Savannah, GA - The Distillery

The front entrance to Distillery, a trendy craft beer bar. 

The Distillery is a lively bar in Savannah noted for it's craft beer selection.  Clearly one of the current trendy bars in town, The Distillery prides itself for offering "no crap beer, just craft beer." If you're looking for Bud or Miller, go elsewhere. With over 20 beers on tap and over 100 total to choose from, you should be able to find something you like.  Housed in the old Kentucky Distilling Company, the ubiquitous exposed brick and wood that you'll find all over Savannah is present. Tables out front allow the smokers to congregate. This bar is very popular with students from the Savannah School of Art and Design (SCAD), so it has an artsy vibe.  We were thrilled when we arrived to find two seats available at the bar, and the Charlie Chaplin movie, Modern Times, on the big screen TVs.  I'm told that sports are usually on the screens, but with no big games that night, we really enjoyed the silent classic while we sipped our beer.

A flight of Yuletide winter warmers surpassed expectations. 

What did we have:  Since it was the holiday season and a chilly evening, I chose the Yuletide flight of winter warmers.  Along with the flight, they give you a rating sheet that you can take notes and rate the beers on appearance, aroma, palate, flavor and overall.  That was a little too much work for me, so I just sipped, enjoyed and just marked my favorites.  The flight consisted of Highland Cold Mountain, Weyerbacher Winter, Bell's Winter White, Dog Fish Head Raison D'Etre and St. Feuillien Belgian.  This was a fantastic selection of quality craft beer.  I liked them all. My favorite without question was Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre.  Such a superior and flavorful brew, especially on tap.

A great bar and a classic movie is a fun combination. 

What's fun: The Distillery is a great craft beer bar with a hip vibe.  The crowd is interesting, the bartenders knowledgeable, friendly and helpful, and we thoroughly enjoyed a lengthy stay.  There was something so right about sipping great craft beer and watching the silent classic comedy at that bar.  It's a night I'll long remember and I highly recommend you check out the Distillery when you're in town.  You may have to wait for table, but it will be worth it.

Savannah, GA - Moon River Brewing Company

We are so fortunate to live in Athens, GA, a wonderful and unique college town.  It's location couldn't be better. It's wedged in between two of my favorite small US cities. Drive three and a half hours to the northeast and you're in Asheville, NC.  Drive three and a half hours southeast and you're in Savannah, GA.  And that's just what we did on the weekend before Christmas this year.  We've been to Savannah many times, but not during the holidays when it's all dressed up in it's holiday finest.  It was just as lovely as we imagined. On this visit we went to two blog worthy establishments.  The first was Moon River Brew Pub.

The entrance to Moon River Brewing Company. 

Located right in the heart of historic Savannah, the Moon River Brewing Company building has an interesting past.  It was once the first city hotel in Savannah, established in 1821. All the beer is brewed in the three story building where the pub is housed.  There is exposed brick and wood throughout the warm and friendly pub located on the main floor.  There is also seating on the second floor, and reportedly there are a few ghosts that inhabit the building as well. The huge stainless steel beer vats are visible through the side windows.  My husband and I arrived shortly before 5 pm on a Friday evening and were lucky enough to get a comfortable booth right next to the lively bar located in the center of the pub. Moon River offers their own brewed beer and a few additional guest beers on tap. In addition, wine, mixed drinks and bottled beer are offered. Within a half hour there were folks outside waiting to be seated at this popular brew pub.  At 5 pm, the bartender rang a bell, recited a poem and declared a beginning to the weekend festivities.  A rousing cheer went up from the locals, and I knew we were in for a fun filled evening.

Moon River offers many enjoyable beers. 

What did we have:  As usual I ordered a sampler since I wanted to try all six beers they produced and their one cider.  The waitress also brought us a taster of a guest brew that they carried, the Heavy Seas Martzen which is one of our favorites.  The sampler consisted of Wild Wacky Witt, Apparition, Swampfox IPA, Rosemary IPA, Captain's Porter, Brown Sour and Cider.  Moon River makes some very good beer with a few brews that were outstanding.  My husband particularly liked the Apparition, a lovely brown classic English pale ale.  I was enthralled with the Rosemary IPA.  This beer is infused with rosemary, and since I'm a big fan of the herb, and could really taste it, I loved this beer.  It had a nice hop finish as well.  I imagine it's one you either love or hate.  I also liked the cider a lot.  It was quite dry, with a full apple flavor.  The waitress told me that the apples come from the north Georgia mountains and is only made in the fall after harvest.  Quite special.While we sampled our beer we enjoyed two tasty appetizers, fried green tomatoes and crab cakes. The menu has lite fare, burgers and sandwiches, and full course entries.

