Puerto Rico is a bargain destination and vacation packages can really help you save! Not to mention relieving the stress.

See the comparisons below and you will see how a Best of Both Puerto Rico Surf and Yoga package is a great way to go!

Now airfare from the states is very reasonable to Puerto Rico. For example a plane ticket from New York to Aguadilla is around $278 round trip (about $320 with taxes and fees). From Chicago to Aguadilla would cost more like $348 (around $400 with tax and fees).

Transportation from Aguadilla to the Best of Both Adventures is included in the package. If traveling without the package you can expect a rental car to be $350 for the week, plus fuel at about $75 for a total of $425.

Lodging in Puerto Rico at a beach front villa on average will cost $150-175/ night. We will take the middle and say that you could spend $160 plus tax for a total of about $688.

What about food, everyone needs to eat! All meals are included in the 5 day - 4 night Best of Both Adventure. Gourmet meals prepared with locally grown products and a true taste of Caribbean cuisine. If you are traveling and need to eat out you can expect to spend $10-15 for breakfast, $15 for lunch and $25-35 per person for dinner. So, saying you kept it on the low end, you need to budget $50 for food each day and that does not include drinks and snacks! We better figure another $20 for that making a total of $70 plus tax and gratuity which would make about $100 per day in food and drinks!

Now, some people can come to the island and just be satisfied with sitting on the beach watching the surfers. But there are those of us watching who desire to give the sport a try. Let’s add in $100/day for surf lessons. We will then feel the need for a restorative yoga class at $20/class and how about a massage to work on the tired muscles from the surf lesson , that’s another $70. We have just added $190 without tax and gratuity!

Traveling to Puerto Rico requires no passport. No long lines passing through customs. It is one of the most economical vacation destinations and below you will find a comparison of booking a trip with Best of Both Adventures vs. traveling on your own.

Let’s make this easy and compare below:

Off the top it is easy to see that you would save over $200 with the Best of Both trip. More to consider; in the comparison the food budgeted would be restaurant meals. After 5 days of eating breakfast, lunch and dinner at a restaurant your body may be in need of a detox. Best of Both Adventure meals are carefully prepared in a healthy, delicious way to restore balance to the body. If a fair meal price comparison were to be done and you were to eat privately prepared meals you would need to add at least $200 more dollars to the budget.

The daily yoga sessions are designed to target the muscles used in surfing and to help you develop your own practice to return home with. Our instructors are trained to personally assist your needs and to help you find a yoga routine that will fit into your lifestyle. This is not something you would get from just any class!

I could go on and on about the beauty and tranquility of our villas, the friendliness of the staff, etc. But most importantly I cannot put a price value on the relationships that develop from these adventures. Some travel with friends or family and some travel alone, but each and every surf and yoga trip, new friendships develop and much is learned from sharing this experience together as women!

Here are some helpful hints about your new outlook on the word exercise!

Yoga, Yoga, Yoga!

Yoga is the ultimate mind-body workout. The benefits are endless: it strengthens, tones and lengthens muscles. It improves circulation and promotes inner calm. Peace and cardio in the same move? That’s what makes it so great!

Sun Salutations can be performed anywhere you have room to hold out your arms! The Sun Salutation series is a total body workout designed to stretch, expand and contract all of your major muscle groups. Done daily (15 minutes will do) your body and spirit will show you the results! Feel free to email Michele at michele@bestofbothadventures.com for specific yoga postures and the sun salutation series.

Walking!

If gym classes don’t fit into your busy schedule a daily walk will do the job. Walking three miles burns as many calories as running three miles but with less impact on your joints. You can also use your walking time to clear your thoughts and renew your mind. A great stress reducer at hectic times like the holidays. If life is too busy to find time for a three-mile walk, start small by taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or parking a little farther away from the door at the supermarket.

Remember, just a few minutes each day will make a tremendous difference in how you look and feel. Find time for yoga and walking and before long you will notice life feeling a little more peaceful!

8 Reasons to Get Away ‘08
By Founder of Best of Both Dez Bartelt

It’ll be 2009 before you know it. Time flies. Why don’t you find the time in 2009 to take a trip, better yet an Adventure like Best of Both Adventures Surf and Yoga!
Had enough madness? Then treat you to what you really want- an escape. An escape from reality with something you can bring back to the real world, a new or renewed yoga practice, the confidence built from learning to surf and the jumpstart on healthy eating for the new year! All can be found in an escape to Bali for our Surf and Yoga Retreat or one of many destinations.
2009 is the Year of the Rat. Why not sit out this rat race and relax? Book a trip now to have something to look forward to in the New Year! Take advantage of our last minuet deal to Italy save 10% http://www.bestofbothadventures.com/italy.htm
Sometimes less is more, even when it comes to family. A happy wife means a happy life. Take a bit of time for yourself. Best of Both Adventurers are women with families and careers. Share in the friendship with women who know how often others needs are put before ours! Recharge and renew your own health and spirit with a little time for you.
After all the long days in the office or at home, might you be craving something healthy? An adventure that recharges spirit and body may be just what the doctor ordered. Best of Both Adventures encompasses a renewing yoga practice with healthy yet delicious meals and the challenge of surfing all designed to provide you with a new charge on life! Take a look at some of our favorite recipes in the link below
http://www.bestofbothadventures.com/blog/
If you time your vacation just right, you might just avoid Spring Cleaning. Packing your bags and leaving the spring-cleaning behind to give yourself a cleansing experience. April in Puerto Rico is amazing. Join us for our spring deals Just $1900 per person www.bestofbothadventures.com
You can finish that ____________ (insert: novel, romance, project, etc.) you started last year so book your Best of Both Adventure today.
It will all be waiting when you get back.

