MORRIS, CT – Winvian Farm, the AAA Five-Diamond sanctuary in the Litchfield Hills, has officially declared 2018 the Year of the Woman and to assist ladies in building self-confidence, self-awareness, self-esteem and courage, the property will launch the Women at the Wheel program beginning April 21, a first-of-its-kind program at any U.S. resort. Women at the Wheel will showcase a partnership between Winvian Farm and nearby Lime Rock Park, … [Read more...]
Warren, Ohio: A Weekend Getaway Back Thru Time!
In the State of Ohio, between Cleveland and Youngstown, sits the City of Warren. Don't bother looking for it - you won't find it on any map. Unless, of course, your checking for the weather on the 6 o'clock news! After spending an afternoon in Warren, it's easy to see that there is so much more to this city than meets the eye. From the Packard museum to the Trumbull Art gallery, restaurants and bars, the Ampitheatre and Mosquito Lake State … [Read more...]
Eating Essentials in New Haven, CT
I’m not a big fan of pizza. I like it well enough, but I had never had a pizza that I thought was extraordinary. There is one exception - I’m originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania and pizza from the town of Old Forge really is delicious. But with square cuts from a big rectangular crust, thick tomato sauce, and an American cheese blend, Old Forge pizza always seemed outside the realm of ordinary pizza, in its own category, at least in my … [Read more...]
Driving the Denali Highway
During our eight days in Alaska, I don't think we had a single bad view, and the Denali Highway was no exception. The 135 mile, mostly-unpaved road connects the town of Cantwell to Paxson and was once the only road providing access to Denali National Park. Due to harsh winter conditions, the road is closed from October through mid-May, but if you have the opportunity to drive this road during the summer months, it will not disappoint. If you … [Read more...]
New Haven: Mecca for Revolutionary War Fans
Working as a tour guide in Philadelphia’s historic district, I must have become a little Pennsylvania-centric on my view of the American Revolution because I was absolutely stunned when I stumbled upon the Trumbull Room at the Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven, Connecticut. It was the thrill of unexpectedly running into dear acquaintances while on vacation – the familiar blue and yellow uniform in the painting of my favorite founding … [Read more...]
First Sweet Scent of Spring, Maple Syrup Season on Tap, Western Connecticut
The groundhog predicts an early spring this year, but even if he is wrong, one early sign of spring is certain. Fragrant plumes of steam rising from sugar shack chimneys throughout Western Connecticut always herald the arrival of maple syrup season, New England’s traditional signal that winter is on the way out. As soon as days are above freezing and the sap begins to run, the fascinating process begins: tapping the maple trees, collecting the … [Read more...]
What do Van Morrison, The Godfather of Punk, and Seamus Heaney have in Common?
There is a theory of “primitive affluence” that suggests that when a society has its primary needs met by Nature...food, shelter, clothing…then it will turn to creativity. Bali, a tropical island in Indonesia where the rich volcanic soil produces an abundance of food and materials for fabrics and building, is held as an example. The trope is that “everyone in Bali is an artist.” Yet, while it is true that most everyone spends days carving, … [Read more...]
Sightseeing in New York City
New York City is a place like no other. Rich in culture and buzzing with life, it’s the perfect holiday destination. Highlights include the Empire State Building, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street and Greenwich Village. However, if tourists are to make the most of their adventures in this metropolis, they need to do some planning. No trip to the Big Apple is complete without taking in the awe-inspiring and iconic Statue of … [Read more...]
Matunuck Oyster Bar Rhode Island
Forget hands on. Think feet and bellies. When taking a tour of the aquaculture shellfish farm behind the Matunuck Oyster Bar restaurant in South Kingstown, R.I., you not only learn about where your food comes from, you walk through its breeding grounds, and if you're lucky, harvest a few oysters to eat later. Sometimes the nibbling is sooner. On a tour last summer, led by owner of the shellfish farm and restaurant, Perry Raso,who does them … [Read more...]
Ocean House: Luxury on a grand scale in smallest state
For a tiny state - the nation's tiniest - Rhode Island's got it all going on. There's the state's famous beaches (it is known as the Ocean State, after all), an incredible culinary scene, particularly in the capital city of Providence, world-class academia (think Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design) and a rousing arts scene which includes Trinity Repertory Company, the country's last full company theater. Photo courtesy of Ocean … [Read more...]