I am not going to tell you this is the best list but it is a list!
The 25 best places to travel abroad
The following places are listed in alphabetical order. Instead of ranking destinations this year, Money placed our picks into five discrete categories. For each destination, we included a cost estimate, which factors in airfare as well as local prices for room and board. (See our full Best Places to Travel 2023 methodology for more on how we chose the places and calculated the cost.)
I have been trying to visit the Gila River Indian Community for about the last ten years. My parents were incarcerated at the Gila River Relocation Center, located on an Indian reservation belonging to the Gila River Indian Community (GRIC). With Covid, all visits were suspended. I was pleased to hear on October 11, 2022, that I can apply for entry, and visit the grounds with a member of the GRIC. My visit is planned for March 10, 2023, assuming my application for entry is approved. I consider this a very big moment in my life.
I have attached some of the paperwork involved in my application. BTW, it was approved on Feb. 7!!! I am so pleased!
The Gila River War Relocation Center was located about 50 miles south of Phoenix, and 9 miles west of Sacaton in Pinal County, AZ. The site is located on Gila River Indian Tribal land. The site is sacred to the tribe and access to the land is restricted.
Here are some facts about the Relocation Center:
Opened 7/20/1942
Closed: 9/28/1945 and 11/10/1945
Located on 13,000 acres on BLM and Pima Indian Reservation
Camouflage net factory operated from Fall 1942 to 5/43
Summer Temp: high 125, Winter temp low -35.
The fence surrounding the camp was removed about 6 months after the camp opened.
Eleanor Roosevelt visited on 4/23/43.
Actor Pat (Noriyuki) Morita lived a Gila before moving on to Tule Lake
Population: 13,348 (4th largest city in AZ at the time)
7,000 acres were being farmed with 2000 head of cattle, 25,000 chickens, 2500 hogs, 110 dairy cows.
Baseball was a big deal. The Zenimuras from Fresno built a baseball field. The Sansei baseball that we played was a remnant of the importance of baseball in the camps.
Further, I found this in the National Archives:
I was able to find this information about Relocation Camp data in the National Archives:
Frank Kataoka (my father)
Relocation Project 3, Gila River, AZ
Address: Firebaugh, Fowler, Parlier, San Joaquin, Clovis, Kingsburg
Occupation: Farm Operator
ID# 40832A
Languages: Japanese, English
Potential Occupation: Semi-skilled mechanic, Repairman, Motor Vehicle
File # 311286
The Center was built on 16,500 acres belonging to the Gila River Indian Reservation, as were many others, also built on Indian reservations. Two camps were built, Canal and Butte, about 3.5 miles apart. Construction began on May 1, 1942, over strong objections by the reservation’s American Indian government. The official opening took place a mere two months later, on July 20. Canal camp was closed on September 28, 1945, and Butte was closed on November 16, 1945.
Most of the Gila River internees were from Fresno, Sacramento, and Los Angeles. Another 2000 were added from Jerome (Arkansas Relocation Center, when that camp was closed in 1944. Jerome is where most of my Dad’s family were sent, basically, those Japanese on the west side of Highway 99. Gila became Arizona’s fourth largest city with 13,348 at the peak.
The harsh weather caused some deaths, including the mother of Iva Toguri, the woman later known as Tokyo Rose. She was later convicted of treason, though the testimony was perjured. I am convinced this is where my Mother contracted tuberculosis.
Despite this, Gila River was considered one of the least oppressive, and most relaxed camps among the ten. It had a single guard tower, and the fences were not made of barbed wire. The people who ran the camp allowed the internees access to Phoenix, for activities related to sports and the arts. That explains exactly how my parents were able to get a weekend pass, to elope to Phoenix for the weekend to get married.
It is hard to believe that Butte camp had a baseball field with dugouts that seated 6000 people. It was designed by Kenichi Zenimura, a professional baseball player from Fresno. Internees also built a theater for plays and movies, as well as playgrounds for the children and planted trees for gardens and parks. Baseball was something that kept the boys engaged in sports, competition, and physical activity. As a teenager, I was able to participate in Sansei sports, kept alive through a tradition that began before the Camps.
