A Vacation in a Weekend!

June 10, 2010 by

Many of you have heard me talking about Club Getaway on “After Hours.”  I decided to head up there for Memorial Day Weekend, as I had returned from their singles cruise a few months ago and was eager to see the new friends I had made.  The last time I was at Club Getaway was four years ago, and I forgot just how much fun I had.   It’s a beautiful place to visit and one that offers water and land sports galore.  Take workout and massage classes, arts and crafts,  trapeze,  go hiking and biking in the breathtaking mountains, and kayak, water ski and sail on the lake.  Plus, enjoy great food, drinks, entertainment, and a ton of fun people.  The camp is easily accessible in scenic Kent, CT. and is just a few hour drive from anywhere in the tri-state area.  They offer a bus from NYC which makes it very easy and convenient.  Their themed weekends start Friday evenings and end Sunday evenings, unless you go up for their extended holiday weekends, so you don’t have to worry about taking any time off from work.  While it’s only for a few days, you’ll return feeling refreshed and full of memories.

Click here for all the details and a list of the different weekends catering to various ages, singles, and families.  I will be going back up for J-weekend in July and with Scott, my producer, August 13-15 for the Sports and Fun weekend and look forward to seeing you there!

Filed Under: Destinations, United States Tagged With:

Romance Under the Northern Lights

April 10, 2010 by

When we think about romantic getaways, many of us think of posh spas or quaint bed and breakfasts, but what about taking a cruise up the Norwegian coast to hunt for the Northern Lights with your loved one?  Probably not the first thing that comes to mind, but while sailing aboard the M.S. Trollfjord, one of the boats in the Hurtigruten fleet, all I could think about was how nice it would’ve been to share the breathtaking Norwegian snow-capped mountain scenery and the charm of the big cities and small towns and villages with someone close to me.   I had heard that the aurora borealis (the Northern Lights) were a spectacular site to see and even had a positive influence on your mood.  In some cultures, they believe it enhances fertility.  They are caused by solar wind, electrically charged particles the sun flings across the solar system that are drawn to the Earth’s magnetic fields around the poles.  That’s why they are only visible from extreme latitudes.  When I had the opportunity to see them while sailing through the fjords of Norway, it was a chance I could not pass up.

There are twelve ships in the Hurtigruten fleet, the M.S. Trollfjord being one of the  two newest ships.  With boats sailing the same itinerary every day of the week, it’s easy to customize a trip to your schedule.  I could not begin the trip at the same time as everyone else, so while I missed seeing the city of Bergen, had I sailed on another ship, I could’ve had the same itinerary.  I’ve been on a few cruises lately and  I would have to say the food on this boat is terrific!  Breakfast and lunch were open seating buffets and for dinner, we had two time choices for eating.  With fish being so fresh and abundant in Norway, we always had lox, herring, cod, and caviar at every meal as well as traditional Norwegian meats of reindeer, meatballs, potatoes and pea soup.  Dessert were made of cloudberry, huge blocks of icecream, fruits and cakes.  The gym and sauna on  the ninth deck had the best views with huge ceiling to floor windows.   Watching the beautiful coastline made my time on the elliptical  peaceful and enjoyable.  Outside on the deck, there were two Jacuzzis which were also a magical way to watch for the northern lights and take in the surrounding beauty.  There’s nothing like sitting in a hot Jacuzzi while snow is falling around you.  When getting out, we made a beeline for the sauna, which felt great.

Throughout the seven day voyage aboard Hurtigruten, you’ll stop in several ports throughout the day and night.  Some allow you a few hours, others are a quick stop for the ship to deliver cargo and you may have the opportunity to run off for a half an hour to check out the port.  Our main stops were Bergen, a bustling capital of Norway’s fjord region, Alesund, a beautiful Art Noveau town, Trondheim, with its charming streets and Gothic cathedral of Nidaros, where the kings of ancient Norway once received their official blessings.  On Day four, we crossed the arctic circle and they did an official baptizing ceremony which I unfortunately slept through (or maybe fortunately since they poured ice down everyone’s back!) and then we stopped in Bodo where we enjoyed a Lofotr Viking feast.  In Tromso, known as Norways “Paris of the North,” we had a beer at Olhallen Bar, the northern most brewery in the world, visited the Arctic Cathedral, the Northern most Catholic Church, with its beautiful stainglass windows, and walked through Polaria, home of the bearded seals, and watched them being fed and trained.   On Day 6, we arrived in Honningsvag, where we were greeted by a huge snow storm, so unfortunately the road was closed up to the North Cape, but we explored the northern most town and had the opportunity to hold some huge king crabs (there are king crab safaris available) and learn about their mating rituals.  My favorite part of the trip began in Kjollefjord where we took a snowmobile trip in Lapland from the trading fishing village of Kjolleford over the mountains to Mehamn. This was a beautiful ride along the Finland coast under the starry winter sky.  On Day seven, we stayed overnight in Kirkenes at the Sollia Lodge, the perfect spot on the Russian border to see the northern lights.  In Kirkenes, we took a snowmobile safari and dog sledding trip under a crystal clear starry sky.  These two activities were so much fun and I would highly recommend doing both.   We couldn’t have had a better ending to our day.  Right after the dog sledding adventure, the beautiful green hues started appearing in the sky.  They transformed themselves into different shapes, came and went and then appeared again.  A few of us stayed up until 3am observing their movement and patterns.  It was a truly amazing experience.

