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Archive for the ‘Specific Destinations’ Category

St. Barths’ Guanahani vs. Le Sereno Hotel

Posted in Specific Destinations, tagged , , , on March 9, 2011 | 1 Comment »

The Beach at the Guanahani Hotel

Our trip to St. Barths (Saint Barthelemy) has come and gone.  10 days in paradise wasn’t a bad life at all.  Travel school in the morning and after lunch the island was ours!  We usually stay in the Hotel Guanahani and Spa, but it was under construction, so Le Sereno Beach Hotel became our home.  Both hotels share the same intimate cove (the Grand Cul-de-Sac) great for windsurfing, kite surfing, paddleboating or getting on that jet ski and exploring the rest of St. Barth’s coast.

St Barths Grand Cul-de-Sac

Le Sereno was beautifully elegant in it’s decor, designed by famed Parisian designer Christian Liaigre, with dark stained wood and white linens.  The food (unbelievably fresh as the local fishermen would pull the boat right up on the shore with their daily catch) never missed the mark, especially the kitchen’s specialty, the fish en croute de sel (whole fish baked in a sea-salt crust), which would be chiseled out of it’s crusty shell right at your table.  Yum!

 

Minutes Off the Boat: the Local Fisherman's Daily Catch

The question is….which hotel do I prefer on St. Barths Grand Cul-de-Sac?   Hands down…the Guanahani!  For a few reasons…

Although I preferred the white simplicity of Le Sereno’s cottage decor to the Guanahani’s ‘colored cottages’ (from yellow to indigo or purple to bright green), I liked the overall property of the Guanahani better.  The Guanahani’s ‘shared space’ seems bigger, giving you more opportunities for intimacy.  The pool was bigger, the beach was longer, more sand, and simply more space.  There is something great about walking up to a beach bar and ordering a smoothie or margarita with your feet still in the sand.  The hotel has a tennis court and the gym faces the beach, instead of having no view (like the one at Le Sereno).

Guanahani's Swimming Pool

Needless to say, I am anxious to return to the Guanahani Hotel and see what changes the construction brought to the property.  Although, I may still walk down the way to the Sereno Hotel and dive into a plate of the baked fish en croute de sel.

My shot of the Le Sereno's Infinity Pool Overlooking the Grand Cul-de-Sac

My View From My Room at Le Sereno

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Hello 2011

Posted in Specific Destinations, tagged , , , , , on January 25, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

Where did 2010 go? The holidays snuck up on me and then left as quickly as they came. Hello 2011.

Here’s a quick recap since I blogged last:

  • Stayed at Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica in mid-November for work.  Biked along the pier, held travel school in the morning, made what Charles called ‘mud-pies’ out of sand, ate at my favorite restaurant on the planet, Capo, AND hugged and visited with my family.

    Mud-Pies! Because Sand-Pies Just Don't Sound Right

  • Flew to Miami and stayed at the Setai Towers in a room that was easily 3 times the size of my NYC apartment.
  • Then, headed to St. Maartin/St. Barths for 10 days of work.  Charles picked up a nasty case of bronchitis, which forced us to get quite creative at the beautiful, but small Le Sereno Hotel.  Poor little guy had to avoid the water until the very last day which was spent making up for lost time.  Crazy fun, but unbelievably exhausting!  My food highlight was sharing our Thanksgiving meal at Maya’s Restaurant–turkey and all the fixings.  Yum!

    Our St. Barth's Sandcastle

  • Jeff and I spent the Christmas holiday at the Lake Placid Lodge.  An absolute perfect snowy, romantic location that was all about us, amazing food and a fireplace.

    Snowshoeing on Christmas Day

  • We welcomed the New Year in our home in NYC.
  • Just got back from Santa Monica for the Globes, where we stayed at Casa Del Mar again.  Biked in 80 degree heat (while it was snowing in New York), Charles tried out his new Razor scooter that shoots out sparks when he brakes, visited the Getty Villa and ate at Capo twice!

    Getty Villa Flowers - Among all of the art, these purple flowers inspired me.

 

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Munich Meets New York – Oktoberfest 2010

Posted in Specific Destinations, tagged , , , , on October 22, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

My Favorite Oktoberfest Character

Lederhosen, dirndls, bratwursts, steins of beer, live polka music and plenty of toothy grins!  The German spirit lives as close as an hour out of the city.

