Category Archives: Uncategorized

Get-together Monday, July 21, 2025, in Howard Beach. Missing Mary who was traveling with hubby Nick.

Yeah, it was more than 2 years ago. Yeah, I have no excuses. But Sleeping Beauty has woken up and wants to bring us up-to-date. So let’s remember a good trip with a few photos from each stop.

We started in Matera, a province of Basilicata, and then went on to Puglia, staying first in the beautiful seaside town of Polignano a Mare, and ending in a fabulous hotel in Lecce, a very popular city in Puglia.

In each city, we had private, chauffeur-driven, day trips to other nearby cities. That, however, didn’t stop us from getting lost when we were left on our own. Almost every time! 😂

And, one thing for very sure … food and vino were plentiful throughout! We started with a visit to a bakery in Matera with delicious focaccia and traditional breads, and it only got better from there! Throughout the trip, abbiamo mangiato molto bene! And abbiamo mangiato too much!

MATERA: Majestic, mysterious, historic, unique.

POLIGNANO A MARE: A beautiful seaside resort town with easy access to other cities for day trips.

LECCE: A popular city with history, restaurants, art, etc. and access to nearby cities in Puglia.

More photos of Pollicastro Hotel https://www.flickr.com/photos/joannova/albums/72177720299661382/with/52133714441

While we (im)patiently await our much anticipated Asia trip in November 2020, I realize I hadn’t posted anything here since the Venice-Croatia-Sicily cruise in 2017. Why? Maybe because we were smaller groups doing smaller and/or mini trips — but that doesn’t mean we haven’t lost our love of travel and each other!❤️ Continue reading →

Venice 2017

11 years … 10 international trips … multiple mini domestic get-togethers … lots of plane/bus/boat/cart/cable/gondola rides — who knows how many miles walked or steps climbed? … countless delicious meals and bottles of wine consumed … and, most importantly, lots of laughs and friendship bonding and strengthening. Continue reading →

The Howard Beach contingent and the 4th Ward gals joined the Florida gang and friends for a fun-packed mini vacation that started with a welcome brunch at Casa Nova.

We started as a group of six at brunch on Day 1, but while waiting for our table in Vic ‘n Angelo’s that evening, we got a big surprise  …

well, really a petite one. And then there 7. Continue reading →

June 2015 get-together at MP Taverna, Brooklyn, NY.

We’re talking Sicily and Southern Italy. Stay tuned. Thanks for a great day!

This customized trip was just about perfect. We enjoyed all our destinations and side trips, accommodations, services, and included (-or-suggested) meals. Kudos to GoToday who made all our arrangements and our on-site guide in Portugal, Paul Bernard. Continue reading →

The countdown begins. 

Continue reading →

A delightful reunion and getaway, despite all the travel frustrations (details here).

Next Trip: Rhine River Cruise, April 12, 2013.

Katie, Carolyn, Mary and I had a little getaway before our group trip in July. Katie’s daughter, Kerry and our friend, Liz, also joined us for a few days in Sarasota, FL.

While we relaxed, we talked about where The Traveling Sisterhood will go in 2013.

But, first, Quebec! See you in July!

Arthur Avenue. Touring the Little Italy of The Bronx and getting psyched for our October trip to Tuscany.

14 of us got together for a fabulous pre-trip dinner at the Buenos Aires Restaurant on 6th Street, NYC. (Katie was there for a cocktail but had to leave for a meeting so she missed the photo.) On September 30 Rita, Joann, Barbara and a couple of others are taking a wonderful Mediterranean cruise — and on October 8th 10 of us are off to South America. Hopefully, next year will find us all united on one trip.

OCTOBER 8-OCTOBER 16

3 nights Buenos Aires

2 nights Iguazu Falls

2 nights Rio de Janeiro

Continue reading →

We celebrated the start of the holidays at Mary & Nick’s annual ‘boat parade’ party last night and had a great time — but today we  got down to business…the business of where to go in 20-10!

Over brunch — and for 3 hours past, we reviewed and discussed potential trips. I had already researched several destinations and had multiple itineraries to present. We batted around Portugal, a river cruise, a spa in Tuscany, Peru and finally decided.

Drum roll, please…

This year, it’s South America!

The itinerary we selected will give you a taste of Argentina, Brazil, Iguazu Falls and even includes a lunch in Uruguay. We’re looking at an October 6 departure.

I’m going back to the travel companies to see if I can work some group magic. Details will follow.

I was invited to attend a ‘food blogger weekend’ in San Francisco and was delighted when Carolyn and Katie decided to join me in the ‘city by the bay’. Although each of us had been there before (multiple times). we managed to enjoy new activities and see beautiful sights.

Continue reading →

October 2009

From L-R: Dolores, Irene, Barbara, Joann, Patricia, Josie and Rita.

The group spent 2 nights in Amsterdam, 2 nights Brussels, 2 nights Luxembourg and 3 nights Paris. In Amsterdam and Paris, they met up with our 2 other ‘sisters’, Claudia and Rae (not pictured), who were traveling separately. A little chillier than expected and a little too much movement but everyone had a great time and enjoyed the destinations. Some of the highlights:

• visiting The Battle of the Bulge where General Patton is buried.
• red light district in Amsterdam
• a side trip to Germany for sauerbratten and Reisling wine
• Belgian beer
• and something about a coffee(?) shop in Amsterdam…

Note: Kodak does not allow for digital downloading of the photos so I can’t show them to you here, but you can see Irene’s album and Rita’s. If someone who was on the trip wants to send me a few photos via email, I’ll be happy to put them up.