Tuesday, September 30, 2014
What It's Like to Be on a Bomb-Threatened Plane
On Saturday I was lusting after a household appliance. On Sunday I just didn't want our plane to explode. Here's how that went:
Wednesday
I arrive at a Dallas hotel. Kimpton originally built this hotel. Kimpton builds hotels out of old Priuses glued together with organic chia seed paste. I wonder why Kimpton sold it. Ghosts. The chairs in the lobby are literally shaped like coffins. I wonder what sort of idiot would tempt the Gods of Foreshadow and sit in a coffin. They're comfortable.
Thursday
I've come for the grand opening of the new store by PIRCH, the San Diego-based kitchen and bath retailer. Good people. Their headquarters in La Jolla has a gym with a personal trainer for all staff. If an employee gets the urge to toss a stapler at a coworker, the trainer can help them burpee through that anger. Tonight, we're having a dinner party in the middle of the Dallas store. It's after hours. The mall is closed. As a one-time juvenile delinquent, I feel this might end in a standoff with mall security -- us with our wine, them with their twist-tie handcuffs. (What are those designed to detain? A bag of bulk quinoa?).
The store is so white, so peaceful, almost airbrushed. It is the Helen Mirin of kitchen show rooms. We're surrounded by Gaggeneau, Thermador, Jenn-Airr -- world-class kitchen appliances that, like Mila Kunis or a cell phone carrier I don't loathe, is merely aspirational at this point in my life. At dinner I sit next to PIRCH's director of merchandising, Duane Jeffers. He is impeccably dressed. I'm wearing a red-and-white checkered shirt. It looks like I've come to Texas in full Hee Haw costume. I am the human picnic table. The five-course meal by James Beard Award-winning chef Tim Byres is fantastic. Throughout dinner, a lanky fashion model tells us stories about her ex-boyfriend, a prodigious weed smoker, and how his innovative business ideas foretold significant brain damage.
I get a tour of the store. The "bath" area is designed like a spa. The shower heads are fully functional. What a simple, revolutionary idea. In most kitchen showrooms you have to look at the box and say, "Well, I like the way it looks in this picture, honey -- see how the water is coming down on the nice-looking gal there on the box? She seems reasonably happy with the flow and pressure." So you buy it only to realize water comes out like a fire hose and is only good for recreating de-lousing scenes from old prison movies. You can actually take a shower at PIRCH if you want to. Seriously. People can reserve the space and have a spa day. What a strange kitchen and bath store. I want to live here. "Sometimes people will send their spouses under the shower head and turn it on," says a sales manager. Divorce is so easy.
Friday
I work all day in my hotel room. That many hours in circulated air does something to a person. I feel vacuum-packed. Air-embalmed. I consider going out that night and exploring Dallas' culinary scene. Instead I call in to my fantasy football draft -- an annual ritual with friends of 20 years. I feel vaguely developmentally impaired for doing this. What's that you say? DeMarco Murray is available this late in Round 2? Room service is my favorite restaurant.
Saturday
It's the grand opening party. Sam the Cooking Guy is here. We're doing a show together called "Critic and the Cook." The concept is that Sam cooks and teaches people valuable lessons and I act like a free radical in his performance chi, disrupting with stories about being a food critic. Dallas customers have never seen a kitchen and bath showroom like PIRCH. It's mass appliance lust. The people who created PIRCH are going to be famous retail men. I write an action item in my notebook: "Launch 32,000 square-foot retail store, sell quality goods." There's a machine that dry-cleans your clothes at home. It's no bigger than an air-conditioning unit, fits snugly into your wall of choice. I decide I badly need this in my life. I tell everyone I meet about it. That machine, with its eucalyptus scent inserts, will be my moral compass in major life decisions from here on out. My Jesus Gadget.
Sunday
12 PM: Sam and I are flying back to San Diego. It's a direct flight on American Airlines. We're in first class. I'm of coach class breeding, but I'm not complaining. I politely decline a complimentary Bloody Mary.
1 PM: The flight attendant says something on the PA system about Phoenix. "Did she say Phoenix?" I ask Sam. "No," he says. The attendant enters first class and explains to a passenger, "We have to divert to Phoenix because of a suspicious item in cargo." Oh. Due to the specificity of her language -- an "item"... "in cargo" -- it doesn't appear to be the sort of fake bomb threat that happens when couples break up and one of them goes to whiskey instead of counseling. Her words suggest someone has found the surprise (SUSPICIOUS ITEM) in a fairly specific place (IN CARGO). That Bloody Mary sounds good. I have in-flight internet. I start to write the ole "it's probably nothing, don't worry, but I could explode, so goodbye" email to my family. I think of my three-year-old daughter. It would've been nice if she would've had a dad. Halfway through the email, I stop. No sense in killing both my daughter's parents.
1:04 PM: I'm stuck in a metal box 10,000 feet in the sky and there might be a bomb under my seat. I'm somewhat surprised I'm not freaking out. I'm not sweating. There's pride in that. I would've pegged myself for more of a pants-wetter in crisis situations. I start to think about what happens when a bomb explodes on a plane. Thanks to the internet, I once saw an expert explain this in great detail. The plane in question literally split in half. The front half fell directly to the ground. The back half basically became a giant PVC pipe attached to a jet engine -- with people inside. Now just blue sky where the front half of an aircraft had been, the plane and its people (very much still alive) flew directly upward toward heaven. Then it tilted and flew directly downward. The people were still alive. This thought is unpleasant. I feel the adrenaline literally crawl from my chest cavity, down my arms and to the ends of my fingers. Feels like mercury slowly poisoning my blood. Or ants. Please let the bomb be directly under my seat cushion.
1:10 PM: Sam has a cooking class later that evening. He needs to calculate how long we'll be delayed, decide whether to cancel, alert attendees, etc. This gives him something pressing yet unemotional to concentrate on. This is a really nice thing to have when there's a bomb under your ass. Thinking about things like your family or unfulfilled life dreams is not recommended. So I start to daydream about that home dry cleaning machine. The machine won't miss me or develop emotional issues and start dating potheads because I've been ripped from its life. It really helps.
1:15 PM: Descending to Phoenix. The desert heat always makes it turbulent when you land a plane. When you're told you might die of explosives, each jolt of turbulence is extra special.
1:25 PM: We land in Phoenix. "I'll bet you they're going to let us pull into any gate we want," Sam proposes. Instead, we drive right by the gates to a remote, unpopulated corner of the airport. If you're hosting a party and a soda can drops to the floor, you place that soda somewhere off to the side. If it explodes it could get all over everyone. There are cops and FBI and bomb dogs waiting for us. They don't seem too eager to come aboard and say hello.
1:30 PM: People are most amusing when highly stressed. A female passenger moans about how inconvenient the delay is going to be for her day. After the pilot cuts the air conditioning, a man loudly bellows: "Oh, come onnnnnn!" He says this in the same way you might complain about a lollygagging bank teller. I'm personally OK turning off the AC. Make us wear angora sweaters and hug each other. Pour coffee on my crotch. Just kindly get me off this plane before it explodes.
1:45 PM: The police come on board. "Two in the front, two in the back, in case someone runs," says the main officer. Run? Why would someone run? We not only have a suspicious "item" but also a suspicious "someone"? Is the suspicious item strapped to this someone? The police look nervous, stiff. How someone might look if you said, "OK, I'll throw rocks at the rattlesnake and then you grab it by the neck." I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the police; this is not a common feeling I have for law enforcement. I turn to watch as they pass us, their hands hovering above the guns at their hips. My seat belt falls and makes that loud CLANG CLANG CLANG sound that airplane seat belts make. Sounds remarkably like gunmetal. Maybe that's why the officer wheels around with panic eyes, his hand making a quick half-move toward his gun. He casts me a glance that clearly says, "Are you ****ing kidding me? I could have shot you, idiot." The look is very appropriate. As my new-age friend might say, "I receive that look, officer."
