Luxury Experience

Each time that we visit Paris, France, we always discover something wonderful. On our latest trip in late October 2024, we visited the Musée Yves Saint Laurent, and if fashion is your passion, then a visit there is a must. While we have been to Paris many times, this was our first time visiting this exquisite museum dedicated to the life of French haute couture designer Yves Saint Laurent, which was located very near to the Hotel Villa Marquis, a…

Location, location, location! We stayed at the intimate, Hotel Villa Marquis, member of Meliá Collection, a gorgeous five-star luxury hotel located in the Central District of Paris, in the Élysée-8th Arrondissement (District) at 35 rue Jean Goujon, on the right bank (Rive Droit) of the Seine River. The hotel is located a mere 1.3 km (0.8 mile) from the Eiffel Tower. How much more romantic can you get when your hotel has this iconic landmark as its neighbor? Luxury shopping…

The Dos Almas Restaurant at Hotel Villa Marquis, a member of Meliá Collection, in Paris, France features a delightful “fusion between Spanish generosity and French elegance.” We had dinner at the restaurant twice during our trip, once on our first night in Paris, on a Friday in October, where a two-piece band provided a romantic backdrop of music to complement the food, and again on a Friday night on our return from visiting the Burgundy region in November 2024. On…

Looking to make a healthier gastronomic lifestyle change? THE IBERIAN TABLE: Healthy Cooking Secrets from the Land of Longevity By award-winning health author Robin Keuneke, may be just the ticket to your new key to health success. The book centers around the Spanish Mediterranean Diet and has over 100 recipes created with the home cook in mind. However, what we especially loved about Robin’s book besides the creative recipes, is the interesting stories behind the recipes, which provide an explanation…

We love pizza so much that we always have homemade pizza dough available so we can enjoy pizza anytime at home. Edward is the dough maker, and over the course of years, he has perfected his dough recipe, and we have a large pizza stone that remains permanently in place in one of our ovens. While the pizza stone works, after a recent trip to Brazil and a visit to our friend Sergio’s home where he has a wood-burning pizza…

If you are a novice, aspiring, or experienced bread maker then 30 Breads To Bake Before You Die by Allyson Reedy is an excellent addition to your cookbook library. I am known in the family as Boulanger Edward, as I am an aspiring bread maker who loves to play with different recipes. So, when I received 30 Breads to Bake Before You Die, with recipes from renowned Chefs such as Dominique Ansel, Duff Goldman from the Food Network, and Deb…

The Southern Food & Beverage Museum: SoFAB COOKBOOK – Recipes From The Modern South by Elizabeth M. Williams & Maddie Hayes celebrates not only the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Southern Food & Beverage Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana in 2004, but also celebrates the food and drink of the American South. This delightful and oh so tasty debut cookbook takes readers’ palates on a trip across the American South featuring recipes from Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia,…

Colin James has a new album out titled, Chasing The Sun, released on the Stony Plain Records label, which features 7 great songs co-written by Colin James, and 4 songs written by the multi-talented Lucinda Gayl Williams, who wrote and lends her incredible vocals on the opening track, Protection, Paul Butterfield’s In My Own Dream, Devilment written by Colin Linden and Paul Reddick, and the John Hammond song, Come To Find Out. Colin James – Chasing The Sun: Protection (featuring…

Tequila Zarpado Blanco is a delectable white tequila that is perfect to use in a variety of cocktails. Made in small batches in Jalisco, Mexico from 100% Blue Agave, this clear, smooth tequila is imported by Latitude Beverage Co. in Massachusetts. From the bottle label’s attractive artwork, created by Mexican artist Joaquin Nava, to its wooden stopper, Tequila Zarpado Blanco makes a stylish statement for tequila fans. We had fun creating creative cocktail recipes and also used this stellar tequila…

The play Master Class written by Playwright Terrence McNally, opened the exciting 2024-2025 season at the Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC) in Norwalk, Connecticut. Directed by MTC Artistic Director and Co-Founder Kevin O’Connor, the 1996 Tony-Award Best Play, tells the story of the legendary opera soprano Maria Callas as she gives a master class in New York City. The talented cast includes Irene Glezos as Maria Callas, Zachary Anderson, Heidi Giberson, Constantine Pappas, Jim Schilling, and Emily Solo. The play…