{Travel}

Venice Vidi Vici

5.18.12
photos by george billard

I’ve had fun all over again this week, going through the many photos from our vacation. I’ve showed you some highlights, but I haven’t really shared the impetus for this trip. It all began with an invitation to celebrate the 50th birthday of my beloved college roommate in a palazzo on the Grand Canal. Who could refuse? Sixty lucky souls turned up at the Palazzo Loredan dell’Ambasciatore for a black-tie fête on the night of the super moon. It truly felt like the most special once-in-a-lifetime experience, but I hope we’ll all end up back there when she turns 75. The palazzo was everything you might imagine: vast, lavishly furnished (including ornate Murano glass chandeliers) and complete with its own mustachioed butler. You could ride up to the palazzo in your water taxi, leap gracefully onto the small wooden dock and pass through the iron gate to the ground floor’s echoing marble hall. What a life!

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , , ,

comments11 Comments

{Eating, Travel}

Buon Appetito

5.17.12
photos by george billard & gluttonforlife

I was tempted to title this post “The Girl Who Ate Venice.” I think I mentioned to you that I went on a juice fast the second we touched down at JFK. I wouldn’t say we grossly overindulged, but you know that restaurant food is just that much richer, and I can’t say we really denied ourselves much. Everywhere you go in Venice, people are eating gelato, and the flavors are irresistible: the deepest, most fragrant coffee; nutty pistachio; fior di latte (flower of milk) that tastes of the purest cream; fig and walnut; fresh strawberry…who could resist? I was armed with 6 pages of restaurant recommendations, culled from friends, the internet and a long-hoarded issue of Departures magazine devoted to Venice, and I feel like we barely made a dent. We didn’t make it to either Da Fiore or Alle Testiere, two much-touted restaurants on everyone’s lists, but we had many wonderful meals.

 

You may have noticed that most of the Venice photos were taken by G. Despite my best intentions, I find that I get caught up in the moment when we’re traveling, and have a hard time remembering to shoot. Also, when you’re in a cozy little trattoria surrounded by locals, you don’t really want to pull out your honking Nikon (or even your iphone) and start snapping away. That said, there’s plenty of eye candy coming up.

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , , , , , , , ,

comments6 Comments

{Travel}

Handsome Prints

5.16.12
photos by george billard

We hit the ground running in Venice, dropping our bags at the sweet garden apartment we rented in the Dorsoduro neighborhood (more on that another day), and hoofed it right up to Canareggio in the northern part of the city to visit Gianni Basso Stampatore. G had brought me to this dark sliver of a shop on Calle del Fumo last time we were in Venice, but it was closed on that cold day in early January and I vowed to return. The window was tantalizingly full of gorgeous calling cards created for an eclectic roster of luminaries, including names as diverse as Hugh Grant, Pierre Bergé and Gael Greene. Gianni himself mans the shop (though his son now works with him, too) and I was thrilled to spend some time with this genial Venetian who is responsible for such beautiful letterpress creations.

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , , , , ,

comments8 Comments

{Travel}

Fair Market

5.14.12
photos by george billard

Venice is truly transporting. The magic of the place is hard to describe. It’s a convergence of so many things: beautiful muted colors, lovely gardens, a culture of art, rich history, outdoor cafés, unique topography, no cars, the patina of age. It’s arguably the world’s most beautiful city, and definitely one you must visit in this lifetime. It’s hard to say what is my favorite aspect but, if pressed, I might name the Rialto market. All and sundry turn up here on a daily basis to shop for seafood, fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as meats and cheeses. Elegant Venetian matrons pulling their trolleys, gawking tourists with cameras, young couples in love and mothers with strollers rub shoulders in front of amazing displays of the Veneto’s finest. It’s here you get a sense of the unique riches this region has to offer. As everywhere in Venice, there are little cafés surrounding the market, my favorite of which is Al Mercà, really no more than a kiosk where you can get fantastic wines and the very best little sandwiches.

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , , ,

comments5 Comments

{Travel}

Wanderlust

5.2.12

 

There’s good new and there’s bad news. I’ll give you the bad first: My blog was horribly hacked and all sorts of things went haywire. The subscriber email alerts stopped working, the site got “blacklisted” and who knows what else. On the upside, magical elves have stepped in and made some changes, so everything should be working well soon if not right now. A new design is forthcoming in the next month or so. AND,  I’m leaving for Venice this evening!! It is, without a doubt, among the most magical places I have ever been. This time, G and I rented a little garden apartment in Dorsoduro for the week and plan to shop at the Rialto market, eat cichetti and stroll aimlessly to our hearts’ content. And let’s not forget the impetus for the trip: a black-tie birthday bash in honor of a dear friend at this glorious palazzo…

 

palazzo loredan dell’ambasciatore

Despite our recent Hawaiian idyll, I feel desperately in need of a vacation and am longing for a few carefree days with the freedom to explore and discover, and no pressure from deadlines. I promise plenty of pictures and detailed accounts of all the wonders we encounter. Ciao for now!

