The Weekly Tweetly | 8-16-09

Well, another week has come and gone. Was extra busy this week due to it being my birthday week- and the celebrating literally lasts ALL week long.

But, I am never too busy to find all the goodies on Twitter. And Twitter never disappoints! Never.

And remember, if you happen to click through and comment on a post, please let them know who sent you!

Here we go…

The worst news of the week, courtesy of Rick Seaney involved a Continental Flight that sat for NINE stinking hours on the tarmac in Rochester, Minnesota! I have no words for this disgusting incident.

If you are an Italian wine lover, like I am, you'll really enjoy Joel's wine recommendation this week. Not only do I love the label (I am a sucker for wine labels), but he even mentions the word mélange in his review!

WeJustGotBack offers up great advice from their readers on planning a family vacation on a budget.

If you are a nature lover headed to Tuscany, TuscanyToursim offers up info on the Nature Train in Siena.

Calling all Nutella addicts!!! Deb aka DebIFF on Twitter, shared her scrumptious recipe, complete with photos, of a Nutella Crostada. I only wish I could get a virtual slice.

James wrote a great piece about the reported decline of using the Internet for travel information.

ImageLinka3 has a wonderful photo slide show of Aix-en-Provence, in the South of France and Place des Vosges in Paris. Photos are just dripping with Frenchiness!

CasinadiRosa shared a link all about Ferragosto, August 15th, which is a very Italian Holiday in Italy- and just happens to fall on my birthday!

For those of you interested in the famous Palio horse race that takes place in Siena, Italy Magazine has a nice article and several videos of the event.

Thanks all! See ya next week for the next edition of…The Weekly Tweetly.

A Birthday Weekend

It just so happens that my Birthday is tomorrow. And I am one for celebrating. Especially when it falls on a weekend.

Since my passions are Travel, France and Italy – and there is no chance of traveling (yes, I did just come back from Rome) you can bet there will be something France or Italy related in the mix.

Some may call it predictable- I call it quintessentially me.

The Italian part of the weekend will be dinner with friends this evening at my favorite Italian Osteria of all time. Mercato. You can read my review here. This is the real deal folks. About as authentic a place in my area that you will get. Convivial atmosphere, homemade pasta and dessets, imported Italian wines. The chef/owner is from Rome. It'll be like I never left Rome.

The French part of the weekend involves more food. {I see a pattern here} A dinner with the psuedo-hubs at my favorite French bistro in the area- Le Canard Enchainé. And what a surprise- did a review of that one too. Their duck confit, cassoulet and tarte tatin rival the best Parisian haunts.

I hope you'll be enjoying your weekend as much as I know I will!

And if I manage (somehow) not to be in a food coma- I will see you Sunday for The Weekly Tweetly!

So, tell me. What are YOUR favorite things to do on your birthday?

And thanks to D Sharon Pruitt from Pink Sherbet Photography for the Flickr photo.

Italian Wine Under 10 Bucks

We have resumed our Italian language lessons. Every weekend we get together with friends to practice, using a Mango Language program.

We always begin with some freshly brewed espresso- just to get the brain cells functioning on all cylinders.

And as a reward, after class, we have a little apero (short for aperitivo). A nice Italian spread of great food and some wine .

This week we tried and loved two different Italian red wines- both under the $10 price point. I thought I'd share, since these days it is hard finding good inexpensive wines.

First up was a Banfi wine. Banfi is a leader among Tuscan wines- a very well known name both in Italy and here in the States. Many Banfi wines are of excellent quality- and honestly out of my price range. We were excited to learn that our friends purchased this at our local wine store for a mere $7.99!

Here is what the Banfi website has to say about their Col di Sasso :

Col di Sasso, which translates to "Stony Hill," is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese grapes cultivated on the most rocky and impervious slopes of the Banfi estate in Montalcino, Tuscany.

Typically harvested in early October, each grape variety is vinified separately. The Sangiovese imparts body, while stainless steel aged Cabernet Sauvignon adds fruit and structure.

Col di Sasso is a youthful red to be enjoyed with grilled or roasted meats, poultry, or as an ideal accompaniment to pasta with meat sauce and mildly piquant cheeses.

Our second bottle, a Rocca Bella Negroamaro 2008 went down as smooth as the first even though it was a bit stronger red. It is made from grapes grown in Puglia, Italy – the heel of the boot.

