Will it be ok with you if I claim a compressed holiday schedule blended with a healthy dose of jet lag as to why I am only getting around to writing about my quick trip to Australia two weeks ago today? I came home after a 4-day trip and jumped immediately into 4 photo shoots. FOUR. The dust has settled, I’m reviewing my images and expanding my notes and wanted to share with you what a stellar time I had.

With an sleep mask, a bag full of magazines and two sets of headphones I boarded a V Australia flight from Los Angeles to Sydney (which was fabbbbbbulousss) to attend the Hamilton Island Great Barrier Feast, hosted by qualia resort in what must be one of the most beautiful parts of our planet.  Hamilton Island is a part of the Whitsundays, a collection of islands located off the central coast of Queensland, Australia. Rugged, verdant, with dark green peaks jetting out of teal blue water, it is a tropical paradise not far from the Great Barrier Reef. You might remember that this was the winner’s location for the Best Job In The World contest a few years back.  I see why. I was prepared for beauty, I wasn’t prepared for extreme beauty.

With 60 individually designed pavillions, qualia sprawls out over several hilly acres, making its way to the edge of the island at Pebble Beach. With dozens of awards under its belt, including 2011’s Australian Gourmet Traveller Award for Best Australia Resort as well as Best Spa, there’s a relaxed elegance to this entire place that I find right up my alley. Fusing a very laid back and carefree attitude with service of astronomic levels  provides the best of all worlds.  And driving around your own little golf cart certainly helps.

I began my mornings very early (I’m not one to miss a sunrise, especially when it rises over mountains that I can see from bed), usually with a short walk around the property and along the beach before heading to one of the pavilions for breakfast. The view each morning allowed me to absorb one of Australia’s most unique qualities: her light. Without getting too technical here (and boring you non-photographer, color-temperature measuring types), let me just say that the quality of light in Australia is beyond words. For this boy from The Golden State who has ample daylight most of the year, just seeing how the sun works down under was enough to cause me to snap photos, make notes, and marvel in its glory.

But really, let’s talk about those rooms.

I’m confident I’ve made enemies of friends and relatives after sharing via instagram and facebook my room. It’s been brought to my attention that in order to maintain these life-long valuable relationships I’ll need to bring them back to qualia, specifically this room. I’m a giver, consider it done. But you can easily see what I’m talking about when you see the room.

With apologies to housekeeping, a chair and power strip found their way into the massive tiled bathroom, where a sink counter became my temporary desk, the room doubling as a spontaneous office. It’s not that there wasn’t a proper desk on the other side of the suite, it’s just, well, I’ve always told myself I could live in a well-appointed luxurious bathroom, and I was pretty sure I was out to prove it.

One thing: bathing in not bathing with a view of the Whitsundays from a window like this. Don’t kid yourself. Human necessities become acts of grandeur.

Not that the rest of the room wasn’t worth it. Especially the bottle of Veuve Clicquot waiting for me.

As much as I could have hid in my room all day and night (with its own pool, thankyouverymuch), I loved getting out and meeting the other media attendees for lunch as the kick off for the Great Barrier Feast. If you’ll allow me to generalize here, here’s the thing about Australians: I love them. The whole bunch. Their spirit, their humor, their attitude, it’s all right by me. So I enjoyed a delicious lunch, sat back and listened to the lively conversation from Simon Thomsen, food writer and critic and emcee of the event. Also in attendance were James Halliday, Australia’s leading wine critic, Sally Webb, an editor from Murdoch, and many other journalists and editors, making for such a fantastic time. With all that food talk I was in heaven.

This year’s Great Barrier Feast was a weekend of amazing dinners, two Electrolux Masterclasses with Australian award-winning chef Dan Hunter, and plenty of delicious wines from Robert Oatley Vineyards selected by James Halliday. Not a stranger to the resort + food experience weekend, the Great Barrier Feast stands out above so many events in its ability to provide an experience that straddles education & excellent food with relaxation and pure chillness.  Try beating that.

Like a good American blogger I did my research on Chef Dan Hunter in lieu of making it to his restaurant Royal Mail in Dunkeld, Australia (that’ll be my next trip to Australia!) In a place seemingly near nothing (it’s 3 hours west of Melbourne), Dan creates cutting edge cuisine with a razor-sharp attention to ingredients and preparation. With impressive experience (spending time at Mugaritz in Spain as well as at some of the world’s finest restaurants), life at rural Royal Mail allows him to farm and grow his own produce, not to mention it also affords him the opportunity to walk to work and do his own thing. But what impressed me most was Dan’s singular vision and commitment to local ingredients. After enjoying Saturday night’s dinner prepared by Chef Dan and his team, I was eager to ask him about his vegetable-driven, beautifully plated dishes.

