Wine and Spirits Travel

I spend a lot of time at city hotels, mostly in New York and Chicago, and they certainly have their appeal, but there are times when it’s nice to get away from the hustle and bustle and relax at a resort.  It’s not often you can find a place like that near a major city, but the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort fits that category quite nicely. The Hilton Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort is centered about a half hour from both downtown Chicago and Chicago’s O’Hare Airport in the suburban town of Bloomingdale.  It is a full service resort on 260 acres, offering a complete vacation even if you don’t want to go into the city.  I stayed there recently with my friend Theresa Carter (aka, The Local Tourist ) and we proved that point. You can’t have a resort without a spa and the Spa Vargas fits the bill, with massages, body treatments, facials, manicures and pedicures  available.  They offer in-room services and specialize in spa parties.   I went the private route, opting for a Swedish Massage in

I’m less than three weeks from my trip to Mazatlan, Mexico , so I figure it’s time to get tequila on the mind.    Tequila is that great mix between strong, spicy and sweet that you aren’t sure if you want to linger over, or down quickly, so I figure I need some practice before I land in Mexico.  It was easy to do thanks to some samples that I happen to have from Casa Noble and Corralejo.   So what did I think of these tasty treats?  Check out the notes and stay tuned until the end – where we have a winner… Casa Noble is a premium tequila that is made with carefully selected and slow cooked Blue Agave. The tequilas are organic certified, coming from 100% natural ingredients. Casa Nobles Tequila Anejo A complex spirit with more spice than some, perhaps because it is aged in French White Oak for two years. Casa Nobles Tequila Blanco This is  tequila that’s fairly light and smooth, making it perfect for drinking, not just downing shots. Corralejo Tequila dates back to 18 th

During the last few days of the trip, there was a dark cloud looming over us.  It wasn’t the one bringing us intermittent drops of rain, it was the one that could bring Haiti a massive hurricane.  We tried to go through the last day and think about it as little as possible, but Jaimee was unsure where she would be going when our trip was over.   She was finally able to reach a friend on our final night and found that the damage was nowhere near what had been anticipated.  So, with the help of the wonderful staff (including General Manager Francisco “Paco” Castillo) of both Paradisus resorts, she had arrangements made for a ride to the bus station and a schedule to take two buses back to Les Cayes, Haiti. Jaimee left Punta Cana at 6:00 am and I lingered a bit for my final day.  The internet was out at Paradisus Palma Real and I kind of enjoyed the chance to play hooky for a few hours.  I had a leisurely breakfast in Gabi Club, walked the grounds and even spent a half hour lying on

It was my last full day in Punta Cana and there wasn’t an activity-less moment to spare as I savored every last drop of what the Dominican Republic could offer. The weather here hasn’t exactly been ideal for sunbathing, but that hasn’t been on the schedule, so the on and off drizzle, low humidity and not that hot (high 70s, low 80s) temperatures have been welcome.  I waited out a bit of morning rain with a room service breakfast (the cheese plate was almost as good as what I had in France) and then Jaimee and I headed out on our Eco Tour at 8:30.  It was the first thing we had done in a group and it was interesting to see the vacationers from all over the world that come to this island. The day began with horseback riding.  I used to ride regularly as a teenager, but I haven’t been a teen in a very long time.  It took a bit of time for me to get comfortable with the horse and I still wasn’t too happy when he took off on me through the tropical forest, but when I got to trot slow

It was another sunny day in Punta Cana paradise, and we took full advantage of it. The breakfast buffet at The Reserve was just perfect – where else can you get an omelet, a chocolate croissant and Plantanos in the same place?!  It was then onto my tour with Oliver and then meetings, where I learned about the resort and it’s eco-friendly efforts, which includes working with the community and other hotels to educate the locals. I had a great exploration of the grounds, dozen restaurants and enough bars to keep the pina coladas flowing.  I got to check it all out (including the bar) in my afternoon with my friend Jaimee. First up was the grill by the pool, where I had a great cheeseburger and Jaimee enjoyed the spicy chicken wrap.  I spoke with some other visitors to Paradisus Palma Real , a number of whom had been here many times.  It was easy to see why.  This place seems to have everything and it is the only Leading Hotels of the World recognized resort in the Dominican Republi

Every day in Punta Cana seems to bring more fun and more pampering.  Wednesday was not an exception. After a great breakfast in the Royal Service Restaurant, I headed over to the YHI Spa at Paradisus Punta Cana .  Before you even get inside this spa, you enter a state of relaxation with the soft music through the long path filled with flowers and trees.  Spa Manager Mayra Ramirez was waiting for me and showed me around the spa, which includes a pool, Jacuzzi, steam bath and sauna, in addition to private treatment rooms inside and outside in cabanas by the pool. It wasn’t long before I was laying on a massage table, with flowers all around me as Tao started on my Hibiscus Journey, the spa’s signature treatment.  It was an hour and a half of bliss as I was exfoliated with the hibiscus scrub and then, after a hot shower, massage from head to toe with warm oil!  It was followed up with a Jacuzzi and a sauna, while Jaimee was treated to a treatment of her hands and feet (she had been

My first full day in the Dominican Republic was a full one as I got to know Paradisus Punta Cana from the inside out. Guest Service Manager Maria Luisa took me on an extensive tour of the grounds.  This is probably the biggest Caribbean resort I’ve ever been to and there appears to be something for everyone.  I was really impressed with the kids’ pool and club, where you can bring babies as young as four months if you want to get in some private time in the swim-up bar.  We also went through the main lobby and The Reserve section, which is a hotel in itself. Paradisus Punta Cana has 14 restaurants, offering every food imaginable.  Something I’ve never seen before and thought was a great idea is the “Templo de la Gastronomia.”  To put it in simple terms – it’s a food court.  In the middle of a half dozen different restaurants, there’s a place to gather and eat.  So, if you and your spouse or BFF can’t agree on where to eat, you can each get what you want and still eat together.

As you can see from the photo of the backyard of my room (yes, that is a queen size bed, in front of the beach with  the aqua blue water of the ocean), I’m not exactly roughing it in Punta Cana .  The view is certainly heavenly and I’m looking forward to some time on that beach at the Paradisus Punta Cana (with my Royal Service butler bringing me a Pina Colada) sometime today.  There are a few minor glitches here, but I keep reminding myself that we are in the Caribbean and things happen a little slowly.  Speaking of slowly, I am still patiently awaiting my friend Jaimee’s arrival from Haiti and hoping her delay is only due to the slow roads between the two countries.  It is hard to imagine this is the same island, where Spanish is the language instead of French, and champagne is poured instead of rationed water, but we all need our relaxing getaway and that’s what Punta Cana is all about. My three flights all connected without a hitch and a driver was waiting for me right outsi