For many, the notion of enjoying one of nature’s finest environments as part of daily living exists only in the imagination, visited now and again when planning for retirement or while on holidays enjoying a bit of R&R. I am told by those who know the area well that living in the vicinity of one of our great Canadian rivers is not only desirable and affordable but entirely possible to add to the list marked ...

Overlooking the mighty St. Lawrence River in the picturesque Charlevoix region of Quebec, the Fairmont Manoir Richelieu Resort has the majestic appearance of a castle, its stone walls, turrets and green peaked copper roofs rising above the shoreline cliff. On entering this historic property, we quickly came to appreciate that “Le Manoir” is full marks for its 5 Star status – one of a handful of Fairmont pro ...

For well over a hundred years the Boston Pops have delighted audiences, and this year promises to continue that proud tradition. At Boston’s historic Symphony Hall, the 2013 season celebrates the “Best of Hollywood Film Music” with a great line-up. “Since virtually everyone loves movies and movie music, I can’t think of a better season theme to draw our loyal audience and welcome new comers to experience th ...

BOCA RATON: While staying in the Miami area recently, I convinced the family to make a day trip to Boca Raton. It had been more than a decade since I visited the area, but let me confess that I needed an excuse to dine at the fabulous Legal Sea Foods restaurant, which I had experienced last fall in Boston Located in Palm Beach County, “Boca,” is known for its affluent social community and high income demogr ...

One of the main reasons I`ve often been to Turkey is my fondness for finely knotted, high quality, intricate design carpets. For several centuries preceding 1979, the world`s best carpets came from Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey. A really fine quality carpet has 700 knots per square inch. For a 6’ x 9’, that`s over five million knots! They`re not cheap but they`re unique and they last a very lon ...

Tickets are on sale for the second annual festival of music and wine that adds star power and more events. Los Angeles: When multitalented musician Brian Culbertson announced the first Napa Valley Jazz Getaway, he didn’t imagine that the 5-day celebration of music and wine in the Golden State’s idyllic wine country would sell out in just one week, but that is exactly what happened. The chart-topper and high ...

Albany is Montreal’s the closest spot to enjoy for good US shopping During the recent Christmas holiday period my family and I had a decision to make. We wanted to get away for just a few days, somewhere close enough by car where we could take advantage of the Canadian dollar still being at par with the American greenback. Oh yes, there had to be a good Macy’s Department store. The New York capital of Alban ...

London, Paris, Dublin, Berlin - they all bring out the wanderlust in me. One city does something to me that defies reason. New York. It doesn’t matter what time of year, there is something magical about it. Something otherworldly. It has a tremendous draw, certainly to this Montrealer. The term “something for everyone” goes without saying, so to speak. Things out of the ordinary, like the museums: The Museu ...

TORONTO - The largest city in Canada, (Toronto), has become a frequent destination for my family and me. Let’s face it folks; while Montreal may be a great city, it does not offer the excitement and options of Toronto. Our most recent trip was a mixture of business and pleasure, which required eight nights of accommodations. The Grand Hotel and Suites, located at the corner of Jarvis and Dundas, was the log ...

Whether you’re planning a full-on winter sports holiday or getaway, Fairmont Resorts has four historic properties within easy driving distance of Montreal. Consider saving thousands on airfare and enjoying the legendary Fairmont luxury, fine cuisine and service. Each of the four resorts are historic and architecturally important: Fairmont Château Montebello is the largest log structure in the world; The Châ ...