Jodi Cross « Cross Network Marketing Inc.

Jul 4 2023

The Art of Traveling Light: Mastering the Carry-on Bag

Traveling can be an exciting and transformative experience, but dealing with bulky suitcases and checked baggage can sometimes dampen the adventure. Enter the art of packing a carry-on bag, a skill that allows you to embrace the freedom and convenience of traveling light. In this article, we will explore the benefits of packing carry-on bags only and provide tips on how to pack efficiently without sacrificing your travel essentials.

Embracing the Benefits of Carry-On Travel:
- Freedom of movement: No more lugging around heavy suitcases or waiting at baggage claim. With a carry-on bag, you can move swiftly and easily through airports, train stations, and city streets. When you navigate cobblestone streets in old European towns you will be glad you packed light.
- Timesaving: Avoid long check-in lines and the anxiety of lost or delayed baggage. With a carry-on, you can breeze through security and be on your way.
- Flexibility and spontaneity: With less luggage, you have the flexibility to change your plans, hop on a different mode of transportation, or explore a new destination at a moment’s notice.
Planning and Organization:
- Make a list: Before you start packing, create a detailed list of the essentials you’ll need during your trip. This helps you prioritize and avoid overpacking. Be ruthless and take things out if they are not essential.

My Messy Packing List

Traveling with carry-on luggage has become my go-to approach, as it eliminates the stress and potential mishaps associated with checked baggage. Whether embarking on a 10-day European adventure or a week-long ski trip, packing carry-on only provides a sense of ease and peace of mind.

To get started, the key is to create a well-thought-out list. Consider the duration of your trip and the types of outfits you’ll need for various events and activities. As a general rule, pack more tops than bottoms to maximize versatility. For instance, if you’re going on a 10-day cruise with dressy events and sightseeing, create a list that caters to both occasions, while considering the weather of your destination.

As you work on your list, a theme may naturally emerge. During a trip to Greece, where walking and hot weather were on the agenda, a color theme of varying shades of blue presented itself. This allows for easy mixing and matching of outfits while maintaining a cohesive look.

Reversible Items are Space Savers and Option Makers

An excellent packing strategy involves selecting multi-use or reversible items. One of my favorite discoveries is Lindsay Phillips Switch Flops, which offer comfortable flip-flops with multiple interchangeable tops. These take up minimal space in your bag while providing various color options to match your wardrobe. Amazon also offers a range of reversible items, such as skirts, leggings, and even bathing suits, which provide double the options and save valuable space.

*This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.”

Shoes are often the bulkiest items to pack, so I limit myself to three pairs on any trip. Modzori is another brand I’ve found that offers tops that flip around and create another color option allowing for different looks without taking up excessive space.

By employing these packing strategies, you’ll find that carry-on travel becomes a breeze. You’ll have everything you need without the stress of lost luggage or the inconvenience of waiting at baggage claim. Embrace the freedom of traveling light and enjoy the benefits of a hassle-free journey.

Nov 6 2020

Until We Meet Again

On October 29^th, the CDC updated its guidelines for event planning. Meetings & Social business will eventually need to return for our hotels to survive. As the holiday’s approach and more of us choose to get together with friends and family, we need to reimagine what gatherings look like. The question is how can we safely execute the events of the future with COVID lingering?

Below is a partial list of some of the bullet points from the recently released CDC guidelines. You can see the full checklist at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community/COVID19-e vents-gatherings-readiness-and-planning-tool.pdf

The hotel industry has been devasted by COVID. Weddings and fundraisers have been put on hold, employees have been laid off and the meeting’s business is in limbo.

Hoteliers are a resilient group of creative people who love what they do.

The hospitality industry was my first career and something I cherish. We enjoy people and bringing folks together for shared experiences.

Here are some tips that may help get your social gatherings and meetings get back on track in a safe way. Of course, always following all CDC and local guidelines. Including, reduced capacity mandates, social distancing, sanitation, and masking up.

