Pack it up for Montreal

Photo via A Cup of Joe

Time for another weekend getaway! I'm off to Montreal on assignment for Examiner.com. The best part? I'll be driving up from NYC (I love a good autumn road trip), and the hubs gets to come along on this one (road trips are much more fun when you have someone to share 'em with). Pics and reports to come!

P.S. Thanks to the fab packing tips over at onebag.com, I've managed to keep my load slightly (if only slightly) lighter than noted in the pic above.

Weeekend Inspiration: Norway's Valley of the Glaciers

Oldedalen valley, Stryn, Norway [Photo by Mr. Jacobsen/flickr]

Happy Weekend!

Montreal Market Moment

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting up with Montréal-based foodie and blogger Katerine Rollet while she completed a whirlwind tour of NYC. (Judging from her recent blog post, I don't think she was very impressed with our Big Apple bagels and smoked meats. She did, however, seem quite pleased with the ceviche at Dos Caminos, where we had lunch.) The lovely Ms. Rollet was kind enough to bring along some yummy maple candy from her home city and, even better, she agreed to be my guide when I head to Montréal in October to explore the nightlife, culture and culinary offerings. Watching her video on the Jean-Talon Market is making me giddy with excitement.

Unusual Hotels: Find 'em Here

Okay, okay; I've been a bad blogger...again. Smack me on the wrist and give me my punishment. There's really no excuse for my behavior, apart from the fact it's been a busy summer and I've been gearing up for an autumn onslaught of bigger, better blogging. That said, here we go...

Ice Hotel, Jukkasjarvi, Sweden Photo via UnusualHotelsOfTheWorld.com

Your travel dollars are hard-earned these days. When you do decide to spend the cash and hit the road, you don't want to stay in just any old hotel. You want something different. You want something exciting. You want something underwater, in a cave or carved out of ice. What? Thanks to unusualhotelsoftheworld.com, it won't be such a tall order to find just the place to suit your atypical standards. The site contains tons of information on a bevy of unconventional shelters in all corners of the globe. It's easily searchable, infinitely interesting, and some of the photos are downright amazing. Happy hunting!

Happy Bastille Day

Eiffel Tower, Paris [Photo by Ka13/flickr]

Two hundred and twenty years ago today, angry mobs gathered in Paris to storm the Bastille prison, sparking the beginning of the French revolution and, eventually, the end of the French monarchy. The occasion is being marked in France with a parade through Paris (India is this year's country of honor), and a slew of parties and exhibits across the country (check out BBC photos of the festivities here). On the blog, we're paying homage to Bastille Day and the lovely country of France with a few beautiful pictures from a particularly beautiful part of the world...

St. Cirq- lapopie [Photo by Fr Antunes/flickr]

Colmar, Alsace [Photo by Fr Antunes/flickr]

Montreuil-Bellay [Photo by Fr Antunes/flickr]

White Cliffs of Cap Griz Nez, Wissant [Photo by **Maurice**/flickr]

Happy Bastille Day!

A Perfect Day in NYC

After a particularly rainy and chilly start to summer, the weather in New York has been absolutely gorgeous the last couple of days. My husband and I decided to take advantage of the sunshine; we spent some time hanging out at the new Highline Park (read all about the park in my article over at examiner.com), took a stroll along the Hudson and topped it all off with some mojitos and dinner at one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants, Sea. (You can't beat $10 for a Thai curry in the middle of the Meatpacking district -- and it's right across from an entrance to the Highline!). A few snaps from the day...

I love that the Highline design incorporates lots of lounge chairs for taking in the sun. It's a beautiful place to spend a lazy summer afternoon.

You can still see the old tracks in many areas of the park.

And, since the park is elevated, you usually get a nice breeze...and a great view over Tenth Ave. (yep, that's me!).

I need a sailboat...This one looks so beautiful, gliding across the Hudson. You get this kind of view all the time from Hudson River Park.

The mojitos at SEA are amazing...and large. This one lasted me well into my meal, and, believe me, I can usually make quick work of a mojito!

The outdoor seating at SEA, with the Highline in the background -- a perfect location!

Above photos by James Lloyd :)

Getting Color in Florida

When I was recently on assignment in Florida, I had the pleasure of staying at the WaterColor Inn and Resort. This lovely complex features 499 acres of planned neighborhoods, parks and bike trails, along with a particularly charming inn located right on the beach. Nestled between Grayton Beach State Park and Seaside on the Northwest Florida coast, the beach at WaterColor is arguably one of the most beautiful in the U.S., with sugar white sand as far as the eye can see...

