Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Passport Mommy. I'm your host, Michelle Jerson. This
show is for anyone raising little humans. We feature experts
with tips and advice to enrich the lives of our children.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Mom and dad.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Entrepreneurs tell us their inspiring stories, learn about products that
could make both you and your child's life easier and
more fun, and of course, fellow parents discuss and laugh
about what's happening in their child's world. Motherhood is a journey.
Thanks for joining me on mine. Welcome to Passport Mommy.
I'm Michelle Jerson and I'm so happy to have our
(00:34):
first guest on the show, Daryl Adams. He is the
managing director for the Loew's Philadelphia Hotel.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
And I just I love the Loew's Philadelphia Hotel.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
I have stayed there on a few different occasions, both
alone which is amazing, and with kids, and they have
a great family program and especially now that the summer
is coming up, they've got a lot of fun programming.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I'm so happy to have you on this show. Daryl.
Thank you for joining me today.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
My pleasure, honor to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
So let's talk about the hotel for a moment, because
it is such a great spot if you need to
be in Philly for corporate travel or if you are
based in Philly, even just for a staycation. And I
love it personally because I think the restaurant is amazing.
I think the gym and the spot is amazing, and
the rooms are always so comfortable and clean. But let's
(01:24):
talk about summer travel because I know a lot of
people have that on the brain. Are you doing anything
on property this summer that we should know about?
Speaker 4 (01:32):
You know, summertime in Philadelphia is great. It's a great
place to visit, especially for families and kids because of
its just as historic by you. There's so much to
see and do outside of the hotel. I love the
city myself and personally. I'm actually originally from DC and
(01:54):
this is my second stint Philly an addition to all
the favorite sites you see on property. Were excited to
bring back our Low's Little Legends package for the summer.
Speaker 5 (02:07):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
I love that it's.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Part of our Low's Family Love's Family program. Family seeking
unforgetting vacation should book the Low's Little Legends Package and
enjoy on property scavenger hunts, playful camping. We actually put
a small tent in them right, so you kind of
get that feel. Yeah, and you also get three tickets
(02:32):
to one of our favorite interactive museums in the city.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
The package is loaded.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
It's the three tickets to the Police Touch Museum, Hit
Friendly camping Tent, which I just spoke about, which I.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Think is so neat and so creative.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Yeah, twenty five dollars credit to pod Our Organic Market
daily late checkout at two pm, and Little Legends Interact
scavenger Hunt with the opportunity to win cross.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
And I have to say we stayed there, maybe it
was last summer at this point, because we did the
Little Legends package and my kids loved it. They loved
get opening the door to the room and there was
decorate your own cookies, there was.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Their camping tents.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
They had a the last and I only call this
out because this show does air in Philadelphia as well
as around the country, So if you're traveling to Philly,
this is a place you need to stay. But even
if you're located in Philly, what a great staycation and
a great place to bring the kids.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
Yeah, and you know, Philly is such a it's just
it's almost like it's this is a very good walkable city.
Probably one of the best in the country actually, mm hmm.
Being able to have that kind of experience within the
hotel with your family and then being able to go
out to different kind of adventures and celebrations and street
(03:59):
clo because they try to make different areas of the
downtown more friendly to pedestrian traffic on the weekends, it's
really a great place to hang out with the family.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Absolutely, there's always something to do. Like you mentioned the
Police Touch Me Museum, There's the Franklin Institute, there's the
Museum of Illusions. There's just there's so much to do,
and then there's so much history too, if you want
to expose your kids to that. It's such a great
getaway and it's so easy to get to from so
many different cities. So what would you say, are some
other musty places this summer for the family or adults
(04:33):
who have a few hours without the kids.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
Well, you always have the you had a rocky statue,
you had a museums, you have I remember one day.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
But this was years ago. I'm walking down the street
with a friend of mine and they show me the I.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
Think it's Thomas Jefferson's great, right, and it's like right there,
right off the street, and it's like wow, you know.
So it's always something to explore and learn new in
our city. Like I said, it is such a walkable place.
There's so many different adventures for families to check out.
(05:17):
I think the food and beverage scene at Philadelphia is
probably one of the most unique and creative ones because
it's more mom and pop than it is corporate restaurants, right,
so it's a great place to just venture out and
try new and different things.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Exactly, let's talk about your restaurant there, because we're just
coming off of Earth Month and I know you were
doing a lot focusing on sustainability.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
Yes, that's a big focus of our company, and we're
always looking at ways that we can be a better
or leader in our environment. And we do everything from
the cook where we use the different ingredients that we
(06:08):
use in our food. We buy a lot of our
food from purveyors that are organic produced.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Just you know, it's just really a focus. Our chef is.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Amazing at being created with those a culinary program that
brings stability to the forefront of the property's food and beverage.
We're highlighting our unique handcrafted salads made from locally sourced ingredients,
reinforcing our commitment to responsible sourcing, supporting local farms, providing
(06:42):
guests with fresh and flavorable dishes, and rooted in the
regional culture. Each salad will feature a locally sourced ingredient.
And you know the amazing thing. I sit around and
I hear the chef and he's always talking about these
different farms that he visits and different purveyors that he visits,
(07:04):
and how he, you know, tests the product himself before
he even starts to deliver it or formulate a menu
for I guess, And I just think it's a lot
of fun to be around.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
That kind of creativity.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Absolutely, and it shows through.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
I mean I had one of the salads and I
think at tuna'star appetizer and it was so good. And
so even though Philly is known for its food around town,
definitely have to put Bank and Bourbon on the list
because you're staying at the hotel and what a place
because the menu never disappoints and the food is phenomenal.
And I have to say your location. We were talking
(07:40):
about the things to do in the area. It's really perfect.
You can walk to Rittenhouse Square, you can have a
picnic in the park, You're close to the theaters, you're
close to Independence Mall. There's so many different things that
you can do within walking distance of the hotel.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
Yes, and that's probably what makes it fun. I mean,
once you come and you park your car, really have
no need for any other transportations. You know, everything is
within walking distance everything.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
It's just a very vibrant atmosphere and Center City.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Yeah, it definitely is.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
And again perfect for families or adults. And you have
writing terminal right there, which is always fun to go to.
And so what would you recommend When is a good
time for families to come visit the Low's Philadelphia Hotel.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
Well, I'll take you any day in a week. You
don't have to wait for the weekend. It's always something
going on. It's pretty much in the center of Center City,
which just has a host of things to do. You
can take an open air performance at Demand Center, you
can visit the glass covered, tree lined rooftop park at
(08:51):
Sunset Social. There's just a ton of different experiences to have.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Absolutely, And I don't know about everyone's school schedules, but
I will tell you for June we have off like.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
June fifth, June sixth, June nineteenth, so many.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Days before the end of the school year Memorial Day weekend,
so I feel like before the summer kicks into gear,
this is also a great time to visit and a
great way to just get away for a few days.
And I love the program that you're doing Local by
Loewe's Hotels because this is such a great way for
anybody staying at the property to really connect with artisans
and other local people in the community who really.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Make Philadelphia tick. And I love all of the.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Cultural recommendations that you make, and if we're looking for
things to do in the area, you can really connect
us with ways that we can get into the local community.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
And I was just reading that.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
You've partnered with Morton Contemporary Art Gallery offering hotel guests
and locals a taste of the Philadelphia arts scene, which
is huge and culture on select days from four to
seven pm in the lounge at Bank and Bourbon.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
So this is so cool.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
So if you're an art enthusiast, you can meet local
artists at their work in such a relaxed and comfortable setting.
And I know this is happening on upcoming dates on
Thursdays May fifteenth to twenty ninth and all the Thursdays
in June.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
So that's really exciting.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Yeah, and the weather's good.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Exactly, it's perfect.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
So where can we go for more information to book
ours stay at the Loewe's Philadelphia Hotel.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Yes, please visit lowshotel dot com slash Philadelphia or you
can visit us on social media.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Terrific.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
That sounds great. Well, thank you so much again for
the wonderful visit. And again I can't stress enough how
this is such a wonderful retreat. If you get to
go by yourself, if you get to travel on your own,
or you're in Philly for corporate reasons, this is such
a great place to stay. I mean, besides where Bank
and Bourbon is, you have the huge lobby with the
(10:49):
TVs and the bar. It's a great gathering spot. The
gym and the spot is perfect. Even if you do
go with your families, give yourself some time to enjoy
the sauna, the steam rooms, workout space. And thank you
so much again Darryl Adams. I hope to see you
again soon.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
I'm looking forward to your next business.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
I'm Michelle Jurson the Passport Mommy more coming up in
a few Thank you you're listening to Passport Mommy. I'm
Michelle Jerson, and you know, for sixty years, the Small
Business Administration has celebrated National Small Business Week to acknowledge
the critical contributions of America's entrepreneurs and small business owners.
(11:29):
And as somebody who has been and is a small
business owner, I can really appreciate what they are doing,
and so I'm really happy to have with me today
on the show. Aaron Starkey is the general manager and
vice president for Small Business Services at ADP. So let's
talk about small business owners. What's top of mind for
them right now?
Speaker 6 (11:49):
Well, there tends to be three things that we see
in both the transactions and the conversations that we're having
today around technology. And that's really geared around how do
I make sure I'm saying on top of all the
new emerging technologies that can actually strengthen my business and
help it grow. Then it comes to talent, by the way,
no particular order to any of these, but it's talent.
(12:10):
How do I find the right talent, how do I
keep the right talent, and how do I develop that talent,
and then last is compliance. This past year alone, there
was close to one hundred and seventy different legislative changes
that have taken place. And I, as a small business owner,
I tend to not wake up on a Tuesday looking
forward to either payroll or HR. So how do I
how do I make sure that you know, I'm saying
(12:32):
on top of those things to ensure I could focus
on what I do best, which is my business exactly.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
And I think that's what a lot of small business
owners go through. It's like they're so inundated with all
the busy work and all this stuff that has to
get done, but then sometimes it does take away from
where their strong points are and what they should be
focusing on.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
So what trends are you seeing emerge?
