My first day in Paris was a long, but worthwhile whirlwind. After traveling for 16 hours, including flights and layovers, I arrived with several other members of Trafalgar tour group. I had just enough time to drop off my bags at the hotel (and try to convince myself I really was in Paris) before heading out to acquaint myself with the city.
This weekend I’m embarking on my first trip to Europe and I’ve been struggling to find the words to describe how I feel. If you can somehow squash the words excited, anxious, happy, and elated into one adjective you may begin to understand where I’m at.
As my whirlwind trip in Italy comes to an end, I can’t believe all the beautiful places I’ve been and all the fabulous experiences I’ve had. What began as a wariness towards going on a ‘group tour’ with Trafalgar Tours turned into a huge appreciation for what can be called ‘guided holidays’. I had expectations of being stuck on a bus the whole time, but Trafalgar’s new ‘At Leisure‘ program gives guests tons of time to explore by themselves, but also shows them all the hidden gems of the cities they visit. So, would I recommend? Absolutely.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about my travels as much as I’ve enjoyed sharing them with you. I really wish you all could have come on the trip with me and experienced the breathtaking architecture, yummy food and incredible design. Our last stop on the tour was Siena, and I spent several hours walking through its winding streets, soaking up my final hours in Italy. A medieval city, Siena is completely cobblestoned and simply charming — it seemed like every corner I turned, there was a sweet surprise waiting for me in the form of a secluded fountain or hidden courtyard. Here are a few parts of Siena that took my breath away {do you think it’s too much to want those doors for my own house? Perhaps…}.
xo,
Lauren
Prior to my trip, whenever I mentioned to people the places I was going to be visiting, they stopped and gasped when I said ‘Cinque Terre’. “Oh my goodness, you will love it — it is so beautiful,” was the standard reaction. Turns out, they were right! After a breathtaking bus ride to one of the five villages atop a peak, Trafalgar Tours hooked us up with a fabulous guide who took us on walks through the villages and showed us the most beautiful views of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
As a self-professed lover of all-white interiors, I was surprised to find how inspired I was by the colourful buildings at Cinque Terre. The pinks, yellows, greens and oranges were bold, but also muted amongst the aged rooftops and cracked foundations. I would love to include these colours in my own home, whether in artwork or ceramics.
Like most of Italy, Cinque Terre also had a bunch of specialty food stores with local treats. I stocked up on fresh olive oil, pesto and — of course — wine. I’m really excited to do some Italian cooking, especially with the extra virgin olive oil. It seriously tastes nothing like the stuff you buy in North America because it is so fresh — straight from the grove to the bottle.
xo,
Lauren
P.S. The last image is the walkway along the coast, that takes you from village to village. Nicknamed ‘Lovers Lane’, visitors leave padlocks and make a wish for the one they love. These padlocks are everywhere, from gates to railings to safety grates. Beautiful!
And now for an overload of eye candy.
If there’s one place to visit for inspiration in Italy, it has to be Florence {aka Firenze}. Beyond breathtaking, the city is an artist’s dream, not to mention the chosen home of Italy’s most famous fashion designers, from Ferragamo to Cavalli. I instantly fell in love with the architecture and the beautiful sculptures found around almost every corner. As for Michelangelo’s David sculpture? Sigh. He was the most breathtaking thing I’ve ever laid eyes upon — no picture can do him justice {and unfortunately, you can’t take snaps in The Accademia, anyways}. He is a must-see and — if you ask me — a must-clone, as well.
Here are a few pictures I took throughout Florence that will give you an idea of the feel of the city. Oh, and that last photo is of yours truly!
So… have you booked your flight yet?
xo,
Lauren
Next up on the Italy excursion is Tuscany, and my, oh, my — you have to see it to believe it. We traveled on the Trafalgar bus from Rome {have you ever heard of a tour company using a Mercedes bus?} and although I was zonked, it was impossible to fall asleep because the view was so beautiful. On our way to our hotel in Montecatini, we stopped off in Greve at the Castello Vicchiomaggio, a Tuscan castle and renowned wine estate. Although it was cloudy, the view from the top of the hill was extraordinary and the building’s architecture was to-die-for.
