Archive for the ‘food’ Category

Montana Festivals: Stevensville Creamery Picnic

August 2nd
2010
by Becky Youman
posted in:
U.S. West destinations events and festivals family food

Montana is a striking place to visit during the month of August. Summer travelers on Montana vacations enjoy warm days, cool nights, mountain peaks still capped with snow, and lush alpine meadows thick with wildflowers. Summer, with its ideal climate, is also a popular time for festivals in Montana. One of the longest running in the state is the Stevensville Creamery Picnic, which will take place on August 6 and 7 this year.

Stevensville, tucked between the Bitterroot and Sapphire mountain ranges on the banks of the Bitterroot River, is a stunning spot to visit any time of year. Located in western Montana, just 30 miles south of numerous Missoula hotels, Stevensville is a popular day trip from Missoula. Known as the town “where Montana began,” Stevensville is also the oldest permanent settlement in the state.

The Stevensville Creamery Picnic, which is being celebrated for its 98th year this month, has an interesting history. In 1907 the dairymen of the region formed a cooperative creamery, producing Gold Bar butter, buttermilk, and ice cream. In June of 1911 a fire completely burned the creamery. The co-op manager told the community that if they could help rebuild the creamery in 30 days, he would throw a huge celebration. After 39 days the creamery was up and running so the manager kept his promise. Celebrants enjoyed public speakers and a lunch that included free Gold Bar ice cream. Since then, the Creamery Picnic has been on the Stevensville community calendar every year.

Vacationers who stop by the Creamery Picnic this year will enjoy far more than ice cream (although that is on the menu, and it’s still free on Friday night.) Delicious brisket and a wide variety of beer will also be on hand as the Creamery Picnic includes the Montana State Barbeque Championship as well as a microbrew festival.
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Feasting at Lady & Sons in Savannah

July 7th
2010
by Matt Wilson
posted in:
U.S. Southeast destinations food

On a Hawaii vacation, you’ll hear, “Aloha.” In Texas, you might expect, “Howdy.” Out West, perhaps “Dude…” And outside any New York hotel the greeting you might get is “Whatta you looking at?”

But down south, it’s “Hey ya’ll.”

It’s the familiar welcome you hear when tuning into Paula Deen’s show on the Food Network. It’s also what you hear from the hostess when you walk into her Savannah-based restaurant, the one she started before reaching global recognition.

It began humbly, but it’s hard to keep food this good a secret, and soon Lady & Sons became one of the most popular places to eat in town, followed by becoming an attraction for out-of-towners. In fact, if you want a reservation, you’d better wake up bright and early and head straight from your Savannah hotel to the restaurant and get in line with the other hungry vacationers to book a time for later in the day. The window is 6:30am EST to 9am and trust me, it’s well worth the early start to your day as lunches and dinners fill up quickly—don’t worry about breakfast, as there’s plenty to fill you up at lunch.
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Agriturismo in Italy

June 30th
2010
by Becky Youman
posted in:
food romance

Recent worries about high levels of public debt in Europe have meant belt-tightening for a lot of countries in the European Union, especially Greece.  It is bad economic news for the countries involved, but good news for travelers from the United States who were planning Europe vacations this summer. The value of the Euro has fallen almost 20% against the dollar since January, making those Frankfurt and Florence hotels look like better deals than they did last year.

Many vacationers dream of spending time at a villa in Italy. Ever since Frances Mayes waxed poetically about living in Italy in her book Under the Tuscan Sun, booking cheap flights and spending a week or two of leisure among the olive trees and vineyards of Il Bel Paese has gained near mythical stature in the minds of many armchair travelers. Even though the Euro has devalued a bit, renting out a villa in Italy is beyond the pocketbooks of most travelers. That doesn’t mean that you can’t have the villa experience however. You just need a dose of Italian agriturismo.

Agriturismo, translated directly as “agricultural tourism”, is a travel concept in Italy where families rent out rooms in their villas or farm estates to vacationers who want to experience life in the country. Don’t worry, this isn’t one of those “work on a farm” adventures that has you cleaning out the pig pen at the crack of dawn. Rather, it’s a chance to slow down, enjoy excellent food, and practice Italian in some of the most idyllic countryside in the world.

