Setting Sail On the French Riviera!

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Setting Sail On the French Riviera!

Just a quick check-in during a flurry of packing and prepping to catch a flight to the French Riviera tomorrow bright and early. Scott and I will land in Nice, and spend a few days enjoying the Riviera while based in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Later we will board the Seabourn Sojourn in Monte Carlo for the 10-Day Tyrrhenian Treasures & Malta with a sparkling itinerary. Stops include Italy, France, Malta (a first for us!), and end in Spain where we will finish up with a few relaxing days in Barcelona before heading home. We are honored to be invited to host this cruise for the Virtuoso Voyages group onboard. When I tell you this cruise sold out fast - it was sold out one day after I posted our announcement!

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Exciting News! We Will be Hosting A Virtuoso Voyage with Seabourn Ultra Luxury Cruises - Monte Carlo to Barcelona - October 2023 - Join Us!

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Exciting News! We Will be Hosting A Virtuoso Voyage with Seabourn Ultra Luxury Cruises - Monte Carlo to Barcelona - October 2023 - Join Us!

How does frolicking on the French Riviera sound about now?

In October, Scott and I plan to set sail on the luxurious Seabourn Sojourn from Monte Carlo to Barcelona on a 10-day cruise with stops in Elba, Amalfi, and Taormina (Italy), Valletta (Malta), St. Tropez and La Ciotat (France), as well as Palamos (Spain) before disembarking in Barcelona on this spectacular itinerary.

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Envision: The Anticipation of Travel

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Envision: The Anticipation of Travel

I’ve read that half the pleasure of travel is the anticipation. I’m in that phase now with my upcoming solo trip to Italy. I find myself envisioning the sights, sounds, tastes, and even the rose gold hues of sunset over the Arno River bathing Florence. I can almost taste the cacio e pepe (we made it in a cooking class in Tuscany) and the gelato di caffe’. I’m checking the weather report daily (mostly highs in the upper 60s) to envision my daily clothing needs and am fully packed early for this trip.

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Hot Tips for Preparing for International Travel (Revisited)

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Hot Tips for Preparing for International Travel (Revisited)

The travel industry is definitely booming and many travelers, tired of local haunts, are heading to far-flung destinations post-pandemic. At Curated Travel, our clients are headed to St. Lucia, Bora Bora, Cancun, South Africa, Germany, European River Cruises, the British Isles, Slovenia, France, and the always-popular Italy in the next several months. With 3 trips to Europe last year and Italy on my horizon later this month, I will attest that travel is back and more exciting than ever!

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Lake Garda: Mercurial, Magical and Idyllic

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Lake Garda: Mercurial, Magical and Idyllic

Arriving at Villa Cortine Palace Hotel is an event in and of itself. Our driver whisked us through majestic gates, past antique statuary and formal gardens to this stately, historic property. It sits on 12 acres on the peninsula just north of Sirmione and is bordered on both sides by Lake Garda. This location yields the most amazing lake views from all angles.

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Milan: Modern, Vibrant and Stylish (with Classic Soul)

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Milan: Modern, Vibrant and Stylish (with Classic Soul)

The first stop on my long-awaited return trip to Italy, for a luxury travel event, was Milan. Though I have traveled through Milan, with stops at Malpensa airport and the train station, I have never ventured out to explore the heart of the city. On this trip, I blocked out time to recover from jet lag and acquaint myself with this vibrant city for a couple of days. And yes, on this trip my luggage arrived with me!

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Bravo! Italy is finally back on my horizon!

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Bravo! Italy is finally back on my horizon!

After numerous canceled trips over the last 2 1/2 years, Italy is finally back on my horizon! I’m beyond excited to be invited to attend Travelux, a fully hosted luxury travel event in Venice, hosted by Nebe Club. If you’ve followed this blog for several years you may remember that I attended this same event at Lake Como in 2018. Yes, that’s the one where I had all the fancy events and my luggage didn’t arrive for 6 full days! Travelux is an exceptional experience and I found it to be a life-changer for my travel business.

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Announcing: Our Third Curated Travel Group Cruise Setting sail in Oct 2022 (Greece is the Word!)

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Announcing: Our Third Curated Travel Group Cruise Setting sail in Oct 2022 (Greece is the Word!)

In 2019 we set sail on our second Curated Travel group cruise on the Mediterranean/Adriatic on Azamara. We enjoyed ourselves, our fellow cruisers, and the fabulous destinations more than we ever imagined. Though we had to postpone for 2021, we are happy to announce that we are doing it again in 2022. This time, Greece is the word, and we would love for you to join us. Bon Voyage!

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A Game-Changing Solo Trip to Italy (plus essential packing tips)

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A Game-Changing Solo Trip to Italy (plus essential packing tips)

I'm reminiscing on a game-changing solo trip I took to Italy three years ago this week. Though I’ve enjoyed several Italian adventures in the years following this entire travel experience opened new doors for my Curated Travel business and reaffirmed my staunch adoration for the magic, beauty, and deliciousness of Italy and the charm and verve of the Italians. Plus, I learned some essential packing strategies I will never forget!

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Invitation: Exploring the Romantic Rhine, Cape Cod the Islands and Newport, and Yellowstone & Grand Tetons National Park

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Invitation: Exploring the Romantic Rhine, Cape Cod the Islands and Newport, and Yellowstone & Grand Tetons National Park

I’m excited to announce a virtual event for our Curated Travel clients. See below for details and join me along with our CADENCE team on October 21st at 4 PM (PT). Click the link below to register for this wanderlust inspired zoom event and I’ll look forward to ‘seeing’ you then.

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Join Us for a Virtual Tour of Fine Wine & Cuisine in Lyon & Provence

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Join Us for a Virtual Tour of Fine Wine & Cuisine in Lyon & Provence

Are you ready for a change of scenery?

I was talking to a friend/client the other day and reminiscing about our beautiful travels on our Curated Travel group cruise on the Mediterranean last year. In an effort to enjoy a change of perspective for this ’staycation summer’ we decided to sign-up for a virtual tour of food and wine in Provence this Friday, August 21st at 9 am Pacific, hosted by Viking River Cruises. You will find the link below to join us for this complimentary change of scene.

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Summer Garden Tour: Beautiful Gardens Around the World

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Summer Garden Tour: Beautiful Gardens Around the World

I recently saw an article from Virtuoso on beautiful gardens around the world. Did you catch it on our Curated Travel Facebook page? It reminded me of one of the favorite gardens that I visited at Lake Como in 2018. Villa Balbiano is a magnificent palazzo built in the 16th century, now part of the Heritage Collection, and is described as “The Italian Opulence on Lake Como”.

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