Tag Archives: summer

Casa e Bottega – revisited

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One of our favourite places in Positano is Casa e Bottega. We wrote a story about it last year and we were keen to revisit this year. Checking our schedule of events – yes we have one, but that’s another story – Tuesday was the allocated day we walked down to the village for lunch at the cafe.

Casa e Bottega is both a cafe and an arts and craft store which, for one of us is dangerous. Last year we bought a ceramic jug for the kitchen which Jean then nursed home wrapped in copious layers of bubble wrap in her carry on luggage.

Bad news, this year the moment we walked in she spotted this years purchase, another jug which will go well with the one we bought last year. I am seeing the start of a dangerous trend here.

As always the food was excellent and the company of the staff and owner, the lovely Vito (who also owns the Palazzo Murat Hotel) was delightful. He confirmed what we had felt from day one, that the village is less busy and more relaxed than last year with less people visiting on day trips.

For him that meant a hotel that was still fully booked during the peak season but less people spending at the bars and restaurants. Given how frantic last year was, he genuinely thought this was a good thing. A sentiment echoed by everyone else we have talked with this trip.

One thing about the Casa I had forgotten were the two resident dogs who have free rein of the cafe, sleeping in their beds in one corner, walking around being patted by the patrons, or simply lying down wherever they want. Being dog owners separated from our girls, it was great to be able have a pat or have a head laid on your knee for a gentle rub.

Wellington’s leaking pipes crisis reaches Positano

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Just as Wellington Water cleaned up a major leak on Kent Terrace yesterday, a leak in Casetta Arienzo robbed us of our hot water.

Yesterday afternoon a loud hissing started emanating from the roof of the casetta. A plume of hot steam started to appear above the villa and the hot water supply promptly stopped. For those not familiar with Italian plumbing (myself included) when houses are built into cliff-sides it’s usual for things like water cylinders, gas tanks, wiring, piping and electrics to be mounted externally. Hence the dramatic steam display when our hot water tank (sitting on the roof of the casetta) failed.

It was enough to stop passers by who stared, pointed, looked worried, and asked each other meaningful questions which we didn’t know the meaning of.

A quick call to the hotel and our friend Pascal arrived on his trusty Vespa. He looked both confused and worried, and after making sure we were ok disappeared up the path that led to the roof and the tank. He took on the steaming monster singlehanded and seemed to win.

He managed to stop the noise and the steam and the water that had started to cascade down the cliff, but restoring the hot water was a job for a professional. First thing this morning a plumber – whose name might have been Mario – arrived at the cassetta and within 15 mins the hot water was back on.

Maybe we should see if Wellington Water would like to use the services of Mario?

Dinner at Eden Roc

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On Tuesday night we had dinner at Eden Roc Hotel’s in-house restaurant Adamo ed Eva. We had a table with a spectacular view (thank you Carlo) and enjoyed food and wine that was seriously excellent.

The service was also second to none – thank you Michael – it made for a great night.

Given the location, seafood seemed the way to go ordering prawns in a tempura batter with avocado foam and ricotta cheese as an entree and oven roasted sea bass in a lemon scented panko crumb with quenelle potato and raw and cooked vegetables as a main. No dessert however, as we both have new clothes that we still want to fit at the end of our holiday.

A broom, a broom, my kingdom for a broom

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Those of you who know Jean well are aware of her need to clean. She cleans the house after our cleaner has been, she vacuums on a regular basis – daily over the weekend. It’s a type of therapy I think.

When we returned from Europe after our stay in 2011 one of the few items shipped home was the vacuum cleaner Jean had bought in Italy and which was in the back of our car and visited 4 countries with us (all of which were cleaner when we left) before it was shipped to New Zealand. We have it still.

Jean cleans not because she has too, but simply because she can.

So yesterday afternoon she was at the reception desk in the hotel trying to ask two slightly bemused and confused staff members for a broom. No not a cleaner to come to the villa, just a broom and a pan so she could keep the terrace and the apartment tidy. To their credit, there was a broom and pan waiting for us when we got back to the villa about 30 mins later. Much to her delight.

Paradise?

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We arrived in Positano to hot, humid weather. Within a few hours that had changed. Our first night included thunder, lightning, rain and fire.

It reminded us less of paradise and more of that other place.

Thunder storms are not normal in August but we had one rumble through overnight Saturday which was accompanied by rain. This was quite handy as it helped damp down the fire that broke out, also on Saturday night, alongside the coastal road. Thanks to jet lag Jean managed to capture the action at 3am.

