Trattoria Toscanini- Lake Maggiore
Easter 2023 was spend island hopping the Borromean Islands of Lake Maggiore. I see them often from the train and am always intrigued, so here we are. You’d think I’d have arranged a holiday lunch in a tiny town, but I was determined to wing it. Based on gorgeous location, adorable lounge area, fellow apertivos,…
Ristorante La Stresa- Stresa
Ristorante La Stresa has a whole mess of killer reviews and for good reason- the service, food, and price all made for a nice evening. Two women worked the entire restaurant, not annoyed that I was dining solo and gave me choice of table which is always thoughtful for we solo diners. As usual in…
Taverna del Pappagallo- Stresa
Craving a pizza and seeing the line at the clearly loved Taverna del Pappagallo, I managed to squeak in for an early lunch reservation the next day. As the restaurant was parrot themed for some reason, it felt right to sit on the terrace that blended the in and outdoors well. The pizza that I’d…
Trattoria La Botte Stresa
On my first night in Stresa, I opted to try Trattoria La Botte. The cozy restaurant was adorned with fun caricatures of the family who was there running the place, even this particular evening. I was kindly seated at a very romantic table, ripe for people watching and even better as they poured me the…
Hotel La Palma- Stresa
With France striking for trains, pensions, and garbage on fire from those strikes, the only logical thing to do with the long Easter weekend was pop over to Italy. On a particularly frustrating work day I did about five minutes of googling and settled on Hotel La Palma for its proximity to the train station,…
Enoteca da Giannino- Stresa
What’s better than an effervescent glass of bubbly to sip while watching the buzzy tourist square of Sresa go by? A good book to go with it? Ok…now it’s better… a handful of potato chips…ok, ok maybe slightly better. (How to the Italians never tire of crisps?) And that’s precisely the fun little pit stop…
Citrus Olive Oil Cake
Hosting an unplanned Sunday lunch, I dug for whatever ingredients I could find in my pantry and for this particular occasion that would be a citrus olive oil cake. Inspired by Giada’s recipe, but using what I had, I made a few tweaks. The result was an absolutely delicious, citrus-kissed light cake. Served here with…
Harry’s Dolce- London
If you’re in need of a nice, but not too nice lunch break between major shopping destinations, look no further than Harry’s Dolce well-situated just behind Harrod’s. The sidewalk tables offer excellent people watching as the schmaciest of cars come to valet at Harrod’s. Also, well placed is the Moet champagne bar within Harrod’s just…
Margot- London
Originally, I’d booked Margot London for it’s dachshund themed signage, but later for it’s close proximity to my hotel and upscale Italian menu. The dachshunds even managed to provide a joyful touch to the apero. A small piece of foccacia and a perfectly measured tablespoon of olive oil warranted a 1 GBP cover charge. This…
Radio Rooftop- London
After a very rainy walk from the hotel and a an hour or so in the Cortauld Gallery for the first time (amazing) I ducked into the ME Hotel London for a spot of lunch at Radio Rooftop. The main hotel lobby is a true interior design thing of beauty. As one of the first…
Macarons and Mayhem 