December 9th, 2014
It is past midnight as I write this post. I am wondering if my plane will be on time. Southern Delaware is being hit with one of those Mid Atlantic n’or easters. Nasty weather event!!
So I started thinking about that Bungalow at The Breakers Palm Beach….what a setting! Warm breezes, swaying palm trees, personal service. Visualization, that’s what I am doing.
The Breakers Palm Beach is located at One South County Rd., Palm Beach, FL 33480 Tel. 561-659-8488, or, 888-273-2537. Website? http://www.thebreakers.com
There are 4 pools at the Breakers Palm Beach for guests and club members. They are all gorgeous.
At poolside? Yes, the beach by its side, as well, and two restaurants. But Cindi and I were looking for Bungalow 15…The Reef.
These bungalows are only for the hotel guests and club members, as well. They are about 300 to 400 square feet. Do you like to lounge? Take in the scenery? This is a real treat.
Private patios, living room, refrigerator, flat screen t.v., bathroom, well appointed with spa necessities…..and food. Some, not all have open sky showers….ours did.
The idea is to relax, to just stay at the water’s edge and enjoy your well deserved vacation.
 
Molly, our personal concierge, received us with fruits and a something to quench our thirst.
So, the girls in the next Bungalow were having a nice time…then a delivery of red roses, champagne, and chocolate covered strawberries….the giggles and the excitement of a birthday surprise by a significant other. They told us at The Breakers that nothing is impossible to make your dreams come true at The Breakers Palm Beach!
 
Still pouring…..and still dreaming….Have a Good One!!
February 11th, 2012
I have been coming to Florida for so many years. I even attended a small college in central Florida long time ago. All those years I have heard people talking about Key West. So, after being in Florida for over a week and not seeing the sun, we decided to go to the southernmost corner of the United States and see if a few rays of sunshine would make an appearance before heading back to Delaware. Believe it or not, it did happen.
I had some preconceived ideas of how Key West was going to be. Pristine water, fishermen, cottages and bungalows; the influences of New England, the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Let me get it off my chest; some things I really liked; others I did not like at all.
During the 4 hour drive to Key West I found that the bridges were so neat with spectacular views of the water. But, I also saw too many signs offering sales for this or that and more than the share of run down places.
When we arrived in Key West we probably did what everyone else does; go to Duval Street. Sorry, but I did not like it. Too crowded, too noisy at all times and even too many bars. I love music but blaring music 24/7 is not my thing. Ghost tours? Trains and Trolleys? Too much of a carnival atmosphere. Too commercialized. At that moment I thought, what the heck am I doing here? Almost like someone adjusting their eyes to darkness; that’s what slowly was happening to me.
The moment I saw Casa Marina I fell in love with it. It is one of those hotels that have great bones. Understated elegance. This hotel did not need any other embellishments. The woods throughout the hotel were so rich and wonderful. Very classic. It is located at 1500 Reynolds St., Key West, FL 33040. Tel. 888-303-5717 Website? www.casamarinaresort.com.
Everyone in the hotel was so nice. This friendliness and genuine happiness was not just at Casa Marina, we also found it with everyone we encountered in Key West.
 
Casa Marina was very comfortable. Since the 1920’s when it opened its doors on New Year’s Eve, this hotel has had impressive visitors; business tycoons, artists and dignitaries. It was the vision of American Railroad Tycoon, Henry Flagler. Mr. Flagler died before the construction even started in 1918.
I found it to be an oasis. It was quiet and tranquil with beautifully kept grounds. The setting was really pretty.
It has the largest private beach in Key West. You were not crowded on the beach, everyone had their own privacy.
 
Those palm trees were holding some inviting hammocks.
 
Thatched roof huts gave privacy to Spa Al Mare.
Our rooms were very nice with really comfortable beds. The hotel has 311 guest rooms. If you are interested in water sports, I think you will be satisfied with what they are offering.
I talked to Stephanie, a Concierge at Casa Marina; her restaurant recommendation was very good. I was looking for a restaurant who would be aware of gluten allergies and Camille’s was her suggestion.
Really loved the Casa Marina. I could never get tired of that view.
Have a good one!! Talk to you later.
February 2nd, 2012
I don’t get to stay at the hotels in Rehoboth Beach, or in any of the other hotels at the Delaware Beaches. Why should I? I live in Rehoboth Beach.
But, I was just thinking that there are more than a few events in Rehoboth Beach during the month of February. For example, this week-end is the Polar Bear Plunge. If you decide to become a brave soul then, maybe, you need to pamper yourself a bit and stay at The Bellmoor.