Gila River had a small medical facility in Butte camp. Butte had 821 buildings, including 627 residential barracks. Canal camp had 404 buildings with 232 residential barracks, and 24 separate schoolhouses. The barracks were made of wood, and white beaverboard. A special double roof with red fireproof shingles were designed to block out the desert heat. Each building had swamp coolers to keep the summer temperatures bearable, though water shortages kept the coolers off for periods.
Each barrack housed four single families in separate “apartments”, though the walls did not reach the ceiling of the barracks. The dust was a constant problem, making housekeeping rather impossible, according to my Mom. Residential sections were divided into blocks of fourteen barracks. Each barracks were 20 feet by 100 feet and divided into four single family “apartments” or partitions.
One resident of each block served as block manager, in a self-governing manner. The internees ran the mess hall and other services. The community-owned store was a cooperative, run by the residents. The Butte camp hospital, though run by a WRA administration doctor, was staffed by Japanese Americans doctors, nurses, and aides. The fire and police departments were also run by internees.
The larger camp, Butte, had six churches, a shoe repair shop, sewing shop, dry cleaning, laundry, barber shop, canteen, store, and kitchen. There was a post office, garages, mimeograph buildings, warehouses, police office, court, water filtration plant, refrigerated warehouse, laundry, gas station and various other staff buildings, most of which were built by the evacuees.
The heat was oppressive, with average summer temperatures of 104 degrees F., with temperatures of 125 possible. Despite the heat, this camp was considered the model or showcase. Eleanor Roosevelt made a surprise visit to the camp in 1943, to look into charges that Japanese Americans were given special treatment. Among her comments, I found this of interest: “We have no common race in this country, but we have an ideal to which all of us are loyal: we cannot progress if we look down upon any group of people amongst us because of race or religion. Every citizen in this country has a right to our basic freedoms, to justice and to equality of opportunity. We retain the right to lead our individual lives as we please, but we can only do so if we grant to others the freedoms that we wish for ourselves.”
Eventually, the camp exceeded its capacity of 10,000, with over 13,000 internees, Some families were forced to live in the mess halls or recreation centers, using blankets as makeshift walls. Water shortages plagued the camp, along with rattlesnake and scorpion bites. My Mom never complained about this!
With large numbers of people, social, sports, and religious activities began to thrive. Organizations like the Scouts formed, along with sports teams, and many churches, including Buddhist, Catholic, and other Christian congregations. People from outside the camp could get a pass the visit their friends inside.
Because of wartime food rationing, the camps grew their own food. The fertile soil, and warm temperatures were ideal to grow beets, carrots, celery, and other vegetables. This included a white radish, daikon, used by Japanese for pickles and flavoring, sent to the other camps. The internees also raised livestock, along with war crops like cotton, flax, and castor beans. Eventually, twenty percent of the food consumed at the camps was provided by Gila River.
Today, public access to Gila River is limited since it resides on Gila River Indian Tribe land, considered scared by them. Most of the main structures are gone. Some artifacts remain, such as roads, concrete slab foundations, manholes, cisterns, rocks, and small ponds. But in 2006, President Bush authorized $38 million (HR 1492) to restore Gila River along with nine other Relocation centers. Many Sansei college students over the years, have volunteered to help reconstruct these facilities over the years as part of their college courses, or own their own.
So, there were some famous people interned here, rather they went on to become famous. They include actor Noriyuki “Pat” Morita, Kenichi Zenimura, Kazuo Otani (Medal of Honor), Miiko Taka (actress), George Nakamura (Bronze Star), George Hoshida (artist), Tomoko Miho (Aiga Medal), and Paul Terasaki (transplant specialist).
My parents were able to leave Gila River early, to work back east in Chicago. Fortunately for me, they eventually made their way back to California. But they were able to elope to Phoenix on a weekend pass to get married. Upon their return, they were given a “honeymoon” room where they could have some privacy. After that, back to normal barracks life.
Internees were allowed the leave camp early to work in the war effort. My Dad worked at an auto repair shop, and my Mom and the rest of the family worked for Curtiss candy company in Chicago. When the war ended, they came back to their ranch in Kingsburg. The ranch is still in the family, now operated by my cousin and her husband, but leased out to a trusted friend. Interestingly, everyone who farmed on our street has either moved or passed on. We are the last ones standing!
