An Italian Heritage feast at Europa Village featured two chefs, one winemaker and one pig. The spectacular Farm to Table slow food dinner in Temecula is becoming a movement throughout the U.S. Video journalist, Phoebe Chongchua takes you inside “La Cave” at the winery for a look at how food, wine, and strangers create the most enchanting evening while taking guest back to a slower period of time.
While the distinct smell of sulfur may be noticed first, the geothermal water of this odor is the main draw to the small town of Pagosa Springs in Southwest Colorado where you’ll find The Springs Resort and Spa. 
Along with the sulfur, the “healing waters” (what Pagosa means in Ute) are made up of 13 minerals including sodium, potassium, and magnesium, all believed to provide therapeutic qualities for those who immerse themselves in the waters. Soaking in these geothermal waters becomes a recreational retreat when visiting the Springs Resort and Spa.
With 23 pools, all with mineral-infused water, the Springs Resort and Spa is a mecca for those desiring total relaxation and to away soothe the aches and pains of life. The pools range in temperatures from 99 to 114 degrees Fahrenheit. R.D. Whittington, director of sales at the Springs Resort and Spa, says the bountiful soaking pools are what differentiate the Springs Resort from other areas with hot springs. Whittington adds that it helps to have the pools right next to the San Juan River.
With Southwest stucco adorning the outside and European styles influencing the inside, the Springs Resort and Spa bathhouse has everything a soaker needs to enjoy the bountiful healing water pools. Forgot the bathing suit? No worries. The bathhouse offers plenty of styles for a day of soaking. Also, commemorative t-shirts, hoodies, and other keepsakes are available for purchase.
For a day of pampering, there is a spa and salon onsite. Also, trails on the grounds, throughout downtown Pagosa Springs, and on Reservoir Hill supply ample opportunity to take a stroll in between soaks. The mother spring, located onsite, has been verified by the Guinness Book of Records as the deepest hot spring in the world at 1002 feet.
The Springs Resort and Spa’s Ecoluxe building includes 29 guestrooms with six of those rooms “signature” suites that are all LEED certified—one of the few in Colorado and one of only 14 in the nation with this “gold certification” scored by the federal government on environmental friendliness. Whittington explains that the geothermal waters supply heat to the Ecoluxe Building and the river water cools the building. Those staying at the Springs Resort and Spa receive a perk of 24-hour access to the pools along with the comfort of knowing their stay is in one of the greenest resorts in the nation.
In an arid, mountain location, the Springs Resort and Spa is an oasis, feeling more like a beach resort with diverse pools, water trickling from rock crevices, and lounging chairs. A gazebo carries the vital liquids to refuel and snacks to invigorate. The Springs Resort and Spa has cold showers to cool down soakers on warmer days so that they can keep on exploring the 23 pools, and a lap pool (the Blue Lagoon) with pool toys for the younger visitors or the visitors young at heart.
“The 23 individual pools are hard to find anywhere else,” says Whittington.
All the amenities and a quiet respite may be why Oprah has visited twice. With soaking options like the Tranquility Pool, the Waterfall Pool, and the Treasure Pool, relaxation is the epitome of the services. Viewing the panoramic San Juan Mountains while relaxing in the Springs Resort and Spa’s healing waters heightens an already one-of-a-kind experience in this water sanctuary.
“We have a lot of San Diegans and residents from Carmel Valley staying here–they may just live a mile away,” said Tom Voss, President of The Grand Del Mar.
Tucked away in the hills of San Diego’s North County…this hidden gem lets you experience a Mediterranean-style luxury resort–that’s oh, so close to home. Read More »
Planning a vacation to Hawaii and you want the comforts of home living with luxury? The new Honua Kai Resort & Spa has you “sitting in the lap of luxury”. The two-year old resort sits on 40-acres of the world’s most beautiful beachfront, Ka’anapali Beach.
Only about 30-minutes from Kahului International Airport, once you arrive at the resort you won’t have to leave. Fine dining and plenty of fun and relaxation are waiting for you. This was a favorite shoot for the Live Fit Magazine & Films crew. And we know when you watch this video you’ll want to make this your next destination.
This is a great find in the San Francisco area. We’re proud to present The Plant Cafe as a Live Fit Magazine & Films Best Restaurant and Phoebe’s Pick by The Plant Based Diet.
Our latest Pick
Here there is something for everyone. You’ll really enjoy the gourmet meals and the light entrees. While you can get a complete vegetarian meal, you’ll also find some meat dishes too.
The ambiance is fun and lively with both indoor and outdoor seating and you’ll love the Bay view! For locations and a look at their menu, click here.
