Dueling Steakhouses in Tarija, Bolivia!

Dan and I spent a few days in Tarija, Bolivia earlier this year. Located not far from the Argentinian border, Tarija has a “wine and steak” culture, similar to that in many parts of Argentina (and unlike much of Bolivia). Steakhouses are quite popular in Tarija, and Dan and I visited two, both of which seemed to be rated the highest on most “best of Tarija” lists: Casona dal Molino and Fogón del Gringo. I have no idea how accurate these lists are, but here is my review of both! If you find yourself in Tarija, I definitely recommend a meal at one of these steakhouses or something similar.

Dan and I at Aranjuez Vineyards in Tarija, Bolivia!

Before getting into the individual steakhouses, steakhouse restaurants are common in Tarija, and popular with both locals and tourists. The menus are almost always beef heavy, but we did see a couple beef alternatives, such as chicken.  The standard order at these types of restaurants is a cut of beef (from which there are many to choose), which usually includes unlimited visits to a buffet or “salad bar.” These buffets and salad bars vary by restaurant in terms of quality and options, but are usually largely vegetarian and include a number of cold dishes, such as traditional lettuce salad, olives, potato salad, and a hot bar with a few types of potatoes, rice and possibly even pasta! The buffets were refilled regularly on our visits and diners went back many, many times. Meals are also usually served with crusty garlic bread and an in-house sauce or two and wine, which is extra and ordered from a wine menu (most commonly by the bottle, but there are single-serving and half bottles for sale). Finally, while not so popular in the US, it is customary to order beef well done in Tarija! Who would have thought?! We still went rare (or “inglés”) and our steaks were always cooked perfectly.

A cheatsheet for ordering steak in Tarija. As English is not very common in Tarija, I suggest using this cheatsheet.

CASONA DEL MOLINO

Casona del Molino is one of the two most well-known steakhouses in Tarija, at least according to my internet research. The other being Fogón del Gringo (keep reading for my review on Fogón). We dined at Casona del Molino twice during our stay in Tarija, and the restaurant was excellent both visits. Casona Del Molino is located right in the heart of Tarija across from the Campilla de San Juan, which was still decorated for Easter during our visit. Casona del Molina itself is a large white building that looks like it has been around for many, many years, with a deck proudly flying the red and white Tarija flag. Inside Casona is some seating, the salad bar and the large grill room (where all the food is made), but the highlight of the restaurant is the back garden where most diners will have their meal. The garden is indeed lovely! I would strongly recommend the outside if the weather is nice.

Casona del Molino entrance.

The deck of Casona del Molino.

Campilla San Juan for reference.

Some interior seating. I loved the design.

The back garden. This was a beautiful spot for a meal.

The indoor grill room. Insanely large.

Moving on to the food, Casona del Molino has a large menu with many cuts of steak. I am not entirely sure what I ordered, but it was a HUGE steak, cooked perfectly rare on my request, that cost less than $15 USD. Crazy! Every steak at Casona del Molino is seved with a little Tarija flag, very cute! Casona del Molino also has a large wine menu, but we skipped wine as we were eating in the middle of a wine tour…

Our delicious steak.

Like at most steakhouses in Tarija, our Casona del Molino order came with unlimited visits to the salad bar, and Casona’s salad bar was something special. I have some pictures below, but they do not do it justice. On offer were an insane number of pickled things, olives, various types of cold salads, pasta, a bruschetta, and a hot bar with a really good rice/egg/vegetable dish and delicious french fries.  And that list is not at all exhaustive. Casona del Molino’s salad bar was the best that we saw, and everything was fresh and tasty.

The “pickled things area.”

More traditional salads.

Additional salads. The hot bar is in the covered portion at the end.

Like most steak restaurants, every meal also comes with crusty garlic bread and some dipping sauces (at least that is what I called them), at Casona del Molino we received an eggplant caponata, a green aioli type dressing, and my favorite Bolivia hot sauce, Llajua (found everywhere in Bolivia – made with watermelon and peppers!). These dipping sauces at Casona were particularly good!

Casona’s dipping sauces.

For reference, some of my carb heavy buffet visit. The fries were also particularly good.

After eating at Casona twice, I would certainly return to Casona del Molino and recommend it to others. The vibe is upscale, but we were fine dining in shorts and a nice top (shorts & polo for Dan). I would suggest making a reservation, especially if you want a nice table in the garden. Credit card was accepted and not many people spoke English (true in Tarija in general).

CHURRASQUERIA EL FOGÓN DEL GRINGO

Moving on to the other popular steakhouse in Tarija, Fogón del Gringo also has a great location, just across the street from Los Ceibos Hotel (where we conveniently stayed). Fogón is very well lit with the Tarija flag and colors flying strong. Fogón has a small outside area with tables and an insanely large open air grill, where you can watch your dinner being made, as well as ample interior seating, including a private room that looked for nice for a party. We were seated without a reservation on a Wednesday at 8 PM, although the place did fill up soon thereafter with locals.

Fogón del Gringo from the outside.

A small sample of the menu for reference.

Like at Casona del Molino, every meal at Fogón begins with crusty garlic bread and homemade sauces. The Llauja was particularly good at Fogón, and even more so on the garlic bread. As we ordered a huge steak for two – the Churrasco di Filete to be precise, it came with access to the salad bar and hot potato and pasta buffet for both of us. While not as photographable or large as those at Casona del Molino, the food was on the buffets was decent and replaced pretty frequently.

Fogón’s sauces and garlic bread.

Here is a small snippet of the buffet at Fogón. Its not as fancy as Casona but it was decent.

And not to forget our Churrasco di Filete, it was great! Perfectly cooked as we asked and humongous – a real steal for $24 USD. As it was Dan’s birthday, the staff brought a complimentary dessert with a candle. A very nice touch!

The Churrasco di Filete for two. This was more than enough for me and Dan.

Dan’s very sweet birthday dessert.

Like Casona, Fogón also has an extensive wine menu with a wide range of Bolivian bottles, include single glass bottles. As it was Dan’s birthday, we splurged for the Aranjuez Juan Cruz (around $50 USD), which is probably Tarija’s most famous wine. It was really great. I also had a single glass bottle of the Cabernet France from Aranjuez (where the photo of us above was taken).

The Juan Cruz Tannat. It literally won awards.

A single serving of Cabernet Franc. It’s common to serve glasses by the small “airplane bottle” like this.

All in, Fogón was also a good dinner. We again wore shorts and did not feel under dressed, although locals dressed up a bit more. Credit card was accepted and, like in Tarija generally, no one really spoke English. We still ordered and paid fine.

STEAL OUR TRIP

Casona del Molino: Loma de San Juan, Bolivar, Tarija, Bolivia. Open daily 12 – 3 and 7 – 12, except on Sunday when its only open for lunch. I suggest a reservation, even if it’s only calling earlier in the day. Casual (we wore shorts), but the locals tend to dress nicely. Credit card accepted.

Churrasqueria El Fogón del Gringo: La Madrid, Tarija, Bolivia. Open daily 12 – 3 and 6:30 – 11, except Sunday when the restaurant is only open for lunch (common in Bolivia). I suggest a reservation, even if it’s only calling earlier in the day.  Casual (we wore shorts), but the locals tend to dress nicely. Credit card accepted.

Hotel Review: Palacio de Sal, Uyuni, Bolivia.

Dan and I stayed a few nights at the Hotel Palacio de Sal in April 2023 on our trip through Bolivia.  We selected this hotel because it is super close to the Uyuni Salt Flats, looked luxurious online, and had a lovely looking pool. This article reviews the hotel and its amenities and food.

Hotel Palacio de Sal, located in the middle of nowhere.

