A Parisian Apartment Style Brunch

A Parisian Apartment Style Brunch

One of the most alluring reasons to stay in a Parisian apartment while visiting Paris is savoring a taste of the French way of life. With a boulangerie, fruit market, grocery, patisserie, butcher and international market on nearly every block, it’s easy to gather the freshest, tastiest ingredients each day to create memorable bites.

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Our Stay in a Romantic Parisian Apartment

Our Stay in a Romantic Parisian Apartment

With sparkling crystal chandeliers, vintage velvet couches, luxurious linens, time-worn books, a pastel collection of vintage plates, whimsical accents like a jaunty top hat, and a touch of animal print, the details of this apartment are charming. The skeleton wall, meticulously restored, is a nod to the early history of this charming space.

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An Afternoon in Picturesque Varenna on the Shores of Lake Como, Italy

An Afternoon in Picturesque Varenna on the Shores of Lake Como, Italy

There are places you stumble upon while traveling that simply need no explanation. On a hazy summer afternoon, we arrived by boat, from Bellagio. Between flashes of sunlight, bursts of showers, and a moody mist that wound around our afternoon, we experienced Varenna, on the shores of Lake Como. These images speak for themselves. Click on the gallery to open a slide show of charming Varenna.

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An Afternoon in Beguiling Bellagio on Lake Como

An Afternoon in Beguiling Bellagio on Lake Como

One afternoon Scott and I pointed our rented Peugeot northeast, from our villa in Lezzeno, to beautiful Bellagio for the afternoon. Known for grand hotels, elegant villas, voluptuous flower boxes and stunning views from the steep staircases of the city center. Bellagio is beguiling.

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Our Lakeside Stay at a Villa in Lezzeno, at Lake Como, Italy

Our Lakeside Stay at a Villa in Lezzeno, at Lake Como, Italy

If the Amalfi Coast is shimmering pastels and Siena is rich, brushstrokes in oils, then Lake Como is bathed in watercolors mingling shadows with light. The views of mountain, sky and water are made chameleon by the microclimates in the Lombardy region of the Italian Alps. From sunny and brilliant to dark and stormy, punctuated with raindrops, no wonder this moody vista is considered magical to those who visit.

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Our Stay in a Luminous Apartment in Centro Storico of Siena, Italy

Our Stay in a Luminous Apartment in Centro Storico of Siena, Italy

Thick stone walls create a sense of velvety silence and the stone stairway, leading up to the second-floor apartment, is worn with footsteps of the ages.

There are so many options of where to stay while traveling that it makes the decision all the more challenging, but also intriguing. I love to pour over the images and descriptions of each destination under consideration; our trip to Italy was no different. After months of flirting with various lodging ideas - a villa in the countryside perhaps - we happened upon a charming apartment in the historic city center of Siena. The second-floor apartment is housed in a former monastery and it looked like the right place for us.

As with most of our travels, Scott and I crafted what we wanted our experience to be in Siena. We wanted an authentic, medieval city living situation in the heart of the city.

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A Summer Getaway to Siena, Italy

A Summer Getaway to Siena, Italy

Scott and I spent a day in Siena, back in 2003, punctuated by wrong turns, a stint mistakenly driving in the no-vehicle zone and an epic heat wave. When we finally settled in and enjoyed the charms of an al fresco dinner, we vowed to return to this hilltop city someday. Siena was Scott’s top choice as a destination for our summer in Italy, so this was our time to revisit.

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Curated Hotel: A Chic Afternoon at Le Sirenuse Hotel in Positano

Curated Hotel: A Chic Afternoon at Le Sirenuse Hotel in Positano

We leave the seductive, photogenic Amalfi Coast with one last peek; a chic afternoon on the terrace at the luxurious Le Sirenuse Hotel. The iconic hotel, with stunning views of the Tyrrhenian Sea, has launched a thousand fantasies, mine included. Who can forget those scenes in ‘Under the Tuscan Sun‘ with Diane Lane and Raoul Bova filmed in Positano and Le Sirenuse? There are no words to describe the relaxed luxury of a world-class hotel like this. I’ll let the images tell the story.

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Boating to the Dreamy Isle of Capri

Boating to the Dreamy Isle of Capri

I have daydreamed of Capri. Cerulean blue waters, pastel buildings, brilliant hues of bougainvillea and windswept trees gracing the terraced landscape.  The lemon-scent mingling with fragrant notes of wild rose and sea air. I could feel the gentle waves of the bay lapping against the boat.  I am mesmerized.

You will be greeted with this picturesque scene at Marina Grande when you arrive by boat.

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Day Tripping on the Amalfi Coast [Amalfi + Ravello]

Day Tripping on the Amalfi Coast [Amalfi + Ravello]

Our next destination was Ravello, three miles up the steep, winding road, high above the Amalfi Coast. Ravello is known for luxury hotels, spas and historic villas. It has a slower, more refined pace of life and has become a popular spot for romantic destination weddings. It’s common to see vacationing celebrities gracing the cafes and sunbeds. 

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Date Night: Dinner High on the Mountainside in Positano

Date Night: Dinner High on the Mountainside in Positano

Our new Italian friend and driver, Davide, recommended a family run trattoria for dinner “high on the mountainside” above Positano.  He knew we would love it. We agreed and Davide made all the arrangements. A van filled with several other hungry diners picked us up in front of our hotel and traversed the terraced roadway up, up, up near the top of the mountain.

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