Hello and Merry Christmas!!

I hope everyone enjoyed the Holidays and are looking forward to 2012!!  I know I'm excited for 2012 to come and great us and especially for September of 2012 in Bellagio, Italy!!

I'm sorry I haven't been on here in a while due to the Holidays and some things happening in our family.  We have sadly lost our loving dog Scarlet and our Grandpa Ernie this Christmas Season.  We also have had to put my dad in a nursing home today and it is going to be a very hard transition for our family.  All these things happening within a few weeks of each other have made it hard to think of anything else right now.

And thus,  I completely forgot about the GIVEAWAY on here and I apologize for that!

So, the WINNER of the RAK is:  KIM!!
Send me your address and I will mail out your kit!!

I would LOVE to visit Italy! I would be content to wander those wonderful streets and villages! By Kim on Hello??? Are you dreaming of Italy... on 12/9/11

I also haven't had a chance to put up on here a tentative ITINERARY for the trip!  I wanted to show everyone what the days will look like and how much time you have for everything!

So, here I will try to run through the days a bit and share the schedule/itinerary as best I have it so far!  Please keep in mind that things may change and days may be switched, but this is a pretty good idea of how the days will look while enjoying Lake Como, Italy!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SATURDAY:

This will be "check-in" day, with all transfers from Milan airports or train stations hopefully by 5pm.

5:30pm - Check-in 

6:30pm - Reception on the Pergola, overlooking Lake Como with appetizers and music

7:30pm - "Tentative" First Class -  This will NOT be a long class.  We will be making something to use the whole week, so I'd like to get this class in right away for a wonderful keepsake for the whole week!

9:00pm - Every night there is music in the beautiful Music Room with a wonderful group that we have come to love.  This is optional each night, but a wonderful time to relax and enjoy each other's company!

SUNDAY:

A DAY TO RELAX... Can you believe YOU ARE in ITALY?!!

This will be a day to enjoy together or on your own.  It will be a day to sit by the pool, swim in the lake, walk the town, site see, take a boat cruise to a village across the lake, or just adjust to the time change.  I didn't want to have any classes on this day and just have this day be about being in ITALY!!  So whatever you want this day to be, it's about YOU!

5:00pm - I will be the  "Tour Guide" of  Bellagio!  We will walk the town a bit, explore the shops, show you where the markets are, the laundry is, the best gelato shops, the cute shop owners :), etc...  Just a FUN time exploring! This is completely optional, but will be filled with useful information.

7:30pm - Dinner Together

9:00pm - Music Room  OR an optional "Make-n-Take" OR Free Time

MONDAY:

9:00am - Sign In for Classes

9:30am - Class

Noon -    Lunch together

1:30pm - Class

3:00pm - FREE TIME!  The town closes down from 2 - 4pm every day.  So I wanted to plan the classes around this time frame so when the town opens back up, you are FREE to explore and enjoy! So the afternoon classes will always be over BEFORE the town opens back up so you can enjoy your free time when the shops are back open.

7:30pm - Dinner Together

9:00pm - Music Room OR "Crop Time" OR  Free Time

TUESDAY:

A DAY TO RELAX OR GO ON EXCURSIONS!

No Classes today, just a FUN day to explore or sit by the pool and soak up the beautiful Italian sun!

Not sure what time we will start the excursions, it will depend on the choices.

I am going to set up several different excursions on the "excursions days" so you will have CHOICES!

You can choose from options like:

- Going to Switzerland, just across the lake

- Touring a GORGEOUS Villa like Villa Balbianello, where they filmed a Bond movie & Star Wars

- Taking a private boat ride around the lake...maybe see George Clooney's house? :)

- Going to a town close by; either Como, Bergamo or other

- A shopping trip to some Italian designer stores or antique stores

- Finding some unique gifts at a Market on the lake

- or many other options we can dream up!

7:30pm - ??  Dinner will be on your own tonight.  I have LOTS of suggestions!

9:00pm - Music Room OR "Crop Time" or Free Time

WEDNESDAY:

Basically same as Monday.

(Classes in the morning, lunch together and Free Time in the afternoon.)

7:30pm - Dinner Together

9:00pm - Music Room OR "Crop Time" or Free Time

THURSDAY:

Basically same as Tuesday,  No Classes.

A DAY TO RELAX OR GO ON AN EXCURSION!

