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One of the most delicious and inspiring ways to spend a day on California’s Central Coast is to drop by one of the fine wineries that are charting the next frontier of California Wine Country. We recently caught up with Eric Jensen, owner and winemaker at Booker Vineyard, in Paso Robles (the up-and-coming wine region about midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles). Jensen shared some tips for first-time vineyard visitors, his top recommendations for wine and coastal fun, and some exciting news about Booker’s most recent bottlings. What are your top tips for novice wine tasters headed to California for the first time? Eric Jensen: Decide what’s most important before you book and this will help set your budget. Is it all about the wine? If so, look for lodging close enough to wineries that is bare bones but clean. If it’s about the area and enjoying the surroundings and you won’t be spending all your money on wine, then you can look for a hotel with amenities like nice pools, restaurants, areas around the property to bike and hike, etc. Don’t forget though, our Paso Robles region has incredible hiking, biking, and gorgeous beaches all within just 30 minutes. What are your tips for aspiring wine collectors who want to shop for wine in California? E.J.: Try it all! Find the varieties and styles you’re passionate about. For me, it was big Syrahs and bright red Grenaches, so I chose Paso Robles as this region just does Syrah and Grenache better. It took me trying lots of bottles though, because, like most, I thought there was only Cabernet and Chardonnay. After finding passions, trust your palate and don’t just drink wines that a sommelier or wine critic says is supposed to be great. I’ve found out I don’t like most of those wines. Also, it’s very important to find the salesperson who learns what you like and seems to always be right. This could be the person at the local wine shop, supermarket, or could be a wine critic. That individual becomes your personal sommelier/critic. Any advice for Budget Travelers who are seeking world-class wine bargains? E.J.: Paso Robles is a world-class bargain. You can stay in a hotel for a third the price of Napa, taste wine and purchase world-class wines with the highest of critical acclaim for $25-$75 that would be $75-$800 in Napa, and be on the beach with your partner, dog, and a glass of Champagne to watch the sunset! Paso also boasts a great food and cocktail scene at small-town prices, great boutiques, and one of America’s great small towns (San Luis Obispo) just 20 minutes away. What do you love about the Central Coast, and Paso Robles in particular. E.J.: I love that there’s no traffic, none of the pretension that sometimes comes with a wine country (think fancy watches and expensive cars), and that I can hike a ridge overlooking the ocean in the morning, eat lunch in the vines on a vineyard, do a bit of wine tasting, and then head to the beach for a relaxing sunset. Paso Robles is that friendly “Mayberry” town where everyone seems to go out of their way to treat you well regardless of the size of your wallet. Tell us about the varietals that you grow at Booker. E.J.: Booker started as a Rhône house, with predominately Syrah- and Grenache-based wines. We have added a world-class Cabernet that outscores every cab in its $79 price point with Robert Parker by a long shot. It has a 12-year history of around 97 points. We would love to hear about your latest offerings. E.J.: Our main wines are Oublié, which is a Grenache-based wine that also includes Mourvedre and a small amount of Syrah. Similar to the French wine Chateauneuf du Pape. Oublié was just Wine Spectator’s No. 10 wine in the Top 100 in the World. Fracture is our 100 percent Syrah and is one of the most coveted Syrahs in the world, selling out in a matter of hours on our list. My Favorite Neighbor is our version of the California Cult Cabernet, critically comparing to the rarest Bordeaux’s and Napa Cabs, but doing it for $79! Are there any Booker wines that might be categorized as “budget”? E.J.: We always make a diverse blend that is usually Grenache-based called RLF for $45 that sells like In-N-Out Burger at a crowded music festival. We have a new Cab-based blend coming out in June called Harvey and Harriet which is $50 and received a 96 point score in barrel, separating it from all the Cabs in its price category. To learn more, visit bookerwines.com.

