First, the location: Holbox is a 26-mile-long island off the northeast corner of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, two hours north of Cancun, plus a 30-minute ferry ride – but worth every minute to get to this paradise on earth.
Villas Caracol beach lounge. Photo courtesy of Villas Caracol.Villas Caracol entrance. Photo courtesy of Villas Caracol.
What makes it so special? Isla Holbox is in a unique oceanic spot where the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea converge. The water is a sea glass green, the beaches are magnificent, and there’s almost something magical in the air. It’s a laid back place with no cars – just golf carts, bikes, and 4×4 taxis to get around.
Villas Caracol room. Photo courtesy of Villas Caracol.Villas Caracol room. Photo courtesy of Villas Caracol.
There’s a choice of accommodations from rustic to splendid, including the lovely boutique hotel, VillasCaracol. It’s in a great beach location with a super-friendly staff, nice rooms, a pretty pool, and delicious meals in their Las Hamacas restaurant & beach club, which is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Villas Caracol room. Photo courtesy of Villas Caracol.
Opened for six years now, part of VillasCaracol’s charm is that it’s a family-owned operation, not part of a conglomerate hotel group. The 15 rooms – junior and master suites – are spacious, light, and airy, and they’re decorated with local materials.
Villas Caracol balcony. Photo courtesy of Villas Caracol.
The marble bathrooms are enormous with great amenities. The upstairs rooms have nice balconies, and those on the ground floor have small garden terraces. Some of the master suites have a private pool or Jacuzzi. Of course, they also have all the things you’d expect: WiFi, a flat-screen TV, a well-stocked minibar, and air conditioning.
Villas Caracol amenities. Photo courtesy of Villas Caracol.
There’s a useful tote bag with beach towels and sun hats, as well as biodegradable sunscreen and bug spray, as protecting the natural environment is taken very seriously there.
Villas Caracol hat. Photo courtesy of Villas Caracol.
In addition to lounge chairs right on the beach, there are protected, open-air “lounge rooms” for private relaxation. So, Villas Caracol is very popular with couples, especially honeymooners!
The luxury there is really in how you’re treated by the oh-so-friendly, very attentive staff. Nothing is too much to ask, and everything is done with a smile. A magnificent room in a stunning location is nothing without this kind of delightful service.
Villas Caracol pool. Photo courtesy of Villas Caracol.
Rooms are about $300 a night, which includes a sumptuous breakfast. The peace and tranquility you’ll experience at Villas Caracol is worth every penny!
Vermouth is an aged, aromatic, fortified European wine flavored with botanicals, such as citrus peel, star anise, basil, thyme, and wormwood, to name a few.
According to ancient Greek folklore, very early versions of the beverage were actually used for their ingredients’ medicinal properties by the “father of medicine,” Hippocrates. He prescribed it for a range of ailments, including rheumatism, dyspepsia, and anemia.
Historical documents show that vermouth as we currently know it originated in Torino, Northern Italy, the capital of Piemonte in the very late 16th century. Antonio Benedetto Carpano introduced a very popular red sweet vermouth in 1786. In the early 1800s, the very first pale, dry vermouth was produced in France by Joseph Noilly.
Noilly Prat Original Vermouth. Photo courtesy of Noilly.
Traditionally, vermouth as a beverage was enjoyed da solo – on its own over ice, and that’s how it was when I first encountered it. Nowadays, it’s a key ingredient in several of today’s better known cocktails, including the famed martini, the Manhattan, the Americano, and the Negroni.
The irreverent troubadour, Tom Lehrer, at the final refrain of his “Bright College Days” gives us his recipe for a classic, extra dry martini:
“Hearts full of youth Hearts full of truth, Six parts gin to one part vermouth!”
Oliveros vermouth. Photo courtesy of Olivero.
In my cellar, I have numerous vermouth bottles from Spain, Italy, France, and a few other areas. My oldest sample is from Bodegas Olivero in Spain. Since I couldn’t get it in the U.S. until recently, I treasured it one thimbleful at a time. I finished the bottle not long ago, and I’m looking for a replacement in wine stores in my area. I also have some Italian bottles that I think are exceptional.
9 di Dante Inferno vermouth on the rocks. Photo courtesy of 9diDante.
9 di DANTE Purgatorio – extra dry Vermouth di Torino – is a white vermouth, as indicated on the label. It’s produced in Alba at the premises of the Montanaro Distillery, and it’s the first vermouth to be created from 100% Arneis DOC wine.
A floral and fruity mouthfeel offers a full body of pear and apricot notes, complemented by lemon peel, sage, and a touch of mint. I consider it a perfect libation over ice, but it could also be very good in a vodka Martini – stirred, not shaken.
My garnet-hued 9 di DANTE Purgatorio is blended from equal parts of must from two Piemontese grapes – Dolcetto, a red and Cortese, a white. This one has a very fruity nose with hints of red berries, vanilla, raspberries, and orange, and a citrusy mouthfeel. I love it on ice on a hot summer evening or even as a decadent “sauce” over cherry-vanilla ice cream.
Bottles of Martini e Rossi vermouth. Photo courtesy of Martini e Rossi.
Another Italian vermouth is from Martini e Rossi, a classic vermouth producer. I have a sweet bottle, but it’s also produced as a drier white. Actually, the Martini e Rossi red is the very first vermouth I tasted when I was still living in Athens. It was a summer libation that my friends and I used to drink over ice while sitting outdoors at our regular patisserie after work.
Otto’s Athens Vermouth, a very recent product, is an interesting, high quality, new Greek vermouth. It’s infused with rose petals, wormwood, citrus rind, olive leaves, oregano, and angelica – a nose and palate very different from most other vermouths I have tasted. It’s well balanced with a slightly bitter finish.
It’s named in honor of the first modern king of Greece, Otto Friedrich Ludwig von Wittelsbach, the son of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. Otto was invited to the Greek throne after the Greek kingdom was reestablished in 1832, following the country’s war of independence from the Ottoman Empire. He was a philhellene (a lover of Greece and Greek culture).
Eventually, he and his wife, Amalia, were exiled back to Austria, and he finished his days at a palace in Vienna.
When I want a fine dining experience in Manhattan that’s still within reason from a price perspective, La Grande Boucherie is my go-to restaurant – and has been for years. The French menu changes periodically, but everything we’ve ordered has been excellent without exception.
La Grande Boucherie is actually a chain, but it’s a chain of the highest quality. There are four locations in Manhattan, and one each in Chicago, Miami, and Washington, D.C.
The main location in New York is the one I frequent the most. It’s in a convenient place on West 53rd Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. It’s very close to Carnegie Hall and New York City Center theater. It’s also not far north of Times Square and not far south of Lincoln Center. It stretches across the entire block and has beautiful outdoor seating lined with plants, as well as indoor seating and a wide bar.
