Travelogue

The hometown of Obama and Oprah get an A for food, shopping and museums. If only it weren’t so damn cold in the winter. So skip the brrrr of January and visit when the breezes off the lake are mellow.

Just like any other major city it’s categorized by different neighborhoods. Here are a few worth the walk.

River North
Cool urbanites live and lounge here. A true artist enclave, the neighborhood leases space to more galleries than any other city in America except Manhattan. To peruse and rub shoulders with the other sophisticates visit the galleries on the first Thursday of the month when they offer evening hours.

If looking up is more your style, then book an architectural boat tour at www.architecture.org and get on board at the Chicago Bridge and Wacker Drive.

For a taste of the neighborhood, there’s the notorious deep-dish pizza at Lou Malanati’s and the best margaritas in town can be found at Rick Bayless’ Frontier Grill. Wanting more sustenance? Choose delicious sushi at Japonais located on the river and with such good food, a gorgeous interior and a well-heeled crowd this will surely stay on a foodies regular route long after the hip move onto their next moment. Another must on a foodie’s list is Graham Elliot where the namesake chef serves up a mix of hi-lo world-class food. He is considered the youngest 4 star chef and a three-time James Beard Award nominee. Diners will never tire of Graham’s finesse in the kitchen when he serves up such delicious dishes as maple glazed scallops perfectly seared and served over, believe it or not, oatmeal, with dollops of butternut squash, Swiss chard and a bourbon emulsion. Graham describes his philosophy as a restaurateur with this quote, “Cooking is life made visible.”

After such a bistronomic success (four star cuisine mixed with humor and accessibility), lie your head in a hotel with an equally fitting commitment to the environment, the LEED-certified Hotel Felix.

Gold Coast
Home to the glitzy and glamorous-both the residents who live there and the boutiques that sell the wares they wear. This, of course means that there are also plenty of velour track suited tourists ogling both the high priced goods and the Manolo Blahnik wearing ladies who lunch. To stand above it all the John Hancock Building (www.hancock-observatory.com) offers breathtaking views for the observatory deck or look with a libation in hand from the Signature Lounge.

For shopping and a healthy depletion of your bank account stop at Jake’s or the new six-story Barney’s New York store. End your day or slow your shopping frenzy with a protein enhancement of a filet at Gibson’s Steakhouse or go to Spiaggi for a chance Oprah or Obama sighting and dine on luxurious Italian cuisine, just know your guy is required to wear a jacket. Men look so handsome in a jacket anyway so find a reason to make a reservation. And while Le Colonial with its French-Vietnamese food can be found in several major cities like New York and San Francisco, I’ve found the meal never disappoints.

The Meatpacking District
Get a reservation at Publican. I can’t wait to get back there. No need to get a table when you can have more fun sitting at the bar with a view of the kitchen. Our server Paul was top notch, he had us taste various wines and guided us through the menu with his top picks. I recommend the Bouchet mussels, aged ham, scallops and fries.

The Loop

Named for the elevated train system that loops around the financial and cultural center of Chicago. This part of town is home to one of my favorite museums in the US, the Art Institute filled with some of the best Edward Hoppers and an impressionist collection that comes close to Paris’ Musee D’Orsay. Once you idle among the Monet’s and Manet’s it’s time to wander outdoors into Millennium Park and walk by the grand Buckingham Fountain (one of the world’s largest), see your image in “the bean” the fondly nicknamed Cloud Gate sculpture by Anish Kappor that stands with a 12 foot high arch and is a 110 ton elliptical curve of highly polished steel situated near the Frank Gehry-designed Pritzker band shell where free concerts are frequently held.

In the winter you can rent ice skates and glide around the Millennium Park’s rink. For belly busting fare, bite into what is considered the city’s best burger at The Park Grill on N. Michigan and when you feel your digestion is complete get an adrenaline rush by stepping onto the glass boxes that hover 1,353 feet above the city at The Ledge at the Skydeck (www.theskydeck.com) on S. Wacker Drive. On a clear day you can see four states-Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan.

For sleep and a drink two hotels fit the bill, the Burnham Hotel on State and Washington is a lovely boutique hotel with free wine tastings from 5-6pm every night and superb service and the newly opened The Wit Hotel also on State St is an ideal place to get some rest with an added bonus of a 7,000 square foot indoor-outdoor rooftop lounge, ROOF which is THE place of the moment. Get there fast before the moment disappears.

Sydney is a short trip from Fiji and after nine days of relaxation we were ready to continue our honeymoon with some exploration of this famed city. And I figured I was far from the danger of the 14 most deadliest creatures found in Australia for at least the first few days of our trip.

Sydney, like many cities can be navigated on foot, bus, train or taxi. We treated it like New York City and walked as much as we could to get a sense of the architecture and expanse of the city. I was a little disappointed by the look of the city as I had envisioned a slightly modern version of England or France, which it certainly was not. If it had not been for the Harbor Bridge and the famed Opera House I may have written it off for just being a lovely city next to water. I dare say it lacked a bit of charisma. So it was time to take advantage of all it had to offer and find a little love for this metropolis. Turned out our first journey took us two hours outside the city to the Blue Hill Mountains known for the sometimes slight tint in the air from the large variety of eucalyptus growing everywhere. We trekked with a small group along trails to waterfalls, mountains carvings and down in the valley through the rain forest. The mist and clouds enveloped much of the mountain valley so our views were kept to a short distance, but the highlight of the day was coming upon two male kangaroos fighting over a female kangaroo. It was apparent neither kangaroo was hurt, more of a shoving match that ended with the males, female and younger kangaroo eating grass.

