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March 16, 2012
Romantic destinations beckon
Tips for amorous getaways to Paris, Alaska, Colorado and Tel Aviv.
MASADA SIEGEL
It’s your dream vacation, the one you will remember forever, but where to start? The options are endless: from beaches to ski slopes to nature and adventure to cities, the choice is yours.
Paris, France
The French wrote the book on love and, no matter, rain or shine, loving couples are everywhere; from the metro to the top of the Eiffel Tower.
A true treat is staying at the Four Seasons (fourseasons.com/paris); it’s a traditional luxury, French style. The rooms are elegant – many even have chandeliers. Try out breakfast at Le Cinq, the hotel’s Michelin-rated restaurant. It is dreamy both in décor and deliciousness.
If modern is more your style (and you dream of having your own private butler), try the French-owned Hôtel Fouquet's (lucienbarriere.com/fr/hotel-luxe/Paris-Hotel-Fouquets-Barriere/accueil.html), located on the Champs Elysées.
Perhaps one of the best-kept secrets for fine dining is Fouquet’s Le Diane. It’s elegant, discreet and it’s like being in a James Bond movie: you use your passkey to unlock doors inside the hotel that ultimately lead to culinary delight. The service at Le Diane is superior and chef Jean-Yves Leuranguer’s food is spectacular – the presentation, design and, most importantly, taste. The restaurant is not yet Michelin-rated, so it’s best to go immediately, before it’s impossible to book a table.
If street food is more your fare, the Marais, the old Jewish quarter, boasts delicious kosher bakeries, such as Korcarz (korcarz.com), which was opened by Polish Holocaust survivors in 1948, or any one of the outstanding open falafel stands. Be sure to visit the Jewish museum (mahj.org/fr/index.php).
For excellent traditional French food, try Astier (restaurant-astier.com), a bistro known for its over-the-top cheese plates and a place you are sure to bump into locals, not other tourists. But, if star sighting is on your to-do list, Le Dali at Le Meurice hotel (lemeurice.com/restaurants-bars) is a fancy but fun place for lunch or drinks. Be sure to carve your very own love message on the ice wall outside the restaurant.
French food is fabulous, but if you are looking for a flavor of the East, try Shang Palace, which opened in September at Le Shangri-La Hôtel (Shangri-la.com/en). The chef, Frank Xu, provides spectacular Cantonese food, which is not typical in Paris, and everything on the menu is scrumptious.
One of the most romantic tours to take in Paris is a Bateaux evening boat cruise (bateauxparisiens.com). Gliding down the Seine, you will see the Eiffel Tower, a replica of the Statue of Liberty, the Notre Dame Cathedral and so many other beautiful sights visible from the river. The onboard entertainment is excellent and the food is tasty. It is a definite must and, while it’s always nice to have great weather, in my experience, light rain while on a cruise only makes it more enchanting.
Back on land, the Nissim de Camondo Museum of the decorative arts (lesartsdecoratifs.fr/english-439/nissim-de-camondo-742), once home to a Jewish family, is well worth a visit. It boasts a breathtaking and fabulous collection, and the story of the family’s tragic demise is sure also take your breath away.
If you are looking for some of the comforts of home, try the Radisson Blu (radissonblu.com/ambassadorhotel-paris) for a place to stay. It’s Western style and located on Boulevard Haussmann; it is close to fantastic, affordable shopping. Stop by the eighth floor’s charming breakfast lounge and ask for Christian, the manager. He will give you a brief tour of Paris from the windows on the top floor of the hotel. He’s delightful and makes the city even more welcoming.
Vail, Colo.
If skiing is your passion, and you enjoy evenings filled with crackling fireplaces, endless ski lifts and fantastic food, Vail is a dream come true. The annual snowfall is 350 inches and the terrain is perfect for any level of skiing. For those new to the sport, it’s an optimum place to learn, with an excellent staff offering group classes and individual instruction. What makes Vail skiing so special is the abundance of choice: it offers more than 5,000 acres for fun in the snow.
