Girls' Trip to Monterey

Monterey is one of our favorite towns in Northern California. We love the aquarium, the small shops and the cute but stinky sea lions.  The Monterey Bay Inn is the perfect place to enjoy a stay, now that we don't live close by.  Its "You Go Girls!" package includes beachfront accommodations, discounted stand-up paddle board rentals and lessons, a complimentary Burt’s Bees skincare kit, and daily in-room breakfast.  Last time we were there, we rented kayaks and paddled around the sea lions; but this is our chance to try out paddle boarding.

The Monterey Bay Inn is offering the "You Go Girls!" package through September 2, 2010. The two-for-one stand-up paddle board rentals, lessons and tours are provided by Adventures by the Sea.

On Our Radar: New Orleans Wine and Food Experience

The New Orleans Wine and Food Experience is May 26th through 29th.  It features tastings, speeches and dinners and seminars

Highlights for us would be the Royal Street Stroll on Thursday which combines jazz, art, antiques, wine and food for an evening of tasting and shopping. We're not sure why these ladies were wearing togas at a previous year's stroll; but it looks fun!

The Riedel seminar: we did this on the Oasis cruise a couple of years ago and Max Riedel taught me that size and shape make a difference, in wine glasses that is.

Wine Lovers Musical: we're strangely curious about this audience participation show that combines wine tasting and musical numbers. 

Stay at the Hotel Montelione where Anne stayed for "Tales of the Cocktail" or the W New Orleans, because we always have a fun time at a W.

Girls Weekend at the Dorchester Hotel

We haven't been to London in a few years, but this deal from the lux Dorchester Hotel may get us planning.  The Girls Weekend package is designed for a stylish, shopping foursome, a la SATC.  It features:

A personal stylist appointment at Harvey Nichols- Harrod's sexier and hipper competitor.

A Pow Wow Breakfast on The Promenade at The Dorchester- to strategize about the day's shopping.

Two interconnecting rooms for show-and-tell post shopping spree and easier access to each other's makeup and hair accessories.

Four handmade corsages from the florist at The Dorchester.  We haven't worn one in years; but it would make a great ice breaker at the bar later that night.

Four cocktails at The Bar at The Dorchester. 

Four Lip Glosses from The Dorchester Spa with signature light and mirror for mid-evening touch ups.
 
The package is available through April 30th, 2011.  The second night is free on the following UK bank holidays:  May 28-31st and August 27-30th.  Happy travels!

Guide to Summer 2010

The countdown is on to the unofficial start of summer. Read on for the hottest destinations, fashions, cosmetics and more.

What's summer without a long weekend away? For those who aren't fans of the sand and sea, we have  Travel Ideas for city slickers, too.

Check out the must-have shoe for summer: The wedge.

After a year-long hunt, we've finally found the perfect Straw Bags.

and the most glamorous Sun Hat

The only waterproof makeup you'll need

and the Hottest nail polish, courtesy of Mme. Chanel.

Plus the best Beach Reading

and the Playlist of summer.

Last but not least, get yourself beach ready with our tips for Brazilian bikini waxing.

Hilton Barbados Island Safari Package

This summer the Hilton Barbados is offering a celebration package to commemorate its re-opening.  When we visit a new place we like to look at it from a different angle, usually from a boat (we love a good snorkle trip); but we've also explored the inner island too.  The standout of the Hilton's Celebration package is a 4x4 Land Rover Safari trip for two to discover the "hidden gems of Barbados."

The Celebration Package is offered this summer from June 1st to August 31st and priced from $339.  In addition to the safari it includes:

A deluxe guestroom, a bottle of sparkling wine, daily breakfast for two, and a thirty minute massage for each guest.

On Our Radar: Montreal

In case our other Memorial Day Travel Ideas weren't quite European enough in feel for you, here's another idea: Head north across the border to Montreal. With the cobblestone streets, sidewalk cafés and French speaking natives, you'll think you hopped the pond and are in France. We're heading there ourselves next week, so will report back with the full scoop on what's new and not to be missed.

