It has been a long time since I cruised as a passenger and I decided to take advantage of this opportunity.  I am with a group of friends on the MSC Poesia sailing from Ft. Lauderdale to Jamaica and Grand Cayman.

My friend, Eileen, and I flew down Monday and stayed at the Ramada Cruise and Port.  I have to say that other than being well away from any restaurants and shopping it is very nice hotel.  The staff was pleasant, the room was clean and spacious, new bathrooms, a lovely pool area, free buffet breakfast and free airport and ship transfers.  I would book any client into there for the one pre-cruise night.  If I were staying longer, I would move closer to Los Olas or the beach.

We did take a cab to Los Olas Boulevard shopping and enjoy the boutiques and a cute al fresco restaurant for a glass of wine.

MSC Poesia

The ship is beautiful.  It is a year old but we are on its inaugural North American sailing.  MSC is an Italian owned company and they are one of the fastest growing, having added a ship a year since 2001.  The crew is multi-national, European and now Indonesian.  I felt right at home and got to practice my Indonesian.

Mirrored Cabin

We have a balcony cabin 11049 and it is a decent size, with interactive TV.  I could order room service, make spa appointments, and rent movies.  Didn’t do any of those things, though because we spent little time in our cabin.  There is a HUGE mirror at the end of the bed that opens up the room but it is a little scary in the morning when you sit up and see what you look like.  They have dispensers for soap and shampoo in the shower but no lotion (word of warning).

Lunch view

The pool deck has two pools with a hot tub area and 3 bars.  The buffet dining and the spa are on the same deck.  The spa is gorgeous, Balinese in style.  The gym is adequate with treadmills, elliptical and the usual weight machines and free weights.  They do need to put in a water fountain or water cooler though.

Two of my favorite areas are the Zebra Bar and the wine Bar.  One is great fun with Everything done in zebra; the other is very elegant with marble counters and leather furniture.

Wine Bar

We had a meet the people day in Ocho Rios, Jamaica today.  We did some jewelry shopping and had such a good time with the sales people we left as friends.  One owner and I discovered that we knew one of the Holland America captains in common which resulted in an excellent discount.  Thanks, Bobby.  From there we wandered down the street into the Market Place.  We were kindly escorted by Morris, one of the merchants.  This aspect of Jamaican shopping has not changed in 30 years.   The mall moves with you!  We wandered in the market place meeting the merchants and inspecting their handicrafts, some of which are spectacular.  Between Morris, Angela and Mary we had some great laughs and learned about how their economy is doing.  This particular market place is a couple of blocks from the port and the passengers are not venturing past those on the cruise corner, which are not owned by Jamaicans.  These small merchants are really struggling and they are the real people of Jamaica.  We, as tourists, should be more mindful of where we leave our money.

Morris, Our Guide to the Market

I asked Mary for a recommendation for good local food for lunch.  She said her favorite lace was just across the street in a shopping center.  I said great, what is the name of the restaurant and she My Favorite Place.  Sure enough that is the name of the restaurant and it is a tiny little place where for $10 we got beers, curried goat, home-style chicken, pumpkin rice and rice with peas.  Excellent food and a fun experience.

Grand Cayman turned into a forced march to the beach.  We did a little shopping in town but for liquor and rum cake.  Enjoyed the beach for a couple of hours and then back to the ship.

Grand Cayman Beach

The last day at sea was a bit cloudy but warm so had some time outside at the pool enjoying the entertainment.  The entertainment staff really works hard all day and night.  Richard, the director, was multi-talented and multi-lingual as well.  They had line dancing, aerobics, yoga and games on the pool deck each afternoon.  Even if you did not participate, it was good fun watching.

Our evenings consisted of eating in the dining room with our friends, visiting the casino, catching the shows and karaoke.  All in all it was a very pleasant 5 days sailing with friends.

If you are considering the MSC Poesia you  need to be aware that although it is sailing in North America, it is a distinctly European ship.  The staff speaks English on a widely varying level so be patient.  The dining room service needs to be stepped up a bit.  It was better at the end of the 5 days but still needs some work.  The dinner menu is not as extensive as on other cruise lines, although they had some interesting choices.  The wireless service is spotty and slow, not always available in the cabin even with an ethernet cable.  Bring a cable with you to avoid renting one from the ship.

It is a beautiful ship, as stated, and you will enjoy it as long as you know what to expect.

Sunset from Balcony

Just found this article on The Independent Traveler and loved it so thought I would share.  I have been packing a lot lately and these tips are just great.
Last Updated: 11/16/09

Travel supply stores have made a fortune selling things you can get for free. A number of items you might typically throw away, from old towels to empty yogurt containers, make excellent replacements for expensive specialty travel products. Trash — yes, trash — can help you organize your suitcase, stay clean on the road, protect your valuables and more. Plus, finding something to do with your garbage other than tossing it in the bin is an excellent way to go green. Recycle, outsmart the travel supply companies and save some cash by getting creative with your trash.

