In the early 1950s, while Grant was staying at his luxurious Mayfair Hotel penthouse suite, he placed chocolates on the suite’s bedroom pillow for a certain woman who was meeting him there. He was married to actress Betsy Drake at the time – his third wife out of five – but he had another ‘female friend’ in mind. And for his plans of seduction, he designed a breadcrumb trail of chocolates, leading from the suite’s sitting room into the bedroom where he placed the final bit of sweets on his pillow. The name of his soon-to-be bedmate is still unknown, as are the contents of a love letter he left beside the chocolates. As expected, the woman arrived at the suite before Grant, where his romantic ploy was an Oscar winning success.

The manager on duty noticed Grant’s ploy and started the regular practice of leaving a nighttime chocolate on guests’ pillows. And that very tradition still continues at the Magnolia St. Louis, as part of its turndown service, but with chocolates now from Bissinger’s, regarded as one of the finest chocolatiers in St. Louis.

Today, guests can stay at the Magnolia’s Cary Grant Suite which is a fusion of old-world style with modern elements and technological enhancements The augmentation also includes an executive desk; tufted faux leather headboards with ecru woven textured bedding; gray and taupe textured fibers, woven into carpeting repeating the color palette of the floor to ceiling drapery with sewn-in blackout lining. And, of course, the suite is shrouded with Cary Grant photographs amd momentos.

Guests can continue their Cary Grant homage by dining at the Magnolia’s Robie’s Restaurant and Lounge, named for John Robie, Grant’s suave former jewel thief in the Alfred Hitchcock 1955 film, To Catch a Thief. So, the next time you stay at a hotel and enjoy the chocolate, cookie bite, or mint, remember that we have Cary Grant’ to thank for it. Readers, please note, you will not find Grant’s letter on the pillow: believed to be, Compliments of C. Grant: Have a restful sleep.

Who Was Cary Grant & Why Do We Keep Talking About Him?

Everybody wants to be Cary Grant. Even I want to be Cary Grant. I have spent the greater part of my life fluctuating between Archie Leach and Cary Grant; unsure of either, suspecting each. I pretended to be somebody I wanted to be until finally I became that person. Or he became me. – Cary Grant

Grant was born Archibald Alexander Leach (1904) in a working class home in Bristol, England, a fishing town which offered few opportunities. In his youth he possessed a sense of drive, much like the early life of Charlie Chaplin in the slums in Victorian London. He felt he had no choice but to pull himself up by his bootstraps to eventually becoming an American stage and vaudevillian star, and then, after seemingly endless years on the road to be one of Hollywood’s most iconic film actors. With his distinctive Mid-Atlantic accent and impeccable timing, he was considered the foremost exemplar of the debonair leading man, not only handsome, but also witty, charming and masculine.

Film critic Robin Wood noted that the Bond films would never have happened if not for Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest (1959), with Grant in the lead role. Grant was the first actor asked to play the role of James Bond in Dr. No (1962) at the advent of the James Bond film franchise, but decided to pass due to age. He had come a long way since he worked as a stilt walker at Brooklyn’s Coney Island.

Grant, His Mother & Failed Marriages

Grant’s father, ravaged by years of alcoholism, worked as a tailor’s presser, while his mother was a seamstress. His older brother passed away at age one, and biographer Geoffrey Wansell notes that his mother blamed herself bitterly for the death, and never recovered from it. Nevertheless, his mother taught young Archie to sing and dance, insisted on piano lessons, and occasionally took him to the cinema.

Grant’s biographer Graham McCann claimed that his mother did not know how to give affection and did not how to receive it either. Grant acknowledged that his negative experiences with his mother affected his relationships with women later in life. Grant attributed her behavior to overprotectiveness, fearing that she would lose him as she did John..

When Grant was nine years old, his father placed his mother in a mental institution, and told him that she had gone away on a “long holiday”, which later ended with her death. To a degree, this resembled Chaplin’s relationship with his own fragile mother, often returning home from grade school to find that she had been placed in a mental ward. Grant did not learn that his mother was actually still alive until he was 31; and made arrangements to support her for the rest of her life, yet only visiting her once in 1938.

