Open Baladin. We decided to try all the smoked beers! Eric got 'Jenny the Smoker' scotch ale and I had the Open Garden Smoked Ale. We decided to split the stronger Imperial Ghisa, a smoked stout from Lambrate. I remembered later that we had this beer at the brewery in Milan on a previous trip! Tonnarello. Recommended by our hotel hostess, we ate dinner here the first night. They only had space outside at 9pm so we kept our coats on and sat near one of the heaters which kept us ... continue reading...
Italy 2018: Rome Food + Drink
Italy 2018: Rome sights
Wednesday Having arrived in the late afternoon, our exploration on Wednesday was limited to a walk past the Roman Forum and up to the beautifully evening-lit Coliseum. Thursday Our original plan for Thursday involved a regional train, but due to a transit strike we decided it was prudent to stay within walking distance. Not really a problem as there is plenty to see in Rome! We started at the Campo de 'Fiori market - some produce, but small and quite touristy. We wouldn't go out of ... continue reading...
Italy 2018: Introduction
Overview As is common for us, our March 2018 return to Italy came about due to a good airfare deal. Oddly enough, it turned out to be exactly one year from our 2017 trip, though this year was significantly cooler. For this trip we flew in and out of Rome, taking the regional train to Trastevere and then buses to our neighborhoods. We considered a trip exploring some of the Roman countryside but instead decided on a weekend trip to Naples sandwiched between four nights in Rome. Confirming our ... continue reading...
Dublin: food + drink
Toner's — Located about a ten minute walk from our hotel, this pub was listed as the best place to try Guinness in Dublin so, of course, we had to check it out. On Friday night it was absolutely jam packed and after 15 minutes of standing, I managed to grab us a seat at the bar. As advertised, the Guinness was awesome but we much preferred our second visit on Saturday evening when we snagged a cozy little nook to enjoy our beers. Sanai Indian Restaurant — A solid option for reasonably priced ... continue reading...
Dublin: daytrip to Wicklow
I found a crazy cheap rental car deal for the weekend so on Saturday we headed south out of town for the day toward Wicklow Mountains National Park. Light rain turned to light snow and as we climbed, the views became stark and wintery. Thankfully the roads weren't too icy so we continued on - having Sally Gap almost entirely to ourselves. As we lost elevation, the snow disappeared and we were greeted with lush green landscapes and the scenic Glenmacnass ... continue reading...
Dublin: where we stayed
For whatever reason, hotels were quite pricey for the weekend we were in Dublin and we weren't finding any good deals near the river. Leandra found a great rate on a car rental, so I expanded the search and found a few places that included parking near Baggot Street. This turned out to be good luck, as we generally preferred the pubs and restaurants away from the more touristy Temple Bar area. Our final choice: Latchfords Townhouse Of Baggot Street which had small apartments ... continue reading...
London: Lumiere + The Play that Goes Wrong
Upon arriving back in London for the afternoon, Google alerted Eric that the Lumiere Light Festival was starting that evening. My aunt had mentioned it previously but we assumed we would miss it. So, in between a lovely relaxing bottle of wine at Gordon's Wine Bar and our West End show, The Play That Goes Wrong, we ventured out in search of a few of the installations. While the app was helpful in finding several of the locations, a few were off by a block or not found at all. I ... continue reading...
London: food + drink in Berkshire Co.
Bracknell The Yorkshire Rose — We weren't terribly hungry after a substantial Sunday roast lunch, so we were drawn by the options of small plates. Not too busy on a Sunday night with just two other tables in the back room. I opted for the small mussels appetizer and the small carbonara – more than enough food! Thankfully Eric ordered the small risotto because he barely finished it. Our evening was capped off by an exciting birthday song in which a candle the celebrating party brought to the ... continue reading...
London: Sunday Roast with Aunt Kim + Jules
We purposely left Sunday morning free to meet up with Kim and Jules, who proposed lunch at a pub on the Thames. To get out there we took the Tube to the Kew Garden station and met up at Tap on the Line pub for a quick drink, then took an Uber to The Bell & Crown for Sunday roast. We arrived promptly at noon and discovered Kim had booked us a lovely Thames River view table. Our waiter was charming and I was pleased to see the menu was a la carte. I went for the traditional beef roast ... continue reading...
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