Los Colorados Cabañas: Missing the Mark in Purmamarca
April 22, 2018
You so much want the super cute cabañas to be all they can be. Sadly, it’s close but no cigar at Los Colorados. Purmamarca is a cute town. The landscape is spectacular and easy to hike around. The design is enticing and nice. The staff is helpful and gracious.
So what’s the problem? The problem seems to be the plumbing. Swamp gas in the small bathroom (and also wafting around the property) is masked by deodorizer and insecticide to such an extent that breathing is non-trivial. Seriously, NPS gets a sore throat just thinking about it.
And the shower? Nope.
Anyway, just look how cute this place is. Here is Cabaña 2.
living area
bamboo ceiling
The tile is great. Even the bathroom (though very small) looks good. Sadly, that plumbing thing. Not only is the shower plastic (and over a tub) but the water goes pretty much all over the place. Just no.
Then again, there is a rooftop terrace.
rooftop terrace
And there is this.
Lunch at La posta is workaday, but not bad. Beer is always good.
A hike outside of Tilcara to Garganta del Diablo occupied much of the afternoon. No water. Dinner in Tilcara at El Nuevo Progreso was quirky and decent. Great trout in saffron sauce, outstanding fried cheese appetizer, and a great desert. Worth a visit.
Back in Purmamarca, a hike around los colorados is quick and easy. The landscape is remarkable (about more which later).
Anyway if they rip out the plumbing and replace it, perhaps. But for now, two sad showerheads for a place with lots of potential.
Hotel Altos de la Viña: Jujuy Charm and Grace
April 21, 2018
Pretty much the middle of nowhere—well kinda. There are 250K people in this city of San Salvador de Jujuy, and way more lights than we have any where within 8 miles of our house. However, when you are staying in the gateway to the Argentinean Andes, this is where you stay.
Hotel Altos de la Viña has it going on. We arrived around 9:30pm after negotiating a rental car from the airport and finding our way slightly north. What a room! But no time to explore that. Instead, it was “drop off the stuff” and head straight back down to town.
Dinner at Viracocha restaurant (Facebook sucks, but here) was all it was cracked up to be. In fact, the Argentine-bonus Fodor’s guide (which we usually triangulate around) is right on the money way up here in Jujuy. Make sure you get a copy when you come this way.
The food was remarkably tasty. Llama. Park illegally—everyone does it.
Then it was back up the hill to the unmarked 111.
111 entrance
el coucho
this desk is a great place to write some shit down
See?
Room 111 is a suite with the only real balcony on the property. Get this room.
111 sticks out
111 has a zebra bed
And a very fancy closet
And this chair, which you will never use
The bathroom is a good deal. As is almost always the case, glass showers come with ridiculous tubs that never get used.
like this
Euro-shower (Martin says this is not allowed)
If you travel for 24 hours in a row, sleeping comes easy.
Wake up to this!
one way
or another
Have breakfast on the hill
One of the main interesting things about Jujuy so far is the distinct lack of Norte Americanos. There are lots of tourists, to be sure. But there are Porteños all over, and a few others, but not many gringos. We approve.
Up in the morning, we had something that was supposed to be a cappucino but which may have just been a hot chocolate. Then it was north in the rental car.
This place is incredible.
More to come tomorrow.
Four showerheads, a view not to be beat, and some espresso for Altos de la Viña.
Hotel Duxiana, Malmö, Sweden = Hot
April 5, 2018
From the swank common areas, through the central location in the city, to the glass shower situation, Hotel Duxiana is on fire. The food is great too.
After a late day flying in from Austria, arriving at 10:15pm was a relief. Ahhhhh. We were assigned room 201, which allowed us to quickly charge up the dead phone and head out for a very late dinner.
201 is small, but very nice. The bed is comfortable, and the design elements are modern.
201 bed
seat 1
seat 2
through the looking glass
The bathroom could be bigger, but the shower meets all criteria.
