View from my terrace. Cap Estel. Eze
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Category Archives: Honeymoon
View from Garza Blanca
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On my walk Las Alamandas
Nice place to have margaritas
Plunge pool
Pillows on a bed Las Alamandas
A new property in Puerta Vallarta- Garza Blanca
On our last night in Puerta Vallarta, we stopped over at a marvelous new hotel, Garza Blanca on the coast 30 minutes from the airport. It was a famous old hotel, but it has been completely renovated from the ground up. It has been running now for two years. We were given the 2 bedroom penthouse suite-overlooking the beach , Puerta Vallarta and the pool area. It was delightful. The design is contemporary, clean lines and wonderful warm Mexican colors -divine artwork everywhere. I would wholeheartedly recommend it.
The restaurant, Blanca Blue already in the top five restaurants in PV, served one of the most memorable meals I have had in a very long time. Puerta Vallarta has a famous gourmet international food festival- this is the 17th year, and the hotel has visiting celebrity chef Jonatan Gomez Luna. We had the privilege of dining with the most charming and able GM, Miguel Andres Hernandez and Mary Carmen Lopez, the sales coordinator. We had the tasting menu that evoked images of elBulli from Spain. They were experimenting with molecular tastes that change in your mouth. 15 items from liquid olive, to cotton candy tree( melted foie gras wrapped in cotton candy-my favorite),Mexican corn truffle, etc,etc. Absolutely out of this world!!! The festival is from November 10-20th. Be sure to stop by Blanca Blue restaurant if you happen to be in the Puerta Vallarta area. A taste sensation!
Room inspection Las Alamandas
I found the rooms at Las Alamandas to be bright, spacious, and authentically Mexican. I felt a great sense of place staying there. Renovations had been done recently and everything was light and very colorful. There is a choice of 30 pillows, and the linens were quite fine. Most of the rooms have jacuzzis, some have
private plunge pools. All are either oceanfront or ocean view. All the bathrooms have been recently renovated.
The only drawback is the 2 hour drive fro PV to the property, but the owner is exploring the air shuttle service from PV airport, and the transfer would be 30 minutes.
Bedroom LasAlamandas
One of the rooms
One of the rooms -Las Alamandas
Casa Isabelle-las Alamandas
View from one of the villas Las Alamandas
Unspoiled luxury Las Alamandas
A little gem near Puerta Vallarta- Las Alamandas
I am completely blown away by a small resort on the west coast of Mexico called Las Alamandas. A Virtuoso property, I had heard the name though the years, but I never seemed to give it a good look. The property was left to Isabelle Goldsmith by her grandfather 20 years ago, and building it into a 5 star property has been her passion. The grounds are impeccable, las Alamandas is a trumpet shaped yellow flower- native to this area. Hundreds of palms line the beach, the sound of the waves is thundering. You are lulled into relaxation without even realizing it! The really great thing about the property is that Isabelle owns all the acreage around it, so it is completely unspoiled. No encroachment as far as the eye can see. Your won private paradise! It has 17 rooms and villas. I am going on an exploration of rooms next.
Entry Las Alamandas
Las Alamandas
Las Alamandas
Las Alamandas a little gem near Puerta Vallarta
Pudong Shanghai
City view Pudong Shanghai
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View of the Bund and Eastern Shanghai
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Club level Ritz Carlton Pudong-Shanghai
View from my bed Ritz Carlton Pudong
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TV Radio tower Shanghai
Apothecary shop Shanghai
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Lotus in Yu Garden Shanghai
Jade temple Shanghai
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Shanghai from my room
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A delightful stop at the Ritz Carlton Georgetown
After a 2 hour wait on the runway, any destination would be great, but I found that the Ritz Carlton Georgetown to be delightful. It was originally the incinerator for DC. Ritz bought it and renovated it in 2003. It still retains the 4 story tall chimney which is used for special parties and private dinners. Very dramatic. Lobby is industrial chic with a fireplace and comfortable seating. It is a small, more intime hotel and the service is impeccable. Everyone addressed me by name from Kerem the Front office manager, to Alice Lehimdjian- director of sales, and Catherine Hewitt senior sales manager. Rooms are large and bright. Bathrooms are huge. Mine had a soaking tub- yay! Colors ar subtle. You cannot go wrong with choosing this hotel if you want to be in Georgetown. On my way to Shanghai tomorrow.
They don’t have Hydrangas like that in the South
I always forget how green and fresh the Hamptons are in July.
I travel to Montauk each summer to visit a client and friend. We plan his coming year’s travel adventures. He has been to so many places, it is really becoming a challenge. We are looking for more and more unique and exotic places. I love a good challenge. He is showing, and doing a book signing at the Bridgehampton Antique show this weekend, so I get to help.
Each time we pull into the Hamptons, we are greeted with clean cool breezes, and the most amazing trees and flowers. It was 73 degrees at 6PM last night. A divine break from 95+ in Georgia. Everything is green and fresh. The colors of the hydrangeas are a feast for my eyes. We cannot grow them like this in the South. All the lawns are manicured and the houses are so charming behind the very large hedges.
