Krisha

Imagine this: There is a great big, blue hole in the middle of the water off the coast of Belize. If you’re a diver, you know I’m talking about the place Jacques Cousteau once called the best scuba site on earth. It sounds counter intuitive: A deep, dark blue void in the middle of endless turquoise water. But the reality is that it was forged out of solid rock caverns thousands of years ago during the last ice age. Over time, water filtered through the rock and into great stone cathedrals, creating an underwater maze of mysterious spires. From above, the great blue hole is circular in shape – as if the ocean itself had an open eye.
If you go to Belize, you must see this for yourself. Everyone will ask if you’re been there. Boat excursions from the popular tourist destinations of Amergris Caye or Belize City leave daily with adventurers on board eager to discover this World Heritage Site also named the number one most amazing place by Discovery Channel.
Of course, there is plenty to do on dry land in Belize as well. From Belize City, take a quick flight on Maya Island Air to San Pedro, made famous in the Madonna song, “La Isla Bonita”. You can tour the island which is a web of unfinished streets and beaches. From Captain Morgan’s Resort, where we stayed, no cars could make it into town so you have to rent a water taxi or golf cart and hold on to your hat as the driver jumps the pot holes and flies over rickety bridges where crocodiles lie below.
If you like nightlife, everyone seems to start at Fido’s for live music and ends up at Jaguar’s night club. But skip the late night tourist trap and instead take a Jaguar paw cave tube ride through the ancient Mayan Nahoch che’en cave system and float by ghostly stalactites and stalagmites. If history is on your radar, leave the island and travel a short way to western Belize to the Guatemalan border. Here you’ll witness Xunantunich (meaning “Stone Woman”), the ancient Mayan ruins. Dating back to 800 AD, the site is divided into four sections with the “El Castillo” pyramid being the largest structure – once used as a Maya civil ceremony center.
All these sites are food for the imagination, but nothing trumps the great blue hole. I’m no diver, but I’m definitely not one to miss a “must-do” activity. Snorkelers are welcome so I jumped on board and hitched a boat ride out to the ocean to see what all the chatter was about. Peering into the rich sapphire water, I could only imagine what life lay beneath. The great blue hole – about 1,000 feet wide and 400 deep – is home to rare species of colorful fish and larger Caribbean reef and bull sharks. I gingerly got into the water; the captain warned me that the elevation could drop from a few to hundreds of feet deep in just a few steps. When you’re in the water, suddenly it seems as if the world has gone silent; your body relaxes and everything feels serene and calm.
But dunking your head in the water and taking a look through a snorkel mask reveals a much different pace of life. Fish of all colors and sizes jockey for position in the unmarked lanes of current; dodging and darting around each other in the underwater traffic. No fish seems to look the same. I watch a rainbow parrot fish sail past a group of striped black and white. Suddenly, I see a dark, long shadow about 50 feet in front of me. Is it a shark? I don’t wait to find out. I jerk my head up and reach for the captain’s arm to pull me out of the water. It might be a blue hole full or wonder and life under the surface to see, but sometimes it’s better to stick to your imagination.

Originally published in NRV Magazine

Often the site of an unforgettable bachelor or bachelorette event, Las Vegas has long held the reputation for ‘round-the-clock partying. From gambling to good food, casinos to clubs, shows to shopping – whatever your pleasure – you can find an abundance of it in Sin City.

But away from all the glitz and glamour, Vegas has a less scandalous soul. This international entertainment capital boasts more artists per capita than New York City and hosts an active arts and entrepreneurial culture. Near the Freemont Street Experience, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh has pumped $350 million in his Downtown Project to redevelop abandoned casinos into hip lounges and parks that hold start-up meetings and live music.

Still, the best reason to come to Vegas is for a party. And one of the biggest celebrations in Las Vegas is Chinese New Year. Called the Spring Festival in China, this year’s lunar festival welcomed the year of the Wooden Horse. The Chinese believe that during the Year of the Horse, success and victories arrive like a stampede – fast and furious. Energy is high, so in that respect, Vegas is the perfect place to usher in the New Year.

Practically every major hotel on the strip will offer the opportunity to see the dynamic and colorful lion dance. This dance is performed to frighten away evil spirits. According to legend, a mythical beast called Nian (meaning “year” in Chinese) would attack the villagers at the same time every year in China. In order to ward off this creature, the villagers created a false lion out of cloth and bamboo to scare Nian away. Check out the lion dance performances at the Aria, MGM and Bellagio.

The most impressive Chinese New Year display, however, is found at the Bellagio’s Conservatory and Botanical Garden with an open atrium layout lined with fresh, hand-cut carnations. The highlight is the mountain of seven life-size horses charging around a magnificent gold stallion at the peak. Throw a coin in the ding-pots and make a wish in front of the towering lucky tree dripping with hundreds of “I-Ching” coins for good fortune. Visit in the evening for live music under the pagoda, and don’t miss the framed carnation canvas in the back of the room on an easel with the Chinese “Fu” symbol for luck and blessings.

