Wine and Spirits Travel

  (This story was originally published in Cocktails and Joints)   Destination weddings can take away a lot of the hassle – and cost – from the bride and groom, but it’s difficult to plan when your guests don’t want to leave the U.S.   You can still find some exciting places to head out of town for your nuptials without anyone needing to make a trip to the passport office. In fact, you may find some of these places offer unique scenery you won’t get on an island. Geyserville, California Geyserville, California Between the Mayacamas Mountains and the vineyards, the backdrop for your ceremony will be amazing at the Geyserville Inn . This Sonoma accommodation is laid back and attentive at the same time. It’s family owned and there’s only one wedding at a time. Guests can stay right at the Inn in one of the well-appointed 41 rooms or suites. You should also consider the rehearsal dinner or next day brunch at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery . It may be in the heart of ...

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 don’t get a lot of relaxing days when I am traveling, but my first full day at the Viana Hotel & Spa in Westbury, New York, was a perfect one.   The best way to start a day is without an alarm clock and that’s what I did. I took my time putting on something comfortable and went down to the Marco Polo restaurant for breakfast. The buffet had a nice assortment of items, and there was a spot to get custom omelets, which I did, as well as pancakes and French toast. It was comforting to be in a place that is wheelchair accessible on all floors. There were wide open hallways and, even though there were stairs in the lobby to go up to the restaurant or down to the spa, you could also take the elevator to both. After breakfast, I caught up with emails and then went downstairs to wait for my daughter. We had a spa date at this Long Island hotel I was looking forward to.   Viana Hotel has a full-service spa that includes massages, treatments, nail, and hair services. T...

The morning started at The Giacomo in Niagara Falls, with their delicious European style breakfast. My friend Lynn and I each had a full plate of eggs, potatoes and a danish in preparation of a full day of walking – and wine tasting. Michelle Blackley of Niagara USA picked us up for our private tour of Old Fort Niagara, which is just across from Toronto, Canada.  It has become an important part of history for the United States, France and Great Britain as all fought for control of the Great Lakes region. Today Old Fort Niagara stands above Lake Ontario much as it had three hundred years ago. It is a NY State Historic Site, as well as a National Historic Landmark, and well worth touring for the glimpse into past history it offers. After touring the fort we were off to the Niagara Wine Trail . While it’s not an area ready to rival New York’s Finger Lakes, I was impressed with the variety offered in this area because of the longer growing season this region ...

The flights to Buffalo were quick and easy and I had no trouble finding my friend Lynn in Buffalo airport. I hadn’t been to this part of upstate New York since I picked my brother up at college (SUNY-Fredonia) many years ago so I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. It was a quick trip to the downtown area. I was immediately struck by the interesting architecture, even comparing the different neighborhoods and buildings to Chicago. It turned out I wasn’t too far off, as Buffalo did share some of the architectural geniuses, such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Frederick Law Olmsted. We quickly dropped our things at the Hotel Lafayette and were met by Peter Burakowski of Visit Buffalo. Our first stop was at Pearl Street Grill & Brewery , known as much for its brews as its food.  We were starving since we’d been traveling for hours and enjoyed a serving of their potato pancakes with homemade applesauce while we waited for the main dishes. Lynn had the Bowtie Pasta a...