Earlier this year a group of us went to Ireland. Our first stop was in Dublin. We stayed at the Travel Lodge Plus. This was a great location. It was only about 20 minutes from everywhere you want to visit.
The staff is extremely friendly & helpful with everything from directions to helping arrange taxis.
We had breakfast every morning. It was a buffet that offered everything from eggs, sausage, oatmeal, fruit & yogurt to blood sausage and baked beans.
The rooms were a little small, but it is what you would expect from a city hotel. The beds are really comfortable & the showers had amazing water pressure.
Sonoma County is another location that is a must visit for wine enthusiasts and foodies alike. With the natural beauty and moderate temperatures, there is never a bad time to visit.
With more than 425 wineries, 500 restaurants, breweries, and farmers markets, Sonoma County is a farm-to-table mecca.
There are 3 different regions in Sonoma County that offer a wide variety of activities.
Redwoods & Rivers: known for the magnificent redwood trees and the Russian River, this area is full of history, outdoor activities, and unique festivals.
Valleys & Vineyards: home to many wineries, spas, restaurants, museums, and art galleries.
Coast& Sea Villages: this area is famous for the Pacific Ocean views, paired with seaside wine tastings, fresh seafood and miles of hiking.
If you are looking for a different type of wine and food experience, make plans to visit Sonoma County.
Have you been wanting to take a trip to the California Wine Country? Napa Valley is one of the areas that is a must visit.
The harvest season is normally around August through October. This would be the peak season, so it will have larger crowds and hotels tend to be more expensive. If the large crowds are not your thing, consider checking out Napa from November to March. Local residents call this time period “Cabernet Season”. The crowds will be lighter and there are more hotel deals that you will be able to find.
Napa Valley has over 3 dozen wine grape varieties. Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are the most widely used but you will find other surprises like Albarino and Zinfandel.
Napa Valley is not just for wine lovers; it is also a foodie destination. There are 3 great culinary events that are worth checking out:
Napa Valley Restaurant Week: This occurs in January. It showcases the best restaurants with special offers that include multi-course and prix-fixed menus.
Calistoga’s Harvest Table: This occurs in September. This event has 10 or more local restaurants and at least 40 wineries come together in the center of downtown and set up a 1,000-foot table for everyone to enjoy food and drink.
Napa Table: This 300-person dining table stretches down multiple streets in the heart of Napa offering an eclectic menu of dishes to try.
Look at your calendar and put Napa Valley on your list of places to visit. Whether you want food, wine or both, you will not be disappointed.
Are you looking to explore Los Cabos? How about checking out a few roof top bars? Sip on creative cocktails and enjoy the views at these top rooftop lounges:
The Rooftop at The Cape: Located on the 6th floor of The Cape Hotel,
SUR Beach House: Overlooks Medano Beach
The Rooftop at Hotel El Ganzo: includes a swim-up bar
Rooftop 360 at Corazón Cabo: Enjoy great views of the Sea of Cortes
Cielomar Rooftop: Located on the 9th floor of the Viceroy Los Cabos
Breathless Cabo San Lucas: This Adult-Only resort offers stunning views of the ocean
M Bar at Muna in NOBU: Enjoy a culinary experience while sipping on cocktails
La Botica: Located at Las Ventasa al Paradiso
Alma at Esperanza: Enjoy not just cocktails as the sunsets, but espresso drinks as the sun rises
We were recently in Hershey, Pennsylvania and we were meeting family for breakfast. They suggested we go to their favorite place, The Hershey Pantry. This restaurant was packed and there was a wait. The good news is we did not have to wait too long.
Looking over the menu there were several great options to choose from. I kept changing my mind while waiting for the waitress to come over and take our order. Once she arrived, I settled on ordering the Egg Sandwich on Pretzel Roll. The pretzel roll was amazing. It was extremely sweet and soft. On the roll was egg, ham and American cheese. The cheese was creamy, which is always perfect with eggs. The sweetness of the roll complemented the saltiness of the ham. I was a perfect sandwich. It also came with home fries. These were a little unique; they were sliced potatoes verses cubed. The thinness of the potato was nice to each with just a little salt and pepper.
The Peasant Omelet was also ordered. This was a slightly different omelet from the traditional style omelet. Wrapped in the egg was feta cheese, bacon, and onion. Then it was topped with a sprinkling of paprika. The feta cheese gave a slight tang but nothing overwhelming. The bacon was a nice crunchy and salty element. This dish too came with the home fries.
Breakfast was so good at The Hershey Pantry. The service was fast, but we never felt rushed. And the waitress kept the coffee flowing.
