CURATED TRAVEL: Dream Destination - Bora Bora in French Polynesia
One of the destinations at the top of my travel bucket list is Bora Bora in French Polynesia. The shimmering turquoise waters and sparkling sugar sand beaches speak to a tropical paradise. The Tahitian experience, in over-water luxury bungalows, is the stuff of fantasy.
Destination: Bora Bora
One of the destinations at the top of my travel bucket list is Bora Bora in French Polynesia. The shimmering turquoise waters and sparkling sugar sand beaches speak to a tropical paradise. The Tahitian experience, in overwater luxury bungalows, is the stuff of fantasy.
The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort is located on this pristine island in French Polynesia. Spanning 44 acres of lush landscaping, edged by powdery white sands and a crystalline lagoon with the majesty of Mount Otemanu for iconic backdrop, The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort represents the epitome of carefree elegance.
For more on The St. Regis Bora Bora and the 5th-night free sale here.
I'm happy to book this unforgettable getaway for you!
For travel to other amazing destinations, contact me at Curated Travel services.
Which destination is on top of your travel bucket list?
Images: Classic Vacations
COLOR STORY: Blush
The first home I owned was a condo in the northern suburbs of Los Angeles, in La Crescenta. Though it was small, purchasing it was a huge milestone in my life. It was a brand spanking new one bedroom, one bath space with a balcony that overlooked a luscious garden of fragrant orange trees from the neighboring house. It was perfect for me.
Though I kept the color scheme neutral, back in the late 1980’s, I sought out the perfect shade of blush paint for the walls of my bedroom. The color, chameleon as the light changed throughout the day, added just the right amount of warmth to my space. Blush is a universally flattering shade which is always a good thing, especially in the bedroom.
COLOR STORY: Blush
The first home I owned was a condo in the northern suburbs of Los Angeles, in La Crescenta. Though it was small, purchasing it was a huge milestone in my life. It was a brand spanking new one bedroom, one bath space with a balcony that overlooked a luscious garden of fragrant orange trees from the neighboring house. It was perfect for me.
Though I kept the color scheme neutral, back in the late 1980's, I sought out the perfect shade of blush paint for the walls of my bedroom. The color, chameleon as the light changed throughout the day, added just the right amount of warmth to my space. Blush is a universally flattering shade which is always a good thing, especially in the bedroom.
Whether blush is used as an accent in decor or in fashion, it adds a touch of warmth without being overpowering. I love it mixed with the bold yellow and aqua of that second image, as well as in more muted color schemes accented by gold.
Are you a fan of the shade blush?
An Afternoon in Beguiling Bellagio on Lake Como
One afternoon Scott and I pointed our rented Peugeot northeast, from our villa in Lezzeno, to beautiful Bellagio for the afternoon. Known for grand hotels, elegant villas, voluptuous flower boxes and stunning views from the steep staircases of the city center. Bellagio is beguiling.
One afternoon Scott and I pointed our rented Peugeot northeast, from our villa in Lezzeno, to beautiful Bellagio for the afternoon. Known for grand hotels, elegant villas, voluptuous flower boxes and stunning views from the steep staircases of the city center. Bellagio is beguiling. Lake Como, in the Northern mountains of the Lombardy region, is breathtakingly beautiful with a chameleon microclimate for weather. In my earlier post of our stay in a lakeside villa, I mentioned the quick changes from cool and breezy, to rain showers, to brilliant sunshine within the space of an afternoon. It's all part of daily life at Lake Como and allows for these showy gardens and flower displays. On this afternoon in July, we appreciated the cool temps and brief rain showers as a break from the summer sun. We did stop to buy an umbrella at a nearby boutique which came in handy once we boarded a ferry later in the afternoon.
Bellagio is beguiling
If you are fortunate to find yourself in Bellagio for an afternoon, enjoy lunch at a tasty trattoria, people watch the colorful locals and tourists, climb the stone steps to pastel framed lake views and plot your next destination on Lake Como. It's easy to access other picturesque ports of call from the ferry center, or better yet, a water taxi.
