I see great looking food as an art form. However, I also agree that there is just too much pomp and circumstance and stress around some of the tonier restaurants in New York City.
Dining last month at a trendy, high-priced, full-of-itself restaurant in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District was the proverbial last straw. The restaurant provided a noisy, pretentious, and uncomfortable experience. The tables were small, while the wine glasses and serving plates were very large. So something had to give.
It’s all well and good for fashionable eateries to want to be on top of current trends, but only if the “look” works with the restaurant’s design and size of furniture. The fashion of serving oversized dishes and multiple wine goblets of prodigious size only works when the restaurant’s tables are of sufficient size to accommodate the dimensions of the oversized plates and glasses.
What is the purpose of a small portion of roasted lobster tail – out of the shell on herbs and sweet chives and artfully arranged like a toothsome Picasso – if the huge plate overhangs the table and juts into your gut? Or if your also huge wine glass has to be extricated from under the plate’s rim by a twist of your wrist?
A pretentious dish at a Manhattan restaurant. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Sometimes, the plates are so massive that the wait staff can hardly lift them, or they have to reach across the table to drop their heavy burden instead of maneuvering around the table to set the dish properly in front of you. Are we paying for fine dining, heavy lifting, or pretentious showmanship?
Quail egg on salad. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Even though the table setup was inconvenient, the product of the kitchen was considerably good. The salad with the quail egg on top was exceptional, as was the lobster dish. I just wish they had given as much thought to the table setup!
It reminds me of years ago, when eyes and sensibilities were frequently assaulted by the sight of Rubenesque figures squeezed into miniskirts in defiance of the laws of supply (size of the garment) and demand (size of the butt) to satisfy the fashion trend of the day.
Good sense dictates a more realistic approach and demands that restaurants select their tableware according to the size of the table on which it’s to be placed. It would be much better to choose unusual shapes or textures to enhance the presentation of a dish, rather than use size as the only standard. Or just select a larger table on which to display their wares.
Yes, if you’re on an expensive trip, you should always purchase travel insurance. But I’ve just learned that there’s a new membership called Delay Defense that offers more than just monetary compensation.
Now, I haven’t tried this yet, so I can’t personally attest to it. But I did want to make you aware of it. I’m seriously considering a membership because the service arranges for and pays for rebooking you if you’ve been delayed. Memberships are available for single trips or on an annual basis (covering 10 trips), starting at $5 per round-trip.
Flight delay. Photo by Mangteng.
Benefits cover incidents, including common flight distribution events such as current and impending aviation infrastructure failures, unruly passengers, in-flight medical emergencies, and back-to-gate mechanical failures. You get 24/7 access to travel consultants who can quickly rebook flights—even on a different airline or at a different airport—and arrange for overnight accommodations, all without incurring any out-of-pocket expenses.
“Travelers today are completely in the dark when it comes to their rights and options when flights go wrong,” according to Delay Defense CEO Ross Thompson, “When a flight to Milan was forced to return to New York after four hours in the air due to an unruly passenger, travelers were left with meal vouchers—nothing more—because it wasn’t technically the airline’s fault. We created a better way to protect passengers.”
Flight board at airport. Photo by Rhythmuswege.
Here are the membership tiers and current prices. All of them offer an overnight hotel benefit, no out-of-pocket expenses, 24/7 travel consultant access, open to all nationalities, and available for both domestic and international travel:
Smart Membership: $1,000 in membership benefits for $5 per single trip or $45 for annual individual membership (10 trips).
Platinum Membership: $2,500 in membership benefits for $15 per single trip or $135 for annual individual membership (10 trips).
Black Membership: $5,000 in membership benefits for $25 per single trip or $225 for annual individual membership (10 trips).
Note that family membership costs vary depending on the number of covered family members.
If you try this out and use the membership, please report back!
Did you know the country of Georgia has been making wine for 8,000 years? I didn’t until recently. At a site that’s still being excavated, clay pots from that period were found with remnants of winemaking.
Georgia borders Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. Most of its terrain is wine country, and its population is small at about 3.5 million. A lot of Georgians make wine at home, as you don’t have to have a license there to make alcohol. Some of these do bottle and sell their wines, but bottles imported to the U.S. must have the proper licensing and permits.
Wines are made differently in Georgia than in most of Europe. Classic European style involves fermenting just the juice and aging in oak barrels, resulting in low tannins and a light color. In Georgia, the juice is fermented with the skins and aged in a clay amphora pot called a Qvevri. This results in higher tannins, younger wines that are more oxidized, and an amber color.
The amber color of many Georgian wines. Photo courtesy of Eat This Tours.
Generations of families have made these clay pots by hand, which takes a couple of months per pot. Some of these are shipped to the U.S. Some homemade wines are never bottled. Instead, people either drink them directly from the qvevri or store the wine in tanks.
A qvevri clay pot used in winemaking in Georgia. Photo courtesy of Eat This Tours.
