Category: Nonfiction

It’s Hard Not to Relax at the Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel and Spa

David A. F. SweetLeave a comment

On a pleasant Friday evening in March, we checked in to the Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel and Spa. Right away at the front desk, we were offered free glasses of champagne — a staple every night at the IHG hotel, along with free wine starting at 4 p.m.

Our two-bedroom suite for the three of us — including my wife and 16-year-old son — was ample in size and featured a balcony overlooking the pool with a view of the ocean. As they slept in the morning, I could quietly head downstairs to grab the daily free coffee and then sneak out to the balcony and answer e-mails when not lured away from the screen to watch the waves.

The staff is truly top-notch. It’s hard to imagine a friendly group, from the valets to the pool man who set up our towels on the chaise lounge. Embarrassed that an engineer had to enter our room to check if an issue elsewhere may have affected us, the staff gave us a $50 credit.

The pool was a great spot for my son and I to toss a football. Even better was the hot tub that had water tumbling over rocks onto our heads. It was impossible not to feel refreshed after five minutes in there. Steps away, bodysurfing beckoned. We simply put our towels and shirts on the beach and tried to ride the waves.

The main restaurant, Cobalt, possesses a first-class atmosphere and features excellent seafood and filets. I ate one breakfast outside, and the view is perfect.

This was our second visit to the spot, and we couldn’t recommend it more. For a place to relax and feel at home — where at the end of eight days we felt like we had just arrived — it’s hard to beat the Kimpton.




A Site of Horror

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Presidential assassinations in the United States are rare, which makes the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza in Dallas all the more gripping. The window where Lee Harvey Oswald fired his shots is still surrounded by the book boxes that hid him — the same configuration as the hour the crime scene was discovered.

Read more at https://classicchicagomagazine.com/assassination-museum-grips-visitors-with-rarely-seen-photos-fascinating-facts/

Fun in Fort Lauderdale

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Even having golf star Brooks Koepka bang the Florida Panthers’ massive drum behind their net to rally the crowd didn’t help in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup.

Las Vegas scored less than two minutes into the game and never trailed. Still, our trip to Fort Lauderdale was fun. Among the highlights:

— Our spacious suite at the Atlantic Hotel & Spa meant we were able to stay in comfort. Though the air conditioning was not working in the living room our first night, a technician spent hours putting in a new motor. We were able to use the pool after checking out, a big advantage considering our late-afternoon flight. I tossed the football up in the air in a contest to see which one of my sons would be the first to catch 10.
— For dinner, Steak 954 provided excellent filet mignon — the best my 15-year-old son has ever had — and tasty bernaise sauce. Brunch was superb too; I’d recommend an egg-white omelet with hot sauce on the side and an order of bacon.

Gotham City

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Thoughts during a visit to New York City:

–United has the easiest WiFi to sign up for, though it’s hard to beat Southwest’s price of free.

–The taxi line at LGA is measured by how many baggage claims it passes. Amazing that the planners of the beautiful new Terminal B couldn’t ensure quicker taxi service.

–A hotel without a plastic laundry bag is a substandard hotel. Thankfully, The Lexington delivered.

–Touring the 86th and 102nd floors of the Empire State Building is interesting, but the World Trade Center observatory experience is better.



L. A. Confidential

David A. F. SweetLeave a comment

Thoughts from a quick jaunt to the Southland:

— The Australian filet mignon at CUT inside the Beverly Wilshire is outstanding, justifying its high price. The service, as always, is impeccable.

–Manhattan Beach is always a treat, with big waves, beach volleyball and great restaurants. The blackened chicken sandwich at the Shellback Tavern is superb, and it’s a great place to watch sports.

— USC football is back, but the size of the crowd at the win over Washington State was disappointing.

— Breakast at S.A.L.T. at the Marina Del Rey Hotel continues to impress.

Please Come to Boston

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Random thoughts about Boston:

–Fin Point at the Hilton has a great atmosphere for a hotel restaurant.
–It’s a short drive into the city from Logan Airport but always a crawl.
–Celtics jerseys abound when the team is going for its first NBA title in 14 years.
–Hard to beat a beautiful spring evening by the water.

Washington Weekend in Review

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Thoughts about traveling to Washington, D.C. on a warm weekend in May:

–Southwest Airlines is quite efficient at getting you to your destination on time, but then it’s usually a 20-minute wait for your bag.

–Metro still has the same flashing lights on the ground to announce incoming trains as it did 40 years ago.

–Fun to find out D.C. museums on the whole — from the National Gallery of Art to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — are free. And interesting to learn that James Smithson, whose munificence created the Smithsonian buildings, never visited the United States but left his fortune to the country.

–The Tabard Inn is still as cozy and charming as always. I lived there 40 years ago for two weeks while working for a Congressman, and I’ve always had a special fondness for it.

What I Discovered While Traveling to New York City

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By David A. F. Sweet

Random thoughts as the pandemic ends and travel returns to normal in April 2022:

— Though American Airlines no longer requires masks, mask wearers comprised about half of the travelers in my unscientific survey at an American Airlines gate at O’Hare Airport.

— Chided myself for forgetting to charge my laptop, but with the help of a fellow passenger with better vision, found an outlet in front of us.

— American Airlines coffee is strong; tastes better than Southwest Airlines joe.

— La Guardia Terminal B is amazing – looks like a museum.

— Love the Sloan all-in-one sink, with soap, water and a hand dryer.

— The Warwick Hotel in Manhattan has Old World charm at reasonable prices. A bellhop will push your elevator button for you in the lobby

— Speaking of elevators, wearing a Cubs’ shirt in a New York hotel elevator is a good way to meet people.

— The Statue of Liberty doubles as a lighthouse.

Refusing the Silver Medal

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Kenny Davis and his teammates will never accept the basketball silver medal after corruption marred the Olympic gold-medal game. Read more from Louisville’s Courier-Journal below and in my book Three Seconds in Munich. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/2021/07/23/kenny-davis-still-refuses-silver-medal-from-1972-olympics/8004177002/