When I opened my eyes, the sun was completely gone, the mountains now fully blocking its light. We arrived on the beach as twilight was setting in - the stars not yet visible but the glow from the fire slowly becoming more and more prominent - but it had all changed while I laid in the chair. I had drifted off, the hands of the masseuse doing work on the lower parts of my legs, the scenery transitioning in front of my closed eyes to the now dark sky.

Before I sat down, the masseuse had taken me by the hand and led me over to a bucket full of grapes, instructing me to stomp down on them. It was a form of a foot massage, a part of the vinotherapytheology held by the hotel and its spa (something we'll talk about in more detail in the next post).

The grape stomp led into the aforementionedreflexology foot massage - the first two parts of the Barefoot Elegance Experience at the Fiesta Americana Grand Los Cabos. The night is designed as a romantic option for couples, the massages followed by a wine tasting and appetizer pairing and a private dinner on the beach.

Resort Sommelier Jorge Bazignan walked us through the wine and food pairing, and while it was obvious he could talk about wine while hanging upside-down and blindfolded, I appreciated his down-to-earth approach. Forget the tannin count, he told us flatly, let's taste the wine with the food and enjoy this beautiful evening. I sipped my wine, holding the glass up to the glow of the fire. That's right, I thought, let me enjoy this glass of wine in the beautiful beach setting, watch the flames dance in front of me and hear the water washing up on the shore. That sounds like one hell of a plan. I didn't have a date with me, but if I had I would have looked into her eyes and smiled.

The appetizers were salmon and brie, the wines all local vino from the Guadalupe Valley a few hours up the coast (near Rosarito Beach... see the story about my visit to the area here. La Cetto, one of the more notable wineries in the region, even has a bull ring that they use for harvest celebrations).

Dinner was next, a three-course meal prepared right there on the beach. Sea urchin soup, marinated tuna in ginger pasta, and a chocolate trilogy were on our menu, but guests can customize their own to fit any dietary desires.

Check out some of these photos, including just how amazing the sky can look as the sun sets over the mountains behind the resort. Price for the Barefoot Elegance Experience is $300/person, which includes a welcome cocktail, reflexology massage, wine tasting, appetizers, private beach cabana, and three-course dinner.

When I entered the neighborhood known as German Village just south of downtown Columbus, the first thing I noticed was the colonial feel, the abundance of brick that made up the houses and sidewalks.

There's no grass, but small green trees separate the red-brick sidewalks from the cast-iron fences on one side and the gray-brick street on the other. On the sides of the streets I could see white-rock carriage steps, a reminder of early days when the houses would all have horses tied out in front.

The name results from its settlement by German immigrants during the 19th century, very much in the same way they settled the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood in Cincinnati. It's a great part of the city to walk in, very peaceful and very suburban, with an average home price of $377,000, several of which are over $1 million. No surprise, the clientele of this area has drawn some of Columbus' best restaurants to the neighborhood. Here are a few places I would recommend, all of which are on board with the farm-to-fork movement:

Harvest Pizzeria and Curio: There is so much mediocre pizza out there, but most of us don't care because pizza is pizza, and even when it isn't great, it's still good. Many of the gems you'll find in big cities don't offer comfortable seating, and the suburban establishments are typically more focused on delivery and high-quantity production than detailed construction. Harvest Pizza excels in both areas: They made great thin-crust pizza, and they recently unveiled an old-fashioned cocktail bar called Curio.

There aren't many places you can eat pizza and sip speakeasy cocktails - I sampled pieces of Margarita, mushroom, and double-bacon pizza while enjoying a Hickory Stick Bourbon drink with Fernet Branca, vermouth, bitters, and liquid smoke. Decorated with throwback items such as a large, gold and old cash register, suspended top hats, and bartenders who meticulously mix drinks, this is easily the most unique pizza joint I've stumbled upon in recent memory. Be sure to check it out for a happy hour that leads into dinner, and save room for the dessert. Two recommendations: The Butterscotch Budino (it's like a butterscotch pudding with caramel sauce, creme fraiche, toasted hazelnuts, vanilla-scented Maldon sea salt) or the pie of the day, made by none other than the owner's mother (seriously, see photo).

G. Michaels: It's "restaurant week" every week at G. Michaels in German Village, the chef offering a 3-course meal every Monday for $30. We were treated to a five-course tasting menu paired with the beers from Rockmill Brewery, sampling the scallops with wilted arugula, corn, and mushrooms, salmon with blue-cheese potato gratin and a caramelized-onion sauce, shrimp and grits, bacon-wrapped venison, and a vanilla-infused Panna Cotta with melons and gorgonzola.

I'm a big fan of tasting menus as they give a good perspective and overview of what the chef and the restaurant have to offer. It puts the pressure on to exceed over the "course" of the meal - not just one dish - and G. Michaels impressed with its wide range of well-executed concepts. I thought the blue-cheese potato gratin was a delicious twist and perfect compliment to the sweetness of the caramelized onions, and the gorgonzola with the melons and Panna Cotta was a sneaky/brilliant way to construct the sweet/salt/savory combo that we all crave in a fruit/cheese pairing.

Skillet: The menu is constantly changing at this popular weekend brunch spot, always seasonally driven and dependent upon "what comes through the door that morning," Chef Kevin Caskey explained. Do not hesitate if you see the blackberry pancakes on the menu - I found the fruit to be sweet enough that many bites did not need syrup. Next time I think I'm going to try the Smoked Duck Quesadilla if they have it: Shredded smoked duck and blistered sweet vidalias folded into a grilled tortilla with queso chihuahua, chile verde, and toasted pepitas served with charro beans.

They don't take reservations, so get there early on Saturday or Sunday (open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.) for large portions of "rustic urban food" served up in a small venue. Caskey describes his food as ingredient driven, simple, and never complicated, and I found a quote that I love about the food at Skillet: It is deceptively simple, like the painting on the wall that everyone thinks they can paint... until they try.

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