we said...
some of our favorite places to lay our heads, fill our tummies, etc.,
on our many travels across the u.s.

park hyatt chicago, (312) 335-1234.
the park hyatt exudes elegance from the minute you step into the lobby (where gerhard richter's piazza del duomo hangs) to the moment you walk into your room (all boasting stylish touches like eames chairs and soaking tubs). when we can, we splurge for a room with a view of the lake.

westin century plaza hotel and spa, los angeles, (310) 277-2000.
going on a girls' weekend or planning a romantic getaway with your better half? consider this historic yet trendy outpost, where the rooms are plush, the spa features every kind of treatment imaginable, and the restaurant/sushi bar is a favorite of the l.a. elite. who knows? you might never leave the hotel!

3660 on the rise, honolulu, (808) 737-1177.
got seafood? this casual bistro in the up-and-coming culinary mecca of kaimuki sure does, from the signature ahi katsu appetizer to the chilean sea bass. there are other marvelous menu items, too, in the asian/pacific vein, not to mention a primo wine list. perhaps that's why it's been voted one of honolulu's best restaurants.

old homestead steak house, new york, (212) 242-9040.
when it comes to getting a good steak in the big apple, most people think peter luger. but we like the old homestead equally as well, if not more. truth be told, the service isn't always what you'd expect at such a nice establishment, but the food more than makes up for it. the cuts are incredible and, as one devotee put it, they possess layers of flavors you just can't duplicate at home.

three girls bakery, seattle, (206) 622-1045.
it's hard to go wrong at any of the dining spots in seattle's famed pike place market, but we always gravitate here for feel-good food to go, which we typically enjoy on a nearby grassy plot overlooking elliott bay. the sandwiches are so huge we end up sharing in order to save room for one of three girls' tasty dessert items, like the macaroons and raspberry mazurkas.

den of cin, new york, (212) 254-0800.
we admit we haven't yet made it to this campy east village basement bar, but next time we're in town, we're definitely taking in the wednesday-night movieoke party. in this new spin on karaoke, patrons act out scenes from their favorite films, be it strutting down the runway with ben stiller in zoolander or reciting robert de niro's "you talkin' to me?" monologue from taxi driver.