Out And Abroad

Frog Meadow Farm and the Brattleboro Vermont Area Review

Matt and I recently travelled to Frog Meadow Farm located just a few miles outside of Brattleboro, Vermont. Since we moved to Maine, we have used Memorial Day weekend to go on a road trip and explore New England. Last year we drove up to Bar Harbor, but this year we wanted to stretch ourselves outside of Maine. I found the Frog Meadow Farm while searching for Gay Friendly hotels in New England and we decided to give it a shot!

What is the Frog Meadow Farm?

Frog Meadow farm is an all-male, clothing optional bed and breakfast located on top of a mountain just outside Battleboro. The Farm is owned by Scott and Dave who are just darlings and wonderful hosts. They and their staff who treat you like friends visiting their home as opposed to hotel guests.

The Farm has several bedrooms in the main house, a carriage house and a couple of cabins across their sprawling property. All rooms include breakfast (cooked by Dave) every morning. The grounds have beautiful gardens, a massage room, gym, but the crown jewel is their 750-gallon wood-fired hot tub.

The Room

We reserved the largest room in the main house that was absolutely lovely. Our bathroom had a separate shower and two-person tub. The bath products were homemade at the property and lovely.

The Amenities

The grounds are stunning, the hot tub was lovely and there is a large gym in the basement. For a small bed and breakfast, it was all perfect. Plus, I always wanted to work out in a jock, and I had the opportunity to! There is also a small massage. We partook and it was lovely.

Breakfast

All rooms include made-to-order breakfast that changed by the day. Our offerings included waffles, pancakes and bacon. There was also yogurt available each morning. A nice perk was coffee was available 24/7, which most 5-star hotels do not offer.

The Owners

Scott and Dave are the lovely owners of Frog Meadow. They do a wonderful job making you feel like you are a member of their household as opposed to as guests. They will help make dinner reservations or equipt you for a hike along the river. Again, better service than most 5-star hotels.

The Area

The inn is just located up the road from Brattleboro, Vermont. It is a lovely area with very few people that is very accepting to the LGBQIA community. I love areas with few people, so it was a hit. Brattleboro is a cute town with tons of restaurants and shops.

Overall

Matt and I had a wonderful time at the Frog Meadow Farm. If you are looking for a retreat where you can relax and be naked all day, we found the place. It is ideally located in Southern Vermont just a few hours from NYC or Boston. Bring a good book, few clothes and a candle and you will be set for a lovely oasis away. We will be returning in October for the Apple Cider Festival. Thank you, Dave and Scott!

*****/*****

American Airlines is the only US based carrier to have a long-haul first class. Generally, Flagship First as they call it is dramatically more expensive than business class. Is it worth it? Is it better than Flagship Business (which I reviewed here) This review will provide an overview of the entire Flagship First experience from check in through arrival and everything in between.

Booking

We were originally booked in business class on miles on our flight from FCO (Rome) to JFK. However, about a month before the trip I noticed I could rebook and put us in Flagship First for just another 10,000 AA miles which is worth (generously) about 100 dollars. I figured even if the difference between Flagship Business vs First was minimal, 100 dollars was worth a full day of minimal enhancement.

Comparing it to other First-Class Experiences

We have never flown long-haul first class as many western airlines do not have it or it has never been at a cash/miles cost we were comfortable with. Honestly, American does not have a great reputation with Flagship First as this is nowhere near a Singapore Airline or Emirates experience. But we knew that going in and expectations were low.

Check-In

To be perfectly honest, Flagship First and I were not off to a good start with their check-in process in Rome. I would have thought Flagship First would have its own line, but we shared it with every passenger who has premier access. While that sounds exclusive, literally everyone with an AA credit card, some kind of status, business class and OneWorld elite members. Most of the AA flights out of FCO leave within an hour from each other so check-in was a bit of a zoo. That is a ding!