Maybe a few different excursions to pick from like:

- A cooking class with Moreno at Restaurante il Camineto (a memorable day for sure!)

- A fun trip up a FUNICULAR to the top of a mountain with views of Lake Como!

- A hike around the hills behind Bellagio

- A Tour of the Rockefeller Center 

- A Private tour of the beautiful churches or museums in the area

7:30pm - ?? Dinner will be on your own or with the group.

9:00pm - Music Room OR "Crop Time" OR Free Time

FRIDAY:

9:30am - Last Class

Noon - FREE TIME for the rest of the day!  

Last day to explore Lake Como area

7:30pm - Dinner and Finale - Exciting Giveaways and Goodbyes

9:00pm - Last night in the Music Room or Free Time

SATURDAY:

Morning hugs and goodbyes.  Last minute photos of Lake Como and our new found friends!

Private cars/vans transferring everyone back to Milan airports or train stations.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So there you have it!  You have an idea of the week at a glance and you can see how much free time you will have.  I didn't want anyone to think that you're in classes all the time.  As you can see, you have a GREAT balance between CREATIVE time and ITALY time!!

Hope you enjoy!

Hugs,

Laura

P.S.  I have some other NEWS to share soon!

I was just checking on Flights for our EVENT and thought I would let everyone know about some GREAT deals I'm finding!!!

I know everyone is all over the place, so not every "deal" will work for everyone, but I wanted to make you aware of some prices on flights that I found.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC is such a GREAT airlines.  We have flown on them many times and I have to say they are my FAV airline!  But, I know they don't fly from everywhere and they DON'T fly to Italy.  BUT... It's important to remember that we want to find the BEST deal to get there and most likely that is not going to be non-stop.

So, I found that Virgin Atlantic has a flight from LAX to London for the dates of the event for only $663!!!!!  Now that is a GREAT DEAL!!  You can follow that link to find out what the cost would be from your location to London.  So don't overlook the options that are out there.  London isn't that far from Italy and the flights from London to Milan are just a "hop, skip and jump! :)

So after I found this GREAT deal, I wanted to see how much it would be to get from London to Milan.  I've told you in the past of a few sites like Kayak, Priceline, and other discount airfare sites.  Well there's an airline JUST in Europe that is just PENNY'S for a flight and it's called EasyJet and we've used it before to jump around Europe for under $100.

So I found a flight from London to Milan on Easy Jet for $97!

Well, I'm just SO excited ladies!!

I wanted to let you know all of this because it IS POSSIBLE to get a GREAT DEAL on the airfare if you think "outside the box"!  Don't just think you have to get to MILAN and I can only go from my town to Milan... There are COUNTLESS ways to get there and you just have to do some research.  I will continue to look at the prices and offer you any deals I find, but start researching and see for yourself.  Let us know if you find something GREAT too, we'd all love to know what you find!

Because we ALL want to get here:

So let's make this a FUN and see what we can all find.  And PLEASE... if you find a great deal, let us know so we can all make sure we are getting the best price of airfare.

Thanks so much and have a GREAT week before CHRISTMAS!!

And if you haven't signed up yet... THIS WEEK would be a GREAT time to do so!  Wouldn't this be  an AMAZING CHRISTMAS GIFT!??  

You still have a couple weeks left to also take advantage of signing up for only $100 deposit for the month of December!!

Hugs,

Laura

Hello out there...  I know you are coming to the blog because I can see the stats, but I haven't seen a more quiet blog around...

SO... I'm going to stoop to a new level and hold out a "carrot" for you so that maybe you'll be lead to leave a comment! :)-

As some of you may know, I own a Scrapbooking Kit Club, "A Kiss on the Chic".  It's been such a FUN business to own and it's become a community over the years!  In fact, that's a big reason why I wanted to have an event in Italy!  So that we could have some of our fellow Kit Club ladies get together!  Now that's not required of course, but I have enjoyed getting to know so many ladies through my business, my dream is to MEET all of them some day!!  But,  this past year I haven't done very many kits b/c I was more focused on designing for two of the leading scrapbooking companies in the industry, Teresa Collins and Webster's Pages .  But I did get in a few project kits and regular kits this year and I'm going to offer ONE LUCKY WINNER this kit:

A Floral Meadow Kit

It's a beautiful kit with lots of Prima products you can win this kit if you leave a comment on THIS POST!   Just leave a comment below and tell me this:

1.  Do you DREAM of going to Italy like I do?  2. Are you thinking of joining us on our journey to Italy next September? and 3. What is one thing you would LOVE to do if you go on this trip to Italy with us?

