Personal Favorites

I take my work seriously. But that doesn't mean I don't sometimes fall in love with some of the subjects I'm asked to research. Among my most pleasant discoveries...

Favorite Restaurants in Atlanta

  1. Yebo
  2. Alma Cocina
  3. Sprig
  4. The Iberian Pig
  5. Miller Union
  6. Taqueria del Sol
  7. 10 Degrees South
  8. Vingenzo's
  9. Cucina Asellina
  10. Rosebud
  11. 5 Seasons Brewing
  12. Pura Vida Tapas
  13. Murphy's
  14. Cellar 56
  15. Bistro Niko

Favorite Restaurants in the U.S.A. (Beyond Atlanta)

  1. Fig, Charleston, SC
  2. Public House, Chattanooga, TN
  3. Ravello, Nashville, TN
  4. Hot & Hot Fish Club, Birmingham, AL
  5. Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar, Healdsburg, CA
  6. Bourbon House, New Orleans, LA
  7. Mucho Gusto Mexican Restaurant, Santa Fe, NM
  8. Thirty-Two, Biloxi, MS
  9. Cottonwood, Truckee, CA
  10. In & Out Burger, West Coast, USA

Favorite Restaurants Outside the U.S.A.

  1. Manolo Caracol cocina con amor, Panama City, Panama
  2. The Cliff, St. James, Barbados
  3. The Africa Cafe, Cape Town, South Africa
  4. Cafe de la Paix, Paris, France
  5. Theatercafeen, Oslo, Norway
  6. Norma's on the Terrace, Kingston, Jamaica
  7. Anne-Sophie Pic, Lausanne, Switzerland
  8. Schweine-Schulze, Celle, Germany
  9. Auberge des Gallant, Ste-Marthe, Quebec, Canada
  10. Il Bacco Felice, Umbria, Italy

Favorite Hotels in Atlanta

  1. The Ritz-Carlton - Downtown
  2. W Atlanta - Downtown
  3. The Four Seasons - Midtown
  4. The Glenn - Midtown
  5. The Artmore - Midtown
  6. Hilton Atlanta - Downtown
  7. Hilton Atlanta - Airport
  8. Atlanta Marriott Marquis - Downtown
  9. Westin - Downtown
  10. Loews - Midtown

Favorite Hotels in the U.S.A. (Beyond Atlanta)

  1. The Inn on the Alameda, Santa Fe, NM
  2. Gaylord Opryland, Nashville, TN
  3. The Umstead, Cary, NC
  4. Ballantyne Resort, Charlotte, NC
  5. Marina Inn at Grande Dunes, Myrtle Beach, SC
  6. The Greystone Inn, Lake Toxaway, NC
  7. The Escala Lodges at The Canyons, Park City, UT
  8. Fearrington House, Pittsboro, NC
  9. Barton Hill, Lewiston, NY
  10. Crestwood Inn, Spa & Resort, Blowing Rock, NC

Favorite Hotels Outside the U.S.A.

  1. Lausanne Palace & Spa, Lausanne, Switzerland
  2. Gamboa Rainforest Resort on the Panama Canal, Panama
  3. Melrose Arch Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa
  4. GLO, Helsinki, Finland
  5. Quinta Las Acacias, Guanajuato, Mexico
  6. L'Hostellerie des Trois Tilleuls, St-Marc-sur-Richelieu, Québec, Canada
  7. Radisson SAS Strand Hotel, Stockholm, Sweden
  8. Tamarind Cove Hotel, Barbados
  9. Ngala Private Game Reserve, Kruger National Park, South Africa
  10. Hotel Heritage, Cognac, France

Favorite Spas in the U.S.A.

  1. Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa & Casino, North Lake Tahoe, CA
  2. The Spa at The Four Seasons Hotel, Atlanta, GA
  3. Spa at The Umstead, Cary, NC
  4. Siena Hotel, Spa & Casino, Reno, NV
  5. The Lodge & Spa at Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, GA
  6. The Spa at Gaylord Opryland, Nashville, TN
  7. Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, FL
  8. The Spa at Ballantyne Resort, Charlotte, NC
  9. Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa, Birmingham, AL
  10. Fabu Face Spa, Decatur, GA

Favorite Ways to Explore Georgia (Beyond Dining)

  1. Zip-Line Canopy Tour at Historic Banning Mills in Whitesburg
  2. City Segway Tours Atlanta
  3. Kayak in the tidal forest near Darien and/or the salt marshes anywhere along the coast
  4. Hike to the waterfalls at Amicalola State Park, Tallulah Gorge State Park and/or Anna Ruby Falls near Unicoi State Park
  5. Take a ride on the Lady Jane Shrimp Boat in Brunswick
  6. Ride alongside Belle Meade Hunt's "Blessing of the Hounds" in Thomson
  7. Ride an air boat way out into the mud flats at low tide off the coast near Darien to pick wild oysters, clams and mussels
  8. Drive past Antebellum homes in Madison, Newnan and/or Senoia; then (seasonally) head south to drive past cotton fields just prior to harvest
  9. Ride the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway
  10. Stroll Nannygoat Beach on Sapelo Island and pocket a knobbed whelk, the state shell

Favorite Adventures

  1. Exploring any winery or distillery
  2. Safari in Ngala Private Game Reserve, South Africa
  3. Zip-Line Canopy Tour at Historic Banning Mills, Whitesburg, GA
  4. Hang Gliding near Chattanooga, TN
  5. Whirlpool Jet ride in Niagara River, Niagara Falls, NY & Ontario
  6. Kayaking in the Panama Canal
  7. Truffle Hunting in Umbria, Italy
  8. Crabbing in Apalachicola, FL
  9. Harvesting agave in Tequila, Mexico
  10. Shooting sporting clays at River Bend Sportsman's Resort, Fingerville, SC

Favorite Indulgences

  1. Being treated to a glass of wine or signature cocktail and/or snacks once settled into my hotel room
  2. Chocolate
  3. Spa treatments
  4. Luxurious bathtubs
  5. Time to rest and relax--surprisingly rare in a travel writer's life!

Top Travel Pet Peeves

  1. Parents ignoring their children's unruly behaviors in public spaces and vendors tolerating it
  2. Hotels that charge a fee for Internet access
  3. Turndown service
  4. Hotel rooms in which the TV, radio and/or lights are already turned on upon my arrival, since this is an unnecessary use of energy and also makes it appear the room may be occupied by some other guest
  5. An alarm clock buzzing in my hotel room at some odd and inconvenient hour for which I did not set it
  6. Air-conditioners set to freezing temperatures
  7. Blow dryers stored in a cloth bag...though that's better than not having one available at all
  8. Housekeeping staffers knocking on guestroom doors before 10 a.m.
  9. Conditioning shampoo
  10. Being escorted past the most desirable spot en route to the one reserved for me
New discoveries may inspire changes. Check back!
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