Not much of a beach person? The pool areas are equally impressive, with an "adults only" pool (this is a family resort, so adults only areas come in handy if you're not up for sharing swim space with toddlers) located just outside the inn...

And when you're ready to head back to your room, there's plenty of space to relax. Particularly impressive: a walk-in shower with an ocean view. (What can I say? I take long showers. I like to have a nice view while I'm cleansing.)

Perfect Timing

I've been bad. A week-long trip to Atlanta (my hometown) to celebrate a dear friend's birthday and a subsequent Memorial Day blowout in NYC (complete with a visit from one of my best girlfriends who, without my permission, decided to move to Arizona) has meant I've neglected this precious blog. I'm back in the game now, though. I've got my head on straight (kind of). And, of course, I've got some info to share...

[Photo by Al Lanni/flickr]

You've booked your summer vacation time. You're thinking Europe. You're not exactly sure what part. Don't finalize those plans without checking out joobili.com. This sweet little site holds a database of all Europe's festivals, sporting events, cultural fairs, etc. Just enter your travel dates, click "inspire me" and get a report of the cities where you'll find the best travel experience for the particular time you'll be visiting. Perfect!

Thai Charm

If you've always wanted to experience remote Thailand but can't stomach sleeping with the snakes in one of those ill-assembled huts, the new Anantara Si Kao Resort is your dream come true. Perched on the edge of Chao Mai National Park (a sanctuary covering islands and coastal areas in Thailand's enchanting Sikao district), this luxury hotel claims a perfect location for diving and snorkeling -- they even have a 5-Star PADI dive center right on site. Prefer activities that don't involve a limited air supply? There's also plenty of untouched land to survey. Geography of the area is wild and unspoiled (think white powdery beaches, rugged limestone cliffs, unexplored rainforests, thick mangrove reserves, hidden caves and cascading waterfalls)...

The accommodations, however, are first class. Who wouldn't want to drift to sleep in a room like this: luxuriously appointed and snake-free...

Blissful in Barbados

You may recognize the name as the place where Tiger Woods tied the knot a few years ago: Sandy Lane. This amazingly beautiful resort in Barbados (complete with golf course, of course!) has long been a luxury destination of choice for the upper-crust. With rooms like this, it's easy to see why...

I've just received word that for spring and summer 2009, Sandy Lane will be offering 7 plush new packages including free nights and lots of value-added goodies like spa vouchers, lunches and rounds of golf. You can check the website for more details.

The resort just completed a multi-million dollar renovation last fall, and the spa now boasts a panoramic sauna, experience showers and a Rhassoul bath (the only one in the Caribbean). The new amenaties certainly sound great, but what I really wanna do is hang out on a floating bench like this and drink fruity cocktails all day...

Benevolence by the Sea

This spring, take a sweet retreat and be a do-gooder at the same time. The lovely Inn by the Sea, an eco-luxury resort in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, is slashing rates on seaside cottages by 50 percent Sundays through Thursdays in May to support "Hospitality for Humanity, a program that raises money to help build homes for needy families.

Guests enjoy paying half the regular rate for a two-bedroom cottage in exchange for a $35 check made out to Habitat for Humanity -- a pretty amazing deal any way you look at it. Plus, you get to spend your days exploring the beautiful Maine coast and your nights enoying a glass of wine in cushy diggs like this...

Now that's a pretty good incentive to give to charity!

Cape Town's One and Only

Cape Town, South Africa [Photo by Coda/flickr]

As South Africa gears up to host the World Cup in 2010 (I'm hoping to be in attendance), the country is quickly earning a reputation as a new "hot spot." Turning up the heat even more: the launch of One&Only Cape Town. The brand new luxury resort will open its doors to the public on April 3, 2009, and they're offering a pretty sweet deal to celebrate the grand opening. First guests of the hotel (staying between April 3rd and September 30th) will receive two complimentary spa treatments and a bottle of Cape Estate wine. With accommodation like this...

it's easy to imagine never wanting to leave the room. But, if you do decide to venture out (and I'd certainly hope you'd get out and explore at some point), you won't have to go far to find world-class dining. Gordon Ramsy's Maze and Nobuyuki Matsuhisa's Nobu are both on property, as well as the tri-level Wine Loft, which is home to more than 5,000 bottles of South African wine.