I am so thankful they came back to California. I was born a year later, in October 1946. They provided a great home and family life for four of us, a brother and two sisters. They rarely spoke about this period of their lives. My grandparents never spoke about it. Only in later years have I been able to piece together some information from my Aunts and Uncles, as well as family friends.
Admittedly, I have not been to a college fraternity reunion since the late 70s. But as we have all aged, I figured it was time to go, and see the fraternity brothers one more time. But no more flag football games!
I lived in our fraternity house on the University of Pacific campus for 2.5 years, including my last semester before graduating. And I will be the first to tell you that whatever success I had in school was due to the fraternity. Why? My fraternity is a professional fraternity but had a big social element back in the late 60s. The plethora of test files (a vast collection of previous exams) and lecture notes pretty much ensured a passing grade or better on almost all exams.
Our fraternity was founded back in 1883 at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Our chapter, Alpha Psi was founded in 1956, one year after the School of Pharmacy was established.
We always had the best parties on campus. Maybe it was our access to pure ethanol? I learned to really enjoy beer, a necessary element to survival back then. But I don’t want you to think we were a drunken bunch of frat brothers, only on weekends! How appropriate we are having this big event in Fe-BREW-ary!!!
What precipitated my involvement in this reunion was quite simple. One of my fraternity brothers, two years older, passed on recently. Though I was unable to attend (since I was in Europe), the brothers who were present made the wise decision to have a reunion before we all passed on to that great pharmacy in the sky.
True to form, we have a two hour and fifteen-minute happy hour before dinner. I doubt any of us can consume alcohol like we did back in the day. But I am sure we will try and have lots of laughs at someone’s expense. Maybe I will take Uber to and from the dinner?
A few memories stand out for me in my four years as an active fraternity member:
Midnight panty raids on the girls’ dorm across the street
Becoming the “poet laureate” of Phi Delta Chi
Winning several intramural sports championships
Initiating a student strike (Vietnam War) at the pharmacy school after the Kent State shootings
Establishing a lifelong bond with my fraternity brothers
Drinking beer at “The Rock” after our Wednesday night meetings
Participating in several pranks at sorority houses
Appointed to the tip of the testing “pyramid” (I was a good student!)
Making midnight snacks in my rice cooker and watching Johnny Carson.
I am as guilty as anyone for not staying in touch with my brothers. One brother who was instrumental in inviting me to pledge, lives in our hometown. Over the years, I have met or run into several others: Bill playing tennis at Seascape, Tony at Asian affairs events, Cal at his workplace, Jerry at breakfast. I even sent a case of persimmons to one brother in Asheville last year.
Having changed careers midstream, spending about twenty years outside of pharmacy, my focus has been on my grad school classmates, and general health care career. After all, when two grad school classmates reach the heights of the profession, it is difficult to ignore. My good friend, Ken became the Surgeon General of the US, and another, Eugene (Tex) is now Chancellor for Health Affairs at Duke University.
But Saturday is all about Phi Delta Chi, a professional fraternity with a big social agenda, at least when I was an active member. I look forward to seeing the brothers, and particularly my pledge class, and my graduating class (1970). Some have passed on, some have not responded, maybe some choose not to participate. I need to see these guys before we move on.
So, our fraternity motto is “Alterum Alterius Auxilio Eget” meaning “Each needs the help of the other.” And I think that is exactly how we got through 4 years together. graduated, passed the Boards, and became decent contributors to health care and society.
Now, if I can only remember the Phi Delt drinking song, “Throughout the land, across the sea, no matter where we be………..you’ll find us there with no despair……….” I am certain the words and memories will return!
What is the real truth about jet lag? Well, I know it is real, as I have suffered greatly over the years. And for a while, it got worse with age.
One secret, which is not really a secret, is to time your flights to fit your sleep schedule. This, of course, assumes you can sleep on a plane or train. A red eye to the east coast was my normal flight for many years. I would have a nice dinner at home, take a little nap, shower, then head to the airport for a late night/early morning flight to Washington, DC, Boston, New York, or Hotlanta. But truth be known, I was not always at my best the next day, often falling asleep before, during, or after dinner!
Another secret is that I am really good at falling asleep while watching movies. And it happens at home, the movie theater, and on the plane! Lucky me. I usually find a movie I have seen before, and it works like magic.
Of course, flying in Business Class on long flights helps exponentially. Whether a real lie-flat seat, or a decent reclining seat, I am able to get four to five hours sleep. Daytime flights are problematic, but a nap after a nice dinner and some champagne usually works well.
