In the town of Arcachon, on the southwestern coast of France, the air smells of the ocean. Victorian Arcachonnaise villas face the water, and the seafront promenade is bustling with the bourgeoisie of nearby Bordeaux, many of whom still remember when the place was undeveloped, rough land, lined with pine trees and oak. On the western side of…
Brussels… mussels, waffles, beer, chocolate and fries. On our weekend trip there my friend and I indulged in some of these things. We wolfed down a waffle with melted Speculoos near the Grand Place and visited the Cantillon Brewery, over a century old, for a taste of authentic Lambic. We also passed by tons of…
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…
That Best Bite 