1:50 PM: The police lead a Caucasian man off the plane with his carry-on. The man is sweating profusely. He looks like he might enjoy Oklahoma Sooner football and taters. He doesn't look very bomby. They never do, I think, echoing that cliché people tell TV news when a quiet neighbor inexplicably mows his lawn into the shape of a swastika. Right outside the plane door, I hear the police tell the suspect, "Show us your iPad." He hid the bomb/box cutter/sirin gas in his iPad? It must not be an iPad Air. Probably an older model. I hear the man laugh nervously. But I can't make out the rest of the conversation because an older gentleman sitting in front of me is on his cell phone, loudly complaining how this silly bomb nonsense is an inconvenience to his day.
2:00 PM: They finally let us off the plane. We place our luggage in a single-file line on the asphalt. Bomb dogs sniff each piece. Three busses have come to take us to safety. Across the electronic display on each bus, it reads: "Special Event." A lot of things are special. Kids. Athletes. Meteor showers in the woods. Maybe I'm not appreciating the specialness of a bomb threat. Or maybe "Holy Shit It's a Bomb!" is beyond our busses' capabilities.
2:20 PM: The internet is fast. A news report about what happened is already out there. It explains who that sweaty man was and why he was sweating. It seems the president of Sony Online Entertainment John Smedley was in coach class. He had internet service during the flight. A Tweet popped up on his tablet that read something like "There's a bomb on your plane and you're doing to die." The name "Smedley" just sounds villainous. And what was the Sony president doing with an iPad? Now that we're all safe, I tweet at him on behalf of Flight 362 and request free Sony Playstations for the trouble. He doesn't respond.
3 PM: They put us back on the same plane. Apparently the experts have deemed it safe. But didn't the experts also deem it safe before we took off the first time -- only to change their thinking? I would've preferred a different plane. Maybe even a different airline or a Volvo.
6 PM: We land in San Diego. News cameras are everywhere. The passenger who had been the loudest and most annoying during the ordeal stands in front of them, recanting our tale. I sneak by and see my mother's car parked at the airport curb. Through the backseat window I can see my daughter, Ellie. She's got some sort of shmutz on her face. I love that face.
Monday
I catch a segment on Good Morning America about our story. Computer animation shows two fighter jets flying behind us to ensure we landed safely in Phoenix. I'm fairly certain none of us were aware of the jets at the time it happened. I'm momentarily confused. How could fighter jets help if we exploded? "That's cute," answers a friend. "They were there to blow you out of the sky if your pilot took a wrong turn." Oh. Makes sense. Good plan. I picture Maverick and Goose on our tail, fingers poised above the LAUNCH MISSILE buttons. Or does it say DESTROY or ELIMINATE or BYE-BYE GORBACHEV/SADAM/OSAMA/TROY? Each one crossed off like tattoos of former girlfriends? I'm not certain. Sitting on my couch, I feel the adrenaline literally crawl from my chest cavity, down my arms and to the ends of my fingers. Feels like mercury slowly poisoning my blood. Or ants.
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Wednesday
I arrive at a Dallas hotel. Kimpton originally built this hotel. Kimpton builds hotels out of old Priuses glued together with organic chia seed paste. I wonder why Kimpton sold it. Ghosts. The chairs in the lobby are literally shaped like coffins. I wonder what sort of idiot would tempt the Gods of Foreshadow and sit in a coffin. They're comfortable.
Thursday
I've come for the grand opening of the new store by PIRCH, the San Diego-based kitchen and bath retailer. Good people. Their headquarters in La Jolla has a gym with a personal trainer for all staff. If an employee gets the urge to toss a stapler at a coworker, the trainer can help them burpee through that anger. Tonight, we're having a dinner party in the middle of the Dallas store. It's after hours. The mall is closed. As a one-time juvenile delinquent, I feel this might end in a standoff with mall security -- us with our wine, them with their twist-tie handcuffs. (What are those designed to detain? A bag of bulk quinoa?).
The store is so white, so peaceful, almost airbrushed. It is the Helen Mirin of kitchen show rooms. We're surrounded by Gaggeneau, Thermador, Jenn-Airr -- world-class kitchen appliances that, like Mila Kunis or a cell phone carrier I don't loathe, is merely aspirational at this point in my life. At dinner I sit next to PIRCH's director of merchandising, Duane Jeffers. He is impeccably dressed. I'm wearing a red-and-white checkered shirt. It looks like I've come to Texas in full Hee Haw costume. I am the human picnic table. The five-course meal by James Beard Award-winning chef Tim Byres is fantastic. Throughout dinner, a lanky fashion model tells us stories about her ex-boyfriend, a prodigious weed smoker, and how his innovative business ideas foretold significant brain damage.
I get a tour of the store. The "bath" area is designed like a spa. The shower heads are fully functional. What a simple, revolutionary idea. In most kitchen showrooms you have to look at the box and say, "Well, I like the way it looks in this picture, honey -- see how the water is coming down on the nice-looking gal there on the box? She seems reasonably happy with the flow and pressure." So you buy it only to realize water comes out like a fire hose and is only good for recreating de-lousing scenes from old prison movies. You can actually take a shower at PIRCH if you want to. Seriously. People can reserve the space and have a spa day. What a strange kitchen and bath store. I want to live here. "Sometimes people will send their spouses under the shower head and turn it on," says a sales manager. Divorce is so easy.
Friday
I work all day in my hotel room. That many hours in circulated air does something to a person. I feel vacuum-packed. Air-embalmed. I consider going out that night and exploring Dallas' culinary scene. Instead I call in to my fantasy football draft -- an annual ritual with friends of 20 years. I feel vaguely developmentally impaired for doing this. What's that you say? DeMarco Murray is available this late in Round 2? Room service is my favorite restaurant.
Saturday
It's the grand opening party. Sam the Cooking Guy is here. We're doing a show together called "Critic and the Cook." The concept is that Sam cooks and teaches people valuable lessons and I act like a free radical in his performance chi, disrupting with stories about being a food critic. Dallas customers have never seen a kitchen and bath showroom like PIRCH. It's mass appliance lust. The people who created PIRCH are going to be famous retail men. I write an action item in my notebook: "Launch 32,000 square-foot retail store, sell quality goods." There's a machine that dry-cleans your clothes at home. It's no bigger than an air-conditioning unit, fits snugly into your wall of choice. I decide I badly need this in my life. I tell everyone I meet about it. That machine, with its eucalyptus scent inserts, will be my moral compass in major life decisions from here on out. My Jesus Gadget.
Sunday
12 PM: Sam and I are flying back to San Diego. It's a direct flight on American Airlines. We're in first class. I'm of coach class breeding, but I'm not complaining. I politely decline a complimentary Bloody Mary.
1 PM: The flight attendant says something on the PA system about Phoenix. "Did she say Phoenix?" I ask Sam. "No," he says. The attendant enters first class and explains to a passenger, "We have to divert to Phoenix because of a suspicious item in cargo." Oh. Due to the specificity of her language -- an "item"... "in cargo" -- it doesn't appear to be the sort of fake bomb threat that happens when couples break up and one of them goes to whiskey instead of counseling. Her words suggest someone has found the surprise (SUSPICIOUS ITEM) in a fairly specific place (IN CARGO). That Bloody Mary sounds good. I have in-flight internet. I start to write the ole "it's probably nothing, don't worry, but I could explode, so goodbye" email to my family. I think of my three-year-old daughter. It would've been nice if she would've had a dad. Halfway through the email, I stop. No sense in killing both my daughter's parents.
