Hemingway's Lucky Paris, or "How to become rich and famous in 5 years."

March 2, 2017 Elizabeth Kemble

*Ernest Hemingway's passport photo ca. 1921.*

Hemingway went to Paris as a young man, met influential and artistic people, and five years later, at the age of 27, had become wealthy and famous. How did that happen? Hemingway’s own talent and drive were of course key, but in addition, three people were instrumental in his material and literary success: Hadley Richardson, Sherwood Anderson, and Pauline Pfeiffer. Of the three, the writer Sherwood Anderson played the largest role in putting Hemingway on the short path to fame and fortune.

Stockholm Syndrome – Hanging out in Herräng

February 22, 2017 Elizabeth Kemble

So called “campers” at the so called “beach” at Herräng, Sweden, photo Liz Kemble. — *So called “campers” at the so called “beach” at Herräng, Sweden, photo Liz Kemble.*

Following up on last week’s newsletter about the lovely Swedish island of Gotland with its fairy tale city of Visby, I feel I need to provide a fair and balanced perspective about Sweden. It could be that this charming city is merely a front for the Swedish Mafia, which I know exists because I was just watching a TV show last night about the Dutch Mafia. It could be that I had fallen under Sweden’s spell due to a mild case of Stockholm Syndrome, in which you identify with your captors.

The Island of Gotland, Sweden - The Green Gem in the Baltic Sea

February 15, 2017 Elizabeth Kemble

*Broom flowers and a concrete sheep, one of the many that "live" on the island of Gotland.*

One of my favorite things about travel is when I later see a movie or TV show set in a place I have been and recognize certain streets or buildings – it makes the show that much more real and three-dimensional for me. I was in Visby a few years ago and was quite charmed by the place, even though I arrived the same week that all the Stockholmers did, on their annual party pilgrimage. But even so, it wasn’t much busier than Tarrytown towards Halloween when the tourists come up from New York City. I just avoided the cafés by the waterfront with the throbbing, thumping music.

Picasso, Haviland, and Céret -- or How a Kid from Cincinnati Met the Greatest Patron of Modern Art

February 8, 2017 Elizabeth Kemble

w666 factory-at-horta-de-ebro Picasso 1909

Picasso, Haviland, and Céret, “The Mecca of the Cubists:” How a little town in the Pyrenees became a center of Modern Art. About 100 years ago, a little mountain town in the Pyrenees called Céret became a center of Modern Art. Up-and-coming artists such as Picasso, Braque, Matisse, and Gris spent summers here in the teens of the last century, where Picasso and Braque developed analytical cubism. This group became known as the School of Céret. How did this little town become a mecca for artists and the namesake of the School of Céret? It was due to someone you’ve probably never heard of…

Travel in Good Company

February 1, 2017 Elizabeth Kemble

*Fashionable women strolling through Paris, 1920s.*

Fashionable flappers strolling through Paris in the 1920s. Join other solo travelers for an incomparable group experience for our Papa’s Paris Tour in June 2017. Our tours aresmall – 6-12 guests – so we can mingle and get to know one another. We share a single table at meals whenever possible, play ice breaker games, and engage in general conversation. Sharing a common interest such as Hemingway and Paris ensures lively discussion. Book now and save $608 per person!

A stroll through Hemingway's Paris -- Books and Films

January 26, 2017 Elizabeth Kemble

Marion Cotillard and Owen Wilson in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. — *Marion Cotillard and Owen Wilson in Woody Allen's* Midnight in Paris.

Hello my Travellati friends,
We are so looking forward to the fun we will have in the City of Lights this June! To get you in the mood, whether you are planning to join us in person or just in spirit, I’d like to suggest a few books and movies that you might enjoy delving into.

Epiphany Around the World

January 19, 2017 Elizabeth Kemble

Girolamo da Santacroce - The Adoration of the Three Kings

Epiphany is widely celebrated in Catholic cultures around the world, in very different ways. What is Epiphany, you may ask, other than the Eureka of a bathtub-lounging scholar? Epiphany is a celebration on the Twelfth Day after Christmas, January 6, also known as “Twelfth Night” and “Three Kings Day.” In Roman Catholicism, it marks the visit of the Three Kings or Magi to the baby Jesus.

Bonne Année – A Look Forward

January 5, 2017 Elizabeth Kemble

"Not even cold!" – A dip in the ocean is de rigueur on New Year's Day in France.

New Year’s Eve is celebrated with different traditions around the world. My friend Eric in France went for a nice little dip in the Atlantic on New Year’s Day, followed by hot wine and brioches. He also hosted a Réveillon dinner on New Year’s Eve, which is a dinner party with special foods such as oysters, foie gras, lobster and champagne that lasts all evening and beyond.

Reward yourself! Now's your time.

December 26, 2016 Penelope Peabody

Mrs. Miniver, portrayed by the lovely Greer Garson.

“Not that she didn’t enjoy the holidays: but she always felt—and it was, perhaps, the measure of her peculiar happiness—a little relieved when they were over." You're not the only one, Mrs. Miniver! Now is the time to reward yourself and step back into the picture frame of your own life.

A Treasure Trove of Holiday Cards

December 21, 2016 Elizabeth Kemble

Ornaments woodblock print by Lee Kemble.

Dear Travellati friends,

Over the years, I have received thousands of holiday cards, but none was so thrilling to see in my mailbox as a card addressed to me by my father. The first clue that there was something special inside was the beautiful envelope, inscribed in an elegant hand and painted with holly and ivy. I carefully slit the envelope open with the ebony letter opener my Dad made me years ago to not damage the envelope or its contents. Below are a few treasures from these years of cards that I would like to share as my holiday gift to you.

*Hand drawn card and envelope by Lee Kemble, pen and ink.*

*Holiday cornucopia or spray, woodblock print.*

*3-D card made by pressing damp paper into a carved wood block.*

*Bisected tree woodblock print with glitter and silver foil.*

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a peaceful New Year.

And hope to see you in June on our Papa's Paris Tour in which we meet Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald! Call for an individualized quote, 10% reduction if offered as a gift by Dec. 30: 914-909-5079.

Joyeux Noël!