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Chicago is 2nd Most Entertaining City in US

Lisa Brown — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:31:43 +0000

In a previous blog post, I mentioned that Chicago was listed as the most stressful city in the United States by Forbes.com. Apparently Chicagoans play as hard as they work, because Forbes.com also reported on the most entertaining American cities. With over 35,000 restaurants it’s no surprise that New York came in first. But Chicago came in second, with over 15,000 restaurants, as well as tons of bars, cultural institutions and sporting venues.
45 million tourists annually can’t be wrong. If you’re going to Chicago corporate housing to visit the grandkids, or for any other extended stay, be sure to pick up free passes to many museums from the local public library. Summertime is arguably the best time to see Chicago for the 26 miles of lakefront along the city’s shore there are 15 miles of beaches. But there are events year round—from seeing any of the more than 261 live theatre venues, to cheering on any of the 6 sports teams, Chicago will keep you on your feet during your temporary stay.

Chicago is 2nd Most Entertaining City in US is a post originally from the Almost Home Blog, which focuses on corporate housing, travel tips, area information and other information helpful to corporate travelers.

Ways to Relax in the Windy City

Lisa Brown — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:00:17 +0000

Forbes reported that Chicago is the most stressful city in the United States. The magazine compared statistics such as the number of sunny days, the unemployment rate and the cost of living, among others. For the business traveler in Chicago, here are three ways to unwind after a long, stressful day.
Get a massage. Daily Candy is running a promotion right now in conjunction with Hyatt Pure Spas. Otherwise, Chicago Spa Deals abound at SpaFinder.com.
Take up a hobby. You could take a mosaic class from Chicago Mosaic School or a knitting class from The Needle Shop. There’s also glass blowing at the Art Institute of Chicago and circus arts from The Actors Gymnasium.
Volunteer. Idealist.org is the most comprehensive list of volunteer activities in the Chicago area. There’s also Craig’s List. Most of the nonprofits are always looking for some kind of help.
De-stressing after a long day at the office is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. WebMD writes that stress “can lead to physical symptoms including headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, and problems sleeping. Research suggests that stress also can bring on or worsen certain symptoms or diseases.” Fewer health problems means fewer missed days of work, which means better performance on the job overall. So you can take that time you’ve spent relaxing in Chicago corporate housing all the way to the bank.

Ways to Relax in the Windy City is a post originally from the Almost Home Blog, which focuses on corporate housing, travel tips, area information and other information helpful to corporate travelers.

Visit SOFA in Chicago

Lisa Brown — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:36:34 +0000

SOFA, or Sculptural Objects Functional Art, is coming to Chicago November 6-8 this year. Be sure to buy your tickets online. The lecture series highlights the finest in international craft, and there is a film series as well. Proceeds from this year’s benefit dinner honoring Sam Maloof goes toward the Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation for Arts and Crafts, Anderson Ranch Arts Center Maloof Scholarship Fund, and The Furniture Society Scholarship Program. If you’re staying in Chicago corporate housing that weekend, be sure to check it out as it is the most significant craft show in the Midwest, and one of the most significant craft shows in the country.

Visit SOFA in Chicago is a post originally from the Almost Home Blog, which focuses on corporate housing, travel tips, area information and other information helpful to corporate travelers.

