Canada By Rail

Cool Canada
Puts the sizzle back in train travel

When I was first invited to participate in a week of Canadian train travel, I rolled my eyes and thought, “ugh.” Train travel. Wasn’t that for backpackers sweeping across the broad European continent? Did train travel have any place in North America as a [...]

Resorting to Luxury, Capella Pedregal – NOW OPEN

By Jo Barrett
Capella Hotels and Resorts— following up on its successful hotel launch in Telluride, Colorado and Ixtapa, Mexico— has recently unveiled its latest luxury escape in Cabo San Lucas.
The Capella San Pedregal is the first luxury hotel within walking distance to the town of Cabo, and the resort itself is a feat of architectural [...]

Fall in Love with Santa Fe All Over Again

By Laurette Veres, Editor in Chief

Santa Fe speaks to you. Whether meandering through the center of town, or hiking the mountainous exterior, the holistic energy surrounding this land has summoned artists and adventurous spirits for many years. Made famous by Georgia O’Keeffe, this land inspires many who cannot stay away.
La Posada De Santa Fe Resort [...]

Horseshoe Bay Resort

Houstonians have been escaping to Horseshoe Bay Resort in the hill country for generations. Now, many are are buying lots and building luxurious weekend homes in Skywater, a new community adjacent the resort overlooking Lake LBJ.
Skywater is an environmentally friendly community with first-rate amenities. Within the 1,600 acre project is a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf [...]

Portugal

Discovering the Essence of Portugal
Although an international gateway to Europe boasting a rich history and heritage rivaling that of its European neighbors, Portugal is often overlooked by American tourists. Which is a shame because unlike the cookie-cutter tours to Rome, Paris and London, the country which gave us some of our greatest explorers including Ferdinand [...]

Diving in Jamaica

Words by Dick Dace
Jamaica’s most famous dive spot, the Wall, is a five-minute boat ride from the beaches of Grand Lido Braco Resort & Spa on the island’s north shore. The Wall drops 1,000 feet and is home to colorful aquatic life, including parrotfish, giant Caribbean lobsters and schools of parading squid.
Essentials:
www.superclubs.com

A Cowboy in Canada

Russell Schulte wrangles his way through Calgary
As Texans, we’re about cowboys, cattle, and oil; it’s crucial we have the attitude of a bull and the pride of a rib-eye steak. Coincidentally, the same down-home bravado exists in Alberta, Canada and I was lucky enough to experience it first hand. Located in on the Canadian Rockies [...]

Destination DC: Shops, Sights, and Senators

Destination DC: Shops, Sights, and Senators
The Top Ten Places to eat, drink and be merry in our nation’s capitol
Plus, contributor Warner Roberts visits DC for the USS George H. W. Bush commissioning
There is more to do in DC than snap shots of the White House and peruse the Lincoln Memorial. With infinite dining [...]

Vail, Colorado

Mountain Magic
Fresh powder, marble-clad spas, and savory food are just some of the reasons Houstonians flock to Vail. Laurette M. Veres discovers this mountain town is as much fun in summer as it is in winter.
Stay
Vail’s newest luxury hotel, the Arrabelle at Vail Square brings a European feeling to the mountain village. Thirty-six rooms with [...]

San Francisco

Leave Your Heart in San Francisco
A local’s look at the city by the bay
by Shyla Batliwalla
“San Francisco, my favorite city—where the women are strong and the men are pretty.”—From a t-shirt I bought at the 2002 Gay Pride Parade
I’m currently a Houstonian, but I can’t lie—in my heart, I’ll always be a devout San Franciscan. [...]

The Search for Manatee

The Search for Manatee
Laurette Veres tracks elusive mammal
The Honduran Rainforests
The primitive park train to Cuero Y Salado Wildlife Refuge trudges through banana plantations and small villages. There is no road, only mountainous rain forest terrain that becomes green, leafy flatland at the end of the line.
I’m looking for manatee in La Ceiba, Honduras with a [...]

Orlando, Florida

Beyond Mickey
Tee off and kick back in Orlando, Florida
by Joel Mathiason
Let us travel to a world of magic kingdoms and Cinderella stories; a place where it’s okay to be Goofy and befriend a mouse named Mickey. But on this trip, you’ll unwind with a hot stone massage after shooting a few birdies, and fresh fish [...]

Mayoka Lodge Honduras

In The Lodge of Luxury
Mayoka Lodge boasts luxurious accommodations and breathtaking island views
Photos courtesy Mayoka Lodge
A luxury-villa on the Honduran island of Roatan now tops my list of places to unwind.
The first evening I visited the Mayoka Lodge, the chef fluttered around the kitchen with last minute preparations. Owners Paul and Mandy Croucher, greeted me [...]

O’ahu, Hawaii

There’s more to life on O’ahu
From haute cuisine to surf lessons, discover this legendary island
Had your fill of poolside Piña Coladas and Mai Tais? The island of O’ahu is bursting with nightlife, shopping and dining options to fit every taste. Waikiki’s energy is akin to New York City’s non-stop action. Expect to find international boutiques [...]

Hyatt Lost Pines Luxury and Nature Collide in the Lost Pines Region of Texas

Adjoining a 1,100-acre nature park, Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa is a full-service 405-acre luxurious, Texas wilderness escape, set in the beautiful Lost Pines Region of Central Texas. The AAA Four Diamond distinct destination offers the best of Texas—scenic beauty, charming hospitality, and a chance to experience the culture, cuisine and character of [...]

The Woodlands Resort Houston’s home away from home

FOREST OASIS WATERSCAPE: Bob Lukeman
Looking for a Spring Break destination that is affordable, close to home and fun for the entire family? Explore The Woodlands Resort, offering its lowest rates of the season from March 13 — 21, 2009. Starting at $99, enjoy deluxe accommodations, full breakfast for two, and all the resort activities your [...]

High Roller Condos in Grand Cayman, Oh My!

The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman encompasses 144 lush acres of the Caribbean’s most serene and prosperous island. Known for one-of-a-kind guest experiences, the $500 million resort features a La Prairie Spa, five dining venues including a restaurant by Eric Ripert of top-ranking New York restaurant Le Bernardin, a tennis center by Nick Bollettieri and a nine-hole [...]

Aspen, Colorado

Lower fares up there
Whet your appetite in Aspen off-season
Scenery, spa and specials are just some of the reasons to enjoy Aspen sans crowds.

The scenery in and around Aspen is majestic. Flowers and trees bloom; rivers flow as the snow melts and summer ushers in warm weather activities.
Aspen’s summer beauty shines in May and June, but [...]

Antigua’s Curtain Bluff Resort

Paradise Found
Guests return for royal treatment, elegance and serenity at Antigua’s Curtain Bluff Resort

Photos by Laurette M. Veres

In the 1950s, Howard Hulford, an executive pilot for Texaco, flew into Antigua with a planeload of oilmen researching the feasibility of building gas stations there. As he flew around the beautiful, undeveloped island he noticed a small [...]

Honduran rain forest resort: Pico Bonito

Let it Rain
Honduran rain forest holds Central America’s hidden treasures
Immerse yourself in Honduran culture at the Lodge at Pico Bonito. Located on Honduras’s North Coast, near the town of La Ceiba, this eco hotel blends upscale amenities with wilderness and adventure in the heart of the rain forest.
I visited Pico Bonito with fellow journalists several [...]

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