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Miami Beach, the Ritz & Bill Baggs State Park

9/2/2017

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Key Biscayne is a barrier Island that sits just South of Miami Beach and is the home of Bill Baggs State Park and the beautiful Ritz Carlton Hotel.

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The town of Key Biscayne, which is accessible by the Rickenbacker Causeway, sits right between two parks... Crandon Park (formerly a zoo and still home to a variety of birds lizards and turtles) and Bill Baggs State Park.
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is the home of a historic lighthouse built in 1825 and the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County. The park is popular for sunbathing, swimming and picnicing and there is more than a mile of sandy Atlantic beachfront to enjoy,  Ranked of of the "Top 10 Beaches in America" by Dr. Stephen Leatherman, aka 'Dr. Beach.' Biking and kayaking are also popular activities. Fisherman can throw in their lines from the seawall for some of the best shoreline fishing in the region. Bicycles, beach chairs, and umbrellas can be rented.

Want a guided tour of the lighthouse and lighthouse keeper's cottage? They are given twice daily, Thursdays through Mondays. If you aren't prepared to bring your own picnic, you can also enjoy two restaurants, Lighthouse Café and Boater's Grill, which offers authentic Cuban cuisine.

The Ritz Carlton

​In the heart of the town of Key Biscayne, tucked between the two parks is the stunning Ritz Carlton Hotel.

Just 20 minutes from Miami International Airport and the City of Miami... the Ritz is perfectly situated to be your base of operations for visiting all the South Florida has to offer.
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See the amazing video DRONE footage below of the Ritz and of Bill Baggs State Park, shot by Sky High Aerial Productions. You'll feel like you're there, and you're flying...
Visit the site of Sky High Aerial Productions
for more great videos (click)

Booking.com
If the Ritz is out of your budget, check out these other great deals avail in Miami!
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Stunningly Beautiful Civita Di Bognoregio, Italy

2/20/2017

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A Breathtaking Glimpse Into a Medieval City

by Joe Mack
​
My previous trip to Italy was planned around visiting Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast. Driving from the airport in Rome to San Donato in Poggio only takes about three hours to drive. We stayed at the Palazzo Malaspina in San Donato in Poggio for our stay in Tuscany.

​You can learn more about the palazzo at 
http://www.palazzomalaspina.it. 

The hostess, Maria Pellizzari, is very knowledgeable about Tuscany and the Chianti Region of Italy. And she makes hearty breakfasts that are included in the cost of the room.
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While in Tuscany, naturally we had to see Pisa, Florence, San Gimignano, and Volterra. All beautiful towns in their own right. From Tuscany the trip goes to Pompeii and then the Amalfi Coast. But that is a 5 ½ drive even on the autostrada where the speed limit is almost nonexistent. And I did not want to drive that many hours in one day.

I knew of this town called Civita Di Bognoregio via Rick Steves, the Travel Guru, who filmed one of the episodes from his travel show here. I did my research and knew this was at about the half way point between where I was and where I was going. 

I did my due diligence and found a hotel to stay in. There really are not many hotels or Bed and Breakfasts in Civita Di Bognoregio. Only two or three at the most. But I settled on Locanda Della Buona Ventura. You can find out more about this gem of an Inn on Trip Advisor (here).
We left early in the morning on Saturday, Easter Eve. Driving on the Autostrada is fine, but then it is necessary to take some secondary roads. The road conditions are ok. And the scenery is wonderful no matter where you drive in Italy. I stopped for lunch at a little family owned ristorante. No one speaks English here, but I do know some Italian so “tutto era buono”, “everything was good.”
Back in the car to let my GPS take me to Civita Di Bognoregio. But that gadget will only get you so far. I am in, what the GPS tells me, is Civita Di Bognoregio, but this is not I expected. Turns out I am in the other Civita, the newer one. And I ask directions in my broken Italian.

​Driving a bit further, I finally see signs for the town. And there is a place to park and get coffee and snacks. As I go around to the front of the building, I spot this jewel. It sits down in a ravine. But looks like a little volcano pointing up to the sky.


I start shooting photos, how can I resist. Then get some coffee, and ask how to get to the parking area. Back in the car, down the hill, and under the bridge. I find the parking meter and put some coins in and hope I have enough time till morning when w​e leave.
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We grab one suitcase, it is all we need for one night, and our umbrella since the weather does not look very promising. We start up the long ramp that leads to the main gate of the town. Half way up the ramp the heavens open. Wind, rain, 40-50 mile per hour gusts. I am holding the umbrella, my wife the suitcase, I hold on to her to help steady her from the wind and rain. The umbrella turns inside out several times. And we are still only three quarters of the way up the ramp. And we are both soaked. ​

We make it to the top and go through the main gate to town. We are met with the sight of a small piazza, a church, and many old buildings. Remember this town originated 2500 years ago, and looks it. I now have to find the gift shop where a girl named Lara will meet me. I find the shop, I find the girl. She welcomes us. 
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She gets the key, and grabs another umbrella, since it is still raining, and we walk across the street to the building that will be home for the night. I found out later that the building had collapsed over the years and was rebuilt using original material from the old structure.