Here are some Earth Wise Tips from the Best of Both Team:
By Juli Hydanus, Best of Both director Costa Rica Surf and Yoga retreats

1. Try using LED lights this Christmas. They consume about a tenth of the energy of regular lights and are every bit as festive.
2. Consider getting a live Christmas tree, even a small one, not necessarily an evergreen, that can be planted after the season is over. Find a special place for it as a reminder of a conscious and memorable holiday.
3. Gifts are fun to give and receive and even more so when they are handmade by yourself or some local artisan. If you are shopping for gifts, it?s always a good idea to shop locally and support local, owner-run businesses.
4. Also, when considering a gift, perhaps give some thought to giving your time. There might be someone who would greatly appreciate your skills to help them with a project around the house or something like that.
5. But, most of all, the very best gift you can possibly give to your loved ones, your self and our planet, is to VOTE, and that has never been more true then this year. While you are counting all your blessings, please remember that the freedoms we enjoy in this country bring with them responsibilities.

Uh oh – it’s that time of year again; the holidays are just around the corner.
By Sally Camara, Best of Both director of massage therapy

When many people think of massage they think of self-indulgence, but did you know massage has a variety of important health benefits?

When combined with traditional medical treatments, massage is used to reduce pain and promote healing. Scientific research proves that massage therapy increases immune function, decreases stress levels and reduces recovery time in many medical conditions. Additionally, other benefits of receiving massage on a regular basis include:

• reducing or preventing muscle pain, stiffness and spasm
• improving relaxation by reducing heart rate and blood pressure
• easing tension and anxiety, calming the nervous system
• improving circulation
• promoting healthy sleep patterns

“Often times people are stressed in our culture. Stress-related disorders make up between 80-and-90 percent of the ailments that bring people to family-practice physicians. What they require is someone to listen, someone to touch them, someone to care. That does not exist in modern medicine.

One of the complaints heard frequently is that physicians don’t touch their patients any more. Touch just isn’t there. Years ago massage was a big part of nursing. There was so much care, so much touch, so much goodness conveyed through massage. Now nurses for the most part are as busy as physicians. They’re writing charts, dealing with insurance notes, they’re doing procedures and often there is no room for massage any more.”

Joan Borysenko - Massage Journal Interview, Fall 1999

As part of a wellness routine, massage can help you maintain physical, mental and emotional well being, so go ahead – indulge. It’s for your own good!

New Contest - help us plan 2010!

People often ask how we decide what new trips to add. There are several ways (guide interest or knowledge, finding the right company to work with) but one important way is input from the women who travel with us. So this time we’re turning it into a contest, and there are two prizes: 1) a gorgeous new book called Ultimate Adventures, A Rough Guide to Adventure Travel. I was sent a complimentary copy that made me want to quit my job and spend the rest of my life traveling! (And then I remembered what my job is and realized I should probably keep doing it). Anyway, I think you’ll enjoy it. 2) 20% off the trip you suggest when we offer it in 2010.

So here’s the contest-send your suggestion for a dream trip to info@bestofbothadventures.com with the subject line “Contest”. Tell us why you think we should offer it and what time of year is best. Keep in mind that it has to be a trip that we think other women would also want to do, so it can’t be totally obscure, in the middle of a civil war, or require the physical condition of an Olympic athlete. When we have our annual guide retreat, we’ll pick the winner and let you know by December 31.

Where in the world is the Best of Both Team Currently Juli and Sally are in Santa Barbara working on our 2009 Costa Rica trips and getting ready to meet me for our Oct 11th trip to Italy, Michele is on her why to Rincon. Thank God To get ready for the big Surf and yoga season. I’m sitting in the office getting us all set for next year while making sure that this year continues to go well (is there something wrong with this picture?). We have three spaces left on our remaining trips (One space left for the Trip to Tuscany, Three spaces left in our November 5^th-9^th Surf and Yoga Retreat in Puerto Rico, and three spaces left in our Nov 26^th –30^th Puerto Rico Surf and Yoga retreat so give me a call if you want to grab one. And have a great fall!

Dez Bartelt, for all the Team of Best of Both Adventures for women

November trips booking fast… reserve your space today!

Best of Both Adventures for women’s Puerto Rico Surf and Yoga trips

Have quickly become the premier destination for so many reasons.Puerto Rico experiences “summer” weather all year long. It is a perfect place to bring women together in a healthy, healing environment. Nurturing the desire to learn or improve the sport of surfing in some of the best waves in the world. Searching the soul with a beachside yoga practice and bringing it all together with healthy meals featuring some of the best food the Caribbean has to offer.  Choosing organic and local foods whenever possible.

