As a Southern California native and a frequent visitor to Las Vegas, I have a love/hate relationship with the city. Expensive, commercial, hot, and crowded, it is also a destination laden with treasures and beauty that you don’t find everyday. A fellow blogger put together this fabulous Vegas guide, and I am reblogging this post because it is so rich with information regarding finding those treasures in Vegas but not spending a fortune. Hope you’ll also find it useful!
The view from the Rialto bridge in Venice is – in a word – indescribable. Yes, you are submerged in tourists. But if you can just face forward and take a deep breath and let the beauty of Venice pour in, you will never forget the moment. The curve of the Grand Canal teeming with activity just below your feet, the pastel painted buildings lining the water with bobbing boats parked steps away. Yesterday was a warm, sunny day, and the canal was gleaming with energy. Even the birds seemed to know this was the place to be.
Living far away from home isn’t always easy. But this sunset view of St. Peter’s Basilica just off of the Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta in Rome has a way of melting away all of my homesickness. Just one gentle sweep of my eyes across the Roman rooftops and all my worries are gone…
I live in Bologna, Italy, a mere five and a half-hour drive from Basel, Switzerland, which hosts one of the most important annual modern and contemporary art shows in the world, Art Basel. In my two years of living in Bologna, did it ever occur to me to make a trip to Basel? No. Why not? Good question. Laziness…money…ignorance perhaps…I guess it gets the best of us sometimes. Our own backyards are sometimes the last place we explore. In this case, I was lucky enough that my friend Zong rescued me from my remiss by inviting me to meet him at his gallery’s exhibition this year at Art Basel.
Having virtually no visual arts education and not being a fan of fairs and trade shows in general, my decision to go was in the spirit of adventure, friendship, and trust in Art Basel’s excellent reputation. And, well, why not? The exhibition spanned a full week in Basel, with about 300 galleries exhibiting, strictly chosen from a group of 2,000 applicants. It sounded promising.
Simply put, Art Basel wholly lived up to its reputation and in scale, was truly the most impressive collection of modern and contemporary art I have seen in my life. And I really can’t stress this enough – you don’t need to know anything about art to enjoy an exhibition like this. From all-star artists like Picasso and Warhol, furniture and design displays, photography, and installation art, there is something for everyone. And don’t even try looking at everything – there’s no time. Just stop and look at what really gets you.
Statistically speaking, there is something for everyone, and because this is not your average art show, that something is likely to be, well, amazing. I will never forget the moment I walked into one of the exhibit halls at Art Basel, roughly the size of a football field, and realized the entire hall was dedicated to installation art. This is not the sort of thing you find every day. I suddenly felt like an eight-year-old that just walked into Disneyland. I spent the afternoon weaving my way between larger than life paintings with their own soundtracks (think Moby Dick dressed in costume complete with whale sounds and a recorded reading), huge sculptures, through installed walls of fictional deserted businesses on an urban street, and into countless dark rooms with video projects, each one like a treasure waiting to be pulled out of a grab bag. By the end of the day, my mind was soaring from all the stimulation from so many visual delights. I was thrilled. I even managed to convince my athletic and left-brained travel companion, David, to come. He found solace in the visual mind tricks from architecturally inspired installations.
And the cherry on top of the fabulousness that was Art Basel was the beautiful, accessible, and relaxed city of Basel. While the city was packed with people attending the exhibition, there was plenty of room for everyone (aside from the steep hotel prices – book in advance). I spent a relaxing evening enjoying a stroll along the River Rhine, soaking in the beautiful architecture and the wonderfully relaxed vibe. My friend David spent the day hiking along the river, which he filled me in on with his iPhone photos when we met later for dinner at a local favorite for beer, The Fischerstube.
Reuniting with Zong in what really did turn out to be a mecca of modern and contemporary art, I really started kicking myself for not being more proactive with my travel adventure research and coming to Art Basel sooner. How many other amazing places are there to explore and things to do in the world am I missing because, well, no one has invited me? I’ve really got to get on this…Next year, Venice Biennale, here I come!
Here’s a slide show of my favorite photos from Basel:
Art Basel 2013, a set on Flickr.
We are thrilled to introduce our first of a series of videos about our travels around Europe and afar! Please check our YouTube channel! Our adventures aren’t the same without you guys to share all of our stories with.
Bologna is not the most famous city in Italy. It has no world-famous monuments or museums. There are no destination resorts or breathtaking seaside.
