Italy Trip 2010 - Day 5 Deruta and Assisi

Day 5 began quietly. After all of the excitement from yesterday's adventures everyone was moving a bit slower on this morning and some were not moving at all!

Those of us that were coherent, started the morning with a little coffee on the porch and enjoyed our ritual of watching the fog burn off in the Niccone valley below. Once we were loaded with caffeine we were ready to start our Monday tour of Umbria. I love it as the trip progresses and everyone starts to get comfortable with being in the country and since everyone has their own car, the agenda is there but you don't have to follow it. Most of the group stayed behind and slept in! I had 7 with me and 7 were sawing logs.



Off we went down the hill, through the valley then up and over the big hill, the great view of Lake Trasimeno and then down the hill. We jumped on the freeway which is interrupted by numerous tunnels but with just two cars in our Umbrian convey today was a breeze. We passed Perugia, which is a great town, and proceeded down the Tiber river valley to Deruta. Deruta is most recognized for its excellent ceramics which are exported throughout the world. The fine clay from the Tiber River provides the unique medium for this craft which has been perfected over the centuries.







We stopped at my favorite studio and shop, CAMA, which I have been visiting for nearly 10 years now. The Niccacci family has been operating CAMA for over 60 years and every time I visit Mamma and Pappa are there to welcome me with kisses and a personal tour for my guests of their studio. Uncle Luigi throws the clay and his hands magically, precisely, and repeatedly produce the myriad of pieces they produce. He is a a master and it is simply mesmerizing to watch him on the wheel. Then to watch the speed and precision of the stenciling and painting of each piece, one by one....it truly gives you an appreciation of the love, passion, craftsmanship and history that goes into each piece. Needless to say, once everyone experienced the tour and the spirit of this place - including pictures of the family presenting pieces to Pope John Paul II next to biking and soccer photos of Pappa when he was much younger - the purchasing was in full fervor. Let's just say the Niccacci's are always happy when I come to town and make what is probably a slow Monday into a nice little uptick in their sales for the month! This trip was no different.









After the ordering was done, Roberta Niccacci escorted us through town to a great little country house in the farmland of the Tiber valley for lunch. I love these little bed and breakfast places. Pappa or Mamma cooks and the other serves. Other than perhaps the mayor of town, we were the only other diners on the patio overlooking the tobacco and sunflower fields. We ordered antipasti for 7 and of course instead received 7 individual antipasti platters....ahhh dining in Umbria was on! A little vino, and the sound of thunder and lighting from an approaching thunderstorm and you couldn't ask for any better ambiance for a Monday afternoon lunch in Umbria. I enjoyed the Tagliatelle con Chingale (pasta with wild boar sauce), whose order was confirmed by the waitress giving a pig snort sound, and of course a glass of chianti. A myriad of dishes were ordered by the group and the sampling began! Delicious!









As we were dining in Deruta, our late sleepers had risen and were off on their own adventure and stopped along the Lake Trasimeno for their lunch which apparently was also equally amazing. Pasta with white truffe sauce along the shore of the lake....sounds pretty good to me. We closed out our purchases at CAMA and we were off to Assisi to all rendezvous.






Assisi is always a favorite on the trip and this time proved no different. Parking is always an adventure in these hilltowns but we all seemed to find a spot and eventually all meet at the main piazza. Touring churches and shops, grabbing a gelato to top off the pasta and enjoying the passing thunderstorm all added to a relaxing afternoon in this beautiful Umbrian hilltown. Assisi is the birthplace of St. Francis, who founded the religious order of the Franciscan monks in this town in 1208 and shares honor with Saint Catherine of Siena as the patron saints of Italy. You can definitely feel this aura as you stroll the streets and occasionally pass a monk or nun on their way to mass. The streets are tight and medieval in character and you always catch a glimpse of the quilted patchwork of farm fields below as you glance down the streets. Its really a beautiful and spiritual place.








Both groups arrived at the Basilica di San Francesco which was damaged in a quake in 1997 but was restored and reopened just two years later. This church is amazing and one of the best on our tour. Three levels make up this marvelous structure capped off with the tomb of Saint Francis at the bottom level which acts as the emanating core of this church. Everyone was moved by this remarkable place. We sat in the middle church and watched all of our travelers emerge from the tomb just shaking their heads in awe as mass was being said in the adjoining chapel. Talk about mood....wow. We then all gathered and proceeded outdoors to the sun peaking through following the rainstorm.....again amazing. Fantastic light and the cameras were in full motion. We made our way back through town, did a little shopping along the way, and capped our conquering of Assisi with a gelato and/or cappuccino at the Piazza San Rufino at the top of the town.







We then proceeded to all make our ways back to our cars....some had an adventure in that task but we all eventually made it and drove down the hill and back to our little dark and quiet Niccone valley. Along the way we stopped in our favorite pizzeria in Lisciono Niccone and grabbed six pies, panna cotta for desert, and of course a couple jugs of the local house wine for reinforcements!












Back to the houses, a little dinner, a quick swim under the Umbrian stars, and then it was back onto the porch for recollections of the day's adventures, laughs and then eventually some more swimming at 2 am.... what fun!

Italy Trip 2010 - Day 4 Sunday in Tuscany and lost in Umbria

Italy Trip 2010 - Day 4 Sunday in Tuscany

Sleeping in the Umbrian countryside is fantastic. Too bad I don’t let my travelers get much of it! It’s Sunday morning and today we have another fun filled day in Umbria and Tuscany.



After getting everyone moving – which is always a challenge especially with 14 travelers – we fixed some espresso in our little Italian coffee makers, enjoyed the sunrise from our terrace and we were off to the Villa di Piazzano for our Sunday brunch.



Villa di Piazzano is an amazing place and one I stumbled upon while snooping around Tuscany. My first visit was in 2001 when the Wimpole family purchased the property and begun their amazing restoration and transformation of this property. I have made it a point to visit this splendid place every trip and the work they have done is truly remarkable. The Hotel Villa di Piazzano is a manor house of the 1400s located in the countryside just outside the town of Cortona, a town on the border between Tuscany and Umbria made famous by the American writer Frances Mayes with her book and later the movie, Under the Tuscan Sun. The drive into the property is alone worth the trip and sets the bar high for what is to come.




