Most of you have probably heard of Gary Arndt — the man behind @EverywhereTrip — and feasted your eyes upon his scores of stunning travel photos. What you may not know is that he’s a long-time Boingo superfan and travel superhero. Continue reading
Tag Archives: California
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EE’s annual Swimathon/Runathon event took place on the morning of Sunday, January 20th, in Loma Linda and San Bernardino. Twenty kids swam as many laps as they could in an hour, and twenty ran as far as they could in thirty minutes. Twelve of the kids did both events. Despite a chilly start in the low 40s, it warmed up quickly and everyone had a terrific time. Continue reading
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Click play on the video above and check out the array of destinations visited by the Boingo community this past summer in 2011. Just a word of caution: the photos could trigger or exacerbate the post-summer blues. If you’ve seen our videos before, you might recognize that we often use Animoto to produce our videos. Unlike standard photo slideshow programs with static presentations, Animoto creates polished and animated visual stories that look polished and professional. The company says the foundation of their platform is a “patent-pending Cinematic Artificial Intelligence technology that thinks like an actual director and editor.” We couldn’t tell you what that means exactly but we can guarantee that the resulting production — complete with a music soundtrack — will make you look like a cinematic genius. Animoto offers a range of pricing plans, including: Lite for free, Plus for $30/year, Pro for $249/year and a Reseller option for $499/year. Here’s a quick tutorial on the Animoto user interface: Step 1: Choose a template. Animoto offers various background templates, some of which are available to free accounts. There are also several holiday themes. Step 2: Upload photos and/or video clips. You can retrieve media from your computer, Facebook,
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As we mentioned earlier this week, Boingo Wi-Fi is up and running at LA-based shopping centers The Grove and The Americana at Brand. Naturally, this calls for a little celebration! If you’re in Los Angeles during the next two weekends, come shoot the breeze with the Boingo team of ambassadors at The Grove and The Americana at Brand. In return for the pleasure of your company, we’ll be offering free Wi-Fi on smartphones, free ice cream and a free iPad for one lucky somebody. Event details: Dates, Locations and Times: September 17 & 18 at The Grove from 11AM to 7PM September 24 & 25 at The Americana at Brand from 11AM to 7PM Free Gifts: Get a free ice cream voucher by downloading the Boingo app to your smartphone. Show a Boingo ambassador and the scoop’s on us! Login to the free Wi-Fi at The Grove this weekend or The Americana next weekend and register for a chance to win an iPad. Boingo ambassadors will be on hand to quickly walk you through the process. Bring the family and friends because there is plenty of merriment for everyone: shops for the fashionable, tasty bites for foodies and theatres for movie-lovers. We recently enjoyed it
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UPDATE: WINNERS Thank you to everyone for entering this contest! Our judge, Dawn, had a very difficult time narrowing down the winners, so it was quite a tight race! The winners are: First place: Oscar! You win two free tickets to today’s show! Second place: Mina! You win two free tickets to today’s show! Third place: Scotty! You win a $50 gift certificate to the Katy Perry online store! ———————————————– Does Katy Perry melt your popsicle? Does she light you up like a firework? Will you be close to the golden coast this Friday evening, August 5th? If you answered “yes” to all of the above, then Boingo just might be your hook-up — we have two sets of VIP tickets (four tickets total) to the Katy Perry concert at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles! Want to score tickets for you and a guest? Read on! (Hey, if you won’t be in Los Angeles this Friday, don’t let it weigh you down. You can still enter our contest for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to the Katy Perry online store.) Here’s the Katy Perry contest dealio: Choose your favorite Katy Perry song and re-write four to ten lines of the lyrics.
