Nyack, New York is a charming waterfront village on the Hudson River. It is situated about an hour north of NYC on the westside of the river. The first known inhabitants of Nyack were the Algonquin Indians that (it is speculated) traveled after the sale of the island of Manhattan to the western shore and eventually up river to what is now Nyack. Next came the Dutch in the late 1600s. The Dutch settlers primarily farmed but little by little Nyack's harbor became known and as such came new growth...by the mid 1800s manufacturing was dominant. 300 years after the Dutch settled and with the construction of the Tappan Zee Bridge and the Palisades Interstate Parkway, Nyack was about to experience an urban renewal that put it back on the map. And NYC inhabitants are still relocating to the area much like the Algonquins!! Nyack's residents and shopkeepers have renovated, restored and re-purposed it's homes and storefronts into one of the most charming villages in the area. Nyack has been, and is still, known as a haven for artists and "foodies" come to enjoy in the diversity of ethnic menus. From fast foods to gourmet meals, there is something for everyone's palate. There's also a weekly green market for those who would rather cook fresh from the farm to their table at home. The village offers plenty of shopping: clothes, gifts, crafts, home furnishings and accessories, antiques, flowers and so much more! And if you can still reach that inner child in you, come join Nyack's Halloween Parade! Adults, like children, dress up and there are creative floats vying for prizes. (You can do a search for Nyack Halloween Parade 2016 for great photos of the event)
I was there recently over the holiday weekend and walked the village from Main Street down and along Broadway...bright sun peeked between grey skies and the crisp fall weather made the stroll so very enjoyable. The shops were filled with customers, their windows in full holiday display and the restaurants' tables were beautifully set for the evening meal. What did I enjoyed most? The friendly smiles! Here are a few photos I took of Nyack....
BY THE WAY.... HOTEL:
If you find yourself in Rockland County and want to stay the weekend to enjoy as much of the area, treat yourself to the DoubleTree Hotel in Nanuet (Route 59). Very comfortable, very clean, great service (a warm cookie upon checkin!) and it's centrally located with free parking.
Here's the link: http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/new-york/doubletree-by-hilton-hotel-nanuet-NYCNADT/index.html
There is a new hotel in Nyack called "Time"; I've not stayed nor visited, but did notice it's location near the NYS Thruway exit for Nyack. It's a stone's throw from the "West Gate Inn" famous for it's weekends of music and dancing; for years Tito Puente played there and believe his son carries on. The holiday weekend had a tribute to Celia Cruz - bet the place was rockin''!!
DINING:
1. I enjoyed a very good BBQ meal one evening in West Haverstraw, NY at Babe's Bar and Grill. Great food, friendly service and well worth the visit (see their Facebook page or my Trip Advisor review for more info).
2. Another great dining stop was O Lar in Piermont, NY. Tiny, tiny place serving up great pizzas and flatbreads with a nice selection of tapas to share. Sangria was spot-on!
(Again see their Facebook page or my Trip Advisor review for more info.)
3. My favorite for pizza is Turiello's in Nyack...it was a favorite when we lived there, and it is still oh-so-good today! Here's their link: http://www.turiellospizza.com
Every once in a while, I like to step back into a quieter time, enjoy a calmer pace and breathe fresh mountain air while taking in scenic river views. Such was my last travel escape to Cochem, Germany.
Cochem is located on the Moselle River about 2 hours south of Cologne. (http://www.ferienland-cochem.de/nextshopcms/show.asp?lang=en&e1=52) It is a charming town, with plenty of hotels, restaurants, river boats for day and/or evening cruising and slowly becoming a popular stop for river cruises. I noticed UniWorld River Cruise and Viking River Cruise ships docked there. It's a great location for these extended cruises: the ship docks avery short distance to the village. Of course, the Reichburg (or Cochem) Castle is a favorite tour for so many that visit, myself included. But, what is most famous on the Moselle River (aside from the most quaint of towns and villages) is the wine. Yes, the wine. Not the stereotype wine I remember when I was first introduced to wine. The wine culture here is top notch with a selection of red and white wines for every taste. And because of the abundance of berries and fruits, there are flavored liqueurs to add a little panache to a sparkling or white wine. I can assure you, that little extra zing of flavor in a glass of sparkling wine will make you smile!