HOTEL PALACIO DE SAL

Located just outside of the Uyuni Salt Flats in literally the middle of nowhere, Hotel Palacio de Sal self-identifies as the “first salt hotel” in the Uyuni Salt Flats. I’m not sure if this is accurate, but it is one of two hotels very close to the salt flats that I could find when booking our accommodation (the other being Hotel De Sal Luna Salada). We settled on Hotel Palacio de Sal for the sole reason that the pool looked nicer in photographs (and the pool did end up being one of my favorite parts of the hotel).

In any case, Hotel Palacio de Sal is located right on the edge of the Uyuni Salt Flats, near absolutely nothing else within an easy walk. Guests are pretty much “stuck” at the hotel unless they leave via car. This was fine, and we figured this going in. The hotel is also alleged “made of salt” from the salt flats. While it’s definitely not totally made of salt, some parts are made of salt, including the roof of our hotel room.  Salt is also featured prevalently throughout the hotel, kind of like sand often is at beach hotels. This was a cool feature!

Here is the hotel. It does indeed look outerspace-ish. The domes are all made of salt!

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Hotel Review: Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

As Christmas was essentially cancelled in 2020, Dan and I moved up our planned Costa Rica New Years Eve trip to leave on Christmas day, spending and working a few days in San Jose before moving on to the La Fortuna area, our original NYE destination! You can read about our experience in San Jose here. In La Fortuna, we spent most of our time at the Tabacón Thermal Resort and Spa, which has lovely, amazing thermal pools. This article details our experience at the Tabacón.

Arenal Volcano in La Fortuna, Costa Rica.

For those unfamiliar, La Fortuna is a small, touristy town about a 3 hour drive from San Jose. The centerpiece of La Fortuna is the Arenal volcano, which towers over the town and is quite magnificent on a clear day (which apparently doesn’t happen that often). La Fortuna’s surrounding area also offers lots of adrenaline-fueled jungle activities, including white water rafting, zip lining, and rain forest hikes. However, due to the Arenal Volcano, the area around La Fortuna also has lots of less-adrenaline fueled thermal springs – or water sources naturally heated by the volcano. Since we love a good hot spring, we decided to stay at one of the resorts planned around said hot springs.  We opted for the Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa because it looked very nice online and is part of the Hyatt hotel network.

THE TABACÓN THERMAL RESORT & SPA

The Tabacón Thermal Resort and Spa is a resort complex located about a 15 minute car ride from downtown La Fortuna.  While you cannot easily walk between the Tabacón and La Fortuna, there is plenty in the Tabacón complex to keep guests busy, from four restaurants, to a lovely pool, a shop, lots of space to walk around, complete with wildlife and perfectly manicured grounds, to the amazing hot springs, and guests will not want for activities to fill the time.  Indeed, guests could stay here for several days without leaving, if that is what you are look for, or simply leave the resort and go into town, making the Tabacón a good choice for may types of travelers.

Welcome to Tabacón Thermal Resort and Spa!

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What Happens When It Rains On An African Safari? 10 Tips To Survive & Thrive!

Let’s set the scene…your dream safari trip is booked and around the corner, but its forecasted to rain every day. What happens?? Well, I am here to tell you that this exact scenario happened to to me last year thanks to some crazy, unseasonable rainstorms that came out of nowhere the day before we left. We still went forward with the safari and had an absolutely amazing time. So nope, rain will not ruin or cancel your safari, and you should certainly still go! That being said, here are some things you can do to prepare if rain is in your safari forecast based on my personal experience!

1.   First up, if it rains on your safari, you will mostly likely still go forward with the safari drives, with or without a top on the safari vehicle.  So, don’t worry, the safari will not be cancelled! Cancellation is the absolute last thing safari lodges want to do.

Our safari vehicle. It rained later on this safari drive.

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Hotel Review: Poda Boutique Hotel, Ksamil, Albania

On trip to Albania and Greece last summer, Dan and I spent a few nights in Ksamil, Albania, a small beach town on the Albanian Riveria, just south of Sarandë, next to Butrint. We stayed at what may be Ksamil’s nicest hotel: the Poda Boutique Hotel. As I could not find much good information on this hotel online, here is my review of our four-night stay stay.

PODA BOUTIQUE HOTEL: LOCATION AND HOTEL BUILDING

The Poda Boutique Hotel is located right in the middle of beachfront Ksamil, just behind the insanely busy and Instagrammable Poda Beach. Seriously, its a 1 minute walk from the beach and Adriatic. There are numerous restaurants and bars within a five minute walk (although some an uphill walk), as well as the tacky Ksamil vendors hawking trinkets and carnival rides at all hours. Despite the crowded beach and busy area, we found Poda to be pretty quiet at night and the hotel itself never felt too busy. Ksamil proper, including grocery stores, gas stations, banks, etc., are located an uphill walk from Poda. We made the walk pretty easily, but it would be annoying for anyone with any mobility issues, especially in the summer heat.

Poda Boutique Hotel.

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A Tour Of Cape Point – A Must Do In Cape Town!

On Dan and my trip to South Africa last year, we ended our grand vacation with a day of activities on the Cape Peninsula. This was the second time that Dan and I have done a tour of this area and, in my opinion, its one of the very best things to do in greater Cape Town. The natural beauty is outstanding, and I feel like one would miss out if this area was not visited. A lot of people do this type of tour on their own with a car, which is certainly doable, but we liked having a guide and the biking portion. In any case, this is a review of what we did on our most recent trip.

PICK UP FROM HOTEL

Our morning started with a pick up at our hotel around 8:00 AM.  Our guide showed up on time in a white van with several heavy duty road bikes pulled behind. Very intense. Luckily, we had eaten breakfast at the hotel, as we would not have lunch for a looooong while (although this was the tour, not lack of food or restaurants en route).

Our trusty van for the day, along with our bicycles.

DRIVE DOWN THE CAPE PENINSULA

After pick up, we began the gorgeous drive down the Cape Peninsula, which runs along the coast and is absolutely stunning.  We did not stop for photographs due to time constraints, but I took some shots from the van. If you are doing this drive, Muizenberg is a good place to stop, very popular with surfers. Its also home to those adorable multi colored beach huts that you see in pictures! You can see surfers in the back ground of the second picture below if you look closely.

A gorgeous drive down to Cape Point.

Muizenberg Beach in the background. If you look closely, you can see SO MANY SURFERS (the little black dots).

BOULDERS BEACH AND SIMON’S TOWN TO SEE PENGUINS!

After about 40 minutes on the road, we reached Simon’s Town, South Africa. Simon’s Town is small town south of Cape Town proper on False Bay. Simon’s town is practically known as a prominent South African Naval base, but for tourists, its home to Boulders Beach! Boulders Beach is part of Table Mountain National Park, and its home to so many adorable African penguins. We parked our car in Simons Town and walked about 5 minutes (straight walk) to Boulders Beach. We paid the fee to enter (around $8.50 USD) and walked out to the beach to see the African Penguins! And we saw so many, including baby penguins that had not yet lost their brown fur! We also saw a few Dassies, or little brown mammals (similar size to a rabbit) that are close related to the elephant. Who knew?! We spent about 30 minutes at Boulders Beach watching the penguins. I would note that guests must stay on raised platforms and cannot touch, interact with or feed the penguins (they bite, and there is a fine involved if caught).

Simon’s Town – its very pretty. I would love to spend a weekend here.

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A Food Tour in Old Napoli (Naples, Italy)!

Since starting to travel to Italy over a decade ago, I had always been cautioned about visiting Naples (or, properly in Italian, Napoli). I’ve heard its dirty, rough around the edges, not pretty and at its worst, plain dangerous. I trusted that most of these stereotypes were overblown, but prior to 2022, I had only passed through the Naples train station en route to the Amalfi Coast. Well, I finally got a chance for a brief visit in May 2022, and I throughly enjoyed it. I stayed in the tourist center during this visit, but I found Naples to be beautiful, safe enough (for most tourists, a pick pocket or the crazy drivers are probably your biggest worry), and home to some absolutely delicious food. To hit some great spots, Dan and I signed up for a food tour with Eating Europe and that was a great way to eat our way through the tourist center.

