Posts from the “USA” Category
Music Festival is a Perfect Weekend Getaway for Solo Travelers
Contributed by Michael Katz, Singles Travel International Concierge and Musician
There aren’t too many places in this world that have the charm, excitement, and energy of the French Quarter in New Orleans. This past weekend, they kicked it up a notch, and 38 happy campers from Singles Travel International were there to experience the sights and sounds of the FRENCH QUARTER MUSIC FESTIVAL! What a dream come true…some of the best Jambalaya, Cajun, and Creole cooking, combined with some of the best blues, jazz, and big band music scattered throughout the streets and squares of the French Quarter….Wow! We had all barely checked into our hotel the first day of the festival when we were out the door getting the party started at the LOA Bar, a classy and perfect place to have a cocktail and to get to know our new friends! From there we took a walk up Decatur Street to have dinner at Tujaques, the 2nd oldest restaurant in town. What a treat. The meal was excellent and the bread pudding for dessert was out of this world! We ended the night strolling down Bourbon Street to get an up close and personal look at the nightlife in full swing! Nothing compares to Bourbon Street with it’s variety of bars, live bands, partiers throwing beads from balconies, and people walking the street mesmerized by the spectacular audio and visual performances!
The next day we were treated to a bus tour of historical New Orleans, complete with a trip to the Oak Alley Plantation, where we took a guided tour of the grounds and mansion, and had an authentic home style southern buffet lunch. Mmmmmm good! Getting back to the hotel at mid-afternoon, it was on to the music! The group was revved up as we checked out the four sound stages at the Riverfront. The park was packed and the music was awesome! From Zydeco to Blues, to Jazz, to Cajun Jitterbug, we heard and saw it all. We then headed over to Jackson Square, where we heard original Dixieland Jazz from the Preservation Hall Jazz Band! Nice! Listening to all that good music can sure build up an appetite, so we headed to the GUMBO POT restaurant, a favorite of many in the group. Shrimp Creole, Pasta Jambalaya, and Seafood Gumbo were big hits! Another trip down Bourbon Street completed another perfect day for all!
Our final day saw many from our group going on a Swamp Tour, Cajun Cooking School Tour, and a ride up the Mississippi on the Natchez River Boat Cruise. More music in the afternoon, and then to top off our fantastic weekend, our farewell dinner was held on the second floor of the famous New Awlins Cookery right on Bourbon Street, complete with our own private balcony overlooking 100’s of party people on the street below! Whooo Hoooo!!!! Standing on the balcony, watching how much fun everyone was having, I suddenly realized how much we actually did in three days. This really is a magical place to be. Great Food, Great People, Great Time! STI did it again! Can’t wait til next year! J
Key West……….My Way!
Key West ……………. My Way
I have such a soft spot in my heart for Key West and I’m pretty vocal with my friends that if they are coming to this area that they need to see it …………. My Way!!! Whether it’s solo travel or travel with a group, I tend to gravitate towards the unique and unusual places and things that are just on the edge of where the tourists hang out. The more secret the find, the better! So it gives me great pleasure to share this with my fellow travelers.
I’m rather directionally challenged on a good day, in an area on a grid; it becomes worse when I’m on The Rock! So I’ve created my own method using landmarks. There “The Sloppy Joe’s” end and “The Beach” end. These places are opposite of each other on Duval Street so it makes sense to me.
So as we take a short tour of Duval Street from The Sloppy Joe’s end towards The Beach end, these are some of my favorite things:
- The sunsets in Key West are extraordinary. You can be guaranteed a spectacular sight each day. Mallory Square is a gathering place for people to have a cocktail, watch the sky turn lovely shades of pink, red, and yellow and be entertained by the street performers.
- Inside a resort called the Pier House is a treasure called The Chart Room. It’s small, dark, and wooden; has considerable charm and history, not to mention a popcorn maker and peanuts. If you can find it, it’s worth it!
