Wine and Spirits Travel

The Go Rockford Convention & Visitors Bureau set me up with a full schedule of things to do in Rockford. Fortunately, I had Brittany and Amanda to help me out. One of the facts we were learning about Rockford is about the large Norwegian and Swedish population that came here. There was a direct link from Ellis Island to Rockford, Illinois, because of the industry here and many of those immigrants established   themselves and remained in the area.   Our breakfast was at The Norwegian , known for authentic food, homemade jams, and even their own mocha sauce (delicious in a mocha latte). They also have a stage for music.  We had our first taste of Æbleskiver, Danish pancake balls. They were quite good, as was the omelet and steak & eggs.   After breakfast we drove to Riverfront Museum Campus . We started at the Discover Center Museum. It’s a great family outing as the exhibits appeal to all ages.  There are also plenty of hands-on activities to keep kid

Niagara Falls is certainly a romantic place, but it’s been a long time since it was known as “the” spot just for honeymoons.  Activities and accommodations now exist for everyone and I found it to be an especially good place for a getaway with my friend Lynn. We arrived early afternoon from Buffalo, only a short half hour away. Our check-in at The Giacomo was quick and we soon learned that this restored U.S. Post Office building had a location was perfectly centered in the middle of everything. Michelle Blackley of Niagara USA met us in front of the building and we took a short walk the Culinary Institute of Niagara, where we were eating at their Savor restaurant. I had the homemade gnocchi and it was quite good, slow cooked in Bolognese sauce with fresh burrata cheese. For dessert, I enjoyed the Apple Caramel Pie. Lynn decided to go for a dessert sampler of small bites so she didn’t have to make up her mind. Before we left the Culinary Institute we stopped in