Venetian Masks, Vivaldi, Saint Mark's Square, Gondola Rides, & Gelato

Venice + You + Your Honey = MAGIC

When booking this trip to Northern Italy, my husband and I knew we wanted Venice to be on the list of destinations. I had never been. He hadn't been since he was 7 years old. We have heard it has been increasingly mobbed by tourists over the last 10+ years, and were a bit concerned we would be turned off. Upon following some tourist dodging advice from fellow travel bloggers, we calculated our plans accordingly. And fell in love with Venice together.

First bit of advice... drop your bags and just have a wander. Wander along the streets until you get lost. Wander the side streets of course. Once you see a mob of tourists... turn. If you see more... duck and dodge! Turn again. The advice worked! We found some cute cafes and noticed the people surrounding us were not wearing white socks, sneakers, shorts, and fanny packs... they were in business attire or everyday wear... with fine leather shoes of course. ;-) The other bit of advice that worked!? Get up early. I mean EARLY! We got up both days with the sun to grab a quick jog and workout in Saint Mark's Square in front of the basilica. It was EPIC! The Grand Canal and all its landmarks were glistening gold in the morning sun. And hoards of people weren't obstructing our views. We did quick showers and again, beat the tourists to the lines for the palace (Palazzo Ducale) and later the Guggenheim Museum.

If you're heading to Venice, there are a lot of ways to explore the Grand Canal. But I had my heart set on a gondola ride through the Grand Canal and also the side streets/side waterways. It was EXPENSIVE! 80 euros for a half hour during the day and 120 euros in the evening. We bit the bullet and forked over the cash. It was just my husband and me... but I guess a way to lower the cost per person is if you were with another couple. So maybe consider that!

An amazing place for an amazing view and drink (sparkling water with lots of lemon at the moment for this pregnant lady!)... head to the top of the Danieli Hotel. Sunset was stunning. I promise you will not be disappointed... except maybe with the bill. It can be punchy! This is why I suggest a drink instead of dinner. ;-)

Listening to live music in a Gothic church, palace, or other landmark is such a treat. We have done this in other European cities and wanted to make sure to find a place to soak up more culture through music. We found a Vivaldi performance in a church. We got to hear Vivaldi's Four Seasons. It was just fabulous. As was the gelato we bought on the street afterward. If you're looking for some classical music on the floating city in a particular neighborhood, here is the link. There is also a popular interactive opera experience. Click here for that.

Enjoy the pictures and YouTube vlogs! Be sure to leave me a message on social media and let me know what you think! AND... where you want to go next. Thanks for exploring the world with me!

James Bond's Italy: Lake Como

During my two week Northern Italy adventure, I spent several nights in Lake Como. This was easily one of my favorite places. I had the gist of Como... but wasn't aware I would fall in love with it so much! Lake Como is known for classy, tasteful, European opulence, and majestic mountains along the Swiss Alps that plunge straight into the water. I was hoping I might spot some James Bond set locations, and if I was extra lucky, thought I might see the handsome, George Clooney gallivanting around. Well... my husband and I DID spot a villa from Casino Royale... and we did eat dinner at a couple restaurants George and Amal Clooney are known to hang out... but unfortunately no Ocean's Eleven sighting! If you're interested in the ins and outs from an American travel writer's perspective, click on this link.

After wandering around Como for a day or two... shopping, eating pasta and gelato, and seeing the sites like the Gothic Como Cathedral, my husband and I took a ferry to Bellagio, which is sometimes called Europe's prettiest town. We had lunch at an elegant outdoor eatery, Bilacus Ristorante, and explored the famous gardens of the Villa Melzi. Bellagio was incredible- but I must say the ferry ride out there was equally as tantalizing! We opted to take the slow ferry out, and the fast ferry back. This was a great way to see all the sites... including Casino Royale's, Villa del Balbianello!

I would postitively recommend eating dinner, or at least having a cocktail, coffee, or tea at Villa d'Este. Sitting there having my tea (it would have been a dirty martini if I wasn't pregnant) I felt like a princess, merely by being there! Click on this link to see what I mean... and I need not say more! You also ought to consider dining at Il Gato Nero. This is another spot the Clooney's are known to frequent. I had the most delicious onion soup to start, followed by scallops with pine nut cream. The server brings your own personal bread basket with about a half dozen choices (fresh baked bread is my weakness... more than chocolate cake for sure!). Both culinary destinations are in Cernobbio.