Some of the meals from our adventures:

Quinoa Stuffed Avocado
Quinoa pilaf made with quinoa grain, chopped parsley, slivered almonds and chopped dried mango served in two avocado halves over a bed of organic greens.

Grilled Chicken with Mango Salsa and Cous Cous
Chicken breasts marinated in coconut milk and grilled to perfection served with homemade mango salsa on a bed of curried cous cous

More reasons to choose Puerto Rico: No Passport required.

Did you know that you can travel from the States to Puerto Rico without a passport? In a complicated world this makes traveling a breeze.

Surf for all skill levels.

Whether you are new to the sport or need to improve your skill. Puerto Rico offers waves all year long and lessons from skilled instructors.  Kayaking and snorkeling excursions are offered in addition to surfing or if you choose to take a day away from the waves!

Safe for travel.

Puerto Rico is a US territory. Travelers find the area safe and easy to get around. English is spoken in most areas and there is no need for currency conversion!

Great Flights.

Flights arrive daily from the east coast into Aguadilla Airport. Jet Blue www.jetblue.com  and Spirit Airlines www.spiritair.com offer great rates. Check them out today!

If you are searching for the perfect surf and yoga adventure. We have it all here in Puerto Rico!

Yoga. Yoga. Yoga!

Start the day with yoga to energize your body for surfing or to restore and relax from the previous days activities.  Afternoon sessions available to stretch and renew the body and mind!  Classes designed with the beginner in mind, yet powerful enough to challenge the experienced yogi.

Dez’s Hidden Florence Italy Adventure

If the stones of Florence could talk, they would speak of love affairs and murderous plots, jealousy and treacherous consequences. The narrow, bricked streets would still echo with the footsteps of the famous artists who once called Florence home, for it was here that creative masters like Michelangelo, Donatello and Brunelleschi gave birth to the Renaissance.

Thousands of visitors crowd into the medieval center of Florence each year, hoping to glimpse the work of these artisans. Yet there is much more to see in Italy’s former capital. Just across the river Arno, on the city’s left bank, lies the other side of Florence—the Oltrarno. The hidden Florence.

 With its winding streets lined with bakeries, barbershops and apartments, the Oltrarno offers a glimpse at the Florence of the past. Some streets, such as Via Toscanella, have not changed much in the last 500 years.

“The Oltrarno is off the beaten track of mass tourism and it’s my favorite.”

“The area presents Florence at it’s best: a classless society where artisans and patricians still live and work side by side.”

In order to go beyond the city’s touristy surface, it helps to step into the past. The Oltrarno first came into fashion in the 12th and 13th centuries, when noble families and wealthy merchants built family palazzi (palaces) in the area. For all that trendiness, though, it took a 15th-century murder to get the Medici, the ruling family at the time, to move into the neighborhood.

Duke Alessandro de Medici, who ruled Florence and made his home at the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi in West Florence, had a known weakness for women. His jealous rivals put that to use in 1537. While the duke waited in bed for one of his secret trysts, an assassin arrived instead of a lover. The amorous duke was stabbed to death, and his 18-year-old cousin Cosimo de Medici was named leader of the city.

Unlike Alessandro, the young Cosimo was faithful to the woman he loved. His wife, Eleanor of Toledo, was beautiful, but in constant frail health. Hoping that more sun and fresh air would heal her, she convinced her husband to move into the Palazzo Pitti in the Oltrarno. The couple and their 11 children eventually made the palace their home, expanding and improving the grounds.

Today, Palazzo Pitti, with its sweeping approach and awesome size, is undoubtedly Florence’s most “palatial” palace. The residence, with its eight museums, is the largest museum complex in the city, and one could easily spend days there. The most unique Pitti museum is the Galleria Palatina. With its intimate feel, it houses works by Raphael and Titian as well as interesting exhibits such as the Sala di Bani, the lavish bathroom designed by Elisa Baciocchi, Napoleon’s sister.

Although the move to Palazzo Pitti did improve Eleanor’s health, it meant that the duke had to commute to his offices at the Uffizi (originally built as government offices, but now home to works of Rembrandt, Raphael and others). Like his dead cousin, Duke Cosimo had enemies and he was always looking over his shoulder. Someone had already placed barbed spears in the water near his favorite diving spot, so the duke wasn’t taking any chances. He asked his court architect, Giorgio Vasari, to come up with a covert passageway into town.

Vasari designed a covered walk and a series of secret tunnels on top of the Ponte Vecchio, Florence’s most famous bridge. At the time, Ponte Vecchio was home to several hog butchers, and the smell offended the duke’s fine nose. The solution? The hog vendors were tossed out, and jewelers invited in their place. Today, the bridge remains filled with jewelry vendors and only the stones remember the hogs.

During WWII, fleeing Germans blocked access to Ponte Vecchio by bombing nearby buildings, but the bridge itself survived. With its picturesque location across the River Arno, Ponte Vecchio is the perfect place for a dreamy afternoon stroll and attracts many romantic couples.

