Candelaria Design Tour Italy ~ Day 2 ~ Firenze Arrival

So wonderful to be back here in Firenze (Florence)! And it is always so exciting to share that first evening meal with my travelers right in front of the Cathedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore. It is a setting that really is impossible to describe.

We had a great flight with everything going like clockwork, as opposed to last year's trip where we practically landed in every major city in Europe trying to get to Florence due to our plane's mechanical problems and then missing our connecting flight. We arrived to a sunny and very warm Florence, met our drivers and made our way through the winding streets to our hotel, the wonderful Hotel Brunelleschi right in the middle of the city.

I love this hotel and the people who run it are fabulous. I cannot recommend a nicer and more convenient place to stay. This is probably my 8th or 9th stay here and they have totally renovated and upgraded the hotel - it is stunning. We all checked in, some of us caught a power nap after our 16 hour flight through the night, and others went for a quick stroll through the city to get our bearings and work off some of our arrival adrenaline! A quick bite - a delicious fresh seafood salad and a Peroni beer and Isabel and I made it back for a quick power nap before we met everyone for dinner.

We all met in the hotel bar for a welcome cocktail and then it was a short walk to our dining venue right there on the piazza del Duomo. Nothing can beat this setting for our first dinner - right there on the street in front of the Baptistery and the Duomo. What a way to experience your first dinner in Italy. The special as always, Bisteca all a Fiorentina - steak dinner Tuscan style. We are talking serious steak here. Add some local wines and we are off! I love when these steaks arrive at the table accompanied by roasted potatoes and thats it. It's heaven and the table comes alive.

After devouring half a cow between all 6 steaks consumed at our table, we were off on a walk through the town t night and a nightcap at Harry's Bar on the Arno. A little lemon cello and some dessert and it was a walk back to the hotel and some much needed rest!

Candelaria Design Tour Italy ~ Day 1 ~ Departure

Our trip has started! I am typing this somewhere over Newfoundland, Canada as we get ready to traverse the northern Atlantic towards our intermediate destination of Frankfurt, Germany. I have been up since 4 am after going to sleep at 1am trying to get everything done before I leave, yet I am not really tired. I am always so excited to get to Italy and enjoy the awe and wonder in my traveler's eyes as we arrive at our hotel after a meandering drive to the hotel from the airport, to hear the background sound of people speaking Italian, Vespas whizzing by, the smell of pasta carbonara emanating from trattorias.... It's a different world  - definitely indescribable.

The transition from our American way of life to that of Italy takes some time. I love to watch it unfold and our trip understands this and our travelers really don't realize it is happening. We start the trip in Florence, which of course is an amazing Renaissance time warp, yet a busy, bustling city. After two days in Florence we drive to the countryside in Umbria and there the stress of our everyday lives almost melts away like gelato on a hot summer day.








I love to learn the motivation of my travelers to embark on this trip with some architect from Phoenix. I have some repeat travelers and its very fun to see the difference in their experience from the first trip to the second trip. It is very rewarding to see their confidence and their expanded awareness of detail now that they can shed the fear of the first trip. Then in contrast it is so wonderful to watch my virgin travelers discover the David in Florence or the Trevi Fountain in Rome, or their first dish of pasta with black truffles. I love it all.

Probably the best part is watching the connection and budding friendships that grow so strong, I think, due to the shared experiences of beautiful scenery, tastes, and smells and the experience of discovering this passionate culture together!

Ok, it's time to get some rest before we get to Frankfurt and have a quick connection to our flight to Florence. We arrive in Florence around 1 pm, so some time to get settled and then venture out for my first dish of fresh pasta and of course a gelato... Oh yeah and some architecture!

Candelaria Design 10th Anniversary Tour Italy

Candelaria Design 10th Anniversary Tour Italy Begins!

Mark & Isabel at the Villa San Michele above Florence

This Wednesday we depart on our 10th Anniversary Candelaria Design Tour Italy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48t7DAX6LxQ  Isabel and I have 16 travelers going, many that have never been to Italy, many have never been to Europe. It's about on this fourth day prior to the trip where I start to feel the anxiety and excitement of bringing and leading 16 people who have never traveled together through Italy. Be sure to follow our trip right here on the blog as I will do my best to post every day – along with some photos and video from the trip. We also will be posting on our Candelaria Design Tour Italy page on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/CandelariaTourItaly So make sure to follow us as we make our way through Italy.

2012 Trip at Villa Piazzano

Enjoying brunch at the Villa Pizziano - Tuscany  - 2010

Casa San Marino - Umbria

Many people ask me how the idea for this trip started. It simply began with a client who came to me and wanted me to design a Tuscan home. I asked him if they knew what a Tuscan home was and they said no not really. I jokingly suggested we should go to Tuscany and really figure it out and they loved the idea. At the same time I was designing a home for a travel agent and her husband and I told her the story and she said she had great connections in Tuscany and Umbria and in fact they would go with us and show us around and get us set up. It all sounded good to us and off we went!

2003 Tour Italy - Montepuciano

St. Mark's Square ~ 2001 Tour

What impressed my client was not only the interesting architecture, but the food, wine, and way of life, especially in the country - off the beaten path! During this inaugural trip my clients suggested I do this every year and bring clients and let them experience this. I loved the idea and the Candelaria Tour Italy was born.

Trevi Fountain - Rome

The Vatican - Rome

Villa Rotunda - Vincenze

Over the last 14 years we have had as few as four travelers and as many as 22. We have explored Florence, Rome, Venice, Milan, Portofino and the Cinque Terre, and this year we add Lake Como! We have had travelers as young as 8 years old and as old as 65. The trip has really transformed from those first adventures but the essence of the trip and the message of the trip is the same and that is embracing and enjoying life and the company of good friends. That is what we do on this trip and the Italians are the best at it - at least based on all of my travels to other countries I still think Italy does it best!

Tour Italy 2004

When we first did this trip it was before cell phones and google maps and GPS. We had walkie talkies and I was the GPS! Those of you who were on some of those early trips remember some of those crazy adventures. The trip is so well put together now that as a first time traveler I could not imagine a better way to break into traveling.

The Duomo - Firenze

John and Denise Schultz - Villa San Michelle - Florence

We fly into Florence, enjoy two nights there including an amazing dinner at the Villa San Michele in the hills above Florence. Then we set you up with your own car and we convoy through Tuscany to our farmhouse agriturismo compound in Umbria. Here we have a chef and wine guide and this becomes our base for seven days. I love the Umbrian countryside and the beauty of being away from the crowds and the tourist traps. The people are genuine, the food is genuine and the wine is fantastic. Relaxing on the patio overlooking the hills of Tuscany with a great Sangiovese and nothing is better.

