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Bellini Cocktails

The Bellini is an Italian cocktail that was made famous by Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy.  The bar opened in 1931 and celebs like Ernest Hemmingway, Charlie Chaplan and Truman Capote, just to name a few, often made this a regular hangout. The traditional recipe was made with 1/3 peach nectar, made from white peaches, which are abundant from June through September in Italy, and 2/3 chilled Prosecco, which is an Italian sparkling wine, similar to Champagne.

Bellinis make an excellent brunch cocktail when you want something a little different from Mimosas. So, since we were having a nice breakfast on Sunday….we decided to have Bellinis as well.

It just so happened that Tyler Florence was making his own version on his show Saturday, so we concocted one based on the original, Tyler’s version…and a few little tricks of our own.  The traditional method calls for peach nectar, but being that it is summertime, and very HOT here, we decided to use frozen peaches.  And since I feel that orange and peach are such good compliments to each other…we threw in a little orange too!  And we were not sorry!

You will need:

12 oz frozen peaches, thawed a bit
1 bottle Prosecco, chilled (don’t buy the most expensive here…you are mixing it)
1/2 cup simple syrup, chilled
splash of Grand Marnier
juice of 1/2 orange

Put semi-frozen peaches, simple syrup, orange juice and splash of Grand Marnier in the blender.  Pulse and blend until it forms a slushy puree.  Place in the fridge to chill.  When ready to make drinks, put several ice cubes in a cocktail shaker (we keep ours in the freezer, so that it is always cold), fill half way with the peach puree, and fill the rest of the way with chilled Prosecco.  Shake, very, very well.  Pour into champagne flutes and enjoy!

And if you feel the need to be part of the in crowd, if you happen to be in Venice, stop by the original Harry’s Bar and try a Bellini for yourself.

Harry’s Bar
Calle Vallaresso
San Marco 1323
Venezia, Italy
041 5285777

New Wi-Fi service in Paris

I don’t have a laptop, but if I did, I would love to take it to Paris to keep in contact, check my email, download my pictures…maybe even do a few blog posts.  I could find phone numbers for restaurants, hours for museums, consult my itinerary.  The possibilities are endless!  Think of the guide books that I could leave behind!  A laptop is a luxury that I have not yet afforded myself…but it is high on the list!

Have Laptop will travel

According to a blog article for Conde Nast, the socialist mayor of Paris has made it not only easier, but FREE to use wi-fi Internet in the City of Light.  In addition to cyber cafes and hotspots…from June through September of 2007, 260 new wi-fi access points will be popping up in libraries, museums, even outside in parks!  There are free from 7am- 11pm, everyday.  Park yourself in the park in back of Notre Dame gazing at the flying buttresses, while checking your email.  Create your own virtual postcard for your loved ones back home!  Enjoy a picnic on the lawn of the Place des Vosges while writing your daily blog post.  C’est possible!

But I’m on Vacation!

I have mixed feelings about this of course. If I am on vacation..it is healthy and necessary to clear my mind of work and stress.  If you can, leave your work behind.  Believe me, I am not advocating sitting in cafe’s just to surf the Internet on your laptop, while Paris passes you by.  Don’t run to the Louvre just to email your friends back and forth all day and miss the beautiful works of art and grand architecture.  But, if you have to work a little, or want to download your pictures, make a restaurant reservation or check the train schedule to Nice while not having to be a slave to your hotel room….now you can.

So…where to I sign up?

So, if you find yourself in Paris with your laptop and a few extra minutes of downtime you can click here to find a list of access points by arrondissement.  And here is a list of wi-fi in cafes.  These are in French, but you will be able to get the idea…just write down the address.  Just remember….don’t keep your nose buried for too long in your notebook…you risk missing, seeing, feeling, experiencing and being part of life in the amazing, vibrant city of Paris, which should be is what you came for in the first place!  Non?

Photo:  La Tour Eiffel taken from the pont des Arts

Jaboulet Isnard

Well I realize that it has been a while since I posted a wine recommendation.  Now, don’t think for one second that I haven’t been drinking any….perish the thought!  It’s just that I hadn’t tasted anything ‘new’ and exciting enough to be talking about.  Until now that is.

I stumbled upon this at one of my local shops.  They have amazing sales…and this one happened to be displayed in such a way that I ran right into it when I walked in.  It was kismet, really.  Well it is only wine after all, it’s not like a met the love of my life, so I’ll leave it at that.  It was about $4, and I loved the color of the label…plus it is French and a Côtes du Ventoux, which is a blend I have had before and I tend to really like them.  So, how could I go wrong?