The beer is brewed and stored right next to the pub. 

What's fun:  The lively clientele consisting of a great blend of the unusual  mix of Savannah locals, as well as tourists add to the atmosphere. The historic setting, comfortable seating, quality beer and food, and friendly wait staff all add to the experience.  The banter between the poetic bartender and the local patrons made happy we were part of the scene on this pleasant winter evening.

Hood River, OR - Mt. Hood Winery

The tasting room at Mt. Hood Winery. 

In northern Oregon the cold weather has set in and heavy snow is in the forecast, but I'm remembering a visit we took to Mt. Hood Winery late last summer.  It was perhaps the most beautiful setting of any winery I've yet to visit. Scenically nestled between Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens, surrounded by acres of orchards and fields of wild flowers, it offfers awe inspiring vistas.  The wine tasting experience was pleasant as well.

The winery is located on the famous Hood River Fruit Loop, a 35 miles route through orchards, lavender fields and alpaca farms. Once entering the contemporary tasting room, you immediately notice the wall of windows along the front and side walls, opposite the tasting bar, offering spectacular views of the fields and vineyards.  But there was no reason to stay inside on the gorgeous day we visited, so we asked for our first glass of wine and headed to the patio, conveniently located right outside the tasting room.

Enjoying our wine on the patio. 

What did we have:  We had five wine enthusiasts in our family group, and together we sampled all the wine available that day. The choices for white wine included the Pinot Gris, Reisling and Chardonnay. There was one rose, the Pinot Noir Saignee, and three selections of red, Pinot Noir, Syrah and the award winning Tempranillo. All the wines were very drinkable, but the Tempranillo, a unique Spanish wine with rich flavors of black currents and spice, was definitely my favorite. I purchased several bottles for us to bring home. We also bought a bottle of the Saignee for our daughter who enjoys a sweeter wine.

Can you spot Mt. St. Helens in the background?

What was fun: It's all about the location of Mt Hood Winery.  We could have spent hours hanging out on that patio, drinking wine and taking in the scenery.  Unfortunately, we had a two hour drive ahead of us, so we could not drink as much wine as we would have enjoyed.  I do recommend that if you find yourself anywhere near Hood River, Oregon on a beautiful day, be sure to visit the winery, you will not be disappointed.

Hood River, OR - Full Sail Pub

Our family has a long history of enjoying venues that offer excellent beer and wine.  I have a vivid memory of slipping a little taste of Riesling to our oldest son when we were on a family outing to a winery in the Finger Lakes region of NY.  He was 16 and I wanted him to appreciate the fine wine produced in the region.  I also remember ordering a glass of San Giovese for our youngest son in Venice so he could get the full experience of Italy.  He was also 16. So now, all the children are of legal age, and they all appreciate fine wine and quality beer.  Our family outings often include sampling the finest naturally fermented beverages available in the area.  It only made sense that on the final days of our summer vacation, we traveled to Hood River in search of both.



The unasuming entrance to Full Sail leads to the famous pub.

As fans of Full Sail beer, a trip to their brewpub in Hood River, OR was much anticpated, and thoroughly savored.   

What did we have: We enjoyed their superior beer and their unexpectedly delicious pub grub.
What's fun: Full Sail is a pleasant pub overlooking the mighty Columbia Gorge dotted with colorful wind and kite surfers that serves amazing beer and surprisingly good food.

Everyone in our family is a fan of Full Sail beer, so we decided to end our vacation together with a short trip to Hood River and a stop at the pub. Since we had been on brewery tours, we decided to pass up that experience and make our way directly to the drinking establishment. The pub is located on an unassuming street overlooking the Columbia Gorge. The first thing you notice when you enter are the wall of windows along the back allowing for amazing views of the river below, and the numerous colorful wind and kite surfers.  It is quite breathtaking and even if the beer and food wasn't that good, it still would have been a worthwhile visit. Fortunately for us, that wasn't the case.

A sampler of beer, an amazing view. 