After the cruise up the coast, you have the option to continue aboard for the southbound journey and experience additional activities and ports or you may want to fly to Oslo, as we did for the last two days of the trip.  It’s a great way to get a taste of the urban as well as the arctic life of Norway.   The city of Oslo is a beautiful one consisting of great museums, monuments, a beautifully constructed opera house, the world’s most modern ski jump, which will be used in the 2011 world championships, cross country skiing, and a great mix of restaurants and nightlife.  The Oslo Ice Bar is a must stop for a cloudberry mixed drink in a frozen ice glass.

Norway is a spectacular country with great people and beautiful landscape and there’s no better way of seeing the fjords than with Hurtigruten.  Be sure to ask for a mid-ship cabin for minimal vibration and one with an unobstructed view, as there’s no better feeling than waking up to a view of the sun glistening off of the coastal snow-clad mountains.  Go to Hurtigruten’s and Norway’s websites for all the information you’ll need to plan your magical voyage.  Thanks to Jeffrey Sobolow for his outstanding photography!

Filed Under: Destinations, Scandinavia Tagged With: , , ,

NJ 101.5 and Club Getaway Cruise 2010

February 26, 2010 by

I’m sitting on the top deck of the Costa Atlantica, the sun’s in front of me high in the sky reflecting on the glistening water below.  Many in our group are on the pub crawl, others  relaxing in the hot tub. This has been a phenomenal week.  With over 150 men and women on the Club Getaway Sports and Adventure Cruise, in addition to the few thousand already on the ship, there have been lots of new friends made, some hooking up, and possible budding romances.   The days were packed with excursions in the Western Caribbean, when not at sea, and the nights filled with cocktail parties, dancing, dinner and spectacular entertainment from the ship’s performers.   Club Getaway did a great job in making sure everyone was having a great time from morning until night.  While in port, we had the option of doing set excursions with the group or going off on our own.

Since I love scuba diving, I had to dive while in port, considering Key West, Roatan and Cozumel are all known for their incredible reefs and wrecks.  In Key West, I dove with Dive Key West and we dove the Vandenberg, a  world class wreck that’s a 520 ft. long steel hulled troop transport and missile tracking ship.  It is the second largest artificial reef in the world and sits a mere 40 ft. below the surface making her accessible to divers of all levels.   Everyone at Dive Key West was top notch and they’re definitely the shop to dive with while in Key West.  Bob Holston is the owner and has been operating for almost 40 years.  They really pride themselves on safety .  There was one person in our group who wanted to dive with me but since it had been awhile since his last dive, they turned him away rather than just taking the business, knowing he needed a refresher.  Greg was a great divemaster and lead us through the inside of the wreck which was really neat.  For the second dive, we dove a coral reef and saw a nurse shark, midnight parrot fish, sergeant majors, french angel and squirrel fish.

Having been to Roatan a few months ago, I was excited to go diving again with Anthony’s Key Resort.  Normally their dives are just for resort guests, but they also handle the cruise ship passengers.   I’ve been on four dives with them now and each one has been so enjoyable.  They really make you feel at home and are also very conscious about safety.  With every new diver, they do a quick check out dive to make sure you have the right weight and know the basics.    The first dive was beautiful through the “Spooky Channel”…Wayne’s Reef.  We saw huge grouper, hogfish, cowfish, scorpionfish, lionfish and a huge king crab.   If you are taking a cruise into Roatan and you’re a diver, this is the activity you’ll want to choose while on the island.  With the time we had in port, I was able to do a two tank dive and for the second one, I had the opportunity to dive with the dolphins which was so much fun! Everytime I interact with them, they put such a smile on my face.  It was really cool to see them swim around in their own habitat.  They seemed to love the camera and would swim towards you so you could rub and play with them.   If you are going to Roatan and not on a cruise, you definitely want to stay at Anthony’s Key Resort.  The cottages are right across the water from the dive boats and they will ferry you back and forth all day.  In between dives, I put myself in a hammock and fell asleep to the sound of the birds chirping.

I was really looking forward to diving in Cozumel since the last time I was there for a day, I was not yet scuba certified.  At first when we arrived, the port was closed for all water activities because of the rough winds.   I went with the rest of the group to Chankanaab Park, which is a great place to go for snorkeling, diving, the beach, and playing with the dolphins.  They’ll also give you a tour of their Mayan ruins.  About an hour in, they changed the flag to yellow and announced the water was open.  I ran to the dive shop and they hooked me up right away with gear and took me diving right off the shore.  It was a one on one dive and we saw a huge lobster, sting rays, and an eel in the cave we swam through.  After we got back, I really wanted to find a dive shop with whom to do a boat dive because I had been told that what you see by boat is incredible.  The dive shop in Chankanaab recommended I head to Mr. Santos and to the Ramon Zapata’s Diver’s dive shop.

