Lifestyle

If you don't have time to take a trip to the state of Washington, you don't have to go far to get a taste of Washington. Head to your nearest Omni Hotels & Resorts throughout the month of May and partake in their "Taste Washington" program that spotlights the wines of the region.....that's what we did when we went to Noe at the Omni in downtown LA. “Taste Washington” is part of Omni Hotels & Resorts popular culinary series “Flavors of the World”. The wines and foods of Italy, Argentina, Spain and France have been featured in the past. This year they are focusing on domestic wines. And with Washington State producing high quality wines at great value, as well being the No. 2 premium wine grape grower in the U.S., it is the perfect fit.
14 May, 2014
As a fan of generally all things Italian, I was recently introduced to a new craft beer from Italy called Via dei Birrai 32 (Beer 32). Coming from Treviso, Italy, located in the Veneto region, Beer 32 is an artisan microbrewery producing Belgian-style ales. And, in typical Italian style, from the logo, to the packaging and marketing materials, Beer 32 is eye-catching and will stand out on any shelf. And, Beer 32 comes in 750ml bottles, which is equivalent to a pint and a half. Easy for one person to enjoy or for two people to share. Where does the name come from?  The name 32 has multiple meanings. 32 is the number of the class for beer according to the Nice international classification, which indicates and categorizes products and services. 32 is also the address of the brewery. And, 32 is the age of the 4 founders when they started the brewery more than a decade ago.
07 April, 2014
  After three months of beta testing and over $200,000 of wine sales, Underground Cellar is live! This is a fun new way for you to experience high-end wines that you might not otherwise buy, or for that matter, have access to. What sets Underground Cellar apart from other online retailers and wine clubs is that they use a "reverse discount" upgrade model, as opposed to the "deep discount" e-commerce model. This means that consumers are rewarded with random upgrades to more premium wines. At the same time, the winery can protect its brands by not advertising their wines at discounted prices. Here's how it works:
27 March, 2014
A couple decades ago, when I was just out of college, I moved to Italy to work as an au pair. Unlike most travelers, I did not end up in a city like Florence or Rome but rather a small town in the region of Piedmont where no one spoke English. I knew nothing about wine at the time but everyday day I would meet my new Italian friends at the local bar for aperitivi and they would do the ordering. And, each day a glass would be placed in front of me filled with a red wine that was slightly sweet and slightly sparkling and very delicious.  It was Brachetto d’Acqui. A recent trip took me back to Piedmont, to the heart of where Brachetto is from, Acqui Terme. This ancient Roman town, an 1 ½ hour southeast from Milan, became my home base for three days.   We settled in at the Grand Hotel Nuove Terme which overlooks the town square and began the tour of eating and drinking and eating and drinking some more.        
21 March, 2014
While Acqui Terme is in the heart of Piemont, Italy, surrounded by some of the most famous vineyards, Acqui Terme is also known for its hot sulpher springs.  After all, the name "Acqui Terme" means "Thermal Waters."  The hot sulpher springs, which bubble up at 167°F, date back to the Roman town Aquae Statiellae.  You can head into the center of town where the little pavilion known as La Bollente ("the boiling source"), designed by Giovanni Ceruti  in 1870, is a central attraction to locals and visitors alike.     The natural thermal waters rise up from underground in two places in Acqui Terme - The Bollente, which feeds the spa at the Grand Hotel, and on the other side of the Bormida River at the Lago delle Sorgenti (Lake of Hot Springs).
14 March, 2014
At a recent dinner held by the USBG, we had the pleasure of meeting Jess Graber, TINCUP master distiller and founder of Stranahan's Whiskey. Shortly after moving to Colorado in 1972, Graber, a self-proclaimed whiskey enthusiast, wasted no time and began distilling. Having a great love for whiskey and a deep appreciation for the state of Colorado, Graber proclaims, "I was proud to give my state a whiskey of its own."
10 March, 2014
While visiting Spain, I found myself with two extra days between my visit to Ribera del Duero in the north and Sevilla in the south.  There were so many places that I wanted to go as I hadn't been to Spain in many many years. Looking at the map, Granada seemed like the perfect place to go for a couple days and it was the best decision I made. From the moment I got into a taxi at the train station, I began to fall in love with Granada.  It was 10pm at night and the city was alive. People were walking along the streets and the lights were lit up (afterall, it was early December so the holiday season was in full swing).
07 March, 2014
Sometimes all you need is a weekend getaway to escape the weekly grind. My recent getaway to Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort in Solvang, California, the heart of wine country, was the perfect destination. After a long week, we left Los Angeles after dark, and after traffic, to drive up to Santa Barbara. Two hours later we drove down a dark country road and found the driveway into Alisal Guest Ranch.    We settled into our private guest cottage, one of 73 in total. With no telephones or televisions, it was a well-needed escape from reality. Only a few minutes from the touristy streets of Solvang, Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort is a secluded hideaway that has been a full-service guest ranch since 1946.  From horseback riding and a petting zoo to two 18-hole championship golf courses, a huge spa and fitness center and tennis courts to a 100-acre spring-fed lake for kayaking, canoeing and fly fishing to, of course, wine tasting, there are activities for everyone!
28 February, 2014
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