Every city likes to promote itself as a destination with “something for everyone,” but civilized Saratoga Springs, sandwiched between the Adirondack Mountains and the Hudson River three hours north of New York City, actually is one of those places. That’s why it’s one of the most popular – and famous – summertime getaways in the country. Blending innovation and tradition, Saratoga is equal parts high society and college town, without the hassle of being stuffy or too rowdy. It’s rich in American history, but there’s also eclectic shopping, the celebrated namesake mineral springs, gourmet dining and world-famous thoroughbred and harness racing. If you’re looking to get your adrenaline pumping – or the perfect lazy summer weekend for that matter – Saratoga is about as close as you’ll get to a sure thing. READ MORE.
from the archives: horsing around
from the archives: massage of a lifetime
High above Columbus Circle in Manhattan, the Mandarin Oriental has an over-the-top spa with spectacular views of Central Park. And while raising the bar for service and ambiance, it is also raising the bar on what the market will bear for a simple rubdown. With the recent surge of affordable qi gong joints popping up all over major cities — not to mention practically every nail salon now offering to rebalance your chakras for $20 — you’d be hard-pressed to pay more than $100 bucks for an hour of qualified deep-tissue attention. Even nearby, high-end day retreats such as Bliss and Sanctuary top out at $200 for a hot stone or lomi-lomi massage. However, in the rarified world of the Mandarin-in-the-sky, a no-frills massage will set you back about a cool $500. Read more HERE.
from the archives: jackson hole strikes a balance
Jackson Hole strikes that rare balance between nature and nurture. And for a town of such diminutive proportions that’s better known for its high-octane winter sports than its sedate summers, that’s surprising. But don’t question it; embrace it, and you’ll be richly rewarded by this incredibly scenic little corner of Wyoming. Jackson – the central town in the Jackson Hole valley – is tiny and encircled by the Grand Tetons, the youngest of the Rocky Mountain ranges, in what was once considered frontier territory. Yet one of the many myths it shatters is that size is an accurate reflection of quantity and quality. It’s not. Though the year-round population is a shade under 9,000, the spa choices alone are enough to make you do a double take: organic body treatments at the new LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the ultimate eco-friendly accolade) Hotel Terra‘s rooftop Chill Spa; local ingredients like mesquite-tree powder, sagebrush and red-clay mud put to good use in massages at Spring Creek Ranch‘s Wilderness Adventure Spa, and the inspiration of nearby glacial lakes found in Vichy Waterfall Rituals at Solitude Spa in Teton Mountain Lodge. If your fears are less psychic than political, spending time in Cheney country – the vice president has a place in the area – you’ll be shocked to discover that the valley is like a blue-state island in a sea of red-state dogma. A leaf through the Planet Jackson Hole newspaper gives an accurate portrait of this town’s priorities: Right-to-life ads are far outnumbered by those for the Hemp Film Festival. Read the full story HERE.
from the archives: bathing in bedford springs
Secluded on 2,200 acres in the Southern Allegheny Mountains of south-central Pennsylvania, Bedford Springs Resort is one of the country’s few surviving examples of a time since passed – a time when Americans “summered” and traveled to “take the waters.” Now a national historic landmark, the 18th-century resort hotel sat derelict for a generation before recently undergoing a massive $120 million renovation that restored the once-famous mineral springs, Colonial-era buildings and golf course. How appropriate then, that this piece of American history is returned to its former glory and welcoming travelers once again.
Long touted for its healing waters and restorative environs, Bedford Springs dates back to 1796, when its seven original mineral springs were purchased by Bedford native Dr. D. John Anderson, who built bathing facilities for his patients to drink and soak in the waters. To local residents and the general public he sold “life tickets” and “family tickets.” It was the beginning of something far grander than anyone could have imagined. As word of the healing springs spread – they were rumored to cure everything from gout to rheumatism to “derangements of the liver” – Bedford’s guest register recorded the names of many American luminaries, including Daniel Webster, Aaron Burr and Henry Ford. Presidents Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, James K. Polk and Zachary Taylor also came for the cure.
Where celebrities and politicians went, so society followed, and “the Bedford Cure” became part of the social circuit. Outdoor adventure in the lush valley became part of it as well, as guests amused themselves with lawn bowling, badminton, shuffleboard and tennis. After a morning soak at the Yellow, Sulphur or Moss Springs, patrons packed the horse-drawn “Talley Ho” for a ride around the grounds and into town.
With the opening of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in 1940 came greater access to the prestigious resort, and it continued to prosper throughout the 1960s and ’70s. But by the 1980s the once-grand grande dame appeared outdated and eventually closed her doors. It was soon deemed one of the most endangered sites on the National Registry of Historic Places.
After 21 years, Bedford Springs Resort has awoken like Sleeping Beauty. There are now more than 200 guest rooms, elegantly restored in historically accurate colors with period details preserved and reflecting the diverse history of the buildings. Sun- and breeze-filled porches are plentiful, with striking views of the grounds. Many of the curiosities discovered during the overhaul are proudly displayed, including photographs of turn-of-the-century merrymakers, guest registers and ledgers noting presidential visits, and a grand Stars and Stripes that greets you in the Federal-era lobby – the only known 39-star American flag in existence. Today, the resort’s fabled waters flow through a new 30,000-square-foot Springs Eternal Spa fed by Spring Eternal, the property’s eighth spring, which unexpectedly gushed to the surface during the restoration. Treatments at the Springs Eternal Spa are naturally focused on hydrotherapies, so be sure to indulge in the classic American spa experience of taking the waters however you can. Both the restored Victorian-style indoor swimming pool and the newly built outdoor pool are spring-fed. The trout stream and miles of nature trails will excite outdoor enthusiasts. Give a nod to the old “Talley Ho” and grab one of the resort’s Cannondale bikes and a prepared picnic from the cafe.
