December 19, 2012

Laguna Beach, California: Pacific Marine Mammal Center; things to do

Pacific Marine Mammal Center  

20612 Laguna Canyon Rd., (going east, look for the dog park on the south side of road just before), (949) 494-3050.  Daily 10-4.  Free. 

rescued seal at Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, California
rescued seal at Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, California


See rescued seals, sea lions, and elephant seals being rehabilitated for release in this very small facility.  It is hands-off of these pinnipeds for everyone, even staff, though Sage, because she is an unreleasable orphan sea lion, is treated like a diva with plenty of toys and human interaction.  When I visited in October at the end of the season, only three seals were in residence, but more than 250+ animals are rescued each year so sometimes it can get crowded.  A white egret named Gracie, who is actually a he, lives in an adjacent tree and comes regularly to visit and steal fish. Many artists have their studios along the highway leading here, so allow time to stop.

rescued white egret at Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, California
rescued white egret at Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, California



More animal attractions.

More things to do in Laguna Beach. 

More ideas for exploring the U.S.


images c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

December 17, 2012

Santa Monica, California: Poquito Mas (CLOSED); restaurant review

THIS LOCATION CLOSED  2025 Wilshire Blvd./21st St., (310) 828-1700. 

This popular fast-food spot serves delicious Mexican fare with plenty of vegetarian options.  The chips are not salted, and you need to ask for your portion when you place your order at the counter.  My favorite item at Poquito Mas is the sopitos, which are small sopes made with a round masa base topped with refried beans and shredded lettuce.  Wet burritos are topped with a special red sauce, and the salsa bar has plenty of choices as well as marinated chilies and carrots. 


More things to do in Santa Monica.

More ideas for exploring the U.S.


image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

December 14, 2012

Portland, Oregon: Hotel Fifty + H50 Bistro & Bar (CLOSED); hotel review + restaurant review

guest room at Hotel Fifty in Portland, Oregon

Hotel Fifty  

CLOSED  50 SW Morrison St., S of the Morrison Bridge, downtown, (503) 221-0711.  141 rooms; 5 stories.  Restaurant; bar; room service.  Pass for fitness facility.  Dogs ok.  Self-parking $22, valet $27; valet bicycle parking is free. 

Situated south of the Morrison Bridge and across the street from the Willamette River, this pleasant boutique hotel is just a few walkable blocks from downtown shopping.  It is one block from the MAX Light Rail tram stop (and just five stops from the convention center) and has easy access to the popular Pearl District.  Guest rooms offer a choice of a king or two double beds made with high-thread-count white cotton sheets.  Each floor has a soda machine and an ice freezer featuring sanitary pre-packed bags of ice.  This is the first hotel in Oregon to have outlets for electric cars to recharge their batteries.  Occupancy runs 98% in summer, when riverside festivals take place just across the street.


H5O Bistro & Bar 

CLOSED  (503) 484-1415. B-L-D daily; $$.  Free valet parking for 2 hrs. 

Many diners never get farther than the bar in front, which has a happy hour from 4:30 to 7 p.m. and all day on Sunday, but those who enter the spacious open dining room get a view of the river across the street.  The menu changes regularly, and the lunch menu might include a large wedge butter lettuce salad with pickled beets, bruchetta topped with sardines and sweet peppers, a tangy bowl of smooth tomato-basil soup, or a juicy house burger.  Cocktails, local wines, draft beers, and sakes are available.





More things to do in Portland. 

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images c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

December 12, 2012

Polanco, Mexico City, Mexico: Museo Soumaya/Soumaya Art Museum; things to do

Museo Soumaya/Soumaya Art Museum  

Blvd. Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra 303, Col. Amplicación Granada,. 55/5616-3731.  Daily 10:30-6:30.  Free. 

