Category Archives: travel

March 5, 2013 · 10:19 am

why i will be returning to Costa Brava

DEAR COSTA BRAVA – i fell in love with you!

i was lucky enough to attend a conference in late September in Spain. specifically in Costa Brava. i spent the first few days there attending sessions & parties and not really seeing much of the charming city of Girona. it was a wicked, wicked tease. FORTUNATELY, i had planned to stay on an extra couple of days for some blogger excursions. the excursion i was treated to through the Costa Brava Tourism office was called ‘surf & turf’ while i was only able to participate for one full day – it was enough to whet my whistle for a return trip. i’m a big fan of Southern France & the Cote d Azure but, i gotta say, the Costa Brava coastline may have surpassed my love of France’s coast. for one, it lacks the cheese factor found in France. LOVELY!

Costa Brava’s coastline is less well-known & therefore, more of hidden secret. my guess is prices are better too. the food is exceptional and there are plenty of luxury hotels & resorts to choose from. the day i was able to dedicate to Costa Brava was spent in Tossa del Mar and Blanes, two gorgeous coastal towns. i heard, after the fact, that the rest of the ‘surf & turf’ tour was even more breathtaking.

beautiful Cadaques – i’m smitten!

luckily, i was invited back to tour Costa Brava with Charming Villas, a villa rental company specializing in high quality homes in Catalonia. i knew i wanted to go back to Costa Brava, but didn’t expect it to be so soon. i’m more than psyched for many many reasons.

first, let me give you a run down of some of the things you can expect to see me doing while there. i’m not going to reveal every detail but here’s some of the highlights.

sailing around Cap de Creus headland with Charter Sant Isidre

i always say things look better from the water

visiting Dali’s home, which is now a museum Fundacio Gala – Salvador Dali

looking forward to getting to know this eccentric artist a bit better

dining amongst the vines at Cellar Martin Faixo

the gorgeous 14th century farmhouse restored by the Martin Faixo family

dinner at the newest hotspot in Cadaques, Compartir, started by 3 gents of El Bulli fame

love the bright blue details here at Compartir (which means to share!)

faux sky diving in a wind tunnel with Windoor Realfly

does this suit come in hot pink?

touring the kitchen & cellar of El Celler de Can Roca – 2nd best restaurant in the world

cellar tours of top restaurants of the world – SI – that is something i’ll drink to!

4 wheeling with Fang Aventura

this looks less intimidating than the simulated sky diving

riding in a hot air balloon with Vol de Coloms

beautiful but i’m not so sure yet…

oh, and a few chefs are coming in to our villas to cook private meals for us. yeah, not too shabby. now, i’m all for delicious Catalan meals & wine tastings galore. i also will not say no to any stunning coast shot and it looks like i’ll have plenty to ooo & ahh over. what i didn’t realize is how “adventurous” this tour was going to be. and, to be honest, i’m not sure how i feel. lola sky diving & 4 wheeling?? i’m not partial to mud & having my face look like it’s melting off. i’m not saying no, i’m just saying i’m not sold. perhaps, i can wear pink goggles to drive & dive in 😉

now, let me show you a little bit about the villas & CASTLE i’ll be staying in!

Sa Costa in Cadaques

Castell de Rocaberti in Empuriabrava

Sant Ferriol villa in Besalu

YEAH, crazy beautiful, right?! maybe i can get past my vanity & anxiety of the “adventure” aspect of this trip since i’ll be staying in the lap of luxury the entire time!

i’m very excited to be a part of the group of travel writers touring Costa Brava. Gracias to Charming Villas for inviting me and Costa Brava Tourism Board for introducing me to Costa Brava in the first place. i hope you’ll stay tuned to my Twitter feed & Lola Facebook Page for updates daily. you can also follow the hashtags #InCostaBrava or #VisitCatalonia.

