The 5-star resort property of Nayara Hangaroa on Easter Island, which I will call Rapa Nui for the rest of this article, is an exceptional experience that I can’t possibly recommend enough. Also read my article on visiting Rapa Nui in general.
A portion of the reception area at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
We were greeted at the airport by resort personnel on foot, but because of a small protest happening that day, they weren’t allowed to drive right up to get us. Instead, we all had to drag our bags a few minutes away to a parking lot. That wasn’t fun, but once we arrived at the resort about 10 minutes later, we were greeted with a welcome local fruit drink and a flower lei.
The real flower lei given to me upon arrival at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
At reception, someone sat with each of us to give us instructions about the property. Then, someone guided us to our rooms. There are two types of rooms. I opted for a “Kainga” room (Kainga means earth), which is the least expensive of the two types of rooms.
My room at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
But that least expensive room didn’t leave me feeling cheated in the least. It was an air conditioned room and made of cypress logs, clay, and volcanic stone. It was very spacious (527 square feet) with a king-sized bed, couch, table, private outdoor terrace with a table and two chairs and ocean view, a large bathtub, stand-up shower, sink, minibar, and front hallway with a shelf and a large bureau with shelves, a safe, and plenty of room for hanging clothes.
My room at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.My private terrace at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
A bathrobe and flip flops were provided, and maid service was available twice a day. The first drinks in the minibar were complimentary, while I paid for the refrigerator to be replenished after that.
My room at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.My room at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The large bureau and entry shelf in my Kainga room at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The shower was constructed of local clay tiles made by an artisan from Pichilemu on the Island and manufactured in local ovens, and it had the best showerhead I have ever experienced in my life. It was a strong flow of water, but extra fine. (I luxuriated under it a bit more than I’d like to admit.)
The shower in my room at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The Maunga (mountain) rooms are built on two levels and great for families, providing 796 square feet. These also have a private outdoor terrace along with 1-1/2 baths, a king bed plus two sofa beds, and the other same amenities as my Kainga room.
One of the buildings at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The package I bought is called the “Dream Program.” It includes only breakfast, but other on-site meals and excursions leaving from the resort can be charged to the room. I found the cost of the excursions and the food to be quite reasonable. The “Discover Program” includes breakfast, as well as either lunch or dinner each day, and one free half-day excursion per night stay. The “Full Experience” includes all meals.
The pool at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The resort has an outdoor pool and a spa with reasonably priced treatments, is kid-friendly, and offers bicycle rentals. It’s also located just across a street from the coast and a short walk from the Island’s main town, which has a few restaurants and cute little shops. I bought a gift box of Moai statue-shaped soaps.
A portion of the breakfast buffet at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The food at Nayara was universally delicious. The breakfast buffet at Poerava restaurant was very extensive with eggs made to order, bacon, a variety of cold meats, cereals, juices, breads, and pastries. The variety was the most I’ve seen at a hotel outside of Asia, which seems to always have the best breakfast buffets in the world.
A rainbow one afternoon from the outdoor seating of Poerava restaurant. You can also see one of the many stray dogs on the Island that are cared for by the inhabitants. They seem quite healthy and happy. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Poerava also serves lunch with both indoor and outdoor seating that overlooks the ocean. Its location provided a wonderful view of the sunset and gifted us a full rainbow one late afternoon. I ate the roast beef salad there two days in a row because it was so good. Besides mixed greens and roast beef, it contained palm hearts, grilled onions, avocado, and mango slices with a honey mustard vinaigrette.
Food is also served at the Vaikoa Bar, which is located in a separate building next door to Poerava. Each night, they provided a free surprise cocktail like a Kir Royale or a Pisco Sour.
Basil ceviche amuse bouche. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The fine dining restaurant just beyond Poerava serves dinner in an elegant indoor setting, but it was fine to dress casually there. I was served a wonderful basil ceviche amuse bouche followed by a lovely salad with avocado, carrots, sweet potatoes, and grilled pineapple. I also loved the chicken curry. Of course, the restaurants serve a great deal of local fresh seafood.
Salad with grilled pineapple, carrots, sweet potatoes, and avocados at Nayara Hangaroa restaurant. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Chicken curry at Nayara Hangaroa’s restaurant. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
There are numerous excursions available leaving each day from the resort at 9:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Besides the various Moai statues on the island, you can visit a volcano crater site or small cave. You can do a trek in the more isolated parts of the island or a guided bicycle trip for three hours.
