Here’s an article about a family-run Franconian brewery. Exciting, right? Oh how I love Franconian beer, and I’m thrilled to see a new generation of brewery owners stretching the boundaries of traditional brewing. The region needs more breweries like these. But there are many problems with this article, and that’s what I want to talk…
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Traveling Without Kids
Much has been said about the logistics of traveling with children. Very little–perhaps nothing–has been said about what it’s like to travel as a child-free individual or couple. I’d like to open this discussion. Having children in tow presents some constraints over things like where you choose to spend the night, the activities you plan, where…
Travel Bug is Genetic: A Case Study [Happy Mother’s Day!]
This post was inspired in part by this blog post about traveling with mom. My mom has a serious case of travel bug, and she passed on the affliction to her daughter. I believe it was fate. My mom has two brothers and one sister. They all have Parsi names: Piloo, Adi, and Soli. They all…
Orkney: An Archaeological Dreamscape
There’s a little of that breakaway republic feel to Orkney, the alluring archipelago in the north of Scotland. Orcadians have their own dialect, their own flag, their own history, and their own identity. About what Isle of Man is to England, Orkney is to Scotland, proudly preserving a distinct culture. What you see here now is an evolving blend of Viking and Scottish heritages, both…
Vancouver’s New Micro, Nano, and Pico Breweries Part IV: NANOo-NANOo!
Mork and Mindy are behind the times. They might not know that growler laws have changed in BC, allowing a flourishing of small-production breweries that enhance the world of beer in Canada’s sexiest city. Nano- nanobreweries might not have existed on Orc, but they now do in Vancouver, where three of them are just taprooms located in tiny warehouses. Because the atmosphere in…
Top Ten Countries I Haven’t Been Yet (And Other Lists!)
We all have gaps in our travel itineraries. Some are more glaring than others, and especially after visiting almost 80 countries some are embarrassing even though we’ll make it to all of these eventually. Now these are all Sunshine lists only. First let’s start with: Top Ten Countries I Am Ashamed to Admit I Have Never…
How to Enjoy A Rainy Day in Lucca (iPhoneEssay)
Lucca was a highlight of our trip through this part of the region, but our day there was a wash. You can see how empty the streets and main square were. There was a wine tent in the main square that allowed us to sit out one of the downpours, but we got wet as we wandered. I had…
How to Enjoy Florence if You Don’t Like Art
She Said: The Tuscan hills are shrouded in clouds this morning, and the forecasters say the rain will last. I will take it as a sign to cool off. I bought the Firenze Card, a perhaps overpriced (€72) but fun pass that offers the visitor a sort of VIP status when visiting such Florentine marvels…
Cinque Terre Ruined by Rick Steves
In response to my request for a 3-day apartment rental in Vernazza, I received the following email: “Mrs. Villa is an 80 year-old woman. She uses no technology. You may have trouble finding the house because there are no street signs. To meet Mrs. Villa, get out of the train station and walk until you…
A Grandame of Globalization: Genoa
As the train pulled away from Milan’s graffiti-encrusted suburbs, the concrete retreated with each clickety-clack and we were treated increasingly to majestic palazzi perched on hills. Destination Genoa. Once an independent republic and major Mediterranean mercantile power, Genoa is Italy’s largest commercial port and one of its liveliest cities. When you arrive in Genoa for…
You Say Fashion, We Say Beer.
We saw no billboards, signs or sexy shop windows announcing the upcoming fashion week in Milan. Brera and Via Montenapoleone specialize in upscale window dressing, but on the streets there were no Vogue Moda reporters, no svelte models emerging leg by leg from Ferraris, no poodles pimped in Prada. So we decided to drink beer….
Love and Barley 