Topics Include:
Matt Hagerman, General Manager, Woodmark Hotel Yacht Club and Spa, Kirkland, Washington, USA.
www.thewoodmark.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams kicks off this hour of the "Travel With Stephanie Abrams!" Radio Show with guest Matt Hagerman, General Manager of the Woodmark Hotel Yacht Club and Spa in Kirkland, Washington. Kirkland is on Seattle's east side, in the high-tech corridor; visitors fly into Sea-Tac Airport. The Woodmark is the only hotel on the shores of Lake Washington, so guests can arrive by car, boat, or seaplane.
The resort is on four acres on Carillon Point and has 100 guest rooms. Many of the rooms have lakefront balconies, which gives them a real sense of place, according to Matt. "When you get to the Seattle area, you can see how geography defines how people live," he explains. "You have to stay on the lake, get onto the boat, go to the islands, and head to the tops of the mountains to see just how spectacular it is—and how we get to live every day."
Although Seattle has a reputation as a rainy city, Matt insists that the weather is not that bad. "It doesn't rain that much," he says. "We don't get downpours like other places; it just drizzles for long periods of time." Visitors who arrive during the summer will see the upside of all the wet weather: a lush green landscape. "In June, July, and August, you can see why we're called the Evergreen State," Matt continues. "It just gets a little gray in October, November, and December."
Rain or sun, guests of The Woodmark can relax at the Northwest Face Spa, enjoy a glass of wine at vino-centric restaurant Bin on the Lake, or opt for burgers and beer at the Beach Cafe. "There are 80 wines available by the glass at Bin on the Lake, so it's a great place to explore wine through food," Matt explains. "Beach Cafe is a little more fun and lively." The hotel also runs boat tours of Lake Washington on a 1956 Chris-Craft. "Our boat tours run most months of the year," Matt says. "We're not afraid of a little drizzle!"
Every guest is welcomed to the Woodmark by Woody, a Labradoodle who heads the hotel's complaints department. "Many hotels are saying they're pet-friendly, but we're sending a different message by actually putting a dog in the lobby," Matt says. "When guests check in, the humans get to sip champagne and visiting dogs get to meet the resident canine. Woody's official title is Guest Experience Manager, but every once in a while, if someone is less than pleased, we send them to Woody. It's tough to be angry with him!"
Woody also hosts 'Yappy Hour' every Wednesday on the Woodmark's lawn. "It's a Woody-sponsored happy hour," Matt explains. "We serve drinks and food, we have a dog menu available, and we just let the dogs run around. We don't take ourselves too seriously and have a really good time with it. The dogs end up recognizing each other and it really turns into a social scene." He adds that Labradoodles make great hotel dogs because of their sweet temperaments and because they shed so little. If pet owners want to sightsee on their own, the Woodmark can arrange pet-sitting services or take the dog for a walk.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2153
For more information visit www.thewoodmark.com
Alfredo "Freddy" Arredondo, Winemaker, Cave B Estate Winery, Cave B Inn, and Sagecliffe, Quincy, Washington, USA.
www.sagecliffe.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travel With Stephanie Abrams!" Radio Show learn about wines of the Pacific Northwest with Alfredo 'Freddy' Arredondo, Winemaker at Cave B Estate Winery, Cave B Inn, and SageCliffe in Quincy, Washington. Quincy is smack dab in the middle of Washington state, according to Freddy, and about two-and-a-half hours east of Seattle by car. Guests can also take commuter flights from Seattle into smaller regional airports. Central Washington is home to the Columbia River Gorge and the Gorge Amphitheatre, which Freddy says is one of the most beautiful natural amphitheatres anywhere.
When SageCliffe was acquired by its current owners in 1980, the property consisted of a 75-acre alfalfa field. Thirty years later, the property has 110 acres of grapes, 50 acres of apples, and 10 acres of cherries. The SageCliffe resort includes the Cave B Inn, Cave B Estate Winery, Chiwana Village, Tendrils Restaurant, and a spa. Freddy's job is to turn the 17 different varieties of Vitis vinifera, or winemaking grapes, into wine that complements the resort's food. He has been at Cave B since July 2006, when he finished winemaking school.
