Eeeewwww......

I've been avoiding this issue as long as I can, but I guess there's no getting away from it.  Read the article below:

"As bedbugs creep out NYC, tourists crawl away"  
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39829901/ns/travel-news/

Here's what it looks like.  Poor Guy.

The disturbing new trend is that the bugs are being spotted not only in hotels but at public places as well - even at the Empire State Bldg.  These little demons know how to catch a ride and they can go a year without feeding so they're difficult to eradicate.   Be on the look out and good luck.

You can check with the bed bug registry to see if your hotel has had any recent bed bug issues.

www.bedbugregistry.com

Searching for my lost shaker of salt....

Sure it's all pretty and fall-y right now and the colors on the trees are beautiful blah, blah, blah...but don't get caught with your snow pants down.  It's coming.... and if winter wasn't bad enough, there's the ever-present whining and complaining as though we didn't sign on for any of this when we moved here.  I've found that it's so much easier to endure if you know that when February comes around you'll be lying on a beach somewhere sipping something out of a coconut. So get to it because as soon as that first snow fall hits, travel agents' phones will be ringing off the hook and the price of your much needed getaway will sky rocket.

There are good reasons to high tail it to Mexico; it's affordable and the flight is fairly quick. From my house in the upper Midwest, for example, I can get to Cancun in 3 short hours. You can book a 4 day trip and still feel like you've spent more time in the sun than in the airport.

Now, where to go. There are so many choices, you really need to think about what you want out of your vacation.  Relaxation? Romance? Family time?  friend getaway?  The Gulf Coast of Mexico - Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, Cozumel etc. has that unbelievable ocean water that is a million shades of blue, white sandy beaches and a gazillion resorts to pick from.  The Pacific Coast - Puerto Vallarta, Rivera Nayarit, Ixtapa features beautiful beaches as well as the Sierra Madre Mountains. Both coasts offer a multitude of excellent spas & golf as well as historical sites, eco & water parks, high-end shopping & good eats.  

If you're worried about safety issues there are sites you can check to see if there are travel warnings for your area.  Most of Mexico's current drug crime problem is occurring near the border.  "Resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico do not see the levels of drug-related violence and crime reported in the border region and in areas along major drug trafficking routes."  see the link below.

Below are a few sites to get your started.  I've included a couple of Mexico tourism sites, a good place for destination and hotel reviews, as well as two reasonably priced, beautiful hotels on either coast.

  

Keep an eye on the weather and pick your destination before you have to pick up a shovel.

http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/mexico/where-to-go.html
http://www.visitmexico.com/wb/Visitmexico/Visi_Home?show=regions 
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/pvrmx-casamagna-marriott-puerto-vallarta-resort-and-spa/ 
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cunmx-casamagna-marriott-cancun-resort/
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_970.html#safety%20
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ 
http://www.expedia.com/ 

http://www.travelocity.com/ 

I was naked at The Waldorf

I'll get to that in a minute....

I don't know if it's an obsession or a hobby, but I organize and research vacations just hoping that someday I may actually take them.  Some may call that pathetic, I prefer to call it "prepared".  Should the opportunity to flee arise, I'm totally ready.  So, you can imagine that when I actually, seriously, for real, get to go somewhere, I go a bit overboard. 

Me at the Waldorf

My husband, Bill, and I had been planning a 5 day, 4 night getaway to New York for about 6 months.  Too much time for me to look at too many hotels.  I couldn't decide.  So he, being the brilliant guy he is, said, "let's stay at all of them".  I narrowed it down to three.  Yes, 4 nights in three different hotels in three different parts of the city.  That was the plan, anyway.  After all, the best way to see New York is on foot, so why not just plop yourself somewhere and start walkin'?  We started in the middle of New York at the famously wonderful and historic Waldorf Astoria ...and now...the nakedness.



