Intelligent Travel

Plan My Trip: Minneapolis and Santa Barbara

It has been a while since I last left town, but this weekend has me moving a bit around the country. So since I've loved having you steer me around this summer, I'm again taking suggestions on where I should visit while I'm on the road. I'm traveling to Minneapolis for a wedding on Friday, and I'm looking forward to following a few of Andrew Nelson's tips for the Twin Cities on Saturday. What other Minnesota highlights should make it on my list?

Come Sunday, I'll be heading to Santa Barbara, California for a conference. Our past articles have called the area sensuous and akin to the American Riviera, but I'm eager to hear your recommendations on what I shouldn't miss.

And remember, I'm always up for meeting our readers, so please let me know if you'd like to play host (as Pam did so well back in Seattle). Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Photo: A close up view of the Spoonbridge and Cherry, a local favorite in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. By GasBo79 via the Intelligent Travel Flickr pool.

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On Board the National Geographic Explorer

"What other magazine has a navy?" asked Marilyn excitedly as we pulled up alongside the great blue hull of of the National Geographic Explorer, which was docked in the Alexandria, VA harbor last week. The recently refurbished expedition vessel, working in partnership with Lindblad Expeditions, is on its maiden voyage down to the Antarctic. Working together, Lindblad and National Geographic are aiming to inspire people to care about (and explore) the planet. But thankfully, doing so doesn't mean having to sacrifice your sense of style. 

The Explorer accomodates 148 guests in tastefully-designed cabins, but that's pretty much where the line gets drawn in terms of the cruise comparisons. Lindblad is committed to sustainable travel, and as you'd expect from National Geographic, the equipment on board is state of the art, meaning that you can hang out on the captain's bridge or watch video footage from the ocean's depths shot day-of from the Remote Operated Vehicle (a high-tech piece of equipment that our tour guide and marine mammal expert said make all of her colleagues insanely jealous). Food is sourced from local purveyors along the voyage, and the chef's presentation made us hungry. Marilyn and I considered becoming stowaways when we saw the observation lounge, a glass-enclosed library on the top deck that was perfect for both reading and stargazing. Take a peek at the photos we snapped while on the tour, and you may be thinking of stowing away yourself.*

*You can, of course, go on board as an upstanding member of society by booking at the Lindblad website.

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Getting the Dirt on Napa's Organic Wine

Contributing Writer Jim Conaway gets the dirt, literally, on Napa Valley's organic wine business.

The barn is old, red, and lovely, topped by a droll weathervane – an elongated frog in mid-jump – and surrounded by a riot of blooming mustard and other chest-high nitrogen-fixers. This dense, nutritious jungle overruns the nearby vineyard and nearly hides the name, Frog’s Leap, painted on a fence rail. Despite sheets of black plastic stretched over a very large mound of aging manure, both the winery and grounds looked, the last time I visited, more nineteenth than twenty-first century.

Its owner is John Williams, a bearded, unassuming proponent of organic agriculture for two decades and co-founder of the Rutherford Dust Society - a collective which has as one of its primary concerns the health of the nearby Napa River - and he was talking sustainability. “We got the farming down,” he told me, “and then I realized that there are 35 cars parked here belonging to workers. You don’t want to come off holier than thou when half the things you do still contribute to pollution.”

He has hopes for a parking shed with a roof of solar panels to recharge the batteries of the hybrid cars he wants to one day make available to employees, and one for a tractor that runs on the sun. But that’s another story in the broader narrative of organics, in part an attempt to instill in farmer and consumer a greater appreciation of the taste of place. Inherent in that taste, they say, are healthier communities at both ends of the production cycle – growing, and imbibing.

Authentically Tico: Lizano Sauce

Senior Researcher Meg Weaver offers another dispatch from her trip to steamy Costa Rica...