 

Tagged—, , ,

comments6 Comments

{Home, Travel}

A Hudson Valley Home

3.29.12
photos courtesy of ayumi horie

In September of 2009, after nearly 25 years in New York City, I decamped for the little cottage in Sullivan County that had been our weekend escape. It was among the best moves of my life. Recently, I read in World of Interiors magazine (one of my greatest sources of inspiration) about an artist residing in the most spare and beautiful cottage on the rocky coast of England. She said that being so far from the city enabled her to resist the trends and tug of consumerism so present in a throbbing metropolis, and fueled her artistic endeavors. Like her, I often go all day without speaking to anyone, except perhaps Titi, my boon feline companion. I am more in touch with my self and my creative impulses than ever before. I ebb and flow with the rhythm of the seasons now; the natural world is compelling and so alive to me. If this sort of existence tempts you, consider making a move of your own. There is an amazing little compound with a Victorian church for sale in the Hudson Valley that could be the answer to your dreams.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , ,

comments4 Comments

{Eating, Garden, Travel}

Best Lei’d Plans

3.27.12
photos by gluttonforlife & george billard

I was hell-bent on eating poi during my Hawaiian vacation. You know me, always determined to have that authentic experience. Guess what? No luck. The restaurant scene on the Big Island is kind of bleak. The place voted the island’s best was resoundingly mediocre. Lilikoi (that’s passionfruit) is ubiquitous, except it wasn’t in season and overly-sweetened concentrate was being used for everything from cocktails to custards. Just not the same. And why not serve the amazing guavas, mangoes and strawberries that were colossally fresh and delicious? Well, because many Hawaiians, like their fellow mainlanders, have let go of much of their traditional, locally grown food and now rely on processed crap. Poi, a starchy paste made from fermented taro (or sometimes breadfruit), and traditionally eaten with fish was not on any restaurant menu. I didn’t see it at any of the markets we visited, either. Foiled! We ended up cooking at home quite a bit since our rentals were equipped with pretty good kitchens and we ate well, mostly thanks to the beautiful farmers market in Hilo.

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , , , , , , ,

comments9 Comments

{Garden, Travel}

Nature Calls

3.26.12
photos by george billard

Hawaii’s Big Island was full of impressively lush vistas like this one. For the first part of our stay, we were on a wonderful private ranch at the island’s northern tip, near Hawi. Horses, chickens and a sweet dog roamed the property where our group of six inhabited two separate bungalows. Ours had a hot tub and a resident spider (see below). There were avocado, mango, macadamia, guava and papaya trees and an organic vegetable garden. From our high bed we could look out over blooming violet jacarandas and golden-green meadows to the ocean in the distance. It was heavenly. Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , , , , ,

commentsNo Comments

{Eating, Garden, Health, Home, Travel}

Weekend Update: Jiggety Jig

3.23.12
photos by gluttonforlife

Home again, home again. As much as I love to travel, sometimes I think coming home is the best part. Especially when the transition from balmy Hawaii to balmy New York is so smooth. (Minus the jet lag, of course.) Our trip to the Big Island was extraordinary, and I plan to tell you all about it, but I hit the ground running and have not yet had a chance to sort through all the photos, much less my thoughts. So that’s for next week. For now, a few glimpses of spring’s first signs—it’s arrived fast and furious in these parts—and links to some of my latest discoveries. I’m chomping at the bit to start foraging and have a long list of wild edibles I’m determined to find this season. By the way, I’ve missed you madly and realize all over again what a wonderful creative and social outlet this blog is for me.

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , , , , , ,

comments6 Comments

{Eating, Travel}

A Good Week

3.2.12
photo by janet

I awoke very early this morning to a melodious cacophony right outside the bedroom window: scores of red-winged blackbirds! They migrate back at this time of year, arriving as spring’s heralds, their brilliant flashes of scarlet so striking against the recent snowfall. It was the perfect cap to an overflowing week that included a trip to the city and another to the Berkshires. Lots of driving, but the white wintry landscape was poetic after so many drab grey weeks. I got infusions of culture and nature in equal measure, including deeply satisfying snuggles with a few newborn lambs. What could be better? Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged—, , , , , ,

comments2 Comments

Newer  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12  Older