Faial – Island of Yachts, Windmills and Volcanos

We took a bouncy half hour ferry ride from Pico to the Island of Faial.  Horta, the capitol of Faial, is a cheery harbor town with a yachting flare. For centuries boats have been provisioning here before making the run across the Atlantic.  Today you can see paintings all along the break-front where boaters have left their artistic signatures and highlights of their journey – many on around-the-world adventures.  Even though Faial is smaller in size than Pico, the town of Horta is much busier and bustling with shops and colorful local pubs.  Raising a glass or two at Peters is almost compulsory!

The harbor front boasts several 4 star hotels, including a very dramatic Pousada (historic inn) fashioned out of the city fortress – complete with drawbridge and iron gate.  A huge open air swimming pool fronts the harbor offering dramatic views while you swim.  Read more

Pico, Island of Whales, Wine and Dramatic Ocean Scenery

We’ve been on Pico Island for four days now and have been completely captivated.  There is nothing to do here, and everything at the same time.  If you are ‘into’ nature, enjoy short hikes and mingling with local folk in tiny village cafes, you would adore Pico.  Let me set the scene.

Pico Island is famous for the pods of whales that visit just off shore most of the year, hand made lace, locally produced wine, divine Pico cheese and beef so tender you can cut it with a fork.  We start every meal saying we won’t eat all of the cheese plate brought to the table, but you guessed it, we always gobble up every crumb.  The cheese is light yellow, spreadable, with a mild slightly nutty flavor.  Each of the Azores Islands make their own cheese which differ slightly from each other.  There are contented cattle roaming on all the hillsides, munching away on vivid green grasses.  Here in the Azores it stays warm all year, so there are no barns for the cattle, they roam free all year.  On Pico the pastures and vineyards are divided by miles and miles of neatly stacked black volcanic rock walls. Read more

The Most Beautiful Eco Friendly Islands That You´ve Never Heard Of – The Azores

I should have brought along a Thesaurus to even attempt to describe to you how incredibly beautiful the island of Pico is. Linda, Jack, Clint and I are staying here for four nights after arriving from a short 4 1/2 hour nonstop flight from Boston to the Azores (on Azores Express).  After a bit of a layover to fly from the main island of Sao Miguel to Pico, we have arrived half way across the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Portugal, to an island living as they have for centuries – a pocket of self-sustaining perfection in this crazy world.  If you’ve ever sought a place to just make the world go away and immerse yourself in tranquility and beauty - this is the destination you´ve been dreaming about.

We are staying at a magnificent hotel property, The Aldeia Da Fonte, which has been lovingly crafted by owners Sonja and Antonio into a charming country estate with hidden gardens, sunny patios and small manor houses that look like they’ve been here for eternity – although the hotel is only 13 years old.

I’d like to tell you more, but the sounds of laughter and conversation are drifing up through my window, and I just have to return to the sunny patio and sip a glass of wine with everyone.

I’ll continue on later tonight and recount some of our wonderful experiences from the past three days.

New Hotel Rate Tracking Service

We’ve all become accustomed to using the interent to track airline fares, waiting for a great sale to book flights.  Well now, thanks to the ingenious folks at Yapta.com, you can track rates at your favorite hotel as well.

Let’s say that gorgeous Caribbean Island Resort you love so much has been calling your name.  Log into your account at Yapta, pick some dates and track the rates.  Whenever the rates go down, Yapta will send you an email.  A smart traveler will aslo track the hotel rates after you’ve book a reservation, if they go down again, you can jump all over it!!

Preparing Your Plants for a Long Vacation

I’ve left my treasured house plants for up to a month using this method.  Water your plants well and place them in a large rubber basin (or more depending on how many plants you have).  Make sure the pot bottoms have holes to let water in.  Place the basin on the floor below a window but not in the direct path of the sun.  Bring in a pitcher and fill the basin with several inches of water – about an inch of water for every week you’ll be gone.  Drape a dry cleaner bag loosly over the top to help keep the moisture in but leave sides loose to allow a bit of air circulation.  With any luck you’ll return home to healthy, happy plants!

Had Enough Bad News – Why Not Just Escape?!

