Daily Pampering: The Parisian life at Le Meurice

by Melanie Nayer on

Admit it, you’ve always wondered what it would be like to live life as a true Parisian. If the thought of French press coffee and freshly-baked baquettes turns you on, the Dorchester’s Collection Le Meurice in Paris has a deal for you.

Located opposite from the Tuileries Gardens with breathtaking views overlooking the Musée d’Orsay, the hotel is now offering an exclusive package, giving guests a VIP peek and chance to “live the life as a real Parisian for 24 hours.” With grand 18-century architecture combined with the design of Philippe Starck, dishes prepared by three-star Michelin Chef, 160 spacious and elegant guestrooms and more, Le Meurice is the quintessential glamorous Parisian hotel now giving a real entrée into the best that the City of Lights has to offer.

Package for two includes:

  • Arrival airport transfer
  • Minimum two night stay including breakfast
  • VIP welcome with Champagne
  • Dinner for two at Executive Chef Yannick Alléno’s Le Dali restaurant (beverages excluded)
  • Two hand treatments “speedy mani” at the Spa Valmont
  • Use of Le Meurice’s scooter or bicycle to explore the city
  • VIP kit at Printemps, Paris’ luxury department store
  • Garment bag for all purchases
  • “My Little Paris Passport” booklet which gives an insider’s list of the best places to eat, see and explore

The price for this Parisian pampering? Rates per room per night begin at 805 Euros (approximately $1,101 USD).

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Oktoberfest by the numbers

by Gadling Staff on

“Everyone would be happy to have an Oktoberfest,” said Vicky Weller, from Munich. “Everybody: the restaurants, the beer halls, the shops and the city make money.” Indeed this is one big ATM for Munich but hey, they put on a fine festival.

The official figures are in and an estimated 6.4 million people visited Oktoberfest from around the world. Italians seemed to be the largest non-German group of attendees, but I personally met plenty of Americans, Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, Hungarians, Swedes, Swiss, Japanese and Russian people all enjoying the spirit of togetherness – and beer.

In total, the guests at Oktoberfest drank around 7,000,000 liters of beer; however non-alcoholic beers and other drinks were served in greater numbers than in the past. A few tents even sponsored outside Lemonade gardens which attracted families and others seeking an alternative to beer. Also: there was even a small wine tent this year.

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In addition to the beer, visitors consumed 117 oxen and 59 calves at the 2010 Oktoberfest, and the historic Herzkasperl Tent alone served 60,000 delicious halves of Hendl, or roasted chicken. This was by far the most popular culinary item at Oktoberfest with a cost of approximately $12.00 per serving.

According to official statistics, more people came dressed in traditional German garb than in the recent past. One reason for this is that in the post WWII era and until quite recently, German nationalism was frowned upon. (The 2006 World Cup may have been a watershed moment turning the tide.) Today, Germans are rediscovering their patriotic spirit and perhaps this is one reason why dirndls and lederhosen are gaining in popularity.

It really was amazing how little violence happens during Oktoberfest with so many people and so much beer consumed. Though crazy and crowded, it’s a safe and peaceful environment. Attendees are allowed to sleep – or pass out in parks all over the fairgrounds and beyond. Of course many people do get drunk and forget things. The Wiesn Lost & Found Office recorded about 4500 objects found including: 90 cameras, 770 ID cards, 420 wallets, 330 purses and 320 pairs of glasses. They also found a rabbit, a pug, a tennis racket (who brings a tennis racket to a beer festival?), a leather whip, a set of dentures, four pairs of women’s shoes and a tuba. (Damn… where’s my tuba?)

All in all, this is one of the greatest festivals on the planet and has to be experienced first hand, at least once. Yet many I interviewed return year after year to enjoy the festivities with friends, both new and old. As one local told me, to get the most out of Oktoberfest, “Be pushy, be German.” Good advice especially navigating the dense crowds.

Though this was the 200th Anniversary of the original year that the celebration began, this was actually the 177th Oktoberfest. There were numerous wars and other major disturbances in Germany, you might remember, when Oktoberfest was canceled. So there’s plenty of time to hit the real 200th of arguably the largest participatory celebration on earth.

Getting there: Many airlines fly directly to Munich including Delta Airlines and Lufthansa. Munich is also within hours of many cities throughout Europe, easily accessed by rail.

