While away the hours at an old-fashioned coffeehouse in Vienna, the birthplace of the coffee clutch. Darrell Hartman and Orlando Gili capture the spirit of the Austrian institution.AUSTRIA – This is a film we shot last summer in Vienna. I directed and produced, and brought a great cinematographer named Orlando Gili over from London to shoot it. We had an awesome time soaking up the atmosphere in Austrias old coffeehouses, and retiring

Its no secret that were crazy about New Orleans at Fathom. And why wouldnt we be? The food, the party, the music, the culture — theres just so much to love. Which is why, together with our partners at Liquor.com, Refinery29, and SheFinds, were excited to be giving away a culinary dream trip to New Orleans.THE PRIZEThe Hotel! 3 nights at International House New OrleansThe Airfare! A $1000 flight creditThe Guide! A c

Its one thing for a sweet lover to eat an insanely delicious chocolate bar. Its another thing for her to tour a chocolate factory where it was made. Fathom editor Berit Baugher got a rare look behind the scenes at Jacques Torres Chocolate in Brooklyn. BROOKLYN – This week, I went to the Brooklyn Army Terminal to tour the chocolate factory of Jacques Torres, New York Citys favorite chocolatier. I was invited by the International Culinar

Fathoms Pavia Rosati had the perfect Amalfi Coast lunch planned. And then the weather decided to get in the way. ANACAPRI, Italy – You know what the gods say about your best-laid plans, right? The gods laugh at your best-laid plans. And everyone knows that the gods especially love to laugh at your best-laid plans on vacation.It all began innocently enough, over drinks with my Italophile pal, travel writer Maria Schollenbarger. Its only the

You know how we sometimes give away trips on Fathom? Well, people really do win them. Like Emma Mutino, winner of our Amalfi Coast giveaway last fall. Part of the prize was a trip planning consultation with a Fathom editor (in this case, Pavia Rosati), which sparked a long email correspondence about Emmas trip to Italy, her ancestral homeland. She had such a great time that we asked her to tell us all about it.AMALFI COAST – What is there t

Alex Farrington, the spirit and wine director at Mouth, knows a thing or two about good cocktails. She works closely with distillers and winemakers to bring the best and most interesting bottles to Mouths liquor shop in Brooklyns Dumbo neighborhood. She was kind enough to give us a hit list of her favorite Brooklyn bars and restaurants serving craft cocktails.BROOKLYN – My favorite local bars have the same qualities as the distilleries and

If you want to learn about rum, head to Cuba. If you want to learn about gin, head to London. The Dutch may have invented the spirit, but it was the Brits who made it theirs. Rachel Harrison, one of the better drinkers we know, leads us on a tour.LONDON – A perfect martini should be made by filling a glass with gin then waving it in the general direction of Italy, Noël Coward, that famous British wit, once said.Quotes about gin, the fact th

Fathom editor Berit Baugher spent a few days in Santa Fe, scoping out the latest and greatest, including spicy South Indian dosas, a modern spin on the traditional general store, and cut-to-order artisan cheese.SANTA FE, New Mexico – In a small city known for having one of the oldest buildings in America (whose foundation dates back to 1200) and a distinct and traditional regional cuisine, new businesses are an especially welcome chang

Gabriella Zanzanaini and Nicolas Petit of The Funnelogy Channel, one of Fathoms 24 Best Travel Blogs and Websites of 2015, came back from a season in Provence with an intimate understanding of the evening aperitif. They share their notes on the history of pastis.PROVENCE – A summers day in France is never complete without an evening apéro and there is nothing more quintessentially Provençal than a pre-dinner pastis. With the sun working ove

Gabriella Zanzanaini and Nicolas Petit of The Funnelogy Channel, one of Fathoms 24 Best Travel Blogs and Websites of 2015, spent summer in Provence and, like most who must return from the region, dream about being transported back. Here, they recreate the smell of southern France with a recipe for lavender lemon shortbread. PROVENCE – If you ask me to close my eyes and think about summers in Provence, I would first tell you w