Rodin sculpture at Museo Soumaya/Soumaya Art Museum in Mexico City
Rodin sculpture at Museo Soumaya/Soumaya Art Museum in Mexico City


Opened in spring 2011 and owned by Carlos Slim Helu, the world's richest man, this $70 million museum is named after his late wife and is a labor of love for him.  The sparkling exterior of Rodin sculpture at Museo Soumaya/Soumaya Art Museum in Mexico City is covered with 16,000 hexagonal aluminum plates that reflect sunlight, while the curved white interior walls and ramps are reminiscent of NYC’s Guggenheim.  Take the elevator to the top floor skylighted sculpture gallery, then stroll the galleries and down the circular ramps back to the entrance.  The collection includes works by sculptures by Auguste Rodin and Salvador Dalí, and paintings by Claude Monet and Diego Rivera.




image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

December 10, 2012

Laguna Beach, California: Zinc Cafe & Market; restaurant review

350 Ocean Ave., (949) 494-6302.  Daily 7am-6pm; $$.  No reservations. 

Order at the counter of the all-vegetarian jZinc Cafe & Market, then pick a table in the cozy indoors or outside on the popular patio.  Particular good items include the quiche, the pastries (especially the almond cake and the frosting-topped pecan cookie--make my recipe version).  A small adjacent deli purveys take-away food and some gift items.



More things to do in Laguna Beach. 

More ideas for exploring the U.S.


image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

December 4, 2012

Portland, Oregon: Crafty Wonderland; things to do

808 SW 10th Ave./SW Yamhill, across from Central Library, (503) 224-9097.  M-Sat 10-6, Sun 12-5. 

The creative collection of handmade jewelry, prints, clothing, and more at Crafty Wonderland comes from more than 130 local artists and designers.  You’re sure to find just the right gift, or maybe something for yourself. 





More things to do in Portland. 

More ideas for exploring the U.S.


image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

November 30, 2012

Portland, Oregon: Andina; restaurant review

cocktails at Andina in Portland, Oregon

Andina  

1314 NW Glisan St., (503) 228-9535.  L-D daily; $$$.  Reservations advised. 

Specializing in contemporary Peruvian cuisine, popular and sophisticated Andina  features a menu with shared plates in three sizes.  The servers are adept in advising how much food is enough for your party, and the more the merrier because you get to try more items.  Among the dishes my quartet liked best were the complimentary trio of dipping sauces served with the bread, a Spanish-style potato frittata with aioli, the flaky-crusted beef empanadas, and a super-tasty green mango-and-poached prawns cebiche. Oh, yeah, we also adored the Pisco Sour and Majito cocktails!







More things to do in Portland. 

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image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

November 28, 2012

Polanco, Mexico City, Mexico: Museo Nacional de Antropologia; things to do

Paseo de la Reforma y Calzada Gandhi s/n, in Polanco, 55/5553-6266. 

Regarded as one of the top museums in the world, the Museo Nacional de Antropologia anthropology museum offers an excellent introduction to the culture of Mexico.  It has 23 exhibit halls and displays an impressive collection of Maya and Aztec artifacts.  The well-designed ground-floor rooms are the most popular and include dioramas depicting Mexico City when the Spaniards arrived, a reproduction of part of a pyramid at Teotihuacán, and the round Aztec calendar Sun Stone.  Don’t miss the Teotihuacan (#5), Aztec (#7), or Maya (#10) rooms. 

Upstairs you’ll see the Mexico of today through music, crafts, and clothing.  An enormous central courtyard, anchored by a pond populated with turtles and koi, makes a choice resting spot, and indigenous Totonac people “fly” from a high pole in that area several times each day.  A pleasant, well-priced restaurant provides some outdoor seating.




images c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

November 26, 2012

Newport Beach, California: Fashion Island; things to do

401 Newport Center Dr., betw. MacArthur Blvd. & Jamboree Rd., across from the Marriott and Four Seasons hotels, (800) 495-4753, (949) 721-2000. 

This immense outdoor shopping center is not a true island but is encircled by towering palms.  Beautifully landscaped, with fountains and koi ponds and plenty of benches, Fashion Island hosts branches of many of Southern California’s most exclusive stores and the big four department stores hold down each corner--Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Macy’s.  Restaurants are distributed throughout, and a variety of entertainment and a 13-screen luxury movie theater round things out. 


