“A long time ago, in a land far away, and girl traveled to a magically place known as the Five Lands…”
Bellissimo Bellagio: The Pearl of Lake Como
No town on Lake Como could be more picturesque and tastier than Bellagio. It’s definitely a place to visit if you’re in northern Italy and want a taste of what it must have been like to be an 1880s bored aristocrat doing the obligatory “grand tour” of the continent, like in the novel by Henry James, Portrait of a Lady… but with wifi and suntan lotion and none of that 1800s dying of tuberculosis and cholera.
Lake Como Food Coma Part 2: Baita Belvedere
We went to Trattoria Baita Belvedere Bellagio for our final dinner. We had heard about it from our hotel and a random couple who gave us hiking directions — we actually stumbled upon it at the top of our hike the previous day. It sat high atop the mountain with an awe-inspiring view of the northern part of the lake. We made a reservation, excited to watch the sun set and the lake turn to golden amber as we relished our last meal in Italy. Except we forgot to heck the weather and the whole day was foggy! No…
Lake Como Food Coma, Part 1: Alle Darsene di Loppia
Bellagio on Lake Como was the last stop of our two week trip, and we were just exhausted after a six hour drive. We didn’t really have the energy to look up restaurants ahead of time, so we decided to walk over to Alle Darsene di Loppia, which is in the tiny fishing hamlet of di Loppia, which is really just one street and now part of Bellagio. All the tables outside were reserved (the waiter tried to patiently explain it was high season), but they graciously opened up the inside seating area for us. But then some stodgy old man and…
New life plan: Get an agriturismo in Emilia Romagna
My new life plan is to move near Borgo Val di Taro, open a small agriturismo, be best friends with Pia and Gianni, have our dogs be best friends and run around our farms together, and invite others to visit with us to enjoy the amazing countryside and food of Emilia Romagna. It’s a perfect life plan.
Balsamic Vinegar: You down with DOP? Yeah, you know me.
Emilia Romagna is a lesser known province of Italy for travelers, but is consider the epicenter of gourmet Italian food. Parmigiano-Reggiano, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto di Parma, tortellini, spaghetti alla bolognese…the list goes on and on. Thus, there was no question we had to at least pay quick homage to this Italian food Mecca as we drove from Tuscany to the Cinque Terre. We stopped in Parma and Modena, trying to sample as much as possible in the little time we had. We definitely need to go back for more culinary tours (including of Parmigiano-Reggiano production, which we couldn’t squeeze in. I know…I should…
Italian Driving Tips: “Don’t Gelato and Drive”
Question: Gelato warnings, massive tunnels, bumper grinding, and slow Dutch. Answer: What are all things found on an Italian Autostrada
Italian Rest Stops: A Foodie Paradise
American rest stops are to Italian Autogrills what Roy Rogers is to a Michelin Star restaurant.
No one looks happy eating fish
No one looks happy eating fish. They may look smug — and they should. That’s definitely the healthy choice. But happy? No way. Sneak a peek them throughout the meal, and you’ll catch them longingly looking at everyone’s meat entrée. Really look into their eyes, and you’ll see a profound sadness lurking there. Don’t believe me? Test out my hypothesis for yourself. Next time you’re out to eat and someone orders the fish, ask both the fish-eater and the meat-eater the same question and compare the responses. Question: How’s your entree? Fish-eater: “You know, it’s cooked well. Flaky.” They say…
The Florida Keys: Boyz II Men of Beaches
I have to reveal a dirty secret that travel blogs, books, and articles never reveal about the Keys: Someone stole the beaches. Water, water, everywhere, but no way to swim. A Caribbean island conjures images of warm, aquamarine water gently kissing beaches that are as soft and white as a baby’s bum. And the Florida Keys are in the Caribbean. And they are freaking islands. Silly me. If I had consulted Wikipedia before my trip, I would have learned that: “The climate and environment of the Florida Keys are closer to that of the Caribbean than the rest of Florida,…
Travels with Cheese 