If you’ve had enough of all the negative news, and the badgering of the ads screaming about great travel deals – How about grabbing one of those discounted airfares to Florida and escaping to a spa resort that promises to “Block out the world” for an hour or a day? The last thing on anyone’s mind is a day at the Spa. How can you justify a massage when you are watching every dollar? Well, here’s my plan…. forgo a restaurant dinner or two and instead take time to pamper yourself – get healthy in both body and mind; the glow of a spa day will last far longer than any meal! Even better, what if you could have a 20% discount on treatments? Read on!

A spa day is a luxury most of us have to stretch to afford, but I have found a true gem in Southwest Florida – at the Sanibel Harbour Resort and Spa that will be worth the splurge. It is located in Fort Myers, Florida (yes right near the spring training camps of the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins – say goodbye to the guys!), – just on the right before you head over the bridge to Sanibel. Fresh from a multi-million dollar rebuild (thanks to Hurricane Charlie) this property is truly a little slice of heaven. The minute you arrive, you’ll know you are in a special place. Read more

Celebrated Maine Inns – Half Price in May

You can picture them now, stately grand dames of the seacoast welcoming visitors for decades – elegant, historic and pricey.  Well now, thanks to The Maine Innkeepers Association, you can indulge yourself with a coveted Maine getaway in May, for half price.  What’s even better, your stay will benefit Habitat for Humanity at the same time.

The Maine Innkeepers Assocation has announced its 6th Annual Hospitality for Habitat program, which raises funds for local chapters of Habitat for Humanity.  The program is simple, participating inns make a number of rooms available at half their usual rate in exchange for a $35 donation to Habitat for Humanity.  Reservations need to be made in advance and your donation must be in the form of a check.  To find ‘a great room, at a great price, for a good cause’, visit the Maine Innkeepers Association website where you will find a full listing of participating inns.

Are You One of Scotland’s 40 Million Long Lost Relatives?

If  the haunting call of a Scottish bagpipe has ever made you wistfully yearn to know more about Scotland’s indomitable spirit and proud heritage, this is the year to visit.

2009 marks the 250th birthday of favorite Son and poet Robert Burns, and Scotland is celebrating in a very big way.  Scotland is throwing it’s arms  open wide and inviting all Scots to a Homecoming (whether you’re a newcomer or a long lost Scots descendant).  Festivals and celebrations are planned from mid-January right through to St. Andrews Day at the end of November, so there’s plenty of time to gather your clan and make the journey.

Scotland leaves a lasting impression on it’s visitors, both in terms of scenic beauty and stalwart character (or is that characters!).  You have to love a country that adopts an illusive sea serpent as it’s mascot, proudly crafts the best sipping whisky in the world, and revels in the challenge of chasing a little white ball all over the countryside beating it with a stick.  Listen to the tales of the legendary rebels of the Highlands, follow the whisky trail, play a round of golf at St. Andrews and chase the exuberant white mountain sheep all over the countryside – that’s about the size of Maine. Read more

Find WiFi Hotspots With Ease

Perhaps the most comprehensive directory of WiFi Hot Spots worldwide resides at JiWire.com.  Search with ease either by city name or by clicking on the map.  What I like most about the directory is that the hot spots are identified as free or not.

Be A Master Winemaker For A Day in Napa California

Learn the tricks of the wine trade by crafting your own signature blend and creating an exclusive  private label at Folio Enoteca’s ‘Winemaker For A Day’ program in the Napa Valley, California. Brought to you by the Michael Mondavi family, the ‘Winemaker For a Day’ program is designed to introduce wine enthusiasts to all levels of the art of wine making.  The hour long session covers the fundamentals of customer blending and helps consumers identify their own taste profile.  Participants sample a number of varietals directly from the barrel and then choose components that appeal to their individual taste buds.  Selections can be made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir and Syrah, and from either new French oak or second-year French oak barrels.

Participants are able to create a style of wine distinctly for themselves, ranging from ‘big and opulent to subtle and elegant’ says Mondavi.  Following the wine blending process, participants select a bottle and closure type of their liking and then craft a custom wine label.  There is a two-case minimum purchase and the final pricing will depend on the type of base wines selected for the blend.

The ‘Winemaker For A Day’ program takes place at the Oxbow Public Market in the Folio Enoteca & Winery (family wine bar, cafe and micro-winery) in downtown Napa.  For more information contact Jemina Whitman at 707-256-3700 or jwhitman@foliowine.com

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