Guest Bloggers
An Impromptu Weekend
Aug 23rd
We took advantage of a spur-of-the-moment getaway last weekend. I didn’t even discuss it with my husband. Just booked the trip and told him to pack. We never do this kind of thing. Travel is usually planned well in advance, which is why our quick trip to Stowe, Vermont, was such a breath of fresh air.
We left home around 6:30 p.m. Friday for the four-hour drive north through New Hampshire and into Vermont. It was still light out when we turned northwest to follow I-89 into Vermont where the mountains stood in purple silhouette against the pink sky. When we stepped out of the car at a rest area, we found the cool mountain air a welcome change from the hot and humid weather we had left behind.
We arrived at Stoweflake, a family-run resort just outside Stowe Center, at just about 10:30 p.m. The following morning, we dined on the outside verandah, then took a quick walk around the property to get our bearings. On the short drive to Stowe Center we noticed first one, then two, then dozens of antique cars — classics cars, sports cars, pick-up trucks, you name it, from the ’20s, ’30s, ’40s, ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. Turned out our quick trip coincided with the 53rd Annual Antique and Classic Car Meet. My husband, Kevin, had a ball strolling along the sidewalk admiring the vintage vehicles in pristine condition.
We wandered through the downtown shops, stopping into Laughing Moon Chocolates to pick out a selection of six hand-made truffles and perusing the crafts, pottery, jewelry and other treasures at Stowe Craft Design before heading back to Stoweflake, where I had scheduled an afternoon spa treatment. While I indulged in a delicious Ayurvedic massage, Kevin headed next door to the Stowe Country Club to play a quick round of golf.
Later, when we sat at the bar for a pre-dinner glass of wine, I noticed how relaxed Kevin looked and how relaxed I felt — just 24 hours and a bit more than 200 miles from home and work. We enjoyed a great steak dinner in Stoweflake’s Charlie B’s restaurant and brought two decadent desserts back to our room.
The following morning, we strolled across the street to wander through Stowe Farmers Market, where we picked up locally made honey and preserves, tucked into honey-flavored freeze pops and purchased a fresh blueberry peach pie which we enjoyed at home that evening — still savoring the taste of our impromptu weekend getaway.
– Lisa Matte, editor in chief
Farewell
Aug 20th
As my internship at Global Traveler comes to an end, it is only appropriate to reflect on my time with the company. In just a few short months, Global Traveler has made some huge and great changes. With the relocation of World Headquarters, as well as the new additions to the staff, the magazine is continuing to grow and thrive. I have learned quite a lot about the publishing industry during my time here, and I look forward to applying this knowledge in the future. Global Traveler has taught me that it is possible to pursue the things I love. With determination, anything is possible.
Global Traveler has given me a better understanding of the magazine world, and I will never take for granted all the work that goes into publishing just one issue. Through phone calls and emails, I have been able to interact with a lot of people in the industry, and I was lucky enough to get my name in a few mastheads. The Global Traveler staff was fantastic and welcomed me with open arms. Everyone made me feel like I was part of the team, and I enjoyed all the times we were able to work together. There was always laughter in the office, and most of the time my days at GT did not even feel like work. During my internship, I was even able to make lasting friendships with the staff members. I was so lucky and fortunate to be given this opportunity, and I am very sad to be leaving.
This weekend, I will move back to Pittsburgh and continue my education at the University of Pittsburgh. As I embark upon my senior year, the stress of deciding on a profession, as well as the future, lingers on the horizon. Despite all these important and somewhat scary decisions, I am ready to embrace the challenges. My internship has given me a taste of the real world and I look forward to a career within the next few years. One day, I hope to write a satirical novel and edit for a major publishing house.
Until we meet again, thanks for the memories!
– Mary Carpenter, intern
My Delicious Blog
Aug 2nd
Before embarking on my semester abroad in Rome, all I heard from family and friends was, “You are going to eat a ton of pizza!” They said, “Roman pizza is so delicious. You will never want to have the junk we call ‘pizza’ in the States ever again.”
Having been to Rome once before, I did not recall what the pizza was like, and I just assumed they were wrong. I love pizza. How could I ever turn my back on my favorite Friday night food done U.S. style?
