The Ultimate Halloween Candy Wine Pairings: red wine and chocolate kisses © Jo Clark Get Your Fright On! You have to try Halloween candy wine pairings. Wait. WHAT??!! Halloween candy and WINE?? Yep, that’s what I said! It will rock your world! Halloween was fantastic as a kid, but now I enjoy the adult version of Hocus Pocus Fright Night even more! Halloween night arrives at...
I set out to explore the Yadkin Valley Wine AVA (American Viticultural Area.) The Yadkin Valley AVA consists of seven counties in western North Carolina, with the Yadkin River as its Southern border. Nearby towns are Elkin, Dobson, Mount Airy, Pilot Mountain, and State Road (yes, that is the town's name!) Believe me, visiting the Yadkin Valley is a real treat! Plus, it is a short drive from...
Roanoke is the largest city and largest municipality in Southwest Virginia, and it is often called the Star City of the South—it has a nice ring to it, right? While Mill Mountain, crowned with a star, surrounds the city like a big blue hug, wrapping its arms around the Roanoke Valley. And that enormous star is right up there to remove any doubt about where you are!
Namibia is the second least densely populated country in the world. I’m always looking for hidden gems, but I don’t believe you can get more “hidden” than that! Located in southern Africa, just above South Africa on the Atlantic Coast, Namibia was a delightful spot for my first visit to Africa. You know you’ve found your happy place when you land halfway around the world at 8:30 in the morning,...
Historic Georgetown SC will surprise you in the best possible ways! Named America’s Best Coastal Small Town in 2018 by USA Today, Georgetown is the third oldest town in South Carolina. Interestingly, historians believe the first European settlement on mainland North America was established here by Spaniards in 1526 (sorry, St. Augustine!). If only we could prove it! Early settlers...
A mess of ramps, ready to be cleaned and cooked © Blake Borchardt Ramps (Allium tricoccum) are a unique West Virginia delicacy that gets mixed reviews; people are either fans of wild ramps or not; I say, ramp it up! Now, maybe you’ve never heard of ramps—except for slanted handicap ramps leading into a building. But I’m talking about a species of wild onion, a forest plant with...