After explaining to him that my day job is as a food photographer, I asked him about aesthetics, something I’m pretty keen on.

Chef’s response: “I think food needs to seem untouched. I live in a very natural environment. I wake up in the morning, I open my bedroom curtains and I see trees and mountains, kangaroos, my dog. I have a shower, I have breakfast, I walk to work, I walk down a hill, across a creek, through a fruit orchard and I see clouds, trees, leaves, my vegetable garden. What I don’t see is structure. I see irregular, naturally occurring things. So when I put food on a plate, I’m putting natural things down and it seems silly to me to try to construct it too much. I say this to my chefs all the time: we want it to look untouched, as if the hand of man hasn’t been there. I mean, think of a forest with leaves on the ground, branches falling…it’s still beautiful. Imperfection in what we do and see are sometimes the most beautiful things.”

Speaking of nature, I may have gone off the food path with my request to tour the property with one of the lead gardeners. After walking around scratching my head with internal questions like “What on earth is this?” and “Oh wow look at that”, I knew I had to spend some time with someone who could answer my questions about the trees, plants and flowers. I said this place was paradise, right?

I must admit it was hard to leave qualia, but I was looking forward to my night in Sydney and checking out the new Darling Hotel.  If you’re thinking of attending the next Great Barrier Feast held again at qualia then lucky you. It’s a fantastic place. If you can break yourself away from that bathtub.

My blogger fine print: many thanks to qualia, V Australia, and everyone at Hamilton Island. Big California West Coast hugs to Michael Shah, Katie Cahill, Jill Colins (omgiloveyou!), Sophie Baker (omgiloveyoutoo!) and Debra Kelman Loew. As per FTC disclosure requirements, transportation and accommodations were provided.  Opinions expressed are authors own. All images © Matt Armendariz except tomato image in Chef Dan Hunter collage used by permission, © Andrea Francolini Photography.

I’m going to lay it all on the line, be completely honest, and just bare my soul for you here. I am dreading writing this post. Why? Because it’s too good. I mean, the food of Vancouver is just too good. Too good for me to find enough words to describe it, too good to not sound like a broken record as I try to find ways to tell you about it.

Perhaps I should just start with Paul.

Paul Done rocks. No other way to say it. And homeboy is TALL.

This is Mr. Paul Done, Food Lover and PR Consultant Extraordinaire. See that beer? That’s a local craft beer enjoyed on the first day of a 2-day quick tour throughout Gastown, Yaletown and Kitsilano, not to mention a few other Vancouver neighborhoods and city sites. This man knows his city, knows his food, and kept me entertained beyond words. He was the perfect companion to take me on my tour and the kind of guy you just want to be around. And that beer was only one of the many glasses of beer, wine, and endless plates of food and tastings we had as we ran around Vancouver, both on foot and in a car.

Beer, wine, cheese, charcuterie. SALT IS MY DREAM COME TRUE.

And before I go any further, you do realize you can enter to win my itinerary, right? Correct. You can stop by and visit these places too, but only if you’re up for it. Because the level of awesomeness just kept overdoing itself again and again throughout my time in Vancouver.

Breakfast at Cafe Medina. GO, JUST GO. Trust me. Not like I need to tell you how awesome it is. Everyone knows.

Here’s what I’m not going to be doing in this post: I’m not going to be reviewing every single place I went to. That’d just be nutty. And unnecessary. Besides, I don’t do restaurant reviews. What I can hope to accomplish here is to convey the level of happiness, comfort, skill, and “right-on”ness (I made that up) that comes from the Vancouver culinary scene. It’s vibrant, youthful, daring, traditional, intelligent, focused, and meaningful. It’s both a culinary warm hug and a quick cheeky pinch.  Just enough to wake you up, I mean.

I dream of having Big Lou's Butcher Shop in my neighborhood. I really do.

It’s people who care about what they do and how they do it. It’s about an attention to detail that never feels fussy or stifling, and it’s an elegant casualness that is right up my alley. Vancouver has easily become a favorite spot for me and I can’t wait to return.

Nelson The Seagull and a view of Vancouver at dusk

And if you go, you simply must pay a visit to Granville Island Market. Walk around, check out the shops, snack a bit, eat some more, buy some gifts for friends and family, it truly is a fantastic way to spend some time.

Meat & Bread, 370 Cambie Street

Below is my list of places we visited. Some were more comprehensive than others; we sipped and nibbled at a few, I stuffed my face at others. But I can tell you that I’d easily return to every single one of them in a heartbeat, no hesitation.

I spent a lovely afternoon at Thierry Patisserie, 1059 Alberni St. Photographer John Sherlock was in the back shooting for the website. Double score!

