Washington Books

In the 1930s Greenwich Village, already mythic as the American bohemia, was a disappointment to the visiting French architect, Le Corbusier. He found the skyscrapers of Lower Manhattan and mid-town, "mystically alluring", but the Village, which stood between these two sites of modernity, failed to measure up. In his later book, When the Cathedrals Were White (1947), he described it as "an urban no man's land made up of miserable low buildings and poor streets of dirty red brick". By contrast-and this contrasting story is the one that Luther S. Harris tells in Around Washington Square-Henry James, in his famous account of his return to the United States in 1904, celebrated the Village. He regretted the skyscrapers that "so cruelly over-topped" his beloved Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan, and he found the fashionable but bland Upper East Side no more congenial. In Greenwich Village, however, he found solace. "This portion of New York", he wrote, impresses many as "the most delectable."
"The village has a kind of established repose which is rare in other quarters of a long, shrill city; it has a riper, richer, more honourable look than any of the upper ramifications of the great longitudinal thoroughfare, the look of having had something of a social history." James has it right and so does Harris. The Village is the northernmost point of the old medieval Street pattern of colonial New York, and it marks the beginning of the modem grid. That doubled physical character is perhaps an apt symbol of the combination of historical presences and avant-garde creativity that has marked the cultural life of this part of the city.
Harris appropriately begins his story with the creation of Washington Square and goes beyond the usual accounts. He emphasizes the complexity of its birth, revealing that its creation required a modification to the recently established 1811 grid plan. That posed a political problem that was managed with patience, persistence, and astuteness by the then Mayor, Philip Hone, a merchant, one of New York's two great nineteenth-century diarists, and the father of the square. By starting at that point, however. Harris omits the separate history of Greenwich, from which the mixed-up street pattern of the West Village derives, and he neglects a longer and important social history that played itself out a couple of blocks from the square. South and west of the square was Manhattan's longest-established African American neighborhood; it dated from the seventeenth century, having been enabled by the Dutch, who allowed slaves to buy land there and use their income from that land to purchase their own freedom. The British authorities were less accommodating to the community, but it persisted into the nineteenth century until the infamous Civil War Draft Riots, when it was devastated by a series of savage attacks on blacks.
He subjects many of the myths of the Village to the test of documentation, sometimes enriching the myth, sometimes undercutting it. While most urban studies of this genre tend to repeat each other, with no one seeking solid evidence for the well-cultivated memories of the place, Harris has dug deep into the holdings of the Municipal Reference Library and Archives, into newspapers and city directories, and, with special success, the visual record of the neighborhood. The book is subtitled An illustrated History of Greenwich Village, and that it is indeed. It has over 200 illustrations, and a very high proportion of them are uncommon, not the usual suspects which-like the myths-get reused from one history to the next.
If Harris offers no thesis, he does have a point to make. Although Manhattan is marked by constant change or, as one historian recently it, "creative destruction", there is remarkable continuity in the Village. Even with the recent intrusion of Starbucks, book- and drugstore chains, and overbearing buildings recently erected on the square by New York University, the neighborhood's appeal to creative people persists, particularly creative people in the arts literature. His point is made by the multiplicity of individuals who populate his history from Whitman, Melville, Poe, and Anne Lynch's salon in the middle of the nineteenth century up until the present. These individuals-some well remembered, others less so-have provided a crucial density to the world of culture-making.
One cannot begin to summarize the number of connections made by Harris, but the entangled associations of artists and intellectuals with groups and places that he elaborates reveal how the Village works. Harris points to the allure of the history of the place and its inhabitants. The most ambitious and talented pursue the challenge and the glory of association with the ghosts of giants. But part of what is unique about the Village are its many physical and cultural nooks and crannies. Harris's strategy of combining an account of the architecture the physical layout of the Village with the history of its literary and artistic figures becomes an explanation. The area feeds on the power and energy of New York, but it provides space-a necessary space-for invention of self well as art.
Still, the maintenance of the Village has required vigilance. Le Corbusier's views were not unique, and Robert Moses, the power planner who reshaped New York during the middle third of the twentieth century, saw little to save around Washington Square. His plan to run expressways through the park and SoHo, just south of the Village, threatened both the history and the social texture of the neighborhood. One Village mother, worried that her child's swings in Washington Square Park were at risk, took up her pen. The result, writes Harris, was not only a successful political mobilization that stopped Moses, but also The Death and Life of American Cities (1961), perhaps the most influential book on cities, planning, and architecture to be published in the twentieth century.

