All posts filed under: Honeymoon destinations

boutique hotel pick – hotel yountville – napa valley, california

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I realize that most hotels I picked in the past  are ones I want to escape to outside of the US, but I had forgotten about the ones I don’t mind escaping to even for the weekend and those I want to recommend to my foreign followers. I don’t need to sell Napa valley to anyone visiting the great state of California, but I do want to remind those not familiar with the region, Yountville is the place to consider when choosing a hotel to stay in,  while visiting one of my favorite wine regions in the world – Napa Valley. Lucky for me it’s in my back yard.  The hotel is called   Hotel Yountville, and is ideally located almost in the center of Napa Valley. There are several restaurants to choose from for your dining pleasure and plenty of shops and boutiques and an outlet to keep you busy. There is also a golf course directly across the freeway from Yountville for those not interested in indulging in our California wines. While in Yountville, be sure to dine at my favorite …

how to avoid over exposure from the sun while vacationing in the french riviera

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We humans are conditioned to be careful as to how much time we spend in the sun on a daily basis. Now although the sun is good for us, in small doses, it is also damaging in more ways than one.  I happen to worship the sun and while vacationing in the French Riviera,  I must say, I have a difficult time staying indoors. So to avoid over exposure, while still enjoying the sunshine, I normally spend the middle of the day (when the UV Rays  are the most damaging) walking through the backroads of the towns aligning the coast. Typically the backroads are (mostly) in the shade because of the narrow alleyway-like streets and the closeness of the buildings facing each other on either side of those “street”. This combination, not only makes for the best hideaway from the sun,  but also gives me a chance to cool down naturally while enjoying the scenery. 🙂  Oh silly me. Here are some of my favorite (touched up) photos of our treks through the backroads of the …

boutique hotel pick – tharroe of mykonos, greece

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Right about now, exactly right now, I am seeing myself in a far away place, where I could nap alongside the pool, or sit on a lounge chair on the balcony of my suite and watch the world go by and just maybe make an effort to leave the hotel just to experience the nightlife on the island of Mykonos, Greece. To make this happen, I have to include one of my favorite hotels on Mykonos – Tharroe Of Mykonos, to set the stage for one of the most relaxing holidays/vacations imaginable.  BTW this would make a wonderful Mother’s Day gift:  

shifting gears to travel

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By the beginning of April I am planning my next trip to (mostly) Europe. However, as we know it, the wedding got in the way 😉  But after taking a few days to recover I am now  mentally prepared to plan a trip. The problem is there are too many places I want to visit this year and not enough time to accomplish my goal, so while I click my way through the internet for ideas, I can’t help but include some of my favorite staircases around Europe from here to inspire me to make a choice:  

photography: land and ocean along the san francisco coast

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I had an amazing time this weekend being outdoors. The weather was unusually warm for “Winter” in San Francisco and although I have been nursing a knee injury since the beginning of January, I just couldn’t resist being outside. One of my favorite hobbies while outdoors is taking photos of most anything I come across, even though sometimes it’s a repeat of the same scenery. But no matter how many times I have taken the same photos, I feel , every time I snap the camera, it feels like I have captured something new. Here are some of my favorites from the eighty or so photos I took this weekend of my favorite walk along the San Francisco (land’s end) coast {photos are the property of http://www.rawsilkandsaffron.wordpress.com}

boutique hotel pick – royal hotel sanremo – italy

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After a crazy cold rainy day on Wednesday, we experienced a strangely hot day on Thursday which prompted me to get into the vacation planning mode. Since I experienced the sudden urge to plan my vacation for 2012, I realized it was time to do my Friday boutique hotel pick. Royal Hotel Sanremo came to mind because I am actually looking into a vacation or a holiday where I could lounge around the pool and nap my days away while sipping on some exotic drink., in Italy of course. 🙂

indian summer in san francisco

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I used to hate the end of Summer, because although it was foggy and cold in San Francisco, I felt a sense of sadness when the season ended. I suppose Summer for me marked the beginning of outdoor activities and longer days and colorful fashion, suntan and sidewalk cafes. However, since in San Francisco we normally experience what is known as Indian Summer at the end of September to almost mid to end of October, I have begun an appreciation for the Fall season as well and actually look forward to it, secretly. Since this past week we have experienced the hot, gorgeous, weather of Indian Summer, I decided to take my camera to work and capture some of the most beautiful colors reflecting off of the high-rise building in downtown, at the early morning hours. Please enjoy the photographers  and remember they are the property of http://www.rawsilkandsaffron.wordpress.com. Thank you

boutique hotel pick – palace hotel – san francisco, california

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I have, for a while now and on occasion,  dedicated an entire blog entry to some of my favorite boutique and luxury hotels in Europe. But this past week, since the weather has been the most ideal in San Francisco, I almost felt like a tourist visiting because the entire city had a beautiful glow to it. Anyway, every day as I walk to work, I pass by the Palace Hotel and while in front, I slow my pace in order to get a glimpse of the tourists lined up at curbside waiting for their limousines to whisk them away, whether it be to the airport or a private tour of some sort. It dawned on me that I needed to include this amazingly, beautiful hotel as one of my favorites in the city by the bay. Have an amazing weekend everyone! {For photos reference of Palace Hotel, please click here}

boutique hotel pick – hotel martinez – cannes, france

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Right about now I begin to crave a trip to the French Riviera and a fantasy stay at the Hotel Martinez. I mean seriously, I don’t think I need to sell anyone on the idea of experiencing pure luxury and elegance, while getting the most golden tan possible and dining at some of the finest restaurants along the French Riviera. However,  I do want to point out one of my favorite 5-star properties in Cannes, Hotel Martinez as the choice hotel for romance and special occasion celebration or simply a place for rest and relaxation.  Of course the modern classic room decor doesn’t hurt either. Anyway, enjoy the photos and have a wonderful weekend.