If you missed part one of our Savor Healdsburg Food Tour, you can check it out here.

After SHED, we headed to the Williamson Wines tasting room on the Healdsburg Plaza. We had tasted here before, but I was excited to sit down and taste wine with our fun group. I always love tasting wine with new people; it’s fun to discuss what we get from the wines as well as likes and dislikes.

What I love most about the Williamson tasting room is that they have a food and wine pairing experience. Each wine is paired with a little bite, which you are meant to try alone and again with the wine to see how the flavors are brought out in each. It’s really fun, like a little food and wine pairing light bulb goes off with each taste.

In total, we did six food and wine pairings at Williamson, and while I loved them all and could write about them all, I’ll share the highlights to hopefully keep your interest.   Maybe I should start doing wine tasting “outtakes” to include those I loved but didn’t feature? Blog writing for days!

A few Williamson Wines pairing favorites:

Chantilly Chardonnay with a Mango Stilton Cheese – the gentle butterscotch notes and lemon meringue-y notes in the wine were great on their own. The fruit in the cheese brought out more fruit notes in the wine, and as with all the cheeses, a little saltiness made for a memorable (in a good way) contrast.

Enchant Trinity GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) – The wine is fruit and spice and luxurious texture, a fireplace wine for sure. It was paired with pure heaven: Dubliner Irish Cheddar, Balsamic Garlic Jam, and Truffle Salt. How good does that sound?! The spices in the wine and the earthiness of the little snack were perfection. This wine is recommended for big dishes like pot roast and short ribs, which I plan on mastering this winter.

Seduce Cabernet Sauvignon – This Dry Creek Valley Cab is fruitier than its Napa Valley counterpart and lacks those sometimes over-the-top mouth-drying tannins. The pairing was a piece of Dubliner topped with blue cheese, pecan, and honey. Since the wine had such nice fruit, the nuttiness and saltiness of the blue cheese was a tasty contrast, and the honey brought out the natural juiciness of the fruit. Yum.

We didn’t want to leave Williamson; it’s a great, comfortable tasting room on Healdsburg Plaza, well worth a visit. It turned out to be a good thing that we moved on though, as our next stop may be my new favorite Healdsburg restaurant.

Bravas Bar de Tapas is so much fun. They have a gorgeous outdoor seating area and bar and space for making huge pans of paella. We kicked our time at Bravas off with their white sangria; it was well into the 90’s, and this drink was pure refreshment. I loved the little hint of bitter from the grapefruit!

At Bravas things got even more festive! We shared plates of Cider Braised Chorizo and Padron Peppers, a Watermelon and Tomato Salad, and a Tostada with Onions, Raisins, Goat Cheese, and Balsamic, which is basically the best thing ever. Crunchy, salty, creamy, sweet, this tapa had us all swooning. Everything was so delicious, and the California sun did not hurt! I can already tell each Healdsburg visit will include time at Bravas.

Our final stop was Moustache Baked Goods for our choice of a sweet treat to end the food tour. We were all stuffed from the goodness we got to try throughout the afternoon, and I think every last one of us got dessert to go.

I decided to go with the Dry Creek Peach because I love the Dry Creek Valley, and the peaches were in season and perfection. The cupcake was pretty amazing and left me wishing we had left with a box. This is another place I will visit again.

I love how this food tour opened our eyes to so many Healdsburg businesses we hadn’t met before. Savor Healdsburg Food Tours offers a couple of different options, and I will be taking the other tour on our next trip.

Many thanks to Tammy for hosting us and making our day so delicious and special!

Technorati Tags: Bakeries, Caliornia, Dry Creek Valley, Food, food tour, Healdsburg, Healdsburg food tour, Restaurants, Sonoma, Sonoma County, Tasting Room, wine country, wine pairings, wine tasting, winery

Happy. Friday. This week has started off with a 15 hour video shoot day and was hectic from then on. I have to work at 8 am on Sunday for another shoot; all of the work is fun and exciting, but it still means I don’t sleep well and am the worst at exercising and eating. I am psyched for a Saturday of sleeping in and iFest fun!

It feels like our Healdsburg vacation was a lifetime ago, but we’re still reminiscing on one of the coolest experiences, getting a  peek at Sonoma harvest 2014. Due to the weather, harvest came very early this year, and it unexpectedly occurred during our visit. We were fortunate that some of our favorite winemakers, the owners of Cartograph Wines, allowed us to tag along on a 4:00 a.n. pick.

We set our alarms for 3 the night before, but neither of us slept, both excited and afraid we would sleep through it. We got dressed silently and then drove the short drive to the Floodgate Vineyard, where lots of beautiful Pinot Noir grapes would be plucked off of the vine by a lightning fast and incredibly hardworking crew.

I didn’t feel tired at all, and it was much warmer than we expected. Once everyone had arrived, we headed down to the vineyard and followed along as the grapes were picked and dumped into big bins. Our way was lit by a tractor light and headlamps, which were super handy. It didn’t feel very dark at all; somehow I expected it to be a little scary, being out in a field in the middle of the night. Instead. it felt lovely and cozy, and the stars were absolutely stunning.

We were allowed to help out by picking out leaves and sticks and grapes that had turned into raisins or were suffering from botrytis. It was amazing how quickly the lot was picked (no thanks to us!) and what a long day everyone had ahead. Once the grapes are transported to the crush facility, the winemakers wait for a time slot to further sort their fruit and get it ready for crush. We were done before 6 am and immediately went back to bed; the winemakers, on the other hand, had about a 14 hour day ahead, between getting these grapes started and doing other winery and tasting room work. A LOT goes into those beautiful wine club wines we love to drink, and after this glimpse into that work, we will cherish each sip a little more.

Cartograph has a beautiful new tasting room in Healdsburg. It’s airy and chic yet super comfortable, and their staff is awesome. We may have talked their ears off on more than one occasion, our excitement plus their wine making us a little chattier than usual. We couldn’t help it; it’s a great place that people want to be, filled with great wines and the friendliest winemakers you could meet.

We have some club wine coming soon, which I will surely be reviewing. In the meantime, you can read about Cartograph wine in this Wine I am Loving Lately post. Cheers to Sonoma County Harvest 2014 and to the weekend!