The bar at La Grande Boucherie restaurant. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The other NYC locations are called Boucherie Union Square on Park Avenue South between East 18th and East 19th Streets, Boucherie West Village on 7th Avenue South at Grove Street, and Petite Boucherie on Christopher Street, also in the West Village. The menu is similar in all locations.
The service, as well as the extensive wine list, are as exceptional as the menu. I discovered one of my favorite white wines at this restaurant – Pierre Sparr’s Pinot Gris from the Alsace region. I have since bought bottles of it to keep at home. It pairs wonderfully with duck, which is also my favorite dish at La Grande Boucherie.
Duck a l’orange at La Grande Boucherie restaurant. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
In the past, the menu’s duck dish included potatoes and Swiss chard. Currently, the duck is a classic duck a l’orange that’s tender and flavorful with apples, cherries, and fennel bulbs. I can always count on this restaurant’s food to be expertly prepared.
At my most recent dinner there, my companion ordered the pan-seared diver’s scallops with seasonal vegetables, sweet corn purée, and herb oil, which she said was delicious.
The scallops at La Grande Boucherie restaurant. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Other seafood dishes include shrimp, clams, lobster, and caviar. The Saumon Roti is from the Faroe Islands and served with asparagus and corn cream, or you might like to try the Saumon Tartare au Caviar with Kaluga caviar, goat cheese, and crostini.
Steak is popular at the restaurant, including Australian grass-fed ribeye, Chateaubriand, and dry-aged bone-in NY strip, among other options, which you can order with Bordelaise, Béarnaise, or Peppercorn sauce.
You can expect French classics like paté and foie gras, onion soup, Niçoise salad, a cheese plate, Boeuf bourguignon, and steak tartare.
La Grande Boucherie restaurant. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
If you just want a burger, you can get a special one: Wagyu burger with truffle dijonnaise, caramelized onions, Gruyère, and pommes frites.
Of course, there are chicken and pork dishes, including suckling pig, and there are also some options for vegetarians, such as charred eggplant with red wine reduction and piquillo pepper.
For dessert, my dining companion had the chocolate ice cream, which was extremely rich and dark. I opted for the Tarte Fleur Passion-Pistache – a vanilla crust with passion fruit curd, pistachio crème légère, passion fruit jelly, and caramelized pistachio nuts. It was a flavor combination I had never tasted before and definitely a special treat!
The dessert menu includes old favorites, such as sorbets, profiteroles, madeleines, and crème brûlée with Cantonese caramelized black sesame. The dessert I will probably try next time is the Ananas Roti au Miel, which is honey-roasted pineapple, vanilla Malagasy crème, ginger confit, lime tuiles, pineapple gel, and lime sorbet.
La Grande Boucherie restaurant. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Our dinner with an entree, single glass of wine, and dessert was just under $100 each, including tip. For what you get at this restaurant, it’s quite economical for the location and ambiance.
If you want another meal besides dinner, you’re in luck, as La Grande Boucherie serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch.
In my experience, you can’t go wrong with whatever you order from this establishment. The quality is always high and remarkably consistent. We’ve never been disappointed. Bon appétit!
When Europeans of the 15th century tried to imitate the beautiful Chinese porcelain imported by traders through the Silk Road, they were not very successful.
Clay pottery was used in Europe since time immemorial. Therefore, the early attempts combined clay and ingredients used to make glass. The result was thick, glossy ware that in no way looked like the thin, translucent, highly decorated porcelain brought from Cathay, as China was called at the time.
What was created instead is called “faience,” which was tin-glazed with some ornamentation, usually florals that were in loose brushstrokes or sometimes had a purple over-glaze. They were trying to imitate some of the more substantial imports.
Meissen Dates Plate. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
In 1709, the first European high quality porcelain factory was developed at Albrechtsburg Castle in Meissen under the auspices of King August II of Poland, Elector of Saxony. The king enlisted the talents of alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger and mathematician-scientist Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus to create porcelain similar to the exquisite wares imported from The Orient.
What the Elector wanted to imitate for his palace was the fine, thin, translucent “Chinese Bone China,” i.e. tableware and decorative items that were beautifully adorned and symbolized wealth, prestige, and refined taste. After testing different techniques, actual production commenced in 1710.
In 1723, Johann Gregorius Höroldt introduced multicolored enameled painting, inspired by oriental motifs. This gave birth to the beloved and highly coveted Meissen porcelain we know today.
Meissen is considered the oldest high quality porcelain manufacturer in Europe, producing decorative items and tableware of unique quality, design, and timeless elegance. Meissen’s hand-painted, fine bone china eventually became very collectable.
Meissen Gold and Cobalt Blue Baroque Fruit Bowl. Photo courtesy of G. Angelakis & Son.
By the mid-19th century and until the early 1970s, Meissen produced mostly Rococo or Baroque-influenced decorative products. Figurines, fruit bowls, candy dishes, vases, candleholders, table lamps, and other items were beautifully modeled and hand-enameled by notable artists of the period, while tableware sets had mostly monochrome designs, such as the Blue Onion (Zwiebelmuster) or smaller multicolored florals, such as the Dresden Rose.
Meissen couple figurine. Photo courtesy of G. Angelakis & Son.
The figurine collection has always been a favorite of European homeowners. Even though they didn’t live in palaces like the aristocracy, they decorated their salons and dining rooms with beautiful handpainted, sculpted porcelain pieces (cranes, parrots, dogs, elephants, cupids, nymphs, etc.), romantic village or palace life depictions, mythological scenes, or even figurine groups. The four seasons group and the monkey band come to mind.
Another specialty was what is now known as the Böttger Stoneware (Böttgersteinzeug) – chocolate-colored, large sculpted porcelain pieces – mostly horses, birds, or sea animals. Additionally, there have always been lovely white, masterfully created pieces such as Robert Ullmann’s “Spring” that is still available from Meissen either as glazed or unglazed (biscuit). it’s a piece I will always covet.
The last time I visited Meissen was in 1959. The area was part of East Germany, and many of the buildings in nearby Dresden were still in ruins from World War II. I was there to give orders for our family’s wholesale and retail crystal and porcelain business in Athens, where I was working for my father, and because I was trilingual, I was in charge of imports.
Michael Moebius with Meissen Marilyn Monroe Bust. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
A few weeks ago at an event in New York City, Meissen unveiled its cooperation with Michael Moebius, a young contemporary artist, in a series of sculptured busts of screen beauties titled “Legends Blowing Bubbles” – currently Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn blowing glass bubbles. Each bust is beautifully modeled, unique, and will be limited to 10 pieces worldwide.
Moebius Marilyn stack. Photo courtesy of Meissen.
