Italy and France
Most recent trip-May 2005
My company motto is “Excursions to any corner of the world” and Italy is by far my favorite. Throughout the past seven years, I have developed a passion for this country not only because of my heritage but simply for the diversity and old world charm that it offers.

Trip 1-June-July 1999

My first visit was via a Mediterranean cruise. During the cruise we dined and shopped in Sorrento, toured the ruins of Mt. Vesuvius in Pompeii. We were whisked off via a hydrofoil to the beautiful isle of Capri for the grand finale of this day. We spent a day on Sardinia shopping in a small seaside village. I purchased my first Limoges Box and my husband discovered “Fratelli Rosetti Shoes”. Since then he has managed to find every Fratelli Rosetti and Ermenegildo Zegna store located throughout Italy. You name it we’ve been there.

Last but not least we visited the ancient city of Rome. We toured the city for 4 days and visited many wonderful Basilicas, The Vatican, Trevi Fountain, Borghese Gardens, Colloseum, The Forum, museums and much more!

Our favorite ristorante was located in the small but quaint neighborhood of Travestere.  This was a find and I have sent many a client only to hear wonderful feedback.

Trip 2-June/July 2001

Several years later we returned to visit Venice, Florence, Rome and Tuscany. We stayed in a small boutique hotel located in San Gimignano. We were astonished once we entered the city walls. It is like stepping back in time into a 13^th century walled city. Each time we have re-visited this city we return to our favorite ristorante. This family run ristorante serves the most unique Limon cello ever! It is lime green with a hint of a nutty flavor and made in their cellar. During our 4 day stay in Tuscany we visited Sienna during the infamous “Palio” (medieval horse race). We were thrilled that our trip fell within this special day.

Trip 3-June/July 2003

Two years later we chose to venture off again to this beautiful country on a fifteen day trip to Venice, Bologna, Bellagio, Milan, Portofino and the French Riviera. During our stay in Venice we chose to stay in the Jewish Ghetto neighborhood in a small boutique hotel. We had the opportunity to dine at the Hotel Cipriani which was fabulous. We discovered a small ristorante located in the Jewish Ghetto, which came highly recommended by an airline flight crew member that we met during our trip. This was a true find! Each time I have gathered a new experience that is well worth passing along to my clients.

On a personal note; I have a passion for decorating my home with objects collected during my travels in Europe. I have discovered many of the finest shops located throughout Italy and would be pleased to share these with my clients.

Next we went off to “Lago Como” (Lake Como). This unique lakeside town is nestled into a hillside and like no other in Italy. The dining, shopping and daily excursions are plentiful. I have several wonderful ristorante and local shopkeepers’ suggestions that are well worth sharing with my clients.

During our stay I had the pleasure of visiting the “Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni” for a private site inspection prior to its introductory to Virtuoso. This 19^th century villa is located lakeside and set back just inside ornate wrought iron gates. As you enter the opulent lobby it offers you a sense of old world charm and sophistication. Its setting is magnificent and the views from the hotel are so breathtaking. Another personal favorite is the “Grand Tremezzo Palace, which is located in Lake Como just across the lake from Bellagio. I found that The Lakes Region is a great side destination to pair with Venice, Milan and Portofino.

We stayed in Milan for an overnight and spent the day shopping, dining and touring this wonderful historic city. If any clients are in the market for hand made men’s suits, I have just the place to suggest.

Next we went to visit the beautiful area of the Italian Riviera. We stayed in a boutique hotel in Rapallo. We toured Santa Margarita, Portofino and the Cinque Terre area throughout our 3 day stay. I also purchased a beautiful oil painting from a local artist in Portofino and would love to share this referral with clients seeking a passion for the arts!

We finished this journey by visiting the French Riviera and visited several Virtuoso Hotels located in Cannes. During our stay we went to Eze, Monaco, Cap Ferrat, Nice and Cannes. This was a spectacular way to end our European journey.
                                  
