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Author: Aukse

Smyth Chicago: The Best Michelin-Starred Fine Dining in the City

Smyth Chicago: The Best Michelin-Starred Fine Dining in the City

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Let me just start this post by saying, WOW! My husband and I came to Smyth for a special anniversary dinner in February, 2025, and it vastly exceeded all, very high, expectations. This three-star Michelin eatery honestly deserves four stars, not only for their impeccable food, but also the over-the-top service. Everything you would expect from a three-star experience is here, along with amazing extra touches throughout the evening, with so many extra special gifts, you feel like a celebrity…

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Exploring the Charm of Musee D’Orsay in Paris: The Epicenter of Impressionist Art

Exploring the Charm of Musee D’Orsay in Paris: The Epicenter of Impressionist Art

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On our recent art-and-food-of-Paris extravaganza trip in November of 2024, we, of course, visited the Musee D’Orsay. I hadn’t been here in about 15 years, and I was excited to return because the museum itself has changed quite a bit, and I feel like it’s actually got a lot more art going on here than it did back then. My main memories were basically just of the building itself, which is stunning, so it was fun to check out a…

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Il Carciofo, Chicago: Joe Flamm’s Much-Hyped Roman Bistro Falls Flat

Il Carciofo, Chicago: Joe Flamm’s Much-Hyped Roman Bistro Falls Flat

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After experiencing the fresh and exciting Rose Mary restaurant in Chicago, I was thrilled to score a tough to get reservation at Il Carciofo, Joe Flamm’s newest spot in the West Loop. I ate here on a chilly Sunday in March, 2025, and unfortunately, I didn’t think that Flamm’s ode to Roman cooking lived up to the hype. Il Carciofo is located in the exciting West Loop neighborhood of Chicago, surrounded by all sorts of incredible restaurants including Smyth, Elske,…

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Roscioli Salumeria: Indulging In Rome’s Best Carbonara and Charcuterie

Roscioli Salumeria: Indulging In Rome’s Best Carbonara and Charcuterie

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I don’t know about you, but when I have a stellar meal, handmade, with natural, local ingredients, along with superb wine, I feel uplifted, happy, energized, and refreshed. That was exactly the feeling I got when we dined at Roscioli Salumeria in Rome for lunch recently. On our prior trip to Rome in 2019, we ate at Roscioli Caffe in their restaurant, and it was astounding and memorable. I specifically remember the stuffed zucchini blossoms that were crisp, not super…

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Dining at Luna Muna, Roatan’s Best Restaurant: Full Review & Must-Try Dishes

Dining at Luna Muna, Roatan’s Best Restaurant: Full Review & Must-Try Dishes

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We dined at Luna Muna at the Ibagari Boutique Hotel in Roatan daily while staying there for seven days in early February 2025. Check our my article about the resort here! This restaurant is consistently hailed as one of the best on the island, and I can honestly say that eating here not only was one of the reasons I chose this hotel for our vacation, but it was also some of the best eating we’ve done in Central America…

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Explore London’s National Gallery: Art and Architecture

Explore London’s National Gallery: Art and Architecture

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During our Summer, 2024 trip to London, Brian and I were super excited to visit the National Gallery, which boasts THREE Caravaggio paintings. We were quite disappointed to learn, though, that while we were visiting, two of the three paintings were going to be off on loan elsewhere. This gap was made up for, however, with the addition of Caravaggio’s final painting, “The Martyrdom of St. Ursula,” which is normally in Naples, Italy. Check out my Caravaggio page as well…

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Ibagari Boutique Hotel, Roatan: Stunning Island Design Hotel Away From Cruise Ship Crowds

Ibagari Boutique Hotel, Roatan: Stunning Island Design Hotel Away From Cruise Ship Crowds

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We stayed at the Ibagari Boutique Hotel in Roatan, Honduras, for seven nights in early February 2025 for our annual anniversary trip. Since we are trying to visit each country in Central America, Roatan was the easy choice for visiting Honduras. Relatively safe and easily accessible from the United States, I chose Ibagari due to its size (less than 20 rooms!), very cool design elements, and distance from the more popular tourist spots on the island frequented by the cruise…

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Juveniles Wine Bar: Lively Paris Spot for Wine and Exceptional Local French Ingredients

Juveniles Wine Bar: Lively Paris Spot for Wine and Exceptional Local French Ingredients

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On our recent trip to Paris in November of 2024, my focus was not only to see a bunch of art (success!) but also to eat some incredible food and drink incredible wines. In Paris, you don’t need to eat at Michelin starred restaurants to eat well, and Juveniles Wine Bar supplied our favorite meal that wasn’t Michelin rated. Juveniles Wine Bar is located about a 5-10 minute walk just north of The Louvre, and is a tiny little spot…

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A Review of Afternoon Tea at Roast: A Meat-Heavy Twist on a London Tradition

A Review of Afternoon Tea at Roast: A Meat-Heavy Twist on a London Tradition

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When you’re planning a trip to London, and you are tasked with choosing where to go for just ONE afternoon tea during your trip, the options are completely overwhelming. There are traditional teas like at Fortnum and Mason (one of my favorite shopping stops in the city!) or Claridge’s, and there are ultra-modern teas like at the Rosewood London, as well as hundreds of other tiny spots to grab a cuppa all over the city. My choice was primarily ruled…

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Considering Colonization And Its Impacts At The British Museum

Considering Colonization And Its Impacts At The British Museum

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During our recent summer trip to London in 2024, we, of course, visited The British Museum. This museum is at the top of any London travel list, although coming here is more than just viewing all sorts of antiquities and artifacts from all over the world. While doing so, you are also forced to reckon with the question of why are all of these things here in London? There is a funny meme that asks, “Why are the Pyramids in…

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