Bend, OR - Fireside Bar, McMenamins' St. Francis School

An old converted school, now a pub, brewery and hotel.

The calendar may say spring, but in Central Oregon, the warm weather does not arrive until much later. So my solution for enduring a raw, rainy afternoon is to find a warm cozy pub to enjoy a hearty dark beer. The Fireside Bar at McMenamins' Old St. Francis School, is the perfect place.

The Fireside Pub is located inside the old school 

Tucked in the converted St. Francis School, now a brewery, pub and hotel in downtown Bend, the Fireside Bar features craft beer brewed on premises, and wines from the McMenamins own Edgefield Winery. In addition,there is a full bar featuring a variety of specialty drinks. We arrived around 4:30 pm on a particularly nasty day looking for a little warmth and a robust ale.  Although there were already a few patrons in the small bar, we found a booth close to the wood burning fireplace and settled in for a pint, and a light happy hour meal.

 After checking out the menu I realized there were too many tempting choices to pick only one, and opted for a six beer flight.  I chose Terminator Stout, Wildflower Wheat, Rogue General Porter, Bear Paw Oatmeal Pale, Sleepy Hollow Nut Brown and the Nitro Irish Stout. The selections change regularly and these six did the trick for me. My husband, Bruce's favorite was the Nut Brown and he ordered a full pint.

A flight of six of their finest.

Looking for the healthiest option on the Happy Hour Menu, I ordered a veggie burger that came with all the trimmings and was surprisingly tasty. Bruce was looking for something a little more hearty and opted for the fish and chips from the full menu. We both enjoyed our food and ate slowly, lingering to enjoy the crackling fire and warm ambiance of the pub.

One of tastiest veggie burgers I've ever had. 

When we headed back out into the nasty night, we were full of food and beer, feeling much better, and grateful to have such a snug little establishment in our town.

Siena, Italy - Wine Tour in Tuscany

The Tuscan countryside on the drive to the vineyards. 

Wine tasting in Tuscany has been on my list of "things to do" for many years. In April my husband and I spent a day in the Chianti region with an amazing tour guide, visiting four small family owned wineries in breathtaking locations. The knowledgeable and entertaining Donatella Noni operates her company, Wine Tours in Tuscany out of Siena.  It has been highly reviewed on TripAdvisor and other sites. Those reviews are correct, and our tour with Donatella turned out to be a once in a lifetime day for us.

She picked us up at our hotel in her new sporty van she fondly named Sandy. One other couple joined us and the five headed out through the spectacular Tuscan countryside to our first stop, Setriolo, a small winery owned and run by a mother and daughter. The grounds and vineyards are especially gorgeous with colorful gardens, numerous roses, sensational vistas, and one very memorable field of grapes. In the center of the rows of grapes stands one grand olive tree, the symbol of the winery.

The one stately olive tree in the middle of the vineyard.

The wisteria was in bloom during our visit. 

The wine tasting took place in the farmhouse living room, as comfortable and charming as you might expect from a home in Tuscany. We sampled two of their Chianti Classico and one Merlot, produced from grapes grown on the property and, accompanied by some tasty cheese, salami and crackers. The wine was delicious and inexpensive.  We purchased a bottle of Chianti to bring home before we left for our next stop.

Our first wine tasting of the day.

Stop two was Querceto Di Castellina, a larger family winery with agriturism accomodations on premise.  We enjoyed four more tastings, a pink Rose', two Chianti Classico and Merlot.  Very drinkable wine, and we purchased a bottle of the Rose' for later enjoyment in our hotel.

Wine tasting at Querceto di Castellina. 

The highlight of our third stop at Antico Podere Casanova was the house-cured prosciutto that was served with the quite remarkable Chianti Classico and Gandino wines. The owner/winemaker who spoke no English, brought us down to his cellar to sample some wine aging in chestnut barrels.  My favorite of the day! We left with a bottle of his fine Gandino, exclusive to his winery.

Our guide Donatella with our gracious host,

Sampling wine from the chestnut barrels. 

Lunch was prepared and served at the home of a family friend of our guide, Donatella.  The home dated back to the 1200's and the charm was everywhere.  The lasagna was prepared Tuscan style with Bechamel sauce, rich and flavorful.  The Tiramisu was the best I've ever had.  Of course, the meal was served with wine. More wine! 