I had just missed the boat and normally they need to have at least four people.  It was already 2pm and I knew that if I couldn’t go diving with them, I would be in Cozumel for a second time without having seen the magnificent underwater life for which it’s known. When the owner, Ramon Jr., came back from the dive, his sister, Aldarita, who also helps run the diveshop, spoke with him and they said they would send me out with divemaster Abraham even though I was the only one.  I was so thrilled and happy I had found such a friendly operation.  Family run, their father, Ramon was a pioneer of diving in Cozumel.  Having been born in 1925, he started the dive shop and his son and daughter took it over.  Turns out the shop I went diving with in Chankanaab was owned by them as well.   The whole staff really made me feel welcome and was so enthusiastic to share with me their family history in diving.   In addition to the dives you can do from Mr. Santos Beach Club and Chankanaab Park, they will customize any dive for you depending on where you’d like to go, including bullshark diving in Playa del Carmen.   You can also do a discover scuba with them if you’ve never been diving before, and you can get your certification in just a few days.   Divemaster Abraham was great in pointing out many things on our dive.  The coral was absolutely beautiful and the fishes magnificent.  Just as I was posing for a picture near some coral, a huge green moray eel crawled out from a rock under me.   I would highly recommend diving with Ramon Zapata’s Divers if you’re headed to Cozumel.  You can make a reservation by emailing them at ramonzapata_divers@hotmail.com.

Overall the week was a ton of fun and if you did not make it on this cruise, you definitely want to make sure you’re on the next one.  We  had some great laughs and met  new friends that we know we’ll see again.  And the best part, while we were partying it up in the tropical Caribbean, the tri state area was getting hit with yet another snowstorm.

Filed Under: Caribbean, Destinations, United States Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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A Viennese Fairytale

February 14, 2010 by

It was just two days after I got back from Ecuador and I was back on an international flight out of JFK, this time on Austrian Airlines.  I don’t usually come back from one trip and turnaround for another, but when I heard that it was ball season in Vienna and I would have the opportunity to attend a real life ball, I had to go.  Just saying I was going to the ball sounded so elegant and intriguing to me.  Was I going to meet my Prince Charming in one of the most romantic cities in the world?   While this is ball season and one can attend a few balls in a week if they had the time and money, we attended the most popular one, the Coffeehouse Owner’s Ball at the Imperial Palace.  From the beginning of our trip, we started preparing for our ball experience.  On Thursday, we had the honor of taking a waltzing lesson at one of the most prestigious dance studios in Vienna, “Elmayer.”  Since the “Golden Twenties,” Elmayer has combined manners and dancing to teach children and adults of all ages.  They base their lessons on the traditional Austrian Imperial system.   Considering I’ve never waltzed once in my life, I picked up some of the basic steps and turns rather quickly.  However, when it actually came time to put them to the test at the ball, well that was a whole other story!  I’ll tell you about that later!

Friday afternoon before the big night, we browsed around Popp and Kretschmer, a dress shop that carries gowns imported from around the world.  Of course, I had to play dress up and immediately spotted this gorgeous  poofy green gown. I had never worn anything like it before and thought about how fun it would’ve been to wear to the ball.  If only I had $3,370 Euros  (over $5,000).

Back at the luxurious Imperial Hotel, which I should mention was the perfect place to stay for our fairytale trip, it was time to get ready for the 53rd annual Coffeehouse Owners’ Ball.   I slipped on my long black gown and heels, twirled my hair up and back with curls on the top of my head, put on my sparkling lipstick and headed downstairs and was greeted by a gentleman with his…get this… horse and carriage!  I stepped up with the assistance of Nicholas, the perfect gentleman, our Vienna guide, and my soon to be dance partner for the evening.

We arrived at the Imperial Palace and it was like walking into a red carpet event, but I imagine much more elegant and spectacular.  Magnificent Chandeliers were glimmering as debutantes in their long white dresses and guests in their gowns and tails filed in and up the long staircase and stopped to have their picture taken by the professional photographer.   Once inside, Nicholas took me around the palace, which took more than an hour, and we just saw about a third of the rooms!  The Spanish riding school, which usually houses Lipizzaner horses, was enchanting.  We walked around the perimeter on the third level and then made it downstairs to the dance floor.  While there were over 10 bands and the orchestra in various rooms, we rotated between the marble room and the adjacent ballroom, the riding school, and the main ballroom where the opening ceremony took place which featured the State Opera Ballet, the Opera Ball Orchestra, the debutantes, many guest performers.   At the end of the opening ceremony, the master of ceremonies announced, “Alles Waltzer” which means “Everyone Waltz!”  This is when everyone joins the debutantes in the first waltz to the Blue Danube.   I was excited and nervous at the same time to put my new dance steps to work.   However, that all went out the window real quickly and Nicolas spun me around the dance floor and kept spinning and spinning and spinning me!  At that point, it was a matter of how hard I could hold onto his arm so I wouldn’t fall on my face in front of everyone in my long gown!  That is when I realized how cool it is that most Austrians start taking dance lessons at such a young age.   Now I have a new goal…sign up for ballroom dancing classes.   Even when we danced the Samba, Nicholas said he was faking it, but he had me twirling out and back into his arms so quickly…probably the best and most fun I’ve had dancing.  At midnight, it was time for the Publekums’ quadrille, a dance they do at midnight and 2am in which we did a sought of square dance and polka.  Again, no idea what I was doing, but I had a blast doing it.  At one point, everyone made a tent with his or her arms and we ran through before joining the end of the chain.

