Oct

It’s Homecoming—at the TWA Hotel!

by Joyce McGreevy on October 28, 2019

Carolyn McGreevy stands beside a TWA Constellation, or “Connie,” an airplane at the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport that evokes travel memories of Trans World Airlines. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

The TWA reunion at JFK puts a spring in the step of pilot’s daughter Carolyn McGreevy.
© Joyce McGreevy

Part 2: TWA Travel Memories Reveal Vision of Tomorrow

(Part 1, “Growing up ‘TWA’,” here.)

Heard the one about 700 people spending several days at the airport—on purpose? As storms drench New York’s JFK Airport, Trans World Airlines alumni gather for a TWA reunion, and travel memories come flooding back.

The TWA Hotel at JFK New York on a stormy night seen from the Constellation, or “Connie,” evokes travel memories of Trans World Airlines. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Not even a storm can dampen our excitement about the TWA reunion.
© Joyce McGreevy

TWA Time Machine

Amazed, my sisters and I stare at the TWA Terminal, then at each other to make sure it isn’t a dream. For 18 years, the terminal lay vacant. Now all is restored. Once more we enter the familiar tubular walkway with its cherry red carpets and marshmallow walls, reliving memories of childhood travels with our TWA pilot dad.

Three sisters arriving at the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport New York for the TWA Reunion share travel memories of growing up with Trans World Airlines. (Image © Margie McGreevy)

Margie captures the moment as Joyce, Carolyn, and Erin savor a sense of homecoming.
© Margie McGreevy

Flights of Fancy

“I want the greatest airline terminal the world has ever seen and I don’t care how much it costs.”

That’s what TWA visionary Howard Hughes told Finnish designer Eero Saarinen in the late 1950s. By 1962 the architectural wonder was complete. Forty years later, TWA and the terminal shut down.

Then along came Tyler Morse.

As a boy, he’d often visited the TWA Terminal with his dad. As a developer, Morse, like Hughes and Saarinen, had a bold, blue-sky vision for the terminal and the means to carry it out. In May 2019, following a three-year, $265 million restoration, the terminal soared gloriously back to life—as the TWA Hotel.

Spotting Morse at the reunion, former TWA flight attendant Yvonne Greenwood asks why he chose this particular airline. Says Morse, “Because it’s always been the best!”

Former Trans World Airline flight attendant Yvonne Greenwood meets TWA Hotel developer Tyler Morse at JFK Airport New York during the TWA Alumni Reunion. (Image © Jim Greenwood)

TWA alumna Yvonne Greenwood meets TWA Hotel developer Tyler Morse.
© Jim Greenwood

High-Flying Hotel

Emulating TWA, Morse has transformed going to the airport from mere necessity into marvelous experience.

TWA Hotel’s 512 ultra-quiet guestrooms reflect retro chic and offer aviation geeks exhilarating views of JFK’s runways and the iconic TWA Flight Center.

A swimming pool becomes part of the travel memories of the TWA Hotel, JFK Airport, New York. (Image © Erin McGreevy Bevando)

There’s nothing unusual about a dip in the hotel pool, unless . . .
© Erin McGreevy Bevando

A TWA Hotel swimming pool with a view of the runway and airplanes evokes Trans World Airlines travel memories at JFK Airport, New York. (Image © Erin McGreevy Bevando)

. . . it features runway views!
© Erin McGreevy Bevando

A Trans World Airlines Constellation, or “Connie,” airplane parked outside the TWA Hotel, JFK Airport NY, evokes travel memories at the TWA Reunion. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

A 1958 Constellation, or “Connie,” has been transformed into . . .
© Joyce McGreevy

The interior of the TWA Constellation, or “Connie,” an airplane at the TWA Hotel, JFK Airport NY, now fitted out as a cocktail bar evokes travel memories of the glamorous Trans World Airlines. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