1:04 PM: I'm stuck in a metal box 10,000 feet in the sky and there might be a bomb under my seat. I'm somewhat surprised I'm not freaking out. I'm not sweating. There's pride in that. I would've pegged myself for more of a pants-wetter in crisis situations. I start to think about what happens when a bomb explodes on a plane. Thanks to the internet, I once saw an expert explain this in great detail. The plane in question literally split in half. The front half fell directly to the ground. The back half basically became a giant PVC pipe attached to a jet engine -- with people inside. Now just blue sky where the front half of an aircraft had been, the plane and its people (very much still alive) flew directly upward toward heaven. Then it tilted and flew directly downward. The people were still alive. This thought is unpleasant. I feel the adrenaline literally crawl from my chest cavity, down my arms and to the ends of my fingers. Feels like mercury slowly poisoning my blood. Or ants. Please let the bomb be directly under my seat cushion.
1:10 PM: Sam has a cooking class later that evening. He needs to calculate how long we'll be delayed, decide whether to cancel, alert attendees, etc. This gives him something pressing yet unemotional to concentrate on. This is a really nice thing to have when there's a bomb under your ass. Thinking about things like your family or unfulfilled life dreams is not recommended. So I start to daydream about that home dry cleaning machine. The machine won't miss me or develop emotional issues and start dating potheads because I've been ripped from its life. It really helps.
1:15 PM: Descending to Phoenix. The desert heat always makes it turbulent when you land a plane. When you're told you might die of explosives, each jolt of turbulence is extra special.
1:25 PM: We land in Phoenix. "I'll bet you they're going to let us pull into any gate we want," Sam proposes. Instead, we drive right by the gates to a remote, unpopulated corner of the airport. If you're hosting a party and a soda can drops to the floor, you place that soda somewhere off to the side. If it explodes it could get all over everyone. There are cops and FBI and bomb dogs waiting for us. They don't seem too eager to come aboard and say hello.
1:30 PM: People are most amusing when highly stressed. A female passenger moans about how inconvenient the delay is going to be for her day. After the pilot cuts the air conditioning, a man loudly bellows: "Oh, come onnnnnn!" He says this in the same way you might complain about a lollygagging bank teller. I'm personally OK turning off the AC. Make us wear angora sweaters and hug each other. Pour coffee on my crotch. Just kindly get me off this plane before it explodes.
1:45 PM: The police come on board. "Two in the front, two in the back, in case someone runs," says the main officer. Run? Why would someone run? We not only have a suspicious "item" but also a suspicious "someone"? Is the suspicious item strapped to this someone? The police look nervous, stiff. How someone might look if you said, "OK, I'll throw rocks at the rattlesnake and then you grab it by the neck." I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the police; this is not a common feeling I have for law enforcement. I turn to watch as they pass us, their hands hovering above the guns at their hips. My seat belt falls and makes that loud CLANG CLANG CLANG sound that airplane seat belts make. Sounds remarkably like gunmetal. Maybe that's why the officer wheels around with panic eyes, his hand making a quick half-move toward his gun. He casts me a glance that clearly says, "Are you ****ing kidding me? I could have shot you, idiot." The look is very appropriate. As my new-age friend might say, "I receive that look, officer."
1:50 PM: The police lead a Caucasian man off the plane with his carry-on. The man is sweating profusely. He looks like he might enjoy Oklahoma Sooner football and taters. He doesn't look very bomby. They never do, I think, echoing that cliché people tell TV news when a quiet neighbor inexplicably mows his lawn into the shape of a swastika. Right outside the plane door, I hear the police tell the suspect, "Show us your iPad." He hid the bomb/box cutter/sirin gas in his iPad? It must not be an iPad Air. Probably an older model. I hear the man laugh nervously. But I can't make out the rest of the conversation because an older gentleman sitting in front of me is on his cell phone, loudly complaining how this silly bomb nonsense is an inconvenience to his day.
2:00 PM: They finally let us off the plane. We place our luggage in a single-file line on the asphalt. Bomb dogs sniff each piece. Three busses have come to take us to safety. Across the electronic display on each bus, it reads: "Special Event." A lot of things are special. Kids. Athletes. Meteor showers in the woods. Maybe I'm not appreciating the specialness of a bomb threat. Or maybe "Holy Shit It's a Bomb!" is beyond our busses' capabilities.
2:20 PM: The internet is fast. A news report about what happened is already out there. It explains who that sweaty man was and why he was sweating. It seems the president of Sony Online Entertainment John Smedley was in coach class. He had internet service during the flight. A Tweet popped up on his tablet that read something like "There's a bomb on your plane and you're doing to die." The name "Smedley" just sounds villainous. And what was the Sony president doing with an iPad? Now that we're all safe, I tweet at him on behalf of Flight 362 and request free Sony Playstations for the trouble. He doesn't respond.
3 PM: They put us back on the same plane. Apparently the experts have deemed it safe. But didn't the experts also deem it safe before we took off the first time -- only to change their thinking? I would've preferred a different plane. Maybe even a different airline or a Volvo.
6 PM: We land in San Diego. News cameras are everywhere. The passenger who had been the loudest and most annoying during the ordeal stands in front of them, recanting our tale. I sneak by and see my mother's car parked at the airport curb. Through the backseat window I can see my daughter, Ellie. She's got some sort of shmutz on her face. I love that face.
Monday
I catch a segment on Good Morning America about our story. Computer animation shows two fighter jets flying behind us to ensure we landed safely in Phoenix. I'm fairly certain none of us were aware of the jets at the time it happened. I'm momentarily confused. How could fighter jets help if we exploded? "That's cute," answers a friend. "They were there to blow you out of the sky if your pilot took a wrong turn." Oh. Makes sense. Good plan. I picture Maverick and Goose on our tail, fingers poised above the LAUNCH MISSILE buttons. Or does it say DESTROY or ELIMINATE or BYE-BYE GORBACHEV/SADAM/OSAMA/TROY? Each one crossed off like tattoos of former girlfriends? I'm not certain. Sitting on my couch, I feel the adrenaline literally crawl from my chest cavity, down my arms and to the ends of my fingers. Feels like mercury slowly poisoning my blood. Or ants.
from Travel - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1xyOTjO
Is it safe to holiday in Turkey?
Q. Will I still be able to go to Marmaris in Turkey with the problems on the Syrian and Iraq border? Sandra Clarke, Suffolk
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Cruise the Med or swap winter for summer: Travel deals
Get me out of here
Now... Med cruise
Departing 15 October, P&O Cruises is offering a week in the Mediterranean aboard Ventura for £549 per person. The price includes flights from various UK airports out to Genoa and returning from Malaga. In between, the ship visits Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Palma. pocruises.com
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Cruise into 2015 with some new year sunshine
CRUISE into 2015 for some delightful winter sunshine, says Emily Bamber
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Wills and Kate's favourite Norfolk hot spots
FOUR star hotels and breathtaking beaches are just some of the things that await Wills and Kate on their imminent move to North Norfolk
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The Top 10 Honeymoon Destinations Of 2014, According To Facebook
A recent study by Facebook has some surprising revelations about the post-wedding travel tendencies of 2014's newlyweds.
