My first visit to Palmetto Bluff served up amazing views and good food, but it was mostly the opportunity to get behind those gates and see what the hell was going on behind them that enticed me. The extremely subtle signage and rumor that last year's Oscar attendees received a weekend visit in their luxurious gift bags added even more interest. Finding out that Auberge Resorts was behind this Lowcountry treasure was icing on the cake. But the piece de resistance is this: Palmetto Bluff is a … [Read more...]
The Resurgence of Wormwood
"What difference is there between a glass of absinthe and a sunset?" -Oscar Wilde Native N'awlins microbiologist, Ted Breaux, has been working on debunking the bad reputation of Absinthe, as well as producing the best tasting, authentic Absinthe made in a century, one molecule at a time. Absinthe, long suspected as the cause of "criminal dementia" due to its key ingredient, bitter leaves of Artemisia absinthium, or Wormwood, may not be so bad after all. Plus, its lovely green hue and … [Read more...]
The Senses: Smell – First In A Series
I am baking an apple-pie and the smell wafts through the house. I love this smell. Although it doesn't trigger any specific memories for me, it is a pleasant and warming smell. It reminds me to revisit Diane Ackerman's book, A Natural History of the Senses. She tells a story describing how Helen Keller ascertained the path that each visitor took throughout her house SOLELY BY THE ODORS they carried with them as they moved through various hallways and rooms. I ADORE the sense of smell, … [Read more...]