I stayed at the Hieronimi Hotel (http://www.hotel-hieronimi.de/english/) a family run hotel with fantastic restaurant. Breakfast was included in the room rate, in-room wi-fi was free as was the parking. However, there is no elevator/lift....my room on the attic floor was absolutely charming, spacious and offered panoramic views from the wall of windows....however, it was 55 steps up! I got a good work out to offset the wonderful breakfast served every morning. The hotel is impeccable. In addition to rooms and dining, the hotel offers wine tastings! While I did not do the wine tasting at the hotel, I did sample some wine at the wine cellar the family owns and operates on the other side of the bridge. The "cave" is truly a cave! I was there several years ago and sampled so many wines, the trunk of the car was laden with wines - and I still have some today! Really lovely wines....
The Moselle River is dotted with beautiful towns and villages on its banks. With so many river boats offering day (or evening) cruises, how could I not? I took a day trip down to Beilstein (http://www.beilstein-mosel.de/englisch/) and what a charming storybook village, complete with castle ruin. Sitting down to a light lunch overlooking the river was the perfect way to relax....and the several flutes of Kir Moselle (sparkling wine with a dash of sour cherry liqueur) were the best medicine for whatever could have ailed me! ...ahhhh....
There was another day trip to Trier, Germany (http://www.trier-info.de/english/sights-in-trier). About an hour's drive from Cochem, Trier was founded by the Romans in 16BC. I enjoyed walking through the old town, staring into windows of the butcher shop (so many sausages!), and the farmer's market was just about closing down but not before I eyed bunches of the most beautiful grapes ever and only 2.50 euros (about $2.80) for just over a pound of them! Lunch beckoned and it was a celebratory lunch for a friend at The Brasserie (http://www.brasserie-trier.de). While the delicious meal was perfectly prepared and presented it was the dessert that I was most curious about: the World's Best Chocolate Pudding. Now that's a bold statement...and it delivered! Dark chocolate pudding with sour cherries at the bottom....O-M-G it was delicious. And for me, they can make that claim until someone else makes a better one! I did manage to see the Roman Gate (Porta Nigra) and it was impressive. There are several other historical sites and plenty of museums in Trier, so it may require another visit in the future.
After several days of relaxing, dining and wining it was time to head home....here's a video of my visit to the Moselle River - hope you can make a similar visit someday soon!
During our last road trip, we took the leisurely route and drove only four or five hours a day.
Our first stop was Perpignan, France. I think it is the last largest city in France before arriving at the Spanish border along the Mediterranean coast.
We stayed at a Best Western "Windsor"; great value, fabulous location and we had a great room on the top floor with a small balcony that overlooked the city. http://www.hotel-windsor-perpignan.com/
Next day's drive was to my favorite city of Valencia, Spain. We were in Valencia last summer and stayed at the Zenit Hotel Valencia. This trip, there was no question where to stay: back to the Zenit Hotel! This visit we upgraded to a junior suite for our 2 night stay and it was fabulous beyond anything! http://valencia.zenithoteles.com/
I write reviews for all my hotels stays, sightseeing and dining on TripAdvisor under my blog name.
To read my reviews, you can visit TripAdvisor.com and in the search field enter: VirtualGlobalLiving
Have fun!
"Fifi"
Die Bank, near the Renaissance Hotel & shopping mall http://www.diebank-brasserie.de/
(be sure to click on the "language" tab to get the English version)
We stayed at the Kempinski Hotel during our stay. The hotel is gorgeous, the staff attentive. Great location near the train station including the metro. Beautiful setting overlooking the lake and tree lined street - any easy walk into either the new or old town!
We stayed at the Kempinski Atlantic Hotel in Hamburg (http://www.kempinski.com/en/hamburg/hotel-atlantic/overview/). This grand hotel is step back in time for refined elegance and the modern rooms and suites boast elegant finishes.