He began his career, however, as a chef. "I started at thirteen in my parents' Mexican restaurant, then went to Las Vegas, Hawaii, Los Angeles, and even the Middle East," Freddy explains. "Finally, I went to Italy, where I learned all about wine and decided to make it my career. In Italy, wine is so much more than a beverage; it's really considered a food. You don't drink it for the effect, you drink it to complement the food. You pair wine to a specific dish, so the wine enhances the food and vice versa. That just enthralled me: how wine was so much more than what the average American thought it could be."
To produce wines that pair well with food, Freddy works closely with the SageCliffe vineyards. "We're constantly checking in and communicating," he says. "Right now, we're getting close to crunch time—or crush time—when we harvest day-to-day. After the harvest, though, when you get near the winery, you can smell beautiful floral and fruit aromas. The smell of fermenting wine is something otherworldly that everyone should have the chance to experience." Listeners can look for Freddy's wines under the Cave B Estate label.
When not sipping a Cave B vintage, guests at SageCliffe can stroll in the property's vineyards or enjoy other outdoor activities in central Washington. "It's a great area if you're a very active person," Freddy says. "There's rock climbing, kayaking and boating on the Columbia River, hikes galore, mountain bike trails, and, in the winter, we're 45 minutes from ski resorts. There's really a lot to do, not to mention plenty of other wineries in the area."
The luxury accommodations at SageCliffe include 15 freestanding 'Cliffehouses,' Cavern rooms, and Inn rooms. The main inn building has a restaurant and conference rooms; the resort frequently hosts social functions and business events. "It's all beautifully decorated with native materials," says Freddy. "Even the building materials are local; they used basalt dug up on the property for the buildings."
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2221
For more information visit www.sagecliffe.com
Travel Tips:
Travelers interested in wine and food pairings may want to visit the Saxony Schloss Wackerbarth in Germany, which offers wine, food, and music pairings. "When your meals came out, if you had ordered, say, wiener schnitzel with Riesling, they would play Mozart," Stephanie explains. "Now when I think of Mozart, I think of Riesling, because it's bouncy and effervescent, like Mozart's personality."
Guests Include:
Matt Hagerman, General Manager, Woodmark Hotel Yacht Club and Spa, Kirkland, Washington, USA.
www.thewoodmark.com
Alfredo "Freddy" Arredondo, Winemaker, Cave B Estate Winery, Cave B Inn, and Sagecliffe, Quincy, Washington, USA.
www.sagecliffe.com
Topics Include:
Randall Wilkie, General Manager, Cobblers Cove, St. Peter, Barbados.
www.cobblerscove.com
www.relaischateaux.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travel With Stephanie Abrams!" Radio Show visit a Caribbean oasis with Randall Wilkie, General Manager of Cobblers Cove in St. Peter, Barbados. Cobblers Cove is a member of Relais & Chateaux. Randall, affectionately known as Randy, was born in Scotland, adopted at three months old, and grew up in Barbados. "It's an amazing island," Stephanie says. "Walking the streets of the shopping area, you'll see the ladies wearing lovely cotton dresses with starched collars, looking like they're walking in their own air conditioning unit!"
Cobblers Cove is a boutique hotel with 40 suites. The rooms are arranged in a horseshoe shape around the pink Plantation House, which was once owned by an English sugar planter. The Plantation House holds the Camelot suite, Colleton suite, newly refurbished bar, and restaurant. The Terrace Restaurant is headed by executive chef Brian Porteus, who hails from Kilkenny, Ireland. "Our guests say that our food is some of the best on the west coast of Barbados," Randy says. "Our chef, Brian, has just worked wonders."
The resort is unique in that every room is a suite. "Each room has its own individual living room, patio, and verandah," Randy explains. "There are no televisions or radios in any of the rooms, either. Instead, we have a library with a computer and TV, so if you want to watch, it's available, but it's not right in your room. The emphasis is on relaxation, peace, tranquility, and extremely good food served by extremely nice people." The hotel does, however, offer WiFi in all suites and common areas, so guests are not completely cut off from the world.
