High Altitude Luxury at Deer Valley

December 27, 2011

 

If you’re looking for splendor in the snow this season, the Montage Residences inDeer Valley, Utah—one of North America’s top ski resorts–could satisfy your every need to be housed in a winter wonderland.

 

Part of the acclaimed Montage hotel chain known for its luxurious properties in Beverly Hills and Laguna Beach, the Deer Valley locale has been open just a year.

 

The private residences are new. Prospective buyers got a preview at a recent event at Montage B.H., a virtual tour of prime mountain real estate, courtesy of noted New York designer Philip Gorrivan and Alison Pincus, co-founder of One Kings Lane, an online home furnishings store, who collaborated on the innovative design of the residence being showcased during a feative cocktail event. Among the attendees mixing, mingling, oohing and ah-ing: Maria Shriver.

 

Some of the unique features of the two-story home—one of about 80 on the property– include custom artwork and furnishings, including a 10-foot dining room banquette, a bright orange four-bed bunk in the kids room, bronze “tree branch” chandeliers in the master bedroom, and gracing the area above the living room fireplace, a specially commissioned oil painting by San Francisco artist Ann Rea perfect for the environs, called “Dreamy Aspens.”  

“Their inventive interiors show how a gracious mountain home can easily accommodate the most active and informal of lifestyles in harmony with striking design elements in art, furnishings and more,” said Alan J. Fuerstman, CEO and founder, Montage Hotels & Resorts. “All of our 81 private residences offer access to every luxury hotel service and amenity. But this one-of-a-kind home, with two floors of great design and dramatic views of pristine terrain, is custom-made for memorable retreats with friends and family for years to come. ”

 

If you can’t purchase the 3,471-square-foot home, you can scoop up some of its furnishings from One Kings Lane (www.onekingslane.com ), which will be selling items that are part of or inspired by the exclusive Montage Deer Valley residence online in January 2012.

 

“We were given a stunning shell in a gorgeous destination and it’s a unique exercise to reinvent how a contemporary resort home in the mountains can look and function,” said Pincus. “Through this design, we hope to embody the beauty of Montage DeerValleyand to bring the essence of this special location to all One Kings Lane shoppers. Only one lucky family will live in the home, but many on One Kings Lane will have the chance to reinterpret the design schematic in their own home.”

 

The New York-based Gorrivan, who has been visiting Park Cityfor more than 25 years, is known for interpreting classic spaces with unexpected style.

 

The luxurious home includes a great room, a dining room, den, gourmet kitchen, three bedrooms, three five-fixture stone bathrooms and three private balconies on two floors. Special features include rustic cherry millwork, hand-scraped walnut plank flooring, coffered ceilings and fireplaces with limestone surrounds in the living room and master bedroom. South and west exposures offer beautiful natural light and of course, stunning views of  the nearby ski runs.

 

The new residents of the property won’t have to look far for anything else they might need. They’ll be provided full access to the Montage DeerValley’s resort services and amenities, including residential concierge services, spa services, private ski instruction and DeerValleyski ticketing on site.

 

There’s also a residential concierge team that can arrange grocery shopping and housekeeping, assist with travel plans or entertaining, and make all activity bookings. The family will also enjoy signing privileges in all of the resort’s restaurants and the beautiful Spa Montage and can participate in a series of year-round activities.

 

The kids will also have plenty to do, as children can join in custom adventures designed just for them at the resort’s exclusive children’s club, Paintbox.

 

For more information: www.montageresidencesdeervalley.com

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Blowing a Hole in the Southwest Airlines Ethos of Jet Travel

April 11, 2011

Southwest Airlines: a no fly zone

Let me count the ways in which I hate Southwest Airlines, especially in light of the fact that they don’t maintain their old, beat to hell, over-used jets very well, apparently outsourcing that to a company in Brazil. The passengers and crew on board the flight from Phoenix to Sacramento that blew a hole in the roof were very lucky to have survived the ordeal as well as they did.