Creative Seating

I have seen some highly creative ways hotels are bringing people together while keeping them safely distanced.

Blocking off rows & seats
Using natural barriers like plants
Creating pod seating for intimate breakouts
Placing directional signage for a better flow

Keeping Things Clean

Sanitation and cleanliness are of the utmost importance in this Corona Era. If you have traveled recently you have seen what the Airline Industry is doing. I feel airplanes are cleaner now than they have ever been. The same is true for hotels. Here are some things that can be done to improve consumer confidence.

Provide multiple sanitation stations
Clean surfaces and high-touch areas frequently and on an assigned schedule
Consider Bathroom Attendants for public areas
Invest in touchless doors, facets, and dryers

Drinks, Dinner & More

Eliminate self-service
Get rid of communal utensils
Provide disposable one-time use condiments
Stop food sharing instead pre-plate items
Provide boxed meals
Bundle DIY cocktail kits for attendees

As we move into the holiday season, we should consider some ways we can safely make a comeback, see our loved ones, and celebrate life events together. The hospitality industry is working hard to reinvent itself and we need you. I hope you can make one small step toward re-entry with confidence.

Until we meet again.

Feb 10 2020

Celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day

February 17th is Random Acts of Kindness Day

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” Gandhi

The month of February is notorious for Valentine’s Day and celebrating love. What better way to spread the love than by committing a random act of kindness? February 17th is the day people all around the globe celebrate the unofficial holiday called Random Acts of Kindness Day, also known as RAK Day.
No one knows for sure where RAK Day began but the roots can be traced back to New Zealand in 2005. The RAK Foundation promotes the mission to do something extra special for another person without expecting any payment in return. It makes sense that this little-known holiday would be celebrated in February when our hearts are already focused on love. The concept starts with practicing altruism and taking the focus off ourselves. As we start to think of other’s needs more readily, we become more aware of neighbors, friends or total strangers as you go about your day. RAK can be as simple as complimenting someone or volunteering to mentor a child. Random acts of kindness are something both the giver and the receiver feel good about. I took the opportunity to pay for someone’s coffee and donut order at Dunkin Donuts this week.
Remember the movie Pay It Forward starring Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osment? The premise of the movie was based on a homework assignment to change the world for the better. Osment devises a plan to set up a network of good deeds. Each person must do a favor for someone and in turn, that person is expected to do a favor for three other people.
If you believe in the philosophy of “what comes around goes around”, practicing altruism brings about positive energy and sets an example for others that the world is full of kindness and generosity. Here is my challenge to you; make it your mission to surprise and delight someone this month with a random act of kindness! I would love to hear what creative gestures you come up with. Try to impact as many people as possible. You may be just one person but your gestures can impact many.

Jodi Cross is a marketing consultant, speaker, and writer and can be reached at jcross@crossnm.com.

Jul 2 2019

May I Take Your Order Please?

In case you haven’t noticed, servers are hard to find in New York’s Kennedy Airport. Last time I traveled nearly every restaurant had an iPad docking station instead of a human being to take my order.
Is this the future of the restaurant industry? The answer seems to be yes. Not only are restaurants reporting increased revenues, but it is a cashless system. This cuts down on theft and management responsibilities. The touchscreen allows customers to see all entrées visually as they order, which has increased add-on sales. While travelers wait, they can surf the web and do a little shopping. I am sure the retailers worked out an arrangement for a percentage back to the operators on in-store purchases as well.
The restaurant industry is facing some tough times, there are employee shortages and rising labor costs. Wage increases are being proposed.

The image above should give everyone pause. Is this what we want the hospitality industry to look like? Perhaps we should think twice and look for solutions that work for everyone’s best interest and provide an outstanding customer experience while we still have a chance to interface with one another on a human level.

Jul 18 2018

Let’s Keep The Humanity In Hospitality

Hospitality-Noun:

The friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.

