fall

December 17, 2013 By Rosa 2 Comments

Have you had this experience? You attend a three day conference in a beautiful destination and most of your time is spent inside a convention center or hotel ballroom. Or, you are at a lovely resort near the ocean, desert, or stunningly sculptured golf course and you rarely have an opportunity to appreciate your surroundings.

You might reason the main purpose for making the trip was to attend the conference. But wouldn’t it be nice if you could make a little time to enjoy the destination. It is exactly what I thought about recently at an event back east this Fall. I made a conscientious effort to observe some of the outdoor beauty. In this case I am making reference to the trees, one more beautiful than the other. There was an endless array of colors. I felt compelled a number of times to stop the car, pull off the road, and take pictures, which I was able to do while on a few site inspections. It caused the day to be a little longer but it was time well spent. I wanted something to share with others and also keep the memories more vivid and alive. Fall on the east coast is a very special season, filled with colors.

So the next time you are at a conference or event do like I did, take a little time to observe the beauty around you. As the expression goes, smell the roses and more importantly behold the beauty of colors starting from the moment you land at the airport, check into your hotel, visit restaurants or participate in fun activities.

It is difficult to be away from family and friends when having to attend conferences so make the best of the time away from home. Bring something back for them to enjoy. Such images as these will make an indelible impression on them as your trip will make on you. Enjoy the beauty of colors all around you.

By Lenise Fourcault

Mixing Business with Pleasure – Upstate NY

In September of this year I took a trip back east. It was great because I was able to mix business with pleasure. The weather could not have been better, beautiful blue skies, soft breezes and crisp air with moderate temperatures. I found it difficult during working hours to concentrate knowing that there was so much to be enjoyed outside. The autumn leaves were just beautiful; I would say they were at their peak. There were rolling hills covered with colorful autumn flowers, fields of pumpkins and dried corn stalks. After the event I felt compelled to check out the destination further to investigate what other fascinating venues and activities existed. My plan is to incorporate some of these activities in future programs.

So off I went to check out the area. I stayed in Patterson and Pawling, NY and visited many small towns in Duchess and Putnam counties. What a treat it was to experience the quiet sleepy towns with their quaint homes, farms, horse trails, bed and breakfast venues and cute restaurants, and oh so many apple orchards.

I enjoyed a delightful breakfast at a crepe café in Pawling with family and friends. Patterson and Pawling are just about a 40 minute drive to the town of Poughkeepsie. I never realized there were so many interesting places and things to see and do in that area. For starters there is beautiful Vassar College for all you liberal arts lovers. What a campus! You can attend musical recitals and it is fun to just walk the college campus which I might add is a real treat in the autumn.

Those few days were just perfect. But like I mentioned that was just for starters, there is a lot more to share. Check out our blog next week to continue the journey in Upstate New York!

By: Lenise Fourcault

The Beauty of Colors – Autumn Leaves

Mixing Business with Pleasure – Upstate NY