I have a great relationship with Hard Rock Cafe. The restaurant in San Antonio is one of my favorite vendor partners. I have also had great experiences at Cafes around the globe – from Beijing to Dublin to Orlando. That said, I have never had a great experience at the Hard Rock in Times Square.

Tonight, we were seated late, overcrowded, and rushed. We received our food (that was cold and soggy) before we received our beverages, and the entire staff was so oblivious that it wasn’t worth complaining.

To be fair, this sometimes happens when feeding large groups. Restaurants either have to pre-cook or the customers have to wait a considerable time for food. The problem is that our order was pre-cooked for a 7:30 PM seating and we did not order until almost 8:00 PM – resulting in tired and wilted food.

In addition, the staff had no choice but to either rush us, or risk being late for the next batch of group reservations. I get it. The problem is that the other group-friendly restaurants in the immediate area do not have the same service and food issues.

Quick Aside – If you don’t know me, you should know that I am a VERY polite and optimistic customer. I always help my vendors look for solutions, and applaud effort even if the results are less than stellar. I say please and thank you, I tip well, I don’t yell, and I get that problems happen. Tonight, when told that we had to sit 5 to a table, I respectfully told the server that I felt that was not a good call and asked if we could sit at one of the 10 empty tables next to our group area. The response was simply – “I don’t care who splits up, but those are your seats”.

Unfortunately, the Times Square location is batting .000 with me. I accept 100% of the responsibility for this. I obviously have some kind of a curse with that venue that makes them provide me with unacceptable food and service (I have the same curse with a DFW based airline). But for me, the answer is clear: I no longer need to sell HRC Times Square. I am sure that the rest of the world has great experiences at this restaurant, and I encourage you to keep supporting them, as I will continue support their other locations.

The Coppell HS band arrived throughout the day on Sunday without incident. After an early evening briefing, the students split into their predetermined chaperone groups and had a chance to tour midtown Manhattan.

This morning (Monday), we are headed to breakfast at Applebee’s, then to the Top of The Rock Observatory to enjoy a spectacular view of THE CITY. After that, students are breaking into groups for touring.

There is going to be a marching rehearsal at the hotel from 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM, then off to dinner and shows.

Over the next 3 months, I will travel the globe with approximately 3000 band, choir, and orchestra students (not all at the same time). In that time, our groups will perform at Carnegie Hall, a Mass at The Vatican, and a number of other prestigious venus.

While I always struggle with being away from my family during this time of year, it is SO refreshing to see high school and university students proving that there is good in the >21 generation (X,Y,ME, who can keep up?).

While I am on tours, I will be posting regular accounts of our travel experiences, so if you don’t want to know about what I am doing on Sunday in Manhattan with the Coppell High School Band, change your setting on Facebook, Twitter, or wherever you got the link to this post.

If you do want to keep up – you are in luck. Check back often for stories and photos from the road.

With any luck, we will have most of the details solidified this weekend and can put together an official invitation early next week.

Stay tuned for more details…

A few weeks before the concert, singer/songwriter Seth Horan emailed me to let me know that he would be performing with good friend Ed Sheets (Guitar).  Seth also included in a blog post that Ed is a world-class master chef.  Excitedly, I called Seth to see if we could talk Ed into cooking dinner for our guests – and he agreed.

The rest, as they say, is history.  Ed prepared 9 outstanding dishes for our almost 50 dinner guests, each more amazing than the one it followed.  After dinner, Seth opened the concert with a few solo numbers (giving Ed a chance to rest for a minute) before the two of them took the stage together and rocked the house (Jon’s house).

Food, Friends, and Music – all for a good cause – I cannot think of many better ways to spend an evening.

See our setup video here.

The perfect music trip provides a delicate balance of
• Your goals
• The goals and needs of the students that will makeup the group
• The ability of your community to pay for the trip without undue burden

Your Goals
The list of goals for directors often includes a rewarding performance experience, an educational component, student safety, and conforming with school policy.

Student Goals
Students are usually looking for an opportunity to spend time with close friends, an entertainment component, and a chance to enjoy a few days away from home (or school).

Ability To Pay
One of the great secrets of group travel is that the ability of a community to pay for a trip is not necessarily linked to the price. More often, it is the monthly financial burden that decides how many students will be able to participate.

The interesting fact about the elements listed above is that they are constantly changing, and different for every group. Even groups at the same school will find that their best trips may vary greatly.

Through careful planning and consideration, you can provide your students with a meaningful travel experience that will undoubtedly result in improved morale, recruiting, and retention for your group.