Halloween in Orlando is So Much Fun It’s Scary

Lisa Brown — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:12:06 +0000

For tricks and treats this Halloween there’s no place like Orlando. If you’re staying in Orlando corporate housing, major attractions there offer themed events, such as SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular, Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights, and DisneyWorld’s Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. While tickets to the events can be pretty pricey (moreso at Universal, where an express pass can run you close to $70), if you’re a Florida resident or an annual pass holder there are discounts available. I’ve also heard rumors that major soft drink brands, and restaurants will offer promotion codes on their website that can be redeemed for discounts at the door.
At Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights costumes are discouraged and the intended audience are teenagers and adults. The theme of the event changes every year, but it is always based on the company’s R-rated horror films. The park features 8 elaborate haunted houses, “scarezones,” live shows, and many bars. In fact, Halloween Horror Nights kind of has a reputation for being a boozefest.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party encourages children to come in costume. Costumes, I’m sure, can be purchased at the park. Other venues for purchasing costumes in Orlando include Century Costumes, or Party City. Each child is given a trick or treat bag that they can fill at candy stations throughout the park. There’s a daytime parade that’s begun with a fantastic ride by the Headless Horseman, and at night there’s a fireworks spectacle entitled “Happy Hallowishes.”

Halloween in Orlando is So Much Fun It’s Scary is a post originally from the Almost Home Blog, which focuses on corporate housing, travel tips, area information and other information helpful to corporate travelers.

67 Days of Smiles

Lisa Brown — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:44:37 +0000

Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau estimates that it will take 67 days to enjoy the more than 100 attractions that the city has to offer. The Orlando CVB recently announced the winners of the “67 Days of Smiles” social media contest. Kyle Post and Stacey Doornbos are going to experience every attraction that Orlando has to offer, and blog, tweet, flickr, youtube, and facebook every step of the way. If you’re an Orlando corporate housing user there perhaps on business for 67 days or longer and want to follow in their footsteps, you can check out the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau website, which lists attractions and updates deals on attractions regularly.

67 Days of Smiles is a post originally from the Almost Home Blog, which focuses on corporate housing, travel tips, area information and other information helpful to corporate travelers.

Take a Philadelphia Mural Arts Tour

Lisa Brown — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:18:58 +0000

There is a theory in social work known as the “broken window theory.” You can take a tenement building and pour money into further police patrols. Or you can fix all the broken windows. The theory is, that if you pour the money into just fixing the broken windows, people will start to take pride in their surroundings and will prevent crime on their own.

Consider as an example Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program. The New York Times recently published an article in which it discussed the thrust of the program, and its many successes. Philadelphia has over 2,800 murals throughout its diverse neighborhoods. In the article, one resident is quoted as saying that with the advent of the murals, that the drug dealers have disappeared and there is no graffiti.

If you’re one of our Philadelphia corporate housing clients, you could take a Mural Arts Tour on one of the trolley cars. The cost is $25 for adults, $23 for seniors 65 and older, $15 for children 3-10, and free for children under 2, and the tour lasts about two hours.

Take a Philadelphia Mural Arts Tour is a post originally from the Almost Home Blog, which focuses on corporate housing, travel tips, area information and other information helpful to corporate travelers.

A Gastronaut’s Tour of Philadelphia

Lisa Brown — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:24:45 +0000

Believe it or not, Philadelphia is a gastronaut’s paradise. (A gastronaut, in case you were wondering, is someone who plans their entire vacation around food.) The same word applies to corporate housing travelers who plan their lodging around the restaurants a neighborhood might offer.

“Um, Philly Cheese Steak, much?” might be your snarky comment.

“Au contraire,” would be my reply. One look at Le Bec-Fin’s menu would turn the heads and the hearts of any elitist foodie forever.

Le Bec Fin is located in Center City. It’s the place to go if you’re looking for an incredibly elegant 3-course meal. The chef, Georges Perrier, has created the most famous eating establishment in all of Philadelphia. For the finest in French cuisine and old world service, look no further than Le Bec-Fin.

Upstares & Sotto Varalli is located in Midtown Village. An Italian restaurant that specializes in seafood and an accessible wine menu, Upstare and Sotto Varalli lands near the top of any must-try restaurant list in Philadelphia.

Caribou Café is a restaurant that features French cuisine. Chef Olivier Desaintmartin is a Maitre Cuisinier de France which is a professional association of the highest honor. The restaurant is moderately priced, and draws from all regions in France for its inspiration.

Philadelphia fine restaurants create a benchmark to dine by for the rest of one’s business traveling days. And now, September 13-18 you can enjoy Philadelphia’s Restaurant Week, during which famous restaurants will prepare special menus and offer price breaks to diners.