Speaker 6 (12:54):
So from a technology standpoint, there's all the buzzwords around
AI and JENNI, but a lot of the conversations that
we're having with small business clients is, you know, how
do I how do I just take advantage of the
right technology that's.
Speaker 5 (13:07):
The right fit for my business?
Speaker 6 (13:08):
So you could you know, you could be leveraging AI
or Jenai like ironically enough, you know it's so transformative
my daughter recently just put together a PowerPoint presentation on
her phone to convince my wife and I and how
to get a dog. So you see, like, by the way,
we do have a dog now. But you have these
small businesses that are putting together production quality content, videos,
(13:29):
marketing materials, websites that are incredible, and you know, you know,
previously you would spend a fortune doing those things, and
AI and Jenai have enabled them to kind of scale
that down. But it's also how do I start to
streamline my back office. Recently had a small business owner
that you know, not only came they a DP to
help reduce the burden of payroll, but also started to
(13:50):
look at other opportunities where I'm typing information into this
system and this system, and how do I synthesize that
across different platforms so I can go out there and
focus on acquiring clients. And then from a talent standpoint,
you know, you think about how do I find the
right people, but also the right people quickly? Even though
it's not the great resignation anymore, and you have this
very dense population of workers looking for work, but now
(14:13):
it's still like, how do I find the right talent
for my business. How do I keep them in a
cost efficient manner, making sure that I'm providing them benefits
and you know, things that will not only retain them,
but then also how do I develop them. You have
that technology that's coming in potentially it changes some of
the work that they're doing on a daily basis, So
how do I continue that evolution to make sure that
(14:34):
they have different skills that can strike to my business
because finding talent is not cheap. And then we mentioned
before the compliance piece and just making sure that I
am staying focused on the right things so that way
my business doesn't get penalized, you know, based on you know, certain.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
Legislative changes that I wasn't aware of.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
But also how do I take advantage of those compliance
things Like there's right now over twenty billion dollars of
R and D tax credits that are available to the
small business community or business in general, but only one
third are currently being utilized today. And if you think
about the amount and the vast quantity of small business
that are out there, you know, we anticipate a large
(15:14):
portion of those not taking advantage are the small business community.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Right and we should be aware of everything that is
available for us as a small business owner. And you
mentioned before about talent and how it's not cheap, which
you write, if you have good talent, you need to
pay them what they should be paid so that they stay.
So how can business owners foster and develop the talent?
Speaker 5 (15:35):
Yes, it's interesting.
Speaker 6 (15:37):
We just did a study recently and eighty percent of
employees say that they feel valued when they're offered some
type of comprehensive benefit, whether that's health or retirement. And
again those things can be expensive. So there are opportunities
out there in providing benefits to employees that are actually
through the open market as opposed to having to go
(15:58):
through group health insurance that are still pre tax So
now I can actually offer my employees a benefit that
didn't come with the large price tag before. And those
are ways where you know, you can, you know, create
this culture within the organization that provides that retention and
then once you have them staying with the business, then
there are opportunities as far as cross skilling and upskilling
(16:19):
where ADP actually has a marketplace and we have different
vendors where you can actually provide them Excel training or
other application training that all of a sudden widens what
those employees are capable of doing and providing different services
for your business and also just makes them feel more.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Vested in exactly, and they'll want to stay and they'll
want to help you grow your business. So we talked
about small business owners embracing new technologies like AI. Is
there anything else that we should keep in mind as
a small business owner when going out there today and
trying to make our business as successful as possible.
Speaker 5 (16:54):
You're not in it alone.
Speaker 6 (16:55):
Making sure that you have the right advisor, whether that's
an accountant or a consultant that's actually helping you identify
what those right technologies are because you can option one,
just go on Google and start searching for them. But
it's kind of like a fire hydrant. You know, you
can ground with the amount of information or what's available
to you, or you can have somebody that knows your
business understand you know what is the most cost effective,
(17:17):
but what also can lead towards whatever goals or tasks
that you're looking to streamline for your organization.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Terrific, Well, thank you for all of the great advice.
Where can we go for more information?
Speaker 6 (17:28):
So if you go to ADP dot com, Forward, slash
Grit and Wisdom that's g R I T and Wisdom
wis d M. You can find a ton of information
of the topics that we talked about today.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Great are in Stark, general manager or vice president for
the Small Business.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Services at ADP.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Thank you so much for joining me today. You're listening
to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson, and it's that time
of year. It is finally time if you're in the
Northeast where we can enjoy the weather, we can go outside,
we can work outside if you work from home, and
there's nothing better than a really nice outdoor space. And
(18:06):
so I'm really happy to have on the show with
me today. Sean McLear. He's with us because he has
written the book Deck Rebellion Revolutionary Concepts for Outdoor Living,
and he does this for a living and he builds
beautiful spaces. So I thought he could give us tips
on what we can do for our spring and summer
(18:27):
projects and also just what we can find in his book.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Sean, thank you so much for joining me today.
Speaker 7 (18:32):
Thank you, Michelle. It's great to be here.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
So what inspired your passion for deck construction, designing.
Speaker 8 (18:38):
And building, and which has been in my family for
three generations and that was the world that was born into.
I've built a lot of houses, I've built a lot
of different things, interiors, furniture. Grew up in my father's
architectural woodworking shop. But I gravitated towards doing outdoor living spaces,
(18:58):
being outdoor spaces.
Speaker 7 (19:00):
I just I always felt like we would do these beautiful.
Speaker 8 (19:03):
Beautiful houses, and the decks were like they were sad,
they were just rectangles stuck on the back like a platform.
And I was the houses deserved more, and the properties
were beautiful, and this is your transitional space between your
house and your property.
Speaker 7 (19:20):
And for those of us that pay.
Speaker 8 (19:21):
A lot of property taxes, you're paying a lot of
money to live on that property, and you really want
to take it full advantage of being outside and enjoining
the view. I mean, the health benefits of being outside.
Biophilic design is a whole science of how being outside,
feeling the breeze on your face, the sun, everything else,
(19:42):
and how it stimulates your mind and your body, and
it's just a healthier way to live. So I felt
that and I really gravitated towards that, and I really
wanted to take the take the inside out.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Yes, I hear you, I feel the same way. I
feel like my home is my haven and when I
am outside I do I just want to relax and
I want to have that space. So what are some
ways decks are changing in current home designs?
Speaker 8 (20:10):
So decks were for the last thirty forty fifty years,
decks were an afterthought. It was something that was put
on afterwards. They were built out of pressure treated lumber.
For the last thirty forty years. Before that it was
just regular lumber. But there the actuarial tables on these condos.
When you buy a condo, if you have a pressure
(20:31):
treated deck, their thing is replaced every twenty years. That's
how long it's going to last. And by the time
it gets into the second half of its life, not
so good. So it was always an afterthought and the
material people didn't want to invest a lot into it
because they knew it wasn't going to be something that
was around for a while. Now, with the modern materials
that we have PBC deck boards, steel framing, the aluminum
(20:56):
overed roof and pergolo structures that we do outdoor kitchens,
buyer everything. This is you're building it forever. This is
part of the home it's going to last as long
as the home does, and that's how we design it.
So that's the trend in decking. And really it's not
just decks, it's you want to have a space outside
(21:17):
that can be covered because if you think about you're
going to spend all this money on a deck, it's
like building a room with no roof. I mean, what literally,
what are you going to do with that? Sovering? Covering
decks and especially now here in the Northeast, this past
winter was more normal, but the trend is warmer and warmer,
(21:38):
and you know, we build spaces that you're using for
at least ten months a year, and when it's covered days,
you've got heat, ceiling, fans, the whole bit.
Speaker 7 (21:47):
It becomes people's favorite room and house.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
They're out the our living room exactly.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
So if somebody already has a deck, let's say that
they're happy with, but they want to add a covering
to it.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
How difficult does that to do?
Speaker 7 (22:00):
It's not difficult.
Speaker 8 (22:01):
It takes some design expertise to make it look like
it wasn't just an ad on, but do that a
lot for people. We put on the Equinox lever roof
over existing decks. We do regular roofs we put over there,
we put add in kitchens and fireplaces. It can be
done over an existing deck and depending on the age
of the deck, we do a lot of remodels, which
(22:22):
is where the name of my company, Deck Remodelers came from.
We started out doing a lot of remodels where we
would take the existing frame, strip it all down, decking,
new rails, new facious stairs, the whole bit, and basically
you have a brand new deck. I mean, esthetically, you
have a brand new deck. Now the frame has to
(22:43):
be in good condition because this is going to last
for the next fifty years. But that's something you could
definitely do.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Yeah, And I think when some people think about home
projects like this, it might seem a little overwhelming for them.
What advice would you give so that they don't just
not do it and that they do move forward?
Speaker 7 (23:03):
You know what, that's a great question I have.
Speaker 8 (23:06):
I cannot tell you how many people come to me
that have been just kicking this back and forth for years.
They don't know where to start, or they started with
an architect, but that kind of was a dead end
because they really couldn't get what they wanted they didn't
know what it cost, or they started with the contractor
and then they started getting prices and they weren't even
sure what they were getting. The best advice is start
(23:28):
with a master plan. Need a master plan, whether you're
going to do it all this year or over the
next five years or eight years.
Speaker 7 (23:36):
Start with a.
Speaker 8 (23:37):
Master plan, and then break it down into phases. That
way you know what you're getting and you avoid the
I tell people that this has happened so many times.
It's a cliche. I get to somebody's house. They decided
to put the pool in real quick, in a hurry
because they wanted the pool for the kids. Now it's
time to do the deck, and they want this, you know,
(23:57):
they see the stuff that we do and they want
the outdoor living room and this and.
Speaker 7 (24:00):
That and this and that. And I look at them
and I say, the pool is to do what you
want to do.
Speaker 8 (24:06):
The pool is five feet too close to the house, right,
And they're like, pool guy just said to put it there.
