Lake George: One of New York's Unsung Sweet Spots

Elizabeth Minchilli is the host of the blog Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome and author of the apps Eat Rome, Eat Florence, and Eat Venice. Every two years almost everyone I know heads to Venice. I used to be more involved in the art world and so most of my closest friends are art historians, art dealers, professors or artists. And almost all of them go to the opening of the Biennale which takes place—as the name implies—every two years. Countries from all over the world exhibit contemporary art in their own pavilions that are located at Venice's most eastern tip. While I usually don't head up for the opening events (too crowded for me, I go later on in the summer), I content myself with the fact that most of my friends usually end up making it down to Rome too. And of course they all ask me where to eat while in Venice. Up until now I would send them a rag tag list that I'd compiled over the years. But finally, this year, I can just tell them to download my app Eat Venice. (You're welcome.) But if I know my friends, they are still going to ask me things like "Do I need to reserve?,"  "but which ones are your favorites?," and "are there some places you like near the fair grounds?" And so, to answer at least one of your question, here are a handful of places that I like. These are all very simple places, within a very short walk to the Biennale, and a good stop for lunch: Trattoria alla Rampa (Via Garibaldi). The holy grail in Venice—at least for foodies—is finding that little hidden away place where locals go. In a city like Venice—which makes its living from the hoards of tourists who come here each year—these simple places are a dying breed. But Trattoria alla Rampa is the exception. The small restaurant, with a hand painted sign outside, is located in an area of Venice where few tourists venture. Just north of the Biennale gardens, the small streets leading off of the wide Via Garibaldi are hung with laundry belonging to the mostly working class families that live here. La Rampa opens its doors at 5 a.m. Yes. You read that right They open that early because that is when the men who live in this neighborhood—policemen, firemen, garbage men, and other workers—head off for the day. They stop by La Rampa for a quick breakfast and the place remains open for the rest of the day until just after lunch. A ramp (where the place get's it's name) leads into the restaurant. There's usually a few men lined up at the bancone, enjoying a coffee or a glass of wine, and maybe a sandwich. A low doorway at the back leads to the dining room, where a dozen tables are set for lunch. The menu changes daily. The day we were there most people were ordering spaghetti all' nero di seppie, thick strands of spaghetti coated in inky sauce. Caffe la Serra (Viale Garibaldi). Serra dei Giardini is a very new arrival in Venice. Well, actually, like everything else in Venice, it's very old. But it does have a new use. The Serra, or Greenhouse, was built in 1894, just around the corner from the Biennale gardens. It was used (like greenhouses are) to store delicate plants. In the 1990's it was abandoned and it started to slowly decay. Until the city of Venice realized what it was losing, restored it, and has rented out to various activities. Including a very cute little cafe. A dozen tables are scattered in the garden, and a few more are inside, within the sun-soaked greenhouse itself. A limited—but healthy—menu features natural juices, organic salads, and sandwiches as well as tarts (both savory and sweet). They even have a list of organic wines. It's not a typical Venetian experience, but it is pretty magical. Either in the shade of the garden, or within the antique greenhouse. Refolo (Via Garibaldi). I love Via Garibaldi. It's one of the widest "streets" in Venice, and so is never that crowded. Which makes it the perfect place for a passeggiata. El Refola is the perfect place to stop for a glass of wine and one of their excellent panini. This tiny spot usually has about 20 bottles open at any one time. And to pair, their sandwiches which change daily and are true works of art. Speck con Pate di Noci combines smoked prosciutto with walnut pate'. Provola e Melanzane combined provola cheese with grilled eggplant for a vegetarian option. The meats and cheeses are all specially sourced, crafted by artisans in small quantities. And if you feel like a spritz, this is the place to have one since they are one of the few places that still use the local and very hard to find Select bitter, instead of the more modern Aperol or Campari. Spighe (Via Garibaldi). Cute little no-frills place that serves healthy, organic, vegetarian and vegan food. The small shop is set up with a display case at the back, and a long communal counter in the front. Choose your dish by pointing out what you'd like. You can mix and match, since everything is sold by the weight. The menu changes every day, and they have an 11-euro fixed lunch menu that includes a first course, second course, two side dishes. Dishes include pastas, grain salads, vegetables, and usually things like hummus and savory tarts. If you don't feel like eating in, they also serve take out, so you can head a block away to the benches along Viale Garibaldi to have a picnic.