Daysun and I succumb to all things animals and got the chance to pet Wallabees, kangaroos, an owl and even a koala with its nasty screech at an animal sanctuary outside the city.

Back in Sydney and we took part in all the tourist ventures like the 3 ½ hour climb up the Harbor Bridge dressed in grey jumpsuits and a harness. We were captivated by the multiple mile long views of the city stretching out to the ocean. It was like being on a shorter version of the Empire State building.

To keep busy in the city we discovered some of the best bets:

Hotel:
Park Hyatt Hotel (The Rocks) THE place to stay in the city. We missed Hugh Grant’s stay by just an afternoon. It’s the favorite for exceptional service, chic rooms and jaw dropper views of the Opera House. The ideal spot to sit on your balcony after dinner with a bottle of wine and watch the world pass by.

For shopping:
Oxford Street is your go to place, but be ready it can seem like a big ‘ol schlep from one end to the other so skip heels and wear comfortable shoes. Most start at the top near Centennial Parklands checking out places like Mimco for handbags and accessories and Fleur Wood for silky intimates then have forays on to Elizabeth and William Street with a visit to Aussie favorite Sass & Bide and end with a hunt for vintage goods at My Boudoir.

For your hunger pangs our favorites:
Quay (Circular Quay) Named top restaurant in Sydney for both 2009 and 2010(of course, I don’t get the 2010 when it’s only the beginning of the year) with a perfect view of the Opera House. The meal is superb with an eclectic menu that just about names every ingredient that shows up on your plate. For dessert, you’d be a fool if you didn’t order the white peach snow egg. It’s visually enchanting as if you were looking at a dessert meant for a fairytale and more delicious than you’d expect something so beautiful and delicate to be.

Universal (Palmer Street in Darlinghurst) A meal that is meant to be shared. Order several small dishes with a mix of distinctive flavors.

Sake (Argyle Street in The Rocks) Fresh, delicious sushi. Try the South Australian Butterfish and Hiramasa Kingfish.

Lunch:
Australian Heritage Hotel (Cumberland Street in The Rocks) Go for the pizza. They offer kangaroo, emu and crocodile, but I savored the chicken tikka masala pizza.

Breakfast:
Baker’s Oven (on George Street in The Rocks) Ideal for a sit down in the back courtyard or take out of coffee and banana bread or croissant.

La Renaissance Patisserie (Argyle Street in The Rocks) French style pastries baked daily to take away or eat in the tree covered courtyard outside this tiny shop.

Don’t miss a day at Bondi Beach. Take the blue explorer bus for a chance to see the surrounding neighborhoods of Sydney as they look from hillsides and marinas back to the city. Once you arrive at the beaches get off at the small Bronte beach with its small intimate cove and white sand to start the coastal walk back to Bondi. You’ll walk along the cliff sides above and wind down to ocean level from Bronte through Tamarama beach and end at world famous Bondi. While in Bondi enjoy a cocktail at Icebergs or a burger on the terrace at Bondi Icebergs Club over looking the swimmers and surfers.

While there’s plenty to do in Australia we flew north for a three-day boat ride through the Great Barrier Reef for the exceptional under sea life. Whether scuba diving or snorkeling this is where even just floating in the water offers a view of the daily life of hundreds of fish and creatures and their interaction with the reefs and coral.

Off the boat in Cairns we headed north to Palm Cove, one among many small tony beachfront communities filled with resorts and restaurants. We enjoyed the Sebel Reef House Resort for a few days while we took day trips to the nearby Kuranda Skyrail, Rainforestation nature park with plenty more wallabees, kangaroos and koalas, butterfly sanctuary, and scenic railway wrapping it’s way down the mountain.

It’s amazing how many restaurants occupy just about 10 blocks in Palm Cove, many of which operate in large open spaces with just a curtain, row of plants or distinctive decoration to separate them. For top notch food we enjoyed Reef House located in the front our hotel and we highly recommend the char grilled king prawn, chorizo, pea & tomato risotto, the grilled yellow fin tuna and wasabi creamed potato plus the lemon delicious for dessert. For an awesome brunch get a seat towards the front of Nu Nu so you can watch the waves roll onto shore while you indulge in coconut hotcakes with sweet bananas, coconut sugar caramel and coconut sorbet and an energizer juice of watermelon, strawberry and pineapple. And for Italian walk to Bella Baci or Vivo.

We flew back to Sydney for two more days and then home to Los Angeles to receive lots of love from our adorable dogs.

I got engaged, planned the honeymoon, and then we set a date for the wedding…. Priorities a little skewed you say? No way, I knew both would take a lot of work to coordinate, but the honeymoon would be three weeks as opposed to the momentous day.

We planned our honeymoon for December so we could splurge on three full weeks in Fiji and Australia. Since we both work in television it would take Hollywood’s holiday shutdown to give us the time off. (The wedding day occurred just over a week prior to the honeymoon.)

Now, if you know me, you know that I travel quite frequently, so I’ve racked up quite a few airline miles over the years and I knew it would be a beast to coordinate airlines and code shares to secure those coveted business class seats that mileage programs rarely give out. Three-and-a-half weeks later - with only one short crying jag - the trip was completely booked… with a shout out to Lynette Wilson of Destination World for her advice and bookings. She’s rated one of the top 25 travel agents in the world by Conde Nast Traveler. For our Fiji leg of the trip, Lynette had asked us if we wanted to experience James Bond or Humphrey Bogart/Lauren Bacall. Super modern or casual, eclectic comfort? We chose Humphrey.

We settled in on Air Pacific for a nearly 11-hour flight, got comfortable in our seats and enjoyed a few glasses of champagne, a movie, a little light reading followed by an Ambien-aided sleep.

