Carmel Valley wine history and tasting tour

by Brenda Yun on

While it may not be as famous on the international wine stage as Napa and Willamette Valleys, the Carmel Valley is home to several world-class wineries. Like many wine growers in northern and central California, producers range from one-person pursuits to big operations, but all have one thing in common: passion for the fruit grown in the area to produce exquisite wine.

A little history
Carmel Valley’s fine climate and fertile soil made it a perfect settlement for Native Americans centuries ago. Later, the Europeans discovered the area and developed it into agricultural land, specializing in pears and walnuts. Then, in the late 18th century, grapes known as the Mission varietal (a red used to make table wine) were planted to make a wine known as Angelica. It wasn’t until the mid 20th century, though, that commercial wine production started. Since then, full-bodied red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were grown in the valley.

A little taste
To savor the fine wines of Carmel Valley, simply drive along Carmel Valley Road. Most tasting rooms are situated around Carmel Valley Village, while a handful are just a stone’s throw away on Center Street and Cachagua Road.

The following wineries offer tasting facilities and some provide limited menus.
Boekenoogen Winery, 24 West Carmel Valley Road, #831.624.2600, www.boekenoogenwines.com
Chateau Sinnet, 13746 Center Street, #831.659.2244, www.chateausinnet.com
Georis Winery, 4 Pilot Road, #831.659.1050, www.georiswine.com
Heller Estate Organic Vineyards, 69 West Carmel Valley Road, #831.659.6220, www.hellerestate.com
Kovacs Brothers Winery, 36023 Cachagua Road, #831.277.9949, www.kovacsbrothers.com
Otter Cove Winery, 9 Del Fino Place, #831.320.3050, www.ottercovewines.com
Talbott Vineyards, 53 West Carmel Valley Road, #831.659.3500, www.talbottvineyards.com

There are a dozen other wineries in the area! For a complete listing of Carmel Valley wineries and tasting rooms, CLICK HERE.

Mandola Winery: A slice of Italy in Texas Hill Country

by Kraig Becker on

Texas Hill Country is a unique and scenic region tucked away in the center of the Lone Star State. The rolling hills and limestone cliffs begin just west of Austin and run as far south as San Antonio, with narrow, twisting country roads and interesting small Texas towns dotting the area.

One of the hidden gems in Hill Country is a winery called Mandola’s, found just outside the tiny town of Driftwood, a short drive south-west of Austin. Visitors are greeted by row after row of grape vines as they turn up the long drive way, and by the time they reach the main building, they’ll swear that they’ve left Texas behind and have been transported to Italy. Everything about the setting helps to complete this illusion, including the architecture of the buildings, the meticulously landscaped grounds, and the rolling hills that surround the vineyard.

Mandola’s is surrounded by 20 acres of vines that produce the grapes that go directly into their home grown wines. The vineyard offers six different, and very unique, wines, that are reminiscent of something that would be made in the Italians regions of Sardinia or Sicily, blending the locally grown grapes with other fruits to create flavors that are unlike any other.The vineyard opened in 2006 and holds daily tours and wine tasting. There is also a large, beautiful restaurant on the grounds that serves up amazing Italian cuisine and has an extensive wine list that includes Mandola’s own creations as well as plenty of other great wines.

Visitors to Texas who are looking for a fun and unique wine experience should definitely make the drive to Mandola’s. The scenic Hill Country will make the experience a pleasant one, and the winery will offer plenty of fine dining and amazing wines as well. It’s a trip to southern Italy, no passport required.

The Dutch bike bar is beer + sightseeing

by Scott Carmichael on

It is no secret that The Netherlands is where you go if you don’t like being tied down by rules. You can drink beer in public, smoke a joint in one of the many coffeeshops and even visit the red light district for some legal prostitution.

The Dutch are also very mobile people – bikes are everywhere, and the infrastructure in the country is often designed around making things as comfortable as possible for bike riders.

So, what do you get when you combine liberal alcohol laws with a passion for biking? Well, you get the bike bar.

These bars are becoming pretty popular for parties and other events. They can be stationary if you just want an extra bar at your celebration, or you can actually pedal through town on them, while drinking beer from its on-board beer tap and 50 liter keg.

The bike bar has been in the news lately because of a couple of minor accidents, and some Dutch municipalities have banned them from their towns. Amsterdam also had its fair share of trouble, but didn’t ban them, choosing to map out a fixed route and permissible times instead.

So, next time you find yourself in The Netherlands with a bunch of your friends, why not rent one of these and fill yourself up on some decent Dutch beer. Or, if you don’t mind traveling to Minnesota, you’ll be able to rent one from the US version of the beer bike – the PedalPub.

The Waldorf-Astoria kindly requests that you dress up for a trip to their Starbucks

by Scott Carmichael on

The Waldorf-Astoria may be one of the few remaining hotels with a bit of class. Even a stroll through their lobby requires guests to leave the tank top, faded jeans, cut-offs and casual hats at home. This is after all the hotel where the rich, famous and royal often spend their time in New York.

But what about popping downstairs for a tall caramel latte at Starbucks? Forget it – even patrons of Starbucks need to show some class. Coffee at the Waldorf-Astoria requires you to adhere to a “smart casual” dress code.

Oyster hotel reviews points out that the dress code for Starbucks is stricter than the award winning Oscar’s Brasserie, where you can dine on Eggs Benedict and a Waldorf Salad (both invented at the Waldorf-Astoria).

Thankfully, the staff at the Starbucks were never briefed on the dress code they are expected to enforce, so until they get that memo, feel free to pop in for your caffeine fix wearing your slippers and tacky t-shirt.
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Las Vegas restaurant week serving up the best food, for a great cause

by Scott Carmichael on

From August 31st till September 6th 2009, many of the finest restaurants in Las Vegas will be participating in a yearly charity event to raise money for the local food bank, Three Square.

If you happen to be in Vegas, this is your chance to eat some amazing food, and support Three Square. The list of participating restaurants is impressive, and they have all put together prix fixe menus for a tremendous value.

Even the more upscale establishments are taking part, which means you’ll be able to have a three course meal at Bradley Ogden or Fleur de Lys for just $50.09.

Check the gallery below for photos of some of the participating restaurants, with links to the review of their attached hotel. Many thanks to Oyster Hotel Reviews for providing the amazing photos.

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