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| Santa Maria Assunta and the Sea July 2011 Photo: Scott Clark |
Roving Pic: Santa Maria Assunta and the Sea
Roving I Recap: Artisan Sandals from the Island of Capri
We passed Antonio Viva’s shop on our first night on Capri. The name on the awning intrigued me. The window lured me over. Glimmering and glamorous island walkers in colorful leathers and beads stood side by side, framed by photos of their creator and decades of satisfied customers, patiently awaiting their perfect fits, night after night.
My Capri to-do list got longer as I stared at the hand-crafted soles and straps behind the pane but the “closed” sign and late hour meant that my footwear pursuit would have to wait until the next day.
When we passed by the next afternoon, Antonio’s dog was the first to greet us, wagging his tail as we wandered closer. Antonio himself was seated outside his shop. Dressed in a bright green shirt and a simple, striped apron, he expertly navigated the tray of tools in front of him as he chatted with potential customers and locals in broken English and elegant Italian. His window display from the night before now provided a makeshift wall of sparkling soles. The smell of leather was intoxicating, even outdoors.
While his existing inventory was expansive, the idea of having sandals created especially for me was far too appealing. And after inquiring about the price, I started searching his wares and designs for my perfect fit, for one that could be uniquely my own. The island’s powers and vivid color palette must have wooed me, leading me to choose a very un-me but very Capri deep purple leather upper with gold attachments.
Antonio began assembling my new shoes, proudly reciting stories about the times he created sandals for the legendary Sophia Loren and Jackie O and, more recently, American Food Network personality Giada DeLaurentiis. As I listened intently, I wondered if he tells all his customers about his brushes with famous feet or if I just appeared to be someone who would appreciate his tales. Either way, his light conversation was a welcome side effect of his work.
Twenty minutes later, I slid my feet into my completed sandals for the very first time. Simple, comfortable and crafted of timeless traditions, they left their creator that day. And just like Sophia Loren, I left Capri with a little piece of its skill, its art and its unmistakable style.
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| Antonio at Work |
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| My Sandals, in Progress |
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| My New Sandals |
Roving I Finds: Wine Country Savings
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| Healdsburg, California Photo: Jetsetter.com |
- Healdsburg, California: Smack dab in the middle of Sonoma Wine Country, this charming little town is one of my favorite places to visit in the state. Jetsetter.com has great discounts on the stylish Healdsburg Modern Cottages property. Rates are as low as $255/night. More info here.
- Willamette Valley, Oregon: Travelzoo.com has a breakfast and dinner package starting at $89/night at the peaceful and picturesque Oregon Garden Resort. Book by August 31st and travel by November 19th.
- Santa Rosa, California: The Vintner's Inn has a Harvest Getaway Package good for a 2-night stay with lots of extras, including a $100 certificate for the incredible John Ash & Co Restaurant on site, starting at $600 through November 20th. We stayed here on our visit to the area and loved it.
- Paso Robles, California: If you're headed to California in October, check out the Paso Robles Harvest Wine Weekend October 21st-23rd for 3 days of events celebrating harvest and its delicious results.
Roving Pic: Capri's Sandal Maker
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| Capri's Sandal Maker July 2011 Photo: Scott Clark |
He was jovial for a hot and humid afternoon in Anacapri as he wove leather through his fingers and into art. Part historian, part artisan, part celebrity, he sits outside of his shop among pairs of pre-made footwear perfection, laughing and chatting with passers-by. Dressed in a simple apron with well-worn tools in hand, he works every day, fitting soles to feet and finally, sandals to souls, each pair leaving his hands crafted of timeless tradition and love.
Web Roves of the Week: Link Stew
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| Enniskerry, Ireland July 2010 |
- Win a 4-Night Stay in Ireland: Green Earth Travel is hosting a contest for the next 4 weeks through Facebook where you can win a trip to Dublin. Week 1 is now underway. Friend them on Facebook for this week's contest questions and details on how to enter. More info here.
- Thailand Find: If you're headed to Phuket, Travelzoo.com has big savings for the 5-star JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa through December 15th. Get an upgraded room, spa treatments and more for only $100/night with a 3-night minimum stay. Learn more here.
- Foodie Fun: Rue La La has savings on one and four-day classes at The Culinary Institute of America in New York, California and Texas starting as low as $200. Sale ends Monday, August 22nd.
- Moving to France or just want to? Check out Chez Loulou's post about the cost of living in France. Good info for potential expats and dreamers alike.
