Stephanie Sack, the Barge Lady’s newest addition, joins the team with dual responsibilities – apparently she is twice as nice! She thrives as a Barge Cruise Specialist, while also conceptualizing, creating, and compiling many of the Barge Lady’s fun and fresh marketing materials, from chatty blog posts to captivating press releases.
The daughter and sister to Barge Ladies Ellen Sack and Caroline Sack Klein, respectively, Stephanie’s twenty-plus years of professional experience includes lifestyle retailing, client relations, audience development, and brand marketing. She is now honored and proud to be part of the Barge Lady dynasty – and fortunately likes her “co-workers” very much!
Although Stephanie had been in France some twenty years earlier with both Ellen and Caroline, Stephanie came to the Barge Lady as a total newbie to the barging experience. In October 2014, she hopped on board a Barge Lady favorite, Luciole, and set off on her first barge adventure in Northern Burgundy. Everywhere she goes, she makes new friends! Here she is with Sebastion, tour manager of a vineyard in Chablis. It’s safe to say her debut barge cruise on the Luciole was a smashing success -since then, she has cruised in Southern Burgundy on the Savoir Vivre and on the Canal du Midi on the Athos. These awesome experiences may have created a bit of a monster, as she now regularly asks/pleads/cajoles to be sent back to Europe for even more barge cruising!
While enjoying barge cruises, she has also had the pleasure of meeting the owners of Luciole, Randle, Savoir Vivre, Prosperite, Rendez-Vous, Athos, Alegria, Emma, and Esperance, and Meanderer –and she is looking forward to introducing herself to many more.
In her free time, Stephanie practices hot yoga, namely the Bikram method, and can often be found taking advantage of Chicago’s many cultural activities, especially live music, independent cinema, and neighborhood farmers markets. Her companion for these activities is most often her boyfriend, Steve, and, when appropriate, their dog, Wiley. She is a loving Auntie, a longtime reader of non-fiction, and a passionate self-taught cook.
“My interest in local experiences, European history, and handcrafted cuisine translates perfectly to world of barging! For an insider’s view into my exhilarating day-to-day experiences on and a taste of “The Land of Good Living” on the canals of Southern Burgundy, read the blog I wrote about my time aboard the Savior Vivre.” – Stephanie