Black Tomato Blog

explosive start to the new year

It’s official – Chile is hotter than ever. After the Mount Llaima volcano in the south of the country erupted this week (luckily without any casualties) our collective minds have been reminded of just how fantastic a destination it is. Black Tomatoes are adventure seekers at heart, and there’s nowhere better to indulge than the glaciers and wild rivers of Patagonia or the hot sands of the Atacama desert. One thing though, probably best to steer clear of volcano climbing for a month or two.

Here at headquarters we are experiencing something of an explosion as well, and are bringing in the New Year with some new Tomatoes…ok it’s less of an explosion and more of small expansion. Nonetheless, we’re all excited to have some new kids on the block. Watch this space for some personal introductions from the new travel-mad talents themselves.

LT

belize please

Over the past few weeks we’ve had several requests from people wanting to head to Belize for some Christmas sunshine. And what a fabulous choice: Belize has been on our radar for a while now and we can’t imagine anything better than swapping winter rain for the rainforest for a week or two. There’s also Mayan ruins, waterfalls, deserted white sand beaches and a great little hideaway owned by famous film director to look forward to. All in all, it’s a great place for intrepid Black Tomato-ites looking for some exotic adventure in the festive season.

But Belize isn’t the only hot topic in the office this week. There’s another destination that’s pushing our buttons and it’s a bit closer to home. The location of the Black Tomato office Christmas party has been a closely guarded secret for some time now, but an insider leak has had excitement levels rising. So what’s it to be? A trendy London eaterie? A spot of ice-skating in Hyde Park? Watch this space…

 LT

big fun in the big apple

It seems that New York is top of the list for trendy Tomatoes this December. And why not? There’s no better time to make for Manhattan than right now; the dollar is in the doldrums and over-keen friends have no-doubt started telling you that they’ve been stockpiling Christmas gifts since August. Unfortunately for the three Black Tomato bods out there currently, it’s business as usual, with the red-eye flight on Sunday thrown in for good measure. But we’re still jealous.

On the up-side (or is that the upper-east side?) I too will be in NY in a fortnight and I’m already as excited as a proverbial kid at Christmas. Unsurprisingly, everybody’s an expert and I’ve already got a list of restaurant recommendations as long as your arm, and then there’s the secret drinking hole listed in the Little Black Tomato Book to check out. Hopefully I’ll still have time to indulge a couple of private passions: shopping for knick-knacks in Tribeca, wandering round the masterpieces at MOMA and people-watching in the wonderfully urban Bryant Park with an oversized, and under-priced, cup of coffee.

LT

first black tomato, and tomorrow the world

It’s been all go at Black Tomato this week as the corporate travel team put the finishing touches on all sorts of exciting trips. So exciting in fact, that they’ve now jetted off to warmer climes ensure everything runs smoothly. At the last progress report, director Matt was weighing up his chances of a powwow with the Pope in Rome (largely unlikely), whilst corporate tomato number two has been playing with the baby elephants at the Phinda Game Reserve in South Africa.

Back at base camp in London, I’ve been learning about Las Vegas and how to sail the Solent in style (professional skills crucial for travel interns everywhere). And now I’m preparing for my Monday morning move to the esteemed marketing team. Time to get creative, and by way of introduction I’ve sourced the largest world wall map one can buy and am eagerly anticipating its installation into our brand new offices. Once up, I shall gleefully stick one hundred flags in it (one for every Black Tomato experience). Proof that Black Tomato is indeed everywhere.

LT

the tale of the african tomatoes

If there is one thing I’ve noticed during my four-week initiation into all things Black Tomato, it’s that we genuinely love to get out and about. If it happens to be on a highly important work-related mission, then so much the better; or else many a lunchtime is spent dreaming up intrepid destinations for the next holiday (Papua New Guinea anyone?). This month, there seems to be a theme: It’s all about Africa.

Just as I arrived, one tanned tomato returned from investigating lodges in Zambia and sweetly deposited a packet of biltong in the Black Tomato kitchen. Not to be outdone, another promptly left shivery Shoreditch for the sunny climes of South Africa, returning with yet another off-season tan. Cheerfully for the rest of us winter-white tomatoes, the last staff member to disappear down to the equator is off to Uganda, where the monsoon is apparently in full swing.

LT