IF MONEY IS NO OBJECT
Been married a while? Try rekindling the romance with a luxe second honeymoon. Bacara Resort & Spa is offering a "Revel in Romance" package, which provides a 3,700-square-foot, two-story "Presidential Residence"; ocean views; whirlpool spa; four fireplaces (indoor and outdoor); your own elevator; round-trip limousine service from the airport; in-room spa treatments; 24 long-stemmed red roses; champagne and caviar; a personal violinist; a private beach sprinkled with rose petals; a half-carat diamond heart pendant on an 18-karat white-gold chain; dinner for two and breakfast in bed.
And it's only $10,000 -- per night.
CUDDLE UP A LITTLE CLOSER
Harlequin, peddlers of romance novels, recently released results of a survey asking travel agents to name the top honeymoon hotels based on settings and amenities. The top five:
1. The Bellagio, Las Vegas -- built to resemble a Tuscan village
2. The Four Seasons Wailea, Maui, Hawaii -- lush gardens, classical columns and waterfalls
3. Four Seasons, Nevis Island in the West Indies -- total pampering; the staff cools down guests by spritzing them with Evian
4. Ritz-Carlton, Cancun, Mexico -- ocean views from private balconies
5. The Lodge at Koele, Lanai, Hawaii -- manicured lawns, old-fashioned elegance
TABLE FOR TWO IN PARIS?
If you choose the right place, dinner can be a wonderfully intimate occasion -- a cozy table for two, wine, conversation, a terrific meal.
A new Web site, www.chowbaby.com, takes some of the guesswork out of choosing by dishing the skinny on restaurants, brewpubs, wineries and coffee houses around the world.
Looking for an outdoor cafe in Venice? No problem. Chowbaby has the menu, pictures, reviews and online reservation forms for restaurants from Paris, France, to Paris, Texas.
The site even lists foods said to be aphrodisiacs, in case you think the chemistry might need a little spice.
WHERE TO LASSO YOUR HONEY
You've popped the question, gotten a "yes" and can barely wait for the wedding. Don't run off to Vegas, though -- it's so overdone. Consider instead running off to Fredericksburg, in the Texas Hill Country.
Antonette Marie's Wedding Chapel and Social Manor in Fredericksburg, about an hour west of Austin, offers the minister, flowers, cake, horse-drawn carriage, dressing rooms, ceremony, dining area and accommodations for $500 if you reserve this month.
Instead of Sin City's Elvises and bright lights, Antonette Marie's features a storybook setting, with wrought-iron furnishings, terra cotta and flowers lining the walkways. The place is trying for quaint, not over the top. For more information, call 830-997-1753 or go to www.fredericksburg-texas.com / weddings.
-- Tricia Bishop