Technorati Tags: Healdsburg, picking grapes, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, Sonoma harvest, Tasting Room, wine, wine tasting, winemaking

Our recent trip to Sonoma and Napa included the chance to plan get togethers and have some random run ins with some of the very friendly people we have met on past trips. Since it was Sonoma Wine Country Weekend and an early harvest, the county was buzzing with busy people, but one evening event brought lots of people out to Rodney Strong Vineyards for some of their great wine, an excellent selection of beers, and a band that I can now count in our favorites.

While the light and heat of our day of canoeing on the Russian River faded, we caught up with old friends and met new ones while listening to the Big Bang, an incredibly talented group of musicians who I wish toured on the East Coast!

Rodney Strong wines are always favorites, but the selection of beers at the event was pretty phenomenal, and we had the opportunity to sip Pliny the Elder, a sought-after beer that many East Coast friends were excited to see on my Facebook and Instagram feeds.

A simple, excellent dinner of fresh salads and wood-fired pizzas provided the perfect bites to go along with the beer and to prep us for dancing. With the Big Bang in the house, you couldn’t NOT dance.

A break between music sets and chatting found us on the cool lawn behind the winery with more local beer, this time from Lagunitas, the sun setting  on the vineyards behind us, and lots of grateful silence and being in the perfect moment.

The sun said its goodbyes most gracefully, meeting the dark and twinkling stars on their way in. Temperatures dropped, and we moved closer to the fire for a couple of last songs before we were on our way. What a beautiful way to spend a summer weekend night in wine country!

Thank you to Rodney Strong Vineyards for having us by. We can’t wait to visit again soon!

Technorati Tags: beer, events, Sonoma, Sonoma County, Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, wine, wine country, wine tasting, winery

There are a few repeat travel moments that give me butterflies just by thinking about them. One of the major ones is stepping out of customs in Shannon Airport after a Boston to Shannon flight, seeing family for the first time, and then stepping outside for our airplane-dried skin to be bathed in a fresh, light misty early morning air. The smell of turf and rain and jet fuel is etched in my memory, and it always makes me think “home”.

Another favorite moment is when we get to this crossroads on the way to Napa and Sonoma and make a left toward Gloria Ferrer and all of wine country. I feel like a world is opening up to me, like I close a door behind us for however long we are away. So much waits beyond that crossroads!

On our last Sonoma County trip, we decided to check out Cline Cellars as our very first winery. You may know how much we love Cline wines, especially our house Viognier, but somehow we always missed visiting the winery. Boy, was I glad we took the time to stop (And we were their first guests at 10:00 a.m.! Blame it on #EastCoastTime)

Cline is beautiful. The whole area of Sonoma County is stunning, but from the road it is impossible to tell how involved and lovely Cline’s property is. If visiting Cline Cellars, give yourself an hour to wander around before you taste.

In addition to being surrounded by beautiful vineyards, Cline has exquisite gardens and ponds, one where you can even feed some very aggressive, large fish. I was like a kid again feeding them and the turtles around them. Cline also has a variety of interesting birds on property.

Cline’s gardens are gorgeous. I loved all of the fruit and flowers and became more inspired for my next season of gardening. Their gardens were both wild and groomed, creating a perfect space of natural beauty, surrounded by the bigger beauty that is Sonoma County.

Of course, Cline’s wines are as beautiful as their gardens, and their staff is wonderful as well. Days before we arrived, Cline lost quite a bit of wine to the Napa earthquake, and they also had some bottles with damaged labels for sale.

It was their Ancient Vine Zinfandel, with a  gorgeous, intense burst of fruit and cocoa with a hint of pepper. Ancient vines are one of those things that make Cline so amazing. Kelli recommended I try the 2012 Ancient Vine Mourvedre which is seriously AMAZING. This wine is so rich and concentrated, lots of dark fruit and again those cocoa notes, which offer so much depth, slight sweetness, roasted flavors. Heavenly.

Peppery Syrah also made its way to my favorite list; we do love Cline’s white wines, quite obviously, but the morning we visited was before the fog lifted, and those deep dark reds were perfection.

Cline Cellars is an iconic winery, one of those spots you could easily visit again and again for the scenery and people and to check out the latest vintage. Now that we know what resides up that long vineyard road from the highway, we will find it impossible to ever pass again on a Sonoma trip.

Technorati Tags: Cline Viognier, Sonoma, Sonoma County, Sonoma wine, wine, wine tasting, wine travel, Wine Wednesday

It’s a Northern Sonoma County must-visit! Wine, gardens, views for days, Quivira Winery, in the Dry Creek Valley in Healdsburg, California, has all of the above and more. This property had just so much life peeking out  from every corner that you could spend an entire day checking out flowers and chickens and vegetables, not to mention stopping back in the tasting room for a sip of wine here or there.

We visited Quivira on the same day we visited Lambert Bridge and Truett Hurst, a hot, dry, perfect blue sky day, where splashes of cold Sauvignon Blanc went down a treat.

Quivira is in a beautiful location in the Dry Creek Valley, surrounded by vineyards and trees, and there is something super calming and soothing about their property. The way it is laid out, with gardens all around and farm animals not far down (piglets!) is made for wandering, and the welcoming staff definitely encourage it.

The tasting room is bright and airy, and there were a couple of small, fun groups tasting wine and enjoying the day. There was such a nice vine in the room. As I said above, we went in and out of the tasting room, bringing our tastes out in the garden to soak up the sun. I think I maybe stored enough to get me through to January?

I was really loving mineral-y Sauvignon Blancs on this trip, bursts of lime, hints of grapefruit, mouthwatering acidity but also balance, like in Quivira’s Fig Tree Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. I’m also loving Mourvedre more and more and am excited to see it appearing on more California tasting lists. Like the tasting notes say this wine offered juicy dark cherries and more importantly, those pepper notes that I seek. I love when a wine hits my tongue and there is an immediately recognizable spice.

As you probably know, I will never turn down a Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, and despite the heat (or maybe because of it) the 2011 Quest Zinfandel was amazing. A texture like velvet, and again, that spice, a bit of jam, yum.

The Wine Creek Ranch Dry Creek Valley Rosé wasn’t on the tasting we chose, but we got to have a taste anyway and ended up taking home a bottle of this GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) blend.  It was perfect perfect perfect with the warm sunshine and dusty air. Strawberry notes dominated with subtle spice on the finish. This wine is sold out for a reason. It is the perfect summer wine.