Remember that you can enter to win one of three different Explore Like A Local Itineraries. Will you go the explorer route and select Mike’s trip and backpack your way through the National Parks of Québec? Or will you shop your way through Toronto? I know you really want to eat your way through Vancouver, right? Just be prepared to bring an empty stomach and have your mind blown away.

The Greedy Pig, 307 West Cordova Street

The Dirty Apron Cooking School and Delicatessen, 540 Beatty Street

Big Lou’s Butcher Shop, 260 Powell Street

Salt Tasting Room, 45 Blood Alley

Meat & Bread, 370 Cambie Street

The Irish Heather, 212 Carrall St

Save-On Meats, 43 West Hastings Street

L’Abattoir, 217 Carral St.

Boneta, Courtyard of 12 Water Street

Cork & Fin, 221 Carrall Street

Two Chefs and a Table, 305 Alexander Street

Nelson The Seagull, 315 Carrall Street

Bitter (opening soon and it’ll be gorgeous, I had a sneak peek) 18 West Hastings

Café Medina, 556 Beatty Street

Oakwood Canadian Bistro, 2741 West 4 Avenue

The Flying Pig Bistro, 1168 Hamilton Street

C Restaurant, 1600 Howe Street

Granville Island Market/ Edible Canada at the Market, 1596 Johnston Street

Thierrys Patisserie, 1059 Alberni St

Some scenes from Sav-On Meats. Great space!

Running through Yaletown and Kitsilano on a rainy afternoon. Also, please visit Oakwood Canadian Bistro. You must.

I cannot express my gratitude over meeting these gracious folks who make eating in Vancouver a very special thing. Clockwise Boneta's Neil Ingram, Chef Thierry Busset, Mike Shea of Oakwood, Chef Michel Laurent of Granville Island Market.

A very special thanks to the St. Regis Hotel for such excellent service and a wonderful room to lay my head (and rest my full belly) while in Vancouver. St. Regis is located at 602 Dunsmuir Street  in downtown Vancouver, BC. You can find them online here.

We couldn’t have picked a better day to immerse ourselves in Korean tea shops than a day filled with brisk temperatures and a slight chilly rain. It made our check ins of tea houses much more cozy even though we were on a seriously ambitious mission to sip and sit in a combination of traditional and modern establishments.

We started at Miss Lee, a colorful and playful tea house washed in bright colors and natural woods. If I was looking for a quiet austere place for tea this sure wasn’t it! We arrived for an early lunch of bento boxes with a variety of teas. There’s something to know about the world of Korean tea:  it’s not necessarily always based on traditional tea plants and their leaves. It’s a world that encompasses fruits, seeds, twigs, roots and leaves, not to mention some grains and barley and rice. The flavors of a rainbow are all here, from sour and astringent to candy-like and sweet. One of my favorites was Omijacha, made from the dried berries of the Schisandra chinensis and called the Five Flavors tea because it has sweet, salty, bitter, sour and pungent notes. Served either hot or cold, Korean teas are consumed for health and vitality but to me some are just plain fun: give me a cup of Yujacha (citron) any day for dessert and I’d be a happy man.

I’m a quick learner and noticed you can’t really head out for any kind of social activity without food being involved. It reminds me so much of my childhood and my culture that this whole Korean thing makes total sense to me. With an endless “BRING IT!” attititude we ordered lunch as well as some snacks to enjoy with our tea. My favorite? A Korean-style bento box with rice, seafood, egg and sausage. It was fantastic but it was the yakgwa that rocked my lil world. A soft, semi-chewy cookie made from wheat flour and sesame oil, it’s formed into assorted shapes (often a flower) then fried before being dunked in honey. The result is chewy sticky cookie that is perfect with tea. They’ve since moved to the top of my cookie list for sure. A fried cookie? Come on now, really!

After Miss Lee we visited a few other tea houses, each markedly different. Over various glasses of iced omijacha and warm herbal tea we absorbed the environment as many others did – relaxing and catching up, laughing, exchanging stories. It was heavenly, I’m telling you!

We ended up at Old Tea Shop in Insa-Dong, a location that couldn’t be more quintessential tea shop if you tried. Walking up creaking old stairs to a dark cozy room, we took a seat at a table that nestled you in a way that made you feel as if you’re never leaving or you’ll want a nap, whichever comes first. Over cups of citron and cinnamon tea, we had a few more snacks as we listened to the shop’s birds sing in the window.

Our afternoon tea excursion had to be one of the sweetest, most relaxing afternoons I’ve spent in recent memory. It made me realize how wonderful it is to slow down, visit with friends, eat more snacks, laugh, smile, and really enjoy ones surroundings. And it helped me to brush up on Korean phrases. Practice makes perfect!

