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Growing up I knew when pineapple upside down cake was in my future. The sweet scent of the sugar and the pineapple as they baked made it hard to wait until it finished baking and just cool enough to eat. Since then I’ve made the recipe a few times to share with family and friends. But these individual pineapple upside down cakes are amazing and easy to make.
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It was our 4th trip to Italy and we had never taken the opportunity to travel as far south as the Amalfi Coast. Months before going, we had been reading about the Amalfi Coast and some of the must-see sites. We love old ruins and decided to explore the ancient Greek city of Paestum, a 2,500-year-old ruin in Southern Italy. I had also read that travel on the Amalfi Coast is a bit tricky, so we decided to hire a driver instead of renting a car to explore Paestum.
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Have you had the opportunity to fish on one of the Iowa Great Lakes in Northwest Iowa? We had the chance to experience fishing West Okoboji Lake and loved it. It was almost mid-October and we spent a few days fishing and watching the leaves turn red, yellow, and orange on West Okoboji Lake in Northwest Iowa. 2020 is definitely a different year and it has impacted the tourist traffic in this area, just as it has everywhere else in the world. Most often this lake and the towns around it are filled with people eating, drinking, fishing, and having fun.
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There are so many famous and iconic sites to see in Paris, France. For instance, the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Notre-Dame to name a few. All of them are sites you need to see when you visit Paris, just like millions of other tourists. While walking the many streets around the city, you can find other must-see Paris sites, too, such as great historic buildings, parks, and a stroll along the Seine River. In the photos below, you can see just some of the great places to shop, explore, and visit.
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We discovered this pasta with shrimp & lemon-cream sauce when my wife and I had the opportunity to visit Sorrento, Italy. This part southern part of Italy is known for producing lemons. We had some amazing fresh limoncello, which is a liqueur. It’s refreshing served ice cold.
One evening while staying at the Imperial Hotel Tramontano http://www.hoteltramontano.com/en/, we asked the concierge to recommend a place to dine. A short walk from the hotel has become one of our favorite places to eat, L’Antica Trattoria https://www.lanticatrattoria.com/newsite/en/.
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Ludwig was born in 1845 to Maximilian II, King of Bavaria, and Princess Marie of Prussia. Prince Ludwig enjoyed dressing up and play-acting as a boy which was evident in his imagination and interests as he grew older. His father passed and in 1864 Ludwig became Crown Prince and King of Bavaria at the age of 19. He later admitted that he became king much too young before he could finish his schooling.
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The Piccolomini Library located in the Duomo of Siena, Tuscany, Italy is a must-see when visiting the cathedral. You’ll be amazed as you pass through the doorway at this small library. Painted on the walls and ceiling are centuries-old, brightly-colored frescoes. Look around and you’ll experience other great works of art. There is a significant sculpture in the center of the room and manuscripts, or choir books, behind glass under the frescoes.
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I love all dishes that have fresh peaches. Peach pie, peach cobbler, peaches and cream, peach smoothies. But I found another great way to add peaches to dinner in this simple and delicious spicy peach chicken for two main dish with fresh peaches that can be made for a busy weeknight evening meal. It’s just my wife and me so it’s perfect with no leftovers. If you have more people to serve or you’d like leftovers you can double the recipe.
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If you have the opportunity to explore Venice, Italy make sure you take the time to walk the many side streets and canals. You never know what hidden gems you’ll find. Below are a few photos I like from our last trip to this amazing city of old buildings, canal streets, and wonderful Venetian people. We’ve been fortunate to visit Venice a few times through the years. We tried something different this visit. We wandered off, got lost, and found amazing new sites. Walking along we admired the old buildings, greeted Venetians as they went about their day, and enjoyed the cool weather. Pleasantly surprised we found little shops, restaurants, and Churches we hadn’t experienced before.
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The streams in Northeast Iowa are cool, clear and a must for trout fishermen. And what better time to get away than the summer of 2020 when it’s ideal to be in the middle of nowhere than in the city and around lots of people. In many ways, I wish we could start 2020 fresh without certain events in my life, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The new normal is seeing friends, family, and those at the grocery store in masks. I’m in an “older” group so my wife and I have been extremely careful when going in public. So when deciding how to social distance with kids and friends we turned to the great outdoors. There’s nothing better than trout fishing.
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