Quivira practices biodynamic farming which is interesting, a little mystical sounding, and something I’d like to learn more about. Biodynamic farming involves the entire ecosystem of the vineyard and  results in the smallest carbon footprint possible. Their site offers a good bit of information on what biodynamic farming means and how each living thing on their property contributes to that.

I probably sound by a broken record at this point, but we have visited a LOT of wineries in our travels, and Quivira is definitely one I would put at the top of your list for spending at least an hour at. The vibrancy of the property, its people, and of course, the wine all draw you in and make it so that you don’t want to leave. Then again, that’s Healdsburg for you.

Technorati Tags: Healdsburg, Tasting Room, Travel, travel blog, wine, wine blog, wine country, wine lover, wine tasting, wine travel, Wine Wednesday, winery

Sit back, relax, and get ready to take a journey to Ireland for the next couple of weeks. Sure, I will have some blog posts on holiday recipes and other things, but we just spent eight days in the West of Ireland, and I am back with a full heart and hundreds upon hundreds of photos and sweet memories.

On the first trip back to Ireland I made with my husband, his parents took all of us to lunch at  Ashford Castle in Cong, County Mayo. My jaw dropped at the beauty of the castle and the elegance and delicious food. It’s been almost 10 years since that visit, and a wedding, two houses, and many nieces and nephews have happened since. On this past trip, we all returned to Ashford for Sunday lunch.

The castle, which was recently purchased by Red Carnation Hotels, goes back to 1228 when a castle was built on a monastic site and run by the de Burgo family. Its history is long and winding, and the building has housed many famous guests including Oscar Wilde, King George V, John Lennon, John Wayne, Princess Grace of Monaco, and many others.

Arriving at Ashford Castle is pretty grand in itself. There’s a gatekeeper and a long road that winds through the golf course and leads you up to another gate over a river, then the castle.

On the inside, Ashford Castle exudes regal beauty, with plush carpets, ornate chandeliers, and comfy chairs.

While we sat in the lounge waiting for lunch, we had a round of drinks, mine a perfectly chilled Manhattan.  A Manhattan in a castle on a Sunday afternoon felt pretty darn decadent!

And the view from of Lough Corrib from the lounge just couldn’t be beat.

Sunday lunch at Ashford involves a prix fixe menu with choices for appetizer, entree, and dessert. The Irish are known for their smoked salmon, and I went with a traditional and simple preparation, fresh salmon with a bit of fresh salad and lemon.

Entrees are on the heartier side, and choices included Connemara lamb, pork, and hake. Entrees are all served under silver domes which are dramatically removed at the same time by members of Ashford staff.

The pork came on a cart and was carved tableside. We felt so spoiled!

Since we were surrounded by beautiful water, I went with a fillet of hake with sweet creamed carrot, prawn bisque, and boiled potatoes. It was the perfect choice, filling but not too heavy, each of the elements’ flavors coming through without being overbearing.

Portions were generous but not overwhelming, and I was left with plenty of room for dessert, a Sticky Toffee Pudding with Rum Raisin Ice Cream. Yum.

The wine selection at Ashford is impressive, with pages and pages of wines including some very expensive ones. A bottle of Drouhin Pouilly-Fuissé Chardonnay went well with our hake and salmon and was just a delicious wine.

One of the best parts about lunch at Ashford Castle is being able to wander the beautiful grounds after. Every nook and turn has some sort of beautiful old detail, and stretching the legs after  a leisurely lunch feels wonderful.

Lough Corrib is a stunner on its own. With 365 islands, there is something magical about this lake, and the light after lunch was perfect. We could see across to County Galway and to many of the little islands that dot the lake’s calm surface. It’s the perfect spot for boating when the weather is nice, and our Ashford visit has me counting down until we are in Ireland again in August.

If you get the chance to visit Ireland, I always recommend spending a lot of time in the Western part of the country. Ashford Castle is a beautiful place to splurge on a meal or a night’s stay if you are lucky.

Technorati Tags: castle hotel, castles, cocktails, Cong, County Mayo, Food, Ireland, Irish countryside, Irish hotel, Travel, travel blog, wine

Every visit to Sligo absolutely thrills the English major in me. I concentrated in Irish literature (super useful in the real world) and spent a ton of time studying W.B. Yeats. Sligo is Yeats country, and his inspiration and words are everywhere.

Whenever we visit Ireland, we try to find a short side trip from Galway, whether it be to Kinsale or Northern Ireland or Rome or Prague. This time we stayed close to home and went up to Sligo to enjoy the inspiring Irish countryside, some spa time, and simple relaxation with my in-laws.

We stayed at the Radisson Blu in Sligo, and we absolutely loved it. The above was the view from our room. We have stayed in a few Radisson hotels, including in Edinburgh, and they are always really enjoyable. Like my favorite, the Radisson in Galway, the Sligo property had a lovely spa with a thermal suite, where we spent time unwinding after a long hike.

Our room, a junior suite, was well appointed and included free still and sparkling water, Nespresso, and a crazy big Irish breakfast buffet. The service in the lounge was very, very slow (probably a good thing since we drank less) but overall the staff were great and very friendly.

Sligo town is quaint and offers  lot of Yeats history, along with great pubs and restaurants. Just outside Sligo town lies W.B Yeats in the Drumcliffe Graveyard, his tombstone engraved with the famous words from the poem Under Ben Bulben : Cast a cold Eye On Life on Death Horseman pass by.

Yeats’ grave is outside a regular church, but there is a small craft and book shop and cafe on site. It’s well worth a visit if you are in the region.

And then there’s the natural beauty of Sligo. I haven’t seen the whole world, but I know that Ireland will always be one of its most beautiful places for me.

Rosses Point Sligo is a rugged seaside area where the wind and the waves and rocky cliffs come together to take your breath away.

Just a bit further inland, farms dot the landscape as they do in most of Ireland. You may want to smuggle home a new friend or two. . .

And then there’s Ben Bulben. Formed during the Ice Age, Ben Bulben’s crazy shape came from shifting glaciers. I have seen nothing like it. The mountain inspired Yeats, and he mentioned it in both Under Ben Bulben and The Celtic Twilight.

Ben Bulben also plays a big part in Irish legend and history, including in the Irish Civil War.

Nowadays Ben Bulben is a spectacular and magical place for a hike. You can’t help but stare it its strange formation and beauty. Even in late November, it was green and lush, dotted with fluffy sheep and surrounded by the cry of howling winds.

