The Weekend Guide : Newport & Narragansett, RI

Who doesn't love seaside towns.. They're chill, laid-back, and have their own culture of nautical inspired designs and fashion. Narragansett and Newport, Rhode Island (the sailing capital of the world) are only a 3 hour drive from Manhattan and two to three days gives you just enough time to sail, see, shop, drink and be merry. Here's a quick bucket list....

The Weekend Guide : Cold Spring, Hudson Valley

One of my favorite things to do, especially in the summer, is take short weekend jaunts to cool, new places. Over the Memorial weekend I hopped on a train bound for Cold Springs in the majestic Hudson Valley. It's worth the trip if just to get to the completely fantastic Cold Spring Apothecary on Main St. The shop is impeccably designed from the vintagey-organic interior right down to every piece of packaging for its line of hair, skin and body treatments, candles, soaps, and soothing fragrances. The products are hand-made right in the store with 100% natural ingredients and I do not exaggerate when I say this store is the best discovery I've made all year, I just looove this place and the merchandise. Shopping works up an appetite and Cathryn's Tuscan Grill did not disappoint with a too-delicious-for-words artichoke ravioli special. There's also Hudson Hil's, a cute French cafe across the street from Cathryn's that's good for sandwiches or desserts. After browsing Cold Spring's numerous antique shops end the day at The Pig Hill Inn and you've had yourself a mighty fine weekend.

Day-Tripping in Pisa

Though best known for its Leaning Tower of Pisa, this medieval town has tons more to see and do and has managed to retain that enchanting old appearance. The famous tower was built as a bell tower for the 1000 year old Duomo right "next door" which is full of amazing artwork and sculptures. The buildings (including the round Baptistery) combine Moorish, Gothic and Romanesque architectural design and just outside of the Piazza dei Miracoli, a walk along the gorgeous Arno river and through the town are just as nice, if not more. And did I mention how delicious the food was? Yeah, go. LoL

When to Go: Avoid the crowds and go during off season, late Sept - Nov. and May- Jun. 

Day-Tripping in Philly

One of my favorite things about traveling is finding cool little places with unique trinkets that I can bring back home. I absolutely fell in love with The Little Apple, a boutique of new, vintage and repurposed pieces, such as a gorgeous Hollywood film set room divider. There were vintage postcards, artsy wine bags, great jewelry, coffee table books, etc. Molly, the delightful shopkeeper and owner stocks the shelves with such fantastic things that I wished I could bring the whole store back with me in a shopping bag. I even wanted to take the dog, LoL!

I Heart Street Art : Manayunk

A quick day trip to Manyaunk, a small neighborhood in Philadelphia, lands you smack dab in the middle of some really cool street art. Besides already having art covering some buildings and walls, the Mural Arts Project is an additional effort to infuse this chill Philly outpost with new and innovative public art. 

I Want Gelato!

I'm so craving a raspberry gelato right now! The ones that are all fruit and no milk. If I could just fly over to Santini's gelateria and buy 2 cones with 4 scoops. It may be in Cascais, Portugal but it's 100% authentic Italian gelato and no trip is complete without it! I wish I could have some right now.. Anybody else wanting gelato now that summer is here, or is it just me? 

(second image from here)

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Day-Tripping in Morocco

I hopped on a quick ferry from Tarifa, Spain and spent an interesting day in Tangier, Morocco – wrapping a snake around my neck, dancing with a cobra, admiring the Islamic designs, and shopping through the winding alleys. (Which by the way, smelled like straight up funk.) But what can I say about the smell, they deal with skins and leathers in this town, haha.. Worth the trip anyway!

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The Castle of Sintra Portugal

Pálacio Nacional da Pena in Sintra, Portugal is one of the most stunning pieces of architectural whimsy ever constructed. The palace, designed mainly in the country's Manueline style, displays intricately sculpted windows, perfectly paneled azulejo tiles, and Moorish influenced arches and detailing. The town sits just a half hour outside of Lisbon and is spectacular, with much to see, so allot at least a full day here. Photo-ops are at every turn, so grab that selfie stick out and get ready to feed your hungry Instagram.

The Dead Sea - Jordan

The Dead Sea got its name not because you can float like a dead person, but because the salinity is so high that no form of life exists in the water. And when you look out to the other side where Israel is, you can really see the 'dead calm'. So 10-15 minutes in the water was good enough for me!.. The salt causes a really weird "under your skin" feeling but I must say, that whatever other minerals are in the sea, they worked wonders in keeping my hair from curling.. Lol.

Cold at first... But then all good!

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The Chianti Wine Region of Italy

In case you missed my feature in last month's issue of Vécu magazine, here is the piece on Chianti. Make sure to check out my other stop in the Tuscan town of Lucca!

"Ok, I don't drink but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a little bit of wine-tasting... I absolutely love the art and cultivation of the wines and the delicious food culture that surrounds it. By the way, have you ever noticed how creative and graphic liquor bottle designs are? They're fantastic and another thing to love about wine culture. During our time in Tuscany, my sister and I decided to spend an afternoon in Chianti visiting one of many spectacular vineyards in the region. Unfortunately I have since forgotten its name but it was set in a splendid castle-style structure and surrounded by miles and miles of grape deliciousness. (I should have snatched a few while no one was looking) But no matter, we had our selection of cheeses and then went for a walk in the town where we had some of Caffe Lepanto's exceptional gelato... I went with raspberry :-)"

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A rooster , the symbol of Chianti Classico.

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Day-Tripping in Uruguay's Colonia del Sacramento

Just a ferry ride across the Rio de la Plata from Buenos Aires and you're in Uruguay's oldest town, Colonia del Sacramento. Founded by the Portuguese and taken over by the Spanish, its overgrown colorful trees, cobblestone streets, cozy waterfront cafes, and sunset made for the perfect day trip. It's no wonder why the historic center is a World Heritage Site...now all I needed was that bicycle.

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