Lounge

AA doesn’t have a lounge in FCO so Flagship First and Business passengers have access to either the Plaza Premium Lounge or the British Airways Club. The Plaza Premium Lounge is also a contract lounge for several other airlines and a priority pass location, so it was a bit of a zoo, so we went to the British Airways Club. We only had time for a coffee, and the club includes a barista made coffee bar which was quite lovely and an underrated feature.

Boarding and the Seat

Flagship First passengers boarded first, and our cabin was quite tiny which was part of the appeal. The entire flight was very quiet. The seat and ottoman were massive. Each seat came with Casper bedding and a mattress pad that made it quite comfortable. While business class seats are nice, these seats and general spaces were dramatically larger.

The flight attendants came around offering pajamas but Matt declined until I reminded him we get to keep them😉. The flight attendants would later come around after the meal to turn down our bed.

The Food

The food was dramatically more substantial than business class. We started with olives and nuts. After that we had the option to have an appetizer, salad AND soup prior to the entrée. We could not do it all! The food was all very good.

The Service

The cabin crew were lovely and attentive the entire flight. They were always happy to serve more drinks and proactively came around the cabin without being annoyed lol.

Arrival-Chelsea Lounge

One of the reasons I did not hesitate to add a few more miles to book Flagship First was because Matt and I had a very long connection at JFK. One of the perks of Flagship First is the Chelsea Lounge which is only accessible for First Class (not Business) passengers on AA or British Airways. Status or credit cards are not getting you into this one.

The lounge was beautiful, and all food and drinks are served a la carte. No buffet with old cheese to be had here! The food was restaurant quality, and the alcohol options were top shelf including Dom Perignon. We don’t consume alcohol, so we loaded up on cappuccinos. We showered and made our way to our final flight to Boston.

Overall

Would I spend thousands of dollars more to fly Flagship First? Absolutely not, but for 10,000 miles more, 100% yes! I would totally pay a little more in cash and miles for the dramatically more comfortable seat, better food, excellent service and the lounge experience.  Just manage expectations that First Class products in Europe and Asia are dramatically superior.

4/5

****.5/*****

We recently stayed at the luxury spa resort, the Adler Thermae. Located in Southern Tuscany, the Adler is isolated from the larger Tuscan cities such as Siena and Florence. Is it worth flying all the way to Italy and driving 2.5 hours from the nearest airport just to sit at this spa? Let’s find out! (YES)

Hotel Review Context

As always, I am reviewing the hotel based on how it advertises itself. The Adler advertises as a pretty large 5-star spa resort. Based on their marketing and advertising I am comfortable comparing it to a JW Marriott or Intercontinental type of hotel that markets itself as a spa resort.

The Brand

Adler Spa Resorts are a collection of a few 5-star properties around Italy and advertise as a place to unwind for relaxation for the mind and soul. For more information, click here.

How We Booked

We have visited this property multiple times, but never stayed overnight as they have day passes for those in the area who just want to use their spa. Adler is not part of any major chain rewards program, so we booked the old-fashioned way, cash!

While prices aren’t cheap, they are far from outrageous considering all rooms/rates come with the following;

• Half Board-Breakfast and Dinners included.
• Private balconies with Tuscan views
• Fitness classes including yoga, meditation and stretching.
• Use of the spa facilities (individual treatments are extra) such as their naturally heated outdoor pool, gym, hiking trails and extensive saunas and steam rooms.
• Childcare (ew)

Location

The Adler Thermae is in the Orcia Valley in Southern Tuscany. For Brunello drinkers, about 20 minutes outside of Montalcino. The valley historically was an area the Roman elite would go to in order to bath in the natural volcanic mineral waters. A nice feature of the hotel was there was a small village within walking distance if you wanted to do some shopping, gelato eating or lunch.

Checking In

Oh boy! So, the original plan was to arrive in Rome around noon and rent a car so we could drive to some of our familiar Tuscan towns for lunches on days we were not busy with spa appointments. Then our flight was cancelled, and we did not land in Rome until about midnight. Besides fatigue, our other problem was the Rome Airport (FCO) rental car terminal closes at 11:00pm. Since we only had 4 nights booked at the Adler, I really wanted to find a way to get us there and not waste an evening in a boring FCO airport hotel.

