RESORTS | Sweet Leisure

Category Archives: RESORTS

S’MORES / RITZ-CARLTON REYNOLDS, LAKE OCONEE

Ritzy casual. Rather remote. Rewarding for both adults and kids. Really expensive. We’re talking about the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, on Lake Oconee, near Greensboro, Georgia. Located about 85 miles from Atlanta, this unique resort mixes nature with quiet laid-back charm and abundant luxuries. Here’s the draw: THE LAKE The sparkling water of Lake Oconee, a […]

8 Perfect Places to Drink Coffee

The 8 most exciting, thrilling, totally awesome places to drink coffee.

¶ Posted 16 June 2022 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ACCOMMODATIONS § AFRICA § ARIZONA § BARGING § BEACH § BEVERAGES § CANALS § CANYON OF THE ANCIENTS NATIONAL MONUMENT § CARIBBEAN § COFFEE § COLORADO § CORTEZ § CRUISING § DRINKS § FRANCE § HIGHLANDS § HOUSEBOATING § ISLANDS § JAMAICA § LAKE MEAD § MESA VERDE § NATIONAL PARKS § NEVADA § PARIS § RECIPES § SAINT LUCIA § SCOTLAND § ZAMBIA ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: Arizona, Cafe de Flores, Cafes, Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch, COFFEE, Colorado, French Country Waterways, Horizon II, Inverlochy Castle Hotel, Jade Mountain, Jamaica, Lake Meade, Les Deux Magots, Negril, Nevada, Paris, Saint Lucia, Sunset at the Palms, Tongabezi, Zambia

BEAUTIFUL LIVING FROM CAL-A-VIE

I don’t know Terri Havens, but I am astounded by her creations. Everything that Terri touches seems imbedded in splendor. I love the georgous Cal-a-Vie Health Spa that she and her husband own in the lavender-scented hills of Southern California. I adore the spa’s majestic setting, the flowers, the French antiques, the bedrooms, the public […]

¶ Posted 18 March 2021 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ACCOMMODATIONS § BOOKS § CALIFORNIA § CHOCOLATE § COOKBOOK REVIEWS § DESSERTS § DIETS § RECIPES § SPAS § Uncategorized § VISTA § WINE ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: avocado, Beautiful Living, Cal-a-Vie, CHOCOLATE, Chocolate Mousse, health spa

KEY LIME PIE

We met in Miami when I was barely into adolescence. Despite being tender and impressionable, I fell deeply in love. Even today, much older and shamefully experienced, my desire remains passionately alive and unrelenting. Granted the object of my affection is as rich as sin and rich is a powerful aphrodisiac, but rich isn’t all. […]

¶ Posted 23 January 2021 † Susan Manlin Katzman § DESSERTS § FLORIDA § FLORIDA KEYS § ISLANDS § LITTLE PALM ISLAND § PIES § RECIPES ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: cashews, condensed milk, Florida Keys, key lime pie, key limes, Little Palm Island

3 BEST COCKTAILS FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE

I’m getting sloshed on New Year’s Eve. It’s the only way to end the terrible, horrible, no good, really bad 2020. I’m loading up on cocktails. But not just any cocktail. My cocktails must be spunky enough to chase away doom and gloom and usher in the light and bright. I’ve come up with three […]

¶ Posted 30 December 2020 † Susan Manlin Katzman § BARS § BEVERAGES § CARIBBEAN § COCKTAILS § CRUISING § DRINKS § HEADS UP TO HAPPY HOUR § MEXICO § RECIPES § RESTAURANTS § RIVIERA MAYA ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: B-Line Tour, B.B. King Blues Club, Bellisima cocktail, cocktails, Commonwealth Bistro, Covington, gin, Grand Velas Riviera Maya, Holland American Cruise Line, Kentucky, Koi Bar, Lucille, Nieuw Amsterdam, Rose of Sharon cocktail, rum

TWO BUNCH PALMS SIGNATURE COCKTAIL

Time for a Covid19 break? Time for Two Bunch Palms, an oasis resort in Southern California.

¶ Posted 20 September 2020 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ACCOMMODATIONS § CALIFORNIA § COCKTAILS § DRINKS § HEADS UP TO HAPPY HOUR § RECIPES § SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DESERTS § SPAS § TRAVEL § Uncategorized ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: cocktail, coconut cream, Colada, gin, spa, Two Bunch Palms

GRAND RESIDENCES RIVIERA CANCUN AND COCKTAILS

Lately I’ve been dreaming of Grand Residences Riviera Cancun. It’s the 5-star resort where I would love to be confined. Beautiful suites. Lovely beach. Great pool. And best of all, unmatchable food and drink. As to cocktails, here are two recipes: the resort’s Habanero Margarita and the Almond Passion. Mmmmmm!

¶ Posted 12 June 2020 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ACCOMMODATIONS § BEACH § BEVERAGES § CARIBBEAN § COCKTAILS § DESSERTS § HEADS UP TO HAPPY HOUR § MEXICO § RECIPES § RESTAURANTS § RIVIERA MAYA § TRAVEL § YUCATAN ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: Alicia Guzman, Almond Passion, cream of coconut, Grand Residences Riviera Cancun, Habanero, habanero margarita, Javier Borbolla, Javier Moreno, Mexico, Puerto Morelos, tequila, Torres 10

CHOCOLATE CHIP KISS COOKIES FROM MINDY BIANCA

Here’s Mindy Bianca’s favorite recipe: an unusual Chocolate Chip Kiss Cookie with a “surprise” center. Mindy knows food being a super knowledgeable Public Relations specialist with her own firm Mindy Bianca Public Relations (MBPR). The recipe is oh so easy to make and will wow whoever is lucky enough to be on the eating end.

¶ Posted 13 May 2020 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ALABAMA § CHOCOLATE § COOKIES § DESSERTS § GULF SHORES § JAMAICA § ORANGE BEACH § RECIPES § SCOTLAND ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: Alabama, Chocolate chip cookies, COOKIES, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Hershey, kiss cookies, MBPR, Mindy Bianca, Scotland, Sunset at the Palms

THE SPA AT GRAND VELAS RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO AND SPA RECIPES

Drum roll please. And the grandest of them all—the winner—the best of the best resort spa in all of Mexico is…ta-da…Grand Velas Riviera Maya Spa.
Not that I’ve been to all the pampering places (unfortunately, something I must correct), but have been to enough to know that this one would be really hard to beat.

¶ Posted 17 September 2019 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ACCOMMODATIONS § CANDY § CHOCOLATE § DESSERTS § MEXICO § RECIPES § RIVIERA MAYA § SPAS § TRAVEL § Uncategorized ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: Energy Bites, Grand Velas, Grand Velas Spa, Riviera Maya, Toffee, Water Ceremony

TEQUILA: 10 TIPS FOR BUYING AND DRINKING

I was lost, but now I’m found. Lost in a murky, all-is-acceptable-when-it-comes-to-drinking-tequila-sort-of-a-way. But now my cup runneth over with knowledge. I credit Javier Moreno, the charming sommelier at the Grand Residences Riviera Cancun resort (located on the Caribbean coast of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula). Javier conducted a tequila tasting seminar for a few guests of the resort and, like the resort itself, the seminar couldn’t be better.