The Sands Restaurant and Beach Club at Banyan Tree Mayakoba is one of the two places right on the beach where you can enjoy views and delicious food. The other is the Surf Beach Club, which is not open for dinner and is adults only. We ate at the Sands on our first night at Banyan Tree in February of 2026, and it was eerily completely deserted. While strange, it was nice to have a quiet evening to ourselves near…
Back when Lula Cafe opened in 1999, Logan Square was a bit of a ramshackle neighborhood. Long before Logan Square’s exponential growth and gentrification, Lula Cafe started a true Chicago trend that hasn’t let up ever since – cozy and unpretentious neighborhood dining, sourced from local, fresh, and in-season ingredients at a reasonable price. Hundreds of restaurants have tried to capture the magic of Lula Cafe in the last 27 years, and only few have succeeded to have the level…
There are four, interconnected although totally distinct, resorts in Mayakoba, Mexico. It is really tough to decide where to stay, and often prices and available deals dictate your choice. We recently stayed at Banyan Tree Mayakoba, which I chose for their super large and private villa offerings, as well as the multitude of different restaurants on the property. A close second option was the Rosewood Mayakoba. One of the reasons I chose not to stay at Rosewood was the spotty…
One of our favorite activities to do while traveling is doing a tasting of the local spirits. We have really enjoyed incredible learning and tasting experiences at Nayara Tented Camp and Cala de Mar in Ixtapa. This time, at Banyan Tree Mayakoba, we decided to check out their Agave tasting, which took place in their dramatic, open air Copa Lounge in the main resort lobby area. The set up for the tasting was prepared before we arrived, and there were…
On our recent trip to Banyan Tree Mayakoba, we knew we wanted to get off property and explore some of the surrounding areas, since we had never been to Quintana Roo, Mexico before. This resort, and all other resorts in the Mayakoba area partner with a tour company called Mayakoba, for all of their airport transfers and tours, so you’ll get the same offerings and prices no matter where you stay in Mayakoba. The tour company also has a large…
Winter is giving out its last gasps here in Chicago, and before it’s over, I definitely wanted to publish my thoughts on our extraordinarily delicious and cozy dinner at Monteverde. This restaurant is one of the toughest reservations to get in Chicago, but when you’re willing to eat early on a Monday or Tuesday, your luck significantly increases. We ate here during Restaurant Week in 2026, but there were so many delicious looking menu items, that we opted for a…
I’m excited to start my series of reviews and articles about our stay at Banyan Tree Mayakoba this February, 2026. First up, I wanted to write all about the Ixchel private dining experience, which is offered by the resort for breakfast or dinner. While pricey, this was easily one of the best experiences we had at the resort all week, and well worth the money. Ixchel is a Mayan goddess governing the moon and fertility as well as medicine and…
I swore off going out for dinner on New Year’s Eve years ago. It’s a total mess, and even the best restaurants end up disappointing me in some way. Nevertheless, I continue to go to a new place every single year, hoping that the next place will prove me wrong. We ate at Hawksmoor, Chicago on New Year’s Eve, 2025, and while the experience was not bad overall, it still managed to disappoint. Hawksmoor is one of the newest steak…
We enjoyed a pre-theater dinner at The Lambs Club in New York City on a recent trip in October, 2025. Being in Midtown, and directly across the street from the Hudson Theater where we were seeing a show that evening, I had relatively low expectations. Located in the Chatwal Hotel, we were pleasantly surprised by the attentive service, old-school atmosphere, and absolutely delicious food. The Lambs Club gives you all of the old-school steakhouse vibes. When we were seated in…
Gosh, where do you even begin when you’re trying to write an article about tips for visiting the largest collection of art in the United States? The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is synonymous with grandeur, hosting one of the most fashionable charity galas every year, and is easily the most impressive building on the upper east side of New York. Can you digest this place all at once? Absolutely not. While it’s not quite as big…