There are more than 520 known varieties of endemic grapes in Georgia. Unfortunately, some varieties were lost during the Soviet occupation.
Rkatsiteli, with apple and pear notes, is the most produced white grape. Mtsvane is another popular variety. Its name means “green” in the Georgian language. Saperavi is the most produced red grape in the country. It’s sometimes so dark that the wine produced from it is called “black wine.”
While you might have to hunt to find Georgian wines in the U.S., it’s worth looking for them and trying these bottles made in an unusual way in the world’s first winemaking region. But if you want to visit the country’s wineries yourself, check out EatThisTours, which offers wine-focused itineraries within Georgia. I hope to get there myself before long!
Air India plane crash. The big news this week is the horrible crash in Ahmedabad, India of a flight destined for London. All passengers and crew were killed except for one man, who was thrown from the plane and survived with slight injuries. I can’t imagine the kind of survivor’s guilt he’s going to have. At least 28 people on the ground were also killed.
Mount Etna eruption. The other big news is that Mount Etna erupted in Sicily early in the month. While it erupts at least once a year and is Europe’s most active volcano, this was apparently a particularly large eruption. No one was injured, but video online shows tourists running from the ash clouds.
Mount Etna. Photo by Hhach.
Earthquake in Turkey and Greece. Also early in the month, a 5.8 earthquake struck parts of Turkey and Greece. No major damage was reported, but about 70 people were injured, as well as one casualty.
Dutch government collapse. The far right government in The Netherlands has collapsed. New elections will be held in the fall, and the word is that travelers are not at risk. But if you have a trip planned there, do some digging to make sure you still feel comfortable with the situation.
JetBlue plane skids off runway. Meanwhile, there were luckily no injuries when a JetBlue plane skidded off the runway at Boston’s Logan Airport. The runway had to be closed for a while.
Regional airline files bankruptcy. Silver Airways, a regional airline in Florida, abruptly cancelled all flights June 11th after filing bankruptcy, leaving passengers in the lurch.
New airline routes. Delta is planning expanded service to India from the U.S., while United is now offering direct flights between Washington, D.C. and Nice, France.
How does this happen? An American Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner wasn’t allowed to land in Naples, Italy this month because it was too big for the runway. It had to be redirected to Rome Fiumicino Airport. I don’t understand how a flight can take off without this knowledge ahead of time. Somebody had to have screwed up, right? The 200+ passengers had to take a three-hour bus ride from Rome to Naples.
Hippos. Photo by Designerpoint.
Hippo in the pool! Guests at a Kenya hotel near Lake Naivasha were terrified when a hippopotamus emerged from the hotel pool. The hippos swim in the lake, which highlights the risk of building lodges and hotels so close to where the animals congregate. Hippos are the most dangerous animal in Africa, so I can’t even imagine. I’m going to Kenya soon and hoping not to experience such a thing!
Man poses as flight attendant for six years. A man was just found guilty of federal charges after posing as a flight attendant for more than six years! He booked the flights using 30 different badges with seven airlines. Unbelievable!
LAX/Metro Transit Center. There is now train service in Los Angeles to LAX Airport. While it will still mean driving for a lot of people, it should cut down on the need to drive the whole way in many instances.
More overtourism issues. After anti-tourist demonstrations on Majorca, nearly 2,000 sun loungers were removed from local beaches in order to cut down on beach erosion and allow residents more space to enjoy their beaches. People will also be fined for building large sandcastles on the island’s beaches.
Flip flops. Photo by Hhach.
No flip flops! In Italy’s Cinque Terre, you can be fined almost $3,000 for hiking while wearing flip flops. This is a safety concern, as flip flops can cause accidents and dangerous sunburn.
Drink limits. In some popular spots in Spain, such as Ibiza, they’re introducing a limit of six drinks per person at some all-inclusive resorts. Violators will incur hefty fines.
Rome and Dubrovnik, Croatia restrictions. You can be fined now for wearing swimsuits on the street in either of these cities, and you will also be fined for putting love padlocks on bridges.
Et tu, Rio? Even Rio’s famous beaches are introducing some restrictions to curb overtourism. There are now limits on music, sales of food and drink, and chair rentals.
View from the Isle of Capri. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Amalfi Coast and Uber. Beginning June 25th during summer weekends, you can reserve a helicopter or boat ride from Uber to take you from Sorrento or the Amalfi Coast to nearby islands like Capri.
Adults only at Disney? There is now a GEO-82 Disney World lounge at EPCOT that’s available only to adults age 21 and over.
WWII bombs in Germany. Every year in Germany, as many as 2,000 unexploded World War II bombs are found during construction work. Early this month, about 20,000 people had to be evacuated from Cologne for about 12 hours when three unexploded bombs were found. While they’re unlikely to go off, it’s still a risk. The bombs were safely defused, and people were allowed back into the area.
United Airlines and Spotify. Starting in 2026, you can use your Spotify account on many of United’s screens to listen to your playlists, podcasts, and audiobooks.