- One day I was wandering aimlessly by the marina looking for a place to have breakfast. I accidently found The Schooner Wharf, an outside restaurant with a 7:00 a.m. to noon happy hour. The locals frequent this place for a morning cocktail and are very friendly. Belly up to the bar and have a screwdriver with your omelette and plan to make a few friends!
- One of the most famous bars in Key West is Sloppy Joe’s. It’s where you will find the best traditional cover bands and lots of sunburned tourists. The food’s not too bad either.
- The original Sloppy Joe’s is reported to be what is now Captain Tony’s Saloon. Captain Tony’s is a small quaint place that is complete with a huge tree growing through the middle of the bar and also serves as a grave marker for some famous local, the ceiling is plastered with bras from Captain Tony groupies, and the Pirate’s Punch is yummy!
- Feeling a bit hot and stuffy from the warm and humid tropical air? Take a break, leave your inhibitions and walk the many steps to the rooftop of The Bull and visit The Garden of Eden. Day or night, clothing is allowed but not required. I’ve never participated but have had some enjoyable voyeur moments. The typical rule, “those that shouldn’t do” is in place here but people are really having a good time. You’re lodging has no pool; wanna get your body painted? Garden of Eden is for you.
- I’m not a smoker but occasionally I can enjoy one of those skinny cigars that taste like chocolate or Amaretto. These can be found at The Key West Cigar Club and Smoke Shop. The shop is a bit like being in your own home, complete with a backyard patio, leather couches and a flat screen TV. It’s a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, a great place to chill and you don’t really notice the cigar smoky smell. I’ve had some great memories of sitting in the barber chairs in the front of the store at night and playing with the people as they walk past.
- Looking for the unusual but cute, cute, cute trinket to take back to your jealous friends and family back home? Fast Buck Freddies has many options to choose from.
- Every time I have taken friends or family to dinner at Blue Heaven I have been a hero! It’s a relaxed open air restaurant and bar, some light live music, incredible food and key lime pie with a 6 inch meringue. If yellowtail snapper is on the menu you have to get it, mouth watering.
- The only place to end the evening after the traditional Duval Crawl is at The Green Parrot. It’s a bar where the locals hang out to escape from the tourist so you must respect that. The music is so unique and eclectic and it stays open late. If you are lucky, a band called Xperimento will be there. I’m not sure what genre they are but I describe them as hip-hop reggae!! If you are bored one night, check out the live webcam to get a peek of what you might be missing; (www.greenparrot.com/webcam.htm)
While this is the end of my tour, it’s certainly not the beginning or the end of the great places and fun times to be had at Key West. After all, life’s not about just finding those experiences, it’s about creating them.
What Is It About Vegas?
Las Vegas has been a family favorite for decades for the Singles Travel International clan (yes, we are a 30 year family business). I recall looking at photos of my parents in velvet lined booths with bottles of champagne and a table filled with delicacies. There was also the handkerchief (or maybe a scrap of pants) that one of my aunts managed to tear from Tom Jones amidst hundreds of other screaming women. But all of the fun, frolic and top name entertainment came at a price, the price my dad paid in the casino every time they went. Junkets were what they called them in those days and all that Vegas had to offer was at your feet as long as you played, or paid.
Not a lot has changed since “the good ole days” and then again maybe it has. Old hotels (The Dunes) were brought down to build spectacular new hotels (Bellagio, Paris) and some remain as regal as always (Caesar’s Palace). Top notch entertainers still call Vegas home (Celine Dion, Bette Midler, Jerry Seinfeld) and unseen spectaculars thrive (a new Cirque du Soleil is born every, “how many seconds?”). Spending thousands is still not hard to do but today, Vegas can be “done” on very little, assuming you are not an addicted gambler.
If you aren’t headed to Vegas for the big win and manage to stay clear of the tables, what is there to do that will make you tick? Here are some of our tips for single travelers to Las Vegas.
Gamble you must? Beginners and singles with short pockets should stick to the penny and nickel slots at any number of casinos including the hip Palms Hotel & Casino. Please play the max! Is it craps you yearn to learn? Take free lessons every morning at 10 a.m. at Bills Casino & Gambling Hall, then try your luck at the Riviera on a $2 table. Black Jack is also a fun game and all you have to do is count to 21 (drinking a few will make that harder as the night goes on). Low limit tables are found at casinos off the strip or downtown.
