Abbey and Monastery, Sant Antimo , Tuscany

Almost everywhere you look in Tuscany, the view is like a backdrop, and this time, we were the movie. Spending five days in September, wandering the quiet back alleys of Sorano, moved by Gregorian Chants in this ancient abbey, and sleeping each night in a castle, we did feel as though we were in a movie. For those five days, we really “lived” in Tuscany. We woke each morning and made our own lattes in the kitchen of our castle apartment. I can smell that hot espresso bubbling right now. Add to that the hot milk and some sugar, and it’s going to be another good day.

We drove up, down, and around those pretty hills, lunched in some great new finds, and visited La Foce, again. Jim and I have found that we cannot get near La Foce without stopping in to just be there. La Foce is a gracious villa that supported several farms in the heart of Tuscany, and ended up right in the center of the World War II fighting. If the walls could talk. The story of La Foce, and all that happened there, both sad and heroic, is in a slim book entitled, War in Val d’Orcia: An Italian War Diary, 1943-1944, by Iris Origo. Signore and Signora Origo owned and lived in the villa during this time—a first hand account, to be sure. Now, the villa has apartments to book and produces some delicious olive oil, which I have in my pantry. Seems sort of extravagant that we do our olive oil shopping in Italy, but we do.

Our anchor in Tuscany is Castello di Proceno. Such a precious place owned by a wonderful couple that we love. Built in the 11th century, acquired by the ancestors of the current owners in the 15th century, the castle is decorated not just with antiques but with Etruscan antiquities, unearthed on the property, dating back to 700 BC.

Up on a rocky spur, this castle fortress has defended the tiny town of Proceno for centuries. Located just up the hill from what for hundreds of years was the main road from Florence to Rome, and from the Catholic pilgrimage route from Germany to Rome, the Americans and Germans also occupied Castello di Proceno in turn, during World War II. The art and history in this place lives, which is why Jim and I return year after year, and this castle is the perfect place for Art History Alive guests to stay.

No trip to Tuscany would be complete without lunch at the outrageous Osteria Acquacheta in Montepulciano. No vegetarians allowed! This is a steakhouse, Italian style. The owner, who carries a rather bloody meat cleaver in his belt, draws a diagram of a steak on your paper tablecloth and asks (forcefully) if you want the whole (that would be the porterhouse cut) or a smaller piece, the NY. You point, and he clomps off to his huge butcher’s block placed in front of a roaring fireplace in the back. Whack, whack! A huge steak is slapped on a piece of butcher paper, weighed, and brought to your table for approval. Our steak was the size of a newborn, no kidding. If you like what you see, you nod, he calculates the cost, again on the handy paper tablecloth, you nod again, and off it goes to the fireplace. The rareness of the still-sizzling steak upon delivery to your table indicates that it has not spent much time on the grate, but WOW, is it delicious! This place is a must for meat eaters. It is loud, raucous, the staff is great, and you make friends with the people at the table 3” from yours. Really, really fun!

Orvieto, just 45 minutes from the castello, is such a big, beautiful hill town. I love everything about it, because it has everything. A fantastic cathedral with breathtaking art and history, winding streets with fun shopping, delicious hidden restaurants, and amazing people watching. The more I visit, the more I love it.

AHA  will be in Tuscany twice in 2012. July 12-18, we will share an Italian music festival at Castello di Proceno, with a very small group of guests, Musica in Tuscany, a Castle Courtyard Concert. And again, September 30 – October 8, with Rome and Tuscany, a Colosseum and a Castle. If you want to know Tuscany, these two itineraries were designed to accomplish just that. In fact, all of our itineraries are created with one thing in mind, getting to really know your destination.

After five leisurely days of just “being” in Tuscany, we are packing and girding ourselves for the upcoming five days in our very favorite, Rome! After Tuscany, it can be a shock to your system. But we will be there on a Sunday, so we are planning to gather with thousands in St. Peter’s Square to see and hear Pope Benedict. We have done this many times over the years, and there is something very special about it.

I will post about our time in Rome in the New Year. It was FANTASTIC.

UGLY AMERICAN ALERT: After our lunch at Aquacheta and an afternoon ramble around picturesque Montepulciano, we were headed back to our car

Steak for two, Acquacheta

about 6PM. Our route took us past the now-closed Aquacheta. Standing in front, trying to peer in the windows, was a very American couple with a computer printout in hand. We were the only other
folks on the street so, in apparent desperation, they looked at us with frustration.

Jim says: “Great restaurant! Delicious! You’ll love it,” and keeps moving.
Woman: (In a whine) “Yes, we’ve heard about it, but it isn’t open.”
Jim: “No, it will open about 7:30 for dinner.”
Man: (Angrily) “If it is so good, why isn’t it open at dinnertime?!”

Cyndie: Walking away, a little ashamed and shaking head.

It was 6PM, he was hungry, and they walked away to find some place, any place that was open. I guess he thought he was still in the states where dinnertime is dinnertime.

TRAVEL TIP: In Italy, the only people in a restaurant having dinner before 8PM are either Americans or Canadians. By grabbing a piece of pizza or a gelato around 4PM, you’ll be hungry when the restaurants are hopping Italian-style.

