Food and wine enthusiasts looking to escape the harsh Texas heat and lack of seasonal diversity, should mark the Willamette Valley region Oregon as an ideal destination to recharge your passion for seasonal flavors. Home to two-thirds of Oregon’s wineries and vineyards, Willamette Valley is known as one of the most premier Pinot noir–producing regions in the world. The region has become an ideal getaway destination for wine enthusiast and romantic getaways, featuring a tasteful collection of B&Bs whose hospitality extends far beyond the tasting room, as well as a gourmand’s paradise of locally owned restaurants and over 500 wineries.
We recently partnered with Travel Oregon and the Oregon Wine Board to visit the valley for a taste of the region’s famous vino and their most celebrated farm to table fare.
Le Puy is a lovely eight-room, four-season destination bed and breakfast beautifully located in the Yamhill Wine Valley region, perfectly located near Newberg and Dundee, Oregon. The inn offers a tranquil and romantic retreat aimed at couples, with views that can arguably be called the most breathtaking in the valley, offering spectacular scenery with the peeks of the Coast Range and Mt. Hood in the distance.
Morning breakfast is offered every day at 7am, with a menu driven by local and organic foods, family recipes and fresh flavors of the seasons. Owners Lea and Andy purchased the 10–acre property in 2008, after an inspiring trip to the Loire Valley in France. Le Puy 20300 NE Hwy 240, Newberg, OR 97132 www.lepuy-inn.com
Mark and Elizabeth Moisan built La Bastide, a seven-room bed-and- breakfast in 2014, with the goal of creating a special place to enjoy great food and great service in the heart of Oregon wine country. The name “bastide” refers to a country house in Provence, France, and reflects the French influence that is part of their personal style, as well as the style of the wines made here in the Dundee Hills. La Bastide 21150 NE Niederberger Rd, Dundee, OR 97115. www.labastidebandb.com
The Barberry in McMinnville, OR. is a restaurant with a savory seasonal menu that delivers an exceptional and elevated dining experience on a great American Main Street. Guests may enjoy fresh Pacific coastal seafood, Prime aged steaks, house-made pastas and delicious burgers. 95% of the menu is driven by ingredients from local farms and artisans, celebrating the local fare of the community. The Barberry 645 NE 3rd St #100, McMinnville, OR 97128. www.thebarberry.com
Red Hills Kitchen presents the celebration Oregon Wine Country’s local fare. The restaurant highlights the best elements of the valley and Red Hills Market to create a unique farm-to-plate dining experience full of the freshest ingredients of the season. The menu features live-fire based options with a delectable variety of new dishes ranging from light to decadent, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, seafood and meats. What to order – Mini Donuts & Fried Chicken, Wood-fired Shellfish, Meatloaf and Potatoes, Smoked Lamb, Charcoal Roasted Beet Salad. Red Hills Kitchen 530 NE 4th St, McMinnville, OR 97128. www.redhillskitchen.com
McMinnville may be a destination for wine enthusiasts, but beer drinkers are not left in despair. Located just a short walk from the center of town, Grain Station Brew Works is a rustic, family friendly beer hall that offers up a bit of small town nostalgia as it’s housed inside of a large barn. The brewery offers a wide assortment of outstanding craft beers along side an extensive menu of comfort food like burgers, wings and seafood. 4130, 755 NE Alpine Ave #200, McMinnville, OR. grainstation.com
With over 25-years of making wines in the Willamette Valley, Archery Summit has established legendary status in the region in the production of their exceptional Pinot Noir. The winery’s estate vineyards is rooted on 120 acres in the Dundee Hills, one of the few places in the region that’s ideally suited to produce Pinot. The vineyards are sustainably and individually farmed to best highlight the unique characteristics of each growing site. Each element of the wine-growing and wine- making process is focused on achieving the highest-quality wine possible.
Lead by winemaker Ian Burch, the Archery Summit team offers unparalleled and in-depth knowledge of the land and soil of each vineyard block to predict how it will affect the production of their wines. Their careful approach to the winemaking process has helped to pioneer the gravity-flow system of winemaking, which eliminates the need for mechanical pumps used to transport wine between fermentors, tanks and barrels. Extra efforts like this along with special crushing and fermentation techniques, allow the team to craft wines that express their distinct place of origin around the estate.
Archery Summit’s natural caves Archery Summit is the only Oregon winery with natural caves. Modeled after the underground caverns of Burgundy’s Côte d’Or, its subterranean cellar is hewn from the natural volcanic rock found beneath the estate. This feature naturally maintains a temperature of 55°F-59°F throughout the year, with a humidity level below 75%. These are optimal conditions for storing wines maturing in barrel. Visitors may explore this amazing underground cellar with a tour of the winery and discover firsthand how the architecture is critical to the production of the wines. 18599 NE Archery Summit Rd, Dayton, OR 97114. archerysummit.com
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New Orleans, LA - On October 22, 2024, I recently had an opportunity to attend the grand opening of Caesars New Orleans, marking the completion of a stunning $435 million transformation of the former Harrah’s New Orleans. It was an evening to remember, filled with excitement, luxury, and the vibrant spirit of New Orleans. The festivities began on Canal Street with an exhilarating ceremony led by Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg, President & COO Anthony Carano, and Caesars New Orleans General Manager Samir Mowad. The atmosphere was electric as they joined Caesar himself and an iconic New Orleans second-line band in a lively procession into the casino. It felt like the entire city had come out to celebrate, with Caesars New Orleans team members and Mayor LaToya Cantrell also joining the event to commemorate this historic occasion. Anthony Carano’s pride in introducing Caesars to New Orleans was palpable. “From local favorite Emeril Lagasse to our long-time partner, Chef Nobu, to the beautiful state-of-the-art Caesars Sportsbook, all-new rooms and gaming floor, and of course, our gorgeous new center bar, Octavia, Caesars New Orleans offers something for everyone. It’s a world-class resort in the heart of the Big Easy, and we can’t wait for our guests to experience it,” he said. The ceremony was a spectacle, kicking off with an iconic Mardi Gras float featuring Caesar and his court, and a dazzling firework show that lit up the New Orleans sky. The second-line band then led us revelers into the resort’s elegant center bar, Octavia, where we indulged in a “Taste of Caesars New Orleans.” Each bite from the six on-property restaurants was a delightful journey, capturing the essence of New Orleans’ rich culinary scene. Throughout the night, elemental entertainers, including the Saints Cheer Krewe, Mardi Gras Indians, Zulu Tramps, and showgirls, created an authentic and unforgettable Big Easy experience. Everywhere I turned, there was something new to marvel at, each performance more mesmerizing than the last. Samir Mowad, SVP and GM of Caesars New Orleans, highlighted the significance of the transformation, stating, “This year marks 25 years since we opened in New Orleans, and the completion of this project is the perfect way to usher in a new era with Caesars. Synonymous with the Caesars name, our new resort is pure elegance, and we’re excited to introduce a luxury brand like this to New Orleans. We are extremely grateful for the support of the community, our team members, and our guests as we come to the finish line of this tremendous transformation.” The hotel itself is impressive,…