Convenient to the main rail station, easy walk to both the old and new towns and the walking path along the river make this an excellent choice for a stay in Hamburg.
We ate at the following restaurants and enjoyed every one of them!
Cafe Parishttp://www.cafeparis.net/en/home.html
We had a delightful Sunday brunch - full of locals, friendly staff and really good food!
Very cool interior including the ceiling!
Die Bankhttp://www.diebank-brasserie.de/ (the website has a link to translate into English)
A former bank turned brasserie - the simple menu means an excellent meal is coming your way!
The restaurant features photos and quips from famous bank robbers!
Cox Restaurant http://www.restaurant-cox.de/ (google will translate into English!)
We enjoyed a wonderful dinner in this local restaurant not too far from the hotel. The place was lively and the food delicious. The short walk back to the hotel was delightful.
Should you find your way to Hamburg, and want to do some shopping, there is a great mall, Hanse Viertel (http://www.hanseviertel.de/). We discovered it as we were walking to lunch at Die Bank.
There is much more to see in Hamburg - it merits another visit!
Here are a few of the places where we have enjoyed great meals in Vence:
1. Auberge des Seigneurs http://www.auberge-seigneurs.com/home.htm
The setting is an lovely old 'castle', family run restaurant and auberge. Incredible chef, his wife the most delightful hostess. We've been for lunches only but can say this: after a meal at Auberge des Seigneurs, we never want a full meal for dinner for two reasons: we are quite full and why bother topping a meal like that!
2. Creperie L'Ecrin (sadly no website, but they are on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/LecrinCreperie)
The place is adorable! The crepes were superb and thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Definitely going back again and again!
3. Le Troquet (http://letroquetdevence.free.fr/) We dined here a few years ago; our friends selected it. We thought our friends suspected us of only selecting "good" restaurants so we asked them to find a restaurant, without our help, and be convinced that you could not get a bad meal! Not only was it good, but the atmosphere and friendly service convinced our friends that a good meal could be found anywhere!
4. La Victoire Restaurant (sadly no website, but listed on Trip Advisor) We happened upon this very popular eatery one Sunday with another friend...we missed our timing and many restaurants were closing their (lunch) service...fortunately, La Victoire was still serving and we had an excellent steak meal - paired with a bottle of wine it was perfect!
Vence offers so many choices in dining, that one can hardly decide where or what to eat!
Cruise ships are starting to offer tours to Antibes; and just recently, Oceania began making stops in Antibes.
Old Antibes has a nicely sized "old" town behind rampart walls and enjoys the benefit of the having the largest marina in Europe: Port Vauban (http://www.portvauban.net/). Right now it appears that any cruise ship calling to Antibes will be tendered in...a short walk along magnificent yachts and visitors are welcomed through one of the rampart portal gates to the Old Town. Go left, go right, go straight ahead - each quaint lane is filled with interesting shops and many many bars, cafes, bistros and restaurants. Antibes has delightful beaches, too!
Here is a sampling of where we've dined: Old Town:
L'Elephant Bleu (Asian - and it is really good)
Creperie du Port (my favorite!)
Le Vauban (the chef is amazing)
Le Rustic (excellent salads and selection of pizzas)
Le Jardin (ask to sit in the garden!)
La Voute (very cool" - it is in the lower level!)
Le Veil Antibes (great bar for drinks, snack and people watching!)
Michelangelo (we did lunch, but dinner attracts the rich & famous)
...and more that I cannot remember!
"New" Town:
Le Coq licot (seafront near the rampart) (love it!)
Le Lisbonne (parallel street to Albert 1er, near Gendarmerie)
Sud Square ("new" town square; sit & enjoy the fountains)
The list goes on and on - so many more places, so little time! There is no shortage of places to dine: light lunches, snacks, gelato, plenty of sweet shops and casual to elegant dining. Menus in Antibes are so varied that there is never a shortage of options; whatever your mood, there's a menu for you!