Street side groceries.

We met the rest of our food tour, which was just one other family visiting from Germany, in the GORGEOUS Galleria Umberto I. Galleria Umberto I is a fabulous old shopping mall, which reminded me a lot of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milano (but with less luxury stores). I could not help but pick up a few souvenirs before our tour started… Regardless of tours or shopping, every visitor to Naples should pass though the Galleria Umberto I – its free to enter and not far from the train station and ferry port.

Entrance to Galleria Umberto I.

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In Honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Here Are 3 Fabulous Pubs in Kilkenny, Ireland!

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, my second favorite holiday (after my Birthday), I am sharing three really lovely pubs that I visited in December in Kilkenny, Ireland. This was my second visit to Kilkenny, Ireland, and Kilkenny is home to many great pubs and restaurants. As such, there are certainly other great pubs in Kilkenny, but I enjoyed these three a lot!

Kilkenny Castle.

TYNAN’S BRIDGE HOUSE BAR

Tynan’s Bridge House Bar was, by far, my favorite pub in Kilkenny, and ranks among my favorites of all time. Tynan’s is located right of the River Nore in the heart of Kilkenny. Tynan’s is a quintessential Irish pub that is filled with character and charm. The bartender gave us a very warm welcome despite it being 11 AM on Christmas weekend…. Like any real Irish pub, Tynan’s serves no food and there are no TVs in the bar. I enjoyed several Guinness here during my visit in December. Tynan’s is a must-visit for pub lovers in Kilkenny.

Tynan’s Bridge House Bar.

A great pour.

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A 9 Person Tour of Ireland for Christmas and New Years!

After a big family trip to Italy over Thanksgiving in 2021, we did another group trip trip to Ireland this past Christmas and New Year. This time we had 9 instead of 8 people, including my parents, Dan’s siblings, our friend Pryor and her husband and mother, and stayed for 11 days! We toured a decent bit of Ireland and I think everyone remains on speaking terms, LOL. I’ll be writing about more specific bits of our trip later, but here is a summary for those interested in doing something similar!

Christmas in Ireland!

DAYS 1 – 4: KILKENNY, IRELAND & MOUNT JULIET ESTATE

After an overnight flight from New York, we landed in Dublin early in the morning. A van, with a lovely driver, John, was waiting for us and drove us 1.5 hours to the Mount Juliet Estate, just outside of Kilkenny, where we had booked a four day Christmas package.  We got lucky and blue sky came out just as we arrived at Mount Juliet Estate.

Mount Juliet Estate in Ireland.

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A Tale of Three Distilleries in Dublin

In light of the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day holiday (i.e., my favorite holiday after my birthday!), I am writing all about Dan and my vacation to Ireland over Christmas and New Years!  On this trip, since we visited with a number of Ireland first timers and whiskey lovers, we visited three whiskey distilleries in Dublin! This is my comparison of the three, after having visited each multiple times.

Christmas at Irish distilleries.

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An Early September Weekend in Copenhagen, Denmark!

Dan and I spent a long weekend in Copenhagen, Denmark last Labor Day, which fell on the first weekend of September. We flew direct from New York and spent four days in the city. This ended up being a bit far travel for such a short time, but we still had fun. This post highlights what we did over those four days in Copenhagen!

Made it to Copenhagen, Denmark!

DAY ONE: A LONG DELAY AT JFK, A DECENT LOUNGE, & SMØRREBRØD.

Our Labor Day long weekend began with a looong delay at JFK. Major bummer. All started well, and we were lounge hopping between the American Express Centurion Lounge and the Virgin Atlantic Lounge, but then our flight was delayed by hours. We finally departed several hours late and arrived in Copenhagen around 2:00 PM, rather than the planned 11:00 AM…. It was after 4:00 PM by the time we arrived at our hotel, the Marriott Copenhagen. In any case, we were able to immediately check in, take a short nap, and still make happy hour at the Marriott Executive Lounge before heading out to dinner in Nørreport. The delay certainly could have been worse, but it was a stressful start to our weekend getaway. In any case, the happy hour was pretty decent, especially for pricey Copenhagen – soft drinks, beer, wine, cheese and other cold appetizers and a few warm appetizers each evening.

This cute water park was just outside of our hotel. Locals were using this daily – it would have been far too cold for us!.  It is cool that the Nyhavn River is clean enough to swim in! Imagine that in NYC!

Complimentary Carlsberg at the Marriott Executive Lounge! A great perk in pricey Copenhagen!

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Restaurant Review: Checchino dal 1887, Rome, Italy

Late last Spring, Dan and I found ourselves in Rome unexpectedly. This gave us an opportunity to try new restaurants that we otherwise may have missed (i.e., with more time to make reservations). Dan decided that he wanted tripe, which is a Rome delicacy (at least to some), so I set out on the world wide web to find fantastic tripe in Rome. Not surprisingly, a restaurant in Testaccio came up multiple times, which is an area well-known of its offal based cuisine. I called and made a same day reservation.

Rome in the Spring.

We taxied from our hotel, the Cavalieri, and arrived at Checchino dal 1887 about 20 minutes later, where we were greated with our reserved table. I suspected Checchino dal 1887 was old-school due to its location and description online, but I underestimated how old school. Checchino dal 1887’s dining room is a true blast from the past, with a domed ceiling and wood paneled walls lining the restaurant. Old Rome drawings, advertisements, announcements, certificates, books and paintings line the wall, and there is a real fire place in the restaurant. Our friend Jenna, who joined us for dinner, described it as as “so old school, there are even cobwebs on the lamps.” LOL, this was actually true, but in the best way possible.

An adorable table at Checchino dal 1887.

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Eating our Way though Nørreport, Copenhagen!

My husband and I visited Copenhagen last September for a long weekend.  One fun thing we did was take a food tour in Nørreport, Copenhagen. This post discusses the stops that we made and the foods that we tried. All in, the food was really interesting and tour taught us a lot about Danish culture and food. And, we had one of the best hotdogs I’ve had in a very long time!

Our tour started on a sunny morning outside of Torvehallerne Food Hall, one of Copenhagen’s most famous food markets. And even if you don’t take a food tour, a lunch visit to Torvehallerne is a must for all foodies in Copenhagen!

Outside Torvehallerne. A perfect late summer morning.

Torvehallerne Food Hall.

Inside Torvehallerne – worth a visit/lunch even if you do not take a tour.

STOP 1: DANISH CHEESE AT ARLA UNIKA IN THE TORVEHALLERNE FOOD HALL.

The first stop of our food tour was inside Torvehallerne at a famous Danish cheese shop, Arla Unkia. Arla Unkia is apparently quite famous in Denmark and this location had a large the selection of Danish cheese. This tasting was a selection of three cheeses, all from Denmark and of varying ages. We paired the cheeses with a slightly spicy tomato jam and type of dessert apple wine. Everything was great, and I purchased some of the tomato jam to bring home.

Arla Unika at Torvehallerne.

Arla Unika at the Torvehallerne food hall. Very accessible even if you are not on a food tour.

The red apple wine that we tasted.

Our three cheeses, red liquor and the local marmalade.

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Ean: A Fantastic Find In Galway, Ireland!

We’ve been to Galway a few times, and Galway always offers fun restaurants serving good food. Some previous favorites are Ard Bia at Nimmos, the Dough Bros., and Kai Café. Ard Bia and Kai Café, my standbys, were closed this trip because we visited between Christmas and New Years, so I tried a new restaurant opened in 2020 – Ean! Self-described as “an inventive bakery, restaurant & wine bar,” Ean is a product of Galway’s Michelin-starred Loam (closed during my visit). Located on a quiet street, Ean’s interior is a clean space of large tables perfect for sharing. We made a reservation for 9 people via email about a month prior to our visit.