We were still in London at the time this happened, and I emailed the hotel asking for help. The receptionist who responded was lovely and told us not to worry at all, they would send a car to pick us up. The Adler is located almost 2.5 hours away from FCO and their driver was local, so this was no minor task at the last minute. The hotel saved us, and we arrived at 3:00am. The night manager was prepared for our arrival and quickly took us to our room. I imagine the typical arrival process is a little more elaborate, but we could not be more pleased with everything and even more impressed they left a large dinner for us in our room. While rates do technically include dinner, I highly doubt a Marriott or Hilton would proactively leave dinner in our room due to a 3am arrival.

The Room

The room was beautiful and blended in the Tuscan wood perfectly. The bathroom was appropriately spa-like, and the balcony and view were lovely.

The Grounds

It is hard to describe the Adler Thermae so I will just post pictures. I have been to many hotels with lovely spas, but I have never been anywhere where the hotel and spa are intertwined. The entire property is the spa. It was typical seeing guests in robes everywhere including lunch. As mentioned, naturally heated outdoor pools, saunas, steam rooms etc. are located throughout the property.

Service

For a large property, the service was excellent. Our rooms were cleaned 2x a day, the wait staff remembered our names and preferences, and everyone was just lovely.

The Food

When I say Breakfast and Dinners are included, we are not talking about a cruise buffet. Dinners were ala carte and excellent. We were mildly concerned eating at the hotel every night while in Italy would make us feel like we are missing out, but the food was excellent, and the menus did a wonderful job incorporating Tuscan cuisine including pici pasta!

Breakfast

Breakfast was an elaborate buffet which included eggs and waffles cooked to order. All the juices were freshly squeezed in front of you and buffet items included Italian cheeses, meats, yogurts and all the accompaniments you would expect.

Lunch (not included)

Lunch is served in the poolside Osteria and is 25 euros per person. The price included an antipasto buffet, breads, desserts, salad and an a la carte protein including fish or meat. It was excellent but too much food. I would recommend the hotel has an option for either just the a la carte item OR the buffet.

Dinner

Dinner is served in the roof top open sky restaurant that is just beautiful. The menu changes every night but items such as Tuscan beans, pici, rosemary chicken and all sorts of typical Tuscan cuisine was included. There was also a buffet for salad, appetizers (in addition to the a la carte courses) and dessert. Everything was excellent and a great way to end the day.

The Spa

Matt and I had several treatments, and they were all perfect. We felt much younger after.

The Clientele

I have posted in the past that you are always one irritating baby or couple away from a ruined trip. What made this property special was that the clientele were all there for the same goals; to relax and have some serenity. While people drank wine at night, no one was drunk. Kids were minimal and people respected the purpose of the property.

Overall

We could have spent a month at this hotel. Apart from lunch being too generous, we had no complaints whatsoever. We cannot wait to return and even try their other properties. For those happy to go to Italy to be pampered, this is your place! For those wanting to tour Italy, maybe a few nights in between Florence and Rome?

5/5 *****

Bon Voyage,

Andrew

We traveled United Polaris (Long-Haul Business) from Newark to London. Flying long-haul business is more than just the actual flight and this review will tackle the airport experience and flight.

Booking Polaris

For this trip we just used cash because we had significant airline flight credits to spend. One of the benefits of travel in the post-covid world is airlines give credits when you cancel a flight which makes booking far less risky than in the old days.

Checking In

Checking in at Newark was a breeze being able to use the separate floor priority desks. We were checked in and through security within minutes. While we were able to use the priority lane as Polaris customers, TSA Pre-check was faster.

Polaris Lounge

This is where the United Polaris experience truly shines as the Polaris Lounge is currently the most premier business class lounge in the United States. United has very strict entry requirements consisting of only Polaris passengers or other Star Alliance Long-Haul business class passengers. Status (with very few exceptions for the invite only levels) and credit cards will not gain you entry.

