bacara resort.

the bacara resort and spa in goleta.

it’s been a while since we went anywhere on our own, so we took a mini trip to santa barbara during b’s break. we opted to stay at the bacara bc it’s oceanfront, and we pretty much didn’t need to leave the resort grounds. at all. also, their pool is my fave. well… was. i must say, that this visit was not as quiet as i had hoped it to be. since it’s summer, there were more families, with multiple children. yes, i could have gone to the adults only pool… but it’s not as nice. so, amidst some splashing and crying, we got in some sunbathing r&r.

below, around the resort. (on golf carts! don’t know why i love golf carts so.) their lawns are still green.. this drought has everything yellow at home, so i admit its a nice/guilty departure for the eyes..

the pool from above.

beach vibes.

sunset alfresco dining at the resort bistro. waitstaff + overall guest service is impeccable at the bacara.

wandering the resort grounds. a view of the beachfront to ocean house from atop the hill.

night swim.

i didn’t take many food pics bc i was trying to be good “on vacay.” heres a snap of lunch at the bistro. sausage, artichoke + leek pizza.

xx

http://www.bacararesort.com/

mandarin oriental eats, las vegas.

we stayed at the mandarin last month on a mini getaway to vegas, and really liked it. the hotel is quiet, compared to the rest of vegas, and overall a more relaxing and refined experience. here are some of the eats we enjoyed.

afternoon tea for two at the salon.

a three tier display was set up next to our loungers. service was excellent.

here are the plain scones. with two fruit jams, butter and cream. their scones were flaky + dense.

savories. great presentation, i enjoyed everything except for the rectangular salty tart.. i don’t like when my sweet + savories are mixed.. the egg was good, and devoured in a spoonful.

sweets. the tart and cake pops were good but basic, my favorite was the chocolate hazelnut in the center, and the coffee cream puff.

bento box breakfast, in room dining.

loved this! a scaled down version of japanese hotel breakfasts.

xx

al barakat, four seasons landaa giraavaru. maldives.

this was my favorite restaurant at the landaa giraavaru resort.

its been a while since i’ve had arabic cuisine, so we ended up eating here 3 times during our stay.

everything was delicious. no complaints whatsoever.

sunset view from the outdoor seating area.

complimentary starter of veggies with yogurt dip.

royal tadigh.

octopus carpaccio.

beef  and egg ojja.

hot pita bread.

my plate loaded up with mezzahs.

chicken shish tawook

moroccan kofta meatballs with egg and tomato sauce.

arabic rice.

chocolate cake

strawberry, mango and banana layered with ice cream.

xx

four seasons resort, landaa giraavaru, maldives.

the four seasons resort at landaa giraavaru, in the baa atoll, maldives.

 

al barakat restaurant, at the main dock entrance of the resort.

open air reception and lounge area.

path to the water villas.

the “sunrise water villa” living room area.

bed with mosquito canopy.

bathroom with ginormous bathtub.

additional outdoor shower.

our deck, with a loft above.

champagne and fruit upon arrival

 

side view of water villa. deck with loft, to lower wet deck, to ocean.

the spa- over water massage treatment rooms.

picturesque white sand beaches and clear green blue waters.

blue and peaceful.

xx

Mei Yuan at Silks Place Taroko.

We stayed at the Silks Place hotel in Taroko Gorge last weekend, and enjoyed the national park.

dinner at Mei Yuan restaurant at the hotel.

starters. small plates.

scallops.

hualien local pork. sO good.

fried rice.

green beans.

bamboo soup.

three cup chicken. this was my favorite dish. flavorful, the basil was fragrant and the chicken juicy.

soft shell crab fried with tons of garlic.

fruit for dessert.

we also had a noodle that is not pictured, and a bottle of wine.. and the total was less than 3000NT.

great pricing!

yuM.

xx

http://taroko.silksplace.com.tw/en/aboutus.html

Brandenburger Hof Hotel, Berlin

Brandenburger Hof Hotel, Berlin.

an SLH group boutique hotel. we tried to check out boutique hotels during this trip.. some were just okay, not impressive at all. but this one was worth writing about. we stayed here for three nights. it was clean and well thought out, great attention to small details and comfort.

there’s in room wifi for a charge, and a buisness center with free internet use. must stay connected!!

the front entry. there was a doorman on watch 24/7. love the doggy statue.. it makes any place feel more welcoming.

the hotel is square shaped, it surrounds a small green courtyard, with a indoor outdoor area for dining. lots of natural light, beautiful use of space. it makes you want to sit down to a leisurely breakfast or tea.

our room! i believe it was a deluxe king room. with bay windows, green trees outside and green carpet. XL bed.. its actually two twins that separate or join depending on the guests’ needs. the furniture is all modern and clean.. minimal.

tv and writing desk. pleaSe excuse our mess! there’s different pieces of artwork in every room.

