The Sweet Life

Il dolce far niente...

In Italian, this means the sweetness of doing nothing.  Such a beautiful phrase.  I love the idea that doing nothing is in fact doing something, and that it is considered beautiful by Italians.  This is what I love most about Italy, this phrase.  But alas, I am a teacher and my days of "doing nothing" (a.k.a summer) will be over as of Thursday.  So, these posts will be a little less frequent because I will be busy with my day job.  But, I am going to try my best to update as often as possible.  I still have stories to tell about  Italy as well as other cities I have visited so stay tuned!  But today, take some time to do nothing, and enjoy every second of it!

Where Should I Go Next?

I am always thinking of my next trip.  I am constantly looking for flight deals and Travis and I are always figuring out just how much money a certain trip will cost.  I am not so good with the budget thing (big surprise) so thankfully Travis can add quickly in his head what things will cost.  With that said, it takes some early planning for a big trip (like to Italy) and we had to make some sacrifices this past year which included less smaller trips during the year.  Here are a few places that we have been thinking about visiting this upcoming year.  Please feel free to offer suggestions if you have visited any of these places!  I would love some advice!

New York City:

New York City is a place that I have visited many times thanks to a pretty consistent girl trip with my mom and sister.  We just got back from this great place in July and had a great time taking in shows and shopping.  More on our girl trip later.  But, Travis has not visited NYC in a while and wants to visit again.  We wanted to go last fall, but decided on the big trip to Italy so we saved our money.  Now, we think we can do it this fall, so I have been looking up some flights and some places to stay and things to do.  We really want to visit in the fall (late October) because I think the weather will be beautiful.  The hardest thing about NYC is that it is really expensive.  A nice hotel in Boston or San Francisco that would cost between $150-250 would cost at least $250-250 a night in New York.  Also, food is really expensive, too.  We would definitely be spending more.  Any suggestions on decent hotels that are under $200? 

Buenos Aires:

 I am lucky enough to have visited quite a few European cities, so I really want to go somewhere different for our next big trip and to me, Buenos Aires fits the bill.  I have never been to South America, and everything I read on this Argentinean city makes me want to visit.  Here is Fodor's list of reasons to visit Buenos Aires and I am particularly excited about #3.  One of the biggest issues with visiting South America is the weather.  The best time for Travis and me to take big trips is during the summer, and in South America it is not summer, but rather winter.  For example, today it is a balmy 52 degrees.  I realize that every country south of the equator is experiencing winter right now, but when it has been over 100 degrees every day for the past two weeks it is hard to imagine wearing a coat in August.  

Okay, now I am getting into trips that if I had endless amounts of money, I would visit in the next year.  
Amsterdam:

 I have visited Amsterdam but I was only there for a few days and I was in college.  That is all I am going to say about that...

Anyway, I really want to visit Amsterdam and experience the museums (especially the Van Gogh museum) with Travis.  His favorite artist is Van Gogh and I know he would love to see his famous paintings.  Also, I was watching Ocean's Twelve, and the beginning is in Amsterdam and it looks awesome.  Maybe I could plan a trip with George Clooney and Brad Pitt.  It could happen. 

Basque Country, Spain:

 Ever since I saw Anthony Bourdain's episode of Spain on his show "No Reservations" I have been lusting over this area of Spain.  It has all things I love.  The beach, great weather, history, architecture, and great food.  I need to visit this place.  I think this trip alone is a reason that this teacher needs to get paid more.  I'll share pictures, I promise.  I'm just sayin...

Anyway, these are just a few places that I am lusting over.  I know Travis has his own list of places he wants to visit in the near future, too.  If you have any suggestions, feel free to share!  Enjoy!

Laissez les bons temps roulez

It has been over a year since Travis and I have visited our good friends Devyn and Brandon Smith in New Orleans.

 Ever since they moved there in May of 2007, we have tried our very best to visit them as often as possible.  This is because we absolutely love hanging out with the Smiths and also because we love visiting New Orleans.  We are lucky to have friends that live there, because they have the inside scoop on great restaurants and festivals.

One of my favorite things that I have ever done in New Orleans is attend Jazz Fest.

