Italy
Posted July 8, 2009 by Jamie Moore
You know what they say: When in Rome.... I just couldn't resist tracking down some favorito local hangouts in this great city—two of which are actually in revamped garages. While you're here, savor a carefully crafted vegetarian meal. Drink to Italian style at a trendy wine bar. And rummage for bargains at a Roman "garage" sale.
Eat
Arancia Blu (in Italian only): At this elegant vegetarian restaurant, Chef Fabio Passan whips together unusual combinations for a big splendido! factor. Here you get unforgettable meals at reasonable prices. Order lasagna flavored with ginger. Or, try ravioli stuffed with potatoes and mint, served with Sardinian sheep cheese. With a seasonal menu and 250 different bottles of wine, you can try something new each visit … although you may need to sample the dark chocolate cake with warm orange sauce again and again and again.
Drink
Freni e Frizioni (in Italian only): Head to this mechanics-garage-turned-trendy-wine-bar to rub shoulders with the who's who of Rome. Hip locals who want to see and be seen do it here among romantic candles, grand chandeliers, modern art, and funky music. Savor one of the famous mojitos and gawk at beautiful people from the bar. Take five on the open-air terrace where views of the Tiber River ("Tevere" for those in the know) are as fabulous as the ones inside.
Shop
Borghetto Flaminio Market: Pick up an authentic souvenir at this Roman market housed in a funky old bus garage. You'll find bargains galore on everything from lampshades to designer clothes, but be sure to sharpen your wheelin'-and-dealin' skills before you arrive. This popular weekend market attracts Romans of all ages who have mastered the art of snapping up great deals. Who can blame them? Rumor has it one of Gucci's top designers sometimes books a table to sell off surplus goods at rock-bottom prices.
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(Photo: iStockphoto/Andrew Johnson)
Posted July 2, 2009 by Nicki Krawczyk
As far as picturesque seaside villages go, it’s awfully hard to beat the Cinque Terre region on Italy’s Ligurian Sea coast. First, because it’s actually a group of five villages and that gives it kind of an unfair advantage. Second, unfairly-advantaged or not, these five represent some of the most authentic, charming and still-relatively-tourist-untainted coastal towns you’ll find in Italy.
Adding to these molto belle little towns’ allure is the walking trail that connects the villages to each other and the various lesser paths through the hills. Sometimes a treat and sometimes a trek, you’ll enjoy the views even more if you’re comfortable, safe and not, oh, fearing for your life. Read on for a beginner’s primer to taming the trail of Cinque Terre.
Shoes. You’d think this would go without saying, but platforms are “in” again this season, so I think it’s important to note: This 8-mile trail is not the place to break in your new Italian leather pumps, ladies; and, gentlemen, forget the flip-flops. While in some places the path is as pleasant as a walk in the park, in others, it won’t be forgiving on anything less than comfy walking shoes.
Waterbottle. Yes, there are five lovely villages in which you can grab a little something to quench your thirst … but in between the villages is when you actually need it. With the sun beating down as you walk and, for example, climb the 368 stairs into Corniglia, you’ll be glad to be relying on the villages for refills instead of doctor-administered hydration.
Running. To each his own, I guess. If you do feel the need to see the Italian coast through the veils of sweat streaming in your eyes, it’s best to do it when the paths are less crowded: early in the morning or later in the evening. I’m kidding, of course; I’m sure this is a lovely way to experience the trails. Though, if you ask me, you’re taking your life in your hands a little bit since the trail can be quite…
Slippery. Especially when it rains, the walkway gets rather slick and offers hikers the value-added thrill ride of a very real potential to slide down the side of a precipice. Not so buono; tread carefully, my friends. You’ll also see many people utilizing walking sticks to thwart just such a disaster. As they say (or they should), “Walk softly and carry a big stick.”
Don’t Drink. Water? Yes. Grappa? No. And the same goes for pinot grigio, pinot noir, sangria and limoncello. Listen, the sun’s hot, the trail’s slippery and you’ve got miles to go—does it really sound like a good idea to add alcohol to the mix? Yet, you’d be surprised at the number of tourists who have clearly been imbibing. Wine from the local vineyards is spectacular, it’s true, but you’re better off saving your bottle for a celebratory dinner at the end of the trail. That way, there’s a much better chance you’ll actually make it there.
(Photo: www.panoramio.com)
Posted May 20, 2009 by Kate Hamman
Long admired for its beauty and ingenuity, Venice captures the spirit of romantic dreams and artistic inspiration. The city may be sinking, but people come for the breathtaking scenery, historical buildings, and comfortable places to rest. And though the streets and canals are well traveled, this grand old city still has a few secrets up its sleeve.
