Trip Review

Four of the Gastwirth’s from Rockville, MD (2 adults and 2 teens ages 14 and 16) traveled to Paris, London and Iceland this summer for a unique blend of culture, visiting friends and nature.  The trip was deemed a blast!  Starting in Paris, the family enjoyed staying in the Marais neighborhood at the Bourg Tibourg boutique hotel.  The family thought the hotel was charming and staff lovely despite a typically tiny Parisian elevator and climbing spiral stairs to reach their rooms.  The Gastwirth’s loved hanging out in the Marais, an artsy and trendy neighborhood that is also home to Paris’ Jewish history.  Afterward they took the train to London to spend time with friends from home who were living in the city for the summer.  The Gastwirth’s stayed at the Chancery Court, a hotel we use often for our families with great success.  They appreciated that it was close, but not too close to Convent Garden.  The recently remodeled hotel actually closed just after the Gastwirth’s checked out to reopen as a Rosewood property this month.  In Iceland, the family thought that the natural beauty and friendly people made for a great visit.  They stayed just outside of Reykjavik at the Hilton which had the bedding and pricing that suited their needs.  One day they hired a private guide to do a Golden Circle tour of Iceland, a popular touring route that loops from Reykjavik  into central Iceland and back stopping at national parks, waterfalls, geyers, a geothermal active valley, volcano crater, villages and a geothermal power plant!  The photos you see were taking by Andrew Gastwirth.  His photos are amazing!

Travel Tip

How To Dine in Italy-From Context Travel

1. Avoid dining near major tourist destinations

Our first tip is valid for almost any city worldwide, yet is always worth repeating. Stay away from eating at establishments close to a major monument or in a famous square. Just remember that the prices on the menu are reflecting the prime real estate of the restaurant and to always read the fine print. Any surcharges that may sneak up on you? Remember, you are paying for that view and/or convenient pit stop. Generally speaking most restaurants located close to major monuments get such a high volume of hungry travelers that the quality of the cuisine is greatly diminished, though this is not always the case. One exception, Armando, is located around the corner from the Pantheon.

2. Avoid restaurants with hawkers outside or tourist menus

Tourist menus that promise incredible deals, such €8 for a five-course meal, drinks included, should arouse suspicion. Taking into consideration the reality of food costs, one may suspect something is afoul, such as low grade ingredients or attempting to rid the kitchen of food that has probably exceeded its shelf life. Restaurants with pictures on their menus or signs are also to be avoided. Unlike Japan, where food displays and photos are the norm, restaurants with pictures typically cater to tourists exclusively, a sign that the food quality will be lower. Anyone who has visited Rome will also be familiar with staff situated outside, calling passersby to come inside for a meal. This is a typical give away of a restaurant to be avoided. In general, high quality establishments keep their clientele with their food and have no need to drive traffic from the streets.

3. Don’t leave home without an expert in your pocket

One of the joys of modern technology is the ability to access local experts quickly and efficiently via apps. Simply downloaded an app onto your smartphone before you depart gives a safety net when you arrive, ensuring that you’ll be with the most up to date, accurate information on the best eats in town. Some of our favorites for Rome? Katie Parla’s Rome and Eat Rome.

4. Avoid establishments without trusted recommendations

SlowFood and Gambero Rosso are two organizations that reward restaurants of quality. While both have guides one can purchase, it’s also as simple as looking for the organization’s sticker on the front door of the restaurant when you walk in. Both were founded in Italy, with SlowFood now a worldwide organization, and help diners recognize excellent cuisine. SlowFood in particular rewards restaurants with local, sustainable practices that connect with the community, while Gambero Rosso also runs a well-respected cooking school.

