The Setai brand is known for turning heads when it comes to hospitality and in that sense singlehandedly brought a sense of refinement when they arrived on Miami’s South Beach scene some 10 years ago. One of the last of a series of new construction projects along the famous white … Read more
We don’t know about you but here in New York City the cold weather has us dreaming about spring break and summer vacations. Let’s face it; we should all get outa’ town and head straight for Key West or catch a flight to some dreamy warm destination. How about Trinidad … Read more
Rain is pounding the parked cars while the wind rips through the tall palm trees lining scenic South Pointe Drive. Their ominous swaying in the gutsy breeze becomes a riveting scene for the few folks brave enough to be out on this awful day. A pick-up truck with protruding surfboards … Read more
It’s exciting to see what the big gun hotel groups do in a resort destination, especially one with a pedigree like Miami. Enter the InterContinental Hotel and Toro Toro, a daring new concept in hotel restaurants by Richard Sandoval. The hotel is visible before even setting foot inside, the monolithic … Read more
Crystal chandeliers, faux wrought iron flourishes, low lights over the bar and a beautiful view onto Berzcy Park with a fully illuminated fountain set the stage for Lucien, an offbeat nouveau bistro in downtown Toronto with aspirations of epicurean greatness. It won’t be hard for them to reach that with … Read more
It was 8:30 on the Saturday night of White Party weekend and my partner still had nothing white to wear to the crown jewel of White Party Week in Miami, the White Party itself. I’d waited 28 years to get to the biggest and the best gay party on … Read more
Whether or not Niagara-on-the-Lake is the prettiest town in North America is up for debate, but if you ask Marian Markarian, trip advisor at Niagara Wine Tours International, you’ll get a resounding “Absolutely.” With its stately homes, pristine lawns and manicured gardens, a Main Street to rival any quaint New … Read more
A visit to Thasos Greek Taverna should be made in two parts. By day the restaurant’s blinding all-white color scheme is eye popping. By night the intricate exterior light show on the roof and façade of the simple white structure becomes a dazzling beacon for everyone smart enough to follow … Read more
It isn’t easy to match a single word with every hotel you’ve experienced in your travels but word association comes easy when it comes to the Windsor Arms in Toronto – discreet. You realize this at check-in when you’re introduced to your butler. Don’t think starched collar and white gloves, … Read more
Perhaps you’ve seen the film or at least the overplayed cigarette lighting scene on an Oscars telecast. Bette Davis as Charlotte Vale, heiress to be from a prominent Boston family, has a tragic nervous breakdown, gets shipped off to a sanitarium, loses 50 lbs. and is handed the offer of … Read more
A deep salmon pink beckons the lucky diner that ventures down the long staircase to Koukoumavlos Restaurant in Fira, Santorini. Located below the Atlantis Hotel and the Metropolis at the quiet, eastern corner of Fira, the restaurant was once an 18th century sea captain’s abode. The color of this spectacular … 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
A large open air patio cooled by swirling ceiling fans lures you into Landhuis Daniel, a stunning tropical setting that appears at the end of a drive down a long country road. Chirping crickets and the bling of an occasional firefly provide the perfect setting for romance, along with world … Read more
A striking amber chandelier leads the way into Selene’s dining room. It definitely belongs in the Dale Chihuly school of art glass fixtures but it has a freeform composition that can only be the representation of the Greek spirit. It’s also emblematic of the restaurant’s inventiveness, the glow casting a … Read more
If someone came up with the wild idea to start rating hotels by their gyms, Hotel Avila would be at the top. How many times have we suffered through vacations with only a stationary bicycle in a hot room with no air conditioning? Too many, I’m afraid. Guess what? Get … Read more