Whether you’re seeking an escape from the winter blues, in need of a stress-free retreat or want to check off a dream experience from your bucket list – a trip abroad is the best way to fulfill these goals. However, planning your vacation and finding the right travel partner is often the tricky part. I can’t tell you how many times my friends have bailed on travel plans we made due to scheduling conflicts and finances, leaving me to plan my … [Read more...]
Conversation, Margaret Lehmann – Peter Lehmann Wines, Barossa Valley
Recently during a visit and exploration of the Barossa Valley in South Australia, I had the opportunity to sit down for a short chat with Margaret Lehmann at her home. She is one of Barossa's food and wine pioneers, a champion of its preservation and was an integral part of the growth of Peter Lehmann Wines. Conversation invariably was about food and wine - over a glass of Semillon from Peter Lehmann appropriately called "Margaret". With … [Read more...]
Michelangelo Screenwriting Takes Writers on an Italian Odyssey
Los Angeles, CA—Michelangelo Screenwriting is an experiential travel retreat and writing program where screenwriters expand their creative capabilities against the backdrop of the Italian countryside. Founded in 2008 by UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television professor Paul Chitlik and UCLA alumnus Carlo Cavagna, Michelangelo Screenwriting developed from the idea that many screenwriters need to escape the distractions of their everyday … [Read more...]
Italian Food Without Tomato Sauce
Living in San Francisco, there's no dearth of restaurants to choose from on a Saturday evening. A few weekends ago, I was given the opportunity to dine in Oakland and wondered what on earth the food scene would be like - was there even a food scene?! The answer is a resounding yes!! From the Temescal area to the streets around Broadway and Telegraph, Oakland surprises with top notch chefs, hipster bars and a thriving food scene! Then there's … [Read more...]
Arizona Biltmore Creating 10 Edgy Epicurean Evenings For its 24th Season of ‘Winemaker Dinners’
PHOENIX, Ariz. The Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort (www.arizonabiltmore.com) is planning 10 extravagant epicurean evenings – of innovative gourmet dining, acclaimed wines, winemakers talking about their wines, and after-dinner drinks and cigars – for the resort’s 24th season of Winemaker Dinners. Each Winemaker Dinner will feature an original multi-course menu, prepared by Executive Chef Gordon Maybury and Chef de Cuisine Bryan … [Read more...]
A Bittersweet Roman Holiday
Rome: probably my favorite city on Earth, if I had to choose only one. Our time here was emotional and bittersweet, but Rome's beauty did what it could to try and ease the pain. We planned the last month of our round-the-world trip to be mostly a family affair. We saved Italy and Austria for last, because we thought it would be comforting to see some of my relatives after being on the road all year, and because it would be a smooth … [Read more...]
Driving through Tuscany & Antinori Winery Visit
It was hard to leave San Marino - it is such a unique and small country. Interesting museums, eclectic shopping, great views and good food! We opted for the slow drive through Tuscany - covering windy roads up and down the rolling hills, cresting passes and driving through several National Parks. The roads are narrow, steep at times but always through picturesque countryside. This time of year everything is green or in bloom. Spring has … [Read more...]
A visit to Marchesi Antinori Chianti Classico Cellar in Tuscany, Italy
Getting Here The estate is located about 25 minutes outside of Florence Italy in the small town of Bargino. This is almost directly south of Florence, off of Highway SR 2 and only about 30 minutes from the beautiful town of Siena. Many airlines and flights connect to Florence including Alitalia, Air Berlin, Delta, KLM and Lufthansa. The Family The Antinori's own one of the world's oldest continuously operating family businesses. … [Read more...]
Five of the best affordable spa breaks, Guest Post
At the start of a New Year, kick-start your resolutions and boost your self-confidence with a relaxing spa break. After the stress of Christmas, the deluge of winter illnesses and with the imminent arrival of spring and summer, January is prime-time for some well-deserved pampering. With literally hundreds of spa breaks to choose from, we’ve done the leg work for you and picked five of the best. Booking cheap holidays today is a good way to be … [Read more...]
Peace, Love and Vodka
The Woodstock Festival took place in New York State’s Catskill Mountains in 1969. Whether you lived through it or were born decades later, Woodstock is the stuff of legends, three days of peace, love and music. Rock and roll giants such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Who, Grateful Dead and many other icons preformed. Though called Woodstock, the concert didn’t actually take place in the town of Woodstock. It took place in the rural community … [Read more...]