Learn more about Bellagio on Trip Advisor.
To book your unforgettable trip to Lake Como contact me at Curated Travel.
How to Survive Those 'Last Day of Vacation' Blues
All good things must come to an end and my least favorite phrase to hear on vacation, “Tomorrow is our last day” was spoken.
UGH!
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a nester and I love being at home, but once we settled into our luxurious suite, adjusted to the pace of resort life and getting spoiled — by gourmet food, fruity drinks, and pampering spa services — as well as being catered to at our every whim, it is hard to say goodbye to our new friends at Secrets Papagayo.
How to Survive Those 'Last Day of Vacation' Blues
All good things must come to an end and my least favorite phrase to hear on vacation, "Tomorrow is our last day" was spoken.
UGH!
Don't get me wrong, I'm a nester and I love being at home, but once we settled into our luxurious suite, adjusted to the pace of resort life and getting spoiled -- by gourmet food, fruity drinks, and pampering spa services -- as well as being catered to at our every whim, it is hard to say goodbye to our new friends at Secrets Papagayo.
As we said goodbye to our suite at Secrets Papagayo, at 3 am, the cheerful gold cart driver picked us up. He was definitely more cheerful than we were. 3 flights, a missed connection and an hour and 45-minute drive later, we arrived home late last night from our first trip to Central America.
I'm missing the balmy, fragrant breezes and the lap of the waves on the beach from Costa Rica, but it is good to be home.
My cure for the last day of vacation blues is to ALWAYS start dreaming of, and planning, your next getaway. It is a simple, but surefire, way to keep the wanderlust vibe alive and well.
Curated Collection - Style*Mind*Chic Boutique
Curated Travel: Tips on Prepping for an International Getaway
I've spent the weekend packing for our first getaway to Central America--Costa Rica--to be exact. I'm expecting a lush, tropical jungle, bold adventures, and a bit of luxury pictured above--and I'm excited. After 11 days home with the flu, I am feeling good as new and ready for a getaway to Secrets Papagayo with my favorite guy. Over the years, I've found that packing requires different strategies for different types of vacations. International travel has a few additional requirements.
I've spent the weekend packing for our first getaway to Central America--Costa Rica--to be exact. I'm expecting a lush, tropical jungle, bold adventures, and a bit of luxury pictured above--and I'm excited. After 11 days home with the flu, I am feeling good as new and ready for a getaway to Secrets Papagayo with my favorite guy. Over the years, I've found that packing requires different strategies for different types of vacations. International travel has a few additional requirements.
Confirm the Details:
We often book a vacation months ahead of time, so two weeks before a planned getaway I recheck all the details - hotel, flights, transportation, as well as one all-important detail, the weather. Checking the weather is always important, whether driving or flying. For this vacation, we were set to fly into Newark, New Jersey, but "Stella", the N'oreaster blizzard is expected on the same day. After hours of researching the best options, Scott worked with United and was able to reroute us through Houston, allowing us to arrive even earlier than expected in Costa Rica.
Prepping Your Documents:
*Passports - Check well ahead of time to be sure your passport is current with at least 6 months remaining valid once you arrive home.
*Photocopy of passports to carry in a different section of your luggage in case they are lost or stolen
*Check Covid Restrictions and Requirements for your destination from the CDC.
*Pack Vaccination record or covid test results
*Trip Details - Use an app to gather all of your information in one place. I like the Tripit app for storing all my trip info - flights, hotels, transportation
House Sitter
*Keys -- home/mailbox (or ask the post office to hold mail)
*Gate code (as needed)
*Local emergency contact info
*Wifi passwords
*Info on using TV/Media/Remotes
*Clean sheets/towels
*Stock kitchen with some yummy essentials
*Download WhatsApp in case you need to text with home from your destination for free
Packing:
*Carry on bag - include swimsuit, coverup (if headed to a beach vacation), beauty essentials like the Nars Mulitple Stick, toothbrush/paste in case your luggage is delayed or lost. Medications as needed. I pack a sleeping mask and a few melatonin tablets to help me sleep on a red-eye flight. Comfortable walking shoes are a must. A wrap or pashmina to double as a scarf or a pillow on the plane. Disinfectant wipes to wipe down the tray table, armrests, etc.