Randy describes the atmosphere at Cobblers Cove as "really a little English country house on Barbados" with a charm that's hard to recreate. "You'll approach Cobblers Cove through an understated entrance and walk into the reception area, which is pretty small, but an oasis of tropical plants" he continues. "We're proud that check-in usually takes a minute or two, then we give you a cold towel, glass of champagne, and whisk you right to your room."
After guests have settled in, they can take garden tours on the property or just relax by the beach. The horseshoe shape of the resort opens towards a pool, deck, and the ocean. "Between the buildings and the sea, we probably have forty or fifty chairs," Randy says. "We've just enhanced our beach and pool services, so we now offer cold towels, fruit kebabs mid-morning, and our own homemade sorbet in mid-afternoon."
Stephanie points out that many travelers only know Barbados from a stop on Caribbean cruises, but it's more than a port. "After you've relaxed completely, an island tour would be an amazing thing to do," Randy says. "For example, there's St. Nicholas Abbey, which was bought by a pair of architects and restored. It's probably one of the oldest buildings in the Caribbean and they produce their own sugar and are making their own rum now."
One of Randy's favorite places is Bathsheba, on the island's east coast. "It's the complete opposite of the west coast of Barbados," he explains. "The west coast is very calm; the east coast is where the big rollers are. I used to go swimming, surfing, and fishing there. There's a place called the Soup Bowl that offers international surfing. And there are just lovely rugged English landscapes similar to the Cliffs of Dover." He suggests a visit to the Crane Hotel on the southeast coast, which has pink sand beaches and "wonderful" views. "Years and years ago I used to go there on picnics," he continues. "It's great for barbeques or just relaxing with a rum punch."
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2222
For more information visit www.cobblerscove.com and www.relaischateaux.com
Declan Mescall, Head of Passenger Sales, Irish Ferries, Dublin, Ireland.
www.irishferries.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travel With Stephanie Abrams!" Radio Show sail the Irish Sea with Declan Mescall, Head of Passenger Sales for Irish Ferries, based in Dublin, Ireland. "The first time I took the ferry to Ireland, it was in the 1970s and it was a six-hour crossing," Stephanie says. "You left at 10 PM and arrived at 4 AM, but they didn't wake you until 6 AM because it was the civilized thing to do. Now, the crossing is almost too quick—it's over before you know it."
Today, it's a two-hour trip from Holyhead in western Wales to eastern Ireland. "We have a fast ferry that operates two sailings a day, 365 days a year," Declan says. "The ship is called the Jonathan Swift, after the Irish author of 'Gulliver's Travels.' In fact, a number of our vessels are named for Irish literary figures. There's the Ulysses, after the James Joyce novel, which is the largest car ferry in the world. There's also the Oscar Wilde, which sails from Rosslare in southern Ireland to Roscoff and Cherbourg in northern France.
"The Ulysses can take about 2,000 passengers and 1,300 cars, so it's quite a ship," Declan says. "It takes three-and-a-quarter hours from Holyhead to Ireland, so it's what we call our cruise vessel. If you're going from Ireland to France, it's an 18-hour crossing, so those are overnight voyages." He adds that the Irish Ferries are probably the youngest fleet of ships in Europe. "Our standards are very high; our aim is that your vacation starts the moment you come on board," Declan continues. "We have every conceivable on-board facility, so it's very similar to being on a cruise line ship that sails out of Miami or around the Caribbean."
The easiest way to book passage is through the Irish Ferries website. There, travelers can make reservations for ferry travel or book hotels and cottages in Ireland, Britain, and France. Traveling by ferry can often be cheaper than flying; the fare for a car and driver from Holyhead to Dublin is $107, with additional passengers at $30 extra. "It's a great value," says Declan. "One of the advantages of bringing a car is that there are no concerns about the amount of baggage you take, unlike traveling with the airlines."
