Awe inspiring on the Amalfi Coast....an Albergo "Clash of the Titans"
Sep 26th, 2015, 09:30 AM
#42
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Well, I am just going type this straight in the old fashioned way and hope for the best. Thanks for all your responses.
Day 4 Trip to Tramonti
You might think that we would get tired of that massive buffet everyday and just order room service and have breakfast on the wonderful terrace. How much bacon can one person eat? Maybe we need to shake things up and start the day differently.
If you think we did anything but roll out of bed and head for the buffet and terrace, you'd be wrong. Are you kidding me? Croissants, mozzarella, BACON, yada, yada, yada....view, view, view and then I saw something that scared me. For the first time at the ' Nuse, we spotted a toddler. Oh god. No. This cannot be happening.
I know, I know. The sight of a child should be a happy thing right? They shouldn't strike fear in your heart. For me they kinda do. Chaz is great with kids. I am not. We don't have them and while I know, for many, children are one of life's great treasures....they symbolize hours on planes with screaming babies, nice dinners at great restaurants kaput because of a fussy kid who would have been much happier at any number of family friendly restaurants, etc....one reason we chose Le Sirenuse was because they don't allow children younger than 6 because of all the stairs and that is appealing to me. As it turns out they were visiting and not guests and we never saw them again. I was glad. I know that will open me up to all kinds of critical comments but I do want a serene, grown up vacation.
Must have been visitors day at the' Nuse because the staff and our favorite waiter, Pepe, was treated to some sage, life altering advice from a couple visiting for breakfast. As he took their coffee order, politely and professionally, the response was "SMMMMIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLE! YOU should SMMMIIIIIIIIILLLE. It's so much better if you just SMMIIILLLLLE." Really? This guy has been fantastic to us, friendly, engaging, bringing that second order of bacon everyday to us without me asking. Bringing Chaz a second pot of coffee, instinctively. Works breakfast 7am-11am and dinner 8pm-midnight (plus I am sure some setup time) five and half days a week. But apparently, Pepe was not excited enough about taking her coffee order. I kinda wanted to knock the smile off her face or at least say, " Shut Uuuuuuuuuup". Kidding. Pepe, ever professional, politely told her that he smiles all the time, signora. I could never be a professional server and the staff at Le Sirenuse really are top notch. Anyway, I digress.
We were off with Swirl the Glass to Tenuta San Francesco in Tramonti for wine tasting. The first real activity we did and the only thing we pre-booked before the trip. The van picked us up at 10:30 and we were the last kids on the bus, so we were upfront with the driver. Turns out the Ives was a hoot. Very dry wit and lots of funny comments about tourists, France (as Italian everything is better than French anything) and very knowledgable about the area. She was listening in history class. The view was amazing as we drove up. If our jaws weren't dropped by the majesty of it all, then our mouths were open from screaming at all the near misses on that road. Who would ever feel comfortable driving here? We got a glimpse of our hotel later in the week, Monastero Santa Rosa. As we turned up the road toward Tramonti it got more green and there were tons of olive, walnut, chestnut and apple trees, grapes, fig bushes and tomatoes. Really pretty area.
The tour started in one of the vineyards where we could actually stand under the grapes and we were told about the growing process, the different kinds of grapes grown in the area and used by this winery. We sampled the grapes and they were pretty good but, of course, they aren't for snacking.
We drove up to the main building and they have a lovely kitchen and were hard at working cooking for us. Total dream! We went out to see their older vines that are 250 years old and the trunk looks like a small tree. On to see barrels and learn more about the impact they have on the taste of the wine, the woods used, etc...and finally it was time to taste with lunch.
This is no tasting room. Full glasses with a full meal.
Up first, their whit wine Per Eva which is delicious. It was served with whole milk ricotta, buffalo mozzarella and home made panzanella....all fantastic!
Next, a single vineyard, blended red wine called 4 Spine and served with a true pasta fagioli. That soup would be perfect one cold day. Good wine but quite tannic.
Third, pork braciole, potatoes and pecorino with a single grape red, E'Iss which was very good. Much smoother than the 4 Spine.
Last, dessert of chocolate/almond torta and their Spumante, Altacosta. Good but no match for some of our other favorite sparkling wines.
We had a fun group on the tour and apparently they all love to laugh and SMMIIIILLLLLE! Four guys from Santa Fe, a young couple NJ but with family on the Amalfi Coast, a just married couple from London, a couple from Boston by way of Tokyo and another newlywed couple from NYC. One of the winery owners also joined us, plus Christian from Swirt the Glass. We also met several cats who are mascots, I guess. Very cute young one that wanted his head scratched but really ticked off his older sibling by doing so.