The Bellmoor is located at 6 Christian St. Tel. 302-227-5800. Website? www.thebellmoor.com. It is casual, yet elegant and sophisticated. It is within walking distance of everything Rehoboth Beach has to offer; the Boardwalk and beach, shops, restaurants, bake shops and coffee shops.
Don’t let the words luxurious and elegant intimidate you. It has a casual atmosphere, as well. The Bellmoor offers concierge services, pools, and gardens.
At this time of the year it is the perfect place to stay. Competitive prices and great special packages make staying at the Bellmoor very affordable. Please check the website.
The Day Spa is wonderful, small and intimate. And, if you are a Polar Bear this week-end then, you know who to call. You will need it after the plunge. Tina, can set the appointment with Erin. She is great.
That’s all I have to say; straight to the point.
Talk to you later…have a good one!!
February 19th, 2011
How many times in the past year have I heard the term”Old Florida”? Plenty. Maybe is because we reminisce and wish to recapture that simple, and less hectic lifestyle.
Old Florida is a term given to at least 2 generations ago. It reminds us of “yesteryears” that are quickly vanishing.
Towns, restaurants, and hotels have not been taken over by the development trends of the day; they have kept their own identity.
One of those hotels in Delray Beach is the Colony Hotel. I actually have never stayed there but have friends that have. I even had a friend from Bethany Beach that made this hotel his home for a couple of months of the year.
The Colony Hotel is located in the heart of Delray Beach; 525 E. Atlantic Ave., tel. 561-276-4123. Website? www.thecolonyhotel.com. It has 70 guestrooms, daily yoga, hotel shops, on site laundry, complimentary parking, high speed wireless, guest computer, and exercise room. It is also pet friendly.
The Colony Hotel is an independent, family-owned and operated hotel. It does have a sister hotel in Kennebunkport, Maine.
I have gone by this hotel day and night, plenty of times. During the day people are enjoying the porch with coffee in hand; at night it is a porch bar, with music and people enjoying their favorite cocktails.
I decided to go in and check it out. A few years ago it was painted and given a fresh look. As I came in I took in all the colors. This is what Florida is all about; color combinations that bring a smile to your face. Inside it has a plantation feel; relaxing.
Unfortunaly, I did not see any of the rooms. You can check the website for more info.
The hotel has a Cabana Club about 2 miles away. If you are on Linton heading east, then right at the intersection of Linton and A1A is the Cabana Club. The Colony Hotel has van transportation to and from the Cabana Club. It is a private ocean front beach club with a pool heated by environmentally sensitive geo-thermal. Lunch is served from 12 to 2:30 p.m. to hotel guests and club members.
The Colony Hotel is a founding member of the “Green” Hotels Association. Website? www.greenhotels.com.
This hotel is perfect if you do not wish to have a car in Delray, everything is very accessible.
The Colony Hotel has package, group and corporate rates available.
Have a great Presidents Week-End!!!…talk to you later….
November 2nd, 2010
There are times that you feel so comfortable in a hotel that all you want to do is come back again and again. Just by chance I found One Ocean, back in July. I was looking for a hotel in the areas of Ponte Vedra and Jacksonville Beach. Not knowing about it I booked this hotel on Atlantic Beach. I had not visited this town either.
Wonderfully surprised by the quaint town and accommodations; I have been there 3 times already. I wrote about it on July 18th so all you have to do is go on the left hand side of this website and click under Archives on the month of July, 2010 and scroll down to the 18th.
 Azurea, the restaurant One Ocean Resort Hotel & Spa is located at One Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Beach, FL 32233. Tel. 904-249-7402. They have a great website, www.oneoceanresort.com.
 Azurea's Bar This hotel has the best and easiest check-in procedure. All you do is drive to the front and give them your name and they will hand you the keys to your room with pertinent information. That’s it!!
One Ocean is a signature collection of luxury resorts. You can get as pampered as you want to or not. It is ocean front so all you do is walk out. Want to walk around Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach and check the shops and restaurants? It is all right there. That was an instant attraction for me; not having to use the car unless I wanted to.
 Azurea's Booths I had a room with a view and it was so nice. I never got tired of looking at that beach; north and south. It is so wide and long.
This hotel has captured the serenity of the ocean. Beautiful colors.
At 4 p.m. the lobby bar opens up and there you will find Hugh. Friendly chat and comfortable atmosphere.
Right before I left I had breakfast in the hotel. The service was good and my frittata was very tasty. Fruit was ordered, as well.
