Maui Winter Break

Hawaii is the perfect cure for the winter blues so when Dayne and I received a deal from the Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas we jumped at it. A few years ago we had a similar deal from the Marriott for a trip to Kauai which was a great experience, so we used an Alaska Air companion fare, took their free rental car and inexpensive hotel deal and off we went.

As our flight was a bit early we decided to stay at Cedarbrook Lodge, who not only generously offered me a special rate but also had a delicious tray of meats, cheeses, and fruit in our room when we arrived. We've stayed here in the past and as before,our overnight was perfect. Quiet and comfortable room, complimentary wi-fi, and quick shuttle to the airport giving me a chance to get a bit more sleep!

We also had a lovely dinner in their restaurant Copperleaf.  My butter-poached lobster and Dayne's bacon-wrapped boar were both delicious, and as I've stated before, the plating here is so pretty!

After our easy flight into Kahului we picked up our car at the airport and decided to upgrade to a convertible since the base price was part of our Westin deal. Top down, it was a 50 minute incredibly scenic drive across the island and then up the coastline to Ka'anapali.

The Westin property is huge, actually divided into two separate sections each with their own lobby, pools, etc. We checked into our studio-apartment complete with washer/dryer, kitchenette, jacuzzi bathtub, and view of Kahekili Beach Park and the ocean. Our luggage arrived just in time for us to catch Happy Hour at the beach bar and watch the lighting of the tiki torches. 

February is prime whale watching season as the humpback whales are here to give birth and to mate. We went on a whale watch cruise with the Pacific Whale Foundation (HIGHLY recommend them) but even if we hadn't, you couldn't look out at the ocean without seeing numerous exhale plumes minimally and huge tails descending the water if you were luckier. On our cruise we were not even 5 minutes out of the harbor when we had a group of 3 on our port side and another 2 on our starboard. Everyone was excited to spot the first tail!

We had non stop whale spotting for 2-hours, adults and babies. We saw breaching from afar, finslaps and spyhops closer to our boat. And they lowered a hydrophone so we could hear the whales singing, it was amazing! And LOUD!!

Baby and Mother

Near the end of our cruise a baby humpback decided she was very interested in our boat and swam right up and proceeded to circle us. She was spinning underwater, doing little spyhops, slapping her fins, and watching us. The mother whale and her escort pretty much stayed under the surface, close enough that we could see both of their huge figures! Being as the whales were closer than 1000 feet to us we could not have the motor on the boat going. Our captain radioed the harbor as we were going to be late getting back, stating that we were being mugged by whales!

The naturalist on board was great at pointing out the different tail markings and explaining their behavior. We also learned that during Dec thru March, most of the areas are Whale Preserves and that means that jetboats, jetskies, etc are not allowed. The absence of this noise made our trip even more relaxing.

We kept our dive gear bag in the trunk, ready to stop and snorkel on a whim. The weather was a bit windy/rainy the day we drove up to check out Kapalua Bay but it was such a pretty spot that we ended back up there another day. The beach and bay are gorgeous but the reef isn't in as good of shape as others, we even saw people standing on the reef with dive booties instead of flippers on! Bad tourists!

We snorkeled right off our property on Ka'anapali Beach and also next to us at Kahekili. We saw lots of various butterfly fish, triggerfish, saddle wrasse, bannerfish, and even an octopus! I saw a turtle from the beach one afternoon but sadly we weren't in the water with any (that we knew of). The other really cool thing was that you could hear the whales while snorkeling!

We also both learned to stand-up paddle-board which was hard at first, becoming a bit easier over time. The water was so clear that we could see the fish and the reef while standing (or kneeling!) and paddling along. And even when we fell, the water was warm and refreshing.

And of course we took in the awesome Maui sunsets.

Maui photos here.

Taking a Bite Out of the Big Apple

My four days spent in NYC were packed full. I didn't just drink cocktails and hang out in Brooklyn. There are so many great places to go, to see, and to eat at!

