San Francisco – Mar 06 2015

Dear EuroCircle Members,

We are going to hold a nice quaint happy hour pre-party for International Women’s Day.

The Theme for this Year is “Make it Happen“.

From 5PM to 6PM we will be glad to hear from all ladies who have “made it happen” in the Bay area.
Sign up to be a speaker or suggest a speaker by emailing info@eurocircle.com

Short announcements of the jobs, accomplishments, and their role as women in today’s society.
As always “dancing will follow” with a heavy emphasis geared towards women!
Free Champagne for the first women to arrive.

It will be fun!

EuroCircle Team.
Volunteers needed to hand out name tags and taking pictures.

 

Denver – Mar 05 2015

Let’s get this group going, Denver!!!
EuroCircle Denver meets at Argyll Whisky Beer, A Gastropub

Ceridwen Koski

Experience the Magic of Iceland with Runa Bergmann

We have a European visitor in Austin this week. Itโ€™s Runa Bergmann, who is here to promote her destination management company and offer Austinites a Taste of Iceland at restaurant Chez Zee on Balcones. She is accompanied by chef Bjarni Bequette who will be serving Icelandic lamb, desserts made from the renowned skyr, a dairy product dating back to Viking times, licorice and Brennivin, an Icelandic aquavit from Thursday February 26th to Saturday the 28th.

***Stop by Chez Zee during the promotion days, Feb 26-28 and enter a drawing for a $500 gift card
from Icelandair towards an airfare and a 5 nights stay at Grand Hotel Reykjavik.

How long have you been in the travel industry?

โ€œIโ€™ve been in the event management and travel industry for 25 years now,โ€ says Runa. โ€œI ran my own hotel and tour operation for several years and have been a tour escort for groups both in Iceland and other countries. I love my country and have been travelling around Iceland since I was a little girl, hiking, skiing, hunting and salmon fishing, so Iโ€™m familiar with every part of the products Iโ€™m offering through my business.โ€

I currently live in the Vinings suburb of Atlanta GA and have been in Atlanta since 2007.

Tailor made trips to Iceland

โ€œICELAND TRIPS 4 YOU specializes in tailor made tours for people who want to visit Iceland, whether the group consists of 2 or 20 persons. In addition, we plan conferences and incentive trips. The company is built on years of experience, as the owners have all been in the industry for 20 years or more. My partners are the owners of the Fosshotel and Iceland Hotel Chains, the second largest chain in Iceland.โ€

Why promote Iceland in Austin?

โ€œSharon Watkins, the owner of Chez Zee, is a dear friend of mine. We became friends at my hotel in Iceland and she has repeatedly been back to escape the hottest months in Texas. She loves the country and the food and has always wanted to have special themed Icelandic days at her restaurant, so when I opened my travel agency, it just seemed right to go ahead with her idea. I was lucky enough to get Bjarni R. Bequette, the Executive Chef of the Fosshotel Chain, to travel with me. He will be serving up a special Taste of Iceland dinner menu at Chez Zee on Feb 26-28, as previously mentioned. We brought real Icelandic food items with us, including Icelandic lamb, โ€œgeyserโ€ rye bread, licorice, โ€œskyrโ€ the special Icelandic dairy product, and Brennivin, an Icelandic aquavit. The guests who visit Chez Zee are in for a special treat.โ€

See more about the menu and ingredients below:
www.chez-zee.com/dinner-specials-taste-of-iceland-feb-26-28-2015/

What are the 10 things youโ€™d like everyone to see in Iceland and why?

Itโ€™s hard to choose, because Iceland has so many beautiful and magnificent places to visit, but my list would look something like this:

1. Thingvellir, which is where the first parliamentary rule in the world was established in 930 A.D. It is a sacred place, the landscape is magnificent, and it sits on one of the few visible rift valleys on Earth.

2. Geysir, the geothermal area, which all โ€œgeyserโ€ areas are named after. Strokkur, one of the geyserโ€™s, erupts every 3-5 minutes.

