Laura’s grandfather called her up a few weeks ago and said, “Let’s go to Panama.” I bet you wish you had a grandfather like that, huh? Of course, we didn’t know anything about Panama, which is crazy because it turns out this place has it all.  We know that now through the wonderful, selfless help of John Miller at Boquete Outdoor Adventures.  Bear in mind, we called John pretty much out of the blue and haven’t booked anything with him for this particular trip.  Still, he has given Laura pages of email advice on traveling within and around Panama.  He has been wonderfully helpful and I couldn’t imagine going anywhere near Panama without taking one his fantastic trips.  John’s focus is on custom trips and can include whitewater and sea kayaking, multi-sport and family adventures.

I visit Portland a lot.  I love the city.  I was born there, so I may have a little bias, but every year Portland seems to become a better and better city in a time when so many American cities become more and more…bland.   The city of Portland vehicles all have the town motto on them, “The city that works.”  And that’s exactly what I notice every time I visit: the street cars, the restaurants, the parks, the neighborhoods; everything seems to fit together and the city is so user friendly.

Making downtown even easier to visit is Portland’s relatively new Ace Hotel.  As a native Portlander I’m reluctant to give too many kudos to an idea that originated in Seattle, so I’ll temper my praise appropriately.  Still, Ace Hotel is similar to our project at ELEMENTS hotel & spa because it spares us both the mind-numbing familiarity of chain hotels and the pretentious over-design of so many contemporary “boutique” hotels.   There is clearly a creative mind in charge, which is something required when I tour hotels looking for inspiration, but Ace Hotel has settled on a stripped down aesthetic that is neither boring nor over-stated.  Perhaps best of all, in saving money on all the unnecessary frills most new hotels pack into their redesigns, Ace manages to save us cash along the way.  We paid $166 total (taxes and fees) for a room in the heart of Portland, on the street car line, right next to the uber-hot Pearl District, with 24 hours of downtown parking (that was an extra $20, so without the car you could save even more).  There really isn’t any luxury to be garnered at Ace.  They have flat screens, internet access and ipod compatible radios; but anymore don’t we consider those standard in urban hotels?  They do have one super fantastic coffee shop adjacent the lobby, though.  Haven’t had a cuppa that good in Portland for years.

Ace Hotel is an inspiration, and while their aesthetic is very different from ELEMENTS hotel & spa, it’s really interesting to see someone going after a similar concept of preserving what is interesting and satisfying about an old hotel format while updating the interior and atmosphere to a level that attracts those of us used to a little more design.

Everyone should have an Idaho option. The much-maligned state is home to some of the most spectacular scenery and adventurous travel in the country. I have this secret second life where I live with my family in a small log cabin on a vast cattle ranch along an isolated stretch of wilderness river in Idaho. That’s where I pretend to sit by the morning fire as I listen to the Seattle traffic report. Of course, I’m snowed in so I’m not going anywhere fast either; but it does provide a nice antidote to the urban option. This month I am off to Idaho for ten days kayaking the Lochsa and Middle Fork Salmon rivers with Tarkio Kayak Adventures. I’ll always come home, but I’ll never stop visiting Idaho.

I just got back from my second Otter Bar Kayak School. Peter & Kristy Sturges have built a full-on experience over two decades running whitewater kayaking schools in the pristine area around Forks of Salmon, CA. The instruction is so meticulously tailored to each individual, the food is way over-the-top and the location is pure heaven. Schools range from beginner to advanced, as well as kids programs. Whether you’re a seasoned kayaker or you’ve never been on the river, you’ll learn plenty and go home satisfied. Thanks Peter and Kristy, for another great week. See you next year….

Lots of people have favorite places in Hawaii. I want to tell you about a near perfect event. Every Sunday at Molokai Ranch, there is a group of hawaiian musicians who gather in the great hall to “practice.” Anyone who wants can come, listen, enjoy and even join in the music and dancing. I have never attended a more authentic, captivating experience so true to the destination in which it happens. This is the real Hawaii. I didn’t stay at Molokai Ranch, but the rooms and amenities available are hard to beat. We rented a house down on the beach instead. The music is worth the whole trip.