Last Sunday, Jeff, Charles and I climbed into the Range Rover and drove through the spectacular colors of New York’s fall foliage on our way to Bear Mountain, NY….and it’s infamous Annual Oktoberfest.  By noon, cars were parked on every empty paved space and began filing onto the grassy lawns.  We followed the other families and lederhosen clad groups merrily sauntering across the great lawn toward Hessian Lake.

Bear Mountain Alone is Worth the Visit

Our afternoon was spent grazing on pretzels, bratwursts, fudge, German potato salad, Belgium waffles and admittedly much more.  We wandered through the vendors (part flea market/part crafts), painted pumpkins, danced to polka music, stood in long lines for much anticipated German delicacies, chilled out on picnic tables to people watch and even made it to the small zoo.

Craft Time! Kids Painting Pumpkins

The day seemed perfect.  We lucked-out with spectacular weather…sunny with a welcomed breeze. And enjoyed slipping away from our normal NYC weekend routine.

This is the last weekend for the festival and not one to be missed!  Eat, drink and be merry (in lederhosen).

 

Should things like this only cost $6.00?

 

Love at Oktoberfest

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Bonjour Paris

Posted in Specific Destinations, tagged , , on October 16, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

Eiffel Tower - Photo Taken by Betsi Ewing

Just found out we are headed back to Paris on Monday.

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Bike Culture: Amsterdam to NYC

Posted in General Blogs, Specific Destinations, tagged , , , , on September 15, 2010 | 2 Comments »

Spotted in Vondelpark-Classic Kid Bike Seat

We just got back from Amsterdam and I cant stop thinking about bikes.  Bikes as a form of transportation not just recreation.  Bike culture is always so refreshing to see.  The motorist-bicyclist relationship is one of equality, respect and safety.  Everyone seems to be connected, supportive and abiding by an innate set of road rules.

Mom and Tot 'n Tow on the Go

Rain or shine, entire families are bicycling together.  It is quite the Utopian sight.  Happy Amsterdammer’s carting their kids from place to place.  And the bikes are equally as interesting, coming in all sizes, clever configurations, and expressive colors.  I am covetous bike culture.  It appears simpler, eco-friendly, and family focused.  On a rare occasion you can spot a Cargobike parked outside a daycare or school in NYC, but in Amsterdam they pepper the streets.

Rain Cover Cargo Bike

I grew up in California with Beach Cruisers center stage.  Groups of scantily clad bicyclists lazily enjoying the winding strand, ocean’s breeze and sun’s warmth.  We left the cranking of gears and pumping legs to the professionals.  New York is a different beast.  Bikes mean business.  If you dare to share the road with oblivious drivers, road rage traffic, and taxi-owned streets, you should wear a badge of courage or more importantly head-to-toe reflective tape and strobe lights strapped to every inch of your body.  Commuting by bicycle through Manhattan’s streets is far from a relaxing beach cruise.

Biking in NYC is not about recreation or transportation, it’s about survival.  Getting from A to B unscathed.  Bicyclists don’t seem to get the support they need from the public (but this is old news).  They are not respected as road users and viewed more like pesky pedestrians.   Where did the Old Amsterdam mentality go, when New Amsterdam began to grow?  Have we become so disconnected from our fellow travelers?  How can we mend the motorist-bicyclist relationship?

Red Cargobike with Personality

Why does this matter to me?  Because I want to cart MY kid to school on my cargobike.  I want to explore the city with my tot ‘n tow on wheels.  I want to strap on our helmets and cut across Central Park to my kiddos doctor appointment.  I want to raise my child in a Utopian bike culture.  BUT I also want to be a New Yorker.  There are 2 parents that I know that bike their kids to school over the Brooklyn Bridge, but the truth is…I’d be very apprehensive to do that myself.

It is my sincere hope that NYC’s bike culture changes (and yes, it is getting better).  We, as pedestrians, drivers, bicyclists, and other motorists, must learn to share the road with each other and make the streets safer for our little ones.

Needless to say, I am intoxicated with Amsterdam’s bike culture and am jealous of their ability to hop on a bike and go.

