Casual wine drinkers, aficionados, and beginners alike: Each month we try to expose you to new things, educating you and diversifying your palate with a lineup of our monthly picks. This month we're going to New Mexico, Virginia, Spain's Ribera del Duero region, Croatia, and California with a sparkler, rosé, and three interesting reds. Enjoy!
Read moreGlobally renowned water + ton of history make Berkeley Springs (WV) Brewing worth watching
We stopped at the Berkeley Springs Brewing Company on a beautiful mid-September day. We found the brewing operation and companion Bathwater Brew Pub to be particularly well suited to helping drinkers discover and like things they didn't know they liked. At just a year old, we need some more time to see what this brewery is going to turn into, but there are pieces here that play well in its favor.
Read moreCathedrals, Marvels, and Great Spots: Why America's airports aren't "like a third world country"
There's a rumor afoot that America's airports "are like from a third world country". Listen, not all airports are created equal. Some are better than others. Each excel at different things. There are absolutely stunning airports the world over (including in some developing nations), and also some pretty terrible ones. Book your next layover at one of our favorites to see for yourself.
Read moreBuyer beware: The only thing we learned at DC "Uncorked" Wine Festival is to not go back
Casual winos, whether of the just-getting-into it or aspiring-connoisseur varieties, can learn a lot at wine festivals. Sadly, after attending the Uncorked DC Wine Festival this past weekend, we have to strongly recommend that you avoid festivals sponsored by Uncorked. It was one of the worst wine experiences we've had, and an epic waste of money.
Read moreLot 12 Public House restaurant: Big city quality and small town Berkeley Springs, West Virginia charm
Lot 12 Public House restaurant occupies the stately house ensconced in a garden nestled on the hillside that rises above natural spring and spa town Berkeley Springs, WV just two hours from Washington, DC. It is truly world class dining, a place we take friends from DC and New York so that we can see the look of delighted surprise on their face when they realize such places exist where they'd least expect.
Read moreFive strategies that take the stress out of airports and air travel
If the thought of schlepping to the airport, waiting in line, and facing a delay or a long layover raises your blood pressure, let me take a shot at helping you change your mindset. Remember that you can't enjoy the your journey if you screw up the the basics. Nail the little things that take immense stress away from the very first moment.
Read moreSu Vino urban winery in Scottsdale, Arizona serves up unique wine in a modern, fun setting
An urban winery that sources at least the vast majority of its fruit from various California vineyards, Su Vino serves its own unique wine in a modern, fun environment. This winery is built for a good time, more like a wine bar that makes its own stuff, set apart from more traditional tasting rooms by everything from the big group of friends seated all together having a great time, to the happy hour specials listed on the menu.
Read moreEscape the city to exquisite dining at Virginia Wine Country's Ashby Inn, an hour from Washington
We stopped at the Ashby Inn in Paris, an unincorporated village straight out of Americans' stereotypical vision of a small English town (or, the Hobbit). The setting is positively idyllic, the type of place at which you stop for lunch between wineries, and then realize hours later that you've sat in the garden until your next destination has closed. Situated about an hour outside of Washington, the Ashby Inn is an absolute no-brainer for city escapees, romantic weekenders, and winery wanderers alike.
Read moreReviewing new American Airlines Admirals Club renovations with Phoenix as case study
Travel through the airport, step out of the chaos, pick up a glass of wine. That's what airport lounges are built for. Happily, American Airlines has been remaking their Admirals Clubs at key airports for well over a year. If Phoenix is any indication, I think American is making really good strides.
Read moreWines of Arizona Stronghold Vineyards are innovative, full of character, deeply rooted in terroir
I came to Cottonwood looking for the exceptional wine of Arizona Stronghold Vineyards. I stepped across a stylized emblem from the Arizona state flag, painted on the sidewalk out front, into a lively and comfortable tasting room filled with people who clearly care very deeply about this 100% Arizona wine, artfully blended, filled with the history and character of their home state.
