Villa Rosa di Boscorotondo

When my husband and I went to Italy last year, we spent a few days tooling around Tuscany drinking lots of wine and enjoying the gorgeous countryside. Our home base during these adventures was Villa Rosa di Boscorotondo, a delightful villa halfway between Florence and Siena.

Villa Rosa is truly delightful. It is a pretty pink villa smack dab in the middle of vineyards and woods. The front of it truly looks like it was out of a movie. I felt like I was living my very own "Under the Tuscan Sun."

And the rooms themselves were quite pretty. They were very large by European standards, so for once we had plenty of room to spread out. There were also plenty of common spaces to relax in as well. We were spoiled as we had a balcony that was almost the size of our hotel room in Rome!

The grounds were also lovely. There was even a swimming pool to cool off during the summer months.

Villa Rosa also has a fabulous location. It was located close to the towns of Radda, Panzano and Castellina, so you did not have to worry about being too far away from any amenities you may need (for example, more wine). And since there is parking across the street, you do not have to worry about any transportation issues.

TIP: When travelling through Tuscany, you have to rent a car. There is no other way to truly see all of the amazing sights.

Finally, Villa Rosa served fabulous meals. Upon request, you can be included in their dinner feast and what a feast it is! We had bruschetta with numerous toppings, including lardo (which sounds gross but is actually delicious), Tuscan grilled meats, and phenomenal white beans with Rosemary. And of course wine!

Villa Rosa is run by a family who also owns hotels in Florence. It really feels like a family spot with the family dog roaming through the grounds. We found all of the staff nice and very helpful.

If you are looking for a place to stay in Tuscany, I highly recommend Villa Rosa. One big perk which I have not yet mentioned is the price, which is fantastic. It was one of the only reasonable places we found on our hotel searches.

Villa Rosa di Boscorotondo
Via S. Leolino 59
Panzano Greve (Fi)

http://www.resortvillarosa.it/en/dove_en.htm

The Brennan's Empire

So again I am a little late with my posts. Still trying to catch up from my friend's wedding.

Speaking of the wedding, my girlfriend had her bridesmaid luncheon at a restaurant in New Orleans called Ralph's in the Park near City Park. Ralph's is a great restaurant -- fantastic food, wonderful service and a great location. That description can also be used for all of the restaurants in the Brennan family of restaurants.



Now if you have ever been to New Orleans, you have probably heard of "breakfast at Brennan's" -- a New Orleans tradition loved by both tourists and locals alike. But what you probably didn't realize is that many of the most loved New Orleans restaurants are owned by the Brennan family...10 in total with 7 of them residing in the French Quarter.

The granddaddy of all of these is, of course, Brennan's, which has been around since the 1940s. It is famous for its breakfast, which is really a decadent, boozy brunch. The restaurant started out serving French classics, but since then has created many New Orleans classics. The most famous dish created at Brennan's is of course bananas foster. If you have never had bananas foster, you are missing out! It starts with bananas sauteed in brown sugar and butter until the bananas are hot and soft and the brown sugar and bananas has created a sticky, bubbly sauce. Then, the bananas and sauce are poured on top of vanilla ice cream...to die for!!

The other Brennan's restaurant that you have surely heard of is Commander's Palace. Commander's is a classic -- it is located in the Garden District and it just screams old New Orleans, as it should since it has been around since the 1880s. It is a power lunch spot in New Orleans, mostly due to the 25 cent martinis! The food there is phenomenal from the turtle soup through to the Bread Pudding Souffle. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Commander's is a traditional New Orleans spot for special occasions -- you will often see graduates, birthdays and anniversaries celebrated there.  

