Welcome to the Ampersand Blog

The peeps at Kel & Partners have a lot to say. After all we are public relations and social media zealots who thrive on sharing interesting news and great stories with the public. The Ampersand Blog is really the voice of our Peeps – the kick-ass team of people that work at K&P. Whether it’s a story about the way PR works NOW, Web 2.0 and the social media universe, our families, beloved pets or quirky travel experiences, you’ll find it all right here. You may laugh, you may cry, but the best part is you’ll leave feeling “wicked smaht” as we like to say here in Boston.

Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category

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    Kendyll Messina | Tuesday, December 7, 2010 7 Comments

    How to $pend Your Holiday in the City of Boston

    If you’re excited to celebrate the holiday season, look no further than our own city of Boston. There is plenty to see and do, whether its just you or with friends and family. Okay- maybe you’re thinking after all of your holiday shopping, with what budget you have left, how will you possibly be able to experience any holiday splendor? That’s where I come in. Just call me a Christmas miracle, because I have planned an entire weekend’s worth of merry activities for under $40.

    We all know the everyday, scenic beauty of the Boston Commons; add some Christmas lights, music, and a skating rink and you have a winter wonderland right in the heart of the city! Don’t miss out on walking through the Boston Commons with the official Christmas tree lit amongst the hundreds of other sparkling sights. Then have a skate around the historic Boston Common Frog Pond for $4 and a skate rental of $8. This is sure to be a tradition you’ll come back to every year.

    Missed a gift on your list, or need a FREE picture with Santa? Make your way to Faneuil Hall Marketplace for a fun-filled day of dance parties, Santa himself, and of course more lights! Aside from being the most famous spot in Boston for shopping and dining, through the month of December Faneuil Hall is host to many holiday events like the Jukebox Dancers Rockin’ Holiday Parties – every weekend come join the party! Don’t forget your free picture with Santa – compliments of Globe Santa, with just a small donation you can help The Globe give underprivileged kids all over greater Boston a gift this holiday season. And be sure to stick around until they turn the lights on to view New England’s tallest holiday tree, towering over 80 feet!

    Now, with a $40 budget you may be surprised to learn that the Top of the Hub is my next destination. Does eating a mouth-watering chocolate chip cookie while the sound of jazz fills the air and you view the city of Boston sounding good to you…? Keep reading. For $13, after 8pm you can enjoy the musical stylings of the Top of the Hub jazz bands, order a plate of a dozen cookies surrounded by a mountain of cinnamon-flavored Chantilly cream, and watch the city’s Christmas lights turn on from atop the Prudential Center.

    Now, I haven’t even mentioned the phenomenal holiday performances, breakfasts with Santa, or festive craft fairs around the city, but if you are able to cross off everything on my planned agenda be sure to check out more holiday happenings at the Boston.com Calendar. If you know of any other seasonal festivities in Boston that won’t break the bank please feel free to share! Thanks for reading and have a very happy holiday!

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    jenniferdz | Friday, September 24, 2010 No Comments »

    A Fjord-Sized Faux Pas

    This weekend, I’ll be heading to the Arctic for a long weekend in Iceland to accompany a photog friend shooting the aftermath of the recent volcanic eruption. Despite the fact that I’m Internet-addicted and on the fast track to getting Blackberry thumb, I was not even planning on packing my gadgets because they couldn’t possibly be of use on an ice cap called Eyjafjallajökull, right? Envisioning an incredible landscape of glaciers, hot springs, and geysers, I half-expect Lief Ericson himself to cruise by our canoe on the high seas in his Viking ship. Definitely not a place that is “plugged in,” so to speak.

    …Or is it? Upon opening my Lonely Planet guidebook, the first factoid I learned was not about the island’s Norse heritage, but about its Internet usage. As it turns out, 92% of Icelandic households have a computer, with 90% of them having access to the Internet –the highest percentage of Internet users of any country in the world. Whoops.

    Although privy to the recent economic collapse, I wasn’t quite aware of how tech-savvy this little nation actually is. In 1995, Iceland became the first country in the world to have a completely digital public telephone system – and added an extensive cellular mobile phone system that same year. Guess I will be phoning home.

    And even though it’s a nation where there are more sheep than people (they outnumber us by almost 3 to 1), they’ve even taken to Twitter. I recommend following @thisisiceland, @bluelagoonIS, @icelandnatural, and @totaliceland if you’re planning a trip.

    Anyone else intrigued by this little place’s forward thinking and connectivity?

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