Two of Pucic Palace’s fine staff, Sanja and Nermin. The tone is set by their terrific manager Mirjana Kovacevic and all members of the staff I came in contact with were above par. From darling Pia the guest relations manager, Alem the day duty receptionist, Zrinka the night duty receptionist, and Stribor the guest doorman. Enthusiastic, engaged and always helpful. They made my stay a memorable experience, and I want to visit again.
Set in the middle of Old Town Dubrovnik, Pucic Palace is a little gem. They have 19 rooms and suites decorated in a traditional style. A divine restaurant provides an imaginative menu and wine list with both indoor and outside seating.
Perfect place for a special celebrations, family travel or destination weddings. The city lends itself to easy planning. Hotels are accommodating, food is very special and the location is captivating.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Perfect location setting for the HBO series Game of Thrones, 6th Century Dubrovnik is a delightful surprise.
Dubrovnik bears a striking resemblance to it’s neighbor, Venice. Ideally placed on the Adriatic coast, Dubrovnik is a beautiful stone village. The old town is set inside a fort wall that is one and a half miles around. You can walk the entire wall.
Founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century B.C., Agrigento became one of the leading cities in the Mediterranean world.
What a thrill to see!! Spotless site, beautifully cared for.
Rocco Forte Verdura Resort hosts a Junior Soccer Camp.
Coaches from the prestigious Juventus Football Club– part of Italy’s top-flight first division, two-time winners of the Champions League, and arguably one of the best professional soccer teams in the world– have taken up summer residence at the Verdura Golf & Spa Resort in Sicily. Offered during the summer, the coaches will offer daily training sessions for young guests (5 to 16 years of age) to hone their soccer moves. Not only that, but matches take place at the resort, every five or seven days. Families are offered second rooms for half price to accommodate their families. They also offer junior golf instruction. Rocco Forte Verdura is extremely family friendly.
Fab group!!
Theresa and Ellen. Loved spending time with them.
One could ride a bike in the room- huge!
40sm with a living room, separate bedroom, a bathroom with a tub I could swim in, a terrace, a patio, my view was the ocean with golfers playing the 12th green. I am ready to move in!!
Used making a sauce in cooking class – indescribable
Everything cooked at Verdura is Garden to Table. The freshest and most flavorful I have ever had the pleasure to taste.
In our cooking class we made a pasta dish with tomatoes and eggplant. Lots of champagne, we were hands on!
Aptly named, with a face like an angel.
I had the distinct privilege of being invited to visit the spectacular Rocco Forte resort, Verdura, in Sicily. Homeland to my maternal grandparents; my grandfather was from Palermo and serendipitously, my grandmother’s village, Sciacca, is 2 kilometers from Verdura Resort. Words cannot describe the feeling of walking down the street of my Grandmother’s village. Her name was Caterina Friscia; she married Salvatore Pipitone. I went to Mass in her Basilica, I watched the sunset over her harbor- fishing boats all tucked in for the night. I followed the path to her house. I walked in her footsteps. A deeply moving, very special experience- impossible to put into words.
I even found the statue of a distant relation, Saverio Friscia, in a beautiful palm filled piazza by the harbor
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Sciacca Sicily
The Terrace is enormous with panoramic views of Rome.
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Hotel de Russie
Formerly the Italian residence for aristocratic Russian citizens – including Czar Nicholas and his family, Hotel de Russie is beautifully situated on the edge of Piazza Popolo. Via Babuino, considered one of Rome’s hottest shopping streets, begins at the Spanish steps and ends at Piazza del Popolo.
Angel and Demon fans will recognize the church Santa Maria Del Popolo across the square.
The De Russie has a garden atmosphere with a glorius courtyard in the center if the hotel .
Part if the hotel gardens were formally with the Borghese gardens – directly above. Contemporary in style, the hotel is filled with ancient artifacts and Italian art. Crisp and welcoming, the hotel is one of my top choices for clients.
All Rocco Forte hotels are child friendly, and hotel de Russie is no exception. De Russie offers small bathrobes, children’s menu, toys aimed at the age level. Hotel staff customize excursions that are child friendly walking tours that are geared towards kids – scavenger hunts, pizza making classes, etc,etc.