At about 2am, the music was getting even better and my body wanted to keep dancing but my sore feet had something else in mind, so we made our way back outside where the horse and carriages were lined up waiting to take us to the Landtmann Café for a delicious bowl of goulash soup and a beer, a tradition among ball goers.  The Landtmann Café dates back to the 19th century and was a great place to unwind.  As we sat down, the pianist was playing  “Michelle” by the Beatles, which made me smile…what a great ending to my night of feeling like royalty.

The next day I decided to take my sore feet and hamstrings to the Hotel Sacher and indulge in a thirty minute chocolate body scrub.  After the scrub and lotion, I relaxed in their spa, which had a sauna, steam room and thermal steam room with herbs, which was very relaxing.  For the rest of the night, I smelled all chocolaty which made me want to have even more chocolate, as if I hadn’t already been enjoying way too much (or is there such a thing?).  I had already treated myself to a few of the Imperial Hotel’s tortes, which were like heaven in my mouth with the layers of chocolate and marzipan.  After and incredible ballet performance of Romeo and Juliet at the State Opera House that night, I tried the Sacher Torte, which is reportedly the original torte of Vienna and this one which was made with dark chocolate and it was simply orgasmic.   The guy in the coat check told us it had 800 calories in it, but we got a smaller cube, so I’m guessing it was around half that, or at least that’s what I’m telling myself.  Whatever it contained, it was well worth it!

In addition to being such a romantic city, Vienna is definitely a hip fun place to walk about and shop.  From your typical souvenir shops selling Mozart candy to the noble and glass chandelier maker Lobmeyr, you’ll find it all in the first district.  The naschmarkt is a great food market to walk through.  It opens early and has a few popular staples like the vinegar man from Gegenbauer selling everything from tomato to elderberry to Riesling vinegar and making his own coffee across the way.  You can find a huge selection of dried fruit and nuts and delicious falafel.  If you have a group of ten or more, a fun activity would be to visit the kitchen at the Palais Todesco and learn how to make apple strudel.  It is more difficult than you might think getting the dough perfectly thin and spread out without making a hole!  The Gerstner confectioners showed us how to make the Mozart balls and we decorated our own chocolate tortes, and of course they didn’t need to show us how to enjoy our creations when all the work was done.    Other stops we made on the trip included the Austrian Gallery Belvedere, a beautiful garden palace and museum, the Schoenbrunn Palace, the summer residence of the Habsburgs, and the Imperial Crypt.

For our last Viennese meal, we had a Tafelspitz dinner at Plachutta, which I would highly recommend if you love beef.  We were given the option of over a dozen boiled beef specialties from Schulterscherzl to Tafelsptiz, with a diagram of the cow and with options ranging from the really meaty parts to the fat-free sections,  I say if you’re going for the meal, go all out.  The fat-free just couldn’t compare.  It was first time eating bone marrow as well, and while I know it was fatty, it was yummy and supposedly very healthy for you.

I spent four full days in Vienna and while I thought it might not be enough time, we saw and experienced so much in such a short time.  These are memories that will last a lifetime and for a brief period of time, I was starring in my own real life fairytale and one that I think everyone should experience as some point in their lives.

Filed Under: Destinations, Europe Tagged With: , , , , ,

Galapagos and Ecoventura: A Perfect Match!

