Amanda's Adventures and New Product Reviews

Let’s go to the mall | Group Tour Magazine Blog Let’s go to the mall This blog dishes on what malls are doing to attract grown-up shoppers and group tours By Amanda Black I had the chance to visit a new store this weekend. It’s designed for teens, but I thought it would be fun to shop the iPhone accessories, brightly colored decor and other swag. Boy was I wrong. The loud music, pods of teenagers and the narrow aisles made me feel a mix of old and annoyed. And plus, I don’t want to spend my hard-earned money on stuff I don’t really need or want. It was a lot different than the days of cruising the mall with some cash handed off from my parents. My  favorite store  was next door, and it was an oasis of grown-up calm. Michael Bublé was playing on the radio, and I was able to shop for tablecloths, sea salted chocolate bars and couscous in peace. If you think the mall is only the domain of teenagers shopping for gewgaws and skinny jeans, you should take a closer loo...

The power of crowds | Group Tour Magazine Blog TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012 Nikola Tesla's lab, Wardenclyffe, as it looked in 1904; more than a century later, the lab will be saved and preserved. The power of crowds This blog examines the true story of how a cartoonist raised $1 in a week to fund a Tesla museum By Amanda Black Did you hear the one about the cartoonist that raised a million dollars for a new museum? It’s not a joke; it’s something that’s really happened — and it only took a week. Matthew Inman, the cartoonist from t heoatmeal.com , has long admired Nikola Tesla, the inventor and one-time rival of Thomas Edison. (Warning: his website is very funny, but it’s not exactly family-friendly.) Like Edison, Tesla worked in a workshop, did amazing things with energy, and earned the title of genius. He was a character in one of my favorite movies:  The Prestige , a dark, twisty Christopher Nolan movie, and he was the namesake of Tesla Motors, the innovative ele...

Originally submitted at Avenue.com This plus size chemise is laced with style. The contrasting lace addes a pop of color to a soft and solid body. Knit jersey v-neck chemise. Lace trim at the bust and hemline. Empire waist with darting at the bust. Thin, adjustable straps... Contrast Color Lace Chemise Cute and short By Amanda from MI from Holland, MI on 8/20/2012   3 out of 5 Waist: Feels too small Length: Feels too short Pros: Soft, Comfortable, Cute Cons: Short, Clingy, Thin Material Best Uses: Sleeping Describe Yourself: Trendy/Stylish Dresser Was this a gift?: No This sure is cute, but it sure is short. I have purchased lots of Avenue body before, and it doesn't have that well-made silky feel. It's more like a slip, and it has a nice stretch. But It's not that greatly made. I am worried that the lace will come apart. But for the price, it's a nice little nightgown. It's just not a great one. And it's so short! ( legalese )

One bird, two bird, red bird, blue bird | Group Tour Magazine Blog One bird, two bird, red bird, blue bird Rovio Entertaiment, the company behind Angry Birds, made $100 million dollars last year.  This blog ponders what Angry Birds has to teach tour planners about the importance of creativity By Amanda Black Something old and forgotten came back into my life this weekend: something involving red birds, egg-dropping white birds and disgruntled green piggies. If you play Angry Birds, you knew exactly what I meant. If you don’t, it’s the game for phones and tablets that has taken over pop culture. I hadn’t played the game for months, mostly because I lost my iPod and lost interest. On Saturday morning, I was straightening up when I found my lost toy. It was exactly where I thought it should be, so it was beyond me why it took months to find it. So I charged it up and the first thing I did was play a new round of Angry Birds — the first of many. Later that day, ...

Tennis anyone? | Group Tour Magazine Blog THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012 Photo: Wimbledon Championships The grounds of Wimbledon are open to tours year-round and include a visit to the museum. Tennis anyone? By Amanda Black Wimbledon closed with a bang this year: Serena Williams proved her strength and won her fifth title while Roger Federer smashed records on the way to a Grand Slam title. The same grass courts of Wimbledon will host the Olympic tennis events , beginning July 28. Both Williams and Federer will be playing in the games, and I’m sure I’ll be watching. I don’t follow tennis all the time, but it’s always enjoyable when I do. The big events are worth watching, and few events are bigger than the Olympics. Curiously enough,  odds makers  have Williams as their favorite, but they chose Novak Djokovic to win the gold over Federer. Djokovic lost to the eventual Wimbledon winner in the semi-finals. Part of the excitement of the Olympics is seeing how it all unf...

Take flight | Group Tour Magazine Blog MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012 Photo: Amanda Black This duck doesn't mind one bit when people come to see him, especially when they bring food.  Take flight A blog explores how birds of a feather — and group tours — flock together By Amanda Black It’s one of those rites of passages, something that signals you’re grown up — like purchasing insurance or talking about oil prices. This, however, is much more pleasant. I’m not sure how I became a birder, but somewhere along the way, I crossed the line from casual admirer to a hobbyist. I dutifully fill the feeder once a week and enjoy the views out my window often. I’ve spent time learning the difference between a grosbeak and a grouse, and I frequent the  webpage of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology . I’ve spent a lot of time playing Angry Birds, too. Doesn’t that count? When I was flipping around this weekend, I ran across a showing of  The Big Year , a 2011 movie starring Owen...

In fashion | Group Tour Magazine Blog MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012 Photo: Murray Close Fashion played an important part in The Hunger Games; seen here is a scene from the 2012 movie.   In fashion It’s been sweeping through the office lately. I’m not talking about an illness or an inside joke—I’m talking about reading  The Hunger Games. My colleague Erin, wrote an excellent  article about tours based on the Hunger Games , so I don’t feel like I need to write about the book per se. What impressed me the most was its description of  fashion , so I thought I’d check around to see how groups can incorporate fashion-forward locales into their tours. The first idea that comes to mind is to visit the centers of the fashion universe: New York, Milan and Paris all have untold riches for group tours. Manhattan’s famed  Metropolitan Museum of Art  is home to the Costume Institute, a collection with more than 35,000 items of clothing and accessories. While the enti...