Created by the rich and merchant class as an escape from the recurring ravages of yellow fever and cholera, Greenwich Village was, essentially, never really mapped out; never really settled in accordance to any public plan. Perhaps this haphazard beginning is what gave the area its combined refined yet anarchic flavor that exists until this day.

Luther Harris' book, "Around Washington Square: An Illustrated History of Greenwich Village" is an excellent introduction to the history, myths, lies, and unknown truths about this magnet for the students, the homeless, the artists, and the real estate agents who each value Greenwich Village for their own reasons. The text is very informative, and the illustrations are lush and generous. Broken down into easy-to-handle sections, Harris nonetheless is comprehensive. (He apologies to his readers if any particular individual, group, or building was omitted but he needn't have: just about all the bases were covered.) This is an exhaustive and wonderful book.

It is clear that years of devoted and painstaking research went into the writing of this book. One is given a strong idea of how the neighborhood has evolved as well as the society and mores of its inhabitants over several centuries. The book is well illustrated and there are many images that I have never seen elsewhere.

This is a pastoral romantic comedy that is set in the Middle Ages. The story is about four different sets of lovers who each represent the different faces of love. The characters are wonderfully portrayed. The setting is bucolic, and it is just so much fun. And, of course, the language is exquisite.

I recently re-read AS YOU LIKE IT prior to attending The Colorado Shakespeare Festival's performance of this play under the summer stars here in Boulder. Shakespeare (1564-1616) produced this romantic comedy in 1599 and published it in the First Folio in 1623.

Summarizing the play is rather challenging. It basically tells the story of Duke Frederick, who has banished his brother, Duke Senior, into the Forest of Arden, thereby usurping the kingdom. In his exile, Duke Senior has found a humble life of merriment with his court. Following a wrestling match, Duke Frederick also banishes Orlando (son of the late Sir Roland de Boys) and Rosalind (daughter of Duke Senior) into the forest. At the match, the two have fallen into love at first sight. Out of friendhip, Duke Frederick's only child, Celia, and the court jester, Touchstone, follow Rosalind (now disguised as a boy, "Ganymede") into the forest. Soon, Orlando, Rosalind, Celia, and Touchstone are all welcomed into the merry life of banished Duke Senior. Orlando, however, is lovesick for Rosalind, and Rosalind (still disguised as a boy) decides to cure Orlando of his lovesickness. While counseling him in the ways of true love, Rosalind (disguised as Ganymede) finds herself falling deeper in love with Orlando. Meanwhile, Celia has fallen in love with Orlando's brother, Oliver. The two decide to get married the next day. Even witty Touchstone has fallen in love with a dull-witted goatherd girl, Audrey. In the final scene, and after many hilarious mixups, all romantic entanglements are resolved by marriage; and after a sudden religious conversion, Duke Frederick returns the throne to his brother--thereby righting all wrongs and uniting all couples by love and happiness.

G. Merritt

As You Like It is one of Shakespeare's most beloved pastoral comedies. Banishment, disguises and love are the elements with which Shakespeare weaves his tale of several pairs of lovers who ultimately wind up marrying in the forest of Arden.
The melancholy Jaques delivers one of Shakespeare's most familiar speeches regarding the seven ages of man. If you haven't read or seen a performance of As You Like It I highly recommend this paperback edition.
The Folger Library editions are my favorite. Each page has a facing page that explains obscure terms and helps as a handy reference to make reading the plays pleasurable and educational. These paperback editions of Shakespeare's works are a great value and fit in your pocket.

If you are like me, you have often wondered how our most talented novelists would see important historical characters. Gore Vidal has whetted our appetite with his novels about the first hundred years of the United States. In Aspire to the Heavens, talented mystery writer Mary Higgins Clark makes George Washington come alive as a simple man with many personal challenges in his life. Although I was familiar with the material in this book, Ms. Clark did a wonderful job of both making it more interesting and accessible by making his life into a personally focused biographical novel. As a result, I got a lot of new perspectives on my own life that I will benefit from for many years to come.

