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Carmel Valley Summer Escape

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Summer chills in San Francisco prompted us to take a last minute trip down to one of our favorite local destinations, Carmel Valley. We booked a room at the Bernardus Lodge & Spa for a few nights, packed up Tasha (our beloved Borzoi) and hit the road south for a long weekend escape.  Having stayed in many spots throughout Carmel and Carmel Valley, as soon as we pulled up, I knew I would love this place. It’s located in the hills, nestled up next to Garland National Park and right down the road from downtown Carmel Valley (wineries!). You’re right in the heart of all sorts of activities and don’t have to go far to do everything from horseback riding, wine tasting, great eats, cute farms, and the beach. The resort’s natural splendor and beautiful rustic feel are coupled with glistening chandeliers sprinkled throughout the property. The lobby was filled with fresh cut flowers, serene and fabulous at the same time. We grabbed a glass of the signature Bernardus wine and headed to our suite.

After a short walk through the property, passing croquet and bocce courts, we arrived at our room. It was tastefully decorated, a bit of rustic and a good dose of glam country. Our porch looked out onto the Santa Lucia mountains with breathtaking views – we were instantly transported thousands of miles away from home and were ready to move in.

On the first night, we had dinner reservations at the restaurant in the Bernardus, Lucia. I do love to get out when traveling, but did hear from several people that it was incredible so of course we had to give it a try. Having perused through the “Edible Monterey” magazine in our room, which showcased Lucia and its chef, I was even more excited to try the dishes on the menu… only local and seasonal ingredients of course, much from Bernardus’ own garden.  We walked into the serene, tastefully done dining room, and noticed the upscale feel immediately. Looking through the menu once we were seated, my eyes were drawn to the local asparagus with burrata and balsamic! It was incredible and tasted very fresh. So simple, yet filled with wonderful flavors. We also ordered a delicious mushroom soup. Not too creamy, and you could really taste the fresh mushrooms. Halibut and scallops with ricotta ravioli were also winners followed by a meyer lemon semifreddo (sadly not pictured).  We had such a wonderful dining experience at Lucia that on our way out, we made another reservation for the following night – we simply had to come back and eat our way through the rest of the menu!

In the morning we woke and took a family jog (yes, Tasha came along) down to Garland National Park. The entrance was only one mile from the resort so it was very easy to get to by foot. After a lovely breakfast and quick shower, we then head back out for more hiking through the hills of Carmel Valley before the heat set in. With so many trails, you would really spend all day there, but we didn’t want to overdo it and headed back to Bernardus to lay poolside for a bit. We’re always up for a mid-afternoon swim, and at Bernardus you really do want to take advantage of the facilities.

Although it wasn’t our first time in Carmel Valley, we had never been wine tasting in the area. We set out first to Bernardus’ own tasting room to learn more about their wines and the area. Being such a dog friendly area, even more so than SF if you can believe it, Tasha was welcomed into the tasting room and definitely fit it in like a local. The wine was great, and so were the chocolate covered cashews and coffee beans we snacked on. We met some locals and think we now have some new friends for when we come back!

Our next spot was Cowgirl winery, which was recommended to us not only by Bernardus, but one of our friends. It was such a quaint spot and we loved it! We perused the cute shop and looked through all sorts of local finds, and made our way outside to the picnic benches and enjoyed a flight of wine. Chickens were running all over – it was the best!! Tasha didn’t mind, I think she liked them frolicking around (or was thinking of snacks…). Lawn games were strewn about and everyone was enjoying the California sun. I loved the local and low key feel of just being in Carmel Valley.

We then returned to Bernardus for dinner number two at Lucia. We changed up our order this time, getting a vegetarian curry, and foie gras burger!!! So wonderfully rich, with flavors that were completely on point. And of course, we had to end the night with their chocolate dessert – yum!

