Monthly Archives: March 2013

North Fork, New York

Many consider eastern Long Island a summer destination, when you can go to the beach, grill sweet corn, and built a bonfire. But the North Fork is littered with wineries, making it a great place to visit the entire year. After a day of touring tasting rooms that are surrounded by farms and the ocean, you’ll be yearning to taste the seafood, cheese, and fresh produce that the winemakers keep saying pairs so well with their wines.

Photo: North Fork Table & Inn

Interested in having a great meal at an award-winning restaurant? No gimmicks or secret codes needed for a reservation. No hard-to-pronounce dishes. You don’t even need to wear a suit. Just elegantly simple food, complex flavors, and a minimal, candle-lit dining room. Destination: the North Fork Table & Inn in Southold.

Start with roasted beets or Peconic Bay fluke crudo. Montauk sea scallops and Crescent Farm duck are among your entree options. Getting hungry? Your Cabernet Franc is from a North Fork winery, of course. And macadamia nut financiers are a perfect ending for those with a sweet tooth.

Photo: North Fork Table & Inn

By the time you’re full and exhausted, you’d usually be dreading the drive home. Luckily, upstairs there are four simple but elegant bedrooms. The sunlit rooms have very comfortable beds. In the morning, a light, continental breakfast is included with the room, or wait until weekend brunch is served. Try a Bloody Boar with bacon-infused vodka or warm sugar and spice donuts. Despite being stuffed once again, you’ll be eyeing the North Fork Table & Inn’s lunch truck as you pack up the car outside. But a lobster roll might have to wait until your next trip to the East End.

Asheville, North Carolina

Leave a reply

Need to get away for a few days? Maybe it’s time for a long weekend. Go explore a new city, try new restaurants, and sleep in a really comfortable bed. Bonus points if you can get some fresh air. Nestled between the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains, Asheville is a friendly, outdoorsy small city with a great music scene. Some call it a hippie enclave, others the “Paris of the South.” Either way, there’s a little something for everyone in this western pocket of North Carolina.

Photo: Princess Anne Hotel

But first, back to that comfortable bed. The Princess Anne Hotel was originally built upon the promise of “comfort first,” and the suites of the historic bed and breakfast have been restored with just this in mind. Think clawfoot tubs, bay windows, and plush living rooms. Biscotti and truffles. Gourmet breakfasts with mimosas. And wine and hors d’oeuvres in the afternoon. Pour a glass of rose and relax on the porch or by the fireplace in the library.

Photo: Princess Anne Hotel

Despite its quiet Chestnut Hill location, the Princess Anne is within walking distance of the lively downtown area. Warm weather brings everyone outside. Merchants sell local produce. Cafes spill onto the sidewalks. Musicians inspire impromptu dancing in the streets. There are farm-to-table restaurants, surprisingly good ethnic restaurants, and old BBQ joints. Relax at a coffee shop. Listen to jazz while tasting a wine flight. And later an acoustic set at a microbrewery.

Photo: N Preseault

After eating, drinking, and possibly dancing your way through the Art Deco downtown, it’s time to get out of the city. You could start on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate. Canoe down the French Broad River. Drive for hours on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Or stop at another brewery. You’re starting to feel like a local.

Majorca, Spain

Leave a reply

Photo: Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel & Spa

Sitting at a waterfront cafe with fresh seafood and a glass of white wine, you’re watching boats glide into the horseshoe-shaped harbor. The coastline is rugged, and the sea views are breathtaking. Bougainvillea and honeysuckle fill the air. Orange and lemon trees sway in the breeze. You could be in the south of France or a remote Greek island, but this time, it’s Port de Soller on the Spanish island of Majorca.

Photo: Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel & Spa

This Balearic Island may have a bad rap for being overdeveloped with crowded beaches, but the northwest corner–surrounded by the Tramuntana mountains and the Mediterranean Sea–has remained relatively unspoiled. Here you’re more apt to find small medieval villages and sample traditional sobrassada or arroz brut. In Soller, you can find some of Joan Miro’s paintings at the Can Prunera, but more people will probably be enjoying the farmers’ market or the botanical gardens. A tram links Soller to Port de Soller, a quaint fishing village, where everything faces the sea. Lighthouses sit on either side of the bay. Two sandy beaches are lively, but not packed.

Photo: Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel & Spa

On a hillside overlooking the village, the Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel & Spa is built into the curves of the coastline, blending in with its natural surroundings. Gorgeous sea and mountain views are, well, everywhere. Relax by the infinity pool. Have a black-pepper-and-macadamia-nut body wrap at the spa. Drink cava at the 360-degree view of the Sunset Lounge Bar. Eat your weight in olives. Go fishing. Or mountain biking. And dream of owning one of the huge yachts in the bay below.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Leave a reply

After a crazy first few days in Bangkok–where the huge time difference and hectic city combined to make you less adventurous than you expected–you’re off to the Kingdom of Lanna. Time to finally immerse yourself in Thai culture in Chiang Mai. You have tons of things you’d like to experience: the night bazaar, a mountain trek, and temple exploration. Don’t forget a real Thai massage. And maybe a cooking class. The list just keeps growing.