3. Gullfoss, the golden waterfall, which demonstrates the force of water which has carved its way through the land forming deep gorges.

4. Snaefellsjokull Glacier and the surrounding National Park in West Iceland. French author Jules Verne used the Glacier as an entrance to inner earth in his novel Journey to the Centre of the Earth.

5. Latrabjarg cliffs, the westernmost point of Europe, where puffins and other seabirds nest.

6. Lake Myvatn in the north east part of Iceland. Psuedo volcanic craters as well as real ones, and lava formations create magical landscape. The birdlife on the lake is unique.

7. Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon, where icebergs from calving glaciers fall into a lagoon, and float around the boats that take tourists around it.

8. Dyrholaey headland on the south coast of Iceland. Spectacular landscape created by erosion, where many seabirds nest during early summer.

9. The Blue Lagoon. It was formed by runoff water that came from a geothermal power plant. The silica in the water formed a layer in the lava field, so instead of seeping through the water formed a lake with hot water, great for healing skin issues.

10. And of course Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland which is by the sea, with views to the mountains that mean so much to us Icelanders.

What would be YOUR favorite trip in Iceland?

โ€œMy list of 10 describes many of my favorite places, but it only lists a small part of the magic that can be experienced in Iceland. The country is rugged and beautiful. It has glaciers and volcanos side by side. I have travelled the globe, been to all continents, and yet I am always in awe of the magic of Iceland. That is why I am in this business; to introduce the magic to the rest of the world.โ€

How to connect with Runa Bergmann:

Connect with Runa:
www.icelandtrips4you.com
LinkedIn: Runa Gudrun Bergmann
Twitter: @runa_bergmann
Other: Email Runa
Video: Inspired by Iceland

Atlanta – Mar 04 2015

Join EuroCircle for our March event at FADO Irish Pub.
We will meet upstairs on the top floor which has its own bar and restrooms as well as the ‘heated patio’ area.
Complimentary appetizers will be served and the management has graciously extended their ‘Happy Hour’ drink prices until 9:00pm (instead of the usual 7:00pm) – this means $5 red & white house wines / $5 Stella Artois, IPA and Ale beers and two of the cocktails on the drink menu.

Valet parking is available ($7) or you can self-park next to FADO in the library parking lot for $5 (or you can always take UBERโ€ฆ)

Hope everyone can make it for some Pre-St Patrick’s Day fun and mingle with your fellow EuroCircle members – pleaseย  feel free to invite all your international and like-minded friends for our get-together next week!

See you on Wednesday March 4th!Salutations!!!
David
(Atlanta EuroCircle)

Miami – Mar 08 2015

BY PERSONAL INVITATION ONLY

A delicious brunch with bottomless mimosas and sangrias ($28/pp).

They will have a private patio with the limited number of seats available so PLEASE make sure to ACCEPT or DECLINE the invitation (if you receive one) by Friday, February 27th so Karina hasย  a count of ladies that will be joining her.
Deadline to sign up by Feb 27th

 

EuroCircle Safari Through Southern Africa, 2015 (Trip with EuroCircle)

TRIP DATES: Oct 24 2015 – return date up to you but most of us will fly back on Nov 4th 2015

3 Countries in one EuroCircle Adventure!
Namibia, Botswana, Zambia

Travel-2015trip

 

This classic expedition showcases some of the best that Africa has to offer. Journey from Namibia, across Botswana and on to Zambia on an authentic African adventure that includes the elephants of Chobe National Park. Meet San Bushmen in the blazing Kalahari and explore the Okavango Delta by dug-out mokoro canoe. We will have an overnight in bushmen huts for an utterly unique experience. This tour is the trip of a lifetime! What’s Included:
โ€ข Kalahari Desert visit
โ€ข Okavango Delta excursion with entrances, game walks and dug-out canoe trips
โ€ข Maun sunset boat cruise
โ€ข Bird-watching guided walk
โ€ข All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
โ€ข 6 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 2 dinners. (Allow USD190-250 for meals and drinks not included.)
โ€ข Air-conditioned touring vehicle, walking, mokoro, ferry
โ€ข Chief Experience Officer (CEO)/driver throughout, local guides.