Facebook gathered data from couples who "checked in" at destinations more than twenty miles from their homes within two weeks after posting a marriage life event. While the study is far from scientific, it does provide some interesting data about Facebook users.
Namely, although relaxing beach towns predictably claimed nine of the top 10 spots, Las Vegas was the most popular destination among both international and American newlyweds. Sin City was significantly more popular for international couples than those from the U.S., or as Facebook put it, "Newlyweds from the US were much less likely to check into Las Vegas on Facebook than couples from outside the US."
The graph below shows the median distance traveled by honeymooners based on country of origin. Couples from South Korea ventured the farthest, traveling more than 4,000 miles from home, while Americans' median distance was just over 500 miles. (Click on the image to view a larger version).
Here are the top 10 destinations among couples worldwide:
1. Las Vegas, U.S.A.
2. Lahaina, U.S.A.
3. Honolulu, U.S.A.
4. Playa del Carmen, Mexico
5. Cancún, Mexico
6. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
7. Montego Bay, Jamaica
8. Antalya, Turkey
9. Castries, St. Lucia
10. Gramado, Brazil
from Travel - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1v20SSs
Facebook gathered data from couples who "checked in" at destinations more than twenty miles from their homes within two weeks after posting a marriage life event. While the study is far from scientific, it does provide some interesting data about Facebook users.
Namely, although relaxing beach towns predictably claimed nine of the top 10 spots, Las Vegas was the most popular destination among both international and American newlyweds. Sin City was significantly more popular for international couples than those from the U.S., or as Facebook put it, "Newlyweds from the US were much less likely to check into Las Vegas on Facebook than couples from outside the US."
The graph below shows the median distance traveled by honeymooners based on country of origin. Couples from South Korea ventured the farthest, traveling more than 4,000 miles from home, while Americans' median distance was just over 500 miles. (Click on the image to view a larger version).
Here are the top 10 destinations among couples worldwide:
1. Las Vegas, U.S.A.
2. Lahaina, U.S.A.
3. Honolulu, U.S.A.
4. Playa del Carmen, Mexico
5. Cancún, Mexico
6. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
7. Montego Bay, Jamaica
8. Antalya, Turkey
9. Castries, St. Lucia
10. Gramado, Brazil
from Travel - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1v20SSs
Peek Inside the Lives of Travel Writers With the New Novel, The Junketeers
In the gripping and hilarious novel The Junketeers, Marin Flynn has toiled for years as a food magazine editor living in New York City. For Marin, art lies in food. For example, she obsesses over salt. "If I could take only one thing to a desert island it would be salt. It improves the taste of every single thing," she explains. "I had half a dozen kinds of salt at home, using pinches of lavender salt or pink Himalayan or Maldon flakes, depending on my mood. I was such a proponent of big-grain salt that I'd thrown out my salt shaker, preferring to grind it."
Marin's real dream is to to be liberated from her cubicle, travel to far flung places and taste gastronomic wonders along the way. As she says, "I wanted to try duck tongues in China instead of Flushing, bulgogi in Korea instead of Koreatown, green-lipped mussels in New Zealand."
When Marin finds herself suddenly unemployed, she finally gets her wish. A series of freelance writing assignments have her zigzagging the globe: writing about vodka and perogies in Poland, covering an exotic sacred island in Pama Pama, Fiji, reporting on Scotch and castles in Scotland and penning a wine story in Argentina.
It's a fantasy-fueled life for Marin, but also filled with a fair share of hijinks. Marin is not alone on these dreamy trips. She travels with fellow journalists who are also on assignment. And the crew is motley one -- a mishmash of snobs, complainers, wackos, and know-it-alls.
And then there's the Countess.
Enter the ever stylish, chic and salty-tongued Countess Jacqueline de Beaumont who covers sex and wine for glossy magazines. Her edict? "Moderation? It's really overrated. My life has been about pursuing passion. If you practice moderation, how can you ever follow your heart?"
Earning her fancy title though a short, short tumultuous marriage, she's as bold as her perfectly lacquered blood red nails. Armed with a degree from Barnard and a knack for tying a pareo 35 different ways, Countess Jacqueline de Beaumont is always game for a good time -- especially when it comes to the local guys she encounters along the way.
A fearless veteran of some 70 trips for story assignments, the Countess takes newbie Marin under her wing. As the Countess declares, "I always follow my fantasy, creating my life like a novel." And hers is a page turner.
As the Junketeers unfolds, the two women traverse the globe with a series of hilarious, colorful--and sometimes insufferable-- wacky bunch of characters. Part Sex and the City, part armchair traveling, this work of fiction was co-authored by talented writers and story-tellers Julie Besonen and Sheri de Borchgrave.
Besonen talked to me about co-writing the Junketeers.
Q: Marin and Countess Jackie offer some biting and funny wisdom in the novel. What are some of your favorite quotes?
JULIE BESONEN: From Countess Jackie:
"Whining about your marital problems is the type of thing only your mother has the energy to listen to."
"Bright colors help keep people awake when they have jet lag."
"You can tell a lot about a man if he likes his mother. If he doesn't, he's not worth pursuing."
"To look younger than you are, buddy up with older people. You look younger by comparison."
From Marin:
"No man wants to hear the 'M' word at the beginning of a relationship, no matter the reference."
"Displaying framed photos of yourself with celebrities is equivalent to name-dropping."
"Garlic juice on my fingertips is perfume to me."
"'I almost had to wait,'...my favorite Louis the fourteenth line."
Q: I know this is a work of fiction. Are these wacky characters based on real people?
JULIE BESONEN: The characters are largely composites. We've traveled with some really brilliant, funny, successful writers. We've traveled with some people who were frauds and with some people who were just, pills - demanding, obnoxious and having diva-like behavior. It runs the gamut. But there are always some people on each trip who I've really enjoyed getting to know.
Q: How did the cuddle party make its way into the book?
JULIE BESONEN: For a long time Sheri was a sex columnist for Cosmopolitan Magazine and also wrote racy stories for other publications. She was asked to cover a cuddle party in Manhattan. Apparently people get together and hug and cuddle and roll around on the floor. But as soon as she got into the living room where the cuddling was to take place, she noticed that there was a snake in an aquarium in the corner and she just ran out screaming and never did the story. She's terrified of snakes.
Q: Where did you find your inspiration for the hilarious section about the island in Fiji?
JULIE BESONEN: Sheri went to a deserted island in Fiji and just assumed that there would be other journalists joining her. But it turned out she was the only person on this island, and it was haunted and she had to stay in a hut by herself. She had a man servant, but every day he was always trying to shake her down for cigarette money. The island was owned by a Fijian princess who was harassing her about the kind of story she was going to write.
Q: What inspired you and Sheri to write the Junketeers?
JULIE BESONEN: Meeting Sheri (who is actually a real-life Baroness and was married to a Baron). We first connected on a trip to Poland. I gravitated towards her because I thought she was so funny and so interesting. We would stay up late after the rest of the group had gone to bed and sit in the hotel bar. She told me one hilarious story after another. I started to tell her some of the stories of different journalists I knew and crazy and bad behavior. Then we realized we had something. We told the stories that made us laugh. When we sat down to write the book we would turn on a tape recorder and tell each other stories. If it really cracked us up then we knew it was something we wanted to put in the book.
Q: Tell me more about Marin.
JULIE BESONEN: Marin is a woman who's turning 30 and remaking her life from scratch because she's just been laid off from her job. She's trying to make it as a freelance writer and wants to travel the world, have a life of adventure and experience everything through food. She gets sucked into the world of the Countess who's much more sophisticated than she is and leads her down many wrong roads with her bad advice.
