Posts by Maleka
Florence
Eat
Obica – Mozzarella Bar
Via Tornabuoni 16
Beautiful courtyard in the city center.
Caffe’ Dell Oro –
Lungarno degli Acciaioli, 2, 50123 Firenze, Italy
Beautiful breakfast sanctuary, immediately off the Ponte Vecchio.
Stay
Riva Lofts
Via Baccio Bandinelli, 98, 50142 Firenze, Italie
+39 055 713 0272 | www. rivalofts.com
Boutique hotel blending city lifestyle with a welcoming warm atmosphere. Ten minute bike ride, 20 minute walk along the river park (bikes free for guests). Easy to drive to and park at hotel.
Drink
Amble
Piazzetta dei Del Bene, 7/a
Florence
+39 055 268528
Closed Monday.
Tues – Sat 10-10
Sunday 5pm-10
Minutes from the Ponte Vecchio, but feels like one of the quietest squares in town. Great neighborhood bar feel nestled at the end of an alley under a fig tree. Hip, relaxed and delicious place, perfect to stop at any hour of the day.
Tuscany – Pienza – Val d’Orcia
Day Trips
Monteverdi – Castiglioncello Del Trinoro Tuscany – hotel, spa and restaurant
Exquisitely restored 12th century mini village (25 inhabitants) of Castiglioncello del Trinoro, Tuscany. Be ready to relax with a fabulous book and soak in the beautiful setting. Gorgeous spa, restaurant, bar and Enoteca. Great for a day trip or spend a night or 2 here.
Dopolavoro Restorante & Bar – Below La Foce
Traditional Tuscan farm to table dining, vegetable garden is across the street. Often have live music in the evenings.
La Foce – Gardens
Marvelous estate, you can stay here or if budget does not allow go for a garden tour and hike.
STAY
La Bandita Townhouse – Pienza
Boutique hotel located in the heart of Pienza. Mix of modern and old. The restaurant was our go to hangout.
Casina Di Piazza – Pienza – Airbnb
Great price, center of town, clean 2 bedroom Airbnb.
Eat
La Bandita Townhomes – A must
We spent a lot of time here (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Elegant setting, friendly staff and excelent food.
Trattoria Latte du Luna – Simple, fresh and resonable
Authentic Tuscan restaurant. Very reasonable, Try the peci pasta
Buon Gusto – Galato and smoothies
The best spot for homemade gelato.
Il Picolo Caffe – casual dining
Cozy inside seating, great outside patio in the back. After traveling all day and having a big pasta lunch at La Bandita, this was a great spot for a casual dinner of prosciutto, cheese, and antipasto.
Drink
Bar Il Casello – Best view in Pienza
Order inside and enjoy your vino overlooking the Tuscan fields
Website looks GREAT
Wanted to share with you that I have already received several comments, from outside Resolute, that our website looks GREAT!
I’ve actually asked a few folks to also visit our website to see what they think, a couple of Owners, a couple of developers and a couple of Architects.
Thanks to you for doing a great job and being patient with me and our team.
-Randy Grubb – CEO of RESOLUTE Building Company
Logo Design for Paper Mulbery
Logo Design for Aspen City of Wellbeing
Tortola – Scaramouche – BVI
SCARAMOUCHE – Tortola – BVI
A little slice of heaven in the BVI, the owners are Italian, the coffee is Italian, the music is Brazilian and the vibe is Caribbean……my kinda place!
Lounge Bar & Fine Dining Restaurant
Soper’s Hole
West End Tortola
www.scaramouchebvi.com
Chat with owners over a cappuccino and glass of Italian wine about the upcoming dj’s, brunches, and full moon parties.
Tortola
Boat Charter
C & D Power Boat Rental
Tel: 284 495 1401
Cell: 284 542 9104
www.cdpowerboats.com
For our 10 person crew, we rented the 40′ Midnight express. Request Travis and Steady Man for your captains
The Indians – snorkle
The Caves – snorkle
The Baths – Virgin Gorda – adult playground
Sandy Spit – deserted island
Sandy Key – deserted island, great for sunset
LUNCH
Saba Rock – fish tacos and fries are my favorite
Virgin Gorda
Tortola – Frenchman’s Lookout
STAY
Frenchman’s Lookout
Frenchman’s Cay
Tortola, BVI
www.inspirato.com
Tortola – Good Moon Farm
Good Moon Farm – local organic produce
Turnbull Estate
Cooper Bay
Tortola, BVI
Tel: 284 542 0586
goodmoonfarmbvi@gmail.com
www.goodmoonfarm.com
We are a group of foodies who jumped at the opportunity to pick fresh local organic food and cook at home. We chose our food from an online list. In addition they have produce boxes that can be delivered to your boat.
Tortola – beaches
BEACHES
Long Beach – beautiful quiet beach
Look for Nature Boy, he will set you up with lounge chairs, drinks, beach games. He can arrange to do a night time bonfire.
Smugglers Cove – secluded gorgeous beach
Cane Garden Bay – SUP rentals, beach bars and restaurants, most commercial of the 3 beaches
Taormina Sicily
Taormina was a wonderful place to wind down and relax before heading home.
