Category Archives: prague

December 29, 2013 · 2:53 pm

My Year in Travel – 2013

This year was a great year of travel for me, hitting some brand new destinations and revisiting some of my old favorites. BUT, for me, the VERY BEST thing about this year in travel are all the wonderful people who I met or was reunited with in various locations around the world. My travels wouldn’t be anything without the people on my journey.

January saw me in NYC and meeting friends old and new – who knew how important they’d all become in my life over the course of this year. I count my blessings for you.

In January I also skied in Verbier, Switzerland and absolutely loved my time with the legendary Warren Smith. I truly hope to see him again in 2014.

Rounding out January, I went to Copenhagen for the very first time and got to reconnect with a travel friend, Christoffer. I loved the cool capital city of Denmark.

February saw me catching up with a dear travel buddy, Anita, in Montreal, Canada for the very first time. We had a ball doing all kinds of wintery fun things like staying in an Ice Hotel and going to Igloofest.

March was my month for Barcelona & Costa Brava, Spain. I was thrilled to meet up with a fellow traveler, Brian, in Barcelona and was lucky enough to see him again in London in November.

Going to Costa Brava was an incredible experience. I love that area of Spain and really cannot get enough, especially of the coast. But, the people on this trip really made it the very best. I can’t imagine a more fun press trip.

April found me in back in NYC. I always love my NYC trips because I get to catch up with very special friends like Jeff & Craig – 2 of my favorites!!

May saw me in my favorite, Miami. I cannot get enough of this city. While I had my usual fun of beach, pool, dinner, drinks and dancing, I particularly enjoyed working with the fantastic luxe swimwear company, Orchid Boutique, during this trip. Talk about a great collection as well as a staff of kindred spirits!

June was an incredible month chalked full of fun things. Kicking off in Toronto for a conference with so many of my favorite fellow travelers, I actually wonder if we’ll ever be able to beat our #RWTBEX time here. I love you all so much!

I also got to spend a bit of time with one of my most lovely traveling partners, Mrs. O, Ana. I was able to show her a bit of Americana in the amazing seaside town of Newport, Rhode Island. We had a ball doing Newport the luxe way.

Wrapping up my June, I had an incredible visit to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. What a great girls weekend we had there and our host, the Bahia Hotel and Carlos, made my trip 100% amazing. Cannot wait to return.

July found me back in Euroland – one of Lola’s favorites. Although, this was a “repeat” journey of sorts, I did manage to do a few new things. One of which was going to the Henley Royal Regatta.

Post-UK was a return visit to Prague and Budapest. Two of my favorites that I’ve never visited in the summertime. Absolutely stunning! So was hanging out with friends made on a previous trip. Always nice to share a beer with good people.

August took me back to Montreal once again and NYC. This trip was extra special because of the time well spent with lifelong friends and a last visit with a friend that would soon depart. Anita, Montreal will always make me think of you fondly. I love you and that city so much.

September took me to two cities I wanted to know better. First was Seattle with my newly found soul mate, Erin. There is nowhere I wouldn’t go with this girl. And we both wanted to celebrate happy moments, like our dear friends, Captain & Clark’s wedding!

Toward the end of September, Erin and I were reunited again in the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia. I like to think of it as the city of sisterly love! We had a blast discovering different neighborhoods of Philly & laughing with each other all the while.

October I was lucky enough to be reunited with 2 of my favorite traveling partners again, Ana & Mary Anne along with Mary Anne’s BFF Maxine, for a GLAM LA girls weekend.

November was a busy fun month with a visit back to the UK for a conference and reconnecting with so many fun friends from around the world. I’m so glad our paths cross from time to time.

Followed up by a quick jaunt to France and Amsterdam for more girlfriend fun. I wouldn’t choose to travel any other way. Traveling with Ashley, Ana & Mary Anne was the very best.

And I managed to squeeze in a last minute trip back to NYC with my girlfriends and once again be reunited with some of my favorite people.

In December I finished off my year of travel back in Miami to celebrate Erin’s birthday. I cannot think of a better place to end my year. It is my happy spot and it was made so much better being there, laughing and enjoying life, with two of my travel besties, Erin & Esther.