Another favorite is Mr. B's Bistro in the French Quarter. Mr. B's is more casual than Brennan's but it has similar food. It is famous for its gumbo yaya and its traditional New Orleans style BBQ shrimp. Also located in the Quarter is Palace Cafe which is also mid-range in terms of formality. It is housed in a famous building that used to house Werlein's Music -- many famous New Orleans musicians have entered this building. Palace Cafe is well known for its Sunday jazz brunch and for its view of the Mardi Gras parades. It is well-known in my family for its sensational white chocolate bread pudding.

Also in the French Quarter is the most casual Brennan's restaurant -- Red Fish Grill. It is a seafood restaurant located at the end of Bourbon Street. A main feature of Red Fish Grill is its oyster raw bar where it serves its signature BBQ oysters.

There are a few Brennan's restaurants I have not yet been to. Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse  is, obviously, a steakhouse and it is located in the Quarter. It is a higher-end restaurant than some of the other Quarter spots. Dickie Brennan's Bourbon House is known for its seafood, specifically its raw oyster bar. This restaurant is more of a bistro in line with some of the other Brennan's restaurants in the Quarter. Due to its location on Bourbon Street, it also sometimes offers a walk-up window serving crepes, gelato and, of course alcohol. In Downtown New Orleans, known as the Central Business District, is Cafe Adelaide, which is a fine dining restaurant.

Finally, as discussed above, is Ralph's in the Park, which is adjacent to City Park. There are huge windows throughout to take advantage of the views of the park. This is also a fine dining restaurant serving creative Creole food.

TIP: Many of these restaurants have specials like the 24 cent martinis at Commander's. Check the website before you go to see if there is a better time or restaurant to go to depending on the specials.

In my opinion, you cannot go wrong with any Brennan's restaurant, so take your pick and eat to your heart's delight!

Brennan's

417 Royal Street

New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 525-9711

http://www.brennansneworleans.com/

 

Commander's Palace

1403 Washington Avenue

New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 899-8221

http://www.commanderspalace.com/

 

Piperno

Sorry this post is so late. I was out of town for a wedding and was spending alot of time drinking and not so much time blogging!

Two weekends ago was St. Joseph's Day, so in honor of that holiday, this week's post focuses on Italian food. And what better place to eat Italian food than Rome! One of my favorite restaurants in Rome is Piperno -- a fairly formal, traditional Roman restaurant in the Jewish quarter.

The restaurant is located in a tucked-away little piazza behind the palazzi of the Jewish ghetto and is slightly hard to find. But, once you find it, you will have stumbled onto quite a treat. It is old, like most great finds in Rome, established around 1860.

When my husband and I went there, we started with the Jewish artichokes -- big artichokes smashed flat and fried. It looks like a chrysanthemum once done. This particular preparation is a specialty of Piperno and I can see why! I am a huge artichoke fan to begin with, but frying them really took them to the next level. They were crispy, tangy and super salty.

Next I had some outstanding gnocchi -- clearly homemade and tossed in a cheesy fontina sauce. They were like the most decadent mac and cheese you could imagine. I still dream about these little puffs. For my entree (yes, we ate alot that night), I had a traditional veal saltimbocca. Absolutely delicious.

Besides these items, Piperno has a huge menu of Italian favorites. Its specialties are the various fried items, include the artichokes discussed above, and the freshly made pastas.

The service is very traditional and "white glove." I adore those old-fashioned manners, so was in heaven.

TIP: The night we went to Piperno it was raining, but if you go on a nice night, try to sit outside. The courtyard is delightful.

If you find yourself in Rome, I would highly recommend making a trip to Piperno. You will not regret it!

Ristorante Piperno
Monte dé Cenci, 9 Roma
tel.Linea 1 +39 06 68.80.66.29
tel.Linea 2 +39 06 68.33.606
fax +39 06 68.21.95.95
mail: info@ristorantepiperno.it

Caesar's Palace

This weekend while watching Ocean's Eleven, I realized I have never done a post on one of my favorite places in the US...VEGAS BABY!! And my favorite hotel in Vegas is Caesar's Palace. There are a ton of uber-fabulous hotels in Vegas, but I love Caesar's the best because I truly think it has the best mix of old and new Vegas. Plus, it has the best shopping center by far!

