Travel

In all the years I lived in Seattle and on all my subsequent trips, I always thought that the city was getting younger, trendier, and less “sleepy.” Certainly in the past few years as more and more young professionals, taste makers, and trend setters have moved to Seattle, I feel like I’ve watched the city evolve to keep up with the demand to stay fresh and sophisticated. On my recent visit, I decided to check out (and check into) Hotel 1000, a relatively new boutique hotel, that to me, really embodied the newer, younger, Seattle- sleek and modern ambiance meets luxurious and uncompromising service. (more…)

On my recent visit to San Francisco, I decided to escape the cold and the city with an overnight trip to Sonoma. California wine country boasts some of the world’s finest dining and drinking experiences- so it’s really a shame to go out for only a day trip. We decided to make Healdsburg, a beautiful, centrally located town our home base, and drive to all the vineyards surrounding it. After having done some research on lodging options in the town, I decided to check into Healdsburg Inn, a very charming, chic, and best of all comfortable hotel that is centrally located right in the town’s main plaza. (more…)

Believe it or not, it’s finally starting to feel like summer in Southern California (OK, yes, the weather is practically perfect year-round but only now have we been hitting the 90s on a regular basis!). For a swimsuit pack rat, this means heaven — and time to stop parading around the kitchen in my new orange-striped Seafolly Capri separates. Finally, I get to take them outside!

Seafolly, a popular Australian swimwear brand, has been around since the mid-70s selling “sexy yet practical” suits. You can instantly spot the subtle retro influences of the brand in its latest line of ultra-feminine, chic suits and beachwear, from strategically placed ruffles and cutouts to polka dots and sailor stripes. Upon first checking out this season’s styles, I — like many bloggers and editors — immediately fell in love with the one-piece Goddess Boyleg Maillot (about $150). It’s supposed to be great for hourglass figures but I was worried that the boy-leg cut would shorten my already short legs, so next on my list were the shirred Capri separates ($77 for the top and $64 for the bottom, as seen on Victoria’s Secret model Jessica Hart, left). I love how the convertible bandeau bra-top makes my non-existent bust look, well … busty! (more…)

Editor’s Note:  Starting this month, we’re bringing you a new feature series which will highlight some of our favorite place in our own cities or cities we travel to.  We’re kicking off August with TDO Editor Carolyn’s currently obsessions in New York City. Hope you enjoy and let us know what you think! (more…)

Every summer I inevitably find myself spending some weekends “out east” (in Manhattan vernacular) or heading to the Hamptons, an idyllic consortium of towns located on the eastern tip of Long Island and a popular hangout for young professionals to socialites. Some people go for the “scene” bar-hopping, party-going, bash-throwing, while others go simply go to get away.  Earlier this summer, I spent a long weekend out in Southampton for the latter reason, a little trip to rejuvenate me after months and months in the city.

While I’ve spent multiple summers before in Southampton, it’s always been at a friend’s house or a summer share, which isn’t exactly conducive to relaxing. So this time, I checked into the Southampton Inn, a casual chic inn located just around the corner from downtown Southampton, and a free shuttle away from Cooper’s Beach. Nestled on five acres of manicured lawns, the Inn houses 90 simple but spacious and charming rooms, a new pool and OSO, the property’s first restaurant. The country style décor exudes laid back Hamptons charm and the friendly staff helps you feel at home right away. What I love about this place is that the inn is completely unassuming and unpretentious, a welcome relief amongst the typical Hamptons scene. That’s not to say, however, that the inn doesn’t provide top of the line amenities.  Each room is equipped with Gilchrist & Soames toiletries and super comfortable Tempur Pedic® mattresses. In fact, the Inn’s balance of privacy and luxury makes it the lodging of choice for a number of celebrity clients every summer and the stylish grounds made it the location for the filming of upcoming Kate Hudson movie, Something Borrowed. (more…)

Earlier this year I went on a press trip to Park City, Utah where I was introduced to the magical world of Talisker. Located in Deer Valley, Talisker in Tuhaye is an amazingly beautiful private community which they describe as “an exclusive oasis dedicated to the finer things in life.”  We were treated to a divine spa and fitness session at the gorgeous Club Park (see above) which is open only to members of the community. (more…)

A few weekends ago, one of my lovely girlfriends got married in San Francisco and had an amazingly beautiful wedding. (Congratulations, Emily!) She was the first of in our group of gals to get hitched, so we all planned for an unforgettable weekend in California. That included a side trip to Sonoma for wine tasting, which I was, of course, super excited for! We gathered recommendations from friends and did some research of our own to start planning our wine country tour. Although not all the ladies could make it, with our group size, it turned out to be only slightly more expensive to book a private limo than to do a shuttle bus tour. The flexibility to choose wineries and schedules was definitely worth it for us, and armed with a list of wineries we wanted to check out, we began our trip… (more…)

With Valentine’s Day in such close proximity to Presidents Day, why not celebrate love, life and happiness with a luxury getaway that’s fit for a president — or in this case, fit for 14 presidents? My husband and I were fortunate enough to check out a Signature Suite recently at the Old World French- and American Indian-inspired U.S. Grant Hotel — voted one of the 100 best hotels in the world — in downtown San Diego, Calif. And let me tell you, whether alone or with a sweetheart, this is one romantic place for glamour-lovers to steal away this weekend. Here’s why:

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