Speaking of practicing languages, later in the day we were approached by students working on an assignment. The task? Find a Westerner, interview them and complete a form in English. Being a short and brown man you’d be surprised how easy I can blend and adapt in surroundings. Try that when you’re a tall redhead with tattoos and you can see how you might stick out. Score one for the students!

I will also share this in case you are in need of a good reason to get your heart to melt: take elementary school students, put them on a field trip, stick Adam in the vicinity and see what happens. They flock to him, practicing English words and phrases like “Hello!” and “How are you?” along with tons of waves from across the street. The Big Red Head stops to practice phrases with them, smiling the entire time. Talk about Cuteness Overload.

Earlier this week I returned home from a few days in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. As a guest of the Four Seasons Costa Rica in Peninsula Papagayo, I joined a small group to experience the resort as well as do a little bit of volunteer work and sight-seeing in one of the planet’s most beautiful locations.

It was my first time in Costa Rica, a country that left me speechless (even what little I saw of it!) Beautiful, safe, warm and loving, I understand why so many of my friends are repeat visitors to this Central American country. There’s an immediate dose of relaxation that hits you the moment you exit your plane in Costa Rica. It’s the kind of vibe that can only be made in a place such as this. It’s as if the natural beauty of the country flows through the veins of its citizens in a way you feel internally. And this city dweller was ready to absorb it, too.

I arrived in Guanacaste to wet heat, neither oppressive nor friendly. With my documents in order I slid through customs in record time and met a driver who graciously met me with a cool towel and a bottle of water before we drove the 40 miles in darkness. And by darkness I mean the thick black patches of night you can’t find in a city. Would the coastline be a few miles behind this dark swatch of night? Rolling pastures? Fields of sugar cane? Mountains in the distance? I guess I’d have to wait until morning to find out.

I assembled the mojito ingredients that were waiting for me in my room: ice, lime juice, Costa Rican Rum, freshly plucked mint leaves and a bamboo muddler and sugar cane swizzle stick. It was exactly what I needed after two flights and 1 delay and man oh man did those mojitos go down smoothly. I was pretty exhausted and climbed into the bed of my villa.

Remember when I said I arrived in the darkness of night? I had no idea what was beyond my deck but I could sense there was a hillside below. It just sounded that way.

Well folks, I woke up to this.

Yea. A crazy unbelievable view of the ocean and lush coastline with a few islands off in the distance. And I spent many moments just staring at the view, listening to the wildlife and realizing how beautiful this place is. And I went swimming.

Speaking of wildlife, I was surrounded by some beautiful creatures.

These little guys snuck into my room looking for food. They’re called Urracas (magpies) and they were loud. Yet beautiful.  And these capuchin monkeys were also outside my window one morning and started screeching after I laughed at something in my usual shrilly tone. Who knew?

The next morning we toured the property, getting to check out all the programs and amenities of the Four Seasons. It’s a gorgeous resort with beautiful rooms set in the hillside. Numerous restaurants, breathtaking views, with one of the best rooms I’ve ever stayed in (outdoor shower, hello!), it’s easy to see why this resort wins accolades and awards. The service? Perfection. And if you go, you must visit the spa. Promise me that. I also loved that it was so family friendly and included tons of activities for children and teens as well as really beautiful spots for the parents to get away. Not that parents need to get away from their children. Or maybe they do. I don’t know. Ask me in a few years.

After touring the resort we headed to the Witch’s Rock Canopy Tour in Guanacaste to go ziplining through the trees. Or to Face Fears And Death While Dangling Above A Waterfall. Friends, you should know that I got no joy out of this activity at all. In fact, I got stuck between two platforms because I was braking too much. And at that moment in time my worst fears came to life and I realized I would rather be in any other situation than where I was, period. I will never do it again. I didn’t enjoy it. I didn’t learn from it. It conquered no fears, crossed nothing off a proverbial bucket list. But I’m glad I tried it. There you have it.

Photo provided by the instructors. I only LOOK like I'm enjoying it.

This is much more like it.

Pretty soon my travel mates and I were safely back on ground and ready for much safer activities.

Speaking of travel mates, have I introduced them? It was a great group of people, including Kelly Bensimon, Danny Seo, Bradley Irion, Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere and blogger and writer Kristen Chase of Motherhood Uncensored.

And yea, if the name Kelly sounds familiar it’s because you might know her as a Real Housewife Of New York on Bravo.  God I love that woman.

