Category: Travel Recommendations

American Roadtrip, Part III: New England

by mattathomeintheworld, posted in Travel Recommendations, USA, USA Roadtrips

I was born and raised in New Bedford, Massachusetts, about an hour south of Boston and a half an hour east of Providence, Rhode Island. Although I left New England in 1980 for graduate school in Virginia and subsequently southern California, it is still “home” to me, and I make visits back there several times a year, with a cross country road trip every summer and every Christmas. Because I have made the trip so many times, I begin to feel like I’m already on home turf by the time I reach Pennsylvania, but crossing the border from New York into Connecticut, one of the six New England states, means I’m “home”.

You CAN get there from here! Read on!

American Roadtrip, Part II: The South

by mattathomeintheworld, posted in Travel Recommendations, USA, USA Roadtrips

After my first visit south of the Mason-Dixon line some 40 years ago, I joked that now I understood the reason that the South lost the Civil War. They were obviously too full from all their amazing foods to be able to fight at full effectiveness. Despite the fact that I was born a Yankee, I lived in Virginia for a couple of years and I’ve traveled through the southern states often. From the Carolinas to Texas, I find the people to be among the warmest, most welcoming and polite I’ve ever encountered.

Y’all read more now, hear?

You Don’t Have to Take Route 66 to Get Your Kicks! American Roadtrip, Part I: The Southwest

by mattathomeintheworld, posted in Travel Recommendations, USA, USA Roadtrips

“Get Your Kicks on Route 66” is a popular refrain from the 1946 song that was made famous by Nat King Cole and subsequently was recorded by dozens of other artists including Chuck Berry, Asleep at the Wheel, and Michael Martin Murphy. While vestiges of the old highway that wound “from Chicago to L.A.” still remain (notably in the California desert and various parts of New Mexico and Oklahoma), much of it has been replaced by Interstate 40. But don’t despair, you can get your kicks on any number of highways that crisscross the U.S. You just have to take that long dreamed about road trip!

The Burr Trail, a scenic but rugged drive off Highway 12 near Boulder, Utah

Let’s hit the road! Read More:

Hawaii: Paradise Found

by mattathomeintheworld, posted in Hawaii, Travel Recommendations, USA

I’d put off a visit to Hawaii for many years, thinking that all it had to offer was the crowded beaches of Waikiki or corny lounge singers performing “Tiny Bubbles”. I could not have been more wrong, and I’ll always be grateful for the day when I finally discovered the Hawaiian Islands and for the fact that I’ve been able to return to them many times since.

Landing in Paradise… passing Lanai on the descent into Maui
The welcoming face of Hibiscus blossoms
Welcome to the “Aloha State”

Let’s explore the islands!

Cucineria Pane Vino & Zucchero, Montepulciano

by mattathomeintheworld, posted in Italy, Toscana and Firenze, Travel Recommendations

Every visit to Italy that I make requires careful planning to be sure I’m able to dine at all of my tried and true favorite restaurants. Still, I always enjoy finding a new place to add to my list and on a recent trip to Tuscany I had one of the best dining experiences ever at a restaurant called Pane, Vino & Zucchero, which means Bread, Wine and Sugar. That sounded like a winning combination to me, and I am so glad I discovered this place!

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Antipasto of cheese, meat and fruits

Read more about Pane Vino & Zucchero:

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for: GELATO!

by mattathomeintheworld, posted in Italy, Uncategorized

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If only gelato came in this size…

Gelato. This has to be one of the most beautiful words in the beautiful Italian language.  It was love at first taste when I sampled my first spoonful of the Italian version of ice cream almost 20 years ago, and during my time in Italy it’s not uncommon for me to have a “3 gelato day”, with a scoop or two in the late morning, again as a late afternoon pick me up, and finally as a late night, after dinner treat. Most people I know who have been to Italy cite gelato as one of their favorite things, though I have occasionally encountered the odd, misguided person who shrugs and dismisses it with, “It’s just ice cream.” No, poor misguided one, it is not “just” ice cream.

Get the scoop on gelato… read on!

A Unique and Exquisite Lunch at Le Soufflé – Paris

by mattathomeintheworld, posted in France

I have visited Paris countless times, and it seems that I find a good restaurant that I really like, only to learn it’s closed when I next visit. So today I searched on tripadvisor.com, looking for new ideas of where to dine during my brief stay here, and I stumbled upon reviews for a place called, Le Soufflé. I love soufflés, but they are a rare find and when they are on a menu, they are not always that great. But I had a feeling this place would be different, and I was right.

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My lunch at Le Souffle, Paris

Click here for the full story…

Osteria La Zucca, Venezia

by mattathomeintheworld, posted in Italy, Travel Recommendations, Venezia

Osteria La Zucca, Venezia

Outside tables at La Zucca

I discovered this charming osteria at least 15 years ago and it has become my “go to place” whenever I’m in Venice. At the time my Italian was non-existent and I remember the owner going through virtually every item on the menu with me to explain the dishes. I was so impressed that he would take the time and have the patience to do that!

Pumpkin-themed decor
The friendly manager of La Zucca
Pumpkin head!
Happiness is an outside lunch at La Zucca

Check out Matteo’s favorite menu selections!

Trattoria Monti, Roma

by mattathomeintheworld, posted in Italy, Roma, Travel Recommendations

I discovered this small, Roman trattoria, run by the Camerucci family, back in 2002 after reading positive reviews online. The food and the service were equally wonderful, and so on another trip over 6 months later, I returned. To my amazement, Enrico and Daniele, the brothers who serve as hosts and waiters welcomed me warmly and remembered me so clearly that I had to wonder whether they’d had any customers since my last visit! Fourteen years and countless visits later, the boys refer to me as their “red headed fratello” (brother), and the chef, Signora Camerucci leaves her station in the kitchen to greet me enthusiastically.

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Trattoria Monti, Roma
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