Travel Tuesday: Wine and Vineyards

Red Wine (Flickr photo by smcgee)Wine tourism has become a popular aspect of almost any destination. In fact, it isn’t just a pastime for the wealthy anymore. Moms just like me are learning about color, bouquet, and taste, all while taking some time for themselves and learning how to choose affordable wines to serve when entertaining.

The TwitterMoms Wine Club hosts online tastings each month. A bottle is selected and participants from all over the world taste and discuss the wine, sharing notes through Twitter. There is also another event that is popular, Twitter Taste Live.

I’m fortunate that as a travel writer, I am given opportunities to tour vineyards and wineries, learn the stories of how vintners got interested in wine, and of course sample some interesting and flavorful wines.

But, wine tasting isn’t limited to online events or special occasions. You can broaden your wine knowledge by hosting a tasting with your neighbors, finding wineries during your travels, or just opening a new bottle on a Saturday afternoon.

The news segment below shows just how much fun a wine tasting is:

(Video courtesy of WAFB in Baton Rouge, LA. If you can’t see the video, the direct link is here and the backstory from the cool camera dude is on his blog.)

This Travel Tuesday is all about the vino, so please share your stories of wine tasting or travel to a winery. Whether you visit Napa, Solvang, or even Disney World, we want to know about it. If you toured an Inn and enjoyed some great dinner pairings on a romantic getaway, please share. Even if you have tips for someone’s first wine tasting or if you just want to tell us about awesome wine expert, Natalie MacLean.

Please leave a relevant link to the specific post/story or it will be deleted. When Mr. Linky asks for your name, type in the title of your blog with the post title in parenthesis. Then, leave your post link in the link box and you’re done. Here are the official rules of Travel Tuesday on Traveling Mamas.

We’d love for you to tell your friends and readers about this post and even link back here, but we won’t require you to do that. The purpose of Travel Tuesday is to introduce our readers to interesting blogs and sites.

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May 19, 2009 | Filed Under Culinary Travel, Destinations, Romantic Getaways, Travel Tuesday, Videos | 8 Comments 

A Best Mother’s Day Brunch in Venice, Los Angeles

Abbott Kinney BlvdVenice is a fun and funky part of Los Angeles, with many of the best little stores, unique restaurants, a thriving artists community, and a boardwalk made for people watching (and roller blading, and buying local crafts, and even more people watching. The ’70s still lives on the Venice Beach boardwalk). The artsiest part of Venice, itself arguably the artsiest part of Los Angeles, is Abbot Kinney Blvd. This long boulevard stretches in the California sun, full of fun restaurants, boutique shops, and hip young people. A restaurant that perfectly encapsulates the Venice sub-culture of Los Angeles is Hal’s Bar & Grill. It’s fun, hip, and trendy, with that relaxed, casual Southern California ambience throughout.

A Grandmother, Mother and Daughter out for Brunch

A Grandmother, Mother and Daughter out for Brunch

We had a memorable, multigenerational Mother’s Day brunch at Hal’s Bar & Grill. Because of the holiday, the restaurant was pretty crowded with family groups. The waiters kept their cool, though, and we were led upstairs to the quieter level. Just as well; along with my kids, we were with their grandmother AND their great-grandfather. He is in his 90’s, and hard of hearing. The more sedate upstairs area was best for us, as it was nice to not have to shout to be heard. There is plenty of room to move around at Hal’s, which is useful with four generations all together like that!  It’s so rare that all the living generations of our family can come together like this (Great Grandpa lives 3,000 miles away), and we wanted a special place to celebrate this memorable event.

Most Memorable Mother's Day Brunch

Most Memorable Mother's Day Brunch

My mother-in-law is about as hip and youthful as a grandma should be allowed to be, and the Abbot Kinney neighborhood of Venice suits her perfectly. We were so happy to share this fun part of Los Angeles with her and her elderly father; we were certain they’d love it, and we were right. Brunch was great. We shared everything we ate with each other, moving plates around and laughing.