The following morning we enjoyed a yoga session out by the pool before breakfast. The instructor was wonderful and very talkative, which helped us get an even better understanding of the area. We had a lovely morning enjoying the facilities of Bernardus before we checked out and hit the road, knowing we would return again someday soon. Bernardus was more than we had expected and will now be our go-to Carmel Valley destination in the future.

On our way back to San Francisco, we weren’t quite ready to rush right back into city life just yet, so we made a detour off the coast. We stopped by Swanton, an organic berry farm located in Davenport. Being very familiar with their produce and jams from shopping with them at the San Francisco Ferry Building Farmer’s Market, we were excited to check out the farm and do a little berry picking ourselves!!! We loved it; it was such a fun experience with a great take home gift. Can’t go wrong when strawberry season is in full bloom!

Day 10 & 11: Philippines

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We had the next few days for leisure, which came at the perfect time. Sailing, snorkeling, and so many other activities are offered at Amanpulo but we decided to not be as adventurous at this time around (besides Nick sailing around in the Laser boat), and the spa had our names all over it! We really enjoyed the next few days and could have definitely stayed just one more night. Pictures of our little paradise below!

Day 9: Philippines, Pamalican Island

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Monday, March 14th, 2016

After our royal send off, we were off to the Philippines. Our jet landed in Manila where we then took an Aman plane to Amanpulo, a tropical paradise island with a circumference around 6km. We were immediately greeted by cerulean skies and turquoise waters, a private retreat to recharge after the bustle of Luang Prabaung and Siem Reap. We were looking forward to doing a whole lot of nothing.

Checking into our beach casita, we were ready to move in. With views of the ocean and surrounding islands, we knew where we would be spending most our time these next few days. Also being assigned our own golf cart and bikes to patrol around the island, we were free to do as we pleased on our own time, island time.

Walking out onto the beach that night we enjoyed cocktails and a beautiful dinner as the sun set. We feasted on fresh fish, prawns, lobster, short ribs, and an assortment of salads. It was excellent.

 

Day 8: Cambodia

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Sunday afternoon, March 13th, 2016

Arriving back at the airport, we then boarded not our jet, but helicopters! I was a little nervous, but it was so much fun and a great way to see some of the more hard to get to temples (30 minute flight vs 3 hour drive!). Our flight path included views of a temple complex that was once the center of a large city, a waterfall, mountainous ruins, and various temples, even the temple we had dinner at the night before! Landing in the fields of a small village, it’s astonishing to find out that just a few years before, this area was filled with landmines. With the horrific recent history surrounding the Vietnam War, beyond the temples and ruins, visiting Cambodia is quite an emotional experience learning all that the people have gone through in the 1970’s and after. Everyone local we came across had some kind of story that they or their family endured during this time.

On a quite walk to Koh Ker, this temple was unlike any of the others we had seen yet as it was more of a step pyramid structure, with stairs that ran all the way up to the top. Our guide told us the reason for the steep steps up to the top is they are thought to be the “stairway to heaven”. Despite the heat (probably 95*F) we ran up to the top to catch views of the surrounding smaller temples that are now in ruins. It was hot, but we embraced it!

Before hopping back in the helicopter we visited one more temple in the area that the people would come to for fertility blessings. After our adventurous afternoon we made it back to Amansara for a light bite, swimming, and rest.

That night we ventured into Siem Reap for local Khmer food at Chanrey Tree, before headed to “Phare Ponleu Selepak”, a circus show of the people. It was a good night with a lot of fun where others in our Remote Lands group joined.

Day 6: Cambodia

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Friday, March 11th, 2016

The next leg of our trip was to Siem Reap, otherwise known as the cultural capital, filled with incredible landscape and temples. Upon our arrival at the airport, we were picked up by Amansara’s fleet of vintage, classic 1960s Mercedes.