New Friends, Estela and Gianni, Acquacheta

Above Bellagio, Lunch, Baita Belvedere

I recently Googled the 10 most beautiful lakes in the world, and, I think I need to speak to the judges. Lago di Como did not make the cut, and I wondered about the criteria. I suppose it would be impossible to judge a place on the way it makes you feel. Well, not for me it isn’t.

For visitors, Lake Como has two distinct faces. One really fun and alive, with this big blue beautiful backdrop but focused on the shore, and the other focused right smack on “The Lake.” For me, it all depends on where you stay. I have visited both faces and prefer strongly to focus on the lake. I can shop anywhere.

For over 30 years I have held onto a small, really dated brochure on a place I’d written to before email. This brochure has been suspended over the trash bin several times, but I had a hunch. Something about this hotel drew me in, and someday, I thought, I would at least give it a drive-by. Finally, after all these years and many visits to Lago di Como and some of her very pretty hotels, we spent five beautiful days at the Hotel San Giorgio, in Lenno, and now I know that my hunch was right, because this place is a treasure.

Even though many villa-hotels dot the lakeside, none that I could find have the magic ingredient

Lake Entrance to Villa Balbianello

that the San Giorgio has, and that is the huge rolling lawn and garden that sweep from the hotel down to the lapping edge of the lake. Dotted with chaise lounges, chairs, and small tables all facing the lake (and Bellagio on the opposite shore), it is quiet, restful, and magical. Whether we started our day there in the sun, or ended our day with the sunset, it is what sets the Hotel San Giorgio apart, and it is why I want to share it with AHA guests who surely will love it. Another discovery of a 3-star+ property with a 5-star location—my favorite combo.

Always fun is a boat ride/day trip to beautiful and hopping Bellagio. Thanks to Maggie McKenny-Harris, our intrepid researcher, we experienced a lunch

there that we won’t forget. While all the bustling crowds are winding around the pretty alleyways of Bellagio, Chiara picked us up and whisked us away, up, up, up above the city to the slow food, farm-to-table Trattoria Baita Belvedere, where we were the only English speakers, and we love that. The homemade cheeses, succulent simmered boar, and fresh porcini mushrooms were fabulous, as the back of the Swiss Alps stared across the lake at us, and we looked down on the top of Bellagio. Peace and beauty.

Ice Cream and Oranges on an Island

From Villa Melzi, owned by Napoleon and by Liszt, to Villa Carlotta with its fantastic gardens, the prize- winner for me was the old monastery converted

into Villa Balbianello. Perched on a promontory that juts out into the lake with water on three sides, it is as if it were floating. A short boat ride from the Hotel San Giorgio, this villa, it’s history, collections, and gardens are absolutely staggering.

Isola Comacina is the only island in the lake and a must-stop for lunch on any Lake Como itinerary. And why would anyone pass a seven-course lunch on a stone terrace, overlooking the lake and under spreading shade trees? Please! The freshest ingredients served simply over a lazy three hours include twelve different vegetables, gorgeous pink trout, chicken, and aged parmigiana scooped out of the wheel and plopped right into your palm. And every course is bottomless. Everyone finishes with ice cream and oranges, highlighted by a coffee ceremony featuring sweet scalding espresso and an intriguing tale of island history. OK, I’m there. Back on the mainland, we were thankful we had walked along the pretty greenway from the hotel. We hoped we could negotiate the winding walkway back, but the lounges on the lawn at the Hotel San Giorgio were calling to us, shhhh, nap, nap, nap. Lago di Como has become, or more likely always was, a place to run to, escape into, a place to let down and go limp.

Art History Alive will be traveling to Lago di Como in the Fall of 2013. All of the above-mentioned places will be part of the itinerary, and there will be other surprises as well. Group size will be 6. Start dreaming.

Chinatown, San Francisco

April 19 – 26, 2012 ~ 8 Days ~ Group Size: 6

Price: $2,700.00

San Francisco, Yosemite, and Carmel, a Strong Dose of Beautiful CA

Some history, some pampering, and regaining of perspective in magnificent Yosemite.  Enrichment, exercise, fresh air, shopping, that is what this trip is designed to do.  I guided this trip in 2011 and loved it so much, that I couldn’t wait to offer it again.  Of course, it certainly helped that my guests were awesome and so we had nothing but fun.  This is a great itinerary!

Day 1 – Following your arrival into San Francisco, we will spend the day exploring this beautiful “City by the Bay”.  The Chinese, arriving into San Francisco by the thousands at the onset of the Gold Rush, have made a tremendous impact on this state and especially San Fransisco and the Gold Rush towns.  Fascinating!  Following Chinatown, a fortune cookie factory and extraordinary views in all directions, we will have a delicious dinner and  enjoy the lights of this pretty city before collapsing for the night.

Day 2 – We will leave the bustling Bay Area and drive to the slower paced heart of the California Gold Rush, Sonora.  Nestled in the foothills of the mighty Sierra Nevada Mountains, we will spend two days between relaxing professional spa treatments, and tasting some of the best wines produced in California. After checking into the Historic Gunn House, we will drive to the adorable town of Murphy’s , CA.  Here the main street is about four blocks long, lined on both sides with fun shops and oodles of tasting rooms.  We know these well and are wine club members of a few, so we will introduce you to some of the winemakers and let you choose your favorites.  The last time I took this trip, my east coast guests  became wine club members as well, and now receive regular shipments from Murphy’s, a nice reminder of their time there.  Early dinner in Murphy’s.

