Euro Month :: Tuscany's Lucca

[trip style = sightseeing + wine tasting]

For our second installment of Euro Month, we're heading about an hour inland from the Cinque Terre to Tuscany. Tagging along with friends to the fortified city of Lucca, we discovered the joys of strolling through antique markets, winding our way into magnificent piazzas, eating out and trying our hand at cooking the region's cuisine and trying to burn off the calories biking!

For us, Lucca was all about activity and eating: biking and walking, followed by wining and dining. Even with the activity, I left a little plumper---not sure how Italian women stay so slender with croissants and pasta cat-calling them on every street corner. To compliment our immersive eating adventures, I wish I could say we actually went to wineries, which was actually part of the plan, but we didn't. After a long journey cycling along a busy road with huge big rigs passing us just a little too close, we opted for a safe type of wine tasting: with our meals at restaurants.

Biking {Lucca is a fortified city with a unique feature: you can bike, walk or run for approximately 4km along the top of the walls around the city}

{Looking into the city from the outer walls ~ the towers are left over from days of old and used to be where prosperous silk-trading families took up residence}

{More biking along the base of the 12ft fortified walls}

{Typical scene from the top of the walls looking in}

{Biking outside the fortification checking out the old aqueducts}

Eating {One of the most fun lunches while in Lucca: after biking for a few hours---and a fruitless non-encounter with wineries---we found a restaurant on top of the city's outer walls. There we enjoyed a long lunch with pasta, salad and wine, then got back on our bikes and kept on riding! In this pic: our friends and fellow prosecco-lovers.}

{I had to take a picture of this menu ~ see if you can spot the reference to "carpet-shells." I have no idea what those are, but perhaps the joke's on me?}

{Enamored by the throngs of fresh food shops, we decided to make use of our accommodation's mini kitchen and eat in one night. In this pic: naked ravioli awaiting its sauce. Soooo good.}

{After our "home"-cooked meal, we went out to this picturesque locale for some prosecco...}

{Open-air drinks in a restaurant mid-piazza ~ there were so many I don't remember which one this was...I think it was Piazza dell'Anfiteatro}

Out & About in Lucca {Walking into a Piazza}

{Tall, colourful buildings tightly hugged all the walkways}

{Love Tuscany's version of a garage, it's like art}

{Just another day aimlessly walking in the beautiful and cozy streets in Lucca}

Related Content Euro Month :: Italian Riviera

Euro Month :: Italian Riviera

[trip style = sightseeing] [more pics below]

Heaven? For as long as I can remember, pictures of the Italian Riviera beckoned me to visit. Could it be that a land exists where lemon trees dot the countryside, you can buy a bottle of prosecco for one Euro and gelato isn't a treat, but part of the daily diet? Is this heaven? No, it's earth, and this place is called the Cinque Terre.

30 Days Last September my husband and I set out on a 30-day adventure starting and ending in Italy with stopovers in Africa, London and Paris. Exploring two continents was the whirlwind trip of a lifetime involving: hiking, biking and eating with friends in Italy; attending a wedding in Nairobi; going on safari in the Masai Mara; seeing Wicked (Broadway show) in London and sipping bellinis (at their birthplace) in Venice!

Cinque Terre The 5 towns dotting the tumbling and rocky shore of the Mediterranean seem true to their roots, yet basking in the wealth of tourism. The old buildings, traditional dress and lack of anything new seems to indicate an aversion to travel's commercialism; still behind the scene upgrades have been made to accommodate the region's burgeoning tourism, highest in the spring, summer and early fall.

Magical We arrived in Monterosso---one of the more popular towns to stay---deliriously tired from lengthy encounters with planes, trains and automobiles. Despite our extreme tiredness, we were boosted by a sense of excitement: that night we were to meet up with friends at 6pm for a glass of prosecco, for the first of many toasts on our indulgent journey. The whole experience was magical, and the pear and asiago ravioli I enjoyed that night confirmed it!  I'm not sure if it's the light mist, twinkling lights, intimate courtyards, cobblestone walkways or wineries kissing the edges of each town, but Monterosso is one of the most romantic places I've ever been.

