DONNE TRAVELS
Latest Blog Entries
Cusco, Peru: The Heart of the Inca Empire, by JoAnna Haugen, special to Donne Tempo Magazine
Peruvian women with waist-length braids and bowler hats watch street mimes. Children chase pigeons as backpackers wander by. A cornucopia of languages mingles with the smell of spices and fruit at the local market. As the gateway to Machu Picchu and the heart of the Inca Empire, Cusco, Peru, has the opportunity to be touristy and tacky, but despite being visited by thousands of travelers a year, the city has maintained a personality that is charming, inviting and skilled at mixing the traditional with the trendy.
Redefining Mexican Food at PacifiCooks, by Linda Mensinga, editor, Donne Tempo Magazine
Cabo San Lucas ...Mexican food is coming of age with practitioners who honor their culinary heritage as well as elaborating and stretching it into world class cooking. A notable group of Mexican chefs gathered to prepare dinners for PacifiCooks held in the Cabo San Lucas resort of Pueblo Bonito.
A summer season of wine tastings at The Imperial Hotel, Chestertown, MD
The Imperial Hotel Chestertown is launching an incredible summer of wine tasting events entitled Grapes, Vine and Wines. Mark these dates on your calendar and remember, you need to make a reservation to attend any tasting event.I would do so well in advance!
Sea bass with mushroom risotto - The Quarter Kitchen, Chef Gordon Damon
From the luxorious San Diego, California hotel, The Ivy, Executive Chef Gordon Damon shares his recipe for a crisp Sea Bass, moist, tender and mild, served over a savory mushroom risotto. Start your meal with a crisp, peppery, arugula and blue cheese crumble salad and serve a crisp white wine.
Sizzling in San Diego, California; The Ivy Hotel by LInda Mensinga, editor, Donne Tempo Mgaazine
The Ivy Hotel is hot, hot, hot with 2 clubs attracting the see and be-seen crowd. The food at Quarter Kitchen is heating up the dining scene with exotic flavors and luxury ingredients from around the world. Room feature 42-inch plasma HDTV, wireless Internet access, 4 different kinds of pillows and a glass-walled bath exposed to the entire room. The 1275-foot Star Suite features king-size bunk beds, open shower and fireman’s pole.
Revisiting the Eastern Shore, by Jon Gann, special to Donne Tempo Magazine
However, it was the unintended result of our travels that made the experience truly memorable: I was able to relearn my grade-school knowledge of the events and people that make Maryland's role in our nation's history truly unique. Driving only an hour and a half from D.C., we arrived at the rental house where we would spend the evening.
The Imperial Hotel - Charms of Chestertown, MD
The absolute best things about living in the Mid-Atlantic area – D.C. to Baltimore – are the many great day or overnight destinations to explore. Quaint colonial era towns filled with great resorts, historic inns and incredible restaurants. As an area resident, hands down my favorite jaunt is to the Eastern Shore, but not the beach – the number one region tourist draw. I love to visit Chestertown, Maryland
Travel: Ronda, Spain
Located in the region of Andalucía, Spain, the city of Ronda lies sixty miles southeast of Seville and twenty miles northwest of Marbella in central southern Spain, near to the Costa del Sol , making it an easy drive from either direction. Yet Ronda lies off the beaten tourist track.
Dine Out: Ray's Hell Burgers, Arlington, Virginia
After spending the summer in France on business, there was one new restaurant my husband was dying to take me to upon my return: Ray’s Hell Burger. After all, what could be more appropriate to celebrate my re-entry to the good ol’ U S of A than a hamburger? Especially for a gal who, despite learning to consume foie gras and escargot as an adult, was raised by a mother who believes in one major food group only: beef.
Family on Bikes: Looking Back at an uneasy road.
When I look back upon the past months on the road, I’m not sure what comes to mind first – all the bumps in our road or the days of smooth sailing. I guess I could say they both vie for my attention. The journey has had its share of challenges known and unknown. The Dalton Highway was the first. Getting through North America, dropping into South America, before January 1, was another.
Family on Bikes: On the Border - Los Caminos del Rio, Texas
It was a chain reaction. You know how it goes – person A tells person B who tells persons C, D, and E. In our case, that chain reaction resulted in our most unique experiences yet. Our border adventures began with a simple email on New Year’s Day. “I’m a cyclist in McAllen,” Al wrote. “If you will be passing through here on your journey, I’d like to take you all out to dinner.” By the time we actually cycled into McAllen, the entire town had been alerted of our arrival, and we were greeted with more honks and smiles and thumbs-up that we could have imagined.
Travel: Jeju Island, Korea
We had been plodding steadily up through the lush deciduous vegetation for nearly a half-hour when we finally emerged from the trees into the sun. Peeling off my damp sweatshirt, I leaned against a huge boulder to catch my breath, only to catch it again in amazement. A quarter of Jeju (Jejudo) spread out below me—most of the southern side of the island lay open like a detailed map. The sapphire-blue ocean lined the sandy beaches and spread into the horizon. I hadn’t had the chance to visit this portion of Korea’s largest island which I was now looking at from above, but Hans, an American expatriate who had lived on Jeju for nearly eight months, pointed out places where he’d been scuba diving and snorkeling, and even the soccer stadium that was used when Korea hosted the World Cup.
Day Tripper: Romantic Valentine's Day Destinations
North, south, east or west, living in the Mid-Atlantic region offers year round choices of great destinations that put a bit of vacation-style fun and leisure into a day, weekend or week long trip. This month love is in the air at four great area resorts -- all within a car ride of Washington, D.C., including The Inn at Perry Cabin, St. Michaels, Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina, Lansdowne Resort, Leesburg, Virginia, and Bedford Springs Resort, Bedford, Pennsylvania.
Recipe: Super Bowl Sunday Chicken Wing's ala Chef Bobby Huber
Super Bowl Sunday is around the corner and that means coffee table munchies that will be as exciting as the Big Game! A favorite game day treat around is crisp, flavorful Buffalo wings. The best Buffalo Wing’s recipe comes from our favorite Norfolk, Virginia chef, Bobby Huber. This recipe makes “naked” wings in that they do not have any breading or flour on them Start this recipe with fresh, natural, chicken wings instead of frozen for a taste worthy of a Super Bowl extravaganza.
Local Travel: Out and About DC
Are you ready for a mid-winter vacation? Washington, D.C. and the surrounding areas are on of the top vacation destination in the U.S. and there are plenty of things to do this weekend that will put a bit of vacation type fun and luxury into your weekend days!
