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Issue: Fall/Winter 2010
Author(s): Kim Brown
Imagine sailing the Chicago Lakefront, hand-in-hand with the one you love on a private bed and breakfast yacht. Relax underneath the stars and catch a fireworks show on Lake Michigan or escape to comfy lounging under the deck in ample natural lighting. Comfort and performance are the important characteristics of Windy City Sailing, specializing in bed and breakfast service on luxury sailing yachts and private sailboat charters on the Chicago Lakefront. Yachts depart at Belmont Harbor located on the north...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2010
Author(s): Patricia Bates
Travel to Cobourg, Ontario, and you may just return home the very picture of health. In “Ontario’s Feel Good Town,” make it a wellness weekend. Take the “Spa Train” on VIA Rail, where you’ll freshen up with a hot towel before a light lunch while traveling through the relaxing countryside about an hour-and-a-half east of Toronto. The “Stress Express” will escort you from Cobourg Station to any of seven inns, B&Bs, or quaint cottages, and the destination Ste. Anne’s Spa. Cobourg was known as “The Newpo...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2010
Author(s): Amber Matheson
Bicycle-wheel chandeliers dot the soaring ceilings of the Greenhouse Tavern. Barn siding, courtesy of an Ohio farmer, covers one wall. Such deft nods to recycling and sustainability garnered the Cleveland hotspot a green certification from the Green Restaurant Association — the first of its kind in Ohio. As Cleveland works to become a “green city on a blue lake” (an unofficial city slogan) more local restaurants are embracing eco-friendly practices — and you can spend an entire weekend devouring their ef...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2010
Author(s): Amy S. Eckert
Interstate 64 cuts an asphalt swath through the Allegheny Mountains in southern West Virginia . The expressway carries speeding travelers into a landscape of misty mountain mornings, rippling brooks and, finally, a slower way of life. The route also paves the way to Lewisburg’s country retreat, the General Lewis Inn . Built in 1834, the inn takes its name from the 18th-century soldier Andrew Lewis, who discovered a local natural spring, established his fame in battle and lent his name to Lewisburg, West...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2010
Author(s): Claudia J. Taller
It’s hard not to have fun while exploring the back roads and hidden places of Seneca Lake in New York State’s Finger Lakes Region . Part of the fun is that the sites along Seneca Lake, carved from ancient seabeds by prehistoric glaciers, provide geology lessons in its notable waterfalls, salt mines and wine. The entrance to Watkins Glen State Park is in the heart of Watkins Glen’s old-fashioned downtown. Granite outcroppings and waterfalls, hanging greenery, rock walkways, and the sound of water everywh...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2010
Author(s): Amy S. Eckert
It should come as no surprise that Southern Indiana makes good wine. Part of the fertile Ohio River Valley, it was only a matter of time before vintners recognized this region as grape-growing country. In fact, the Swiss began wine cultivation in southern Indiana in 1806, right after they settled in the region. Today, six wineries comprise the Indiana Wine Tr ail , located in the state’s southeastern corner near the towns of Versailles, Vevay and Madison. While the wineries of Southern Indiana share a c...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2010
Author(s): Amy S. Eckert
Serious baristas from throughout North America and as far away as Europe make their way to the Midwest Barista School each year to learn the fine art of making quality coffee. In fact, would-be cafe professionals have converged upon this Holland, Michigan , location to learn not only how to make a good cup of joe, but also how to make a profit from it. And now, the school has opened its doors to amateurs. For individuals who simply want to brew cafe-quality coffee drinks in their own homes, the school o...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2009
Author(s): Sherri Telenko
Three tiers of finger foods during the afternoon English tea service set the tone for an elegant visit at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario . Petit fours and smoked salmon with cucumber on marble rye are just two options for noshing as you sip one of many black or green teas, most imported from Europe. But don’t expect stuffy; this is Canada. Yes, traditional London luxe defines this anchor property of a historic town, but it’s easy to relax as you drink a pint of Niagara’s own Be...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2009
Author(s): Jane Ammeson
Many of us have meandered along a wine trail or two; now, the Michigan Brewer’s Guild has applied that same concept to the state’s burgeoning microbrewery industry. Ranked sixth in the country for total number of breweries, Michigan prides itself on handcrafted beers that range from the palest of ales to the most robust stouts. To discover the best, take a romantic drive along the Central Michigan Microbrewery Trail as it winds through the state’s heartland, an area of rolling hills, historic towns, lush...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2009
Author(s): Betsa Marsh
Nothing defines a Victorian Christmas like the aroma of roasting chestnuts and the beckoning strains of “Deck the Halls” sung by carolers in hoop skirts and top hats on the village square. And no person evokes a Victorian Christmas better than Charles Dickens. Ohio Village in Columbus , set in the 1860s, is the perfect backdrop for Dickens’ A Christmas Carol , and during Dickens of a Christmas , couples can step right into the spell. In the village December 11–12, 18–19 and 20, you might meet The Ghost o...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2009
