“So, do you get to play a lot of video games?”’

That’s the question I recently put to Maria Stipp, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Owned Properties division of Activision Blizzard (the company behind such hits as Guitar Hero, World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, and more).  Her answer? “I wish I could say my thumbs were worn out from playing video games.  But unfortunately my thumbs take far more abuse from my Blackberry.”

She puts the Blackberry to good use out of the office, too.  An active globetrotter, Maria logs nearly 100,000 miles annually meeting with developers all over the world.  Here are a few of her travel tips:

• When you travel, what is the one item you always take with you?
  Aside from my Blackberry, I always bring dress shoes. Once I forgot them and had to wear running shoes with my new suit to a senior customer meeting.  Not a great look.
• What are you listening to your on your iPod these days?
  This assumes I have the time to listen to music.  I have three year-old twins – you do the math!
• What is your favorite dining spot in the world?
  Currently, I’m loving Pizzeria Mozza in LA.  Nancy Silverton’s crust is amazing.  I love the Bacon, salami, fennel sausage, pancetta, tomato and mozzarella pizza.  And their Brussels sprouts, when they’re in season, are phenomenal.
• Where have you been recently that you liked or were surprised by?
  Ojai Valley Inn and Spa in California. I can have a meeting AND get a two hour massage. Brilliant.
• Can you offer an insider travel tip or recommendation?
  Never give up on upgrades…ask at every airport and hotel. You have to A-S-K in order to G-E-T!
• What’s your best travel story?
  I met Michael Jordan at Chicago O’Hare airport two days before he beat the Jazz for the Championship win!

Thanks for the insider tips, Maria!

Introducing  Dr. Enoch Choi, a Family Medicine partner in urgent care at Palo Alto Medical Foundation. In his spare time, Enoch is a prolific blogger, a clinical instructor at Stanford University School of Medicine, a volunteer at the Community Pregnancy Center of Mountain View, a member on various boards including the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church Medical Missions, an advisor for venture firms, a doting father, a dedicated husband, and a fantastic  karaoke singer. This is far from an exhaustive list of all the things that make up Dr. Enoch Choi. That’s why “Renaissance Man” is an apt description for him.

Recently, Dr. Choi spoke  about the H1N1 virus (”swine flu”),  emphasizing the importance of getting vaccinated. Even if you rarely get sick and don’t usually get the flu shot, he says, this year is the time to do it. People who are  most vulnerable to H1N1? Pregnant women, those with already compromised immune systems, young children,  and travelers.

That’s right, you globetrotters! Even if you’re as  healthy as a horse, get vaccinated because on the road, you’re exposed to a considerable amount of germs, including H1N1. To listen to Dr. Choi’s entire chat, please click here.

Meanwhile, we delved into one of Enoch’s many pastimes: traveling. Here are a few of his travel tips:

1. Is there a gadget you can’t live without?

The iPhone.

2. When you travel, what is the one item you always take with you?
I always pack a corkscrew.

3. What is your favorite city in the world and why?
Singapore because it’s multicultural, clean, affordable, accessible, and a gateway to Southeast Asia.

4. What is your favorite dining spot in the world?
The hawker stalls in Singapore.

5. What book is on your nightstand?
Testosterone for Life by Abraham Morgentaler.  

6. What’s the most surprising/unexpected place you’ve ever visited?
Poyang hu, in the Jiang Su Province of China.

7. Can you offer an insider tip or recommendation for your favorite vacation place?
Get unlimited data / wi-fi access for wherever you’re going. I confess: I’m a big Boingo Wi-Fi fan.

Thanks, Dr.  Renaissance Man! Keep saving the world!

In support of cancer awareness in general (October is Breast Cancer Awareness month), we interviewed survivor extraordinaire, Meaghan Edelstein.

Two years ago, at age 28, Meaghan was diagnosed with stage 3B cervical cancer and told her chances of survival were slim. But she waged a victorious battle against the illness and then went on to establish  Spirit Jump, a “grassroots non-profit organization with a mission to provide hope and comfort” to those battling cancer. During her own ordeal, Meaghan was so comforted by the “uplifting cards and inspirational gifts” that she has duplicated this experience for other cancer victims through Spirit Jump.