Romance is as much a part of Florence’s Oltrarno as the stones that line its streets. Nineteenth-century English poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning were no exception. Although Barrett’s father disapproved, the secret lovers spirited off to Florence, where they settled in the Oltrarno at the Casa Guidi. Their home, which is now a museum at Via Maggio n 9, contains original furnishings, love letters and an extensive collection of their books and writings.

One of the most romantic spots in Oltrarno is the scenic Boboli Gardens behind the Palazzo Pitti. With its fountains, lush greenery and lovely flower gardens, the Boboli was—and still is—an island of tranquility. The gardens’ beauty is a direct result of Duke Cosimo and his frail wife, Eleanor. The couple spent hours with the famous architect Tribolo selecting fountains, gardens and statues; they did such a good job, that the Boboli design eventually became the basis for royal gardens all over Europe.

The multitude of statues in the Boboli and the rest of Florence is no coincidence. The Florentines of the Middle Ages and Renaissance carried statuary into battle, and until the last century, many believed that spirits were imprisoned in uncarved stone. The only way to free the spirits was to sculpt the stone into statues.

Michelangelo was taught Neo-platonism—a philosophy that regards the body as a trap for souls longing to return to God. Many believe his works demonstrate this idea, with human figures longing to break free from the stone that imprisons them.

Although known for his sculpture, Michelangelo was also a poet, painter and architect whose legacy can still be seen in Oltrarno. As a teen, he spent hours in Oltrarno’s Santa Maria del Carmine’s Brancacci Chapel drawing the frescoes of Masaccio, a master of Renaissance painting. In nearby Santo Spirito (Holy Spirit) Church, a mysterious crucifix—a wooden sculpture featuring a nude Christ—was discovered in 1963. Experts debated its origins for 38 years, until July 2001 when they determined it was the work of the then 18-year-old Michelangelo. The muscular detail (the artist was allowed to study anatomy on corpses exhumed from the church cemetery) was a signature of the artist’s work.

Such treasures are not surprising in a city like Florence, where the world’s top artists once lived. The streets of the city ring with the constant footsteps of visitors from all over the world hoping to experience the work of these masters.

Remember, though, not to be afraid to leave the crowds behind to see the Florence that is off the beaten path. After viewing the artistic treasures of the central city, we will make our way to the sultry Arno River. Follow the footsteps of Duke Cosimo as he stole over the Ponte Vecchio into the Oltarno, never once imagining how the Florence of his lifetime would forever change history.

A piece of that extraordinary era can still be found in the Oltrarno, for it is here-in this quiet neighborhood of window boxes, cobblestone streets, tower houses and medieval churches—that the stones of the past are still waiting to reveal their hidden stories.

This is just a taste of what Best of Both offers on the next journey to Italy. Join Dez on her off the beaten track and her amazing hidden Florence!

Tuscany (Toscana) is known mainly for Chianti, while Tuscany’s wine of greatest stature is Brunello di Montalcino.

Its climate, soil and very old traditions of viticulture make Italy a natural wine growing nation. The wines are as personal as a name, as different as the colors of the rainbow and as much a part of Italian life as almost 3,000 years of tradition can make them. The Etruscans of North-Central Italy, who created one of the peninsula’s earliest civilizations, left evidence of how to make wine. The Greeks who soon after established themselves in the South gave Italy the name Enotria (the land of wine).
For centuries wine growing has been the cultivation which used most of the labor of the Italian farmers; this is still true today; a large part of the population is engaged in the vine and wine industry Tuscany wine harvesting: September and October are grape harvesting time; vino novello and ripe figs are the flavour of the period. Spring brings wild poppies galore, bearable heat and thus good walking weather, but evenings chilly enough to light a real Italian open fire - fuelled by last years olive tree offcuts.

The olive oil in tuscany:

Italian olive oils, like Italian wine, has finally captivated an American audience. Perhaps our continuing fascination with foods from Italy and the possible health benefits of including olive oil in our diet have awakened America’s taste buds. Mediterranean countries have enjoyed the rich variety of flavors, aromas and delicious tastes that olive oils impart to food for at least 6,000 years. Italians take their wines and olive oils very seriously.The world’s most flavorful and elegant olive oils are produced in Italy’s northern province of Tuscany, where Chianti Classico wines are also produced. Olive oil has become a symbol of Tuscany and is known as “liquid gold” (probably due to its price). There are many different types of olives trees, the most common being frantoio, leccino, moraiolo, and divastro. Each of these trees determines the oil’s distinct flavor. read more…

The tuscan wine

Most of the time, wine with Italian origins have a lot of things one doesn’t understand:
Vino da Tavola is the lowest quality level. Here is not meant the colour of the wine, but it is a more simple wine whose grapes can even have various origins, in order to obtain a wine with a fruity-harmonious character. This quality level corresponds the English table wine.

IGT is the abbreviation for “Indicazione Geografica Tipica” (Geographical detail), which means that the region of origin (Tuscany, Emilia Romagna etc), the type of vine (eg. Sangiovese) and the year are indicated. The IGT corresponds the vin ordinaire.