Galway during the holidays! Highly recommened.

Making the reservation was easy and an email confirmation was sent a day or two in advance. We arrived right on time and our table was waiting. While it changes daily, Ean’s dinner menu is a selection of dishes meant to be shared in a variety of sizes, ranging from small croquettes to large dishes that could serve as a main. The wait staff helped us select a number of things to share between nine people, which I’ll go thorough below.

Ean’s menu on 12/28/22.

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Restaurant Review: Beirut Sur Mer, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Beirut Sur Mer is a fun, local restaurant set right off Abu Dhabi’s famous Saadiyat Beach. Dan and I dined here on our last night in Abu Dhabi before flying to the Seychelles.  We choose Beirut Sur Mer because (1) we looove Lebanese food(!) and (2) I saw it on a IG influencer’s page and it looked delicious! The pictures ended up holding true – this was a great dinner.

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Takamaka Rum Distillery – A Must Do In Mahé, Seychelles!

One of the funnest things that Dan and I did in the Seychelles last November was visit the Seychelles’ very own Takamaka Rum Distillery (which Dan almost skipped!).  If you drink rum and are in the Seychelles, Takamaka is not to be missed!

A Takamaka banana Daiquiri.

Takamaka Distillery was started by a Seychellois family back in 2002 (under a different name). Takamaka is still owned by the same family and has a presence all of Mahé – a great success story.  While initial distilling began in the family swimming pool, Takamaka’s current location is at La Plaine St. André, which is a grand property dating back to 1792. Takamaka has already done a lot of work on La Plaine St. André, but is continuing to restore it and open more of the property to the public. I’m here for it!

The historic La Plaine St. André property.

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Necessary Information for Visiting the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.

Dan and I paid a visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque last November on a weekend layover in Abu Dhabi en route to the Seychelles. We had a lot of questions, including what to wear(!), before our visit, so here is what we learned to help you on your visit!

Mosque views. The entire Mosque campus is gorgeous.

THE SHEIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE

First off, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is absolutely gorgeous. Honestly, one of the most beautiful and interesting things we have seen in a good while. Any visit to Abu Dhabi should not miss this important site.

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A Fun Weekend in Abu Dhabi en route to the Seychelles!

En route to the Seychelles last November, Dan and I spent the weekend in Abu Dhabi! This was mostly due to the fact that we needed to connect in the Middle East and had already visited Dubai (en route to the Maldives). In any case, I had been wanting to visit Abu Dhabi and the flights worked out. There is plenty to do in Abu Dhabi to fill a weekend and even longer, but we only had the weekend. Here’s what we managed to do during that weekend, which we highly suggest to other visitors, whether in transit or on vacation in Abu Dhabi.

FIRST DAY IN DUBAI – 12.5 HOUR FLIGHT & ARRIVAL IN ABU DHABI!

We flew direct from JFK (New York) to Abu Dhabi on Etihad’s 10:00 PM flight, which arrived the following evening in Abu Dhabi (losing almost a whole day). We arrived a few minutes early and made it to our hotel, the Marriott Hotel Downtown Abu Dhabi, without much fuss. Abu Dhabi lifted all Covid restrictions just before our trip, so we didn’t have to deal with anything relating thereto.  Due to our Marriott Platinum status, we received access to the Marriott’s Executive Club Lounge, which was open for complimentary drinks for almost an hour after we arrived (a fun surprise in Abu Dhabi where alcohol is $$$). As such, we quickly checked into our room and immediately proceeded to the Executive Club Lounge.

F1 chocolates waiting in our room. This was particularly fun, as we didn’t even know it was F1!

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Visiting Moyenne Island in the Seychelles

While visiting the Seychelles last November (2022), Dan & I took a day trip to Moyenne Island from Mahé to “snorkel.” We didn’t really know what to expect besides a boat ride and snorkeling, so here is a review of our day if you are considering something similar. First up, Moyenne Island is a small island in the Seychelles’ Sainte Anne Marine National Park. Hundreds of years ago Moyenne Island was a pirate island, but in the recent past, it was abandoned from 1915 until the 1960s when a sole English newspaper editor purchased the island and lived on Moyenne Island alone until he died 2012. Wild, and kind of scary… Moyenne Island is now a national park and a flora and fauna reserve, and its very popular with tourists.

Our boat waiting for departure for Moyenne Island!

The easiest way to reach Moyenne Island for many tourists is by way of a group day tour, which is exactly what we did. Due to the relationship our hotel, the Mango House, had with Creole Travel Services, we took our trip to Moyenne with Creole Travel Services. We were happy with the company, but a number of other companies seem to do a very similar tour and I wouldn’t necessarily pick Creole over another company. In any case, our morning started with a pick up at the Mango House and a 25 minute drive to an old, seemingly abandoned, port near the airport. We were a little iffy on entering the abandoned port…

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Resort Review: Mango House, a Hilton LXR Property In The Seychelles

If you read my first blog post this year, you know that Dan and I spent US Thanksgiving in the Seychelles, an island nation off the coast of East Africa! During our trip, we stayed at Hilton’s new LXR property, the Mango House (its featured on some Hilton IG ads). Our stay was great and we could have stayed longer. This article reviews the hotel and its amenities.

The Mango in the Seychelles.

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Hotel Review: Abu Dhabi Airport Hotel T1 International Departures

Flying back from the Seychelles last November, Dan and I had an overnight layover in Abu Dhabi. Due to the flight times (arriving around 9:30 PM and leaving the next morning around 10:00 AM), we decided to stay in a hotel near the airport to get some sleep prior to our flight home. Turns out that the Abu Dhabi airport has its own hotel in Terminal 1, so we booked a room there for the night. This is my review of that room and hotel.

Back in the Seychelles. We were sad to leave!

LOCATION OF THE AIRPORT HOTEL

The Abu Dhabi Airport Hotel T1 International Departures hotel is located in Abu Dhabi Terminal 1. It’s easy to find and connected to the Al Dhabi Lounge. Terminal 1 is connected to Terminal 3 and travelers can walk between the two terminals without going through security – easy peasy. The walk takes about 10 minutes, maybe longer with mobility issues.

Dan waiting to get into the lounge next to the hotel. There was a line due to the crowds in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

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A Wonderful Week In The Seychelles (East Africa)!

Dan and I travel every US Thanksgiving, mainly because its quiet and we get two days off of work without taking any vacation. This year we traveled to the Seychelles (after 3 nights in Abu Dhabi) to explore more of the Indian Ocean (after going to the Maldives two Thanksgivings ago). We loved our time in the Seychelles, but due to the time it takes to get to the Seychelles, would probably reserve another visit for when we have longer to explore the surrounding area. This is my review of what we did and where we stayed during our week on the Seychelles!

Rainbow in the Seychelles.

THE SEYCHELLES ISLANDS

The Seychelles (pronounced like the plural of a “seashell” found on the beach) are are group of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa, directly east of Tanzania and north of Reunion and Mauritius (and along with Comoros, Madagascar, and Mayotte, referred to as the Vanilla Islands). The Seychelles is its own country that is a part of the continent of Africa. Prior to gaining its independence, the Seychelles were occupied by both the French and the British. As a result, most people speak English, French, and the local Seychellois language. Here is a map of the Seychelles’ location – kind of in the middle of nowhere in the best way possible.

The Seychelles on a map.

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Spending New Years in Lisbon, Portugal!

To celebrate the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022, Dan and I flew to Lisbon, Portugal (where we got married!) for four nights and five days. We had great weather and a lovely time, despite the crazy Omicron Covid testing requirements in place at the time (no longer in place). This article details what we did, ate, and drank in Lisbon in the winter!