Our walk along the base was all we could do; the mountain itself can be treacherous and with the winds we have, we opted not to climb. Our walk showed us all sorts of things though, including lichen and heather and beautiful wild birds.

It was the perfect stretch of the legs after a flight and a big meal at Ashford Castle.

And there’s nothing better when in Ireland after a long, blustery walk than a pint of Guinness and a bowl of hot soup. The Yeats Country Hotel is cozy and beautiful with views of the sea and a crackling fireplace.  On a cloudy day, all bundled up inside, I struggled to stay awake after lunch.

Sligo is no doubt a dreamy place, and it’s easy to imagine the cranky poet and his pen. If you ever go to Ireland, I encourage you to go West. In the meantime I leave you with one of my favorite Yeats poems.

A Drinking Song

By William Butler Yeats 1865–1939

Wine comes in at the mouth

And love comes in at the eye;

That’s all we shall know for truth

Before we grow old and die.

I lift the glass to my mouth,

I look at you, and I sigh.

Technorati Tags: Ben Bulben, County Sligo, Food, hiking, hotels, hotels in Ireland, Ireland, Irish, Irish countryside, Travel, travel advice, travel blogger, travel posts, Yeats

I have two true favorite times of year to visit Ireland, though I would of course take a trip there any month I could. I love Ireland in March and April; Spring is a beautiful time to be in the Irish countryside, with the lambs and daffodils popping up all over.

My other favorite time of year to visit Ireland is over Thanksgiving. It hasn’t gotten cold there quite yet, so there are plenty of opportunities for walks and hikes and outdoor pints, and the Galway Christmas Market, in recent years, has made the city an even more vibrant and festive place to be during November and December.

The market is chock full of delicious food and beverage treats, with a Paulaner beer tent and pavilion being one of the main focal points. The tent offers big steins of various Paulaner beers along with a good buzz of chatter and fun.

Prost!

All of Galway is decorated for Christmas, and it seems like the entire town is an extension of the Christmas market.

And the market offers plenty of fun and rides for kids of all ages. It was even more fun this year, with our three year old nephew giving us an excuse to ride the carousel and train and to look at some of the handcrafted ornaments and toys for sale. This is the place to buy your gifts, simple, enjoyable, and beautiful pieces made by artisans rather than mass-produced items we are often used to.

Flowers in November, like these around the market in Eyre Square, are not uncommon in Galway. My mother-in-law’s roses were in full bloom. I am jealous of their lengthy gardening season!

Whether you visit the Galway Christmas Market in the day or night, you’ll find temptations for the eyes and the palate, from brightly colored macarons and savory crepes to German hot dogs and artfully made ornaments. It’s easy to spend several afternoons or evenings wandering and enjoying the music, smells, and sights, especially while warming your hands with a hot spiced gluhwein.

Do you have any favorite holiday events or markets that are part of your traditions?

Technorati Tags: crafts, European Christmas Markets, Galway, Galway Christmas Market, gluwein, holidays, lifestyle, Travel, Travel Tuesday

Monday is a good time for dreaming of travel, don’t you think? I’m excited to share that Flipkey is holding a contest in conjunction with their new virtual tours. They are asking bloggers to write a post about which of three virtual tour locations, Lake Tahoe, Phoenix, or Miami, the blogger would choose to enter to win a $1,000 Visa gift card.

I love to write, and I love to travel, and I love to write about travel, so I thought this would be a fun contest. I have been to Miami (and would totally go back, especially to stay at the Sonesta in Coconut Grove). I have been to Phoenix and would like to explore more.

But the sound of Lake Tahoe pretty much just grabs at my wanderlust in a much bigger way. You know I love California. My first Flipkey experience was at our Sonoma wine country house rental; the experience was an amazing one, and I can’t wait to do it again.

Lake Tahoe has a lot going for it, including its proximity to wine country, gorgeous natural beauty, gigantic blue lake

The Flipkey Virtual Tour of Lake Tahoe won me over completely.

(Source)

This photo of Emerald Bay takes my breath away; I can imagine it being spectacular in all seasons.  I am a country girl at heart, and smelling the pines, hearing the lake lapping its shores, and being able to see endless sky would be my paradise.

(Source)

Similarly, Bear’s Landing looks like pure bliss. I want to hike for hours and swim and kayak and water-ski, then relax in a hot tub or in front of a fire in one of the many beautiful Flipkey rentals.  I might even learn to ski in snow, depending on when we visited! Lake Tahoe looks like a true getaway, which is why it is my choice.

Your turn, if you had the choice, which would you visit, Lake Tahoe, Miami, or Phoenix? Why?

Technorati Tags: California, contests, Flipkey, Lake Tahoe, Take me there, Travel, travel blog

Looking for a fun and festive day trip from Boston this weekend? Longfellow’s Wayside Inn is the perfect spot to visit this time of year for a step back in time and some holiday cheer.

I first visited the Wayside Inn years ago when I attended a retirement party there, but I have been a fan ever since, especially during the holiday season. It is the oldest operating inn in the country and has been opening its doors to guests since 1716.

The inn itself is historic and beautiful, and when graced with blue skies and adorned with Christmas decorations, it is really something special. Holly abounds nearby, and the inside of the inn is warm and festive.

The Tap Room at the Wayside Inn is the perfect place to enjoy a drink and a warm fire. The nation’s first cocktail, a Coow Woow, was invented here, and they still serve it to this day.

We of course had to give a Coow Woow a try. . . and I would not recommend it unless you needed its contents to light a fire or lamp. Woow.

The ingredients in a Coow Woow are simple, ginger brandy and white rum, and it is strong! It’s easy to imagine our forefathers getting through cold nights with this concoction, but I’ll stick to the more tame Meetinghouse Punch, which was a blend of beer, rum, and sugar.

It’s easy to linger in the Tap Room for the afternoon, and we met some very nice people planning a trip to Ireland whilst there. The Wayside Inn is not just a step back in time, but it is also a very classic New England place for food and drink, an excellent day trip from Boston.

Parts of the inn are preserved in a museum-like fashion, allowing guests a glimpse into the early days of the inn,

While the inside of the Wayside Inn is spectacular and homey, the land it is on as breathtaking. I love every second of blue sky and fresh air I can get in the country, and the Wayside Inn has it all, from rolling green hills to a lake to the most beautiful chapel.

When visiting the Wayside Inn, you can breathe in the smell of pines and enjoy the crunch of leaves and pine needles under your feet, all before digging into a delicious hearty meal paired with old fashioned drinks. The inn also often has events and special packages making it a fun little getaway from Boston.