Cary Grant’s 1949 marriage to Betsy Drake constituted his longest martial union, but they separated in 1958 and divorced in 1962. Grant credited her with broadening his interests beyond his career and with introducing him to the then-legal LSD therapy and to hypnosis.

In the 1950s, after Grant had become the wildly successful star, he sought professional help to cope with the lingering emotions over his traumatic childhood. In particular, his failed marriages weighed on him. He tried hypnosis, yoga, and supervised LSD experimentation. During his LSD hallucinations, Grant was able to confront and overcome the unconscious motivation that had undermined his marriages: anger and sorrow over his mother. He credited Dr. Hartman’s treatment for helping him understand how his mother’s disappearance had triggered a self-sabotaging pattern of relationships.

A Brief Look at Grant’s Career from an Auteurist Perspective

Upon Cary Grant’s arrival in Hollywood he was dismissed by casting directors due to his thick neck and bowlegged walk. But, a year later, he appeared in crime films or dramas as a handsome, yet wooden, costar in films by Josef von Sternberg in Blonde Venus (1932) with Marlene Dietrich, and She Done Him Wrong (1933) with Mae West, who apparently took one look at him and said, If can talk, I’ll take him. But Cary Grant becoming Cary Grant, the Cary Grant persona in which he is famous, began with his role co-starring with Katherine Hepburn in George Cukor’s Sylvia Scarlett (1935) as the rough, but charming Cockney swindler, Jimmy Monkley. Leo McCarey’s 1937 comedy The Awful Truth (1937) with Irene Dunne proved to be a smash box office success and furthered to concrete Grant’s sophisticated comedic image; later he followed with two more Cukor comedies with Hepburn, Holiday (1938) and The Philadelphia Story (1940).

But it was his roles in Howard Hawks’ screwball comedies, Bringing Up Baby (1938) with Hepburn again, and His Girl Friday (1940) with Rosalind Russell, which are frequently cited among the greatest comedy films of all time. Hawks continued to cast him in what are regarded as the lesser comedies, I Was a Male War Bride (1949) and Monkey Business (1952), and but also in the earlier 1939 drama, Only Angels Have Wings, where Grant delivered the goods with a powerful dramatic performance.

Cary & Hitch

During the 1940s and 1950s, Grant developed a close working relationship with Alfred Hitchcock, who cast him in four films: Suspicion (1941) opposite Joan Fontaine, Notorious (1946) opposite Ingrid Bergman, North by Northwest (1959) alongside James Mason and Eva Marie Saint, and To Catch a Thief (1955) with Grace Kelly. The last two of the four capitulated audiences and film critics alike, while the first two film dramas, Suspicion and Notorious, Hitchcock revealed a darker, more ambiguous nature in Grant’s characters.

Toward the end of his career, Grant was praised by critics primarily as a romantic leading man, and received five nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, which included a pair of Stanley Donen features, Indiscreet (1958) again with Bergman, and Charade (1963) with Audrey Hepburn. Cary Grant died at age 82 of a cerebral hemorrhage. His marriage to Dyan Cannon, which ended in divorce, produced his only child, Jennifer, who was the centerpiece of his life and his greatest work of art.

Cary Grant is most remembered for his broad appeal as a handsome, suave actor who did not take himself too seriously, and able to play with his own dignity in comedies without sacrificing it entirely. The story of chocolates on the pillow continues to speak to lovers throughout the world with a special affection to the art of seduction.

For more on Celebrity Suites, visit Hemingway, John & Yoko, Oscar Wilde Celebrity Hotel Rooms & Suites: Part I – Traveling Boy; The Beatles, Coco Chanel, Jim Morrison Celebrity Suites, Part 2 – Traveling Boy; Katharine Hepburn, Salvador Dali, Gwyneth Paltrow Celebrity Suites, Part 3 – Traveling Boy; Francis Ford Coppola, Nelson Mandela, J.K. Rowling, Richard Harris Celebrity Hotel Rooms & Suites, Part 4 – Traveling Boy; and Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton, Ava Gardner, Audrey Hepburn Celebrity Suites Part 5 – Traveling Boy

A Bite About Chocolate – Courtesy of the World Cocoa Foundation

Cocoa and other chocolate products are enjoyed by billions of people around the globe, but surprisingly few people know the history of the confection. In fact, cocoa has appeared in different cultures worldwide for hundreds of years. Cocoa was first developed as a crop in many ancient South American cultures, with the Aztecs and Mayans being the most well-known of these indigenous populations. Researchers have found evidence of cocoa-based food dating back several thousand years. READ MORE History of Cocoa | World Cocoa Foundation

Click here for further information about the Cary Grant Suite at the Magnolia St. Louis.