I'm like, because the pool guy doesn't care. The pool
guy is putting a pool in. He's not thinking master.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Plan right exactly. That's good advice. So when you were
putting together your book.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
How did you decide which top ten plans to illustrate
in the book and what can we expect to be featured.
Speaker 7 (24:31):
Oh that was really hard for me.
Speaker 8 (24:33):
That was these are like my babies I've got I've
got so many different projects, and like everyone has a backstory,
and this one, you know, this one there was grading issues.
Speaker 7 (24:48):
And this one we had to build rotating walls.
Speaker 8 (24:50):
And this one they wanted one hundred and eighty degree
one hundred and eighty degree helical stairs and we had
to design and come up with, you know, how to
construct that. And it was painful to go through really
so many intimations. But then when it was done, it
was like, oh my god, this is awesome. Yeah, and
you know, so it was really hard to pick the
(25:13):
top ten. Basically, you know, my team has their favorites.
I have my favorites. And then we looked at the
award winners. So a lot of the national award winners.
So that's NADRA is the North American Deck and Rail Association,
and they have the Deck Awards, which is like the
Oscars of decks.
Speaker 7 (25:30):
Okay, it used to be red carpet and we would
at the.
Speaker 8 (25:36):
At the Aquarium down in Baltimore, we did in Chicago
all around the country every year. It's a little more
casual now, but it still brings in three hundred of
the top designers and builders.
Speaker 7 (25:46):
From around the world.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
Wow.
Speaker 8 (25:49):
This is the United States, Canada, UK, New Zealand, Australia and.
Speaker 7 (25:56):
These guys compete. So the winners that you'll see in
the book.
Speaker 8 (25:59):
Are winners first place winners from those awards, so they
were judged by a lot of judges around the world.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Wow, that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
And I know you travel a lot to inspire your
designs when designing someone's deck in their home, how do
your travels influence your building?
Speaker 7 (26:17):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (26:18):
I do you know?
Speaker 8 (26:20):
In America there's a lot of we're a little bit
behind on the outdoor living space. When you go to
these other countries, there's so much more outdoor living right,
And you know, you go to the resorts and just
everything is outside and you just you know that feeling
when you walk outside with the drink in your hand.
(26:41):
The temperature is absolutely perfect, and they've got the couches overlooking.
Speaker 7 (26:45):
The water and.
Speaker 8 (26:46):
You sit down there and the whole weight of the
world just lifts off of you. Yes, that feeling is
what I design for people's backyards so they can have.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
That every day. So amazing.
Speaker 8 (26:59):
You know, that's whether it's you know, Spanish influenced design.
I was in Spain and just the arches and the
colors and the different things, or you know Thailand where
it's it's just a whole different kind of rustic thing
going on there and very textural.
Speaker 7 (27:17):
It's just really cool.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
And so if somebody has maybe like a smaller acreage
in their backyard, could they still make an oasis out
there with the deck?
Speaker 7 (27:27):
Absolutely?
Speaker 8 (27:28):
And those those are some of my favorite projects too,
because you know, when you have some parameters and you're restricted,
it forces you to get really creative. Right, When you
just have this giant, open, big lot, it's like, okay, yeah,
it's really about budget. But when you have a smaller space,
and especially if it's you know, densely populated so you've
(27:49):
got neighbors around stuff, creating a cool space that's private, yeah,
and you know gives you everything. You know New York apartment, right,
there's some New York apartments that are so well designed
that everything fits into this smaller space and it's just
like it's perfect. I really that that kind of design.
(28:10):
I just love it. I love it.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Yeah, and so I know you're a third generation builder.
How did your family influence your current work?
Speaker 8 (28:18):
Oh, my dad kicked my ass out to work every
morning at five thirty and didn't let me waste anything.
I mean he's from Ireland, so he's old school. It
was no waste in anything. No is not an option.
Failure was not an option. It was figure out how
to do it, make it work. So, you know, I
(28:40):
have a big family and my first house was a
very small house. I literally couldn't have all of my
family over unless we were on the deck. So that
kind of pushed me as well, like we need to
cover this thing. I can't be sweating out. Is it
going to rain on Easter when we have everybody over
or you know, Thanksgiving or or whatever. So that kind
(29:02):
of led me to start covering a lot of the
decks that I did. So that's a big influence on
my design.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Yeah, it's so smart and it's so creative. And so
what does revolutionizing deck design mean to you?
Speaker 8 (29:18):
It means taking things that haven't been done before outside
or haven't been done at scale and making them available
for people.
Speaker 7 (29:29):
So like when we.
Speaker 8 (29:31):
Did in twenty fourteen, we won for Sunken Fire Lounge,
which was a situation where I didn't have enough space
zoning wise to be able to build a deck and
big enough with the lounge area and everything else.
Speaker 7 (29:46):
And the lady.
Speaker 8 (29:48):
The client, she had a round couch on her patio
and that was on.
Speaker 7 (29:54):
Her old deck.
Speaker 8 (29:56):
The first thing that struck me was like, the round
couch stuck in the corner of a deck does not
look good.
Speaker 7 (30:01):
It just doesn't fit. It just it wasn't a great
use of space.
Speaker 8 (30:04):
And then I had to curve the deck and manipulate
the deck to make it work inside the zoning parameters.
And I'm like, well, if I do this as a
circular curve, I can get it. I can pull it
in enough to make this work, and I can put
her couch in there, which you'll even be better, and
then a fire in the middle of it. It'll be perfect.
And she had a lot of faith in me. We
(30:26):
didn't have the three D design stuff that we have now.
So I told her what I was going to do
and she's like, I trust you, and I did it,
and it was like blow away.
Speaker 7 (30:37):
She was so incredibly.
Speaker 8 (30:38):
Happy with that so doing something like that was is
kind of cool and just making the space.
Speaker 7 (30:45):
So when I designed, I designed for I designed.
Speaker 8 (30:49):
So it flows. It flows from an intimate gathering. So
it's you and your family, your kids, whatever, hanging out
to a bigger party. But there's no breaking it up.
It's everybody is at the same party.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Well, I love what you're doing, and you know, when
I get my next home, I want to call you
and come at you come out.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
So what's the process.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
If somebody wants to get in touch with you for
a consultation, say where do you service?
Speaker 7 (31:15):
We're based in Spartan, New Jersey.
Speaker 8 (31:17):
Dec Remodelers dot Com is our website and you can
see tons of stuff that we do up there.
Speaker 7 (31:22):
You can reach us through there.
Speaker 8 (31:23):
There is thousands of pictures and videos and it really
walks you through all the different the different aspects and
things to think about whether you work with us or not.
Looking through that stuff and reading what we have up
there will help you make better informed decisions.
Speaker 3 (31:37):
Right.
Speaker 8 (31:37):
So that's dec Remodelers our Instagram. We have a big,
big following on Instagram and that's where all our latest
and greatest stuff go up. There's a lot of walkthroughs
of spaces, which, by the way, in the book, which
is kind of a cool thing.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
I thought.
Speaker 8 (31:50):
We put QR codes on some of the pictures, so
we have about ten or fifteen walkthroughs that you can do.
So if you're looking at a picture of a deck
you like, you can click the QR code and I'll walk.
Speaker 7 (32:00):
You through the space.
Speaker 8 (32:02):
We work from northern Fairfield County in Connecticut all the
way down through outside of Philly.
Speaker 1 (32:09):
And where can we get your book, Deck Rebellion Revolutionary
Concepts for Outdoor Living.
Speaker 8 (32:14):
You can get it on Amazon. It's available on Amazon,
and it's also available through our website. If you'd like
a signed copy, you can go through our website.
Speaker 1 (32:22):
Well, thank you so much, Sewn McLear. I appreciate you
joining me today on Passport Mommy.
Speaker 7 (32:26):
Thanks Michelle, have a great day.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
Thank you you too.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
I'm Michelle Jerson the Passport Mommy More coming up in
a few.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
You're listening to Passport Mommy.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
I'm Michelle Jerson, and I am so excited because guess what.
SeaWorld Orlando is officially opening the Expedition Odyssey. This is
unparalleled ride technology, breath taking real world footage, and up
close encounters with Arctic wildlife. This is the most immersive
Arctic experience ever creative and so I'm really happy to
(33:01):
have on the show with me today Rob McNichols. He's
going to talk to us all about it and what
we can expect.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Rob, thank you so much for joining me today.
Speaker 9 (33:09):
Good morning, Thanks for coming out.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Absolutely so what can guests of SeaWorld expect with the
Expedition Odyssey ride?
Speaker 5 (33:17):
You covered it perfectly.
Speaker 9 (33:18):
This is a first of his kind immersive experience here
at sea where we're guests. We'll get to see animals
in their natural habitat in the Arctic and then come
face to face with the animals right after. So you
probably should get the ride going and show you what
it's all about.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
Yes, please do.
Speaker 5 (33:35):
Yes.
Speaker 9 (33:35):
So this is great because we are inside the Arctic
Expedition Odyssey, like I mentioned, and this ride is going
to rotate back into the show building. What's really cool
about that is it's got two sides, so guests right
now are experiencing it on the backside behind me. We
rotate in and it's our turn to come face to
face these animals in this amazing footage.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
That's very cool.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
So how is Expedition Odyssey pushing the boundaries of just
theme park technology.
Speaker 5 (34:03):
Yeah, so this is immersive.
Speaker 9 (34:05):
This is the firsts kind of North America experience.
Speaker 5 (34:08):
And right now we are rotating.
Speaker 9 (34:09):
So there's two levels of this experience, fifteen guests on
each level. You're wearing a seatbelt, very comfortable, you feel
very secure, and there's only a thirty nine inch high requirement.
So it's perfect for the entire family. Grandma down the
little ones, that's just perfect for them.
Speaker 1 (34:26):
Oh, I love that because so many times in my
little ones, we're little and they couldn't ride the rides.
This is great to know because they love SeaWorld and
we're excited to check it out. So tell me about
the real live shop video footage captured exclusively for this attraction.