That will be FUN!  I would LOVE to hear your comments and I would LOVE to say HI to you as well! I think we would all have so much fun to know who is coming here and checking out this site too!  

So comment away and lets say HI to everyone joining in!!

Before I leave, I do want to do a bit of housekeeping...

For those not signed up yet, I do have a deadline for signing up.  I know it's hard to commit to something so far away, but I do have to make arrangements and make financial decisions for this event, so I do have to have a commitment for those you want to come.  This deadline is coming up in a FEW MONTHS!  I don't want to rush you... but if you DO WANT TO JOIN US, please let me know soon.  I can hold your spot for $100 this month only.  It's a great way to get your payments started, but at a lower price than usual.  So, just go for it and get your registration in!  It's going to be something you won't want to miss and really, you won't regret it!  It's Italy, it's CREATIVE time, it's RELAXING time and it's time to TOUR AROUND Lake Como, Italy! (and even maybe a peek into Switzerland... )

Hope you all have a FANTASTIC weekend!!

Laura

P.S. Always feel free to email me!

This video is from this summer when we were in Bellagio, Italy with our kids.  We were walking back to our hotel from dinner and came upon this.   This is one of the reasons we have fallen in LOVE with this place and why I want to share it with you ladies next September!

This is the Bellagio Mens Choir.  I did a bit of searching online and came to find out they are quite famous in the area, they have preformed at the Vatican, in Chicago and all around Italy.  This is just one of the nights during the summer months that they sing out in the open impromptu on one of the cobblestone streets in Bellagio.

I've emailed them to see if they actually have a schedule for these performances because it's just something you wouldn't want to miss!  I'm hoping to persuade them to do this while we are in Bellagio for our Event!!  

I also have a few tricks up my sleeve for other SURPRISES, but those will have to wait and you can just help me by keeping your fingers crossed!!

So I hope you enjoy this little video. I have another one of these men singing that same night that I put on FB, but you can find out more about them on YouTube or their Website, Corale Bilacus

Are you signed up yet???

Ciao,

Laura

Today I was thinking about Italy.  Well, that's not unusual since I think about it EVERY day.  But I was going through my photos from this past summer in Bellagio and wanted to see if I had a picture of me that was sitting, looking out, pondering life while in Italy.  Haven't found that photo yet, but thought I would share something kind of close to that.

This is part of the equation, just not me in the picture.  So picture yourself here, sitting at that table looking out at that lake.  (The little island in the middle is where Villa del Balbianello sits, perched on the edge of the island and is a beautiful villa to look at from here.)  So you're sitting here, pondering how GREAT life is at this moment and you think you might be sipping from a nice glass of wine.  Well, you might be... but before the wine comes, you will be sipping THIS:

Gazzosa!!!

Oh yeah baby, THE BEST SODA EVER!!  We tried it last summer and LOVED IT and then this summer it was the first thing we requested when we got to Al Veluu !  (check out their website, it's the MOST AMAZING Restaurant on the lake) So the owner, Luca, said he was going to have to order more because we were drinking it all!  lol..  This soda comes from the Amalfi Coast of Italy.  They get the lemons right on the edges of the lake and turn them into this AMAZING lemon soda that you CAN'T get in the U.S, except for on Ebay for a TON of money or at a little local Italian deli in NYC.  But next September.... Look out Luca, we are going to need a TON of Gazzosa for all my friends!!! 

(That's Luca next to me.  He's more than the owner, he's a friend to everyone who comes here)

These are the kinds of things you remember from traveling here, the little things that put a smile on your face months or even years later...

Now I'll go back to looking for my photo.  But I can't say I won't be back with more photo's I just can't resist sharing! :)

Laura

We have a REALLY FUN surprise to tell!

A dear friend of mine, Stayce DeWid is going to Bellagio with us and I'm SO excited!!!

Stayce DeWid is going to join us in Bellagio, Italy next September to teach a class and a make-n-take!!!  I'm SO excited that she is coming along with us!  She is a friend, an "A Kiss on the Chic" Kit Club lady who bought my kits, a talented artist, and a JOY to be around!  So please welcome Stayce to our Italy Retreat!!

