Where's Johnny Jet?

Greetings from my home state of Connecticut! If you're following me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and/or Periscope, you know I’m in town visiting my dad and family. I’m not here for long as I’m hopping on a plane tonight to go to…well, you’ll have to tune in next week or follow me on social to find out!

10 great travel products to bring to the 2016 Rio Olympics
I don’t think many people would argue if I said that if Rio de Janeiro were safe, it would be one of the best cities in the world. How many cities do you know that are attached to a tropical rainforest? Add to that the food, beaches, attractions, weather, and lifestyle, and you have one amazing place. The problem with Rio and other Brazilian cities, of course, is the crime.

I’ve been to Rio a couple of times, and I remember my first visit in 2007. I was so nervous about going because my friends, my family, the media, Internet message boards, and even the Brazilian gate agent I encountered before I boarded the plane put the fear of God into me. They all warned me to be very careful in Rio. I felt as though I was about to enter a war zone rather than visit a tropical vacation destination. Those warnings turned out to be for the best, though, because they put me on guard, and that’s what I hope to do with this post. If you’re heading down to Rio for the 2016 summer Olympics, which begin on August 5, you should check out these travel tips I just wrote for TravelSmith.com and consider getting one or all of these 10 travel products to help keep you safe.

If you could go to any Starwood hotel in the USA, where would you go?
Like many frequent travelers and points collectors, I’m a big user of the Starwood Preferred Guest credit card from American Express. Since I’m such a fan and a travel blogger, Amex has invited me to be part of their SPG Amex Stars program for the past few years to help communicate the benefits of the card to travelers. This year, my summer "assignment" is to fly anywhere in the US where there’s a Starwood hotel and spend two nights during the month of August. Where should I go? Leave a comment on this page to help me decide.