After we parked the cars we strolled the grounds and then were greeted by the proprietor, Mr. Damian Wimpole, and his lovely daughter, Alessandra. It has been a real pleasure to know these people over the last ten years and they have always warmly welcomed us, my guests, and subsequent referrals. Many of my clients and friends have stayed there, including myself one time, and it is definitely a memorable experience.



We slowly made our way into the dining room where they had prepared a wonderful brunch of meats, fruits, cheeses, breads, etc. All simple but beautifully staged and choreographed just like everything in Italy. As with anything here we spend as much time enjoying and photographing the food as we do eating it! We dined outside on the terrace and enjoyed a relaxing champagne brunch.







Following brunch Mr. Wimpole gave us a tour of the hotel including the newest acquisition across the drive that features contemporary decorated quarters set in the customary Tuscan style façade. Amazing and very chic’. Loved it. The finale consisted of their tour of their stunning wine cellar that I can only dream someday of having a dinner with my buddies some late fall evening with Brunello’s followed by cigars and Lemoncello. This will happen someday!







With the tour of Villa di Paizzano concluded it was off to Arezzo for the antique fair and Renaissance festival. Arezzo is a beautiful hilltown rising from the floodplain of the River Arno. Founded by the Etruscans this is a very old city and was a prominent medieval center which has maintained this character and feel to a tee. A quick stop at the ATM, which by the way are everywhere, and as we turned around here comes trumpets, drums, horses and jousters – the complete medieval parade with representation from every neighborhood proudly displaying their flags, and attire. Amazing and magical. The church bells ringing and those Italian faces – wow! The parade lasted a good hour whereby we were on a quest for antiques and a cold bierra or a gelato.










With Arezzo conquered it was off to Cortona – the home of Under the Tuscan Sun! I love this little hilltown and there is always excitement and drama on every corner. Sundays are always a busy evening in this town and this trip proved no different. Parking is the first adventure and this trip we had a little of everything. I found my usual spot at the bottom of the hill and made my way up the hill following the beautiful couple who looked like they just flew in from Monte Carlo. I happily followed them to the top of the escalator and I found my first group parked illegally at the drop off point at the main entry to the town blocking all of the tour buses. I quickly told them that we needed to move their car and jumped in and drove them down to the lot I parked in. Back up the escalator following Monte Carlo couple number two only to arrive at the same top of the hill to a huge traffic jam. Apparently, someone decided to also park illegally and ended up blocking the tour bus and then all of the cars behind including one of our cars. Now the drama of this Italian hilltown was in full swing. Every grandmother, baby, police women, dog, and cat were all there throwing their hands in the air and yelling at each other in a symphony out of a Fellini movie. Beautiful – I love the excitement and drama! The tow truck arrived, towed the car, and once again we were all moving. Boy am I glad we moved our car number 2 as I can only imagine what the experience of trying to find your car that had been towed would be like….!






So we finally had everyone in the main piazza and everyone unwound and started pouring the vino. Let’s just say a few really enjoyed the vino and probably a few other beverages along the way…. The rest of us strolled the narrow, magical streets and piazzas and caught the Tuscan sunset on this picturesque town and the valley and quilt of farms and villas below. Beautiful.



A few others made their way to Il Falconierie, (http://www.ilfalconiere.it) a wonderful hotel consisting of a restored villa, farmhouse, and chapel along with a restaurant featuring cooking classes and wine tastings. This is a beautiful place featuring world class cuisine, service and scenery.

We all rendezvoused for dinner in the Trattoria Toscana and enjoyed a nice simple dinner at half the cost of what we had been spending in Florence. Of course when 14 people take over one of these small and quaint trattorias its quite the affair. After dinner it was back to the parking lot but not until it was discovered my car keys were missing…..more drama! Well in the search through the streets of Cortona for the keys – which by the way were left in car two in the mad dash to park the cars. With the key drama solved we noticed that one of our group had left without us. Brave ones to drive off on night number one with the cars…..hmmmm.



We made it all home, which is about a 30 mile drive from Cortona, or so we thought….. My phone had died and I thought we had all made it home and I would just charge the phone in the morning. My daughter, Tiffany, thought it might be smart to charge the phone now in case anyone needed to get a hold of me. Well sure enough, as soon as the phone charged the texts started coming in. My Iphone sounded like a slot machine that had hit the jackpot. The group who left early were lost somewhere in Umbria. Of course this was the car with three women and the gentleman who had indulged a bit too much and was out in the back seat…

I quickly called them and talk about a happy group to hear my voice. I was already home and did not want to drive down the winding dirt road in search of them, God knows where, at 1am in the morning in Umbria. I had them start reading signs and describing what they were seeing and within minutes I knew where they were and proceeded to guide them home one farmhouse, pig sty, tree, and wall at a time all the way home. MC and my Iphone was better than any GPS!

So concluded day 4 and our first full day in Umbria! Off to Deruta and Assisi tomorrow and who knows what adventures lie ahead.

Italy Trip 2010 - Day 3

Ahhhhh- we made it to the country houses in Umbria. Here is where I finally relax and unwind. After the stress of getting 14 people from Phoenix, via Philadelphia, via Frankfurt to Florence and then the hustle and bustle of Florence, followed by convincing six of my guests to rent cars in Italy and hop right on the Autostrada - well I think you get the picture and why now I am finally relaxing.

To retrace day three....our transition day. We started the morning, blogging once again from the rooftop of the Brunellschi Hotel where I was joined by one of my travelers who was kind enough to bring a tray of coffee. So we enjoyed the sunrise overlooking the Duomo and slowly woke up and started the day. I love this hotel in that the staff are always so friendly and accommodating and the hotel is perfectly, centrally located so you are in the heart of all the sites of Florence.




