When Is The Best Time To Purchase Airline Tickets?

Travel industry experts say that the best time to buy airline tickets is during the mid-week. Airlines usually decide on ticket sales on Monday night, thus making Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday's as the best days for travelers to purchase airline seats. WSJ writer, Scott McCartney also states that airlines usually decide to increase their prices on Thursday nights; making buying airline tickets over the weekend the worst time for travelers to purchase tickets. While airlines are slowly adapting fire sales online to their loyal followers,  social media sites such as facebook and twitter still account for a very minor share of total sales. 

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Photo compliments of Chad Morton.

Introducing Your Grand Rapids' Superfriendz 2011

Superfriendz 2011! 1st Row - Jeff Barrett. 2nd Row - Tommy Fitzgerald, Raquel Salas, Kelly Stecco, Jessica Ann Tyson, Julie Regan, Rosalynn Bliss, George Aquino. 3rd Row - Lisa Rose Starner, Jennifer Ederer, Michael De Meyer, Mike Mraz, Laura Velasquez, Abbey Sloan, Super Dre Wallace. 4th Row - Chad Leroux, Todd Ernst, Rob Bliss, Paul Jendrasiak, Ryan Slusarzyk. Not in Picture - Jimmy Le, Ashley Cole, Don MacKenzie, Margaux Aquino

2011 is destined to be another amazing year for Grand Rapids' street team of leaders who are committed to helping local non-profit organizations connect with our community through our network of friends, colleagues and professional

contacts. While the 2010 inaugural team of Superfriendz focused on connecting the Heart of West Michigan United Way to the next generation of donors, advocates and volunteers, the group's mission this year has been expanded to help at least 6 non-profit organizations gain support for their fundraising efforts, special events, campaigns and public relations through word-of-mouth, face-to-face interactions and social media avenues such as facebook and twitter.

The group has broadened its reach by expanding membership to cover a wider array of demographic segments including media, social media, creative, small business, marketing, non-profit, cultural, corporate, entertainment, government and strategy. Superfriendz recruited top notch experts in each particular field to fill the missing gaps in the group's strategic make-up.

Two non-profit organizations have already partnered with the Superfriendz this year - Kids Food Basket/Juice Ball and Gilda's Club/Laughfest are on board. The group is currently reviewing other potential non-profit applications to complete the campaign calendar for 2011.

The Superfriendz are also waiting on a couple more individuals who have yet to make a decision on the group's invitation to join this exclusive club of community advocates. Founding Superfriendz members welcome our new street team members:

Tommy Fitzgerald - chef, founder of Juice Ball and overall great guy.

Raquel Salas - Attorney with Avanti Law Firm and prominent leader in the Hispanic community.

Jennifer Ederer - Owner, Modern Day Floral. Lead singer, Hip Pocket.

Kelly Stecco - Director of Events and Marketing, Thousand Oaks Country Club.

Jessica Ann Tyson - President, Events by Jessica Ann. Organizer of The Legacy Ball.

Rosalynn Bliss - City of Grand Rapids City Commisioner. Director, St. John's Home

Abbey Sloan - Reporter for WXMI Fox 17

Mike Mraz - VP, Jade Pig Ventures. Organizer of the March of Dimes annual Chef's Auction and founder of Culture and Cocktails.

Chad Leroux - Executive Corporate Director of Marketing, Amway Hotel Corporation

Ashley Cole - Interior Designer, Ashley Cole Design

Lisa Rose Starner - Farm to Plate advocate. Wildcrafter & Backyard Herbalist, Burdock & Rose

The current Superfriendz would also like to thank past members Pete Brand, Laura Caprara and Josh Depenbrok for all their help and support last year. We will miss you. However, once a Superfriendz, always a Superfriendz.

The Superfriendz was awarded an Innovation Award by the Business Review West Michigan in 2010 for our innovative work in connecting the Heart of West Michigan United Way to the community.

If you have any suggestions or questions about advocacy, please send email to georgeaquino@mac.com or connect with any of the current members.

Here's to an amazing and memorable 2011!

ACE NYC

If Starbucks defined the "Third Place" about a decade ago, the Ace hotel group has added a fourth category - The Gen Love Place. Upon entering the lobby of the Ace in midtown NYC, you couldn't help but be enamored by the energy that vibrates throughout its packed lobby. Mac users are shoulder to shoulder with PC's, earthy chick with metro sexual

dude, guy on guys, sporty with spice. A huge American flag is the backdrop behind the bar, screaming "This is the new America and if you don't like it, then get lost." This is the college library on steroids. People are trying to look busy with their spreadsheets, but you know, everyone just wants to hook up eventually. If you dig this kind of socio-collaborative space, then chill and stay awhile.

The rooms range from bunk beds to S,M,L kings, to lofts. All with private baths and "vintage" beddings and furniture. To a certain degree, it's like shacking up at a college roommate's pad in the city less the empty pizza boxes and beer cans. Private bathrooms, free wireless and mini bars are standard. Starting at around $200 per night (in midtown!), that's a bargain. 