Play
The Secret Itinerary Tour of Doge's Palace: Walk in the footsteps of Venice's leaders as you skulk through the hidden passageways, the torture room, the prison where Casanova was once held, and the secret chancellery of the Doge's Palace. As your guide unlocks the door to start the tour, you're on your way to uncovering many of the ancient secrets of the city. Tours in English occur at fixed times each day. Tickets cost €16 (about $22 U.S., check XE.com for current exchange rates), and reservations are highly recommended.
Eat
Ristorante Lineadombra: The floating terrace of Ristorante Lineadombra, which overlooks the Giudecca Canal, is enough to take your breath away. While most come for the view of the Venice Lagoon, others stop in for the restaurant's specialties of tuna tartare and bass cooked in a salt crust. As one of the leading places to dine in Venice, prices can be a little steep. The view, however, is priceless.
Stay
Pensione Guerrato: With the Grand Canal at your doorstep and the Rialto marketplace selling fresh fish and vegetables next door, Pensione Guerrato is a hotel worth sighing over. You'll walk in the hallways of Venetian history when you stay at this affordable gem built in 1227. Many of the rooms are decorated with antiques, with some of the original stucco works still remaining. Prices, including breakfast, start at €70 for single rooms without a private bathroom.
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(Photo: Ristorante Lineadombra)
Posted June 18, 2008 by Zak Patten
What's in a name? In the case of OpenSkies—the new mostly-business-class subsidiary of British Airways—a whole lot. When first announced, the airline's name was inspired by the new deregulating treaty that allows airlines to operate on any routes they choose between the U.S. and E.U. Today, OpenSkies might also be taken as a comment on the lack of competition in the air, particularly since the demise of all-business-class carriers Eos, Maxjet, and Silverjet.
Sure, OpenSkies only has one airplane, a 757 that holds 82 passengers, but the Little Airline That Could has big plans for that one plane. We're talking three classes of service, with the top of the line being Biz, which boasts "truly lie-flat seats." Don't want to sleep that well? No worries. OpenSkies has Prem+, which must denote its premium-economy class, because I doubt it’s a typo (unless OpenSkies is planning on professionally curling its passengers' hair en route). Last but not least (well, actually it is the least, but OpenSkies swears it's not too bad at all), is the economy cabin. There are only 30 seats (genuine leather ones) there, so you should get plenty of attention, assuming there's also a designated flight attendant (kidding!). And everyone, regardless of class, will have access to the 50-plus hours of audio and video programming on their personal entertainment systems, so that's a step up from my favorite in-flight game: staring at the back of the seat in front of me.
So where exactly will OpenSkies fly? Let's just say it doesn't have a massive worldwide route network. In fact, there are just two cities involved, but they're pretty decent ones: Paris and New York. The plan is to scale up by adding new destinations as business results allow for it. Currently on the list of potentials are Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt, and Milan.
In these days of cutbacks and fee increases, any airline looking hopefully toward the future should cheer us all up. No matter what it's called.
(Photo: AirFlights.to)
Posted March 13, 2008 by Zak Patten
I once saw a man boarding my plane with a full rack of antlers protruding from his backpack. Apparently the TSA doesn’t have any prohibitions against packing animal bones, no matter how sharp they are. I wonder if those security screeners would have even noticed the skeleton a 62-year-old woman recently flew with from Brazil to Italy?
As you might have figured, the woman was stopped by airport security (in Germany) and interrogated. It turned out she was fulfilling her brother’s dying wish from 11 years ago to be buried in Italy. The traveler (the live one) was actually able to provide documents allowing her to legally fly with her unusual luggage item. The authorities then allowed her to continue on her way.
Which got me to thinking, just what kind of bag do you pack a dead body in? I think first of all, you probably want to use a sealed, heavy-duty plastic liner inside the bag, just so you don’t lose any of the bones among your socks and underwear. Imagine putting on your skivvies one morning only to find someone’s metacarpal where it didn’t belong. And you wouldn’t want to trust airline baggage handlers to safely transport the remains of your loved one, so putting the cadaver in a carry-on is a must. It’s not like we’re talking about a full-on corpse, which would clearly require at least a second checked bag (and another 25 bucks on some airlines). No, I’d say your best bet is to get a good solid roll-aboard with a few sweaters thrown in around the deceased to avoid breakage.
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