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The Scottsdale architectural firm of Candelaria Design Associates is one of the premier luxury residential architecture firms in the country. Enjoy our blog which features our work, our travel, our recipes, wines, tips on design and decorating, and the lives of our clients and employees, etc.....its all the ingredients for the Candelaria Design Lifestyle. Contact Candelaria Design to start your dream residence 602-604-2001!

The September 2016 Candelaria Design Tour Italy is Ready to GO!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Labor Day Weekend! I know I am enjoying at least a hint of cooler temps. The early morning hours are perfect already!

This Wednesday, September 7th, we will depart on our 14th Candelaria Design Tour Italy. This time we will start our trip, as we do all of our trips to Italy, in Florence but we will finish on the coast in Positano. What is exciting about this trip is that we will be accompanied by a three person film crew from Wedgie Media for our new show Design & Romance - Italy! Wedgie Creative may share a few clips during the trip on social media but the episode will not likely air until the Holidays or this coming Spring. Meanwhile catch our Seasons 1 and 2 of SKETCH on https://www.thedesignnetwork.com/series/sketch/

We have a wonderful group of 18 travelers joining us this time with eight of us being repeat travelers. I also have a few first time travelers to Europe and Italy which I love. We have many new venues and adventures for this year’s tour including a trip to the Antinori Winery http://antinorichianticlassico.it/en and truffle hunting followed by a picnic on a nature preserve in Tuscany! Fourteen days and each one filled with amazing sights, sounds, smells, and tastes that we will do our best to capture in our show. I am so excited to share so much more of this trip with our fans.

Our two trips planned for 2017 are already reserved. We have our first trip to Spain filled for June 2017 and our September 2017 trip for Italy is also booked. So for 2018 we are open for some new destinations….. what do you think????

When we return from our trip we are excited to have the home from one of our 2015 travelers featured in the upcoming October issue of Phoenix Home and Garden Magazine. This Formal Spanish Colonial home in Silverleaf is one of the first collaborative efforts of Candelaria Design and my wife, Isabel, and her studio, Earth and Images. www.earthandimages.com What is exciting, is that in addition to featuring the design of the home the magazine will feature one of our favorite things to do, cook for our clients in the completed home. This time with our new Candelaria Collection Pasta Machine with which we made homemade raviolis for 15 including the Phoenix Home and Garden photographer, writer, and editor along with friends and family of our client’s.

MC with Phoenix Home and Garden Editor Karol Dewulf Nickell

So – here we go – off to Italy! Follow our tour right here on the blog, on Facebook and on You Tube. Ciao for now!

Our new Pasta Machine will go on sale this week as we will be taking orders on our website. Stay tuned for more details and recipes to follow.

My Love of Travel

We have made it halfway through August, and for all of us living in Arizona summer cannot end soon enough. Most of you who live here are returning from your summer escapes as many of the schools are now back in session. Our winter snowbirds won’t start flying in until late October or early November.

My least favorite month here is September. I am just ready for summer to be over and so that’s the month I like to escape – hence our Candelaria Design Tour in September when it’s perfect in Italy. We will be departing on our 14th Tour on September 7th.

Meanwhile, now is the time where Isabel and I come to NYC for the market and to enjoy the city. We come every year this week and we both love it. We racked up 10 miles of walking just yesterday which gave us the guilty free lunch at Mario Batali's new Eataly in lower downtown New York and then our finish to the day at one of our favorite indulgences, dinner at Mario Batali’s http://www.babbonyc.com. Always fantastic and this year was no exception. We always make reservations months in advance but eagerly give our table up if we find room at the bar upon our arrival which was the case this year. We love dining at the bar and meeting people from across the world, which of course we did this year. Fabulous food, wine and interesting conversation. Love it!

Mario Batali's EATALY

So…. MC and travel….. why do I do it so much and do I really even work or am I checked out and not watching the ship or running the show!?! I quietly hear this question all the time and I know my competition loves to whip this into a frenzy. The truth is I do travel a lot – most of it for work as we currently have projects all across the country. My team and I have projects underway in Kansas City, Denver, California, Idaho, Texas, New Mexico, Oregon, and here in New York. I have the best team out there, many have been with me over ten years and some over 15. They are in their prime and blow the competition away. My executive assistant, Stacey Payne, keeps me on track and helps me in so many ways! My associates, Vivian Ayala and Evelyn Jung keep things moving every day. We usually start our mornings at 5 am texting and planning the day or weeks ahead, We do our Candelaria Design Tours, two this year to Italy – both sold out, and next year we will be adding an annual trip to Spain – also already sold out. I am starting to get offers to speak about our homes, travel, cooking and lifestyle and so those now sometimes require travel.

The Candelaria Design Team

Candelaria Design home in design in Cherry Hills, Colorado

Candelaria Design home just ready to break ground in Kansas City

Just completed renovation in LaJolla, CA

Nonetheless, what is amazing with the technology today, I can really work and connect with my team and clients from anywhere. Most of the time it’s my clients that are somewhere else and we are connecting with them, but many times I’m on the road connecting in. All of our work and drawings are in “the cloud” so I can access them from anywhere. I love my new Ipad Pro and use it to sketch right over the top of drawings and can instantly send them back to my staff when they have questions. It’s quite amazing how we have embraced this connectivity and I love it.

Editing and redlining and designing on my IpadPro

You see I pretty much work all the time. Architecture and Living is what I do and fortunately I am married to a woman, Isabel, who is in the same business and shares this same passion for design and living. We pretty much eat, breath and sleep design and the two of us are on the go constantly. That is what inspires us and allows us to be so creative with our clients and projects. It is our FUEL!!!!

How can an architect or designer have new ideas by just sitting at the office and maybe delving through Pinterest images or magazine clippings and truly understand the soul, the atmosphere, the context of a space or image they see on Pinterest….. The fact is you can’t. All of our clients travel and see the world and so it is important for me and my team to do the same. How else can you be on the same level of experience and understanding as your client? And how fortunate that with our Candelaria Tours many times I share those experiences simultaneously with my clients and staff as I bring a member of my team with me on each trip. What an experience and reward for them.

We create and sell a dream a lifestyle – our focus is Inspiring Living. You cannot do that behind a desk. Our whole business model, both internally and externally, is about Inspiring Living and our mission is to work with a staff that is inspired to live and clients we can inspire to take living to an entirely higher level. Mark is not slowing down – I am transitioning into pursuing more of my other interests – writing, painting, photography, travel, cooking, product design, music - along with continuing design with my Candelaria Design Team. We are having our best year ever in our 17 years at Candelaria Design so our model is working just fine!

Our new Candelaria Collection Pasta Machine coming this Fall!

And so I am going to enjoy the weekend here in New York and will likely snap 1000 more photos and sketch several details that I will soak up in my ten mile hikes each day. And I will enjoy a fabulous dinner every evening at some fantastic restaurant that a client has referred me to with my lovely wife, Isabel. We will hit some galleries, meet some fascinating people, listen to some jazz, and yes maybe enjoy a martini and a cigar here or there on occasion……

Mark and Isabel with marketing maverick and NYC socialite Marguerite Brown in NYC

You see Living and Working are all the same for me…. Every moment of my life I am working and living.

Candelaria Design Tour Italy June 2016 - Our Finish at Lake Como

Isabel and I on our wedding spot at Villa d'Este, Lake Como, Italy

One month from today we depart for our 14th Candelaria Design Tour Italy and our second Tour this summer! So – I need to close out the June Trip and we did that in style at Lake Como and the spectacular Villa d’Este.

It is quite a contrast to leave the quaint and rustic farmhouses in Umbria and then check into the Villa d’Este. http://www.villadeste.com/en/13/home.aspx

So we got up early and enjoyed one more quiet morning in the Umbrian countryside and then it was off to make the journey northward across Italy to Lake Como. Of course there is always time to stop at an Autogrille for a fantastic roadside lunch.

Lunch selections at the roadside Autogrilles.

Nothing quite like checking into the Villa d’Este! Wow – what elegance and the staff is so friendly – of course they remember Isabel and I and our surprise wedding there in 2013 just two days after singer John Legend married Chrissy Tiegen at the same spot.

Isabel and Sandra Wilken at the Villa d'Este Gardens

Isabel checked in at the Hotel Villa d'Este

By this point on the trip everyone seems to do their own thing but we did all meet for cocktails on the terrace and some went into town for dinner while we joined two of our guests for a fantastic dinner at the hotel.

The next morning it was off to Switzerland for a day on Lake Lugano. What a beautiful place and now I need to spend some time in Switzerland!!! We just kicked back enjoyed a fabulous parade and had a leisurely walk through the park along the lank and a relaxing lunch in town.

After a nice afternoon in Switzerland it was back to the Villa d’Este to relax and get ready for dinner high up the hill at the Il Gatto Nero. http://www.ristorantegattonero.it/en This restaurant is fantastic, with a view that is unparalleled. The road to the restaurant is not one you want to drive – especially later after dinner and vino. We enjoyed a fantastic evening watching the sunset and the romantic lights twinkling around the lake.

Philip and Martha Weiner at the Il Gatto Nero

Diane and John Whittaker at Il Gatto Nero

Finally, it was our last day and for me it was a day to just relax and enjoy the grounds and gardens of the hotel. The girls went shopping and I napped, enjoyed lunch by the pool and caught up on my projects as it was Monday morning!

One final evening and so Isabel and I decided to go back to the Il Gatto Nero for a quiet evening – just the two of us. So nice to spend a quiet evening with the woman who has made every trip so special for me and our travelers. We celebrated our wedding from 2013, gave blessings to the wonderful gifts we have enjoyed since, and looked forward to all that lies ahead.

The trip had come to a close….or so we thought. It was 10:30 at night and we were getting up at 4am for our early morning departure from Milan so we were done….As we made our way back to the hotel and entered the lobby we could hear a lot of commotion at the grand stair. We turned the corner to find one of our travelers collapsed on the landing. Her shoe had apparently gotten caught on the carpet runner and down she went….an entire flight of stairs. We rushed over and first made sure she was conscious which thank God she was. Then we checked to see if anything was broken, and fortunately all seemed ok there. So we helped her to a wheelchair which the hotel staff had brought over and we were able to get her in and then to her room. From there, Isabel was able to apply her reiki technique on her shin for nearly an hour. We calmed her down, got ice on her injuries, and left her to get some sleep. https://www.google.com/#q=reiki.

OK now this trip 13 was over….all I had to do was get everyone to Milan and home which we did with a little lost luggage and a few missed connecting flights…… Now Tour 13 was complete!

Amalfi Coast - Candelaria Design Tour Italy September 2016

So it’s off to Candelaria Design Tour Italy number 14 departing on September 7th! What adventures lie ahead???? This Tour we will start in Florence, spend our week in Umbria and then finish on the Amalfi Coast in Positano! Next year, we will do the Tour Italy in September with the finish in Venice! We still have a few spots left for that trip but it’s nearly sold out so don’t wait.

Candelaria Design Tour Italy 2017 - Venice

Ok ciao for now.

Candelaria Design Tour Italy June 2016 - Day 10 - Last day in Umbria

Wow – what a busy week this was! This coming week we will keep the travel going as we are off to LaJolla, CA tomorrow to start filming season 3 of SKETCH! We will be filming a beautiful makeover just a block off the beach!

LaJolla Makeover coming too Season 3 of SKETCH

SKETCH on the design network

Then its off to Newport Beach for a three day management and strategic planning seminar I will be attending with my two new partners, Vivian Ayala, and Evelyn Jung! Our spouses will fly out on Friday and we will enjoy next weekend on the Coast.