Thunder, lightning, rain and fire – welcome to Positano

The next morning it rained again – which left Jean acting like a caged lion waiting for the weather to improve as the pool at Eden Roc hotel was calling. It did improve and it was off to the alimentari for provisions (most importantly gin and beer), followed by an afternoon basking by the pool at Eden Roc Hotel. Normal transmission had resumed.

Sunday morning from our front door
Monday morning from our front door

Flying High with Emirates

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Thank you Emirates. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in your business class cabin on route to Rome. It felt like the golden age of flying when it was more than just a way to get from A to B, but rather was an experience in it’s own right.

There was room to spread out, great food and drink, and service that was unmatched. Nothing was too much trouble for your wonderful staff and how you managed to produce my pan-fried beef tenderloin served with thyme jus, mashed potatoes and blanched broccoli in an aeroplane at 40,000 feet is a mystery to me.

Emirates pride themselves on their diversity of crew and our cabin was served by a team brought together from all corners of the globe. All with a single-minded focus to ensure our trip was as relaxed and enjoyable as possible.

And to top off the experience, there is the cocktail bar at the rear of their cabin. The ideal place to stretch you legs, meet fellow travellers, enjoy a quiet drink and, in Jean’s case, make new friends.

I said previously that we were Premium Economy travellers – and while that is a great experience, this was special. The chance to upgrade was well worth the extra cost and has made us rethink how we will travel in future.

And yes Emirates, this post is a shameless attempt to get the offer of an upgrade when we return home in September.

Jean making friends at 40,000 feet
There’s even a place for your hat
Champagne seemed to feature large in our trip
Me trying to look cool but failing dismally

Upgrade!

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We are Premium Economy flyers. The added legroom we get is worth the additional cost over economy. But the leap to business class is just too much for us to handle.

Unless, of course, Emirates email us and offer an upgrade at a great price – and that’s what happened yesterday. We had the chance to upgrade our Dubai to Rome leg. Clearly there were some seats upstairs that were unsold – now there are two less.

Lie flat beds and a bar – what more could you want?

Back to Italy

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Florence from Piazza Michaelangelo

We weren’t planning to visit Italy this year. Last year’s trip was on such a scale and the credit card bills were so large that we were genuinely planning a “stay at home” year.

But last year, on a whim, we had pencil booked a two week stay at Casetta Arienzo in Positano for August this year.

We ignored the time late last year when we usually book the early bird flights to Europe. We were mentally not going, we had checked out, so to speak.

Until an email arrived in May from the lovely people at Eden Roc Hotel asking us to confirm or cancel the booking for Casetta Arienzo. That changed things.

Or more accurately, we came to our senses.

Within a fortnight in May we arranged everything – flights (thank you Petra our lovely travel agent of 25 years), hotels (some old favourites and some new experiences), train trips, rental cars in Italy and all that goes along with a holiday.

We are going for a month, staying in Positano for two weeks, spending a week or so catching up with friends in Tuscany and making up the remaining time in Rome.

Time has flown and it’s now mid August and we’re flying out in a couple of days. We can’t wait.

Photos and more photos

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We’ve been home from Italy for just over a month. Time for us to settle back into home life, sort through all the photographs we’ve taken, and load a selection into a holiday gallery on SmugMug.

If you’d like to see some shots from the blog and some new ones you won’t have seen, click here.

All the photos were taken using iPhones – as opposed to the usual Nikon camera back and lenses I have lugged to Europe in the past. All in all, apart from not having any real control over the depth of field, they look pretty good.

Food glorious food

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We left Rome on a high note – from a culinary viewpoint. Our two last nights were dining out – at Aroma next to the colosseum and then at La Pergola in Hotel Cavalieri.

Aroma has one Michelin star and La Pergola has three – so we were expecting fireworks. And we got them.

Aroma offers a range of degustation menus to choose from, excellent service and a view from your table that is quite spectacular. La Pergola offers both degustation and al la carte menus, immaculate service and views across Rome.

The staff at Hotel Barocco were interested in our comparison between the two as one of the front desk staff is the cousin of the chef at Aroma.

it’s fair to say that both provide exquisite food and a fine wine list. And both delight with small surprises as the meal progresses.

There is a formality at La Pergola which comes with three Michelin stars – there’s someone to escort you to the toilets, just to make sure you don’t get lost and while you’re gone a fresh napkin is provided at the table for no reason other than your old one was wrinkled. Their mineral water list is longer than almost any other restaurant’s wine list and your meal is timed to perfection – they know how long to leave between courses – so all you need to do is concentrate on the food.

Aroma feels younger and slightly edgier. There is a fraction less precision but that comes across as less formality. Given their menu approach, food and wines are matched which is a real treat and we lingered longer there to chat with the staff.