According the NASA and Travel & Leisure, there are some scientific studies to beating jet lag.
“Regulating light exposure is critical to resetting your circadian rhythms and stopping jet lag in its tracks. “It’s a timing issue to reset your circadian clock. So, based on the day-night cycle, when to see light and when to see dark allows you to shift more expeditiously,” he shared.
And there’s plenty of science to back this up. As Scientific American explained, light exposure can assist someone in either advancing or delaying their circadian rhythm. It pointed to a study by a team at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, which had participants expose themselves to light in the morning, causing their circadian rhythms to shift by 2.1 hours, which the researchers concluded would make the participants feel either less jet lag or fully adjusted two days earlier than if they skipped the light therapy.”
No doubt, caffeine can affect your sleep cycles, as, of course, does taking melatonin.
“Melatonin is a natural substance that we have in our body that tells us that it’s time to sleep. Scientists have found it best to “take small doses.”
The Mayo Clinic explained, “The latest research seems to show that melatonin aids sleep during times when you wouldn’t typically be resting, making it beneficial for people with jet lag.” The Mayo Clinic adds that when you take melatonin matters. If you’re traveling east, Mayo Clinic said you should take melatonin in your new time zone to adjust to your new local time. However, if you’ve flown west, take melatonin in the morning, to help reset your internal clock to a later schedule.
I use both melatonin and a prescription sleeping pill when necessary. And I use them once I arrive at my destination to help me sleep at night, for the first few days in the new time zone. And I stop the champagne or wine at least 3 hours before taking ANY sleep aid. I rarely drink coffee on short or long flights. The stories that you hear about the airplane’s water supply are true!My last flight from Europe was relatively easy on jet lag. I caught a 7am flight from Istanbul (a long 12 hour flight) and arrived home around 10pm. I had very little to no jet lag.
But I do bend the rules a bit. I do have a glass of champagne on board. And I limit my water intake so that I do not have to run to the water closet as often.
So, how does one really know when to take sleep aids, when to avoid caffeine, and correct the exposure to light. Well, NASA has come up with an app, called Timeshifter. Just input your travel schedule, and the app creates a plan for sleep, light exposure, melatonin, caffeine, and more. I think I will try it on my next transoceanic flight.
Each of us has our little secrets. Mine are: upgrade, sleeping aid, time of flight.
The main reason I am visiting New Orleans is my long-time friend Kenbob. Ken and I have been friends, since meeting in Chicago, on a business trip in 1980. Forty years of friendship can make anyone endure more than they bargain for. In this case, his wife, Nelly, is a lovely Filipina, and loves the Miss Universe pageant.
I was told that the Miss U is a Filipina addiction or built in genetically, a way of life, perhaps even more. When we met up in Hotlanta a few years ago, the Miss U pageant was held in their hometown of Atlanta. Ken is a lifelong Atlantan, and Nelly is a relative newcomer. But they were staying at the Atlanta Marriott, even though they live in Atlanta. Why? To be close to the action!!! I even got a photo with Miss Japan, totally at random!
In fact, they were in Reno in October 2022 attending the Miss USA pageant. That is how important the beauty pageants are to Nelly. I assume Ken goes along just to keep her happy. I admire his fortitude. Kudos to Kenbob!!!
While I will not attend any official functions, I am certain I will get a big dose of Universe fever from Nelly. I intend to consume my fair share of oysters, roam the French Quarter, and watch the festivities from afar. Very far!
So, while they are attending pageant events, I will check out the music and sports. Maybe the NBA Pelicans (originally the Charlotte Hornets) are in town? Tipitina’s has the Radiators Reunion playing. Or maybe I will just sit at Acme or Mr. B’s all evening? Or I will watch the Niner game on a big screen at Acme.
The first, real Miss U contest was held in Long Beach in 1952. The title went to Miss Finland. It was first televised in 1955 by CBS. The contest has become even more famous since host Steve Harvey’s big mistake a few years ago.
I can only attest to the coastline, safety, climate, and friendliness. I am sure some research is needed for I could call it one of the best health care systems, though it is certainly affordable. Best value just depends on your lifestyle. I would choose Greece over Portugal for value and friendliness.