After that follows the DOC, which is the Italian abbreviation for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which means Wine with controled origin. One can find this abbreviation under the name of the wine. It is a wine of a determined area with certain characteristics, which are established and controled by the DOC-Consortium. The consortium doesn’t only establish the vine types and the quantity to produce, but also the processing of the grapes until the bottling of the wine as well as the storage. Before the DOC-wine is put on the market it has to undergo chemical tests. 

DOCG is the abbreviation for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, which means Wine of controled and guaranteed origin. This nomination is destinated only for a wine of a particular good quality. In order to get the DOCG nomination, the wine should have been part for at least 5 years of the DOC-wine.

The DOC and DOCG wine corresponds to the so called wine of certified origin and quality.
The DOC- and DOCG-qualification system was developed in 1963. The first wine whose place of origin was controled was the famous Tuscan white wine Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Afterwards were following the Chianti as well as the Brunello di Montalcino, both of Tuscan origins. From the 80’s on, many types of quality wine were put on the market as normal table wines (”Vino da Tavola”), but with prices as high as those of the DOC wines. These are new created wine types for which the producer wanted to avoid the long way through the Italian authorities.

Basic laws regulating yields

Grapes used for specific wines, area restrictions for growing, viticultural practices and maximum and minimum alcohol strengths were set forward at that time. Three categories were established:

Vino da Tavola , or table wine, typically, but with some exceptions, everyday wines-simple, pleasurable and inexpensive. Ironically, this category also represents the often not-so-inexpensive “Super Tuscan” wines.

DOC wines (initials stand for Denominazione di Origine Controllata ), a translation of the French Appellation d’Origine Côntrolée. There are about 250 DOC zones, and approximately 700 Italian wines bearing this classification. However, only a small percentage of these have any commercial viability. Twenty DOCs account for close to 45% of the country’s total DOC production.

DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) wines, first classified in 1980 with the intention of adding a quality classification to the top of the wine pyramid. The 14 DOCG wines indicate the highest quality (wines not only “controlled” but “guaranteed”). DOCG wines include such famous names as Barola, Barbaresco, Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Additional wines are petitioning for DOCG classification, so the existing group of 14 will continue to grow.

Chianti is a large wine zone extending through much of Tuscany. All of the zone is DOCG status, and it is divided into seven districts. Two of these have readily-available wines on the world market: Chianti Classico (Classic refers to the defined area–not to a reserve or superior bottling) and Chianti Ruffina. In addition to their district of production, Chianti wines vary in style according to aging. Reserve wines, often aged in French oak, may be released after two or more years at the winery.

Chianti is always a very dry red wine, with very concentrated fruit character, most often made entirely from the sangiovese grape. Chianti goes well with food, and can range in style from light to full bodied with tart cherry and violet aromas and flavors. Chianti can age ten or more years in a good vintage.

The second great red wine of Tuscany is Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, from the town of the same name just south of the Chianti district. Brunello is a local term referring to the grape variety sangiovese. These wines are of superior quality and limited production. Intense, concentrated and tannic, they tend to require long aging (up to 20 years), although some producers are now making a more approachable style. Rosso di Montalcino is a less expensive, ready to drink version from either young vines or slightly inferior fruit.

Three more Tuscan wines of note include:

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG. From the town of the same names, these wines are made from basically the same grapes and same blend as Chianti, although the sangiovese clone in this district is Prugnolo Gentile. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano was the first DOCG, and there are some excellent examples.

Carmignano DOCG. This is a dry red wine made from Chianti-like blends, although Cabernet Sauvignon can also be used.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG. Tuscany’s best white wine, it is vinified from the grape variety of the same name. A fresh wine with an almond flavor and slightly oily texture, it is best drunk young.

What is a Super Tuscan ?

The Super Tuscan phenomenon began in the 1970’s when some producers decided to get attention by creating a new style of wine. The wines are called Super Tuscans either because they are produced outside the Chianti zone, or because their grape blends include varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc) that do not conform to the DOC requirements for Chianti, or because they are 100% Sangiovese which previously was prohibited in the Chianti area. Although the blends differ from producer to producer, what these wines do have in common is their expensive price tags. The most famous Super Tuscans, such as Sassiscaia and Solaia, can induce collectors to spend upwards of $200 a bottle in a good vintage. The wines can vary widely in style from Chianti-like to Bordeaux-like to California Cabernet-like, depending on the blend.

Ingredients (serves 6 people)

• One white onion
• One red onion
• 12 oz of carrots
• 10 oz of celery
• 7 oz of cabbage
• 10 oz of beet greens and spinach
• 7 oz of fresh clean white beans
• 10 oz of potatoes
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 6 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 oz of tomato paste
• One glass of red dry wine
• Fresh Italian parsley and basil
• Salt and fresh black pepper

Preparation
Clean and slice all the vegetables. In a large pot gently fry the chopped onions and garlic until golden brown. Add the red wine and cook for approximately 5 minutes, until the liquid evaporates. In a bowl, dilute the tomato paste with a little hot water and then add it to the pot. Reduce heat. Add all the sliced vegetables beginning with the hard ones first (for example the potatoes). Add more hot water and then salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 hour. The soup can be more or less dense, depending on taste.

