Tokyo & Seoul 9-Day Mar-Apr

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Who: 1 couple (2 people)

Where: Tokyo | Seoul

Tips: 
1) Top sushi spots all have limited seats and require bookings months ahead

- Stay: Westin Tokyo | Westin Seoul
- Eat: Tsukiji Fish Market (Daiwa/大和) | Ebisu Izakaya | Top Sushi Spots (booking required) | Best Tokyo Patisseries | Best Tea Houses
- See:  Meiji Shrine | Shinjuku | Asakusa | Ueno Park | Kabukicho (red light district) | Museums & Galleries
- Play: Sumo Wrestling | Geisha Dance | Robot Show | Cherry Blossom Festival | Day tours to Kamakura or Mt Fuji & Hakone
- Shop: Daikanyama | Harajuku | Tokyo Hands | Big Camera | Insadong | Gwangjang 

Ref/Blogs/Guides: Tokyo District Guide | Tokyo Secret Streets 

Day 1 (Sat) - Meguro & Minato, Tokyo (arrive in the evening)
- [booked] 9pm Dinner @ Shabuzen Roppongi
- Night life: Bar Quest (Roppongi), Sound Museum Vision (Shibuya)  

Day 2 (Sun) - Shibuya & Shinjuku, Tokyo

- Morning: Meiji Shrine (540am-520pm)
- Lunch @ Ichiran Shinjuku 
- Afternoon: Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden (9am-4pm)
- [booked] 515pm Robot Show and check out Kabukicho (red light district) afterwards 
- Dinner: Ebisu Izakayas (SAIKI & Buri, Bar Trench & Bar Tram)

Day 3 (Mon) - Taito, Tokyo
- Breakfast (try 630am or earlier) @ Daiwa/大和 (530am-130pm) Or Sushi Dai (5am-2pm, minimum 2hr wait) in Tsukiji Fish Market 
- Morning: Ginza shopping area
- 11am Lunch @ Tokyo Shiba Tofuya Ukai (alt: Ginza food courts at Matsuya/Mitsukoshi or Ginza Bincho Unagi)
- 1pm coffee w/ Alex at Tokyo American Club
- Afternoon: Chidorigafuchi or Visit a tea house nearby Sakurai
- [booked] 7pm Dinner @ Shutoku 2Goten (Shutoku Honten)

Day 4 (Tue) - Chuo & Chiyoda & Minato, Tokyo
- Morning: Sensoji Temple (630am-5pm) in Asakusa & Nakamise Shopping Street
- [booked] 1pm Lunch @ Kikko (music performance at 1215 or 1330) or Asakusa Okonomiyaki
- Afternoon: Cherry Blossom in Ueno Park, and Ameyoko Market (Maybe check out Cherry Blossom at Meguro River too - night lantern festival Apr 1-10)
- [booked] 8pm Dinner @ Sushi Matsue (12-15K yen) or Sushi Hayakawa (12-18K but cheaper pricing on Sunday?)

Day 5 (Wed) - Tokyo
- Shopping Day: Daikanyama | Harajuku (Omotesando & Oriental Bazaar), Tokyo Hands | Big Camera 
- Lunch: 
- Dinner w/ Eriko

Day 6 (Thu) - Leave Tokyo for Seoul in the evening
- Museum Day: Tokyo National Museum (closed on Monday), Edo-Tokyo Museum, Nezu Museum, Samurai Museum, Mori Art Museum

Day 7 (Fri) - Shopping Day in Seoul
- Insadong (Yetchatjip Cafe or O'sulloc Tea House)
- Gwangjang
- Namdaemun Market
- Dinner: Mingles or Nongoljip in Gangnam (Korean BBQ)
- Night life: Gangnam (Club Octagon, Club Arena)

Day 8 (Sat) - Day Tour in Seoul
- Gyeongbokgung Palace, The National Folk Museum of Korea
- Lunch: Tosokchon
- Bukchon Hanok Village, Changdeokgung Palace
- Dinner: pick a place near hotel
- Night life: Hongdae (Ohoo/M2), Itaewon (B One, Move, Cake Shop)

Day 9 (Sun) - Leave Seoul in the morning

Cancun 4-Day Feb16

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Who: 2 couples (4 people)

