These vines have seen some things. Despite the drizzle, which soon turns into full on rain, I am walking the grounds of Maurice Car’rie Vineyard with certified sommelier (WSET 3) Miguel Llamas. Just off Rancho California Road - the main drag that winds through Temecula’s wine region - sits this majestic chenin blanc vineyard. Being…
I’ve spent the past several hours writing and re-writing this article, and yet here I am starting over. I pride myself on finding deeper meaning in the things I do, in seeking out those little nuggets of history or a cultural gem, things that bring learning to something that most don’t associate with it. But…
All of my books have loose threads of Cartagena in them. And with time, when I have to call up memories, I always bring back an incident from Cartagena, a place in Cartagena, a character in Cartagena. Gabriel Garcia Marquez Upon Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s death in 2014, then-President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos called him…
Editor’s note: Mexico City was my first solo international destination. I stayed for a week, and like Sam, didn’t think I had enough time even then to do it justice. I’m excited to go back in 2025. You can read my guide to the city here, or click here to read more of San Spector’s…
With just a small motion of my arms, I sink another quarter inch into the warm mud. And actual lateral movement requires kicking off one of the walls, and even then “swimming” through spectacularly thick and sticky mud to one of the two ladders is a rough go. It is uncomfortable, bobbing almost weightless in…
Editor’s note: I’ve been to Cambodia, a trip focused solely on the beauty that is Siem Reap and the Angkor complex. Our amazing Dutch writer Hedy took in the entire country, and with it the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge and one of the worst genocides of the modern era. Her story of the trip…
Remnants of colonial cities in the Americas can be very hit or miss. Some are not in terrific shape, like that in Santo Domingo (outside of a very central core that is truly awesome). Others, like San Juan, are gorgeous, but only play host to tourists, making the experience - while lovely - feel a…
Even in paradise, sometimes weather doesn’t cooperate. I am on the beautiful island of Kauai, on a day I am meant to spend snorkeling, but the rain has started, and isn’t expected to stop until well after dinner. In Hawaii, with so much centered on being outside, it is nice to have a backup plan…
Editor’s note: I spent a month in Portugal, but limited my time to its major cities, Lisbon and Porto. But even traveling between the two, it was apparent that the country had significant natural beauty. So I am grateful that Morgan explored a lot of that on her geological adventures, sharing it with us today.…
In 2020, my family planned a trip to Japan, a cruise around the islands. That was obviously canceled when the world closed. The trip was tentatively rescheduled for 2022, but Japan didn’t reopen, so it never moved forward. Here we are in 2024, and the trip is booked, finally. I was in Japan once before,…