The New Year is approaching real fast. It’s time to think of all the things one really wants to do. This does not mean “resolutions” to exercise more, lose weight and spend less time watching trash TV. Most of these high-minded resolves fade by mid-February at the latest.
Items on your bucket list can stay there for years and then VOILA! One day you actually bite the bullet and do them. I had a trip to Rome on a list forever and every time I mentioned it to someone they would invariably say, “Oh, Rome is wonderful. You must go!”
And so we did and yes, Rome is wonderful because it’s totally unique. This may seem like a strange comparison, but it’s like San Francisco. Both places are totally different – both are like no other spot on earth.
WHAT’S ON MY BUCKET LIST NOW?
I want to visit Machu Picchu in Peru because I find it fascinating. I recently had a conversation about this place with an acquaintance. He was there recently and replied, “Oh, it’s wonderful, you must go!” I told him that I was a bit nervous about altitude sickness and he passed this off with, “They give you something to chew. It’s nothing to worry about.” So the remarkable Machu Picchu is still on my list.
A number of Asians that I work with make regular trips to Hong Kong and they are also very enthusiastic about this frenetic city where everything moves with the speed of light – much faster, in fact, than New York. I’m sure I’d feel right at home. Apparently, the long trip from Manhattan to Hong Kong is rather daunting, but they do it with countless videos, mags, food and sleep.
This may be because I’ve watched the movie Casablanca so many times, (this year is its 75th anniversary) but I’d love to visit that mysterious city. Then fly to Marrakesh and stay at the luxurious La Mamounia hotel. It seems like an all-time fantasy place to stay.
A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR BUCKET LIST
Everyone loves sunsets. Having a drink in a beautiful spot while watching the sun go down at the end of a day is a great ritual. We’ve done this on the Dutch island of Curacao, the beach in Hawaii, and, of course in Key West, Florida where it’s an established nightly ritual for residents and vacationers of all ages.
PIA DE LA CUESTA, MEXICO
But hands down, the most awesome (currently an overused word, but true in this case) and spectacular sunset I’ve ever seen was in Pia de la Cuesta, Mexico. It’s a short drive from Acapulco to this beach but it’s worth the trip.
Huge waves come crashing in from the Pacific – it’s almost too rough to swim but the sunsets are breathtaking – the entire sky is ablaze. When we saw it, there were no planes, boats or swimmers – just a spectacular red-and-gold sunset. It was an experience I’ll never forget.
THE ISLAND OF BARBADOS
Another place you might want to consider is the island of Barbados. It’s very English and very hot. I say this because Nassau in The Bahamas is also very English but the weather is a bit iffy. If one comes from a freezing cold New York the feeling is, “Let’s have hot, hot and hot – no fooling around.”
On a blistering day we visited a beautiful college called “Codrington” that is surrounded by remarkable vegetation and I remember saying, “How can one study in a such gorgeous place?” The heat and the lush gardens seemed like a distraction to me. The school was built in 1743 so obviously students have overcome this challenge.
Codrington College in Barbados: the driveway to the school is lined with royal palms. There is also an eye-catching lily pond on the grounds.
Do yourself a favor: make up a bucket list for 2018 right now. It will be around long after your New Year’s Resolutions have drifted away.
MAY WE SUGGEST…
Hate to be a Cassandra – but the holidays are roaring down the pike. Take a look at our great selection of layering tops, lingerie and leggings. It’s all there for you to order. No crowds, no waiting, just you sitting in your terry robe at 2 am checking off your gift list.
Shaun Nelson-HenrickComments will be approved before showing up.
I just read an article that sounded – to me at least – like “a canary in a coal mine” or an early warning of danger. This piece, written by Joe Pompeo, appeared in the May 2020 issue of Vanity Fair magazine with the title “The British Tabloid Invasion” and a subtitle that read, “How the Daily Mail is conquering American gossip.”
The paparazzi horde, La Dolce Vita, 1960 – photo courtesy of Vanity Fair
Apparently the good old U.S. is a nation of “not great” sleepers. Really? And I thought I was the only one! According to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention it was revealed that one out of three Americans are chronically sleep-deprived. Yikes!
I think we’re all taken by the incredible mystique of the famous French fashion house, Hermès that has been with us for two centuries and is still owned and operated by the same family. From its beginnings in fine equestrian leather goods, they are – in the tumultuous year 2020 – best known for their handbags and many other items.
My image of Hermès has always been rarified products at equally rarified prices so imagine my surprise when I recently received a very stylish publication of theirs in the mail.
