Jaunted

Tags: Island Travel / Islands / Alcohol / Booze Travel / Trampolines / → All Tags

Russian Barbers Agree: The Dominican Republic is the Place to Go This Year

I got my hair cut this morning at a barber shop on Union Avenue in Brooklyn called Model Barbers, where Jack and Oksana work. I like going there, because I can practice my feeble Russian on them and they always correct my mispronunciations and grammatical errors. Jack and Oksana are from Uzbekistan, but they refer to the whole former Soviet Union as Russia and personally identify as Russians. No matter what bad thing happens in America, they'll remind you that things are worse in Russia. As I sit in the chair, they banter with each other in rapid-fire Russian, and I can only pick out a few odd words: rabota (work), kanyeshna (certainly), zhopa (ass).

more ›

Tags: Drunk Travel / Alcohol / → All Tags

Good Luck With That: U.K., Greece Aim to Curb Booze Tourism

When it comes to getting 'housed on holiday, few nationalities do it better than the British, whose reputation for expatriate debauchery is legendary. Turns out, though, that such extreme inebriation has a downside, ranging from fights to sexual assaults to automobile and scooter accidents. Officials in the U.K. and Greece, a popular holiday destination for young Brits, are fed up with the embarrassing actions of a few hardcore lager louts and are doing something about it. As Reuters points out, Britain urged "Grease" on Thursday to ban bar-hopping tours in which patrons visit so many bars in an evening that even having one drink in each would put you well out of touch with your senses.

more ›

Tags: Drunk Travel / Loutish Behavior by Drunken Britons on Holiday in Spain / Alcohol / Making it Rain / → All Tags

Drunken Briton Makes it Rain in Spanish Airport

There's no shortage of stories about loutish behavior by drunken Britons on holiday in Spain, so I guess the latest tale of English weirdness from the Costa del Sol is decidedly positive in comparison. A Manchester, England resident named James B.N. (not pictured) came into a sizable inheritance, so he decided to celebrate the windfall with a trip to sunny Palma de Mallorca. In good spirits, he had a few too many drinks and began handing out money to strangers in Son Sant Joan Airport. According to the AP, he had already handed out thousands of euros by the time a more scrupulous passenger informed the police that a disheveled, smelly, homeless-looking man was behaving in a manner contrary to his own economic interests.

more ›

Tags: Travel Promotions / Alcohol / Vodka Travel / → All Tags

Vodka and Vietnam Go on VaKAItion

KAI Vodka is the world’s only premium vodka made from rice, so it’s fitting that the company is hosting several package trips to Vietnam, where they have been making vodka for over 600 years. Take that, Russia!

The KAI Exotic Vietnam Adventure (KEVA for short) is a custom-packaged deal that plans out eight to 14 days in Vietnam, stopping in at major cities and scenic spots.

The 8-day package starts at $2,649 per person, and includes roundtrip airfare from Los Angeles or San Francisco on Cathay Pacific Airways, hotel accommodations, tours of Hanoi and Saigon, as well as a cruise of Halong Bay--you know, that huge bay with all the jungle-like monolithic rocks, unspoiled beaches, and vine-covered cliffs. Think Catherine Deneuve in Indochine.

more ›

Tags: Booze Travel / Alcohol / → All Tags

The Best Liquor In Vietnam

Mexicans have tequila. Cubans, rum. Americans, uh, Budweiser. In Vietnam, the booze of choice is ruou (pronounced zeo), an elixir so smooth and multi-faceted it can be consumed with the sophistication of Dr. Frasier Crane.

The rice whiskey comes in multiple varieties and colors, but we hear the best comes from Binh Dinh province along the country’s south-central coastline. Locals follow ancient, meticulous protocols to create the stuff, using the fresh water of the Con River, pumping it through bamboo pipes, distilling it in terracotta pots and heating it over low flame.

While we sucked down Japanese rice wine during sake bomb binges in our college days, ruou should be sipped slowly and at room temperature. Like any good alcohol, the cool burn as it goes down feels like a giant Listerine breath strip soothing the throat.