January 30, 2010 by

I can’t believe my week in the Galapagos Islands is over. It was quite an experience, and one I would recommend to everyone. While we covered one or more islands in a day, the itinerary was full, but I never felt rushed or pushed too far. I sailed with Ecoventura, and they really made the experience a pleasurable one. Our day started with being woken up around 7am with soothing music and a calm voice from one of our guides and had a delicious breakfast waiting for us at 7:30. Then it was either a morning hike or snorkel, back to the boat for lunch and an afternoon siesta followed by an afternoon activity. They kept us fueled with delicious healthy meals, and we had plenty of sleep at night, so I felt great throughout the trip. The staff on board did an outstanding job in making us feel at home for our week away from home.  The boat was a perfect size for an intimate Galapagos experience with one guide for every ten people. The top deck was my favorite place to take a nap or gaze at the stars at night as the wind blew through my hair.
Ecoventura sets itself apart from the other operators in the Galapagos Islands in that the Eric, the motor yacht we took, became the first hybrid energy tour boat following a $100,000 installation of 40 solar panels and two wind turbines on the upper deck. The goal of the solar panels and wind powered generators is to provide enough power to support about 17 percent of the energy formerly produced by two carbon fuel based generators. Since the main objective of the Galapagos is to preserve the wildlife and environment for years to come, they hope to have this finished in all of their yachts by 2011 so they can do their part in making sure our children and grandchildren can have the same experiences as we did. While there are so many species endemic to the Galapagos Islands, UNESCO put the Galapagos on its World Hertiage sites risk list, so Ecoventura is doing everything it can to preserve the fragile and beautiful ecosystem.
They provided us with an outstanding itinerary, and there were usually alternatives if you didn’t want to do a certain activity. For scuba divers like myself, they give you the option of going diving with one of the local dive shops two out of the seven days. I took advantage of this the day we arrived, but chose not to the second time because it would have meant I would’ve missed out on the giant tortoises in the wild on Santa Cruz which is a must see when coming to the Galapagos.
On Sunday, I flew from Quito and met the group in Guayaquil aboard Aerogal Airlines and then it was off to San Cristobol Island where we met our guide for the week and owner of Wreck Bay Diving, Ivan Lopez Ruiz, and my dive master, Shay Katzir. After a briefing on our 20-person motor yacht, Eric, one of Ecoventura’s four boats, Shay picked me up to go scuba diving. I was surprised to hear I was the only one diving. Usually a company will not go out unless they have a few passengers, so it made for a very intimate diving experience. We went diving at Kicker Rock and unfortunately, there was an unusually large swell, so it was a bit of a tough dive but Shay held my hand for a good part of the dive so I would not drift away from him and we saw some great underwater life like an octopus curled up in a rock, a Galapagos and white tip reef shark, a big yellow pufferfish, and lots of beautiful yellow and black starfish. The staff of Wreck Bay were great. Angel Quimis was really helpful in double checking all of my equipment and helping me on and off the boat.
On our eight day, seven night journey, we explored gorgeous islands of various terrain and took thousands of pictures of the various species of birds including the red and blue footed booby, the nasca booby, lava lizards, marine and land iguanas, sea lions, sally light crabs, and huge tortoises. It was amazing at how close we were able to come to the wildlife. Occasionally a sea lion would give out a warning roar to let you know you were a little too close for comfort., but without fail, every time I saw them playing with each other, a baby calling for his or her mom and waddling down the rocks or across the beach, it made me laugh. Underwater, we saw beautiful starfish of many colors, king angel fish, Galapagos penguins, white tip reef sharks, pacific green sea turtles, grunt fish, parrotfish, and leatherback sea bass.
Our tour guides Ivan and Cecibel were very well versed naturalists and made the trip even more enjoyable. Ivan had his key phrases every time he saw something and made sure we always had our cameras out at the right moments, which wasn’t difficult since every moment seemed to be a good one. Each night on board we had a briefing to prepare us for the next day so we knew whether or not to prepare for a dry or wet landing. In order to get to the islands each day, we would put on a life jacket and board the Zodiac raft which would take us to our destination, and upon returning, our wonderful restaurant manager Luis would have juice and a snack ready for us as we got on board…a great touch after burning all those calories hiking or snorkeling. The food was always great on board and Luis was so attentive to my lactose intolerance. Whenever there was something with milk or cheese in it, he always let me know and provided an alternative. There was always fresh fruit at every meal including succulent pineapple, papaya, cantaloupe, and watermelon. In addition, breakfast included delicious fruit juices, eggs, whole wheat breads, yogurt, and cereal. Lunch and dinner ranged from traditional Ecuadorian dishes like shrimp ceviche, and bean soup, to chicken, pork and fresh fish. We all had the honor of having dinner with the captain and hearing his navy stories. As we crossed the equator, which was four times during our 484 nautical mile trip, we watched the latitude turn to all zeros on the GPS on the bridge. The staff put on a great interactive show halfway through the trip which was a lot of fun. We all were like family for that one week and the staff aboard the M/Y Eric was a big part in making that happen.
If you are looking for an experience of a lifetime with memories that will touch your heart and last forever, you definitely want to put the Galapagos Islands on your short list. However, if you are going to make the trip to Ecuador, don’t just go there for four days to say you’ve been there. Spend the entire week so you can fully explore so much of what Darwin saw to formulate his theory of evolution. You’ll go at a relaxed yet active pace while also enjoying the journey aboard one of Ecoventura’s intimate and comfortable boats as it cuts through the water, the wind gently blows in your face as the world surrounds you.
Filed Under: Destinations, South America Tagged With: , , ,

I’m in the Middle of the World!

January 23, 2010 by

I’m in the middle of the world surrounded by so many multicultural and multi-ethnic groups. I flew into Quito on Thursday morning aboard LAN Airlines. I had never flown with LAN before, but they had a non-stop flight from JFK to Guayaquil and then an easy transfer from Guayaquil to Quito. I was really impressed with the service both in the airport and aboard the 6.5 hour flight. The plane was comfortable and since it wasn’t overbooked, I got to lay out across a whole row, which is always a welcome bonus. Every seat had a personalized entertainment television with great movies, music, and games. Upon arriving in Quito, I checked into the Best Western Plaza and Casino. My suite style room was very spacious and comfortable and they gave me some casino money to start with, so that was fun of course. While it was a nice hotel, it’s more for business travelers, as the main nightlife is about 15 minutes away. However, cabs are so inexpensive, that you’ll be able to go back and forth easily for around three or four dollars. Remember to ask for a room on a high floor though because if they have private parties going on like they did when I was there, you won’t get to sleep before 2am.  