My first stop upon arriving in town was at The NoMad, a 'must reserve' hot spot, just a short walk from my hotel. I was really looking forward to the drinks and the dinner with my friend Meg, but when I checked us in the mâitre d' looked sadly at me and asked if I had my Open Table confirmation. I handed him my phone and he very politely explained that there were two Nomad restaurants and I had booked the other. Not four hours into town and my plans were screwed! Meg explained that I was from out of town and at that moment I felt like she should have said Kansas (no offense). And then the controller of hard-to-get tables sweetly said he could seat us in about 30 minutes if we would like to have a drink in the bar. SCORE. And pretty much the opposite experience you would have with the mâitre d' at Babbo (again, no offense).

After a few nice drinks, we were given a lovely table right in the middle of the parlor room and had exceptional service from the somm as well as the wait staff.

And the food was delicious! And pretty! Gorgeous ingredients like fluke, suckling pig, sweet breads, and truffles pepper the menu. I'd go back anytime.

My hotel was also just blocks away from Eataly, housed in a large building and comprised of an Italian grocery, kitchen shops, and a scrumptious Italian food court. Forest and I stalked seats at La Piazza, the charcuterie style eatery, for lunch one afternoon. There are about nine different eating places, all with a different theme, some are sit down and some are stand up, all are busy!

One morning we checked out Acme for brunch with a group of friends. This normally buzzing spot was strangely empty when we arrived. Brunch was good, not overly exciting, but the brunch cocktails were great and the space is really good for groups.

After brunch Dayne, Thibault, Forest, and I walked it off by strolling the High Line. This is a wonderful 1-mile long park built on an old raised rail track and goes from the Meatpacking District to Chelsea. It was a beautiful day and the park has tons of interesting plants, architecture, views, and places to sit and relax.

 

We got off the High Line at the Getty Station to check out the funny Sheep Station exhibit by artist François-Xavier Lalanne.

 

That night we had a pretty good meal at The Dutch.I wouldn't put this in my top list of restaurants as everything needed just a bit more seasoning, but the menu was fun and inventive, like this duck confit pot pie.

On our last day we met a college friend of Dayne's and his family for brunch on the upper east side at this funny old school Italian bakery and dining room, Sant Ambroeus. The food was fine but the bakery items looked scrumptious. After brunch we walked to the Neue Gallery.

An amazing collection of German and Austrian art is housed in this gem of a building, once occupied by Cornelius Vanderbilt III. Adding a cherry on top of our visit, the gallery was having a special exhibit of Kandinsky. It was wonderful!

 

We wrapped up our afternoon with a bit of shopping at the Chelsea location of Fishs Eddy before picking up our bags and heading to Penn Station to grab trains to the airport; Dayne heading to Newark and me heading to JFK.

My miles paid off as I tucked into a lay-flat bed in first class and enjoyed dinner, a movie, and a nap while heading home.

New York, let's get together again soon!

Photos here.

Brooklyn Field Trip

I've never had a chance to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, and I've only been to Brooklyn once, so this time I set aside an entire day to spend in the borough.

Forest, Thibault and I met near City Hall on the Manhattan side and had a really nice walk over the bridge. I know that every site says that the views are better walking from Brooklyn to the city, but really, can't you just turn around? We did.

We strolled all the way to Mile End for a hearty lunch. This cute deli specializes in Montreal smoked meat which you can have on a sandwich or even on poutine. Luckily I had a day of walking to help even out that delicious lunch!

After lunch we headed by Uber to the Bedford neighborhood so I could check out this great shop that a friend had told me about called Berlyn65. It is tiny and filled with the most unique jewelry, pretty knickknacks, and super soft hand woven Turkish towels. If you find yourself in this neighborhood be sure to check it out.

From here we walked to New York Distilling Company to take a look at their space and try some of their interesting gins. The distillery has a cocktail bar connected to the space so you can grab a drink while watching the magic of distillation. We were treated to tastes of their Perry's Tot (an overproof gin), Dorthy Parker (an American gin with an interesting hibiscus note) and the newly released Chief Gowanus (a gin made from rye). Sadly their American rye has not been released yet but keep an eye out for it this year.

Chief Gowanus

Chief Gowanus

Thibault was meeting some friends at Radegast Hall, a German beer hall in Williamsburg, so we walked over there and had a few pretzels and beers before Forest and I slipped away for more cocktail R&D.

First stop was the very laid back and cool Tooker Ally.  Low lights cast a warm glow on the exposed brick walls and tin ceiling. The menu is mainly pre-prohibition but with unique twists. Interesting cocktails, like my pineapple-rye crusta, were well made and delicious.