Roving IQ: Recipe for a Roman Lunch
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A little hungry and a lot heart broken, we arrived in Rome for our last night in Italy before our return trip home. Lunch was on the immediate menu and we set out to find a suitable spot. Seated in a sidewalk cafe, my eyes wandered to the next table where a Scandinavian couple was enjoying a simple salad comprised of a combination of ingredients that could only equal perfection. One lunch order later, I learned I was right.
My last afternoon meal in Italy has translated into a small obsession for me. Since coming home, I've prepared my new favorite "recipe" no less that 7 times - 75% because I love how the flavors and textures combine together, 20% because it's so darn easy and 5% out of wistfulness.
Here it is, modified slightly from the above photo:
- 4-5 slices of prosciutto
- Fresh arugula
- Shaved Parmesan cheese
- Cherry tomatoes
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Cracked black pepper
Layer a dinner plate with prosciutto slices. Pile with arugula. Top with shaved Parmesan cheese, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Do you have a favorite recipe that you brought back from a trip?
Do you have a favorite recipe that you brought back from a trip?
Roving Pic: Lone Boat in Positano
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| Lone Boat in Positano July 2011 Photo: Scott Clark |
Web Roves of the Week: Move, Learn, Eat
My Web Roves of the Week are three outstanding short films commissioned by STA Travel Australia that illustrate the beautiful, wonderful and delicious aspects of travel.
The project description:
"3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage, all to turn three ambitious linear concepts based on movement, learning and food into 3 beautiful and hopefully compelling short films."
I think they achieved their goal. Brenna from This Battered Suitcase shared these videos in a post this week and I was in complete awe. For those of you who haven't seen them, I think you will be too.
MOVE
LEARN
EAT
Roving I Finds: 5 Fall Finds in the USA
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| Jackson, Wyoming PHOTO: Vacationist.com |
- JACKSON, WYOMING: This one doesn't work for Labor Day but it's still worth a mention. Vacationist.com has a deal for the luxe, western-style Rusty Parrot Lodge with rates as low as $121 from October through December.
- ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI: The hip Moonrise Hotel on the Delmar Loop has a "3 is Free" Promo. If you stay Friday and Saturday night, you get Sunday night free. Perfect for a Labor Day in Lou.
- NYC: Another Travelzoo find, just in time for Fashion Week. You can nab a stay at the 4-star Bentley Hotel for only $289 any night of the week from September 9th through 30th. Book by August 14th using promo code TZOO081111.
Thanks for checking in! More tomorrow.
- VEGAS: Visit Jetsetter.com by Sunday, August 14th to save on the posh, non-smoking, casino-free Vdara Hotel and Spa. Midweek prices are as low as $93.
Roving I Guest Post: Meat me at Iron Stef's!
You read it right. I started this post with a bad meat pun in the title. That means it can only go up from here.
I've tapped into my fondness for the foodie lifestyle and cooked up my very first guest post. Click on over to Iron Stef's award winning food blog and read about my encounter with the legendary "Butcher of Tuscany" Dario Cecchini and consider this post your first course of the day.
5 Fascinating Facts about Dario:
1. His shop is known as the "Uffizi of Meat."
2. He organized a mock funeral for the fiorentina steak in 2001 when it was outlawed because of Mad Cow disease fears. (See below.)
3. He often recites Dante's Inferno by memory while working in the shop.
4. Mario Batali has called Dario "the Maserati of butchers, the Bob Dylan of the Tuscan cow, the Jimi Hendrix of juiciness."
5. Elton John once paid $2500 for one of Dario's steaks.
There's much more meat to this story at Iron Stef! And a special thanks to Stef for letting me take over for a day. I've definitely got some big shoes to fill.
I've tapped into my fondness for the foodie lifestyle and cooked up my very first guest post. Click on over to Iron Stef's award winning food blog and read about my encounter with the legendary "Butcher of Tuscany" Dario Cecchini and consider this post your first course of the day.
5 Fascinating Facts about Dario:
1. His shop is known as the "Uffizi of Meat."
2. He organized a mock funeral for the fiorentina steak in 2001 when it was outlawed because of Mad Cow disease fears. (See below.)
3. He often recites Dante's Inferno by memory while working in the shop.
4. Mario Batali has called Dario "the Maserati of butchers, the Bob Dylan of the Tuscan cow, the Jimi Hendrix of juiciness."
