Paper City Article

Festival del Redentore

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 04:25:07 GMT

Being in%26nbsp;Italy%26nbsp;for 3 weeks has been a great experience and a great way to relax. It ended with a 45-minute bang of fireworks over the island of%26nbsp;Venice! The Festa della Redentore is a huge party held every year in July since 1577 to celebrate the end of the plague that killed one third of Venetians. A church was built on the Giudecca Island and every year the Venetians build a %26#8220;boat%26#8221; bridge across the wide canal right up to the Church so that they can light a candle and keep the plague away. I celebrated the Festa with a group of friends that had rented a large, flat transport boat and docked it right under the fireworks%26#8230; we were ducking the ones that hit the water to the beat of the DJ on the boat tied to ours! It was so much fun and definitely the cherry that topped my time here!

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Ciao!%26nbsp;

Brooke Around the World

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:03:36 GMT

My best friend from college grew up spending her summers on Martha%26#8217;s Vineyard with her father, relishing in lobster rolls and clambakes, and watching everyone from celebrities to salty New Englanders merely relax. To honor her father%26#8217;s memory, we rented a house and vacationed on this woodsy, 23-mile stretch of isle each summer that%26#8217;s home to the communities of Edgartown, Chappaquiddick, Katama, West Tisbury, Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven, Chilmark, Menemsha, and Aquinnah. We prefer to fly direct to Boston or Providence and hop over to the island via a short, low-flying trip on Cape Air, versus a choppy ride on the ferry boats. Tear this out for your next trip:

Stay
Harbor View Hotel %26amp; Resort: Views of a lighthouse and a wraparound porch (complete with rocking chairs) make for a perfect summer respite. The NYC-based design firm Hart|Howerton is presiding over a six-year hotel renovation, with beachy decor in place and guest cottages to come.131 N. Water St., Edgartown, 508.627.7000; harbor-view.com.
Winnetu Oceanside Resort: Eleven acres house studio rooms, suites and private cottages on Edgartown%26#8217;s South Beach. Tennis, basketball, putting greens and heated pools cater to the more adventurous type. 31 Dunes Road, Edgartown, 508.310.1733; winnetu.com.
Harborside Realty: If you%26#8217;re looking for more privacy, scour Harborside Realty%26#8217;s enormous rental-home database for the perfect dwelling, and remember to seek out private beach access. 256 Edgartown Road, Edgartown, 800.537.3721; harborsiderealtymv.com.

Dine
Atria: Chef Christian Thornton fills his menu with locally grown fare, such as poached island lobster with mascarpone gnocchi and seared foie gras, at one of the finest dining establishments on the island. 137 Main St., Edgartown, 508.627.5850; atriamv.com.
Larsen's Fish Market: The Larsen family has steamed lobsters to order, serving them with oysters, steamers, littlenecks clams, mussels and chowder since 1969. Place a to-go dinner order for sunset-watching at Menemsha beach. 56 Basin Road, Menemsha, 508.645.2680.
The Black Dog Tavern: Famous for its iconic T-shirts, but even more famous for its Sunday brunch %26#8212; I can%26#8217;t leave the island without delving into a Scooby Snack of English muffins, sliced tomatoes, poached eggs and white cheddar. 21 Beach St., Vineyard Haven, 508.693.9223; theblackdog.com.
PJ%26#8217;s Caf%26#233; and Catering: It took us four years to discover PJ%26#8217;s, a hush-hush favorite for gourmet sandwiches. While not the most attractive shop, it%26#8217;s packed with locals and provides a nice break from our daily $50-per-person lunch tab. Order the Scissor. 258 Upper Main St., Edgartown, 508.627.4558.

Shop
Midnight Farm: A mishmash of all things delightful for your home, closet and body. Find everything from bedding from India to vermeil cuffs by Chan Luu and CDs by Carly Simon (she%26#8217;s an owner). 18 Water-Cromwell Lane, Vineyard Haven, 508.693.1997; midnightfarm.net.
Katydid: The best selection of Roberta Roller Rabbit beach tunics, sarongs and blankets on the island. 38 Main St., Edgartown, 508.627.1232.
The Field Gallery: Three galleries of contemporary art plus a sculpture garden, photography and jewelry by local and national artists. 1050 State Road, West Tisbury, 508.693.5595; fieldgallery.com.

