We have collided head first into 2014! For some of us January can be a scary month — we find ourselves scanning mental lists of things we didn’t accomplish the year before. Is there anyone out there that feels unfulfilled? Frustrated by a year that did not deliver the joy and success you had expected? Are you exhausted just thinking about what is to come of this brand new year? Take that nervous energy, otherwise known as the New Year jitters, and turn it into something positive— something more profitable for your mind, body, and soul. Villazzo can help!
Posts Tagged ‘luxury villa rentals’
Miami: Your autumn pick-me-up
Tuesday, October 8th, 2013
It should come as no surprise that travelers often cite fall as the best time of year to experience Miami. Although much of the country begins to cool down in the month of October, the average high temperature in Miami sits around 85 degrees (approx. 30 Celsius). With tourist season long past, there’s also more freedom to enjoy the true Miami lifestyle (think ample beach space). If you’re still planning your fall Miami getaway, Villazzo still has some of its signature VillaHotels available.
Featured:
1. Book Villa Azza (above): A modern and tropical waterfront escape on Palm Island (starting at $5,700 per night)
There is still time to enjoy the French Riviera with Villazzo
Thursday, July 25th, 2013
Saint-Tropez is home to over 100 vacation Villas, but only 10 meet the high standards of privacy, amenities, décor, ambience and design that have come to define the Villazzo name.
Our luxurious Villas Nathalie, Fontana, Emma, Victoria, Mary, Jessica, Andrea, and Clara were reserved months in advance in anticipation of a spectacular Summer Season nestled between the beaches of Ramatuelle, Gassin, and the Saint-Tropez Peninsula.
In addition, the Summer of 2013 marked the beginning of our partnership with Saint-Tropez Villas. This Luxury Real Estate Consultant has assisted clients in the region for over 15 years. Villazzo’s partnership allowed them to offer an upgrade to their basic Villa Rental and introduce the concept of VillaHotel to their portfolio.
Hot and Delicious Miami Restaurants to Enjoy in 2011-2012
Saturday, November 19th, 2011
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| Makoto Miami – Photo: billwisserphoto.com |
With the vacation season in Miami about to kick into high gear we’re sure many heading South are already considering the age old question of where to eat after a day spent basking in the sun or touring Art Basel. Sure, if you’ve managed to secure an opulent and private luxury villa rental, there’s definitely the option of staying in, but even those with their own butlers and fully stocked kitchens will likely also want to sample some of Miami’s restaurant scene. Here are some suggestions for your days and nights out:
The Dutch – Chef Andrea Carmellini has always drawn on his roots as the son of Italian-Americans when creating his restaurants (like the lauded Locana Verde in Manhattan) and his dishes (Locana specializes in uncomplicated Italian fare). Carmellini’s The Dutch, which first opened in SoHo and is now debuting in Miami, is a little more Americana, a little more comfort food than the chef’s previous ventures. Fans of the original The Dutch will find that the hotly anticipated, now open Miami version incorporates a Southern spin, which includes dishes like oyster sliders and an abundance of pies. 2201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 305-938-3000
Makoto – Many looking for a good meal in the Bal Harbour Shops now have another alternative, the refreshing Japanese menu put forth by chef Makoto Okuwa at his eponymous restaurant. Okuwa has taken advantage of the fresh seafood available in Miami by presenting an interesting mix of sushi and sashimi options, along with grilled meats and innovative noodle and rice dishes. Adventurous? Try the “hotate” (live scallops). 9700 Collins Avenue, 305-864-8600
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| New Look: Morgans on the Beach – Photo via Miami NewTimes |
Morgans on the Beach – Joe Allen’s was a Miami lunch staple and when many regulars found out it was being replaced by Morgans on the Beach they were quite upset, even demanding that certain dishes be kept on the menu (the kitchen staff has largely remained the same). This second outpost for Morgans has proven to be successful–breathing new life and decor into an iconic restaurant. Along with the old favorites, chef Paul Suriel has added new dishes to the menu included pulled pork sliders, mac and cheese, and pizzas. The restaurant also has a respectable cocktail menu that includes a lemon basil margarita. 1787 Purdy Avenue
De Rodriguez Cuba – The newest offering from Douglas Rodriguez, one of the forefathers of New Latin cuisine, De Rodriguez Cuba’s menu is heavily influenced by the fresh seafood available in the ocean nearby. A vacation in Miami isn’t complete without some Latin flavor and Rodriguez’s new offering is definitely gourmet with selections like oxtail in a spicy red wine sauce and chocolate cigars. 101 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, 305-672-6624
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| Pastry Chef Hedy Goldsmith – Photo via Ocean Drive |
The Villa by Barton G. – If you want a special occasion restaurant in a gorgeously opulent setting, in this case the luxe mansion of the late Gianni Versace, then The Villa is a great choice. It may be difficult for food to stand out amidst such gorgeous surroundings, but the cuisine served up by Jeff O’Neill–including the foie gras ambrosia–certainly manages. 1116 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, 305-576-8003
Thinking of dessert? Try Hedy Goldsmith’s delicious creations at Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink (130 NE 40th Street), which include gourmet versions of childhood faves like Oreos and Pop-Tarts, or try Buttercream in Coral Gables (1411 Sunset Drive), where many Floridians flock for the cupcakes.