Restaurants are fabulous. Last night we ate at Sarafina, really delightful Italian. Tonight it will be East by Northeast in Montauk- rated best on the village.
I always forget how green and fresh the Hamptons are in July.
I travel to Montauk each summer to visit a client and friend. We plan his coming year’s travel adventures. He has been to so many places, it is really becoming a challenge. We are looking for more and more unique and exotic places. I love a good challenge. He is showing, and doing a book signing at the Bridgehampton Antique show this weekend, so I get to help.
Each time we pull into the Hamptons, we are greeted with clean cool breezes, and the most amazing trees and flowers. It was 73 degrees at 6PM last night. A divine break from 95+ in Georgia. Everything is green and fresh. The colors of the hydrangeas are a feast for my eyes. We cannot grow them like this in the South. All the lawns are manicured and the houses are so charming behind the very large hedges.
Restaurants are fabulous. Last night we ate at Sarafina, really delightful Italian. Tonight it will be East by Northeast in Montauk- rated best on the village.
St. Regis Atlanta is offering a great Brownell Travel weekend rate.
The fabulous St. Regis Atlanta is offering a Brownell Travel weekend rate of $209.00 per night plus tax, till the end of the year. The rate can be reserved through any Brownell or Sterling Brownell consultant if rooms are available.
Cottars 1920’s camp
A good comment from Dylan Harriss of Africa Inscribed, about choosing a camp in the Maasai Mara
I think the most important thing when choosing a property in the Mara is it must be on a concession within the park….this will allow good game viewing with limited vehicles around as well as having the option of going into the actual reserve should the guests want. We really like Mara Plains and Cottars for this reason.
Great camps in or near the Maasai Mara
I am writing about camps in the Maasai Mara that afford comfort and great game viewing. Copying from the Maasai Mara site:”Maasai Mara (Masai Mara) is known as Africa’s Greatest Wildlife Reserve, situated in southwest Kenya. Famous for the abundance of lion, the Great Wildebeest Migration and the Maasai people, well known for their distinctive custom and dress, it is without a doubt Africa’s most famous safari destination. Maasai Mara National Reserve stretches 1,510 sq km (580 sq miles). The terrain of the reserve is primarily grassland and riverine forest with clumps of the distinctive acacia trees.”
The problem with the Mara is the amount of people visiting. I encountered 6-7 jeeps stalking the same game. Not an exclusive endeavor in the Mara Game Reserve. There are some camps that are situated nearby and the game viewing experience is completely different.
One is Mara Plains. Mara Plains Camp is a small, high quality, seven-roomed camp under canvas and on raised decks with sweeping views across Kenya’s notable savannahs. It is among the smallest and most personal camps in the Mara region. As one of just three camps currently operating within the Conservancy, which boasts the region’s lowest vehicle density, no mini-buses and only one guest room per 700 acres. It is possible to avoid the high tourist density of the Maasai Mara Game Reserve proper, if desired.
No other camp in the greater Maasai Mara Game Reserve or Olare Orok Conservancy has the privilege of traversing opportunities of Mara Plains Camp. Guests are able to traverse three areas as part of their stay at Mara Plains.
Another camp that affords great game viewing is Cottars 1920’s Camp. The camp situated in the Maasai Mara, bordering the Serengeti and Loliondo reserves in an untouched exclusive concession guaranteeing privacy and an abundance of wildlife.
The camp accommodates up to 22 guests in authentic white canvas tents, which are spacious and luxuriously furnished. They incorporate original safari antiques from the `20`s, private en suite dressing rooms, bathrooms the main bedroom and a verandah.
Other favorites of mine are Bateleur, Il Moran, and Mara Explorer. All beautifully appointed and very comfortable.
One of my favorite safari camps in the Masai Mara, Olonana
I recently visited one of my favorite safari camps in the Masai Mara, Olonana. The tents are huge, and the decorative details are extremely well done. Number 14 has a white bathroom with a dressing alcove complete with blow dryer. Lighting for once is wonderful. I think the biggest drawback with a tented accomodation is the lighting. Forget makeup or drying your hair where you can actually see. And trying to find something in a duffle is a big challenge. The tents are close to the lodge and the walk dinner or lunch is not a long walk. Olonana is a Sanctuary Camp- part of A&K and the service is tip top. Food was outstanding as with all high end camps-I don’t know how they do it. The major drawback with Olonana is the road to the camp: extremely rutted and bumpy. A difficult ride especially if one sits on the back row of a jeep. We discussed the road with the manager, and he assured me that they are working on smoothing it out as soon as the rains fall.
Tent 14 Olonana
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Olonana view from the bed
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Olonana Masai Mara- one of my favorite camps in Kenya. View from Tent # 3 deck
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Deck of main house, Sirikoi -Lewa Downs, Kenya
Sirikoi living room
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Sirikoi main house living room
Sirikoi Main House -deck and pool on north side
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Dispatches from the Road 