I love this space and am glad we took an afternoon from the busy holiday season to escape to Sudbury in the 1700’s.

Technorati Tags: cocktails, colonial, decorations, festive, holidays, Massachusetts, outdoors, staycation, travel. sudbury, wayside inn

With just over a week left in 2014, I have my winner for the best meal of the year. We ate a lot this year and had the opportunity to do some great travel (Best of travel coming tomorrow!), so it was tough to decide. Our experience at Aniar in Galway was just so exquisite though, I couldn’t NOT choose it as the best of 2014. My photos don’t do this meal any justice; the lighting was perfect for a date night but not great for photos. And I definitely know I am leaving details out, since it seems like this dinner was ages ago. Below is my best effort at sharing with all of you an evening that delighted so many senses and left us singing Aniar’s praises all over Galway and beyond.

Aniar means “west” in Irish, and much like wine makers, they are driven by terroir. You won’t find lemon in your water at Aniar because lemons don’t grow in Ireland. Our tasting menu feast highlighted meat and produce from Ireland; it was a great testament to the fact that Irish food can be REALLY good, something I have been trying to get across for years. Ireland has some of the best raw materials for amazing cuisine, and it’s great to see places like Aniar showcasing that.

We decided to go all out and do the tasting menu with wine pairings since this was my belated birthday dinner, which we didn’t make due to a flight cancellation from Scotland.

I was so glad that we did the wine pairings, as they were spot on perfect. The service was even better. The wines weren’t listed on our menus, and when I asked about them at the end of the meal, our server hand wrote each one on the back of the menu. Throughout the night there were so many little added touches where the staff went above and beyond.

A light, fun, Prosecco kicked off our night, and went nicely with our first course, a fresh piece of mackerel. I love pairing a fatty fish with bubbly, and our first bites set the tone for the whole meal.

We had a table right by the window, so we were able to watch the hustle and bustle of a rainy Galway evening while we dined. It was cozy and romantic, and despite Aniar being a Michelin star restaurant, there was nothing stiff or pretentious about the place. It felt so homey and relaxed.

Each bite of the meal was perfect; this fresh hen egg was swoon-worthy.

Halibut dusted in fennel, deliciously flaky and meaty at the same time, paired with Chardonnay from Beaujolais (Terres Dorées 2012 Classic) that was acidic and crisp, full of mineral and lemon.

Somewhere along the way (I am missing a course, pork neck.) we were served a wine that I was able to instantly recognize as Gamay, the grape in the oft overly fruity and awful Beaujolais Nouveau. This Gamay, by Jean Paul Brun, was a perfect example of how good Gamay can be when aged and finessed the right way. Big, dark cherry notes and a little earthy funk made this wine a new favorite, and I am definitely hoping to get my hands on it in the US.

A beautiful local herbal tea sorbet was the perfect mid-meal palate cleanser.

The tasting menu included some things I don’t normally go for, like venison, but I was adventurous and tried it all. And I hate to say it, but I thought the venison was incredible. It was so tender and flavorful and paired perfectly with the earthy, seasonal vegetables served with it. A gorgeous Rhone Valley Syrah rounded out each bite. This was my favorite course of the night.

Dessert was a fun and foamy blackberry, apple, and buttermilk concoction paired with a Chateau Jolys Cuvee Jean, a dessert wine that had so much balance with its honeysuckle sweetness that even I, one who does not like sweet wine, loved it.

I wish I had taken the time to take more photos and notes along the way, but the way this meal flowed, the chat with our servers, watching the people go by and peeking into the insanely clean and busy kitchen all caught my attention before the thought of blogging creeped in. This night was a delicious, long breath of fresh air, filled with flavor and obvious love of food and of Irish ingredients. Bravo to Chef Ultan Cooke and the Aniar team, and thank you for being my best meal of 2014.

Technorati Tags: Dining out, Food, Galway, Ireland, restaurants in Ireland, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, wine, wine blog, wine blogger

I sometimes think that if it wasn’t for this blog, I wouldn’t remember half of the things we do in a year. I love going back and being able to remember exactly what we did, ate, and saw during a certain time of year. It’s been the most consistent journal I have had in my adult life, and hopefully making it public has been entertaining and informative to others! As I sat down to start writing this post, I thought to myself that we didn’t do too much in 2014, but going back made me realize what a full year it was from the very start and just how much good happened.

2014 was an interesting year. We spent a large chunk of it legally chasing after a shady plumber who took lots and lots of money and did a hack job on our house. We hoped to leave that in 2014, but the legal system had other ideas. You can really get away with anything if you’re slimy enough, we’ve learned. If you’re looking for a plumber in the Boston area, feel free to contact me so you know who NOT to choose.

That situation has been tough, but this year has been about so much more. We saw our families a ton, with two visits to Ireland and multiple guests from Ireland, as well as a nice long visit from New Jersey family and lots of short trips there. We got to help out in our first Sonoma grape harvest, had many boat dates, and genuinely grew closer to many great people in our lives. It was a full, rich year, and we have so many memories to be thankful for.

Below are some of my Best of 2014 moments in food and travel. Please share one of yours in the comments!

Aniar –  My belated birthday dinner in Galway was definitely the best meal of the year. Service, ambiance, and local Irish ingredients make it easy to see why this restaurant has a Michelin star. How many ways can I tell you to get yourself to Galway, then go to Aniar?

Red Fish Grill, Coral Gables, Florida – We kicked off 2014 with a trip to Miami. With the winter we had, it turned out we needed every second of warm sunshine we soaked up while there. We stayed at the Sonesta in Coconut Grove (highly recommended, full disclosure, I work for Sonesta Hotels.)

Owenmore Restaurant at Ballynahinch Castle – You know how I feel about the Irish countryside, if you’ve been reading for any amount of time. There is an indescribable beauty and sense of calm; it changes me in the best ways ever. We got to spend a day in the country, followed by a delicious dinner and overnight at Ballynahinch Castle, a place my husband’s family has been visiting for years. They knew so many people it felt like home, and I will always remember relaxing by the fire into the wee hours of St. Patrick’s Day morning.

