Stourhead House and Gardens, Wiltshire ~ Idyllic England

grounds of Stourhead

grounds of Stourhead

The National Trust is a UK conservation charity protecting some 567 historic houses and buildings, gardens and parks, coasts and countryside, sites and monuments throughout the country. If you live in Britain, you should become a member.

My favourite National Trust property is Stourhead, an 18th century landscape garden and Palladian mansion in Wiltshire. Designed by Henry Hoare II, the house holds treasures for period-lovers including the Regency Library with a magnificent lunette painted window based on Raphael’s Vatican fresco, The School of Athens, while the manicured lawns brim with temples and other elaborate follies that visually delight in any season. Enjoy Stourhead for the day just a few hours from London via the M3 motorway. View the great-house, gallivant the grounds at your leisure and imagine it’s your very own home-sweet-home (or perhaps that’s just me). Check out the gardens:

Palladian Bridge

Palladian Bridge

the Grotto

the Grotto

Pantheon

Pantheon

Temple of Apollo

Temple of Apollo

Stourhead's colourful environs

Stourhead’s colourful environs

February 22nd: Post dedicated to my dear old Dad, Happy Birthday Pop!

A very British Christmas

This year marked my first Christmas away from a familial home, instead deciding to remain in my English domicile. Upon relaying this intention to friends, the oft-reply wished me glad tidings, “you’ll be having a Charles Dickens Christmas!” Somewhat confused by this comment because I intended to stay in posh North London, not removed to the 19th century Victorian era. Nevertheless, I decided to ponder the prospective meaning of an English Noël.

One lovely aspect of Christmas in the U.K. (a nominally Christian country) is the unabashed awareness and unreserved “Happy Christmas” that passes many lips. Most everyone celebrates the holiday in some fashion regardless of religious persuasion, largely due to the cultural importance and inclusivity of the day.

My Christmas-day dawned with midnight Mass at St. Dominic’s with excited chirps of children blended into carols and Latin sung choruses. Evergreen branches sparsely decorated the church’s towering columns with vaulted ceilings compelling the eye toward enormous stained glass windows rising above the ornate gothic altar. When the pipe organ bellowed the closing hymn, Adeste Fideles, the church bells gracefully began to chime and I instinctively reached for my iPhone to capture the uplifting experience. Suppressing the notion, I momentarily chastised myself, closed my eyes and continued singing.

Somewhere betwixt the quaintly illuminated High Street decorations, a BBC special showcasing the nation’s best loved Christmas food and my own feast finale of flaming traditional pudding, I realised the magical merriment of Christmas in Britain – a truly Dickensian* Yuletide.

*Dickensian [dɪˈkɛnzɪən] b.  characterized by jollity and conviviality a Dickensian scene round the Christmas tree

Joyous sentiments of British Christmas culminate in New Year celebrations and fireworks over the Thames ~ for those observing the Gregorian calendar, best wishes for 2013!

Sweet Arizona ~ 12 reasons to visit AZ

A few weeks ago, while visiting friends in Arizona, I was reminded of the beauty and variety of attractions that lure travelers to the American southwest.

Personally, I jump transatlantically from LHR to one of the international ports of EWR-PHL-JFK every few months, so it seldom occurs to me to write about, well, America. For one thing, traveling to the U.S. isn’t exciting or exotic, it’s home.

For another, I am not inspired by “NYLA,” the top two destinations for foreign tourists visiting the USA, otherwise known as New York and Los Angeles. Here’s why. I’m a former Los Angeleno. Although I consider California in general and L.A. in particular a sun-soaked, drive-thru paradise, the town lacks soul. Style over substance, LaLa land is brimming with pretty-but-vacant people.

As for the east coast rival, New York City does have unique, adrenaline fueled attitude but to borrow a British phrase, NYC is exceedingly “up its own arse.” New Yorkers, who refer to their locale simply as “the City,” insist the five borough conglomerate is the best metropolis on the planet, designating anyone and anything originating in or associated with NYC, ipso facto, awesome. New York is one of many amazing world-cities, but I say, if you don’t have a passport or indeed have never left “the City,” you don’t get a vote in the global best-city-contest.

Essentially, if you visit America from one of the 196-or-so other countries in the world, forget NY and LA. Whilst you deliberate on the remaining 48-state options, here are 12 reasons to consider a holiday in Arizona.

