Category Archives: France

Afloat on the Rhine and Moselle

A dream river voyage on the Scenic Opal spotlights cozy towns in the heart of Europe

By Randy Mink

With its half-timbered houses, tangle of cobbled alleyways and picture-perfect castle perched on a crag high above the market square, the German village of Cochem struck me as something plucked from a medieval fairy tale.

Almost too good to be true, the Moselle River town of 5,500 was one of several stops on “Charming Castles & Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle,” a seven-night cruise itinerary offered by Scenic, an Australia-based company with 12 luxury river ships in Europe. My brother and I were aboard the 163-passenger Scenic Opal, our floating hotel for the week.

Happily, in Cochem and some other ports of call, the historic town centers lay just steps from the ship’s gangway. I love being in the middle of everything within minutes of disembarking.

Clockwise: The Moselle River town of Cochem, Germany, as seen from hilltop Reichsburg Castle. (Photo credit: German National Tourist Board)
Reichsburg Castle looms high above the Moselle River town of Cochem.  (Larry Mink Photo)
Cochem charms visitors with its ancient, half-timbered buildings. (Randy Mink Photo)

Because of my ancestry and the fact that my first trip to Europe was a summer German language program in Austria, I’ve always had an affinity for German-speaking countries. Until this cruise, however, I had never been to the Rhine or Moselle valleys.

It was the Moselle’s inclusion that steered me to the itinerary, as not all Rhine cruises venture to this narrower, slower-moving, more intimate tributary, which twists and turns more than 100 picturesque miles between the German cities of Trier and Koblenz. Many Rhine journeys spend time in the more industrial stretches to the north.

I also liked this particular circuit because it touched four countries. Besides shore excursions in Germany, Scenic offered tours in France and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The cruise ended in Basel, Switzerland, where we stayed two nights in a hotel before flying home.

The Rhine travels nearly 800 miles from the Swiss Alps to Rotterdam on the North Sea, forming the border of southwestern Germany and eastern France. From the Vosges Mountains, the Moselle flows through northeastern France and Luxembourg to Germany, joining the Rhine at Koblenz, our first port after embarking the day before at Mainz, a city of 200,000 about 40 minutes from the Frankfurt airport.

Both waterways dish up a passing parade of vineyard-covered slopes, hilltop castles and idyllic towns with gabled houses, church steeples and leafy riverside promenades—an eye-popping feast for those of us who thronged the railings or drank it in from deck chairs. Steady streams of barges, sightseeing boats and pleasure craft also kept us engaged. One afternoon on the Moselle, the Scenic Opal went through three locks, the first one upon leaving Koblenz for the pretty Moselle Valley, my favorite part of the trip.

Koblenz: At the Confluence

In Koblenz I opted for a ship-arranged walking tour but easily could have wandered on my own. The colorful squares and alleys of Old Town, a largely pedestrianized shopping zone with plenty of cafes and bakeries, were a short walk from our berth at the beautifully landscaped Rhine Promenade. (My brother chose the e-biking excursion, exploring on one of the ship’s electrically assisted bicycles.)

The park-like river walk led to Deutsches Eck, or German Corner, the point where the mighty Rhine meets little sister Moselle. Lording over the tip of land is a monumental equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I (1797-1888), first emperor of the New German Empire. Destroyed in World War II and replaced in 1993 after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the statue now represents German unity. Nearby stand three concrete slabs from the infamous wall and text about life under Communism in East Germany. Overlooking the confluence is Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, a massive complex reached by cable car from the promenade.

Clockwise (Randy Mink Photos): An equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I, the first emperor of the New German Empire, overlooks the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers in Koblenz, Germany. The meeting point is called Deutsches Eck, or German Corner.
Scenic Opal passengers explore Koblenz, Germany, on a guided bike tour.
Tempting bakeries and cafes are just a few blocks from cruise ships’ Rhine River berths.

Little Luxembourg

From our next stop, the Moselle Valley town of Bernkastel, we took a morning excursion to Luxembourg City, an hour-and-a-half away. Our guided ramble through the capital city’s oldest quarter, famed for the stone bastions and battlements rising above dramatic ravines, focused on the shop-filled pedestrian zone and included panoramic lookout points. After the tour my brother and I relaxed over hot chocolate at the Chocolate House, snaring an outdoor table across from the Grand Ducal Palace, where we earlier had snapped pictures of the soldiers on guard duty. Passengers who didn’t sign up for Luxembourg could choose to visit a Bernkastel winery and sample the valley’s renowned Rieslings.