Our fourth stop was at the equally beautiful La Papessa Vineyards and Agrotourism estate. By that time, I was not a good critic of the wine we tasted.  Matter of fact, the whole stop was a little vague after so much good wine, food and fun. The day was coming to an end and I had enjoyed more than my share of fantastic wine served in incredible settings.

All the wineries were as scenic as you would imagine in Tuscany.  

This was a day that I will never forget. If you are looking for a unique, fun-filled and delicious adventure,  I cannot recommend Wine Tours in Tuscany any higher.

Redmond, OR - Wild Ride Brewing

The entrance of Wild Ride Brewing.

On a gorgeous February afternoon, after a spectacular hike at Smith Rock, a world renowned rock climbing venue, we were in search of some tasty craft beer and a little fun. We found what we were looking for at Wild Ride Brewing, in Redmond, Oregon.

Wild Ride offered 12 of their beers on tap. 

Located in an industrial building, near the center of town, are housed the taproom and on-site brewery. When we arrived mid-afternoon the place was buzzing and there were few empty seats to be had. Other outdoor enthusiasts, bicyclists, hikers and apres-skiers, were all there to enjoy the lively atmosphere and drink a pint or two.  

Everyone is having fun at Wild Ride!

We had 12 house made beers to choose from, everything from a light lager, to a bourbon barrel aged stout. I was thirsty so I chose the Whoopty Whoop Wheat, and my thirst was happily quenched.  Others in our group chose the Mount Up Maple Brown, the Hopperhead IPA and the Stand Up and Shout Stout.

 

Three happy  patrons enjoying the afternoon.

In our opinion, the quality of the beer was balanced and brewed by people who know their craft. By offering 12 selections, every beer lover I should find something to like. The atmosphere is festive and lively, and the imaginative décor and beautiful artwork only adds to the fun.

Some of the imaginative decor at Wild Ride. .

 

First time I've ever seen tasters served in skis.

We were hungry after our hike, and although, Wild Ride does not serve food, there are food carts outside, with staff that is ready to please.  We ordered some chicken and pork barbecue and it was delivered to our table inside the pub.  It filled us up and was a fine accompaniment to our beer.

Wubbas's served up some fine barbecue to enjoy with our beer. 

If you in search of refreshment after enjoying Central Oregon's outdoor recreation, or just looking for a fun place to drink a pint with friends, a stop at Wild Ride will not disappoint.

Kauai, Hawaii - Kauai Beer Company

When my husband and I decided to spend our anniversary in Kauai, Hawaii, we didn't go for the beer. We went for the glorious weather, spectacular snorkeling and panoramic scenery.  Surprise, surprise! We actually found some pretty decent craft beer.

The brewery and brew pub is located in downtown Lihue,Kauai.

The Kauai Beer Company is not located in the most picturesque area on the island.  Housed on a busy main street, the unassuming storefront does not impress.  Once we stepped inside, we were transferred into a lively pub, filled with a mix of locals and tourists enjoying pints of colorful beer and having a very good time.

Bright, modern, comfortable pub. 

With eight choices brewed right on premise, I chose a flight of six.  Visually, I was impressed with the depth of colors when the flight arrived.

Such pretty colors.  But how about the taste?

Pretty beer is one thing, but how did it match up with craft beer on the mainland.  Okay, so the beer did not have the complexity of flavors offered in many Pacific NW brews (think Deschutes), but for a brewery opened for only two years, off the beaten path in Kauai, I have to say, it was pretty darn good. I especially liked the Tropical Armadillo, an oatmeal pale ale with a hint of tropical flavoring. It was refreshing after a day at the beach.  The Austrian Chicken, a Vienna lager, was my husband's favorite. I thought the IPA was lacking, but the Black Limousine, a dark Bavarian beer was very flavorful.

Food choices were limited, mostly typical pub grub. The night to go, if you don't mind a crowd is Thursdays, when two popular food trucks park out front.  Patrons are welcome to purchase locally grown and prepared favorites from the trucks and enjoy them in the pub with their beer.  Although we weren't there to experience it, we were told that an empty chair is hard to find on Thursdays.

So, if you're in Kauai and you're craving a cold craft beer, you're not likely be disappointed with a visit to the Kauai Beer Company.

The beer is brewed on premise.  

