Thom Meintel 
Now that the dog days of summer have transitioned to chilly autumn days, our tastes have changed along with the temperatures. Fall is the perfect season to explore the myriad of flavor profiles offered up in the increasingly popular craft cocktail bars around the globe.
A stay at the Hotel Itsas Mendia, in the quaint town of Bidart just a few miles down the coast from Biarritz, France, is like a visit to your rich uncle’s seaside villa.
Hotel bars have come a long way in the last few years. Here are the Squire’s favorites in Australia, Los Angeles, New York and Las Vegas.
[alert type=white] From the TS Editors: In the first of this 2 part series, the TravelSquire reports on the Met’s current out of the box offerings (at both branches) this summer for residents and lucky visitors to the island of Manhattan. [/alert] With a fresh new red logo, the rebranded … Read more
Some kids are suckers for trains. I admit I was one of them. At least once or twice a week a few of us “trainies” would head for the local tracks near the neighborhood and try to clock in the speeds as the shiny cars sped along a (now … Read more
Like its twin sister Sydney, Auckland is all about the harbor with sailboats bobbing in the distance and views to the busy Bayswater marina and the well-heeled (and very close) suburbs a few minutes away. So, it’s no surprise that Hilton snagged a prime slice of real estate there and … Read more
Whoever decreed that less is more certainly has not stayed at the Sofitel Los Angeles during the Christmas holiday season. The dazzling lobby which already is a masterpiece of sheen and shine and typically looks like a Fred and Ginger stage set had been transformed with a generous blaze of … Read more
The Japanese Izakaya concept seems to have gained prominence far and wide in the last year and Auckland, New Zealand is no exception. Essentially Japanese bar food eaten with liberal amounts of alcoholic beverages, the movement has spawned variations and it’s possible that in another year it will have morphed … Read more
If you were one of the millions of viewers glued to your television screen last year during the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade you’re certain of one thing. It just keeps getting better year after year. And let’s face it. That is definitely not true of most things today. With … Read more
History has a funny way of weaving its way in and out of our lives. Some of us are lured to it, others perplexed as to how to reconcile the past with our high tech lives we maintain. Even if you could care less about the Louisiana Purchase and the … Read more
If anyone is wondering what the Kimpton Hotel Group is up to in San Francisco, it looks like they may be taking a cue from the Ace Hotel properties. The darling of the hospitality scene these last few years, Ace made an impact on young urban travelers by turning rundown … Read more
In the 1985 film The Trip to Bountiful, an old woman longs to return to her childhood home, a small Texas town called Bountiful. Unbeknownst to her, her memory of the place would be all that is left when she gets there, the town having been devastated by the Great … Read more
It took a little white but Florentine designer Roberto Cavalli finally managed to make the fashion pack sit-up and take notice. With a global empire of stores in 33 countries around the world, it’s safe to say he is well on his way to becoming an icon in Italian fashion. … Read more
It’s 9AM on a Saturday and Baked on Main Street is buzzing. Things get going early here in Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon. With more than 10 varieties of home baked scones and over a dozen kinds of coffee, Baked is the town’s indie alternative to Starbuck’s up the … Read more
Las Vegas is a city of surprises. After all this is a town that sprung from nothing in the middle of the desert and boy, it never lets you forget it. So, when I pulled up to The Aria Hotel in a taxi I was ready for some eye popping … Read more