Are there “good” shoes or “bad ones?” In this case they might mean the same thing. Shoes can instantly change your image, your outfit, possibly even your life. As Bette Midler once said, “give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.” We can’t all be like “Carrie” who would gladly sacrifice her Fendi Baguette or jewels to keep her Manolo’s safe, but if you find yourself in one of the cities below you can visit amazing shoe museums!
Does being married or single influence Where2Stay? Location, cost, size & child friendly all play a part. Do you want your hotel, hip & modern with sexy dark lounges, a DJ spinning “singles” on the roof? Or do you prefer a quiet, elegant & romantic hotel? Sometimes you might want to “marry” the two which is the hardest to find. You will see an M (married), S (single), or an MS, (married/single) next to each hotel. *BUT since all these vibrant cities offer much to do the hotels below are perfect whether you are married or single .
Click on Hotels To Reserve
Where2Stay – First Stop Manila, Philippines
Makati Shangri– La puts you in the perfect location for business, shopping and entertainment. Service is unparalleled. (MS)
Hotel H2O – Located on an archipelago, 30 minutes away from downtown, book an aquarium walled room where you are sleeping w/fish (MS)
Marika Shoe Museum in Manila, Philippines. The queen of excess, Imelda Marcos couldn’t take all her shoes into exile. Lucky for us for on view is 749 pairs of her shoes! That’s a big closet!
Where2Stay – Brussels, Belgium
Sofitel, Brussels – It is #1 for a reason. Excellent service, perfect location, remodeled rooms, your wish is their command. (MS)
Hotel Welcome – Completely innovative, think Country Inn in the city. Each room- completely themed – choose Kenya, Bali, Tibet. All fabulous. (MS)
Sons Museum in Kruishoutem, Belgium. Outside Brussels, partially owned by a Belgium shoemaker couple. This museum houses over 1200 pairs of their personal collection. Highlighting cultural differences in shoes, w/ major works of art. The building itself is worth a visit. So is the chocolate!
Photo : Designboom.com Photo: Marikinalife.com
Where2Stay – Toronto, Canada
Trump International Hotel – this glass & steel luxury hotel has it all from leopard headboards, huge rooms, Frette sheets, indoor pool & 18,00 sq.ft. spa to soak your aching feet. Located in the financial district of Toronto – your guy can keep happily busy. Or if single, find one there! (MS)
Park Hyatt Toronto – Located in the Yorkville area, surrounded by high end shopping & trendy restaurants. Rooftop bar, an oasis of calm. (MS)
Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Canada- the world’s largest shoe museum. Over 10,000 pair of shoes w/ an ever changing exhibit comprising four galleries. Emphasizing style & culture from Chinese bound shoes to platforms. Even an arts/crafts area for the kids. You’re never too young for shoes!
Where2Stay – Philadelphia, Pa
Hotel Palomar – Friendly & uber cool with a statue of ” Ben” greeting you at the door. Hotel corners the market on style. We say any hotel that supplies leopard robes in the room and free wine cocktail hour at 5 is our kind of place! (MS)
Rittenhouse 1715 – Intimate & romantic, European style boutique hotel w/23 rooms is classic yet cosmopolitan. Enjoy VIP service. (MS)
TUSPM Shoe Museum in Philadelphia just happens to be located in Temple University, in their school of Podiatric Medicine! What better place to analyze ” Why People Wear Shoes?” The course of study. We can tell them why – our outfit would be lost without them! (how else can we appear taller?) View the 950 pair collection by appointment only. Interesting factoid they discovered – women have 4x as many problems w/ their feet as men. Really? Shocking!
* Life it too short to wear tight shoes… but no pain, no gain!
We all have unforgettable memories. A place we visit, a movie we see, a painting in a museum, a restaurant we dine in all evoke a memory we don’t forget.. Barcelona is one of those places. The Gaudi architecture ( the face of Barcelona) the Catalan food ( the best tapas & La Boqueria food market) the Gothic Quarter (center of the old city), the art ((Gaudi,Picasso & Miro) make it one of the most vibrant, major global cities in the world. Ranked # 4 for both business travelers & most visited city in Europe, # 14th most livable city in the world and voted # 1 top beach city – why would we ever want to leave? Start by visiting American Express Travel to plan your getaway.
Does being married or single influence Where2Stay? Location, cost, size & child friendly all play a part. Do you want your hotel, hip & modern with sexy dark lounges, a DJ spinning “singles” on the roof? Or do you prefer a quiet, elegant & romantic hotel? Sometimes you might want to “marry” the two which is the hardest to find. You will see an M (married), S (single), or an MS, (married/single) next to each hotel.
Where2Stay
Me Barcelona – A steel & glass hotel who’s motto is ” It’s all about you”? (Isn’t it always about us?) Book the Level Sea View room on the 20th -28th floor where free IPods & Nespresso coffee makers complement the view of the Mediterranean Sea. With a poolside cocktail bar, a Heineken Terrace, Angels & Kings Club (direct from NY East Village) being a little out of the city center won’t matter. They even have a “My Best Friend & Me Package.” The Wear Girls can go together! (S)
Casa Fuster – This Casa, built over 100 years ago was considered the most expensive building of its time was a gift from Senior Fuster to his wife (how come we just get dinner?) Restored in 2008 as a 5 star luxury hotel, located on the famous Passeig De Gracia offers understated luxury. Book the Jr. Suite w/terrace, enjoy the mirrored bathtub & relax by their rooftop pool. Perfect!