Meaghan, yours is a remarkable story of survival against the odds and we toast to your continued health! Good luck as you travel around the globe dispensing comfort to others battling cancer.

Here are a few of Meaghan’s travel tips:

1. Is there a gadget you can’t live without?

I cannot live without my iPhone! Spirit Jump runs 100% through social media and email. We have people all over the world trying to connect with us and that means at all hours of the day.  With my iPhone I can stay connected no matter where I am or what I am doing.

2. What is your favorite city in the world and why?

I LOVE Boston. It’s a city full of history and full of life. I received my cancer treatments at Dana Farber Cancer Institute so there is a very special place in my heart for Boston.

3. What is your favorite dining spot in the world?

What a hard question to answer! There are so many great places and I think each city has a specialty.  I just got back from Vegas and ate at a fabulous restaurant in the Venetian called Zeffirino.

4.  What book is on your nightstand?

One of my favorites books The Time Travelers Wife.

5. Where have you been recently that you liked or were surprised by?

Las Vegas. I just got back and I have to say it was a blast! When I was diagnosed with cancer I thought I would never get to Vegas but I guess I proved myself wrong. It was a great city with wonderful food, shows and people!

6. What’s the most surprising/unexpected place you’ve ever visited?

St. Augustine,  Florida. I went on a short weekend vacation and had no expectations. My boyfriend and I had such a wonderful time there. It was absolutely beautiful, full of history, Tiffany crystals, ghosts and a wonderful winery. I can’t wait to go back. The Saragossa Inn in St. Augustine Florida was amazing!

Thanks, Meaghan!

If you’d like to support someone battling cancer through Spirit Jump, get more information here.

1. How often do you travel: I have to be disciplined because I have a family and a business here in New York. I usually travel about 8 days per month whereas in my ‘previous life,’ I used to travel 20 days per month.

2. Favorite Hotel: I spend my professional life ever challenging my list of favorite hotels so this is a difficult question. The best way to answer this question is to defer to my most recent hotel stay at Nimb hotel in Copenhagen. Another one of my all time favorites is Como Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri in Bali – a truly amazing setting. It’s a place where you can really rest your mind.

3. Dream Trip: Namibia – I want to see the red dunes, surf on the coast, and take a safari. I’d also love to see the German ghost towns.

4. Worst Travel Story: I was working for Michelin in the early 90’s and was on a sales trip at a gold mine in the Philippines. Suddenly, some guys with guns came in and took me to a bungalow and kept me hostage and warned me I wouldn’t be going anywhere for a while. There was no explanation given, so the reasons remain unclear. The fire arms were pretty scary – especially hearing them the distance – but what was more terrifying was my roommate, an enormous flying cockroach. In the end, the guards found it so funny that I was so overwhelmingly afraid of this cockroach that they actually let me go after one night. I am forever indebted to that cockroach.

5. iPod travel mix – My passion for music is equal to my passion for hotels, so much so that I created a Web site dedicated to soundtracks for your travels called Tablet Tunes. My favorite mix on that site is Volume 3, with songs from Blur, Sigur Ros, Mylo, and many others. You can find the full list here.

After spending countless nights on the road in dreary, indistinguishable hotel rooms, Laurent Vernhes co-founded the Web site www.TabletHotels.com. The objective of TabletHotels.com is to be the definitive destination for global nomads who seek more than just a place to sleep.

How often do you travel? How many days are you on the road?
I have always traveled very frequently for work. In my prior role as a new product development manager in the telecommunications industry, I traveled at least 4 or times a month all over the Midwest, in cities like Cleveland, Milwaukee, Schaumburg, and Columbus, OH.  In my current role of CEO/President of a real estate start-up, I travel frequently to Chicago and Kansas City.  Once we launch the new Web site, I will be traveling all over the place!

Wouldn’t leave home without…
Whenever I travel, I must have my Tablet PC, digital camera, Flip videocam, iPhone, cashmere blanket, fashion magazines, and bottled water.