SHORT ITINERARY:
Day 1 Windhoek
Arrive at any time.

Day 2 Kalahari (Ghanzi) (1B)
Explore the Kalahari Desert. Learn fascinating survival skills by the local San Bushmen on an optional walk and choose to enjoy a traditional bushmen dance in the evening.

Day 3-4 Maun/Okavango Delta (2B, 1L, 1D)
Prepare for a 1-night/2-day journey into the delta. Enjoy game walks and traditional mokoro excursions in Maun. Learn the ways of the bush from the local polers. Opt to take a scenic flight over the delta.

Day 5 Nata Area (1B,1D)
Opt for a sunset visit to the salt pans of Makgadikgadi in dry season. Watch the elephants drink from the camp’s watering hole at night.

Day 6 Chobe Area (1B)
Opt to embark on a sunset boat cruise on the Chobe River or on an open safari vehicle game drive.

Day 7 Livingstone (1B)
Ferry crossing into Zambia. Visit Victoria Falls, enjoy whitewater rafting, canoeing, or fly over the falls.

Day 8 Livingstone
Depart at any time.
For the full itinerary, please log into your Eurocircle account and click here

Travel Leader: Sherry Kumar

In 2011, Sherry invited other EuroCircle members to travel with her on her first international journey. That year, members from Brazil, India, Colombia, Peru, Serbia, Greece, China and USA met up for the first time in the beautiful city of Istanbul. Since then, we have visited Peru, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, India and UAE. Everywhere we meet, we make wonderful friends from across the globe, and create memories to last a lifetime.
For more information about Sherry and her trips, please log into our forums. To book this trip, please contact Sherry Kumar.

Globetrotting with Sherry – wanna go with her & other EuroCircle members to Africa in Oct 2015?

Since its inception in 2011, EuroCircle’s travel program has expanded to include more travelers and more exotic locales. The more complicated our itineraries get, the more potential travelers ask me: Who are you? It never occurred to me to actually introduce myself to these strangers who throw caution to the wind, and fly half-way across the world to meet me in a place like Siem Reap, Cambodia. So before you buy your airfare to Namibia this year, here is a brief introduction, and feel free to contact me with any travel related questions you may have.

5 years ago, I was going through a drastic change in my life, and when such things happen, we all want to take extreme measures and do something different. So rather than shave my head or join a monastery, I decided to do what all those self-help books encourage you to do, live life to the fullest, make every day spectacular, and most of all, have a lot of fun along the way. Little did I know, that sending an email invitation to random EuroCircle members to meet me in Istanbul for a short vacation, was going to turn into an annual adventure across the globe.

I also didnโ€™t know, that those random strangers who show up to my adventures would actually turn out to be the coolest people in the world, that each one would bring something special to the journey, or that we would be building friendships that last a lifetime. I try to keep that in mind as I plan every future journey. It takes a whole year to coordinate 16 strangers from various parts of the world, get them to board correct flights and to land into a dusty airstrip in a remote desert. It takes a whole lot of patience and sensitivity (qualities I do not possess) to deal with a wide variety of personalities, expectations and temperaments. And, it takes a lot of perseverance, to not say to hell with it all, and let someone else deal with this project.

I often get asked, why I actually do this, and the simple fact is that I canโ€™t stop. Now that the travel program has turned into something bigger than me, I see how much I take away from each trip. Itโ€™s not just the amazing friends I made along the way, itโ€™s the experiences that pushed my boundaries and allowed me to see the world I have traversed dozens of times from a whole new perspective. My travelers comment how much I have changed as a person since that first trip we took together, that they almost donโ€™t recognize me any more. I have to admit that petting a tiger, crawling into a tomb, eating a bug, chasing the big 5 on safari, climbing Machu Pichu and bungee jumping off Victoria Falls (this yearโ€™s goal) has turned me into someone who no longer takes things seriously, laughs hysterically at life, and welcomes change no matter what it brings. So how can I give this up? It will never happen.

