Norm Goldman & Lily Azerad-Goldman

Husband-wife team Norm Goldman and Lily Azerad-Goldman are based in Montreal, Canada. Norm is the editor of BookPleasures.com and SketchandTravel.com and also contributes as a freelancer to Bootsnall.com, TheBestReviews.com , BookReview.com, and other online publications.

More on Lily Azerad-Goldman's work can be found at www.azergo.com. If you wish to purchase any of Lily's paintings or reproductions, you may contact her at azergo@sympatico.ca.

Norm and Lily are a unique husband-wife team, writer and watercolorist, who write and paint about romantic destinations. Basically, they meld art and words in order to create an unusual travel story, which generates interest, particularly because of the fact that each painting appears to have been 'custom-made' for the story.

Also see Norm's "Travel Talk" column for interviews with travel professionals about the world's most romantic destinations.

All text copyright Norm Goldman; artwork copyright Lily Azerad-Goldman and may not be used without written permission from the artist.

CANADA

• Alberta’s David Thomson Explorer’s Trail and the Aurum Lodge: A Golden Nugget by Norm Goldman When someone mentions Alberta Canada, I automatically think of Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper. I am not going to argue with you that the above three are not gorgeous, however, if you are looking for Alberta’s best kept secret, take a drive along the David Thompson Explorer's Trail (Highway 11 on maps). You won’t be sorry, particularly if you are searching for that perfect and peaceful romantic venue.
• Montréal’s Auberge du Vieux-Port by Norm Goldman What can be more romantic than riding in a horse driven carriage called a calèche through the cobbled streets of Vieux Montréal (Old Montréal) and marvel at the surrounding heritage buildings. It is like visiting Europe in North America! An ideal way to savour the "joie de vivre" and the romantic atmosphere of Montréal is to a stay at one of the hotels located in the heart of the old city facing the St. Lawrence River.
• The Icefields Parkway & the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge--The Drive Along the Icefields Parkway by Norm Goldman Pardon my slang when I say, "you ain’t seen nothing yet "until you have motored along The Icefields Parkway, sometimes referred to as "the wonder trail" and one of the most scenic mountain routes in the world stretching from Banff to Jasper in the heart of the Alberta Rockies.

ARIZONA

• Sedona and Los Abrigados Resort & Spa by Norm Goldman If you are looking for that special romantic place you can hardly wait to tell everyone about, and where the majestic backdrop of nature is at its best, Sedona, Arizona should be high up on your list. It has been said: "God created the Grand Canyon but He lives in Sedona."
• L'Auberge De Sedona: A Truly Romantic Experience by Norm Goldman It’s an early March morning and we just pulled up to L'Auberge de Sedona nestled along the banks of Oak Creek in the heart of Sedona Arizona and just a two-hour drive from Phoenix. Guess what, we think we are back in one of the New England States! (includes information on weddings at L'Auberge de Sedona)
• Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort, Phoenix, Arizona by Norm Goldman Can a 585- suite resort create that special weekend romantic ambiance with a grand finale? That is what we were determined to find out when my wife Lily and I stayed at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort in Phoenix, Arizona.Somewhat skeptical initially, we have to admit.
• A Brush With Romance: Sedona and Los Abrigados Resort & Spa by Norm Goldman If you are looking for that special romantic place you can hardly wait to tell everyone about, and where the majestic backdrop of nature is at its best, Sedona, Arizona should be high up on your list. It has been said: "God created the Grand Canyon but He lives in Sedona."

FLORIDA

• Amelia Island, Florida's Best Kept Wedding Destination Secret by Norm Goldman Mea Culpa! Up until recently I admit I had never heard of Florida's Amelia Island. Someone mentioned to me that it was in Georgia--an unpardonable sin, as I later discovered. My thirst for knowledge ever present, I decided to do a little research before venturing to this barrier island to find out why well over a hundred brides are lured here every year.
• Romantic Resort: Club Med Sandpiper Mention of the name Club Med and many of us would probably visualize a resort tucked away in some exotic far-off island, where accommodations are somewhat sparse.Who would conceive that one-hour north of West Palm Beach, Florida, located within a residual community of the town of Port St. Lucie, exists a unique Club Med? It is here where we discover one of Florida's best-kept secrets, Club Med Sandpiper.
  
