Romantic Travel: Plan the Ideal Getaway.

Blow it this Valentine’s Day?  Got it covered. Make up for slacking on February 14th with a grand gesture... everyone wants to be swept away on a romantic travel escapade.  Relax, explore, and connect with a special person.  Go ahead and hop on a plane or jump in the car, let the adventure begin with a romantic travel plan in 2014.   

The itch to leave town is always heightened after the holidays have come and gone and before the majority of the country sees temperatures that stay steady at mild.  Of course, there are numerous places in this world to travel with lists-upon-lists of romantic cities and hotels to source for selecting the perfect destination. Europe is always high-seeded on such lists, with cities that define romance. From France’s Champagne countryside to Paris, Spain, and Italy (5 Italian cities spanning across the top 10 in this list), the slower lifestyle and varying landscapes in Europe are ideal for all.  The food… unbelievable.  

Love is in the air in Charleston, SC. Photo Credit: Jennifer Bearden

Depending upon the interests of a couple there are fantastic ways to make the vacation memorable and stay stateside.   Begin to feel the breeze or ski the slope, there is a place for fun waiting for every type of couple to delve into the romance that started it all. Narrowed down to a top 5 here is a list of romantic cities in the United States. Some boast European flair others have the beaches people yearn for in the lion that is March, either way referencing the selections below is the first step toward getting away with a main squeeze. Another perk, these cities all have impeccable dining.  Click the city and state for a link providing information for planning a romantic getaway in each destination.  

O’ahu, Hawaii For obvious regions as the beautiful beaches, adventures, and a paradise life- complete with flowers behind the ear and lei’s draped around necks.  

Charleston, SC Romantic cobblestone streets reminiscent of Europe with nearby beaches and a historic gas light district for exceptional evening dining.  

Aspen, CO The adventure in the mountains with amazing ski resorts, romantic cabins and resorts, and a downtown fit to canoodle in.  

Sonoma, CA Wine country, luxury, and landscape with pure beauty, sustain romance for the couple selecting Napa/Sonoma region. The vino is a particularly ideal souvenir, open a bottle a month after returning and remember highlights from the trip.

Destin, FL The Sunshine State’s 24 mile Emerald Coast is the ideal beach and boat trip with gorgeous emerald coves, white sand beaches, and bountiful water activities. Try paddle boarding together, experiencing a new activity together is a proven method to connect.

Emerald Coast. Photo Credit: National Geographic Travel

Here’s to romantic getaways, or even just daydreaming of them! Where is the most romantic city in the US you have traveled to with your sweetheart?  

Toast to Happiness!

Winter drab has gone on long enough. People in most parts of the country need a bit of hoopla to entertain at this point.  No need to rush to the local watering hole, keep it downright interesting with an adult beverage, complete with gelato.     

Mixologists have affirmed the creative cocktail trend is here to stay.  More advantageous? Bartenders ahead of the curve are mixing alcohol and gelato to create the happiest of hours in existence.  

Recently, a list of 15 Food Reasons Italians Are Better at Life appeared on Huffington Post (an enthused shout out to numbers 12, and 1), to build upon this accurate list number 16 easily should be Italian liquors.  Campari, Limoncello, Sambuca, Frangelico; the span of flavor across the famed spirits of Italy are ideal to infuse in gelato or sorbetto to create supreme recipes combining alcohol and the luxury frozen dessert.  It is becoming increasingly more common to find gelato with rum or another standard spirit on menus across the world.

A gelato cocktail that will go over well with everyone.

Surely, one of the most fabulous ways to enjoy gelato and get through the impending storms is to add a dash of the “good stuff” for a tasty way to make it to spring.  A favorite gelato cocktail recipe brilliantly uses pistachio gelato, espresso, and coconut to make a luscious concoction.  Worthy modifications include caramel drizzle on the rim, best served in a chilled glass. Honestly, even a "plain" vanilla gelato cocktail is delicious.