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Watching a movie on a big screen al fresco ranks among our most memorable travel experiences. We’ve watched films under the night sky and stars in Munich, Paris and Denver — each experience was unique in its setting and cultural flavor. All three were festive outings that included friends, picnics and wine. Unfortunately, there aren’t an abundance of outdoor cinemas around the world (maybe this will change over the years), but below is a list of ten that are just beginning to launch their summer screenings (note that locations in Australia, which offers several outdoor cinemas, are not included as their summer season is over). Have you watched a movie at any of the open-air cinemas below or elsewhere? 1. Athens, Greece – Zefyros Outdoor Cinema The scene: Screenings are located in a courtyard behind a bright pink building View of lovely garden Chairs available Movies: classics (mainly American) in original language with Greek subtitles Ticket price: €8/person Food and drink: bring a picnic or purchase snacks from concessions Showtimes: two showings, one at 9 PM and another at 11 PM Opening months: June through September Click here for more info 2. Barcelona, Spain – Montjuic Castle The scene: Open
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Valentine’s Day is less than twenty days away, but it’s not too late to plan a romantic getaway. Below are a few of our favorite travel deals for all you lovebirds out there. The StarGazers Inn & Observatory in Big Bear Lake, California is offering a “Valentine’s Romance” package for $325 a couple. The price includes one night at the astrology-themed inn, roses, champagne, chocolates and bath products for the jacuzzi. The offer is valid for stays February 9-15. (Via BudgetTravel) The Lodge at Koehle, a Four Seasons Resort on the island of Lanai (a short boat-ride from Maui), is currently offering rooms starting at $295 per night with the third night free. Folks, this is a great deal, considering 1) the cost of rooms here are typically not this low 2) Koehle is a lovely, luxurious and unforgettable experience (we’ve been there and highly recommend it) — perfect for a romantic indulgence. The deal is valid for stays February 11-15. (Via Expedia) Looking to go big for Valentine’s Day, maybe even propose marriage? Check out the Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa in West Sussex, England for a super-deluxe, ultra-private, tete-a-tete experience. The “romantic package” starts at £999 if booked by January 31 and includes: “exclusive hire of the spa,
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Whether you’re a geek, super hero or Jedi knight, there’s no getting around the crowds and the chaos that is Comic-Con — the world’s largest comic book and popular arts convention, held annually in San Diego. Luckily, the LA Times consulted an elite group of Comic-Con veterans, who offer the following tips on surviving and enjoying the event: “Bring water and snacks:” Summertime in California is hot, and the foodstuff at the conference is expensive (save your money for action figures and light sabers). “Plan ahead:” Prioritize who and what you want to see. Otherwise, you might find yourself in an infinite loop. “Don’t wear wear your cute shoes:” Four days of walking around is essentially equal to walking a marathon. So don the most comfortable shoes you have (or that money can buy). “Ditch your wheels:” Don’t count on parking spaces for your car — parking is almost nonexistent. Your options are taxis (be sure to bargain) and trolleys. “Gadgets, chargers and backpack:” Bring two sets of gadgets and chargers. Also, tote around a big purse or backpack to store your equipment and swag. “The celebs will be excited to see you too:” Prepare your questions (and backup ones),
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When he was five, Alexander Asseily fled Beirut with his family to escape the bombs. Since then, the thirty-four year-old co-founder and chairman of Aliph returns frequently to his homeland. When he talks about Beirut, there’s no mistaking the vivacity in his voice. Something else about Alexander’s voice? He’s got a British accent, acquired while growing up in London, where he briefly flirted with break dancing and, later during his teenage years, discovered the art of sculpting. At eighteen, Alexander made his next move: to college in California. There, our future headset hero could have chosen a very different path after starring in a short film project with Fred Savage (their costumes: disco gear). We know what Alexander did instead: along with college pal Hosain Rahman, he co-founded Aliph, maker of Jawbone headsets. Read my interview with the gracious Lebanese British gentleman, Alexander Asseily. What is the meaning of your company’s name, “Aliph?” The name Aliph is the first letter of the Arabic and Hebrew alphabets. What’s the most you’ve traveled within the period of a year? In 2006, when we were developing the first Jawbone Bluetooth headset, I circled the globe – between San Francisco, Hong Kong and London
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The NileGuide features eleven of the world’s most unique hotel bars (stunning photos included). Seriously, these are not your everyday pubs. Hotel La Purificadora’s roof top bar in Puebla, Mexico: “One of the hotel’s most impressive features is its roof top bar which runs parallel to a long glass-walled swimming pool.” The Salt Hotel’s bar in the Uyani Salt Flats, Bolivia: “Even the bar area is built with the practicality of salt in mind. The stools, tables, chairs, benches, etc. are all fashioned out of the surprisingly useful building material…one important rule, ‘Please Don’t Lick The Walls!’” The Fairmont’s Tonga Room in San Francisco, California: “Unexpected sprinkler-produced “rainstorms” shower into the pool with booming thunder and lightening every few minutes, and the dance floor is made from the planks of the SS Forester, one of the last schooners that sailed between San Francisco and the South Seas.” Cellar Bar at the Bryant Park Hotel in New York City: “If the word “cellar” conjures up images of cold, dark, underground rooms, you’re not alone. But, Cellar Bar, with its vaulted, gray brick-facade ceiling, wrought-iron candelabra chandeliers, and blood-red bar backdrop, puts a sexy spin on the underground.” ICEHOTEL’s Absolut ICEBAR in
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“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
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