But the action is truly in the lobby area. Portland's Stumptown Coffee Roasters is connected to the lobby for your late afternoon cortado cravings. Michelin starred chefs of the Spotted Pig, April Bloomfield and Ken Friedmam, took residence here with their tribute to "nose to tail" cuisine at the Breslin Bar and Dining Room. And for some retail therapy, the No. 8A & Opening Ceremony boutique behind the front desk is a classic bohemian's travel and design paradise.

The Ace is a perfect hotel if you're traveling solo on business or if you're the TED-type, modern social anthropologist looking for live sample specimens for the sheer fun of it. 

Recycle Runway

Once in awhile, I discover something unexpected during the course of my travels.. It could be a small magic of a restaurant that is tucked away in an alley somewhere in Kowloon or finding the perfect cologne in an unknown boutique in the Marais in Paris. These discoveries are the little vignettes of a city that add color to once adventure.


Such was the case during a layover in Phoenix when I stumbled upon this exhibition of Eco Trash Couture artist Nancy Judd. Domestic airports are finally stepping up to the plate by adding new elements to the dreaded layover. This small exhibition off to the side of the food court was a gem considering the items the artist used are common items such as Target bags, rusty nails and telephone directories. Pretty clever, I thought. It was a good diversion to what would have been an uneventful 15 minutes at the airport. So on your next airport layover, see if you discover something worthwhile.

Do you know of any airports with special and unique exhibitions? Why don't you share it with us.

Target vintage dress and hat

Dress, purse and shoes using Coke aluminum pieces

Rusty nail dress and accessories

Short dress using colorful plastic detergent containers

Outfit and boots using pages from a telephone directory

Dress and shoes using broken glass

Evening gown using recycled plastic

The Chop House

Lobster Bisque served table side ($8.95)

Consistency is the one thing you can expect The Chop House in downtown Grand Rapids to deliver every single time. The martini's at the bar are luscious, the steaks are cooked properly and the service is always warm and professional. On this night, the restaurant was humming with expense account clients and winter couples celebrating their anniversaries. 

The Chop House doesn't deviate from the traditional steak house interiors. The dining room is dark with soft lighting and original and reproduction art grace the walls. Jazz standards played on the PA system and the occasional bursts of

laughter would fill the room as the clinking of champagne glasses marked another celebratory event.

Our party of four didn't stray away from the steak house standards: lobster bisque for starters, wedge and caesar salads followed, steaks and dover sole for entrees with a side of mushrooms and asparagus and a bowl of creme brulee to top the evening. As expected, the lobster bisque stole the show and the sauteed mushrooms comes a close second. My New York strip was good, but I certainly have had better strips in the city. The Dover Sole, with it's table side presentation, was a classic dish for the white tablecloth crowd. We enjoyed a bottle of the Chateau Montelena ($86) and Cuvaison ($79) cabernet sauvignon. 

The Chop House is a sure thing for entertaining out-of-town guests or when celebrating special occasions. Our dinner for four with tip was over $500. Expensive? You bet. Worth it? Absolutely.

The dining room

Wedge Salad ($7.95)

Caesar Salad ($8.95)

New York Strip ($43.95)

Grilled Asparagus with Shaved Parmesan ($9.95)

Our server debones the Dover Sole (MP)

Amazing sauteed wild mushrooms ($8.95)

Dover Sole

Creme Brulee

Juice Ball 2011 Smashes All Records

Chef Tommy Fitzgerald, the man behind the creation of Juice Ball last year, definitely out did himself this year. The "Big Top Juice Ball 2011" doubled attendance, and more importantly, raised enough money to buy 244,000 juice boxes for Kids Food Basket. 2,500 Juice Ball revelers in "circus" theme costumes started arriving at the JW at 7PM. The
hotel had anticipated about 1,500 guests, but by 8PM, it was for certain that this year's party would have set new records.

The filming of the Food Network's Ice Brigade show during the party also elevated the event to stratosphere status.

Kids Food Basket is a local non-profit with a mission of feeding over 3,300 underprivileged children everyday with sack suppers. The juice box is the most expensive part of the nutritious meal volunteers pack each day. This party, has transformed fund raising events in Grand Rapids into a whole different mind set by giving the guests the opportunity to really let loose while raising funds. There are a lot of local volunteer leaders that helped make this event happen and the JW Marriott couldn't have pulled this event alone. Big thanks go to Bridget Clark Whitney from KFB and the rest of her team. Also, Kelly Boos, Jimmy Le, Phil Weaver, Todd Ernst, Scott Erickson, Chad Leroux to name a few of the behind the scenes heroes of this event. This party wouldn't have been possible without the help of the many sponsors including AudioSpace and Mini of Grand Rapids.

Grand Rapids bands such as Hip Pocket and Bimini Brothers performed to a packed ballroom. DJ Super Dre and Jim Thias did the same, and by the end of the evening, you can certainly call this party a smashing success.