About

“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or find it not.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hi, I’m Penny! Welcome to Adventures of a Carry-on 

I’m a freelance writer specializing in travel, tourism, food, hospitality, wine, lifestyle, and wellness. I have a soft spot for Europe, and England where my family ties pull me back again and again.  Though I mainly travel solo, I’m rarely alone.

Travel has been transformative for me—a vehicle for self-discovery.  What I remember most after a trip are the moments: the kindness of a stranger; an exchange in a foreign language; exploring a cobblestone alley.  Most often it is the interaction with strangers.  For many this sounds incredibly scary but to me it adds to the tapestry of my life.

While many people want to travel the world racking up countries like trophies or ticking them off of a bucket list, I prefer to return to the same places, experience them more deeply, and develop meaningful relationships. 

Adventures of a Carry-on is a metaphor for the experiences we bring home with us, and the parts of ourselves we take with us.  

Makeup Artist Turned Travel Writer

I support my travels via my career as a freelance writer and professional makeup artist. Occasionally the travel and makeup thing come together like when I taught a class in Naples, Italy, or when I worked with Phil Keoghan of The Amazing Race.

I have written for various beauty and spa industry publications such as Modern Salon, American Salon, Salon Today, Today’s Diet, and Nutrition.

As a brand ambassador I speak on topics ranging from skin cancer to packing for an international trip. If you’re curious about what it’s like to put makeup on famous faces like Brooke Shields, check out my freelance makeup artist site and blog here. 

Italian Adventures

In 2008 I visited Rome for the first time and as the saying goes, that was that. After several more trips to Rome I decided to expand my horizons and explore more of the country that spoke to my soul.

I’ve been to Panzano in Chianti, a hill town famous for the butcher Dario Cecchini;  the ancient walled city of Lucca, the region of Piedmont, Emilia Romagna, Venice, Friuli, and many other stops in-between. 

In 2013 I went on my first trip to Italy as a hosted writer. I spent five crazy days in  Emilia Romagna starting in Bologna (not my first time there),  Forli, and Cesena . We picked grapes and learned to make pasta;  visited a violin maker, and attended a very fancy dinner with a rock-star chef.

A second trip to Italy in 2013 found me in Voghera (Napolean lived there for a while), Pavia, and Milan, in the Lombardy region. The day before departing for home I visited romantic Lago di Orta, only an hour from Milan. I never dreamed I’d go to any of these places but once I decided to explore Italy, opportunities magically appeared.

Today, I travel for adventures, because like Jane Austen said, “If adventures not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad.”  Adventures is pretty subjective in my world, it could mean, a physical experience like kayaking in Avila Bay, or it could be more philosophical.  I travel mainly in the USA, Europe, and Great Britain. 

What is Adventures of a Carry-on ?

I will share first-hand accounts of my travels including intimate details of tours, wineries, restaurants, hotels, and more. My promise to you, everything on the site is written by a human, usually me, though I do take the rare guest post. I will never allow AI-generated articles on this site.

Whether cruising the Danube River or flying over Napa Valley wineries in a hot air balloon, my goal is for you to feel as if you’re there with me. Maybe you’ll even be inspired to go yourself.  What I love most is wandering through the streets and alleyways of a destination looking for the unseen, overlooked, hiding in plain sight stories and connections that make life exciting. Won’t you come along?

I’d love to hear from you. Contact me here. Also, if you see a photograph you love and would like a copy, just let me know.

 

 

As Seen In

 

INTERVIEWS

Travel Style on Johnny Jet 

 

Travel Tips From Solo Travelers – Travel and Escape

#WorkAbroad Because It’s An Invaluable Life Experience – Wandering Educators

Travel Expert on Travel Awaits