More ideas for exploring the U.S.

image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

November 21, 2012

Portland, Oregon: Bunk Sandwiches; restaurant review

621 SE Morrison, (503) 477-9515.  Daily 8-3; $. 

Simple-but-tasty sandwiches are served here with no fanfare on lunchroom-style trays.  Among the best at Bunk Sandwiches are a fatty pork belly Cubano with ham, Swiss, pickles, and mustard; a pulled pork with apple cabbage slaw, pickles, and mustard; and a meatball parmigiano hero.  Housemade kettle chips are included. 




More things to do in Portland. 

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image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

November 19, 2012

NYC: Sarabeth's; restaurant review

339 Greenwich St./Jay, (212) 966-0421. 

This is the newest location for popular breakfast and lunch spot Sarabeth's.  Pastries galore are among the delicious choices.  My personal favorites are the hot chocolate (it is more of a milk chocolate), the eggs Benedict (though I thought the sky-high housemade English muffin was a tad dry), and the four flowers juice—a mixture of orange, fresh pineapple, banana and pomegranate juice.




More NYC attractions.

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image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

November 14, 2012

Brentwood, California: Brentwood Country Mart + Frida Taqueria + Roberta Roller Rabbit; restaurant review + things to do

225 26th St./San Vicente Blvd., in Santa Monica (but most people think it is in Brentwood), (310) 395-6714.  M-Sat 11-7.  Parking $5/hr; 1 hr. free with validation.  Opened in 1948, this red barn of a building was designed to evoke early American and English country marketplaces--with shops and stalls arranged around a central courtyard.  It houses a variety of shops and restaurants and is a pleasant spot to shop and lunch under sheltering umbrellas.  On cool days you can warm up in front of an outdoor fire pit, and preschoolers can indulge in several kiddie rides nearby.  My personal favorite stops include:

Frida Tacos  

(310) 395-9666.  Step up to the window to place your order for delicious Mexican fast food.  The sope--my favorite--is large and topped with plenty of lettuce, but I also really like the smaller enchilada verde and suggest ordering at least two of those.  Tortilla soup, tacos galore, and huge burritos are also available.  Fillings include a tasty pastor (marinated pork), a pollo con mole (chicken with chile-chocolate sauce), and carne asada (grilled beef).  



More things to do in Brentwood.

More ideas for exploring the U.S.


image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 
updated July 2023

November 12, 2012

Pacific Palisades, California: Maison Giraud (CLOSED); restaurant review


Maison Giraud  

CLOSED  1032 Swarthmore Ave., (310) 459-7561.  Diners here are sheltered in a refined setting of cloth-covered tables.  Seating is available both indoors and out fronton a large patio.  Classic French dishes comprise the menu, and lunch includes soups, sandwiches, and salads (the celebrated traditional Nicoise is especially tasty).  Be sure to check the bakery counter inside for delicious items to take home.




Lavender Blue 

NOW MAIL ORDER ONLY  Next door, this tiny shop is operated by the wife of the restaurant’s chef.  Lovely products from Provence include colorful tablecloths, lavender-filled sachet pillows, and even enticing clothing imports from India. 





More places to visit in Pacific Palisades.

More ideas for exploring the U.S.


images c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

November 9, 2012

Get free entry to U.S. National Parks


This weekend you get free entry to all of America's national parks!


More ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.



November 7, 2012

Portland, Oregon: Bollywood Theater + Salt & Straw; restaurant reviews

2039 NE Alberta, (971) 200-4711.  Daily 11-10; $. 

An homage to Indian street food, this rustically decorated little gem looks like it was slapped together from junkyard finds—rough-hewn woods, multi-colored collection of bottles catching the light through the large windows.  Customers at Bollywood Theater wait at a counter to place their order from the killer menu.  My favorites include crispy julienned okra with raita dipping sauce, aloo tikki (a potato patty served with chickpea cholle and a tasty green chutney), vada pav (a spicy fried potato dumpling served on a roll with chutneys and known as “the poor man’s burger of Mumbai”), and kati roll (paratha flatbread stuffed with meat, pickled onion, and more of that tasty green chutney).  Small curry plates and expansive thali meals are also available.  All this, and cold beer, fussy cocktails, and great rock music, too!