United and JetBlue partnership. The two airlines are partnering so that passengers can use miles from one program on the other. Nice perk!
This is truly a spectacular dish when done right, and it can be prepared in just a few minutes.
I always purchase bottarga – pressed and preserved fish roe – in a wax-covered piece and grate it myself.
Botarga has a unique flavor that is a little similar to anchovies but far more delicate. Grey mullet bottarga has a mild flavor, while tuna botarga is more assertive and easily available. It’s a real treasure of the sea.
A classic pairing is spaghetti in any dish that calls for fish or seafood with pasta. But you could also use bowties (farfalle) or bucatini.
Avgotaraho. Photo courtesy of Trikalinos.
Botarga is known by a number of name variations across the world, such as Boutargue or Poutargue in France, Karasumi in Japan, Avgotaraho in Greece, and Butarda in Croatia. In some regions of France like Provence, it’s called Botarga or Boutargo. Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria refer to it as Boutharkha or Bitarhika. In Egypt, it’s pronounced Batarekh.
Toss hot pasta in a bowl with grated bottarga and the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can find. Toss until the pasta is coated and takes on a rich orange hue. Rub the inside of the bowl with raw garlic to add just a hint of garlic taste.
Spaghetti with botarga. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
I got my recipe in Sicily during a press trip after a lunch of botarga, clams, and pasta at a very traditional trattoria in Palermo.
Ingredients for 4 persons:
1 lb. dry Spaghetti
1 large clove of garlic, halved
Extra virgin olive oil
150 gr. Bottarga (grey mullet is preferred, but tuna will also do)
1 lemon
1 oz. butter
1 oz. Parmigiano Reggiano
Cilantro (optional)
Salt and Malabar Black Pepper, to taste
Method:
Cook your spaghetti al dente in salted water.
While the spaghetti is cooking, rub the inside surface of a salad bowl with the cut sides of the garlic. Apply enough pressure so the garlic juices stick to the sides of the bowl. If you want a more assertive garlic flavor, press the spent half-cloves in a garlic press, and place the garlic pulp at the bottom of the bowl. (Discard the halved garlic clove if you haven’t pressed it.)
Add the olive oil, then the grated bottarga to the bowl. Mix until you form a kind of creamy orange-colored paste that you can spread over the bottom and sides of the bowl.
Add some lemon juice to the paste and set the bowl aside.
When the spaghetti is cooked, drain it, but reserve some of the starchy pasta water, and pour the pasta into the bowl.
Mix everything together.
If the pasta looks too dry, add some more olive oil and/or pasta water.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Melt the butter, and pour it on the pasta.
Serve immediately, sprinkled with Parmigiano Reggiano and a small amount of chopped cilantro (optional) and with extra grated bottarga on top.
I have long been a fan of Viking River Cruises and totally enjoy the smaller ships, along with the opportunity to converse with other passengers and crew. With a focus that highlights culture, it has always been the perfect blend for me.
So when I had the opportunity to join the Viking Sea – a much larger ship than a typical river cruise of 190 passengers – I was concerned that the focus might be more on drinking and onboard entertainment than on port calls and culture.
However, I soon discovered that I could enjoy the enhanced amenities on the ship while still learning about the region and experiencing the culture. On this cruise, I had it all.
The Viking Sea is one of 13 identical ocean ships designed for 930 passengers with 465 ocean view rooms. Launched in 2016, it carries 550 crew members.
Deluxe Balcony stateroom on the Viking Sea. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.
Price is inclusive of WiFi, a complimentary tour in each port, and access to the spa facilities and gym. Wine, beer, and soft drinks are included with lunch and dinner. And best of all is that there are no premium fees for the specialty restaurants.
I like that all Viking ships are adults only, just like the river cruises. I have been on larger cruises where the preponderance of children interferes tremendously with enjoying the common ship facilities likes pools. Plus, the absence of smoke-filled casinos is most definitely a welcome omission for me.
New check-in procedures are streamlined as you are issued a card to facilitate onboarding and offboarding. Much of this is facilitated if you upload your passport and data prior to your arrival.
Once on the ship, you’re given a celebratory glass of champagne as you watch a 90-second video about ship emergency drill procedures. I love the new process.
Fried prawns for the First Course at The Chef’s Table. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.
Dining
There are many choices for dining, ranging from fast food (Pool Grill) and casual (Aquavit Terrace) to Norwegian at Mamsen’s and international buffet at the World Café, where specialty stations include one for sushi and gelato.
Blended breakfast greens for breakfast at World Café. It consists of spinach, celery, ginger, cucumber, and pineapple. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.
We always ate at the World Café for breakfast and enjoyed our power green drink daily. Since it was my husband’s favorite, this was usually where we had lunch as well.
Dessert at Manfredi’s. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.
