PHOENIX: PERFECT WINTER GETAWAY

Phoenix is fantastic year-round, but winter is exceptional

Question: Where can you get away from winter’s frigidity and bask in the desert sun, while enjoying world-class accommodations, stunning mountain vistas, Southwestern fine dining and luxurious, relaxing spa treatments?

Answer: Greater Phoenix.

Take a dip in one of the Arizona Biltmore’s beautiful pools

The colorful Montelucia resort offers luxe accommodations and dining

Peace and quiet is yours at Montelucia’s Joya Spa

Fine cuisine at Prado

Phoenix’s Farmers Market offers regional food and handcrafted jewelry, among other delights

Tranquility reigns at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale’s Spa Avania

Magnificent grounds at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch

Have your cake and eat it, too, in Phoenix

YOSEMITE + MARIPOSA CO: ONE OF CALIFORNIA’S BEST IDEAS

The majestic Half Dome at Yosemite National Park

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.)

Yosemite Falls: wondrous in full force from snowmelt in the spring

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.

Yosemite’s historic, luxurious Awhwanee Hotel

Lunch at the Awhwanee is as artfully designed as the hotel

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 fa�ade 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 Lodge may not look that special from the outside….

…but the raging Merced River is what’s in your backyard

A must coffee-stop: Mariposa Fruit & Nut Company

The dining room at Hotel Jeffrey in Coulterville, CA: straight out of the 1850s

Gunslingers put on a show in the authentic period bar

Demonstrating the Stamp Mill from the Gold Rush era 

General store shelves circa the 1850s at the Mariposa Museum

The museum boasts a comprehensive, appointment-only archive, including preserved clothing

The oldest courthouse operating in CA: Mariposa County’s, built in 1854

The Micro Brews and Blues Festival, one of many you’ll find in Mariposa 

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

NASHVILLE: MUSIC CITY TUNES UP FOR TOURISM    

                                           The so-called Batman Building towers over downtown Nashville

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.

A must-see: The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

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!

                                                                         The “honky-tonkin’” at Tootsies: a guaranteed good time

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.

                                                            A Nashville institution: The Grand Ole Opry House

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.

The Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center boasts awesome indoor vistas

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.

                                                         Step right into the mid 19^th century at Belle Meade Plantation

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.

                                                            Be transported back in time at Belmont Mansion

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.

President Andrew Jackson’s home, the Hermitage, is a real-life history lesson

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.

Blooming tulips make the city even more vibrant: parks are abundant

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.  

                                                           A typical feast at the famed Loveless Caf�

And speaking of fried food, one of the area's most famous haunts is the ultra-popular Loveless Caf�, 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.

Seasonal seafood is on the menu at Opryland’s Cascades Seafood Restaurant

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 Caf� 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/parthenon

 
Hutton Hotel 1808 West End Ave Nashville, TN 37203<!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->(615) 340-9333 www.huttonhotel.com

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

THE NEXT COASTAL BEAUTY

Can you say gorgeous? And you don’t even have to drive to the OC.

Welcome to the place where AIG will NOT be having its next corporate retreat. (Remember their $400,000 surf and spa getaway to the St. Regis Monarch Beach--before things got really bad last October? Aah, the good old days).  The new coastal gem is a $450 million oceanfront development called Terrenea Resort, on the site of the old Marineland of the Pacific for all the locals who remember that.

Terrenea, a word taken from " Mediterranean," will occupy 102 acres above the Pacific in Rancho Palos Verdes. At first glance, the hotel will appear to be two and three stories high as it gently falls away to four and five stories toward the sea to embrace the coastal views. The property encompasses a nearly seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces to take full advantage of the location’s natural beauty.  The resort includes a 360-room hotel with 30 suites, 20 bungalows, 50 ocean view casitas and 32 villas. All of the dining options will offer indoor/outdoor facilities, as will the spa. As for the corporate meeting facilities, don’t tell AIG how fab they’ll be. Major wedding bells will also be ringing once the resort opens in June.

Terrenea Resort, 6610 Palos Verdes Drive South,  Rancho Palos Verdes,  (310) 802-7464, www.terranea.com

PROSPECTING FOR ART IN THE BIG EASY

One of the Make it Right Foundation homes in the Lower 9^th Ward

You have until mid-January 2009 to take in the largest contemporary art biennial ever organized in the US. Taking place at more than two dozen locations across New Orleans every Wednesday through Sunday, the art extravaganza entitled Prospect.1 is another shot in the arm to the post-Katrina era in the Big Easy. From the Lower 9^th Ward to the old US Mint building near the French Quarter, to the Hefler Warehouse and the New Orleans Museum of Art, you can view the contemporary creativity of artists from around the world. All it takes is registering at the website. There are even shuttles to take you around, many leaving from the centrally-located W Hotels, a major sponsor, along with numerous foundations who put up the funding for the event.

www.prospectneworleans.org

www.makeitrightnola.org