The Black Dress Traveler

Raise Your Glass: The Drambuie English Rose - Royal Wedding Cocktail

Am I the only one feeling a tad worn out by all of the Royal Wedding hoopla? Prince William and Kate Middleton make a lovely couple, and I wish them every happiness, but I have no plans to rise at the crack of dawn to watch the wedding. However, as a dressaholic, I will confess to being very curious about Miss Middleton's wedding gown and this princess looks forward to seeing those images once I awake from my beauty sleep.

For the past few weeks my e-mail has been flooded with all manners of Royal Wedding pitches. Some were cute, many were cheesy, and others just plain confusing. So, it was refreshing to receive information about The English Rose Royal Wedding Cocktail featuring Drambuie.

 
Created in honor of Kate Middleton and named for the key ingredient, rosewater, the cocktail's starring liqueur is Drambuie. A historical Scottish liqueur, DRAMBUIE was created more than 260 years ago exclusively for Prince Charles Edward Stuart of Scotland. In addition, Prince William and Kate were educated at St. Andrew’s University in Scotland. 
Drambuie is a unique combination of aged Scotch whiskies, heather honey and a blend of herbs and spices - a recipe kept secret since 1745. From the Gaelic “an dram buidheach” – the drink that satisfies, DRAMBUIE can be served on the rocks, in classic cocktails such as the Rusty Nail, or in more contemporary long drinks such as the DRAMBUIE and Soda.

Whether you want to raise your glass to toast the royal nuptials or if you just want a swanky cocktail to cope with the frenzy, The English Rose is a fitting choice. Cheers!

The Drambuie English Rose Cocktail

In a Champagne flute, add:

      1 Sugar Cube

      3 drops Orange Bitters

      1 oz. DRAMBUIE

Slowly top with:

      4 oz. chilled Blanc de Noirs Champagne

      Splash Campari

      3 drops Rosewater

Garnish with a thinly-sliced strawberry fanned and floated on top.

 

 

Frida & Diego Together Again On Mexico's 500-peso Bill

Artistic legends and star-crossed lovers Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera will be  immortalized on cold-hard cash. Starting on Monday, the Bank of Mexico will circulate a new 500-peso note bearing their images. According to the Los Angeles Times, "the faces of Rivera and Kahlo appear on opposite sides of the new bill, along with reproductions of works by them." Reunited and it feels so good!

In case you are wondering, 500 pesos is a little less than $50.

Flying with Fido: Seven Tips from Wendy Diamond and Lucky!

If flying takes a toll on us humans, imagine how four-legged passengers must feel! I asked every doggie’s favorite diva, Wendy Diamond, to share her expert tips on flying with your pooch. Wendy is the founder of Animal Fair – the premier lifestyle magazine for animal lovers and pet owners. She and her famous Maltese, Lucky, have traveled the world raising money and awareness of animal rights. True to her name, not only was Lucky a rescue animal but she has cuddled with many of the world’s most famous people including President Bill Clinton and Sean Connery.

Here are a few travel tips from Wendy and Lucky. For more advice on everything from pet health to choosing the perfect pet, buy Wendy’s new book It’s a Dog’s World: The Savvy Guide to Four- Legged Living.

1. Fly the Pet-Friendly Skies! American Airlines and Sherpa have introduced the “Guaranteed on Board” program. Of course, Lucky is always guaranteed a spot on- my lap!” Continental Airlines is also one of the most pet friendly airlines.  Check with your airline before you reserve anything – policies differ for each. Also, make advanced arrangements. Just like Noah’s Ark, only two animals per plane!

2. Check with your veterinarian before taking a long trip. Give your “doggie doctor” all of your necessary travel information, make sure your pet has had the proper vaccinations and make sure your pooch is able to travel. Some dogs may be too old, young, or just not ready, so it may be better for them to be with a dog-sitter.

3.  Sedatives for your pet when flying are a red flag! Ask your veterinarian for the best way to calm them down! Sedatives + high altitude = danger! The last place you want your pup to get “sick as a dog” is an airplane! Also, bring necessary health documents, proof of vaccinations, etc.

4.  Your pet needs proper ID! Make sure your name and contact information is on the collar, the crate and anywhere else. With all the travel commotion, you don’t want little Fido to end up thousands of miles away!

5.  If your pet is traveling in a crate, make sure it feels comfortable and gets used to being inside. Fill it with your pet’s favorite blanket and toys so it feels more like home. Make sure your canine can lie down, sit, stand, rollover and fetch. Well, not the last one.

6.  Check your hotel’s pet rules. For example during the holidays, Loews Hotels launched the Houndly Holidays Package. This real-life “Hotel for Dogs” treated four-legged companions like VIP’s, providing them with walking and sitting service, as well as food and toys.

7.  Bring plenty of water, food and snacks, his or her favorite toys and blanket so they feel comfortable. Make your pooch feel like he or she never left their comfy dog house!

Philadelphia Celebrates Princess Diana

As a little girl, I was captivated by the fairy-tales-do-come-true Royal Wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles in 1981. As an adult, I was crestfallen by the sudden death of “The People’s Princess” in 1997. Clearly, I was not alone in this sentiment.

What was it about Diana? I am not a Royal Watcher but it was impossible not to watch Princess Diana. Somehow, she was different. In spite of Diana's beauty, wealth, and talents she possessed an ineffable quality that made her seem like someone with whom you could actually share a glass of wine, secrets, and even commiserate about boy trouble.