Living History in Sonora, CA

Day 3:  Leave it to AHA to discover relaxing spa treatments in an historical building built in 1895.  Built after the gold rush, this classic western boomtown style building with its wooden sidewalks, was the very necessary Mundorf Hardware store with the Mundorf family living above. They would probably be shocked to know that within the rooms where they raised their children, today, soft music and candle light beckon clients into the quiet, warm and relaxing treatment rooms. Our spa treatments will be divided between a one hour body massage that is designed by you, and another glorious hour-long European facial. Whether you prefer a Swedish, sports, or lighter aromatherapy massage, it will be tailored to your achieving an all over “wet noodle” experience. I have spoken at length with, and experienced first hand these professionals, and they understand completely what my goal is for each of you traveling with me on this trip. Pampered excellence and a long lingering memory of travel with Art History Alive.

We will sneak in a very private picnic lunch, at the Gunn House, so you need not feel rushed, but can linger in your newly relaxed state of mind.  The balance of this day can be spent shopping in Sonora, napping, whatever you feel like.

Day 4:  After breakfast we will drive into Yosemite National Park, stopping along the way at scenic views that will take your breath away.  After our picnic lunch, and a walk around Yosemite Village so that you can get your bearings, we will check into our beautiful rooms at the unique Ahwahnee Hotel.   This historic hotel, built in 1926, and like no other in its massive grandeur, still cannot compete with the drama and majesty of Yosemite Valley. You will feel your life slip into perspective as we quietly walk the pathways of Yosemite with its enormous granite cliffs surrounding us and as its magnificent waterfalls crash; all outside troubles and pressures seem to morph back into perspective where they should be.  Now we are on Yosemite time.  All my life I have been visiting this natural cathedral and always have the same response to it.  It makes me quiet, thoughtful and enormously thankful.  If you have been before, maybe it is time to go again, if this will be your first time, brace yourself for a powerful experience.

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike.” John Muir

Storybook Architecture, Carmel

Day 5: After breakfast in the Ahwahnee dining room, we will enjoy the park for the better part of the day before driving back to the coast.  This evening will be spent in Santa Cruz overlooking Beach Boardwalk and Municipal Wharf.  Breakfast surrounded by enormous mountains to dinner overlooking the Pacific Ocean, this is California.

Day 6 and 7: This morning we will make the short drive down the coast highway to Carmel, where we will spend the next two days.  This quaint village is so picturesque in every way, you will never want to leave.  Art galleries, shops, jewelery, a style of architecture that can only be described as “Snow Whitesque”.  Those of you who have been there, know exactly what I am talking about.  One of the prettiest California missions is in Carmel too, with its beautiful old mission garden.

Day 8: From Carmel we will drive to San Fransisco and flights home.

Physical Level: Moderate

Art History Alive will offer these seven destinations in 2012! Great places to visit, more interesting things to learn, and very small groups. Over the next few weeks I will post on each tour individually to include a more detailed description, and a list of recommended reading and movies that will allow you to front load your travel experience.

California Wildflowers

You will notice that we have included one itinerary that includes my absolute favorite places in California.  If Europe is not on your radar screen for this year, consider touring the best that California has to offer.  I am a fifth generation Californian and would love to show you around.  I think that you will agree, this is wonderful line up and I sincerely hope that you will share it with your friends and family.

We are very happy to announce:

• Early booking benefits
• Alumni discounts
• Refundable deposits

The NEW money saving opportunities are on the Specials and Discounts Page. These trips can fill up fast so early booking is important and saves you money.

All trips include: Hotels, all meals and house wines, (well, you don’t have to have wine with breakfast) ground transportation, museum admissions, and travel insurance.

May 22 – 28, 2012 ~ 7 Days ~ Group Size: 6

Price: $3,100.00

AHA is so pleased to have Gillian Seely on board to guide this deeply cultural adventure to her loved Sardegna.  An effervescent and bright young woman who loves AHA as I do, whomever travels with her to Italy will have a wonderful and rich time.  I will be joining this trip, my first to Sardegna, so am looking forward to learning all about this island right along side of you.

Why Sardegna?  By Gillian Seely

In 2006, I went with a friend to the French island of Corsica for a long weekend.  It was stunning, peaceful, and vibrant in a bizarre and serene way that is unique to the Mediterranean, but it was missing something.  Admittedly an Italophile, I wasn’t really satisfied.  “I want my seafood mixed in with al dente linguine”, and “Why aren’t people yelling at each other in heated conversation over dinner?” I whined (in my head, of course).  The island immediately to the south beckoned.  I wanted to go to Sardegna—to see the same kind of island, but, in my mind, the improved version.  Improved simply by virtue of having been inhabited by the fiery and beautiful Italians with whom I am so obsessed.  We didn’t have time.

In the summer of 2010, several years after moving stateside, I did go back to the Mediterranean, and finally, to Sardegna.  It exceeded my expectations, and now I have been honored with the opportunity to lead an Art History Alive trip to this incredible and unforgettable island.

