Sister's Visit and Final Road Trip....

I've been really busy with visitors the last couple weeks! Jenny arrived and overlapped with my mom so we had a fun few days all together. We went to the beach and into Lisbon for dinner on the water. After mom left, Jenny, Lisa and I hit the road for our final road trip :( We decided to go to Tavira in the Algarve for a night and then onto Seville for a couple nights. Tavira was adorable - of course it rained a little on the first day (it never rains in the Algarve!!), but we managed to squeeze in a little pool time. After that, we made our way into town and found an adorable restaurant. We met a super nice British girl who was on vacation alone and she joined us for dinner - we had a great time! The next day we took the ferry to the beach - you can't drive to the beaches at this particular town - and got a few hours in before hitting the road for Spain. Of course driving into Sevilla was not fun...after about an hour, we finally found the hotel and found out there was no way to drive to it...always and adventure driving in Europe! When we finally got there, it was adorable and in the best part of town. The first night we ventured out for tapas and sangria. Day 2 we did some sightseeing and of course found a nice place for dinner and red wine :) The next day was time to head home via a winery in the Alentejo - our favorite wines here. My friends Anne & Rudy met a couple in Napa before I left that own a winery here that looked amazing (and the wines are my favorites!) so we decided to go for lunch and a tour. The place is incredible!! And actually took us only one stop for directions to find :) Their "sign" was about 6 inches long and on a post. They have a winery, restaurant and incredible hotel. We originally wanted to stay, but they only book by the week - someday we will be going back! It was really one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen - and the food and wine is delicious! We thought it would be a nice hour long tour like we're used to, but we ended up being there for about 6 hours...very entertaining. They definitely don't shuttle you in and out like a tasting in Napa :) We finally made it back to the apartment at about 11 at night. It was such a great day and the perfect way to end my final road trip. My sister is still here, so I've been taking her to all of my favorite spots and restaurants. Tonight we decided to cook at home again (we already made one incredible dinner as you can see from the pictures!) so we can enjoy all of the wines we brought back. More stories later - off to the store and the beach!

Mom's visit!

I have been having a great time with Donna here! She got here last week and we spent the first couple days at the beach and then rented a car and headed to Porto up north. It's only about a two and a half hour drive. The first day we just cruised around and got to know the city - our hotel was in a perfect location and we could walk everywhere. The city is on the Douro River and all of the port cellars are across the river. They are gorgeous - and the port is soooo good. We definitely tasted a lot! After that, we drove east along the river to the Douro wine region. It was amazing - so many vineyards...it's crazy! We stayed at a gorgeous hotel in a little town called Pinhao - the room had a nice terrace and a view of the river and the hills. We had an amazing dinner at the hotel restaurant and of course a lot more Port :) We also brought a ton of bottles back here...I'll do my best to bring some home for everyone to try - I'm not sure if there is going to be any left though! Yesterday we went into Lisbon for some shopping and dinner at one of our favorite places in the Bairro Alto. Jenny gets here tomorrow so I will have a lot more stories and pictures to come! Off to the beach :) xo

Italia - Part 2....

