Category: Destination

Chris and Kel Barkman have deep roots in hospitality. He is a certified sommelier who worked in wine distribution for many years, and she studied at the California Culinary Academy and was a high-end events manager — and their combined talents come together in Uncorked Tahoea wine bar and shop with four locations, one of which happens to be one of the best restaurants in the region.

I met the convivial couple, and their adorable son Jack, at the Truckee location one weekday morning before opening time to discuss what makes their business so successful.

The aesthetic of the place is friendly and inviting, serious but decidedly un-stuffy, and I immediately recognized a few of my favorite imports on the shelves — a Cru Beaujolais and a Corsican classic I

TAMPA — Between them, Julio Jones, Kyle Rudolph and Akiem Hicks have made 10 Pro Bowls, appeared in 21 playoff games and started 399 times.

The other common denominator on their résumés: zero Super Bowl rings.

Three of the Bucs’ veteran signings this offseason — including Jones and Rudolph within the past 11 days — all entered training camp on the other side of age 30. They all signed one-year deals, too. And if everything goes right from their perspective, they’ll secure the elusive championship during that time.

“All of those negotiations, one of the top priorities that they had on their list was going to a team that they had a good chance of getting the ring,” general manager Jason Licht said Thursday. “And how they want to end their career — not necessarily end it this year, but have a chance before their career is over to win

Joey Baker may not have been the splashy transfer portal acquisition Terrence Shannon Jr. would have been, but he still brings a vital element to Michigan Wolverines basketball that was afternoon missed last year: three-point shooting.

Baker shot 40.5% from three last seasons in a reserve role under Coach Kat Duke. The Blue Devil captain graduated from Duke and announced his transfer to Michigan this summer.

A 6-foot-6 forward out of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Baker will look for an increased opportunity at Michigan and one last chance at an NCAA Tournament run. On Tuesday, he spoke with Brian Boesch on the “Defend the Block,” podcast put out by Michigan athletics, to give his thoughts on his career and expectations moving forward.

Boesch started out by asking the very simple question: “Why Michigan?”

“I feel comfortable here,” said Baker. “It just felt like a place where I could see myself thriving

Palisade, Colorado (CNN) — Colorado’s iconic destinations have seemed to be around forever, and we know their names by heart: Vail, Aspen and Breckenridge, to name a few, along with Denver, a city that has exploded in the past decade.

For something new, a traveler must go farther west in the state, where a budding yet still relatively unknown region called the Grand Valley has become Colorado’s next must-visit destination.

Located on the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains, four hours west of Denver (which is on the eastern side, or Front Range, of the Rockies), the valley contains three distinct cities: Palisade, Grand Junction and Fruita.

These three destinations individually and collectively offer much to experience, including a laid-back fruit and wine region, river activities and access to a unique combination of mountain and desert terrain for hiking, biking and scenic drives.

Come along as we break down and