Beer Alcohol Cocktails cocktail recipe Beer Festivals Restaurant Review

Key West has no shortage of great places to get some awesome food and so when our host (The Florida Keys) sent us to the next island over, I wasn't sure why. As it turned out, this was no mistake - Matt's Stock Island Kitchen & Bar located in the Perry Hotel is an absolutely fabulous restaurant and while we just came here for dinner, the property is a great destination for guys planning a fishing trip since the marina is right there. Plus they are building out a distillery and a music venue complete with pool and bar service. What more could you possibly ask for?

There are two things in life that I love the most (outside of my wife of course!) - Traveling and Food. That's really one bigger thing: exploring new cultures. That's why I love trying new restaurants that work hard to transport you to new times and places like Havana 1920 does. Havana 1920 is a new Cuban-themed cafe and bar in the heart of San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter - very close to the convention center as well as most of the bigger hotels. Here's what we loved about it!

Bourbon is one of my favorite spirits. This is in large part because of the personalities behind the barrel and how genuine the industry is at the very core. While certainly, the spirits industry as a whole is extremely generous in supporting causes and people, Wild Turkey as a brand has always impressed me with how authentic they are. This includes efforts ranging from simply handing out turkeys to folks so they could have a great holiday meal to larger efforts like this one honoring local legends in Austin, Chicago, Dallas, and New Orleans.

To most men, including myself up until a month or so ago, vodka means simply an odorless, tasteless clear spirit that offers very little redeeming value aside from the fact that if you drink enough of it... well, things happen to your body. Aside from the fact that my Polish and Russian friends enjoyed it because it was cheap I had no interest in ever sampling it outside of a cocktail. Then I discovered Belvedere's Heritage 176 and my impression of vodka changed forever.

San Manuel has long been a leader at delivering a premium gaming experience to Southern California, including their Asian-inspired gaming room - Lotus 8 Palace where you could find slots and table games not found in many other casinos in the area. Lotus 8 even had a noodle menu, and Asian beer as well as sake. What San Manuel was missing though is a really good Asian restaurant and that's why they created Hong Bao Kitchen!

While many people are out and about again, others of us such as myself are still focused on staying at home as much as possible. It's tough though since frankly, I'm getting tired of the things I know how to make and sometimes you want a restaurant-quality experience that is just easy. Delivery often fails in this regard since that crispy, fresh from the oven experience just doesn't work after sitting in a delivery bag for 20-30 minutes. That's why I love these treats that Porto's Baker from Los Angeles sent us to try out as part of their Porto's Bake At Home experience.

Since moving from San Diego to Toledo, OH there have been a ton of adjustments and among them is the fact that things such as good pho shops are few and far between here in the midwest. Heather and I have been craving Pho Point Loma back home and frankly nothing is ever going to compare - but we might have found an option here in Ohio that will keep our bellies warm and full this winter at Wife's Ramen & Pho.

Sure, I love my bourbon, rum and tequila but sometimes it's fun to step out a bit and try something new. I can't count the number of times I've browsed the aisles of the liquor store wondering about a bottle and I am sure you've done the same. Honestly spending $20-$30 to try something new is a small investment compared to the enjoyment you may receive by discovering a new favorite or event sharing the experience of trying something new with friends.

There are many... many... MANY bars on cruise ships but all too often they turn out to be mere gimmicks. That's what I expected too when I discovered my beloved Blend had been replaced with something called Half Moon Bar on Holland America Line's latest ship MS Rotterdam. What I discovered instead was one of the best bars at sea and an incredibly talented mixologist who served up drinks of the same quality that I'd expect at the top craft cocktail lounges in Vegas.

Genoa, Nevada is a perfect town to visit for any guys looking for a taste of what the west was like before being tamed. If you venture just around the corner from the Mormon Station and Nevada's oldest bar though, you'll find one of the finest foodie spots in Nevada. The Pink House seemingly doesn't fit here but at the same time it works perfectly. Not only is the building itself one of the oldest structures in Genoa but it was about striking out into unfamiliar territory and trying new things. That's exactly what you'll find here today...

