Monday, May 22, 2023

An Art-Focused Luxe Hotel in Lisbon

Whether you’re an art lover, a gourmand, or someone who wants to connect with nature in a placid environment, a stay at the luxe Valverde Hotel won’t disappoint. Despite being located in the ever-buzzing Avenida da Liberdade, this hotel is a true sanctuary that appears relatively unremarkable from the outside, yet the interior feels like a cross between a private club and an art gallery, along with a courtyard resembling a botanical garden. This is my latest article for ForbesLife on the Valverde Hotel.







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Sunday, May 21, 2023

Harbour Village Beach Club on Bonaire

On Bonaire, the Harbour Village Beach Club is just a five-minute drive from the buzzing capital city of Kralendijk, yet the vibe couldn’t be more bucolic. With a private sandy beach and colorfully landscaped gardens, it’s easy to relax and connect with nature. In addition, you won’t tire of the stellar sunsets, whether from the beach or the al fresco restaurant, La Balandra. 





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Saturday, May 20, 2023

Travels in Bonaire

On the south coast of Bonaire, this is an example of the huts made of coral stone that remain as reminders of where the enslaved people slept after toiling in the salt pans all day. The slave huts were open to the air, housed multiple people, and were barely five feet high.




In the busy capital city of Kralendijk, it seems that St. Bernard Church was the only place where I found myself delightfully all alone.




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Sunday, May 14, 2023

Creative Wanderings in Toronto

Even biking the Toronto Islands off-season is a delight. Taking a guided tour with Toronto Bicycle Tours, I discovered a pristine, undeveloped stretch of sand.



Sculptor Duane Linklater created this series of concrete gargoyles that are replicas of those found around Toronto. This series that’s set in a green space populated with box elder, maple and hickory is referred to as Monsters for Permanence, Beauty and Individuality. It’s along a section of the Lower Don Valley Trail that’s well used by everyone from walkers to cyclists.




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