When the Travel Channel goes on Vacation...

I am constantly asked if I get to travel for my job at Travel Channel and the answer of course is yes. I travel a lot... a whole lot... I have an addiction. However, I have never been asked where would the entire Travel Channel go if we all just picked up and went on vacation. Wouldn't that be something? Where would a group of travel passionates go on vacation? Hawaii? Bora Bora? No, No, people... we go to Lansdowne, Virginia!

Lansdowne Resort sits in the middle of Virginia's horse and wine country and the grounds are really beautiful. The rooms are very nice with comfy beds (minus the pillows... way too soft), plenty of room and free wireless. The best part of the rooms were the bathrooms with slate tile floors, revolving shower heads and yummy bath products from Gilchrist and Soames.

When we checked in on Sunday, the news quickly spread that Sarah Palin was also a guest and that secret service was crawling all over the building. Now, as I have said in previous blogs... I am a fair shade of purple when it comes to politics and I was just impressed that they chose this hotel over the Ritz! Anyway, that evening we were all in the tavern when we were told that we were not allowed to leave the bar until she went up to her room from the lobby. Can you imagine? They locked the entire Travel Channel in the bar for Palin? For us it meant...

British Leader who loves Obama


Plus security locking us into a bar because of Sarah Palin...


= PARTY!!

JK... I don't even know who these guys are... but I loved the pic.

I also LOVED that the Palin gang brought the campaign bus and parked it right out in the front drive of the hotel. You know that once that bar door was unlocked I was one of the first ones to run out the door for a photo op! Note to self... I need a campaign bus.



Travel Channel is definitely corporate and this retreat was about real work. We have a real office with a receptionist (her name is Katie). We have little kitchens with microwaves and fridges to hold our brown bag lunches. Our vending machines have the usual crap... no crickets or monkey brains like you see in the commercials. I have a bigger office in this building than Sam, Anthony or Andrew! (Can you guess why?)
It was a great few days filled with cool discussions about our business and networking with colleagues from other departments or offices (our interactive team is based on New York and our Big Daddy, COX Communications, is based down in Atlanta). We also had a great time enjoying some down time in the tavern and playing group trivia hosted by a real Quiz Master! Did you know that you could catch Herpes from a beer glass?

Here are some highlights... enjoy the candids and video.
Travel On.. Lori