. . . a lush cocktail bar.
© Joyce McGreevy

Trans World Airlines alumni flight attendant Yvonne Greenwood, TWA pilots Mike Fliniau and Ron Kleiboeker and TWA pilot’s daughters Erin Bevando, Margie Cozad, Joyce McGreevy share travel memories at the TWA Reunion. (Image © Jim Greenwood)

L to R: TWA alumni Yvonne Greenwood, Mike Fliniau and Ron Kleiboeker,
McGreevy sisters Erin, Margie, Joyce. (Carolyn must be in First Class!)
© Jim Greenwood

The restored Paris Cafe at The TWA Hotel, JFK Airport New York, evokes travel memories of Trans World Airlines. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

The historic Paris Café offers fresh takes on TWA First Class gourmet classics.
© Joyce McGreevy

Like Kids Again

Immersed in TWA history, my sisters and I become carefree kids again.

TWA pilot’s daughters playing dress-up at the 1962 House of the TWA Hotel, JFK Airport New York, during the TWA Reunion share travel memories of Trans World Airlines. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

McGreevy sisters dress up as 1962 housewives, a playful contrast to . . .

Helen Collins McGreevy on board a Trans World Airlines Constellation, or “Connie,” in 1958 evokes travel memories of the glamour of TWA. (Image @ McGreevy Archives/ Margie Cozad McGreevy and Joyce McGreevy)

. . .the real-life glamour of our mother, Helen Collins McGreevy.
© Joyce McGreevy/© McGreevy Archives

Heavens Above

The heart of the TWA Hotel is a soaring, light-filled structure, with wing-shaped roof, fantastically vast windows, a sunken lounge, and overhead walkways.

The newly restored TWA Terminal of the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport New York seen during the TWA Reunion evokes travel memories of Trans World Airlines. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

This renovation is the nerve center of airline nostalgia, yet in 1962 it was futuristic.
© Joyce McGreevy

The newly restored Solari board at the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport New York seen during the TWA Reunion evokes travel memories of Trans World Airlines. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

To recreate the Solari split-flap message board with authentic mechanical operation,
Morse found the original manufacturers in Udine, Italy.
© Joyce McGreevy

It All Just Clicks

“I love hearing the clicking again!” TWA alumnus Steve Bonniwell grins, recalling New Yorkers who’d gamble on which destinations the board would reveal after each round of clickety-clacks. “You’d hear someone say, ‘I think the third line will be Paris’, and then they’d bet on it!”

Trans World Airlines alumnus Steve Bonniwell attends the TWA Alumni Reunion at the TWA Hotel, JFK Airport New York. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Steve Bonniwell was TWA’s Marketing Director for the International Division in London.
© Joyce McGreevy

Recalling his career with TWA, he beams. “Greatest company I ever worked for. Great people! It was a family. I spent so much time going through this terminal during my 20 years at TWA. Seeing it the way it was is unbelievable.”

Bonniwell’s family reflects the influence of the airline. Son Mark Bonniwell is a pilot, flying 737s for United Airlines.

Trans World Airlines pilot’s daughter Margie McGreevy Cozad meets former TWA pilot Derwin “Dee” Grimm at the TWA Reunion, TWA Hotel, JFK Airport New York, where they share airline travel memories. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Margie meets TWA alumnus Derwin “Dee” Grimm. In 1974, Dee flew co-pilot with our dad
to Madrid, Lisbon, Rome, Cairo, and New York.
© Joyce McGreevy

Sky’s the Limit

As a kid in Kansas City, TWA’s original headquarters, Tracy Briggs dreamed of flight. Given the family’s tight finances and Tracy’s physical challenges, Briggs’ mom worried that “such dreams were not meant for people like us.”

But Briggs persisted. “I soloed in 1977 and had so much fun I decided to make a career of it.” Today, Captain Briggs has 40 years of experience in the cockpit. A veteran of TWA, he’s now a pilot for American Airlines. “This is my life, my joy, my passion!”

As for his love? That’s Myra Briggs, the spirited woman who’s been with him every mile of the way.

