Slideshow: Prosecco Country (click photo to start)
Tasting rooms with a (military) base of success
SAN FRANCISCO — Looking for a taste of this city’s rich military history? You’ll find it, along with some rather good wine, at one of several wineries set up in former military installations.
The armed forces might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you picture San Francisco, but before it was a tech capital, before it was a hippie heaven, this was a military town surrounded by several bases set in the region.
Downsizing and consolidation led to a wave of base closures in the 1990s, which, after some tidying up, created a number of interesting spaces that have been turned into parks, soundstages, offices and other commercial applications, and, in what might be the tastiest development, settings for urban tasting rooms.
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Seeing the Sound of Music
It was cold and gray and spiteful flurries of snow were whipping against the thin protection of my travel raincoat as I looked out over Salzburg, medieval and baroque buildings alike huddling in dark silhouette against the lowering sky. I was looking for the spot on the Winkler Terrace where Maria and the von Trapp children sang Do-Re-Mi and I was not finding it. Snowflakes were, however, landing on my nose and eyelashes so I was lyrically, if not geographically, in the zone.
Do-re-mi meets snow-re-me. (Thank you, I’ll be here all week.)
Go Prosecco!
TREVISO, Italy — You know prosecco as the fruity Italian bubbly that’s a fun and affordable way to celebrate the holidays as well as a bright accompaniment to a light meal. But this popular sparkling white wine can also be part of your vacation plans. Just like that other famous fizz, Champagne, it hails from a region that welcomes visitors who like to travel glass in hand.
From exploring hillside villages to strolling beside the tranquil canals of the city of Treviso, there’s plenty to do, eat, see and sip in prosecco country. And since this is still a relatively undiscovered spot, prices aren’t at the sky-high pitch of better- known places.
Here are a few things to know before you go.
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Skye Highs
Portree, Scotland (AP) — Bonny Prince Charlie saw Scotland’s isle of Skye on the run. He was fleeing government troops after his Highland rebellion ended disastrously at the 18th century Battle of Culloden.
My visit was hurried, too, although due to nothing more exciting than a tight schedule — no redcoats on my tail.
Luckily, even a short stay is long enough to glimpse why the Misty Isle of Skye is one of Scotland’s most popular tourist attractions.
Here are a few reasons.
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Margrit Mondavi, 1925-2016
Margrit Mondavi was not a large person, nor a loud person, but when she was in the room, people knew it.
Instantly recognizable with her broad smile, huge eyes and blonde bob — Wine Country’s answer to Carol Channing — she only had to walk into a restaurant or event to set off a chain reaction of turned heads and smiles. “Oh look! Margrit’s here.” (A lot of people, including myself, never got around to calling her husband, the late, great Robert Mondavi, “Bob,” even though we were assured he wouldn’t mind, but Margrit was almost always Margrit.)
Dog Friendly Wineries in the Napa Valley
You love your dog. You love wine. But sometimes it feels like your pooch just doesn’t fit in to wine culture.
Lucky for you and Fido there are actually a number of Napa Valley wineries where you don’t have to choose between the two.
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Best of Florence
FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — The skies were clouding over as I strode briskly across that famous bridge, the Ponte Vecchio, ready for a productive day checking off Florentine must-sees.
Slight problem: The first museum on my list was open, but the ticket office was closed.
OK, then, on to the Uffizi Gallery. Except this time both ticket office and museum were closed; I had forgotten it was Monday.
A fine rain began to fall as I wandered listlessly past the open arches of the building next door, the statue-studded Loggia dei Lanzi. This wasn’t going at all as planned.
And then it hit me. Wait. This was the Piazza della Signoria, where novelist E.M. Forster‘s adorable Lucy Honeychurchwitnessed a stabbing moments after complaining about the dullness of life in “A Room With a View.” And those had to be THE steps where the brooding George Emerson carried Lucy’s fainting form.
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How to fly high in Wine Country
NAPA, Calif. (AP) — You know it’s fun to take in the wine country sights. But have you thought about trying the heights?
Whether you’re zooming down a zip line or floating through the air (with the greatest of ease) in a hot-air balloon, there are quite a few ways to experience the high life in wine country.
Here are five options ranging from thrill to chill.
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Make the most of Montevideo
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) – Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo, may not be as well-known to international travelers as some of Latin America’s other destinations. But there’s plenty here to see and do, and it’s a relatively short hop and worthy side trip from Buenos Aires.
Laid-back and friendly, Montevideo has a mellow vibe. Experience it as you savor a tasty chivito (steak sandwich) at a sidewalk cafe, or on a sunny stroll along a wide sandy beach. Gaze over the rooftops of the old city at sunset and take in the oddly appealing mix of elegant buildings rubbing stone shoulders with squat, concrete blocks.
Here are a few suggestions on making the most of your visit.
Click here to read more of this story, published by Associated Press.