Fine dining includes Manfredi’s, a specialty Italian restaurant, as well as The Chef’s Table, which serves a 5-course meal paired with wines and themed to certain food styles or regions, and The Restaurant, where international cuisine populates the menu.
Wok-fried beef for the Main Course at The Chef’s Table. (I substituted chicken.) Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.
Reservations are required for Manfredi’s and The Chef’s Table, but there’s no need for reservations at The Restaurant. My husband wasn’t a fan of the no-shorts policy in The Restaurant, so sometimes, I dined alone there while he ate in the World Café. We were both happy with the compromise.
Shrimp appetizer at The Restaurant. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.
All dining venues, including specialty restaurants, are included with no upcharges or additional fees. Complimentary house wine, beer, and soft drinks are standard with lunch and dinner. There are heart-healthy and vegetarian options.
Afternoon tea at the Wintergarden. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.
Be sure to experience Afternoon Tea at the Wintergarden. Our schedule was typically busy in the afternoon with shore excursions, but there was one free afternoon where coffee, tea, finger foods, and live music were available. We thoroughly enjoyed it.
Finger sandwiches and desserts at Afternoon Tea. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.
Don’t forget that room service is available around the clock and includes staples such as lasagna and the Viking burger. This was another favorite of my husband, as he used room service three different times during our cruise.
The entrance sign for Liv Nordic Spa & Fitness. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.
Spa and Fitness
The Viking Sea’s LivNordic Spa celebrates the Nordic bathing concept of alternating hot and cold treatments. It’s complimentary to all guests, so there’s no need to book a treatment ahead of time. Two therapy showers, a thalassotherapy pool, a steam room, and a hot tub, along with the snow grotto, are all available.
The spa is open from 8 am to 8 pm and includes a variety of massages, such as detox, Swedish, and deep tissue. Other treatments include facials, manicures, and pedicures, along with a special salon for haircuts and styling. A small fitness center lets you keep up your daily exercise routine while cruising.
Entertainment
Enjoy a variety of musical performances such as piano and violin in the Atrium, Viking Living Room, Pap’s Explorers’ Lounge, or Torshavn for more intimate modern music and dancing. We even had a specialty night dancing under the stars.
An ABBA tribute performance on the ship. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.
The Star Theater is where the bigger performances take place. For popular musical shows like the ABBA Songbook and Beatles Songbook, it’s vital to show up early if you want a good seat. (Nostalgia seems to reign supreme).
Shore Excursions
Our itinerary from Athens to Venice covered four countries – Greece, Montenegro, Croatia, and Italy.
Montenegro Harbor. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.
While we participated in some of the included tours, I opted instead for more intensive premium tours at many of our ports of call. (Included tours usually focus on the town and involve walking). Since I was primarily looking for photo ops, these two tours really delivered and exceeded my expectations:
Quaint Towns of Dubrovnik’s Riviera (Croatia)
Venetian Islands: Murano & Burano (Italy) (see my story about this excursion)
Note that complimentary bottled water is provided for all excursions.
The Viking Sea at day’s end in Venice, Italy. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.
We’ll Be Back on Another Viking Ocean Cruise
In summary, the Viking Sea is a floating oasis of sophisticated refinement with stellar standards for dining, spa treatments, and fitness center. The musical entertainment and theater onboard proved popular with many guests and was entertaining. Plus, there’s an excellent selection of shore excursions carefully designed to appeal to various interests.
The crew is top notch, and I can’t say enough about how well-trained and friendly they are to everyone. The environment is most welcoming and will have you feeling you are part of the Viking family almost immediately. Don’t be surprised if many of the crew address you by your name on the second or third day of your cruise.
The author received a complimentary cruise from Viking, but as always, we are dedicated to providing our readers with an honest assessment of our experiences.
Through my 60 years of worldwide peregrinations, from the days of living in a rundown room at the Parisian “Beat Hotel” of Mme. Rachou, to my days as marketing consultant to the Leading Hotels of the World when I stayed in some of the most historic 5-star luxury hotels of Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, North and South America, and Asia, I have experienced as many luxury hotel properties as any world traveler has ever done.
Claridge’s, the Dorchester, the Connaught, and the Corinthia in London; the George V, the de Crillon, and the Ritz in Paris; the Pierre and the Peninsula in New York; the Peninsula and the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong; the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo; the Bauer Palazzo and the Sina Centurion Palacein Venice; and on and on. All have been absolutely fabulous hotels, but I place the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok above all others.
An in-room fruit bowl at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. Photo by Nick Ross and Manos Angelakis.
We arrived in Bangkok after a very long flight with a stopover at the Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG) in Paris. Whenever I have to fly with a stopover in Europe, I prefer CDG because I can still get genuine Caspian caviar at one of the duty-free shops. Expensive as hell, but still worth every penny spent for an ounce.
We were met inside the arrivals building by staff from the Mandarin Oriental, who whisked us through immigration and customs to one of the stately BMW autos that belong to the hotel. The drive from the airport to the hotel is still an “adventure” since Bangkok drivers are as aggressive as they have always been, and traffic congestion is endemic.