Maybe you see some common themes in my travels. Repeat places, repeat friends, repeated silliness and smiles. Traveling is my lifeline and a huge part of my heart as are all the people I meet along the way. My world is better for all of you. Here’s to many more reunions on the road and good times ahead in 2014! Happy travels…

XO – Lola

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Filed under amsterdam, barcelona, budapest, cabo san lucas, copenhagen, costa brava, henley-on-thames, london, los angeles, miami, montreal, new york, newport, philadelphia, prague, seattle, toronto, travel, verbier

Tagged as friendship, places to go in 2013, year in travel

September 17, 2013 · 9:12 am

One Day Stay: Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is the capital city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Prague three times. Once in the winter, once in the fall and my latest visit was in the summer. It is truly gorgeous in all seasons but I think summertime is my favorite even if it was my shortest visit. There is a reason it’s known as ‘The Golden City’ with its gilded roofs and spires but I have never it seen it glisten & shine like it did this summer. It was like the whole city had a golden glow.

Prague was founded in the Romanesque period and blossomed in the Gothic & Renaissance eras, playing as the seat to two Holy Roman Emperors. Although this incredible city has a vibrant history it also has a dark side tied to wars and Communism. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Prague has become the 6th most visited European city. I can see why! It is truly stunning and there is no limit to what you can find to do. If culture is your thing, this city hosts museums and musical events galore. If food is your thing, you can find traditional Czech to the latest trends in every other cuisine. Then there’s shopping, nightlife and the great outdoors. Although there is so much of Prague to explore, it’s a great ‘One Day Stay’ destination if you are pairing it with a taste of Europe’s other great Hapsburg capitals – Vienna and Budapest.

DROP YOUR BAG

I’ve written about the unique and gorgeous Four Season Prague before but I haven’t actually stayed as a lucky guest. So, you can imagine how happy I was to actually rest my head here and in my favorite style room in the Renaissance House! With just over 160 rooms held within 3 different historical structures, Four Seasons Prague kind of felt like returning home. You see, the staff were so gracious during my fall visit that we were all happy to be reunited once again this summer. Of course the hotel was everything I could imagine and more. Sleeping like a princess underneath a crystal chandelier and a soaking tub with jetlag salts waiting for me in the bathroom. Who wouldn’t be happy? Totally LOLA APPROVED! Only steps away from the Charles Bridge, Old Town Square and with views of the Prague Castle across the Vltava River, Four Seasons Prague was perfectly situated for me to get a quick dose of the best Prague has to offer.

DO

This visit to Prague I took a walking tour to the Hradcany district across the river from Old Town where you can find Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral. I wandered up to the city wall and through the less well-known area called the “new world” where many writers and artists have lived over the years. As you move toward the river you will find the neighborhood Mala Strana whose cobblestone streets are so charming. This quiet neighborhood is home to many embassies and is said to be the most exclusive area of Prague. Even just crossing the Charles Bridge was magical in the summertime.

DRINK

Post walking tour it was time to taste what Prague is so well-known for – BEER! Friends who live there suggested meeting in Letna Park – the biggest park in the center of Prague. You will also find great beer gardens there and a spectacular view of Prague. I loved watching the setting sun over the golden rooftops and people enjoying the summer evening.

DINE

Back over in Mala Strana or Lesser Town, is where you will find the street named Maltezske namesti and definitely where you should head to dine. Filled with cute cafes and some of Prague’s best restaurants, here you’ll find a variety of places to eat. A few recommended spots are the French brasserie Cafe de Paris, Vino Deja Vu for a glass of local or international wine, and Cafe Lounge for a great cup of coffee.

A big THANK YOU to Four Seasons Prague for hosting my stay and treating me like a longtime friend. I’ve highly recommended Four Seasons Prague repeatedly and so you know I ‘Lola Approve’ it. The views here are mine!

7 Comments

Filed under czech republic, one day stay, prague, swanky luxe stays, travel

Tagged as four seasons hotels, four seasons prague, luxury hotels in Prague, where to eat in Prague

February 21, 2013 · 9:21 am

my favorite activity of my 30 day Eurotour

a tale of a lady & the puppet

every day of my 30 days in Europe was amazing. in total, only one day was an “off” day, meaning no real plans. AND, even then, something fun happened. that month was kismet. perfection. SO, it’s difficult to pick one activity that i really loved more than another.