We're most looking forward to the shopping, including the Unicorn Boutique, which houses smaller designers not found frequently in the states, including Eve Gravel (shown), and  Harricana by Mariouche, which features creations made of recycled furs.

We'll be staying at the Opus Hotel, conveniently located at the corner of Rue Sherbrooke and Boulevard Saint-Laurent. We first became a fan of the Opus after touring the equally chic Vancouver property years ago.

We'll be in Montreal May 20-24. Follow our tweets from our trip at JSGAnne.

The World Cup, South Africa, and the Cover of Vanity Fair

South Africa is high on our wish list of dream spots to visit; but we won't make it in time for the World Cup held there which begins June 11th. 

In the meantime, we're satisfying our curiosity with the latest issue of Vanity Fair.  If you're not a soccer (football) fan, you will be after seeing Annie Leibovitz' sexy shoot with its stars.  It features many of the international players including Ivory Coast's Drogba and Portugal's Ronaldo  (on the cover above), Brazil's Kaka, and never fear the U.S. is well represented by Landon Donovan.

Enjoy this clip of the shoot:



Cover and video courtesy of Vanity Fair.

Memorial Day Travel Idea #6: San Diego and Santa Barbara

We haven't forgotten about you west coasters in our round up of Memorial Day Travel Ideas. For those wanting to escape L.A. head on down to the W in San Diego to take advantage of their Better Tomorrows program where you get 50 percent off the second night's stay.

For something a little more sophisticated, head up the coast in the other direction to the Canary Hotel in Santa Barbara. Sister hotel to Santa Monica's Shutters on the Beach and Hotel Casa del Mar, the hotel is named after the Canary Islands and the Mallorcan design influences can be seen throughout. The hotel is in downtown, but like the W San Diego, has a roof top pool with a view.

Memorial Day Travel Idea #1: Sex and the City Trips
Memorial Day Travel Idea #2: Chicagoland Baseball
Memorial Day Travel Idea #3: Atlantis in the Bahamas
Memorial Day Travel Idea #4: Charleston, SC 
Memorial Day Travel Idea #5: Dominican Republic 
Memorial Day Travel Idea #6: San Diego and Santa Barbara 
Memorial Day Travel Idea #7: Ritz Carlton in Cancun

Memorial Day Travel Idea #5: Dominican Republic

East Coasters who want to hit the beach should take advantage of Jet Blue's expanded service to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. The airline added additional flights from NYC's JFK and Boston's Logan airports to the Caribbean Island.

Fair warning: The Dominican Republic is known for its all-inclusive resorts, which can attract a lot of families. What you trade in quiet pool time, you'll find some stellar hotel deals. Bargain seekers should check out the Puntacana Hotel, which recently redid its rooms. You can spa, scuba, golf, play tennis or horesback ride.

For a more luxurious stay, try sister property Tortuga Bay. It offers the same activities, with more attentive service and swankier digs -- the rooms were designed by Oscar de la Renta.

Learn more about both hotels. 

Memorial Day Travel Idea #1: Sex and the City Trips
Memorial Day Travel Idea #2: Chicagoland Baseball
Memorial Day Travel Idea #3: Atlantis in the Bahamas
Memorial Day Travel Idea #4: Charleston, SC 
Memorial Day Travel Idea #5: Dominican Republic 
Memorial Day Travel Idea #6: San Diego and Santa Barbara 
Memorial Day Travel Idea #7: Ritz Carlton in Cancun

Memorial Day Travel Idea #4: Charleston, S.C.

Charleston won us over on our trip in '08 where we proved you can have a fun time on a 24 hour trip.  We've been itching to go ever since. What's so special about it? It's quaint, easy to get to and close to the airport, it has a ton of super cute boutiques filled with great clothes, and it has great restaurants.

The Charleston Place Hotel is in the middle of it all. On our last trip we stayed there and walked to everything. In fact, we only cabbed it to and from the airport. The Charleston Place is offering a Spring Special package starting at $370 which includes a $100 credit to either the restaurant, spa, a schooner ride (we'd love to see Charleston from the water), or a tour of the Magnolia Plantation.

