Who Is The Girl In The Green Chair?
This year has been nothing short of a metamorphisis….I gave up my life in New England to enjoy La Dolce Vita. I have become focused on what I love: My life, Traveling and writing about Travel and Food. So I am now a freelance writer, creative cook and Professional Foodie living in Saint Augustine, Florida with my husband, Roberto and our cat. I have taken the plunge to make this my life, not just a fuzzy dream pushed to the backburner. With every passion there are sacrifices, but I have decided it is worth the risks to become what I am meant to be. I am also passionate about food and cooking and I believe that through a culture’s food you can really get a feel for the people. Being Italian-American, I should know! This is my life. This is my passion! Here goes everything!

Every Passion Has Got To Have Inspiration!
Travel. It is the one way a person can really get to know them self. One of the healthiest ways to understand one’s self and all its abilities and limitations is to go to some place that is different from what we are used to. It will challenge the traveler to navigate through the streets of his destination and sometimes the murky waters of the soul. There is nothing like travel. It is always an experience that one will always learn something from, it is the ultimate teacher. It gives each traveler the gift of a new perspective and new understanding about the world. It can be at once awesome, frustrating, humbling and inspiring. Sometimes our journeys do not lead us where we want to go, but where we are supposed to go. We are given the opportunity every time we travel to learn the lessons about life that we can learn in no other classroom but the vast world, and all its people, animals and plants have to teach us.

I am a traveler and also an aspiring traveler. I have been many places and seen many things and it has enriched my life in a way not possible through any other modality. But, I know there is so much more to learn and see and gain perspective on. Life is a journey, and each person’s journey is enriched by the people we meet, the places we go and our own experiences.

Where Does My Inspiration Come From?
I have a degree in Anthropology and Native American Studies from Hampshire College, in Amherst, MA. In learning about other cultures, especially ones in our own country, that are so misunderstood, I realized that you can learn so much by putting yourself there, with the people and on the land. Many Americans, unfortunately, are misinformed about other countries in the world, because all we see on the news is the bad parts – the poverty, the dangers, the misfortune. However, there are gems to be found everywhere! I firmly believe that if people were actually to go to new, interesting and sometimes feared places, interact with the people there, eat the food, walk on land, see the art and just BE in that space, that perspectives are certain to change. When you see how the other half lives it is inspiring and humbling. At that point “the outside world” is no longer an abstraction or a fear, it is a place you have been. It has become part of you, part of your life’s experience. It is people you have had a meal with, or a store you bought something in. Your life is forever changed, and you can carry that knowledge with you, and when you hear things about that place where you have been that is misunderstood, you have a new and different lens to see the truth in it.

When you see with your own eyes how people who live in intense poverty also have some of the richest lives, your life is enriched and you will never be the same again, guaranteed. You begin to ask yourself the basic, important questions in life. You wonder how much does a person really need to be happy? Or more importantly What IS happiness and how do I get there for myself? How much extravagance do I really need in my life?

Why I Blog….
The goal of this blog is to inspire the traveler. Its goal is not foremost for “tourists”, but for people who are really looking for personal experiences in their journeys. This blog will offer up close and personal reviews of various travel destinations, in order to give a flavour to the places that are written about here. Some destinations are in my backyard - I belive you can get so much just from exploring your own place. Some destinations I write about here I may not have personally traveled to. These are my “dream journeys”, the places I want to travel to. I will write a close up look at those places and what may be offered there, that are not known to many travelers, so I can learn about these places for myself, as well.
I will also write about foods from other places. One of the best ways to travel, when you don’t have a lot of money is through food. It is one of the most memorable things people bring back with them from their journeys, and you can experience it in your own kitchen! Language is another huge part of a culture and I will also be delving into that a bit as well.

I hope this blog will become an informative place for all different kinds of travelers to get information about what this world has to offer and how we all have so much to teach each other. Thanks and Enjoy!

I am also available for writing projects. Only serious inquiries, please!

To get in touch with me via email click here.