I think the greatest highlight of the trip involved working with the Four Seasons and their program called Creciendo Juntos, or Growing Together. This program began in 2001 as a way of pairing up guests of the Four Seasons Costa Rica with locals in need. In an effort to create a more meaningful travel experience, Four Seasons and Peninsula Papagayo created custom-designed volunteer programs based on a visitor’s goals, budget and time schedule. For example, we headed to a small school outside the resort and painted a fence that surrounded the entire school. We were greeted by students and learned that the kids were bummed out that their modest school looked as if it has seen better days. If there’s anything about Costa Rica you should know it’s that there is almost a 96% literacy rate and education is king. It’s a right for all its citizens and they do not take it lightly. Knowing how important it is to everyone it made sense that the kids deserved a nice new paint job as they all love coming to school. They’re some of the brightest, most beautiful kids I’ve ever seen and it was an honor to participate in the program.

After covering ourselves in paint we spent a few minutes with the kids and I snapped away.

Kelly radiates positivity and as a mom she couldn’t help hugging and loving these beautiful girls.

Bradley, Kelly’s hairdresser as well as NYC stylist to the stars, created an ad hoc salon in the middle of the courtyard and braided one of the student’s gorgeous long locks. It was such a special moment in time and the feeling of love and reciprocity filled me  with overwhelming emotion. I had such a wonderful time!

And then there was food! Let me eat beans and rice everyday and I’m a happy man. And I think I did, actually, including a wonderful casado which consisted of fish and shrimp over cabbage with rice and beans, plantains and a cuajada cheese, a very mild-tasting salty cheese. And then there was the limon mandarina, a green round citrus fruit that resembled a very unripe orange with a yellow-orange flesh and bitter acidic taste. Limon Mandarinas are prized in ceviche making as it’s super acid flavor “cooks” the fish and imparts a flavor like nothing else. Man it was delicious.

I’m also happy to report that I did my share of Costa Rican coffee drinking, all of it excellent. The Four Seasons set up a small coffee tasting with Café Britt and we sampled their various roasts from their different product lines. Thanks to Carlos for the lesson!

Our last dinner before leaving involved a dinner from Chef Michael Brough, the Executive Chef who has been with Four Seasons for many years. Dedicated to procuring and using local ingredients, my mind was blown from the selection of fruits, vegetables and cheeses that we ate during a long leisurely dinner that was interrupted by some pesky moths who wouldn’t take no for an answer. But no matter, we were able to dine both inside and outside that evening – the best of both worlds.

Caracol, one of the resorts many restaurants, sits inside Bella Vista Clubhouse which is a quick shuttle ride from the main lobby. A garden is kept here for the restaurant where many herbs and vegetables are grown. The chef’s fresh flavors were impressive and knowing so much of it came from only a few feet away was splendid.

I didn’t want my stay to end but reality was calling. Even though I only saw the smallest portion of Costa Rica we cannot wait to return to explore more. It truly was an amazing experience and I look forward to returning and participating again with Four Season Costa Rica’s Growing Together program.

Special thanks to Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo and to the people of Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

A collection of old passports. Oh, the 80s!

This morning we’re heading to the Post Office to renew our US Passports. We’ve got a break in our international travel schedules and figured this is a perfect time to renew without having to expedite the process. Updated photos, new addresses, the need for new blank pages, this clerical renewal gives me a moment to reflect on past and future travels.

I haven’t a clue where the decade went. It was 10 years ago that I was updating this passport in preparation for a trip to Spain. Even though I know my little old blue book will be returned, I can’t help but feel sentimental as I flip through pages of stamps from different countries, some legible, some not. We’ve been many places, this little book and me.

I’ve dreamt of travel my whole life, of transporting myself to locations and cultures quite different than my own. Growing up with grandparents that moved from Mexico to the United States at the beginning of the century may have something to do with my fascination for travel. I was always aware that there was another side to them, a magical window one could pass through where everything was different. I knew where they came from and it wasn’t where we were.

Our family travels never took us to far away places; family vacations consisted of regular trips out west to California from Texas and an occasional visit to Mexico. But what I discovered about California at age 7 left an indelible mark on my brain. It was the land of fun in the sun, of television and music, of food that tasted different and an energy and lifestyle that I knew I had to be a part of. Living in California has always been a part of my plan. I love this place with all my heart.

To me, traveling is magic. And it’s a type of magic that engages every single part of my human being. It reaches and overloads all my senses. Yea, I know it’s expensive and it’s exhausting sometimes, but it satisfies me like almost nothing else. But apart from what it does to my wallet and waistline, I think the most important thing travel does is helps me become a better human being. I think traveling helps everyone become a better human being. We learn that cultural differences are nothing more than a set of ways about doing and believing something–underneath that we are all human. We share the same quest for love and happiness, we all want the best for ourselves and our families. We’re much more alike than we are different. Traveling constantly reminds me of this.