Other experiences include diving, surfing, a boat ride, cooking classes, and Moai carving classes. While some of the excursions are called “low difficulty,” they aren’t all on flat land. You might have to climb stairs or rocks a bit.
Our guides for the excursions were locals who were very knowledgeable about the Island’s locations and history. Two of them said they had learned much from their grandparents, who were native to Rapa Nui. Of course, there’s still plenty no one knows about the Island and its statues, which is one of the things that makes it so fascinating.
The view from Poerava restaurant. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
My only complaint about Nayara was that many of us wanted to take a sunrise excursion to particular Moai statues near the resort, but they told us repeatedly that this wasn’t available to us because of the clouds. In other words, they claimed there would be no sunrise. We wondered if they just didn’t have any available staff that early in the morning.
Then, at the airport before leaving the Island, I met a couple who had stayed at the other Rapa Nui 5-star resort called Explora Lodge. They said they went on a sunrise excursion during the time of my stay that proved to be a mystical experience. I feel a bit cheated that I didn’t have that opportunity.
There was a Polynesian dance show one night at the resort. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The downside of Explora, according to them, was that they felt pressured to leave $100US in tips for the staff on a daily basis, which they thought was excessive considering the price of staying there. At Nayara, we were never pressured to tip anyone, but of course, I did. I’m happy to tip, but no one likes to feel pressured into it. Plus, when a property pressures guests, I consider it an effort to subsidize salaries that are too low.
Despite my minor complaint, my stay at Nayara Hangaroa was stellar, and I would love to experience it again. Next, I plan to visit their resort property in Chile’s Atacama Desert. Stay tuned!
Do wine bottle closures matter to you? Do you think that screw-capped bottles contain cheaper or lower quality wines? Are you a die-hard cork devotee?
I think I have a definitive answer to the cork vs. high end screw cap closure question.
At an André Lurton Wines tasting, we had two Sauvignon Blanc bottles from the same Château, same vintage, bottled at the same time and having the same amount of cellar time in the same cellar. They differed only in the fact that one was using a high-end screw cap closure (Stelvin™) and the other a cork closure.
Stelvin-closed wine bottles. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
At its simplest, the closure on a wine bottle must keep the liquid in the bottle inside and must keep oxygen out. But there are many different closure advantages to consider depending on how you like the wines you drink.
Tradition, cost, style of winemaking, and consumer acceptability all influence the closure selected by a wine producer.
White wine. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
The biggest problem that cork has to overcome is its susceptibility to TCA (2,4,6-trichloroanisole), a cork contaminant that gives a musty odor and taste to the wine, making it smell and taste like soggy, wet cardboard!
In the Lurton tasting, the differences were rather subtle, but very evident. The Stelvin-closed wine felt young, fresh, fruity, and quite aromatic.
Gravlax platter. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
It was a wine that begged to be consumed, accompanying gravlax salmon or perhaps a trout meuniere, a nice runny French cheese, or even some melon with prosciutto wrapped around it. By preventing micro-oxidation to occur while the wine was cellared, the metal closure kept the fruity aromas inside the bottle.
Grilled scallops with caviar and saffron cream. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
On the other hand, the cork-closed wine was a little less aromatic but much more complex. This wine called for a skilled cook that could match the wine’s complexity to much more sophisticated fare. Perhaps grilled scallops topped with caviar, a shrimp fried in garlic oil main course, or even a tree-ripened peach over a slab of sharp Irish cheddar.
Smoked trout and crab on dark bread. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Both wines were very good. The Stelvin closure had kept one bottle feeling much younger than the cork-closed one that had allowed micro-oxidation to occur, allowing the wine to become much more complex than its Stelvin-closed sibling.
So it all boils down to your taste. If you like young, fresh, aromatic wines, a Stelvin-closed bottle would be fine for you. On the other hand, if you like complex, sophisticated wines, the cork closure would be better for you. The same goes for a number of red wine bottles from other producers that we have tried.
Both types of closure can have their place in the scheme of things. It should be up to you to select which bottle to purchase with what type of closure. À santé!
Automatic airline refunds!: The Department of Transportation in the U.S. is instituting new rules that require airlines to give automatic refunds if a domestic flight is delayed by three hours or more or an international flight is delayed by six hours or more. The airline can offer an alternative or travel credits, but we won’t be obligated to accept them instead of a cash refund.
Baggage refunds, too!: We’ll also be refunded if airlines don’t return our checked bags within 12 hours for domestic flights and within 30 hours for international. All fees have to be clearly disclosed, too. Thanks, DOT!