Me and Dan celebrating 2022!

DAY ONE – LANDING IN LISBON, EATING AT THE TIME OUT MARKET, & A 25 EURO TASTING MENU!

Dan and I arrived in Lisbon very early in the morning and luckily, we were able to immediately check into our hotel room at the Intercontinental Lisboa. Not surprisingly, the Intercontinental Lisboa was still decorated for Christmas and everything looked very nice. Due the early hour of our arrival, a nap was most certainly in order.

Christmas decor at the Intercontinental Lisboa!

After a pretty sizable nap (we did arrive before sunrise), Dan and I walked from our hotel to Lisbon’s TimeOut Market for lunch. The walk from the Intercontinental Lisboa to the TimeOut Market goes through some pretty parts of Lisbon and we took lots of photos. We also picked up some Covid tests en route, as the rules were super strict and if we couldn’t get a PCR test, we would need to self-test before entering any restaurants, etc. Unlike the US, at-home Covid tests were cheap and plentiful.

Gorgeous weather.

Love this teal building.

Yellow tram cars!

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Restaurant Review: Osteria Al Squero in Venezia, Italia!

In light of the Thanksgiving holiday coming up in the United States, I am writing about a fun restaurant that I have been to on two separate US Thanksgivings in Venice – Osteria al Squero!  While I love this place, I will disclose that Osteria al Squero is by no means a secret or even “off the beaten path.”  In fact, Osteria al Squero is listed in many a guidebook, including Rick Steves (with whom I have a love/hate relationship, LOL), and it definitely falls into the “touristy” category. All of that said, Osteria al Squero is still a fantastic spot for tourists to try cicchetti, or “Venetian tapas” for those not in the know. This article details how to enjoy cicchetti at Osteria al Squero.

Osteria al Squero!

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Wine Tasting in Embonas, Rhodes!

A wine town in the mountains of Rhodes, Greece probably does not come to mind when thinking of this beachey destination just of the coast of Turkey. However, there is such a town, named Embonas, in the mountains about an hour outside Rhodes Town. Embonas is famous for its wine and grilled meats! Its also a small town and an easy way to spend a morning or afternoon on Rhodes. We planned a morning wine tasting in Embonas on our recent trip to Greece!

I guess this means winery in Greek!

As Embonas is located about an hour from Rhodes Town, on some very twisty roads, we hired a driver to drive us around and stop at wineries that the driver had picked out and reserved in advance. This was super helpful, because we would not have known where to start.  Information online is…sparse at best. We left Rhodes Town around 9:30, stopping for some fantastic coastal pictures en route, and ended up at our first winery about 30 minutes later (outside of Embonas).

Leaving Rhodes Town and driving to Embonas. This is a view point en route.

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A Day Trip to Symi, Greece from Rhodes!

While in Rhodes, Dan and I took a day trip from Rhodes to neighboring Symi Island, as it was ranked as one of the top “things to do” on Rhodes. All, in, it was a good day trip, but I’m not sure its worth the time if you only have a few days on Rhodes. The day trip to Symi is better suited for those spending a full week on Rhodes, IMO. That being said, I did find Symi stunning and would love to return for a few quiet days of relaxation.

Arriving in Symi via boat from Rhodes.

WHAT IS SYMI ISLAND?

Symi Island is a tiiiiiny Greek island 25 miles from Rhodes, very close to the Turkish coast. A visit to Symi a popular day trip from Rhodes, due to the islands’ proximity. Despite being neighbors, Symi Island has a totally different feel than Rhodes, being much, much smaller and more Italian than Turkish feeling. While Symi almost exclusively a tourist island now, Symi has historically been known for sponge diving. It’s also well known for its tiny Symi shrimp.

The Monastery on Symi.

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How I Spent Four Days In Rhodes, Greece in Summer 2021

Dan and I made our triumphant return to Europe in 2021, heading to Rhodes, Milos, and Athens, Greece. After a significant delay at Newark, we FINALLY made it to Rhodes – six hours later than expected (and missing our flight to Athens….). This article shares my experience in 2021 and offers some recommendations and tips for visiting Rhodes, Greece!

Final approach into Rhodes, Greece.

RHODES, GREECE

Rhodes, Greece is a large Greek island located very close to the Turkish coast.  Rhodes is one of Greece’s largest islands and one of the furthest from Athens. Unlike the “blue and white” Greek islands that most Americans think of when they think Greek (i.e. the Cyclades), Rhodes has a lot of Ottoman influence, very rich history with influences from many cultures, much related to the Knights Period, medieval things, and very little “blue and white” architecture. Today, while absolutely gorgeous in certain parts, Rhodes is super touristy, receiving big box tours from Europe, as well as its fair share of cruise ships. You’ll find stunning old walls and flowers in the Old Town, as well as weird toy and candy shops and tourist trinket stores targeted to cruisers. In my opinion, Rhodes Town was best early or late, when most of the cruisers and day trippers leave the island.

Very touristy Rhodes, Greece. You can see a weird toy/candy store in the background.

Contrast this Old Town Wall and flowers with the touristy square.

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Dueling Priority Pass Lounges at the Athens, Greece

When Dan and I visited Greece last summer, we spent a fair amount of time in Athens’ Schengen terminal, flying from Athens to Rhodes and then from Rhodes to Athens to Milos. For Priority Pass members, the Schengen terminal has two lounge options, neither of which are fantastic: Goldair Handling CIP Lounge and Skyserv Melina Merkouri Lounge. Of the two, I slightly preferred Goldair for drinks and food and Skyserv for the space. I wouldn’t go out of my way to return to either, but for free it was fine to wait out our layovers. This article details our experience in both.

So excited to be back!

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How to Spend Four Days on Milos, Greece!

Just before traveling to Athens last summer, Dan and I spent four nights on Milos island, the southernmost Cycladic island in the Aegean Sea. In other words, its part of the same blue-and-white island group as Santorini and Mykonos, but located a little further south, a bit north of Crete. We found Milos to be quieter and more authentic than Santorini and Mykonos, but with enough to do to occupy tourists for several days. This article details what we did and where we stayed and ate on Milos.

View from Pollonia.

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Restaurant Review: Mystilli, Athens, Greece.

Dan and I dined at an amazing restaurant in Athens, Greece last summer – Mystilli. It was my favorite meal of our trip and I still think about it! Mystilli is located very, very close to the Temple of Hephaestus with views of the Acropolis in the background. Mystilli offers indoor and outdoor seating along a pedestrian thoroughfare and, in the summer at least, Mystilli is decorated with bright flowers. Offering modern Greek and Mediterranean fare, don’t miss a meal at Mystilli when in Athens!

Mystilli views of the Acropolis in the background.

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24 Hour Layover: Athens, Greece Edition.

Dan and I had 24 hours in Athens at the end of our Greece trip last summer. We had been to Athens twice previously, so just wanted to hit the highlights and enjoy our last day of vacation. It felt like a Bourdain The Layover episode. Our 24 hours began with a short 25 minute flight from Milos to Athens International Airport, arriving at 10:20 AM.

Approach into Athens.

We quickly grabbed a taxi and went directly to our hotel – the Fresh Hotel. We checked in and set out for, at least what we call, traditional Greek food – AKA a gyro and saganaki. We found generally what we were looking for at a casual restaurant called Oavaons (my English spelling of Greek letters…) just off Monastiriki Square. The food was pretty good and satisfied our “traditional Greek food” request. That being said, I would not necessarily recommend Oavaons over other similar places.

Saganaki cheese with lemon! A personal Greek favorite.

Finally, a proper gyro!

Another view.

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A Lovely Food Tour Through Trastevere, Roma!