Credit the pilot –a junior Sully Sullenberger– with successfully landing the old Boeing 737 at an Air Force base in Yuma, Arizona.  But knowing Southwest, aside from getting the passengers on another plane to their destination, probably did nothing else for them, except possibly hand out some bags of peanuts and pretzels– or maybe mini Ritz crackers–if they were really lucky.

Because Southwest is and has always been extremely lax in customer service and any amenities whatsoever.  People who have been flying for a long time say that in the olden days, while all of the other airlines offered hot meals even on short flights, Southwest had no food on any of its flights–but yet free liquor– resulting in an atmosphere on board like a honky-tonk bar with a lot of drunks livening up the proceedings.  They wouldn’t even brew pots of coffee, instead handing out packets of Sanka—if anyone remembers that stuff–and a cup of hot water to passengers.

The planes still have that dingy, dated, down on their luck feel to them.  But what’s most objectionable is the fact that Southwest has never and apparently never will offer seat assignments.  What is the charm of standing up at the airport gate waiting to get on a short hop Southwest flight to get a “good” seat?  It’s an annoying pain in the ass, especially for business travelers.

We have never understood this concept.  Is it that expensive to add software to their reservations system that would give customers the seat assignment when they buy a ticket? There’s absolutely no point to the cattle call nature of their boarding process, even “improved” now with A, B and C boarding lines.

Here’s what happened on board the last Southwest flight I took, which was from Albuquerque to Los Angeles, a route Southwest has a near monopoly on with its many nonstops daily.  (Thankfully, other airlines–United and American–have entered the market, but have very limited flights.) Somehow I managed to get a front row aisle seat– the better to get out of there as quickly as possible upon landing.  Ordering a Coca-Cola, and looking forward to reading a new hardcover book I had bought for the journey, I couldn’t find a tray table, which normally would be in the armrest. Hmmm. So I called the flight attendant over and asked her where the tray table was for my seat.  She told me there was none, and then added in a very condescending tone.  “Ma’am, this is a no-frills airline.”  I shot right back: “Ma’am, $378 between LA and Albuquerque is not a no-frills fare.”

Because that’s another thing I hate about Southwest.  The fares are NOT cheap.  Sure, they may offer a couple teasers, but you have to jump through hoops to get any sort of what could be considered “cheap” fares to anywhere they fly in the West and Southwest. And what you might save in money, you’ll waste in time, waiting for a seat at the gate.

But back to my story.  I was not about to take this lying down, or as it were, sitting up, without a tray table.  So I wrote a letter to the president of Southwest Airlines and enclosed my flight receipt which showed the amount of fare that I paid, which was more than a coast-to-coast ticket on a legacy carrier.  I got back a page-and-a-half long letter making excuses about why there was no tray table at the seat– and the capper was a $25 gift certificate was enclosed.  Gee, thanks Southwest Airlines, that really will go a long way to win my loyalty to your airline.  Are you kidding?

As a matter of fact, I plan on never flying it again, because I’ve always hated nearly every single element of the experience.  And now with the safety hazards of overusing old jets exposed, I will do anything possible to stay away from Southwest, including paying more to fly another carrier–where presumably I will have a seat assignment, a tray table and a professional environment on board.

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What Happens to Your Stuff in Vegas, Stays in Vegas

March 26, 2011
The Vegas Box allows you to leave stuff there for your next trip

Most people go to Las Vegas for just a short time, so there is not normally a need to bring check-in luggage.  That is, unless you want to bring your favorite bottle of shampoo, a big can of shaving cream or a spare bottle of tequila.

Now there’s a way of doing that and sparing the hassle and expense of carting your liquids back and forth.  It’s the newly launched Vegas Box, and it allows you to leave all your toiletries, and anything else you might not want to pack again, in a container that can be left with the bell captain at your hotel.