Isn’t it just the definition of ‘picturesque’? We also had a wine tasting, as the area is famous for Chianti wines. This was such an extraordinary experience and I have to give props to Trafalgar for organizing this, because it’s not a place I would have even known about if I was traveling solo.
Tomorrow: Florence {ahhh, Firenze}.
xo,
Lauren
Remember that part in Good Will Hunting when Robin Williams’ character says to Matt Damon’s character, “Michelangelo? You know a lot about him. But I bet you can’t tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You’ve never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling.”? Today, that quotation took on a whole new meaning to me.
We headed into Vatican City and visited St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. It was really great to have a specialized tour guide that Trafalgar set up for us, because he literally had an answer to every question we had.
Words can’t describe the overwhelming feeling I got when I walked into the Sistine Chapel and saw the beauty of ‘The Last Judgment’. Good Will Hunting was right — you can never fully understand the masterpiece until you’ve actually stood there starting at it, smelling the incense and taking in the whole atmosphere {they are very strict about photography, so I wasn’t able to snap any pics}.
We also went to the Colosseum which was fabulous and only inspired me more and more. I’ve completely fallen for Roman architecture and how ornate and extravagant everything is. If I had to compare Rome to another city, I couldn’t because it is so different. There are no modern buildings like you see in the business district of Paris or London — everything is so old! They also don’t have skyscrapers because no building in Rome can be taller than St. Peter’s Basilica {fun fact from our tour guide!}.
Here are just a few of the pictures I took today that really inspired me — the lines, the detail, and the architecture in general.
St. Peter's Basilica {side view}
A colourful painting on the ceiling of St. Peter's Basilica
An entryway to St. Peter's Basilica
Roman ruins, as seen from an archway at the Colosseum
Isn’t it crazy to think people actually live amongst this beauty every day?
xo,
Lauren
I’ve arrived! After an 11 hour trip, I’ve finally made my way onto Italian soil {we had a 1.5 hour stopover in Paris which was torturous — imagine knowing you’re in Paris, but not being able to leave the airport. Sacrebleu!}.
Before I delve into my first day in Rome, let me fill you in on a quick secret of how to make the flight seem shorter. Aside from knocking back a couple of glasses of wine to help you relax, invest in an eReader. I brought my Kobo along with me {only $149 from Indigo} and it provided hours of reading; when I was tired of reading my fiction book, I would switch over to a juicy biography. I love that I can have a variety of books to choose from on my trip but not have to lug around print versions. Oh, and did I mention my great Jonathan Adler cover? It’s all about traveling in style!
Alright, back to beautiful Italia! I was exhausted after getting off the plane, so I slept for the short ride to the hotel. When I woke up, I was so excited to see some of the most stunning architecture I’ve ever laid eyes upon. Everything is so incredibly grand and historic — I instantly became jealous of the people that live here and get to look at this every day.
I also quickly began seeing the pro’s to traveling on a tour like this one with Trafalgar Tours. I was a Grumpy Gus when we got off the plane and it was so nice to have a big bus waiting for us, and also to have all of our luggage and transportation taken care of. After a quick nap in the beautiful hotel, I rejoined the group and we all went for dinner to a lovely Italian trattoria. The food was obviously delicious and I think the word ‘full’ doesn’t scratch the surface of how I felt after that meal. Might as well get used to it!
Below are a few pictures of the gorgeous Aleph Hotel and the sights I saw around Rome at night. Tomorrow is Vatican City so I will have incredibly lovely and inspiring images to share with you. Ciao!
The romantic balcony in my room at the Aleph Hotel
The spacious bathroom in my hotel room {anyone who travels to Europe knows that 'spacious' and 'bathroom' are not usually two words said in the same sentence}
The lobby of the Aleph Hotel -- drama, drama, drama!
