Although I had no idea when I published Eating Through 2015, the meal I described in my last paragraph set the course for a wild and wonderful gastronomical journey through 2016: …I kicked off 2016 with an extremely memorable meal at Prato, thanks to a certain sous chef’s generosity and desire to treat our party with his favorite…
Lake Como 101: A Travel Guide
Lake Como has easily become a favorite getaway destination for the Swiss Family Domecks over the past couple of years. Folded into the mountains of the Lombardy region of Italy, this wishbone-shaped lake is what travel dreams are made of. With romantic villas dotting the shoreline and dramatic mountains rising from the sparkling blue waters,…
The Final Verdict on Cinque Terre
It seems like some destinations have been on my “Travel Bucket List” for ages. Recently, I had the sweet pleasure of visiting one of those locations from said list: Cinque Terre, Italy. Cinque Terre. The Five Lands. Five small fishing villages along the rocky western coast of Italy. Tiny dots on the map that millions have…
Dreaming of Italian Thermal Baths
Rooted in the folds of the Valtellina Valley in the Italian Alps, you can find a romantic escape from reality. Ever since Roman times, the natural hot springs flowing through the area attract visitors to Bormio, a small town in the northeastern tip of the Lombardy Region. And it was precisely those warm waters that drew the…
Discover Sicily’s Legacy of Lava
Earlier this month, I spent a week working with Clear Sicily – a company focused on supporting small businesses and giving tourists more access to the Italian island’s treasures. As I shared in my last post about Mount Etna, I cannot come to Sicily without reflecting on the power of this fiesty volcano. During my…
Meet Etna, Sicily’s Explosive Personality
She’s of massive proportions. She’s got a feisty temperament. And you can’t come to Sicily without spotting her smoking in the distance. She’s Mount Etna – Europe’s largest and most active volcano. Per my fascination with volcanoes (is that weird?), I can’t help but marvel at this monstrous mountain every time I visit Sicily. Rising…
Retreat to Sicily’s Monaci delle Terre Nere
“Everything about Monaci was all love-driven,” he explained. Birdsong fluttered into the restored 19th century building, and the soft light from the spring sun bathed the room in a hazy glow. He sat with me at a round table under a dome of faded paint. His large glasses covered much of his kind face, and…
Eating Through 2015
As I look back on my 2015, I’m struck by the diverse range of experiences I had in the world of food. And because I love lists and record-keeping, I’m sharing my most memorable food experiences of 2015. I’d love for you to share some of your top eats, too! EATING IN ASIA DRINKING FROM COCONUTS IN…
An Interview from Sicily
Recently, I escaped the chill of Switzerland and jetted down south for the weekend. The destination: Catania, Sicily. Located just off the toe of the Italian boot, the island of Sicily – Sicilia in Italian – is a rugged nugget of historical significance, geographical dynamism, and cultural intrigue. For a weekend in this fabled land, I booked my…
A Date with Milan
When we are reintroduced some twelve years later, we are little more than acquaintances. Proud and distinguished, like an elderly woman born into luxury and predisposed to a particular standard of life, Milan greets me in her finest display of fashion prominence and financial power as I step off the train. Amidst the briskly moving…