As The Crow Flies

Cherry Blossoms Abound in Washington DC

2009-04-02T12:57:00.006-04:00

I love the spring. I love the way the grass starts to push up fresh green blades adding color to the winter monochromatic scenery. Slowly, as daylight expands, the first flowers follow. First crocuses and then daffodils and then the most magical thing happens -- as if out of nowhere the glorious cherry blossoms bloom. They are magnificent and colorful and alight the horizon with light-pink puffs. To me, they always seem heaven sent.

I love walking near the Tidal Basin to take in their full beauty, before after or during the Cherry Blossom festival there. DC is such a great place to visit in spring before it's too hot. So given that there is reason to travel to our nation's capital now, and that a friend asked for a few recommendations, I thought I'd name a few restaurants there which are quite good.
Very upscale:
Marcels - French and delish
CityZen- it is in a hotel very Shi Shi Asian

Moderate:
Beck's - Belgian bistro type food
Central - michel Richard's burger place
Poste- in the hotel Monaco right near the verizon center, great truffle fries
Jaleo if you like tapas
Founding Farmer - organic and locally grown stuff
Blue duck tavern
Black salt - seafood mostly
Vidalia
Acadiana - low country style food with amazing biscuits and pepper jelly to start.

Less expensive:
Ben's chili bowl- where Obama has gone and it is the oldest African american owned restaurant in DC excellent chili dogs
Any Five Guys burger place
Bread Line on PA ave near the white house, note it's ONLY open weekdays for lunch but has amazing bread/sandwiches/soups/salads

Now, back to those blossoms, fortunately the cherry trees also bloom a few weeks later in my home city of New York. Here I'm still waiting for them to bloom around the reservoir in Central Park. What a grand site they are to see. They're also magnificent in Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens where they have an annual cherry blossom festival.

Cabo, Los Cabos, San Jose - Just What Is Cabo San Lucas?

2006-12-07T15:54:00.000-05:00

I can finally answer this burning travel question because I've been to Cabo and back and I'm here to tell you about it.

Los Cabos is the ever-popular and somewhat trendy vacation spot in Mexico. Move over Cancun Cabos San Lucas is on the rise. And rising there are tons of mega hotels and resorts that seem to offer everything rolled up in one and served poolside, preferably in the form of a slushy drink. But I digress. Think of it like this Los Cabos is the area comprised of the town of San Jose and the town of Cabo San Lucas. Everything in between the two is pretty much destined to be luxury condos or resorts if it's not underway already.

The shorthand in my mind is that "Cabo" could be very cool -- but it's not so much for the beach lover as the beaches are short (and generally bookended by enormous rocks) the sand is coarse, and the sea is cold. But it's still a beautiful view and there are great views, and it's Mexico...

San Jose feels like an old charming village. It brought to mind Sayulita, a fishing village I love 20 minutes north of Puerta Vallarta. There is a main area of town and a town square to wander. Jewelry stores, galleries, restaurants etc... but it isn't overgrown. And it has none of the Cabo-Wabo feel that San Lucas has. San Lucas is the splashier town -- not that anything is splashy here exactly. I mean once you turn off the main paved road the rest are dirt roads but they lead to hotels and restaurants and beachside dinning. There is a lot happening at once in San Lucas -- it has the expected beach hawkers who peddle every possible Mexican ware around. From pottery to jewelry, beach bags to braids -- whatever you want is yours for a price. Loud music blares from speakers at the hotels and restaurants. This is the Cabo you've been hearing of. And it could be fun if you're in the mood for a little spring break...

My hope is that they develop Cabo in a smart way and that it doesn't get over-run with resort after resort each one bigger than the next. I also hope they plant native plants and maintain the Mexican flavor of the place. And lastly, I hope next to the golf courses they're developing they remember to plan sidewalks and recreation areas for those of us who like to take a morning jog or walk or just wander...

Perhaps my favorite thing about Cabo was the night we spent at a private party in the canyon. The place was a-glow with candles and we had the band Wonder Bread 5 play. They're an amazing cover band based in San Francisco and know how to have a good time. Is there a better place for a concert than outdoors under the stars?

So question answered and Los Cabos found.

Buenos Aires is mui calientes!

2006-10-30T16:21:00.000-05:00

It's hot and getting hotter all the time with so many people wanting to see what the buzz on BA is all about. My traveling friends, let me tell you, the cat is out of the bag. Buenos Aires is mui calientes! (That means hot, for those of you who can't speak Spanish.)