5. Elton John once paid $2500 for one of Dario's steaks.
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Funeral Plaque for Fiorentina Steak from 2001 Panzano, Tuscany, Italy |
Roving Pic: Night Walk in Anacapri
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| Anacapri at Night July 2011 Photo: Scott Clark |
We turned off the pedestrian street onto a narrow, residential walkway. Behind stucco walls and elegantly scrolled, wrought iron gates, we could see people gathered together in softly-lit gardens, on balconies and in dining rooms, celebrating a mid-summer evening. Glasses, heavy with wine, clinked together, toasting a beautiful moment in the Mediterranean. Laughter, lovely Italian phrases and lightness filled the air around us. And we walked back towards the main road in the dim light, taking our tiny snapshot of island life in Anacapri with us.
Roving I Recap: 8s Across Italy
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| Villa Key Greve in Chianti |
You could say that I live my life by the number 8. I was born on December 8th. I graduated college on May 8th. I was married on July 8th. My wedding rings have a total of eight diamonds. I have eight best friends from high school. I wear a silver eight on a chain around my neck most days. And I always, always bet on eight.
Some of these encounters with eights happen by chance and others I arrange. I'm not sure what it is about the graceful number that I'm drawn to. Maybe it's the rounded form. Maybe it's that there's no end to its shape. Whatever it is, eights mean something to me. Maybe one day I'll figure out what it is.
In Italy, I immediately fell in love with the way eights would manifest in small towns, big cities and seaside escapes. They were more than mere address plates, they were art. Every eight was different, elegant and understated. It became a game for us to "find the eight" everywhere we went as addresses don't always follow logic. And I was enamoured with what we discovered.
Some of these encounters with eights happen by chance and others I arrange. I'm not sure what it is about the graceful number that I'm drawn to. Maybe it's the rounded form. Maybe it's that there's no end to its shape. Whatever it is, eights mean something to me. Maybe one day I'll figure out what it is.
In Italy, I immediately fell in love with the way eights would manifest in small towns, big cities and seaside escapes. They were more than mere address plates, they were art. Every eight was different, elegant and understated. It became a game for us to "find the eight" everywhere we went as addresses don't always follow logic. And I was enamoured with what we discovered.
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| Greve in Chianti |
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| San Gimignano |
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| Siena |
Simple, secure and elegant, Siena's eight resided on a nondescript wall in a shaded alley just doorways from Piazza del Campo.
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| Florence |
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| Monsanto |
This eight stood guard on tall, gated walls for an ancient castle with a history dipped in wine.
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| Radda in Chianti |
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| Montefioralle |
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| Pompeii |
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| Positano |
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| Ravello |
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| Capri |
Happy August 8th!
Web Roves of the Week: 5 Travel Blogs That Take Me Places
It's Friday and I would like to be here:
Since I'm not anywhere close to there, I'll make the best of it by sharing some other travel-focused blogs I've come across since beginning this little blogging journey of mine. Some of these have been around a while and some are just getting started, but they're all pretty new to me. Here are five that have me intrigued and keep me coming back:
Since I'm not anywhere close to there, I'll make the best of it by sharing some other travel-focused blogs I've come across since beginning this little blogging journey of mine. Some of these have been around a while and some are just getting started, but they're all pretty new to me. Here are five that have me intrigued and keep me coming back:
- The Frugal Traveler: This one is a biggie - a New York Times blog. And the writing is definitely up to New York Times standards. This summer, Seth has been making his way around the Mediterranean on a teensy budget and it has been entertaining to watch how he squeezes the most out of every Euro in different cities. Check out how he did it in Naples.
- Jenn's Travelogue Blog: Jenn and I forged a fast friendship after a recent meet-up in Kansas City. She recently held a Blog Winner Weekend Contest to celebrate her 200th post and took one of her readers to Jamaica. Can't wait to see what she's got planned for her 300th!
- TravelGirl: I write, a lot. I even do it for a living. So witty wordsmiths and well-written posts appeal to me. TravelGirl's recent post about Researching Unreasonable Train Routes showcased the absolute absurdity of some travelers. I laughed out loud reading it. You will too.
- 100 Miles Highway: I just discovered this blog today but with an "Eat. Travel. Photography." subhead, how can I not enjoy following along?
- Mr. & Mrs. Globetrot: Clean design and really beautiful (and plentiful) travel photos make this team effort blog a treat to look at.
Leave me a comment and share your favorite travel blog. It can even be yours! I'm always on the lookout for awesome blogs about travel to add to my ever-growing reading list. And then, with all of my new found reads as fuel, I can make this a reoccurring series for the first Friday of every month!
Happy Friday! Hope it's fabulous wherever you are in the world!