Read moreHow to get a second date with Kathleen: Own your drink choices, wine or not
We met for drinks and spent some time perusing the menu, or at least I did. I didn’t have to search long for my choice because they had my favorite sparkling wine, Bugey-Cerdon, on the menu. Naturally, I ordered Bugey. He ordered beer.
Read moreDeciding if a premium travel credit card makes sense, and choosing the best one for you
Travel aficionados are abuzz about premium travel credit cards. All of the great travel perks you get with them beg two questions: Does it make good cost-benefit sense for you to get one of the big three premium credit cards, and if so, which one is right for you? We'll break it down and help you decide.
Read moreOur September wine picks: Two whites, two reds, and a bottle of rum for dessert
Each month we educate and diversify your palate with a lineup of different wines. We want to expose you to new things. With bottles this month from Washington, Arizona, and Massachusetts, we quite nearly made it to all four corners of the United States. September's lineup is nicely balanced with two whites, two reds, and a bottle of rum for dessert. Enjoy!
Read moreIs the AMEX Centurion Lounge worth it? At Dallas - Fort Worth, resoundingly yes!
If DFW is any indication, the Centurion Lounges are the best in the domestic American business. Nothing out there (that I've seen) comes close. I'd actually go to the airport early, stay late, or book another long layover just to have dinner here. That said, there aren't many of them, so you won't get much value if you're not a frequent traveler through Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, New York - La Guardia, Miami, Seattle, and San Francisco.
Read moreCoastal Massachusetts wine country is a great excursion in a state known for other things
Concentrated along the South Coast of a state whose reasonable summer temperatures and oceanfront destinations, phenomenal universities, and rich history already attract visitors aplenty, Massachusetts wine country -- like its counterparts in higher production states -- offers the good and the interesting alongside a few duds. We have several favorites.
Read moreSER Restaurant is Simple, Easy, Real. Spain in America, an Arlington, Virginia best.
Another warm summer's evening in Arlington, Virginia sets on the patio at SER, the splendid Spanish restaurant. Simple. Easy. Real. This is the vision in which owner Javier Candon, a native of the region around Seville, Spain, has crafted one of the best restaurants in Arlington over the past couple of years. He's created something really special here.
Read moreNew Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card is the best card for free travel with great perks
I am an unabashed advocate of making travel free, comfortable, or both by smartly using travel credit card points, perks, and incentives.With the exception of a few very specific circumstances, the new Chase Sapphire Reserve card is absolutely the best bet for those wishing to maximize the travel benefits they receive from a credit card. I heartily recommend you get one if you can.
Read moreCasual Wino: The Wine 101 Guide for the Curious
Today we're publishing our new Casual Wino: The Wine 101 Guide for the Curious, where we’re sharing wine basics, tips on how to not break the budget unless it’s a special occasion, basic terminology, wine advice to help you get a second (and third) date, pairing ideas for food, recommendations on visiting wineries we’ve discovered, tasting notes, and anything else we can think of to help you drink, enjoy, and share wine with confidence.
Read moreDistilling exceptional craft Rum and Gin at South Hollow Spirits in North Truro, Cape Cod, MA
Summer sun shines down from a blue sky that looks like the ocean inverted, reflecting brightly on the whitewashed Cape Cod style house and barn. Your chair sits beneath stately tree branches. A cooling breeze wafts through the yard as you put a cocktail to your lips. It's the height of summer, and you've discovered the exceptional rum, gin, and related cocktails at South Hollow Spirits in North Truro, Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Read moreNational Aviation Day + National Photo Day = Our best #PlanePics of 2016. Also a mystery.
We're celebrating National Aviation Day, Friday, August 19, 2016! We'll also go ahead and, not coincidentally, wish Orville Wright a very happy birthday. He'd have turned 145 years old today. Wilber definitely got the short end of the quasi national holiday stick. We're celebrating with favorites from our stash of aviation photos we've taken this year. Two photos below, and only two photos, depict the exact same plane spotted on two separate occasions 1,010 miles away from one another. Which photos?
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