Taco Salad from Polli's Cantina in Maui
Traveling to Maui? You must visit this authentic Mexican restaurant. Polli’s Cantina offers fresh food in a quaint cantina.
Live Fit Magazine & Films is proud to feature Polli’s as a Phoebe’s Pick by The Plant-Based Diet. And, yes, you don’t have to worry…there are plenty of great and traditional meat dishes on the menu. Enjoy and Aloha!
Visit Polli’s Cantina in Makawao, Maui.
808-572-7808
at the corner of Makawao Ave.
and Baldwin Ave.
Makawao, Maui Hawaii
Polli's Cantina is our latest Pick
Vodka. Though the clear, odorless liquid is the world’s most popular spirit, its beginnings are somewhat vague. It was used initially for medicines, cosmetics, even aftershaves; later debuted as a drink in the 1500s (though not a common concoction for a couple of centuries); and originated in Northern Europe (exact locale unknown)—both Russia and Poland lay claim to its birth certificate.
The debate over vodka’s homeland is centuries old. No resolution appears on the horizon, yet the controversy seems irrelevant to those who imbibe.
While Poland may be lesser known for the beverage in some circles, it is renowned to many. Pablo Picasso was a bona-fide fan who once declared his devotion: “The three most astonishing things in the past half-century were the blues, cubism, and Polish vodka.”
Both geography and history are intertwined with the national drink called wodka in its Polish homeland.
Early on, the northernmost country’s frigid climate helped heighten the spirit’s popularity because it warmed residents more quickly than other alcohols—a simple matter of survival. Rye, the prime ingredient in typical Polish vodka, thrived in these same rough weather conditions.
Governmental milestones made additional imprints. After World War II, Poland’s communist party overtook the country’s distilleries. In the 1980s coveted items were rationed, including meat, sugar, cigarettes, and vodka—one-half bottle a person was the monthly allotment. And when distilleries privatized in the Solidarity movement, an explosion of vodka brands occurred.
Now home to more than one thousand labels, it would be a pity to not explore a couple of Polish vodkas—rye and potato.
Named for the country’s famed composer, Chopin is vodka’s only luxury potato offering. At one time, it was only those on social ladders’ lowest rungs who drank potato-based spirits.
But the small distillery in the farmlands of Podlasie changed this perception when Chopin hit the market in 1993—vodka that reflects the production plant’s surroundings.
Passing apple orchards, grandmothers on bicycles and tidy houses interspersed with service storefronts when in route from Warsaw, the distillery is in the country’s “ecological” region (go to polmos-siedlce.com.pl to inquire about a visit).
The best time to see Chopin’s production is harvest season (mid-September to mid-November) when local farmers arrive with truck loads of freshly picked potatoes. There is no secret ingredient, just a four-time distillation process using 40 organic potatoes in each bottle.
Belvedere vodka is made from rye grain, undergoes a quadruple distillation process, and is easily recognized by the elegant, frosted-glass bottle showcasing Belvedere Palace (Warsaw’s former presidential residence).
In contrast to Chopin’s farm-style environment, the distillery in the town of Zyrardow is a high-tech, precision-run operation with top security enforced behind a gated entrance.
In many ways, vodka is to Poland what the Eiffel Tower is to France. The spirit dictates a lifestyle—its hardy foods are enhanced by the drink, special occasions are celebrated with a glass, even Friday nights’ karaoke at Warsaw’s KOM restaurant bar sounds better . . . when accompanied by vodka.
TICINO – “Arrivederci, signora,” bade the grotto’s proprietor when I rose from the table to depart. The translation “local eatery” doesn’t adequately describe the appeal of a grotto – a rural, simple tavern that features regional wine, food and fun.
The evening was a success. While I sipped the last of my cappuccino I mentally savored my meal – risotto with porcini mushrooms, osso bucco, breadcake for dessert, a glass of Merlot del Ticino. And I reflected.
My day had begun over 100 miles away in Zurich. From there I zipped by train through the Swiss Alps to my current locale – a land of pasta and piazzas.
“Ah, Italy,” one might think. But one would be wrong. I remained in Switzerland. I had been whisked by rail to the country’s southernmost region – Ticino – an area I came to know as Switzerland’s Little Italy and to love as my latest discovery.
Ticino is charmed and distinctive – it’s a gem noted for its delightful blend of Swiss tidiness and proficiency with Italy’s dolce far niente (delightful idleness). Italian is the official language and Catholic the primary religion. With its unique personality, only the Swiss flag reminded me of my actual whereabouts at times.
