Welcome to our September issue of
" Slow Travel for Women " Newsletter

The Slow Travel for Women Team hope that you all had a wonderful and restful holiday. The Directors of Slow Travel for Women, Ann Marinelli and Muriel Theriault, have been working to offer you new tours for the coming season.

All of our tours are unique and are designed with our “Slow Travel” philosophy in mind. We try to interweave cultural and historical visits, gastronomic experiences, walks enjoyed in natural settings and moments of pure indulgence.

Now is the time to sign-up for our Fall/Winter tours, space is limited and hotels are holding the best rooms for us. This is a very busy tourist season and we strongly suggest you book at least by October 1st so as not to be disappointed.

Our tours have been designed to include the best possible accommodations, services, local guides and sightseeing, deluxe transport, some if not all breakfasts and at least one other meal per day, as well as very “special” spa treatments for your well-being and relaxation so that you can better enjoy the tour.

Wherever possible, a member of the Slow Travel Team will be present on arrival to greet you.

New England Tour - October 3-12, 2008
*Price: US$ 6,800.00 per person double occupancy
US$ 8,400.00 single occupancy

New York Christmas Shopping Tour - December 2-10, 2008
*Price: US$ 7,000.00 per person double occupancy
US$ 9,400.00 single occupancy

European Christmas Markets – December 5 -10, 2008
*Price: Euro 2,800.00 per person double occupancy
Euro 3,050.00 single occupancy

*Please note that some tours are quoted in US Dollars, others in Euros.

SLOW COOKBOOK FOR CHRISTMAS

First of all we would like to thank you for your enthusiastic response by submitting your recipes for our Slow Cookbook. It is interesting to note that the recipes submitted have come from the four corners of the world. Therefore, we have decided to publish in printed form our very first
Slow Cookbook for Christmas 2008.

This cookbook will include typical Holiday recipes from various cultures so it promises to be an interesting volume. We invite you to submit your favorite Christmas recipe for possible inclusion in our Christmas Slow Cookbook. Please understand that it may not be possible for us to publish all the recipes submitted; however, rest assured we will do our utmost.

Submit your Recipe. Reserve your Copies Now
for yourself and for Christmas gifts for family and friends.

New England Tour

October 3 - 12, 2008

Enjoy sightseeing the sites of Boston on land and on sea with the Boston Duck tour including the Public Garden’s, Boston Commons, Faneuil Hall Marketplace area, the State House and more. Dine on the 50th floor with a breathtaking view of the city.

Depart for the rugged coasts and seaside towns of Maine and learn how to make an authentic Maine Clam Bake. Drive through the Green Mountains of New Hampshire and enjoy the fall foliage, see covered bridges and babbling rivers.

Continue to the state of Vermont and the famous Quechee Gorge before arriving in an exclusive resort & spa in Lenox, Massachusetts where you will wind down and relax for the last three nights. Enjoy the spa treatments as well as local museums and shops.

This deluxe 10 day, 9-night tour includes accommodation in 5* hotels & resorts, breakfast every day, 2 lunches, 8 dinners and assistance throughout the tour by an excellent English-speaking tour escort, as well as all of the wonderful sights and experiences we have planned for you. In addition Spa services worth $240,00 is included.

New England Tour - October 3-12, 2008
Price: US$ 6,800.00 per person double occupancy
US$ 8,400.00 single occupancy

Remember, space is limited as our tours are customized to reflect our Slow Travel Philosophy.

Our New England Tour begins and ends in Boston, Massachusetts. 


New York Christmas Shopping

December 2 - 10, 2008

New York is always “special” but come for the Pre-Christmas shopping and sales. Visit the city's many popular sites, go to a Broadway show, walk through some of the most “in” neighborhoods. Take a break from the fast-pace of NYC and spend a few days in the wine country of New York, the Finger Lakes area. Here you will relax, taste the wine and see the local crafts.

Stay in a hotel in the heart of Times Square, theater district and shopping paradise. Enjoy a sightseeing tour of the city including Ground Zero, Empire State Building, the United Nations, to name a few, winding up in one of New York’s most famous steakhouses.

Take a break from the city and experience the luxury of the 4-diamond Mirbeau Inn & Spa located in the New York state Finger Lakes wine country. Let your tensions melt away, relax and choose one of Mirbeau’s unique spa treatments for the mind and body.

The Finger Lakes area is New York's largest wine producing region, and the second largest in the US after the Napa Valley in California. You will visit one of the Finger Lake’s wineries for a taste and tour ending with a wine pairing dinner.

The Finger Lakes are a chain of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York that are a popular tourist destination. There are actually eleven lakes in the region, but only seven of the largest are commonly identified as the Finger Lakes.

