CURRENT MISSION

To eat my way through Italy, Ireland and anywhere else along the way. On a mission to discover the culinary gems of each country and indulge in as much cheese, wine and other delights as possible!

ABOUT ME

I am taking two years off (a "career break") to explore and experience the heart of Italy... the cuisine, culture and people. My adventure is taking me to a few other countries along the way and I am loving every delicious moment! I love the outdoors and being active. I enjoy running, skiing, hiking, swimming and mountain biking. I have a dog (in the US) and love to spoil her. I enjoy cooking, experiencing new cuisines and sharing with others. My friends are what make my life special and I cherish my relationships with people. My favorite color is purple, I love swimming with manatees and I have never met a cheese I didn't like.

PHILOSOPHY

Life is not about finding yourself... life is about creating yourself. I try to live my life with an open mind and an adventurous spirit.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Brand new to Couch Surfing. Hoping to meet great people and experience places from a "local's perspective". At this point, I am traveling for a year or two and am looking for a couch. When I return to the US and have a home again, I will look forward to offering a couch!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

No "formal" Couch Surfing experience with this organization. I did pack everything I owned and drove to Boulder, Colorado after graduating college in NY and lived on my friend's couch for 3 weeks. Didn't have a job or a plan at the time but ended up with a wonderful job and created a great life in Colorado Springs.

Interests

Food, wine, beer, travel, people, dogs, skiing, hiking, mountains, water sports, culture, hospitality, gelato, cheese, running, blogging, camping, snow shoeing, water skiing, sunshine, sky diving, cooking, learning about music/movies, love

• dogs
• culture
• coloring
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• cheese
• beer
• triathlon
• marathon
• running
• sprinting
• movies
• traveling
• blogging
• bouldering
• music
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• camping
• surfing
• scuba diving
• skiing
• sports
• hang gliding
• swimming
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Not so up on my pop culture... but recently saw and really liked Food Inc, Inception, Joy Luck Club, Avitar. Usually I like chick flicks, romantic comedies or action films.

Not very musically talented and often rely on friends to update my iTunes! Recently been turned on to... Bonobo, Gotan Project, Regina Spektor, Mumford & Sons, Fink, Ray LaMontagne, Avett Brothers, Rodrigo y Gabriella, Adele and Ellis.

Love the "classics"... U2, Dave Matthews Band, Cold Play, Norah Jones...

Just finished reading The Hunger Games trilogy- LOVED IT!!!! Also recently read The Help, The Alchemist, Eat-Pray-Love and Committed. Next in line are Born to Run, The Book Thief and a few others on my kindle.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Went scuba diving in the Galapagos Islands

Stood on the equator during the equinox

Snow mobiled in Yellowstone National Park

Cried my way through Miami Customs to bring hot sauce back home

Snow shoed 6 miles with a 30 lb pack and stayed in a hut in Copper, Colorado (melted snow for water, no electricity) and loved it

Attended Benvenuto Brunello 2011 and tasted the new vintage releases of this amazing wine, poured by the winemakers themselves.

Ran a half marathon, completed a triathlon sprint and climbed three 14'ers in one summer

Went hang gliding in the Swiss Alps

Ate parmiggiano cheese and proscuito in Parma, Italy.

Wrote 94 thank you notes to everyone who is special to me, just because I wanted them to know how I felt

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach about food... nutrition, preparation, safety & sanitation (perhaps boring?), international cuisines, etc. I just worked on a vineyard in Montalcino and learned a lot about growing grapes and would love to share that. I can teach you how to swim. I can help you plan a lovely vacation to Colorado and/or other parts of the United States. I can teach you English and practice proper pronunciation.

I'd love to learn about your culture, cuisine and life adventure! And also try as many cheeses as possible ;)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Israel, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Ireland, Italy, United States