Search results for

My wife and two friends were tired of “museums” so they mistakenly decided to go shopping while I went to the Rodin Museum alone. It was breathtaking, the flowers were all in full bloom, the art on display inside was rare and beautiful, but the sculptures outside were displayed the way art should be seen. Here in three planes is the original design by Eiffel for the Tower, Rodin’s Thinker, and mid ground with the Eiffel Tower in the background. The gardens were just perfect, and I was sorry for my friends who’d decided to go into a department store to shop instead.

I was on a cruise in Italy when I heard about this place. I’d mentioned that I was heading to Portland, and a fellow cruiser, a native of the town, had told me that if they had one recommendation it would be the ice cream at Salt and Straw.

What she didn’t tell me was that the flavors are not your usual vanilla, chocolate, and raspberry ripple. In fact, the first thing I tasted at Salt and Straw was their new “Bollywood” recipe, which included carrot custard and cardamom, which sounds almost sensible when you considered that some of their most popular flavors include prosciutto and goat cheese.

There was a huge line, even on a Friday mid-afternoon, but it was worth it for the almond brittle with salted ganache, not to mention the apple pie with real chunks of cheddar cheese. They’re doing their best to “Keep Portland Weird” here...and it tastes good.

A charming collection of shops on the water, Lido Marina Village would seem of another time, were it not for its completely modern mix of design boutiques and eateries. Built in the 1970s, the outdoor shopping center was revitalized in 2017, attracting a prestigious lineup of Southern California brands—Jenni Kayne’s breezy-chic clothing, the bold leather goods of Clare Vivier, and Broken English’s evocative jewelry—along with Le Labo fragrance apothecary, home goods shop Serena & Lily, and even destination restaurant Nobu. Wooden boardwalks are strung with bistro lights, hand-painted signs direct patrons from shop to shop, and a relaxed savoir faire pervades the village. It’s not all shopping either: Coffee at Zinque, Curl Fitness’s yoga classes, and blowouts at TReSs Apothecary + Salon make it a locals’ hangout too. It’s the kind of place people linger, especially on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, when a local musician plays on the main deck. Even more fun: Arrive by boat, into one of the 47 marina slips.

Both charming and affordable (it doesn’t charge a resort fee), this intimate 37-room property also has an unbeatable central location—near the heart of Old Town and just a few blocks from Duval Street and Mallory Square. Part of the Historic Key West Inns collection, the Key Lime Inn features classic Key West style with a 19th-century main house highlighted by a double-height colonnaded entrance and green shutters. Rooms follow suit with high ceilings and classical proportions, and beds are done up in crisp, white linens; most have sitting areas and private walkouts or porches to encourage lingering. Though short on amenities, the grounds are shaded by tall palms and dotted with Caribbean-style clapboard cottages painted in cheery colors with gingerbread trim, and all offer free WiFi. And if the beach doesn’t call you, a large wood deck surrounds the heated outdoor pool, and hammocks and porch swings are placed around the property for maximum relaxation.

Featuring a series of boulders that appear to have been gathered, piled, and deliberately set across a few square miles of desert, this site carries a certain air of mystery. Scientists remain baffled about the geological event that could have created the formations, while archaeologists and historians are fascinated by the petroglyphs and paintings drawn by the native Arawak people. Trails weave around the enormous stones, many of which have been named for the animals they resemble. Speaking of which, all sorts of creatures inhabit the area, from iguanas to burrowing owls.

After the great national and international success of the Ameal wines, a new project was born in Quinta do Ameal, the brand new Ameal Wine & Tourism Terroir. The renovation of several old houses of the property was completed in May 2014. These houses and suites are fully equipped and decorated so guests can enjoy of all comfort without leaving the Quinta. Quinta do Ameal has a total of 30 hectares within its granite walls where a little less than half, 12 hectares, is planted with a totally organic vineyard that produces exceptional grapes for the production of wine: The Ameal “Clássico ", Ameal “Escolha”, Ameal “Sparkling” and “Special Harvest”. The remaining area consists of a fantastic and unique forest of 8 hectares consisting of a huge variety of trees including stone pines and oaks aged more than 200 year’s old. Beautiful gardens and over 800 meters besides the river Lima complete this magnificent set.

Located a quick drive north from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the WinStar offers a world-class casino practically at our doorstep. Among the largest casinos in the world (yes!), the theme at this Oklahoma complex is, well ... the world. Different nations are represented through festive decor in various corners of the facility, giving the place a welcoming global feel. Dining options abound from pizza to steaks, as well as the requisite casino buffet. One super-big draw to this place -- besides the bingo, poker room and slot machines -- is the world-class entertainers who perform here. From Bob Dylan and Toni Braxton to Keith Urban, a concert in the on-site music venue adds an extra level of pizzazz to any visit. Don’t forget to make time to visit the Spa Habitat for treatments or a massage. Pro tip: You should definitely shell out for the $30 Friday night seafood buffet, and fill your belly with mounds of King crab, fried shrimp, fried catfish and so much more.

You run across a lot of churches while driving around Antigua. Modest, majestic, and everything in-between, there’s a house of worship to suit most every style. Then, there’s St. Barnabas… Upon first seeing St. Barnabas, though, I just had to stop. It’s just so… umm… striking. Yes, that’s the word: striking, both in its seemingly random mishmash of structural additions and its color *ahem* scheme. It’s the green that really struck me the most; a most unnatural hue (or so I thought) that called to mind the horror of Frankenstein, or the slime from that old Nickelodeon slime. At least that would be someone’s first impression. Upon learning a little more about the structure, you’re bound to hear about something called Antigua green stone. Indeed, the structure and its color are as natural as can be! The unique stone comes from the Liberta area of Antigua, where the Church is found. All around here you see homes, walls, and other buildings sporting the same green hue.