• The Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club In St. Petersburg, Florida, a romantic stay at the Vinoy is truly a journey back in time, where you can have the opportunity to experience how the rich and famous vacationed in a long forgotten era.Over the years the hotel was very popular with celebrities, and luminaries such as Babe Ruth, Jimmy Stewart
• A Floridian Fun-Filled Wedding: The Colony Beach and Tennis Resort From time to time life throws us moments we will forever cherish, creating a powerful sense of memories. One such occasion is the exchanging of wedding vows. Don't some of us crave to create the quintessential romantic setting for this momentous event?
• Romantic Bal Harbour No matter when you plan that special romantic get-away, you will always be able to savour the richness of Bal Harbour's surroundings with its array of water sports, dining, cultural entertainment, sunbathing, and its bountiful spirit. For those romantics who seek and appreciate the ultimate in an upscale shopping experience, "la crème de la crème," is the Bal Harbour Shops where
• Longboat Key And The Resort At Long Boat Key Club On this private island is only 7 miles from the Sarasota/Bradenton airport and a two-hour drive from Orlando, miles of sandy white beachfront, overlook the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, provides the ideal location for rekindling love
• Sarasota, Florida By offering a wide variety of enlightening experiences within beautiful surroundings, Sarasota, Florida certainly is a magnet for those seeking the ultimate romantic vacation.
• Marco Island and the Marco Beach Ocean Resort Striving to surpass the criteria of a five star establishment, the resort's motto is that nothing is to be spared in providing an ultra-luxury
• Palm Island and the Palm Island Resort: Florida's Last True Out Island and Resort by Norm Goldman Is this heaven or what! The allure of vacationing on an authentic barrier island with palm trees swaying gently in the soft breeze off the Gulf of Mexico, osprey, bald eagles, sandpipers, blue herons
• Romantic Fun In Orlando, Florida Thinking about a unique romantic experience coupled with fantastic fun? Perhaps somewhere you can pop the question, renew your vows or just sneak away from the office? At Discovery Cove, a premium romantic package will provide you with a buoy, personalized with your special love message, delivered by a dolphin to your loved one.
• Casa de Solana, St. Augustine, Florida Norm and his wife, watercolorist Lily Azerad-Goldman, file the second of their reports on romantic getaways in St. Augustine, Florida. This week: the elegant Case de Solana, which offers several romantic and wedding packages.
• Casa de La Paz, St. Augustine, Florida Norm and his wife, watercolorist Lily Azerad-Goldman, file the first of their reports on romantic getaways in St. Augustine, Florida. This week: an inn that's allegedly haunted--and offers some great wedding packages as well!

MAINE

• The White Barn Inn, Kennebunkport, Maine If academic degrees were awarded to resorts and inns, The White Barn Inn located in Kennebunkport, Maine, would graduate summa cum laude--with the highest distinction.
• Romantic Kennebunkport, Maine Kennebunkport--what an unusual name for a town! According to the town's historical society the name is of Native American origin. It translates from kini-banek "long cut bank," and refers to the "Great Hill" or a grassy high cliff projecting into a large body of water.
• Rockland: Maine’s Best Kept Secret for A Wedding Destination by Norm Goldman In Rockland, the two of you can stay in an historic inn while your wedding guests stay within walking distance at another inn -- or opt for a wedding in a lighthouse, park, or unique chapel.
• A Prodigal Inn & Gallery, Bethel, Maine by Norm Goldman It is little wonder why this inn has proven to be popular for couples celebrating intimate weddings in the gazebo located within the inn’s stunning perennial gardens. Incidentally, leading to the inn’s front door are private hiking trails and there is access to cross-country and snowmobile systems.

MASSACHUSETTS

• Wachusett Mountain & the Wachusett Village Inn & Conference Center If you are not from Massachusetts, you probably never heard of Wachusett Mountain, let alone being able to pronounce it as easily as the local inhabitants do.
• Chatham, Cape Cod and The Captain’s House Inn When Lily and I arrived at the Captain’s House, after traveling eight hours from Montreal, we had the good fortune of being just on time to experience the Inn’s famous ritual of afternoon tea.
• Provincetown and Crowne Pointe Historic Inn Where should we begin when describing Provincetown (usually called P-Town)- a most unique and eccentric town located at the tip of a 70-mile-long stretch of sand jutting out from the coast of Massachusetts?
• Central Massachusetts' Unique Wedding Venues Central Massachusetts prides itself as being the "Heart of the Commonwealth," and although it may not be as up beat and sophisticated as Boston or Cape Cod, it nevertheless holds its own when it comes to providing couples with some of the most unusual wedding venues. (a seven part series)
• Stevens Farm Bed and Breakfast, Barre, Massachusetts It was not surprising thirty years ago for many people to turn their noses up, when I had mentioned that I had decided to vacation on a farm with my wife and kids.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