Bill & the famous Waldorf clock

The hotel is fabulous and everything we could have hoped for.  The rate was a reasonable $300 - it was so worth it. To say the service is impeccable is an understatement.  We ordered a couple of bottles of Evian from room service as we were getting ready to go to a show.  They brought two tall glass bottles elegantly presented on a silver tray.  Lovely.... and also $40.  Yikes.  I came out of the shower after my shell-shocked husband had forked over the cash. He said, "this water better taste a lot like a martini".  It was then I noticed that the waiter forgot a bottle opener.  Bill called room service again and I returned to the bathroom to dry my hair.  It was warm, the dryer was loud, I had the door open, Bill didn't realize that and that's when it happened.  Minutes later, I noticed in the mirror that there was movement behind me through the open door.  Thinking I was going to see Bill's face, I instead saw a very surprised Asian man with a bottle opener in one hand and a bottle in the other and boy did he see me!  I squealed and kicked the door shut but it was too late.  Bill said that the poor guy literally leaped for the door, saying "I'll come back later!"  oy.

On The Ave.

The next day we (sheepishly) checked out and moved to the Upper West side to a boutique hotel called On The Ave.  Nice hotel at a nice price, but the best part was it's location.  Brownstone lined streets, corner cafes & pizza joints, a great little grocery, the Shake Shack (which has a line out the door and down the street EVERY day) and best of all, we were 3 blocks from Central Park.  We roamed the streets like locals, found an art fair that I browsed forever, got my nails done, went for a run in the park and had a pint in an old Irish Pub complete with actual Irishmen.

Upper West Side brownstone

The next morning, we were off again.  After a great breakfast at the Manhattan Diner across the street, we checked out and headed to Greenwich Village.  The Bowery Hotel was such a treat. Please see my post from August 30th. It is so unique and filled with character - truly one of a kind.  We walked all over the Village, shopped, found Carrie Bradshaw's (Sex And The City) front stoop, and happened upon a restaurant we discovered on our first trip to New York 4 years prior.  Even though we enjoyed ourselves and loved the hotel, we longed to be back on the Upper West side.  So, a quick change in reservations and the next day we were back at On The Ave. and back in our favorite neighborhood.

Granted, this kind of traveling isn't for everyone.  The trick is to never get totally unpacked! Checking your baggage at the hotel can be a little risky - make sure they keep it in a locked room and not sitting on a cart somewhere.  Usually our room was ready around noon but one day it wasn't ready until almost 4pm - that was a bit of a drag. But the thought of waking up to a new adventure every day made it so worth it.  We lucked out with beautiful walking weather our whole trip, in case of rain, a museum visit would have been a perfect way to spend the day.  We'll save that for next time.  

The Bowery Hotel guestroom



So, I guess the moral is that there's so much more to New York than Times Square.  Get out of your comfort zone and you'll discover so many wonderful things and experience New York in a totally unique and memorable way.  

I wouldn't do anything differently next time, except maybe bring a bathrobe.


http://www.waldorfastoria.com/
http://www.ontheave-nyc.com/
http://www.theboweryhotel.com/

"Chicago, Chicago, that toddlin' town" - what the heck does that mean?!

Renaissance Blackstone Lobby

I had pizza last night. Good pizza.  It got me thinking about the best pizza I've ever had -  Chicago?  New York?  Both are fantastic, and I haven't visited Chicago in awhile soooooo....

First I'll need a place to rest my pizza eatin' belly (hmm...pretty).  Sometimes chic & sleek hotels get a little cold and boring....I like something warm and homey.  ok....so by "homey" I mean "mansion-like homey" - I found the Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel on Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

Smoke Filled Room Suite - I'm serious.  That's what it's called.

The fact that anyone has the nerve to name anything "smoke filled" today makes me giddy. The suite pictured above was the site of Warren G. Harding's 1920 Republican nomination for Presidency. The hotel says, "Restored and refurbished to its original elegance, our Vice Presidential Suite is accommodating for the most elite of guests".  Read "expensive", but interesting anyway.  Rates for a regular guestroom average around $250.

Guestroom

I always knew that a hotel concierge was kind of a rock star, but the concierge at the Renaissance has his own web site.  It's called  "Renaissance Navigator Travel Guide" and currently your lead navigator is Jeremy Meerstra. The photo makes him look like an angry Calvin Klein model, but apparently he's a native of Chicago and knows everything there is to know about anything.


