Archive for the 'United States of America' Category

One of the most popular activities to do in Las Vegas during the evening hours is going to see a show.  And Vegas certainly has a wide variety of different shows, with something to interest people of all ages and with all tastes.  If you are going to be in Vegas and the idea of catching some entertainment is appealing to you, here are some of the top shows found around the city to look into:

Cirque du Soleil

Not just one show, Cirque du Soleil has about 7 different shows running in Las Vegas.  Cirque du Soleil is known for its amazing acrobatics and twists on classic circus performances.  Picture some of the world’s best jugglers, stunts men and women, and dancers.  The various different shows include performances with music from the Beatles, shows with Elvis tunes, a show that involves the use of a pool, and a Criss Angel show.

Blue Man Group

Now famous all over the world, the Blue Man Group is a unique performance done by 3 men whose costumes are made up of simply an all-black outfit and shockingly blue skin.  Much of the focus of the show is on their percussion and drumming skills.  However, this is not just any normal musical performance.  While playing they do tricks and even create art and entertainment for the audience.

David Copperfield

Magic is another popular type of show that you will find in Las Vegas and David Copperfield is one of the best.  He is most famous for his high-profile, extremely publicized illusions, and tricks.  In his show he performs similar illusions and he uses a lot of audience participation, which are sure to leave everyone in attendance in awe at the tricks he has performed.

V – The Ultimate Variety Show

Want to see a little bit of everything?  This show gives you a taste of the best that Vegas has to offer.  The actual performers that you will see rotate throughout the year, but you will most likely find a collection of magicians, singers, acrobats, comedians, and more.

Penn and Teller

They do magic tricks, but their show is so much more than that.  The duo does an excellent job of combining magic and comedy into one entertaining show that offers the best of both worlds.  Penn and Teller put a twist onto some of the classic magic tricks that everyone is familiar with, though they also have a variety of creative tricks of their own.  Unlike many magicians, they let the audience “behind the scenes” and shows them how some of the tricks are done.  Of course, the show ends with a grand finale without explanation, sure to mystify and thrill the audience.

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Cruising: An Ideal Group Holiday

While traveling with a group of friends or another couple sounds like a great idea when the plan is hatched over a few drinks on a Friday night, the result can often be stressful, chaotic, and ill conceived.  In other words, friends go on holidays together to the Caribbean, but when they return they often do not talk to one another for a year.  Group holidays are notoriously difficult to plan.  The small, daily conflicts that arise when you travel and the continual skirmishes over where to have dinner can cause emotional jetlag and hard feelings.  Even if everyone in your group can agree on the landmarks they want to see and the experiences they want to have, chances are everyone has a different way of planning and organizing these types of events.  Whether you are traveling with old friends from college, new friends from the office, or that couple you have been spending every weekend with antiquing in the Cotswolds, a late cruise holiday is diverse enough to keep everyone in the party happy.

Customizing The Cruise

Ever since my wife started shooting pictures for a nature magazine, it had been her dream to take a 2012 cruise to Alaska.  She did not want to take some short, 5-night tour, however a 14-day arctic excursion.  We had never been on a cruise before, so when our friends suggested that we go as a group, my wife and I jumped at the opportunity.  These friends were seasoned cruisers and they had spent every spring for the past decade embarking on some time of seafaring journey.  Of course, in hindsight, this should have been a warning sign to us, but we were both too excited about the fjords, whales, and floatplane excursions that were awaiting us in America’s final frontier.

 
After only a few days on the boat, things were already heading south with our friends.  Everyone has a different way of doing things, and sometimes people’s routines and lifestyles are not compatible. If we had been with this couple for 14-days on any other type of trip, it would have been a gruelling experience.  Alas, the cruise had the type of diversity, both on-board and with the variety of daily excursions it offered, which allowed everyone to do their own thing.  That kind of freedom and flexibility is the true beauty of the cruise.  Despite the fact that we were all on the same ship, we could customize our own holiday.  While my wife and I took a helicopter glacier trek, our friends went shopping in Juneau. We returned from the Alaskan cruise 3 weeks ago and our relationship with our friends is still intact.

Food lovers would be advised to consider the following destinations when booking their next holiday at their local travel agents.

A café in Bologna. Photo by Kristin Kokkersvold.

Bologna

Type Bologna into an internet search engine and the second result that comes up is ‘Bologna sausage’ — somewhat surprising as I always associate Bologna with spaghetti Bolognese more than sausages.  Still, it is proof of how closely this northern Italian city is connected to the invention of the world’s best foods.

