A Day in Lecce, Italy

A Day in Lecce, Italy

Known as the “Florence of the South” for its beautiful Baroque buildings. Surrounded by gentle hillsides dotted with enchanting villages, Lecce is a laid-back city with hospitable people, great food and natural and architectural beauty.  A university city and capital of the province by the same name in the Apulia (or Puglia in English) region…

Ten Days in Puglia, Italy

Ten Days in Puglia, Italy

Puglia, Italy is known for its terraced country gardens, whitewashed villages, fresh farm-to-table restaurants and seaside Adriatic towns. For those who say Italy looks like a boot, this is the “heel” region. Once a part of mankind’s first democracy as part of Magna Grecia (ancient Greece), the region is rich and deep in history. When…

Two days in Alberobello, Italy

Two days in Alberobello, Italy

Alberobello (direct translation is “pretty tree”), the UNESCO world heritage site is known for their signature Trulli houses. A Trulli looks like a hobbit or troll house, but is a small hut-like building with conical ceiling in the Puglia region of Italy. Originally used as a storage house, the rural Puglia roads are dappled with…

A day in…Downtown Brooklyn

A day in…Downtown Brooklyn

Small businesses sandwiched amid older landmarked buildings, as new luxury developments outpace each other in this once gritty and tired neighborhood. Downtown Brooklyn is now a thriving neighborhood while still holding true to its original bustling community.  Timing: I love downtown Brooklyn during the annual Atlantic Antic festival which is a street fair run by…

A weekend in Madison, Wisconsin

A weekend in Madison, Wisconsin

Madison, Wisconsin, “America’s Dairyland”, is known for their warm people, cold winters, and seasonal ales. Home to the Wisconsin State Capital and the flagship University of Wisconsin, similar to other college towns, there is a large university presence. As you may guess when looking at the Green Bay Packers mascot, the state is known for…

A weekend in Chicago, IL

A weekend in Chicago, IL

Chicago, the “Jewel of the Midwest,” known for its deep-dish pizza, jazz music, architecture, and …notorious mobsters. Chicago is the third largest city in the United States. Unlike New York and Los Angeles, you can get a good feel for the city during a weekend getaway. Sometimes called The Windy City (lore says its for…

A Day in…Oakland, CA!

A Day in…Oakland, CA!

Oakland, a melting pot of all cultures. The birthplace of the Black Panther Movement. At one time or another, home to writers Gertrude Stein and Jack London. Continually labeled the Brooklyn of the West, Oakland has been rapidly gentrified with a notable infusion of hipsters and young professionals. Older buildings are being refurbished buildings, as…

A day in…Red Hook, Brooklyn!

A day in…Red Hook, Brooklyn!

Red Hook’s waterfront cobblestone streets give this refurbished neighborhood the ambiance of a quaint, seaside town. It is the home to numerous pre-civil war maritime warehouses converted to art galleries, restaurants and Ample Hills, Brooklyn’s favorite ice cream shop.  Red Hook was settled by the Dutch in the 17th century.  During the American Civil War,…

A day in…the Mission District!

A day in…the Mission District!

The Mission District is named after the historic Missión San Francisco de Asís and the adjacent Basilica, known colloquially as “Mission Dolores.” In more recent times, the neighborhood has been a hip Latino neighborhood, known for its art, music and food scene. While gentrification has changed the vibe of some sections, such as Valencia Street…