For many travelers, Macau is the Asian version of Vegas. And while I won't deny that during my recent visit there, I did encounter more marble lobbies, fountains and upscale shopping venues than I have in a while, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the "other" side of Macau. The Ruins of St. Paul was formerly St. Paul's College, and is now a much loved, much visited landmark by several tourists. It's refreshing to see the watermark of the Portuguese influence in Macau, and I experienced quite a magical walk from the Ruins, down the steps, and through the narrow cobblestone streets that reminded me of Sicilian towns. Arguable the most famous cultural landmark in Macau, the Ruins of St. Paul were made a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Center of Macau in 2005. The Ruins of St. Paul actually refer to a site that featured two prominent buildings in Macau: the first was the Cathedral of St. Paul, which was built by the Jesuits and completed in 1602. You won't find traces of the cathedral on [...]

My two visits to Santa Fe did not disappoint, and I have to be honest, I'm really taken by the state and the history. From its art (not just Georgia O' Keefe) to the iron-red mountains, a visit to Santa Fe is uplifting to mind, body and spirit. So, I'm thrilled to present my next "Blogger Spotlight" on Billie Frank, from SantaFeTravelers. Technically speaking, Billie is not a blogger, although she has a lovely blog section on her site. She is a Santa Fe authority and expert, and she and her husband plan and lead tours in the area. Want to get to know Billie better? Read on below. A dwelling on the mesa top at the Puye Cliffs. (Photographer: Steve Collins) 1.You were a New Yorker not so long ago–what brought on the move to the West Coast, and Santa Fe in particular? I left NYC in my early 20s and left NY in 1996. We had wanted to move to the southwest since 1986- here's the story from the blog. 2. Do you feel really at home in [...]

If you missed out on Black Friday –the biggest shopping day of the year -I can't blame you. The idea of waking up at midnight or 5:00 am and shlepping towards stores that are packed with eager shoppers does not appeal to me. Being a digital girl, I like to shop Cyberspace, and while there are naysayers who will say "you can't experiment with the gadgets, or feel the fabric etc. etc." you can always return your purchase later (and most come with envelopes and are highly convenient to mail).  1. BROOKSTONE DASH 20" UPRIGHT WHEELED LUGGAGE My luggage this year has been beaten and worn, and it's time to fix that, so I've been on the lookout for something fun yet lightweight, and affordable. The Brookestone 20" Dash Upright Wheeled Luggage comes in several shades and costs $100 a pop. On Cyber Monday, look for free shipping and ways to save on this item. It comes with four multi-directional wheels and is a good carry on. It also expands three inches. 2. HOTELS Hotels like Starwood Hotels and Resorts are [...]

This week's blogger spotlight series is on Leslie Koch, a good friend and a sassy traveler who started her blog, DowntownTraveler.com. Follow her adventures on Twitter at @leslietravel and @Downtowntravel. 1. What made you want to quit your job and travel around the world and start a blog? Tell us the inside story. Actually, starting a blog wasn’t something I set out to do when I decided to leave my corporate job to travel. My husband Jake and I had been dating for several years and had traveled together on short trips; Japan, Alaska and Croatia were some memorable destinations. We were always disappointed when our 10-day vacations were over, and sometimes talked about leaving our desk jobs to become park rangers or beach bums (a la “Office Space”). When we got engaged in Spring 2008, we decided to take the plunge and quit our jobs to travel for a year. It seemed like the best time to do it, since we didn’t have kids or a crushing mortgage. We embarked on our RTW trip in June 2008, just a [...]

Fall is a magical time of year and a photographer's dream. From the blood red maple trees, to the crunch of pale yellow leaves on the sidewalks, there's a photo everywhere you look.  Over the past few  years, Matthew and I have been captivated by the sheer, dense, deep, rich shades of fall. Living in Weehawken, NJ makes us feel we're a bit in the woods; but, at the same time, we're not more than a hop, skip and a swim across the Hudson away. Leaves are fascinating because they come in all shapes and sizes: some with serrated edges, some the size of your palm, others wispy and thin. Enjoy the photo album below. Maple leaves in New Jersey Butterscotch inspecting the fallen leaves A lake in Harriman State Park, Harriman, NY More lake and leafy silhouettes in Harriman  A misty view of Chris Columbus' statue in Columbus Circle, New York A closer look at the dry, pale leaves on the pavement This is the view on  my way to catching the bus into the city 