Bubble Wrap
To protect packed bottles from breakage, travel supply companies sell items like WineSkin, a protective sleeve that retails for $9.85 from Magellan’s. WineSkin is bubble wrap in the shape of a wine bottle that cushions your merlot and cabernet. Here’s how to make your own: Put a bottle of wine on that sheet of bubble wrap that has been hanging around in your closet. Fold over the bubble wrap so it covers the wine. Cut the wrap to fit the wine, and staple the side and bottom (leave an opening at the top). You’ve just saved $9.85.

Sheet/Bedding Casing
Most comforters, sheets and pillow cases are sold in sturdy, rectangular, clear plastic casings. These casings, which are quite durable and usually have a zipper, closely resemble “packing cubes,” zippered containers that help travelers organize luggage. In fact, they’re pretty much the exact same product. You can save a Jackson by saving your sheet casings: a Rick Steves Packing Cube 3-Set retails for $19.95 on TravelSmith.com. I actually prefer using plastic sheet casings to retail packing cubes, which are usually opaque, because the clear casings allow me to easily find my belongings.

Free Samples
Ever notice how the rows of travel-sized toiletries at your local drug store resemble free samples? The only difference is travel-sized bottles aren’t free. They can cost upwards of $4 a piece, and those costs really add up if you purchase a handful of travel-sized items. Instead, stock up on free samples. I’m willing to bet you have a number of sample-sized toiletries sitting in your bathroom cabinets that are fated for the trash can. If you don’t have free samples sitting around, it’s easy to score some. A number of product Web sites offer free product samples available through the mail, and sites like Walmart.com and Free Samples Blog will show you how to get them. Keep in mind most companies require you to submit your e-mail address and other contact information in order to obtain a free sample. Be sure to uncheck the “Yes I’d like to receive product news and offerings” box if you want to stay spam free, and don’t enter your contact information on a company Web site without reading (and feeling comfortable with) that company’s privacy policy.

Old Towels
At home I reuse my old towels untold times; they’re good for dusting, cleaning up messes, lining animal beds and much more. On the road, my old towels take on new and exciting roles as disposable airline seat covers (disposable seat covers retail for $14.85 from Magellan’s and look very much like large towels), airplane seat cushions (just fold it a few times) and suitcase padding (wrap it around your breakables). Got more ideas? Share them on our boards!

Old Pillowcase
Commandeer your teenage son’s drool-soaked SpongeBob SquarePants pillow case — it’s time he advance to more sophisticated bedding anyway. But don’t throw it out! Travel supply stores sell similar sacks and pouches for $10 or more. Use that ratty pillow case as a dirty laundry bag (secure the top with a rubber band or tie it with something stringy if you want some closure), a shoe bag or a disposable just-in-case-this-spills bag to protect your liquid-filled bottles and tubes.

Paper Shoes
If your local nail salon gives you a pair of paper shoes with your pedicure, don’t toss ‘em the moment you exit the salon. Air travelers must remove their shoes and walk barefoot (yuck!) through the airport security checkpoint … unless they have disposable paper shoes. According to the TSA Web site, “Disposable booties or slippers may be worn through the checkpoint to help protect your feet, but they must be disposed of prior to leaving the screening area.” You can purchase disposable shoes from companies like Airport Booties ($10 plus $4.95 shipping for a pack of 10 pair) or Ekosteps ($19.95 for a pack of four pair). Or you can snag a free pair of TSA-approved disposable shoes while treating your feet to some pampering before your next getaway.

Old Wallet
If you go through a new wallet every year or two, hang on to the worn-out wallet and use it as a decoy when you’re traveling. Keep most of your money in a second “real” wallet or money belt, and then put some small bills and perhaps even an expired credit card or two in the dummy wallet. If you run into thieves in a foreign land, throw the criminals your dummy wallet and make a quick getaway.

Egg Carton Tray
A half-dozen egg carton tray makes an amazing travel jewelry box. It doesn’t appear enticing to thieves, it has segregated compartments to keep your necklaces from getting tangled and, best of all, it’s free. For an even fancier jewelry box, allow your child or pet to decorate the carton. The plastic container in which wet wipes are sold also makes a handy jewelry box, sans separate compartments.

Nylons
Duct Tape is the ultimate fix-all travel item. Nylons are a close second. You can use old nylons to tie up a broken suitcase, to tie around your luggage for easy identification in baggage claim, as a laundry line in your bathroom or to use for washing delicate items (instead of a mesh bag). Keep your old soap scraps, stuff them in an out-of-use stocking and you have a free exfoliating soap scrubber to use in the shower!

