If you’re reading this on our website, you will have noticed that alexandluke.com got a makeover in anticipation of it’s two month visit to The Balsams!

We’re not website builders, designers, or coders! So, there may be some funny things happening on your screen that’s not happening on ours. If you see any problems, let us know in the comments and we won’t resent you for it.

Or, let us know your thoughts on the site in the comments below. Remember, Luke’s feelings hurt easily.

Alex and Luke

• Leave a comment... (5)

People often ask us what the absolute best highlights of our cross continental road trip were, and we have such a hard time answering because there are just so many. We have our favourite scenic drives, our favourite breakfast spots, our favourite national parks and beaches, our favourite hotels and motels and hostels… even our favourite states, provinces and territories. So we thought we would make a series of Top 3’s so that we can focus on the best of the best and provide you with some great insight into some of the most fabulous places right here in our own backyards.

And so we begin with the Top 3 hotels and resorts from our travels that we think would be great destinations to ring in the New Year!

Number 3
Pacific Sands Beach Resort in Tofino, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

You may remember from Episode 21 Of Monday Evening with Alexandluke that we absolutely loved this resort because of its cozy and luxurious amenities and spectacular beachfront location.  This is one of the first places that comes to mind when we think about absolute rest and relaxation and for this reason we think it would be an amazing spot to rejuvenate during the holidays.

Situated on secluded Cox Bay, which is a haven for surfers, the suites and villas at Pacific Sands Beach Resort are part beach house, part luxury hotel.  With fully equipped kitchens, Jacuzzi tubs, fireplaces, contemporary yet comfy décor and spectacular views of the wild Pacific Ocean, it really has everything you could ask for if you are looking to stay in and be cozy with someone special this New Years Eve. Low key doesn’t have to mean tasteless tv tray dinners and reruns of The Golden Girls (though if you’re Alex, that actually sounds like a pretty decent Friday night). At Pacific Sands Resort low key can be sophisticated.   Even the frozen food they offer in the main lobby to prepare in your villa is first rate! Hint – the curry and pizza is to die for!

And if all of that wasn’t enough to sell you on this magical corner of the world, check this out – between October 12^th and April 30^th the resort offers Storm Watching Packages that start at just $117. Before you question why I am trying to tempt you while using the word “storm” let me just explain a little bit about Tofino on Vancouver Island…

Tofino is the type of place that is absolutely spectacularly beautiful when the sun is shining and the seas are still, but it is arguably even more special when the waves are crashing and a thick coat of fog sits heavily on the bay. Tofino is world famous for its wild seas and emotional weather and The Pacific Sands is well equipped for anything Mother Nature throws its way. Heck, they even offer complimentary rain slickers to every guest to use during their stay!

A dark and stormy night at The Pacific Sands is exactly what you should hope for to get you in the spirit, but on the off chance that the weather is clear come New Years Eve you can still ring in 2011 with a bang because you will have front row seats to a fabulous fireworks display right there in Cox Bay.  It seems they really have thought of everything.

Number 2
Mondrian Miami in South Beach, Miami, Florida

If all this talk about stormy weather and rain slickers has you running in the other direction, this next destination may be just the place for you.  With unbeatable views of Biscayne Bay, the quintessential eccentric styling that Miami hotels are known for, and a retinue of poolside patrons that are as colourful as the lights on Ocean Drive, The Mondrian Miami is the perfect choice for the partygoer who wants both sunshine and an unforgettable night on the town this New Years Eve.

We loved our stay at the Mondrian, not because it was comfy and cozy and felt like home (though it really was quite comfortable).  No, we loved the Mondrian because it was actually nothing like home.  It offered us a perfect escape from the familiar and a glimpse into the fast and colourful life that is Miami.  When we thought about where we would go back to in order to have the most outrageous time on New Years Eve, we both immediately thought of The Mondrian Miami.

With a little research we discovered that this year’s soiree is proving to be as over the top as we imagined it would be.  First of all, it is hosted by the one and only Chloe Sevigny… we are BIG Big Love fans and cannot even imagine anything better than attending a Miami party with Nikki – what would Barb think??? On top of that your ticket includes an acoustic performance by Andrew Wyatt of Miike Snow (who we deemed favourite song to in Episode 16 of Monday Evening), music by DJ Paul Sevigny and The Misshapes, a premium open bar (hello open bar!) AND midnight fireworks over the bay!