Check back next Friday for more euro pictures and parables. Every Friday this month we'll be featuring Italy and France. Each post will be picture-intensive since my prose can only do the region so much justice!

Pictures {Us in Riomaggiore, overlooking the Mediterranean}

{Lovers locks. In case you're not up on the trend---I wasn't either until there---people who are in love attach locks in special places they visit to bind their love 'forever' and mark the significance of the destination.}

{And more lovers locks, in such an inventive, original spot}

{Pathway between towns 4 and 5. This one was easy. The paths between the other towns can be steep and tiring, but the reward is a) amazing views and b) working off the pasta you eat at every meal.}

{Manarola ~ notice the grape vines surrounding every corner of this town}

{A diff view of Manarola ~ we ate lunch, pizza & salad under the yellow umbrellas fronting the ocean}

{Man going about his daily business}

{Pizza Shop, notice the stacks upon stacks of choices}

{Vernazza, looking up}

{Vernazza, looking down ~ a taste of the stunning views the hike between towns offers}

{Views coming into Monterosso}

{Monterosso ~ where our humble, yet 250 euro (per night) 'hotel' sat somewhere in there}

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Low Key Laguna

[trip style = beach + sun]

Laguna is the kind of place where people walk into the neighborhood Whole Foods grocery store with I-just-went-swimming-in-the-Pacific kinda hair, wearing only a bathing suit, mini cover-up and flip flips.

{more pics below}

Only an hour away from LA, Laguna feels the opposite of glitzy. Its low key vibe, coupled with the constant rhythm of waves lapping---and occasionally crashing---into shore sooths your mind, body and spirit into a slower pace of life.

With beaches that go for miles and lifeguard stations regularly dotting the shoreline, Laguna is a quintessential California Beach town with a few surprises up its sleeve.

On a five-day trip to Cali, we stayed in Newport for the first three and Laguna for the second two. The slower and less flashy pace of life Laguna offered was an excellent way to unwind and cap-off our California visit.

Laguna Surprises

• Bohemian vs High-Brow. Yes, it’s arty and bohemian, but there’s also an ire of expectation seeing as the beachfront properties range from $2.5 million for a 1000sf condo to $31 million for a custom 5-room mansion. With beach entrances throughout the swanky beachfront neighborhoods, parking police lie and wait for people who mis-park in these neighborhoods.
• Whaling Wall. Wyland, the 54-year old artist who found fame painting whales on canvas and buildings takes up residence in Laguna.  His home/gallery are on the ocean side of the PCH. No wonder he keeps on doing ocean-inspired art, the Pacific is right in front of him!
• Artsy Fartsy. The Art scene in Laguna is budding to say the least. With galleries on every street corner, there's a piece for everyone's taste.
• Catch a Wave. Just down from the main beach is where the surfers, skimboarders and stand-up paddle boarders congregate---right in front of a string of beachfront condos and homes that make you wish you grew up in the OC. Surprisingly, these activities aren’t reserved for the young---people of all ages share and ride the waves.
• Eating Out.  Here are some of my favorite locations:
  • Breakfast - Occupying a home built in 1917, the cute Cottage Restaurant has been serving food for the last 35 years. Expect fast, efficient service and decent food in a lovely outdoor setting. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
  • Coffee/Snack - Just off the beach, C'est La Vie had the biggest chocolate and cinnamon pastry twists I'd ever seen! The pastry and desert selection was seriously decadent!  Coffee wasn't too shabby either.
  • Lunch - We usually skipped lunch or snacked on items from Whole Foods.
  • Happy Hour - I don't think there's a tourist or local who leaves Laguna without eating or drinking at Las Brisas.  With one of the best restaurant views in all of Laguna, this giant mexican restaurant always seemed busy. Always.  Sit on the patio at 4pm to soak-up the views and enjoy top-shelf margaritas, and chips and guacamole.  The guac is to die for.
  • Dinner - Finish off your day at 230 Forest.  This funky eatery and martini bar is right in the centre of town. Look out, the crab cakes were surprisingly filling.
• The Beach. One refreshing feeling in Laguna is how the locals are just as excited---if not moreso---about the beach than tourists. Locals and tourists co-exist on the same beaches and do so in harmony.  Laguna is welcoming no matter where you go.
• The Little Hotel that Could.  Yep, there's the brood of high-end hotels like the St. Regis, Montage and The Ritz within 15 mins of laguna, but why not stay at  a locally run hotel?  I'm already planning on returning to The Tides.  Located one street up from the beach on the PCH, this simple hotel is well maintained and its owners are more than accommodating and helpful.  Spend time at the pool, the Inn's BBQ bar area or roast marshmallows and hotdogs in the outdoor fireplace.  See my review here.