Train between Las Vegas and Los Angeles: A high-speed bullet train will run between these two cities, set to launch in 2028. That will be in time for the summer Olympics in L.A. The ride will take just over two hours (at 180mph), which is almost twice as fast as driving. Can’t wait to try it out when it’s ready!
Fast train. Photo by StockSnap.
No more CLEAR?: California is proposing a bill that would outlaw the CLEAR program in airports, which allows people to “cut” the line. Airlines are fighting it.
“Smooch” Cabins?: Ummm… Deutsche Bahn in Germany has introduced two-person cabins on their trains that can be changed from transparent to frosted glass (with a push button) for more privacy, purportedly for “cuddling.” Yeah, right. At least it’s just for two passengers, so no group “cuddling” allowed.
Lake Como fee?: Like Venice, Italy’s Lake Como has suffered from over-tourism, so they’re contemplating a daytripper tax.
No pizza and ice cream in Milan after midnight: Milan may ban the sale of pizza and ice cream after midnight, requiring that restaurants not do these sales outdoors. It’s another effort to curb over-tourism and noise that disturbs residents. I don’t blame them!
Amsterdam cracking down: And Amsterdam is also fed up with over-tourism, so they’re capping overnight stays at 20 million per year and restricting the building of new hotels within the city center.
Going to Athens this summer? Speaking of over-tourism, Athens is apparently receiving a surge in tourism at the moment, so keep that in mind if you plan to visit during the busiest months.
Flying with a dog?: Enter Bark Air, a new airline that caters to passengers with dogs. They have calming treats, poop bags, and beverages during ascent and descent to ease ear issues. Currently, they fly between Westchester, NY airport and Van Nuys, California and London Stansted Airport.
Well-traveled dog. (Stock photo.)
Lifetime bans at Disney: People who fake disabilities to skip the line at Disneyland or Disney World will now face lifetime bans if they’re caught.
National park reservations in the U.S.: Certain national parks in the U.S. will require timed-entry reservations this summer. They are Arches National Park in Utah, Glacier National Park in Montana, Haleakalā National Park in Hawaii, Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, Yosemite National Park in California, and Zion National Park in Utah.
Are you a hunter? If you hunt, be sure to check your luggage before traveling, especially internationally. Unintentional ammo has been found in baggage and is landing U.S. tourists in jail. One man was recently sentenced to 12 years in Turks & Caicos for this.
Countries with no airports: There are just five countries that don’t have an airport. They are Vatican City, San Marino, Monaco, Liechtenstein, and Andorra.
TripAdvisor’s top 10 hotels in the world: Hotel Colline de France in Brazil, OBLU SELECT Lobigili in the Maldives, La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa in Vietnam, Adiwana Suweta in Indonesia, Iberostar Grand Packard in Cuba, Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa in the Maldives, La Siesta Classic Ma May in Vietnam, Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya in Mexico, Padma Resort Ubud in Bali Indonesia, and Sofitel Mexico City Reforma in Mexico City.
May is the month when flowering trees are in bloom. The air is permeated with fragrance, and the sounds of coughing and sneezing can be heard throughout the land.
This Mother’s Day, we are more than ever before suffering from the effects of climate change and are aware of how it’s affecting us and the cherished women in our lives with colder, warmer, wetter, and dryer periods. In general, more unpleasant weather conditions that affect our aging derma.
So to honor the women we love this year (especially ourselves), we are focusing on anti-aging products that use all natural, non-toxic ingredients with scientifically proven healing properties to aid in reviving and restoring the skin to its youthful appearance.
After all, none of us are getting any younger, but in today’s world, there is no reason that we can’t look like we are! So to add to the de rigueur delivery of flowers and candy, here are a few products to consider:
N8iV three-product package. Photo courtesy of N8iV.
N8iV: First on my list of outstanding beauty products is a noteworthy line called N8iV. I met Native American Ruth-Ann Thorn, a member of the San Diego, California Luiseno tribe, at a cosmetic trade show. She blew me away with her story. Calling on the wisdom of her people – who for centuries have used acorn oil for treating the skin – Ruth-Ann created this line by engaging with her community in its development.
The ancient knowledge was provided by the tribe elders while the entire community helps in the collection of the black acorns that grow naturally on their native lands. The nuts are of the highest quality but are harvested only once a year, making them a rare but renewable component.
