On the road and at home, it's always about food and fun!
Easy to make at home, these cocktails will impress someone special.
Strawberry Harvest
Blending bright citrus, muddled strawberries, and a hint of rhubarb bitters with American Harvest Organic Vodka creates a perfectly balanced sip.
Method
Muddle strawberries, add ingredients, shake, and strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a strawberry slice.
Fall in Love
Method
Fill a rocks glass to top with ice. Add all ingredients to glass. Stir and add garnish.
Garnish with a star anise float.
Solstice Sour
Add ice and ingredients to a shaker.
Shake and strain into chilled coupe glass.
Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Using only the finest ingredients, including artisan red winter wheat grown on third-generation family farms and pristine water from the protected aquifers of the Snake River Plain, American Harvest Organic Vodka is hand-managed by a process created to ensure a rare vodka that is organic, gluten-free, and non-GMO.
Experience the Old Mission Peninsula wineries and save with the annual Winter Wine Pass. Explore the rolling hills, bay views, and wineries of the Old Mission Peninsula Wine Trail as they sparkle with a touch of white winter wonder. The $65 Winter Wine Pass (valued at $150+) offers exclusive tastings, discounts and specials at participating Old Mission Peninsula Wine Trail wineries.
“The Winter Wine Pass is an amazing way for visitors to explore our wine trail while saving money,” commented Bonnie Hardin, Marketing & Sales Coordinator at Mari Vineyards, a member of the Old Mission Peninsula Wine Trail. “A slower and more intimate time of year, winter offers our guests the chance to explore the trail at their own pace. The Wine Pass is also a unique date opportunity, perfect for Valentine’s Day if you have a wine lover in your life!”
The Winter Wine Pass includes one complimentary wine flight, bar tasting, or glass of wine at all 9 participating Old Mission Peninsula Wine Trail wineries (available offers vary by location), as well as additional discounts and specials at each winery. Complimentary wine offerings may be redeemed once per winery anytime before the Winter Wine Pass expiration (March 31st, 2025).
Purchase a Wine Pass online and pick it up in person at any of the 9 wineries. Participating wineries include 2 Lads, Black Star Farms on Old Mission Peninsula, Bowers Harbor Vineyards, Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery, Chateau Chantal, Chateau Grand Traverse, Hawthorne Vineyards, Peninsula Cellars, and Mari Vineyards.
Please note individual winery hours vary during the winter months. Check operating hours at each winery before hitting the trail. Some wineries also require a reservation, please contact each winery for information on reservation requirements. Gratuity is not included in the price of the Winter Wine Pass or booking fees. If you enjoy your experience at each winery, feel free to show your appreciation to your server.
For additional information on the Old Mission Peninsula Wine Trail visit OMPWineTrail.com.
Top photo courtesy of the Old Mission Peninsula Wine Trail.
Paddington, the beloved bear from Peru, returns to the big screen after six years on Friday, February 14. In the newest Paddington movie, “Paddington in Peru”, he travels to Peru to learn more about his origins and showcase Peru to the world.
PROMPERÚ, the official tourism board of Peru, created this website highlighting travel destinations found in the movie and also features helpful tips on traveling to Peru and deals to book a Peruvian adventure.
In “Paddington in Peru”, Paddington travels to Peru with the Brown family to visit his dear Aunt Lucy, who now lives in the home for retired bears. What begins as an emotional visit soon turns into a thrilling journey, where the characters find themselves wrapped in a mystery that takes them from the lush Amazon rainforest to the breathtaking peaks of the Peruvian Andes.
Among the locations chosen for filming are the Historic Center of Lima, the Plaza Mayor, nearby streets and the Miraflores district in Lima. You can also see the wonder of the modern world, the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu and the town of Machu Picchu.
Filmed in Peru assisted in filming in the regions of Lima and Cusco. In recent years, Film In Peru has supported international audiovisual productions such as Dora and the Lost City of Gold, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Street Food Latin America, Down to Earth with Zac Efron, La Reina del Sur, among others.
