Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club – The Portofino Hotel and Yacht Club is located in King Harbor on the Pacific Ocean. The hotel takes its name from the fact that while landlubbers may come by car, the wide berths and superior dock space of the marina ensure that even the biggest boaters have easy access as well. While we were there, many guests had come by boat and sought a luxurious night or two on shore.

Baleen Los Angeles – Across the courtyard from the Portofino Hotel and Yacht Club, Baleen Los Angeles brings fine dining to King Harbor in Redondo Beach, California. Recognizable as the signature restaurant of the Noble House Hotel Group─we have found from prior experience─they succeed where others don’t, in serving food with style and elegance but without pretension.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia

Coast Plaza Hotel & Suites – The Coast Plaza Hotel is a terrific, no-compromise pick for a Vancouver holiday. Experts at making you feel at home, they provide all the amenities expected of a top-flight hotel.

Salt Tasting Room – This unique charcuterie in Gastown is located on a street called “Blood Alley.” That alone should make it worth visiting. Once inside, you realize you have found a place unlike any other.

Capones Restaurant & Live Jazz Club – Capones
is a long narrow restaurant with the feel of a New York cabaret. Extraordinary mural lined walls, mirrors and a brick bar contribute to a warm ambience, ideal for casual dining.

La Terraza – On our last night in Vancouver, it was raining hard. But we couldn’t let that stop us from going out for a romantic dinner at La Terrazza Restaurant, located in Yaletown.

The Yale Hotel – After dinner, we headed out for some music. We love the BLUES—and lucky for us, not too far away was Vancouver’s biggest and best blues club. No longer a hotel, the Yale has become a mainstay for rhythm and blues bands and their followers from around the world.

Stanley Park, Granville Island, and much more.

SEATTLE, Washington – Allegedly, it rains a lot in Seattle─but the gods were with us on this trip. The weather was magnificent and our visit perfect!

The Edgewater Hotel – We stayed at the only waterside hotel in the city─The Edgewater Hotel. That was the closest we came to getting wet all week.

Six Seven Restaurant – For dinner we didn’t have far to go. The Edgewater has an ultra-romantic restaurant, the award-winning Six Seven, so named because it’s on Pier 67. We’ve rarely eaten in a hotel dining room that was quite this special.

Vivienne Tam continues to appeal to a wide demographic with inspired, fresh collections every season. And her fall 2008 ready-to-wear collection is no different. The Disney-inspired designs, coupled with Himalayan thangka paintings are an interesting juxtaposition of inspirations.

Lela Rose’s “Sporty Cocktail” look ranges from bomber jackets to zip-up parkas to racer back swimsuits, but with a cocktail feel adorned in untraditionally rich fabrics. She deems her day collection as “Susie Chapstick meets Park Avenue.” Her cocktail theme effortlessly spills over to night with the alluring rock star glamour of a young Jerry Hall, consisting of high collars and ruffles juxtaposed with rock star edge.

Tracy Reese’s fall 2008 collection features a variety of animal prints, pleated skirts, sequined pencil skirts, and a combination of oatmeal crew neck sweaters matched with gold sequined skinny skirts. She pulled off her potpourri of colors and styles quite well, lending an eclectic flavor to her fall collection.

Joanna Mastroianni launched her signature collection 15 years ago. Clean and sensuous lines describe this talented designer’s style. Fall 2008 is inspired by the Kingdom of Morocco, with Moorish architecture, elaborate grillwork and the delicacy of inlaid tiles. Descriptions like Tangerine/copper/black print cap-sleeve, and Cypress bengaline elongated jacket with mandarin collar and half-belt, matching slim pants—don’t begin to describe the intricacies of Joanna Mastroianni’s most recent designs.

Brazilian designer Vlademar Iódice’s love for design came from watching his mother hand sew their family’s clothes. Following in his family’s footsteps, he learned the technical aspects of creating and producing clothes. He launched his label in 1987 and created a trademark with his last name. Vlademar is personally involved in every step while creating his designs. He explains that his creativity and inspiration is nurtured by whatever surrounds him.

Jayson Brunsdon has been involved in the fashion industry for 20 years. He was first an illustrator and stylist and the creative director for an Australian fashion brand, Morrisey. Jayson’s client list includes HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Linda Evangelista, and Naomi Watts. His designs have been featured in UK Vogue , Marie Claire Australia, and Harper’s Bazaar Australia.

Gloria Bass is the wife of a fireman and a stay-at-home mom who home schools her teenage daughter. She has a hefty schedule volunteering in her community and designs beautiful vintage jewelry in her spare time. She has only been designing and selling her jewelry a short while and has already sold quite a few pieces in select boutiques. She has been featured in Ocean Magazine and Riviera Magazine. Celebrities Gloria Loring, Anastasia Brown, Leeza Gibbons, and Cathy Rigby also own pieces from the Vintage Glo collection.