5. Avoid restaurants with out of season cuisine or dishes that are not really Italian

The classic Italian diet is all about seasonal cuisine and restaurants will typically be rotating their menus as the seasons change and new, fresh ingredients become available. A menu with out of season ingredients, such as mushrooms in July or strawberries in December, can be a sign that the restaurant is not up to the highest standard. Not sure what’s in season when? See this post on Parla Food for a succinct list. By the same token, it’s best to be suspicious of restaurants that claim to be classic Italian, yet have non-Italian dishes on the menu. That fettucine Alfredo you have been craving? It’s actually not a classic Italian dish, so if present on the menu is a sign that the proprietors are catering to the American palette instead of giving you the local Italian food you want.

Travel Tip

Are you weary of airplane food like we are?  Here’s a nice list of healthy travel snacks thanks to Budget Travel magazine.  Don’t forget to bring lots of water too!

Not  Nuts! Seed and Fruit Mix-A perfect plane-safe snack since it’s flavorful, filling, and allergy-friendly. Gluten-free, wheat-free, dairy-free, peanut-free, tree-nut-free, and  egg-free.

KIND Healthy Grains Bar-They’re  made from all natural ingredients and pack more than  one full serving of whole grains per bar (amaranth, millet, buckwheat,  gluten-free oats, and quinoa).

Wonderful Pistachio Roasted & Salted Snack  Pack-Pistachios are one of the lowest calorie and higher  fiber nuts.

Creative  Snacks Co. Okra Chips or Green Bean Chips-These are not highly  processed chips with veggie flavoring; these are the actual whole veggies in the  form of a 100 percent real crunchy snack.

Garden  Lites Zucchini Chocolate Veggie Muffins or Kashi Chocolate Soft-Baked Squares-Garden  Lites muffins are made with all-natural ingredients including zucchini and  carrot; Kashi squares have whole grains, sweet potatoes, and black beans.

Saffron Road Crunchy Chickpeas- A flavorful way to satisfy the munchies and get a  punch of protein—naturally and without GMOs.

CLIF Kid Organic ZFruit Rope-A tasty fruit snack with a burst of vitamin C with no  preservatives or artificial flavors (we are also fond of Island Stretch Co. Fruit Strips).

Trip Review

With children away at summer camp, many of our parents took advantage of a couples getaway. The Family Traveler’s Lauren and Evan did the same and traveled to New York City and the Hudson River Valley on their way to camp visiting week-end in The Catskills. The trip proved to be full of surprises and fond memories. To start, using a car service from JFK airport to Manhattan was so easy and well worthwhile. We stayed at The Pearl, a boutique style hotel in the busy theater district where the rate includes a nice continental breakfast, afternoon wine and cheese, internet, all day snacks, infused water, New York Times as well as a gym. Rooms were well appointed and quiet with minifridge and nice bathroom with a TV, but unfortunately the beds were just too soft. A mixed experience as a result. Our New York adventures took us to the High Line, an elevated rail line that has been completely transformed into a pedestrian walkway with lush landscaping. It runs through the Meat Packing District and down to Chelsea. The end of the path is near Chelsea Market; a great place for lunch after the walk! A visit in the rain to the 9/11 Memorial was very apropos and emotional and getting timed entry tickets in advance helped avoid any lines. Grand Central Station was both an architectural beauty and a good place for lunch as well. A visit to the Guggenheim was appreciated more for the unique building than the limited art collection although special exhibits and some celebrity spotting made the experience memorable. And of course theater. Just can’t get enough of that and a revival of Pippin (Cirque de Soleil style) and Kinky Boots were both a hit and Tony Award winners. A marriage proposal right on Shubert Alley was icing on the cake as well as meeting both friendly New Yorkers and visitors from around the country. Onward to Milton, NY in the Hudson River Valley and a relaxing stay at Buttermilk Farm Inn and Spa. This charming retreat includes a working farm, farm to table restaurant, spa with indoor pool (we indulged in a few treatments) and excellent breakfast and afternoon snacks. From here we visited the home and library of FDR in Hyde Park which was really interesting after seeing the recent Hollywood movie about it. Leave plenty of time to enjoy the library and extensive exhibits.  Lunch at the famed and nearby Culinary Institute of America followed (make reservations in advance). A stroll across the Walkway over the Hudson offered scenic views. This is another former railway line that has been transformed for pedestrians. At 212 feet tall and 1.28 miles long, it is the longest, elevated pedestrian bridge in the world. Up to The Catskills for camp productions at Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center wrapped up a wonderful getaway.