We can only imagine the Facebook albums that are going to result from this New Years Eve party, and might consider combing twitter on the 31^st to see if we can get insider glimpses into the festivities!!! If you plan on attending, kindly DM us some Twitpics of Chloe’s outfit!

Number 1
The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel, Dixville Notch, New Hampshire

Okay, okay – we know, we haven’t actually been to The Balsams yet, but that will soon be remedied! And from everything we have learned about this place in preparation for our upcoming stay there, it is obvious that as a destination to spend New Years Eve, it is the absolute tops. It may not have the outrageous party scene of South Beach or a view of surfers riding waves, but what it does offer more than makes up for it.

For us, the ultimate New Years Eve festivities involve very little planning, a lot of relaxation, quality time spent with family and friends, and that old fashioned but totally alluring vision of a grand party with a live band, party hats and noisemakers, champagne toasts and fireworks, and guests dressed up in cocktail dresses and blazers with patches on the elbows, maybe smoking pipes out on the veranda as the snow lightly falls and kids on a sleigh ride glide by…

I realize this is starting to sound like a New Years party hosted by Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney, but that’s what’s so great about it!  The Balsams is exactly the type of place where you can have all of the bells and whistles of a traditional New Years Eve party as described above! Who wouldn’t want to be transported to a world where you feel like a group of performers might break out into a choreographed tap number with full sets and costumes at any moment?  Okay, so maybe that’s not quite realistic but at the very least we can confirm that the sleigh ride thing really does happen at The Balsams, and you better believe we’ll be partaking in that activity as soon as possible!

There is a long tradition at The Balsams, and New Years Eve is one of the biggest nights of the year.  Between the all-inclusive on-site skiing, the grand buffet, the picturesque surroundings of The Great North Woods, and the charming historic backdrop that the hotel provides, we cannot think of a more perfect place to ring in The New Year.

• Leave a comment... (2)

If you haven’t heard already, then you might want to sit down before you read this…

Burt Reynolds is no longer with us.

Before you run screaming from the room so you can go find your old VHS copy of Smokey and the Bandit to watch repetitively for the next 24 hours as you grieve the fine actor’s death, let me remind you that Burt Reynolds is also the name you chose for our beloved Volkswagen Rabbit, and it is the car version that has perished, not the man (to the best of my knowledge the man is still kickin’ it). While it will surely be a sad day when news comes of Burt Reynolds (the man)’s passing, today we struggle to find words to describe the unthinkable loss we feel without Burt Reynolds (the car) parked safely in the driveway.

What could have possibly happened to this strong, resilient car that over 9 months carried us swiftly and safely through 48 states, 10 provinces and 3 territories you wonder? Well, to put it simply, we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Here’s how it all went down.

I needed to be in Oakville Sunday night so that I could visit with my best friend and her family for an early Christmas celebration, but I was in Toronto babysitting my niece all day, and would have had to pay for a cab if Luke had not offered to drive all the way into the city to pick me up and take me back to Oakville. Potted rosemary plant in hand, I climbed into the passenger seat as Luke piled my things in the trunk and we set off for Oakville on the Gardiner Expressway.

There was a steady flow of traffic on the Gardiner westbound, which might be rare in most cities on a Sunday night, but not in Toronto. We were traveling at the speed limit in the “slow lane” closest to where the collector lanes start to merge into the express lanes, just west of Kipling. Then suddenly from what seemed like out of nowhere, a car was positioned right in front of us in our lane, but strangely, they were facing completely sideways. We could clearly see the driver as we approached her because her side window was straight on to us. We can’t imagine how this person managed to maneuver their car into this position – she was just there, as if waiting for a left turn signal at an intersection.

I think I uttered the words “whoa what is…” and then couldn’t finish my thought before BAM!!! Luke’s quick reaction allowed him to avoid hitting her straight on, but we still managed to slam into her back end sending her spinning backwards into the express lanes behind us. The impact was severe enough to deploy our airbags (but not hers). Luckily we didn’t spin out. Instead we landed miraculously just to the right of us in the dead zone right before the collectors and expressway merge together. I looked down and saw that I was still holding the rosemary plant that was in my lap and it looked relatively unharmed – as were we both, though it was clear our heavy belongings had pitched forward and hit our seats from behind. We sat there for about 6 or 7 minutes unable to exit the car because there were lanes of traffic whizzing by on either side of us. The smoke from the airbags was both painful to breath and scary, as it made it seem like the car might be on fire, but we had to sit there waiting – hoping the worst was over.

