Temecula Valley Wine Country

Morning balloon ride over Temecula

Wine tasting in Temecula Valley is a no-brainer for Southern Californians. My husband and I left the L.A. area and arrived at our first winery in 90-minutes. There are now more than thirty wineries and vineyards sprinkled along the countryside of Riverside County. The hot days and cool nights, coupled with the clay soil, has [...]

Day Trippin’ Southern California Style – Food, Wine and Shopping

Oxnard Farmer's Market

  When you have the abundance of agriculture Oxnard, California does – food and wine are inevitably a staple. The local restaurants take full advantage of the farm to table opportunities and are proud to serve local wines with meals prepared for the season. Oxnard is not only a treat for the senses, but also an easy day [...]

Johnny Jet’s Barossa Wine Valley Tour

barossa-wine-valley

Ralf Hadzic from Life is a Cabernet gave me a fantastic tour of The Barossa Valley in South Australia. It is a major wine-producing region Down Under and a visit to the Barossa is definitely a taste of the good life. The rolling hills of the Barossa Ranges and its vineyards, picture book villages, historic [...]

Murphys: Hidden Gem in California

Sunset at Villa Vallecito Vineyards

Nothing excites me more when traveling than finding an off-the-beaten path gem. When I can say a destination and get a response from others like, “where is that?!” I’m in… Murphys, California proved to be that and more. The picturesque village in Calaveras County, 2.5 hours drive from San Francisco off Highway 4 East, offers [...]

2012 Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival

Giada De Laurentiis

Last night I attended the opening night of the second annual Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival (LAFW) thanks to my good friend Mike Freed.

Eastern Shore of Virginia: Nature and Wine

Kiptopeke Beach

After several exciting days in Virginia Beach, I ventured over the 17-mile Chesapeake Bridge/Tunnel to the rural, coastal Eastern Shore, which sits between the Atlantic Ocean and The Chesapeake Bay. Right from the bridge, a sense of tranquility pervades from the endless water views and natural environment. Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge  has [...]

36 Hours in Napa Valley

Jennifer-Dombrowski-Napa-2012-10

Grapes glistening on the vine catch your eye. The sweet scents of lavender, rosemary, and wine waft toward you. The only sounds are bees buzzing and the horn of the passing Wine Train. This is Napa Valley Wine Country.  I only had 36 hours to experience the best Napa Valley has to offer. Here are [...]

Lexington, Kentucky – The Southern Starting Line

Kentucky Marquee (640x480)

You may feel like you’ve outdone the staycation thing as we continue down the road of tightening the belt buckle in the U.S.  There are other options. After you tally up the expenses of getting into overpriced theme parks, paying for gas to get there and feeding  the troops $7 hot dogs, other vacation choices [...]