Maui: A Long way from Manhattan

Not so long ago we flew by way of JFK to a place far far away that goes by the name of Maui. Although it is also an island, starts with the same consonant as Manhattan, and is also part of these United States… it is just a bit different.

For example, the pigeons there are pink and sometimes balance on one leg. One fluffy white bird looked right at us and politely spoke the word, “Aloha,” the heyhowyoudoin’ in their native language.

Instead of potholes, there are volcanic craters. Instead of puddles, there are crystal-clear pools fed by meandering waterfalls. The neckties are made of flowers and the bridges are made of rainbows.

Instead of yellow taxies zooming this way and that, we cruised slowly in a car with no top so we could marvel at the scenery in every direction.

While there, people wear a multitude of colors. Floral patterns become the new black, flip flops the new stiletto.

Some women there know how to shake and swivel their hips in an alluring fashion. They do so in unison, wearing banana leaf skirts and nothing but coconut shells on top.

The guitars are tiny and the waves are huge. With the help of boards, some locals are able to walk on water.

The sun shines with such intensity that you must re-apply liquid shade to your skin every seven minutes to avoid physical damage, a.k.a skinjury.

The benches are in the shape of lounge chairs, the sidewalks are made of sand, and the lampposts are tiki torches.

Instead of pastry, we ate cubes and cubes of pineapple, otherwise known as gold.

Like us, many of the other visitors to this magical place had just wed within the last week or so: fingernails were still painted tasteful beige, they admired (and fidgeted with) their new rings, and their faces revealed unmistakable relief.

Many that we spoke to were fascinated by the fact that we live in New York. A twentysomething waitress shared that before she lived there, she assumed she’d also travel to Maui for her own honeymoon. Now, she figures that, when the time comes, she’ll probably use it as an opportunity to visit New York.

When we returned, we were moving at a different pace. We inched along like snails down the most congested part of Lexington at the busiest time of day, ricocheting off other pedestrians and laughing the whole way.

Gradually, we resumed our former patterns and returned to our usual Upper East Side haunts. But after that glimpse of paradise, everything seemed just a bit more vivid. It’s good to go away, and it’s good to come back again.

Views Abound at Bentley Hotel

Well, our wedding is behind us. It was an amazing night, an incredible weekend, and several wonderful months of scheming and dreaming. It was such a fun event to plan and ridiculously fun to see it all play out. I don’t think my husband (hee hee, still getting used to that) or I would have done anything differently.

We were particularly pleased with the accommodations we found for our out-of-town guests. We reserved room blocks at the Radisson Lexington at Lexington and 48th, right in the heart of all the Manhattan action, and also at the Bentley Hotel, a little more off the beaten path, at York Avenue and 62nd. We chose this latter hotel due to its proximity to the 59th Street Bridge and therefore its convenience to our wedding venue in Long Island City, Queens.

As New Yorkers, it’s difficult to recommend hotels to visitors because we obviously never stay in them. To research, we did our own little hotel tour. I did have some family members stay at the Bentley a few years ago so we revisited it. I think it’s one of the Upper East Side’s best kept secrets. The lobby is contemporary and hip. The furniture and fixtures are all modern and this carries through to the guest rooms. I appreciate good interior design, but you hardly notice how cool the rooms are due to the awesome views. There aren’t a lot of tall buildings adjacent to the hotel so the view of the city, the East River and the 59th Street Bridge are unobstructed, at least on three sides.

Most of our guests (myself included) scored corner suites on fairly high floors, with wall-to-wall windows facing south and east. From the 12th floor, I was pretty much even with the bridge’s upper deck. This thrilled me because I have a strange affection for this structure (see one of my previous postings), but there was also the practical benefit of being able to keep tabs on the traffic on both decks before heading over to the wedding. While getting my hair and make-up done, I kept intermittent tabs on this through ever-thickening eyelashes (thanks Lucas!)

On Friday, the night before the wedding, we had an informal gathering at the Bentley’s Rooftop Restaurant on the 21st floor. Visitors and New Yorkers alike marveled at the twinkling lights of Manhattan and Queens – what an excellent backdrop for Wedding Eve! The city glowed all around us and I was elated.

In fact, I was so pleased with this setting that I opened all my window blinds before I went to bed, so I could continue to enjoy the scenery, with the room lights off. Big mistake. This prompted a night of reminiscing, a sort of sleepless euphoria. One wall of windows faced my beloved UES, and, perched up there like some kind of fairytale princess, I couldn’t help remembering all the years I’d rushed, strolled, shopped and dined all up and down the grid of First, Second, and Third Avenues, etc. I was sometimes content and often lonely; much of that time, I was looking for exactly the kind of love I’d finally found, and would be so happily committing to in a matter of hours. Well, I saw the sun rise – pink, then salmon, then orange, then gold – and eventually fell asleep for about 30 quick minutes. No matter, my adrenaline was pumping.

Here’s the other thing about the Bentley: it’s so far east and there aren’t a lot of sidewalk businesses in the immediate vicinity, so it feels nicely detached from the hustle bustle of the city. Regional General Manager Helena Blat told me that this, in fact, draws a lot of guests to this hotel. She’s been in the hotel business for over 20 years. In the last two years, she has noticed a marked change in how people travel and choose their accommodations. She says, “There is more of an emphasis on health and relaxation, now. People like to have fun in the city then come back to sleep at a place with less noise and less commotion. Because this is such an active, tiring city where you really use all of your senses, visitors appreciate a hotel that is comfortable and restful.” She has noticed that this seems to be true of both international and U.S. travelers.

The Bentley has 197 rooms on 19 floors (of course no 13th floor). It has been open since 1998 and, along with The Ameritania, the Marcel, the Moderne, and other hotels, it is owned by the Amsterdam Hospitality Group.

The basic concept behind The Bentley is to fit in to the neighborhood. Despite the great Rooftop Restaurant with a lounge-like vibe, Blat says that they don’t promote it as so-called “night-life, but more as a casual gathering place. We really don’t want to disturb the neighborhood.” Indeed, when we were having cocktails up there, it was, thankfully, not “a scene”, just a well-appointed, open space with an insane view.

The room prices here are reasonable, for the city, at $249-$399 per night, depending on the season. Blat told me that occasionally they even have locals move in temporarily while their apartments are under renovation.

I’ll say this: the Bentley staff was friendly, the rooms were stylish and clean, and our guests seemed to have a positive experience. This sleek little slice of Manhattan will always be a special part of an unforgettable weekend. After all, theirs is the only elevator I’ve ever ridden in a wedding gown and the threshold of that suite is the only one I’ve ever been carried across.