A.R. Valentien was a talented 20th century California artist and is the namesake for the signature restaurant at the Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla. Many of the artist’s works are displayed throughout the restaurant. Serving regional San Diego cuisine, the timbered and elegant restaurant features both indoor and patio dining with views of...…
Addison, at the Fairmont Del Mar Resort, is San Diego’s most acclaimed restaurant earning two Michelin stars, AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star Awards and Wine Spectator’s Grand Award. Chef William Bradley is a Grand Chef of Relais & Chateau and was the winner of the Culinary Master Competition. The formal dining room is...…
OVERVIEW at Andaz Napa The Andaz Napa is located in the heart of downtown Napa, accessible on foot to everything in town and by car for the surrounding areas. Part of the Hyatt chain, this upscale brand offers luxury accommodations at affordable prices. THE ROOMS at Andaz Napa The 141 rooms are elegantly decorated with...…
OVERVIEW With vineyards in the foreground and the Santa Lucia Mountains as the backdrop, Bernardus Lodge is the quintessential “Relaxing Retreat”, a property so special it raises the bar for all others. The setting could not be more idyllic, but it is the care that went into the design, both inside and out, the attention...…
OVERVIEW Hidden behind 80 year old palm trees and banana leaves, the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel sits on 12 acres of tropical gardens and exotic flowers. The familiar “pink palace” is part of the esteemed Dorchester Group of super luxury hotels. Steeped in history the hotel’s Polo Lounge has been the scene of many Hollywood...…
Born & Raised is a fantastic steakhouse opened in 2017 in Little Italy. The $6.5mm project created a 10,000 square foot restaurant with 250 seats that pays homage to the mid-century and art deco eras. Downstairs is classic steakhouse décor with leather booths, wood paneled walls, green marble table tops and lots of brass. Makes...…
Bouchon is the Las Vegas iteration of Thomas Keller’s wildly successful French bistro in Napa. Keller, the Chef/Owner of the world renowned French Laundry, also in Napa, has created a near perfect restaurant where guests can enjoy breakfast, brunch or dinner, inside or on the patio. Located in the Venetian Hotel on the 10th floor...…
OVERVIEW Just across the Bay from San Francisco is the charming seaside town of Sausilito, filled with wonderful shops, cafes and art galleries. If you want to escape the rigors of a big city, yet be close enough to get there when you want, Casa Madrona is the perfect choice. Perched on a hillside overlooking...…
OVERVIEW Leave it to the government to appropriate a setting so amazing, but that’s what happened at Fort Baker, an army post created in 1866 for the defense of the San Francisco Bay. Located at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge, the views of the bridge and San Francisco are nothing short of spectacular....…
OVERVIEW Wynn and Encore are sister properties in Las Vegas. They sit next to each other on the Strip and are, in many ways, interchangeable. Here are the differences; Encore is slightly newer, debuting about 3 years after Wynn opened, it is slightly smaller in terms of number of rooms (although at 2,000 plus rooms each,...…
OVERVIEW Just north of San Diego lies the upscale enclave of La Jolla (pronounced hoy-a), and within it, Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa, a peaceful refuge from the bustle of the city. The impeccably manicured grounds are designed in Spanish hacienda style and bloom with vines, flowers, trees and plants that infuse colors and...…
OVERVIEW The magnificent 249-room luxury San Diego resort, Fairmont Grand Del Mar, captures the elegance and comfort of an old-world Mediterranean estate with an enviable Southern California locale. Its design honors the indelible style of visionary architect Addison Mizner (1872-1933) who drew his inspiration from Spain’s palaces, France’s sun-washed coastal retreats and Florence’s decorative arts...…
OVERVIEW Four Seasons hotels are among the finest in the country. Their design, service level and amenities are matched by few other hotel chains. While the hotels can be very expensive in places like NYC, sometimes, like in Las Vegas, you get an incredible value for this level of lodging. The Four Seasons Las Vegas...…
OVERVIEW Just steps away from the popular Union Square shopping area of downtown San Francisco lies the inimitable Four Seasons Hotel. It may not look like much from the outside, as it is simply another building hiding indiscriminately among the skyscrapers in the financial district, but step inside and let the gilded treatment that the...…
I never miss an opportunity to visit George’s at the Cove in La Jolla when I am in San Diego. It’s cliffside location with views of the ocean is nothing short of spectacular. It’s a great spot for lunch, for drinks or for dinner. George’s is actually three restaurants in one, all have great ocean...…