BUT, i was indulged. i seized the opportunity to do something i reallllly wanted to do. my favorite activity in all of my 30 days was making my make my own look-alike marionette doll in Prague – a city well-known for its marionette making & puppeteering. please, don’t misunderstand. i know some of them look freaky but my little clone doesn’t. she’s cute!

anyhow…there i was, planning the trip and all the things i had on my wish list. while i was researching i came across Truhlar Marionety as THE place to take workshops on marionette making in Prague. as i closed in on the 30 day tour and was firming things up, i decided to ask the Four Seasons Prague if Truhlar Marionety was truly the place for making puppets and they verified yes. so, then & there, it was decided and a workshop was booked.

so why is this my favorite activity? well, on a Thursday morning i showed up at the Truhlar studio for my class. i didn’t realize i was in for a 4 hour lesson but the time flew by. it was a very well thought out procedure for getting one into visualizing and actually making your own marionette. even though i fancy myself as a creative type, i found it challenging yet SO SO FUN. completely hand-made, the end result was truly rewarding as you knew you crafted the entire look of the doll yourself. the PR & marketing director was leading the workshop and the master craftsman, Pavel, (20 years in the biz) assembled my girl. how cool is that? when they could see my affinity with the pink boa they suggested adding that to my Lola marionette. i can get behind anyone who endorses the boa factor – yes, indeed. my day was so much fun and it was evident from all the smiles in the room including my Lola puppet. how could this not be my favorite activity?!

BONUS is, this is my one Prague souvenir and it cost a grand total of $60. talk about a bargain for 4 hours of learning, laughing and creating a memory plus a keepsake to bring home. it is a day i will never forget. it’s alway enjoyable to participate in my little indulgences but this one kinda took the cake. it was more fun than i hoped and more learning than i expected. i have my Lola marionette to remember Prague by but i also know more about the puppet making process as a whole and now have an additional respect for the masters who make them.

it’s a puppets tale with an almost happy ending. my Lola marionette needs a boyfriend so my next challenge is to make it back to Prague to get (i mean make) that girl a date!

40 Comments

Filed under czech republic, europe, prague, travel

Tagged as marionette making, prague tourism, travel souvenirs, truhlar marionety

December 28, 2012 · 2:20 pm

thank you, děkuji, grazie, gracias, merci beaucoup!

dear Europe: thank you for one of the best months of my life!

please accept my long overdue thank you for hosting me last month for 30 lovely days. it will go down as one of the best trips of my life! i have so many i wish to show my gratitude to, so please bare with me while i do my best to remember those who went above and beyond to make my month so incredible.

go with oh cities

1) Go with Oh for the perfect apartments in Prague, Florence, Rome, Barcelona & Paris

marionette

2) Truhlar Marionety for the wonderful 4 hour lesson in making your own marionette with the master himself Pavel

pubcrawl

3) Pub Crawl Prague for the fun tour of bars & clubs

dinner at Four Seasons Prague

4) Four Seasons Prague for the delightful dinner at CottoCrudo

shopping in milan

5) Melanie Payge for the amazing behind the scenes shopping tour of Milan & bubbly company at the Four Seasons Milan Barolo dinner

barolo wine dinner

6) Four Seasons Milan for the gorgeous room & divine VIP white truffle & Barolo wine dinner

chef vito four seasons florence

7) Four Season Florence for the princess treatment by both Luca, Italian Barman of the Year & Vito, genius Executive Chef

il fontanaro cooking class

8) Walks of Italy & Il Fontanaro for the memorable cooking class & stay at a Tuscan Farm House in Paciano

rome food tour

9) Walks of Italy for the behind the ropes tour of the Vatican, the mouthwatering food tour of Rome & the day trip to Orvieto in Umbria

orvieto

10) Chef Lorenzo for the custom made lunch & educational tours of a cheese & olive oil factory

pompeii, vesuvius, naples

11) Walks of Italy for the fascinating discovery tour of Pompeii, Mount Vesuvius & the Naples National Archeological Museum

positano - amalfi coast

12) Walks of Italy for the entertaining tour of the gorgeous Amalfi coast

flamenco lessons

13) Go with Oh for the oh-so-fun flamenco lessons at Flamenco Barcelona to indulge me

cocktails at Eclipse

14) W Barcelona for the tasty lunch at Wave & cocktails at hip lounge Eclipse

photo shoot with Eduardo Frances

15) Go with Oh for the fabulous photo shoot with photographer extraordinaire, Eduardo Frances

thanksgiving in Barcelona

16) Sara & Arno and the Go with Oh staff for the fun multi-culti Thanksgiving celebration

dinner at W Paris Arola

17) W Paris for the awesome tour of your property & the “spark” design explanation as well as the outstanding dinner at Arola

how to become a Parisian in an hour

18) Go with Oh for the hilarious “How to Become a Parisian in one Hour” show

parisian tattoo

19) Abraxas for the parfait tattoo to always remember Paris by as if i could forget

burgundy wine tasting

20) Caveau de Chassagne-Montrachet for the delicious wine tasting in Burgundy

lunch at Four Seasons Paris

21) Four Seasons George V Paris for the restful retreat & most indulgent lunch of my lifetime at Le Cinq

