Category Archives: Europe

Of Castles and Ruins

Having stayed overnight in Falkland, I had been hoping to visit Falkland Palace and the gardens there before I left, but it’s closed in winter (as many places are). I wasn’t too fussed as my day was going to be … Continue reading

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Scotland: Day 2 – Culross, Stirling, William Wallace, Doune and Outlander

Thursday, December 12th 2019 (my first full, proper day in Scotland) dawned drizzle free, and I was awake before my alarm! Bags swiftly packed, I shoveled them in the rental and had a yummy vegan breakfast – my first of … Continue reading

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Mizen Head and West Cork

As is the roundabout and fickle unpredictable nature of my travels, I ended up staying for several weeks at a friend’s B+B in West Cork. It was February (re: slow season) 2018, and I was able to make myself useful … Continue reading

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Scotland: Land of Monsters and Kelpies

And bagpipes, Tartan, clans, Hielan Coos, Scotch Whisky… the list goes on! When I started getting into Whisk(e)y, I knew I wanted to visit Scotland. But that wasn’t the only reason, not by far. Knowing my love of Ireland, I … Continue reading

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A New Look on New Year’s

Ever since moving to New York at 18, I’d fallen into the trap of trying to make every New Year’s Eve as raucous and debaucherous as possible. I had a good run of it, too; New York City in general, … Continue reading

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Uisga Beatha

Uisga Beatha (pronounced Oosh-kah Bae [Scottish] or Ish–kah Baha [Irish]) is Gaelic for ‘The Water of Life’ and used to describe that liquid golden nectar: Whisky. Why is Uisga Beathe synonymous with Whisky? Well, take your pick; from claims that … Continue reading

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In Bruges

The extent of my knowledge about Bruges was that a movie with Colin Farrell had come out some years ago with the same name. No idea what it was about*, but when I got to Belgium and Kim was like, … Continue reading

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Amsterdam: City of Houseboats and Bicycles

I got to take a spur-of-the-moment trip to Amsterdam, city of houseboats, bicycles, legalized marijuana use, and, oh yeah, prostitution! I was in the city less than 5 minutes before I caught the first pungent whiffs of weed, passed a … Continue reading

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Wine Talk: 2014 Barolo Producer Tasting (La Morra, Langhe, Piedmont, Italy)

My tasting at Burzi afforded me not only a chance to try my first proper Barolos outside of a classroom setting, but also yielded precious information about a Barolo producer tasting over the weekend as they rolled out their 2014 … Continue reading

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Wine Talk: Burzi (La Morra, Langhe, Piedmont, Italy)

The reason I went to Piedmont, Italy in the first place was to see the region famous for  Barolo (along with Barbaresco, and, to a slightly lesser extent, Roero – but all are made from the native Nebbiolo grape) and … Continue reading

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