Spur of the moment...we booked the coolest Groupon to Italy!
Jun 16th, 2012, 01:08 PM
#43
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,198
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Aw, shucks, tentek! Thanks! That would be a fun job!
I also want to be the best spokesperson for this Abruzzo cooking trip. We expected a wonderful trip, but we never ever thought it could surpass many of our favorite vacations. I'll write a trip report when I get home. We are toying with the idea of going back if the owner puts together the "part 2" itinerary he is thinking about.
I also want to be the best spokesperson for this Abruzzo cooking trip. We expected a wonderful trip, but we never ever thought it could surpass many of our favorite vacations. I'll write a trip report when I get home. We are toying with the idea of going back if the owner puts together the "part 2" itinerary he is thinking about.
Jun 16th, 2012, 01:54 PM
#44
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just to add my two cents....I now understand why people will say this is a trip of a lifetime. The experiences at Abruzzo Cibus, the food, the wine, the laughter, the friendships formed added up to "a trip of a lifetime."
A large part of it was due to our host Massimo and the rest of the gang at the Palazzo, they have a passion and a love for what they do and it shows.
I don't know if I can do the trip justice in a trip report but I'll try once i'm stateside.
K- we're thinking LA in the fall when Massimo & Dino come over. Want to join us?
A large part of it was due to our host Massimo and the rest of the gang at the Palazzo, they have a passion and a love for what they do and it shows.
I don't know if I can do the trip justice in a trip report but I'll try once i'm stateside.
K- we're thinking LA in the fall when Massimo & Dino come over. Want to join us?
Jun 16th, 2012, 10:55 PM
#46
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,198
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Uh-oh, you can't begin to imagine how wonderful this was. I'm excited to write my trip report just so I can relive every little detail!
Johnny, wouldn't that be fun! Let me know the date and I'll see what I can do. Thanks!
Oh, and by the way, johnnyomalley and I aren't connected to the owner and/or the palazzo in any way!
Johnny, wouldn't that be fun! Let me know the date and I'll see what I can do. Thanks!
Oh, and by the way, johnnyomalley and I aren't connected to the owner and/or the palazzo in any way!
Jun 19th, 2012, 07:19 AM
#49
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 23,448
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here is the question I ask myself when contemplating ann item of clothing in a discount store:
"Would you want it if you had to pay full price?"
So, I'm asking that question here..since the Groupon might not be a possibility for most of us, would you recommend the Abruzzo trip if one had to pay the non-Groupon price and just book directly from the website?
Can you tell us about Vasto..how was the beach? The town itself?
Fascinating! Another destination to add to the (long) list!
"Would you want it if you had to pay full price?"
So, I'm asking that question here..since the Groupon might not be a possibility for most of us, would you recommend the Abruzzo trip if one had to pay the non-Groupon price and just book directly from the website?
Can you tell us about Vasto..how was the beach? The town itself?
Fascinating! Another destination to add to the (long) list!
Jun 20th, 2012, 05:12 AM
#50
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,198
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi all! After 21 1/2 hours of traveling from Rome yesterday, I am home 
(A flight through Dublin, the land of free airport Wi-Fi, will add extra hours!) I started to answer the above questions while there and finish on the plane, but the Wi-Fi the didn't reach the plane so I lost the whole thing.
What a wonderful trip, which will end up in a trip report...but not today!
Eks - DH and I were contemplating the same question you asked by the end of our week. When we love a place, we do think about Groupon vs non-Groupon prices so I loved your question. We pondered it after our Groupon weekend trip to Virginia and had definitely decided NO WAY. Why pay full price when that hotel offers the deal every year and we can go whenever we like. Groupon or bust for that one.
But for this trip, IMHO, I think the full price would definitely be worth it (not that I wouldn't prefer a Groupon price, of course). What we got was incredible, from the food cooked for us, to the cooking classes (one chef was from the states so no language barrier, the other was Italian but his English was pretty good), to the culture, to the unlimited wine every time we turned around
, to the generosity and caring of the owner (who, by the way went to college and got his MBA in the states so language was no problem at all), to the accommodations, which were simple, yet so fitting and comfortable, and to the camaraderie of our group. We had some experiences that I couldn't have gotten anywhere else.
I also asked DH this question without telling him why I was asking and he didn't hesitate in saying yes, he'd pay full price. Would we go back for the same itinerary and items cooked? No. Would we go back to stay there, visit with Massimo (the owner), go on different excursions, cook different food? Absolutely. As a matter of fact, many of us had just this discussion with the owner and he is now trying to figure out how to incorporate 'Abruzzo Cooking, Part 2' into his yearly plans. We hope he succeeds!