That night I had dinner at a phenomenal restaurant, Zazu. We had the tasting menu and chef Alexander came out after each course to explain the delectable seafood and duck dishes were eating. Every Peruvian and Ecuadorian style course had intense flavor and was made from the freshest ingredients. The next day I met my guide, Mauricio Baus, and we headed to the Old City of Quito. It was quite amazing seeing the transformation from the new part to the old, more colonial buildings dating back hundreds of years. Since I was only going to be in the area for two days, we had to make the most of our morning and he did a great job fitting as much in as possible in the short amount of time. We saw a few churches, two made of gold, the grandest of them all being the Campania de Jesus Church. This church took over 100 years to build from 1605 to 1765. Independence square is the heart of the city and you can see the multi cultural and multi ethnic groups of Ecuador gathering in one place. There are over 20 indigenous groups and 87 churches in the old part of Quito. UNESCO named it a cultural heritage site in 1978. San Fransicsco square is also a great place to hang out with the great Panama hat store. Another place you’ll want to check out is the Escuela Taller. I was so impressed with the woodworking skills of the students there and it made me see just how much work goes into each carving. The fair trade store sells some great Ecuadorian chocolate and you can go downstairs to see some of the artistic crafts made locally that are also for sale. The City Museum is a great place to see the evolution and history of Ecuador and its people.

One thing I have to say about my stay in Quito was that I never had one bad meal. Each one was so delicious and what I loved most was that everywhere we went I was able to get freshly squeezed juices such Naranjilla and tree tomato which were my favorites. For lunch at the hotel Patio Anduluz, we sat in a beautiful atrium and I had a delicious avocoado stuffed with shrimp. I love avocado so I was in heaven because it comes naturally in so many dishes! For an entrée, I had the sea and earth, a mixture of langostina and beef piled high with grilled veggies.

After lunch, we drove to the Mitad del Mundo- the middle of the world, and I stood on the equator with one foot in each hemisphere with mountains as the backdrop. You can see exactly what time it is based on the shadow that hits the sundial. It was interesting to hear the scientific way in which they figure it all out and for just a $1 donation, they will explain it to you.

As we made our way to Otavalo, we stopped in Cyambe at Rosadex, an amazing rose farm. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. The Ecuadorian rose can grow to great lengths because of the sun on the equator. There is a whole production team who then take them from the greenhouse and cuts them to the starndard length depending on where they are bring shipped. The vibrancy and bright variety of colors was breathtaking. Gloria is the owner and showed us her beautiful home filled with generations of antiques and gorgeous roses of many colors and scents and a beautiful rose pond out front. She and her husband will gladly welcome visitors who would like to tour the farm and her home.

That night we stayed at the Hacienda Cusin, a great place to stay if you’d like to check out the popular indigenous market in Otavalo. While they are open everyday, Saturday is their big day and if you get there around 9am, you can see the animal market, which is quite the experience! The locals come out to sell their animals and others from various parts of Ecuador bargain for a good deal. It was amazing how many goats, bulls, cows, roosters, and pigs were there, many being pulled on a leash and others just being held by their owner.
For those sensitive to animals, you may want to skip the market, but it definitely is something to see if you’d like to get a sense for the life in the Otavalo community. After the animal market, I walked around the other market which had many locals selling items made in Ecuador such as handbags, panama hats, sweaters, shawls, etc. Be sure to walk all the way back towards the church so you can experience a part of the market that most tourists don’t go to. Inside the fruit and vegetable market back there, you can get a bite to eat, but after seeing all of the meats hanging and the full pigs with their heads roasted and out on display, you may think twice.I saved my appetite for lunch at the Hacienda Pinsaqui, where I had a delicious shrimp cerviche with corn kernels to sprinkle in, traditional way of eating ceviche in Ecuador, and trout with veggies and rice. The gardens at the hacienda are beautiful and definitely a great spot for pictures and relaxing.  

The drive back was beautiful, with the mountains, valleys and deep canyons around us. Since it was Saturday night when we got back to Quito, I went out to have a bite to eat at the in the heart of  the Mariscal region of Quito. This is where most people go Thursday through Saturday nights to hang out. The square is filled with restaurants and bars with live music as well as a casino.The next morning I was off to the airport for my trip to the Galapagos. Read all about that in my next few entries!

Filed Under: Destinations, South America Tagged With: , , , ,

The Historical Hermitage Hotel

January 9, 2010 by

For our downtown part of our trip to Nashville, we stayed at the magnificent historical Hermitage Hotel and enjoyed a delicious four course meal at the Capitol Grille on New Years Eve and a wonderful brunch on Sunday.  The restaurant is located inside Tennessee’s only AAA five diamond and Mobil Five Star Award winning hotel.  The restaurant was decked out for New Years Eve with gold and black balloons and a jazz band to set the festive and romantic mood.  In the corner, one waiter was working hard to set the table for one couple by putting down rose pedals and champagne for the nervous guy who was about to propose to his girlfriend.  Executive Chef Tyler Brown prepared an exquisite dinner with a wide variety of choices including market fresh seafood, game, and fresh local Southern cuisine.   I had the smoked salmon belly, Maine diver scallops, Moulard duck  breast and poached winter fruits for dessert.  My cousin tried the butter fish, squab, and porchetta.   I can’t say I’ve ever had squab (pigeon) or butter fish (from Hawaii) before, but they were both very good.   Since the food was so good on New Years Eve, the idea of Sunday brunch sounded perfect when friend from Nashville suggested we meet there. We enjoyed a salmon omelet, steak and eggs, and a squash and pumpkin soup which was delicious.

