By Emma Krasov. Photography by Yuri Krasov. Just like goddess Venus, the island of Sicily arrived from the sea foam under our airplane’s wing in all its mature glory. It grew closer, gained distinct features and sounds upon our landing, …
Category: Luxury Travel

Peacock Court Ballroom at Mark Hopkins Provides Historic Backdrop for All Events
By Emma Krasov. Photography by Yuri Krasov. If you have a really significant event coming up, I envy you. Not because all my weddings, award celebrations, and big birthdays weren’t enough, but because none of them has happened in San …
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Roman Spa and Other Charms of Calistoga, California
By Emma Krasov. Photography by Yuri Krasov. A town of Calistoga, at the northernmost tip of Napa Valley, has a distinct and inimitable character. Despite being a part of the ultimate tourist destination – California Wine Country – Calistoga remains …
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The Magic of Mendocino
By Emma Krasov. Photography by Yuri Krasov How does it happen that every time I visit the coastal expanse of Mendocino County I feel transformed as if by magic? What is happening here, in view of the wild ocean waves, …

Bricoleur Vineyards: the Three Graces of Wine, Food, and Scenery
By Emma Krasov. Photography by Yuri Krasov The Three Graces in Greek mythology represented the divine beauty, joy, and elegance, and provided their services to gods as well as mere mortals during lavish feasts and festive gatherings. Well, those ancients …
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Saxony and Beyond: Sparkling Wines, White Gold
By Emma Krasov. Photography by Yuri Krasov Culinary tourism, especially wine-centered, is dangerous – it tends to become addictive. You barely start to understand the basics of local food and viticulture in one area when the pull of another is …

Lisbon and Porto with Pestana and Fado by Emma Krasov
Photography by Emma Krasov Close to midnight, I walked through etched glass French doors into a hallway lit by flower-shaped chandeliers. High ceiling with gilded moldings, framed oil paintings on the walls, and little bronze statuettes positioned throughout on small …
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AmaWaterways Mekong Cruise: Cool Boat, Hot Weather, and Elephant Pants by Emma Krasov
Photography by Yuri Krasov Looking back at Riches of the Mekong cruise (Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City) with AmaWaterways I can’t help but marvel at the incredible amount of amazing places I’ve visited in a course of just …
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Brewery Gulch Inn, Mendocino by Emma Krasov
Photography by Yuri Krasov Fresh green grass after the rain, pine trees with lacy moss hanging from their branches, a stretch of the road with hardly any vehicle passing by, a veil of fog over Smuggles Cove’s splashing waves, and …

The Healing Powers of Ashland by Emma Krasov
Photography by Yuri Krasov Traveling to Ashland, Oregon, is enticing and rewarding all year round. For a relatively small urban area (population below 22,000) it has an enormous amount of festive public events to enjoy, excellent wineries, breweries, and restaurants, …