Tour Italy 2010 - Trattoria Toscana, Cortona

Mark enjoying a cigar in Siena

From our country base we explore wonderful places like San Gimignano, Assisi, Siena, with wine villages of Montalcino and Montepulciano, Pienze, and Cortona - famed for the Frances Mayes book Under the Tuscan Sun. Everyone loves the country! From the fancy hotels at the beginning and end of the trip to the simple quarters and facilities of a country house, you truly experience the contrast and delight of the country. What’s nice about this trip is you have your own car, so if you want to take a fork in the road and go do a little exploring on your own you are totally welcomed to. We always set up rendezvous points and I love the variety of experiences and treasures that everyone comes back with each day!

Villa d'Este - Lake Como

The end of the trip is always different, usually something new, and a place I have never been. At that juncture of the trip, my travelers and I become explorers together and I love it. It truly then becomes an adventure like the early trips and we discover new places together. We still set up the final hotel venue and it is usually amazing and most memorable. This year we conclude our trip at the Villa d’Este on Lake Como – and bring in fall at the foot of the Italian Alps – what could be better.

I’m excited about my travelers this year. In addition to four returning travelers I have a couple clients, a couple designers, and then people that just want to explore Italy, and again many for the first time! I am also bringing Evelyn Jung and her husband Scott. Evelyn runs my office and has been organizing this trip for me for years! I felt it was time she experienced the wonderful trip she has helped me orchestrate and execute all these years. I have travelers from age 22 to age 60 so a nice diversity there. We had our pre-trip dinner at Tomaso’s and so everyone for the most part has already met and so the ice has been broken and we re ready to get into the full swing of our trip come Wednesday.

Door in Assisi

And so begins our 10^th trip! What adventures and experiences lie before us??? What great new wines and recipes will I discover? How many pictures of fabulous doors will I add to my already 100,000 images of doors in my data base, along with corbels, and windows, arches, and groin vaults….. I take about 300-500 pictures a day so I need to clear out the computer and get ready! As noted above follow us here and on Facebook and participate in the party! We have 52 people who have already expressed an interest in next year’s trip in September so we may be adding a trip in May too! We will see. Details of next years trip is on our Events tab on our Candelaria Design Tour Italy Facebook page.

Ciao!

NYC - Designers Part 1

I am always surprised how a trip to New York reinvigorates me and inspires me. I have been to a lot of great cities across this country and the world and New York definitely ranks as one of the top spots to have on your list of destinations.

I've been here many times and always sort of under my direction, but this time I came with Isabel who directed the itinerary and what fun this has been. First, to be in a city like this with someone you love makes it very special and definitely romantic. Great architecture, food, sights and smells, it is a sensory experience that virtually overwhelms you. I love the energy of this city - it never stops! And of course, virtually every culture is represented as the background sound of chatter is filled with languages I have never heard of.

This trip I made it a point to meet up with several designers and publishers. Yesterday, I met with Mary Foley and Michael Cox of the amazing interior design firm of Foley & Cox http://www.foleyandcox.com. What a beautiful studio and such warm and friendly people! Their work is outstanding and features everything from beautiful homes, condos, and penthouses in NYC to beach homes in the Hamptons and Bahamas, mountain lodges at the Yellowstone Club in Montana, to appointing the interiors of private jets! Their work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Town & Country, New York Home and AD Germany.

Later that evening, Isabel and I had dinner with interior designer, Gerald Tolomeo http://geraldtolomeo.com. Gerald is a noted NYC designer and has been honored as one of New York Spaces Magazine's 50 Top Designers three years in a row. We joined him for dinner at the Cookshop on 10th Avenue and 20th St. Fabulous venue and fantastic food by the way! His work is outstanding and he is a very active in the social media spectrum so check out his work!

Ok - busy day today. We have some more amazing NYC designers and publishers to meet and of course more sights, smells, sounds and tastes to take in! 

Candelaria Design Projects win 2013 ASID Awards

As I am flying over some of those “flyover states” on our way to New York it gave me a little time to put together a quick blog to congratulate three ASID Interior Designers we have had the recent pleasure to work with on a couple Candelaria Design projects that were just awarded several ASID Awards a couple weeks ago.

First, is our wonderful commercial project, Julia Baker Confections, at the Biltmore Fashion Square, that received a first place award for best commercial retail project, by the talented, Claire Ownby of Ownby Design!  http://www.ownbydesign.com This retail space project was featured in our Valentine’s Day Blog of this year http://candelariadesignlifestyle.blogspot.com/search?q=julia+baker. We were hired right before Labor Day 2012 and the store was open and ready for the Holidays just a couple month’s later. The store was built by Schultz Development and was coordinated in my office by the talents of Vivian Ayala and Timothy Mathewson. I encourage you to go enjoy the fabulous wine and chocolate bar and the fabulous interiors of this space!

Second, congrats go out to Angelica Henry of Angelica Henry Design, http://angelicahenrydesign.com who received an ASID Award for the best home over 6500 sf for her work on this Candelaria Design home in Carefree. This project was a remodel and as you can see from the before and after it truly was a complete makeover. Angelica worked closely with the clients to take a very vanilla, southwest style home that was not capturing the views and was lacking punch and style, and collaborated with us to transform the home into a contemporary, rustic, open space that embraces the outdoors.  The home was constructed by J. Andrew Development and was spearheaded by our Project Manager, Timothy Mathewson. 

Before

After

Finally, the third and final award winner this year was Holly Asher of EST EST http://www.estestinc.com who received an ASID Award for the Charles Residence which also was a remodel in the Biltmore Estates. Holly collaborated in the rebirth of this wonderful 3000 sf patio home that was also lacking life and attention. The rear yard was uninviting and the pool area was abandoned.  The plan was opened up, rich materials were introduced and the rear yard was completely overhauled including the addition of a fantastic Cabana space that punctuates the exterior space. The home was remodeled and renovated by Schultz Development and was the handiwork of our Project Manager, Robert Vieracker.

I cannot express the difference in quality we see in a project with a qualified and talented Interior Designer than a project without one. An interior designer offers an objective perspective, a plethora of resources at hand and a huge date base of experience with which to draw upon. I always see the value of assembling the entire team, even on small projects – architect, builder, interior designer and landscape architect – where everyone works in concert. The key is to assemble that team early in the process so that every member of the team is equally engaged and communication is open and encouraged among the entire team.

These awards also show the trend toward smaller spaces and the importance good design is for these smaller spaces. People want smaller spaces but they want them well designed and thought out with all the bells and whistles that were in the larger homes.  I love this trend and we are all excited to live smarter, smaller and better!