In addition to the acorn oil, which has a fatty acid composition and natural tocopherols, plant stem cells, essential fatty acids, and copper peptides are added to aid in cell turnover and to promote collagen and elastin production – the necessary ingredients of a youthful complexion.
What I love about this line is that its success encouraged the women of the tribe to expand their personal outreach with arts and crafts that have long been only available locally.
N8iV products. Photo courtesy of N8iV.
So far, there are three products in the line in attractively designed packaging. For perfect gift-giving, they come in a handsome boxed set, or you can purchase each one separately.
The Daybreak Moisturizing Cream is to lighten and brighten the complexion while reducing fine lines and uneven skin tones. The nightly regiment consists of the Starlight Regenerative Cream that eliminates fine lines and rejuvenates the skin, while the restorative Starlight Regenerative Serum combines all the essential elements and packs a noticeable punch.
These rich creamy moisturizers really make a difference that is visible to the naked eye even on first application.
And just a few words about their name and logo,N8iV: the star at the top refers to their creation story “Payomkawichum,” which means people of the west and refers to the star people who were sent down from the Milky Way to tend to our Mother Earth. The number 8 refers to their calendar developed over eons of living off the land as hunter-gatherers and counts eight seasons in the year.
Ghanya Value Bundle of products. Photo courtesy of Ghanya Cosmetics.
Ghanya Cosmetics: Another product line that seems almost impossible to deliver on its promise but blew me away is Ghanya Cosmetics. This is another home-grown line by an enterprising woman who set out to create a product to help her daughter overcome her problem skin.
After years of research and investigation using only premium ingredients, including plant cells, she achieved success in eliminating the disfiguring acne her teenage daughter suffered from.
While not initially formulated for the mature woman, after the early success with the healing properties of the products, the line has expanded to include Age Defying Booster,The Absolute Cream, and Miracle Works Elixir that work wonders on mature skin.
The line continues to expand with products that maintain radiant well-balanced skin. These products are free from impurities that cause acne in younger skin, and they help diminish the lines and discoloration in more mature skin.
Irene Forte Phytomelatonin Rejuvenating Serum. Photo courtesy of Irene Forte.
Irene Forte: At the aforementioned trade show, I was introduced to another absolutely stunning line. Irene Forte is a total Italian beauty brand that features a luxurious product line along with several stunning destination spas across Italy. While I have yet to experience one of the luxurious spas, I have had the pleasure of using the line of beauty cosmetics and can testify to the effectiveness of their products.
Through the scientific formulation of botanicals and plant extracts – many sourced from their own organic farm – they have managed to develop a group of skincare products that deliver what they promise.
While this is an effective line of products developed specifically for all skin types, they are on the pricey side, but for a special woman on her special day, it’s an investment in guaranteed noteworthy results.
Veriphy Skincare products. Photo courtesy of Veriphy.
Veriphy Skincare: For a more affordable skin care regiment, consider Veriphy Skincare, another cosmetic line created by women. A group of female university lab scientists serendipitously came across a way to create 100% plant-based glycogen – an essential element in skin health but one which is normally animal-sourced.
This discovery led to the development of a luxury, vegan skincare line, formulated by women active in science, technology, engineering, math, and business – or STEM+B. Veriphy Skincare is a perfect example of an experiment gone wrong that led this group of enterprising young women to create not only a breakthrough product line but a new way to think and feel about beauty.
To this end, they have developed a complete array of products that fit into a woman’s beauty regimen at whatever age and stage she is in. Different package groupings are available and make great gifts.
Columbia Skincare products. Photo courtesy of Columbia Skincare Company.
Columbia Skincare Company: And while we are on the subject of healthy, rejuvenating skin care products, Columbia Skincare Company might revolutionize the industry. It isn’t a cosmetic company, but a 145-year-old skincare company – perhaps the oldest in the country – dedicated to healing damaged skin.
Columbia has been in the forefront of scientific investigation for the rejuvenation of burned and damaged skin. During their research, they found that a combination of probiotics, plant stem cells, and amino acid peptides have the unique ability to enhance the skin’s natural capacity to renew itself.
Columbia has addressed skincare not as a cosmetic issue but essentially as a health issue and has released two products with this in mind. Columbia Skincare Company Probiotic Concentrate and Probiotic Complex, the resulting products, are currently available only directly through the manufacturer.
Neora’s Ultimate Eye Treatment Bundle. Photo courtesy of Neora.