 It is mainly a Jazz  and Blues Festival that has artists from Simon and Garfunkel to Bon Jovi.  We did not attend this past spring (much to our disappointment) but were able to visit in the spring of 2009.  People take their Jazz Fest seriously.  You can see the flags in the picture above.  This is from people who set up shop early in the morning with their fancy lawn chairs and flags to mark their spots.  The year we visited the headliners were Kings of Leon and Bon Jovi.  While walking around you might see some of these guys. 

And after the show you might see this.

 This guy had a really good time at Jazz Fest.  Don't worry, he is still alive.  I kid, I kid. 

Both acts were great, and the street music was entertaining but the real reason you attend Jazz Fest is for the food.  Ahhhhhh, the food! 

It seems like there are hundreds of food stands with all kinds of Cajun food and drink.  Be prepared to eat more than one meal while at Jazz Fest.  My favorite thing at Jazz Fest is a sandwich called Cochon du Lait.  This po-boy does not exist anywhere other than Jazz Fest, so it is very popular food stand.  It is a pork po-boy made with milk fed pork and served up hot.  Ughhhhhmmmmmm.  I honestly don't have any adjectives to describe this sandwich.  My mouth is watering now.  My friend Devyn actually found a restaurant in New Orleans (I think restaurant is a relative term, she described it more as a guy's trunk) that sells Cochon du Lait at times other than Jazz Fest.  That is how important this sandwich is.  Go to Jazz Fest.  Eat a Cochon du Lait.

Enough about Cochon du Lait.  I realize I can't get one for lunch today so I will have to deal with it.  Moving on.  If you want a great meal in New Orleans are you are not there during Jazz Fest, visit Jacque Imo's. 

As you can see it is kind of a hole in the wall place, but it has great authentic Cajun food.  And a very personable owner.

Devyn and I wanted to take a picture with him and he jumped into our arms without any warning.  He is lucky we caught him.  Also, he was completely sober.  Just kidding.  He was not sober at all.  Can you tell?

Jacque Imo's is an all night kind of thing, so plan accordingly.

I could write a ton more about New Orleans, so I will save it for another post so as not to bore you.  If you want to eat well and meet some crazy people, visit New Orleans! 


P.S.  It took Travis almost the entire drive from Oklahoma to Louisiana to pronounce the title of this post.  If you can do it, props.

Italian Fashion

I love the way that Italian men dress.  It is so effortlessly put together and chic.  The men almost always have on nice leather shoes, slim slacks or a suit, a bright shirt and tie and the most important accessory of all, sunglasses.  With this outfit on, they will always hop onto their scooter or bike and zoom off, never sweating or getting dusty and dirty.  These photos below are a perfect representation of the quintessential Italian man. 

Courtesy of The Sartorialist

Taken by Travis at the Boboli Gardens in Florence

Not only do the men dress well, but so do their children.  I absolutely had to take pictures of these cute boys in front of the Duomo in Florence.  His brother right behind him is taking a picture of their parents in front of the church. 

Look at the jacket!  And that pose! 

And those aviators!  Classic Italian.  Clearly they start teaching their children early how to dress.  People watching is one of my favorite things to do on vacation and I highly recommend while in Italy to have a seat at a bar patio in the afternoon, drink a few beers, and watch the men (and women) on their way home from work.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa...It Really Leans That Much

Pisa is really only known for one thing nowadays, and that is the infamous "Leaning Tower of Pisa". 

It really is worth the visit because there is more to Pisa than just the "Leaning Tower".  If you are in the area and have an afternoon, I suggest visiting this Tuscan town.  We flew in and out of Pisa on our trip and in order to avoid stress we spent one night in Pisa before our flight back to Dallas.  I was happy that we were able to see the city, because it gave us a little more insight into Tuscany.

When we arrived in Pisa we immediately checked into our hotel which was steps to the Tower and the Baptistry.  After settling in, we ate lunch and a cute little place called La Buca that gave us a great view of the tower. 

See the tower?  Pretty cool, huh.  After lunch we visited the "Field of Miracles" or the big lawn with a big church and the famous "Leaning Tower".  It was actually really pretty, with multiple Renaissance style buildings similar to the famous Duomo in Florence.  It was also filled with people taking this type of picture. 