When I was young, my parents and a group of friends would go to Vegas every summer. And every summer we stayed at Caesar's because that was my dad's favorite place to stay. Since then, I have stayed in numerous other hotels in Vegas, but Caesar's is definitely still my favorite.

In my mind, there are three types of hotels in Vegas -- the really old school ones on Fremont Street, the original ones on the Strip (of which Caesar's is one) and the new Strip hotels (like the Wynn and the City Center). I am a little bit princessy (or a lot princessy depending on who you ask) so I never stay on Fremont Street. I like alot of the hotels on the Strip, but I really think that Caesar's captures some of the old school Vegas vibe that some of the other hotels on the Strip do not.

As in all Vegas hotels, Caesars has a huge gaming floor. Unlike some other Vegas hotels, I don't find it cramped or overwhelming. There is just a little more room between the tables that makes the experience slightly better. Right off the gaming floor is the Colosseum, which is a huge concert venue. Celine Dion and Bette Midler each had long-running shows there and now other touring artists perform there. It is especially cool, I think, to see a concert in the same place you are staying.

With respect to dining, Caesar's definitely has some phenomenal restaurants. It hosts restaurants by famous chefs such as Bradley Ogden, Bobby Flay and Francois Payard (you can see my happiness eating one of Mr. Payard's pastries in the picture). There are also branches of two New York classics -- Rao's and Serendipity. Most exciting though is Restaurant Guy Savoy -- the only place in the US where you can dine on master Chef Guy Savoy's food. A pricey excursion for sure, but worth it (or so I am told). There are also numerous other fancy places, casual digs and typical Vegas buffets.

With respect to nightlife, Caesar's has that too. They have the PURE nightclub and numerous bars and lounges scattered throughout the hotel, including Cleopatra's Barge, which as a kid, I thought was super cool.

During the day when you are fighting off a hangover, there is the Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis. It is a huge pool area with decadent cabanas and swimming pools. There is even a Pool Club which is basically like a night club, but outside at the pool. There is also a spa called the Qua Spa, which is a typical swanky resort spa.

The best thing to do during the day at Caesars though is shop in the Forum Shops. This mall is awesome -- it is definitely the best place to go shopping in Vegas. The first cool thing you notice when you walk into the mall is that it is decorated as if you are in an outdoor market in ancient Rome. The skies even change depending on the time of day! There is also a great mix of stores -- from places like the Gap to Roberto Cavalli. There are also a ton of restaurants -- casual places like the Cheesecake Factory up to more expensive places like the Palm. Pretty much anything you want can be found here!

Like most resorts in Vegas, Caesars offers a wide variety of rooms starting at a normal room up to the very swanky penthouses. I have only stayed in normal rooms, but if anyone is willing to pony up the dough for me to stay in the penthouse, I will definitely report back on how fabulous it is!!! If that same person is offering me dinner at Guy Savoy, I am more than willing to test it out!

TIP: The movie The Hangover takes place at Caesar's Palace (see I told you it is the best), so watch it before you come to get yourself ready for Vegas. Just don't take any roofies if you can help it...

If you find yourself in Vegas, which you really should, stop by Caesar's to at least check out the place. It is definitely a sight to see!
Caesars Palace Las Vegas Hotel and Casino
3570 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
866-227-5938
http://www.caesarspalace.com/

Character Meals in Disney World

For the first time since I was a child, last weekend, I got to experience Disney World through the eyes of a child -- namely our friends' 4 year old daughter Isabella. Since we were really just tagging along to our friends' trip to Disney, we left the planning up to them.

One of the activities that I have not experienced since I was a child was a character meal. For kids, this is really an awesome experience. There are character breakfasts and dinners all throughout Disney World. We attended a dinner at Chef Mickey's in the Contemporary Resort (which also serves breakfast) and our friends went to numerous other ones during the week of their stay.