ice cream counter at Salt & Straw in Portland, Oregon
ice cream counter at Salt & Straw in Portland, Oregon

Salt & Straw

For dessert, we joined another line next door at Salt & Straw (2035 NE Alberta St., (503) 208-3867.) for handmade ice cream.  Quality is high, sugar is low, and butterfat is 17%, but flavors are not the usual—think strawberry-honey-balsamic with black pepper or pear with blue cheese, but also almond brittle with chocolate ganache (my delicious choice).  Only all-natural dairy and the best local, sustainable, and organic ingredients are used.




More things to do in Portland. 

More ideas for exploring the U.S.


images c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

November 5, 2012

Las Vegas, Nevada: The Beatles LOVE; things to do

At the Mirage, (702) 792-7777.  Tickets $100+. 

In this production that has won three Grammy Awards, Cirque du Soleil festively illustrates memorable Beatles songs.  I started out cranky, but The Beatles LOVE show manages to be bigger than life and grew on me as it went along.  I especially LOVEd a skateboarding sequence, and, at the end, found myself shooting the two-finger peace symbol right back at the performers.  I still have a few colorful orange and red streamers thrown from the stage that I gathered up before I left.  A merging of the mega-talents of the Cirque and The Beatles, "LOVE" was also mega-costly and mega-difficult to achieve.

The 2007 documentary "All Together Now" provides an interesting behind-the-scenes look at how this show was put together and is of interest to both those who have already seen the show and those who haven’t.




More LOVE.

More things to do in Las Vegas.

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image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

November 2, 2012

Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Mexico: Yaxche; restaurant review

Yaxche 

(pronounced jag-shey)  On 5th Ave., 984 873 3712. 

Decorated to resemble a Maya temple, atmospheric Yaxche serves a menu featuring traditional Maya dishes such as tamales cooked in banana leaves or corn husks, and nohuc lemon-seasoned prawns served on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes and accompanied by grilled vegetables.  The house specialty drinks--chayanada (a deep-green spinach lemonade) and cuzamil (a fresh orange-pineapple-chaya blend)--make a good accompaniment, and the flaming magic Maya Coffee (made with liquors, cinnamon, and vanilla ice cream, and prepared dramatically tableside) makes a spectacular conclusion.  If you have room for dessert, try the Sweet Virgin (frozen cookies swimming in lemon cream).






October 31, 2012

Muyil, Riviera Maya, Mexico: Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve; things to do

Just south of Tulum.  With a name that translates in Mayan as "Where The Sky Is Born," the vast Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve nature preserve and UNESCO World Heritage site is composed of more than one million acres of lush jungle and beaches.  It is on a small peninsula but is home to nearly half the world's flora and fauna species, including monkeys, jaguars, pumas, ocelots, rays, crocodiles, and more than 400 bird species.  Here, you’ll see mangroves, ancient Maya canals, and miles and the Great Maya Reef.  Additionally, this reserve houses the rustic, mostly undeveloped Muyil pre-Columbian archaeological site. 

Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve in Muyil, Mexico
Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve in Muyil, Mexico
 

Community Tours Sian Ka'an  

Office in Muyil.  Ecologically responsible technologies are used by this tour cooperative that makes a strong effort to be community-centric.



More things to do in the Riviera Maya.

More UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

More ideas for exploring Canada and Mexico.


image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

October 29, 2012

Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Mexico: Diablito Cha Cha Cha; restaurant review

On Calle 12/5th Ave., 984 803 4507. 

Located on a side street known for its popular clubs, this bar (and restaurant) is famous for its Mango Diablo—a pretty drink composed of mango, lemon, and chamoy with tangy and colorful chili on the glass rim.  Things don’t get going around here until after 10 p.m. 



More things to do in the Riviera Maya.

