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Cupcakes Forever!

Friday March 12, 2010

cc_sunday_mimosa_large.jpgA Slate.com business columnist thinks the rise of cupcakes is a bubble heading for a crash. I say who cares when we all profit from the irrational exuberance! Here's a round-up of tasty cupcake options near Starwood hotels around the country.

Your first order of business in LA, after checking into the Westin Los Angeles Airport, should be to head to Cupcakes Couture in Manhattan Beach. The shop creates some of the fanciest cupcakes I've seen, including such treats as the "Sunday Mimosa," (pictured) a champagne sponge cake filled with orange curd and topped with citrus frosting and blood orange "caviar," and the "Little Miss Sunshine," a strawberry cake with strawberry jam, vanilla frosting and topped with a vanilla macaroon.

Sweet Revenge, a few blocks north of the Four Points by Sheraton SoHo-Village, knows its customers aren't kids: it offers wine and beer pairing suggestions for its cupcakes. Try pairing the decadent "Dirty" with a Peroni or another pale lager.

Up in Seattle, you can order online from Cupcake Royale and have a dozen delivered to the W Seattle, or have them waiting for you when you swing by the Capitol Hill location. Sadly, it's too late to get the "Deathcake Royale," but the chocolate mint gets high marks and is available all year 'round.

[image via Cupcakes Couture]

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W Retreat & Spa Vieques Photo New.jpgThe island of Vieques is one of the most breathtaking places in the Caribbean, with miles of pristine beaches, verdant forests, and coral reefs teeming with life. It's also now home to the first W Retreat in the Western Hemisphere/North America, the W Retreat & Spa - Vieques Island. This stylish new destination will open its doors on March 25, 2010, treating guests to the ultimate in luxury and indulgence under the tropical sun. With 157 luxurious guest rooms, Whatever/Whenever service, and breathtaking views in all directions, every visit has the potential to transform body, mind, and spirit. As an added enticement to check it out, the hotel is offering a special Insider Access package, with rates staring at $249 a night. Spend your days frolicking in the surf, chilling out on the beach, or indulging in a treatment at Spa Chakra, with more than 60 health and beauty therapies to help you feel your best. And when the sun dips below the sea, make your way to miX On The Beach, Alain Ducasse's world-class restaurant, where Latin-Caribbean flavors take on French sensibilities in an oceanfront atmosphere. It's island life at its finest. Visit here for more information or to book your stay at this exquisite new Caribbean destination.

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Starpick the Westin Arlington Gateway

Thursday March 11, 2010

Westin Arlington Gateway Outside Photo.jpgArlington, Virginia is located a stone's throw from Washington, D.C.'s many museums and cultural landmarks, but it has plenty of attractions of its own that are worth exploring. If you've never taken the time to check out the many faces of Arlington, here's the chance. The Westin Arlington Gateway is one of this week's participating Starpicks properties, with last-minute rates of at least 20% off regular rates for stays during the next two weekends, so it won't take much to find yourself exploring one of Virginia's most fascinating towns. The Westin Arlington Gateway is one of the newest hotels in the Washington, D.C. area, with 336 comfortable guest rooms that feature the Heavenly Bed and Heavenly Bath and a host of amenities. Spend your day visiting the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, touring the Pentagon, or catching a few rays at Gravelly Point Park. Back at the hotel, you can get in a workout at the 24-hour fitness center, go for a swim in the indoor heated pool, or soak away your cares in the Jacuzzi. Enjoy a divine dinner at Pinzimini, an Italian steakhouse, followed by a cocktail at Pinzimini Bar, and you'll promise to return to this charming area before long. Of course, the Westin Arlington Gateway is just one of dozens of Starpicks properties this week, so check the list for the destination of your dreams.

