On our way to explore the western bank of the Garonne River, we came across the Porte Cailhau, a shockingly beautiful 15th century gate studded with conical towers and ornate sculptures that rival the Disney Castle in its fairytale qualities. On one side you will find the exquisite waterfront and the Pont de Pierre bridge, gracefully lit…
We rolled up to the hilltop town of Montepulciano on a Sunday afternoon, just before sunset, and climbed to the main entrance where folks were already standing in line. It was the day of the annual Bravio delle Botti, a race in which pairs of 2 runners representing the eight districts of the town compete in…
I will never forget driving through the hilly roads of Tuscany and staring out the passenger side window of our little black Fiat 500 at the beautiful sepia-tinted landscape around us. Neat vineyard rows, the occasional bundle of graceful Cypress trees, a charming stone house atop a hill here or there. We’d park the car…
Near the eastern side of Bologna’s city walls is a charming restaurant called Osteria Broccaindosso with a cheerful, laid back, familiar style welcoming local folks seven nights a week. My expat buddy and his girlfriend took us there for dinner, a selection of pastas typical of the region and a fresh bottle of Lambrusco that went down…
Osteria dell’Orsa is a gem, a cozy, laid back joint in Bologna’s university district, best known for serving up plate upon plate of the region’s best known dish, tagliatelle al ragù. An expat friend of mine took us there for lunch, as the bae and I were both enthusiastic about trying authentic spaghetti Bolognese (a sentiment I had made…
“It’s rare though, bloody. Don’t ask for it cooked well,” warned several people – our airBnB guy Vigan, a restaurant host, a waiter. Bistecca alla Fiorentina never comes well done, and in most Tuscan restaurants they’ll just tell you to order something else rather than taking it “burnt.” If you prefer shoe leather to a juicy cut of local moo,…
It started and ended with a piadina from La Piadona in Pisa. On the first night of bae’s and my weeklong road trip around Tuscany, we had beer and homemade amaro at a lovely local bar named Sud and were on the hunt for the perfect late night snack to soak it up before hitting the pillow.…
After a scenic and vigorous hike in the Parque Natural Posets Maladeta, my brother, my boo, my sister-in-law and I returned to our apartment in the peaceful mountainous village of Benasque, hungry for something hearty and rich. It was also the night of the Germany-Russia game of the Eurocup, one of the most anticipated matches…
I really enjoy spending my Sundays hiking to small, very very old towns in the mountains of Catalunya. It´s a great way to burn calories, be under the sun and to collect Instagram snaps of plazas that look like they were taken in the 16th century. These towns are usually pretty similar: they each have…
Passing through the ruby red doors of Quimet & Quimet in Poblesec means entering a culinary wonderland, a food nerd’s Eden cleverly disguised as a no-frills neighborhood tapas joint. Nobody’s ordering bravas or croquetas here. There’s no chorizo or day-old tortilla stabbed through with a toothpick, no questionable crab spread with a salty anchovy lain across, no fried…
I only learned about Belle Isle Seafood Restaurant a few years ago, only a few years after having spent almost three years living a ten minute walk from it, and a ten minute walk from not much else. I spent three years commuting daily for an hour from East Boston to Cambridge, from Orient Heights…
As the weather cools and days become shorter our priorities begin to change too. We bid adieu to those light dinners on a terrace, those chilled boquerones en vinagre, those carefree beers with olives and cigarettes. We embrace instead the comforts of home: blankets, socks and sweaters, the joy of being inside where it’s warm and soft…