Q: Do you still travel like this for stories?
JULIE BESONEN: No, not for several years. When my writing career took off I had to stay home and work. And then a few years later I signed a contract with The New York Times that forbids trips, and I've honored that contract. Sometimes I miss them because there's this intense camaraderie that happens when you're traveling with a group of people and you start to have all these inside jokes.
Q: In the book, you talk about cocktail writers versus wine writers.
JULIE BESONEN: The cocktail writers were full of laughter and easygoing. They weren't picky about what they drank. They were cheerful, smart and liked the history of drinking and were very fun-loving people to be around. Wine people were more academic and disdainful of someone like me not having as great a palate. Their interests are more esoteric. They like to know the percentage of the grapes which are estate grown, how high the fences are in the field, the age of the oak barrels. I've never enjoyed that kind of information. And I got in a lot of trouble for not spitting. I was pulled aside and told I wasn't being professional because I was swallowing the wine. And I said, 'that's how I taste the wine -- by swallowing.' They even tried to teach me the proper method of spitting. But I really didn't want to spit. I wasn't driving and I really enjoyed the finish of the wine. I like to just drink the wine with food and say, 'oh, this is delicious.'
To learn more about the Junketters visit, http://ift.tt/1wVs0UE.
Julie Besonen
Baroness Sheri de Borchgrave
(All photos used with permission.)
from Travel - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1wVrZjw
Marin's real dream is to to be liberated from her cubicle, travel to far flung places and taste gastronomic wonders along the way. As she says, "I wanted to try duck tongues in China instead of Flushing, bulgogi in Korea instead of Koreatown, green-lipped mussels in New Zealand."
When Marin finds herself suddenly unemployed, she finally gets her wish. A series of freelance writing assignments have her zigzagging the globe: writing about vodka and perogies in Poland, covering an exotic sacred island in Pama Pama, Fiji, reporting on Scotch and castles in Scotland and penning a wine story in Argentina.
It's a fantasy-fueled life for Marin, but also filled with a fair share of hijinks. Marin is not alone on these dreamy trips. She travels with fellow journalists who are also on assignment. And the crew is motley one -- a mishmash of snobs, complainers, wackos, and know-it-alls.
And then there's the Countess.
Enter the ever stylish, chic and salty-tongued Countess Jacqueline de Beaumont who covers sex and wine for glossy magazines. Her edict? "Moderation? It's really overrated. My life has been about pursuing passion. If you practice moderation, how can you ever follow your heart?"
Earning her fancy title though a short, short tumultuous marriage, she's as bold as her perfectly lacquered blood red nails. Armed with a degree from Barnard and a knack for tying a pareo 35 different ways, Countess Jacqueline de Beaumont is always game for a good time -- especially when it comes to the local guys she encounters along the way.
A fearless veteran of some 70 trips for story assignments, the Countess takes newbie Marin under her wing. As the Countess declares, "I always follow my fantasy, creating my life like a novel." And hers is a page turner.
As the Junketeers unfolds, the two women traverse the globe with a series of hilarious, colorful--and sometimes insufferable-- wacky bunch of characters. Part Sex and the City, part armchair traveling, this work of fiction was co-authored by talented writers and story-tellers Julie Besonen and Sheri de Borchgrave.
Besonen talked to me about co-writing the Junketeers.
Q: Marin and Countess Jackie offer some biting and funny wisdom in the novel. What are some of your favorite quotes?
JULIE BESONEN: From Countess Jackie:
"Whining about your marital problems is the type of thing only your mother has the energy to listen to."
"Bright colors help keep people awake when they have jet lag."
"You can tell a lot about a man if he likes his mother. If he doesn't, he's not worth pursuing."
"To look younger than you are, buddy up with older people. You look younger by comparison."
From Marin:
"No man wants to hear the 'M' word at the beginning of a relationship, no matter the reference."
"Displaying framed photos of yourself with celebrities is equivalent to name-dropping."
"Garlic juice on my fingertips is perfume to me."
"'I almost had to wait,'...my favorite Louis the fourteenth line."
Q: I know this is a work of fiction. Are these wacky characters based on real people?
JULIE BESONEN: The characters are largely composites. We've traveled with some really brilliant, funny, successful writers. We've traveled with some people who were frauds and with some people who were just, pills - demanding, obnoxious and having diva-like behavior. It runs the gamut. But there are always some people on each trip who I've really enjoyed getting to know.
Q: How did the cuddle party make its way into the book?
JULIE BESONEN: For a long time Sheri was a sex columnist for Cosmopolitan Magazine and also wrote racy stories for other publications. She was asked to cover a cuddle party in Manhattan. Apparently people get together and hug and cuddle and roll around on the floor. But as soon as she got into the living room where the cuddling was to take place, she noticed that there was a snake in an aquarium in the corner and she just ran out screaming and never did the story. She's terrified of snakes.
Q: Where did you find your inspiration for the hilarious section about the island in Fiji?
JULIE BESONEN: Sheri went to a deserted island in Fiji and just assumed that there would be other journalists joining her. But it turned out she was the only person on this island, and it was haunted and she had to stay in a hut by herself. She had a man servant, but every day he was always trying to shake her down for cigarette money. The island was owned by a Fijian princess who was harassing her about the kind of story she was going to write.
Q: What inspired you and Sheri to write the Junketeers?
JULIE BESONEN: Meeting Sheri (who is actually a real-life Baroness and was married to a Baron). We first connected on a trip to Poland. I gravitated towards her because I thought she was so funny and so interesting. We would stay up late after the rest of the group had gone to bed and sit in the hotel bar. She told me one hilarious story after another. I started to tell her some of the stories of different journalists I knew and crazy and bad behavior. Then we realized we had something. We told the stories that made us laugh. When we sat down to write the book we would turn on a tape recorder and tell each other stories. If it really cracked us up then we knew it was something we wanted to put in the book.
Q: Tell me more about Marin.
JULIE BESONEN: Marin is a woman who's turning 30 and remaking her life from scratch because she's just been laid off from her job. She's trying to make it as a freelance writer and wants to travel the world, have a life of adventure and experience everything through food. She gets sucked into the world of the Countess who's much more sophisticated than she is and leads her down many wrong roads with her bad advice.
Q: Do you still travel like this for stories?
JULIE BESONEN: No, not for several years. When my writing career took off I had to stay home and work. And then a few years later I signed a contract with The New York Times that forbids trips, and I've honored that contract. Sometimes I miss them because there's this intense camaraderie that happens when you're traveling with a group of people and you start to have all these inside jokes.
Q: In the book, you talk about cocktail writers versus wine writers.
JULIE BESONEN: The cocktail writers were full of laughter and easygoing. They weren't picky about what they drank. They were cheerful, smart and liked the history of drinking and were very fun-loving people to be around. Wine people were more academic and disdainful of someone like me not having as great a palate. Their interests are more esoteric. They like to know the percentage of the grapes which are estate grown, how high the fences are in the field, the age of the oak barrels. I've never enjoyed that kind of information. And I got in a lot of trouble for not spitting. I was pulled aside and told I wasn't being professional because I was swallowing the wine. And I said, 'that's how I taste the wine -- by swallowing.' They even tried to teach me the proper method of spitting. But I really didn't want to spit. I wasn't driving and I really enjoyed the finish of the wine. I like to just drink the wine with food and say, 'oh, this is delicious.'
