Let’s
say you’re bored with your wine tasting adventures. You’ve been to wineries
and tasting rooms, sipping a new vintage while the winemaker tells you about the
grapes, the history, the terroir - whatever it is that makes the wine so spectacular.
You’ve
stood in line at the wine shop/liquor store/grocery mart to try the featured
wines of the weekend in little paper cups with a smooth (or at times, not so
smooth) sales patter trying to entice you to buy.
You’ve
even gone to the wine festivals, private tastings and special charity events,
but nothing seems to quench that
desire for something new – a nouveau wine experience.
Well,
get ready: here are 10 wine sipping destinations that will make your knees
week, your heart race, and your vino friends envious …
1) High in the Sky
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| Lounge in the Sky |
Imagine
sitting at a table for four, sipping a glass of Chardonnay while you and your
friends watch the sun set over the city; all while you are suspended a quarter
of a mile up in the air!
 |
| Dining Out |
Lounge
in the Sky, a part of Dinner in the Sky
www.dinnerinthesky.com
offers just such an experience and this adventure is available in 14 countries, including the U.S, Italy, UK, France, Ireland, and Spain.
2) Underwater
 |
| SubSix Bar |
Ever
feel like you’re in too deep? Then you’ll feel right at home at SubSix niyama.peraquum.com/dining/Subsix,
the world’s first underwater nightclub located almost 20 feet below the surface
of the Indian Ocean.
 |
| Underwater Dinner and Drinks |
Relax
in club chairs while you peruse the 300+ bottle wine list, or select a glass of
wine from over a dozen available on the beverage menu. Then sit back, unwind
and watch marine life glide past the floor-to-ceiling windows of this classy,
submerged bar in the Maldives.
3) On Ice
 |
| Wine on Ice |
Almost
125 miles above the Arctic Circle, the Snow Village takes shape each November.
Crafted from over 1,000 truckloads of snow, the Village opens each December and
remains open until the first weekend of April, complete with a hotel, two
restaurants, and the Ice Bar www.snowvillage.fi/icebar.htm.
 |
| Inside the Ice Bar |
The
bar, and everything in it, is made from ice and snow including the tables,
chairs, and drinking glasses. This is the perfect spot for an unforgettable glass of
icy Champagne. But bundle up - temperatures inside hover around 25 degrees
Fahrenheit (-3 Celsius.)
4) Under Ground
 |
| Entrance to Jarvis Wines |
Originally built to store wine, today's wine caves do so much more. Not
only is this underground chamber the perfect temperature in which to age wine,
it’s also one of the coolest places to hold a wine tasting.
 |
| The Wine Cave |
But
no one has surpassed Jarvis Estate www.jarviswines.co
in Napa, California, for excellent utilization of a wine cave. The
entire winery, complete with winemaking facility, is built underground in a
45,000 square foot cave tunneled into the Vaca Mountains. After touring the
winery, guests enjoy six samples of wine in a Tasting Chamber that is sure to
impress.
5) Spirits Move Me
Belvoir
Winery www.belvoirwinery.com is
located in what used to be the I.O.O.F – Independent Order of Odd Fellows home complex
constructed in the 1880s in Liberty, Missouri. The I.O.O.F. was one of the
largest fraternal and benevolent
organizations in the U.S. during the 20th century.
 |
| I.O.O.F. Home |
Today,
the winery is located in the old administration building, one of only three
original buildings that remain on the grounds, and the oldest structure on the
property. It is here that employees
report footsteps, screams, unidentified laugher and shadow people; the perfect
place to sample their six locally produced wines and get into the spirit of things ...
6) In the Dark
Too
much information in your life? Then dinner and a drink at Opaque www.darkdining.com might be just
what you need. This restaurant takes “dining in the dark” to a new level: a
real sensory experience. Without your sight to rely on, forget checking the
clarity of that wine.
 |
| Dining at Opaque |
This
is where your other senses kick in and that glass of vino takes on a totally
different dimension; an true experience of taste. But relax, black tie is not required ... Opaque
restaurants are located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, New York and
Dallas.
7) In the Belly of the Beast
 |
| KC-97 |
If
you’re an aviation buff, don’t miss the chance to dine in the belly of a 1953
Boeing KC-97 tanker, better known as the Stratotanker. Although it was named
Solo’s Restaurant www.solosrestaurant.com, it has become known as the Airplane Restaurant, seating up to 42 people for
lunch and dinner.
 |
| Dining on Board |
Featuring
booths, burgers and a full bar, this is one trip you’ll rather have friends on
board with, rather than going solo. Located at the Colorado Springs Airport in
Colorado.
8) Up, Up and Away
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| Balloons Above Napa |
Ah,
to slip the surly bonds of earth, wine glass in hand and vineyards unrolling
beneath you. If this is your idea of heaven, then get ready for liftoff in a
hot air balloon. Wine Country Balloons balloontours.com
is one of the oldest in California, offering early morning flights over the
vineyards of Napa and Sonoma.
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| Flying Over Vineyards |
When
your flight is over, enjoy a made-to-order champagne brunch with your pilot and
fellow ballooning buddies as you enjoy a post-flight celebration.
9) Visiting the Ladies
 |
| May Baily's Place |
What
was once one of the premier bordellos in the red-light district of New Orleans
(known as Storyville), is now a pretty hip place to grab a glass of vino (over 15
on the menu), or something stronger. May Baily’s Place www.dauphineorleans.com served
clientele in the French Quarter during the 19th century.
 |
| Just One of the Girls |
Today,
portraits of the madams’ hang on the bar walls among the Victoria décor. The
comfort and ambience of May’s continues to attract customers ordering spirits,
and spirits of the “ladies of the evening” who still linger at the bar, waiting
for “last call.” In homage to its
history, a red light continues to burn in the courtyard …
10) In the Jail House
 |
| The Clink |
Let’s
give this one an A for attitude and adaptability! The Liberty Hotel www.libertyhotel.com in Boston
has taken a former jail where the city locked up notorious prisoners like Malcolm
X and the Boston Strangler, and transformed it into a cool hotel, complete with
a bar called the Clink.
 |
| Dining in the Cell Block |
Dine
and drink while looking through the original cell door bars. The menu
changes daily and the wine list is extensive – but pace yourself; you don’t
want to end up in the drunk tank.
Now,
find something fun to do this weekend, and if it tops this list – Let Me Know!
~
Joy
It
is estimated that over $58 billion dollars will be spent on pets in the U.S.
this year. There are doggy sweaters, kitty tees, tuxes, gowns, booties; even pet
PJ’s to purchase! And, yes, we pet lovers have probably bought something
eccentric for our fury friends at one time or another. But would you buy a bottle
of wine for your cat: a tasty vino for your dog? 
OK
– that’s a bit eccentric, right? Well, maybe not - In the U.S, more of us are “dog
people,” with over 43 million households owning at least one dog. That’s
compared to 36 million households with at least one cat. (American Veterinary
Medical Association) So it should come as no surprise that we Americans would
have a beverage crafted for boozehounds instead. 