There is also a new restaurant on the mountain, called the 10th. It’s a ski-in/ski-out fine-dining restaurant, and it overlooks the majestic Gore Range. The food is yummy and it’s not much more expensive then eating in one of the dining halls. Reservations are recommended.
One of the best places to stay is the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa (vailcascade.com). The hotel is cozy but spacious, and it’s located right on the mountain – and even has its own chair lift, so you can ski right back to the sports shop, where they store your skis overnight. The resort and spa offers absolutely everything skiing, sensational food and lodging, romance, great views and even condominiums should you want to take family or a group of friends along. The resort’s restaurant, Atwater, offers excellent and affordable food and service, run by chef Todd Bemis. Alongside their mouthwatering regular menu, they cater to vegetarians and gluten-free diners.
While in Vail, make sure to book an appointment at the 78,000- square-foot Aria Spa and Club, which provides everything from ski-prep classes to pampering massages for individuals or couples.
Vail Village under a light snowfall is a fairyland; it’s like walking through a gingerbread house. It has a similar feel to a Swiss Alps village but with all the advantages that North America has to offer.
Alaska
Alaska is an adventure-lover’s paradise and trips can be mixed with the ultimate options in relaxation. The best way to see the state is to spend time on the land and then to take a cruise.
The Mat-Su Valley, which is about a 45-minute drive from Anchorage, is full of gorgeous options. One of the most fun and exciting is hiking the pristine Matanuska Glacier. Be sure to stay at the Matanuska Lodge, where you will be greeted with a mezuzah on the door. While the drive to get there can be a little unnerving, the views of snow-covered purple mountains, aqua blue rivers and green forests are exceptional.
If strapping on crampons and hiking a glacier is not so appealing – and you would rather have dinner facing a glacier – the Alyseka Resort (alyeskaresort.com) in Girdwood (45 minutes from Anchorage) is a dream. The adventurous part of your journey will be taking a cable car up the mountain and enjoying an AAA Four Diamond-rated meal at Seven Glaciers. The food matches the views: outstanding.
Holland America’s Inside Passage cruise (hollandamerica.com) is one of the best ways to combine relaxation, excitement, scenic views and fabulous food. One of the smaller ships, the Statendam, has a cozy and intimate atmosphere. The cabins are decorated in a classic style and, more importantly, the beds are exceptionally comfortable.
Holland America seems to have pampering down to an art form, no request seems to be too big, and the attention to detail, from arranging excursions to catering to kosher passengers, is impressive. The shore excursions the cruise line offers range from helicopter flights to landing on glaciers to watching bears in a river to understanding the history and creation of totem poles. Alaska is filled with untamed beauty, exquisite scenery and certainly will keep you smiling on your honeymoon or at any other time.
Tel Aviv, Israel
Tel Aviv is one of the best places for a combined city, coastal, culinary and cultural experience. A beach town with all the amenities of a big city, Tel Aviv is the ultimate in finding fun and has a great vibe.
One of the new fashionable places to explore is HaTachana (hatachana.co.il), Tel Aviv’s old railway station revamped into a uber-hip area filled with cafés, restaurants and interesting boutiques. Be sure to wander over to nearby Neve Tzedek, which is a lively and trendy neighborhood of renovated pastel houses and designer boutiques.
Tel Aviv is a phenomenal place for the arts – world-acclaimed conductor and music director Zubin Mehta of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra (ipo.co.il) is not to be missed.
For a visual arts treat, stop by the Tel Aviv Museum of Art (tamuseum.com). Its extensive collection boasts artists including Vincent van Gogh, Marc Chagall and Jackson Pollock, among many others.
The Palmach Museum (palmach.org.il) is also unique, with its innovative exhibits. Here, there are no displays or documents. Instead, its exhibit is an account of a fascinating personal story accompanied by three-dimensional décor, film and various effects incorporating documentary materials. (Reservations are required to visit.)
If, at the end of an action-packed day, you want something extra romantic, go to the beach. Sit in the sand or at one of the numerous cafés and watch nature in action. The sunsets are a natural aphrodisiac.
Masada Siegel can be reached at [email protected].
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