The other breakfast was enjoyed so much; the potatoes were delicious and the chorizo gave those eggs a kick.
I did not have dinner at the hotel but I understand that it is excellent under the supervision of Chef Ted Peters. Check the website to learn more about Azurea, its menu and Chef Peters’ bio. You will be impressed.
 Entry to Azurea, the restaurant
Have a great evening!! Talk to you later…
October 18th, 2010
Months ago Cindi and I decided we were going to take a road trip to New York City; then take a day cruise up the Hudson River to watch the fall splendor at its best from that advantage point. Bear Mountain was the destination.
The drive from Rehoboth Beach took 4 hours. Not bad and it went so fast; you know, bla, bla, bla the whole way through. We stayed at The Blakely on 136 West 55th St., www.blakelynewyork.com. It was the perfect location; a block and a half from Central Park and walking distance to everywhere else.
We went to explore the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), which is located at 11 West 53rd St. It was the first museum devoted to the modern era; about 150,000 objects offering an unparallel overview of modern and contemporary art.
In one of the rooms, as you entered the museum there was a microphone courtesy of Yoko Ono and visitors could just go up to it and scream. In another room right on the wall there were one liners by her, as well.
I don’t understand the majority of the art at the MOMA, but still enjoyed very much going through every exhibit. Some of them were too far out but others quite interesting; Picasso, Miro, Warhol, Matisse and van Gogh.
By the time we left, the museum was completely full. Early drinks at the W and then to Rue 57 (Brasserie Parisienne et Sushi Bar) for something to eat. This restaurant is located on 60 West 57th Ave., www.rue57.com. It had been a long day so we enjoyed our dinner very much. Rue 57 had a good atmosphere and the service was great. We started with an appetizer of truffle pomme frites.
Cindi and Ryan ordered the salmon. Cindi thought hers should have been cooked less, but liked it very much.
I ordered the steak and I wanted it medium rare. It really was very rare so I would have cooked it a bit more.
If you are visiting New York City, one of the most enjoyable activities is walking, day or night. You never know what is around the corner.
On Friday evening, as we were walking we saw the cameras and lights right at Trump Tower. A filming of next year’s Apprentice was what we encountered. LaToya Jackson, Diane Warwick, Meatloaf and Gary Busey among others.
 Gary Busey A long day was awaiting on Saturday so off to The Blakely we went.
At the beginning of this post I mentioned that the purpose of the trip was to see the changing colors of the leaves at this time of the year. Well, we certainly drove a long way to see 2 gorgeous trees….gale force winds, a ferry ride with 60 plus athletes, most of them lacrosse players, Oktoberfest, beer steins…. and German fare….to be continued tomorrow….
Talk to you later…
October 5th, 2010
Cambridge, Maryland? Dorchester County? And, Why? It all started with a phone call and off I went to retrieve a friend from the airport in Baltimore. Well, you would have done the same, right? What are friends for?
I made a complete circle, leaving Rehoboth to Baltimore and on the way back I continued on Rt. 50 towards Salisbury, Maryland where Shelley’s car was parked. Don’t worry she stopped to get me my clams at Harris Crab House in Kent Island.
One of the towns on the Eastern Shore of Maryland is Cambridge. It is the county seat of Dorchester County. It is also one of the oldest towns in Maryland; settled in 1684.
Some years ago Hyatt built a hotel with an 18- hole championship golf course and marina. It is called Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina, located at 100 Heron Blvd. at Rt. 50, Cambridge, MD 21613. Tel. is 410-901-1234 and the website is www.chesapeakebay.hyatt.com.
I had never stopped to check this resort so as we were driving by we decided to do so. At first I kept thinking what would I do if I stayed in Cambridge? It is such a small town, afterall.
The hotel is located on a beautiful tract of land right on the Choptank River. Full service marina and a gorgeous golf course. From the outside the actual structure of the hotel was a little plain; inside it was very pretty.
If you are planning a get-a-way to this hotel check the website. It is pretty informative. The hotel is close to the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, the Dorchester Heritage Museum and the Annie Oakley House, among other museums. The nearby towns of Easton, Oxford and St. Michaels are very accessible. These towns offer history, restaurants, shops and beautiful scenery.
For more information on Cambridge, Maryland you may visit www.baydreaming.com/cambridge.htm.
The hotel has many services including restaurants, indoor and outdoor pools with water slide, shops, full service business center, babysitting/Camp Hyatt and others. But, one that caught my attention was the Pet Friendly/Kennels for hunting dogs.