Before I left on my honeymoon, my pal asked me to bring her back a bottle of Lizano Sauce. “Sure,” I replied naively, “but what’s that?” In response, she launched rhapsodically about the condiment she savored during her time counting turtle hatchlings in Costa Rica back in 2001.

Seemed innocent enough. Little did I know Costa Rica’s Lizano Sauce has quite a following throughout the world. It’s a deep brown sauce made of water, salt, veggies, and some chemicals. It’s spicy but not hot; a little sweet but not overpowering. It was created in 1920 by the Lizano Company and is now produced and distributed by Knorr. It’s used to marinade meats, and tableside as a sauce.

It’s as ubiquitous as salt and pepper on any Costa Rican table. You can put in on your morning gallo pinto (literally, “spotted rooster”; a quintessentially simple Tico dish of rice and black beans), sprinkle it on some salty French fries instead of runny ketchup, or smother your arroz con pollo (“rice with chicken” and an assortment of tiny veggies) with its smooth flavor.

Lizano produces a variety of sauces under its brand name, including Hot Sauce and Chilero, but its “Salsa” is what the world craves. I'm not kidding: if you Google “Lizano Sauce,” more than ten pages of hits come up, most hoping to sell and ship it to you; other results are desperate pleas on message boards asking other addicts the best place to buy it.

While Costa Rica’s cuisine is an amalgam of Spanish, American, Caribbean, and South American cooking that's not entirely distinct from other culinary traditions in the region, its Lizano Sauce helps it stand apart. It’s authentically Pura Vida!

Is there an international condiment that you crave?

Photo: Lizano Sauce, by Son of Crowley via Flickr

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Little Rock: Bill of Fare

With all this talk of the presidential campaign crowding our news cycle, Traveler's contributing editor Andrew Nelson sought out a respite at our last sitting President's new library.

The Roman Emperors constructed vast mausoleums and temples to commemorate their glory. Presidents of the United States build libraries. The William J Clinton Presidential Library and Museum in Little Rock, Arkansas, is, even for Republicans, worth the effort, as it's very much like our 42nd president: friendly, loquacious, and obsessed with arcane—and sometimes fascinating—detail. The museum, located just east of downtown, is a handsome building, with its chin jutting out to the Arkansas River. It's landscaped with new trees and thick grass lawns that attract hordes of buzzing dragonflies (stand-ins for the White House press corps, perhaps?). Inside is open and airy with fine views of the river, its 16-mile-long promenade and Little Rock's cluster of gleaming new highrises.

"The second floor's got all the information," said one docent, referring to the time line of events and achievements that marked the Man from Hope's two terms in the White House. "But the third floor's got all the fun." By this she meant there are exhibits devoted to planning state dinners, displaying candid pictures of the Clintons relaxing in the White House, and five Clintonian saxophones. It even answers the question on what to do with presidential portraits of your pets (you hang them in your library). Both Socks and Buddy are immortalized for the ages.

Other highlights include the former President's Cub Scout hat as well as his presidential limo (parked on the first floor). There's also a re-creation of the Oval Offices, but velvet ropes prevent you from entering. Not so, Bill's old cabinet room. People can sit at the table and look at computer screens that explain the decision-making process. Mostly, visitors seemed to want to find the chair Clinton once used and sit in it. (Hint: look for the one that's two inches taller than anyone else's.) The adjoining library holds approximately 78 million pages of documents, 2 million photographs, and the museums remaining 85,000 museum artifacts. It proclaims itself the largest within the presidential library system. For now, anyway. Let's see if W. will top it.

Photo: Clinton Library and Museum, via eschipul's Flickr.

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Napa Valley Nostalgia

Last night, I opened up a bottle of Pinot Noir brought back as a souvenir from my recent trip to California, and realized how lovely it was to revisit Napa Valley through the smell and taste of my first sip. But I have to admit it also got me longing for barbecue. "Come again?" I'm sure you must be wondering. Well, let me explain: In the heart of Napa Valley is some of the best barbecue found west of the Mississippi, and it's served in the company of some very fine wines, making for, perhaps, the perfect meal.