Lionel Richie

22) Lionel Richie & Co for the unforgettable Friday evening dinner in St. Germain Paris

Henley-on-Thames

23) Mr. & Mrs. O Around the World for the warmest welcome to Henley-on-Thames with a holiday party & lovely friends

Four Seasons London Park Lane

24) Four Seasons London at Park Lane for the stunning suite & Rolls Royce ride, Amaranto for the delicious dinner & cocktails tasting, the spa for the best massage yet AND the entire property for the best staff ever encountered

Jeff Leatham

25) The incredibly talented Artistic Director for the Four Seasons George V Paris, Jeff Leatham, who wows the world with his floral designs but made time for a chat with me

kevin at Louis Vuitton

26) Kevin, Louis Vuitton personal shopper to the rich & famous, for the fantastic history lesson behind the LV brand

52 martinis

27) Miss 52 Martinis for a quick cocktail tour of Harry’s Bar, an old haunt of Hemingway’s, on a busy Tuesday night in Paris

AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST

lola & leah

28) Leah Travels thank you for being the best travel partner in crime i could ever EVER imagine. our month of adventures will bring us a lifetime of laughter!

XO – lola

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Filed under barcelona, europe, france, italy, london, paris, prague, spain, travel

Tagged as cocktails, czech republic travel, European tourism, food, france travel, go with oh, hipster hotel, italy travel, london tourism, luxury, luxury hotels, Spain travel, walks of italy

November 26, 2012 · 6:54 am

a different kind of castle – Four Seasons Prague

a palatial complex of its very own unique kind!

it’s no secret that i like the royal treatment. i have princess tastes that’s for sure. thankfully Prague has a gorgeous castle so it was a perfect place to begin my month-long Eurotour in regal style. having said that, the Prague Castle wasn’t my favorite grand property – Four Seasons Prague was!

i had the pleasure of touring the gorgeous Four Seasons while visiting Prague. located in the historical Old Town, Four Seasons is situated along side the Vltava River with the famous Charles Bridge nearby. what i loved best about this property, besides its STUNNING views, was the unique marriage of four different style buildings, each from different eras, brought together to create one luxurious hotel.

how did they accomplish this you may be wondering? well, along with careful restoration & preservation of the different original details of the buildings, the property was tied altogether by a modern building. the styles of the older buildings are neo-Renaissance, neo-Classical and Baroque and, of course, the newest structure has a modern feel so as to allow each of the other buildings to retain its individual personality. BRILLIANT!

“The important focus throughout was the integrity of the design that ultimately blended the architectural styles harmoniously to reflect the character and elegance of Prague’s Old Town.” says Rene Beauchamp, General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Prague.

i’d say mission accomplished. during the tour, it was pointed out that this promise to have each structure reflect its own persona offers visitors the option of choosing between a Renaissance, Baroque, Neo-Classical or contemporary stay. i love this unique approach & its one that ensures this property will offer a special & memorable experience for its guests. perhaps one would be lucky enough to try each style on separate luxury holidays.

now a bit about these different styled buildings

The Neo-Renaissance House

built in 1883, the neo-Renaissance building has a richly embellished facade that was restored, including the grand entry foyer with its frescoed ceilings.

The Neo-Classical House

dating back to 1827, the neo-Classical building has many original features such as windows & fixtures.

The Baroque House

the oldest house of the complex was built in 1737 in the Baroque style. many architectural features were preserved & restored, including stone architraves and masonry vaults, wooden doors and hand-forged ironwork.

The Modern House

of course built in the 21st century, this structure’s interiors reflect the modern-day traveler with a more sleek look.

is this property lola approved? ABSOLUTELY!! Four Seasons Prague definitely accomplishes giving its guests the best of modern-day conveniences & comforts while retaining the city’s rich history all in one place. i liked the balance of old & new. even the interior decorating achieves this concept. as i’ve said before, i love the idea of keeping the old alive but breathing new life into it. my favorite style of the four houses was the Renaissance. here’s hoping this princess returns again soon to Prague & as a guest of the Four Seasons there!

23 Comments

Filed under czech republic, prague, swanky luxe stays, travel

Tagged as four seasons, four seasons prague, luxury vacations, prague tourism