Visit the storybook village of Skaneateles and step back in time to enjoy the holidays the old-fashioned way with a Dickens Christmas. Sing Christmas Carols, try roasted chestnuts, cider and donuts; listen to the brass band and bagpipers as they stroll the storied streets. 




After being rejuvenated, we return to New York City for an full-immersion in NYC’s Christmas spirit attending the world renowned Radio City Christmas Show promising to be an unparalleled presentation by the famous Rocketts. Enjoy the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree while sipping cocktails at the Top of the Rock.
You’ll visit some of the most well-known NY museums, attend a Broadway show, and continue your Christmas shopping. The tour terminates with a surprise “splash”!

This deluxe 9 day, 8-night tour includes accommodation in deluxe hotels & resorts, 2 full breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners, 3 cocktail parties, 2 SPA treatments, the Radio City Christmas show, a Broadway show as well as all of the other wonderful sights and experiences we have planned for you. Assistance will be given throughout the tour by an excellent English-speaking tour escort.

New York Christmas Shopping Tour - December 2-10, 2008
Price: US$ 7,000.00 per person double occupancy
US$ 9,400.00 single occupancy


Remember, space is limited as our tours are customized to reflect our Slow Travel Philosophy.

For obvious reasons this tour cannot be repeated before December 2009.




Our New York Christmas Shopping Tour begins and ends in New York City.

Christmas Markets

December 5 - 10, 2008

We start our holiday journey in Munich with a festive welcome dinner after a brief orientation tour of the heart of Bavaria. The next day will be dedicated to the city sites including a visit to the Nymphenburg Castle and of course the traditional Christmas market. Relax after dinner in our hotel to the melody of classical music.

We continue our trip by heading for Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart and one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture. Our visit would not be complete without an evening concert as well as a stroll through the colorful Christmas market. Participate in a cooking demonstration of a local holiday treat.

On our way to Vienna, we stop in Oberndorf where the famous Christmas Carol "Silent Night" was born. The following day is dedicated to the many sites of Vienna including the Schonbrunn Castle and its Christmas market.

This marvellous deluxe 5-night tour includes accommodation in 5* charming hotels centrally located, breakfast and dinner every day and assistance throughout the tour by an excellent English-speaking tour escort, as well as all of the wonderful sights and experiences we have planned for you.

European Christmas Markets – December 5 -10. 2008
Price: Euro 2,800.00 double occupancy
Euro 3,050.00 single occupancy

Remember, space is limited as our tours are customized to reflect our Slow Travel Philosophy

Our Christmas Markets Tour begins on December 5th in Munich and ends December 10th 2008 in Vienna.

Keep an eye out for updates on our website. 


Upcoming Tours 2009

Dubai
Sicily & the smaller islands
Malta & the Greek Islands
Cinque Terre and Tuscany
Portugal & Madeira Islands
Florence & Rome
Montreal & Quebec City
New York City "in the spring"
Naples, Pompeii & the Sannio

Some of our most popular tours will be repeated as the number of participants to each tour is limited!

CAPONATA: the traditional Sicilian recipe

The Caponata reflects Sicily’s Arab heritage and probably dates back to the ninth century. Culinary historians are still debating whether eggplants were grown perhaps in Roman times, but whatever the case may be, no one can dispute the fact that it is a delicious dish.

INGREDIENTS
6 medium-size eggplants, peeled and cut into 1” cubes

4 stalks celery, sliced into ½” strips

Two white or yellow onions coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic finely chopped
3 ripe tomatoes chopped

1 cup black olives, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons capers

2 tablespoons sugar

12 fresh basil leaves, shredded
¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

Fresh ground pepper

1 cup extra virgin olive oil



DIRECTIONS
Peel eggplants, cut into cubes, place in colander and salt heavily. Drain for about one hour. Rinse and pat dry.

Heat several tablespoons of olive oil and sauté onion, garlic and celery until soft. Remove from heat and set aside. Add several tablespoons of olive oil to pan and cook eggplant, turning frequently until lightly browned. Add more olive oil as eggplant sticks easily. Return onion mixture to pan, add tomatoes, olives, capers, sugar, basil, and a grinding of black pepper. Cover and cook over low heat, for about half an hour, stirring occasionally. Serve at room temperature.

Caponata may be used as a relish, a topping for pasta, as a spread on “bruschetta” or on its own as a side dish. Make it ahead of time so flavors will have an opportunity to blend together.
Other versions of the caponata include the addition of red and green peppers, raisins and/or pine nuts, artichokes and anchovies.

The caponata is best accompanied with a glass of Sicily’s red Nero D’Avola or with a glass of Nozze D’Oro if you prefer white.