Where: Playa Mujeres | Tulum

Day 1 (Sat Feb 20) - Arrive in Cancun in the morning
- Arrive at the airport 1030am. Private pick-up arranged w/ SuperShuttle
- Chill at resort (beach, water sports, cooking classes, bike tour, tennis/table tennis)
- Evening show at the resort

Day 2 (Sun Feb 21) - Day activities at the resort

- Chill at beach and water sports
- Chill at resort (beach, water sports, cooking classes, bike tour, tennis/table tennis)
- Spa session (Avervo)
- Evening show at the resort

Day 3 (Mon Feb 22) - Day Tour to Tulum
- Booked BestDay Tulum Discovery Tour (alt: Finest Concierge Tours)
- If back early in the afternoon, chill at the resort
- Evening show at the resort

Day 4 (Tue Feb23) - Leave Cancun in early afternoon
- Chill at the resort in the morning
- Leave for the airport at 11am (flight at 115pm). Private pick-up arranged w/ SuperShuttle

- Stay: Finest Playa Mujeres (choose Building 5)
- Eat:
- See: 

- Shop: 
- Play: 

Portugal 4-Day Sep14 - Pictures

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Portugal Vicinity 4-Day Sep14 - Itinerary

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Who: 1 couple (2 people)

Where: Areias Do Seixo | Sintra

Stay: Areias Do Seixo Charm Hotel (~1hr drive from Lisbon airport) | Hotel Tivoli Palacio de Seteais (~1hr drive from Areias)
Eat: Toca do Caboz, Marisqueira Ribas 

See: Praia do Seixo, Quinta da Regaleira, National Palace of Pena

Day 1 (Mon Sep 1)

- There was no word to describe this hotel other than "magical".  The owner put their heart and soul into designing and building the place
- Breathtaking sunset with ocean view at Praia do Seixo ("The Pebble Beach")
- Dinner on premise

Day 2 (Tue Sep 2)

- Took free bikes from the hotel and rode to a short scenic trail nearby
- Visited the organic vegetable garden on premise (some really passionate in-house farmers!)

Day 3 (We Sep 3) 
- Left early morning for Sintra,a hilly town filled with numerous castles and palaces (we even got to stay in one!)
- Fell in love with Luigi Manini, a Italian/Portuguese artist who designed the exuberant Quinta da Regaleira (the #1 Sintra attraction on Tripadvisor).  There was an exhibition about him going on when we visited the estate - saw tons of amazing meticulous drawings like this one.

Day 4 (Thu Sep 4)
- Dinner at Mar do Inferno: one of the best seafood meals we have ever had

Peruvian Wedding Weekender Aug15 - Itinerary

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Who: 1 couple (2 people)

Where: Lima | Arequipa

Stay: Casa Andina Private Collection | Hotel Maison du Soleil (would have loved to try this newly opened hotel)
Eat: La Mar, Domus Restaurant | Chicha por Gaston Acurio, Salamanto Restaurante
(Backup: El_Mercado, La Muralla | La Casa de la Trucha, Cevicheria Polita @ Mercado de San Camilo, Cebicheria Restaurante El Negro)
See: Lima Historic Center (Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco, Plaza de Armas, Cathedral, etc.) | Arequipa Historic Center, Santa Catalina Monastery
Shop: Mercado de San Camilo

Day 1 (Thu Aug 6)
- 6-hour layover in Lima (12:41-18:55): have lunch at La Mar (check out the best Ceviche area in Lima) and walk around Miraflores Broadwalk 
- (Land in Arequipa at 20:25) Dinner at Chicha por Gaston Acurio

Day 2 (Fri Aug 7)
- Morning: Market tour and cooking class with Peruvian Flavor (09:00-13:30)
- Afternoon: Change hotel and walk around Arequipa Historic Center
- 5pm wedding welcome dinner at La Boveda

Day 3 (Sat Aug 8)
- Morning: visit Santa Catalina Monastery
- 12pm wedding ceremony at Iglesia San Lázaro
- 2-10pm wedding reception at Jardines del Sol
- If wedding ends early, have dinner at Salamanto Restaurante

Day 4 (Sun Aug 9)
- 6-hour layover in Lima (07:15-13:38): walk around the historic center and have a quick lunch at Domus Restaurant or La Muralla

Taiwan 5-Day New Year 2016 - Itinerary

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Who: 1 couple (2 people)

