Wine and Spirits Travel

At last year’s Food Network South Beach Food and Wine Festival, my favorite event was the Perrier Jouet BubbleQ and it again lived up to my expectations. My friend Lynn is with my this trip and I had been playing up BubbleQ so much that I think she thought I was exaggerating.  That all changed when we arrived.  We had VIP passes thanks to the sponsors, Pernod Ricard , so we were able to get in before the crowds. Our first greeting came with Perrier Jouet Champagne and Godiva Chocolate, so we were off to a great start! In addition to the champagne and chocolate – and there is plenty of that, including scrumptious offerings from Sweet Street Desserts – host Bobby Flay and more than two dozen other chefs had a chance to showcase a dish.  Though the theme was barbecue (hence “bubbles” for champagne, “q” for bbq), the selection was even wider than that. From weatherman/cook Al Rocker’s Barbecued Chicken to Michelle Bernstein’s Corn Masa Tortillas filled with Kobe Beef an...

The 2010 South Beach Food and Wine Festival was one of the first events I covered when starting this blog.  Since that time, I have been writing about food, wine, spirits and locations around the corner and around the world, but it remains one of my favorite experiences. This year I am staying at the Riu South Beach on a beautiful stretch of the ocean with blue water and white sand.  I also arranged to arrive on Thursday evening so I wouldn’t miss any of the Food Network’s first event of the year.  My first stop was at the W Hotel for Original MOONSHINE® presents Shine & Swine hosted by Master BBQ Chef Adam Perry Lang.  I have to say that it was the only event this year and last that I was disappointed in – and I was far from alone.  The problem was lack of food.  There were only two choices – Cuban Sandwiches and an appetizer size Cochinillo Confitado -- and nothing else to eat. Fortunately, the drinks at Shine & Swine helped people forget ...

My final night in Adelaide was spent with a fellow American, now a South Australia resident with a most delicious business.  Terena Blanton-Downs moved to Australia after she fell in love with a businessman visiting her native Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, home.  That was nearly a decade ago and she has used that time to build Cocolat , a chain of dessert cafes dedicated to chocolate.  In her three locations she sells delectable chocolate candies, cakes, cookies, crepes, drinks (from coffee to martinis) and more.  The Cocolat Rocher Gelati recently received the 2011 Champion Award at the Australian Grand Dairy Awards, recognizing it as the best ice cream in the country. While I sat with the delightful Terena, listening to the story of how – as a single mom – she brought her son halfway around the world to build this business, and how she wants to expand, but will not do so unless she can guarantee quality control over the fine chocolate ingredients, she per...

It was my final day in South Australia. After three weeks, I had thought I had seen every just about everything this area had to offer, but I was in for yet more (pleasant) surprises when Greg Linton of Wine Diva Tours picked me up. Greg was taking me off to the Fleurieu Peninsula , specifically in and around McLaren Vale. This area is only an hour from downtown Adelaide (45 minutes from the airport) and I was told it was another region filled with wineries and beautiful beaches.  I listened to him talk about his hometown of McLaren Vale with great pride and was anxious to see it. We only had the day, so we just touched the surface of this region, where you can find waterfalls, hiking, golf courses, whale watching, seals, penguins and even black dolphins. We made a quick stop at the Lintons home-base, where they not only run the Wine Divas Tours, but also rent out some adorable cottages (and reasonably priced) under the 3 Divas name. We were then off to meet Paul Petagna o...

Exceptional Kangaroo Island is not just the name of the tour company my guide Rob works for, it’s one of the words I’ve used to describe this place.  I fell in love with Kangaroo Island the moment I arrived and that didn’t change on day two. I spent the night at the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Retreat .  I had to admit I was disappointed when I found out I wasn’t staying at the beach and concerned at the words “wilderness retreat,” but it turned out to be great.  It’s a fun place to be, with the animals wandering freely outside your door. I was also pleasantly surprised to find a gourmet eatery on site, The Nicolas Baudin Restaurant, where I warmed up with a spicy tomato soup, followed by the Pumpkin, Pine Nut and Ricotta Ravioli with Ginger and Coconut Chilli Cream Sauce.  It was delicious, as was the Raspberry and White Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding with Vanilla Bean Custard.  I relished the free internet in my room for awhile before all the fresh oc...

As excited as I was to go to the Australian Open and see Melbourne, after the turmoil that Oprah’s visit caused to my trip, the thing that kept me going (literally) was the week at the end in South Australia, especially my trip to Kangaroo Island .  Everyone I met who had ever been there couldn’t stop talking about how wonderful it was and every photo I had seen confirmed it.  Still, seeing is believing and I quickly became a believer. It was a quick 20 minute flight on Rex Regional Express from Adelaide to Kingscote.  Rob, my tour guide from Exceptional Kangaroo Island was waiting for me in the airport.  He had gotten the message that I was interested in going to some wineries and visiting the distillery, but since my tour was private ( the company will do anything from small groups to fully customized individual itineraries) he asked me what I really wanted to do.  It didn’t take me long to blurt out, “go to the beach!”   Rob responded that the...