Happy Weekend!

When Mike and I lived in Rome, we loved how the Italian families in our neighborhood would set up long tables in their alleyways and have dinners with their neighbors that would last for hours. The kids would run around with soccer balls and the adults would linger over wine! The Italians sure do know how to live their lives to the fullest!

George Clooney had a similar observation on living life in Italy: “I think people in Italy live their lives better than we do. It’s an older country, and they’ve learned to celebrate dinner and lunch, whereas we sort of eat as quickly as we can to get through it.”

In the spirit of celebrating dinner and enjoying your friends and family – hopefully this weekend you find yourself with good company and lingering over your dinner with a little too much wine!

Alrighty – time to pour yourself a cup of coffee (or tea if you’re across the pond!) and get settled in for this week’s Weekend Wanderlust edition.

*Photo Credit – Gray Malin

What you’ll find in this newsletter:

Traveling Chic’s New Articles
Travel Tip of the Week
Travel Gear Find of the Week
Hotel Spotlight
In-flight reading
Quoting Kipling
A Printable Checklist of Must do Activities in Rome
The best links around the internet this week

Without further ado, here is this week’s Weekend Wanderlust!

This Week on Traveling Chic:

A Comfy + Chic Travel Outfit

25 Things to do with Kids in New York City

London, England – The Perfect Itinerary for First-timers

Free Printable Packing Guides (Yipee!)

Travel Tip of the Week – All about the shoes!

Shoes are often an afterthought when packing your bag as they can be tucked nicely in the corners of your luggage or are thrown in last minute after everything else. But I’m here to tell you that shoes deserve a bit more deference when packing and here’s why:

1. It’s best to pack your shoes on the bottom of your suitcase and close to the wheels. This will keep the weight distributed in a location that won’t make your bag topple over.

2. Pack the inside of your shoes to help make room for other things in your suitcase. Not only are your shoes the perfect place to hold the little items that don’t fit in your toiletry bag, they are also the perfect place to stuff your socks. If you’re traveling with kids, their shoes will fit nicely inside your shoes as well.

Travel Gear Find of the Week – Collapsible Water Bottles

I always debate whether to bring a water bottle with me on a trip because they take up so much space. These collapsible water bottles seem like the perfect packing solution and are more environmentally friendly than buying bottled water! Collapsible water bottles for the win!

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Hotel Spotlight: Taj Lake Palace and the Leela in Udaipur Lake Pichola

Ya’ll know India is one of my favorite places to visit, and this hotel would certainly make a trip there unforgettable. Built over 200 years ago, the Taj Lake Palace rises from the waters of Lake Pichola like the castles in story books… it’s no wonder Jackie Kennedy and Queen Elizabeth stayed here. Not only is this hotel jaw-dropping, but the arrival alone sounds simply spectacular.

The hotel website says: “It’s only a short zip across the waters of the Pichola to the streets of Udaipur. A dreamy boat ride across the lake towards the hotel’s striking white marble facade with views of Udaipur, the Aravalli mountains, and temples all around. Arrivals happen at a small dock where a staff member in traditional dress helps you up, and uses a velvet umbrella to shade you from the sun…and the shower of red petals they’ll rain down on you before you enter the lobby. It’s all very regal, which is what the well-heeled clientele come here for. Rooms offer panoramic views, and moulded ceilings with plush canopy beds and richly colored upholstery woven from Indian textiles. For the wow factor a stay in the Grand Royal Suite, with its outdoor jacuzzi and private terrace, is second to none.”

For a more modern, yet still very luxurious stay, check out the Leela Hotel.

In-Flight Reading – The Last House Guest

Looking for a good summer thriller to sink your teeth into? Here’s one to add to your reading list!

“Littleport, Maine, has always felt like two separate towns: an ideal vacation enclave for the wealthy, whose summer homes line the coastline; and a simple harbor community for the year-round residents whose livelihoods rely on service to the visitors.

Typically, fierce friendships never develop between a local and a summer girl—but that’s just what happens with visitor Sadie Loman and Littleport resident Avery Greer. Each summer for almost a decade, the girls are inseparable—until Sadie is found dead. While the police rule the death a suicide, Avery can’t help but feel there are those in the community, including a local detective and Sadie’s brother, Parker, who blame her. Someone knows more than they’re saying, and Avery is intent on clearing her name, before the facts get twisted against her.”

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“Once again, Megan Miranda has crafted the perfect summer thriller. The Last House Guest is twisty and tense, with a pace that made my heart race. An edge-of-your-seat, up-all-night read.” —Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Time I Lied