gtrot

We posted a new Mystery Photo! The first person to correctly...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:13:08 -0500

We posted a new Mystery Photo! The first person to correctly guess where this photo was taken wins a gtrot prize pack!

Any guesses?

How was everyone’s Mardi Gras? We hope you got a chance to...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:14:34 -0500

How was everyone’s Mardi Gras? We hope you got a chance to check out our Mardi Gras Tips video if you were celebrating Fat Tuesday in New Orleans.

If you’re interested in knowing more about how Mardi Gras helps the New Orleans economy, read “Mardi Gras Decoded” by our Community Manager Kamaria.

There’s a new Mystery Photo! Do you know where this photo...

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:41:08 -0500

There’s a new Mystery Photo! Do you know where this photo was taken? Submit your guesses on Facebook to win a gtrot prize pack!

For more information check out our City Love page!

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:45:43 -0500

For more information check out our City Love page!

Bonnaroo 2012!

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:48:35 -0500

Hey festival-goers!

The lineup for Bonnaroo, the annual music and arts festival in Manchester, Tennessee was released today! Radiohead, Phish, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers will be headlining the 4-day festival. Childish Gambino, Skrillex, Foster The People, Aziz Ansari, Bon Iver and Little Dragon along with over 70 other artists are scheduled to perform. For the full lineup visit Bonnaroo!

Will you be attending the festival this year?

A Special Gift From Urban Adventures

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:00:00 -0500

Last week we posted a video from our friends over at Urban Adventures. If you want to get the vibe of a city from a local’s point of view, Urban Adventures does just that! They provide tours in over 100 cities! They are still looking for someone to take over the London Urban Adventures, if you’re interested.

Also, they gave us a special 10% off discount code for gtrot users! Use the promo code GTROT when booking your tour! This code is valid for all tours booked and completed by June 30, 2012.

Happy touring!

#FriFotos: Sand at the Oak Street Beach here in Chicago!

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:34:49 -0500

#FriFotos: Sand at the Oak Street Beach here in Chicago!

Are you going to New Orleans for Mardi Gras? We have 7 tips for...

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:49:00 -0500

Are you going to New Orleans for Mardi Gras? We have 7 tips for a hassle-free Mardi Gras!

What should you wear to Mardi Gras? What are the must try foods in New Orleans? Where are the best places to go during Mardi Gras? Find out in this informative video.

Find amazing things to do in New Orleans or any city with http://gtrot.com.

There’s exactly one week left to get your...

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:37:00 -0500

There’s exactly one week left to get your Valentine’s Day plans together. If you’re a slowpoke or simply clueless, we’re here to help you!

Your No-Nonsense Valentine’s Day Guide will give you a few suggestions on how to make this Valentine’s Day the best one yet:

SAY IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT.

IScreenYouScreen has lots of prints to help express how you really feel.

MAKE YOUR RESERVATION NOW.

The OpenTable app is the easiest way to make a dinner reservation. Download it now!

HEARTBEATS.

Personalized gifts, FTW! Create a CD/playlist for your lover’s ears only. The songs can be from your first dance, a live concert you attended together or just a tune that reminds you of that special someone.

DO SOMETHING TOGETHER.

Get close and personal! We have a lot of couple friendly deals on gtrot. There are so many options ranging from a chocolate & wine tastings to dance lessons. Search for your city on the gtrot homepage and once you’re in, click the Deals tab to see what’s available.

DONATE AS A GIFT.

Show your partner your soft side. Make a donation to a charity:water or a charity of your choice in their name. It’s the gift that keeps giving.

We hope you all have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!

Urban Adventures is looking for a London expert to take over...

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:14:00 -0500

Urban Adventures is looking for a London expert to take over London Urban Adventures for the remainder of 2012. It could be you!

Urban Adventures provides tours with locals all over the world. If you’re traveling to a new destination and looking to explore the city from a local point of view, Urban Adventures is perfect for you.

See! We have fun in the gtrot offices. gtrot CEO Zach...

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:17:32 -0500

See! We have fun in the gtrot offices.

gtrot CEO Zach Smith

(ceoswithashakew8)

The Color Run looks like the most fun 5k we’ve ever seen....

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:34:00 -0500

The Color Run looks like the most fun 5k we’ve ever seen. You don’t have to do much training for The Color Run, as it is more about enjoying the day and less about speed. Each person will start the 5K in a clean white t-shirt and finish covered in color! Every kilometer has a different color, so when runners/walkers hit the kilometer color zone, the volunteers, sponsors and staff will blitz them with color. The 5k finish color zone isn’t just one color- it’s a color extravaganza!

The 2012 Tour de Color Run is rolling into 18 US Cities. Convince your family and friends to register for The Color Run closest to you. We’re sure it’ll be a crazy fun time!

For more information go to TheColorRun.com.

Sometimes you should explore the areas around you! gtrot can...

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:03:00 -0500

Sometimes you should explore the areas around you! gtrot can help you do just that! Find awesome things to do in any city with gtrot. Instantly see places to go, friends, deals & events- custom for you.

We love Pinterest! It’s only right for us to share some of...

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:41:58 -0500

We love Pinterest! It’s only right for us to share some of our favorite places in Chicago, since we spend a lot of our time here. We can’t wait to add more to the board! Check it out and tell us what you think! Don’t forget to share your Pinterest boards with us, too.

