I had the opportunity to travel to Italy in July with my 13-year-old granddaughter, Victoria Feimster, an eight grade student at Charlotte Country Day School. We took our first trip to New York when she was only four, and nine years later we set out big time. First to Rome, where we toured the city on bikes, of course seeing the Coliseum, Spanish Steps and more. We also made a day trip to Pompeii and “attempted” to climb Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that destroyed this city. Next, we hopped aboard a train to Florence – well, not exactly. We were scammed and missed our first train, but successfully made the next one. In Florence, we saw Michelangelo’s “David” and did a half-day walking tour of the historical center. Shopping was great there. We booked a day trip from Florence to Cinque Terre, which consists of five seaside villages on the Italian Riviera coastline. Unfortunately, the weather was so bad that we got to visit only one of the villages before the rest of the excursion was canceled. But moving on to Venice via train did not disappoint. It was absolutely beautiful there, as was our hotel. Venice is remarkably quaint — my absolute favorite of the three cities. We took a water taxi to the square, where we toured St. Marks’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, shopped and ate some great food. It was a life-changing experience. (For more of our Italy photos, go our gallery at www.pridemagazineonlinecom.
“My favorite thing was riding bikes through the back streets of Rome, because we got to see all the pretty sights. My second favorite was eating a fried seafood cone in Florence; it was so good. I got shrimp, mussels and calamari. Lastly, I loved the gelato in Venice. I got it every day, because it was so creamy and refreshing.” -Victoria Feimster (Jaclyn – put this in a pull quote, if possible.)
NOVEMBER ISSUE OF PRIDE
Our upcoming November “Living with Pride” issue is going to be distinctively invigorating. We’ve partnered with Novant Health to bring “Remarkable Black Charlotte” to your attention. In addition to spotlighting Novant’s strong presence in our community, we’ll explore the history of Black Charlotte, provide stats about this demographic and let you know what’s on the minds of our African American neighborhood leaders. It’s a keeper.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR PRIDE AWARDS 2020
It’s official. Pride Awards 2020 will be a Black history luncheon, set for Friday, February 14. (See ad on page 5.) Please prepare to join us for another provocatively powerful program. You will NOT be disappointed. Log on to prideawards.net to secure your seating now, or call us at 704-375-9553 to find out about sponsorships.
We’ll see YOU at the Pride Awards.
Take care,
Dee