Find Jeremy at:
http://renaissancenavigator.com/hotels/navigator/CHIRH

Hotel Monaco Suite

 If you're looking for digs that are a little more casual, I found the Hotel Monaco Chicago.  How cute is this place?  A great location in the heart of everything too. I've stayed at a Hotel Monaco in San Francisco - excellent service and an immaculate hotel. 

http://www.monaco-chicago.com/

Hotel Monaco Guestroom

Now to the important part: the pizza.  A little more than a mile away from the Renaissance (you'll need to walk it off, anyway) is Gino's East on Superior St.  Beware. That's all I'm sayin'. You'll be so hooked that when you get home you'll be calling Fed Ex trying to get them to ship you one.  The good news is:  they will!!! check the website for details.

http://www.ginoseast.com/

Gino's East

Of course, you really can't go to Chicago and not hit a seedy blues club.  Try B.L.U.E.S. 2519 N. Halstad.  Get there early because a line usually forms out the door.

Blues guy - Preston Shannon

Nearby is Chicago's oldest blues club - Kingston Mines. This is serious blues.

http://www.kingstonmines.com/

The Magnificent Mile is also a must. So much more than shopping. Outdoor concerts in the summer, fireworks, kid's events etc.   http://www.themagnificentmile.com/

Have fun and save me a slice. 

The Pearl NYC Grand Opening

The Pearl Hotel

Check out this sleek, new boutique hotel opening on Monday, October 25th in New York City.  Located at 233 West 49th Street, The Pearl is smack dab in the center of Broadway and the theater district. It boasts a fairly wide variety of rooms for a smaller boutique hotel and looks like a great choice for a weekend in New York. Enter the promo code "opening" for 10% off.  

Interested in a bigger hotel a little further away from all the buzz?  Try the Pearl's big sister, The Empire Hotel. It's located between Central Park & Lincoln Center.

The Empire Hotel

http://www.pearlhotelnyc.com/

http://www.empirehotelnyc.com/

I've died and here is heaven....

I don't want diamonds and I don't want furs (I'm told they're inappropriate anyway) and I don't need a Mercedes (although one would be appreciated).  If my husband wants to get me a lavish gift for an anniversary or my birthday or simply because he's a nice guy & we've just won the lottery - here's a big fat hint: take me to the San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara....and then teach me how to pronounce it.  

San Ysidro Ranch reception area - check out the view

Built In the 1930s by Hollywood actor Ronald Colman (who?) and hotelier and former Senator Alvin Carl Weingand (again, who?) it started as a citrus ranch and was transformed into a haven for the rich and famous.  The elite clientele over the years ranged from Audrey Hepburn (my fave), Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby and Groucho Marx to Winston Churchill, and Sinclair Lewis. Scarlett O'Hara herself - Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier were married in the garden, and cooler still - John and Jacqueline Kennedy honeymooned there. Plus, John Huston completed the script for African Queen during a three-month stay at the ranch.  Wow. Wonder what that tab looked like.

The Kennedys

Today, San Ysidro Ranch remains a popular destination for romance for the well-healed as well as common folk with deep pockets.  It was recently named #1 in Travel + Leisure’s list of top resorts in the U.S. and Canada. 

Orange Living Room. My favorite movie is on! "Roman Holiday"

The ranch has several levels of accommodations.  There are 3 types of "ranch rooms" ranging from a studio to a one bedroom, "cottage rooms" with king beds, hot tubs and an outdoor rain shower, and "cottages" which are free-standing, private and secluded. The Kennedy Cottage where the famous couple stayed oddly has 2 master suites, 2 bathrooms and 3 fireplaces.  It's been renovated since they left, so perhaps changes were made after the honeymoon.  The Warner Residence, with it's private drive and private entrance is the largest and probably perfect for the aging Hollywood star who's just had a "little work done" and needs some down time.

Private pool at the Warner Residence

Rates range from (an average) $650 per night for a ranch room to the Warner Residence sporting a hefty $5,000 per night price tag.  See what I mean about winning the lottery?  Oh well, a girl can dream....

http://www.sanysidroranch.com/ 

I flew home with a strange man in my lap...

Seriously.  Everyone at one time or another has had to sit behind the guy on a plane who tilts his seat so far back he's staring up your nose.  It's no surprise then when the aircraft comes to a complete stop, he's the first one up, flicking people with his coat sleeves as he rushes to get his coat on and dropping his over-packed carry-on on your foot, apparently he's in a real hurry.  Hey buddy, we're in row 23.  It's gonna be awhile.  Chill.