Finally, you can’t celebrate the Chinese New Year without a trip to Chinatown Plaza on Spring Mountain Road and the Freemont Street Experience in Downtown Las Vegas. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Las Vegas organizes its largest New Year celebration at both locations complete with an Asian food festival highlighting authentic fare from more than 10 countries. While you’re on Freemont Street, make sure you look up. Half the show is projected above on the LED canopy 90 feet high and 1,500 feet long. As the images gallop over you, the lights go down, and the crowd goes wild like the horses representing the Chinese New Year. That’s when you know you’re in the right place for an unforgettable party.

Originally published in NRV Magazine

You don’t need a passport or have to worry about clearing customs if Napa is your destination. Traveling through the Valley feels almost like you’ve been transported to another land in another time. It may not be another continent, but it is another country: wine country.

During a week touring San Francisco with my long-time friend, we were introduced to the local hot spots and hangouts, including a weekly food truck eatery experience called “Off the Grid”. Then my husband and I headed over the Golden Gate Bridge and around San Pablo Bay to Highway 29. Instantly, we were out of the silver and steel structures of the city and into a lush land of open fields colored by earthy green and golden tones.

Our first stop was the Napa Valley Wine Train. I initially thought that the train was a hop on – hop off ride, allowing passengers to enjoy tastings along the way. But it is really a slow chug on a route parallel to the main Napa Valley drag of Highway 29, showcasing many of the hundreds of wineries. You can take the train up and back, enjoying a four-course gourmet lunch and tastings in the dining rail car. Or you can book the option to get off at one winery and catch the train on the way back. We decided on a third option and enjoyed the train one-way with a wine tasting and tour of a castle winery at the end.

In our Vista Dome car, built with a 180-degree Napa Valley view under antique dome windows, we had a lovely lunch paired with Domaine Chandon sparkling wine. We passed big, corporate wineries with spectacular entrances like Opus One and the ubiquitous Robert Mondavi. We saw celebrity-owned vineyards with ostentatious gated entrances like Inglenook, owned by the Coppala family, which used its own memorabilia to decorate inside. Our server and very knowledgeable oenophile, Kelly, is the great-granddaughter of the founder of the Nichelini family winery. She told us that Napa is 30 miles long and only five miles wide. She pointed out boutique wineries that require advance reservations for wine tastings, such as Nickle & Nickle, Cakebread and one that ended up being a favorite, Beaulieu Vineyard. We noticed that each row in the vineyards had a rose bush planted at the front. This is how the farmers know if the vines are infested with bugs, she explained. The pests will attack the rose bushes first.

At the end of the line, we disembarked and took a shuttle to the extraordinary Castello di Amorosa, a true replica of a 13th century Tuscan castle built by entrepreneur and perfectionist Dario Sattui. Sattui has another winery down the road, but the castle was his magnum opus, his passion – or maybe obsession. It took 15 years to research and 12 years to build. The result is a 121,000-square-foot fortress with towers, 107 rooms authentically decorated in medieval style, miles of caverns and tunnels for wine barrel storage and a real moat encircling the property. The wine is from grapes grown on the property, is only sold onsite and cannot be bought anywhere else. We grabbed a few bottles and made our way through the eerie, endless, wine barrel caverns, relieved we had a guide through the maze of dimly lit tunnels. We learned, predictably, that the castle hosts the most famous and scary Halloween party in the valley every year.

Due to local ordinances, most wineries are not allowed to serve food onsite. Therefore, Napa hosts some of the most highly acclaimed and celebrated restaurants from the most prestigious Michelin Star chefs in the world. Within a few blocks in nearby Yountville, one can dine at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon, Ad Hoc or one of the most famous eateries in the world, the French Laundry. The latter has a two-month reservation list and boasts its own vegetable and herb gardens across the street. If you can’t get into any of Keller’s restaurants, Chef Michael Chiarello’s Bottega Ristorante a few streets down and other artisan farm-to-table establishments such as Bistro Jeanty or Mustards Grill will make you feel like you’re in culinary heaven. Domaine Chandon, the winery known for sparkling wine, however, does house a beautiful restaurant worth trying called Étoile – you will not be disappointed with the artful presentation and quality of ingredients. And, of course, each decadent meal can be paired with the perfect, local California wine.

It was almost time to call it a day and head back to the Meritage Resort and Spa, a beautiful choice in Napa with its own winery and a pool that is set down below vineyards where every grape variety including Pinots, Malbec and Cabernet grows. But before we headed back, we took the Silverado Trail and stopped at a few more wineries off the beaten path. Raymond, the posh Quintessa, and Baldacci wineries are all good stops, but our favorite end-day view was at Silverado Vineyards. Owned by the daughter of Walt Disney and her husband, the winery hangs over the miles of vineyards and living grapes below. We propped our feet on the terrace walls and sipped their latest vintage as the sun sunk slowly into the valley.

Originally published in NRV Magazine