If you ask a local how long it will take to drive from one area to another, the answer will usually be “between 20 minutes to two hours depending on the traffic!”
The original Mandarin Oriental Bangkok building. Photo courtesy of Mandarin Oriental.
The original building, now housing the Author’s Suites, was built in the mid-19thcentury as a boarding house for seafarers on the bank of the Chao Phraya river and reopened as a hotel in 1886. In 1891, King Chulalongkorn began using the hotel as a guesthouse for visiting royalty and heads of state.
In 1913, the Imperial & Royal Austro-Hungarian Legation in the Kingdom of Siam established its chancery at the hotel. Everyone who was somebody has stayed at the Mandarin Oriental when Thailand was still called Siam, and they still do.
What truly makes the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok a standout is the attention to detail and quality of service, which is second to none. In luxury hotel circles, it’s still considered the “standard” everyone tries to emulate. In many European and American luxury hotels, the staff to guest ratio is, at most, one-to-one. A few Asian luxury hotels have a two-to-one ratio. At the Bangkok Mandarin Oriental, the ratio is still three-to-one.
Night view of the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. Photo courtesy of Mandarin Oriental.
Today, the hotel uses the original building plus a hotel tower built in 1958, which is called “The Garden Wing,” as well as a third tower building erected in 1976 called “The River Wing.” The Garden Wing and The River Wing buildings are ingeniously interconnected, though they look from the outside like two independent structures.
The towers contain the majority of the rooms, modern suites, bars, restaurants, exquisite public spaces, and executive offices. They are offset at the back of the garden, facing a large terrace that also serves as an open air dining room fronting the river.
The Author’s Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. Photo courtesy of Mandarin Oriental.
The original building, now over 140 years old, has been completely refurbished and is called “The Author’s Wing.” It has the Author’s Suites, which consist of 12 river-facing suites with private balconies, all named after famous writers that stayed in the hotel during the years. It’s surrounded by the tropical garden and is mostly hidden behind trees.
The Graham Greene living room author’s suite at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. Photo courtesy of Mandarin Oriental.
Three hundred of the hotel’s rooms have been refreshed with an interior that merges traditional Thai elements with modern amenities like Bluetooth speakers and Nespresso machines. The river views of many rooms have gotten even better thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows, some of which open onto balconies.
If you are a frequent or honored guest, there will be bilingual (English/Thai) stationery and business cards waiting for you on the desk in your room. Another lovely touch is that if you use the hotel’s laundry, your clothing gets returned wrapped in Mandarin Oriental wrapping paper with an orchid flower on top!
A Thai dancer at Sala Rim Naam. Photo by Nick Ross and Manos Angelakis.
Across the river is the “Sala Rim Naam,” a restaurant that offers classic Thai dishes plus a spectacular folkloric show. Signature dishes are Goong Phad Prig Daeng (fried prawns with garlic and red chili sauce), Ped Toon Nam Ma-Kham (duck in tamarind sauce), and of course, spectacular carved fruit, an ephemeral Thai artistic endeavor. Also across the river from the hotel is the Spa and the Oriental Thai Cooking School.
Goong Phad Prig Daeng (fried prawns with garlic and red chili sauce) at Sala Rim Naan. Photo by Nick Ross and Manos Angelakis.
Kurt Wachtveitl, one of the best known and very highly respected hotel General Managers, managed the hotel for 42 years. I was lucky enough to meet Mr. Wachtveitl in the very early 1990s when I stayed at the hotel a number of times. It was due to his leadership that it attained the exceptional position to be considered as “the very best luxury hotel East of the Suez Canal” providing the most gracious hospitality in the Asian hotel industry.
Carved fruit at Sala Rim Naam. Photo by Nick Ross and Manos Angelakis.
On one of those visits, I also met Executive Chef Norbert Kostner, another industry leader. He made sure all of the hotel’s restaurants provided immaculate service and exceptional food. He also turned the kitchen of the 2 Michelin-starred “Le Normandie” (the hotel’s haute cuisine restaurant) into one of Asia’s top eateries and the hotel into a destination for gourmets. He was given the Grand Maitre du Goût (Grand Master of Taste) award by the Academy of Taste.
His motto was “You don’t need a cook to serve caviar. To roast a chicken, and get it moist and tender and crispy, you need a cook.” Wise words!
I recently spent a couple of days in Atlanta, enjoying unseasonably cool weather for late May. I arrived in the late afternoon and checked into the 4-star Starling Atlanta Midtown Hotel, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. There were a couple of issues with my room, but it was overall a good stay.
The Starling Hotel lobby. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The Starling Hotel reception. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The main perk of this hotel is that it’s right next door to midtown’s Colony Square, where people sit outdoors or eat at any number of nice restaurants. My first night, I had a lovely meal at Colony Square’s Italian restaurant, Serena Pacificio. Since it was early in the evening, my friend and I were able to get a table without a reservation.
