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We started the morning with
trying to figure out the coffee machine. With the Mr. Coffee not really working
we went to the old fashioned on the stove coffee percolators and made some very
strong espresso. That got us going!
We tried to go for a quick
hike but the horseflies were just relentless. So we sprinted back to the house
and did some exercise inside. I went for a swim in the pool which was
wonderful. Did my pushups and we cleaned up and got ready for the day.
Our first stop was the
wonderful Villa Di Piazzano which is on the way to Cortona. I accidently
discovered this beautiful place on one of my first visits to Tuscany by driving
down what looked like an interesting road. It was perfectly aligned with
Italian cypress trees that led into this old dilapidated villa. Well since then
it has been meticulously restored and every year I have come they have raised
the bar higher and higher. A couple from Australia and their daughter purchased
the villa shortly before my accidental visit and I met them then just as they
were about to embark on restoring the property. It has been such a delight to
follow their progress and now each trip they prepare an amazing brunch for us.
Definitely one of the highlights of the trip.
The food is beautifully
prepared and arranged such that you are hesitant to even start as you feel you
are tampering with a masterpiece. Once you take a bite you realize that the
masterpiece is truly one to be enjoyed. Usually we dine on the outdoor terrace
above the pool, but a welcomed storm was brewing to the west so they set us up
inside. With the finishing touches on brunch coming together, the daughter of
the Villa family, Alessandra gave us a tour of the villa and the newest accommodations and building they had
restored. Unbelievable! Perfectly appointed, clean, simple and elegant. If you
are ever in Tuscany, this is the place to come, and spend some time.
As brunch was served the
storm blew in with great vigor. Wind, lightening, thunder and welcomed rain.
You could almost hear the joy coming from the trees and earth. It was fantastic
to enjoy this masterpiece of a breakfast to the sound of the storm and the
intermittent rumble of the thunder. The storm and breakfast both wound down in
harmony and it was time for our group photo and then off to Perugia.
Perugia is a beautiful city
in Umbria – I believe it is the capital. It sits on a hilltop as virtually
every city in this area does and overlooks the Tiber valley below and nearly
all of Umbria. To the east you can see Assisi under a fog covered mountain.
Stunningly beautiful. Our drive in was a bit of an adventure as we made one
wrong turn getting up to the Citta centro (city center) and quickly the street
narrowed, and narrowed, and narrowed until we could barely fit between the walls
and the cars that were parallel parked. Br bringing the side view mirrors in we
were able to get through and continue on our journey. We eventually found a
public parking lot and then it was up, up, up to the main piazza.
We enjoyed a couple hours
exploring and photographing, finished the afternoon off with a little vino
blanco in the piazza and then it was time to make our way back to the cars and
Cortona.
Cortona – what a fun place
this is. Of course it has been made famous by the Frances Mayes book Under the Tuscan Sun followed by the
movie of the same name.This is a
popular place with the tourists but also the locals and on a Sunday evening it
is a crowded place! Once we found parking spaces I made my way to the
restaurant to put in our reservation as a party of 10 can sometimes be an
issue. But we had good luck, and were able to get us all set up for dinner at
7:30.
I gradually found everyone in
town and let them k now where were having dinner and at what time and everyone
was free to shop and explore.Dinner
this year was at the Trattoria Dardano and it was very good. Again a very local
menu with ravioli tartuffo, local roasted meets and of course some ribolita
soup. Add a little vino rosso and good conversation and laughter and you have
the makings of another great 3 hour meal!
By the time dinner ended and
several liters of vino rosso we were all in good spirits and the sound and
laughter were all up a couple decibels. We closed out our check and made our
way back onto the street for gelato and fun times!!!It’s always an adventure leaving as by this
time of night the locals and the tourists all merge into one, collective,
happy, singing, and laughing mixture of souls who all just want the night to
continue on! We did our best to make that happen!
We slept in a bit this
morning as I think the toll of travel finally took precedent over the
excitement of being here. Once awake and showered we were off for a quick bite
at the hotel restaurant and then off to the San Lorenzo street market and the
main food market.
This is always one of my
favorite stops. I sure wish we had something like this food market in Phoenix…only
problem is I would weigh 400 lbs. They have everything here from meats, to
fish, to flowers, pastas, seasonings and spices, cheeses, wines…..it goes on
and on. We stocked up on some risotto, spice and seasoning mixtures, and we
were off.
We rushed back while stopping
at a few of the street carts to pick up a few goodies for those back home and
it was back to the hotel. We had an 11 am transfer from the hotel to the
airport where we would get our cars for the trip to Umbria.
Now driving is always a little
initial stress for everyone. We set up two people per car so you eventually
have a little freedom, privacy and space. I love the Florence airport because
it is small and easy to get out of. A couple of turns and you are on the
Autostrada and on your way. This year we have 10 travelers, so 5 cars. I am the
lead car. I have to say this was the smoothest transition we have ever had.
Trust me – we have had some adventures with this little event over the years!!!
But this time, no glitches.
We were off – Goodbye
Florence and hello countryside.
We made our way south on the
A1 towards Umbria – but we had a little stop along the way to the Prada Outlet.
Thank God for the Iphones – they now make my life SO much easier on this trip.
Tracking location is great and with all of Italy on Goggle Maps including
street views – it is a much easier endeavor. In the past all we had was
walkie-talkies and after a mile of separation you might as well be on Mars. I
can assure you we had some separation issues in the past but this trip, at
least in terms of our first day, we all managed to stay together – for the most
part.
We made it to the Prada
Outlet and we turned the ladies loose. Luckily there is a little café next to
the store and so those not interested in taking advantage of the 40-60% savings
were able to relax and grab a beverage and something to eat.
After about an hour and a
half of shopping we were ready to go. Back on the A1 and then across Tuscany
over the hills and down to the Niccone valley and Umbria. We stopped at the
little market in Mercatale a stocked up on supplies – jug wine, coffee, milk,
and whatever snackage needed. Then it was down the valley across the river and
then up, up and more up the dusty, gravel road to the country houses.
I always love arriving and
getting settled in. It’s always interesting to see who picks what spaces for
their week here in the casas. We all figured it out, got settled, and then the
jug wine was cracked open and the vacation continuedbut now at a very relaxed pace.
I love the crescendo and
decrescendo of this trip. Just like a piece of music this trip amps up and then
winds down only to amp up again at the end. Getting my travelers to the country
is wonderful. It is fun to see everyone adjust and familiarize themselves with
this completely contrasting environment from that of Florence and its tight
streets and constant buzz of Vespas and sirens.The country is relaxing, calm and rejuvenating.
