Babymoon in Sedona

In case I didn’t already mention it, my wife and I are expecting our first child (a boy!) in a few weeks. Since that is such a life-altering event, we decided that we needed to travel as much as possible before things would change forever. Naturally, the idea of a “babymoon” was very enticing to us, and so we knew we wanted to go somewhere unique (not too far away, but just far enough to know we were outside of our element). Sedona was an excellent selection, and provided the right amount of both adventure, and relaxation.

Situated approximately two hours north of Phoenix, Sedona is a great hiking destination and is an easy getaway if you fly into PHX. Just don’t get me started on the rental car experience at Sky Harbor (yes, it’s still pretty miserable; although I must say it hasn’t been quite as awful as it once was).

While in Sedona, we opted to do one “big” hike per day, with some other sightseeing and shopping to round it out. A quick overview for each hike is below:

  • Cathedral Rock – a cool place for our first hike. We chickened out a bit because the preggo wife didn’t want to go all “daredevil” day one (as there were some steep/narrow inclines that we would need to navigate).
View of Cathedral Rock from Below
  • Devil’s Bridge – perhaps our most favorite of the hikes… It is challenging, yet manageable. All in, it is probably around 4 miles, and is moderate in difficulty. The trail head (and the parking area) is actually around 2 miles from the “real” trail though, so beware of the added time to get to the good stuff. For those who aren’t faint of heart (or fearful of heights), there is a pretty iconic “bridge” that fellow hikers will gladly help get your picture on:
Devil’s Bridge & Some Crazy Hikers
  • Fay Canyon – a mostly shaded, quick hike out to a decent sized mountain. Apparently this trail has been known to have bears near it, so that was kind of cool and freaky at the same time. It’s a lesser-traveled hike, so it is a bit more peaceful and secluded than some of the others.
The Lookout Over Fay Canyon
  • Doe Mountain – very underrated, this switchback hike up the side of a mountain yields absolutely incredible views as you are perched on a huge plateau with panoramic views of all parts of Sedona.
Panoramic Views at Doe Mountain
  • Little Deer / Chicken Point (Holy Cross) – a pretty fun and short hike (with the ability to expand longer), complete with views of a very cool church built into the side of a mountain (Holy Cross).
There’s Us, Atop Chicken Point!

Eurotrip Vacation Review: Santa Margherita Ligure

Our third stop on the Eurotrip was Santa Margherita Ligure. This was a destination Katy had been to before but to which I had never been. We transferred to Santa Margherita by train, purchasing our tickets through self-service kiosk at the main train station in Florence (S.M.N.). This actually proved to be a fairly easy way to travel, even though we had to transfer twice. The total cost for the tickets was around 40 Euro apiece, which is much cheaper than any other alternative to get from Florence to the Northern Italian coast.

Here are a few of our favorite spots:

  • Hike to San Fruttuoso (& Giorgio Restaurant!):This was easily one of our most memorable outdoor activities of the trip! All in, it’s somewhere around a 4 mile hike, that we were very much excited to do, because the promise at the end of it was an Aperol Spritz and some of the finest white sardines you’ll ever eat at this small local restaurant in the town of San Fruttuoso. The hike had a fair amount of elevation, and some stunning views along the way:

Hike Views

Giorgio Restaurant Sardines

  • Portofino: a great destination in its own right; Portofino is the lap of luxury when it comes to fancy Northwestern Italian Coastal Getaways. It’s a pretty fun town with lots of (somewhat overpriced, as expected) dining and shopping options. We saw several massive yachts, including one worth several hundred million dollars – Zeus:

Zeus Yacht

  • Capo Nord: this was a fairly upscale dining spot literally right on the Mediterranean Ocean. One of the coolest places we’ve ever dined outdoors, I could actually stick my foot in the sea from our table. This was the view from our table:

Capo Nord View with Yacht

  • (The Train to) Punta Chiappa: this is a very cool little spot a few miles away from where we stayed. We could have hiked to it, but we had been fairly active for a few days before so we opted to take the train. It cost us around a couple Euro, and was super fast and easy. Plus – an added bonus – train station views (and beers!):