Happy travels!

Memorial Day Travel Idea #1: Sex and the City Trips
Memorial Day Travel Idea #2: Chicagoland Baseball
Memorial Day Travel Idea #3: Atlantis in the Bahamas
Memorial Day Travel Idea #4: Charleston, SC 
Memorial Day Travel Idea #5: Dominican Republic 
Memorial Day Travel Idea #6: San Diego and Santa Barbara 
Memorial Day Travel Idea #7: Ritz Carlton in Cancun

Memorial Day Travel Idea #3: The Bahamas

We're partial to smaller resorts but when a mega resort like Atlantis offers a deal with as many perks as the Spring Special package we're taking a second look. The Atlantis' package starts at $499 over Memorial Day and incudes $650 in complimentary activities and dining. The best part? Guests at the Atlantis qualify for free companion airfare! It makes the Bahamas seem even more accessible.

Also included:

Two dolphin interactions

A round of golf at One&Only Ocean Club

Two signature margaritas at Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill

Two sunset martinis at Jean George’s Dune at One&Only Ocean Club

Sushi and Sake Mini Tasting at Nobu (a favorite of ours in any city)

One night access to Aura nightclub - from the people who opened Pure Las Vegas

If you're like us, you may choose to splurge and stay at the Cove Atlantis, the squanky sister next door. Its comtemporary styling and all-suite set up makes it the most upscale experience at Atlantis. Naturally, you can expect to pay more: rates for Memorial Day weekend (arriving on May 27) start at $1089, which includes the fourth night free.



Book your vacation at www.atlantis.com.

Memorial Day Travel Idea #1: Sex and the City Trips
Memorial Day Travel Idea #2: Chicagoland Baseball
Memorial Day Travel Idea #3: Atlantis in the Bahamas
Memorial Day Travel Idea #4: Charleston, SC 
Memorial Day Travel Idea #5: Dominican Republic 
Memorial Day Travel Idea #6: San Diego and Santa Barbara 
Memorial Day Travel Idea #7: Ritz Carlton in Cancun

Memorial Day Travel Idea #2: Chicagoland Baseball

Chicago is one of the dwindling cities that still has its original baseball stadium. Catch the Cubs play the Cardinals over Memorial Day weekend at charming Wrigley Field with its ivy-covered outfield walls. Our friend Felissa loves the stadium so much, she named her King Charles Spaniel after it. "It is such a fabulous place to see a game with fans that know the game, love their team and love the history of the game as well," she says. (If you can't buy a ticket, you can always head to one of the surrounding buildings and sit in the bleachers--a bit D-list, but it works!)



If you go, take advantage of the Sax Hotel's Summer Baseball Package. Hotel Sax, formerly the House of Blues, is part of the growing Thompson Hotel group. That means you can count on it being chicly designed and in a party part of town. In fact, you can walk to Bin 36, the 10Pin Bowling Alley and Smith and Wollensky's from Hotel Sax. The summer baseball package includes:

• 2 CTA passes so you can get to the game and avoid traffic
• Complimentary valet parking ($49 value)
• Garrett's Popcorn for a game time snack
• A map of Chicago and a few other surprises

Rates start at $169 per night. The package is also open to White Sox fans (though they're playing in Tampa Bay over Memorial Day) and runs through September 30.

Be sure to hit the House of Blues Gospel Brunch on May 30. You can erase your hangover with biscuits and gravy, an omelet station, mac & cheese and white chocolate banana bread pudding while watching a gospel choir do their thing.

Not sure what to wear to the game? Show your team spirit with a fitted jersey that actually shows off your figure.