In the days of old, hospitality was described as the virtue of a great soul that cares for the whole universe through the ties of humanity. Perhaps this is why I have such an affinity for the industry and a vested interest to keep the humanity in the hospitality business intact. When I was 10 years old I fell in love with travel and everything to do with the hospitality business. Our family went on a vacation to Hawaii, when we stepped off the plane we were greeted by beautiful women in long flowing dresses who draped tropical leis around our necks and offered us coconut drinks. After seeing the white sandy beaches, volcanic landscapes and listening to Don Ho perform Tiny Bubbles, I was hooked on travel.

My love of adventure and experiencing new cultures blossomed over the years. Upon graduation from high school, I pursued a degree in Hospitality Management. I embarked on a four year program and after college, landed a job in the hotel industry in Miami and I was off and running and the pace was fast, just the way I liked it. Over the span of my career, I ran global marketing for an international hotel company, opened some awesome golf courses for some of the biggest names in golf and worked in branding for the restaurant industry.

This afforded me the opportunity to travel and see the world.

The trip to Hawaii was the catalyst for discovering my passion for travel and hospitality. Thinking back, it was fairly obvious, I always loved entertaining. There were endless calls for play-dates and parties for all occasions. I am pretty sure I drove my mother crazy with my requests for visitors to come for dinner and occasionally stay longer. Mom always seemed a little more hospitable when guests were around too.

When friends come to visit our home, there is a turn down amenity on the bed and usually a special surprise for them during their stay. We love to break bread together with friends and family on a regular basis. Whenever we would visit foreign countries inevitably strangers became our new friends.

Hospitality means inclusion, sharing cultural nuances and treating people with civility and a welcoming smile. These are the hallmarks of the industry. I can’t imagine what would happen to our industry if we compromised these important values. When I heard the story about the Red Hen Restaurant I was appalled. This type of behavior hearkens back to the 60’s a time none of us wish to relive. To quote Michelle Obama, “When they go low, we go high.” I truly hope politics isn’t the new flash point for our industry and we haven’t created a backwards slide. I love the hospitality industry and preserving the civility and humanity is worth fighting for.

May 15 2018

Best Planned Events

Great events don’t just happen they take careful planning. Over the course of my career I have planned hundreds of events from grand openings, to book launches, to special events, to simple holiday parties. There is a formula for successful events and it all starts with organization.

Start with an objective or goal. Then ask yourself a series of questions. What do you want to accomplish? How many people will be coming? What venue is best? Do we need entertainment? What is your budget? Once you have established some benchmarks, check for dates. It is always good to be aware of other organizations schedules and holiday’s or religious dates. If your event is speaker driven the date will revolve around the speaker schedule. Secure that as soon as possible and work backwards from there.

Remember to brand your event. Think about a theme, work on a name this creates a good buzz. In Miami, when I was running a CEO women’s group, I partnered with a University to create a survey of Top Women Led Organizations. As part of the theme we released the results of the survey and called the event the Top Women-Led Business’s in South Florida. With branding today, it is important to have #topwomen and other readily available tools for attendees so you can get tweets and social sharing for your event immediately on all platforms.

Beyond the branding, logo and press releases announcing the event with location details, the real secret sauce is in the special touches. Thinking intuitively and creatively makes the difference between a good event and great event.

At one event I planned, the President of a Catholic School was speaking. She was a women of faith and a Sister of the cloth. I liked to hand pick walk up music for the speakers based on their personality or job. It took me a long time to come up with something clever for Sister, but I knew she had a great personality. As she approached the podium over the speaker came, You Gotta Have Faith, by George Michael. Sister Linda laughed out loud and said, “I wondered what you were going to select for me, I am just glad it wasn’t monks with chimes.” Those little touches made an impression. When people left the event I could hear them laughing and saying “these lunches are always so much fun”.

Always remember to be grateful. Having thank you gifts or cards pre-wrapped at the podium or in the mail the day of the event is a classy way to remind people you appreciate them. The cards arrive within a day or two after the conclusion of your event and you are still top of mind.