NEORA: In the past few years, the hot fashion accessory has been eyebrows. At one time, it was lips – big and bright red – but the action has shifted up to the brow. There are many ways of improving artificially on what nature provided.
I have tried a few less dramatic options that work to provide fullness to sparse brows over time. The latest one I tried seems to work well and fast to fill in brows, and in my case, restore color to graying hairs: LASH LUSH by NEORA.
This product is meant to grow longer eye lashes as well as enhance brows. I have used it for only a few weeks and already see an improvement. Another of their products that is helpful to women of all ages is their cream, FIRM. It’s a body contour cream that, if used consistently, helps to reduce the appearance of cellulite and dimpled skin and firms and tones those areas that we tend to want to hide.
Made in the U.S. and distributed worldwide, NEORA offers only naturally based products.
Kamsah tajine. Photo courtesy of Kamsah.
Kamsah: And now for a non-cosmetic suggestion for the woman in your life who loves to cook and try new methods – a gift of a Tajine cooking pot by Kamsah.
Tajine cooking is a slow-cooking method used in North African cultures but is relatively unknown in the U.S. It’s an all-in-one method of combining proteins (meat, poultry, or fish) and vegetables in one pot with a lot of spices, making for a very tasty dish that will provide a nourishing meal and delight the entire family or guests at a dinner party.
For a complete guide to the tagine’s history, uses, and a sample recipe, click here. Here’s to a Happy Mother’s Day and helping the women you love remain healthy and beautiful!
I visited Iguassu Falls in the late 1990s, and I have wanted to go back ever since. I finally got my chance. As someone who has traveled the world and seen many awe-inspiring places, I have to say that Iguassu is still one of the most spectacular of them all. Unfortunately, no photos can do it justice.
Iguassu Falls from a helicopter. This gives you some idea of its expanse. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The expanse of these Falls is not to be believed unless you see them in person. Iguassu is at least three Niagaras. They are easy to visit, as they’re in a national park in Brazil with concrete walkways, railings, and stairs.
Iguassu Falls. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
There is a bit of climbing stairs up and down in both directions, and if you stop to gawk along the way (as you will), it will take you at least 30 minutes to get to the end in one direction, which is called “Devil’s Throat.” But it still doesn’t take an exceptional amount of exertion.
Devil’s Throat, Iguassu Falls. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The walkway at Devil’s Throat goes out far enough that you will get wet. It’s a powerful section of the Falls with significant spray. Take a rain poncho and enjoy it!
Iguassu Falls walkway near Devil’s Throat. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
This is a rainforest, so give yourself enough days there to make up for the possibility of a day of hard rain. It can also be slightly buggy, although with some natural repellent, I didn’t get bitten. (Dengue fever is a slight risk these days.) There are numerous gorgeous butterflies along the walkway by the Falls, so be sure to notice them.
Iguassu Falls. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The town of Iguassu Falls is about 1-1/2 hours by air from Sao Paulo, so if you’re in Brazil, this site is not to be missed. There are a number of hotels where you can stay while in the small city, but read my review of Hotel das Cataratas, the only hotel within the national park and right across the street from the Falls. It’s an expensive property, but if you can afford it, there’s no better place to stay.
One of the most popular ways to see the Falls is via helicopter ride. The heliport is just a short walk from the entrance to the national park. The ride lasts only about ten minutes, but it provides mind-boggling views of the Falls from above.
Iguassu Falls. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
If you’re so inclined, you can also skydive over the Falls. I’m not entirely sure how that works since you wouldn’t want to land in the water, but I’m sure they have it figured out.
Another popular thing to do in Iguassu is the Macuco Safari, which is a boat ride into the Falls. You will be sublimely wet, but it’s an exciting experience.
Parques des Aves. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The other place people visit while in Iguassu is Parques des Aves – a bird park that has many species of birds that are either in large enclosures or free-flying around you. They also have a lot of tropical plants and a butterfly/hummingbird garden. It’s a highly recommended place to include while you’re in town.
Parques des Aves. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
I have visited both Niagara Falls in New York State and Victoria Falls in southern Africa, and they’re both marvels. But with my apologies to both of them, no waterfall in the world beats Iguassu. It’s the best – bar none. There’s just no comparison.
So I can’t emphasize enough how wonderful it is to visit this place. If you have the opportunity, please do it. You don’t need to be tremendously fit physically, and there’s just no other place in the world like it.
In the late 1990s, I visited Iguassu Falls in Brazil for the first time, and I stayed at Hotel das Cataratas – a sprawling, bright pink, 1950s hacienda-style property right across the street from the Falls. I got a deal back then and paid about $100 a night.