A character meal is exactly what it sounds like -- you eat your meal while various characters walk through the restaurant, take pictures and give autographs to the kids (or the adults per the picture of my husband aboev). And the kids love this! Whenever a character walked through Chef Mickey, excitement followed. All of the kids put down their mac and cheese and waited with baited breath for the character to stop by THEIR table. It really was very cute. And this being Disney World, the dinner was planned such that during an hour meal every character at that restaurant would stop by your table. It is very efficient. 

The food at these events are usually a buffet. That makes it easier for the kids to get their food and eat on their schedule so they can maximize their time with the characters. The food ranges in quality for sure. At Chef Mickeys the food was not too bad. Pretty basic American fare, but fairly good quality. Our friends went to the character breakfast at the Tusker House in the Animal Kingdom and they said the food was awesome. Besides normal breakfast food, there was African inspired dishes as well. Part of the buffet is always geared towards kids to make it even easier on the parents.

There are many other places that do character dining besides what I have listed above. 1900 Park Fare, located in the Grand Floridian Resort, does American breakfast with an Alice in Wonderland theme and a dinner with a Cinderella theme. There is also a Wonderland Tea Party in the afternoon. The Garden View Tea Room, also located in the Grand Floridian, serves traditional afternoon tea and hosts the My Disney Girl's Perfectly Princess Tea Party, which is a fairly extravagant tea party starring Sleeping Beauty. The Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in the Norway Pavilion in EPCOT showcases American cuisine for breakfast and Norwegian cuisine for lunch and dinner, but mostly showcases all of the Disney Princesses. The Cape May Cafe, located at Disney's Beach Club Resort, serves breakfast and dinner with a focus on seafood. The Garden Grill Restaurant in the Land Pavilion in EPCOT serves American style dinner and features Chip 'n Dale. Cinderella's Royal Table in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom is a Princess Experience also, as it is situated IN Cinderella's castle. It serves American style breakfast, lunch and dinner a la carte, which is different from the usual buffet. The Crystal Palace, also located in the Magic Kingdom right off of Main Street USA, offers American-style character dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner and features Winnie the Pooh. The Garden Grove, located in the Swan Resort, serves American breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the characters are only available for dinner and breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. Hollywood & Vine, located in Disney's Hollywood Studios, features a breakfast and lunch buffet featuring the Disney Junior characters from the Disney channel. 'Ohana, located in the Polynesian Resort, offers character dining at breakfast starring Lilo & Stitch.

TIP: These events book up fast. I would highly recommend making reservations as soon as you know you are coming to Disney World.

I would highly recommend taking your kids to a character meal (or two or three) the next time you go to Disney World. It is an experience all of you will remember!

Walt Disney World
Orlando, Florida
http://www.disneyworld.disney.go.com/
(407) WDW-DINE

South Beach Food and Wine Festival

Last weekend I attended the South Beach Food and Wine Festival -- specifically the Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village. This is the third time I have attended this event and it is definitely a must-do.

This was the 10th year of the Festival. It started out fairly small, but with the addition of Food and Wine Magazine and the Food Network as sponsors, the event has grown to huge proportions. You can buy your tickets online through the South Beach Food and Wine Festival website or on the date of the event. However, many of the events sell out, so I would recommend buying far in advance. A cool perk of the Festival is that a portion of the proceeds go to FIU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management Teaching Restaurant and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center. So, even though the prices are steep, you can rationalize that a part of them are going to charity. I can pretty much rationalize anything if it means I get to eat and drink all day!

The event takes place at the end of February over a long weekend. There are numerous events scattered throughout the weekend. There are night events like the very popular BubbleQ, BurgerBash and the Best of the Best. During the day, there are various lunch and brunch events like the Paula Deen Gospel Brunch and other smaller seminars such as wine tastings hosted by master sommeliers. There are also kid-focused events where Food Network celebrities cook more kid-friendly, and usually healthy, dishes.

