Traveling for Adventure vs. Traveling for Relaxation: Here’s What You Need to Know

December 12, 2016 By Laura

¡Hola de México!

That’s 95% of what I remember from high school Spanish.

There are as many reasons to travel as there are travelers. It is not just about getting your picture taken with the latest cartoon creation… not that there’s anything wrong with that. But sometimes you may want to add a side of education to your adventures.

You all know by now that I LOVE to travel. In fact, I am in Tulum, Mexico as I type this. We came for a wedding, but left time for a few adventures! We’re headed to the Mayan ruins today, for example.

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Two Days in Cinque Terre: From Riomaggiore to Monterosso

October 24, 2016 By Laura

Have you even been somewhere that looks like a postcard?

Cinque Terre is even MORE beautiful than that.

Cinque Terre is comprised of five tiny seaside villages on the north coast of Italy. It literally translates to “The Five Lands.” The five towns are: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. Each one is beautiful in it’s own way, but they all possess an almost magical coastal Italian charm.

Then main streets are lined with family-owned shops, artisan gelato, and the best seafood you’ll ever eat. The clear, glittering water will almost hypnotize you, and you’ll finish each day plotting a way to retire to one of the colorful old buildings. It truly is like something out of a storybook.

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Post-Vacation Eats [WIAW]

October 19, 2016 By Laura

I’m home.

I begged Vegas to stay in Italy.

We’re home… and I’m more than a little sad. But here we are. In this election cycle… oy… I can’t even go there.

We have at least eaten well! Brunch at Royal Stone was amazing our first week back. It’s the one thing we do better here in America.

Brunch:

It made me a teensy bit glad to be back in the States. The only thing Italians don’t know how to do right when it comes to food is brunch!

I had the Vegetable Hash with eggs over easy, carnival cauliflower, rainbow carrots, purple sweet potato, chard, jalapeño vinaigrette, and sourdough toast. Vegas had the Patty Mac with sausage, eggs, and butternut mustard (so good!) on brioche with Japanese sweet potato fries. We also shared a side of mimosas… and by side I mean the whole bottle.

We couldn’t decide who’s order “won”!…

One Day in Piedmont: From Alba to Barolo

October 17, 2016 By Laura

The city of Alba in Italy’s Piedmont region is my favorite place in the world.

It’s known for food and wine, so this shouldn’t be surprising to anyone.

The Piedmont region in Italy is heaven for those who love food and wine. It’s known for Barolo (the “king’s wine”) and white truffles, which are nearly worth their weight in gold (I’m not exaggerating). Don’t forget that it’s also the home of Ferrero Rocher and Nutella!

I highly recommend at least one day in the city of Alba, which is about an hour’s train ride from the larger city of Turin (Torino, in Italian).

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A Day of Eats & a Donkey Race in Alba, Italy

October 5, 2016 By Laura

Alba is my favorite European city.

I begged Vegas to stay.

Alba is in Piedmont, the northwest region of Italy. It’s been my favorite since my last trip here 5 years ago. This is the area famous for Barolo (the king’s wine), Barbaresco, hazelnuts, and truffles. We did it all!

I’ve had more white truffles than should be allowed. They don’t look like much from the outside, but these rare (and expensive) mushrooms are a delicacy unique to this region. You can only get them in the fall. Alba even has a festival dedicated to them!

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3 Tips For Flying on the Cheap

September 30, 2016 By Laura

People comment on my travel habits a lot.

We are on the road a good amount.

The biggest misconception about traveling is that you have spend a tons of money to do it. Not true! Anyone can jet off to Europe… you just have to plan.

In honor of this week’s $75 dollar flight to Italy, I’m sharing my Top 3 Tips for Flying on the Cheap today!

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Softball Debauchery & Anti-Inflammatory Eats [WIAW]

September 21, 2016 By Laura

I can’t stay healthy.

Don’t ever age past 30.

We were in at the softball world series last week in Kansas City playing with our old Atlanta team. First Vegas went down with a hamstring. Then – because we do everything together – I did mine. 2 weeks before we go to Italy. I swear these things never happened when I was in my 20s! Sigh.

In other news, we had delicious BBQ that I ate so quickly I forgot to take pictures of. There were also breakfasts of Krispy Kreme and Fireball. #sorryimnotsorry

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Three Friends and a Baby

September 5, 2016 By Laura

The best part about blogging is the friends you make.

Some of my “real life” best friends are bloggers.

This weekend I got to see two of them – Lucie and Meghan! Lucie was making a pit stop at Meghan’s on her way back to Switzerland, so I decided to hop over to Cleveland to crash that party.

Really I just wanted to meet this munchkin:

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