We headed down to breakfast and put our strategy together for the day. This started with a quick trip to the San Lorenzo Market which for me is always a treat. The square is filled with street vendors selling everything from t-shirts to beautiful leather jackets. After maneuvering our way through the vendors you finally find the indoor market which is amazing. A maze of meat markets, fish markets, flower stands, bread and pastry shops, its the equivalent of Pike's Market in Seattle - only better. We enjoyed the market, made our way back through the street vendors and back to the hotel to check out.







After checking out, the shuttles were there to meet us and take us to the airport where we were to rendezvous with one of our late arrivals who was unable to fly over with the rest of the group. We proceeded to get our rental cars and head out to the country. Of course nothing is ever very efficient in Italy, so after waiting several minutes for them to find my car and then clean my car we all got ourselves in order and proceeded onto the Autostrada - 7 cars, all nice Mercedes so we looked like quiet the entourage. Getting the rental cars from the Florence Airport has proven to be the easiest way to get out of the city and immediately into the country. Some trips past this task has been a real adventure but all went like clockwork this time - again thanks to my assistant, Evelyn!




We drove about 45 minutes south to Montevarchi where the top secret Prada Outlet called Space is located. This is always a tricky place to find in that street names are difficult to see or find that is if they truly even exist. Google has a long way to go when locating places in Italy, and the GPS loves to tell you to flip a U-turn....... So when all else fails flag down a local, pay him 5 euros to escort us there and another 5 euros when we arrive. Worked like a charm! This place is very discreet and almost top secret. Grab a number outside the warehouse, wait your turn and then you duck in and boom you are in Prada. The girls scattered in every direction and fortunately, whoever came up with this place was smart enough to include a bar / restaurant right next to it so all the guys headed there. We gave the girls 90 minutes which quickly became 2 hours but eventually they all pulled themselves away and walked out with their discounted purchases with big smiles on their faces.




We left Space and instead of jumping right back on the Autostrada we winded our way across the countryside and eventually made our way back on to the Autostrada. After about an hour we exited at Tuoro and made our way up the hill and the beautiful views of Lake Trasimeno. After a winding climb up its an equally long and winding climb down into the lovely Niccone River Valley that divides Tuscany from Umbria. Tuscany is on the west side of the valley and Umbria is on the east. The valley is dotted with old castles, villas, tobacco, corn and sunflower fields - picturesque is an understatement. Once we arrived at the valley floor we stopped in Mercatale for some provisions - mostly wine and water - and a quick call to our house caretaker for updated directions in and we were on our way.



The road through the valley is nice, and paved but we eventually make our turn to the dusty, gravel road through the scrub oaks and up a very steep hill. The dirt road is a good mile maybe two and my guests are wondering where in the hell am I taking them....These country houses are remote but the isolation and view are most definitely worth it. Up, up, up (you hear that a lot here in Italy) and finally after coming around a tight curve their are the houses - La Pietra and La Quierca. Beautiful, simple, charming old farmhouses. We park and everyone gets out of their cars and just sighs.... you can feel the relief that we have arrived and you see the amazement and anticipation in everyone's faces that this is really going to be something different, and that it is.





We walk past the gate, and through the herb garden whereupon our host Elizabeth Wholey, her husband, and staff are there to greet us and give us a tour of the house. A simple yet extremely beautiful light dinner is awaiting us and we all settle in for our stay here in Umbria. After dinner, we open a few more bottles of vino, make a fire in the fireplace and run down to the pool for a quick candle lit dip under the Umbrian sky and then back up to the house for stories and maybe another glass of wine.....






Life is good in Umbria!

Italy Trip 2010 - Day 2

Writing this morning as dawn approaches from the rooftop of the Hotel Brunelleschi in Florence, Italy. Listening to the bells of the Santa Maria del Fiore and recalling all of our memories from Day 2. Beautiful morning here and not a cloud in the sky! What a great day 2 we all had!

The day started bright and early for me as my body clock has not adjusted to the time here in Italy, so i was up at 4am. Fortunately, I was able to receive a call on a new project in Pheonix whch we were able to close a deal on so that was a very nice way to start the day and this vacation! I headed down to the bar to write my blog, check emails and get ready for day two. I love the mornings in the Italian towns and cities because you basically own it. No vespas, people, nothing - quiet stillness. It is very hard to come by when in the cities in Italy. So I make it a point to always get up early, enjoy the start of the day, then catch a nap later in the afternoon. This was definitely the plan today!




After blogging and catching up on the emails, I was coaxed into a morning jog through the streets of Italy by fellow traveler, friend, and fabulous interior designer, Kim Colletti. We ran and walked our way on a nice loop through Florence past the three main churches of the city, Santa Maria Novella, the Duomo - Santa Maria del Fiore, and the Basillica San Croce. Now this was a great way to start the day and get the blood moving and fend off that damn jet lag!



Following our run we hooked up with some of our travelers in the hotel restaurant, grabbed a quick bite, some much needed coffee, grabbed a shower in the room and it was off to our walking tour through Florence. The walking tours in Italy are great and in particular the one in Florence. Three hours walking tours truly enlighten you to so much that you simply take for granted when ignorantly strolling the streets. It is amazing all of the significance each corner, square, street and church offers and the multitude of stories and history this place is filled with. Basically, in our modern world and culture, despite our problems, it is nothing to what life must have been like in these cities during the Dark Ages or the Renaissance. Now those were some rough times to be a human being. You were either a slave or commoner with virtually a meager existence or you were wealthy and having to constantly fend off your rivals who wanted to quarter you or burn you at the stake in the square....we have nothing to complain about - trust me. I could write a whole blog about the stories we were told - all fascinating and all brining such a new layer of understanding and appreciation of how this place ever came to be!






After the walking tour we grabbed lunch in a familiar trattoria just around the corner from the Palazzo Vecchio and then it was off to the airport to retrieve my lost bag! Thank God it was located and so I was fortunate to not lose a beat on the trip. Grabbed the cab ride back to the hotel and proceeded excitedly to my 2-1/2 hour siesta!






Woke up, and we all rendezvoused, in the hotel bar, a few cocktails, glass of wine, and then it was off to dinner. Our dinner was little more low key tonight - basically a small trattoria across the alley from the hotel! But it was nice, quiet and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. A great bistecca fiorentina, a glass of wine and then, it was off to the streets of Florence for a little fun! And fun we had!!!







