Culinary Delights at Deseo in the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Jan Ross

Deseo at The Westin Kierland Resort on Urbanspoon

Have you ever heard the expression “Life is short, eat dessert first”?

As I took a bite of the fantastically designed and fabulous tasting dessert at Deseo, I thought possibly I might consider that the next time I am there. Because it was not only delicious, it, like everything else at Deseo, obviously had time and dedication devoted to making it a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.

Let me back up.

We spiffed up after a day of me being pampered within an inch of my life at the Agave Spa and Tom having an equally pleasant day messing around on the computer, one of his favorite ways to pass the time. The Westin Kierland Resort and Spa has a number of fabulous restaurants  and my only regret about staying there is that we did not get to sample each and every one one of them. However. If we had to choose one place to have dinner, after eating there only once, that place would be Deseo. An interesting thing about the Westin Kierland is that they display all the menus for the restaurants during the day so you can leisurely make a choice about where you would like to partake of dinner that evening.

We scanned them that afternoon and, although everything looked wonderful, we were pleased that we would be dining at Deseo because the food was supposed to be wonderful and we would also be sitting where we could watch all the food preparation. We had done this previously for the first time at the Southwest Bistro and we loved the experience.

We headed down the stairs to the restaurant which were lit with lovely candles in colorful glass candle holders on each step and down the hallway.

Entrance to Deseo; photo courtesy of The Westin Kierland

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Spa Day at the Agave Spa at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Jan Ross

I told you all about my intense and passionate love affair with the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa and now I’m going to tell you another of the many, many reasons why I fell in love with this place and could easily spend a few more days there.

Or a year.

The Agave Spa.

I am a huge, huge fan of the fabulousness that is the spa. Pretty much any spa. Big or small, fancy or plain, I am all about the spa. Massages, facials, mani/pedis, wraps, reflexology, if it involves some sort of pampering of the body, I am there.

So I was thrilled to find that the Westin Kierland had a spa, that it was a large and lovely spa and that they were going to treat me to a day there. Could life get any better?

Honestly. Then I found that why, yes indeed, life could get better because not only were they treating me to some pampering, I was also going to a yoga class and a seasonal eating class.

I adore yoga. I have been going to yoga classes for several years now and I’m constantly amazed at how much more flexible I have become, how toned I am and how I hardly ever fall down now when I am in a balance pose. And, although this may truly amaze you based on how often I write about consuming fabulous food, I also am seriously interested in healthy eating so I was excited about that class as well. One of my favorite things about summer is going to the local farmer’s market for fresh fruits and veggies.

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The Westin Kierland Resort and Spa, Scottsdale, Arizona

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Jan Ross

I fell in love on the Internet.

No, not with my husband. The Internet had not been invented back then. Yes, kiddies (get off my lawn!) there was a time many, many years ago when you had to get out the daily newspaper and check the movie section to find out the time for the showing of a movie called “Jaws” which nobody had heard of and everyone thought would be a real yawn-fest about a fish, for God’s sake and then go on a blind date with someone you had never seen before. And fall in love and get married and be together 35 years later. So, yeah.

It wasn’t him I fell in love with on the Internet. That happened at the movies when he didn’t mind that I was climbing in his lap because shark!shark!shark!

It was the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona that I fell in love with on the Internet.

Well. Look.

Wouldn’t you?

Photo courtesy of the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa

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Yes, It’s a Fabulous Hotel – But is Breakfast Included?

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Jan Ross

I took a bite of the delicious hot pancakes that had just been delivered to my table at Paulette’s Restaurant in the River Inn of Harbor Town in Memphis, Tennessee. Not only were they cooked to perfection and perfectly wonderful, I also felt pretty smug about my breakfast because it was free. When you stay at the River Inn, your full, hot breakfast – ordered from a menu, not selected from an array of dried-out bagels and unsavory looking fruit – is included at no charge.

My husband and I love a big, hot breakfast when we are traveling. Not only is it a pleasant break from our rather casual dining experiences at home — which, on a good day, might include a frozen toaster waffle — it’s also a great start to a long day of touring. And it also means we can often skip lunch and get by on two meals a day.

When I’m planning our accommodations for a trip, a free breakfast is high on my list of requirements, along with WiFi in our room. There are several ways to insure you will have a free breakfast included when you travel.

Read the rest of this article on Travel for Boomers HERE.

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Snorkeling in the Virgin Islands

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Jan Ross

Strewn like three bright, emerald colored jewels in the Caribbean Sea, the three U.S. Virgin Islands St. John, St. Croix and St.Thomas provide a variety of activities for the tourists who stream off the cruise ships daily. Watersports, shopping for duty-free items, or just lounging around on the beautiful beaches are all possibilities.

But we were there to snorkel.

The crystal-clear water of the many coves and inlets of St. Thomas provide the perfect opportunity for hours of snorkeling and all the girlfriends were completely ready for this experience. There are lots of places to snorkel in St. Thomas – there are even locations where you can snorkel from the beach. Here’s a site with a few snorkeling suggestions.