Author(s): Amy S. Eckert
Kentucky wants you to get to know bourbon, and the state’s distillers have drawn up a map to help you do it. Following in the footsteps of America’s vintners, eight of the state’s premier bourbon distillers — Jim Beam, Tom Moore, Heaven Hill, Maker’s Mark, Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey and Four Roses — charted the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, southeast of Louisville, Kentucky , in the heart of horse country. Like their wine industry counterparts, the distilleries offer explanations of the dist...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2009
Author(s): Lori B. Murray
You’ve never seen Lake Erie waterfront accommodations quite like this. To add a touch of luxury to the quiet shores of Kelleys Island, Ohio , Beth and Tim Hermes chose to build A Water’s Edge Retreat , an upscale Victorian-style B&B that should be classified as a must-visit destination and not just a place to stay when you’re on the island. The truth is, once you get settled, you may venture no farther than the veranda or the beach deck. Choose from six, antiques-furnished suites, all with private b...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2009
Author(s): Gerald Bartell
When you sink into a soothing spa bath at Saratoga Spa State Park , in Saratoga Springs, New York, remember that the swirling 97-degree mineral waters have an impressive pedigree. The waters that weary-limbed travelers seek here were first discovered by resident Iroquois in the 14th century. By the 1800s, the region became known as the Queen of Spas and as the place that, literally, put the carbonated fizz in ice cream sodas. In the 1930s, Franklin Roosevelt ordered the creation of new spa and arts and ...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2009
Author(s): Susan R. Pollack
Grab a picnic, find a bench or spread a blanket along the bank of the Avon River in Stratford, Ontario . You can feed the ducks and swans from shore, or rent a paddleboat, kayak or canoe — but don’t be surprised when trumpeters, clad in Elizabethan costumes, appear on the Festival Theatre balcony, five minutes before curtain time, to herald the next performance. That’s tradition in this charming southwest Ontario community that’s home to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival — North America’s leading class...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2008
Author(s): Gerald Bartell
Vacationers can’t help but warm to a waterfront resort where every room has a view of the marina. Include in-room massages, nearby sightseeing and sleek interiors inspired by Scandinavian and modern design, and travelers start daydreaming of a way to turn their weekend near the water into a permanent escape. Thankfully, the Marina Grand Resort , on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan in New Buffalo, Michigan, offers the opportunity to do just that. The destination is known as a condo hotel: a spot t...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2008
Author(s): John Patrick Pullen
Though the Seneca-language translation of “chautauqua” is “bag tied in the middle,” it could also mean “romantic escape” to traveling couples. It’s easy to get lost in the charm of Chautauqua, New York, especially if you’re with someone you love — and The Spencer Hotel & Spa is as good a place as any to find yourselves. The nearly 100-year-old historic landmark is four floors of quaint allure, with rooms custom-painted by local artists to depict the scenes of famous books by authors such as Jane Aus...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2008
Author(s): Amy S. Eckert
Race cars made Indianapolis famous. But don’t let the city’s enthusiasm for sports fool you. Indy has a romantic side. Begin a romantic getaway with a stop at the South Bend Chocolate Company downtown. A gift of Cherry Blossoms — cherries, pecans and caramel dipped in white chocolate and decorated with red swirls — scores high marks for its decadent flavors and its red and white colors. Gift givers can go one step further by preordering custom-made flavor combinations and candies embellished with a pers...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2008
Author(s): Betsa Marsh
Just look for the old black coach in front of the broad white building and you’ve found your welcome in a sleepy little town along West Virginia’s Greenbrier River. Lewisburg’s General Lewis Inn will celebrate its 80th birthday in 2009, offering hospitality in buildings that go back to 1834. Every bed is antique, and two are old-fashioned rope beds that third-generation innkeeper Jim Morgan has to tighten twice a year. “You really can sleep tight here,” he says of the old adage that arose from the rope-...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2008
Author(s): Ed Condran
You can almost hear the “U-S-A,” chant when you skate on Lake Placid ice. The cry of national pride — which emanated from the vibrant upstate New York town after the young American hockey team beat its grizzled, heavily favored Russian rival nearly three decades ago — won’t go away. But there’s much more to Lake Placid than the memories of what was arguably the most dramatic and surprising upset in sports history. The Whiteface Lodge , for instance, is a destination in its own right. The posh Whiteface ...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2008
Author(s): Tracey Teo
Occasionally, the romance in a relationship dries up with the summer heat. But fall and winter presents lots of opportunities to cuddle up with a loved one. Dupont Mansion , an elegant B&B located in the Old Louisville Preservation District of Kentucky, features a distinctive architectural landscape that inspires couples to brave chilly weather just to see the sights. Few activities are more romantic than walking hand-in-hand along the tree-lined streets of this area on a crisp day. Old Louisville i...