Stay tuned for thoughts, photos and recommendations  following my trip to NYC this weekend and our Candelaria Design Tour Italy is just 18 days away!!!

Dallas - Highland Park Homes

Definitely one of my favorite places to go where I can quickly take in a wide array of homes of all different styles all well executed is a drive through the swanky Dallas neighborhood of Highland Park. I almost always make this a quick escape whenever I come to Dallas and each time I make my quick swing through I am never disappointed.

The first thing that caught my attention on this summer's trip was the amount of construction going on! It seems that nearly every third house had some construction project of some magnitude going on from a small bedroom or bathroom addition to a tear down and a new 20,000 sf estate being built!

The other thing I always love is the diversity in styles from a formal Italian Villa to a prototypical Dallas Hill Country Estate of course featuring that creamy Texas Limestone. I could spend hours absorbing the various styles and the plethora of details that make up those styles. To me that is the best part. I can snap several hundred photos in this quick pass through this Disneyland of residential architecture.

One of my clients introduced me to the neighborhood on my first trip here back in the mid 80's including an introduction to designers Loyd Taylor and Paxton Gremillion of the famed studio Loyd • Paxton http://loydpaxton.com of Dallas.  I love the size and high quality of this accessible neighborhood. As opposed to so many neighborhoods with homes of this quality this neighborhood for the most part is ungated so its wonderful to just drive or better yet walk all of the streets and soak in the architectural flavors. It would be like taking Encanto here in Phoenix and doing it Texas style - big!!! I have loved coming to Dallas ever since!

This most recent trip was compliments of my good friend Colin Snider of Bentwood Luxury Kitchens http://www.bentwoodkitchens.com/flash/ who brought me out to tour their showrooms and plant. Wow - fantastic work and what great people running the company. The care, quality and variety was wonderful to take in. From their fabulous Jack Arnold line of kitchens and cabinets to some of their more economical lines, they address a nice diversity of levels of cabinetry for the needs of a wide array of customers. Stay tuned on this and get ready for some exciting news from Candelaria Design and Bentwood Luxury Kitchens in the weeks and months ahead.

The city of Dallas is great and of course has many fabulous restaurants from barbecue to steak houses you can never go wrong in the Bid D! The economy of Texas is booming - with no state income tax it is amazing what happens - maybe I should do a tour and blog of Detroit as a contrast..... I highly advise you take the time to come check Dallas out and make sure to take that little jaunt through Highland Park.

Aspen Food&Wine Classic 2013

My oldest daughter, Tiffany, attended the Aspen Food&Wine Classic, much to her delight June 14-16th. Being a foodie as I am, she rapidly weaved her way through the crowds in an effort to try to taste as many treats & drinks as possible during her short breaks throughout the days. (She was there working for one of the exhibitors). She's taking over the blog post from here to tell us about her Food&Wine experience.  

The Classic took up one big square block on the Southwest end of town and was composed of two long tent rows with a smaller "feature" tent in the middle that was "Spain" along with a small lounging tent & a Patron Tequila popsicle stand. I never made it into Spain or had time to enjoy a Patron Pop, but plenty of people were always walking around with them & I heard great things were to be found in Spain.

What I was able to taste was the booth's next to me, which changed everyday! One day was "Rustique - Aspen's Country French Bistro" which sampled their truffle & roasted mushroom mac&cheese and lamb ragout. Another day, "TAG Restaurant" on Larimer Square in downtown Denver featured their chocolate lavender mousse,  but the real treat for me was the day "Franck Thirion's French Pastry" was our neighbor.

They had the most beautiful array of cinnamon rolls, chocolate filled croissants & petite French desserts that I could barely keep my eyes on my own booth & ended up sneaking bites all day long! Everything of theirs was so delicious & so authentic tasting. I have been to Paris & Italy multiple times and this was really on par or better than what I have had in my travels. I should add the owner couple are actually from France.

Last but not least, Food & Wine’s 2011 Best New Chef, Ricardo Zarate, from Peru offered authentic dishes like Carapulcra, a Peruvian sundried potato stew with crispy pork belly and chimichurri, that can also be found at his restaurants Mo-chica, Picca, and Paiche in Los Angeles. I also tried a cocktail called Chilcano de Guava, with Pisco, guava juice, honey, lime juice, & soda water that was definitely refreshing.



On that note, let me tell you about all the drinks. There was primarily red & white wines of course, but there was also a good variety of sparkling wines which are my favorite, oh & lots of booths offering cheese to complement along with Godiva Chocolates. Some of the white wines I tasted or photographed were Alfred Gratien, Cupcake Wines had a big display complete with a tiered cupcake display, Veuve Clicquot, Gosset Champagne Grand Rosé, and Gloria Ferrer.  

For red wines I saw Alexander Valley Vineyards displaying three different variations of Zinfandel & all their awards, Ruffino with a Riserva Ducale 2008 Chianti, The FMC, a Chenin Blanc from South Africa's Stellenbosch wine region, Croft's Fine Ruby Port, Fonseca's Vintage Port 2009, & Taylor Fladgate's 20 year Tawny & Late Bottled Vintage, which were served with either a cookie or a truffle, mmm.

It was a busy weekend & I really didn't have much time to sample for myself. I did get to people watch, and the people were as diverse as the food & wine offerings. I didn't see anyone famous but Mario Batali was doing a book signing nearby, "Ace of Cakes'" Duff Goldman led a chocolate demonstration, and many others were present (so I read) such as sommelier Jay Fletcher, & "Top Chef" head judge Tom Colicchio and fellow judge Gail Simmons. There were also all sorts of parties every evening that featured even more opportunities for delectable bites from the top restaurants & chefs across the country. The only one I know details on is the "Last Bite Dessert Party" at Hotel Jerome hosted by Gail Simmons & featuring dessert creations from Johnny Iuzzini, "Mr. Chocolate" Jacques Torres, "The Chew's" Carla Hall, "Ace of Cakes" Duff Goldman, and published cook Dorie Greenspan. Tickets were open to the public for only $125 and included "innovative cocktails" as well. I resorted to my own means of fun that night & enjoyed the napkin full of sweet treats I'd accumulated, free of charge, in my purse that day.



My weekend working in Aspen was incredible; I ate & drank the best of the best, explored an unbelievably beautiful town, befriended a few chefs, and even got to attend a private sponsored party at the Sky Hotel! I decided that weekend that I am definitely finding a way to work the Classic again next June, or even if it's just as a volunteer, I'm there!