A quick swim in the pool and
it was time to go up to the main house for our welcome dinner prepared by our
host Elizabeth and her partner Paola. To
start, they prepared an assortment of local cheeses, sheep and cow cheeses and
three honeys - chestnut, acacia, and sunflower. A little dab of one of these
honeys on a piece of the cheese and wow what a delight. Add some local sausage
and melon and proschuitto and a glass of vino rosso and we were settling in for
a relaxing evening.
Dinner included home made
lasagna with homemade pasta that just melted in your mouth and a delicious
salad with homemade dressingover local
greens from someone’s garden in Umbertide. Fabulous setting as dinner was
served on the big farmhouse table in the La Pietra cocina.
We enjoyed dinner which was
capped off by one of my favorite desserts, panna cotta with fruiti di bosco –
local berries. Anyone who has been on this trip remembers this dessert! Wow
unreal!!!
With one jug of wine gone and
the second jug being cracked open we enjoyed conversation and the cool mountain
air out on the porch terrace. Slowly the tempo wound down and it was time to
call it a night.
Originally, this dinner was
scheduled for the evening we arrived. However, due to our delay in arriving we
were fortunate to move our reservation to this evening. I am glad we were able
to as this is always an amazing evening.
Dinner at Villa San Michele http://www.villasanmichele.com/ is always the making of a marvelous memory. We all met in the Hotel
Brunelleschi bar for some cocktails. Everyone was dressed so nicely and I could
tell no one had a clue what they were in for.
After our cocktails we
grabbed some cabs and made our way out of the maze of streets in Florence and
escaped to the hills above the city. Immediately, you feel the contrast between
the hustle and bustle of the city and you sense the calm, serenity, and beauty
of the country. As we pass villa after villa lined with olive trees and Italian
cypress groves you realize that something of a treasure is awaiting us.
Finally you arrive at this
fantastic façade designed by no other than Michaelangelo himself, with amazing
cars in the foreground, all there to greet you. We took some pictures and just
soaked in this amazing vista of the countryside punctuated by the Duomo and the
city of Florence below.
We proceeded in where we were
welcomed and escorted through the hotel to the beautiful back terrace/garden
were we were seated for cocktails. Nothing like a bellini on a terrace in
Tuscany!
We enjoyed the terrace for
about an hour and then proceeded to dinner on the grand loggia and my usual
table and waiter, Antenello, who has been serving our group for the past ten
years! That is one of the things I love about Italy – the familiarity and
permanence of having the same waiter for all these years. It just makes the
dinner so special.
As the sun set over the
Florence and the wines of the region flowed the evening and our table came
alive! Everyone tried different appetizers, entrees and desserts from a rack of
lamb, to sirloin with a Brunello sauce, veal to lobster – I think every dish
available was being enjoyed at our table. The meal started at 7:30 and we
finished at about 11:30 – nothing like a 4 hour meal in Italy!http://www.villasanmichele.com/
What a great day we all had today in Italy! Today
was our free day in Florence. We ALL pretty much did our own thing and everyone
had a great day and a lot to report back.
Like usual, I was up at 5am. Downloaded my pictures
and did my blogging! With just 4 hours sleep in nearly 48 hours I guess my mind
just wanted to go - I knew I was in Florence and had just one day. I was going
to make the most of it!
I finished writing and with my camera empty, I
headed out to the streets of Florence. There is nothing better than this town
without any people. Because later, it will be hot and packed. At 6 am it was
empty but for a few workers sweeping the streets, and an occasional couple who
apparently lost track of time and were still making out on a bench - after all
it is Italy!
I wondered around snapping away at anything and
everything that inspires me or catches my eye - again not a problem here! My
first stop was the Duomo - the main cathedral - Brunelleschi's Dome. What a
masterpiece! As I walked around under the light of the morning dawn capturing
and appreciating all of the unique elements and details, I wondered if
Brunellschi ever looked at this amazing piece of architecture upon completion
and asked, "dang, I should have made that corbel bigger, or I can't
believe the City made us add that handrail right there...." I'm sure he
did not feel he attained perfection. I don't think you every do, and if you did
feel you achieved perfection, you probably didn't push the envelope enough.
That's what I love about architecture, every project is a unique work, and
something you learn from and add to your repertoire of knowledge. Having
designed over 1000 homes now in my 30 years, I am amazed at how much I learn
and am aware of now as opposed to 30 years ago. You see at such a higher level
and I can only imagine what I will be thinking and seeing 30 years and
hopefully, another 1000 homes later!
From the duomo I wandered to the Palazzo Vecchio
and the Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi Gallery and then back to the hotel to awake
my Isabel whom I couldn't let sleep any longer! How nice to open the windows
and hear the bells of the Duomo. I think I need to create an alarm app for
that! With a little coffee and a quick shower we were down to the lovely hotel
breakfast. I have to tell you - I love mozzarella for breakfast! At breakfast
we ran into Gicela, Rebecca, and Heather who were off to shop for the day! We
were off to explore this city.
Our first stop was the Duomo. The line was already
forming so we popped into the campanile and started the climb and working off
that mozzarella ball I just slapped onto my midsection. Ok - this is a great
little work out. For 6€ we headed up, up, up. It was already hot and humid so
we broke a sweat in no time. What I love about this little tower is there are
little peek-a-boo openings as you climb and then intermediate platforms to
first trick you into thinking you made it to the top only to find another stair
across the way tempting you to go higher.....another great little metaphor for
life! Did I tell you they are everywhere..... So higher we went, to the next
platform and then higher yet again, until FINALLY we made it to the top where
we were rewarded with a spectacular view. I love this vantage point as it gives
you an opportunity to see the whole city and chart out your course for the day.
With our morning workout completed it was time to
descend and then tour the Duomo which is beautiful. Its simple and unadorned
interiors are an amazing contrast to the beauty and complexity of the exterior
with the exception of the center domed ceiling and its stunning frescos and the
inlaid marble floors. They are both amazing.
About this time we received a text from my daughter
Tiffany, who is also on the trip with us, who had awoken from her jet lag sleep
and was ready to join us. Luckily the Duomo is just a couple blocks from our
hotel so we headed over there to wait for her...and wait for her.... and wait
for her. Ok - I have one day here and I was not going to wait much longer and
we couldn't reach her on the phone so we texted her to join us at the Paizza
Vecchio just down the street. We made our way there and by now the piazza was
packed. We finally received a text back from Tiffany that she had tried to find
us but was apparently lost and somewhere by the Church Sante Croce. So Isabel
stayed at the Piazza Vecchio and I headed the few blocks to the Santa Croce
where I found Tiffany. We proceeded back to the Piazza Vecchio and we ventured
into the Palazzo for a wonderful tour.
As we came out Larry and Gloria were there and we
wandered across the Ponte Vecchio and the River Arno to a nice little spot for
a quick bite and drink! From there we proceeded to the Boboli Gardens. With it
being close to 100º and add a little humidity and about 500 steps and we gave
ourselves another good work-out! What struck me this year as opposed to other
years, is how extremely dry it is here – I mean everything is brown, the
grasses are basically dead, and the leaves on the trees were already in a autumn
state – not from fall but from drought.
