Stephanie Serino's Travel Blog

Hard to believe it was two years ago that I took my Mom on a Spa Getaway to celebrate her birthday (February 15-17, 2018). We drove about 90 minutes from her home to Langdon Hall Country House Hotel (a Relais & Chateaux property) in Cambridge, Ontario. It's also about 90 minutes from Toronto and an hour from Niagara Falls. We went for the spa facilities and the gourmet dining . We had delicious cocktails at Wilks Bar .  In summer, they have beautiful gardens and wooden trails, as well as an outdoor pool and croquet lawn. Here are My Photos .  Mom says: My first time in a feather bed - no, not a feather pillow or feather comforter, but the entire bed!  Sleeping on a soft dreamy cloud must be discussed more frequently as an antidote to ordinary life doldrums.  Of course it enhances sleep to the nth degree, but what about the imaginative realm reaching up to the heavens?  I am not kidding when I say Nothing in my life has compared to it, and if that realiz...

We are all ready for a special treat, so I’m sharing this quick and easy cake recipe. It literally takes less than 10 minutes to mix, and is healthier than most store-bought breakfast cereals. The recipe comes from my Spanish Stepson’s Mom who shared this family heirloom recipe for “Coca” when 13-year old Hugo moved into our London flat in Summer 2015. It's not a fancy cake (it's never frosted) but it is comforting. I hope this sweetness gives you something to look forward to in the morning! Spanish Coca 1 ½ cup Flour    ¾ cup Sugar 1     tablespoon Baking Powder 1     teaspoon Baking Soda 1     teaspoon Cinnamon    ½ cup Oil (I use Sunflower Oil, but it’s good with any healthy oil -even Olive Oil works)     ½ cup Yogurt (Doesn’t matter what kind. I use Plain but flavored yogurt or yogurt with fruit work) 2     large eggs 1     cup Fruit and/or ...

It's Day 35 of the CoronaVirus lockdown here in Valencia, Spain. The only thing I'm still truly savoring are my nightly Quarantinis. Since we're all going to be stuck here for a few more weeks at least, I decided to share the recipe. I hope you enjoy! Quarantini Recipe Fill a saucepan with water and put it on the stove to boil Peel a two-inch piece of Ginger and add slices to the water. Boil for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, slice 1 lemon and put rounds in a pitcher. Pour hot water with the ginger into the pitcher over the lemon slices. Add 2 herbal teabags (“Ginger-Lemongrass” or " Lemon Zinger "). Stir in one (or two) generous tablespoons of honey.  Put pitcher in the fridge.    Your first round can be a hot toddy, served warm in a mug (just add gin to taste). When it’s cold, you get a Quarantini. Just add gin to taste. A martini glass is a 1-1 ratio; but I tend to to serve it in a big wine glass with 1 shot gin and the rest Ginger Lemon Te...