As part of our big family trip to Italy in November 2021, Dan and I signed everyone up for an evening food tour through Rome’s Trastevere neighborhood. We did this for three reasons: (1) several of us on this tour love a good food tour, (2) Dan and I lived in Trastevere when we studied in Rome wayyyy back in 2008 and we wanted our families to see the area, and (3) we previously did a food tour through Testaccio and really loved it!  We booked our tour with Eating Italy Food Tours for our first evening in Rome, meeting on Tiber Island around 5:00 PM. Unfortunately, we got hit with an insane rain storm en route to the meeting point and we all got soaked… In any case, the tour went on! Due to the rain, we quickly moved to our first location in Trastevere, which I was verrrrry excited about!

En route back from our food tour, without rain!

Stop 1: Trattoria Da Enzo al 29

Yes, you read that correctly. Our first stop was at the famous Trattoria Da Enzo al 29. Da Enzo is a well known Roman trattoria that is very, very popular. You will frequently find it on “best food in Rome” lists. Da Enzo does not take reservations and there is almost always a wait. As such, our group actually got in before the restaurant opened to the public, something we never could have pulled off on our own! Our group and another couple on the tour were seated between two tables dressed in red checkered tablecloths. Classic southern Italy. Our guide poured everyone a glass of Prosecco and out came the food. First, the famous carciofi alla giudìa (or Jewish fried artichokes). These artichokes are  famous Rome and not difficult to find when in season, but tough to find elsewhere in Italy. Basically, this is a deep fried artichoke topped with quality sea salt. Very simple, yet incredibly good. On the table was also Italian bread, burrata, tomatoes, and olive oil, which were suggested together as a type of little bruschetta. I loved the burrata and actually preferred it to the artichoke. Stop 1 was off to a good start.

The famous Carciofi alla Giudìa.

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How to Spend Three Nights in Berat, Albania!

Berat was Dan and my first stop on our Albania vacation this summer. This article provides some information on traveling to Berat, as I could not find much good information online prior to our visit.

Berat, Albania!

BERAT ALBANIA – BACKGROUND

Berat, Albania is an Ottoman city in central Albania on the Osum River. Referred to as the “city of 1,000 windows,” Berat is located around a 1.5 hour drive from Albania’s capital, Tirana, and a 5 hour drive from Saranda.  Berat is famous for its well preserved architecture influenced by the Ottomans and Byzantines, including both churches and mosques and those famous windowed buildings. Designated a UNSECO site in 2008, Berat is also famous for its hill top castle that is still inhabited to-date. I recommend spending at least 1 full day and 2 nights in Berat to see everything Berat has to offer, longer if you have more time or want to visit surrounding wineries.

Roadside in Berat pointing toward the Kala.

For tourist purposes, Berat is split into three areas: the Kala, the Mangalem, and the Gorica area. The Kala is at the verrrry top of Berat and is an inhabited old castle. The Mangalem the old part of Berat, and in my opinion the most important for tourists purposes. When you look at the 1000 Windows view, you are looking at the Mangalem. Gorcia is across the Osum River from the Managlem and is, from what I heard, a bit more modern. All are pretty close to each other and easy to walk between (except the Kala, which is up a steeeeeep hill).

WHAT WE DID IN BERAT, ALBANIA

Compact Berat can be quickly “done” in a day, or can occupy several relaxing days. Dan and I spent three nights and two full days in Berat. We felt like we had plenty of time to see and do everything, but we were not rushed.  Here’s what we did, and a few things we missed.

1000 Windows view.  The “1000 Windows” view is the postcard of Berat. Catching the view takes only a few minutes, but its worth catching at different times of the day. To see the famous view, cross the Old Bridge to the Gorica area. The best views, IMHO, are from both sides of the Old Bridge.

The famous view. Just as pretty in person.

The Kala (aka Castle of Berat). The Kala is Berat’s second most famous site (again, IMHO). Located a very steep walk (or short taxi ride) from Berat’s town center, the Kala is a somewhat intact citadel built in the 13th century, but apparently dating back centuries longer. Once at the Kala, you will notice that it’s still inhabited and a number of shops and restaurants operate for tourists.

Long way up to the Kala.

Almost at the top! Starts to look al little like Italy!

Views from Berat Castle.

Inside Berat Castle. Again, looks like Italy!

The Onufri Iconography Museum. This museum inside the Kala is dedicated to Byzantine art and iconography and is worth a 30 minute (or longer if you are interested in this area of art) visit. The Onufri Museum is actually inside the 18th-century St. Mary’s Church and holds some fantastic orthodox iconographic paintings, including by its namesake Onufri, a painting headmaster of the 16th century!

A highlight of the Onufri Iconography Museum.

Church of St. Mary of Vllaherna. Also in the Kala, the Church of St. Mary of Vllaherna is a bit of a walk from the Kala’s entrance. Due to this, and the 100 F weather, we skipped this church.  That being said, its supposed to be well-preserved and I’m confident the views would be great.  You can see it way up on on the hill from the Gorica area.

We didn’t walk up to the Church – this is a view from below.

The Ethnographic Museum. In addition to the Onufri Iconography Museum, the Ethnographic Museum gets high marks from visitors. We skipped this museum in favor of an air conditioned nap, but I heard it’s quite nice inside a traditional house.

The Bulevardi Republika. Bulevardi Republika is a pedestrian promenade at the bottom of Berat near the Ostuni river. The promenade is lined with cafes and makes for fantastic people watching in the late evening, especially on the weekends. We loved watching multigenerational families taking their evening promenade and enjoying the day. To do this, we simply set up with drinks and/or shisha at an outdoor table at one of the many cafes (Bar Bazar, with relatively decent cocktails and shisha, was our favorite).  If you are more for a promenade yourself, street vendors set up in the evening (corn is particularly popular!) and dogs seemingly without masters will be joining you!

Bulevardi Republika.

Shisha on the Bulevardi Republika.

Loved the people watching here!

Drinks on Bulevardi Republika.

A statute at the end of the Boulevard of a girl playing a flute. She was apparently a heroine and member of the anti-nazi resistance during the second world war.

The Old and New Bridges. While not necessarily a “sight,” two bridges in Berat cross the Osum River, linking the Mangalem and Gorica districts. Both are worth a cross over if that interests you. While the Old Bridge is much prettier, the new one sways a tiny bit when you cross it.

The Old Bridge.

The new bridge.

Churches and Mosques. Berat is home to numerous churches and mosques that frame the small city’s skyline. Definitely photographable.

St. Demetrius Cathedral.

Albania wineries. Berat is right in the middle of Albania’s small “wine country.” Yes, like its neighbors Montenegro and Serbia, Albania also produces its own wine, mostly for domestic consumption. In fact, many restaurants will serve their own wine produced by family members. We visited two wineries within about 20 – 30 minutes via car from Berat: the Cobo Winery and Alpeta. We preferred Alpeta due to its stunning setting, but either or both are worth a visit.

Cobo Winery.

Alpeta winery in Berat.

WHERE WE ATE IN BERAT, ALBANIA

We definitely did not miss out on good food in Albania. Berat is home to many restaurants, most serving traditional Berati fare – think meats, fresh vegetables, local wine, etc. Here are some of the places we ate – reservations probably not required except at Lili!

LiLi Homemade Food. LiLi Homemade Food is a restaurant actually inside Lili’s home in the Mangalem district of Berat serving local Berati food. And, true to its name, everything is homemade! We loved our meal at LiLi, and it was probably the best of the trip (certainly in Berat)! I’m going to write more on LiLi, but in sum, the food was fantastic, the service top notch, and the entirety of the below pictured table was only $26 USD. Make a reservation and eat here if you are in town.

$26 US meal at LiLi.