Night life in Florence is quite the spectacle! Street performers. Mimes, and musicians all fill the fabric, sites and sounds of the evening. We grabbed a gelato and a cigar – nice combo by the way and the girls took a ride on the carousel in the Piazza Republica and we then proceeded to the River Arno and Harry’s Bar! This a a great spot and home to the founding of the Bellini. We enjoyed a little desert and then it was off to the Westin to listen to our piano player, playing of course American music, and share some final stories before walking home and saying goodnight to beautiful Florence!

Italy Trip 2010 - Day 1

We made it! That is always one of the most stressful parts of the whole trip - getting everyone here and safely checked into the hotel. Well this year we did great. All the flights were on time, the transfer from the airport to the hotel was waiting for us and the Hotel Brunelleschi is always dialed in. Last trip the airline that will remain nameless, and never to be used again, lost nearly all of our travelers' bags and screwed up our flights to the point of being laughable - well actually it brought my wife to tears. This trip - perfect - thanks to all the hard efforts of my assistant, Evelyn, who has done a spectacular job making this trip and all its millions of details come together. So, despite me, the tour guide, leaving my little carry on at the gate check in desk in Frankfurt, we had no issues and no drama! Bag has been found and is here in Florence so we are good to go!





Once we checked in, despite traveling for many hours, everyone wanted to take a quick glimpse and explore the city around our hotel. We checked in about 2pm local time and we were on the streets by 3pm. Perfect weather, 80's during the day and cool 60's at night. Everyone started out right on my hip, but after passing a couple shoe shops, clothing stores and of course by the time we hit the Palazzo Vecchio I was down to one or two who wanted to go back to the hotel after this quick peek and grab some shut -eye. The rest were out and discovering all Firenze has to offer.





I grabbed a quick siesta and awoke to the sounds of the Florence street life below. Quick shower and shave and then we all met in the lobby decked out to the nines. We were off to dinner at truly one of the most beautiful spots I've ever been to - the Villa San Michelle - see the link on our September List at the top of the blog! To paraphrase their website: "The Villa San Michele must be one of the most romantic places in the world. This former monastery, nestled on a hilltop surrounded by trees and terraced gardens, overlooks the city of Florence below.





Dating from the 15th century its facade is attributed to Michelangelo. To step inside is to experience the ethereal beauty and solitude of a renaissance building that is as much a part of Italy's culture as the country’s greatest cathedrals and galleries. Here, each visitor is a privileged guest, invited to stroll in the Italian gardens, filled with lemon trees and roses, and savour the superb Tuscan cuisine on the alfresco loggia as if in a private home."



None of this is an understatement and I'm sure my guests, after sitting on a plane for God knows how many hours, were blown away and now are just beginning to understand what this trip is all about. I must back up a bit as the drive from our hotel to the Villa San Michele of course at dusk is devine. You escape the hustle and bustle of the city and wind your up the Tuscan hills villas, estates, olive groves and end up at this magical and formidable facade with a view of Florence that is unrivaled. I love the looks on everyones' faces as they step out of the bus and set foot on this small piece of heaven. The service is impeccable and after a few pics - yes we were the poppaorazzi, we were guided through the lovely and to the garden for appetizers and bellinis. How civilized! Sitting in the garden and enjoying the fall air, and the last few strands of light on the hills, I knew I had finally arrived. I could feel the joy of being here and sharing this magical place with my guests.



Of course this was just the start! Following appetizers in the garden we made our way through the building and back to the grand Loggia overlooking all of Florence. It is here we dined to a wonderful pre-set four course meal featuring a blue lobster filet served with a herb sauce, followed by ravioli with wild mushrooms and a truffle sauce - by far the most talked about dish this evening, followed by thinly sliced sirloin of beef with a Brunello sauce and fresh spinach, finally followed by Florentine crepes filled with fresh fruit and muscat grape sauce, capped with a cappuccino of course. Absolutely phenomenal and obviously a high bar set for the balance of the trip.

Quick cab ride back down the hill following our 4 hour meal and back to the Hotel Brunelleschi. It's midnight and the streets are empty but everyone was so jazzed that we took a stroll down to the Duomo, which is only a couple turns down the street, for a few pics, a couple more laughs then it was off to bed.



Today was a great day - considering it was really almost two days. The first 12 hours in Florence - amazing!!!! Tomorrow is our first full day in Florence and features our three hour guided walking tour through the streets of the city. Time to sleeeeeepZZZZZ. Ciao!

September Morn - Arrivederci Phoenix

We leave in 4-1/2 hours and just buttoning up the last details. Did I get everything done I had hoped....no! The hours just flew by and I can't believe I'm down to two hours from my pick up. We switch planes in Philadelphia so I can get more done on the flight from Phoenix to Philly.... see how this works. Those that know me well know I never stop, but I will TRY to relax on this trip and enjoy the pace of Italian life. Three hours of sleep last night so I should be able to sleep very easily on the flights to Italy. Shoot - I have one more sketch I need to get done.......scan and email from the airport!



There is nothing more magical than boarding the plane in Arizona with our familiar brown everywhere, flying across our country, then flying over the ocean and watching it get dark and almost as quickly getting light again to the western shores of Europe. Looking out the window you can tell you have been transported to a whole new world. Little villages, beautiful churches, the pattern of tile roofs, small winding roads, it's just different and you can then feel the anticipation of the dream you are about to be a part of.


Well, I need to run, finish packing, get Tiffany (my daughter who is joining me on the trip this year) up and moving and get this show on the road. Looks like we will beat Hurricane Earl to the east coast so Arrivederci Phoenix - we are outta here!

Italy Trip 2010 One More Day to Go!

Down to one more day. I can definitely feel the excitement from the texts and emails I am getting from my travelers. So today is about tying up loose ends and getting packed (yes I wait until the last minute).

The whole thing becomes sort of a dream in that today I will be frantically jumping from item to item, project to project, making sure everything gets done or properly delegated and saying my good byes to my employees, clients and most importantly my family. Then tomorrow we will get with our group and head across the pond whereby on Thursday we will be in one of the most beautiful and architecturally significant places on earth - Florence, Italy, home of the Renaissance.




