City Guides, Travel Planning and Dream Vacations
We haven’t felt like writing in a while. What’s left to say about the crisis that put our travel dreams on hold? So let’s look forward and summon our creativity to make the most of the present.
In that spirit, we virtually gathered some of our closest friends for the closest thing we could do to experience a wine tasting tour of beautiful Sonoma, California. It was a wonderful escape, letting the wines take us away, sparking our imaginations.
Thanks to the expert guidance of winecubetours.com founder and Sonoma Wine Tour Guide, Raymond Rolander, we were virtually whisked away to rolling hillsides, foggy coastlines and windy plains. In my mind’s eye I could recall several amazing trips to the California wine country and falling in love with Sonoma, the quieter, more laid back neighbor to world-renowned Napa, populated with many smaller and lesser known vineyards. Our highly anticipated ‘trip’ began with a lot of preparation. After an initial consultation of our particular likes and dislikes, each couple who participated was shipped four full carefully wrapped and numbered bottles, concealing the labels to enable the ‘blind’ tasting experience. The wines were stored as instructed and opened at precisely specified times before the tasting.
Our virtual event started with an invitation from Raymond to let the wines take us on a sensory, imaginary journey. Just as music always does for me, wine and food conjure memories of magical moments, and we associate those sounds, tastes and smells with times and places stored away in our mind’s treasure chest. And sure enough, with each new glass poured, the wines did just that. We were soon chatting away about remembered trips to the California, Oregon and Washington wine countries, as well as more distant travels as far away as Tuscany, Germany and France to relive those experiences.
Now, our goal here is to not be the spoiler who tells you the end of the movie! So, we will not reveal any specific wines here on the blog (sorry friends). But imagine this…the fun of a blind tasting was in the total focus and discussion of each varietal. We guessed as best we could, and were most often wrong at identifying what we were tasting. So Raymond would expertly guide us through, and lead us to the ‘reveal’, where we were told the wine and producer. From there, the screen share that followed pinpointed each vineyard on the map of Sonoma where he described the area and its climate, giving us a behind the scenes story into each family-owned vineyard.
As the night progressed, so did the wines, moving from from crisp whites to lighter reds, to the full-bodied varietals that typically complete a tasting. We discussed our favorites and went back for seconds (and thirds, etc…) and continued our virtual party far into the evening.
One day soon, our blog will once again be filled with adventures near and far, and Carla will be to back booking dream vacations for all of you (shameless plug…feel free to start as soon as you’re comfortable). But for now, we tip our hat to entrepreneurs such as Raymond who are keeping our wanderlust alive in creative ways.
Until next time, open a bottle of your favorite vintage and allow yourself to be whisked away to the warm sun, cool breeze, and the manicured hills of a distant vineyard, gazing at the rows of vines that fade into the horizon.
Chelsea Market, The High Line and Hudson Yards
Why take a guided tour, especially in your hometown? Well, the reasons are many…great tour guides are storytellers that can take you behind the scenes, off the beaten path and immerse you into the history and culture to deepen your experience. Thanks to www.likealocal.com that’s just what we were treated to on a recent tour in NYC. Best New York City Itineraries: Chelsea Market, The High Line and Hudson Yards.
My daughter and I crossed the river from NJ to spend a day in NYC exploring a few place we’d never experienced. Our day started at the Chelsea Market.
Dubbed as ‘a neighborhood market with a global perspective’, there was so much to learn, see and especially taste here. Our knowledgeable guide took us through the Market’s fascinating history…from the building’s original place in history as the Nabisco factory where the Oreo was invented…to the relationship with the neighboring meat-packing district (taking advantage of the butcher’s lard)…to its current resurgence as a foodie destination dream.
What makes the market so special is the collection of local, independent entrepreneurs that bring their ‘can’t get this anywhere else’ specialties. Here is just a sample of what you can find there:
The tasting started at Fat Witch Bakery, the best brownie in NY and one of Oprah’s favorites. Baked and wrapped right on the spot, a list of ‘witch flavors’ include caramel witch, double-chocolate witch and blonde witch. We couldn’t leave without a delicious bag of ‘brownie ends’, an enchanting idea to package up the crusty edges that usually get tossed!
Our next stop was as much learning as tasting. Seed and Mill is the only store in the USA dedicated solely to sesame seed products. I was delighted to discover Tahini…ground sesame seeds roasted and ground into a buttery paste. From there you can use it in almost anything…such as the beautiful and delicious cakes we sampled in flavors like cinnamon, sea salt dark chocolate and my favorite – ginger.
