First Class

JOIE de VIVRE

Beloved for its Old World character and charm, Québec City is a Francophile’s dream steeped in 400 years of history. North America’s cradle of French civilization is accessible via a two-hour flight from O’Hare airport (about the same time it takes me to drive to Chicago in traffic). A visit to one of Canada’s oldest

Italian Lessons

If you’re interested in waxing nostalgic about the golden age of Italian-American dining—the good old braciole and bocce ball days, when all the sauces were red and every table came topped with a carb-bomb of crusty pane, Rich Ciota can go yarn for yarn with pretty much anyone in town. The man has restaurants and

Pizzas by Picasso

One evening, while dining in downtown Chicago, I was introduced to a man who claimed to have discovered the most exotic pizza in all of Italy. Not, mind you, a pizza carpeted with esoteric ingredients. Or one of those Vegas-style scams that involve sprinkling tiny slivers of gold leaf on an otherwise ordinary pie. No

Travel Guru

This year, family-owned travel agency Royal Travel & Tours will celebrate 50 years of business. Founded in 1972 by Larry and Kay Berke in DeKalb, the agency is now owned and run by their daughter Kendra Thornton, who took the reins in 2016 and relocated to Winnetka. “It’s pretty rare to still be family-owned and

Pura Vida

If you’ve dreamed of paradise, you’ve probably dreamed of Costa Rica—Pérez Zeledón, Costa Rica. Recently we ventured to this Central American destination and stayed at the ultraluxurious Hacienda AltaGracia, deep in the region’s natural rainforest. After our flight out of O’Hare and landing at the airport in San José, we took a short private charter

Serene Haven

Are you longing to escape from a fast-paced world? To find a slice of paradise and relax? Caerula Mar Club is the luxury boutique resort for you. Located on South Andros Island in the Bahamas, it is an easy trip from Chicago. We boarded a flight to Fort Lauderdale and a few hours later we

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