Trip Review

The Josloff family of 5 from Philadelphia (2 adults and 3 teens) stayed at the new Dorado Beach, a Ritz Carlton Reserve in June. On arrival, the family was met by the Front of the House manager with cool towels, refreshing drinks and an upgrade to a two bedroom suite! The Josloff’s said that the suite was unbelievable, with its own private pool that was large enough for their three teenagers to play in when they weren’t in the ocean. They loved spending time in their villa that the family frequently ordered room service and found themselves dining outside on their patio overlooking the ocean. They said that the hardest part was deciding where to relax and read and enjoy the view: directly from the bed (amazing view of the ocean), one of three patios they had (off our bedroom, the main living area, or the kid’s bedroom), by the pool, in the pool, or on the private lawn between the pool and ocean! They also swam in the resort’s larger pools including a fantastic waterpark and also enjoyed the 10 mile bike ride around the premises (the bikes were dropped off right at the suite the day they checked in). They said that the service was exemplary.  Other recreation at the resort includes golf, tennis, watersports, nature programs, kids club and more.

Travel Tip

5 Tips for Shooting Great Video from Budget Travel Magazine and documentary filmmaker Roger Sherman:

1.  Hold Steady

Hold the camera, even a small smartphone, with two hands. Bend your knees a  bit. Tuck your elbows in close to your body. Breathe slowly and don’t rush your  shot. Don’t hit the record button until you’re really relaxed and ready.

2. Don’t Pan Back and Forth

Most professional films are made with static shots, no camera movement at  all. If you did the same, the quality of your videos would soar. Amateurs  usually move the camera far too much, to disastrous results. If you need to pan  (moving the camera left or right), take a quick look at the scene to determine  where the energy is. Pan slowly in that direction. Let’s say you’re in Florence  and you spot a majestic statue and a beautiful fountain. Frame on the statue and  pan over to the fountain—towards the energy. That’s where you’ll want to move in  for closer shots. Never pan left and then right in the same shot. Pan left, cut,  reframe, Then shoot again, another pan if you must, but it’s usually better to  follow a pan with a static shot. That’s the way pros do it.

3. Don’t Zoom

According to Roger, zooming is death. It’s guaranteed to ruin your film. No  one, not even pros, can hold steady a shot zoomed in all the way. Instead of  zooming, walk closer to the subject, then shoot. My rule of thumb is zoom no  more than 10-20% from full wide angle unless your camera is equipped with steady shot, a smoothing mechanism. Even then you can’t zoom in all the  way. Do a test to determine how far in you can truly hold a zoom.

4. Short Shots

Most shots can be six seconds or less for statics. It all depends on what  you’re looking at. A beautiful view of the Grand Canyon will keep your  audiences’ attention longer. A close up of a piece of Murano glass doesn’t need  to be held as long. Think about how long you held the previous shot. It will  help determine how long the next one should be. Look at your footage to learn  how to pace your movie. Watching TV shows, movies, anything with the sound  turned off is a great teacher.

5. Vary Your Shots

Professional films are made of a variety of shots: wide, medium, close. Yours  should too. Again, watch a few minutes of any movie or drama on TV with the  sound off and you’ll see what I mean. Many home video shooters make the mistake  of shooting their films repeating the same wide shot from the same distance to  the subject over and over.  Boring! If we go back to the example of the fountain  in Florence, we might begin with a wide shot of the whole fountain—people  hanging out, kids playing. If we walk in closer, we might frame a second shot of  most of the fountain with fewer people. That would be a medium shot. Going in  closer still, we might frame a shot of the mermaid spouting water, a close up.  Those three shots become a sequence that tell a complete story about the  fountain, one that viewers will be captivated by.

