United States: Articles

Apr

17

Find Your Perfect Beach

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It’s that time of year…planning summer vacation! For most people, it includes a trip to the beach. Not sure which to chose or want to try something new, check out Dr. Beach. Every year he releases the Top 10 Beaches in America List…and I spent this weekend at #6 on the 2011 list, St. George Island, Florida.

St. George Island is a 28-mile long and 2-mile wide barrier island in the northern Gulf of Mexico. We flew into Tallahassee for the 90-minute drive south to Eastpoint, Florida then took the four-mile bridge across the Apalachicola Bay to St. George Island where you’re greeted by the pretty lighthouse. The island is a gorgeous, quaint, quiet beach community with not much going on which was perfect for our girls’ weekend.

We stayed in my girlfriend’s aunt’s beach house in The Plantation, a lovely gated community with lots of rentals. We spent most of our time on the beach…wide white soft sandy beaches…relaxing in the sun, happy hour on the beach, cooking dinners in. On the calm water days, you could see through the blue waters to the bottom and enjoy lots of dolphin watching. They even put on a show for us one evening during cocktails…incredible!

We brought most of what we needed for groceries, etc… from the main land. While there are a few small stores, the options are limited. We dined out one night at Blue Parrot on the beach on local seafood then moseyed over to Harry A’s for live music. Had a great time on the local scene.

St. George Island State Park is the actual beach that was #6 on the list but our stretch was beautiful and I’d recommend it. If you like beach fishing, there’s lots of that going on. And you can rent lots of kayaks, etc.. for water sporting.

In addition to the Top 10 List, there’s a Beachfinder tool to help you find your perfect spot. Because as Dr. Beach says, “the right beach is just what the doctor ordered.” I agree.

Cheers to summer beach time and finding YOUR perfect spot!

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Feb

21

URBAN Enoteca, The Next Generation Wine Bar

Wine  Written by / 0 comments

Check out my article in Palate Press on this next generation wine bar in Seattle, Washington.

Palate Press is a modern electronic wine magazine, providing the most exciting and interesting wine content available today. Visit their site, follow them on Twitter and Facebook, and download their free iPad app for their magazine.

 

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Nov

02

Spa’ing for Forty Years

Spa  Written by / 0 comments

Lots of 40th birthdays this year including my favorite chain day spa located in Seattle…Gene Juarez. Opened in 1971 in downtown Seattle, their second location was the original Nordstrom Salon in 1974. Today ten locations strong.

My first Gene visit was ten years ago and after my lovely massage Saturday, I can say not much has changed, which is a good thing! Having visited many of the ‘chain day spas’ in U.S. and Europe, Gene Juarez remains the top on my list.

What makes them the best?

  • Friendly and talented staff.
  • Once you enter the ‘spa area’ the chaos of the rest of the salon is gone.
  • Nice relaxing waiting area where you chill in your robe and get your pre-treatment foot bath.
  • Awesome pillow top massage beds with fluffy soft duvets and heating pads.
  • Spa shower… stone room with rainfall shower head, side jets on 4 sides AND it’s a steam room.

Now they offer Spa Parties. What a great idea! They’ll custom make a spa gathering just for you…whether a Bridal Shower, Team Building or just Moms’ Day out.  You can book regular services or mini services for the group, and for bigger parties they add spa gifts, refreshments and hors d’oeuvres.

Gene Juarez…forty and fabulous!

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Oct

19

Fall into the Ritz Spa…

Spa  Written by / 0 comments

with a little pumpkin and a big ahhhhh! That sums up my latest spa visit at the Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner in McLean, Virginia.

It’s been a while since I’ve spent time in a Ritz-Carlton but was quickly reminded of the excellent service and high-end charm when I walked in a few weeks ago for a spa day of treatments and relaxing lunch.  As their motto says, “We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen,’ which exemplifies the anticipatory service provided by all staff members.”

Their Fall into Fall with Two Seasonal Treatments for $99 caught my eye when my girlfriend said let’s go to the Ritz for a spa day. My hours of bliss included:

  • Pumpkin Peel Facial: Perfect for fall, this was a 20-minute gentle but effective pumpkin enzyme peel with light massage and mask. Did you know Pumpkin is great for the skin as its rich in beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc and natural enzymes? And Sophie is a great esthetician I need to go back to see!
  • Express Pedicure: 30 minute foot treatment with soak, trim, buff and polish by Fariba.
  • Therapeutic Massage: 50 heavenly minutes with Brian, an awesome masseuse. My girlfriend also loves Jimmy.