NPS approved
Dinner turned out to be Priorat and some charcuterie at l’enoteca less than a block from the hotel. Recommended.
Morning came too early (at 5:45am) followed by all day meetings. A respite after meeting one involved lunch at the Duxiana. Outstanding food and a real buzz in the common area. Who knew?!
This hotel food is just as delicious as it looks.
duxiana kitchen
What puts Duxiana over the top are the common areas.
all hail the book
Kockeriet is a world-class place for an excellent dinner. Here are pictures from a 7 course meal with a wine pairing.
Then it was off for cocktails around midnight. This turns out to be a thing in Sweden. What we learned: avoid Bastard at all costs, no service vibe; instead go to MJ’s which fit the bill perfectly.
Adjusted sazarac (peach bitters, half cognac)
After hours at MJ’s with fernet until 3am
Five showerheads and a Swedish massage to the Hotel Duxiana. NPS will be back for sure.
Though NPS has been to Austria on multiple occasions, Graz is a new city for us. Of course, Graz is not really new — it has been here since the Copper Age (5000 BCE). So where do you stay when you go to Graz? Hotel Wiesler fits the bill.
Graz
After a fitful trip across the pond (in United Polaris First no less) and a connection made by less than three minutes, we arrived early at the very small Graz airport. A taxi into town took 30 minutes.
Fortunately, our room was ready to go. Boy did we need a long shower after all of that metal tubing! We were assigned room 418.
Like Graz itself, Hotel Wiesler is in an old facade but is quirky and modern inside. 418 reflects its metropolitan surroundings.
One bit room 418
Movable study nook
Sink in the room (mexican pottery?! OK)
The very nice shower indeed is built right into the room. Excellent design, and no plastic in sight.
NPS approved shower
You can see the old coming through in the design, with rough walls exposed. Graz did the same thing with Kuntshaus Graz, a modern museum seemingly dropped from space right into the middle of town. Sadly, the Kuntshaus was full of nothing as they are between exhibitions at the moment. But the architecture is remarkable and remarkably weird.
kunsthaus graz
View from Kuntshaus
Nothing more need be said
One of the most popular old restaurants in a town that likes to eat is just behind hotel Wiesler. In fact, you can see it out the windows of 418.
Gasthaus zur Alten Press
see
Beware the weiner schnitzel, which comes in very delicious but huge servings.
Dinner on top of the hill at Aiola Upstairs was pretty not bad. Getting up there via stairs is the way to do it!
The dreaded stairs
Hotel Wiesler in view
pagota
top castle and armory from 1500s
Cocktails in Graz is a possibility. See Landhaus Keller.
Hote Wiesler makes the grade. Four showerheads and a big thank you for the very early checkin!
Spring in Lynchburg: The Craddock Terry Hotel
March 29, 2018
Spring by the James river
In the 30 or so years since NPS has been to Lynchburg, time mostly stood still. The town feels historical and has paid attention to proper rejuvenation preserving its architecture.
The Craddock Terry Hotel was created in an old shoe factory. They did a good job. Definitely request room 101, a suite with its own balcony.
The balcony is a great place for a muffin
The room itself is nicely appointed, with a style reflecting the ’80s. The carpet needs to be replaced, but the rest of the design elements can stay. Because of the factory building infrastructure, the ceiling is outstanding.
Sitting room (that carpet not so much)
Sitting room, brick and beams
Desk nook by a rubble wall
Bedroom. The ceiling and the walls are great
Rivets
And the bathroom fits the bill as well.
Nice large glass cube of a shower
Sinks
All told, we’re super glad that the Craddock Terry is here. If we ever find ourselves back in Lynchburg (say in 30 years), we will be back.
In other Lynchburg news, Main Street Eatery is old school and very civilized. Our server was overwhelmed by a huge table (since he was a newb), but the food was delicious. Expect prefunctory, not very gracious hospitality.
The White Hart Cafe is a great place to grab a coffee and a piece of poppyseed cake.
