Luxe Beat Featured Articles

The sign on the left of the river warned of the rapids to come. We were as prepared as we could be, having heard about the intense Class 4+ whitewater that we would encounter after reaching the confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers in Utah’s Cataract Canyon. The water level was high, which meant the rapids would be fast and turbulent…and exciting! The wave train started with some fun rapids,...

I tried an Alaskan cruise once – the kind with fancy buffets, towels folded like swans, and nightly magic shows. It wasn’t for me.  I wanted to get up close and personal with this wild remote state, so I’ve returned several times to traverse Alaska by foot, bush plane, and small boats.  In June, I headed to Seward to explore with Kenai Fjords Tours . I joined a daylong tour and a dinner cruise, le...

California is a treasure trove of historical backdrops and natural abundance. Its mild Mediterranean climate features 840 miles of coastline and 61 cities and enclaves within its coastal zone. Recently, I revisited the unique blend of history and modernity in Santa Barbara. Nestled between the dramatic Santa Ynez mountains and the azure Pacific Ocean, idyllic Santa Barbara boasts 300 days of sunsh...

When I plan a trip back to the Queen City the menu of good eats gets top priority. A few summers ago I was thrown an unexpected curve-ball when my folks introduced me to Food Truck Tuesdays at Larkin Square. My parents are regulars and they have been bragging about Larkinville since the grand opening in 2012. I was finally going to get to see what it was all about. With camera and appetite in hand...

Taking a bite of an Honest Burgers hamburger changed my life. It’s been over five years since UK’s best burger chain rocked my world, and I’m still dreaming about the succulent delicacy in every bite. It was my first trip to London, and I was traveling with a dear friend, chef Katherine Frelon . Katherine is a Brit, living in France, and we were in town for a cooking class she was giving in the ci...

Carving the Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas ham is a symbolic ritual that signifies a celebration is underway. As I started formulating my plans for the holiday season, the majority of my lists revolve around food, cocktails and desserts. Once the menus are established, I move on to tableware, accessories and the like. My mind wanders and I reflect back to holidays past. In my family, we’re all v...

A cloudless sky, bright sunshine, and a wide, pristine sandy beach welcomed me on my first trip to Torrance, California. Sports enthusiasts waited for the perfect wave—the bicyclists whizzed by the designated bike path, the 22-mile bike path ending in Malibu.   Discover Torrance invited me to explore this California beach community. Over 2.5 days, it didn’t take long to understand why this communi...

Gold was discovered in the Fairbanks area in 1902 when Italian immigrant Felix Pedro struck it rich. He put Fairbanks on the map and thousands of men rushed to interior Alaska in search of the precious yellow metal. They were driven by gold fever and the chance to stake their claims, often enduring harsh conditions amid a rugged landscape. By 1930, though, small mines were replaced by large scale...

Standing on the platform at Brooks Falls in Alaska’s Katmai National Park, I wanted to warn the salmon and tell them, “Look before you leap!” I lost count as to how many of the fish ended up in the mouth of the ginormous brown bear perched at the edge of the falls. While the other bears stood in the water and actually had to work for their food, this guy just planted himself in the perfect spot, r...

When Kenny Osehan, the owner of Capril Hotel added this 1963 vintage Ojai hotel to her Shelter Social Club portfolio, she met with designer Jessica Pell of Manola Studio in Eagle Rock. Her multidisciplinary design practice works on diverse projects spanning architectural, commercial and residential design, historical preservation, landscape, and furniture design to showcase properties. To read the...

The sign read, “Travel Beyond This Point Not Recommended.” It gave my husband and I pause, but as we had already decided to drive the sixty-mile McCarthy Road leading to Alaska’s Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, we forged onward. We had heard stories about this infamous road and its difficult conditions, but we felt ready and up for an adventure. To read the full article by Debbie Stone visit lux...

Virginia’s wine regions are getting a lot of press, and for a very good reason. Recently Wine Enthusiast awarded Charlottesville the wine region of the year. Just north of the Charlottesville Wine Trail is Early Mountain, a winery that can compete with any in Virginia for wine and their prix fixe menu. Early Mountain is one of the best wineries this writer has ever found for top-shelf wine and cui...

Which type of traveler are you? As a journalist , I’ve covered pet-friendly travel, solo journeys, family-friendly getaways, along with romantic couples escapes. South Lake Tahoe , home to the largest alpine lake in North America, is one of  my favorite destinations that checks all the boxes for every type of traveler. Here’s a guide so you can choose your own adventure. To read the full article b...