Travel Tips: Stephanie reminds listeners that travel is not just for the wealthy; rather, it's affordable for anyone who makes it a priority. She recently heard about a woman who had finally decided to go to Ireland. "She was going with four other families and renting a house, so her share was $600 for the whole month," Stephanie recounts. "That's a great value, plus she could save money further by having some meals in. At this point, you can't afford to stay home!"
Related Mini-Sites:
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2223
For more information visit www.irishferries.com
Guests Include:
Randall Wilkie, General Manager, Cobblers Cove, St. Peter, Barbados.
www.cobblerscove.com
www.relaischateaux.com
Declan Mescall, Head of Passenger Sales, Irish Ferries, Dublin, Ireland.
www.irishferries.com
Topics Include:
Theresa Henkelmann, Co-Owner, Homestead Inn – Thomas Henkelmann, Greenwich, Connecticut, USA.
www.homesteadinn.com
www.relaischateaux.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travel With Stephanie Abrams!" Radio Show learn that smart women marry chefs with Theresa Henkelmann, Owner of Relais & Chateaux member Homestead Inn Thomas Henkelmann in Greenwich, Connecticut. Since Greenwich is so close to New York City by car or train, Stephanie suggests that listeners in Manhattan on business consider extending their stays to include a little relaxation.
The Homestead Inn Thomas Henkelmann is so named for two reasons: Homestead Inn is an historic property whose name cannot be changed and Thomas Henkelmann is the chef behind the inn's world-class restaurant. Thomas is originally from Braunlingen in Germany's Black Forest, near the Alsatian border, but was trained at Michelin 3-star restaurants in France. Theresa and Thomas met at a pastry competition in New York City.
"My office at the time was in SoHo," Theresa explains. "I had a casting company, but I was a foodie. They were doing a pastry competition at the Puck Building on Houston, so I went over because I was hungry. I knew one of the pastry chefs there, who introduced me to Thomas, and we've been together ever since." The couple has owned and operated Homestead Inn Thomas Henkelmann for thirteen years.
"Thomas came to the U.S. in 1989 to be the executive chef at a restaurant in Manhattan called Maurice," Theresa continues. "Then they asked if he would incorporate some Asian influences, but he didn't want that in his food—his food is contemporary French. Being German and a master French chef is like being a converted Catholic; you're more Catholic than anyone else. So he went to a restaurant in Rye, New York for five years and at that point knew it was time to have his own restaurant. We looked everywhere for a place of our own, but you basically had to lease."
Instead of renting, Theresa and Thomas decided to buy a property they could call their own. "We lived in Greenwich anyway, so we noticed that this property became available," Theresa says. "It had been a restaurant and hotel, but a very different kind. So we went in, established our business, waited a few years, and then did a massive renovation. The inn was built in 1799, so every time we touched a wall, the other three fell down. It was a nightmare! But it was wonderful because we ended up reconfiguring everything and putting in 23 new bathrooms."
Each room at the inn was individually decorated by Theresa, who is a designer by trade. Guests can reach the inn by Metro North commuter rail from New York City; the property is a two-minute cab ride or ten-minute walk from the train station. Theresa urges visitors to at least come for the food. "Thomas is the most brilliant chef," she says. "I actually followed his work long before we met. His food is just extraordinary."
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2224
For more information visit www.homesteadinn.com and www.relaischateaux.com
Jim Grace, President and CEO, InsureMyTrip and InsureMyGroup.
www.insuremytrip.com
www.insuremygroup.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travel With Stephanie Abrams!" Radio Show find out how to protect your travel investment during hurricane season with Jim Grace, President and CEO of InsureMyTrip and InsureMyGroup. With eight named storms and three more on the radar in the Atlantic, hurricane season is in full swing; according to Jim, NOAA predicted 14 to 20 storms for 2010.
"So far, only a couple of storms have brushed the East Coast or the Gulf Coast, but it's really important to consider travel insurance if you're going to a coastal area during hurricane season," Jim says. "The problem is that if the storm is named or on the weather map, it's too late to buy insurance. You really have to do it in advance; that's why we advise getting insurance as soon as you book your trip."