The post Cary Grant “Sweet” Suite at Magnolia St. Louis appeared first on Traveling Archive.

As the road winded through rolling hills and a ranch full of playful ostriches, we knew something special was awaiting. And when we past a pasture of grazing horses and entered a tiny village of windmills and half-timbered buildings with gabled roofs, our suspicions were confirmed: we were going to have a memorable time in Solvang. 

Our getaway to the small Danish-inspired town began at The Landsby Hotel, a contemporary boutique hotel, with 51 rooms, all finished with blonde woods, brushed brass accents, unique animal paintings, and elegant hand-crafted furnishings. Here we checked into a beautiful suite, overlooking a serene courtyard with trees, benches, firepits and walkways. 

Our room at The Landsby came with a comfy, four poster king bed, 47” inch flat-screen TV, mini bar, office desk and an elegant Scandinavian design feel. The room was highlighted by a unique painting of a fluffy alpaca, leather accents on the furniture and lots of windows looking over the courtyard. 

Once settled in our room, we explored town. Named by Sunset magazine as one of the “10 Most Beautiful Small Towns in the Western United States,” Solvang’s rich history dates back to 1911 when adventurous Danish-Americans traveled across the plains from Iowa to establish a colony and escape harsh Midwestern winters. Since then the city has retained its heritage with numerous Danish-styled structures with windmills and pitched roofs.

One of the great things about Solvang is that it is very walkable. From our room at The Landsby we explored all the sites by strolling up and down Mission Drive, the town’s main street. 

Our first stop was Ingeborg’s Danish Chocolate Factory, which was opened in 1961 by Ingeborg Larsen, who prior to moving to Solvang, ran her own chocolate shop in Copenhagen, Denmark. When she came to America, she brought with her many original recipes, some of which are now over 70 years old and still popular today.

At Ingeborg’s I felt like a kid in a candy store – an actual candy store! I was surrounded by swirls of pure chocolate, chocolate-covered marshmallows, nut & truffle creations, chocolate-covered fruit-filled marzipan, crunchy peppermint, orange sticks and award-winning butterscotch sea salt to name a few. The place also has an old fashioned malt shop. 

After sampling an assortment of hand-made chocolates, we boarded a horse-drawn carriage, pulled by two huge Belgian draft horses. As we clip-clopped through town, the driver/guide, who was dressed in traditional Danish garb, gave everyone on board a fun history lesson on Solvang. He also made an exciting U-turn on a small side street, which was quite a feat for a long carriage being pulled by massive horses.

During the ride we waved to tourists as we drove past a copy of the famous Little Mermaid statue from Copenhagen, as well as a large bust of Danish fable writer Hans Christian Andersen. We also past the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art, one of the few museums outside of Denmark devoted to Danish culture and the Danish-American experience. Another unique sight during our horse carriage tour was the eMoke car, a little, open-air, electric vehicle that looks like an old Jeep. Made for sight-seeing, these small cars are currently very popular in Solvang.

After the carriage ride, we headed back to The Landsby for dinner at the hotel’s signature Mad & Vin Restaurant. Specializing in delicious wine country-inspired cuisine, Mad & Vin serves fresh dishes with seasonal ingredients from California’s central coast. They also boast traditional and craft cocktails, specialty shrubs, beer, and acclaimed, locally produced wine.

Our dinner at Mad & Vin began with delicious shrimp ceviche, with citrus-cured wild red shrimp, avocado, onions, tomato, cilantro, and house-made hot sauce. We followed this with an incredible plate or golden-fried calamari with lemon, peppers, sweet onions and a succulent dipping sauce. 