And at $9.00 it was a steal!

According to the label:

Negroamaro has a deep violet color with purple edges. The palate is sweet fruited and spices with intense flavors leading to a soft, supple finish.

Perfect with meats, pizza and all dishes with Mediterranean spices

Both of these are too good to pass up! Run right out and buy them. And just a helpful hint- if you are going to be drinking yours in conjunction with language class- uh, wait until after your lessons to enjoy your libations. You don't want to be language learning on the sauce!

Travel Tip Tuesday : Using Tools May Help Avoid Flight Delay

There are so many different things to consider when you are booking airline tickets for a flight. There is shopping around for the best price, then of course you want to pick the best seat in the house, and you also need to factor in the time of day you'll be departing and arriving.

On my recent flight to Italy, I experienced first hand what it is like to have an airport delay. A pretty big one, in fact. I was relatively lucky, because I did not have a connecting flight on the other end.

But many people, on a daily basis, are not so lucky. Being delayed is stressful enough, but then toss missing a connecting flight in the mix- and it throws your whole universe out of whack. Not to mention your blood pressure.

So, I am going to go out on a limb and add yet another thing to research when booking with an airline and a specific flight.

Their on time record.

I recently came across an article on which airlines do a better job of getting you there on-time. The article also provided a link to the DOT report, which lists more specifics on highest on-time arrivals, most frequently delayed flights, longest tarmac delays and highest number of canceled flights.

From the info we gather that American Airlines has the honor of both the worst on time record, and the most cancelled flights. Don't think I'll be fliying American any time soon.

I think this information could be a helpful tool for someone like me, who finds travel stressful. If the odds show there is a good chance my plans may have a huge monkey wrench thrown at them, I think it would be wise for me to steer clear from the problems- if possible.

Another tool helpful in avoiding delays is Travelocity.

I am not advocating for you to purchase tickets from them (unless of course, it is the best deal) but they have a tool that allows you to see each flight's on-time record before booking.

I also have no idea how accurate their data is, or how they collect it, but if faced with two comparable flights and one has a bar that shows the on-time record as being 53% and the other option's showing 91%, which one would you be more apt to book? Yeah, it's a no brainer.

Here is an example:

Click on the image to see it in full size. Notice the price is the same for all the airlines , but the on-time records vary from 51% to 97%. I don't know about you- but armed with this info, I'd be picking the flight that had a 97% on-time record. Especially since the price is the same.

So, next time you're ready to book your next flight, consider reading the most recent DOT press release and comparing your flights in Travelocity before booking.

It may save you valuable time and aggravation in the long run!

Would you take time up front to check these things out before booking your flight? Do you feel it is important info for you to know before booking?

Don't forget to click through to My Bella Vita to see what tips Cherrye is offering up today!

Parisian Street Signs

Well, for the last few weeks I have brought you photo collections of Rome. One of those was a collection of Roman street signs.

I thought maybe it was Paris's turn to shine in the moment, so I bring you a collection of Parisian street signs.

I don't know why really, but seeing signs from Paris makes me smile. Makes me happy. I think it's because of the colors. The regular street signs are a deep navy blue, bordered by a bright kelly green and white lettering.

Here are some of my favorites.

An though I have a fetish for those signs, there is just something extra special about the vertigris colored lamp-post-like signs that adorn tiny alleyways, walkways or paths that sneak through Parisian gardens.

They are so deliciously ornate.

Have a favorite? Tell us in the comments!

The Weekly Tweetly | 8-9-09

Twitter was down for a day this week as a result of a politically motivated cyber attack and having issues well into the days following. But even with the glitches, somehow good content always makes its way through.

And as always, if you happen to click through and comment, please let them know that My Melange sent you!

Here is this week's edition of The Weekly Tweetly.

Lifecruiser provided us with some awesome sunset photos.

Though I have a different take on the magical Italian city, Vera writes why she does not love Venice.

Speaking of Venice, Nan announces an event called Calici di Stelli, where you combine wine tasting and stars.

Journeywoman offers tips this week on What to Wear…anywhere! A great list of tips alphabetized by place. A fabulous resource for fashionable and cultural clothing tips.

Gary, from EverythingEverywhere, an around the world travel blog, snapped the most fabulous photo of Vatican City.

Doing his due diligence, Nomadic Matt shows us that independent travel is cheaper than an organized Contiki tour in an article cleverly titled, Would you Contiki?