Myra Briggs, former Trans World Airlines pilot Tracy Briggs, meet other TWA alumni at the TWA Reunion held at the TWA Hotel, JFK Airport New York, and share airline travel memories. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

L to R: Myra Briggs and Capt. Tracy Briggs reunite with TWA alumni.
© Joyce McGreevy

TWA Hotel crew model TWA vintage designer uniforms. L to R: Pearls Daily in 1965 Balmain and Sarah Conrad in 1970s Valentino. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

TWA Hotel crew model TWA vintage designer uniforms. L to R: Pearls Daily in 1965 Balmain
and Sarah Conrad in 1970s Valentino.
© Joyce McGreevy

Beyond Nostalgia

Coined from ancient Greek, nostalgia combines “homecoming,” with “pain,” as if revisiting the past must always be bittersweet. But what my sisters and I witness among alumni at the TWA reunion is joy, gratitude, and zest for new adventures. No wonder everyone looks hale and hearty.

Oh, I see: The glory days of travel are not confined to travel memories, but available to all who travel through life with curiosity, appreciation, and a sense of service to one another.

The realization deepens as we meet the TWA Hotel staff. There’s something familiar about the high standards and heart they bring to their work. Something familiar about . . .

Stephanie Villada reporting for duty on her day off . . .
Gail Martin, Tony, Chelsy, and Catalina’s pride and joy at learning about—and becoming part of —TWA’s history. . .
The finesse of Chef de Cuisine Amy Sir-Trevino . . .
Sam’s warm welcome at check-in, Donna Lopiccolo’s daily greetings, and Jennifer Jacks’ seamless problem-solving.

Portraits of TWA Hotel staff, JFK Airport New York, remind sisters attending the Trans World Airlines Reunion that the future will create new memories to celebrate. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

The TWA Hotel crew are top-flight!
© Joyce McGreevy

Then it dawns on us: What we loved in the airline is now taking shape at the hotel. Beyond our personal travel memories, a promising new generation of TWA family is forming at the TWA Hotel. We wish them a sense of homecoming and a lifetime of TWA adventures all their own.

Comment on the post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Joyce McGreevy 7 Comments

The World's Art & Design/Travels to the Past/USA

Oct

Travel Inspiration on an American Road Trip

by Meredith Mullins on October 21, 2019

Butterfly Town U.S.A.
© Meredith Mullins

The Telltale Stories of Town Slogans

Sometimes, a city’s descriptive moniker is so memorable, it becomes a part of modern culture.

New York—The Big Apple
Philadelphia—The City of Brotherly Love
Las Vegas—What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas.

One slogan like “The Big Apple” may not be enough for a city like New York (also represented by
“The City that Never Sleeps,” “Gotham,” and “I Love New York”).
© iStock/emyu

However, there is a unique universe to explore in the town slogans and welcome signs of some of America’s smaller cities. And the focus that each community chooses can be a travel inspiration.

Meet Butterfly Town, U.S.A. The sign at entrance to Pacific Grove reminds visitors and residents alike that this quiet California town by the sea is a haven for the Monarch butterfly’s winter migration. Every autumn the butterflies are welcomed by a hometown parade as they come to rest in two special groves of eucalyptus trees.

Pacific Grove has branded itself with one of the unique aspects of its identity—a wondrous natural phenonmenon that attracts visitors from around the world.

The Monarch butterflies entice visitors to Butterfly Town, U.S.A.
© iStock/LifeImagesbyGloria

The Magnetism of Town Slogans

As we travel from place to place, especially on the roads of the U.S., the town slogans that appear on welcome signs are not just an interesting read, but also a revelation of a town’s spirit. Oh, I see. They may also be a call to action.

When should we pause and turn off the highway? Why is this community significant? What towns should we visit . . . and why?

Why not visit Tombstone? The town will always be there.
© Tombstone Chamber of Commerce

A town’s motto, whether official or unofficial, originates with a number of questions. What makes a town unique? What is its marketable quality—for businesses, residents, and visitors? How should it present its essence in a brief slogan on a sign that people speed by? How does it get passersby to take notice in a world of fast-paced information and fleeting sights?

