The first thing that strikes you when you enter Café Lurcat in Minneapolis is a wall of noise. When my dining partner and I arrived for our 8 p.m. reservation, the bar/lounge was buzzing with conversation, and I thought, ok…we’re going to have to talk loud.
We did…but it was worth it.

“From there, to the South-West, I saw the Ngong Hills.
The noble wave of the mountain rose above the surrounding flat land, all air blue.”
Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen)
Luxurious treehouse… it’s not an oxymoron when the “treehouse� in question is the incredible Ngong House. Here, in the heart of Karen Blixen country, where the famed writer [...]

Why settle for a stateroom when you can sail the seas in your own luxurious suite? That’s the experience that awaits you on a Seabourn yacht. A full 277-square foot suite with a marble bath, walk-in closet, and a five-foot picture window that provides an expansive view of the sea is just the beginning. [...]

Whenever I visit Carmel-by-the-Sea, I head for the Cypress Inn at cocktail hour. There’s nothing like it. The pet-friendly hotel co-owned by Doris Day, has an intimate cocktail lounge decorated with posters from Doris’s films.
Here at this intimate and elegant hotel, guests — two- and four-legged varieties — gather for socializing, and dog [...]

Carmel-by-the-Sea. The very name conjures up romantic images. And the experience doesn’t disappoint.
This picture-book village on California’s central coast is situated along a beautiful stretch of white sand beach. The town is filled with art galleries, interesting shops and restaurants. In the midst of all this is L’Auberge Carmel, a perfect spot to [...]

A recent survey has shown that 9 out of 10 people like chocolate. (Most likely, the 10th lied.) I suspect that “like� is putting it mildly; I’m willing to bet that when it comes to chocolate, it’s a matter of love.
Which brings me to ethel’s chocolate lounge, a place where chocolate lovers [...]

How lucky can a girl get? Not only have I been to The French Laundry in Yountville, in the Napa Valley twice, I was treated on both occasions by my foodie cousin who kept his finger on speed-dial until he succeeded in getting us a reservation, the required two months out. (Editor’s Note: This restaurant [...]

Don’t let its location next to the town cemetery put you off. TouVelle House in tiny Jacksonville, OR is …well, to die for. Just 20 miles from Ashland, this Gold Rush town boasts many charming B & B’s.
We were fortunate to land at the beautifully restored Craftsman style home built in 1916 by Judge [...]