Locals and tourists come to the Hermitage Hotel for tea in their spectacular lobby.  Commissioned by 250 Nashvillians in 1908, The Hotel Hermitage was named after Andrew Jackson’s hermitage estate and opened on Saturday, September 17, 1910.  The hotel promoted itself as fireproof, noiseproof, and dustproof and only the finest materials of Italian sienna marble in the entrance, wall panels of Russian walnut, a cut, stained glass ceiling in the vaulted lobby, Persian rugs, and massive overstuffed furniture starting at $2.00 a night.
As Nashville’s first million-dollar hotel, it was the preferred gathering place for the city’s socialites and  attracted everyone from presidents and war heroes to actresses and gangsters. After switching hands a few times and a major renovation, today it remains a place for celebrities and businessmen as well as those  simply looking for a luxury experience  at this Nashville AAA five diamond property.  The average room is 475 square feet, has a beautiful marble bathroom with a soaking tub and separate shower, and double vanity. The bed was very comfortable and our room had a beautiful view of the capitol building.

So if you’re looking for a luxurious experience in the heart of the downtown area of Nashville within walking distance of the honky tonks and shops, hands down, you’ll want to stay at the historical Hermitage Hotel.

Filed Under: Destinations, United States Tagged With: ,

Nashville Rings in 2010

January 8, 2010 by

When you come to Nashville, you’ll want to split your time between the Opryland area and downtown. The Gaylord Opryland Resort is always a magnificent place to stay with over 2800 rooms, but if you visit over the Christmas and New Years season, you’ll be treated to an amazing experience for the entire family. It’s been called one of the “Ten Great Places to catch up with Santa” by USA today and named one of the top ten places in the world to spend Christmas by Travel and Leisure Magazine.  A Country Christmas features more than 2 million lights and more than a dozen shows and attractions including, ICE featuring A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles Schulz and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Radio city Rockettes, plus Louise Mandrall’s Joy to the World Christmas dinner and show, and A Country Christmas on the Cumberland.  In addition to the Christmas themed attractions and shows, you’ll want to see a performance at the legendary Grand Ole Opry, which is held at its original Ryman Auditorium location during the holidays, line dance at the Wildhorse Saloon, and board the General Jackson Showboat.   On board the world’s largest showboat, you’ll be treated to a four course dinner and fantastic show taking you through the history of country music in the glittering two-story Victorian theater.   The Gaylord Opryland makes getting around really easy with a shuttle to the Grand Ole Opry, Opry Mills, the General Jackson Showboat, and downtown to the Wildhorse Saloon as well as to and from the airport.

For New Years Eve, after our phenomenal dinner at The Capitol Grille inside the Hermitage Hotel, (I’ll tell you about it in my next entry) we split our time between downtown and the Opryland.  The Wildhorse Saloon featured live music by Ira Dean and J.C. Anderson, silk aerialist performers, a strolling magician, and stilt walkers.  There was so much more to do downtown at all of the bars and clubs, even a free concert outside the Hard Rock Café with a guitar drop at midnight, but we decided to head back to the warm Gaylord Opryland and hit the party at Fuse, Nashville’s only Vegas-style nightclub and the Triple Dance Party which was held in their large ballroom and featured a dance floor surrounded by three stages of non-stop music including an 80’s band, country band and Top 40 dance band.   For the families with children, there were free activities at the Delta Island Party, including face painting, music, and the Brightest Star Fountain Show.  After a night full of entertainment and partying, what could be better than New Years Day brunch at the Waters Edge buffet in the Delta Atrium?  The buffet, which is open year round, had an omelet station, oatmeal, a selection of fresh fruit and pastries, a carving station, and many other treats to ensure no one left hungry.

So while the Gaylord Opryland is extra special around the holiday season, it should be a definite anytime of the year if you’ve never been.

Filed Under: Destinations, United States Tagged With: , , , ,

New Years in Nashville!

December 26, 2009 by

This year I wanted to do something really fun for New Years, possibly travel to a fun city or tropical island, but I didn’t want to break the bank on airfare. Then I received an email from the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau with a list of parties and events going on in Nashville for New Years and I realized it was a no brainer! I got really excited because I love Nashville! I’ve been there twice so far and each time I have a great time…downtown has so many fun bars with live bands, the Wildhorse Saloon with it’s line dancing, Jacks BBQ, Fuse Nightclub at the Opryland, and venues such as the Bluebird Cafe, which showcases established and up and coming talent. There is always such a great energy! Still looking for last minute plans? Here’s what happening in Nashville:

The Gaylord Opryland Hotel is offering several different packages. New Years Eve at Fuse Nightclub in Nashville is the only Vegas style nightclub and The New Years Eve Triple dance party is a dance floor surrounded by three separate stages with an 80’s cover band, country band, and a top 40’s dance band. All packages include room accommodations, ticket for dinner cruise and show on General Jackson Showboat, admission to New Years Eve Party at Fuse Nightclub or ticket to Triple Dance Party, midnight champagne toast and party favors, and a New Years day brunch. New Year’s Eve Spectacular at Wild Horse Saloon is featuring concerts by Jeffrey Steele, Ira Dean and JC Anderson. Packages include Room accommodations at Gaylord Opryland Hotel, admission to party at 8 pm (meals not included), midnight champagne toast and party favors, and roundtrip hotel/party shuttle transportation. For more information on Gaylord Hotel New Years Eve event tickets and prices pleases visit http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-opryland/special-events/index.html.

