Travel Broadens Horizons In More Ways Than One

Beth English on sleep times and school starts

Beth English
Associate Editor

We had been forewarned and had made the requisite run to the grocery store for supplies. On Friday, we woke to large, puffy flakes falling softly. An icy, sleety mess started a short time later. We drank our hot chocolate and hunkered down.

By the time the storm was spent, we were left with only about 4 inches on the ground. And while North Carolina didn’t get a fraction of what our northern neighbors got, it was enough to cancel flights and cause rebooking nightmares.

My Saturday morning flight was rescheduled for Sunday night. In the meantime, my world narrowed to the view from my living room windows. I cooked chili, baked pumpkin bread, packed my bags, watched Net-flix and played board games with my kids. It was lovely … for a limited time.

Then Sunday arrived. The sun warmed the air and the melting began. We finally left the house, and the world opened up again. Vegas was waiting.

plane in flightAs the plane flew across the country, I loved seeing the cities and towns pop into view below my window, bright lights sparkling against the black earth. What a contrast to the previous days of gray and white.

A new perspective is a wonderful, energizing thing.

Going to the World Market Center in Las Vegas was another opportunity to experience a broader perspective. Zooming from showroom to showroom, we saw much to be excited about in the coming year:

  • Beds that can tell you how well you’re sleeping without wearing a tracking device, and give you advice on how to rest better.
  • Redesigned brands that look so inviting it makes you want to cuddle up and take a nap—even without cozy blankets.
  • Pillows! Scented, cooling, breathable or two-sided—and beautifully displayed. 
  • Adjustable bases that can raise you awake, silence a snoring partner or simply make you more comfortable.
  • Showrooms that captured the elegance of an upscale sleep sanctuary.
  • New delivery systems that blur the line between brick-and-mortar and online retailers.

The World Market Center was filled with energy and happy people. Vendors reported record numbers of people coming by and placing orders. Even a blizzard couldn’t keep people away.

This month, many of us will travel again. This time to Orlando, Florida, March 9-12, to experience ISPA EXPO 2016—the largest machinery and components show in the bedding industry. I’m looking forward to deepening my understanding of what goes into the making of a mattress, from the machinery to the ticking. And hog rings.

From seeing mattresses fully assembled in gorgeous showrooms to examining the components that make those mattresses possible, every market and ISPA EXPO helps us get fresh perspectives and broadens our horizons. See you there!

Related Posts

Hickory Springs broadens product offerings 

Bedding components supplier Hickory Springs has inked distribution agreements...

5 ways sleep is good for business

How does depriving yourself of a good night’s sleep...

Standard Linens broadens protectors, top-of-bed selection

Toronto-based textile product supplier Standard Linens Inc. has broadened...

Fashion Bed Group expands horizons with universal headboards

News release written by Leggett & Platt Fashion Bed...