FOODIE IN FLIP FLOPS

There are several cities with ancient arenas that seem to be overlooked because of the popularity of the colosseum in Rome. Verona is a prime example of one of these cities.  The amphitheater was built in 30AD in what is known today as the Piazza Bra. It is easy to pay an entrance fee and explore, however, the highlight is to catch a play or an opera. Verona is the setting for William Shakespeares' Romeo and Juliet, which is why it is nicknamed "The City of Love".  You can visit Juliette's balcony at the Cappelletti house in the old city. Touching Juliette's right breast is supposed to bring luck. Bogi was an absolute gentleman and refrained! Thousands of notes to Juliette line the portico which leads to the courtyard. If you prefer you can write a love letter to the Juliet Club where a team of volunteers, known as secretaries, select a few of the most beautiful letters written that year. The winners are chosen on Valenti...

This is an oyster farm in Cancale which is situated in Mont Saint Michel bay on the Emerald Coast in Brittany. The most common oyster found here is the Creuse. The fast changing tides and fresh water supply create a perfect environment for oysters. They need brackish water for nutrients, oxygen, and the tides make them accessible for cultivation and harvest. There is a little market of about 5 stalls selling fresh, very reasonably priced, oysters. After making your selection you can enjoy them on the seawall overlooking the farm or take them home with you. The seawall has hundreds of places to sit, but can fill up quickly, which is also true with the parking situation. So arrive early! If you do decide to take oysters home with you, they can last up to two weeks. The key to their freshness is the strong muscle that locks the shell shut thereby trapping water inside. Ever see sellers tapping shells together? They are ensuring the oysters are holding water! About...

My best friend Danielle was visiting from St. Pete, Florida. Both of us have a mutual love of wine so we went to where the best Rieslings in the world are made. This was our first view of the Mosel when driving in. It was so beautiful, the views were amazing!!! We stayed in Bernkastel. It's a cute medieval German town directly on the Mosel. Narrow, winding cobblestones roads make this village so charming. The village was completely walkable with steep vineyards in every direction. There were lots of nice eateries with inviting outdoor tables. We took a 45 minute side trip to Trier. Trier was a grand Roman City second to Rome. This gate, Porta Negra, was built in the second century to ward off attackers. It is very well preserved and also offers beautiful views of Trier with its two impressive cathedrals. Inside the Porta Negra - it is hard to believe this was built over 2000 years ago. We had to get back to Bernkastel for our sc...

I have always loved Chardonnay from Burgundy, especially Pouilly-Fuissé. I was so excited to visit these tiny villages and see how this great wine is grown and produced. We came off season so this village of a little over 300 inhabitants was a little sleepier than usual. We stayed at La Maison du Hérisson (The House of the Hedgehog) and had the place to ourselves. Sébastien Chambru and Margaux Moisière team up to run this place as well the gastronomy and bistro restaurant a block away, L'O des Vignes. The Hedgehog is a unique place, it is basically a five room, all with private bathroom, guest house. There is a communal kitchen, TV room, and courtyard. The rooms are stylish and homey. Sébastien and Margaux were so welcoming, and went above and beyond to help us enjoy our stay in Fuisse! They are dog friendly too. Every morning, breakfast was a treat, homemade yogurts and marmalades by Margaux which has spoiled me forever. After we got settled, we walked the villag...

And this is how our fabulous time in Torri Del Benaco started. No cars were allowed by our hotel so we were picked up in the parking lot by the hotel golf cart. It was a fun entrance, the three of us, two dogs, our luggage and all of our wine!  We stayed at the Hotel Gardesana, which was a step back in time. When I picture hotels from the 1950's, this is exactly when I think of.  Our hotel was lovely, breakfast was good, and the reception so friendly, however the hotel was noisy. Unfortunately, you could hear everything in and around the hotel.  This was our awesome hotel room key and every time we left we handed it over to reception for them to store in a cubby. I loved this! This was the castle and museum across from our hotel. Every morning we enjoyed the view while sipping cappuccinos and eating our breakfast. One morning there was a band that marched and played through the town.  Another great view of  ...