Serena Pacificio restaurant in Colony Square, Atlanta. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
We both chose to eat light, but everything was delicious. The service was also terrific. I had the Insalata Italiana with sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, Cerignola olives, peperoncini, and sunflower seeds. My companion had the caprese appetizer with charred mozzarella, grilled heirloom tomato, lemon-basil emulsion, and ciabatta crostini. We also shared a side of scrumptious fingerling potatoes with garlic and parsley, and we each had a refreshing sangria with our meal.
Cupcakin’ Bake Shop in Atlanta’s Colony Square. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
For dessert, we stopped by Colony Square’s Cupcakin’ for peach bourbon cupcakes. Delectible!
Atlanta’s Colony Square. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Atlanta’s Colony Square. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The next day, we set out in the morning for the Atlanta Botanical Garden, which was only a 15-20-minute walk from my hotel if we went through Piedmont Park. I had never been to this garden, and I was very impressed. It’s large with an extensive conservatory that houses one of the best orchid collections I’ve ever seen.
An exotic bat flower in the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s orchid collection. Photo by Melanie Votaw.One of the “Enchanted Trees” at Atlanta Botanical Garden. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Through January 11, 2026, there is an art installation at the Garden called “Enchanted Trees” by Poetic Kinetics. There is also a permanent Chihuly glass sculpture on the grounds, and don’t miss the permanent Earth Goddess plant sculpture.
The permanent Earth Goddess at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Through September 14, 2025, the Garden has an Alice’s Wonderland exhibit of 38 plant sculptures depicting characters from the books. The sculptures are “mosaiculture,” which were popular in 16th century Europe.
The Alice’s Wonderland exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The Alice’s Wonderland exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The Alice’s Wonderland exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The Alice’s Wonderland exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
That evening, we had dinner at another Colony Square restaurant that I’d heard a lot about – Saints + Council. This lovely place has a beautiful outdoor dining area, but it was unusually windy the night we were there. So we chose to sit inside. I have to call out our server, Emma Kate, and her trainee, Patrick, who were not only very attentive to us but also lots of fun.
The outdoor cafe at Saints + Council. The umbrellas were folded due to the wind that evening. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Saints + Council. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Saints + Council. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
We both ordered the duck confit with braised red cabbage, roasted acorn squash, and dark cherry molasses. We were stunned by the size of the dish, which consisted of two full duck legs with thighs. It was very well-prepared and plated. For dessert, we shared the Bick’s famous peanut butter pie, which delivered a light but huge slice of heaven.
The duck confit at Saints + Council. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
We were even given a postcard that we could write to someone and give to the restaurant to stamp and mail for us. I’d never heard of that kind of thing, but it was a nice touch.
Afterwards, we took in a world premiere musical at the Alliance Theatre, which is part of the Robert W. Woodruff Arts Center. This regional theatre has won a Tony Award and often attracts Broadway talent. It’s just a few minutes’ walk from the restaurant and next to the High Museum of Art.
My last afternoon, we had brunch at the European cafe, Apres Diem, also in midtown a short drive from my hotel. We ate al fresco, and everything was very tasty, whether the Napa cabbage salad, the salad niçoise, the crab cakes, or the Belgian waffles made with orange zest and covered with fruit. We were also served Monster Mimosas in large wine glasses that were only $1 more than the version served in champagne flutes. Highly recommended.
Of course, since I’ve been to Atlanta before, I also highly recommend visits to the Georgia Aquarium and the Carter Center. But my two days fit in plenty of nice experiences and good food.
I had the best sangria, Jamón Iberico, and other tapas while sitting at the outdoors tables of Cervecería Alemana on Plaza de Santa Ana in Madrid.
I’d just arrived to Madrid from a long, tiring train ride from Bilbao after attending the Gastronomika Conference in San Sebastian. I was tired and hungry, and a glass of sangria seemed perfect to wash down the tapas dishes that were to be my supper.
Spanish Jamon. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
From previous visits to classic Madrileño eateries, I knew to go to Cervecería Alemana near my hotel. It was a Hemingway favorite, where they still have a table by the entrance window reserved in his honor.
The Cerveceria is known as an intelligencia hangout, serving some of the best German-bottled imported beers, but it was a very hot early evening quite unexpected for late October. So I thought that a pitcher of cold Sangria would be far more appropriate than a beer to wash down my tapas.
Plate of pickled olives and pimento. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Sangria and tapas in Spain or an alcoholic beverage and meze are a classic Mediterranean indulgence on hot days. The name Sangria relates to sangre, the Spanish word for “blood” and is attributed to the sangria’s deep red color when it’s made with traditional dry red wine.
Tapas pickled eggplant and pimento on bread slices. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
In the Spanish eateries and bars that I’m familiar with, they use either an inexpensive Rioja or a less expensive red from Priorat to make their sangria. If you wish to make some at home, use a dry red wine priced between $8 and $15 per bottle.
