Wine and Spirits Travel

  Lynn and I have been having adventures for many years. We’ve been friends for decades and look forward to our getaways. We had lots of plans for this one, taking us through Michigan, then on to Milwaukee before heading back. She arrived in Champaign a few days before our trip. We got ready for our first stop, Chicago. We were spending two days there at 21CMuseum Hotel before hitting the road for the rest.   One of the things I enjoyed most about the 21C Museum Hotel I stayed in when in Louisville the first time were the penguins. These giant plastic penguins would move around the hotel, surprising you in places such as the elevator. After I mentioned this at check-in, we had one waiting for us in our room. The 21C Deluxe Accessible Double room worked well for us. It had a nice big bathroom, with a low bathtub, which I love. There was also a chair in it for those who couldn’t climb in or get out of the tub.   We had stopped on the road to eat a big lunch. I want...

  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. ...

It was the final day of the Bourbon & Beyond Festival, and I was ready for an exciting one, with interviews to do and bands new and old to see. My brother, Mark, and I checked out of our wheelchair accessible room at the Tru Hilton Louisville South and headed to the Kentucky Exhibition Center. The weather was still warm and humid, but it looked like we might be heading for some rain.   One of the acts I was most looking forward to was first up at Bourbon & Beyond. I had always been a fan of actor Kevin Bacon and was looking forward to catching his performance with his brother, Michael. The Bacon Brothers were fantastic, with Kevin as the lead singer. He also showed off his dance moves, especially when performing the title song from his most famous movie, “Footloose.” The growing crowd was dancing and singing along with them. It was quite a show. After they were done, I went back to the press area for a while to get my questions ready for upcoming interviews. I had met and...

My brother, Mark, and I both agreed we wanted to enjoy a good Kentucky barbecue meal in Louisville before we got started on the day at Bourbon & Beyond. I went online and searched for reviews. One place kept coming up: Shack in the Back . It was clear we picked the right place when we saw the crowd at 11:00 am on a  Saturday morning. It was even clearer when we tasted the food. I had a brisket sandwich, with a side of mashed potatoes and a side of corn. Mark went all out with the Sampler. It included brisket, pulled pork, ribs, and wings. He chose the mac and cheese and the green beans to go with it. We didn’t make it through all the food, though it wasn’t for a lack of trying. We had to get to the festival as I had interviews to do and music to watch. My first appointment was at Eastern Light Distilling. I was intrigued with this company and even more so after meeting with the owners.    Eastern Light is not “a” bourbon company. It is a group that is locally...