As for mixology in Lynchburg. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Four showerheads and a knowing nod to the Craddock Terry.
Palomar DC and March for our Lives
March 25, 2018
It all came together just about perfectly. A morning talk at Georgetown, a nice dinner out (sadly not at Rose’s Luxury), cocktails at the Columbia Room, and then the highlight of the weekend, attending the inspiring March for our Lives. Our base of operations was the commendable Palomar DC (a Kimpton).
Turns out that our friend Matt Hurlburt (once of the Alexnadria Monaco) is now Director of a bunch of DC properties, including the Palomar. And Harald Han, as assistant GM, is running the ship day to day. The front desk staff is as professional, courteous, and great as always, remembering us from our time at the Lorien and from previous visits in the mosquito. This is a great thing!
We finagled our way into 1024 (again), a gorgeous room at the very top of the hotel. Nothing makes us wag our tails like the Presidential Suite (though, we agree with Jacques that maybe they should change the name of it for now until the #assholeinone is impeached and out of office).
palomar 1024: yes please
The shower is NPS approved.
bed room 1024
extra bathroom
the usual mess
An amenity of cheese, fruit, and a cocktail arrived with a note from Matt just before we headed out. Very nice. Thanks you guys!
We spent the mid-afternoon wandering around Dupont and getting a coffee. Then it was off to try our chances at Roses Luxury. When we arrived at 5, the line was already way too long. We could have been seated at 9, but instead went to plan B, a dinner at Convivial (in Shaw). The food and cocktails were great (as was the company), but the service was terrible. Super nice, and caring, and about as unprofessional and useless as possible. Can’t win them all.
Then came the booth at the Columbia Room, always just an incredible experience. If you have not yet made it to the Columbia Room, do it. Make sure to do the tasting room and go for the entire experience.
A late night drink at the Urbana bar was just what was needed for a good night’s sleep.
The next day we headed in to DC for the March for our Lives rally. Incredible. So proud of what the Parkland kids have done. Keep it up and we will change this country for the better!
After some great ramen at Jinya and a chance encounter with our neighbor Harry, we headed back to the Palomar to retrieve our car and our bags.
It was chaos. And the reason why turned out to be that the kids from Parkland had been staying at the Palomar as well. They boarded their bus to fly back to Florida as we hopped in our car. Amy got a hat from Emma’s mom.
Five showerheads and a hope that our next visit is just as incredible.
R2 Wine Luncheon Take 3
March 12, 2018
There are rumored to be more wine luncheons than those that we can attend, but rumor is just rumor unless there is photographic evidence. The latest incarnation that can be shown to exist happened in LA on March 9th. The target was Little Sister.
As you can see, nobody enjoyed themselves, least of all Donnie.
Also there was not enough wine.
The weather was terrible. Cold and snowy.
Obviously, we drove the waitress completely insane.
The food was delicious, a fusion of Asian and American (kind of like that helicopter sound that immediately brings to mind Vietnam).
Many courses, only one of which included shakey beef.
There was little wine.
Pinot noir from the wine club.
There was big wine.
Pinot noir from the cellar.
There was plenty of wine.
The selection
Then all of a sudden we were on a quest. First to the Athletic Club of LA. Very old school, but willing to learn how to make a Corpse Reviver #2.
Then to Miro (under an Italian eatery), which was very suave but still willing to make a great Sazarac with Willet Family Reserve 12 year old rye. Perfection.
Sazarac (with only ywo dashes of Peychauds)
Then to dinner, where the political state of Virginia became a problem for some of us with an overly sized buzz. No GOP weenie has been elected to state wide office since 2009 in Virginia DAMN IT! And that was before the sheer idiocy of fake president Twump.
Dinner was somewhere near these very tall buildings
Then to Cafe D’oro in Santa Monica to hang with Vincenzo and drink whatever the dealer dealt.
Dealer’s choice (mezcal)
By 1am we were back at the Georgian Hotel, a good thing since our departure was slated at 5am sharp.
Would we do it again? Of course.
