Wine and Spirits Travel

I'm interrupting my regularly scheduled postings (couldn't resist saying that!) to bring you something very special. I have been working with  Tourism New Zealand  on planning a trip there this winter. SInce they are in the middle of some very unusual promotions, they asked me to pass them along to my readers. New Zealand is a place that I can't wait to get to and I'm more than happy to help some readers have the same opportunity. For the next 12 months, the tourism board in  New Zealand  is running a competition to give away trips. There's a catch, though. I go to places and write about them, but if you want this opportunity you need to do the writing first. It's called  Stories Beat Stuff  and the best stories win, but your stories need to be on a specific topic. They need to convince Tourism New Zealand that you really, really want this trip. How far are you willing to go for an all expensive paid trip to New Zealand? The good part is that you don'

My friend Tracy picked me up at L’Auberge Carmel after I finished the delicious breakfast delivered to my room (included for all guests). We had a final full day of fun ahead in Monterey County . We were actually remaining in Carmel by the Sea, but moving to an adorable inn a few blocks down. The Lamp Lighter Inn is actually a group of adorable cottages and guest rooms just a few blocks walk from both town and the beach. While it is called a bed & breakfast, it’s a lot more than both, with cute gardens, flowing wine and a deluxe continental breakfast in the morning. We stayed in the Bluebird Cottage which looked like it belonged in a fairy tale (there is also a Hansel & Gretel cottage, so I think I have the right theme). It has a king bed and bathroom downstairs with an electric fireplace, and twin beds upstairs (witha teddy bear on each). The upstairs became Tracy’s domain. There wasn’t long to spend admiring the room as we were soon off for our full da