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Issue: Bonus Online Content Summer 2008
Author(s): Ashley Harrington
A romantic getaway with my husband was long overdue. But the dilemma I faced was one common to many couples: How to choose the perfect spot that offered diversions both of us would enjoy. However, as I poured over travel web sites and brochures one day, I overheard a colleague talking about a place that caters to your every whim. It sounded like something out of a Victorian romance novel: A fragrant bubble bath prepared by your own personal butler. Milk, cookies and even champagne brought to your room a...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2008
Author(s): John Patrick Pullen, Photo courtesy of Sayre Mansion Inn
If you and your special someone need a little help finding your spark, take this advice: Book a flight to Lehigh Valley Airport and follow your heart to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania , for a stay at the Sayre Mansion Inn . This elegant former mansion has been gorgeously restored and is only blocks from the historic downtown, where quaint shopping and quality restaurants will help you reconnect. The inn itself has 18 guest rooms that come with all the amenities you’d expect in a modern mansion (air conditioning...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2008
Author(s): Jenny Pavlasek
Call us hopeless romantics, but stealing away to an inn hidden in the cache of West Virginia’s hillsides sounds like a movie Deborah Kerr should have made. Graceland Inn in Elkins would have been the perfect place for the love story to unfold. Surrounded by an undisturbed view of the stunningly green Monongahela National Forest, the inn is a pristinely restored 1892 Victorian mansion that once served as the plush summer home of U.S. Senator Henry Gassaway Davis. Now a National Historic Landmark o...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2008
Author(s): Kathy Witt
Any setting that inspired author Ralph Waldo Emerson to pen beautiful prose has to be beyond breathtaking. Enter New York’s Hudson Valley , which the famed writer rhapsodized about in his 1836 essay, “Nature.” That work led to the creation of the Catskill Forest Preserve, and today, those scenic 600 square miles serve as the backdrop for the Emerson Resort and Spa , a destination where tranquility is paramount, opulent amenities are the norm and intimate moments seem to wait around every corner. The Eas...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2008
Author(s): Betsa Marsh
What could be more romantic than nuzzling together over glasses of vino while watching the dipping sun emblazon row upon row of grapevines? How about adding views out to Lake Ontario and the panoramic Toronto skyline, too? That’s part of the draw of Flat Rock Cellars on the Niagara Peninsula , 20 minutes from Niagara Falls and an hour from Toronto. The winery, known for its Riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir and ice wines, offers free public tours daily from May to October, and on select days throu...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2007
Author(s): Kathy Witt
Through its architecture, The Lodge at Woodloch offers an integrated experience of mind, body and spirit: Sweeping outdoor vistas are captured in floor-to-ceiling windows throughout; nature's colors flow inside, and terraces and porches open to a pristine lake, ponds and woodland gardens. Located on 75 forested acres in the Lake Region of northeast Pennsylvan ia , The Lodge is a relaxing oasis with 58 luxury rooms and a spa that is a sybaritic retreat. With 27 treatment rooms offering a variety of nurtu...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2007
Author(s): Betsa Marsh
Scented candles burn, soft music plays and the fireplace glows. At Stonebridge Inn & Spa in Batesville, Indiana , the staff will happily set the mood for a memorable weekend. Guests and significant others need only pack an overnight bag and show up. "We have a lot of gentlemen who ask us to arrange everything," says Ashley Schuerman, co-owner and innkeeper. "They want us to pick a romance package, so that it will be a surprise for both of them." The mansion, set on three lush acres an hour outside I...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2007
Author(s): Tracy Teo
Chocolate has been considered an aphrodisiac for centuries. So, what better way for a couple to spend a romantic getaway than steeped in the sweet stuff? A confection-infused menu and cozy accommodations lure chocoholics to Cocoa Cottage Bed & Breakfast in Whitehall, Michigan : a 1912, arts-and-crafts-style bungalow where owners Larry Robertson and Lisa Tallarico treat chocolate as if it were one of the major food groups — from preparing breakfasts that include a moist chocolate zucchini bread and M...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2007
Author(s): Gerald Bartell