What’s even more engaging about Bedford Springs is the utter lack of pretense. Some of the friendliest, most knowledgeable staff you’ll ever meet are happy to stop whatever they’re doing and share some fascinating factoid. (The central double staircase, for example, is rumored to have been designed by Thomas Jefferson, who installed a similar one at Monticello.) There are nuggets of American history tucked into every nook and cranny of Bedford Springs. However, it’s the five-star service that will leave you feeling positively presidential. READ MORE
from the archives: hot spas of the caribbean
For too many years, Caribbean spas were strictly amateur affairs. Not anymore: The number of high-tech hideaways scattered throughout the islands has exploded, with each one promising to reinvigorate your body and renew your spirit in new and novel ways. As a bonus, direct flights from JFK abound this time of year, making it easier than ever to escape for a weekend of pampering and be back in time for the Monday morning meeting.
Here’s our guide to five that know how to turn up the heat: CLICK HERE for the full story.
from the archives: are you ears burning?
Candles were once just pretty accents at the spa – now they’re becoming essential tools of the trade thanks to those pesky ancient Egyptians. Ear candling (or coning, as it is sometimes called) began as a hygiene regimen along the Nile thousands of years ago and is today being touted as a natural way to clean out accumulated wax – not to mention the white, flaky fungus you now wished you didn’t know was building up inside your ears. As you lie on your side, a long hollow taper – candling, get it? - is inserted into the ear canal and set ablaze. Heat from the burning cone softens the wax and a vacuum created by the rising smoke gently draws the detritus into the absorbent candle. The meltdown lasts about 30 minutes and the gunk that comes out might just make you shudder. Reportedly popular among singers and musicians, the average spa-goer might find this therapy to be a one-time curiosity, though many swear by its ability to relieve inner ear pressure and infections, as well as noticeably improving hearing quality. It’s also handy for disproving Mom’s old maxim: never stick anything in your ear except your elbow.
merry christmas
I obviously misjudged my dates reviewing the year in travel. It should have ended on Christmas Eve and here we are on Christmas Day with two more months to go. Oh well, I will pick it up tomorrow.
This holiday I wanted to share the post I wrote last Christmas, which is deserving of an annual outing: Martha Graham’s letter to Agnes DeMille. A long ago gift from a good friend, it has never failed to inspire me.
“There is a vitality, a life-force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You have to keep it open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you…..No artist is pleased…..There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.”
from the archives: leaf peeping
Something happens as soon as the first chill stirs the autumn air. People instinctively reach for sweaters, the scent of cinnamon and cider wafts through the breeze like a narcotic, and everyone succumbs to the intractable pull of a yearly ritual: piling into their cars to go and watch the leaves turn color.
Don’t wait until the last minute, however, or you’ll find yourself up a tree — without a place to stay. As thousands of leaf peepers across the Northeast suddenly realize their time to spend a lazy weekend glimpsing the fall foliage is running out, a desperate, road-clogging migration begins.
Here’s how to savor the few short weeks of tranquility — and nature’s radiant colors — before the crowds arrive. READ MORE.
from the archives: viva las vegas
Gaudy and glamorous, Las Vegas may not be renowned for its destination spas just yet, but surely that’s only a matter of time. Like celebrity-chef restaurants, spas here are becoming a fashionable amenity to the mammoth casinos, constantly reinventing themselves for guests in search of the next big thing.
With more than thirty luxury spas along a 6-mile strip where the Empire State Building sits down the block from the Eiffel Tower and the Brooklyn Bridge connects Monte Carlo with a medieval castle, Sin City might better be described as Spa City. If you know where to look, it might also become your favorite desert oasis for a little relaxation and rejuvenation. Here’s the best of what you’ll find, so you can leave the gambling for the slots.
Wynn Las Vegas is the newest resort to open along the Strip and it’s obvious that no expense has been spared in raising the bar several notches: spacious standard rooms feel more like suites, with floor to ceiling windows offering unobstructed views of the desert. Marble bathrooms, double vanities, opulent flower filled public spaces and a golf course on property make it clear why owner Steve Wynn is referred to as the unofficial chairman of the “new” Vegas.
Available exclusively to guests of the hotel, the Wynn Las Vegas Spa is suffused with natural light – a welcome relief from the harsh florescent lights of the casinos. The solarium-style Jacuzzi area has the atmosphere of an outdoor garden, lush with foliage and flanked by a pair of decadent deluge showers. A pre-treatment relaxation area feels like you’re nestled inside a Noguchi shade.
The Dilo Kuli Moisture Renewal wraps the body in penetrating Dilo and coconut oils; a Rainstone Ritual combines raindrop treatment – essential oils applied like droplets along the spine – with a full body stone massage. However, the signature treatment is, a Good Luck Ritual Massage, natch, based on the five elements of Feng Shui and combining heated Thai herbs, lemon verbena foot therapy and a wild lime botanical scalp treatment. They can’t promise it will bring you good fortune at the blackjack tables, but you’ll keep a sunny disposition even if the chips are drifting in the dealers favor.
Bellagio is the resort that started the trend toward opulence in the 1990’s, making plush accommodations and fanciful architecture the standard for everyone, not only high-rollers. It still has some of the most fanciful, light filled public spaces in the entire city. A Dale Chihuly ceiling that greets guests at reception is a masterpiece of whimsical blown glass.
Located off the flower-filled Conservatory and Botanical Gardens of the Bellagio’s fantasy Italian palazzo, Spa Bellagio patrons have the added bonus of arriving half intoxicated by the sweet perfume of tens of thousands of blossoms. A wide array of exotic offerings from around the world await inside: Raindrop Therapy, Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy, aquatic Watsu Massage, Indian Head Massage and Thai Yoga Massage are but a few. Just be sure to unwind in the redwood sauna – the best on the Strip – or the eucalyptus steam room first.
