THE NOT SO BLONDE TRAVEL

When people think about the Hamptons, they think summer, they thinks expensive houses and snobbish people.  When I do, I think Gurney's Oceanfront Resort, peaceful beaches, casual seafood markets and roaming deers. I am one of those that almost likes it better in the winter.  I won’t lie. Gurney’s is a bit fancy, but somehow it still feels cosy. The view is breathtaking, the amenities are on point, the spa is gorgeous, but it’s not uptight. And the staff is impeccably trained. But sweet. And that’s why I love Gurney’s so much versus other fancy places I have been to in my many travels. And even when I was not staying at their facility and just wanted to give a sneak peak of the property to my friends visiting from Europe, the staff was all smiles and welcoming. Quick Pit Stop on our Montauk tour Try that at the Ritz and let me know how that goes -:) When Gurney says that their philosophy is to “accommodate each guest perso...

When I was in Rio at the beginning of the month, I had some expectations.  Yummy caipirinhas was one of them, and wow, Rio you over-delivered. I was also looking forward to discovering the world acclaimed Copa Cabana beach and the world renowned Rio Carnaval. And wow both were amazing and impressive, but ... Yes there is a but, but it's not a real but. It's just that Ipanema Beach and the blocos impressed me even more.  Of course the blocos are much less organized and much less grandiose than the Carnaval, but check out these pictures and I think you will get what I am talking about. Brazilians are amazingly creative, very sociable and full of surprises.    My personal favorite -:) Who wore it better? -:p No age limit for the blocos  And as much as I loved Copa Cabana, I just loved Ipanema beach a bit more.  I could do everything I love in just one spot. Eat, drink and shop, all from under the comfor...

Flying standby is stressful for most people.  To me though, it is half fun. It is the reason I once ended up in Korea instead of Japan, and what an amazing vacation that was.  However, three people flying standby from different airports and on different airlines gets a bit tricky. Somehow though, Deidre, Peter and I figured out a flight route that allowed all three of us to land in Vietnam around the same time. We were ready to cry hurray but stopped ourselves when we realized that we needed a visa to be allowed on Vietnamese soil and had less than 24 hours before departure time. Thankfully though since all three of us are American, the Vietnamese Visa Process   only took us 10 minutes online, one quick picture and $45 on arrival. As of Cambodia, I was not the least worried. There was an app  for it, or just $35 on arrival, and voila.  But when one is out of pages on their passport, well things get complicated, really complicated. Even more so...