They have a full menu of Spa Journeys, massages, wraps, facials, hair, makeup, nails and also a range of organic treatments. And before the hours of relaxation, I worked out in their newly renovated fitness center but didn’t get time for the relaxation pool (full of natural salts instead of chemicals).

We ended our spa day with a light lunch at Entyse, their wine bar and lounge. It was the perfect fall into Autumn! :)

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Sep

17

Summer’s Last Beach Hurrah: Stone Harbor and Avalon, New Jersey

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For our last summer getaway we headed to the beach in Stone Harbor and Avalon, New Jersey. Now the Jersey Shore doesn’t necessarily bring lovely beach vacation images to your mind, especially thanks to the show by that name. But at the very tip of the Jersey Shore, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Delaware Bay, there is a beautiful stretch of beaches perfect for a low-key seashore vacation.

Stone Harbor and Avalon are part of the Seven Mile Beach located 34 miles south of Atlantic City and 20 miles north of Cape May on a lovely seven mile long barrier island. The land was purchased by Aaron Leaming in 1723 and for 100 years it was primarily used for cattle grazing. Then in 1887 the spot caught the eye of Philadelphia businessman Frank Sidal who headed The Seven Mile Beach Company and started to develop the area into a beach resort. It’s said Stone Harbor’s name comes from Captain Stone, a English Seaman, who sought refuge from a storm here around this same time.

My first trip to Avalon was in the mid-90′s and I loved it! Gorgeous beach, huge beautiful beach houses, lots of bike riding on the flat roads, great little restaurants and shops, huge Italian influence via Philadelphia, few hotels, not very touristy, sunshine…perfect ingredients. Last summer I returned for the first time in seven years, this time spending more time in Stone Harbor as my girlfriend has a condo there. Not much had changed…still the same perfect seashore destination with 122 blocks of tons to do!

Where to Stay

As I mentioned, not many hotels. The few nice ones are clustered around 80th Street and Dune Drive. We’ve enjoyed two stays at the newly renovated Concord Suites just on the ‘border’ of Stone Harbor and Avalon one block from the beach. All 90 suites have two double beds, bathroom, living/dining room, kitchenette so its perfect for a few days or even a week! There are also two pools and several sun decks. The Windrift is another option. They’ve ‘updated’ their look and feel to be a bit more hip. Right on the beach it’s also a great place for lunch, sunset drinks on their outdoor decks overlooking the beach or live music/bar at night. Main street Stone Harbor is an easy 15 minutes walk or 5 minute bike from both. Avalon town center is about a 15-20 minute bike ride. The other option is renting a house or condo through one of the real estate companies like Diller Fisher or Avalon Real Estate.

Things to Do

For us, it all starts with biking! That’s our preferred mode of transportation while here…and across the island there are 35 miles of paved flat roads. Rentals are easy from Harbor Bike or Hollywood Bike. Obviously there’s plenty of beach to enjoy (you will need a pass during high season…they sell them at most entries to the beach), surfing, fishing, crabbing, boating, golfing (regular and mini), tennis. I’ve been to two yoga studios and liked both…Stone Harbor’s Shape Wellness and Avalon’s Sol Luna Yoga. There are plenty cute beach shops in both towns and free weekend/family events in the summer. Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary is a National Natural Landmark on 21 acres of forest, wetlands and ponds.

Eating, of course!

  • Breakfast: Brian’s Waffle House (2408 Dune Drive) in Avalon is yummy!! Or pick up pastries from the Bread & Cheese Cupboard on Stone Harbor’s main street (96th) and grab coffee around the corner on at Coffee Talk on 97th.
  • Lunch: Italian…pizza, hoagies, cheesesteaks…yum!! Stone Harbor Pizza and Circle Pizza in Avalon are great pizza spots. Bradley’s Steaks & Hoagies has delicious options! Golden Inn Beach Club is a great spot for a bite and live music / fun bar on the sand during the weekend days.
  • Dinner: My recommendations are all Stone Harbor as that’s where we’ve spent most time of our time the last three trips. Marabella’s is always our first stop…low key Italian place with awesome food!! Quahog’s Seafood Shack is an awesome place to sit outside under cover. The Back Yard Restaurant is a cute place open for 25 years literally in someone’s backyard on 81st Street in Stone Harbor. A little more upscale and great food!  Also note most restaurants are BYOB so you’ll need to bring your own wine/beer to dinner. Fred’s Liquor Store is the spot in Stone Harbor and Avalon to pick it up if you don’t bring some from home.

It was the perfect spot for a last summer beach weekend!

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