You can buy and they will ship or you can carry it with you. They do not pressure you at all to buy but the wine is good and you will want to buy some. We said our goodbyes and headed back down the coast. We got a better view of Positano and areas we had not been to yet on the way back to Le Sirenuse.
Back at Le Sirenuse, Robert who runs the Champagne and Oyster bar had reserved us a table for dinner since they were not able to accommodate us the night before. We did not ask him to, he just did it and made a point of finding Chaz to let him know. Nice and it was perfect to just clean up, change clothes ( all with our Amalfi playlist in the background) and walk around the corner to our waiting table and of course, the best table in the house. The weather was so great at sunset...perfect for outdoor dining.
So, I know I am getting old as a table of twenty somethings were kinda of annoying. But, it was fun listening to them and discussing how I would not want to be 20 again (ladies, stop playing with your hair). The worst was a pretty redhead that reminded me of a girl on the Bravo show "Southern Charm", pretty but clueless. Anyway, she was the worst because, she is a snorter. She doesn't laugh, she snorts, LOUD! We downed her out with our Champagne but we're glad to see them go.
Dinner was snapper with onions and tomatoes and thinly sliced, fried tomatoes, squash, squash blossoms and eggplant. So good. We finished with profiteroles that were good but not quite Paris good, but please don't tell the Swirl the Glass driver!! Last, some limoncello as a nightcap to bring another great day on the Amalfi coast to a close.
Day 4 Trip to Tramonti
You might think that we would get tired of that massive buffet everyday and just order room service and have breakfast on the wonderful terrace. How much bacon can one person eat? Maybe we need to shake things up and start the day differently.
If you think we did anything but roll out of bed and head for the buffet and terrace, you'd be wrong. Are you kidding me? Croissants, mozzarella, BACON, yada, yada, yada....view, view, view and then I saw something that scared me. For the first time at the ' Nuse, we spotted a toddler. Oh god. No. This cannot be happening.
I know, I know. The sight of a child should be a happy thing right? They shouldn't strike fear in your heart. For me they kinda do. Chaz is great with kids. I am not. We don't have them and while I know, for many, children are one of life's great treasures....they symbolize hours on planes with screaming babies, nice dinners at great restaurants kaput because of a fussy kid who would have been much happier at any number of family friendly restaurants, etc....one reason we chose Le Sirenuse was because they don't allow children younger than 6 because of all the stairs and that is appealing to me. As it turns out they were visiting and not guests and we never saw them again. I was glad. I know that will open me up to all kinds of critical comments but I do want a serene, grown up vacation.
Must have been visitors day at the' Nuse because the staff and our favorite waiter, Pepe, was treated to some sage, life altering advice from a couple visiting for breakfast. As he took their coffee order, politely and professionally, the response was "SMMMMIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLE! YOU should SMMMIIIIIIIIILLLE. It's so much better if you just SMMIIILLLLLE." Really? This guy has been fantastic to us, friendly, engaging, bringing that second order of bacon everyday to us without me asking. Bringing Chaz a second pot of coffee, instinctively. Works breakfast 7am-11am and dinner 8pm-midnight (plus I am sure some setup time) five and half days a week. But apparently, Pepe was not excited enough about taking her coffee order. I kinda wanted to knock the smile off her face or at least say, " Shut Uuuuuuuuuup". Kidding. Pepe, ever professional, politely told her that he smiles all the time, signora. I could never be a professional server and the staff at Le Sirenuse really are top notch. Anyway, I digress.
We were off with Swirl the Glass to Tenuta San Francesco in Tramonti for wine tasting. The first real activity we did and the only thing we pre-booked before the trip. The van picked us up at 10:30 and we were the last kids on the bus, so we were upfront with the driver. Turns out the Ives was a hoot. Very dry wit and lots of funny comments about tourists, France (as Italian everything is better than French anything) and very knowledgable about the area. She was listening in history class. The view was amazing as we drove up. If our jaws weren't dropped by the majesty of it all, then our mouths were open from screaming at all the near misses on that road. Who would ever feel comfortable driving here? We got a glimpse of our hotel later in the week, Monastero Santa Rosa. As we turned up the road toward Tramonti it got more green and there were tons of olive, walnut, chestnut and apple trees, grapes, fig bushes and tomatoes. Really pretty area.
The tour started in one of the vineyards where we could actually stand under the grapes and we were told about the growing process, the different kinds of grapes grown in the area and used by this winery. We sampled the grapes and they were pretty good but, of course, they aren't for snacking.
