The setting? A magnificent day in New Paltz, New York, from where you can see the Shawangunk Mountain range (a section of the Appalachian Mountain range). The air is cool, the surrounding foliage is crisp, and Matthew and I have decided to hike the 3 mile loop around Lake Minnewaska.

For those of you who have not visited the Catskills area (you may be more familiar with Mohonk Mountain House), you'll find an embarrassment of riches —trail wise. I cannot express to you how much I love it here, and over the years I've witnessed the demand increase and Bed & Breakfast reservations fill up weeks in advance.

Lake Minnewaska has beautiful dark blue waters, and is dog friendly too. The three-odd mile trail around the Lake will take you past the famous Cliff House and Windmere among attractions. We had a breeze hiking the trail and it's not strenuous at all, even at 33 weeks of pregnancy! Butterscotch enjoyed the walk immensely, although she was very tempted to get into the lake (we restrained her because we didn't want to transport a soggy dog back). But as you can see from the pictures below, many dogs enjoyed playing fetch.

The parking at Lake Minnewaska's main lot is $8, but you can avoid this charge if you park by one of the many odd trails, you can skip the fee.

Once you arrive at the parking lot, follow the well-marked trail to Lake Minnewaska, and enjoy the simple loop (offset by carriage trails).

Nearby Can't Miss Attractions:

• The Walkway over the Hudson is a pedestrian bridge that spans more than a mile long, and is over 200 feet above the Hudson River. Walk this on a beautiful day for breathtaking views!
  
• Mohonk Mountain House: this unmistakeable Victorian castle is a fairy tale setting for weddings and festivities. It was built in 1869, and has 266 rooms. If you book, remember it's an all-inclusive stay including a sumptuous buffet breakfast, lunch, dinner and tea.
  
• The Mohonk Preserve, which is a State Park. Try the hike up to Bonticou Crag if you're really into hiking.
  

Butterscotch and I enjoy a clear day!

Finding a cool, shady spot is tough work…

One of the dogs we saw at the park had a ball…literally.

A Bassett Hound finds true love…

Lilac trees are plentiful

A view from the bridge

This is truly an idyllic spot in the park, and you can picnic here, take plenty of bridal photos (or fun family photos), or simply chill.

Matt enjoys a great perching spot while I enjoy the view!

Everyone has their definition of Paradise. My travels have resulted in colorful journeys all over the world, from my favorite island (Aruba) to South Africa and Macau. Of course, not all journeys are created equal: Paradise is so personal.

For me, Paradise is not necessarily all the glitz and glam. Sure, I’m impressed just as the girl next door is, with marble lobbies and swank hotel rooms with a nice tea service, but Paradise is about finding a place that makes you comfortable.

It’s like finding that perfect relationship where you can actually be yourself. No need vacillate personalities like Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria or Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire. Come as you are.

In that vein, I do think my personal paradise has to be Aruba. Many of you know and have read about my experiences on that island and those marvelous sunsets and Bonbini moments. It’s not an island that has an insane variety of activities, but the beaches are spectacular and there is that Dutch hospitality that always puts me at ease each time I visit. Also, I really love its small size. It's also so close to New York City (a mere 4.5 hours by plane) that you can escape to an island that's a hop, skip and a jump away from South America in no time.

The people in Aruba are very laid back too: they really know how to appreciate the quality of life. In this aspect, it's a very European island. But that's my personal Paradise…I want an oasis with a beach, history, good food and a warm and welcoming attitude. I don't really need the marble lobbies (although I've stayed in many sweet places on the island too) because in the end, a welcoming attitude is priceless.

Copyright: Butterflydiary

One of my favorite sunsets: copyright Butterflydiary.com

Driving and wandering through sinuous, captivating Cape May made me marvel at the fierce concentration of Victorian Homes. These were homes like I had never seen (they were functional and aesthetic at the same time, and it wasn't hard to see the upkeep). During my brief brush with the Victorian homes, I drank in every style of architecture: houses with the standard green trim, Queen Anne Revival style homes, and also those that wanted that edgier, post modern touch with Italianate Gothic trim and colors from a pale banana to mandarin orange.

Architect lovers can walk easy here. Cape May has the highest concentration of seaside Victorian homes in the country, and it was the first developed seaside resort town. You'll get more than your fair share of Kodak moments. Don't be surprised to see the sprinkling of IFederal style and Mansard style homes too.