What did we have: We wanted to try all the available beers, so we ordered two samplers, that featured seven of the twelve beers they had on tap. They offered everything from a mellow and flavorful lager to a highly hopped IPA. One thing about Full Sail that differentiates it from many other breweries is the consistency and quality of the beer. Even the brews that weren't my favorites had interesting character, depth and levels of flavor. My choices included their Pale Ale which was crisp and refreshing, the LTD 03, a lager bursting with flavor and the Belgian Style Dubbel which was bold with the perfect balance of malt and hops.  Just thinking about it makes me smile. We ordered food which was surprisingly good. Since it was a chilly day I enjoyed the Mediterranean chicken soup with orzo. The fries were a big hit with our gang, and perhaps the best of all was the turkey brie and apple panini served on garlic toast.

Delicious food and tasty beer makes for happy folks!

What was fun: A family outing to a great brew pub is always fun. Discovering 12 different beers on tap, enjoying samples of all of them, and taking in the spectacular view, added to the experience. Finding out that the food far exceeded our expectations was a pleasant surprise. Visiting the pub during the middle of the day, without crowds, when we could relax, enjoy our beer and savor the experience was priceless.  

Portland, OR - Pix Patisserie

The bright red exterior of Pix Patisserie. 

When I asked my friend Betsy to find us a great place in Portland that served chocolate desserts, I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. If there is one person who knows chocolate, it's Betsy. When I walked into Pix Patisserie, located on an artsy block of Division Street, and took one look at the display case, I knew I  hit the mother lode!  Row upon row of pastries, each presented as mini masterpieces. Pix serves amazing chocolate, fine wine and tasty local beer, all served in a cozy, eclectic atmosphere that oozes ambiance and encourages friendly conversation. Not since visiting the French Broad Chocolate Lounge in Asheville was I so excited.  The desserts tasted as good as they looked which is saying a lot.


Kitchy, whimsical and cozy.

Our visit to Pix took place after a wonderful seafood meal, so unfortunately we all were pretty full.  But that did not prevent us from drooling at the site of the vast offerings.  The decor is  is warm and inviting with various sizes of solid wood tables scattered throughout the room. On the back wall there is another display case featuring individually hand made chocolates of every shape and flavor. Hanging from light fixtures are sock monkeys adding a whimsical feel to the place.  We were urged to grab a table quickly, and wise advice it was, since the room filled up just a few minutes after we arrived. 




Take your pick.

 What did we have:  This was a very tough decision since literally everything looked so good.  After some lengthy deliberation, my husband and I chose to share the Concord, a combination of chocolate mouse, chocolate meringue, chocolate ganache, so beautifully designed that I almost hated to take a bite.  Once I did, it was hard to stop raving. 

Betsy and Larry ordered a hand crafted, dark chocolate caramel flaked with sea salt, and a French almond macaron.  After checking out the selection of wine that paired well with desserts, we all chose a glass of our preference. The patisseries also features a few local draught beers and specialty coffee drinks.  If chocolate isn't your thing (really, it's not?) no problem.  Pix also specializes in numerous non-chocolate pastries, too.

What's fun:  Goodness, how can I be any more enthusiastic?  I have to say everything about a visit to Pix is fun!  The funky location on Division Street, the bright red exterior and warm yellow interior, the cozy atmosphere, and of course, the incredible selection of mouth-watering temptations accompanied with a glass of wine or beer.  It was a perfect way to end a wonderful day in Oregon with two of our favorite friends.

Dundee, OR - Domaine Drouhin

The attractive entrance to Domaine Drouhin Winery. 

Domaine Drouhin offers wine tasting in a sophisticated atmosphere offering spectacular views.
What did we have: the standard three flight wine tasting plus the bonus of a couple of special varietals
What was fun: the scenery is breathtaking, the wine is elegant, and if they happen to open a few special bottles, you're in for a real treat.

Enjoying fine wine on the outdoor patio. 