Don’t despair if you would like to get one. Based on photographs, white mugs in two different sizes of the artwork are being made available to Meissen collectors and the general public. See https://www.meissen.com/net/.
Meissen is now producing much more contemporary work – both figurines and tableware sets – many featuring Asian themes or floral designs, as well as sculpted tableware with scenes in white that complement the classic designs.
Please note: There are many Meissen pieces on the market – antique as well as modern. The majority are genuine, but there are also some outright fakes. And there are second or even third quality items that were released by the factory in the distant past.
Antique Meissen crossed swords. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Traditionally, only first quality products were sold on the market. Look at the back: the crossed swords blue mark should be intact. If you see either a single or double white scratch or strike through the swords brand, these are what the factory considered as second or third quality, and those seconds or thirds were normally destroyed.
Unfortunately, seconds and thirds were sold at a heavy discount right after World War II, when the factory was part of an area devastated by the war and then became part of East Germany. Then, getting any currency, especially foreign through exports, was more important for the survival of the firm and the workers than keeping up the quality they were famous for.
Some of the flaws were insignificant, like a small air bubble in the glaze or nicks at the color’s edge of the design. But there are also outright fakes that have no value except as pretentious decorative pieces. Those were produced mostly right after World War II at workshops in Bavaria, Czechoslovakia, and Spain. The product finish, as well as the design quality, were demonstrably inferior. But the market is well aware of the caveats, and reputable retailers will only stock genuine items.
“The best thing about Milan is that it is on the way to Turin,” said one Torino to me. We were driving alongside the magnificent Alps that are a backdrop to Turin. This sophisticated, bustling city lies between better-known Milan and Bologna.
I like its scale. It has much more than the Holy Shroud of Turin and an automobile heritage to recommend it. It’s also a royal city with palaces, fine art, splendid plazas and squares, unexpectedly good restaurants, and diverse museums.
Turin. Photo by Norma Davidoff.
Our first museum was the Palazzo Reale. Turin was the palatial seat of the Savoy family from 1660 until Italy unified in1861. The palace’s state apartments are splendid, to say the least. But I preferred the gardens and walkways of its Galleria Sabauda. These days, it’s dotted with contemporary witty sculptures that left me smiling.
Palazzo Reale gardens. Photo by Norma Davidoff.
The next museum left me a bit awestruck. Gigantic, dramatically lit black stone sculptures of pharaohs filled an immense hall. This was Turin’s most venerated museum: Museo Egizio, the Egyptian Museum.
It’s considered one of the world’s best. Its treasured mummies and reconstructed temples were brought back to Italy for the Duke of Savoy when Turin was capitol of the area before the Italian Unification.
The Museo dell’Automobile. Photo by Norma Davidoff.
Confession: I was more interested in a newer museum, the Automobile Museum called Museo dell’Automobile, which was near our hotel. It was exhilarating to get behind the wheel of a 1950s Thunderbird. It was everything you wanted to know about cars and then some.
The Museo dell’Automobile. Photo by Norma Davidoff.
We looked at everything from horsedrawn vehicles to zippy racing cars. (Anyone want a Bugatti?) The whole history of Italian car design was before us. I got a sense of how important the car industry – and FIAT, in particular – has been to Turin.
The Museo dell’Automobile in Turin. Photo by Norma Davidoff.
My partner and I were staying in the heart of what had once been the FIAT auto factories. It was a city planner’s dream come true. The factory buildings have been repurposed as hotels and restaurants, along with a huge shopping center known as Lingotto.
This “new” part of town even has its own subway stop. We were staying at the 4-star Hilton Doubletree Hotel, which is a well-designed and modern part of the whole complex.
Foodies take note: A few minutes away was Casa Vicina, a one-star Michelin restaurant. It’s very near the Eataly Food Court, which is the very first Eataly in the world (also recommended.)
Casa Vicina. Photo by Norma Davidoff.
Our Casa Vicina waiter, Steven, happened to be the owner and was our cuisine “guide.” His brother, Claudio, is the chef. There were several “treats” offered gratis as we dove into what turned out to be a stunning meal.
Our first amuse bouche was Casa Vicina’s signature dish: a martini glass filled amusingly and deliciously, a bagna cauda in strips of color. Was that seaweed on top? No, it was anchovy and garlic. Next, a layer of garlic puree, then colorful bands of mashed red pepper, zucchini, carrots, artichokes, cauliflower, and beets.
My partner had vitello tonnato. The rare veal was delicate, super-thin slices of beef with tuna sauce underneath for a change. Beet and spinach ravioli in broth was a delicate mingling of the saltiness of the filling, calmed down by the lovely pasta dough and just a kiss of buttery broth. With these little pockets of pleasure, Steven advised no cheese.
Casa Vicina. Photo by Norma Davidoff.
Vicina is generous with its gifts and its ambiance. Every dish came on modern ceramics, each different, in a mix of colors and textures. Tables were far apart, and contemporary art filled the walls. The room had a happy murmur.
Dessert at Casa Vicina. Photo by Norma Davidoff.
After such excellence, we wanted still more. We opted for hot zabaglione with hazelnut ice cream, divinely light. And lo and behold, another amuse bouche: chocolate coffee beans with whipped cream, plus tiny gems of candy jellies. Steven said they had vodka and wine in them. One had a touch of strawberry, and another a plume of gold leaf. A final treat arrived, which was a cloud of cotton candy. We walked back to our hotel, surprised and contented.
A martini at Casa Vicina. Photo by Norma Davidoff.
That was just the beginning. The Museum of Cinema (Museo Nazionale del Cinema) is in the tallest building in town and, for a time, was the tallest brick building in the world known as Mole Antonelliana. It has become the symbol of the city. Being inside that huge open space, over 500 feet high, with flickering film images all about, was exciting all its own.
With a bit of electronic wizardry, the Museum of Cinema put me into a film in one exhibit. And we learned about all aspects of the biz. But it was the space itself that made it awe-inspiring.
After that exhilaration, we took one of Turin’s good subway trains (Rivoli stop) to Antica Sere Restaurant in an older part of the city. This neighborhood eatery serves homey, old-style Northern Italian food.
We started with an appetizer plate to share: vitello tonnato, an omelet, whipped cheese, veal sausage, and roasted peppers. The flavors worked so well together, and that omelet was an elegant sliver with a touch of onion. We scarfed down our mains with gusto.
Antica Sere Restaurant. Photo by Norma Davidoff.
We opted for dessert – a roasted peach with cocoa and amaretto, as well as a zabaglione with crunchy sugar and thick whipped cream on top. Then we got a surprise gift from the chef – a typical Piemonte dessert called bonet or bunet, which was a luxurious addition. Much like a crème caramel or panna cotta, it was silky, rich, and light as a cloud.