Restaurant Onufri. Located inside Hotel Onufri, we had our first Berati dinner here. Arriving late, we split a salad and the Vienz or “Berati Beef,” and it was the best Vienz that we had in Berat! The Vienz or Berati beef is actually not beef at all, but fried pork stuffed with cheese. Hotel Onufri’s was excellent. The salad was basically a Greek salad and was quite fresh. We would have dined at Restaurant Onufri again had we stayed more days in Berat.

Albanian version of a Greek salad.

The Vienz.

Eni Traditional Food.  Our second dinner in Berat was in the Gorica area, across the Old Bridge from the Mangalem district. Receiving very high ratings on Trip Advisor, Eni serves a simple menu of traditional Berati food. We opted for the Vienz, stuffed peppers and eggplant, a dish of potatoes topped with a local sauce, and local Berati bread with olive oil and garlic. The food was good, but not fantastic as portrayed on Trip Advisor. The homemade red wine, however, was excellent. Our waiter, the owners’ son, also spoke great English.

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Menu at Eni.

Piccolo Grande Amore. We had our first lunch at Piccolo Grande Amore based on its Trip Advisor reviews. Piccolo Grande Amore is located on the top floor of a building in the Mangolem very close to the Saint Demetrius Cathedral. After climbing about three flights of stairs, we reached the restaurant and were treated to phenomeal views of Berat, which was definitely the best part about Piccolo Grande Amore. In terms of food, my pizza was meh (and I got ham in lieu of mushrooms…), but Dan’s local lamb stewed in something like collared greens was quite good, especially with local garlic bread.

Stunning views from Piccolo Grande Amore.

My “mushroom pizza” at Piccolo Grande Amore…

Dan’s local dish. Very good!

Complimentary fruit for dessert. This was common almost everywhere we went.

Heaven Kitchen. We opted here for an early lunch before our wine tour based on the fact that I thought they were serving gyro style sandwiches. In any case, they were not serving same when we visited, but we did split a good sandwich with cheese, tomato, lettuce, onion, and french fries. I also ordered some fries topped with cheese and ham. Both dishes were terribly inexpensive, made to order right in front of us, and were pretty tasty. We came back a second day.

Veggie sandwich with frites.

Fries with cheese and pork; breakfast of champions.

Hotel Bar Kalaja. Hotel Bar Kalaja is a bar and casual restaurant located near to the entrance of the Kala with indoor and outdoor seating. We stopped here post exploring the castle for Birra Tirana, the national beer. The beer was cold and cheap, and the bar was pretty packed when we visited before noon!

Hotel Bar Kalaja.

My very first Tirana beer at Hotel Bar Kalaja.

WHERE WE STAYED IN BERAT, ALBANIA

Dan and I stayed at the homey Hotel Onfru in the Mangalem district of Berat. Hotel Onufri was very nice, especially for the price. Our room, while basic, included a King size bed, a toilet with a small but large enough shower, and excellent air conditioning and Wifi (both surprising). The total for our room was $45 USD/night and included a basic breakfast. A steal! The feel of hotel was old-school, almost like something out of the 70s that had not been updated. We had no complaints, however, and would stay here again. Wifi and air conditioning were fantastic.

The outside of Hotel Onufri.

Not our room, but a similar room in Hotel Onufri (our window was much smaller).

Selections from the breakfast buffet at Hotel Onufri.

For those looking for a place to stay in Berat, I recommend staying the Mangalem or Gorica districts. This will put you within walking distance of most of the town. Anything further out may require a car and staying at the castle is a far walk from most of Berat’s restaurants and bars.

A ONE DAY ITINERARY FOR BERAT, ALBANIA

For those spending two nights and one day in Berat, I recommend starting your full day with a walk or taxi ride up to the castle. Make your way first to the Church of St. Mary of Vllaherna then back to the the Onufri Iconography Museum. Stop for a snack and a beer before walking back down into town.  On your way into town, if of interest, visit the Ethnographic Museum.  In the late afternoon, cross the New Bridge and walk over to the Old Bridge, crossing back. You will get the famous 1000 Windows view on this week. In the evening, find a spot to people watch, or promenade yourself, down Bulevardi Republika. End your day with dinner at LiLi HomeMade Food. This is a packed day, especially if its hot, but gets in everything!

TIPS FOR VISITING BERAT ALBANIA

First, the entire town of Berat felt like it was under construction, and would be for years to come. I’m talking half built buildings, downed wires, very unstable walking paths, and the like. As such be sure to wear appropriate footwear and know that Berat is probably not the best destination for those with mobility issues. We walked and climbed a lot of stairs. It was treacherous.

On that note, take care walking around. The driving was a bit crazy from my point of view.

Carry cash in Albanian LEK. Many restaurants only accept cash. ATMs are easy to find in the tourist center of town.

There is a grocery store at the corner of the road leading up to the Kala (credit cards accepted). A good stop for edible souvenirs and food for rentals.

In terms of food, you can’t rely on Trip Advisor or Yelp for good recommendations. Neither are frequently used here.

Also in terms of food, there are lots of veggie options available. That being said, there can be translation issues. Be very specific about what you cannot eat if you have restrictions (maybe even bring it in writing in Albanian?). I ordered a mushroom pizza for lunch one day and received a pizza with ham and peppers…. Proceed accordingly.

There are a lot of dogs in Berat that seem to run around freely without masters. The dogs that we encountered were all friendly but this could be a problem for people afraid of dogs.

STEAL OUR TRIP

Hotel Onufri: Basic hotel right in the center of Berat. Excellent air conditioning and wifi (both up to US standards). Small breakfast buffet included. Credit card accepted. This is also the home of the Onufri Restaurant.

LiLi Homemade Food:  Rruga Llambi Guxhumani, Berat, Albania. Reservations absolutely necessary. We made them by walking by 1 day in advance, which was a big gamble, but we could find a working number. Cash only. Excellent English spoken.

Eni Traditional Food: Rruga Nikolla Buhuri, 5001, Albania.

Piccolo Grande Amore: 1 minute walk from Saint Demetrius Cathedral on, Rruga Rilindja 5001, Berat, Albania. Pizza restaurant serving local fare, too. Many steps to reach the restaurant. No elevator.

Heaven Kitchen: No website. Very close to the Old Bridge. Open pretty much all day. Budget food.

Hotel Bar Kalaja: Super casual bar/restaurant for a stop after visiting the castle. Inexpensive.

Cobo Winery: Ura Vajgurore, 1001, Albania.  While we did see tourists walk up for a tasting, I recommend reaching out in advance to ensure Corbo is open and a spot is available for a tour and tasting.

Vice’s: The BEST Irish Coffee in All of Dublin!

Dan and I loooove Ireland, and we also love Irish Coffee! When we visited Dublin last February over President’s Day weekend, we found a new spot on a food tour with Delicious Dublin Food Tours – Vice’s! Vice’s was our first stop on the food tour and according to our guide, home to the best Irish Coffee in Dublin. I was a bit skeptical, but kept an open mind. Well, spoiler alert, Vice’s was so great that we went back every day of our stay for an Irish Coffee!

Vice’s!

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Bonus Lounge Review: American Express Centurion Suite, US Open Tennis Tournament (New York)!

Monday night I finally got to experience the American Express Centurion Suite at the US Open tennis tournament in Queens, New York! It was so much fun and great for American Express Centurion or Platinum card holders. This article shares my experience at the American Express Centurion Suite!

THE LOCATION AND OPEN HOURS

The American Express Centurion Suite at the US Open is located on the second floor of the Louis Armstrong stadium, directly above the Wilson store. You do not need to enter the Louis Armstrong stadium to access the lounge, nor do you need tickets to the Louis Armstrong stadium to access the Centurion Suite, making it convenient for those with tickets to the larger Arthur Ashe stadium. The Centurion Suite is open from 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM August 29 – September 7, with the last reservation being around 7:30 PM. Note – if you have evening tickets to the US Open, you cannot access the grounds, and thus the Centurion Suite, until 6:00 PM (meaning you are limited on what reservation you can make).

