Okay. I didn’t get out as much as I normally would. Not even close. But I did manage several trips this year, including visits to Switzerland, California and several cool spots in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. Here’s a look at my annual Jimmy Awards for best travel experiences of the year. Today is focused on food and drinks; later I’ll write about hotels, experiences and attractions. Cheers, and here’s to a better 2022! Best U.S. Winery: Darcie Kent Vineyards in Livermore, California. Superb reds and great, friendly people. Best U.S. Salad: The Farmer’s Super Food Salad at Danville Harvest Read more
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KINGSTON, ONTARIO – A well-known Kingston hotel has been given a wonderful remake. The Holiday Inn Kingston Waterfront commands a wonderful spot at the foot of Princess Street, the main shopping street in this historic Ontario city. It also sits on a quay on the city’s beautiful waterfront, with many rooms facing directly onto Lake Ontario/The St. Lawrence River and the Kingston harbour. All rooms have walk-out space or roomy balconies to enjoy the views, and you’re literally a few short steps from the heart of the city. The hotel was recently given a major makeover and looks fabulous. Rooms Read more
NEW YORK CITY – They’re everywhere these days; hotels that go out of their way and go way too far to try to prove they’re hip and millennial friendly. You know the ones I mean; the places with all the flashing lights, lobbies without any place to sit and goofy signs on the door of your room that say things like “Hey, dummy, the toilet is over THERE.” My wife and I recently got to spend two nights at the Kixby hotel in the lower part of midtown Manhattan (45 West 35th St.), where the attitude is a little more Read more
NEWPORT BEACH – Stylish rooms. A killer swimming pool. And one of the most creative and tasty hotel restaurants around. The Fashion Island Hotel Newport Beach is a wonderful spot with tons of great features and a very nice location that makes it easy to explore the region. Located on a hill just a couple kilometers from the harbour, the hotel is across the road from the Fashion Island shopping centre, which features a mix of mainstream and luxury shops and is replete with towering palm trees and splashy fountains. Our room in March was terrific; spacious and beautifully decorated Read more
OTTAWA – Excellent changes to one of Canada’s top hotels. And a new wine and food experience across the river. I’ve been in Ottawa several times in the past few years, and it keeps surprising me. I’ve written a good deal about how Edmonton and Saskatoon are Canadian cities on the rise, but I think the same thing can be said for our nation’s capital, where it seems the food scene has been growing stronger by the day. It almost goes without saying that the Fairmont Chateau Laurier is one of the top places to lay your head in Canada, Read more