In Ticino weather is rarely an issue. The area enjoys a Mediterranean climate – a high proportion of sunny days and mild winters with a rebirth in spring when flowers bloom, lake life flourishes and piazzas buzz with activity.
Here daylight has a luminous quality on cloudless days when the light continually repaints the scenery – from goldenrod to vermillion to crimson. The effect is a perpetual glow on the facades of towns’ buildings and homes. It’s magical.
My home base was the small fishing village of Morcote on the shores of Lake Lugano. Though tiny, the town is home to the church of Santa Maria del Sasso – known for its 16th century frescoes.
And while the nearby city of Lugano is Switzerland’s third largest financial center, complete with traffic delays typical of urban areas, its character is small town. The old town overflows with colorful parks, tiny eateries and pedestrian-only piazzas like Piazza della Reforma where one might spot the city’s mayor alongside the local street sweeper – both enjoying their morning coffee at an inexpensive gathering spot, Ristorante Olimpia.
Yet, only minutes away is high-priced fun – Via Nassa – known as Lugano’s Fifth Avenue. Here shopping is an exclusive experience – designer clothing, fine leather shoes, Rolex watches.
But one of my favorite Ticinese remembrances was not a shopping acquisition – it was the aerial view and lunch at Restaurant Vetta atop Monte San Salvatore (3000 feet) – reached by funicular (a 10-minute ride from Paradiso/Lugano). The panorama from this lofty perspective was incomparable – Lake Lugano, the Lombardic plain and the Swiss and Savoy Alps.
I soon learned that the lakes are different from every perspective. One of the best ways to explore them is by boat. They sail year-round and depart regularly (though more frequently from late May to the end of October) from towns such as Lugano, Gandria, Melide and Morcote.
And though rather conventional, my first introduction to Lake Lugano by auto was nevertheless intriguing – along meandering lakefront roads, passing villas with names like Casa Ghiera and entering villages where freshly-washed clothing hung from windows and town folk ventured along cobblestone alleyways to the local market.
It was during this exploration that I discovered Bellinzona, capital of Ticino. It’s not located lakeside but is surrounded by vineyards and small wineries and is an interesting combination of its ancient past with a contemporary flair of today – a modernity that is absent in other Ticinese towns. My visit was during a drizzling rain that seemed to set the appropriate stage for exploring the town’s three medieval castles – Castlegrande, Castello di Montebello and Castello di Corbaro.
Ascona is a city whose pulse is best taken in its town square. Called the Piazza and punctuated by its landmark clock tower, this gathering place is a wide promenade that runs alongside Lake Maggiore.
Described as an “open-air living room,” Ascona is best appreciated from the table of an outdoor café on the Piazza. From there one might observe many scenes – an elderly woman strolling arm-in-arm with her granddaughter, a starkly-white mime entertaining teen tourists, the ferry boat making its arrival from across the lake. It’s little wonder that artists like Isadora Duncan and James Joyce were drawn to the area years ago.
From a bench overlooking Lake Maggiore I pondered the region’s eternally seductive appeal. Mother Nature’s been generous, perhaps overindulgent, with the area – but it’s more. I closed my eyes, felt the sun penetrate my face, then realized its simple secret. It’s Ticino.
For additional information, click here.
Ingredients: 10 ½ ounces of old bread, 5 macaroons, 1 quart of milk, 1 egg, 1 pinch of salt, 1 lemon (juice and skin), 5 ounces sugar, 1 spoonful of cocoa, 1 small glass of grappa nostrana (traditional liqueur), 7 ounces raisins, 1 vanilla bean, 2 ounces candied lemon peel, 2 ounces pine nuts, butter.
Preparation: Soak the bread in the hot milk for 4 hours (or overnight preferably), mash bread with hands and add the other ingredients (excluding pine nuts and butter). Line a flan pan with butter and pour the dough in the pan. Decorate with the pine nuts. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 2.5 hours.
Quito, ECUADOR – After receiving yellow fever, typhoid, tetanus and Hepatitis A shots, going on malaria tablets, purchasing a mosquito net for my face, buying insect repellent with deet and quizzing anyone who has traveled within 500 miles of the Amazon rainforest, I was ready for my ensuing adventure.
“The mosquitoes are bad,” warned a recent visitor. “Avoid scented items – shampoo, soap, makeup, sunscreen. Even Coca-Cola. Don’t drink it because the sugar attracts mosquitoes.”
