Earlier this summer I took a trip to Rome to join a few friends for a girls weekend and birthday celebration. While this was not my first trip to the city, it was certainly my first visit with such rainy weather. Fortunately for us, it stopped raining on our second day and we were welcomed with enough sunshine to enjoy dining al Fresco. Read More ›
Destination: Italy
Exploring the Islands of Venice
We began our trip to Venice in the tiny little village of Malamocco on the island of Lido di Venezia. It’s an unusual destination when traveling to the area, but it’s well worth a visit. The town has ancient origins and, before the foundation of Venice, was chosen as capital of the Venetian State. Venezia Lido is the perfect place to stay when visiting Venice as it’s a wonderful and calm retreat, far from the crowds and the noise of the city. During our stay we made our home at Ca’ del Moro, a pretty little hotel with an ancient hall and a lovely secret garden. Read More ›
Relaxing in Ravello
Ravello is a romantic hilltop town overlooking the Mediterranean sea. It’s known as the Jewel of the Amalfi Coast and is only an hour outside of Naples. The drive to Ravello is breathtakingly beautiful as one passes through the coastal villages of Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi. Read More ›
Venice in Black and White
About a year ago, I was lucky enough to travel to Venice with a group of equally enthusiastic female photographers, my Contax camera and a bag full of black and white film! Even on the bleakest of winter days, the colors of this beautiful city never cease to inspire me. But having been fortunate enough to visit Venice a few times before, I wanted to challenge myself to look at the city in a new way. At times it was very frustrating limiting myself to monochrome, but I’d wanted to get to know black and white film better and this was a great way to approach my frames differently. Instead of looking for color, I was looking for contrasting tones, strong lines and patterns. Read More ›
Tuscan Luxury at the Borgo Santo Pietro
Relais Borgo Santo Pietro is a lovely boutique hotel nestled in the rolling hills of Italy’s Tuscan wine region. Located just outside the old world town of Palazzetto, the entrance to the hotel is unassuming and almost unnoticeable. Once inside the cast iron gates guests are treated to lavender lined winding stone drives and perfectly manicured regional foliage. Staff members greet every guest at the end of the drive with offers of local apertivos and libations. Once situated with their drink of choice, guests are offered an immediate tour of the property while their bags are placed in their suite. Once a private villa, the hotel has remained quintessentially Tuscan boasting ancient 13th century stone walls and terra-cotta shingles. Upon entering the main “house”, guests find themselves amongst what feels like an ancient Tuscan villa. There’s nothing that suggests you’ve walked into the lobby of a hotel, in fact it feels quite the opposite. A functioning fireplace surrounded by vintage settees and books about the old world make guests feel at home, rather than at a hotel. The communal part of the main floor of the house includes a reception room, a large chef’s kitchen with dining table, and a glass lined living room complete with billiard table and a view of the gardens. Read More ›
