Travel tip: Whenever roaming from our Hollywood headquarters out of the US, we take a dozen or so pens and pencils imprinted with our town’s familiar name. The inexpensive little give-aways are great conversation starters with cabbies, desk clerks, porters and waiters. Also, when we need to stop a cop or someone else on the street to ask directions, the gifts express our thanks for the courtesy.

We suggest yours to have inscriptions of your home town, state, workplace, profession and/or other friendly personal message. If you’re visiting several foreign destinations, inscribe groups of pens in appropriate languages. Examples of messages: Un Cadeau de Hollywood or Un Dono da Hollywood or Ein Geschenk von Hollywood. We won't even attempt an example in an Asian language, but you get the idea. Of course, the pens are not substitutes for financial tips, but help earn smiles, friendlier services and make your journeys more pleasant.

Your local stationery store or online office supply firm can provide pens, pencils and other give-aways with personal inscriptions. One resource is www.corporategiftspens.com