Pollo alla cacciatora – Chicken hunter style

Ingredients (serves 6 people)

• 1 chicken (free range if possible)
• 1 large onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 6 oz of tomato paste
• 1 glass of red wine
• 5 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 red hot pepper
• 1 laurel leaf
• Fresh Italian parsley & rosemary
• Salt

Preparation
Clean the chicken and chop in pieces. Put the chicken, onion and garlic into a middle size pan with parsley, rosemary and a leaf of laurel, stir the ingredients so that they do not stick to the pan. Once browned, add the wine and after 10 minutes Now add the soaked mushrooms and stir into rice mix. Add ½ tsp of freshly ground Black Pepper. Keep stirring and add a couple of pinches of Salt plus some more of the broth and continue to stir. Test Rice until it is al dente. Add more broth from bouillon and then a small pinch of peperoncino (red crushed pepper). Continue to add water from Bouillon until Rice is done. At the end, add 1 Tbs of butter and stir in along with the rest of the Bouillon Broth. Now add grated Parmesan Cheese, the chopped Parsley and another pinch of freshly ground Black Pepper and stir. It is now ready to serve.

Bucatini alla Americana – Bucatini pasta from Amatrice

Ingredients (serves 6 people)

• 18 oz of bucatini (or spaghetti)
• 10 oz of thick bacon
• 18 oz peeled tomatoes
• 10 oz of white onions
• 1 small hot red pepper
• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh Italian parsley
• 4 oz grated pecorino cheese
• Salt

Preparation
In a middle size pan gently fry the chopped onion with olive oil and the diced bacon, once the onion and bacon are golden brown, add the peeled tomatoes chopped in little pieces. Add salt and the red crushed pepper. Reduce the heat and cook for about 20 minutes (if the sauce becomes thick, add a glass of hot water). Once the sauce is cooked, add the chopped parsley. In a separate large pot add about 5 qt of water. Let it boil, add some salt, and then add the bucatini or spaghetti. Cook the pasta until “al dente”. Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl with the sauce and then add the grated pecorino cheese. Simmer and then serve.

Mussels Grate

Ingredients (for 6 people)

• 1 & ½ kilo (about 3.3 pounds) of mussels
• 50 grams (about 1.76 ounces) of parsley
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 200 grams (about 7 ounces) of dried bread
• 6 tablespoons of Italian olive oil (Preferably Tuscan olive oil!)
• 30 grams (about 1 ounce) of bread crumbs
• Red hot crushed pepper
• Salt

Preparation
Clean the mussels, boil them until they open up (about 3 minutes) and then drain them keeping one cup of the water. Chop in very small pieces the 4 cloves of garlic and the parsley. Soak the dried bread for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the water and add some olive oil to the bread. Put half of the shells of the mussels on some baking tins. Turn on the oven to broil. Fill in the shells with the bread mixture. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on the mussels. Cover the baking tins with a little water of the mussels and then put them in the hot oven. Cook for about 15 minutes. Serve on platters with fresh sliced lemons.

Fusilli con Zucchini

Ingredients (Serves 6)

• 600 grams fusilli pasta
• 5 medium sized zucchini, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (Tuscan!)
• 1 handful fresh basil, hopped
• salt and fresh ground pepper (to taste)
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese (to taste)

Preparation
In a large frying pan, gently saute the garlic in the olive oil on medium heat. After a few moments, add the zucchini. Increase temp to high, add salt to taste and cook uuntil zucchini is tender. Add about half the chopped basil, mixing well. Meanwhile, in a large pot, boil water for pasta, bring to a rolling boil, add some salt and the pasta. Cook uncovered until “al dente” Drain pasta and add to the zucchini, turning heat back to medium. Stir well, coating the pasta with the zucchini sauce, add the remaining basil, some freshly ground black pepper, and a few tablespoons of the grated Parmesan. Serve while hot!

The purpose for embarking on a adventure journey is to have the opportunity to experience first hand, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this is truth. The way we do this is by creating an environment that supports you and allows you to transend your rational mind and see the truth of our reality. By doing this you see for yourself that there is nothing to seek other than your own self-love and respect. The truth is there is nothing to be found outside of us. We have everything within us to create a dream of beauty, love and peace. But to do this we must learn to see the things within our own minds that are stopping us from doing so. I can assure you there is nothing, or no-one preventing you from being all you can be in this lifetime…except for your own mind and it’s fear-based beliefs. I encourage you to stop searching outside of you, and start looking within for the gifts and jewels you have been given that live within.

One of more interesting organizations to get involved with is Women for Women International. It supports and assists women who have been devastated by war and move from crisis and poverty to self-sufficiency. It is an incredible, heart-warming effort that is worthy of your attention and donations. http://www.womenforwomen.org/

Women for Women is one of Best of Both Adventures owner Dez Bartelt’s top organizations to donate to. We will soon have a link on our web site for direct donations. We will also be donating a % of the proceeds of Best of Both Adventures to Women for Women.

