Hello, friends…Here’s this week’s Sunday Seven in wine, food, lifestyle, design and travel!
Surprise Vacations
All you have to do is go! The company Pack Up + Go helps out time-poor, vacation-hungry travelers by planning their entire trip for them. All you have to do is tell them your budget and fill out a survey. They’ll choose your surprise destination for you. A week before you’re due to travel, you’ll receive an email with the weather forecast, luggage size restrictions, items they recommend you pack (bathing suit, hiking boots), and where you’ll need to be to start your mystery trip. (PS I’m way to OCD for this!)
McDonald’s Meatless?
Did you know even the french fries have beef flavoring at McDonald’s? Over 160,000 people want McDonald’s to add a meatless patty to its menu, including Ellen DeGeneres. Although the Change.org petition is five years old, the recent launch of a vegetarian burger at rival Burger King has reignited the public’s passion for signing. As a vegetarian continually frustrated with drive-through options on a road trip, I’m in.
Why Your Red Wine Tastes Green
I don’t know if it’s just me, but so much wine is tasting so unbelievably fruity and sugary lately, I was glad to hear that wine is trending to trade big, fruity wines for lighter wines with more herbaceous and savory flavors. That “green” taste can be attributed to pyrazines, found in grapes and other fruits and vegetables, and is described in taste as grassy or bell pepper. Pyrazines are generally more concentrated in red and white Bordeaux varieties. More at the link.
The Stay List
On Afar’s first-ever “Stay List” is a compilation of the best new hotels in the world. This list connects travelers with their destinations and the people who live there, and each of the 27 hotels has been personally vetted by their staff. How gorgeous is this picture of the Hôtel Lutetia in Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris? Hit the link for more of the best places worth booking.
Tip Your Hotel Housekeeper!
Do you tip in hotels? I hope so! But this article shares that only about 1/3 of hotel guests remember to tip the housekeeping staff. In 2017, hotel housekeepers made on average less than $12 hourly, and less than $25,000 per year. The recommended amount is $2-3 per night. As the article says, if you can afford the trip in the first place, you can afford the correct tip.
Puff, Puff, Passed
With 4/20 yesterday, it seemed appropriate. Support for marijuana legalization this year hit an all-time high (puns!) with nearly two-thirds of Americans favoring broad recreational legalization. States are moving pot laws forward — some of them slow, some of them fast. Here’s a look at the green states.
Why Go to Napa Valley This Spring
Aaah, Napa in the spring. The gorgeous sunny days and flowers everywhere make for a stunning visit. While I try to do go Napa each year, I am trying Willamette this Spring instead. These are some fun new ideas for Napa, however – whether you want to shop local, relax at a newly renovated hotel, or, of course, drink wine, here are six ideas to get you started.
Happy Easter to everyone today!!!
xx—BB
Enjoy reading the Sunday Seven each Sunday! Interesting thoughts about the green-tasting wine. I will be interested to see where that trends.