The American Wine Society is a national nonprofit consumer organization devoted to educating people on all aspects of wine. Its members are wine novices, experts, grape growers, amateur and professional winemakers, chefs, wine appreciators, wine educators, restaurateurs and anyone else who wants to learn more about the appreciation of wine and gastronomy. On our first trip to Italy we rented a villa with Suzanne B. Cohen & Associates and promptly fell in love with Italy. The people, the pace of life, the food and wines, and the countryside all seemed to conspire together to seduce our family. Diane and Suzanne at Suzanne B. Cohen & Associates can show you lots of wonderful places to spend a week or two. Last February we attended the Boston Wine Expo, where we had the tremendous good fortune to have our booth adjacent to Montione's Biscotti. Mary Montione is a delightful person who bakes the best biscotti we have found in America. When I dip her almond biscotti in my morning cappucino I am transported back to Italy. In the evening it is a treat dipped in Vin Santo. Visit her web site at www.montionesbiscotti.com. Back to top It is always true that one of the keys to successful travelling is to travel light. A number of companies have developed new clothing and travel accessories to make this easier than ever. Look through the catalogs and web sights for LL Bean , Travelsmith and Territory Ahead to see what they offer that is light and easy to pack. Back to topLocal Weather I always like to check the local weather in Italy before I travel. By checking the high and low temperatures I get a better sense of how to pack. Look at Weather Underground for a quick check of the latest weather. Back to topTravel Advisories Italy is a very safe place to travel, and in general the Italians like American visitors. Still, it's alwas prudent to check the US State department for any travel advisories. Look at the US State Department Travel advisory page for the latest travel advisories. Back to topCurrency With the switch across most of Europe to the euro currency, travel in Italy and the rest of Europe is much easier for Americans who think in dollars. Unfortunately for Americans, the dollar has suffered against the Euro for the past few years, and I have been seeing rates close to $1.23 dollars per Euro. That means that the sweater you see in Florence for €80 will cost you about $98 in US currency. Look at here for a quick check of the latest currency rates. There are lots of places on the web for information about wine and Italy. I enjoy reading the Italian Wine Review for their sense of what is new and interesting. Back to topOther Links These are other sites that have interesting information, recipes, and services:
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