Inside the lounge there are seating areas, relaxing chairs and office stations.

What differentiates it most from the standard airline lounge are the food and beverage options. Instead of the liquid gasoline drinks served in most US airline lounges, top shelf drinks are readily available. For us fellow non-drinkers like Matt and I, coffee and soft drinks are also available. One ding I do have is a premier lounge should have barista made coffee and not the crappy machines. In Europe many airline lounges have barista made coffee and it makes a huge difference.

The Polaris Lounge has two options for food. First is the buffet, which is enough on itself as it is more than your typical lounge fair of stale cheese and rock-hard bread. I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

However, the crown jewel of the lounge is the dining room where cooked to order al la carte items are available and were quite enjoyable. I would not say good restaurant quality, but certainly mediocre restaurant quality!

The other perk I love about the lounge is the shower. I love showering (and being naked) in an airport. It is quite liberating lol. It is also a nice thing to do after a long layover before a 7-hour flight.

On the Plane

The Polaris seats are quite comfortable pods that turn into lie-flat seats. The tv monitor is quite large with tons of movie/tv options. The amenity kit has the typical business class items like lotions, lip palm and a dental kit. The bedding is another area United shines as the Saks Fifth Avenue bedding and pillows are quite comfortable. Everything was great…. until we ate.

Look, I am not expecting a Singapore Airlines, or an Emirates dining experience. Heck, I would be fine with even mediocrity. What Matt and I had was not even edible. I took one piece of broccoli and spit it out. This was not even mediocre food for economy class. For several thousands of dollars (remember a lot of flight credits) this was truly unacceptable

Arrivals Lounge

United as an Arrivals Lounge for only Polaris passengers in London Heathrow. It has showers and some lite bites which are lovely after a long flight.

Overall

United Polaris excels in the ground experience. In fact, based on my experience it outshines Delta and American Airlines in the ground game…however things deteriorate in the air. All three airlines have similar seats, amenity kits and even bedding (although I would say United has the best bedding). Yet, the food on the plane was unacceptable. Eat in the Polaris Lounge and skip the flight meal and you will have a wonderful experience.

4/5 Stars

The Edition London is one of Marriott Bonvoy’s most premier properties in London. Truthfully Marriott’s footprint in London is rather weak particularly in the luxury sense. The Edition is a relatively young brand for Marriott aimed largely towards the younger crowd that wants a luxury experience.

Hotel Context

As always, I am reviewing the hotel based on how it advertises itself and comparing it to what I expect at a luxury 5-star hotel in an urban center.

How I Booked

Edition hotels are part of Marriott Bonvoy, but do not participate in the free breakfast program for those with Marriott Platinum and above. Therefore we booked using a Marriott Stars rate. Marriott Stars provides the following benefits at the same cost as those booking on their own.

• Early check in/late check out
• Free breakfast for 2
• Welcome Amenity
• Guaranteed Upgrade
• 100 USD credit to use at the hotel.

Truthfully if you are ever booking at a cash rate at a Bonvoy luxury property you should absolutely book via the Stars rate for the same price to get the above perks. You have to use a travel advisor for the Stars rate and I highly recommend ilay@flyingout.luxury or https://www.facebook.com/ilay.avni.lux who handles all our cash luxury hotel bookings.

Checking In

We arrived early and our room was not ready yet but the front desk staff were pure delights. The concierge introduced himself and gave us our tickets to the theater we procured before we arrived and suggested running routes along with maps for me to use.

The Room

The room was lovely and I rather enjoyed the minimalist décor and wood paneling. While not the biggest room in the world, I recognize it is also a city hotel and it was a perfect place to relax. The bathroom was quite large and lovely.

Location

The location could not be more perfect. We wanted to be in Soho due to the gay scene, but it was off on a quiet street so it was the best of both worlds. Easy walks to Piccadilly and all the tourist attractions.

