Imagine this: A new hotel in Tokyo, but instead of offering hundreds of hotel rooms, it only has 36. And of that number, 27 are reserved for monthly boarders, so just 9 are available as hotel rooms. This is no ordinary boutique hotel, however. Claska is one of the coolest, best-designed, hippest, and most definitive…
If you haven’t yet heard of the San Antonio Valley, a warm and sleepy highland valley located just fifteen miles from Southern Monterey County’s beautiful coastline, this is a wine region you’ll want to keep a close eye on. The newly established appellation is emerging as a serious player in the wine world, producing a…
With the dwindling value of the US dollar abroad –– and the rising value of other currencies like the Euro –– the newest question on our Vagablond online poll has some thought-provoking answers. Is New York City one of the world’s most expensive cities? Or is it Tokyo, where steak dinners can cost hundreds of…
If you love sharing chocolates with your family during Easter, you’ll be thrilled by these exotic Sweet Brazil Chocolates. After all, they’ve been creating designer chocolate for 20 years now. Some even look like Faberge Eggs and other exotic pieces of jewelry because they’re all hand crafted to look like edible works of art. Behold…
On the one year anniversary of the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire — April 18, 1907, The Fairmont Hotel rose from the ashes as a symbol of the city’s rebirth. Now, 100 years later, it’s come a long way from being the private residence of mining millionaire James G. Fair. After all, it’s been…
I love walking in New York. It’s fairly flat, it’s colorful and you can never see it all in one visit. Soaking up the city has just become easier. Tailored Tours has dozens of self-guided walking tours via e-mail. No more bulky guide books! Merely pick the tour or tours of your choice, download them…
Some of the most picturesque scenery in the world is reachable only via cruise ships, and Holland America Line’s fleet of 13 ships offers a diverse menu. From the fjords of Norway to the fall foliage of New England — from the active Kilauea volcano to the mystical glaciers of Antarctica. How do you choose…
In 1898, Cesar Ritz opened his masterpiece on one of the most beautiful squares in Paris, The Ritz, one of the world’s first truly luxury hotels. Today, it’s still a synonym for elegance and perfection. From the outside, it’s opulent. From the inside, incredibly, it’s even more rich and luxurious than probably all other first…
Wider seats. Better entertainment. Flatter beds. Enhanced menus. If you’re sick and tired of flying coach –– especially on cross-ocean flights — now’s the time to fly Business Class or First Class and give yourself the ultiimate upgrade, lying down. According to a story titled “Planes offer ‘space’ travel” in today’s SF Chronicle, this type…
My friend America recently met these two guys –– Kumi and Sean –– owners of Mr., The Barbershop which opened today in San Francisco. She was very impressed. There is nothing this snazzy and swanky in SF for metrosexuals seeking a high-end, super accommodating and stylish barbershop. This definitely is not the type of neighborhood…
Pat Kuleto is the God of San Francisco upscale restaurant design. I’ve always loved his Farallon Restaurant on the edge of San Francisco’s fashionable Union Square shopping district, because of its outlandish underwater theme to complement its fantastic seafood menu. Now, his new French-style Oyster Bar, adjacent to the renowned Jelly Bar, takes that theme…
For our honeymoon, my wife and I chose the upscale, luxurious Westin Maui Resort with stunning views of seasonal humpback whales breeching in the Maui Channel, catamaran sailing from Kaanapali Beach, terrific restaurants with sunset views, and the kind of tropical weather you can only enjoy in March in Hawaii. But for a more romantic…