We disembarked from our cruise ship, decked out in swimsuits covered by tee-shirts and shorts – after all, we did have a little time for duty-free shopping after snorkeling and who can pass that up?

With no problem, we located the large catamaran that was to be the site of our adventure, docked at the pier. We wasted no time clambering aboard and partaking of the provided punch and snacks as we waited for the crew to hoist anchor, raise the sails and set out on the gorgeous spring day for our interlude of snorkeling.

Read the test of this article on Travelhoppers HERE.

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Low Country, High Country and Beach: On The Road Again

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Jan Ross

It all started with lovely, Spanish moss-draped Savannah, Georgia. I read somewhere that the Tall Ships Challenge – a series of races and cruises up the Atlantic coast by huge and beautiful wooden rigged sailing ships – was going to be in Savannah. I don’t know much of anything about ships. I have no idea how to sail. But there was something about these fabulous ships skimming over the water that stirred my blood, that made me want to sail the high seas, that made me realize I just had to see them.

So I began plans to visit Savannah again. And, in one of those synchronous events that often happen, the Savannah Convention and Visitors Bureau was sponsoring a press trip about the Tall Ships Challenge. I wanted to come to Savannah? I wanted to see the Tall Ships Challenge? I could write all about it? Done, done and done. I was in the group of journalists. Not only would I get to see the ships, there was mention that we would actually get to sail on one of the ships. Sail on one of them.

My life is complete.

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Using the Voice Memo App on your iPhone For Travel Writing

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Jan Ross

One of the worst things possible for a travel writer to experience happened to me recently when my computer somehow, even through my virus protection software, picked up a virus that virulently took over the machine. We tried and tried to get it wiped off but finally had to admit defeat and format the hard drive.

This was a painful reminder that I need to back up, back up, back up. Luckily we had all our vacation photos because Tom backs up everything and why aren’t I more like him? but I lost quite a bit of original work that I had done in Word and I lost all the iPhone pictures that I had just put on the computer and deleted from my phone. Tom does almost all the photography when we travel – he is just much better than me and I constantly forget about taking pictures. If it wasn’t for him, we would have no photos and the ones we did have would be pretty much crap.

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Hotel Valley Ho, Scottsdale, Arizona

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Jan Ross

 We stepped into the lobby of the Hotel Valley Ho with trepidation. A hotel that was cool back in 1956? Just how cool was it going to be today?

Answer?

Pretty darn cool.

As soon as we heard the 50’s and 60’s music in the lobby, we knew we were going to love it there. And we did.

The Hotel Valley Ho is the epitome of chic after an expansive and beautifully designed renovation. Planned to update but maintain the mid-century theme, the renovation was perfect.

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Perdido Beach Resort in Gulf Shores, Alabama

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Jan Ross

Sugar-white sand beaches, emerald green water that is so clear you can see the sandy bottom, freshly-caught and delicious seafood, and a great location only a short distance from the big city of Mobile, Alabama – all of these are reasons to stay at the Perdido Beach Resort in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Alabama on your next vacation.

Located right on the sandy beach just steps from the ocean, the Perdido Beach Resort has a variety of room sizes, most of which offer a view of the water so gorgeous you will never want to leave your balcony. The corner rooms with a view of both the Gulf and the Pass where boats head out to sea were our favorites. The rooms all feature complimentary unlimited high speed and wireless internet access, 37-inch screen TV, refrigerator, in-room coffee service, electronic safe, and separate his and her bathroom vanity areas. We especially enjoyed the large refrigerator in our room and kept it stocked with drinks and snacks.

Read the rest of this article on my Examiner.com page HERE.

 

 

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Wine Me, Dine Me at the Southwest Bistro at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Jan Ross

SWB, A Southwest Bistro (Hyatt Regency) on Urbanspoon

I popped the tiny appetizer of barbecued beef on a tostado chip into my mouth and nearly swooned with delight. The meat was tender, the chip was fresh and crunchy and please can I have another? Or possibly a dozen more?

We were seated at the bar overlooking the busy demonstration kitchen area for Wine Me, Dine Me at the Southwest Bistro, located in the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa. We had immediately learned that the head chef, Jason Ljunggren, was personable, friendly and really knew how to transform food into works of art that were absolutely scrumptious. And that the waitstaff and everyone who worked in the kitchen really, really loved what they did and were thrilled to share it with us.

When I first heard about Wine Me Dine Me, I wasn’t sure what was involved but I knew it involved wine, tequila and fabulous food. And, as you know, when it comes to fabulous food?

I am there.

And, once we experienced the atmosphere, enjoyed the food and relished the interaction with the culinary team, I was so glad I was there. The goal of Wine Me, Dine Me is to experience the unique flavors of the southwest, which comes complete with tequila and wine pairings of the area.

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