Memorial Day Travel Idea #1: Sex and the City Trips
Memorial Day Travel Idea #2: Chicagoland Baseball
Memorial Day Travel Idea #3: Atlantis in the Bahamas
Memorial Day Travel Idea #4: Charleston, SC 
Memorial Day Travel Idea #5: Dominican Republic 
Memorial Day Travel Idea #6: San Diego and Santa Barbara 
Memorial Day Travel Idea #7: Ritz Carlton in Cancun

On Our Radar: Vacations for Women Whose Husbands Cheated

Here's a special from The Reef Resort in Grand Cayman that's tailor made for any woman who has suffered the same fate as Sandra Bullock, Elin Woods and Ginny Barber: The Cheat’en Husbands respite package. Included is a Men Are Pigs’cocktail (we hope that's a fancy name for bottomless tequila shots), a mani and pedi and  a T-shirt painting therapy workshop, where suggested slogans are “men are scum,” “cheat’en is for losers.”

The package includes a four-night stay for four in a two-bedroom beachfront suite and a jeep rental. Prices start at $445 per person during the summer season and $595 per person during the winter season.

Word of warning: The hotel also offers romance, honeymoon and wedding packages, so you may be better off sticking with Vegas!

On Our Radar: Win a Trip to Cannes with Stella Artois

Cannes actually beats out Sundance on our list of film festivals we're dying to attend. Now we have a shot--albeit a thin one--thanks to the Stella Artois Jacques d'Azur Can't Go to Cannes This Year contest. That's Jacques above, a suave kinda guy who only walked on red carpets (witness the carpeted diving board, above).

Jacques disappeared while was sailing around Tahiti on his yacht ‘Bridgette et Anna’. The last reported radio contact from him was the message “I have come across an undiscovered island. Amazingly all the inhabitants are beautiful women.” His location could not be determined. No further contact was made with him and the extensive search found no sign of Jacques or his yacht.

Stella Artois launched a contest/search for his rightful heir to take Jacques' place at Cannes this year. The heir/winner gets round trip first class tickets for two, a 2-night stay in a five star hotel, a personally tailored suit or dress for the winner, tickets to an opening or closing gala at the Palm D’Or Awards and exclusive VIP festival screenings and more.

Clear your calendar the week of May 12-23!

To enter, log on to Stella Artois's Facebook page.

JSG Note: Even if you have no desire to go to Cannes, the video and typewriter at the end are very impressive!

Victoria's Secret Shoot on Necker Island

Admittedly, we're probably the only ones watching the Victoria's Secret Swim Videos to gawk at the scenery of Necker Island, instead of the gorgeous models (It's pretty much the same way we feel about the Sport's Illustrated Swim Issue.). Necker Island is home to the ultra-exclusive Sir Richard Branson-Virgin resort and is right up there with Mustique as a favorite vacation-hideaway of the rich and famous. Watch the video and you'll understand our fascination.

W South Beach

We're just back from our latest girls' trip at the W South Beach. Our verdict on the hotel: We loved it! The location was great, nestled in by the Gansevoort and the Shore Club on Collins, the lobby is simply stunning and our room (an Oasis Suite) was a nice size with an  ocean view.

Even though Miami was on the chilly side this weekend, we spent plenty of time by the pool (sometimes wrapped in towels). Given the weather, we didn't actually make it into that infinity edge pool, but we did enjoy many a Greek salad, French fry and glass of Sauvignon Blanc on our lounge chairs. The service was attentive and friendly. The pool made for great people watching, too: In addition to the Euro men in their bikini briefs, we spotted a few celebs, including Cuba Gooding Jr., Jerry Bruckheimer and Kourtney Kardashian's baby daddy.

Since it was too cold to spend the night's outdoors, we headed to the W's Wall Club--an intimate space with a rocking DJ. It was definitely a fave. We also enjoyed pre-dinner cocktails in the lobby bar.

We do have a few minor complaints about the hotel:
1. There were no Q-tips in the bathroom.We can't remember the last time we stayed at a swank hotel that didn't proved them for you. Our friend Heidi resorted to cleaning her ears with twisted up toilet paper.
2. There aren't enough lounge chairs at the pool. Even though we were in a two bedroom suite, we were told we were only allotted three chairs.
3. Mr. Chow does not live up to the hype. Not only was it expensive, but the food was bad to unmemorable. We sent back an order of chicken satay--seriously, how do you screw up peanut sauce?