We walked back to our Lingotto digs, ready for new adventures. And there they were on the roof of that large old Fiat Building. This former factory was redesigned by prominent architect Renzo Piano. Under the roof was a museum – the highly regarded Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli. Its fine arts collection proudly includes Italian artists like Modigliani, Canaletto, and Canova.
Best of all, on the roof is the former Fiat test car racing track, still intact. Anyone can go up and look.
Turin. Photo by Norma Davidoff.
We didn’t get to spend time at either, having run out of time. I’m beginning to think we should make another trip to Milan. Remember that it’s on the way to Turin!
IF YOU GO:
La Compagnie offers Business Class (only) flights to Milan from Newark Airport. Turin is a little over an hour away.
Anybody who knows me well knows that I’m an avid fan of theater in NYC. I see almost all shows on Broadway (some more than once), and I can rattle off the names of numerous Broadway creatives from actors to choreographers to ensemble dancers to composers and more. I also used to photograph the Tony nominees every year for another publication.
So I thought you might find it useful to hear my recommendations for Broadway shows to see this summer if you’re coming to New York. Most of what’s hanging around all summer are musicals. But it’s another golden age right now of both straight plays and musicals, with so much that’s wonderful. You almost can’t go wrong with whatever you choose. But here are my two cents:
The Outsiders. This musical based on the book from the 1960s and movie from the 1980s is my top pick on Broadway this season. (Some people might consider this sacrilegious, but I prefer the musical to the film.) Nominated for 12 Tony Awards and with a stellar young cast, many of them making their Broadway debut, this production is moving and beautifully done.
Mostly, I love the score by Jamestown Revival and Jonathan Levine. it’s filled with touching songs that further the plot nicely and show us the rich inner life of the characters. And the rumble scene is the best example of fight choreography I have ever seen on stage. It brings down the house with at least two minutes of applause at each performance.
The song below is my current favorite from the show.
Suffs.This musical with a score and book by Shaina Taub started out at The Public Theater Off-Broadway, where everyone told me it needed work. So I skipped it. But they’ve worked out the kinks, and it’s now a solid piece of theater with a wonderful cast and six Tony nominations. It tells the important story of the suffragists who won the right for women to vote.
Taub plays Alice Paul, the real woman who also authored the Equal Rights Amendment, and the show is populated by other real characters from our history. Like The Outsiders, this show made me cry. Some have said it has tried to copy Hamilton, but I think this is a ridiculous accusation. There is no rap in the show, as it has a very traditional score. The only similarity is that it’s also a musical depiction of American history, but that’s where the similarities end.
After The Outsiders, this show is my second choice for the best score Tony Award. Here’s my favorite song from Suffs.
The Great Gatsby. This show got only one Tony nomination (for costumes), which I think is a travesty. It should also have received Tony nominations for the set and choreography, as well as for actors Jeremy Jordan, Eva Noblezada, and Noah J. Ricketts. Along with the rest of the cast, they are singing the hell out of a damn good score, if you ask me. Jeremy has arguably the best tenor voice on Broadway at the moment, and he’s simply thrilling as Jay Gatsby (not to mention funny (when appropriate), dashing, touching, and tragic).
The sets and costumes are lavish, as you’d expect of a show about this story. Unfortunately, critics seemed to think it should be more like the book. But when has a musical ever been able to be enough like the book it’s based on? Musicals just can’t be. It takes much longer to tell a story on stage and even longer with songs interspersed throughout. To my mind, it tells the story well enough and does it beautifully.
So in my opinion, don’t listen to the critics, and GO SEE THIS SHOW! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Below is a mashup of two of my favorite songs in the score with the remarkable Jeremy and Eva. (Don’t worry – Eva doesn’t wear this costume in the show.)
Hell’s Kitchen. This musical has the most Tony nominations (13) of any this season. With a made-up story that’s very loosely based on the life of Alicia Keys, it uses her music to tell that story. So technically, it’s what we call a “jukebox musical,” which means it uses prewritten pop music rather than a score that was written specifically for the story.
I’m definitely more fond of musicals with original scores because I know what a feat it is to create them, but Hell’s Kitchen is probably the best jukebox musical I’ve ever seen. It helps a lot that they didn’t try to make it truly autobiographical. That gave them creative leeway to craft it better to fit the songs. Still, the story doesn’t mold itself seamlessly around the lyrics.
It’s also not my favorite because I find I’m preferring the more serious subject matter of shows like The Outsiders, Suffs, and Gatsby. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this show, and one of my favorite actresses, Kecia Lewis, is turning in a performance that’s exceptionally worthy of her Tony nomination.
The Notebook. I saw this musical early on and loved it, and it’s nominated for three Tony Awards. Unfortunately, it has been usurped to some degree by the unusually large number of excellent new musicals. But it’s a fine piece of work with a lovely score by Ingrid Michaelson. With colorblind casting and three sets of Noahs and Allies at different ages, it really works.
If you’re a fan of the book or the movie that starred Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling, you’ll love this. Just bring tissues. It’s as much of a tearjerker on stage as it is on film.
Stereophonic. This is a straight play with music set in the 1970s that’s very loosely based on the back story of Fleetwood Mac. The songs by Will Butler are excellent, but it’s frustrating that you don’t get to hear them in their entirety on stage. That’s because the play is set in a recording studio while a band is recording an album and falling apart due to in-fighting.
The cast is great, but I was frustrated by the hyper-realist style that had some characters talking over each other and sometimes about trivia that I didn’t care about. I also felt it was much longer than it needed to be – more than three hours total. The first part before the intermission was 1-3/4 hours long. Frankly, I got sleepy.
That said, critics and audiences are loving it, and it’s apparently the most Tony-nominated play of all time.
Illinoise. This much-lauded show might be just what you’re looking for. The sad story is told in dance with no dialogue, while singers perform the songs away from the action. So it isn’t like most Broadway musicals.
The performances are great, but I’m not a fan of Justin Peck’s Tony-nominated choreography. Others are loving it, however, so you may disagree with me. I am a big fan of lead dancer, Ricky Ubeda, and the singers blew my mind. The music is from Sufjan Stevens’ album of the same name. It’s nominated for four Tony Awards.
The Who’s Tommy.This is an excellent revival of this rock musical. Unfortunately, I’m just not a big fan of the entire score. I love the most famous songs, “Pinball Wizard” and “See Me, Feel Me,” but I’m not fond of the rest. It’s a strange story, but if you like classic rock, you’ll love it. Ali Louis Bourzgui in the lead is wonderful. But the show is now closing July 21st.