We land in Fiji and learn that my luggage is lost. My cute honeymoon clothes would not surface for four days! Then, to add to my disappointment, when we land at the Labasa airport (after a long layover due to a broken plane), I use the loo and find it dirtier than a truck stop. I immediately questioned work ethic and personal hygiene - and we hadn’t even had a chance to start enjoying our honeymoon. I was leery of what else would arise.

The journey to our island resort was long - the big plane (11 hours), two small planes (about 3 hours due to malfunctions), an SUV (about an hour) and a boat ride (7 minutes) - but we finally stepped onto the sand amid a group of vibrantly dressed women and men with beaming smiles, joyously singing a welcome to us.

Aaaahh, Nukubati. The owner, Jenny, graciously ushered us into the large, wide open roof-covered pavilion that would become the general meeting place for drinks, meals, borrowing books and games and just hanging out. We sipped cold drinks while she told us about what would be our new home for the next eight nights. The resort was recently rated the third best all-inclusive resort on tripadvisor.com with mentions of “heaven on earth” and “the food topped itself each day.”

We had reserved one of the only seven bures (cottages) available to guests on the island. Our bure had two porches with plenty of outdoor seating - just steps from the beach and ocean. And the water was just the way I like it - “just walk right in” temperature.

Nukubati is an island entirely its own… translation: it’s time to relax. It’s not a big island, as we walked around the whole island several times during our visit, passing mangroves, climbing rocks, and traversing logs crossing over water. Each outing always lead to a few surprises, like the huge bee hive hanging from a curved rock face, funny-looking crabs and piles of broken coral. Several mornings before breakfast we hiked up to the lookout hut - a moderate hike at best - but once there it offered amazing 360-degree views of Fiji and far off smaller, uninhabited islands.

So what does one do on a secluded island at a highly-rated resort? You eat yourself silly. The food was fresh and perfectly prepared. The grounds behind the pavilion boast multiple gardens and a variety of fruit trees, many of which were completely new to us, like breadfruit and sour sop. Going to the farmer’s market is one thing, but to walk among mango and papaya trees and see pineapples growing up from the ground is enchanting. Everything they prepare comes from the ocean, gardens, chickens or the small market in Labasa. No importing or freezing food here. Dessert was offered twice a day, at lunch and dinner, and we never skipped a chance to enjoy fried bananas in a sesame and coconut crust or lemon soufflé. And the menu only repeated once during our entire stay: delicious lobster, curried beef, delicate fish, paw paw soup, spinach croquettes and chicken coconut ginger soup. YUM! We shared so many dishes, afraid we’d miss out on some new amazing flavor. And unlike many resorts, this place catered to our time frame. Any meal at any time at any place on the resort you want it. In bed, on your porch, on the beach or in the pavilion, you decide.

(New Year’s Eve celebration: outdoor feast, the staff performing dances from around the world, and kava drinking.)

Besides reading several books and swapping others in the resort’s library, we played endless rounds of rummikube, backgammon and scrabble, swam at high tide or would lay on a raft just swaying on the water, played a little tennis on the court behind the gardens, and kayaked around the island. Kayaking against the current certainly increased our exercise regimen - which was barely negligible - and seemed to increase the size of the island tenfold.

Several yards beyond the common swimming area lay an ocean floor teaming with deep blue starfish, black cucumbers and plenty of coral and small fish. But for the best snorkeling we spent two-and-a-half hours exploring the Great Sea Reef (the third largest after the Great Barrier Reef and Belize - both of which we’ve also snorkeled) about 25 minutes north of Nukubati; just Daysun, me and our guide, Villy. The water was clear, calm and filled with a mind-boggling array of fish and coral, plus we saw several shark. No worries, they didn’t linger.

Two days later we opted for a picnic on a deserted sand bar. Another 25-minute boat ride and we were perfectly pleased to be marooned alone together on a deserted sand bar in the middle of the ocean, with just a table, chairs, umbrella and a walkie-talkie. The sand was soft and pristine and had I considered the sand bar earlier, we would have gone several times. There is something so serene and magical about being in the middle of the ocean on a small patch of sand. The only bummer came several hours later when the boat returned to take our picnic gear (and us) back to the island, as high tide returned and the sand bar retreated back under the water.

Nukubati is one of those resorts where life slows down for a little while, the people are incredibly sweet and kind and their only request is that you enjoy a drink in your hand at sunset.

After eight nights on Nukubati, we spent an additional day and night in Fiji on the main island near Nadi at the Fiji Orchid, a small, but more contemporary style resort also owned by the same family as Nukubati. And this time we had a pool to enjoy.

Next up will be our exploration of Australia!

Palm Springs is hot, not in the Paris Hilton, “That’s hot,” way, but at times 115 degrees in September. And even in a dry heat you still sweat. For a long weekend it reigns supreme for relaxation, just be sure to score seats inside at restaurants or you may melt halfway through your appetizer. While there are hotels galore I always choose boutique hotels. I like small, low key with good service. My two top picks:

1-Movie Colony Hotel

A 16 room boutique hotel with plush beds, a large pool with bonus floating noodles and rafts ideal for a lazy way to stay cool in the water, complimentary breakfast, wine hour and beach cruiser bikes plus a masseuse on call. There are DVD players in each room so bring along you NetFlix vids you’ve been wanting to see unless you want to re-watch some of your favorites from the hotel’s collection. A good place and good price.

2-The Colony House Hotel

A fun hotel with good beds, delicious restaurant and plenty of lounging around the pool. And since the restaurant looks out onto the pool, there is always a bartender on hand to mix you up a cold cocktail. Plus, they accept dogs.