Speaking of, my Spanish is horrible (in fact, that was the one expression I perfected in South America: Mi espanol es horrible. Only the pronunciation of horrible is different and the 'le' sound is pronounced 'lay' as in horrib-lay.) But good thing that I didn't have to speak fluent Spanish to appreciate this city -- don't get me wrong you need to know the basics here or you'll want a good guide around. Thankfully Jeff is an excellent guide and fluent in Espanol.

Now down to the real deal on BA. It's a city with a true city-vibe, albeit a gritty one in many places. And, much like New York, Buenos Aires claims to be the city that never sleeps. If you're going -- I suggest you get ready to adjust your sleeping pattern. Even if you're not a nightowl, to experience this place you will eat, drink, and dance as the locals do. That means starting dinner at 10pm. After dinner and wine (oh the wines -- such good good wines!) you'll go to a place for drinks and dancing. The tango most likely. And those shows don't get started until 1, but nothing really good seems to happen before 3. Yes, that is 3am. You got it. Bed at dawn, sleep in, start again with breakfast around 10:30am (I did notice that each day of our trip breakfast got later and later...) I'm not really sure how it is that people get work done in this city but somehow the place is always bustling when you walk out your door.

My absolute favorite thing in BA was the Park Hyatt Palacio Duhau Buenos Aires. A new hotel that is, yes, a palace. WOW! Supposedly the developers spent 90 million dollars restoring, renovating and building this hotel. It is a conversation between old and new, antique and modern, light and dark -- and it is what Buenos Aires should be and could be.

The Park Hyatt is an inspiring, heavenly, enchanting spot. It is a vision of a hotel. I would live there. but that doesn't describe the palace entry, the marble floors, the oak doors, the stunning, sweeping gardens which look between the old palace and the new hotel tower -- and what happens in between them. The underground gallery (art gallery!) that connects them. The flower area where you can enjoy the gorgeous art of flower making as they're getting ready to place the flowers elsewhere around the hotel. The cheese room with over 40 cheeses from around the world. Cheeses, which can be paired with one of their fine wine selections at the Vinoteca with 350 different labels and more than 3,500 bottles of wine. Plus they've smartly constructed a pairing/ tasting room in a cozy area separate from the restaurant. Separate even from the Oak Bar, which has spectacular oak panels which were carved in Normandy in the 17th century, and transported to the palacoio by the Duhau's themselves. In the oak bar one should enjoy scotch, cognac, cocktails and cigars. If I were someone fabulous or I wanted to be -- this is the place in BA I'd want to see and be seen. Ok, the last thing, I'll say about it, other than that you must see this hotel if you visit, is that the tea is outstanding and well worth it. Yum!

The best and worst thing about BA, to me, is the architecture. It's stunning. And, it's awful. Mostly it's stunning and then right next to this gorgeous building, like one you've seen in Paris or as on 5th Avenue, is a modern monstrosity. So many of the the remaining buildings are dwarfed by the more recent additions, which any urban planner should despise. However, the city has older districts and wealthier areas that seem to have been preserved more carefully. Those areas like Recoleta and Palermo Viejo are standouts. But to wander the city you'll see hundreds of buildings and just want to linger and stare.

The subway, or Subte, is fairly easy to navigate and better than taxis for getting around the city during the daytime traffic. It only costs about sixty cents (that's by US standards) and is far cheaper than the average taxi which I found to run about $5 or so, and was notably slightly more than everyone said.

While BA is a bargain right now, it's not as big of a bargain as some report. In my experience most things were about half the cost of what it would be in the states, which is still fantastic but not as "dirt cheap" as some propose. Of course for tailored leather items you really can't beat the prices. In the leather district (at Murillo Street and Malabia) it's pretty much all negotiable. Leather, suede, fur you name it -- and the prices are good.

In the hipper area of Palermo Viejo the stores are more typical and the prices are more or less set. You can try to bargain and see if the shopkeepers go for it. You could walk around Palermo Viejo for days and still discover new stores. I loved it! Home furnishings, design stores, galleries, handbages, shoes, boutiques -- and the nicest Nike store you've ever seen abound. Calma Chica had great cow rugs and other leather furnishings. As did others with leather place mats, boxes and kitchen items. Great restaurants, bars and cafes are abundant the portenos (those are the natives) like Bar Uriarte -- the garden is lovely and the art upstairs great - but request a table beyond the bar where the chairs are normal sized. Otherwise, the meal may be great but you won't be very comfortable. A visit to Casa Cruz will show the trendier side to BA, but I think it's mostly for tourists these days and feels a bit nouveau riche and over-the-top to me. Though to their credit, the cocktails are made fresh and pretty tasty. I'd definitely recommend staying at the popular HOME hotel in PV, from there you can happily ignore much of the rest of the city.