OVERVIEW La Jolla is our favorite part of San Diego and The Grand Colonial is the ideal base for your activities in the area. The hotel is a wonderful and warm European style boutique hotel steeped in history, but perfectly suited to these modern times. Opened in 1913, the hotel has gone through numerous iterations...…
OVERVIEW The Hotel Bel-Air opened its doors in 1946 and quickly became a favorite of the Hollywood elite including Grace Kelly, Cary Grant, Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. Purchased in 2008 by Dallas businesswoman Caroline Hunt, the hotel became a member of the esteemed Dorchester Collection of hotels which includes the Dorchester in London, the...…
OVERVIEW of Hotel Yountville Hotel Yountville is in the center of the town which is in the center of the valley, making it an ideal base for your visit to Napa. In Yountville itself, you can walk to tasting rooms, Michelin starred restaurants, an amazing bakery and wonderful boutiques. The hotel is an elegant compound of...…
Hugo’s Cellar is a somewhat unlikely choice for dinner. It doesn’t show up on any “lists” of the best restaurants in town, it has been around forever and it is located underneath the Four Queens Hotel, a decidedly down market casino on Fremont. This is “old school” Vegas. It’s dark with cozy booths, candles, artwork...…
OVERVIEW of L’Auberge Carmel Built in 1929 and recently renovated, L’Auberge Carmel has only 20 guestrooms that surround a charming brick courtyard. The white stucco building with arched doorways, green trim and flower boxes filled with red flowers has the look and feel of an inn you might encounter in the French countryside. The small...…
Chef/Owner Ken Frank came to love French cooking while living in France as a teenager. He first achieved national acclaim in 1977 when he was Chef of La Guillotine Restaurant at age 21. He was the original Chef at Michael’s in Santa Monica, considered the Los Angeles birthplace of “California Cuisine,” which he left in...…
I am kind of a stickler when it comes to seafood. If it has been frozen, I can tell with the first bite and I am done with it. That makes Lakeside at Wynn the perfect seafood restaurant for me. Lakeside serves Hawaiian seafood, line-caught by family fishermen in Hana and flown daily, directly to...…
OVERVIEW of Pebble Beach Set high above the crashing waves, overlooking Carmel Bay, Pebble Beach Resorts is world renowned for its golf courses which host the annual AT&T Pro-Am PGA event and has been host to 5 U.S. Open tournaments. Golfers the world over are familiar with this amazing setting. Playing these courses is a...…
OVERVIEW of The Lodge at Torrey Pines Set on 6 1/2 acres beside the famed Torrey Pines Golf Course and overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Lodge at Torrey Pines is one of the most dramatic settings for a resort in the country. The beautiful Torrey Pines State Park with its beaches, rugged cliffs and forests...…
OVERVIEW at Maison Fleurie This may well be THE value accommodation in the Napa Valley. Located in the heart of the valley in Yountville, this charming B&B sits on a half acre of beautifully sculpted gardens and is made up of three stone and brick buildings. Maison Fleurie was built in 1873 as the Magnolia Hotel, constructed...…
OVERVIEW of Meadowood In 1979 H. William Harlan was searching for land on which to create a wine estate when he was introduced to Meadowood, which had been founded in 1964 as a private country club. The property wasn’t ideally suited to grape growing, but Mr. Harlan was intrigued and called his partners to share...…
Wow, inadequately describes the view from Mister A’s 12th floor restaurant overlooking the in downtown SD. You’re so high up, planes are actually landing below you at the airport. Whether you are there for lunch (Fridays) or Brunch (Sundays) and sitting on the delightful patio, or for dining in the evening with the City all...…
OVERVIEW of Montage Perched on a bluff above the mighty Pacific Ocean with the rugged coastline below, the Montage Laguna Beach is a stunning property set on 30 beautifully manicured acres halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego. The gorgeous lobby has massive floor to ceiling windows that showcase the crashing waves and slender palms...…
OVERVIEW of Nick’s Cove The 1 ½ drive to Nick’s from San Francisco is worth the trip alone as you make your way up the coast though redwood forests, on winding mountain roads with more hairpin turns than you’ve ever experienced and beside green pastures with grazing livestock. The mountains were dotted with yellow flowers...…
OVERVIEW of North Block Hotel North Block is a boutique hotel in Yountville that could have been plucked from a Pottery Barn catalog. The stone buildings with slate roofs surround a courtyard that has seating areas and fireplaces. The entrance way is lined with citrus trees, hand painted tiles and lanterns. The chic lobby is bathed...…