1: The imposing Grand Ducal Palace captivates river cruise passengers on the Luxembourg City shore excursion. (Photo credit: LFT/Christian Millen)
2: Soldiers stand guard at the Grand Ducal Palace. (Randy Mink Photo)
3: Ancient fortifications charm visitors to Luxembourg City, a shore excursion option from the Moselle River town of Bernkastel, Germany. (Photo credit: LFT/Alfonso Sagueiro)
4: Stunning panoramas abound in Luxembourg City. (Randy Mink Photo)

Moselle Crowd-Pleasers: Bernkastel & Cochem

After lunch on the Scenic Opal, moored across the bridge from Bernkastel, we explored the storybook German town. Its riverfront facade didn’t look unusually quaint, but as we probed deeper into the web of little streets, the place just kept getting cuter and cuter. I wanted to photograph every square, crooked lane and antique building in my path, and slip into every wine tavern. Had we more time, I would have hiked up to Landshut Castle, frequented centuries ago by the territorial lords of Trier. Built in 1277 and in partial decay since 1692, it houses a restaurant and cafe.

Left: The fairy-tale town of Bernkastel is a popular stop on Moselle River cruises in Germany. (Photo credit: German National Tourist Board)
Right: Landshut Castle, dating back to 1277, overlooks Bernkastel.  (Randy Mink Photo)

In the evening, we all boarded buses for Trier, where Scenic had arranged a private classical concert staged amid the Gothic grandeur of the 13th century Liebfrauenkirche. Riding through Germany’s oldest city to reach the church, we grabbed glimpses of the famous Porta Nigra, the best-preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps.

Scenic Opal passengers attended a private classical concert at the 13th century Liebfrauenkirche in Trier, Germany. (Randy Mink Photo)

In Cochem, the hub of the Middle Moselle, our excursion featured a visit to Reichsburg Castle. From its lofty vantage point we enjoyed sweeping views of the river, the steep vineyard abutting the castle grounds and a skyline dominated by the onion-dome spire of St. Martin Church. Dating from the 11th century, Reichsburg was restored in the late 1800s by a wealthy Berliner who created an idealized version of a medieval stronghold. Although not architecturally faithful, it certainly gives Cochem a photogenic landmark, and three-fourths of the main tower is original. Mounted animal heads, suits of armor and period furniture set the mood inside. Afterwards, our walking tour of Cochem showcased its compact central square, Baroque town hall and ancient town gates.

Clockwise (Photo credits: German National Tourist Board): Cochem’s Reichsburg Castle has all the trappings of a rustic baronial estate.
The Middle Ages come alive on tours of Reichsburg Castle.
Reichsburg Castle and the onion-dome spire of St. Martin Church frame this view of the Moselle River town of Cochem, Germany.

On the Romantic Rhine

Next we traveled the 32 miles from Cochem back to Koblenz, where our ship overnighted in order to get in position for a morning journey to Rüdesheim that would spotlight the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, or Rhine Gorge, the river’s most castle-studded corridor. This would be our big day, the one we’d been waiting for.

As we looked out from the breezy top deck, it was castle after castle, many of them, romantically, in various states of ruin. Some crowned distant summits, others rose straight from the shore. Vine-ribboned hillsides and timeless villages seemed to be waiting around every bend.

As we learned from the cruise director’s narration and from Tailormade (the Scenic smartphone app), some of the fortresses have been repurposed as museums, restaurants, hotels or private residences. Castle Stahlek in Bacharach, now a youth hostel, once served as a Nazi indoctrination center and military hospital during World War II.  (The app’s commentary also came in handy for exploring ashore and helped us identify the towns and landmarks we passed while cruising.)

In Rüdesheim, a tourist-packed village crammed with wine taverns and souvenir shops, we hiked through vineyards to Niederwald Monument, a grandiose memorial that commemorates the 1871 founding of the German Empire after the end of the Franco-Prussian War. Our uphill trek was challenging, the cable car ride down a lot more fun.