Here are some of the styles of homes you can expect to see if you do the audio walking tour (you can rent the audio devices from Emelen Physick Estate):

Italian Gothic Italian Trim

This house features Italianate Gothic Revival trim. Gothic architecture itself was developed in the 12th century, and in this example, while most of the house is formal, the gables are beautifully detailed and ornate. Italian Gothic architecture itself prided itself on clean gables that got progressively ornate as the centuries went by. Most of the Cape May homes were reminiscent of the early and late Victorian periods, so it's not surprising to find homes stylized by several architectural periods.

Queen Anne Revival

The Inn of Cape May (1894) has Queen Anne style towers and is a summer hotel. It was quite small when it started and added a wing later on. This was so sprawling and magnificient, sitting on a corner block barely yards away from the ocean that it reminded me partly of a Hitchcock setting.

Modified Queen Anne Style: The Merry Widow Guest House

The Merry Widow guest house started its life as a simple farm house and arguably one of Cape May's most colorful structures. I loved the Mansard style roof, the carefully painted shingles, and its impressive castle turrets. This is now a fully functioning guest house with four suites. It was formerly the J. Henry Edmonds House and built during 1875.

Pure Victorian Architecture (Stick Style): The Empress Inn

Beautifully restored by an architectural firm that took great pains to be as authentic as possible when it came to furnishings, paint and trim, The Empress Inn is an excellent example of classic Victorian architecture that stands true to its 1880 style with additions. It was meant to be open to the public as a bed and breakfast but apparently the owners are still up in the air about its plans.

And these are just a smattering of some of the impressive homes in the area. During our brief tour we were mesmerized by the beauty of several other homes that I just wished I had enough money to own:

If "Hansen & Gretel" took place in Cape May, this is probably where the kids would end up….

In the 1998 American fantasy comedy-drama Pleasantville, it takes a remote control and a setting that's so Back to the Future (aka 1950s) to help the plot thicken. Because of the novelty of the retro scenes (and because I didn't grow up in the U.S.), I found the entire concept of the idyllic family and scenes at the Soda Fountain really fascinating. I had never been in a Five and Dime store before, and had never tasted a proper root beer float.

Hence, I found the movie all the more appealing because I treated it as a period piece.

Over the course of the years, I found old fashioned soda shops, watched scenes from The Brady Bunch, and encountered countless TV shows and episodes where the phrase "Honey, I'm home" was widely used. So, I'm not now a stranger to the entire look and feel of the 1950s – 1970s anymore, especially since Mad Men is in full swing too.

During my recent trip to Cape May, New Jersey, I couldn't help but marvel how deeply set in time this area is. We had stayed at a Wildwoods, NJ Bed and Breakfast and I found Wildwood, NJ to be more of a "seaside" town than I had envisioned, and while it was punctuated by modern condos and development it still retained that 1950s flavor.

Cape May is almost all Victorian and Mansard style homes and I expected that, having read so much of the literature about the area before. But I wasn't really prepared for the beautiful street art that I saw there, completely unexpectedly, in a parking lot. Clear blue skies overhead made it a feast of blues.

Most of the streets were quite deserted, except for a few passersby (it was off-season, after all). As you can see, even the parking lot was a bit empty, but the mural filled with scenes from the Cape May skyline, and the stylized, oversized sea creatures filled my heart with joy. There was something totally random yet beautiful encountering this sliver of street art when I predominantly expected "stuffy" Victorian homes and tea shops.

This Five and Dime store/ Coffee House/ Soda Fountain (Margie D's) had me in splits because I had NO idea I would find such an outfit in Cape May, NJ. From the elegant red top bar stools to the yellow and red ketchup and mustard condiment dispensers sitting pretty on the counters, the explosion of colors screamed "retro." Even the workers, appropriately outfitted with bowties and caps, seemed something out of a movie set. Have you encountered any store workers wearing bowties these days? I'll be surprised if you have…

Margie D's is also a great place to get a latte, a cappucino and just unwind. It's located close to the Fudge Kitchen on Washington Street Mall. 

Another aspect of "other worldliness" is the Trolley. These are parked at the Emlen Physick Estate, which is the site for the Visitor's Center and general information about Cape May. Visitors can also hop on the trolley for a guided tour around the resort area. While I've seen trolleys in other cities (San Francisco notably comes to mind), I haven't encountered them in too many U.S. destinations. They add such a period piece element to the traffic (I didn't notice any horse and buggy…that would have been pretty Amish!).