We made our way through the gardens, back through
some good shopping areas, and then back to the hotel and a little rest before
we started our evening and dinner at Villa San Michele.
I do believe we are finally going to make it to Italy. We
have been traveling for nearly 30 hours now and 4 different planes. Starting
with our initial departure from Phoenix to the mechanical issues with our
secondjet in Atlanta, to our delay in
Amsterdam, and now our final leg from Paris to Florence….wow what a journey
this trip has been. Heaven knows if our luggage has kept up with us????
Again, why do I do this???? I swear at least three times
today, or should I say today(s), as the first day is now close to approaching
day 3, I thought to myself, damn why do I do this to myself. But then when I
arrive in Florence and hear the Italian language, and see the beautiful
architecture, and eat dinner in front of the Duomo, and see the happiness on my
travelers faces, or that first bite of amazing gelato, etc. etc. all of those
frustrations and speedbumps from the journey fall away. What I have come to
recognize from this trip is that this trip is like life itself – condensed into
14 days. Just like this trip, life has its speedbumps, its delays, its
mechanical issues, but you carry on and you keep pushing forward to that
perfect sunrise over the Umbrian hills, or that marvelous plate of pasta.
My life has been this trip, that is an understatement. Two
marriages, businesses, business deals, surgeries, children, graduations, births
and deaths, new loves and heartbreaks, and that’s only the start. But like this
trip, I push through the roadblock and I stay on this journey as it has led me
to so many amazing places and allowed me to meet so many amazing people.I cannot imagine if I hade the attitude –
“Oh, it’s too much trouble.” Or, “ too many things can go wrong.” Or what most
people do, “I’ll just go on someone else’s trip.” Or better yet, and sadly so
common, “I’ll just rent a movie about Italy and watch Life on TV!” I choose to
live life – see where it takes me. As I always tell everyone – there is no TIVO
in life.
And so I will keep doing this trip – both the trip to Italy
and this trip called “life”! I hope you enjoy our blog and our trip inspires
you to live life, fall in love, try something new and different, and venture
out of your comfort zone. You never know what you are going to get!
I think this is day 2 - but we never ended day 1 so I'm not sure what day it is or where we are. I know we have been traveling now for 24 hours! Everyone is going with the flow but frankly Delta has some issues! First we had to switch planes in Atlanta as the hydraulic system and landing gear were faulty. So with the two hour delay there we missed our connecting flight in Amsterdam where I am now writing to you.
Now they are rerouting us through Paris but our flight here in Amsterdam is now delayed due to our jet not arriving on time! It looks like we will now be missing our connecting flight in Paris and hence not getting to Florence this evening. We won't know our fate for sure until we get to Paris. I suppose if I am going to be stuck some place, Paris is not a bad choice.
So we have been catching some sleep here in Amsterdam and mixing in a little champagne....not a bad combo for jet lag. We have been trying to get a direct flight to Florence but our bags are headed to Paris and we have to follow our bags due to security issues. Well, we will carry on and see where this Day 1 / Day 2 adventure leads us! Stay tuned!
Today we start our 9th Candelaria Design Tour Italy! We just hit 10,000 feet as we are flying over eastern Arizona on our way to Florence, Italy. Eight of my travelers all met at our gate in Phoenix and two of my travelers are departing from the east coast and meeting us in Florence tomorrow morning.
Everyone was up early and I think most of us are still half asleep but you can definitely feel the excitement in everyone and I know we all just want to get there and get the trip underway. I like to break the flight up so instead of flying directly to Rome we stop somewhere on the east coast for a few hours to grab some dinner, stretch, walk-around, make those last calls and emails and then we catch a flight over the ocean during the evening hours which makes it a lot easier to sleep. We arrive in Amsterdam ready to go, where we will enter the Eurozone and go through customs and then its a short flight over France and the Swiss Alps and then we drop down to Florence. We arrive around noon tomorrow!
We will do our best to post daily and we hope you live vicariously through our blog and Facebook Page. LIKE our page while you are there.
We begin the Candelaria Design Tour Italy 2012 trip this Wednesday! We have a fun group going with travelers coming from both ends of this country - LA to South Carolina and of course many from Arizona.
We leave early Wednesday morning and arrive in Florence, Italy this Thursday! I have three people who have been to Italy before but most have never been to Europe. So I am very exited to share this trip with them. This is our 9th Candelaria Design Tour and over that course of time we have really fine tuned this trip. Our travelers this year are in for a real treat and what a great way to experience something like this for the first time. There are no bad stops, no bad restaurants, and every day is planned out so nothing is wasted and your time in Italy is maximized.
People ask me all the time, why do you do this trip? That's a good question and I have thought about it from many different angles and reasons. Really, I love taking people on this journey because of the joy I receive in seeing how it has changed people's lives and most importantly how they go about living each day of their lives. I try and stress this on the trip to observe the Italian culture, their stress on wonderful meals with family and friends, beauty, singing, and their unique perspective on time and of course their unparalleled passion for everything - even the simplest things can evoke an amazing operatic production or expression. It's beautiful and this beauty is something I hope to infuse into my travelers and inspire them to act this out every day once back home. I am happy to say, I have heard back from so many of my travelers and repeat travelers - who I guess need a little refill - that this trip has changed their life and perspective on how to live each day and make the simplest things they do each day more beautiful and meaningful. That's it - plain and simple!
Every trip is truly an adventure and I have learned so much about myself over the course of these trips. What is nice about travel is it forces us out of our comfort zone. Add the visual and sensory stimulation a place like Italy, and especially Tuscany and Umbria provides, and you cannot help but realize the rut everyday life can put you in. This trip and this place in essence wakes me up and I love watching it awaken my travelers. The landscape and architecture, the language, the smells, and needless to say the tastes - every sense is stimulated and awakened. I find myself, upon return, trying to keep this awakened state of living life alive and ongoing and so this trip is also about doing just that.
With all of the adventures, stories, photographs, and recipes I have collected over the last 8 tours over 12 years I am putting this all together in a new book I will be publishing this fall. Stay tuned for details! Meanwhile, follow our journey here on the blog and on our Candelaria Design Tour Italy Facebook page at
We look forward to a great trip and sharing it with you. Please join us in 2013 as we are tentatively set to depart Phoenix on September 4th and will return on September 17th. We are already filling spots so plan ahead and sign up now!
Well that was a fast first half of the year! We have been very busy at Candelaria Design and we are very excited with everything that is happening.
First and foremost we are getting reedy for our Candelaria Design Tour Italy 2012!!! We have a great group going this year from clients, to vendors, to some Candelaria Design fans who all share the intrigue of Italy! We do have two spots still open for this trip and with our departure of August 22nd - you still have time to join us. This is our ninth tour and my 12th trip to Italy so we have sifted through a lot to make this the best experience of several remarkable places and aspects of Italy.