Yogurt Container
Browsing on travel supply Web sites, I came across the innovative “Tie Caddy” ($6.49 on ProTravelGear.com), which keeps packed ties wrinkle free. There’s also the “Scarf Caddy” for ladies. Both products are clear tubes filled with a “patented winding mechanism” that curls scarves and ties into neat rolls. While empty yogurt containers don’t have an inner winding mechanism, they work fine as a scarf- or tie-protector if you don’t mind taking the time (it took me about 60 seconds) to roll the thing up yourself. Make sure you clean out the yogurt container before you stick your husband’s tie in there (unless he’s been acting like a jerk lately).

Packing seems to be a stress item that goes along with any vacation.  We all want to be sure we have everything we think we may need.  With the airline weight/piece restrictions and extra fees they now charge, packing becomes an even bigger issue.   I know I hate paying fees but I also hate worrying about whether there will be enough bin space on the plane by the time I board.  Carrying on also restricts the sizes of toiletries you can pack.

There is a lot of advice out there on how to pack and what to pack.  There is a web site called www.onebag.com that offers good ideas on a packing list and types of bags.  The link below is from TravelSmith, a retailer who sells clothes and accessories for traveling.  What is great about it is has actual diagrams to go along with each step.  You may or may not have your own system that works for you but take a look at this and you may pick up a few good ideas.  I am the queen of packing light but this list gave some good suggestions on placements in the suitcase that I will try on the next trip.

travel packing advice – wrinkle-free packing advice – TravelSmith

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Budget Travel put together this collection of interesting boutique hotels at a great rates.

Palm Springs, Calif.
The third branch in the white-hot Ace chain makes the most of its expansive desert resources: Occupying a 1965 Howard Johnson, the 9-month-old Ace Hotel & Swim Club has a dedicated stargazing deck near the pool and is in the process of going fully solar-powered. But design is really the brightest light here. The 180 rooms, with cork floors and tree-trunk tables, have whimsical accents like denim-covered headboards and vintage National Geographic magazines scattered about. Throughout the property, designers make playful use of space: An ice-cream truck serves as the poolside bar, and spa treatments take place in Mongolian yurts. The on-site King’s Highway restaurant, once a Denny’s, is a foodie’s riff on a retro diner—think ricotta hotcakes served with maple-crunch butter. acehotel.com, from $109.

Berkeley, Calif.
Two blocks from the UC Berkeley campus, Hotel Shattuck Plaza is just the kind of place grad students at the college’s architecture school aspire to live in. The 1910 building reopened in June after a cosmetic overhaul of the 199 rooms: They now have bright new fabrics and vibrant red walls. The restaurant, Five—with its crystal chandelier and arched windows—puts a refined farm-to-table spin on comfort foods with dishes like orzo mac ‘n’ cheese. hotelshattuckplaza.com, from $119.

<!—Tags include: ” –>   NEW BOUTIQUE HOTELS We scoured the globe and found the best. • Launch the slide show

San Francisco
Union Square’s 102-room Hotel Vertigo takes its theme to great heights. Named after Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 thriller Vertigo, which was filmed on location and plays on a loop in the lobby, the property preserves the dizzying spiral staircase featured in the movie, while also sprucing up most rooms with white tufted-leather headboards and orange-vinyl chairs. hotelvertigosf.com, from $129.

Los Angeles
When opening the El Tres Inn in May, former music execs Melanie Tusquellas and Dave Neupert literally built on the success of their El Chavo Restaurant and Chavito Lounge—they added a trio of soundproof suites above. Befitting its artsy Silver Lake neighborhood, El Tres makes a statement with red-velvet sofas and florid wallpaper. All rooms have private kitchens and come with two free drink tokens for house margaritas. Ask for the Uno suite, which has a turntable and classic vinyl (Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, Dolly Parton). eltresinn.com, from $125.

San Francisco
The year-old Good Hotel promises a novel service: absolution. An orange phone in the lobby connects guests with volunteer activities like sorting cans at a local food bank. The 117 ecofriendly rooms are each done up with reclaimed-pine headboards, chandeliers constructed out of empty Voss water bottles, and cheeky reminders to BE GOOD painted on the walls. jdvhotels.com/hotels/good, from $109.

San Diego
A block from the harbor, the 23-room Pearl Hotel is a Palm Springs–style motel that forms a horseshoe around a saltwater pool. In the 2-year-old hotel, cypress-tree stumps serve as coffee tables and pet betta fish as roommates. By the pool, the butterfly lounge chairs and cabanas are the best seats for weekly movies like Breakfast at Tiffany’s. thepearlsd.com, from $79.

