Wine With Wanda

Take Me Away: Selman Hotel in Marrakech

Make room on your list of must-visit hotels for the new Selman Hotel in Marrakech. Located near the legendary Medina (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) on 15 acres in a private park, the Selman offers 56 rooms and suites. The property also has 5 riads - each with a private garden, pool and butler. Designed by Jacques Garcia, the Selman draws inspiration from the Golden Age of Marrakech and typical Andalucian haciendas. And, how many hotels can boast their own stables with a collection of Arabian horses? Other Selman amenities include the Espace Vitalité Chenot - a 1,200 sq. ft. spa that evokes the ancient Hammam of Istanbul. To learn more, visit the Selman Marrakech website.

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Braless in Provence: Bouncing Around Southern France

As soon as it was decided that we would spend a week in Provence, I made a promise to myself that I would not wear a bra at any point during our stay in Southern France. It may seem like a silly thing, and feel free to accuse me of TMI, but my brazen bralessness was a reminder to myself to let go of all constraints and just be free. What better time and place than a Mediterranean summer to liberate myself? I didn't want to be uptight-following-the-rules New York Wanda but carefree and adventurous vacation Wanda.

After three bra-wearing days in Paris, I took the high speed TGV train with my pal K from Gare de Lyon to Aix-en Provence. The scenic ride through the French countryside takes about three hours and goes by in a flash. (An important thing to know about the Aix station - they charge 50 cents to use the restroom and there is a lovely attendant who politely but firmly requests the money.)

If you really plan on exploring Provence, a rental car is a must and GPS is an absolute necessity. We booked our vehicle through Hertz and the additional $20 a day for the GPS was worth every penny. Once we figured out how to program her to speak in English, the GPS helped us navigate the endless roundabouts and winding mountain roads. We also consulted our trusty Michelin Provence Green Guide to make sure we were following the rules of the road and to get the scoop on the towns we planned on visiting.


Our home for the week was a former sheep & goat stable in the mountain town of Saint Martin de Castillon (population 700, I was told) in the Luberon region. Provence rentals can be found on VRBO.com and I highly recommend booking at least 3 months in advance for the best options. We booked very late and all of our first choices were already reserved. Although the house we rented did not have a pool or a private outdoor space, it was spacious and a good base for getting around to other villages.

We visited many villages but Bonnieux and Ménerbes were two of my favorites. Bonnieux is a beautiful Luberon hilltop village that offers dramatic views of the Calavon Valley and Mont Ventoux. It has a fantastic traditional market on Friday mornings where you can find amazing produce (including the legendary Cavaillon melons), artisan soaps, meats, sweets, spices, clothing, and more.

After shopping at the Bonnieux market, we had a delicious al fresco lunch on the terrace at the Michelin recommended Le Fournil restaurant.

Le Fournil's chilled almond soup with Cavaillon melon and chorizo was very refreshing and a unique mix of flavors and textures.

Ménerbes

A pretty hilltop village (they all seem to be on hilltops) on the north face of the Luberon, Ménerbes had a peaceful aura that was absolutely seductive. Perhaps that is why Picasso purchased a home here for his muse and lover Dora Maar. (Today the home houses the Brown Foundation Fellows Program.)



After exploring Ménerbes' winding streets, we indulged in a decadent lunch at the Michelin recommended Maison de la Truffe et du Vin du Luberon. The restaurant is housed in a stunning mansion and the terrace offers breathtaking views of the valley. The ambiance, food, and service were all impeccable.


How could I not take a picture of this curvy sculpture perched on the terrace of Maison de la Truffe et du Vin du Luberon?

When a restaurant essentially calls themselves the house of truffles, you expect truffles galore and Maison de la Truffe et du Vin did not disappoint.


Amuse Bouche of Raspberry Foam with Sliced Truffles


I like to call this dish Truffle Explosion - artichoke ravioli showered with truffles.

 My trip to Provence created so many wonderful memories that I'll call upon for years to come. The sheer beauty and authenticity of the place demanded that I slow down, smell the lavender, take stock of my life, and shed my bra!

Picture Perfect Paris: Magnifique Moments from the City of Lights

Breathtakingly beautiful, energetic, and chic; Paris is one of the few places on the planet that actually exceeds the hype. The only rule to traveling in Paris is to be open to seduction because all of your senses will be teased. Your taste buds will be tantalized by fine food and wine, your vision dazzled by the stunning architecture and stylish residents, your ears will buzz with the musical sound of French, and luxury is at your fingertips in the form of a fine silk scarf or a crusty artisan baguette.

The famous "Love Locks" on the Pont des Arts. Hopeless romantics proclaim their undying love by writing their names on locks, attaching them to the bridge, and tossing the key into the Seine. Litter conscious lovers opt for padlocks. 

My last trip to Paris was in 2007, so my recent visit there was akin to a reunion with an eternally chic friend. Unlike last time, I took this journey to Paris with a friend of 20+ years and sharing the experience with someone dear to me made it even more special. Together, we sought out familiar places and new experiences.


