The Aperitivo

Happy Hour in Italy is a little different. Called an Aperitivo, it is served between roughly 5pm and 7:30pm usually by the local espresso bar or panini shop. The premise is simple but equally mind-blowing. You order a drink and snacks are included. Sometimes snacks are brought to your table in the form of a bowl of olives, bite-size crustless ham sandwiches, and potato chips (everything delicious, these aren't bar nuts). Other times a full buffet of various pasta salads, sandwiches, and/or cured meats and cheeses is offered, help yourself (seriously).  So you order a Campari Spritz at about 2-3€ above usual price and the snacks are all yours.  It's simply brilliant.

Segue to Rome

I had the great pleasure and fortune to spend the past 6 days travelling in Italy with my sister. She is my best friend, a total riot, and one hell-of-a travel companion. We haven’t stopped laughing since the airport in Sardegna (when we were standing in an enormous line and the lady behind me insisted on standing so close to me that she was literally touching my elbow and then while the line was not moving, rolled her suitcase into my leg, settle down lady).

Jay spent nearly 9 months in Rome while studying abroad and after 12 days in Sardegna was gaining confidence and fluency in her Italian.  She was our tour guide, translator, and local.  On our first day we wandered the streets of her old haunt (Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, and surrounding areas). It was quite a nice thing not to have to look at a map (although that night I would have a nightmare that I was trapped on cobbled street and wasn’t able to get out cause I didn’t know where I was going!).

We stayed at the beautiful Hotel Mozart, perfectly located a half block off of the Via del Corso, the Grand Promenade that greeted those  (the main promenade in that part of Rome) and next to the Conservatory of Music where we were quite literally serenaded by sonatas (the pic above is from the rooftop). We had the best suite on the fifth floor with a gorgeous balcony overlooking the rooftops of Rome courtesy of our mom, who made sure to reserve it for us.  Please be sure to check out her review of the hotel HERE.

We spent the next few days wandering the beautifully antiquated streets of Rome, taking in the sites and searching for lost cafés to have a Spritz Campari and play cards in. Having taken a class on the architectural history of Rome, Jay was an amazing tour guide. She took us on a visual tour through the ages from Ancient Empire to the Papal Baroque Period to Modern times. She pointed out how some streets were widened, others cut-off, and my personal favorite, how the cornerstones of buildings could be used as markers for identifying the time period in which it was built (cool!).  It was an amazing way to see the city, although after two days and 14 miles of walking, we were toasted.  But that all changed when we discovered...

Photo cred: Jay, with the stick

The Segway! We passed a newsstand that offered Segways for rent at 15€ an hour. No guide and no helmets, they just let us loose (crazy right??). So we rented a couple, put on our “I ❤ Roma” shirts, and went in search of the best place to take the perfect selfie (Oh did I forget to mention that we bought a “selfie stick”? Terrible selfie pick post to follow). Now, I know what you are saying, Segways are as dorky as it gets, like the fanny pack for the tech world, but once you stand on one, all that nonsense evaporates and you realize that this thing is the most amazing invention of our time.  They are AWESOME.  Perfectly balanced and perfect for the rolling cobble stone streets of Rome.  We took our Segways to the Borghese Gardens for a wonderful “jaunt” around the park and loved every minute. 

We left Rome on the 29th and decided to forgo Sienna and take the train straight to Modena. It saved us a lot of headache trying to maneuver a new city for just one day (plans sometimes look better on paper). I have to stress that fluidity and openness in travel is paramount. Traveling is always difficult, but also one of the most exhilarating and exciting experiences one can have. Yet, all of that fun can evaporate instantly depending on your travel partner. A positive attitude and openness to changes in the "plan" are essential to keeping the peace. Those that have travelled with a less than flexible partner know what I’m talking about.  Everyone travels differently and it’s important to pair your travel buddy with your style of travel.  Jay was the perfect travel companion and we had an absolute blast (but then again we have been traveling together since we were 9 and 5 years old). We will have the memories (and the jokes “insert bird noises”) from this trip for the rest of our lives.  I love you Beebs and can’t wait for the next adventure!!!

Hospitality at the Chia Laguna Resort

One of the key points to hospitality is a friendly greeting and a smile (added points if greeted by name).  Every single time I pass the front desk at the Hotel Laguna at the Chia Laguna Resort I am greeted by name and a smile that beams genuine happiness and care.  I feel warm and welcomed each and every time I enter the hotel.

Antonio making his signature 1988 cocktail

The other evening I was returning to my room early and mentioned to Antonio, the Sommelier and bartender that I wasn't feeling well.  He replied, "Wait just a minute, I know exactly what you need." After a few moments he returned with fresh ginger, which he then muddled and added a little mint, lemon, and agave syrup with hot water in a pot and gave it to me to take to my room, the perfect remedy for a little cold.  This anticipation of need and his desire to exceed my expectations, is what makes Giuseppe and the Hotel Laguna a 5-star resort.