And yes, going places and connecting with people is even enough to make the hassles of travel worthwhile, at least to me. Delays, frustration, tedious checkpoints and long lines will never diminish my experiences and memories of travel. There’s no way it possibly could.

So now I ask the travelers out there: why do you travel?

It was one of those emails when you find yourself stumbling for the “reply” key. I couldn’t seem to hit it fast enough when I read it.

“The Iaccarino family would like to invite you to their home to help create an interesting and stimulating conversation on themes related to food, wine, and hospitality.”

I clicked a link within the email that took me to the site of Don Alfonso 1890.  My jaw dropped, I may have even lost a cup of coffee from my hand, I can’t exactly remember. What I do remember was a website of a hotel in Sant’ Agata sui due Golfi between Naples and Positano and after a few clicks I realized it would be impossible for me to say no. Add to that the promise of getting to visit with Sigrid, Nicky & Oliver, Keiko, Chika and Alessandra and there was no way we’d miss it.

I woke up the other half with “Hey, we’re going to Italy in October. Jot it down.”

Don Alfonso 1890 is a hotel and restaurant owned and operated by Livia and Alfonso Iaccarino. But to simply call it a hotel or only a restaurant would be selling it short. It is a special place in a dream destination, a property filled with so much heart and spirit in every corner that it’s not quite believable. In fact I think I’m still pinching myself.

We spent a few days in Rome with our dear friend Keiko and took the train to Naples where we met up with the blogger crew. From there we took the 90 minute drive up small curvy roads and through small towns that were all postcard-perfect. Once we made it to Sant’ Agata sui due Golfi we turned into the Don Alfonso 1890 where it took me a few minutes to pick myself up off of the ground.

Don Alfonso 1890 is a hotel and restaurant that was started by Alfonso Costanzo Iaccarino in 1890. It is still family owned and operated by his grandson Alfonso and wife Livia with their two sons, Mario and Ernesto. With a family background in hotels and hospitality it was a natural family business to keep but over the years Alfonso and Livia have made changes. They’ve added a cooking school in a separate kitchen and created state-of-the-art facilities as well as a luxury hotel. Once there I found it hard to leave.

Sant’ Agata sui due Golfi is located high in the hills that overlook the Sorrentine peninsula. The peninsula is located between the Gulf of Naples and the Amalfi Coast, and if visions of gorgeous swatches of Mediterranean colors and scents of the ocean and lemon trees pop into your brain as you read this then you certainly can imagine the beauty.

The hotel covers a significant portion of property, opening up into a courtyard that is centered between the cooking school, pool, hotel/restaurant and guest house. Olive trees, herb gardens, fragrant flowers and beautiful shrubbery were almost enough to keep us out of our room. But I said almost.

Ah, the room. That room. The hotel’s seven rooms are named after native herbs and happily we were nestled in the Lavanda suite. Calming shades of purple and lavender met energetic fuschias and persimmons and proved what I have known to be true my entire life: Italians have a way with color like no other. If you don’t believe me just ask that da Vinci guy or any member of the Missoni family.

The restaurant and rooms all feature elements from local artisans. There were beautiful chandeliers, colorful tiles and tableware all from the area. This is very important to Livia Iaccarino––she celebrates the art and bounty of her environment with such gusto that it’s difficult not to be swept up in her passion.

But it’s not solely the views or the dining room that make Don Alfonso 1890 so magnificent.  It’s the food and all its history and passion and the fact that most of it is grown right up the road. More about that in a few.

We spent three days with the Iaccarinos, getting to know their philosophies on food, life and hospitality.  There is something so powerful to me about being immerged in someone’s world with such distinct views and experiences. In a way it lets me get out of my own space and see through their eyes. The Don Alfonso world is so rooted in their past but with a curiosity, interest and embrace of the future, both simultaneously old world and new. The fact that they invited a group of food bloggers to spend the weekend with them proves this point. Spend a few minutes with them and you also learn one family mantra rather quickly: quality. There’s not a moment when this guiding principle disappears and you realize that quality needn’t be an unattainable concept. Do the absolute best you can with the ideal ingredients at all times.

Meals were really out of this world and it’s moments like this when I wish I was a writer. Lunches consisted of tasting menus, dinners were filled with several courses and a very special wine list featuring selections from the area. It was a mindblowing combination of extremely high end dining featuring local foods like fish, olive oil, mozzarellas (and yes, more on that experience later, too!), tomatoes, lemons, herbs, eggplant, eggs and much more.

We were encouraged to spend time in the kitchen as no area was off limits. This wasn’t an exception just for us, either. The entire family is proud of what they do and encourage everyone to understand the effort they’ve gone through to present once-in-a-lifetime experiences. I certainly wouldn’t mind cooking in that kitchen!

