Art is a big part of travel for me. Whether in a small little hamlet or a big berg, I like to seek out the galleries and museums. AmericanStyle magazine has come out with its annual list of Top 25 Arts Destinations. Here are the top three in three categories: Top 25 Big Cities (…
If you’ve always wanted to live the life of a professional sommelier, now you can. The Sonoma Valley Sommelier Experience Package at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa is set for April 5-8, 2009. This perfect pairing is in partnership with the Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers, and guests will meet the winemakers from…
I recently stayed at Kimpton’s new EPIC Hotel, which opened in Miami in January 2009. It’s the first in the state of Florida, and the 411-room cosmopolitan refuge is located downtown at the edge of the Miami River and Biscayne Bay. My friend and I booked a room there before departing on a Caribbean cruise;…
Vancouver, BC is one of my favorite North American cities and now it has something new: Vancouver Shopping By Appointment, Vancouver’s first bespoke shopping service. So what does bespoke mean, anyway? OK, I had to look it up, so here it is according to dictionary.com: (of clothes) made to individual order; custom-made: a bespoke jacket….
Wine lovers will soon be cracking open bottles of the 2008 Beaujolais. But in Texas, they’ll be doing one better. Dallas will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the country’s biggest Beaujolais Wine Festival at the World Trade Center on Friday, Nov. 21. With the theme of France Meets Texas : Celebrate the Harvest, the…
Whistler’s annual festival of food and wine, Cornucopia, is scheduled Nov. 6-10, 2008. It’s one of those events that I’ve yet to attend, but is high on my food and wine silver bucket list. The boutique hotel Adara, where I have stayed, has put together a fun package with neighboring Ric’s Grill for one night…
Although Hartmann can’t help you with your lost luggage, you will be able to easily spot its newest collection on the carousel. Hartmann is shipping its Moulin Rouge Collection to stores on September 25. It’s the latest addition to its much-celebrated Luxe Collection. The Moulin Rouge Collection is available in Noir and Rouge. Its rich…
It’s still summertime and the livin’ is hopefully easy, but it’s also a good time to plan your winter getaways. Last February, I went on a 1,232 mile Northern Lights Cruise in Norway with Hurtigruten, and it was one of the coolest trips I’ve ever been on — in more ways than one! The six-day…
I made my Asian debut last month with a three week adventure in Beijing, Hong Kong and Bali. And what a welcome I received as I arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport’s Terminal 3. Designed by the renowned architectural firm of Foster + Partners of London, it officially opened on February 29, 2008. Terminal 3…
The historic Bengal Lounge of The Fairmont Empress in Victoria, British Columbia was the setting for the release of Victoria Gin on May 13. Winchester Cellars created B.C.’s first handcrafted gin, and they are also Vancouver Island’s first licensed distillery. The unique recipe for Victoria Gin blends ten organic and wild botanicals, from juniper berries…
If the Hôtel Tadoussac looks familiar, it’s because many of the outdoor scenes for the 1984 film Hotel New Hampshire were shot here. Based on the popular John Irving novel of the same name, it starred Jodie Foster, Rob Lowe and Beau Bridges. This year, Hôtel Tadoussac celebrates 66 years, and summer is a beautiful…
I’m off to Asia next month with my hubby, who has an international conference in Beijing. From there, we’ll continue on to Hong Kong and then spend ten glorious days in Bali. This will be my first Asian adventure, so I’m really looking forward to it! But in reviewing our itinerary, I realize upon our…