Exploring Italy's Piedmont for a Lovely Wedding

During our recent trip to Northern Italy, my husband and I spent a weekend in the Piedmont region for a lovely wedding at Villa la Madonna. We stayed a few minutes drive away in a quaint little town called Bistagno and explored a couple little surrounding towns. My favorite place to explore was Alba. It is known for truffles, hazelnuts, wine, and dark chocolate. I would 100% recommend venturing away from the big cities when booking European holiday itineraries. There is such a warm and different feeling you get when the pace is slower and you get more of a chance to interact with locals. I hope you enjoy the pictures and video blogs.

Milan Fashion Week, Gothic Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, & Sforza Castle

If you're making the trip to Northern Italy, you MUST stop and see historical sites in Milan like the Gothic Duomo and shop in one of the world's first shopping malls (the glass topped Galleria Vittorio Emanuele), it was a real treat to be there during Milan Fashion Week! It brings an incredible buzz to the forward looking, business hub, and style center of Italy.

Walking through the fashion district during Milan Fashion Week made my days of people watching in New York City look like child's play. Seriously! I couldn't believe all the beautiful, stylish people walking around. I've never seen anything like it. I also spotted THE Cindy Crawford and her entourage. That was a good sighting! I also loved the opportunity to go visit the showroom of my favorite designer in the world, Chiara Boni La Petite Robe. I have been wearing her dresses for the last 6 years of my television career, but had never seen the dresses in person until they would get shipped to me directly in NYC. The ladies in the shop were so sweet and I picked up two dresses... one red with a cute slit and one white one with a cute ruffle around the neck. I kinda broke the bank but that was the only major shopping I did for the rest of the trip. ;-)

If you're looking for some restaurant recommendations... check out Caffe Zucca, Cracco, Paper Moon, or Antica Osteria del Ponte. One of my favorite memories from the few days my husband and I spent in Milan was coming up with our own outdoor workouts in Sforza Castle and Sempione Park. We were so blessed with amazing weather the whole trip. So lucky! I loved Milan and would recommend spending 2-3 nights there.

Seoul in 3 Days

I had an unforgettable three days in Seoul, South Korea. From trying out some of their world renown skincare products, to sampling the street food, to touring the DMZ, to visiting shrines and temples, I am so happy I planned the trip. But, the morning before I was set to tour the DMZ, my travel companion and I were packing our suitcases in Tokyo to head to the airport, and we got some troubling news. A missile had just been launched over Japan by North Korea. Given the recent potential nuclear war headlines and back and forth between President Trump and North Korea’s unhinged leader Kim Jung Un… I have to say I thought twice before heading to Seoul... particularly the Korean Peninsula’s DMZ. But my friend and I decided to stick to the plan.

TRAVEL ASIA: Tokyo, Seoul, & Beijing

You know how much I love to travel and how much I want to see, smell, hear, and taste all the world has to offer. So upon finding out the amazing news that I'm pregnant with my first baby... I thought to myself... "Girl you better cross a few more destinations off that list... cause this freedom to hop on a plane is gonna be a thing of the past REAL soon!" My husband wasn't able to ask for more time off work, none of my American girlfriends seemed keen, and I was prepared to go it alone. Fortunately, a girlfriend I do a coastal walk with once a week (who also happens to be a doctor), was up for the trip! She begged her husband to take care of her 5 and 7 year old girls for 11 days... he graciously agreed... and I began furiously booking flights and accommodations! The trip... Tokyo, Seoul, and Beijing... all places in Asia I wouldn't have to worry about the Zika virus. I hope you enjoy the travel posts I'll be putting up on AnnaKooiman.com over the next couple of weeks!

Exploring the Great Barrier Reef

Exploring the Great Barrier Reef has been near the top of my Bucket List for a long time. It is one of the 7 Wonders of the Natural World. According to GreatBarrierReef.org it is comprised of over 900 islands, spanning 133,000 square miles... making it larger than the Great Wall of China... or about half the size of Texas. The Great Barrier Reef is so big it can even be viewed from outer space! The Great Barrier Reef is ancient... perhaps 20 million years old. Today, a whole host of modern medicines are being developed from its plants and animals - Medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimers, etc. Countless communities depend upon the Great Barrier Reef for economic reasons. Tourism to the reef generates billions of dollars a year. Of course the actual fish provide food and livelihoods for residents as well. More than 1,500 fish species call the Great Barrier Reef home. About 10% of the globe's total fish species can be found within its boundaries.