This is a pet friendly hotel, definitely and for the rules and regulations regarding this service please visit the website, as well.
If you decide to bring that special dog the resort has gifts for your pet. Stillwater Spa carries a complete line of spa products made especially for your pup. The Lavender Detangle Spray, Soap on a Rope and Canine Robes are among the items available. What a life!!
I can see why this hotel has been very popular for weddings and conventions. Secluded, quiet with plenty of services and amenities. I was surprised to see it so crowded on a Tuesday.
As you can see from the pictures, it is definitely beautiful.
As we were leaving, I could not believe my eyes. So many wild turkeys!! They were crossing the road so I grabbed the camera for that last shot.
Talk to you later….you know I will……
September 30th, 2010
So many more posts for my blog could have come out from last week-end’s trip to Puerto Rico.
It is so funny because my friends, here in Rehoboth, are used to me not letting them touch their food at a restaurant until I have taken pictures. I had to work a little harder in the Island of Enchantment since they were not used to it. Slowly they got the hang of it. Some of the pictures were taken so fast that I am not really going to publish them. You are probably saying “thanks”. Enough is enough, right? Oh, well.
I stayed in Isla Verde, which is a district of Carolina, bordered to the north by the Atlantic Ocean and to the West by the San Juan area of Condado. It is a tourist area of Puerto Rico, where restaurants, bars, and casinos are found. Some of the hotels found are The Ritz Carlton, El San Juan Hotel, and The Intercontinental, among others.
The beach is a beautiful cove. Walkers, joggers and sunbathers are all over the place. Also, you will find the man selling fresh coconut ice cream. I did not have any, which is probably good since now I am paying for my indulgences.
I walked the beach in the early evening and also sat down to join all the beachgoers on Saturday for a little bit of sunbathing. The water was so warm; but cold to some of the natives.
I reminded myself how relaxing this visit was. But, all good things come to an end and so was my trip.
On Tuesday, the “primas”, or cousins got together for lunch at the Metropol Restaurant. It is a Cuban and Puertorican restaurant, located at Avenida Isla Verde, tel. 787-791-5585. It is right next to the Club Gallistico of Puerto Rico. This is the club where cockfights take place. Cockfighting in Puerto Rico is recognized as a cultural right of Puertoricans and I am leaving it at that.
The Metropol serves latin food and I wanted something typical since I was taking a plane that evening. We had croquettes, turnovers, corn sticks, alcapurrias, which are plantain fritters, accompanied with a red sangria.
One appetizer that brought memories was the fried plantain chips. These were long, just like my grandmother used to make them.
The service was good and the restaurant was comfortably crowded. The decoration was definitely Spanish.
I had been on a chicharrones de pollo kick. These are pieces of chicken, fried; but not just like any old fried chicken. I can’t explain it but they are delicious; crispy and so well seasoned. Puertorican rice and beans were a must, of course. Our waiter told us they were the best. My lunch also included fried ripe plantains.
For dessert we had the diplomatic pudding that was like a flan, but a thicker consistency and included coconut. To tell you the truth it was o.k. but not that great.
The vanilla flan also was good but I have had better, including my own.
Oh my gosh, we were so full. How can anyone eat this way at lunch? Do they still have siestas in Borinquen?
We decided to visit the El San Juan Hotel, which was down the street. Walking was going to be the way we were going to get there. A little exercise, por favor.
There are 2 hotels that I truly love in Puerto Rico. One in Old San Juan, El Convento, and this one, the El San Juan Hotel. I was longing to see if it had stayed the same.
 Entrance to El San Juan Hotel The El San Juan Hotel is located at 6063 Isla Verde Ave., Carolina, P.R. 00979. Website is www.elsanjuanhotel.com. It is part of the Waldorf Astoria Collection. There are only 24 hotels under this designation and 2 of them are in Puerto Rico. The Conquistador in Fajardo, on the eastern side of the island is also one of them.
 Silver Bar 
I cannot say enough about this hotel. It should be the pride of San Juan. It will take you back to a time of craftmanship, a time of ease and elegance; a time of sophistication and style.
I was mesmerized with the woods and floors used throughout, the shops, the restaurants and how the hotel still can be a tropical paradise exuding old-world classic elegance at the same time.
And yes, we went to the Casino and deposited $20 in no time.
This hotel is priceless; still one of my favorite hotels just like the one in Wilmington, Delaware, The Hotel DuPont, and The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia.
Guess what? The moment I laid my eyes on that beautiful chandelier, I knew it had not changed.
Enjoy…talk to you later….
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