Historic Hotels of America® and Historic Hotels Worldwide® have inducted 17 historic hotels into membership through April 2017. These historic hotels date back to the 13th century. The 17 iconic hotels represent different independent hotels, brands, and collections from around the world and from ten countries. Historic Hotels of America has inducted these hotels through April 2017: Inn at Willow Grove (1778) Orange, Virginia Hotel fun fact: During the Revolutionary War Generals Wayne (Georgia) and Muhlenberg (Pennsylvania) camped at Willow Grove during the southern campaign to assist Marquis de Lafayette in forcing the British to surrender. Inn at Willow ...
Destinations
The Great Okanagan Beer Festival: My Favourite Moments
I've been selected to cover the Great Okanagan Beer Festival by Gibbons for the second year in a row! It's one of my favourite local events and the three day event cannot be topped. For my second year covering the Great Okanagan Beer Festival I've said as much as I could about how much fun it is. The beer tastings, the cideries, the food scene and games that all take place on a sunny Okanagan day against the backdrop of Lake Okanagan. But this year, instead of telling you how much fun it is to attend I wanted to show you with my favourite Instagram moments of the entire festival! The Great Okanagan Beer Festival has begun! Get down here #Kelowna! #fortheloveofbeer ...
Top 3 Las Vegas Breakfasts: To-Go, To-Stay & Buffet
If you've been reading my website for long you might know that I love Vegas. I go at least once a year. I enjoy gambling, the shows, the kitschiness of it all. But I especially love the food. I am well versed in all of the food options in Las Vegas from late late (like Johnny Rockets at 4 am), late lunch charcuterie, dinner on the cheap and the luxe. And despite my occasional late nights I am also well versed in a good breakfast. You must eat breakfast while in Las Vegas, not only to start your day of abuse in the hot sun with a cold drink in your hand, but also because this town offers some of the best options. Here are a few ideas to get you through those rough mid-mornings or ...
Cherry Blossom Season in Kelowna, BC
The orchards are finally blooming here in Kelowna. The cherry trees are alive with the promise of the juicy orbs come July. The peach trees are ready to bear my favourite stone fruits. Very soon we will have vineyards celebrating buds breaking open assuring another year wine filled year ahead. With the chilly spring weather it is undoubtable that the Okanagan wine valley is about 2 weeks behind schedule overall. However, a hot summer is predicted and I really hope it is true. There's nothing I am craving more than beach time with the heat of the sun upon one of my favourite Kelowna beaches. Until then I'm photographing the spring blossoms and blooms as if proof that the vitamin ...
Okanagan Events May 2017
There's too much going on in May here in the Okanagan. The Okanagan Spring Wine Festival is in full swing, the orchards are blooming and there are so many unique dinners being held at various wineries and restaurants. To add to this, it is Mother's Day on May 14th and the Great Okanagan Beer Festival as well as the Okanagan Craft Cider Festival is all within 2 weeks of each other. There's no way I can list all of the amazing events going on here but if you feel I've missed a major one or would like to promote your own event please feel free to comment with the details below. So let's get to it! May 1st The Terrace at Mission Hill Winery opens its doors for the season. Get your ...
Wanderlist Series #5: Tokyo, Japan
The Wanderlist series began in hopes of helping people plan better trips. I essentially show you how I plan my own trips no matter the duration or distance. But the first thing that is essential before booking hotels/AirBnBs, restaurants, activities, etc. is understanding the lay of the land. Know where the nearest transportation is in relation to the places you most want to see. Plot it out on Google Maps if you need and see how far each activity, tour or landmark is from each other. This is also important to effectively plan your days so that you aren't running around spending extra on transportation. Tokyo is really big and spread out. The best advice I found was from Truly Tokyo ...
Win 2 Tickets to the Great Okanagan Beer Festival!
The Great Okanagan Beer Festival is coming back to Kelowna from May 11th - 13th. Hosted by Gibbons Whistler and founders of the wildly popular Whistler Village Beer Festival, they'll be offering even more events around town before the main tasting event on May 13th. They've invited me back to cover the main event as well as some fun extra curricular activities with local breweries. I am particularly excited because this year they have given me two general admission tickets to give away (see bottom of this post to enter)! In the past couple of years Kelowna has been turning into a beer lover's destination. Seriously, here in wine country we also love our beer. With the ...
Get Involved with the Great Okanagan Beer Festival
The Great Okanagan Beer Festival (GOBF) is recruiting volunteers for the third annual event celebrating the union of hops, malt and water in Kelowna, BC. The Main Event will be held at Waterfront Park on the shores of Okanagan Lake on May 13th from 12-5 p.m. with peripheral events happening throughout downtown Kelowna from May 11-13th, 2017. There is a need for volunteers, who are 19 years or older, to help at the Main Event for a variety of shifts from 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 13th. Volunteers will have an opportunity to help out with site set-up and tear down, brewery assistance and more. Volunteers will receive an event t-shirt, food voucher for food on site and be part of an ...
Loughcrew Megalithic Centre, Ireland
Rows of cragged trees with wandering branches lined the curvaceous roads along the River Boyne. I was on a tour with Irish Day Tours - the only tour group who featured the lesser known ancient Celtic Boyne Valley. Arriving at a white thatched roof cottage, restored as it was in 1800 Ireland, I was surrounded by the lush green rolling hills. This was the Loughcrew Megalithic Centre. Typically, tourists interested in megaliths visit the more popular Newgrange, also known as Brú na Bóinne, which is considered the "Disneyland" of megalithic sites. It is the largest site but also more commercialized than Loughcrew Megalithic Centre. Loughcrew is hidden within the countryside of ...
For The Love of Macarons & A Great Cause
I have been a long time fan of Sandrine and her French pastry and chocolates. Her macarons are legendary here in the Okanagan and as they should be. Trained in France, her croissants, fanciful pastries and unique blend of chocolates are enough to temporarily quench my wanderlust. I love her macarons so much I had them on my dessert table at my travel themed wedding. If you ever get a chance be sure to take her macarons classes or learn how to make your own French classics or chocolates in her cooking classes offered throughout the year. But for the love of macarons let's celebrate Macaron Day which is also the first day of spring. Grab some macarons, pop a bottle of bubbly and put on ...