Côtes du Ventoux wine is blend made in the Southern Rhone Valley in France and gets it’s name from the Mount Ventoux where the grapes are grown on 17,000 acres.  This wine is a bright ruby red color.  It has an earthy, yet fruity taste.  I found that it tasted of berries, most likely raspberries, but it also had a bit of peppery spice at the end.  It has a long finish. 

This is a bargain, as I have seen it for as much as $12 a bottle.  I immediately drove back to load up the car…at $4-something a bottle, it is sure to disappear quickly!

Gimmie a caption

The other day when I was going through my Paris pictures, I spotted this one that I took in Montmartre.  I thought it would be appropriate to have a little fun with it.  Last week, fellow blogger Shelly posted a hilarious picture and she asked her readers to post a caption..it was great fun and I loved seeing all the funny responses.  So, when I came across this picture….I just had to play along!

So, bring on your best, your funniest, your most creative and imaginative ideas.  I know all my readers out there have wit and sense of humor …this one’s for you!  I challenge you to give me a caption for this silly photo!  I’m really in the mood for a laugh! So bring it on!  Oh…and don’t be shy…you can post more than one.   I’ll get us started…here are my 2 best attempts….

"4 members of the Mini Pearl Impersonators Club arrived for their annual Hee Haw convention in Paris, France, even though the convention was in Paris, Texas"

"Casting photo’s from La Vie en Rose film auditions"

It Must Be A Sign…

For some reason, when I got to Paris, I found myself taking pictures of the street signs there.  I don’t know why really….maybe it was for proof that I actually walked on the Champs-Élysées…

Or perhaps it was how pretty the signs look on the stone background…….

It could be that I liked how the shadow of the tree leaves danced upon the wall…

Maybe I wanted to bike at warp speed down rue Saint Vincent like Amelie Poulin…..

Or maybe Villa reminded me of Italy….

I know why I liked these..just look at the details on these signpost that announce the little walkways…

So I take pictures of street signs.  Some find it weird.  I am sure Parisians were looking at me rather strangely when I was snapping these!  Don’t get me wrong I do take other photos, but on this trip I took alot of street signs.  And I do ask myself..why these?  Why these signs and not the other 12,000 street signs in Paris.  I guess I will chalk it up to a feeling that I had when I saw the sign.  But I ask you…is it really that strange?  I am sure when you travel, each of you has something that you are drawn to or that you like taking pictures of… you look at your pictures and think, why was I drawn to taking pictures of ______.    Birds, sunsets, skyscrapers,dogs.  Everybody has something.   I am asking you to help me not feel so strange.  Tell me, what are some of the things that you take pictures of?  Why are you drawn to those particular things? 

Paying it forward

My friend Jonathan, is the author of the blog SmartWealthyRich.com (don’t you just love it?!), and he helped me transition my blog.  He had tagged me in a post last month, and I am just getting around to acting on it!  In his post he mentions an organization named Kiva. 

Now I had never heard of Kiva but Jonathan explains that it it is non-profit public benefit corporation.    People like you and I can donate money to less fortunate entrepreneurs so that they can start a business.  The best part about it, is that it isn’t actually a donation.  The entrepreneurs have to pay the money back, so it is really a loan.  Then you can turn around and lend the money again…to whomever you choose.  What a nice way to help others!   

You may think you are not in a position to help, maybe you think you can’t afford it.  Think again!  You can donate as little as $5.00 right through the Kiva lend page and you get to choose who and what business venture you would like to support!  Another option is to buy gift certificates for $25 and up.  And don’t forget it is all tax deductible!  Want more info, watch this video from the NY Times.

How Can I Get Involved?

I am inviting any and all of my readers to participate in this wonderful project.  We all know how good it feels to make a difference in someones life.  Just donate.  If you are a blogger, donate, but write a post on your blog about Kiva to help get the word out, link back to me and link back to Kiva.  Invite all of your readers to donate and write posts…and so on…and so on…together we can make a difference!

So, I am inviting Terry, Sognatrice, Tara, Corey and KC and anyone else out there in bloggerdom who comes across this post….consider this your invitation to help!

Pay it forward…

Santa Maria Novella

The Santa Maria Novella is a famous church in Florence (Firenze) Italy.  It is located just steps away from the train station, which coincidentally shares the same name.  It was designed by Leone Battista Alberti, who also designed the facade for the Rucellai Palace in Florence.  It is very unique compared to many of the other Basilicas that I have seen in Italy.  You can’t really tell from far away, but up close you see that the facade is made up of small inlaid pieces of black and white marble.  How long that must have taken?  The time and patience these craftsman had back then.  You know the old saying…”They just don’t make ‘em like that anymore”…it certainly applies here.

The Basilica was home to the preaching Dominican monks who since the 1400′s developed herbal and medicinal tinctures in an ancient pharmacy to cure the sick.  In 1612 the pharmacy was opened to the public and is still going strong today. Many of the recipes have remained the same.  All of their products are homemade, right on the premises.

