The Other Napa

What’s worth doing in the Napa Valley: a travel guide to the wine country.

Mole in the Mountains

A gastronomic adventure in Xalapa, Mexico.

, is very focused on shopping locally. The occasional upscale is fine but we really like the idea of everything from those funky diners (we don’t have out here to finding the best Vermont cheeses. We are, alas, a bit...

, where sometimes the best foods in the world can be found. For here they serve 5 pork filled dumplings for $1.00 ! What the heosauce? We order one and it serves as an appetizer for the beginning of our trip. The gentleman behind...

was fascinated by the cuisine – we had samosa-like pieces and thousand-layer breads that were faintly reminiscent of indian foods, then bean curd salads and red and masaman curry dishes that reminded me of some of my thai...

beans: fine, winning points for world-class foam and rich flavour, losing a half point for a hint of unnatural bitterness from overextraction (by the barista’s own admission). A ham and cheese panino was impeccably made,...

. Before that they were run by Greeks. Asians are running the “tortilla factories” in NYC. The best carne asada in all of California was for years made out of a Chinese deli in Bakersfield(I don’t know if this...

I’ll be in Chicago on business in March and I’m looking for a really good steakhouse. What is the best steak in Chicago?

. Yes, a fried egg. It doesn’t make the burger taste like eggs, it just makes it wonderful. I go for cheese and chili on the burger too. This gives your meal enough cholesterol to drop a rhino in its tracks, but it’s...

places in the tour area. It is more an example of how to determine chow-worthy places. Tell a man where to eat the best crab and he eats a good meal. Show a man how to size-up whether a restaurant might have extrodinary crab and...

with guac & pico de gallo) as even more distinctive. And the uni from right off the San Diego coast is consider by many (Jeffrey Steingarden among others) as the best in the world. Available at the better SD sushi bars. ed

You are in luck. Take a drive south down the Willamette Valley and into some of the best Pinot Noir growing areas in the world. Stop in and tour the vineyards, this is the fun part. You will learn each vineyards techniques and...

but in different parts of the country/world (sauvignon blanc from New Zealand, California, the Loire and South Africa) - wines made in the same region and the same style but from different grapes (syrah, cabernet sauvignon, merlot...

> Castoro Vineyards. They have local art shows and label contests there, too. Or, maybe a food tour on a tandem bike through France? Find the best cafes, vineyards, floral gardens, country inns, recipes, and cooking classes.

Clemente Orozco, one of the big 3 muralist (along with Rivera and Siquieros). They are totally worth a visit and extremely powerful in impact. English speaking guides may be available for the tour and if they are, do have them...