The trip runs $6k per person as a couple and $7650 as a single traveler - however, I do have a single traveler and a couple others wanting to come at the couple rate so if you are thinking of joining us let me know and we can pair you up. The cost covers your round trip coach airfare, hotels, country houses, rental car, cooking class, and wine tour, and a few of our special dinners during the trip. If you have miles or want to upgrade your airfare we will credit the coach price against your total cost. We accept, VISA, MC and AMEX so you can earn miles with your miles!
If you have never been to Italy - this is the trip to spread your wings and test the water because everything is taken care of and arranged - you just show up. We depart Phoenix on August 22nd, and we currently have travelers coming from LA and South Carolina so your starting and ending location is not an issue. We arrive in Florence on August 23rd and spend three days and two nights in this fabulous city of the Renaissance. We kick things off while in Florence with an amazing 6 course dinner at the Villa San Michele http://www.villasanmichele.com/web/ovil/villa_san_michele.jsp designed by no other than Michelangelo himself.
We then grab our rental cars and drive to our country house compound in Umbria. We spend 7 days in this beautiful corner of Italy and use our country compound as our base to explore Umbria and Tuscany. We kick off our country adventure with a fabulous brunch at the Villa Piazzano in Tuscany. http://www.villadipiazzano.com/?r=4075004&gclid=CIfYqJmQi7ECFQoZQgodtkdJTg From Assisi, Deruta and Perugia in Umbria to Montepulciano, Montalcino, Cortona, Siena, San Gimignano and Arezzo in Tuscany we cover a lot of ground all guided by me personally. Our time in Umbria includes a cooking class right in the kitchen of our country compound and a wine tour that is always first class and most informative. We coordinate the shipping of all of your purchases along the way.
We then end the trip by driving across Tuscany and up the coast to Santa Margherita, Portofino, and the Cinque Terre where we will spend a couple days enjoying this most picturesque part of Italy. We return to Phoenix on September 4th.
People ask me all the time why I do this....??? Well, because it is the one place that has inspired me more than any place I have ever been. Of course I love the architecture, style, food, and wine but what I really love is the way of life and how the Italians relish and thrive on just living. Enjoying everything from a fabulous dinner with family and friends to just savoring a cappuccino one-on-one with a good friend in a piazza watching life walk by. It is that simple and it is something I try and bring back with me each time I go. I never get tired of it and I love returning to the same areas each time, learning more and meeting more people who have all become wonderful friends over the years.
I love sharing this trip and adventure with my friends here in the US - especially those who have never been to Italy or Europe. It is a life changing experience for everyone who has come. I have had many return with me including a couple on this year's trip. I have had a couple buy a house right down the street from where we stay in Umbria and to this day still have a townhouse in Cortona.
I encourage you to join us and round out our trip. If you are in the design/construction industry or a vendor the trip is total research and it will definitely have a positive impact on your business! Call us for details and book with us now. A special thanks to those going this year and those who have traveled with us in the past. You know what I am talking about. Our Pre-Trip party is set for this Thursday, July 12th, at 6pm at our office. If you are thinking about it this year or even in the future or if you are a past traveler, you are more than welcome to join us. RSVP to our office at 602-604-2001 and share in the fun and anticipation by liking our Candelaria Design Tour Italy Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/CandelariaTourItaly
Happy Holidays to you all! We close out 2011 and look back
at a busy year and we look ahead to what 2012 will bring.
2011 was a busy year for all of us at Candelaria Design. We
saw several great projects begin and several complete. We’ve had our ups and
our downs but we continue moving forward in always doing our best to design
beautiful homes that hopefully “Enhance our Clients’ Lifestyles.”
Casa Candelaria
First, thank you for all the goodies and bottles of wine. It
is always appreciated but definitely not necessary. We are so blessed and
really, we have enough popcorn balls and peanut brittle to last till July. This
year instead of sending gifts to all of the current and past clients, vendors,
builders, subs, etc…. we are donating a day at St. Mary’s Food Bank as we did
during our first years whereby we will sort and package food for them which in
turn feeds hundreds of families just from our one day effort. We will let you
all know the date and we encourage you to come join us. It is a very fun and
especially rewarding day.
Zona Verde - 2011 Gold Nugget Award
A few highlights from 2011 include receiving the Gold
Nuggett Award for 2011 for the Best Custom Home over 6500 sf at the Pacific
Coast Builder’s Conference in San Francisco in June of this year. This award
was given to our Zona Verde home in Paradise Valley that we designed for two
lovely clients who have been so appreciative and gracious. We again want to
thank our great team, Builder Desert Start Construction; Landscape Architects,
Berghoff Design Group; Lighting Designer Walter Spitz and Creative Design in
Lighting, and Interior Designer, Vallone Design. I also must thank two special
people on this project, Jim Smith of Serve the Nation who ran the show and kept
us all heading down the right design direction; and my project architect, Jeff
Kramer, who made it all happen!
Extreme Home Tour Entry Courtyard
Extreme Home Tour Living Room
Extreme Home Tour BunkHouse
We were featured on the Extreme Home Tour by Phoenix Home
and Garden Magazine in November for our
lovely Spanish Colonial Estate in Paradise Valley again for two wonderful
clients who offered their home for the tour to raise money for the Heard
Museum. Yet another fabulous dream team, Builder Greg Hunt of GM Hunt
Construction, Landscape Greg Trutza of New Directions in Landscaping, Lighting
by Creative Designs in Lighting and Interiors by Patty Burdick of Wiseman and
Gale. This is the fourth home we have had on this tour over the last five years!
We were fortunate to be featured in Phoenix Home and
Garden Magazine several times including
three covers this year alone and also received nice coverage in LUXE Magazine
for a number of our homes. We greatly appreciate their continued coverage of
our work.
The year saw several wonderful projects completed which is
always so rewarding for us to see our clients’ live in their dream home. What a
joy it is to hear their stories and as many of you know, I love the opportunity
to then come in and cook for you or with you in that new kitchen! From homes in
Idaho to homes here in Arizona we saw a lot of projects wrap up and had some
really good times at those open house celebrations!
Parlor Interior of Yuma Farm house
MRA Custom Homes Open House Event
Yuma Farm Estate House
Framing underway in Silverleaf Home
Paradise Valley Estate Home
Arcadia French Country Manor House
We also have started some great projects this year and we
are very excited about what we have on the boards. The years have been lean and
we are fortunate to keep it all going. We currently have two exciting projects
underway or just ready to break ground in California, a fabulous home under construction
in Idaho, and some renovations going in New Mexico, Tucson, and Colorado – not
to mention several amazing projects here in Arizona. We are designing homes for
clients from Chicago, Ohio, New England, New York, Texas, and Canada. It is so
much fun to see them all get excited about their new homes.