The book's title alludes to a promise that George Washington's mother asked for and received from him. She wanted him to always do his utmost. In her family, that had meant "Aspire to the Heavens." He took on that promise with her encouragement. Out of his own character, though, he decided to be the most decent man he could possibly be. That latter promise to himself is the one that this book focuses on.

The form of this book is to describe George Washington through the lens of his personal life, rather than his public accomplishments. The style reads more as though it is a novel rather than a biography, and there is certainly some literary license in the ascriptions of motives and personal thoughts. Yet, these devices work well as long as you remember not to take them too seriously and literally.

Although Washington will always seem larger than life to all Americans, he was a man who had many setbacks in his own life. Before the Revolutionary War, he was certainly not considered to be the great man most now believe him to have been.

Life was hard as a youngster. His father died when he was fairly young, and his mother carried a whip to help assert her authority over him and his siblings. She did not keep a very attractive household, which young George resented. Although she loved her son, she put him down verbally at every opportunity. Her opposition to his desire for an ocean-going career was a fortunate one for the United States and democracies everywhere, but a bitter disappointment to him at the time. George sought escape from her whenever possible, especially to the home of his half-brother at Mount Vernon (which he would eventually inherit and buy out from his sister-in-law).

An early friendship with the Fairfax family led to a long relationship with the first and greatest love of Washington's life, Sally Fairfax, his proposal to her similar-appearing sister (which was refused), as well as his interest in surveying as a career.

His mother constantly tried to discourage his military career, and complained bitterly about the risks he was taking during the colonial campaigns before the Revolutionary War. She blamed the early death of George's favorite half-brother on war-related illnesses.

It is fun to read Martha Washington referred to by her pet name of "Patsy" throughout the book. You will also read here a sensitive interpretation of Washington's frustrations as a step-father and in securing Patsy's love and attention. As you may know, the story ends tragically as both step-children die at fairly young while, while the Washingtons never have children of their own. Their step-daughter asks them to adopt two of her children after her husband dies, whom the Washingtons' raise.

The book's structure is an interesting one. The main historical thread is the aftermath of John Adams's inauguration and the Washingtons' trimphant return to Mount Vernon to farm. This development is interspaced with flashbacks of key moments in the lives of both George and Patsy.

After you have finished enjoying the book, I suggest that you evaluate your own life from the perspective of how you will be remembered as a family member and as a friend. Many people focus too much on their careers and public accomplishments. This book can help you assess the balance you have achieved in your life. All of us can learn from how George Washington came to keep silent when something upset him rather than creating a fuss that would have hurt his closest relationships. He was a fine family man and friend, as a result, as well as an inspiring, steady leader.

Show loving support for all those you care about . . . always!

I just finished reading Aspire to the Heavens for the second time. When I first discovered this true gem a few years ago, I didn't understand why it was the only Mary Higgins Clark novel left shelved at my local library during peak lending season. Admittedly I was somewhat surprised after reading Ms. Clark's introductory page stating that this was NOT a suspense novel, but rather a story about the life of George Washington. Expecting to dive into a juicy suspense - imagine my disappointment! However, after browsing over the first few pages, Ms. Clark's writing style (as always) had me immediately intrigued. This fabulous little book took us into Mr. Washington's personal life from his uncomfortable relationship with his own mother, to his lifelong infatutation with his best friend's wife, through to his spunky courtship and marriage to the wonderful and intuitive Mrs. Washington (Martha). Mary Higgins Clark taught us to KNOW George Washington, with all his leadership q! ! ualities and common sense mannerisms, allowing us to respect and admire him for the great person he was (much in the same way that he WAS perceived by his countrymen of the 1700's). This magnificent book gives us history, adventure, romance and a glimpse into a bygone era. A suspense novel it was not - but my, what a pleasant surprise! And once again, Ms. Clark's amazing writing talent managed to wrap up the novel at precisely the best possible moment, leaving me feeling like the characters were good acquaintances, yet leaving me with still another feeling - that I had gained privileged information about a truly amazing person who was not a mere piece of fiction. This is a book you will want to keep in your home library and share with the entire reading community!