Love rum and warm Caribbean sun, sand, and beaches? Maybe it's time to head to the islands and check out this Rum Month package from Four Seasons Resort Nevis where you can celebrate this spirit with a variety of activities ranging from mixology classes to simply sipping a rum cocktail on the beach.

Have you ever visited a distillery and found something completely unique and then wish you had bought a bottle of it to take home with you, but now it's too late? That happened to me tonight after visiting Red Eagle Distillery in Geneva, Ohio, north east of Cleveland and tasting their delicious Red Maple. All I have is the brief memories, so I'll share them with you guys now...

Last fall, we spent a week on Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America as we sailed around the islands of Hawaii. One of the things I always enjoy about NCL is that they do a great job with drinks. As I sailed around the islands I realized that what I once looked at as a classic - is anything but. While all mai tai cocktails have rum and tropical juices, it seemed that every bartender had their own interpretation. This includes of course, the awesome bar staff on board Pride of America. Here's their version of the classic Hawaiian Mai Tai...

One of my favorite parts of traveling is trying new cocktails, or even just relaxing with a new interpretation of a familiar favorite. That's one of the reasons that I absolutely love traveling with Norwegian Cruise Line. Simply put, their bar program is one of the best at sea and while others use gimmicks of flair bar tending and even robots to mix your drinks - Norwegian focuses on human talent and creative recipes. Now though, in addition to the fantastic and diverse menu of drinks available in different parts of the ship, they've introduced a new "Bespoke Cocktails" program exclusively for Haven guests. 

Mexico City is a destination that most Americans probably don't think about, but it is high on my list of places to visit. Despite the reputation of this country in the news, the capital is actually a cosmopolitan global city with lots to offer in terms of history, culture, food... and yes drinks. The folks at Ignacia Guest House sent us the recipe for their Mango and Mezcal Cocktail served during their complimentary daily cocktail hour.

I'm a sucker for dining with views of the water, I'm addicted to sand, palm trees and the sound of waves crashing on the beach while I eat. Heck, even in colder areas without sand and palm trees I still love oceanfront restaurants where you can smell the sea breezes. Oceans 234 in Deerfield Beach delivers all of that in a chic but still chill, laid back and relaxed environment with some of the best food I've had in a long time.

Sparkling wine as a category continues to impress me with far more than the standard "party Champagne" on offer today. For generations bubbly wine has been celebrated in various formats but we are truly in the midst of a renaissance with a wide variety of creations available as well as a  resurgence in sparkling wine cocktails as well. Mumm Napa sent over some bottles for us as well as these recipes to share. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did !

Las Vegas was once the land where everyday people could escape their everyday reality and be whoever they wanted to be for a few days. Today, the strip is dominated by elite restaurants, fancy shops, and pretty much anything expensive that you can imagine. It's a great place, but what's missing is that "Las Vegas Magic". Luckily, that still exists at a few places and others are creating new experiences that make you feel like a celebrity - without spending like it. That's exactly how I felt when Mirage Las Vegas invited me to stop by to check out their Chef's Table Experience at the Cravings Buffet.

One of the things I love about Vegas is all the amazing restaurants. It seems there is a never ending supply of creativity that is both pushing the culinary as well as architectural arts. What I didn't expect was to find an astonishingly awesome dinner at the top of Delano on the far south end of the strip. That's where Rivea sits and offers diners an unparalleled view of the entire strip. They say retail is location, location, location and this is absolutely true for Rivea. Luckily for us, the service and food was equally fantastic - making for one of the best dinners I've experienced in a long while.

A scene from Top Gun was filmed here, their bartender loves to create artisanal tequila cocktails and to top it off, San Diego Magazine's readers just named their chef, Accursio Lota, as "Best Chef" in San Diego - so who was I to say no when they approached us recently and invited us to stop by for dinner!

Honestly, I am not typically a fan of Italian because I usually associate it with kitschy bottles chianti, heavy but tasteless spaghetti sauce covered pasta and pictures of the pope or mobsters on the walls. Over the past couple years though I am starting to warm up to it. What I discovered at San Diego's Solare Ristorante was a delightful interpretation of classic Italian but merged with the essence of the Southern California farm-to-table movement.