Where to Stay: Munich offers visitors about 56,000 hotel rooms of varying types. The Sheraton Westpark is a good, popular hotel within a short walk or easy subway ride from the Oktoberfest fairgrounds.

Where to Eat: In Munich, visitors will find German as well as all varieties of contemporary cuisine. The Spatenhaus an der Oper, downtown offers fine traditional German cuisine. I loved the traditional Weiner Schnitzel. For a very special experience try the Restaurant Konigshof for elegant European dining.

Getting Around: The U Bahn (subway) in Munich is definitely the way to get around town if a destination is too far to walk. There are plenty of cabs around, but the underground is fast and easy to navigate. Plus they don’t seem to ever take tickets so you can get by without one, unless you get caught.

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Previously:
* Arriving at Munich’s Oktoberfest
* Munich, Germany’s 200th Anniversary of Oktoberfest
* Beer logistics at Munich’s Oktoberfest
* Oktoberfest: Lots of food and more than 8 million gallons of beer

For More Information:
* www.oktoberfest.eu
* www.muenchen-tourist.de

Bob Ecker is a Napa, California based travel writer/photographer providing worldwide magazines and newspapers with compelling travel, hospitality, wine, culinary, skiing, film and innovative feature content. He is constantly on the go, traveling the world, unearthing new stories and uncorking emerging regions. He is current Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) member and former President of the Bay Area Travel Writers (BATW).

Getting drunk: Twenty cities that don’t know how to handle their liquor

by Tom Johansmeyer on

California loves to get wasted! San Diego and San Jose are the top two cities that drink stupidly, according to a survey by Insurance.com. They lead the country in alcohol-related driving violations, a dubious distinction to say the least. So, if you step into the crosswalk in these two spots, take an extra second to look both ways.

The reasons for hitting this list vary and include proximity to colleges and nightlife, and the presence of stringent enforcement may play a key role, the survey finds. If you think a lack of enforcement puts a city at the top of the list, remember that slapping the cuffs on a lot of people increases the instances of drunk driving, which actually pushes it up. Insurance.com explains:

San Diego most likely tops the list because its police departments are aggressive in making DUI arrests, and officers there arrest lots of drunk drivers, says Mark McCullough, a San Diego police department spokesperson specializing in DUI issues.

To pull the list of 20 drunk driving metropolitan areas together, according to Insurance Networking News, Insurance.com analyzed “percentage of its car insurance online quote requests for which users reported alcohol-related driving violations.”

So, who made the top 20? Take a look below:

  1. San Diego, CA
  2. San Jose, CA
  3. Charlotte, NC
  4. Phoenix, AZ
  5. Columbus, OH
  6. Indianapolis, IN
  7. Los Angeles, CA
  8. San Francisco, CA
  9. Austin, TX
  10. Jacksonville, FL
  11. San Antonio, TX
  12. Dallas, TX
  13. Houston, TX
  14. Fort Worth, TX
  15. Memphis, TN
  16. Philadelphia, PA
  17. New York, NY
  18. Baltimore, MD
  19. Chicago, IL
  20. Detroit, MI

Boston got lucky on this one. It was excluded because of a lack of data – not because the drivers there are absolutely nuts.

Disclosure: I learned how to drive in Boston.

[Via Insurance Networking News, photo by davidsonscott15 via Flickr]

Daily Pampering: Rum flights at Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne

by Melanie Nayer on

While the U.S. and Cuba continue to talk through travel options, the Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne has found a way to bring a bit of Old Havana to Florida. The dark, sophisticated and sultry RUMBAR in the hotel sets the mood for what could be a steamy night. Thanks to the endless bottles of rum, however, guests won’t go thirsty.

On the weekends, RUMBAR transforms into Miami’s only upscale live Latin music venue with Grupo Nostalgia, a four-piece band in white dinner jackets, reminiscent of vintage Cuba. While you’re getting your groove on, take advantage of some of the unique and tasty offerings. Guests can choose from 52 rums, cachacas and piscos from 18 countries, an extensive cigar collection and, if you’re so inclined, VIP Rum Lockers for storing personal bottles.

Not that hip to your rum yet? No worries. The hotel offers rum flights so you can taste a few of the best.