She works with a lot of Scrapbook Companies and I know she's going to be bringing some AMAZING talent and goodies with her to Italy!  So come join us for a Once-in-a-lifetime event!!

Speaking of the Event...  I had a lady want to sign up but said she was busy at that time (Sept. 15-22, 2012) and wanted to know if I was going to have another one in 2013?  The answer to that is most likely no.  I would LOVE to plan this every year, but unless I have an overwhelming response to the one in 2012, I don't think I will be doing it in 2013.  So NOW IS YOUR CHANCE LADIES! hehehe...

And, don't forget you can SECURE your spot for just $!100 right now!  Spots are filling up, I just had some more sign ups in the last couple days, so don't MISS OUT.  I want EVERYONE to come if you can and I don't want it to be too late for someone either.  You can make payments next year, so just sign up TODAY and you'll be set!

I'm going to be posting a tentative itinerary on this blog later this week.  I wanted to go over a bit of our schedule because I've had a few ladies wonder about that.  I want to let you in on some time frames and such, because I can't WAIT to let you know how much FUN this is going to be!  You have a WHOLE WEEK on Lake Como ladies!  This is an AMAZING treat and I want to show you ALL the wonderful parts of it!  We are SO close to the ALPS that you can see them from your rooms, there's such quaint little towns dotted all along the lake, there's museums, villas, gardens, shopping, outlets, architecture... Pretty much EVERYTHING your heart desires right here in this JEWEL of a location!  And YOU will get to enjoy what YOU want!  I've got several different types of tours set up but YOU will get to pick what you want to do!  

So, more details later this week on that...

Have a GREAT day,

Laura

...From Italy!  

I wanted to wish you all a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving and thought I'd edit a photo we took while in Lake Como, Italy this summer.  It is to remind us all of what a BLESSING it is to have friends and family that support us in our CREATIVE endeavors!

And in honor of the Holidays FAST approaching, I wanted to let you know of a Christmas SPECIAL I'm having for our ITALY RETREAT until the end of December!  I know some of you want to join us next September 15th- 22nd, 2012 but right now you have extra expenses and can't spend the $550 for the first payment to secure your spot.  

SO...

from now until January 1st, you can RESERVE YOUR SPOT for $100!

Yes, if you want to join us next September in Lake Como, Italy for a week long DREAM vacation of relaxing, creating and touring the lake side villages of Bellagio, Italy,  YOU can SIGN UP NOW FOR $100 and reserve your spot!!  Just go to the REGISTRATION PAGE and you will see the "RESERVE YOUR SPOT" button.  This $100 payment will HOLD your spot for the retreat without having to spend the $550 sign up fee required. You will then start your regular payments on January 15th and the difference in the amount owed for the total price of the trip will be added to the last payment/s. 

This is a GREAT way to SECURE your spot and it's easy on the Christmas budget right now.

We are really excited about this trip and I know all of us teachers can't WAIT to enjoy this time with all of you in beautiful Italy!!

And, as a SURPRISE...

I am going to REVEAL a new "twist" to the event!  We have another TEACHER joining us!

So check back here next Monday to see who it is!!

Hugs to all,

Laura

It's going to be a FUN month here on the blog!  We are advertising our Bellagio Event on Ali Edwards Website and as she has headed over to ITALY right now, I'm sure a lot of ladies will be seeing how AMAZING Italy is and they will see OUR event in Italy NEXT September on her blog!  So we welcome all of you who has joined us from her site!

Please have a look around and see all the information about our Scrapbook Event in Bellagio, Italy for next September.  We have TONS of information and pictures on here, but if you have ANY questions, please feel free to email me at:  laura@akissonthechic.com  I would love to hear from you and answer any questions you may have!

We are updating some information soon on a few other events taking place during this week long adventure in Italy next September!  I've been talking with a few wonderful ladies who we might have come along and share some SPECIAL time with us and I will share more on that in the next couple weeks.  I've been busy on back-to-back trips (I'm currently in my hotel room in Maui, Hawaii as I write this :) and once I get back, I will be focusing more of keeping this blog updated and sending out emails to people who are interested in our event!

