Butterfly Diary

Mike’s Reef: Aruba’s (Secret) Snorkeling Paradise

Charu Suri — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:13:40 +0000

“These are the best snorkeling waters on the entire island,” Capt. Anthony Hagedoorn assured us, as he and his men on the Tranquilo encouraged us to step on board. The Tranquilo, a small but able-bodied charter boat, departs from Oranjestad (Aruba’s capital city) and outfitted in red and white. An assistant skipper in the form

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How Makerbot Is Impacting the Travel Industry

Charu Suri — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:19:30 +0000

When I first heard about Makerbot, the creators of the first affordable 3D printer, I certainly did not think about travel. It’s hard to ignore how the 3D printer manufacturer has been in the news everywhere; the idea of having 3D printing at home (from your door stopper to lego blocks for your kid) sounds

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How Turkish Airlines is Upping the Luxury Flying Experience (a Q&A)

Charu Suri — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:27:09 +0000

Like a screen siren waiting for her big Hollywood moment, Turkish Airlines wants to be noticed. And with the airline’s recent deal to purchase 95 Boeing planes, they are doing everything in their power to up the flying experience, in classy and elegant ways. We caught up with Ihsan Baytan, General Manager, New York, Turkish

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Luxury Travel Network Weekend Reads

Charu Suri — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:32:30 +0000

The end of a week means sitting back, relaxing with a glass of champagne (or your beverage of choice) and reading some inspiring posts. For me, it’s about following what my fellow writers in the Luxury Travel Network are up to. Here are some of their delightful inspirations. Top 10 Best Things to Do in

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Five Cultural Gems to Discover in Massachusetts

Charu Suri — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:21:51 +0000

Steeped in history and filled with establishments that run the gamut from artisanal to farm to table, Massachusetts has the ability to surprise by a fine excess. The quintessentially New England State offers many fine culinary, educational and horticultural stops that should be on every culture-lover’s map. Here are some places to check out on

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Fleurir: Georgetown’s Artisanal Chocolate Paradise

Charu Suri — Mon, 13 May 2013 20:42:45 +0000

Situated on the corner of a genteel, tree-lined street in Georgetown, Fleurir is an artisanal chocolate store that I found quite serendipitously. The façade is simple and elegant: the tagline, Fleurir: Hand Grown Chocolates was intriguing. A bit of tongue in cheek, I thought as I ventured past the white, vintage-style door into a roomy,

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Most Extravagant Spa Treatments from around the World

Charu Suri — Sun, 12 May 2013 17:49:41 +0000

Spa treatments are some of the greatest pleasures you can give any mom, but here are a few that go above and beyond in the element of surprise. While we’re definitely not advocating plunking down some of your mortgage money on these (for mom, it’s the thought that counts), it’s hard not to gawk at

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At Last, Complete Flight Transparency While Booking Airfares

Charu Suri — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:25:06 +0000

We’ve all been there: purchasing the least expensive flight ticket and hoping that you haven’t been charged an arm and an eye for that fare. Flight transparency is about as opaque as an onion skin, but Momondo, a travel comparison site based in Denmark, is attempting to change the entire game through its Flight Insight

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Reading List Homework on Vacation

Charu Suri — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:01:07 +0000

For many people, going on vacation without a good book to read just doesn’t feel right. Having the right page-turner can provide the perfect accompaniment to help you relax. A recent survey by teachers revealed their top 100 favorite books. The whole list is here, so with this in mind, it is possible to combine

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An Ode to Trinidad’s Temples and the Human Spirit

Charu Suri — Mon, 06 May 2013 14:43:56 +0000

“You’re not going to be able to visit every temple on this island,” chuckles Nick, my guide around Trinidad. “There are far too many.” Nick owns a tour company, Sensational Tours, and has worked with the Trinidad Tourist Board for years. When I asked him to take me to a few temples, he indulged my

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