Getting Here The estate is located about 25 minutes outside of Florence Italy in the small town of Bargino. This is almost directly south of Florence, off of Highway SR 2 and only about 30 minutes from the beautiful town of Siena. Many airlines and flights connect to Florence including Alitalia, Air Berlin, Delta, KLM and Lufthansa. The Family The Antinori's own one of the world's oldest continuously operating family businesses. … [Read more...]
Tedeschi Winery, Verona Italy
I've known Emil Tedeschi for a number of years, owner of Napa Valley's tiny Tedeschi Family Winery, not to be confused with the Tedeschi Winery, Maui - which Emil also co-founded. He has mentioned the Tedeschi Winery in Verona Italy more than a few times. So with my brother living in Verona and describing my upcoming trip to visit him, Emil jumped at the opportunity to come along. Emil has co-piloted a single engine plane - 16 hours from San … [Read more...]
Wrinkles and Dimples
Entering through the gates of our destination, I stopped in my place. Through the gleam of nature in the dainty courtyard was a tiny old woman, approaching us. She was welcoming us but my heart wavered, quickening a beat or two. An earlier encounter with an old Chinese woman was one I would not soon forget. It had been only days earlier when we were waiting at a bus stop, fully laden with our backpacks, moving onward. People were going about … [Read more...]
Alegria Mens Shoe Collection
Alegria Shoes (Updated May 2013) Alegria has historically been recognized for their women's shoes but earlier this year they released a new Men's Collection for 2013 - featuring shoes for both professionals as well as casual footwear. These shoes are fashionable yet highly durable - they are certainly built to last. The sole is both cork, latex and memory foam and provides excellent comfort. Great with jeans. In our case, great for … [Read more...]
Rural Romanian Village Homestay
Greetings from rural Romania! After a smooth 2 hour train ride I was met at the station depot by Mr. Saure, an agronomist engineer who volunteered to show me around town. He spoke very little English - so we headed right to the local museum where we were met by Dan who spoke very good English. This museum is not your typical village museum - rather it encompasses 40 acres of which a number is set aside for orchards, a demo vineyard and many … [Read more...]
Village Life, Romania
I am always researching travel sites and travel blogs and came across one several years ago, Watermelon Nomads, run by the husband wife team of Greg and Alexandra - a quote on their website by Alexandra inspired me to write them at that time. "I believe now that the richness of a travel experience is given by the ability of switching perspectives. We live in a world of cliches, where our image and feelings about a place usually come either … [Read more...]
Exploring Bucharest
After a quick glimpse and walk around old town at 7am in the morning - this part of Bucharest seems to be old world meets construction zone. Apparently this part of Bucharest is seeing a revitalization of sorts - not sure where the money is coming from for this but there are a number of major projects in this part of town including businesses remodeling their own buildings in the middle of the old city. As someone I met last night mentioned, … [Read more...]
Chatham Vineyards Virginia
I recently ventured to Virginia to acquaint myself with this state's blossoming wine industry. Wine in Virginia has a venerable history, dating back to Jamestown and the ten vines that each settler was required to tend. Local boy Thomas Jefferson was on a life-long quest to produce a successful vineyard, and judging from my recent visit, he would be pleased with what today's producers are doing. There are nearly 200 wineries throughout the … [Read more...]
Mad Scientists at Raymond Winery
My first impression of Raymond Winery when I arrive for my "Winemaker for a Day" blending experience with my fiance, Tom, is that we are at a traditional Napa winery. The "Winemaker for Day" experience involves creating my own wine blend and bottling the wine to take home with my own label - which I am currently designing with a happy employee named Casey at the tasting room counter. The tasting room has beige walls and white counter-tops with a … [Read more...]
A Bicycle Built for Two
While I was house-sitting a 15th-century farmhouse in historical Gascony, with a backyard view of the snow-capped Pyrennees, I decided one bracing morning over a cafe du lait to hire a bike and make a pilgrimage to one of France's oddest pilgrimage sites: "NOTRE DAME DES CYCLISTES." Looking decidedly uncool in my fuzzy Patagonia jacket, Tintin T-shirt, Gap shorts, white athletic socks, and Rockport walking shoes, I pedaled like a madman, … [Read more...]
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