The southwest scramble was probably the big winner at the table. Great Grandpa ordered this favorite brunch dish - I suppose it’s true when they say that “with age comes wisdom,” so his grandson - my husband - ordered a second Southwest scramble to ensure there would be enough for everyone. The smokey cheddar, grilled corn, black beans and mild spices blended together to make this a very tasty egg dish.  The huevos rancheros with chili relleno and fresh salsa was also a popular egg dish at our table. My own favorite, however, was the lobster scramble, made with egg whites. It felt almost decadent to be eating lobster for brunch, but hey: It was Mother’s Day, and I was one of the mothers! Enjoying great food, and great family time, is what this day is all about for a foodie mom like me.

There are many sandwiches and salads on the brunch menu at Hal’s, along with pancakes and french toast.  It’s a terrific brunch menu with something for everyone.The restaurant clientele is as diverse as Venice Beach itself, and I loved it. For a hip, fun Los Angeles restaurant with fresh takes on traditional dishes, I recommend Hal’s Bar & Grill. Especially for a most memorable multigenerational Mother’s Day Brunch!

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May 14, 2009 | Filed Under Culinary Travel, Destinations, Family Travel, Girlfriend Getaways, Romantic Getaways | 5 Comments 

The Ray Garcia Fig and Traveling Mamas Tweetup

The Fig is California Casual

The Fig is California Casual

Vacation lovers, parents, and travel PR folk have been using Twitter to have brief interactions with each other about trips with children, favorite vacation destinations, travel deals and more. The Traveling Mamas have a presence on the social-media site, of course. But an especially interesting phenomena is the “tweetup.” Tweetups are organized by groups of twitter users who are geographically close, to get together IRL (that’s, “in real life,” Mom). And, in partnership with Fairmont, the Traveling Mamas site is hosting a Los Angeles tweetup on May 18, at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica! The restaurant in the Fairmont Miramar hotel, The Fig, is usually closed on Mondays, but it will be opened on May 18 just for this fun experience.

The Traveling Mamas love the Fairmont brand of hotels and resorts for many reasons; the imprimatur indicates luxury and class, as well as a guiding philosophy of respect for the hotel’s natural surroundings. All three of these are easily found at the Fairmont Miramar, in Santa Monica, California. The restaurant in the hotel, The Fig, is designed perfectly to provide the casual California setting for a great dinner. Chef Ray Garcia uses the best, freshest, most sustainably harvested ingredients to create delicious, memorable meals. Most fruits and vegetables are purchased at the bi-weekly Santa Monica Farmers’ Market. That explains the rave reviews! A terrific dinner is an important part of a Los Angeles vacation, and hungry travelers are wise to make reservations at The Fig in the Fairmont Miramar.

The Fig in Fairmont Miramar
The Fig in Fairmont Miramar

The Ray Garcia Fig and Traveling Mamas Tweetup is, again, May 18. There is a cover charge of $20, but that means that all the delicious menu items - and the talented mixologist at the bar - are at our disposal. That’s right, food and drinks. It will be a FUN night! Please bring cash to simplify and expedite the process of getting in. Doors open at 6 pm, so come hungry! The only thing you need to bring besides cash is your Twitter handle (for example, I’m @MudslideMama) so that your online friends will know who you are. You don’t have to live in Los Angeles to come (I know someone who is jetting down from San Francisco) but watch out; the Miramar is a popular hotel with ocean views. Those ocean view rooms might fill up fast! Any twitterer who’s been considering a mid-May Southern California vacation, should also considering stopping by The Fig and saying hi. I’ll be happy to meet you!

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April 29, 2009 | Filed Under Culinary Travel, Destinations, Travel News | 2 Comments 

When Things Go Wrong On Vacation: Lesson Learned, Always Call Ahead

Before setting off on our girls’ trip to the San Juan Marriott in Puerto Rico, I grilled some of my local friends who’d lived in San Juan for two years before having kids (about 9 years ago). They’d also been back a couple of times since moving to Colorado.

They told me I had to check out the swanky lobby at the El San Juan Hotel & Casino in Isla Verde, about a 15-minute cab ride ($20) from the San Juan Marriott. Better yet, they said, go late-night to enjoy the live music, salsa dancing and bar scene. Their other tip: don’t miss the tableside, made-in-front-of-your-eyes guacamole at the hotel’s rooftop restaurant.

bbq

On our last night in San Juan, we weren’t sure we’d be up for dancing at midnight (due to early wake-up call to get to airport by 7 a.m.), so I highly encouraged (okay, made) my friends to hop in a cab to head east to the El San Juan before backtracking and heading west to Old San Juan, where we had dinner reservations. “Pretty view at sunset!” I told them. “Homemade guacamole made tableside!”

