Wednesday is Veterans Day: Here’s What’s Open and What’s Closed

by Anna Breuer

Wednesday is Veterans Day in the United States, a holiday that honors military veterans.  The holiday, which coincides with Armistice Day and Remembrance Day in other countries, both marks the anniversary of the end of the First World War in 1918, as an armistice ending all hostilities went into effect at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 and honors all veterans.
“To us in …

Take Me to the Four Seasons… No, Not That One!

by Jonathan Spira

When President Trump advertised that his lawyers’ news conference, held this past Monday, would be at the Four Seasons hotel in Philadelphia, few people flinched. After all, it was the Four Seasons and the president himself owned some fairly luxurious properties.
“Lawyers News Conference Four Seasons, Philadelphia. 11:00 a.m.,” President Trump said in a tweet Saturday morning.  No sooner had he sent the tweet than the hotel itself chimed in, saying it …

In Europe, Lockdowns, Lax Enforcement, and Increasing Hospitalizations Are All Too Common

by Paul Riegler

In the first week of its second lockdown in Britain, many thought it appeared to be a lockdown in name only.
The temporary restrictions – in place through December 2 – call for pubs, restaurants, and non-essential shops to remain closed although schools, universities, and some workplaces were to remain open.    Meanwhile, to the casual bystander, there seemed to be little difference in the number of people in the Tube, on …

November News Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of the Past Month’s Headlines

by Paul Riegler

It’s November, and even with the pandemic raging, people are thinking about the holiday season.  It’s also time to see how up-to-date you are with travel, aviation, and coronavirus news from the past month.
Take our travel news quiz and you could win a piece of airline and travel history including items from Pan Am, Cunard, and TWA.
In last month’s quiz, the question asking which state would soon ban the sale …

Auf Wiedersehen Tegel, The Airport That Wouldn’t Die Quietly

by Kurt Stolz

Tegel. Just saying the name conjures up an overcrowded and congested airport experience that is Germany’s fourth busiest.  That is, until now.
Amidst the opening of Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brand on October 31, Berlin Tegel Otto Lilienthal will say “Auf Wiedersehen” to its last flight on November 8.
Regular flights ended November 7, but Air France will operate the final flight from the historic airport on November 8, 60 years after …

What’s Doing in Downtown Stamford, Connecticut

by Anna Breuer

Known as Rippowan to the Sinoway Native Americans in the region as well as the very first English explorers, Stamford was settled in 1641 by 29 Puritan families from Wethersfield who bought a tract of land along the Rippowan River from two Sagamore Indian chiefs, borrowing the name from a town on the River Welland in Lincolnshire, England.
By the mid-nineteenth century, Stamford had become a thriving industrial center that manufactured …

Expert Advice: How to Travel Safely During the Holidays

by Anna Breuer

The holiday travel season is almost upon us and it’s historically one of the busiest two travel periods in the United States.
Starting with Thanksgiving and continuing through Hanukah and Christmas, millions of Americans travel via planes, trains, and automobiles to a variety of destinations including grandmother’s house and tropical resorts.
This year, grandmother’s house is out of the question due to the pandemic and the risk to her wellbeing that a …