- Finding Shangri La in Paris Rarely do I do an article about a single hotel but that is what this is. I have been fortunate to stay in most of the top hotels in the world. Including all of the “Palace” and 5 star hotels of Paris. Last week I found my new favorite hotel in the world. Shangri La […]
- “Glories of the Hermitage” Russia in the Winter During the Gilded Age, at the turn of the last century, St. Petersburg was a must stop on every social calendar…in winter. The social season of Russia’s imperial capital was at it’s height during January and February, when there was little sunlight. Having spent a week in St. Petersburg, in the dead of winter, I […]
- What is it like to travel with author and historian Alison Weir? What is it like to travel with author and historian Alison Weir? Here is a glimpse–melding history, art and unbelievable research. From Alison: ” These full-length, stained-glass figures if Henry VII and Elizabeth of York appear in the east window of the chancel of St Nicholas’s Church, Stanford-on-Avon, Northamptonshire, which dates from c.1537-40. Beneath the Queen […]
- The Slow Cruise Movement. Are You a Slow Cruiser? Though megaships/cities at sea have been grabbing all the headlines recently, cruises come in all sizes and shapes. I have written about my passion for smaller ships but I need to elaborate further. My passion is for “slow cruising”. On a slow cruise (not about speed, think slow food) the focus […]
- After Landing at Heathrow: What to Do Day One? After many trips to London, for both business and pleasure, my Day one routine is fixed. Most Americans arrive dead tired after an overnight flight, particularly if, like me, you were in coach. The following suggested itinerary is a mix that includes a dash of royalty, avoiding napping, getting exercise and making all my “nesting” […]
- North Korea, Mongolia and More Surprising Vacation Destinations I just returned from three days of meetings and parties in Marrakech, Morocco at the fourth annual PURE Life Experiences Travel Conference. I know, the title sounds slightly “New Age,” and maybe it is, but it is also one of the most creative, prescient three days I have spent in many years. We all read […]
- North Korea, Mongolia and More Surprising Vacation Destinations I just returned from three days of meetings and parties in Marrakech, Morocco at the fourth annual PURE Life Experiences Travel Conference. I know, the title sounds slightly “New Age,” and maybe it is, but it is also one of the most creative, prescient three days I have spent in many years. We all read […]
- Viennese Balls And The Lure Of The Plush Exotic With the travel landscape increasingly dominated by “experiential” trips to remote countries like Bhutan and challenging locales like Everest Base Camp, can the more familiar, less exotic destinations entice tourists to return and reengage? Recently, I was invited to attend the third annual Fete Imperiale ball in Vienna, a city known for its fancy occasions. […]
- On Progress With Henry VIII And Author Alison Weir Henry VIII has always fascinated the American public and never more so than following the Showtime miniseries, The Tudors, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Filled with lots of drama, quasi-historical accuracy, six wives, great costumes and, yes, soft-porn, this miniseries reignited interest in all things Tudor. While it was airing, I attended a book signing with […]
- Seven Trips To Expand Your Comfort Zone Having spent 17 years circling the globe for my job at the Smithsonian Institution, I am often asked, “Where is your favorite destination and where should I go next?” Seems like an easy question, but it isn’t. My own list of favorites has shifted dramatically as my personal travel comfort zone expanded. For your consideration, […]
