Ciao! Bonjour.
I’m Robin Locker Lacey from Melange Travel. Italophile, Francophile, lover of food and wine and indy traveler. I never met a French cheese I didn’t like and I can eat my weight in pasta carbonara.
As a minimalist, I naturally travel light. Known in certain circles as the ‘Carryon Queen’, I teach people how to travel with only a carry-on bag.
I’m also the owner of Mélange Travel and I’ve been dishing out Italy and France travel advice and planning trips for over 15 years.
I am extremely passionate about what I do and feel so grateful to do work I love. I get to help people with their dreams of traveling to, and eating and drinking their way through, France and Italy. What could be better than that?
But I didn’t always have this fabulous job. I created it. Organically. And it was born from a passion of two countries I love and a desire to help people.
Let me explain.
As cliché as it sounds, my life changed forever the day I saw Under the Tuscan Sun. I charged out of the theater, determined to travel to Italy. I subsequently planned my first (of many) trip, with my husband (then boyfriend) as he stood by in shock and disbelief.
The trip was amazing. I fell deeply in love with Italy -the gregarious people, the simple, delicious food, café culture, the wine, the architecture, the history, the language, and the lifestyle in general.
And gelato. Did I mention the gelato?
Craving more European culture (read food + wine), I decided to put my high-school French to good use and travel to Paris, solo. It was there I discovered the nooks and crannies of the magical city, without the distraction of a companion. I simply adored being a flaneur.
I savored my first real French croissant, began my obsession with macarons, dispelled the ‘French are rude’ myth and overcame the fear of traveling alone in foreign city.
And I planned both of those trips myself. On a budget. Without a travel agent or signing up for one of those overcrowded, overpriced, marathon ten-cities-in-five-days group tours. Those are so not my style.
When I got back from Paris, I started a blog as a way to share my experiences, recipes, travel tips and infuse European culture into other’s lifestyles. I was drawn to writing, so I focused my time and energy toward freelance travel writing.
When social media came along, I began sharing photos and tips on all the platforms. These days I mostly share stories on Instagram (you can follow me here). I also publish a monthly newsletter where I share lots of destination highlights and some of my favorite restaurants, wineries and authentic food experiences. It’s also where I announce any new tours I create with my trusted partners; if that interests you, you can sign up here.
Friends and family started asking for advice with their travel plans. I was excited to help and found my advice actually made a difference. I was elated when I read their testimonials, heard stories of their travels – the special meals, moments and memories they created.
So, I decided to combine my passion for travel and food, Italy and France, my detail-oriented nature and years of management and customer service experience to create a multi-faceted travel business.
And that’s how Mélange Travel was born.
My wish is for you to experience Italy and France like a local, discover your own passions and be willing to let it change your life as it did mine. My goal is to help you get there!
And me? Well, maybe I’ll publish a travel memoir someday. Each subsequent trip adds more stories!
Mostly, I dream of living out the rest of my days somewhere in the beautiful Tuscan countryside – drunk on Chianti and the Italian language.
But for now, I still travel often to Italy and France, visiting new places, trying new hotels, restaurants and tours to research for clients. To keep up with my latest travels and recommendations, please sign up for my newsletter and follow me on Instagram. Or feel free to reach out through email robin@mymelange.net
SPECIALTIES
+ couples trips, honeymoons
+ solo travelers
+ first-timers
+ local, authentic experiences
+ food & wine
+ value luxury {when to splurge vs. when to save}
+ packing light
DREAM CLIENTS
+ early-bird planners
+ appreciate experiences over things
+ open-minded, responsive, collaborators
+ independent, slow travelers