To learn more about the Junketters visit, http://ift.tt/1wVs0UE.
(All photos used with permission.)
from Travel - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1wVrZjw
Seven of the Best Exclusive Lodges in Africa
Each of these private lodges, which are solely for exclusive use, are the perfect location for families and friends who want a home away from home within a magnificent setting.
Leobo Private Reserve
LIMPOPO, SOUTH AFRICA
Amidst the scenic Waterberg Mountains, 20,000-acre Leobo Private Reserve is the setting for Observatory Bush Villa, a luxury lodge that's ideal for a large family or group of friends. Overlooking Palala Valley, the lodge is designed with traditional African safari style in mind, with a sunken fire pit and a pool that's built into the mountainside. Rather than game viewing, the focus here is on exploring the surrounding reserve with activities such as heli-picnics, fishing, camping, skydiving and kayaking.
Ellerman Villas
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
While reflecting the opulence and style of Ellerman House, the hotel's two exclusive villas offer privacy in a ultra luxe setting for those travelling as a group. Villa One accommodates up to 10 guests and has the benefit of two spa rooms, an infinity pool and kitchen that's stocked by the villa's private staff. The villa and surrounding gardens offer panoramic views of the Atlantic ocean and Twelve Apostles mountain range. Villa two is located on the same vicinity as Ellerman House and designed for smaller groups, accommodating up to six people. The ocean-view villa is a short walk from Clifton beaches and has its own infinity pool and cinema with a wine gallery on the ground floor. Both villas include extras like daily sunset cocktails.
Tarkuni Private House
TSWALU KALAHARI RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA
Covering over 100,000 hectares Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is South Africa's largest private game reserve and with a maximum of just 30 guests at one time you won't have any crowds to contend with. Tarkuni Private House is the Tswalu home of the Oppenheimer family and a private retreat for groups of up to 10 guests.The lodge's pool, deck and open fires, along with the private host, chef, vehicle, field guide and tracker, make for an indulgent retreat as well as safari experience.
Singita Castleton
SABI SANDS, SOUTH AFRICA
Originally used by the family, this luxury African-farmhouse style Singita lodge is now for exclusive use by guests travelling in a group of up to 12 people. The communal living area and six cottages are set within a 45,000-acre private reserve that's known for its abundance of game and frequent leopard sightings and even named 'big cat country' by some. Amidst the lodge and surrounding gardens a private pool, tennis courts, wine cellar and spa treatment room all add to the experience, with your own guide, tracker, chef and housekeeper on-hand too.
Morokuru Ocean House
MADIKWE, SOUTH AFRICA
Set within Madikwe Game Reserve on the 36,000-hectare De Hoop coastal nature reserve, Morukuru Ocean House overlooks white-sand beach that's lapped by the Indian Ocean. The surrounding land is made up of shrubland, wetlands, limestone cliffs and sand dunes, making it a haven for birdlife, as well as being a prime spot for watching the migration of the southern right whales. Up to eight adults and four small children can stay in the luxury oceanfront lodge, with outdoor activities like sand-boarding and mountain biking on offer.
Singita Serengeti House
GRUMETI, TANZANIA
On the slopes of Sasakwa Hill in the 350,000-acre Grumeti Reserve this lodge is in a prime location for wildlife sightings, overlooking a waterhole and with views across the Serengeti plains from the private pool. Up to eight guests can stay at the lodge with a variety of family-friendly activities such as arts and crafts and archery in addition to the game drives, and horseback riding safaris for seasoned riders. The lodge, which showcases European design and African artifacts, has onsite staff throughout your stay.
Chongwe River House
LOWER ZAMBEZI, ZAMBIA
Best known for its remarkable elephant herds, the Lower Zambezi in Zambia is home to Chongwe River House, an eight-person lodge for an exclusive safari experience. Situated on the banks of Chongwe River, the lodge is crafted from winterthorn wood and decorated with the river's coloured pebbles, while the deck and pool present views of the Zambezi escarpment.
from Travel - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1DWRIgp
Leobo Private Reserve
LIMPOPO, SOUTH AFRICA
Amidst the scenic Waterberg Mountains, 20,000-acre Leobo Private Reserve is the setting for Observatory Bush Villa, a luxury lodge that's ideal for a large family or group of friends. Overlooking Palala Valley, the lodge is designed with traditional African safari style in mind, with a sunken fire pit and a pool that's built into the mountainside. Rather than game viewing, the focus here is on exploring the surrounding reserve with activities such as heli-picnics, fishing, camping, skydiving and kayaking.
Ellerman Villas
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
While reflecting the opulence and style of Ellerman House, the hotel's two exclusive villas offer privacy in a ultra luxe setting for those travelling as a group. Villa One accommodates up to 10 guests and has the benefit of two spa rooms, an infinity pool and kitchen that's stocked by the villa's private staff. The villa and surrounding gardens offer panoramic views of the Atlantic ocean and Twelve Apostles mountain range. Villa two is located on the same vicinity as Ellerman House and designed for smaller groups, accommodating up to six people. The ocean-view villa is a short walk from Clifton beaches and has its own infinity pool and cinema with a wine gallery on the ground floor. Both villas include extras like daily sunset cocktails.
Tarkuni Private House
TSWALU KALAHARI RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA
Covering over 100,000 hectares Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is South Africa's largest private game reserve and with a maximum of just 30 guests at one time you won't have any crowds to contend with. Tarkuni Private House is the Tswalu home of the Oppenheimer family and a private retreat for groups of up to 10 guests.The lodge's pool, deck and open fires, along with the private host, chef, vehicle, field guide and tracker, make for an indulgent retreat as well as safari experience.
Singita Castleton
SABI SANDS, SOUTH AFRICA
Originally used by the family, this luxury African-farmhouse style Singita lodge is now for exclusive use by guests travelling in a group of up to 12 people. The communal living area and six cottages are set within a 45,000-acre private reserve that's known for its abundance of game and frequent leopard sightings and even named 'big cat country' by some. Amidst the lodge and surrounding gardens a private pool, tennis courts, wine cellar and spa treatment room all add to the experience, with your own guide, tracker, chef and housekeeper on-hand too.
Morokuru Ocean House
MADIKWE, SOUTH AFRICA
Set within Madikwe Game Reserve on the 36,000-hectare De Hoop coastal nature reserve, Morukuru Ocean House overlooks white-sand beach that's lapped by the Indian Ocean. The surrounding land is made up of shrubland, wetlands, limestone cliffs and sand dunes, making it a haven for birdlife, as well as being a prime spot for watching the migration of the southern right whales. Up to eight adults and four small children can stay in the luxury oceanfront lodge, with outdoor activities like sand-boarding and mountain biking on offer.
Singita Serengeti House
GRUMETI, TANZANIA
On the slopes of Sasakwa Hill in the 350,000-acre Grumeti Reserve this lodge is in a prime location for wildlife sightings, overlooking a waterhole and with views across the Serengeti plains from the private pool. Up to eight guests can stay at the lodge with a variety of family-friendly activities such as arts and crafts and archery in addition to the game drives, and horseback riding safaris for seasoned riders. The lodge, which showcases European design and African artifacts, has onsite staff throughout your stay.
Chongwe River House
LOWER ZAMBEZI, ZAMBIA
Best known for its remarkable elephant herds, the Lower Zambezi in Zambia is home to Chongwe River House, an eight-person lodge for an exclusive safari experience. Situated on the banks of Chongwe River, the lodge is crafted from winterthorn wood and decorated with the river's coloured pebbles, while the deck and pool present views of the Zambezi escarpment.
from Travel - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1DWRIgp
The World's Coolest Wrecks
As morbid as a plane crash or sunken ship might be, there's something alluring about abandoned wrecks. Eerie, full of history, and possibly haunted, they can be truly captivating.
