Domaine Carneros in the Napa Valley
Everyone knows that San Francisco is an amazing city, full of culture, natural beauty, and great food. But many people go to San Francisco and miss the opportunity to taste some of the country’s greatest wines, just a stone’s throw away in the Carneros wine region. In less than an hour you can be sipping a fine sparkling wine, Pinot Noir, or Chardonnay while breathing in fresh, country air and feasting your eyes on never ending hills and vineyards.
Here are a few suggestions on where to sample California’s finest:
If you are looking for grand, there are few grander estates in the Napa Valley than Domaine Carneros. This manor on a hill offers tableside tasting service as well as several tours daily. Though a teensy bit touristy, I am still glad we visited as their bubbly is top notch, and the architecture is something out of the French countryside.
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Watch workers dunk shortbread cookies into melted chocolate at Big Island Candies.
Leaving the Hawaiian Islands behind after a beautiful vacation can be bittersweet. But while your bright blue umbrella drink isn’t going to make it through customs, you can take the flavor of the islands home with you in the form of some locally sourced, locally made sweet treats. Neatly packaged and ready to go, these cookies, candies, and snacks are the perfect foil to your back-to-work blues. Read More »
Water rides are just one of the many ways to keep cool while at Disney
It’s about a billion degrees in Orlando during the summer, so how can you stay cool while you visit Walt Disney World? As the poem goes … “Let me count the ways…”
Swimming Pools
The obvious way to stay cool at Walt Disney World is to jump into one of the great pools. Pools like the Hippy Dippy Pool at Disney’s Pop Century, or Nanea (the Volcano Pool) at the Polynesian Resort are – like all of the hotel pools around Disney World – great places to escape the heat.
Water Parks
Another way to get away from the Central Florida summertime furnace is by visiting one of the awesome water parks. Both Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach (the world’s coolest water park) are great for getting out of the broiling sun and into a nice, cool lazy river.
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The beautiful Crystal Springs Reservoir off of Interstate 280
One of the best kept secrets by Bay Area locals, Interstate 280 doubles as a fast commuter road and the most beautiful Interstate in the region. Start by puttering down 19th Avenue through the City. After you pass San Francisco State University and off the city streets, get your speed on. The speed limit on I280 is 65mph, but you’ll see locals driving much faster .
But don’t jet down the asphalt so fast that you miss the change from cityscape to rolling hills dotted with native oaks, elegant mansions, and the occasional herd of cows. The lovely views continue south until Cupertino, where the suburban industry of the Silicon Valley crowds in on the freeway until it becomes I680 and loops around to Milpitas, becoming less pretty and crammed with commuters.
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The Venice in California has canals, too!
Did you know that Venice — the one in California — has canals? Venice, California, was originally modeled after Venice, Italy. Some of the canals are still there, in a beautiful upscale neighborhood, where no cars are allowed. Visiting these canals when visiting famous Venice Beach is a must-see.
Venice Beach is notorious for the sideshow performers, tarot card readers, muscle men lifting weights, roller skaters (still there!), and various other characters. However, tucked away just behind Abbot Kinney Boulevard (a great shopping street), are the original canals, as envisioned by Abbot Kinney himself in 1905. There were originally 16 miles of canals dug, and although only a portion remains, the history is legendary.
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by Patty on July 21, 2010
Believe it or not, there's free yoga to be had in NYC
For you yoga lovers, flowing through poses is an important weekly (if not more) ritual. But, when you’re caught in the whirlwind that is “vacation,” visiting your yoga mat can be tricky. Fortunately, if you’re visiting New York City we’ve got good news for you. In the heart of the East Village on St. Marks Place, Yoga to the People makes keeping up your yoga, while traveling, easy. The studio offers several free, hour-long classes daily where you can stop in, stretch out, and take off to continue your NYC trip. Stay at the Bowery Hotel near Yoga to the People in the East Village.
About the Classes:
Classes cater to all levels of yoga (beginning, intermediate and difficult). Whether this is your first yoga class, or you’ve been practicing for years, you’ll be challenged, encouraged and reminded to attend to your body and your breath because it’s your practice. With a free-spirited, non-competitive atmosphere, this studio epitomizes the relationship between flow and breath, between body and earth. Yoga to the People’s experienced teachers will offer you a series of flows that explore your limitations.