An Irish island is looking to reverse over a century of emigration that has seen its population drop to just 469 people. The beautiful Arranmore Island is located about three miles off the coast of Donegal, and is also known by its Irish name, Árain Mhór. It has just gone through the biggest advancement in its recent history by becoming the recipient of Ireland’s first offshore digital hub. Its community has written open letters to the people of the U.S. and Australia offering their services on the work front, and also presenting them with the unique opportunity of swapping the hustle and bustle of city life for the calm and beauty of Arranmore. Natural Beauty & High-Speed Connectivity Ringed by dramatic cliffs, cavernous sea caves and clean sandy beaches, the island measures just 5.5 x 3 miles. Irish is the main language spoken on Arranmore Island, although most residents also speak English. The community says that traditional industries such as farming and fishing are not enough of a draw to keep young people from leaving the island, but that has changed now that high-speed connectivity has been extended to the island’s schools, medical centre and a number of local businesses and community facilities. The community feels that this makes Arranmore a more attractive place for families and business people to live and work remotely, and reveals that its local talent includes graphic designers, games developers, app developers, photographers and a host of artisan craftspeople. It is hoping that US citizens looking for a change of pace will consider relocating to live there. An Easy Commute “Your commute, no matter where you are, will only ever be five minutes,” it says in its U.S. letter. “You’ll have the best diving in Ireland on your doorstep and seafood to rival the tastiest New England chowder. There are fewer people here than would fit in a couple of Amtrak train cars, but enough musicians and good Irish whiskey to keep the party going well into the night.” Here's How to Contact Arranmore Island's Community Anyone wishing to connect with Arranmore’s community can send them a message via their Facebook page here.

Lake Como, in Northern Italy, is probably best known as a vacation home for the rich and famous - Clooney, Versace, Madonna, Branson, and others. Consequently, Lake Como’s major towns tend to be crowded with throngs of celebrity seekers as well as upscale travelers. Discovering Lake Como’s Authentic Side But as with all our travels, we made an effort to explore Lake Como to find authentic places away from the crowds. Here are just a few of the many things we’ve discovered - picturesque, delicious, and utterly memorable. Sacro Monte di Ossuccio On the west side is the town of Lecco, above which is the 16th-century Sacro Monte di Ossuccio, a series of 14 chapels leading up the mountain overlooking the lake. (Italy’s alpine lakes are home to nearly a dozen such ancient sites - pilgrimage paths climbing “sacred mountains” leading along a series of Renaissance-era chapels.) Looking down from the peak of Ossuccio, you’ll see the town of Lenno and the extensive green space of Villa del Barbianello, a now-popular tourist attraction that was the filming site for many movies, including Casino Royale and Star Wars Episode II. Setting aside James Bond and clone attacks in favor of our interest in food, Lenno is also home to the Oleificio Osvaldo, the maker of a highly-regarded olive oil. Its shop sells the precious culinary commodity as well as soaps and skin creams crafted from it. Sala Comacina & Isla Comacina A bit to the south is the town of Sala Comacina, relatively ignored by tourist throngs due to its driving and parking challenges. It’s a quiet little haven, with ample bars and restaurants but sparse crowds. A small fee buys you passage from the town marina across to Isola Comacina. This little island is the site of ancient monastery ruins and was even the purported home of the Holy Grail for a short time. Its modern point of interest is the iconic Locanda dell'Isola Comacina, a quintessential foodie stop that has served a fantastic and unchanging meal of traditional dishes since 1948. There’s no menu; every table receives the same bountiful courses for a fixed price. The food is simple but perfect, steeped in local tradition and highest quality. The staff here are friendly and relaxed, but the service is impeccable. As you enjoy your leisurely lunch, you’ll observe little boats coming and going from the dock below, delivering some of the prime foodstuffs that the restaurant serves. Trattoria del Porto The city of Como is full of rich history and beautiful architecture, including several stunning and huge churches, but Como town is, for us, dauntingly large. So we skip it and head for the central part of the lake. Here the town of Careno is the location of another historic lake lunch spot. Down in the town - and we mean down - is local treasure Trattoria del Porto. Reservations here are mandatory, as it’s a small restaurant perched 100 feet or so above the water. Diners are treated to a traditional menu that they’ve been serving for decades. Every day. The same menu. For decades. The fish dishes, especially - and there are several of them - are steeped in the tradition of the lake’s old families. Salted & Dried Fish Speaking of food, visitors to Italy’s lakes - especially Como and Iseo - will occasionally see an array of fish splayed and hanging in the sun on racks. These are sarda or agoni - a type of shad. The fish are prepared with salt for two days and then dried for a month or more, before being flattened and preserved in oil and herbs, and packed for later eating. This method of preparation and preservation dates back to the middle ages, when the fish were preserved in a wooden container called a missolta - from which comes the name of this dish, missoltini. Mandello del Lario On the east side of the lake is the town of Mandello del Lario, a small town with a sizable urban sprawl around it, but with a charming historic centro. You can eat well and stay at Mamma Ciccia, in the heart of the old town. The owner, Silvia, runs an albergo diffuso and a cooking academy, so you can lodge at one of her distinctive properties in town and then take a class to learn how to make some traditional pastas and sauce (and tiramisu!). Better yet, her restaurant serves up delicious plates of standard fare, unfettered by the foibles of those who may not know their way around a pasta machine. Abbazia di Santa Maria di Piona Farther north on the east side is the Olgiasca peninsula, a little bit of land that juts out into the lake. At the end of this peninsula is Abbazia di Santa Maria di Piona, the old monastery at the very end of the peninsula. Here, as with the Sacro Monte site, we see the church’s propensity for snagging all the best real estate. This 12th-century monastic settlement is impossibly beautiful, with perfectly kept gardens and an ancient stone church, all in the shadow of the imposing, snow-capped Alps. Better still, every evening at around 6:30, the monks hold a Gregorian chant service, which completes a visitor’s transportation back in time. Nashville musicians and travelers Zeneba Bowers and Matt Walker run Little Roads Europe, a travel consulting service, helping clients build itineraries to steer clear of tourist cliches and explore the small towns in Italy and Ireland. Zen and Matt are authors of three award-winning guides to back-roads Italy and Ireland, and recently released a fourth book, a small-town foodie guide to Italy’s Alpine Lakes. Learn more at www.littleroadseurope.com.

In ancient times, Romans considered natural hot-water springs a gift from the gods, with healing properties that cast a spell on anyone who entered the water. Today, science explains the healing magic of thermal hot springs as an effect of the minerals that build up in the water on its way to the surface. Mineral waters are often credited with aiding blood flow, releasing muscle tension, calming mental stress, and even improving cardiovascular activity. And despite the extensive luxury-spa industry, many of these natural springs still flow for everyone, thanks to free or low-cost admission, offering their restorative properties to parents and children, the elderly, and those with limited mobility. Travel to one of these natural thermal baths and let the earth treat you to a rejuvenating embrace. 1. Chena Hot Springs: Fairbanks, Alaska The Chena geothermal system is cracked by a fractured bit of granite underneath the resort, allowing water to bubble up at nearly 150°F. It’s cooled to 106° for bathers. The year-round outdoor Rock Lake receives a flow of geothermal water that circulates, drains, and refills naturally every two to three days. The handicap-accessible indoor pool and smaller hot tubs are, however, regulated by chlorine. The resort offers cabins, yurts, tents, and RV camping, but a visit to the hot springs does not require an overnight stay. A day pass is $15. (chenahotsprings.com) 2. Mammoth Lake: Mono County, California Natural hot springs around Mammoth Lake are mostly small holes in the earth, and you can visit them for merely the price of a state park entrance fee. The result of ancient volcanic activity, the bubbling springs brim with natural minerals. Dozens of steamy tubs surrounded by nature lie between Bridgeport and Mammoth, on the eastern edge of Yosemite National Park. Two favorites: The family-friendly Travertine Hot Springs, in Bridgeport, is in the Bodie Mountain Wilderness Area, about two miles from the Bridgeport Ranger District Office on the main highway. A quick walk brings you to crude rock-bottomed pools with a continuous feed directly from the hot springs, against the backdrop of the stunning eastern Sierra Nevada mountains. For something more sophisticated, Benton Springs offers above-ground natural pools on the site of wild west-era Benton Hot Springs Inn, near the ghost town of Bodie. Visitors can stay at the inn, or rent one of 11 campsites, each with its own private tub. Fair warning: These springs are clothing-optional. (monocounty.org) 3. As Burgas Thermal Pool: Ourense, Spain Deep in northwestern Spain, along the Camino del Santiago, Ourense has been known for its healing water from the spring of As Burgas since Romans built their bath houses and places of worship there nearly 2000 years ago. A handful of thermal pools dotted along the Minho River, most of which can be visited informally, give visitors many scenic choices for enjoying the city’s healing waters. In the center of the city, however, the thermal pool offers a return to the experience of the city’s ancient residents. A free and open expanse of