Love and Chocolate in Brugge

I can honestly tell you that as a woman, there is definitely some chemical reaction that happens to a girl when she eats choocolate. It's a soothing, zen-like breath of richness that creates a moment of inner peace. It's so good that we go back, over and over, for more with no regard to the amount of additional sit-ups or minutes on the treadmill we have added to our life. For that one minute, calories do not count and we are one with the candy.

When I was asked to travel to Brugge, Belgium to do a simple story on a chocolatier, I knew that it was going to be beautful and delicious... and it was.

I flew into Belgium after a few fabulous days working on another project in Barcelona, Spain. I flew Brussels Airlines, which reminded me a lot of JetBlue - minus the Satellite TV at every seat. My ticket was booked in their "light" service, which meant a cheaper fare in exchange for less luggage. Meaning, I could only take one suitcase and one carry-on.... that's it. You did not even have the option to pay for another bag. Thank goodness I packed light.

I landed in Brussels at around 8:45pm and headed right to baggage claim to retrieve my luggage. Brussels National Airport is very easy to navigate and after a few days in Spain, I was relieved to hear the English speaking over-head announcements.

I caught a train on the lower level of the airport to Brussels Midi rail station where I could then catch my train to Brugge. The trip from the airport to Brussels Midi was around 20 minutes and cost 3 EUR.

I ordered my ticket to Brugge online from Rail Europe and it was delivered to me by mail. If you have some time to spare, be sure to purchase your ticket at the rail station so that you do not have to pay the hefty shipping fee. I paid $30 for that convenience. Also, I booked a first class ticket for $38 each way and I would recommend just paying $25 for the second class fare. In other areas of Europe, the class of service really makes a difference. However, on these trains all of the cars look alike and just bring a power bar and some water instead of paying a little more for the same thing on this train.

The ride to Brugge from Belgium was about 80 minutes. It was fast, relaxing and really quiet. I think there were only 4 other people in the car that I was in. It was the perfect way to take a breath and get ready to experience another European city.

I got off the train in Brugge and walked out the main door to a line of Mercedes Benz taxi cabs waiting in line to take me to my hotel. I quickly jumped into the car and we made our way into the gates of the small city. As soon as we came upon the main square, my eyes widened and I knew that I just stumbled upon something very special. It was almost 11pm at night and I could still see the charming elegance of this Medieval city glistening in the night.

I was excited to check into The Pand Hotel here in Brugge. I had checked the website before I left the hotel and it looked really nice. This 18th Century Carriage house is now a boutique hotel with only 26 bedrooms. My room was on the first floor which could be reached by a very tiny elevator or a very narrow winding staircase. Kind of a pain to get my luggage up and down, but charming and well suited for the surroundings.

The next morning, I met the TJ working on this project, Brian Knappenberger, for breakfast in their dining room. The staff quickly offered me some fresh juice, breads and cheeses. They also offered fresh fruit and yogurt, cereals and egg dishes all served on white table cloths with sparkling silver tea service.

After breakfast we jumped in a Mercedes Taxi and headed out to Carline Chocolate factory to start the shoot. Katrigne, the chocolatier was meeting us there and would be showing us the secrets of creating Belgian chocolate. She actually works for the US distributor of the chocolate and you can order them directly through Nirvana Chocolates located in New England.

As soon as I walked onto the factory floor, I felt a tingle of that chemical reaction. You could actually smell the chocolate as soon as you walked in the front door. One breath in and I knew I was in heaven.

So, what makes Belgian chocolate so irresistible? The Belgians pride themselves on creating the richest (without being too rich), highest quality, most natural chocolate. They do not use any preservatives and they also pride themselves on only using cocoa butter.

With full tummys in tow, we made out way back to Brugge to tour the city. Brugge has this fairy-tale quality to it. Castles and bell-towers standing over cobblestone squares and horsedrawn carriages creating the perfect clippity-clop soundtrack as you walk the narrow streets. Be sure to give yourself a day to explore and another day just to relax and enjoy.
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One thing is for certain, you will have plenty of chances to buy chocolate. I loved The Chocolate Line where Belgium's answer to Emeril Lagasse, Dominique Persoone, reigns as chocolate master. His creations range from nut infused bars to the wacky chocolate covered cauliflower to the choco-tequila shot. Think thats crazy? He also developed sniffing chocolates for a famous US Rock Band. Yes, sniffing chocolates and yes, that means you put it up your nose.

The food in Belgium was good... loads of frittes, Belgian Wafles (using only one "f" - not two like we do here) and beer. I tried a cherry beer which was a perfect while sitting out over the string of canals that wind throughout the city.

