Get a little Italy in your life. Join us for a Virtual Visit to Rome hosted on Zoom. Photo by Jonathan Bean.

By Regina Winkle-Bryan

I miss gatherings. I miss parties. Like you, I’ve been calling friends and Zooming in for happy hours, brunches, workout sessions, and artistic masterminds, but it’s not the same as attending a barbecue on a sunny afternoon or catching up while lounging on a friend’s sofa with an Aperol spritz in hand.

These are small complaints in a world gripped by pandemic, but I am being honest. I miss friends. I miss family.

We’re in Phase I here in Seattle, which means we are still supposed to be social distancing, and the stay-at-home order remains firmly in place. So, for the time being, no in-person gatherings. This may change in June, but who knows.

We continue to gather online for our Travel Book Club each month. Photo by AllGo.

The next best thing to in-person parties is to go digital, and we are embracing this at Bold Spirit Travel. We kicked off our online soirées with a Women’s Travel Book Club via Zoom in April. We just hosted the May book club yesterday, and our June meeting is coming up on the 18th. These have been FUN gatherings attended by curious, clever, interesting women.

We are also hosting a series of Virtual Visits in the next few weeks, featuring destinations such as Spain, Itlay, and the USA.

We are inviting you to join the online party. Come to one event, come to all. They are free of charge.

Join the party on June 13th to talk about Rome with archaeologist Mary Jane Cuyler.

Virtual Visits: Rome with an Archaeologist

Rome Travel: You may remember my friend and colleague, the archaeologist Dr. Mary Jane Cuyler. I mention her a lot. Well, she’s leading a Virtual Rome Visit on June 13th. That’s a Saturday at 10:00am PST, so you might bring coffee or a mimosa to the gathering.

I am excited about this Virtual Visit. Mary Jane knows Rome really well. She’s lived there, studied there, and guided countless numbers of people around the city. In fact, we were supposed to be in Rome together with a group of bold women this month, but as we all know, COVID happened, and here we are.

If you need some Italy in your life like we do, then sign up for this virtual experience. It’s free and it’s fun. Mary Jane will share historical tidbits, plus tips to help you plan a trip to Rome, like where to eat great Roman fare and which neighborhoods she loves to stay in.

The best part about these Virtual Visits is they are all live over Zoom, so you will also be able to ask Mary Jane questions about Rome during our Q&A sessions. Space is limited, so sign up for this party soon. More details here.

We will be hosting more of these Virtual Visits in the future, so watch this space for more information.

Discover Italy with archaeologist Mary Jane Cuyler. Photo by Michele Bitetto.

Women’s Travel Book Club

Each month we read a book about travel written by a woman author. In June, our memoir pick is What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding by Kristen Newman. With a title like that, we had to choose it! It’s supposed to be very funny, and humor is something I want more of in my life right now. I’m guessing you may feel the same.

I’m hosting this Travel Book Club on June 18th at 7:00pm PST. Come. Bring a friend who loves to read and explore.

If you have never been to an online book club, here’s how it works. We meet via Zoom. I come with some prepared questions. We chat about the book, about travel, and get to know one another. It’s informal, and the books we read provide lots of food for thought. Also, if you end up buying the book, you help to support our struggling independent bookstores. Win-win.

Each month we host a Women’s Travel Book Club. Join us for the party. BYOB. We’d love to have you with us! Photo by Christin Hume.

We will announce our July book pick in June, so stay tuned.

We hope you will consider joining us for one or more of these events. Online events will never replace the powerful connections we make face-to-face, but it’s what we have right now, and we know meaningful connections can develop in the virtual space, too.

See you at the party.

You're Invited to the Party