Speaker 5 (34:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (34:41):
So, we spent weeks in the Arctic Circle off the
coast of Norway shooting these animals in their habitat. And
right now we are flying down the mountain side. The
wind is flown, is picking up, and we're going to
come right in the next scene and see a ton
of bluegle whales right in front of us. Bluegle whales
what some of the friendliest animals. They be in pods
(35:03):
up to one hundred switting off the coast here and
this real footage.
Speaker 5 (35:08):
It's pretty remarkable.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
Oh, it really is.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
So the adventure just doesn't end when the ride ends either,
because you were saying you then come in, you encounter
the real life the animals.
Speaker 2 (35:18):
Tell me about that.
Speaker 9 (35:19):
Yeah, it's something the only Sea World does. Right, you
come here, you get to see them, and it's amazing.
It's we always like to say, touch the heart to
teach the mind. And when you see these animals and
the challenges they.
Speaker 5 (35:31):
Experience in the wild, it inspires you to make a difference.
And this is thrilling. And when you out the ride.
Speaker 7 (35:38):
It doesn't end.
Speaker 5 (35:39):
You get to.
Speaker 10 (35:39):
See well google whales, Walrus's hang which it is fantastic.
Speaker 5 (35:43):
It's a great experience.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
Oh my goodness, So you mentioned Walris's Tell me about Iki,
the beloved orphaned Walris cap rescued in Alaska, who now
gets to call SeaWorld Orlando home.
Speaker 9 (35:56):
Well, I can say you have to come see for yourself,
because you educate and educate team absolutely adore.
Speaker 5 (36:01):
She is perfect.
Speaker 9 (36:02):
She is so cute and uh, I tell you she's
growing really really quick. So come out fast and see
her but adorable and it just really you know, Yeah,
she was orphaned and we gave her a second chance
of life, and it's uh, it's a proud.
Speaker 5 (36:16):
Moment for sure.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
That's incredible.
Speaker 1 (36:18):
What SeaWorld does is amazing for the animals, it's amazing
for the guests who get to come experience this.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
So I know the ride is opening today.
Speaker 1 (36:27):
Where can we go for more information and to get
our tickets?
Speaker 9 (36:30):
Yeah, so seawort Orlando dot com is the best place
to go get your deals and your your tickets there.
It opens up for past numbers. The information is all
there based on different past levels. And then of course
May night is opening day. It's it's uh, it's really exciting.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Yeah, completely, Well, thank you so much, Rob McNichols.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
I appreciate you joining me today.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
On Passport Mommy and I look forward to seeing you
in SeaWorld soon.
Speaker 5 (36:54):
We'll see in the park.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Absolutely. I'm Michelle Jurson.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
More coming up in a few Did you know that
next Friday is National Pizza Party Day? Well, I was
so excited to spend a night yesterday at Little Charlie.
It is a restaurant in the West Village in New
York City at two seventy one Bleaker Street, So if
you're a local, you definitely have to check them out.
And if you're headed to the city at any point,
this place is a must stop for dinner. They have
(37:19):
so many unique pizzas and they have a wood burning oven,
which was grandfathered in because most places in New York
City are not allowed to have those anymore.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
And get this, they.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
Are offering personal pizzas for just five dollars to celebrate
National Pizza Party Day. All you have to do is
download the Blackbird app and pay on the platform to
receive the special offer. It is next Friday, May sixteenth,
between noon and four pm. Little Charlie, two seventy one
Bleeker Street. This place is so much fun. Their pizza
(37:51):
is so much fun. My kids loved the nutella and
marshmallow one. They have one called Drunken Grandma, and then
your classic Margherita pizza. They are all made with love
by Salvadors. So if you stop in there, definitely tell them.
Michelle says, hi, thanks for joining me this week on
Passport Mommy.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
You're listening to Passport Mommy.
Speaker 1 (38:13):
I'm Michelle Jerson and I am so excited to talk
cruising today and we have Damien dla Rensis. He is
the Celebrity Cruises Director of Entertainment and when it comes
to romantic getaways, one of the best ways to escape
the hustle and bustle of life is to take a cruise.
I know, whenever I'm on the water, I am happy.
And so he's here to tell us everything that is
(38:35):
going on with Celebrity.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
Hi, Damien, Hi.
Speaker 5 (38:39):
Great to be here. Thanks for having me, Michelle.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
My pleasure. So let's talk about romantic getaways. What are
some of the hottest romantic getaway locations.
Speaker 11 (38:48):
Well, where you were catching me right now today is
in Minie, Bahamas. I'm here up on the top deck
of the Celebrity Beyond, which is one of our Edge
class series vessels. The ship itself is one of the
hottest romantic getaways as far as destinations, whether it's here
in the Bahamas or all the places that we sail
on the Caribbean including Cosimmel, Mexico, Grand Cayman, Saint Thomas,
Saint Martin, Guerto Platz at Dominican Republic. Our incredible vessels
(39:12):
will take you to all of these places.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
Tell me about the Celebrity Excel.
Speaker 11 (39:17):
Well, the Celebrity Excel is our newest vessel. It comes
out this fall. Celebrity Excel comes out this year twenty
twenty five in November, and it will offer the most
choice of any of our ships, and it will give
date night on upgrade like you've never seen before on
any ship and specifically within Celebrity Cruises Incredible fleet. If
you love food, there are going to be thirty two
(39:39):
different food and beverage options which are globally inspired, all
across the ship, as well as the largest footprint of
entertainment and activities that we've ever had, touching more venues
on board the ship than we ever had in the
history of our fleet, as well as extensive wellness experiences
as well.
Speaker 1 (39:55):
Wow, So what are some of the restaurants? What are
some of the culinary options?
Speaker 11 (39:59):
Well, the one I'm going to speak but right now
is the one that I'm very close to or it
will be very close to on the brand new ship,
which is Bora, which is in a Mediterranean inspired restaurant
that will not only be available for dining in the evening,
but will also feature our very first brunch experience, which
is a ton of fun. It's a boozy brunch with
fired cuisine, elevated takes on Mediterranean classics, your very own
(40:20):
Bloody Mary bar where you can customize your very own
Bloody Mary Bar. And of course entertainment which is regionally inspired,
inspired by the great dishes in the atmosphere of the restaurant.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
That sounds amazing.
Speaker 1 (40:30):
And what about some of the features that allow couples
to enjoy date night all day long.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
I know you just mentioned the brunch.
Speaker 11 (40:36):
What else, Well, we've got the largest footprint of entertainment
that we've ever had on board any one of our
celebrity ships, with three brand new theater production shows created
by the top creatives in the world of Hollywood Films
of Broadway, London's West End. They're exclusive to our incredible theater,
as well as two brand new club shows which are
going to be featured right next door in the club
(40:57):
which turns into a nightclub later credible dance parties.
Speaker 5 (41:01):
But a lot of ways to have some brand new experiences.
Speaker 11 (41:03):
We have so many ship experiences, whether it's sharing a
scotch tasting together, whether it's a wellness experience, a culinary experience,
a tasting, a hands on cooking class or either an
experiences that combine the.
Speaker 5 (41:14):
World of art with the world of beverage experiences.
Speaker 11 (41:17):
There's really something for all of our couples to really
reconnect and get away from it all on board our ships.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
I love it, and I know obviously you probably do
a lot of weddings on board, but even if we're
not getting married and we're just looking to bring that
romance on board, how can couples bring an element of surprise,
let's say, to their next sailing well.
Speaker 11 (41:36):
Between all of our wellness experiences, whether it's a trip
to the Spa, whether it's a great experience on shore,
some of these experience that I mentioned are really a
chance to maybe do something you've never done before, have
an experience that you've never had before on board one
of our ships, whether it's discovering your artistic side, whether
it's trying new culinaryan beverage experiences that really are inspired
by the great destinations that we travel to. They're all
(41:58):
available in Celebrity excel Terrific.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
And so you mentioned the one destination where you are
right now. Where are some other places that Celebrity Excel
will sell to well?
Speaker 11 (42:07):
In addition, to where I am right now in Bimini, Bahamas.
Speaker 5 (42:10):
In the Caribbean. We've got great.
Speaker 11 (42:12):
Places on the itineraries like Cosmo, Mexico, like Grand Cayman,
Saint Thomas and Saint Martin.
Speaker 5 (42:17):
Beautiful puertual Plata.
Speaker 11 (42:19):
And the Dominican Republic, as well as Nassa and the
Bahamas as well.
Speaker 5 (42:23):
That is winter season.
Speaker 11 (42:25):
In the summer, it's got an incredible Mediterranean season which
features great destinations and places like Portugal, Spain, Italy, Turkey
and Greece.
Speaker 1 (42:33):
Oh how nice, And you said the first sailing is
in November.
Speaker 11 (42:37):
Correct, first sailing is November of this year from Fort Lauderdale,
Florida to the Caribbean.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
Great, great, all right, So how can we go ahead
and book our cruise before it fills up? Because I
know it's so exciting to get on one of the
inaugural cruises when it first starts and the smell of
a fresh cruise ship. There is nothing better, I thing.
Speaker 11 (42:55):
Absolutely any one of our guests or anyone listening here,
we can go to Celebritycruises dot Com. That's where you'll
find all of your booking information, information about all of
our ships, and specifically the latest things which have been
revealed and released about our brand new Celebrity Excel.
Speaker 5 (43:10):
As well.
Speaker 11 (43:10):
With Celebrity Excel, we have something called the Dream Makers
in which our guests are able to participate in polls
leading up to the launch of the ship, where you
can actually contribute to decisions that are going to be
made about the ship, whether it's a different variety of entertainment,
a different decision about a costume, a different decision about
a cocktail or a dish. You can be part of
making the ship and creating your experience when you join.
Speaker 5 (43:31):
Us on board.
Speaker 1 (43:31):
Damien de Lorenzis, thank you so much for joining me
today on Passport.
Speaker 5 (43:35):
Mommy appreciate it. Thank you, Michelle, have a great day.
Speaker 2 (43:37):
My pleasure. You too. I'm Michelle Jerson.
Speaker 1 (43:40):
Have a wonderful week.