There she is – the American Express Centurion Suite!

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Bonus Lounge Review: The Chase Lounge US Open Tennis Tournament (New York)!

After visiting the American Express Centurion Suite at the US Open tennis tournament in Queens, New York on Monday night, I learned that there is also a Chase lounge, called The Chase Lounge, that I could visit. Loving a good lounge experience, I gave it a go and while not as luxe as the Centurion Suite, it was a nice experience and a welcome break from the heat and crowds.

THE LOCATION AND OPEN HOURS

The Chase Lounge at the US Open is located on the second floor of the Chase Center, close to the grounds’ entrance on the right just after you walk in. To access the Chase Lounge, you simply need a ticket to the US Open grounds. Since the Chase Lounge is not in a stadium, there is no live viewing of the matches from the Chase Lounge, but many screens play the matches at all times. The Chase Lounge is open August 29 – September 7, with the Chase Lounge closing promptly at 8:30 PM.

The Chase Lounge!

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Airport Lounge Review: American Express Centurion Lounge, London Heathrow Terminal 3

Dan and I flew through the dreaded Heathrow airport earlier this year, connecting en route to Tirana, Albania. We had a 5.5 hour connection, which was decreased to about 4 due to delays, and were luckily able to visit the American Express Centurion Lounge in Terminal 3! Much having enjoyed our time in other American Express Centurion Lounges (read about it here, here, here, and here), we had high hopes for Heathrow’s outpost, and it did not disappoint.

LOCATION & CHECK-IN TO LONDON’S AMEX CENTURION LOUNGE

Heathrow’s American Express Centurion Lounge is located in Terminal 3’s “A Area” on the second floor above the bulk of the shops, stores, and restaurants (not near the gates where most of the other Terminal 3 lounges are located). We followed signs and took the elevator up to the lounge entrance. While there was a small line to check-in, we entered without delay by showing our American Express Platinum card and boarding passes. And just like that, we were in strolling past the famous greenery wall!

Love this wall!

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Ksamil: A Weekend on the Jewel of the Albanian Riviera

When I planned my trip to Albania, I went back and forth on whether to stay in Saranda, the large beach city in Southern Albania, or Ksamil, a small town just south of Saranda with “the most beautiful beaches.” I elected for the latter based on the promise of the most beautiful beaches. After staying there, I am not confident that it indeed has the most beautiful beaches, but it was a relaxing stay for a few days with a gorgeous coastline.  This article provides valuable information for those planning a trip to Ksamil.  Side note – this information is from the July; Ksamil is different off season.

KSAMIL, ALBANIA

Ksamil (silent “K”) is a tiny beach town 12 kilometers south of Saranda, Albania. Located between the turquoise waters of the Ionian Sea and the mussel filled waters of Butrint Lagoon, with three idyllic islands within swimming distance of Ksamil, Ksamil is extremely popular with Albanian and foreign beachgoers in the summer. The fact that its directly across from Corfu, Greece and accessible by a 30 minute ferry adds to its charm.

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Eating Our Way Around The Tourist Heart Of Rome – A Surprisingly Good Experience!

If you read this blog at all, you know we LOVE a food tour, and have taken a few in Italy (here, here, and here)! On our most recent trip to Italy, we booked a tour with a new (to us) tour company visiting restaurants in Rome’s Centro Storico, or historical center. Think Campo di’Fiori, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, etc.  It ended up being a surprisingly good tour and resulted in us finding some new recommendations. Here is my review of our tour and information on how you can take the same tour!

STOP ONE – A VERO NORCINERIA IN ROMA

Our first stop on this food tour was at a “norcineria” that I have certainly passed numerous times and never gave it a second look: Norcineria Viola 1890!  A norcineria is a shop generally particular to the Umbrian town of Norcia, where its very common to salt and cure certain types of wild boar and pigs, as well as make other products out of them. Prior to this food tour, I had never once visited a norcineria. This one, however, is quite accessible, located right on Campo d’Fiori. True to its name, Norcineria Viola 1890 is a butcher and cheese shop selling products from Norcia and Umbira in general. Here, we tasted five types of salami. Yes, five, including the traditional salami, salami with truffle, a spicy salami, a more fatty salami than normal, and a jerky style salami. We also tasted bread in local olive oil (duh), three types of cheese, and wine from Umbria (our favorite)!

Seriously, this is right on Campo di’Fiori.

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Dani Maison: Our First Experience At A Two Michelin Star Restaurant in Ischia, Italy!

Dan and I dined at our first restaurant with two Michelin stars in May – Daní Maison in Ischia! The entire experience was excellent, and it was not as expensive as expected (although don’t get me wrong, it was expensive). This post details our experience at Daní Maison with their chef’s tasting menu in May 2022.

For a bit of background, Daní Maison is chef Nino di Costanzo’s restaurant. Costanzo’s family is from the Campania region, the region in Southern Italy in which Ischia sits, and his dishes focus on Ischia’s best foods with a modern, artistic flair. The restaurant is located in his family’s former home and is currently filled with works of art by Lello Esposito, who, per his bio, specializes in the relation between contemporary art and tradition by conceiving and re-elaborating the symbols of Neapolitan culture. Very cool!

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A Long Weekend on Ischia, Italy: Travel & Leisure’s “Best Island in the World”

I love Italy. My husband is an Italian citizen. I have been to Italy many, many times.  However, Ischia was never on my radar until we planned a last minute trip this Summer and were looking for a sunny spot without too many American tourists.  I landed on Ischia, not knowing much about it and thinking that it even may be “too Italian” (i.e. no fast internet or English) for a short stay. We decided to give it a go and spent a lovely five days in Ischia.

Beautiful Ischia Porto.

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How To Spend A Day At Negombo Thermal Spa In Ischia, Italy!

Ischia, one of the most popular islands in the world this summer (2022), is well known for its thermal spa parks. And what is a thermal park you may ask? It’s basically a waterpark for adults – an outdoor park filled with pools of varying heat, some with special mineral properties, others with special massage water features, and others just for fun. Thermal parks abound on Ischia. Even our little hotel had a small thermal bath for guests. Indeed, no official visit to Ischia is complete without a visit to a thermal spa. On Dan and my recent trip to Ischia, we spent a day at Negombo Spa, which is rumored to be the nicest thermal park on the island. This is my review of our day there, including everything you need to know to visit a thermal park in Ischia!

Negombo. It’s a big park!

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Airport Lounge Review: Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, Johannesburg (JNB)

After our lovely visit to Newark’s Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in February, I was totally excited to visit Virgin’s Clubhouse at the Johannesburg, South Africa International Airport. In fact, it was the only thing getting me through the depression of going home, LOL.

Happy in Cape Town, South Africa the day before departure.

ENTRANCE TO THE VIRGIN ATLANTIC CLUBHOUSE.

Despite a number of lounge options in Johannesburg’s international terminal between Priority Pass and our American Express Plaitnum card, we heard that the Virgin Clubhouse was the nicest and went promptly there (after a little shopping in the Out of Africa shop!). The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse is located on the second floor of the international terminal, just a bit further down from the aforementioned Out of Africa store. We took the elevator up. Checkin was quick and consisted of presenting an American Express Platinum card and boarding passes. I particularly loved the flower wall at the entrance.

Entrance to the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, Johannesburg from inside the club.

Said flower wall! Small, but mighty cute!

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Vuyani Safari Lodge, Hoedspruit, South Africa: Review of my Lovely 5 Day Stay.

Dan and I spent five nights at the Vuyani Safari Lodge in South Africa with our friends in April 2022. This was our second stay at Vuyani (first back in 2015), and we had a lovely time. This is my detailed review of Vuyani for those considering it for safari! In short, I highly recommend it, but of course there are pros and cons. Keep reading for all of the information!