Where: Taipei | Pingxi | Jiufen | Wulai 

- Stay: W Taipei (Tripadvisor) | Volando Urai Spring Spa & Resort (Tripadvisor)
- Eat:
  - Night Markets (Shilin | Raohe | Shida | Tonghua | Ningxia | 216巷 | Liaoning);
  - Modern Taiwanese (Tua | Fujin Tree | Savor);
  - Japanese (Addiction Aquatic | You Sushi | 笹鮨 | 旬採鮨处 | 匠樂割烹);
  - Local/Taiwanese (Din Tai Fung chain | Hefeng);
  - Breakfast (阜杭豆漿 | 永和豆漿大王);
  - Other: Kitchen Table & Yen Chinese @ W
- See: Taipei 101 | CKS Memorial Hall | National Palace Museum | 士林官邸 | Longshan Temple | Songshan Cultural & Creative Park
- Shop: Jade Market | 西門町 (西门红楼集市) | WuFengPu Garment District | 迪化街
- Play: Omni Club

Day 0 (Tue Dec 29) - Taipei Arrival
- Arrive in Taipei at 10pm
- Night Market 1 if not too tired (Tonghua or Raohe closest to hotel)

Day 1 (Wed Dec 30) - Pingxi/Jiufen Day (switch w/ Day 2/3 if not sunny)

- DIY trip to Pingxi/Jiufen:
   - Morning: 台北火车站->瑞芳火车站 , 转搭基隆客运>九份, 逛九份老街 (阿柑姨芋圆 great view)

   - Afternoon: 坐平溪小火车放天灯，晚上叫车去基隆庙口夜市吃饭
- Alt: Ctrip Jiufen Group Tour/Private Tour, Jiufen/Pingxi Tour, Ultimate Taipei Tour

Day 2 (Thu Dec 31) - Explore Taipei Day
- Morning: Songshan Cultural & Creative Park, 216巷 (lunch)

- Afternoon:  visit National Palace Museum, 士林官邸, etc.

- Dinner: Night Market 2 (Shilin)
- NYE partying: Stay at W Woobar or Omni Club (alt: go to one of the clubs, Bar Hopping Tour)

Day 3 (Fri Jan 1) - Hike & Rest Day

- Lunch: Din Tai Fung 
- Hike Elephant Mountain or 9-5 Peak (or Beast Hiking Tour or try it ourselves)
- Dinner: You Sushi or 笹鮨 

Day 4 (Sat Jan 2) - Shopping & Market Day

- Morning Jade/Flower Market (only open on Sat & Sun)
- Lunch: Tua or Fujin Tree
- Afternoon: 西門町 (西门红楼集市), Longshan Temple (4-630pm Walk Tour)
- Dinner: Night Market 3 (Shida or Ningxia closest to XMT, Raohe if go to WuFengPu)

Day 5 (Sun Jan 3) - Wulai Spring

- Leave early from W Taipei for Volando Urai Spring Resort (930am shuttle arranged from Xindian MRT station to resort - 30min ride)

- Lunch: walk to 烏來老街 for local food/shops and 情人步道 (Alt: 烏來瀑布)

- Afternoon/evening: relax at the resort (free hot spring in room, book a spa service,  
- 530-730pm massage at the resort spa
- 8pm Soyan French dinner reserved 

Day 6 (Mon Jan 4) - Taipei Departure

- Leave for the 1pm flight back (1020am shuttle arranged from the resort to Xindian MRT state)

Notes:

- Night Markets Spots
- Local Food Spots
- Famous Taiwan Food: 台南棺材板、眷村牛肉面、台中三明治、宜兰三星葱油饼、新竹米粉和贡丸、基隆鼎边锉、九份芋圆、淡水阿给、嘉义鸡肉饭、台南咸粥、台南虱目鱼肚、屏东金钻凤梨，还有不知出处的猪血糕、米苔目、大肠包小肠、大肠面线、卤味、凤梨酥、米糕、关东煮、蛋饼, 葱抓饼

Catskill Airbnb Weekend Jul15 - Pictures

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Dia:Beacon

Dia: Beacon

Stream behind the Cottage

Stream behind the Cottage

   

Vernooy Kill Falls

Vernooy Kill Falls

The Cute Deck Where We Enjoyed Many Meals

Gas Grill on the Deck