On Our Radar: W Miami

Seeing as we're in the middle of snow-icane 2010, all we can think about is our trip to Miami next week, when we'll be staying at the new W South Beach. Believe us when we say that with all the new hotels in Miami, making our decision of where to stay was harder than ever!

We most recently spoke about the W back in January during our Beach Week. What attracted us to the hotel, which opened back in July, is its prime beachfront location on Collins Ave., the sexy infinity edge pool and that it's home to Mr. Chow's restaurant--always a party scene in NYC--and our favorite Bliss Spa. And the fact that it has 6 different bars sure didn't hurt either!

It was not a unanimous decision, however.  Our one friend ruled out the W at the get-go because she feared the rooms would be small (as they admittedly are at some branches);  but even the smallest rooms at the W in Miami ring at 500+ square feet. Then we had drinks in L.A. with our favorite travel agent who told us that her clients have been raving about the property, especially the phenom service.

Once we were finally able to pull some strings and get ourselves a deal on an Oasis Suite, we were sold! Now the only questions left: Where to go for dinner? What clubs to go to? And most important of all, what to pack?

Check back next week to follow us on our trip! We leave Thursday!

On Our Radar: Vacation Rental Homes

Maybe it's those wacky antics of Snooki and the Situation, but we're entertaining the idea of renting a beach house for a girls' getaway this summer. It's fun to stay under one roof, vacation rental homes are often more economical than a hotel--especially for a large group, and there are some pretty sweet vacation rentals to be had out there. While Seaside Heights, NJ is definitely off the list, here are a few spots we're considering:

Vacation Rental Home #1: Seaside Place in Key West. It has its own pool, is right by the beach, has 5 bedrooms, and starts at $600 a night.

Vacation Rental Home #2: Carpinteria, California. This 4-bedroom home near Santa Barbara has ocean views and rents for $5,000 a week. 

Vacation Rental Home #3: Bridgehampton, New York. Ok, so this 7-bedroom stunner isn't exactly a bargain at $35,000 per week, but it was built in '08 and we can see ourselves hosting the party of the season on that deck.  

Vacation Rental Home #4: Bravos by the Sea, in Vieques, Puerto Rico. While we're waiting for the W to open, we could happily call this 7-bedroom stunner home. It starts at $5,500 per week.

Not sure where to start your search for a vacation rental home? We like HomeAway and Discover Vacation Homes. HomeAway tends to be a little swankier, has more listings and offers European rentals. You may find better bargains on Discover Vacation Homes.

Shopping in Miami

While we're still figuring out exactly where we'll be staying during our upcoming trip to Miami (with so many options, it's hard to narrow it down), we know for sure we'll be doing a lot of shopping. Added to our old favorites of Barney's Co-op, Scoop and Intermix are all the new stores on Lincoln Road. The outdoor shopping area turns 50 this year and is celebrating with a redesign and expansion. We're definitely planning stops at Osklen, a Brazilian chain; Coltorti an Italian boutique; Alchemist and Y3. You'll also catch us at the MAC store getting our fake eyelashes done before a night on the town.

If you're lucky enough to be headed down that way for the SuperBowl, be sure to let us know how it is!

Our Annual Girls' Getaway 2010

For more years than we can remember we get together the first or second Saturday in January with our besties from high school in our native Washington, D.C..  The weekend works for us because it's post holiday, but pre-craziness of everything else.

We tend to stay at Kimpton Hotels--we love their cheeky design, decent -sized rooms, reasonable prices and downtown location. This year, the recently renovated Hotel Monaco in the Penn Quarter was our pick. The hotel is in the historic former General Post Office, built in 1839 by Robert Mills, the same architect to design the Washington Monument.

Like many Kimpton properties, the hotel hosts a nightly wine hour. We enjoyed hanging out by the fireplace, catching up and people watching.

 

 The six of us shared one room and one suite. There's nothing quite like waking up the morning after and rehasing the night before.

 Amy, Shannon, Heidi and Shawn--WE LOVE YOU GUYS!!