For food check out Chez Philippe’s offerings of a delicious seafood paea and seafood linguine with a yummy sauce. For Mexican head to La Consuelas Terazza and order the fiesta guacamole, fajitas and a margarita. And if your mood is for comfort fare choose the Kaiser Grill and order the tuna melt or cheese steak.

For breakfast, you must go to Norma’s at The Parker hotel.

Order the lemon pancakes or the rice krispy coated french toast for a huge, but yummy carb overload.

Best time to go is fall or spring when temps are bearable, but definitely meant lounging around and if golf is your game the winter months are your ideal time.

So I travel often for television segments usually zipping between LA and New York, but New York always has my heart. The city has gotten cleaner, it’s still very cool, excellent food, great shops and we, New Yorkers are nice-really; I mean it. You just have to stop us when we whiz by you on the sidewalks clocking 25 miles per hour to ask us for directions. When you get us to stop we’ll not only give you directions, we’ll give you restaurant suggestions and may walk you towards your destination. Alright, I’m gushing, but it’s one place that I’m completely biased about.

Take food for instance, we have top chefs like Daniel Boulud, Eric Ripert, Jean Georges Vongerichten, and Mario Batali offering us top notch cuisine, but you can still enjoy a fresh delicious meal for under $10 like a pulled pork sandwich at Rub, a burger at Shake Shack (if you’re willing to wait in line outside) and a wonderful bowl of pasta in a tiny place that seats about six people at Pepe Rosso on Sullivan Street.

So while I’d take up pages and pages with restaurant suggestions, here are a few that are a sure thing, if Le Bernadin and Restaurant Daniel are out of your price range.

La Esquina 106 Kenmare St, bet. Lafayette and Cleveland Place)
Has a totally cool vibe with delicious food. The restaurant is located inside The Counter-a corner restaurant near SoHo. You go inside and enter through a plain brown door, head downstairs and check in with hostess who is situated in the kitchen. She brings you through the kitchen to the restaurant basically tucked into the basement. Order the fish tacos and a bowl of chocolate cake.
A bit snooty and you’ve got to make a reservation ahead-then call on day of to get a better time.

Stanton Social (99 Stanton Social bet. Ludlow and Orchard, on the lower east side) My favorite go to place for friends when they come to town. I ALWAYS have fun at this place, great drinks and it’s where you order lots of small dishes. I recommend the little pierogies with goat cheese and carmelized onions.

For Italian, I can’t suggest just one:
Peasant (194 Elizabeth St. in Nolita) You must order the chocolate bread pudding. Plus the bread and fresh ricotta cheese on the table is addictive. I enjoyed the goat lasagna.

Babbo (110 Waverly Place) Mario Batali’s gem. Where the usual pasta is absent you order some amazing dish with squab or wild boar.

Roc (Corner of Duane and Greenwich in Tribeca) I enjoyed roasted chestnut pasta on my last visit, but many friends love the cavatelli and the ravioli. And for dessert it’s always a toss up of the brownie sandwich or the terrina di cioccolato.

Lobster Roll:
Ok, it’s a finite category, but I love, Mary’s Fish Camp (64 Charles St.) for the lobster roll and corn on the cob with a glass of rose in the summer.

Malaysian:
Fatty Crab (643 Hudson St.) Small place, but a must taste for inventive Malaysian food.

Dim Sum:
Dim Sum a Go Go (5 E. Broadway between Oliver and Catherine in Chinatown) Freshly made dim sum not leftovers or carts like other places. I will admit you’ll probably get lost trying to find the place so take a cab or stop being stubborn and ask for directions, more than once.

Joe’s Shanghai (9 Pell St. in Chinatown) Great for soup dumplings.

Greek:
Avra (141 East 48th St.) -Wonderful Greek food-the fish is delish and the crispy zucchini and eggplant chips are addictive with the yogurt dip.

For people watching:
Waverly Inn (16 Bank St.) Graydon Carter’s hot spot. Food is decent, but you go to see celebs.

For the wine list:
Cru (24 5th avenue) Just be ready to peruse a long list. Ask the sommelier for advice to fit your budget

For Brunch:
Clinton Street Baking Company (4 Clinton St.) But you’ll need to go early since it gets super busy. I’d advise skipping the weekend and go during the week, get the pancakes, the chorizo and definitely a biscuit. The biscuits are the best to be found in NYC. Slather on some jam and butter.

Prune (54 East 1st) Try the Monte Cristo sandwich if you dare.

And when you need a coffee break and treat:
Once Upon A Tart (135 Sullivan St. in Soho)
You can sit inside or outside and enjoy a cup of coffee, cappuccino or lemonade, but I make an excuse to go for the tarts and the scones. I know, I know, you say scones-those dry crumbly pastries? But this place obviously doesn’t shy away from the butter. They are my faves, moist and a must have on my list. I usually have the currant buttermilk and buy an extra for breakfast the next morning.

If you venture into Brooklyn for a special meal of brunch or dinner go to:

River Café (1 Water St.) Truly lovely, you are at put at the scene of many movies surrounded by a garden and on the water. You have a view of Manhattan. Or just walk up the street and get line for pizza at Grimaldi’s.

So you’re nearly busting a gut from great food, but how to work it off? Well, there’s plenty to see and I don’t mean waiting in a two hour long line to check out the view from the Empire State Building.

The simplest and best way to see New York is by walking. Move your ass. It’s how most of us stay in shape. Central Park is great anytime of year and in the winter months you can enjoy looking up at the city by pulling on some skates and going in circles around the biggest rink the Manhattan.

