Wine and Spirits Travel

It was the final day in Lake Geneva with my friends Cortney and Amy. We had been up late the previous night and slept in at Maxwell Mansion . We each had our own rooms and I loved my General Ulysses S. Grant suite. I took one final bath in my antique soaking tub before we headed back to the Baker House for a fun and delicious brunch. The Baker House keeps its 19 th century image with period dress for the employees and hats for all of the visitors to wear. We were greeted politely and, after we chose from the hats, were escorted us to our table overlooking the lake. We were told the brunch came with unlimited champagne. We each had a glass before I switched to tea and received a lovely pot with a glass of honey. Each downstairs room of the Baker House mansion contained different food items for one of the best brunches I’ve ever had. The bar was set up as an omelet and eggs benedict station and the bartender was happy to customize your eggs any ...

It was day two of my girls’ getaway in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. I had brought two friends on this trip, Cortney and Amy, and we were having a blast. I let them sleep in at Maxwell Mansion and I met with Karen Arthur, Lake Geneva's Convention & Visitor's Bureau Marketing & Communications Manager, for breakfast at Simple Café. It was a bright and friendly spot with an inviting menu. We talked about everything there was to see in Lake Geneva and I knew this trip would only be the first of many. It was also probably going to be the first of more trips to Simple as their Pumpkin Pancakes were delicious. I went straight from breakfast back to the Lunt-Fontanne Project Center for a tour of the Ten Chimneys estate that had once belonged to the acting duo of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. Maggie and Richard, dressed as Dolcet and the Shadow, were my guides. I received a private tour because I was working on a Midwest Living Magazine story, but publi...

It wasn’t long after I moved to the Midwest before I started hearing about Lake Geneva. I honestly didn’t know much about the Wisconsin town before this, but when I met with a representative of their Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) at the Chicago Travel Show , I knew that I had to put it on my trip list. Finding a friend to come along was an easy task. In fact, my friends Cortney and Amy were both begging to come. I checked with the Lake Geneva CVB who was making all the arrangements, and they agreed that it sounded like the makings of a great girls’ getaway. They weren’t wrong. The drive to Lake Geneva only took a few hours. We arrived at Maxwell Mansion 1856 late afternoon and were immediately taken with the property. Chicago Surgeon Dr. Philip Maxwell built this property for him and his wife to move into in 1856. It joined the list of Lake Geneva properties that had become vacation homes for the wealthy in Chicago. Among those who have stayed at Maxwe...

It was a short trip, but I had some time before meeting my mom for her birthday celebration, so I decided to go for it. I had flown into West Palm Beach Airport more times than I can remember.  From there I always headed straight into Delray Beach without even exploring the area, even though I never actually got to the “beach,” the area didn’t disappoint. This time, with an invitation to stay at The Chesterfield , a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, I decided to stick around Palm Beach – at least for 24 hours. While I was there I decided to check out a few restaurants. The Palm Beaches include many towns, including Ocean Ridge, Palm Beach Gardens, South Bay, West Palm Beach, and Riviera Beach. The area has its own airport so I was able to fly right in from Chicago.  Palm Beaches Tourism arranged for a car to pick me up and take me to Avocado Grill for lunch, where I would learn more about this region – while enjoy a fantastic lu...