A gazillion articles have been written about how bad air travel has gotten these days.

Flight Attendants circa 1960

Passenger behavior is boorish enough (love that word) but somehow we went from glamorous gals ("gals" is retro, so I said it) to a flight attendant so fed up with his job he grabs a beer, launches the slide and flips the bird at the passengers on his way down.  While I love a good exit as well as the next guy, I long for the days I've only heard about.....because I'm far too young to have experienced them ;)

You can't change people, but you can still carry a cute bag.  (Ok...that's lame, but whatever).  Pan Am still sells the retro luggage and bags that were synonymous with the airline's most successful era.

Chic and cool but a little pricey. Hey, anything that will get you to your destination with a smile on your face is worth it.  Oh, and if you're a man and a woman drops this bag right in front of you - pick it up for her.  Nothing restores my faith in humanity like good, old-fashioned chivalry.

http://www.panambrands.com/

History with a twist

My husband and I are convinced that we were born a couple of decades too late. Come to dinner at our house and begin the eye rolling because the background music will feature not only Frank, Dino & Sammy, but Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass. Yes, I'm serious. If we had to pick just one decade, however, our favorite would probably be the 40's. We love the fashion, architecture, movies, & most of all the music. During that era, Bill's mom lived in San Francisco and met a handsome Navy pilot (Bill's dad) at a little joint called the "Pink Rat".  60-some years later, while on our honeymoon, we tried to find it but sadly....it's now a parking lot (maybe it was the name.)

There are places with that kind of nostalgia that still exist if you know where to look.  We found this place the last time we were in San Fransisco.  It's called Top of the Mark on the 19th floor of the Intercontinental Hotel.  It's more than a bar, but to call it a cocktail lounge sounds...well, it sounds retro and I like that.

Top of The Mark 1941

It's history is the stuff of old movies.  In 1939, when the hotel was called the Mark Hopkins Hotel, owner George D. Smith decided to convert the 19^th-floor penthouse apartment into a cocktail lounge. He wasn’t sure how to get people to take an elevator 19 floors to have a drink and look at the view, so he added a dance floor and a band. Not long after, crowds lined the streets to get in.  I loved this tidbit from the web site: "During World War II, servicemen would buy and leave a bottle in the care of the bartender so that the next soldier from their squadron could enjoy a free drink, the only requirement being that whoever had the last sip would buy the next bottle. The soldiers gathered before shipping out for one last toast to the Golden Gate Bridge, believing that the bridge was good luck and would bring them home. As they sailed off under the Golden Gate, wives and sweethearts would draw together in the lounge’s northwest corner, where they would tearfully gaze out the windows. This corner became known as the “Weepers’ Corner.”"

Today, there are still plenty of romantic dinners, cocktail hours, afternoon teas and music at the Top of The Mark.  Click the link below and hear samples from some of San Francisco's jazz greats who frequently perform at the legendary spot.  

So stop by, take that elevator up 19 floors and not only can you enjoy unbelievable views of the city by the bay and sample something from the 100 martini's menu, you can hearken back to a more innocent time when the only thing that was swingin' was the music. 

Top of the Mark today

Great view

http://www.intercontinentalmarkhopkins.com/top_of_the_mark/

http://www.intercontinentalmarkhopkins.com/top_of_the_mark/entertainers/ 

They're pratically paying you to go....

Fall, apparently, is a really good time to go to Disney World - who knew? Travelocity.com is offering some unbelievable deals right now.  The new Waldorf property in Disney is 5-star fabulous and I found rates as low as $189....at the Waldorf.  If you want to roll the dice and get an even better deal, travelocity.com has a great feature called "Top Secret Hotel".  Similiar to hotwire.com and priceline.com - you don't discover the identity of your hotel until it's booked & paid for.  The rates are astonishingly low especially for Disney.

Waldorf Orlando

 http://www.waldorfastoriaorlando.com/ http://www.travelocity.com/
http://www.priceline.com/
http://www.hotwire.com/

It's all there in black & white.

So you wake up in London, have a lovely breakfast of really strong coffee and biscuits or whatever they eat in London for breakfast.  You saunter out your door just in time to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.  Cool.  right?   41 (that's it - that's the whole name) is a boutique hotel with only 30 rooms.  Every room has a black & white color scheme but each distinctly different. Very cool. 41 is hidden directly behind Buckingham Palace. It's about as close to the Queen as a person can get without getting manhandled by the aforementioned guards. 