Practical or silly? This is the Yofo Ergonomic Smartphone Grip....

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:15:28 -0500

Practical or silly? This is the Yofo Ergonomic Smartphone Grip. When we initially saw this item on Fab.com, we thought it was a cool idea; however, the cradle was a little weird. We think the extension is better used as a grip and cord organizer.

What are your thoughts on the Yofo? Is it practical or silly?

Ever wonder how a five-year-old views common brands like Pepsi,...

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:23:00 -0500

Ever wonder how a five-year-old views common brands like Pepsi, Target and NBC? Watch this video to get branding perspectives from a kid. Cute, right?

We wonder what she would say about the gtrot logo!

#Frifotos: Rime-encased branches with budding flowers on Lu...

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:31:13 -0500

#Frifotos: Rime-encased branches with budding flowers on Lu mountain.

(ninhaochina)

Airbnb’s Global Growth Infographic Wow! Look at how Airbnb...

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:42:55 -0500

Airbnb’s Global Growth Infographic

Wow! Look at how Airbnb has grown!

Happy Mystery Photo Wednesday! Do you know where this photo was...

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:10:10 -0500

Happy Mystery Photo Wednesday! Do you know where this photo was taken? Submit your guesses on Facebook!

Our latest Featured Traveler is Lisa Lubin. Lisa’s story...

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:03:10 -0500

Our latest Featured Traveler is Lisa Lubin. Lisa’s story of globetrotting will surely give you a bad case of wanderlust. After three years of traveling, Lisa is focusing on her very own video consulting business, LLmedia. Find out more about Lisa’s travel experiences and her favorite Mexican restaurants in this Featured Traveler profile.

Name: Lisa Lubin

Tell us a little about yourself:

I am a three-time Emmy® Award winning television writer/producer/photographer. After more than a decade in broadcast television I decided to chuck it all and take a sabbatical of sorts which turned into nearly 3 years traveling and working my way around the world. I document my (mis)adventures on my blog, LLworldtour.com, with photographs and articles from the road/train/rickshaw/camel. I recently launched LLmedia, a video consulting business along with an eBook called Video 101: Tips & Tricks for Awesome Visual Storytelling.

For three years, I took Spanish and surfing lessons in Costa Rica, rode through the narrow fjords and icy glaciers of the Chilean Patagonia, hiked up and biked down a snowy volcano in Ecuador, swam with dolphins off the coast of New Zealand, climbed high atop the Harbour Bridge in Sydney, sand-boarded the dunes of Dubai, kayaked between pristine islands of Belize, climbed like Moses to the top of Mt. Sinai, and successfully accomplished a two-week bicycle tour through the rice fields Vietnam. I have also found work in many places—I served up coffee and sandwiches in a café in Melbourne, taught private business English lessons in Istanbul, performed proofreading work for a Turkish media conglomerate, worked as a research assistant at the University of Cologne, was a pet sitter and an ‘extra’ in Los Angeles, did public relations for a company in Madrid and did some English voice recording for a publishing company in Berlin. At present, I’ve been to 6 continents and more than 45 countries.

Favorite city you’ve been to:

Besides Chicago, where I live and love it….ah, so hard to pick a fav…one of my favorites would be Stockholm. It’s a gorgeous city set on a myriad of Islands. It’s very modern, clean, and there is this great general ‘look’ to everything - that well thought out Scandinavian design and aesthetic. Plus there are tons of great cafes where you can go for a Fika (coffee break)!

Favorite restaurant:

A big part of my job at ABC (before I quit to travel), was doing TV segments on Chicago’s restaurant scene. It’s the reason I am a bit of a foodie today. There is so much good food in this town…I have a favorite in each category! I now crave Mexican a lot more than I used to, as it’s not very common to find good Mexican outside of the Americas. Right now I am loving the tortas at XOCO (Bayless is known for all his fresh ingredients and you can taste it) and also the tacos at Big Star - super tasty and cheap!

Best place to relax:

Nowadays, with all the traveling and working I am doing…it’s actually just on my boyfriend’s couch.

Best place to have fun:

Well besides also on my boyfriend’s couch (hee hee), that would be usually trying new foods with friends in Chicago or when I am traveling. To me, food = fun!

Best trip you’ve ever taken:

Besides my entire 15-month ‘round the world trip, I can say a weeklong boat tour through the Galapagos Islands. This was one of those once-in-a-liftime trips. It wasn’t even total luxury, but at the time was a splurge while I traveled the world on a budget. It was fun to be on a boat with a small group of great travelers, eating fresh food, snorkeling, and being up close and personal with beautiful animals everyday.

What one piece of advice do you have for travelers?

Travel slow. Don’t worry about seeing it all - stay for a week, a month. Get an apartment. Build a community.

Get local. The best part of travel for me is meeting people. I try to do this everywhere I go - through social media (Tweet: who’s in London??), through the readers of my blog, through the amazing couchsurfing.org, and through friends of friends. I found that now that I am back in Chicago, I am still reaching out to people and meeting new folks every week in my own town. Life is good!

Where else can we find you on the web?

My Travel Blog: LLworldtour

My Video Consulting website & eBook:

LLmedia

Facebook Page

Twitter

Linked In