Welcome to Passport Mommy. I'm your host, Michelle Jerson. This
show is for anyone raising little humans. We feature experts
with tips and advice to enrich the lives of our children.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Mom and dad.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Entrepreneurs tell us their inspiring stories, learn about products that
could make both you and your child's life easier and
more fun, and of course, fellow parents discuss and laugh
about what's happening in their child's world. Motherhood is a journey.
Thanks for joining me on mine. Welcome to Passport Mommy.
I'm Michelle Jerson and I'm so happy to have our
(00:34):
first guest on the show, Daryl Adams. He is the
managing director for the Loew's Philadelphia Hotel.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
And I just I love the Loew's Philadelphia Hotel.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
I have stayed there on a few different occasions, both
alone which is amazing, and with kids, and they have
a great family program and especially now that the summer
is coming up, they've got a lot of fun programming.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I'm so happy to have you on this show. Daryl.
Thank you for joining me today.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
My pleasure, honor to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
So let's talk about the hotel for a moment, because
it is such a great spot if you need to
be in Philly for corporate travel or if you are
based in Philly, even just for a staycation. And I
love it personally because I think the restaurant is amazing.
I think the gym and the spot is amazing, and
the rooms are always so comfortable and clean. But let's
(01:24):
talk about summer travel because I know a lot of
people have that on the brain. Are you doing anything
on property this summer that we should know about?
Speaker 4 (01:32):
You know, summertime in Philadelphia is great. It's a great
place to visit, especially for families and kids because of
its just as historic by you. There's so much to
see and do outside of the hotel. I love the
city myself and personally. I'm actually originally from DC and
(01:54):
this is my second stint Philly an addition to all
the favorite sites you see on property. Were excited to
bring back our Low's Little Legends package for the summer.
Speaker 5 (02:07):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
I love that it's.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Part of our Low's Family Love's Family program. Family seeking
unforgetting vacation should book the Low's Little Legends Package and
enjoy on property scavenger hunts, playful camping. We actually put
a small tent in them right, so you kind of
get that feel. Yeah, and you also get three tickets
(02:32):
to one of our favorite interactive museums in the city.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
The package is loaded.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
It's the three tickets to the Police Touch Museum, Hit
Friendly camping Tent, which I just spoke about, which I.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Think is so neat and so creative.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Yeah, twenty five dollars credit to pod Our Organic Market
daily late checkout at two pm, and Little Legends Interact
scavenger Hunt with the opportunity to win cross.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
And I have to say we stayed there, maybe it
was last summer at this point, because we did the
Little Legends package and my kids loved it. They loved
get opening the door to the room and there was
decorate your own cookies, there was.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Their camping tents.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
They had a the last and I only call this
out because this show does air in Philadelphia as well
as around the country, So if you're traveling to Philly,
this is a place you need to stay. But even
if you're located in Philly, what a great staycation and
a great place to bring the kids.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
Yeah, and you know, Philly is such a it's just
it's almost like it's this is a very good walkable city.
Probably one of the best in the country actually, mm hmm.
Being able to have that kind of experience within the
hotel with your family and then being able to go
out to different kind of adventures and celebrations and street
(03:59):
clo because they try to make different areas of the
downtown more friendly to pedestrian traffic on the weekends, it's
really a great place to hang out with the family.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Absolutely, there's always something to do. Like you mentioned the
Police Touch Me Museum, There's the Franklin Institute, there's the
Museum of Illusions. There's just there's so much to do,
and then there's so much history too, if you want
to expose your kids to that. It's such a great
getaway and it's so easy to get to from so
many different cities. So what would you say, are some
other musty places this summer for the family or adults
(04:33):
who have a few hours without the kids.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
Well, you always have the you had a rocky statue,
you had a museums, you have I remember one day.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
But this was years ago. I'm walking down the street
with a friend of mine and they show me the I.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
Think it's Thomas Jefferson's great, right, and it's like right there,
right off the street, and it's like wow, you know.
So it's always something to explore and learn new in
our city. Like I said, it is such a walkable place.
There's so many different adventures for families to check out.
(05:17):
I think the food and beverage scene at Philadelphia is
probably one of the most unique and creative ones because
it's more mom and pop than it is corporate restaurants, right,
so it's a great place to just venture out and
try new and different things.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Exactly, let's talk about your restaurant there, because we're just
coming off of Earth Month and I know you were
doing a lot focusing on sustainability.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
Yes, that's a big focus of our company, and we're
always looking at ways that we can be a better
or leader in our environment. And we do everything from
the cook where we use the different ingredients that we
(06:08):
use in our food. We buy a lot of our
food from purveyors that are organic produced.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Just you know, it's just really a focus. Our chef is.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Amazing at being created with those a culinary program that
brings stability to the forefront of the property's food and beverage.
We're highlighting our unique handcrafted salads made from locally sourced ingredients,
reinforcing our commitment to responsible sourcing, supporting local farms, providing
(06:42):
guests with fresh and flavorable dishes, and rooted in the
regional culture. Each salad will feature a locally sourced ingredient.
And you know the amazing thing. I sit around and
I hear the chef and he's always talking about these
different farms that he visits and different purveyors that he visits,
(07:04):
and how he, you know, tests the product himself before
he even starts to deliver it or formulate a menu
for I guess, And I just think it's a lot
of fun to be around.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
That kind of creativity.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Absolutely, and it shows through.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
I mean I had one of the salads and I
think at tuna'star appetizer and it was so good. And
so even though Philly is known for its food around town,
definitely have to put Bank and Bourbon on the list
because you're staying at the hotel and what a place
because the menu never disappoints and the food is phenomenal.
And I have to say your location. We were talking
(07:40):
about the things to do in the area. It's really perfect.
You can walk to Rittenhouse Square, you can have a
picnic in the park, You're close to the theaters, you're
close to Independence Mall. There's so many different things that
you can do within walking distance of the hotel.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
Yes, and that's probably what makes it fun. I mean,
once you come and you park your car, really have
no need for any other transportations. You know, everything is
within walking distance everything.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
It's just a very vibrant atmosphere and Center City.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Yeah, it definitely is.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
And again perfect for families or adults. And you have
writing terminal right there, which is always fun to go to.
And so what would you recommend When is a good
time for families to come visit the Low's Philadelphia Hotel.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
Well, I'll take you any day in a week. You
don't have to wait for the weekend. It's always something
going on. It's pretty much in the center of Center City,
which just has a host of things to do. You
can take an open air performance at Demand Center, you
can visit the glass covered, tree lined rooftop park at
(08:51):
Sunset Social. There's just a ton of different experiences to have.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Absolutely, And I don't know about everyone's school schedules, but
I will tell you for June we have off like.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
June fifth, June sixth, June nineteenth, so many.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Days before the end of the school year Memorial Day weekend,
so I feel like before the summer kicks into gear,
this is also a great time to visit and a
great way to just get away for a few days.
And I love the program that you're doing Local by
Loewe's Hotels because this is such a great way for
anybody staying at the property to really connect with artisans
and other local people in the community who really.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Make Philadelphia tick. And I love all of the.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Cultural recommendations that you make, and if we're looking for
things to do in the area, you can really connect
us with ways that we can get into the local community.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
And I was just reading that.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
You've partnered with Morton Contemporary Art Gallery offering hotel guests
and locals a taste of the Philadelphia arts scene, which
is huge and culture on select days from four to
seven pm in the lounge at Bank and Bourbon.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
So this is so cool.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
So if you're an art enthusiast, you can meet local
artists at their work in such a relaxed and comfortable setting.
And I know this is happening on upcoming dates on
Thursdays May fifteenth to twenty ninth and all the Thursdays
in June.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
So that's really exciting.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Yeah, and the weather's good.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Exactly, it's perfect.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
So where can we go for more information to book
ours stay at the Loewe's Philadelphia Hotel.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Yes, please visit lowshotel dot com slash Philadelphia or you
can visit us on social media.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Terrific.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
That sounds great. Well, thank you so much again for
the wonderful visit. And again I can't stress enough how
this is such a wonderful retreat. If you get to
go by yourself, if you get to travel on your own,
or you're in Philly for corporate reasons, this is such
a great place to stay. I mean, besides where Bank
and Bourbon is, you have the huge lobby with the
(10:49):
TVs and the bar. It's a great gathering spot. The
gym and the spot is perfect. Even if you do
go with your families, give yourself some time to enjoy
the sauna, the steam rooms, workout space. And thank you
so much again Darryl Adams. I hope to see you
again soon.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
I'm looking forward to your next business.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
I'm Michelle Jurson the Passport Mommy more coming up in
a few Thank you you're listening to Passport Mommy. I'm
Michelle Jerson, and you know, for sixty years, the Small
Business Administration has celebrated National Small Business Week to acknowledge
the critical contributions of America's entrepreneurs and small business owners.
(11:29):
And as somebody who has been and is a small
business owner, I can really appreciate what they are doing,
and so I'm really happy to have with me today
on the show. Aaron Starkey is the general manager and
vice president for Small Business Services at ADP. So let's
talk about small business owners. What's top of mind for
them right now?
Speaker 6 (11:49):
Well, there tends to be three things that we see
in both the transactions and the conversations that we're having
today around technology. And that's really geared around how do
I make sure I'm saying on top of all the
new emerging technologies that can actually strengthen my business and
help it grow. Then it comes to talent, by the way,
no particular order to any of these, but it's talent.
(12:10):
How do I find the right talent, how do I
keep the right talent, and how do I develop that talent,
and then last is compliance. This past year alone, there
was close to one hundred and seventy different legislative changes
that have taken place. And I, as a small business owner,
I tend to not wake up on a Tuesday looking
forward to either payroll or HR. So how do I
how do I make sure that you know, I'm saying
(12:32):
on top of those things to ensure I could focus
on what I do best, which is my business exactly.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
And I think that's what a lot of small business
owners go through. It's like they're so inundated with all
the busy work and all this stuff that has to
get done, but then sometimes it does take away from
where their strong points are and what they should be
focusing on.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
So what trends are you seeing emerge?
