With a population of just 2,500, Ravello is one of Italy’s most initimate gems.

Located on top of a mountain about three miles from Amalfi, the city looks out over the decadent blue Mediterranean.  

Trust me - on your first trip to the Amalfi coast,  it’s worth every euro to book an experienced driver who will not only get you there safely and surely, but will serve as a guide.  All the hotels offer this service; just make sure you request a driver who speaks English and knows the area well.  (If you’re lucky you’ll get one that plays Dino and sings along too.)

Almost too beautiful for words, Ravello is a terrace overlooking the sea surrounded by the hills of the Amalfi coast.   Be prepared to walk, as the most intriguing and scenic places are up in the hills and your car can only drop you off in centro.

From there you’ll explore Ravello on foot.  Walk up the footpath adjacent to the cathedral of San Pantaleone to the Villa Maria (pictured below). This beautiful converted villa is a charming inn with a superb restaurant looking out at the sea and the countryside from terraced gardens.  The pasta and fresh seafood are sublime and relatively inexpensive.

Next, walk up the narrow, winding path to the Villa Cimbrone, which is dizzyingly perched on the highest spot in Ravello.  The Cimbrone estate dates from the 9th century and was painstakingly restored by an English Duke in the early 1900’s.  An elegantly beautiful villa with its own parkland and gardens, it is truely a place you should experience at least once in your life.

I’m booking my return trip today!

Taraci’s Tip of The Day:  Ravello, Italy is the perfect destination to include in your motivational award program!

David Yurman’s pieces are simultaneously classic and luxuriously modern.  This particular 7mm sterling silver and 14k gold bracelet is part of the designer’s signature line of “cable” jewelry, making it a distinctive piece to add to your collection. 

The fresh water cultured pearl end caps are a beautiful embellishment, and will compliment the skin tone of anyone on your gift list.

Spanning multiple genres of style, this versatile jewelry can be worn for decades. It looks great on those of any age and is sported by such trendy modern day celebrity fashionistas as Sienna Miller and Mary Kate Olsen. 

Taraci’s Tip of the Day:  This bracelet is truly a perfect gift for any daughter, wife, mother, or grandmother (or for treating yourself).

(Image via Engadget)

If you were excited by Hi-Def, then prepare to get blown away by Sony’s new OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) TV, the XEl-1.

This incredibly thin flat screen first came to my attention at the Consumer Electronics Trade Show earlier this year.  Sony had a 27 inch prototype in their booth and my first reaction when looking at the picture was “Wow.”

The contrast ratio is one million to one. That’s right, no typo, 1,000,000 to 1. 

It’s as dramatic as going from black and white to color.  The details pop, the color expression is unmatched, and it has a Memory Stick slot for viewing high-res photos.  Now you can show your friends your family vacation photos and they’ll actually look forward to it!

Aside from the picture clarity, this set is one of the thinnest I have ever seen!  The light is emitted through organic material to the display panels, so there is no need for a thick backlight or structure that will take up precious inches of space. 

As an added eco-bonus, when it’s “off,” it consumes zero power, which can’t be said for all televisions.  You can rationalize the price by comparing it to how many carbon footprints you’re saving. Not to mention how much your great grandchildren will thank you for doing your part to save the planet.

Taraci’s Tip of the Day:  Forget cash incentives!  Flat-screen TVs are our most-wanted motivational gifts!