New Years Celebrations at Amanyara are spectacular events. This year they had Grammy Winner Nile Rodgers, another year it was Mary J. Blige, 2012 it was Bryan Ferry and 2011 they had the ever fabulous- one and only – Prince! Make your reservations early for New Years 2015, they sell out quickly!
Serenaded by Sally Greenwood – a Nora Jones sound alike. Perfect!!
Marko Frank – Fab Amanyara GM, Ana Fonseca-Aman Resorts, Tony Franzini – Island Destinations. Thank you all!!
After weeks of 20 degree deep freeze, I flew down to the most divine resort in the Turks and Caicos, Amanyara. I am in heaven!! Clear water in a spectrum of blues, I am blissfully enjoying warm sea breezes. Amanyara is situated on the edge of the West coast in the North West Point National Park. No other buildings, cars, or people. Peaceful, peaceful quiet on top of the normal Zen quality that Aman lovers come to expect. all one hears is the crash of the waves on a white powder beach or the breeze wafting through the trees. I forget how clear and blue the waer can be.
Venice was our first stop; the ship was docked overnight right next to the city.
We had 2 days to see that most amazing, romantic, mysterious, gorgeous city. I visited the brand new Aman Grand Canal and it lives up to the Aman tradition. Stunning, serene and most elegant. Opened just 3 months ago, it is located on the western part of the city near the Rialto Bridge. It was a private palace and the public rooms are jaw dropping
A 16th century Palazzo: Palazzo Papadapol, Aman has waved their magic wand and brought comfort and peacefulness to a garden property right on the Grand Canal.
4000 talented travel consultants, suppliers and press converge in Las Vegas one week each year to connect, learn and enhance their clients’ travel experience. The energy and passion for this travel connection is immense. Classes are offered by the top travel experts in the business- highlighted by Helen Nodland, and the always delightful Ann Scully. An active network called VAST offers an all day exposition to better learn about the latest and greatest offerings in the active travel industry.
We meet hotel General Managers, heads of hotel marketing, destination management companies, tour operators, safari operators, airline representatives, destination wedding suppliers, and sales directors from all over the world – 396 meetings over a four day period. We meet before the general meetings, at specialized luncheons, cocktail parties and dinners, in addition to the 396 presentations. By the time the week is over, I can say I am thoroughly ensconced in travel information. I came home energized, inspired, armed with the best information and fabulous new connections to enable me to make my clients dreams come true.
There are some excellent restaurants in the St. Simons area of Georgia: Delaney’s, Halyards, Tramici, are all top notch and very consistent. The Cloister boasts 5 star restaurants all over their property. My favorites are the River Bar, Tavloa, and the restaurant at the Beach Club called Southern Tides- it used to be called George’s after the long time front doorman, and I will continue to call it that. George’s offers a Blue Crab salad -fresh from the water daily- a MOUNTAIN of Blue Crab. Beyond delicious….. I will be dreaming about it till I return to the Cloister. Another Sea Island restaurant that is my all time favorite is the Lodge Bar- elegant, and casual at the same time- awesome.
My favorite this trip was Coastal Kitchen and Raw Bar. We went three times. Seafood right out of the water- it is located at the Marina on the causeway to Brunswick. Shockingly good wine list, and really really good fresh seafood. Ambience was terrific and they made the best Gin and Tonic I have ever tasted. 
Drinks on the Verandah, while the children run on the greens with no shoes- late afternoon. Sun is about to set.
Feeling that grass between your toes is unforgettable.
Since it’s inception in 1928, Sea Island Cloister has welcomed generations of families for their summer fun. Chock full of the usual activities: beach play, beach club games, beach walking, biking, crabbing, sailing, boating, windsurfing, fishing, sea kayaking, incredible spa experiences, horseback riding on the beach, skeet shooting, falconry, the Cloister has maintained the fun but raised it to a new level of elegance. Bingo at the Cloister has taken on a new luster. I think there were at least 400 people participating- ages 5-95. Dueling pianos on Friday is not to be missed- like a piano bar on steroids.
Sea Island has never looked more beautiful with it’s Spanish Moss draping the trees. There is a special sense of place on Sea Island and my family will have the memorable experiences growing up there that I had. A wonderful, peaceful, gorgeous, elegant place, like no other.
Image courtesy of Sea Island Cloister
Dispatches from the Road 