Oklahoma Tornado - May 20, 2013

We have all been watching and praying for the victims and survivors of this week's horrible storm that hit the Oklahoma City area and in particular the suburb of Moore, Oklahoma. The tiny screen shots we see on television I'm sure cannot even capture the scale and vast area of destruction that is there. As an architect I look at the instantaneous destruction and it is hard to imagine the force this storm carried.

I currently have three clients from the Oklahoma City area and fortunately they are all ok. We designed a large home in northeast Oklahoma City and I know that home has a full blown reinforced concrete bunker safe room right in the middle of the home. I cannot imagine what it must be like to be in and then survive one of these storms, especially with small children.

I know all of us in the Phoenix~Scottsdale community want to help and so we have researched a couple sites we can all contribute to.

The Salvation Army
1-800-SAL-ARMY
Text - STORM to 80888 and make an automatic $10 donation.

The Red Cross
Text REDCROSS to 90999

I encourage everyone to just give a few dollars to these groups who are doing their best to provide aid, food, shelter and comfort to our friends in Oklahoma.

Happy Mother's Day - 2013

Happy Mother's Day

We wish a Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there and especially to my mom! Thanks for the legos, drawing pads, art kits, and dragging me to model homes when I was a kid. It all paid off! We are all so blessed and receive so much unconditional love from our mothers! From real moms to "bonus" moms they are all there to help us along.

In honor of my mom, I am going to be posting some of her amazing recipes in some of my upcoming blogs so be on the look out for those!




Summer is coming - Where to escape?

The next holiday is Memorial Day and then summer is here. I already see many of my clients planning their escapes from the Arizona heat. From Coronado and LaJolla to Coeur d'Alene to Colorado, I am hearing snippets of everyone's escape plan.


We have been so fortunate to now be designing homes in many of these places. We currently have a major remodel / renovation underway in LaJolla, one in San Juan Capistrano, Cuppertino, CA, and getting ready to start one in Carmel, CA. We have just completed a beautiful lakeside home in Hayden Lake, Idaho, and we just completed a summer escape on the West Dolores River in southwest Colorado. More fun projects include a bunk house in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.

Then add the Arizona escapes.... we have just broke ground on the model home for the Heritage Collection cabins at the Rim Club in Payson with MB Fine Homes. 86 home lots are available with cabins from 2600 sf to 5000 sf http://www.rimpremierproperties.com. We are excited about these wonderful homes nestled in the ponderosa pines and the beautiful Tom Weiskopf Rim Club golf course. My Project Manager, Robert Vieracker, gave each model a unique look and the interiors are beautifully appointed by the talents of Isabel Dellinger and Earth and Images http://www.earthandimages.com - from a mountain miner cabin to a contemporary lodge a wide array of styles will be available. Make sure to get up to Payson this summer and check out the progress on this premier community.

Travels

We have done our fair share of traveling the first half of 2013. From Atlanta, to Austin, Santa Fe, to Denver, Vegas, to Southern California and throw in Chicago and Madison, WI - we have been busy. Austin, Texas is amazing and what a thriving city. I was fortunate to have brunch in Austin with my good friend and former Phoenix Business Journal writer, Jan Buchholz, who is now writing for the Austin Business Journal.
http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bio/12301/Jan+Buchholz
. Be on the lookout for her new blog coming soon where she will write and follow architects, writers, artists, restauranteurs and everything that is going on in Austin, Phoenix and Denver.









Next, I would like to thank the folks at SubZero-Wolf for the amazing trip to Chicago and Madison, WI and the SubZero-Wolf headquarters to see all of the new products they have coming out in the next two years! Wow - some great appliances to fill the home and all on the cutting edge of technology and beauty. Check out all of their new lines at http://newgeneration.subzero-wolf.com.





Italy 2014

Our Candelaria Design Tour Italy 2013 trip is SOLD OUT! We have a fantastic group going and we depart on our 10th tour on September 4th. This year we will start the tour in Florence and then spend a week in Umbria and Tuscany at our farmhouse compound and then we will finish the trip at Lake Como and the Villa de Este' http://www.villadeste.com/en/13/home.aspx . Do not wait to book for 2014 as we are nearly sold out on that trip! Enjoy this video which highlights our itinerary for our 2013 Trip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48t7DAX6LxQ Call our office for details. We are thinking of adding a Spain 2014 trip - so let us know what you think about that? We would tour the Rioja and Basque regions of Spain including Barcelona and San Sebastian. Details to follow. We would likely schedule this trip for May 2014.

Welcome Rob Banach and Meredith Thomson


Finally, we like to welcome Rob Banach and Meredith Thomson to our Candelaria Design Team. Rob joined us in January and has been a great addition to our team. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and then received his Masters in Architecture at Arizona State University.









We have also added Meredith Thomson who is a Phoenix native and graduate of Xavier College Prep. She then went on to the University of Norte Dame and studied throughout Europe and Italy. She returned to work in New York and just recently in San Francisco. We are glad to have them both on the Candelaria Design Team.

I wish everyone a great summer. Stay tuned to our blog this summer as we will feature more travels, recipes, and of course architecture from all of us at Candelaria Design.

Springtime has arrived!

Springtime has arrived in Arizona! And it may not quite be 100º's yet but the Arizona market is sure on fire. This has been the busiest winter / spring season we have seen since 2006. It's great to see and I'm excited to see everyone busy and working hard. I appreciate all the wonderful leads and referrals and I can assure you we are doing the same on our end. I wish I had enough work to work with everyone! We have all stuck together during the tough times that is for sure and I sure appreciate everything everyone has done to help us along!

MRA Custom Homes and Candelaria Design 14 years of collaboration!

Speaking of people who have been with me since the beginning of Candelaria Design, MRA Custom Homes http://www.mrahomes.com/ has done probably more work with me than anyone! From our first project together on Desert Fairways Drive in Paradise Valley to the two beautiful homes they are completing in Morning Glory Meadows, we have now collaborated on 8 completed homes with three spectacular homes now on the boards. 

MRA’s homes always represent the very best in quality masonry construction, the finest in details and exquisite finishes both inside and out. Every person hired to work on an MRA home, including Candelaria Design, is known as the best is their respective fields. You need to come see Morning Glory Meadows on one of these beautiful weekends and enjoy the mountain views, architecture, gardens, and impeccable craftsmanship of these homes. The two homes that are available for viewing every Sunday from 12-4pm are Lot 2 and Lot 3 and are currently listed with Chris Karas of Sotheby's-Russ Lyon Realty.

