For me, one of the great joys of travel is having in-person encounters with great art — which I’ve collected in a book called Europe’s Top 100 Masterpieces. Here’s one of my favorites: Jesus Christ sits on a throne and solemnly cradles something very important — a book, the holy word of God. He has a lush head of curly flaxen hair and a thoughtful expression. Seated under an arch, he’s surrounded by a labyrinth of colorful, intricately woven designs. This illustration from an old Bible tells the story of Jesus. This particular drawing came right at the point in…

A father-daughter journalist team reports from Tbilisi, where nearly every night since protests broke out in October, the pioneering chef Tekuna Gachechiladze has been ladling out soup to demonstrators fighting for their country’s future. It has been more than a month of nonstop nightly protests here in front of Tbilisi’s Parliament building, the stage of every mass demonstration since 1989, when Soviet forces shot 19 people during a rally for independence. If the winter cold is taking a toll on us, you’d never know by the polyphonic songs people are singing, by the traditional dances, noisemaker hornsaand whistles. The frigid…

Posted by Monique Kawecki on Monday, January 14, 2019 · Leave a Comment  There’s no doubt the fine art of winemaking, and its enjoyment, has been perfected by winemakers at Bird In Hand Winery. Located in the stunning Adelaide Hills, the winemakers have preceded their nationally renowned reputation with a solid international following of loyal connoisseurs. THE WINERY Named after the Bird in Hand gold mine, which operated on the land in the 1800s, the winery prospers from rich red soil on the estate surrounded by beautiful Australian gum trees. Founded by South Australian Andrew Nugent whose grandparents were farmers, his pathway…