Spanish is, of course, the preferred wine, but any Italian, California, Portuguese, or Greek red at that price range will also be just as good. I think French Burgundies are too “heavy” to be used in sangria, as well as too expensive. You don’t want to pay chateau prices for, in essence, a cooler.
The fruit should be ripe but crisp. I like strawberries in my sangria, but that’s a newer version of the classic drink. The traditional fruit and wine recipe doesn’t call for strawberries. It calls for only citrus fruit and crisp apple slices.
Andalucia tapas. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
To accompany any wine in Spain, there are tapas. They are almost always a piece of air-dried meat or cheese or pickled fish. Nowadays, there’s even something more elaborate skewered with a toothpick and served on a piece of bread.
Most bars will offer pieces of Manchego cheese or slices of Jamón Iberico (salted and dried meat from black-footed Iberico pigs), a portion of albondigas (small meatballs in a sauce), slices of pickled octopus (pulpo gallego), pickled anchovies (boquerones or boccherones – you will find both spellings on Spanish menus), baby squid cooked in its ink (chipirones en su tinta), and many more.
White pickled anchovies. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
There are also snails cooked in onion sauce, large crab shells stuffed with changuro gratin (flavored breadcrumbs, pimiento, celery, and crab meat) Basque-style, green or black pickled olives, large shrimp cooked in garlic sauce (gambas al ajillo), stuffed or pickled mushrooms, or any other cooked, pickled, or raw tidbit that the bar or restaurant specializes in.
The operating word is: never drink on an empty stomach!
Albondigas of Cerveceria Alemana. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
In the past, tapas were offered on a few plates at the bar, and they were free – a single piece or small portion with each glass of wine you purchased. Today, you have to pay for tapas, but they’re inexpensive and tasty enough for patrons not to worry much about the cost.
To your health!
Traditional sangria. Photo by Nick Ross.
Sangria Recipe
Ingredients: – 1 (750-ml) bottle of dry red wine – 3/4 cup fresh orange juice – 1/2 cup Spanish brandy or rum (I like the Carlos I, known as Carlos Primero) – 1/2 cup sugar – 1 orange, sliced
– 1 lime, juice of – 1 apple, sliced – 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries, to taste – 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
Method: 1. In a large pitcher, combine the wine, orange juice, lime juice, brandy, granulated sugar, and cinnamon stick.
2. Slice the orange and lemon into thin rounds.
3. Peel the apple, and slice it, as well as the strawberries.
4. Keeping a few citrus rounds out as glass garnishes, add all of the sliced fruit to the pitcher, and mix.
5. Refrigerate until ready to serve, ideally for at least 2 hours or even better, overnight.
I have been flying for both business and pleasure for many years now. The following is my assessment of recent domestic and international flights, as well as the state of flying in general.
First: the food. Meals are still included on long haul flights, and the least edible food is served on US carriers. On long domestic flights, US-based airlines offer barely any well-tasting food, if they offer any food at all. But in most short and medium-length flights, there is no “free” food offered anymore. Instead, you have to purchase junky on-board meals.
In contrast, a number of international airlines are upping their culinary game, including in coach and short haul domestic flights. As far as I’m concerned, Lufthansa and its associated Swiss and Brussels Air, Finnair, and Air France top my preference list for culinary quality when flying to and within Europe, as well as EVA Air, Emirates, and Singapore Airways when flying to and within the Asian countries they serve.
In general, on the international carrier front, Asian carriers have good to excellent food, depending on the length of the flight. Even Garuda, one of the smallest Asian regional carriers, has upped their meal quality.
The Arabic airlines seem to serve very enjoyable meals, and so do a number of North African and South American carriers. European airlines span the gamut from excellent to just edible. I should give special kudos to Turkish Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, and EVA Air for their meal quality.
In contrast, one of our travel writers recently flew on a US airline on her way to Lima, Peru and said: “Bring with you a couple sandwiches; even a stale homemade sandwich is better than what is now served during those flights.”
An in-flight chef on Turkish Airlines. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
US carriers are protected by Congress from competition on domestic flights, so they are allowed to overcharge customers at will. The last administration did try to eliminate the junk fees that domestic carriers impose.
On recent 2-1/2 hour flights from and to Newark, New Jersey from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on United Airlines, no “free” food was offered, even though both flights were at dinner time. Only snacks were available “for purchase,” and when I asked for my suitcase to be carried in the hold, they tried to impose a fee, which I refused and took my suitcase in the cabin with me.
We brought our own sandwiches, and I will agree with our writer that a stale sandwich was much better than what was sold! (Editor’s note: On recent JetBlue flights that were 2 to 3 hours long, we were given free snacks, but no meals.)
Meanwhile, US-based airlines are cramming more and more passengers into less and less space to squeeze extra profits, without regard to passenger comfort. Again, there is little competition domestically. And don’t let me start with the “service” the US in-flight crews give. They seem to consider it an annoyance to even give you a glass of water.