Pictures {The coast}

{Beach right in front of town, not all of Laguna's beaches were this busy}

{Wyland Gallery}

{The Cottage Restaurant}

{C'est La Vie Restaurant and Cafe's giant baked goods}

{Las Brisas Restaurant's ummmm guac}

{230 Forest}

{Tides BBQ bar}

{Tides pool}

{Tides fireplace}

Newport in a Nutshell

[trip style = beach, sun & sightseeing]

It was 6.10pm. Landing in California last Thursday, my eyes fought with the sun pouring into the plane's window, and I peered out to what appeared to be a giant lifeguard station. How apropos. Welcome to California I thought. Turns out, the lifeguard station was actually the Long Beach Airport. Only in California do they build airports to look like lifeguard stations. Immediately I relaxed and remembered one of my favourite jingles: I'll be out there having fun, in the warm California sun!

{It’s Travel Beauty Month, so don’t forget to comment on our blog to win a great travel skincare set from Skoah. Details here. Contest ends Wednesday, August 18.}

A Chocolate Welcome I love welcome treats, and though they are not a regular occurrence in my hotels rooms, it is nice when they are there. While staying at The Fairmont Newport Beach they kicked it up a notch with a treat laden with a white chocolate surf board perched in faux brown sugar sand. As if the welcoming couldn't be any better, there was an orange tree on my balcony.

Close to it All Most people opt to stay near the beach in Newport (which I've done in the past at the Balboa Bay Beach Club), but I stayed at the Fairmont because of my philosophy that it's good to collect points with one hotel group. I knew the property was in Newport's business district, but I didn't know the hotel was only 10 mins from South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island shopping centers, 12 mins from the Beach and 20 mins from Disneyland. There was even a shuttle if you didn't feel like driving. See my detailed review of the Fairmont Newport Beach here.

Disney The morning after we arrived, we daringly chose to indulge in Disneyland during high season. Normally, I try to avoid high season at all cost, but we were only 20 mins away, so thought we should give it a try. After all, aside from my magical gr. 4 visit with the fam, the last time I was there was gr. 11---only a few years ago!  See Disneyland Tips & Tricks here.

Shop After a 12-hour encounter with the happiest place on earth, we were ready for a day of relaxation. But first, like any sane Canadian visiting the US, we hit the shops at South Coast Plaza. After an almost too successful encounter with the mall, we retreated to the hotel for some R + R. Sunning on our balcony, I got distracted by the still-maturing orange tree. I wanted to pick off a fruit and stick a straw in it for some fresh juice, but refrained because I wasn't sure if the tree was largely decorative or for guests to ponder picking off fruit. I'll never know.

Back to Reality A little bit hungry from not eating that orange, upon the recommendation of my dear friend who lives in LA, we dined at Roy's (Hawaiian fusion cuisine). The staff's constant alohas and soft ukulele background music gave me a triple shot of Hawaiian Isles relaxation. Funnily enough, rather than ordering a mai tai, I savoured a glass of California wine. At that moment, it hit me. Both my wine glass and my cup overfloweth smelling, swirling and tasting the natural beauty of the beachy location and the novelty of an orange tree in a close-to-it-all town. To me, this was Newport in a nutshell.

