It was nearly Christmas, a few months after I had first moved to Paris, and I was dating my first French boyfriend. On a weekend trip to his hometown, we’d somehow found ourselves entangled in a group of locals—friends and friends of friends from the area—spending the afternoon hanging around the flower farm where they […]
wine
How to Read a Portuguese Wine Label in 6 Easy Steps
Posted on December 6, 2019
Got your eye on the wine shelf, but not sure what to grab? This guide will teach you how to read a Portuguese wine label so you can get home faster and pour yourself a glass. For some people, Portuguese wine is still unknown territory. There are 14 wine regions in Portugal and more than […]
Where to Eat on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day in Barcelona
Posted on November 27, 2019
The best way to get in the holiday spirit is with a perfect meal! On major holidays like December 25, Barcelona practically shuts down as locals cozy up at home with their loved ones. However, while your choice of where to eat on Christmas in Barcelona may be limited, there are some true culinary gems […]
Restaurants in Seville With a Special Menu For New Year’s Eve
Posted on November 27, 2019
This blog post was originally posted on December 4, 2015, and was updated on November 27, 2019. For sevillanos, one of the most important meals of the year takes place on December 31. Known as nochevieja in Spanish, New Year’s Eve is a time to cherish time spent with family along with plenty of good food and […]
How to Navigate a Meal in France (Menus, Tipping & More)
Posted on November 14, 2019
With a café on every corner, Paris is a prime location for gastronomic delights, whether you’re grabbing a quick bite, settling in for a three-course meal, or sampling Michelin-star tasting menus.
Must-Visit Wineries near Paris and How to Get to Them
Posted on September 17, 2019
Paris used to be surrounded by vineyards and market gardens, but almost all of them were swallowed up by the huge growth of the city in the 19th century. Wineries near Paris aren’t hard to access, though! While a guided trip is always an option, you can access some of the best Paris wineries on […]
Guide to Buying Wine in Rome: Where to Shop & Sip
Posted on September 13, 2019
Italian grocery stores have a decent selection of wines. But to dive into the real world of vino, get yourself to the famous enotecas—a mix between wine stores and bars where Italian and international wines are the protagonists. It’s not just about wine here. At an enoteca, you’ll be able to sit down, enjoy a […]
What to Drink in Paris & When to Blend in with the Locals
Posted on September 13, 2019
From pinot noir to pastis, there’s no shortage of drinks you should try in Paris—you just need to know what the locals are actually ordering! Francophile celebrity Dita Von Teese likes absinthe so much she even cooks her casserole with it. Yet before you have visions of Van Gogh hallucinating wildly and slicing off his […]
5 Essential Bodegas in Jerez Worth Visiting
Posted on July 23, 2019
Few drinks are as closely tied to a specific region as sherry is to southern Spain. Though it’s only produced in a tiny triangle in southwestern Andalusia, no meal or get-together in the region would be complete without it. From crisp, bone-dry manzanilla to the sweet, ebony cream variety popular among many a grandparent in […]
6 Best Wine Bars in Paris That You’ll Never Want to Leave
Posted on June 4, 2019
We can all agree: in France wine is important. When 6 p.m. rolls around, the wine bars of Paris start to fill up. Colleagues finishing work jostle at the traditional zinc bars and sunny sidewalks become scattered with drinkers basking in the evening rays. The tiny wine bars of Paris come alive—it’s a city-wide convivial moment […]
