MEDITERRANEAN SEA - SUNSET SUPPER

Among the best memories any of us has are mealtimes in a special place or at a special time.

They may be meals with family, at a family get-together. Or at a rendezvous that is a shared indulgence. It may be meeting friends for dinner at the nearby Chili's, or at a fine dining spot a world away. It might be at a Lolo on a Caribbean beach, or the local coffee house just up the street.

What often makes the difference is the family and/or friends.

As I look back at a lifetime of very happy experiences in some very exotic locations -- and more than a few just up the street -- I cannot help but be pleased that so many involved the people we treasure in our lives. It's a shared adventure, these lives of ours. And shared adventures require shared memories.

Aboard the MSY Wind Surf. Dinner with our Australian friends on the fantail at the Wind Rose restaurant, enjoying the sunset over the distant coastline of the Italian boot.

THE DAILY ESCAPE: DINNER ON A BATEAUX MOUCHE

My wife and I have been fortunate to have had elegant dinners in many cities around the world.

Certainly one of the most romantic and memorable was sharing a meal aboard a Bateaux Mouches dinner cruise as it plied its way up the Seine River through Paris, passing so many of the wonderful Parisian landmarks. An expensive but amazing evening. 

Pic of the Day: An Evening on the Sea

We travel once a year or so with our friends Ray and Vicky Stone from Perth, Australia. We've shared numerous adventures with them on three continents, but we also enjoy the occasional quiet evening in memorable surroundings.

Among our more spectacular dinners was this one on the fantail of the MSY Wind Surf as she sailed along the Salento Peninsula (the heel of Italy's boot). The sunset, the cool breeze and a soft Mediterranean haze set the mood properly for the meal itself, which was expertly prepared and served.

I often advocate finding the local diner and just grabbing an amazing burger. But there's plenty of room at the other end of the culinary spectrum.