For those of you who have never visited the famous Buena Vista Cafe in North Beach/Fisherman's Wharf, this story ought to entertain you. Maybe San Francisco didn’t invent Irish coffee, per se, but the city by the Bay sure popularized this cozy, whipped-creamy, whiskey-spiked coffee drink. The story goes: one November evening in 1952, Pulitzer-Prize-winning travel writer Stanton Delaplane was sitting at the bar of the Buena Vista Café on Hyde Street when the café’s owner, Jack Koeppler, challenged Delaplane to help duplicate the original, which the writer had tasted at Ireland’s Shannon Airport. They tried one concoction after the next, not quite getting it right. Finally, Koeppler returned to Shannon to ask the original inventor, Chef Joe Sheridan, for advice. Eventually, the recipe was perfected. Turns out there are two secrets: The cream needs to ... read more

I hate long layovers on my flights to Europe, Asia, or South America. But these are some of my favorites, from Simple Flying. From the world's largest indoor waterfall to the world's tallest slides inside an airport, Singapore Changi offers much more than just air travel. The airport currently has more than 80 restaurants, cafes, and bars, providing ample choices for food enthusiasts. The airport also includes a movie theater, along with a sound and light show, complemented by additional offerings such as a spa and canopy bridge where you can take a stroll and stretch your legs while enjoying a scenic view. This is probably the gold standard. Haneda Airport, conveniently located less than an hour away from popular Tokyo destinations like Asakusa, Shibuya, and Shinjuku, stands out as the city's most accessible airport. Abundant ... read more

From CNBC: The most off-putting behaviors According to the report, the most aggravating in-flight behavior is the invasion of personal space — be it encroaching on an armrest, leg room area or crossing the invisible boundary that separates passenger seats. Some 77% of people in the survey said they were "bothered" by it, with 51% saying they were "very bothered." (I hate the seat hog) In second place are unhygienic behaviors, such as clipping fingernails or taking off shoes, according to the survey of more than 2,200 Americans. However, url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/12/should-you-recline-seats-or-remove-shoes-on-flights-it-depends.html?&doc=107327468not everyone objects to removing shoes on flights, with less than half of people in Asia (49%) and just over a third of those in the United Arab Emirates (38%) deeming the practice unacceptable in a YouGov survey p... read more

img=https://attachment.outlook.live.net/owa/MSA%3Agolfkat%40hotmail.com/service.svc/s/GetAttachmentThumbnail?id=AQMkADAwATExAGQ3NwAtYmNiZi0zNzNkLTAwAi0wMAoARgAAA7edubVVKlhNiaZqJG%2FCMEMHAJoKUytVtFlFsmsux%2FxQTcgAAAIBDAAAAJoKUytVtFlFsmsux%2FxQTcgABrphrCkAAAABEgAQAESEKlhip0tDqlC0AbBwMr8%3D&isc=1&token=eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIsImtpZCI6IjczRkI5QkJFRjYzNjc4RDRGN0U4NEI0NDBCQUJCMTJBMzM5RDlGOTgiLCJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJ4NXQiOiJjX3VidnZZMmVOVDM2RXRFQzZ1eEtqT2RuNWcifQ.eyJvcmlnaW4iOiJodHRwczovL291dGxvb2subGl2ZS5jb20iLCJ1YyI6ImZhYjRlN2ZjMGVhMDRlODI4ZjEyNTZhNWU2ZTQzMmYyIiwidmVyIjoiRXhjaGFuZ2UuQ2FsbGJhY2suVjEiLCJhcHBjdHhzZW5kZXIiOiJPd2FEb3dubG9hZEA4NGRmOWU3Zi1lOWY2LTQwYWYtYjQzNS1hYWFhYWFhYWFhYWEiLCJpc3NyaW5nIjoiV1ciLCJhcHBjdHgiOiJ7XCJtc2V4Y2hwcm90XCI6XCJvd2FcIixcInB1aWRcIjpcIjMxMzg3NTA4MTY3MjUwOVwiLFwic2NvcGVcIjpcIk93YURvd25sb2FkXCIsXCJvaWRcIjpcIjAwMDExZDc3LWJjYmYtMzczZC0wMDAwLTAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMFwiLFwicHJpbWFyeXN... read more

We all need an escape from our regular routine. Visiting the east coast is a dramatic reset from my everyday routine. Of course, I get spoiled by the generosity and hilarity of my dear friends, Dirty Pat and Mrs. Pat (Renae). The coastal air is clean and cool. The leaves are every shade of brown to orange to red. The ground is moist and soft. The roads in the "village" of Annapolis have no sidewalks, the trees are tall and green. The town is as historic and quaint as possible. Why is the east coast so different than California? Yes, the weather, the landscape, the people? I would say it is the richer, and much longer traditions.Care to argue or discuss? Food is always a big deal here, particularly seafood. Food is always a big deal ... read more

Along with the rich history and landmarks of Annapolis, there is no shortage of historic pubs. It is, after all, a University town with the Naval Academy, and St. John's College nearby. I have enjoyed my previous visits here, mostly thanks to Dirty Pat and Mrs. Pat. This trip should be no different. First stop is Galway Bay Irish Restaurant, though I only know the bar. It helps that the spunky, blonde bartender helps (tries to) keep Dirty Pat in line (as best anyone can). But it is a friendly bunch of locals who frequent the place, making us feel quite welcome. It is my favorite, after the oyster bars in town. The building was built in 1897. img=https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/c_fill,h_443,q_75,w_665/v1/clients/annapolis/Galway_768x512_5534013b-02a9-476a-b50f-4df4a26c240b.jpg The next several stops are optional: The Drummer's Lot, tucked away... read more