What can you expect to experience on an AHA trip to Sardegna?  Without paraphrasing the itinerary, here’s a look at the cultural highlights that make this one of my favorite destinations:
The Language: “Lingua Sarda”, “Sardu”, or “Limba Sarda”.  A beautiful and musical language that is Italian in essence, but is completely different– as any Italian will readily admit.  The language is said to “feature archaic phonetic features when compared to other Romance languages”.  It is believed to have been influenced by Illyrian, Etruscan, and even the Basque language.   The root of “sard” is said to have come from the “Sherden”, one of the so-called “Peoples of the Sea”.  I’m not a linguist, but it is noticeably different from the Italian I have studied, and for me, listening to Sardu makes me feel like I’m eavesdropping on something ancient and mysterious.

Sardinian “Music Bread”

The Food: Expect to taste authentically-regional island cuisine that comes straight from the sea and the land…really!  You’ll find very few gimmicky “spaghetti Bolognese” set menus here.  Save for a few major grocery chains that import from the continent, the island heavily utilizes its own resources– from seafood to locally-grown produce, and grapes that make unique and flavorful wines.  And the locals are very proud of this point, as you might imagine.  Some delicacies of the island include “pane carasu” or “music bread”, a flat, tortilla-like accompaniment to many main courses; and “fregula”, a pasta of Moorish origin that resembles couscous.  Everything is unique and flavorful!

The Music: Cantu a Tenore is an ancient form of polyphonic “throat singing” that has put the island on the map, musically.  According to some historians, the practice of singing in this style dates back to the Nuragic civilization (we’ll learn all about them on this trip).  Some speculate that the deeply-primitive and almost Moorish sounds were intended to mimic the sounds of the sheep.  The Nuragic people were shepherds.

Nuraghe Dwelling

The Sites: We will see the Nuraghe dwellings, and the Domus de Janas (literally, “houses of the fairies”).  These are strange, prehistoric, beehive-like structures, believed to have been inhabited by the semi-nomadic Sardegnan people.  We will also see the breathtaking Grotto di Nettuno (Neptune’s Grotto), a massive system of coastal caverns filled with intense geological features.  This is one of the most visually-appealing stalactite caves in Europe, and the approach by boat is dramatic to say the least.

Coast of Sardinia

The Beaches: White sands, blue water with excellent visibility, and countless opportunities for snorkeling, kayaking, and swimming in refreshing waters.  Sure, this isn’t the main thrust of the trip, but these beaches are to die for.

Tempted yet?  Sardegna isn’t for everyone.  It does not offer bustling urban nightlife, well-managed museums, high-end shopping districts, or high-profile Roman ruins.  It can be challenging to get around, the residents are uncommonly conservative, and tourism is relatively new to the island.  It is, however, a wonderful place for an authentic Mediterranean adventure and deeply cultural experience.   Think of Sardegna as Italy’s unruly, wild, but stunningly-beautiful cousin.

D.H. Lawrence said it best:

“Sardinia, which is like nowhere. Sardinia, which has no history, no date, no race, no offering. Let it be Sardinia. They say neither Romans nor Phoenicians, Greeks nor Arabs ever subdued Sardinia. It lies out- side; outside the circuit of civilisation. Like the Basque lands. Sure enough, it is Italian now, with its railways and its motor-omnibuses. But there is an uncaptured Sardinia still. It lies within the net of this European civilisation, but it isn’t landed yet…Let it be Sardinia.”

Flag of Sardegna

1. Slow Pace
2. Historic Accommodations
3. Sites in, Under, and Above
4. Off the Beaten Track
5. Family-Run Restaurants
6. Meeting and Greeting Interesting Locals

Slow Pace. Similar to the slow food movement, in order to savor a place we hold back on pace.  AHA meanders, and soaks in a culture.

Accommodations. The place that you sleep on an AHA tour will be small, located in the historic center of where ever we are, and often run by a family that we now call friends. These are the people that each of you will get to know, and they will go above and beyond to make you feel at home in the city or area that they are immensely proud of. Whether we are in Tuscany, Florence, Rome, Paris, or California, our friends welcome us back with the warmest reunions. Needless to say, locating and building these trusted friendships has been a 15 year labor of love that you, our clients, will enjoy.

Pucci and Giovanni, owners Castello di Proceno

In, Under, and Above a Place. For example: AHA will wander you into tiny colorful towns, under a city through tunnels, whose construction dates back before Christ, and above the Pacific Ocean perched on a high cliff. We will take you down into a valley only to look up at an enormous and majestic rushing waterfall.

We Will Go Off The Beaten Track. In Italy, everyone goes to the beautiful Chianti region for wine tasting. We, on the other hand, have sought out tucked away wineries as to avoid the slick marketing of the “Italian Wine Country”. Instead, AHA enjoys visiting a large typical wine estate overlooking, for example, Orvieto. We taste the wines with complimentary foods under a frescoed ceiling. At other times we might visit a village wine co-op. Here everyone in the village pools their small private vineyard grape crop to make a wine that they divide up and will drink every day for the next year. The same is true in California. We will go wine tasting in the lesser known wine producing areas of Paso Robles, on the Central Coast, and Murphy’s in the foothills of the mighty Sierra Mountains.

Restaurant Choices Are Key. In Italy we will eat in family owned trattorie. This is the restaurant where wonderful smells waft as you walk in the door. They’re where Mama and Grandma are in the kitchen, Papa is at the fireplace roaster, Grandpa makes the coffee and sits at the cash register, and the kids are busing tables and taking orders. This is where they approach your table not with a menu, but instead with a list of what was cooked today, always fresh and only seasonal. They will take great pride in their homemade pastas, which will melt in you mouth, and their house wines which were probably made at the co-op mentioned above. This is too fun!