Hotel das Cataratas in Iguassu Falls, Brazil. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Since then, the hotel has been renovated and taken over by Belmond, making it even fancier with a price tag eight times as high as in the late 1990s. But I have to say it’s worth it. Not only is this the only hotel within the national park where you find the Falls, but it goes beyond five-star service for a luxury-plus experience.
One of the lounge areas in Hotel das Cataratas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
First of all, staying within the national park means you don’t have to travel 15-30 minutes from your hotel to the Falls. You just cross the street! You also don’t have to pay to enter the park because you’re already there, and you can beat the crowds, visiting the Falls before the park officially opens and after it closes (although they suggest you not walk on the trails after dark).
Iguassu Falls from a helicopter. Even this isn’t the full expanse of these immense falls. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
I arranged with the hotel to have a private car transfer from the airport to the property, which took only about 20 minutes. Once you enter the park, the speed limit is quite low to prevent collisions with animals. I didn’t see any coatimundis (raccoon-like animals) during this visit, but in the 1990s, they were everywhere. So back then, I saw a couple of dead ones that had been hit by cars. Hopefully, this low speed limit makes that less likely to happen.
Iguassu Falls across the street from Hotel das Cataratas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
My bags were delivered to my traditionally decorated room with a queen-sized bed. I was upgraded to a Deluxe room in the “Garden Wing,” which meant my windows opened to a section of the hotel’s substantial gardens. This also meant my room was occasionally a little buggy (even though I kept the windows closed).
My deluxe Garden Wing room at Hotel das Cataratas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
But this is a rainforest, so if you absolutely hate bugs, don’t go. (I mean, you might even hear howler monkeys in the distance.) The hotel provided a small bottle of natural repellent spray, which did come in handy, and I managed to avoid even one mosquito bite.
Another part of my deluxe room at Hotel das Cataratas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The gardens on the hotel grounds, by the way, are gorgeous. Some of the birds have become quite used to people, including the Southern Lapwing and colorful Plush-crested Jay.
A portion of the gardens at Hotel das Cataratas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A southern lapwing enjoys the hotel pool. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A plush-crested jay in the gardens at Hotel das Cataratas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
While I didn’t get a Deluxe room with a view of the Falls, those rooms are available at a higher price if you prefer. I had no complaints about my room, however, which had a large bureau, free minibar, free wifi, table and chairs, television, bathrobe, and slippers. The spacious bathroom was filled with lovely blue and white Portuguese tiles called azulejos.
The bathroom in my room at Hotel das Cataratas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Other hotel services include a pillow menu, ATM, babysitting, business center, concierge, shoeshine, laundry, dry cleaning, adapters and converters, and a free shuttle van that runs every 20 minutes to and from the hotel and the entrance to the national park.
The hotel’s shuttle van is easy to spot. Photo by Melanie Votaw.My deluxe room at Hotel das Cataratas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
I was also impressed by the daycare center on site with all sorts of guided activities for kids. And next to the doors, there were umbrellas available to borrow. These little touches do much to make a hotel stay extra comfortable and special.
Hotel das Cataratas has a heated outdoor pool with a bar as well, where you can have a drink and a nosh, and there’s a restaurant called IPÊ that’s just a few stairs up from the pool and with indoor and outdoor seating. The breakfast there is generous with just about everything you could possibly want, and it also serves lunch and dinner.
The pool at Hotel das Cataratas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.IPÊ Restaurant at Hotel das Cataratas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A pistachio pastry and a banana/dulce de leche pastry at Hotel das Cataratas breakfast. Yum! Photo by Melanie Votaw.
For fine dining at dinner time, there’s Itaipu Restaurant, serving top-notch Brazilian cuisine such as Amazonian pirarucu fish in beurre blanc sauce with banana crumbs and grilled vegetables with a cherry reduction.
Part of breakfast at Hotel das Cataratas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
During a hard rain one day (it’s a rainforest, after all), I sat on the terrace of the hotel at Bar Tarobá with a view of the Falls. I ordered bruschetta with parma ham and figs with an apricot bellini made with Moët & Chandon, and they provided a bowl of mixed nuts. My delightful waiter asked my first name and remembered me by name the next day when I ordered a drink at the pool bar.
