I wrote the below post before the horrific terrorist attacks on Paris on Friday. I have been thinking about all of those affected  by the attacks all weekend and still, like so many others, have no ability to make sense of what happened or the state our world is in. I spent much of the weekend anxious and sad.

I thought about not posting today, but ultimately, I can sit around and feel sad or I can share my love of life with blog readers, people who have, through technology, become friends over the years. I hope that continuing to share things we love and to keep an eye on one another and to connect can help us to keep the love and light in the world when there are some determined to take it away.

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I’ve mentioned it a few times, but our dining habits lately have been leaning sharply toward Dorchester. We’ve visited Tavolo, Ester, and Ashmont Grill quite frequently, and they are so good and so close that it’s hard not to  pull ourselves away.

Last week after drinks with friends we found ourselves in the Fort Point area of Boston and suddenly starving. We were parked by Bastille Kitchen, so we decided to go in and grab a couple of appetizers.

I instantly fell in love with the space and the buzz of energy and activity. The restaurant was busy but had a nice noise level and lots of smiling patrons.

Domaine Augis "La Rosée"

They had a nice by-the-glass wine selection, and I of course went with pink bubbly, Domaine Augis "La Rosée", which added to the already celebratory Friday mood.

I had started the week off with a terrible 36 hour bug and as a result hadn’t eaten much more than soup all week, but at Bastille Kitchen my appetite came back with a vengeance. Their bread basket is not just bread, but warm, buttery mini croissants, which I basically attacked. They were flaky and heavenly. If I could have a warm basket delivered every morning, I would be all set.

warm croissants

Date night always includes oysters, and we polished these off in no time. Fresh, cold, perfect – I love oysters this time of year!

oysters

Now, the plan was to share some appetizers and then to head home, but my ravenous post-illness body saw the Porterhouse for two, and that was all I could think about.

Sides It came with asparagus, potato gratin, grilled tomatoes, and sauce bordelaise, and we got a bit of horseradish on the side, and it was all simply dreamy. The meat barely needed a knife. It was so tender and flavorful, and all of the vegetables were the perfect accompaniments. We ate every bite; I definitely took the lead on this endeavor!

Porterhouse for Two It felt so good to want to eat after feeling so miserable, so we ordered dessert. Profiteroles, light, fluffy, another pastry win, were stuffed with caramel chip ice cream and had a warm hazelnut chocolate sauce for pouring.

profiteroles

The service at Bastille Kitchen was as exquisite as the food and ambiance. Our server and everyone who cared for us were so pleasant and attentive and smiling all the while. It was just a lovely experience. I can’t wait to return.

Tags: Boston, date night, Dining out, dinner, Food, Restaurants, wine

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending a media lunch to learn about visiting Germany, and more specifically, about Bavaria. When I first started working for myself, I didn’t have the time in the day to eat lunch, much less go out to an event, but as I organize myself a little more, I am finding time to attend events, and it is really nice to enjoy the perks of a flexible schedule.

Destination Germany

The lunch was held in a private room at Post 390, and on a raw, chilly fall day in Boston, the fireplace and warm welcomes from the German Tourism and Destination Bavaria teams was really lovely.

Post 390 Boston   Hans Wirsching Silvaner

In addition to truly genuine hospitality, we were welcomed with German wine, Hans Wirsching Silvaner. Not all German wine is sweet! This was delightfully dry, floral, and acidic, with a mouthwatering finish.

Hans Wirsching Silvaner

Before the lunch and presentations began, I got to chat with travel writers from around the region. To be honest, sometimes networking events make me really nervous, but this was a great crowd of very nice people. I was glad I went!

Unfortunately, my phone started doing something weird during the presentation, and all of my photos are gray boxes, which is disappointing, because my salmon salad was gorgeous and delicious.

The presentations were fun, informative and engaging. A few highlights:

  • Munich Airport is absolutely amazing; it isn’t just a place to pass through, but rather, it is a destination in itself. You can easily exit security to take in the sights and amenities, which offer an on-site brewery, wave pool (or skating rink in winter), Christmas market, two on-site hotels, and nap pods. There’s shopping, a huge number of dining opportunities, free coffee at the terminals, and so much more. I half want to visit this airport and half don’t want to visit, because I am pretty sure it would spoil me for airports going forward!
  • In this year’s Lonely Planet Best in Travel 2016 yearbook, Bavaria has been named a “Best Region”, pointing to the Free State in the south of Germany as a top 10 travel destination. There’s a lot happening in Bavaria in 2016!
  • Bavaria will mark the 500 year anniversary of the Purity Law, which has been so crucial to the growth of German beer and its popularity around the world. The Purity Law says that beer can only contain four ingredients, water, malt, hops and yeast.
  • In 2016, Bavaria will also focus on its aristocratic past. It is on my travel list to visit the fairytale castle Neuschwanstein, but there are also many more beautiful properties and historical sites to see.
  • In an effort to pique the interest of younger travelers, the concept of The Young Danube has been developed. From the natural beauty of the Danube to the history that can be found along the way, this concept has travelers go against the current to do things like experience a Baroque wine city in Passau to experiencing relaxing romance in Deggendorf.
  • Nuremburg is a fascinating city. Though its history is connected to the Nazis, and that history is remembered always in the Documentation Centre Party Rally Grounds, the city is also full of positive and cultural things, like a world-renowned Christmas Market, excellent cuisine, and art. It was the home of Albrecht Durer and houses one of the most important imperial palaces dating back to the Middle Ages. Prior to this event, Nuremburg was always a place I only associated with negativity, but now I am truly interested in visiting a place that sounds so beautiful and interesting.

I love learning about new places, and since I only spent a very short time in Bavaria years ago, truly did learn a lot at this lunch. It reminded me of the beauty of Germany, along with the great food and people, and it made me want to plan a return visit soon!

Tags: Bavaria, Boston blogger, Germany, media events, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger

Wine from Spain can offer some really great value, and while we love collecting some really special wines, we also really appreciate a weeknight wine, one that doesn’t break the bank but that still tastes great.

This 2014 La Granja 360 Tempranillo Garnacha is one of those wines. I loved it’s bright, cheery berry notes that were followed by a hint of spice. It definitely made me feel like taking a trip to Spain!

photo (59) I try to not judge a book by its cover (wine by its label) but I did love this label. A note from the winery about it:

The zebra on the label shows her desire to change her image. She paints her pelt a brighter colour. This represents the desire of the wine to change the traditional world of wine to an innovative new concept.

While this wine might be a bit too big and bold for your Thanksgiving turkey, it would be great with appetizers like stuffed mushrooms, some salty hard cheeses, sausage, meatballs, and more.

Speaking of Thanksgiving menus, our menu will look a little like this again this year. I think a dry sparkling wine goes perfectly with the whole Thanksgiving meal. Get a few bottles chilled and make someone responsible for keeping glasses full!

Tags: Garnacha, La Granja Tempranillo Garnacha, Tempranillo, wine, wine blog, wine lover, Wine Wednesday

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