After all, after Googling “el san juan guacamole” and clicking on a link to Travelocity.com, I read about this nifty open-air, 10th-floor Mexican restaurant offering guacamole “created to your taste.” I’d scanned the El San Juan website and didn’t see anything about it, but figured out we’d be directed to the restaurant once we arrived.

Ha!

The concierge looked at me funny when I asked where the rooftop Mexican restaurant was. I said, “Tableside guacamole!” a couple times, like it was some code word for passage to the secret place. Finally, another front-desk employee chimed in, “Oh, that restaurant is now Brother Jimmy’s a barbecue joint.”

Wha?

Like a ding-a-ling, I asked desperately, “But do they still have the tableside guacamole with a view?” Indeed, the front-desk gal called upstairs and confirmed, yes, we could get our homemade guacamole.”

Success!

But as soon as we walked into Brother Jimmy’s we couldn’t help but crack up. It was a true sports bar and grill, themed to the gills with references from the South (Gators pennants) and vintage Georgia license plates, complete with a mechanical bull. And the menu? Hush puppies, fried okra and wings. Funny that CajunMama left her Louisiana home to come to Puerto Rico for… Southern cookin’.

After getting settled in a booth with a great view of Isla Verde’s beach, the ocean and the neighboring city skyline, we asked our server for the famous guacamole.

“We’re out of avocados,” she said.

This is where the scene really got funny. We spent $20 on a cab ride to get our tableside guacamole at a Mexican restaurant turned BBQ joint… and there are no avocados.

Our waitress somehow managed to secure three avocados (we think she traded some other ingredients with another hotel restaurant), so we could enjoy our tableside guacamole. Which we devoured in a matter of minutes (and it was good, albeit a little bland; we weren’t asked how spicy we wanted it).

bbq

A $40 pitcher of sangria later (served in mason jars with fresh fruit on ice), we set off for our next adventures at Barrachina’s in Old San Juan, which offered us a more authentic experience, with Puerto Rican mofongo on the menu, and a bona fide flamenco show.

Moral of the story: Always check the official website carefully to make sure your intended restaurant is still open or any other service is still offered. Better yet, call ahead and get someone on site to give you the scoop. Don’t rely on third-party websites for up-to-the-minute, accurate travel information.

And most important of all, travel with fun folks who can see the humor in situations like this. Travel is an adventure, and most likely there will be missteps along the way. No vacation is ever perfect, so try to take minor snafus in stride. After all, travel tales are so much more fun to tell when things go just a little bit wrong!

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April 10, 2009 | Filed Under Culinary Travel, Girlfriend Getaways | 6 Comments 

Exploring Louisiana: Monroe and Ruston

A few weeks ago I had the chance to explore the northern part of Louisiana. I’ve lived in this state my entire life, but as any average American, when it comes to vacation time, we always venture far from home. I’m the first one that will tell you to “Boycott the Staycation” as we see how detrimental the lack of travel is on our economy, but I’ll also be the first one to tell you to get out there and see what is in your own backyard.

I really think the idea of a “staycation” is just plain ignorant. Last summer, the media was telling people how to save money, by providing alternatives such as buying an outdoor movie theater or visiting places close to home. Well, the cost of that outdoor movie theater is equivalent to a week’s condo rental, should you shop around. And as far as visiting places closer to home, you should be doing that with your kids on the weekends anyway.

I’d like to call my foray into north Louisiana as a sort of reconnaissance trip to determine what I’ll do with my kids this summer on short jaunts. This will by no means take the place of our annual family vacation, but now that they are preteens, my bonding time with them is growing short.

Here are a few of the choices I’m giving the kids for their summer learning through travel. This year’s theme is about learning where you live.

Monroe/West Monroe Area:

Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge – This 1600-acre lake is dotted with cypress, offers a visitor/education center (complete with baby alligators and various snakes), a wildlife observation deck, nature trail, and pier.

Poverty Point State Historic Site – This 400 acre site has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The earthworks are dated between 1650 and 700 B.C. An onsite interpretive center showcases an impressive collection of items found here. It is one of the largest mounds in North America.