ASPIRE TO THE HEAVENS was first published in the late 1960's, well before Mary Higgins Clark's meteoric success as a author of mystery/thrillers. This biographical novel breathes life into the stick figure we know as George Washington. Portrayed as a kindly and responsible man with a welcome dash of humor, ASPIRE TO THE HEAVENS covers Washington's career from rash youth to an undaunted and vital old age. Interesting light is shown on Washington's hopeless love for the beautiful Sally Fairfax, wife of his best friend, also illuminated are his difficulties with his controlling virago of a mother. After rereading this underappreciated yet gleaming work of fiction, one can almost feel regret that Mary Higgins Clark did not continue in the field of historical literature, it is to be wondered what she might have done with figures like Jefferson and Adams. ASPIRE TO THE HEAVENS is highly recommended.

Yes, this book is channeled literature. However, if you have an open mind and can get past the messenger, you'll find the message is both entertaining and enlightening. Personally, I find the realistic detail of this book to be very refreshing. It seems we all too often look upon George Washington as a hero and leader without par and forget to actually get to know the man. In this book you'll get to know the man and Mason that was the father of our country.

This book was written several decades ago, but there was a small readership in those days for information channeled from the Other Side. Thanks to an ever-growing acceptance of this type of writing, we are able to gain access to valuable information.
Here is the story of George Washington's life, told by the man himself from the Other Side. I was fascinated from start to finish. Perhaps there are those who would argue that this was not channeled, but that instead, Edith Ellis concocted the whole story. This seems implausible, given the wealth of detail and feeling that comes across. Of course, it is up to the reader to decide.
I had Amazon send this book to my mother, and after she read it, she sent it to me. There was something strange in the ending of the book, and on closer inspection, I found that the last 2 chapters were missing, and the void was filled with a repeated section of pages from earlier in the book. I asked Amazon to replace it, and I also asked them to send me a copy as well.
My copy had all the correct pages--but apparently Amazon sent my mother another defective copy; the important last 2 chapters are once again missing, thus cutting out Mr. Washington's presidency and his death.
Of the three copies I requested, two were defective. I was surprised that Amazon did not take the trouble to see how many of these defective books they have in stock; they replaced a defective book with just another defective book. I wonder if they have notified the Hay House Publishing Company of this.
Amazon's service is usually outstanding, but until they work this glitch out, save yourself a hassle and order it directly from Hay House Publishers.

I found this book to be really amazing and carefully researched. The authenticity is really incredible. It turned George Washington from a wooden stick figure, into the really amazing person he was. I know some people will question the authencity of the material. But, to me, the wealth of detail, emotions, make it an unquestionably good read.

This was an amazing book, one of my favorites by a good deal.

It tells the story of the USS Washington, from birth till victory in WWII (which effectively ended its life. In a real tragedy what's left of the Washington is probably razor blades and paper clips right now . . .)

The perspective is from the men who served on board her, but it does not follow any specific group, it weaves together different crewmembers experience into a composite of what the ship went through. You get an appreciation of what daily life must have been from the lowest ranks to the O-10 Admirals on board during the war. The writing enables this because it is so absorbing, detailed, and fluid.

The USS Washington was in a bit of an odd place historically. It was a battleship in what would prove to be a carrier war, so its prestige status in the fleet was cut short of its designers aspirations as soon as its brethren were settling on the silt in Pearl Harbor. Its technical prestige status would later be eclipsed by the Iowa class battleships, the largest U.S. and widely considered to be the most supreme battleships ever built, likely able to best even the Yamato and Musashi thanks to radar fire control and some other innovative design features. Yet despite this position it would be the USS Washington that would be the battleship to do the most to win the war.

The story follows the ship starting with its shakedown cruise, where you can see just how many teething problems a ship as large as 45,000 ton war wagon will inevitably have, especially considering the level of engineering analyses available to her designers at the time. Training then proceeded to the heat of the Caribbean, complete with Monkey stow-aways. After Pearl the USS Washington is surprisingly sent to the Northern Atlantic to help the British escort convoys on the Murmansk run. The comparison between the American and British navies was particularly interesting. The American radar control of the main and secondary batteries was essentially two orders of magnitude better than what any other nation had in WWII. The most amazing moment on the Murmansk run is when a British battleship slices in half a British destroyer, and how the fleet reacts. However the USS Washington is never fully committed to battle in the North Seas, much to the frustration of her crew.

