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| Photography courtesy of Honor Mansion |
Healdsburg, California
Warning: once you’ve been spoiled by the decadence at the Honor Mansion (www.honormansion.com), other bed-and-breakfasts will not compare. This family-owned and -operated inn is more than a place to plop your bags in the wine country; it’s an experience. Every room is stocked with a complimentary bottle of local wine, decanter of sherry, and deluxe bath products. Each morning a basket of assorted teas or a pot of fresh coffee and a handful of homemade biscotti are delivered before you make your way to the gourmet breakfast in the dining room. Once you pry yourself away, Seghesio Family Vineyards (www.seghesio.com) is less than a five-minute walk. This charming winery is home to some of the oldest Zinfandel vines in California. Hop on a bike for an afternoon cruise through the Dry Creek Valley with Getaway Adventures (www.getawayadventures.com). The route is relatively flat as you roll by wild vines and bright flowers, but you’ll need to be in shape to make it back after stopping to taste at three to five wineries ($125 per person). Don’t leave without lunching at Jimtown Store (www.jimtown.com). This little country store has occupied the same building for 111 years and serves artisan soups, sandwiches, and salads made with local ingredients. The menu changes weekly. Look out for the BLT made with locally grown heirloom tomatoes and the caprese made with basil from the Jimtown garden.
Oaxaca, Mexico
While we’re celebrating Halloween, in Mexico they celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), when people welcome the spirits of their families with the delicious smell of food, tasty candies decorated like skulls, and lighted candles. No city in Mexico does Día de los Muertos with more ceremony, ritual, and flair than Oaxaca (www.oaxaca-travel.com). The festival formally begins on October 31, when families construct elaborate in-house altars, and cemeteries are decorated with flowers and candles to light the way for dead souls. Park yourself at the Camino Real Oaxaca (www.camino-real-oaxaca.com), housed in the former convent of Santa Catalina. There you’re close to the action, because after local families have paid honor to the dead, the city explodes in celebration. Local markets sell pan de muertos (bread of the dead), and colorful, playful skeleton imagery decorates storefronts. Restaurants and street vendors offer chicken mole, candied pumpkins, tamales, and candied skulls made of sugar. Grand fireworks displays paint the night sky, and the most popular spirit is Mezcal, a predecessor to tequila. Tough enough to swallow the worm at the bottom of the bottle? Sure. What about the local brew with the floating scorpion? Maybe next year.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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| Photography courtesy of Al Maha |
Dubai has seen its fair share of press lately, and everything is described using some sort of superlative. The tallest skyscraper! The best shopping! The largest indoor ski dome! (And it’s in the desert!) Well, here’s another: the most serene, luxurious conservation resort. (Okay, maybe that was more than one.) Set on 225 square kilometers of desert just 45 minutes outside the crane-infested city center, Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa (www.al-maha.com) seamlessly blends luxury tourism and responsible conservation. Thanks to the efforts of UAE Emirates, the airline that built this property, the desert oryx for which the resort is named (“al maha” is the Arabic name of this beautiful horned creature) has rebounded in population, and the animals roam the property freely, often nibbling on the grass outside your suite. Nowhere else in the area will you experience the desert in its natural state, but you’ll do so amid absolute splendor. Some suites were built to resemble a Bedouin tent, others have a private plunge pool and a staff of at least three to attend to you during your stay. Choose from horseback riding, camel rides, archery, or falconry for daytime activities, or book a signature spa treatment using products made of Arabic dates and frankincense. All meals are on the premises, of course, whether your choose to pack a picnic for your camel ride through the desert or dine in Al Diwaan, the on-site restaurant, for a variety of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean delights. Or design your own menu and have it brought to your suite as you gaze up at the spectacular stars dotting the desert sky.