Aside from Recoleta and the Recoleta cemetery though. This may sound creepy, but the cemetery is well worth the visit to see all the Art Deco and Art Nouveau sculptures that house the dead. Of course you can see Eva Perone's grave there too -- but go quick as there are rumors she may be moved yet again! Like in Santiago there were cats and dogs wandering around in BA -- especially in Recoleta. I'm not sure the story there but I wanted to rescue them all. While in Recoleta, the stores and shopping rivals 5th ave or Rodeo drive and you'll note some of the same stores. Prices on those goods aren't a bargain at all but it's fun to window-shop at the very least. The chocolates and gelato at at Volta shouldn't be missed if you're in the area.

Everyone will tell you to visit San Telmo, but I wasn't captivated by it. Sure, there's a quaint, if dirty square but I found the antique stores to be schlocky. However, sadly, I missed the Sunday Antiques Fair which I hear has great finds and is better than the antique market in Paris. I would only recommend going there if you're wild about antiques or possibly for the night life. We visited a locals spot called La Camparasita for an informal tango show. But we paid a lot and heard a ton of crooners sing for hours rather painfully. I found the people watching better than the show.

Speaking of tango shows, only the tourists seem to do that so I stayed away as I've heard they're overpriced and not that great. Instead I'd recommend a visit to La Boca to see the street tango set against the lively-colored buildings, street vendors, and cafes any day. I'd also pay a visit to the famous Confiteria Ideal -- we did and it was worth it. Take a lesson and go back at night for the scene. This is the real deal. (They'll proudly tell you, Madonna was there when shooting Evita.) It's an Argentian institution and well worth it.

It's summer in Argentina while it's winter here at home so now may be a good time to think about heading south...

Uruguay, So Far Away...

2006-10-25T10:02:00.000-04:00

I feel we've landed in a world so remote and far away that I might never return. The Four Seasons Carmelo http://fourseasons.com/carmelo is an absolute relaxation paradise. The resort was created about an hour away from the port and is on a sprawling 140 hectares -- I can't recall exactly what that means in pure acreage -- but it's vast.

The one thing I'd comment on is the fact that you've come all this way for a South American retreat and the place is Balinese in its inspiration. But really, with our bungalow with a private patio, huge windows overlooking the bay waters, private patio with outdoor shower, fireplace, walk in closet, bath tub and shower with great views who can complain that it's more zen than goucho chic?

We sleep in for lazy mornings kicked off with yoga meditation followed by breakfast, or brunch, and then basque in the shade of the umbrella's poolside as the sun is too intense. By day we recline in the heat until mid-afternoon when we go to the spa for swimming, a workout at the gym, whirlpool, sauna and massages.

You can go canoeing, horsebackriding, play tennis or golf, ride bicycles around the property and more... But best to use Carmelo as your place to let it all go and just relax with very little on the agenda.

Day lasts longer as it stays light until 8:30 when the sunset alights the horizon with al the colors of the rainbow. But night doesn't really begin here until the evening meal is commenced. If you have dinner before 10pm you're a real novice. What the locals do is eat at 10pm and enjoy a long and lavish meal. (We're builing up or nighttime stamina for our days in Buenos Aires.)

For a more South American feel, visit Narbona bodega & granja which is an outstanding restaurant nearby which prepares their own wine and cheese. It's scrumptious and charming. You can take home wines, jams, and the most succulent of all Dolce de leche, this thick carmel spread -- it's like Nutella only made from caramel and melts in your mouth. Yum! It's dangerous and definitely addictive. (And for all you wondering about my healthy no sugar diet, it doesn't count on vacation! this is too good to be missed but I won't bring any home with me, I will leave it as a fantastic south american taste and tradition which will have to await my next return.)

While here we met two couples from New York -- and they say that 60% of the visitors speak English which makes it very easy to get by if your Espanol is as horrible as mine!

More from BA (as the locals refer to the famed city of Buenos Aires!)

