Ahh…summer in Italy! Mediterranean sunshine, warm sea, languid siestas, longer light to savour warm evenings, gelato for breakfast, lunch and dinner…and maybe some beach romance. Plus summer brings many fun, unique festivals and performances. How about seeing Sting in concert on a warm evening outside at Taormina’s Greek theatre in Sicily? Mount Etna watches in [...]
Noir Vino Cacao with chocolate standing in the red wine on the right At a wine travel and wine tasting event in Vancouver last week, I happened on an absolutely delightful experience, the kind that lies beyond your most mouthwatering food and wine dreams. High quality Bordeaux red wine infused with high quality dark chocolate. [...]
Cooking school tours in Italy make me think of lasagna. Both have layers you discover only as you dig deeper into them. Most food lovers think they’re going on a cooking tour in Italy to have fun learning cooking secrets from families who teach them traditional dishes their grandmothers made or to learn special techniques [...]
Bologna’s famous archways On Sunday May 20 at 4:04 in the morning, an earthquake 5.9 on the Richter scale hit Emilia-Romagna with its epicenter 36 kilometres north of Bologna in a small town, San Felice sul Panaro, where its ancient castle now lies in ruins. In nearby Finale Emilia, the 14th tower collapsed, the cathedral [...]
beige Hotel Hesperia on left. My window is first row, second from the right As we travel, unexpected changes can throw us off balance or open the doors to new opportunities. Traveling in a new country, we may feel wobbly like a new actor in her first play, so we try to control our itinerary. [...]
Love is in the air everywhere in Verona, thanks to Romeo & Juliet and Juliet’s house that draws thousands of romantic souls. In the historic centre, to find Juliet’s house, just follow the trail of shops blanketed with hearts inside and out. In the courtyard of Juliet’s house and nearby shops, you see hearts, [...]
Mama Margaret Cowan Thinking of travelling to Italy? Are you asking yourself, “Where should I go? What should I do? How do I best get around?” Get the answers to your questions and insider tips as you dine Italian style in Vancouver with Italy travel expert, Mama Margaret Cowan. Gather around your table on Tuesday, [...]
What delightful surprises Verona gave me on my first visit this March! Visually stunning architecture, piazzas and views, and very pretty. A visual type, I love exploring on foot as I photograph, drink and taste. Verona on the Adige River The Adige River winds around Verona, adding extra flavour to it. One evening, local friends [...]
On my birthday last Friday, May 4, I shared some absolutely yummy chocolate cake with my good friend, Iona who was in the cardiac ward of Vancouver’s St. Paul’s Hospital. “That’s a rather odd place to celebrate your birthday”, you say? As I mentioned in last week’s blog, Iona from Vancouver Island was back in [...]
Frustrated Rome Travel Expert Gives Practical Answers To Common First Timer Questions
Rome’s Spanish Steps in March 2012 As you begin planning your time in Rome or other major Italian cities, have you ever asked these questions? To help you to enjoy the experiences you want and avoid disappointment, long time Rome resident and blogger Amanda Ruggeri of Revealed Rome has written an excellent article, “Five Frustrating [...]