Gentlemen in tow can enjoy the straightedge Royal Shave in an old-fashioned barber chair, gingerly tucked away in a private – and manly – wood paneled barbershop. It’s something every man must try at least once: hot towels, warm shaving cream and a sushi-grade razor make for the closest shave imaginable. A botanical mask to replenish necessary nutrients follows – as does baby soft, almost buttery smooth skin.
There’s no denying the charm of finding the Grand Canal wend its way through the third floor of The Venetian, replete with singing gondolieri and a powder blue Giotto sky above. And while standard rooms are in fact, standard, this resort must surely have the greatest collection of tromp l’oeil ceilings outside of the Doge’s Palace.
Canyon Ranch resorts have been on the leading edge of wellness and fitness services for over 25 years, practically inventing the concept at its original Tucson Health Resort. The Canyon Ranch SpaClub at The Venetian (the largest resort spa in North America by the way and soon to be the largest in the world when a planned expansion opens.) refines all they have learned, offering a multitude of skin care and body treatments. Vibrational Therapy in a specially sealed chamber charged with positive ions is a stunner. But the other options include movement therapy, a 40-foot rock climbing wall, meditation, Ballet, Salsa, a variety of Yoga practices and a medical/wellness center chock full of lectures on such varied topics as Bone Health, Metabolism and Optimal Living. One to five-day Club Passports mean you need never leave.
Two years ago the Mobil Travel Guide’s “America’s Best Hotel & Resort Spas” named the Ritz-Carlton’s Spa Vita di Lago at Lake Las Vegas one of America’s top spas. But, don’t be fooled by past laurels – a lot can happen in two short years. Spa Vita has vanished, replaced by what is now called Ritz-Carlton Spa. And although the hotel that hosts the spa is as fabulously understated and service oriented as ever, treatments, therapists and general attention to service inside the spa are sorely lacking.
Could it be that the rise in the number of spas in downtown Vegas have created a brain-drain of qualified therapists willing to travel beyond the Strip? Or has management let a jewel in the crown grow tarnished through inattention? Either way, top shelf prices demand top-shelf attention. My recent visit found a locker room valet who would have been more at home as a bouncer at a rowdy nightclub and a young massage therapist who couldn’t answer a single question about a treatment and went so far as to start arguing with me on the massage table.
Which is a shame, since Lake Las Vegas is a wonderful triumph of engineering over nature, 20 minutes east of the Strip, with a pair of exceptional golf courses and expert guided programs in stargazing, hiking and mountain biking. A two-resort complex of Italianate architecture situated around a man made lake replete with gondolas – half of this beautiful Ritz-Carlton is built atop a replica Ponte Vecchio; condos are situated nearby in gated enclaves such as Tuscany, Capri, and Sorrento; and Celine Dion’s house is across the lake – and surrounded by red rock mountains. You could spend a week at the resorts’ relaxed restaurants and small casino and never hunger for the neon glare of Vegas proper – unless of course, you were looking for a decent massage.
TI is the resort formerly known as Treasure Island. Actually it is still officially known as Treasure Island, but TI is a much more hip and trendy appellation, no? Once the family resort known for its pirates, it has become ground zero for the twenty something crowd looking to shake their groove thing in the nightclub, Tangerine, and watch the scantily-clad sirens duke it out in the lagoon along the Strip.
Innovative aquatic design echoes the refreshing nature of the water-based services at WET – the Spa at TI, which include everything from aromatic seaweed baths to the signature seawater wrap – about the closest you’ll come in America to the French Thalasso therapy. There’s also a specialized line of evening treatments – the only such offerings on the Strip – including the Renight Facial, a bedtime ritual designed to give your skin a better chance of repairing itself from the effects of environment and stress while you sleep. And at the opposite end of the spectrum, The Heiress, featuring gold-flecked body products: a golden scrub followed by a rich golden wrap, golden oil massage, and topped with a sprinkling of gold dust that will leave you feeling 24-karat sexy and ready for a night on the town.
THEhotel at Mandalay Bay is an attempt to create a brand within a brand and it works spectacularly, functioning as the boutique arm of the giant Mandalay Bay resort. Heightened aesthetics, monochromatic color palettes and personalized service are the hallmarks of this hotel which would not feel out of place in Soho or Shinjuku.
bathhouse at Mandalay Bay’s THEhotel is rightly being heralded as one of the trendiest spas on the Strip – and not only because of its über lowercase spelling. The gym and spa offer a calming refuge of dark slate walls, rainfall corridors and minimalist design coupled with soaring cathedral ceilings. It feels like not so much a spa as a temple – and you’ll worship the multitude of exquisite treatments ranging from champagne facials and crème brulée body wraps to Ayurvedic herbal baths and cinnamon mud masques.
MGM Grand is a city unto itself. The most expansive property in Vegas, with over 5,000 hotel rooms, it’s one of those wonders of the world that must be seen to be believed. To paraphrase the Eagles, you can check out anytime you like, but you can never find the exit! Not that you would necessarily want to leave – everything you can think of from shopping, restaurants and nightclubs to a lion habitat are under the same grand roof.
