Hotels & Lodging Restaurants The Rockies Travel: Hotels & Lodging Restaurants The Beach The Rockies Travel
by maribeth
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Grace and Grandeur on Florida’s Gold Coast
Florida's Gold Coast
I’ve been hanging out in Aspen for nearly two weeks now. I often spend a part of off-season here with my dad in his condo where he resides part-time. We both enjoy this in-between time when the crowds have gone home and life is no busier than the patio of Mezzaluna on a bright, spring day. (Still totally manageable.) There’s also more to do and see here than in Telluride during the shoulder season, especially with Aspen Highlands remaining open an extra two weekends in April. (More on that later.)
As our high-altitude sun melts the winter snow, however, I can’t help thinking about how nice it would be to find myself on a beach. Thankfully I’m able to live many wonderful travel experiences through friends and contributors that dutifully report back to me. So when I can carve out the time to travel some distance, I know exactly where I want to find myself.
A Colorful Cozy Nook at The Colony Hotel & Cabana Club
I recently sent my friend Peter, from Resort Maps, to The Colony Hotel & Cabana Club in Delray Beach, Florida. He selected Delray Beach; I zeroed in on The Colony. Both proved to be winning choices. (Resort Maps exist in some of the most charming travel destinations in the U.S. and Peter was headed there on business which proved to me that Delray Beach was a place to report on.) Known as an artists’ colony during the 1940s, Delray Beach is still considered to be a hip, trendy destination today. I recommended Peter stay at The Colony Hotel & Cabana Club, an historic landmark built in 1926 that is a member of Historic Hotels of America (a clear sign of distinction!). I didn’t know that this part of Florida’s Gold Coast exuded so much history and grace, but clearly there’s a surplus of it in Delray Beach as well as at The Colony where Old Florida meets today’s sunny chic. One of the highlights of The Colony is lunch at the Cabana Club, an unpretentious haven of calm along the Atlantic where lunch is served to hotel guests and club members only. Peter enjoyed a hamburger there with friends while I drooled over the pictures.
Boca Raton Resort & Club
He experienced an even more elevated culinary experience at Morimoto, a stunning sushi restaurant, headed by Masahuru Morimoto (of Iron Chef fame), located within the tony confines of the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Boca—like nearby Delray—is steeped in history and the Boca Raton Resort & Club radiates all the glamour and glitz of its roaring Twenties era. And then some. Built the same year as The Colony by legendary architect Addison Mizner, this icon of elegance blossomed from a 100-room hotel (the most expensive ever constructed at the time) to a 1,000 plus-room resort now part of The Waldorf-Astoria Collection. Modeled after a Spanish castle, I liken this impressive assemblage of buildings and outcroppings to The Broadmoor, the Grande Dame of the Rockies in Colorado Springs. Fortunately I can speak about the Broadmoor from firsthand experience, although my Boca Raton Resort & Club information has come from a variety of sources including Carole Boucard, P.R. Director of the resort. Carole recently chatted about Boca and her fine property on Travel Fun and the feedback from members of my audience was remarkable. Both the radio interview and its announcement prompted many people to write in about their memorable experiences at the resort and its environs. Clearly the Boca Raton Resort & Club ranks as one of America’s more treasured places of lodging. And their selection of dining options places them as an important culinary destination along Florida’s Gold Coast as well.
Morimoto: One of Many Superlative Restaurants at the Boca Raton Resort & Club
Carole rounded out our program by informing me about some of the hotel’s great summer deals, many of which must be booked by May 10th. I quickly thought about the often chilly string of days that typically occur here in the Rockies during July and August, the period so aptly named monsoon season. For me, the current so-called mud season is just a small puddle to cross compared to those months. I’m happy to hole myself up in Aspen as the warm days of spring emerge between a torrent of wet, snowy days. But I’m thinking about more balmy locales nonetheless and Delray Beach and Boca Raton, both just a short distance from easy-to-get-to Miami, have recently been added to my must-see list of destinations. And, of course, I’m a sucker for historic properties every time.
Porch Days Are Calling at the Boca Raton Resort & Club
The Colony Hotel & Cabana Club, 525 East Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, 561-276-4123, www.thecolonyhotel.com
Boca Resort & Club, 501 East Camino Real, Boca Raton, 888-491-2622, www.bocaresort.com
More Colony Quaintness
Suggested Reading
“Boomtime Boca: Boca Raton in the 1920s,” by Susan Gill and The Boca Raton
Historical Society
“The Boca Raton Resort & Club: Mizner’s Inn,” by Donald Curl and The Boca Raton Historical Society
“Skinny Dip,” by Carl Hiaasen
Boca Resort Dressed for a Wedding
Thank you to Bob Biener, one of my Travel Fun readers and listeners, who passed on the above photo (and many more fabulous shots) to me. His cousin was married at the resort just recently.
Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Romance & Relationships Skiing & Snowboarding The Rockies Travel: Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Skiing & Snowboarding The Rockies Travel
by maribeth
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Weekend Expectations
It’s often recommended not to have any expectations. But how can you not when it comes to a weekend getaway? I’m sure even guys think (O.K., fantasize) about what they want out of a romantic weekend away. That’s part of the fun. Call it another form of travel planning.
I’m trying not to think too much about my plans for this weekend. Yet still little glimmers of mostly romantic moments keep popping into my mind. Let’s face it, even if it’s not fireworks it darn well had better be good. And how do I define good? Nothing short of blissful togetherness. Perfect harmony where the mere thought of it all coming to an end makes both of our hearts sink.
Vail is closing for the season this weekend and I thought it would be great to take in the festivities with Steve, my new love. Normally I wouldn’t question (even remotely!) if all would go well but there’s a big storm in the forecast and Saturday is looking like a powder day. There are no friends on powder days as the saying goes, and I found this out for real back in January when we took our first weekend away.
We both were incredibly psyched about discovering Crested Butte, a spectacular Colorado destination known for its rugged terrain, authentic spirit and quaint Victorian town. Neither of us had spent any real time there, so it was uncharted territory for us both. Truly though I think it was the idea of spending forty-eight hours together that appealed to us the most.
The Pearl Room at The Crested Butte Retreat
The drive there couldn’t have been more perfect since we talked nonstop, sharing thoughts, dreams and ideas that we hadn’t yet revealed in previous conversations. We tiptoed in to The Crested Butte Retreat, a high-end bed-and-breakfast that I had located on the Internet. Our meeting with our gracious hosts would wait until morning. We pushed open the door to the Pearl Room (also known as the Honeymoon Suite) and sauntered into an immense, milky-colored space, twice the size of my apartment back home. We savored a glass of red wine on the loveseat before falling into bed, totally smitten with each other and our surroundings.
We Could Ski Right Outside the Door of The Crested Butte Retreat
After an elegant breakfast together, we left practically hand in hand for the slopes the next day. It was a perfect day, punctuated by many fun runs together on Crested Butte’s craggy slopes and one long break at the Ice Bar, a popular gathering spot on the mountain where we gulped frosty beers and snuggled up to each other at a wraparound bar made entirely of blocks of ice. We cooed some more over an après-ski hot chocolate and then rushed back to the Retreat for a quick change for dinner. (We even endured a goof up with the public transportation which resulted in us missing a bus and having to wait a near eternity for another. We didn’t care much though; we were one with each other.)
We opted out of a romantic dinner à deux to dine with Ken and Kim Stone, two incredibly warm and enthusiastic people that both Steve and I knew from their time in Telluride. As the CEO of Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Ken provided us with the full rundown on this once rough-around-the-edges mountain town that is morphing into a more sophisticated destination for outdoor enthusiasts in the know. We chatted about this evolution over cheese fondue and juicy steaks in the uber sleek setting of the newly opened Prime in Elevation Hotel at Mt. Crested Butte. No one, of course, could have asked for a better introduction to the Butte.
We fell asleep in each others arms, professing our utter contentment with each other and openly stated that something had to bring us back to reality. It was almost dizzying to feel so high up in the clouds.
Be careful what you wish for—I’ve been warned of that many times, too. Our fluffy white haze turned into a big, dark thunderhead that rained upset and grief upon us by mid Sunday afternoon. The day started out excitedly: Steve was pumped about skiing powder with Ken and Kim and I felt proud of myself for giving him space to knock himself out since I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep up with them on Crested Butte’s renowned double diamonds. The plan was that I would go on a Meet the Mountain tour and meet him for lunch. All was well in honeymoon land.
By almost 2 p.m., however, I was a wreck. He never showed up for lunch. “What? How could you forget?” I cried in between sobs.
“I don’t know, I just spaced it. I’m sorry. I screwed up.”
High Drama Hot Tub
Our weekend was irretrievable. Even a late check out and a long soak in the Honeymoon hot tub, couldn’t take us back to the soft space we had created together the first 3/4 of our weekend away. It took more time than that for both of us to fully recover.