*Technology: Phone charge booster - I use one from Anker chargers. Adapters for electrical plugs as needed.
*Download music, movies, TV shows, and a splitter for earbuds if you plan to watch with a fellow traveler.
*Healthy snack - I always carry a snack bag of roasted almonds when I travel. Just a small handful will take the edge off hunger for flight delays, etc.
For Your Destination:
Use a language translation app like TripLingo for communicating with the locals on your vacation. This will make your ease of travel much improved and you will likely impress the locals, even make some new friends.
DO take business cards, or, at the very least, plan to share your Facebook profile with travelers and locals you meet along the way. Our travels are often greatly enriched by the friends we make along the journey. With the dawn of Facebook, it is super easy to keep in touch upon your return home. Hello Colleen and Kevin - from the UK - who we met in an Italian Villa in Umbria, Rolando and Rosemary from Zoetry Paraiso and a ceviche cooking class, Brock and Megan, Jenny and Tyler on a sunset sail in Riviera Cancun and so many others.
FINALLY - My best advice is to simply enjoy the adventure that is travel!
Heather
Curated Hotel: A Cozy Wine Country Getaway to the Wydown Hotel in St. Helena
Wydown Hotel has a well-appointed suite including luxury linens, super plush robes, slippers, gourmet coffees and fun touches like free bottles of Izze sparkling clementine. After settling into our rustic luxe suite we opened a bottle of wine and relaxed in the cozy leather chair for two. I spotted a hefty stack of stylish coffee table books on wine country life and knew this would be a cozy way to relax after the rainy drive.
We had just one free night of a long weekend for a getaway and agreed that even one night away was worth it. I booked a Sunday night in St. Helena and, despite the stormy forecast, we were up for a quick getaway to wine country.
Wydown Hotel has a well-appointed suite including luxury linens, super plush robes, slippers, gourmet coffees and fun touches like free bottles of Izze sparkling clementine. After settling into our rustic luxe suite we opened a bottle of wine and relaxed in the cozy leather chair for two. I spotted a hefty stack of stylish coffee table books on wine country life and knew this would be a cozy way to relax after the rainy drive.
For dinner, we chose a new destination for us, Brasswood, north of town on Highway 29 on the border between St. Helena and Calistoga. Many of the staff are from well known Tra Vigne restaurant which recently shuttered its doors. We enjoyed a delicious dinner, including some old favorites like the baked mozzarella from Tra Vigne, the friendly service and a romantic atmosphere on a rainy wine country night.
The next morning, following our continental breakfast en suite, we grabbed a couple of umbrellas from the hotel lobby and walked around downtown St. Helena. This charming town is beautiful in any season. I always enjoy returning to visit since I was fortunate to live in Napa Valley during college. I worked as a nanny for a wine-making family at Pine Ridge and did a year of student teaching right here in St. Helena. I love visiting the old haunts!
sthelena-getaway
sthelena-getaway
As the morning lengthened, the skies opened up and the winds grew blustery. We made the best possible decision for a rainy day in wine country, grab a window seat at a lovely bistro, enjoy a leisurely lunch and watch the world go by!
Market is a delicious dining option on Main Street in St. Helena. The menu is extensive, featuring American Classic comfort cuisine with a seasonal, fresh flavor. The space is lined with stone walls and has a truly authentic, wine country charm. Thanks to Chelsea for the amazing service and thanks to Market for featuring my Instagram shots on their website.