Wine Country Weekend Lunch at Davis Family Vineyards – A year is not complete without a visit to Sonoma County. Through blogging about wine and travel, I have met some great people and had amazing opportunities, and this year was no different. We kicked off this wine country trip with a glorious wine lunch at Davis Family Vineyards. Sonoma Wine Country weekend has so many great events (including our starlit night of dancing at Rodney Strong), and I would definitely recommend checking one or two out if you happen to be there during the events.

The Girl and the Fig and all the Sonoma County wine tasting – Okay, pretty much every moment of our Sonoma trip was my favorite. This post summed up some of the food and wine experiences we had in Napa and Sonoma. Our Flipkey wine country cottage is really worth checking out too.

Travel to Long Island Wine Country – From tasting by the ocean in the beautiful Kontokosta Winery tasting room to chilling out at Noah’s in Greenport, having copious quantities of oysters and bubbly at the Blue Canoe, and feeling at home at Bedell Cellars,  our getaway to the North Fork was one of my favorite weekends of 2014.  The North Fork is so easy to get to from Boston, and we are definitely planning a 2015 visit.

As we look back at 2014, we are planning our 2015 travel, including the biggest trip of our lives. . . a 12 day safari in Tanzania! I have been to Africa once before (Tunisia during college), but this is going to be very different. Sleeping in a tent amongst lions and elephants and other animals? SO exciting and so very far out of my nerve-laden comfort zone! It will definitely be an adventure!

Your turn – what was your favorite food/travel moment of 2014? Do you have any 2015 travel plans or dreams?

Technorati Tags: best of, California, cocktails, Connemara, Dining out, Food, Ireland, North Fork, Sonoma, Travel, wine, wine country

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great holiday season and a fun New Year’s Eve and are ready for a fun-filled 2015. In case you missed my Best of 2014 posts, you can find the travel post here and the Best of Boston post here.

Two trips to Ireland were definitely 2014 highlights. On our most recent trip we spent some time in Sligo, where we discovered lots of natural beauty in Ben Bulben in Rosses Point and some culinary beauty in the Sligo town restaurant Eala Bhan.

Eala Bhan means white swan in Irish, and since Sligo is Yeats Country, the restaurant name fits right in.

Decor is whimsical and elegant, and Yeats’ influence is apparent in bits of poetry around the restaurant. Twinkly fairy lights add a magical feel to the space, and overall it’s airy yet cozy, with dim lighting and windows out onto the River Garavogue.

Like many restaurants in Ireland, Eala Bhan utilizes the amazing Irish ingredients available to them, including local seafood and meat.

As we often do, we decided to share a bunch of small plates rather than go with entrees. We started with bowls of piping hot vegetable soup; I pretty much always get soup when we go out in Ireland.

{Creamy Vegetable Soup}

From there, we feasted on a couple of seafood appetizers which were creative and beautifully displayed. I loved the perfect scallop with the sweet courgette puree.

 {Taste of the Sea:  Pan seared diver scallop, kattaifi prawns and house cured salmon with fresh spinach and courgette purée}

This cake made of smoked salmon and prawns encased in creme fraiche was like nothing we had seen before. It was so decadent! It’s something I would love to recreate at home.

{ Smoked Salmon and Prawn Timbale Cake: Light layered pancakes of smoked salmon and prawn encased in créme fraiche and beetroot cream}

Heading back to land, we had the outstanding warm chicken salad which, with punchy blue cheese and sweet almonds, was way better than your average chicken dish!

{Crispy Herb Basket of Warm Chicken Salad: Edible herb basket of warm chicken salad tossed with cashel blue cheese, candied almonds in a crispy herb basket, topped with garlic croutons, balsamic reduction}

The wine list at Eala Bhan isn’t extensive, but I found a lovely Barton &Guestier Chardonnay that was a nice pairing with all of my food.

Eala Bhan is known as one of Sligo’s best restaurants for a reason. Everything was so fresh and tasty, and the service was paced perfectly, allowing us to enjoy leisurely conversation and our various courses, If you are in Sligo and looking for a special meal, Eala Bhan is definitely one great option.

How do you choose restaurants when you travel?

Technorati Tags: Dining out, Food, food blogger, Ireland, Restaurants, Sligo, Travel, travel blogger, wine, wine blog, wine blogger

Gundlach Bundschu’s website calls this wine “A seriously red blend for everyday.  Seriously.” and we definitely found this to be true when we delved into a bottle on a very chilly winter weeknight.

Gundlach Bundschu was one of the first wineries we ever visited when we started many in a series of  trips to Sonoma County, and we tend to visit whenever we are near the town of Sonoma (not always the case because we love to center our trips around Healdsburg).

As I sipped a glass of the 2012 Mountain Cuvee, all bundled up in a hoodie and slippers and fleece galore, I couldn’t help but think back to this beautiful day last September when we were almost too hot when we brought our tastes out to enjoy Gun Bun’s beautiful views. I said almost because too hot just doesn’t really happen to me.

The Mountain Cuvee, while ripe, fruity Sonoma through and through, is a perfect wine for winter, with rich notes of cocoa and a bit of tobacco. It’s big and bold but balanced and elegant enough to pair with food like a beef stew or a roast wrapped in bacon or something as equally as hearty.

We paired our Mountain Cuvee with a thick, veggie and spicy soy chorizo filled tomato sauce over whole wheat penne, a nod to both the weather and our resolution to eat better in the New Year.

Have you found any new favorite wines yet in 2015?

Technorati Tags: Gundlach Bundschu, Sonoma, Sonoma County, wine, wine of the week, wine tasting, wine travel, Wine Wednesday, winesday

I know. I know. I should probably change Travel, Wine, and Dine to A Blog about Ireland and Sonoma, because I am fully obsessed with both places and could blog about them day in and day out. One of the reasons I decided to do away with paid blog ads was because I just wanted to blog about what I wanted, with the hopes that someone would find it interesting. Spilling my heart and camera and iPhone into a blog post and being able to share favorite places makes my day, so I hope you don’t mind a couple more Ireland posts. There’s a lot of healthy cooking on its way. . .

Today for Travel Tuesday, I thought a drive through the West of Ireland countryside would be a nice little getaway for the brain. It’s going to be 20 degrees for the high in Boston today, and I am certainly thinking of travel.  Sit back and enjoy some views from Connemara, Westport, and Barna, all places I recommend visiting when you base your Ireland trip in County Galway.

{Keane’s Bar, at Maam Bridge}

The booth at the front of Keane’s Bar, located in Maam in Connemara, is the perfect spot for gazing out over the hills with a hot whiskey after a long hike in the Irish countryside.