Moynaq Ship Gr
...
from Travel Blog | Travel + Leisure http://ift.tt/1ovU2kr
Explore New England: The Best Activities for Fall 2014
While we love summer, we must admit that we've been looking forward to the days of football and beer, leaves crunching under our boots, and crackling fireplaces. And nowhere in the country does the fall season better than New England. So whether you're planning a getaway to Massachusetts or Rhode Island, Vermont or New Hampshire, or Connecticut or Maine, we have a fun fall activity to get you in the seasonal spirit!
Go: Pumpkin Picking in Vermont
New England is replete with pumpkin-picking patches and Vermont has some of the best. While Stowe is often associated with winter skiing, it's also prime for fall picking. With tons of open space and rolling hills, it is home to numerous farms where visitors can pick apples, pumpkins, and other produce.
Stay: Stowe Mountain Lodge
Stowe Mountain Lodge is one of the top luxury properties in Vermont, and offers rustic elegance throughout -- from the impressive lobby with floor-to-ceiling windows to the bright, contemporary rooms. This property has a lot in the way of amenities, particularly for the area: an inviting spa, big outdoor pool with mountain views, acclaimed restaurant, state-of-the-art fitness center, 18-hole golf course, and great children's program.
Go: Brewery Hopping in New Hampshire
Portsmouth, NH is one of the oldest cities in the country (founded just three years after Plymouth), so it's not surprising that it has some of the country's best breweries -- after all, settling a town is no easy feat. You need a cold brew to take the edge off. And few things feel as fall-like as cozying up in a brewery with a locally-crafted cider and a soft pretzel. Redhook Brewery is the largest in the area and offers daily tours, but Smuttynose may be the most beloved.
Stay: Sheraton Harborside Hotel
Rooms here are modern, with plush white bedding and shiny wood furniture. Other perks at this value hotel are a fitness center and indoor pool, and it's within walking distance of downtown Portsmouth. Renovated in 2011, the Sheraton Harborside includes such contemporary design elements as curved stairways and spiral motifs throughout the property. The hotel also has two on-site restaurants: the Tavern, with its scenic views of the harbor, and Riverwatch Lounge, which looks out onto the bridge to Maine.
Go: Hiking in Connecticut
People often associate Connecticut with Greenwich -- and thus, beautiful homes, high-end shopping, gourmet restaurants, and country club activities like golf and tennis. But plenty of areas in the state embrace that New England outdoorsy vibe, and Connecticut is home to some great hiking trails. From beginner to expert, trails bring hikers through gorgeous foliage, past staggering rock formations, and alongside beautiful lakes.
Stay: Winvian
The Winvian is a romantic, upscale property set on 113 acres of countryside outside tiny Morris. Its 19 individually decorated cottages all have a feel of understated, rustic elegance with the convenience of modern amenities, including Bose surround systems, flat-screen TVs, and Nespresso coffeemakers. All units have working fireplaces, large bathrooms with separate walk-in showers and jetted tubs, and unique, mind-blowing design features; one cottage has a helicopter shell that doubles as a living room.
Go: Shopping in Boston
A new season means a new wardrobe, right?! Boston is home to plenty fun fall pursuits -- baseball, farmers' markets, college campuses -- but shopping might be top among them, especially if you wander along Newbury Street. This lovely spot in Back Bay is lined with boutiques and restaurants housed in quaint brownstones.
Stay: Newbury Guest House
This 32-room boutique hotel is actually three converted attached brownstones on trendy Newbury Street. It is reasonably priced for the area and includes free breakfast; the popular French restaurant La Voile is in the basement. The hotel is within walking distance to some great shopping and restaurants as well as many of Boston's attractions.
Go: Cycling in Maine
Although it's often overlooked for neighbors like Vermont and New Hampshire in the fall foliage department, Maine also boasts gorgeous leaves of red, gold, and orange during the fall months and a great way to take in the scenery is by bike. Take a leisurely pedal through sweet towns like Kennebunkport (where the Bush family vacation compound can be found) and Ogunquit, or go mountain biking in Portland.
Stay: Kennebunkport Inn
A cozy, three-story Victorian property that was once a privately owned mansion, the Kennebunkport Inn offers a relaxing getaway in a classic New England setting. Built in the 1890s and renovated in 2003, the inn is beautifully decorated with an elegant blend of contemporary furnishings and antiques featuring a nautical color scheme of blue, white, and red. Overall, the charming vibe, elegant decor, and thoughtful extras such as the delicious free breakfast and bicycle rentals make this inn a real gem.
Go: Beaching in Rhode Island
Just because it's fall, doesn't mean the beach is off limits. In fact, the beginning of the fall season can be just the right time to head to the sand in Rhode Island. There are no crowds, and the setting and conditions are particularly gorgeous (although we're not suggesting actually getting in the ocean). Plus, the state is home to numerous beachside lighthouses -- such as Plum Beach Lighthouse and Watch Hill Lighthouse -- that make for scenic views.
Stay: The Ocean House
The Ocean House is a luxury resort, with the rates to match, located on a private white-sand beach in the sleepy coastal town of Watch Hill. The hotel offers a slew of amenities, including a full-service spa, large fitness center, indoor pool (that opens to the outdoors), and plenty of dining options, so there's really no reason for guests to leave the hotel grounds - which is good, because there's not a lot in Watch Hill, aside from the cute little boutiques and shops on the main street. And of course, the beach and lighthouse.
from Travel - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1v1wpUx
Go: Pumpkin Picking in Vermont
New England is replete with pumpkin-picking patches and Vermont has some of the best. While Stowe is often associated with winter skiing, it's also prime for fall picking. With tons of open space and rolling hills, it is home to numerous farms where visitors can pick apples, pumpkins, and other produce.
Stay: Stowe Mountain Lodge
Stowe Mountain Lodge is one of the top luxury properties in Vermont, and offers rustic elegance throughout -- from the impressive lobby with floor-to-ceiling windows to the bright, contemporary rooms. This property has a lot in the way of amenities, particularly for the area: an inviting spa, big outdoor pool with mountain views, acclaimed restaurant, state-of-the-art fitness center, 18-hole golf course, and great children's program.
Go: Brewery Hopping in New Hampshire
Portsmouth, NH is one of the oldest cities in the country (founded just three years after Plymouth), so it's not surprising that it has some of the country's best breweries -- after all, settling a town is no easy feat. You need a cold brew to take the edge off. And few things feel as fall-like as cozying up in a brewery with a locally-crafted cider and a soft pretzel. Redhook Brewery is the largest in the area and offers daily tours, but Smuttynose may be the most beloved.
Stay: Sheraton Harborside Hotel
Rooms here are modern, with plush white bedding and shiny wood furniture. Other perks at this value hotel are a fitness center and indoor pool, and it's within walking distance of downtown Portsmouth. Renovated in 2011, the Sheraton Harborside includes such contemporary design elements as curved stairways and spiral motifs throughout the property. The hotel also has two on-site restaurants: the Tavern, with its scenic views of the harbor, and Riverwatch Lounge, which looks out onto the bridge to Maine.
Go: Hiking in Connecticut
People often associate Connecticut with Greenwich -- and thus, beautiful homes, high-end shopping, gourmet restaurants, and country club activities like golf and tennis. But plenty of areas in the state embrace that New England outdoorsy vibe, and Connecticut is home to some great hiking trails. From beginner to expert, trails bring hikers through gorgeous foliage, past staggering rock formations, and alongside beautiful lakes.