On the flight menu:

  • Atlántico- Dominican Republic / aged between 5-15 years / $225 per bottle
  • Zacapa- Guatemala / aged between 6-23 years / $215 per bottle
  • Santa Teresa 1796 / aged over 15 years / $200 per bottle

Don’t worry my rum-tasting travelers, you don’t have to shell out a few hundred for a sip. The price of the flight is $30 and includes three (3), one (1) ounce pours of each rum.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Oktoberfest: Lots of food and more than 8 million gallons of beer

by Gadling Staff on

Oktoberfest grew like an indelible beast as Munich crowds headed by subway, bus and foot to the Theresienwiese fairgrounds. It was the last night, after all — and there was still plenty of beer to consume. Thousands converged, happily dressed in everything from traditional colorful dirndls, lederhosen and vests to ordinary t-shirts and leather jackets. It really makes no difference what you wear to Oktoberfest unless, perhaps, you are an old-timer from Bavaria. On this night I headed for the Hacker-Pschorr Braurosi tent — which I’d heard was a wild one.

Besides fresh Oktoberfest beer, specially brewed for the occasion, Oktoberfest showcases and serves German culinary staples such as excellent Hendl (rotisserie chicken), Wursti (sausage), Schweinsbraten (roast pork), Haxn (pork knuckle — better than it sounds) and Knodel (a potato pancake). The ubiquitous Brezn (pretzels) are huge, soft and very salty.

Some Oktoberfest facts:

  • There are 12 tents all hosted by Munich area breweries. Each tent is a very lucrative business. It’s a sophisticated setup regarding beer delivery, ingress and egress, food, security and music. The bathrooms? Well… they’re another story.
  • Tents can hold up to 10,000 people at a time and are usually packed, packed, packed — especially in the evenings. The jostling is incredible. Big German waitresses power through the crowds holding up to ten beers or platters of food. The tents are open for 12 hours each day (usually 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM). In other words, way more than 10,000 people rotate in and out throughout the day. Meanwhile, thousands of others are standing outside the tents, hoping, trying to get in!
  • The festival lasts 16 days.
  • Doing a little math, that’s: 12 tents x 10,000 people x 16 days = 1,920,000 people minimum. In fact, Munich estimates that a record 7.5 million people will attend Oktoberfest in 2010.
  • If each of those 7.5 million people drink only 4 liters of beer, then the partiers consume roughly 8 million gallons of beer over the course of the event.

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The Hacker-Pschorr tent is by far the prettiest at Oktoberfest. The walls are painted with bucolic Bavarian scenes and the roof is painted like a big blue sky dotted with puffy white clouds. Well-lit, you might think you’re outside, eating and drinking with 9,999 new friends. I was fortunate to get seated in the balcony so could overlook the controlled chaos. The band now belted out the familiar “Que Sera Sera” followed by rousing rendition of “Those Were the Days.” (The 1968 hit sung by Mary Hopkin was produced by Paul McCartney.) Appetizers soon appeared consisting of radishes (they seem to love radishes), a type of pork fat liverwurst and of course, big salty pretzels. As my first beer arrived, I settled in as waitresses roared by, blasting through the ever thickening crowd carrying full or empty steins of excellent Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest beer.

The din — a happy noise — got louder and louder though I couldn’t tell if I was inside or outside the asylum. Looking back through the windows, thousands of people were massing, trying to get into this tent. Then the song “Mamma Mia” got the crowd lathered in proper ABBA fashion. Some danced in the aisles and many others on the benches. After a short break, the traditional music was replaced by a rock band and soon the chunky opening chords of Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water” shook the building. It sounded great. “We come here every year,” shouted Gabriella Keck, visiting from Salzburg, Austria. Her five friends were rocking too. Next came AC-DC’s “You, Shook Me All Night Long” and the horde, young and old, local and international went nuts.

Previously:
* Arriving at Munich’s Oktoberfest
* Munich, Germany’s 200th Anniversary of Oktoberfest
* Beer logistics at Munich’s Oktoberfest

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Bob Ecker is a Napa, California based travel writer/photographer providing worldwide magazines and newspapers with compelling travel, hospitality, wine, culinary, skiing, film and innovative feature content. He is constantly on the go, traveling the world, unearthing new stories and uncorking emerging regions. He is current Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) member and former President of the Bay Area Travel Writers (BATW).