Table for 1: Dining Solo in Mexico

The waiters walk past you, glancing slightly and then continuing on to the next table. They ignore you, but not consciously or even maliciously – they think you’re waiting for your guest. The other people around me are being served coffee and juice, some have bread baskets and other tables are dining on hot eggs and omelettes. “They” are a couple, I am at a table for one.

I watch the room and trace the pattern of the waiters going from table to table, and I’m getting a little annoyed as I wait for someone to come over. The woman who seated me at the restaurant knows I’m only one person – she seated me for one person – surely, she told the other people I was only one person. Then I realize: I’m sitting at a table for one waiting for something to happen. Why? I don’t wait when it comes to my career, why am I waiting to be served eggs?

Now would be the most appropriate time to transition the story into the metaphor the eggs symbolize – being single, and ‘unfertilized’ – but that’s too cliche for me. In fact, the point isn’t about the missing huevos rancheros, or the fact that Mr. Huevo hasn’t galloped down my street to whisk me away to his ranchero. The point is, as single women, unconsciously we wait, but for what?

Beach dining

Sitting alone at Cocotal (one of the resort’s restaurants open for breakfast) I’m admittedly a little teary – maybe it’s because I feel like the cubic zirconia in a sea of diamond rings, or maybe it’s because I’ve been awake for almost two hours without caffeine. Whatever the case, my patience has ended and my single-woman-superhero-psycho-independence is taking over. I’m done waiting.

I stood up, walked over to the waiters station and poured myself cup of hot coffee. I asked one of the servers to place an order of huevos rancheros and, just for added effect, I took the pot of coffee and gracefully walked back to my table for one.

Diary of a Travel Writer: Packing for Mexico

Here’s another good thing about traveling solo: when you travel, you only have to pack for one. That means no one’s last-minute travel items in your carry-on, no dirty laundry bags for two, no extra pairs of shoes taking up valuable space in your luggage.

I leave for Riveria Maya, Mexico, in two days to check out the Karisma El Dorado Royale. I am usually a last-minute packer – always have been. I’ll pack the night before, but lately, I’ve put off the packing until the morning of (which makes for a very long day when I’m on the 6 a.m. flight out of Boston). Thanks to a packed schedule this week, I have tonight free and I’ve labeled it: Packing night. What to bring?

Mexico, here I come!

Aside from the obvious clothes and toiletries, when traveling solo there are a few must-haves:

• One pair of evening shoes
• One nice ‘going-out’ outfit
• One ‘morning after’ survival kit: gel eye mask, foot lotion, lavender-scented sachet

For this particular trip, packing clothes is a bit easier. It’s fall-almost-winter in Boston, and it’s hot in Mexico. Bulky sweaters and jackets make room for sarongs and tank tops. Throw in a pair of flip-flops, bathing suit, one pair of jeans, a few ‘nice’ shirts and the essential wrap and you’re good to go.

Don’t forget the essentials for any trip:

• Passport/ID
• Adapters/converters, if you’re traveling internationally
• Printed itineraries for pre-planned tours, hotel reservations, car hires, etc.
• Medicine bag (Ibuprofen, Benadryl, Band-Aids, hand sanitizer, requisite feminine items)

The beauty of packing for this trip: Room to spare! We might not leave the resort, but if there’s shopping to be had there’s space left in the luggage to bring it home!

Follow me on Twitter (@chic_travel) for my up-to-the-minute posts from Mexico.

Viva Mexico!

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24 Hours…in Martha’s Vineyard

Edgartown Lighthouse, Martha's Vineyard

There are few things as pleasant as Martha’s Vineyard in the off-season. Rain boots, sweatshirts and fall hats serve a purpose that only a true New Englander can appreciate.

Gone are the tank tops and flip-flops, and in their place are fleece cover-ups and cotton scarves.

New to the off-season is the Martha’s Vineyard Food & Wine festival, which is now in its third year. The ferry left at 6:15 pm Friday night and just made it — there was a storm coming in and the seas were getting rough. We arrived in Vineyard Haven 45 minutes later and made our way to Edgartown. Navigating Martha’s Vineyard in the dark isn’t easy, but thankfully, the rain had held off long enough for us to reach the Harbor View Hotel.

The hotel is perfectly placed on the harbor with amazing views of the Edgartown Lighthouse. The wrap-around porch is welcoming with bright blue rocking chairs and an inviting restaurant. Each room is decorated in blue and brown tones and my favorite part: instead of bottled water in the room, the hotel provides its guests with water bottles (free of charge) to fill up on their way in and out for the day. A great green effort!

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Rain Boots & Hunter Hats

If there’s one thing I really enjoy about traveling, it’s spending the quality time with my friends while on the road. More often than not I get the typical, ‘rough life’ response from people when they learn I’m a travel writer, but those who have traveled with me know that it’s not always the glamorous lifestyle portrayed in movies and books. Still, I’m not complaining – I have a great job and I love every day of it.

My friend Kate joined me on the recent trip to Martha’s Vineyard. She’s traveled with me before and knows the ropes of the biz — do your thing, I’ll do mine and we’ll meet up for drinks. It’s always a bit of an adventure when we travel though, and this trip to Martha’s Vineyard was no exception. We were heading to an island as a Nor’Easter was approaching.
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24 Hours…in Miami

Room service, Mandarin Oriental Miami

Yin. Yang. Up. Down. Breathe in. Breathe out. Relax. Repeat.

That was the instruction from my spa therapist at the Mandarin Oriental Miami’s spa during my Mandarin Oriental Signature Spa Treatment (MOSST). I needed a quick getaway alone – away from the laundry, the dirty dishes, the emails, the dust bunnies… I grabbed a cheap flight on JetBlue and headed to Miami. A good night’s sleep, warm bath and one spa treatment later and I was a new woman.

My Saturday in Miami started with a cup of coffee on the balcony of Room 816 at the Mandarin. I highly recommend this hotel to travelers – the price is right and every room has a balcony or terrace, making it an ideal Miami getaway. My spa appointment wasn’t until 11 a.m., but the request you arrive an hour early to check-in, fill out forms and enjoy the relaxation room before your treatment. With two hours to spare, I opted for a run along Brickell Key to start to day. Continue Reading…

Beyond the Boudoir: Hotel Rooftop Bars

My new favorite thing about hotels: rooftop bars. On a recent trip to New York City, I happened to stay at two different hotels, each with a rooftop bar. This wasn’t a requirement for my booking, but it was a nice amenity to my stay.

Rooftop bars have grown up over the years. Plastic chairs and table covers have been replaced with cushioned-lounge chairs and clear plastic tables. Twinkle lights and flowing drapes provide the ambiance for the evening. In New York City, the rooftop bars provide some of the best views of Manhattan (hint: skip the line at the Empire State Building and head to a rooftop bar for a cocktail and the same views).

What I love most about these rooftop bars is the design – they are inviting, enticing and alluring, and posses a certain boudoir-style that not only makes you feel comfortable, but also a little sexy.

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