Happy Friday! Hope it's fabulous wherever you are in the world!
Roving I Finds: Europe's Best Fall Deals
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| Photo: National Geographic |
If you have the luxury of taking a trip to Europe this fall, you're in luck. Low(er) season offers less crowded cities and beaches and cooler temps. It's a perfect time to hop the pond and the deals are in full swing. Here are just a few I came across this week:
- FRANCE: Air France dropped rates to cities in France and other places in Europe for the months of August and September. Chicago to Paris checks in at $451 one way. Book by August 8th for travel through September 30th.
- CROATIA & SLOVENIA: Travelzoo.com is featuring a 9-night Croatia and Slovenia Tour for dates this fall and winter starting at $1499 pp. Includes air, some meals and four-star hotels each night.
- IRELAND: Sceptre Tours has a phenomenal deal on a 6-night Estate Package including RT air, car rental and accommodations on the magnificent Adare Villa property for as low as $599 from JFK if you book by August 12th. Multiple dates and departures are available for slightly more.
- SPAIN: Gate 1 Travel has a great, 8-day independent package for three stellar Spanish destinations - Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona. Includes air, hotel and rail for as low as $1149 for November to March dates.
- PRAGUE, VIENNA & BUDAPEST: European Destinations is offering a 6-night Air and High-Speed Rail package including two nights in each of these cities starting at $1309 for dates through November.
On y va! More tomorrow!
Roving IQ: My Vintage Globe
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However, this logic does not apply to globes or maps. I love them. I'll search the world for fine, original pieces. And I'm even willing to spend money on them. When it comes to globes and maps, consider me antique phobia free.
A couple of years ago, I was a world traveler without a globe of my own. So, I did some safe searching online (that way I'm not required to step one foot into an antique mall). I immediately fell in love with this spherical specimen. The condition was excellent and the land mass colors were in warm earth tones that fit in perfectly with my living room decor. But, it was the black seas that truly sold it for me.
Do you have a favorite vintage find?
Roving Pic: Lock of Love
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| Love. Locked. July 2011 Photo: Scott Clark |
Maybe it was because it was almost our 10 year anniversary or maybe it was because we were in Italy, but we were suddenly in search of a lock. One finally surfaced in a city market near its now permanent location. Simple, small and shimmering in the evening lights, our lock was latched together, sealing its fate to an ancient structure and ours to each other.
It may be a silly, superstitious tradition, but you have to admit, it's awfully sweet. Thanks for stopping by!
Roving I Recap: Familiar Firenze
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| Duomo June 2011 Photo: Scott Clark |
On our recent day trip to Florence on day four of our Tuscany stay, we were already so spellbound by the Tuscan countryside, the “big” city seemed not quite as grand as it had been the first time. And while Florence is still more beautiful and more captivating to me than most other places I’ve visited, when it came time to go, leaving the traffic congestion, tour groups and crowds behind for the much greener pastures of Chianti Country to the south was easy to do.
But our Florence wanderings did yield some familiar finds and some new discoveries. Our favorite meal of all time took place on our first visit to the city in a tiny trattoria not far from the Duomo. The path to the pasta bliss was burned into my memory and we found the very place exactly where I remembered it be. Too late for lunch and far too early for dinner, we could only gaze inside at the late lunchers, worn wooden tables and dwindling dishes of lightly sauced pasta and hope to remember a bit more of what will always be a dear memory for us.
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| A Missed Opportunity |
We then set out to find a quick bite before what would be hours of walking. I Fratellini’s cheap and delicious sidewalk stand served up simplicity along with a novel dining format. Sandwiches, cold sodas and sidewalk seating (literally sitting on the sidewalk), made for a perfect pranzo, pronto.
After walking through the leather goods mecca of San Lorenzo Market and through the Uffizi area, we arrived at the Arno. The late summer afternoon light painted orange and yellow streaks onto the buildings while an approaching shower shadowed sections of the city. As we reached the Gold Bridge, we noticed a shiny, massive collection of locks latched together on chain. It was nothing more than a photo opp to us at that moment, but we later learned the love-laced meaning behind the locks.
We walked slowly back to car, surely retracing some of our footsteps from a weekend stay so long ago. A little older, a little smarter but a lot like our former selves, we left Florence for a second time. But this time, we knew exactly where we were headed and we couldn’t wait to get back there.
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| Arno Locks June 2011 Photo: Scott Clark |
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| Storm Clouds |
Thanks for reading! More on the lovely locks tomorrow.
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