Gelato and Italian liquors add sophistication to dessert time and/or happy hour.  Celebrate this match made in heaven with a gelato cocktail toast to happiness!

Pino Gelato is available in quarts and pints for you to order to make your own gelato cocktail recipe at home! Please share your favorites with us in the comments section. Salute!

Gelato on a Diet

New Year, new you… same sweet tooth. Temptations to cheat on resolutions are peaking by this point, but there is a guilt free way to indulge.   Gelato is a health-conscious treat.  No really, it is.

For starters, because gelato is made with milk instead of cream it carries a high amount of protein and is an excellent extra source of calcium.  Gelato is made from all natural ingredients directly increasing the amount of vitamins and nutrients per serving over any typical dessert. The fact is gelato has less calories and fat than traditional ice cream.

According to www.whygelato.com, gelato is recommended as a desirable food for athletes on a strict regiment when seeking a non-diet breaking means of catering to their cravings.  Credit is awarded to the protein content for this instance.  No need to sneak around or have the weight of the world (no pun intended) on your shoulders, go ahead and eat the luxurious frozen dessert.  Gelato will satiate the void for a sweet treat in the best, most natural product with a heightened level of taste for complete worthiness.  

Resolutions come and go, the weight may come and go, but a moment to experience true flavor and joy, must always stick around.  Gelato is glad to provide an outlet, albeit a healthy one, during the time when people elect to have a scoop of happiness.  

Make 2014 the year of happiness, indulge a bit with us… it doesn't even count!

What is your 2014 resolution? How do you add happiness to your day?  

Three Kings Day.

The 12 Days of Christmas come to an end Monday, January 6, 2014 as Feast of the Epiphany is celebrated by Christians. The feast is also known as Three Kings Day, and marks the revelation of the birth of Jesus.  The new season of Epiphany begins today, just shy of the new year.

The Magi- The Three Wise Men Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar- saw the promised child as a gift, due to their sharing of prophecy they were instructed by King Herod to find the Messiah born to Bethlehem.  A long distance was ventured by The Magi in order to bow and worship to Jesus and present him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Gospel of Matthew 2:1-12 details the story of the Three Wise Men.

Pope Francis delivered a prayer service for Feast of the Epiphany Mass and greeted pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square.  

AP / Gregorio Borgia

The Vatican reported comments from Pope Francis after mass, "I would like to tell all those who feel far from God and the church -- and I say this respectfully to those who are afraid or indifferent: The Lord calls you and wants you to be part of his people and does so with great respect and love!" Francis said.

Today is a Holy Day for Catholics around the world.  Traditional blessing of the home, kings cake, and reenactment plays by children are common celebrations of honor of Three Kings Day.

Salute 2014!

Toast 2014 with Italian flair.  “Bubbly”, “champs”, “bubs”, pop media dubs champagne numerous coined phrases, chose the preferred reference and know a delectable addition is welcomed in the flute.  Gelato and sorbetto mini scoops drenched in prosecco (Italian similar bubbly) bring true taste to cheers with this New Year's Eve.  

Celebrating with extra special beverages contributes to decor and creates a magical element to the evening on NYE.  A supreme version of the cocktail named “Sunset Bubbly” is made by combining blood orange sorbetto with prosecco turning into a beautiful, refreshing, and unique drink both ideal and palatable for serving to any crowd.  Mario Batali creates an intriguing (thick) version  “Pomegranate Prosecco Gelatina”, a recipe that works well with any berry sorbetto with colors spot on for a holiday vibe.  

The variations are endless and stupendous, but in order to avoid having to narrow down the selection consider creating a punch bowl with multiple flavor scoops.  Arranging a self-serve bubbly bar is an excellent option for guests to create their own version and to present the same array to those refraining from spirits during the evening.  Place sparkling grape juice, water, or cider aside the prosecco for a spot on way to include all at the celebration.  