Hotel:
Our last trip to Barcelona (Jun 2014) we stayed at the Eurostars Cristal Palace (http://www.eurostarscristalpalace.com/). It was an exceptional value for quality (4 star), location (near Placa Catalunya at the top of Las Ramblas) and an easy walk to the city's old town and Gothic quarter.
The hotel is location just off the thoroughfare Passeig de Gracia, making it convenient for Hop-On/Off busses, metro and transit buses.
Entertainment: Palau de la Musica Catalunya (http://www.palaumusica.cat/en) A UNESCO World Heritage Site. This performance center is still used today for performances. On our last Barcelona visit, we attended a Flamenco Song & Dance show that was outstanding. The interior of the building is gorgeous. If you attend a performance, select seating anywhere in the center. The sides do no have full view of the stage above the loge level. By the way, performances are not expensive and a well worth an evening out...don't hesitate to dress up! (Casual wear is permitted, but the building is such a throwback to a by-gone era, that is hard not to get swept up in the elegance of it all!) Palau Guell: Near Las Ramblas and the Teatre Principal. Well worth taking the full tour (audio headset) and admire the unique Gaudi design: both inside and outside. After you've toured the "palace", head over to lunch at the Grill Room not too far away! (http://www.barcelona.com/barcelona_directory/monuments/guell_palace) Food Market: Entertainment in a very different way! Walk around the Boqueria Market, snack at one of the many counters, or pick up a fresh fruit container cut to enjoy as you stroll around! All your senses will be tested to the max: the fruits, vegetables, ham, cheeses and bread play havoc with your sense of smell, the beautiful displays of produce will overwhelm of your sense of sight; your hands will be to touch, the sound of vendors hawking their goods will test your sense of hearing, and tempted to no doubt, will be your sense of taste; just surrender yourself and enjoy! http://www.boqueria.info/index.php?lang=en
Barcelona Airport to City Center:
There are plenty of taxis and the fare is between 30-40Euros and is about a half hour drive.
There is an airport shuttle bus that departs/arrives to Placa Catalunya as well as train service from the airport to Placa Catalunya (http://www.webarcelona.net/transport/transport_eng.asp)
On Wednesday evening this past week, we decided to step out and try a newly opened restaurant in the area.
Two weeks ago, we happen to be in the Crystal Tree Shopping Center on US 1 (just south of PGA) when we came upon a restaurant preparing for a grand opening. We were invited in to take a look at the newly decorated space and it was very Italian - very modern! Our "host" showed us around and then handed us a menu to take home. We decided, after looking over the menu, we'd like to enjoy a nice dinner there. After all, our host, Massimo Deluca, was from Italy (born in Rome, grew up in Sorrento).
Reservations made, we arrived and were shown to a lovely table tucked into alcove making it perfect for a special intimate dinner for two. Our server was personable and service was professional; we ordered our wine from a nice selection and the meal was ordered to our pace: we like to eat slowly and with time between courses, so we dined for 2+ hours. However, there were many diners who arrived after us and left before us - so it was evident that one could opt to savor a long evening meal or not. Such a rarity to enjoy a 2+ hour meal outside of France, it was a real treat. We hope the policy continues as we will definitely go back.
BAROLO: the menu is well priced, a professional and attentive staff at your service and the chef's well prepared dishes add to overall experience.
Glasgow: #1 Devonshire Garden http://www.hotelduvin.com/locations/glasgow/ Spectacular collection of townhouses converted to luxury hotel. The townhouses are all connected with numerous "parlours", a fantastic bistro and the rooms are so cool!
Isle of Skye: Kinloch Lodge http://www.kinloch-lodge.co.uk/ This hotel/lodge is in a magnificent setting. Breakfast and dinner are included in the room rate - prepared by award winning chef and the meals are outstanding. Large rooms, elegant decor throughout...100% classic.
Crieff: Knock Castle http://www.knockcastle.com/ Fantastic setting, gorgeous building - located in a "happenin' village"!
Invergarry: Invergarry Hotel http://www.invergarryhotel.co.uk/ Wonderful hotel outdone only by its owners/hosts! Lovely scenery all around, great rooms and the pub downstairs cooks up one heck of a good meal! Take the nature walk along the river.