Looking for a quick getaway from our home in Orlando, my husband I decided to head to Delray Beach for some cooler ocean breezes and change of scenery. Located in South Florida midway between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Delray is a small town big on fun. Upscale boutiques, tons of restaurants, and miles of sandy beaches are part of the draw. To read the full article by Kirsten Harrington...

As the golden sun begins to cast its warm, inviting glow over the azure expanse of the Mediterranean, the vibrant coastal town of Marbella, nestled in the heart of Spain's sun-drenched South, beckons travelers from across the globe. Yet, as the world becomes increasingly aware of the footprint left behind by tourism, a new wave of travel ethos is surging to the forefront. This summer, let's embark...

Food & Wine in Spanish announced LaFrida’s Chef Anaisa Guevara is on the “Best New Chefs in Mexico” 2024 list. This news will be featured in the upcoming September issue, showcasing the prestigious list of chefs. This list was created to recognize and support new talent, by a select group of chefs, journalists, entrepreneurs, and the editorial team at the magazine. To read the full article by...

Finning casually over some phantasmagoric reef terrain in the Philippines, we searched the nooks and crannies of the hard corals for banded sea snakes and other iconic keynote marine life. After spotting a regal-looking green sea turtle resting upon a bed of coral, I maneuvered to take up a position in front of the aquatic reptile so that it could easily see me. If it felt threatened in any way, i...

In late October 2020 one of my brothers from another mother, Michel Joseph, messaged me to ask if Kathryn and I wanted to go scuba diving in Pavilion Lake . Since Kathryn had some prior work commitments she could not reschedule, Michel and I made a lightening trip up to Pavilion. Michel had dived this lake numerous times before and for this visit we seized upon a window of opportunity between a pr...

Martini aficionados, cocktail connoisseurs, famous actors, chic intellectuals, aristocrats, jet-setters, lounge lizards, gin-soaked barroom queens, and a legion of notorious hard-drinking writers have all waxed poetic about the liquid virtues of the Martini. In its purest form, a clean, simple, quintessential cocktail made from only gin and vermouth elegantly served in a chilled glass. Arguably on...

For many people, a polar expedition cruise ranks right up there as being the adventure of a lifetime. Indeed, few travel experiences can compare with the feeling one gets knowing they’re traveling in the historic wake of legendary polar explorers such as Fridtjof Nansen, Robert Peary, Roald Amundsen, or Ernest Shackleton . Not unlike during the “Heroic Age” of polar exploration just over a century...

We’re here at the storied convergence of Italy and Slovenia. The land here is marred by the ravages of two world wars. Tales of that gory past would make anyone shudder. But, who could tell. There’s also the enduring beauty of life, living, creating and crafting that transcends it all.  Such is the calmness and appeal of the Gravner vineyards in the Collio Goriziano region, in northeastern Italy....

A good number of buddy or girlfriend golf getaways revolve around a particular golf course, with accommodations playing a secondary role. Golfers looking to Stay and Play at The McLemore in Rising Fawn, GA, arrive to discover that they are blown away by the golf, and the upscale lodging comes with stunning mountain views. For those who have never played golf in northern Georgia, McLemore’s The Hig...

Rogue Valley (named the ‘next Napa’ by Vogue.com), located in southern Oregon, is a beautiful destination with plenty of activities to entertain you. Whether you’re a nature lover, wine enthusiast, art aficionado, or foodie, it is a fabulous retreat-style region to relax or explore. To read the full article by Darla Hoffmann visit luxebeatmag.com .

The original owners of Sibonne Beach Hotel faced an interesting dilemma in 1989. They had to choose where to build a hotel on the virgin Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales. Little did they know that this 5-mile stretch on the Caribbean Sea would become what’s annually ranked as the best beach in the world. Grace Bay’s first-ever hotel would originally be known as Le Deck. The French theme would con...

Sailrock Resort in South Caicos has it all for vacationers seeking the ultimate in an island luxury escape. There is one ingredient that Sailrock guests experience that isn’t advertised, and this is something you will take home as a treasured keepsake. Kindness. It’s a word, an emotion, and a feeling that is hard to find in our crazy world. For those lucky enough to vacation on this 8-mile-long is...