25 Comments

Filed under costa brava, spain, travel

Tagged as charming villas catalonia, Costa Brava tourism

March 1, 2013 · 8:58 am

what is a bloggie, anyhow & why should i win?

listen, i’m usually the first one to poo poo a contest. i believe there’s so much talent out there and often it’s the same people awarded time and time again. when i learned about these “Bloggies” i thought, oh boy…here we go again. well, apparently they are kind of a big deal. AND i really cannot believe it but my blog is a finalist in the ‘Best Kept Secret’ category. maybe i don’t deserve to win but it would be really *cool* if i did.

what are the Bloggies exactly? THIS–> “There are many fantastic blogs on the Internet, and the Weblog Awards are here to honor them. Place your votes, and prepare to be amazed by the top blogs of the year.” And, this is their 13th year of judging what’s best out there on the internet. see, now, why i’m so surprised? lil’ ole Lola’s Travels is in the top 5 of the ‘Best Kept Secret’ category.

HAVE I WON YOUR VOTE YET?!

if YES – merci beaucoup!

if NO, i’d like to take this opportunity to give you reasons that Lola’s Travels – Where in the World is Lola? should be given a 2 thumbs up vote.

how many travel blogs have you seen where the writer dresses up like a matador in Barcelona?

or how about wanders around a Parisian neighborhood dressed like a modern-day naughty Marie Antoinette and acts like it’s normal?

what about drinks from a beer bong in Prague?

or bucket in Cambodia?

or makes out with an ice mummy in an Ice Hotel in Montreal?

how about surfs in Miami with a boa on?

or wears bunny ears at a swanky ski resort in Switzerland?

what about wears a pink headlamp & bedazzled vest to hike Mt. Vesuvius in Italy?

can you say you’ve seen a travel blog where the writer sandwiches a blow up doll?

or stands in the snow in a bikini as a stupid stunt?

perhaps these are examples of why my blog SHOULD BE kept a ‘SECRET’ but i’d like to think some of my funny antics should be enjoyed by a larger audience. whether you love it, laugh at it, make fun of it, rolls your eyes at it – please consider giving me your vote!

the 2013 Bloggie Awards – click on the link and vote for ‘Where in the World is Lola – Lola’s Travels’ for BEST KEPT SECRET.

let’s tell the world how much fun LOLA is with her ADVENTURES & TRAVEL TIPS, reports of POSH HOTELS and, let’s not forget, delicious COCKTAIL REVIEWS.

XOXO – Lola

15 Comments

Filed under travel

Tagged as 2013 bloggie awards, 2013 weblog awards, bloggies, lola's travels, where in the world is lola

February 27, 2013 · 10:51 am

my favorite day of my 30 day Eurotour

too many cooks in the Italian kitchen? never!

everyone has asked me about my favorite this and my favorite that from my 30 day stint over in Euroland. the truth is everything was my favorite and it’s a really hard question to answer. BUT if i had to pick…i guess i could really say there were some things that topped the rest. in an effort to share these favorites, i give you my favorite day in my 30 days in Europe.

it started off at the early hour of 8:30am when the owner of the Florence apartment was coming to check me out. i needed to schlep my belongings to the train station and hop a train to Chiusi-Chianciano, which is on the border of Tuscany and Umbria. OK. easier said than done but with the help of the gracious apartment owner, a cab was called and i was on my way. once in Chiusi, one of the proprietors of the farmhouse informed me that the region had suffered from flash flooding and that 2 out of 3 roads were closed to get the farmhouse. the only open road which was the “long way” was also virtually impassable unless you had an SUV type of vehicle. this day looked to either be a massive failure or an amazing adventure. only time would tell.

after a long car trip, i arrived at Il Fontanaro. it looked like what all the movies make Tuscan farmhouses out to be. it was beautiful. it was rustic. it was cozy – like home. the owners, mother & daughter, were warm and welcoming. it seemed as if the day would be saved. only other thing is, i was there to take a day of cooking lessons and i really don’t cook. insert the UH OH here.