Left: It’s an uphill trek for Scenic Opal passengers who choose to walk to the hilltop Niederwald Monument high above Rüdesheim. (Randy Mink Photo)
Right: Shore excursions in the Rhine River town of Rüdesheim visit the Niederwald Monument, a grandiose memorial that celebrates the 1871 founding of the German Empire after the end of the Franco-Prussian War. (Photo credit: German Tourist Board)

Forays into France

Heading south on the Rhine, the Scenic Opal tied up at two more German towns. From Rastatt we were torn between a tour to the German spa town of Baden-Baden and one to Strasbourg, capital of France’s Alsace, a region that historically has flipped back and forth between German and French control. In Breisach, our last port of call before Basel, we had to weigh Colmar, Alsace’s most beautiful town, against Freiburg, a Black Forest gem renowned for its medieval Old Town.

Since we had seen plenty of Germany, we went all in for Alsace and enjoyed walking tours of Strasbourg and Colmar, both with cozy, traffic-free historic cores chockablock with pastel, flower-laden, Hansel-and-Gretel houses. It’s just that touch of fairy-tale fantasy we needed to put a happily-ever-after ending to our trip through the enchanting heart of Europe—the Europe of our dreams.

Left: The Cathedral of Notre-Dame, a towering landmark cast in red sandstone, dominates this view of Strasbourg’s historic core. (Randy Mink Photo)
Right: Rheinstein Castle, near the German town of Trechtingshausen, is one of many medieval castles that captivates Rhine River cruise passengers. (Photo credit: German National Tourist Board)

To read about the Scenic Opal luxury river ship, including its accommodations and dining experiences, please visit https://europeantraveler.net/2023/10/19/cruising-through-the-heart-of-europe/

Cruising Through the Heart of Europe

In comfort and style aboard the Scenic Opal

By Randy Mink

I can’t think of a more relaxing way of seeing Europe than cruising in luxury along its great rivers. Unlike a multi-country bus tour or train journey, you unpack just once, as your ship is home sweet home for the week. And as these sleek white vessels often dock in the center of town, the tourist highlights lie just steps from the gangway.

My most recent magic-carpet ride to adventure was “Charming Castles & Vineyards of the Rhine and Moselle,” a seven-night trip filled with shore excursions in southwestern Germany, northeastern France and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Delivering us to these enchanting places was the 163-passenger Scenic Opal, one of 12 ships in the Europe fleet of Scenic, an Australian-owned cruise line geared to English-speaking guests.

The 163-passenger Scenic Opal, shown here on the Moselle River in Bernkastel, Germany, is one of Scenic’s 12 luxury river ships in Europe. (Randy Mink Photo)

The Scenic Difference

At first glance, most river ships in Europe seem to offer a similar product, but Scenic stands out in two ways. First, guests have a little more elbow room, as the vessels offer a higher-than-usual passenger-to-space ratio. Whereas many ships of the same size take on 180 or more passengers, Scenic’s four-deck floating hotels carry 163 guests maximum. (Our sailing counted 129 passengers, including 53 Americans, 27 Canadians, 37 British, nine Australians and a smattering of other nationalities.) The Scenic Opal and sister ships Scenic Amber and Scenic Jasper were built in 2015/2016 and refurbished in 2019.

Floor-to-ceiling windows in both public areas and most staterooms, moreover, give the feeling of added space. All cabins on the Sapphire and Diamond (second and third) decks feature a full-length, enclosed balcony with two padded wicker chairs, a table and a wide horizontal window that glides up or down at the push of a button. A curtain and a glass door can be used to close off the bedroom from the peaceful nook, called a Scenic Sun Lounge. For this sense of extra space, Scenic ships are marketed as “Space-Ships” (not because they’re futuristic-looking). Smaller staterooms on the less-populated lower deck, the Jewel Deck, have a large picture window but no balcony.

The other chief takeaway about Scenic is the all-inclusive price. You never have to take out your wallet and won’t even be asked for a credit card at check-in. The cruise fare includes not only gratuities, airport and hotel transfers, laundry service once per cruise, shore excursions and multiple dining options but also unlimited complimentary beverages (soda, beer, wine, cocktails, spirits) all day, not just with meals. You don’t even need to worry about using your room’s mini-bar—just help yourself to free drinks and snacks when the mood strikes. Treats in my cabin included Pringles chips and a favorite of mine—Manner cocoa-flavored hazelnut-creme wafers from Vienna. The refrigerator, replenished daily, was stocked with everything from Coke, beer and juices to German wines and miniature bottles of rum, gin and whiskey.

