Being in the Garden of Eden… This is how I felt the first time I came here years ago, and this how I feel again today. A warm, bright, soothing day in the heart of the Maremma. A soft breeze blowing down from the hills. Seagulls dallying with the waves. Jurassic-looking turtles basking in the sun. Intoxicating scents and vapors floating in the air… Paradise! Continue Reading →
The sanguine enthusiast who was sitting next to me in the stands clapped his hands in a burst of joy and glanced at me briefly:
“No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle, he exclaimed. Don’t you agree?
– Well… yes, maybe, I modestly replied.
– Winston Churchill said that, not me. Is it the first time you’re attending this horse race, young lady?” Continue Reading →
If you happen to be in Florence in May, there is a special event you must make sure not to miss. This year again, from May 16th to May 19th (Thursday to Sunday), the 19th edition of the Artigianato e Palazzo annual exhibition will be held at the same exceptional venue where it has been taking place since its creation. For its visitors, this event is always a great opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.
Off the beaten track… This is where I need to venture once in a while. And usually I don’t regret it: more often than not I get to run into something that makes a strong, positive and lasting impression on me. Continue Reading →
“I’m really fond of these plates, Katharina. Where did you get them?
– A little less than a thousand kilometers from here.
– Let me guess… In Italy, right?”
Yes, in Italy. In a little town south of Padua, to be exact. Continue Reading →
Villa… A word that calls to mind images and lifestyles which very few people would turn their back on.
Here is how the Oxford English Dictionary defines “villa”: A country mansion or residence, together with a farm, farm-buildings or other houses attached, built or occupied by a person of some position and wealth; in later and more general use, a residence in the country, or in the neighbourhood of a town, usually of some size and architectural elegance and standing in its own grounds.
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.
This week, for the half-term school holidays, my family and I are staying at one of the two houses of our Trust & Travel Il Fontanile estate in Tuscany. We like to come here once in a while when we need to have a little break from our urban, hectic life.
The last time I ran into Mrs. Loiseau, one of my Paris neighbours – I introduced her to you in my very first article, – she was wearing flashy sling back shoes which she had just bought. Skeptical about her choice – and I personally think she had every reason to be, – she wanted my opinion.
It was a very special day indeed. Special evening, I should say. It was high summer. The Italian sky was slowly turning into gold and copper, as it so often does at the end of the day. The air was sparkling and heartwarming. Continue Reading →
