I’ve just returned from a four-day road trip through the Blue Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina, including the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. My first impression: awed. The landscapes were incredible. The Appalachian delicacies a delight. The music, a dreamy wonder.
Sipping at the Algonquin
The Algonquin cocktail brings me back to that time in the mid-90s when I had the pleasure of staying at the famous Algonquin hotel in New York City. I was having drinks in the lobby with a view of the…
Neon Museum and Boneyard
Located just north of Downtown Las Vegas, and not far from glittery Freemont Street, is the Neon Museum. This collection of classic bright lights is a vault of history from old Vegas. The displays are free standing outdoors on the…
Il Leone Stregato
The Witches of Benevento Benevento is a historical city located about 70km northeast of Naples, in Italy’s Campania region. Known for its Roman ruins, Catholic church, and my mother’s childhood home, the city is also remembered for its eerie legends…
Park of Monsters in the Sacred Woods
I once trekked (literally) to the medieval town of Bomarzo located near Viterbo, north of Rome; to visit the eerie Park of Monsters, also known as the Sacred Woods. As I mentioned, it was a damn trek and a half……
Restaurant: Locanda della Luna
Local Chef Honors Traditional Flavors Through Modern Cuisine [Autumn 2011] – Every time I find myself visiting friends and relatives in southern Italy (Campagna), it has become a tradition to enjoy a delicious meal at La Locanda della Luna in San Giorgio…
Stuzzichini: Supplí
Stuzzichini are small bite sized snacks typically found at bars at happy hour or served as appetizers. These bites vary from fried mozzarella, finger sandwiches, arancini, supplí, potato croquettes, and more. This post focuses on supplí specifically. Supplí are typical…
Adventures in Rome 2011
Over the next few weeks, I will re-release my ‘Adventures in Rome’ blog post series as I transfer them from the archives to Magnusmade.com. Contributing to #tbt or #ThrowbackThursday, a new post will be released every Thursday, beginning Sept 5,…
A Lumberjack’s Feast
La Buche (meaning ‘the log’) is, for me, another of the most memorable restaurants in old city Québec, offering a fantastic and fun dinner of local Québécois cuisine. The space: La Buche’s interior is reminiscent of a sugar house log…
Old Warehouse, Modern Cuisine
[Québec, Canada] – Located in an old warehouse attached to the Auberge Saint Antoine, Chez Muffy celebrates local Québécois ingredients via elegant presentations. The space: Highlighting the structure of this former warehouse, Chez Muffy’s style is accentuated by exposed wood…
Summer Negroni at Bar Artefact
The weekend in Québec City started with an aperitivo at Bar Artefact in the museum-like hotel Auberge Saint-Antoine – located by the Saint Lawrence River. The space: A sleek modern design with accent pieces including cannon balls and deconstructed leather shoes,…
The Sage Monkey
This is my really simple twist on a basic Gin Rickey. The gin: I wanted to highlight the delicious flavor of Monkey 47 gin; a small batch gin distilled in the botanical fairy tale woods of Germany’s Black Forest. My…