Service

This is the only area I will mildly ding the hotel. Please note that the service was quite friendly and helpful, but comparing it to a St. Regis…it was missing that oomph. For example, our room did not get turn down service one evening. Otherwise the receptionist, concierge and restaurant staff were al lovely.

The Food

The crown jewel of this hotel was definitely the restaurant and bar scene. This is not your typical boring hotel restaurant with Caesar salad and grilled chicken. Berners Tavern is considered one of the better restaurants in London and many of the diners are NOT hotel guests. The breakfast was also not your typical stale buffet but interesting dishes from a menu. The food was fabulous and free with our Marriott Stars perks 😊.

Overall

I highly recommend the Edition London Hotel as a home base for trips to London. While not the cheapest property, it is quite fair compared to other properties in the same class of hotels and not very more expensive than the typical Sheraton or Hilton for a dramatically better experience. Hopefully housekeeping can up its game for next time.

4.8/5 stars

Okay let’s get back to happy talk. Matt and I have finally figured out how we are going to get home from Thailand for our summer anniversary vacation. Remember our parameters: using only miles for business class tickets. It’s a game, and part of the thrill of it is seeing what kind of luxury you can get for very little cash!

 If y’all recall this July we were originally spending a week in Thailand and another few days in Israel to reposition ourselves to earn a better redemptions home. Unfortunately due to tragic world events we had to cancel the Israel portion (we will do Israel the right way for a longer period of time in the future as it is an important place to us for family reasons) which left us stranded in Thailand.

May I introduce you all to our new 10^th Anniversary Vacation. Get ready for this whirlwind of an itinerary. Every flight and hotel are booked on miles and points besides a few short-haul flights which are cheap within Asia.

2 Nights in Bangkok

We arrive in Bangkok late in the evening after two very long flights around the world. Our plan for these two days is to get ourselves together and if we have the energy check out the night scene…but it is us so don’t count on it.

Hotel: St. Regis Bangkok

Flights: Japan Airlines: Boston-Tokyo-Bangkok-Business Class-Cathay Pacific Miles Transferred from Capital One

5 Nights in Koh Samui

If you have never heard of Koh Samui, that will change as season 3 of the White Lotus takes place there. It is an island known for its beaches, forests, and elephant sanctuaries! We will be celebrating our anniversary here. @Matt says he is working on it….

Hotel: Vana Belle a Luxury Collection Hotel

Flights: Short 45 minute flight on Bangkok Airways. We are paying for this, but cheapie cheapie

1 Night in Bangkok

I know this is getting nuts, but we have a real early flight the following morning to our next destination and we did not want to risk it. This also gives us the opportunity to spend a day in Bangkok and see the city while not recovering from jet lag.

Hotel: St. Regis Bangkok

Flights: Short 45 minute flight on Bangkok Airways. We are paying for this, but cheapie cheapie

Okay now this is about to get ridiculous…..

5 Nights in the Maldives

How the heck did we go from Tel Aviv for 3 days to the Maldives for 5 nights?  Well, we were kind of desperate, but remember business class is a must at no (money) cost. Matt had a lot of United miles and I had a lot of American Airlines miles. The problem was we needed to find a location that was not in East Asia or Japan to get home in business on miles. This is tricky, particularly if you are gay as the Middle East is the really only option to keep the mile redemption reasonable while also not being too far from Thailand. With Israel ruled out I started looking at random cities in Asia, Middle East and  Eastern Europe. I could not believe I found a saver pass in miles on United from Male’, Maldives to Portland ME!  Thankfully Fly Dubai is a partner of United, so it is all one ticket.

How does one get from Bangkok to the Maldives? Easy, 3.5 hour direct flight on the same cheap airline as we were taking to Koh Samui. Low and behold we even had enough Marriott points for 5 nights at the St. Regis Maldives. For Marriott points redemption, you always get the best value with 5 nights as the 5^th night is free using Marriott points. With the Maldives being significantly closer than Israel and our willingness to add a day on the backend of the trip, we were able to squeeze 5 nights in the Maldives. We were set.