The Washington then gets called to the Pacific for the eventual push all the way to Japan, starting with the Solomons. Here the Washington proves her worth, especially in the early naval battles around Guadalcanal where victory was very much in doubt. The most distinguished part of her career, and some of the most white knuckle, page turning reading in the book, is when the Washington and South Dakota go toe-to-toe with the Kirishima and Hiei, two Japanese ships of the line. Washington emerges victorious after sending Kirishima to the bottom. The Washington continues to make her presence known with multiple shore bombardment raids. Later in the war she primarily provides anti-aircraft cover for the Halsey's carriers. In another moment of sheer frustration Washington is flagship of TF 34 which is denied the opportunity to pursue Kurita's center force in the Battle of Leyte, despite Admiral Lee's request to Halsey. Had TF 34 engage Kurita it would have been the type of open ocean battleship to battleship engagement that the Navy had been built around for decades, but which never really came to pass.

Despite the intensity of the battles the book really is about life on board the ship, which could be downright tedious when not in the combat zone. There are plenty of foul-ups, lighthearted moments, and horseplay to shield the reader from any boredom however.

The Washington's collision with the Indiana is another astounding piece of real life history, and again expertly crafted into words by the author.

If anyone has a family member who served in the Navy during WWII, if anyone has ever wondered what it was like inside a ship at war, if anyone has an interest in battlehips or their history this book will be tremendously enjoyable. I only hope that someday it is re-published so that more people can be introduced to the amazing story of the Washington and the men who fought her in the greatest naval war in history.

An excellant book which gives the average individual an insight to one of the most remarkable ships in the US Navy. Covers the history from the ships design to her scrapping. Tells in great detail, yet in a very readable text, the story of the crew, the officers and the ship in World War II.

Battleship at War catalogs the relatively brief but action packed career of USS Washington, one of the great ships to serve in the Navy during World War Two. Of all the American battleships to serve during the war, Washington had the most distinguished career, serving in both the Atlantic and the Pacific, and sinking the Japanese battleship Kirishima during the Second Naval battle of Guadalcanal. This book righfully takes its place alongside Edward Stafford's "The Big E" (which narrates the career of the carrier Enterprise) as a premier work of the genre. It is incredible to me that both of these great titles are out of print, just as it is incredible to me that the richest country in the world could have failed to preserve these proud ships when other ships with much less distinguished careers survive to this day. Battleship at War is a must read for anybody who is serious about naval history.

I personally am very selective when it comes to any art survey volume. An art survey I have found can be either very weak, or very important and powerful, yet rarely anything in-between. In terms of the Italian Renaissance they are rarely on the powerful side as they don't function to serve the key purposes for historians, curators, and collectors. Most importantly surveys rarely clarify the impact of significant artists of a period and their relationship to the bigger realm of art history between their collective works. This is not the case with Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, and the Renaissance of Venetian Painting.

For example, the current exhibition, of the same title, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The rich and informative catalogue by David Allan Brown et al., a publication done in association with the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., focuses on the most intense period of the Renaissance in Venice. The work examines a time when Giorgione, Titian (young at the time,) Sebastiano del Piombo, and Palma Vecchio worked alongside each other, and their lesser known colleagues, each and all in the light of the great Giovanni Bellini. The period which is examined represents the first three decades of the sixteenth century. It also represents a pivotal and major period of visual, and intellectual, impact for Italian art in Italy, Europe, and the world.

Brown et. al. does not handle this exhibition catalogue like a normal, or typical, survey. With 336 p., 9 1/2 x 11 1/2 , 31 halftones + 162 color illus. it is a masterfully planned art volume. Although written in a serious and scholarly manner, a layman will enjoy it.

The volume does not divide up the artists, but looks at their interrelationships. Secular subjects are explored, as are themes of music, love, and time. The leading scholars efforts, along with their detailed entries, provides a solid source for continuing discussion of pictures that are nothing short of monumental.

Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, and the Renaissance of Venetian Painting is an exhibition book that is, in my view, well worth obtaining now while available at the publisher price. I see this work as a required addition to any great library on Renaissance art today, and will certainly be valued tomorrow.

This remarkable show (and catalogue) is a summary of Venetian painting from 1500 to 1530, allowing a side by side comparison of the work of Bellini, Giorgione, and Titian in what was one of Venice's astonishing high water marks of artistic creativity.

