Looking for an easy and delicious way to explore Australia? May I suggest getting a wine glass, reading my notes, and discovering the wonders of Australia by sipping a few of its wines. Wines by Design Australia is the smallest continent, but the sixth-largest country, slightly smaller than the continental USA. It features snowcapped mountains, arid […]
Wine Discoveries
At a recent event announcing the acquisition of The Robert Parker Wine Guide by Michelin Guides, wine reviewers introduced a few of the wines they personally enjoyed throughout 2019 and shared as a prelude to a “Matter of Taste,” event. While 10 wines were available, my favorites included: La Dama is owned by Enrique Basarte and Elisa […]
Hotel rooms define the guest experience
Edward Hopper, Hotel Room, 1931 A hotel room can be a very lonely place if the interior design, including the furniture, fixtures, walls/floor coverings, and window treatments are less than wonderful. All too frequently it is depressing to check-in to a hotel, pass through the registration process, scan the keycard to open to the door, […]
Move Over Wine: Make Room for Beer from Spain
The Change in Spain We easily associate wine with Spain; however, this country is also home to Europe’s oldest beer production, dating back over 4,400 years ago in Soria (located on the Douro River to the east of Castile and Leon). Wine was pushed aside when the Romans introduced viticulture. This changed in 1516 when Flemish-born Charles […]
Spanish winery architect brings attention to Baigorri wines
There are wineries and then there is Baigorri (started in 2000), currently owned by Pedro Martinez Hernandez. This Rioja winery is an outstanding architectural achievement and engineering marvel, set in a beautiful landscape that creates the perfect environment for the production and enjoyment of world-class wines. Located between Logrono and Laguardia, in the town of […]
Spain’s secret: Txakoli wines
The first mention of Txakoli (pronounced cha-ko-lee) wines dates back to 1520. The wine was locally consumed and rarely enjoyed beyond Basque Country borders. Historically, home-made in baserris (Basque farm houses), it was considered low-quality wine, and frequently used as barter between neighbors. It was fermented in old oak barrels and carried with it a […]
All about Whiskey
The world of whiskey extends well beyond smelling, sipping and tasting. To learn about the brown liquid in your glass you should speak with Lew Bryson, one of the world’s leading authorities on whiskey. If you don’t have the time to take a whiskey course with Bryson, you can buy his book, “Tasting Whiskey. An […]
The Caribbean region: Relevancy?
At a recent Caribbean Tourism Organization event in the Bahamas, SOTIC reviewed and explored the opportunities that would become available with the adoption of the One Caribbean concept. At a recent Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) event in Nassau, Bahamas, the State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) once again reviewed and explored the opportunities that would […]
How to look magnificent while traveling: The Indie Beauty Expo
St. Charles, Missouri: Gourmets and Gamblers in Sync
In the USA, small towns with big leisure time options have a hard time getting noticed. Unless you have family or friends in St. Charles, Missouri, it is unlikely that this charming part of history and entertainment has been added to your bucket list although it combines small town friendliness with big city gambling, gourmet […]