They go on to say:
It’s the western most country in mainland Europe. Many airlines fly direct from North America to Portugal’s three international airports, in less than 7 hours. So, it’s closer than you think for when friends and family want to visit.
You’ll likely make lots of new friends in Portugal. In 2019, InterNations conducted a massive survey of expats all over the world. The questions asked were about how friendly expats found their new communities, how easy was it to make friends, how the locals fit in with visitors, and how likely expats were to want to stay in their new country as long as possible.
The Portuguese have a live-and-let-live attitude. You can sit for hours at an outdoor café nursing one cup of coffee or a glass of wine, and no check will appear unless requested. It’s normal for a person on a crosswalk to wave “thank you” to the driver who stopped.
And once you become friends with someone from Portugal—you will have gained a trusted ally forever.
A restaurant lunch, including wine, often comes in at less than $10 per person, and a coffee at a pavement café costs less than a dollar.
A three-course dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant costs $55 in Paris and Rome, $50 in Madrid, but only $33 in Portugal’s capital, Lisbon. Likewise, in budget-friendly Lisbon, monthly utilities for an 915-square-foot apartment can run you as little as $178, compared to $209 (Rome), and $195 (Paris). For all these reasons and more, Portugal has earned the #1 spot in Europe on International Living’s Global Retirement Index.
The thought of leaving the U.S. and California never crossed my mind. Maybe this is a better way to live?
My trip to play golf at St. Andrews, site of this year’s British Open.
Every golfer who has been somewhat serious about golf must make a pilgrimage to the home of golf, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland. The earliest recordings of golf date back to 1456, several years before Columbus got to the New World. The opportunity arose in 1999, due to a business trip to London to see a famous physician. Our friends, Mike and Susie joined us, though the ladies do not play golf. They were good sports in letting us have this golf outing of a lifetime.
Several days in London, though fun and busy, went by slowly in anticipation of the trip up to Scotland. We landed in the very industrial city of Glasgow, rented a van, and drove through Edinburgh on the way to the university town of St. Andrews. Mike drove most of the time, as I had a lot of trouble remembering that those darn Brits drive on the wrong side of the road. But the Scottish countryside is a beautiful part of the world, with quaint little towns along the way, and herds of sheep dotting the rolling, green hills of the Scottish Lowlands. Later in the trip, we would make our way to the southwest area of Ayr and bunk down at the famous Turnberry Hotel. We also visited a castle or two, but once you have seen one, you have seen them all. Golf courses are different!!!
We got to stay at the famous Old Course Hotel, right on the Old Course at St. Andrews itself. We were also playing other famous courses, like Carnoustie, Turnberry, and Prestwick. We warmed up with 36 holes the first day in anticipation of the big day. The hotel, while renovated in Scottish modern, still had a warmth and charm to it. Dinner on the top floor required a jacket and tie for men, suits or dresses for women, and we took a must visit to the Road Hole Bar to taste one of hundreds of single malts Scotches available.
Everything you have heard about Scottish food is true. It is not very appealing, though very hearty and rough. The highlight was trying the haggis, which is sheep innards encased in a animal organ. They told us that a vegetarian version is also available. Our dry scrambled eggs and boiled potatoes looked wonderful at this point. But when in Scotland, forget the food, and concentrate on golf and good Scotch. Though many people said the food has improved, we are just too spoiled here in California.
On the big day, we killed a few hours driving to some cute little villages, had some coffee and Scottish pastries, and tried to find the famous Scottish woolen outlets for some gifts. We had one of our best meals at the Old Course Grill consisting of a hamburger and a beer. We then realized the hour was upon us, so we ambled over to the starter’s hut near the 1st tee. The hotel had our clubs there, we met our caddies, and an older couple who would complete our foursome.
We tried our best to warm up on the putting green but were just too excited. When they called our starting time, we stepped on to the 1st tee. The starter announced my name, my muscles got tense, my mouth dry, and I just prayed I could hit the ball somewhere, anywhere on what is about a hundred- and fifty-yard-wide fairway. I managed a decent 3 wood onto the fairway, then watched the others hit their tee shots.
It turns out, Mike’s ball landed on a road, and he proceeded to take a drop. His caddie stopped him and told him to play it where it lies. He told us that “you bloody Americans” are always trying to change the game of golf!! So, he picked the ball cleanly with his iron, and made a birdie on the first hole.
