Carpe Diem!

Life happens, and I often have clients who have to cancel, re-arrange, or postpone trips because of unexpected developments in their lives — some happy, like pregnancy or a new job, but some that are more somber, like a broken engagement or an illness or death in the family. Shannon and Phil were dealing with her stepmom’s terminal illness, but decided to “roll the dice” and take the 30th birthday getaway to Las Vegas that they had been looking forward to. Her feedback is below. I absolutely love her “seize the adventure while you can” spirit 🙂

Hi Ann,

I’m so sorry for the huge delay in my response regarding our Vegas trip. My stepmother’s health was a roller coaster for the last two months, starting two days before we left for Vegas and sadly ending two weeks ago with her passing. I let a lot of things slide during that time.

The trip was very successful. Our room was incredible and we took full advantage, including a romantic room service dinner in the room’s “lounge” overlooking the strip (the view was an upgrade courtesy of you tipping the hotel to Phil’s 30th, thank you very much.)

Shannon and Phil 2

The scene was a little quieter than I expected, to be honest (and I’m not that wild) but we had a great time.

Highlights included:

– The luxury race track   where Phil zipped around in his beloved Nissan GTR and I even sat shotgun for 5 laps with a pro drag racer. (Quick tip: It’s cheaper to take the provided limo to the Exotics race track than a cab.)

Shannon and Phil 1

Shannon and Phil 5

Stealing the pot against a hardened poker player’s full house with a straight flush at 3am. You should have seen his face!

Winning $100 on a single penny bet (not just a penny machine but literally a 1 cent bet)

– And an unbelievable, 2 Michelin star dinner in front of the Bellagio fountains at Picasso right before we headed off to see my college roommate perform as a Bally’s showgirl. Picasso is an absolute must for anyone who loves fine dining, and even though we sat outside we were encouraged to explore all the Picasso artwork gracing the restaurant’s walls.

Shannon and Phil 4

Shannon and Phil 7

My stepmom’s illness and passing has served as a stark reminder that life is short and it’s worth it to seize adventure while you can.

 

Shannon and Phil 6

I will send you a separate email about these, but my father wants to take a family trip this fall to a Caribbean island with me, Phil, my brother and stepbrothers, and I still want to do Paris for my 30th this Spring. Of course we want to work with you as you have done such a wonderful job with Vegas and Palm Island.

~ Shannon

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You provided excellent guidance for us. I appreciated that you really had us think about what was most important to us when we were selecting the right cruise – and not to totally focus on what other people had to say. THANK YOU for helping to make this a memorable trip for our family! It really was a trip of a lifetime!

Clare and Mark (family cruise to Alaska)

The level of service we experienced was out of this world (and we did NOT make it easy on Ann). We weren’t quite sure where we wanted to go, when we would be able to go, or what “vibe” we were going for. After asking us some key questions (what we liked, didn’t like, why, etc.) Ann helped us narrow down our trip details and planned the honeymoon of our dreams. She helped book some of our excursions, answered some emergency questions while abroad and was always available/willing to help. I think it’s safe to say we won’t be using anyone else for future travel planning – Ann is a rockstar!

Carli (Italy and Spain)