We learned why Very Fresh Noodle earned its name by watching the noodles snapped and stretched to the chef’s widespread arms right behind the counter and made to order right in front of us. The signature ‘Biang-Biang noodles are pulled, smashed and ripped before becoming the centerpiece of soups and bowls, including Tingly and Spicy Cumin Lamb and Very Spicy Dan Dan Mian.
We discovered the near-hidden seafood Taco stand tucked behind a maze of narrow hallways. Los Mariscos serves up fish and shrimp tacos, ceviche and cocteles (a fish ‘cocktail’ in a zesty mix of tomato and lime juices, spiced up with hot sauce).
Another Chelsea Market original – traditional square Sicilian pizza from Filaga. One slice each of the Margherita and Bufalina and we were in pizza heaven
We took a walk through seafood heaven at the Lobster Place, featuring a fresh seafood counter, sushi bar and the Cull and Pistol Oyster Bar. Lobster rolls are served up at the Cull and Pistol Gallery, while fresh steamed lobsters right from the Maine Coast are available to stay or go.
Exploring downstairs where we were treated to more delicacies from Spices and Tease.
Sampled the hot sauce tasting bar at the Heatonist Outpost.
Takumi Taco serves up a unique Mexican/Japanese fusion. The Japanese Curry Beef and Braised Shortrib tacos were equally delicious, especially washed down with a sake-sangria!
Leaving the market, we braved the bitter cold to walk the High Line – New York’s most unique park. Once an abandoned overhead freight railway, it has now been transformed into a hybrid public space where visitors experience nature, art, and design.It runs roughly from 15th to 34th Street on the city’s West Side offering both river and city views.
Our final destination was Hudson Yards, NYC’s latest architectural marvel that now dominates midtown’s West side with towering skyscrapers, shops and restaurants. Now the the most expensive real estate in the U.S., apartments start in the neighborhood of a cool $3M. For the rest of us, we get to enjoy the public spaces that provide a truly unique and upscale experience.
Standout architectural features include the areas signature landmark that is known as ‘The Vessel’. Designed by the British designer Thomas Heatherwick, the elaborate honeycomb-like structure rises 16 stories and consists of 154 flights of stairs, 2,500 steps, and 80 landings where you can marvel at the structure itself as well as the expansive views along Manhattan’s West Side. Tickets are free of charge and can be reserved in advance online.
The SHED is an innovative public space dedicated to cultural programming in music, theater, fashion and more. The building itself is actually supported by gigantic wheels that roll back, folding the building itself and opening up a central plaza named The McCourt, for performances, art exhibits and events. Truly amazing.
And opening March 2020 is The Edge – the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere. This sure to dazzle and dizzy experience is suspended in mid-air, and is said to feel like ‘floating in the sky’. Gaze down 100 stories above the city from the thrilling glass floor, lean out over angled glass walls in the sky. Experience views of the Big Apple like never before.
The Shoppes at Hudson Bay is an indoor mall housing some of the world’s upscale retailers and restaurants, punctuated by art installations that add to the visual delight of this building.
Every restaurant is by a notable chef or hospitality group, including Thomas Keller’s TAK Room, David Chang’s Kāwi and José Andrés’ Mercado Little Spain – a bustling collection of restaurants and shops, like a Spanish version of Eataly, serving up a delicious diversity of foods and drinks from all corners of one of the richest culinary countries in the world. Serving up everything from churros to tapas to a full Spanish dinner where one could spend the entire afternoon sipping and tasting.
The collection of unique shops invites hours of exploration. These include NYC’s first and only Neiman Marcus, as well as other luxury retailers like Cartier, Dior, Fendi, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Rolex. If you can barely afford to window shop at these stores, you’ll also find more accessible options like H&M, Zara, Athleta, Banana Republic, Madewell, Uniqlo and Sephora. We especially loved Muji, a Japanese market that housed a collection of simple, beautifully designed goods from clothing to housewares. We left with some of the coolest yet practical products!
All in all this was a full day experience, made special by the interesting, educational and entertaining narrative provided by likealocal.com. We’re sure to be back to take more of their tours, which include a behind the scenes, deep dive into New York’s Chinatown and a tour of New York’s best Pizza. Although we love to wander and discover on our own, the experience that a knowledgeable tour guide can provide can elevate that experience to be truly memorable. Get out there and experience the city like a local!