Stay: Winvian
The Winvian is a romantic, upscale property set on 113 acres of countryside outside tiny Morris. Its 19 individually decorated cottages all have a feel of understated, rustic elegance with the convenience of modern amenities, including Bose surround systems, flat-screen TVs, and Nespresso coffeemakers. All units have working fireplaces, large bathrooms with separate walk-in showers and jetted tubs, and unique, mind-blowing design features; one cottage has a helicopter shell that doubles as a living room.
Go: Shopping in Boston
A new season means a new wardrobe, right?! Boston is home to plenty fun fall pursuits -- baseball, farmers' markets, college campuses -- but shopping might be top among them, especially if you wander along Newbury Street. This lovely spot in Back Bay is lined with boutiques and restaurants housed in quaint brownstones.
Stay: Newbury Guest House
This 32-room boutique hotel is actually three converted attached brownstones on trendy Newbury Street. It is reasonably priced for the area and includes free breakfast; the popular French restaurant La Voile is in the basement. The hotel is within walking distance to some great shopping and restaurants as well as many of Boston's attractions.
Go: Cycling in Maine
Although it's often overlooked for neighbors like Vermont and New Hampshire in the fall foliage department, Maine also boasts gorgeous leaves of red, gold, and orange during the fall months and a great way to take in the scenery is by bike. Take a leisurely pedal through sweet towns like Kennebunkport (where the Bush family vacation compound can be found) and Ogunquit, or go mountain biking in Portland.
Stay: Kennebunkport Inn
A cozy, three-story Victorian property that was once a privately owned mansion, the Kennebunkport Inn offers a relaxing getaway in a classic New England setting. Built in the 1890s and renovated in 2003, the inn is beautifully decorated with an elegant blend of contemporary furnishings and antiques featuring a nautical color scheme of blue, white, and red. Overall, the charming vibe, elegant decor, and thoughtful extras such as the delicious free breakfast and bicycle rentals make this inn a real gem.
Go: Beaching in Rhode Island
Just because it's fall, doesn't mean the beach is off limits. In fact, the beginning of the fall season can be just the right time to head to the sand in Rhode Island. There are no crowds, and the setting and conditions are particularly gorgeous (although we're not suggesting actually getting in the ocean). Plus, the state is home to numerous beachside lighthouses -- such as Plum Beach Lighthouse and Watch Hill Lighthouse -- that make for scenic views.
Stay: The Ocean House
The Ocean House is a luxury resort, with the rates to match, located on a private white-sand beach in the sleepy coastal town of Watch Hill. The hotel offers a slew of amenities, including a full-service spa, large fitness center, indoor pool (that opens to the outdoors), and plenty of dining options, so there's really no reason for guests to leave the hotel grounds - which is good, because there's not a lot in Watch Hill, aside from the cute little boutiques and shops on the main street. And of course, the beach and lighthouse.
from Travel - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1v1wpUx
Sacramento in a Day
Image by Amanda Law
Sacramento is not known as a destination city. I get it. It's small, quiet, and mostly suburban. But I am here to tell you that there's plenty to do and see. Albeit most activities may be those belonging to a Capital City - the Capitol Building, Governor's Mansion, and Old Town - there are a few surprises. Stick with Downtown and Midtown. The restaurants are hip and lovers of "farm-to-table," the coffee shops and bars are plenty, and most sights are walkable. Here's what I did in Sacramento - a.k.a. The City of Trees - on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
Image by Amanda Law
The best way to start the weekend is with a leisurely brunch. My favorite spot is located in midtown: Magpie. The menu is influenced by seasonal ingredients produced in the region. My eggs benedict came with grilled fall veggies, making me feel a little less guilty about my choice. Sit on the patio, should the weather be nice. And the mimosa? Oh yeah.
Image by Amanda Law
From Magpie, I walked to the Capitol Building. This area of town is lovely, with its tree-lined streets and old architecture. And the Capitol grounds are even lovelier. There are many species of trees (including a Redwood that went to the Moon), a trout pond, and sculpture galore. The Capitol building is open to visitors 7 days a week (free admission). Be sure to check out all levels, including the 3rd, where visitors can pop into the California State Senate and Assembly Chambers, even when they are in session.
Image by Amanda Law
I could visit The California State Railroad Museum over and over again. There are 21 gorgeous, restored steam locomotives, which further reveal the utter banality of Amtrak. It's no coincidence that the museum is in Sacramento. Three of the major railroad giants, Mark Hopkins, Leland Stanford and Charles Crocker came to Sacramento to make their fortunes. A personal favorite: the simulator train. If train excursions are your thing, they have those too. Including the Polar Express, come wintertime.
Image by Amanda Law
By now I'm a little sleepy. Coffee time. Sacramento has a number of alleyways that have received special treatment in recent years. One of them is the L Street alley, where Old Soul Co. does its coffee roasting. It's also a cafe, and their iced coffee is my jam. Next door is Edible Pedal, a bicycle shop and delivery service. They deliver food from a number of midtown restaurants, including Magpie. How do you like them apples?
Image by Amanda Law
While there aren't many clothing boutiques to be had in Sacramento, this area of town has several. Heart offers the latest trends at an affordable price. Sugar Shack, sister to Krazy Mary's, is another local favorite. The staff at both are very friendly and helpful, which is something you don't always find at department stores. Long live the boutique!
Image by Amanda Law
What makes City Cemetery worth the trip are the beautiful grounds and the history it holds. Opening in 1849, a number of politicians and well-known businessmen are buried here - Sacramento founder and city planner John Sutter Jr., the entire Crocker family (of railroad and art-collecting fame), and Mark Hopkins (another of the Big Four railroad pioneers). The cemetery is more lovely than I can remember, due to the number of volunteers who garden the grouds. Sounds macabre, but the Adopt-a-Plot program is paying off. And thanks to Findery, I discovered a grave with an interesting story.
Image by Amanda Law
Just up the street is Tower Theatre and Tower Cafe. This is the
spot to do dinner and a movie. Of course, the movie is going to be of an independent persuasion, and the food is international fusion (whatever that is). It's required of all natives and visitors at least once.
Image by Amanda Law
Been there, done that? Try Hot Italian. The minimalist, black and white interior and simple menu embodies the fresh and cutting edge. Owned by an Italian ex-pat, you'll see well-dressed Italians here often, giving the place even more cred. Order: the ligabue - a thin-crust, pesto pizza. And save room for dessert! Gelato is at hand.
Image via Mural Locator
Also: there is some great public art in Sactown. I love this mural of Ishi, the last known Native American, who lived most of his life outside of European immigrants to California. Also, make sure to stop and walk around the colorful Fuller Poles, located just across the street from Hot Italian. The poles were a standing advertisement for the Fuller Paint Store, now defunct. There is more to the history, which you can read about here.
Image via Sac Bee Blog
The best way to end this day is with a libation. For an old, timey saloon with a young, hip crowd there is The Shady Lady, complete with live music. Pour House is another local favorite, featuring 50 beers and whiskeys, live events, and as it is situated next to the train tracks - $2 shots when the train goes by! If you're the pub-loving sort, try De Vere's. But for something unexpected, there's Dive Bar. A mermaid swims in a giant aquarium above the bar after 9pm. I was both entranced and repelled, but I'm glad I went. Hello?! A live mermaid!
from Travel - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1ovPkmH
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