The Bolognese people are quite blasé about their contribution to world food culture; throughout Italy bolognese sauce is known as ragu alla Bolognese, but in Bologna this meat-based pasta sauce is just known as ragu.  Tortellini (ring-shaped pasta), lasagne (wide and flat pasta), and mortadella (a large spicy sausage) all originate from Bologna.  With such a rich food history, no wonder Bologna is nicknamed ‘La Grassa’ (or ‘the Fat One’ in English).

Tokyo

You must wake up early in the morning to discover one of the reasons why so many people think that Tokyo is the food capital of the world.  A 5AM tour of the Tsukiji food market affords a glimpse of some of the most exquisite fish in the world.

During any day you can walk past market stalls and cafes selling Tokyo delicacies such as tempura (battered, deep-fried seafood and vegetables), soba (thin noodles in sauce or broth), sashimi (sliced fresh raw fish), and sushi.  Then in the evening it is time to book a restaurant table to taste some of the catches you saw auctioned off early in the morning. Tokyo truly is a 24-hour foodie city.

Paris

The 2007 animated film Ratatouille was set in Paris for good reason — the city is a gastronomic delight and home to many of the world’s best chefs; not all of which are as temperamental as the ones featured in the film.

Breathing in the air is a reminder of just how much the city has to offer foodies; the smell of Parisian bakeries mingles with the aroma of fish in street markets and Moroccan food from hip street cafes to awaken even the dullest people’s taste buds.

France itself boasts more restaurants with Michelin stars than any other country, although it should be said that there are more Michelin inspectors working in France than in any other country!

Budapest

Budapest tends to get overlooked in lists of the best cities for food lovers.  However, when you taste goulash, the Hungarian national dish, in the beautiful capital city this seems like a real oversight.  Goulash is a soup of stew of meat, noodles, and vegetables — brought alive with paprika (ground red peppers that are another fine Hungarian invention). It is a dish which is guaranteed to give you the fortification to view Budapest’s brilliant sights.

Other fantastic Hungarian dishes, which are showcased in Budapest include: trout with almonds, plum dumplings, and cooked chestnuts mashed with sugar and rum and served with whipped cream.

New Orleans

Which do you prefer New Orleans music or New Orleans food?  It is a close call, so why not have both!  The kings of creole cuisine, gumbo, and jambalaya, are never in short supply in this southern city.  For the uninitiated, gumbo is a thick stew, which is often flavored with meat or shellfish and jambalaya typically consists of chicken, sausage, rice, tomatoes, celery, and spices.

Then there are the fried pastries called beignets, that are best washed down with a cup of café au lait — the perfect snack to indulge in while a Mardi Gras parade goes by.  New Orleans might have had its fair share of troubles lately, but it has never lost its appetite for life or food.

If you are English and cannot go abroad at the moment, then do not despair, as there are plenty of restaurants on British shores, which re-create the authentic flavors of the world’s best culinary cities.  French and Italian restaurants are particularly common and a welcome sight on our high streets!  Business directories like Thomson Local can help you find your nearest.

When it comes to an escape, nothing has quite the lure as a trip to the seaside.  Taking a trip to a beach that is not on everyone’s radar can provide both excitement and seclusion that can rejuvenate the soul.  It is easy to find a list of popular beach destinations that thousands of people flock to every year, however if you are looking for something a little less crowded, here is a list of the top 5 seaside escapes throughout the world that are truly hidden gems and will not disappoint:

Rodrigues, Mauritius

These beautiful beaches are so off the beaten path that Prince William has used this area as one of his low key beach escapes for the last several years.  This small island off the coast of Mauritius is surrounded by amazing stretches of sand making it easy to find your own private paradise.   To explore the beaches that are listed as some of the most pristine in the world, you will need to hike through the stunning lava rock landscapes experiencing the natural fauna and sea shells. Once you get to the beach, your footprints will probably be the only ones dotting the soft white sands.

Cornwall, England

This area is found on the south west peninsula of England making it possible to never be more than 16 miles from the ocean.  It has the longest stretch of coastline in all of England with over 300 beaches to choose from.  The north coast will provide large expanses of windswept sand where you can watch kite surfers play in the waves.  The southern coast is scattered with secluded coves and sheltered bays to make a fun Cornwall beach holiday you will always remember.