Favorite Hotel?
My favorite hotel is the The New York Palace Hotel in Manhattan.  It has the most luxurious rooms and the best location of any hotel I’ve ever stayed at.  The beauty products in awesome bathrooms were to die for!

Favorite Destination – work and pleasure.
My favorite destination for both work and pleasure would have to be New York, and specifically Manhattan. I am in love with the restaurants, nightlife, and especially the shopping in New York. Whenever I go there for business, I always extend my stay for a little fun time.

iPod music travel mix
My iPod travel mix is very eclectic: it includes Oscar Peterson, John Coltrane, Paramore, John Mayer, and Jay-Z of course!

Andrea Gaddie is the CEO/President and co-founder of iEnfluence, a Web 2.0 real estate start-up. Before she co-founded iEnfluence, Andrea was the vice president of technology at a large real estate brokerage in Indianapolis. And, she’s a Boingo user.

How often do you travel? How many days are you on the road?
I travel every 4-6 weeks and am on the road at least 150 days out of the year.

Wouldn’t leave home without …
My mini bottle of olive oil – for emergencies – to add flavor to food. Also a must have is a good pair of walking shoes or sneakers; walking is the best way to discover new sights and flavors.

Favorite hotspot or haunt (club, restaurant, hidden gems)?
My favorite winebar in Orvieto is La Champagneria. You will find this in Piazza Marconi, which is the principal piazza in Orvieto. When you go, ask for Gian Luca and Velia. Gian Luca is very knowledgeable about wines and liqueurs from all over the world, and the antipasti that Velia whips up to go with the drinks is heavenly.

Grab a table outside under the stars (if it is not too cold outside) and you will have a splendid view of the whole piazza. If you are not knowledgeable about wines, tell Gian Luca the taste you are looking for and he will make a perfect choice and tell you all about your selection. Gian Luca is a true artist and is so passionate about being a sommelier that he told us that he always carries something that can open a bottle of wine in his backpocket as you “never know when you will have the opportunity to experience a great bottle of wine or champagne and you must always be ready”.

Favorite Hotel?
My little home away from home – not really a hotel, but it’s more considered a country resort in Orvieto called Borgofontanile. It is a converted farmhouse that contains 7 apartments that overlook a pool, and includes a restaurant. There is also a small farm that produces fresh ingredients, as well as wine produced from their grapes and a small production of olive oil from the olives grown for the restaurant.

Each apartment was renovated to resemble a farmhouse room and comes equipped with their own kitchen and silverware. Each also comes equipped with TV and DSL to stay connected. If you want to cook using fresh ingredients from the farm there, you can try your hand at using some of the best ingredients to create great dishes in your own farm kitchen. Each room comes equipped with a moka (espresso pot) and espresso coffee to wake up and make your own each morning, as well as a small fridge. A spa will be opening in December 2008 – so the small resort makes a perfect getaway for business or pleasure.

One of the nicest part of the hotel is the view of the Umbrian Hills, and is the inspiration for my next book.

Dream Trip?
Ischia, a beautiful island near Capri but bigger than Capri. Ischia is famous for their hot baths, springs and spas that use products produced from the mud and water that comes from Monte Epomeo, the inactive volcano at the top of the island.

You will think that you are in a living photo, the colors on the island. Ischia is divided into 5 small cities, and my favorite is Forio D’Ischia. This was also a favorite haunt of the ‘glitterati’ including Jackie Kennedy Onassis, as well as the poet Pablo Nerone and other film stars of the La Dolce Vita era.

Favorite Restaurant?
La Pergola in the Hilton Cavaliere Hotel in Rome in the Monte Mario section of Rome. Heinz Beck is the celebrated head chef and is always coming up with true experiences for the table. He has said that his goal is not to satisfy your appetite but to give you a hedonistic pleasure at the table for all your senses. They are only opened in the evenings on Tuesday through Saturday, Closed Sunday and Monday.

Tips as told by Maria Libertati, former international supermodel and celebrity Italian chef , cookbook author and best-selling author.