I always feel so much excitement combined with trepidation when doing this trip in that it is great to experience this wonderful corner of the world yet I constantly worry about the happiness and comfort of my travelers. This is our 8th tour and each trip is filled with so many stories and sites so here we go again! We will be setting dates for next year's trip as we have received overwhelming interest for Italy Trip 2011!

Here is our agenda and we will attempt to update the blog each day depending on internet access as we will be in some remote spots:

Wednesday September 1st - Fly to Florence
Thursday September 2nd - Arrive in Florence
Friday September 3rd - Day in Florence - Walking tour of the City & dinner at Villa San Michele http://www.villasanmichele.com/web/ovil/villa_san_michele.jsp
Saturday September 4th - Morning in Florence then on to the Prada Outlet and then to our Country Houses in Umbria with a welcome dinner prepared by our private chef.
Sunday September 5th - Brunch at the Villa Piazanno in Tuscany http://www.villadipiazzano.com/ then onto Arrezzo for the Antique Fair. Dinner in Cortona.
Monday September 6th - Cama Deruta ceramic studio tour, Perugia, Assisi and dinner in Assisi. http://www.camaderuta.com/
Tuesday September 7th - Wine Tour of Tuscany - Montepulciano, Pienza, and Montalcino, 7 course meal at Mimmi's.
Wednesday September 8th - Farmer's Market in Umbertide, Tour of Architectural Antiques Yard - Lacole, and our cooking class in the Country Houses.
Thursday September 9th - Tour Sienna
Friday September 10th - Drive to Rome with a stop in Orvieto for lunch.
Saturday September 11th - A day in Rome
Sunday September 12th - Fly back to Phoenix

Yes - its a full schedule and I'll need a vacation after my vacation!

Italy Trip 2010 Begins!

Well Italy Trip 2010 is upon us. We leave Wednesday morning on our adventure across the pond and arrive in Florence, Italy on Thursday just past noon. We will spend 11 lovely days in Italy starting with a couple days in Florence, then our quaint and charming country houses in Umbria for 6 days and then onto Rome for two more and then back to our lives here in the States. Thanks to all my travelers for signing up this year. We have 14 total so a nice group this year. Also a special thanks to Evelyn and Megan from my office who really put this whole trip together!!! I couldn't do it without you!



I invite you to follow our trip on our blog and on our Candelaria Design Italy Trip 2010 on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Candelaria-Design-Italy-Trip-2010/415280225531?ref=mf over the course of the next two weeks. We will be posting tidbits, photos, videos, recipes, wine recommendations, you name it. It will be a lot of fun and every trip we've done (this is number 8) always is filled with new sites, stories, hundreds of memories and lasting friendships.



I am excited, apprehensive, a bit stressed, well a whole mixture of feelings that changes on the hour. I am excited to see the looks of a number of my travelers who have never been to Italy, many who have never been to Europe the moment we walk down our street to the Hotel Brunelleschi. The sites, sounds and especially smells all overwhelm the senses. I'm always amazed at how vibrant and memorable everyone's dreams become during this trip. Hard to imagine we will all be there in a little over 72 hours!

Well back to work, wrapping up details, trying to hit deadlines, packing, errands......craziness.

August 2010 - Making it through the summer!

Wow – the summer is flying by and finally some monsoon rains to stir things up and bring some welcomed moisture to the Valley of endless sun!



We have been all busy at Candelaria Design finishing up some amazing homes and now starting some great new projects that we have picked up over the summer. My staff and team have done a great job and they have all put in a lot of late evenings and weekends to keep things moving! It’s definitely appreciated!





It’s exciting and very interesting to see the dynamics of the market and how things adapt to meet people’s change in tastes, needs, perceptions and of course economics. Of course our industry, real estate, construction and design have been the most affected industry out there with this significant downturn. Architects have one of the highest unemployment rates currently running at 67%. It has been trying on all of us and all of our builders and consultants and its been frankly heart-wrenching to hear the stories and witness first hand some of the hardships and sacrifices people in our industry have been making to get through these tough times. The truth of the matter is we all will get through this – how?… that is the chapter yet to be written. I know we are working as hard as possible to find projects, finish projects, spread the work around, and put people to work and we appreciate the referrals that we receive back from everyone!







Speaking of finding work we definitely are not limiting ourselves to just Phoenix and just houses. We have been blessed to land some great projects in a number of places. Phoenix and Idaho of course, but also Albuquerque, Las Vegas, LaJolla, and Dallas. We are looking at another restaurant project and doing a number of apartment clubhouse and pool area renovation projects which have been a lot of fun! The remodels and guest houses keep coming and we love doing them! Remodels have always made up 65-75% of our workload. I think it is the most green way to go when you can make use of an existing home and save what you can and add with green and energy efficient products and materials.







I have been fortunate to get a little traveling in – mostly for business - this summer including Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Big Fork, Montana; Austin, Texas; Durango, Colorado; and La Jolla and now I’m in the process of moving my daughter, Tiffany, who graduated cum laude in May from the University of Portland with a Bachelors Degree in Communication. I am very proud of her and I’m excited to have her back in Phoenix! She’ll be looking for a job so any leads – we’ll take em’!



We have recieved some great press this year including a beautiful editorial of one of our homes in Arcadia featured on the cover of the summer issue of LUXE Magazine! Great team effort by Candelaria Design, Schultz Development, Vallone Design and Berghoff Design. Please check it out as it is on the newsstands now! El Chorro still gets its share of press too including a nice write up in Sunset Magazine and nice accolades for the patio and design. I’m looking forward to those nice fall evenings there sharing a glass of wine around the firepit after a little bocce! http://elchorrolodge.com/

The Italy trip is just a month away and we will have 15 travelers joining us on this year’s adventure. We had a wonderful Pre-Trip party at Coup des Tartes a couple weeks ago and everyone had a chance to meet and get the party started. http://www.nicetartes.com/ Check out our Facebook fan page for the Italy trip and follow us each day as we make our way through Tuscany, Umbria and Roma! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Candelaria-Design-Italy-Trip-2010/415280225531?ref=mf We will be setting the dates for next year’s trip soon and I can tell we have a lot of interest from those who couldn’t make this year’s trip but want to be included in 2011!