Moffat: BW Moffat House Hotel http://www.moffathouse.co.uk/ Absolutely charming! Old world architectural details, tidy rooms with period furnishings and great public areas to unwind after some good shopping in town!
A short taxi ride from the airport (10 minutes?/15 euros +/-) and you've arrived at the Hilton Dusseldorf (http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/north-rhine-westphalia/hilton-dusseldorf-DUSHITW/index.html). The reception staff (English speaking) are professional, friendly and very helpful. The rooms are large and modern, with comfortable beds, and a nice bathroom. One can opt to dine in room, or Max restaurant or the lobby lounge. (See my comments under "Where we Ate".) They also have a business center on the main level. In addition, the hotel offers an Executive Level Lounge; the lounge is available to rooms booked on the Executive Level. It's is an excellent place to start the day or relax after one and the attending staff are top notch. Taxis are available at the hotel's entrance. A short 5 minute walk is the tram into the city center. Less than 10 minutes from the hotel is the Rhine: walk to the south towards town (15-20 minute walk along the park/river's edge) or bike to the north 6 miles to the town of Kaierswerth passing fields of golden wheat and hay. (Bikes are available at the hotel) We've been guests at the hotel in the past and are already looking forward to our return next summer.
Cafe Florian is a delightful bistro - casual, friendly and easy to get to by way of tram. The food was good, the prices reasonable and the atmosphere was perfect for hanging out with friends and sharing a meal, some wine or beer. http://www.gastronomie- mansour.de/
LaCastagnas is an Italian restaurant with a bit of a vinoteca feel to it. They have a great wine selection; in fact, it lines the walls with an ever changing menu! The food is freshly prepared, and the daily specials are exactly that: special! We've yet to order from the menu as the daily specials sound so delicious and the chefs deliver just that: a meal that is as tasty as it sounds! By the way, this is a 15-20 minute walk from the Hilton Hotel, but you work up an appetite going and walk off a meal afterwards! Reservations are strongly suggested! http://www.lacastagnas.de/
We had the pleasure of a delightful lunch at a newly re-named, re-decorated eatery/sundries shop called Eat Italy. While the website is not up and running yet, the link is here nonetheless: http://dusseldorf.eatitalyfood.com/ We opted for lunch in the walled garden and enjoyed a bottle of proseco to begin our meal. Fantastico! Afterwards, we checked out the wines, oils, sauces and miscellaneous Italian products for sale at the front of the restaurant.
At the Hilton Dusseldorf, we had a dinner the night of our arrival at the hotel restaurant, Max. The menu is perfect - they serve up high quality, well prepared and savory dishes. One afternoon we could not resist a burger from the lounge bar. (The year before, after a rather late night out, we ordered the burger and it was great.) And just like the year before, it was tasty, filling and accompanied by the best fries!
Another afternoon, we wanted to walk through the food market (Carlsplatz) and look over all the day's offerings. The market is huge! There are butchers, bread bakers, cheese mongers and cake makers; spices and herbs, pickles of all sorts, kitchen gadgets and flowers. Fruits and veggies, so colorful so tempting so reasonably priced! We settled for a lunch at the perimeter of the market: known for their beer, it could have fooled me! I had the goulash soup with a roll, while my dining partners ordered German sausage hoagies that they happily washed down with a local beer, Schumacher Alt. The lunch was incredible! Sorry I don't know the name, but if you go to Carlsplatz, you'll see the Schumacher Alt sign...grab a picnic bench order a beer then go inside and order up your lunch...you will NOT be disappointed!
Murcia - Las Cadenas http://www.restaurantemurcia.com/las-cadenas/203 (the link is in Spanish, but you can get the translation)
If you are ever in Murcia , or the Murcia area, please stop by and have a meal here. We enjoyed a very different paella called "Huertana" - it is a vegetable paella and the chef grilled the veggies and artistically arranged them on the dish. It was delicious and such a nice departure from the more popular seafood/chicken paellas. The restaurant is old world Spanish elegance: from decor to service. Enjoy a bottle of local Murcian wine with your meal - the wine nor the meal will disappoint! Update Sept 2014 - Sadly, Las Cadenas Restaurant closed it doors summer 2014 shortly before we returned.
