Livin’ Like A Local

Our contributing blogger Lisa explores what it means to travel like a local in Italy.

Photograph courtesy of Lisa Glover

I always knew I’d miss the days of living in Florence; the lifestyle we had of jet-setting to a different country almost every weekend, indulging in breads, pasta and gelato because the phrase “when will we ever get to live like this again?” was uttered almost daily. All of it. I knew I’d miss it, but I never realized how much I’d long for it. Crave it. There will always be opportunities for the big things – like traveling, learning a language, eating out at new restaurants. What I miss are the little things, like walking along the cobblestone paths and knowing that a little man would be playing the tunes of Andrea Bocelli on my walk home from night class. Or watching the sunset from our rooftop deck as we huddled with blankets and plates of pasta. I knew I’d miss the traveling, but I never realized how much I’d miss the little things that only a true local can appreciate.

Secret Gardens of New York City

When I think of New York City I think of the color green. Which is not how I saw the city on my first trip there. Then, it felt like all those gigantic buildings of glass and brick were looming over me, choking out the sky. I thought that the hurrying dark clothed masses would trample me to get to the next sidewalk. New York City seemed to perfectly fit my idea of Batman’s Gotham: dark and forbidding. If there was just a bit of green tucked away somewhere, I knew I could manage to find some peace in this urban jungle of metal and asphalt.

Tasting the Vino

I wait in a group of twenty… anxiously shuffling our feet as the hot Tuscan sun bears down on our shoulders. A single buzzard, its wings spread wide floats in the warm air high above our heads. I watch as it leans first to one side then the other, arcing its body in a perfect circle. A slight breeze ruffles the tops of stately cypress, but its effect doesn’t reach us on lower ground. Away to the right and left, I see glimpses of green tufted hills and rust colored tiles peeking out from their heights.

I have been invited to a family owned vineyard in the famed Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy arranged by our effervescent guide Stefania. She, always ebullient, waxes enthusiastic about the family we are about to meet, about the perfection of their wines, and the sumptuous meal being prepared at that very moment for our delight. After several days of epic five course meals and endless carafes of house wines, I am not sure how different this experience will be, but I nod and smile patiently. The heavy metal door opens and a portly old man, his face a mass of smiling wrinkles spreads his arms wide. Stefania grins back and hurriedly ushers the waiting group in with her classic command of “Andiamo, andiamo!”

Shop, Drink, Eat… Repeat: Washington D.C.

Our contributing blogger, Lisa, explores the United States capital in her three-day excursion.

Washington D.C., specifically Georgetown, has captured my heart. Ranking as my favorite city in the United States, I find more things to love about it with each passing visit. While the city offers plenty of culture and historical significance, my post will focus on what we girls do best during getaway weekends: indulging in eating and shopping. It was a Friday afternoon when my friend Angela and I boarded the bus for Washington D.C., leaving New York behind, eager to soak up the weekend and relive our college “glory days.” Angela’s cousin, Emily is a senior at Georgetown, and acted as our tour guide for the entire weekend, introducing me to places I had never been to before.