The Canadian dollar is in freefall, dropping below 70 cents the other day for the first time in more than a decade. It’s great for the Canadian tourism industry, but not so wonderful for snowbirds who’re looking for greener pastures in winter. Luckily, there are ways to soften the blow. Here are some tips from a guy who’s been a full-time travel writer for the better part of 10 years and has spent a good many nights on the road in his lifetime. 1. STAY HOME: I don’t mean build a man (or woman) cave in your basement and pry Read more
foodies
Beautiful scenery, tasty oysters, friendly people and excellent wines. Virginia is a hugely diverse state that now has a wonderful Oyster Trail that folks can check out. Here’s a link to my story in the National Post this week… http://news.nationalpost.com/life/travel/on-the-oyster-trail-in-virginia
NEW YORK – There’s Mario Batali leading a New York Jets cheer in his trademark orange sneakers. Oh, look, it’s Giada Laurentiis and her nuclear powered smile. And, BAM, there’s Emeril Lagasse boiling up some southern-style magic in front of a high-powered crowd. The city that never sleeps doesn’t do things on a small scale. They recently staged a truly massive New York City Wine and Food Festival that took up acres of empty piers on the Hudson River and featured hundreds of events with some of the biggest names in the biz, including Rachel Ray, Michael Symon and actor Read more
Hawaii puts on a great annual Food and Wine Festival, thanks in part to a rise in Hawaiian cuisine that features fresh local fish and locally grown fruits and vegetables. The food scene in the islands has come an enormously long way, making it one of the most exciting food destinations around. Here’s a story I did for the Sun Media chain in Canada a couple weeks ago, featuring top celebrity chefs such as Art Smith, Nancy Oakes and Hawaii’s own Roy Yamaguchi. http://www.winnipegsun.com/2015/09/09/hawaii-food-and-wine-festival?token=4ae95a594b2d37dc6a8d73e411b85b13
The jazz was great. The acrobats were wonderful. And the Barbu Foire Electro Trad was like nothing I’d ever seen. I spent a long weekend in Montreal earlier this month, mostly checking out festivals during the night and exploring neighborhoods during the day. It was, as always, an extraordinary trip to one of the world’s great cities. We started out with a show by Jesse Cook at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, which wrapped up July 9. Cook and his band were utterly sensational; playing a mix of Spanish/Flamenco style guitar with marvellous percussion work, as well as a great Read more
