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Varun Sharma – Luxury and Leisure Around the World

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

If you love luxury travel then you’ll love Varun Sharma – London-based travel journalist and the urbane, sophisticated host of The Luxury Travel Show.  Now in full production for his new series Inside Luxury Travel, Varun travels the world over to famous hotels and resorts, giving armchair travelers a true taste of the good life – Varun style.  Check out Varun’s Daily Diary or the Leica website blog to follow his travels.

Varun’s special gift is talking with the owners and staff who know these luxurious locations the best – walking the grounds with them, learning details about the history, the planning and the effort made to provide a unique and luxurious experience to guests.  Of course Varun gets the chance to enjoy a bit of leisure and pampering himself.  You can’t help but smile as he stands on a  marble veranda overlooking a beautiful scene or sitting down to a lovely meal in a breathtaking setting  – he is so clearly enjoying the experience.  Varun, we know exactly how you feel, and if we can’t be there ourselves then watching you is the next best thing.  We know when we go there it will be just as special!

We caught up with Varun last week and he kindly answered questions about his favorite places, his travel plans for the next few months and details about Inside Luxury Travel:

Lexy: Of all the places you’ve traveled, do you have any favorites you could return to again and again?

Varun:  I am always asked this question … and actually I have found three places where I would quite happily breathe my last breath….

- Sonora Island in Vancouver … stunning vistas, fishing, wonderful accommodation, clean air … heaven!

- The Royal Malewane in South Africa – the greatest safari experience on Earth

- Four Seasons Tented Camp – Thailand –elephant heaven!

 

Lexy:  Is there any place you haven’t been you’d jump at the chance to visit?

Varun:  Antarctica … and it’s on the list for this year!

Lexy:  Where will you be traveling in the next few months – and how can we follow you?  Where are your shows currently broadcast?Varun:  Scotland, Hawaii, Texas, San Francisco, Abu Dhabi, Shanghai, Cannes, New York … at least .. in 2010… with MUCH more in 2011.

Varun also mentioned that he plans an episode about traveling with pets and we hope to see him with his beloved Gemima, pictured with Varun at the top of this post.   For fans in the United States, Varun has 36 hours of shows not yet seen in the US that will air during late 2010 so we have lots to look forward to – and can’t wait! 

Varun Sharma is the host of Inside Luxury Travel - a television show that focuses on high-end travel.  The show airs in over 160 countries, in 18 languages and is beamed into 390 million homes worldwide.  He has now stayed in over 500 luxury hotels & resorts … and has in the past year flown in a fighter jet, gone diving – without a cage – in Tiger Shark infested waters, had dinner with a dingo and has cooked with over 50 Michelin-starred chefs!  He likes nothing better than playing a round of golf with his pooch Gemima by his side, cigar in mouth and flask of single malt Scottish whisky to hand!

 

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Willow Pond Farm – Fairfield, Pennsylvania

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

Willow Pond Farm is a certified organic herb farm near Gettysburg, and is the creation of owners Tom and Madeleine Wajda.  Retired from Foreign Service and having lived around the world, Tom and Madeleine purchased Willow Pond Farm in 1994 and opened in 1995.  Over the past 15 years the farm has grown into a beautiful setting and a wonderful place to enjoy Tom and Madeleine’s special brand of hospitality – a welcome smile, a relaxing day in the country, delicious food, and an appreciation for the beauty of the setting and the organic herbs grown on the farm.

With an emphasis on lavender for the farm, the Wajdas host the Pennsylvania Lavender Festival in mid-June each year.  Held for 3 days, the festival is a celebration of lavender – cutting your own lavender in their fields, buying plants to bring home to your garden, enjoying Lavender Lemonade, Chicken Salad with Lavender, and Lavender Sugar Cookies, listening to lectures about the benefits and uses of lavender, attending workshops to create lavender wreaths, and enjoying lavender-inspired art and crafts from vendors and in the Farm’s gift shop.

I can’t wait for the festival each June, and the smell of lavender was everywhere this year with the fields in full bloom and festival goers bending down with shears to pick their bunches of lavender to bring home.  This year I was struck by the beauty of Nancy Marshall’s Impressionist paintings and pastels – many showing the fields at Willow Pond Farm and a great memory of the festival during the year.  Lavender jewelry by Jean Designs is another way to remember the day as well with earrings or a locket filled with lavender.  The pictures here really say it all – a beautiful day in a beautiful setting.