My husband and I recently had a delightful agriturismo experience in the vineyards south of Cividale del Fruili. We were driving from Cividale towards Trieste with no real agenda for the rest of the day when we spotted an agriturismo sign pointing towards a small village down the road. The rolling hills, terraced with grape plantings and dotted with estate houses, looked like a place we could handle spending some time.
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New Mexico Restaurant Week

March 2nd
2010
by Becky Youman
posted in:
U.S. West destinations events and festivals food

People in most parts of the country are happy to put the month of February, and its atrocious weather, behind them. March, with the promise of spring, is a time to come out of hibernation and explore new venues. Travelers in New Mexico on Santa Fe or Albuquerque vacations this month have a special opportunity to get and about. Both cities will be celebrating New Mexico Restaurant Week. There’s no better excuse to skip dining at your Albuquerque hotels than the lure of southwestern culinary delights from the area’s finest restaurants.

Santa Fe Restaurant Week, which takes place through this Saturday, March 6, and Albuquerque Restaurant Week, which happens from March 7-13, will showcase some of the best restaurants in the state at prices that can’t be beat. Each participating restaurant will have a delicious three course dinner available for Restaurant Week participants. Depending on the level of restaurant, the cost is $25 per couple, $25 per person, or $40 per person.

This is a fantastic opportunity to sample creations from some of the best chefs in New Mexico at a fraction of the cost of a normal three course meal. In addition to the fixed price dinners, there are also unique culinary events and tastings to be held each day. While no special tickets are necessary, reservations are required for the events and highly recommended for the restaurant meals.

As would be expected, many of the presentations center around the local Mexican and Native American influences on New Mexico’s unique southwestern cuisine. For example, today at Santa Fe’s hightly touted Epazote Restaurant, there is an informative talk and on tacos and their origins, along with a three-course tasting.
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Forget the South Beach Diet – Stuff Yourself Silly with Food and Festivities in Miami

February 22nd
2010
by Matt Wilson
posted in:
U.S. Southeast beaches destinations events and festivals food

South Florida has had quite a month. Now that all the hype and hoopla of the Super Bowl has transitioned from the Sunshine State to New Orleans (despite Fat Tuesday already passing, Lombardi Gras is still going on there), South Beach is serving up something a little different from football fare this week—instead of crazed pigskin diehards, it will be refined tastes, exquisite appetites, and luxury Miami hotels being filled.

Hosted by Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida and Florida International University, which just happens to have one of the best college hospitality programs around, the South Beach Food & Wine festival has become an annual Miami vacation for some of the top names in the wine and culinary world—as well as connoisseurs of the fruit of the vine and foodies everywhere. For four days, the event will showcase these talents, tasters, and numerous culinary personalities, including many from the Food Network which sponsors the event.
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Exploring Virginia Wine Country

February 8th
2010
by Matt Wilson
posted in:
U.S. Mid-Atlantic destinations food romance

Whether you’re a hopeless romantic who believes in the XOXO, heart-filled history of the Valentine’s Day holiday, or more of the cynical type who believes it’s nothing more than a profit-producing vehicle fueled by greeting card companies, there’s no doubting that this upcoming weekend will feature more romantic getaways than any other time of the year.

Given the tagline that “Virginia is for lovers,” it’s a Valentine’s destination you might want to consider. Especially since it’s one of the nation’s fastest growing, widely esteemed wine regions, and no romantic getaway is complete without a select bottle of red or white. Add the beauty of Appalachia, and more than 15 distinguished wine trails to discover the 150 wineries spread out across the Commonwealth, you’re sure to have one close to that Richmond hotel room you booked for the occasion, or wherever you’re staying.
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Big Game Getaways: South Florida Hot Spots

February 4th
2010
by Matt Wilson
posted in:
U.S. Southeast beaches destinations food outdoor adventure

It’s the fourth quarter of our Big Game Getaways—exotic, fun, family-friendly, and, in some cases, cheap travel ideas for you to enjoy while you’re taking a Miami vacation to see the Super Bowl. While it’s been fun exploring the different spots around South Florida—most of which have been a trip down memory lane as it’s the place I called home while growing up—the final whistle is blowing on our vacation planning around a trip to the stadium where it’s being played (just checked, and they have not re-named it again in the last week, not yet anyway).