Known for its cutting edge treatments and innovative techniques, modern science and ancient ceremonies converge at the grand MGM Grand Spa. Try the DDF Resolution Facial to harness the power of growth proteins to significantly reduce post-travel puffiness and the fine wrinkles that are exacerbated by the dry desert heat. Japanese Yuzu, rich in organic acids that aid in pain relief, circulation and skin smoothing, are put to invigorating use in the Yuzu Awakening. The refreshing ritual begins in a private spa suite with an exfoliating body scrub, followed by a Sake and White Tea body wrap and a Shiatsu scalp massage. (Both Sake and White Tea are known for their anti-oxidant properties.) Finally, unwind with a 50-minute Shiatsu-Combination massage performed with Yuzu body butter and you’ll be forgiven for drifting off into the land of nod.
To look at vintage pictures of Caesar’s Palace from the 1960’s is to realize this is the red velvet granddaddy of all Vegas resorts, swanky and sophisticated and as decadent as the fallen Roman Empire. What’s most impressive is how the frolicsome bacchanal has managed to keep its competitive edge, looking fresh and fabulous some forty years on.
Inspired by the baths of ancient Rome, where people gathered for personal reflection and social connection, Qua Baths & Spa at Caesar’s Palace is the first spa in Las Vegas to introduce the concept of “Social Spa-ing.” Amid dark wood décor and relaxing waterfalls, the communal areas such as the Laconium (providing ultra-heat therapy), the Arctic Ice Room (complete with falling snow), and a tea room staffed by a sommelier skilled at pairing teas with treatments, you can move freely between group interaction and quiet solitude. The therapeutic circuit of three Roman Baths of graduated temperatures also has one of the niftiest amenities in town: a robe sauna. Few things beat a steaming robe when climbing out of a frigid plunge pool!
Another first in spa services is the Crystal Body Art Room, offering customized designs of tiny Swarovski crystals artistically adhered to the body, making for the ultimate personal accessory for a night of partying.
The hushed atmosphere of the casino-less Four Seasons Hotel is a welcome relief from the non-stop gaming found at every other resort along the Strip. It is a hotel first and foremost, not a casino with hotel rooms. That subtle distinction makes all the difference.
A sculpture of Kuan Yin, the goddess of compassion, stands at the entrance to The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel as a totem of relaxation and personal well being. Intimate and bijoux, the gorgeously appointed spa is all about personal attention for a limited number of guests, making it far and away the most dramatically different experience in a city where the average hotel has well over 2,000 guest rooms.
The Spa features the new JAMU product line used in the signature JAMU Massage – a meditative combination of percussion and exotic oils and Hindu, Chinese and European techniques. Asian Spa Rituals blend exotic ingredients and celebrate tradition to create a unique cross-cultural experience. A Four Seasons four-layer facial applies layer upon layer of pure, fresh European seaweed, leaving parched, sun-dried skin nourished, healthier and younger looking.
“Serenity in Las Vegas does exist,” is the motto at this Four Seasons, “you just have to know where to find it…” Here’s a hint: it’s discretely tucked behind the big tower at the south end of the Strip.
in living color
These fascinating images come via the photo blog at the Denver Post. Taken by photographers employed by the Farm Security Administration and Office of War Information, they are some of the only color photographs which document the effects of the Depression on America’s rural and small town populations. The photographs are now the property of the Library of Congress and were included in a 2006 exhibit titled Bound for Glory: America in Color. See more of them HERE.
The Faro Caudill family eating dinner in their dugout. Pie Town, New Mexico, October 1940. Reproduction from color slide.
Farm auction. Derby, Connecticut, September 1940. Reproduction from color slide
A store with live fish for sale. Vicinity of Natchitoches, Louisiana, July 1940. Reproduction from color slide.
Distributing surplus commodities. St. Johns, Arizona, October 1940. Reproduction from color slide.
Children stage a patriotic demonstration. Southington, Connecticut, May 1942. Reproduction from color slide
Women workers employed as wipers in the roundhouse having lunch in their rest room, Chicago and Northwest Railway Company. Clinton, Iowa, April 1943. Reproduction from color slide.
ultimate caribbean
Here’s a copy of the NY Daily News story that led to yesterday’s posting. Click each image to view larger or you can view a modified version of it online HERE.
from the archives: sunny st. barths (part 2)
During the winter months the capital harbor town of Gustavia may play host to a bevy of luxury yachts, but the summer finds mostly locals enjoying a little leisure time. Walking – the only way to enjoy the charms of town – through the streets of this quaint little town, you’ll experience the island’s Swedish heritage amid all the old architecture. Start at the Museum, located at La Pointe, on the far side of the port. It boasts documents tracing the island’s history back to the times of the evil Monbars, whose legendary treasure is still believed to be buried on the island. Another interesting point of reference are the hurricane maps which trace the numerous Caribbean storms.
There are a number of beautiful buildings in the capital, waiting to be discovered along the tiniest of back roads: the restored Wall House, the Old Swedish house, the Old Bell Tower (which was part of a church destroyed in a hurricane), and Town Hall (the Governor’s home during the Swedish occupation). Take a walk to the Anglican Church, its evocative exterior slightly beaten by the tropical weather. The Catholic Church, built in 1822, lies just down the road; its architecture continuing to inspire many local painters. Similar to the church in Lorient, its bell tower was erected higher than the rest of the structure to enhance the sound of the chiming bells. Fort Gustavia, next to the weather station, dates back to the Swedish occupation. Here you can discover the former defenses of the island: the nightwatchman’s cabin and the gunpowder works. For a little bit of local color stop by the Guadeloupean ladies’ market (commonly referred to Dou-dous) on Rue Oscar II. The produce is brought in fresh: mangos, figs, tamarinds, as well as a number of exotic roots, and spices.