We had to wait on the 2nd tee for quite a while before we could tee off. The four caddies sat down on our golf bags and proceeded to smoke. We had one female caddie, since the rule then was that female players had to have a female caddie. The difference was that she rolled her own cigarette, smoked it to the nub, then squashed it out on the back of her hand. My caddie told me that she was the women’s golf champion of St. Andrews.
The round of golf was magical, and we were able to have some nice conversations with the caddies. One was in a coma for several weeks after getting hit in the head with a golf ball. Mine wanted to hit a ball with my clubs. We started talking about life in Scotland, so he told me that he lives to caddie, drink, and chase girls.
It turns out that he lives at home with his Mom, while his Dad is out leading safaris in Africa. I asked him what time he usually got home after one of his binges. He replied with a matter of fact 3 or 4am, taking a quick nap, and getting to the course in the late morning. When asked if his Mom got upset with him, his response was: “I get home before she does”.
As we made our way around the course, it was fun to recall the famous players and events that preceded us on this hallowed ground. The caddies would point out where so and so had hit a magnificent shot, or a hole in one was scored by a friend of theirs. This was fine, as Mike and I were both playing fairly well. Until…..
We got to the famous Road Hole, where your tee shot must clear the corner of our hotel, before landing on the fairway. When the caddie told me to aim over the upper left corner, not too far from our room, I just stood there, and asked him to repeat it. Mike hit a magnificent shot, exactly where he was told. I, on the other hand, chickened out and pulled my shot into the next fairway. But then it got worse. I landed my 2nd shot in a bunker (sand trap) that was deeper than I am tall. The first shot had to go sideways, just to have a full swing to get out. I managed it on the 2nd shot, much to my surprise and the caddie’s satisfaction. The caddie then told me it took Nick Price (an excellent professional golfer) five shots to get out!!!
As we proceeded to the last hole, we were still as excited as when we started. While we were waiting to putt on the 18th green, people outside the fence would watch, and remark and ask if we were famous or not. The nerves came back, the mouth dried up, the muscles got tense. But I sank my putt for a par in the shadows of the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse.
We met our wives as we stepped off the green, paid our caddies, and decided to head directly to a pub to celebrate our great rounds of golf. Then it began to sink in, we got to play golf where it was invented and immortalized. Whether it was an old timer like Old Tom Morris, or Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, we got to walk in their footsteps for a few, brief, and glorious hours. The rest of the trip was great, but this was the day that I will always remember.
And who knows, fast forward to 2022, and I may return the Home of Golf!
MSN Espresso just listed the world’s most magical streets. These postcard-pretty streets are home to unique architectural features and historic sites. People usually flock to the most beautiful streets in the world for their unique character, history, and atmosphere. Let’s take a virtual stroll down some of the most magical streets in the world.
Here is my opinion about their choices.
Avenue des Champs-Elysees Yes, definitely prettier at night
Bourbon Street Very tacky, but I still find it interesting and fun
Las Vegas Strip A place to visit only once!
Broadway and Times Square I enjoy it, for about two days, max!
Boulevard St. Laurent The best street in Montreal
Steiner Street Who does not love the “painted ladies” of San Francisco
Shibuya Tokyo’s busiest, with two million crossings each day, exciting, fun and home to Hachiko
Fifth Avenue Another Manhattan two-day visit
Oxford Street One of London’s overrated places
Khao San Road It makes Bangkok feel like Times Square!
Lombard Street I can understand why its residents are upset!
Yonge Street Who would think Toronto has the world’s longest street (1178 miles)
Avenue Istiklal One of Istanbul’s most enjoyable places
Beale Street Why not love the blues in Memphis?
Hollywood Walk of Fame Forget it!
Route 66 and Santa Monica It is a long, long route
Grand Canal I still say Venice stinks
Ocean Beach A most overpriced area on Miami
Arbat Street Moscow’s best souvenir shopping street
I commented only on the ones I have visited. But here are some more:
The Magnificent Mile No visit to Chicago is complete without it, big time retail therapy!
Riverwalk San Antonio’s best street is a river
Ginza Tokyo will change your life! I love it.
