If you’re looking for a way to celebrate our nation’s independence that’s a bit more fast-paced than the typical quiet backyard cookout, why not spend the Fourth of July in the country’s most exciting city? The famous Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Festival is taking off in New York City, promising … Read more
Delta Air Lines recently announced the opening of its “social media ticket window.” Essentially, anyone logged on to Facebook can visit Delta’s page and book a flight directly from there. When asked for an explanation as to why the airline came up with this idea, Delta’s vice president of eCommerce, … Read more
Why do west-coasters and tall Texans hardly ever make it to this island paradise? Probably because the effort to arrive at the white sands of Barbados involves a long travel plan via Miami International or New York’s JFK All that has changed now with American Airline’s new non-stop schedule to … Read more
I remember a few weeks ago, a good friend of mine had this credit card size passport in her wallet. I had never seen one before, but after she told me it was a passport card, a cheaper alternative to buying a passport book for land and sea travel, I … Read more
Top 5 Summer Vacation Tips Booking – If you can’t find a great deal from your favorite online booking agent, a good tip is to consult airline websites and compare prices. Often times, air carriers will offer their own discounts on travel packages. As always, plan ahead for best rates. … Read more
Weasel Coffee and Bowls of Pho I landed in Saigon a few minutes past midnight exhausted and wired but excited to be in Vietnam, a country that had occupied my imagination for decades. I’d had just enough time at Narita airport to pick up a liter of Yamazaki Single … Read more
Burritos in Burgundy? Let Me Start with Mexico The closest California comes to Burgundy, where the overriding French sensibility towards wine and food permeates the consciousness of just about everyone, is Napa Valley. How ironic then that this famed wine producing region with its exquisite Cabernets and world-class restaurants is … Read more
Eating in India – The Spice Trade Saying you like Indian food is the same as saying you like European food. Within Europe, you have French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Dutch, and Scandinavian cuisines. Within India, the range of cuisines is enormous and includes, but is not limited … Read more
Less is More You’ve had sushi, tempura, yakitori, and udon, but if you really want to eat like the Japanese, it’s time you tried kaiseki. Kaiseki is a kanji word that means, “stone in the bosom,” and refers to a centuries old practice that the Buddhist monks followed in the … Read more
Eating in New York City Daniel Hype in New York often trumps reality. No place on earth can brainwash people into thinking that the show, the art, the exhibit, the performance, or…the food is better than what you sense. It’s like Harpo Marx and Richard Pryor said: “Who you … Read more
It’s the Top – Banking on Swiss Cuisine Fondue, raclette, and cured, air-dried meats … to outsiders Switzerland might seem to be a backwater place when it comes to culinary matters. Way off the mark because it’s not just about the meat and the cheese. In terms of quality, … Read more
The Ivy League usually calls to mind beautiful campuses, extra smart students, gothic architecture, and astronomical tuition prices, but the students that attend these eight schools in the northeast are also part of their surrounding communities. The cities differ widely from each other, but they all influence and contribute to … Read more
Going Global Travel in European wine country, and you’ll hear references to “Old World” the historic wine regions of Austria, Italy, France, Germany and Spain. Here, wines are made according to traditional laws that dictate just how much the winemaker can fool Mother Nature. Future columns will look at individual … Read more
Everything’s coming up Rosé Blazing sun, boiling heat and no beach in sight … what’s the solution? A refreshing rose that will transport you from city sidewalks (or wherever you’re sweltering this summer) to the rolling hills of southern France. OK, before you begin to sneer, let’s be … Read more
A column devoted to wine and travel We often travel with our stomachs as guides, sussing out regional cuisines and the best places to enjoy them. So why not do the same with wines? Some of our most pleasurable travel memories include fabulous meals we’ve eaten—in a trattoria or a … Read more