This November, I will be here

I cannot wait: http://www.pushkarcamelfair.com/

One of the hotels used in "Letters to Juliet"

Fantastic spot outside of Siena, Italy - where they filmed part of "Letters to Juliet"
http://www.borgoscopetorelais.it/en/relais.html

Eat Pray Love movie review -- Eat Pray Love showtimes - The Boston Globe

Eat Pray Love movie review -- Eat Pray Love showtimes - The Boston Globe

I think I am the only person on the planet that did not enjoy the book - but I loved this movie and made me want to get right on a plane!

RUN, don't walk - go before "Diners Drive Ins and Dives" airs the episode

Rino's Place in East Boston: http://www.rinosplace.com/
Everything is great - but the Shrimp Limoncello is particularly tasty! so is the Pollo in Carozza, the calamari, any lamb special and of course the fried mozzarella appetizer - don't be ashamed to ask for a doggie bag - everyone who goes to Rino's takes some home. the portions are huge!

Make sure you watch this on The Travel Channel

This is by far, one of the THE BEST episodes of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations - Fellini-esque and so well done:
http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Anthony_Bourdain/Episodes_Travel_Guides/Episode_Rome

Feeling Sienese - the best restaurant in Siena, Italy

I visited this restaurant a couple of years ago and will ALWAYS go back. I have been to Siena many times and I always search for restaurants which are off the "tourist track." In Italy, I prefer restaurants which do not have picture menus, multiple languages and are not located right on the Campo as they tend to be lackluster food with soaring prices. Osteria le Logge was suggested by a villa owner I had met earlier in the day and they nicely made a reservation for me - the earliest we could eat was at 9 p.m. - normal by Italy standards, but I wondered why on a Wednesday night in early May would it need to be so late. I quickly realized why. We left our hotel, Hotel Athena http://www.hotelathena.com/ and made our way through the narrow and steep streets of Siena along with all of the Sienese doing their nightly passegiata and found Via del Porrione quite easily. Via del Porrione is located right off of the Campo-so, I was hesitant. We were promptly seated in the larger of the two dining rooms, in the center of the room surrounded by cabinets of wine - we were in heaven, as well as feeling we were on display. As I looked over the menu (in Italian), I settled on my favorite, Pasta Carbonara. This is always my " go to dish" and restaurant gauge. Can they make it the traditional way (and not use cream)? I was blown away by the plate - it was a "deconstructed" carbonara. Bundles of pasta, tied together with prosciutto and sitting on eye yolks and shavings of parmesan and pecorino- it was unbelievable and I could have had 6 more! By the end of the night, we were pals with the waiter and maitre d'. We floated out of the restaurant (on lots of food and wine) close to midnight and Siena was coming alive with all of the students congregating on the Campo and the gelaterias and made our way back to the hotel.

The next night, at a loss of places to go for dinner and still dreaming about the dinner we had the night before, we called and made a reservation for dinner - the earliest we could get would be at 10:30 p.m. - so, to kill time, we enjoyed a bottle of Brunello a villa owner had given us earlier that week and enjoyed the street view from our rooms. We made a best friend of the bartender at the hotel. He was VERY happy when we presented him with about 8 bottles of wine and olive oil (gifts we had received from the estates we visited that week). "Buon Natale" we said to him (we did not want to ship them all home).
At dinner, we were once again seated in the main dining room, this time around the edges at a communal table. The staff remembered us from the night before (lots of kisses and "Ciaos") and we quickly were welcomed like old friends. Our table partners were a couple of older gentlemen who clearly were regulars as well. Again, I had the carbonara, (I tend to be a creature of habit) but also indulged in some lamb chops - sublime! We, along with our table partners were one of the last two tables still there at midnight and the staff joined us for more wine, aperitivi and dessert. Since "the tourists" were long gone at this time, they opened the windows and we all enjoyed an after dinner cigarette or cigar and capped off yet another spectacular dinner at Osteria le Logge. We felt so welcomed and as if we were now Sienese (along with all of the celebrities who had been there as well - documented on the walls, there are the photographs of Tom Cruise, George Clooney, Gweneth Paltrow etc.).
Even though it is located right off of the Campo and is clearly "famous"  in its own right, Osteria Le Logge was an unforgettable experience (both times) and I suggest this restaurant to all of my clients who are going to be anywhere near Siena.
http://www.giannibrunelli.it/italiano/osteria_osteria.html