Wine and Spirits Travel

  It was my third day in Boston and the most important one, my doctor’s appointment, but that didn’t change my interest in seeing more of this historic city. I started the day at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza with breakfast at Off the Common restaurant. I had the Cinnamon French Toast the previous day , and as good as it was, I was pressed on time. The buffet breakfast looked really good, and I picked a piece of quiche, a muffin, and fruit to have with my latte.   It was impossible to go anywhere in Boston without walking through history (or wheeling, in my case). I took advantage of a beautiful day and went through the Boston Public Garden on my way to the doctor's office. Boston Public Garden was the first public botanical garden opened in the United States. It’s just on the side of Boston Common and was scenic and quiet in the morning, with just a few joggers cutting through (like I was) on their way to work.   My appointment at Tufts went well. I decided that, ...

After a late start on day one, I packed my second day in Boston, Massachusetts, to get in as much as possible and I saw—and ate—quite a bit. I started with breakfast downstairs at Common in the Hilton Downtown. I went for the Cinnamon French Toast, and it was delicious and filling. I then took the short ride on my wheelchair to back to the stop of the Old Towne Trolley . I was heading to the New England Aquarium first. I love aquariums and didn’t have enough time the previous day. It is a large building that starts with the biggest penguin exhibit I’ve seen. I sat and watched the little black and white birds frolicking for a while. The aquarium has a lot on protecting the planet for the marine life and I read through all of valuable information posted. I also spent time at the Marine Mammal Center with the seals and sea lions.   The aquariums were filled with colorful fish and coral, as well as jellyfish. I was impressed with the accessibility too, with plenty of ramps and au...

One good thing came out of my fall last year. It certainly wasn’t the broken (in two places) humerus or the nerve damage in my arm. It was finding a wonderful surgeon at Tufts University and giving me lots of opportunities to explore Boston. I had spent a lot of time in Boston as a child. It wasn’t far from my New York home and my parents loved showing us the history of the city. I went a few more times in adulthood but had not been in many years. I decided to take advantage of my trips to the Massachusetts city by revisiting the city I had seen in the past and learning about what was new. What was definitely new about going to Boston this time around is that I am now in a wheelchair. I would be looking at everything from a different position and my arrangements needed to be much more carefully planned. I asked for help from the Meet Boston tourism board, and they were extremely helpful in planning what would be the first of many trips to the city, each focusing on a different area. ...

I’ve wanted to visit St. Louis Union Station since it was remodeled a few years ago and the attractions were added. I had heard nothing but good things about it. When I was invited to cover a Yellowcard concert in the Gateway city, I decided it was the perfect time. Brittany and I went straight from the concert to the Hilton at St. Louis Union Station , a Curio Collection Hotel. I was impressed the moment we walked into the lobby, with the high ceilings and light show that magnified all the art. I could only compare it to the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. We were exhausted and went right to sleep. In the morning, we had breakfast at Station Grille, one of the hotel’s restaurants. It was quite a meal, starting with freshly made pastries. Brittany had Chicken & Waffles. I ordered the Egg, Avocado & Quinoa, which was covered lightly with a balsamic dressing, and I loved it. After breakfast, we met up with our friend `Amanda and headed over to the other side of the hotel ...

It was a busy and exciting day before as I took my service dog (then still in training) Teddy to Carmel, Indiana. My friend Jaimee stayed over with us at the Home2 Suites by Hilton . It was a bit of a tough night getting the little guy to sleep on his first overnight in a hotel.   We had requested a corner room, so no one seemed to be disturbed, but we were ready to get out of the hotel suite and let him run around outside. After breakfast, which is included at all the Home2 Suites, we decided to check out one of the pet friendly city’s dog parks. I had asked around and Clay Terrace was mentioned as a good one by a few people. Teddy definitely agreed and it gave him a chance to burn some energy before he was back on my lap on the scooter “working.”   We were on our way next to the Carmel Christkindlmarkt . This was my second trip there and I was happy to be back as it was my favorite in the U.S. The market, which does not have an entry fee, is a yearly ev...

  Since I’ve been traveling in a wheelchair or mobility scooter the last few years, I have not gone many places alone. I decided to go for it when I was invited to spend a day – and night – at Navy Pier in Chicago. I have been to Navy Pier many times, but was never able to stay there until Sable, a Curio Collection Hotel by Hilton , was built. I always wondered why there wasn’t a hotel there, and after spending time scooting my way around the property and the pier, I can attest that it’s a fun and unique experience. The hotel is at the end of the pier and the entrance is right next to one of the parking lots. It was easy to park my van and take my scooter right into the modern lobby. Once inside you’ll be surprised at just how big it is, with a Kisbi Coffee and the Lirica Restaurant close to the entrance. It did take me a little while to figure out how to get to the elevator to my room, but once inside, I found my biggest draw to this hotel – the windows. Every room has ...