McMinnville, OR. – After a long Sat traveling to Oregon, we kicked off our Willamette Valley visit with a wonderful day of tastings with dramatic differences.

A note about the travel – two flights, Indy-Minneapolis and Minneapolis to Portland. I don’t recall seeing much of any one in either airport and none on the flight without a mask. It’s refreshing to see that level of cooperation to end this terrible pandemic.

None of the three wineries we visited required masking.

Our first stop was Knudsen Vineyards and it was my favorite of the day. Knudsen planted grapes back at the start of the Oregon wine industry in 1971. Those vines are now gone due to root disease but sprawling vineyards is one of the valley’s best.

For years Knudson sold grapes to Erath and then Argyle. They still sell a lot of their growth to Argyle for their sparkling wines.

We were greeted by Page Knudson, second-generation family member. She was delightful and answered lots of our questions.

The Knudsen Chardonnay and Rose were terrific. The Rose’ is made with some of the oldest vines on the property. The selection of dynamite Pinot Noir — from blends to designated blocks in the vineyard were all terrific and different enough to match any tastes. The Pinot’s ranged from full bodied and full fruit to the popular more light and delicate mouth feel Oregon has made popular.

So, you’ve never heard of Knudsen? Well they didn’t start producing their own wines until start of the last decade and to this day are only doing 2,000 cases. it’s a gem of a winery …. small, family owned and operated and terrific wines.

Our second stop could not have been more different. I had been anxious to visit Resonance – the French-owned Louis Jadot operation that has drawn lots of attention due to the French icon’s investment. The tasting room is stunning with an ‘old barn’ feel.

The wines aren’t going to be for everybody. They self describe the wines as made with a Burgundian accent. Very true. The pinot noir is lighter, leaner and more acidic than much of what a visitor will taste in the Valley. The chardonnay from Hyland vineards was a wonderful Oregon take on white burgundy.

Last stop was long-time producer Elk Cove, also a big producer by Valley norms at 85,000 cases. Part of this trip is aimed to visit with friend Zach Thom whom worked at the wine shop in Indy with me. We also were joined my Zach Biggs who worked with us for about a year.

Elk Cove makes lots of choices from Chardonnay, Riesing, Rose’, sparkling and several Pinot Noir. The wines are consistently dool..

Elk Cove might just make the best Pinot Gris of any producer in the valley.

Today is our ‘something different’ day. I always go to the Gorge and Mount Hood on an of day but we’re mixing it up and are going to visit the rocky Oregon Pacific Coast

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CLEARWATER, Fla. – A strong case can be made that Google Reviews, Trip Advisor and more can be strong research tools when planning a trip.

I read them and I write them. But they need to be taken with a grain of salt, or in this case maybe a pebble of sand.

I used a booker, as I often to for this last minute relaxation trip to Clearwater. A booker is simply one of those online aggregators which can book your flight, hotel, and even car rental. I’ve had great success with them.

I had one book this trip I got a round-trip flight for under $200 booked on Spirit Airlines. The AIRBUS jet was new, great smooth flight – had to pay for a bottle of water. The 300-plus seat aircraft only had 100 passengers so that was comfort in avoiding COVID, etc. But stewardes said a morning flight wa sold out.

The booker found a couple motels in Clearwater on special wih too-good-to-be true prices. (Yes, I know better.) I avoided the beach and jus wanted located in the city. The beach hotels are rightfully costly $300-$400 a night. So we booked this older smaller motel near the Philadelpia Phillies’ spring training complex. The booker’ best deal on a car was $100 a day. So I used a different booker and found a car for half that cost.

But the night before this trip I got curious about my motel booking. So I read a ton of online reviews and best characterization might be ‘Ahh-oh.” The reviews were mostly all terrible to horrible.

I called the booker Tuesday morning, hours from departure, and learned they could cancel but no refund on a pre-paid six-night stay. So there is one useful tip – check the cancellation policy dammit if someone else is booking your room.

And read the reviews anyway. Here is how it played out – I went to the motel and checked it out, epecting to find what I had read. It could use a coat of paint outside.

I was honest with the young man at a regrettable check in window. He checked and the reservation was canceled but no refund. The young man showed me what would be my room. It smelled fine, linens looked new, and bathroom was spotess. The room was okay for less than $100.

I stayed and next morning (today, Wed.) found the manager, who could only roll her eyes when asked about the online reviews.

“You know people book us because of price and get here and see we’r not on the beach,” she said with a smirk. “And then if one little thing is wrong they trash us. We’re not the Ritz-Carlton but we do our best for the rate.”

I also talked to some guests at the pool last night and none had anyhing bad to say about their room one woman said she and husband switched rooms because of noise in parking lot betweenn here and another value motel next door.

I had a quiet night – a little bit of a noisy air conditioner. Bed was fine even if bit too soft for my personal preference.

I checked out the free continental breakfast which did not appeal. But went next door to one of Clearwater’ iconic breakfast joint Lenny’s. More on Lenny’s later in week. The ladies waiting tables oozed southern charm. My greeter had a huge Dolly Parton-style blonde hairdo. I knew I was in the right place.

So on day one I was reminded to read online reviews skeptically. I told the manager that if my stay remainder of my stay is as good as first impression and first night, I’d write her a good review – not from guilt but because it would be earned.

Off this morning to checkout path to beach… it’s crazy out there … maybe grab a Ron-Jon shirt or hat and a grouper sandwich. Then it’ back to motel pool with my wine stash and a book.

INDIANAPOLIS – I write a lot (brfly) about wine, food I make and food I visit restaurants to enjoy. I also have written through the years when I travel, usually wine related.

I’m about to make a short trip south for pure relaxation and to soak in the “get away from it all” mindset. And I’ve decided to write a bit. I thought upon retirement I might pursue travel writing but that would really have required connecting with some travel magazine or blog. I just like doing it sporadically. I figure lots of people travel to Clearwater, Florida for the white-sand beaches and ocean. I’m headed there for relaxation and mind-clearing boredom

My agenda: reading at pool side with a funny hat I’ll buy at one of the famous Ron-Jon Surf shops, and a bottle of white wine, maybe rose’. Then I’ll get crazy and actually walk the beach in the afternoon a time or two – maybe – it’s hot, smelly, and packed. And to get to the real beach, Clearwater beach, you have to navigate a highway from Clearwater. I’m not sure that’s walkable – especially for a retired guy with a touch of plantar’s fasciitis.  An left leg mushiness from a mild stroke three week ago.

But there’ always the rental car!

I like an amuthentic experience. Anyone who has ever visited Clearwater knows it still has an abundance of old Mom-n-Pop motels. I’’ve booked one for five nights. It’s rated three stars so I’m hopeful. I just think it’ a less sterile, not literally, than he big chain knockoffs for three times the price closer to the beach.

The other thing i like to do is research the old restaurants which have served smelly and loud midwesterners for decades.

I’ve already located several eating spots and two wine shops. For good measure I’m near a Costco too – but having to go there seems like failure.

I remember going to Clearwater a time of two as a kid with family, several times since and 2-3 years in row around 2000 – to sit and do nothing. And, that’ how I’ve described this trip to friend.

I’m hoping the motel has a hot tub or whirlpool which will probably be closest I come to getting in the water, other than my shower.

So I’ll pen a few odes to tourism …. The pure joy of not being at home, the smell of the sea, the disgust of what some people wear to the beach and the unbridled enjoyment of lots of grouper and mahi mahi.

I’ll post a few photos here probably more on Facebook and Instagram.

I’ll do my best to keep it anything but serious – factual observation, a bit of whimsy and snark. It’s what I do.