So, for all our Philadelphia corporate housing clients who enjoy food, dine to your heart’s content.

A Gastronaut’s Tour of Philadelphia is a post originally from the Almost Home Blog, which focuses on corporate housing, travel tips, area information and other information helpful to corporate travelers.

Shreveport’s Stability in a Downward Economy

Lisa Brown — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:46:32 +0000

According to Liz Wolgemuth, writing in Yahoo Finance, “Economists at IHS Global Insight expect Louisiana will have lost just 2 percent of its jobs by the end of the recession and will have returned to its prerecession peak by 2012.” However, a particular star of the state is Shreveport where residents with mineral rights are leasing their land for up to $25,000 acre in regards to the Haynesville Shale discovery, which could be the largest natural gas deposit in the United States. There’s also been a boom in the film industry productions in the area. According to the article, there have been at least 60 projects in Shreveport in the past 3 years. The film industry tends to wander and shale is difficult to refine, however, both Barksdale Air Force Base and the Louisiana State University-Shreveport have proven to be reliable employers over time. Perhaps this is why Almost Home Corporate Housing has gained so many Shreveport corporate housing clients. While Shreveport LA is enjoying relative economic stability, Almost Home USA is happy to offer corporate housing to any corporate travelers in the area.

Shreveport’s Stability in a Downward Economy is a post originally from the Almost Home Blog, which focuses on corporate housing, travel tips, area information and other information helpful to corporate travelers.

Find Employment in Salt Lake City

Lisa Brown — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:27:33 +0000

Relocating to Salt Lake City? Finding a job might be easier than you think. Yahoo recently reported that Salt Lake City is one of “America’s Best Places to Find a Job.” The Department of Labor Statistics recently reported that the unemployment rate was at 5.9%, way below the national unemployment rate of 9.4%. The economy is highly diversified: employers with a strong presence there include Delta Air Lines, e-Bay, Unisys, Siebel, Micron, and 3M. Because Salt Lake City is a major transportation hub, the Department of Labor Statistics reports that the category “Trade, Transportation, and Utilities” is the strongest employer in the city. This makes sense, as the city has always had strong ties to the railroad and to the country’s freight trucking routes. Second only to transportation was the category “Government.” With the University of Utah located in Salt Lake City, not to mention the state capitol, it only follows that many people in Salt Lake City are swept up in city politics. Because government health insurance follows government jobs, the hospitals and social services in the area are not financially overburdened. Salt Lake City leads by example in the way to weather the current economic climate. And if you are needing corporate housing in Salt Lake City while job hunting or settling into a new job, Almost Home can help.

Find Employment in Salt Lake City is a post originally from the Almost Home Blog, which focuses on corporate housing, travel tips, area information and other information helpful to corporate travelers.

Corporate Travelers with a Love for Drama Can Treat Themselves to the Utah Shakespearean Festival

Lisa Brown — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 01:28:12 +0000

The Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespearean Festival presents nine plays this summer in Cedar City, Utah. See what The Salt Lake Tribune calls “powerfully assured storytelling.” Begun in the 1960s under the guidance of the local university with a budget of less than $1,000, today the Utah Shakespearean Festival attracts over 150,000 people to its audience and has an operational budget of over $6 million. The Adams Shakespearean Theatre is a spot-on accurate reproduction of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, and there is a new black box theatre in the works that would showcase the plays of living dramatists. The mission statement of the theatre is “to present professional repertory theatre that illuminates the human condition and that propels us to artistic excellence.” Any Salt Lake City corporate housing client should include a road trip to this prestigious and incomparable Shakespearean festival.

Corporate Travelers with a Love for Drama Can Treat Themselves to the Utah Shakespearean Festival is a post originally from the Almost Home Blog, which focuses on corporate housing, travel tips, area information and other information helpful to corporate travelers.