More ideas for exploring Canada and Mexico.

image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

October 26, 2012

Eugene, Oregon: McMenamins High Street Brewery & Cafe; restaurant review

1243 High St., (541) 345-4905.

Situated inside and outside of a repurposed 1900s house, the McMenamins High Street Brewery & Cafe pub has a cozy interior with copper table tops and a large deck in back with picnic tables under tall trees plus lawn seating in front. It is the town’s first microbrewery since Prohibition and offers a selection of fresh brews. The pub fare menu includes a delicious cheeseburger.





image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

October 24, 2012

Eugene, Oregon: Marche; restaurant review

Marche  

In the Fifth Street Public Market, (541) 342-3612.  B-L-D daily; $$. 

interior of Marche in Eugene, Oregon
interior of Marche in Eugene, Oregon


Featuring a French flair and a name that is the French word for market, popular Marche features a sophisticated decor and some spacious booths inside as well as courtyard dining outside.  The locally sourced menu changes with the season.  Summer might see a very French salade Nicoise made with fresh albacore tuna and aioli and perhaps a delicious “Almond Financier” prepared with a roasted fresh peach or roasted figs with thyme honey.  It always features individual pizzettas and a delicious house burger with blue cheese and pommes frites, as well as oysters and mussels, a soufflé, and steak frites.  Cocktails, wine, and beer are available along with a simple and unsweetened house watermelon soda and lavender lemonade. 





image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

October 22, 2012

Veneta, Oregon: Our Daily Bread; restaurant review

Our Daily Bread 

Restaurant 88170 Territorial Rd., 15 mi. W of Eugene on Hwy. 126, in Veneta, (541) 935-4921. $.

exterior of Our Daily Bread in Veneta, Oregon
exterior of Our Daily Bread in Veneta, Oregon


This bakery restaurant is situated on the main drag inside a small former one-room church. Family-owned and –operated, Our Daily Bread serves an extensive made-from-scratch menu as well as local wines and microbrews. The house specialty chicken borscht soup is thick and delicious and served with a big freshly baked roll. Sandwiches are positively huge--don’t miss the roast beef with horseradish sauce or The Featherbenders Grill made with turkey breast, Swiss cheese, tomato, avocado, and bacon on a grilled French roll. I recommend that two average-appetites each order a bowl of soup and share a sandwich with steak fries. That will leave some room for a piece of cake or perhaps some fresh marionberry pie. A small gift shop is stocked with Oregon wines and some local products.  

 

October 8, 2012

Eastern Galilee, Israel: breakfast buffet at Hotel Mitzpe HaYamim, Israel; hotel review

Hotel Mitzpe HaYamim  

In Rosh Pina, (+) 972-4-6994555. 99 rooms. No children under 10. Indoor pool; outdoor & indoor hot tub; fitness room; dry & wet sauna; health spa; 1 tennis court. 

breakfast buffet at Hotel Mitzpe HaYamim in Eastern Galilee, Israel
breakfast buffet at Hotel Mitzpe HaYamim in Eastern Galilee, Israel


In the Upper Galilee at the foot of Mount Canaan, near the artist village Rosh Pina and the Kabbalah city of Sefad (and rumored to have hosted celebrity Madonna), the romantic Hotel Mitzpe HaYamim resort/health retreat is spread over 37 acres. It opened in 1968, when this property was mostly barren, hot, and dry desert, but is now lush, like an oasis, and features fragrant gardens, walking paths, and ponds. It is well-known for its organic fruit and vegetable gardens as well as an organic dairy farm with herds of sheep, goats, cows, and chickens. Because the soil is considered sacred, no one poisons it with pesticides. Rock mounds in the vegetable garden attract and protect insect eaters. The 30-acre organic farm grows 100 different vegetables and 70 kinds of fruit, and in spring there is an amazing bloom of wild flowers. The owner works twice a day in the fields just because he enjoys doing so.