Naturally, as soon as I got to my apartment in Trastevere, I immediately went to the local pizza shop and got my first slice. I was blown away. Not only was the pizza in rectangular slabs, but there were so many different varieties. Some pizza had fish while others were coated in mushrooms and oil. The choices were endless, and each pizza looked better than the next.
I stood at the counter frozen with indecision. A Pizza Boom employee asked me, in Italian, what I wanted. That made me even more uncomfortable. Finally, mustering up the minimal Italian I knew, I shyly asked for the margarita pizza. The employee took her scissor-like tool, cut me a rectangle of pizza and weighed it. (That same weighing method would come back to haunt me later when I would get slices loaded with heavy goodies.) Then the woman asked me, “Caldo?” I had no idea why she was asking me if I wanted cold pizza, so I just said, “Si,” and hoped for the best. Fortunately, she was just asking me if I wanted it to be warmed up. After getting the pizza from the oven, she wrapped it up in wax paper and handed it to me. Needless to say, this pizza was great! The flavor was bursting and every ingredient tasted like it was harvested earlier that day. From that moment on, I knew I was a Pizza Boom-er for life. It helped that the shop was directly next to my apartment.
Traveling around Italy, I had to try the pizza everywhere I went. Every region had its own take. While the pizza in Rome was delicious, it was the pizza in southern Italy, pizza nepoletana, that stole my heart. Sitting at a restaurant in Catania, Sicily, my roommates and I were introduced to a pizza very similar to the personal pan pizzas we knew from back home. Slightly bigger with a nice thin crust, my favorite was the capricciosa. Although it was slightly different each time I had it, it always had hard-boiled eggs, mozzarella, tomato, mushrooms, artichokes, cooked ham, olives and oil. It was amazing; my mouth still waters just thinking about it. I had pizza all over Italy, and I fell deeper and deeper in love with it each time.
Coming back to the United States, the first thing I wanted to have, after a huge bowl of my mom’s spaghetti, of course, was pizza. To be quite honest, despite the deliciousness of every slice I had in Italy, I was thrilled to be back to the pizza of my childhood. Now that time has passed and I have been home for almost three months, I have started to miss the pizza. Every Friday, as I contently eat my American pizza, I think about the pizza of Italy and anxiously await the next time I will be in a pizza shop being served a rectangular slice.
– Mary Carpenter, intern
An Experience to Remember
Jul 8th
This past spring semester, I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad. I was based in Rome but took advantage of weekends and breaks to travel around Europe. After all my trips and travels, Rome remains one of my favorite destinations.
Living in a place gives you a unique feel for the city, one that a week’s vacation could never provide. It’s the little things that the usual traveler will never be able to experience that create the most substantial memories.
I lived in Trastevere, a section of Rome across the Tiber from the main historical sites. There, I was able to experience the Roman lifestyle firsthand. I attended Santa Maria in Trastevere every Sunday for Mass and went to the same restaurant every week for their 10-euro student meal. These little treats made my time in Rome special and gave me a genuine experience abroad.
One of my fondest memories in Trastevere was going to the grocery store every few days. I bought the same things every time I went, and there were even times when I had no idea what I was purchasing. With poor Italian skills, my purchases were often random and occasionally wrong. Many times I just bought things because the picture on the box looked good or the name sounded exciting. Fortunately, I was never disappointed — even with my miserable skills in the kitchen.
One day in particular stands out to me. I was going through my usual shopping routine when I got to the check-out line. The store was a family-run business, and there was often a line at the register. I was waiting in line and I lost myself in thought and replaced my usual smile with a pensive expression. As I approached the cashier, an Italian man in his late 40s turned to me and said, “Smile!” He also broke into a big smile. It was this little act of reminding me to savor every moment that an average traveler may not get to experience. For this reason, that moment and this store will be a huge part of my Italian memories.
Another unique experience I had while in Rome was seeing all the sights without the crowds. It was amazing to walk right into the Colosseum and tour the Vatican as slowly as I wanted. I was able to see the beauty of Rome without being distracted by the tourists that flock the city come May.
Travel not only for the sights but for the experience of the culture. After my time abroad, I firmly believe no trip is complete until you wander into the little shops, eat the local cuisine and interact with the locals. Hotels are everywhere; it’s the culture that makes a place.
– Mary Carpenter, intern