Twelve years after her death Princess Diana continues to be a source of fascination. Thanks to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, fans of the Princess can indulge their passion for all things Diana at the fabulous new exhibition, Diana: A Celebration. Diana's brother Charles, Ninth Earl Spencer, flew across the pond from the family's ancestral home in Althorp (where Princess Diana was laid to rest) to welcome guests to a preview of this stunning exhibition. Diana: A Celebration will be open to the public from October 2 - December 31. In his welcoming remarks, Charles referred to his beautiful and altruistic sister as the world's first glamorous humanitarian.

Diana: A Celebration covers 10,000 square feet and features over 150 artifacts organized into nine galleries: Childhood, Spencer Women, Engagement, Royal Wedding, Tiara Gallery, Style & Fashion, Her Work, Tribute, and Condolences. While Princess Diana’s extravagant wedding gown is the showstopper, the other objects in the exhibition really bring Diana’s personality to life. Childhood movies, an old report card, handwritten notes and even old dancing shoes share space with her couture fashions. Most importantly, Diana: A Celebration also showcases her humanitarian work for causes such as HIV and the campaign to ban land mines. Truly, Diana's modern approach to life and her concern for the world far beyond the walls of Buckingham Palace redefined what it meant to be a Royal.

Yes, Princess Diana was only human but Diana: A Celebration is an engaging reminder of how this very unique woman generously shared her gifts with the world and broke through rigid expectations to live life on her own terms.

For more information about Diana: A Celebration, visit www.constitutioncenter.org.

    Princess Diana’s wedding gown - the wedding dress of the century!

Yes, the dress has a 25 foot train!

 

Princess Diana’s brother Charles graciously posed for a photo with me.

Princess Diana wore this scarlet evening dress designed by Jacques Azagury on a 1997 visit to Washington, DC.

   The Style Gallery showcases 28 of Princess Diana’s outfits.

  

Princess Diana’s passports from her childhood and as an adult.

Animal Fair Guides You and Your Pooch to the Perfect Vacation!

The Black Dress Traveler was delighted to contribute to the most recent travel issue of Animal Fair - the premier lifestyle magazine and website for animal lovers. Acclaimed actor Mickey Rourke is on the cover with his dearly departed Chihuahua Loki. 

I had a great time writing my  article on Savannah. During my trip, I met the founder of Oliver Bentley's Barking Bakery and, in the name of research, I even tasted their signature organic dog biscuits! Savannah is a very dog friendly city and my article features many of the best places in town to pamper your canine companion from hotels to bars.  Other destinations featured in the Animal Fair travel issue include Palm Springs, Cleveland, Miami, and New Orleans. In addition, to Mickey Rourke; Kelly Killoren Bensimon, Kyra Sedgwick, Ashanti, and Bridget Marquardt are also profiled with their dogs. In case you're wondering, the Black Dress Traveler does not have a dog but my Betta fish Benicio was happy to pose for a photo!

Animal Fair can be purchased at Barnes & Noble.

Jet Set, Help a Pet and Save Time with BookMe

Using the Internet to make travel arrangements has become second nature for most of us. We scour the web comparing destinations, hotels, fares and reviews. Once the magic combination has been found, we whip out the credit card and, voila, our trip is booked.

However, travel websites seem to multiply like frisky little rabbits and can easily overwhelm even the most diligent bargain hunter. The quest for a great deal gets tedious mighty fast when searching multiple sites to compare prices for your itinerary. Is there a better way?

BookMe, is an online service that helps savvy travelers save time and money. A socially conscious company, BookMe also makes a donation to charities that help animals with every search conducted on their site. 

How does it work?  Enter your itinerary just once and BookMe pulls up a list of travel sites that match your criteria. You click on the sites that interest you and BookMe transmits your itinerary; thus eliminating the need to re-enter the details. Sounds promising. I typed in a sample itinerary for a trip from New York City to Savannah and loved the convenience of being able to explore sites like Expedia and Orbitz without having to retype all of the pesky details.  

BookMe can also be used to book cruises, car rentals and even concert tickets. Why not give it a try? BookMe is convenient for humans and compassionate towards animals. Sounds like a winner to me!

For more information, visit www.bookme.com.

Fly the Fido Skies: Pets Matter to JetBlue

You don't have to be a PETA member to feel horrified and heartbroken by news accounts of pets that have been lost, injured, or killed while flying. A Westminster show Whippet named Vivi vanished from JFK Airport in 2006 and was never seen again. More recently, in December 2008, a terrier named Leo was killed when he escaped the cargo hold of an Olympic Airlines plane and dashed out onto the runway at JFK. 

 

Pets aren't luggage and deserve to be treated with care and courtesy. The new JetPaws program at JetBlue is a positive sign that the airline industry is at last prepared to pay special attention to furry jet-setters. Committed to providing pets and their human traveling companions with a smooth trip from start to finish, JetPaws is a free program. Benefits include a pet carrier bag tag and Travel Petiquette - a guide to traveling with your pet without making any social faux pas. Travelers will even earn two points each way. Custom pet travel products are also available for sale on the JetBlue site, including a pet carrier co-designed by Cindy Adams' Jazzy Park Avenue Dog.

Wendy Diamond, Editor of Animal Fair Magazine  and her famous Maltese Lucky are very enthusiastic about JetPaws. "Readers of Animal Fair Magazine voted Jet Blue as the most pet friendly airline two years in a row. It's one of Lucky Diamond's favorite airlines as she loves watching Animal Planet during the flight!"