Bistrot Aki

When we think of New York City, towering skyscrapers, busy subway stations, bustling Fifth Avenue, the bright lights of Times Square, the tranquil beauty of Central Park and landmark attractions like the Statue of Liberty all spring to mind. Los Angeles and Anaheim, on the other hand, conjure up images of unspoiled beaches, the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, chic Beverly Hills shopping and heart-pounding rides at the Disneyland Resort.

October is always a fun, long-awaited time for fans of Major League Baseball throughout the country. It marks the start of the postseason following a grueling 162-game campaign. Now that the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will square off in the American League Championship series, die-hard baseball fans in each city have yet another reason to take great pride in the places they call home. Meanwhile, the city of Los Angeles will also take center stage in the National League, where the Los Angeles Dodgers will be pitted against the Philadelphia Phillies in a best of seven series.

With both League Championship Series in full swing, the three cities are abuzz with excitement, making it a great time for travelers to make New York, Anaheim and Los Angeles their next travel destinations.

Take New York City, which became a baseball hot spot even before the Yankees’ founding in the early 1900s. With 26 World Series Championships and 39 American League Pennants to their credit, the franchise has built an immense following, and some of the greatest players of all time – from Babe Ruth to Mickey Mantle – have donned Yankees pinstripes. April 2, 2009 marked a watershed date for the team, as the team opened the season in the new Yankee Stadium in the Bronx after playing in the previous Yankee stadium, now demolished, since 1923.

If you’re in town for the playoffs or staying near the Bronx for business or pleasure, check out the Marrakech Hotel, which is fewer than 3 miles from the stadium. The Lucerne Hotel, built in 1904 and recently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation, is approximately 3.5 miles from the home of the Yankees. Travelers can also opt for The Franklin in the Upper East Side which, just 4 miles away from the stadium, offers an intimate ambiance with its French bistro breakfast lounge, library nook and attentive staff.

Travelers hitting up the west coast can catch the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in action (provided that there are still tickets available!) or visit the area’s key points of interest. The Angels have gone through several name changes in their history (formerly known as the Los Angeles Angels, California Angels and Anaheim Angels) but that has done little to deter fans from showing up at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in droves. The Angels are 3 time reigning western division champions, earning their first and only World Series title in 2002. The boutique mission-style Anabella Hotel and family-friendly Desert Palms Hotel and Suites are both a few miles from the stadium and convenient to the Disneyland Resort.

And we haven’t forgotten you avid Dodgers fans. Yet another team steeped in rich history, the franchise was established in 1883 and originally played its home games in Brooklyn, New York. The team has won the World Series six times, most recently in 1988. After checking out the city’s sizzling beaches and shopping galore, travelers can stay in close proximity to Dodger Stadium, built in 1962 and currently the third oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball. The Asian-themed Royal Pagoda Motel, known for its unique pagoda-styled roof, lies just 0.7 miles from Dodger Stadium. The Standard LA Downtown, with its 50s era architectural details and popular rooftop terrace, is 1.9 miles from the stadium.

The postseason promises to deliver plenty of exciting thrills and finishes, so stay tuned. In the meantime, check out our Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Diego deals page and properties in other baseball-loving cities including Boston and Chicago.

The honeymoon night of the 50’s or even earlier was a whole different ball game than a honeymoon night today. The biggest difference is the sex; more than half of newlywed couples polled by bridal magazines and websites admit that they are too tired for any lovemaking on their first honeymoon night if they leave right after the reception.

Wedding planning is also not what it used to be; from choosing vendors to picking bouquets and place settings for the 200 people you barely know is a tough job and it requires meticulous planning even if you hire a professional wedding planner. If you are into details, and most brides are for their once in a lifetime (hopefully) event, then they want to do most of the choosing and shopping even if they have a planner. All this spells out months of exhaustion and tension on the big day if everything will fall in to place.

After everything does go smoothly, all brides want to do is sleep. Some grooms may not share the same definition of a honeymoon night but they really can’t do much about it if their new spouse has dozed off on the way from the reception in the limo. Also because the majority of couples have already had sex before the honeymoon night, there really is little charm for going through the effort on the day when so much more is going on.

You could spice up your honeymoon night for traditions sake at least by postponing the honeymoon for a few days. By not leaving immediately after the wedding ceremony or reception, you get to recuperate from the exhaustion and can start the honeymoon on the right note Even though it sounds archaic in this day and age, but few (actually very few) couples are holding off sex until the honeymoon night. And just by waiting to sleep with one another after the vows, makes their honeymoon night that more special. Don’t fret too much about whether the flowers in your bouquet match the ones on the centerpieces; focus on your partner and the new life that you are about to begin. Even if ultimate intimacy is not on your things to do list, at least exchange a special gift, see the wedding pictures on your digital camera, relax in a hot tub for two or anything else that will make the honeymoon night more memorable than sleeping.

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