5 Ways to enjoy a snowy Winter

Why do we always complain about the cold, the snow and the slush. Why does winter get a bum rap? It doesn't take that much effort to enjoy this season. Here are five ways to make the best of winter.

1. Go Outside
Experience your own hometown while it's covered in snow and under gray skies. It's easy to take beautiful pictures on lovely spring days. Try to find the wonder when things look their bleakest.

2. Head to the Mountains
Skiers and snowboarders love this weather. Don't enjoy throwing yourself down a mountain? Try snowshoeing. It's essentially winter hiking and it's an amazing workout. Or, just take advantage of the apr s-ski scene with a few beverages and a dip in the hot tub.

3. Be Productive
Simply hate the cold and snow too much to go outside? Take advantage of that by being productive inside. Edit those summer trip photos that you've neglected. Read those guidebooks that you bought for your upcoming trips. Heck, book and plan some of those trips! If you're going to stay inside and avoid winter, you might as well have something to show for it when the thaw arrives.

4. Cook
Nothing warms up a home like a hot oven (except for maybe a furnace or a fireplace). You know all of those foods that you've loved during your trips? Try to recreate those dishes in your own kitchen. No matter what the wind chill is, a bowl of homemade .."pasta with pesto" is sure to warm you up and remind you of that trip to " Italy".

5. Enjoy Being Home
Summer will surely bring road trips, weekend getaways and more destination weddings than your bank account would care to discuss. Use winter to recharge your batteries and reacquaint yourself with your own bed. There's nothing wrong with being home for a stretch. Your friends have probably missed you...and your homemade pasta.

Blog borrowed from www.mikebarish.com

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, Italy, Lake Maggiore, Piedmont, Travel, weather

Packing for Children

6 Simple Tips reblogged from Fodor's Newsletter

May 16, 2011 | Posted in Practical Travel Tips | Fodor's Editors

Whether your family is heading out for a long flight or a quick road trip, reduce your pre-trip stress with our simple family travel packing tips. From making a list to creative carry-ons, you'll help prevent adult and kid meltdowns away from home (it's amazing how the smallest of stuffed animals can test everyone's sanity).

1. Give everyone his or her own bag.
Individual suitcases (preferably different colors-red for one, blue for another) help you locate items in a hurry. This will make life easy at the airport, as even little kids are not only capable of toting around a mini-Pullman-they often enjoy it.

2. Assemble one toiletry kit for all the kids.
Today's rules regarding carry-on liquids mean more shampoos in checked baggage-and more potential for messy spills. Checking one bag with all spillable items (as well as beauty items such as hair dryers and makeup) saves you from a potential trip to the Laundromat upon arrival. It also eases unpacking, allowing you to deposit the entire case right in the bathroom.

3. Make packing lists for each child.
List each item as it's packed, and stow the complete itemization in the suitcase. The arrangement will help you repack at the end of the trip and give you the peace of mind of knowing everything that came is going back home.

4. Pack a family carry-on.
One bag of essentials saves heartache if a bag is temporarily lost. Include one outfit for everyone, as well as prescriptions and other must-haves. A communal bag also simplifies car travel, giving quick access to overnight necessities for midway stops instead of unpacking the whole car.

5. Consider creative carry-ons.
Soft coolers make great carry-on luggage. Roomy and crushable, they're perfect for nonbreakable items (such as those extra outfits) and help you cut your food bill by becoming picnic baskets for takeout meals.

6. Think plastic.
Plastic bags protect delicate items from spills inside your suitcase. They'll also be invaluable at trip's end for dirty laundry and any wet clothes coming home.

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, Children, Italy, Piedmont, Travel

Giocometti Exhibition – Gallarate until 19th June

The MAGA Museum of Gallarate (Varese) hosts,until 19th June 2011, a personal exhibition of the famous Italian artist Alberto Giacometti.

Giocometti Exhibition - until June 19th Gallarate

The exhibition consists of sculptures, paintings and drawings by Alberto Giacometti, coming from a private collection, never exhibited in Europe before.

The works of art cover the entire course of Giacometti's artistic research, including a large documentary section: photographs which depict the artist at work and tell his life, to relive his exceptional artistic personality.

CONTACT

Art Museum Gallarate MAGA
Web: http://www.museomaga.it

Tagged: art, Castello Dal Pozzo, Italy, Lake Maggiore, Piedmont, Travel

Unusual Hotels – Whitepod Switzerland

An eco-tourism concept

The resort provides an alternative means to explore the Swiss Alps. With the use of the pods (dome shaped tents), pitched on wooden platforms, Whitepod offers low impact accommodation in an untouched and pristine alpine environment. Isolated from all urban pollution, the mountain region lends itself beautifully to such an eco-tourism development.

The camp opened on the 20th of December 2011

The Whitepod domain is

• 15 geodesic-dome pods surrounding a central chalet called the Pod-house
• The chalet Les Cerniers, a traditional wooden chalet which acts as base-camp for the whole resort, and offers an inventive and refined cuisine in its new restaurant
• 7km of ski slopes with private ski lifts
• The Alpage de Chindonne, an authentic mountain lodge, which can accommodate up to 80 guests in rooms of dormitories, and its traditional Swiss restaurant

The Whitepod resort is the ultimate mountain escape for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike!

An eco-tourism concept

Whitepod aims to be a model for sustainable tourism by using a number of measures to limit its impact on nature, for example

• Minimize daily water and electricity consumption
• Reduce waste production
• Favor the use of renewable resources
• Increase the clients' awareness of environment protection

The Pods

A pod is a geodesic structure anchored on wooden platforms, and naturally isolated from the cold and the snow - all pods are equipped with wood-burning stoves, organic luxury bedding and full services bathrooms.

At the center of the 15 pods, stands a charming early 1800s wooden chalet where guests meet for breakfast in the morning or gather in the evening around its central fireplace for evening drinks and socializing.

The recently built spa guarantees complete relaxation after an active day in the forest or on the ski slopes.

Cost for 2 people 325 weekdays, 480 at weekends

• Buffet breakfast at the Pod-house. Access to the relaxation area, All equipment necessary for the stay - back bag, headlights, snowshoes, sledge, Access to our private ski slopes, Free WIFI at the Pod-house, Tea-Time - afternoon tea & pastries served everyday, Parking, All taxes

Discover their Romantic Package for 2 people, 2 nights in a pod

• Welcome drink
• Dinner for 2 at the chalet Les Cerniers
• Candle lit dinner served in your pod, Gourmet basket, Champagne
• Guided snowshoeing tour (small group of maximum 8 people) Half day,
  Equipment and picnic provided.
  One Aromatherapy massage for 2
• Price for 2 people & 2 nights
  CHF 1'580 / EUR 1'280
  Thursday & Friday = CHF 1'780 / EUR 1'450
  Friday & Saturday = CHF 1'980 / EUR 1'610
  Saturday & Sunday = CHF 1'780 / EUR 1'450

For all information www.whitepod.com

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, Hotels, Italy, leisure, skiing, Travel, Unusual hotels

Winter Pictures

In the Alps, more than a metre of fresh snow in 5 days. Absolutely fantastic.

On the Lake back in Italy, no snow, no rain, autumn colours but cold at night.

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, Italy, Lake Maggiore, Recreation, Things to see, Travel