But Bologna is our home. And we love it. For good reasons I might add. Actually, for reasons so significant they beg the question: What makes a city famous? And what should make a city famous? Is what we need for living so different from what we want when we travel?
We think no. Because if there is anything we can be sure of when we travel, no matter where we go, no unforgettable travel story every started with, “So we were standing in front of this monument.” Ha! Instead, how do these travel tales that you tell for the rest of your life begin? Perhaps, “We wandered into this amazing restaurant,” or “We made some new friends that showed us the town….”
These are the experiences that you are going to find in Bologna. So if you are concerned with seeing some of the world’s most famous monuments, definitely don’t come here. But if you want to eat some pretty awesome food and make some new international friends, all on the backdrop of a undeniably medieval city, then don’t miss it. Seriously. Because what more can we ask from life than great food, new friends, and some medieval eye candy?
And for those of you who still aren’t convinced, here are Lena and I’s top reasons why we can’t live without Bologna…
1. The food
Bologna is internationally famous for its cuisine. And with good reason. The food here is, well, excellent. Spaghetti Bolognese (tagliatelle al ragu), tortellini al brodo, lasagna, and mortadella (aka Baloney). Rich and decadent, don’t come here if you are on a diet. And if you do try the mortadella, you better bring some home with you…unless you are worried about making Oscar Meyer jealous. For a classic Bologna mortadella experience, try Tamburini (via Caprarie, 1), which is in the heart of the center of Bologna, and popular with the Bolognese. Another favorite of ours for mortadella is Marsalino (via Marsala, 13), with a hipper feel in contrast to the classic Tamburini, and a super cute staff that always makes sure you are taken care of.
2. Fun to be found at all times (except in August)
In our humble opinion, what makes a city great is when the streets are filled with people enjoying life. And this is truly a signature of life in Bologna. Taking an afternoon stroll, hanging out with friends and family and enjoying the scene, almost nothing is powerful enough to keep people off the street in Bologna. Pick up a bottle of wine at one of Bologna’s plentiful enotecas, and head to the nearest piazza to relax and people-watch like the locals do.
3. Beauty in every nook and cranny
Bologna boasts the typical Italian beauty – narrow, winding streets painted in bright warm colors, shuttered windows, wrought iron terraces. But what sets Bologna apart from the rest of Italy are its portici, otherwise known as arcades. These portici are multifunctional – easy on the eyes, and a godsend when bad weather abounds. Thanks to the portici, I don’t even own a functional umbrella.
4. The people
We at Gracefully Global believe that traveling is about getting into the heart of the places we visit, which really means getting to know the people who make these places unique. Bologna is no exception – actually, Bologna’s heartbeat is undeniably the people who are on the streets every day and every night, in every shape and form, from around Italy and around the world. If you want to avoid large hoards of tourists and immerse yourself in the European experience, Bologna is a great place to begin. Once you’ve finished your bottle of wine and enjoyed the ambiance of the piazzas, just follow the crowd to the nearest pub. You’ll make friends in no time.
5. The aperitivo
This is the simplest of explanations. We love Bologna because it is one of the few places in the world that a drink can buy you access to an all-you-can-eat dinner buffet. Buy one drink, and a light dinner buffet is included, for free, at many of Bologna’s most popular bar destinations. What more could we ask for (as starving students and English teachers that is…)? 😉 One of our favorite aperitivo destinations is Lab 16 (Via Zamboni, 16), located very close to Bologna’s famous two towers. They have copious amounts of food (the pizza is great!) served between 7:30pm and 10:00pm, with just a small surcharge on top of your drink purchase (and they have great fruit drinks for those that don’t drink alcohol). The best part is during the summer they set up tables in the small piazza in front of Lab 16, which happens to be one of my favorite perches in all of Bologna.
You know those instants when the beauty of a moment transcends your eyeballs and you are actually viscerally affected by the amazingess?
On this marvelous summer day, driving the Lincoln Highway in Pennsylvania about an hour and a half outside of Pittsburgh, I experienced one of those moments. And I was so overtaken by the perfection of the world at this moment in time, that I pulled off the road and took a picture.
I only wanted to record the feeling that I was experiencing, somehow, and I was only shooting with my iPhone 3, so I wasn’t expecting anything special from the photos. I was just optimistically striving to create a visual reminder to help me pull out this memory sometime in the future.
