Greet the New Year with exceptional eats at a great price. San Luis Obispo County, CA is celebrating Restaurant Month, January 1-31, 2014 with more than 35 participating Central Coast restaurants from Cambria to Arroyo Grande will feature special menus, most offering a three-course, prix fixe meal, for just $30 per person, along with award-winning local wine pairings for an additional charge.
In Vino Veritas!
For those en route to the quaint, picturesque village of Cambria, both Black Cat Bistroand Robin’s Restaurantwill be participating. The perfect setting to ponder thoughtful New Year’s resolutions, Cambria offers a peaceful, off-the-grid getaway, complete with fantastic cuisine, boutique shopping and a host of outdoor adventures.
Travelers in town for Restaurant Month can follow up their fantastic meals with an equally indulgent ocean view vacation at the Cambria Innscollection, which offers comfortable oceanfront accommodations at a variety of price points. Situated along beautiful Moonstone Beach, the collection includes the economical and family-friendly Castle Inn; the luxurious Blue Dolphin Inn; the warm and welcoming Sand Pebbles Inn; and the private Moonstone Cottages.
Foodies will also enjoy the Cambria Inns complimentary breakfast offerings, which range, according to property, from the simple and satisfying Continental to a fresh waffle bar to a gourmet Picnic Breakfast to Go. The hotels are situated off iconic California Highway 1 and offer convenient access to a bounty of area activities, from Hearst Castle to the acclaimed Paso Robles wine region.
There is just under 12 months to go before luxury cruise and safari specialists offer something pretty spectacular. Sanctuary Retreats’ new custom built ship, Sanctuary Ananda, sets sail on its maiden cruise voyage in Myanmar. The coolest part? The all-suite ship is being custom built by two renowned Burmese brothers in a Yangon shipyard using traditional materials combined with modern technology to ensure she can navigate Myanmar’s rivers.
A familiar sight in a Burmese village
Sanctuary Ananda will offer eight exciting itineraries on 3, 4 and 7-night ‘Discovery Cruises’ between Bagan and Mandalay and 7, 10 and 11-night ‘Exploration Cruises.’ The longer journeys will allow guests time to explore the Upper and Lower Ayeyarwady Rivers as well as the Chindwin River, incorporating must-see sights and the opportunity to engage with many local tribes and Burmese people. These ‘Exploration’ itineraries are particularly suited to guests who want a more relaxed cruise with a chance to explore off-the-beaten path.
Your bed in the suite
The four-night “Mandalay to Bagan” itinerary begins in the cultural capital of Myanmar, and makes its way to Bagan, the spiritual heart of the country and home to more than 2,000 gilded pagodas. Guests admire the beauty of life along the river with visits to the Sale monasteries, textile workshops in Amarapura; Sagaing; the living centre of the Buddhist faith in Myanmar, and the local markets and traditional shoe factories of Pakokku.
Monks!
Bagan, the 11th-century capital of the country is one of Asia’s most extraordinary destinations; more than 4,000 temples, pagodas and stupas (Buddhist memorials) cover Bagan, a true treasure trove of Buddhist art history. Work on the new ship is taking place in Myanmar, employing skilled local craftsmen. In addition to the furniture built by local carpenters, Burmese teak and traditional handmade fabrics will be used throughout and all Sanctuary Ananda’s guides will be local, Burmese experts. Recruitment and extensive training has now begun to build a team that will deliver the high standards behind Sanctuary Retreat’s ‘Luxury Naturally’ philosophy.
A little Burmese scene on the side of the road
There are 21 spacious suites, ranging from 291 sq ft to 721 sq ft, including the exclusive Aloungpayah Suite. Most offer large private balconies with uninterrupted views of the surrounding countryside, towns, villages and riverside life. Accommodating 42 guests, Sanctuary Ananda will offer a high level of personal service. The Aloungpayah Suite, along with the 4 Luxury Suites, will also have a private butler service.
Prices start at $2.244 per person, based on two people sharing a Deluxe Suite, for a 3 night itinerary including sightseeing, all meals, soft drinks and local beer.
Burmese textiles
Sanctuary Retreats’ runs a collection of luxury safari lodges and explorer ships so we trust it’ll be amazing. Bringing the boutique experience to guests with the promise of authenticity, all have the same aim: to allow guests to have a “real” experience and enjoy a more natural kind of luxury in properties that have a strong commitment to conservation and responsible tourism. The Sanctuary portfolio also includes safari camps and lodges in Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, as well as expedition cruise ships on the Nile, the Yangzi, in Myanmar and the Galapagos Islands.