There is a legend in Brugge that says that if you see the swans swimming on the canals, that you will experience love in your lifetime. I definitely fell for Brugge and walked away completely smitten with Belgium. I found the people to be friendly, travel easy and the food yummy. Was it the swans or was it just a chemical reaction to all that chocolate? Who cares...

Travel On.
Lori

A Walk Down La Ramblas - Barcelona, Spain

A few years back, I was inspired to create a list of 101 things that I wanted to do before I left the planet. Year by year, I keep checking things off... make my own pasta in Rome, Ski in Colorado, Have a baby. This week I checked off another - I took a stroll down La Ramblas in Barcelona!


Barcelona is a beautiful city that sits right on the Meditteranean on Spain's North Eastern Coast. It has that classic European charm and that undeniably relaxing Spanish vibe.


Downtown Barcelona is only about a 20 minute cab ride from the airport. My cab driver was friendly, but did not speak a word of English. So, make sure that you know at least a few lines of conversational Spanish. My ride cost about 20 Euros ($28 US), but for only around 4 Euros there is a bus right outside of the terminal that will take you downtown.

For this trip, the crew and I were staying at the Silken Ramblas, located only steps from the famous La Ramblas. La Ramblas is a street filled with cafes, shops and some of the most vibrant street performers I have ever seen. This is the perfect place for people watching and a must-do when in Barcelona. Be sure to stop into the Mercat right in the center of La Ramblas to see some of the freshest produce, meats and other foods from the local vendors.









On this trip, I was working with Alex Boylan, one of our best Travel Journalists. Alex has traveled the world on his show Around The World for Free and he is also a past winner of the Amazing Race. So, I knew that traveling with Alex was sure to be an adventure.

Our first stop was to a typical tapas bar to learn the art of small plate dining. One of the locals guided us to a place that they claimed to have the best tapas in town - Cerveseria Catalana. We enjoyed a few sample tapas - a bruschetta with prosciutto and cheese and then a salmon ceviche. The dishes were fresh and simple and the prices were reasonable.


We then headed up to Park Montjuic to get a bird's eye view of the city. The best way to get up to the top of the mountain is to take the Teleferic de Monjuic, a gondola that will lift you "ski resort" style up to the fort that sits atop Montjuic. At around 8 Euros for a round trip ticket, this is a fun way of seeing all that Barcelona has to offer.

I celebrated my birthday that evening in Barcelona with some fisherman's paella and some nice Spanish wine. After a long say of shooting, we headed to dinner at 9pm and we were alone! Book a reservation at 10 or 10:30pm if you want to eat with a crowd of locals.


The next day we toured the beautiful Park Guell in the heart of Barcelona. This park was commissioned by Eusebi Guell and was designed by Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi's whimsical approach to architecture can be appreciated around every corner of the park. Journey through the gingerbread looking gate houses and head up the almost crooked stairs to a large plaza where you will find street performers, locals and tourists all enjoying the shade from the hot Barcelona sun. The park also features shaded pathways and flintstone style arches where you will find people relaxing, reading, or enjoying the many street artists that line the paths.


Only a few minutes from Park Guell is the amazing La Sagrada Familia where you can see Gaudi's most famous piece of art that is still under construction to this day. In fact, after a century of buidling, most people think that the church is better left undone. The building is ornate and my favorite part was the crucifix located on the back side of the cathedral. Be sure to stop and really look at all of sculptures that are embedded into the facade.


For our second night in Barcelona, we made our way down to the Barcelona Seafront for dinner and some cocktails. This is the most popular place on the weekends - so expect a crowd and plan to make reservations at one of the many restaurants. Remember to book late or you will be eating alone! A popular wine to order with dinner is a Rioja or take a splurge and try one of their yummy mojitos. Be careful though, the rock sugar they use is super sweet and it will make you forget just how much alcohol you are throwing down.


In all, Barcelona was a charming city that was filled with good food, warm people and a relaxed culture. Everyone we met had a "Don't worry... you are in Barcelona" attitude that just forced you to slow down and take it all in. It will also seduce you into many evening cocktails and long nights with friends. They really want you to rest all day so that you can party with them all night.

Next Stop on this trip - Brugge, Belgium where I explore the art of making fine Belgian chocolates.


Travel On.
Lori

Getting my Blog Back On!

Hi all...

Thanks for all of the emails and tweets! We are all super busy here at travel with the relaunch of TravelChannel.com coming this October! Have you signed up for Travel Channel GO? Get on your mobile, blackberry...whatever and download the APP asap! It's super helpful when you are out in the world and just looking for quick bites of travel information!

