sometimes sundays are my europhile days. i'll read the travel section of the post in the morning, and if i'm at tommy's, i'll make myself a cappucino on the espresso reale! machine. somewhere between checking out the travel deals and the ubercaffeine of the espresso, i get totally pretentious and run off online and find all sorts of foody blogs and travel pieces and start planning a billion trips to prague and sicily and ireland.

those will probably have to wait. my next nearest vacation looks like it's going to be a family affair in rockport, massachusetts, home of my childhood summers. my late grandparents lived there, this little tourist burg on cape ann, just north of cape cod. i haven't been back in years, but i'm excited at the prospect. i can sunbathe on the lovely, rocky beaches with rough surf, eat clam chowder to my heart's content and probably go on a whale-watching tour.

anyway, even though i probably won't be going back to europe for a while, i couldn't help but notice this amazing deal, from the post:

Spend six nights in Paris with airfare, lodging and breakfast starting at $499 per person double through France Vacations. The package is good Nov. 1 to Dec. 12 and includes round-trip air from Dulles to Paris, six nights at a two-star hotel with a private bath, breakfast and city tax. Airport taxes of around $90 are extra. Priced separately, lodging alone would cost about $443. Info: 800-332-5332, www.francevacations.net.

paris in november? anybody interested? i know, in the past, i have professed to hate paris, but that's such a good deal, and it could be fun. except for the snooty parisians.

also online, via fodor's travel blog, i found this cool food site. particularly interesting (to me) are a guest-blogging stint by some chick about food in florence and tuscany (especially this great guide to the mercato centrale, complete with beautiful photos), and another guest-blogger doing a week on restaurants in washington, d.c.