Speaker 6 (12:54):
So from a technology standpoint, there's all the buzzwords around
AI and JENNI, but a lot of the conversations that
we're having with small business clients is, you know, how
do I how do I just take advantage of the
right technology that's.
Speaker 5 (13:07):
The right fit for my business?
Speaker 6 (13:08):
So you could you know, you could be leveraging AI
or Jenai like ironically enough, you know it's so transformative
my daughter recently just put together a PowerPoint presentation on
her phone to convince my wife and I and how
to get a dog. So you see, like, by the way,
we do have a dog now. But you have these
small businesses that are putting together production quality content, videos,
(13:29):
marketing materials, websites that are incredible, and you know, you know,
previously you would spend a fortune doing those things, and
AI and Jenai have enabled them to kind of scale
that down. But it's also how do I start to
streamline my back office. Recently had a small business owner
that you know, not only came they a DP to
help reduce the burden of payroll, but also started to
(13:50):
look at other opportunities where I'm typing information into this
system and this system, and how do I synthesize that
across different platforms so I can go out there and
focus on acquiring clients. And then from a talent standpoint,
you know, you think about how do I find the
right people, but also the right people quickly? Even though
it's not the great resignation anymore, and you have this
very dense population of workers looking for work, but now
(14:13):
it's still like, how do I find the right talent
for my business. How do I keep them in a
cost efficient manner, making sure that I'm providing them benefits
and you know, things that will not only retain them,
but then also how do I develop them. You have
that technology that's coming in potentially it changes some of
the work that they're doing on a daily basis, So
how do I continue that evolution to make sure that
(14:34):
they have different skills that can strike to my business
because finding talent is not cheap. And then we mentioned
before the compliance piece and just making sure that I
am staying focused on the right things so that way
my business doesn't get penalized, you know, based on you know, certain.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
Legislative changes that I wasn't aware of.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
But also how do I take advantage of those compliance
things Like there's right now over twenty billion dollars of
R and D tax credits that are available to the
small business community or business in general, but only one
third are currently being utilized today. And if you think
about the amount and the vast quantity of small business
that are out there, you know, we anticipate a large
(15:14):
portion of those not taking advantage are the small business community.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Right and we should be aware of everything that is
available for us as a small business owner. And you
mentioned before about talent and how it's not cheap, which
you write, if you have good talent, you need to
pay them what they should be paid so that they stay.
So how can business owners foster and develop the talent?
Speaker 5 (15:35):
Yes, it's interesting.
Speaker 6 (15:37):
We just did a study recently and eighty percent of
employees say that they feel valued when they're offered some
type of comprehensive benefit, whether that's health or retirement. And
again those things can be expensive. So there are opportunities
out there in providing benefits to employees that are actually
through the open market as opposed to having to go
(15:58):
through group health insurance that are still pre tax So
now I can actually offer my employees a benefit that
didn't come with the large price tag before. And those
are ways where you know, you can, you know, create
this culture within the organization that provides that retention and
then once you have them staying with the business, then
there are opportunities as far as cross skilling and upskilling
(16:19):
where ADP actually has a marketplace and we have different
vendors where you can actually provide them Excel training or
other application training that all of a sudden widens what
those employees are capable of doing and providing different services
for your business and also just makes them feel more.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Vested in exactly, and they'll want to stay and they'll
want to help you grow your business. So we talked
about small business owners embracing new technologies like AI. Is
there anything else that we should keep in mind as
a small business owner when going out there today and
trying to make our business as successful as possible.
Speaker 5 (16:54):
You're not in it alone.
Speaker 6 (16:55):
Making sure that you have the right advisor, whether that's
an accountant or a consultant that's actually helping you identify
what those right technologies are because you can option one,
just go on Google and start searching for them. But
it's kind of like a fire hydrant. You know, you
can ground with the amount of information or what's available
to you, or you can have somebody that knows your
business understand you know what is the most cost effective,
(17:17):
but what also can lead towards whatever goals or tasks
that you're looking to streamline for your organization.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Terrific, Well, thank you for all of the great advice.
Where can we go for more information?
Speaker 6 (17:28):
So if you go to ADP dot com, Forward, slash
Grit and Wisdom that's g R I T and Wisdom
wis d M. You can find a ton of information
of the topics that we talked about today.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Great are in Stark, general manager or vice president for
the Small Business.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Services at ADP.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Thank you so much for joining me today. You're listening
to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson, and it's that time
of year. It is finally time if you're in the
Northeast where we can enjoy the weather, we can go outside,
we can work outside if you work from home, and
there's nothing better than a really nice outdoor space. And
(18:06):
so I'm really happy to have on the show with
me today. Sean McLear. He's with us because he has
written the book Deck Rebellion Revolutionary Concepts for Outdoor Living,
and he does this for a living and he builds
beautiful spaces. So I thought he could give us tips
on what we can do for our spring and summer
(18:27):
projects and also just what we can find in his book.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Sean, thank you so much for joining me today.
Speaker 7 (18:32):
Thank you, Michelle. It's great to be here.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
So what inspired your passion for deck construction, designing.
Speaker 8 (18:38):
And building, and which has been in my family for
three generations and that was the world that was born into.
I've built a lot of houses, I've built a lot
of different things, interiors, furniture. Grew up in my father's
architectural woodworking shop. But I gravitated towards doing outdoor living spaces,
(18:58):
being outdoor spaces.
Speaker 7 (19:00):
I just I always felt like we would do these beautiful.
Speaker 8 (19:03):
Beautiful houses, and the decks were like they were sad,
they were just rectangles stuck on the back like a platform.
And I was the houses deserved more, and the properties
were beautiful, and this is your transitional space between your
house and your property.
Speaker 7 (19:20):
And for those of us that pay.
Speaker 8 (19:21):
A lot of property taxes, you're paying a lot of
money to live on that property, and you really want
to take it full advantage of being outside and enjoining
the view. I mean, the health benefits of being outside.
Biophilic design is a whole science of how being outside,
feeling the breeze on your face, the sun, everything else,
(19:42):
and how it stimulates your mind and your body, and
it's just a healthier way to live. So I felt
that and I really gravitated towards that, and I really
wanted to take the take the inside out.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Yes, I hear you, I feel the same way. I
feel like my home is my haven and when I
am outside I do I just want to relax and
I want to have that space. So what are some
ways decks are changing in current home designs?
Speaker 8 (20:10):
So decks were for the last thirty forty fifty years,
decks were an afterthought. It was something that was put
on afterwards. They were built out of pressure treated lumber.
For the last thirty forty years. Before that it was
just regular lumber. But there the actuarial tables on these condos.
When you buy a condo, if you have a pressure
(20:31):
treated deck, their thing is replaced every twenty years. That's
how long it's going to last. And by the time
it gets into the second half of its life, not
so good. So it was always an afterthought and the
material people didn't want to invest a lot into it
because they knew it wasn't going to be something that
was around for a while. Now, with the modern materials
that we have PBC deck boards, steel framing, the aluminum
(20:56):
overed roof and pergolo structures that we do outdoor kitchens,
buyer everything. This is you're building it forever. This is
part of the home it's going to last as long
as the home does, and that's how we design it.
So that's the trend in decking. And really it's not
just decks, it's you want to have a space outside
(21:17):
that can be covered because if you think about you're
going to spend all this money on a deck, it's
like building a room with no roof. I mean, what literally,
what are you going to do with that? Sovering? Covering
decks and especially now here in the Northeast, this past
winter was more normal, but the trend is warmer and warmer,
(21:38):
and you know, we build spaces that you're using for
at least ten months a year, and when it's covered days,
you've got heat, ceiling, fans, the whole bit.
Speaker 7 (21:47):
It becomes people's favorite room and house.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
They're out the our living room exactly.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
So if somebody already has a deck, let's say that
they're happy with, but they want to add a covering
to it.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
How difficult does that to do?
Speaker 7 (22:00):
It's not difficult.
Speaker 8 (22:01):
It takes some design expertise to make it look like
it wasn't just an ad on, but do that a
lot for people. We put on the Equinox lever roof
over existing decks. We do regular roofs we put over there,
we put add in kitchens and fireplaces. It can be
done over an existing deck and depending on the age
of the deck, we do a lot of remodels, which
(22:22):
is where the name of my company, Deck Remodelers came from.
We started out doing a lot of remodels where we
would take the existing frame, strip it all down, decking,
new rails, new facious stairs, the whole bit, and basically
you have a brand new deck. I mean, esthetically, you
have a brand new deck. Now the frame has to
(22:43):
be in good condition because this is going to last
for the next fifty years. But that's something you could
definitely do.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Yeah, And I think when some people think about home
projects like this, it might seem a little overwhelming for them.
What advice would you give so that they don't just
not do it and that they do move forward?
Speaker 7 (23:03):
You know what, that's a great question I have.
Speaker 8 (23:06):
I cannot tell you how many people come to me
that have been just kicking this back and forth for years.
They don't know where to start, or they started with
an architect, but that kind of was a dead end
because they really couldn't get what they wanted they didn't
know what it cost, or they started with the contractor
and then they started getting prices and they weren't even
sure what they were getting. The best advice is start
(23:28):
with a master plan. Need a master plan, whether you're
going to do it all this year or over the
next five years or eight years.
Speaker 7 (23:36):
Start with a.
Speaker 8 (23:37):
Master plan, and then break it down into phases. That
way you know what you're getting and you avoid the
I tell people that this has happened so many times.
It's a cliche. I get to somebody's house. They decided
to put the pool in real quick, in a hurry
because they wanted the pool for the kids. Now it's
time to do the deck, and they want this, you know,
(23:57):
they see the stuff that we do and they want
the outdoor living room and this and.
Speaker 7 (24:00):
That and this and that. And I look at them
and I say, the pool is to do what you
want to do.
Speaker 8 (24:06):
The pool is five feet too close to the house, right,
And they're like, pool guy just said to put it there.