The best way to make great home videos is practice. Shoot a bit. Look hard at  your results. Learn from your mistakes. Shoot some more.

Trip Review

The Feltman Family of 5 (with young adult children ages 20, 22 and 24) from Plano, Texas celebrated a college graduation and acceptance to medical school with a family trip to Spain and Italy. They began their trip in Barcelona where they spent a few nights in a two bedroom apartment at Apartment 64 on the Passeig de Gracia (where Mindy also stayed with her family). They loved the spacious accommodations and central location. Their itinerary included a segway tour which was a great city orientation, a tour of the Sagrada Familia, a Runner Bean Tour of Gaudi (these are free tours operated by local college students), a visit to Camp Nou (the famous soccer stadium and home to FC Barcelona, the worlds’ number one soccer team in the world) and a visit to Gaudi’s Casa Batllo across the street from their hotel. From Barcelona they flew to Naples, Italy where they stayed overnight before meeting a private guide in Pompeii. This was one of the highlights of the trip. Following Pompeii they drove to Positano for a 3 night stay at Covo dei Sareceni in suites facing the ocean. They loved the views of Positano from the beach and from way up in the hills where they dined most evenings. They also took the hydrofoil to Capri for the day. They moved onto Rome for a few nights staying in another apartment hotel, the Internazionale Domus, near the Spanish Steps. They loved their private tour with ICON of the Vatican, Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel and the VIP underground tour of the Colosseum. They also spent one full day touring Rome in a golf cart with our local guide, Roberto.

Travel Tip

Our favorite Eyewitness Travel Guides from DK Publishing are now available in a new family series! Currently eight books have been published for Rome, London, Paris, France, Florida, New York City and Washington, DC. The books include great text and photos and make a nice souvenir of your travels. Plenty of maps, highlights of local sights, dining recommendations and more.

Travel Tip

Want to speed up your time through passport control when returning from an overseas trip?  Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. Though intended for frequent international travelers, there is no minimum number of trips necessary to qualify for the program. Once approved, you will be able to enter the United States by using automated kiosks located at select airports. Just present your machine-readable passport or U.S. permanent resident card, place your fingertips on the scanner for fingerprint verification, and make a customs declaration. The kiosk will issue you a transaction receipt and direct you to baggage claim and the exit.  You must first be pre-approved for the Global Entry program. All applicants undergo a rigorous background check and interview before enrollment and families can apply.

Check out http://www.globalentry.gov/howtoapply.html for details.

Trip Review

The entire Nagin clan gathered in Scottsdale, AZ from Los Angeles, Orange County, Boston and Washington, DC last month to celebrate Jerry’s 80th birthday at the Westin Kierland Villas. Grandchildren ranged in age from babies to teens! The villas provided each family with spacious one bedroom accommodations with kitchens.  Jerry let us know that the rooms were nicely equipped, well laid out and most of theirs had lovely views. The villa’s variety of pools provided a relaxing gathering space for all with a waterslide, shallow pool for the toddlers as well as a quiet pool. At the Westin Kierland Resort next door, the group also had access to a lazy river pool with wave machine and also a lap pool. There was plenty of dining options by the pools and at the villa’s main building with decent prices to match. The families also thought the villa staff was helpful and accommodating. They celebrated Jerry’s birthday at North, a local restaurant just across the way from the property with an outdoor patio that proved ideal for this large group. One of their favorite finds of the trip was Perks Eatery, a nearby restaurant that served a reasonably priced breakfast just a few blocks from the villas. The place was recently featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives”. Other dining recommendations are the Citizens Public House in Old Scottsdale, Zinc Bistro, Binkleys and Sweet Republic Artisan Ice Cream. Three culinary schools in the area help staff some great restaurants!