3 posts tagged “hotel”
We just flew in to the beautiful and scenic dessert lands of New Mexico.
Known for the blue and purple sunsets New Mexico provides the perfect
tranquil escape for any busybody looking to get away. We rented a car
and took the 25 min. trip into downtown Santa Fe and checked in to our
hotel, the Inn and Spa at Loretto.
This beautiful hotel put us just a block away from the historic Plaza
which is home to a plethora of shopping, fine art galleries and museums
including the renowned Georgia O'Keefe Museum.
We started off the excursion roaming through Santa Fe exploring the food and Art galleries the quaint downtown has to offer. If you are going to go to Santa Fe you'll find plenty of restaurants that will allow you to indulge in some authentic New Mexican food such as Sopapias but the staple Southwestern treat that you wont find anywhere else is the Chile. Whether you order tacos, enchiladas, hamburgers, or a Sprite you are going to hear the same question "Red or Green?" In order to save you the embarrassment Ill let you in on the meaning behind the "red or green?" conundrum.
The
question refers to the type of Chile you want smothered over your meal.
Mind you this isn't pork and bean style American "Chili" but rather
sauces made with true New Mexican red and green spicy Chiles. Don't get
scared off right away, typically the Chile isn't too spicy and has more
of a zip than a burn and is incredibly delicious. The red Chile is more
of a curry sauce typically blended with garlic and onions while the
green Chile is a stew type sauce with actual green Chile strips and
generally a little spicier. If you want to sound like a local when
answering the Chile question just say, "Christmas!" And you will get
the best of both worlds.
Personally my favorite Chile dish and one of the more...unusual, is the god sent gift of the Frito Pie. Just like the name states it is a bowl full of Frito's smothered in either red or green Chile (or Christmas as we learned earlier) topped off with refried beans, lettuce, cheddar cheese and diced onions. Probably one of the simplest and best meals I have ever had and better yet, they can be found just about anywhere including another local favorite; Blakes Lota Burger.
That's all for now but I'll keep you updated, if anyone knows of some must see spots in New Mexico or other cool places to stay let me know!
"Ah Me ee me ah MIAMI!"
Ok all you travel going beach perusing concert fanatics, heres a good
one. Modest Mouse will be in Miami at the wonderful and spectacular
Fillmore Miami Beach Jackie Gleason Theater. I found pit tickets
for 36 bucks which is not a bad deal and for Modest Mouse the pit is
definitely the place to be. The concert is June 23 only a month away so
for all you procrastinators (myself included) get on the ball and go
have some fun.
Not a huge concert fan? Too short of notice? Well, Jerry Seinfeld will be performing at the Jackie Gleason Theater July 26. "So what's the deal with you not going?" Ok sorry, that was a poor execution of an even worse reference but nevertheless had to be done. You can also check out a full list of upcoming performances here.
So the moral of the story is; if you are looking for a cool get away with some awesome entertainment then don't delay and get yourself to one of the hottest travel destinations, Miami beach.
Now for the tricky part, where to stay? There are of course about a billion places to stay in Miami so I am going to try to find balance between the "neato and the cheapo."
First pick (the neato): "Livin' on the Ritz" The Ritz-Carlton South Beach
This
immaculate get-away avg. around $350-$600 a night is set directly on
the beach located in the Art Deco district in Miami Beach. The hotel is
one block from the pedestrian shopping mall and Lincoln Road. Guests
are within one-half mile of the famous Ocean Drive and the Miami
Convention Center. The hotel also features a multi-million
dollar original art collection featuring established and emerging
artists at the Ritz-Carlton South Beach.
Second pick (the cheapo): Special Deal on the Haddon Hall Hotel
If
you catch the deal this normally $115 a night stay will knock down to
around $70 which is a darn good deal if you ask me. Also well located
the Haddon Hall Hotel is located in the Art Deco District about a
half-block from the beach and walking distance to all the shops,
restaurants and clubs your little heart could desire.
Editor's choice (the in-betweeno): "Ta Da" The Royal Palm South Beach Resort!
Weighing
in at around $171 a night (if you catch the specials) The Royal Palm is
probably the way to go. This oceanfront hotel in the Art Deco District
consists of two restored 1930s Art Deco buildings and two modern
towers. The ocean-view Britto Restaurant, open for breakfast and lunch,
prepares continental and American fare, while the Sunset Bar serves
poolside cocktails and snacks. The hotel provides 6,000 square feet of
indoor and outdoor function space. The hotel's manicured grounds
include two outdoor pools, while a half-moon spa tub overlooks the
ocean. The pool area features exterior fireplaces and a small shop that
offers beach toys and tanning products. The beach concierge provides
lounge chairs, radio headsets and facial towels. Ocean breezes cool the
covered outdoor fitness facility. Other on-site recreational amenities
include table tennis, an oversized chessboard and a play area. The
hotel schedules children's supervised indoor crafts and outdoor
activities. Pets are permitted with restrictions. The Royal Palm also
occupies an ideal location for shopping and nightclubbing. Lincoln Road
boutiques and nightclubs, and the shops along Espanola Way are located
one block from the hotel.
Not what you're looking for? Check out some more Miami Hotels
So there you have it. And as usuall if there is anything you would like to add or bring to my attention then drop me a line!
Memorial Day always sparks the need to get away and inspires hopes for the Summer ahead. What better way to forget all your worries and jump start the season than a weekend full of fun and debauchery in the hottest destination spot in the U.S., Viva Las Vegas!
There are about a million different amazing places to stay in Vegas all of which have a an allure of their own from the $5000 a night ultra luxurious MGM Grand Mansions to the more subdued travel on a dime Tropicana at around $40 a night. So before you go you really just have to ask yourself what is it you want to do? Do you want to gamble, see shows, be at the hottest clubs or lay in the lap of luxury for a little R&R. I recommend a little bit of everything
Where to Stay:
If you want a well rounded stay at a decent price I would suggest the Luxor Hotel and Casino. Centrally located on the strip the Luxor is home to one of the hottest nightclubs LAX. From the creators of Pure, this 26,000 modern experience is one of the top night spots with A list celebrities, social jet-setters and top industry DJ's you can be sure a night at LAX won't end early.
For the morning's recovery head to the spa "Nurture" and enjoy a revitalizing eucalyptus steam bath and take soak in the whirlpool. Once you're back up 100% hit up the casino and win back some cash (since you probably lost your pride the night before) and use it to go see Cirque de Soleil's Mystere, an incredible display of athleticism and acrobatics with splashy costumes, live music and guarantees a unique experience.