Wine and Spirits Travel

My trips are usually planned pretty far in advance. This one was different. It was toward the end of a summer spent mostly at home and Teddy and I were getting restless. I was also looking for something to talk about for my upcoming CI Living show .   Since I live just two hours south of Chicago and the windy City offers endless things to do, it was the obvious choice. I wanted something a bit different this time around. A focus on the Riverwalk sounded like the perfect idea. Even though Teddy is a service dog and allowed everywhere, I wanted a pet friendly place where people could have the same experience we did. The Sheraton Grand Riverwalk fit all the requirements and it was a hotel I had not previously been to.  My friend, Kim, came along for the short trip. We checked in quickly and went up to our large accessible room, with a king bed, a pullout couch, and a bed and bowl set up for Teddy that was much bigger than he was. We also had a welcoming charcuterie plate. ...

I grew up in New York and Boston was a frequent vacation destination. I continued to go occasionally. It had been about 20 years since I had been there when I was recently given an opportunity to go back. Boston has too much for me to cover it all in one story. I will have more at a later date on some other areas to explore. You’ll find more than enough below to start planning a spring break or summer vacation through the cobblestone streets, famous architecture, and many sites in this city.   Must-See Sites Downtown It’s not often a baseball stadium is considered a historical site, but Fenway Park is in that category. You can see a lot of it from the outside. There is a tour to take you through off season or wait for a game to get the best good look.   Take a walk-through scenic Boston Common , the oldest park in the United States, or Boston Public Garden, which has been around since 1837. One of the things about Boston I enjoyed is the historic statues throughout the ...

The first time I was in the TWA Terminal at JFK Airport in New York was when I was 11 years old. After years of taking road trips down south or cross country each year, we were taking our first flight. It was to Florida, and we were leaving out of this modern terminal on a jet plane. It looked just as I remembered when I arrived at the TWA Hotel in the same spot as the old terminal. I had left the Viana Hotel in Westbury to spend   24 hours here before my flight home to Champaign the next day.   From the moment I wheeled in on my scooter, I was transformed back into the 70s, with music from that period playing throughout the building, as well as photographs, memorabilia, and even cars. All was in bright colors, predominantly the TWA red.   Check-in to the TWA hotel was familiar at the counters previously used to check in to your flight. The ones that were not being used for that were spots for quick service food, forming a bit of a food hall with favorite New York c...

I had been enjoying some down time with friends and family in New York. That wasn’t going to change on day four, but I added in some discovery as I took my daughter and son-in-law to the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City. Even though I had lived 15 minutes from this museum for 20 years, I had never been there. It had been in the back of my mind, and when I would occasionally pass it, I would remind myself. It just never happened. Click Here for Holiday Deals This Long Island trip was planned to include checking out new places, and with this museum close to the Viana Hotel and Spa where I was staying, I decided to include it. The ILoveNY team helped me make the arrangements. I had breakfast at the hotel before Sam and Matt picked me up for the museum. I was happy to see immediately that it was extremely wheelchair accessible.     We were met at the entrance by Joe Pobliner. I soon learned he was a wonderful expert on Long Island’s history in aviation and every...

I've been to many Chicago hotels, but  StayPineapple is one of my best discoveries in years. I love pineapple and was very intrigued about a hotel built around the fruit. When I heard they were very dog friendly, I knew I had to go. I brought my friend Kim and my Yorkie Teddy along to enjoy the fun for a quick trip. Even though Teddy is a service dog and is welcome everywhere, I try to take him to pet friendly places so he gets the dog perks. We received welcome drinks (Sauvignon Blanc for me and pineapple beer for Kim), pineapple shaped cookies, pineapple water, and, of course, dog biscuits for Teddy, as soon as we arrived at the hotel. My corner suite was perfect, with a king bed in the large bedroom, and a couch, chair, and second television in the living room. Kim had the room next door to herself. We had a beautiful view from the window.  Teddy had a bed set up for him and bowls for water and food next to it. In his goodie bag was also a yellow container wit...