In the meantime, United, Frontier, Spirit, and American Airlines are nickel-and-dimming us for the sardine-style packed seating even though the federal government has tried to protect consumers from surprise fees.
Again in contrast, on Royal Air Maroc, we flew to and from Casablanca from the US, plus took domestic flights in Morocco. Both transatlantic and domestic flights had good-to-excellent food in all classes and pleasant and helpful multilingual cabin crews.
Airplane. Stock photo.
I recently flew on Delta Air Lines to and from Athens, Greece. The Delta direct flight to Athens from JFK was absolutely full, so I had to book from JFK to Boston and from there to Athens. I took a “Premium” seat in coach using frequent flier mileage.
The flight between JFK and Boston was delayed due to poor weather, and we just made the international flight because we were driven directly to our gate by in-airport bus. However, our luggage that was checked in at JFK didn’t make the rushed connection to Athens.
On the outgoing flight, they offered a poor quality meal that was barely edible. I should have asked for a kosher or other specialty meal that usually tastes much better. The cabin crew was pleasant but liked to congregate in the back galley during the long overnight flight.
My “premium” seat was nothing more than a coach seat with minimal extra leg room – almost the same as all the other coach seats around it. It didn’t even recline, even though there was no seat behind it. What a ripoff!
The Delta agents at the Athens airport said they would have my bag the next day and deliver it to my brother’s home in the afternoon after the Boston flight arrived. I was given a printout with a phone number to call. When I tried to call the baggage claim line to get an idea of what time the bag would be delivered, no one picked up the phone. After a dozen attempts, I gave up.
On the return flight I complained at the Delta desk at the Athens airport about it, and they informed me they were very “short-staffed and would NOT answer calls.” So why did they give me the phone number and tell me to check it if no one would answer?
The bag was actually delivered the third day after my arrival by a driver who was ready to just leave it on the front steps of my brother’s apartment building’s entrance. It was a good thing I was on my way to a local coffee shop to get a WiFi connection (my brother has no internet at home) when I intercepted the driver and signed for my bag.
Appetizers on Turkish Airlines. Photo courtesy of Hava Yollari.
Now, let’s talk about both transatlantic and domestic flights on Turkish Airlines in Turkey. They serve excellent food and wines on their international flights, especially since they have in-flight chefs actually cooking meals on board.
We were in business class on a flight to Istanbul, and the seating was very comfortable. The seat would recline enough to enable someone to sleep.
The domestic flights to and from Izmir that were single-class (all coach seating) with good leg-room were pleasant with good meals and functioning seats.
We also had an international flight to and from Buenos Aires on American Airlines not long ago. It was as overpriced with poor service as every other US carrier. Barely edible food. The flight was packed. The seats would be comfortable for a midget, but not an over 6-foot individual. I saw no first class, and business class was jammed.
The next day, when we flew from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia on an Aerolineas Argentinas chartered flight, there was edible food, and the coach seats had enough space for my height.
We’ve had terrible experiences domestically on both United and JetBlue. (Editor’s note: my recent domestic flights on JetBlue were fine.)
Since the deregulation of the US airline industry in 1978, monopoly power is what has allowed US based airlines to act the way they do. Congress is responsible for the deterioration of quality on-board by protecting domestic carriers and their highly overpaid executives.
Domestic airlines have been allowed to merge and get rid of competition on numerous major routes. There were 12 large carriers in the 1980s, and there are only 4 left today with another 5 or 6 regional companies that are frequently divisions of or fly under the livery of the larger carriers.
There are 3 or 4 discount airlines, which are no-frills but overpriced for the minimal quality they offer flying the millions of sardines, I mean “passengers,” within the country.
I believe that Congress should repeal the Cabotage Regulations that prohibit foreign carriers from picking up fliers between domestic US airports. There are plenty of international carriers for example, that fly in from South America to Miami, deplane many passengers at that airport, and fly with numerous empty seats to JFK, Newark, Washington DC, or other airports along the East Coast.
The interior of an airplane. (Stock photo).
The same happens with flights on the West Coast to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. Those seats could be used to alleviate the chronic congestion for domestic fliers between Miami and New York City or Miami and other gateway cities or West Coast fliers to other final destinations.
Then, the US airlines would not levy their unconscionable rates for inferior service because they would be facing competition from multiple companies.
My final thoughts: Avoid US-based carriers as much as you can on international flights. Even using frequent flier miles isn’t worth it since you will be subjected to indifference at best or even abuse by the carriers and their personnel. Unfortunately, you have no choice on domestic routes.
From most foreign carriers, you will get much better service, better seating, and better pitch between seats. You’re less likely to be nickel-and-dimed, and there will be edible food and soft drinks included in the price of the ticket, as well as a free bag either in the hold or the overhead bins or 2 free bags (one in the hold and one in the overhead). That’s what most foreign carriers offer the flying public at present.