{Driving through Connemara in the West of Ireland}

{Foggy Connemara, where the sky meets the mountains}

{Barna beach day}

{O’Grady’s Barna}

{Thatched Cottage in Barna}

{Beaches in Connemara in the West of Ireland}

{Matt Molloy’s Pub, Westport County Mayo}

{A sunny day in Barna}

{Lunch views from O’Grady’s in Barna}

{Seafood chowder at O’Grady’s in Barna}

Technorati Tags: Barna, Connemara, Galway, Ireland, Nature, outdoors, scenery, Travel, travel blog, Travel Tuesday, views

There are so many more than 10 things I want to do in our beautiful Commonwealth, but I thought a list of 40 might be too much! This list is mostly Eastern Massachusetts based; I have a ton of love for the Western part of the state too, perhaps that’s a list all on its own? A few weeks ago we were trying to decide what to do for the weekend when I started thinking about all there is to do here. Since we’re soon going on a very big adventure, we’re sticking close to home and on budget the rest of the time. Below is a list of 10 things I want to experience sometime in the next couple of years. Have you done any of the below? Or do you have a list of things you want to do in the place you call home? I would love to hear them in the comments!

1) Visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum – I have lived in Boston since 2002. Wow. Typing that makes me feel old! I have sent journalists on FAM tours to the museum, but somehow I have never gotten there. This is one I hope to accomplish this winter.

2) Climb Mount Greylock again, but this time spend the night at the top at Bascom Lodge with friends and great food and wine.

3) Run a race on Spectacle Island – We’ve taken the boat to Spectacle so many times and have even spent the night. I would love to run the island sometime.

4) Tea at Bond at the Langham and the Four Seasons and the Taj – I love afternoon Champagne tea, and I would love to explore some of the elegant and luxurious teas in Boston.

5) Spend a lazy week on Martha’s Vineyard – We spent the day on the Vineyard a couple of summers ago, and we have been talking about going back ever since. I would love to swim, cook seafood, and explore on bikes and on foot. How relaxing does that sound?

6) Take dance lessons at the Boston Ballet – I was obsessed with ballet growing up, and though I am old and inflexible and out of shape, I would LOVE to take classes again.

7) Visit the Boston Public Library courtyard on a regular basis – I used to do this when I worked in the area. That space is so beautiful, and I would love to spend more time there.

8) Take classes at Harvard Extension – I took a PR writing class there years ago and it was great. It really helped to launch my career

9) Visit the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate – I love the JFK Library, and I will actually cross this item off my list when I attend a GBCVB event at the soon-to-be-opened addition next month.

10) Go out to an oyster farm and get fresh oysters, learn about the process, etc. – I learned about East Dennis Oyster Farm when I worked for an agency that had the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism as a client, and I have wanted to go out with them since.

Technorati Tags: Boston, Food, hiking, lifestyle, Massachusetts, outdoors, oysters, tea, things to do, Travel, vacation

More snow and epically cold temperatures mean more wine. It’s just the way it is. And since here in New England we are unlikely to see the grass (or sidewalk, in many cases) for weeks, it’s time to stock up on good wine, good food, and entertainment that pairs well with both.

On a particularly blue winter blues sort of evening recently, I decided to stop moping around went into the kitchen to work on something delicious. Less than an hour later I had a turkey meatloaf, speckled with spinach and garlic and parmesan cheese, served alongside a variety of roasted seasonal vegetables. It was the perfect cozy dinner, and it was even pretty healthy!

Of course we dug into our wine fridge for the perfect wine to go with it, and since Cartograph wines always bring us back to warmer days and vacation and wandering around Healdsburg, we went with the Cartograph 2012 Sangiovese.  It turned out to be a great choice for a cold night. It’s rustic, with notes of dried leaves and earth along with cooked berries, nice and dry, and great with food. This is Cartograph’s first Sangiovese  and comes from an extremely small lot that comes from the Redwood Valley’s Upton Vineyard.

We finally also sat down to watch the movie Somm, which I thought was really good but might have been even better as a several part reality series. The movie follows four sommeliers attempting to pass the Master Sommelier exam. As someone who has studied wine a little and found there to be a LOT of information to remember and process, I can’t even imagine getting to this level of expertise and the stress that candidates undergo both preparing and then going through the exam. I found some of the cast a little arrogant, but overall I liked the film and would recommend it to those interested in wine and wine education.

All in all, a great wine, hearty winter dinner, and great wine movie cheered up an otherwise dreary winter night.

We also watch The  Hundred Foot Journey recently; I love movies about food and wine. (We have watched Bottle Shock 100 times just to see Sonoma and Napa.)

Do you have any favorites?

Technorati Tags: Cartograph, red wine, Sangiovese, Sonoma County, trave, wine, wine travel

The time has come; this is my last post from our November trip to Ireland. Way to drag it out, right? I can’t help but share some of the many photos I took there, and for my wrap up I thought I would share a few photos from our wanders around Galway, including the food.

{Prawns Marie Rose at Kettle of Fish in Galway} This was our first time to Kettle of Fish, and we loved that it was fast, fresh, and delicious. It’s a great alternative to fast food chip shops for a quick lunch or snack in between pints.

{Ard Bia at Nimmo’s} I love Ard Bia for a romantic date or lunch, but it’s equally as nice for an Irish coffee or glass of wine. I love that Galway has SO many cozy, casual little nooks for drinks and good conversation.

{Barna Woods} You might not find Barna Woods in your guidebook, but not far from Galway City Center, you will find this magical space, with big beautiful trees, meandering streams, and mossy stones. It’s a great place for a long walk or run. Plenty of adorable dogs are an added bonus!

{St. Nicholas Collegiate Church} Once my front yard, this stunning building is a must-visit in Galway for lovers of architecture and history. Its 400 year old baptismal font and 13th century graves are just part of the history of this place, where Christopher Columbus prayed in 1477.

{Watch the sun go down on Galway Bay} It’s so spectacular that there is a song about it. A Galway Bay sunset is one of this world’s greatest sites, and I try to plan our day around the sunsets so we can see as many as possible.

{Beautiful doors and stone work at the Spanish Arch} Part of Ard Bia, this door and all about the Spanish Arch is full of charm and beauty and mystery.

