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

Catskill Airbnb Weekend Jul15 - Itinerary

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Who: 2 couples (4 people)
Where: Upstate New York (Beacon / Phoenicia / Boiceville / Woodstock / Catskill) 

Stay: a cute 2br/2ba Airbnb cottage secluded in the woods ... recently renovated with good taste and well-equipped kitchen ... has a big deck facing a running stream in the back
Eat: Hop Restaurant, Peekamoose, Phoenicia Diner
See: Dia:Beacon, Vernooy Kill Falls
Shop: Migliorelli Farm, Boiceville Market 

Day 1 (Jul 3)

- Left NYC in late morning and 1.5 hr drove to Beacon 

- Had a lovely brunch at the Hop Restaurant 

- Visited Dia:Beacon gallery/museum (modern art)

- Stopped by Boiceville Market (supermarket) and Migliorelli Farm (a farmer's stand/store) on our way to stock up on grocery.  The farmer's stand has great produce and seafood as well. 

- BBQ at home for dinner (gas grill on deck) 

Day 2 (Jul 4)

- Rainy day so stayed and chilled at home 

- Weather cleared in the afternoon so cooked brunch at home and ate on the deck (very lovely) 

- Walked up a trail right behind the house 

- Had a good dinner at Peekamoose

Day 3 (Jul 5)

- Brunch on the deck again under the sun (alternative: highly rated Phoenicia Diner is close by but we bought too much food on day 1 so didn't want to waste) 

- Drove to a 3-4 mile hike at Vernooy Kill Falls. Pretty flat hike but the road was muddy due to the rain from the day before

- Traffic was bad on the way back to NYC ... took us 4 and 1/2 hours to get back