Sep 6, 2010

Condé Nast Traveler magazine named it the Number One Destination Spa in the U.S. in their Readers’ Choice Awards for 2010. I’m not surprised. It’s one of my favorite places on earth. I like to call Lake Austin Spa Resort my lake house. Not just because I wish it was mine. But also because it feels like home. I always have to remind myself I’m even...

Jul 29, 2010

It was my first time ever climbing a rock wall. And I would be lying if I told you I wasn’t terrified. But it was my last day at Miraval Resort and Spa in Tucson, Arizona and I had already conquered several activities, challenging both mentally and physically. So, I figured, what the heck? I had a private session with Matt Walker, author of Adventure in...

The word magical is highly overused during the holiday season. But I’m going to use it anyway. December at the Gaylord Texan (and the Gaylord National Harbor, for that matter) is downright magical. The hotel is centered around a large atrium that many of the rooms overlook. Mine did. It also had a massive balcony as the room was a one-bedroom suite, which...

Denver is a very arty city. A number of public art pieces can be found throughout downtown and the Denver Art Museum is massive. I only had the chance to check out the contemporary and modern floors, but I was, well, floored. They most memorable piece is an installation of a restaurant full of tables set for dinner all painted red. The floor, the walls, the...

The Denver Aquarium is not enormous. We did it in about an hour and a half. But it’s got some really cool features. You can actually dive with the sharks or snorkel with the fish in massive tanks that are the very same one aquarium guests come to view. So, when people are in them, the show is even better! They have three tigers who love to swim. Or who at...

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science is huge and truly needs a full day to explore in its entirety. We only had a few hours. So we carefully chose what we would see. Expedition Health was really interesting. I got to see what I would look like at age 70 (Not good.) and go on a virtual hike. We were able to check all of our vital signs and learn more than I...

Growing up on the East Coast with the National Zoo all but in my backyard, I have to admit to being a bit of a zoo snob. So, I was blown away when I visited the Denver Zoo. First of all, the grounds themselves were beautiful. And the exhibits were terrific. Baby giraffes, mobs of flamingos, and tropical birds that will land right on your arm and drink nectar...

I made a really great discovery just outside of Denver, Colorado. I stayed in a hotel in Aurora called Cambria Suites. I had no idea what to expect. But I sure liked it there. The staff was amazingly friendly and called us by name right from the get go. The place has a real modern look. I had heard that they were interested in appealing to the twenty or thirty...

It certainly wasn’t the first place that came to mind when I decided I wanted to take my mom on a short holiday. But considering it was a weekend marked by quiet, classic luxury. It should have been. Keswick Hall, tucked away in the mountains of Charlottesville, is an elegant Orient Express property. With only 48 rooms, the architecturally stunning mansion...

I wanted to see the real Savannah, not just the tourist facade. So, I decided that renting a luxury townhouse instead of a hotel room would be the best way to do it. I totally lucked out and found one right on Forsyth Park. It was in walking distance of all the lovely moss covered squares and the great shopping on Bull Street. It was arranged through...