Inspiring Travel and Wellness. Join me for adventures above and below the ocean, exploring nature, luxury travel experiences, spa and wellness activities.
More than just the home of Starbucks, Seattle and nearby Tacoma in Washington state are a Mecca for glass art. In every hotel, street corner, Seattle center, and all around the Seatac area are beautiful displays of glass. On many earlier trips I noticed the glass, but never knew the story.
L’Auberge resort is the premier luxury resort in Sedona, Arizona, providing a relaxing, dog-friendly vacation.
Sedona, Arizona is a little town that has made a big splash. The unique red rocks and perfect weather ensure that Sedona would not be a secret for very long, and sure enough by the 1980’s Sedona hit the big time for tourist destinations.
The star of the show is certainly the aircraft carrier, with supporting roles of the wide variety of helicopters, small planes, jets and other engineering marvels.
This floating treasure is full of history, fun for families, and a delight for engineering fans. Plus the view from the aircraft carrier deck is not to be missed!
A welcome retreat this year (and any year, really) for me is the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort in Carlsbad, California. Right on the edge of the drive versus fly decision from Phoenix, San Diego, California is a quick trip. When it is just too darn hot, California is close by. The November trip is our third visit to Carlsbad this year, each was a long-weekend out of town.
Aviara Family pool
The Park Hyatt Aviara is a luxury resort with an amazing spa, great restaurants, good family pool, and a 21 and over adult tranquility pool where we spend most of our time.
When visiting any of the cool spots in New York state, like Lyndhurst Castle, there are many great dining options. Half Moon located in Dobbs Ferry is my favorite mid-range ($20-30 plate dinner) restaurant with spectacular views of the Hudson river. Half Moon is much better than nearby Sunset Cove (great view, lousy parking, and last time a couple people in our group did not feel well after eating the “special”).
There is plenty of parking right out front, and it is walking distance from the train station.
Half Moon Prime Rib
In the low tourist season of autumn, Half Moon is offering daily Blue Plate specials. Fortunately for me, Monday night’s special was Prime Rib with mashed potatoes, asparagus and choice of soup or salad all for $19.95! Delicious, and prepared a perfect medium rare.
They even served dinner on actual blue plates.
The wine list starts at $10 glass or $35 for a bottle. Overall, they have a decent selection of wines from all over the world at pretty reasonable prices. This visit we enjoyed a $52 bottle from Spain, and it perfectly complemented the Prime Rib!
On previous visits, I have enjoyed eating seared tuna, lobster mac & cheese, delicious soups, and various salads. Half Moon serves consistently good food. Service is certainly better during low season, and on crowded nights it can take quite awhile for service.
Inside Dining
Reservations are recommended, especially during high season in summer. The outside patio is stunning and fills up fast! The patio was too cold for me during my mid-October visit, but we were able to get a table for four with a spectacular view, and without reservations.