Candelaria Design also had a lot happening with our staff.
We had a member of our staff get married and then welcome a new baby! We have a
member of our staff with a baby on the way! We added a new member to our team
in November, Damon Wake, and brought back an original member, Meara Perrin.
They have been great additions as we head into 2012. Damon comes to us via
Cornell University and is the nephew of one of our clients. He has already
brought a lot of energy and enthusiasm to our team. Many of you remember Meara
who came on board this Fall and is running the front desk and directing our
Marketing. She has several great ideas going forward into 2012 including a
revamped website and some apps forthcoming that I think clients and fans will
find useful, creative, interactive and fun. Overall, I love my team and thanks
to all of you for putting up with me! Every day is definitely an adventure.
St. James Tavern London
Picadilly Circus - London
London at Night
Santa Fe
Espanola, New Mexico
Glacier National Park
Our last ski trip with our late friend Dave Reinsch (center) in Park City
Dukes Hotel - London
Santa Fe
This year we had trips to London, New York, LA, Park City, Montana, Colorado,
Houston, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, LaJolla, and Idaho just to name a few. The
Italy Trip 2012 is set for May 30th – June 11th with an
extension option to Paris for three days and three nights…..More details to
follow. The response for the trip has been overwhelming so we are now
potentially planning a fall trip too!
My girls at the Farmer's Market - Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Getting ready for the Parada del Sol - Scottsdale.
Meanwhile, we keep working and drawing away. I manage to put
in my 60-80 hours a week, I attempt to keep up with my two younger daughters,
Sophia 6 and Isabella 9, and my oldest daughter, Tiffany, who just was awarded
the Trailblazer of the month at the Westin Kierland Resort! And then there was
Dancing with the Stars for the Arizona Kidney Foundation last February, and
also my time with the Scottsdale Charros and our rides and San Francico Giant
spring training. So we are always busy.
Dancing with the Stars
Finally, I want to thank my lovely Isabel who has really
helped me through this year that included back surgery at the end of April,
moving several times, and just always being there for me during this crazy
year. She truly is my angel.
Isabel and I at the Ivy in LA
Well, that’s a quick rundown. I’m exhausted and ready to get
a little rest before we kick it in gear and get ready for 2012. I wish everyone
the best – we are always there for you whether as your architect or as your
friend. God bless you all.
Welcome to October!!! I think we all breathe a sign of
relief from the long summer when the calendar flips to October. It’s my
favorite month of the year – cooler weather for sure, fall, football, World
Series, and winter visitors falling in love with Arizona!
Thank you for your readership of our Candelaria Design
Lifestyle blog. Over 12,000 readers thus far with over 1050 viewers last
month. So thank you for checking
in and we will do our best to add some great material in the months ahead.
MRA Morning Glory Estate Lot 2
This month we have two wonderful events coming up – both
having to do with our client MRA Custom Homes http://www.mrahomes.com/
. Construction is nearing completion on these two $10 million homes we have
recently designed for MRA on their beautiful subdivision located on Morning
Glory just north of Mockingbird in Paradise Valley. On October 16th
we are proud to have these two homes included on the AIA Phoenix Metro Home
Tour http://aia-phoenixmetro.org/architecture-month/home-tour-2011/.
The tour is a self guided tour and will feature several homes of all different
styles throughout the Valley and runs from 10am – 5pm and costs only $25.00 and
benefits the American Institute of Architects.
MRA Morning Glory Estate Lot 3
The second event includes an exclusive invite only party at
the homes on the evening of October 21st followed by an
open-to-the-public Open House weekend on October 22nd and 23rd
from 12 noon to 5 pm.
MRA Morning Glory Lot 2 Kitchen
My relationship with MRA started in 1999 when they
approached me while I was still at CCBG Architects to design their new spec
home on Desert Fairways Drive in Paradise Valley. When I decided to start
Candelaria Design later that year, they chose to follow me and were one of my
first clients. We both fondly reminisce many times of our first meetings at my
dining table in my condo and working out the design details all by hand on my
drafting table. The home we designed with them drew wonderful attention for
both of our companies and profitably sold allowing them to have Candelaria
Design create two more homes followed by three more homes, and now these two
homes all over a course of the last 12 years. Both of our companies have a
great respect for each other and a commitment to quality and creativity in
design and construction that clearly shows in these homes.
Aerial View of MRA Morning Glory Estates
The two homes on Morning Glory represent a culmination of
the 12 years of our collaboration and both homes are on the one hand very
similar in execution and quality but very different in style. One home is a
formal Mediterranean Estate the other a French Country Chateau. Beautiful
materials adorn both homes, from carved limestone to custom roof tiles, and
both are landscaped impeccably by Berghoff Design Group http://www.berghoffdesign.com/ who
has also been a key component in the execution of these homes over the last 12
years. The homes are also green in that they are constructed with insulated
concrete block, foam spray insulation at the roofs, double insulated windows,
and solar panels discreetly positioned on the homes to reduce the overall
energy consumption.
MRA Morning Glory Estate Lot 2
The MRA quality is clearly shown in these homes and I
encourage you to attend these events. You will be rewarded with a visual
experience that I hope will inspire you and give you a fabulous sneak peek of these homes that will
surely be marquis homes in
Paradise Valley.
PR & Press
October is turning out to be another great month for PR and
Press. Check out the newly released issue of LUXE Magazine and the beautiful
home featured that was designed by my associate, Vivian Ayala. This is a
beautiful project she spearheaded and we appreciate the attention this home is
receiving. More to follow on this feature!
Dream Home to be featured on Phx Home and Garden Tour - Nov 6th
As noted last month stay tuned also for the November issue
of Phoenix Home and Garden Magazine, as
one of our homes will be featured in the Dream Homes Extreme Tour to be held on
November 6th. Tickets are limited and can be purchased on line at http://www.facebook.com/PhoenixHomeGarden?sk=app_203351739677351.
Tapas at Twilight - Earth & Images
I want to thank all of you who attended the Tapas at Twilight event at Isabel's store, Earth and Imageshttp://www.earthandimages.com/ , last month and the launch of her new website. With the Holidays coming check out her site for unique gifts for clients, friends, and family.
Italy Trip 2012
The Candelaria Design Italy Trip is a go for 2012! We have
had great interest thanks to our Candelaria Design Italy Trip 2010 Facebook
Page (800 fans and counting) and we are excited for our 9th trip
which will depart Phoenix on May 30, 2012 and return on June 12th. See our
Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Candelaria-Design-Italy-Trip-2010/415280225531?ref=mf
for more details on the cost and itinerary. Prior blog postings also go into
more detail from our 2010 Trip. I’m taking 12-14 travelers and I know this will
fill up fast – so call Meara and book your reservation. We will have a great
group going, and in addition to Florence, Tuscany and Umbria, we will be
hitting the coast and Portofino. I
am looking forward to the adventure once again.