Despite these alerts and precautions, my daughter Kathryn and I departed from Quito for a remote lodge called La Selva (Spanish for “the jungle”). At the airport Mary Beth and Brian, a young environmentally conscious couple from Chicago, and John, a 50ish Calgary-based bird enthusiast, joined us.
Reaching the destination ensconced in Ecuador’s upper Amazon basin was half the adventure.
Following a 25-minute plane ride, a 90-minute local bus trip (commandeered by a NASCAR wannabe), a two-hour motorized canoe journey down the Napo River, a 20-minute trek on an elevated bamboo walkway (carrying a full backpack) and a dugout canoe ride across Heron Lake, we slid alongside La Selva’s welcoming dock.
“Greetings. I’m Effy, your guide,” said our English-speaking Ecuadorian naturalist.
He proceeded with warnings and info. We were cautioned not to drink water from the tap, even to brush our teeth – a large ceramic jug outside the restaurant contained drinkable water.
Excursions would be early morning and late afternoon, leaving warmer mid days for relaxation – fishing, napping, reading, whatever.
At the conclusion of the informal meeting we were fitted with knee-high rubber boots for the rainforest’s soggy mud-filled terrain.
La Selva’s dock prior to rainstorm
Kathryn and I headed to Cabin 4 – a thatched-roof hut on stilts, punctuated by a hammock swinging from its porch. Each of La Selva’s 17 cabins was similar – built in the region’s traditional Indian style but equipped with amenities like a toilet, hot shower and mosquito netting for the beds.
The only missing luxury was electricity, although there was a bathroom light (the generator was on until around 10 p.m.). After dark our return to the hut would be by flashlight, its entrance illuminated by a lantern and the room lit dimly by a sole kerosene lamp.
Our first foray into the jungle was wondrous.
“This is primary forest,” said Effy. “It’s about 10,000 years old.”
I observed our lush, compact surroundings.
Trees jetted towards the sky, seeking sunlight. A colorful, poisonous frog clung to a small branch as a millipede crept along another. Thousands of Leaf Cutter Ants carried thumbnail-size leaves in single-file procession to their underground nest. A sturdy vine strangled the trunk of one tree; nearby another was armed with one-inch needles to prevent a similar fate. The jungle clearly protected itself.
Highlights of our four-day adventure were innumerable. We fished for piranha. Kathryn caught several and the cook prepared her catch for dinner. During a late night canoe ride, a coiled python snake was spotted by flashlight in an overhead tree.
We snacked on lemon ants (recipe: wet your finger, run it along the tree’s trunk and bon appétit). And we frequently observed monkeys swinging from tree to tree – sometimes dropping two and three stories.
One morning began with a daybreak hike to a 135-foot tall tree house-like tower. From its lookout, we watched the rain forest awaken – spotting toucans and parrots in flight. And each evening we fell asleep to the indecipherable sounds of the jungle’s inhabitants.
What surprises did my Amazon adventure hold?
Mosquitoes were a non-issue. Kathryn and I never wore the extra-strength repellent with deet and ceased wearing any insect protection the final two days of our jungle visit.
The weather was hot, but it wasn’t unbearable. However, our clothing was always damp. It was impossible to have too many clean undershirts, underwear and socks.
Most importantly, I was pleased that a moderate adventurer like myself was both challenged and confident.
Our return journey began long before daybreak. At 3 a.m. I awakened to thunder and its ensuing rainstorm. “Buenas dias,” came the personal wake-up call at our door an hour later.
I was concerned.
We were to travel across the lake in a tipsy dugout canoe with all of our belongings during a downpour. I began double-bagging my camera in zip-lock plastic for extra protection.
I envisioned baling water from the canoe as our predecessors recounted of their wet arrival – but for us it would be in complete darkness.
The rain miraculously stopped at 4:15 a.m. Fifteen minutes later we departed La Selva.
“Take a photograph in your mind,” I whispered to Kathryn as we silently glided across the lake for the final time.
Effy paddled from the bow of the canoe, periodically using his flashlight to ensure he was on course. The only sounds were the soft lap of the water against the vessel’s side and the croaking of a lone bullfrog.
The black skies had cleared and stars were visible.
“Is that Orion?” Mary Beth asked Brian. “No, but there’s a satellite. See it?”
And with that statement, our re-entry to civilization all too soon began.
For information contact info@laselvajunglelodge.com.
Quito, ECUADOR – After receiving yellow fever, typhoid, tetanus and Hepatitis A shots, going on malaria tablets, purchasing a mosquito net for my face, buying insect repellent with deet and quizzing anyone who has traveled within 500 miles of the Amazon rainforest, I was ready for my ensuing adventure.