Roberto, Latte de Luna, Pienza

In California, Paris, and NYC we will take you to places that we know and trust – eateries that reflect the personality of the place we are visiting. From Clint Eastwood’s Mission Ranch steak house in Carmel, CA, to the best french fries in the world at L’Entrecote in Paris, where we enjoy our meals is an important piece to the immersion process.

You, Our Clients, Will Have The Opportunity To Meet and Greet Our Wonderful Friends. This is something NO other tour group large or small can boast.  As I have mentioned above, through the years of returning to these places, we have met and had the pleasure of getting to know, grocers in small towns, tiny hotel owners, restaurant owners, and vintners, all of whom are genuinely happy to see us again. We really enjoy our reunions and introducing our guests to them. This is so key in getting beyond the ordinary in a country. Now you are not simply an observer in a culture, but you are interacting with it. A huge difference and uniquely Art History Alive.

I am sure you will agree that when you add these experiences together, you will feel that you have been immersed in a wonderful culture. We do.

Our Home in Tuscany, Castello di Proceno

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CAPTURING TUSCANY AND SORRENTO

SEPTEMBER 26 – October 3, 2011 ~ 8 DAYS ~ GROUP SIZE: 6
PRICE PER PERSON: $3,800.00

This is an AHA first, combining two drastically different yet incredibly picturesque areas of Italy.  Your opportunity to get to know the rugged Amalfi Coast and the soft hills of Tuscany, their art, history and as part of a small group of just six.

Tuscany, the land of cobblestoned hill towns, delicious food and wine, and Etruscan history.  Our landing spot will be the tiny hill town of Proceno, in southern Tuscany, and our rooms at Castello di Proceno.

This castle/fortress was built in the 11th century, is perched high up on a rocky spur, and has been creatively redesigned into several beautiful apartments. This is my favorite place in all of Tuscany. Once we check in and relax a bit, we will take a walk around town so that you can get your bearings. The views, in all directions are dreamlike, no, actually they are “calendar-like”. I will introduce you to Pucci and Giovanni, the owners of the castle, Roberto the grocer, where you can buy anything from locally made salami, to bedroom slippers, and Gianfranco, of Trattoria da Gianfranco. The castle will be our home for the next four days.

Some of the must-sees in this area include, the cathedral of Sovana, that took so long to build, it actually spans two architectural periods, hundreds of years apart.  As we sit in the back of the church you will see that two of its three aisles are Romanesque and the third is Gothic. Amazing and totally unique.

WW II Bullet Holes, Cathedral, Pienza

Then there is the hill town hamlet of Pienza that was, luckily for us, caught in a time warp. During the first half of the 1400′s, Pope Pius II, responsible for the revitalization and redesigning of his beloved hometown, was called away to raise troops for a crusade to the Holy Land. He left a Papal Bull, in beautiful Latin, that stated nothing should be touched until his return. Unfortunately, in 1465 he died while away, and Pienza dutifully has left everything just as it was. Because of this, a visit to Pienza gives us a real time snapshot of Tuscan life in the 1400′s. Pienza was miraculously spared during World War II bombing raids, however the machine gun holes in the exterior side wall of the cathedral are a reminder of what happened here when both Germans and Americans took turns occupying Pienza and the surrounding towns. This is a fascinating area with lots to explore, learn, taste and photograph. Brunellos come from these hills, as does a most delicious soft, not salty, pecorino cheese.

Civita di Bagnoregio

And who can be in this area and not visit the most haunting of all hill towns, Civita di Bagnoregio? Not me! Civita sits a top a rock outcrop , built entirely of that same rock, it appears to be something organic that simply grew out of the mountain. However, because of earthquakes over the centuries much of the spur and city have dropped away, leaving Civita sitting like a diamond nestled in a round solitaire setting. There is one approach to the city, a walking bridge that spans the gorge that encircles Civita. Often, in the morning, the city is engulfed in clouds or fog and it appears that the bridge leads to no where. Sometimes the fog fills just the gorge with Civita above as if floating in the sky. This is like nothing else you would have seen up to this point, and you will remember it always. Comfortable walking shoes, your camera, and a hefty appetite are a must for Civita di Bagnoregio.

Saying our goodbyes to Tuscany we will hop the speedy Eurostar to Naples, and onto gorgeous Sorrento. We will stay in Sorrento, at the beautiful Hotel Antiche Mura.  Sorrento, is built high above the Mediterranean on a flat plateau, here you can walk to the edge and look straight

From The Top Of Capri

down the cliff into the warm, see-through water. Here, where centuries ago pirates marauded, we will wander the alleyways, visit Pompeii, and Capri, capturing its spirit.  With all of the fresh seafood, pastas, crispy white wines and frosty limoncello that you can take in, within a picturesque fishing village and with Mt. Vesuvius as a back drop to photograph, you will ask yourself, “Can it get any better than this?” Nope!

Which will be your favorite? Cobblestoned Tuscany, with its full o’flavor wines and where you met the locals and stayed in a castle, or the warm seafront terraces and fishing villages of the Amalfi Coast? These will be ongoing comparisons that may never have a definitive conclusion. As for me, after 20 years of loving these places, I could say it’s like comparing apples and oranges, but it’s not, it’s cobblestones and lemons.