October Recipe of the Month
Many of you have asked that I provide the recipes to some of
our Facebook cooking postings so here we go…..
Cioppino Pasta
We had a great time putting this little dish together last
month. My girls were watching Anthony Bourdain – yes the acorn does not fall
far from the tree - and were inspired by his visit of the seafood market
in Seoul, Korea whereat Anthony and his host were eating fresh squid and baby octopus. They
asked if there was a market like that here in Phoenix. Well we don’t quite have
the venue they saw on his show, but I did tell them there was a pretty good
fresh fish market at the Ranch Market at the Chinese Cultural Center
http://www.phxchinatown.com/99ranch_market.html . Well they got very excited
and we were off to find some baby octopus and squid. I was curious to see how
this one was going to play out. My two youngest are age 9 and 6 so tentacles
and fish heads although interesting may not be appealing once sitting on the
dinner plate.
We made our purchases and headed home to clean the squid and
octopus and de-vein the shrimp. That was fun and was like science class. With a
little garlic, butter and pasta we whipped together a dinner that not only was
fun to shop for, but was inexpensive to make and was a lot of fun to prepare
and was only outdone with how great it tasted. My girls loved it and you will
too.
Ingredients:
1 lb of Baby Squid
1 lb of Baby Octopus
1 lb of Shrimp
4 tablespoons of butter and 1/4 cup of olive oil
6 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper – don’t add if serving the
kids!
The squeeze of two lemons
1/4 to 1/3 cup of white wine
2 cans of diced tomatoes with the juice
3 scallions diced
2 teaspoons of thyme or Italian seasonings to taste
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 box of pasta – fettucine, angel hair, spaghetti –
whatever!
Clean the seafood – go to google to find very simple directions!
Chop up the cleaned seafood as you like. Get your pasta cooking and cook el
dente. Melt your butter and olive oil in a large pan – I love using my paella
pan. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper – sauté and add the lemon juice and
white wine. Add the seafood and cook until the shrimp change color and appear
cooked through. Add the diced tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper. Drain the pasta
adding two ladles of pasta water to the seafood. Add the pasta to the seafood
and toss everything together. Let this concoction cook for 3 minutes or so so
all of the flavors combine. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Add the diced
scallions for color and flavor and serve it up! You can always add clams or
mussles also – we didn’t see any fresh supply the day we went to the market but
they are great in this dish!
Rendering - New Residence in Arcadia on the boards!
Well by my lack of blogging I guess you can tell we’re
getting busier! I’m still cautiously optimistic that this blip in activity will
take hold and possibly the ship is slowly turning in the right direction despite
some of our politicians best efforts to sink the ship.
We have been blessed with some wonderful new projects
consisting of a number of new homes both here in Arizona, as well as California
and Idaho and many renovations and remodels. We are also seeing a lot of our
good friends from Canada and we are really enjoying working with them. So
hopefully, the pendulum is starting to swing back in the positive direction.
It’s amazing how far the pendulum swung both ways over the last ten years. It
would sure be nice to see some slow, steady growth without the mass exuberance
in one direction or the utter despair in the other.
Interior framing details on house underway in
Silverleaf
New Home under construction on Hayden Lake, ID
PR & Press
In terms of Candelaria Design, there are some great things
happening! We have had several projects published in the last few months
including the cover feature in the June 2011 issue of Phoenix Home &
Garden Magazine. This project spearheaded
by Project Manager, Lisa Mallas Matthews, features an amazing renovation /
remodel of a tract home in McCormick Ranch into and eclectic Old World casa
showcasing the amazing antiques and treasures collected through the years by
our client. I love this project and especially the clients we worked with – I
have worked with them for years on a number of projects and they are truly
amazing people. I was then excited to see the project featured again in the
September issue and once again it made the cover!
Stay tuned also for the November issue of Phoenix Home
and Garden Magazine, as one of our homes
will be featured in the Dream Homes Extreme Tour to be held on November 6th.
Tickets are limited and can be purchased on line at http://www.facebook.com/PhoenixHomeGarden?sk=app_203351739677351.
Check this home out on the Extreme Tour - Nov 6!
LEED Certifications
Zona Verde Residence, Paradise Valley
We also have received LEED Certification on two of our
projects both constructed by Desert Star Construction http://www.desertstarconstruction.com/
. The first is the El Chorro Renovation in Paradise Valley which received a
Gold Certification and is the first restaurant in Arizona to receive a LEED
certification. Then the Zona Verde Residence which consisted of several
structures, the Main Residence is Certified LEED, the Guest House received
Gold, and the Caretaker’s home received Platinum. Furthermore, both projects
have now been awarded finalists in the National Gold Nugget Awards for 2011 and
we ultimately received the 2011National
Gold Nugget Grand Award for the Zona Verde
Residence for the Best Custom Home over 6500 sf. Great job by Project
Architect, Jeffrey Kramer, AIA on both of these projects along with Vallone
Design, http://www.vallonedesign.com/
Berghoff Design http://www.berghoffdesign.com/ and Creative Designs in Lighting http://www.cdltg.com.
El Chorro
Team CDA
Speaking of my staff, I am so proud of how my team has stuck
together during these trying times in our industry. The national unemployment
rate for architects reached a peak of 70% during this recession. I am proud to
say we are still a ten person firm with what I am sure is the best, most
qualified team out there. Three members have been with me over ten years and everyone
has been with me at least if not close to five years. I’m also fortunate to
have a very capable and hard working administrative support team including
Evelyn Jung, who runs the show, Meara McHugh Perrin – who runs the front desk and is
handling our marketing, and Dianne Kleber who is our utility player and does
whatever we need to help get the job done! All of us are committed to our adage
of “Inspiring Excellence”.
I also want to congratulate my associate, Braden
Santarcangelo and his new wife Linda Giordano on the birth of their new little
girl who came into the world on September 8th. We are very happy for them and wish
them all the best.
Italy Trip 2012
Villa Piazzano - Tuscany
Brunch at Villa Piazzano - Candelaria Design Italy Trip
The Candelaria Design Italy Trip is a go for 2012! We have
had great interest thanks to our Candelaria Design Italy Trip 2010 Facebook
Page (800 fans and counting) and we are excited for our 9th trip
which will depart Phoenix on May 30, 2012 and return on June 12th. See our
Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Candelaria-Design-Italy-Trip-2010/415280225531?ref=mf
for more details on the cost and itinerary. Prior blog postings also go into
more detail from our 2010 Trip. I’m taking 12-14 travelers and I know this will
fill up fast – so call Meara and book your reservation. We will have a great
group going, and in addition to Florence, Tuscany and Umbria, we will be
hitting the coast and Portofino. I
am looking forward to the adventure once again.