In the summer you can take in a view from the water by taking the free trip back and forth on the Staten Island ferry. Or walk along the water on the esplanade in Battery Park City. And of course you coudl really move your legs and rent a bike to cruise alogn the river from Battery Park all the way up through Riverside Park. Do it round trip and you could clock about 12 miles.

If the water is your fancy, then take a brunch or sunset cocktail trip on one of the many large sailboats docked at Chelsea Piers or the World Financial Center Marina.

For half price tickets to Broadway shows, skip the ticket booth in Times Square and head to the lesser known office near South Street Seaport.

On Friday and Saturday evenings, go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, stroll the various floors and admire the art, enjoy a glass of wine, listen to music and visit the rooftop for a generous view of Central Park and the city.

On other days and when the exhibits are sure to please, like the recent Calder sculptures and photos by William Eggleston, visit the Whitney on 75th and Madison.

And if you want to see great art in slightly smaller venue and still enjoy a drink outside, check out the MOMA. Meet friends in the outdoor garden first for a cup of ice cream or drink then check out.

Shopping:
Of course you’re going to spend money and that means pulling out your credit card for more than a meal.

The department stores that require mention are Bergdorf Goodman (Fifth Avenue and 57th) (the best damn Holiday window decorations every year. No contest!). The place is chi chi and expensive, but hit the shoe floor on sale day and wowza you can scoop up a designer pair at a bargain.

Barney’s (61st and Madison), because of it’s eclectic mix and range of high end to moderate priced designers.

And then there’s downtown to check out. Sure SoHo has become a bit of an outdoor mall, but there’s still plenty of boutiques to visit that sit next to the chains like Anthropologie. Visit Global Table (109 Sullivan St.) for beautiful items for the home or fab wedding gifts or visit INA consignment to nab a gently worn piece from Gucci or Louis Vuitton.

When you cross over Lafayette Street into Nolita and then into the Lower East Side, then you get to visit the designers that are embarking on their dreams. Visit boutiques like Calypso (clothes and home stores), Foley and Corinna (on Stanton), Mayle, Emmett McCarthy, Poppy and several great jewelry shops on Mott between Houston and Prince. Oh, and I just visited a darling tiny shop named Szeki on Clinton just a few steps from Clinton St. Baking Company. I would categorize her jewelry and clothes as casually elegant -and moderately priced.

I’m a big fan of West Hollywood. Many of my friends live in this neighborhood making it easy to eat, sleep, shop and visit them all by staying true to my New York roots and walking everywhere.

Delish Dish:
Izakaya by Katsuya-fantastic, fresh sushi in a causal environment. Expect a celeb sighting.

Joan’s on Third-The stop by, pick up or sit outside place for coffee, sandwiches, and excellent cookies and cupcakes. Without fail I always see a celebrity, of course in LA, you never have to walk more than a block to see one. Last visit yielded an Amanda Peet sighting. Perhaps I’m in a rut, but I usually order the small field green salad and the cheese plate. You get to choose three different cheeses from their varied selection and the cheese expert serves them with a sliced baguette, Spanish Marcona almonds and tasty pastes like apricot, plum and quince to add splendid sweetness to your cheese.

Toast-The stomping ground for everybody in the neighborhood and multiple celebrity sightings like Selma Blair, Patrick Dempsey, and Paris Hilton (of course, where isn’t she seen).

Best place on Third St. to have breakfast (I love the Denver scramble and the breakfast burrito) and order a 1/2 chocolate 1/2 vanilla cupcake.

You just can’t leave West Hollywood without succumbing to the latest craze of enjoying a cupcake. Try the ones at Toast, Sprinkles in Beverly Hills or Joan’s on Third. Funny, that a town with such a prominent focus on being skinny also likes their cupcakes.

Kiss My Bundt- on Third St. near Crescent Heights Blvd for the best ever tasting bundt cakes. I’m am the biggest fan of the maple bundt with maple glaze. Just typing the words gets me tempted to drive over there and pick up a few bundts.

Il Sole-I’ve never, ever tasted a better bowl of penne alla vodka than what this place serves. They’re on Sunset Blvd. We try to go once every few months.

Osteria Mozza Pizza-Mario Batali’s more casual restaurant. We love to sit at the pizza bar prep area. And I always order the fried squash blossoms to start.

AOC-when you love to taste multiple dishes and wines this place on Third is a must go to adventure. The cheese selections are top notch.

Pace—Delicious food, warm service, bustling crowd, and homey atmosphere are a few ways to describe this inventive Italian restaurant along the climbing road of Laurel Canyon Blvd. The California style pizzas are the real draw with sourdough crusts and an eclectic mix of toppings. But my tastes always steer me to the pasta special, which is usually the best choice. And last time we saw a former Spice Girl so we had lots to gossip and “sing” about.

Urth Caffé-Organic, earthy and all-natural ingredients go into their food. Start with their signature spinach salad with pine nuts and feta or the new to die for salad with spinach, fennel, candied almonds (yum), radishes, onions and more. Or order one of their homemade soups and share a chicken curry panini. Save room for a rich dessert like 18-Carrot Gold cake or deep-dish apple pie and skip the vegan chocolate cake (yuck).

Farmer’s Market- Located at The Grove it’s a great place to stop for lunch and celebrate your cheap buys from Forever 21. Pick from numerous food stalls that serve crepes, fresh doughnuts, salads and burgers. Having dinner at a friend’s place? Then shop for fresh fish and pastries.

Al Gelato- For some this little restaurant on Robertson is the place to go for huge meatballs and marinara, though I find the sauce too sweet. Ironically, the sweet that is just right is the chocolate cake with white icing or the mile high apple pie. I skip the meal and go straight for dessert and while they pack up a big slice to go I sample some gelato.