The rest of the Italy trip was of course as phenomenal as the first part :) After Florence, we got on the bus to San Gimingnano - a gorgeous hilltop town not too far from Siena. The views from there are incredible! We really wanted to take a Brunello de Montalcino wine tour, but unfortunately they are only on certain days and not while we were there, so we took the chianti tour instead. At first we were a little unsure about our guide, but it turned out to be a great day and the region was just beautiful. Think Napa, but on a huge scale with bigger hills. They grow all of their grapes on the hillside so the water will run off. So pretty! I really enjoyed the last winery - a small family run place and the wine was excellent...I will definitely be shipping some home! We met a really nice couple from Australia (we're not sure what's up with us and all of the Australians?!) and ended up continuing the wine tour and having dinner with them - so much fun! The next day we got up and decided to go to Siena for the night since we were so close. The weather was so crappy and we were pretty tired so we just walked around a bit and then went and took much needed naps. We did manage to drag ourselves out of the hotel to grab dinner and watch the Italia game. The next day it was off to Sorrento - the longest bus-train-metro adventure of the trip. I'd been before which made it much easier to manage. So after about 6 long hours, we arrived. The hotel was a little further away from the town than advertised, but it was really nice - right on the water with gorgeous views. The weather was perfect there too so we got to enjoy the beach and the sun! We managed to find the Irish bar in town that has the most hysterical owners - this little Italian couple...the man is absolutely nuts (you can tell from the photos) and his wife we liked to call "Mama" b/c any boys that came near us, she would try to scare away...if they weren't from her town, they were automatically bad news in Mama's eyes...so funny. Since we were in Sorrento, we decided to take a day trip to Capri - it was gorgeous...the water colors are crazy! We took a nice boat ride around the island and went into the infamous blue grotto - it was gorgeous, but it's only this one little area and it totally chaotic. Oh well, at least I can say I've seen it now! After Sorrento, we were planning on going to Rome but hadn't booked any hotels. Since we were enjoying the beach and small towns so much, we decided to take one more night and go to Positano. I went for Jenny's 30th 5 years ago and it was an absolute blast, so I was very happy to go back - especially when it was sunny and not raining everyday. It was of course just as beautiful as I remembered! The hotel was right on the side of the mountain and had a perfect view of the water and the mountains...I could have stayed there forever! Of course the first thing I did was ask the hotel to make us a reservation at La Tagliata - it's a restaurant high above the town that I have been to before and had one of my most favorite nights ever! I was a little afraid to go back b/c I didn't want anything to tarnish my memories...well, it did not disappoint!!! It was hysterical - there was a band and the whole place starts singing and dancing...so hard to explain (better stories in person) but it is really one of the greatest places on earth and worth the trip to Positano just to go there. I kept telling Lisa all of the fun stories from the last time we were there and it turned out to be just about the same...the waiter, Pepino (some of you know him from the stories Jenny and I tell :)) as usual started coming over with the huge bottle of limoncello and taking shots with us and his best friend...after many many shots and the restaurant being closed down with us being the only two people left, we sat outside with them, took more limoncello and grappe (aka death!!!) shots and they ended up driving us home on scooters through the hills....it was crazy and so much fun. Definitely one of the best moments of the trip and one of my most favorite nights ever!! There are so many more stories that I can't wait to tell you all in person, it's just hard to type them all :) I tried to condense the pics (we had over 600!!!), and just put the highlights of each place in there. I can't believe I'm over halfway...just about 6 weeks left! While I don't really want this adventure to ever end, I am really looking forward to seeing all of you and telling lots of stories over lots of wine. Miss you all!! xo

Italia....

Italy is as amazing as I remembered - the food, the wine, the people...we are having an absolute blast and still have two more weeks to take in this gorgeous country! We kicked off the trip in Milan which isn't too exciting, but from there went up to Lake Como for a day which is incredible. It was of course raining, but we still got to enjoy a boat ride down the lake taking in all of the adorable towns and incredible villas. From there it was off to Venice for a night...it is definitely a unique place and very beautiful. We enjoyed $17 belinins (obscene - i thought he had charged us for 11 instead of 2?!...always check the price!) and many rides on the bus boats. We eventually decided to go on the Venice bar crawl recommended by our tour book and met up with a super nice couple from North Carolina that was doing the same thing so we all crawled together and had a blast! Needless to say, I was very happy that all we had to do the next day was sit on a train to Cinque Terre. After a couple trains and naps, we arrived in Monterosso...I don't think I can even do justice to this place...I think it moved up to my favorite place on earth...just amazing. The first night we had an incredible dinner and wine and caught some of the soccer games. The Euro is going on right now, so the whole continent is crazy over their teams...it is so much fun. The next day we did the hike from Monterosso to Riamaggorie (sp?)...or attempted to. The first part was amazing - the weather was great and the view over those ridges coming into to the towns is one of the most incredible things I've ever seen (and the hike is not easy!!). On the second to last leg from Corniglia to Manarola we got caught in a downpour...and I mean downpour!! I have never seen rain like that...so we ended up cutting off the hike there and taking the train back to our town to dry off. Thankfully the weather cleared the rest of the time we were there and we were able to relax and lay on the beach and swim in the clear blue water. We made lots of friends in the town as there aren't too many people there and became regulars at the local bar along with our new friends from Australia...it was a blast - we were sad to leave, but I knew that our next stop was Florence - my other favorite place in the world! Got here yesterday and of course it rained...for those who might remember, when Jenny and I were here for her 30th it rained the entire time...ugh. But I can't complain - this is such a great city. We actually ran into one of our friends from Australia on the street, so the three of us decided to avoid the rain by watching some soccer and having lots of wine and cheese. Then I took them to Il Latini - one of my favorites from last time I was here. I was hoping it would live up to the hype since I was talking it up so much, and it did....we ended up closing it down and drinking limoncello with the waiters and all of the staff and then went to another local bar with one of the waiters for one more drink...so much fun! We are a little slow today, but managed to get up early and hit the Piazza Michelangelo for the views and then of course eat a pizza and some gelato! The sun is actually out, so I'm off to enjoy my first Florence sun. Next up San Gimingano for wine tasting and then onto Sorrento and Rome. Miss you all - will try to send more updates from here and lots of pics to come when we get back to Estoril! xo

Rock in Rio!

