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Saturday, July 28, 2007
Media rant
I really hate the media sometimes. Our local newspaper, the Danbury News-Times, ran an article yesterday about the company I work for. What is so annoying about that you ask ? Well, only that they really didn't have their facts straight and made it seem like we are going out of business any day now. They pretty much ran a front page article saying that everything on this property will be demolished and replaced with a big complex of retail shops. If you continued on to the second page and read VERY carefully you were able to see the one-line blurb about the fact that our distribution business and restaurant/dairy bar will actually continue to operate -- but of course the article generated all sorts of worries and questions among our customer base. Even Channel 8 news came by with a team to film a segment for the 6 o'clock local news. (click on the video link underneath the headline to see it)
The fact is that the Marcus family is looking into re-developing the property but no solid plans have been confirmed yet, no tenants, no approvals ... this is all in the very early planning stages. We are more than likely going to be here for at least another 2 years, if not longer. But even after that the Dairy Bar restaurant/diner will definitely stay and either be remodeled or rebuilt. Our office and distribution buildings will be relocated to a different property somewhere close by. In a way I am actually kind of looking forward to the change as it will be nice to work out of a newer and more modern facility (our current plant was built in the 40ies) but am not too concerned about it right now as it's still years away. Well I am going to get of my soap box now and stop my rant about the media. :) Everything's fine here with me otherwise, just getting back into my schedule at work. Only 3 more hours left at work and then I get to enjoy my weekend. :)
Mail Update: No letter have gone out. :( Received letters from/owe replies to: Michelle/Canada, Alex/Spain, Pamela/FL, Steff/ME, Caroline/Scotland and Fiona/Scotland.
Posted by Hanna at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Thursday, July 26, 2007
I'm back ....
Just a really quick post. I am back in the US and I am tired. :) The first day back is always the worst with the jetlag. It's 5:30 pm right now and I am wrapping up at work - in my head it is already 11:30 pm though so I am really dragging.
We are going to go to Rizzuto's for pizza (we have a coupon that expires so we need to use it) and then head home. Pretty sure I will head straight to bed when we get home. :)
The rest of my stay in Austria was very nice. Was able to meet up with two friends, eat lots more yummy food and swim in the pool some more. Was pampered by my parents 24/7 - can't complain about that. :) Definitely a very nice vacation. I had an awesome time in Switzerland and Italy - absolutely a region I would like to explore more with Mike some day.
Mail Update: Letters went out on Tuesday from Austria to: Kimber/Canada and Tiffany/OK. Letters went out today from the US to: Charles/TN, Kirsty/UK and Carmen/Germany. Received letters from/owe replies to: Michelle/Canada and Alex/Spain.
Posted by Hanna at 05:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Palm trees in Switzerland, Coronos in Italy and other travel stories
Just a short post as I am
at an internet terminal in a hotel right now. :) Having a really great time here on our Switzerland/Italy trip. We spent the first 2 nights in Lugano/Switzerland. Lugano is a really pretty town right by a lake. We went up to the top of Monte San Salvadore by cablecar where you have breathtaking views of the lake and the region. In the afternoon we went on a 2 hour cruise around the lake where we also had absolutely gorgeous views. Lugano is really pretty and nothing like you would normally picture Switzerland - including palm trees. :)
The next day we took a scenic train from Switzerland to Italy and then continued on to our hotel in Baveno, Italy near the Laggo Maggiore. This is also an absolutely gorgeous reason also. The lakefront has a beach and a really neat beach cafe where I had some coronas the other evening. :)
Today we spent the day touring the 3 Borromean islands that are located in the Laggio Maggiore. Absolutely gorgeous islands with super pretty parks and nice blooming flowers and plants. Two of the islands also have palaces on them. The 3rd has a ton of great restaurants - we had lunch there and I had really yummy pasta. God, I love Italy. :) Tomorrow it's back to Austria already, 2 more days on Austria and Wed it's back to the US. Time flies.