The festival’s over until the next year, but it’s just as enjoyable to visit the farm during summer or fall hours and especially for one of the farm’s Boarding House Luncheons.  Diners benefit from Madeleine’s French cooking school training and natural talents as a chef, which is the reason to reserve your spot as the Boarding House Luncheons fill up quickly.  The next Luncheons will be held on August 18 and 21. 

Willow Pond farm is located in Fairfield, Pennsylvania near Gettysburg and is open Thursday-Saturday from 9am-5pm from April 1 until Christmas, and on Sundays from noon-5pm from mid-April to mid-June and during November and December.  Willow Pond Farm will be closed July 17-31, 2010.  Enjoy!

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America’s Birthday

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

Happy Birthday, America.  Not the best year.  The economy, the oil spill in the Gulf, big messes right in our laps.  But it’s the 4th of July and time to recall that America’s a great country filled with great people doing great things – no matter what – and more people with new ideas and new energies adding their voice every day.  We have low points and hard hits, but we come back strong.  We’re not giving in by a long shot, this is all going to take a while, but we’ve connected the dots, we’re finding our way and we’ll succeed. There’s nothing like the American spirit when we want to fix what’s not right.  Just watch.  What was the motto on that early flag – ‘Don’t tread on me?’.  

We’ve got our critics, we’ve got our failures, but we’ve got our fans and our successes too.  I flew to Boston a few weeks ago and took a cab to my hotel.   It was the start of the World Cup, and the cab driver was from Somalia. ‘Does Somalia have a team in the World Cup? ‘ I asked.  ‘No, too small. But anyway I cheer for the US because from yesterday I am a US citizen,’ the driver said, smiling.  I asked about the oath, the ceremony.  ‘I said the oath, and there were 110 of us – from all over, even Canada,’ the driver said.  Canadians?  ‘Married to Americans’, he said.

A country that people want to join is a strong country, no matter what the problems of the day.  We are a strong country.  We’ve got some things to deal with right now, we’re in the middle of a lot, but we’ll come back strong – we always do.  It’s in our nature as Americans, whether we’ve been an American all our lives or for a day.  Our independence, our self reliance, our ingenuity.  This year we had the economy, we had the oil spill, but we also had Bloom, Tesla, Apple, Facebook and lots of other good news.  We’re down but not out, we’ve got work to do, but the comeback is there.  So Happy Birthday and here’s to the next 234 years.

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A Morning Walk and Lunch in Savannah

Saturday, June 26th, 2010

Signing Up for Lunch
Savannah’s a short drive from Hilton Head Island, so it’s a great day trip if you want a day away from the Island while you’re there.  I thought I’d go to The Lady and Sons for lunch, which means arriving early to get in line.  Signup for lunch starts at 9:30am.  I arrived, parked, and joined the line of Paula Deen fans, quietly waiting for 9:30am.  I’d chosen Tuesday for Savannah, thinking that might be the lightest day for crowds at the restaurant.  I was in luck and got an early seating for lunch.  That done, I  headed off for a walk until lunchtime.

Juliette Low’s Birthplace and Finding a Great Shirt
Downtown Savannah is great for walking through her squares, around City Market and near the riverfront.  I headed over to Juliette Gordon Low’s birthplace on E. Oglethorpe Avenue.  As every Girl Scout knows, Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Scouts, and I couldn’t pass up the chance to see her girlhood home.  Groups were waiting outside, clustered outside the gates waiting for the next tour to start.  Peeking through I could see a lovely garden.  There’s a large gift shop open to the public as well.  I was glad to see so many young girls waiting to see her home, along with older women recalling their scouting days. 

Savannah is a stylish city, and I recalled great shops from my visit there a few years ago.   As the shops were opening I headed into several filled with clothes, gifts and items for the home.  In Terra Cotta I found a great shirt – a new favorite to wear everywhere.  This made my day and happy with my purchase I walked back toward the restaurant, stopping at Kitchens on the Square and The Paris Market to look around – both shops I’d seen on my previous visit to Savannah.  I also went in to Go Fish near The Paris Market filled with shoes, dresses and jewelry, but looked at my watch and had to say I’d be back after lunch.  It was time to eat.

Lunch at The Lady and Sons
At The Lady and Sons I went through their gift shop to wait for my table.  The shop is filled with everything Paula Deen – books, aprons, pot holders, kitchenware, herbs, rubs, spices, mixes – and everything else created with love and enthusiasm by Paula and her team.  In a nicely decorated waiting area with comfortable seating and Paula’s shows running on two television screens I waited to be called to my table.   It was a great way to get in the mood for lunch at her restaurant.