Teton Village, Wyo.
Pro skier turned hotelier Rob DesLauriers didn’t compromise on comfort when going green. His 132-room Hotel Terra Jackson Hole—built using old barn lumber—has bathrooms with radiant-heat slate floors and amenities like a full-service spa and an outdoor infinity pool. The hotel is less than a five-minute walk from the Jackson Hole Aerial Tram, and after a punishing day on the slopes, nothing beats soaking in the rooftop hot tub while sipping a fair-trade latte. hotelterrajacksonhole.com, from $119.New Bu

Astoria, Ore.
A lodge for ferry passengers crossing the Columbia River in the 1920s, the Commodore Hotel Astoria was revived by new owners this year. The lobby and 18 rooms combine authentic artifacts (antique books and suitcases), splashy furniture (bright-orange metal chairs), and creative recycling that pairs the old with the new (a coffee table made from the original fir floorboards). Book one of the eight suites that has a view of the river and a private bath. commodoreastoria.com, cabins from $69, suites from $129.

Portland, Ore.
Avid shoppers will feel right at home at The Nines, which occupies the upper nine floors of the restored Meier & Frank department store building downtown. The lobby shows off a 419-piece collection of paintings and sculptures by Portland artists, and the lounge lets you browse another local treasure: books from the legendary Powell’s shop. Many of the 331 rooms, dressed in silver wallpaper and furniture upholstered in turquoise velvet, face a large atrium; the old Meier & Frank space downstairs—behind its original white terra-cotta façade—is now a Macy’s. spg.com, from $149.

Chicago
Chocolate-brown carpets spun from recycled soda bottles are just one of the many earth-friendly details at the Hotel Felix. The 225 rooms have motion sensors to control the heat and lighting, and the spa has sustainably produced bamboo floors. Drivers of hybrids park free, but the hotel is a 10-minute walk from the Hancock tower, so you could also skip the car entirely. hotelfelixchicago.com, from $129.

New York City
Staying at the 133-room Jane hotel in the West Village feels a bit like stepping back in time: For starters, the clanky elevator still uses a manual operator. Celeb hoteliers Sean MacPherson and Eric Goode restored the century-old building, which housed Titanic survivors in 1912, and dressed it up with bohemian details like zebra-print chairs and mismatched velvet sofas in the lobby. Suited to solo travelers, the 90 wood-paneled single rooms have been fashioned after train and yacht cabins, with built-in drawers underneath twin beds. thejanenyc.com, singles from $99.

Milwaukee
The Iron Horse Hotel was dreamed up a year ago to cater to people visiting the Harley-Davidson Museum down the street. Owner Tim Dixon’s goal was to welcome guests wearing everything from business suits to buckle boots. The look in the 100 rooms is all oak floors, exposed-brick walls, and black-leather headboards. And metal hooks for hanging motorcycle gear are just the kind of thoughtful touches to warm a biker’s heart. theironhorsehotel.com, from $149.

Alexandria, Va.
Built on the site of the first Civil War skirmish in 1861, the 2-year-old Hotel Monaco Alexandria pays respect to the area’s rich history. Free bike rentals are the best way to see the Old Town neighborhood, once home to George Washington and Robert E. Lee and now a shopping district. In the 241 rooms, deep jewel tones echo soldiers’ uniforms, including Union-blue and Confederate-yellow throw pillows. With star-shaped mirrors and ink-print portraits on the walls, the Tall Rooms also have eight-foot beds, long enough for Lincoln himself. monaco-alexandria.com, from $149.

Las Vegas
A marriage of Miami Beach art deco flair and old-Vegas glitz, the 64-room El Cortez Cabana Suites is bringing the groove back to the Fremont East area near the Strip. The renovated motel opened in May and has a swanky club-like lobby with Tiffany-blue walls and checkered floors of black granite and white marble. The apple-green rooms have equally mod flourishes: funky trellis-patterned wallpaper and armchairs covered in white leather or black chenille. Even amid Sin City’s quest for ever more flashiness, this kind of decadence calls for a double take. elcortezcabanasuites.com, from $42

Ilhabela Island, Brazil
In 1997, German native Wolfgang Napirei and his Brazilian wife, Adriana, vacationed off the coast of São Paulo and vowed to return. Eight years later, the couple came back and opened the beachfront DPNY Beach Hotel, where the 70 suites have tropical-island decor like king-size canopy beds with headboards embedded with seashells. If you ask nicely, the concierge will tell you about a secret spot where you can swim under a waterfall. dpnybeach.com.br, from $148.

Managua, Nicaragua
Adventure seekers typically sweep through Nicaragua’s capital en route to the southern beaches or the northern mountain reserves. Hotel Contempo, in the leafy Las Praderas district, gives you an excuse to linger. The 18-room property brings together the brick shells of three 1950s houses, where creamy leather covers the teak and mahogany furniture. If you tire of lounging by the pool, the staff can arrange day trips to colonial Granada or a nearby eco reserve. contempohb.com, from $130.

