by Sandra Crittenden

As originally seen in the May edition of  Galveston Monthly  magazine

As originally seen in the April edition of  Galveston Monthly  magazine

During a trip to Bordeaux last fall, I stayed at the bed and breakfast at Château La France , a modern five room boutique hotel located between the cities of Bordeaux and Saint-Emilion in the commune of Beychac-et-Caillau. Visitors are greeted by a huge cock proudly overseeing the vineyards. The monumental sculpture was created by artist Georges Saulterre from sheet steel mirror. The rooster's appearance changes from silver through gold as the day progresses and the lighting changes. The property is over 200 acres and is classed as one of the largest estates in the region. Château La France was built in 1830 on the site of a former Gallo-Roman villa. The actual château can be rented out as well, it contains six bedrooms, has a private pool and can house up to 14 people. I did not stay in the main house during my time there as it was rented out by a wedding party so I was unable to tour it but you can see it on video  here . My room was the Chambre Merlot, a single level roo...

In the Beychac-et-Caillau commune in the Gironde in southwestern France, you'll find  Planet Bordeaux  which is both the headquarters for the winemakers association and a recommended place for you to begin your tasting tour of the Bordeaux wine region. I visited there in the fall and was surprised to discover that behind the nondescript entrance was a unique and thoroughly modern wine experience waiting for me. In addition to housing the association, Planet Bordeaux is also the tourist center for the wines from the Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur wine appellations. They have guides to help out visitors and can do tours in several languages. They offer attractions like educational exhibits and audio/visual installations covering a range of wine-related subjects along with wine tastings and cooking classes. The center can help with the planning of visits to local chateaux as well.  It is not just for wine consumers and tourists, it is also a hub for visiting w...

As originally seen in the January 2018 issue of Galveston Monthly magazine

As originally seen in  Galveston Monthly  magazine

My prior post on  The Painted Lady  is my top choice for a high end multi-course menu with wine pairings in the Willamette Valley. It was unquestionably our favorite dining experience during our stay. However, most of our meals were a bit more casual. I'm listing some of our favorite spots here along with another option for a more extravagant night out. For breakfast, lunch or dinner - Babica Hen Café - There are two locations of this restaurant, we went to the one in Dundee which is open everyday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We had a late breakfast here on the last day of our trip before driving back to Portland. I ordered the Shredded Chicken Tostada which came with two crispy tostadas topped with tinga chicken, two fried eggs, avocado, black beans, pico de gallo, salsa roja, lettuce, sour cream and cotija cheese. This was one of the larger options on the menu, it was hearty and very flavorful. I paired it with a spicy Bloody Mary which had a definite face-flushing h...