I love to travel. It's probably because I was raised in the back of a station wagon. My father was a school teacher and every summer we would load up the family station wagon and hit the road. We traveled across the country, sleeping in tents and living in campgrounds. By the time I was 15, I had visited every state in the continental United States and hiked and canoed through the backcountry of every major national park.
My parents were avid naturalists who taught us how to live off the land. During these summer trips, we hunted and fished for most of our meals and harvested wild fruits and vegetables from the forests. My mother´s favorite book was "Stalking the Wild Asparagus" by Euell Gibbons. This was the comprehensive guidebook for foraging for food in the wild. I guess this is where I earned my appreciation for fresh ingredients.
After I left home I started traveling the world, and eventually found my way throughout Europe and Asia. I like the challenge of visiting unique destinations and finding authentic restaurants that represent the culture of the destination we are visiting. There are so many great places to visit, yet so little time to do so.
Our personal time is the most precious time we have. It is our chance to relax, renew and restore ourselves, and most of us simply don´t have time to waste on a bad food, wine or travel experiences. This is why I meticulously plan my dining and travel experiences so that I can make sure I get the most out of this valuable time. I have found that the more effort I put into planning in advance, the more likely I will be able to relax and enjoy the experience.
Where do I find information? I usually start with searching the Internet, but unfortunately it´s overloaded with unfiltered and too-often jaded information. Anonymous reviews without qualifications have diminished the credibility of most websites where anyone can say anything without proof or qualifications. It´s also difficult to get good recommendations from your hotel because very few hotels have a well-trained concierge staff, and many restaurants reward concierges who refer their guests. The truth is - the best recommendations I have ever had came from people that I know and trust to have similar tastes.
I start my research months, and even years before I take a trip. I keep notes on my smart phone organized by City of every restaurant and travel recommendation that people have given me over the years. I also search the Internet and call friends and to collaborate the recommendations that I have found. By the time I depart for a destination, I know where I am staying, what sites I will visit, and most important of all Ð where to dine. I even map out the logistics to make my visit as efficient as possible.
Some may think that planning in such detail is too rigid and lacks spontaneity, but I find it to be quite the opposite. The best part of having a good plan is that you don´t have to follow it. It is there so that you don´t have to think or worry about what to do, or just as important, what you might miss. Many of the places I have visited are once in a lifetime trips, and I want to experience everything that I can.
Over the years, my friends and family have asked me to share my notes and itineraries for various destinations, so years ago I started creating notes on my smart phone that detailed each of my trips. I created separate files for restaurants, sites to see, and winery´s that we had visited. Whenever someone asked me for my recommendations, I would simply forward them the notes for that destination. This is one of the reasons why I developed this website, and most of the information on this site came from my original notes.
I will keep posting these notes as I find time to properly edit them. In the mean time, if you are headed anywhere special, please let me know and we will try to get you some good recommendations.
Yours truly,
Mark
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