Monterrey, Mexico
Since opening last September, Hotel Habita Monterrey has given boutique-hotel aficionados a reason to detour to northeast Mexico. In the 39 rooms, floor-to-ceiling windows and a stark black-and-white palette make it feel almost as if you’re floating. The sleek minimalism continues in the lobby with mirrored mosaics and exposed-concrete floors. Twin rooftop infinity pools attract crowds for cocktails and views of the Sierra Madre mountains. hotelhabitamty.com, from $150.

Paris
There’s no mistaking Oops! for a regular backpacker’s dorm. This 2-year-old boutique hostel exudes energy as soon as you walk in the door: Red and white lighted boxes spell out oops! in the lobby (the architect just liked the sound of the word), a mural dresses up the breakfast area, and the 46 rooms have flourishes like electric pink or green walls. The place closes from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for housekeeping, so be ready to spend the day exploring the neighboring Latin Quarter, a five-minute walk away. Request one of the 12 double rooms, which have private bathrooms. oops-paris.com, from $85 with breakfast.

Paris
Only Philippe Starck could turn a parking garage in the 20th arrondissement into Mama Shelter, a 172-room hotel that draws locals to its weekly live music shows. Quirky phrases are threaded into carpets and chalked on the walls—in the elevator, for example, you’ll learn that porcupines can float in water. For bedside lamps in the rooms, which all have kitchenettes, Starck hung illuminated Halloween masks of famous characters such as Batman, Superman, and Han Solo. Best touch: A communal kitchen pantry is stocked with bread and Nutella for late-night noshing. mamashelter.com, from $126.

Bordeaux, France
Among the region’s 18th-century châteaux, the lakeside cluster of mini houses at Camping de Bordeaux Lac is an unexpected sight. Ranging from 183 to 377 square feet, the 92 cottages are divided into nine categories, each with its own whimsical motif. Toy sailboats sit on the tables inside the Cabanes de Pêcheurs (Fishermen’s Cabins), and the Chalet Prestige looks like it’s made of Lincoln Logs. The bungalows, which opened in June, all come with a full kitchen and a patio or porch. camping-bordeauxlac.com, one-bedroom cottages from $50, two-bedrooms from $57.

Liverpool, U.K.
You’d think a Beatles-themed hotel would have popped up in the Fab Four’s hometown long ago, but the Hard Days Night Hotel opened just last year. Beatles memorabilia and artwork is everywhere in the 110-room property: A Yellow Submarine jukebox sits in the lobby, and six-foot-tall photos of John, Paul, George, and Ringo line the spiral staircase. harddaysnighthotel.com, from $141.

Llandeilo, U.K.
A four-hour train ride from London, Fronlas (Welsh for “Blue Hill”) is a worthy weekend escape. The three rooms in the luxurious Edwardian town house face Brecon Beacons National Park, and they’re all about comfort (solar-panel-heated floors, rain showerheads, log fires). If you arrive by train, the husband-and-wife owners will greet you at the door with a free bottle of organic wine. fronlas.com, from $133 with breakfast, closed mid-October through mid-January.

Edinburgh
A night at the two-room Millers64 is like visiting your cool cousins. Sisters Shona and Louise Clelland bought and renovated an 1890s row house last summer, taking care to retain details like the turquoise tiles framing the fireplace. Inspired by their 11 years of living and traveling in Malaysia and Thailand, the Clellands added accents such as pewter washbasins from Phuket. Louise uses local ingredients for her Scottish breakfasts, which feature homemade apricot jam. The sisters live on the third floor with their mom, Sally, and are happy to point you to their favorite sites, like Holyrood Palace. millers64.com, from $133 with breakfast.

Budapest
The glass-paneled Lánchíd 19 hotel embraces its location right on the Danube River. At night, the façade comes alive with a colorful light installation, and the rooms on floors four to seven offer unobstructed views of the river. Named after the Chain Bridge, the 2-year-old hotel also has a transparent lobby floor, which allows you to see the excavated remains of a medieval water tower below. Fun design elements are sprinkled throughout the 48 rooms: a magnetic chessboard mounted on a wall, or a platform bed separated from an orange-tiled bathroom by a sliding glass door. designhotels.com/lanchid, from $101.

Berlin
The Circus Hotel in the Mitte district is the grown-up alternative to a popular hostel that shares its name, just across the square. The 60 individually designed rooms have blue, tangerine, lime, or hot-pink accents, and all have dark-oak floors and flea-market finds like vintage glass vases. The organic restaurant, Fabisch, is named after the family that once owned the 19th-century building. Netbooks and iPods preloaded with local artists like German indie rockers Sportfreunde Stiller are on loan at the front desk. circus-berlin.de, from $111.