Left: Most cabins on the Scenic Opal have an enclosed balcony, or Sun Lounge, with a window that glides up and down at the push of a button. (Photo credit: Gillies & Zaiser)
Right: The Junior Balcony Suite offers a little more space than standard staterooms on the Scenic Opal. (Photo credit: Gillies & Zaiser)

Food, Glorious Food

In the Crystal Dining Room, I always tried to get a window table so as to look out on the sloping vineyards and fairy-tale towns flanking the Rhine and Moselle rivers. The daily breakfast buffet featured a million different items—well, at least 100 anyway—and even offered chilled Champagne. There were bagels and artisan breads, yogurts and fruits of all kinds, and hot-off-the-griddle pancakes or waffles, not to mention made-to-order omelets. The Brits and Australians appreciated the baked beans, porridge, English bacon, and grilled tomatoes and mushrooms. One morning we had bread-and-butter pudding.

The breakfast buffet also offered cheeses, cold cuts and smoked fish (herring, rollmops, halibut, salmon). What’s more, we could order from a menu that featured lamb chops, French toast and perfectly done, oh-so-decadent eggs Benedict.

Lunch also was a smorgasbord. I really enjoyed the German buffet, a special meal that put an exclamation point on our morning transit through the castle-studded Rhine Gorge and got us in a jolly mood for the tourist-thronged wine town of Rüdesheim. The spread included three types of sausage—bratwurst, Käsekrainer (cheese-filled) and Weisswurst (white veal sausage)—and three mustards. There were sauerkraut, parsley potatoes and both bread and potato dumplings. Cheesy spaetzle, freshly tossed, was served hot from the pan. I didn’t have room for the fried chicken (Backhendl), pan-seared river trout in almond butter or even a morsel of the pork knuckle.

Recorded oom-pah band music lent a Munich beer hall vibe as I washed down traditional German foods with a tall glass of Erdinger Weissbier, a classic wheat brew. Dessert was Dampfnudel, a pillowy steamed dumpling filled with blueberries. Other lunch buffets usually featured at least one food representative of the region we were traveling through.

On King Charles III’s coronation day, the River Cafe, an area of the Opal Lounge that offers a daily lunch buffet, we had fish ’n’ chips while watching the ceremony on big-screen TVs. The lounge’s coffee and tea stations had scones with jam and clotted cream, another British touch.

The River Cafe, open during the day for sandwiches, salads, ice cream and pastries, is transformed each evening into Portobellos, a five-course Italian dining experience for which each guest receives a printed invitation once during the week. Table La Rive, a sophisticated chef’s table offered once a cruise to Diamond Deck and Junior Suite guests, stars innovative fare with wine matching in a small-group setting in the dining room.

Every night, the restaurant’s a la carte dinner menu gave us appetizer, main course and dessert choices. If we didn’t want one of the three entree selections, we could order a salmon steak, sirloin steak or chicken breast.

Rather eat in privacy on your balcony? An extensive room service menu is available from 6 a.m. to midnight.

On any cruise, I tend to overeat (don’t we all?), so every day I hit the walking track on the expansive Sun Deck, a breezy area with tables, chairs, loungers and a vitality pool. Happily for me, the track was lighted after dark. I recall one night making my rounds as floodlit Reichsburg Castle loomed beyond the storybook Moselle River town of Cochem, Germany, a magical moment indeed.

Left to right: The Scenic Opal’s daily breakfast buffet offers choices galore, including many varieties of yogurt. (Randy Mink Photo)
An omelet station is part of the Crystal Dining Room’s breakfast buffet. (Randy Mink Photo)
Alcoholic drinks in the Opal Lounge and dining room are included in the cruise fare. (Photo credit: Gillies & Zaiser)
The River Cafe is the place for a wide variety of tempting small bites throughout the day. (Photo credit: Gillies & Zaiser)

A Superlative Staff

Every evening we all gathered in the spacious lounge with cruise director Alex Thurein, who briefed us on the next day’s schedule. An affable German who was born in Wiesbaden and currently lives in Salzburg, Austria, he set the upbeat tone of the cruise. From Day 1 we knew we could go to Alex for travel advice or any problem. (On a personal note, I will be forever grateful to him for helping me contact credit card companies after a pickpocket incident during a shore excursion in Colmar, France.)