The Wiz. This show didn’t get very good reviews, but I thought it was great fun. The cast is fantastic, and it’s colorful, well-sung, and well-danced. It’s also a great show for kids. Wayne Brady, who was playing the Wiz, has left the cast, but it’s still worth seeing without him. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Back to the Future. I’m including this show, which has been running for a while, because it’s one of the few shows right now that your kids will probably love. Led by the wonderful Casey Likes and Roger Bart (who is a national treasure), I love this silly show that pays tribute to the movie most of us know well and love just as much. The magical stagecraft will also leave you in awe. Go if you want to laugh and have the time of your life.
If you think, “she’s missing a few shows,” you’re right. There are a handful I still haven’t seen yet, including the Tony-nominated Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club and Water for Elephants. And there are shows still coming this summer, including Once Upon a Mattress with Sutton Foster and Michael Urie and the play, Oh, Mary!
I’m also not mentioning the shows that have been running a while or the ones that are getting ready to close, such as the much-nominated Sondheim musical, Merrily We Roll Along, with Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez. But if you get here fast enough, you might be able to snag a ticket for some of those.
In the comments, let me know what you’ve liked the best or what you want to see the most.
But before you run off and pay full price for tickets, read my advice for getting discounts. The shows that are selling best won’t have discounts, but some will.
It’s the beginning of what is supposed to be a very hot summer, so we thought a cold glass of bubbly would be a great antidote to the heat.
Sparkling wines, whether they are called Champagne, Prosecco, Franciacorta, Cava, Lambrusco, Brachetto, Espumante, Mousseux, Sekt, Crémant, or any other name, have captured the imagination and palates of many drinkers.
In Italy, there are two additional descriptions that also appear on labels: Spumante, indicating an extra fizzy wine, and Frizzante, a much gentler sparkler.
While French Champagne is considered the queen of extremely dry and fizzy sparklers, Italian Prosecco has become the king of a softer, less dry style of bubbly. Cava is the Spanish interpretation of bubbly and is produced in different styles from extra dry to dulce (sweet) but with considerable alcohol content.
Champagne racks. Photo courtesy of Manos Angelakis.
Sect is the German and Austrian name for a sparkler that is elegantly dry and low on alcohol. Crémant is the name for a French sparkler not produced in the Champagne region, as the term “Champagne” is reserved for the bubbly produced in that area. It’s a designation jealously and legally protected throughout the world.
Most drinkers of the “nectar of the gods” want to know how the bubbly is produced.
There are two distinct production methods: (1) the classic méthode Champenoise, where the secondary fermentation (the one that creates the bubbles) takes place in the bottle the bubbly is sold in and (2) the Martinotti, also known as the Charmat method, in which secondary fermentation takes place under pressure in large stainless steel tanks, after which the wine is bottled and sold.
Champagne, Crémant, Franciacorta, and Cava are all produced in the classic method. Prosecco, Lambrusco, Sekt, Asti, and most Brazilian and Greek sparklers are produced in the Charmat method.
The traditional method is the most complex and influences the actual price of the final product the most, as it is far more labor-intensive and space-consuming than the Charmat method. The initial process involves making a basic still wine or using still wines from different grape varieties.
Brazil sampling sparkler from Autoclave. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Next comes the blending phase, or assemblage, where the winemaker mixes still wines from different grape varieties and different harvest years, and/or different harvest plots. Then, the winemaker adds “liqueur de tirage,” consisting of sugar, nutrients, and yeast accomplishing what is known as the “house style.” Finally, there’s the stage that makes the blended wine “sparkle” in bottle fermentation. To be a “vintage” sparkler, all wines used have to be from the same year.
Champagne and other classic method sparkling wines benefit from aging. Charmat-produced wines can be drunk much younger, as age doesn’t much change the taste. Personally, I will age a classic method sparkler for at least 5 years, but I will drink it before it reaches 15.
Storage also affects the taste, much more than a regular still wine. A dark, cool space with the bottle stored on its side so that the liquid prevents the cork from drying is the way to store a sparkler.
Historians believe that the world’s first sparkling wine was produced in the Limoux region in 1531 by the monks at the Abbey of Saint-Hilaire, and not in Champagne by Dom Pérignon, whose sparkling wine was created approximately 135 years later. The apocryphal quote attributed to the good friar — “Come quickly! I am tasting stars” — supposedly said when trying his first sparkler, appears to have been made up for an advertisement in the late 19th century.
Ace of Spades Champagne. Photo courtesy of the winemaker.
The Ace of Spades Champagne came to our office in a beautiful black lacquer box with a pewter Ace of Spades logo on the cover. The Ace of Spades is also the logo on the stunning gold bottle that came in the box. It’s a classic!
Armand de Brignac Brut is a brand of the Cattier family. The sparkler is pale yellow, quite dry with a strong bead and has a lovely brioche, pear, honeysuckle, and white flowers aroma, as well as a smooth and long lingering finish. It’s a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, and 20% Pinot Meunier. It’s created exclusively from grapes grown during three very good vintages in three vineyards: Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, and Côte des Blancs.
Albert Bichot Brut Reserve Crémant de Bourgone. Photo courtesy of the winemaker.
From Albert Bichot, we tasted a Brut Reserve Crémant de Bourgogne – a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. A lovely sparkling tipple from vineyard parcels in the Côte-d’Or, it’s clean on the palate with beautiful length. The nose has notes of lime and pink grapefruit as well as white blossoms.
Gérard Bertrand Ballerine. Photo courtesy of the winemaker.
The Bertrand Ballerine features great balance and is fruity with a hint of yeast, fresh almonds, and flowers. Gérard Bertrand is among the leading winemakers of southeastern France. The wineries are located in the Languedoc, north of the Pyrenees and Spanish Catalonia. Most of the vineyards are located between the medieval towns of Carcassonne, Narbonne, and the city of Perpignan, and they include some well-known estates.
A “Blanc de Blancs” is a sparkling wine made strictly from white gapes. The Saint-Reine is a Brut sparkler made in the traditional method from Chardonnay. It’s basic and straightforward but a good-value sparkler with green apple, pear, honeydew melon, and orange zest on the nose.
On the palate, it’s dry and medium-bodied with flavors suggested from the nose, supported by medium acidity and completing with a medium finish. It’s very good for the price and perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon … and much more sophisticated than drinking Coke or Pepsi.
Catalunia Vilarnau Rose Cava. Photo courtesy of the winemaker.
The autonomous community of Catalunya is located in northeast Spain. It encompasses the larger part of the territory of the medieval principality of Catalonia, bordering the Spanish region of Aragon to the West, France to the North, and the Mediterranean Sea to the East.
The landscape is mountainous with fertile valleys covered in pine trees, cork oaks, olive trees, hazelnut and almond trees, and of course, the ubiquitous grapevine rows. Grapes grow on soil of mostly decomposed blue and red slate. Most Cava is born in the historic D.O. of Penedès, which lies within Catalonia’s borders near the Mediterranean coast.