Amansara is at the threshold of Angkor Archaeological Park, containing the vast ruins of the largest pre-industrial urban settlement on Earth. The Amansara is the former guesthouse of King Sihanouk, so it has the charm and intimacy of a private home and is filled with jasmine flowers everywhere. The smell permeates the entire atmosphere, and is absolutely splendid. The Amansara was opened in 2002, keeping as much of it as it once was, but with the modern comforts and updates of Aman. Back in the 60s this is where Jacqueline Kennedy would stay, so it has always been the most fabulous place in Siem Reap, and I’m sure Angelina Jolie would agree. We had a beautiful room, with a great layout and highly attractive design, and fish pond and our own private pool.

With a few hours of afternoon left, we grabbed our remork (Cambodian tuk tuk) driver and hit the downtown. We buzzed around and saw local crafts being made. It was impressive to see all of the stone carvings being made by hand.

Stopping off in Kandal Village, we went through many great shops. It appears that this is the upsale shopping district in the old French quarter where many expats have opened up businesses. We especially liked the Little Red Fox Espresso (I had a lemongrass-ginger iced coffee which was the BEST ever!), but when the power blew out in this area (and probably many other areas) of Siem Reap due to excessive heat (we arrived during a heat wave) and also infrastructure upgrade projects, we bolted back to the Amansara to enjoy the pool and some air con.

After freshening up we were out that night for a party that was hosted by a haute couture Malagasy designer, Eric Raisina. We had a lot of fun, met many ex-pats who were friends with Catherine and our other local Aman friend, Sally, and it also included a fashion show! Nick and I both left with some pieces as a nice souvenir and headed back to the Amansara for a nice dinner.

Day 5: Laos

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Thursday, March 10, 2016

We rose early and met up with our guide to see more of Luang Prabang. We started at the morning market which was mostly vegetables and meat – with a lot of live animals as well!!  Ducks, chickens, frogs, snails, moles, and raccoons were just some of what we saw!! Even a small owl!

From there we visited the Royal Palace, built in 1904 by the 42nd king of Laos.  When the monarchy was evicted from the country, the new government converted the palace into a museum, and in it were housed many artifacts from the royalty, including thrones, garments, furniture, accessories, and a garage filled with old heritage cars (including a Citroen, Edsel, Lincolns, and a Toyota FJ). Unfortunately no photography was allowed.  After the palace, we hiked up 328 steps to the top of Wat Phousi Hill, which is what it sounds like, a temple on the top of a hill. The views all across Luang Prabang were magnificent! We then hiked down and did some shopping in the boutiques on the way back to Amantaka. Including walking across a bridge made of bamboo! Scary thing to know, this gets washed away and rebuilt each monsoon season!

At 1:00pm we then boarded a river boat for a cruise along the river to the Pa Ou Caves. It was a relaxing 2 hour excursion upstream and we also stopped off at a small nearby village where we tried the local whiskey – $#^&*@! (our reaction to it). Women were weaving beautiful tapestries, something Laos is known for. Once we climbed into the caves, we were overwhelmed by the thousands of statues of Buddha! Because an image of the Buddha cannot be destroyed, for hundreds of years Laos’ damaged Buddhas have been sent to these caves, so these caves held these centuries of retired Buddhas!

That evening we ventured out of the hotel and found a great restaurant with proper Lao cuisine, which surprisingly, are hard to find. There is a strong French influence in Luang Prabang – baguettes and pastries are excellent here – but the local food isn’t as popular with tourists. Tamarind, the restaurant we went to was opened to help showcase Lao food and also has a cooking school! Our server was excellent and helped us to order a good spread of food, and even taught us the best way to eat – with your hands. I loved it! Sticky rice is used to scoop up your food and is used in place of utensils. Thai cuisine would be the most similar, but some main differences would be the sticky rice found in Laos, and dishes that are not as brothy but instead thicker so that you can use the rice to scoop up the food. Chopsticks are only used for noodle dishes, which generally aren’t as popular in Laos.

After dinner we walked back to Amantaka, stopping at the night market to see all of the trinkets the locals were selling.