We unpack, and are amazed at the room. Concrete base for the bed, windows overlooking the piazza, a bathroom with stone sinks and shower, and a window that penetrates the wall that has to be at least 12” thick with a piece of glass on the outside edge. The door is obviously original, and the keys are the largest room keys I have ever seen. I tell my wife to make herself comfortable and I head out to shoot some photos.
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"We grab our suitcase...
​it is all we need for the night.
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​​The streets all are dead ends. In any direction you go, you come to a point where it ends and drops off into the ravine. The back yards are the same way. Fences stopping you from tumbling into the abyss. I walk around shooting photo after photo. Amazed at this gem of a town. I do find one restaurant open and it is just across the piazza from our hotel. The place is called Trattoria Antica Forno and I decide this is where dinner will be. 
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I go to the room, get my wife, and tell her of my find. Her clothing is still wet, so basically she wears her pajamas to dinner. We open the door to the restaurant and find they are not open yet, they are still setting up for the night. We ask if we can wait, and they are agreeable. We sit and enjoy the view of this old restaurant, and I notice photos of Rick Steves on the walls of the place. He obviously had dinner here too when he visited this town. We at pasta, what else, some sausage, and drank lots of wine. If you have not been to Italy, the wine is plentiful. By the glass or by the bottle is very inexpensive. And all local. Salute.
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Diner is over and we make our way back to the room. By now it is dark outside. We have a small light in our room. I turn on the light and I decide to use a hair dryer to help dry out my shoes, which by now are soaked. Not long after turning it on, I trip a breaker and all the power is now off. I have to call the owner who begins to give me instructions on where the breaker box is and that I should go and reset the breaker. What a way to start the night. I do find the panel and reset the breaker. I then go back to my room and settle in for the night.
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Next thing I know, church bells are ringing. I remember that the church is just across the piazza and it is Easter Morning. The bells are ringing to signify the resurrection of Christ.  I also notice that the sun is finally out. I then try to use the coffee maker in our room which for some reason, either I can’ figure out or does not work. So I tell my wife, I am going out to shoot more photos in daylight, and I will find us some coffee. Little did I know, finding coffee was not going to be easy. 

After walking the same streets as the night before, I find a shop keeper setting up for the day, and ask if I can get a cup of coffee. He tells me he is not a coffee shop but come back in 10-15 min and he will see what he can do. I walk through town a bit more, taking more photos, and then go back. He is ready to make me coffee and has the girl that works for him brew it for us in her coffee maker. 

I bring the coffee to my wife and then we finish packing. We then begin the long trip down the ramp to the parking lot. At least the sun is shining this time, and the view of the valley is amazing. There are even people out heading up the ramp to go to Sunday services at the church. We find the car, put our bags in, and take one last look at this historical town. This was not a 5 star hotel stay, but I will never forget the experience here in Civita Di Bognoregio.
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There were problems with the room, but that makes for wonderful memories. Now it’s off to Pompeii and then the Amalfi Coast.
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We are amazed at the room with
​windows overlooking the piazza
Joe Mack is a Photographer, Writer, Craftsman, Musician and Engineer Tech. He, and his wife Jaci live in upstate New York and love to travel. 

​Look for more of their adventures here, or on his Facebook pages at:
Joe's Facebook
Vacation Photography

More photos on Viewbug
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NOTE: If you are truly a travel lover... Skyscanner is a great way to find the cheapest trips almost anywhere in the world!  Don't have a destination in mind but want to see whats "out there" for cheap airfare? Just enter the airport you are leaving FROM and leave the destination and dates OPEN. Skyscanner will show you the cheapest flights for the next 3-4 months. We recently flew (2 people) from Orlando to New Orleans for $200 total for both of us. Another tip... compare round trip to simply one way flights each way... we used two airlines and saved the most that way.
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Bannerman’s Island, Hudson River, Upstate NY

1/8/2017

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by Joe Mack

Approximately 50 miles north of New York City, there is a locale called the Hudson Valley. Some of us are lucky enough to live here. Others come for a visit. A day trip, a weekend, some stay for a week. There is long list of things to do and see up here. 
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Probably the most unique spot in the Valley is Bannerman’s Island. I have to drive over Storm King Mountain everyday to get to work in West Point. It is a very scenic drive along the Hudson and, for years, I have seen Bannerman’s Island along that drive and always wanted to get out there and explore. There are myriad stories of people trying to get out there by canoe, or row boat, and getting in trouble, even losing their life, doing it. So that was not an option.
    
