Wine and Spirits Travel

I go to New York every few months to visit family and friends. I almost always fly, but my friend Lynn suggest she drive back with me and spend some time in Illinois. I had recently received an invite to check out the new Hotel LeVeque in Columbus, Ohio, and decided it was a perfect place to stop. Hotel LeVeque , part of the Marriott Autograph Collection, was opened in the Leveque Lincoln Tower in downtown Columbus. The history of the 100-year-old building has been preserved, and even improved since the opening added additional artwork to the marbled historic building. We arrived late in the evening. The hotel does not have a full restaurant open yet, but we decided to check out The Keep Liquor Bar. It’s a very welcoming area, with leather couches and soft lighting. It has delicate touches with go perfectly with the hotel’s décor. They don’t have a full menu, but the bar menu was inviting.  We decided to share the Watermelon Goat Cheese Arugula...

After my morning tasting and exploring the North Market , I met Amy Weirick, who works with Experience Columbus . She put together a full day and it started at The Candle Lab in the city’s Short North section. We had time to mix our favorite fragrances into a candle (I choose hot chocolate and marshmallow), and do a little downtown shopping before heading off to lunch. We ate in the German Village, one of the many diverse neighborhoods in this Ohio city. Among the Cobblestone streets and brick houses was Lindey’s , a popular restaurant that was filled to the brim on this weekday. Amy ordered the Tuna Tartar, a favorite of hers, and I enjoyed a Spinach Quiche, that was very good with a hint of bacon. We stayed in the area a bit longer to head over to Pistacia Vera , which means true pistachio in Latin. You will find some pistachio items here, but the focus is all French. Like my favorite stops in Paris, there are macaroons that melt in your mouth, airy croissants and a se...

It had been a few years since I spent any time in Columbus, Ohio. I had come each November to cover a tennis tournament every year, but never got to spend much time downtown. Since then, I had heard the city had welcomed a new food and drink scene and I was anxious to check it out. After I left Rockmill Brewery , I went straight to the Hampton Inn and Suites Downtown to check in. I was met there by Scott Peacock, Public Relations Manager for Experience Columbus .  Scott took me to M at Miranova , one of Cameron Mitchell’s restaurants, which is known for its drinks as much as its food. We started the evening at the bar trying out some of those famous cocktails made by Cris Dehlavi , a mixologist extraordinaire who has brought her award winning skills to this restaurant for nearly a decade. Scott and I were joined by another local celebrity, Angela An. The local morning news anchor has an interest in food and drinks that brought her and her husband to develop Food Hop ,...