Treat your speaker with the utmost respect. Speakers like some down time to compose their thoughts. Greet them upon arrival and whisk them away to a quiet room with a bite to eat and drink. If there are books to sell or sign, I would pre-sign book labels to accelerate the lines and have volunteers on hand to get things moving as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Planning great events is all in the little details. I must have done something right because I received this kind hand written note days after an event from one of my most favorite speakers. Obviously, she practices showing gratitude and knows the value of a tiny gesture too.

May 14 2018

From Craggy Cliffs to Green Gables PEI offers Shuck & Awe

From Craggy Cliffs to Green Gables PEI offers Shuck & Awe

Prince Edward Island, or PEI, as it is fondly referred to by the natives is located off the eastern coast of Canada, nestled between the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Québec and Newfoundland and Labrador in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Charlottetown is the capital. The area feels very much like a harbor town with boatyards and lighthouses dotting the coast line.

The island is a mix of red sandstone cliffs, soft blue skies, and the white-capped waves from the surrounding sea.

Places to Go & Discover

When the novel Anne of Green Gables was first published in 1908, most people could only dream of visiting its magical setting. The book gained popularity around the world and was translated into 36 languages. The story was about an orphan named Anne Shirley who came to Cavendish on Price Edward Island to live with a family. Today millions of the book’s fans have made the trip to PEI and discovered the land that captivated Anne in Lucy Maud Montgomery’s stories. I am no exception; little orphan Anne captured my heart and I had to tour her homestead and buy a few souvenirs. Apparently Green Gables is one of the most visited places by Chinese tourists coming to the island as well. We hired a driver and did our own private tour. The house is small and is best done independently not with a tour group. Be sure to stroll down lover’s lane before you depart. The trip to Green Gables can be combined with a lovely drive down the north shore of Cavendish Beach.

Dine-Devour

If you like mollusks, you will love PEI. There are endless supplies of clams, oysters, mussels and all varieties of fresh seafood. It doesn’t get more fresh or favorable than a PEI oyster or mussel. They pluck them from the sea and shuck them at your table. Experienced slurpers, which I am not one of, may choose to adopt particular rituals, while beginners will find these simple do’s and don’ts helpful. Knowing the basics can help you better appreciate the entire tasting. As a beginner, I have a fear of the oyster. Try Blue Mussel Café in North Rustico Harbor.

Expert Insight- Consume Plenty of Seafood

There are many ways to enjoy raw oysters on the half shell, depending on the situation and place. Whether it’s an intimate tasting or a relaxed “shuck & suck” right at the source, the key is to pay attention and have fun. When a fresh oyster is properly shucked, a small pool of clear liquid will remain with the oyster in the bottom half shell. It is actually filtered sea water in which the oyster lives, and it holds a robust amount of flavor. By sipping this liquid immediately before or after eating the oyster it will naturally complement the meat. You can even sip a little to start have the oyster, and then finish the remaining liquid. Whatever you do DON’T pour out the oyster’s liquor. This is the best part. If there isn’t any liquid this tells you the oyster isn’t fresh. Do NOT swallow it without chewing; that would defeat the entire purpose of a tasting. Once the entire oyster is in your mouth, pause for a second to appreciate the initial flavors.

Jodi Cross is a marketing strategist, travel blogger and speaker and may be reached at jcross@crossnm.com or www.www.crossnm.com

Apr 24 2018

Derby Fever

My bucket ran over last year when by husband presented me with Derby tickets for the 143^rd Running of the Roses at Churchill Downs. The race has been nicknamed the “Run for the Roses” because the winner is given a garland of more than 400 red roses sewn together, a tradition that dates back to 1932. There is a reason they call it “The Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports,” as frivolous as it sounds those two minutes didn’t disappoint. Growing up I loved everything to do with horses. I rode and competed in English Style in upstate New York for many years.