Bruschetta with parma ham and figs at Bar Tarobá in Hotel das Cataratas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The hotel has 187 rooms and suites, a children’s pool, tennis courts, a gym, a spa, luxury shops, meeting rooms, conference facilities, and room service. It also provides guided excursions and adventure sports for guests. Experiences like wine tasting, cachaça tasting (cachaça is a popular liquor in Brazil), sunset with cocktails in the hotel’s tower, afternoon tea, and a garden picnic are all available. It has also received certifications for environmental management and social responsibility.
The lobby at Hotel das Cataratas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
You can’t go wrong with this grand hotel, which has hosted the Princess of Wales, David Rockefeller, Anthony Hopkins, and Jackie Chan, among others. They say location is everything, and this one has a location like no other. But it goes far beyond its location to provide stellar service and food.
A vegan brownie at Hotel das Cataratas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Read my separate article on the town of Iguassu Falls itself, what it’s like to visit this miraculous site, and what else you can do there.
Bolgheri is a central Italian village of Castagneto Carducci, a commune in Tuscany in the province of Livorno that is well-known to wine lovers for the exceptional quality of the bottles created in the region.
The Bolgheri DOC became an internationally known region following a tasting event in 1974 arranged by Decanter Magazine, where a 6-year-old Sassicaia wine won over a collection of Bordeaux wines in a blind judging – similar to the better-known “Judgment of Paris” of 1976.
Prior to this, the Bolgheri area had been known as producers of quite ordinary white or rosé wines.
Cabernet grapes. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
The area is now the home of “Super Tuscan” producers, such as Tenuta San Guido who produces Sassicaia, Tenuta Dell’Ornellaia who produces Ornellaia, Ca’Marcanda of Angelo Gaja, and Guado al Tasso of Antinori, among numerous very good producers.
These exceptional reds are usually blends of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and/or Syrah or other Bordeaux grapes (and very rarely a small amount of Sangiovese). The above-mentioned wineries are the better known ones, but there are smaller and not as well-known ones that also create spectacular wines in this region using Bordeaux grapes.
San Felipe’s Bell’aja Bolgheri Superiore. Photo courtesy of the wine producer.
San Felipe’s Bell’aja Bolgheri Superiore is produced mostly from Merlot grapes (95%) from the oldest parcels of the vineyard with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon (5%) and no Sangiovese. This is a classic Bordeaux-styled blend that’s only produced in Italy!
The vintage we tasted had oaky notes with spices and vanilla, as well as dusty leather, and was on the sweet side for a Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend. There were dark currants and coffee beans on the nose with a touch of sandalwood. Very food friendly, it was one of this season’s earliest reasonably priced discoveries from Bolgheri.
Another wine produced in the area but presented as just “Toscana IGT” is Poggio ai Ginepri of Argentiera.
Poggio ai Ginepri of Argentiera. Photo courtesy of the wine producer.
Poggio ai Ginepri is composed of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot – all vinified separately and then blended. We tasted a 2021 sample bottle and thought it was a nice young wine with defined structure and good concentration. Most of our tasters considered it approachable and ready for early drinking. It also had a remarkably clean finish.
Black fruit – mostly black plums and blackberries – is evident on the palate, as well as a touch of black cherry, sage, and cedar. A couple of the tasters reported sandalwood, which I personally did not smell.
In my opinion, it is a distinguished and noteworthy Bolgheri Rosso. It’s also quite well-priced for a Bolgheri.
We are looking for more of these exceptional libations, and we’ll let you know as soon as we find bottles worth mentioning and at an affordable price!
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will be premiering two new works at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC): Amy Hall Garner’s first work for the Company, CENTURY, and former dancer Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish’s duet, Me, Myself and You, on Mother’s Day Weekend with performances Friday, May 10 at 8pm, Saturday, May 11th at 8pm and Sunday, May 12 at 3pm.
Tickets Start at $20.00 NJPAC Prudential Hall One Center Street Newark, New Jersey 07102 www.njpac.org
The company will present these exciting premieres in a powerful new production in celebration of this year’s Max Roach Centennial, which will include such repertory favorites as Ailey’s must-see American masterpiece, Revelations.
CENTURY is a deeply personal piece inspired by Hall Garner’s grandfather on the eve of his 100th birthday. Taking a cue from his spirited essence and set to the music of Ray Charles, Count Basie, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and more, CENTURY is a celebration of life, resilience, and joy.
Me, Myself and You is a dreamlike dance about reminiscence. Set to Damien Sneed and Brandie Sutton’s rendition of “In A Sentimental Mood,” it conjures the memories of love and passion of a woman who is asking herself if she should let go or forge ahead.