Then I heard about the Constellation Project. You can find out more about this and the history of the island by visiting HERE.

Melissa McGill is an artist. She had the idea to install long poles of various lengths around the “castle” with lights on the top of each pole. Each night as the sun goes down and the stars come out, Bannerman’s Island has its own “constellation” right over the island. 
They have set up a boat tour to take you out to the island, let you walk around the island, and then you get back on the boat at dusk, and, when the time is right, the sun is down, and the sky darkens, the lights begin to twinkle over the Castle. Visit Melissa’s web site for more info on how you can book a spot on her tour (and for a nice panoramic aerial video of the island).
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For now, this is about my experience taking the tour. It's really quite easy. You get on the boat in Beacon NY; a very picturesque location across the river from Newburgh NY. You get there, find plenty of parking, and wait for the skipper and crew to show up. It is usually a full boat.

Once the boat is loaded, you head down the river, still with enough daylight to enjoy the sights on, and along, the river. As you get closer, you begin to see Bannerman’s Island.
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Bannerman's once held one of the largest collections of historical munitions in the USA
When you get close enough you see the enormity of the structure. Such a shame most of it has collapsed over the years from not enough being done to preserve it. Not too long ago, though, a group set up to save the structure has installed bracing on the building to save what is left of it

​What I didn’t know before hand was that when you get off the boat, you have a series of steps to climb to get up to various strategic viewing locations for the island. When you get to the top of the steps the tour begins. This Architectural detail welcomes you to the property.
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​As you walk along the pathway thru the woods you see the building from different angles, all special. This one is my favorite. It shows the Castle, its supports, some foliage in the foreground and a little bit of the river behind it.

As you continue to make your way to the high point on the island, you pass some gardens that were planted years ago and are still maintained by the group preserving the island.

When you get to the top there is a building built by the original owner, used to house the folks...
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who worked for him in the warehouses on the island. What were stored here were arms and munitions. This too has gardens around it. These buildings are NOT what you usually see in the Hudson Valley. Kinds of reminds me of being on the Rhine or Danube.
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As the day ends, we get back on the boat and begin to pull away from the island. The sights of the island change as the sun goes down; giving it an eerie and ghost like feeling.

​Once 
the sun sets, the moon starts to rise, and the stars come out. So do the "stars" suspended over the island by the “Constellation Project”
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From every angle on the island the
​views are amazing and magical.
If you ever get the chance to come up to our area, this is a "must see" for history or architecture buffs or even just for those of you curious about "that island" that lies at the base of Storm King Mountain... the one you see everyday on the way to work. 
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... by Joe Mack
Keep checking back to this site (or sign up for the NEWSLETTER reminders) because, in the coming weeks, I will be writing about other beautiful areas here in the Hudson Valley.
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Joe Mack is a Photographer, Writer, Craftsman, Musician and Engineer Tech. He, and his wife Jaci live in upstate New York and love to travel.

​Look for more of their adventures here, or on his Facebook pages at:
Joe's Facebook
Vacation Photography

More photos on Viewbug
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Things to do in Historic Key West Florida

12/28/2016

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... by Linda Y. Walters

​When it comes to having a great time, Key West, a city founded back in 1822, is an incredible mixture of excitement, sea faring exploration and most of all, one's own imagination. There's no shortage of local bars and legendary haunts to "drop in on" on any given day. Just don't try to do them all at once!

Duval Street, a hub of activity, has long been the center of  Key West  night life. You might want to visit The Bull, Sloppy Joe's Bar, or The Whistle Bar which has a clothing optional mantra. Captain Tony's (known for its bar stools which hang upside down from the ceiling) was also reportedly the favorite afternoon haunt of the Pulitzer and Nobel prize winning author, Ernest Hemingway.   Many world reknowned persons including Tennessee Williams, former President Harry Truman and the legendary ocean treasure hunter, Mel Fisher, have contributed to the undeniable lure and history of this tiny island just 90 miles off the coast of Cuba.
Fisher's haul of buried treasure, which reportedly took him 16 years to eventually find, tragically cost him the loss of his son and daughter in law. After finding the 1622 wreck of the Spanish ship Nuestra Senora de Atocha, a Spanish galleon, Fisher cashed in on years of determined treasure hunting. 
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Fort Zachary Taylor is a Florida State Park

​During the Civil War, Key West flew the Confederate flag and Fort Zachary Taylor played a significant role in helping protect the coastline. Munitions were moved by the railroad tracks located there.
Prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis, ferries and trade between Key West and Havana were a common daily occurrence. Visit Zachary Taylor Fort for an exciting look at Key West's historical past.

