Wine and Spirits Travel

It didn’t take me long to feel relaxed and comfortable at the Inn at Bay Harbor, a hotel in the Marriott Bonvoy Autograph Collection.  My suite was perfect, and I had slept well. I was ready to take the relaxation to another level. My day was wide open with the exception of the start of it -- at The Spa. I arrived a few minutes before my appointment for the Ginger Glow treatment.  I changed into my luxurious robe and sat down with a cup of tea in the quiet waiting area. The Ginger Glow is one of the signature offerings at the Inn at Bay Harbor, and I can certainly understand why its so popular. I could easily rename it “Heaven on Earth.” It began with a scrub made of ginger, with a hint of eucalyptus, to get rid of the dead cells on my skin.  After that was rinsed off, I had a full body massaged with a ginger oil and hot stones. The next part was probably my favorite as arthritis always has me seeking warmth: my whole body was wrapped in a warm r

I had really enjoyed my time in Sault Ste Marie , Michigan, with Brittany and Jamie. We had seen a lot and learned quite a bit about this important basin that borders the U.S. and Canada. We packed up our things at Superior Place and got ready to head south a bit to our next Michigan stop, but first we had one more Sault Ste Marie restaurant to try. Antlers Restaurant gets its current name from the taxidermy display on the countertops and walls. It was previously known as the Bucket-of-Blood Saloon, a favorite in this area during Prohibition. The original restaurant goes back four generations and we could see why it was so popular. The Poutine (a French dish of fries in gravy) is very popular here. Brittany and Jamie agreed it was one of the best they ever had since it had Wisconsin cheddar cheese curds mixed in. For their main courses, they chose the Whitefish Po’boy and the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, both of which were very good. I wasn’t quite

I was excited to be invited to Boyne Highlands Resort in Northern Michigan. It also worked out that my brother was able to come from California with my youngest niece and nephew to join me.  I hadn't seen them in a while so it was exciting. Even though I had broken my arm a few weeks before the trip, we were all having a blast.  They had been skiing, ziplining, and snowboarding in the first two days. I had hit the spa and joined in a little tubing. On Sunday morning, we got up early and headed to the buffet breakfast, which is quite extensive at Boyne Highlands Resort .  We didn’t want to eat too much because it would soon be time for a first for all of us – dogsledding. I admit I had thought a bit that it wasn’t fair to the dogs, but nothing could be further from the truth. Royal Canine trains these dogs in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and what they do is up to them. Almost all of them were excited to welcome us and the one who wasn’t in the mo

I had arrived at Boyne Highlands Resort in Michigan the previous evening with my brother, Mark, and my nephew and niece, Jacob and Moriah. Everyone was excited about a weekend full of activities. Well, almost everyone. I had broken my arm just two weeks before and wouldn’t be doing anything adventurous.  I have to admit I was a bit bummed before I arrived, but once I settled into Boyne Highlands Resort , the views and other things I could do had eliminated my gloomy outlook. We were up early for breakfast in the Dining Room of the Main Lodge. I was impressed by the huge buffet. There was an omelet station, as well as hot and cold dishes, fruits, muffins, pancakes, and more. We were all full when we left to head outside, where the temperature was hovering around zero degrees. It was, after all, Michigan in the winter, I reminded my Californian family. I followed everyone along to the Snow Sports Academy Desk in the Day Lodge, where they were checked in and f

I was really excited about my first trip to Boyne Highlands Resort  in Michigan. I was especially thrilled that my brother, Mark, was coming with my niece and nephew (although I wished my oldest niece could come too). The plan was to all fly into Traverse City Airport, have lunch, and then make a visit to Bowers Harbor Vineyards before leaving town. This was my third trip to Traverse City and while I didn’t have a lot of time, I wanted to at least get one more of their fabulous wineries covered. My friend Mike Norton, Media Relations Manager at Traverse City Tourism, thought Bowers was not only a great winery, but as family friendly as a winery can be. You know what they say about the best laid plans. I arrived in Traverse City to find out the family had missed their connection. I knew immediately I where I was when I was looking for a cup of coffee. After all, where else would the coffee machine offer “Cherry Pie Cappuccino” other than in Cherry Capital Airp