Archive for the ‘travel’ Category
40 years ago in 1971, the Shangri-La opened its very first hotel in Singapore, eventually spreading out into 72 hotels and resorts around the globe cultivating an effortless lavishness. It is a glamorous place that doesn’t need try too hard, but still exudes extravagance in every way.
Looking for the hottest spots to check out in Seattle? Here are some places you won’t want to miss:
Sleep
A trendy haven for design aficionados and the aesthetically attune, Hotel Andra (2000 Fourth Avenue; 877/448-8600; doubles from $229) in Seattle’s Belltown district brims with sleek Scandinavian design. Don’t miss the hotel’s inventive restaurant, Lola, which serves up creative combinations of Greek and North African cuisine.
Looking for a handy little travel aid kit? When packing up all those pesky provisions of medicine and travel-sized toiletries for a recent trip, I came across a compact travel aid kit filled with all the necessary travel bits. I’m talking bandages, antiseptic, earplugs, a pill tube, a miniature sewing kit, buttons, tweezers, tiny scissors, a compass-thermometer and a bunch of other useful items all in one place (and weighing only 3.5 ounces)!
Travel Aid Kit
Rick Steves’ Travel Store
$19.95 (currently on sale for $15.95)
I love Moroccan cuisine. Pastilla, or meat pies encased in puff pastry and covered with powdered sugar and cinnamon, savory lamb tajines, and hot mint tea don’t even begin to scratch the surface of this complex culinary culture. My food obsession led me all the way to Morocco where I followed my taste buds right into the Moroccan kitchen.
Zanzibar is an exotic enough destination in itself, but things just got even more interesting. Check out this restaurant on a rock in the Indian Ocean.
My absolute favorite place to take out of town guests in Los Angeles day or night is Griffith Observatory. Nothing can beat the location, with sweeping vistas of the Hollywood sign and endless panoramas of the entire city, all laid out in front of you. It doesn’t get more iconic than this.
The St. Regis hotel in Beijing is home to a number of the city’s hottest dining spots and watering holes. Highlights range from Cantonese to Italian cuisine, and from a cigar lounge to a steakhouse with city views. Yet one standout among these is the Press Club Bar, a stylish find located just off the hotel’s opulent main lobby.
Looking for a little Halloween inspiration? Then you’ve got to check out this light show themed to “The Nightmare Before Christmas”.
Outside the Tonga Hut in North Hollywood, a giant Polynesian Moai statue greets those seeking a little tropical bliss. Wedged between a brightly-lit bridal shop and a model store on a quiet strip of Victory Boulevard sits the oldest remaining tiki joint in Los Angeles, dating back to 1958.
The Birth of the Tiki Bar
The tiki bar itself was an L.A. concoction, pioneered with Don’s Beachcomber Cafe in the 1930’s, which quickly became popular with Hollywood celebrities. This ushered in an era of south seas chic that saw the spread of tiki establishments across the country, famous for their exotic cuisine, rum-based cocktails, and wonderful island atmosphere. Created to give late night revelers dreamy island vibes to swoon over, tiki bars served as houses of island kitsch filled with the rich iconography of far away destinations like Tahiti, Fiji, Easter Island, Hawaii, and The Cook Islands, to name a few.
On a recent trip to Mexico, I came across this beautiful set of hand blown glassware in a tiny shop in Puerto Vallarta called Alfarería Tlaquepaque. Filled with handmade artisan ceramics, kitchenware, furniture, and glassware, I immediately fell in love with these “confetti” glasses. I only wish I had bought more of them!
Details
Alfarería Tlaquepaque
Av. Mexico 1100
Puerto Vallarta, Jal. Mexico 48350
Tel: (322) 223-2121