Italy in September is the PERFECT time to explore the area!  The weather is still GREAT and in fact, the best time to enjoy the area because it has cooled down from the heat of the Summer!  The crowds have left so you get to see the REAL Lake Como, without all the throngs of tourists and you can enjoy the peaceful quality of the lake at this time of year!

I hope you will consider joining us next year!  The registration information is over on your right side and you can watch the video we put together with some fun pictures of our trip there this summer!   Under registration, there are TWO payment plans and if you want to spread out the payments to make it easy to budget, I HIGHLY suggest signing up TODAY and getting on the PAYMENT PLAN!! Think about what a GREAT Christmas present this would be for YOU!!  Or you can call all your friends and get a group of ladies together for a Once-in-a-lifetime experience!!!

Don't miss out of this incredible experience...

Welcome!!


I say "Welcome" because I've noticed a LOT of ladies have been checking out this site in the last day!

If you are coming to this blog because you saw a flyer in the San Diego area, HELLO!  My friend Cindy and I went around to five different stores in the San Diego area yesterday to see if some stores would put up our flyer... and I guess it worked!!  Yeah!

We are EXTREMELY excited about our Event next September and we really hope you can join us for an AMAZING week in Italy!!

Have a look around here, especially on the right side where I have LOTS of info for you to go through.  The main place to find out PRICING is under the "Registration" button.  Feel free to email me if you have any questions about the event, I'm happy to answer any and all questions.  There are two pricing options and the sooner you SIGN UP, the better if you want to spread out the payments as long as possible!

Have a Blessed day everyone,

Laura

Hi everyone!!

It's been a busy week around my house... I'm sure you are in the same boat... Kids going back to school, all their after school activities, feeling like a taxi cab?  Well, wouldn't you like to leave ALL that behind for a week next September?!!

I know I would!  And I can't WAIT to enjoy a nice relaxing and fulfilling week in Italy next September!  In fact, we are almost exactly ONE YEAR away from the Bellagio Event!  Yipee!!

I had a friend text me this morning to let me know something cool too... Pink Paislee  blogged about us!!  Here's the link to the post:  Bellagio, Anyone?

I haven't been keeping up with who is blogging about us, so if you're out "surfing the web" and you see a post about our event, leave a comment on here or send me an email.  I'd LOVE to see it!!

Also, a bit of news...

It's almost the 15th of the month so for those who have signed up, I will be sending you a paypal invoice on the 15th!  I would like to try and set up an automatic Paypal invoice, but if I can't figure it out (anyone out there know how??) then it will be just a regular PayPal invoice from me.  Either way, check your email inbox on the 15th!  This payment will only be for $250.00 so it's much easier on the wallet this time! :)

And for those who HAVEN'T signed up yet, you still have a bit on time.  You would just sign up for the regular first payment and then whatever you've missed (if you want to do the monthly payments) will be tacked onto the last payment.  Make sense?  But you don't want to WAIT too long...  I really can't take more than 40 ladies because the apartments won't hold any more...

I'm working on some things still that I mentioned in the last post... I will update everyone as soon as I have the go ahead...  But there are EXCITING things happening and I KNOW you will want to be a part of this WEEKLONG Event on Lake Como in Italy!!!

One last thing,

I've had GREAT questions from so many ladies about this event and I welcome any question/s you may have!  I'm available most days to answer your questions, so just shoot me an email at:  Laura@akissonthechic.com if you have one.  Maybe I'll compile the questions for another blog post so everyone can see them and maybe answer a question you had.

And if you needed anymore reasons, here's a few more pictures of Lake Como:

Some GREAT places to take pictures, or just stroll and ponder life...

I think this is a church that you can tour and maybe even have a meal at.

And I think this one should be our mascot!!!!  hehehe...

Sign up soon...  I hope to share this piece of "Heaven on Earth" with you!

Have a GREAT day ladies!!!  

Laura

Hello ladies!

We are SO looking forward to getting to know the ladies signing up for our Event!  And if you are thinking about signing up and haven't yet, we welcome you to this blog!! It's been a so rewarding to plan and create this event in Italy and I can't WAIT to share some more EXCITING news with you soon!!

We have UNBELIEVABLE sponsors for this WEEKLONG RETREAT next September and we are getting more every week!  I can't spill everything yet, but WOW ladies...  You are getting your money's worth if you're joining us on this JOURNEY!

The teachers are SO excited to design some AWESOME classes for you as well!  This is going to an INCREDIBLE week of beauty is so many ways...