With a storm passing over Italy we took advantage of inclement weather by spending Saturday in the cooking school. We donned our Don Alfonso whites and spent the day discussing ingredients, cooking methods and learning how to prepare a few of the restaurant’s favorite dishes. It’s very interesting to note that the kitchen has shifted away butter and animal fats and uses almost exclusively olive oil and tapioca to thicken sauces. It’s another example of these two worlds, old and new, coming together at Don Alfonso.

We learned how to make their Vesuvius,  a pasta dish of rigatoni filled with small meatballs, “fior di latte” and basil on a light San Marzano tomato cream. It was really a fun dish made to resemble Mt Vesuvius, complete with the eruption of lava. I think the group let Adam join the demonstration on this one because it did require some styling.

Lunch was one of the highlights of the weekend for me. The hotel brought in a pizza maker from Naples who’s made pizza for 40 years.  He created perfect pizzas in the outdoor oven one at a time, each one of us taking piping hot pizzas consisting of nothing more than wood fired dough, tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. Even the oven used olive and lemon branches for fire. I will forever understand what the best pizza in the world is all about. The flavors were unique and simple with a texture between chewy and crisp. At that moment in time I needed nothing else. Oh, a beer perhaps.

And now a note about tomatoes. Grown in the volcanic soil in Mount Vesuvius’ backyard, these bright red beauties landed on my tongue and went straight to my heart. Sweet but not too sugary, very earthy and minerally, with a firm texture that maintained its pointy shape without being too toothy. If there is only one thing I will remember from my trip it’s that a perfect tomato transcends the fruit & vegetable category and chopped tomatoes on top of toast is a perfect breakfast. Ok, so that’s two things.

Back in the early 1990s Livia and Alfonso Iaccarino purchased an area of land on the peninsula at the edge of the coast and began a garden.  Le Peracciole supplies their restaurant with organic produce and exemplifies the farm-to-table concept, something they’ve been doing for years. Hilly and wild, this terraced land is covered in olive trees which are harvested annually for what is perhaps the best olive oil I have ever tasted in my life. Eggplant, artichokes, sorb apples, figs, herbs, tomatoes, table grapes, and lemon trees are scattered throughout the farm, and the chickens that supply Don Alfonso with eggs live right next to Josefina and Sabatino, the Iaccarinos’ goat and extremely playful cow. We closed the weekend with one last amazing dinner after spending the afternoon on the farm.

What makes this organic garden so scenic isn’t just the small paths carved into the hillside or the bright yellow dots of Amalfi lemons but the island of Capri, resting right off the coast. Now who wouldn’t want to garden here? Pure heaven.

Endless gratitude and appreciation to Alfonso, Livia and Ernesto Iaccarino of Don Alfonso 1890 for their hospitality and such splendid care. Also thanks to Fabio Fassone, Cristiano Pellillo and Andrea Vaccaro for everything. And Delta Airlines, yea, you deserve a shout out for taking such good care of us. So there.

Coming up: A tour of the only organic buffalo milk mozzarella producer in Italy. And if you must know now, yes, it was better than anything else I’ve ever had in my entire life. How’s that for superlatives?

Images of San Juan and Culebra

I just returned from a very quick trip to Puerto Rico. My complete post on eating will be up shortly but in the meantime I’d like to offer you my favorite Top 10 Moments from my weekend in La Isla Del Encanto.

10. La Gente, La Gente, La Gente

Show me some nice happy smiling faces from any place I’m about to visit and I’ll show you a good trip. Those two things go hand in hand, San Juan was no exception. There is that warm generosity and respeto you find in Latin culture and throwing beautiful beaches and warm tropical water into the mix can only make you happier. Add to this citizens who are so extremely proud of their island and you can see why amazing people make it worth visiting.

9. Puerto Rico Food & Wine Festival

Getting to see and taste a side of Puerto Rico I never knew existed was amazing. The 3rd Annual Puerto Rico Food & Wine Festival was held at the PR Convention Center, complete with vendors and exhibits that reminded me of the annual G’Day LA event put on Australia Week or a small Fancy Foods exhibit. Emerill Lagasse was this year’s big draw along with Wilo Benet, Eric Villegas, Rafael Barrera and Alexis Torres. I must admit that I could have used more Puerto Rican vendors in the mix but I did appreciate the free-flowing wine and most of the food. Highlights included lots of pig and chicharrones (could you ever go wrong?) and a Peruvian pulpo (octopus) in an olive sauce that was out of this world. Imagine a slightly purple cream sauce that surrounded tender bites of octopus with a very definitive kalamata olive flavor. Everyone in the group kept returning for more. You have to see Adam’s photo to understand it.