Paula’s staff is very friendly and welcoming.   I was led to a table and immediately taken care of by a young waitress who brought biscuits and hoe cakes to sample.  I ordered unsweetened ice tea and although there are lots of tempting items on the menu I was set on the buffet for lunch.  I loaded my plate with fried chicken, collard greens and macaroni and cheese.  Heaven.  Once in a while you just have to let yourself enjoy comfort food, and this is comfort food at its finest.  Sitting at the plain wooden table, with the friendly waitress refilling my glass and asking if I’d like more biscuits or hoe cakes, I could feel myself back at my grandmother’s table as a child, and realized this is what Paula wants everyone to feel at her restaurant.  I’m glad I had the chance to come to this famous place, and experience the heart of Paula’s hospitality – a welcome smile, a plate of delicious food, and someone to make sure you’ve got what you need.  I look forward to returning.

A Quick Stop at Go Fish Before Heading Back to Hilton Head
With just a little time left before heading back to Hilton Head, I walked over to Go Fish to take a closer look at their shoes, clothing and jewelry.  Go Fish is a Fair Trade store filled with very colorful, stylish and beautifully made items from around the world.  If you like things that are unique and different – and who doesn’t – Go Fish is the place for you.  It’s a growing chain with stores around the US, and the one on W. Broughton Street is run by two very friendly, helpful women running a lovely store, and very committed to Fair Trade.  If you’re in the neighborhood you won’t regret dropping in.

Heading back to Hilton Head and the beach, I decided that on my next visit to Savannah I’d like to explore Tybee Island and areas outside the city.  But I’ll always make time for a walk around downtown to see the shops and the squares, and a stop at Paula Deen’s restaurant.  It’s like visiting an old friend.

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Beaufort and Hunting Island State Park, South Carolina

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

A Busy Saturday Afternoon in Beaufort
I’d planned to stop for lunch and a poke around in Beaufort on my way to Hilton Head Island.  With antebellum houses, restaurants with a view of the Intracoastal Waterway, gift shops and galleries, Beaufort’s the perfect place to take a break on the drive from Charleston to Hilton Head.  There’s always something going on in Beaufort.  It’s a great haven and you always feel welcome.  On this Saturday afternoon Beaufort was busy, people everywhere walking along the streets and by the Intracoastal Waterway, enjoying themselves in the shops, restaurants and cafes.

Everybody Goes to Plum’s
I parked in the lot near Nippy’s, a popular local spot I’d eaten at a few years ago on my first visit to Beaufort.  Nippy’s had a live band playing in the parking lot and a ring toss game alongside, but this time I wanted to eat along the water.   I walked in to Laura Tucker Designs to enjoy her mix of furniture, art and collectibles, and asked Laura to suggest a place to eat.  “Everyone goes to Plum’s!” she said without hesitation.  So, I headed to Plum’s just a few blocks away and on the water.  She was right – at Plum’s  there was a line of people, a signup sheet and a wait for a table.  But it was lively and fun and the line was visibly moving.  I could see the cooks on the line, working quickly.  Patrons were streaming in, meeting each other, crowding up to the bar.  Waitresses were gliding around, each in a brightly colored Plum’s t-shirt .  Seated after about 20 minutes, I chose the Chopped Romaine Cobb Salad and warm, fresh French Bread.  I briefly considered but passed on the daily soup selection – Alligator Stew – but appreciated that it was on the menu.  Plum’s has the feel of a family-run – and well-run – restaurant, a very friendly atmosphere and food that’s fresh and all made right there.  I can see why ‘everybody goes to Plum’s’ and look forward to my return.  Next time I’d love to sit on the back deck overlooking the water, enjoy a glass of wine with my meal and imagine a trip on the Intercoastal Waterway.

Back to a Favorite Shop
Fortified and happy, I headed to a shop I’d found on my last visit – Lulu Burgess -  whose owner has a knack for finding unique, beautiful – and well priced – items that you can’t live without the minute you see them.  The shop is a great place to stock up on clothes, jewelry, kitchen items, soaps, and decorative pieces that will please you and whoever you give them to – if you can part with them when the time comes.  I suggest you consider buying two – the prices allow it.  Beaufort is also a great spot for finding Low Country art and many art galleries are on the main street – perfect for window shopping or selecting a piece of art that will make you remember your day in Beaufort.  But, it was time to push on, so back to the parking lot next to Nippy’s and on to the next stop – Hunting Island State Park.

