Since we spent half of July on Long Island we had plenty of opportunities to try out a variety of restaurants, breweries and wineries. Food Porto Bello - Eric's parents had eaten here during a restaurant week event, so we decided to give it a shot. All the outdoor tables were booked so we sat inside looking out at the harbor while listening to Jimmy Buffet and other island-type tunes - a strange selection for a "white-cloth" restaurant. A quick look at the menu and it was clear that all the ... continue reading...
Alsace: an afternoon in Luxembourg
To avoid French toll roads, we took a route through southwestern Germany that reminded us of North Carolina with rolling hills, farms and small towns. This routing also took us right through the town of Schengen, where the agreement on the Schengen zone for borderless travel was signed in 1985. These terms were then incorporated into European Union law by the Amsterdam Treaty in 1999. In addition to all the factoids, passport displays, and literature, the Schengen Museum had these ... continue reading...
Alsace: Strasbourg
Using our parking ticket / tram pass we took the train into town and disembarked at the central Grand Rue stop - less than a ten minute journey from the hotel. We needed a snack, so our first order of business was a Croque Monsieur sandwich from Au Pain De Mon Grand-père. After that we caught our first glimpse of the massive Cathédrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg just around the corner. It was next to impossible to get the whole church in one shot. Here is Leandra's best attempt from a ... continue reading...
Alsace: Colmar food + drink
It will come as no surprise that we ate well across Alsace! Thursday After settling into to our apartment we walked over to the Casino Supermarket for some groceries - orange juice, milk, granola (with Belgian chocolate!), comte cheese flavored chips and a $6 bottle of Alsatian Riesling. Next, crossed the street to visit the Sezanne shop that was full of cheese and meats where Leandra picked up a piece of pelardon fermier (an aged goat cheese). Drinks @ Vins Fins D'Alsace In the heart of ... continue reading...
Alsace: Day 3 – Riquewihr + Obernai
Riquewihr This little village really looked promising on the drive into town... However, once we parked (car lots were 3€ for two hours with no option for less time) and noticed bus loads of (mostly American) tourists being dropped off at regular intervals, the town lost a bit of its charm. It's entirely possible that our brains were tiring of the multiple flower villages we had visited in the last few days but we found Riquewihr to be among the most touristy of the lot. The scenery was ... continue reading...
Alsace: Day 2 – Eguisheim, Munster, Ammerschwihr, Kaysersberg
Eguisheim Another item on Eric's must-see list was this small village ringed by roads with names like Rue de Riesling, Rue de Traminer, etc. Luckily we found a free parking spot near a park just north of town so it was only a five minute walk and didn't have a time limit. Even with the cloudy skies we were both taken in by the town's charm, including the main chapel dedicated to Pope Saint Leo IX (who was born here). Educational plaques were located all over town to let visitors ... continue reading...
Alsace: Day 1 – Haut-Koenigsbourg, Saint-Hippolyte, Rorschwihr, Ribeauville
Haut-Kœnigsbourg Our first day in Alsace was predicted to be the sunniest, so we decided to start explorations here to take advantage of the views. It was one of the top three items on Eric's must-see list and did not disappoint with amazing views both inside and outside the castle walls! We got there right around opening so our visit was not too crowded. Things were definitely picking up (including large groups of school kids) as we were leaving. An amusing ... continue reading...
Alsace: a brief stop in Metz
After sailing through customs, collecting our luggage (that we were forced to check for no good reason due to an inconsistent/jerk BA gate agent) and picking up the rental car in Luxembourg, we headed south into France. Based on research the night before, we decided to stop in Metz—about an hour south of Luxembourg City—to stretch our legs, grab some lunch and explore the town. After some one-way street driving we found parking in an underground lot right next to the Metz Cathedral. Our first ... continue reading...
Euro summer trip 2018: overview, maps, and where we stayed
For summer 2018 a trip to the UK for work materialized, meaning a return to London and the Berkshire county area last visited in January. Since Leandra could travel with me we decided to tack on a weekend in Europe - but where? From London there are hundreds of options. After investigating travel times and prices we narrowed down options to hiking in Wales, wine tasting in Alsace, or exploring southern Norway. In the end, cheap tickets to Luxembourg (and a good rental car price) sealed the deal ... continue reading...
UK July 2018: where we stayed
On the UK portion of our July trip we stayed in London and Wokingham. Ampersand Hotel - South Kensington Eric had stayed at the Ampersand once before and was happy to return for this trip. This boutique hotel has a great location, just steps to the South Kensington tube stop on the Piccadilly and District lines, and a few blocks to the V&A and Science museum. We were issued a double room, which is quite small - just enough room to walk around the bed to the bathroom, with a tiny ... continue reading...
Wokingham: eat + drink
Sunday After an easy check-in to the hotel, we walked 15 minutes into town for a cider at The Ship Inn. We ordered at the bar and sat outside in the shade as the air temp was gorgeous. The beer garden was full of friends meeting for pints and definitely seemed like a local hangout. After drinks we walked over to Piccolo Arco for dinner. I had the Fettuccine al Cartoccio (mixed seafood pasta) and Eric got the Pollo Saltimbocca (chicken with parma ham and gravy). We both opted for a large ... continue reading...
London: food + drink
Friday After my missed connection adventure it was nice to go out for some comfort food, so a trip back to Vicino for dinner was in order. We split the Sicilian Rosato special (a mix of sangiovese and indigenous grapes), Eric got the truffle pasta with mushrooms and I had the penne with buffalo mozzarella, basil and tomatoes after my beef carpaccio appetizer. We had our hotel call in advance to make sure we could get a table, and while the restaurant was full the service was still on-time and ... continue reading...
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