On our last morning, we woke early and got out onto the streets where just the night before we had been for the night market.  At the crack of dawn was the alms giving to the monks of Luang Prabang, who in their rich saffron-colored robes and number in the hundreds, make their way through the city on this centuries-old ritual.  The procession of monks passed by quickly, stopping at each of the kneeling alms-givers to put a dollop of sticky rice into their bowls.  All of this was done in silence, interrupted only by the noises of several tourists…  Now, for the most part, tourists were well-behaved.  However, there were several exceptions to this, with certain individuals elbowing their way in and being generally obnoxious.  If you’re going to watch, watch from a distance (bring a zoom lens), and don’t be disrespectful to the monks.  Nevertheless, this was a highly moving experience to watch a ritual that has such a deep, rich history.

Day 3: Vietnam

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March 8th, 2016

We woke at the crack of dawn so that we could trek up one of the hillsides and watch the sunrise over the ocean. It was a good morning hike where we broke a sweat and had some amazing views over Vietnam. Once we made our way back down, stopping at a nearby cove, we went straight to yoga to get our zen on.

That afternoon we kayaked across the inlet to a floating restaurant. The fishermen bring their catch to this locals only spot and we are able to point and pick out what we want to eat, which was basically everything! It was very good and we left very full!

From there we kayaked into the village. After walking around a bit we were invited into one local womens home for tea and snacks.

Later that evening was some traditional Vietnamese dancing which was organized at the hotel for our last night.

Days 1&2: Vietnam

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March 6th + 7th, 2016

Dubai quickly came to an end when we woke up in Bangkok to begin the rest of our trip. I would not recommend taking a red eye, especially when your days and hours are all mixed up from international travel – however we had to maximize the time we had. We were shuttled off to the private jet terminal where we would meet the rest of our group to travel throughout Southeast Asia. There are 16 of us total (8 couples: 4 from the States, 2 from Europe, 4 friends from China) along with our guide and founder of the travel group (Remote Lands – who also did our Honeymoon to the Maldives!) Catherine. The itinerary is 15 days of touring Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Philippines, and Tokyo by means of private jet (Gulfstream G200). We will be traveling to Aman properties in each country, so it really is a special itinerary.

With lots of time to play who’s who in the lounge before take off, it looks to be a great group of very friendly couples who love to travel. As we split up between the two jets, we were able to chat more with some of the couples on the 1.5 hour flight over to Vietnam, with lots of Champagne – of course! Finally arriving at our first property, the Amanoi in Vĩnh Hy, Vietnam, we knew we had arrived at paradise. The property was very zen-like, with an emphasis on wellness and relaxation. Our room was spectacular and setup just how I like it – very open with 360° views to the outside, very open walls.

We then made our way to the restaurant, which had magnificent views out to the ocean, for some traditional tea and snacks (Vietnamese green tea, Vietnamese rice pancakes, VERY fresh fruit… and cream puffs – Nick’s favorite). Having some time to kill before dinner we wandered over to the spa for a great couples massage.

 

For our first night, there was a welcome cocktails and dinner out at the Cliff Pool, a great infinity pool that overlooks the sea. It was a beautiful location, tasty food was served, and the lights of the fishing boats lit up the ocean. The food kept coming and drinks were flowing – it was a wonderful night and a great way to start off our trip and gave a taste of what Vietnam has to offer!

Waking up on Monday, we enjoyed yoga with some of the other guests before breakfast and then a day at the beach. Nick went out on the Hobie Cat a few times, we snorkeled, tried stand up paddle boarding (for the first time!), and did lots of swimming. What a great day!

Once the sun set, we headed down to the beach where a BBQ was set up for dinner. The location of where we are staying in is a National Park that is right next to a fishing village, meaning all of the seafood we had was fresh caught and so good!! At about 4:00pm we can see all of the boats heading out to throw their nets and catch all the fish they can before sunrise.