Looking for travel inspiration or a quick escape from reality? In my Travel Diary, I share personal stories from my journeys in the U.S. and abroad.
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Travel Week 1, Part 3: Brussels
Read moreWaffles, chocolate, beer and pomme frites: My 14 hours in Brussels were devoted to eating and sightseeing like a quintessential American.
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Climbing Verona’s Scalone San Pietro
Read moreVerona is a distracting place: one minute you’re headed to a Roman amphitheater, the next you’re climbing a beautiful, mysterious staircase.
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Travel Week 1, Part 2: Paris
Read moreFor some reason, I was determined to hate Paris — but its romantic streets and drop-dead-gorgeous sights won me over.
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Travel Week 1, Part 1: Barcelona
Read moreBarcelona wasn’t my favorite stop in Europe, but its carefree scene inspired a lot of self-reflection.
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The clash of the Italians
Read moreIn Italy, a subtle geographical warfare pervades conversation, pitting north against south and city against country.
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In the kitchen with Saverio
Read moreThe recipe for pizza seems simple: dough, tomato sauce, mozzarella. But ask an Italian baker and he’ll tell you otherwise.
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In Barcelona, shabby is chic
Read moreBarcelona is an architecture capital, a party destination and a beach town, beautiful in its complexity and grittiness.
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Italy’s newest theme park? Venice
Read moreVenice, once a capital of music and art, is now mobbed with foreign tourists, lines and overpriced restaurants.
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A taste of home in Padova
Read moreDuring a visit to Padova, Italy, I wanted a cultural immersion — but I was still grateful for a small dose of American familiarity.
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“Meet me at the bell tower!”
Read moreLesson learned: Don’t plan a Saturday night rendezvous “at the bell tower” in any town in Italy, the land of a million bells.