Beer and View at SML Train Station

The hotel we stayed at in Santa Margherita was Blu di Te House. It was boutiquey and chic, and we very much enjoyed the accommodation as well as the price (it was about middle of the road – not too expensive, but definitely not a hostel). As to be expected, the common area amenities, snacks, apertifs, and breakfast (buffet style, included in the rate), were all outstanding. Here is a picture of the lobby to give a frame of reference for how warm and friendly the room (and the staff!) was:

Blu di Te Lobby

Til Next Time,

Michael

Eurotrip Vacation Review: Florence

Our second stop on the Eurotrip was Florence. What an incredible place! We ended up taking a train from Zurich to Florence, and couldn’t have been happier with that decision. Our hotel (the Marriott) in Zurich was within walking distance of Zurich Main Station and the Airbnb we stayed at in Florence was around a 15 minute walk from S.M.N. (Santa Maria Novella), the main station in Florence. That turned into a bit of a hassle on the way out of Florence, though, as we had a (always reliable, super helpful) Samsonite spinner wheel break off right as we started the walk to the station. That area of Florence is much too congested during the morning rush to try and bail out for an Uber (would have added 30 minutes easily), so yours truly got to carry the bag 🙁

Some of our favorite spots in Florence:

  • Centrale Market: a great market on the Northwest side of Florence proper. Many shops on the lower level, including places to find great cheeses, wines, and produce. The upper level is a recent addition and includes a food-court-style setup with dozens of vendors who all serve separate fare (anything from pastas to prosciuttos to sandwiches to dumplings, and many others in-between). There are also beer/wine service folks who will help you get a drink once you’re settled at a table.
  • Casa del Garga: an absolutely outstanding off-the-beaten-path restaurant near our Airbnb. We had one of our best meals of the trip at this spot, which was recommended both by our Airbnb host (as a great local spot within a couple blocks) as well as one of our wine tour guides in Tuscany (who used to live in the area when she was studying for her Sommolier exam).
  • 4 Leoni: tremendous spot on the South side of the river, which we found through a quick google search for “Bolognese” (one of my vices) while we were spending a leisurely cafternoon shopping on the more “locals” side of town. The lasagna is out-of-this-world, and the special ravioli/tortellini with pear is excellent as well. Here is the lasagna:

  • The Duomo: one of the more famous spots in Florence. Insider tip: book your tickets in advance (and select a tour time and print this confirmation). Skipping the line will guarantee you a spot, as well as save you hours in line as the flood of tourists for this site is constant. The hike to the top can be a bit cramped, with many small stairwells and several spiral staircases. The total hike to the top is approximalye 25 minutes in length, with an initial (interior) observation deck around 15 minutes in. Once you continue onward and reach the top, the 360-degree views of Florence are unmatched (making the climb totally worth it). One of the many, expansive views from the observation deck atop the Duomo:

  • Academy Art Gallery: the location of Michaelangelo’s famous David sculpture, along with several of his other “unfinished” works. The statue itself is incredibly large – much bigger than one might think based on photos alone.

  • Piazzale Michaelangelo: a common terrace on the south side of the river, with scenic views of the city. Free to go, and several bars/shops around to stop for a breather if the hike up the hill (~15-20 minutes) has you a bit winded.

  • Garga: one of the best hidden gems in Florence. We had what may quite possibly be the best, most unexpected bolognese of our lives here. Just take a look for yourself; you can almost smell it off the screen:

Bolognese at Garga

For lodging, we ended up in an Airbnb on the Northwest side of the main town center. It ended up being great, and gave us some good separation from the much more touristy areas down by all of the historic sites that Florence has to offer. We ended up finding some gems and hole in the wall restaurants off the beaten path, which was an added bonus.