And if it’s all about red velvet and some good grub head to The Wood on Washington Blvd in west LA and you’ll satisfy your sweet tooth with a mini moist red velvet cake. It’s hard to share, but try when you can also share the chocolate whoppie cake. Plus a big menu to fulfill a hearty breakfast or lunch.

Shop Talk:
The Way We Wore- Vintage done right. It’s not cheap by any standards, but this shop is a go to place for one of kind dresses to wear to events, belts that make any outfit stand out plus tops, skirts, jewelry, shoes and bags. Owner Doris Raymond has exceptional taste and is truly a curator of couture to prêt-a-porter. It’s the shop I can enjoy spending an hour or two going through the racks, playing dress up, chatting with the salesgirls and always pulling out my credit card for an unusual piece.

Hilary Rush-Hilary grew up in NY and has an eye for picking out the successful and the up and comers in the fashion biz. She has a small boutique on Third St. across from Toast restaurant. Quirky, but stand out jewelry pieces like an elephant cuff by Kenneth Jay Lane, or a bright faux strawberry with gold seeds dangling from a chain along with cropped canvas pants and simple sun dresses. Wish she didn’t sell out of the small sizes so fast which isn’t uncommon in LA boutiques.

Milk-A larger boutique on Third St. with homey touches like antique armoires filled with new and vintage clothes for sale. A couch and coffee table covered with fashion mags in the back faces the dressing rooms making it easy to carry on your own fashion show to friends or allow a bored boyfriend to sit while you peruse the racks.

Zipper-Scouring for gifts leads to plenty of pleasurable finds in this shop from gold circle necklaces to rubber alarm clocks and vases to coffee table books. Located on Third St. near a bevy of other boutiques. And who knows, you may run into Kirsten Dunst.

Satine- A pricey, small boutique with a heavy celebrity following on Third St. I always find my size and always find something that ends up on my Amex bill. Last time I shopped next to Rachel Bilson from “The O.C.” and Nicole Ritchie is a regular.

Other Notables:
Robertson St.-Visit Tory Burch (I love her shop in NYC in Nolita), Keihl’s (be sure to get samples if you make a purchase), Kitson for celeb sightings and Nanette Lepore for her ultra girlish line.

And take an afternoon in Santa Monica and Venice—
Rent a bike for a few hours to ride towards Malibu until you hit the old spot where Baywatch was filmed and then turn around and ride to Venice along the beach. And whether you ride your bike or drive head to Abbott Kinney and visit the boutiques that line about eight stylish blocks and get a fish taco at Tortilla Grill. This Mexican dive is the best in Venice with massive burritos and huge side dishes. Try the variety of pre-packaged sauces with your meal. And drop a little dough at some of the best boutiques along the boulevard. My picks—Heist, Madley, Lily, and Vert. If biking isn’t your thing try the trapeze school on the Santa Monica Pier.

And lastly—
Los Angeles has plenty of must do activities and two include a hike in Runyon Canyon which offer you a view of the city, the Hollywood sign, Griffith Observatory and an excellent chance to work on your thighs. Choose between entering off near the end of La Brea or Vista road. The second is a less physically taxing activity but still offers a view. Head up Mulholland, park your car and take the trolley ride up the hillside to the Getty Museum for the latest exhibit and a chance to relax in a glorious location.

Costa Rica has been my annual surfing/vacation destination for six years. And for the last three the sleepy coastal town of Nosara, far from a paved road with pot holes as big as kiddie pools has fulfilled my need for sun and relaxation where I can leave makeup, blow dryers and any notion of working hard far behind. I just work on trying to drop into a wave.

It’s all about livin’ outdoors-surfing, biking, swimming, and walking on the beach with the addition of margaritas and cold beer.

AND NOW it will forever be a grand memory of where my boyfriend surprised me on the beach at sunset with the perfect ring.

The main beach of Nosara is Playa Guiones, a 6 km expanse of white sand running in a straight line from Punta Pelada to Punta Guiones. Playa Guiones is the epitome of low-key beach life and ranks among the best surf spots on the Nicoya Peninsula.

Here’s what you need to know:
You will encounter friendly dogs everywhere you go. One may become your evening chaperone while you walk home from a restaurant with what you had presumed would be only your flashlight to guide you, others will sit or wander by your chair at one of the many local bars and others find nothing wrong, nor did we, in walking into your house for a short visit or to lay on your terrace in the shade. There was even a neighbor’s dog, Oso that liked to take a quick dip in the pool with us. Actually, you’ll encounter animals of all kinds.

For filling your stomach:
I start with the food since being from New York; we always want to find good food.

The Gilded Iguana—one of my favorites for any meal. The breakfast burritos and pancakes surprised me with how tasty they were. I learned of the breakfast goods after waking up to no power in town. In the early hours of the morning after St. Patrick’s Day one of the town’s large fuse boxes blew out and for everyone who thought they would be sleeping in under the cool air conditioner and wake up to enjoy their own fridge contents we were snapped out of it when all electricity was out. Word traveled fast that the Gilded had a generator. If I weren’t enjoying such a fresh selection of fruit everyday at my rented house it would have been hard to keep me away on daily basis.

As for other selections, go for whatever fish has been caught that day. One of the waiter’s brothers operates a deep-sea fishing company and whatever is caught can be brought back to Gilded and shared with the restaurant. One night we all dined on tuna sushi and grilled tuna. Plus the guacamole and chips are always good starters.

If you’re still thinking breakfast or perhaps have a stomach growling for lunch, ride your bike to Café du Paris. Like every restaurant in town it’s open on all sides with just a roof on top. This roof is shaped like a tall pointed tee-pee. Go for the fresh fruit with yogurt and granola or for lunch the chicken curry salad filled with all the salad fixings and piled with tender, marinated chicken.