Kui Buri, Thailand
Impersonal tropical resorts are a dime a dozen in Thailand, which is why X2 Kui Buri is so refreshing: The staff greets you by name, and chefs are happy to go off-menu and customize meals. The first of four resorts in a growing regional chain, X2 Kui Buri has 23 villas spread across four acres of virgin beachfront on the Gulf of Thailand. Each villa has a terrace and garden, and most have a private pool. The exposed rock in the walls was mined from local quarries, and a peaceful walkway connects the rooms to the pool, the open-air restaurant, and the beach, where candlelit dinners complement the fiery sunsets. x2resorts.com, from $148 with breakfast.

Siem Reap, Cambodia
Most guests come to see the Angkor Wat ruins about four miles away, but the experience of staying at Viroth’s Hotel is itself a historic treat: The property is in one of the few remaining examples of New Khmer Architecture, a modernist style that thrived here in the 1960s. Two years ago, owners Kol Viroth and Fabien Martial converted the boxy, two-story villa into a seven-room boutique hotel with a saltwater pool, a rooftop hot tub, and an open-air spa. Each of the rooms has a beige duvet covering a white queen-size platform bed, a woven mat on the gray Khmer tile floor, and dark-brown drapes that open onto a private balcony. viroth-hotel.com, from $90 with breakfast.

Bangkok
Owner Pylin Jane Sanguanpiyapand grew up in a family that has sold Sherwin-Williams paint in Thailand for decades, so it makes sense that the 31-year-old went color crazy in 2007 when creating the Seven hotel. The six guest rooms each use distinctive shades of yellow, pink, green, orange, blue, and purple in the bedding and murals. A red-themed communal space serves as the seventh room, an all-purpose reception area, bar, art gallery, and breakfast nook. sleepatseven.com, from $88 with breakfast.

Hanoi, Vietnam
The fact that the year-old Maison d’Hanoi Hanova Hotel lies in the Old Quarter is both a design challenge and opportunity. The newly built 55-room structure occupies a “tube house”—a traditional type of architecture with a narrow 19-foot-wide façade—requiring a resourceful use of space. Skylights, circular mirrors, and silk lamps maximize airiness, while the redwood floors, scarlet walls, and gray-silk headboards lend an authentic old-world feel. Double-glazed windows help block out the motorbike traffic below, and the city’s best tailors are steps away on Hang Gai, or Silk Street. hanovahotel.com, from $140 with breakfast.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia
It’s easy to confuse the Blue Lime with an apartment building—only a small gold plaque next to a sliding wooden door confirms you’ve found the 14-room hotel, opened last year by French expat Alexis de Suremain. Inside, all of the furniture (including the built-in shelves, tables, and window seats) is shaped from concrete. Green-silk curtains and fuchsia and tangerine pillows soften the urban vibe and brighten the rooms, most of which have balconies. Out back, banana and mango trees shade the saltwater pool. bluelime.asia, from $40 with breakfast.

Cape Town
You have to be a bit of a dreamer to fully understand (and appreciate) the Airstream Penthouse Trailer Park, seven aluminum trailers perched on the rooftop of the Grand Daddy hotel. Local artists created fanciful themes for each of the rentals: The all-white Ballad of John & Yoko suite comes with a harmonica, a guitar, and board games for replicating the rock icons’ 1969 bed-in; the blue Dorothy trailer is covered in white polka dots to echo Judy Garland’s Wizard of Oz dress. www.granddaddy.co.za, from $120.

This comes from the LA Times and is a great write up on the culinary aspects of Barbados.  If you are looking for a food  and sun holiday, think Barbados.  And Zagat — holy book of the foodie traveler — has proclaimed Barbados the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean.  Enjoy!

Barbados makes the belly happy – Travel – LATimes.com.

Chicago has museums to rival any city.  Remember, too, that most of them have one free day a week that allows all of us to enjoy them.  Check their web sites for hours and policies.  Take advantage of our city’s offerings and let me know how many you visit.

1.  John G Shedd Aquarium

2.  Art Institute

3.  Museum of Science and Industry

4.  Field Museum of Natural History

5.  Chicago Cultural Center

6.  Chicago Children’s Center

7.   Chicago Architecture Foundation

8.  Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum

9.  Kohl Children’s Museum

10.  DuPage Children’s Museum

Looking for something to do in the city?   Sometimes we forget what we have right in our own backyard.  This list does not include our cultural attractions like our museums.  Another list to come.

1.  Navy Pier

2  Millenium Park

3.  Chicago Trolley & Double Decker bus

4.  Lincoln Park Zoo

5.  Six Flags Great America

6.  Brookfield Zoo

7.  Willis (ex Sears) Tower Skydeck and now the Ledge

8.  Morton Arboretum

9.  Chicago Botanic Garden

10.  John Hancock Observatory

I, big time chocolate lover, actually felt over served the other night at a wine and chocolate tasting.  It wasn’t the wine but the chocolate that got to me.  I believe now that it is because the chocolate was such good quality, of which I get little, so my system shut down.  Of course, my friend asked “compared to what?” and I had to reply M&M’s.  I thought I would pass along the pairings so that you, too, could experience the comparison.