Til Next Time,

Michael

Eurotrip Vacation Review: Zurich

Our first stop on our Eurotrip/Memorial Day extravaganza was Zurich, as that was the cheapest route to get to Europe using Skymiles. 40k miles apiece got us direct flights from ATL>ZMH, which proved to be just fine for the price. The slight added legroom was cluth, although neither of us got much sleep. The flight departed around 5:30 PM and arrived around 8:30 AM (both local times)/

As far as places to go and things to do, we did a little bit of research upfront and knew that we would want to explore key areas such as the old town, the lake, among others. A few of our favorite spots:

  • Widder Hotel:A great hotel/bar that you can head to (regardless if you’re staying there), in “District 1” (which was across the river from us, just south of the train station which we arrived at).

  • Café Balliser Keller:The BEST fondue we’ve ever had, in addition to a personal service of the much-anticipated racelette. Both dishes were absolutely outstanding, and made us wonder why we ever even try to recreate them at home. Added bonus: the chocolate fondue was dynamite, and was served with a very playful preparation:

  • Old Crow Bar:Albeit expensive (20-25 Swiss Franc per drink), this bar was one of the coolest and most interesting environments we’ve ever enjoyed a cocktail in. Kay had a Mezcal drink (called Solanum – Mezcal, Hibiscus, Sugar, Bitters, Champagne), and I had a Wihskey one (called Café Eccosais – Highland Single Malt, Espresso, Chili-Honey Syrup)

For our hotel, we stayed in the Marriott Zurich, as we got a great rate with points. The hotel was pleasantly nice, and located in a fairly advantageous spot for us to be in close proximity to several of the things we wanted to do. We were never more than a 15-20 minute walk from the areas we ended up visiting.

Til Next Time,

Michael

Eurotrip 2018 (Memorial Day Vacation)

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In order to maximize time off, we decided to do a Memorial Day trip to Europe this year to do our big trip for the year. While we weren’t able to take (quite) as much time off as we wanted, it was still a great way to get away for nearly two weeks while only having to use only ~6 days of PTO. Capitalizing on a late Friday departure and a return stateside the Tuesday after Memorial Day, we were able to achieve a 12 day vacation and hit three total destinations that were of huge interest to us: Switzerland, Italy, and the Netherlands.

We departed late on a Friday (4/19), flying from Atlanta, Georgia to Zurich, Switzerland (ATL>ZUR). The cheapest option to get us across the Atlantic was to fly into Zurich, and we didn’t mind since it was a destination we had always been interested in. We ended up paying 40k Skymiles apiece for a one-way Delta Comfort Plus fare (not First Class, but more room than Economy), which we found to be fair.

The flight from ATL>ZUR was an overnight flight for us, meaning we took off in the evening on 4/19 (Atlanta time) and landed in Switzerland in the morning on 4/20 local time. We had a wonderful time in Zurich, and wish we had more time to explore and enjoy the culture. Given we only had a short time away, though, we were interested to get to Italy as quick as possible, so we only opted for one night in Zurich.

Sunday, around noon, we departed on a train from Zurich to Florence, Italy. The train through the Swiss Alps proved to be quite the preferable option, not only because we got great views of the Alps (and Lake Como), but even more so because it runs you around the same amount of time as it would to fly. As an added benefit, it was actually significantly cheaper to head South via train as well, which was a plus for us. Intra-Europe travel via train couldn’t be easier either. More to come on that at a later date!

In Florence, we spent 3+ days touring around and generally enjoying ourselves. We even opted for a private chauffeur to take us on a day excursion to Tuscany, and ended up finding a lot of wonderful places, including several vineyards. We stopped in San Gimignano, which was a recommendation from Katy’s parents, and then continued onward to three vineyards, our favorite of which was ….

From Florence, we took another train Northwest to Santa Margherita, a quaint beach town where to locals go to vacation, near Portofino and Cinque Terre. We hiked around quite a bit and relaxed quite a bit, exploring the surrounding beach towns over our 3+ days there. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves there, and will share many more memories of that time in a future post.

To round out our trip, we took a taxi from Santa Margherita to Genoa, to catch a flight up to Amsterdam. We spent our last two nights in Amsterdam, soaking up every minute of the Dutch culture that we could!

Our flight home from AMS>ATL may have been just a touch more enjoyable than the Easterly long-haul, primarily because we were in Delta One+. As always, it was an extremely professional and top notch experience.

Needless to say, it was quite a journey, and we are very excited to share more in future posts!

