About Matt Long
Who am I? I am a typical Gen-Xer and recovering cubicle-dweller who has a passion for all things travel. My site brings a unique perspective that is hard to find online. I am not a backpacker, nor am I...
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Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Sites
11 April 2013 11:55 PM | 15 Comments -
20 Things Every Smart Traveler Should Know
11 March 2013 11:55 PM | 33 Comments -
Five Foods You Must Eat in Europe
12 November 2012 8:10 PM | 23 Comments -
Five Reasons to Stop Dreaming and Travel Now
16 April 2012 11:55 PM | 44 Comments -
So What’s Reykjavik Really Like?
28 February 2012 11:55 PM | 30 Comments
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Good Eats Archive
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Visiting Rippon Winery – The Most Photographed Vineyard in the World
Posted on August 23, 2011 | 3 CommentsI first heard about Rippon Winery at dinner my first night in Wanaka. The manager had stopped by to see how my meal was going and was shocked that I hadn’t tried any wine from nearby Rippon vineyards. I really didn’t know what to say,... -
Taking the Pretension Out of Winery Tours
Posted on August 9, 2011 | 9 CommentsIn college I had what is arguably one of the best part-time jobs ever, I worked at a winery. Located just a few miles from the historic core of Williamsburg, Virginia is the Williamsburg Winery. It was there in the tasting room that I learned... -
There’s No Decaf in Jordan – Bedouin Coffee Culture
Posted on August 4, 2011 | 6 CommentsI noticed them on my first day in Jordan. There they were, in the middle of traffic circles on the way to the Desert Castles east of Amman, giant decorative coffee urns. At the time I didn’t realize that’s what they were, I thought they... -
Jordan’s Sweet Treat – Knafeh
Posted on July 19, 2011 | 1 CommentWhen I visited Jordan, it didn’t take me long to realize that the culinary aspect of the experience was going to be very important. Some countries don’t have many unique dishes, others have en embarrassment of food riches. Jordan definitely falls into the later category.... -
King of Recipes – Mansaf Experience in Jordan
Posted on June 23, 2011 | 2 CommentsTowards the end of my trip to Jordan, sponsored by Jordan Tourism Board, I was yearning to get away from the prescribed restaurants and try something a little more homey. I’m not always in the mood for fancy food, in fact home cooked or even... -
Learning to Make Foul – One of Jordan’s Oldest and Most Important Dishes
Posted on June 16, 2011 | 10 CommentsMy first day in Jordan, as part of a trip sponsored by the Jordan Tourism Board, was a whirlwind. I was tired, but didn’t want to waste a single moment while exploring Jordan. At last, we sat down for a simple lunch and I was... -
Swiss Twist on Gelato: Lemon Basil
Posted on June 9, 2011 | 3 CommentsRachelle is an amazing talent. She’s a videographer, writer, travel expert and foodie extraordinaire. Add to that an exciting and vivacious personality, and you have a wonderful person to know. She was kind enough to share with us her story of exploring Geneva as a... -
Love Affair with Jordanian Food
Posted on June 8, 2011 | 10 CommentsFood is a important part of any travel experience, and one that I always look forward to investigating. Rather than seek out the fancy, five-star dining, I’m always looking for local cuisine. Not only is this simple food cheaper, it’s almost always better than the... -
Ultimate Street Food Experience – Best Summertime Snack in Jordan
Posted on June 1, 2011 | 10 CommentsOn the first day of touring Jordan, we drove past a roadside stand selling bright green watermelons when the driver, Mahmoud, made a comment that marked the beginning of an epic food quest. He said that one of his favorite things to do is to... -
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with the Art of Tequila Tasting in the Yucatan
Posted on May 4, 2011 | 2 CommentsI have a rocky relationship with tequila, it’s not a potent potable known for engendering long friendships. In college I found a bottle of Dos Dedos: Two Fingers Tequila at a party (retail value: $1.99) and for a long time that ended my friendship with... -
Ultimate Lanai Restaurants and Dining Guide
Posted on March 27, 2011 | 3 CommentsI am a great fan of all things Lana’i. I have been there twice, once on a personal trip and the second time at the invitation of the Lana’i Visitor’s Bureau as part of their New Media Artist in Residence Program. It may not seem... -
Global Appeal of Irish Pubs – World Invasion One Pint at a Time