This Summer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, the acclaimed exhibit Play it Loud: The Instruments of Rock and Roll took center stage at one of the world’s premier art venues. Sharing the same space with ancient Egyptian, Roman and Greek sculpture and Impressionist Masters of the Renaissance was Eddie Van Halen’s ‘Frankenstein’ guitar. For the world’s fans of rock and roll, I’d say we’ve arrived.
Currently on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, this exhibit celebrates and focuses on the instruments that made the music. These tools, in the hands of the masters, created the iconic sounds of rock that defined an era and changed the world. Read on to see these modern masterpieces in a never before curated collection that produced the powerful art form.
Vegas, my (our) way.
Borrowing a line from ‘ole blue eyes, leader of the Rat Pack who put the place on map…Vegas is one of those polarizing place that people either love or hate. It can be overwhelming, overpriced, and over-the-top. But if you play your cards right and do some planning, the first thing you’ll find is that there is truly something for everyone, whether you gamble or not. So, here is your personal Las Vegas City Guide…if you are:
‘Mature’…35-65ish
Going as a couple
Going for a special occasion
Going with friends
Like an upscale, but affordable experience
Like a good time
Enjoy nightlife, but still want to enjoy the day
Are a foodie
Enjoy a cocktail or two…Then this blog is for you. Here’s how we enjoyed Vegas ‘our’ way.
So…on a business trip with one night in downtown Chicago, what does one do? Take on the town and it’s claim to pizza fame!
Do you love pizza? Is it just the utter simplicity of the perfect combination of fresh ingredients? Let’s dive deeper here (pun intended). In New Jersey and New York we think we have the best. Honestly, I’ve been to Italy and had absolutely amazing pizza in tiny stalls tucked into lively piazzas with unnamed house wines. But in Chicago, something different happened…
From the minute you cross the Pell Bridge, the sweeping views of Newport Harbor transport you…to a place where the sea meets land on rocky shores, countless sailboats dot the vista, plates of sumptuous, fresh seafood are washed down with local brews, and history abounds around every corner. Newport has an amazing story to tell, spend time here soaking in the salt air, amazing views and experience its history. The ‘City by the Sea’ is a feast for the senses. And when you’re ready to book your getaway, just contact Carla at carla@vacationkids.com
If you’re looking for a great long weekend getaway you’ll find plenty to do at one of America’s oldest seaports, right in the heart of a bustling city. Like being by the water? Local seafood? A lively nightlife in an historic neighborhood? Getting around by water taxi? Great venues for sports? Its all here: check out our top picks in Baltimore.
Growing up in New Jersey, a vacation in New York City is probably one of the last places we’d consider as a family. But for everyone else around the world, the Big Apple rivals any city you can think of for it’s endless energy, cultural diversity and plenty of good old fun. There are experiences here that you just won’t find anywhere else. Here’s a few at the top of our list:
1) Empire State Building
Kids and as well as adults love having good photos for their social media accounts, and there is no better place for awesome photos than the Empire State Building. Be sure to but your tickets in advance to skip the long line. To eliminate both ticket lines and elevator lines, time your visit for early morning or late in the day.
When we look to escape on vacation, several things may come to mind…
- Take us away to the peace, tranquility and splendor of natural beauty. A magnificent setting where clear blue water meets the magnificent green mountains set against an azure sky. Give me places to explore – both on the trails and on the water.
- Pamper us with a luxurious accommodations, perhaps rich with history, having choices in fine and/or casual dining, places to enjoy and relax, in a setting that is a feast for the senses.
Well, who’s to say you can’t have it all? It’s all here, and more, at The Sagamore Resort on Lake George in Bolton’s Landing NY
Updated for 2022 – Christmas City is as festive as ever, full of Holiday magic. This has become a tradition for our family, and puts us in the spirit of the season like no place else. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
‘Tis the Season for a visit to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a.k.a. ‘Christmas City’, and a wonderful way to banish any and all ‘Humbugs’!
Founded in 1741 and named on Christmas Eve by Moravian missionaries, it received it’s name from the beloved Christmas carol we all grew up with. And the citizens of this charming town are committed to preserving their rich heritage and providing a most welcoming and magical experience to all who visit.
Here are the top things we enjoy at the most wonderful time of the year…
