Out of Office
Las Vegas: Cvent CONNECT
I headed to Vegas the Sunday after the 4th for a conference at the MGM Grand. Cvent is event management software aka how people register for my events. Imagine a conference for 5,000 event planners. The details were impeccable.
Don't tell my work, but this "work trip" was pretty close to a vacay. I had free time to sit by the pool in the afternoons, and in the evenings, I walked the strip before the nightly cocktail reception. I did manage to schedule enough appointments at the trade show to earn myself a pair of free sunglasses. Just as I'm thinking they're about to hand me another spare pair for the junk drawer, they bring me into a room with mirrors and let me pick from a selection of 12 designer frames. I got a pair valued at $85! And each night the conference staff delivered goodies to my room, including a Yeti tumbler, margarita kit, travel pillow and lunchbox. All for my favorite price: free!
Sam came into town on Tuesday, and we went to dinner and a show. I met him at his fave blackjack spot, The Cromwell. We won't go into detail about how much bad luck I brought him. We had dinner at Giada, a chic and yummy Italian place then saw Absinthe. It's definitely crude, but I was in shock and awe over the acrobatics, and one of the best elements is that it's in a tent. Bonus: Sam flew out 2 days after me so he was able to bring the clothes that I wished I packed!
Crossing my fingers I get this same treatment next year!
Cincinnati: Government Affairs Directors Institute
After Vegas, I was less than thrilled about going to Ohio to meet with national, state and local Government Affairs Directors from the REALTOR Association. No pool time or free sunglasses? And instead of lobster, we were having boxed sandwiches. Ugh.
However, I learned so, so much. The best part was that I got to network and build relationships with folks at the state level that I now call on daily. We also had evening dinners and happy hours – not Vegas, but still a good time.
This trip takes the cake for my most expensive Uber ever. A storm was brewing just as I landed at the airport. Because of the wicked weather, my $56 ride quickly escalated into a $142 trip. The driver kept apologizing to me, and I was completely confused until my trip ended and I saw the receipt.
Stony Lake, Michigan: Annual Dodge Family Reunion
Again, low expectations. All I knew was that we were headed to middle-of-nowhere, limited-cell-service, cold-at-night, distant-relatives-galore Michigan. Rural anywhere has never been my kind of place. Then I met Stony Lake. It was the perfect mini vacay.
To start, the "Big Beach" or Lake Michigan is basically the ocean. We parked it in the sand and would listen to the waves roll in while we soaked up all the sun. At night, this is where we would watch the sun turn from orange and yellow to red and pink and slowly sink into the lake.
Stony Lake is an itty bitty lake, almost a glorified pond. This is where the cabins are located, 10 minutes from the Big Beach. Sam's cousins bring their boat, and the kids (including Erica and me) tube and the talented cousins ski. The water is dreamy smooth.
Mrs. Dodge and I were having a lovely time on Stony Lake as Sam rowed us across to his aunt and uncle's house... then a rowlock broke, leaving us nearly stranded mid-lake. Aunt Debbie tried to rescue us in a canoe but was mostly unsuccessful. Sam got his workout in rowing us home with only one oar. More successfully, we loaded down the cars with tubes to float down the river to the Big Beach.
There were about 27 aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters – one big happy Dodge family that has been getting together at Stony Lake since 1959. Each family unit gets their own cabin and takes turns hosting dinner. One night for dinner, we went to a dairy farm. You get to eat and feed the cows. Ha! Between dinner and sunset, we all stood in line to grab ice cream from the local store. It's also tradition for Sam to do a firework show, and the whole fam circles around to watch.
Even though it does get cold at night for this Texas-living gal, I can't wait to go back to Stony Lake and am grateful that I was included in this special trip.
Don't tell my work, but this "work trip" was pretty close to a vacay. I had free time to sit by the pool in the afternoons, and in the evenings, I walked the strip before the nightly cocktail reception. I did manage to schedule enough appointments at the trade show to earn myself a pair of free sunglasses. Just as I'm thinking they're about to hand me another spare pair for the junk drawer, they bring me into a room with mirrors and let me pick from a selection of 12 designer frames. I got a pair valued at $85! And each night the conference staff delivered goodies to my room, including a Yeti tumbler, margarita kit, travel pillow and lunchbox. All for my favorite price: free!
Sam came into town on Tuesday, and we went to dinner and a show. I met him at his fave blackjack spot, The Cromwell. We won't go into detail about how much bad luck I brought him. We had dinner at Giada, a chic and yummy Italian place then saw Absinthe. It's definitely crude, but I was in shock and awe over the acrobatics, and one of the best elements is that it's in a tent. Bonus: Sam flew out 2 days after me so he was able to bring the clothes that I wished I packed!
Crossing my fingers I get this same treatment next year!
Cincinnati: Government Affairs Directors Institute
After Vegas, I was less than thrilled about going to Ohio to meet with national, state and local Government Affairs Directors from the REALTOR Association. No pool time or free sunglasses? And instead of lobster, we were having boxed sandwiches. Ugh.
However, I learned so, so much. The best part was that I got to network and build relationships with folks at the state level that I now call on daily. We also had evening dinners and happy hours – not Vegas, but still a good time.
This trip takes the cake for my most expensive Uber ever. A storm was brewing just as I landed at the airport. Because of the wicked weather, my $56 ride quickly escalated into a $142 trip. The driver kept apologizing to me, and I was completely confused until my trip ended and I saw the receipt.
Stony Lake, Michigan: Annual Dodge Family Reunion
Again, low expectations. All I knew was that we were headed to middle-of-nowhere, limited-cell-service, cold-at-night, distant-relatives-galore Michigan. Rural anywhere has never been my kind of place. Then I met Stony Lake. It was the perfect mini vacay.
To start, the "Big Beach" or Lake Michigan is basically the ocean. We parked it in the sand and would listen to the waves roll in while we soaked up all the sun. At night, this is where we would watch the sun turn from orange and yellow to red and pink and slowly sink into the lake.
Stony Lake is an itty bitty lake, almost a glorified pond. This is where the cabins are located, 10 minutes from the Big Beach. Sam's cousins bring their boat, and the kids (including Erica and me) tube and the talented cousins ski. The water is dreamy smooth.
Mrs. Dodge and I were having a lovely time on Stony Lake as Sam rowed us across to his aunt and uncle's house... then a rowlock broke, leaving us nearly stranded mid-lake. Aunt Debbie tried to rescue us in a canoe but was mostly unsuccessful. Sam got his workout in rowing us home with only one oar. More successfully, we loaded down the cars with tubes to float down the river to the Big Beach.
There were about 27 aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters – one big happy Dodge family that has been getting together at Stony Lake since 1959. Each family unit gets their own cabin and takes turns hosting dinner. One night for dinner, we went to a dairy farm. You get to eat and feed the cows. Ha! Between dinner and sunset, we all stood in line to grab ice cream from the local store. It's also tradition for Sam to do a firework show, and the whole fam circles around to watch.
Even though it does get cold at night for this Texas-living gal, I can't wait to go back to Stony Lake and am grateful that I was included in this special trip.
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