For example, he adds, nobody expected to go to Europe and have their travel plans disrupted by a volcano. Once the volcanic activity had started, however, it was too late to buy insurance. "The volcano was an event that was nearly larger than 9/11 for the travel industry," Jim continues. "They had people stranded all over and even more people unable to leave for their trips." Stephanie knew one company that had nearly 10,000 stranded passengers in Europe alone. "We really hope that you have a great trip," Jim says, "but you need to protect yourself and get the insurance coverage you need."
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2219
Travelers411 Directory Listing:
Visit the Travelers411 InsureMyTrip Directory Listing where you can listen to dozens of commercial free audio segments featuring great travel tips and travelers information about the types of insurance, buying insurance and travel insurance precautions and more.
For more information visit www.insuremytrip.com and www.insuremygroup.com
Sean Strub, Presdient, Hotel Fauchere, Milford, Pennsylvania, USA.
www.hotelfauchere.com
www.relaischateaux.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travel With Stephanie Abrams!" Radio Show welcome Sean Strub, President of Hotel Fauchere in Milford, Pennsylvania. The hotel is located in the Upper Delaware River Valley in northeastern Pennsylvania, just 75 miles from New York City. Each Columbus Day Weekend, Milford hosts the Black Bear Film Festival.
"The film festival started eleven years ago and is a boutique festival, beautifully produced," Sean explains. "It's my favorite weekend of the year. Atlantic magazine once called Milford the prettiest county seat in America, and the whole town gets spruced up for the festival." Although the region is mostly rural, there are many New Yorkers with second homes in the area who supply the energy and contacts for the festival. In 2010, the festival will feature special guest Marge Champion and several contemporary films by independent filmmakers. Festivities begin on Friday, October 8, 2010 with an opening night gala and continue throughout the weekend.
The Milford area has long played host to Hollywood productions, including the "Perils of Pauline" series, made by Pearl White. "Pearl was the first woman to own her own production company," Sean explains. "'The Perils of Pauline' was a series of episodes; each left Pauline in a calamitous position, so you had to come back to the movies the next week to see what happened. That's where the phrase 'cliffhanger' came from! In fact, the cliffs where it was filmed are just south of Milford."
Pearl played a role in local legend, too. "Pearl was very popular with the hotel staff and apparently something of a character," Sean says. "On the last night of her stay, she always hosted an all-night poker party for the film crew. She always won—and always gave her winnings to the staff as the tip." Today, guests can hike to the cliffs, now part of the Delaware Watergap National Recreation Area, and take in the 25-mile view towards the Hudson River Valley. Sean particularly recommends a hike to Council Point, a large rock outcropping where local tribes once met for tribal councils.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2220
For more information visit www.hotelfauchere.com and www.relaischateaux.com
Bill Miller, Sr. VP, Strategic Partnerships, CheapOAir.com, CheapOStay.com.
www.cheapoair.com
www.cheapostay.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travel With Stephanie Abrams!" Radio Show are flying high with Bill Miller, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for CheapOAir and CheapOStay. This week, Bill has fares to domestic destinations for under $300. All fares quoted are for travel between Saturday, October 16, 2010 and Saturday, October 23, 2010. Fares are round-trip, taxes and fees not included.
This week's fares are: Los Angeles to Philadelphia, $235; Chicago to Philadelphia, $199; Dallas-Fort Worth to Philadelphia, $223; Denver to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, $243; and Houston to Harrisburg for $264.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2188
For more information visit www.cheapoair.com and www.cheapostay.com
Guests Include:
Theresa Henkelmann, Co-Owner, Homestead Inn – Thomas Henkelmann, Greenwich, Connecticut, USA.
www.homesteadinn.com
www.relaischateaux.com
Jim Grace, President and CEO, InsureMyTrip and InsureMyGroup.
www.insuremytrip.com
www.insuremygroup.com
Sean Strub, Presdient, Hotel Fauchere, Milford, Pennsylvania, USA.
www.hotelfauchere.com
www.relaischateaux.com
Bill Miller, Sr. VP, Strategic Partnerships, CheapOAir.com, CheapOStay.com.
www.cheapoair.com
www.cheapostay.com
