Bringing Back Cocktail Hour - Rotorua, New Zealand

Bringing Back Cocktail Hour in Rotorua!People do not tend to give the North Island of New Zealand enough credit.  It possesses a different kind of beauty and allure than its neighbor to the south.  One North Island town we loved is Rotorua, an "active" town...Active with geothermal activity.  Bubbling hot springs and steam vents can be found next to the streets, in parks, and by homes; it's literally everywhere you look.  One other thing Rotorua has going for it is a selection of great restaurants.

Scott, our Bring Back Cocktail Hour sponsor, helped us end a hectic day with rewarding food and drink at the Leonardo's Pure Italian, a top spot in the heart of this hot town.  While enjoying a delectable bottle of 2011 Renzo Masi Chianti we read through a bit of Italian trivia - Did you know that in Italy the primary lucky number is 17 and if you order a pizza with pepperoni you will receive a pie with peppers?

We were in the mood for healthier, heartier fare, so we ordered a large Italian salad bursting with peppers, olives and 2 giant mozzarella/prosciutto rolls.  We then moved on to a main course of lamb stuffed with spinach placed atop of variety of vegetables.  It was a filling meal and with no room left for dessert we closed the evening enjoying the last sips of wine.

We would like to thank Scott for feeding our bodies with a delicious dinner and scrumptious wine while also topping off our minds with fun trivia-Italiano.

The Weird, Wild Landscape - Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Wonderland

The Devil's Bath really is this eerie yellow-green color.When a park has "Wonderland" in its name, you have to question whether it will live up to the hype.  It was a dreary day when we visited the Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Wonderland - So much so in fact, we had to take shelter when a sudden down-pour interrupted our hike.  Did we care?  Nah...We laughed, chatted about what we had seen, and were excited to head to the next section of the park when the deluge diminished.

Between the bright colors of the thermal pools (oranges, reds, greens, blues and yellows), the harrowing walkways over bubbling sulphur lakes, and the vastness of the formations, we were left in awe of this surreal and visually stunning experience.

The Weird, Wild Landscape - Moeraki Boulders

The Wonderfully Weird Moeraki BouldersIt's rare for us to want to return to a site we accidently passed on a road-trip, but we recently backtracked...and for good reason.  The Moeraki boulders are rock formations left on one particular New Zealand beach; they were formed over 55 million years ago when shells, mud and pebbles were deposited and buried on the sea floor.  Over time, deposits of lime encased each item to form these spherical boulders which are revealed as wind and surf erode the no longer submerged cliffs.  The quantity and unique shape and size are truly a site to behold.

Time to Unplug

Utopia!

The time has arrived to check off another item on our bucket list.  We will be offline during the first five days in April to hike the Milford Track, a 54 kilometer (33.5 mile) trail through New Zealand's beautiful fiord country.  If paradise is a place where cell phones don't work, we'll certainly have explored it.

Bringing Back Cocktail Hour - Marlborough, New Zealand

Bringing Back Cocktail Hour in Marlborough!Back in January we had a blast touring the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.  Jenn's brother Brent planned the route and blazed the trail along with Matt, Jenn, and Jenn's stepdad, Bill.  When Brent sponsored Bring Back Cocktail Hour, we thought it would be fitting to apply it to another libation-related tour...This time on the other side of the world.

New Zealand is known for its quality wines and we were keen to sample a wide variety. We drove to Blenheim, New Zealand, rented two bikes, and spent a fun-filled day visiting a variety of tasting rooms.  When lunchtime arrived, we were fortunate to be close to The Brothers winery where we paired a 2011 Pinot Noir with their more-than-generous charcuterie plate which contained a selection of breads, meats, cheeses, seafood, pate, olives, and mixed greens.  We left energized and fortified, ready for a riverside path peddle before proceeding to another winery known for its sparkling wine.

We extend our deepest appreciation to Brent for his "Include an Appetizer" contribution.  It helped us create new memories while reminding us of the good times we shared this past winter.