andiamotrips - campania, italy with karen phillips

A few hours just for me.  A sauna.  A massage. Maybe followed by a lunch.  A light lunch. That's what I wanted.   No.  That's what I needed .  So one Sunday afternoon I headed towards the 5 star Raito Hotel near the Amalfi Coast.  Into the lobby, past reception, and up the staircase on the right to the doors of Expure Spa.    Doors that would begin my Chef in Beauty Farm Day, a combination of beauty treatments and a light lunch prepared by Chef Francesco Russo.   In order to enjoy the light lunch, I'd have to endure a series of peaceful relaxing treatments.  Like a swim in the spas thermal pool, complete with mini waterfall and whirlpool... Turkish bath, sauna, and an emotional shower, a combination of water aromas, and colors... While waiting for my massage, I sat in the spa's tea corner and had a cup of...tea. Then off  to one of the spa's three massage rooms for  a rejuvenating Dead Sea salt body scrub followed by a body mud mask

I chose a Saturday evening to do my "Merry Christmas" rounds.  A Saturday evening to drive to Quarto to drop in on friends  with a Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo.   I chose a Saturday evening to chat with Chef Marianna Vitale in the cozy kitchen of her restaurant SUD . Chef Marianna Vitale   I arrived before the dinner rush, so there was plenty of time to chat with the chef as she and her staff were preparing for a busy evening. Plenty of time for my dozen or so questions for Vitale about Napoli and traditional Christmas recipes. Like the one she was preparing - struffoli.   This colorful   dessert is a must on every Neapolitan Christmas table.  And just like any classic, each family has their variations on the recipe but it basically goes like this... Balls of dough are fried and then drained on paper towels... they are then drenched in honey ... then decorated with colorful sprinkles and candied fruits.... I grabbed  a pl

I had never walked the streets of Vietri Sul Mare at night.  Sure, I've spent numerous summer Saturday afternoons with family and friends ceramic shopping in the numerous negozi all along this famous centro storico on the doorstep of the Amalfi Coast. But at night?  Never.  That may be why my latest visit to Vietri seemed a little surreal.  Cold,  a light drizzle, semi deserted...fantastic.  Almost as fantastic as the sharp colorful contrast that hit me immediately as Annabella D'Elia opened the door and invited me into Ristorante Evu'... Evu...a small ristorante packed with colors, calore , and smiles.  A young restaurant with an eager enthusiastic staff led by Riccardo Faggiano , his two chefs; Michele De Martino and Saverio Di Domenico , and a dining room staff with his fiance' Annabella and his mom Anna Borriello.   So what was it that made me feel so comfortable right away.  The Christmas decorations?  The interior decor?  The benvenuto glass of DUBL

It was pouring down rain as I pulled into Cetara.  Pouring as I parked my car at the tiny little fisherman's port about a block and a half from my destination.   It didn't matter.  I had my rainboots, an umbrella, and an appointment wth Chef Pasquale Torrente at his restaurant Al Convento .  An appointment that I had been waiting ( con calma ), patiently for quite some time. I hadn't seen Torrente in awhile...he'd been in Rome for the past 6 months or so setting up  another locale , La Friggitoria , located in Eataly . So there I was...splashing my way through the silent streets of Cetara to Torrente's door. I'm not sure what warmed me up quicker...The restaurant's heating system, or the smile and hug from Torrente as he greeted me at the door and hung up my coat.  It felt good to be back.  Back in Cetara and ready to immerse myself in tradizione , tradition.  No sooner had I placed my purse, notepad and all necessary blogger gear at my table, Torrente