5 Night Maldives

This is exciting because we were debating between Thailand vs the Maldives and now we get both.

Hotel: St. Regis Maldives

Flights: Fly Dubai to Dubai, United from Dubai to Newark and Newark to Portland

Is this vacation nuts? Are we nuts? We also get half a day in Dubai as a bonus in between flights. A perfect opportunity to see a few of the sites (the fountains!!!), get some good Arabic food, and visit one of my oldest friends and finally meet his family!

Fun Fact: All in we are spending less than $1,000 on all these flights and hotels. For sh*ts and giggles I priced this same itinerary with the same hotels/room categories and flight….$39,574 dollars. I think we did well doing this for <$1,000. I told you this was a happier post! I am so excited to celebrate our 10^th anniversary on this whirlwind trip.

PS I hope Matt doesn’t like it too much as we will never likely do this one again 😊

Bon voyage,

Andrew

PSS If you need free advice on how to book something similar, check out this post and  and part 2.

Let’s just say 2024 and I have not started off on the right foot. It has been a January. Matt and my therapist suggested I go away for a week to take care of myself and wellness. If Palm Beach is good enough for Donald Trump to escape to, then I guess it is good enough for me!

Why Palm Beach?

As many of you know, I have a complicated relationship with Florida. But in reality I just don’t look fondly at our time living in Wilton Manors, despise the government, find the people highly irritating, dislike the weather, and find the traffic miserable. Otherwise I love it! However my parents live in the area and my brother is not too far. For a solo trip it works as I could use some pool time, sun, and family moments.

Why Alone?

I am an introvert and love being alone.

Where Am I Staying?

I am splitting my time between family and resort. For this trip, I will be staying at the PGA National Resort. Usually I am a Marriott loyalist, but the rates were absurd for their ocean resorts and none of their interior properties are particularly nice in the area. I saw an excellent rate for the PGA National Resort on the Capital One Travel Portal as part of their Premier Collection. The Premier Collection includes.

• Free breakfast for 2 (Hey Brian R, care to join me one morning?)
• Upgraded room
• Early check in and late check out
• $100 credit
• 10x Capital One Points
• Complimentary Wifi

The hotel is not on water, which is why it is reasonably priced considering it is a 5 star hotel. Truthfully, I don’t find Florida beaches compelling as they are zoos surrounded by ugly buildings. I have Maine for much prettier beaches 😊.

How I am Paying

I am using my Capital One Venture X card. This card costs 375 dollars a year, but includes an annual 300 travel credit if you book through their portal. I used the 300 credit on this trip and if you include the 100 dollar resort credit included in my rate, I basically got a free night or free luxury credit card. Well worth the credit card fee, which also includes Priority Pass Lounge Access along with a host of other benefits.

What’s the Plan?

Meditate, read a book or two, sit by the pool, listen to relaxing music, workout at the gym and just relax. I desperately need some me time. It will be lovely seeing the family too although I will miss my babies and Matt.

Reviews

I plan on reviewing the hotel and writing a comparison between economy class on United vs American Airlines Business class and see if it is worth the difference.

What’s Next

Stay tuned to a much more fun vacation with Matt and others shortly 😊

Bon Voyage,

Andrew

We are at the time of year where we are subjected to endless posts from friends living or traveling to Florida (certainly not to get an abortion) raving about the wonderful weather. It makes me happy those visiting or living in Florida enjoy their lives down there and they should be excited that they are a week or two away from their part-time governor returning home to do things like banning books, targeting private companies that have DEI policies or making abortion practically illegal. But it is warm in January!

Last January Matt and I spent our final few weeks in our Florida condo. This year we are in Maine, and I have got to tell you…I much prefer January in Maine. Let me tell you why!

The Weather!

I am not going to try and hide it; I love the winter weather up here and no it isn’t because it is currently 55 degrees in this unheard of mild January. I think the winter is peaceful. There is nothing quite like listening to the waves crashing onto the shore on a cold clear day or staring at the woods covered with snow. There is nothing more relaxing than sitting by the cracking fireplace while sipping on a warm beverage watching the fluffy snowflakes drop from the sky.