Don%26#8217;t Miss
Renting a Bike: Book a hybrid bicycle weeks in advance of your trip %26#8212; you%26#8217;ll be surprised how much of your vacation will be spent behind handlebars. Edgartown Bike Rentals, 1 Main St., Edgartown, 800.627.2763; edgartownbikerentals.com.
Biplane Flights at Katama Airfield: Strap on a leather flight cap and goggles, and climb into daredevil pilot Mike Creato%26#8217;s vintage biplane. Take off on a grass runway, fly over Meg Ryan%26#8217;s estate and happily scream over his aviation tricks %26#8212; think barrel rolls and flips over the ocean %26#8212; if you pay extra for those. We always do. Katama Airfield, Edgartown, 508.627.7677; biplanemv.com.

The sunset at Menemsha Public Beach: I suggest a 6 pm arrival (it gets crowded!). Bring a cooler of champagne and wine, pick up dinner from Larsen%26#8217;s Fish Market and applaud the spectacular sunset as it drops into the ocean from the best point on the island. Don%26#8217;t forget your camera. Brooke Hortenstine

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Brooke Around the World

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:10:11 GMT

One of my last wishes before Baby Hortenstine gets here in June was a dining escape to my favorite Creole- and French-rich city that brims with classic restaurants, antique shops and enchanting architecture. Pals Piper Wyatt, Suzanne Droese, Todd Fiscus and I entrenched ourselves at the Ritz-Carlton for a weekend of hitting a mile-long list of my beloved foodie establishments. Although I can%26#8217;t divulge all that was said and seen on our epicurean adventure %26#8212; it is New Orleans, after all %26#8212; I will fill you in on my must-dos in the moody and magical Crescent City. Tear this out for your next trip:

Stay
The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, 921 Canal St., 504.524.1331; ritzcarlton.com. Boasts one of the most peaceful courtyards in the city.
Loews New Orleans Hotel, 300 Poydras St., 504.595.3300; loewshotels.com.
Windsor Court Hotel, 300 Gravier St., 504.523.6000; windsorcourthotel.com.
Soniat House, 1133 Chartres St., 504.522.0570; soniathouse.com.

Dine
Galatoire%26#8217;s, 209 Bourbon St., 504.525.2021; galatoires.com. Ask to sit at one of waiter Billy%26#8217;s tables during Friday lunch, and start with the Galatoire%26#8217;s Gout%26#233; and the potato souff%26#233;.
Clancy%26#8217;s, 6100 Annunciation St., 504.895.1111. Don%26#8217;t miss the fried oysters and brie.
Herbsaint, 701 Saint Charles Ave., 504.524.4114; herbsaint.com. The gumbo of the day here has yet to disappoint.
For down %26#8216;n dirty po-boys and burgers, venture out of your comfort zone to Crabby Jack%26#8217;s on Jefferson Highway, Mother%26#8217;s on Poydras Street, Port of Call on Esplanade Avenue or Domilise%26#8217;s Po-Boys on Annunciation Street.

Shop
Leontine Linens, 3806 Magazine St., 504.899.7833; leontinelinens.com. The home base of fine linens and even finer monograms from proprietress Jane Scott Hodges.
Nadine Blake, 1036 Royal St., 504.529.4913; nadineblake.com. We stocked up on Blake%26#8217;s paper goods from local gal Alexa Pulitzer and even found a copy of PaperCity%26#8217;s own interiors book, Domestic Art: Curated Interiors, tucked in her bookshelves.
Ann Koerner Antiques, 4021 Magazine St., 504.899.2664; annkoerner.com. A favorite haunt of Fiscus%26#8217; interior-designing partner Rob Dailey%26#8217;s.
Tara Shaw, 1240 Camp St., 504.525.1131; tarashaw.com. French, Italian and Swedish antiques that are to the trade only.

Do
%26#8226; Spend the afternoon on the front porch of The Columns Hotel in the upper Garden District drinking Sazeracs.
%26#8226; Visit contemporary art galleries such as S%26#248;ren Christensen and Heriad-Cimino Gallery, lining Julia Street in the Arts/Warehouse District.
%26#8226; Sip on a Pimm%26#8217;s Cup at Napoleon House, established in 1797 in the French Quarter.
%26#8226; Wander through the Ogden Museum of Southern Art to see large-scale pieces by Texas%26#8217; David Bates.

%26#8226; Drop in on all the antique and design shops you can handle on Magazine Street in Uptown.

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