More to come in my trip report - don't want to give it all away here!
pctraveler and annhig - Unfortunately, answering the question about Casa di Clelia in Rome isn't QUITE as positive. There were certainly plenty of pros. The apartment is adorable and the perfect size for the 3 of us. 2 adults and 2 smaller kids would be very comfortable as well. So many things were there for our use - tea, coffee, olive oil, sugar, plenty of toilet paper (our apartment last year had 1/2 of 1 roll...woo hoo!), shampoo, soap, maps, guide books, even a baby seat at the table. We were given coupons for one free breakfast at a tiny cafe around the corner - juice, coffee or tea and a delicious cornetto. The A/C was included and worked quickly and perfectly, very welcome after the 90 degree days in Rome. The location was wonderful and quiet. The owner, Catherine, was only an email away. We hadn't received enough towels, emailed her and she brought them by the next day, along with some apricots from her garden. The location is perfect and easily walkable to most tourist sights. And oh yes, my daughter's favorite positive - it was near the best gelato we had in 2 trips to Rome - Gelateria del Teatro. (and we eat a lot of gelato!)
None of the disadvantages were earth-shattering, but they added up. The pros were so wonderful and Catherine was so sweet that I hate to even bring them up, but since you asked I will mention them so people can make an informed decision. The Internet was spotty, actually didn't work much at all our last 2 days. The main reason I had wanted it at that point was to confirm our ride to the airport and in case our 3 kids left at home needed to email us, but otherwise for us, no biggie. The apartment was a bit dark, but first floor in a tiny street, that was to be expected - and we did expect it. The sheets were very pilled and scratchy, but with all the late night dining I could have fallen asleep on just about anything. I have to say that it wasn't the best feeling on my legs, but maybe someone there a different time would have better sheets. The biggest negative was that the basement level, where the bedrooms were located, was damp and made my husband sneeze...and sneeze, and our towels never really dried out, even when we moved them out of the bathroom. Catherine had said there was a leak in the ceiling 3 days before our arrival so this all might have been temporary, but with my husband's allergies, it was difficult. If that had not been a problem, I could overlook everything else because we really did enjoy the apartment and it suited us quite well, but being honest, we personally wouldn't be able to risk the dampness issue again. We also couldn't run the A/C while out because a key is inserted to run the electricity while you are in, and has to be removed when you leave. Running the A/C full-time might have taken care of the problem, but we were asked not to do that since electricity is so expensive there.
I feel really badly being honest about this - I don't really know Catherine, but I feel so disloyal. If it was really due to this leak, it could be completely different the next time and the apartment itself had everything you would need. Otherwise, we were quite happy there.
(A flight through Dublin, the land of free airport Wi-Fi, will add extra hours!) I started to answer the above questions while there and finish on the plane, but the Wi-Fi the didn't reach the plane so I lost the whole thing.What a wonderful trip, which will end up in a trip report...but not today!
Eks - DH and I were contemplating the same question you asked by the end of our week. When we love a place, we do think about Groupon vs non-Groupon prices so I loved your question. We pondered it after our Groupon weekend trip to Virginia and had definitely decided NO WAY. Why pay full price when that hotel offers the deal every year and we can go whenever we like. Groupon or bust for that one.
But for this trip, IMHO, I think the full price would definitely be worth it (not that I wouldn't prefer a Groupon price, of course). What we got was incredible, from the food cooked for us, to the cooking classes (one chef was from the states so no language barrier, the other was Italian but his English was pretty good), to the culture, to the unlimited wine every time we turned around
, to the generosity and caring of the owner (who, by the way went to college and got his MBA in the states so language was no problem at all), to the accommodations, which were simple, yet so fitting and comfortable, and to the camaraderie of our group. We had some experiences that I couldn't have gotten anywhere else.I also asked DH this question without telling him why I was asking and he didn't hesitate in saying yes, he'd pay full price. Would we go back for the same itinerary and items cooked? No. Would we go back to stay there, visit with Massimo (the owner), go on different excursions, cook different food? Absolutely. As a matter of fact, many of us had just this discussion with the owner and he is now trying to figure out how to incorporate 'Abruzzo Cooking, Part 2' into his yearly plans. We hope he succeeds!