The Kentucky Derby held May 5^th is the first leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, and is followed by the Preakness Stakes on May 19 and the Belmont Stakes on June 9. The 1 1/4-mile race runs on a dirt racetrack at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

Last year the dirt turned into mud after a morning deluge but that didn’t stop our fun.

Twenty horses enter the Derby, which is one of the largest fields in horse racing. To qualify for the Derby, horses and their jockeys travel on the road to the Kentucky Derby, a series of 35 races featuring a point system. The top four finishers of those races earn points and the top 20 horses from the 35 races earn a spot in the starting post in the Kentucky Derby race.

Churchill Downs is packed with over 150,000 fans all dressed to the nines with hats and sipping mint juleps hoping for their pick to be the one lucky windfall of the race. In fact, Always Dreaming, last year’s winner, did provide a little pay day for us helping me to recoup the cost of my dress and hat. The whole weekend was a lovely experience full of southern charm and hospitality. You should plan on spending a good amount of money to check this bucket list item off.

Places to Stay

During the Derby you have hotels that are high-end and make their year during Derby weekend and a selection of very nice Bed & Breakfast establishments. The B & B options were less pricey but not by much.

We stayed at a charming bed & breakfast close to Churchill Downs called The Samuel Culbertson Mansion. This was a good plan because the day of the race it rained and we were able to take a quick rickshaw ride right into the stadium. Many visitors were traipsing through the mud, dresses and white slacks ruined and splattered as they fought their way into the Downs.

Places to Go & Things to See

Louisville can be summed up in three words, bourbon, horses & history. Before the Derby went off, we had a drink at the historic Brown Hotel and toured a couple of the distilleries in downtown Louisville. The Galt House is another well-known stop for a drink or a bite. The Louisville Slugger Museum was a fun and interactive stop. You get to make a bat and take a few swings in a cage. When planning your trip reserve your dinner reservations ahead of time. Most of the restaurants are booked out months in advance. We ate at Bucks and 610 Magnolia.

Expert Insight

I don’t like to be negative but there was one area of dissatisfaction during our visit. Churchill Downs has very poor signage and flow. When we and the other 150,000 people were departing it was a sea of crushing bodies pushing and trampling one another to get out. For a world-class sporting venue like the Derby, I was shocked and disappointed by the experience. People were pinned against the tunnel walls and it was very uncomfortable. There were handicapped people who couldn’t get through and no one was around from the stadium to direct the flow or help. This needs to be improved or someone will get hurt.

The Race

Who will it be this year? The odds makers are abuzz with speculations. Betting is complicated. You have to take into consideration so many details including the horses’ pedigree, breeder, trainer, jockey, race position and past wins. Last year it rained a good amount and some horse are considered good “mudders” while others are not so great. The process of dissecting and selecting can be overwhelming and exhilarating. We were in section 113, Row 3 by the finish line and just under cover enough so we didn’t get wet when the relentless rain kept coming all day. The pomp and circumstance was rich, the Juleps were flowing and they were off. You’re out of your seat cheering as the blaze of horse’s race by. As the field narrows you can barely control your excitement as you see your horse, Always Dreaming, clomping his way to first place. You never know when another Secretariat or American Pharaoh is just around the corner.

Dreams do come true! This year, we’ll be watching from our living room but our memories will keep us smiling for years to come.

Here is to the field for 2018 and it’s off to the races on May 5^th at 6:34 post time!

Apr 10 2018

Happy National Sibling Day

As the youngest of four I was always getting teased, taunted and told what to do. Somehow as they years went by the roles shifted. Although the personality traits noted by the birth order theorist Alfred Adler don’t mirror my siblings there are some similarities.

The birth order theory began in the late 1920s with Alfred Adler, Sigmund Freud’s friend and colleague. Adler believed that the order in which you are born into a family inherently affects your personality.

The first-born (oldest) child. According to Adler, the oldest child tends to be conservative, power-oriented, and predisposed toward leadership. Because they often take responsibility for their younger siblings, firstborns grow up to be caring, more willing to become parents, and more likely to take initiative.

