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Showing posts from November, 2014

South Dakota Tour Continues from Wall to Hill City

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When I woke up in Wall, I was ready for a very full day two in South Dakota . The rain had not let up all night and it was pouring as I headed into Wall Drug. From the moment I pulled my rental car up I knew this was going to be a place like no other. It seemed to go on for blocks and I soon learned that this was only the front. I met with Rick Hustead, whose grandparents had started Wall Drug in 1931 as just a drugstore. Ted, a pharmacist, and Dorothy were having trouble getting customers until Dorothy had the idea to put up “Free Ice Water” signs along the highway. The ice water turned into .05 coffee and both brought in enough customers for Wall Drug to now be 76,000 square feet and one of the biggest attractions in the country. Rick and I continued to talk in the restaurant over breakfast about Wall Drug and the endless products being sold here. Breakfast certainly satisfied my sweet tooth, though I did at least add a scrambled egg for a bit of healt...

Discovering South Dakota

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As a child, I drove with my parents and my brother cross country almost every year. We would stop along the way, sometimes for a few hours and other times overnight if there was a lot to see. By going different routes we managed to see all of the continental United States. Around the time I was 10, the vacations were by airplane and there were states I would never see again. South Dakota was one of those.  With my new role in charge of the Midwest Travel section for About.com, I had more reason than ever to get to South Dakota so I was excited when the tourism board invited me on a trip. The day started with an early morning flight and included a tight connection, so I was pretty tired and hungry by the time I met Julie Jones-Whitcher of Rapid City Tourism .  We had planned to meet directly at The Journey Museum, but I had called and asked her if we could meet somewhere for a late lunch first. We met in Main Street Square and proceeded to Alternati...

Party Time with at Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival

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After a morning of checking out the Grand Market , my daughter Sam and I still had a full day and night ahead of us at the Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival. We got back to the press room at Caesar’s Resort in time for a fun and candid conversation with Martha Stewart . It was a press only round table. I had never met her before and was surprised how relaxed she was. One of the things she talked about is a subject close to my palate – infusing vodka. Ms. Stewart, who has a farm in Bedford, New York, said, “Black currants are the basis for cassis. It flavors the vodka very nicely. Within two months, the vodka is great and it only gets better and better. “ She also added, “I use raspberries in vodka. I use strawberries. I grow a lot of citrus on my farm, lots of lemons and limes. I use that a lot for the drinks." "When I have a lot of lemon or sour oranges, I squeeze them and freeze it for ice cubes, and keep that in the freezer for drinks. That makes ...

Grand Marketplace at Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival

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I've attended many food festivals around the country and the Grand Market is almost always my favorite event. It's a chance to sample many different foods, wines, and spirits, as well as watch cooking demonstrations and meet personalities. This year, the Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival, hosted by Caesar's Resort , moved their Grand Market outside for the first time. It was held in the park of Bally's Resort in Atlantic City. The weather cooperated and the outside location allowed some food trucks to join in the fun. With the help of my daughter, Sam, I was able to enjoy lots of finds -- some new and some old favorites. Guy Fieri's Fish Taco, from his new Bally's Restaurant, was a fan favorite. 14 Hands brought a fruit-filled Unoaked Chardonnay Bay Shore served a delicious Lobster Bisque. I was surprised that I hadn't previously sampled Absolut Texas, a limited edition worth trying. Goodway Gourmet Cafe had scrumptious...