8. Mofongo

Monfongo is what I call a perfect food. I’ve spent many years eating good-but-not-quite-perfect monfongo. Who knew I actually had to travel to San Juan to get it? We had lunch at Raices Restaurant and it was a delightful experience. Plantains are mashed and seasoned with garlic, olive oil and pork cracklings and served with shrimp, chicken or beef.  It’s tropical and familiar, garlicky and sweet, warm and cool,  everything I love about Latin food. We ate ours with beans and rice, topping it off with the small bowls of herbally chimichurri on the table. I was in heaven. Heavy? Yes. Perfect? Double Yes.

7. Amateur Gourmet

Hey, what’s with me having to travel 3,379 miles to the Caribbean just so I can finally meet Adam Roberts for the very first time? I’ve been reading him for years! Well no matter, it could have been March in New York so perhaps I’ll shut my mouth.  But now I know why he’s so popular, the guy is just adorable. And he was my snorkel buddy.We lovingly kvetched about blogging and shared family moments and culinary experiences while soaking in the happy tropical sunshine. We also compared farmer tans and while I certainly don’t mean to poke fun of adorable Jewish boys from New York City there really isn’t any excuse why this Mexican boy sported one, too. Que lastima.

6. Sangria

Ok, someone, anyone, please let me in on the secret of Sangria making in Puerto Rico. Is it something in the water? Every sip I savored was better than the last, a refreshing drink minus any of the cloying sugary sips  that seem to be so ubiquitous in sangria made by anyone other than yourself. Apparently I’m hanging out in bad restaurants in Los Angeles. I need to head back to San Juan I guess. It’s closer than Spain.

5. The View From My Hotel Room

I would have done without hot water, electricity and an extremely dreamy bed (but not wifi!) just for the view alone. And thanks to the Marriot I actually had all of the above. And pleeeeese people, ain’t nobody paying me to say this: the staff were super friendly, the room was super clean and the view was maaaaarvelous. Just watching the sunset from my balcony made the Red Eye worth it.

4. Flamenco Beach

I understand why ratings and caveats were thrown out before we reached this beach but honestly, no amount of “best of” lists or top-whatevers could have prepared me for this intimate expanse of beach. Flamenco Beach is located on Culebra Island, about 17 miles east from Puerto Rico. It was perfectly amazing with soft white sand and warm blue water and completely unexpected. I’ve seen some beaches in my lifetime and I gotta say this takes the cake.  Sorry, Galveston (laugh track goes here).

3. Snorkeling

I’ll be honest: our day was meant to be spent just a bit differently than it went down (see Amateur Gourmet for the sour, queasy proof) but that doesn’t mean I didn’t make the most of it! Nonsense! I stripped off my shirt, grabbed the snorkel and mask and jumped into some of the best water I’ve ever felt. It was warm, clear, and loaded with beautiful tropical fish and coral reefs. As I swam around I kept thinking “Boy, I’m gonna burn the shit out of my neck and shoulders and wow, I could sure go for some sushi right now.”

2 My travel companions

With apologies to my male readers of the heterosexual persuasion (all 4 of you and my father, I’m sure), I do believe one of life’s inequities for you involves me getting to meet and hang with gorgeous women all over the world. This trip was no different. And when I say gorgeous I really gorrrrrrgeous, and when I say gorrrrrgeous I mean reallllly gorrrrgeous. Not that I’m objectifying them because I’m not. This group of travel writers and public relations professionals made me feel like the luckiest man on earth. Because I am. And please do not get me started on Desiree, our organizer, as my heart flutters just being in her presence. She’s one special woman.

1. Luquillo Beach Kiosks

Tired, sundrunk and just drunk in general (just me, I mean) we made our way to Los Kioskos, located along Route 3 in Luquillo. This is the sort of place I dream of––rows and rows of garage-style restaurants open to the street, serving local food and drink. We worked our way from one end to the other, sampling local favorites like bacalaito and tostones con jueyes, my absolute favorite. It was so amazing to have such a delicious crash course in local food. As if I wasn’t stuffed enough we ended up at El Jefe Burgers, owned by Tim & Cheri Blackford who moved to Puerto Rico a few years ago and decided to open a restaurant that serves food they can’t get on the island. The burgers were delicious, the sides amazing, and the sangria out of this world. We sat and ate burgers as it rained over the amazingly verdant terrain and I don’t think I’ve ever been as happy as I was in that moment of time.

A very special thanks to Jody and Desiree for planning and being our guides and to the San Juan Marriot for making this all possible.  And Charyn, you rocked my world. Call me next time you’re in LA.