Each guest room here has a unique decor, heavy on English style. Mine had a large bathroom with vintage white marble floors, a pull-chain toilet and pedestal sink, and an oversize whirlpool tub with separate glass-walled shower. Furniture included a desk and armoire, and the bed faced an upper wall of windows that looked out into trees and over a duck-pond below. Guest rooms are spread between the main building and four other stone buildings. Oriental rugs and charm reign throughout, and a central atrium holds a 7-story-tall Washington palm tree that hugs the ceiling (it is NOT dead). One person I chatted with said, “I come for the silence.” 

The freezer-less Vegetarian Restaurant serves everything fresh, including fish from the Sea of Galilee, while Muscat Restaurant offers refined dining and menu items such as beetroot ravioli filled with goat cheese and hazel nut oil, and organic duck with pomegranate-caramel sauce with five passion spices and organic vegetables. The morning breakfast buffet is beautiful, bountiful, and an organic delight. A daily activity program includes classes and tours—perhaps bread making and a healing workshop or a guided tour of the farm. In addition to hundreds of cows, the hotel has 200 goats and 100 sheep. View my video of the baby goats:








The hotel has been leading the trend of ecotourism and sustainability here for almost 40 years. A house bakery makes everything fresh daily, and the dairy provides all the organic dairy foods and some meats.




More vegan-vegetarian places.

More things to do in Galilee area of Israel.

More ideas for exploring the Middle East.


image and videos c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

October 5, 2012

Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Mexico: La Cueva del Chango; restaurant review

La Cueva del Chango  

Calle 38/5th Ave., 984 147 02 71.  M-Sat 8am-11pm, Sun 8am-2pm.  

La Cueva del Chango restaurant in Playa del Carmen, Mexico
La Cueva del Chango restaurant in Playa del Carmen, Mexico


Featuring a jungle garden atmosphere, popular La Cueva del Chango is primo for breakfast.  The menu then includes fragrant fresh papaya, fresh-squeezed juices, huevos a la Méxicana (scrambled eggs with onion, tomato, and chiles), a selection of chilaquiles (I especially like the one with pasilla salsa), molletes (like melted cheese sandwiches), and warm tortillas as well as empanadas and cappucinos. 

October 4, 2012

Portland, Oregon: Helser’s on Alberta; restaurant review

Helser’s on Alberta

1538 NE Alberta St., (503) 281-1477. Daily 7am-3pm; $.

interior of Helser's on Alberta in Portland, Oregon
interior of Helser's on Alberta in Portland, Oregon


Breakfast is served all day in this simple corner spot, with a $4.95 early bird special available weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. (note that coffee is not included with the special but is included with the regular breakfast, making any savings almost a wash). The usual is done nicely, but you’ll want to try some of the specialties at Helser's on Alberta: smoked salmon or mushroom hash, an array of Benedicts, a Scotch egg (a hard-boiled egg wrapped in bratwurst, then lightly breaded and fried) with potato pancakes and horseradish cream, a German pancake/Dutch baby. Lunch items are also available from 11:30 a.m.

image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

October 1, 2012

Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Mexico: Aldea Corazon; restaurant review

Aldea Corazon  

5th Ave., next door to Hacienda Tequila, 984 803 1942. 

Aldea Corazon restaurant in Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Aldea Corazon restaurant in Playa del Carmen, Mexico


Delicious contemporary Mexican cuisine is served here at Aldea Corazon in a lively interior.  In back, an exquisite garden seating area with strangler figs is adjacent to a dry cenote.  It can be very dark at night, when it is also hopelessly romantic. 

September 28, 2012

Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Mexico: The Royal/Playa del Carmen; hotel + restaurant review

The Royal/Playa del Carmen  

Av. Constituyentes #2, (984) 877 29 00, US 800-760-0944.  507 luxury suites.  3 pools; 2 hot tubs (+ 4 in spa); full-service spa (with temazcal).  7 restaurants, no reservations needed, gluten-free and vegan menu avail.  All-Inclusive; adult only (16+). 