Finally, thanks for all the new fans on our Candelaria Design Facebook Fan Page. We just passed 1300 and we are growing our base day by day. We are also on Twitter at CandelariaArchs. We love your support and posts and my Marketing Director, Megan Wahl, is looking forward to adding some great material there over the balance of the year ahead. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Candelaria-Design/147697373192





It’s back to drawing for me and back to school in ten days for my girls. One graduated from college and the youngest is just starting kindergarten…..so I’ll be drawing for many, many years to come so stay tuned!

June 2010 Blog - Summer is here

Wow - summer is here and the 110º temps are finally knocking on the door. It's been a while since I have posted a blog and thought it was time to catch up. It's hard to believe that half of this year is nearly over.

Well a lot has been happening. First I want to congratulate our Evelyn Bhattan, who basically runs our operation, and who many of you have known for years - well her and her fiance, Scott Jung, were married today in Cancun, Mexico! My Evelyn, is all grown up. We all send our well wishes to both Scott and Evelyn from the entire Candelaria Design gang.



We are all weathering these tough economic times in the real estate and construction industry and it has been nice to see everyone come together and rebuild relationships, bend and lend a hand to help others, and offer support and encouragement when needed. As they say, its easy to be everyone's friend during the good times, but you really find out who your friends are during the tough times. Needless to say, we have been blessed with so many wonderful friends! We're all working together and we appreciate everyone's understanding and cooperation over the course of the last few years.



That being said, we are blessed to have a number of exciting projects going on here at Candelaria Design. We are completing plans on two beautiful new homes in Silverleaf and another in DC Ranch. All three are amazing homes. We were also pleased to hear that the home we designed in Silverleaf for West Development and Construction sold for $7.5 million last week - http://www.azcentral.com/business/realestate/articles/2010/05/26/20100526biz-donedeals0526.html?source=nletter-news nearly $700/sf!








We are also fortunate to be working on two projects in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. One is nearing completion of construction at Black Rock and another is on the boards in Hayden Lake. Both are spectacular lake homes in one of my favorite places in the world. Other projects beyond Phoenix include a stunning Pallazzo we designed in the middle of an 80 acre farm field in Yuma, another mountain home near Dolores, Colorado, and a formal Mediterranean courtyard home outside of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. We have several amazing homes finishing construction in Paradise Valley and Arcadia and they will all complete this fall. Look for some upcoming features in LUXE magazine this summer.








Another major component of our work load is and has always been remodels, additions, and renovations. That usually surprises a lot of people but those projects have always made up half if not two-thirds of our work load. Given this market, we are seeing a lot of work here and we really enjoy them! I think clients always expect a new home design to be spectacular but are usually so surprised and amazed at how we can turn an existing home into something spectacular. The transformations always truly show off the creative ability of our Candelaria team! We have some very interesting remodel, renovation projects and it is amazing how many guest houses we are doing these days - this is definitely a trend with our aging population. In all cases I am always proud that we are creating something real that does create or keep real jobs.







Our Italy trip from September 1st - September 12th is a go and we have a great group going this year! I am very excited about our trip and the group traveling with us this year. I am excited to be traveling in September and seeing this part of Italy as fall approaches. Details on the trip and our pre-party will be coming out in the next two weeks. We do still have room for two more! See details of the trip on our Candelaria Design Italy Trip 2010 Facebook Fan Page. This is a great trip and a very unique way to experience one of the most magical areas of Italy.







Well - time to hit the pool with the kids and dog and then back to the drawing board! Thanks for all of the great projects and support!

February 2010 Blog - El Chorro Reopens

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a blog and I’m a bit overdue. Needless to say, between the Holidays, the end of the year, project deadlines, and everything we have been up to it has slipped a little but it’s nice to put a few words together and update everyone on all that is going on at Candelaria Design.

El Chorro Lodge
Perhaps the biggest highlight of the last year has been our participation on the El Chorro Renovation project. One of the Valley of the Sun’s most favorite landmarks of all-time, El Chorro Lodge www.elchorrolodge.com , located at 5550 E. Lincoln Drive in Paradise Valley, is completed and open for business.



The A-team assembled to complete the renovation on the existing 11-acre site was comprised of Candelaria Design – Architects, Desert Start Construction – Contractors, Berghoff Design Group – Landscape Architects, Vallone Design – Interiors, and Creative Designs in Lighting and of course our client and leader, Jacquie Dorrance. Jacquie joined forces with Tim & Kristy Moore who have operated Continental Catering for years and they brought on chef Charles Kassels from the Eldorado Hotel in Santa Fe, to run the kitchen. The entire design team made it top priority to keep El Chorro’s rich history and classic charm while updating the facilities to today’s technology and energy efficiencies.





We took special care to embed environmental awareness into this project that is nearly undetectable to the eye. Materials were salvaged, doors and windows were updated to more efficient standards, and the tops of the buildings now capture solar energy for the restaurant’s use.



El Chorro was purchased by Jacquie Dorrance last May 2009 with the goal of wanting to preserve and improve one of Arizona’s longest standing restaurants. We began sketching in June and construction was underway by late August. Yes – it was a busy summer! The completed project combines old El Chorro elements such as the Classroom Bar, the white outdoor furniture, and the sticky buns – a favorite on the menu - with new, pristine interior spaces, an additional open air inside-outside bar, and the spirit and character that match the grand exterior spaces with views of Camelback Mountain and the other surrounding mountains in Paradise Valley.



El Chorro now has a total of 4800 SF of dining and bar space, 7500 SF of patio space, 13 fireplaces, three fire pits, indoor dining that seats 150, exterior patio seating for 200, a 4600 SF Event Pavilion that can accommodate up to 250 with an adjacent lawn area, a vegetable and herb garden, and a bocce lawn off the old Classroom Bar, one of my favorite past times! Other amenities include solar energy, updated entertainment sound systems, and free Wi-Fi.