One of mine, and many others favorites is La Luna. It’s located on a hillside with THE view of the sunset. Besides table seating on their outdoor terrace they also have big cushions, blankets, benches and low tables on their lawn that stretches to the hillside for optimal sunset viewing with a margarita in hand. Their fish is top notch and the jasmine rice is delicious. Expect to see several friendly dogs that wander about with or without their owners.

For competition to sunset viewing with La Luna, you can head up to Hotel Lagarta Lodge where you can view the spectacular sunset unobstructed since it’s 40 meters above sea level and offers a view of the coastline of Ostional and the Reserva Biologica Nosara below.

When you have a hankering for something sweet, head to Robin’s, just down the street from Café du Paris, for homemade ice cream, chewy brownies and chocolate chip cookies. She also serves sandwiches—my top picks include the chicken salad with a paprika mayonnaise followed by a scoop of wild blackberry sorbet or caramel oatmeal raisin cookie ice cream. And due to my sweet tooth, I always buy a cookie to save for later.

Marlin Bill’s is on a small hill that looks down the main drag that leads to Playa Guiones. The staff is incredibly nice and what’s not to like about Bill, who adopted his best friend’s cat when he died. Their claim to fame is their jalapeno sauce, which I opted to for go. While they are heavy handed with the butter and garlic on some dishes, it’s easily forgotten when you bite into their creamy key lime pie courtesy of Bill’s Florida raised wife.

If you have a car, jeep or like us are willing to walk a few miles then set out for La Dolce Vita for an Italian meal that will need a bit of walking off after wards. i.e. good but you may leave bloated. The owner, Roberto, left his home near Milan for a vacation in Costa Rica, fell for the lifestyle and decided to stay and open a restaurant. That was 12 years ago. It’s pricey when you compare it to other restaurants in town, but now I’m hooked on pairing speck with goat cheese and balsamic.

Giardino Tropicale is all about the delicious thin crust pizza and sangria. We started with a glass, then moved to a pitcher and accordingly walked a little wobbly home. If you want to receive a greeting from the house dog you’ll have to offer him a little cheese. He ignores left over crust and answers to “cheese please.”

Plus there are two markets in town, a large one near the airport and a mini super with a remarkable selection of fruit, food and wine near Kaya Sol.

Besides lying by the pool:

While there are several surf schools in town I recommend stopping by The Frog Pad and inquiring about lessons from Dee Dee who runs her operation out of the Frog Pad. She is the phenom of the teaching set; attentive, excellent with explanation and encouragement and it helps that she’s 6 feet tall so she can give you a push or always find you among the waves. If she ‘s not available you maybe be able to lure Dave Malbon, owner of The Frog Pad, away to give you a lesson ore get a recommendation. Since we rent a house near The Frog Pad, it becomes our go to place for rentals and booking all our activities from horseback riding to canopy tours, fishing charters and even taxis when we need them.

Surfboards per week: $75

Bikes per week: $50

Plus you can rent DVD’s, swap books, log onto the Internet or make inexpensive international phone calls.
They’ll also gladly make a call to reserve a spot for zip lining and set up a round trip taxi.

Zip lining in Nosara is a must on your to do list assuming you don’t have a fear of heights. At Miss Sky Canopy you can choose the morning or afternoon group, but smart ones choose morning for the slightly lower temps and 13 rides as opposed to only eight in the afternoon. Have someone call ahead for a reservation. Most taxis charge about $15 round trip whether it be one person or four people in the truck or van.

And what better way to end the day, before heading to the beach for an awesome sunset, than a massage. Tica Massage across the dirt road from the Harmony Hotel is the popular laid back spot for an hour massage. Whether in the upstairs loft or ground floor cabana, you’ll pay $55 for a rubdown. It’s an all-female masseuse team and while they change from year to year, we enjoyed the healing hands of Jennifer and Mailynn.

Nightlife:
Just about every night of the week one of the bars or restaurants has live music sometimes good, sometimes average, but still fun and Friday and Saturday are the nights that draw the most attention.

Kaya Sol, formally Blew Dogs, is the friendly spot for beers each night and live music.

Le Banane, Gilded Iguana, and Bar Toucan are the other regular “hot” spots for nightlife.

For an insiders experience, head to Tropicale disco for a lot of shakin’ and for an out of it’s element addition to Nosara a visit to The Black Sheep is requisite particularly if your vacation includes St. Patrick’s Day. It’s an Irish drinking club located on the mountainside above Nosara with a view of the valley yet transports you to Dublin within it’s doors. Beware the Irish car bomb, which is a glass of Guinness with a shot of scotch and Bailey’s dropped in. People claim it tastes like chocolate Dr. Pepper. Please drive safe.

If you can be trusted with a match, a small bonfire on the beach is usually a highlight of our vacation. Head to the beach, find the wood, light a match and be responsible; meaning be sure to put out the fire with plenty of sand when you’re done. We usually roast corn soaked in salt water or roast marshmallows. We create an untraditional version of s’mores with what we find at the mini super.