Guests at the The Royal/Playa del Carmen beachfront luxury resort are greeted by staff members holding a hand over their heart.  It is a beautiful, calming gesture that evokes a smile.  Each guest room has its own terrace--90 percent with a hammock—and indoor turbo tub whirlpool with sports car-like seats for two.  The resort is especially popular with young couples in their 20s and 30s who like to drink and party, and sometimes the communal hot tubs sometimes seem to hold more people than water.  Tequila and more flows at the swim-up bar, at the swing bar, and also in each room’s included mini-bar.  On-property activities include:  scuba diving school (the introductory class is included); daily yoga, pilates, and spinning classes; an escorted morning and afternoon bicycle tour; a weekly cooking class, tequila tasting, and wine tasting.  A different show is scheduled every evening, and special events and theme dinners are sprinkled in.  When you want to explore, you can rent a Mini Cooper ($40/hr., $130/day) or sign up for a day trip to one of the spectacular Maya archaeological sites found in the area. 

chefs at The Royal/Playa del Carmen in Mexico
chefs at The Royal/Playa del Carmen in Mexico


This hotel has been rated the highest in the region for food safety preparation.  It has the very strictest standards for food hygiene (more hotels with stellar kitchen sanitation).  This means you can eat lettuce and unpeeled vegetables without worry.  Additionally, the fare is gourmet quality.  Among the many restaurants are beach-side Pelicanos and buffet Spice, which has a special corner for vegans.  Exclusive Chef’s Plate--where diners watch their seven-course gourmet dinner being prepared—is available only to guests staying in Royal Jr. Suite Ocean Front and higher categories.  A romantic dinner on the beach with violins—perfect for popping the question or celebrating something special--is available at additional charge.  A coffeehouse and evening tequila bar with 50-plus brands are also available.



More things to do in the Riviera Maya.

More ideas for exploring Canada and Mexico.


image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

September 26, 2012

Portland, Oregon: The Make House; things to do

1732 NE Alberta St., (503) 754-1892. 

This little house that is The Make House has been converted into a common work space for artists and designers.  The “living room” is a shop displaying and selling their wares, and the “dining room” holds an amazing vintage silk-screen machine that is used to print on paper and fabric.





September 24, 2012

Portland, Oregon: The Grotto; things to do

The Grotto  

8840 NE Skidmore St. (at NE 85th Ave./Sandy Blvd.), 6 mi. E of downtown, (503) 254-7371.  Daily 9am-6:30pm, to 8:30pm in summer.  Free; elevator:  $4, 65+ $3, 6-11 $2.50. 

the namesake grotto at The Grotto in Portland, Oregon
the namesake grotto at The Grotto in Portland, Oregon


This Catholic shrine is set amid a 62-acre botanical garden.  The Grotto is a place of peace and solitude for all religions.  The outdoor main altar and cave--services are held here daily--are on the entrance level with a visitor center, gift shop, and trail leading past the Stations of the Cross.  On the upper level reachable only by an elevator, the cliff-top Meditation Chapel provides a panoramic view of the Columbia River Valley, the Cascades, and Mount St. Helens and has comfortable seating for rest and reflection.  Also on that level are manicured gardens, religious artwork, a labyrinth, and the Servite Monastery (not open to the public).




More gardens around the world.


image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

September 22, 2012

Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Mexico: Ah Cacao; restaurant review

Ah Cacao  

5th Ave./Constituyentes, 984 803 5748.  Daily 7:15am-11:30pm. 

Ah Cacao coffeehouse in Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Ah Cacao coffeehouse in Playa del Carmen, Mexico


Reputed to be the best coffeehouse in town, Ah Cacao is where chocoholics come for goodies prepared from the best chocolate, vanilla, and coffee.  Rich, spicy 70% Mexican chocolate is offered in pastries, ice cream, and drinks.  Try the popular dairy-free, spicy Chocolate Maya--the chocolate equivalent of espresso--or an exquisite soft brownie.  Seating includes an open-air patio and a cool little glass box in the back with a.c. and jazz. 



September 19, 2012

near Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Mexico: Xcaret; things to do

(pronounced “ISH-kah-RET”)  Puerto Juarez Hwy., 3 mi. S of Playa, 984-206-0038.  Tours.   Free parking. 

