Angus Barn at Christmastime

Angus Barn at Christmastime

In December 2023 we visited the Angus Barn in Raleigh for the first time. They are well known for their over-the-top holiday decor, and we enjoyed our night, so we decided to return this year. Thankfully I managed to snag us a reservation before the spots all filled...

Euro Fall 2024: a day in Frankfurt

Euro Fall 2024: a day in Frankfurt

Visiting Frankfurt itself was a bit of an afterthought on this trip, and once we started researching options it didn't endear us much. One such issue was figuring out the best transportation options from the airport into Frankfurt. The public transport zone map is...

Euro Fall 2024: wine tasting in Rheinhessen and Mosel Valley

Euro Fall 2024: wine tasting in Rheinhessen and Mosel Valley

Ahead of this trip, I had reached out to several wineries to inquire about tastings. While many were available to book online through the Wine Tourism site, we also had good luck booking directly though email or just showing up! Our first stop was about 30 minutes...

Euro Fall 2024: Mosel Valley towns – Cochem, Saarburg, Trier

Euro Fall 2024: Mosel Valley towns – Cochem, Saarburg, Trier

The Mosel Valley is full of vineyards, with charming cities and villages interspersed between the growing regions. One day we went north toward Cochem, and on the second we headed south, stopping in Saarburg and Trier. Cochem Located further in the central/north of...

Euro Fall 2024: Bernkastel-Kues

Euro Fall 2024: Bernkastel-Kues

The Mosel valley is a popular destination in Germany and there are lots of places to stay both in towns and in the countryside, so making a decision on where to stay rather challenging. Bernkastel-Kues is roughly in between the larger cities of Trier and Koblenz with...

Euro Fall 2024: Mainz

Euro Fall 2024: Mainz

For our flight from Italy back to the US we had the option for a multi-day stopover in Germany. Not too far from Frankfurt is the bulk of Germany's wine region along the Rhine and Mosel rivers, so we decided to make this area the final destination on our trip. Since...

Euro Fall 2024: two nights in Rome

Euro Fall 2024: two nights in Rome

On Monday we took the train from Bari to Rome. The train trip itself was strange in that there was no space for larger bags, so we were forced to reshuffle our packing in order to jam our bags in the small rack above our heads. Nonetheless, we arrived in the late...

Euro Fall 2024: a weekend in Matera

Euro Fall 2024: a weekend in Matera

After a week in Valle d'Itria we checked out of our apartment and headed north to the very edge of Puglia and Basilicata, with Matera as our destination for two final nights in southern Italy. Saturday, Oct 5 Driving north the olive groves thinned out and we started...

Euro Fall 2024: Puglia coastal towns

Euro Fall 2024: Puglia coastal towns

Pulia is also known for its coastline, and on this trip we visited several of the sea-side towns. southern Italy map with coastal towns inset location Puglia coast towns we visited Towns we visited Brindisi Brindisi has a charming Italian coastal vibe, with clean and...

Euro Fall 2024: food in Locorotondo and wine “experiences”

Euro Fall 2024: food in Locorotondo and wine “experiences”

Tuesday, Oct 1 Our first dinner in Locorotondo was also our best. Pavì wine restaurant is located just outside of the narrow old town, with a terrace overlooking the landscape. It was chilly though so we chose to sit inside the cozy cave-like dining room. I tried the...

Euro Fall 2024: a week in Valle d’Itria

Euro Fall 2024: a week in Valle d’Itria

Following our week in Bari and weekend in Lecce, we next headed to the middle of Puglia, Valle d'Itria. southern Italy map with Valle d'Itria inset location Valle d'Itria towns we visited Known for vineyards, olive groves, and hilltop towns, we were expecting this...

Euro Fall 2024: Lecce food & drink

Euro Fall 2024: Lecce food & drink

Saturday, Sept 28 Dinner at Crianza - you definitely needed reservations here! Lots of people turned away. We sat outside and enjoyed watching the streams of people, and a considerable number of cars and bikes, go by. We started with a bottle of the Tenuta Paraida...

2023 Trips

San Diego (Jan)
Orlando (Feb)
Richmond, VA (Apr)
Italy (Apr)
NC Mountains (May)
Wisconsin + Chicago
Rugby World Cup (Sept)
Seychelles (Nov)

2022 Trips

Florida (Feb)
NC Mountains (Apr)
Washington DC (Apr)
Valencia, Spain (May)
Hilton Head, SC (May)
Pacific NW (Jun)
Long Island (Jul)
Florida (Sept)
Chicago (Sept)
Poland (Sept)
NC Mountains (Nov)
Euro Xmas Markets (Dec)