I'd ventured up to Napa with two friends from Kansas City, so when they mentioned trying some barbecue I was cautious. Their standards are much higher than my own, but really, I wondered, can you expect good barbecue in California? And in the highbrow area of Napa it didn't seem a likely fit. But I was pleasantly impressed.

For the past 14 years, importer Mark Pope, aka "The Bounty Hunter," and his team of "Wine Scouts" have introduced thousands of wines to his loyal customers. Since 2003 he's been running the eponymous bistro and wine shop in downtown Napa that's factored in his second obsession: barbecue. In the restaurant area, guests sit at several high tables, where they can order up wine flights or pulled pork sandwiches—both of which are so full of flavor that your taste buds richocet through your mouth, unsure of what to do with themselves. Opposite the tables are shelves and shelves of wine, which the gracious and well-versed staffers will pull down and pair with your meals. The three of us perused the menu and finally settled on the the Bounty Hunter Smokin' BBQ Platter, a mix of pulled pork, apple wood smoked brisket, and barbecued ribs with meat that just about melted off the bone. The Kansas City girls were blown away—the mix of smoke and spices mingled with the trio of amazing sauces, and I knew we'd found something special. (In fact, it was so good that though I told myself I would take a picture for the blog, the food didn't stay long enough on the plate for me to even snap one shot.) 

Savoring the Big Easy in the Big Apple

I wasn’t expecting to find a taste of home (Cajun Country, if you will) in New York City. But the Great Jones Cafe in Manhattan’s NoHo is the closest I’ve come since leaving the bayou three years ago. On a recent weekend, my friend and I shared the red beans and rice dinner, a New Orleans classic. 

The food is worth the wait, but you’ll have to get used to practically sharing your table with strangers; space is scarce at the Jones.  Don’t worry about elbowing someone while unfolding your menu in these close quarters, though, because there are no hand-held menus at the Jones during dinner hours. The list of regular fare, including starters and burgers, is painted on the wall, and the daily specials are scribbled on a blackboard.

Our dinner came with a salad and a piece of honey-glazed jalapeno cornbread, a perfect combination of sweet and spicy (just like us Southern girls). The beans were simmered with bacon and andouille sausage, and just enough spice, served over a generous portion of white rice. On the side was an order of sweet potato fries, not the best I’ve ever had, but they did the trick. And, while the chocolate pecan pie – a twist on the classic – sounded tempting, we opted for the peanut butter pie, which was light and creamy and didn't have an overwhelming peanut butter flavor.

While waiting for your table or after dinner, have a seat at the bar, where veteran bartender Artie will mix you up one of the Jones’ famous Bloody Marys (made with jalapeno-infused vodka) or one of their original concoctions. For a true South Louisiana experience, order an Abita, the beer brewed just 45 miles north of New Orleans.

And while you won’t get that famous Southern hospitality, the Great Jones is laid-back and full of soul, thanks in part to the jukebox that spins vinyl records of rock, country, and blues. 

Great Jones Cafe, 54 Great Jones St., New York, NY;  212-674-9304   

Photo: Chris Fairbanks via Flickr

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Georgia on My Mind

After a lovely long Labor Day weekend, I'm back at my desk and wishing I was still on the beach at Tybee Island, Georgia. I headed down south to Savannah and Tybee this past weekend and relied heavily on your picks, so thanks to all those of you who submitted them. They were, as always, fantastic.

Just after getting off my flight, my aunt drove us into Savannah for lunch. I've always loved visiting the city, which has been portrayed in recent history as the host to both Forrest Gump's famous bench and the bizarre true crime book (and film) Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

But I love how the antebellum culture of city is just as thick as the Spanish moss dangling from all the trees. Founded in 1733, it is known as America's first planned city, with 24 town squares that break up the grid of streets and offer residents a shady respite from the heat (Gump's bench was in Chippewa Square, but has since been placed in the Savannah History Museum). Cotton created an economic boom for Savannah, the results of which can still be seen in the downtown historic district, with its elegant homes, many with intricate wrought-iron porches. These homes and porches can still be appreciated thanks in part to the fact that Union general George Sherman decided not to burn the city down and instead offered it to President Lincoln as a Christmas gift.