This Tiny Bakeshop In Arizona Has The Best Coconut Cream Pie In The Southwest Source: familydestinationsguide.com https://share.newsbreak.com/beh9j2pk
Fashion choices always make headlines during awards season, and since the 1960s, Dolly Parton’s iconic looks are frequently in the spotlight. For a limited time, some of her signature styles will be on display at Dollywood Resorts, giving guests an up-close look at her rhinestones, fringes, metallics, and more.
Overnight guests, diners, and spa-goers at Dolly’s two resorts in the Great Smoky Mountains (Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa and Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort) can explore a curated selection of wardrobe pieces from album and book covers, music videos, concerts, television and films, interviews, and award shows spanning her nearly 60-year career.
The display is part of Dolly Parton’s Wardrobe Exhibit at Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort, which was curated by Dolly’s niece and archivist, Rebecca Seaver. The Exhibit is on display now through March 12 and is complimentary to overnight guests and patrons of the resorts. So even if you don’t stay overnight, you can get an entry voucher by dining at one of the resort’s restaurants or visiting the spa.
The Dolly Parton Wardrobe Exhibit is just one of many special happenings at Dollywood Resorts and Parks, which this year is celebrating the 40th anniversary season of Dollywood theme park, the 25th anniversary of Dollywood’s Splash Country water park and the 10th anniversary of Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa.
All photos courtesy The Dollywood Company.
When Horatio Nelson Jackson packed for the first road trip across the United States, a trip that started in San Francisco on May 23, 1903, and ended up 63 days later in New York City, he didn’t pack a cooler and money for tolls. Instead, Jackson, who was accompanied by his chauffeur Sewall K. Crocker loaded a 1903 Winston with sleeping bags, blankets, tools such as an axe and shovel, a Kodak camera, both a rifle and a shotgun, spare automotive parts, rubber suits and coats, and as many cans of oil and gas as would fit in the open touring car.
It was all part of a bet. Jackson, a doctor from Burlington, Vermont, wagered $50 (about $4,358.84 today) that he would cross the country in a car, something that had never been done before. The trip ended up costing $8,000 (approximately $3,563.05 in today’s money) and used 800 gallons of gas.
Jackson paid for the entire trip and none of it was offset by the $50 wager as it was never paid. As a plus, Jackson and Crocket acquired a pitbull named Buddy in Idaho who accompanied them for the rest of the trip.
Cars back then (often referred to as machines) weren’t totally unheard of, but road trips were very unique back then. First of all, there weren’t many petrol stations Second of all, roadside motels didn’t exist when the Milestone Mo-Tel in San Luis Obispo, California opened. It was the first “motel” in the world. But that didn’t happen until 23 years later in 1925.
Ten years before that, the first auto camp opened in Douglas, Arizona. But that didn’t help out Jackson and Crocket. Their choices were hotels that could be found in cities and towns but when there was nothing but long stretches of road, the options were to pull to the side of the road and sleep in your car or knock on a farmer’s door and for a small fee, park in a field and get a home cooked breakfast the next morning. 1913 was also the first time that the number of automobiles in the nation reached one million. As of February 1923, there were 275,913,237 motor vehicles in the U.S.
In 1903, there were about 8,000 cars but only 150 miles of paved roads. Hence the rubber suits—traveling was either dusty or muddy. Goggles were necessary, even Buddy wore a set. It was such an adventure and so unique, that news reporters followed them or were on-hand when they entered a town.
By the time the first Airstream in the 1930s was manufactured, road trips were much more comfy. But Airstream kicked up several notches. An invention by Wally Byam who first concocted the idea of a travel trailer in the 1920s when he erected a tent over the chassis of a car. If that doesn’t sound like a fun experience, you’re right. And so Wally went back to the drawing board. By 1931, he had opened a trailer manufacturing plant in Culver City, California. At the time, Wally’s trailer company was one of only 50 in the U.S. By 1937, there were approximately 400. Today only Airstream remains.
