When we asked Katy’s step-son Brendan if he could choose any place in the world to visit, being a Russian history major, and barring Moscow, he chose the Bovington Tank Museum, the largest tank museum in Europe. Bovington is…
Paris. Chasing the romantic ghost.
May 31, 2018
When I asked my daughter if she could pick any place in the world to see she chose Paris. A city hopelessly entwined with the collective consciousness of postcard stereotypes and cartoon romanticism. Both deeply longed for in my…
Bitterballen, hotchpotch stampot, jenever, and haring. Hunting down traditional Dutch food in Amsterdam.
May 10, 2018
Honestly, when it comes to northern European food, I hadn’t heard good things. But I have to say I fell in love with traditional Dutch food. Tasty bar snacks, hearty home-style meals with long simmered meats, a variety of cured…
Walking every goddamn inch of Amsterdam’s Old Centre, the canal rings, and the Jordaan.
May 3, 2018
I know the trope. Go to Amsterdam, get baked, sleep with a Ukranian prostitute. It’s so pervasive that that’s all that anyone seems to think about Amsterdam. Just the mention and you get the squinty nod of wishful collusion….
C215 (aka Christian Guémy) and Hazul Luzah. A look at street art from Barcelona, Spain and Porto, Portugal.
April 16, 2018
While I was in Barcelona, I was drawn to the street art there. Seattle also has a high level of street art and I recognized some local sticker artist’s work. But I was specifically drawn to an artist C125…
Touring port caves, tripe stew, and tackling a Francesinha sandwich while exploring the weathered beauty of Porto, Portugal.
March 25, 2018
The ancient city of Porto, Portugal dates back to 300 B.C. with Roman settlements which used the city as a port town. The city breaths with history, ancient squares and once lavish neighborhoods now falling into ruin. The city…
Pintxos, bacalao (bacalhau), and jamón ibérico de bellota in San Sebastian
San Sebastian is a region of northeastern Spain which has a unique Basque culture and language quite separate from Spain. It’s a matter of debate but I had the good fortune to have lunch there next to a friendly…
From trdelníky to goulash: the hunt for traditional Czech food in Prague.
February 5, 2018
Umodre Kachnicky Restaurant specializing in duck. I chose the tasting menu. The Hemingway Bar The Chili…
Alexandre – December 12, 2017
February 4, 2018
Alexandre Alexandre was a very happy surprise. I was in Brussels unexpectedly for a few days and ran across Alexandre online while looking for a nice dinner spot. My intuition did not let me down. A fantastic meal. Every course…