Collaboration with marketing firms, brainstorming sessions, chamber-of-commerce soul searching, market research, contests, and lengthy discussions all play a role in the creation of a community’s homespun brand.

The paths are varied—with history, location, humor, wordplay, unique qualities, friendly seduction, and just plain bragging rights presenting myriad possibilities.

Los Banos proclaims its importance.
© DMT

Gateways, Crossroads, and Centers (oh my)

Many town slogans take advantage of that all-important aspect of location—a gateway, a crossroad, or a geographical center.

For the “gateway” towns, it seems to pay to be at the entrance to something.

St Louis, Missouri—The Gateway to the West
Sioux Falls, South Dakota—Gateway to the Plains
Aurora, Colorado—The Gateway to the Rockies
Clarksville, Tennessee—Gateway to the New South

Why not promote your being at the crossroads or center of something? Anything?

Los Banos, California, seems special for its place “At The Crossroads of California;” and Milpitas, California, opens the door to the tech corridor as “The Crossroads of Silicon Valley.” But it’s hard to compete with Terre Haute, Indiana—the “Crossroads of America.”

Pittsfield, Wisconsin, is “The Exact Center of the State;” Belle Fourche, South Dakota, is the “Center of the Nation;” and, with all due humility, Boswell, Indiana, is the “Hub of the Universe.”

Can the “Center of the Nation” compete with the “Hub of the Universe”?
© DMT

There is also a displacement trend where towns become a tribute to other towns.

Carrboro, North Carolina—The Paris of the Piedmont
Decatur, Alabama—The Chicago of the South
Ouray, Colorado—The Switzerland of America
Muskegon, Michigan—The Riviera of the Midwest
Deland, Florida—The Athens of Florida

Size is relative.
© iStock/Andrei Stanescu

Size Doesn’t Matter

Many cities and towns allude to their size—whether big or small.

Reno, Nevada, is “The Biggest Little City in the World” (although it’s unclear who set the statistical parameters).

Manhattan, Kansas, is “The Little Apple,” and Denver, Iowa, is “The Mile-Wide City.”

Livonia, New York, puts things in perspective with “Some Bigger, None Better.” And Burkeville, Virginia (population around 500) proudly proclaims that it is “The Little Town That Could.”

They’re “Down to Earth” in Gravity, Iowa.
© Jeff Morrison

Humor Matters (As Well As a Touch of Wordplay)

Some of the best town slogans are the ones with humor. Travelers on the roads of America can always use a smile.

Some slogans perhaps fall short of Pulitzer depth, but are still a breath of creative air in the whirlwind of the more staid “biggests” and “bests.”

Gettysburg, South Dakota—Where the battle wasn’t.
Gravity, Iowa—We’re down to earth. (If gravity goes we all go.)
Drumright, Oklahoma—Town of oil repute.
San Andreas, California—It’s not our fault.
Walla Walla, Washington—The city so nice they named it twice.
Bushnell, South Dakota—It’s not the end of the Earth, but you can see it from here.
Knox, Indiana—Where opportunity knocks.
Hooker, Oklahoma—A location, not a vocation.

A highway smile
(Image Courtesy of the City of Gettysburg, SD.)

The Feel-Good Towns

Some cities and towns just want people to feel good when they visit or want to attract more residents through a rose-colored promise.

Hico, Texas—Where everybody is somebody.
Andover, Kansas—Where the people are warm even when the weather isn’t.
Happy, Texas—The town without a frown.
Eustis, Florida—The City of Bright Tomorrows
Boyd, Wisconsin—The friendly town. Why go by?
Gulfport, Mississippi—Where Your Ship Comes In

Sometimes, the promises become even less specific.

