $79 and the children’s $64 (about a 45% savings).

Sweeting this value even further, Medieval Times, just outside of Atlanta, is offering a 50% off special at the moment on Travelzoo.com, so perhaps a celebratory dinner there on your last night to commemorate this family getaway.