Living in Hawaii, I find it’s not hard to appreciate macadamia nuts. After moving to the Islands, I did not waste any time determining my favorite kind of chocolate-covered mac, Mauna Loa. As with many other companies, mac nut orchards dot the Big Island, which has a great growing environment for the unusual nuts. The Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Company operates a visitors’ center on the Big Island along with their orchards and processing plant. A tour of the area includes a farm to final product education and, of course, free samples for your enjoyment. I always keep several boxes on hand to give to my house guests to welcome them to Hawaii, but mac nuts are also a great gift for tourists to bring back home.

Kona coffee is famous around the world as one of Hawaii’s best known products. The relatively small coffee growing area on the Big Island of Hawaii produces only a small fraction of the world’s coffee beans. The limited production makes Hawaii Island’s caffeinated product like liquid gold for Kona coffee lovers. Among the hundreds of coffee farms on the Big Island, Country Samurai Coffee Company operates a lush and green outfit on the Kona slopes and still grows their coffee trees in a natural and traditional method that enables them to grow tall—up to 18 feet. Harvesting requires ladders and can be time-consuming, but the trees are able to develop a larger root system, pull in more nutrients from the volcanic soil, and produce more coffee berries. To try these distinctly grown beans, visit the family owned Country Samurai Coffee shop in Kailua-Kona. The shop sells several other items including chocolate covered coffee beans and macadamia nuts and Hawaiian teas.

Book lovers and bazaar hunters will revel in foraging through the Sahaflar Çarsısı (Beyazit Book Bazaar) for new titles, secondhand books, historical maps, the Quran (in various languages), ancient texts, and other rare finds. The bazaar, between Beyazit Mosque and the Grand Bazaar, was built in 1954, but the site is a historical literary landmark where the Chartoprateia—a Byzantium book and paper market—existed. During Ottoman times, the site became a center for printing and literary trade, drawing many intellectuals and writers to the Beyazit and Grand Bazaar area. Some historians will say Sahaflar Çarsısı is where the first book was printed in Turkey in 1729. Whether this is fact or fiction, the statue in the middle of the courtyard is that of Ibrahim Muteferrika, an Ottoman diplomat who, among many titles, was the publisher responsible for the first book—a two-volume Arabic-Turkish dictionary. The entrance to the bazaar is off Çadırcılar Caddesi (Road), just down from the Grand Bazaar’s Beyazit Gate (Gate Number 7).

Carl’s Pharmacy is more than a pharmacy. Opened in 1965 as a drug store, it is an extended version of a mom and pop’s store with a little bit of everything. On the first floor, they have a liquor department, a food department, a cosmetic department, the biggest greeting card selection in town, and of course the pharmacy and all the medical tools and remedies that go along with a pharmacy. The second floor is the fun stuff with souvenirs and costumes for the next upcoming holiday but the best part is the toy and arts and crafts area. For a small store they have a wide selection. They have everything from the modern computerized toys to the old-school wooden toys to the silly putty. I enjoy going up there and looking at all the entertaining knick knacks. On your way up the stairs make sure you get a pin to mark where you are visiting from on the large map.

Pinons restaurant is the best kept secret in Aspen. It has been here for 20+ years with Rob Mobilian, now the owner, starting off as the chef. On a busy night you will still see him in the kitchen but mainly he is at the front door greeting guests with the General Manager, Jim. The dining area is very elegant and the service is impeccable—but the bar menu is the best value in town. The bar menu gives you an option of two courses: one appetizer and one entrée for $35. If you splurge for my favorite entrée, the Pan-seared Buffalo Tenderloin in huckleberry sauce, it is $44. Not bad considering that normally the tenderloin is $48 on the dining room menu and with the bar menu you get that and a starter for cheaper. (The portions are the same size.) What could be better? Seating is on a first-come-first-served basis so it can get crowded but it is worth the wait.

When I want to experience nature and get away from the city, I head to Davis, just 20 minutes from Sacramento. Davis is home to University of California at Davis and the university’s 100-acre arboretum. I love walking the winding paths of the arboretum and wondering what interesting plants are waiting around the next turn. Some of my personal favorites are the huge collection of California oaks at the far end of the arboretum, the lake, the desert collection, and the redwood grove. Pack a lunch to eat at the picnic tables or on the grass around the lake. The 3.5-mile loop through the arboretum may be too long for a quick visit, but maps are available for you to choose which areas interest you, or you can join a guided tour. Maps and a tour schedule are available on the website (link below). They are also available at the arboretum headquarters, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Aspen’s history runs deep with silver mining. People came to Aspen in the 1800’s in the hopes of getting rich by finding the mother load of silver nuggets. Scattered across the mountain sides are mining shafts so be careful where you step. For a peek back in history there are the Smuggler Mine tours. Put a helmet on and tunnel through the underground passage ways with Jay the tour guide that has been working at the mines since the 70’s. He is a wealth of information about the mining industry back in the day, the geology of the area and the history about Smuggler Mine itself. The mines claim to fame was that one of the largest pure silver nuggets was found in the mine and it weighted nearly a ton. This is a truly experiential tour with an educational component. Walking through these mine shafts in the depths of the mountain you get a glimpse of the conditions that miners worked under all those years ago. It is not for those that get claustrophobic.