I’m excited to announce that Harriet’s Corner has evolved beyond the Internet: Over the summer, we created a special space here in our Boston headquarters that shares the name.
This Harriet’s Corner is a physical embodiment of the “virtual” community we share online—a place where we can come together, face-to-face, to celebrate our love of travel and share stories and insights from our journeys. Harriet’s Corner also functions as a living history of Grand Circle and Overseas Adventure Travel, celebrating our origins as a company and our vision for the future.
And speaking of visions, I want you—as members of Grand Circle's extended family—to feel that this is your space, too. So if you’re looking for a place to hold a meeting for your book group or garden club … have photos or other artwork from your trips you’d like to share with other travelers … or want to host a reunion for the group members from your last vacation, I want you to consider doing so in Harriet’s Corner.
In the coming months, we’ll also be offering a series of in-depth discussions about specific trips and destinations, led by Grand Circle and OAT travelers as well as our in-house experts. I hope you’ll be able to join us in the future for one of the special events!
In the meantime, here’s a look at some of the things you’ll find in Harriet’s Corner:
GALLERY SPACE
One area of Harriet’s Corner is dedicated to travel-inspired artwork. Currently on display are vintage posters from the “Golden Age” of travel, which we’ll swap out periodically to showcase photos and other works of art created by our travelers. (Our first exhibit, “Orphans of South Africa,” opens on October 28, 2009.)
LEWIS FAMILY CORNER
Other works of art—specifically, those of my daughter, Charlotte, and son, Edward—appear in this section of Harriet’s Corner, which tells the story of our family … and how our shared notion of the world as one giant classroom explains Grand Circle’s continued emphasis on learning and discovery.
GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION
Another area of Harriet’s Corner is dedicated to Grand Circle Foundation, the charitable organization Alan and I started to provide support to the people in the places we travel. Here, you’ll learn about the Foundation’s history … meet the Honorary Directors who have helped guide our mission … and see photos from Foundation sites around the globe.
UNUSUAL ARTIFACTS
Throughout Harriet’s Corner, you’ll find treasured mementos from my personal travels. In addition to the traditional Masaai outfit seen here, you’ll also find wooden sculptures from Africa, a traditional dress worn by Thailand’s hill tribes, and “victory” towels from World War II.
If you're interested in using Harriet's Corner—or would like to receive notice about future events—please contact Mark Schianca, Manager of Corporate Culture and History, at
mschianca@oattravel.com.