Everyone that worked on this project and helped make it a reality deserves a pat on the back. I especially want to recognize my team, Jeff Kramer, Tim Mathewson, and Vivian Ayala who worked many late evenings and weekends to get the plans completed and get the construction underway.



El Chorro is truly an Arizona landmark that we can all be proud of and enjoy with our family and friends for many years to come. I invite you all to come by, kick back, play a little bocce and enjoy what Arizona outdoor living is really all about.



10-years of Beautiful Homes 1999- 2009 Candelaria Design Anniversary Book
After all of our hard work, we have finally completed our 10-year anniversary book titled 10 Years of Beautiful Homes 1999 ~ 2009. It is a great coffee table book with pictures of some of our most memorable projects over the past 10 years. If you are interested in reserving a copy, please call the office at 602-604-2001.



Phoenix Home & Garden AZ Style Showplace 2010
This past weekend , February 12-14, we participated in the Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine AZ Style Showplace 2010 at the Scottsdale Quarter and, I must say, what an amazing turn-out. Thank you to everyone who came out to support us. We would especially like to thank my team leader, Nelson Rodriguez and all the craftsmen and vendors who helped make our Booth at the AZ Style Showplace 2010 a huge success! -- Architectural Design Works , Dave's Custom Millwork, Facings of America, H. Ryan Studio, Premiere Wood Floors, and Tierra del Lagarto.



Italy Trip 2010
The Candelaria Design Italy Trip is a go! We have had great interest thanks to our Candelaria Design Italy Trip 2010 Facebook Page (300 fans and counting) and we are excited for our 8th trip which will depart Phoenix on September 1st and return on September 12th. See our Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Candelaria-Design-Italy-Trip-2010/415280225531?ref=mf for more details. I’m taking 10-12 travelers and we are about there. We have a great group going and I’m looking forward to the adventure once again.





Wrap Up
Well how’s that for things happening. We are happy to announce the rehiring of our good friend and Marketing Director, Megan Wahl. So be looking for more blogs, more updates, and more postings. Plenty brewing and some wonderful projects on the boards and under construction – we thank you ALL for the support and referrals. Thanks for following us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Candelaria-Design/147697373192 .

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone in 2010! We are looking forward to a great year with some exciting features, travels, recipes, and of course Architecture! Wishing everyone a great year.

October 2009 - Candelaria Design Fall Update

Fall is finally upon us and how nice it is to be outside again and enjoying Arizona. Sitting around the firepit, cocktail parties on the lawn, friends over for a barbecue, and the kids can finally be outside all day. I love October – it’s my favorite month. Great weather, football, World Series, fall color, parties – I love it.



This month’s blog is a bit of a hodge-podge and is more of an overall update on things going on. First and foremost, it is exciting to see some life out there. We have definitely seen things pickup over the last 30-60 days so that is very encouraging. Credit is still very tight and at least in our corner of the world we haven’t seen nor heard of any of this so called stimulus money out there. Perhaps its time to start the Cash for Clunkers program for all the foreclosures. Seems like doing this instead of giving the 700 catrillions to the banks might have done more to get the economy going. Nevertheless. deals are happening and hopefully, the worse is over.

Many things are happening at Candelaria Design. Several very interesting projects getting started including a new house near McCall, Idaho whereby our goal is to make the house as self-sustainable as possible, through the use of geothermal, hydroelectric, and solar. It’s a project for an old high school and college buddy so that is really going to be fun. We have a number of new houses we are just getting started on and several incredible houses on the boards, many more in the field. I believe last count we currently have 12 houses under construction in Paradise Valley alone. We currently have three houses featured in national publications and we are working on a TV spot so there are some great things going. I really feel our projects, clients, and work just get better and better each year. My team has held in there through these tough times and I cannot imagine having a better crew to work with than what we have at Candelaria Design. It would be great if the government didn’t take so much of my profits whereby I could actually maybe hire someone.



One very exciting project we have underway is the El Chorro Restaurant on Lincoln in Paradise Valley. We are working with such great team, including Jacquie Dorrance – our client, Desert Star Construction, Berghoff Design, Creative Designs in Lighting, Vallone Interiors, Tim & Kristy Moore, well the list can go for a while….. Be watching for details and check out the website at http://www.elchorro.com . I’m sworn to secrecy about what the new El Chorro will be like but I can assure you it’s going to have the Old El Chorro flair and feel and yes the sticky buns will still be baked each day.





We were also awarded an 2009 Excellence in Masonry Award last weekend for a beautiful house we designed and had constructed by Schultz Development in Horseshoe Canyon ~ Silverleaf, Scottsdale, Arizona. The masonry work was done by Sutter Masonry. The home has been featured in the November 2008 issue of Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine and will be featured in a new book we have coming out this fall.



The 2009 Italy trip has been pushed back to 2010 due to the economy – but we have a good list started for 2010. So I am hoping the added time allows everyone to save their money for this great trip. Perhaps we’ll pay for the trip in Euros now and by the time we go the trip will be free. Anyway, the trip is set for September 29, 2010 and returning on October 10, 2010. The trip runs between $4500 - $5000 depending upon if you go single or double. That includes your round trip air fare, rental car, transfers, hotels in Florence and Rome and your accommodations for the farmhouses and chef we arrange in the Umbrian countryside for the balance of the trip. Many other great highlights to this trip so email me if interested. I plan to take no more than 12 people and I know with this much time we will get it filled out.





Coming up on Sunday, November 8th is the Free Arts of Arizona and Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine 15th Annual Palette of Homes Tour which we will be having one of two of the homes on the Deluxe Dream Tour. The fundraiser benefits Free Arts of Arizona which is a non-profit organization that brings the power of creative arts to abused, neglected, and homeless children by partnering with over 100 group homes, treatment centers, and shelters in Maricopa County. This is the third home we have been fortunate to have on this tour and we thank our clients for opening their homes up to this truly wonderful program that really makes a difference in many children’s lives. If you need tickets, you can call our office at 602-604-2001 or go to http://www.freeartsaz.org/index.php/volunteer/poh . Tickets start at $100 for the basic tour and go up to $250 for the Deluxe Dream Tour. The house we have featured is truly spectacular and one you do not want to miss. 14000+ square feet on 2+ acres showcasing some amazing work by several of the Valley’s best craftsmen and artisans.