Barcelona - 7 Portes www.7portes.com
Whenever a trip brings us to Barcelona, one place we always make sure to visit is 7 Portes. We first visited the restaurant when we were on a cruise stop in 1997: it was recommended by a (portly) policeman when we asked who served up the best paella. He was right. A few years later we went back with family (again on a cruise) and we all enjoyed the paellas. Fast forward 13 years later and it is still as elegant as ever and the paella still delicious. Something new we ordered: cava sangria. It was so good. If you check the "Recipes" tab, we've come up with our recipe for it. The restaurant is a little off the main hub of activity; in fact it's a great place for celebrities to come and dine. Check out the wall of letters and signatures from many of them...find out who sat at your table! (Harrison Ford was at my table!) Celebrities aside, the food is great. We do lunch and have always left very, very content.
We ate at many little places, too many to remember - and not a bad meal among them. We sampled plenty of paellas, tapas, fish, salads, cafes and desserts from Cartagena to Torre Pacheco to Alicante to La Manga to Valencia to Barcelona - and every one was a good/great meal and at exceptionally reasonable prices. The country's marketing campaign got it right: Smile, You're in Spain
Murcia area: InterContinental Hotel La Torre (http://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/gb/en/murcia/mjvtg/hoteldetail)
We spent a week at the golf and spa resort; after a 2 day drive from the Nice-Cannes area of France, it was a haven of peace and relaxtion. The hotel chain delivers to its high end reputation; lovely decor, very friendly staff (yes, they do speak English) and excellent value for money (check out their rates!). We opted to have breakfast at the hotel every day and it was well worth it. The lobby bar serves up great drinks and you can order up a meal there as well. The dining room is lovely and the food was very very good. We had the special paella dinner one evening and there were so many courses of large portions that we could hardly finish the actual paella, never mind the dessert! Outstanding value. We also did lunch on the restaurant's terrace and, that too, was very filling. The golf complex, in which the resort is located, also has several little eateries and we did sample a few during the week. Golfers might enjoy knowing you can have access to the 7 Jack Nicklaus designed golfcourses. This Intercontinental Hotel LaTorre is also a spa as well as the Intercontinental Hotel at the Mar Menor Resort. (Update Sept 2015, sadly, this hotel has closed)
Valencia: Zenit Hotel (http://hotelzenitvalencia.zenithoteles.com)
This was a spur of the moment booking...we were leaving the Murcia area and decided we did not want our Spain vacation to end! We loved Spain and the people!! I did a quick search on the internet and found this hotel (free wi-fi and parking available for a reasonable fee). We've never been to Valencia, had no idea what we would find or what to expect. That aside, we booked the hotel online, made the drive up from Murcia on a fabulous new coastal highway to Valencia. Thank goodness for GPS, we were there 1-2-3. The hotel is "hip", very clean, comfy and quiet. The location cannot be beat: across from the main railway terminal, metro and buses across the street and a 5 minute walk to the central part of town and the food market. We used the bus to visit the Science Museum and the train to the beach (it was a fast ride!). I plan to make this my hotel on any visit to Valencia!
Barcelona: Catalonia Plaza Cataluna http://cataloniaplazacataluna.barcelonahotels.it/
Again another spur of the moment reservation enroute back to Nice. We booked the hotel because parking was available (underground garage). Upon arrival room was not ready and left our bags with front desk and proceeded to park our car in the garage (access right outside the hotel/reduced rate). The hotel is centrally located at the start of La Ramblas. Convenient to metro, walking tours, sights and neighborhoods of old town and gothic quarter. Perfect. We did not make use of the pool, bar or restaurant - there are so many choices in Barcelona. While the room was a bit "simple", it was clean, good value for money considering location and it was quiet! The room also had free wi-fi!