Then, when you come back to Sin City, you simply have it delivered and voila, there is all your stuff — suntan lotion, bubble bath — whatever your heart desires, without you having to buy it again when you have ample supplies of the stuff at home.

The containers are kept in a secure, climate-controlled warehouse in the Las Vegas area and are insured up to $100—so don’t leave anything really valuable in there. The Vegas Box costs $99 per year and comes with dividers, security locks and two deliveries.  Additional deliveries cost $20.

“As a Las Vegas visitor, you are likely to have leftover items such as aerosols, body lotion, face wash, contact solution, hair products, nail polish remover or alcoholic beverages that you will throw away or be forced to pay to check your back on your return home,” said Gena Marler, co-founder of The Vegas Box. “If you visit Vegas just twice a year, the Vegas Box pays for itself and makes traveling so much more convenient and easy without the cost of a checked bag and hassle of transporting these items back and forth.”

For trade show visitors, it’s also a great idea, and the container can store up to 70 pounds of material.

Motto is, go to town—bring it—and then leave it.

More info at www.thevegasbox.com
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Yosemite + Mariposa County: One of California’s Best Ideas

April 1, 2010

The Ken Burns documentary “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” is shining an ever-brighter spotlight on California’s magnificent and awe-inspiring Yosemite National Park. Nearly 1,200 square miles of majestic Sierra Nevada territory was actually first entrusted to the state of California in 1868, before the national park system existed, in order to protect the scenic wildlands that range from 2,000 feet above sea level to majestic peaks of more than 13,000 feet.  Encompassing groves of giant Sequoia trees, alpine meadows, granite cliffs, lakes, dramatic waterfalls, wildflowers and wild animals, Yosemite attracts up to 4 million visitors every year, offering a restful, awe-inspiring antidote to man-made civilization– a magnificent place were one can truly commune with the glories of nature’s beauty.

As one of the nation’s first national parks– it officially became one in October 1890 — and one of most popular, Yosemite offers a range of sensory experiences for visitors from all over the world, from rock climbing to camping, horseback riding, white water rafting, historic and cultural exploration and fine dining. And surrounding Mariposa County boasts its own unique charms with picturesque scenery, vineyards, annual festivals and a peak into the past when it was the heart of the California Gold Rush, and encompassed one-fifth of the territory of the entire state. The four entrances to the park all go through the county (although some of the entrances are closed seasonally—check www.yosemite.org for travel tips.)

There are a host of guided outdoor adventures at Yosemite, including twilight strolls departing from the back porch of the famed Ahwahnee Hotel—the place to stay within the park itself, a AAA, four-diamond national historic landmark—and nighttime tours to study the glorious skies and learn about astronomy.

The Ahwahnee, once the site of a village of the native Miwok tribe, was built in the mid-1920s and has played host to presidents and royalty. The hotel boasts stunning views of Yosemite’s iconic sites: Glacier Point, Half Dome and Yosemite Falls. A meal in the Dining Room is a memorable occasion and a culinary treat, and although dress throughout the park is casual, there is a dress code at dinner, so think slacks or skirts–no T-shirts, shorts or tennis shoes. Executive Chef Percy Whatley presides over a well-tuned kitchen turning out imaginative California cuisine featuring organic and locally grown ingredients, with a splendid wine list.

The Victorian-style Wawona Hotel is also a national historic landmark, built in 1879 on a lush meadow just four miles inside the park’s south entrance. There are 104 rooms, but 54 of them have shared bathrooms, so privacy hounds need to keep that in mind when making reservations. In addition to the authentic charm of a bygone era, the property has views of the magnificent, ancient Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, of which tours are offered frequently throughout the day.

Don’t despair if you’re not able to get accommodations within the park.  And despite the economic downturn, that does require advanced planning, especially during the summer high season. We checked out a couple of places in the vicinity that were both unique — and fabulous.