For those tracing the company’s history—as well as the history of road travel in America—there is now a landmark addition to the vintage collection on display at the Airstream Heritage Center in Jackson Center, Ohio.
“It’s believed to be the first rounded, riveted aluminum travel trailer produced by Airstream, Clipper #1, that was designed and built by Airstream founder, Wally Byam himself,” says my friend Nate Swick, who is impressed with the iconic style of the Airstream, considered one of the world’s premier recreational vehicles.
That first model was documented extensively in the 1930s in an effort to market the travel trailer to travelers seeking a premium way to see the country. All that changed after World War II. The whereabouts of Clipper #1 became almost mythological. Had it been used in a traveling Mexican circus or had it been sold to Lázaro Cárdenas, then President of Mexico?
Decades went by and then in 2017, the Clipper #1 was discovered in Mexico City. After 40 weeks of restoration, it now is part of the extensive collection at the Airstream Heritage Center, on display between both 1938 and 1941 models. The three are only 12 Clipper models known to still be in existence.
The 750,000-square-foot headquarters, where the travel trailers are manufactured, offers tours as well as designs from the last 90-plus years. Some fun facts to keep in mind while visiting are: it takes 350 hours to build each Airstream travel trailer, using 3,000 rivets and 1,200-square-feet, on average, of aluminum.
Those visiting Jackson Center, population just over a 1,000, consider adding some other stops to your trip. The following are within two hours of the Airstream Heritage Center. airstream.com
The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus features exhibits for all ages including the American Museum of Natural History Dinosaur Exhibit, a planetarium, and an exhibit on the Titanic with over 200 artifacts recovered from the wreck and full-scale room recreations. cosi.org/
The National Aviation Heritage Center near Dayton is the world’s largest military aviation museum. You’ll find many rare and one-of-a-kind aircraft and aerospace vehicles on site digging into the history of air and space travel (all the way back to the Wright Brothers). As an added bonus, admission is free. visitnaha.com
The Westcott House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, was built in 1908 and is open for tours. It is one of many historic buildings in the Greater Springfield Region and this year there are 20 tours for those interested in history, historic architecture, and design including walking tours, bicycle tours, and happy hour tours, westcotthouse.org
This article originally appeared in the Northwest Indiana Times.
Dine Local, Support Local: Louisville’s Restaurant Week Offers Community Support for Area Non-Profit
Dining out locally and helping an area charity will go hand-in-hand with the return of Louisville Restaurant Week, February 24 to March 2, 2025.
This dining-out-focused week will encourage locals to experience Louisville’s lively culinary scene with a prix-fixe three-course menu for $26, $36, $46, and $56 at participating restaurants. In addition, one dollar of every meal purchased during Louisville Restaurant Week will be donated to Feed Louisville.
Feed Louisville’s kitchen diverts food from being thrown away and repurposes it into meals to send out to the homeless and food-insecure community. Their Food Rescue Program allows restaurants, caterers and other licensed food producers to donate viable, safely held food that we incorporate into our daily production of hundreds of hot and hearty meals. These meals go directly to the streets or people experiencing food insecurity each day.
“Participating in Louisville’s Restaurant Week offers locals a unique opportunity to explore and enjoy our diverse culinary scene. By dining at participating restaurants, residents contribute to our independent restaurants and the local economy, support small businesses, and help sustain jobs within our community,” said Cleo Battle, President and CEO of Louisville Tourism. “We are also proud to partner with Feed Louisville, a vital resource to our community, making Louisville Restaurant Week a win-win for everyone involved.”
Louisville Restaurant Week is an excellent opportunity for local foodies to get out and experience firsthand why Travel + Leisure proclaimed Bourbon City one of “The Best Food Cities in the U.S.” and Southern Living named Louisville one of the “South’s Best Food Cities.”