Everything is great here - the weather has finally gotten much better and I've spent about the last 4 days at the beach. Love it! Last weekend was an absolute blast! Lisa and I went to Rock in Rio - a massive concert they have over 5 days every 2 years in Lisbon. We saw Alanis Morrisette and Bon Jovi!! So much fun - the Portuguese knew every single word to all of the Bon Jovi songs...it was hysterical. The concert was great - I've never seen so many people! It went from 5:00 and didn't finish until 2:00am. Sunday we recovered with some beach time and have spent the last few days getting ready for Italy! Taking off tomorrow morning and just finished packing. We will be flying into Milan and going to Venice, Cinque Terre, Florence, Tuscany, Sorrento and Rome. I will try to send updates from the trip and will have plenty of pictures when I get back :) I'm almost to my halfway point...it seems like it's gone slowly, but when I think about only having a couple months left, I can't believe it! I am still enjoying every minute and looking forward to all of the fun and travel the next couple months. Hope everyone is doing well - miss you all! xo

Exploring Portugal...

Sorry for the delay in posts and pictures. I've had my first visitors in town! My dad and his girlfriend have been here the last two weeks, so I've been happily touring around playing the guide and the tourist. The weather unfortunately has been terrible around here, but thankfully stopped raining enough for us to enjoy the sights in Lisbon and beyond and even get in a day at the beach in the Algarve. Since I saved up the touristy stuff around here for when guests come, it was great to explore and see a lot of places and things I haven't before. It was especially fun to tour around Portugal with my Dad since it's where our people are from :) The first week we spent pretty close to home. Went into Lisbon and took the tram up to the Castelo de Sao Jorge...well, we tried to take the tram...after missing our stop and walking a bit, we finally found it. It's gorgeous up there - incredible views of the city! The next day we took a little day trip to Sintra. It's a town about 25 minutes away with beautiful views and castles. The ride is a little curvy, but once at the top - at the Palacio de Pena - the views are absolutely incredible. We only went in the one castle, so I'm looking forward to exploring it a little more. We also found a great lunch spot - the acorda (sort of like a stuffing) tasted just like my great grandma's stuffing - it was so good! On the way home, we decided to take the scenic route and go to Cabo da Roca - the most western point in Europe. It was incredible views and a really cool spot. We were hoping for a beach day to relax, but the weather didn't cooperate. So, we just took a day to rest our legs and regroup. Next up we ventured across the Tagus on a ferry and had lunch at this quaint little spot along the river - it was really cool to be on the water looking back at Lisbon. Then we made our way up to Cristo Rei - Lisbon's much smaller version of Christ the Redeemer. Another incredible view spot! We managed to sneak in one day at the pool at the nice resort my dad was staying at and squeezed in a visit to Belem and of course piri piri in Lisbon before heading south to the Algarve! The weather was not cooperating on the way down...it was terrible. The first night we just stayed at the hotel in Lagos and ate at the restaurant there and then the next day, after a few morning showers, we got some sun!! Dad and Denise went shopping and Lisa and I hit the beach (of course!). We had wanted to take a grotto tour and realized while we were at the beach (Praia de Dona Ana) that we could take a boat from there. We hired the man with the shell horn and the loudest whistle (out of his mouth) that I've ever heard. The guy was hysterical!! And the funny thing was we ran into my dad and Denise on the water - we'd both decided to take the tour at the same time :) Not sure they had the same crazy driver we did, but he also pulled us up to the party boat full of boys and told him we needed 3 cervezas - obviously Lisa and I picked the boat to take us out! The grottos were so cool - they go speeding in these little narrow openings and then the water color on the inside is just gorgeous - colors you've never seen before. And they have all of these names for what the rocks look like - I always had a hard time seeing it and he wouldn't move on until I found it...very entertaining. After that, we headed back to the beach for a little more sun and for some lunch above the beach to take in the views. Dinner that night was on a nice spot overlooking the water (everyone in the town couldn't be nicer!!) and then Lisa and I went to explore the town. We were accosted by an Australian in a cow poncho who led us into a fun bar. On the way walking home, we got caught in a major downpour!! At least it was a night and not during our sun hours :) The next day we got up for some pool time and then hit the road. We decided to take the scenic route along the coast and through Vila Nova Milfontes. I had found a restaurant there that looked great - we managed to find it, and it was incredible!! I had one of the best dishes I've had yet and the people were wonderful. I told them I would definitely be back! The beaches there were great too - it was absolutely gorgeous and we were all very happy we decided to hit that on the way back and not in the downpour on the way down! We made it back last night and just relaxed today - of course woke up to rain...again...ugh. Hate to complain, but I am ready for some beach days!! My dad and Denise leave on Wednesday - we've had such a great time! Lisa and I will be relaxing for a week and then are off to Italy a week from Wednesday - can't wait to go back and eat lots of pizza and gelato - and of course drinks lots of Italian wine :) We're getting pretty good at the Portuguese and French wines, so it's time to conquer the Italian. We're also becoming quite the locals around town - have our favorite restaurants and have met some very nice people. We managed to find an awesome sushi restaurant too - a nice break from the Portuguese cuisine when we feel like something different :) Hope everyone is doing well - I will send more before Italy and then hopefully can send some pics from there! xo

Paris, Amsterdam and more...

