Wine and Spirits Travel

It was a beautiful morning on a most amazing island. I fell in love with Mackinac Island on my first trip and this time was no different. My friend, Lynn, and I had arrived at the Grand Hotel the day before and were ready to explore. Most of the people who stay at this resort take the dinner and breakfast package, and that’s what the hotel had provided for us. After taking some time to once again enjoy the view from our balcony, we headed to the main dining room. The buffet at the Grand Hotel , from which I decided to take a little of a few different items to have with a smoothie and coffee, was extensive, as was the menu.  Included were items such as Apricot Cream Cheese Brioche French Toast and steak and eggs. The basket of freshly baked breads was also always on the table. After breakfast, we headed down to the front entrance. Mackinac Island does not have motorized vehicles. Instead of asking the bellman to get a cab, we needed to get a horse drawn carriage to bring us downtow

When I first received an email about Ravinia , I have to confess that I had no idea what it was. I had heard of it, but didn’t think of it beyond being a venue in Chicagoland. I was certainly wrong about that. Ravinia is actually the longest running outdoor music festival in North America.  Unlike what you would normally expect from a “festival,” this one lasts for four months and has been taking place for over 50 years. It is also non-profit. Each year, from June-September, Ravinia Festival schedules 140 musical performances, from classical to rock.  Among those for 2018 are Diana Ross , Tony Bennett, and Seal. My friend and photographer, Brittany, and I went through the schedule to decide which event would work best for us.  We decided on the concert with ZZ Top and John Fogerty, neither of which we had ever seen. We drove to see the event. I was not feeling my best and was immediately impressed with their complimentary and easy to find handica

My dad commuted from Eastern Long Island to Brooklyn for 15 years. He used to bring me a cheesecake from Junior’s original location every year for my birthday. I was about 12 when he started and it continued until he retired. He would then still make the trip to get me my favorite cake. After my dad passed away and I moved to the Champaign , my mom started sending one for my birthday, as well as any time I needed cheering-up (like when I had surgery). It’s now come full circle with over 40 years of Junior’s sharing my life. I was in Florida for the newly opened of Junior’s in Boca Raton .   Mom and I will shared Junior’s in a third state, with another milestone -- she’s leaving Florida and moving to Illinois, so we can once again live in the same place. Junior’s in Boca Raton looked just like the ones I was used to, with cheesecakes lining the shelves of the bakery area, red and white stripes everywhere, and walls full of nostalgia. Photos of famous

I’ve never been to the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago . I confess I’m always the one that goes far away before near to see things.  I lived in New York over 40 years and I never went to the Statue of Liberty (I did take the Circle Line boat ride around it a few times). Two things brought me to finally plan a trip to the Lincoln Park Zoo: the opening of the Patio at Café Brauer for the season, and a toddler who I knew would be mesmerized by her first experience with the animals. The drive to Chicago with a toddler was definitely different.  It had been a while since I had a little one on a long car drive and it was her first long car ride, but Brittany and Jessie, Andrea’s mom, helped keep her occupied from the front seat while I entertained her with phone videos.  We also put a few extra stops into the ride that was usually two hours straight. When we arrived at the zoo, I think I was the most excited. I love zoos and couldn’t believe I hadn’t been to t

My friend Joan and I headed a few hours away to Itasca, Illinois, for a short girls’ getaway at Eaglewood Resort & Spa . You could see the golf course from the balcony in our room. The Deluxe Room is quite large and suitable for a small family. The spa and fitness center are located in a building across the parking lot from the rooms and other common areas.  The pool center at  Eaglewood  is set up to be enjoyed year-round. It’s totally enclosed in the winter and one side opens up in the summer so you can sit around a patio and enjoy the Olympic-sized pool with accompanying whirlpool. During the warmer months, they also serve cocktails and snacks out there. Three separate rooms were in the fitness center, all with all new equipment. One room had state-of-the art machines.  The second was all about weights, and the third was for classes. We saw someone in there stretching. Within the fitness and spa area  Eaglewood Resort  also has its own bowling