Recessionistas will be pleased to know the exchange rate in South Africa is great if you're traveling from the U.S. or Europe (10 rand is currently equivalent to just $1), and, starting June 1st, Delta will offer direct flights to Cape Town. Horray!!

Snow Angel

The snow and bitter cold that's just pounded the east coast is a less than gentle reminder spring's not here yet -- in New York, anyway. But it's got me thinking about escaping to a winter wonderland. (You know, somewhere with stunning mountain views, powdery white snow and a personal assistant to cater to my every whim.) Capella Telluride may be just that place. This brand-new super lux boutique ski resort nestled in the heart of Mountain Village in Telluride, Colorado (with ski in/ski-out access, of course) is in the perfect setting for some serious winter sports.

But my FAVORITE part is that every guest in the 100 guest room/60 condominium resort gets a personal assistant for the duration of their stay. The place is so new (they just opened the doors for the first time on Februsry 12th) they don't even have the exterior images ready yet, but the setting is breathtaking...

And this hot-off-the-press pic I just recieved of the inside of the property looks like it's a more-than-cozy place to retreat after a day on the slopes.

Easy Being Green

Turtle Island, Fiji [Image courtesy Turtle Island Resort]

Going green has never looked better. Islands magazine has just honored the Turtle Island Resort in Fiji with the "Blue List" award for Green Resorts. The remote island hideaway -- they host just 14 couples at a time -- is one of 24 locations around the world to receive the distinction.

[Image Courtesy Turtle Island Resort]

Since buying the island and building the resort back in 1972, owner Richard Evanson has planted more than 500,000 native trees and championed multiple projects to restore the landscape to it's original beauty (it had been ravaged by wild goats when he bought it) and support the local economy and ecosystem. Each bure, for example, was built by local craftsmen using natural materials grown right on the island.

[Image Courtesy Turtle Island Resort]

Now that's green LIVING.

This Just In...

Prague, Czech Republic [Christopher Woo/Flickr]

On May 14th, the Rocco Forte Collection plans to open their 12th property...in Prague. The Augustine will have 101 guest rooms housed in a seven building complex, most of which are historical monuments, including the 13th century St. Thomas Monastery -- a few practicing monks will keep living in a separate part of the building...

London-based designer Olga Polizzi of RDD used local materials and traditional craft methods to create a beautiful modern interior that blends with the monastery setting...picture perfect!

Devil May Care

[sfmission.com/flickr]

Rio's Mayor is vowing a "shock of order" campaign to try to quell a rash of violence in the sinful city during this year's Carnival. The mayor's rant comes after more than 40 young travelers visiting Rio for the festival were robbed by men who ambushed their hostle with guns and grenades. At least 23 other revelers have reported robberies in other areas around the city. Mayor Eduardo Paes says he plans to punish even the smallest offenses in an effort to make Rio safer. But, most Brazilians say there's no way that kind of zero tolerance policy will work in Rio, a city where all things are tolerated -- especially during carnival.

[sfmission.com/flickr]

Conventional Wisdom

San Francisco, CA [ Sully T64 Photography/Flickr]

According to an AP article published in several of today's papers, the recent crack-down on business travel by companies under economic duress may actually be a good thing for people looking to travel on their own time. The logic makes sense. Cities like San Francisco and Las Vegas that are used to bringing in millions of dollars every year from conventions are feeling the sting of a major slowdown. In turn, they're offering some amazing deals to leisure travelers to try to entice them to pick up the slack. A media rep for Priceline says the site's seeing winning bids at half-off retail prices for 4-star hotels in big convention cities across the U.S.

Admittedly, "big convention city" isn't exactly the most tantilizing description for a vacation spot. But, factor in that New York, Miami and New Orleans are all on the list and things start to sound a little better. And, hey, you might just discover an unexpected gem. A recent trip to Orlando (wasn't expecting much, to be completely honest) proved that there's life beyond Disney World in the inland Florida city. The Grande Lakes resort is an oasis worth checking out...

Feeling at home in Turks and Caicos

V-day love hangover got you wanting to play house with your sweetie? The Grace Bay Club in Turks and Caicos has you covered. This weekend, the posh Caribbean resort opened an entirely new section dubbed "The Estate." It's made up of 22 custom-designed ultra swank residences with all the comforts of home -- times 100. Each "residence" features 11-foot ceilings, a full-service kitchen, living room, media room, dining room and oceanfront terrace. Then there's the exclusive access to a 25-yard infinity pool, 24-hour personal concierge, poolside cabanas, priority access to all resort facilities...you get the picture.




Oh, and your backyard would be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.