Time to Go to the Snow!

Last year, we went to North Shore, Lake Tahoe and stayed at the Resort at Squaw Creek.  We have been waiting all season to go and now it is spring and time is running out!  We are leaving Sunday and are looking at three properties:

Embassy Suites, Stateline, 1-877-497-8483

My good friend has stayed here several times.  The advantages is that it is walking distance to gambling as well as skiing.  Plus, there is a pool, free breakfast, as well as happy hour.

Aston Lakeland Village, We are looking at a 2 bedroom, 2 bath.  It has an expanded continental breakfast, and there is a free shuttle to gambling and skiing.  It is not walking distance to skiing as it is about a mile away.

Marriott properties - There are several properties.  (More on that on Saturday)

Miami Beach

We now take our blog to Miami Beach.  Home of art deco buildings with colors that you see nowhere else in the United States.  The city with perhaps the most crazy, amazing, over-the-top nightlife in the world. 

Getting off the plane in Miami, you're immediately struck by the heat and humidity.  Palm trees are everywhere; probably way more prevalent than in California since even I would've otherwise thought I'd be accustomed to them. 

Miami Beach itself is on a long, somewhat narrow island just off Miami.  Crossing over the bridge to South Beach, the deep blue ocean water is vastly different from the waters of the Pacific that I'm used to.  Immediately, you're surrounded by art deco.  And the art deco buildings use pastel colors that convey vibrance. 

Cars and people everywhere.  The closer you get to Ocean Boulevard, the more expensive the cars seem to get. 

Crossing over the bridge/causeway to Mid-Beach, the feeling is a bit different.  This part of Miami Beach is still vacation-central.  But, it is a bit further away from ground zero of Miami Beach nightlife.  It is more city-like, and some parts are a bit more gritty.  The area maintains that sort of character as you drive northward.

Coming in future posts: 
*  The Fontanebleu
*  Nightlife
*  The Delano
*  What to do with kids
*  Couples vs. Singles

And more!

Breakfast at Fisherman's Wharf

I recommend two places for breakfast around the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf area.  If you also want an Irish coffee with your brunch, then you must not miss the Buena Vista, where the Irish coffee was invented (or at least popularized).  

Sometimes, though, you just want a simple waffle or omlette to start the day.  If that's the case, then check out Joanie's Happy Days Diner at 1329 Columbus in San Francisco.  We'll post some pictures in a later post.  

Children are welcome at both places.

Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco

Visit the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco for a romantic walk and tea.  The garden is in the heart of Golden Gate Park.  It is the oldest public Japanese garden in the U.S.  Or, you can join them for a Japanese tea ceremony every Wednesday by appointment. 

Ice skating at Union Square in San Francisco

Today, January 16th,  is the last day to ice skate at Union Square.  The hours today were 10:00AM to 11:30PM (so there are still a few hours to skate)!  The website is unionsquareicerink.com.  Ninety minute sessions start every even hour.

We went ice skating there today.  Lots of couples were skating -- but of course ice skating is only a romantic activity if both parties know how to skate!  This is especially a great place to visit during the holiday season.  Though I have to say visiting today, a few weeks after the holidays, was nice; not quite as packed with people.

Union Square is a great place to shop, eat, and stay!  Here are a few of my top ten favorites besides ice skating.  I'll write about some of these in more detail in future posts.

* Lunch at the Rotunda in Neiman Marcus, visit opentable.com for reservations

* Stay at the Westin St. Francis

* Visit the Clock Bar (in the St. Francis) for cocktails  (very modern; adults only)

* Have a adult dinner at the Bourbon Steak restaurant (Michael Mina's new restaurant) (not child friendly, very dark as well as quiet)

* Visit the Oak Restaurant for dinner (including with children).  They have yummy mac and cheese, french onion soup, awesome crab chowder, as well as cheese cake.

* Children love riding the elevator to the 32nd floor.  Could be romantic for a couple too (though you wouldn't ride it up and down three times like a 3-year-old might).

* Shopping at Victoria Secret inside the St. Francis.

* Visit the annual tree trimming after Thanksgiving.

* Visit cafe inside Union Square for a rich hot chocolate.

* Shop at Tiffany's.

* Dancing at the Starlite Room at the top of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel.

P.S.  If you want some romantic ideas of things to do in San Francisco, watch The Bachelor episode for tonight, January 16th.  They are in San Francisco and staying in one of my favorite hotels, The Fairmont.
You can watch this episode on Hulu.com starting tomorrow.  Last Monday, they visited Sonoma in the wine country.

Note - my husband and I agree that climbing to the top of the Bay Bridge is NOT a romantic idea.  That was a Bachelor FAIL!  Fun to watch...

San Francisco's North Beach

Tourists visiting San Francisco tend to gravitate toward three areas for hotel accommodations:

(1) Union Square;

(2) Nob Hill;

(3) Fisherman's Wharf.

We suggest an alternative -- especially for young couples who want to really experience San Francisco:  try North Beach!

North Beach is one of the most exciting neighborhoods in San Francisco.  It was once a primarily Italian neighborhood, and it still has a "Little Italy" sort of flavor -- lots of Italian restaurants and Italian cafes.  Tour buses pass through North Beach constantly.  But, it seems like few tourists take the time to really stop and walk around.  And they just don't typically stay there because the neighborhood doesn't have large hotels.

But, North Beach DOES have hotels.  We recommend the Hotel Boheme.  The hotel is at 444 Columbus Avenue, which is right in the heart of North Beach.

The small entrance looks like a door to an apartment.  The neighborhood has an amazing night-life, people are walking around constantly, and so they keep the door locked 24/7 for security.  You seriously would not even know it was a door to a hotel unless you were looking for it.  The entrance is literally right next to Calzone, an Italian restaurant with a big neon sign and tables on the street (decent food; really more about atmosphere though).  Steps lead up to a 2nd floor landing, where the hotel makes complimentary drinks (think sherry or port) available for guests.  The front desk is down a short hall.

Rooms are on the 2nd and 3rd floor.  You can ask for a quiet room, which face inward; the interior rooms are built close together around an outdoor shaft that gives daylight to the rooms (can't call it a courtyard because it is too small).  Or, you can get a room that faces right out onto busy Columbus Avenue and get the full North Beach experience; people-watching, night-life -- you are right in the very thick of everything here.

The clean rooms themselves are pretty small.  They include queen-size beds.  They have a small television.  They are decorated with pictures from the Beat era -- North Beach is where Beat was born.

The small size of the rooms doesn't matter.  You are NOT staying in North Beach to stay in your room.  You're staying in North Beach to be a part of the City.  Take part in the nightlife.  Visit some of the epic night-spots in the neighborhood.  Visit Cafe Trieste, which is probably the best cafe in San Francisco.  Head down to the birthplace of Beat -- City Lights Bookstore.  Beat authors used to stay at the hotel in the 50s, when it was more of a boarding house.  The Hotel Boheme is right in the middle of everything.     

Here's a view of the Hotel Boheme from across the street.  You can see the name at the top of the building.  If you're walking past the hotel, you probably wouldn't notice that it was a hotel at all:

 Photo of Alan Ginsberg, Neal Cassady, and others, hanging in the bathroom of our room:

Lampshade by the bed:

Hallway leading to the front desk:

Stairs leading to 3rd floor (we stayed over New Year's Eve, explaining the balloons):

Happy New Year!

We wish you all a happy and healthy 2012!