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| Photography by R.P. Washburne |
Lake Louise, Alberta
Skiing in Lake Louise is a challenge. The 4,200 skiable acres are filled with gentle slopes, endless chutes, glades, gullies, and remote bowls, but if you look up once to take in the majestic scenery surrounding you, you’re likely to hit a tree. The snow-frosted Canadian Rocky Mountains, the azure glacial lakes, and 300-foot glaciers will take your breath away if the tree doesn’t. Known as the “giant” of Canadian skiing, the terrain at Lake Louise has something for everyone: 113 runs (30 percent advanced, 45 percent intermediate, 25 percent novice). But here’s the real deal—an all-day adult pass is approximately $45. (The price in Aspen just went to $82.) But our favorite thing to do in Lake Louise is check into The Post Hotel (www.posthotel.com) and just look at the mountains. Originally built in 1942, the property was refurbished to Relais & Châteaux status by current owners and brothers André and George Schwartz, who left their home in Switzerland 25 years ago to sample the fine alpine skiing in Lake Louise. They never left. Taking jobs as ski instructors, they eventually bought the Post and instilled refined service into every aspect of the hotel. European-trained executive chef Hans Sauter, also from Switzerland, turns out award-winning cuisine in a low-lit dining room with pine walls. Ask the sommelier for a tour of the wine cellar that holds more than 28,500 bottles. Nary a tree in sight.
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| Photography courtesy of the Belmont Hotel |
Oak Cliff, Texas
Sometimes you need to get away from it all, but an airplane is simply out of the question (or not in the budget). To cure your blues, we suggest heading to the Belmont Hotel (214-393-2300; www.belmontdallas.com), the recently rejuvenated boutique hotel designed by the renowned Charles Dilbeck, perched on a hilltop at Sylvan and Fort Worth avenues overlooking downtown Dallas and the Trinity. Before check-in, dine on blue cheese- and walnut-stuffed figs wrapped in prosciutto, followed by low-country shrimp over goat cheese grits in the cheery, black-and-white interior of Hattie’s (418 N. Bishop Ave. 214-942-7400) in the nearby Bishop Arts District. Then it’s off to BarBelmont, where you can join fellow hipsters sipping martinis on the patio, discussing the outdoor sculpture that dots the grounds. The heated pool is one of the most serene and sexy spots in town, even when you’re not in your suit. Secure a loft suite near the pool—heck, invite over a few friends, as there’s room to party downstairs—and when you lay your weary head on your pillow, look left and see the downtown skyline, all lit up, framed perfectly by your bedroom window. In the morning enjoy breakfast in the BarBelmont lounge, or head back to Bishop Arts and partake in some pancakes or huevos rancheros at El Jordan Cafe (416 N. Bishop Ave. 214-941-4451) or eggs Benedict and bottomless mimosas at Cosmo Rouge Bistro and Lounge (407 N. Bishop Ave. 214-942-0202). You’ll never look at Oak Cliff the same way again.
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| Photography courtesy of Jumby Bay |
Antigua, West Indies
Nothing will jump-start your sluggish winter libido faster than a secluded Caribbean getaway. And Jumby Bay, A Rosewood Resort (www.jumbybayresort.com), is hard to beat. It’s not the most chichi resort in the world, and that’s why we like it. This private island just two miles off the coast of Antigua is 300 acres of tropical flowers and palm trees, dotted with 40 refurbished suites, 11 private villas, and a host of amazing private residences, some of which you can rent. (Guests who stay in the private residences also have access to the resort’s amenities.) Jumby is more like an all-inclusive country club than a luxury resort, although the accommodations are certainly sweet, with queen-size Colonial four-poster beds, bamboo mats, cane chairs, and the sexiest tiled bathroom you’ll ever lay eyes on. (It’ll inspire you to shower in pairs, we promise.) Each guest gets a bicycle for cruising around the island, although a quick jaunt in a golf cart is just one phone call away. Relax on the beach, catch some wind on a sailboat, nap in a hammock, work in a game of tennis or croquet, or read a trashy novel by the pool. And we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the entertaining bartenders who man the beach-side bar, where happy couples sidle up for a potent rum punch or frothy pina colada before returning to their chaise lounges to gaze at the azure waters.