Blowing Rock, NC - Blowing Rock Alehouse and Inn

Blowing Rock Alehouse - definitely blog-worthy,

I have to be honest.  In the last year I have visited a number of brew pubs that I simply felt weren't blog-worthy.  This blog is all about places that offer quality beer, wine and chocolate in a fun or unique venue. Recently there have been too many new craft beer joints that produce mediocre product, offer the same old food, in an uninspired venue. They've just left me flat. That's why I was so happy to discover the Blowing Rock Ale House and Inn. This place has only been brewing beer for a year, and the product is excellent.  The ale house was originally an old lodge and has a warm intimate feeling inside. It still offers rooms on the upper floors. Since we visited with our pooch, we sat one of their outside tables on the front lawn, surrounded by colorful gardens.  That early Saturday evening there was a lively crowd both inside and out.

This happy couple was enjoying the beautiful evening.

We sampled a number of the artisan beers brewed at the ale house as well as the three brewed at their facility in Hickory, NC. They varied from a summer ale to a seasonal farmhouse peach to a hearty imperial stout, and I honestly liked them all. The brewmaster clearly knows what he's doing.

Great beer, great food and dog friendly!

In addition, the food was as good as we've ever had at a brew pub.  We started with mussels steamed in pilsner and followed with a ahi tuna and fried green tomato sandwich, accompanied with hand cut fries and marinated seasonal veggies. Perfectly prepared and presented, and so delicious.

The servers were friendly and kept us supplied with plenty of beer.  It was a memorable night in charming downtown Blowing Rock and a pleasure to finally find a new brew pub that is worth writing about.

Asheville, NC - Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar

A glass of bubbly!

Nirvana.  I didn't think I'd ever find it.  But I did find it in Asheville, NC, when I walked into the Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar.  It's a beautiful and eclectic book store with thousands of old and new books, a chic champagne bar, that's dog friendly!  I simply love this place.  It's compiled of a maze of rooms filled with walls of books, and intimate seating arrangements for individuals or small groups to sip a beverage, browse through books, or work on a lap top.  It simply has something for everyone.  If you have a four footed furry companion, he or she is welcome as well.

Dog friendly!

My husband, my dog Belle, and I stopped by for a celebratory glass of champagne and a tasty cheese board on the first stop of our cross-country trip to our new home in Bend, Oregon. Now that I've left my day job I'll be able to travel more and visit fun places that serve beer, wine and chocolate.  What an amazing way to start this journey.

Next time, the chocolate cake.

The champagne and wine list is extensive with something for everyone's taste and budget, from very expensive, to our sparkling wine of choice, a very reasonable $7 glass of Italian Prossecco. If we had visited later in the evening we probably would have chosen the dessert special,a glass of champagne and generous slice of chocolate cake for $10. They also offered local craft bottle beer and a full coffee bar.  Did I mention water bowls and special treats for the pups? The folks who work at Battery Park love dogs and provide special attention to every visitor.

This establishment has it all.

If you are ever in Asheville, do yourself a favor and stop by Battery Park. Perhaps it will be your nirvana, too. 

Chattanooga, TN - Terminal Brewhouse

The Terminal Brewhouse all lit up at night. 

If you're looking for a place to go in Chattanooga for quality craft beer, a lively crowd and a tasty meal, look no further than the The Terminal Brewhouse . It's located on the south side of the city, across from the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo train station now transformed into an elegant hotel.  If you go on a Saturday night, just be prepared for a wait, since this place is popular. We arrived early hoping to beat the crowd, but no such luck. Even at 5 pm, we had to wait. Fortunately, two seats at the bar opened up before a table, so we grabbed them and had a prime spot to observe the ambiance. The bar service was excellent and it was only a minute or two before a flight of all their craft beer appeared before us. 

A beautiful flight of Terminal craft beer.

The beer tasted as good as it looked. It was hard to choose a favorite from the Belgian Wit, the Maibock, India Pale Ale, Stout, Copper and Nut Brown Ale. They were all well crafted and each had something a little special. 

The list of The Terminal's craft beers. 

The food was a notch above most brew pubs. You can get everything from pot roast nachos, bison burgers to five cheese pizza topped with mozzarella, cheddar, Parmesan, provolone and feta. My husband and I choose to share the salmon cakes drizzled with a jalepeno, cilantro, onion and bbq aioli. We could pick two sides, and we chose the fresh green beans and squash casserole which were especially tasty.

  

The food paired well with all the beer. 

By the time we left it was dark outside, the crowd had grown, and the wait was a little longer.  I smiled and told the folks waiting to stick it out.  The Terminal was well worth it.