Knightsbridge Road One of London’s classiest streets, including Harrod’s
Kurfurstendamm No longer a walled off city, Berlin is still a magical place
Any street in Plaka One of my new favorite places in the world, Athens is special
Van Baerlestraat Any street that borders great museums (Rijksmuseum and van Gogh) makes Amsterdam a great place
Avenue de Champagne You knew my favorite street in Epernay would be on my list
Stradun In general, Dubrovnik was a big tourist trap, but the street is unique
Electric Avenue The one is Siem Reap, Cambodia, not Anaheim Disneyland. No longer a dusty outpost!
There are any number of other streets that might qualify. A few might be: Beacon Street (Boston), Constitution Avenue (Washington, DC), Peachtree (Atlanta), Robson Street (Vancouver), Wilshire or Sunset Boulevards (Los Angeles), Avenida 9 de Julio (Buenos Aires), Orchard Road (Singapore), Sukhumvit Road (Bangkok), Avenida Atlantica (Rio de Janeiro).
Italy finally approved the sale of Prosecco rosé as of January 1, 2021. Formerly, Prosecco’s Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) status didn’t allow for rosés. Wineries found a work-around by labeling pink fizz as spumante, but no longer. New regulations allow for actual Prosecco rosé, as long as it’s made from Glera (the grape of Prosecco) plus 10% to 15% Pinot Noir (hence the color). The Prosecco consortium estimates that total production of Prosecco DOC rosé may climb to 30 million bottles per year; cue the cheering from rosé and Prosecco fans alike.
Top Prosecco Doc Rosés
2019 Mionetto Prosecco Doc Rosé ($15)
Very pale pink, with a ripe citrus–red apple aroma, this bottle from one of Prosecco’s best-known names is appealingly fruity without being overly sweet.
2020 Villa Sandi Prosecco Doc Rosé Brut Millesimato ($17)
This salmon-pink wine has a distinctly crisp, refreshing zestiness. Its strawberry and green apple flavors end on an appealing dry, saline note.
2020 Bisol Jeio Prosecco Doc Rosé Brut ($18)
Bisol’s Jeio rosé upholds this top producer’s high standards. With delicate bubbles and scents of toasted bread and cherries, it offers a lot of complexity for the price.
2019 Val D’oca Prosecco Doc Rosé ($15)
Founded in 1952 by 129 farmers, Val D’Oca is consistently high-quality, which is rare for co-op wines. Its lightly spicy rosé is lively and bright, with a faint toasty note.
2020 Tiamo Prosecco Doc Rosé ($16)
One of the few Proseccos made with organically grown grapes, this pale pink bottling recalls watermelon Jolly Rancher candies (but without the sweetness).
2020 Angelini Prosecco Doc Rosé ($12)
This effusively bubbly sparkler offers plenty of juicy watermelon and apple flavor and heads into a slight licorice note on the finish. Chill it and drink it all summer long.
Sparkling Wine Summer Bargains
NV Faire La Fête Brut ($19)
France’s Limoux region made sparkling wines as early as 1531. A good crémant de Limoux like this one is delightful, with smooth bubbles, pear and apple fruit, and a lightly bready note.
NV Roche De Bellene Cuvée Bellenos Brut ($18)
Crémant de Bourgogne is the sparkling wine of Burgundy. This toasty, apple-scented one is a dead ringer for a brut nonvintage Champagne, except for the price.
NV Malvirà Rive Gauche White ($20)
Malvirà specializes in Piedmont’s Arneis variety, making several excellent non-sparkling single-vineyard versions of it, as well as this vino spumante, with its earthy, toasty finish.
2018 François Chidaine Brut Tradition ($23)
This wine from Loire Valley star François Chidaine offers flamboyant quince and pepper aromas; on the palate, it’s savory, intense, and completely dry.
NV Ferrari Trento Brut ($25)
Unlike Prosecco, this classic sparkler from Italy’s Trento region is 100% Chardonnay, which gives it an elegance and crisp focus that’s hard not to love—as is the lingering, creamy finish.
2017 Domaine Carneros Brut Cuvée ($37)
This graceful, brioche-scented bottling from a top California producer isn’t inexpensive—but it can easily go head-to-head with much pricier Champagnes.
June 2021
If you have never tried Prosecco rose’, I suggest starting your tasting adventure at Trader Joe’s. They have several Prosecco rose’ choices at a very reasonable price. And they are pretty good!
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