We got about that close to history while dining out at Vic's on the River, a favorite of my aunt, which was also recommended by reader Katie. The restaurant is housed in an old cotton factory building that looks out onto the river, and you can watch from the windows as the riverboat cruises line up like ladies at a beauty pageant. The food had all the trappings of southern comfort, from the biscuits that arrived first with honey butter and marmalade, to our main courses, one of which was an amazing helping of shrimp and grits that had me longing for a larger plate. But the most authentic aspect of our meal wasn't on the plates at all, but hidden in the walls. We sat in the main dining room, just to the right of a map which was preserved under glass. I noticed that it hadn't hung like a typical artwork, and a small placard next to it explained that it had been found during a renovation of the building in 1901. During the Civil War, Union soldiers had occupied the building, and they'd mapped out General Sherman's march through Tennessee to Georgia on the plaster in the wall. It was a fascinating glimpse at history.

Big Island Best Bets

Executive Editor Paul Martin has just returned from a two-week stay on Hawaii's Big Island, and he sends along his insider tips.

The view from Pololu Valley Lookout.

While exploring the Big Island for two weeks this summer, I got plenty of advice on the local sights—from the best place to view the current eruption of Kilauea Volcano (aboard a charter flight) to where to find authentic island souvenirs (skip the high-end shops on Kailua's waterfront and opt for either of the two open-air markets on Ali'i Drive—or better yet, check out the old-timey stores in any of the small towns outside the main tourist centers).

The best piece of advice I got was where to buy the island's prized Kona coffee, which sells for as much as $38 a pound in the tourist shops. Instead of shelling out that kind of money, I drove up into the hills above Kailua to the K Koma Store, a mom-and-pop general store in Holualoa along the twisty Mamalahoa Highway (+1 808 329 4011). The payoff: a cold can of guava-passion fruit soda and a bag of 100% Kona coffee beans for a more sensible $18 a pound.

And if you're nuts for the Big Island's other favorite take-home item—macadamias—you'll find better prices at the two Kailua open-air markets than in the tourist shops. My family and I learned how macadamia nuts are processed at the Hamakua Macadamia Nut Company in Kawaihae (+1 808 882 1116), a 45-minute drive north of Kailua-Kona. Our guide noted that every part of the nut is used—the husks as mulch in the orchards and the shells as fuel to power the equipment at the processing plant.

If you make to Kawaihae, spend another half hour to follow Highway 270 to the Pololu Valley Lookout, one of the most scenic spots on the island. A steep hike leads down to an idyllic black-sand beach. Be sure to take along a bottle of water—and maybe a bag of chocolate-covered macadamias. On the drive back, stop for lunch or some ice cream in the funky town of Hawi, where the locals have wholeheartedly embraced the Hawaiian admonition to "hang loose."

Photo: Paul Martin

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Plan My Trip: Savannah and Tybee Island

As Labor Day weekend approaches, Traveler staffers are fanning across the country for their end-of-summer getaways. IT editor Janelle Nanos has Georgia on her mind.

I'm meeting up with my extended family in Georgia this weekend, splitting my time between Savannah and Tybee Island, so I'm looking for suggestions on what not to miss. What are the best ways to savor the waning summer days down south? Where are the top dining, shopping, or attractions that stand out? (You know I love your restaurant recommendations.) As always, I'll be bringing my video camera and notebook, and I'm always up for meeting readers, so feel free to email me with your suggestions or leave them in the comments below.

Photo: Walter Bibikow/Getty Images for National Geographic Geographical Information: Georgia