Israel's largest city which this year is celebrating its centenary is the perfect antidote to the long, dark British winter, offering toasty temperatures, sandy beaches, classy restaurants and a generous dose of easygoing attitude.
The shore is more rocky than sandy, but many restaurants rent umbrella-covered loungers.
Nearby, snaking well into Bed Stuy, a trail of gray, glassy apartment complexes and upscale cafes interrupt the landscape of sandy brownstones, Caribbean restaurants, and bodegas.
When Body Design member Gail Ossipoff was looking for a vacation to better her mind and body, she scoured international destinations for that perfect combination of sandy beaches, lavish restaurants, luxurious accommodations and her beloved Pilates studios.
La Ceiba, a city of about 120,000, has a Caribbean feel, with a laid-back atmosphere and sandy-floored bars, restaurants and night clubs.
But much more exciting, from my point of view, was the prospect of a long, sandy beach lined with restaurants, and the fact that Valencia is the home of the paella.
Andrew Moesel, a spokesman for the New York City chapters of the New York State Restaurant Association, said the trade group was "happy that the department understands the difficult conditions caused by Hurricane Sandy, and that many restaurants continue to battle adverse conditions".
The giant aquatic hotel had about 25 swimming pools, a vast sandy beach, five themed restaurants and nightly entertainment (in our case two young Greek guys leading an Italian tour group in a karaoke competition of American pop songs).
If you don't fancy cooking, the former village of Tofo, a popular but laid-back resort with sandy-floored bars and restaurants, is a short walk up the road.
(The hotel also offers cooking classes instructed by Maria's mother Juliana). In their new beachfront hotel, Naxian on the Beach the island is also known for its powdery, sandy beaches--the restaurant Tortuga presents typical dishes mixed in with a few forays into other cultures.
