The sparkling star trailing the word “Riviera” in the Riviera Hotel’s exterior signage said it all. This was a place where your inner star can shine. I was back in the hedonistic desert city of Palm Springs (move over Las Vegas) after an absence of 20 years and as I … Read more
Famous for its pristine beaches and glamorous nightlife, Miami’s star hasn’t lost any lustre; in fact it’s brighter than ever. Once equated with crime and retirement, the city has staked its claim as a venerable tourist mecca anytime of the year even when the sizzling dog days of summer … Read more
Not that it likes to boast, but Cannes moves in famous circles. Every May the great and good of the movie industry descend on the small French town for the Cannes Film Festival, a red carpet event that transforms this Cote d’Azur resort into a celebrity circus. Actually, Cannes does … Read more
I’m wandering among castle tunnels in the Castilla y León region of northwestern Spain, wondering what the walls would say if they could speak. But they are silent, buffeted on either side by oak barrels numbering in the thousands. The tunnels weave through the interior of a mountain leading up … Read more
Sprawling over 5,200 square miles and with upwards of 35 million residents, greater Tokyo is the world’s largest metropolis. Scores of museums and attractions, parks and gardens, restaurants and nightspots tempt visitors. New attractions, like Tokyo Skytree, the world’s tallest freestanding tower, keep Japan’s capital on the cutting edge. But … Read more
To say that Costa Rica is a country of stark contrasts is an understatement. I mean, how can a country roughly the size of New Hampshire and Vermont combined, offer such diversity? Two distinct coastal regions, 12 microclimates, three major mountain ranges, dense rainforests, 500+ species of flora and fauna, … Read more
Regardless of all the hoopla over a new Pope being elected, the Eternal City will always be home to a tourist trifecta: historical attractions, inspiring views and delicious food. When it comes to a well-trodden destination like this, there’s not much that hasn’t been said, but what we can say … Read more
If you’re thinking about heading to Canada this summer, learn your ABC’s … Alberta, Banff and Calgary. It was July and I was searching for my cowboy boots, which hadn’t been on my feet since that wild Halloween night when I dressed up like a cowboy. But this time it … Read more
As if a stay in London’s absolutely fabulous Chelsea could get any more fabulous, the Draycott Hotel, a romantic town house property around the corner from Chelsea’s Slone Square, is currently offering guests an experience that combines personal shopping with a celebrity stylist. I mean does it get any better … Read more
When the Puget Sound seaport of Port Townsend was founded in 1851, some considered it a “City of Dreams.” Settled on the heels of the Gold Rush, there were hopes that it would thrive as the largest port on the west coast, a gateway to the Northwest. Others called it … Read more
Fiercely proud of its starring role as the birthplace of the U.S., Philadelphia, long lauded for its historical significance, is practically a cultural goldmine. Forget that Rocky famously put it on the map years ago running through its gritty Italian market and up the Art Museum steps. Today, the Mummers … Read more
I was reluctant to visit Thailand thanks to its reputation as a haven for sexpats – old geezers with their drooping, chicken skin arms around the shoulders of girls and boys forty years younger. But when I realized how much I loved the spices of Southeast Asia, and legitimate massages, I … Read more
While residing in one of America’s five most populous cities certainly has its rewards (museums, shopping, entertainment, and awesome food), space to spread out is not one of them. For the cost of a three bedroom home on Long Island, NY, you’d barely net a decent studio apartment in downtown … Read more
Mention “Galilee,” and, for many, miraculous tales of Jesus Christ and his disciples come to mind. But this legendary destination, about two hours’ drive north of Tel Aviv, is also where Jewish “Men of Deeds” performed miracles in ancient Roman times, and where rabbis developed the Kabbalah, a branch of … Read more
It’s ironic that one of America’s oldest cities is one of its most up-and-coming. Over the last few years, our nation’s capital has become younger, more culturally relevant, and more fun than ever before. Thanks to its compact size, abundance of recent college grads and a surplus of after-work bars, … Read more