• The Rosewood Country Inn--Bradford, New Hampshire by Norm Goldman If mountain getaways conjure visions of romance and tranquility, you will love the Rosewood with its extraordinary 12-acre setting providing romantic couples with ample opportunities to star gaze and enjoy all the magic that Mother Nature offers.
• The Wildflowers Inn and the Magnificent Mt. Washington After being mesmerized by the beauty and ambiance of Inns, we started thinking about how nice it would be to live as innkeepers in one of these places.These were the exact words Denise and Dave Broughton, proud owners of the Wildflowers Inn in North Conway, New Hampshire, conveyed to me when I asked them why they wanted to own a B&B. In 2002 their dream was realized.
• Sugar Hill Inn, a memorable New Hampshire Inn for a romantic getaway Unhurried, quiet and gentle are the most appropriate adjectives to describe the quaint town of Sugar Hill, New Hampshire. This scenic hamlet on the Western edge of the White Mountains was originally part of the town of Lisbon, and only in 1962 was it incorporated.

NEW YORK

• Romance in the Catskills: The Emerson Inn & Spa Today, the 24-room inn is just minutes away from the small rural community of Woodstock, New York, where for over 100 years a steady flow of artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, actors and dreamers have flocked.
• The Sagamore--Reminiscent of the Grand Hotel Era by Norm Goldman Artwork by Lily Azerad-Goldman Are you are in search of an incredibly romantic wedding destination reminiscent of the charm of the Grand Hotels of the Victorian era? Where the nation’s rich and famous and connoisseurs of luxury would rendezvous.
• The Majestic Adirondacks And The Charming Mirror Lake Inn by Norm Goldman Rare is the person these days who does not crave for sparkling clear lakes, unspoiled wilderness, and a feeling of complete relaxation and renewal. Isn't this what a romantic getaway is all about?

RHODE ISLAND

• Newport, Rhode Island- A Romantic Voyage Back In Time A visit to Newport is a romantic voyage back in time. To appreciate historic Newport, and a good starting point, is to hop on the narrated Scenic Overview Tour, offered by Viking Tours of Newport that will take you along the 9.5 mile Ocean Drive overlooking the rugged Atlantic Ocean. The tour will remind you of Newport's seafaring past, as it was one of the leading ports in colonial America.

VERMONT

• The Mad River Valley and The Pitcher Inn by Norm Goldman A few energizing September days vacationing in Vermont’s Mad River Valley were sufficient to convince us why the rural character of this beautiful corner of the earth is a source of pride as well as a romantic inspiration for its many visitors. No wonder the area attracts a loyal legion of outdoor buffs who not only enjoy super skiing, hiking, fishing and golfing, but also the best that nature has to offer.

• The 1811 House’s Manchester Village, Vermont by Norm Goldman Travelers familiar with Vermont have often associated the charming town of Manchester Center with iron mines, marble mills, and more recently, the brand name outlet shops. They also are aware that adjacent to Manchester Center, where the marble sidewalks begin and end, is Manchester Village, once popular as a summer retreat for the rich and famous with its elegant mansions and manicured lawns.

• The Inn At Sawmill Farm, West Dover, Vermont by Norm Goldman Converting an 18th century barn and its outbuildings into a first class romantic inn, while keeping the original hand- hewn posts and weathered boards in tact is no easy task.
• Smugglers' Notch, Vermont: Away From the Pollution by Norm Goldman Just driving along The Smuggler's Notch Scenic Highway and observing the misty light filtering through the trees is sufficient to beckon you to park your car and meander about. For nature lovers and artists, this truly is a treasure. If there were such a place as heaven on earth, Smugglers would qualify.
• Blueberry Hill Inn--An Unforgettable Experience This area of Vermont is home to Romance Mountain, located in the Green Mountain National Forest, and identified by the Wilderness Society in 2000 as one of the top ten spots across the USA for romantic activities, a place where cell phones, television and all of the other paraphernalia of modern technology can be left at home.
• Woodstock, Vermont and the Woodstock Inn & Resort The resort is a première stop for that long sought after romantic weekend, the picture perfect wedding reception or the popular phenomena- “the weddingmoon”, where couples not only celebrate their wedding at a particular venue but also honeymoon there.
  

  Norm Goldman and Lily Azerad-Goldman are based in Montreal, Canada. Norm is the editor of SketchandTravel.com and BookPleasures.com as well as a freelance book reviewer and travel writer. Norm writes two travel columns for Lovetripper.com:

  • "A Brush with Romance" -- in-depth travel articles covering US and Canada destinations including many romantic B&Bs
  • "Travel Talk" -- interviews with travel professionals including guidebook authors about the world's most romantic destinations

  All text copyright Norm Goldman; artwork copyright Lily Azerad-Goldman and may not be used without written permission from the artist.