More to come in my trip report - don't want to give it all away here!
pctraveler and annhig - Unfortunately, answering the question about Casa di Clelia in Rome isn't QUITE as positive. There were certainly plenty of pros. The apartment is adorable and the perfect size for the 3 of us. 2 adults and 2 smaller kids would be very comfortable as well. So many things were there for our use - tea, coffee, olive oil, sugar, plenty of toilet paper (our apartment last year had 1/2 of 1 roll...woo hoo!), shampoo, soap, maps, guide books, even a baby seat at the table. We were given coupons for one free breakfast at a tiny cafe around the corner - juice, coffee or tea and a delicious cornetto. The A/C was included and worked quickly and perfectly, very welcome after the 90 degree days in Rome. The location was wonderful and quiet. The owner, Catherine, was only an email away. We hadn't received enough towels, emailed her and she brought them by the next day, along with some apricots from her garden. The location is perfect and easily walkable to most tourist sights. And oh yes, my daughter's favorite positive - it was near the best gelato we had in 2 trips to Rome - Gelateria del Teatro. (and we eat a lot of gelato!)
None of the disadvantages were earth-shattering, but they added up. The pros were so wonderful and Catherine was so sweet that I hate to even bring them up, but since you asked I will mention them so people can make an informed decision. The Internet was spotty, actually didn't work much at all our last 2 days. The main reason I had wanted it at that point was to confirm our ride to the airport and in case our 3 kids left at home needed to email us, but otherwise for us, no biggie. The apartment was a bit dark, but first floor in a tiny street, that was to be expected - and we did expect it. The sheets were very pilled and scratchy, but with all the late night dining I could have fallen asleep on just about anything. I have to say that it wasn't the best feeling on my legs, but maybe someone there a different time would have better sheets. The biggest negative was that the basement level, where the bedrooms were located, was damp and made my husband sneeze...and sneeze, and our towels never really dried out, even when we moved them out of the bathroom. Catherine had said there was a leak in the ceiling 3 days before our arrival so this all might have been temporary, but with my husband's allergies, it was difficult. If that had not been a problem, I could overlook everything else because we really did enjoy the apartment and it suited us quite well, but being honest, we personally wouldn't be able to risk the dampness issue again. We also couldn't run the A/C while out because a key is inserted to run the electricity while you are in, and has to be removed when you leave. Running the A/C full-time might have taken care of the problem, but we were asked not to do that since electricity is so expensive there.
I feel really badly being honest about this - I don't really know Catherine, but I feel so disloyal. If it was really due to this leak, it could be completely different the next time and the apartment itself had everything you would need. Otherwise, we were quite happy there.
Jun 20th, 2012, 05:17 AM
#51
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,198
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
OMG - I almost forgot the best part of my answer about Groupon vs non-Groupon prices. Massimo gave all of us a few cards which offered a reduced price, similar to the Groupon price, for next year without going through Groupon. We can give them to friends. You guys are my friends, right? 
Jun 20th, 2012, 06:52 AM
#52
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi kwren! (It's me, Leslie from the trip...) I just wanted to say what a pleasure it was to meet and get to know you and your family. The trip was so awesome, and I agree wholeheartedly that the trip to Carunchio was beyond amazing!!! I'm so happy I got Donna and Mary to agree to go with me. I can't wait to see your trip report. I'm happy you all arrived home safely. I think we need to start planning a reunion to Abbruzzo!
Jun 20th, 2012, 09:45 AM
#53
kwren - I'm so sorry about the issues you had with the apartment. perhaps because we were there in winter with the heating on, we didn't experience the damp - and also it seemed quite light possibly because we had the lights on!
also i don't remember the sheets being a problem - but we were there 2 1/2 years ago so perhaps she needs to buy some new ones.
I'm glad that the trip overall worked out so well - now to interest DH in a cookery trip!
also i don't remember the sheets being a problem - but we were there 2 1/2 years ago so perhaps she needs to buy some new ones.
I'm glad that the trip overall worked out so well - now to interest DH in a cookery trip!
Jun 20th, 2012, 09:46 AM
#54
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,198
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi orkid!!! How cool is this...welcome to Fodors! I'm so glad to see you here - I've been waiting for you to join!
My husband and I talked about going back most of the trip home. You should see my suggestions for Massimo for Part 2.
I got an email from one of the other participants today offering to help put together an exit survey so he could see what we would all be interested in. Did you get that one? I think its a good idea. Now to get us all back there together!
It was also great to see you and Jan at the Campo di Fiori Monday, have coffee with you, and walk around the market. I ended up buying spices and pasta after leaving you. It was hard to fit everything in our luggage, but that extra duffle bag and a few shopping bags helped us out immensely. How was Capri? I can't wait to hear all about it. Have a good - and safe - trip home.
