Moving from Los Angeles to the tiny town of Mendocino (population 855) in the middle of a pandemic turned out to be one of the most unusual decisions I have ever made. The natural beauty and tranquility act like a balm to the world’s troubles (politics! fires!), but, it should come as little surprise, meeting people while masked up and social distancing has proven difficult. On the other hand, as the world opens up a bit, traveling in both … [Read more...]
About Angela Matano
From cajoling four friends into traversing the country in a rickety '69 Dodge Van during a high school summer to finding herself in Falciano del Massico, near Naples, surrounded by a half-dozen women sharing her full name, Angela Matano has always looked to travel to put the spring in her step. Now located in Mendocino, CA, and having acquired a pug, pit bull, four-year-old son and somewhat reluctant husband, Angela continues to embrace adventures big and small, from Yosemite to Paris to Disneyland. She writes for Dave's Travel Corner, OffMetro, Campus Circle and Mommy Poppins.
Sirmione, Lake Garda: When You Need a Vacation From Your Vacation
Churches, paintings and palaces are all well and good, great even, but sometimes a traveler needs a little respite from all that culture (right, honey?). Lake Como may be the most famous and glitterati-ist body of water in Italy, thanks to you, Mr. George Clooney, but Lake Garda sparkles quietly, like a hidden gem – at least as far as Americans are concerned. The largest lake in the country, Lake Garda is about an hour’s train ride from … [Read more...]
Philadelphia State of Mind
For an L.A. girl, Philadelphia beckons with the charms of time – stratums of culture, history, beauty – that result in a city pulsating with energy. Sure, sunshine, palm trees and sandy beaches sparkle on the surface, but the City of Brotherly Love, enriched by centuries, fascinates in a way newer American cities cannot compete with. With the Democratic National Convention coming in July, this 17th century town is about to explode. With 18 … [Read more...]
Mom’s Weekend in NYC: Press Reset
It’s become a cliche that moms don’t prioritize themselves enough, but that doesn’t make it any less true. It’s difficult to hear your own thoughts, needs and desires when someone else’s needs keep needling into your brain, demanding milk, socks and Zerby Derby. As with triage, the most urgent desires get attended to first and lesser urges, namely your own, get relegated and relegated until they begin to atrophy. A weekend away may seem a … [Read more...]
Honeymoon in Vienna
Sigmund Freud, apfelstrudel and Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss clinched my decision to honeymoon in Vienna. When you think about it, psychology, food and art are not the worst foundation for a good marriage. Oh, and Before Sunrise, the movie where Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke spend a day in this romantic Austrian city falling in love. Famous for being the center of the Habsburg dynasty in the 15th century, Vienna used its newfound power for good, at … [Read more...]
Disneyland for Romance
Having recently married, (an unlikely side effect of Obamacare) I seem to find my brain stuck in amorous overdrive - the unlikely beneficiary being my husband, with an impromptu trip for two to the Magic Kingdom. It’s true that many react incredulously to the idea of adults wanting to frolic in a place so firmly aimed at the juvenile but, as a child from Southern California, I have always loved Disneyland and my affection hasn’t waned one bit. … [Read more...]
Travel Locally – It’s amazing what you can find nearby
I have travelled some in my life, flown to Europe, Central and South America and have driven across the country a few times. Just the formulation of a trip, pinning a picaresque photo on Pinterest even, can make me giddy. So it was with great surprise that I stumbled on a nearby destination, just as fulfilling and foreign as many of my more exotic jaunts: Big Bear Lake, a scant 100 miles from home. When you grow up in a big city, like Los … [Read more...]