St. Barths is a duty free port so perfumes, silver, watches and the like all sell at tax-free prices. Plus during summer, as the solde signs go up in all the windows, there are definitely enough bargains to warrant dragging yourself out of the water or off the beach; particularly for high end goods that cost a fortune back home. Hermes , Gucci, Cartier, Dolce & Gabbana are just a few of the uber-boutiques lining the harbor of Gustavia. For something a bit more homespun, there is delicately executed straw work unique to St. Barths – baskets, handbags, broad brimmed hats – braided and woven of lantana palm by the camera shy women of Corossol and nearby Colombier who sell their wares in the street. The village of St. Jean – considered the tourist center of the island with its five small shopping centers along the main road – has a number of small shops filled with the work of local artisans, from artwork to jewelry to homemade lotions and edibles, as well as the requisite seashells. There’s even a local outpost of the French food shop Hediard should you need to stock up on tins of pate and escargot. Wine lovers may find themselves shopping for extra luggage: $30 for a Grand Cru that would easily cost triple that back home. Try La Cave in Marigot or La Cave du Port Franc in Public where the fine vintages are stored in temperature controlled cellars. The last minute shopper should hit Match, a supermarket across from the airstrip carrying a fine selection of wine at equally fine prices. Perhaps the chicest memento of the island (don’t ask why, its like the Black Dog t-shirts on Martha’s Vineyard) is the off-white and olive canvas tote bags stamped Loulou’s Marine from the nautical shop in Gustavia.
Dining – as you’d expect – is another stellar attraction of St. Barths. Season after season, young chefs from France’s greatest kitchens choose to forgo the formality of Paris and work on the island. Combining local ingredients with traditional French, they have made the island a gastronomic showcase.
A leisurely evening meal at La Mandala, overlooking the harbor, combines a zestful mix of local fish and Thai style spice. Try something you’ve never heard of before like the cool Wahoo Ceviche or pepper-crusted Tataki. For a real thrill you can reserve a table for eight – floating in its own pool above the harbor. Bartolomeo at Guanahani is a prime example of the classic Mediterranean-inspired French fare on the island. Sublime foie gras terrine, thyme roasted saddle of lamb, and plump sea scallops seared to perfection on a bed of porcini risotto are a few options to get your juices going. Dining outside at Le Repaire with the trade winds blowing makes for an ideal lunching spot on your way in to or out of Gustavia. With an arm’s length menu of fruity rum drinks you’ll be tempted to spend the afternoon starting off at the ships in the harbor. Be certain though to try the warm crab salad — mounds of fresh crab atop fresh greens, topped with a tangy mango-citrus vinaigrette. From the road, the
unimposing Ti St. Barth looks like something you’d find on Gilligan’s Island – a flourish of palm fronds and bamboo stalks haphazardly lashed together. Descend the gentle stone steps, however, and you enter an eclectic mix oriental rugs, twinkling fountains and quite the photo collage of celebrities who’ve spent the night atop the tables. Gloriously thick steak is a highlight here as is the grilled marlin. Wherever you go be sure to finish the meal with the local specialty, rhum vanille, a warm, soothing digestif that trickles down the back of your throat like syrup.
Last, yet far from least, an ordinary hotel room just won’t do in St. Barths – you need a villa. Preferably overlooking the spectacular water. Guanahani, the island’s only full service luxury resort, is all colored cottages, from yellow to purple to bright green, scattered among bougainvillea, hibiscus, and a coconut grove that stretches between the lagoon and the sea. As active or relaxing as you wish, the resort has all you need: a pair of gourmet restaurants, fitness center, cars to hire, tennis courts, two pools, Jacuzzi, two beaches and all you could want to experience the emerald waters: snorkeling gear, windsurfing boards, peddaloes and catamarans. More to the point, during low season, an indulgent sliver of the island’s best is available with an off-season package where dollars and euro are traded at 1-for-1.
from the archives: sunny st. barths
Scanning the gossip columns each winter you’d think St. Barths was just an exclusive celebrity playground in the French West Indies. But what very few people seem to know is that for those of us who lack the resources for a minimum two week, cash, no plastic, please, slumming with the super models and a case of Cristal over the Christmas holidays kind of vacation, the off peak season on this hippest of hedonistic hideaways finds the island as kissed with sun and joie de vivre at a fraction of the price.
So what if the harbor isn’t packed with the yachts of Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone and Naomi Campbell and Puff Daddy aren’t dancing atop the tables at Ti St. Barth. At least you’re not waiting an hour for a table behind Jean Claude Van Damme and some slinky blond with implants. During the breezy carefree summer months, as the 6,000 year round residents breathe a collective sigh of relief, you still get the best of what lures the rock stars, royalty and Rothschilds: the ease and tranquility of an incomparably nonchalant way of life.
The 350 year history behind this rocky, eight-square mile crag of an island is as quietly colorful as the abundant bougainvillea that litters its sunny shores. Discovered by Columbus on his return trip to the New World, the island was named for his brother Bartholome. Yet the first man to fall in love with “Ouanalao” (the island’s original name, given by a wild tribe of Caribbean Indians) was its governor, Longvilliers de Poincy, who established the first colony of French settlers here. Ideally located along the West Indian trade routes, the island was a haven for swashbucklers and pirates — including the evil Monbars, model for Captain Hook in Peter Pan. St. Barths slipped from the French collective memory until Louis XVI decided to trade it to Sweden in exchange for a French shipping port on the Swedish coast. Under the rule of King Gustav III, whose name still lingers on in the capital harbor of Gustavia, the island was granted the status of a free port — the original catalyst for the island’s swift development. A hundred years later the Swedes decided to return it to France with one proviso — the rights granted its inhabitants during the years of Swedish rule must be maintained. Put to a referendum the islanders almost unanimously approved (351 in favor, 1 opposed) and St. Bart’s became French once more, jealously preserving its traditions and customs while living at its own pace, timelessly and peacefully. That pace continues today, uninterrupted and without apology, so beware — it’s addictive.