Now here we are on the eve of another ski weekend away, another powder day. It would be silly for me not to expect to have it go well. But if there is a glitch, maybe now I wouldn’t take it quite so personally. Travel, after all, always brings out the best and the worst in relationships.
The Crested Butte Retreat, 970-349-1701, www.crestedbutteretreat.com ; please note that since this story was posted, The Crested Butte Retreat is no longer operating as an inn. You may, however, rent out the entire property for special retreats.
Crested Butte Mountain Resort, 800-810-7669, www.skicb.com
Prime in the Elevation Hotel at Mt. Crested Butte, 970-251-3030, www.skicb.com/cbmr/things-to-do/dining-mtcrestedbutte
Crested Butte is known for its proliferation of wildflowers in the summer. I have never seen this spectacular display but hope to some day soon. Maybe it will provide me with the opportunity to rewrite our ending in the Honeymoon Suite.
Hillside of Flowers in Front of The Crested Butte Retreat
Art & Culture Colorado Denver Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Travel: Art & Culture Colorado Denver Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Travel
by maribeth
1 comment
Viva Italia, Viva Italian Americans, Viva la Dolce Vita in Denver
The Sweet Life: Italian Style
Clemente. My name ends with a vowel, just like Delgato, Cardaluccio, pizza. When my grandparents emigrated from Italy our name was actually spelled Clementi. They Americanized it somewhat with an “e.” Even Frankie Valli once contemplated making his stage name Vally with a “y.” But he opted to be a good ‘ole Jersey Boy and settled on Valli and in so doing preserved more of his Italian heritage.
Jersey Boys: Italian American Guys
My dad is a Frankie, too. Not from Jersey but from Troy, New York. Close enough. Recently the music of the Jersey Boys helped him to reconnect with his roots. I spent a lot of time back east this past summer helping my father get through a difficult passage in his life and every step of the way we were serenaded by the melodious and memorable sounds of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. We became Jersey Boys addicts. My dad had seen this explosive Broadway show that recounts the story of four Italian American guys and their rise to fame last spring. Their hits from “Sherry” to “Oh, What a Night” to “My Eyes Adored You” to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” and more buoyed him up to a place of joy he had not known in quite some time. Through this music, I could tell my dad was retracing part of his own story. And I was right there with him, rediscovering a sound and a slice of Italian American culture I had not paid much attention to in quite some time.
Seizing the World
Stephen Allen: Riding for a Cause
“It’s possible to accomplish a great deal so long as you have passion, simple tools and a group of close friends with enthusiasm for the project,” says local Tellurider Stephen Allen. Stephen and I met in October when he came on Travel Fun for a last-minute radio interview just before heading out on an around-the-world bicycling tour. Such a journey would seem daunting for just about anybody, but Stephen is not your average guy. He’s incredibly motivated and determined not to let life’s hurdles get in his way. He was thrown a real curve ball almost ten years ago in high school when he learned he had epilepsy; not surprisingly, however, it seems that that has forced him to be even more focused on making a difference in the world.
So far Stephen has logged close to 2,000 miles on his bike as he worked his way down from Colorado to New Mexico, across Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee and as I write this, Mississippi. His goal is to promote active living with epilepsy and to raise money for research. He has been accomplishing much of this by giving presentations in bookstores, bike shops and a variety of other venues along the way. He’s headed to Charleston, South Carolina where he’ll fly out for Europe on December 8th to embark upon the international portion of his expedition. His mom, Susan, informed me that he’s pedaled with a number of different people at various intervals along the way. In all, Stephen thinks his grand tour might last two years. You can learn more about living with epilepsy and Stephen’s travels at Seize the World. Take a moment, too, to read my write up on him and my blurbs on other important organizations and causes on my Giving page.
May the wind always be at your back, Stephen, or at least may the headwinds be manageable!
His Round-the-World Rig
Book Pick
“The Monkey Wrench Gang,” by Edward Abbey. “My trip will be much cleaner, much more sober, much more organized, much less violent and (hopefully) more sustainable than Edward Abbey’s case, but the underlying dreams are similar,” Stephen wrote to me just before heading out.
Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Travel: Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Travel
by maribeth
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Prague: More Eastern European Splendor
Terrace Dining At Allegro in Prague
Many people do the trifecta in this part of the world: a sybaritic journey that encompasses Budapest, Prague and Vienna. My friends, Denise and Alan, combined their September trip to Budapest with Prague, a sensible decision since prices in Vienna weigh in considerably more.