Gili Trawangan, Indonesia

This small island has the ancient Indonesian charm that Bali had before it was discovered and overrun by tourists.  This island is near Lombok and there is no motorized traffic allowed here.  To get to your own seaside escape, use a bicycle or you own two feet.  This hidden gem offers diving, fishing, snorkeling, swimming, and warm, soft sands to melt your cares away.  When you need to refuel, just hit one of the many ocean side cafes that surround the island.

Molokai, Hawaii

If you want to see Hawaii the way Captain Cook saw it when he first arrived to this tropical paradise, then Molokai will deliver.  There are no buildings taller than a palm tree and not a single traffic light to be found; you will able to experience a dream vacation of your own.

Playa Medina, Venezuela

This hidden seaside escape is a 10 hour drive from Caracas, which would explain why this gorgeous sandy cove is untouched by large crowds.  Just rent one of the bungalows and enjoy the privacy you deserve.

The Fearrington House Inn: Pittsboro, North Carolina

First Impression

In all honesty, I had no idea that The Fearrington House Inn even existed, despite that fact that it is located in my home-state just hours away from my residence, until my Travel Adviser Andrea Novick with Elite Travel International suggested that we visit this Relais and Chateaux property.  She told me in detail about how it is an award-winning establishment and I was immediately sold on traveling there together with her and my husband.  The exquisite hotel is situated inside of a village, which is surrounded by gourmet restaurants, an exclusive spa, and boutique shops.  As we entered the village, it was abundantly clear why Conde Nast Traveler ranked it as the #2 small hotel in the United States.

Location

Fearrington is a luxury community that was built around a historical farm in Pittsboro, North Carolina, near the Tri-State area.  The hotel is inside of the elegantly designed village, which currently has around 2,000 residents.

The Room

Each room in the hotel is uniquely decorated, however the theme throughout is “romantic country elegance.”  Our two-bedroom grand suite with a King size bed was incredibly spacious, with a modern fireplace in the wall separating the bedroom from the sitting room.  All we had to do was switch a button on and no matter where we were in the suite we could see, feel, and hear the fire.

There were homemade welcome chocolates and a bottle of chilled champagne awaiting our arrival.  In all of my travels around the world, I have never stayed at a place where each night I was provided port wine and truffles as part of the turndown service.

The Bathroom

The bathroom was easily my favorite part about the suite, as it was almost as large as the sitting room. Large bathrooms are the ultimate in luxury in my opinion.  It contained a jetted antique bathtub, a separate shower, two vanities, and heated towel racks with Frette bath towels.

Any hotel that provides Molton Brown bath products to their guests is an automatic 5-star in my opinion.

The Extras

Regardless of which room one chooses in The Fearrington House Inn, daily English tea time between 4-5PM is offered, complete with delicious sandwiches and/or pastries and scones.  A gourmet breakfast is also included with one’s stay.

Dinner at The Fearrington House Restaurant, a Gold Medalist, is a must one night during your stay.  Each one of my courses left me saying, “Wow!”  And please do yourself a favor and order the hot chocolate soufflé for dessert.  It has been on the menu for 20 years for a reason.

The Spa at Fearrington should not be missed either, since it a tranquil haven just a short walk away from the hotel.  My husband and I enjoyed our first couples massage there and it was absolute bliss.  It has a boutique inside of it that one could get lost inside of for hours.

Why It Is Andi’s Pick

I was completely enamored with the landscaped grounds of the village.  Not only were there several stunning gardens, but there was also a walking/biking trail.  The hotel provides free bike rentals to all of its guests.

Since this property is a member of Relais and Chateaux you know you can expect the best.  Combine that with the benefits you only receive when you book through a Virtuoso Advisor and you are a guaranteed an unforgettable stay.  If you are interested in visiting The Fearrington House Inn or need any other travel advice please contact Andrea Novick at: andrea.novick@gmail.com.

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Almost every child says it, but in my case it really is the truth: I have the greatest father in the world!  I am who I am, because of him.  If you have not yet read his Father of the Bride speech that he gave at my wedding, read it now, it will make you laugh and cry at the same time.

He has never once not supported a dream of mine, no matter how unimaginable it may have been.  In fact, he is the reason why my motto in life is to “dream big.”  This is why I have chosen to support his latest dream, which is to return to College at the age of 70 (he first graduated from St. Peters College in 1962 with a degree in Accounting), so that he can learn the tools that he needs to write his memoir.  When he first told me about his bold decision, I laughed.  I might have even called him crazy.  However, with time I realized I have never been more proud of my father.  He is a shining example to us all that dreams know no age.  In his first Creative Writing class he was asked to chose one word and to write for 7 minutes about it with no editing.  It was an exercise in free thinking.  He chose the word “mole,” a word that in our family has great significance.  I loved his story and felt I should share it with the world. . .

