Journey Out Serves Up Old World Italy With New Food & Wine Tour

(PRLEAP.COM) Seattle, Washington July 30, 2005

Seattle-based Journey Out is launching a gourmet food and wine tour of northern Italy called La Vita Italia. Inspired by the Slow Food movement, this ten-day, all-women’s tour starts September 13, 2005. Guests will enjoy slow food restaurants and lectures in Bra, Greve in Chianti, and Orvieto. The group will further their culinary education with a hands-on cooking class in Coltibuono and truffle hunting in Piemonte.

Journey Out created its La Vita Italia trip to fill a need for more relaxing travel.

Though complaints of needing more free time are common these days, many Americans don’t use all the vacation they accrue, according to the Families and Work Institute.

And that’s not good. “An environment that emphasizes work without play is unhealthy. As a nation of stressed-out workaholics, Americans need to shift their priorities, and be more like the Europeans,” says founder Ellen Galinsky.

We seem to be catching on. “It’s easy to get sped up in the things we have to do. Taking the time to slow down is really helpful, especially when faced with the stress of life,” says George H. Glade, Seattle psychotherapist and stress management expert. Finding a simpler lifestyle has become more popular as people understand the necessity of getting away from everyday stress.

Many Americans agree that their vacation should be a chance to unwind and recharge, yet make the mistake of planning an overly-hectic getaway, cramming too many activities into too little time. A classic comedy about a whirlwind tour of Europe, "If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium," was made over 30 years ago. It is still funny – and relevant – today.

So how do you avoid feeling you need a vacation when you’ve just come back from one? Most important is to choose an itinerary that fills your desire for interesting activities while leaving room to relax and slow down. Journey Out’s La Vita Italia trip takes you back to old world Italy and a slow-paced culture centered around great wine and food.

This fall, chef Becky Selengut joins the Journey Out group on the La Vita Italia trip. A graduate of Seattle Culinary Academy, Becky has worked on two PBS cooking shows, Home Cooking with Amy Coleman and Cucina Amore, and spent three years at the nationally-acclaimed Herbfarm restaurant in Woodinville, Washington.

Of her upcoming trip with Journey Out, Becky says, “Taking the time to appreciate good food that’s grown nearby, in season, with family and friends is the essence of what the Slow Food movement is all about. Professionally, nothing is more valuable to me than getting the chance to interact with the farmers, artisans and foragers of all the wonderful foods that I get to use in my profession. What could be more amazing than traveling through Italy tasting great wines, incredible foods and letting Journey Out concentrate on the details so that I can enjoy every moment?”

“Our guests often tell us they’ve had the best vacation of their lives,” says Journey Out founder Michael Brooks, “and I think it’s because on our trips they take time to really enjoy themselves.”

To find out more about the sumptuous days and nights of La Vita Italia, visit www.JourneyOut.com or call (800) 804-9016.

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La Vita Italia
Dates: Sept. 13 – 25, 2005
Location: Tuscany, Piedmont and Umbria regions of Italy
Price per person, double occupancy: $3,699

High Resolution Images Available Upon Request

Journey Out creates truly unique experiences: off-the-beaten-path places and activities you just can’t get on your own or with any other tour company. They provide a novel twist on traditional tours: gay men and women, enjoy a carefully- researched vacation while traveling in friendly, intimate groups. Journey Out travelers are welcomed in communities who will celebrate their arrival and share their culture and traditions.

The tours are informal, uninhibited, and energetic with many activities; but most of all, they are designed with fun and relaxation in mind. Journey Out hopes their guests will make new friends, not only the people traveling together, but locals in the different places they visit. Additional tours include OktoBEARfest; La France Gastronomique; Costa Rica – the gay eco tour; and Carnaval in Rio, where guests don’t just watch the parade, they are in the parade.

Journey Out
1617 South Hanford Street
Seattle, WA 98144
(800) 804-9016
www.JourneyOut.com

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