Physical level: Moderate

In General:

AHA is great places to visit, more interesting things to learn, and very small groups. Over the next few weeks I will post a list of recommended reading and movies, destination specific, that will allow you to front load your travel experience.

You will notice that we have added two itineraries that include my absolute favorite places in California.  I hope that some of you will consider touring the best that California has to offer.  I am a fifth generation Californian and would love to show you around.

We are very happy to announce:

• Early booking benefits
• Alumni discounts
• Refundable deposits

The NEW money saving opportunities are on the Specials and Discounts Page. These trips can fill up fast so early booking is important and saves you money.

All trips include: Hotels, all meals and house wines, (well, you don’t have to have wine with breakfast) ground transportation, and museum admissions.

3 Architectural Periods l-r Modern, Roman, Renaissance

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I came to Italy for the art, history, ancient architecture, scenic beauty, food, wine, hill towns, landscapes, and loving it all, I return for Rome.

Why does one place reach out and hug you, and others simply don’t?  No one really knows, and further, who cares, it just happens.  However, when it happens, it is very personal, and at the same time, very intimate.  For some it’s a sandy beached island, a mountain perch, an almost silent lake, the sidewalks of Paris, Vienna, or among the Giant Sequoias, here in California.  But when it happens, you know it.

After about 48  hours in Rome,  I felt a sense of sinking into it, a yearn to get lost in it.  Not in the great sites, suddenly the Colosseum and the Forum jumped into the back seat, I wanted to be on a back street in a nondescript neighborhood.   I didn’t want to stand out, but quite the opposite, I wanted to blend in, fit, smear into Rome. Recognize the feeling?

Frances Mayes feels about Tuscany, as I do about Rome.  She describes it this way.  “. . . the place took hold of me and shaped me in its image.”  Exactly.

Unbelievable Dinner with Roman Friends

“I wanted an aperture, an opportunity to merge with something limitless.”  I didn’t know that I did, but boy, did I.

And finally, “  . . . something that takes you out of yourself also restores you to yourself with a greater freedom.”  This last quote touches on what many travelers who fall in love with a place refer to as ” I felt like I was home.”  I love the way that Rome swoops me out of myself, fills me to the brim, and returns a wiser, more humbled me. However, when I am in Rome and wandering, I feel small as the enormity of all that Rome has been, is and will be, surrounds me. How could I not want a repeat of that thrill ride?

Through the ages, Rome has gathered many, many lovers, I am only one, but that’s OK, I can share.   When I arrive we have such a joyous reunion, Rome is all decked out and gives me her full attention.  Below are some thoughts by a few of her other lovers:

Barbara Gruzzuti Harrison (1934-2002) – “I am happy here; when I or others have bruised my life, I close my eyes against the hurt and think of Rome: as possibility and hope. . . The world is lovable when the world is Rome. . . For the rest of my life I will love Rome and think better of my life having known Rome.”

Johann Goethe (1749-1832) – In Rome you learn to. . . . “See with an eye that can feel, feel with a hand that can see.”

Henry James (1843-1916) – At nineteen years old, “I went reeling and moaning thro’ the streets, in a fever of enjoyment.”  Fifty years later – “No one who has ever loved Rome, as Rome could be loved in youth, wants to stop loving her.”

H. V. Morton (1892-1979) – “I looked down with gratitude upon the city where I had learnt many things; but one does not say goodbye to Rome.”

Judith Testa – (During my first visit) . . .”A strange energy surged through me, a passion for the place which has never faded but only increased with each subsequent visit.  Whenever I return to Rome, I experience that same anticipation, energy, and excitement.”

Jim Quist – “I love Rome simply because it’s Italian.”

Why is Rome so magnetic?  Could it be the magnificent art, layered history, delicious food, warm Italians, winding alleys, underground shrines, alongside, or often times under, haute couture,  400 churches, one 2,000 years old?  Yes, and what about the churches, where most of the art resides?  Isn’t Rome considered the very heart of Christendom? Maybe it is the endless stories about the lives of the the artists that, through the ages, arrived in Rome from all over Italy, to contribute to its greatness in painting, architecture, sculpture, mosaic, bronze, and on and on.  The personalities, the conflicts, the rivalries.  When you know what Michelangelo said just after beginning the Moses, or how he managed to get his Pieta into St. Peter’s without permission, all while standing in front of the masterpieces, Rome elevates, moves, enriches, empowers, and becomes magnetic.

Perhaps you have never experienced a “passion blow”, and wonder how  you sink deeply into a place, and catch its spirit?  These are requisites for AHA guests, and I have never had a complaint.

• Front Loading.  Before departure, study your destination and the things that you will see.  A good travel guide can do nicely, but be sure that it has photos.  I have traveled for years without front loading, but never more.  Your knowledge will afford a wonderful feeling of familiarity and understanding upon recognition of a painting, a cafe, or street corner, that you have read about.  With a smile you can say to yourself, ” I know this place.”  Great rush.
• Pace is very important.  You cannot be rushing, so you need time in one place.  Give yourself at least four full days.  Then quietly observe everything around you, from the art to the shoe styles.  Coats, ties, skin, and faces.
• Fight the urge to make a list of must sees, that you then focus on.  When you get home, it shouldn’t be about the places that you saw, it should be about what you have learned and felt.  If your memories of Rome sound like this, ” Big bustling city, full of traffic and noise”, than you have missed it, and you should consider a return trip. Thankfully, Rome is endless, immortal and forgiving.