Fathoms Pavia Rosati finished a three-day road trip through Napa and Sonoma counties at Auberge du Soleil, the dreamy hotel on a picturesque hillside.RUTHERFORD, California – If there is a fantasy of Napa Valley — and oh, is there ever a fantasy of Napa Valley — its probably set in a beautiful stone structure with a French name, where gently bubbling fountains on porticos overlook hillsides bursting with olive trees, grape vines

Last spring, Fathom founder Pavia Rosati was invited by the Relais & Châteaux hotel group on one of their Route du Bonheur trips through Napa and Sonoma Counties. Three days, three hotels, one extra-indulgent good time. HEALDSBURG, California – The French Laundry may be closed for extensive renovations, but chef Thomas Keller had time to be my guide on a spring trip through Northern California. Well, sort of: Keller had collaborated with my

Fathoms editorial assistant Daniel Schwartz spent a day in Sonoma county learning about viticulture, swimming and sunbathing, and dining on oversized portions at a winery run by the godfather himself, Francis Ford Coppola.SONOMA, California – On a recent trip to Sonoma County, I spent an unforgettable day at Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Geyserville. I returned a bit wider (in my family, thats something to celebrate) and wiser (we care abo

On a tour through the grape groves of Croatia, Kristin Vuković connects with her motherland through stories from the vine.DALMATIA, Croatia – The steep vineyards on Croatias Pelješac peninsula appear in the distance like a darkened landscape, undulating high above the turquoise Adriatic Sea. But it is the end of summer, too soon for the changing colors of autumn. As we approach the town of Trstenik, surrounded by pine forests, swathes of bl

From gluten-free to all-the-meat-you-can-eat, the food and drink scene in London is having a moment right now. (Still.) We dined and drank our way around some of the buzziest spots in town.LONDON – Eaters can no longer write off England as a country without culinary hotspots and trendsetting menus. In fact, youd be hard-pressed to find traditional English fare like pie and mash, eel, or even fish and chips on your list of must-try restauran

Fathoms Daniel Schwartz traveled to the Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes regions of New York to learn more about hard cider, the next craft beverage craze to hit the Big Apple.NEW YORK – Why do wine and beer get all the love on drinks menus? What about hard cider, that neglected carbonated wonder too often dismissed as beer for non-drinkers?For starters, hard cider is not always carbonated. Furthermore, the noble drink gets plenty of attentio

A vintage bowling alley in Austin, Texas, is known for more than just its lanes.AUSTIN – Would you believe me if I told you that the holy grail of cheese enchiladas can be found in an old-school vintage bowling alley in Austin? Im a San Antonio native and Mexican food is the nucleus of my existence. I speak the truth, and only the truth. These enchiladas are so good they make me want to curl up in a snuggly blanket in the gutter o

The season of road trips, backyard barbecues, CSAs, and farmers markets is finally upon us. Restaurants all over the United States are hopping onto the farm-to-table bandwagon and focusing on local, seasonal ingredients. A hot dozen foodie cities prove that the farm-to-table trend is here to stay.

This is what it looks like when two James Beard Award-winning chefs go food shopping in Florence, Italy. Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier (of lauded Maine restaurants Arrows and MC Perkins Cove) revisit the old-world flavors of Tuscany by throwing a dinner party at the home of their Florentine friend in an 11th-century building 100 yards from the Arno River. FLORENCE – We wanted to revisit the old-world flavors of Florence, Bologna, and Venice

The travelers behind Eat Your World, a food-spotting site and one of Fathoms 24 Best Travel Blogs and Websites, tell us how to eat like a local in Holland.Just back from: Amsterdam, the Netherlands.Was it your first time? If not, how often do you go?Scott: I was there in 1997 when I backpacked through Europe.Laura: It was my first time! How long were you there? Scott: Five days.Why did you go?Laura: At the behest of a very cl