One of our luxe favorites, COMO Hotels and Resorts’, has just opened another sweet property. Personalized luxury travel is what COMO is all about: Urban Hotels, Island Resorts, Adventure Retreats and Wellness Resorts all highlight wellness, cuisine, adventure and culture, service and design – while always upholding a sustainable approach towards the people and places where they operate. Founded by Christina Ong, COMO Hotels and Resorts develops and manages handpicked, individually curated properties like The Halkin by COMO in London, two Metropolitan by COMO hotels in London and Bangkok, Parrot Cay by COMO in the Turks and Caicos, Cocoa Island by COMO in the Maldives, and three Uma by COMO experience resorts in Bali and Bhutan.
A rendering of Point Yamu’s Italian Restaurant, La Sirena
Enter their 106-room resort, Point Yamu by COMO. The property, on the coast of the island of Phuket, Thailand, has COMO’s classic stunning interiors, this time by famed Italian designer and architect, Paola Navone. New to the hotel world, Ms. Navone designed Point Yamu with deep, bold colors, clean lines, and a myriad of textural elements to combine COMO’s signature style with indigenous designs. Point Yamu is also home to a COMO Shambhala Retreat, a 100-meter infinity swimming pool and infinite views of the turquoise waters of Phang Nga Bay. In addition, private residences with access to all Point Yamu’s facilities are also available to purchase for those who want to keep coming back to your own sexy digs.
The bathroom in a suite
LOCATION
Point Yamu by COMO is located on Cape Yamu, a peaceful peninsula on the east side of Phuket, Thailand. The resort overlooks the limestone karsts of Phang Nga Bay – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and the Andaman Sea.
CUSINE
Cuisine prepared in a wood-fired oven also plays a star role at Point Yamu. The resort offers everything from relaxed Italian cooking and locally caught seafood at La Sirena tospicy southern Thai cooking at Nahmyaa. Healthy COMO Shambhala Cuisine, designed to maximize energy and wellbeing, can be nibbled at The Central Bar while private dining such as beach picnics and romantic sunset meals can be arranged in-room and at a number of special locations in and near to the resort.
HIGHLIGHTS
330-foot swimming pool
COMO Shambhala Retreat with eight treatment rooms including one beauty treatment room and yoga studio
Pilates and Asian-inspired therapies
Italian and Thai restaurants
Child-friendly interactive learning area
GETTING THERE
The resort is a quick 25-minute drive from Phuket International Airport. So get thee to serenity.
I bet you thought you’d see some twigs and berries, didn’t you? Well, this post will be PG (for now), but we’re talking about the restaurant at Cap Maison, the acclaimed five-star beachfront resort on the northwest shore of Saint Lucia, where it’s actually not unusual for local fishermen to dive from their boats in the traditional manner — stark naked. That was, of course, the inspiration for the resort’s new casual eatery, The Naked Fisherman Beach Bar & Grill. Set on sandy Smuggler’s Cove (also aptly named), the resort’s secluded beach, The Naked Fisherman is one of the few true beach eateries on this mountainous island with a rocky coastline. The Naked Fisherman was created by Cap Maison’s Executive Chef Craig Jones, the Welsh-born Rastafarian chef who’s a veteran of Europe’s Michelin-starred kitchens. Chef Jones has been at the helm of the resort’s Cliff at Cap restaurant since it opened in 2008, moonlights with the island’s first Pop Up dinners (an 18th century fort on Pigeon Island) and just did a two-night stint at Manhattan’s trendy City Grit culinary salon.
The Beach Shack View at Cap Maison
The Naked Fisherman is Chef Jones’ modern take on the classic Caribbean beach shack, with a soundtrack of crashing surf and vibrant Caribbean music, as well as a gentler price point than the white tablecloth Cliff at Cap. The look of the 36-seat Naked Fisherman is thatched-roof-Caribbean, the better to harmonize with its lush beach setting. Chef Jones designed a grill-centric menu for both lunch and dinner, with an emphasis on barbecue and fresh seafood. Grilled island catch with pumpkin and coconut curry or grilled spiny lobster tail with italian rice are on offer, while carnivores can order sticky pulled baby back ribs or a grilled Wagyu burger. Drinks are very much on tap at The Naked Fisherman, including the signature – and potent — rum punch.
JAUNT MAGAZINE 