With only a five-hour drive or a one-hour flight between these two great Eastern European capitals, a visit to both seems like a must, especially if a rich cultural scene and outstanding Old World architecture figure among your requisites of a memorable vacation. Known as the Paris of the north, Prague also begs to be explored by foot, mostly since the majority of the main attractions are located within the city center. With three major opera houses and several other prominent cultural hubs, Prague also boasts a vibrant music scene, although expect to pay a bit more here to attend events than in neighboring Budapest.
According to my extremely well-traveled friend, Denise, this seemed to be the case across the board. She found Prague to be a notch or two up from Budapest—price-wise—although still significantly less than most other major European cities. A dinner for two with wine, for example, rang in about $80. to $100., noticeably more than the same in Budapest.
Czech cuisine, known for its large meat and potatoes emphasis, did not impress Denise nearly as much as the food and wine of Budapest, yet her entire gastronomic experience in Prague was certainly blown off the charts by her meal at Allegro, the only one-star Michelin restaurant in all of Central and Eastern Europe. It came as no surprise that it was housed within the elegant confines of the Four Seasons Hotel Prague, another outstanding property embellished with world-class artwork and situated on the banks of a historic river. As the name indicates, Allegro features an Italian cuisine, one that is especially refined and served in a stunning setting, itself worthy of five stars.
Italian Elegance in the Czech Republic
It seems as though the Four Seasons name is still more accessible in Eastern Europe than in other parts of the world. Eastern Europe has not yet adopted the euro, so one can only imagine how long it will stay that way. It might be a good time to start planning a trip to this part of the world soon. With travel deals the way they are now, you might even be able to swing Vienna.
Four Seasons Hotel Prague, 420-221-427-000; www.fourseasons.com/prague
For more Money Saving Travel Tips, go to my Tips page.
Art & Culture Food & Wine Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Spas Travel: Art & Culture Budapest Eastern Europe Food & Wine Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Spas Travel
by maribeth
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Budapest: For Lovers Young and Not-So Young
A Glittering City
People often tell me they live vicariously through me. Generally they’re referring to my travel adventures and stories rather than the more tedious aspects of my single woman’s life, I imagine. (Although my romantic encounters can, I suppose, be sometimes viewed as out of the ordinary!) I rarely envy other peoples’ travels, mostly because I often see them as uniquely their own. But recently I arranged for my friend, Denise, and her husband, Alan, to go on a trip where I imagined myself every step of the way. It turned out to be a most romantic journey and I’m sure part of me not only coveted her travels but I also imagined myself experiencing this magical city—that always intrigued me—with my own special someone. Oh well, thankfully my life isn’t over yet!
Folk Dancers at the Wine Festival
The Hungarian capital of Budapest was her chosen destination, a selection made partly because of her husband’s Hungarian ancestry. Denise and Alan divided one week between Budapest and Prague; the another was passed in the Hungarian countryside where they found it to be quite easy to explore by car. As in France and other European countries, good signage in Hungary is more the norm than the exception.
Largely considered one of the most beautiful cities of Europe, Budapest is most typified by the Danube, the river made known probably first as a frontier of the Roman Empire and more recently (in 1867!) by a Viennese waltz that will forever evoke merriment and optimism. Classified as World Heritage sites, the two banks of the Danube, Buda and Pest, are punctuated by many great buildings and monuments, some of which house hotels that overlook the legendary blue swath of the Danube.
Beauty Travel: Beauty Travel
by maribeth
Comments Off on Mariel and Munchies on My Mind
Mariel and Munchies on My Mind
These are indeed challenging times. And to make matters worse, I’m torn between trying to get into good ski shape and satisfying my autumnal urges of snacking on candy and indulging in extra amounts of pasta and bread. It already feels like winter now in Telluride and many of us are fighting the urge to crawl into hibernation like our resident bears.
I feel guilty trampling up the snowy ski run outside my place, forever mindful of the need for the mountain to build up its base. So in between ski conditioning classes, I’ve mostly taken to doing exercises in my living room, in the morning in front of the Today show, before the rush of the day begins. And I’ve been thinking of Mariel every day. Mariel Hemingway that is.
Mariel Hemingway
I interviewed this world-renowned celebrity and leading voice for holistic and balanced living on Travel Fun last spring. We chatted a lot about her book, “Mariel Hemingway’s Healthy Living from the Inside Out.” In the introduction to this work she explains how she set about undoing the extremism she’d inherited from her family—the running-with-the-bulls approach to life encoded deeply in the Hemingway DNA. Much of what she talked about resonated greatly with me, particularly her approach to exercise and preparing healthy snacks for travel.