Wrap Up
Hope's Window and Door Factory
Jamestown. NY
Speaking of traveling, in June made a trip to Jamestown, New
York and the Hope’s Window and Door Company, http://www.hopeswindows.com/hopes.shtml to learn more about their product and review
several projects we have underway with them. It was a very informative trip
coordinated by our good friends at Sienna Custom Windows and Doors http://www.siennacustom.com/
. Later that same month I was off to visit the Crittal Window and Door Company,
http://www.crittall-windows.co.uk/ in the UK to check out their product
along with my client and builder, John Schultz of Schultz Development Company, http://www.schultzdevelopment.org/
. This was a wonderful trip coordinated by our friends at Roadrunner Glass http://www.roadrunnerglassco.com/
. As they say, its all in the details and when striving for a great look and
unique finish there is only one way to do it and that’s to engage the entire
team in the process including the vendors and craftsmen executing the work. I
love this process and the pride everyone brings to the table.
Crittal Window & Door Co. - England
South bank of the Thames - London
Well that’s the latest. 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 and thanks
for following us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Candelaria-Design/147697373192
I hope everyone is having a great start to 2011! So far it has been busy and it looks like 2011 will be another exciting year.
As part of our mission at Candelaria Design, we are always trying
to give back to the community and we are proud this year to be involved in two charities, the Scottsdale Charros and the Arizona Kidney Foundation Dancing with the Stars AZ.
Yes - I am attempting to dance and will be doing so this coming Friday, February 25th at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel. This is a great cause and your vote of support will help raise money for the Arizona Kidney Foundation. My lessons have been going great and we have several video posts of my practice sessions and an interview at one of our projects in Paradise Valley on our Facebook page and on the Kidney Foundation pages. As of this morning I have raised $40....so not so good. So I can really use your help to raise some money for this amazing organization! You may help support me "at the push of a button" by purchasing tables and votes. The link below takes you directly to my Kidney Foundation web pages, his debut You Tube video, and the purchasing page. Please help support my two left feet for a greater cause – The National Kidney Foundation of Arizona!
So if that was not enough, the very next evening we kick off Spring Training for the World Champion San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium with our Scottsdale Charros First Pitch Event Saturday evening, February 26th at the Scottsdale Air Center at 5pm. This is going to be a real fun evening, low key, boots and jeans, country music, dancing, and includes all food an beverage! Individual tickets are $150 or a table of 8 can be purchased for $1000. All proceeds go to supporting our Scottsdale Charities which primarily aim to support education and scholarships for Scottsdale youth and teachers and the community in general! Tickets can be purchased by contacting my office at 602-604-2001 or emailing me at mark@candelariadesign.com. I hope I see you there and we get down to some great food and fun times.
You can also purchase tickets for San Francisco Giants spring training games and help the Charros by going to
http://www.springtraining.com/
and when prompted enter promotional code CHAR-CANDE for great deals on both general admission tickets and tickets to the Charro Lodge which is a great way to enjoy the game and entertain clients, friends, and family!
And, while you're in the voting mood, be sure to help support your favorite residential architect
(under Real Estate - Residential) in Ranking Arizona's 2012 poll. You can vote for us once every 90 days. Thanks for keeping us in the Top 10!
So that should get us through next weekend. We have updates coming on additional events, projects, recipes, publication features, and our 2011 Candelaria Design Italy Trip being tentatively set for August 31st through September 11th! Thanks for all the support both on our blog and our Candelaria Design Fan Page on Facebook. We appreciate it!
Today was our quiet day at the Umbrian Farmhouse. The decrescendo of our journey. A day to just enjoy the countryside and the beautiful home and grounds capped off with our cooking class at the end of the day.
Of course I woke up before anyone and being we were out of coffee at the houses, I thought I would head to town early and grab some provisions to start the day for my travelers. Of course it was only 6:30 am so all was quiet in Mercatale. I made my way into the local coffee stop, Sheila's, and asked what time the local market opened. Well of course that wasn't until 8 am so I grabbed a couple cappuccinos and kicked back and watched the news, in Italian of course. I enjoyed watching the locals stumble their way in to start their days - mostly farmers and construction workers, all who likely engaged in this ritual every day. And even though I stuck out like a sour thumb, all were friendly with a gruff, but non-threatening, buon giorno and a nod of the head.
At 8 am I was off to the market where I was the first patron of the day. The proprietor was kind and tolerated my hand gestures and sketches on paper to describe a bag of coffee, sugar, and cream. Grabbed some croissants, a little fruit and I was out the door. As I drove back to the houses the light through the wafting fog dancing on the hills over the sunlit tobacco and sunflower fields was captivating. So what should have been a 15 min drive home quickly became a 45 minute drive with stops here and there along the way to snap vignettes of this quiet and picturesque landscape. You realize that men and women have been farming this valley for years - thousands of years. What spirits were dancing in the fog???? I can only imagine.
Life was stirring at the house when I returned. Coffee was quickly on the stove and the day now really began. With no agenda, everyone started to set their own course for the the day. I had a group that wanted to go to the old antique stoneyard, Lacole, for a quick tour of their treasures and finds. Seven travelers chose to check this out so we were off in two cars.
We made our way north of our home, past the small walled city of Citta di Castello, and up the valley toward Arezzo. Finally we found the old stoneyard and we pulled in and parked. Not two minutes later a gentleman pulled up ascertaining our purpose. I quickly aksed for Giacomo who is the son of the family who runs this amazing operation. He quickly called him and in minutes I was speaking with Giacomo and he was excited to hear I was back for a visit. He was finishing lunch (always a priority) and would join us in about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, we would walk the yard and see what treasures were on the grounds. In the past, this was their only location and all of their inventory was in this open air yard. Walking around it became quiet apparent that this was no longer the case. The yard was filled strictly with building materials, pavers, tiles, beams, and a few old fireplace fronts, basins and fountains - all probably not good enough to make the grade of their new location. With a huge thunderstorm approaching we quickly toured the yard and made our way to the cover and safety of our cars. No sooner did we get inside than the rain came down - big time. Of course that is when Giacomo arrived and jumping out of the car to chat was just enough time to get totally soaked! He asked we follow him to their new showroom.....
After a short drive through the farm valley we made our way to the new Lacole facility.....WOW. The new showroom is simply mindblowing! A huge 2 story showroom is only augmented by a huge outdoor yard where all the pieces from the old stoneyard that were randomly strewn about are now organized in beautiful vignettes and rows making the treasure hunting experience for the patron very pleasurable. Everything from the antiques to the snails on the ground are beautiful in true Italian style! It is very gratifying to see how far this family's operation has come in the ten years I have been visiting them. I have purchased roof tiles, doors, fireplace fronts, and many other elements for projects in Phoenix from Lacole and so its always great to visit them. Mamma who runs the antique side of the business is always great to see - she never ages and is a beautiful woman. I could sit and just listen to her speak for hours.... They gave us a nice tour and after two hours of wandering around we said our goodbyes and we were on our way back to the Umbrian Farmhouses.