Shows are a popular attraction, from free lounge acts to full cast reviews, it’s all here. Check http://www.visitlasvegas.com/vegas/play/shows/ in advance for big name entertainers in town during your visit and of course there are now 6 Cirque du Soleil productions to see. Get big discounts (20-40% off) at www.Tickets2nite.com for less popular shows available the same day. There seems to be a recent obsession with Sinatra and the Rat Pack but the best show we saw was at the Plaza, where nostalgia reigns. Dinner and the show with VIP seating is the only way to go. These guys are the real deal and even the maitre d’, George, is back from the original Stardust! Don’t overlook the old standards which have recently been updated for the new Vegas image – What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas. Ta ta to the family, Vegas is back and for singles that’s a good thing! Sirens of Treasure Island (free pirate show outside) are sexy and smokin’, Fremont Street (emphasis on free) has a light show every hour and live stage acts all day and you gotta watch the Volcano Blow with a “Las Vegas Cutie” at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville.
Every chef worth his or her salt is in Vegas so it’s a great place to nosh or languor all night long. Of course, the gamblers know all about the buffet (eat fast and get back to the tables), but there are some incredible deals depending on when you eat. There are dozens of coupons from many publications; in your taxi, at your hotel and online, that you may apply for free apps, free drinks and just about 2-4-1 anything.
Nightlife is the ultimate in Vegas with clubs unlike any other rivaling the best in Miami and LA. Vegas clubs attract the elite and there’s always the new “in” place to be. The best way to do the clubs if you don’t have a bottomless pocket (bottles start at $500 for table service) is to meet a rich guy or sugar mama, but that’s not always possible. Ladies often get a break on cover charge and may even score free entry if it’s still early (before 10 p.m.) A club hopping tour gets you into 4-5 clubs, no lines and no cover for about $79 and even includes drinks on the way from club to club. Seriously, the best thing about some of the clubs is the view – so grab a drink at Pure, Voodoo Lounge or Ghost Bar and check out the view (we mean the strip) but the people watching is superb as well. If you’re not into club dancing, skip it and try one of the better hotel lounges with a live band, one of our faves is Fontana Bar at Bellagio, with good old rock and roll, perfect for dancing.
Shopping is superb and a new Premium Outlet Mall recently opened on the strip. Retailers from Tiffany to Patek Philippe are waiting in the wings to provide all the bling required by a big winner. If hiking malls isn’t your cup of tea, we absolutely recommend a hike at Valley of Fire National Park ($10 entry per car) or a shorter, closer hike up to Red Rock Canyon. You will be blown away by the natural (not au naturel) beauty within one hour of the Strip.
Here’s a biggy that you may not have known, when you gamble, drinks are free! Yes you heard us, free. You’ll need staying power until the cocktail waitress appears, but service is generally very swift almost everywhere. Beware, there is an ulterior motive and your free drinks may cost you much more in the end. Valet parking is free everywhere and generally, so are phone calls between casinos to make dinner/show reservations. Always remember to tip, tip, tip. In Vegas, money talks and will open doors you didn’t even think existed!
Girls, girls girls! Men, men, men! Almost forgot, there are plenty and we mean plenty of places to go and dabble with the triple X’s but that’s not one of our “free” tips and since it’s very available, we don’t need to go into details here.
So solo voyageurs, Vegas is safe, clean, affordable fun for anyone looking for it, with or without a lot of dough. Best hotel rates are midweek, but who cares, all the singles are there on the weekend. Don’t be so cheap with yourself! Live a little for today and a little for the nostalgia of the past. You’ll leave Las Vegas a winner in more ways than one!
Up, Up and Away!! A Blog by STI Concierge, Michael!