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| Photography by R.P. Washburne |
Montreal, Quebec
As winter temperatures plunge, the scene in Montreal heats up. Every February, this gorgeous city that rocked the world with Cirque du Soleil becomes a magical winter playground full of old-world charm, French joie de vivre, and avant-garde cultural festivals. Our favorite? The Montreal High Lights Festival (www.montrealhighlights.com), a provocative, 10-day celebration of fine dining, fireworks, and dance and music events. Most of the outdoor action happens on the serpentine cobblestone streets of Old Montreal along the St. Lawrence River. Bundled-up festivalgoers sip hot chocolate and hot toddies at the winter party as they take turns tubing down the Milk Ice Slide or ice skating under a sky filled with fireworks reflecting off the nearby Notre-Dame Basilica. If your toes start to freeze, slide past the City Hall—don’t forget to admire its Second-Empire architecture—and head to one of the friendly bars or jazz clubs that line Saint-Paul and Notre-Dame streets. The gastronomic section of the festival—the Wine and Taste Experience—celebrates a different cuisine each year. In 2007, the festival takes place February 22-March 4 and will highlight the food of New York City. Renowned NYC chef Daniel Boulud (Daniel, Café Boulud) serves as honorary president. He will lead a delegation of New York chefs who will partner with Montreal’s best chefs to present special tasting menus at more than 50 area restaurants. But save room for the culinary treats that are uniquely Montreal. There is a bustling Chinatown and a smorgasbord of eateries along Saint- Laurent Boulevard, where you can sample a few local favorites like poutine, bagels (the best are at St-Viateur Bagel), and smoked meat. The open-air Jean-Talon Market (7075 Casgrain Ave. 514-277-1588) is always full of fruits and vegetables grown by Québec producers. (Don’t leave without a can of homemade local syrup.) The perfect home away from home is the lovely Hotel Place d’Armes (www.hotelplacedarmes.com), a chic urban hotel in Old Montreal with cozy down comforters, faux fur blankets, large-screen TV’s, and a gas fireplace in almost every room.
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| Photography courtesy of Corpus Christi Convention & Visitors Bureau |
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi (www.corpuschristi-tx-cvb.org), the jewel of a getaway on the Texas Coastal Bend, has come a long way in the last five years, adding not only an arts district and sprucing up its compact downtown scene, but also stepping up to the culinary plate with enough restaurants to almost make it a dining destination. From the melancholy memorial statue of Selena on the seawall to the rarely crowded beaches at Padre Island National Seashore, there’s more than enough to fill your time for a long weekend. Hole up in one of the Omni hotels (www.omnihotels.com) on Shoreline Drive for great views of the bay and friendly service. Dig in for evening fun with locals at the Executive Surf Club (www.executivesurfclub.com) in the Water Street entertainment area, check out the eclectic Eurasian cuisine at Vietnam Restaurant (701 N. Water St. 361-853-2682), revel in the retro chophouse ambience at Katz 21 (317 Mesquite St. 361-884-1815), or enjoy fine dining at midtown Lavender (3815 S. Alameda St. 361-814-0400). It’s worth the jaunt out on congested South Padre Island Drive to get the pho at Hu-Dat Noodle House (6418 S. Staples St. 361-906-1111), owned by the family of former Dallas Cowboy Dat Nguyen. Cheap tips: cheeseburger and sweet potato fries at Hurbs (6410 Weber Rd. 361-855-4872) near the bus station and breakfast tacos with a great view at the Whataburger overlooking the yacht basin. (Hey, it’s the flagship store of the town that invented the chain.)
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| Photography courtesy of Viceroy Palm Springs |
Palm Springs, California
Remember when you used to be cool? Somewhere along the way, you’ve turned a corner. The music in your car consists of the Wiggles and the Cheetah Girls, the last book you read was The Giving Tree, and your wardrobe is mostly random pieces from last season’s collection at Target. The point is, you could use an infusion of cool, and Viceroy Palm Springs (www.viceroypalmsprings.com) is just the ticket. One foot on the property and you’re immediately transported into a world of old-Hollywood glamour, thanks to the whimsical elegance of designer Kelly Wearstler. Her bold color palette and fabulous fabrics are in every room. The grounds are magnificent, with impossibly green manicured lawns, three pools, cabanas, and a view of the mountains. Sounds trite, but it is truly an oasis in the middle of the desert. It’s a bit of a mystery as to how all of the employees are so good-looking and yet totally agreeable to anything you want. Want to go for a hike? They’ll make it happen. Yoga on the greens? Absolutely. Crave some spa treatments? No problem. (Not only do they make many of their yummy elixirs on-site, you have to try the Thai massage.) Maybe after all that activity, you simply want to eat some fresh guacamole and chips by the pool. You won’t be disappointed. And unlike the other guests, you won’t be awed by all the silicon at the pool (thank you, Dallas), making you the coolest person there.
