cinque terre, italy

Each spring and summer, we look forward to warm European getaways.  The south of France, Italy, Spain.  Anywhere with blue skies and full S U N.  Then we get there and I realize how we aren't entirely used to or equipped for the warmth/sun any longer.  Our vampire skin (and two year old Simone who is all, "what is this brightness?") find ourselves needing S H A D E and beach umbrellas any chance we can get.

One of our dear Virginia Beach and DC friends, Brooke (one of "the twins") was in Europe for work this past summer so we made plans to meet in the Cinque Terre region of northern Italy for five days.

We booked a flat at a B&B in the mountains above the beach town of Monterosso al Mare.  Every morning we had breakfast on the terrace with this-is-unreal-pinch-me views before we set off to hike, lounge on the beach, or slow-walk explore our way through the postcard cliff-side towns famous for pesto, seafood, and focaccia.

The national park area of Cinque Terre (meaning "Five Lands") on the coast of the Italian Riviera is made up of the villages - Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.  They all offer their own unique draws, are easily accessible via train (each town has a stop) or hiking trails, and are family friendly.

On the first day, after breakfast we set out on the hour long hike from Monterosso to Vernazza.  We grabbed lunch and wine and hung out for the afternoon on the rocks and in the waters of Vernazza.  We meandered through the tourist crowded streets (hello, Italy in the summer time) and then headed back to Monterosso to watch an Italy Euro Cup match in the piazza with the locals.  We got there early to get a good seat in front of the tiny TV someone brought down from their flat.  The owner kindly gave us seats in the third row (first two were reserved for his BFF's!).  Simone took an epic nap in my arms while we drank local white wine and cheered on Italia along with a crowd of all ages.

The next day we went to a beach outside of town and then that evening took the train to Manarola for dinner, having some amazingly fresh pasta.  I think we hiked one million stairs to get to the restaurant that looked out onto the sea and sunset.  It was a tiny, quiet, posh joint (i.e. parental cringe moment).  Despite being well past her bedtime, Simone behaved and ate/tore up/threw bread on the floor while Marco, Brooke, and I enjoyed a nice meal.

One of the best days of the trip was when we drove to nearby city Rapallo and took the ferry to the town of Portofino.  Another beautiful town built into the mountains - it is full of villas, upscale shops, and restaurants.  It was sleepy and not full of people despite the harbor being littered with sailboats and insane yachts.

Incredible trip!  Something we didn't do that I wish we did was to rent a small boat for the day to explore the quiet, lesser known beaches.  All in all, much needed Vitamin D.

bordeaux and saint-émilion

During the Euro Cup 2016, Marco and I got away for a long weekend to Bordeaux with some friends.

Marco had a ticket to a match - I went along for the chateau staying, wine consuming, sleeping in, and all around childless general fun.

Marco and I arrived earlier than some of the group whom we were meeting in the city, so we had time to enjoy a nice lunch and catch an Italy vs. Sweden match at one of the more popular Euro Cup viewing bars - L' APOLLO - which randomly made delicious caipirinha cocktails, of all things.  Post match we weathered a summer rain storm and headed over to an Irish pub where it was so packed with Irishmen, they were pouring out into the streets.  As they were so delightfully drunk - dozens of them serenaded me as I walked in.  (Not many ladies make a holiday of the Euro Cup -- mostly a lads trip.)

Later in the day we managed to meet up with the rest of the group and head out the the chateau that we had rented.  Some of us in the group were new to each other, but it was a fun vibe.  And as I dub every group holiday with a lot of adults - this was THE REAL WORLD BORDEAUX.

The next day the rest of the group headed to the Ireland vs. Belgium match after we all grabbed lunch and drinks in town.  I was happy to do some shopping, take photographs of fans in the streets, and then head back to L'APOLLO to watch the matches of the day.  It was a beautiful sunny day where I proceeded to drink a many caipirinhas and reapply my red lipstick too many times.  It is always so bitter sweet to holiday somewhere warm and sunny - it makes me realize how seldom we get those days in England ...

The next day was spent lazily around the chateau - playing bocce, reading, refilling our mimosa glasses, playing competitive games of table tennis, enjoying lunch together, and then an excellent wine tasting course put on by one of the group's own, Rachel who is a sommelier.  (What a talent to bring to the group, btw.)  Focusing on Bordeaux wines, it was such an informative and intimate experience, where it might or might not have ended with some of us in the vineyards of our chateau eating the soil so we could get a TRUE SENSE of the vines.

We ended the trip with visit to the quaint town Saint-Émilion.  What a beautiful and memorable town overlooking vineyards as far as the eye can see.  But what may be more memorable is our George Constanza type parking altercation we got into with a local when he tried to pull into our parking spot. Nope, will never forget it.  I clenched my teeth in awkwardness as the other three in the car with me held their own in french.  

 Santé, Bordeaux