Mail Update: Letters have gone out from Switzerland to: Lexi/DC, Becki/MI, Nicki/Australia, Jessica/DE and Jennifer/MO . Received letters from/owe replies to: Kimber/Canada, Michelle/Canada, Tiffany/OK, Charles/TN and Carmen/Germany.
Posted by Hanna at 12:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
** HOT **
HOT ... Austria is definitely experiencing a heatwave. 
It's been really hot since I have been here but its' alright. I am going to go for another swim in the pool very soon. :) Today was already a busy day. This morning I had an appointment at my hair dresser (click on the small picture to see my hair - I had it cut a little and dyed dark red with some dark brown streaks in it) Afterwards we went to eat lunch at a Heurigen and then stopped at 2 supermarkets where I picked up a bunch of goodies to bring back home to the US. I already know that my luggage is going to be huge ... as always.
Tomorrow we are off to Switzerland and Italy until Sunday. I am sure that will be really nice as well. Definitely enjoying my vacation so far. Now I am off for a swim in the pool. :)
Mail Update: Letters going out tomorrow to: Lexi/DC and Tizz/Denmark. Received letters from/owe replies to: Kimber/Canada, Tiffany/OK, Jessica/DE, an intro-letter from Jennifer/MO, Michelle/Canada and Becki/MI.
Posted by Hanna at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Up, up and away
Somehow it hasn't quite clicked with me yet but later today I will be on a plane to Europe. My flight leaves out of Newark airport at 9:50 p.m. I am connecting in Frankfurt/Germany and will land in Vienna/Austria at 2:10 p.m. on Monday.
There's a real heatwave going on in Austria right now which is ok with me. My parents have a pool so I will just take a quick swim in the pool if I get too hot. :) On Wed (18th) I will be off to Switzerland and Italy with my parents for 4 nights. We will be back in Austria on Sunday (22nd). Then I will get to spend 2 more days in Austria before flying back to the US on Wednesday (25th).
It will be nice to be away from work for 10 days. This past week has just been really busy and hectic. I hope that we will enter a less busy period at work at some point soon. Usually it goes in cycles so let's hope that we enter a down cycle. Poor Mike will be stuck at work while I am gone but at least he can keep an eye on my department and my employees while I am gone. :)
Not sure how much I will be able to update while I am in Europe. If I don't get around to it I will make sure to post when I get back. :) Keep me updated on any of your news.
Mail Update: Letters going out tomorrow to: Kirsty/UK and Celia/MA. Received letters from/owe replies to: Kimber/Canada, Tiffany/OK, Lexi/DC, Jessica/DE, Tizz/Denmark and an intro-letter from Jennifer/MO.
Posted by Hanna at 01:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Monday, July 09, 2007
Let there be light ...
Just a very quick post as I am super tired ... we lost power for most of the day at work today and it was truly a nightmare. The power went out at about 10:30 and didn't come back until about 4 pm. We were able to at least get the phone system and some of the lights (my office is in the basemant - so without lights it's VERY dark) working with a generator which was good. Our computer system was down though so we had to hand-write all the orders and wait until the system came back up to put them in and see what was left to do. We didn't get done till close to 6 pm (usually all the orders are in by 4).
I had a new employee starting today - hope this didn't scare her off. :) She seems really sweet so hopefully it will work out. I only have 4 more days to get her trained before I go on vacation to Austria. Why does this stuff always have to happen with the worst possible timing ?
Last week was pretty hectic at work with the holiday and all. Didn't do much for the 4th but we had a yummy dinner at Legal Seafoods in White Plains, NY which was good. Yesterday (Sun) we went to the Berkshires in MA to check out a neat Monet exhibit at an art museum there. Afterwards we had dinner at a really yummy Swiss restaurant (it's really neat - the restaurant is located half in MA and half in NY state so they have two liquor licenses, two phone numbers, etc.).
Mail Update: Since my last update letters have gone out to: Lotte/Denmark and Alex/Spain. Received letters from/owe replies to: Kimber/Canada and Tiffany/OK.
Posted by Hanna at 07:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack