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Manhattan Beach, California: Things to Do, See and Eat

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Everything about Manhattan Beach exudes sun, surf, sand and fun living. I have been living in the beach cities community for more than 15 years and not sure if I would be able to live somewhere else (I am sure I can but, at the moment, I am too attached to the area). I invited you to learn, and visit, Manhattan Beach, one of the gems of Los Angeles County! About Manhattan Beach, California Manhattan Beach is located 19 miles southwest of Los Angeles in the south end of the Santa Monica Bay. Its 35,000 residents occupy four distinct neighborhoods which are often referred to as sections (sand, tree, hill, and east).  The majority of the attractions described in this article are located on the Downtown part of the Sand Section.  I will indicate if an attraction described is located away from the beach. Things to Do in Manhattan Beach, California   In here, I have tried to provide as much detail as possible about the things to do in Manhattan Beach.  I am presenting the city as an i

Eastern Shore: Exploring the Chesapeake Part II

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Tranquility brewed down Route 13 and that morning I was on my way to immerse myself into the thick of it. The journey along the 75-mile peninsula of the Eastern Shore in Virginia continued. Stepping outside into the bright sunlight of the Eastern Shore’s morning, I sipped a cup of coffee on the patio chairs outside my room at the Wachapreague Inn . The salt air helped shake the fog of sleep and the strong coffee provided by the inn got me kicking into a higher gear. After a shower, I was back on the road heading south for another glorious day in Virginia . Sunlight On Still Water First activity planned for the day was a kayak tour to a local winery. I met my kayak guide from SouthEast Expeditions at the landing on Nassawadox Creek.   She quickly got us set up with life jackets, paddles. Soon we were gliding across the water on a still summer’s morn. Nature has a way of calming the mind. Observing the diversity of the Eastern Shore’s ecology from a kayak is sublime. My guide navi

Italian Coffee Culture: Drink as the Italians Do!

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Learn the secrets behind Italian Coffee from local intel to regional specialties you don’t want to miss. I always see tourists frustrated to near tears in busy cafes. They can’t understand why no one is serving them and why the barista isn’t responding to their panicked gesturing. Don’t be them! I’m going to spell out the unspoken rules and systems of Italian coffee culture so you can fit right in. You’ll also find out what the basic menu is in every Italian cafe. Head’s up: you rarely see an actual menu so you’ll want to know this. To top it off, I’ll share some of my favorite unique Italian coffee drinks that only locals know about. Grab a cup of cappuccino and let’s dive in! You probably already know that Italians love their coffee! Coffee is a historic ritual in Italy that has become so ingrained in the culture that it’d be hard to imagine Italy without it. DID YOU KNOW? Coffee started out in pharmacies as a drug available only to the wealthy before Italy’s oldest cafe, Florian,

Haute Faroese Cuisine

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It’s not very often that I get to experience the best restaurant in a country — but in the Faroe Islands, I got to do just that. KOKS is the restaurant at the excellent Hotel Foroyar, famous for hosting Bill Clinton a few years ago.  (It’s also not very often that I get to stay in the same hotel former awesome US presidents stayed in.) Now — I was a bit apprehensive, as I’m not the biggest fan of Scandinavian food.  Salted fish and sweet, fatty cured meats don’t appeal to me.  But haute Scandinavian cuisine is SO much better than salted fish and odd cured meats.  How good was it? This is in the top 3 meals I have ever had in my LIFE. KOKS offers four-, six-, and eight-course menus.  I went for six courses.  Here’s how I started: Yes, that’s the menu on an iPad.   If they were looking to impress me, there’s nothing better they could have done! Here’s what I dined on: Amuse Bouche: Salted cod, asparagus, amanson oil Two tiny bites of deliciousness.  For the record, I’m not sur