By foot, motor scooter, or in an open-roofed jeep, exploring the island is an adventure of spectacular views, tiny twisting roads and steep hilly climbs that can begin and end in only one place: les plages, the beach. The minute your eyes latch on to the emerald waters, you’ll want to dive in head first - and you’d be a fool not to. Salty and crystal clear, the warm waters lap twenty two unspoiled – and curiously uncrowded – beaches. Saline is perhaps the most beautiful: long and sandy, bathed with clear water from the open sea that can get rough and stormy. While a big car-park borders the old salt pools, a more adventurous approach lies along a rocky footpath through the scrub and cacti. Shell Beach at the south end of Gustavia is covered with sea shells, ideal for anyone who wants to spend a few hours searching for that perfect specimen. Under the lee of the island, the still water is encircled by a number of beautiful rocks.
Saline Beach image courtesy of Tom Lipscomb
Literally at the end of the tiny runway, Saint Jean is a vast stretch of golden sand lined with hotels and restaurants. Many an adventurous sunbather, armed with a pitcher of margaritas, has spent the afternoon watching the pilots nail a white knuckle landing inches from the water. Protected from the heavy swells of the sea by a spectacular coral reef, the area is a haven for windsurfing — an infuriating sport that looks infinitely easier from the shores. Down the beach beyond Eden Rock – a unique stone promontory housing a hotel that juts into the water – the still sea is ideal for children. Nestled within a tranquil bay, Columbier is easily reached along two picturesque footpaths which are well worth the walk (starting from the end of nearby Flamands or from Columbier’s heights). The only threat to the Zen-like calm lies in a few locals peacocks and mules that inhabit the area. All along the lagoon, the beach of Grand cul de sac is lined with a number of peaceful restaurants. This is a dream location for both the novice and experienced snorkeler as schools of iridescent fish, spiny sea urchins and vibrantly colored corals thrive along the nooks and crannies of the shallow rock. The sea is quiet here and a walk by the moor is a good opportunity to grab your binoculars and observe the migrating birds. While admiring the magnificent view of the bay, you come towards Gouveneur beach down a sharp slope. The simple shore is highlighted by true turquoise water. Strong waves in this unique setting make for wonderful bodysurfing or simply riding the waves. Of course the best way to see it all is from the sea — enjoying the luxury of dropping anchor wherever you fancy and diving off the side of a speedboat. You can catch one of Pilou’s sexy boats in Gustavia or have him motor up to your resort in style. A half day sail includes one heck of a mean rum punch.
from the archives: five will get you tan
Today’s blustery winter storm – and the promise that it will rage for days – has got me dreaming of a secluded beach, a fresh papaya or two, and the warm rays of the sun. And now that I’ve succeeded in torturing myself, I thought I’d share a little story I did for the NY Daily News from this time last year: 5 Will Get You Tan. The prices might no longer be current – though it would be interesting to see the difference a year has made – yet the fact remains that there are still recession-era bargains to be had across the still-smarting Caribbean and Mexico. A long warm weather weekend – for under a $1,000 – is still very much a reality. And that’s why I think I’ll spend my afternoon figuring out how to make my own quick escape!
The Caribbean is a lot closer, and cheaper, than you think. As one of the areas hardest hit by the economic meltdown, the Caribbean is having a serious sale. Even some of the region’s most notoriously exclusive resorts are putting up vacancy signs and making no bones about the deals and discounts being offered to lure timid travelers to the sun — everything from free airfare and free hotel nights to free meals and free spa treatments.
Which means if you’ve been dreaming of a weekend escape, you can make it a reality — and for less than a grand.
Here’s our guide to five quick and easy getaways that will have you on the beach before lunch and being treated like a princess or a prince without making you a pauper.
Sophisticated St. Martin
The Radisson St. Martin Resort, Marina & Spa is nestled on Anse Marcel, one of French St. Martin’s best-preserved and most secluded coves. It’s only four hours nonstop from New York City to an oceanfront resort that’s a quintessential island hideaway of brightly colored plantation-style buildings, lush gardens and lazy afternoons under the swaying palms.
Take advantage of the resort’s comprehensive enrichment program, highlighted by cooking classes with executive chef Bruno Brazier, French lessons and evening tastings of local rums and spirits. Or, head into the nearby village of nearby Grand Case, considered by many to be one of the culinary capitals of the Caribbean. Or both.
As part of the inaugural 2009 season, you’ll save up to 36% with a Winter WarmUp Sale. Rates from about $321 per night include daily breakfast at Le Marché. .
Bask in the Bahamas
Music lovers will get together and feel all right at the Marley Resort & Spa, the former family vacation home of Bob, Rita and the whole Marley clan.
Undeniably cool, the resort is an elegant microcosm of African and Caribbean style, located on a private stretch of famed Cable Beach in Nassau, Bahamas.
Generations of Marley music infuse the entire resort, and each of the 16 themed suites centers around Bob Marley’s song titles, including Kinky Reggae, Nice Time and Kaya, among others. With sculptured hand-carved doors, mosaic tiles and intricate stonework, the accommodations and amenities are as beautiful and unusual as the setting.
Tropical rain showers and sumptuous whirlpool tubs come standard, as does unparalleled service that begins the moment you’re greeted at the airport. Take advantage of a 50% savings with the Royal Welcome package — starting at $250 per night in a Deluxe Room — and get treated to an Akwaaba Welcome Touch Foot Ceremony for two. The foot massage with rose petals and Royal Rita bath brew will get every visitor jammin’ to the right vibe.
Awesome Aruba
The Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino contains Aruba’s only private beaches on its exclusive Renaissance Island — a 10-minute boat ride via private launch from inside the hotel’s lobby. Flocked with curious pink flamingos on one side and giant iguanas on the other, the island also has a man-grove-hidden Spa Cove that’s just right for side-by-side massages at sunset.