We drove up to the main building and they have a lovely kitchen and were hard at working cooking for us. Total dream! We went out to see their older vines that are 250 years old and the trunk looks like a small tree. On to see barrels and learn more about the impact they have on the taste of the wine, the woods used, etc...and finally it was time to taste with lunch.
This is no tasting room. Full glasses with a full meal.
Up first, their whit wine Per Eva which is delicious. It was served with whole milk ricotta, buffalo mozzarella and home made panzanella....all fantastic!
Next, a single vineyard, blended red wine called 4 Spine and served with a true pasta fagioli. That soup would be perfect one cold day. Good wine but quite tannic.
Third, pork braciole, potatoes and pecorino with a single grape red, E'Iss which was very good. Much smoother than the 4 Spine.
Last, dessert of chocolate/almond torta and their Spumante, Altacosta. Good but no match for some of our other favorite sparkling wines.
We had a fun group on the tour and apparently they all love to laugh and SMMIIIILLLLLE! Four guys from Santa Fe, a young couple NJ but with family on the Amalfi Coast, a just married couple from London, a couple from Boston by way of Tokyo and another newlywed couple from NYC. One of the winery owners also joined us, plus Christian from Swirt the Glass. We also met several cats who are mascots, I guess. Very cute young one that wanted his head scratched but really ticked off his older sibling by doing so.
You can buy and they will ship or you can carry it with you. They do not pressure you at all to buy but the wine is good and you will want to buy some. We said our goodbyes and headed back down the coast. We got a better view of Positano and areas we had not been to yet on the way back to Le Sirenuse.
Back at Le Sirenuse, Robert who runs the Champagne and Oyster bar had reserved us a table for dinner since they were not able to accommodate us the night before. We did not ask him to, he just did it and made a point of finding Chaz to let him know. Nice and it was perfect to just clean up, change clothes ( all with our Amalfi playlist in the background) and walk around the corner to our waiting table and of course, the best table in the house. The weather was so great at sunset...perfect for outdoor dining.
So, I know I am getting old as a table of twenty somethings were kinda of annoying. But, it was fun listening to them and discussing how I would not want to be 20 again (ladies, stop playing with your hair). The worst was a pretty redhead that reminded me of a girl on the Bravo show "Southern Charm", pretty but clueless. Anyway, she was the worst because, she is a snorter. She doesn't laugh, she snorts, LOUD! We downed her out with our Champagne but we're glad to see them go.
Dinner was snapper with onions and tomatoes and thinly sliced, fried tomatoes, squash, squash blossoms and eggplant. So good. We finished with profiteroles that were good but not quite Paris good, but please don't tell the Swirl the Glass driver!! Last, some limoncello as a nightcap to bring another great day on the Amalfi coast to a close.
Sep 26th, 2015, 11:56 AM
#43
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I feel you on the screaming kid thing and I do have kids. We have had the issue on planes though. Frustrating on a 10 hour flight, especially when we have paid extra for premium economy. Oh well, at least we were more comfortable while they screamed a few rows in front of us.
Sep 26th, 2015, 12:46 PM
#44
This is heavenly! I can taste the food. I completely can relate to seeing the child feeling. I have kids and still feel that way. Like you said, you want a grown up vacation not one spoiled by toddlers.
Sep 27th, 2015, 04:38 AM
#48
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You guys are awesome. There is something about kids and pools that always leads to crying, wailing and whining, and in my mind, there are just certain places that are not suited for kids. Totally appreciate everyone understanding where I'm coming from on that. And, this was an incredible trip but honestly, we have never done less on a trip! I am lucky that Chaz fully supports shopping and he always has....won the lottery on that!
Sep 27th, 2015, 05:02 AM
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I am just loving your trip report so much and it's especially fun for me since I was there at the same time.
Believe me, I've been known to complain about screaming kids in restaurants and on planes so I understand completely. I was thrilled that I didn't have to deal with any kids on this trip and I like kids.
Believe me, I've been known to complain about screaming kids in restaurants and on planes so I understand completely. I was thrilled that I didn't have to deal with any kids on this trip and I like kids.
Sep 27th, 2015, 06:36 AM
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Sep 27th, 2015, 06:39 AM
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Sep 27th, 2015, 05:18 PM
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Thank you... Not a great photographer but love to have a few pics to look back on. John183, I am so forgetful I had to look up my last TR to see the title! Jeez. It would have been a good title for this trip for sure but I can't re-use a TR title....unheard of! 
