Laurie's light travel travel tips

I'm a sucker for romance, especially when the press release includes some of my favorite destinations. By far, Rome remains the most memorable city I have ever visited, for several unromantic reasons -- the ruins, the lasagne, the language among them. I had not thought of romance because I went there alone, but that is a kind of romance, sì ? HotelwithTub (great name) crunched the numbers and shares its top 50 cities for the newly married. (In my view, these "honeymoon" destinations also double as great spots for singles, but then I'm biased.) Here are the key findings: 1. Rome is the Most Romantic Destination in 2026 With 1,613 swoonworthy restaurants and 1,328 romantic hotels, the Eternal City earns the highest Romantic Score (66) and stands as the world’s most romantic destination in 2026. 2. London Leads Global Date-Night Culture With 2,173 romantic restaurants and more than 12,800 romance-related hashtags, Blighty achieves a Romantic Score of 63, ranks #...

One of my favorite hotels, Windsor Court in New Orleans , will be celebrating February 14 at its Grill Room with a special menu that includes champagne cocktails. The Grill Room Chef de Cuisine, Gabriel Charpentier, will whip up three menus with three price points and optional wine pairings, according to a press release I received this week. The meals "were inspired by foods traditionally considered aphrodisiacs. The multi-course theme includes five, seven and nine course options, which are paired with wines from Napa Valley, New Zealand and France, among others. Complimentary roses will also be offered to the ladies." Sign me up. Windsor Court is already romantic. Even if you're visiting alone, with family, or friends, the hotel's old world classic charm will make you feel like you're in a silent movie. Or perhaps starring in a mysterious novel set in the 1940's. Highlights of the Valentine’s Day menu with liquor and wine selections include: Gulf Oys...

Hard to believe another year is upon us, but then, I am quite sure I said this Dec. 28, 2012 as well. This past year, the talk was full of Miley Cyrus, Edward Snowden, Obamacare, the Boston bombings, "BreakingBad" and a spate of states sanctioning gay marriage. Hopefully for you, it was also full of exciting and memorable travel; but if you are like many cash-strapped Americans, 2013 was a tight year. So let's look ahead to a more prosperous 2014. Grab your passport, suntan oil, GPS and favorite traveling companion and get your booking digits ready. Herewith, five of the top ten treks for 2014: For techies: While technology is being manufactured from Japan to Chicago, California's infamous Silicon Valley is still the gold standard when it comes to all things geeky. Whether you'd like to visit Google's headquarters in Mountain View or the Apple Campus in Cupertino, SV lives up to the hype. (Note: it's not really a valley.) For...