But, I guess the amazingness of the moment not only transcended my eyeballs, but it also transcended my iPhone. By some miracle, this little butterfly entered my frame at the exact moment the shutter snapped.
I am so grateful that this instant was made immortal by this photo that lingers on in my life. I love it dearly. It now proudly represents my many trips up and down the Lincoln Highway, which to this day remains one of my favorite travel memories.
And a lesson learned – who needs the Turnpike? Slow down and take the back way. There’s probably a butterfly or two waiting for you…
The love my friend Andrew has for Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is so evident in his photography and in his stories of his adventures there. He has spent much time throughout his life in Jackson Hole, as his family has a tradition of meeting there during the summer. I asked him to share some of his photos and some history about Jackson Hole. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
——-
In the northwest corner of the state of Wyoming (not China), Jackson Hole is a valley nestled in between the Teton Mountain range to the west, Yellowstone National Park to the north, Teton National Forest and the Gros Ventres Wilderness to the East, and the Bridger National Forest to the south. Surrounded by wilderness, humans did not occupy the valley year-round until the 1870’s.
A seemingly remote destination, any way you decide to set forth into Jackson Hole is an experience in itself, largely due to the amazing views and the sense of truly getting into the wild. However, when you touch down at the airport, pull into the cities of Jackson (the only incorporated town in the valley) or Teton Village (the town surrounding Jackson Hole Mountain Resort known for its steep terrain and North America’s Ski Area with the highest vertical drop), you realize there are parts of the valley that are well trodden. In the midst of the summer tourist season it is difficult to find the hidden treasures and get away from the crowds; most treasures were uncovered and marketed to the worldly tourist years ago.
The valley is popular for good reason. The splendor of the indigenous wildlife and the natural scenery is unparalleled, and even led to a conflict over the killing of elk and the use of their teeth for jewelery. This practice was outlawed by the state of Wyoming in the early 1890’s for fear of the Elk becoming extinct in the valley, which led to a conflict known as the Bannock war of 1895. Unfortunately, conflicts in the region of Wyoming were not limited to the Bannock War. The region has been a battle ground on many occasions due to the conflicting interests of ranchers, hunters and conservationists over the years.
A visit to Jackson Hole without seeing moose, deer, bison and elk is unlikely especially if you time your trip during the late summer and early fall. Bison seem ubiquitous at times; my grandmother even nicked one with her car one summer. The bison was fine. The Toyota needed a new bumper.
In addition to the splendor and largely due to the growing popularity of the area as a tourist destination, the roster of activities is large and growing. One can hike, bike, climb, fish, boat (canoe, sail, kayak, whitewater raft), paddle board, para-glide, camp, and I’ve been told the shopping is quite good if you are so inclined.
A gallery preview of Andrew’s pics of Jackson Hole:
Jackson Hole, WY, a set on Flickr.
There is really nothing I feel I can say to do justice to a place like Maui. Being here is like visiting another world that you have always hoped existed.
Somehow, the moment I stepped off the airplane in Maui, an overwhelming feeling of relaxation overcame me. I don’t know if it is the climate or the beauty or the energy of the area, but this feeling is unmistakable. That being said, there are many different experiences that can be had on this island, despite it’s small size. When I visited, I frequented less touristy areas thanks to some friends I was visiting that worked on the island, and this made a huge difference in my experience. They took me to beaches that had no more than ten people in sight. This was a huge shock, as being from southern California, I am used to beaches stuffed with people. We were everywhere on the island, from the endless beaches as far as you can see, to the mountains in the center of the island. Literally everywhere you turn you find incredible beauty.
That being said, this vacation has it’s limitations. As a city girl, as much as I love Maui, a two week vacation is a perfect amount of time for me to be in this fairly isolated environment. Things are pretty expensive here, as most goods have to be shipped to the island. And this is not a vacation for a foodie.
But, whoever said anyplace is perfect? Truly, everyone sometime in their lifetime must experience a day on a Maui beach, more beautiful than words can express, and nearly deserted. My hike with friends here in the bamboo forest remains one of the most memorable travel experiences of my lifetime.
So, in summary, go to Maui. As soon as possible.
A gallery of my favorite Maui photographs:
Best of Maui, a set on Flickr.
