Author Archives

INVERAWE and SMOKED SALMON PATE

Anyone hooked on smoked salmon has probably heard of Inverawe and Robert & Rosie Campbell-Preston. Robert & Rosie opened Inverawe Smokehouse in Argyll, on the West Coast of Scotland, in 1980. Robert was the fish smoker, an art he learned growing up on the banks of the Awe. Rosie tackled the marketing, a talent she […]

S.S. CATHERINE RIVER CRUISE SHIP & DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Making a list? Checking it twice? Want to give something much better than nice for Christmas or Valentine’s day or that special birthday or anniversary? Then consider that the most splendid, all-occasion, glory gift that one can give is a trip on the S.S. Catherine. Not a nautical term, S.S. in front of Catherine stands […]

PARADORES, SPAIN & TORTILLA ESPANOLA

Travelers adore Spanish Paradores for a multitude of reasons. First is location. The Spanish-government owned and operated inns are sprinkled throughout Spain in spots most useful to tourists. Some are near major tourist attractions in large cities. Others grace small villages. And a few sit in far-flung, remote areas with little other choice of accommodations. […]

ATRIO/MICHELIN STARS AND RELAIS & CHATEAUX

  Atrio is one of the main reasons to visit Cáceres. Actually, Atrio is one of the main reasons to visit Spain. The two-Michelin-starred restaurant and Relais & Châteaux hotel is worth not only a detour (in Michelin speak), but also a bucket-list trip—at least for lovers of food, wine and architecture. Atrio sits in […]

CÁCERES, CULINARY CAPITAL OF SPAIN, 2015 & MIGAS

The food of Cáceres rocks! The restaurants are rad! The take-home edible souvenirs are wicked and wow! No wonder a jury composed of top representatives from Spain’s hotel, restaurant and publishing industries, declared the city “The Culinary Capital of Spain, 2015.” The city, in the province of the same name, sits in the sparsely populated […]

Cameron House on Loch Lomond

I can’t say I’ve seen all of the resorts in Scotland (damn), but after a short stop at Cameron House, I think it has to rank as the best. Why? Cameron House wins my heart for its: WONDERFUL LOCATION about 20 minutes from Glasgow International Airport, on the bonnie banks o’ Loch Lomond—in the midst […]

BEST BARBECUE RESTAURANTS IN AMERICA AND JOHNNY FUGITT

When you first meet Johnny Fugitt he radiates a gentlemanly persona. Winning smile. Charming manners. Not a spot on his shirt nor bulk to his body (which is contrary to what a steady diet of barbecue might suggest). Not that a second meeting doesn’t yield the same reaction. It’s just that Johnny seems more of […]

DESTINATION KOHLER AND THREE CHEESE SOUP

If you’re a golfer, a gardener and/or gourmet, Kohler is the place to be.If you’re an interior decorator, designer and/or plumber, Kohler is the place to be.If you love luxurious stays, fine restaurants, spa treatments, divine chocolates, Kohler is the place to be. Oh, let’s cut to the chase. If it’s spring, summer or fall, […]

CODY AND THE BEST LITTLE MOJITO MARGARITA IN THE WEST

Anyone trying to lasso the spirit of the old Wild West should head to Cody, Wyoming. Founded in the 1890s by pony express rider, army scout and flamboyant Wild West showman William Frederick Cody (a.k.a Buffalo Bill—a name he earned shooting a staggering number of bison), Cody remains western to the core. The town sits in the scenic […]

THE BEST KANSAS CITY BARBECUE

Kansas City is said to have over 100 restaurants, joints, shacks, stands, trucks and other outlets that specialize in barbecue. And most of the places serve barbecue that’s smokin, making it it the pits for tourists fired up to find the hottest to decide where to go. That’s when supergal Bethanie Schemel comes to the […]