                                             
Trip 4-May 2005

Two years later my husband and I chose Italy as our first choice to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary and my 50^th birthday. We spent the first 3 days in Paris at the Intercontinental Le Grand Hotel and toured the city extensively. We continued on to Tuscany to a small hilltop town known as “Chiusi” and stayed at a beautiful villa style hotel set on the outskirts of the city for five nights. This is a great location to venture off to visit southern Tuscany and Umbria. We visited two hilltop towns per day. Here are a few of our day excursions;

Montepulciano:

This hilltop town is well known for their red wines.

Chianciano-Terme: Sleepy hilltop town known for the spas.

Cortona: Known for the movie/book “Under the Tuscan Sun” we were fortunate to locate the villa during a long winding walk a long distance outside of town. I have the photos to prove it!

Gubbio: A beautiful hilltop town where we experienced a yearly holiday on May 15^th during a traditional race…which lasts all of 6 minutes….the townspeople carry symbolic wooden candles….up a very steep hill …..to a Basilica….the ironic thing…the Pope’s candle always wins…..this is a big event------similar to the “Palio” in Sienna.

Todi: Quaint and quiet hilltop town with sweeping views of the hillside and a wonderful Ristorante written up in several travel guides with the best Truffle Tagliatelle ever….. Simply delicious……!

Orvieto: A lovely hilltop town with lots to see and enjoy…reached either by car or funicular….there is the most magnificent Zebra striped Basilica in the town square and an authentic moldy wine cellar….we dined this evening in a wonderful ristorante that featured the best Scaloppini with Limon, which was superb!

Chiusi: A small medieval town with underground Etruscan city ruins. We dined at a wonderful ristorante at “Chiusi di Lago” which offers spectacular views of the lago (lake).

Montalcino: The drive to this hilltop town was the most breathtaking of all! This town is home to the infamous Brunello wines. There are so many wine cellars/bars throughout the town offering fabulous wine tastings.

After 5 wonderful days in wine country we drove approximately 4.5 hrs south to Positano. We stayed in a lovely Villa/Hotel overlooking the Mediterranean. Our 3 day stay in the Amalfi area was filled with day trips to Sorrento, Amalfi, Ravello and Vietri. The dining was superb. I gathered several wonderful ristorante referrals for clients that will surely be a hit for future clients to the coast. We dined at the “Le Sirenuse’s” fine dining ristorante “La Sponda” for our anniversary and we truly enjoyed our meal along with the sweeping views of the Mediterranean and village of Positano.

The one tip that I would suggest to my clients is; To rent a car and drive the Amalfi coast---we were intimidated by all the hype about the hair-raising driving stories---but once we got behind the wheel we could not stop raving about what a thrill it was to actually drive the coast----so we took turns driving---we both loved the experience and if a client is not faint at heart…….. I would highly recommend driving---it made our experience here so much more adventurous!

Off to the beautiful island of Sicily for another 4 days in Taoromina. We stayed at the San Domenico Palace Hotel. This hotel is truly a find and certainly depicts the former 14^th century monastery. The location is wonderful. The gardens were in full bloom and strewn throughout the rare of the property. It is set high atop the hillside with sweeping views of the Ionian Sea. Just a few steps away is the bustling hilltop town with many ristorantes to choose from along with an abundance of upscale shops and galleries. I would suggest venturing down side streets where you can virtually locate a wonderful garden, bistro, art gallery and so much more. We experienced another Italian procession honoring “The Madonna” on our last evening in town. These people have such a passion for their religion and country it is amazing to experience such an event. We ventured off for several day trips to Agrigento to visit the “Greco Teatro” Greek Amphitheatre Ruins. We also visited a small seaside town high atop Taoromina called (Castelmola) with magnificent views of Mt. Etna.

The last two days were spent in Rome at a small boutique hotel located near the Spanish Steps. We have been here several times, so this visit was to relax and enjoy the “people watching” in the Piazza Navonna at our favorite bistro. During this trip we experienced a new concept offered at the Borghese Gardens. A 15 minute hot air balloon ride attached to a cable with views of the ancient city of Rome. How apropos to end this lovely journey with a lasting view of Rome suspended high above the city.

I love this country and all that it offers and find it so intriguing. I trust that any future Virtuoso clients would be cared for with the utmost attention to detail due to my diverse experience of this destination.