The staff at the Chia Laguna are truly exceptional.  Every person I've come in contact with has had a smile on their face, has displayed genuine empathy for my experience, and has been available to my every need.  When my step-dad, Asaad was concerned about his laundry that was dropped off a few days earlier, he was met with this response, "Mr. Kelada, have no worries, we will take care of you."  In fact, I heard that very same phrase a number of times during my stay, "Everything will be taken care of for you." The staff take interest in getting to know me, joke where appropriate, offer recommendations to sites and destinations, and have also blended seamlessly into the background unnoticed but ever present.  The Hotel Laguna at the Chia Laguna Resort is a model for hotel hospitality.

Gian-Luca, General Manager Chia Laguna Resort

By the time we left this morning, my family and I truly felt like we were a part of something special, part of a family.  We were sent off this morning by Antonello, GM of the Hotel Laguna and Gian-Luca, GM of the Chia Laguna Resort with such warm and loving care that our hearts with filled with love. We will most certainly return in the future.  Thank you so much to the entire staff at Chia Laguna for making this one of the best trips of our lives.

A Model GM

"It is our goal to exceed all your expectations"  - Antonello Cocco, General Manager Hotel Laguna

First and foremost, he takes the time needed to develop true and meaningful relationships with his guests. My mom and beau-pere arrived a week prior to my sister and I and had quickly become "best friends" with the GM.  By the time we arrived, we were already "celebrities". He greeted me by name, with a warm and welcoming smile and told me how happy he was to have me in the hotel knowing that I was soon to attend the prestigious hotel school, the Hotel ecole de Laussanne.

Throughout the week I watched as he was ever present but always unassuming. He made a point of being in the cocktail area just around 7pm when guests arrived for their pre-dinner drink.  He would spend time with each guest, never checking his watch, always engaging, sometimes listening and sometimes dispelling valuable information about happenings at the hotel and surrounding area.  More than once he asked us what our plan for dinner was, if we didn't have one, he would say, "Have you tried the sushi restaurant yet, it is excellent, I will make you a reservation, no problem," or "Have you a plan for tomorrow? You must see Tuelleda, it is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. Stop by the front desk and I will have a map there for you."

During dinner, he would make a point of greeting ALL guests, some with just a gentle "Buona sera" not to interrupt, other times being offered a seat and taking it, would effortlessly make guests feel as though he was a part of their party.

Staying at this hotel for a week has allowed me to spend time observing and talking with Antonello, he is a fascinating hospitality professional and is well suited for his position. He always makes sure to check in on the business of the hotel in the morning, diligently remembering guest check-in and check-outs, reviewing P&L's, and holding manager meetings, but then he allows his managers to run their departments, which in turn ALLOWS him to take the necessary time it takes to become an integral part in every guests experience. He has made our stay overwhelmingly memorable.  Thank you Antonello.

A First Impression of Sardinia

Sardinia is an incredibly beautiful island.  It is the second largest island in the Mediterranean (after Cyprus) and is one of the most geologically ancient bodies of land in Europe. The island was populated in various waves of emigration from prehistory until recently (some of the Sardinian language and architecture has a vague resemblance to Spanish descent).  However, the center of the island was never fully conquered and people there still maintain their own language and customs dating back hundreds if not thousands of years.  

The coasts of Sardinia are nothing but spectacular, gorgeous white sand beaches stretch for miles around the island. The waters are crystal clear blue and shallow. As high-end tourism is only relatively recently begun developing on the island, much of the pristine beaches still remain secluded and explorable.  The beaches and waters are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen.

My sister and I arrived on Wednesday and joined mom and Asaad at the beautiful 5-star Chia Laguna Resort.  I will touch more on the resort in a future post, but one thing must be said, the staff represent some of the best hospitality I’ve come across. They are friendly, attentive, approachable and professional and are genuinely concerned with providing each guest with an experience that exceeds all expectations. This is a fantastic resort.

We have been here for two days and have spent both of them at the Chia beach (a short four minutes away) for most of the day. The weather has been immaculate, warm with a nice Mediterranean breeze. Last night we enjoyed fresh fruit cocktails and dined on prawns and tuna that came straight from the water that day. Needless to say, we are in heaven. Much more to follow soon, I promise...

My Itinerary for Summer 2015

July 7 - September 6

• July 7 - LA to NYC

• July 7-14 in NYC

• July 14 - NYC to Sardinia

• July 15-25 in Sardinia

• July 25 - Sardinia to Rome

• July 25-29 in Rome (July 25-29)

• July 29 - Rome to Sienna

• July 29-30 in Sienna

• July 30 - Sienna to Modena 

• July 30 - dinner in Modena at Osteria Francescan

• July 31 - Modena to Milan

• July 31-Aug 1 in Milan

• Aug 1 - Milan to Nice to meet my parents

• Aug 1-17  in Saint Vallier de They (mom and Asaad's villa outside of Grasse)

• Aug 17 - Saint Vallier to Paris (to pick up my Swiss visa)

The following is subject to change...

• Aug 17-19  in Paris

• Aug 19 - Paris to Champagne

• Aug 19-21  in Champagne

• Aug 21 - Champagne to Alsace

• Aug 21-25  in Alsace and Jura 

• Aug 25 - Alsace to Geneva

• Aug 25-31 in Geneva

• Aug 31 - Geneva to Laussanne 

• Aug 31-Sep 6  in Lausanne

• September 6 School Begins at the Ecole hotelier de Laussanne in Switzerland !!!