In addition to claims that it "cures melancholy" (what alcohol doesn’t?), it's also used as a fever remedy. Just one wiff, and, voila, you're cured--or too drunk to remember you felt sick in the first place.

Related Stories:
· Last of the Summer Wine [Vietnamnet]
· Fall Culture Travel: Germany's Young Wine [Jaunted]

[Photo: noodlepie]

Tags: Alcohol / Poland Travel / → All Tags

Vodka Travel: Finding the #1 Drink in Poland

With a recent experience of Polish vodka still tingling our taste buds, it's no surprise we had our attention grabbed by a weekend Age article about finding the best vodka in Warsaw.

Turns out that the Polish aren't quite as fascinated with their vodka as we are, seeing it as a bit of layman's drink, but that won't stop us trying a few more. The Age reporter was lucky to sample quite a few, including:

Krupnik, a honey vodka drunk for breakfast in the mountains, as well as subrezty, a sour-sweet vodka, a cherry flavoured vodka and Siwucha, a potato vodka.

The favorite turned out to be the potato vodka, but our personal vote is for the honey vodka. And who says breakfast time is too early to start drinking? Not the Polish, obviously.

Related Stories:
· The Best Vodka in Town [The Age]
· Polish Cuisine in Melbourne: Borsch, Vodka & Tears [Jaunted]
· Poland Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: ceronne]

Tags: Upstate-NY-Travel-Map / Wine / Wine Travel / Finger Lakes / Alcohol / → All Tags

Upstate Wineries Worth Visiting: Chateau LaFayette Reneau

Earlier this summer, we went wine tasting in New York's Finger Lakes region. Not all the wine we had was worth drinking, but these places deserve a stop.

Make sure to step over the cat when you walk into Chateau LaFayette Reneau. This winery, on the east side of Seneca Lake, keeps things rustic with its tasting room in a converted barn and its famous-for-Upstate feline mascot.

Like many vineyards in the area, Reneau levies a tasting fee of $4, but you'll get to keep the glass--and you get to try up to 12 wines. (Or more! On our recent stop, they let us sample all 20 offerings.)

After your epic flight of Rieslings and Chardonnays, stake out a spot on the back porch and unroll your picnic supplies. If you'd like to linger longer, there's also an inn on the property.

Related Stories:
· Chateau LaFayette Reneau [Official Site]
· Upstate New York Travel Map [Jaunted]

[Photo: FLWR]

Tags: Upstate-NY-Travel-Map / Wine / Wine Travel / Finger Lakes / Alcohol / → All Tags

Upstate Wineries Worth Visiting: Dr. Frank's

Earlier this summer, we went wine tasting in New York's Finger Lakes region. Not all the wine we had was worth drinking, but these places deserve a stop.

No real trek through the Upstate wine country is complete without a stop at Dr. Konstantin Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars. It's a bit of a drive to get there, but if it weren't for Dr. Frank, there might not be Finger Lakes wine.

Growing up in the Ukraine, the doctor studied methods to grow high-quality vinifera grapes (think Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Riesling) in colder climates. When he later moved to the Finger Lakes, his winery, started in 1962, was the first to grow these European varieties in the area--and the first to prove it could be done.

After Dr. Frank passed away in 1985, his family took over, continuing the production of top quality wines. You'll also find some more esoteric stuff here, like Rkatsiteli (a white), Fleur de Pinot Noir (a non-vintage red) and a Blanc de Blancs (a Champagne-style bubbly).

Related Stories:
· Dr. Konstantin Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars [Official Site]
· Upstate New York Travel Map [Jaunted]

[Photo: Dr. Frank's]

Tags: Upstate-NY-Travel-Map / Wine / Wine Travel / Finger Lakes / Alcohol / → All Tags

Upstate Wineries Worth Visiting: Six Mile Creek

Earlier this summer, we went wine tasting in New York's Finger Lakes region. Not all the wine we had was worth drinking, but these places deserve a stop.

Despite the name, not all the wineries in this region actually overlook lakes, and the best of that bunch is undoubtedly Six Mile Creek. Just a 7-minute drive from downtown Ithaca, the winery is almost urban in its setting at the south end of Cayuga Lake.