The Sexy & Sultry Package at Renaissance’s adults-exclusive Marina Hotel, offers a 40% savings — and every third night is free. Also included: a $50 credit at the in-house casino and $50 in cocktail credit, which might come in handy while you watch the sun set at the out-door pool overlooking the harbor.
After dark, the Miami-inspired martini bar lights up to complement the house specialty: blue martinis. Should you accidentally overindulge, a onetime hangover breakfast for two is also part of the package. Rates start at $424 per night.
Seductive St. Lucia
It might be cold outside, but there is one “freeze” you’ll cheer about: the price freeze and rate rollback to be had at the luxury, eco-friendly Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort in luscious St. Lucia. Couple that with “Sun Dollars,” a daily resort credit in effect on all new bookings and the savings climb to 50%.
Spread across 60 acres on an island known for its rainforest preserves and soaring volcanic peaks, Windjammer is celebrated for dramatic sunsets over a crescent-shaped, white-sand beach. Yet it’s also an ideal spot for families, featuring two children’s pools, specially designed menus for smaller guests, and a teen program where teenagers and adults can engage in recreational activities together.
Sun Dollars can be used for food and beverage, spa treatments at Serenity Spa, a sunset sail or zip-lining through the rainforest. Lily Suites, with four-poster beds and private terrace or sun deck, are $260 per night (previously $350) with $130 in resort credit.
Mayan Hideaway
Cocooned on a private beach and entwined in a tropical rainforest, the Tides Riviera Maya inhabits a pocket along the Yucatán Peninsula coast that’s as lush as its name: Playa Xcalacoco, which in the lyrical Mayan tongue means “twin coconut palms.”
With a select number of private villas, hypnotic spa and cuisine, and one of the best stretches of beach in Mexico, this secluded outpost is full of surprises like personal plunge pools, open-air showers, handmade hammocks and lush jungle flora blooming outside your terrace.
As if that’s not enough to seduce you, a Fly Free package will really get you in the mood. Book a minimum four-night visit and get a significant reimbursement on your airfare: up to $500 per person (that’s almost enough for business class!). Simply present your airline ticket at check-in and the credit will be deducted from your bill at checkout. Limit two people per room. Lagoon suites from $570 per night.
from the archive: all that jazz
A friend was asking my advice about her upcoming trip to New Orleans last night, which made me realize that Fat Tuesday is practically upon us. So in advance of Mardi Gras’ parade of excess, I thought I would post this story that came about following a visit I made back in 2007, a little over a year after Katrina made landfall and the city remained desperate for help on all fronts. I returned again in 2009 for Mardi Gras, which turned out to be the best attended celebrations since 2005. Yet away from the crowds and the tourists there still remained so much work to be done for the people who actually live there. The clean-up and rebuilding has progressed at a glacial pace. But I don’t need to tell that to anyone who’s recently visited the open pit that remains in lower Manhattan, do I?
§ § §
“I used to think that Angelina was a slut,” a marketing executive told me over lunch last week in the trendy Warehouse District of New Orleans. “I mean stealing Brad away from poor Jennifer Aniston,” she added with an almost religious fervor before trailing off, realizing that in her excitement to finally talk about something other than Hurricane Katrina, she has perhaps said a bit too much. “I love Jennifer Aniston,” she added sheepishly, as though it were an apology for her momentary outburst.
But who can fault her? New Orleans’ tempered recovery is under relentless media scrutiny these days. To read the papers – or worse, watch the evening news – you’d think the Crescent City had dissolved into Dodge City. Which isn’t the case at all. Yes, crime has spiked in New Orleans, but taken in context it’s the equivalent of the murder rate rising on Staten Island and having that scare tourists away from the Theatre District. As one local resident bluntly summarized the situation: “If you’re not involved in street drugs, you’re not going to get shot.”
So when the world’s most famous couple decided to put down roots in the French Quarter a few months ago and raise their ever-expanding, international family, you can imagine that New Orleanians were not only ecstatic to have something else to talk about, but also to have their Herculean efforts at rebuilding a civil society out of the greatest natural disaster in US history validated, too.
“You still got to get out and see the mess in the lower ninth and St. Bernard’s,” said Marié, a street singer belting out Sophie Tucker songs along St. Peter’s Street, “but maybe now that they’re here, people will understand that we’re not all living in trailers. Bring on the paparazzi,” she laughs as her arms flail up into a touchdown pose. “This is a city that dances at funerals, baby; we’re not going to be beaten down.”
As if to further emphasize that point, the local Times-Picayune reported last month that if you look at a 19th century map of the original city, you’ll also be looking at a map of what was left relatively unscathed by Katrina. The New Orleans that has seduced travelers with its heritage of music, food, and architecture (not to mention the grab bag of writers, artists and freaks) is still intact. It’s just a little less crowded now, having been brought to its economic knees.
If ever there was a city simpatico with what has happened to the Big Easy, it’s the Big Apple. Now more than ever New Orleans needs you – and you need it. Here’s how you can combine a good time with a good deed.
What to do
One of the finest things about New Orleans is that you don’t have to do anything to get the full experience. Dripping with history – and beads – at every corner, a simple walk down the street can yield as many unexpected pleasures as Christmas morning. Browsing antique shops on Royal Street, the galleries of the Warehouse district or the sumptuous architecture of the Garden District can easily eat up an entire weekend. However, if you want a proper tour there’s no better option than local historian Rob Florence’s Historic New Orleans Tours to give you a condensed yet authoritative overview of the many French Quarter highlights such as Pirate’s Alley, the Quadroon Ballroom, the magnificent Pontalba Buildings, Faulkner House and the building where Tennessee Williams wrote A Streetcar Named Desire.
