It’s true that when the weather’s steamy, many celebrities choose to retreat to the private pools of their multi-million dollar estates. Others, however, seek fun in the sun on the sandy shore of a picture-perfect beach. Some, like Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, build sand castles with their kids. Athletic … Read more
It’s been over 150 years since the King of Norway entered a proclamation declaring, “From 1854 onward a yearly market shall be held in Røros, commencing the second to last Tuesday in the month of February, and lasting until the following Friday. When the King speaks, Norwegians listen. In February … Read more
In the early 14th century about the time Christianity was introduced in Norway, a number of monks around the country were mastering the art of distillation. I have no idea why monks were making spirits but their efforts produced one that would ultimately become one of Norway’s finest cultural treasures. … 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
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
Warm coral walls accented by soothing sand beige drapes are immediate eye candy as the scent of mango candles and the sound of a soothing water wall almost put you in a trance at the entrance to the Ritz Carlton Spa on Key Biscayne, Florida. Every detail here has been … Read more
The Squire says, “You gotta Borgata!” Izakaya, a modern Japanese pub, has definitely redefined Atlantic City’s dining scene. Inspired by his time living in Japan, Chef Michael Schulson’s first restaurant endeavor, offers guests a unique combination of Japanese cuisine and a dynamic social scene. “Opening my first restaurant at Borgata was a natural decision for … Read more
Park City, Utah is a stunning vacation spot any time of year, but the sleepy ski town truly comes to life in January during the Sundance Film Festival. Every year Hollywood’s hottest stars board Southwest flights with their warmest winter gear, ready to premiere films and party in a very … Read more
Seduction is inevitable at this gilded age estate in the South, where pampering is a birthright and romance comes with the territory. After a few nights in Charleston’s historic postbellum era Wentworth Mansion (circa 1886), you may feel like you were born in the wrong century. Francis S. Rodgers sure … Read more
Do you have a passion for grand dame Victorian hotels? I do. My goal is to try and stay in as many as possible, provided each and every one is luxurious. The Cliff House in Manitou Springs, Colorado harks back to that glorious era of gilt, velvet and over the … Read more
What makes The Spa at Miami’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Florida’s only five star rated spa by Forbes travel guide? Forbes was clearly impressed, first, by the intimate lobby scented with jasmine and toned by tranquil music. Guests are treated like royalty at this posh but not pretentious resort away from … Read more
The Broadmoor, set against the majesty of the Rocky Mountains, is the Grand Dame of Colorado hotels. The luxury property has held the Forbes (formerly Mobil) Five Star and AAA Five Diamond designation longer than any other hotel in the country (Stars since 1960 and Diamonds since 1976). This Colorado … Read more
Elounda, Crete Every now and then a hotel comes along that defies predictability and shakes a fist at standards. Nestled in a cove on a steep hill plunging down to the Bay of Mirabello in Elounda, Crete, The Porto Elounda Deluxe Resort is one of them. A big stylized “E” … Read more
When I lived in West Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall, cities across the border in the Communist East Bloc seemed a world away. Any travel to East Germany was especially restricted, and the red tape required for visiting wasn’t worth the hassle. But all that has changed, … Read more
The Radisson Blu brand has arrived in the U.S. and landed in downtown Chicago in the Aqua Tower, an 18 story building designed by environmentally conscious architect, Jeanne Gang, of Studio Gang Architects. The building was designed with a lot of open space that is immediately noticeable in the public … Read more