I have a few surprises still that are NOT listed on the itinerary and will be revealed as we get closer to the event.  So check back HERE on a regular basis for details!

Also, for those who have signed up, the next payment will be on the 15th of September.  I will be sending out a PayPal request on that date, so look for that in your email inbox.  For those who haven't signed up yet... NO WORRIES!  We have a YEAR until the event so you can pay whenever you like.  The only difference is that the 10 month payment plan will become a shorter payment plan for every month you wait. SO... if you want to come and you want to spread out the payments as much as possible...

SIGN UP TODAY!!

We are not at capacity yet, but I do feel we will get there!  And I can't expand the number because we are limited on space in the apartments and the meeting room.  So don't delay...  This would make a GREAT Christmas gift, wouldn't it??  :)

Well, I'll leave you with a couple photos from Lake Como to wet your appetite for Italy...

This is just a random entryway of someones house down the steps from the top of Bellagio to the lakefront.  Incredible architecture surrounds you at EVERY turn!!!

How about taking a cooking class as one of your excursions from Moreno at Restaurant Caminetto  Rated #1 on Trip Advisor!  It was GREAT fun and you're FAMILY from the second you step through that door!

I hope you consider joining us, we can't WAIT to enjoy Italy with all of you!


Laura

Hello ladies!

Sorry I didn't get on here sooner, we took a long weekend off and went to Vegas!!  Guess where we stayed??

The BELLAGIO, Las Vegas Hotel!!  LOL

We've had these plans for months because my wonderful hubby bought tickets for us to see Josh Groban in concert and he got a GREAT deal for the Bellagio Hotel!  So it was a nice to getaway and RELAX for a few days and Josh Groban did NOT disappoint!  But I do have to say if I had my choice, I'd rather be in Bellagio, Italy ANY DAY OF THE WEEK!!

So excited ladies.. I don't know if any of you have been to Lake Como, Italy... I would love to hear if you have.  But if you haven't, you are in for such a TREAT because it's a real jewel!  It's so hard for me to describe it, I can't really do it justice...  And who knows... maybe there are people out there that don't find it as GORGEOUS as I do, but I can't imagine who??  Just Google it and you'll find some AMAZING pictures and videos.  Oh, there's also a PBS special that comes on about Italy and I think they have some footage of Lake Como.  Check out some of the links I've listed on some of the PAGES to the right or you can check out these links as well:

Discover Como

Frommers

Trip Advisor

There's LOTS more to explore and you can find things on YouTube as well.  I've even found MY pictures on Google when we've "googled" it!  Too funny...  Google Bellagio, Italy as well b/c you will see more of the village you will be enjoying most!!

Here's an arial view of Bellagio.  See the huge building with the pool in front?  THAT'S the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni where the Event will take place!!  The Hotel Florence is the next building to the right after the small building that is covered in ivy.  That's where some ladies will be staying that need private accommodations or because of difficulty walking.  

So I said I was going to talk a bit about the airfare.  I've had some questions about where to fly into, what airlines, etc.  I have some answers to that on the FAQ Page to the right --->  but I wanted to go into more detail about it on this post.

Since getting to Italy will be up to you, here are some suggestions for the best way to make that happen:

1.  You need to arrive at one of the two Milan airports.  IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH ONE.  There is one called Malpensa and one called Linate.  Both are about 45 minutes from Bellagio and BOTH will have private car services going back and forth all day on September 15th to pick EVERYONE up!  So fly into MILAN, ITALY.

2.   Try to have your flight arrive BEFORE 3pm.  The sooner the better, but if you want to be there when check-in starts and for the Opening Reception, try to arrive earlier in the day.  I will arrange for the private cars/vans to be picking up ladies to the last one is there, so if you can't get a flight in before 3pm, don't panic.  We won't leave you standing at the airport in Milan! 

3.  There are LOTS of airlines that fly into Milan from International destinations.  Here are a list of 5 that are probably the most familiar to everyone:

Alitalia

Delta

Continental

American

United

There are MANY other ones, but these are ones I've checked on.  Air France, KLM and Lufthansa are other ones and I'm sure you can finds ones I've never even heard of.