Cava is becoming one of the favorite libations in Europe. Made with the same painstaking procedures the Champagne houses follow, it’s softer and less acidic, as well as less costly even at the highest quality.
Cava is usually produced from all indigenous white grapes – Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarello (though some producers mix the indigenous white varieties with pinot noir for a lighter version) versus Champagne’s Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier (one white and two red grapes). The production method is the same for both – the méthode Champenoise.
Mionetto Superiore Brut. Photo courtesy of the winemaker.
Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine mostly made in the Veneto. It’s a reasonably priced alternative to Champagne made from Glera grapes, and one of my choices comes from Mionetto that pioneered this bubbly.
The Mionetto exudes intensely fruity and fresh summer aromas of green grapes, honeydew, and golden pears. The palate is clean, making it ideal for a summer drink with fresh apple tones. It’s lighter and much more accessible than Champagne, and it’s rapidly gaining favor on this side of the Atlantic as well.
Salmon pink in color, Ferrari Rosé is a Brut bottle made in the traditional method in the Trentodoc. The bouquet is distinct with fragrance of white flowers, red currants, and strawberries. The palate is dry and elegant with a mild finish of berries and almonds.
FIOL Prosecco Rose Extra Dry. Photo courtesy of the winemaker.
FIOL is a brand I enjoy at the end of the day. It’s a pale pink rosé, extra dry vintage Prosecco from Treviso – a blend of 85% Glera and 15% Pinot Noir. On the nose, there are fruity aromas of berries, i.e. raspberries and strawberries, with hints of citrus and white flowers. It’s crisp, and there’s an elegant balance between acidity and fruit sugars. But it has a bit more of an edge than I would normally expect from a Prosecco.
Then, there’s always Asti Spumante – light, sweet, low in alcohol, and a definite crowd-pleaser. Asti is made using single-tank fermentation in the Charmat technique. I should also mention Brachetto, a pink-hued, effervescent, sweet wine from Piedmont. Banfi is a very good example of Brachetto.
Aphrodise Rose. Photo courtesy of the winemaker.
A new brand of sparkling wine, Aphrodise Rosé, has arrived in the USA. It’s a sparkler produced in Northern Greece in the Charmat method – the same method used to create Prosecco – using carefully selected Xinomavro grapes. Three pressings take place. After the must settles, the first alcoholic fermentation starts.
Aphrodise Rosé has an intense mousse and a bright cherry-red color with pronounced aromas of apple, ripe strawberries, and a hint of cherry. If you like a good Prosecco, Aphrodise is a sparkler you should try.
Whatever you choose, I lift my glass to your health!
I sat down to watch the Tony Awards Sunday night, June 16, with trepidation. It had been a particularly stuffed season, especially with musicals, which is my favorite genre. I expected to be disappointed by some of the decisions.
But I walked away happier with the awards as a whole than in most previous years. I wouldn’t have made all of the same choices as Tony voters, but I agreed with a lot of them. A dozen shows took home at least one Tony.
First of all, I was thrilled that The Outsiders won the Best Musical award. In a season with a number of terrific musicals, I still strongly feel that this is the best one. It won the most awards for a new musical with four Tonys. You get a small taste of the show’s epic fight choreography and wonderful score here.
I wanted The Outsiders to also win for Best Score, but I wasn’t mad to see Shaina Taub on stage to receive that award for her wonderful score for Suffs,the musical about the real suffragists who won women the right to vote. In also winning the Tony for Best Book, she became the first woman to win both by herself (without a writing partner). She took home the only two Tonys won by Suffs.
I saw an interview with her in which she said she suffered a lot of doubt during the process of writing the show. It just goes to show that self-doubt happens to the best of us, no matter how talented and accomplished we are!
Dede Ayite was also the first Black woman to win for Best Costume Design of a Play. She had three Tony nominations for her costume designs for three shows this year!
Hell’s Kitchen, the jukebox musical using Alicia Keys music, had the most nominations of the night but only won two – both for the show’s lead actresses. I was especially happy to see veteran actress Kecia Lewis walk home with her first Tony. I have followed her career for years.
I wasn’t happy with the performance of Hell’s Kitchen during the Tony Awards, however. I thought it misrepresented the show since Alicia Keys and Jay Z joined the cast on television, but that never happens during the show at the theater. The Who’s Tommy, which received a nomination but no awards, did something similar by having Pete Townsend join them on stage.
The revival of Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along won big with four Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical and for its two lead actors – Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe. Both actors have been on Broadway numerous times, and Jonathan has been nominated before. But it was a first win for both of them, and it was a first nomination for Daniel for any acting award despite the fact that he’s been an actor since a very young age. It was lovely to see them both get the recognition they deserve.
Jonathan Groff. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
While the other lead in Merrily, Lindsay Mendez, didn’t win this year, she has a Tony for her work in Carousel in the past. So now, all three leads in the show have a Tony. Nice!
Lindsay Mendez. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
I expected Maria Friedman to win Best Director for Merrily, but I’m still excited it went to the director of The Outsiders, Danya Taymor, the niece of famed director Julie Taymor.
Nevertheless, the wins for Merrily are particularly sweet since the original production of the show was a well-known flop. I have long loved Sondheim’s score for that show, so I’m pleased to see it finally work and get the accolades it has been due for decades (even though bittersweet since Sondheim didn’t live to see it.)
It was also wonderful to see Jonathan Tunick win for Best Orchestrations for Merrily We Roll Along. A longtime collaborator with Stephen Sondheim, orchestration wasn’t a category during most of their years of working together. So it was his first win for a Sondheim musical.
There were some categories that were almost done deals. We knew Merrily We Roll Along would win Best Revival of a Musical and that Appropriate would win Best Revival of a Play. We knew Kara Young would win Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for Purlie Victorious and that Sarah Paulson would win Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for Appropriate.
We also knew Stereophonic would win Best Play. It walked away with the most wins of the night with five Tonys. No surprise since it had the most nominations of any play in Tony history. But I considered all of the other categories to be more or less a crap shoot, which is rare.
Stereophonic wasn’t a musical, but it was nominated for Best Score because there are songs in the show. I would have been furious if it had won for score, however, in a season filled with full, brilliant scores in actual musicals! Thank God it didn’t win in that category.
Meanwhile, it’s sad that most of the design awards are given out during a pre-show that few people see because it isn’t on the major network. They did give the Best Book of a Musical award at that presentation, but I’m glad they moved Best Score to the regular broadcast this year where it belongs.
In a season so stuffed with shows, it isn’t enough to be good. You have to be better than your competition. For this reason, a lot of excellent shows were locked out of either awards or any nominations at all. Like The Who’s Tommy, The Notebook and Water For Elephants both got nominations but won nothing. In a less competitive season, The Notebook might very well have won big, for example.