Walk into the soaring lobby of Tenaya Lodge, located two miles from the park’s south gate, and it is reminiscent of the grand Western lodges built in the early 1900s, yet thoroughly modern. The four-diamond mountain resort property features multiple dining options—including a beautiful outdoor patio when weather permits, as well as a full range of spa services and recreational activities. The new Embers restaurant on site features sustainable California cuisine. Tenaya Lodge is also a unique location for corporate events, and weddings, with a professional, well-trained staff to handle all your needs.

Another outside-the-park lodging does not offer a grand façade or impressive architecture, but beautiful, first-class rooms (335 of them) in a stunning mountain setting. Not only that, Yosemite View Lodge sits right on the rushing Merced River—and if you ask for a river view (your other option is a mountain view), you could sit for hours on your patio hovering right above the currents. If you don’t like the sound of rushing water, especially when the river runs high in the summer, well, opt for the mountain view. But the rooms are soundproof, and feature luxury amenities, like a Jacuzzi in the room, to luxuriate in the surroundings. The property also features a casually upscale dining room and banquet and catering services.

Yosemite National Park, www.nps.gov/yose

Mariposa County Tourism Bureau, (209) 966-3685, www.homeofyosemite.com

Tenaya Lodge, 1122 Highway 4, Fish Camp, CA 93623, 888-514-216, www.tenayalodge.com

The Ahwahnee, 9005 Ahwahnee Drive, Yosemite, CA 95389, 559-253-5635, http://www.yosemitepark.com/Accommodations_TheAhwahnee.aspx

Wawona, Yosemite National Park, 209-375-6566, http://www.yosemitepark.com/Accommodations_WawonaHotel.aspxContact:

Yosemite View, 11156 Highway 140,     El Portal, CA 95318, 209-379-2681, http://www.yosemiteresorts.us/yosemiteviewlodge/index.htm

Hotel Jeffrey, 5001 Main Street, Coulterville, CA 95311, 209-878-3471, www.hoteljefferygold.com

River Rafting, 800-431-3636, www.zrafting.com

Lake McClure, 9090 Lake McClure Road, Snelling, CA 95369,
209-378-2521www.lakemcclure.com

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Nashville: Music City Tunes Up For Tourism

March 1, 2010

Though its tagline, “music city” conjures up what the city is famous for, Nashville is so much more. From the low brow — the city’s fabled honky-tonks — to the highbrow — an impressive array of historic mansions and art institutions, Nashville has something for everyone looking for something different, unique and memorable. And you will never go hungry, nor tire of the good old-fashioned Southern hospitality at local restaurants and hotels.

But let’s start with the music emanating from the heart of downtown Nashville.  Take a visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, an impressive structure featuring artifacts from the history of the genre, including semi private listening booths where you can hear some of the country’s most famous songs to the popular Hank Williams exhibit, “Family Tradition: The Hanks Williams Legacy which became such a crowd-pleaser, it will be on long-term display.

Just down the street is the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Opened in September 2006 it’s neoclassical revivalist architecture is one of the only major concert halls in North America to utilize natural light. And oh, the sound!

Across the street are some of the city’s world-famous honky-tonks.  Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Roberts Western Wear and Legends Corner are the local hangouts where many country music legends got their start–and sometimes pop in for an impromptu set.  (Nashville resident Keith Urban has been known to do so.) The scene is straight out of a Bud Light commercial — with local bands playing late into the evening and patrons grooving to the music. Another thing the honky-tonks are famous for: no cover charge.  And the drink prices are pretty reasonable compared to most places in big cities.

But the granddaddy of music establishments is of course The Grand Ole Opry, located a few miles outside of town at the acclaimed Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.  The Grand Ole Opry is the world’s longest running radio show and features a myriad of performers on stage and an impressive auditorium.

For history buffs, the Ryman Auditorium is an historic building which housed the precursor of the modern Opry. There are still special performances and concerts held at the well preserved brick structure.