4.  The BEST option for airfare is to use miles/points!  This is how we've flown to Europe for the past THREE years!!  We save up our points with American Express and then use them on airfare.  This is the BEST use of your points through your credit card!  They don't want you to know that, but it's a GREAT deal and you should FIRST check with your credit card companies to see if you are enrolled in any point/mile program!  Lance and I saved our miles for 20 years and BLEW THEM OUT on our 20th wedding anniversary trip to Europe for two 1/2 weeks and stayed at 5star places and flew Virgin Upper Class!  It's WORTH it to find out if you are accumulating points b/c you get FREE THINGS for spending money that you already are spending! 

5. If you don't have miles or enough points for a free ticket, there are options where you can use SOME POINTS/MILES and pay the difference.  I don't know much about this option, but I know it is out there and I would look into it if you are close to having enough points for a free ticket.

6. I'm coming from the West Coast and they DO have non-stop flights from LAX to Milan.  They are hard to come by though.  What we have come to agree on is that breaking up your flight (from the West Coast) is better than going non-stop.  It's about a 10 1/2 hour trip from LAX to Milan.  Although I've flown on longer flights, it gets tiring.  My suggestion is to fly either to New York or Florida from the West Coast and then fly from their to Milan.  Two flights that are about 5 hours longs just breaks things up, you can get off the plane and walk around, take a break, have a snack, etc...  So that's what we plan to do for this trip.  And, both flights don't have to be on the same airline!  I'm going to shop around on Jet Blue, Virgin, etc. and see if I can find TWO flights that may be cheaper than one non-stop!  If you're coming from the Midwest or the East Coast, then one flight might not be so bad.  These are just suggestions...

7.  Sign up for Email Alerts from the airlines you think you'll be flying on!  They will send you emails when there are sales for the flights you're looking at.  They also sometime GIVE you miles just for signing up for their Frequent Flyer Programs.  

8. Look for flights from some of the discount websites like:

Cheap Tickets

Kayak

Cheap Flights

Expedia

Hotwire

and there are a TON more.  You can even find airfare on Trip Advisor where they will search several websites at once.  

9.  Try to book air travel on a TUESDAY!  I know weird right?  But "they say" that Tuesday is when they post their sales for flights and I'm telling you, it has worked for us!   Now if you can FLY on a Tuesday, that's even better.  A lot of times Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursdays are the cheapest days to FLY.  If you have the time and are adventurous, I would suggest this.  You can fly in a few days early and maybe go visit some other places in Italy like Florence or Rome??  That's all up to how adventurous you are!  I know some people coming to the Event are planning on flying into Rome, staying there for a few days and traveling around Italy BEFORE the Event and then taking the train to Milan!  So GO FOR IT if you want to!  Just remember to arrive in Bellagio on September 15th! :)  And if this IS what you plan to do, let me know so I can put you on the list as arriving on your own OR picking you up from the TRAIN STATION in Milan.  It's VERY easy and there are LOTS of ways to get to Lake Como, so don't hesitate to ask me questions about this if you're thinking of going other places ahead of the Event!  

10.  Some credit card companies will give you a FREE companion ticket if you sign up with them.  I've never tried this, but it may work?  My MIL has and they've flown to Hawaii that way.  So if you have a friend you're going with, it may be a good idea to work on this together and then share the cost of the one ticket you have to pay for??  

11.  Book your flights NEXT YEAR!  When we are SO far ahead of the Event, it's way too early to get any kind of "deal."  In fact, you can't even book this early.  So be patient, but be prepared!  Do some homework by looking at the choices you have and signing up for alerts and such...  But it's too early and I would suggest waiting until February/March of next year.  That is also a GREAT time because they usually have EXCELLENT sales on airfare going on around that time of year!  

12.  Pay the Extra charge for TRIP INSURANCE on your flight!  I know we don't want to add more costs to things, but it really is a smart move to buy flight insurance!  The airline may have a problem, go belly up, you may get sick.  There are LOTS of reasons why Flight Insurance is worth it!!  

13.  It's ALL worth it in the end.  I know this trip isn't a cheap one.  I know it's not for everyone.  But we're not going to the Mall of America for a scrapbook weekend. hehehe... It's ITALY and it's a WEEK LONG trip to one of the most BEAUTIFUL places in the WORLD!!  So don't stress over it.  We have PLENTY of time to book our flights.