Matador Abroad make me laugh with their Outrageous Attempts to Outwit Airport Security article. Where do people come up with this stuff?

Location Independent offered up tips on How to Roadtest a Potential Location Independent Destination.

An American in France shows us photos and videos of the beautiful Dordogne region in France.

That's all for this week folks! Hope you enjoy!

See ya next Sunday for…The Weekly Tweetly!

Travel Photo Friday : Tunisia

This month I am pleased to bring you a simply delicious picture of what at first glance, looks like Greece.

But alas, it is somewhere I have never been, but based on the photo, would just love to go!

Who knew (other than the people who lived or have traveled there) that Africa was this beautiful? I know, how short-sighted of me!

Our photo today is of Tunisia, taken by Jeff Smith. His words describing the photo are below.

Taken at the Cafe Sidi Chebaane in Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia, I love this photo because of how it captures the idyllic atmosphere at a cliffside cafe. The ease of the afternoon, the quiet conversation and the relaxed ambiance make this a wonderful destination.

I totally agree! I look at this and think it looks like such a cool and casual, welcoming place with a sophisticated vibe.

Thanks for sharing the photo Jeff! I so appreciate it.

You can visit Jeff on his website, Giafrese or follow him on Twitter. He is @giafrese.

Want your favorite travel photo featured here? I do too! Send one along with a short description to mymelange (at) yahoo (dot) com. I am always accepting new entries!

Join me for our next Travel Photo Friday on September 4th!

Beautiful French Words

Though I am a Italophile, who goes gaga over the language, my Francophile side still fights its way though from time to time. And this is one of those times.

I do happen to think that Italian is the most beautiful language spoken in the world. I have taken Italian lessons and I have written about my favorite Italian words.

But not to far behind Italian is my second favorite language. French.

Perhaps it is not my number one because I fail miserably at attempting to pronounce most words. One would not think it would be that difficult to purse your lips, condense the sound of seven consonants and three vowels into one short sound that starts in the back of your throat, moves through your nostrils and exits your lips (which look like you just sucked on a very tart lemon) and resembles a noise the cat makes when he has a hairball. But for me, it is.

I think that is why when I hear French spoken well and properly, that it sounds so wonderful.

I have alot of respect for the French and their language. It takes such hard work. It takes concentration and use of muscles in their tongues, mouth and face that I rarely use.

Here are a list of some of my favorite French words. When spoken by a Frenchman or Frenchwomen.

cherie {dear}

jolie {pretty}

incroyable {incredible}

soirée {gathering}

amour {love}

étoile {star}

papillon {butterfly}

fille {girl}

coeur {heart}

magnifique {magnificent}

bisous {kiss}

accoutrement {outfit, get up}

bijoux {jewels}

bourgeoisie {middle-class}

coquette {flirty girl}

mélange {a mix of things}

Care to add some of your favorites? Do so in the comments.

Travel Tip Tuesday : Best of the Oldies

Can you believe that Travel Tip Tuesday has been around for over a year now?

Yeah- time flies when you are having fun!

Today, I decided to bring back some of the older, yet helpful travel tip posts, for those who haven't seen them.

One of the biggest expenses on a vacation can be your food. Here are some tips every budget traveler should follow for keeping that bill under control and still having some cash leftover for sightseeing!

The Carry-on Queen's mission is getting travelers to realize that don't need to lug large heavy bags around with them on vacation. Here are some packing tips to help accomplish this.

And speaking of packing, there are lots of products that can do double-duty.

By now you know that I love fitting in like a local. It really makes the vacation more of an experience! Read about my tips on how to accomplish that here.

Stressful is one way to describe what travel has become. How about some ideas on how to keep your sanity in tact on your journey.

Let's end with some eye candy! You can see me wax poetic about one of my dream destinations, Morocco. And the pictures aren't too shabby either!

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And Cherrye's back from her summer vacay- let's see what she is serving up today!

Rome – It’s in the Details

There is just something about old, crumbling, ornate pieces of old architecture. And of course, Rome doesn't disappoint.

I love just wandering around, having something catch my eye. I like picking little things out that maybe aren't part of the mainstream. A cherub, a crack in the stone above a door, a cross, a heart.

Rome is a treasure trove of these little goodies. Here are some of my favorites in the Eternal City.