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Archives
Author Archives: steve
Corn Maze and Apple Picking
We took advantage of cool weather and beautiful blue skies to drive 60 miles west of Chicago to All Season Apple Orchard in Woodstock, Illinois. From Late August until early November they have a corn maze, apple orchard, and many other attractions. … Continue reading
From Lincoln to Twain
At the start of the Labor Day weekend Dani and I made a quick overnight road trip to Hannibal Missouri to see Mark Twain’s birthplace. Along the way we stopped in Springfield, Illinois to checkout The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library … Continue reading
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Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon Vertical
Ron organized this four decade tasting of one of California’s first great flagship wines. We met at Eddie V’s and began with three flights representing the 70s, 80s and the 90s/2000s. I was struck by the distinct stylistic difference between … Continue reading
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Michigan Wineries
Dani and I made a day trip around the lake to visit some Michigan wineries. It was an easy drive, and there were some nice wineries (although not really world-class wines).
Farewell to Evanston
It always seems a shame to sell a place, just when you get it perfect. The Evanston condo served Dani well for six years, beginning with her Sophomore year at Northwestern. Here is a look back. Before OK, it is … Continue reading
The Victory Bottle
There are not very many wines on my wine bucket list. In fact, there has really only ever been one. It was the 1945 Chateau Mouton Rothschild “Victory Bottle.” The victory bottle is famous for a couple of reasons. First … Continue reading
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Road Trip: Orlando to Chicago
After purchasing the new condo in downtown Chicago we wanted to transport some big, heavy stuff like art work and dishes, so Dani and I decided to road trip via Atlanta, Nashville and Louisville. This would have the added advantage … Continue reading
Burgundy and Bordeaux at Capa
Our friends Ron and Bev are the only couple we know where no matter what old wine I pull from my cellar, they can match it. So when they invited us to try Capa at the new Four Seasons Hotel … Continue reading
Dock Party at Hillstone’s
Every year Ron hosts a dock party at Hillstone’s. It’s a great venue if the weather cooperates. Last year we froze our tushes off, but this year it was perfect: mid 80s with a constant breeze off the lake. In … Continue reading
Smoked Salmon Flatbreads
Ingredients Flatbread or flour tortillas Smoked Salmon Crumbled Chèvre Sour Cream Lemon Diced onion Chopped chives Minced bacon Capers Black Pepper Preparation Preheat oven to 400F. Combine most of the Chèvre wit the sour cream and lemon juice. Bake flatbread … Continue reading
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Universal
For Christmas I gave Dani a VIP tour of Universal Orlando. She was sick after Christmas, so she flew back to town President’s Day weekend to do it. These tours are limited to twelve people. A guide takes you around … Continue reading
Posted in Dani, Linda, Orlando, Theme Parks
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Ron’s Birthday Extravaganza
Ron puts together a fantastic collection of wines to celebrate his birthday, and this year was no exception. We met in the private room at Eddie V’s. In attendance were: Ron and Bev Linda and Steve Keith and Parlo … Continue reading
San Francisco and Central Coast 2014
Prior to spending Thanksgiving in Los Angeles, we met Dani in San Francisco for a few days of sightseeing, and then drove down the coast. Our flight in gave us a spectacular view of the coast, the Golden Gate Bridge, … Continue reading
Posted in Central Coast, Dani, Dining, Linda, San Francisco, Wine
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Home on the Grange
We gathered for a most interesting tasting at Eddie V’s. The event was organized by Ron. Because of the cost of the wines and the desire to limit the event to ten tasters, the group was comprised of somewhat different … Continue reading
New York
Following our cruise we spent a busy four days in New York. Upon arrival we checked our bags at the Waldorf Astoria Towers and headed south to the World Trade Center and the 9/11 Memorial. The memorial is very well … Continue reading
Boston
Linda got to celebrate her birthday in Boston, our last stop before New York City. We were last here (on separate trips) when Dani was looking at colleges, so it had been a while. For lunch, we decided to check out … Continue reading
Posted in Linda, New England
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St. John, New Brunswick (Bay of Fundy)
As we arrived in Saint John New Brunswick we were greeted by a tug spraying water jets and turning pirouettes, which produced a continually animated rainbow. Our ship looked pretty tiny as it nuzzled the rear end of … Continue reading
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Portland, Maine
The ship arrived fairly early in Portland Maine and we cleared immigration on board and went out for a morning walk. Not too many shops were open yet, but we made out way around most of the visitor’s section along … Continue reading
Posted in New England
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Halifax
After a week at sea it was nice to stretch our legs in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We were greeted by a bagpiper and drummer, who filled the space between the ship and the terminal building with a rather impressive amount … Continue reading
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Sea Daze
Repositioning cruises are semi-annual events for many cruise ships, as they move from their summer European itineraries to their winter Caribbean ones. Unlike most schedules, they feature a fair number of consecutive sea days, when the ship is simply trying … Continue reading
Posted in Travel
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Dublin
I’ve never developed much of an affinity for Dublin. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with it, it’s just that there’s nothing to draw me here. It’s a city of writers: Joyce, Wilde, Shaw, and so on. But frankly they’re … Continue reading
Titanic Belfast
Titanic Belfast is a visitor center opened in 2012 adjacent to the Belfast docks where Titanic was constructed. It is, without doubt, the best visitor center I’ve been to. Our day began with a short tour of downtown Belfast, a … Continue reading
London
After Linda’s push to get “Tree” (AKA “A Bug’s Life”) open at Animal Kingdom, we were able to slip away for a transatlantic cruise. On Friday we picked up a rental car at Disney and on Saturday we packed it and … Continue reading
NASDAQ Powered by…
It’s not every day you see your logo in Times Square!
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Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing and Crunchy Cashews
Ingredients ¾ cup uncooked quinoa 2 cups shredded red cabbage 1 red bell pepper, diced ½ red onion, diced 1 cup shredded carrots ½ cup chopped cilantro ¼ cup diced green onions ½ cup cashew halves 1 cup edamame Fresh … Continue reading
Chicago Architecture Boat Tour
I really enjoyed this tour of Chicago’s architecture, as experienced from the river. The volunteer docent on the 90 minute trip was a professional architect who provided great insight into the history and design of the buildings. I had been … Continue reading
Bristol Renaissance Pleasure Faire
Having grown up in Southern California in the 1970s, I thought I knew what a Renaissance Faire was: a collection of tents and small booths set up temporarily on sprawling farmland. Bristol Renaissance Faire is something completely different, and closer … Continue reading
Next: Trio
Next is Chef Grant Achatz’ “next” restaurant. Achatz is the creator of Alinea, regarded by many as America’s greatest restaurant, and Chicago’s only 3-star Michelin restaurant. I approached Next with some trepidation because I’m not a fan of Alinea. I … Continue reading
Three Dots and a Dash
I’ve always loved Tiki bars, since I grew up in Los Angeles, frequenting Trader Vic’s, Don the Beachcomber, the Islander, Beachbum Bert’s and many others. It’s sad that they’re all gone. But the good news is that Three Dots and … Continue reading
Boka
Of all the Michelin starred restaurants in Chicago, Boka must be one of the greatest bargains. For little more than the cost of a typical restaurant you can have a spectacular meal. And the cozy yet classy, relaxed yet professional … Continue reading