After Costa Rica I headed to the lovley town of Santa Barbara looking to improve our GO Girlfriend Weekend Getaway Retreats. Mission acomplished. We have not only added a new location but a new Best of Both team member; Sally Camara. Sally has worked with us on our Surf and Yoga Retreats and is our Director of Message Therapy. However, we now feel it is time she leads her own programs and will now be running our Sanata Barbara girlfriend weekend getaways. Speaking of new Best of Both team members, I’m very happy to say that one of my dearest friends Julie Hydanus has agreed to come on board and will be running our Costa Rica Trips. Welcome Sally and Julie. You can read more about these two amazing women on our web site in the next few weeks.

Michele is busy Running our Surf and Yoga programs in Puerto Rico right now. I could not keep her away! She will be heading back to Michigan to check in on the Blue Door Groumet food and wine store that she proudly ownes for a few weeks before the next trip back in PR. Thank god for Michele. Speaking of Puerto Rico Surf and Yoga, we are now booking up for our Spring 2009 trips. Looks like they have become one of our top selling adventure programs.

We still have space left on some of our summer and fall trips so if you’re thinking you would like to pack your bags and join us, we would love to see you!

Dez Bartelt and the Best of Both Team

Remember Travel can be more then just a dream!

I have been going there ever since my late teens, when I maneuvered my way into Italy without any knowledge of Italian — to study medieval and modern Italian promising that I would go to Florence and apply myself to the language of Dante. In fact, as it happened, I landed in Tuscany where I learned to gossip there, to shop for food and to cook and eat it all’Italiana. And to cook Italian, I learned above all, one must think Italian, which means giving the fewest possible ingredients the greatest possible respect.

If, in a court of law (and let’s hope it never quite comes to that), I had to cite two dishes that best exemplified this dictum of respect, I would have no trouble. I present as evidence a certain contender for my last meal on earth, spaghetti alle vongole, and then that perfect Italian creation, a tagliata. The first offers pasta with clams and the second, a thick slab of flavorsome steak, sliced thinly and, in this version, scattered with shredded radicchio and shaved Parmesan –
what more could you want? Well, I’m with Mae West: too much of a good thing can be wonderful. And so I offer add-ons, oven-baked polenta and perfect lemon gelato for dessert.

I got the idea for serving it with a tagliata this summer, at a fabulous restaurant outside Lucca called Vipore. Cesare Casella, I was eating polenta with cheese instead of meat. But I pinched a little tagliata off someone’s plate and dipped it into the polenta and found it to be heaven. There is something about the savory intensity of the strips of beef with the corn-sunny mush that blends elegance with comfort; it tastes plainly fabulous.

Of course, I might in this case hold off on the radicchio topping, and maybe sprinkle the shavings of Parmesan over the polenta instead of the steak.

In Italy, to be honest, if you want a good ice cream you go to the gelateria — and, in fact, even out of Italy there are good
store-bought gelati to be found. But I have never, off Italian soil, come across a proper gelato di crema; think vanilla ice cream, only in place of vanilla, you infuse the milk with a modest grating or shaving of lemon zest.

This doesn’t turn it into lemon ice cream, itself a cool dollop of heaven. What happens, rather, is that the small-volume scent of lemon makes the eggs eggier and the custard creamier. In short, we’re talking platonic ideal of ice cream.

And even if you cannot quite stir yourself to make the effort to make it, just be happy in the knowledge that it exists. As with Italy, sometimes you have to be content to let it be just a state of mind.

Hold the Tomatoes and the Baton

Here are some tips on making the following recipes:

Spaghetti alle vongole - For me, spaghetti with clams has to be ”white,” which is to say without a tomato in sight – I made this in one of my favorite Italian restaurants in Florence This was a very long time ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I have specified amounts for a single portion here, because I feel cooking food you love is never something that should be reserved for company. Besides, this is quick and easy to make, and it’s important sometimes to give yourself the treat of the perfect supper alone.

Tagliata with radiccio and parmesan - I’ve done versions of tagliata myself over the years, but this is how it was cooked for me by a wonderful Tuscan chef, Niccolo Piccirilli. He used T-bone, and then carved the steak off the bone and into slices once it was cooked al
sangue, which is to say, deliciously rare, though obviously you should cook the steak just how you like to eat it. I tend to use sirloin, but really tagliata refers to the way the steak is carved (from tagliare, to cut) not to the cut, so buy whatever kind of steak you want and cook it as you wish, only be sure to carve it in thin diagonal slices on serving.

Polenta senza bastone - Bastone, a wooden baton, is used to stir polenta as it cooks; this
oven-baked method dispenses with the 40 minutes of continuous spit-boiling attention stirring requires, and instead cooks the polenta, that glorious cornmeal porridge, in the oven. It’s a trick I
picked up from a marvelous Italian

Spaghetti with clams

Time: 15 minutes

Salt
8 to 12 littleneck or other small clams in the shell, scrubbed
1/4 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 to 1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 dried red chili pepper or 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1/3 cup Noilly Prat or other vermouth or white wine
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley.