Milk Chocolate Covered Potato Chips (don’t laugh)/Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Noirs

Helen Graham Truffle (my favorite)/Mionetto Prosecco Brut

Raspberry Truffle/Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon

Milk chocolate Wild Cherry/377 Cabernet Sauvignon

Dark Fleur De Sel Caramel Square/Rosemount Shiraz

Cinnamon Espresso Truffle/Brazin Old Vine Sinfandel (my favorite)

Dark English Toffee (second favorite) / Sandeman Founders Reserve Port

All of the wines were quite reasonable, the highest being the Beringer Cab at $21 a bottle.  I think the chocolates will run you more than the wine.  Chocolates by Graham’s, by the way.

1. There aren’t that many vineyards
Although it has casually been dubbed California’s wine country, Napa Valley is hardly the state’s largest wine-producing region (that honor goes to San Joaquin Valley, 80 miles southeast). Napa’s 400 wineries produce only 4 percent of the state’s wine. The focus here is quality, not quantity.

2. A kitchen shop with character
Shackford’s Kitchen Store in downtown Napa has a seemingly endless selection of gleaming gizmos: cupcake molds, paella pans, cappuccino makers. But the most compelling item in the place is John Shackford himself, a true Napa legend who runs the shop with his wife, daughter, and granddaughter. At 80, Shackford works in the store six days a week, just as he has for the past 34 years, punching an antique cash register, hand-printing receipts, and calling his customers by first name. 1350 Main St., Napa, 707/226-2132.

3. A wine tour using legs, not limos
In the town of Napa, 18 tasting rooms stand within easy walking distance of one another, and a $20 Taste Napa Downtown card gets you a pour at 13 of them. Officially, each winery is supposed to charge you 10¢ to do the tasting, but most won’t take your dime. napadowntown.com.

4. The Preiser Key tells all
Consider Monty and Sara Preiser your all-knowing wine country guides. They’re the couple who in March 2007 launched The Preiser Key to Napa Valley, a free booklet that comes as close as possible to listing every Napa wine label (over 800) and restaurant (170)—but no chains! The Key also includes detailed maps of the region. They put out a new issue three times a year and distribute it all throughout the valley. preiserkey.com.

5. It’s all casual, all the time
In Napa, there’s no such thing as a dress code, even in the poshest places. So that bearded guy in weathered blue jeans sitting at the next table? He’s just the billionaire from next door.

6. Fainting goats. Yes, fainting goats
In Calistoga, a town near the top of the valley known for its hot springs, there’s a regularly erupting geyser called—you guessed it—Old Faithful. You’ll want to tread lightly; the area near the geyser is also home to a herd of Tennessee fainting goats, a quirky breed with a nervous-system disorder that causes them to keel over (harmlessly and temporarily) when startled. 1299 Tubbs Ln., Calistoga, 707/942-6463, oldfaithfulgeyser.com, $10 adults, $3 kids 6–12.

7. Real sleeper cars
At the recently refurbished Napa Valley Railway Inn, seven suites, fashioned from 100-year-old train cars, lie on the dormant tracks of the Napa Valley Railroad, which went out of passenger service in 1929. Black-and-white photos of the old Yountville train station adorn the walls, and the cupolas, once used as lookout posts by railway employees, serve as skylights. An eighth car, a quaint red caboose, was converted into a coffeehouse this summer. 6523 Washington St., Yountville, 707/944-2000, napavalleyrailwayinn.com, from $125.

8. The road less traveled
When the traffic bottlenecks on Highway 29, Napa’s central thoroughfare, find salvation on the 35-mile Silverado Trail, a pastoral road along the valley’s eastern edge that’s lined with world-class, often small-batch wineries whose labels you’re unlikely to find at your local grocery store. silveradotrail.com.

9. The two-wheel option
Founded 22 years ago, Napa Valley Bike Tours is an area fixture. Among the staff’s favorite routes to lead you on is the Rutherford Loop, a 16-mile spin that meanders through the Rutherford and Oakville appellations, known for their cabernets, before depositing you back at the shop. If you’d rather go solo, you can pick up a map with other suggested routes. 6795 Washington St., Bldg. B, Yountville, 800/707-2453, napavalleybiketours.com, tours from $134, rentals $35 per day.

10. There’s a respectable oil industry
Forget grapes—olives are another treasured Napa crop. Round Pond Estate, one of the valley’s top olive oil producers, offers guided tours that lead you from harvest to mill and culminate in tastings paired with cheese and freshly baked bread. 886 Rutherford Rd., Rutherford, 888/302-2575, roundpond.com, tours $25, by appointment.