Recommendations Shopping South Coast Plaza - this giant mall has everything, including discount retailers like Loehmann's and Norstrom Rack. Fashion Island - the people watching is amazing---oh and the shopping is good too. Shopping with a view of the ocean, it doesn't get more OC than this...

Eating Roy's - if you want to channel your inner Aloha eat here. If you want to channel your inner accountant, eat during happy hour Sun-Fri 4.30-6.30pm for $5 drinks and appies. Rose's - we drove by this place on Sunday morning and stopped in our tracks. Our instinct was right, the line-up extending out the door was no mistake, the baked goods and breakfast bagels looked and tasted incredible. For the record, I've never seen a bigger cinnamon bun (probably 20cm in diameter). I was too chicken to eat it---one day when I'm not on a beach vacation.

Do Balboa Island- walk or bike around Balboa island and gaze at the unique homes, browse the quaint shops and indulge in their famous salt water taffy and chocolate-covered frozen bananas. I did this once before with my LA friend mentioned above, but apparently it doesn't get old.

[photo credit: all photos my own, except for the night shot of Fairmont, © Fairmont Newport]

Sand Dunes & Firsts in PEI

[trip style = sightseeing + beach] {more pics below}

PEI was the last stop on my get to know Canada better trip. For all you Regis & Kelly fans, no, I didn't plan on being there at the same time, but the timing worked out well and it was impressive to see Canada get so much coverage on the program!  The Gentle Island was a gracious host to the show and its fanatics, and the local buzz was laced with pride----and why not---PEI has a lot to be proud of!  From kitschy tourist attractions like Santa's Woods and natural wonders like sand dunes rolling into the horizon, Canada's smallest Province is the perfect location for a family getaway!  Ironically, I experienced a lot of firsts on my last Eastern Canada stop before returning to the West.

Firsts in PEI

• saw and gently treaded on sand dunes like you'd see in The Hamptons imagery. Gorgeous!
• wanted to take a picture of every lighthouse (and that's a lot).
• tried scallops and mussels (was scared of their slimy-ish consistency before, but I've been converted)
• hung out at a red-sand beach
• drank wine out of a fish-shaped bottle
• saw farmers' fields that trickled into the ocean
• travelled over a 12.9 km bridge

Returning As I bid PEI adieu from the Confederation Bridge, I vowed I would return to eat at more of the seaside restaurants, bike the confederation trail, spend lazy days at one of the many white- or red-sand beaches and maybe get around to visiting the Anne of Green Gables site.  Next time...

PEI Highlights {The first vista we saw when our ferry from Nova Scotia was docking. Exactly what I'd expected!}

{First stop: PEI's only winery: Rossignol, to taste their varietals and buy a fish-shaped bottle of Isle St Jean White.}

{Charlettetown's harbour area at sundown.}

{Second day we spent road-trippin' and discovered a parking lot on a beach in North Rustico.}

{This gorgeous setting was right in front of our car as we pulled onto the beach.}

{North Rustico gift shop.}

{More of the town.}

{Road trip stop # 2: Red sand cliffs on the East Coast.}

{Artsy shot.}

{Us.}

{Road trip stop # 3: dunes near Cavendish.}

{Front side of the dunes.}

{More of Cavendish Beach Park.}

{Road trip stop # 4: you know, just another trypical road-side view.}

{The money shot: most GORGEOUS lighthouse setting I've EVER seen.}

{Fishing town near the lighthouse.}

{Lobster Traps.}

{Enjoying a refreshing lemonade in Victoria by the Sea before crossing into New Brunswick to fly home. Set in the town's old grocery store/post office, don't let the Landmark Cafe's quaint appearance fool you, the food is to die for.}

{The Confederation Bridge--built with a slight curve so drivers are more likely to pay attention and less likely to have accidents.}

[photos by @tripstyler]