That’s about it. In two weeks I head out for the Scottsdale Chorro Ride down in Tubac, Ariona. Four days and three nights on a horse with about 150 other urban cowboys. This will be my fourth ride and I always look forward to the ride and hanging with the guys. More on that in blogs ahead.



Speaking of blogs ahead, we will be featuring some fun topics in the month’s ahead, including wine and wine rooms – maybe a wine trip, more cooking and kitchen topics, Going Green and LEED items, of course architecture and design, and some features on some of our clients and what they are doing. Check out our Facebook Fan Page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Candelaria-Design/147697373192 for daily updates, videos, etc. All exciting! Enjoy the fall weather - time to get back to the drawing board!

August 1999-2009 - 10 Year Anniversary

We are happy to announce our 10 year anniversary of Candelaria Design – August 28, 1999 – 2009. Wow that went by very quickly but looking back so much has happened in now what seems like a very short time. It’s funny how time is like that…..



I moved to Arizona 30 years ago this month to attend my second year of school at Arizona State University after spending my freshman year at the University of Colorado. Some of my first classes were with the late Cal Straub (you architecture junkies will know him) and of course my ultimate mentor, the late George W. Christensen. Little did I know that three years later I would be a draftsman in George’s office over on the corner of 24th Street and Campbell. During the course of going to school I met my ex-wife and needed to get a job. Of course the economy was quite bad in 79-80 and there were not a lot of jobs out there – especially for a guy with no real experience, and lacking a degree. Well I found one with a subsidiary of Schuff Steel designing billboard structures. I designed billboard structures for Outdoor Systems, Gannett, etc. Little did I know that 25 years later I would be designing personal homes for two of the principals of those firms later in my career and my office would ultimately be in the original headquarters of Schuff Steel designed by the late Al Beadle.




Well the billboard business went into the tank and I was laid off. While searching the newspaper I found an ad for a draftsman at George Christiansen’s office – now that job I wanted. I answered the ad and went to the interview conducted by Dave Jones and Dick Miller – two of the best architects I ever knew or worked for. I told them I needed this job and would work for free if they gave me the chance. Once there they could determine what I was worth and I would be happy. Fortunately, God blessed me with the ability to draw and they must have seen enough of that ability in the meager portfolio I was able to put together combined with my passion for this position. March 3, 1982 I received a call from Dianne Kleber (George’s office manager who now works with me 27 years later) that I was being offered the position. I was so happy and I was willing to work endlessly (and I did) to show these guys they had made the right choice. Within days I was working on the Van Houten Residence (now one of my retirement fund managers for our firm) the Paul Harvey Residence in the Biltmore, amongst many others to come. The first builder I met with was Gerald and Jerry Meek of Desert Star Construction who ended up building the Van Houten Residence for I think $280k…… unbelievable.

Well the years went by and after projects like Casa Blanca in Scottsdale, and the Enchantment Resort in Sedona, Los Caballeros in Wickenburg, Paradise Valley Methodist Church, Mount Claret, not to mention hundreds of homes and remodels I became a partner with George in 1987 and CCBC, Inc was formed. George Christensen was an amazing mentor, friend, teacher and a very missed drinking buddy. Boy we had some great times and of course the George stories are endless….that’s a blog in and of itself.



The years passed and George retired and moved on and my time to set my own path was upon me. I remarried in May of 1999 and upon the return of my honeymoon it became apparent it was the right time to set forth. By September 99 I said my goodbyes to the CCBG gang (with George’s departure Joe Groff had stepped up – hence the G) and started my own gig – me and my two dogs Nacho and Lulu were the whole office. I was determined to keep things simple and work from my little loft space at my townhouse and just enjoy life. Heather and I would field measure projects together and one of our first projects was a garage conversion (that never went forward) on Exeter Blvd. in Arcadia. Again, little did we know that within 10 years we would be doing some of the most grand homes on Exeter and changing the landscape and character of that street.



Six months later my wife said it was time to get an office. The loft was full and the papers, were falling over the railings. So I set out to find a space. My good friend Fred Fleet said he had some space he could sublease and so I went to check it out – 4th floor but down four levels in a basement….. didn’t feel right. I received a call 10 minutes after looking at the basement space that my friend's PR firm was splitting up and they had some space to sublease. Of course that is our current office space in the old Schuff Steel headquarters just a few blocks west of where I first went to work in George's office.





The years went by and the staff grew – some of my early additions are still with me today, Jeff Kramer, Vivian Ayala, and Dianne Kleber. All three of them have been just amazing, hard working and talented people to work with. Their commitment and integrity are impeccable. I have been truly blessed to have them both join me during the early years of my company. I also want to thank Evelyn Bhattan who does the best job at running my operation everyday. She is a phenomenal member of our team and allows the rest of us to play architect every day. We then have been lucky and have been able to land some really great projects. My good friend Patrick Murphy and Larry Peery each had new houses for us to do. Patrick’s little cabin in Coeur d’Alene and Larry’s house in Cottonwood, AZ. Both got us going….more followed, many, many more. We started the Italy tour which really had a major impact on the growth of our firm and the client list – not to mention a huge influence on our designs. Jeff Kramer and I did the very first house ever constructed in Silverleaf, homes in Idaho, California, Oklahoma, Colorado…..its been a real ride.



Many names and faces have passed through our doors and our client list has grown way beyond my wildest dreams. I thank everyone, especially my wife and children, for making the life and career of a guy from Durango, Colorado whose Dad was a hard working railroader and whose Mom used to drag me through model homes on weekends, a dream come true. I thank my current staff and team who are working very hard to ride out these tough times together. Your commitment, encouragement, dedication and talent are all greatly cherished - you are all a great joy to collaborate and have fun with.



Reflecting back on all that has taken place in the last 10 years, not to mention the last thirty, I can only imagine what the next 10 years will bring……

Tiffany's Things - Home

Tiffany's Things - Home

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