Til Next Time,
Michael

Wine Country Volume 6

This past weekend, we were in the East Bay of San Francisco for a wedding. No better time, we thought, to go ahead and add on an extra couple days in order to get back up to one of our favorite places on Earth… So, we decided to add an escape to wine country!

We organized our flights out to SFO so that we would be able to spend the afternoon on Thursday, as well as all day Friday in Napa with my parents-in-law. My wife (an IHG employee) was able to secure some great employee rates at the recently-renovated Hotel Indigo in Napa, a VERY convenient location for the majority of our planned activities. While the hotel seemed a bit dated from the outside, the inside was comfortable and clean. It falls very much in line with the other corporate hotel franchises in wine country which are somewhat limited on exterior design limitations (and typically are renovating an existing 3-4 story structure already in place), something that is governed by county regulations.

We visited Del Dotto on Thursday, and then went to Seavey, Chimney Rock, and Saintsbury on Friday. For dinners, we enjoyed meals at FARM for dinner on Thursday, Farmstead at Longmeadow Each for lunch on Friday, and Ad Hoc for dinner on Friday.

As far as the winery reviews:

  • Del Dotto – 8 out of 10. Very similar to our last visit, albeit somewhat less heavy on the volume of pours. This could be attributed to the fact we paid $60 instead of $75, but either way – it still felt like a hefty fee even though the experience is great. We all agreed, though, that it was very unique to actually taste estate wines in a cellar, straight from the aging vessel. Interestingly, this time I was able to taste Missouri Oak barrel aged wine (and, being from Missouri – that’s cool!). They even had a cross-over barrel called “MO/FO” – because it was both Missouri Oak and French Oak.

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  • Seavey – 9 out of 10. Such a great experience! Although the drive was a bit out of the way, and took several miles off the beaten path on winding backroads, we did really enjoy the quaint secluded estate. We had a private tour, got a chance to see some of the local farm animals (goats and cows), and enjoyed a very personal tour of the bottling/aging facilities. It really simplified the overall process and helped us get a great sense of the care they take in their bottling process.

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  • Chimney Rock – 6.5 out of 10. This was a somewhat corporate tasting, standing at a tasting bar. What was nice about this place, though, was we got to see their indoor private event space, which doubles as an aging shed. My parents-in-law were so impressed, they decided they would do their 25th wedding anniversary there. They clearly enjoy Chimney Rock wine a bit more than we do, though, as we thought most of the varietals (besides the Cabernets) were just OK.

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  • Saintsbury – 10 out of 10. We are still so in love with this place. Now, as a member of their wine club, you can really tell how much they appreciate your business. We got a private tasting seated near the private library reserve tasting room. Our guide (Galen) is the same guy who runs all of their customer contact, so I had been in touch with him many times previously. He doesn’t generally do tastings anymore, so I could tell it was because we were members that we received such special treatment. We will definitely be back!

 

Til Next Time,

Michael

Asiaversary Spa Review – Women’s Massage Center

Ex Prisoner Massage Center

As I shared previously, I didn’t originally plan to review spas individually, but we had two such stark contrasts in experience (and price) that I felt compelled to post separately and call out the good (and the bad/ugly). The great experiences we had were at all of the massage centers in Chiang Mai. Specifically, I’d like to elaborate on our time at the Women’s Massage Center.

This chain of massage studios is actually a concept developed to provide vocational opportunity for ex-prisoners (yes, you read that right!). Given that spas are so prominent in Asia, the skill and trade of providing great spa therapies is something that is highly-coveted. Once you get past the momentary pause that you are (gasp!) about to receive a foot massage or spa treatment from an ex-prisoner – this place is absolutely magical.

One of the most intriguing parts of this chain is the price. It’s simply unbeatable. At one point, I believe we paid 200 Baht (roughly $6 US) for a one hour foot massage. Given that these are in fact ex-prisoners, they intentionally keep the cost low because it is really a win-win. #1 – you, the consumer, win because who doesn’t like the idea of a $6 hour-long foot massage? #2 – they, the therapists, receive education, training, and a vocational opportunity to make some good (by Chiang Mai standards) money while learning an extremely valuable trade that can keep them gainfully employed for a long time.