Which one is better – we couldn’t call it. So the question we posed ourselves was – if we were taking someone out to dinner in Rome and wanted to surprise and delight them which would we choose?

It would be Aroma, but only by a wafer thin margin.

The view from Aroma
Chef’s start at Aroma
Watermelon, oyster and sea lettuce
Raw red prawn veils, warm Provolone del Monaco cheese and truffle
Mezzi naccheri pasta, marinated scorpion fish, lemon gel and black garlic
Sweet surprises
Apricot, caramel and elderberry
Cheers Aroma
The terrace at La Pergola
Turbot, marinated sweet pepper and Mediterranean flavours
Fillet of veal on tomato and basil textures
A filing cabinet of sweet treats
The terrace at La Pergola in Rome
The view across Rome from La Pergola
Drawers of sweet treats at La Pergola

And now we are home

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After 7 weeks away, we landed in Wellington a few days ago. As you get older the jet lag becomes harder to recover from. I’ve been waking early in the morning with an overwhelming desire for dinner and then falling asleep again mid afternoon. Quite normal some might say.

On the way home we stopped in Dubai for 10 hours. Our lovely travel agent Petra, had organised a room at the Dubai International Hotel so we could shower and grab a few hours sleep. It was brilliant. Because the hotel was air-side we were met at our arrival gate and taken to the hotel with no need to enter Dubai. The hotel operates 24/7 – so we were able to have dinner at 1am before grabbing some much needed sleep.

In the room was an electric massage chair which one of us couldn’t resist trying – even when jet lagged and tired.

Tired Jean in the massage chair

And the award for the best breakfast in Italy goes too …

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Over the last few weeks we have experienced a range of breakfasts from a range of hotels. Some have been buffet, some al la carte, but all have been excellent quality and vast in the range of items they include.

But now we need to get serious and pick the best. There can be only one winner.

After much deliberation the winning breakfast goes to Hotel Barocco and their fine al la carte effort. The coffee is superb, the welcome treats of fruit, cakes, cheese and meats are delightful and the eggs with whatever you wish to accompany them are delicious.

Only a whisker behind is the breakfast is Eden Roc Hotel where our friend Tony runs the show. Tony has looked after us so well – with special treats each morning and a Prosecco to start the day. He has also made sure we left every morning with a package of pastries “for later” at Casetta Arienzo.

Welcome treats from Barocco
The best cappuccino of the trip
Perfect poached eggs
Eden Roc breakfast – with a view

Hard Rock – there’s nothing better

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It was our first night in Rome. Big decision – where to eat dinner? We sat at the bar outside the hotel and were discussing this weighty problem when we saw someone walking past carrying a doggie bag from the Hard Rock Cafe. We had gone there in 1999 when we were in Rome – not sure why – and we still have the branded glasses and t shirt in the attic at home.

A few minutes later we saw another bag go by. This got us to thinking.

To be honest I thought Hard Rock place didn’t exist any more. In my mind it was an icon of the 90s which went broke along with Planet Hollywood and other themed restaurants of the era.

A quick google proved me wrong – it was alive and well and about 200 metres up the road on Via Veneto. At that point the Prosecco and Aperol Spritz kicked in and we found ourselves heading there for dinner – a blast from the past.

I was amazed, the place was thumping. And after a diet of fine Italian food we were looking forward to burgers and fries. And yes Josh, buffalo wings so hot they meant I couldn’t taste anything much after the starter.

We had a blast and ended up in the souvenir shop – and have another Hard Rock t-shirt.

Rock on.

Back to Rome for a few days

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On Saturday we moved from the Amalfi Coast to Rome. An hour and a half from Positano to Naples by car and 60 mins from there by high speed train to Rome.

Rome is still busy but the temperature has dropped from seven weeks ago from mid/late 30s to around 30 so life is much easier. Everyone seems more relaxed but the place is still packed with tourists.

It was great to get back to Hotel Barocco and to catch up with Fabio who runs reception with style and efficiency. This is a boutique hotel but the quality and friendliness of staff makes it stand out. If you are visiting Rome, please try it.

Our room also makes things special as we booked one of their junior suites with a view across Piazza Barberini. It’s decorated in shades of white and cream so Jean was delighted. it was her kind of room – hence both the photos and the movie.

We now have 3 days before our flight home which will be spent exploring the city, catching up on those last minute presents, as well as eating out. We have booked two restaurants for dinner – Aroma next to the colosseum and La Pergola in Hotel Cavalieri which is, I believe, the only 3 star Michelin restaurant in the city.

Updates to follow.

Jean in her private carriage
Our cream room at Barocco
More cream room
My view of Jean when she’s shopping
Via Tritone full of people
The movie of the room