Art and architecture buffs would deeply appreciate the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, a large, private museum (24,000 square feet) located inside a 1920s era Art Deco former United States Post Office building where all of the original design elements have been meticulously restored from the staircases to the window frames. The center also features the interactive ArtQuest gallery, great for kids– and educational programs.

You can delve much deeper into the rich history of this city at two of its premier plantation mansions, circa the mid-1800s. Belle Meade Plantation is an 1853 Greek revival mansion that was renowned as a thorough bred stud farm. The rooms are furnished with magnificent period furniture and artwork original to the home, and the dining room is set with fine crystal and china. There’s even a garage with carriage is an automobiles from the early part of the 19th century.

You can also visit Belmont Mansion for another taste of how the wealthy citizens of Nashville lived at the time. This home was built and owned by Adelicia Acklen, one of America’s wealthiest women and one of Tennessee’s most colorful characters.

The state’s most famous native son, of course, is President Andrew Jackson, and his huge plantation manor estate is The Hermitage, where visitors can get guided tours by knowledgeable docents on foot — or on horseback. This National Historical Landmark also includes the tombs of the president and his wife Rachel Jackson, as well as her garden.

Those hungry for more history including that of slavery and the struggle for civil rights, should stop in at the Nashville library’s Civil Rights Room, a research center (nothing can be checked out) that features hisstoric photographs from the 1950s and 1960s lining the walls — and the stories of what happened to the people pictured in them– along with the many volumes of historical import.

The Galleries at Fisk University boasts a unique cache of treasures in the art world; part of the collection of famed photographer Alfred Stieglitz donated to the University by his wife, Georgia O’Keefe after Mr. Stieglitz died in the late 1940s.  Included in the approximately 100 works of art are several Stieglitz photographs and a stunning O’Keefe painting, one of her “Radiator Building” series, whose brushstrokes practically radiate her love for him nearly a century later.

Going back further in time, the Parthenon is the world’s only full-sized reproduction of the Greek Parthenon that houses a sculpture of the Greek goddess Athena.  Nashville first undertook construction of the replica to house and art exhibition for the 1897 Centennial Exposition. The landmark was reconstructed in 1931 and underwent a major renovation about 20 years ago.  Inside the structure are four fine art galleries, one of which is a rotating gallery featuring a collection of American art.

One of Nashville’s most popular new places to stay is the acclaimed new Hutton Hotel, which provides a fresh alternative to traditional downtown hotels. The 248 rooms use eco–technology combined with first-class amenities to pamper guests.  And features the 1808 Grill with sophisticated, delicious selection of New American cuisine — with Southern flair.  That means if you don’t normally eat fried food, you will.

And speaking of fried food, one of the area’s most famous haunts is the ultra-popular Loveless Café, known for its heaping platters of chicken, ribs and its mouthwatering biscuits. Rest assured, you will have to wait for a table, but it will be worth it.

Looking for Southern charm mixed with fine cuisine? The Acorn beckons with its mix of comfort and quality served in a sleek setting that still feels like someone’s home. The restaurant prides itself on using local farm grown ingredients for many of its specialty dishes.

If seafood is your thing, don’t miss Cascades Seafood Restaurant at Gaylord Opryland. Set in a garden atrium the menu features seasonal fish, fantastic seafood–try the scallops if they are in season– topped off by sumptuous desserts created by the pastry chef. An ultimately fulfilling dining destination.

For more information about Music City, call (800) 657-6910
www.visitmusiccity.com

The Convention and Visitors Bureau operates a walk-in center downtown.