One morning Alex gave a brilliant presentation on “Germany and the Germans: A Brief Overview of 1,200 Years of Central European History.” Another day his topic was Europe’s rivers, canals and lock systems.

The Scenic Opal’s crew, 53 in all, represented 14 nationalities, from Thai and Indonesian to Serbian and Polish. Our captain was Hungarian. The women staffing the reception desk always had smiles and couldn’t wait to assist or answer a question.

Also smoothing the way was the stateroom’s TV, an encyclopedia of information and entertainment options. We could watch television shows (I mostly caught the live BBC newscasts), choose from a wide selection of movies and music, view the daily schedule and lounge presentations, and bone up on the ports of call. A keyboard even let us use the screen as a computer.

With high-tech gadgetry, an all-inclusive approach and plenty of space to unwind, Scenic has thought of everything to ensure a worry-free journey on the rivers of Europe.

1: Champagne is served at the first-night welcome reception onboard the Scenic Opal. (Photo credit: Gillies & Zaiser)
2: In the Rhine River city of Koblenz, passengers relax on the Sun Deck of the Scenic Opal as cable cars to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress pass overhead. (Randy Mink Photo)
3: The Scenic Opal’s reception desk is located just off the Opal Lounge. (Photo credit: Gillies & Zaiser)
4: A passing parade of hilltop castles enchants passengers on the Scenic Opal. (Photo credit: Scenic)

Le Petit Chef Dishes Up Big Fun

Story and photos by Alison Ramsey

A simple white charger plate and smooth white table turn into a texture-rich artistic musical experience, culinary history lesson, and elaborate feast right before your eyes! Fairmont Chicago’s Le Petit Chef: An Immersive Dining Experience features a 2.5-inch animated French character created by artists at Skullmapping. Rising from the center of your plate via groundbreaking 3D projection mapping that requires no special eyeglasses or visors, Le Petit Chef illustrates through colorful storytelling the history of ingredients used in the meal, the joy of being a chef, and the art of creative plating inspired by famous painters. It’s a dining experience like no other, and Fairmont Chicago, in partnership with TableMation™, opened this exclusive gastronomical adventure to the public on January 19, 2023. The lobby level Cuvée Room at Fairmont Chicago houses this 90-minute themed dinner with curated wine pairings.

Projected from the ceiling down to the tables and plates, 3D scenes and designs bring the dining area to life, illustrating gardens, sculpted fountains, raging battles, as well as busy cooktops boiling potatoes and searing meat. Between humorous anecdotes, musical numbers featuring dancing vegetables, lessons about ingredient composition, and tips on flavor combinations, guests are served a beautifully prepared, delectable 5-course meal featuring the elements showcased.

Each dish is rich with taste, texture, and color, but not heavy or saturated with creams and dressings. The delicious natural flavors of fresh produce and meat are perfectly seasoned to surprise and satisfy. Those with allergies or special dietary needs and preferences are graciously accommodated, making the menu safe for all who want to partake.  

“I think all kinds of eaters will find something to enjoy in this experience,” said diner Marc Berry after his meal with Le Petit Chef. “Even non-foodies can enjoy each interesting yet accessible course, and the joy of the 3D segments accompanying them.”

Fairmont Chicago General Manager, Clay Spencer, said, “We are thrilled to bring this unique dining experience to our guests, the city of Chicago, and the larger Midwest region. … We’re delighted for diners to experience this culinary adventure through animation. It is a dinner like no other.”

Pricing per person begins at $155 (exclusive of tax and gratuities), with an optional French wine pairing of $42. The first seating starts at 6:00 p.m. and the second at 8:00 p.m. every Thursday through Saturday, through the end of 2023.  For more information about Fairmont Chicago and to book your special dining experience at Le Petit Chef, please visit fairmontchicago.com.