After many years as a Singles Travel International (STI), Singles Cruise Concierge, I lead my first singles vacation on land at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, so I was really excited to do something new and different. On the first day, STI members came from all over the country, met for our first STI Happy Hour at the hotel bar, getting to know each other, all in great spirits! We then went to the St. Clari Winery for a fabulous dinner! After dinner, some brave souls went on a Ghost Tour of Albuquerque, the rest, went back to hotel for a good nights sleep!!!
The next morning, we all gathered in the hotel lobby, waiting for our luxurious tour bus that was going to take us to our first activity. Little did I know what we were in for when I took my eager but sleepy group to the field at the Balloon Fiesta Park at 5:30am for the Special Shapes Day!!!
WOW! Hot Air Balloons were being inflated all over this vast field in the dark. We were all fascinated the way the various hot air balloon teams did this. One by one, the Special Shapes Balloons were carefully taken out of their trailers, unraveled and placed on the ground. Then propane tanks were set aflame, lighting up the night, and the heat magically inflated these humongous hot air balloons. But not just any hot air balloons. The morning sun brought us a show that we would not soon forget! Darth Vader – Pepsi Cola Can – Smokey the Bear – Sponge Bob – Witches – Birds – Bumble Bees – The Space Shuttle (my favorite). Yes, the SPACE SHUTTLE!!! The biggest Balloon there…..Huge!!! Hundreds of Special Shapes were now flying against (by now) a beautiful blue sky.
In another part of the park, another set of balloons was lifting off. There shapes were the standard style that we are used to seeing. But these were no ordinary balloons. These balloons had some special cargo aboard: 9 of our lucky STI group members who opted to participate and go UP, UP and AWAY to get a birds-eye view of Albuquerque. A flight of a lifetime, and this was just the first day!
At 9:30am, we were all picked up from the field in a luxurious tour bus, and given a guided tour of the infamous Route 66, a visit to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, and taken to the Old Town section of Albuquerque, for shopping and lunch. In the afternoon, some of our group went on a tour of the Artisan Winery, while others went on the Sandia Peak Arial Tramway where breathtaking panoramic views were observed and photographed. A well deserved STI Happy Hour was then had by all before dinner back at our exclusive hotel, and then it was off to dinner at the High Noon Restaurant and Saloon, which was awesome! Could it get any better than this?
The next morning, we found out! After breakfast, we were off to the historic and picturesque Santa Fe. This was truly a treat, visiting such points of interest as the historic Plaza, St. Francis Cathedral, the Loretto Chapel, with its famous “miraculous” staircase, and the San Miguel Mission. Founded in 1610, Santa Fe was the last stop on the Camino Real, the fabled Royal that stretched from Mexico City to the northernmost reaches of the Spanish Empire. Today it is the heart and soul of the Southwest and “Santa Fe Style” is synonymous with all the best the region has to offer. Its historic Plaza, winding streets, covered arcades, hidden gardens and courtyards, and Pueblo-style architecture reflect the blending of Indian, Hispanic, and Anglo cultures. At 3:30pm, we departed Santa Fe to return to Balloon Fiesta Park for the spectacle of the evening Glowdeo®. We enjoyed dinner at the exclusive Gondola Club, which featured a fabulous buffet style dinner, an open bar, and a live band! During the glow, balloons inflated at dusk, remain tethered, and light their burners in a synchronized fashion. The “glow” effect is created by the same burner system used in flight; however, pilots use various means to bypass the “pre-heat” coils on the burner. These coils help the burner work efficiently, but the flame is a dull blue and does not emit a lot of light. To finish off a perfect trip, a fireworks show followed the Glowdeo, and lastly, a final trip along the many vendors to pick up some last minute souvenirs.
I think it would be safe to say that a fabulous time was had by all. We are all looking forward to the 2011 Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta! This year is the 40th anniversary, so I am sure they will pull out all the stops to make this the best Balloon Fiesta ever!!! Plus, I have lots of insider and first hand knowledge about the fest that will make it even better for our members this year. I hope you will join me in October!
Click here to join us October 6-9, 2011.
http://www.singlestravelintl.com/trip_packages/108-balloon-fiesta-in-albuquerque