Mandarin Oriental – Lattice see thru windows into the lobby, all white rooms & a hidden garden make this a Mandarin at its best. A Manolo Blahnik store doesn’t hurt either? (MS)
W Hotel – It’s not often a W Hotel offers something for everyone. In La Barceloneta on the beachfront boardwalk, this iconic structure seems to rise up from the sea. Unending views, large rooms, Bliss Spa, & amazing pool w/ sunbeds overlooking the beach. Floating vases in the lobby says it all. (MS)
Where2Dine
For tapas – few places take a reservation. Just line up and make friends. Cal Pep – no longer a secret, but told to us by Thomas Keller, Tapas 24, Lolita, Bar Mut. Don’t skip Jamonisimo for Iberian ham.
So many restaurants – so little time. A few to visit are: Sinc Sentitis, Comerc 24, Botafumeiro, Tickets (impossible to get in) El Quim, Speakeasy, Gaig…
Where2Drink
So many bars…lots of time. Dry Martini, Eclipse at the W, 7 Sins Lounge. Bambu Lounge & Speakeasy will get you started.
Where2Shop
Stroll the famous Passeig de Gracia visiting shops that are only in Barcelona. Don’t miss the unique jewelry store, Vasari where you will empty your wallet . Thank god they serve champagne! Then stroll down the street to Santa Eulalia to shop for the latest fashions! Don’t miss the Born area & Barri Gothic for unique one of a kind boutiques.
The Wear Girls partner at night too…
London – Sophistated, modern, crowded and historic. Add a palace, major jewels, the West End & Harrods & you have a major adult playground. For the kids – entertain them w/the London Eye, double decker buses & the new “sleepover” at the Natural History Museum ( wish we were 8-11 year old again!)
Does being married or single influence Where2Stay? Location, cost, size & child friendly all play a part. Do you want your hotel, hip & modern with sexy dark lounges, a DJ spinning “singles” on the roof? Or do you prefer a quiet, elegant & romantic hotel? Sometimes you might want to “marry” the two which is the hardest to find. You will see an M (married), S (single), or an MS, (married/single) next to each hotel.
Where2Stay
CLICK ON HOTEL TO RESERVE
Firmdale Hotels – The Wear Girls love this select group of 7 boutique hotels in London (& the Crosby St Hotel in NY) perfect jewels designed by interior decorator Kit Kemp w/ her husband Tim. All perfect locations. Haymarket Hotel – next to the National Gallery, SoHo Hotel w/ theater outside your door, Covent Garden, Number 16, in hip South Kensington, Charlotte Street Hotel near Oxford St, Knightsbridge Hotel, with Harrods practically at your doorstep (see pics above) and the new Dorset Square Hotel (so new, it’s only opened a week.) No two hotels alike but all have in common the wit, humor, glamour and charm of its owners. All sustainable and all supremely comfortable. Plus reasonably priced (for London!) MS
Sanderson -if space travel, purple bars, celebrity sightings, indoor/outdoor lobby’s, Salvador Dali & fantasy are your interest, then this hotel is for you. Located off Oxford St near Bond, a 150 room hotel designed by legendary Phillipe Stark entertains you with wit, style & a fabulous spa. A perfect stage for making new friends. S
Dukes – Member of the Small Luxury Hotel Group, this elegant, opulent and luxurious hotel just won the coveted title of ‘England’s Leading Boutique Hotel’ at the World Travel Awards. W/ Dukes Bar downstairs (some say the best martini in the world.) Is there a better place for romance? M
Where2Eat
Food is fabulous in London. Yes, expensive but key is quality in both dining (and in men!) Every country and type of food is available but what is hard to find is a restaurant that “marries” good food with ambiance. That restaurant is…
Sketch – Every 13 months hire an award winning artist (the first is Martin Creed, the Turner Award) to change the interior of your restaurant from walls, ceiling, floors & furniture, add in three star Michelin chef Pierre Gagnaire (whose restaurant is upstairs) to design the menu and you have Sketch. Every table, glass, cutlery and chair is different. Climb the white staircase, enter the unisex bathroom where toilets are pod like individual spaceships. Toss in good food, excellent service & a hot sexy bar. Where else can you be part of the art!
Amaya – This sexy, romantic “Indian Grill” Restaurant has no starters or main courses on the menu. All are small plates (think Indian tapas) mostly grilled, presented with the beauty & precision of sushi. For you foodies we offer The Ledbury – A two star Michelin Restaurant, located in trendy Notting Hill. Food is worth the two months in advance reservation!
Where2Shop
You can shop in London! The trick is to buy English designers who are less expensive than the US. (Thank God for VAT.) Stroll down Sloan, Old & New Bond, Conduit & South Moulton Streets. Our finds: Feathers– Located just behind Harvey Nichols this designer store sources new designers from around the world. The Wear Girls love this store. Browns – Expanded to five interconnecting townhouses on South Moulton St the clothes are amazing. And expensive! Those in the know go to Browns Pop Up Labels for Less on Marylebone Lane. Shhh…don’t tell. Gianmarco Lorenzi Maybe not English but this Italian label is a find for fabulous shoes. We couldn’t resist. Harvey Nichols – in our opinion the best department store in London.
Join The Wear Girls for Dinner