Photo: 137 Pillars House

Despite wanting to see and do as much as possible in this mystical walled city, there’s one trip aspect on which you won’t compromise: a great hotel. Located in the Wat Gate district along the Mae Ping River, 137 Pillars House combines old-world elegance and modern, boutique-hotel conveniences. It’s next to the Wat Gate Khar Rham Temple, and the nearby Sapan Khaek footbridge brings you to the city center.

Photo: 137 Pillars House

The suites at 137 Pillars House have tropical garden views and indoor/outdoor showers. You’ll be surrounded by mimosa trees and chirping cicadas. Have breakfast on your veranda and high tea in The Parlor. Do yoga in the morning or book a late-afternoon Luk Pra Kob massage. A post-treatment bath will be drawn when you finish. The cold pool is always available for you to cool off in the steamy weather. Eat dinner in the courtyard, before heading out to the night market. The staff will even pack a picnic lunch before your excursions.

Photo: 137 Pillars House

You’re adventurous spirit has returned thanks to the New City’s relaxed lifestyle. You’ve eaten delicious food and done way too much shopping. You may even be ready to venture to the Golden Triangle. Time to play with elephants at a conservation center.

Bahia, Brazil

Leave a reply

All eyes are on South America. Between next year’s World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Summer Games, you’re going to hear a lot about Brazil in the next few years. Rio de Janeiro’s beaches are going to be packed; it will be impossible to find a spot in the sand on Ipanema.

Photo: Fernando Lombardi/UXUA Hotel & Spa

But Brazil has a huge coastline. Head north of the craziness to find friendly people and nearly empty beaches. At the edge of the Atlantic, where the rainforest meets the ocean, you’ll find Trancoso. In the small Bahian village, a handful of old fishermen’s homes have been restored and turned into the UXUA Casa Hotel & Spa, which perfectly combines modern comforts with its rustic setting.

Photo: Fernando Lombardi/UXUA Casa Hotel & Spa

The entire hotel was built in collaboration with local artists. Sinks and baths were sculpted from fallen tree trunks. Light fixtures were created by people from the local Pataxo tribe using decorative beads and seeds. Kitchen utensils were carved from coconut shells. And even the beach lounge was built from old fishing boats. A caipirinha, please?

Photo: Fernando Lombardi/UXUA Hotel & Spa

Despite UXUA’s isolated location, there is plenty to keep you busy. Watch the chef cook in the open kitchen. Learn the capoeira–a traditional dance inspired martial art–for a full-body workout. Have a Almescar-oil message. Go spear fishing. Wander the town’s car-free Quadrado. Or relax by the aventurine quartz pool. You’ll almost forget there’s a big football game nearby.

Anderson Valley, California

Leave a reply

Photo: N Preseault

It’s Friday. Finally. Time to get out of the city. You’re ready for a glass of wine. Or maybe a wine tasting. Sure, Sonoma and Napa have great wines, but the tasting rooms are just too crowded to be relaxing and personalized. Time to venture a little further into wine country.

Whether you drive slowly up Highway 1 or take the more direct route through Sonoma, your destination is the Anderson Valley in western Mendocino County. In the hills above Philo, up a long, winding road off of Highway 128, you’ll find Esterlina Vineyards. If you’re lucky, Murio Sterling, the winery’s founder, will be pouring.

Photo: Esterlina Vineyards

The first thing you’ll notice–once you realize you’re actually heading in the right direction–is the stunning view. A large deck overlooks their vineyards with the valley in the distance. Soak in the view. It’s peaceful, relaxing, and quiet. With appointment-only tastings, only a small group visits at one time. You could have the deck all to yourself. Munchies appear to accompany the wine. And the pouring begins.

Esterlina prides themselves on creating small-quantity, but high-quality wines. You will not be disappointed. Pinot Noirs that are meant to be aged–if you can force yourself not to open the bottles. Deep, cherry-flavored Cabernet Sauvignons. A Merlot for people who think they don’t like Merlots. Even a refreshing Reisling. A tasting has suddenly turned into an afternoon.

Antigua, Antigua & Barbuda

Leave a reply

Does winter feel like it’s never going to end? Are you need in of a little sunshine to perk you up? Maybe a few days on a quiet stretch of sand is just what you need to hold you over until spring really starts to arrive.

Photo: Cocobay Resort

You should be able to find a secluded spot on the Caribbean island of Antigua, which is said to have a beach for every day of the year. That’s a lot of sugary white sand. Two of those beaches are at Cocobay Resort, overlooking the clear-blue water of Ffryes Bay. The hillside resort has rustic, candy colored cottages with stunning ocean views. Montserrat is in the distance.