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Top of the Mark at InterContinental Mark Hopkins
For a magical, only-in-San Francisco experience, head to Luce restaurant in the InterContinental San Francisco for “Dinner & Cocktails With A View,” in conjunction with the Top of the Mark at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins.
Every Wednesday through Saturday evening, diners can indulge in a 3-course dinner at Luce created by Chef Dominique Crenn, followed by two classic cocktails at the Top of the Mark on the 19th floor with jaw-dropping 360-degree city views. Or vice-versa, as you can also choose to have the cocktails first, then the dinner afterward.
View from The Top of the Mark
Price is $80 per person and includes dinner at Luce, with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine, and two classic martinis at the Top of the Mark. The price also includes complimentary access to the Top of the Mark, as well as a taxi voucher.
Reservations are required by calling either Luce at (415) 616-6566 or the Top of the Mark at (415) 616-6916.
– Carolyn Jung of FoodGal
The Estate bar in Boston
Whether visiting for the first or the fifteenth time, Boston imbues visitors and residents alike with a patriotic spirit and a sense of American enchantment. It’s one of the few big cities where GLBTs are offered equal rights as first-class citizens and live relatively hassle-free from bigotry and BS. While the nerds hit the books and the heretics hit the “packies” (liquor stores), Boston’s more seasoned, post-pubescent residents revel in the city’s endless choices for awesome dining, adult-style binge drinking, and those “wicked pisser” nights. Below are the best places to party like a rock star this summer (before the 2 a.m. curfew quells your fun)!
28 Degrees – Named after the ideal temperature for martinis, 28 degrees is a sexy South End bar, trendy enough for the muscle hotties but not so pretentious that is scares away the lesbians. The true “gay night” of this bar-and-restaurant combo is Thursdays before going to Glamlife at the Estate, but all other nights of the week the crowd is mixed and pleasant, with a VJ spinning pop favorites via ubiquitous TV screens. In spring and summer, prepare to claw another queen’s eyes out to get a seat on the front patio, an ideal spot for enjoying the super-strong cocktails and talking shit about the people passing by. 1 Appleton St.; (617) 728-0728
Club Cafe – Probably the most popular gay bar in Boston, Club Café has been packing the house since the mid1990s and shows no signs of stopping. Recently renovated in February 2010, Club Café is looking to for a sixth win as “Best of Boston Gay Bar.” The restaurant at the front of the complex boasts a cozy bar, popular seven nights a week. On the weekends, the Club part of Club Café opens up, with two expansive back rooms blasting pop music and bringing together Boston’s cutest nerds, seaside rough trade, and middle-aged professionals. To avoid the new $5 cover and ridiculous lines on Fridays and Saturdays, simply get a membership card from their website. A must try on any visit to Boston. 209 Columbus Ave.; (617) 536-0966
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Oahu has several great golf options visitors can enjoy for less than $50.
Hawaii is famous for many things, including its great golf courses that draw PGA pros and visitors alike. The problem? The greens fees at most of the resort courses are cost prohibitive for many budget-savvy golfers. If you’re more likely to leave a divot than make an eagle shot, but your idea of paradise is still a day on the links, take heart. These three golf courses offer amateurs a chance to golf in Hawaii for less than fifty bucks.
Ala Wai Golf Course: This flat course with Diamond Head views is in the heart of Honolulu. Situated along the Ala Wai Canal and near hotels like the Best Western Coconut Waikiki and the ultra-budget Ocean Resort Hotel Waikiki, this municipal course has two restaurants, and lessons are available. Greens fees are $46 for 18 holes (less for seniors, juniors, or those with a golf ID card). 404 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu. 808-733-7387.
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Try old-school Italian fare at Bamonte's in Brooklyn.
If you’re anywhere near as obsessed with the old-school Italian American culture and aesthetic as I am, you need to get yourself to Bamonte’s in Williamsburg. The atmosphere is an unreal time capsule of 1950s Brooklyn (though it’s been there since 1900). True story: I sat at a table right next to former Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Tommy la Sorda on Easter weekend. Something about this place tells me that probably wasn’t a rare occurrence. This is absolutely the place to take your parents or some out-of-towners in search of an authentic Brooklyn experience.
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