For the main course at Mad & Vin we split a tender filet mignon, grilled to perfection and served with gorgonzola, bacon whipped potatoes, baby arugula, and a green peppercorn reduction. For dessert we devoured a tantalizing creme brulee and a heavenly flourless chocolate molten cake, with cherry port wine sauce, mcconnell’s vanilla bean ice cream, fresh berries, and whipped cream.

The next morning we drove a couple miles to Ostrichland USA to feed the world’s largest birds. Located along Highway 246, the 33-acre ranch is home to about 100 hundred giant ostriches and a few emus, all roaming freely behind fences. The friendly birds are raised onsite and love to be fed by visitors. For $1, guests can get a bowl full of bird food and walk up to the fence and feed the birds. But as I quickly learned, you must hold the bowls very tight or the ostriches will pull them from your hand with their powerful beaks. 

Ostrichland USA is so popular it’s been in numerous TV shows, including an episode of The Simpsons entitled, “How Munched is That Birdie in the Window?” For this episode, artists from The Simpsons visited the farm in 2010 to draw inspiration. 

Besides ostriches and emus, Ostrichland USA features a unique gift shop with t-shirts, ostrich socks, fresh ostrich eggs, and more. Admission is $7 for adults and $3 for kids under 12. 

Back at The Landsby Hotel, we had lunch at Mad & Vin and sipped local CARR Cabernet Franc red wine from Santa Ynez Valley. And speaking of wine, Solvang and The Landsby Hotel are located in the heart of beautiful Santa Ynez Valley, one of California’s most productive wine regions. From the hotel, guests can catch a shuttle to numerous award-winning wineries, located only a few miles away. 

For more information on staying at The Landsby Hotel and visiting Solvang, visit: www.thelandsby.com, or call 805-688-3121. 

The post A Savory Sojourn to Solvang and The Landsby Hotel appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Susan George on “OUR CITY TONIGHT” TV

Watch Screen Legend Susan George’s interview on Canada’s “Our City Tonight” with host Jim Gordon who offered perinate questions about her career in which few of us were aware of.

Random Acts of Canine Kindness

Cedric the Dog takes a well-deserved break after his failure to shut down a puppy mill in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. – Harry S. Truman

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Together in Spirit – The Best Friends Animal Society

At the core of Best Friends Animal Society’s work is the dream that one day animals will no longer be killed in America’s shelters.

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On Raglan Road

By Patrick Kavanagh

On Raglan Road on an autumn day I saw her first and knew
That her dark hair would weave a snare that I might one day rue;
I saw the danger, yet I passed along the enchanted way,
And I said, let grief be a fallen leaf at the dawning of the day.
On Grafton Street in November we tripped lightly along the ledge
Of the deep ravine where can be seen the worth of passion’s pledge,
The Queen of Hearts still making tarts and I not making hay
Oh I loved too much and by such by such is happiness thrown away.
I gave her gifts of the mind I gave her the secret sign that’s known
To the artists who have known the true gods of sound and stone
And word and tint without stint for I gave her poems to say.
With her own name there and her own dark hair like clouds over fields of May
On a quiet street where old ghosts meet I see her walking now
Away from me so hurriedly my reason must allow
That I had loved not as I should a creature made of clay
When the angel woos the clay he’d lose his wings at the dawn of day.

Learn the history of On Raglan Road and see the beautiful woman who inspired it.

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Send Deb your favorite travel poems

ED BOITANO ON “OUR CITY TONIGHT” TV

Last Sunday, the hit Canadian TV series Our City Tonight interviewed Traveling Boy editor, Ed  Boitano. The main focus of the interview was how Traveling Boy was able to survive during the C-19 pandemic when few people have been traveling.

Hosts Jim Gordon and Leeta Liepins offered praise and asked pertinent questions on how Traveling Boy was able to pivot during the pandemic by bringing in new categories and episodes to the site. This includes travel cartoons, international recipes, celebrity suites, travel trivia, foreign film reviews, and travel-themed polls, with the most recent, Places in the Heart; a deeply personal series by staff writers about destinations that dramatically impacted their lives.

