This panoramic shot (click to enlarge) was submitted by flickr user JRodmanJr, who writes that it was taken at dusk in the Alexander Valley wine region of Northern California. I love the long-shadow, end-of-day feeling that the photo provides, as well the suspicion that the photographer probably had a tall glass of wine to close out the afternoon. Is there a better way?
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I hope you weren’t planning on a nice, leisurely bath on your next trip to Australia.
The Rialto in Melbourne has done away with bathtubs. They just underwent a $60 million renovation which included the removal of the bathtubs! What? $60 million to downgrade their amenities?
According to their research, travelers only want showers anyway. I’m guessing some dudes didn’t fess up that they love bubble baths. I know y’all are using candles, too. Well, now you only get a bath if you sleep in one of the hotel’s 9 suites (not the 253 other rooms).
At least they’re now offering an Enomatic, an Italian machine that prevents wines from oxidization. This way, you don’t have to order a whole bottle of top shelf wine; you can just have a $175 glass of Grange (for example).
We hope this isn’t a trend. The bathtub should be a standard. Why not do away with the TV and the ice buckets, while you’re at it?
In addition to being a complex, beautiful and rapidly changing country, we’ve all heard that China is a copyright lawyer’s worst nightmare. A place rife with pirated DVD’s, software and all manner of luxury clothing and handbag knockoffs. It seems that pirated goods have become such a lucrative industry that the country is now dedicating an entire mall to the concept.
According to recent news reports, a mall in Nanjing, China is set to open with all manner of “copycat” stores, sporting awnings with none-too-subtle reinterpretations of well-known Western brands. If you’re looking for your morning pick-me-up, go no further than “Bucksstar” coffee, the place for all your $5 latte needs in Nanjing. When you get hungry, mall visitors can patronize the local “OMC McDnoald’s” or even grab some “Pizza Huh.” Perhaps the pizza chain name is in reference to the quality of the ingredients?
When I first stumbled upon this article, I actually did a half-spit take. Could this be legit, I thought? Yet in a country with a rapidly emerging consumer class and growing lust for fancy French wine and gated communities, it starts to make more sense. For many individuals, owning and consuming brands legitimizes their place in the world, announcing their ascension to the modern global economy. The creators of this mall in Nanjing seem to have come to a similar conclusion – even a knockoff of the real thing, no matter how awkward and blatant to Western eyes, is better than no brands at all.
[Via Buzzfeed]
Summary: In the heartland of our very own United States of America, “lake effect weather” has given birth a strip of wineries along the southeast coast of Lake Michigan.
Lake effect weather is a well-documented phenomenon which results in far more precipitation, especially snow, on the southern and eastern sides of large lakes than the northern and western sides. More precipitation means lots of grapes, including ice wines and varietals that can withstand the midwest’s strong heat and bitter cold.
Have a look at these resources which make for a much more budget friendly wine country tour than a trip to France (or even Napa Valley). Did we mention that most tastings at Indiana and Michigan wineries are free?
Getting in: You can start your eastern midwestern wine revelry in Michigan by flying into the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport (they have a snappy song on their airport website — who could resist?), serviced by Northwest, Conair/Delta Connection, American Eagle, and DirectAir, or in Indiana at South Bend Regional Airport, serviced by Allegiant Air, Continental Connection, Delta Connection, Northwest/KLM, and United Express. Of course, we are talking about the middle of the United States here, a.k.a. prime road trip territory. You could tack it onto a trip to Chicago, or a pass through Big Bone Lick or Santa Claus, Indiana if you’re coming from the south.
We recommend you drive. You’ll have to rent a car to get to all the wineries if you fly, but if you’re coming from far away, Kalamazoo and South Bend do have all the usual car rental companies handy.
Where to stay: There are plenty of cheap hotels all along the wine trail. You can find gads of them on ChoiceHotels.com, but here’s a tip: Don’t make your reservations in advance. Even hotel chains will haggle with you. If you walk in the door of a tricked-out Comfort Suites and tell them you can only stay there if they’ll give you a suite for $40, they just might give it to you! Be sure and mention if you plan to stay multiple nights; it’ll help them give you a lower price.
Another suggestion? Lee’s Inns. There a nice Lee’s Inn in Kalamazoo.
What to see: Sometimes we forget to look in our own backyards for the finer things in life. You don’t need to go somewhere fancy to find beauty, hard-working people, terrific stories, and darn good wine. What’s more, the wineries along Lake Michigan’s shores come with a little less snobbery than you might find in California. It’s a great place to go to learn about wine.
Tastings at most Indiana and Michigan wineries are free. The bottles of wine vary in price, naturally, but you will always be able to find something affordable.
The best online resource for scouting wineries along Lake Michigan is the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail. Not every winery in the area is listed, but if you hit a couple in person, you’ll find other brochures that lead you to the rest. Talk to people in the area, ask at your hotel. The reason nobody goes around broadcasting information about these great wineries is that nobody knows they’re a secret!
Our favorite is The Round Barn Winery. The scenery is spectacular — and yes, there’s a big round barn. Round Barn specializes in wine but also makes fruit infused liqueurs and cordials and their very own range of beer! Definitely something for everyone.
A close runner up is Contessa. Be sure to try the merlot, and, if the weather’s nice, sip it out on their stunning terrace and gaze across the rolling hills of your very own America.
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