The very ornate Pont Alexandre III is now one of my favorite bridges in Paris - it is adorned with many stunning statues and gold accents.

The first new experience was our lodging: instead of booking a hotel, we rented a Paris apartment on Airbnb. I'll admit to being a little apprehensive about this process, but it enhanced our trip in countless ways. We gave up hotel amenities like room and maid service but we gained our very own stylish pied-à-terre in Paris. Also, renting an apartment was much less expensive than a hotel and we had more space. There are many Paris apartments available on Airbnb, from luxurious to modest, and the site has many protections in place to make sure that you don't get scammed.


Our Paris rental apartment was in the Rue Montorgueil neighborhood. Located in the 2nd arrondissement, it had a lovely pedestrian walkway lined with cafes, bakeries, and shops.

Paris is, without a doubt, one of the world's great walking cities and a comfy (but cute) pair of shoes and an excellent guide book are indispensable. I highly recommend the Michelin Paris Guide from their Green Guide Series - it was in my bag everywhere we traveled in Paris. We used it frequently to learn interesting facts about the sights and the maps helped us to navigate our way around by foot and Metro. For example, as a Hemingway fan, sipping a café crème at  Les Deux Magots was on my must-do list. The Michelin guide confirmed that the cafe was in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood, provided a map of the area, walking directions to the cafe, and a brief description of Les Deux Magots as a long time gathering place for Left Bank intellectuals and artists.

Perhaps the most magical thing about Paris is how history surrounds you at every turn. Yes, it is a bustling modern metropolis but the roots of Paris go way back to 30 BC. It is impossible not to feel the pull of the past in winding cobblestoned streets and the soothing rhythm of the Seine.

One of the many winding paths in Père Lachaise cemetery.

Paris's past is strongly felt at the serene and beautiful Père Lachaise Cemetery. Easily reached by Metro, it is the final resting place of Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, Colette, Richard Wright, Chopin, Balzac, Oscar Wilde, Isadora Duncan, and many others. Navigating the 99 acre cemetery can be very confusing and the map & legend in the Michelin guide were much needed companions to the free, but not incredibly detailed, maps available for free in the cemetery office.


  After a quiet morning with the silent residents of Père Lachaise, the energy of Paris is especially intoxicating. I spotted these newlyweds walking towards the famous pyramid, and their future, in the Louvre courtyard.

These were a few of my favorite sights in Paris - what are yours? Stay tuned for my upcoming post on dining in the City of Lights.

 

Grand Central Terminal - More than Meets the Eye

If you happened to be in Grand Central Terminal last week, and somehow spotted me in the crowd, you may have wondered why I was dressed like a cat burglar. No, I was not masterminding a plot to steal a jewel in the station that is worth $10-20 million (more on that later.) Actually, I traded in my little black dress for a few hours when I was invited to join a behind-the-scenes and truly underground tour of NYC's number 2 tourist attraction.

Led by the exuberant Dan Brucker, Manager of Grand Central Terminal Tours, this was no regular tour. From venturing WAY down to the sub-basement (the deepest in NYC, soldiers were stationed there during WWII) to shimmying up a ladder to the clock tower for a priceless view, the tour was truly an intimate look at a building that so many of us take for granted.

Built in 1913, Grand Central is the world's largest train terminal and has accumulated many secrets in almost 100 years. Like most juicy secrets, with just a little patience and snooping around, GCT's confidences will reveal themselves to you. The tour that I took is not available to the general public but there is so much rich history accessible to all who pass through.



Visit the Grand Central Terminal website for details on taking a self-guided walking tour or an audio tour. You'll learn why the beautiful ceiling above the Main Concourse is a masterpiece full of mistakes, why a motif of acorns and oak leaves repeats itself throughout the building, and discover a quiet corner that will transmit your whispered secrets to a friend standing in the opposite corner 30 feet away. Here are a few photos to inspire you.



Like many New Yorkers, Grand Central Terminal's information booth smack in the middle of the Main Concourse is one of my favorite rendezvous points. Next time you are impatiently waiting by the booth, pay attention to the four-faced clock that adorns it like an elegant wedding cake topper. Not only is the time accurate, this opal faced beauty has an appraised value of $10-20 million! I snapped this photo from the catwalk high above the Main Concourse.

Approaching Grand Central Terminal from Park Avenue, an impressive clock can be seen at the top center of the edifice. Darlings, this grand clock is the world's largest example of Tiffany glass. After crawling through a cubby hole and up a narrow ladder, we found ourselves standing in the tower directly behind the clock - amazing! The bottom panel of the clock actually opens and Park Avenue is visible below. Our visit was so perfectly timed, that we even saw the minute hand of the clock move!


Dan Brucker watching time go by. 


View of Park Avenue from the clock tower. I wonder if Tiffany & Co. delivered the clock in a not-so-little blue box?