My husband and I talked about going back most of the trip home. You should see my suggestions for Massimo for Part 2.
I got an email from one of the other participants today offering to help put together an exit survey so he could see what we would all be interested in. Did you get that one? I think its a good idea. Now to get us all back there together! It was also great to see you and Jan at the Campo di Fiori Monday, have coffee with you, and walk around the market. I ended up buying spices and pasta after leaving you. It was hard to fit everything in our luggage, but that extra duffle bag and a few shopping bags helped us out immensely. How was Capri? I can't wait to hear all about it. Have a good - and safe - trip home.
Jun 22nd, 2012, 05:28 AM
#55
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,198
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi annhig! It's only now that I realized that you wrote again just before my last post as they were both posted about the same time. Thanks for your responses!
I have been feeling badly that I wrote about anything here negative about this cute apartment without letting the owner know about them, so this morning I wrote to the owner to give her some feedback on the 2 issues that in my opinion could be remedied - the sheets and the dampness, especially in the bathroom causing our towels to never dry out. It didn't seem fair that I would talk about them here and not give her the opportunity to do something about them if she so chooses. I feel much better having done so, and will post back if she replies.
I do think that having the heat on would make all the difference in the winter. Basements tend to be damp anyway and since the bedrooms are at the basement level, it makes sense that it might be damp this time of year, and not when you were there. With that in mind, I might try it in winter, maybe not again in the summer, but I think my husband with the breathing and allergy problems he experienced might not be so forgiving unless there was a clear solution in place. We weren't there much for the 3 days and I loved everything else about it so it was a good suggestion. Thanks! Stick to the winter for now!
As far as the cooking...my husband only grills here at home - he's really not that much into cooking - but the cooking was so much fun, and interesting to all levels (well, maybe not high level gourmet chefs unless they just want to relax in a wonderful atmosphere) that he had a blast. There were a few other men there who were not previously much into cooking either and they also loved it. As long as your husband is into new experiences, I do feel that he would enjoy it too.
Another thing to consider is that there is NO nightlife in Carunchio. It's a tiny hill town in the middle of nowhere. I think there were 1 or 2 bars and that was about it for nightlife...and they were all the way at the bottom of the hill. On the other hand, we usually started dinner about 8 pm and finished at 10 and after all the wine and sometimes after dinner drinks, everyone was ready to fall into bed anyway. If you need discos, cafes, high-end shopping, this is not the place for you! Otherwise, it's something I have never experienced before and the group has been busy communicating with each other ever since. I made some really nice friends through all of this!
Tell your husband to go for it, and if you do, I believe I can help you out with the discount.
I have been feeling badly that I wrote about anything here negative about this cute apartment without letting the owner know about them, so this morning I wrote to the owner to give her some feedback on the 2 issues that in my opinion could be remedied - the sheets and the dampness, especially in the bathroom causing our towels to never dry out. It didn't seem fair that I would talk about them here and not give her the opportunity to do something about them if she so chooses. I feel much better having done so, and will post back if she replies.
I do think that having the heat on would make all the difference in the winter. Basements tend to be damp anyway and since the bedrooms are at the basement level, it makes sense that it might be damp this time of year, and not when you were there. With that in mind, I might try it in winter, maybe not again in the summer, but I think my husband with the breathing and allergy problems he experienced might not be so forgiving unless there was a clear solution in place. We weren't there much for the 3 days and I loved everything else about it so it was a good suggestion. Thanks! Stick to the winter for now!
As far as the cooking...my husband only grills here at home - he's really not that much into cooking - but the cooking was so much fun, and interesting to all levels (well, maybe not high level gourmet chefs unless they just want to relax in a wonderful atmosphere) that he had a blast. There were a few other men there who were not previously much into cooking either and they also loved it. As long as your husband is into new experiences, I do feel that he would enjoy it too.
Another thing to consider is that there is NO nightlife in Carunchio. It's a tiny hill town in the middle of nowhere. I think there were 1 or 2 bars and that was about it for nightlife...and they were all the way at the bottom of the hill. On the other hand, we usually started dinner about 8 pm and finished at 10 and after all the wine and sometimes after dinner drinks, everyone was ready to fall into bed anyway. If you need discos, cafes, high-end shopping, this is not the place for you! Otherwise, it's something I have never experienced before and the group has been busy communicating with each other ever since. I made some really nice friends through all of this!
Tell your husband to go for it, and if you do, I believe I can help you out with the discount.