I will be in Rome guiding AHA’s  After twenty years, just writing those words, “I will be in Rome”, puts a smile on my face and pulls at my heart.  I would love to share it with you.

Royal Hawaiian Gardens

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ALOHA CALIFORNIA

OCTOBER 15 – 22, 2011 ~ 8 DAYS ~ GROUP SIZE: 6

PRICE PER PERSON: $3,175.00

Just back from 5 gorgeous days of research and development in Honolulu. Based on my findings below, AHA will offer an itinerary called “Aloha California”  October 15-22, 2011. It will consist of 3 days in beautiful San Francisco and 4 days in Hawaii. More details on this MEW itinerary below FINDINGS.

FINDINGS:

For me, the key to Waikiki is simple, it is all about the genteel pink oasis called The Royal Hawaiian.  We approached the hotel along the very glitzy Kalakaua Avenue lined on both sides like Rodeo Drive. With Coach, Fendi, Cartier, Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, Tommy Bahama and more, all in attendance.  Carefully, our car turned right and ambled down a long driveway, leaving the shopping center far behind us.  The first thing I noticed, after the gorgeous pink stucco facade, was the quiet!  Then the orchid leis put around our necks.
The hotel has recently undergone a huge refurbish and I was so fearful that it’s old word charm and peace would somehow have been sold to the highest bidder.  Not so, not so.  The gorgeous sweeping gardens still wrap around the low slung hotel with its spacious open verandas that  insist  you sit down, unwind and let the warm Trade Winds lull you.

ITINERARY:

Chinatown Dragon, San Francisco

Day 1 through 3 will be spent in and around San Francisco.  The colorful streets of its huge Chinatown, to beautiful Union Square, a boat ride and guided tour of the haunting Alcatraz, and a walk through the enormous and majestic Redwood trees in the Muir Woods.  We will drive across the famous Golden Gate and down the “crookedest street in the world”, Lombard Street, and finish up at the Tonga Room at the Fairmont Hotel, which is really fun!

Day 4 we will catch our morning flights to gorgeous Hawaii.  Arriving at he Royal Hawaiian about lunch time, we will check into our rooms and start to really unwind.  The balance of this day is for laying around and enjoying the huge gardens.

Days 5 through 7 will be mostly pure relaxation either on the beach and in the warm water waves, around the pool, in the spa, or shopping.  One of these three days will include a trip to the world famous Polynesian Cultural Center for a day wandering among the various villages of the Polynesian peoples.  Characteristic foods, native music and dance abound.  This is my little injection of art and history into this itinerary, and it is fascinating.

Day 8 – Flights home from Hawaii.

If this sounds lovely to you, start thinking about Aloha California with AHA, October 15 – 22, 2011.

Fragrant Plumaria, Hawaii

Steak Frites in Paris and Now in NYC

Hello Everyone,

A good friend who visited Paris with me many years ago, recently sent an article published in The New Yorker, February 8, 2010, page 12.   I am very happy tosay that Le Relais de Venise L’Entrecote opened its doors in NYC.  This fifty year old Parisian restaurant is a stand out favorite of AHA’s, and if you have traveled to Paris with me in the last fifteen years, this is where you dined your first night.  Absolutely famous for the one thing that it serves up to hungry diners every night, are the steak frites, smothered in a secret sauce that makes ones knees go weak. Starting to come back?  Ringing any bells?  Drooling yet?  Many of you have begged me to return to L’Entrecote for a second meal before the trip home, which I am always happy to do.  Not only have all of my guests experienced L’Enrecote, but over the years, we have recommended it to anyone on their way to the City of Light.  And even though they serve just one prix fixe entree, preceded by a small but good salad, and some crunchy butterless bread, all for $24.00, they offer no less than ten to twelve desserts, for a few dollars more.  The most famous being Profiteroles, and  my favorite, the Berry Tulip. (photos below)

For years people have tried to recreate this fabulous savory sauce by first guessing its ingredients.  Many fun AHA evenings have been spent in Paris around a table at L’Entrecote as my guests and I try our hardest to figure it out.

Some years back a friend and wonderful cook, Katie McKenny, decided she thought she had it.  A few weeks after returning home I received her recipe for what she called “Cyndie’s First Night In Paris Secret Sauce”.  I have made this sauce many times, usually by request (or demand), and it is very, very close.  In fact, the recipe is barely legible for the splatter stains.  I thought it would be fun to post Katie’s recipe here, and hope that the next blog photo you see of me will NOT be in handcuffs, being lead away by the Haute Cuisine police.

Have fun with this and let me know if you think Katie got it!

Cyndie’s First Night In Paris Secret Sauce

By Katie McKenny

Profiteroles ala L'Entrecote

1       Tablespoon Olive Oil

3/4    teaspoon turmeric

4       3″ pieces of lemon grass

1/2    teaspoon chili powder

1       can coconut milk

3       cloves garlic, minced

1/2     teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated

1/2     teaspoon salt and some freshly ground pepper

1/3     cup red wine

meat juices

In the hot oil, cook lemon grass, ginger, turmeric, garlic, and chili powder for about 6 minutes, stirring.

Add coconut milk, mix well and simmer very slowly to thicken, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove lemon grass.  Taste and adjust.