Guidebook:

The Acorn 114 28th Avenue North (615) 320-4399 www.theacornrestaurant.com

Loveless Café 8400 Highway 100 Nashville, TN 37221(615) 646-9700 www.lovelesscafe.com

1808 Grill 1808 West End Avenue Nashville, TN 37203 (615)-340-0012 www.1808grille.com

Cascades Seafood Restaurant at Opryland 2800 Opryland Drive Nashville, TN 37214 (615) 871-6848 www.gaylordhotels.com

The Hermitage, Home of President Andrew Jackson 4580 Rachel’s Lane Nashville, TN 37076 www.thehermitage.com

Belle Meade Plantation 5025 Harding Pike Nashville, TN 37205 (615) 356-0501 www.bellemeadeplantation.com

Belmont Mansion 1900 Belmont Boulevard Nashville, TN 37212 (615) 460-5459 www.belmontmansion.com

Opryland Resort and Convention Center 2800 Opryland Drive Nashville, TN 37214 (615) 871-6848 www.gaylordhotels.com

Schermerhorn Symphony Center One Symphony Place Nashville, TN 37201 (615).687.6500 www.nashvillesymphony.org

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum 222 Fifth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203 (615).416-2001 www.countrymusichalloffame.com

Frist Center for the Visual Arts 919 Broadway Nashville, TN, 37203 (615).244.3340 www.fristcenter.org

Civil Rights Room at the Nashville Public Library 615 Church Street Nashville, TN 37219 (615).862.5800 www.library.nashville.org/civilrights/home.

Galleries at Fisk University 1000 Seventeenth Ave. North Nashville, TN 37208 (615).329-8720 www.fisk.edu

Parthenon 2600 W End Ave Nashville, TN 37203 (615) 862-8431 www.nashville.gov/parthenonHutton Hotel 1808 West End Ave Nashville, TN 37203(615) 340-9333 www.huttonhotel.com

Ryman Auditorium 116 Fifth Avenue North Nashville, TN 37219  (615) 889-3060 www.ryman.com

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Da Plane

March 28, 2008

I was told many years ago by my father, a pilot, never to fly the airlines of a third-world country. Why? Because they don’t maintain the planes properly, he said. The US airline industry is looking pretty third world right about now with the recent groundings, preemptively by American Airlines–like, oops, we better check the planes before we get fined millions of dollars like Southwest did!  Southwest’s planes always looked really run-down and haggard, but that’s from a passenger’s view of the interior, and not a safety perspective. It always seemed suspicious that they were able to land, deplane and then load all the cattle on so quickly, with no time to clean up the crumbs and the junk snack wrappers. So it makes sense that they clearly weren’t on top of the mechanics, either. If I never have to fly that freakin’ airline again, it’ll be too soon. I never “got” Southwest. On my last regional trip–an hour and a half flight– with a cross-country fare of more than $350, there wasn’t even a tray table at my seat. I was told “Ma’am, this is a no-frills airline.” Are you kidding? And I fondly remember the time I asked for a cup of coffee and was given a packet of Sanka and a cup of hot water, like it was 1978.  I hear in those days, Southwest gave out free drinks, and I don’t think they’ve bought new planes since then. Hopefully Virgin America and/or Jet Blue will give them a run for their money. The thought of going anywhere on that airline sends me into a tailspin, especially now.   

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Leaving Las Vegas

January 31, 2008

So, I’m headed out of Sin City yesterday after three days at NATPE (National Assn. of Television Program Executives) where I moderated a panel on environmental programming with reps from the soon-to-launch Discovery Planet Green, News Corp., PBS, HGTV and KRON in San Francisco. The aiport seemed overwhelmingly mobbed for a late Thursday morning. Wha’ happened? It seems Air Force One was docked at McCarran Int’l Airport, for a rather stealth trip by George W. that didn’t get much coverage. He had addressed a conservative think tank the night before, with his motorcade closing down the Strip and creating automotive chaos. But it was worse on the aviation side. All air traffic to and fro LV was shut down for several hours so AF One could have the airspace to itself, delaying tens of thousands of travelers. Funny thing, though. Nellis AFB is just eight miles away from downtown Vegas, begging the question of why the president’s plane didn’t avail itself of its facilities. No fuss, no muss, no security problems and no one inconvenienced. Go figure….

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