When we finally arrived at Historic Cape May after an uncomplicated and clutterless drive through Wildwoods, NJ and the straw-colored salt marshes on a particularly windy day…

The salt marshes are giant nests; bird havens. On an ideal clear day, you can spot that elusive osprey, and see herons and several other species. Time permitting, visitors can take tours on boats to get really up close and personal.

Historic Cape May is an area with the largest number of coastal Victorian homes in any part of the country, and it was really hard not to ignore the beautiful architecture everywhere (more about the homes specifically in another post).

We parked our car in the center of town and decided to stroll down the famous Washington Street Mall, which is a traffic-less section of town flanked by numerous shops painted in every shade, cajoling visitors to step inside during off-season. 

Being the nation's oldest seashore resort, you'd expect to that hallmark of Americana: Salt Water Taffy stores. Fralinger's Salt Water Taffy, part of the James Candy company, is particularly well known in seaside towns and resorts because Joseph Fralinger did so much to promote the candy in the country.

You can also find some indulgent bath and body stores like Bath Time, which caught my attention because of the colorful entrance and rubber duckies studding the window display. Bath Time features a wall of essential oil blends and bath and body products, as well as hard to find brands like Tokyo Milk bath soaps.

The surprising thing about the stores in Historic Cape May were the vibrant, palpable, almost 3D colors. I felt as though I was in the Caribbean since the color palette was chock full of banana, emerald, jade and lobster shades.

I could have spent hours staring at the bright banana paint on the walls and the green trim on the windows (being a sucker for anything eye popping), but continued to snap pictures on my "gadget free" vacation. There were plenty of beautiful Antique stores.

The Magic Brain was a coffee shop we were recommended to visit because of its soy lattes and hot chocolate, but unfortunately it was closed (side note: who closes a cafe on a Saturday?).

Matt and I relaxed and enjoyed the strong breeze, salty air and the sensory overload of everything Victorian and edgy combined. It was hard not to stare and photograph everything.

Stay tuned for more in the Cape May, NJ series as well as posts on the eclectic, colorful and different styles of Victorian homes in the area.

I felt a bit weird trekking to Brooklyn and staying there for two days to explore the neighborhood. Let me explain, the burrough and I don't really know each other. In fact, the only reason why  I haven't had much of a love affair with Brooklyn is because I had dismissed it as a residential landmass, even though I didn't know anything about it.

I have several friends who live in the area who had constantly voiced their love for their locale. Since there's a saying that goes, "the more you know, the more you want to know," I decided that this visit would be just what the travel doctor ordered for the skeptic residing in Weehawken, NJ.

Luckily for me, I had experts who really knew what they were talking about to ease me into Brooklyn-ese. We were in the expert hands of Dom Gervasi who started Made in Brooklyn Tours. Dom, a born and bred Brooklynite, knows the area like the back of his phone, and is a licensed NYC Sightseeing Guide.

Made in Brooklyn Tours leader Dom Gervasi (left)

Dom's love for Brooklyn is very obvious. A soft spoken leader with a true passion for showing others the gems of his stomping grounds, he tells us of the history of the popular area that you see in the pictures.

This used to be a former Navy Yard, he explains. "It was historically called Fulton Ferry Landing." The name DUMBO emerged in 1978, at the time when there was a surge of artists in Manhattan. During the late 1970s, manufacturers were leaving the New York City area (in places like SoHo and Tribeca) and moving elsewhere to find less expensive rentals. But since the buildings they left were empty spaces–voids with little use –the building landlords decided to be smart about putting it to good use. So they started renting out the buildings to the burgeoning artists.

This made sense to me since the SoHo, Tribeca and DUMBO areas were typically associated with artists and artist lofts.

A view of the popular The River Cafe, and Brooklyn Bridge

The landlords started making the artist residences pretty hip, and went into a lot of empty buildings to tinker with them and do renovations. But as human nature would inevitably have it, the landlords started getting greedy and raised the prices on these manufacturing residences. Well, the artists living in the DUMBO area at the time (it wasn't called DUMBO then) were a  bit concerned that the spike in rent in New York would affect them as well, so they banded together and decided to have an unpalatable name so no one would want to move here. Their first idea was to call the area DUMB (Down Under Manhattan Bridge) to detract others from paying a visit to the area and living there. But they (thankfully) added an O (for Overpass) at the end.  An alternatively name was Down Around the Navy Yard Annex–but DUMBO works much better.

Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass. Somehow, it sounds just right.

The artists' efforts worked only for a little while, and it would be only a few years later when smart and savvy investors started to recognized the potential of the area. One of the biggest purveyors of the land were the Valentis family –both David and Jane Valentis (we'll talk more about them in a future post).  

A view of Manhattan & Brooklyn Bridge from the ferry landing

My weekend journey to DUMBO started off with brisk walk to the former Fulton Ferry Landing, an area where you can get a spectacular view of downtown Manhattan, including the One World Trade Center, the Frank Gehry building and of course, the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges.

I inhaled the fresh air and walked briskly, hearing the pleasant sea-side sounds of seagulls and activity. The blogger group I went with were a lively bunch, and chirped in their love for Brooklyn. What is really interesting to note is how far along DUMBO has come in terms of its expansion. "This area was really declining in terms of industry," explains Gervasi "and fortunately some people were coming here and looking at the area and saying there's so much promise here." Now, you'd be lucky to get a piece of the real estate action, especially if you wanted to live in a building with such impressive views as what you see above. And this area is a haven for artists, featuring movies and music. Barge Music, a popular floating music series, is held right there on the pier, off the former Fulton Ferry Landing.

It is hard not to be completely in awe of the expansive view, cafe-lined streets and what I would describe as a truly bohemian artist vibe. DUMBO is a region that every visitor –or New Yorker– should visit.

To reach Made in Brooklyn Tours, contact:

Dom Gervasi

Made in Brooklyn Tours

Phone: 718 355 9263

This is the first post in a series of posts about DUMBO and Brooklyn. A big thank you to the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott for sponsoring the tour.

Today's photo of the day is of Wausau, Wisconsin, a place I never thought I would visit during the winter because I'm typically shy of the cold and snow. A hike through Rib Mountain State Park completely changed my mind however. Birch and oak trees gently swayed with snow and ice; the landscape –white on white–was more brilliant than I anticipated.

As I hiked through one of the oldest geological formations on Earth, I could hear the silence. Simon and Garfunkle's song, "The Sound of Silence" echoed in my mind. The tints of aqua and white formed an Ansel Adam-esque backdrop and it was hard not to feel close to Nature.

There are some places that I am hesitant to visit initially, but end up falling in love with. Travel is like a kaleidoscope in that aspect — you don't really know what you'll get until you get there.

Detroit is one visit I will always remember from 2011. There's so much to Motor City beyond the silver GM Building, the indefatigable assembly line pioneered by Ford, and the dreary thought of worker layoffs and stringent Unions. Detroit is for the foodie, the adventurer, the architect lover in all of us.

Beyond the Willy Wonka Car Production Factory: Detroit, a City for Serious Foodies

I visited Detroit in April, 2011 and drank in everything: from the developed, ethnic fabric in Dearborn, Michigan to the more run down outskirts like Corktown. Corktown is not pretty, by any stretch of the overactive imagination, but the area is a cultural melting pot and a fabric of Irish immigrant settlers and a now more hip, young urban crowd. Detroit is a place for foodies, and one iconic dining option –Slow's BBQ on Michigan Avenue — has reinvented the culinary vernacular.

As I discovered, Detroit has surprisingly polished and diverse food choices. It would take a very uncreative person to starve here. One of my favorite places to eat was Pizzeria Biga which boasts Neapalitano-style brick oven pizzas with chewy, flavorful crust. Getting a slice of pizza these days is akin to sipping a generously warm latte from Dunkin Donuts — genuine, quality, but expected. Pizzeria Biga ups the ante and really gives you a flavorful experience.

For restaurants that have that "fun factor" woven into their aura and decor, there is plenty of action in Greektown, considered the most famous neighborhood in Downtown Detroit. At Pegasus Taverna,with its unassuming exterior, there is much gaiety, action and familial laughter. Savvy servers bring flaming plates of Greek Kasseri cheese lit ablaze with brandy to your table (the dish is called Saganaki Opa and the servers really and do shout Opa –a word which is often used to describe a joyful occasion or emotion). The patrons clap, as though at a concert. The restaurant makes one relive scenes from My Big Fat Greek Wedding – minus the tacky.