Day 20 in a row of temperatures over 80 degrees and no air-conditioner finally got the best of me, so I did what any good Italian would do – I went to the sea. We truly intended to take it easy and spend a quiet afternoon on the beach and return to Bologna by 7pm. By now I should have learned that fun, no matter what, takes over as the highest priority in Italy. So, as you will see through my photo diary, our best laid plans completely went awry, and the day was by no means a simple afternoon in the sun.
A quick train ride from Bologna offers many potential destinations by the sea, but on this adventure, we chose one of the most popular destinations reachable by train. Rimini is medium-sized city on the north-east coast of Italy in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has a beautiful city center, as well as a robust coastline full of restaurants, shops, and most importantly, beach. Nearby Riccione is a famous destination for nightlife, and Ravenna, which I talked about in another post, is also nearby.
Despite plentiful options for fun and sightseeing around Rimini, on this day we intended only to engage in some relaxing on the beach.
After some laying out in the (really) hot sun and getting a bit of color, our hunger pains got the best of us and we headed toward the main drag to find some food. Of course we encountered a detour. Here, my friends are playing a little competitive game of bocce (otherwise known as bocci ball).
And then, some jumping. I had no idea my friend was so athletic. I don’t think he did either.
Lunch at the local Irish Pub, Rose & Crown, which is an institution in Rimini. Believe it or not, eating italian food every day does begin to get boring after a while.
As you can see, some of us ate more than others…
While we were waiting for my friend to finish his three-course meal, we noticed the managers of the pub were busy blowing up balloons. And lots of them. We wondered why. They explained that La Notte Rosa happened to be that night, which I have now learned is one of the biggest entertainment nights in the Emilia-Romagna region during the summer.
The managers gave me a balloon and also an idea. Why not go back to Bologna on a later train so we can enjoy La Notte Rosa? After all, it only comes along once per year.
While we were digesting this idea, we left the pub to go back to the beach for a bit more sun. On the way we witnessed the result of the manager’s balloon handiwork. Balloons flying high over Rimini.
We went back to the beach for some sun. Apparently we were not destined to get much sun. The cloud formations became foreboding and dramatic.
And boy did the storm come. We ran for cover at the nearest bar with more than a thatched roof for cover. I was drenched. The storm seemed more akin to a hurricane. But I must confess, I loved every moment of it, as being a girl from Southern California, I am not accustomed to dramatic weather. Somehow, it felt like summer, reminding me of running through the rain in New York during summers spend there in my childhood.
Lucky for my friends, I had my favorite travel accessory with me – my iPad – equipped with Fruit Ninja to help them pass the time while we waited for the storm to pass.
But I was much more interested in making friends. While they were busy with my iPad, I kept myself occupied by meeting everyone who was also taking refuge at the cafe where we hung out during the storm. Here I am – the drenched version – with my new friends.
When the storm finally cleared, the whole town immediately came alive for La Notte Rosa. Even the streetlights were partaking in the fun with their pink light.
We loved the street artist that was creating complex images with spray paint on the ground for us all to watch, using bits of newspaper to create texture on a cityscape of New York.
Finally, it was time to get down to business. Where’s the party? My friend wanted to find an old co-worker from Bologna, who was now living in Rimini selling trinkets on the street. He didn’t have his new phone number, so we began asking every street vendor that we met. Believe me, there are a lot of street vendors. I will spare you from all the photos.Of course, we finally found him. It was a happy reunion. And he gave us some tips for the rest of the night.
Most importantly, he equipped us with pink hats so we could join in the festivities of the La Notte Rosa crowd. But of course, our hats didn’t compare to these. I was jealous.
And then, the fireworks came. And a few hours later, the end of a night. We lost one of our friends after he disappeared and fell asleep on the beach, but we made it on the late (early?) train with several hundred other people. The train arrived in Bologna in time for us to see the sunrise.
I never knew a day at the sea could be so successful. Thanks Rimini…
Ravenna is a small, unassuming city in the northeast Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, and is a virtual treasure trove of visual delights. Famous for its mosaics and churches, a day in Ravenna is relaxing adventure back in time, with a fabulous Italian dinner waiting for you to top it off.
A simple train ride from Bologna, I spent a day here last fall. My roommate Seve comes from a small city near Ravenna, and I was always curious about the city. I was not disappointed. The city is beautiful, easy to navigate, affordable, and who can beat 6th century mosaics?
For more info, check out Wiki and Wikitravel.
Here are a few of my favorite pics…
Gallery:
Best of Ravenna, a set on Flickr.