Viewing by month: May 2008
Heaven on Earth -- at House Without A Key.
Years ago, when I was Director of Operations for Private Jet Expeditions, Halekulani was our preferred Honolulu hotel. The Sales Manager there took me on a tour of the property, which concluded with a drink at House Without A Key. Not only was this the highlight of the tour, it was the highlight of my trip, and I've never returned to Hawaii without stopping by for a cocktail.
Located right in the heart of Waikiki Beach -- but a million miles from the madding crowd -- the outdoor tables are sheltered by an ancient kiawe tree. With Diamond Head to your left and the Pacific Ocean a few hundred yards to the front, there's no prettier spot in Waikiki.
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Friday Night Skate Nights all over Europe.
Having started in 1994, the Paris Friday Night Skate is the best known in the world, with as many as 20,000 brave participants. The Rondo, as the event is called, begins at Place Raoul Dautry in the 14th at 10PM. The route changes each week, and the details are posted on Thursdays at http://www.pari-roller.com/index.php?p=101The popularity of the Paris party has spawned dozens of imitators. So if you're in a major European city during the summer -- and you're an experienced roller blader -- chances are there's a group skate you can join. You'll burn some calories, make new friends, and see the city from a different point of view.
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Great lineup at Montreal Jazz Festival.
Regular readers of this blog -- both of you -- know that we're big fans of Montreal, and of jazz. Those similarly inclined can enjoy both at the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal, which runs from June 16 - July 6. Since we posted about it in March, they've added several great acts, including Aretha Franklin, Woody Allen, Leonard Cohen, and Diane Reeves.
Jazz legend Oscar Peterson -- who passed away this year -- was born in Montreal, and this year's festival is dedicated to him. Festivals often claim to offer something for everyone, but with 3,000 acts from 30 countries, Montreal delivers.
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World-class brews at the Portland Beer Festival.
One of the country's top beer gatherings, The Oregon Brewer's Festival, is coming up. Located in Portland's Tom McCall Waterfront Park, this year's event will be held from July 25 - July 28. More than 70 brewers are participating, including Alaskan, Anderson Valley, Bridgeport, Full Sail, Hales, MacTarnahan's, Red Hook, and Sierra Nevada.Washington, Oregon, and Idaho are the country's leading producers of hops, and Northwest brewers take full advantage of the local bounty and add hops, hops, and more hops throughout the brewing process. Traditional European brewers think these beers are crazy. But once you taste a finely crafted Northwest IPA or ESB, there's no going back.
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London Hidden Treasure -- Courtauld Art Institute
London is a great city for art. With the Tates (Britain and Modern), The National Gallery, The National Portrait Gallery, The British Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London offers more than most visitors could reasonably hope to see.But one of London's most rewarding art galleries isn't even on most traveler's radar, much less their short list. The Courtauld Institute of Art has one of the finest collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings in the world. And it's conveniently located in Somerset House on the banks of the Thames near Waterloo Bridge.
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