General traits of the oldest include;

Reliable
Conscientious
Structured
Cautious
Controlling
Over Achievers

The second (middle) child. Since the older brother or sister is a “pace-setter” for the second child, they often struggle to surpass their older sibling. The pace of development is higher. The middle kids in a family often tend to be ambitious, but they are rarely selfish. They are also more likely to set unreasonably high goals for themselves. This increases the number of failures, however knowing how to cope with difficulties in life is what makes them stronger.

Middle children tend to possess the following characteristics;

People-pleasers
Somewhat Rebellious
Peacemakers
Wider Social Circle
Thrives on friendships

The last-born (youngest) child. As a rule, the youngest child gets a lot of care and attention from parents and even older siblings. That is why they may feel less experienced and independent. However, last-borns are usually highly motivated to surpass their older sisters and brothers. Very often they achieve a big success and earn recognition in their chosen field. They become the fastest athletes, the best musicians, or the most talented artists. The youngest children in a family tend to be very sociable, though they are likely to be more irresponsible and frivolous than older children. Youngest children tend to be the most free-spirited due to their parents’ increasingly laissez-faire attitude towards parenting the second (or third, or fourth, or fifth…) time around.

The baby of the family tends to be;

Fun-loving
Manipulative
Outgoing
Attention Seeking
Uncomplicated

I would say most of the above does fit my personality. There is another category worth noting for exceptions when age gaps within families exist. In our case, 10-12 years between my older sibling and I, they call these Gap Children.

Gap Children: They consider at least five years in between births a substantial gap in the birth order structure. A 2-year-old boy with an 8-year-old older sister isn’t going adopt middle-child traits, but rather those of a firstborn. This gap can lead to perfectionist traits more like an only child.

The adjectives don’t always fit the personality but it is fun to take a look at what it means to be one of many in a birth order on this April 10^th, Sibling Day. As the quote says, we all know blood is thicker than water. We readily pick on each other but heaven help the outsider who comes between you and your sibling.

Feb 20 2018

Take Charge Of Your Time

Time is the great equalizer we all have 60 minutes an hour, 24 hours each day, 168 hours each week, 8,736 hours each year. Do you ever wonder how some people seem so efficient with the use of their time while you are always running late, and chasing your time?

Prioritize

Here’s their secret: busy people make time, for the activities they decide are important. They also know where they spend their time. So ask yourself, “Where do I lose time?” When you find the answers to that question you will be on the path to saving precious time. It happens to me almost every night. I tell my husband, I am going upstairs to the office for an hour to pay some bills and do a few things. Three hours later from beneath the staircase a voice calls up, “Are you coming down anytime tonight?” Somehow time has a way of running away from me.

Schedule

Enter my new best friend, the stopwatch. The stopwatch was invented by Samuel Watson in 1659. It was originally used for horse races. I was feeling a bit like a race horse shot out of the gate at full speed only to endlessly circle the track for hours with no real sense of accomplishment always missing the winners circle time and again. The modern day stopwatch, which can be found on all smart phones, has become my Robin Hood. Stealing precious intervals of time back for me to use more efficiently or put in my bank providing a well-defined starting and finishing line. One of my goals this year was to find more time to write, blog and use my creative juices. The stopwatch can help recapture time. It speaks directly to you, a private reminder that your time is up. Allowing you to track and block time more efficiently.

Execute

Time management takes discipline but poor time management can take a toll and result in fatigue, moodiness and illness. Part of execution means you chart your time and track your progress by setting deadlines and keeping them. Be sure take time to recognize that you have accomplished a major task or challenge before moving on to the next activity. Ask yourself a few questions: Do you have a healthy work, life balance? Are you accomplishing the priorities that are most important in your life? Are you investing enough time in your own personal wellbeing? If the answer is “no” to any of these questions, then reconsider your time management strategies and set your stopwatch for one hour and determine how you can make better use of your time and what would result in deeper more meaning fulfillment.

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