Poverty Point State Park – This park and campground  offers cabins for overnight lodging. The cabins overlook Poverty Point Reservoir. Don’t let the name fool you, these cabins are a steal at around $99 per night for a two bedroom cabin complete with full kitchen, flatscreen tv with satellite, screened porch, and even free wifi. The cabin I stayed in had a queen bed in one bedroom and two sets of bunks in the other. The wildlife and nature trails make for a true Louisiana getaway. Plus, the nearby Black Bear Golf Course is part of the Audubon Golf Trail.

Ruston/Lincoln Parish Area:

Follette Pottery – Hidden just off of Hwy 86 in Ruston on Pea Ridge Rd is one the South’s hidden treasures. Kent and Libby are the nicest people and on the second Saturday of each month, they cook lunch for visitors and have a sale. Don’t worry if you stop in on another day, you’ll still get a taste of Libby’s sweet peach tea. Their products are sold in 44 states.

Lincoln Parish Museum – Have you ever walked into an old house and wished that the walls could talk? Well, they do here! The murals on the main hall walls tell a story, and there’s audio to go along, recorder by former living citizens of the area who recount their childhood stories and history of Lincoln Parish. Upstairs is like walking into your grandma’s attic (without the dust). The music collection made me chuckle, it even included an Ace of Base CD. Someone is very funny at that museum.

Arcadia Old Railroad Museum – This train station/museum/office/tourism center houses a collection of paraphernalia from the Bonnie and Clyde saga. In fact, the funeral procession of the legendary duo ended right across the street from the train station.

Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Museum – This was truly an interesting stop in the little town of Gibsland. There’s nothing like seeing autopsy pictures blown up and hung on a wall. I have to admit, it was pretty morbid, but I know my preteens will love it, even while they scream, “Gross. Come look at this!”

There’s so much more to see in North Louisiana and this is just the beginning. Be sure to check out my state’s Official Tourism Website for more information. Don’t worry, there’s more to come.

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April 7, 2009 | Filed Under Adventure Travel, Budget Travel, Culinary Travel, Destinations, Eco Travel, Family Travel | 6 Comments 

Marriott Gift Card Contest

I’m so excited about seeing all the other Mamas today at the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino that I went to check out Marriott’s new forum for rewards members to find what great things there are to do in San Juan, Puerto Rico. One member, CorpTraveler, says, “We were referred to a local Puerto Rican restaurant on Tapia Ave. in San Juan. La Casita Blanca was one of the most enjoyable experiences in nearly three years of travel to the island.  Genuine home cooking, and a gracious host. Located in a seldom visited area of San Juan, it was safe, and parking was available.”

This is just one of the many tips you can pick up on Marriott Rewards Insiders, where members share candid travel advice and informed opinions about the rewards program, along with their intimate knowledge of the Marriott family of hotels and resorts.

To celebrate the launch of the Marriott website and our annual girlfriend getaway to the San Juan Marriott Resort &  Stellaris Casino, we’ve teamed up with Marriott to offer one lucky Traveling Mamas reader a Marriott $100 gift card to put towards your stay at any Marriott property!  To enter, simply leave your favorite travel tip in the comments section below. (We also highly suggest you share your travel knowledge with the folks at the Marriott Rewards Insiders forum, too!)

Contest ends Tuesday, March 31, at midnight (EST). We’ll announce the winner on Winning Wednesday. Normal TravelingMamas.com contest rules apply (US Citizen, none of our mothers can enter, etc)

Good luck and feel free to leave tips about San Juan that we can use during our stay this week. We’re still searching for local restaurants to sample and where to find the hottest spots to dance the night away - hey, no kids to worry about on this trip! We’ll be livin’ la vida loca…

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March 25, 2009 | Filed Under Budget Travel, Culinary Travel, Destinations, Family Travel, Girlfriend Getaways, Luxury Travel, Travel News | 241 Comments 

Mama on the Move: Eagle Island, GA

I’m currently hiding out at Eagle Island, GA, a private island located in the inner coastal area of Georgia. This is a unique destination where all your worries and cares can be left behind. As I’m typing this, there is a bald eagle staring at me from her little hideaway in a tree above me. Whatever your reason for a visit, be it a romantic getaway, a family reunion, or just a place for all your friends to gather, you’ll find this a place to reconnect with nature and your companions.

If you’re looking for an all-inclusive beach resort with 24 hour room service, you should look elsewhere, but if you want to bring your heart rate real low, visit Private Islands of Georgia.

