Hersche Blog
A diary of a globetrotter
Sunday, September 3, 2023
Taha'a (French Polynesia)
Thursday, July 6, 2023
Chicago
There are many firsts that Chicago is responsible or known for. Chicago has great food and jaw-dropping architecture. In fact, the concept of a high-rise was conceived in Chicago. The Chicago river plays a major role in the city's rich history.
We went on an architectural cruise with Chicago Architecture River Cruise on a perfect day. The trip took us from the Ogden slip near the Navy Pier west to the Chicago river by the Marina Towers
First, we went up the North branch were over the past years people live directly on the river and only bridges in the up position are left as a reminder of a more industrial past.On the way back to the starting point, the one building dominated the skyline. It was designed by a female architect and is with it's curvy outline perfect for Chicago.
At the North end of the Grant park, the Pavilion was used by a orchestra for a rehearsal of some sort of musical.
Saturday, May 13, 2023
New York
Visiting New York for the first time happens only once and let me tell you, it was quite an experience. I felt sorry for the Lyft driver, because at 6:00pm there was so much traffic coming from the airport. He was very patient but his driving style was a little more aggressive than in other cities. It made sense, otherwise you wouldn't go anywhere.
Anyway, we arrived in our hotel in Midtown and as the same indicates, it's located in the middle of almost everything. Looking at the map, we discovered Wolfgang's Steakhouse, which is located right next door. It became clear that with having 40 years of experience they know exactly how to prepare what turned out to be the best steak we've ever had.
The view was fantastic and compared to other cities way more lights illuminated the skyline.
Next morning we were on the hunt for the best New York bagel. We were not disappointed and we'll never see bagels the same way. The dough was perfect and so was the cream cheese. In contradiction to last night's dinner, this dish wins the breakfast category by its simplicity.
Now that we have energy again, we explored the city from top to bottom, 9/11 memorial up to Central Park.
Hearing about a vegan restaurant that serves plant based food is one thing, but mixing it up with not one or two, but 3 Michelin stars is worth a trip to New York, the city that never sleeps. Please note that we are not Vegans and not even Vegetarians, but we wanted to experience the best food New York has to offer at Eleven Madison Park, which is run by Swiss chef Daniel Humm. The dishes were meticulously prepared and absolutely delicious. The wait staff went out of their way to make our visit special. After not being able to recognizing one of the songs that played softly in the background, they must have overheard us and a few minutes later someone handed us a card with the name of the song. The attention to details was out of this world.
This was my first time in New York and I admit that it's actually a city I could live in. Apartments and businesses are mixed up and this won't be my last time.
Tuesday, March 7, 2023
Bahamas
We had such a wonderful time. That summarizes a great vacation at the Tiamo Resort on South Andros Island in the Bahamas. We chose this retreat because of its remote location as well as the great food all the reviews raved about. And it's only about 3.5 hours of flying, instead of 8.5 to Hawaii.
Getting there, reminds me of the movie "Around the World in 80 Days" because we took a Lyft to the airport, a plane to Nassau, then another 10 minute flight to the International Airport in Congo Town, followed by a cab ride to the port where Fred, the Manager of the resort, picked us up by boat. A short smooth ride later, we arrived at the actual resort and were greeted by a lemon shark swimming around the pier. What an experience.
We stayed in a villa right on the sandy beach, with a plunge pool. There was enough privacy to take a dip as nature intended.
The sunsets are just beautiful and very romantic. Every day, we enjoyed the today's special drink by the elevated pool. Since we shared the entire resort with just another couple, there was plenty of alone time. The music was great in the background and as you can see the mood was perfect.
Victor Boulard, the food and beverage manager, was very accommodating and he always recommended the perfect wine, complementing lunch and dinner.
Chef Antoine Laudinot is not just an excellent spear fisherman but also an accomplished creator of the best shrimp I've ever had. He was able to convince me with a conch ceviche that was simply out of this world.
Fred, the manager, is a man of a thousand talents. He, like all the other staff, went out of his way to make our stay as comfortable and memorable as possible.
Thanks you Tiamo!
Monday, November 28, 2022
Mendoza (Argentina)
Mendoza is know for its wine, specifically the Malbec, a grape that originated like so many others in France. We were invited to a wedding and it was the perfect opportunity to plan and go on a trip to South America. It is so close, at least what the longitude concerns and therefore the time zone, even though the flight is about 9 hours and overnight. So, when you wake up, there is no jet lag to deal with. The flight went to Santiago, Chile and then over the Andes to Mendoza, Argentina.