Alina (daughter) and Lucia (mother) said let’s start off by looking at the menu we’ll be preparing – intimidating for the non-chef – but then handed over a plate of cheese, meat and a bottle of wine. ok…i can eat & drink and then the cooking will come – right?!

things to make:

saffron & pumpkin rice
home-made tagliatelle & Umbrian meat ragu
slow cooked beef fillet
Alina’s spaghetti carbonara
Lucia’s apple strudel

i’ll just say that Alina & Lucia made it easy to “help” and i felt as though i were really cooking. everything was spectacular. the entire day was spent making the menu come to life and enjoying it along the way at lunch and then dinner. even better than the delicious homegrown organic food we made into meals was the company. you can’t help but get to know people as you spend an afternoon cooking, eating & drinking wine together. and, it turns out we’re kindred spirits as mother and daughter fully endorse wine in every dish! what’s not to amore?!

so why was this my favorite day? well, i guess because i was surprised how much i enjoyed a day of cooking. i learned about making different things, of course, but i also learned about the history of the farmhouse and a lesson in wine, to boot. Alina is a certified sommelier and gave a quick history lesson in Super Tuscan wines, which are of particular interest to me. Alina & Lucia treated me like a friend not a stranger taking a cooking class and staying overnight in one of their farmhouse villas. so much so that the next morning Lucia delivered me to the Chiusi train station with Alina as an escort to Rome.

the best news is, the story is far from over. for one, i’ve enjoyed making some of the dishes i learned to make at Il Fontanaro since returning home. it’s a souvenir that keeps on giving in the reliving of the day and the enjoyment of a delicious meal. secondly, i’ve booked a week-long stay to go to Il Fontanaro this summer and cannot wait to return and discover more about cooking, the medieval village of Paciano and wines of the region as well as seeing my friends, Alina and Lucia, again.

Il Fontanaro is on the border between Umbria and Tuscany, just 2 hours from Florence and Rome. staying as a guest of Il Fontanaro affords you the opportunity to have a slow, eco-organic country living experience. MOLTO BENE!

GRAZIE to Walks of Italy for giving me such a wonderful experience of cooking at Il Fontanaro. you made my favorite day possible and, clearly, i’m a fan since i’ll be returning!

26 Comments

Filed under europe, italy, travel, tuscany, umbria

Tagged as il fontanaro farm house, italian cooking class, italy tourism, tuscany tourism, umbria tourism, walks of italy

February 25, 2013 · 1:00 pm

One Day Stay: Zurich, Switzerland

Zurich is pretty European city and Switzerland’s largest. You cannot help but fall in love with Zurich with its stunning Lake Zurich and the surrounding Alps. It seems like it’s straight out of a fairy tale. Zurich was named one of the “best quality of life” cities in the world and is definitely a destination worth a longer visit with all the fantastic places to stay, eat & drink and shop. This doesn’t even take into account all the culture that is available in Zurich. Here’s my ‘One Day Stay’ round up of Lola’s time in Zurich.

DROP YOUR BAG

I had the opportunity to stay in the gorgeous Baur au Lac hotel for my overnight in Zurich. Dating back to 1844, this historic 5 star Leading Hotel of the World has had a guest line up full of royalty, presidents, artists & actors. And, who couldn’t enjoy the views from this address?! Looking onto Lake Zurich, the Alps & its own private park, Baur au Lac epitomizes luxury, elegance and legendary service. I can vouch, first hand, that the service was extraordinary from the mere fact that even with shift changes, the staff always knew who I was and greeted me by name. Might I add, with a recent multi-million dollar renovation, Baur au Lac has individually designed and decorated rooms with high quality furnishings custom-made for the hotel. Baur au Lac has married the old with the new in a luxurious yet contemporary fashion. PERFECTION that’s definitely Lola Approved.

DO

Zurich is a lovely city with plenty of culture. In the short time I was there I enjoyed a cocktail at a famous sweets spot, Felix Cafe, and walked the streets of the quaint city. My favorite ‘DO’ of my One Day Stay was stopping into Globus, Switzerland’s premier, high-class department store. The flagship store, which is located in the heart of Zurich, is for those who appreciate quality, aesthetics & innovative products. I particularly liked their food market as well as their own line of Globus clothes for women.

DRINK

I can enjoy a cocktail a multitude of places, that’s for sure. Wine with lunch at Globus, an afternoon bellini at Felix Cafe, famous for its chocolate creations, or post-dinner drinks at the lively terrasse restaurant. My favorite ‘DRINK’ was, in fact, at the trendy hot spot, Rive Gauche Restaurant & Bar at Baur au Lac. Right in the city center, you can mingle with the cosmopolitan Zurich set here.