New productions include the seven-minute tour-de-force, Solo, by Hans van Manen, the internationally celebrated choreographer long associated with the Dutch National Ballet, and Alonzo King’s Following the Subtle Current Upstream (2000), a non-stop piece that investigates deeply rooted affinities between Western and Eastern classical forms, elemental materials, the natural world, and the human spirit.
Described by choreographer Alonzo Kingas “a piece about how to return to joy,” Following the Subtle Current Upstream mirrors life’s boisterous waves and reminds us that everything in nature seeks to return to its source.
Also on the program are returning favorites: Survivors (1986) by Alvin Ailey and Mary Barnett, and Ailey’s signature masterpiece Revelations (1960). The former is Ailey’s impassioned tribute to the profound courage and terrible anguish of Nelson and Winnie Mandela. Max Roach’s richly varied drumming and Abbey Lincoln’s vocals set the emotional tone for this powerful work that lifts up those who resist oppression in any form.
Ending the performance is the finale, Revelations, which has been seen by more people around the world than any other modern dance work, moving audiences with its powerful storytelling and soul-stirring music and evoking timeless themes of determination, hope, and transcendence.
Springing from Ailey’s childhood memories of growing up in the south and attending services at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Texas, Revelations pays homage to the rich cultural heritage of the African American community and explores the emotional spectrum of the human condition. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased by visiting NJPAC.org, calling 888-466-5722, or by visiting the NJPAC Box Office.
Monterey Bay Aquarium is perhaps the most celebrated aquarium in the U.S. and for good reason. Not only are there rare animals and other sea life on display, but all you have to do is walk outside and look out on Monterey Bay to see an area that is teeming with life because it’s a protected sanctuary.
Inside, you’ll see rare comb jellyfish that light up in rainbow colors from within, squid, and a giant Pacific octopus. There’s a wonderful kelp forest exhibit, as well as sea otters that you could watch playing for hours without a moment of getting bored.
Take a look at my photos below from my visit to the Aquarium, and you’ll see why you need to go there the next time you’re in this part of California.
Models of whales hang from the ceiling at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Comb jellies must be the most fascinating animal on the planet. I had always wanted to see one of these animals that generates its own inner light, and I finally got my chance at Monterey Bay Aquarium. The rainbow lights moved up and down within the animals and changed colors. Truly miraculous.
Comb jellies that light up. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Watching jellyfish swim is a meditative experience. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The aquarium has several different species of jellyfish on display. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A shark swims in a kelp forest at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Photo by Melanie Votaw.After watching the happy little crab for a while, I saw the food chain in action, as this gull swooped in and turned the crab into a meal. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
It’s hard to imagine that there was no museum about the history of Broadway until late 2022, but that’s the truth. Thankfully, we now have the Museum of Broadway to commemorate the wonder of New York’s theater and located in the Times Square theater district where it belongs.
The museum has more than 1,000 costumes, artifacts, set pieces, and photos that pay tribute to 500+ productions. If you’re in New York City and love theater, this museum is a must-see.
Some of the exhibits are interactive, allowing you to put yourself in set pieces and take selfies. But I will let the photos and my captions speak for themselves.
I was thrilled to see that the museum devotes real estate to “Show Boat,” a groundbreaking musical from the 1920s. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Costumes from “Hair,” another groundbreaking and beloved musical (one of my personal favorites). Photo by Melanie Votaw.“Let the Sunshine In” from “Hair. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A neon sign paying homage to “The Wiz” with “Ease on Down the Road.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.This photo from the Broadway play, “‘Night, Mother,” starring Kathy Bates and Anne Pitoniak was especially meaningful to me because Anne was a dear friend of mine. Photo by Melanie Votaw.As a tap dancer, I also loved seeing this photo of Savion Glover from “Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.This is Bialystock’s office from “The Producers.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.And the door from “The Producers.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.Costumes from “Hamilton.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.A costume worn by the character of Satine in “Moulin Rouge.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.A model of the set of “Wicked,” one of the most successful musicals in Broadway history. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A set from “West Side Story.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.Puppets and masks from “The Lion King.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.Artifacts and the costume worn by the character of Mark in “Rent.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.Another display honoring “Rent.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.Costumes from the original Ziegfeld Follies! Photo by Melanie Votaw.Artifacts from the original Ziegfeld Follies. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A model of the set for “In the Heights.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.Costumes from “A Chorus Line. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