If you like to people watch, which Travis and I do, take some time and sit on the lawn and watch people take this picture.  It is hilarious.  The really funny part is that most of the people taking the picture spend tons of time adjusting the subject for the shot and they forget that they can move their camera much easier than the poser.  So, in all languages you hear the picture taker directing the subject to move "just a little to the left" and "down, down, down" and "over juuuust a bit".  Also, there are apparently multiple ways to take this picture.  There is the classic "holding up the tower" pose as seen above.  There is also the couple pose, where both people hold it up.  There is also the couple pose where one person pushes and the other holds it up.  The list goes on and on and it is really funny watching people adjust themselves into various poses.  Quite entertaining. 

After the 'tower' picture, we took a walk around the "Field of Miracles".  The church is beautiful on the inside and is worth a visit. 

It does cost, but for just the Church it is only a few euros.  You can pay to see every building but it is not really worth it.  You can also visit the top of the tower for 15 Euros.  I did NOT want to visit the top because it leans and is made of marble, which means that you could slip easily and fall to your death.  (I have a wild imagination and exaggerate, but it could happen).

A few fun facts about the "Leaning Tower of Pisa" courtesy of my favorite tour guide, Rick Steves.  The Tower was built by three different architects and was not finished for over two centuries.  When the first guy built it, they got about two levels up and everyone realized it was leaning.  So, they stopped construction for awhile.  Then, the next guy tried to fix it by building it towards the other direction.  It was still leaning.  Then, the third guy tried to fix it again with the belfry on top and that didn't work either.  In the 1800's, people tried to fix the lean by digging a hole on the opposite end.  This made it sink even more and it almost toppled to the ground.  Finally in the 1990's, they devised a plan to help it stay up.  It currently leans at a five degree angle and is being held up by a concrete and steel structure built underneath the structure.  Every single column has been replaced over the years.  It is kind of weird that Pisa has spent so much money on it but, it brings in almost all of the tourism to the city, so ultimately it is worth it. 

After visiting the "Field of Miracles" we took a walk through the city, which led us to a street market near the University.  This was great because it gave us some insight into how real people live and took us away from the cheesy tourism stuff. 

Explore and enjoy the city!  It is not very big, so it is hard to get lost and you can always find gelato nearby, which is a must. 

The Details: 
Where to Stay:  Hotel Francesco ($120/night)
How Long to Stay:  1 day/afternoon
How to Get There:  Take the train from Florence (It is about an hour)

Favorite Travel Items

Sometimes the hardest part of planning your summer vacation can be packing.  It can be stressful having to plan day by day exactly what you are going to wear, especially if you don't know the exact weather forecast or if you don't have definite plans.  I almost always over pack, which can be a terrible mistake if you are visiting multiple cities in one trip.  So, I thought that I would share some of my favorite travel items and a few clever things to do to make packing less stressful.  Sorry guys, this post is for the ladies only.  You may find this boring.  Maybe I can get Travis to do his packing list later today. 

First, always make a list.  Travis always does this and I started doing it a few years ago.  It helps you organize what you need and you will never forget something important like underwear.  Isn't this pre-made packing list I found on Apartment Therapy, clever?

Shoes take up a ton of room, so decide on only a few pairs.  I know that this can be difficult.  Trust me, I love me some shoes, but they are space stealers and ultimately, you only need a few pairs.  Some shoes that have treated me well over the past few years are Birkenstocks.  I noticed them the first time that I traveled to Europe because all of the women were wearing cute patent leather Birkenstocks like these and these. 

I wear these suckers out!  After three or four wears they start to mold to your feet and fit extremely well.  They also make long days full of walking on cobblestone streets bearable.  My sister, my mom, and I wore them during the day when we visited New York City a few weeks ago, too. If you are visiting a place where you know you will be walking, bring comfortable shoes that you don't mind getting dirty.  Ladies, DO NOT bring your favorite shoes!  They will get disgusting and you will be sad when you get home when you find they are ruined. 

I always bring a cute neutral sandal that can dress an outfit up just in case you decide to go out on the town.  Maybe something like this:

If you know that you are going out and really need some heels, I would suggest something that you don't mind getting dirty.  You never know how far you will need to walk to dinner or a show and the streets in big cities can get pretty gross. 