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Biscayne Bay National Park.jpgJust minutes from the sizzling scene at South Beach is one of Florida's most pristine tropical sanctuaries, where you can find a peaceful respite from the nonstop action on the strip. Biscayne National Park is a 700 square kilometer nature preserve that's comprised almost entirely of water, and its best attractions are viewed with a mask, fins, and snorkel. Of course, not everybody has access to a boat, so land-based travelers should make their way to Convoy Point, where the Dante Fascell Visitor Center provides an excellent jumping-off point for all sorts of tropical adventures. Visit an extensive museum that offers a virtual journey through the park's four ecosystems, peruse a gallery that highlights the work of local artists who find inspiration in the park, or browse a bookstore filled with educational materials. But if you're itching to get close to nature, book a trip on a glass-bottom boat or rent a canoe or kayak for some individual exploration. The park is filled with rare and beautiful wildlife, from sea turtles and spiny lobsters to the Schaus' swallowtail butterfly (pictured), an endangered species that lives only in Biscayne National Park and northern Key Largo. Speaking of the Keys, the park is notable for being the home of Elliott Key, the first island in the Florida Keys chain that extends all the way to Key West. That's a bit too far for a kayak, so don't get any crazy ideas. Starwood has hotels throughout the Miami area, including the stylish new W South Beach.

[image via nps.gov]

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Sheraton Mountain Vista Villas Avon Lifestyle.jpgThe town of Avon, Colorado lies at the base of Beaver Creek Mountain, and it's the place to be for all manner of activities in and around the Vail Valley. If you're itching for a little mountain time right now, here's a great opportunity. The Sheraton Mountain Vista Villas, Avon / Vail Valley is one of this week's participating Starpicks properties, with last-minute rates of at least 20% off regular rates for stays during the next eight weeks. This luxurious four-season resort has everything you need to feel relaxed, refreshed, and reinvigorated, with three different types of villas furnished with the latest amenities, as well as kitchens, separate dining areas, and breakfast bars. You'll be ready for anything, whether you prefer skiing, sleigh riding and horseback riding or hot air ballooning, fine dining and gondola rides. Spend your day snowshoeing through forested trails, or feel the rush of downhill skiing on the surrounding slopes. When it's time for dinner, indulge in several world class eateries nearby, including Vin 48 Restaurant Wine Bar, where Chef Charles Hays offers a rustic American menu of small and large plates, and Juniper, with dishes like beef tenderloin with smoked trout brandade, and Colorado rack of lamb with baba ghanoush ravioli. It's a perfect end to an active day. New Starpicks properties are posted every Tuesday, so check the list for the latest deals.

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glazeddonuts.jpgPlanning a meeting while you're on the road? Don't forget to order coffee and donuts — or maybe some bagels — to keep the attendees alert and on-task. Here's a list of some of the better options to supply each around the country.

In New York, the clear leader is Doughnut Plant. Made from scratch (even the jelly fillings) fresh daily in decadent flavors such as dulce de leche and crème brulée, a second location will be opening this spring a couple blocks from the Four Points by Sheraton Manhattan Chelsea. If bagels are more your thing, Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company has you covered.

San Francisco's Dynamo Donuts has flavors that'll really help groggy colleagues wake up: varieties include a chocolate donut dredged in chipotle sugar and a lemon-filled dusted with Sichuan spices. Ask the concierge at the St. Regis San Francisco to send someone to pick up from this Mission storefront. Closer to the hotel, Blue Bottle's French press coffee service will help make sure the jolt from the spicy donuts sticks.

Keep their eyes from glazing over in Chicago with an order of Glazed Donuts, available by catering or subscription(!) only. The flavors change weekly, and range from classic apple cider to bing cherry balsamic and maple-bacon-chocolate (pictured). Pair them with coffee from the Intelligentsia near Millennium Park, and you'll be the hippest meeting runner the Westin Michigan Avenue has ever seen.

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Dining in Columbus' German Village

Friday March 5, 2010

pistaciavera.jpgNot far from the Westin Columbus is German Village, a neighborhood of quaint brick homes and cobblestone streets largely kept as they were when they were built by German immigrants in the late 1800s. The neighborhood is now home to charming boutiques and quirky restaurants to match the atmosphere.

Start your day with a cappuccino at the Cup O' Joe on Third Street, the original location of a beloved local chain. At lunchtime, step into Katzinger's Deli and peruse the gourmet cheeses and fancy condiments before ordering an over-stuffed sandwich with a funny name, like "Big Bob's Belly Balancer" or "Rachel & Nicki Got Stuck in a Closet" — or just a classic reuben on rye. Self-serve barrels of house-made pickles (dill and garlic) give you something to snack on while you wait for your order.

