Perched on a rock in the middle of Howe Sound, less than a half hour from downtown Vancouver, was one of nature’s grandest flying creatures: a bald eagle. Though we could not see the bird in its entirety, we could not miss its white head gazing down imperiously on a pod of harbor seals snoozing in the sun below. Our 30-foot-long rigid hull inflatable boat, powered by twin 225-horsepower Mercury Verrado engines, motored slowly by as the six of … [Read more...]
Top 8 Rooftop Bars in New York City
The only thing that makes a night (or day) out with friends better is good food and cold drinks. Add in a bar with panoramic city views, and you’ve got a night out that you’ll never want to end. Rooftop bar season is upon us, and no city does bar eats, drinks and views better than New York City. Head on up to any of these well-loved NYC rooftop bars to experience the best places to dine and drink with a view of the city that never … [Read more...]
Most Scenic Drive in the World? Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way!
This is a story about brilliant branding. It’s about Ireland, but it begins in Chile. In the early 90s one had to head to the far south of South America to sample the tasty, thick, snow-white fillets of a large, deep-water cod called the Patagonian toothfish . No eatery in the U.S. wanted to serve a fish with that name. But when marketers came up with the alluring but meaningless name, “Chilean sea bass,” the fish was on its way to … [Read more...]
Saskatchewan, Moldovan Wine Cave & a Saskatoon Restaurant: How do they all Connect?
As we descended onto the twinkling lights of Saskatoon below we flew next to a significant lightning storm. Jagged bolts of lightning lit up massive thunderheads for a moment - alternating between bright white and pink light. This lightning is the cause of hundreds of fires that are burning out of control in the northern part of the province having displaced some 13,000 people. The economy seems to be doing well here according to my driver … [Read more...]
The Kawarthas’ Lantern Restaurant Guides the Vacationer to a Gourmet Heaven
As our group of ten sipped on Stoney Mules on the patio of the Lantern Restaurant & Grill located on the edge of Stoney Lake in the Kawartha region of Ontario, I was content. At that moment, while enjoying this drink made of vodka, ginger-rhubarb shrub, mint and club soda, I could understand why this part of the province is so much in demand by tourists. The tree covered shoreline and the beautifully designed restaurant combine to make it an … [Read more...]
In Love With Pint-Sized Andorra
We stood on the rocky outcrop above the tiny parking lot next to the consul generals office in old Andorra la Vella and heard the distinctive sound of a rooster crowing in the distance. The shrill came from across the narrow valley high up on the steep hillsides. It echoed in clear contrast to the continuous low thrum of the city. We followed the bird's call until we were soon climbing narrow stone walkways leaving us high above the valley … [Read more...]
Marseille, France: European Capital of Culture
As someone who lives in Marseille told me, “Marseille is a way of life”. It’s the playing of pétanque (similar to bocce), the imbibing of pastis (an anise liqueur developed in Marseille as a substitute for the banned absinthe in 1915), the savoring of Bouillabaisse (for which Marseille is famous), and a certain "joie de vivre". It is also a way of life that embraces the diversity of this melting pot on the Mediterranean and its rich culture, … [Read more...]
An EDM fest in an Igloo? Add Igloofest 2016 to your list!
How cool would it be to say you went to an EDM festival in an igloo? If that sounds like something you’d bundle up for, check out Igloofest in Montreal! I went this past January, and not only was it a blast, but visiting Montreal in January is a great bargain (and cold, but who cares when you’re drinking your jagermeister-root beer concoction!) As it so happens, I went with my mom; she was my travel buddy in Montreal. I had been dying … [Read more...]
Illinois Improbable: A Story of Upending Expectations
When I was a high-school student in Bethesda, Maryland, and beginning to think about college, my parents sat me down and set a parameter: they would only allow a school within 1000 miles of our home, with the idea that I would be more likely to visit over holidays if within that range. My elder sister had already picked a school, Knox College, in Galesburg, Illinois, and now it was my turn. I pulled out a map, cut a string keyed to 1000 miles, … [Read more...]
Layovers are great*
I am fortunate enough to participate in non-rev travel. This has its obvious ups and downs. I know where to find free WiFi in Houston International. I've spent dozens of nights sleeping in airports. And I’m certainly no stranger to being stuck in cities I’d rather not be in. When I was marooned in Paris last November, I was faced with the difficult decision of how to spend the next 24 hours. I was exhausted from a brief romp around Spain and … [Read more...]
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