I hope this has been helpful!  I think it may be a bit too much information, but I wanted to get it all out there for those who are thinking about the cost of the flight before signing up.  I think I've showed you that there ARE ways to make it work!!  

Again, I'm here to help anyone and answer any questions!  So please feel free to email me anytime at:

laura@akissonthechic.com

Have a BLESSED evening,

Laura

Oh, one last thing... We have MORE SPONSORS!!  I haven't put them up on the sidebar yet, but here's some more AMAZING sponsors:

TIM HOLTZ & RANGER

JENNI BOWLIN

and 

COCOA DAISY!!!

WOW ladies!!  You are going to have some AMAZING GIFTS from all these SPONSORS!!!

woohoo...........

SIGN UP TODAY, the spots are getting filled!!!

Registration is OPEN!!

Hello ladies,

This is a VERY exciting day for us! We can hardly believe the day has ARRIVED and we are THRILLED to finally share this Event with all of YOU!

So we WELCOME YOU to...

 A Kiss on the Chic's Bellagio Retreat!!

Yes, we are going to have an Event in Lake Como, Italy for one week of pure RELAXATION and CREATIVITY on September 15th ~ 22nd, 2012 and we want YOU to join us!


This event has been a DREAM of mine for the last few years!  I am SO thrilled and honored to have such AMAZING teachers for this Event,  one of the most BEAUTIFUL locations in the World and artsy friends like YOU that want to come along on this journey!!!

So come on in, take a look around and check out all the information and photos about our Bellagio Retreat on this site.  

Also, there is a VIDEO you MUST SEE!!  (My daughter Victoria is SO proud of it because she put it together on her own and she did a GREAT job)

I hope you have FUN, let me know what you think and go tell your friends!  

This is going to be the "Ultimate Girlfriend Retreat" so find some friends to share this with and lets have a GREAT time together in Italy!!!!!

So Sign up SOON, there are only 40 spots available!! 

If you have any questions please feel free to email me at any time.

Have fun and enjoy a look at this wonderful Event!

Laura

Well, because of some last minute details that need to be finished up, we are going to wait to open up Registration for our Bellagio Retreat until tomorrow, Tuesday, August 16th, 2011.

I know everyone is waiting patiently and we all appreciate that so much.  We can't WAIT to share in the excitement with you and look forward to a GREAT day tomorrow!!

On a side note... Even though my husband will not be attending the Retreat, I had to share this photo of my husband and I the first time we discovered Lake Como! :)  The Villa Balbianello is behind us where they filmed parts of Star Wars & a James Bond movie!  Pretty cool right? Well, we will get to visit this Villa on our trip!!!

Ok, until tomorrow...

Have a GREAT day,

Laura

It's Sunday, the day before we REVEAL this awesome event and I wanted to share a little bit about why I chose Bellagio, Italy for this Retreat...

When I first came to Bellagio, Italy I was taken aback by it's PURE beauty.  In fact, I cried when I saw it! (I know, I'm kind of a sap) I cried when I left,  I cry when I think about it, or see pictures of it.  I know, it's CRAZY!  But there is "SOMETHING" about this place that moves me to the deepest part of my soul.  I've tried to think about "WHY" this place does this to me.  But, I truly feel like Bellagio is a place to AWAKEN you.  I have been back three times and it doesn't change things.  I still LOVE this beautiful little place in the world.  It still moves me like no other place can.  And I knew I wanted to SHARE that with YOU because I want everyone to experience this.

I've traveled to many different places and countries and there are many, many GORGEOUS places in this world!  But what I've come to realize is, this place is where my soul finds REST.

So that is WHY I knew I wanted to have an Event here.  Not only do I want to be CREATIVE in this place because I think it may be the PERFECT place to be creative...  But I also want YOU ladies to enjoy this REST!

We live in a busy, busy world and as women we know how little time we take for ourselves.  We just don't.  So this week on the beautiful shores of Lake Como, Italy will be a time for that.  

A time to "Renew our Spirits."  

I hope you will prayerfully consider joining us on this journey next September, 2012!  

Hugs to all,

Laura

We are working so hard to make this Event blog take shape and we are SO excited to share the news with you!

If you've come to this blog a bit early, feel free to look around but we are still settling the dust a bit...

Make sure you come back on Monday, August 15th for the BIG REVEAL and to sign up for this UNFORGETTABLE EVENT in Bellagio, Italy!!

Ciao!!