A Beach Left to Nature and a Maritime Forest
I’d read about Hunting Island State Park in Off the Beaten Track in the Wall Street Journal.  It sounded like a great stop on the way to Hilton Head Island – and turned out to be well worth the detour.  The beach is on the edge of a maritime forest, a jumble of pine trees and palm trees.  Walking along the beach you feel you’ve landed on shore like Swiss Family Robinson.  It’s wild and natural.  This is a wildlife refuge so there are flocks of birds, large driftwood trees dotting the beach, alligators in the nearby pond – and a sense of what the area was like 200 years ago with just the wind, the sun and nature all around.  If you are a camper consider camping here.

The drive to Hunting Island from Beaufort is beautiful, through countryside, past roadside stands for shrimp and crabs, and then out along and over the water.  Heading from Hunting Island State Park toward Hilton Head Island I drove over bridges and causeways and through small towns.  A quiet alternative to reaching Hilton Head if you’re tired of the major highways.  If you have the time to take this route you won’t regret the choice.  You’ll arrive on Hilton Head ready to ease into your visit there.

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An Evening and Morning in Charleston, South Carolina

Monday, June 21st, 2010

A Walk by the Battery and Dinner at Magnolia’s
I recently drove to Hilton Head Island and stayed overnight in Charleston on the way down.  Who doesn’t love Charleston?  It’s one of my favorite cities, where you find something interesting on every street and something more amazing around every corner.  So my night in Charleston had to include an evening out and a little time there the following morning.

I have a special love for the Battery in the hours before sunset.  The workday over, the evening ahead, children are playing and splashing in the fountains and families are walking along the water.  Ships sail by.  Walking along the gravel pathway, hearing and feeling the crunch of the gravel under your feet, it’s a great way to enjoy the beauty of this city.

Up toward East Bay Street, you pass by gift shops and small hotels.  Window boxes are filled with flowers and doormen open doors for arriving guests and unload luggage from cars.  There’s an air of anticipation in this section of Charleston, an air of occasion and pending celebration. 

Charleston has wonderful restaurants, all beckoning, but I have a clear favorite in that town.  I’ve been to Charleston twice and haven’t made it past Magnolia’s.  Magnolia’s atmosphere, food and service all work together in perfect harmony –  it’s a magic that makes you want to enjoy, to linger, to remember your moments there.  Each dish is beyond delicious and as you leave you’re thinking of what you’ll order next time and where you’d like to sit.   Tonight, seated at a window table I could watch the world pass by but my attention was drawn inside.  Couples and families enjoying themselves, talking and laughing, looking up with a smile as waiters bring dishes to the table.  A couple checks their theater tickets, relaxes, and both order dessert.  Waiters move quickly to fill water glasses and pour wine.  Our waitress – Sara Z. – answers questions about the menu and the wines easily, familiar and knowledgeable with our selections.  We’re served quickly but not too quickly to enjoy drinks and conversation.  My Fried Green Tomatoes and Shellfish over Grits are perfect with a glass of Pinot Gris.  For dessert  Lemon Buttermilk Cotta with Strawberry Sauce and a cappuccino finish the meal.  Sublime.  Walking back to the Battery to catch a jitney back to the hotel the stars are twinkling over this lovely evening. 

Morning Visit to the Charleston Farmer’s Market
The mornings have a special feeling in Charleston too – clear, fresh blue sky, especially if you’re headed to the Charleston Farmer’s Market.  One of the best Farmer’s Markets you’ll find anywhere, the Charleston Farmer’s Market is on Saturday mornings in Marion Square, Downtown Charleston, 8am-2pm.  This is a farmer’s market you can build your day around, complete with local farmers selling organic and heirloom produce, flowers, freshly baked breads and homemade soups, ravioli and just about anything else for the weekend and the week ahead.  For breakfast you can choose from crepes or omelettes made right there, or the variety of breads, muffins and croissants at various stands.  A New Orleans style coffee stand offers cappuccino or coffee with chicory along with beignets.  This is worth the wait.  Shop for provisions and then enjoy breakfast and coffee while listening to a live band.  Tables are on the lawn inside the square.

Besides local food, flowers and produce there’s a variety of local artists at the market, especially jewelers.  I couldn’t resist buying jewelry from three of them – millefiore style earrings by Leslie Madden of Island Handcrafts and earrings made from 1800’s pottery shards found in local archaeological digs by Robbie Clair of SouthEast Creations.  I also couldn’t resist a necklace – a small morning glory painted on enamel hanging from a gold chain, part of Michelle Fowler of The Scarlet Poppy’s array of jewelry made from vintage pieces.  Leaving the market I saw a great find – Lowcountry Sketches  - pen and ink prints of Charleston area churches and Lowcountry scenes.  These are painted by a local gentleman in his ‘90s and sold at the market by his son-in-law.  They are the perfect gift to remember a visit to Charleston.

