Come with me to Rome…
Sometimes, planning is hard. There’s a long learning curve, and tedious research. You spend a lot of time second guessing your decisions, and worrying about your choices. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a Fairygodmother… Well. You do. Imagine, a worry-free trip to Italy. A ‘set it and forget it’ vacation. Rome. You arrive at […]
A Villa in Tuscany… or Acquapendente
It was November. The morning light was leaking in around the edge of the shutters when I came down the stairs, so I threw them wide and let the scene below take my breath away. Rome, at dawn. The street was already busy, and I eased the window open to catch the occasional raised voice, […]
All Things Italian
So I was cruising around YouTube on my TV, watching all sorts of Italian travel guides, trip videos, and recommendations. I stumbled upon one called ‘How not to eat in Italy’ and the title tickled me. My first response was, “Why would anyone want to not eat in Italy?” haha! But the subtitle was ‘My […]
Deciding how to visit Rome
In Rome, one visits the de rigeur Vatican, Trevi Fountain, and Coliseum. The Spanish Steps and the Pantheon. Bernini’s sculpture at Piazza Navona and the Borghese Gallery. A little deeper dive finds the Campo de Fiori market, the bridge of angels at Castel Sant’Angelo, the old Trastevere neighborhood and the Jewish Ghetto. You start spending […]
A little advice about Venice
Recently, my son was planning a trip to Venice and I was giving him a little practical advice. Thought I’d share it with you. This is what I wrote to him: I’ve looked at a bazillion hotels in Venice over the years, but in order to be (1) central, (2) easily accessible, and (3) relatively […]
Come to Florence…
If you have read ‘Come to Rome with me, worry-free’ then you already have some idea of what this trip will be like. But bear with me, while I paint this picture for you. As with the Roman tour, from the moment you step out of the airport, until you are returned there the following […]
Open to interpretation…
So, if we’re wandering around my favorite Roman neighborhood near Campo de Fiori, we will surely stop into Roscioli – the bakery for a sweet treat, or the deli for a meat n cheesy snack, or maybe we will have a wine pairing dinner! Like most of the folks you will encounter in Rome, they’ll […]
Apple Roses
When I had the bed and breakfast, there was always a fruit course… and it was usually dessert! These little apple roses from Pepperidge Farm were a hit. I only changed it up a little bit – I liked using blackberry jam instead of apricot preserves, and I always (always) sprayed the muffin tins, whether […]
Moving right along…
It’s been a very long time since I’ve attempted anything creative at the computer. When Larry died, I stopped editing the websites. Stopped painstakingly processing wedding photos. Stopped playing with graphic design, and although I was still writing, it was all too intensely personal to share – I filled journal after journal with angst and […]
Unintentionally Solo in Venice
About a thousand years ago (or in 2014) I accidentally went to Italy alone. I did not want to go alone. My friend cancelled at the last moment. We had each chosen a city to visit, and she chose Venice. I did not choose Venice. And there I was, alone in a country where I […]