Where to shack up:
If you want more space, wish to eat at your leisure and pack a smaller bag, opt for renting a house. It’s our third year and we’ve rented the same place at Villa Tortuga each time from David Malbon. They have options of 1-3 bedrooms that include a kitchen, dining and living room, outdoor patio or terrace plus washer/dryer and what my friends consider important—the blender and DVD player. We find renting a house more affordable and comfortable than a hotel room, especially when you have a surfboard to store for the week.
VillaTortugaNosara.com

Harbor Reef Lodge not only offers several house rentals around town, but is one of the two most popular hotels in town as well. The lodge has two small pools, one of which has a swim up bar. Many visit the restaurant for sushi.
Harborreef.com

At Harmony Hotel, comfort meets effortless, high standards of sustainable living. It’s inspired by low-key glamour and total escape. Enjoy lounging by or taking a dip in the salt-water pool, walking amid the luscious foliage and flowers that thrive to create a habitat for a diverse animal species. Many rooms have outdoor hammocks and some have heated outdoor private showers.

The Healing Centre at Harmony offers massage and other spa services plus yoga for $12 everyday. The bonus to their yoga program is the opportunity to set up a private session for 1- 5 people for just $40 total. They even have a free salsa class on Thursdays.
Harmonynosara.com

Extras:
Day-tripper—drive to the beaches of San Juanillo. First stop at the white sand beach in the cove where the fisherman dock their boats and with old sneakers or water shoes swim over the rocks and do a bit of snorkeling. Best place to snooze is under the trees for cool shade. When it’s time for lunch start back up the road toward home, stop at La Bahia for lunch; an Italian restaurant disguised in Balinese décor above the black sand beach in the cove diagonally across from the white sand beach.
After a lunch of pizza and fresh fish, coincidentally dropped off fresh via horseback from a local fisherman, take the back path down to the black sand beach for a final swim before heading back to Playa Guiones. On our visit, we had the black sand beach all to ourselves; a great gift on our last day. The water was deep enough for swimming while the waves were soft, never pounding.

If you wish to be awe struck at the sight of hundreds of turtles coming to lay their eggs during the aribadas at Ostional then plan your trip between the peak times of July to December.

Seasons:
Everything’s in bloom—November and December
Dry Season—January-March
Hottest month-April
Rainy Season-May-October

Getting there:
Most flights take you to Liberia or San Jose. If you land in San Jose you’ll definitely want to take a flight from there on one of the smaller airlines, Sansa or Nature Air directly to Nosara. From Liberia, catch a flight to Nosara or hire a taxi for $120-$150 (1-6 people) to drive you to your destination which will take about 2 ½ hours.

Flying into San Pedro is a bit of a magical experience, crossing over tiny mangrove islands and some of the clearest blue water I’ve ever seen. The airport is in the middle of the town, and it was relatively easy to get right down to the water to meet up with our catamaran, where we would be spending the next seven days with four other couples touring the cayes that run along the coast of Belize.

We stayed in the boat the first night and left in the morning. I immediately felt myself relax, out on the water with nothing but fresh air, beautiful sky and crystal clear water. A couple of us fished off the back, and dolphins joined us along the way, swimming alongside and up in front, jumping out of the water and dodging the hulls. It was a spectacular sight.

We were taken to a small island where a father and son lived and kept a small aquarium housing some of the marine life native to the cayes– lobsters, seahorses and a massive goliath grouper, just to name a few. It felt a world away from Los Angeles, and as the sun went down and we headed back to our boat for a freshly prepared dinner, I was already finding it hard to even remember my regular life back in Los Angeles.

The next day started out rainy, so we sailed slowly for English Caye, a beautiful island sitting out on its own with a lighthouse and beautiful sandy beaches. Just as we arrived, the sun had come out from behind the clouds, so we were able to do some snorkeling, seeing some amazing fish and coral life encircling the caye.

That night our guide took us through some mangroves, and, watching the sun set on our journey back to our boat, I felt I’d arrived in paradise.

The next day we were off to Goff’s Caye, a settlement during the Colonial times that has become a destination for the cruise ships that travel in and out of Belize City. We were lucky enough to get there when no one else was there, and it really felt like we had our own private island. We snorkeled and enjoyed the sun, and as we prepared to leave, it began to rain, just as the cruise ship tourists began to arrive.

Next stop was St. George Caye, where we were able to park the catamaran and take a kayak through the mangroves, searching for the elusive manatee. We never got to see one, but the peaceful experience of rowing through the trees and being told about the caye and the animal life was worth it.

That night we ate at the restaurant on the island; the food was amazing, and everyone had more than enough to drink. The sunset was absolutely breathtaking.

The next day was another fantastic day of snorkeling and sailing, fishing and playing games, eating and drinking and relaxing. We swam with the manta rays (and a few barracuda) off the coast of Caye Caulker, and the snorkeling on the deeper side of the reef was absolutely stunning. We came across a school of thousands of fish in a small channel from one side to the other, and as we reached the deeper side found ourselves looking down at a massive spotted eagle ray swimming just below us.

Caye Caulker is a wonderful little town that runs down a long strip of island – it’s a colorful little tourist trap, but there are some great shops and definitely stop in to the bar at the end of town - it’s the epitome of what I had imagined an island bar to be.

We stayed off the coast of Caye Caulker that night and then travelled back up to San Pedro the next day. San Pedro is a really wonderful place, lots of nightlife, including Fido’s, the Jaguar’s Temple and Big Daddy’s, and different places to eat and shops to pop into. There are a variety of restaurants, ranging from Pirate Pizza and the Hungry Monkey Sub Shop to the higher-end Casa Picasso and Blue Water Grill.

It’s best to get around by golf cart or even better, by bicycle, as none of the roads are paved and there aren’t many taxis. We stayed an extra night at Victoria House, a higher-end resort hotel, and it was well worth it. They have terrific accommodations, both casitas and regular rooms inside the main building, just yards from the beach, as well as two pools, a nice restaurant and bar.

It was a beautiful, relaxing and very romantic vacation, and it was incredibly hard to leave. I, too, fell in love with San Pedro.