A preview of participating restaurants includes: Agave & Rye, All Thai’d Up, Brasserie Provence, Ciao Ristorante, Four Pegs Smokehouse & Bar, High Steaks Rooftop Bar & Grill, Lou Lou on Market, Louvino, Morton’s The Steakhouse, Oliver’s Chophouse & Bourbon Bar, Osteria, Perso, Sarino, SideBar at Whiskey Row, The Eagle Food & Beer Hall, The Fat Lamb, The Melting Pot, and Vincenzo’s. For more information about Louisville Restaurant Week, visit www.louisvillerestaurantweek.com.
Cover photo: Brasserie Provence.
All images courtesy of Louisville Restaurant Week.
The historic hotel celebrates connections to the novel ahead of 100th anniversary
Louisville’s oldest operating hotel is celebrating its rich history with a newly unveiled Great Gatsby suite ahead of the novel’s centenary this April. Opened in 1905, the Seelbach Hotel has a storied past with a guest list that includes former U.S. Presidents, Academy Award winners, and famous musicians. F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of the classic American novel The Great Gatsby, is said to have frequented the hotel to imbibe in its infamous Rathskeller while on break from Louisville’s Camp Taylor, where he was stationed in 1918 during World War I.
In honor of The Great Gatsby’s 100th anniversary on April 10, 2025, the Seelbach Hilton Hotel has unveiled a newly renovated two-room suite embellished with Art Deco décor reflecting the opulence, bold colors, and glamour of the era. Designed by Louisville native Terra B. Nelson, founder of boutique consulting firm T.B. Nelson Hospitality Design, the two rooms of the suite were designed to highlight the dichotomy between The Great Gatsby characters Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchannan.
In the Daisy-inspired bedroom, guests will find the look of established old money of Tom and Daisy: lavish but delicate. The room features a pair of gold peacock table lamps, a 1920s Victorian settee, and a vintage phone covered in a string of pearls. In the connected Gatsby Lounge, guests will get the feel of new money, with over-the-top design, plush velvet armchairs, and an Art Deco dresser turned mini bar. The first thing that will catch guests’ eye when entering the lounge is the gold luxurious textile adorning the ceiling, which converges at the center of the room on a three-tiered crystal chandelier.
“In order to get people talking, you have to give them something to talk about, and one of the best ways to do that is by creating spaces that go beyond functionality and aesthetics to offer vivid and unforgettable experiences,” said Terra B. Nelson, designer, and Founder of T.B. Nelson Hospitality Design. “We were able to add some really nice vintage pieces, a few sourced from my personal collection, and others sourced from local antique dealers. One of my favorite features that brings the rooms together is the vintage green light that hangs by the door leading into the Daisy bedroom. The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock is a recurring theme in the book, always calling Gatsby to her.”
Other Easter eggs that The Great Gatsby fans may notice can be found throughout the suite. Find hints of the book’s characters and places on the walls, featuring photos of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tom Buchannan, and Jay Gatsby, as well as coastal art representing the fictional towns of East and West Egg. A pearl necklace draped over a vintage telephone pays homage to the incessant always-ringing phone that recurs in the book and films. Guests will also find a variety of Art Deco design books and, of course, copies of The Great Gatsby.
The Seelbach’s Great Gatsby Suite will officially be available to book on the hotel’s website beginning February 1. For guests who want to experience more of the hotel’s opulent history, the Hilton property provides free hotel tours at 4:30pm on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The tour includes facts about the hotel’s120-year history, with stops in the Oakroom, where Al Capone was said to have played cards, The Grand Ballroom, which Fitzgerald penned as the location of Tom and Daisy’s lavish June wedding, and the Rathskellar, a one-of-a-kind historic space that was a USO during World War I and where Fitzgerald is to said have imbibed during his time off.
To make reservations for the Seelbach Hilton Hotel’s Great Gatsby Suite, or for more information on the hotel’s history, visit www.seelbachhilton.com. For information on upcoming The Great Gatsby-themed events, tours, and other information on Gatsby’s Guide to Louisville,
All photos by Tim Furlong Jr.
15 Arizona chefs, restaurants named 2025 James Beard Award semifinalists Source: Phoenix New Times https://share.newsbreak.com/b1o3l2o7