Photo: Cocobay Resort

Cocobay is a small, casual, all-inclusive resort. Relax in Adirondack chairs and hammocks on your balcony. Some rooms have plunge pools. Lounge by the two infinity pools. Sip rum punch. Sail, kayak, or snorkel from the resort. Listen to a steel-drum band after dinner. Tree frogs will chirp you to sleep. Relaxing in the sunshine will not be a problem here. Now if you could just figure out how to bring the sunshine home with you.

Bordeaux, France

Leave a reply

You’ve had a massage overlooking a vineyard. Maybe a grapeseed-oil treatment. And probably enjoyed a glass of wine before leaving a spa. All very relaxing. Ready to take the wine and spa combination to the next level though?

Head to Les Sources de Caudalie, a resort and spa outside of Bordeaux, France. Built at a natural hot spring, Caudalie’s trademark “vinotherapie” spa uses the remains of the wine-making process–the stuff you can’t drink–to create grape-based spa ingredients, which are amazing exfoliators that are said to help reverse the signs of aging. Sounds like magic. Or at least heaven. Begin with a relaxing, bubbly barrel bath. Add a purifying Merlot wrap or a crushed Cabernet scrub. Finish with a fresh grape massage.

Photo: Les Sources de Caudalie

And don’t forget a glass (or two) of vino. You finally get to taste the Cabernet that has left your skin so smooth and glowing. Caudalie is on the grounds of Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, in the Graves region of Bordeaux. A tour and tasting is a must during your visit. As is dinner at La Grand’Vigne, a Michelin-starred restaurant that overlooks the property’s lake.

Usually when you’d return home, craving another red vine grape bath, it would be impossible to recreate the amazing experience without planning another French vacation. Luckily, Caudalie has a spa at The Plaza Hotel, in New York City. It may not have the vineyard views, but a Premier Cru facial can at least hold you over until your next spa retreat.

Whitsunday Islands, Australia

Leave a reply

In search of the perfect beach? No, not the perfect beach resort. Just the perfect beach. Fine white sand. Crystal-clear water. Bathing-suit temperatures. An uninterrupted view of sparkling blue. Maybe even a shady spot for an afternoon nap. That’s all. Not asking for too much.

Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island in Australia is the perfect swath of sand. 3.7 miles of it. You’ve probably seen pictures; it’s used in almost every Down Under ad and commercial. It’s that picturesque. And its location on an uninhabited island in Whitsunday Islands National Park ensures it will remain undeveloped, despite being one of Australia’s most popular destinations.

The only way to reach Whitehaven Beach is by boat. Sail over from a resort at Hamilton Island or Hook Island, or join a tour from nearby Airlie Beach on the mainland. Spend the day swimming, snorkeling, or picnicking. Hike to Tongue Point to look out over the beach. Walk to Hill Inlet–at the northern end of the island–to watch the water change colors at the turn of the tide. Try to find secluded Betty’s Beach. Find a great camping spot. Yes, this paradise can be yours, and if you’re lucky, only yours, for an entire night. There’s only a pit toilet, and no running water, but even those who swear they don’t camp can handle this.

Paradise found.

Marrakesh, Morocco

Leave a reply

In about the same time it would take you to reach Milan, Berlin, or Zurich from the East Coast of the United States, you could be daring and try something completely different. Like the Red City. Given its nickname from the city walls’ clay color, Marrakesh is one of Morocco’s largest and most vibrant cities. Located at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, Marrakesh is a combination of the old and the new, with the Medina–the fortified, maze-like center–surrounded by modern neighborhoods.

Your senses will awaken while exploring the city’s intricately woven alleyways. Listen for traditional Berber music and the call to prayer; browse at souks; visit Ben Youssef Madrassa, the Dar Si Said Museum, and Bahia Palace; eat couscous and tajine; smell jasmine in hidden gardens; and sleep in a riad. Be prepared for mild but damp winters, and hot, hot summers. And don’t worry, you’re bound to get lost.

Photo: Riad Joya

By now you’re ready to relax at a comfortable, peaceful hotel. Riad Joya, a converted old grand house near Djemaa el’Fna in the heart of the Medina, combines the east and the west, the modern and the traditional. Decorated with cedar, terra cotta, burlap, and bronze, the small hotel still feels like a private home.

Photo: Riad Joya

The seven rooms include sitting areas, fireplaces, and stone bathrooms. Meals have a combination of Moroccan, Mediterranean, and Italian influences. And the rooftop terrace is the perfect place for sunset drinks. The staff is eager to offer assistance and recommendations to ensure this is your first, but not last, visit to Marrakesh. Before you begin your second day of touring though, it’s time to get some sleep. The call to prayer will wake you at dawn.

Travel Cravings

near. far. everywhere in between.

Monthly Archives: March 2013

North Fork, New York

Asheville, North Carolina

Majorca, Spain

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Bahia, Brazil

Anderson Valley, California

Antigua, Antigua & Barbuda

Bordeaux, France

Whitsunday Islands, Australia

Marrakesh, Morocco

Follow “Travel Cravings”