Wine and Spirits Travel

I grew up on Eastern Long Island so I’m always anxious to explore when I have a chance. This time it was a family affair, with my mother, and my daughter and her boyfriend. You know the saying, “So little time, so many places to see?” That’s me when it comes to Long Island. For this trip I only had one day and decided we’d do the North Fork , which I haven’t been to in a while. I contacted the Long Island Wine Council for some advice on new and unique wineries that would give me a wide range in a short period of time. They did a good job in choosing. Our first stop was at Raphael Winery in Peconic. It’s a beautiful winery so it’s no wonder it’s popular for weddings The winery is family owned and has been around for 13 years. Their selection included a little of everything. I especially liked the 2013 Rose, which is mostly merlot with a bit of pinot noir. It has a strawberry nose and hints of berries in a semi-dry wine. The 2010 La Fontana is a delicious red bl

Day two in St. Louis for Mom and I was my favorite kind of day – starting at the spa. We were at the Four Seasons St. Louis in a beautiful suite overlooking the Gateway Arch. The first day was filled with exploring and we had a great time. We enjoyed a light yogurt parfait breakfast before heading down to the spa . The atmosphere was quite relaxing and I took advantage of the relaxation room, steam room and sauna before my treatment. It was a heavenly hot stone massage for me, while Mom chose to get a lymphatic massage, which she said was wonderful thanks to a well-trained masseuse. Mary from the Enjoy St. Louis Convention and Visitors Bureau picked us up soon after we were done to continue our tour of the city. She told us about the Downtown Trolley, which circulates that area and the City Museum, and the other trolleys that will take you to various attractions in the city at little cost. She also told us that the city was breaking ground on a new trolley system fo

A sampling of photographs from the 25th Anniversary of the Field of Dreams, which I had the honor to attend this past weekend in Dyersville, Iowa. It's going to take a while to sort through the photos (and videos) on my camera, but check back for more stories (here and on other outlets) and memories. Among those in attendance pictured are Kevin Costner, Timothy Busfield, Dwier Brown, Glendon Rusch, Colin Egglesfield, Bret Saberhagen, Kristy Swanson, Bob Costas -- and me! As a Mets fan, I loved a chance to talk with Bret Saberhagen.  While there were 7,000 people on day one, it never seemed crowded. Dwier Brown, Timothy Busfield and Kevin Costner had fun during the Q&A. Could have talked to Colin Egglesfield all day about All My Children, his latest roles, and the all his Midwest connections.  "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" star Kristy Swanson came with her husband, hockey player Lloyd Eisler. Timothy Busfield spent a lot of time catc

Despite the fact that I only live a few hours away, it had been years since I spent any time in St. Louis. The opportunity came up when Mom was visiting me and I didn’t have to think twice about it. Mary and Donna at the St.Louis Tourism Board worked hard to set up a girls’ getaway itinerary and it couldn’t have been better. The trip was a quick and easy two and a half hours to the Four Seasons St. Louis . I had heard a lot about this property, which has shown up on multiple lists as a top accommodation in the country.  I certainly got that impression from the moment we stepped out of the car. The hotel was beautiful and the staff quite attentive. We had a one bedroom, two bath suite with a phenomenal view of the Gateway Arch. It also had the touches I appreciated in a top tier hotel, such as thick and comfortable robes and L’Occitane bath amenities, but something I wish more hotels on this level would offer, complimentary internet. We only had a few minut