During the 40’s and 50’s, my early years, I lived in an exclusive Italian neighborhood.  No, the homes were not expensive, however unless you were Italian, forget about living there.  It was called “Little Italy” and was located in downtown Manhattan.

The mafia had a large footprint in almost every activity.  If you became an informant to the authorities on their illegal businesses: gambling, prostitution, loan sharking, and kick backs, you were called a mole.  Your life expectancy was not exactly your strong suit.

When I attended high school I found out that mole was a unit of measurement in chemistry.  Somewhere along the way I also found out it was a birth pigmentation and more recently a Spanish sauce.

A rat, a chemical measurement, a skin marking, and a sauce.  Nope, not finished.

My office is located in my home and looks out onto the front lawn.  One day, I noticed patches of grass that were losing their color.  I went outside to see what was going on and stepped in a small sand hole.  Mole attack!

I immediately went into action.  I purchased chemicals both legal and illegal across the state line in South Carolina.  I used every substance that Home Depot had on their mole shelf.  Finally, I called an exterminator.  I was expecting some guy that had crawled out of a Louisiana swamp and had history with battling gators.  Boy was I wrong!  He was a Purdue Engineering Graduate and looked like he could just as easily been selling menswear at the mall.  He was able to capture two of the creatures with traps, but they persisted.

 
I went nuclear.  I found an old pair of volunteer fireman’s boots (that is another story), gloves, sunglasses, a hat and with a shovel I went to battle.  I even made a sign: RALPH VS MOLES.

My daughter not only thought I was weird and had gone off the deep end, but she also thought that I was wrong in doing battle with these ugly creatures.  She posted my picture in full battle gear on her Facebook wall and stated my goal of killing the moles.  I laughed at her and said no one would agree with her far-fetched position.  I could not have been more wrong.  Now my lawn was being destroyed and I had become an enemy to mole lovers throughout the world.  Moles are horrible — all they do is eat grubs and procreate.  Nevertheless, I am the bad guy.  Months later, the moles eventually left on their own terms and went elsewhere, however let it be known that I never once gave up the war.

 
Mole a 4-letter word with so many definitions.

Afterward: In case you are interested, Da Moles, as they preferred to be called, created a Facebook page and I am sure they would be honored with your friend request!

It was almost impossible to leave our Monarch Suite  — why would we want to leave the most amazing hotel room we had ever stayed in?  However, we had hardly seen any of the city yet, thus we felt an obligation to explore even if it was just for a couple of hours.  Right around the corner from the Hyatt Regency Chicago is the Magnificent Mile, which is where we began our Windy City tour.  Since it is on the Chicago river and it was quite chilly outside, our time there was brief.

Then we had to make a tough decision, as we only had time left to visit one last tourist destination.  Of all of the amazing sights to see in Chicago, how could we pick just one?  Since we are both huge marine-life aficionados, we decided upon the Shedd Aquarium and at the end of the day we were both content with our decision, as it is a magical place!  The following are some of my favorite photos from our time there:

My favorite exhibit and the one that was on special display were the “jellies.”  I know they have the potential to kill humans who come in contact with them, but there is something so mesmerizing and graceful about them.  I could watch them glide through the water for hours upon hours.

As we departed the museum, it was obvious by the precipitation in the air that snow was on its way.  My Argentinean husband had only seen snow once or twice in his life and he could not have been more excited.  I, however, was ready to return to our room with the fireplace.

Though not before we picked up a famous Chicago deep dish pizza to-go first.  Just as we started the fire and began to consume our delicious pizza, the snow began to fall.  That moment felt so perfect and there was no where else in the entire world that I would have rather had been.  2012 was off to one extraordinary start!

London, Madrid, the Outback, Rio de Janeiro, Nassau  . . . those are just a few of the fabulous places where I have celebrated New Year’s Eve over the years.  While these places might be more exotic than Chicago, none of them came close to topping my unforgettable experience of ringing in 2012 in the Windy City.  I would have never had thought of Chicago as a potential New Year’s Eve destination until the magnificent Hyatt Regency Chicago invited my husband and I to their annual NYE Blitz, which is simply the best party the city has to offer.