almost 2200 square feet, the As Burgas Thermal Pool situates bathers in the heart of the historic city to absorb skin-nourishing lithium and alkaline, which were long thought to be the spiritual secrets of the spring’s healing powers. (turismodeourense.gal/en/recurso/piscina-termal-de-as-burgas) 4. Blue Lagoon and Secret Lagoon: Iceland In recent years, Iceland has become a popular stopover destination for transatlantic tourists, and the Blue Lagoon, located about 20 minutes from the airport, is a major attraction to travelers passing through, many of whom plan their flights to include a long layover in Iceland. (There are shuttles to and from the airport.) A Silica mud mask and a drink of your choice are included in the basic entry price of $56. Pools here are made from lava-formed craters and filled with runoff water from a geothermal energy plant nearby. Although the mineral-rich water is filtered and clean, the pools are not the naturally occurring phenomenon many expect. Travel a bit further to the Secret Lagoon in Fludir, where mossy craters between geothermal springs release steam, creating a moody natural atmosphere around the man-made lake that was Iceland’s first modern swimming site, opened in 1891. Water from the hot spring flows directly into the man-made lake, then into the Litla River. The lake offers a great vantage point for watching the Litli Geysir erupt. Nearby, discover several other bubbling springs at the source, all for a $33 entrance fee. At both thermal springs, kids under 14 enter free. (secretlagoon.is) 5. Las Hornillas Volcanic Hot Springs: Guanacaste, Costa Rica In Costa Rica, the earth is in constant motion. While most spas and natural pools focus only on the relaxing hot water at the surface, Las Hornillas, situated at the foot of the active Miravalles Volcano, gives visitors an understanding of what’s going on at the core of the earth too. Bathers can tour an active crater, where bubbling mud and hot water constantly regenerate themselves and steam escapes from below. Emerald green hot-water pools, fed directly by the tension and steam of the crater, make a visit here a touch more dramatic than other spas. At these hot springs, kids can learn a geology lesson while parents indulge in a bubbling mud bath, complete with skin-smoothing sulfur and clay. The family-owned business also has a restaurant, cabins, and camping areas. (hornillas.com) 6. Miracle Springs Resort and Spa: Desert Hot Springs, California (Courtesy Miracle Springs Resort and Spa) Seated on top of North America’s most heated geological fault line, Coachella Valley is home to several mineral springs, at or near ground level. Hotels, resorts, and spas tap these wells for medicinal springs, but in Desert Hot Springs, the both hot and cold water bubbles to the surface. The Cahuilla Indians, the original locals, discovered the springs hundreds of years ago, but it wasn't until Cabot Yerxa, an early-20th-century homesteader and renaissance man, settled here in 1914 that the area gained popularity. While many resorts here only allow access to their pools for overnight guests, Miracle Springs offers day passes ($14) and caters to teens with a special spa menu for guests 12 to 17 years old. Pools fed by Miracle Springs and massage and spa treatments at the resort combine for a day of luxurious family-friendly pampering. (miraclesprings.com) 7. Hot Springs Historic District: Truth or Consequences, New Mexico Choosing between the 10 thermal hot spring resorts in the tiny spa town of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, is nearly impossible. A geological rift along the Rio Grande resulted in an abundance of groundwater flowing to the surface, bubbling into a hot spring paradise. Most of the spas and hotels in the Hot Springs Historic District offer private tubs, which can be used by one or two people at a time. The tubs are drained and refilled with unfiltered hot spring water after every session. The boutique experience costs anywhere from $8 to $40 and lasts from 30 minutes to a few hours. Some hotels include an in-room bathtub and access to the thermal hot-spring water, directly from the tap. Each spa offers its own quirky, serene, and sometimes mystical take on hot water healing. (sierracountynewmexico.info/attractions/truth-or-consequences-hot-springs/) 8. Caracalla Therme: Baden-Baden, Germany The Romans discovered southwestern Germany’s 12 thermal hot springs 2000 years ago, and they remain the region’s highlight today. Located in the historical spa quarter, near several other thermal baths as well as the ruins of those Roman baths, Caracalla Therme offers beautiful indoor and outdoor bathing pools, a rock grotto with hot- and cold-water plunges, and a salt-water inhalation room, which Germans believe has a healing effect on respiratory illness. Children between 7 and 14 are welcome to accompany their parents to the Badelandschaft, which encompasses the aforementioned bathing areas, where swimsuits are allowed. The various saunas, however, are “textile-free” zones, where Germans practice Freikorperkultur, or social nudity. For parents of small children, don’t fear: Caracalla offers childcare for kids over 18 months, so parents can take their time without a baby on board. Pricing is by the hour and tops out at $30 for an all-inclusive day pass. (carasana.de/en/)