womantraveler

The Perils of Business Travel (in a Virtual Company) -- Go Figure!

I picked up this terrific read from Ann Handley of Marketing Profs this morning -- an 8-point guide to surviving business travel -- and still catching up from a finished a week of business travel myself, I wanted to share its wise and funny insights.

To her tips, I would add two points:

• Always pack a change of business clothing in your carry-on if you are checking luggage. I'll never forget being rerouted from Philly to Newark, but my bag went to Philly and couldn't be delivered until midday the next day. I was in jeans and had a business meeting at 9 am, where suits were the attire. The town where my client worked had no department store. Fortunately I was able to postpone the meeting until lunch (when the luggage arrived in the nick of time).
• Invest in a lighter laptop for that airport racing and schlepping, which I just did, especially if you need a real laptop, not an iPAD or such, for your work.

Speaking of O'Hare, last evening my colleague and I had a 30-minute conversation while he sat in a small regional jet for 30 minutes waiting for a gate, with his next flight scheduled only 35 minutes ahead. Finally his plane started moving, but not toward the closest gate -- they took a 10-minute cruise completely around the B and C gates all the way over to the F gates -- he was nearly hysterical! He made his flight with minutes to spare, but this is the stuff of heart attacks...and in today's skies, business travelers live this way constantly.

Reading "The Middle Seat" by Scott McCartney in the Wall Street Journal is my regular business travel therapy. Check this one out -- so who gets the armrest? and other inflight etiquette.

Best College Towns 2010

It's no surprise that San Francisco, New York, Washington and Boston lead the list of best metropolitan areas for college students, along with San Jose, California, for mid-size towns and Boulder, Colorado, for small college towns. But what's particularly useful in this new 2010-2011 College Destinations Index is the detailed analysis of 360 metropolitan areas with 12 measures most appealing to students -- not the institutions themselves or the Chamber of Commerce. Topics like Entrepreneurial Opportunities, Quality of Life, Arts and Leisure, cost of living and Professional Opportunities. Helpful, too, is that the learning environment is assessed according to objective criteria.

Seems to be a popular topic because here's another list of the Top 10 from Livability -- includes Eugene, OR, Nashville TN and Gainesville, FL. Know the schools?

Shanghai in San Francisco

If you can visit the the spectacular Shanghai exhibit at San Francisco's Asian Art Museum before it closes on September 5, it's a must-do. I finally stopped by in the nick of time this week and was fully absorbed by the exotic and complex beauty of Shanghai, as seen through its art in many forms.

For more than a century Shanghai artists have been documenting its images and its changes through ink and oil paintings, Shanghai Deco furniture, revolutionary posters, silk fashion and more. The cross-cultural influences and tugs between Western and Eastern culture are dramatically illustrated in the visuals and the story -- and provide important insights to the historical influences on today's East-West relations.

The exhibit is relatively compact in four large rooms and you can travel through time in an hour; the free personal audio guide also brings more depth to the tour. Having never been to China, yet fascinated by its extraordinarily diverse history and culture, I left the Shanghai exhibit feeling more knowledgeable and with a trip to Shanghai on my mind.

So I paused and reflected on it all with refreshing chrysanthemum tea and the crab and shiitake mushroom noodle bowl at the museum's Cafe Asia. I would stop there under any circumstances if I'm in the neighborhood. (Paid admission to the museum is not required to eat in the cafe.)

The museum is at the Civic Center, at 200 Larkin a block east of Van Ness. If you're driving, the Civic Center Parking Garage is just across the street. There's plenty of public transportation.

Though departing San Francisco soon and returning home, the Shanghai exhibit is part of a year-long cultural exchange here between the two cities, so watch for more activities as the seasons unfold.

The museum's website contains extensive details about past exhibitions, so if you're reading this after September 5, have a look. And here are some articles that will also allow you to experience the exhibit online if you can't get there in time:

The Asian Art Museum does Shanghai -- opium hulks, Communist propanganda and neon brush strokes

Neon night in Shanghai, with Qin accompaniment

Celebrating Shanghai

Art Radar Asia

Wi-Fi in United's Skies

I tried out United Airline's new GoGo in-flight Wi-Fi service between New York and San Francisco yesterday. It can be used on laptops and smartphones and other handheld devices equipped with Wi-Fi. What a breeze! United's service is now available in all classes on its p.s. (premium service) flights from JFK to San Francisco and Los Angeles and is already on several other U.S. airlines. Virgin America, which was the first beginning in May, is now offering a free holiday season promotion to all guests through Jan. 12, 2010.

I was planning to sleep but couldn't resist the free offer from the GoGo sales rep at boarding. (GoGo's single flight passes range from $5.95-12.95 a trip, depending on the length of the flight, and a 30-day pass is $24.95, which can be used on all participating airlines.) It works just like any other short-term Internet service -- you go to a login page, put in a special code or your regular subscription information, et voila!