  1. The Grand Canyon. An awe-inspiring wonder of the natural world, 30 million tourist sail through the Grand Canyon National Park each year.
  2. A photographer’s paradise. Gawk at the Petrified Forest, Painted Desert, Sunset Crater, Red Rock formations, Hoover Dam or dramatic canyons and rapids of the Colorado River.
  3. Large cities. If you crave urban life, shopping or fine dining, then stop in Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Scottsdale or Tempe.
  4. Smaller towns. Whether your inclination is Native American culture, exploring remnants of the old wild west or a new-age adventure chasing energy Vortexes, choose to stay in Sedona, Flagstaff, Tombstone, Prescott or Yuma.
  5. Lake Havasu. “Arizona’s Playground” is also home to England’s famous London Bridge which was shipped stone-by-stone and reconstructed in Lake Havasu City.
  6. Water-sports in the desert. Lake Mead and Lake Powell are the two largest man-made reservoirs in the U.S.
  7. Winter-sports. Play like a snowbird and ski the Arizona Snowbowl.
  8. Spectator sports. Avid fans and amateur enthusiasts can cheer for the home team because Arizona’s resident professionals include baseball (Diamondbacks), basketball (Suns and WNBA Mercury), hockey (Coyotes) and football teams (Cardinals).
  9. The great outdoors. Nature aficionados can appreciate fishing, hiking, biking and boating, an abundance of National Parks and recreational areas and hundreds of luxury golf courses.
  10. Historic Route 66. Drive baby, drive; part of the original iconic road runs from Seligman to Kingman, Arizona. 
  11. Four Corners Monument. In Navajo country, stand in four states at once at the quadripoint of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.
  12. Day-trip south of the border. Bring your passport and say “hola” to Mexico, just seven miles from Yuma.

“Arizona has more parks and national monuments than any other state, more mountains than Switzerland, and more golf courses than Scotland.” Conveniently, British Airways offers direct flights from Heathrow to Phoenix Sky Harbor. www.arizonaguide.com

 

When you hear hoofbeats think Zürich, and a river runs through it

“Are you going to the beach in Zürich?” one of my geography challenged co-workers asked. Luckily, the seaside was not a prerequisite when a friend and I were deciding on a European city-break to celebrate our mutually milestone-esque birthdays. We narrowed the field to Paris (obvious, always diverting), Frankfurt (she’s a former resident of the German-burg), Berlin (sexy, on the trendy side of edgy), Milan (Italy, enough said) and Zürich. Playing word association with “Switzerland” conjured notions of clocks and watches, chocolates and cheese, banking and piles of money kept discreetly in offshore secret bunkers, the actualization of neutrality and the one famous Swiss guy − tennis legend Roger Federer; images punctuated with the majestic snow-capped Alps. We selected Zürich, Switzerland’s largest city, consistently voted a best place to live because of its wealth and high quality of life.

the Limmat River bisects Zürich flowing from Zürichsee Lake

If rich and exceedingly glamorous people flock via private yacht to St. Tropez or Marbella, more sensible glitzophiles with steady jobs and balance-free American Express cards land in Zürich. Here are my Top 3 city delights.

1. The dining experience.

There is no shortage of choice for trendy, chic, nouveau or old world restaurants housed in everything from 17th century guildhalls to renovated, re-designed industrial spaces. We had the pleasure of dining at LaSalle located in a converted shipbuilding factory. The lovely staff, rustic elegance and luscious cocktails contribute to the restaurant’s charm along with the dining room’s open-and-airy, glass-filled ambiance all of which softens the distress for vegetarians who must turn the other cheek in this carnivore paradise. Bison, rabbit and veal cravings can be quickly satisfied or for the more daring, horse fillet with garlic featured on the menu (horsemeat generously, or rather surprisingly, sourced from Canada and the USA).

after-dinner cocktails at Terrasse Café

Our second evening, dressed for dinner at Kronenhalle, we patronized without our diamonds and pearls and were subsequently relegated to a backroom table in this overly-conservative, stuffy local institution. Only the ability to view original artwork adorning the walls by Picasso, Matisse, Chagall and Kandinsky, abated our feigned indignation.

Kronenhalle

2. The Spa experience.

I did mention birthdays and along with the calendar demarcation looms an annual contemplation of life. Although I have an inclination to revive the lost art of growing old gracefully, it is not counter-intuitive to another aspiration, namely, professionally-pampering my body. Switzerland has spas aplenty and claims some of the world’s best luxury spas and wellness resorts. We enjoyed The Dolder Grand’s day spa and left this hillside castle hotel feeling refreshed, relaxed and ten-years younger.

hallway to spa heaven

3. The shopping experience.

Zürich has stylish little museums and galleries and the admirably clean, compact city allows ease of navigation through cobblestone streets to churches, courtyards and riverside cafés. Personally, I prefer art and culture to shops and souvenirs but I confess to enjoying Bahnhofstrasse, the broad pedestrianized boulevard of endless retail options. In a daze of merchandize I succumbed to commercialism, purchasing insanely expensive shoes in the form of blue-suede-heels from Bally.

relaxing post-Bahnhofstrasse

Unquestionably a finance capital, Zürich residents vary across the spectrum from unabashed luxury sedan driving capitalists to young contemporary bike-riding artists; no one overly ostentatious and all seemingly enjoy Zürich’s high standard of living. Peering through a veneer of regulated Protestant-modesty, the city reverberates with comfort and affluence. Pleasant, sophisticated and a river runs through it.

