Kimpton’s cocktail hour features wines with a conscience

by Melanie Nayer on

Kimpton Hotels is always looking for ways to spice up the party. From the leopard print robes and funky pj’s that hang in their closets, the Kimpton brand is known for its saucy elegance that graces the rooms. To help set the mood, Kimpton also hosts nightly wine hours in the lobby of their hotels (all things point to a happy traveler so far) but the newest addition to Kimpton’s wine hour comes with morals: Starting this month, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants will introduce their “Wines That Care” selection.

Yes, the wine is still free for guests who want to kick back in the lobby with a glass of red or white, but now every sip goes to a good cause. Kimpton will feature a different winery each month that has commitment to environmental preservation and sustainability including:

Barefoot Wine (Modesto, CA): Each year more than 25,000 beaches in the U.S. are closed or posted as unhealthy. To remedy this, Barefoot Wine and Surfrider Foundation encourage local residents to volunteer at cleanup and restoration events across the country to help make these beaches “barefoot-friendly.”

Hayes Ranch by Wente Vineyards (Livermore, CA): This 127-year old winery features a progressive Farming for the Future program that enhances the vitality of the soils, creates a balanced, sustainable ecology, minimizes water use and reduces non-organic wastes.

Banrock Station (Australia): Named one of the world’s most powerful wine brands in the annual “Power 100” list of the world’s top wine and spirits brands, this company was recognized for its extensive commitment to global conservation with generous contributions to 60 projects worldwide including the preservation of native ducks in New Zealand, Flamingos in Kenya and the re-introduction of otters in Holland.

Walnut Crest/Emiliana Vineyards (Chile): As the number one seller of bottled wine in Chile, this winery was the first to earn the International Standard Organization 14.001 certification, which acknowledges the vineyard’s high production standards and constant concern for the environment.

Bottoms up!

Groceries can be a cultural experience – Dining out tip

by Gadling Staff on

When you arrive in a town in a country that’s not your own, check out the local culture by heading for the grocery store.

You’ll find more new food experiences than you would in a restaurant at half the price — and you can still dine out!

For instance, on a trip to Denmark, we visited a village’s grocery, looked at all the interesting foods, and bought some fabulous cheese, yogurt and smoked fish. We took it to a park and had the best lunch of our trip. (If you plan to do this, don’t forget to throw some plastic cutlery in your suitcase!)

Buy a cookbook – Souvenir tip

by Gadling Staff on

Part of the fun of travel is eating new foods. But why restrict yourself to only eating these fabulous dishes while on vacation? If you’re impressed with the food during a trip, buy a local cookbook and a few area-specific ingredients.

When you get home, recreate your favorite dishes there. If you’re feeling like a party, invite your neighbors over and feed them, too. When they’re devouring your delicious meal, they may even be interested in hearing about your fantastic experience.

Tip-Top: Nicaraguan fast food

by Tom Johansmeyer on


If you’re traveling to Nicaragua and have a city-sculpted Type A personality, you’re probably bracing yourself for meals that can last hours. Occasional glimpses of the restaurant staff offer brief interludes scattered among hours of nothingness. It gets tough after a while, making it hard to resist the urge to dine ‘n’ dash. Tip-Top, Nicaragua’s answer to Popeye’s or KFC, will scratch your fast food itch.

The Tip-Top format is not unfamiliar. If you’ve ever been to a fast-food joint anywhere, you’ll have no trouble figuring out how to order and where to eat. Just step up to the counter, and order the fried delight of your choice (I went with fried chicken and French fries). Pay. Pick up your food. Grab a table, and eat. To get your drink, stop by the fountain drink station, but let the attendant do the work for you (a real perk!).

To call Tip-Top easy would be the grossest of understatements. But, there’s nothing shocking here: it’s fast food.

%Gallery-84836%So, why does it deserve some space on the (not exactly) limited internet? Well, as fast food goes, Tip-Top is pretty damned good. The chicken was juicy, and the fries did have a little bit of character (but could have used some more). The service was relatively fast, so you can eat it off the dashboard when going from one cigar factory to the next.

If you plan to stick around and eat at Tip-Top, the experience is a small pocket of Americana in Spanish. The plastic chairs bolted to the tables are no more comfortable than they are in the United States, and there is a “playland” where kids can bounce off nets and ride the slide at a less than impressive speed.

Skip Tip-Top if you’re looking for an impressive culinary experience: you won’t find it here. But, if you need to fill your stomach quickly, this is definitely worth a few seconds of your time.

100 year-old whiskey dug up from Antarctic ice

by Sean McLachlan on

Back in November we reported a plan by the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust to retrieve crates of whiskey left by Sir Ernest Shackleton and his team after on unsuccessful attempt to make it to the South Pole in 1907-1909. The Nimrod Expedition made it to within 100 miles of the Pole before harsh weather forced the explorers to retreat. They ditched much of their gear along the way, including the whiskey.

In a remarkable feat of icy archaeology, these crates, which have been sitting under a cabin built by Shackleton’s team, have been pried free of the surrounding ice. Whiskey company Whyte and Mackay is elated. The company gave the Sir Shackleton the booze but hasn’t made this particular blend in decades. They’re hoping to sample the blend and replicate it.

The New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust originally thought there were only two crates, so the other three came as a bonus. Three are labeled as whiskey and two as brandy. A few bottles might have broken, however, because the archaeologists smelled alcohol as they dug them up. They still need to scrape off the ice encasing the crates and gently remove ice that has formed inside before they know how many of the bottles are intact.

More ice cold news we’ve covered in the past – Brrrrr!