A misty morning in Dearborn, Michigan

The Creme de la Creme of Museums

A visit to the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village alone will inspire to you to appreciate the amount of American innovation that occurred at the turn of the century. Ford's vision and motto was that "ordinary Americans can do extraordinary things" and he was a vast collector of iconic inventions (from Edison's Menlo Park home reproduction to the actual bicycle where the Wright Brothers worked in Dayton, Ohio), you can truly see the innovations that shaped America.

At a popular places like Greenfield village, you can see school buses filled with children on field trips, tourists eager to inhale the spirit of turn of the century America, and museum curators eager to show off their vast knowledge. Detroit is full of passionate people, eager to recount legends, pass on their knowledge to those keen to soak it up, and features the creme de la cream of automobile and American innovation museums. 

The sacred, iconic Piquette Plant Assembly, where Henry Ford and his team assembled the first Model T and several other models, is a museum pilgrimage that no automobile connoisseur could afford to miss. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002, this unassuming mill-style building was home to the realization of Ford's singular, stubborn dream of providing every American with an affordable car.

Creaky stairs, original wooden floors, even Ford's old office corner — everything is preserved, loved, cherished. Each year, volunteers work on preserving the antique cars to make sure all parts are intact, polished, functional, and every second of their labor of love is a donation. What a testament to the vision of Ford, I thought, and what level of respect. Visitors can sit in a small room with benches and watch a documentary on Ford's vision and realization.

The Only Place in North America Where You Can Look South Toward Canada

In Detroit, I discovered what it felt like to be in the only place in North America where you can gaze South toward Canada (I remember being in the General Motors building, a tall, silvery cylindrical skyscraper that looked a futuristic lighthouse), towards Windsor.

A City of Architectural Masterpieces

From the unmistakeable Guardian Building that lights up the city skyline, to the distinctly Detroit Pewabic pottery (the eponymous school still operates today and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1991), there is so much square footage of Detroit devoted to architecture and the arts. Pewabic pottery is known for its distinct, almost phantasmagoric quality of glazing with rich and deep colors.

A newly renovated bedroom at The Henry, an Autograph Collection Hotel in Dearborn, MI

The outskirts of Detroit, en route to Corktown

Corktown may not be a place to linger or sit in a cafe, but it has spots that are being renovated.

In Corktown, at the intersection of Wabash & Michigan Avenues. You're not in Kansas anymore.

An iconic restaurant in Corktown and Detroit itself, Slow's BBQ has brought tourists, celebrities, locals together in pursuit of a

new revitalized cuisine. Surprisingly, there are a lot of vegetarian and vegan options on the menu.

A Brush Motor Company car stands on the original wooden floor at the Piquette Assembly Plant in Detroit. Volunteers painstakingly restore each and every car to perfection on an annual basis

Inside the iconic Guardian Building, considered to be one of Detroit's architectural masterpieces

The rich glazed Pewabic Pottery Tiles that are distinctly Detroit

Stately servers put on a show of "Saganaki Opa" (flaming Greek Kasseri cheese and brandy) at Pegasus Restaurant in Greektown

A city that is never on autopilot: Detroit at night

It's impossible to truly experience the spirit of New York City without taking in a good window display or two –preferably several. Each stores vies for attention and it's always a surprise as to what the general theme of the displays will be.

In the case of Bergdorf Goodman (my hands down favorite this year), the window displays are typically unveiled mid November, closer to Thanksgiving. The theme of Bergdorf Goodman is usually sophisticated yet quirky and unexpected.

In contrast are the winning, yet less opulent displays from Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue. While Saks Fifth Avenue definitely merits a walk by this year (the hand painted white and black barrels and pulleys are stuff the Metropolitan Opera is made of), Macy's left me a tad disappointed. Clock gear? Really? 

Missing from the below photo series are Lord & Taylor, Bloomingdale's and Barneys New York and I'm hoping to add them later on. Take a look and leave me a comment: which one of these is your favorite? 

MACY'S HOLIDAY WINDOW DISPLAY AT 34TH STREET, HERALD SQUARE, NEW YORK CITY

BERGDORF GOODMAN 2011 HOLIDAY DISPLAY

The walk leading to Bergdorf's, on 57th street between 5th and 6th Avenues, is so festive this time of year. Every building sparkles in champagne. 

LOUIS VUITTON HOLIDAY DISPLAY

SAKS FIFTH AVENUE 2011 HOLIDAY DISPLAY 

SEPHORA