Lot 2  features 9859 sq ft livable, 12,783 sq ft under roof, masonry construction with six masonry fireplaces, extensive use of hand-carved limestone and custom millwork throughout, water and air filtration systems, Apple based Savant automation system

Priced at $9,600,000.00

http://www.thekarasgroup.com/idx/mls-4707463
8345_n_morning_glory_road_paradise_valley_az_85253

Lot 3 features 9831 sq ft livable, 13,114 sq ft under roof, masonry construction with large private entry courtyard, extensive use of custom millwork and wood beamed ceilings throughout, large dining room on two courtyards with fireplace and fountains.

     
Priced at $9,800,000.00

http://www.thekarasgroup.com/idx/mls-4707464-6121_e_orchid_lane_paradise_valley_az_85253


The three Candelaria Design ~ MRA Custom Homes on the boards are all in Morning Glory Estates:

Lot 1 features 8396 sq ft livable with an elegant Santa Barbara design with large private entry courtyard and fountain, masonry construction with five masonry fireplaces, private master courtyard with spa.

           
Priced at $7,800,000.00

Lot 4 features 8660 sq ft livable and is a French inspired design with second story including bedroom, game room, viewing deck, masonry construction with five masonry fireplaces, dining room surrounded by two lush courtyards, private master courtyard with spa

            
Priced at $7,900,000.00

And finally, we have just started preliminary sketches on Lot 5 which features a full two acre lot. The home is approximately 13,000 sq ft livable with a separate guest house, separate pool cabana house, masonry construction, seven car garage with room for more and a tennis court.


Candelaria Design is proud to have designed these beautiful homes along with all of the homes we have created over the years, many of which have been featured in both local and national publications. I look forward to many more years of creation with MRA Custom Homes. 

Nick Lowery Youth Foundation Event at MRA Homes

We invite you to truly experience these magnificent homes by participating and attending the Nick Lowery Youth Foundation event on Thursday, April 4th from 6pm to 10pm for a night of elegance, prestige and celebration in Paradise Valley at one of the MRA Morning Glory Meadows estate homes. This is a party you will not want to miss. Guests will enjoy delicious food, decadent desserts. champagne, open bar and a benefit concert by renowned jazz legend and two-time Grammy award winner, saxophone player, Marion Meadows.

Guests will arrive and be greeted by a red carpet entrance, and champagne welcome. All proceeds will benefit the Nick Lowery Youth Foundation's Stop Bullying programs creating cultures of Leadership, Respect, and Diversity in Schools.

For more information email admin@Loweryspeaks.com

Candelaria Design Ranked No. 1 for 2013 by Ranking Arizona

We are proud to have received the number one spot for residential architects in the 2013 Ranking Arizona for for the second year in a row. We appreciate all of your votes in 2011 and 2012 and we hope you will support us for the 2014 top spot.
To vote:  www.candelariadesign.com/vote

Scottsdale Charros Spring Training and Last Pitch Event

Thanks for all of you who have supported the Scottsdale Charros and our 2013 Spring Training at Scottsdale Stadium. We would especially like to thank Telluride Natural Stone http://telluridenaturalstone.com , Creative Metals http://www.creativemetalsaz.com/CreativeMetalsLLC/home.html and Hinkley's Lighting http://www.hinkleylighting.com for all of their time, efforts and materials in helping Candelaria Design with the new facade at the Charro Lodge! Great job.

We welcome everyone to attend the Scottsdale Charro Last Pitch event on Saturday, March 23rd from 6-10pm at the Scottsdale Galleria. Individual tickets are $150 and tables of 10 go for $1,250.00. Contact my office at 602-604-2001 for info or the Scottsdale Charro Office at 480-990-2977. Hope to see you all there for a fun evening! Proceeds go to the Miracle League of Arizona and the Scottsdale Charro Foundation Education programs. 

Stay tuned in the weeks ahead as we will be posting some more fun events, homes, recipes, travel opportunities, etc. At Candelaria Design we are always designing to enhance the way you live! 

Happy Valentine's Day 2013

We wish all of our wonderful clients a Happy Valentine's Day! And where better to celebrate Valentine's Day than at our newest creation - Julia Baker Confections http://www.juliabakerconfections.com- and her new piece of chocolate heaven at the Arizona Biltmore Fashion Park!

We were so honored to be selected as the architect for this little jewel. Just before Labor Day and my annual trip to Italy, my good friend, Julia Baker, called me and asked if she could refer her to an architect to design her new flagship store. I told her  I had the perfect firm for her - us! She paused for about two seconds and said, "Yes of course! Let's do it!" We were so excited and knew this would not just be a chocolate boutique but a little work of art. We teamed up with Claire Ownby of Ownby Design http://www.ownbydesign.com  and Schultz Development http://www.schultzdevelopment.org and we had the store designed and open for business by December 17th! What can be better than enjoying art in your mouth while being surrounded by elegance. It doesn't get more decadent than that!

I met Julia about seven years ago when she came to my office to design a French inspired home. We immediately became good friends. She loves architecture and of course food and cooking and so do I. We have cooked and baked together many times. She created my daughter's entire farm themed cake for her 5th birthday.  She established Julia Baker Confections in 2006 and has never looked back. Her desserts and chocolates has been featured internationally and she has been acclaimed as the "Chocolatier to the Stars." Singer/songwriter Alicia Keys has called Julia"breathtakingly talented." Among the many celebrities Julia has made chocolates for Bono of U2, Paris Hilton, Jennifer Aniston, and Brittany Spears.

Julia was trained at the Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and is an amazing cook but was drawn to creating desserts. "I have had a sweet tooth all of my life. I just love dessert and have been known to eat it either before or in place of a meal! Chocolate is a super food after all," says Julia. We asked Julia what dessert comes to mind when she thinks of Valentine's Day, "Well this year with our new boutique and dessert bar - you'll be seeing a lot of heart-shaped lava cakes! Any heart with an oozing chocolate center is the definition of the PERFECT Valentine!" comments Julia.

Julia Baker Confections has some special experiences awaiting you for this Valentine's Day and the entire weekend. They will feature special dessert packages for 2 including champagne or their incredible chocolate martinis....these are a must have! Julia goes on to say, "And being that hopeless romantic - I am thinking about running nonstop romantic comedies on our TV in the wine bar. When Harry Met Sally, You've Got Mail, and Sleepless in Seattle will all be on the list!"

We asked her if she has a Valentine and what her personal Valentine wish would be this year? "I have a long distance Valentine. My wish is simple...that he would be here for Valentine's Day!"

Stop by and say hi to Julia and enjoy a very sensory inspiring experience.

Candelaria Design - St. Mary's Food Bank Day!