Here’s a video I put together of how to get to Eagle Island and the natural setting of this wonderful retreat.

If you can’t see the video, the direct link is on the Traveling Mamas YouTube Page. I can’t wait to come back to Eagle Island and share it with my family on our travels, or even with the other mamas on a girlfriend getaway.

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March 10, 2009 | Filed Under Adventure Travel, Culinary Travel, Destinations, Eco Travel, Family Travel, Girlfriend Getaways, Luxury Travel, Romantic Getaways, Videos | 4 Comments 

Top Tips for Finding Adult Drinks in Disney World

Picture yourself at Walt Disney World, pushing a stroller around, possibly on a multi-generational family trip, and you find nap time is quickly approaching - for everyone. You just want a little Me Time. There’s nothing wrong with that. Parents need to stay sane and take advantage of down time, or even treat themselves to a visit to the parks WITHOUT the kids. Family travel can get crazy, so why not ask a family member to watch the kids, so you and your spouse can have a few moments of adult time.

Did you know here are nearly 400 places to dine across Walt Disney World Resort? And that’s not counting the portable food carts. In all, more than 6,000 different food items are available. And chances are, if the restaurants aren’t in the Magic Kingdom, they just might have an adult beverages on the menu for you to enjoy. If wine is your poison of choice, then you’ll want to know that more than 600 sommeliers have been awarded the Court of Master Sommelier Introductory Certificate at Walt Disney World Resort, with more than 300 sommeliers currently in restaurants.

With so many restaurants and dining choices, where should you go for that “special” drink? Here are just of few of our top choices for a cocktail, beer, or wine while at Walt Disney World.

Epcot’s World Showcase

United Kingdom – The Rose and Crown Pub and Dining room brings visitors into Victorian England with its etched glass panels, dark mahogany bar and authentic dart board. If you are looking for hearty ale, this place offers specially designed ale warmer can heat your Guinness to 55 degrees, the temperature favored by Brits.

Mexico - The pavilion features a festive and colorful celebration of the beauty and culture of Mexico that is fun for guests of all ages. “Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros” is an excursion by tour boat through the vibrant, eye-filling sights and lively music of Mexico. This will get you in the mood to grab a delicious margarita from one of the nearby stands. If you are looking for a tequila bar, TravelingMamas.com hears that’s in the works for 2010.

Japan - In the Matsu-no-ma Lounge, visitors see a majestic view of Future World across the lagoon while sampling sushi, Japanese pickled vegetables, tempura and exotic specialty drinks.

Germany - Biergarten, an indoor German “courtyard” featuring a German Oktoberfest buffet. At lunch and dinner time, yodelers, dancers and other lederhosen-clad musicians perform an Oktoberfest dinner show. Guests are invited onstage to join in the musical fun. The wine shop nearby offers samples of Ice Wine for a few bucks. Definitely worth a try.

Other Venues at Disney with Alcohol

Victoria Falls at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge - Down a flight of stairs from the lobby, this mezzanine lounge serves wine and spirits imported from Africa, including Windhoek beer from Namibia and Imoya Brandy from South Africa. The specialty drink is a Victoria Falls Mist, with tangerine, melon and banana liqueurs. Animal Kingdom Lodge has the largest offering of South African wines anywhere in the US. Be sure to check out Jiko, The Cooking Place, too!

The Wave at Disney’s Contemporary Resort - Trendy cocktails are served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Start the day with a Pomegranate Splash (vodka, pomegranate liqueur, cranberry juice and soda water) or the Ultimate Bloody Mary (organic vodka, Bloody Mary mix and a dash of red chili sauce). The Pure-tini mixes organic vodka with organic mango and passion fruit liqueur. The Antioxidant Cocktail features wild berry vodka, black raspberry liqueur, açai juice with agave, lychee, aloe juice and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Tune-In at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, next door to 50’s Prime Time Cafe, looks like a family den from the ’50s, with black-and-white TVs and campy retro furniture. You can choose kitschy drinks from “Dad’s Liquor Cabinet” like Uncle Tim’s Melon Margarita, Scooter’s Long Island Iced Tea or an Electric Lemonade. Beer and wine is offered, too.