And, I would be remiss if I did not mention how professional and incredible these women were. Whatever stigma one may have about “prisoners”, I can truly say these women were energetic, kind, and extremely proficient in their trade. Seeing how they interacted and chatted with each other really showed how much they enjoy the opportunity and the “new lease on life” they have when they get to work with such strong and positive peer influences.

Such a stark contrast from Naka Island. Maybe it’s partially the fact that I could get 50 hours of foot massage for what I paid for the Naka Spa treatment. Maybe it’s because the energy and vibe were so positive. Maybe it’s because it was less stuffy, a bit more rickety, but way more charming. Maybe it’s all the above.

Either way – I cannot recommend this place highly enough!

Til Next Time,

Michael

Asiaversary Spa Review – Spa Naka

Spa Naka

I didn’t originally plan to review spas individually, but we had two such stark contrasts in experience (and price) that I felt compelled to post separately and call out the good (and the bad/ugly). The great experience we had were at all of the massage centers in Chiang Mai. Our awful experience was at Naka Island, and I’ll elaborate here.

The following are excerpts from a review I offered the property and the staff following our traditional 90 Minute Indigenous Naka treatment on our first full day at the island.

(BEGIN EXCERPT)

I wanted to write you a note to explain my dissatisfaction with the Spa Naka which we visited during our stay on Naka Island. As an SPG Platinum member who was enjoying a Reward stay, I was very excited to have some additional disposable funds to enjoy these types of amenities. Unfortunately, the service and experience left a poor taste for such a high price. I left comments in the Spa Folio itself, and trust that their management will be in touch with some kind of apology – but I felt it necessary to contact Starwood and the local management team itself…

Here is a brief list of the things I found (unsettling) with our experience at Naka Spa:
-The “EZ Bake Oven” timer that buzzed annoyingly twice during the treatment. The team can surely figure out a way to get the proper level of heat for the towel portions in some other less dramatic fashion.
-The lack of music, which made for a less serene environment and caused added distraction when you could hear nearby banging from ongoing facility maintenance and construction.
-The price. It was simply too expensive, even after a “special” that grants SPG members 30% off. The retail price for the treatment we selected was nearly 10x what we had paid for any other treatment in Thailand (6 in total). I have been to much nicer spas in shopping centers back home that are less than 1/4 the price.
-The menu description (for tracking purposes, my wife and I did the 90 Minute Indigenous Naka package). When I hear “Start with facial drainage soothing with our Signature Indigenous Aroma scent”, I (perhaps irrationally) expected actual drainage and a real scent… not just to be laid face down on a table with a small bucket of tap water, a leaf and two orchids in it. Let me be clear, there was no “facial drainage” and the lack of any focus on the face during this treatment was appalling.
-The blatant lies within the description. Additionally, “A heated compress invites back muscles to relax and ease before your choice of distinct essential oil blends is massaged into the body” would imply to me at least that I should get a chance to choose my essential oil. Was that a lie? We had no choice.
-Small details within the facility. While the grounds were well kept and some of the added amenities made for a great experience, there we many little things that made for an unpleasant experience. For instance, the scrapes, scratches, and discoloration of the wooden floors was a bit of an eyesore, especially when half of your treatment is spent face down with nothing to look at besides the aforementioned “facial drainage” station and said floors.
-The wrap up tea and relaxation. Please let me enjoy the kind and delicious post-treatment tea for at least one minute before you shove a black folio in my face expecting me to sign the tab. This in unprofessional and not something you should have your staff doing as part of the routine.

On the bright side, the staff was very friendly and delivered on what they were trained to do. I feel as though their management team set them up to fail though with so many flaws alongside the (what should have been a wonderful) experience.

For a spa that likes to claim itself as one of the top spas in the region, I expected far more. The affiliation with the Luxury Collection (and Starwood) makes people have higher standards. It is your duty to deliver on that. For such a premium price, consumers need a premium product…

(END EXCERPT)

Within a matter of hours upon receiving this feedback, the resort staff found us near the pool and began to apologize. They offered us a free treatment of our choice the following day, which we did take (and selected a Facial). That treatment, although far from our best ever, was significantly better. Still, though, it wasn’t anything to write home about (so I wrote it here instead).