Thank you to all of you who pitched in and donated to our Candelaria Design day at St. Mary's Food Bank http://www.firstfoodbank.org last month. In one afternoon we put together 1890 grocery sacks of food which equates to over 10,000 meals and we also raised and donated $1,000 which equates to another 7,000 meals. It is amazing how all of us working together made such an impact in such a short amount of time. 

One statistic that really jumped out at me was that one in seven Arizonans do not know where their next meal is coming from every day, and that one in 4 Arizonan seniors do not know where their next meal is coming from and that one in three Arizonan children do not know where their next meal is coming from. It really is hard to believe those statistics exist right here in our state. We are committed to doing what we can to see that change. So - instead of doing this Candelaria Design day at St. Mary's Food Bank once a year we are going to make it every quarter! If you are interested in helping us out, just call our office and sign up. It is really easy, you just need to show up. We go for about 3 hours and you can make a direct impact. We had a great time and we all felt proud that we had made a difference. Join us - 602-604-2001.

Candelaria Design selected for Best of Houzz 2013.

We are proud to announce our selection to the Best of Houzz 2013 for both Design and Customer Satisfaction. Our work on Houzz was voted as one of the popular portfolios on the website during 2012. We are always adding new images to the site so join in and collect your library of inspiration images for your collection.

http://www.houzz.com/press/7/Houzz-Unveils-2013----Best-of-Remodeling----Winners?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRolv6vAZKXonjHpfsX57OQrXbHr08Yy0EZ5VunJEUWy2oEJS9QhcOuuEwcWGog8yANNAPo%3D

Scottsdale Charros - Parada del Sol & Spring Training

It's that time of the year again for Spring Training! I am proud to be a Grande member of the Scottsdale Charros who each year kick off the season with our ride in the Parada del Sol, followed by our Spring Training Festival which is this weekend at the Scottsdale Civic Center and then of course baseball itself where we host the 2012 World Champion, San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium.
















I enjoyed my ride with my Charro compadres down Scottsdale Road last Saturday and Candelaria Design contributed the design for the new western facade that just went up at the Charro Lodge. The new western storefront was donated and constructed by my good friends at Telluride Natural Stone http://telluridenaturalstone.com. Come check out some games. I have amazing packages right here at the Scottsdale Charro Lodge http://www.springtraining.com. Our proceeds go to wonderful programs and charities all geared towards education and children!

Final Comments

That wraps it up for this week! We have some exciting announcements coming up in the weeks and months ahead so stay tuned and subscribe to our blog. Our 10th Anniversary Candelaria Design Tour Italy Trip http://www.facebook.com/CandelariaTourItaly is sold out for this year and we are taking reservations for 2014! We already have several travelers lined up for 2104 so don't wait long!
Stay up to speed with daily updates by following and LIKEing us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/candelariadesign. 

Happy Thanksgiving from Candelaria Design

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. Wow, I cannot believe the Holidays are upon us. I think it always sneaks up on us out here in Arizona when you go outside and the grass is green, the geraniums are blooming, and its sunny and 84º!

We all have so much to be thankful for that is for sure. What a year it has been so far. We have all weathered some tough seas out there and we are so excited with what we see ahead. First we have added some new faces to Candelaria Design. We welcome Stacey Payne who acts as my executive assistant and runs the front desk, Damon Wake and Peter Ekema who are both recent graduates and now part of our design team, and we have just brought on Rob Banach who will join the Candelaria Design team on January 2nd! So we have done our part to add new jobs to this economy. As many of you know, I firmly believe its the small businesses in this country that make our economy. So we are proud of this accomplishment and we appreciate the support and confidence of our clients who give us the wonderful commissions to make this happen.

So what is happening....??? First, we have some exciting projects we have recently completed, projects in construction, and projects on the boards! Here is a quick run of just a few...

Recently Completed

First, projects completed include a beautiful registered historic renovation we have just completed on North Central with Nance Construction http://www.nanceconstruction.com, Vallone Design http://www.vallonedesign.com , and Berghoff Design Group http://www.berghoffdesign.com, Vivian Ayala, Project Manager.

We have just completed a stunning 10,000 sf hillside, mountain home in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho on Hayden Lake - constructed by Rosenberger Construction http://www.rosenbergerhomes.com, Robert Vieracker, Project Manager.

Finally, a contemporary Hillside home in Paradise Valley constructed by Schultz Development http://www.schultzdevelopment.org on Mummy Mountain in Paradise Valley. Interiors by Holly Ogden, Wiseman-Gale http://wisemanandgale.com, Braden Santarcangelo, Project Manager. We just set an amazing sculpture custom commissioned for the project by Santa Monica sculptor, Guy Dill http://www.guydill.com.

Under Construction

A 20,000 sf formal Mediterranean Estate in Silverleaf ~ Horseshoe Canyon is nearing completion by Schultz Development, Interiors by Treken Design http://www.trekeninteriors.com, Landscape by Berghoff Design, Braden Santarcangelo, Project Manager.

Another 20,000 sf Rural Mediterranean Estate is underway in Silverleaf ~ Horseshoe Canyon by Salcito Construction http://www.salcito.com, Interiors by David Michael Miller http://davidmichaelmiller.com, Landscape by Berghoff Design, Braden Santarcangelo, Project Manager.

A two-story beachside renovation in LaJolla, CA under construction by Parker Construction, Vivian Ayala, Project Manager. Wait until you see the before and afters on this one!

A new retail space for Julia Baker Confections,    http://www.juliabakerconfections.com is under construction by Schultz Development with interiors by Claire Ownby Design http://www.ownbydesign.com Project Managers Vivian Ayala and Tim Mathewson. The new store is going to feature a wine and chocolate bar and is located in the Biltmore Fashion Square next to William Sonoma, set to open right before Christmas.

On the Boards

We are finalizing construction documents on a new mid-century contemporary hillside home on Mummy Mountain which will be constructed by GM Hunt http://gmhuntbuilders.com, Landscape by Berghoff Design Group and Project Manager Braden Santarcangelo.

Drawings are underway on three cabin plans for 86 lots at the Rim Club in Payson Arizona. The project is being developed by Diamond Ventures  and constructed by Mb Fine Homes, LLC. Three cabins are being created ranging from 2700 sf to 3500 sf in a Mountain Miner, Mountain Manor and Contemporary Style. Stay tuned for some amazing upcoming events with this property. Robert Vieracker, Project Manager.

Plans are in for permit on a new home in Verrado http://verrado.com that will be constructed by GCon Construction http://gconinc.com, Jeffrey Kramer, AIA Project Manager. Its nice to see things happening at Verrado which is a beautiful property in the West Valley.