For book lovers, the perfect vacation is one that can bridge an awfully wide gap: a getaway that allows both quality time with a loved one and ample opportunity to curl up with a good book. To that end, New York's Library Ho tel is the perfect place to get between the covers. The luxury boutique hotel took a page, as it were, from the Dewey Decimal System by naming each of its 10 floors after the system's 10 categories, including history, literature, philosophy, etc. The result is 60 meticulously design...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2007
Author(s): Amy S. Eckert
Traverse City is a perennial favorite for autumn travelers. Lakeshore vineyards glow copper and gold in the fall, and the new vintages beg to be sampled. But many visitors to Michigan's premier wine-growing region long to move past the tasting-room bar. Chateau Chantal's daylong Wine Immersion seminars offer wine lovers a crash course in the subject. The Saturday programs, conducted by winemaker Mark Johnson, begin with a tour of the winery's hilltop vineyards. Then it's inside for a winery tour a...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2007
Author(s): Kathy Witt
Sleek, urbane, au courant: The new 21c Museum Ho tel on Louisville, Kentucky's historic Main Street is a retreat where you can have your art and cuddle up with it, too. A collection of cutting-edge works is on exhibit in the hotel's 5,000-square-foot atrium, and the theme is carried seductively into the 91 guest rooms, each with original artwork, as well as fine linens imported from Italy, 42-inch plasma TVs and iPods customized with guests' favorite music prior to arrival. The hotel's "Penguin Passion ...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2007
Author(s): Thomas Connors
A meaningful evening can spring from scheduling time to enjoy one of life's everyday pleasures together. Many couples know that the best time to do that is at sunset, when the sky glows pastel as the sun sinks into the horizon, forcing us to simply enjoy the scenery and the company of our significant other. At Tara Point Inn & Cottages in Grafton, Illinois , life seems to move at a slower pace, thanks to the breathtaking views that surround the property. Nestled on a bluff overlooking the confluence...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2007
Author(s): Betsa Marsh
With dramatic pines sheltering its wings and the South Elkhorn Creek bubbling behind, it looks as if this venerable Midway Kentucky farmhouse has been tucked into its cove off Leestown Road since the commonwealth began. Yet the house and setting have coalesced only since 1971, when the 18th-century structure was moved from Ironworks Pike in Scott County and resettled outside Midway in Woodford County. So it was natural that the home's new name would become an amalgam of the two: Scottwood . Couples, too...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2007
Author(s): Miriam Carey
Oh, how they love their food in Chicago . From sausage and deep-dish pizza to great mid-priced bistros and ethnic eateries to elegant dining, Chicagoans know how to dish it up. And while the experience of eating can be found throughout the Windy City, visitors who come here to learn to cook have some excellent options. Book well in advance, as these classes fill up quickly, and arrive with an appetite. Serious foodies check into the Peninsula hotel for a class hosted by the chefs at the hotel's Shanghai...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2007
Author(s): Gerald Bartell
If watching cooking shows makes you want to peer over the host chef's shoulder as he creates a stunning souffle, you'll want to visit the New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua, New York . Among the most popular classes the center offers are with celebrity chefs and cookbook authors. You can work alongside them if you want, or just sit back and see how they do it before sampling their results. Besides classes with star chefs, the center offers classes for cooks of all levels. Don't know how to...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2007
It's the stuff memories are made of. Special trips with the one you love can sustain you for a very long time. Looking back on the time spent, places explored and adventures experienced together can make you feel almost as happy as you felt while you were on your getaway in the first place. This year, do something romantic and take your sweetheart on a trip. Getting away together is sure to bring smiles to both of your faces. For years to come. Staying In Goes All Out The James Hotel, Chicago, Illinois ...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2007
Author(s): Amy S. Eckert
Traverse City is the perfect spot to enjoy a culinary getaway. Set in the pinky finger of Michigan's mitten-shaped Lower Peninsula, this area has long been home to some of the state's most fertile orchards. Peaches, apricots, pears and apples are commonly grown in northwestern Michigan, and the region produces more cherries than anyplace else in the nation. In recent decades, Traverse City has also become one of Michigan's most prolific, quality wine-producing areas. So it came as no surprise when Trave...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2007