For Valentine’s Day, treat your sweetheart to Le Petit Chef’s fun and fancy French meal, or consider these other Chicago area specials:

Love is in the air! Skydeck Chicago’s “Pie in the Sky” VIP Valentine’s Day Dinner offers a three-course meal that includes a delicious Giordano’s heart-shaped deep-dish pizza, salad, and dessert, served with a stunning view of the city. This 10 p.m. after-hours experience is intimate, with only seven tables per evening, maximum, and it takes place after Skydeck Chicago is closed to the public. Before ascending to the 103rd floor to step out on the glass-bottomed The Ledge, explore the ground-level museum and exhibits featuring Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods and architecture. A small-scale Bean (Cloud Gate), Second City stage setup, giant hot dog and deep-dish pizza, full-scale “L” train car, replica Chicago Picasso – there are photo opportunities galore! Book your Pie in the Sky table here for Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2023, or celebrate early by booking for Thursday, February 10, or Friday, February 11.

Photo courtesy of Skydeck Chicago

The “Love, Alma” package at stylish Hotel Zachary at Gallagher Way is a tribute to architect Zachary Taylor Davis’ true love and muse, Alma Davis. This romantic overnight includes a $50 food and beverage credit at The Bar, upgraded Wrigley Field ballpark view accommodations, and an extended 1 p.m. late checkout. Book your reservation here.

Photo courtesy of Hotel Zachary

Spread the love on Friday, February 10, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Hotel Zachary’s The Bar “Galentine’s Day Social Hour,” where you can craft a custom flower bouquet, enjoy live R&B DJ entertainment, snack on light bites and desserts, savor wine or a build-your-own-spritz concoction, and observe the on-site creation of an original painting by an artist. This event is hosted by Chicago influencer @FoodiexFancy in partnership with Bombay. Guests in attendance are encouraged to sign cards to be donated to a local Chicago children’s hospital. Purchase your Galentine’s Day Social Hour passes here.

Photo courtesy of Hotel Zachary

Museum of Illusions (MOI), in the heart of downtown Chicago, is a unique and interactive date spot to explore with your special someone. MOI offers a 2-for-1 Valentine’s Day ticket special for those wanting a mind-bending experience at a fraction of the cost. Reserve your February 14 tickets here, and the discount will automatically apply at checkout on Adult tickets.     

Photo courtesy of Museum of Illusions

Live the French Way—Celebrate the Pleasure of Life

Story and photos by Alison Ramsey

Dozens of blooming white flowers and shimmering candles in glass holders grace the center of a long dining table. Greeted with a glass of sparkling wine upon entry to the Cigale Room, Sofitel Chicago Wine Dinner guests seat themselves around the table and sip their bubbling beverages while reviewing the printed menu of culinary delights and drinks to come. The varied-height centerpieces create intimacy between clusters of conversing guests, allowing privacy within a group setting. Per French ideals, one simple joy of life is savoring food and wine that bring out the best in each other, and Sofitel Chicago is an expert in this pairing of dishes and drinks, offering fine dining experiences through its creatively curated Sofitel Wine Dinners. This series of seasonal dinners introduces guests to exquisitely prepared courses matched with wines and cocktails whose notes enhance flavors in the meal.

The September 2022 Sofitel Wine Days Dinner at Sofitel Chicago was prepared by Executive Chef Cliff Crawford, who crafts meals that embody Sofitel’s “Live the French Way” motto. He said, “I always strive to have a noticeable French influence in the menus. It can be ingredients used, such as cheeses or pâtes, or could be a modern take on French classics.” Per this ideal, the September dinner’s first course was a beautifully plated French-style tuna tartare alongside cucumber mousse and delicate cucumber curls, ponzu onion, and topped with a marquise-shaped scoop of paddlefish caviar. This flavorful delicacy was accompanied by a generous pour of golden Domaine Gilles Noblet Mâcon-Fuissé from vineyards in Mâconnais, Burgundy, France.

Sofitel Chicago began hosting these wine dinners in late 2021, and a gourmet dinner is scheduled for each of the remaining three months of 2022. The dining room’s exquisite décor changes based on the time of year, as does Chef Crawford’s menu planning. “It is really just about the season and the ingredients that are best at that time of year. It mostly revolves around produce. Wild mushrooms, for example, are one of my favorites. I love to have morels in the spring and black trumpets in the winter,” Crawford said.