Chef Tyler Brown hosts a New Year’s Eve celebration at one of Nashville’s most lauded restaurants. The Capitol Grille offers three seating options. Early seatings at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 pm. will feature a four-course prix-fixe menu for $95.00 per person plus tax and gratuity, along with entertainment from a live jazz band. A 9:30 p.m. seating will offer guests a lavish five-course prix-fixe dinner for $135.00 per person plus tax and gratuity and will include a celebratory champagne toast at midnight, along with holiday decorations, and live jazz music. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (615) 345-7116. The Capitol Grille at The Hermitage is located at 231 Sixth Ave. North, Nashville, TN 37219. Visit www.capitolgrillenashville.com for menus and more information.

Union Station and Hilton Downtown is offering a New Year’s Eve five course dinner at Prime 108 to celebrate 2010 with an optional wine pairing and champagne toast. For more details please visit http://www.unionstationhotelnashville.com/specials_and_packages/#holidays.

Hotel Preston, One of Nashville’s boutique hotels, is celebrating 2010 with a New Years Eve package. Guests can party in the Pink Lounge or Preston. For more information on prices please visit http://www.hotelpreston.com/.

Hutton Hotel is allowing you to “ring in the year of the tiger”. They are offering two separate packages which include rooms and dinner at their Grille. Please see their website for further information: http://www.huttonhotel.com/specials/#new.

Or head downtown:

The Blue Bar is hosting Johnny Jackson’s New Years Eve from 9:00 PM to 2:30 AM Located at 1911 Broadway Street.

New Years Eve at Cadillac Ranch/Sky Lounge from 8:00 PM to 2:00 AM Locatedat 305 Broadway.

New Years Eve 2010 at the Cannary from 8:00 PM to 2:00 AM Located at 1 Cannary Row.

New Years Eve Bash at 12th and Porter featuring American Bang w/ Luna Halo, Minor Kings, and Leslie. Located at 114 12th Avenue South

3rd and Lindsley New Years Eve with Raul Mao: Includes dinner, champagne, party favors, and the show. Located at 818 3rd Avenue South

Lime’s New Years Eve Bash: Dinner and Music. Located at 1904 Broadway

Virago: Dinner and Music. Located at 1811 Division Street

Whiskey Kitchen: Dinner and Music. Located at 118 12th Avenue S (A shuttle will be provided between Lime, Virago, and Whiskey Kitchen)

Sambuca: “Have a Rockin New Years”- 4 course meal, champagne toast, and live music by Shariff Iman and the Revival. Located at 601 12th Avenue South

For more info, you can visit
http://www.visitmusiccity.com/newyearseve/.

Filed Under: Destinations, United States Tagged With: ,

La Ceiba, Honduras: Become One with Nature

November 17, 2009 by

Now is the perfect time to visit beautiful Honduras, as there are numerous deals on topimg_6706 notch hotels and attractions. Why? In case you haven’t heard, there have been some political issues with the recently ousted President Zelaya, and for awhile, the United States issued warnings against traveling to Honduras. However, while I was there, I never saw one riot or upheaval. The Honduran people are so friendly and eager to tell us how much they have always been peaceful people and don’t agree with Zelaya’s actions. While there have been a few protesters, the best spots for tourists have not been affected. They love Americans and miss the tourism that had been so popular in the past. img_6613 My trip to Honduras was a perfect mix of serenity and adventure. For the first part of the trip, we stayed at The Lodge at Pico Bonito, a quaint group of 22 cabins located on over 200 acres of land that belongs to the Pico Bonito National Park with the striking Pico Bonito mountains as a backdrop. Situated in the rainforest, the property provides endless hiking trails, and if you chose, a guide will accompany you and point out some of the hundreds of types of birds, wildlife, and plants you can see. A visit to the butterfly house and serpentarium on premises is also included in your stay. While walking through the rainforest, you’ll see such vegetation as orange trees, pods of cocoa, and ginger plants. img_6647The cocoa pods were very interesting in taste. Of course since there were cocoa beans inside, I had to try it. Our guide, Jose, broke open a pod and inside were many slimy pieces, which we were told to let sit in our mouth and soon we got to the middle of it, which was the bitter cocoa bean. Definitely an interesting texture! You should be glad we don’t normally have to do that to get to the good stuff! The food at the lodge’s restaurant was fresh, with vegetables and fruits picked from their own garden. The freshly squeezed pineapple and melon juices were delicious, as well as their img_6636traditional Mesoamerican dishes. At night, I fell asleep to the sounds of nature and woke up with the birds. Definitely a nice change from the bussling city life. I woke up refreshed and ready to do some white water rafting with La Moskitia Ecoadventuras. While there are a few companies in La Ceiba that run white water rafting trips down the Rio Cangrejal, they are top notch. Our guide knew exactly how to navigate the Class III and IV rapids so we wouldn’t end up spending more time outside the boat than in. The river borders the mountainous rainforest of the Pico Bonito National Park, so the views along the trip were spectacular. img_6589 When we got back from rafting, we enjoyed a hike on property at the Lodge at Pico Bonito and stopped at the Butterfly House and Serpentarium. My only regret is that we didn’t have more time to spend in La Ceiba, as it truly is a great place to get in touch with nature and unwind. You can include as much or as little adventure into your stay as you’d like.

Filed Under: Central America, Destinations Tagged With: , ,
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