Lucas and I took our time getting all dolled up for the event in our Monarch Suite before heading to the VIP champagne hour located in the hotel’s BIG bar.  The view of downtown Chicago from the bar is truly breathtaking — the perfect spot to sip bubbly.

The excitement between Lucas and I about spending our first New Year’s Eve together ever and as a married couple was palpable and I do not think we stopped smiling the entire night.

My depth of gratitude to the Hyatt Regency Chicago and especially Jennifer Kedinger (pictured on the right) knows no bounds.  Jennifer, along with her talented team, are the ones responsible for making the NYE Blitz so successful.

Then it was on to dinner at Stetson’s Chophouse, an award-winning restaurant located in the hotel.  Have you ever in all of your dining experiences seen an iPad used as a menu?  That was a clear indication that our meal was going to be exceptional.

Over more bubbly, we feasted on mouthwatering cold water lobster tails with truffle mac & cheese.

And for dessert we chose a chocolate & vanilla panna cotta mousse with fresh berries that was absolutely sublime.  Just as we were taking our first bite, we realized that it had turned midnight in Buenos Aires.  Thanks to Skype, we were able to connect with Lucas’ family and wish them a Feliz Año Nuevo!

Once we were properly satiated it was time for us to join the party.  There were two ballrooms to chose from (both with an open bar); one was playing 80′s music and the other was playing current music.  Lucas and I have different tastes, thus we kept fluctuating between the two ballrooms.  I had intended to take pictures throughout the party, however my darling husband asked me to kindly to put away my camera for the rest of the evening — not before I got a shot of us in our party hats though!

One of the things that I loved most about the NYE Blitz was that it had live Twitter feeds being displayed on giant monitors in each of the ballrooms.  Guests could tweet #nyeblitz and get an immediate response from the hotel.  So many guests chose to tweet that the party was trending #2 in all of Chicago!

For more information about the NYE Blitz visit here.  It is never too early to start planning your next New Year’s Eve adventure and I can promise you will be celebrating in style at the Hyatt Regency Chicago if you chose to attend in 2013.  Oh and in case you were wondering, I got my New Year’s Eve kiss at midnight!

The amazing Harlem Globetrotters — the most spectacular basketball team in the world — are back in New York at the legendary Madison Square Garden on the 18th of February.  You simply cannot miss them!

Basketball is one of the biggest sports in the United States; it has the best basketball league, the NBA, and yet one of their best teams is not in it.  The Harlem Globetrotters are a different kind of team, a team that plays not just to win (they win 99% of their games), but also to please the crowd with their tricks and their impossible shots.

Founded in 1926, the Globetrotters have played games all over the world, exciting basketball fans and even those who are not that familiar with the sport.  For those who are not familiar with the Globetrotters, their games are a show, a mixture of theater, comedy, athleticism, and spectacular basketball tricks that will leave everyone gobsmacked.  Their games have attracted the attention of people such as the Pope and Nelson Mandela, who incidentally is an honorary member of the team, as well as NBA legends like Wilt Chamberlain and Magic Johnson, who have also played for them.  Despite not being part of the NBA, the Harlem Globetrotters are the most famous basketball team in the world, and that reason is enough to go to one of their games to enjoy this unique show.

Every show has new surprises.  In their previous 2011 tour, they introduced their 4 point shot, a shot from a long range that, in their own words, “is four times the fun.”  They also interact with the crowd during the game and make it an unforgettable experience, especially for the children; something that makes it an ideal event to attend to if you are going on holiday to New York with the whole family.

Their first and only game in New York City in 2012 will be at the legendary Madison Square Garden on the 18th of February at 7.30pm.  As everyone knows Madison Square Garden is New York’s main event venue that, as well as sports like basketball, ice hockey, and boxing, also holds concerts of the biggest music stars in the world.  A fitting venue for the Globetrotters who will no doubt thrill the 20,000 spectators who will be filling every single seat in the arena.  Since this event will probably sell out, make sure you buy your tickets in good time, something you can do at the same time as you book one of your New York apartments, both of which can be done comfortably online from your home.

Seeing the Harlem Globetrotters is a unique experience that nobody should miss if they are staying in apartments in New York during the month of February.  Ideal for the whole family, it will make your trip to New York an unforgettable one.  The Madison Square Garden awaits you!

Aleix Gwilliam is a 24 year old from Barcelona who looks English, but thinks like a Catalan.  He enjoys traveling, especially on old Czech trains, and trying to start conversations in Hungarian with people at Pecs station, even though his Hungarian is as good as his Bulgarian, in other words, not very good.  He is a trier.