After nine months of planning, imagining, dreaming, arguing, drafting, negotiating, ordering, projecting and anything but sleeping, it is in sight. The Via Umbria Holiday Pop Up store is about to open its doors.
Continue reading Countdown
After nine months of planning, imagining, dreaming, arguing, drafting, negotiating, ordering, projecting and anything but sleeping, it is in sight. The Via ...
It's been a long time in the making. Well before we closed our doors in Bethesda back in December even. Today we ...
Today we closed on the purchase of a new home for the new Bella Italia. Continue reading Closing and Opening
Today we closed on the purchase of a new home for the new Bella Italia. Welcome to our new home - 1525 Wisconsin ...
I was 54 years old when I got my first chicken. That was earlier this year. Continue reading Eggs-traordinary
I was 54 years old when I got my first chicken. That was earlier this year. But it was just this week that ...
After six years in Umbria, our roots there are deep. After two short visits to Ischia, our roots were non-existent. So when we decided to organize and take a tour group to Ischia for a week long sailing school we needed help. The sailing end of things would be well covered, for we knew we were in good hands with Capitano Andrea. For the land portion of the trip we needed a good partner. As fate would have it we found Dion. Score one for Experience Umbria in Ischia. Continue reading Vaya Con Dion
After six years in Umbria, our roots there are deep. After two short visits to . Read more
After six years in Umbria, our roots there are deep. After two short visits to Ischia, our roots were non-existent. So when ...
Tucked away in a tiny elbow of San Montano Bay, the Negombo Thermal Spa is one of several dozen volcanic thermal baths that dot the enchanting island of Ischia. On our second visit there, this time together with a small group of our Ischia Sailing School participants, we luxuriated in warm, hot, scalding and freezing pools, the dozen or so whimsical watering holes scattered across this unique park with its naturalistic, fantasy-like setting. Our group came to sail, but their morning at Negombo was one that they will never forget. Continue reading In Hot Water
A relaxing retreat in Negombo Thermal Spa Read more
Tucked away in a tiny elbow of San Montano Bay, the Negombo Thermal Spa is one of several dozen volcanic thermal baths ...
A string walks into a bar, climbs up on a barstool and orders a beer. The bartender, a bit perplexed looks at him and says, “you’re a string. Get out of here. We don’t serve strings in here.”
Angrily, the string leaves the bar and in an effort to disguise himself twists himself up and tousles one end. He walks back into the bar, climbs up a barstool and in a different voice announces, “barkeep, I’ll have a beer.”
The bartender cocks his head and ponders for a moment, then opines, “hey, aren’t you that string I just kicked out of here?” To which the string replies, “oh, no, I’m afraid not.” Continue reading Knoticle
Angrily, the string leaves the bar and in an effort to disguise himself twists himself . Read more
A string walks into a bar, climbs up on a barstool and orders a beer. The bartender, a bit perplexed looks at ...
OK, here’s what I think. At least a few readers/followers have been thinking to themselves, “so Bill and Suzy have been having an interesting time in the Gulf of Naples. They’ve visited some fascinating islands (Capri and Ischia), eaten a bunch of great food, drank even more great wine, swam, shopped, and enjoyed themselves. But I thought they were going to Ischia to sail. What gives?”
Well we have been sailing, for several days now. And I can describe it in a single word. Unbelievable. Continue reading Breezing Along
Sailing our way in the Gulf of Naples Read more
OK, here’s what I think. At least a few readers/followers have been thinking to themselves, “so Bill and Suzy have been having ...
Ischia. How many people have even heard the name? And how many have visited? Its next door neighbor Capri has captured the imagination of the international jet set. They and their wannabe hangers on jam Capri port, fill its restaurants and make the island a daytripper’s paradise. But Ischia? Poor and undiscovered (or underdiscovered) Ischia is not poor at all. It is the real deal. Continue reading Another Day Another Island
We are here to enjoy the authentic Italian island life. Read more
Ischia. How many people have even heard the name? And how many have visited? Its next door neighbor Capri has captured the ...
It’s always so hard to say goodbye. To let go. It is even harder when you are saying goodbye to Capri. Continue reading Arrivederci Capri
A Bittersweet Goodbye Read more
It’s always so hard to say goodbye. To let go. It is even harder when you are saying goodbye to Capri. Four glorious ...
After four days in Capri we arrive in Ischia, Capri’s larger but less well known neighbor. There’s plenty of ferry traffic from Capri to Ischia but we have to search a bit to find ferries going the other way. It’s worth it though. We arrive on Ischia Saturday afternoon for a return visit to the Mezzatorre hotel, the luxe hotel we discovered last year and which will be our home for the next week as we begin our week long scuola di vela sailing school on island. Continue reading Hail Yea!
After four days in Capri we arrive in Ischia, Capri's larger but less well known neighbor. There's plenty of ferry traffic from ...
“You are people that want to learn about other cultures, that enjoy meeting people and getting to know about them and where they come from, who are curious to see more than what you can see from a tour bus.”
“We love to welcome people in and show them what we love to do.”
“You make us very happy and proud that you want to learn from us. To listen to us.”
“No, the pleasure has been all ours. What an incredible experience. What a wonderful day.”
And so went the nearly all day love fest that we called a cooking class with Stella and her son Maurizio, owners of the Excelsior Parco Hotel, our home in Capri for the past three nights. Continue reading Table of Contentment
We love to show what we love to do Read more
“You are people that want to learn about other cultures, that enjoy meeting people and getting to know about them and where ...