As I write this, I am about to click the send button one more time, and see who answers my invitation. Tens of thousands of EuroCircle members will receive an email with my next destination and not much more in terms of details. Who will show up in Africa this October? My guess is they will be young/youthful, they will be hungry, hopefully one will be gorgeous ;), but really, the type of person who packs his bags and accepts an invitation from a complete stranger, has too be a little crazy, very courageous, and ready for something awesome.

Sherry Kumar runs EuroCircle Philadelphia, and organizes trips for interested EuroCircle members.ย  She is a Digital Marketer of Financial Services in her professional life. You may contact her directly via our members only forum,ย  via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/sherry.kumar.3, or send travel related inquiries only via email.

Barcelona – Feb 26 2015

Come rock the boat with us at Patrรณn on Thursday February 26, at 20:00!

Patrรณn is a stylish and elegant cocktail bar restaurant with a maritime touch to it.

Where: Travessera de Grร cia, 44, 08021 (with Aribau)
When: Thursday Feb 26, 20:00
Cost: Free

Patrรณn will have a cocktail and mix drink at a special price for EuroCircle guests:
– Strawberry Mojito 6โ‚ฌ
– TANQUERAY 10 Premium Gin and Tonic 6โ‚ฌ

With each cocktail or mix drink – you will receive a delicious appetizer and a raffle ticket for free!
20:00 – Meet again your previous EuroCircle friends & make a few new friends
21:00- Live music with Ekow & The Brown Sugar Band
22:30- Raffle draw to win a diner for 2 at Patrรณn restaurant value 90โ‚ฌ
You can also buy 1 raffle ticket for 2โ‚ฌ or 3 tickets for 5โ‚ฌ

Special EuroCircle tasting menu for 20โ‚ฌ to end your evening in Patrรณn restaurant.

Please spread the word among your friends but don’t be afraid to come alone, we are there to make sure you meet new people.

MAP: Living Costs Around the World Infographic

Would you like to know the difference in living costs around the world using figures from the world’s largest database of user contributed data about cities and countries worldwide.
The Consumer Price Index, used to determine the difference in the living costs between countries takes into account the prices of groceries, transportation, restaurants and utilities.
What does it mean? The CPI in the infographic is a relative indicator of a country’s living costs compared to New York. That means that if a country has a CPI of 70, on average it enjoys 30% cheaper living costs compared to New York.

The data was collected by Numbeo, the world’s largest database of user-contributed data on costs and prices around the world, and the maps were created by MoveHub.

Global Living Costs Map

Los Angeles – Feb 17 2015

We know you guys were expecting an event to happen in January, but just seemed to be a rather busy month for several people. But We’re Back……. ๐Ÿ™‚
We’ve organised our next event at a great Italian place, Spaghettini & the Dave Koz Lounge in Beverly Hills. Rated one of the top cuisine and live musical entertainment collide like never before in Beverly Hills.
Many members have requested an earlier time for the event, but taking into account traffic and other things, we’d like to shoot for 7pm.

See you all there, lets have a good one.. Please make sure you’re there and make sure you bring your friends, family, neighbours – whoever wants to have a good night out and meet some ravishing people from all walks of life.
See you all there ๐Ÿ˜‰
Cheerio!
Sonny Yo Yo Sarna AND Tanya Stawski Shamtoub
www.eurocircle.com] (your hosts for the evening)
EuroCircle Los Angeles FB group:
https://www.facebook…ps/26374034613/

****Please feel free to bring your international friends and encourage them to visit our website: www.EuroCircle.com and become a EuroCircle member just like you! ***