How Not to Get Ripped Off Eating in Italy

I found a link to this great article on a blog I read often called Rome Reveled.

It is a rather lengthy post on how to make sure you pick the right restaurants to eat in as well as how not to pay too much for your food and drink.  Click Here to check it out.  I found it very helpful and hope you do as well.

On the same blog there is an excellent article on what to eat when in Rome.  Click Here to read it.

Gnocchi Day in Rome

Apparently Thursdays are Gnocchi Day in Rome.  Many restaurants will add a gnocchi special to their menu.

Therefore I am posting it here as a reminder.

DELISH!!!!!

Documenting your travels

One of the many thoughts that runs through my mind about our upcoming trip is how best to capture the journey so that we can look back on it for years to come. I do, whole-heartedly believe that the most import piece is to be present in every moment so that the trip lives in my memory first and foremost.

However, I do derive much pleasure from collecting keepsakes, taking photos, and journaling. And so, it is inevitable that these activities will play a part in my overall experience.

I came across a blog whose author took a trip to Paris recently. She took some wonderful photos and videos, blogged about it, and put together a hard-copy journal with all kinds of fantastic tid-bits. Her process gave me inspiration and I thought I would share it here. The name of the blog is "Dispatch from LA", and here is a link to her Paris related posts. Enjoy!

Books, Booze and Chocolate

Ok, I have fallen in love with the An American in Rome Blog.  I want to share so many of her posts.   She is originally from California.  A few years ago she bought a one way ticket to Rome and has been there ever since.  She writes from the perspective of a local with the excitement of a tourist.  It is a wonderful combination.

Here is a post I just ran across (as I read every post in her blog) that I just had to document.  Edible chocolate shot glasses at a bar in Trastevere.  A MUST DO!!

Books, Booze and Chocolate

Our Apartment in Paris

While we are staying in a hotel in Rome, we have decided to stay in apartments in Florence and Paris.  Our Paris apartment is located in the St. Germain neighborhood on the left bank.  We found it on VRBO and chose it due to its central location as well as the the fact that 26 of the 27 reviewers gave it five stars (the other one was 4 stars).  Here is the description from VRBO:

Located in few hundred feet from St Germain des Pres,exactly 45 rue de sevres, cross the street from the subway station Sevres Babylone you are in a Quarter Latin, busy at day and quiet at night. This is a spacious all new remodeled studio, 30 meters square, 1100 cubic feet,, Everything is brand new from the floor, wall, ceiling, painting, power, furniture, kitchen, appliance, bathroom, shower, tv,bed, matress the kitchen with fridge, cooking place, microwave, and all you need. 2 adults bed size and a convertible sofa for 1or 2 more person, will allow 2 to 4 people to stay. The place also have a new ac,, The studio is on a second floor with elevator, located on a private court, 2 safety code to go in the building.batroom,toilettes, shower are insuite,,also a smoke detector,, This is one of the best areas in Paris, you are on a front of the famous Bon Marche store who is the older retail store in Paris. One off the most safe area in Paris because we are surrounded by ambassy and gouverment office,,,

Close to St Sulpice Church, Montparnasse Tower, Rodin museum, St Germain Des Pres. Many restaurants and store around. The Luxembourg Parc, the Seine river few minutes away.

In addition to the reviews and location, the queen size bed, elevator, free internet and long distance calls were all things that helped sway us to select this apartment.  Click Here to be taken to the VRBO Listing.

We will write a review after our trip.

Directions from Orly Airport...for our documentation purposes:

Orly Train to RER B Anthony Station
RER B train towards downtown Paris
Exit Port Royal Station
West on Bd du Montparnasse
Right on Bd Raspail
Left on Rue de Sevres
Apartment 1 block down

Campo de Fiori to Trastevere

Found these easy directions on the blog An American in Rome.  Love finding little things like this that I just know I will use so I don't have to pull out a big map and be all touristy.

How to Get from Campo de’ Fiori to Trastevere:

• Walk away from the statue, down Via dei Giubbonari.
• When you see the crazy little church (Santa Barbara dei Librai) on your left, turn right.
• Walk straight down the narrow street and cross Ponte Sisto.
• Tah Dah. Welcome to Trastevere.

And by the way, Julius Cesar was assassinated at Santa Barbara dei Librai.  Pretty cool factoid I was unaware of until reading this blog.  Check it out. 

Tuscany...So Much To See, So Little Time.

We are going to be in Florence for 5 nights and want to spend at least two days out in Tuscany.  The question is....where to go?  There looks to be so many wonderful towns, how are you supposed to choose.  We want to eat wonderful food, drink great wine, shop and just stroll around people watching.   It sounds like every town offers these options, and more, so I guess there isn't a bad choice in the bunch.  That being said, choices need to be made and we are having a difficult time making them.   It is certainly more difficult since we will not have a car.

We are considering the Original Slow Day in Tuscany Tour.  It is a small group tour with a maximum of eight people although in reading the reviews, often times you have the tour all to yourself.  Pretty much all the reviews give it five stars on Trip Advisor and it sounds wonderful.   Here is a snip-it from their website.

Your day starts at 9.30am at the meeting point. From there we head straight to the family-owned vineyard. After a leisurely wine tasting and the opportunity to learn about chianti wines, we go on foot through the vines and olive orchards to the Medieval hill town.

Lunch at a family run slow-food restaurant is for many one of the highlights of the day. For those wanting to taste the typical local recipes that have made Tuscany renowned for foodies the world over this is for you!

In the afternoon you will be able to explore one of Tuscany's most charming villages, with a piazza where the wine harvest is held each year, arcades of artisan shops and local produce.

 It is also quite inexpensive at 125 euros for nearly 8 hours and includes lunch and wine tasting.

We are also considering a private tour by Sergio at Scenic Wine Tours of Tuscany.  They have some fantastic day tours.  They are more expensive at around 200 euros per person, but you have the guide all to yourself and can customize your experience.  There are 13 reviews on Trip Advisor for him and every one is 5 stars.

I just found this website today....Globetrotter Girls.  This is a very interesting blog about two women who took all of 2011 off and traveled the world.  They spent some time in Tuscany and list the following as their top 5 towns to visit when visiting.

• San Gimignano

• Siena

• Volterra

• Lucca

• Barga

It is a very interesting blog that I will have to spend more time exploring.

Not sure why or if I am really complaining.  We should probably book these two tours and move on, but....there are so many great towns and we want to see them all.   If anyone has any suggestions, we would love to hear them.  We will keep searching and exploring and will eventually do a post with what we decide to do.

It's The Cheese

How can you go to Italy and Paris without considering all of the wonderful food you will enjoy....especially THE CHEESE! I found this handy tool to get familiar with cheese. What kind of wine goes with which cheese (because wine is the only thing more important than the cheese)? The folks at Artisinal Premium Cheese have done a great job with this education process and feature a "Cheese Clock" here.

This research business is work, work, work! Ah, but how sweet it is.