Category Archives: Off-the-beaten-track

Sagnino Serenitá

We conclude our sixth week way up in Como’s Sagnino hills, on the Swiss-Italian border. We wave buongiorno each morning to friends in Zurich from our barrel-vaulted hipster apartment. Yes, we know they can’t see us, but we greet them … Continue reading

Posted in International, Italian Travel, Off-the-beaten-track | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Montreal: Off the Beaten Track

How do you write about travel when you’re not traveling? We’re sequestered. Our wings are clipped. It’s a fallow period. But here are memories of some favorite places while we wait to continue our travels (we hope) later in 2021. … Continue reading

Posted in Art and Culture, East Coast Travel, Farm-to-Table, Festivals, Food and Wine, International, Jazz Festival, Montreal, Music, Off-the-beaten-track, Travel | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Nevis: Bohos in the Wild Blue

How do you write about travel when you’re not traveling? We’re sequestered. Our wings are clipped — it’s a fallow period. Here is a warm memory of a favorite destination while we wait to resume our travels (we hope) later … Continue reading

Posted in Caribbean travel, Food and Wine, International, Nevis, Off-the-beaten-track, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

My Montecatini

Montecatini Terme is a happy Tuscan mix of art, culture, and legendary spa scene. Belle Époque is the graceful era between 1890 and 1914 when Montecatini developed its elegant spa-style. Art Nouveau bathhouses set in a verdant, landscaped parks offered … Continue reading

Posted in Art and Culture, Food and Wine, International, Italian Travel, Off-the-beaten-track, Opera, Theater, Travel, Tuscany | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Three Boroughs, Three Olives, 33 Hours

These are perilous times, and my democracy grief is overpowering. No one is selling tickets for civility and truth, so I grab tickets to Medea at Brooklyn Academy of Music. BAM’s contemporary production is harrowing and utterly relatable. Based on … Continue reading

Posted in Bobby Cannavalle, New York City, Off-the-beaten-track, Politics and Other Mistakes, Portland Maine, Retro-Travel, Theater | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Florence: Fashion & Friendship

I arrive on a golden Tuscan morning, hire a car and check into centrally located Hotel Malaspina. The B&B’s cheerful staff, robust breakfasts, Wifi, rooftop terrace, cozy rooms and free valet parking (yes, I said free valet parking) make it … Continue reading

Posted in Art and Culture, Food and Wine, International, Italian Travel, Off-the-beaten-track, Travel, Tuscany | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Eating Montreal

Montreal’s burgeoning food scene rivals any “best of” city, even my tasty little hometown of Portland, Maine. Glowing fruit and vegetables in mysterious heirloom varieties, divine buffalo mozzarella, robust cider vinegar, flinty wines, and oh, the duck! Pillowy gnocchi and … Continue reading

Posted in Canada, East Coast Travel, Farm-to-Table, Festivals, Food and Wine, Holiday Travel, International, Jazz Festival, Maine, Maine Travel, Montreal, Music, Off-the-beaten-track, Quebec | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Take A Bow

It’s a long and winding road to Montreal. Hours of rural Maine, New Hampshire and a tiny slice of Vermont zip by before we cross into the rolling hills of Canada. We pause at leafy Café Ailleurs for our annual bonjour … Continue reading

Posted in Canada, East Coast Travel, Festivals, Food and Wine, Holiday Travel, International, Jazz Festival, Maine, Montreal, Music, Off-the-beaten-track, Quebec | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Born To Run

My pal theater boy somehow scores tickets to Bruce Springsteen on Broadway. Magic, sleight of hand and surprise are just a few of his many gifts. We arrive rumpled and in need of a recharge. It is not quite noon. … Continue reading

Posted in Art and Culture, Documentary Film, East Coast Travel, Food and Wine, New York City, Off-the-beaten-track, Theater, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Como Cool

We’re in the heart of downtown Como on via Dante, across from the imposing peaks that characterize the lake. We watch the changing light from our expansive, columned deck.Our apartment is a comfy version of Italian modern — upscale, sleek and … Continue reading

Posted in Food and Wine, Italian Travel, Lake Como, Off-the-beaten-track | Tagged , , | 1 Comment