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, soak clams in cold water
2. Add spaghetti to boiling water, and cook until slightly underdone; pasta will finish cooking in sauce. Meanwhile, place a large saucepan over medium-low heat, and add olive oil, garlic and chili pepper. Sauté gently, reducing heat if necessary so garlic does not brown.
3. Add vermouth and clams, and cover. Clams should open in about 2 minutes. (If pasta is ready first, drain it and toss with a small amount of olive oil.) Add hot drained pasta, cover, and shake pot gently. Allow to simmer for another 1 or 2 minutes until it is done to taste.
4. Discard any clams that have not opened. Add half the parsley, and shake pan to distribute evenly. Transfer to a plate or bowl, and sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Yield: 1 serving.

Tagliata with radicchio and parmesan

Time: 15 minutes, plus cooking time for steak

3 pounds sirloin or other cut of steak, 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick, at room temperature
1 cup shredded radicchio
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler.

1. Grill, sauté or broil steak to taste. Allow to rest on a carving board for 10 minutes. Slice thinly, diagonally against the grain, and arrange on a large warmed plate.
2. Pour pan juices over meat, and cover with shredded radicchio. Top with shredded Parmesan, and serve.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Llemon gelato

Time: 40 minutes, plus chilling and freezing time

2 cups whole milk
Pared or grated zest of just under 1/2 lemon
5 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar.

1. In a small saucepan combine milk and lemon zest. Place over medium-low heat just until steaming; do not boil. Remove from heat, cover, and allow mixture to infuse for about 20 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Strain infused milk into a pitcher, then whisk it into yolk mixture.
3. Pour mixture into a clean saucepan, and place over medium-low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until it forms a custard thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 10 minutes. (Do not overheat or it will curdle.)
4. Cool mixture by placing bottom of pan in several inches of cold water; give it a stir. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Oven baked Polenta

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Butter for greasing dish and foil
2 quarts stock (any kind) or water
Salt to taste
12 ounces polenta meal.

1. Butter a shallow 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish, and set aside. Place stock or water and salt into a large saucepan, and bring to simmer. Remove pan from heat.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Slowly pour polenta into stock, stirring rapidly with a wooden spoon. Place pan on medium heat. Slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly in same direction. Boil 5 minutes, continuing to stir.
3. Pour polenta into buttered dish, and cover with buttered foil. Bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and serve.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Win $200 off your next trip just by sharing your favorite vacation recipes!
Please submit your favorite recipe and a story about where you traveled and how you came across the recipe. For example, on a recent weekend trip to Chicago I tried a meal at a Tapas restaurant and decided I could not leave without knowing how to make this at home. The restaurant simply called the recipe “Bacon Wrapped Dates”. Such a simple title with simple ingredients made a mouth watering culinary experience that makes my mouth water just thinking of it! Maybe it was the whir of the city, the museums and shopping or the fabulous Spanish red wine that made the dish even more enjoyable, but I found when I returned home and tried them myself, I was right back in that intimate Tapas restaurant for a few moments.
Send us an email with your best vacation recipe with your name, recipe and vacation location to contest@bestofbothadventures.com. All suggestions received by June 1st will be reviewed by an independent expert panel (i.e. our guides) and the winner receives $200 off a future trip. If you’re already signed up and still have a balance, you can use it towards that (it can’t be used retroactively). We’ll post all the tips on our blog and also have a Word document available for download.

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So what other new trips are we working on? We’re looking at a couple of new trips in Europe including hiking in Greece and our new Tuscany trips. We only have 4 spaces left for the Oct 2008 trip Closer to home we’re planning new trips to Michigan, for amazing Lake Michigan
surfing, hiking, Yoga and a first class spa experience. We will begin the Adventure with a wine and food pairing introductory dinner showcasing some of the finest local wines and fresh foods from the amazing culinary secret area of Northern Michigan (Mario Batalli has a home here!).

Days will start with Yoga in the Legacy Art Park among White Pines and sculptures from various artists. Surfing the great lakes is a fresh water experience that you will never forget and
breathtaking views of the world famous Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore will be enjoyed from the surfboard and hikes along theplummeting sand dunes.

Where in the world is Dez and Michele

I’m off to Costa Rica to look for our next adventure, then to Santa Barbara and finally to my home in Argentina, for some amazing skiing and good Argentinian wine. I will return in time for our October Trip to Tuscany where I will personally guide you through a maze of food and wine oh, and history. Michele is busy teaching Yoga, Pilates and cooking for her gourmet food and wine store in Northern Michigan.

We still have space left on some of our summer and fall trips so if you’re thinking you would like to pack your bags and join us, we would love to see you! Dez Bartele founder of Best of Both Adventures for women for the Mind and Body

Dez says No-Jet-Lag

This is a safe and effective remedy for countering jet lag, in the form of easy-to-take tablets. Its effectiveness has been proved in a scientific trial of round-the-world passengers and confirmed by longhaul flight attendants in a test conducted in cooperation with their union.