I'm like, because the pool guy doesn't care. The pool
guy is putting a pool in. He's not thinking master.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Plan right exactly. That's good advice. So when you were
putting together your book.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
How did you decide which top ten plans to illustrate
in the book and what can we expect to be featured.
Speaker 7 (24:31):
Oh that was really hard for me.
Speaker 8 (24:33):
That was these are like my babies I've got I've
got so many different projects, and like everyone has a backstory,
and this one, you know, this one there was grading issues.
Speaker 7 (24:48):
And this one we had to build rotating walls.
Speaker 8 (24:50):
And this one they wanted one hundred and eighty degree
one hundred and eighty degree helical stairs and we had
to design and come up with, you know, how to
construct that. And it was painful to go through really
so many intimations. But then when it was done, it
was like, oh my god, this is awesome. Yeah, and
you know, so it was really hard to pick the
(25:13):
top ten. Basically, you know, my team has their favorites.
I have my favorites. And then we looked at the
award winners. So a lot of the national award winners.
So that's NADRA is the North American Deck and Rail Association,
and they have the Deck Awards, which is like the
Oscars of decks.
Speaker 7 (25:30):
Okay, it used to be red carpet and we would
at the.
Speaker 8 (25:36):
At the Aquarium down in Baltimore, we did in Chicago
all around the country every year. It's a little more
casual now, but it still brings in three hundred of
the top designers and builders.
Speaker 7 (25:46):
From around the world.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
Wow.
Speaker 8 (25:49):
This is the United States, Canada, UK, New Zealand, Australia and.
Speaker 7 (25:56):
These guys compete. So the winners that you'll see in
the book.
Speaker 8 (25:59):
Are winners first place winners from those awards, so they
were judged by a lot of judges around the world.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Wow, that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
And I know you travel a lot to inspire your
designs when designing someone's deck in their home, how do
your travels influence your building?
Speaker 7 (26:17):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (26:18):
I do you know?
Speaker 8 (26:20):
In America there's a lot of we're a little bit
behind on the outdoor living space. When you go to
these other countries, there's so much more outdoor living right,
And you know, you go to the resorts and just
everything is outside and you just you know that feeling
when you walk outside with the drink in your hand.
(26:41):
The temperature is absolutely perfect, and they've got the couches overlooking.
Speaker 7 (26:45):
The water and.
Speaker 8 (26:46):
You sit down there and the whole weight of the
world just lifts off of you. Yes, that feeling is
what I design for people's backyards so they can have.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
That every day. So amazing.
Speaker 8 (26:59):
You know, that's whether it's you know, Spanish influenced design.
I was in Spain and just the arches and the
colors and the different things, or you know Thailand where
it's it's just a whole different kind of rustic thing
going on there and very textural.
Speaker 7 (27:17):
It's just really cool.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
And so if somebody has maybe like a smaller acreage
in their backyard, could they still make an oasis out
there with the deck?
Speaker 7 (27:27):
Absolutely?
Speaker 8 (27:28):
And those those are some of my favorite projects too,
because you know, when you have some parameters and you're restricted,
it forces you to get really creative. Right, When you
just have this giant, open, big lot, it's like, okay, yeah,
it's really about budget. But when you have a smaller space,
and especially if it's you know, densely populated so you've
(27:49):
got neighbors around stuff, creating a cool space that's private, yeah,
and you know gives you everything. You know New York apartment, right,
there's some New York apartments that are so well designed
that everything fits into this smaller space and it's just
like it's perfect. I really that that kind of design.
(28:10):
I just love it. I love it.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Yeah, and so I know you're a third generation builder.
How did your family influence your current work?
Speaker 8 (28:18):
Oh, my dad kicked my ass out to work every
morning at five thirty and didn't let me waste anything.
I mean he's from Ireland, so he's old school. It
was no waste in anything. No is not an option.
Failure was not an option. It was figure out how
to do it, make it work. So, you know, I
(28:40):
have a big family and my first house was a
very small house. I literally couldn't have all of my
family over unless we were on the deck. So that
kind of pushed me as well, like we need to
cover this thing. I can't be sweating out. Is it
going to rain on Easter when we have everybody over
or you know, Thanksgiving or or whatever. So that kind
(29:02):
of led me to start covering a lot of the
decks that I did. So that's a big influence on
my design.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Yeah, it's so smart and it's so creative. And so
what does revolutionizing deck design mean to you?
Speaker 8 (29:18):
It means taking things that haven't been done before outside
or haven't been done at scale and making them available
for people.
Speaker 7 (29:29):
So like when we.
Speaker 8 (29:31):
Did in twenty fourteen, we won for Sunken Fire Lounge,
which was a situation where I didn't have enough space
zoning wise to be able to build a deck and
big enough with the lounge area and everything else.
Speaker 7 (29:46):
And the lady.
Speaker 8 (29:48):
The client, she had a round couch on her patio
and that was on.
Speaker 7 (29:54):
Her old deck.
Speaker 8 (29:56):
The first thing that struck me was like, the round
couch stuck in the corner of a deck does not
look good.
Speaker 7 (30:01):
It just doesn't fit. It just it wasn't a great
use of space.
Speaker 8 (30:04):
And then I had to curve the deck and manipulate
the deck to make it work inside the zoning parameters.
And I'm like, well, if I do this as a
circular curve, I can get it. I can pull it
in enough to make this work, and I can put
her couch in there, which you'll even be better, and
then a fire in the middle of it. It'll be perfect.
And she had a lot of faith in me. We
(30:26):
didn't have the three D design stuff that we have now.
So I told her what I was going to do
and she's like, I trust you, and I did it,
and it was like blow away.
Speaker 7 (30:37):
She was so incredibly.
Speaker 8 (30:38):
Happy with that so doing something like that was is
kind of cool and just making the space.
Speaker 7 (30:45):
So when I designed, I designed for I designed.
Speaker 8 (30:49):
So it flows. It flows from an intimate gathering. So
it's you and your family, your kids, whatever, hanging out
to a bigger party. But there's no breaking it up.
It's everybody is at the same party.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Well, I love what you're doing, and you know, when
I get my next home, I want to call you
and come at you come out.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
So what's the process.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
If somebody wants to get in touch with you for
a consultation, say where do you service?
Speaker 7 (31:15):
We're based in Spartan, New Jersey.
Speaker 8 (31:17):
Dec Remodelers dot Com is our website and you can
see tons of stuff that we do up there.
Speaker 7 (31:22):
You can reach us through there.
Speaker 8 (31:23):
There is thousands of pictures and videos and it really
walks you through all the different the different aspects and
things to think about whether you work with us or not.
Looking through that stuff and reading what we have up
there will help you make better informed decisions.
Speaker 3 (31:37):
Right.
Speaker 8 (31:37):
So that's dec Remodelers our Instagram. We have a big,
big following on Instagram and that's where all our latest
and greatest stuff go up. There's a lot of walkthroughs
of spaces, which, by the way, in the book, which
is kind of a cool thing.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
I thought.
Speaker 8 (31:50):
We put QR codes on some of the pictures, so
we have about ten or fifteen walkthroughs that you can do.
So if you're looking at a picture of a deck
you like, you can click the QR code and I'll walk.
Speaker 7 (32:00):
You through the space.
Speaker 8 (32:02):
We work from northern Fairfield County in Connecticut all the
way down through outside of Philly.
Speaker 1 (32:09):
And where can we get your book, Deck Rebellion Revolutionary
Concepts for Outdoor Living.
Speaker 8 (32:14):
You can get it on Amazon. It's available on Amazon,
and it's also available through our website. If you'd like
a signed copy, you can go through our website.
Speaker 1 (32:22):
Well, thank you so much, Sewn McLear. I appreciate you
joining me today on Passport Mommy.
Speaker 7 (32:26):
Thanks Michelle, have a great day.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
Thank you you too.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
I'm Michelle Jerson the Passport Mommy More coming up in
a few.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
You're listening to Passport Mommy.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
I'm Michelle Jerson, and I am so excited because guess what.
SeaWorld Orlando is officially opening the Expedition Odyssey. This is
unparalleled ride technology, breath taking real world footage, and up
close encounters with Arctic wildlife. This is the most immersive
Arctic experience ever creative and so I'm really happy to
(33:01):
have on the show with me today Rob McNichols. He's
going to talk to us all about it and what
we can expect.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Rob, thank you so much for joining me today.
Speaker 9 (33:09):
Good morning, Thanks for coming out.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Absolutely so what can guests of SeaWorld expect with the
Expedition Odyssey ride?
Speaker 5 (33:17):
You covered it perfectly.
Speaker 9 (33:18):
This is a first of his kind immersive experience here
at sea where we're guests. We'll get to see animals
in their natural habitat in the Arctic and then come
face to face with the animals right after. So you
probably should get the ride going and show you what
it's all about.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
Yes, please do.
Speaker 5 (33:35):
Yes.
Speaker 9 (33:35):
So this is great because we are inside the Arctic
Expedition Odyssey, like I mentioned, and this ride is going
to rotate back into the show building. What's really cool
about that is it's got two sides, so guests right
now are experiencing it on the backside behind me. We
rotate in and it's our turn to come face to
face these animals in this amazing footage.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
That's very cool.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
So how is Expedition Odyssey pushing the boundaries of just
theme park technology.
Speaker 5 (34:03):
Yeah, so this is immersive.
Speaker 9 (34:05):
This is the firsts kind of North America experience.
Speaker 5 (34:08):
And right now we are rotating.
Speaker 9 (34:09):
So there's two levels of this experience, fifteen guests on
each level. You're wearing a seatbelt, very comfortable, you feel
very secure, and there's only a thirty nine inch high requirement.
So it's perfect for the entire family. Grandma down the
little ones, that's just perfect for them.
Speaker 1 (34:26):
Oh, I love that because so many times in my
little ones, we're little and they couldn't ride the rides.
This is great to know because they love SeaWorld and
we're excited to check it out. So tell me about
the real live shop video footage captured exclusively for this attraction.