The pharmacy is called Officina Promfumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella (yes, a mouthful!) and is located in an old frescoed chapel, right around the corner from the church.  The building is stunning with stained glass and polished dark wood and glass cabinets, tons of scroll work and gold gilt. You can see a photo here. It is amazingly calm and serene.  And the smell is, well, indescribable.  The only modern touch is the cash register.

They make perfume, cologne, soaps, lotions and potions, even products for the home.  They offer special products for sensitive skin, oily skin, dry skin, whatever your special need..they have a cure.  Scents like almond, milk, lemon, vertiver, orange, olive and rose perfume their soap and lotions.  They are heavenly…(no pun intended) especially the rose-water – like fresh rose petals.  I loaded up on soaps like milk, rose and olive oil and I can confess that these are more expensive than your average Ivory bar soap, but these are natural, handmade, ancient formulas that keep my dry skin at bay when I use them, so it’s worth it to spend an extra few dollars.  And the packaging is so delicious.  Very antique looking and everything either comes wrapped in paper or boxed. A very nice touch.

Next time you visit Florence, pop in for a visit.  Don’t be disappointed if you are not planning a visit, you can also buy their products on-line here and here.  They also have shops in New York and Los Angeles.

And as a cute little aside, because the words Santa Maria Novella roll so effortlessly off my tongue, I often use it as a substitute for swear words.

Officina Promfumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
16 Via della Scala
Firenze, Italy
tel: +39 055 216276 or +39 055 4368315
www.smnovella.it

Planning a trip to Florence?  Click here to see how I can help.  Or here to see a selection of tours in Florence.

Pink Beach

Check this out.  Italy has opened it’s first all female beach, called Pink Beach.  The name is enough of a deterrent for men.  What man in his right mind would be seen at Pink Beach?  Well, the lifeguard for one, he is still a man. I don’t know why they would choose a man over, say…Pamela Anderson as a lifeguard.  If drowning in the ocean, those flotation devices would surely keep me afloat!   The beach opened last week at a resort called Riccione on the Adriatic coast.  I love the sign for the beach.  It looks like George Hamilton in a 1950′s swim suit, with a pink ‘just say no to men’ logo, tattooed over top of him.  The Italian men I saw on the beach weren’t that covered up, they wore Speedo’s….when they really shouldn’t have. 

According to the reports, the women got tired of all the Italian men staring, pointing, groping, trying their worst pick-up lines and just making their day at the beach an uncomfortable experience.  I guess some stereotypes are more true to life than we think.  But women fought back.  They wanted a place for themselves.  But it is more than just a day at the beach.  Pink Beach offers other extras like music, fitness classes, specially prepared lunches….even mani-pedi’s.  Sounds like a spa day at the beach.  Nothing wrong with that.

The feedback from Italian women has been very positive so far.  They seem so happy to be able to get some peace and quiet and some R-n-R. So ladies, what do you think?  Would you go to an all female beach? 

This just in….In a related story, Italian electronics stores are reporting a spike in binocular and telescope sales.

Photo courtesy of Timesonline.co.uk

Lèche-vitrine

Lèche-vitrine is what the French call window shopping.  Well, it actually translates to window licking, which is kinda gross (could you image the layers of bacteria on those store windows).  But when you see some of the beautiful displays in store windows…sometimes you do feel like eating them! 

I imagine myself crawling through the window, being part of the display and rolling around in all that French style.  That certain je ne sais quoi!  The French have it-so do their window displays. 

I have a degree in Retail Business Management, with a minor in Fashion Merchandising, so the visual part of me is no stranger to window displays.  I am drawn to displays wherever I go-but in Paris it is extra special.

Some of my favorite areas in Paris to window shop are the Marais, right off the Place des Vosges, the Place de la Madeleine, the Boulevard Saint-Germain des Prés (this is where some of the high end designer shops are like Fragonard, Dior and Armani), the Place Saint Sulpice and my persoanl favorite,the I'le Saint Louis.

If you do decide to leave your licking and go in for a closer look,keep in mind the French have an etiquette that you should respect when shopping.  Follow these rules and you should get proper treatment-ignore them and be prepared to be laughed at or perhaps not treated kindly.

• Always greet the salespeople with 'Bonjour'
• Never touch the merchandise without asking permission first.  Most salespeople want you to let them show you the item.  It's not like TJMaxx where you just rifle through the merch.
• Whether you are buying or not, always say 'Merci, au revoir' when you leave.

One of the best parts of lèche-vitrine, is that when I am shopping in Paris, I don't need to actually buy anything to feel like I've had an 'experience'.  My wallet appreciates that concept too.

Photos:  Storefronts around Paris