The Sunshine State

Business travels took me to Florida this fall and Sebastian was able to find a cheap Delta flight ($159 round-trip, can you believe it?) and join me for the weekend. We stayed in chic Bal Harbour - first, at the historic Sea View Hotel and next at the five-star ONE Bal Harbour Resort & Spa. Both lovely with their own charms! I'd stayed at ONE previously, but this was my first time at the Sea View.

Our first night, I enjoyed a great lychee martini at Makoto, Stephen Starr's new Japanese restaurant at the Bal Harbour Shops before sitting down to a late dinner at Carpaccio with Sebastian's friends from Paraguay who were staying in Miami for the weekend. The next day, we woke up early to head to South Beach. We spent the morning walking around Lincoln Road and then relaxed at the beach for a few hours, until Sebastian was stung by a swarm of jellyfish - poor guy.

All in all, it was a great weekend...

 Drinks at Makoto

Dinner with Tony and Nadhia at Carpaccio

 View from our room at ONE Bal Harbour Resort & Spa 

 Soaking tub at ONE Bal Harbour Resort & Spa

South Beach

 Lunch at Mister Collins

Vancouver...Oh, how I adore thee.

My second business trip to Vancouver was just as exciting as the first. I came to the conclusion that I could truly live in this city someday. It has the perfect mix of laid-back atmosphere, health-consciousness and art and culture. Ahhh, just call me Zen Meredith.

We stayed at the new Shangri-La Vancouver, the luxury resort company's first North American property. I've never in my life experienced such service. As soon as you arrive at the hotel, an employee in reception excorts you up to your room for a unique in-room check-in experience.

Source: Shangri-La

Ever seen the moment in The Holiday (yep, just referenced that blockbuster of a movie) when Kate Winslet lays in her bed at the house she's staying at, realizes the buttons next to her head control the black-out curtains, the music, etc...and she squeals with delight??


...Yes, that was me.



The buttons by my head controlled the regular curtains, the black-out curtains, the electronic "do not disturb" message, the lights, etc. And to top it off, the room was bigger than my entire apartment in New York. It was pure bliss.



During my stay in Vancouver, I got a sneak peak of the facilities for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. And let me tell you, the Games are going to be amazing. [More to come on this]