A City Break

When you are wanting to get away from routines and do something different, a great American city might do the trick! WE have so many great choices: New York, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, LA, St. Louis, DALLAS, etc… Now if you travel for work, you might think this isn’t such a great idea, but experiencing a city with someone you love vs. on business are two totally different things.

We just spent the weekend in Chicago. The weather was beyond perfection! A great respite from the heat of Dallas. Chicago is an easy town to manage in a weekend…or two… We did not get to it all, but that just means we get to go back some day.

As far as hotels go, the choices are top notch… The Peninsula and Park Hyatt are the usual top picks smack in the middle of Michigan Avenue. The James is a funky modern hotel that has awesome suites at reasonable prices – and great for families! The Four Seasons was recently re-done and is all sparkly and new and is well located just a block off Michigan behind the mall – no matter where, I always love the Four Seasons. W & Westin also offer some great options…

During the summer months, the city puts on a Jazz concert in the park (Millennium Park Bandshell) on Thursday evenings! We went, it was awesome. Great music, great people watching, great weather, great company, all around greatness.

The art in Chicago is world class! We went to the Museum of Contemporary Art for the Olafur Eliasson exhibit. The museum is just a block off of Michigan and is a worthy destination in itself. Great collection! The Art Institute of Chicago also offers a stellar collection and is directly across the street from Millennium Park.

The Frank Lloyd Wright tours are great, the Shedd Aquarium isn’t as good as the Monterrey Bay Aquarium, but is worth the visit. The Field Museum…wow! The Navy Pier – not for me….but apparently it is for a lot of people, because it was jam packed. Baseball, football, theater, etc, etc, etc. Get the picture?

So, make it an ‘Art Weekend’ or ‘Sport Weekend’ or ‘Food Weekend’ etc… Chicago has a lot to offer and is worth going back again and again.

Fantastic Turkish Food

As the intersection between Asia and Europe, Istanbul offers a plethora of world class dining options. There are really a ton of choices, most fantastic, but I am just going to discuss 2 restaurants for now….

Lebiderya is a challenge to find, but well worth the hunt! Tucked down a tiny ally way and on the roof of a 6 (or so) story building, Lebiderya offers a vibrant local hot spot with sweeping views of the old city. Keep in mind that you can still smoke in Turkey and if the weather is not conducive to having the windows open, then it can be a little annoying. While the food is great, it is not extraordinary. It is well priced and a worthy effort for a nice evening with locals and a view. http://www.lebiderya.com/lebiderya/eng/1_2_index.html

You can walk the social district after dinner and enjoy hookah and tea at a café while people watching. Really bad picture, but this is me in front of Lebiderya...a thrill to find!

Amedros Café is on the Sultanahmet side of the city and has FANTASTIC food. If you plan on dinner, then a reservation is strongly recommended, but you can easily pop in for lunch without a wait. It too is a lively atmosphere with primarily travelers eating. It offers very authentic and very delicious Ottoman cuisine. Do make the effort to find it if you are in Istanbul. http://www.amedroscafe.com/

NOW, if you can't make it to Turkey any time soon and need a little Turkish fix, then Cafe Istanbul in Plano really does a great job too!!

Monaco Transfers

Short post...good tip!

When going to Monaco, it is best to use the helicopter transfers from the Nice airport - rather than having a driver take you. It is faster, easier, great views and certainly more glamorous.

Eze

With summer rounding the corner, people are planning for Europe in droves. The Euro & Dollar are doing favorably – for the most part – at 1.29 and there are a lot of great deals to be had! Last year was all about Asia, but this year... the MED is back in vogue!

SO, put the village of Eze on your itinerary. Eze is a quaint medieval village perched on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean just between Nice & Monaco. It makes for a great 1-night stay pre- or post- cruise, but not much more than that really. There are 2 great hotels in Eze: Chateau Eza and Chateau De La Chevre D’Or . I do have a preference between the two, but will leave it for you to decide. They both offer first class hospitality in a spectacular setting.

If you can’t overnight, book a table at Les Ramparts at Chateau De La Chevre D’Or for lunch. The food is extraordinary, but it is the view and the gorgeous Mediterranean sun that make for an unforgettable afternoon.

Lunch with my oldest and dearest friend Stephanie at Les Ramparts.

One of these days...

I will get this:

"The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing in the right place, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment."

— Lady Dorothy Nevill

Love wise words!!

Virtuoso Life

Virtuoso Life decided my picture in China was good enough to publish. Woohoo...my second time in the press....

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/virtuosolife/20090304/

People & Places Page 24

If you would like a complimentary subscription to the magazine, let me know!

Oh to be there now...

Today I am dreaming of a hammock by the ocean. I don't know why that sounds so GREAT right now, but it just does.



So many people dismiss the Riviera Maya because of the whole Cancun scene - commercial, clubby. I get that, BUT there are so many wonderful wonderful places to walk in the sand and take in the sun and sea that are incredibly sumptuous. The Tides is one of my favorite properties along the Riviera Maya because all of the villas have private pools and hammocks with outdoor showers and all the trimmin's. Very secluded, private and gorgeous.


Down the road a bit, in the Mayakoba area, Mandarin Oriental (one of my absolute favorite brands ever), Rosewood, Banyan Tree, Viceroy and Fairmont have all opened their doors to a whole new world of luxury along the Riviera Maya. These resorts are all built along the mangroves and are very secluded. Each one has its own style, so it just really depends on your preferences as to which one is best suited to you.

The snorkeling in the area is phenomenal, day trips over to Cozumel to dive are easy, and there are tons of great eco-adventures and history with the ruins. So, if I were to get bored with a hammock & a book, I have plenty to choose from. Gosh, I am just digging myself deeper here...sure wish I were there....


http://www.tidesrivieramaya.com/

http://www.banyantreemayakoba.com/

http://www.mandarinoriental.com/rivieramaya/

http://www.rosewoodmayakoba.com/