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My Corgis and Me: Chords and Lyrics

A few have asked for the lyrics of my Corgi song. So here it is with simplified chords. I used this simple chord progression of only 3 chords to teach my grandkids to play the guitar. The chords are in the key of A but the original chords were in the key of C so if you want to play along with the recording, just put a capo on the 3rd fret.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

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4 Things to Consider as You Start Traveling Again, According to Rick Steves

The legendary travel writer and TV personality shares tips for ethically returning to travel.

Courtesy Stacey Leasca 

Rick Steves wants you to know that travel will make a comeback, it just might look a little different than you remember.

In April, Steves sat down for a wide-ranging interview about the future of travel with Fund for Education Abroad, an organization that provides scholarships and ongoing support to students who are underrepresented among the U.S. study abroad population. And, as you may suspect, Steves is just as ready as the rest of us to get back out there and explore the world again.

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Covid-19 Direct Relief

Covid-19 Direct Relief addresses the courage of health workers on the front lines, honoring them with meaningful support, and the people most at risk in this pandemic are cared for — regardless of politics, religion, or ability to pay.

DONATE to DIRECT RELIEF

JetBlue Plane with Mint Business Class Suites

Courtesy of Business Insider

JetBlue Airways’ swanky new business class suites have landed.

The New York-based carrier marked another milestone towards launching flights to London having taken delivery of its first Airbus A321neo with the upgraded business class seats that flyers will enjoy on transatlantic flights later this year.

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Airlines Testing Touchless Technologies to Ease COVID-19 Concerns

Courtesy: Mina Kaji, Gio Benitez & Sam Sweeney

As air travel hits record numbers since the pandemic began, U.S. airlines are testing and implementing new technologies aimed at reducing contact — both with surfaces and with people.

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Germ Protection: Pack this Next Time You Have to Go Through TSA

Nakefits are lightweight, waterproof sole protectors that adhere to your feet and stay on for hours to protect you from germs, fungal infections, slipping and hot surfaces. Pop them on before going through TSA to give your feet protection. Or take them on a trip and pop them on before entering the hotel spa or sauna, taking a barefoot yoga class, or using the pool or hot tub. Available in a range of sizes suitable for children and adults, Nakefits can be easily removed without any pinching, peeling, or irritation of the skin. For further information, visit NakeFit USA.

The Complete List of All U.S. National Parks

Courtesy of Madeline Bilis

The United States just added a new national park to its roster of incredible public lands: New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. This West Virginia park runs along 53 miles of the New River and encompasses over 70,000 acres of the beautiful wooded gorge.  Plus, it offers plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking, climbing, and whitewater rafting.

Its addition to the long list of U.S. national parks made us wonder — just how many national parks are there?

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How to Take Your Own Passport Photo

Courtesy: Caroline Morse Teel, SmarterTravel

After paying $15 to have an awkward photoshoot in the aisle of a CVS, only to have my passport photos rejected twice (once for being too dark and once for being too bright), I decided there had to be a better way to take your own passport photo. Turns out, snapping your own passport photo is easier, cheaper, and much more convenient than going to a “professional” (a.k.a., the cashier at your local drugstore). Here’s a few tips:

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How to Stay Safe While Traveling

With travel set to resume as coronavirus restrictions ease, travelers should inform themselves about the cleaning procedures at hotels and Airbnb properties before choosing the best option for them. Ask about cleaning protocols, be on the lookout for red flags such as accumulations of dirt and grime, and inspect surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen, recommends Brian Sansoni of the American Cleaning Institute.

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Americans Are Willing to Give Up Love and Chocolate for Travel

We’re catching flights, not feelings in 2021

Courtesy of Patrice J. Williams 

Would you do anything for love? According to a recent study, travel-starved Americans are willing to give up L-O-V-E if it means they can hear those beautiful words: “This is your captain speaking.”

A recent survey conducted by Booking.com found that Americans are ready to hit the road and are finally seeing some light at the end of this year-long tunnel. More than 70 percent said the success of COVID-19 vaccines have them feeling hopeful and “optimistic,” while just over 60 percent have realized travel is crucial to their emotional well-being. It’s clear they’re ready; we’re ready. But how ready?