I'm back from our first road trip and it was a blast!! We picked up our car (little buddy) and took off for San Sebastian. I had been there on my trip last year, but the weather this time was incredible and made it even more beautiful. We got there later at night, so wandered to find a dinner place (Anne & Squid - actually found some great food there) and then called it a night. The next day, we walked around town for a bit and then hit the road again. We decided to stop in Bordeaux the second night and were hoping to do some wine tasting, but by the time we got there, it was too late. So, we checked into our room (see photos) and created our own little wine tasting tour. Went to a nice wine bar across the street from the hotel and tasted some excellent wine - the girl that worked there was really helpful and picked out some good ones. Then we found a great place for dinner where I cluelessly ordered a couple things - the menu was all French. Apparently I like ratatouille :) We also found a Mac store while we were there - thank God - we were tired of listening to the 2 cds we had and the radio. The iPod hook up for the car was key for the rest of the trip! Next we were off to Paris. I'd never been before and it was incredible - absolutely loved everything about it. The first day we walked the entire city...our hotel was close to the Marais and we walked all the way to the Arc de Triomphe and back. That night we had my favorite meal of the trip at a place called Bistro les Sans Culottes...it was adorable and delicious. The next day we cruised around again - hit a couple museums (the Louvre was packed....almost too much for us to take!) and then of course ended up on Ile St Louis for gelato. That night we went to dinner by the Eiffel Tower and thought we would cruise over after to see if it was still open and it was - it was amazing!!! As you can tell from our many pictures, it was a highlight of Paris. The best part was it was about midnight, so there weren't very many other people around - definitely the way to go as that city is crawling with tourists and lines. The next couple days were more of the same...exploring Paris and good food and wine. Next up was Amsterdam. Also incredible, but in a totally different way. We stayed at a house on one of the canals and it was so great. Perfect location and an amazing view. We cruised around the city and saw all the sights and then just enjoyed the weather and all of the outdoor bars and restaurants. My friend Jesse is working on a tour boat there for the summer, so he joined us for a couple days in Amsterdam for wine and cheese on the canal and many beers. We all had a blast! We loved it there so much that we decided to stay and drive up to Hoorn for the night where the boat Jesse is working on is docked. I am so glad we decided to do it - driving through The Netherlands and stopping in an adorable town called Alkmaar was beautiful. There is nothing like it. I really wanted to see the tulips and we saw a lot on the drive. That night the weather was again perfect, so we of course had more wine and cheese on the deck of the boat and enjoyed the sunset. After that, we headed into town and hit the local skipper's bar...it was awesome. No tourists and just real locals - my kind of traveling! I love to really be around the people that live in the different towns. Needless to say that night was also a blast and the next day we got a little bit of a slow start on the road. We decided to head to Provence for a night. The drive turned out a little longer than we'd hoped and we were exhausted by the time we got there. Stayed in a town called Arles and really just had time for dinner and to sleep. At first, we couldn't find a hotel (I am not good at the spontaneous travel and finding hotels), but finally found a nice one. The next day we took off for Toledo - we thought it was going to be a nice 6 hour drive, but it turned out to be closer to 10...brutal. We tried to find this one hotel we'd read about in town and it was insane...the streets were SO narrow I almost had an anxiety attack driving through them (we had to pull in the mirrors) and when we finally got there, all they had was a room with a twin bed and hardwood floors. We were so tired, but not that tired, so I navigated out of the teeny streets and we found a nice big hotel on the main road just right out of town. Unfortunately we didn't get to enjoy the place b/c it was beautiful, but plan on going back when we head back to Spain. We had a nice quick drive back to Lisbon and were definitely ready to relax a little and wash our clothes!! It was such a great trip - and seemed nice and long. I can't wait for the next one! My dad arrives this week, so I'll just be hanging around town for the next couple weeks and exploring more of Portugal. Very excited! I added the pics from the road trip - they tell the story better than I can :) I attempted to condense them, but to capture it all and the fun times there are definitely a lot. Sorry for the long-winded blog...a lot to cover in the last few weeks. Miss you all and can't wait to share all of my stories live with you when I get back! xo