After enjoying a leisurely hour of wine tasting at the comfortable Erath Winery with our good friends, Betsy and Larry, we only had time for one more stop that afternoon. So we made our way up the winding roads in Dundee, Oregon to the highly recommended Domaine Drouhin. The winery sits perched on top of a high hill. The unassuming entrance led way to the spacious tasting room and outdoor patio.  I would call the decor sophisticated minimalist, sleek styling featuring rich earth colors. Very fitting for the fine wine we tasted, and quite the opposite from the homey feel of Erath.  Once we ordered our wine tastings - a flight of three wines for $10 - we found a table on the outdoor patio and were impressed with the dramatic view of of the 225 acres of vineyards.  It was simply gorgeous. Sitting next to us was a table of patrons who clearly were VIPs.  The red carpet treatment was being offered this group as bottles were being opened and wine was being tossed out after a few sips.  This is important to note, because we benefited by their visit that afternoon.  Our attractive server was very informative, explaining about each wine we sampled. The Drouhin family also owns the Joseph Drouhin Winery in Burgandy, France. Both wineries produce outstanding wine and have won numerous awards internationally and are rated very highly by the Wine Spectator.

At Domaine Drouhin it's all about the wine and the view. 

What did we have:  We enjoyed all three wines offered in the standard flight.  Prices ranged from $30 a bottle for the crisp 2009 Oregon Chardonnay Arthur to $65 for the bold 2007 Oregon Pinot Noir Laurene.  We all enjoyed the $50 bottle of the 2009 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley where 95% of the grapes are estate grown and the taste is richly layered with bursts of fruit.  We were in for a real treat when our server brought us a couple leftovers from VIP table.  Our bonus wines included a Chablis produced in Burgandy, and the very special 2000 Oregon Pinot Noir Louise Cuvee, a bottle that usually sells for $100.  Even my unsophisticated palate could appreciate the depth and elegant character of a very good bottle of wine.

What was fun:  The setting itself is quite wonderful, and the wine is excellent.  Picnicking is not allowed at Domaine Drouhin, so a trip there is all about the wine and the view.  Although we thoroughly enjoyed our special wine tasting at the estate, none of us felt compelled to buy a bottle to bring home.  Since several varietals are widely distributed, it won't preclude me from purchasing a bottle or two in the future.

Dundee,OR - Erath Winery

The colorful front entrance to Erath Winery's Tasting Room.

Erath Winery offers a relaxing atmosphere in a lovely setting featuring excellent, moderately priced wine.
What did we have: a sampling of Erath wine while sitting on the outdoor patio overlooking the vineyards
What was fun: drinking quality wine with good friends in a scenic location

It's hard to beat an afternoon of wine tasting in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.  It is even better when you're  reconnecting with good friends who have relocated to the area.  We chose Erath Winery as our first stop.  Erath has wide distribution of their well known Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, and we've enjoyed many a bottle over the years in Georgia.  I was curious to try some of the estate wines and other varietals.  We drove up a winding gravely road surrounded by fields of grape vines on our approach to the winery.  The tasting room and outdoor patio is located at the winery on the top of a rolling hills with rows upon rows of ripening grapes,  After enjoying a substantial and tasty lunch at the Community Plate in downtown McMinnville, we did not bring a picnic lunch as you are invited to do at the winery.  We definitely wanted to sit outdoors where we could enjoy our conversation while leisurely tasting wine and taking in the scenery.  It was a lovely experience.

A couple of happy wine tasters.

What did we have:  The wine tasting consists of six samples of wine for $10.  If you spend $30 on wine, the tasting is free.  Since there were four of us, and planned to make at least one more winery stop, we chose to share two tastings.  Our server brought them out to us, and for over an hour we tasted wine, enjoyed our converstaion, and took in the beautiful view. We sampled a 2010 Pinot Gris Rose, 2010 Pinot Blanc, 2009 Pinot Gris, 2009 Estate Selection Pinot Noir, 2008 Battle Creek Pinot Noir and a 2008 Leland Pinot Noir.  Bottle prices range from high teens to around 50 dollars.  We enjoyed them all, but my favorite was the moderately priced  Estate Pinot Noir. It has a hint of fruit and hint of smoke, bold yet bright, with a smooth finish.  My husband liked the festive Pinot Blanc so we left with a bottle of each. Our friends also bought a bottle of Pinot Noir, so there was so the tasting fee was waived.  

The view from the outdoor patio.

What was fun:  Erath is the perfect setting to enjoy wine tasting with friends.  The location, nestled in the rolling hills of the Willamette Valley, enhanced the experience. The hostess was relaxed and unpretentious, and encouraged us to enjoy our time there. The quality of the wine is good and the prices were friendly to our dwindling vacation budget. Next time we'll bring some cheese, bread and fruit along with us, drink a little more wine, and linger a little longer.