If you’re thinking of a vacation in Miami this winter consider the gorgeous luxury villa rentals offered by Villazzo — privacy, beauty and five-star service to rival any hotel.
Luxury Villa Vacations Conspicuously Absent from 2011 Luxury Travel Trends List
Monday, October 11th, 2010
Cox and Kings Travel Announces Its Top 10 Trends for 2011 – Luxury Villa Rentals Conspicuously Absent.Recently, Thomas Stanley, the COO of the well established Cox and Kings travel company, released what he believes to be the ten hottest trends in luxury travel going into 2011. Cox and Kings have been around for awhile, about 250 years to be exact, so when they make a proclamation those in the travel industry usually listen. Of course, whether or not these predictions are entirely accurate remains open to debate. While the list cites the Revival of Tour Groups as one of the ten, and a way to offset costs and make luxury travel in the current economy more affordable, it seems that a whole segment of the luxury travel market not looking to cut costs is forgotten when considering such a trend.
Miami Beach In October: Fashion, Wine, and the Prelude to Luxury Villa Rental Season
Saturday, September 4th, 2010Fashion, wine, and the prelude to Luxury Villa Rental season make for a great Fall South Beach getaway.
As the summer season draws to a close, that doesn’t mean all ideas of vacation need flee until winter. In many locations, as seen in St. Tropez, autumn is the perfect time to visit. Usually you will find less of a crowd and, in the case of Miami Beach, some great events to help pass the time when you’re not whiling away the hours poolside at your luxury villa rental. In October alone, the city of Miami is hosting two great events that shouldn’t be missed if you’re vacationing there at the time. In fact, they’re pretty great reasons to plan a jaunt to Miami in October, even if you had no prior plans to visit. (more…)
Modesty the New Trend on the Sands of St. Tropez?
Friday, August 13th, 2010Well-heeled travelers amid the luxury villa rentals of St. Tropez now seem to prefer covering up to baring all
St. Tropez is known as a place of glamorous excess, where the rich frolic in the sunshine and party well into the night. In the past it was also quite famous for its topless beaches, a Cote d’Azur tradition that seems to be in decline in recent years. Vacationers from yacht owners to those staying in luxury villa rentals will have noticed that fewer and fewer women are daring to bare their breasts lately. French sociologist Jean-Claude Kaufmann has been following the issue since the 1990s and has published books about his findings. Kaufmann has recently updated his old data with interviews with a new generation of women and has not only confirmed the trend, but has attempted to work out the reasons for the cultural shift.
Only fifteen years ago, when Kaufmann first conducted a study on the popularity of toplessness on the Cote d’Azur, he found that the majority embraced le monokini (bottoms only) for their beach wear. The style was especially popular in St. Tropez where topless and nude beaches have been all the rage since they were introduced in the 1960s. Tahiti Beach, for instance, is constantly showing up on Top 10 Lists, from one of the best beaches on the Cote d’Azur to one of the world’s top nude beaches. The secluded Plage de Tahiti is located about four kilometers from St. Tropez’s city center and can be found along the north part of famous Pampelonne Beach. Yet, even on beaches where topless women were once everywhere, a marked downturn can be seen. The recent trends in swimwear–like the cut-out one pieces so popular in 2010 and seen in St. Tropez on the likes of Paris Hilton–also seem to support this new keep-the-top-on modesty.
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| Kate Hudson debuted an array of stylish cover ups in St. Tropez this summer. |
Kaufmann’s new interviews have led him to draw the conclusion that, “cultural reference points have completely changed in the last fifteen years. What was once fashionable has now become old-fashioned, and young women in particular no longer think twice about stigmatizing in a very emphatic manner the ‘old women of 50’ who dare to take off their bikini tops.” Furthermore the sociologist has found the reasons for this new way of thinking include keeping a semblance of modesty as a form of seduction, the fear of skin cancer and out-and-out shyness.
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According to RUE89, which published an article based on Kaufmann’s findings, it is not nudity itself that makes modern women blanch, but outright public nudity. “A tiny inlet or by a river or somewhere like that where there’s only me and maybe some people I know very well,” one woman told the publication about where she would be comfortable bearing it all. “I don’t feel at ease on a beach.” It seems that the current generation of women would be much more comfortable going topless poolside at a secluded luxury villa rental rather than a crowded St. Tropez beach.
While toplessness in the 60s was a sign of the Love Generation revolution and women’s lib, this new modesty seems to be the take of the new feminists who, while comfortable with their own bodies, prefer to only show them in more private places, like around the private swimming pool of a luxury villa rental. While everyone has their own ideas about what is fun and appropriate it seems that more and more women are choosing to cover up when in the glaring sun and the public eye.