Speaker 5 (34:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (34:41):
So, we spent weeks in the Arctic Circle off the
coast of Norway shooting these animals in their habitat. And
right now we are flying down the mountain side. The
wind is flown, is picking up, and we're going to
come right in the next scene and see a ton
of bluegle whales right in front of us. Bluegle whales
what some of the friendliest animals. They be in pods
(35:03):
up to one hundred switting off the coast here and
this real footage.
Speaker 5 (35:08):
It's pretty remarkable.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
Oh, it really is.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
So the adventure just doesn't end when the ride ends either,
because you were saying you then come in, you encounter
the real life the animals.
Speaker 2 (35:18):
Tell me about that.
Speaker 9 (35:19):
Yeah, it's something the only Sea World does. Right, you
come here, you get to see them, and it's amazing.
It's we always like to say, touch the heart to
teach the mind. And when you see these animals and
the challenges they.
Speaker 5 (35:31):
Experience in the wild, it inspires you to make a difference.
And this is thrilling. And when you out the ride.
Speaker 7 (35:38):
It doesn't end.
Speaker 5 (35:39):
You get to.
Speaker 10 (35:39):
See well google whales, Walrus's hang which it is fantastic.
Speaker 5 (35:43):
It's a great experience.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
Oh my goodness, So you mentioned Walris's Tell me about Iki,
the beloved orphaned Walris cap rescued in Alaska, who now
gets to call SeaWorld Orlando home.
Speaker 9 (35:56):
Well, I can say you have to come see for yourself,
because you educate and educate team absolutely adore.
Speaker 5 (36:01):
She is perfect.
Speaker 9 (36:02):
She is so cute and uh, I tell you she's
growing really really quick. So come out fast and see
her but adorable and it just really you know, Yeah,
she was orphaned and we gave her a second chance
of life, and it's uh, it's a proud.
Speaker 5 (36:16):
Moment for sure.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
That's incredible.
Speaker 1 (36:18):
What SeaWorld does is amazing for the animals, it's amazing
for the guests who get to come experience this.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
So I know the ride is opening today.
Speaker 1 (36:27):
Where can we go for more information and to get
our tickets?
Speaker 9 (36:30):
Yeah, so seawort Orlando dot com is the best place
to go get your deals and your your tickets there.
It opens up for past numbers. The information is all
there based on different past levels. And then of course
May night is opening day. It's it's uh, it's really exciting.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Yeah, completely, Well, thank you so much, Rob McNichols.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
I appreciate you joining me today.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
On Passport Mommy and I look forward to seeing you
in SeaWorld soon.
Speaker 5 (36:54):
We'll see in the park.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Absolutely. I'm Michelle Jurson.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
More coming up in a few Did you know that
next Friday is National Pizza Party Day? Well, I was
so excited to spend a night yesterday at Little Charlie.
It is a restaurant in the West Village in New
York City at two seventy one Bleaker Street, So if
you're a local, you definitely have to check them out.
And if you're headed to the city at any point,
this place is a must stop for dinner. They have
(37:19):
so many unique pizzas and they have a wood burning oven,
which was grandfathered in because most places in New York
City are not allowed to have those anymore.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
And get this, they.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
Are offering personal pizzas for just five dollars to celebrate
National Pizza Party Day. All you have to do is
download the Blackbird app and pay on the platform to
receive the special offer. It is next Friday, May sixteenth,
between noon and four pm. Little Charlie, two seventy one
Bleeker Street. This place is so much fun. Their pizza
(37:51):
is so much fun. My kids loved the nutella and
marshmallow one. They have one called Drunken Grandma, and then
your classic Margherita pizza. They are all made with love
by Salvadors. So if you stop in there, definitely tell them.
Michelle says, hi, thanks for joining me this week on
Passport Mommy.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
You're listening to Passport Mommy.
Speaker 1 (38:13):
I'm Michelle Jerson and I am so excited to talk
cruising today and we have Damien dla Rensis. He is
the Celebrity Cruises Director of Entertainment and when it comes
to romantic getaways, one of the best ways to escape
the hustle and bustle of life is to take a cruise.
I know, whenever I'm on the water, I am happy.
And so he's here to tell us everything that is
(38:35):
going on with Celebrity.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
Hi, Damien, Hi.
Speaker 5 (38:39):
Great to be here. Thanks for having me, Michelle.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
My pleasure. So let's talk about romantic getaways. What are
some of the hottest romantic getaway locations.
Speaker 11 (38:48):
Well, where you were catching me right now today is
in Minie, Bahamas. I'm here up on the top deck
of the Celebrity Beyond, which is one of our Edge
class series vessels. The ship itself is one of the
hottest romantic getaways as far as destinations, whether it's here
in the Bahamas or all the places that we sail
on the Caribbean including Cosimmel, Mexico, Grand Cayman, Saint Thomas,
Saint Martin, Guerto Platz at Dominican Republic. Our incredible vessels
(39:12):
will take you to all of these places.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
Tell me about the Celebrity Excel.
Speaker 11 (39:17):
Well, the Celebrity Excel is our newest vessel. It comes
out this fall. Celebrity Excel comes out this year twenty
twenty five in November, and it will offer the most
choice of any of our ships, and it will give
date night on upgrade like you've never seen before on
any ship and specifically within Celebrity Cruises Incredible fleet. If
you love food, there are going to be thirty two
(39:39):
different food and beverage options which are globally inspired, all
across the ship, as well as the largest footprint of
entertainment and activities that we've ever had, touching more venues
on board the ship than we ever had in the
history of our fleet, as well as extensive wellness experiences
as well.
Speaker 1 (39:55):
Wow, So what are some of the restaurants? What are
some of the culinary options?
Speaker 11 (39:59):
Well, the one I'm going to speak but right now
is the one that I'm very close to or it
will be very close to on the brand new ship,
which is Bora, which is in a Mediterranean inspired restaurant
that will not only be available for dining in the evening,
but will also feature our very first brunch experience, which
is a ton of fun. It's a boozy brunch with
fired cuisine, elevated takes on Mediterranean classics, your very own
(40:20):
Bloody Mary bar where you can customize your very own
Bloody Mary Bar. And of course entertainment which is regionally inspired,
inspired by the great dishes in the atmosphere of the restaurant.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
That sounds amazing.
Speaker 1 (40:30):
And what about some of the features that allow couples
to enjoy date night all day long.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
I know you just mentioned the brunch.
Speaker 11 (40:36):
What else, Well, we've got the largest footprint of entertainment
that we've ever had on board any one of our
celebrity ships, with three brand new theater production shows created
by the top creatives in the world of Hollywood Films
of Broadway, London's West End. They're exclusive to our incredible theater,
as well as two brand new club shows which are
going to be featured right next door in the club
(40:57):
which turns into a nightclub later credible dance parties.
Speaker 5 (41:01):
But a lot of ways to have some brand new experiences.
Speaker 11 (41:03):
We have so many ship experiences, whether it's sharing a
scotch tasting together, whether it's a wellness experience, a culinary experience,
a tasting, a hands on cooking class or either an
experiences that combine the.
Speaker 5 (41:14):
World of art with the world of beverage experiences.
Speaker 11 (41:17):
There's really something for all of our couples to really
reconnect and get away from it all on board our ships.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
I love it, and I know obviously you probably do
a lot of weddings on board, but even if we're
not getting married and we're just looking to bring that
romance on board, how can couples bring an element of surprise,
let's say, to their next sailing well.
Speaker 11 (41:36):
Between all of our wellness experiences, whether it's a trip
to the Spa, whether it's a great experience on shore,
some of these experience that I mentioned are really a
chance to maybe do something you've never done before, have
an experience that you've never had before on board one
of our ships, whether it's discovering your artistic side, whether
it's trying new culinaryan beverage experiences that really are inspired
by the great destinations that we travel to. They're all
(41:58):
available in Celebrity excel Terrific.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
And so you mentioned the one destination where you are
right now. Where are some other places that Celebrity Excel
will sell to well?
Speaker 11 (42:07):
In addition, to where I am right now in Bimini, Bahamas.
Speaker 5 (42:10):
In the Caribbean. We've got great.
Speaker 11 (42:12):
Places on the itineraries like Cosmo, Mexico, like Grand Cayman,
Saint Thomas and Saint Martin.
Speaker 5 (42:17):
Beautiful puertual Plata.
Speaker 11 (42:19):
And the Dominican Republic, as well as Nassa and the
Bahamas as well.
Speaker 5 (42:23):
That is winter season.
Speaker 11 (42:25):
In the summer, it's got an incredible Mediterranean season which
features great destinations and places like Portugal, Spain, Italy, Turkey
and Greece.
Speaker 1 (42:33):
Oh how nice, And you said the first sailing is
in November.
Speaker 11 (42:37):
Correct, first sailing is November of this year from Fort Lauderdale,
Florida to the Caribbean.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
Great, great, all right, So how can we go ahead
and book our cruise before it fills up? Because I
know it's so exciting to get on one of the
inaugural cruises when it first starts and the smell of
a fresh cruise ship. There is nothing better, I thing.
Speaker 11 (42:55):
Absolutely any one of our guests or anyone listening here,
we can go to Celebritycruises dot Com. That's where you'll
find all of your booking information, information about all of
our ships, and specifically the latest things which have been
revealed and released about our brand new Celebrity Excel.
Speaker 5 (43:10):
As well.
Speaker 11 (43:10):
With Celebrity Excel, we have something called the Dream Makers
in which our guests are able to participate in polls
leading up to the launch of the ship, where you
can actually contribute to decisions that are going to be
made about the ship, whether it's a different variety of entertainment,
a different decision about a costume, a different decision about
a cocktail or a dish. You can be part of
making the ship and creating your experience when you join.
Speaker 5 (43:31):
Us on board.
Speaker 1 (43:31):
Damien de Lorenzis, thank you so much for joining me
today on Passport.
Speaker 5 (43:35):
Mommy appreciate it. Thank you, Michelle, have a great day.
Speaker 2 (43:37):
My pleasure. You too. I'm Michelle Jerson.
Speaker 1 (43:40):
Have a wonderful week.
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