DUNEDIN, FLORIDA – A sleek and sexy rooftop bar with killer sunsets. Fabulously inventive food. And a cool, Jazz Age history that’s reflected all around the property. This sleepy Florida town, best known by Canadians as the spring training site for the Toronto Blue Jays spring training games, has been something of a sleepy, under-the-radar destination for years. But not any more. With the opening of The Fenway Hotel in town late last year, Dunedin is suddenly on Florida’s front burner. On a recent evening in January it was difficult to even find a place to stand at the rooftop Read more
cocktails
LAS VEGAS – A beautiful hotel with spacious suites. World-class cuisine. And great, classic cocktails. The Palazzo Las Vegas has pretty much everything you’d want from a hotel on The Strip. And some things you might not expect. I recently had a 24-hour visit that I wish had been considerably long. We started things out with a classic daiquiri at Rosina, a great bar that feels like Chicago or New York, with lots of gold lights and shiny mirrors and some Art Deco elements. It’s a fairly intimate affair; designed to seat 60 guests. The idea, I was told, is Read more
Move over, Ossington. East-end Toronto is coming on strong. For years, the trendy sorts in this city have been flocking to West Queen West and Ossington Avenue. And for good reason. Places such as Boralia and The Black Hoof on Dundas and Rhum Bar have been knocking people’s socks off. I think, though, that things might start shifting east. There are fantastic places in Riverdale and Leslieville. And now there’s a great food and drink outpost in a part of the East End you might not have expected a couple years ago. I was lucky enough to have drinks and Read more
ORLANDO – Just east of The Mouse, there’s an entire city waiting to be discovered. This city has long been known for its theme parks and shopping malls, but there’s a cool, new vibe in the city’s growing downtown. Which makes it attractive for not just family trips but also hipsters looking for a fun (and reasonably priced) alternative in the Florida sun. Here are some suggestions. DRINKING Most folks don’t conjure up images of Orlando when you mention great bar towns, but the cocktail scene has kicked things up a notch or three the past few years and you’ll Read more
I was one very lucky guy in 2015, checking out magical places all around the world from Easter Island to the beaches of Lake Huron and tea plantations in The Azores. It takes a lot of work to travel this much, and there are a lot of people in the business who make it all happen for me; tourism boards and airlines and hotels and tour guides and more. So thank you to those folks. I’ve been compiling some of my favourite travel moments for year, and here’s another version of the annual Jimmys; awards for just about anything from Read more