Just before serving add wine and the meat juices after you have sliced the meat.

For more information on the new Le Relais De Venise L’Entrcote in NYC visit: http://www.yelp.com/biz/le-relais-de-venise-lentrecote-new-york

The Berry Tulip ala L'Entrecote

Vittoria

I would like you to meet my friend Vittoria.  As you can see she has lived a long life, and all of it in tiny, Civita de Bagnoregio.  All of her life, that is, except for a short time during, and just after WWII, and this is her story.

The population of Civita di Bagnoregio ranges anywhere from 15 to 75, depending on the season, and Vittoria is one of the 15.  Many of you have visited this most haunting of hill towns, either with me, for I NEVER visit Tuscany/Lazio without walking the cobblestone streets of Civita, or on your own.  And if you did it on your own, congratulations!  One has to REALLY want to go there to be determined enough to find it, all tucked away in her hills.  But, as you approach, she rises up on her tufa throne, and sits majestically, albeit precariously, right up on top.  An amazing sight.

Civita de Bagnoregio dates back 3,000 years, to before the Etruscan civilization, which pre-dates the Romans.  Now, as interesting as this “City of Dead” is, and how it got its name, this story is about Vittoria.  The story that she related to me one sunny afternoon, was that of her memories of World War II in her little town when she was 22 years old.

She began by explaining that around 1943, Civita di Bagnoregio was a bit larger than it is now, and that the concrete and steel bridge

Civita di Bagnoregio with its Bridge

that spans the surrounding chasm, the only artery to the arched entrance gate of Civita, is a handsome one, but not the one that she grew up with.  The old stone bridge that she referred to was wide enough for people to pass a donkey cart as they hiked from Civita to the larger town of Bagnoregio, located across the very deep canyon.  Vittoria told me that the people of Civita would cross the bridge to shop for what they needed, because their tiny town had very little in the way of shops.  Stopping along the way to visit with their neighbors, the bridge was a lifeline to the outside world.

The bridge is 900 feet in length, is rather steep and takes about 15 minutes to walk.

Toward the end of the WWII, when the Germans were being ordered to retreat north to Germany, the bombing in Tuscany and Lazio intensified.  Vittoria remembers the sounds of the planes flying so close that even as she tells me the story, she briefly covers her ears.  With bombs dropping within earshot, as the Allies were attempting to blow up the train lines thereby hindering the retreating Germans, a bomb destroyed the bridge connecting Civita to the rest of the world.

Civita di Bagnoregio

Fleeing their homes on top of the hill, where they felt exposed and vulnerable, the small band of citizens huddled together in an Etruscan cave built into the rock and under the town.  For many, many days, as they listened to the planes overhead, they stayed hidden, afraid to venture back to town and afraid of the destruction that they might encounter.  Vittoria cannot remember exactly how long they were in the cave before food and water became a determining factor in the creation of a plan.  She told me that the group decided that they had to try and get to their big sister, Bagnoregio for help.  Of course, with the bridge out, they had to find another way.  She explained that there was local knowledge of the old Etruscan walking routes, and after some exploration, they attempted the hike.  Even the elderly had to make the crossing, no one could be left behind.

One of Vittoria’s clearest memories, and she smiled as she described it, was climbing up to Bagnoregio and the people at the top extending their hands to pull the small band up and out of the valley that separated them.   The people of Bagnoregio took them in and shared what little they had.  Vittoria’s memory of time is unclear, but she simply said that they were in Bagnoregio for a very long time, and until the new stone bridge was complete.  Vittoria’s family chose to return to Civita, even though many of their neighbors did not.  The population of the little town decreased considerably and through the years was dubbed the “City of the Dead”.  As I mentioned above, the population of Civita has been as low as 15, but now swells to 75, with up to 200 day trippers on a summer weekend ( I avoid summer weekends at all costs).  Wealthy Romans have bought up many of the houses, still left in tact, as vacation homes, and, like Vittoria, a few of the elderly inhabitants remain.

Bruschetta Cave, Civita di Bagnoregio

The bridge, which is a vitally important component in the life of Civita, was again destroyed in 1964 by an earthquake, very prevalent in this area.  The concrete and steel bridge that we walk on today, to make our way to Vittoria, is yet another replacement.

Needless to say, Civita is a favorite of mine, and so I happily guide my guests across the bridge and into the town where this and other stories are told over crunchy bruschetta toasted in a fireplace, washed down with a glass of wine, all while sitting in a cave.  This is Cultural Immersion Travel.

June 2010 will find AHA in Tuscany and Rome.  Civita di Bagnoregio will be on the itinerary.

Tips on visiting Civita di Bagnoregio:

• During the summer months avoid the weekends!
• Wear very comfortable clothes and shoes.  The walk is a hefty one, takes 15 to 20 minutes, but is so worth it!
• To get to my favorite Bruschetteria Antico Frantoio, with the entrance gate to your back, walk down the only main street.  The Cathedral will be on your left as you enter the Piazza.  Continue on the same street to the Bruschetteria on your left with a small courtyard in front.  Enjoy!
• Watch for Vittoria as she often sits in the sun across from the Bruschetteria.
• To arrive at the Etruscan caves where Vittoria hid, continue down the main street to the end of town (opposite end from where you entered).  There you will find some steps down, just follow them.
• A helpful link for planning a visit.