This eco-archeological park displays sea life as well as scale models of the area’s major ruins.  You can see local wildlife up close, snorkel and swim in a manmade lagoon and underground river, and sunbathe on a child-friendly shallow beach.  Swimming with dolphins or sharks is available at additional charge.  The park also has a botanical garden, a mushroom garden filled with pods that bring to mind those seen in the film “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” a butterfly enclosure, a Maya museum, and a replica Maya village.  Inside Hacienda Henequenera, a folk art museum is set up as if a family is living there. 

Food is good, especially at the buffets.  The evening folklore show in the Grand Tlachco Teather is very well done and includes a Maya ball game (called pok-ta-pok); dining while watching is an option.  Vino de México Wine Cellar promotes the culture and history of Mexican wine.  Here you can taste wines from the first winery in Mexico, which is also the oldest in America.  (Mexico had the first winery in the New World, in Baja California—Casa Madero, opened in 1597.  There are 87 wineries in Baja, and 3 wineries in Guanajuato.)



More things to do in the Riviera Maya.

More ideas for exploring Canada and Mexico.

images c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

September 17, 2012

near Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Mexico: Blue Diamond Riviera Maya; hotel review

Blue Diamond Riviera Maya  

Km. 298.8 Carretera #307, 10 min. N of Playa, 984-206-4100. 128 suites + 5 beachfront casitas; 2 stories.  Minimum stay 5 nights.  Adults only.  All-inclusive.  all-adult, all-suites. 

Blue Diamond Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Blue Diamond Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen, Mexico


The 36-acre Blue Diamond Riviera Maya hideaway features a white sandy beach and is surrounded by lush tropical jungle.  First up on the long side lane from highway to sea is the gigantic open-air reception palapa--which just might be the world’s largest and, with its expansive polished marble floors, certainly is one of its most beautiful.  Then comes the spa, a cenote, and the room complexes--each with a unique courtyard.  Finally come a few lagoon units and Ambar restaurant, the oceanfront units, a pool, the beach, and two more restaurants.  Golf carts act as taxis.  One of the all-inclusive amenities at this tranquil boutique property is world-wide free calls! 

The spectacularly beautiful and spacious spa is constructed with typical local white limestone blocks throughout and features the latest fitness machines (in fact, the Yucatecan limestone and zapote wood used throughout the property are the same materials the Mayas used to build their temples).  Treatments are a mix of Maya and Asian, and all guests get a complimentary temazcal experience. 

Sedate Ambar restaurant features haute cuisine and a spectacular namesake chandelier made with giant slices of local amber.  Slightly livelier Aquamarina has a lovely water view and sometimes mariachis sing at lunch.  Special dinners are prepared for French, Italian, and Lebanese nights, and sometimes a cook-out occurs on the beach with shrimp and lobster. 

Rooms are large and luxurious, with marble bathrooms accented by tiny iridescent tiles and with glass-enclosed his/hers Swiss showers with sunflower heads looking out to the jungle.  Call a butler to fill the room’s exterior plunge pool (though the water can be quite cold).  The walk-in closet has its own air circulation system so that your clothes stay dry in the moist air.  Top-of-the-line casitas have private beach access and rooftop infinity pools.  This was formerly the Mandarin Oriental. 



More things to do in the Riviera Maya.

More ideas for exploring Canada and Mexico.


image c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

September 6, 2012

Bellagio, Lake Como, Italy: Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni; hotel review

95 rooms. 

Built originally as a palatial private villa in 1830, this spectacular property was converted to a hotel in 1872.  It has been owned and operated by one of the oldest hotel families in Europe since 1916.  My family had a magnificent corner room with three windows overlooking the lake.  Waking up each day was like opening a new gift as the color and feeling of the three-window view changed.  My teenage daughter was set up on a comfortable cot in a private dressing alcove, closed from the main room by a thick door.  Sheets were real linen (wonderful in a warm climate), ceilings were very tall, and nights were blissfully quiet.  All this plus suede-lined elevators and a divine breakfast room, too! 


More things to do in Italy.

More ideas for exploring Europe.


images c2012 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

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