Leaving Charleston, I head out toward Hilton Head Island with a plan to stop in Beaufort  and Hunting Island State Park along the way.

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Atlanta Family Reunion

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

I spent Memorial Day Weekend going to a family reunion in Atlanta, which was a great way to start the summer.  We’ve got a small family spread out over the East, and we’re trying to get together more often.  So, Memorial Day was our start.  It was great to be with family, great to travel that weekend – and I ended up experiencing the true meaning of Memorial Day more than once.

I hadn’t been to Atlanta in ages, and the central spot for our weekend was my cousin’s home in Buford.  This is the sister of the cousin I visited in Nashville for Thanksgiving.  Flying in to Atlanta and then driving out to Buford gave me a chance to drive through downtown Atlanta and see the buildings of all the largest companies based there like Coca Cola, Cox and CNN.  I enjoyed seeing all the famous names on big buildings, all clustered downtown.

We had a great weekend, hanging around, eating lunch and then having a barbecue and just spending time together catching up and going over family stories.   Our group didn’t see each other much growing up so it’s great to connect and realize how much we share.  I know that other families do huge reunions with elaborate plans – for us it’s just great to be together.  My cousin and her husband were the best of hosts, and cousins, children and grandchildren simply enjoyed the day.

With our family there’s always high jinks at some point – we’ve got a lot of creative people with ideas pouring out in all directions.  My favorite was the idea to string Christmas lights under the large umbrella on the patio as the patio got dark – with one cousin balanced precariously draping the lights and my other cousin’s husband running back and forth from the attic with string after string of lights to try out.  I couldn’t stop laughing.  The lights were looking pretty good when I left for my hotel, but in the morning it was all taken down.  On to the next idea.

We’d planned a day trip to Stone Mountain for our second day, but that got set aside  – threat of thunderstorms and a cousin getting lost coming back from a music gig at a special Memorial Day church service.  No worries; Stone Mountain’s not going anywhere, and we can do that another time.  Glad to have him back with us; it didn’t feel right without him.  We talked about going to the Coca Cola Museum and having lunch at The Varsity – which I’d never heard of but which I now can’t get out of my mind – but in the end we all decided to just go to the pool and then out to dinner at Dominick’s, an Italian restaurant nearby.  Italian’s definitely the best choice for our family.  We each chose our favorites – manicotti, chicken parmesan, ravioli, mussels, spaghetti and meatballs, got a double order of their excellent garlic bread and my cousin’s husband selected a really nice bottle of Chianti for the adults to share.

We had a great dinner talking and eating together, and the meaning of Memorial Day hit home when my cousin’s husband quietly picked up the dinner tab for a Marine and his wife who were at a nearby table.  That made the family dinner even better, and it was hard to say goodbye as I headed back to my hotel.  The next morning, waiting for my Delta flight, the meaning of Memorial Day hit home again as military personnel were invited to board the plane ahead of other passengers.  As everyone applauded I thought couldn’t – and shouldn’t – we do that every day and on every airline?

I like Memorial Day weekend – it’s the start of the summer, a time to think about what we have in America, and this Memorial Day was one of the best.  I can’t wait for the next reunion.  It might be Atlanta, it might be Cape Cod, it might be Sarasota – we’re thinking of switching between each other’s homes.  Wherever it is I’m looking forward to it.  More lights, more Italian restaurants, more family and more of what Memorial Day is about.

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I Liebe Germany

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

Try connecting with the Goethe Institut and you’ll liebe Germany too.  KMC was invited to the Goethe Institut in DC for a blogger happy hour, introducing us to their German cultural and language programs. Now I can say “Mein name ist Herr K, ich liebe meinen planeten!”

One of the great things about DC is that almost the entire world is represented here to some degree. But few countries make the effort that Germany does via Goethe. With ongoing airing of German films and a robust offering of German language courses, the Institut does all it can to engage with the city and spread the liebe of German culture. The really interesting thing about Goethe is the worldwide network it has with offices in 92 countries.  How many other cultures have such an organization dedicated to spreading the language and cultural understanding? So if you’re planning a trip to Germany and want to do some prep work, this is as good a quality training as you can get. And if you’re not near one of their offices, they offer great online training as well.  If you visit, you can also grab a handful of some their great buttons :-)      Bis zum nächsten mal, Welt!

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