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…

A long weekend in Tucson, AZ

A long weekend in Tucson, AZ

Arizona’s “second city,” makes a great snowbird weekend getaway for adventure and food. It is often overlooked for spa retreats in Scottsdale or the landscape of bucket list destinations such as Flagstaff,  Sedona, or the Grand Canyon. Tucson, which is surrounded by desert and mountains, is the best place to see the large Saguaro cactus….

A weekend in Napa Valley, CA

A weekend in Napa Valley, CA

The rolling hills of Napa Valley have become synonymous with images of culinary excellence and award-winning wine. Much to many Francophiles’ surprise, the area was put on the global wine map when two local vineyards won in a blind taste test at the “Paris Wine Tasting of 1976.” Napa Valley is now best known for…

A long weekend in Portland, ME

A long weekend in Portland, ME

This quaint New England seaside city has converted numerous pre-war maritime warehouses to art galleries, restaurants and bars. This among many other New England state capitals brings a thriving restaurant scene to walkable historic cities that are easily manageable on a weekend. This is a great long weekend from Boston, MA, and is only a…

5 Seaside Getaways from Boston

5 Seaside Getaways from Boston

5 Seaside Getaways to take this summer from Boston, while safely Social Distancing: Cape Cod, MA No matter where you are coming from, Bostonians always call it “the Cape.” Cape Cod is known for beautiful beaches along its 400 miles of shoreline.  My favorite beaches are the ones along the Cape Cod National Seashore, especially…

A four day itinerary in the Cotswolds, England.

A four day itinerary in the Cotswolds, England.

The rolling green hills are decorated with honey-colored limestone houses with stone shingled roofs. Each village seems quintessentially British with a local pub and tea shops downtown. With the industrial revolution and the development of cotton this region saw a major economic decline and many people left the countryside for the city. Now it’s a…

The ultimate long weekend in Barcelona: 3 day itinerary

The ultimate long weekend in Barcelona: 3 day itinerary

Barcelona, this vibrant coastal city buzzing with life, has long been one of my favorite cities in the world. The Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudí, modernized the city with colorful and eccentric buildings such as Casa Batllo, La Pedrera, and the Sagrada Familia church that add to the enjoyment of Barcelona make it more memorable. This…