The Fall Harvest Wine Dinner on October 7 will feature wines from France, Italy, and the USA, alongside seasonal spreads. The November 11 Winter Whiskey Dinner will serve an exclusive Maker’s Mark bourbon mixed into cocktails, in lieu of wine. The December 9 Art de Noel Dinner will feature holiday décor and include festive cocktails to compliment the meal.

Regarding guests at these luxurious dinner experiences, Chef Crawford said, “I would like to see them leave with plans to return. I feel we are a bit of a ‘hidden gem’ here in downtown Chicago; we are a great location, but not everyone has heard of us. I want them to feel like they have found something special.” To purchase tickets for upcoming dinners at Sofitel Chicago, please visit https://www.sofitel-chicago.com/dining/wine-dinner-series/. To round out the evening, a convenient and comfortable overnight stay in the posh rooms above can be booked at https://www.sofitel-chicago.com/.

The 5-star Sofitel Chicago is part of a French luxury hotel chain that embodies “living the French way” by celebrating life through a sophisticated and unique approach to luxury accommodations and hospitality. Its stylish avant-garde exterior is a preview of the interior’s chic design and atmosphere. Le Bar, the glass-walled bar and lounge on the lobby level of the hotel, is a trendy place to unwind and socialize while indulging in savory appetizers, flatbreads, main dishes, and desserts, and sipping unique libations like the Banana Old Fashioned. A combination of Bacardi 8-year, Giffard Banane Liqueur, Angostura bitters, Angostura cocoa bitters, and Demerara syrup, with a dark cherry and an orange peel garnish, one patron described this drink as “a really interesting take on an old fashioned. Not too sweet, and very banana, which was fun!”

The higher floors of Sofitel Chicago offer a wide-windowed, stunning view of the bustling city below, while an easy flick of a switch lowers the blinds for privacy and comfort. In the European way, the fluffy bedding provides a warm nest in which to rest beneath a soft duvet with no need for a top sheet. Room bathrooms are supplied with bath and skin products by LANVIN Paris, a soft white robe, soaker tub, and rainfall shower. Luxurious and cozy, Sofitel Chicago provides home-away-from-home accommodations that pamper and allow for chic indulgence.

Further celebrate the art of living—l’art de vivre—and say oui to a nearby adventure that will bring the soirée to new heights. A mere five-minute walk from Sofitel Chicago, you can experience elevation to an even higher viewpoint of the city, at 360 CHICAGO, the top of the former John Hancock Center. The observation deck sits 94 floors high (1,030 feet above the Magnificent Mile) and is the home of Chicago’s highest thrill ride, TILT. To get to this height, you first stroll through an exhibition celebrating the history of Chicago and nine of its culture-rich neighborhoods. A quick 20-miles-per-hour elevator ride then lifts you to the glass-walled, 17,000-square-foot level that allows breathtaking 360-degree vistas of the city and lakefront. On a clear day, you can even see four states from this lookout deck!

An add-on to the observation deck entry is a ticket to experience TILT, where guests 42 inches and taller can spend 2-3 minutes safely angling forward over the cityscape and peering downward through the glass window. While excited participants tightly grasp handles to their right and left sides, the glass wall is set into action in a series of motion profiles, allowing people to feel the sensation of leaning out into the sky and over the skyscrapers. Energizing music builds as the windows tilt farther and farther out at each interval, causing some people to close their eyes, some to giggle nervously, and others to shriek in terror. At night, colorful lights outline each panel separating participants. In “Extreme” mode (an experience that requires a prerequisite signing of a safety waiver), a window can even slide open for guests to enjoy further thrills and feel the city breeze. Trying out the basic mode, with its increasing angles and exhilarating music, Megan Pletzer from Madison, Wis., said, “You think it’s done, and then it just keeps going!”

A general admission ticket to the observation deck includes entry to the brand new CloudBar, which officially opened on September 14, 2022. Owned and operated by Magnicity, a Paris-based company, 360 CHICAGO’s CloudBar is a novel, sky-high bar and lounge that magnifies the best of Chicago by featuring local food and beverage partnerships and décor by area artisans. Magnicity CEO, Alexia Vettier, said, “We want each Magnicity location to act as a true city ambassador for our guests—encouraging exploration of the vibrant neighborhoods within our cities and forging new adventures and experiences. We are thrilled to introduce our brand-new bar concept with CloudBar.”