Dawa Bar adjacent to Tusker House Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom - Sit in the shade and sip a hard-to-find Tusker Beer from Africa or Safari Amber, brewed just for Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. South African wines are on the drink menu, too, along with cocktails like Lost on Safari with rum and fruit juices.

Mizner’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa - A live orchestra plays nostalgic Big Band sounds just outside the doors of this lounge tucked away on the second floor of the hotel. The lounge’s namesake is architect Addison Mizner, whose designs launched a “Florida Renaissance” in the 1920s, so the sophisticated drinks are apropos: champagnes, caipirinhas, mint juleps and cosmopolitans, along with nine vodkas, seven different single malt scotch whiskeys and after-dinner cognacs and ports.

There are more than 50 lounges in Walt Disney World hotels and three theme parks (no alcohol in Magic Kingdom. Again I stress. No alcohol in Magic Kingdom), making this list just a sampling of the many great place for big kids like parents to have their own magic time at Walt Disney World. If there’s a place you like us to know about, be sure to leave a comment, helping our readers discover new places to sample alcoholic libation.

If you find yourself wandering around looking for a place to buy alcohol at Disney, all you have to do is ask one of the friendly cast members, who can point you in the right direction.  Be sure to drink plenty of water while you’re in the parks also, as alcohol is dehydrating. Designate a driver or take advantage of Disney’s resort transportation. Cheers!

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February 27, 2009 | Filed Under Adventure Travel, Budget Travel, Culinary Travel, Destinations, Family Travel, Girlfriend Getaways, Luxury Travel, Romantic Getaways, Travel Gear, Travel News | 19 Comments 

Top Five Destinations for a Celebration Vacation

Last night, Peter Yesawich of YPartnership spoke to a group of international media at Disney World about a trend that has recently been identified in the travel industry: Celebration Vacations. The Traveling Mamas have been doing this for years (we celebrate everyday!), but now it’s got a name. After all, what better reason to travel than for a special occasion?

The nationwide YPartnership study uncovered that people are marking milestone anniversaries (like a blogiversary, ahem), honeymoons, family reunions, and a child’s first vacation, just to name some of the top celebratory reasons to travel. Other milestones, such as birthdays and retirement, give consumers a reason to travel. In fact, my own dad chose to celebrate his retirement with a trip to Disney World (his first visit) and brought the entire family along.

Top destinations for a Celebration Vacation:

1. Disney
2. Hawaii
3. Florida
4. Europe
5. Caribbean

When asked where they’d like to go for a Celebration Vacation with children, 40% of all consumers polled chose Disney as their first choice. Interestingly, both households with children, and those without, ranked Disney at the top.

Say what you might about Disney, but the numbers tell the tale. People overall love Disney, and as a mama who is enjoying my week at Walt Disney World with my tween, I have to say that this Celebration Vacation is a pretty sweet way to spend a special time. Everyone should experience the magic of Disney at least once in their lifetime. I’m so glad that my little girl has a wish that has come true and we are spending wonderful quality time together.

The overall message is that families are celebrating life by spending time and special moments together. I’m not just preaching, but I’m practicing this trend myself. Thank you, Disney, for putting more magic into my relationship with my daughter. Sniff.

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February 12, 2009 | Filed Under Adventure Travel, Budget Travel, Culinary Travel, Destinations, Eco Travel, Family Travel, Girlfriend Getaways, Luxury Travel, Romantic Getaways, Travel News | 9 Comments 

Help Make Mardi Gras a National Holiday Contest

Louisiana celebrates Mardi Gras as a state holiday each year. Schools, state and local governments close down for a four-day weekend. Zatarain’s, one of my favorite certified Louisiana cooking products, has started a movement to make Mardi Gras a national holiday.

TravelingMamas.com thinks this is an awesome idea. In fact, we’ve already signed our names so that Congress will know just how serious we are about this. So, go check out the Motion for Mardi Gras. Sign your name, and then come back here to tell us in the comments you did it (or not) and you’ll be entered to win this awesome gift pack of food items to help you celebrate Mardi Gras, wherever you live. (U.S. residents only; enter until midnight Tuesday, February 17.)

Here’s a little video of my Rules of Mardi Gras, just in case you are new to the Mardi Gras experience, which is a fun, family time of year. If you can’t see this in your browser, you to our YouTube Page.

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February 11, 2009 | Filed Under Culinary Travel, Destinations, Travel News | 7 Comments 

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