DMR Travel

01/10/2024

Did you know that you can now renew your passport online? You'll still have to go analog for an original, but renewals will be much easier.

Speaking of passports, many countries require your passport to be valid for 6 months past your departure date from that country. So, be sure to check your passports before you book that trip.

The Department of State is making our new online passport renewal system fully available to the public today, a significant step forward in ensuring that Americans can more easily access passport services. Instead of printing a paper application and mailing it with a check, Americans can now renew t...

16/08/2024

We should all be drinking more Pinot Blanc. It's damn delicious!

For the best tasting experience, head to Alsace, France. Next best is opening a few bottles at home with good tunes and fun snacks.

Happy wine time!

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10/08/2024

We sold our bar today, and the flood of emotions is overwhelming. I might have more to say at some point, but today I'm celebrating all of the friends (some that are now family) we met along the way, all of the fantastic artists that played the stage, the potlucks, the hard lessons, and, all of the beer and wine.
I wish the best for the new owners, and look forward to drinking at the bar instead of serving from behind it.

Thank you, friends, for all of your support. 🥰

Cheers to new adventures
🍻

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06/07/2024

Happy belated 4th of July! We had to celebrate on a Friday because drinking 3 bottles of wine on a Thursday would have made the next day at work miserable. But here's to a sleep-in Saturday!
Cheers!

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18/06/2024

Does anyone else plan a trip and then drink a bunch of wine from that region because you're so excited to go?

Flights booked for Greece! 🇬🇷

I'm looking forward to tasting more than the small selection of Greek wine I can find nearby.

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17/06/2024

Summer sunsets need a sparkling rosé.

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19/05/2024

Hello, new summer drink!
I'm loving this rosé spritzer on a 90+ degree Sunday afternoon. I see this being my go-to drink over the next several months.

One complaint, it's a glass bottle.
is this available in plastic or aluminum?

Happy Sunday, y'all!

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10/05/2024

Did you know Switzerland makes some amazing wines?
I'll have a full post soon, but had to share this photo from the mountain cafe below Jungfraujoch.

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22/04/2024

We've been saving an old Burgundy wine, for... I dunno, 'reasons' I guess... and decided today was a good idea to open it.
Is it a little past its peak? A bit.
Is it fun and interesting with chocolate, leather, dried fig, wet leaves, and cherry fruit leather aromas and flavors? Oh, yes.
Does it turn to vinegar if it hangs out in the glass too long? Also, yes.
Is it worth it to drink a wine this old? Hell, yes.

Sometimes I enjoy finding and drinking a wine that should have been opened years ago. It's a very different wine experience.

Cheers to Sunday, y'all!

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01/04/2024

Y'all.... Lambrusco and barbecue...
Pairing this weird-ass fizzy, chilled red wine from Emilia-Romagna, Italy, with some awesome Texas barbecue. And you should, too.

18/03/2024

Sometimes you take a risk and it doesn't work out. Bummer.

I found this 2010 bottle at a local grocery and decided the price was good enough to take a risk. I knew it was likely far past its prime, but took a chance, and unfortunately I was right. There's zero fruit left, it's chalky and limp.
Oh, well. 😔 Still, a fun way to waste $25.

On to the next bottle!

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08/03/2024

Happy International Women's Day! ♀️

The Elgin Chamber really upped their game for this year's event. Love starting my day with mimosas and sweets.

Enjoy your day, Ladies!

28/02/2024

A wine tasting treat after a long day. Even Tuesdays deserve good wine.

Tonight we're comparing a wine from Sonoma with one from Willamette. Both are delicious. The Hazel has more tannins and structure, the Lioco is a bit more balanced and smooth. Neither is better than the other, it just depends on your preference and which style suits you.

The Hazel reminds me more of a Nebbiolo (my fave!) than a Pinot (it's a young wine and the tart cherry and tannins are showing) so tonight I'm giving it my nod. But tomorrow I might prefer the Lioco. 🤷

Cheers to Tuesday!🍷

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26/02/2024

It's still February, but it's spring here in the area. Today was 84 degrees (29 C for my Europe friends), and it was beautiful. We know the real Texas heat will be here soon enough, so we're soaking in every drop of this.

Speaking of soaking in drops, this Trebbiano from Australia is making us really happy. We've been working outside all day and it went down fast.

Its acidity and citrus notes are refreshing, and the new oak ageing rounds it out and gives it some body and creaminess. Really, y'all, it's a perfect springtime wine.

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15/02/2024

Happy Valentine's Day!
I hope you're enjoying a fabulous treat today. ❤️

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13/11/2023

The Langhe wine region is absolutely stunning. Even on hazy days the area is beautiful, but this particular morning the fog settled in the valley, the air was crisp, and the sunrise highlighted the Alps. Breathtaking!

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04/11/2023

We cooked this dinner using a Piedmont, Italy cookbook we brought home. The pasta is Tajarin, the Piedmontese word for Tagliolini. It's a rich pasta made with a boatload of egg yolks. We topped it with a sausage ragù, but rabbit would also be authentic.

We paired it with this fantastic Barolo from a winemaker we stumbled across on our recent trip.

Add a couple of good friends around the table and you have the perfect meal.

•ferrero.winery
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03/11/2023

Cooking on hard mode.

For me, food is one of the best parts of any trip, so we bring home cookbooks to help us recreate dishes we discovered. Sure, it's more of a challenge, but I think we get more authentic recipes when they're in the local language.

So, it's cooking with a bonus language lesson.

What are your favorite travel souvenirs?

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30/10/2023

— Nebbiolo! 🍇 This grape is the magic behind the famous wines Barolo and Barbaresco.
Classic flavors of tart cherries, roses, and a touch of earth. Pair it with a hearty meal or, with this cooler weather, a cozy night in.

Want a real treat? Plan a trip to Piedmont's gorgeous vineyards and taste the wine where it grows. 🍷✈️

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29/10/2023

Travel tip: Be adventurous!
If you saw "sea cicadas" on a menu would you order it?

Over my years of travel, I've learned to order the things I don't know. Being curious has led to some amazing meals.

This was one hell of a dish and I'm happy I didn't let the name scare me away from it.

Sea cicadas are a type of slipper lobster, and it tastes like a shrimp/langostine/ spiny lobster... Delicious! And this green pea risotto was perfect.

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28/10/2023

I loved this restaurant's restroom decor. The wallpaper together with the hanging art is awesome. It's my kind of vibe.

26/10/2023

When I was planning our recent Piedmont trip, we came across Castello di Gabiano and thought it looked like a great place to spend a couple of days. We were right!

The views are stunning, the staff are friendly, and their wines are delicious. I highly recommend it.



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25/10/2023

Good morning.

One thing you'll notice about Italian breakfast is that usually it's a coffee and a sweet baked good. You won't typically find big hearty breakfasts outside of hotels.

Pictured is the perfect Italian breakfast: coffee and a cornetto (croissant).

Now I'm hungry and missing all of those Italian treats.

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23/10/2023

Don't miss this spot Milan, Italy! ✨
For a fabulous view of the Duomo while you have a bite to eat and enjoy some wine, head to the second floor of Signorvino.

You can also grab a bottle to go from the wine shop on the first floor.

You should certainly see the cathedral in Milan, and seeing it above the crowds with a glass of wine is perfect.

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22/10/2023

Hello, Sunday Brunch!

✓ smoked salmon
✓ broccoli + goat cheese frittata
✓ salad + white balsamic dressing
✓ poinsettias = cranberry juice rather than oj + sparkling wine

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