Wasko, California—A nice place to live.
Forest Junction, Wisconsin—You can get there from here.
Bellingham, Washington—Let us surprise you.
Metter, Georgia—Everything’s better in Metter.
Beaman, Iowa—You’re not dreamin’ you’re in Beaman

A town slogan so ingrained in Hershey, Pennsylvania, that even the lights on Chocolate Avenue
hint at chocolate.
© iStock/gsheldon

Town Slogans That Dominate A Town

Some towns dive deeply into their brand, carrying the theme through all aspects of community life.

Hershey, Pennsylvania, is “The Sweetest Town on Earth” and, of course, “The Chocolate Capital of the World.” Chocolate can be found everywhere.

Castroville, California, is the “Artichoke Center of the World.” The expansive fields surrounding the town confirm the title, as does the artichoke “cuisine” offered in the town’s restaurants.

Everything artichoke
© Meredith Mullins

Top Five for Travel Inspiration

Which towns won my heart from their town slogans . . . and made me curious enough to put them on my travel “to do” list?

Winnemucca, Nevada—The City of Paved Streets (Paving does seem enticing.)
Tombstone, Arizona—The Town Too Tough To Die (There will always be a future.)
Cherryfield, Maine—The Blueberry Capital of the World (although Hammonton, New Jersey, might challenge this assertion)
Bothell, Washington—For a day or a lifetime (One of my favorite slogans. No pressure. You’re free to do what you want.)
Knik, Alaska—Dog-Mushing Center of the World (The ultimate in unique experiences)

Which one provides some travel inspiration for you?

Thanks to Brad Herzog for his list of travel slogans.

And particular thanks to the Tombstone, Arizona Chamber of Commerce for showing the true meaning of hospitality.

For a review of additional town slogans, visit Offices Net.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Meredith Mullins 2 Comments

Art of Travel/USA

Oct

Travel Tip: See Chicago in Close-Up

by Joyce McGreevy on October 14, 2019

Chicago at night features surprising little details of America’s best big city, prompting the travel tip “slow down and focus.” (Image © by Jennifer Kleiman)

Chicago’s sweeping views are mosaics of historical detail.
© Jennifer Kleiman

A Big City’s Surprising Little Details

Poet Carl Sandburg called Chicago “The City of the Big Shoulders.” America’s third biggest city is known for big sights—as a few little details will show:

First skyscrapers? Sorry, New York. They started right here in the 1880s, soaring from 10 to 110 stories in nine decades.
That body of water to the east? It’s massive Lake Michigan, more of an inland sea.
A “world-dazzling” wheel that rivaled the Eiffel Tower? George Ferris engineered it for the 1893 World’s Fair. We know it as the Ferris Wheel. Today’s version at Navy Pier is a Chicago icon.

Best Big City

This month, for the third year in a row Conde Nast crowned Chicago “America’s Best Big City.” Typically, travelers are in a big, big hurry to see it all. From Millennium Park to Willis Tower to the Architectural Boat Tour, Chicago’s big attractions draw big crowds.

But too big a rush makes for one big blur. So as a former local, here’s my travel tip: Slow down and focus on Chicago’s surprising little details.

Consider the Loop, for example, the heart of Chicago’s downtown. Only 1.5 square miles, it’s a world of magnificent architecture, parks, and public art. Seen close-up, it’s a detail lover’s dream, a mosaic of urban history. Here’s a sampler of Chicago’s best reasons to dwell on details.

Holy Cow, It’s Past-Your-Eyes!

Among the most photographed sights in Chicago is a cow.

The bronze cow sculpture at the Chicago Cultural Center tops travel tip lists in Chicago, America’s third biggest city. (Image © by Neil Tobin)

This big bronze bovine stands right outside the Chicago Cultural Center. You can’t miss it.

A family pose with the bronze cow sculpture at the Chicago Cultural Center, a popular attraction in the Conde Nast “Best Big City.” (Image © by Joyce McGreevy)

Ah, but there’s something most visitors do miss. Eager to get their photo and moo-ve on, they typically overlook two little details:

A surprising little detail, Chicago’s Water Tower, in the eye of the bronze cow sculpture at the Chicago Cultural Center evokes the travel tip “slow down and focus.” (Image © by Neil Tobin)

An etching of a Picasso artwork in the eye of a cow sculpture evokes the travel tip “slow down and focus” on surprising little details in Chicago, (Image © Neil Tobin)

Oh, I see: The tiniest detail can be a rich repository of history.

