Paradise Beach Club

If you find yourself lucky enough to be in Taormina, I recommend spending a day at Paradise Beach Club.  Last summer was our third time to Taormina, and we wanted to try something new.  Our lovely hotel advertised "A Day at the Beach" including round-trip shuttle service.  Paradise Beach Club is located in the town of Letojanni.  For a flat per-person rate, you can enjoy unlimited access to the private seawater pool and beach, changing rooms and showers, and free wi-fi.  They also have a restaurant serving above-average pastas at lunchtime.  Be sure and try one of the bartenders' amazing, non-alcoholic fruit drinks.  The fresh fruit and innovative combinations will most definitely impress your taste buds.

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Happy New Year!  Every year, I always get a case of the January blues starting right around January 2nd.  I love the holiday season in December, the mad rush of parties, cookie-making, present shopping, and tree-decorating.  After New Year's Eve festivities, everything seems to come to a halt and we're forced to look a new year in the eye.  The weather is still dreary but this time we don't have the twinkle of Christmas lights to keep our spirits up.  That's when it's time for a pick-me-up citrus dessert that will whisk you away.  There are so many recipes out there for olive oil cakes and many of them are very good.  My favorite version is from Gourmet, however, because it doesn't stray too far in the ingredients and the simplicity of this dessert is what makes it special.  Good olive oil and the hint of citrus from the lemon make this cake undeniably moist and the perfect treat to accompany your tea.  It's just what the doctor ordered for the New Year blues.