The Heart of Rock and Roll got excellent reviews but no nominations. Even though it’s a wonderful show, jukebox musicals often struggle to get a lot of recognition (and rightly so in most cases since the score isn’t new). Hell’s Kitchen is an exception to the rule.
The biggest puzzler for me was The Great Gatsby, which is one of my favorite shows of the season. It did win for Best Costumes, but it absolutely should have at least been nominated for set design, lead actor for Jeremy Jordan, lead actress for Eva Noblezada, and featured actor for Noah J. Ricketts. The Great Gatsby did win big in awards chosen by the fans.
As for the Tony show itself, I think Ariana DeBose does a fine job as host, but I still miss Neil Patrick Harris, who remains for me the best Tony host ever. The opening number last night was a bit underwhelming, but only because Neil and the writers when he was part of the show set such a high bar.
That said, Ariana DeBose is the epitome of a triple threat. She could make it as an actress alone, as a singer alone, or as a dancer alone. But she does them all equally well.
My personal award for favorite acceptance speech of the night goes to David Adjmi, the playwright of Stereophonic, who said: “It’s really hard to make a career in the arts. We need to fund the arts in America. It’s the hallmark of a civilized society.” Hear, hear.
Besides the aforementioned numbers of Tonys won by particular shows, Appropriate won three, and the following each took home one award: The Great Gatsby, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, An Enemy of the People, Illinoise, Purlie Victorious, and Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. Below is a full list of winners in each category:
Best Musical: The Outsiders Best Revival of a Musical: Merrily We Roll Along Best Direction of a Musical: Danya Taymor, The Outsiders
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical: Jonathan Groff, Merrily We Roll Along Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical: Maleah Joi Moon, Hell’s Kitchen Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical: Daniel Radcliffe, Merrily We Roll Along Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical: Kecia Lewis, Hell’s Kitchen Best Book of a Musical: Shaina Taub, Suffs Best Original Score: Shaina Taub, Suffs Best Orchestrations: Jonathan Tunick, Merrily We Roll Along Best Choreography: Justin Peck, Illinoise Best Scenic Design in a Musical: Tom Scutt, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club Best Costume Design in a Musical: Linda Cho, The Great Gatsby Best Lighting Design in a Musical: Brian MacDevitt and Hana S. Kim, The Outsiders Best Sound Design of a Musical: Cody Spencer, The Outsiders Best Play: Stereophonic Best Revival of a Play: Appropriate Best Direction of a Play: Daniel Aukin, Stereophonic Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play: Jeremy Strong, An Enemy of the People Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play: Sarah Paulson, Appropriate Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play: Will Brill, Stereophonic Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play: Kara Young, Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch Best Scenic Design in a Play: David Zinn, Stereophonic Best Costume Design in a Play: Dede Ayite, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding Best Lighting Design in a Play: Jane Cox, Appropriate Best Sound Design of a Play: Ryan Rumery, Stereophonic
Don’t rely on AI to create your itinerary! A recent study found that AI itineraries are ridden with errors. They’ll recommend visiting places when they aren’t open or places that are permanently closed. Some of them even recommend places that never existed. Plus, they might send you an hour away for lunch and then return you to your starting point. Just don’t use them!
Airbnb insurance? With all the horror stories I’ve heard about Airbnbs, I’ll definitely get insurance if I decide to use the service ever again. Tin Leg and Seven Corners are two companies that offer policies covering Airbnbs, or check to see if your credit card insurance will cover it.
Travel luggage
No ribbons on your bags! A baggage handler says that if you put a ribbon on your bag, it makes scanning the bag more difficult. This might mean it gets relegated to the end of the line. Stickers might also be problematic.
Don’t drink the water on airplanes! A flight attendant says the tanks that house the water used on airplanes aren’t cleaned often enough. They recommend only drinking liquids in a bottle or can. That means no coffee or tea, people!
More Boeing problems. Boeing is apparently having fuselage fastener problems (whatever that means) with some of their 787 Dreamliner jets. They say this doesn’t affect any planes that are actually in service, but their ongoing issues certainly don’t inspire confidence.
Italy’s Dolomites opens new hiking trail. The new trail, which takes seven days, is 105 miles long and is meant to promote slow, sustainable tourism. It’s called the Cammino Retico Trail named after the ancient Raeti people, and it goes through Veneto and Trentino villages. A cyclist route will be introduced next year.
Photo by Jill Wellington.
The new museum of cheese in Paris. Yum! The Musée du Fromage just opened last week on June 13th in the 4th arrondissement. it will have an interactive gallery to teach you how cheese is made, and yes, you’ll get to taste some. I think this will be quite a popular place!
Private Jet Villa? In Bali, a jet has been turned into a private villa. Check it out: https://privatejetvilla.com/.
AIRLINE NEWS:
Southwest Airlines fee increases. Southwest has increased its fees for early bird check-in to $15-$99 each way and $30-$149 for upgraded boarding.
Fiji Airways joins the oneworld Alliance. Fiji joins other oneworld Alliance members American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, Sri Lankan Airlines, and Oman Air.
American Airlines News. The airline recently said anyone booking through a travel agency wouldn’t receive frequent flyer miles, but it’s now backtracking. A lot of companies in different industries seem to be announcing policy changes, only to discover how unpopular they are. Why don’t they ask us first? In other American Airlines news, the NAACP is threatening them with a travel ban and accusing them of several racist incidents against Black passengers.
Ads on United Airlines. United is now going to put ads on the back of seat TV screens. (Eye roll.)
Airplane in airport. Photo by cegoh.
Spirit Airlines theft. A Spirit Airlines passenger was able to track her luggage back to an airport store employee’s house, and he’s been arrested for stealing quite a few bags. But I can’t figure this out. According to the story I read, she had planned to carry on her bag but was told she had to check it. Yet, she had an Apple iPad and other devices in the bag. Why wasn’t she told to remove those because of their batteries, which are only supposed to be in the cabin not baggage storage (due to fire risk)? And how did a store employee get access to the bags without the help of a Spirit or TSA employee? Spirit did reimburse her for the loss. Things that make you go hmmm…
Well-traveled dog.
Bark Air lawsuit. The new Bark Air service that allows dog owners to fly with their dogs (for thousands of dollars between Westchester County, NY, Los Angeles, and London), is being sued by Westchester County because they’re apparently flying a larger plane than regulations allow in their area of the airport. But so far, they aren’t grounded.
If you’re longing for a European vacation, but it’s not in the immediate future, why not get that taste of Europe by visiting the northeast mountains of Georgia where the tiny hamlet of Alpine Helen will quell your appetite for international travel—at least for the time being?
