LUXURY ESCAPES – MY FAVORITE PLACES
A recent mini escape to visit dear friends in the vv interesting and oddly captivating beach village of Venice led me to a new gem of a hotel. Zip from SFO to LAX in an hour, rent a convertible and head top down to a blissful retreat in 15 minutes. We are all familiar with the wonderful Shutters on the Beach, which exudes luxury, but sometimes we overlook the obvious. Just a few steps away from Shutters and on the beach, I discovered the Casa Del Mar Hotel, a little gem of an Inn. If you must take the children, there are several suites with bedrooms – your teenagers would love, love, love the Venice boardwalk, younger children would revel in the amusement rides on the pier. Sensational ocean views, great spa and miles of beach strolling and if inclined, surfing or visit the famous vintage Santa Monica Pier that houses an old fashioned amusement park. The ferris wheel and the roller coaster perch near the very end of the pier, above the ocean swells, be carried away by an undeniably wondrous location for a ride.

The Library Bar, comfy and cozy still exudes the original luxurious feel of noted early 20th Century Los Angeles architect Charles Plummer. The Casa del Mar bar and restaurant within the hotel offer panoramic views of the ocean, sitting at the bar at dusk sipping champagne, the lights of the carousel reflecting in the beveled glass windows entranced me. This is truly a place to slow down, recharge and rejuvenate!

In Venice, my favorite restaurant is Piccolo Ristorante – truly a yummy slice of Venice, Italy! The Chef has infused the flavors of Italy at Piccolo with aplomb; the delicious authentic meals and its extensive wine selection fill this trattoria every evening. The close tables, charming and handsome Italian waiters remind me of meals in Italy or small Italian restaurants in New York, I was transported by the ambience and the yummy menu. Fagiano alle Pere e Miele Baked pheasant breast, rolled in speck, roasted pears with truffled-honey. Rosto di Coniglio roasted boneless rabbit, rolled with caramelized radicchio di Treviso Oh, and did I mention the hand-crafted pasta? Garganelli di Zucca ai Porcini pumpkin-garganelli, with fresh Porcini, and leeks, Parmesan.

Buon Appetito!

At one of my favorite hillside villas, my client family observed a wild fox that stole the children’s shoes each night from the front steps. “Foxy,” as the family named him, became the subject of nightly stories; a tale forever etched in the children’s memories, a lovely lifetime gift. A note from my client read: ‘Foxy is much smarter than we originally imagined. He has taken to stealing our shoes and hiding them in his den down the hill in the vineyard. He stands guard over his quarry and tonight I had to muster all the prowess of an African hunter to reclaim a pair of sandals. He did manage to eat the better part of one shoe before the rescue. He is cute and will become the subject of many family tales in the future.’

I brought in a wonderful Italian chef, Giovanni, who taught the children to prepare pizza for lunch. The adults accompanied the chef to the neighboring village to shop for regional ingredients and toured wineries in the rolling hillsides in preparation for their own sumptuous Tuscan feast. The most enjoyable part comes when you finally realize that you can make your own hand made pasta accompanied by “sugo di carne” or “pollo alla diavola” or “tiramisu.”

In Siena, enjoy the spectacular medieval-style Corsa del Palio, held twice yearly on July 2 and Aug 16. Exclusive visit to the private Palazzo d’Elci: view the Palio from your private window, perched above the wild scene! Two or three windows on the top floor of the Palazzo can be reserved, a James Bond movie filmed here in the summer of 2007. From the windows of the Palazzo, you can see the festivities below: the square is filled with a wonderful procession of flag throwers, and a historic parade of the contradas dressed in their finery. There is still a lot to discover in Tuscany.

Family memories are intrinsic in planning these wonderful journeys.