The tow trucks were the first on the scene, and the driver was able to park in a way that allowed him to get out and come see if we were okay. He told us the police and fire trucks were on their way, and to hang tight in the car until we were able to safely exit. Soon afterward a police officer had arrived and moments later there was a fireman leaning in to see if we needed any physical help. After asking us if we were wearing our seat belts, to which we proudly stated “of course!!!” he seemed to disappear – no doubt to go check on the other driver. The tow truck drivers and police set up their vehicles so that we could safely exit the car and climb into the tow truck. Soon we were whisked off to a local mall parking lot to fill out accident reports.

And so goes the story of how Burt made his exit from our lives and from the alexandluke escapades. He carried us safely and swiftly around North America for 9 long months. He was our home away from home, he was an icebreaker when we met strangers, he proudly displayed all of our travel badges, he kept us safe and comfortable, he accompanied us to some of the most wonderful corners of this continent. From the rocky salt flats of Utah to the very southern tip of the Florida Keys, from dodgy motel parking lots to colourful tail-gaiting parties, Burt was with us almost every step of the way and we will always remember him fondly.

What we cannot get over is that we traveled 73000 kilometers in that car this year and drove in every kind of condition on every variety of road you can think of, and yet not a single scratch, dent or even traffic ticket occurred until we were just 10 minutes from our homes. Go figure. And the weirdest part of all? The other driver lives about 200 meters away from Luke on the very same street!

We sure are glad that we were driving in a Volkswagen when this terrible accident took place. Though we are stiff and sore today, we truly believe we could have made out a lot worse if it wasn’t for the engineering of his VW Rabbit. We don’t take this lightly – we really do love Volkswagen and hope to find ourselves behind the wheel of a VW again someday.

So where the story goes from here is anyone’s guess. I suppose you should just stay tuned as always! We would like to thank you for all of the kind messages of love and support. We appreciate every last one of you more than you know!

Stay safe and happy holidays!

Yours,
Alex

• Leave a comment... (14)

Gingerbread Hotel from Alex and Luke on Vimeo.

What better way to get into the holiday spirit than decorating a gingerbread house? Better yet – a gingerbread house inspired by The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel in Dixville Notch New Hampshire? Alex not only loves the holidays and can’t wait for her visit to The Balsams, but is also rather crafty, so she put it upon herself to do just that. Watch as she creates an elaborate gingerbread hotel with only The Balsams website as a reference!

• Leave a comment... (4)

Links!

Tremblant 24h
Oakville Volkswagen
Smokes Poutinerie
La Tours des Voyageurs

• Leave a comment... (6)

This weekend we’re going to be at Mont Tremblant in the province of Quebec attending Tremblant 24h. It’s a 24 hour skiing marathon, it’s a fundraiser for charity, it’s live music, and it’s an amazing time.

When you drive a VW Rabbit through every Province, State, and Territory in Canada and the United States* the people at VW take notice of you and invite you to fun events that they put on. So big thanks to VW Canada for inviting us to come hang out at one of my (Luke) favourite places in North America, providing the gas necessary for us to make the drive, the beds necessary for us to sleep at night, and the food necessary to sustain ourselves through such an action packed weekend.

This is the 10th anniversary of Tremblant 24h and over the ten years that the event has been running $6,280,216 has been raised for charity. This year the organizations that the event is supporting are: Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau Foundation, Ottawa Senators Foundation, and the Tremblant Foundation.

If you’re looking for a great cause to donate to before the new year, you can donate to the VW Canada team here.

Can’t wait to share the whole thing with you all on Monday Evening!

-luke

*We visited Alaska by boat, the Yukon by train, Nunavut by air, and have yet to visit Vermont (really?!?!?), and Hawaii.

• Leave a comment... (1)

The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel
Alex and Luke at The Balsams

• Leave a comment... (14)