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Less Will be More in Post-Pandemic Travel: Airbnb Chief

Smaller cities and more family time will gain favor over global tourism permanently in the wake of the pandemic, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky predicts. “They’re not yearning to see Times Square” after months of isolation from normal life, he observes.

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JetBlue Passengers Will Be Able to Take an At-Home COVID-19 Test

No nasal swab required

Written by Stefanie Waldek, Courtesy of JetBlue

With COVID-19 testing restrictions impeding both domestic and international travel, JetBlue is providing its passengers an option that might help them travel more freely. The airline has announced a partnership with Vault Health to provide its passengers with easy access to an at-home COVID-19 test that could be used to enter specific destinations with coronavirus testing policies in place.

9 Tips for Traveling With Kids During the Pandemic

First tip: take a deep breath.

Courtesy of Wendy Altschuler, tripsavvy.com

Traveling with kids is often challenging even when there’s isn’t a pandemic to contend with. Kids require extra gear, entertainment, snacks, downtime, and a careful eye to make sure they’re safe while out and about. Now, more than ever, it’s imperative to practice social distancing, good hygiene, and to wear a mask when venturing through airports, getting food on the road, using public restrooms, or where there are groups of people present. Whether you’d like to plan for a road trip, a flight on a commercial airline, or a staycation in your own city, here are tips for traveling with kids during a pandemic.

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Most Stressed States

It goes without saying that 2020 was a year like no other, from COVID-19, to a very tough election season, the US has seen one of its most stressful years on record. With this in mind CT Shirts have analyzed Google Search data and cross referenced it with population and average household income to reveal the most stressed states.

SEE KEY FINDINGS

Health Passports: The Future Of Travel?

Courtesy: Justin Hayward, Simple Flying

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Being on the ground in over 180 countries means you get the full story.

The post Screen Legend Susan George on Our City Tonight appeared first on Traveling Archive.

The tradition of proffering offerings of love on Valentine’s Day goes all the way back to the early 1400s. During the Victorian era, chocolate became the confection of choice for a Valentine’s Day offering with many believing it contained aphrodisiac properties. Others thought that the Valentine chocolate phenomenon was just a clever scheme developed by confectioners to promote products in the seasonal lull between Christmas and Easter.

The story of chocolate begins thousands of years B.C. in the regions we now know as Southern Mexico and Central America. The ancient Mayan and Aztec civilizations discovered and cultivated a tree bearing unusual fruit with vibrant colors that produced seeds so valuable that it was considered to be a gift from the gods.

It was the cacao tree. Their passion for the cacao seed/bean was unprecedented. The value of the cacao bean as a commodity reached new heights under the Aztec Empire, particularly with the ruling class. Consumed in a cold, bitter liquid form, the Aztec emperor, Montezuma, was known to drink up a 100 cups per day.

When Christopher Columbus and Spanish explorers returned from their first exploration to the “New World” they introduced the Spanish royalty to this unique bean. The Spanish added sugar, making the beverage more palatable. The cacao bean soon spread across Europe. Now referred to as chocolate or cocoa, it remained an aristocratic nectar until Dutch chemist Coenraad Johannes van Houten in 1828 invented the cocoa press, which revolutionized chocolate-making.

In 1847, British chocolate company J.S. Fry & Sons created the first solid edible chocolate (or “eating chocolate”) from cocoa butter, cocoa powder and sugar. At that time, it was very expensive and out of the reach of most people. The Industrial Revolution enabled the chocolate industry to grow and flourish, making it affordable to the general populace.

The tradition of giving chocolates on Valentine’s Day can be traced to Richard Cadbury, of the English chocolate-making family, who “invented” the first Valentine’s Day candy box during the Victorian era. The Victorians, who fancied decorating cards with plump cupids shooting arrows of love, later transferred the image to the lids of heart-shaped boxes filled with dreamy combinations of silken chocolates.

Today, it is estimated that more than 58 million pounds of chocolate candy will be sold in the U.S during Valentine’s week, valued at $448 million.

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