It is easy to see why the Great Barrier Reef is considered a Natural Wonder! I can't believe I just crossed it off my Bucket List.... Tick!! I hope you enjoy my pictures, videos, and thoughts from this awesome adventure.

Visiting the Australian Capital Territory

Since moving to Australia, I've been trying to see and do as much as I can. While in the USA I love spending time in Washington, DC so of course Canberra was on my list here. My husband and I visited the Australian Capital Territory last weekend and had such a great experience. We took a fun 4 hour road trip from Sydney on Saturday morning and arrived to our hotel around lunchtime. We had delicious grilled chicken sandwiches (chicken burgers as they say in Oz) in the casual lobby restaurant at the the Crowne Plaza Canberra. We then headed to our first stop, the Australian War Memorial.

Vivid Sydney Breaks World Record and Lights Up Australia

There is so much buzz in Oz right now around Vivid Sydney. I had to check it out and share how cool it is! And just so you can begin to understand the enormity of this event... I'll let you in on a secret! Vivid Sydney is now in the Guinness World Records as the globe's largest festival of light, music, and ideas! They actually broke their own record! How many lights did it take... to take the cake as largest interactive lighting display?!? 124,128! The events run from 26 May to 17 June, 2017.

Make sure you take a look at the YouTube video I put together from my experiences at Vivid Sydney. I took the ferry from Rose Bay to Circular Quay... met my husband for a yummy Thai dinner... and then strolled around the light show eating gelato. It was such a fun night. In the video I've posted above... you'll see projections of space, sea creatures, animals, and trippy psychedelic images illuminating iconic landmarks throughout Sydney including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Taronga Zoo, and the Museum of Contemporary Art. At the end of the video you'll see Darling Harbour’s Magicians of the Mist. It's a 50 meter high water fountain that features 40 meter high projections, lasers, fireworks, and flames. As with many of the displays, a dramatic soundtrack tells the light story in perfect sync. I have to say this is one of the best events I've been to since moving to Australia! I enjoyed it more than the fireworks on New Year's Eve! Although that display is even more iconic... the crowds are more manageable at Vivid Sydney.

5 Warm Weather Adventure Getaways

Australia! Puerto Rico! Dominican Republic! Jamaica! Hawaii!

Fairy Tales and Castles! Become a Princess in Portugal

Sintra (not to be confused with Sinatra ;-)) is a fantastical small town not too far from the bustling city of Lisbon, Portugal. Easy trip. So hop on a train for less than 20 miles... and soon you will feel like a fairy tale princess! Seriously... I felt like I was in a Disney movie... just call me Jasmine. ;-) I would recommend blocking out about half a day for this trip. I imagine you will want to see the National Palace, Moorish Castle, and Pena Palace.

Wine Tasting and Biking the Tuscan Hills

Spend just a few moments in Tuscany.. particularly at sunrise or sunset... and it's easy to see why these smooth Italians have been inspiring, artists, photographers, poets, and lovers for ages. The tall, slender, green cypress trees and shrubs lining the road's and property pathways are synonymous with the region. And the sun's rays bouncing off grape vines and olive trees all in perfect symmetry is breathtaking. Oh... and the wine ain't bad to sip on either! ;-)

What Makes Chianti Classico Such a Special Wine?

My first trip to Tuscany is one I'll never forget. It got me hooked on Chianti Classico wine. The Chianti region is in the center of Tuscany... which is also in the center of Italy. I spent a few days in a villa enjoying the greens, oranges, and yellows of the landscape... and of course the tasty wine the area produces. Chianti wines were originally known for their traditional squatty bottles encased with straw... today they display a special seal of approval. Wines that exhibit the famous black rooster symbol are also certified as 'Chianti Classico' because they contain 80% Sangiovese grapes (the common red grape of the area) and 20% of other grapes native to the region or international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Learn to Kick Like a NYC Rockette

Legs for days! These Radio City Rockettes are world renown for their annual Christmas Spectacular! People travel from all over the globe to New York City to see them. The ladies tell me the tradition has been around since 1933. For many of these dancin’ machines… it’s been a dream to be part of the team since they were little girls.

Anna Kooiman Travel Philosophy

I've learned a lot of travel hacks from being on the road for breaking news and fun, road trip feature stories around the US, I also have a tremendous itch for world travel. I'll share long haul travel tips too. Hopefully you can learn from my mistakes!