We're travelers too

I didn’t travel much when I was young, but culture was all around me. Our family was together every holiday, and there was “Italy” on every corner of the neighborhood —Italian bread from the family that owned the bakery, and my aunt’s special cuccadati cookies. The kids shunned bakala at Christmas time but reveled in the biscotti that required you to sign a blood oath before getting her recipe. I wore a good luck charm from a relative of a relative who went to Italy but I had never been myself. When my family arrived in the US they never thought of going back and this was their home.

I was fortunate to work for a European-based multinational, which allowed me frequently to spend time traveling in Europe. I still never made it to Italy until my husband and I decided to take a bike ride in Tuscany. That trip changed me forever. The minute I set foot in Italy, I felt like I was home. Everything was new and interesting and yet had meaning and was familiar in some way. My husband and I got engaged on that trip, having stopped in the Cinque Terre in the charming town of Portovenere before returning home. After much time planning and looking at various options, we decided to return to Italy to get married. We didn’t dance the Tarantella as we had at the big family weddings of my youth, but we took all of our immediate family with us — mothers, brothers, sisters and kids — to show them Rome, Florence, Tuscany and the Cinque Terre. We were tour guides most of the time driving small minivans and organizing people. We had a wine tasting and a cooking class at the villa we stayed in. When the guitarist played under the stars during a special dinner the night before our wedding, I felt a special connection to all the relatives who weren’t able to join us.

Although I’m also a Destination Specialist in France, Italy holds a special place in my heart. I feel like I’m going home every time I go there; it’s as if my aunt is fixing me a big plate of pasta when I arrive for a visit. Let me show you my favorite places in Italy!

I am British born and was fortunate to travel a great deal during my career, but I never tire of visiting my homeland and developing options to share the UK. My love of travel has resulted in my purchase of a small house in Italy on the Adriatic coast, outside of the main tourist areas, and my commitment to learning to speak the Italian language as well as my fascination with single malt scotch whiskeys and perfecting limoncello and paella recipes.

As BellaTerra continues to expand its reach through Europe, my efforts will be focused on supporting our growth and developing relations with the BellaTerra approved suppliers.

Later as a young adult, I did get the chance to travel extensively all over the world. I remember with great pleasure the exotic experiences: cooking class in Thailand, safari trip in South Africa, market visit in Morocco. However, coming from Europe, the Old Continent always had a special place in my heart. I fondly recall my exquisite lunch in a tiny Parisian bistro frequented mostly by locals, getting lost on Seville’s narrow streets chasing bright-colored buildings, driving across the Dolomites in Italy on a sunny afternoon.
One destination that I’m particularly interested about is the wine country. Growing up I used to hang out in my grandpa’s vineyard learning about farming techniques and winemaking. As a kid I was allowed to taste only the ‘must’, which is the freshly pressed grape juice or young wine. Overall there is something about the wine country that’s uniquely pleasing to me, a special combination of scenic landscape, cheerful people and good food, an experience that I would be glad to share with you.

My husband and I have flown hot air balloons in Central and Western Europe as well as North America. Scuba diving in the South Pacific and the Caribbean are always a treat for me. Whenever possible, you will find me riding my motorcycle to explore interesting destinations.

I have a profound love for life and sense of adventure. My wide-ranging experience, informed advice and influence with travel vendors throughout the world are what make me stand out in the travel field.