Built in 1869, the Water Tower is one of the only buildings that survived the Chicago Fire of 1871. (The notion that Mrs. O’Leary’s cow started the fire, however, is bull.)

Chicago’s Water Tower is linked to a surprising little detail in a sculpture outside Chicago’s Cultural Center that in turn inspired the travel tip “slow down and focus.” (Public domain image Afries52 [CC BY 3.0]

As for the Picasso, some people had a cow when it arrived in 1967. Chicagoan Gwendolyn Brooks, the first black author to win the Pulitzer Prize, anticipated the mixed response in a poem she delivered at the unveiling:

Does man love Art? Man visits Art, but squirms.
Art hurts. Art urges voyages—
and it is easier to stay at home,
the nice beer ready. . . .

People looking at a painting at the Art Institute of Chicago exemplify the travel tip “slow down and focus.” (Image © by Joyce McGreevy)

Reading Between the Lions

Housing 300,000 of the world’s greatest artworks, the Art Institute of Chicago is clearly a place to slow down and focus. Those who do will notice fascinating little details even before they step inside.

For instance, two lions have guarded the entrance since 1894. Visitors choosing a lion to photograph often comment that they’re identical.

Only they’re not.

Sculptor Edward Kemeys loved animals and was famous for sketching them in the wild. Would such an artist turn lions into copycats?

Ever Wonder “Y”?

Like animals in camouflage, some intriguing Chicago details hide in plain sight. Curiously, the most prolific detail may be the least noted—though many visitors unknowingly photograph it.

The Chicago Theater sign features a surprising little detail, prompting the travel tip “slow down and focus” in America’s Best Big City. (Image © by Joyce McGreevy)

Can you see it?

Zoom in.

It’s the Y shape behind CHICAGO.

Why the Y? It represents the three branches of the Chicago River, which splits north and south at Wolf Point.

Once you notice this symbol of civic pride, you start seeing it everywhere—on buildings, bridges, and even staircases:

The Chicago Cultural Center interior features surprising little details, prompting the travel tip “slow down and focus” in this Conde Nast Best Big City. (Image © by Joyce McGreevy)

Eyes Up

It’s funny how pixels on a few square inches of phone screen can commandeer our attention. Meanwhile, 1.6 million of Chicago’s most spectacular details often go unnoticed—even by locals, reportedly.

What—where?

Start at the former Marshall Field & Company, now part of a national retail chain. Built in 1873, it was once the world’s biggest department store. Today, its five elegant stories still dominate State Street.

Enter at street level and walk through a warren of cosmetic counters until you reach the center.

Now look up.

The mosaic ceiling by Louis Comfort Tiffany at the former Marshall Field, Chicago (now Macy’s) inspires the travel tip “slow down and focus” in America’s Best Big City. (Image © by Joyce McGreevy)

Little details of a mosaic by Louis Comfort Tiffany at the former Marshall Field, Chicago (now Macy’s) dazzles visitors who heed the travel tip “slow down and focus”. (Image © by Joyce McGreevy)

Tiffany’s mosaics enchanted early 20th-century Chicago. Today you can follow the “Tiffany Trail” to 14 venues.

An Urban Mosaic

“In the Big City, large and sudden things happen,” wrote that master of surprise, O. Henry. True, but seen close-up, a big city’s little details can suddenly enlarge your sense of place.

That’s why my travel tip for Chicago is slow down and focus. Some of the city’s biggest surprises are found in the smallest details.

Shadows cast by ornamental ironwork links small details to the history of America’s third biggest city at the Chicago Cultural Center. (Image © by Neil Tobin)

Thanks to Jennifer Kleiman and Neil Tobin for their stunning images of Chicago.