Hot Tub

We had a pool in Houston we never used because it was either too cold in the winter or disgustingly hot in the summer. Our hot tub in Maine is used all year and offers the best experience in the winter. The quiet cool air is so peaceful, and the experience is perfect between the morning views of watching the sunrise reflecting through the snow and trees or the evening baths below the planetarium up in the sky.

No People

Ah the introvert’s dream! There is literally no one here in the winter. Our tourists and seasonal residents are away. This means easy access and parking to all the restaurants including those impossible to get into like Earth and plenty of parking along the beach for those winterly strolls.

Friends and Activities

We spent our two years in Florida getting drunk every night with our friends. Now we do things like dinner parties, high tea, bowling and the theater with our friends.

Shoveling

I really like shoveling snow or using our new blower. Matt and I love blowing! It is quite therapeutic.

My Sweetheart Loves the Snow

The snow makes Belle happy 😊

Overall

Winter is quickly becoming my second favorite season in Maine (our flawless summer is not #1). While I am not going to pretend there are days that we need to hunker down, they are few and far between. Otherwise, we get a few months of peace and quiet. No tornadoes in January here! 😉

Bon Voyage,

Andrew

Let us take a look at my top 5 favorite meals we had at restaurants we had while Out and Abroad in 2023. I thought this would be a fun post as everyone likes a good meal. Favorite meals do not mean best restaurants around the world as that is not practical. These were just my favorites taking into consideration service, taste, ambiance and just non-qualitative pleasure. The list below is in no particular order.

Pla Restaurant- Gothic Corridor, Barcelona, Spain

Cuisine: Typical Catalonian

Why Did We Love It: This is the only restaurant on the list that we have previously visited and both times we had wonderful meals. Truthfully the menu as written is nothing special as it is similar to most traditional restaurants in Barcelona. Paella, Patatas Bravas, croquettes, etc. However, the atmosphere at this restaurant is just lovely, the owner is a delight, and it is always a wonderful evening. Most restaurants in Barcelona are empty until closer to 9pm, but this one requires a reservation and is filled by 7 telling you everything you need to know.

Alfresco Restaurante-Sitges, Spain

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Why Did We Love It: We had two nights in Sitges, and I wanted to find a romantic dinner for the two of us. All my research pointed to this place, and I sent an email for a party of two at 7pm a few weeks prior. I was a little taken aback when the restaurant responded that they required a credit card and that they did not take cancellations. I almost balked, but figured it was safe enough to book and I am so happy I did as we had a fantastic dinner. The seafood was right off the boat and the service was impeccable. The décor was just stunning. Sure enough, they were turning people away without reservations as every table was taken by 7:15pm in a town where dinner is usually closer to 9pm

Sunrise Picnics, Ogunquit, Maine-USA

Cuisine: Bring Your Own Food

Why Did We Love It: Okay I am cheating with this one, but it was one of our favorite meals of the year and we all know how much I love Maine and equate it to traveling abroad. Megan sets up a beautiful picnic setting on our local beach, and it was just a divine experience. When you do travel up here, I cannot suggest this enough.

Cantina Salon Rios, Mexico City, Mexico

Cuisine: Mexican

Why Did We Love It: This is barely a step up to a hole in the wall, but the tacos at this restaurant were life changing. I ate lunch or dinner here every single day during our 4 days in Mexico City. The food was incredible and cheaper than a meal at McDonalds.

Avista, Funchal, Portugal

Michelin Award restaurant in Madeira and located at our hotel Les Suites at the Cliff Bay. The food was excellent, and the atmosphere was just perfect, but of course the real reason it was a top meal experience for the year was because Matt said YES.

I am excited about our 2024 travels as it will provide us with many more memories at local restaurants around the world. What are some of your favorites?

Bon Voyage,

Andrew