The breathtaking statue outside the Castle of Angels
xo,
Lauren
A few weekends ago, a friend and I went for a weekend away in Gananoque. The fall weather was beautiful and it was a great getaway, even after things had slowed down since the busy summer months. We stayed at the beautiful Victoria Rose Inn, discovered some amazing shopping gems, and dined at the breathtaking waterfront restaurant, The Ivy. Here’s a run-down on where to stay, shop and eat when visiting Gananoque.
1) Sleep at the Victoria Rose Inn
Driving up to this beautifully restored Victorian house is a sight in itself, with the pretty wraparound porch, full garden and incredible architecture. We walked through the doors into a spacious foyer with a sparkling chandelier overhead. As for our room? Complete with a four poster bed, marble-mantel fireplace and decorated with an abundance of whites and creams. The innkeepers, Susanne and Bernie, were wonderful and made us feel like their own visitors, rather than just guests of the inn.
2 Grab a coffee at The Socialist Pig
Don’t think too much about the name — instead, turn your focus to the quirky design of the space and the unique beverage flavours (you must try the harvest apple pie tea latte!). Located in a beautiful old building on Gananoque’s main strip, the shop is a community hangout area with WiFi and a smiling team of baristas behind the counter. We settled down with some tea on a windy fall day and fell in love with the counter space made from stacked books and the patron tables topped with old plastic Samsonite suitcases. They don’t have a website yet, but you can follow them on Facebook.
3 Dine at The Ivy
About a 15 minute drive from Gananoque’s downtown is The Ivy, a breathtaking restaurant on the waterfront property of the Ivy Lea Club. Recently having undergone an extensive renovation, the restaurant is grand, yet cosy — we loved the large stone fireplaces, beamed ceilings and enormous wrought iron chandeliers. Oh, and don’t let me forget the food! The meal was delicious, from the warm bread and butter rolled in poppyseeds to the flavourful salmon atop a bed of lentils. Yum!
4 Shop for locally made home accessories at Willow Soul
I love stumbling upon little boutiques, and Willow Soul was such a great treasure to find. The owner, Lisa, really takes the time to showcase items from local artists, whether from the 1000 Islands region or Kingston (where she has another Willow Soul location). You can find great gift items (soaps, handmade napkins, customized Moleskine journals) or perfect accessories and artwork to pull your home together. And don’t get me started on the jewelry — oh, that beautiful, beautiful jewelry. But the best part of Willow Soul? Everything is wonderfully affordable.
5 Spend hours shopping for architectural salvage at Balleycanoe
If you drive for abut 20 minutes outside of Gananoque, you’ll stumble upon the most precious of hidden gems called Balleycanoe – maybe. Hidden down windy farm roads is a barn that houses an overwhelming amount of architectural salvage — hardware, newel posts, stained glass windows and some 1500 doors just to name a few. Balleycanoe is its name, and John Sorenson is the man behind this jawdroppingly incredible space. The great thing is, any store you pop your head in to in Gananoque will have a piece from Balleycanoe used to display clothes or add some artistic appeal. As for me, I picked up two old crates for just $50 a pair and am planning some great things for them for the holiday season.
xo,
Lauren
Okay, so we don’t have Virgin America flying out of Canada just yet (let’s be hopeful!), but man-oh-man would I love to cruise the air in one of their jumbo jets. Check out the pic below of their first class lounger chair:
Not only do the lounger chairs look great all done up in white leather, but guests are treated to the full VIP tech treatment too. You can plug in your laptop and surf the web, play video games, or watch a movie on the screen in front of you. Are you and your friend sitting at opposite sides of the plane? No worries there — Virgin has introduced the Seat-to-Chat feature where you can have an instant messaging convo with other people on the flight. And, if you want to tune out the chatty person seated next to you, scroll through the 3000 MP3′s available at the press of a button.
Picky eaters aren’t left behind either. Choose what you want from an a la carte menu on your personal screen and just swipe your credit card to pay. Even better? Virgin strives to give you the best flying experience for the lowest price possible. I’d say that’s a mantra that sounds pretty sweet!
For more info and flights within the U.S., check out virginamerica.com.
Médias Transcontinental
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