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| Photography courtesy of Punta Mita |
Punta Mita, Mexico
Lush green forest. Miles of proud mountains. A rich, blue sea that rolls again and again to meet the rocky cliffs and white sands. And, like a ticker tape parade, thousands of butterflies decorate the sky. Such is the scene at Punta Mita, a 1,500-acre master-planned resort (featuring a Four Seasons and other properties for rent) and residential community just 45 minutes from the airport in Puerto Vallarta. Tucked amid it all stands Casa Papelillos (214-924-6427), all curves and arches, fountains and stillness, winding staircases and certain slants of light. A place for which three words suffice: exquisite, minimal, and inviting. But as glorious as the architecture of this nine-bedroom compound is, it’s merely a backdrop. The real star of CP is the service. It begins the moment the charming host whisks visitors from the airport to their new home. And it doesn’t end until the final serenade guests are treated to at week’s end—as well it should, for $13,000 a night, not including food, drink, or spa. There’s no formality at this sprawling villa. Guests can breathe easy and enjoy the two pools, the picture-perfect beach, or simply one another while every little detail and desire is met: Snickers on the kids’ pillows at night, brick-oven pizzas on demand, impromptu Latin dance lessons on the terrace, sumptuous meals, Benny’s famous margaritas, or an in-room massage. Enjoy being spoiled while you can. Because despite your spouse’s best efforts, you won’t get that kind of service at home.
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| Photography by R.P. Washburne |
Singapore, Singapore
If you’re looking for the most romantic place to escape from your world, you must first choose between an idyllic beach hideaway or the perfect place to sequester yourself in city elegance. If you’ve ruled out sandy bathing suits, book suite 3226 at the Ritz Carlton Millenia (www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels/singapore) in Singapore. You will not be sorry, and you will not want to leave your room, for this hotel has redefined luxury. Your every wish—even those you didn’t know you had—will be granted. Book the Ultimate Splendor Package, and when you return after a day of sightseeing, you’ll find a path of rose petals leading to the marble bathroom. There you’ll find a huge tub filled with bubbles and surrounded by dozens of roses and candles. Get in and gaze out the 8-foot octagonal window overlooking the city and the sea. A bottle of champagne and a plate of strawberries and whipped cream are close at hand. After a romantic soak, wrap yourself in a plush velvet robe and step into the living room where your butler awaits, ready to serve a 10-course meal (delivered by course) paired with wine with the awe-inspiring skyline of Singapore as your backdrop. It’s the good life at its best.
Winter Park, Colorado
Colorado is going downhill fast. Especially just 67 miles northwest of Denver at Winter Park Resort (www.skiwinterpark.com), where skiers speed down 2,700 acres of sloping terrain. Winter Park Resort, with an annual average of 30 feet of snow, consists of five mountains: Winter Park Mountain, the original ski area, composed of groomed trails, terrain parks, and a half-pipe for great family skiing and boarding. Mary Jane Mountain is famous for its bumps and chutes. Vasquez Ridge, served by a high-speed quad, has bump runs and wide-open runs. Parsenn Bowl is a high-alpine bowl that offers great skiing on a powder day, and Vasquez Cirque offers extreme skiing and boarding opportunities. We love the 70 trails of bumps and the new high-speed six-pack chairlift at Mary Jane, the mountain that, according to local legend, was named after a well-known madam and “lady of the evening” who acquired the land as payment from railroad workers and miners for services rendered. However, skiers don’t view a day on the mountain Mary Jane as pleasure. The local motto is No Pain, No Jane. To ease your aches, we suggest you check into the luxurious Devil’s Thumb Ranch (www.devilsthumbranch.com), where romantic loft log cabins line the mountainside. One-, two-, and three-bedroom cabins are filled with antiques, luxurious bed linens, and wood-burning fireplaces. That’s what we call pleasure.