Photos above courtesy of 360 CHICAGO.

The Gettys Group Chicago design team fashioned the area to give people the feeling of “floating in the air.” Numerous reflective surfaces (including the ceiling, drink rails, and back wall) echo the spectacular sights visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Modern European lounge furniture and stylish lighting coupled with customized, original graphics by Chicago-based muralist Lauren Asta emphasize the blended cultures found in the city.

At this great height and surrounded by inspiring art and lights, you can also stimulate your sense of taste with snacks and sips from CloudBar’s offerings. The “Feeling Tilt-sy” cocktail carries on the “TILT” theme, served in a unique glass that leans to one side. Another colorful drink emits a haze of white mist from its lime-accessorized martini glass. Exclusively available at CloudBar is the Magnicity Pilsner, created by Moody Tongue brewery in partnership with 360 CHICAGO. Other true Chicago brands and products can be found at this exciting altitude, including wares from Garrett Popcorn, Vosges Haut-Chocolate, Carol’s Cookies, Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club, and Kikwetu Coffee Company.

Photos above courtesy of 360 CHICAGO. Pictured at center above is artist Lauren Asta.

This space in the clouds is also available to be rented for private events, weddings, and parties. For information on event reservations, please visit 360chicagoevents.com. Relax at cloud level with besties and beverages, elevate your mood, and let the spectacular city views fill you with joie de vivre, the joy of living.

Eurostar on a Roll

By Don Heimburger

Don Heimburger and Eurostar Driver Detlef Hofmann shake hands prior to departure from Waterloo Station, London, when the train left from this station.

Nearly 22,000 travelers hop aboard a Eurostar train each day, and more than 75 million have traveled the Eurostar routes over the last decade.

That figure represents more rail passengers than all the airline passengers combined on both Eurostar routes out of London.

So what’s new with Eurostar for 2008?

NEW FOR 2008

For one, since November, 2007 Eurostar has moved to a new station, from Waterloo to St. Pancreas, reducing the rail journey between London and Paris by 20 minutes. (I loved Waterloo Station!)
The travel time is now 2 hours and 15 minutes, and between London and Brussels it is only 1 hour and 51 minutes.

Also opened was Great Britian’s first high-speed line (called HS1) which carries the Eurostar exclusively. This allows travelers from London to Paris or Brussels to use the train for a one-day business or leisure trip. Every day the train runs 18 roundtrips between London and Paris and 10 between Brussels.

Eurostar trains feature 18 cars each, with car configurations changed depending on if the train is designated as a Business Premier train or a Leisure Select train. The train also runs to Lille, Eurodisney/Marne La Valle, Avignon (summer only), and Bourg St. Maurice (winter only).

TRAINS SEAT 766

Trains seat 766 persons, with special cars situated between cars 7 and 12, and standard class cars 1-5 and 14-18. There are always two bar cars, 6 and 13.

If you are a U.S. citizen, you will probably want to book your trip through Rail Europe, especially if you want to purchase a Eurail Pass that can include the Eurostar (and you can receive up to a 60% discount). Go to http://www.raileurope.com for the details.

In other European rail news, last summer the new French Railway TGV East train broke the world’s rail speed record, reaching a top speed on the trip of 357 miles per hour! A Rail Europe spokesman said, “This accomplishment is monumental for the SNCF and the rail community, and will have a positive impact on all who wish to travel east from Paris.”

The average speed, however, of the TGV East trains is 200 miles per hour. Each first class seat features its own electric power outlet, and broad seat cushions; first class passengers can book a taxi through the train conductor; and on-board messages are in French, German and English.

As an example of faster speeds on the TGV, here are new travel times posted by Rail Europe for travel between some stations:

  • France-Geneva:
    Paris-Bellegarde: 3 hours 10 minutes;
    Paris-Geneva: 3 hours 45 minutes
  • France-Switzerland:
    Paris-Lausanne: 4 hours;
    Paris-Zurich: 6 hours 10 minutes
  • Brussels-France:
    Brussels-Lyon: 3 hours 40 minutes;
    Brussels-Avignon: 5 hours