Owners Nancy and Roger Battistella opened their vineyard in 1987, focusing on small yields and the local microclimate. Unlike many of the other wineries north of Six Mile Creek, where the deep lake provides a moderating influence, the growing season is particularly short in Ithaca. Because of that only white wine grapes are grown on-site.

That said, all the vinification and bottling happens here, and thanks to the Battistella's use of grapes from other regions, the reds are some of the best made in the Finger Lakes. Particularly interesting is Quintessence, a blend that varies in composition from vintage to vintage. Also distinctive is Six Mile Creek's grappa--though it's not for the faint of heart!

Related Stories:
· Six Mile Creek [Official Site]
· Upstate New York Travel Map [Jaunted]

[Photo: doctor paradox]

Tags: Upstate-NY-Travel-Map / Wine / Wine Travel / Finger Lakes / Alcohol / → All Tags

Upstate Wineries Worth Visiting: Villa Bellangelo

Earlier this summer, we went wine tasting in New York's Finger Lakes region. Not all the wine we had was worth drinking, but these places deserve a stop.

Unlike many of the wineries on Seneca Lake, Villa Bellangelo sits a little bit off Highway 14. We actually drove right past it, but after whipping a quick U-turn, we realized that there's a big sign marking the drive.

Bellangelo rocks an Italian vibe, complete with a Vespa on the porch of the tasting room. The theme continues in the wines, which are mostly dry. You'll find plenty of crisp whites--we liked the stainless steel-aged Chardonnay--and an atypical-for-the-region Sangiovese. (That's the same grape Italians use in Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino.)

Perhaps the biggest surprise at Bellangelo, though, isn't the wine on offer. The tasting room has free WiFi and plenty of seating, making it a great spot for checking in with the office while enjoying a glass of wine and a sweeping view of the lake.

Related Stories:
· Villa Bellangelo [Official Site]
· Upstate NY Travel Map [Jaunted]

[Photo: Villa Bellangelo]

Tags: Wine Travel / Wine / Alcohol / Summer Travel / → All Tags

Wine Travel: The Pinot Days Festival

The fickle little fruit that became so popular thanks to a horizontal movie about failed expectations, insecurity, wine tasing and adultery has been having a major moment in the media sun. No doubt that means big crowds at Fort Mason in San Francisco this weekend for the Pinot Days festival.

The list of producers 180 strong, so if you like pinot noir, chances are you'll be a kid in a candy store. Besides lots of knobs walking around with their complimentary wine glass strung around their neck like drab-suburban bling, serious oenophiles can hear talks form some of the top Pinot producers in the world as well as meet wine makers from all over.

The one thing that caught our eye was the "Focus Tastings." You're poured 16 different wines to taste and try to determine how each differs. They call it education, we call it paying $65 to have purple teeth!

Related Stories:
· Pinot Days [Official Site]
· Wine Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: greenmelinda]

Tags: Starbucks Alternatives / Coffee Shops / Coffee / Booze / Alcohol / → All Tags

Starbucks Alternatives: The Buena Vista

It's a story well told, two guys sitting around, reminiscing about some killer concoction they had overseas one night. Like any good tete-a-tete, a challenge is laid forth and from it, a blessing to all mankind. In the case of The Buena Vista, on Fisherman's Warf in San Francisco, it's the Irish Coffee for your Aunt Pauline to drink without looking like an alcy.

Born in 1952, the Irish Coffee was a collaboration between owner Jack Koeppler and international travel writer Stanton Delaplane, and it's based on a drink served at Shannon Airport in Ireland. The pair toiled over getting every component just right, the crux being the float of smooth airy cream on top. Maybe if the US wasn't so inherently puritanical we'd all be sipping Irish Coffees every afternoon instead of soy half-caff jerk drinks?

The Buena Vista has yet to go chain on us and the original Irish Coffee still remains the best. Yes, it's located in one of the craziest tourist sections of the city, but it's still worth a stop to drink up some real history.

Related Stories:
· The Buena Vista [Official Site]
· Starbucks Alternatives coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: whiffer]