Of course, when in a wine region, the main attraction is to visit different wineries to taste their wonderful products. The wedding was held at Susana Balbo Winery, located about 1 hour south of Mendoza in the foothills of the Andes. The groom's family and friends travelled from Mar del Plata and it was so nice to meet them all. The day after, we went to Solo Contigo Wines. The building was very modern with open concrete and lots of art. Besides Malbec they had a delicious Chardonnay.
In the afternoon, we went to Bodegas Lopez, where a snack was served with their wines. It just happened to be a 22 ounce ribeye. It was absolutely delicious because it was caramelized and that was the best part. As a side note, be aware that Argentina is a meat producing and exporting country. They know their beef and we were just glad that we don't follow a vegetarian diet. We would have missed an experience.
By rental car, we drove about 1 hour south again and checked in the Cavas Wine Lodge, a secluded resort in the middle of a vineyard. They don't produce wine, but sell the grapes to other wineries. Each villa has a fantastic view to the Andes. It was a beautiful day, and it snowed up in the mountains, which created this contrast that was just unreal. While we experienced high 80 degree temperatures, there was plenty of new snow up there. The wonderful backdrop is provided by Cumbre Cerro Plata, a mountain that is 19400 feet tall (almost 6000m).
After checking in, we didn't even go to our villa yet when we joined the sommelier in the basement for a wine testing (not the first today!). Juan was very knowledgeable and since this was not a winery trying to sell their wines, he offered us his favorite wine in the quaint cellar.
As many other wineries here in the area this building is very modern and spacious and built with visible concrete.
In the afternoon we pedaled to Ojo De Agua, a winery that was founded by a Swiss. On the way there we got lost in the endless rows of vines. We knew approximately where we needed to go, but there was no direct access road. Finally, we met a worker who pointed us in the right direction (we didn't speak Spanish and he didn't speak English) and jumping over barbed wire fences and gates in 90 degree heat, we made it about 30 minute late. No worries, after hydrating, we fully enjoyed lunch paired their wonderful wines. They served local specialties such as empanadas and steak.
The ride back to the lodge was very nice and now it was easy to find the service roads through vineyards. Sometimes it pays to get lost.
Before a traditional barbeque dinner, we were invited to a Tango demonstration. The two professional dancers, together with the pianist and the bandoneon player delivered a very memorable performance, which was very acrobatic.
We cannot stress enough that our stay at the Cavas Wine Lodge was simply outstanding and that includes a helpful and friendly staff, which helped resolve the Nespresso machine issue in no time. Just for the record, there is a rounded button at the rear of the base to turn it on.
The flight from Mendoza back to Santiago was uneventful, but the view out the window reminded us that a 1 hour flight could easily turn into a 72 day nightmare. This happened to Uruguayan flight 571 on Friday, October 13, 1972. We were less than 20 miles away from the crash site.
We decided to stay in Santiago for one night and that was a great decision. We had a fantastic dinner at Karai, a Japanese influenced, very hip restaurant. We sat at the bar watching the chefs create all those wonderful dishes.
And after that we enjoyed a cocktail at the rooftop bar, which also featured a swimming pool. We knew exactly what that meant: get up early in the morning and take a swim. And that is exactly what we did. It was a little chilly, and definitely awakening.
After finding a café serving espresso and croissants, we strolled through downtown Santiago, which is very pedestrian friendly with generous side walks. There is art all over the place and it's not busy even during work week.
We took the gondola up to San Cristobal Hill, which is surrounded by the city. It's very popular and the view is great. One can also walk up the hill, but we are too lazy for that and wanted to just enjoy the panorama.
At lunch time we found a small restaurant called Fractal and it offers some unique dishes. We had to try their truffle dish, which we tremendously enjoyed with a glass of Chardonnay (or two).
This vacation was a little adventure and we celebrated the end with an appropriate drink. South America, we will not forget you and we are thinking of coming back again. There is so much more to explore in Chile or Argentina, such as Patagonia or other wine regions in Chile.
Saturday, August 27, 2022
Versailles
This trip to France is a first for many reasons, one of which is that I left my DSLR at home, which felt weird at first. However, with the iPhone having a more and more capable camera, I realized that is quite ok. This is a shot at Place Vendôme with the famous column in the very center taken with the 0.5 wide angle lens.
Paintings of Clause Monet are found in museums all over the world, but none are as hidden as Musée Marmottan Monet.
The paintings found a home in the basement of a magnificent townhouse and they are some of the most impressionable. For what ever reasons, this is our first time here and I would definitely recommend a visit.