NYC Bike Dreams

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Stockholm: Beauty on Water

Posted in Specific Destinations, tagged , on August 21, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

Sweden's Flag Proudly Flying in Gamla Stan

Stockholm surprised me.   I really didn’t know what to expect before we arrived, but left understanding why this capitol’s marketing slogan is beauty on water.  Built on 14 granite islands gracefully rising out of the waters where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic Sea, this city begged to be explored both on foot and by boat.  Summer was in full swing…the sun’s rays were felt early in the morning and it didn’t set until 11ish at night.  Pretty amazing, but not sure I want to be here when the icy, thick winter curtain is drawn, although the idea of enjoying a bowl of Swedish peasoup with a mug of Glögg (traditional hot mulled wine) bundled by a fire sounds absolutely delightful.

View from the Grand Hotel

Things Not to be Missed with a Tot ‘n Tow:

This is a great city for little ones!  The parkland island of Kungliga Djurgården (central Stockholm) is the place to be for visiting families.  And everything is within walking distance (Note: this advice coming from a walking New Yorker).  If you can’t hang with the New Yorker in me, rent a bike!  Explore this island, especially the parkland and forest, on wheels.

  • Vasamuseet (Vasa Museum)- featuring the warship Vasa, which sank in Stockholm on her maiden voyage in 1628.
  • GronaLund-Amusement park open since 1883.

    Owen and Beckett Face Deep in Cotton Candy at GronaLund

  • Junibacken-a real-life storybook house for children, where all the beloved characters from Astrid Lindgren’s and other fairytale worlds live.  The Story-train was our favorite.  I fell in love with all of Elsa Beskow’s books in the bookstore and the kids LOVED Pipi’s playhouse.
  • Skanson- open air museum (over 150 buildings that recall the history of all of Sweeden).  Definitely my favorite place that we visited.

    A Perfect Moment in Skansen's Historical Area

    A Pastery Angel at this Historically Authentic Bakery in Skansen

  • Moderna museet

A stroll through Gamla Stan is a must!  The history of Stockholm dates back to the 13th century and the best place to discover it is here.  Stockholm’s Old Town is located on a small island in the very heart of the city. Within its cobblestone bounds are a multitude of historical sights, adorable shops, and yummy restaurants.  Stroll, shop, eat and indulge in this old town reminiscent of times once past.

A Quiet Square in Gamla Stan

Boat in archipelago – No trip to Stockholm is complete without an excursion to the archipelago (around 24,000 islands).  All of the islands are unique, some big and some small, others inhabited and some too small to live on.  Day trip boat tours are super fun for the whole family and the only way to really wrap your mind around the beauty and vastness of Stockholm.  We visited the island, Stora fjaderholmen,  and ate at the Rosa villan cafe overlooking the water.  I fell in love with the artisanal feel of the island and the smell of the woods brought me back to childhood memories of camping in California forests.

Great Playground on Stora Fjaderholmen

Picture taken from Boat on our Archipelago Cruise

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A Parisian Park Gets Face-Lift!

Posted in Specific Destinations, tagged , , , , on July 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

Jardin des Tuileries

Jardin des Tuileries is one lucky park!  It got a playground face-lift just in time for summer.

Charles and I adore this park because the location (1st arrondissement).  But to be honest, the enclosed playground was not so great…it was outdated, unimpressive and Charles would get bored easily with the equipment.  Not anymore….the playground now has a beautiful wooden climbing structure, slides, teeter totters and other classic playground equipment.  Last week, it wasn’t finished yet, but was scheduled to be opened this weekend.  Check it out!  We know we will, when we return in the fall.

The Enclosed Playground Still Under Construction

Also, do not miss the carnival set up in the summer with its huge ferris wheel, the brand-new carousel and the mini trampolines.

Tuileries' New Carrousel

Don't Miss the In-Ground Trampolines

Location: Just west of the Louvre museum. You can also get there from the Musee d’Orsay’s “Solferino” footpath over the Seine river.
Metro: Tuileries (Line 1)
Bus: Lines 42, 68, 72, 73, 84, 94

Nearby Sights, Hotels and Food:

Click here, to check out other great Paris parks.

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