In the heart of the neighborhood, Schmidt's Sausage Haus draws everyone from families to college students to conventioneers for hearty German fare, including the oddly named "Bahama mama," a sweet-spicy sausage made from the Schmidt family's secret recipe. Be sure to leave room for their legendary cream puffs — or hold out and head to Pistacia Vera for equally indulgent treats such as macarons, pate de fruits or bittersweet pistachio feuilletine, a chocolate-chocolate mousse cake topped with white chocolate glaze and toasted pistachios.

[Image via Columbus Alive]

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Look out the window as you come in for a landing at New York's Kennedy Airport. You'll spot a tall clock tower rising among the brownstones of Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. Dating from 1927, the historic Williamsburgh Bank building is one of the borough's most iconic landmarks, and since January, it's been home to the Brooklyn Flea.

A paradise of antique treasures (old vinyl, silver plate flatware, vintage clothing, and mid-century furniture) and handmade crafts (hand printed stationery, organic soaps, knit hats, and all sorts of jewelry), the Brooklyn Flea takes place every weekend. About one hundred vendors set up their wares in three of the bank building's architecturally stunning floors. Beyond the iron grates of original bank teller windows, Polaroid cameras line up alongside Halston shoes. Swedish clogs point toward embroidered pillowcases. And milk glass lamps illuminate Pucci scarves. Tantalizing aromas drift from the bank vault, a destination in itself where dozens of food vendors cook up their lobster rolls, tacos, papusas, chocolate chip brownies, and red velvet cupcakes. Even Martha Stewart says, "it's a fantastic way to get a taste of everything that the borough has to offer."

Half a mile from the soon-to-open Sheraton Brooklyn New York Hotel, the Brooklyn Flea is at 1 Hanson Place, its winter location, through the end of March. Starting the first week in April, all those fabulous finds move outside. The Fort Greene outdoor market sets up every Saturday at the Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School's sprawling parking lot on Lafayette Ave., still just a short walk from the hotel. And on Sundays, it's under the Brooklyn Bridge in Dumbo.

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Sheraton South Padre Island Beach Hotel Photo.jpgIf you're as sick of winter as we are, then Spring Break can't come soon enough. Well, now is a great time to take an early Spring Break getaway, because the Sheraton South Padre Island Beach Hotel & Condominiums is offering a special Family Vacation on the Beach Package that will make your first dose of sunshine this year all the sweeter. Book by March 4 for stays March 5 - 28, 2010 and enjoy family-friendly perks like a deluxe ocean-view room, breakfast each day at the Beachside Bar and Grille, two bottles of water daily, free sunscreen, free internet access, one in-room movie, 50% off valet parking, and more. You can even enjoy discounted water sports at Sonny's Beach Service, including parasailing and banana boats - a perfect way to start vacation season off on a high note. This stylish destination on the south Texas shoreline boasts gorgeous beaches, breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico, and the largest swimming pool in South Texas, including a swim-up bar. Spend your day searching for sea shells, playing volleyball, or sailing on the high seas. And when evening comes, retreat to the hotel's Beachside Grille, where international cuisine is served in an atmosphere of casual elegance. Rates start at just $286 per night (up to four per room) with a two-night minimum length of stay. To make a reservation, visit here or call 1-866-716-8134 and ask for rate plan SPFAM.

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Starpick the W New York - The Court

Wednesday March 3, 2010

W New York  the Court Typewriter Detail.jpgNew York City. No matter how many times you visit, you can always find something surprising. If it's been a while since you've felt the energy of Manhattan, consider an impulsive late-winter getaway. The W New York - The Court is one of this week's participating Starpicks properties, with last-minute rates of at least 20% off regular rates for stays during the next two weekends. This stylish hotel is located in the Murray Hill district of 1920's brownstones, walking distance from the United Nations, New York Public Library, and a few thousand other great Gotham attractions. Spend your day shopping on Fifth Avenue, browsing the innovative art at the New Museum on the Bowery, or sampling the world's best knishes at Yonah Schimmel on the Lower East Side. Back at the hotel, kick off your night on the town with a drink at WETBAR, the hotel's signature lounge, where expertly-prepared cocktails are served in an atmosphere of warmth and sophistication. Then, make your way out into the city, with its endless possibilities - or just settle back with your martini, savoring a relaxing end to a perfect day. New Starpicks properties are posted every Tuesday, so check the list for the latest deals.

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