Once you have been bitten by the bug, these paintings are with you for good. Seeing this work firsthand, one can't help be seduced by the ravishing, luminous beauty light and layers of glazing that makes these paintings unique. The stillness in some of these works suggest the real subject here is light and color -- something these Venetians seem to have captured like no other group of artists.

The reproductions in the catalogue are quite good, and there are a very generous amount of close detail shots of the paintings too -- something particularly useful in illustrating the intricacy of detail in Giorgione's work. The essays are interesting, but my favorite is one I almost missed after the technical photographs of xrays in the back: an essay which describes how the Venetian painters were at a remarkable crossroads of shared experimentation in color including glassmakers, creators of fabric dyes, and other tradesmen that contributed to a new world of color effects in paint. For example the painters would use finely ground glass mixed into the oils to give the glazes a more bright, refractory quality.

This is a captivating show and a great catalogue to accompany it.

A must for the student and lover of the Renaissance and Venice in particular.

We bought this book when my son was 3 and my daughter was still catching a ride in the backpack. We needed easy but nice hikes and boy did we find them. It gives good accurate directions and realistic difficulty rating. A big plus if you are hiking with toddlers. My kids are now 6 and 4 and is still our favorite hike book. You won't be disappointed and you will find a ton of hikes that are close to home yet you feel miles away.

This book (and it's companion volume) are highly appropriate for families, children of most ages and for less than highly active adults.

Thoroughly Recommended!

This book will give possibilities for varying degrees of difficulty hikes and day spots to visit. The best resource I have ever found.

No more sifting through field guides containing hundreds of birds you will never see around here. The authors of this book have limited their scope to the birds of this region. Many helpful illustrations and charts help a beginner with identification. I plan to use this book to assist Boy Scouts with their Bird Studies Merit Badge

This in an excellent book for the birds in this area. My 5 year old can identify all the birds in our backyard and can easily look up the new birds that come around. A must for parents who have children and birdfeeders.

Birds of Seattle and Puget Sound is our most used identification source. We are beginners, and get confused with tomes which identify every bird in North America. This little book brings us the instant joy of identifying our flying guests while they are still at the feeder or bath. We appear to be "experts" to our house guests who marvel at the variety of birds visiting our yard.

After I read the first poem, I felt like this book was "talking to me" and continued reading the rest of the book. Having 2 boys, one with autism inspired me to read this book. I also realized that so many of the poems touch our everyday lives in more ways than I can list. Now when I need an uplift, I select a poem from the book and read it several times. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK FOR FAMILIES WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND FAMILIES WITHOUT SPECIAL NEEDS. You can carry the book with you for those moments outside of the home when you need an immediate uplift.

This book is a beautiful compilation of inspring, uplifting messages for your soul. Whether you are going through challenges now, or your experience of life is its grandeur and splendor, these thoughts WILL brighten your day!
This book touches all regardless of religious, cultural or spiritual base from which the individual views life.
I highly recommend this book for everyone. We ALL need a little light in our days or nights sometimes.
I am confident you will turn to this book again and again.

I read the whole book in one sitting. Then I started over, slowly, one poem at a time. The blessings are clear. Each poem grants a daily lesson for those who love to reflect. You will see yourself in the poems. Deeply personal and life-revealing, they are well written and easy to read. Highly recommended!

Book arrived much more quickly than I expected...especially it being over the holidays. Great information. A lot of recognizable wineries, close too! Good purchase.

Elisabeth Frater's lovely travel guide is great for both residents and visitors. I have lived in Northern Virginia for 13 years and don't even drink alcohol, but I found this book to be useful. Frater gives clear, concise information, but also offers opinions. You hear the facts about each winery, but you also here the stories behind each one.

I have enjoyed living in this area much more after using Frater's book to plan weekend trips. Her book was invaluable when family came to visit recently.

Comprehensive review of the wineries in Virginia and Maryland. Describes how each of the wineries got started and a bit about the owners, growers, and/or winemakers. Also offers a brief summary of the wines produced. Includes sidebar-type sections on such topics as individual varietals, wine festivals, and competitions.

A wonderful resource if you like weekend getaways, beautiful farms, and, of course, sipping wine! Indispensable for budding regional wine connoisseurs and casual travelers alike.