During my very first day in Macau, we were taken to see the Macau Tower (the bungee jumping destination I mentioned in my previous post), and also enjoy the first weekend of the Fireworks Competition. This annual competition features pyrotechnic displays that are one part Cirque du Soleil, one part geometric study in beehives, bouquets, rockets and other fairly predictable shapes (and some unpredictable mixes and matches). Since fireworks have been part of the Chinese culture and traditions since the 12th century, this should come as no surprise. But a Fireworks competition implies a bigger senses of orchestration: we were going to watch Taiwan and Austria battle for some of the judges' top marks. I was expecting Chinese pop music in the background, and traditional Viennese classical music and the show did not disappoint. My camera, however, did. Or let me take that back–my photography skills were just a tad bit too caveman to handle my new Nikon D3000 (this was my "Macau" present given to me by hubby who didn't want me to take his D90 camera…the trouble is, [...]

  Adults don’t celebrate only with candy corn and Reese’s pieces on Halloween, right? Here are some cool seasonal drinks brought to you by some of the best hotel mixologists. Read, practice and enjoy tonight!   "Candy Corn" by Isaac Elbhar, Master Mixologist and General Manager of the Cellar Bar at the Bryant Park Hotel   4oz pineapple juice 1 1/2oz sloe gin 1 1/2oz orange vodka 2 egg whites  1 teaspoon sugar  Pour the pineapple juice into a champagne flute.  Separately combine sloe gin and orange vodka into cocktail shaker. Gently pour this blend over the bar spoon. Separately combine egg whites and sugar into small mixing bowl. Whisk and dollop egg whites over cocktail with bar spoon. KANON VODKA WITCHES BREW, created by Demetrios Saites at The Fat Radish     2 parts Kanon Vodka 1 part blood orange juice ½ part aperol ½part lime juice ½ part simple syrup This is a very simple drink to make, and it’s a one step process. Simply combine all the ingredients and shake vigorously. Strain into a Martini or Antounette champagne [...]

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to learn more about Beaujolais from Master Sommelier Laura Maniec (the only woman to have this title in the world; there are 18) at a cool event called "Golf and Gamay," held a the Chelsea Piers Golf Club. Visitors sampled several varieties of Beaujolais while flexing their "teeing off" muscles.  A good place to start: try the D. Descombes 2009 Beaujolais. Descombes is considered one of the pioneers.  There were so many amateur and professional oenophiles in the crowd and I felt a bit of an imposter — although I've been drinking red wine for years, I didn't know the first thing about Beaujolais and the gamay grape.  Here are five reasons why you may want to appreciate this wine more: Highly accessible: The Beaujolais gamay grape is grown in the region's 12 different appellations, and they always produce a range of wines at all price points. Sip Beaujolais all year long: From the more fruity kind (pick this one for summer months), to the  bolder and more complex variety, Beaujolais wines [...]

As far as zip lining, bungee jumping, Six Flags' Kingda-Ka and all sorts of adrenaline-pumping sports are concerned, I'll give myself a C+ in the department (I am getting better in that going down the rail-less path in Grand Canyon didn't freak me out quite as much as I thought it would).  On my recent trip to Macau, we went to the Macau Tower (remember I showed you the snazzy view of the tower from my hotel room previously?), which has the world's highest nighttime bungee jumping spot, at 1,109 feet. Although the tower is used for conferences and there are retail stores on the first floor, many youngsters come there to go straight to the top — only to come down again! It's actually really cool how it works; when you go to the very top, there is a store that rents secure harnesses for you to take the plunge.  If that's not adrenaline-pumping enough for you, then consider this: there's an outer-rim that circles the Macau Tower right at the top, and brave visitors can walk outside. If your [...]

This week's Blogger Spotlight Series is with Lisa Egle from Chickybus, who is a fun, inspired and extremely passionate traveler. Get to know her better, Charlie Rose style, in this candid Q&A. Lisa Egle couch surfing in Quito Q. What inspired you to start a travel blog? Lisa Egle: Initially, it was travel photography. During my trip to the Middle East last summer, I photographed dark-skinned Bedouins dressed in white, salmon-colored sand dunes, opulent mosques, mysterious castles and surreal looking mannequins. Each time I pressed the shutter, I thought, “Wow–I wish others could see this.” At the time, though, I was only sharing photos and stories (as “notes) ”with friends/family on Facebook. Some were full-length stories, which I was hoping to eventually include in my travel memoirs, which I'd been writing for a few years. The response was really positive–many people said they felt they were “right there” with me and felt inspired by what I had to say–and so, I thought it might make sense to start a blog. Not only could I share the photos, but I could [...]