DINE

I’m quite sure there are many fantastic options for delicious dining in Zurich. Staying overnight on a Sunday, however, presented a bit of a challenge as many restaurants are not open on Sunday or close quite early. Thanks to a tip from an “in-the-know” local, I was directed to terrasse, a hip Italian dining spot with a Lake Zurich view. The food and service were great and the restaurant was quite busy with a handsome crowd.

DANKE to Baur au Lac for hosting my stay in Zurich. You were everything I expected and so much more. As always, if I didn’t ‘Lola Approve’ it, I’d say otherwise. Plus, thank you to Switzerland Tourism for the first class SWISS train pass, which got me safely from Geneva to Zurich & The Dolder Grand for divine lunch. The views here are mine!

photo by Daniel Szelényi

PS – an honorable mention goes to The Dolder Grand. Your city resort is spectacular and I hope to further explore it on my next visit to Zurich. Between your fine dining options, bar, spa & fitness facilities (I’ve never been so impressed) and sporting activities offered, I can imagine one wouldn’t even feel the need to leave your lovely property.

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Filed under one day stay, swanky luxe stays, switzerland, travel, zurich

Tagged as Baur au Lac, switzerland tourism, The Dolder Grand, zurich tourism

February 22, 2013 · 11:37 am

why Montreal may be my home away from home

Dear Montreal, I heart you!

i don’t know how it can be that we only now discovered each other, Montreal, but i think we are kindred spirits. never have i met a city that has done everything right and yet has a bit of a naughty rebellious streak. it’s quite fascinating and a fairly familiar concept to me. after all, that is what Lola kind of is. “just the right amount of wrong”

with your history aligned with France, you speak your own version of French even though you were eventually ruled by England. i tres adore the fact that French is your first language. it makes you so attractive. but i also like that you don’t make me feel stupid that i really don’t know much French myself. i don’t get any “pouah” for not knowing. merci beaucoup for that!

i loved learning that you are the only place in the world that never banned Absinthe. SUCH. A. REBEL. and not too long ago you made it a law that when a couple gets married, a woman CANNOT take the man’s last name as her own. it’s AGAINST THE LAW. or how about the fact that once you were super religious but then you went and decided that you’d have a quiet rebellion against religion and now you have the least number of people who attend churches. churches are actually now being repurposed for other things like museums and condos.

yeah, i think it’s awesome, too, that you recommend your local cuisine, poutine – a dish made with french fries, topped with brown gravy and curd cheese. sounds decadent, right?! and, you think it tastes the VERY BEST at 3am. because, yep, you’ve been out all night drinking and partying it up. i’m in LOVE with you that this is a normal behavior.

or how about the fact that most look for shelter in the frigid winter weather. but not you, Montreal. you like to throw parties in the freezing cold and wear loads of layers & puffy ski gear. you take a bad situation and make it good…every time!

finally, and most importantly, i love your swear words. sorry, people, but i think swearing is kinda funny and when i requested knowing some Canadian French swear words it just sealed the deal on my love for Montreal. did you know that many of Montreal’s swear words are based on religious objects? see if you recognize any similarities. first of all, they call swears SACRES – which to most means “sacred or holy” but not to Montrealers. it means naughty swear words.

here’s a few common swear words in Montreal:

câlice (calice) – “chalice”
sacrament (sacrement) – “Sacrament”
tabarnak (taberacle) – “tabernacle”

they all pretty much mean the same thing and depending on how you say them determines the severity and meaning. basically, it’s their version of damn or f*ck. there’s a whole lesson to be learned here and i’m thinking i need a return trip to visit you, Montreal, just to become better versed in your swearing. and, anyway, it’s easier than learning French altogether.

Montreal, i gotta say, i had such a great time with you. i was so welcomed and felt so at home. it was like a long-lost friend bringing me in. i feel, Montreal, that you and i share similar senses of humor and that alone is a reason to love a place. see, there’s even a Montreal Lola!

truly, i do want to thank the InterContinental Montreal staff for being so welcoming, Montreal Tourism Board for arranging tours & extending invitations & Igloofest for partying it up with me. AND, Anita from Travel Destination Bucket List for inviting me up to Montreal in the first place. you said i’d love it there & were you ever right! i mean it when i say that i feel we are kindred spirits and i look forward to seeing you all again soon.

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Filed under canada, montreal, travel

Tagged as montreal tourism