To round out our suggested ideas of your very own Super vacation package, here are some other attractions and places to enjoy that aren’t too far of a drive from your Miami hotel. These destination spots below have been featured here on this blog before, so if you want more details, just click on the title name to read all about them. While most experts are currently favoring the Colts to pull out a victory in the big game over the Saints (I’m thinking I’ll be rooting for New Orleans), you can bet that any one of these suggestions will be a winner as part of your vacation plans, no matter if your team wins or loses.
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The Gullah Celebration at Hilton Head Island

January 29th
2010
by Matt Wilson
posted in:
U.S. Southeast destinations events and festivals food

February is more widely known as Black History Month, but each year during this time on Hilton Head Island, a certain sub-culture of the African-American population holds its own unique month-long event. For 14 years, Hilton Head hotels have been full during this traditionally slow (and colder) time of year—not with beach goers—but those attending the Hilton Head Island Gullah Celebration to honor and preserve the traditions and accomplishments of the Gullah people.

It’s one of the Southeast’s more popular events, drawing 20,000 attendees who experience arts and crafts shows, food festivals, live entertainment, and more each weekend during the month of February. Not well known outside of the Coastal Carolina Lowcountry, the Gullah people are descendants of West Africans who were brought to the coastal islands of South Carolina and Georgia as part of slave trading in the early years of our nation. They have a very rich heritage filled with struggles and perseverance that developed their own traditional dialect, diet, spiritual beliefs, and way of life, and the Gullah Celebration is an opportunity for everyone to book some last minute Hilton Head vacation packages and enjoy all the unique contributions they have provided to the region.
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Big Game Getaways: Miami’s South Beach

January 27th
2010
by Matt Wilson
posted in:
U.S. Southeast beaches destinations food

After three weeks, we now know which teams will be packing their bags for a trip to the Super Bowl. The New Orleans Saints sent Brett Favre into retirement (again… and again… and yet again) with a thrilling overtime victory and, most thankfully, the idea of the Jets in the Super Bowl is nothing but a J-E-S-T Jest! Jest! Jest!thanks to Peyton Manning embarrassing the junior varsity team from New York. And for those of you booking flights to see the big game, we also know a spot you’re sure to visit.

Anyone on a Miami vacation is going to have one place in particular on their travel itinerary, whether it’s morning, noon, or deep into the brightly lit dark of night. This once sleepy district of Miami Beach filled with art deco architecture from the 1930’s has seen its share of good times and bad, with a demographic that has ranged from retirees, cocaine cowboys, and fans of Jackie Gleason over the years to the beautiful people, supermodels, and celebrities of today. It’s an international hotspot with so much to do that you could easily spend an entire month on the 23 blocks of the southern portion of this barrier island and never run out of new things to do, 24 hours a day. Such is the SoBe lifestyle of South Beach.
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Chase the Winter Blues Away at Portland’s ChocolateFest

January 27th
2010
by Robin Bruns Worona
posted in:
U.S. Pacific Northwest activities events and festivals food

Is it just me or does it seem a little gloomy lately? Everywhere. Cold, wet, dreary, that time of year when you start thinking about Mexican beach vacations and quick Miami getaways. Hey, I’m definitely not knocking fun in the sun, but you know what really always makes me feel better? Chocolate. Beats a sunburn in my book, any day. And it just so happens that the World Forestry Center in Portland, Oregon is hosting ChocolateFest this weekend. It’s the perfect excuse to take advantage of the current great deals on Portland hotels and head up to the City of Roses for a long weekend. If nothing else, think of it as a pre-Valentine’s Day tasting event.
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