La Taverna Degli Orsi
“Hello my friends. Welcome back familia Slone.” -Andrea, owner of La Taverna Degli Orsi There is no warmer greeting that a family can receive when entering a restaurant. We are always made to feel like close friends or family as we enter
Ristorante Il Nazionale di Vernante
Near the border between Italy and France in the Maritime Alps, surrounded by snow-capped peaks, forests, and streams, you can find Vernante, a small village of just 1300 people, known to many as “the village of Pinocchio,” but I would
Klaus K
I enjoy visiting Helsinki year-round, but it is a special place in late spring and early summer when the locals begin to spend their time out and about in the city. A great boutique hotel and centrally located in the
La Piscine at Club 55
There’s a spectacular stretch of white sand near Saint-Tropez, that has become the ultimate spot to see and be seen since Bridgitte Bardot made it famous 50+ years ago, Le Club 55. The rich and famous flock to this celebrity playground during
Southside Spritz at Dylan Bar
Most conversations about drinking in Dublin revolve around Guinness, whisky or maybe a stop at the Temple Bar, but if you want to avoid the tourists and enjoy a creative concoction in a more sophisticated atmosphere, Dublin has an abundance
Altis Belém Hotel & Spa in Lisbon
A year ago, I had never traveled to Lisbon, now I am making my third trip in the last three months. On previous visits, I opted to stay in the more central, historic areas of Lisbon, like Alfama, Rossio, and
The Old Man and the Sea
A touristy, but must-visit restaurant. Just outside of Tel Aviv, located on the old port in Jaffa is a can’t-miss restaurant experience for newcomers to the area, The Old Man & The Sea. Borrowing the name from the Hemingway novel, this
Memmo Alfama Hotel
If you’ve been to Lisbon, you’ve probably already explored the historic Alfama neighborhood, one of Lisbon’s oldest, but even if you haven’t you’ve more than likely seen images of the red rooftops, white and pink buildings and the shimmering Tagus
Mexican Donkeys and Pippi Gonzales at Slippbarinn
After visiting Reykjavik 10+ times in the past few years, I’ve learned that the cocktail culture is strong and some of the most creative and tasty cocktails are being mixed right here. One of my newly found, favorite places to
French Laundry
I have been doing laundry for many years, for five people, but in the past few weeks I've learned my most expensive two lessons. First of all, never put a king size velvet and silk Pottery Barn quilt into your
Pharmacie de Garde
I learned something new today because my son woke up with flaming red, goopy, oozing, crusted over eyes. Common sense told me pink-eye, but if you live in the south of France you feel a bit paralyzed on Sunday if
Week in Photos: St Tropez, Eze, Monaco, St Paul de Vence, San Remo
With family in town, we spent the week exploring Biot, Saint Tropez, Eze, Monaco and Saint Paul de Vence in France/Monaco and San Remo, over the boarder in Italy. Gallery des Arcades in Biot. This is a great restaurant that serves
Week in Photos: April’s 39th and New Dog- Pascal Didier
This week we celebrated April's 39th birthday by purchasing a new dog- Pascal-a wirehair Fox Terrier. He is our first family dog and our 2nd family pet, after our cat Fluffer. Pascal enjoys playing in the grass in our garden. Pascal is being
Our Private Chef Experience in Tuscany
As the Mom and primary chef of my family, a true luxury of our Inspirato tour of Tuscany was the night we spent dining-in with chef Beppe Sposito at Villa Collina. During the planning phase of our trip, our Destination
Flying From France to Los Angeles to Get a VISA and Back Again
Harper and I left Nice on Sunday morning and flew through Munich to arrive later that extra long day in Los Angeles. We passed through customs, grabbed our bags and hopped on a bus to get our rental car. We
Understanding French Holidays
Tuesday, May 1st was the start of many public holidays in France. As an American living in France, I don't really understand the importance of these holidays to the French, except that I don't have to go to work- which
Obtaining a French Long Stay Visa and a Visit to the French Consulate in LA
I will start off by stating: this is not a guide on how to get a French Visa, I wouldn't dream of dragging you through everything we have been through in a blog post. Rather, this is a condensed version
Week in Review: Ikea, Antibes, Yacht Show
We must be in the rainy season in southern France as it has been cloudy and rainy more often than sunny for the past several weekends. Instead of spending the entire Saturday indoors, we decided to find something to do
Week in Review: Easter, St Paul de Vence
My assumption that it doesn't rain that often in the Cote d'Azur was definitely wrong. The last few weeks seem to be filled with more cold, rainy days than warm, sunny days. I'm not really complaining, just admitting that my
23 Tips (and growing) for Visiting Tuscany
1. Make time to see attractions at sunset or at night. If you are taking photos, the best light is often in the last hour of the day. If you can, visit popular tourist attractions after 9pm to avoid crowds