For Sale

Definitely one of our masterpieces from the last 12 years has come on the market. Listed by Ellie Shapiro, this French Chateau features 8400 sf livable space on an exquisite lot in Arcadia. The home was built by Nance Construction and Landscaped by Berghoff Design Group. Project Manager Vivian Ayala. http://www.ellieshapiro.com

Comfort is first and foremost in this Rural Mediterranean home just listed in the Upper Canyon of Silverleaf by Debbie Sinagoga. This home was built by West Construction with Interiors by Charles Glover Interiors http://charlesgloverinteriors.com. http://www.russlyon.com

Finally, we have two stunning estates available in Paradise Valley. Listed by Christopher Karas. Constructed by MRA Custom Homes http://www.mrahomes.com and landscaped by Berghoff Design Group. We have also started design on two additional homes for MRA in this subdivision. The two completed homes are spectacular and open most weekends from noon till 4 pm. Please stop by and enjoy a tour of these homes.
http://www.russlyon.com

Candelaria Design Tour Italy

Well that is just a quick peek at what we are up to on the architecture side. We also had a fabulous trip to Italy on our Candelaria Design Tour Italy 2012 Trip. We had 10 travelers who enjoyed 14 days of amazing architecture, food, wine, and scenery. We had a wonderful Post Trip dinner just a couple weeks ago and relived our memories. We are sold out for the 2013 Trip that departs September 4th as we have 16 travelers already signed up, so we will start planning the 2014 trip! See our previous blogs and our Candelaria Design Tour Italy page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/CandelariaTourItaly.

Charities and Publications

Thanks to all of you who attended the Phoenix Home and Garden Dream Home Tour this month. We were fortunate to have two homes on the tour, including the Extreme Home which was also featured on the cover of the November issue of Phoenix Home and Garden Magazine  I sincerely thank my two clients who so graciously offered their homes for the tour which raised funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. http://www.phgmag.com/home/furnishings/201211/arcadia-cottage/.

We also had a home in Silverleaf featured on the LUXE Home Tour for Life which raised funds for the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS http://www.swhiv.org.

Finally, we have one of our homes featured inside and on the cover of the new Phoenix Home and Garden Magazine coffee table book, Essential Southwest. You can purchase the book at http://www.phgmag.com/essentialBook/index.html.

I continue to contribute time and resources to the Scottsdale Charros http://dev.charros.com of which I am a very proud Grande member. I enjoyed my 7th ride in September, and made many new friends and acquaintances. We raise hundreds of thousands of dollars each year which benefit youth and education in Scottsdale and throughout Arizona. Our big fundraiser is coming up, that being the Charro Lodge at Scottsdale Stadium, for the World Champion San Francisco Giants http://www.springtraining.com. I have amazing packages for the games this spring and advertising opportunities in our spring training programs and banners. Help us raise money for our amazing programs and enjoy some spring baseball! Contact me for details at the office 602-604-2001.

Wrap up

Finally, I will wrap up this blog update with a personal announcement. Last month I made it official as I proposed to my lovely Isabel with all of my girls present and we are looking forward to an intimate gathering and wedding sometime in February of 2013. I am very excited to have found such a wonderful person who shares the same passion for life and beauty that I do and we look forward to building a life and future together. Make sure to check out her beautiful boutique, Earth and Images, http://www.earthandimages.com in the Scottsdale Design Center for your Holiday treasures.

We are excited about all that has transpired and everything we have created in 2012. We are looking forward to another very exciting and creative year as we start our 13th Year as Candelaria Design and my 31st year of designing homes. We wish you all the best during this Holiday season!

Candelaria Design Tour Italy - Day 8 - Lacole' and Cooking

We are roughly half way through the trip now so today is usually a wind down day. Everyone chose to head into the nearby town of Umbertide, a small but charming town about 20-30 minutes northeast of where we are staying on the banks of the Tiber River.

Each Wednesday the local farmer’s market is in Umbertide. It’s a collection of actual farmers and their local produce, food vendors and vendors selling everything from table linens to shoes to undergarments. Of course my first stop was to the porchetta vendor whose stand features a roasted pig filled with herbs set on a slab of marble whereupon the pig is slowly consumed one slice at  time – I am not sure why the pigs always look so happy! The delicious and succulent slices are placed on a French roll and then topped with pieces of the crunchy and fatty skin. It is delicious and not a bad way to start this day.

From there we made our way to the piazza for some coffee and pastries – I continued on with my porchetta sandwich! After coffee it was onto the market.

I lost the ladies immediately as they were in shopping paradise. I was in photo paradise and strolled around and captured images of these happy people all so proud of their crops and wares. Again, some of the same vendors were in their same spots as they have been for the 12 years I have been coming.

 

With the shopping winding down – me and four of the ladies were off to the antique warehouse and yard - Lacole’ the Larry, Gloria and Tiffany either stuck around Umbertide and Joan and Phillip headed back for some alone time at the country houses.

Lacole’ is a fabulous place if you are interested in old stone sinks, fireplaces, tiles, beams, and antique furniture and accessories. If not it can be the most boring two hours during the trip. So its great with the cars how everyone can do their own thing! My group of ladies – for the most part all interior designers and of course Isabel with her store – were all thrilled to be here and they scattered like seeds in the wind.

I have been visiting this family’s operation for the last 12 years too and they have come from a little open air stone yard along the highway to this amazing facility they now have. The materials and collections they have assembled is truly astounding and their pieces have been featured in Architectural Digest, I have used their roof tiles, fireplaces, and doors on Candelaria Design homes.

With Lacole’ complete we were all starving so we proceeded back towards the country homes with a quick stop in Citta di Costello, another  small town in the area. The girls were hungry so we proceeded to the town center – centro and found a little trattoria / art gallery and the girls found a comfy table under a large umbrella on the street to unwind and re-nourish. I kept on with my camera and explored the nearby church, the little winding streets and piazzas.

When I returned the girls were just being served, I grabbed a gelato and a coffee latte’ and joined them. They were playing some amazing music that was sort of choral versions of hit cover music. It was beautiful and I tried to purchase a copy from the bar but it was their only copy that they apparently had just purchased and she wasn’t ready to part with it – needed Tiffany to bargain with her!

Once our snack was done we were back on the road to the country houses for our cooking class. A quick swim and it was up to Casa La Pietra for some cooking with Elizabeth and Paola. Tonight they had a variety of local dishes on the menu. We started with some appetizers featuring figs from the trees outside stuffed with gorganzola cheese and wrapped with prosciutto and then baked in the oven until the cheese became nice and gooey.

