Samantha Garbarini

2 weeks ago | gulfshorelife.com | Samantha Garbarini

As much as we love the tradition of decorating eggs, we prefer them scrambled, poached or whipped into sweet meringue. It seems local chefs agree. Throughout Southwest Florida, restaurants celebrate Easter with panache, crafting elaborate brunch buffets and special menus that celebrate the flavors of spring. This year, we’ve combed through dozens of options to find the best places to brunch on April 20. Advanced reservations are highly recommended and often, required.

3 weeks ago | gulfshorelife.com | Samantha Garbarini

In Southwest Florida pickleball circles, Jim Ludwig is legendary. Even those who’ve never heard his name recognize his achievement: the 64 courts at East Naples Community Park—the largest dedicated pickleball facility in the world. For nearly a decade, the park has hosted the US Open Pickleball Championships in April—one of the sport’s defining events— drawing 50,000 spectators.

3 weeks ago | gulfshorelife.com | Samantha Garbarini

Peter Rizzo can’t resist dropping a Latin proverb when we broach the subject of terraced, sun-drenched vineyards planted at elevated altitudes. “Bacchus amat colles,” the co-owner of Naples’ Nat Nat wine bar says. The god of wine loves hills. “The Romans weren’t just empire builders; they were cultivators,” he tells me.

4 weeks ago | naplespress.com | Samantha Garbarini

Food & Flavor, Local News DINING UNDER $100 “This might be a mistake.” The thought races through my mind as we step into Tableside Restaurant at the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt. It’s 6:30 p.m., and the restaurant is completely empty. For a moment, I consider if we should go somewhere else, but there is nowhere else in Naples if I want to try Romanian food.

1 month ago | westchestermagazine.com | Samantha Garbarini

If a getaway is on the horizon and design is always on the front of your mind, check out these five boutique hotels near Westchester County. Whether you’re staying in Manhattan or looking for creative inspiration in the Berkshires, there’s something for everyone. Wildflower FarmsAs the painters of the Hudson River School did more than 100 years ago, the design team at Manhattan-based Ward + Gray surveyed the landscape and documented it.