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From the Pen
of Emily and Jenn
My Christmas holiday in Europe has been full of traditional touches like an Advent trip to a German Christmas market in Frankfurt, festive food, and even a beautiful midnight mass in a 10th century church in Leon, Spain. In contrast, however, my Thanksgiving celebration was completely unconventional. In fact, there was not a turkey in sight when I opted to skip expat celebrations at home in Abu Dhabi, UAE and travel to Doha, Qatar for the weekend.
Doha is known for its rapid modernization thanks largely to its rich supply of natural gas, as well as for its controversial win of the World Cup 2020 bid. The city is small but growing, and there is no shortage of luxury hotels (The Ritz-Carlton and The Four Seasons both have properties there). But my husband and opted for the newer, more modern, and (slightly) more reasonably priced W Hotel.
For a Purple Passport lady like me, the W turned out to be a perfect choice, as it's filled with outposts of some of our favorite spots from around the world such as Jean Georges's Spice Market(from NYC's Meatpacking District), Bliss Spa (another New York transplant), and Alexandre Zouari (stylish haircuts straight from Paris). The hotel also features a rockin' nightlife scene with a choice of bars and clubs and a killer breakfast buffet (I wish Co-Founder Emily could have been there, as she loves a good breakfast buffet). Even basic rooms are large, with modern amenities and luxe bathrooms. The only drawback is that the pool is small and unimpressive.
Outside the hotel, there is plenty to see to fill a weekend (but not much more than a weekend is really needed in Doha). We spent our Thanksgiving walking along Corniche, a path full of locals, tourists, and expats enjoying the Persian/Arabian Gulf views and the dhow (old-fashioned boat) taxi rides. Next, we enjoyed a couple of hours in the I.M. Pei-designed Museum of Islamic Art, which displays art from the 7th through the 19th century. The exhibits are impressive, but the architecture of the building itself is reason enough to go.
Right at sunset, we moved on to Souq Waqif, an old market (restored recently, but dating back 100 years or more) full of spice, garment, and souvenir shops, but whose highlight is really the café and shisha bar scene. The souq comes to life in the evening, and while no alcohol is served, you can eat at any number of traditional and international restaurants and even grab your Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf fix! Instead of turkey and stuffing, I had hummus, falafel, and fattoush.
I missed the traditional trimmings, but not only did I get to explore a new city, I conserved all the calories for a week of Christmas gorging on tapas, chorizo, and churros in Spain!
-- Jenn
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Greetings!
Welcome to the December 2011 edition of The Purple Passport Newsletter! Read on to find out more about how you can Put Your Stamp on The World this month.
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Ripe for the Picking - Palm Beach at its Peak
 To everything there is a season, and in the case of Palm Beach, that season would be fun-in-the-sun winter. Just like a juicy Florida orange, this island playground is at its peak starting...right about now! It's a place where The Season deserves capitalization: stylish snowbirds blow in from points north, mingling with international jetsetters and rich-and-famous locals to create a buzzing, chirping Sunshine State scene ripe with possibilities for pleasure and preening.
 So why not kick off The Season with the cream of the Palm Beach crop? Check in at the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach for the perfect balance of civilization and seclusion----you'll have unhindered beachfront views but be just 10 minutes away from the action on Worth Avenue (the marine-themed Spa at Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach will whisk away your cares too). Shop for fresh-squeezed fashions at boutiques like C. Orrico on South County Road. Start your day (or end your night) with a breakfast mimosa at Cucina Dell' Arte, a Med-Italian restaurant that clears away the tables for dancing after 10:00pm.
 Enjoy the South Florida sunshine with a game of Golf or a jog on the Palm Beach Lake Trail. If you do encounter a bit of sour weather, head for a helping of Palm Beach history at the Flagler Museum or feast your eyes on museum-worthy pieces at the area's well-stocked Art Galleries. After all, even if it rains, Palm Beach is a place where you can always take lemons and make lemonade.
Photo of Worth Avenue by The Purple Passport; Photo of the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach courtesy of the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach; Photo of the Palm Beach Lake Trail by The Purple Passport |
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Fave Feature - London and Paris eBooks
 As 2011 comes to a close, you'll no doubt be making some 2012 travel resolutions, and if you're anything like us, traveling easier and smarter will be among them. Our eBooks The Purple Passport to London and The Purple Passport to Paris will help you achieve those resolutions with savvy and style by pointing you to the very best these grand European capitals have to offer...effortlessly! You can download all of our handpicked goodies to your mobile device of choice, which means you won't have to be tethered to your desktop to plan distinctive city experiences. We resolve to bring you even more titles in our eBook series in 2012. Stay tuned!
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More Purple! - Guide to New York Sneak Peek
 We are super excited to announce the "soft launch" of our Guide to New York! The handpicked guide of over 500 of the best Big Apple picks is now up in lights on The Purple Passport. We invite you to be among the first to take a peek as we fine tune it for wide release. From classic New York hotels like The Carlyle to mixology paradises like Pegu Club, stately museums like The Metropolitan Museum of Art to edgy galleries in the Chelsea Gallery District, culinary doyennes like Le Bernardin to gastronomic hotspots like Momofuku Ko,and iconic sights like the Chrysler Building to off-the-beaten-path treasures like the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, we've got our finger on the pulse of this cultural heart of America (if not the world). We're sure you'll "heart" New York as much as we do!
Photo of Times Square by The Purple Passport |
Venue of the Month - exhale at the Omphoy
 After all of the holiday excess (a little too much eggnog, perchance?), we're sure you're ready to restore a bit of balance to your life. That's why this month we've got our eye on the wellness-focused exhale at the Omphoy at The Omphoy Ocean Resort in Palm Beach. With a dedication to balancing inner and outer wellbeing, the 2,500-square-foot space is divided into a full-service spa and fitness studio. For the complete experience, you can jump into one of the signature Core Fusion classes led by professional trainers (sure to whittle away the surfeit of eggnog) and indulge in a deep flow massage (sure to melt away any lingering holiday stress). The cherry on top is the tranquil meditation garden with teak pagodas and flower-filled reflection areas ideal for centering your calm and contemplating the new year ahead. After holding your breath through the hectic holidays, you can finally exhale! Photo of exhale at the Omphoy by The Purple Passport |
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About The Purple Passport
The Purple Passport was born out of a passion for travel, a love of the world's great cities, and a desire to spread the word. Our founders, best friends Emily and Jenn, have been traveling internationally together for over a decade----with purple-colored passport covers in tow. Now they've created this one-stop-shop, web-based city guide for all your urban travel needs, from researching a trip start to finish to creating an itinerary shared with your own favorite travel companions.
In keeping with our founding spirit, The Purple Passport personally visits every single spot that we review. And we always pay our own way, never taking compensation for covering a venue on the site or in our newsletter, which means you'll get the most honest, unbiased travel information for the world's most exciting cities. It's a portal to a world well-traveled, and we invite you to PUT YOUR STAMP ON THE WORLD!
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