STAY
Hotel Villa Schuler – gorgeous hotel
Piazzetta Bastione, Via Roma
Taormina, Sicily Italy
Tel +39 0942 23481
Galati Mamertino, Sicily
Finding this little remote village of Galati Mamertino located the Sicilian mountainside between Palermo and Taormina and being treated to dinner and breakfast by the Mama, Aunts, cousins and extended family of the people behind the famous Il Pastio restaurant in Beverly Hills was a highlight among many in this journey. Nino’s (a friend from Il Pastio) sister Nancy stopped her weekend plans and spent the evening hosting us.The generous hospitality of these folks, their love for preparing the most delicious food, the way they share this food with gusto and laughter, the instantly fresh ingredients all raised locally and their welcoming warmth…..defines the Italian culture. Fresh porcini mushrooms gathered in the woods around us were sautéed in olive oil and then topped with toasted pistachio nuts…..DELIZIOSO !
STAY
Belvedere Bed & Breakfast
di Rosetta Baglio Rivetti
Largo Alloro, 9
Galati Mamertino
Tel 0941.435068
www.belvederebeb.net
info@belvederebeb.net
EAT
Trattoria “La Bettola” – order whatever they recommendvia Cavour, 159
Tel 0941.0434952
BAR
G-Bar – look for adorable bartender Gaitano
Piazza S. Giacomo
Galati Mamertio
Palermo Sicily
DO
Cattedrale di Monreale – MUST SEE
Piazza Guglielmo II, 1, 90046 Monreale PA, Italy
We had a friend drive us, it is about an hour by bus outside of Palermo
Palazzo dei Normanni & Capella Palatina
Piazza Indipendenza, Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Monumentale Chiesa Dell’Immacolatao Concezione – on same street as market, beautiful small church limited hours
Via Porta Carini, 38, Palermo PA, Italy
LUNCH
Ferro di Cavallo – family owned and run since 1944, went here with locals
*complimentary wine while queuing to be seated
P.zza Venezia, 20, Palermo, Sicily, Italy
SHOPPING
Elisa Messina Ceramiche – beautiful ceramics studio in Monreale
Via Ludovico Torres 36
Monreale, Palermo
Capri | Day Trip from Positano
Be prepared for a touristy experience that is absolutely worth it. There is a lot of travel for a short visit in the grotto, but just sit back and enjoy the beautiful ride. First you take a nice ride on a jet ferry in to Capri. We went mid day and I recommend grabbing a bite in the marina. Then you take a launch to the grotto (you will see signs for the launch when you get off the jet ferry). Once you get to the Blue Grotto you have to wait your turn to get into the tiny row boat. Once in the rowboat (which can be an adventure in itself) you have to duck all the way to the bottom of the rowboat to get into the grotto. It is breathtaking, you have to see it to believe it. Tip your rowboat driver before you go in so he will serenade you and not bug you about tipping.
GETTING THERE
Take the jet boat from Positano to Capri
Take a launch service from Capri to Blue Grotto – you will see signs for Blue Grotto when you get off the jet boat
Transfer into a small row boat to go into the Blue Grotto – the same launch waits to take you back to Capri
Praiano Positano
Highlight of the trip to Positano. Take a water taxi from Positano beach. Lunch is delicious, the chef is adorable. The specials consist of local fair that from the ladies in this tiny town. After lunch enjoy vino and the most delicious olives while soaking in the Mediterranean. Service is amazing, music is fun, be sure to talk to the owner.
PLACE
One Fire – 30 euro, 15 min water taxi ride from Positano beach
Open May – October
Piccoletto – Owner
Praiano, Italy
Ravello & Almalfi | Day Trip from Positano
Almalfi is very busy, while waiting for bus up to Ravello or ferry back to Positano it is worth going into the a Almalfi Cathedral and having a cappuccino and homemade sugar coated lemon candy at Pasticceria Pansa. That is all the time needed in Amalfi.
GETTING THERE
Ferry
Take ferry from Positano beach to Almalfi
Bus
Take Sita public bus or take the open air site seeing bus from Almalfi to Ravello. About a 25 minute drive
RAVELLO
TO DO
Villa Rufolo – gorgeous gardens overlooking the sea
LUNCH
Cumpa Cosimo – filled with Italian families
Via Roma, 44
Ravello, Italy
SHOPPING
Ceramiche and Factory Cosmolena
Via dei Rufolo, 20
Ravello, Italy
Gorgeous ceramics, be sure to visit downstairs showroom
Bric a Brac enoteca
Piazza Duoma, 16
Ravello, Italy
Great priced linen scarfs made in Ravello
AMALFI
CAFFE
Pasticceria Pansa
Piazza Duoma
Amalfi, Italy
TO DO
Amalfi Cathedral
Piazza Duoma
Amalfi, Italy
Positano | Day 5 – 10
Stay
Via Villas of Itay
Villa Donatello
Incredibly roomy older home, eclectic furnishings conveniently perched above Positano, multiple dramatic terraces!
Same owners also have a smaller unit next door
Roseanna, the house keeper is fabulous, love this place
Eat
Il Fornillo – steps down from villa
Via Pasitea
Positsno, Italy
39 089 811954
Next2 – same owners as casa e bottega
Viale Pasitea, 242
Positano, Italy
39 089 813 3516
Le Sirenuse
Via Crostoforo Colombo, 30
Positano, Italy
39 089 87 50 66
Caffe
Hotel Villa Gabrisa – no wifi, amazing views, steps from villa
Via Pasitea, 223
Positano, Italy
Casa e Bottega – chic and healthy cafe with wifi, not to be missed
Via Pasitea, 100
Fanny – owner
www.casaebottegapositano.it
Caffe Positano – stunning views for an evening vino
Via Pasitea, 168
Pompei – Day 5
We arranged for a car service to Positano. The driver, Luigi set up a tour of Pompei. He can also arrange day trips to nearby beach towns.
DRIVER
Luigi De Martino
Luigipositano@gmail.com