Featuring California/Wine Country

Wine Country and California Specialist 

In the fall of 2004, I visited wine country with my husband and another couple who share the same passion for fine wines and dining. It was my second trip to this enchanting region. During our first 3 nights, we stayed at the “Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa” and truly enjoyed the ambiance that this resort offers. This location is very convenient to local wineries in the Sonoma and Healdsburg Valleys.

Next we ventured off to tour wineries and partake in the local fare. The last few evenings in wine country were spent in Yountville. A quaint and cozy town tucked away on the outskirts of Napa and St. Helena. This small town is home to the well renowned “French Laundry Restaurant”.

During our stay we visited 5-6 wineries per day and managed to collect over 100 bottles of fine wines. We chose to visit wineries that were unfamiliar to us and specifically off the beaten path. This concept is worth its weight in gold…. as it has introduced us to an entire new selection of wines.

Listed below are just a few of our new favorite wineries;

Pride Mountain Winery:

Is located high atop the Napa Valley with sweeping views of the valley. They pride themselves on the "Cabs".

Chateau Potelle Winery:

Is located up a long and windy hill that goes on forever…once you reach the top, a wonderful view awaits you of the valley. The winery is quite unpretentious but has a simple beauty of its own. We all enjoyed the “Chards” and since have re-ordered.

Arrowood Winery:

Robert Parker (a well known wine critic) just happened to be indulging in a wine tasting at this winery the very same day. Our personal favorite here were the “Chards”.

Mayo Winery:

Is a small family run winery that offered one of the best “Red Zins”. We are still enjoying this case.

Darioush Winery:

The winery’s appearance is ornate and opulent outside as well as inside. Our favorites were the “Cabs” and Red Table wines.    
                                

During the course of our stay we dined each night in gourmet, trendy and local fare restaurants. Several of them were highly recommended to us by a very dear friend who is the President and CEO of a local winery in Napa (Luna Vineyards). One of her recomendations was our all time favorite restaurant; the Martini House. Our waiter was extremely well versed and truly had a passion for his profession. One of his specialties was pairing specific foods; such as a Sherry with Hungarian mushroom bisque, featured as a special that evening. Throughout the dinner he was consistent with his suggestions and made our evening even more enjoyable than anticipated.

During our five-day journey throughout the wine region, we were entertained by the ongoing rivalry of the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. We were invited to the President of Luna Vineyards' home to a private party with the entire winemaking and sales team to watch the last game of the Red Sox vs. Yankees. All and all, the evening was a total success as The Red Sox won and it was a great networking opportunity for all of us.

I also have a very dear friend that is the CMO of a local interactive center located in St. Helena called “Copia”. This was the dream of Robert Mondavi and is the American center for culture, wine, food and the arts. It offers year round wine tastings, culinary programs, festivals, exhibitions and performances. I have made special arrangements with both “Luna” and “Copia” to welcome my clients as VIP’s. I am quite confident that my affiliation with these two local wine professionals will enable me to be on the cutting edge of Who’s Who and What’s Happening in the Valley for years to come!

As our trip came to a close, we drove south to the magnificent “Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay”. This resort is truly a jewel located on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The spa and golf course are a perfect way to unwind after touring wine country for several days. During our stay, we felt extremely comfortable and were treated with the utmost professionalism by the friendly hotel staff. After two days of pampering, golfing and wonderful conversations around the outdoor fire pit, we were quite reluctant to leave. I cannot say enough about our two-day experience at this resort.

Over the past 25 years, I have returned to California to visit and rekindle old friendships that I developed during a brief nine-month stay in the early 1980’s. I have been as far south as San Diego, and up and down the coast as far north as the Redlands. During this last trip, we spent three nights at the “Hyatt Grand Champions Resort and Spa” located in Indian Wells in the (Palm Desert Area). Here, we visited friends that had recently chosen early retirement so that they could enjoy life as it was meant to be. They had just purchased a new home on the 10^th tee box at “The Trilogy Golf Course”. We wined and dined all over this area and truly enjoyed our pre-wine country stay with dear friends. My 25 years experience visiting and touring California will be a wonderful added benefit for my clients seeking an adventure to this wonderful destination.