Florence also happens to be an expert on the city’s distinctive aboveground cemeteries and none are as evocative – nor house as many curious characters – as the little St. Louis Cemetery, No. 1 on the edge of the French Quarter. The oldest in the city, it houses the tomb of notorious Voodoo queen, Marie Laveau, along with that of Homer Plessy, the unlucky plaintiff of Plessy v. Ferguson, which enshrined the concept of separate but equal in American law. The imposing Italian Mutual Benefit Association monument was featured in “Easy Rider”: Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson tripped on LSD here before getting amorous atop it with their ladyfriends.
The Old Ursuline Convent is not only the oldest building in the Mississippi Valley (built in 1745 on the orders of Louis XV of France), but also home to the Exhibition of the Vatican Mosaic Studio through June 1st, the first exhibition (and only stop) of these treasures outside of the Vatican. The thirty-seven priceless examples are the perfection of an art form. A room of modern mosaics inspired by the art of van Gogh, Chagall and Monet is outstanding. There is also a local mosaicist on-site demonstrating the craft.
What to eat
It’s been said that people in the Big Easy don’t just eat to live – they live to eat. “You gotta do it the way we do here,” a waiter tells me on my first night in town: “We start planning for dinner while we’re eating breakfast.” The only thing I’d add to that would be to make sure you leave room for dessert.
The clown prince of the Food Network, Emeril Lagasse, may today be atop a global food empire, but it all started here at Emeril’s, the funky Warehouse District restaurant that helped lead the revitalization of the area almost 17 years ago. And while Emeril doesn’t don an apron here much anymore, Chef de Cuisine Christopher Lynch does the ragin’ Cajun proud: crispy Gulf oysters with Manchego fondue get enlivened with smoked pimento, duck schnitzel re-imagines the classic Wiener with roasted shallots and confit and a luscious banana cream pie will haunt your dreams long after you’ve returned home. Emeril’s, 800 Tchoupitoulos Street @ Julia Tel: (504) 528-9393
Louisiana native Chuck Subra’s seafood-oriented menu at La Cote Brasserie draws on the diverse Cajun and Creole cultures that contributed to what we now call South Louisiana cuisine. A crispy whole redfish smothered in okra tomato stew with a cayenne beurre blanc is the perfect example. Charbroiled oysters topped with spinach and parmesan is another winner. In a nod to his grandmother, he’s serving up her hearty duck & andouille gumbo and winning raves. La Cote Brasserie 700 Tchoupitoulos Street Tel: (504) 613-2350
You can tell from the lines out the door that Mother’s is a NOLA institution. Although “that’s nothing,” says owner Jerry Amato, a bear of a man who can often be found directing traffic from a table just inside the door. “Business is off a good fifty, sixty percent.” Which means you won’t have to wait as long for home cooking at its finest: hot fluffy biscuits stuffed with debris (the tasty scraps of beef that fall into the gravy while roasting), jambalaya or their famous baked ham — so famous they go through a whopping 175,000 pounds of it a year. Mother’s 401 Poydras Street Tel: 504-532-9656
What to hear & where to hang
In the city where jazz was born you’d be hard pressed to spend a day here and not hear the euphonious sounds of brass wafting down the street. After you get your feet wet on famous Bourbon Street head to Frenchmen Street in the Marigny neighborhood. Here you’ll find well-kept secrets like Snug Harbor (Ellis Marsalis and Charmaine Neville are regulars most Fridays and Mondays, respectively), d.b.a., where the cover’s never more than $10 and the bar has over twenty quirky brews on draught, or The Spotted Cat for fresh takes on classic big-band jazz and all sorts of funky roots music.
If music is not at the top of your list, sip a Pimm’s Cup in the courtyard at Napoleon House for a quintessential N’awlins experience. Or head to Pat O’Brien’s, birthplace of the iconic – and ironic – Hurricane cocktail. Lucy’s Retired Surfer Bar has the clever A Drink Called Wanda with its very own goldfish and cheap heaps of crawfish on Sunday afternoons.
Where to stay
The 217-room Renaissance Arts Hotel in the hip arts district is a converted turn of the century warehouse. True to its name, this comfortable hotel has cool contemporary art on every available surface: Dale Chihuly, Francis Pavy and Mitchell Gaudet to name but a few. There’s even a sculpture garden inside the atrium and a branch of the esteemed Arthur Roger Gallery located off the lobby – not to mention the many Julia Street galleries right around the corner. Spring rates start at $139 per room. Family packages start at $159 per night and include breakfast and a picnic lunch for four. Renaissance Arts Hotel, 700 Tchoupitoulas Street Tel: (504) 613-2330
Spring rates at the nearby Marriott New Orleans at the Convention Center start as low as just $99 per room. New Orleans Marriott at the Convention Center, 859 Convention Center Boulevard Tel: (504)613-2888
Notes on the Lower Ninth Ward
Just as every tourist that comes to New York feels compelled to visit Ground Zero, so too, do visitors to New Orleans feel drawn to the devastated areas along the city’s perimeter: an area, by the way, three times the size of Manhattan. The scale of it is epic and you cannot really appreciate it – if that’s the right word – until you see it. Nobody wants to gawk, yet the human need to bear witness is a powerful one. Just be sensitive and avoid joining one of those tacky tour buses. Michael Love – a Kiwi transplant involved in building community gardens in the lower Ninth Ward – knows the area well and can escort you through some of the more sensitive areas. You can request him from American Luxury Limos. Tel: (800) 631-5466 or
If what you see moves you to do more, Habitat for Humanity takes volunteers Tuesday through Saturday (504) 861-2077 or you can sign up on the website.