When packing your shoes, always put them on the side of the bag, and put them in last after you have put in your clothes.  Also, place them soles out, so the bottom of them do not get on your clean clothes.  Gross!

I like to bring clothes that transfer from day to night, like jersey dresses or skirts.  Both my mom and sister have this dress from Anthropologie and it is very comfortable and extremely cute.  Great for a hot day and dinner that night!   Also, it packs great because it is jersey knit. 

I would also wear something like this, also from Anthropologie. 

It looks like a skirt and a shirt but really it is a dress.  Major space saver!

I wore these shorts from J.Crew while I was in Europe and they were a great buy.  The best part about them is that they don't stretch out after one wear and always look clean.  This was great for a two week trip with no laundry facilities. 

Also, bring at least one good cardigan and one good light jacket.  Both are a necessity for the cold airplane trip to your destination (and also serve as a great pillow).  You never know when there will be a cool spell, and the last thing you want is to be shivering in a tank top and shorts.  I like this cardigan from J.Crew as well as this jacket from Anthropologie.  Both are cool weather options that pack nicely and don't wrinkle. 

Most importantly, you need a purse that can hold all of your important documents and won't weigh you down after a long day of walking.  I love a good cross body purse like this black leather one from Nordstrom. 

I carried a similar style that is brown leather and it was the perfect size for holding my wallet, phone, camera, passport, and maps. 

Finally, I like to bring this micro fiber towel on trips. 

I accidentally left the one I have had since my sophomore year in college (p.s. that is way too long to own a towel) in Pisa and had to get a new one from Bed Bath and Beyond.   I was sad to lose this towel because it dries quickly and fits on your head perfectly.  Also, if you have experienced the Pei Wei napkin like towels like the ones we expereienced in Italy, you will need something else to dry you off.   It also rolls up nicely and doesn't take up too much room. 

I hope that these tips help you on your next summer vacation!  Please let me know if you have any suggestions or things that you cannot travel without, so I can include it on my next travel tip post.  Enjoy! 

Italian Toby

Travis and I have a dog named Toby.  He is three years old and is a mutt, most likely a pomeranian/spaniel mix.

Toby as a puppy. 

All grown up!

Toby is a very unique dog and has a strange and funny personality.  He is very cute when he sleeps because he curls up very small in corners of couches, gently resting his head on a pillow.  If Travis and I had the time and patience, he could win a few agility dog shows.  He also likes to rub his face on dead stuff.  Toby has given Travis and me quite a bit of joy over the last three years and we love him very much.  

While we were in Venice this past summer, we noticed the abundance of dogs.  They were everywhere and it made me miss Toby.  In Venice, we found a dog that we fondly named "Italian Toby", simply because he resembled our dog so much.  This was soon shortened to "Tttooby", which translates to Toby in an Italian accent.  Really put the emphasis on the "t" when you say it.  Try it.  It's pretty fun, isn't it?

Well, this dog looked like Toby and had kind of a Toby swagger.  He also acted the way we wish American Toby acted.  We noticed him while walking to La Salute Church, a church that seems to rise up out of the water, resting weightlessly like meringue on a pie. 

I highly suggest visiting this church on your trip to Venice.  It is magical, inside and out.  And just maybe you will meet Italian Toby.  We first spotted him hanging out in front of an art gallery and he trotted behind us all the way to the church.  Before we went inside the church, Travis and I decided to take a seat on the steps leading up to the church and relax.  Italian Toby decided to do the same.  He curled up next to me on a step and I proceeded to give him some good scratches.

He just lounged on the church steps and calmly watched the people pass by.  This is the way I wish American Toby acted.  He barks at everything that passes, never just lounging around others.  Just with me, American Toby sleeps all of the time.  He is sweet, but when people are around, he just can't seem to chill.  Italian Toby reminded us so much of American Toby and really made me homesick for the first time on the trip.  You can see why.

Quite the lounging view, huh?

 

 Doesn't he look like American Toby?  

 

This is the spot on my back porch where Toby lounges every day from 9:00 and 9:30 a.m.  Every day.  Like clockwork.  

If you have a dog at home, give him some scratches in honor of Italian Toby.  I know I will give American Toby a little bit of love too, even if he is a little onery.  Enjoy!