From here we walked over to Weather Up, which ended up being one of my favorite bars of the trip. First off it is gorgeous. Coved ceilings covered in subway tiles. Cool, antique lighting. And a delicious cocktail menu.

To end our fun full day in Brooklyn we headed to the very pretty James restaurant with another friend I hadn't seen in a while. This sweet neighborhood gem has a fantastic menu, some nice cocktails, and a gorgeous interior.

We met back up with Thibault after dinner and the three of us grabbed the train back to Manhattan. Dayne's flight landed around midnight so I headed to the Spotted Pig to meet him so he could have a nice late night dinner. Love being able to meet someone at 1am for dinner. City that never sleeps, indeed!

NYC & Brooklyn photos here.

Apple Juice (aka Cocktails in NYC)

After I had checked into my room, had a glass of wine, and changed out of my travel duds, I met up with my friend Meg at The Nomad, just a few short blocks away.

We had a couple of really well crafted cocktails in the gorgeous bar while waiting for our dinner table; one of mine had rye, bird chile infused Aperol and Cherry Herring! The bar was packed, even on a Wednesday night, but still comfortable with lots of dark wood and high ceilings. There is another area off to the side called the library that is very quiet if you are looking for a more subdued atmosphere.

After our dinner Meg and I met my brother in law for night caps at Booker and Dax. The shtick at this bar, part of the Momofuku empire, is that many of the drinks are mixed with hot pokers or loggerheads. Might not be such a great draw in the summer but on this cold winter night it was excellent. The drinks were flamed up and delicious. In fact we had two rounds!

There are so many great cocktail bars in NYC that we had to be content to just pick a few as I only had 4 nights. Since the East Village is a breeding ground for all things hip, cocktail bars included, Forest and I spent an evening with friends Karen and Laren, who graciously led us on a nice little crawl through the 'hood.

We started the night at the infamous PDT where you enter through a phone booth inside Crif Dogs. The small space and low ceilings makes it feel like a private club but the bartenders are welcoming and the drinks fantastic, nothing snooty here. The small size does warrant making reservations though.

 

Moving on to Death & Co. we checked in with the door man and he led us in, seating us at a pretty corner table. This bar is turning on the style a bit more, velvet curtains, big chandelier, and a sophisticated wild west vibe (is that even such a thing?). But still with great cocktails to back it up. Each page of their drink menu is dedicated to a different spirit, and a preparation method, providing lots of unique options to choose from. 

The final cocktail stop was Pouring Ribbons. The scene was much calmer here, in fact the bar wasn't quite full. The interior is more sparse, not as cozy to me. The superstar here is the booze, and to be more exact, the collection of Chartreuse that they have amassed. Holy monks!

 

It goes without saying that all the bars were A+ places to drink, we were there on a week night so didn't have to deal with a lot of crowds which was very nice. 

Another night we had pre-dinner drinks at The Breslin which is inside the Ace Hotel (again, just a few blocks from the Eventi). If NYC cocktail prices give you sticker shock this is a great place to go. All the cocktails are $13, which by the city's standards is pretty cheap. Tasty drinks, a space that was great for a group, and as it is in the Ace Hotel there are lots of hipsters to amuse you!

My favorite bar in the city was the much lauded Dead Rabbit. Everything about it could easily be seen as hokey, overworked, precious, etc. But it all just gels. The old-timey music, the drinks served in tea cups, the upstairs parlor room. The location is way down town, and there didn't seem to be anything else around it, but the amazing menu of drinks and fun vibe absolutely make it worth the effort to get there. 

Brooklyn drinking gets its own post, stay tuned. 

NYC photos here.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

In a New York Minute

Just before Thanksgiving I spent a whirlwind 4 nights in the Big Apple, my last visit was far too many years ago so I was excited to be back. Forest was on her way to visit her parents and we decided NYC was a good place to meet up for a few days. I arrived on a Wed afternoon to take advantage of a little "me" time, she arrived the next afternoon just in time for happy hour.

I cashed in a bunch of miles and treated myself to first class, direct flights. When I landed at JFK I jumped on the Sky Train to Jamaica Station and then bought a ticket on the Long Island Railway to Penn Station. It was a quick, hassle-free way into the city.

