The Travelling Taster

27/04/2024

Day 4: Dinner at the Grand Hotel’s Bristol Resort, which is celebrating 120 years with the same family in June.
Dinner was a true gourmet experience. It was very creative, unusual, and delighted my tastebuds.

Michelin Star quality dining, for sure!! What a privilege.

Andrea Cannalire is the new Executive Chef of the entire food offering of the Grand Hotel Bristol Portofino Coast: Le Cupole, La Veranda, the Flamingo Pool Bar&Pizzeria and the restaurant of the new Marina di Bardi Beach Club.

Cannalire has had numerous experiences in starred restaurants, including the Magnolia restaurant in Cesenatico, Fabio Baldassarre's Unico restaurant in Milan, and Pont de Ferr, also in the Lombardy capital. In December 2015 he won the Michelin star, awarded to him for the work done just eleven months after his arrival at Cielo, the restaurant of the La Sommità hotel in Ostuni, where he worked until February 2023.

At his side, since 2024 the pastry chef Ilaria Castellaneta, originally from Salerno and raised in Lucania, has been in charge of the pastry shop at the Le Cupole restaurant of the Grand Hotel Bristol.

The servers for the evening, Sydney, Enrica, and Lorenzo, were awesome! True professionals who offered stellar service. Lorenzo was great at describing each dish.

27/04/2024

It’s 5:00 somewhere and always time for a good Mule. This Berry Mule was refreshing and packed with fresh berries and mint.

20/04/2024

Attending Discover Italy 2024 in Sestri Levante.

20/04/2024

your thoughts behind and reach a gem set in the enchanting peninsula of Sestri Levante, on the Baia del Silenzio . Hotel Vis a Vis is the perfect place to immerse yourself in nature, enjoy wonderful views, dedicate yourself to wellness programs, a swimming pool and relaxation on the beach. Alone, as a couple or as a family, get ready to discover the most exciting beauties of Liguria.

In a dominant position, our hotel embraces the Bay of Silence and the Gulf of Baia delle Favole, from which it is possible to easily reach the Cinque Terre , Portofino , San Fruttuoso and Genoa . The best location to enjoy the sunset or leave in the morning to discover the sea and fascinating nature trails.

EXPLORE THE BEAUTY OF THE LIGURIAN RIVIERA

20/04/2024

A dinner event hosted for our group.

18/04/2024

18/04/2024

Day 3: Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure

We had perfect weather today!

Spent time having a relaxing lunch in Porofino accompanying by a couple drinks.

16/04/2024

Day 2: Cinque Terre, Italy

The Cinque Terre are a rugged stretch of coast of the eastern Ligurian Riviera located in the territory of the province of La Spezia , between Punta Mesco and Punta di Montenero, in which there are five villages (three municipalities and two hamlets) or, as they used to say in ancient times, "lands", which listed from north to south are: Monterosso al Mare , Vernazza , Corniglia , Manarola , Riomaggiore .
Wikipedia

16/04/2024

Day 1: Genoa, Italy

Enjoyed our 2 hour tour and reception at Palazzo Lomellino.

09/04/2024

Great place for Italian cuisine!

09/04/2024

For anyone planning a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, I highly recommend taking the tour. It is a hop on hop off type shuttle with narration and stops along the way. It highlights a few graves and each tour guide offers their own extras. It is very informative.

19/03/2024

With attending university, I have had to limit my traveling. The last few days I have been attending the Select Group Travel Conference in Buffalo, New York. It has been a great opportunity to network with potential destinations and travel suppliers.
Beside the conference, we had orange chocolate, lots of wings, pizza, and celebrated St. Patty’s Day.

05/11/2023

Planning a trip to Vegas? You may want to check this out. Looks like a fun experience!

I spent $50 to explore a labyrinth of secret rooms behind the Omega Mart grocery store in Las Vegas. The interactive experience was a lot of fun.

05/11/2023

My “go-to” for perfect comfort food. Nothing better!

Their fresh breads are absolutely amazing.

No matter what ordered, they never disappoint.

If you visit in warm weather, it is lovely to enjoy their outdoor dining area.

TOAST TRIO
sourdough, Irish soda bread, pumpkin bread, prosciutto, macerated berries, jameson butter, bacon jam, strawberry compote, spiced pepitas

CATTLEMAN'S SOUP
braised short rib, stout demi, caramelized onion, crouton, gruyere cheese

05/11/2023

If you visit Lancaster, don’t miss the opportunity to visit one of the best bakeries around! Not only is Cedric Barberet a Chopped Sweets Winner of Food Network fame, but they offer a cafe as well. Lancaster is full of local culinary experiences!

Here are today’s take homes:

02/11/2023

Traveling with a budget airline that nickel and dimes you for each bag….check out this dual function piece of luggage. It is on this year’s Oprah’s List of favorite things. Very smart!

TAKE OFF LUGGAGE 2.0 Frontier Personal Item Sizer

25/10/2023

The Old Blanco Courthouse Square is a great area to stroll around. The visitor’s center is located inside the courthouse. More interesting Texas history told by locals!

25/10/2023

Perfect place for an overnight before or after a flight into Austin. The property has a very hip vibe. They offer complimentary airport shuttle.

12/10/2023

After becoming the first brand to ever sweep the Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards earlier this year, Virgin Voyages is back to its award-winning ways and has been named the best cruise line in the world (large ships) in the Conde Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards.

Interested in learning how you can enjoy an Adults Only cruise experience that only Virgin Voyages offers, please register for this Zoom meeting and receive extra perks when you book with me, just for attending!

Virtual Sailor Night
We are pleased to conduct a webinar for your sailors so they can learn more about sailing the Virgin Voyages way!

Date - Thursday October 12th, 2023
Time - 6:30pm ET
Registration Link -

AHOY Sailors...Grab a bevvie and come learn all about what it means to Set Sail The Virgin Way on Richard Branson's new adults only, Virgin Voyages! *Sailing Caribbean & Mediterranean, South Pacific & more! *Featuring Beach Club at Bimini - Virgin's Private Beach Club *Adults Only - No Kids! *Food +...

23/09/2023

Casual Mexican food dining, whether dining in or drive-thru. There are currently 22 locations in the San Antonio area with more on the way.

23/09/2023

This restaurant has been my Texas family’s favorite for years. Located outside San Antonio, it has grown from a small starter restaurant into the beautiful, spacious area it is today. Complete with indoor and outdoor dining areas, it offers an authentic food experience. The staff are super friendly and the food and drinks are excellent. It was a great place to celebrate my birthday!

20/09/2023

Looking for a place for a wine tasting with a relaxed environment in a medieval setting? This is the spot. Enjoyed their wines, but loved their wine slushie so much, I got one for the road. Located in Johnson City, TX.

20/09/2023

Wines and oils directly from the Holy Land. They each had a very distinct flavor. I enjoyed “Ruth” wine the best. The oils are superb!

20/09/2023

This winery has a musical theme. They also offer AZEO Distillery tastings for Spirits tastings.

18/09/2023

Heading to the Airport in Austin or San Antonio? Las Palapas is a local Mexican food chain and they have a great breakfast offering of a variety of breakfast tacos. If you need that last minute stop at Buc-ee’s, they have a good selection of breakfast sandwiches and tacos. The brisket breakfast tacos are my fav! You can see the gal slicing the brisket in the background.

17/09/2023

First time and it was so fun! It felt weird as they nibbled and swam between our toes. What a cool experience! Would you try this?