I have a bunch of stuff coming your way this week! Stay tuned to hear about my run-in with the "cricket" burger at the Cherry Cricket in Denver! It was one of the burgers featured on Man V. Food and Girl Won! I even had a little room for some choco cake for dessert! BIG thanks to Adam and the team there!



I also traveled out to LA to spend a grueling three days at K-Camp! What's K-Camp? How about a fun weekend hanging out with Travel Channel's own adventure girl, Kirsten Gum! Kirsten and I biked, yoga'd and spa'd our way through a fab weekend in Santa Monica! I'll tell you about the most amazing yoga class of my life, a movie under the stars at Hollywood Forever Cemetery AND how you can get professionally bathed at a Korean spa.


Oh yeah... I had some personal vacation while I was on hiatus too! The entire Ansaldi clan headed up to our lake house in Lake George, NY! It's a great getaway for a family on a budget!


For now, I leave you with this... a quote that was sent to the staff at Travel Channel this morning by our President, Pat Younge. It reminded me of how important it is to take time away from our busy lives every now and then. Travel is all about reconnecting with yourself, your family and your friends. Too many of us think of a "break" as a luxury... it is a necessity for your soul. Don't take my word for it...


Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgement will be surer, since to remain constantly at work will cause you to lose power of judgement. Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller, and more of it can be taken in at a glance, and a lack of harmony or proportion is more readily seen."- Leonardo da Vinci

Travel On.
Lori

Keystone Resort - Keystone, Colorado

After a long trip through the Rockies and back, we finally arrived Keystone Resort on Saturday and I made it in time to give the opening speech at the Travel Channel. TCA welcomed 23 new travel journalists this go-around and it was really exciting to meet the new group.

One of my responsibilities while up in Keystone was to help with a shoot for the resort. One of our top preditors, Ryan VanDuzer was shooting and I was there to pre-pro and get a feel for the place. So, you know what that meant... yup, this chick did the rental thing, grabbed a lift ticket and headed out to the mountain for some ski school!


I think the last time I was on skis was when I was 13 and I went to Browdie Mountain with my dearest friend from childhood, Cathleen. She had been skiing since she was a toddler, so skiing with her was fun and in only a few hours of skiddish falls... I was able to handle some green runs. Well, that was 21 years ago and I was not taking any chances. Good thing for me that Keystone has a great ski school... so, we rented some skis and headed to River Run Village to meet up with our instructor.


Ski school was great. They taught us how to move our feet and bend our legs right on the pavement. Then, we hauled our equipment, jumped on the gondola and headed up to the top of the mountain to practice on their bunny slope. The great thing about Keystone's practice hill is that it has what they call a magic carpet. It is literally a people mover... like the one in the airports... that is covered like a tube that you simply walk onto with your skis and you are towed right back up to the top. No tow ropes! Now, don't get me wrong... I still stumbled onto it and I think I spilled off of the carpet a few times before I finally mastered it.


In just a few hours, my husband and I were comfortable and feeling ready for a more significant run... or a beer. So, we decided on the beer and called it a day on the slopes. We went back down the mountain and enjoyed a snack at Spoon, a cute little cafe only steps from the gondola at the base of the mountain. The one thing that I love about ski resorts is the comfort level. Everyone is in their ski gear, hair is messed, lips are chapped and a little "fresh" smelling after a day on the slopes. Nobody cares... and everyone is there just enjoying how relaxed the environment is. The whole place is family friendly and it may just be Keystone... but, I mean the whole place... from the resorts to the restaurants to the bus service. It was refreshing.

The next morning I did a brief speech with the students before they started their morning lecture. Then,Peter and I headed back out to the mountain. Our first stop took two gondolas up to over 11,000 feet to the premiere restaurant at the resort, Alpenglow Stube. We decided to go for a nice brunch so that we could work on skiing off the calories for the rest of the day. When we walked into the restaurant, they asked us for our coats and gear and our boots. They then handed us a cozy pair of slippers to wear into the dining room. I immediately fell in love! The food was amazing and probably the best brunch I have ever had... and that includes the brunch with my Ritz! Peter had an eggs benedict which was a duck egg with melted aged cheddar over grilled ostrich with a holandaise and a balsamic reduction. TO DIE FOR! I had a spinach and crab omelet that was also yummy. The highlight of my meal was the giant crab claws on the seafood bar and the endless choices of desserts. I would need three days of skiing to knock off the calories that I consumed in a period of 90 minutes!