As the Crow Flies Introduction

2006-10-21T16:01:00.000-04:00

Hello! While I'm thinking and talking about travel I thought I would create a place for me to keep up with the world, my friends, and my own thoughts. Here is a place where you can follow me and see a few things through my own expereinces. As the Crow Flies is my way of letting you get a glimpse into my world of travels... What I've found for sure is the more I experience the more there is to experience still. I look forward to hearing from you. --Happy Travels, amy

Santiago, Chile

2006-10-21T15:25:00.000-04:00

So here I am in Santiago Chile typing, in my hotel room, creating my very first blog. Part travel journal, part letters to my friends, relatives and colleagues I'm writing off the top of my head sharing thoughts and insights as I go. My friends always tell me that they live vicariously and so I'm finally getting my act together to document a bit more about my experiences. As The Crow Flies is all about where I've been and what I've been up to. At least I hope. (That is if I can ever figure out the technology!)

With the Andes mountains as my backdropfor inspiration, Santiago is as good a place as anyway to launch from, right?

I came here to speak at a conference for Travel Writers and Destinations. Not a bad place for a conference! Although the hotels here are located a bit far from the happening part of the city, and the city is not the easiest to navigate -- you mustn't let that stop you. Santiago is a city on the move. It is in transition -- so if you like to be the first to do something it's a must on your travel list.

My favorite places have been:
-Zully a marvelous restaurant which is not just about food, but stories. The owner is a US expat who loves Chile and it shows. Every room of this historic house is different. You will not have the same meal twice. I believe the owner, Joe Westrate, could single-handedly change the shape of Chilean tourism and that is just what he wants to do. When you visit do not miss the roof or the wine-vault area. With the food you can not go wrong. It is some of the city's best.

-Los Domenicos is one of the best artisan markets I've been to. The prices are fair, but don't expect a whole lot of bargaining. Still you can come home with native handicrafts from jewelry to art, sophisticated ponchos to copper-ware.

-Eat the ice cream! Not that it's ever really a bad idea to eat ice cream, here it's particularly good and cheap. For 600 pesos you can get a heaping serving! The gelato here is as good as in Italy. Take it from me. Yum!

-Hotels There is a district, somewhat far out from the city center, which is where many of the hotels exist. Especially the business hotels so get ready for some cab rides or learn where the nearest Metro stop is. You may need to take a fairly long walk to get there, be forwarned. I'd like to mention in particular the Ritz Carlton Santiago which has the distinction of being the most affordable of all the Ritz hotels. But you'd never know it. I particularly loved the bar, so very Ritz Carlton with 12 different variations on the national drink, the Pisco Sour (a chili pepper pisco sour, one that is made from avocado, a ginger and honey option and more.) But it also has the best happy hour around on Thursday and Friday nights with a DJ, incredible food, and good drink prices at their bar/restaurant 365. The pool and gym are among my favorites in this category as they're at the top of the hotel in a domed area filled with light and city views. The heated pool, wifi access, lounge chairs all make it hard to want to leave -- work, swim, work, swim... You get the point. The beds are also worth the mention as they offer a great night sleep in cushy comfort. Mmmm. Another hotel worth mentioning is the recently renovated Grand Hyatt. It is built in a clever cylindrical shape and allows for really roomy well lit rooms. I'm not always a fan of the central lobby courtyard but here it works. The rooms, gym, and facilities are all top notch. The pool and waterfall, the restaurant, and the gym are all terrific features as well.

-Wineries. You'd be remiss not to sample the wines and make the trip to either the Maipo or the Casablanca wine valley. I personally loved the relative newcomer Matetic which also has a stunning 3 bedroom hacienda that you can rent out. (They do small weddings, if you know of anyone in the market...) It's run by a husband (he's the chef) and wife (she's the winemaker) duo who pack quite the punch. The wines are quite tasty -- especially when sampled at the state of the art facility built into the mountain side. The view is magnificent and serene. You won't want to leave. Except maybe for a trip to the restaurant down the road, which is all organic and serves lots of local specialties. The ceviche was outstanding! The setting is stunning, and while it could use a few more years to have more mature plant growth it's already worth the drive. (About an hour from Santiago.)

Chile is an amazingly vast country. Did you know that from top to bottom it is the distance from Washington DC to San Francisco? Impressive. From Patagonia to Easter Island, Valparaiso to Vina Del Mar there is so much here to explore.

What I've found so far is that I haven't had nearly enough time! I will come have to come back.