Grossmünster (Great Church) on Limmatquai

Notes from my Learn 1 Thing a Day collection:

Switzerland has four national languages: French, German, Italian and Romansch.

The abbreviation for the Swiss Franc, the country’s currency is CHF because Switzerland, is also known as Confoederatio Helvetica (Latin). The Helvetians were the first tribe to settle in this central European region.

“For all the gnomish bankers and uptight Protestant burghers, Zürich was never simply the soulless, spotless city of reputation, even if James Joyce claimed that if you spilled soup on the Bahnhofstrasse you could lick it up. – Wallpaper City Guide

St. Peters Kirche (Europe’s largest clock face)

Villages, Vineyards and Villas… oh my!

Oh yes! That was my answer when I was invited to a friend’s weeklong milestone-birthday celebration at a Tuscan villa. Although I have been to Italy numerous times over the years, I’d never been to Tuscany. Despite my love of all things Italian from coffee and pasta to art and history, in my recent travels I have exchanged Europe’s accessibility for more exotic far eastern locales. Still you would be crazy to decline a week in Tuscany, touted as one of the most beautifully romantic and vibrantly picturesque places on earth.

To describe the landscape of the region break out the adjectives, add a generous helping of superlatives and you have the loveliest-quaint-bucolic-most serene Tuscan countryside. Cypress trees, vineyards and olive groves dance along the rolling hills and intermittently scattered along the vast tracks of fertile fields are charming towns which provide endless potential for day-tripping adventures. While Florence is as marvelous as Pisa is infamous, Lucca, Volterra, Siena, San Gimignano and many, many more are well-worth a sojourn.

Another local pursuit is winery-hopping, the Italian version of a pub crawl, and each vineyard has its own unique history, barrel methodology and tasting choices. You may not know your Brunello di Montalcino from your Vino di Nobile di Montepulciano but touring the wineries is a master class in the Sangiovese grape and the art of the vine. Some of the most interesting were Castello Banfi l’Enoteca ~ a castle in a gorgeous location with lovely people and delicious wine; Casato Prime Donne ~ despite being a traditionally male dominated profession, the winemakers here are all women and this vineyard produces bottles of Cenerentola or “Cinderella;” Villa Le Corti ~ wine is literally on tap but unfortunately the proprietress-owner is a most unpleasant Duchess; Fattoria Corzano e Paterno ~ Arianna and her family run this vineyard, farm and working dairy which produces artisanal sheep cheeses making tastings especially scrumptious; Antinori’s Badia di Passignano ~ in the Chianti Classico region, barrels here are aged in the property’s 4th century monastery and you should not miss an exquisite dinner with wine pairings at Osteria di Passignano.

After a day’s indulgence you need somewhere to lay your head. Accommodation options in Tuscany are plentiful but if you are traveling with friends why not rent a villa; for roughly $12K per week you can stay at Enzo and Annagloria Corti’s spectacular Villa Torre Il Santo located in Tavernelle in Val di Pesa. Ah, la dolce vita.

Ciao!

Roman Quickie

Prior to a holiday in the Italian countryside, I opted for a few days in the eternally everything city of Rome. Not my first rodeo on the city’s tourist track, I elected to visit some quintessential sites along the well-trodden Appian before scouting the local haunts.

Colosseum

First on the must-see-again list is Vatican City. Regardless of your religious preference, spending a few pleasurable hours seeking out the Masters’ works in painting and sculpture should not be missed. Beauty emanates throughout the museum’s ornate hallways from mosaic floors to gilded ceilings.

School of Athens ~ Raphael

Post-art intoxication, pick a neighbourhood to explore like trendy Tridente. Enjoy a gelato whilst window shopping for the latest fashions on display in the area’s designer boutiques.

Gelateria… stracciatella per favore!

Meander down the stylish Via Condotti towards the crowd-filled Spanish Steps. As evening descends unwind with cocktails and a view at the Hi-Res bar in Hotel Valadier, which could compete with the best of L.A.’s see-and-be-scene. Prosecco darling?

Hi-Res Bar

Before you leave, remember to toss a few coins in Trevi fountain. It’s a must. Oh Rome, you are a feast for my eyes and sweet nectar for my soul.

Fontana di Trevi