Ringing in the New Year holds tradition.  Parties vary from the utmost lavish to banging pots and pans in the kitchen with the family.  Enjoying a decadent beverage is deemed celebration worthy of any style of festivities lined up.  Regardless of plans this New Year’s Eve, toasting with a gelato/sorbetto induced luxury beverage is quite the means to embrace a sparkling outlook for 2014.  Salute 2014!

photo credit: Bon Appetit

What Hors d'oeuvres do you serve on NYE that pair well with champagne/prosecco?  

Gift Certificates with Glee

Dull, thoughtless, uneventful… not exactly the message most would wish for a present to convey.  Let’s face it, gift certificates get a bad rap. While plain gift giving does happen and can be defended in some cases, spread the revamped view for giving and receiving gift cards that spread joy this season.  Gift certificates can be worthy of the most important people on this year’s list. 

In certain instances, a generic gift card is exactly the right choice.  A teacher moving into a new home (large housewares store), to donate for a charity raffle, and for corporate gift exchanges with a required minimum cost, are all suitable for gift certificates.  There is an overtone when handed to family or close friends: the gift is seemingly inadequate, as if the time was not spent to find something better.   But the truth is, giving a gift certificate can actually be one of the best presents of the holiday.  It is the ticket to ensuring a person gets exactly what they want, a vessel for an experience one may not spend money on themselves to try, or a way to share with family and friends personal favorites courtesy of the giver.

Photo credit: NY Times

People living away from family, particularly in a desirable destination, can entice loved ones to book travel plans to visit during 2014. To do so, send  gift certificates for a favorite restaurant, gelato shop, and activities to do in order to rally visitors to come stay and enjoy the family from out-of-town.  The opposite is just as thoughtful, sending a gift card for the newly opened buzz worthy spot such as a cheese shop, seafood store, or cafe in the town the person receiving resides.   An adventure gift ticket, such as paddle boarding, golf lessons, or an extreme race challenge brings people together to try something new or to share a skilled hobby with those novice.

Presentation is key as well, outline the thought process behind the gift. Savvy packages and careful displays will depict the meaning behind the holiday season and the joy of giving. Wow factors can include attaching travel incentive gift cards to a map of the location, placing a gelato gift certificate among a stocking filled with luxurious goodies, and wrapping the big adventure ticket in the largest box in house.

Gift certificates are amazing presents that carry an enormous potential to spread happiness this season and into the new year.  

What is a favorite gift certificate you are giving this year?

Scoop Some Happiness to loved ones, ‘tis the season. $5 for $10 gift certificates at Pino Gelato through December 31, 2013 at HHI store only.  

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception Sunday December 8 has been honored in Rome by Pope Francis visiting Piazza di Spagna to pray, in tradition, before the statue of Mary. During the celebration of the Marian Feast, a Holy Day of obligation for Catholics and a national holiday in Italy, Pope Francis included Mother Mary in his Sunday Angelus by saying to all in St. Peter’s square, “On this feast day, then, contemplating our Immaculate Mother, we also recognize our true destiny, our deepest vocation: to be loved, to be transformed by love.” Pope Francis states in his message the Immaculate Conception of Mother Mary "...is the fruit of God's love which saves the world."

Mary with willingness to become the Mother of God is considered to be, “Full of Grace”, was free of Original Sin since the moment of her conception and remained sinless her entire life.  Former Popes have traveled to pray before the monument of Mary, dated December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX officially declared the Immaculate Conception a dogma of the Church.  

Pope Francis 

Pope Francis went on to visit with particular crowd attendees according to Vatican Radio, as he called on those present just moments before to, “never be indifferent to the cry of the poor, the sick, the elderly, of children, and every human life.” The month of December hosts a multitude of holy days of obligation in the Catholic church.  The religious days of Advent before Christmas are full of joy and love of the Virgin Mary.  In Italy, most shops will remain open since this feast day did not fall during the business week.  Pope Francis concluded his message today with a wish for all to have a good lunch.