Cathy Bennett Kopf writes for TheOpenSuitcase.com I swear I could hear my daughter's eyes roll back in her head when I suggested we stop by Emily Dickinson's house after touring UMass Amherst. I explained that I feel personally responsible for supporting these types of museums. If old English majors don't visit Emily's home and other important literary sites such as the House of the Seven Gables and Poe's grave, then, really, who will? She conceded, if I promised a sweatshirt in return. Deal. I enjoy touring college campuses, at least I did, the first four or five times. After a while they begin to blend, like Caribbean cruise ports. Since precious vacation days must be spent on this important teen/parent bonding activity, I long ago began to package the campus visit with an unrelated sightseeing adventure. The Emily Dickinson museum is the perfect detour if you're spending the day at one of the schools that comprise the Five College Consortium: Amherst, UMass, Hampshire, Mt. Holyoke, and Smith. The Dickinson houses are operated as one museum offering two different guided tours, a 90-minute one that includes the Homestead and The Evergreens (brother Austin's house) or a shorter, 45-minute one. Our docent was a trim, somber woman who could not believe my daughter's lack of interest in the Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon. Who could possibly pass on the chance to read all of the Belle's 1,789 poems in one sitting? Emily's house tour includes the parlor, library, and bedroom where she'd sit in the evening at her tiny writing desk and haul out the bits and scribbles that she'd tucked in her pocket throughout the day. You'll learn little fun facts about the poet; for example, she was a prize-winning bread baker. What you won't hear though are any of the salacious stories about the family, like those told in Lyndall Gordon's "Lives Like Loaded Guns." Apparently, Brother Austin routinely held trysts with his paramour, Mabel Todd, on the Homestead's living room couch. (Our guide mentioned only that the couch had been reupholstered.) The tour concluded with a brief discussion of Emily's poetry, comparing her freestyle verse with the more structured work of contemporaries like Emerson. When asked to read "I'm Nobody" out loud, I know my daughter considered vaulting through the window. Besides the sweatshirt, I offered compensatory cuisine—lunch at The Lone Wolf, one of Amherst's excellent independent restaurants. She scarfed down chocolate chip pancakes while I enjoyed an Eggs Benedict Florentine. The restaurant is open seven days a week until 2 p.m. and, in addition to traditional breakfast fare, offers a number of Southwest and vegan options. My favorite line in Dickinson's poetry is "To live is so startling, it leaves very little time for anything else." What's yours?

Sophie Gackowski for HomeAway UK It's fair to say the United Kingdom has produced some pretty famous exports. From Harry Potter to Henry VIII, these unassuming isles have certainly packed a punch over the course of world history. Do your interests lie in literature and folklore, music, or mythical creatures? Whatever you dream of when you think "U.K.," here are eight of our favorite vacation (we call it "holiday") spots, and the eminent exports that planted them firmly on the map. Nessie's home in Loch Ness. A large, unidentified monster lurking in Loch Ness, you say? We may never know, but resident "Nessie hunters" may tell you otherwise! Possibly the U.K.'s most famed mythical creature, Nessie has attained an incredible popular culture presence since her first reported sighting back in 1933. Get your camera at the ready. Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon. As Romeo was to his Juliet, William Shakespeare was to his hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon. He may have moved to London to pen the world's finest plays, but he returned to Stratford in his later years, where he died at age 52. The house in which he lived remains, as does his resting place, at Holy Trinity Church. The Brontë sisters' Yorkshire. If you're barmy about the Brontës, then Yorkshire—lovingly known as Brontë country—is unbeatable. It's this land of windswept heather and moor-ish wilderness which inspired Charlotte, Emily, and Anne to create their famed novels Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and Agnes Grey. Its bleak plains are every bit as bewitching. The Beatles' Liverpool. The most celebrated band to ever come out of the U.K., it's no secret the Beatles began in the city of Liverpool. From "The Beatles Story" in Albert Dock and famed Penny Lane, to the childhood home of John Lennon and the Cavern Club in which they played, Liverpool's incredibly proud of its four famous sons. Robert Burns's Scottish Borders. As Scotland's national bard, it's safe to say Robert Burns is one of our most prominent poets. See where he was born at Alloway's Robert Burns Birthplace Museum (keep an eye out for the cast of his skull!) before following in his footsteps to Dumfries, where you'll have a dram at his favoured watering hole, the Globe Inn. Jane Austen's Derbyshire. Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice has enchanted and enthralled readers for years. Who could forget falling for the delectable Mr. Darcy for the first time? Derbyshire's thought to have inspired the tale itself, and it's Chatsworth House near Bake well which provides the model for Darcy's incredible country estate, Pemberley. Beatrix Potter's Lake District. The Tale of Peter Rabbit has long lit up the eyes of children; it's one of the best-selling books of all time. Written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter, it's just one of many filled with colorful characters and Lake District locations. Did you know that Squirrel Nutkin sailed on Derwentwater, or that Johnny Townmouse lived in Hawkshead? Robin Hood's Nottingham. Heroic rogue and all-round great guy, Robin Hood—with his Merry Men—has captured imaginations for centuries. Nottingham's Sherwood Forest lies at the heart of the legend, and it's not difficult to see why: its ancient oak trees would have provided the perfect camouflage for robbing the rich to give to the poor! Follow Sophie Gackowski on Google+.

Have you got Gatsby fever? This week, director Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby opens with Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby, the tragic hero who amasses a fortune in an attempt to win back his first love. As dreamy as DiCaprio will appear on screens around the world, the Oscar winner will be rivaled by his opulent surroundings. Fitzgerald concocted a fictional Long Island community of knockout mansions, swimming pools, and endless Roaring Twenties parties, and Luhrmann's film promises to deliver a typically over-the-top interpretation of that lost world. But you can actually take a peek at the way the real-life Gatsbys of the early 20th century lived on Long Island's North Shore, in an area known as the Gold Coast. Here, four beautiful mansions that inspired The Great Gatsby—and are open to the public less than an hour from New York City. Oheka Castle. This 1919 mansion was the second-largest private residence in the U.S. and has long been rumored to be the inspiration for F. Scott Fitgerald's Gatsby mansion. Built by banker Otto Kahn, the estate's house and gardens once saw guests that included the opera singer Enrico Caruso, the composer George Gershwin, and the vaudeville star Fanny Brice. Today, it is available for private events but visitors can call ahead and request a tour or an overnight stay. (136 West Gate Drive, Huntington, NY, oheka.com) Old Westbury Gardens. This 1906 home was built by philanthropist John S. Phipps for his family. The house is a Charles II-style mansion with a priceless collection of furniture and fine arts. Its 160 acres serve as an impressive botanical gardens, with more than 100 species of trees, gardens, and classical statuary. The grounds include a plant shop, gift shop, and café. (71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury, NY, oldwestburygardens.org) Vanderbilt Museum & Planetarium. This vibrant museum would be worth visiting even if it weren't the former home of the great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt. Overlooking Northport Harbor and Long Island Sound, the mansion is open for guided tours, and the museum's planetarium is one of the best in the U.S., with high-definition sky shows. The museum also features an observatory on clear evenings for stargazers. (180 Little Neck Road, Centerport, NY, vanderbiltmuseum.org) Nassau County Museum of Art. We associate major art collections with big cities, but here in Roslyn Harbor, in a three-story Georgian mansion that was once the Frick estate, you'll find a world-class collection of fine art, a sculpture park, the Art Space for Children, and a school for budding artists. (One Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor, NY, nassaumuseum.org) TALK TO US! We want to know: What movies have inspired you to pack your bags and travel?