Posted on March 10, 2011 | 7 CommentsEveryone seems to lament the fact that there are few places in the world where a McDonalds or Starbucks doesn’t exist. I was particularly surprised to find a Starbucks in Vienna, heart of the European coffee culture. But you don’t often hear people talk about... -
Top Five Lunches From Around the World
Posted on January 30, 2011 | 19 CommentsFood and eating are integral aspects of any trip, more so in certain areas of the world. There are few cultural indicators as important as what the people who live there decide to eat on a daily basis. Throughout my travels, I have had some... -
Hawaiian Cuisine – Unique and Misunderstood
Posted on January 9, 2011 | 6 CommentsPresident Obama’s recent vacation in Hawaii once again highlighted all things Hawaiian to a public that may not be familiar with everything the islands have to offer. I was watching cable news during his trip, dozing off following an all too successful holiday meal, when... -
World’s Oldest Bottle of Wine
Posted on January 3, 2011 | 5 CommentsOn a visit to the Bahamas, which was orchestrated by Bahamas Tourism, I had the opportunity to stay in one of the most unique hotels in the world, the Graycliff in Nassau. The history in this old school hotel is palpable, but never more so... -
Lopers Award for Best Travel Food Experience of 2010
Posted on December 26, 2010 | 6 CommentsEvery day this week I will be highlighting a favorite travel experience from 2010. I’ve explained the Lopers Awards here. Today, the first day of Awards, I want to share my favorite food experience from the year. While I have had some great meals and... -
Finding Pom Wonderful in Israel
Posted on December 10, 2010 | 1 CommentI did a lot of walking in Jerusalem, most of it in the blazing heat. Given my brief time in the city I made sure I did and saw as much as possible, but I also made sure to rest and take a few breaks... -
The Great Israeli Falafel Experiment
Posted on November 11, 2010 | 11 CommentsI have an insatiable and undeniable love with almost all forms of street food. I’m not talking about the fancy New York City food trucks either. No, I am talking about the food you see being sold from small storefronts or carts all throughout the... -
Bahamian Obsession: Conch Fritters
Posted on November 4, 2010 | 5 CommentsOn a recent trip to the Bahamas, sponsored by Bahamas Tourism, I had the opportunity to sample the best of Bahamian cuisine. One theme though kept surfacing throughout all of my culinary adventures: Bahamians like conch – a lot. Not unlike Bubba from Forrest Gump,... -
Travel Diary of a Picky Eater
Posted on October 25, 2010 | 24 CommentsWhen I was 17, I spent a month as an exchange student in Paris. I remember vividly one evening when my host mom had prepared a questionable looking fish of sort for dinner and placed it proudly in front of us. As hard as I... -
Island Recipe – Goombay Smash
Posted on October 7, 2010 | 1 CommentAs I learned during my brief stay in the Bahamas, mixed drinks are a level of high art in the islands. The king of the Bahamian cocktails though is the Goombay Smash. Rumor has it that the Smash began at Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar... -
Lanai Chicken Katsu and Tonkatsu
Posted on September 26, 2010 | 5 CommentsIf you are looking for the movie version of Hawaii with swaying palms and fruity drinks, then Lana’i is definitely not the spot for you. The smallest island in the state, Lana’i is like no other place. Populated with axis deer and huge Cook... -
Relish the Hawaiian Puka Dog
Posted on September 13, 2010 | 4 CommentsBefore traveling to the beautiful State of Hawaii, I had several culinary treasures that were on my “Must Eat” list. High on this checklist was the legendary puka dog. I’m not sure how I first learned about the puka dog, probably a guide book,... -
Four Cheap Street Food Desserts
Posted on July 28, 2010 | 14 CommentsOne of my favorite travel experiences is to sample an area’s best street food. Some countries are more adept at this culinary treat than others; Southeast Asia for example has elevated street food to a science. I love street food because it provides an honest,... -
How Nutella Can Save the World
Posted on July 28, 2010 | 27 CommentsMy first memory of Nutella was when I was an exchange student in Paris in the early ‘90s. We had gone up to Fontainebleau for a day of biking and about midway through my host mom unpacked a jar of Nutella and a fresh baguette.... -
The Taste of Chicago – Gluttonous Delights for the Windy City Traveler
Posted on July 7, 2010 | 5 CommentsToday’s guest post is by an old friend and food expert, Tris Bisgrove. Tris left his Fortune 500 career a few years ago to follow his passion of teaching. I love Tris’ take on a great culinary tradition, the legendary Taste of Chicago. For a... -
Tourist Restaurant or Moroccan Treat?