Author(s): Bob Beasley
If it's renewal and romance you seek, there's a getaway tucked in the mountains of western Pennsylvania that's calling for you. Located just 50 miles south of the hustle and bustle of Pittsburgh along the old National Road, the Summit Inn Resort sits high atop the Chestnut Ridge, providing panoramic views of the tree-covered Laurel Highlands . Whether you're resting poolside or simply gazing at the untouched natural beauty that surrounds you from the century-old inn's trademark Great Porch, all of your ...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2007
Author(s): Betsa Marsh
Julie Chmiel pops upstairs to the master bedroom, arranges the champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries, and fluffs the pillows one last time. All that's left is for the couple to light the candles in their Rookwood fireplace, toast each other, share a strawberry and snuggle into the four-poster bed. Catering to lovers is second nature to Julie, a hotel manager for more than 25 years, and her husband, Larry, a wine distributor who knows his champagne. They're glad to make recommendations for day trip...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2007
Author(s): Gerald Bartell
A weekend at the St. Joseph Institute in Port Matilda, Pennsylvania , will have you glowing inside and out. This new wellness center promises to treat both the lower back and low self-esteem - or whatever else cramps body and soul. Package spa treatments at the Institute start by assessing your needs and then designing programs for a weekend of rejuvenation. A program might include stone and Swedish massage, detoxifying, skin care and chiropractic adjustment. Classes in a resistance pool offer low-impac...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2007
Author(s): Miriam Carey
Louisville has long boasted a flourishing restaurant culture, and any trip to this town should begin and end at the Brown Hotel, where Hot Brown was introduced in the 1920s. The dish is simply a mixture of bacon, turkey, bread, butter and cheese, but for some reason it tastes unbelievable at J. Graham's eatery — a quirky, old-fashioned brasserie just off the lobby of this historic hotel. The hotel's English Grill, headed by Chef Joe Castro, is a AAA Four-Diamond Award-winning restaurant that showcases C...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2007
Author(s): Gerald Bartell
The James Hotel in Chicago lends the term "lost weekend" a new, positive slant. Check in at this boutique spot, get lost in its style and pampering and leave thoroughly restored. Light woods, leather furniture and white birch tree trunks clustered in planters suggest Oslo or Stockholm, transporting you from downtown Chicago's Miracle Mile, just minutes away. A kind of Scandinavian or minimalist decor prevails as well in accommodations, which range from king rooms to a penthouse suite. All have light wal...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2007
Author(s): Miriam Carey
Escaping to Chicago for a romantic weekend doesn't have to mean breaking the bank. Operating under the cushy InterContinental Hotel Group brand name, the Hotel Indigo surprises visitors with its location in Chicago's residential Gold Coast neighborhood and its upscale affordability. Guests can take advantage of packages that include a nice-sized suite and spa services for less than $250 a night. Designed to entice the weary traveler with comfortable decor and a motif centered on the idea of relaxation, ...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2007
Author(s): Amy S. Eckert
West Michigan has long been known by its residents as wine country. The state's southwestern corner is home to mainstays Tabor Hill and St. Julian. And Traverse City is generally considered to have been the state's premier wine producer for at least a decade. Now, half a dozen vintners are taking a stab at producing wines in Michigan's southeastern corner . Appropriately dubbed the Pioneer Wine Trail , the region forms a rough triangle from Dundee in the south to Ann Arbor and Lansing in the north and w...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2007
Author(s): Miriam Carey
Cuddling up on a three-mile-long beach to watch the sunset while listening to the wind rustle the wild dune grasses might sound like a long, expensive journey to the Hamptons, but this romantic spot is just a short jaunt to Michigan City in northern Indiana . Michigan City's charm includes picturesque waterfront views, miles of quiet, sandy beaches, historic architecture and romantic little inns. Serenity Springs offers a wide range of private bungalows to visitors who want a quiet getaway. Featuring so...
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