St. Helena Getaway
To Stay: Wydown Hotel
This quick trip was a good reminder that even if you have only a night, booking a getaway can be just the ticket to explore, adventure, connect and enjoy some new tastes of life.
To book your romantic getaway to wine country contact me at Curated Travel.
COLOR STORY: Rainbows of Color
Perhaps it's because the pre-spring weather is vacillating between sunny with blue skies to waves of pelting rain, all within the same hour today, that has me dreaming of rainbows. Or perhaps it's because I have been housebound for....wait for it...8 days and counting, with a nasty respiratory flu that has me seeing a mirage of cold-medication induced rainbows today.
Perhaps it's because the pre-spring weather is vacillating between sunny with blue skies to waves of pelting rain, all within the samehour today, that has me dreaming of rainbows. Or perhaps it's because I have been housebound for....wait for it...8 days and counting, with a nasty respiratory flu that has me seeing a mirage of cold-medication induced rainbows today.
Either way, it just started to rain again and I'm needing some colorful inspiration. This eye-catching window at the EQUIPMENT Boutique in NYC a few years back is one of my favorite rainbow themed street shots -- all in sassy silk blouses, no less...swoon!
I'll take one in every color!
Thank you!
Whether it's a colorful collection of vintage Hermes scarves, a rainbow of pastel plaster in the villas of Italy or a rainbow umbrella in a snowstorm, keep your eye out for the rainbow this week. There is gold at the end of that rainbow and spring is, no doubt, on the way!
Our Lakeside Stay at a Villa in Lezzeno, at Lake Como, Italy
If the Amalfi Coast is shimmering pastels and Siena is rich, brushstrokes in oils, then Lake Como is bathed in watercolors mingling shadows with light. The views of mountain, sky and water are made chameleon by the microclimates in the Lombardy region of the Italian Alps. From sunny and brilliant to dark and stormy, punctuated with raindrops, no wonder this moody vista is considered magical to those who visit.
Our Lakeside Stay in a Villa at Lezzeno, Lake Como
If the Amalfi Coast is shimmering pastels and Siena is rich, brushstrokes in oils, then Lake Como is bathed in watercolors mingling shadows with light. The views of mountain, sky and water are made chameleon by the microclimates in the Lombardy region of the Italian Alps. From sunny and brilliant to dark and stormy, punctuated with raindrops, no wonder this moody vista is considered magical to those who visit.
For the third stop on our summer tour in Italy, Scott and I rented a car for the 90-minute drive to Lake Como from the train station in Milan. Leaving the dry heat of Siena behind we could already feel the coolness of the verdant mountains and cerulean lake. We rented the top floor of a villa in Lezzeno on the eastern shore of the western arm of the wishbone-shaped Lake Como.
We arrived at our top floor villa on a Sunday, late afternoon, and found that the small local market had closed early for the day. We were grateful that the owners of the villa left a welcome basket of pasta, sauce, crackers and chocolates which we used to create our first dinner lakeside at Lake Como. We added a bottle of 2012 Ar.Pe.Pe Rosso di Valtellina from our stash for a cozy evening watching the lake from the terrace.
As you may imagine, life at Lake Como is all about lazy days, leisurely walks, boat rides, lakeside lunches, tours of elaborate villas and lush gardens. Evenings are filled with lakeside cocktails, mouth-watering dinners in the moonlight that extend until the wee hours. In this petite villa we envisioned staying for months: reading, writing, photographing, creating, cooking from the local bounty and viewing lake life-- thoroughly living the rhythm of Lake Como.
If you wondered if we spotted George and Amal Clooney while visiting Lake Como, our invitation may have gotten lost in the mail. We did spot George's charming lakeside villa, with his white speed boat docked in front. Since they tend to summer at Lake Como - and who wouldn't? - the boat parked out front 'seems to indicate' that the Clooneys were home on this beautiful day in July. We do know they were in residence at Lake Como for fourth of July the week before our visit.