OVERVIEW In a lush valley surrounded by the Topatopa Mountain range lies the tiny town of Ojai California. Just a two hour drive north of Los Angeles, this laid back country town is a remote yet supremely accessible haven for those looking to get out of the city bustle. Ojai Valley Inn & Spa occupies...…
OVERVIEW In 2017, we stayed at a new hotel called the Sagamore Pendry in Baltimore. It was a new brand of the Montage luxury group of properties. We immediately became big fans because Pendry offered many of the same amenities, same level of outstanding service at a more mid-range price. Now, just 4 years later...…
Las Vegas is less than 10% the size of NYC, yet it has only one less Five Star restaurant than the Big Apple. This is a foodie town! The point is, there are lots of choices for an over-the-top meal, but Picasso is my favorite for a host of reasons. The gorgeous dining room is...…
OVERVIEW Nestled amidst the sprawling neighborhoods of San Diego’s coastal mountains, Rancho Bernardo has been awarded the AAA Four Diamond award for 33 years running and has earned the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine. It is a cozy and intimate respite just 30 minutes from downtown San Diego. Stucco buildings with red tiled...…
OVERVIEW Set on 45 acres of lush gardens and olive groves, the Mediterranean-inspired Rancho Valencia, is an all-suite property and recently completed a $30 million renovation including remodeled guest casitas, a brand new restaurant and new bar, completely remodeled meeting space, as well as major enhancements to The Spa and fitness center. This marvelous resort...…
Rao’s was opened in 1896 in East Harlem, NY and is, today, one of the oldest family owned and operated restaurants in the country. Its 10 seat NY restaurant is the hardest reservation to get in town. In fact, unless you have “table rights” (a standing reservation for a particular night) or are invited to...…
OVERVIEW Tucked away in the coastal hills of Santa Barbara, San Ysidro Ranch is a quick drive from the freeway through a mélange of upscale neighborhoods landing you at the ornate entrance to the property. A long cobbled drive bordered on either side by verdant olive trees and fragrant lavender bushes seemingly delivers you into...…
OVERVIEW Located in historic downtown Santa Barbara, the Simpson House Inn is the ultimate in Bed and Breakfast perfection. Built in 1874, the actual structure is everything you would expect from a historical home; ambling gardens, cozy nooks, creaking stairs, and rooftop garrets that, though rustic, you wouldn’t want to have any other way. The...…
OVERVIEW Los Angeles is notorious for having no real downtown area. However if it did have one, it would probably be the few blocks surrounding the Beverly Center. A major shopping and dining destination in its own right, the Beverly Center has garnered a panoply of other establishments in its vicinity−including the Sofitel Los Angeles....…
Since opening in 1941, The Marine Room in La Jolla, has become renowned for its beachfront location, spectacular sunsets and high tide surf that creates incredible activity right outside your window. In fact, when the tides are right the restaurant offers special High Tide Dinners. All tables are positioned to take advantage of the remarkable...…
OVERVIEW This is another instance, like Wynn and Encore, where there are two sister hotels, side by side, that share a lot of features. There are a few design differences, but The Venetian and The Palazzo are very similar. This is a huge resort, the trip from the front desk to the elevators was so...…
OVERVIEW Its gold façade glistening in the desert sun, Trump sits on the edge of the Strip, close enough to walk anywhere, yet seemingly far away from the bustling crowds. If you want luxury and proximity without the hordes tramping through a casino, this is a place for you. As with all Trump hotels, the...…
OVERVIEW of Ventana Inn Nestled in a mountain meadow, amidst the towering redwoods, oak and bay laurel of Big Sur and 1200 feet above the Pacific, the Ventana Inn and Spa is a tranquil and serene refuge that will calm the soul of even the most stressed among us. The drive alone along the rugged...…
OVERVIEW Located within the bustling City Center, right on the Strip, the Waldorf Astoria (formally the Mandarin Oriental) is close to all the major attractions and casinos, but thankfully does not have one itself. Guests arrive on the ground floor and are whisked to reception on the 23rd floor which is also home to the...…
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This months featured property is… charming and sweet. THE ROOMS In 2017, Champalimaud Design refreshed all 86 rooms and suites and all guest floor corridors. The approach was to reinvigorate the spaces to be fresh, light and welcoming, utilizing palettes of blue, tan and grey to complement the relaxed nature of Aspen. Key features include… read more.