I sent several emails (and received) as well as surfed the Internet for work-related research. I even wrote my previous blog item, "Sorrento, Come Back," but didn't go live from the air because the signal was too slow uploading the pictures. That I had to do once back in the office, but so far, I would call that a minor issue. Here's what the Wall Street Journal's high-tech guru Walt Mossberg has to say about GoGo.

Business Travel: Be Agile

Entrepreneurs are agile, smart businesses in the new (aka recession) economy are agile and we business travelers have to be extra-agile to protect our business and navigate the predictable wacky travel uncertainties.

It's not only airlines.  Here's a familiar tale from a consultant friend  navigating the  East Coast for various clients recently -- arrival at Washington, DC's Union Station from private car service (to avoid taxi hassles) in good advance time only to discover that the Amtrak from Washington, DC, to New York City is delayed due to a freak situation (water main break near Baltimore).

Vital meetings were firmly and tightly scheduled for later in the afternoon and evening in Connecticut. Click, click, click -- brain cells go into action. Call airlines from cell phone, book next flight from Reagan International Airport, call private car service for return pick up at train station, zip over to Reagan, make the last flight before the thundershowers hit in both DC for departures and potential delays at LaGuardia. Whew!

What does it take to accomplish this? Think fast, have alternatives/options always at hand, keep your brain alert and your resources ready for quick action. Of course, such a plan is not foolproof, but it does yield big time in most cases. Scott McCartney's "Ten Rules of the Road for Air Travel" in the Wall Street Journal provides a terrific template for pulling it all together, business or leisure. Quick thinking is crucial -- calling the airline by cell phone while you're walking through the train station or airport and, critically, before even reaching a customer service line.

You have to be working all the channels at once as your own private switchboard. That means, first of all, thinking nimbly and having all necessary numbers loaded into your address book so they can be dialed up instantly on your cell phone. In this unpredictable world of business -- and leisure travel -- delays, the only constant is OPTIONS.

Goodwill's Recessionista Fashion

The story about "Barbie at 50" in Sunday's New York Times reminded me of the "Recessionista" attire recently worn by James David, communications manager of San Francisco's Goodwill Industries stores. Pointing to his $3 shirt and $2 fashion tie during a panel discussion on the economy, he also mentioned his style-conscious new blog SeamsSoGood. (You may recall that last year SF's Goodwill set another smart and sustainable fashion trend by partnering with designer Joe Boxer for the "William Good" clothing line of designer-remade Goodwill donations.)

So all this got me to thinking -- sadly, it's about time. Pardon me, Barbie, but I am done with Carrie Bradshaw shopaholics who for years have shamed the rest of us into buying more expensive clothing that we could really afford. I became one of them temporarily until the bottom hit last fall and I asked myself, "what am I thinking??" Things accumulating in my closet still with the tags on! And a $650 pocketbook (at a steal sale of $250) and a $900 necklace and earrings that I had no reason to buy except the peer pressure in the room. Clearly these wouldn't qualify as expensive luxuries for the shopaholics who set the tone, but in my case, twhile I do love and enjoy them, I've got to break that habit. Fortunately they are made well enough that they will hold up for a long time -- while my $200 jeans develop tatters and become even more trendy.

Like James' example, men are discovering secondhand shopping relief, too. San Francisco is just one city that offers a host of vintage menswear options. Clearly it's a new consciousness. I was having lunch not long ago in upscale Presidio Heights in San Francisco when I spotted a store proclaiming a "Recessionista Sale" with a massive banner. Darn, I didn't have my camera -- but even at its blowout prices, I didn't have the budget. So I zipped up my pocketbook, kept walking and began to feel the relief of re-balancing priorities.

Say Never to "Always Wear Skirts"

Here's an update to one of Womantraveler's most popular blog entries -- you should now stop wearing skirts if you want to get through airport security quickly. The long skirts I used to wear for airplane and travel comfort are now declared "voluminous clothing" by the TSA, meaning that you'll get pulled aside for a secondary check. Doesn't matter if you are thin as a rail! I asked the friendly female agents about this on my last two flights and got the answer. Even short skirts are a liability because, as they noted with their eyes, things can be hidden "up there."

So, I'm sorry to say that this tip of two years ago is relatively kaput. sadly, so, because it was such a bright idea! Now, if like me, you still hate your pants dragged on airplane bathroom floors, you could pack one of these travel skirts (below) easily and change after passing through airport security.

Here's the original blog of May 8, 2006:

Womentravelers who have succumbed to the dress-down comfort trend of jeans or capris for air travel are making a huge mistake. As my pal who's a former flight attendant put it bluntly -- unlike pants, you can lift your skirt up so it doesn't drag on those often yukky airplane bathroom floors, and heaven knows, she's seen more than she wants to remember. (Skirts are not recommended for men, of course, who have their own bathroom issues -- and one that we particularly appreciate their sensitivity to tidying up these tiny unisex quarters after use.)

