Search results for 'asheville, nc'

San Antonio, Texas is the happiest large urban city we have ever visited. People looked you in the eye, said hello, and helped you out. The unemployment rate is virtually zero. Everyone has a job. It is booming. It is a great place to go downtown, find a place to park, and just head out for a walk. 

Susie is on point for the New Year to start running out of the gate with her New Year’s resolutions for 2014. The question is – has she bitten off more than she can chew? 

When we found out the “best” Antique Mall and oldest continuously running Dance Hall in Texas were in a place called Gruene, we had to head out on patrol. We were on our way back from San Antonio visiting our niece and spent a great afternoon walking around exploring this unique small Texas town.

AUTUMN IN NEW YORK, may spell the thrill of First Nighting for we New Yorkers. But Autumn in New York is an outdoor person's dream.  Especially in the Hamptons, where the mixture of sea, sand, dunes, grass, fields and forests show a glorious display of  Fall colors.

Baby its cold outside – what a perfect time to pack up the grand kids or just yourself and head to Michigan and the Bavarian Inn. If traveling to Germany with the family is not an option this year, then have no fear, this will satisfy the thirst until then. The Inn is a family run business from the ground up, so great care is taken to make you feel welcome, comfortable and well fed. Here's what the President, Judy Zehnder Keller had to say, “Family is everything to us. My mother Dorothy, at nearly age 91, is still very active in the kitchen, my brother Bill and I along with our spouses oversee the restaurant and lodge. We both have two of our children in the business, nearly nine family members in senior management at this time. There are four in the fourth generation, four in the third generation and one in the second generation. It is a blessing and an honor to work with family.” I don't know about you, but this is the kind of place that I want to visit.

Here's lookin' at all you boomers! We grew up being the kids whose parents shared their favorite love story movie, Casablanca, and it remains a classic today. If you come to New York, the Casablanca Hotel will become your favorite classic place to stay in the Big Apple.

Welcome to the VIBRANT Grand Cayman Island, the largest of three making up the Cayman Islands. Located in the Western Caribbean, Grand Cayman is a cruise lover’s paradise and home to every color of the rainbow. The island is one of eight colonies making up the British West Indies including: The Bahamas, Barbados, British Guiana, British Honduras, Jamaica (with its dependencies the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Cayman Islands), Trinidad and Tobago, the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands. When you are in Grand Cayman the possibilities are endless for shopping, eating, exploring and lounging. It’s no surprise she is most famous for her fabulous duty-free prices on designer merchandise such as Gucci, Movado, John Hardy and Michele. 

The Homewood Suites by Hilton in Beaumont, Texas is one of the best properties in the area, if not the best. We found it as a home away from home. The hotel was both handicapped and pet friendly and the staff made us feel very welcome.

The many great sites in Poland available to touring travelers.

For my birthday this November I asked my husband for a trip to Niagara Falls, Canada.  Although we’ve traveled extensively during our married life, have lived in 8 states, we’d never been to the falls.  We enjoy driving because we can take our time and think it’s a fun way to learn about our country.  So, even though we could have driven the 600 plus miles in one day, we stopped overnight in Cleveland, Ohio.  

Blondee tells us about four special vineyards to enjoy wine tasting.

Nostradamus slept here! Bet you don't hear that very often when checking into a hotel. Well, in this case, not only Nostradamus, but Noblemen and Royalty have rested their heads at the Domaine Des Escaunes in the Provence region of France. Located in the small French village of Sernhac, you will find yourself surrounded by Vineyards and Olive trees. In fact, the 23 rooms here are each named for a different variety of grape. In addition, you are only 45 minutes from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the most famous of the Cotes du Rhone wines.

Long Live the King...
And with the arrival of Prince George Alexander Louis Wales, there are now three Kings in Waiting and Her Majesty looks as young and robust as ever.  But the tale of England, the United Kingdom, and the British Isles is long and tortured.  Power and Control by the Houses of Lords fought for hundreds of years to wear the Crown of England.   

Hot Springs, Arkansas is one of North America’s first resort cities. It is a mix of vintage hotels, Hot Springs National Park, Art Galleries, and historic Bathhouse Row. Nature’s geo-thermal healing powers have attracted people to the hot springs for centuries. 

Of course I am slightly prejudiced, but I have never had a sweeter canine or feline companion as Susie Sweet Dog.  The moment we first met on a large horse farm in northern Georgia she came out to meet me and put her head in my lap and looked at me with those big brown eyes. It was over – she had finally found her permanent home at the age of 4 ½. 

This is a casual hot spot in the beautiful neighborhood of Land Park. After you experience this gem, believe me, you will be back again and again! Robert Masullo is the owner. He will be here working right alongside everyone else. There is such a warm feeling the moment you walk in from him and the waiters, all in cool t-shirts with gold leafing. The weekends are really busy here so a little tip from me.....call to see how busy it is before you arrive, especially with a group.

What exactly is a heurigen? It’s Austria’s answer to a beer garden - only with wine. A heurigen is one of the best places to sample regional wines and delicious simple home-made cuisine and true “Gemütlichkeit ” - warmth and coziness. Heuriger means “this year” and heurigens began when Emperor Joseph II allowed vintners to sell their new wine directly to customers without any taxes. Families set up tables in their vineyards, gardens and cellars, and hung a wreath made of straw or evergreens as a signal that they were open and ready to serve their family wines.

Geneva is a Swiss city located on the south shore of Lake Geneva.  Many of its’ 200,000 inhabitants are foreigners and also hosts numerous International Organizations, including UN headquarters, Red Cross and CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research – the world’s largest particle physics laboratory).  It is also a major international financial centre, known for privacy banking laws.

First, just a brief aside regarding genetics and our family: There are times I think my family puts the “Fun” in Dysfunctional and perhaps in the final analysis, there might be times that I think my Mother (New York Times Best-Selling Author Joanne Fluke) just might be “A few peas short of a casserole”.

The Royal Horticultural Society, one of the world’s leading horticultural organizations, has partnered with Collette to bring you a line of botanically themed tours. Travelers also enjoy privileged access to stunning horticultural attractions along with all the benefits of guided travel. 

Come Back to Jamaica... used to be the popular theme song of Air Jamaica. With its mouthwatering views of the island, the happy singing and dancing islanders, and the perfect weather to lure you, of course you're going back!

Speaking of unique places to stay that are also pet friendly, the two shepherd’s huts at Wriggly Tin in Hampshire certainly fill the bill. Being a herding dog, Susie is especially interested in the possibility of her and Beau or her European buddies to stay in a place where she can once again say, “Where are the sheep?”

Join Collette and experience the beauty and timeless wonder found only in Greece.  On this 15 day tour discover the magnificent ruins of ancient Greece and bask in the brilliance of the Mediterranean.  This journey gives you the perfect balance of visits to Greece’s most important Classical age monuments and providing you with ample time to wander the winding streets, vineyards, boutiques, marketplaces and beaches on Mykonos and Santorini. 

We know that Monaco is one of the most elegant, richest places in the world. It is a dream place for a dream time. It is very expensive to visit here, so special if you can come. The architecture is dreamy and beautiful people are everywhere. This is a lovely province on The French Riviera that has a very famous Monarchy. It is true opulence here.