“The mosquitoes are bad,” warned a recent visitor. “Avoid scented items – shampoo, soap, makeup, sunscreen. Even Coca-Cola. Don’t drink it because the sugar attracts mosquitoes.”
Despite these alerts and precautions, my daughter Kathryn and I departed from Quito for a remote lodge called La Selva (Spanish for “the jungle”). At the airport Mary Beth and Brian, a young environmentally conscious couple from Chicago, and John, a 50ish Calgary-based bird enthusiast, joined us.
Reaching the destination ensconced in Ecuador’s upper Amazon basin was half the adventure.
Following a 25-minute plane ride, a 90-minute local bus trip (commandeered by a NASCAR wannabe), a two-hour motorized canoe journey down the Napo River, a 20-minute trek on an elevated bamboo walkway (carrying a full backpack) and a dugout canoe ride across Heron Lake, we slid alongside La Selva’s welcoming dock.
“Greetings. I’m Effy, your guide,” said our English-speaking Ecuadorian naturalist.
He proceeded with warnings and info. We were cautioned not to drink water from the tap, even to brush our teeth – a large ceramic jug outside the restaurant contained drinkable water.
Excursions would be early morning and late afternoon, leaving warmer mid days for relaxation – fishing, napping, reading, whatever.
At the conclusion of the informal meeting we were fitted with knee-high rubber boots for the rainforest’s soggy mud-filled terrain.
La Selva’s dock prior to rainstorm
Kathryn and I headed to Cabin 4 – a thatched-roof hut on stilts, punctuated by a hammock swinging from its porch. Each of La Selva’s 17 cabins was similar – built in the region’s traditional Indian style but equipped with amenities like a toilet, hot shower and mosquito netting for the beds.
The only missing luxury was electricity, although there was a bathroom light (the generator was on until around 10 p.m.). After dark our return to the hut would be by flashlight, its entrance illuminated by a lantern and the room lit dimly by a sole kerosene lamp.
Our first foray into the jungle was wondrous.
“This is primary forest,” said Effy. “It’s about 10,000 years old.”
I observed our lush, compact surroundings.
Trees jetted towards the sky, seeking sunlight. A colorful, poisonous frog clung to a small branch as a millipede crept along another. Thousands of Leaf Cutter Ants carried thumbnail-size leaves in single-file procession to their underground nest. A sturdy vine strangled the trunk of one tree; nearby another was armed with one-inch needles to prevent a similar fate. The jungle clearly protected itself.
Highlights of our four-day adventure were innumerable. We fished for piranha. Kathryn caught several and the cook prepared her catch for dinner. During a late night canoe ride, a coiled python snake was spotted by flashlight in an overhead tree.
We snacked on lemon ants (recipe: wet your finger, run it along the tree’s trunk and bon appétit). And we frequently observed monkeys swinging from tree to tree – sometimes dropping two and three stories.
One morning began with a daybreak hike to a 135-foot tall tree house-like tower. From its lookout, we watched the rain forest awaken – spotting toucans and parrots in flight. And each evening we fell asleep to the indecipherable sounds of the jungle’s inhabitants.
What surprises did my Amazon adventure hold?
Mosquitoes were a non-issue. Kathryn and I never wore the extra-strength repellent with deet and ceased wearing any insect protection the final two days of our jungle visit.
The weather was hot, but it wasn’t unbearable. However, our clothing was always damp. It was impossible to have too many clean undershirts, underwear and socks.
Most importantly, I was pleased that a moderate adventurer like myself was both challenged and confident.
Our return journey began long before daybreak. At 3 a.m. I awakened to thunder and its ensuing rainstorm. “Buenas dias,” came the personal wake-up call at our door an hour later.
I was concerned.
We were to travel across the lake in a tipsy dugout canoe with all of our belongings during a downpour. I began double-bagging my camera in zip-lock plastic for extra protection.
I envisioned baling water from the canoe as our predecessors recounted of their wet arrival – but for us it would be in complete darkness.
The rain miraculously stopped at 4:15 a.m. Fifteen minutes later we departed La Selva.
“Take a photograph in your mind,” I whispered to Kathryn as we silently glided across the lake for the final time.
Effy paddled from the bow of the canoe, periodically using his flashlight to ensure he was on course. The only sounds were the soft lap of the water against the vessel’s side and the croaking of a lone bullfrog.
The black skies had cleared and stars were visible.
“Is that Orion?” Mary Beth asked Brian. “No, but there’s a satellite. See it?”
And with that statement, our re-entry to civilization all too soon began.
For information contact info@laselvajunglelodge.com.
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