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| Photography by R.P. Washburne |
Santa Fe, New Mexico
You say you’ve already done Santa Fe? Take this simple test to see if it’s time to revisit. Have you savored a green chile cheeseburger at Bobcat Bite (420 Old Las Vegas Hwy. 505-983-5319; www.bobcatbite.com)? Or devoured an Atrisco Plate—green chile stew, cheese enchilada, rice, beans, posole, and sopaipilla—at Tia Sophia’s (210 W. San Francisco St. 505-983-9880)? Have you spent an afternoon browsing the floor-to-ceiling stacks at Photo-Eye Books & Prints and Gallery (376 Garcia St., Ste. A. 505-988-5152), an amazing bookstore specializing in hard-to-find photography books and online book auctions? (The soon-to-be launched International Photography Guide at www.photoeye.com will be the most complete resource for fine-art photography on the Web.) Perhaps you’ve taken the High Road north (US 285 to Route 76) and sat under the twinkle lights at Leona’s Restaurante de Chimayo (888-561-5569), sipping a margarita and eating pork and red chile tamales, but did you know these tamales are now availab
Sunny Isles, Florida
Let’s say your special someone’s idea of a vacation is a place with red-roped nightclubs that never close. Your idea of a getaway involves reading an Us Weekly on a pristine beach. Don’t get the divorce lawyer on the line just yet. Check out the Le Méridien Sunny Isles beach (www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien) in Sunny Isles, Florida, a hot little spot located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. This isn’t a traditional hotel. Not only do you get first-rate customer service, but the rooms are actually sleek suites, complete with sitting rooms, full kitchens with stainless-steel appliances, DVD/CD players, flat-screen televisions, and a washer and dryer. If you must drag yourself away from the flat-screen TV, you might want to work out in the two-storied exercise facility or go for a run on the white-sand beach (where we spotted Oksana Baul). Treat yourself to the caviar facial at the on-site spa. Dine on some fancy Italian fare without leaving the hotel at Bice. If the mood to shop hits, swing by the Bal Harbour Shops, an amazing outdoor mall with high-end stores such as Chanel, D&G, and Neiman Marcus. Later, don your new wares for a short trip to Miami, and try your luck getting into hot South Beach clubs. By the time you get back to Le Méridien, you and your stinky, smoky clothes will be grateful for the washer and dryer, we assure you.
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| Photography courtesy of Little Nell |
Aspen, Colorado
We know, darling. You’ve been to Aspen before. You’ve seen the celebrities. You’ve dined at Nobu’s place. You’ve shopped till you dropped at the three-story Prada store. You’ve had cocktails at the Caribou Club. Heck, you may have even skied. But sometimes you need to revisit a classic. And The Little Nell (www.thelittlenell.com), the only Aspen resort to achieve the coveted Relais & Châteaux status, is as good as ever. The old girl has had a facelift, you see, so it’s as polished as the pretty people who perch their taut posteriors in the oh-so-cozy living room off the lobby and reminisce about the day’s runs. (This is the only ski-in, ski-out hotel in Aspen, baby.) Besides, no two of the 92 accommodations are the same, so even if you have been there before, you can stay in a different room and voila! It’s a whole new Little Nell. And who needs Nobu when chef Ryan Hardy is whipping up seasonal dishes with ingredients procured from his Rocky Mountain neighbors? (And did we mention this 32-year-old is also a master cheese maker? Be still our hearts.) While you dine on rabbit agnolotti with balsamic brown butter or slow-braised shoulder of lamb with creamy polenta, Master Sommelier Richard Betts will steer you toward an unforgettable selection. Or he’ll make a red-wine drinker (with a half bottle of light Pinot from Burgundy) out of your I-only-like-Reisling friend. Well done. Actually, while you’re living the life of the rich and famous, why not book the Paepcke Suite and revel in its 2,500-square-foot, maple-paneled glory? It’s the only suite with a separate entrance, and the balcony overlooking Gondola Plaza enables you to partake in your favorite pastime: people watching.