However, the flagship event is the Grand Tasting Village. This is huge event that takes place on South Beach and lasts from 11 AM all the way to 6 PM. The tickets are fairly expensive, but they buy you the right to drink and eat to your heart's content.

There are basically two parts to the Grand Tasting Village. First, there are the demonstration tents where food celebrities such as Masaharu Morimoto and Jamie Oliver prepare dishes for the a huge crowd. There is often audience participation and often other chef celebrities stop in for a visit. This is a great way to learn alot, but also to take a break from all the walking and eating. Second, there is the actual Grand Tasting Village. These are two huge tents filled with food and drink vendors. There are restaurants which hand out samples of the types of food at their restaurant. This year we had delicious short-rib and scallop sliders from the Chophouse, for example. There are also food distributors passing out their wares, such as the Ciao Bella Gelato stand. Finally, there are the various wine and spirits distributors passing out wine samples and cocktail samples. I tried Absolut Wild Tea Vodka this year! It is a fabulous way to try new types of food and alcohol.

Depending on how gluttonous you want to be and how much money you want to drop, there are numerous ways to partake in the SBFWF. I would highly recommend taking a trip down to Miami specifically for this event. It is well worth it!

TIP: The majority of the events take place on the beach so dress accordingly. Flip flops, sunglasses and lots of sunscreen are de rigeur!

info@sobefoodandwinefest.com

http://2011sobefest.com/

Rotorua

The earthquake in New Zealand this week has me thinking about and praying for our friends down under. So, I have composed a post that is a tribute to New Zealand and my favorite part of my travels there.

Rotorua is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on Lake Rotorua. There are numerous other smaller towns in the region and 16 other lakes. It is unique for two main reasons. First, it is located on an area with great geothermal activity. Second, it has a huge Maori presence there. When I visited Rotorua, I partook in both of those activities.

First, with respect to the geothermal activity, you notice it the minute you roll into town. It smells like rotten eggs -- it is just the sulfur and you do get used to it after a while. Because New Zealand is where the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates collide, there are volcanoes throughout the country and it is often known as an island of volcanoes. The region's thermal activity started with Lake Rotorua, which is really a large volcano -- one of several in the region. When I visited, I took a geothermal tour of the Waimangu Valley which consisted of two main parts. First, we drove through the region visiting different volcanoes, sinkholes and other cool geographic wonders. We even drove to a high point in the region so we could see how the land surrounding the region rippled and curved like a giant had smushed it together with his hands. It was pretty amazing.

Then we drove to one of the thermal pools hidden away from the world and had the opportunity to soak in the water. It was pretty incredible. The water was warm and bubbly and felt very soothing. The mud on the bottom is supposed to be amazing for the skin. Too bad I couldn't bring any home with me!

As discussed above, there is a huge Maori presence in Rotorua -- approximately 35% of the population. The Maori are the original inhabitants of New Zealand and to be honest, they are pretty bad-ass. You have seen images of the Maori before with their intricate tribal tattoos. The village they have in Rotorua is a working village that allows tourists to take part in certain of their activities. You can buy Maori-made goods and take a tour of the village. The coolest part, I think, was getting a lesson in their rituals -- learning some songs and learning more about their culture. It is really fascinating.

In addition to the above sites, Rotorua is also known for its lake activities, its amazing natural spas, and its adventure activities. So, there is plenty to do in such a small space!

TIP: This may be a silly tip, but when planning your travels, don't forget that the seasons in New Zealand are opposite that of the US, so make sure you keep that in mind.

New Zealand is an amazing and beautiful country and I plan to do more posts in the future on it. For now, though, make sure you slot Rotorua into your NZ itinerary. It is well worth the long plane flight!

Rotorua, New Zealand
http://www.rotoruanz.com/