With a stop at a farm to see the chickens, turkeys, pigs and ducks all race to greet us (by the way a chicken is faster than a turkey) we made our way home to the laughter and commotion of the house. Several of our travelers all had made their way on their own adventures and explorations of the area so we all arrived with our stories of the day. Elizabeth and her crew were getting things ready for our cooking class which starts around 4pm and runs until 8 pm whereupon we all sit down to savor our gastronomic creations! The cooking class is always a great time - relaxing, fun and with vino flowing, always full of laughter. People jump in and out of the various activities involved in the production of the various dishes. Along the way we are all savoring the tastes as the light from the day slowly descends on the Umbrian hills. Its a very memorable way to spend the day at the Country Houses.
With dinner behind us and a fire in the fireplace it was time to unwind. As we did a group started to strategize about branching off and heading to the Amalfi Coast for a little side adventure over the next three days. After enjoying another glass of vino or two, we all had our game plans for Day 8 and it was time to call it a night......let's just say at about 2am ....again.
Today marks the halfway point on our trip. It's a day I always enjoy - our tour of the Tuscan Wineries with our guide, Pino Teresi.
We had full interest with the exception of my daughter, Tiffany, who decided to hang at the house and have the place to herself for the day. The rest of us were up and out of there by 8:45 with the fog still lifting from the Umbrian hills. We made our way down the gravel road and into the closest town, Mercatale, to meet Pino at our little coffee stop, Shiela's. A quick cappuccino and a bottle of water to go and we all hopped on the charter bus Pino had arranged. Ahh, no driving today, just sipping wine, taking photos, and letting Pino run the show.
Pino is an amazing guide and I highly recommend him if in the area. He is well educated and extremely knowledgeable and quite respected by anyone we encounter in any of the towns - they all love Pino! Like all Italians, his descriptions are always animated and passionate and he is just a delight to listen to.
Our driver made our way past Cortona and from that point forward all of the iconic photos of the Tuscan countryside were right out our window. As we made our way through hills punctuated by rows of Italian Cyprus and stone farmhouses we made our way up the hill to our first stop, Montepulciano, home of the fine Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wine and several beautiful cellars. The town was settled in the 3rd and 4th centuries B.C. by the Etruscans and later the Romans. I suppose if you produce great wine there is no reason to leave!
Our first stop was at the oldest winery in Montepulciano, Contucci, http://www.contucci.it. The Contucci family founded this winery in the 11th Century and continue their passion for fine wine, vin santo and olive oil still today. We were presented several wines and the history of the winery and the story of their grapes by Pino and the host, Adamo! What a character this guy was. The first words out of his limited English vocabulary was the fact he loved wine, women, and their breasts....well what a way to start a wine tasting at 10:30 am. Adamo worked the room and proceeded to kiss every woman on the tour, many several times for each photo op. After several samples it was time to give Adamo and the ladies a rest and move on to our next venue.
The next stop was the Cantina del Redi, http://www.cantinadelredi.com. We always make it a point to make a stop to this amazing cellar buried deep in the tufa stone below Montepulciano. The smell, the mood, and the fact you just keep going down until you ultimately reach the temple of barrels and brick vaults which tower over this wine heaven even if it is deep underground. I love the look of my travelers when they arrive in this cellar. It's beyond description as the sight, smell, sound and light all tantalize your senses....and that's before you even taste the wine. This is always one of my favorites and continues to be despite all of the wonderful places Pino has taken me and my travelers over the years.
A quick walk through town, a little shopping and it was time to herd the troops up to our next stop Pienza. Again, the drive to Pienza is gorgeous as the bus climbs up and down subtle hills with the turned soil or vineyards full of the grapes we were beginning to enjoy on this day. We made our way to Pienza where we had a lovely lunch at the La Mensa "Del Conte". www.lamensadelconte.it. This place is always on Pino's agenda for this day and the food is always simple, hardy and definitely Tuscan. With lunch behind us we took a quick walking tour through Pienza - home of the impeccable Pecorino cheese, a hard cheese made from ewe's milk.
With Pienza behind us it was off to our final stop Montalcino and home of the Brunello di Montalcino wine. Here we tasted the number one rated wine in the world as rated by Spectator Magazine, the Casanova di Neri 2001 Tenuta Nuova Brunello, http://www.casanovadineri.it. I was fortunate to snag a few bottles in 2007 when touring this winery and I am saving at least one for my upcoming 50th Birthday in October! This trip we spent the afternoon at the Enoteca di Piazza, www.enotecadipiazza.com, which is a great wine tasting room with a wide selection of wines all available via the tasting carousels and a great view of the countryside out the window! The proprietor was knowledgeable and spoke very good English so the time here was great and their shipping system was well organized. Needless to say, after an hour of samplings it was not difficult to place orders for several cases.
With lunch and plenty of wine it was time for the long bus ride back to Mercatale where a nine course meal was waiting for us at Mimmi's। Yes 9 course meal। I of course knew this so I took a nice cat nap on the hour and a half ride back to Mercatale। Upon arrival we said our goodbyes to Pino and I quickly dashed up the hill to get Tiffany and then it was off to Mimmi's for the endless country meal all served family style। This marathon of gastronomic indulgence started with two different appetizers, followed by three separate pasta dishes - cannelloni, lasagna, and raviolis, and then two vegetable dishes then finally three different meat dishes - roasted pork, turkey and beef।
Then finally a desert dish featuring tiramisu, gelato, and God I cannot remember the third little delight on that plate.... We always outlast every guest of this restaurant and by the end of the night the place is ours and our debauchery begins। Jokes, laughter, singing.....its always a relaxing and comfortable place despite the size of your waistline at the conclusion of dinner!
By now it was close to midnight.....again... but tomorrow was a free day. No real agenda other than sleeping in and hanging out at the pool.....we'll see!
We started the morning with
trying to figure out the coffee machine. With the Mr. Coffee not really working
we went to the old fashioned on the stove coffee percolators and made some very
strong espresso. That got us going! 
We enjoyed a couple hours
exploring and photographing, finished the afternoon off with a little vino
blanco in the piazza and then it was time to make our way back to the cars and
Cortona.
By the time dinner ended and
several liters of vino rosso we were all in good spirits and the sound and
laughter were all up a couple decibels. We closed out our check and made our
way back onto the street for gelato and fun times!!! It’s always an adventure leaving as by this
time of night the locals and the tourists all merge into one, collective,
happy, singing, and laughing mixture of souls who all just want the night to
continue on! We did our best to make that happen! 