Mariel believes that if you exercise with intention, you can cut the amount of time you do it in half. Mindset and intention seem to be the foundation of much of Mariel’s beliefs. So I pull in my abs and tighten my butt—engaging my thoughts and core as much as I can—as I work through my little morning routine. My desk is just a few steps away, luring me in with an inbox full of e-mails that need to be answered—so my need to cut my exercise time in half swells with each passing minute. Thank you, Mariel, for making it perfectly O.K. for me to do a mini workout.
Miss Hemingway pops into my mind yet again when I think of how she talked about minimizing your intake of “noisy” food such as sweets, caffeine, and alcohol. “These noisy foods disable you to listen to the signals of your own body,” Mariel says. I do half regular/half decaf with my coffee and snack on fruit and nuts (sometimes!) instead of leftover Halloween candy.
Still, I’m conflicted. Thoughts of cognac-infused chocolate truffles, butter ladened with granules of sea salt, creamy pâtés, slabs of smoked bacon, nutty-flavored cheeses, ruby-red wines and many more sweet and savory comestibles occupy my mind, stimulating my taste buds, leaving me yearning for the holiday season when over indulgence is an inevitable part of our lives. (Thank goodness I can attempt to counter its effects with a long string of days on the slopes.) Glorious treats have become more of an obsession of late since I’m working on preparing my annual Holiday Online Shopping Recommendation Mailing. This year will be better than ever for both food and nonfood items, so you must check it out. If you don’t already receive my mailings, you can sign up here.
I have to wrap this up now to run off to do a few errands. Thankfully I’m pondering what healthy munchies I can bring along à la Mariel Hemingway.
Travel Tips from Mariel Hemingway
(Note that most of these apply to your life at home as well.)
-Take the time to prepare foods that will nurture you on your travels. “The food in first class isn’t even that good,” Mariel says. So she delights in bringing her own containers of favorite foods such as salads, fruits, nuts, and her own sugar-free cookies that will soon be available as part of Mariel’s Kitchen.
-Always work in some form of exercise while traveling. “I think walking and travel make the perfect mariage,” Mariel says. And if the weather is inclement, Mariel recommends yoga. Practicing yoga taught Mariel to slow down.
-Silence will help you to better tune into yourself and to achieve calm, even if you’re racing around in a foreign megalopolis. Mariel feels there are many ways to softly fall into your own silence including a short meditation or a long, luxurious bath.
-“I make home when I travel,” Mariel says. So do I, and I hope you do as well. Mariel creates a homey environment by bringing along candles and her yoga mat. “It’s important to have a sacred space that will help you to connect with your inner self,” she adds.
“I find travel to be a booster to health and well-being,” Mariel says.
Mariel’s Basic Tenets
-Find your own balance with food, exercise, silence and home.
-Slow down.
-Breathe.
-Throw out perfectionism.
Be sure to check out Mariel’s Web site and blog at www.marielhemingway.com.
Book Pick
“Healthy Living from the Inside Out: Every Woman’s Guide to Real Beauty, Renewed Energy, and a Radiant Life,” by Mariel Hemingway. It’s excellent for men, too!
Art & Culture Four Corners Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Spas The Rockies Travel: Art & Culture Four Corners Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Spas The Rockies Travel
by maribeth
5 comments
Going to Gateway
Red Rock Grandeur
“Now why did you say you wanted to come here again?” I asked my friend, Paula, as we stopped in this middle-of-nowhere place called Paradox, squinting beneath the beating sun in search of a gas station, a store or some other significant sign of life. My head pounded fiercely by now and both our car and I were positively parched.
“I wanted to take some pictures of Paradox Valley, you know for that contest I told you about, the one to raise awareness about possible uranium mining in the area,” Paula replied as she drove across verdant plains framed by cliffs the color of buff, sandstone and ochre. This contrasting display of nature must be the paradox, I blithely thought to myself as my head throbbed and we rolled through this shadow of a town, Paula clicking her camera like a sniper in a passing S.U.V.
We realized by now that there was no easy way to cleave our way through these rocky walls to Gateway, our ultimate destination, normally just a two-hour plus drive northwest of Telluride. Our detour to Paradox had proved scenic enough, but now we needed to speed up our travels. We had no choice than to turn around and drive back to Bedrock, the little speck we passed through on our way to Paradox Valley.