With local haunts like Blue Heaven, Smokin Tuna, and a liquor store named "The Lost Weekend," Key West's significant cultural allure remains in place. Even John F Kennedy is said to have visited Captain Tony's, still known for the distinction of offering its visitors the opportunity to flip coins into the mouths of groupers. Recently renovated, this undeniable landmark reopened in early November of 2016.
Yacht charters are an everyday occurence in Key West and Floridays Yacht Charters has earned high marks for its  appeal, convenience and expertise on the water. Whether its a champagne sunset cruise, a private charter for a wedding party, or an afternoon snorkeling expedition, this is a sailing experience to be remembered. Check the website at: floridays.org or call 888 773 5455
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Visit Floridays website
Mallory Square, located just a short walk off Duval Street, offers a popular stretch of beach which comes alive daily with a celebration of entertaining street performers and crafts vendors. There's also the undeniable allure of the amazing daily sunset. Thousands gather nightly to witness the splendor of watching as the sun seems to meld with the vastness of the ocean. Cameras poised, its a nightly celebration aptly named "the Sunset Walk".
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For general sightseeing around Key West, try Hydrothunder Rentals which has a large fleet of individual rental bikes and scooters for use.

They also have motorized cars, golf carts, jetskis and other "toys" and transportation.

Reach them at 305 295 7000.
Key West generally has something for everyone whether its the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, the Audubon House, the Conch Tour Train, watersports, the Key West Aquarium, the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, or the Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum. 
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General admission fees apply to most of the attractions so, please, do your homework. Visit KeyWestAttractions.org 
​or call 305 293 7249.


Stay at the Hyatt Centric

The new Hyatt Centric Resort & Spa  is right in the heart of the old town, with it's own beach and within walking distance of all the fun!

​For more information, check out Linda Walters review of this exiciting new resort right here.

#KeyWest #Hyatt #LindaWalters
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Historic Seelbach Hilton Hotel: Louisville, Kentucky

10/8/2016

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My experience of a romantic weekend stay at the 4-diamond luxury Seelbach Hilton Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky – appearing on the National Register of Historical Places – can never be described as “ordinary!”

The Seelbach Hilton is equal parts historical landmark and architectural masterpiece. It began as the dream of two Bavarian brothers – Otto and Louis Seelbach – in 1869 when Louis came to Louisville to learn the hotel business.

In 1903, after several years of running restaurants and gentleman’s clubs, the brothers began construction of a new hotel at the corner of 4th and Walnut Street (now Muhammad Ali), creating a lavish, turn-of-the-century Beaux Arts Baroque hotel.

Sparing no expense, they imported marbles from all over the world, bronzes from France, hardwoods from the West Indies and Europe, linens from Ireland, and valuable Turkish and Persian Rugs.

Billed as “the only fireproof hotel in the city,” the new Seelbach opened in May of 1905 by offering a 5-hour public inspection and drawing an incredible 25,000 visitors. The hotel was so popular, the Seelbach brothers began a 154-room addition in the fall of that same year.

In 1907, the expansion was completed and included the famous Bavarian-style Rathskeller, decorated with rare Rookwood Pottery. Today the Rathskeller remains the only surviving ensemble of its kind.

In the 1920s, Prohibition contributed to the wealth of underworld kingpins who were drawn to the most glamorous spots for cards and leisure. The Seelbach certainly saw its share.

As the grandest hotel in Louisville and the center of Kentucky’s bourbon and whiskey country, The Seelbach attracted some of the most famous gangsters. Notorious figures included Lucky Luciano and Dutch Schultz – known as the “Beer Baron of the Bronx.”

The King of the Bootleggers – George Remus, a Cincinnati mobster, referred to as “King of the Bootleggers,” got rich running whiskey northward during Prohibition. As a local gangster, he would spend time at The Seelbach, for business and pleasure. Writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, who also visited The Seelbach for bourbon and cigars, was taken with the charismatic Remus. In fact, Remus became the inspiration for the title character Jay Gatsby in “The Great Gatsby.”  (more)

by Michelle Valentine
"Love, Eat, Travel, TV"
Contact Michelle: info@MichelleValentine.TV
​
You can get your business featured on "Love, Eat, Travel" ... just email for information.
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The Seelbach Hilton continues to be the choice for international celebrities and world politicians visiting Kentucky.
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