All in all, MAJOR disappointment and I think the property should be ashamed. A true low point on an otherwise magical journey for us.

Til Next Time,

Michael

Asiaversary Trip Hotel Review – Hotel Indigo Bangkok

Indigo Bangkok
Rooftop Pool/View at Indigo Bangkok

We ended our trip in Bangkok and by this point knew we would probably need to be saving some cash. Hence – we ended up at Hotel Indigo Bangkok – where we could use Katy’s employee rate. Understanding we would only have just over 48 hours in Bangkok, we wanted somewhere convenient, but clean, and this hotel definitely met the mark.

Here is what I would say about the Hotel Indigo Bangkok:

  • Overall: 8/10 – The hotel is in a great location (actually just across the street and one block down from the US Embassy – which is something you should always be glad not to have to use – but nice to know it’s there!) and was very clean and updated.
  • Notes:
    • Very reminiscent of some of the nicer/trendier Indigos we have been to stateside (Indigo Lower East Side NYC for instance)
    • The one HUGE surprise that we were so impressed with was the rooftop bar/pool combo
    • Hotel Indigo Bangkok Rooftop Pool View
    • We ended up going both during daylight as well as at nighttime and each view had its own reasons to make your jaw drop
    • Otherwise, the room was well-appointed and had everything we needed
    • We ended up cashing in on Katy’s IHG employee rate, as well, so we couldn’t beat the price even if we tried!

Til Next Time,

Michael

Asiaversary Trip Hotel Review – Koyao Island Resort

Panoramic Pool View at Koyao Resort
Panoramic view at the infinity pool at Koyao Resort

After we wrapped up at Santhiya, we caught a Tuk Tuk over to one of the piers on the North side of the island to take a longboat transfer (costing a couple hundred Baht) to the pier on the South side of Koh Yao Noi. From there, we caught a public Tuk Tuk to Koyao Resort, and felt much more at ease almost instantly as we saw the surroundings on the short ride (10-15 minutes) to our resort property. This property was called the Koyao Island Resort, and was the #2 ranked hotel on the island (besides, no real surprise here, the Six Senses resort just up the road).

Here is what I would say about the Koyao Island Resort:

  • Overall: 8/10 – Very nice (and refreshingly quaint/quiet) resort with a lot of “free” amenities that are actually fairly valuable
  • Notes:
    • The island itself was a big shift from Koh Yao Yai; it was much friendlier, much more energetic, with a lot more character and small “hole-in-the-wall” type shops and restaurants
    • Reminded us a lot more of Tulum, which is what we thought we were signing up for in the first place (so, expectations came close to meeting reality!)
    • The staff at this resort were much more accommodating, perhaps because it is maybe only 10% the size of Santhiya (I would guess there are 20-30 rooms total at this resort, instead of the 200+ at Santhiya)
    • Daily activities are offered free of charge, and we ended up lucking out with a 4 hour longboat tour of several surrounding islands with a few of our fellow guests. The fact that the resort puts this together once a week is such a great amenity because, otherwise, you’d have to shell out at least $100 to do that as a couple anywhere else. The time was right, too, we decided we couldn’t do a full day on a boat (especially if the sun was out and it was hot). So this was the perfect way to quench that thirst for boat excursion without having to give up a full day (and a full stack of Thai Baht)
    • The infinity pool was great, and we enjoyed cooling off in it after we got too hot
    • Rooms were very well-appointed, and the biggest hidden gem from my perspective was the insect zapper tennis racket (I had WAY too much fun with this)
    • The food was a bit better than Santhiya, especially the quality/freshness/selection at breakfast buffet (side note: you could tell the head chef took pride in his work as he would stand out and greet guests and help prepare specific selections that were requested by guests). Katy could live off of the pancakes here!
    • Overall, we felt much more at home and at peace/relaxed here than we had previously

Til Next Time,

Michael