Last issue we journeyed through six newer cocktail destinations in Chicago – with a little food. This time, its food highlights from my recent Chi-town travels – sometimes with cocktails. Listing stand-out places or dishes, first I recap coffee, tamales and deep dish explorations. Though Intelligentsia Coffee was launched here in 1995 by San Francisco transplants Doug Zell and Emily… Read more →
For years it seemed no one could talk Chicago cocktail bars without the subject centering almost solely around Violet Hour. Though I preferred cocktails and service at the Drawing Room, there wasn’t the selection of artisan cocktail bars three years ago that there is now. The following six places are all new since my last visit to Chicago, all with solid… Read more →
Exploring New Orleans restaurants extensively in recent years, as far as I’m concerned, the city offers some of the best cuisine in the world. When it comes to cocktails, as with food, Nola is blessedly averse to trends and unusually respectful of history, so even through dark ages of cocktails (1960’s-90’s), New Orleans’ cocktail classics like the Sazerac, Ramos gin… Read more →
Returning to my beloved New Orleans, a city I’ve explored extensively via a path laden with jazz, Dixieland, Zydeco, Ramos Gin Fizzes, Sazeracs, Cajun and Creole food, there were ever more finds, both new and classic. The sweltering humid heat of July during Tales of the Cocktail is not ideal weather to fill up on po boys and boudin, but… Read more →
Over 50 places in one week… I may not have covered all Portland this May, but I certainly made a dent. So much so that my Portland reviews are broken up in a four part series. Soaking wet half the week, from my home base, Kimpton’s RiverPlace, in a roomy suite with a fantastic view of the Willamette River, I biked out… Read more →
Over 50 places in one week… I may not have covered all Portland this May, but I certainly made a dent. So much so that my Portland reviews are broken up in a four part series. Soaking wet half the week, I biked out to neighborhoods East, West and North with my usual (if grumpy, cold and irritable) tenacity to… Read more →
In my recent travels in Portland I trekked to three distilleries within city limits, two established, one brand new. My top priorities were Clear Creek and House Spirits which have been the best I’ve tasted historically of what is coming out of Oregon. I also visited brand new Bull Run Distillery near Clear Creek, boasting a retro tasting room lined… Read more →
Visiting over 50 places in one week, I may have just gotten started in Portland, but I certainly made a dent. So much so that I’ll need to break this into a 4-5 part series. Here’s my restaurant list – now I cover Portland’s famous food carts, ice cream, coffee (all important), chocolate, farmers markets, bakeries and other memorable snacks.… Read more →
I recently returned to my old stomping grounds of So. Cal. for yet another long weekend. This time I stayed at funky, restored motel, The Farmer’s Daughter, gazing over a pool filled with giant rubber duckies, the hotel’s birds greeting me each morning in the lobby. Colorful and quirky, the hotel (with welcoming, engaging staff) is a worthwhile home base,… Read more →
Kentucky: land of bourbon, the Derby and Mint Juleps. I’m ever delighted to return to the South, even as I’m connected to some areas more than others (ah, New Orleans, my love). I recently spent a week in Louisville, on the judging panel for ADI’s (American Distilling Institute) annual awards. It was an honor to judge with key spirits and… Read more →