January 2, 2017
I absolutely love Afar Magazine. I look forward to that every-other-month issue of gorgeous photography and truly cutting-edge travel suggestions. Their latest issue is all about The Afar 100 – Where to Go in 2017. Three places in Italy made the list, so this week I’ll begin a mini-series highlighting…
November 25, 2016
Many different countries have celebrated some sort of harvest feast- Native Americans celebrate with a corn dance, while Jewish people honor the end of the agricultural season with Sukkot. The Romans honored the God Ceres with a celebration called Cerelia, where they celebrated the first fruits of the season by…
September 14, 2016
European white truffles may well be the most expensive food in the world. With prices upward of $3600/pound in a slim year (supply and demand truly rule this market), white truffles top even Russian caviar ounce per ounce. Focusing solely on Italian truffles (tartufo sing. or tartufi plural), the most…
August 2, 2016
Gelato is one of the best-loved Italian exports in the world: everyone “knows” it originated in Italy (or did it …?), but many may not be aware that it walks hand-in-hand with many centuries of history. Stroll down an Italian strada and you may realize, not only does Italy specialize…
July 7, 2016
Although many regions of Italy boast superb cuisine, that of Sicily is uniquely steeped in history. A walk down the streets of a typical Sicilian town reveals a variety of vendors, selling not only typical Italian specialties (dried pasta, hearty bread), but also exotic fruits and vegetables, capers, tomatoes, eggplant,…
June 23, 2016
IT REALLY WAS AMAZING – Guest Blog from Helen Desai. Helen is an accomplished photographer and, as you can see, a delightfully engaging writer. We loved how her photos captured the essence of our experiences during those few days together…. Having returned from Italy just a few weeks ago, I…
March 18, 2016
Stunning architecture, a rich culture, elegant locals, a deep artistic history. What’s not to love? Although most of us think “Venice” when Northern Italy comes up, consider standing out in the crowd, and instead whispering: “Verona”. For this city, located on the Adige River, has subtle beauty that merits an…
January 14, 2016
I just read an enticing article in the New York Times travel section: 52 Places to Go in 2016 So, the Times backs me in directing some of my custom clients to this exciting destination: Turin, or Italian Torino. This is no longer just the home of the Fiat Factory;…
January 2, 2016
Don’t know about you, but I do NOT want to read another invitation to join my local gym, or details about the latest fad diet. No, the New Year brings with it everything new, and I want to share with you some foods from Emilia Romagna — the “bread basket”…
December 21, 2015
This phenomenal Christmas tree resides in the elegantissimo Hotel Danieli, just off St. Mark’s Square in Venice. I’ll never forget 13 years ago, when I spent a night at this hotel with my 3-month-old daughter and a friend who had come along to nanny while I led a trip. We…
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