41 Entrance

41's location sounds ideal for a history buff.  A short walk and you're in the heart of British history and politics; Downing Street, The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey are right there.  A brief cab ride will take you to some of the best shopping in the world on Regent Street, Bond Street, and Covenant Garden.

41 Guestroom

But enough about the location and more about the hotel.  The web site strongly stresses the "discreet" and "hideaway" status of 41.  I don't know what that suggests, but I'll take it to mean that it's cleverly hidden from the touristy London-lookers.  It caters to a definitely upscale clientele.  Hmmm...looks like I'll have to sneak in.



The list of amenities goes on and on but there were a few things that were jaw-droppers for me.  First, the staff outnumber guests two-to-one. Whatever you need, they make it happen. At turndown, they put floating candles in your bath, spray lavender on your pillow, and turn your TV guide to that day's page. 

Turndown service in the suite.  Yes, they light those candles for you - 
God forbid you strike your own match.

And then there's the pillow menu with 11 different kinds of aroma therapy pillows - are you kidding me?!  Also, If you're a woman traveling alone, they have special rooms for you that offer extra security, additional counter space for your make-up in the bathroom - love that - and extra hangers in your closet.  If you've brought the kids (what were you thinking?) they offer children's menus, kid's bathrobes and slippers, and a "child minding service" - that sounds terrific on so many levels.  In the mood for a snack?  "Plunder the Pantry" happens every night.  Guest are free to raid the well-stocked fridge in the executive lounge.  No more worrying about the $15 can of macadamia nuts you just HAD to have from the mini-bar.  They even have a pet concierge to make sure your pooch is happy too. Dave Brown and his TEAM are assigned to make sure your dog has mineral water to drink, a do not disturb sign on the door in case he's taking a nap (your dog, not Dave) and even their own little "41" dog tag.  For real.  

41 Staff at attention

Service, service, service.  It can't get much better and that's what the reviews of 41 say as well. Check out the excellent electronic brochure on their website and tell Her Majesty I'm on my way....without my naughty dogs.

http://www.41hotel.com/

http://www.changing-the-guard.com/

If I had a million dollars....

Well, maybe not quite a million, but if I had a pile of money and wanted to vacation like a rock star, this site would be at the top of my list:  http://www.beautiful-places.com/

I stumbled upon beautiful-places while looking for a house to rent in Napa for a friend. The site was originally designed to be a luxury villa rental company just for California's wine country, but since it's launch it has added gorgeous villa properties in France, Italy, Mexico, the Bahamas and Florida.  

Napa Valley Villa

The company's mantra is "epicurean lifestyle travel" ...whatever.  Just say it's a vacation with a focus on food & wine (hmmm...add a little shopping and I've died and gone to heaven).  

Perhaps you and your travel mates require someone to create a tailor-made vacation according to your interests and passions.  Wine? you can blend your own barrel. Racing? they'll arrange a race at a premier race track in Italy.  Golf? they'll set up a tee-time with a pro in Sonoma or Mexico. 

Punta Mita

Lake Como Villa

 They also offer an unbelievable concierge service.  They will pick you up from the airport and deliver you to your villa after they've done all your grocery shopping and stocked the fridge with all of your favorite things, made your tour reservations and set up your tee-times.  You can even ship your luggage and they'll unpack it for you before you get there.

Beautiful-places.com offers anything from a one bedroom cottage in California wine country to a manor in Tuscany that sleeps 35. Many of the villas are mansion-sized.  They're perfect for large groups; weddings, business client trips & meetings, big family get-togethers etc.  If you're going to travel like a rock star you'll need room for your entourage.  Hey, take a bunch of strangers if you want, the more the merrier.  

Nandana Resort - West End, Grand Bahama

Check out this villa "compound" in the West End, Grand Bahama.  Bring 11 of your lucky friends and have the time of your lives.

The Canopy Suite

So, grab a cup of coffee, glass of wine -whatever, and browse these beautiful-places.  Dream a little.  And if you decide to go somewhere, I'll take out a second mortgage and join you.

http://www.beautiful-places.com/