11. Wineries double as art galleries
A heart-shaped sculpture by pop artist Jim Dine greets visitors at Cliff Lede Vineyards, one of several wineries that put prized private collections on free display (1473 Yountville Cross Rd., Yountville, 800/428-2259, cliffledevineyards.com, tastings from $20). At Artesa Vineyards & Winery, a waterfall-flanked stairway leads to a tasting room that could pass for a museum. Credit artist-in-residence Gordon Huether, who mounts dramatic glass, metal, and canvas installations that change throughout the year (1345 Henry Rd., Napa, 707/224-1668, artesawinery.com, tastings from $10).

12. A vineyard tour with a third-generation owner
The best Napa Valley wine tours go beyond the tasting room. At Gamble Family Vineyards, owner Tom Gamble takes you on a hay-bale ride through his organic and sustainable vineyards, on land his grandfather first farmed almost a century ago. This is no cookie-cutter tour; it’s a chance to hear wine-making tales from a third-generation Napa native—and taste an old-vine Syrah and a robust cabernet. 707/944-2999, gamblefamilyvineyards.com, by appointment, free with suggested purchase of two to four bottles of wine, bottles from $25.

13. A supersize mineral bath
The nearly Olympic-size pool at Indian Springs Resort and Spa, fed by geysers and infused with minerals, is naturally warm—typically 102 degrees in winter and 92 in summer—and preternaturally relaxing. A single spa treatment, like a vitamin C facial or a volcanic-ash mud bath, comes with an all-day pass to the pool. Rooms and cottages in the Spanish-style resort, many with private patios, are pictures of casual comfort. 1712 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga, 707/942-4913, indianspringscalistoga.com, treatments from $65, rooms from $185.

14. The valley’s most awesome view
The subtle drama of Napa is never more obvious than when you’re sitting on a veranda on a hill overlooking the vineyards. Auberge du Soleil, a high-end resort on the eastern side of the valley, has one of the region’s best spots for taking in the view. Forget booking a $575 (or more) room; a shaded terrace out back opens up onto the valley below, and everyone is welcome for sparkling wine at sunset or cappuccinos in the morning—the perfect time to take in hot-air balloons rising through the mist. 180 Rutherford Hill Rd., Rutherford, 707/963-1211, aubergedusoleil.com, sparkling wine from $13.

15. Even the malls are gourmet
Founded by Steve Carlin (who helped start San Francisco’s Ferry Building Marketplace), the Oxbow Public Market feels like it belongs in an epicurean fantasy. In a concrete building that calls to mind an industrial barn, 23 artisanal vendors sell everything from strawberry-balsamic ice cream (from Three Twins) to soothing oolong (Tillerman Tea) to peanut-butter-and-chocolate cupcakes (Kara’s Cupcakes). 610 and 644 1st St., Napa, oxbowpublicmarket.com.

16. And even the beans are better here
Rebosero. Flageolet. Black and white runners. In a world overrun with plain-tasting and industrially processed pinto beans, Steve Sando is committed to preserving heirloom legumes. His love for the earthy flavors of distinct organic strains has given rise to Rancho Gordo, a bean-centric specialty store whose coveted products can be found at top California markets and at restaurants across the country. 1924 Yahome St., Napa, 707/259-1935, ranchogordo.com, beans from $5 per pound.

17. A taco to remember
No reservations required at La Luna Market & Taqueria, a home-style Mexican takeout counter. Get there before noon, at which point locals have already started to line up. Adventurous eaters swear allegiance to the smoldering tacos al pastor (spicy, marinated pork). 1153 Rutherford Rd., Rutherford, 707/963-3211, lalunamarket.com, tacos from $1.75.

18. Anything’s possible
House-made granola. Lavender-dusted almonds. Yoga gear. These are just a few of the things you can get at Ubuntu Annex, a tasting room and variety store that opened in June two doors down from its eclectic sister spot, chef Jeremy Fox’s acclaimed vegetable restaurant (please, not “vegetarian”) and yoga studio Ubuntu. 1130 Main St., Napa, 707/251-5656, ubuntunapa.com, almonds $8.

19. 150-foot-tall redwood trees
The footpaths in Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, a peaceful swatch of green just down the road from the Beringer winery, provide a perfect way to work off food-and-wine-related excess. The six-plus-mile hike that connects the Ritchey Canyon Trail and the Redwood Trail runs past Douglas firs and the easternmost stands of redwoods in California. 3801 St. Helena Hwy. N., Calistoga, 707/942-4575, parks.ca.gov.

20. A local dive bar with class
Pancha’s of Yountville is just the kind of place where the guy slumped on the bar stool next to you might start giving you tasting notes on his margarita. This is where Napa’s winemakers come to unwind (and unwind and unwind). Expect to eavesdrop on gossip about rivalries and romances that seem sprung from Falcon Crest. 6764 Washington St., Yountville, 707/944-2125.

Note: This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.