I always thought that ski trips were about long cold days on the mountain, beer and burgers for dinner, hot cocoas and board games. I was sure surprised with the level of service, the quality of the food and the value that we got at Keystone. It is definitely up on my "must do that again" list and I highly recommend the experience... especially for families.

Luckily, our trip back to Denver was quiet and it allowed us to stop in on one of the restaurants featured on Man V. Food. Get ready for the next blog where I take on a burger from Duffy's Cherry Cricket... and this time, girl won.

Travel On.
Lori

A Little Too High in the Rocky Mountains

I'm usually not one for a trip to the mountains. My husband's family has a house up in Lake George, NY and it is always a struggle to get me there. However, once I get there I usually enjoy all that a mountain retreat has to offer. When I was a kid, I used to travel up to Browdie Mountain in Massachusetts with my closest friend and her family for ski weekends. I remember the first time I clicked on a pair of skis and took to the slopes. I had a couple of hours of falls and trying to understand the value of the "snow plow" but in no time I was up and taking to the beginner and intermediate slopes without a problem. So, when the opportunity came to travel out to Keystone Colorado for a Travel Channel Academy, I was hesitant but excited to get back onto a pair of skis. My husband joined me on this trip. It's the rare opportunity when my work schedule is light and he is able to leave his post as an IT Manager back in DC. The stars aligned and he was able to book the trip and come along for an adventure up in the Rocky Mountains! We departed DC on Friday morning for Denver. He was on a Northwest flight through Minneapolis and I was on direct that would have us landing within minutes of each other at Denver International Airport. From there, we were going to meet up with one of our dearest friends and his wife for a quick dinner and then we would drive the 90 miles from Denver to Keystone. We arrived in Denver on time... got our luggage and rental and was well on our way to our friends house within an hour or so of landing. We went to dinner at a very cool little restaurant called Rootdown which is housed in a renovated gas/ service station. The restaurant has an organic/ sustainability theme and the entire place is decorated using recycled products. The floor of the main dining room is a recycled gym floor from one of the local high schools and lids from aluminum cans line the wall of one of the smaller dining areas off of the kitchen. We chose a table in the bar where we were surrounded by old fashioned telephones as we enjoyed a few of the organic selections on the Happy Hour menu. After our brief stay with our friends, we hopped back into the rental and plugged "Keystone" into our GPS and started the trip to the resort. It was now dark and there was a bit of dusty snow falling as we started our trek into the Rocky Mountains. We passed a few signs that said VAIL - 100 MILES and we took the exit that said KEYSTONE RESORT off of I-70. At the end of that exit ramp, the woman in the GPS system (affectionately named, Matilda) told us to take a right and drive another 40 or so miles through a town called Kremmling. OK, made the right and the drive became more of a two lane road through the dark mountains. In Kremmling, we stopped at a gas station called "Kum and Go" (had to include that in the blog...need to buy a t-shirt) and asked the guy behind the counter how long it would take us to finally get to Keystone. He said 45 miles and Peter and I just looked at each other... what we did not know is that he meant 45 miles in the opposite direction we were traveling! So, we loaded back into the rental and started back on the wrong route to what we thought would be Keystone Resort. At that point of the trip, the drive became a bit dicey... there were HUNDREDS (yes, HUNDREDS) of deer on the side of the road. They were so close to the car we could have pet them. We also scooted past a fat white rabbit and a glittery eyed fox. The snow was coming down and the drive was treacherous... especially going over "Rabbit Ear Pass" where a sign told us that we were sitting on the Continental Divide. By the time we were coming off of that pass, my knuckles were so white and tense that they ached when I finally released them to change the channel on the radio. At that moment, we decided that something had to be wrong. It was almost 90 miles since the sign at the end of I-70 and still no sign of the resort. Matilda was telling us that we were heading in the right direction... but, something just seemed way off. We finally pulled over and cursed at Matilda when we realized our mistake. We were in Steamboat Springs... 90 miles away from the resort and I flat out refused to get back into that car. So, we booked a night at the local Holiday Inn and decided to head back to Keystone early the next morning. We drove the 90 miles back to Keystone at 7am as the sun was starting to sparkle on the mountains. We both were pissed that it happened, but the morning ride made it all worthwhile. The Rockies welcomed us with beautiful scenics in every direction. We passed ranch after ranch with horses and cattle and just enjoyed the peace of the ride without feeling like we were in the middle of a Discovery Channel survival show. Now, we are here and ready for the Travel Channel Academy's four day boot camp at the Keystone Resort. I'll have more in a bit from our first days on the slopes and a review of the highest restaurant in the country... 11,474 ft! Travel On Lori