Meanwhile, the pasta machine was set up along with flour and eggs and we were off to make homemade pasta. This time it was raviolis and tagliatelle. Meanwhile, Elizabeth had a delicious tomato sauce simmering on the stove, made from carrots, celery, onions and of course tomatoes.  Elizabeth made Isabel a delicious roasted eggplant dish as a substitute for the pasta and that was accompanied by local sausages sautéed with grapes. It was all fabulous!.  This was then all topped off with roasted pears in a chianti wine reduction with lemon zest and pepper topped with marscapone cream…..ok the best dessert I think I have ever had.

We enjoyed the dinner, drank plenty of the wine purchased on our wine tour, and just hanging out in the country home. Another great day in Umbria. 

Candelaria Design Tour Italy - Day 7 Wine Tour of Tuscany with Pino

As I mention all  the time, one of the things I love about Italy is the loyalty of the people here. Pino has been my wine guide for the 9 years I have been coming to this region. Pino is now 74 years old and going strong.  He is extremely knowledgeable about the area, the geology, the history, and of course the wine!

We met Pino at the little coffee spot and due to lack of space on his van we also took one car. We proceeded over the hill from the Niccone Valley and dropped down into Tuscany and on to our first stop Montepulciano. Montepulciano is home to the Vino Nobile. The town of Montepulciano is stunning – set high on a hilltop with church steeples reaching for the sky all surrounded by rolling hills draped in vineyards. It is a beautiful place and definitely a great stop on any trip to Italy.

Pino gave a us a nice tour of the city and two amazing cellars. We stopped at the coppersmith who had just completed the finial for the duomo in Siena that we would see later in the week, and we worked in some shopping. Of course with a little wine tasting mixed in our day was into full swing.

With our departure from Montepulciano we were on our way to Pienza home of the pecorino cheese.  We stopped for a nice lunch – same place as our previous 9 tours with the same person cooking and the same waiter and waitress! We enjoyed a nice salad and some melted pecorino cheese and ham with tartufo oil. Delicious. A caffe’ and we were set for a quick walk through town and then off to our last stop Montalcino and home of the Brunello.

 

Montalcino is a quieter town and seems to be even more off the beaten path. We were running out of time in our day as we had an 8pm reservation for dinner at Mimmi’s back in Mercantale and we were about 1-1/2 hours away here in Montalcino. Pino led us to the Enoteca di Piazza which is an amazing wine tasting store in the center of town. Here we tried the different Brunello’s including the number 1 ranked Casanova di Neri as ranked by Wine Spectator. Fabulous introduction and explanation given to us by Nicolo.

With a couple more tastings completed and enjoyed we were off on our return home to the Niccone Valley and Mimmi’s. With our goodbyes to Pino it was time for dinner! Mimmi’s is always one of everyone’s favorites. A 9 course meal of country food served country style of course by the same people who have been serving us for years, all around a big community table in a room with people always from all over the world – again out in the middle of nowhere.

We started with two different crostinis then onto three different pasta dishes; linguini with pesto, lasagna, and then cannelloni. We then proceeded onto three different roasted meats, turkey, roast beef and roast pork. All spectacular and all accompanied by local roasted vegetables. Finally, dessert included tiramisu and a caffe flan. All the way through the are refilling the pitchers with vino rosso.

Dinner always ends with people singing and of course anyone who knows me this is right up my alley! From Hey Jude to Sweet Caroline  to Louis Armstrong and the BeeGees we had the room going! It is always fun and another fabulous meal!

Candelaria Design Tour Italy - Day 6 - Deruta

We started our day with a nice swim and some exercise and of course a cup of coffee. It was a beautiful day – not a cloud in the sky. We rallied the troops and all headed to the local little coffee shop / bar and filled up on little pastries, sandwiches, and of course caffe’! With something in our stomachs it was up and over the hill and over to Deruta.

Deruta is the ceramics capital of Italy. The Tiber River flows nearby and with its rich clays the art of ceramics was developed over the centuries. We were introduced to the Niccacci family and their wonderful collection of artisans who made up the studio of CAMA. For years we would visit their studio and showroom and they would give us a very detailed tour of how their beautiful dishes, plates, cups and bowls were made.  Just last year, the Mother and Father who started and operated the business have decided to retire and none of the children want to carry the business on. So this year we would have a different experience.

The daughter of the family, Roberta, stayed in contact with me and she agreed to give us a tour of Deruta and another showroom and studio. The reason I like the Deruta day on my trip is that it shows the passion of these people and their love for their culture and their crafts. If that passion is not apparent throughout this trip, this day helps drive that point home. Everything done in Italy is done with beauty in mind and the ceramic work in Deruta is fantastic. The studio Roberta took us to was quite good and their work very beautiful but it wasn't the same for me anyway having gone to CAMA for so many years....So I guess things do change here in Italy but definitely much slower. 

We watched the potter on the wheel shaping and molding the clay into a beautiful vase, the painters delicately creating each scroll, leaf, or dragon with brushpoint precision. It is truly an art and to see each step of what goes into making a single cup, vase, or plate, you can appreciate the price and artistic value of each piece.

We spent some time making our purchases in the showroom and then Roberta took us on a quick walking tour of the little hilltown of Deruta. Deruta the town is nothing in comparison to the pottery it produces and does not have the charm or flair of the other hilltowns we had seen or were going to see – yet it has its own story and a lovely little church.

With the tour complete it was off to Il Calderone for a nice country lunch in the country. This little chef is quite the character and he makes some amazing pasta. We enjoyed another 3 hour lunch and we were supposed to then head to Assisi but I could tell everyone was a bit worn down to se decided to go back to the country houses to rest and relax.

Instead of going over the hill north of Tuoro we came in the back way up the Tiber River valley to Umbertide and then approach our Niccone Valley from the north. This was a lot nicer and not having to go over the hill was a lot easier on the tummys.

We got home and I think nearly everyone went down for a nap of for relaxing by the pool. After a 4 hour nap it was 8:30 pm and we were all a bit hungry. By the time we all awoke and communicated as to what whas wanted it was nearly 9:30 and we still had a 15-20 minute drive to town. I took some pizza and salad orders and we took our chances that someone might still be open in Lusciano Niccone – a town of probably 500-1000 people of lucky.

Of course the town was buzzing! 10:00 at night and people were still arriving for dinner on a Monday night at the Locandieta Ristorante, Bar and Pizzeria. We ordered some salads and some homemade pizzas and enjoyed a glass of wine from the bar while we waited and watched what had to be at least half the town show up for dinner.

With pizzas in had we were off to drop them off – just like Papa Johns – Umbrian style.  We enjoyed the pizzas and salads and worked down the house jug of vino rosso. It was a nice quiet night and a nice reprieve from the pace we had been on.