Posted on June 30, 2010 | 3 CommentsThe spiritual center of Marrakech’s old medina is undoubtedly the Djeema El Fna. An UNESCO World Heritage site, this square is the largest of its kind in North Africa and thrives in its anachronistic oddities such as fortune tellers and snake charmers. While the square... -
The Perfect Vista – Marrakech
Posted on June 13, 2010 | 3 CommentsWe were lost and there was no sugarcoating the fact the driver had left us nowhere near the location I had in mind. Maps were useless; the fact that any exist for the Marrakech medina must be a joke amongst map publishers. Finding... -
Drooling at the Altar of Spanish Ham
Posted on May 5, 2010 | 4 CommentsHam is more than just a meal or snack option in Spain, it is a national obsession. In fact, not only is Spain the largest producer of air-dried cured ham in the world, it’s also the top consumer of this delicacy. I knew little about... -
Mastering Moroccan Tagine Recipes
Posted on May 4, 2010 | 4 CommentsIf you spend any amount of time in Morocco, then you will become indoctrinated into the cult of tagine enthusiasts. This delightfully simple yet delicious meal seems easy to make, but I soon learned that mastering the art of tagine recipes and Moroccan spicing is... -
How to Navigate the Djemaa el Fna Night Market
Posted on April 28, 2010 | 4 CommentsDjeema El Fna We had been through Marrakech’s famous square, Djeema El Fna, many times in the few days we were there. However, we were a little hesitant to explore the famous night market found every evening in this huge open air circus. Unable to... -
Five Cheap Eats in Washington, DC
Posted on April 27, 2010 | 6 CommentsI receive a lot of emails from people traveling to Washington who are in desperate need of reliable restaurant recommendations. It is pretty easy to find lists of the top rated restaurants in DC, but it is not so easy to locate good eats at... -
Churros – Snack Time in Madrid
Posted on April 27, 2010 | 3 CommentsChurros in Madrid When traveling, the act of eating is far more than just the simple necessity of sustenance. Rather, food is arguably one of the most important aspects of visiting new places and is one that has the ability to make a far... -
Guilty Pleasures – Four Culinary Stereotypes
Posted on April 9, 2010 | No CommentsMany countries have a dish or meal for which they are famous. Foodies may scoff at the following list, but the fact remains that these foods are well known for a reason. Don’t let others tell you what you should and should not enjoy. Traveling... -
Culinary Travel in Thailand and Dublin – A Tale of Two Curries
Posted on March 29, 2010 | No CommentsWhenever we travel, we always try to eat at a local Indian restaurant at least once. It’s a perfect choice when we’re tired of whatever the local specialty is, but aren’t prepared to order a Big Mac either. Sometimes this culinary tradition has been... -
In Search of the Best German Restaurant in Milwaukee
Posted on March 25, 2010 | 1 CommentKnowing that I was headed to Milwaukee for business, a friend made me promise to try Mader’s Restaurant, a classic German restaurant. For more than 100 years, Mader’s has been serving up traditional German food, and it looks it. The restaurant is a strange mix... -
Poutine, or How I Learned to Stop My Heart and Love the Cheese Curd
Posted on March 19, 2010 | 4 CommentsPrior to a recent trip to Montreal, I heard a lot about this delicacy endemic to bars and eateries. Some said it was a treasure, others warned me to avoid it at all costs. So what exactly is poutine? Wikipedia defines poutine as “a dish... -
Neighborhood Favorite in Guayaquil
Posted on March 18, 2010 | No CommentsReturning home from the Galapagos, we spent the night once again in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Since we had more time on the way back, we decided to follow a local recommendation for dinner, which turned out to be a very smart decision. ‘Lo Nuestro’ is a... -
Great Start to the Day in Dublin – Elephant and Castle
Posted on March 16, 2010 | 1 CommentThe Elephant & Castle in Dublin does it all. They are open from 8:30 in the morning until almost midnight and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s a Celtic-ized version of a Jersey diner. Located in the popular and convenient Temple Bar area, we found... -
You Will Be In Love With This Bangkok Restaurant
Posted on March 14, 2010 | No CommentsWhile the title of this post may be hokey, the restaurant it describes is anything but. The In Love restaurant, located conveniently at the Thewet pier river taxi stop, is a must for anyone passing through this gorgeous city. The easiest way to get there...
