Contrary to my general practice, our “story” today will not exclusively focus on Italy. And it will have to do with two castles…
In 2011, one of the owners of La Foce, Donato Origo, made me discover the Castello di Potentino, an imposing citadel situated on the slopes of Mount Amiata, the highest mountain in Tuscany – a mountain renowned, as you may remember, for its hot springs, chestnut woods and untamed environment. Continue Reading →
“So, what wonder are you promising us today, Katharina? my brother asked me on the fourth day of our family holiday at the Villa Valmarana.
– Well, today I suggest we get romantic and head for the hometown of Romeo and Juliet…” Continue Reading →
“No man is lonely eating spaghetti: it requires so much attention!”
I could easily appropriate these words by Christopher Morley, an American writer and journalist (1890-1957). Pasta do require attention. Well, some.
No, I did not know what good, real good pasta was until…
Here is the story of one the great gastronomic discoveries of my life. I was dwelling in a Tuscan farmhouse near Mercatale Val di Pesa, a tiny little town located in the well-known Chianti area, between Florence and Siena, and surrounded by olive groves, vineyards and dense woods.
Tuscans celebrate the rhythm of the seasons with an array of festivals and feasts adapted for each period of the year. Autumn is particularly colorful as the leaves change and the ordered rows of vineyards are speckled in hues of yellow and red. Fall brings a feast for the eyes as well as a feast for the table; the bounty of the season is enjoyed all over Tuscany at sagras that highlight the foods of the forest. Truffles, mushrooms and chestnuts have starring roles in these home-spun food festivals. Continue Reading →
As American author Justina Chen Headley wrote in one of her novels: “Adventure in life is good; consistency in coffee, even better.” Continue Reading →
My obsession with good food and restaurants should be somewhat familiar to you by now, I guess. Well, we all have our little failings and addictions, don’t we?
This week, I’d like to tell you about the Parco delle Colline, a sweet little restaurant located in the heart of the Frassanelle historical park, and more precisely in the Golf Club of the Frassanelle estate – an estate which we proudly feature, as you may remember, in our rental catalogue. Continue Reading →
“Phew! We got there, at last!” You left home early this morning and have been travelling all day. Now it’s the evening and you have just arrived at your Trust & Travel destination. Continue Reading →
Can you guess… When, in the middle of the day, at work in Paris, I suddenly long for Italy or feel a strong urge for anything Italian, what do I do most of the time? Well, either I go to an Italian restaurant, or I go to an Italian restaurant. Continue Reading →
This must have happened to you too… One day, your eye is for the first time caught by a very peculiar house, shop or façade, and you think to yourself: “Gee, I’ve walked past this thing a hundred times and never noticed it before!?” Continue Reading →