Mid-calf or long skirts are the best -- but nothing too full or flouncy as they're more cumbersome to handle or pack. Lightweight or synthetic fabrics are most easily managed. Having a skirt has many purposes and it's easy for a quick change by pulling it over your head. A skirt keeps your legs and ankles warm, in case the blanket that is supposed to be on your seat has been ripped off. (I also tuck in a pair of light-weight knee-high trouser socks in my carry-on handbag or computer bag.) If I'm traveling for business and need office attire at the other end, I slip off the long airplane skirt in the airport ladies room upon arrival and replace it with a wrinkle-free suit skirt or trousers I've also gently folded in my carry-on.

Practicing this travel clothes philosophy consistently, I keep 2-3 basic airplane travel outfits that account for various weather conditions, including starting in one weather pattern and ending up in something totally different (50s on the West Coast and 90 degrees and unbearable humidity upon landing on the East). The other important component is a light-weight pashmina (the kind sold in airport shops for $10 in all colors). Rayon or light-weight cashmere pashminas serve as another layer for wrapping up (neck, shoulders or legs), can be folded into a small bag and add some pzazz. The best skirt options I've found -- and keep going back to -- are Chico's Traveler acetate/spandex mix-and-match series and TravelSmith's poly-nylon Ultimate Travel Skirt.

Bags Here Today, Gone Today

It only takes one lost luggage experience on the way to the first meeting with a new client to change the system for packing. Showing up in jeans and a day-old shirt clearly won't deliver impressions of professionalism and confidence to the president or CEO. So when my flight from California to Philadelphia got canceled in Chicago, and I quickly snagged the last seat on a flight to Newark, NJ, silly me...I had happily managed to actually get to the East Coast -- and to arrive within 90 minutes' drive from my final destination -- and I expected to rendezvous with my bags at Newark baggage claim.

Having to figure out an alternative at 11:30 pm on a Sunday night does not provide a lot of options for the 9 am meeting the next morning. The lessons:

• Always carry on a small bag with a change of clothing, or wear something that can be washed overnight. Business travelers customarily carry on a suitcase for this reason, but carrying on can be a real hassle -- when traveling for a week or in winter and needing multiple outfits, when flying on small commuter jets with little or no storage, when toting a roller bag computer case that is chock full of business papers and when trying not to injure neck, shoulders and back with lots of schlepping. The one solution -- my default travel outfit: Chico's "Travelers Series." I was an early-adopter of this professional-looking wash-and-go line that also has many dress-up options, and the articles can be rolled into tiny spaces relatively wrinkle free. This solution also jives with my "always wear skirts" philosophy for airplane travel.
• Wear comfortable but stylish shoes that can be transformed into business attire the next morning.
• Carry on all make up, a toothbrush, fresh change of underwear, jewelry and other accessories. This is a good idea for a day trip because travel delays can wreak all kinds of havoc on one's appearance -- let alone well-planned calendars. Hotels usually carry some cosmetic items -- and have irons -- but don't expect eyeliner or fresh nylons.
• Remember that hotel shampoos and hair dryers come in very handy if you have to wash out clothing in a rush. To speed up drying, first wrap the item in a towel, twist the towel to squeeze out excess (or stomp on it) and then apply the hair dryer action.
• Always pack a pashmina -- the rayon versions found at most airports for under $20 are indispensable. If nothing else, you can wrap up and hide under a colorful pashmina and look quite professional and stylish.
• Check out 24-hour emergency bag delivery services provided by some airlines at some airports. This isn't always a sure thing. While the helpful United Airlines baggage customer service telephone operators were on the job all night, the local company delivering the bags from the Philly airport had closed down before I got to Newark and did not open again until 6 am the next morning. But I was able to talk to a resourceful and sympathetic sympathetic baggage service operator who put a rush on delivery the next morning.
• Put a copy of your itinerary in your luggage -- in case someone in baggage service has to open it to locate you as the owner.

The gods sorted things out so I could be a little late to the first meeting, but that isn't always something you can count on. Oh, yes, and the carry-on options are only going to get worse with all the airline cutbacks. So, stay tuned...

The Most Annoying Airplane Moments

While I love my Mobal world phone ($49 to own it plus competitive call charges per country), I also get a hoot out of the Mobal world phone users blog. Here's an unforgettable series of reflections about the most annoying things people do on airplanes.

Beware of Wi-Fi Hackers

Wi-Fi's spread and convenience bring threats, so be prepared. A helpful article in today's Wall Street Journal offers these tips to minimize the dangerous machinations of hackers. It's good info for general Wi-Fi use in your hotel room, home or office, and especially for Wi-Fi hotspots. The person nearby in the hotel lobby or airport waiting area may be a hacker lurking to steal information from your laptop -- or even take it over:

• Keep all computer software and computer protection software current.
• Name your Wi-Fi network.
• Conduct all financial transactions -- such as banking, stock market trades and purchases requiring a credit card -- at home over a wired connection or wireless firewall.
• Close down your computer when you're not using the Internet.
• Use a wired connection wherever possible.