ABOUT THE AUTHOR Andrea McHugh Andrea McHugh is a New England-based food, wine and spirits, and travel writer. Her byline can be found in US News, Insider, Parade Magazine, the Boston Globe, Yankee Magazine, Classic Boat, Travel Awaits, TripSavvy, the Hartford Courant and numerous national and international publications. She’s traveled to destinations far and wide,…
July 24 2026 Walking into a traditional kafana in Belgrade feels like stepping into someone’s living room mid-celebration. The air thickens with wood smoke, grilled meat, and something sharper beneath it all, a scent that hits before you even sit down. That scent is rakija, the fruit brandy that serves as Serbia’s cultural handshake, digestif,…
July 24 2026 Opening a bar means stepping into a highly regulated world where your reputation, license, and revenue hang on details most customers never see. Health inspectors scrutinize everything from ice machine sanitation to glassware storage, but one category carries more weight than nearly any other: pest control. Pest control makes up 20% of…
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Andrea McHugh Andrea McHugh is a New England-based food, wine and spirits, and travel writer. Her byline can be found in US News, Insider, Parade Magazine, the Boston Globe, Yankee Magazine, Classic Boat, Travel Awaits, TripSavvy, the Hartford Courant and numerous national and international publications. She’s traveled to destinations far and wide,…
July 24 2026 Crafting an excellent cocktail demands concentration, precision, and a reliable palate. Home bartenders spend hours refining measurements, testing ingredients, choosing glassware, and adjusting small details that can completely change a drink. Sleep rarely receives the same attention. Late-night experimentation, alcohol tasting, and irregular hosting schedules can disrupt both sleep duration and sleep…
Your home bar can be stocked with top-shelf liquor and beautiful glassware, but if the wall behind it is blank, something’s missing. A well-designed cocktail poster is the piece that pulls the whole setup together. It signals to your guests that they’re stepping into a space built for exceptional drinks and better conversations. You don’t…
July 23 2026 Most whiskey tasting clubs die around the fifth meeting. The first one is easy. Everyone shows up, someone brings a bottle of Booker’s, and you spend three hours arguing about whether you can really taste “leather” in the finish. Then life gets in the way. One member travels, two forget, the group…
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Andrea McHugh Andrea McHugh is a New England-based food, wine and spirits, and travel writer. Her byline can be found in US News, Insider, Parade Magazine, the Boston Globe, Yankee Magazine, Classic Boat, Travel Awaits, TripSavvy, the Hartford Courant and numerous national and international publications. She’s traveled to destinations far and wide,…
July 21 2026 Company happy hours have evolved over the past few years. Your team may work from different cities or states, and you’re ready for something more engaging than another icebreaker exercise. Finding interesting ways to connect can help employees feel more engaged and improve company culture. Spirit tastings consistently perform well because you…
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Andrea McHugh Andrea McHugh is a New England-based food, wine and spirits, and travel writer. Her byline can be found in US News, Insider, Parade Magazine, the Boston Globe, Yankee Magazine, Classic Boat, Travel Awaits, TripSavvy, the Hartford Courant and numerous national and international publications. She’s traveled to destinations far and wide,…