The village of Helen, nestled in the famed Blue Ridge Mountains on the Chattahoochee River, is celebrating its 55th year as a mountain retreat. It features a Bavarian accent, cobblestone alleys, Old World towers, and half-timbered structures reminiscent of its German heritage.
While it’s a great destination for a weekend getaway, you may want to stay longer by expanding your activities from simply sightseeing and shopping to hiking, fishing, ziplining, horseback riding, mountain biking, golfing, or zooming down the mountainside on Georgia’s only alpine coaster. The experiences are virtually endless—so varied that Helen earned the title of “Georgia’s Adventure Destination.”
There are many accommodation options to choose from as you explore this mountainous retreat. More than 1,100 rooms are available within the town’s limits, while outside of town, visitors can stay in cabins or chalets complete with cozy fireplaces amid forest settings.
The Smithgall Mountain Cottage is perfect for a family vacation. Photo by Dene Fagundes.
One place that definitely deserves consideration is Smithgall Cottage, a massive Montana lodge pole home with a cedar shake roof. It has a wraparound porch with rocking chairs, and it sits on a plot of land inside Smithgall Woods State Park where two roaring trout streams converge.
The word “cottage” doesn’t aptly describe this incredible haven. It’s elegantly appointed, filled with countless amenities and ideal for romantic getaways, small weddings, or family gatherings. It’s also an angler’s paradise, with trophy trout and bass located within minutes of the lodge at places like Duke’s Creek on the Chattahoochee River and the lakes formed by the same river. Five miles of pristine wooded trails surrounded by hemlocks and 18 miles of hilly roads let hikers and bikers get in on the action.
The fireplace is a focal point of the Smithgall Cottage Great Room. Photo by Dene Fagundes.
After a fun-filled full day in and around Helen, which could leave you exhausted, the lodge offers the opportunity to stay in, relax, and enjoy a catered seven-course dinner prepared by renowned Chef Monda Dodge, a legend in the Helen environs. The gourmet meal in the comfort of the cottage also includes a selection of fine wines, champagne, and delectable desserts. It’s an impeccable way to conclude a day of sightseeing and adventure.
This German dish of pork chops is a treat for the taste buds. Photo by Dene Fagundes.
The exclusive dinner offering is just one way to enjoy the dining pleasures available throughout Alpine Helen’s variety of eateries. Before setting out the next morning, breakfast beckons at Hofer’s of Helen Bakery and Café on the main thoroughfare of the village. Owner Ralph Hofer serves traditional family-style baked goods and a wide-ranging breakfast and lunch in a cozy setting decorated with hand painted murals.
The selections at Hofer’s Bakery are impossible to pass up. Photo by Dene Fagundes.
Other highly reviewed restaurants in the area include Bodensee Bavarian Restaurant, where master Chef Auril Prodan brings a taste of Old Germany to diners with the help of his wife Doina and his daughter Christine. The trio circulates among the guests, offering tips on cooking, history, and just plain charm that make eating there a distinct pleasure.
The fish at Bodensee Bavarian Restaurant is artfully prepared. Photo by Dene Fagundes.
Another delightful bistro is Cowboys & Angels located along the riverwalk in downtown. It’s one of several restaurants that border the river, giving it an added allure. Cowboys & Angels Restaurant’s fresh aged certified Angus beef or bison is carefully crafted and can be accompanied by tempting sides along with a large selection of domestic beers and extensive wine list. It features indoor and outdoor dining and live music Thursday through Sunday.
It’s a good idea to grab a copy of the local guidebook published by the Alpine Helen-White County CVB. The book contains a comprehensive list of all the dining options in the area along with tips on accommodations, attractions, tours, shopping, sports and other services.
The adventures that beg to be discovered and experienced include the variety of activities happening at Nacoochee Adventures, where you’ll find one of the longest dual ziplines in the U.S. You’ll also find a giant swing, bicycles, a challenge course, camping that features cabins and tree houses, and a canopy tour that’s ideal for birders and lovers of flora and fauna.
Outdoor enthusiasts usually flock to the Unicoi State Park for a chance to hike to the beautiful double waterfall at Anna Ruby Falls in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. (See the photo of the Falls at the top of this article.) The trail winds up the mountainside along the rambling river. While I found it daunting at times, there are places to rest along the way before reaching the summit. Once there, the beautiful view of these tumbling falls is the ultimate reward.
For a more subdued adventure, visit the Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia where you can see the handicraft skills of one of the South’s premier art forms and learn about the changing role of folk pottery in Southern life.
Pottery jugs with faces are treasured by collectors. Photo by Dene Fagundes.
The museum has a number of famous pieces designed by Lanier Meaders, who was best known for face jugs. The Meaders pottery tradition dates back to Lanier’s grandfather, John Milton Meaders, who began the pottery business in the community of Mossy Creek, Georgia.
More historical objects can be found at the Old Sautee Store, in operation since 1872 and now a museum. It provided the local residents with general goods and was even a post office for the valley up until the 1940s. Reminiscent of an old country store, it was the center of a thriving arts community back in the day.
Old Sautee Market has been in operation since the 1800s. Photo by Dene Fagundes.
The Old Sautee Market next door has fresh bread, sandwiches, and old-time drinks for sale. it’s a good place to grab a snack while you continue your journeys.
Nearby is the Nora Mill Granary Grist Mill and Country Store, an operational gristmill since 1876. Utilizing the power of the Chattahoochee River, the Mill uses its original 1,500 French Burr stones to grind and produce various corn and wheat-based products.
Another hallmark of White County is the plethora of vineyards in the region. There are eight wineries, and some offer tours and wine tastings. One notable vineyard that includes inspiring views along with its celebrated wines is Yonah Mountain Vineyard nestled at the southeastern base of iconic Yonah Mountain.
The Yonah Winery is a perfect venue for weddings or a wine tasting. Photo by Dene Fagundes.
The rolling hills and sandy soil are perfect for cultivation of grapes for Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Petit Manseng, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.
If you’re lucky during your visit, you may get to hear family patriarch Bob Miller perform at the piano while you enjoy your sampling of wine. Bob and his wife, Jane, purchased nearly 200 acres in 2005 and began their dream of winemaking in the rich Georgia soil.
The Yonah Winery exudes elegance. Photo by Dene Fagundes.
On the second Sunday of every month, the winery offers visitors the opportunity to sample its wines against some of the most renowned wines from around the world. The 90-minute program is held in the elegant Vineyard Ballroom and includes a gourmet charcuterie pairing curated by Bob. On occasion, there are live music performances at the estate.
I had this thought during my time in Helen: Helen of Troy was regarded as one of the most beautiful people in the world. Helen, Georgia, surely ranks as one of the most beautiful places in the world.
The author of this article received some complimentary food and accommodations, but as always, we are dedicated to providing honest assessments of our experiences without bias. Our allegiance is to our readers.