{Tigh Neactain} This is one of our favorite Galway pubs. There are teeny tiny snugs for sitting in, a warm fire, and often great music. They pour an excellent pint of Guinness as well.

{Garavan’s} What might be considered an old man bar now has a great selection of whiskey and offers whiskey flights you won’t want to miss.

{The Long Walk} Also made famous by a song, the old long walk is a beautiful, colorful seaside spot in Galway. You’ve likely seen photos of it before; it’s iconic and worth a visit, especially at sunset.

{Vindaloo at Kashmir} Yummmmm Kashmir. This Galway favorite serves up the best Indian food I have ever had. Don’t miss it if you plan a trip to Galway.

Our next trip to Ireland is in August for a friend’s wedding and some mountain climbing. . . counting the days until we touch down on that beautiful green island once again!

Technorati Tags: Food, Galway, Ireland, Travel, travel blog, Travel Tuesday

So up until a few weeks ago, I had never been camping. As luck would have it, my first time sleeping in a tent was in the Serengeti. Go big or go home? Oh my, in the months leading up to camping in the Serengeti, I wanted to go home. In my heart of hearts I wanted to be the brave travel blogger who wanted to do anything and everything, but man I knew my limits. So we arrived on March 4th at our Serengeti Camp, and I was in it for the duration. I guess the scariest part for me was no internet for four whole days. Panic.

We arrived at our camp on a Thursday evening, which was overcast and cool, after a fun day all of the girls had ridden in the safari jeep together. I was pretty scared when we reached the Serengeti gate and there was nothing in every direction, for as far as we could see. I felt lost.  I really couldn’t imagine our remote home, and the lack of contact made me feel panic more than once. I wish I was braver then, but after conquering many fears, I feel stronger. I did so many things I didn’t think I could do; this trip was a huge place of growth and I am grateful for that.

That said, I sucked it up and tried really hard to be at one with the Serengeti. We went on many sunrise and sunset game drives, which I absolutely loved. Seeing the sun rise and set in the Serengeti was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I soaked up every second. I loved our nightly fireside chats where we watched the Serengeti sunset, absolutely in awe of our opportunity.

It’s hard to be afraid when nature is holding you so closely. Look at the photo below, the sunrise and moonset as we get ready for another Serengeti morning game drive.

Truth be told, our Overseas Adventure Travel Serengeti Camp was absolutely amazing and not exactly roughing it. Our tents were spacious and lovely, with full beds, flush toilets, showers, and an absolutely amazing staff. The tents were so comfy that even I, terrified at all of the wildlife sounds, slept most of the time fairly well. But wildlife was all around! Due to the lack of rain in the rainy season, our first night was marked by the moo of wildebeests, which sounded like 1,000 snoring men all night long. I thought that was annoying, but in the nights that followed, we were kept awake by lions, leopards, and hyenas. Each night, our camp staff walked us back to our tents, and they would shine a flashlight into the bush, revealing glowing eyes of very large, very wild cats. It was beautiful, exciting, but yes, scary. The first time I heard lions I was terrified. By the last night, I found myself hoping the lions would visit. In all honesty, I miss their low groans and roars.

We were truly spoiled at camp, with a staff so knowledgeable and attentive, comfy beds, and amazing food. On our final day we toured the kitchen, which pulled out multi-course meals with the help of solar and a generator for us every night. The food and wine every day were SO GOOD. Veggies, soups, and dishes like coconut chicken filled us and made us really happy. It was incredible what the camp staff did with so little, and amazing to see the acacia trees with thorns they used to keep wild animals away. There were literally hyenas and baboons hanging out outside our camp looking at the food tent waiting for something, but there was no luck for them!

Our Serengeti camp staff took such great care of us, from bringing us hot water before sunrise to wash our faces to helping us with our five gallon showers, to bringing us to our tents safely every night, surrounded by wild animals. By the end of four days they felt like family, and I can hardly express the love we felt for them. It wasn’t an easy task to make this city girl feel at home in the middle of nowhere, much less make her want to come back again and again, but that’s exactly what happened. I want to go camping in the Serengeti every year for the rest of my life, if camping is like this!

Technorati Tags: Africa, camping, outdoors, Serengeti, Tanzania, Travel, travel blog

On our first full day in Tanzania, we had breakfast and a briefing at Moivaro Lodge, our home for the first two nights of the trip, and then we all piled into a bus for our day at Shanga & Riverhouse, about 20 minutes away.

About Shanga:

Set under the towering Acacia trees of Tanzania, East Africa, Shanga is a heartwarming project dedicated to supporting and empowering disabled community members. With breaking down obstacles for disabled Tanzanians and a commitment to environmentally sustainable business practises as its core values, Shanga is a for-profit company that raises standards. Now comprised of a bustling workshop, open-air restaurant, and three trendy boutiques, Shanga has grown exponentially from what started with one beaded necklace and a desire to help those in need.

Shanga is simply amazing. People with disabilities, some who might otherwise be tossed away or ignored by society, are empowered through art, and they make some beautiful things on-site using recycled materials. Trash is a big problem in Tanzania; people burn it, and there was plenty along the side of the road, so being able to channel that trash into beautiful merchandise goes a long way in keeping this beautiful country clean.

Before we took a tour at Shanga, we had a sign language lesson where we also learned some Swahili words. Our lesson was held on a sprawling lawn on pink and green couches made from old beds. It was a stunning, festive space, and we had a great time learning and laughing.

After our lesson we toured Shanga’s art workshop areas and got to meet some of the artisans behind the glassware, beads, paintings, and fabrics for sale in the store.  Our guide Paul was kind and fun, and he really showed pride in the people working with him.

As we wound our way through Shanga, we marveled at beautiful decor like walls of recycled wine bottles that magnified the warm light and made a lovely noise when gently moved.

Shanga has people making beaded jewelry and cloth from recycled materials. We all fell in love with stuffed elephants made from mens’ shirts. I think we bought most of their supply for kids in our lives.

There was so much talent, pride, and focus in the artists at Shanga, and it was fun to watch them work.

At the end of our tour, we had time to check out the on-site restaurant, which was to die for. I want to go back and have another wedding there.

We left Shanga with hand blown glass Champagne flutes, stuffed elephants, and a beaded Christmas ornament to remind us of our travels, along with a major respect for the people living and working at Shanga. It was well worth the trip and an enchanting place to spend the day.

Technorati Tags: Africa, art, charity, Tanzania, Travel, travel blog, Travel Tuesday