double sink restroom, shower/tub combo.  a fresh flower in the vase every day. good sized toiletries.

what makes this hotel stand out is the little things. like our daily in room afternoon treat! marshmallow mice, (sO cute, but not so yummy), chocolates… and there was a donut the first day… wonder what happened to them the next two days. at turndown, a little card with a different poem or quote is placed on your pillow each night.. inspiration to rest your head to.

the view from breakfast.  lots of sun, lots of green.. relaxing and luxe.

even though i normally don’t wake early enough to have time..  i LOVE breakfast. :)

*there’s a michelin star fine dining restaurant in the hotel as well, but we didn’t have time to try it this time..

would def recommend this hotel.

xx

W Retreat & Spa, Bali.

The new W hotel in Seminyak, Bali.

view of the open air lobby + lounge at night.

the golf carts that took us from our villas to the lobbys 10x a day. we decided to book a 1Br private villa w/ our own pool, instead of staying in the main connected hotel. after all.. bali is known for villa resorts!

sO. THIS is what i saw when we stepped in the lobby to check in. the afternoon tea CAKES. spread out on the bar + tempting. i knew this was going to be a good stay. X)

view of our huge villa pool + deck. for a 1 bR villa, the pool size was considerably larger than other bali villas that i’ve stayed at.. almost 2x bigger from what i remember, even compared to a 3Br villa @ the kayumanis.

villa interior. love the grassy decor. beanbag, sitting/tv area on the far side.. long writing desk behind the bed.  ( no mosquito net..!) btw the concierge has free dvd rentals…

villa bathroom..  their concept was ” see and be seen,” we were told upon arrival to the room. there were 2 sinks, a large open closet/luggage area to the left. HUGE bathtub. the canoe paddle on the tub demonstrates the size well.. you could fit 3 in there.

view of our private villa pool + casita lit up at night. so serene.

view of the beachfront restaurant, Starfish Bloo. the W’s finer dining establishment. i also need to mention.. that the breakfast spread @ Fire, the W’s restaurant.. was my favorite. i looked forward to breakfast every day! it was buffet/serving station style + table ordering. good selection. fresh seasonal local fruits, yogurts, baked pastries + croissants, selection of balinese + western entrees.. carving + omelet stations.. and there was carrot cake one morning! so happy.

the pool. where i spent many hours lounging in the sun, ordering snacks + drinks from the wet bar.

view of the beach + ocean from the top of WooBar.

the beach in front of the W hotel..it was about to rain. the waves there are usually too intense, so swimming in the ocean is not allowed. the loud crashing of the waves was a perfect soundtrack to my balinese resort escape.

would def rec to any friends looking for a hipper and more contemporary resort.  stay in a villa!

W Retreat & Spa Bali

xx

in two weeks…

… whatever, whenever.

the new bali seminyak W Retreat & Spa.

W Villa.

a little bit…  little mermaid, under the sea.. blue paradise.

the pool @ night. wet bar.

can hardly wait.

w retreat seminyak

xx

Palm Springs Riviera

in preparation for an upcoming visit to palm desert: (and in excitement)

the palm springs riviera resort and spa.

retro hip. elvis, marilyn, sonny and cher… this resort was frequented by the 60’s Rat Pack.

palm desert, where time slows down, and the sun seems to stay out longer.

a resort community with a handful of bars, restaurants + steakhouses where guests enjoy leisurely meals. in the heydey, there were celebrities hanging out, horseback riding, lounging poolside with a cocktail, and impromptu performances by artists and musician guests.  glamour, and some debauchery. now, its mostly spa + golf, besides a few yearly events when palm desert is packed with festival goers or circuit party-ers, the town is still mostly quiet and kitschy.

i can’t wait to be poolside with good company, mosquito FREE!

xx

http://www.psriviera.com

christmas tea.

christmas tea at the mandarin oriental, macau.

i visited macau for the first time last week, and stayed at the mandarin oriental. because i booked the trip late, the mandarin was the only hotel with 4 stars or above that wasn’t completely full for the holidays: because it doesn’t have a casino! it was modern and simple, clean, quiet, nice view. the mgm + wynn is right across the street for gambling, so it wasn’t too inconvenient.. plus its connected to the mall, and serves high tea. not bad, for me!

look at the display.. how fun.

the tea set was all pretty good, but what stood out were the scones.

christmas tea comes with 2 flaky scones, crispy on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside. butter, strawberry jam, honey and marmalade.

the caramel mousse cake was really good as well.

i had a pot of earl grey, as usual..

i lOve having high teas over the holidays… so much, that i took tea again, the day i left.

here is their signature mandarin oriental (asian) high tea set.

i enjoyed this set more than the christmas set. there were asian dim sum items, steamed buns…

look at the crispy portuguese egg tart.. and the shot glass of coconut milk with tapioca. YUM.

xx