My home base was the Kimpton Eventi hotel in the Chelsea/Flatiron area. This is such a great location to stay in! It is 2 blocks from either Penn Station or the R Line, and there is a lot to see and do within easy walking distance. As with all Kimpton's, the hotel hosts a nightly wine reception which provides an excellent excuse to sit and relax. And free wine.

I had taken the advise of some friends and requested a room with a view upon check in, I went to bed and woke up each morning with the Empire State Building watching over me!

My room was modern and very comfortable, large by NY standards. The bathroom was beautiful, all marble with a rain shower head. I did have some issues with turn down service but we'll chalk that up to "first world problems".

All photos here. 

Booze Cruising to Estonia

We arrived in Helsinki late, after 17+ hours of travel, then easily grabbed the airport shuttle (no reservations required and only 6€ each) for the 30 minute ride into town, and walked the short distance after being dropped off at the central train station, to the Omena Hotel.

The Omena Hotels are a comfortable chain where you take care of yourself without the assistance of a front desk staff, room service, etc. They text you a door code and room number 24 hours before arrival, and you use that for the front door, elevator, and room door code.



Our room was large and slightly resembled a cabin on a ship, complete with table and booth seating. It was clean and comfortable also, and the perfect place to crash since we went to bed at 1am and got up at 7am to catch an early ferry to Tallinn. After meeting Forest & Thibault for a quick nightcap at the nearby American Bar we called it a night.

We boarded our ship around 8am for a 9am sailing and the common areas were already full, mainly of octogenarians drinking and dancing to a very loud live band. Did I mention it was 8am?



The crossing was quite rough which made it hard to walk around, but these grannies were waltzing and fox trotting all over the place. Most tables were crowded with pint glasses of beer, some of these with folks looking a bit green around the gills. Besides partying it up as the big draw of the sailing to Estonia, there is the opportunity to do some duty free booze shopping, as the price of liquor in Finland is very high. The shops were busy with folks snatching up cases of beer and 10-bottle packs of vodka. We focused our efforts on gin & rum- nothing unusual to be found but larger & cheaper options than in the Alko stores in Helsinki & in Lapland.



The ship serves a pretty decent buffet breakfast, there are two seatings, one at 8:30 and one at 10:30, but We hadn't booked in advance and the first seating was full. We grabbed a quick snack in a small cafe and then watched the dancing until our reservation was ready in the main dining room.



2 1/2 hours later we docked for an overnight in Estonia, my 34th country on my 45th birthday.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Tallinn, Estonia

Waltzing & Fireworks in Vienna

We leave in just under 2 weeks for our annual New Year's Eve trip, this time to Finland, so it must be time to write about last year's celebration!

Last year in Vienna was one of my favorite experiences for NYE, the city put on an amazing show and it seemed like every citizen turned out for it.

Bakery windows were outfitted with cute sugary pigs, the symbol of good luck for the coming year, pop-up champagne bars appeared on random curbs, and the streets were hung with gorgeous light displays.

There were maps posted all over, of the streets that would be closed to traffic and transformed into open air parties. And all roads led to the best vantage points for the midnight fireworks.

We started our evening at home with champagne, cheeses, meats, olives, etc that we picked up from the market. After aperos we bundled up and took the subway to one of the main areas on the city party map, emerging from below ground we came up to this amazing sight.

There were stands offering all types of food and drink as well as stages with live bands performing various types of music every few blocks or so. Buildings were used for light-shows and live video, and everyone sang, danced, and toasted each other.

We made our way along the party path, and at one of the bandstands stopped to watch the revelers waltz along to the live ensemble. Young and old, all smiles and down puffy jackets, waltzing along in the streets of Vienna.

 

We continued on farther to the grounds of the Hofburg palace, where thousands were gathered for the official countdown. Everyone had champagne or mulled wine, everyone was gathered with their friends and family.

There were crowds but they were calm and fun. There were fireworks but they weren't aimed at us.

And after the fireworks everyone cheerily made their way back to the outdoor dancing, or off to home. A great night unspoiled by violence, or over-indulgence.

So now when people ask me where my favorite New Year's Eve celebration was I can at least give my top 3 (including the first). And if you ever get the opportunity to spend the holiday in this most gorgeous city, be sure to dance the waltz.

 Vienna photos here.