Ok – well I got so busy when we returned from the June Candelaria Design Tour Italy that I never finished off the June trip…..so here we go – let’s flashback to June and our last day in Umbria. Here is where we left off:

http://www.candelariadesign.com/blog-content/2016/6/26/candelaria-design-tour-italy-june-2016-day-9-san-gimignano

So I had five of my travelers taking off for Lake Como and another couple already in the Chianti region visiting friends so we were down to sever travelers left in Umbria. Friday is our free day so after our morning coffee we all received an invite by our farmhouse chef and writer, Elizabeth Wholey, for a tour of her private residence restoration. Very cool and it was so fun to see her pride which is definitely well deserved.

Here is the link to her book which I highly recommend:

https://www.amazon.com/Sustenance-Food-Traditions-Italys-Heartland/dp/8890746106/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469983854&sr=8-1&keywords=sustenance+umbria

Elisabeth Wholey in her Umbria Farmhouse restoration.

Gicela Dulcich, Elizabeth Wholey and Isabel

It was about noon now and so we all decided to head to the lake to do a little exploring. Lake Trasimeno is beautiful lies on the western edge of Umbria, not far from the border with Tuscany. In all my time in Umbria I just have never taken time to explore the villages along the lake so this was the year. Our choice this year was Castiglione de Lago on the west shore of the lake. Wow – what a surprise…..as is always the case in Italy….it’s endless. I cannot believe this lovely village, with a castle of course, had been sitting right under my nose for all of these years.

We wondered through the Porte Senese and then down the Via Vittorio Emanuele and found a fabulous restaurant, the La Cantina, http://www.ristorantecantina.it, and its lovely terrace where we enjoyed a fabulous lunch overlooking the lake. Our waiter was fabulous and so friendly as are most people in Italy. We took our time – which is easy to do in Italy – and just took in the lovely afternoon.

Martha, Philip and Rebecca at the Ristorante La Cantina at Castiglione de Lago, Umbria

From there we went and explored the town and the castle which was spectacular. We made our way back through town and stopped for a spritz and then made our way back to the Farmhouses.

Martha, Philip and Rebecca exploring the castle.

Lake Trasimeno from the castle in Castiglione de Lago

After a little regroup and some rest at the farmhouses it was time for dinner and again I wanted to explore a spot I have been wanting to go to for years. My good friend and past traveler, Larry Peery, had been telling me of a restaurant he and his girlfriend, Gloria had discovered on one of the free days on their trip, the Ristorante Simone Corsetti ai GIrasoli di Sant’Andrea! http://www.ristorantegirasoli.it Ok another gem – two in one day!

We dined al fresca on the terrace and watched the sun set for the last time on the hills of Umbria. The Ristorante Girasoli is a winery and restaurant and was absolutely divine. Definitely one of the best steaks I’ve had in Italy and definitely an add to our trip going forward and I know right when to work it into our trip!

And so we ended our time in Umbria and it was time to make the trek to Lake Como. I will cover Lake Como in another blog as there is so much to share!

Ciao!

Alaska - Cusacks on the Kenai

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I love to travel. With today’s technology and the great team I have with me at Candelaria Design, I can virtually work wherever I go. And as my team knows, that’s what I do – I work from everywhere during all times of the day and night. From my office and studio at home, from Italy to the Kenai River in Alaska! I love it and I have found the constant change of scenery and experiences serves as a springboard for endless inspiration in design and in life.

This week I took my first visit to Alaska, at the gracious invitation of Dr. Tony and Jenny Hedley, clients and now good friends of mine whose home my team is designing in Arcadia back in Phoenix. My daughter, Isabella is good friends with their daughter, Alexis so Bella came up a couple weeks ago and my youngest daughter, Sophia and I came up this weekend to bring her home.

What a great trip and now another door of exploration has been opened. Alaska is simply amazing. I know many of you have been here and know words cannot describe it as it is boundless and endless – it is truly the last frontier. We spent our time, four days – albeit long days as the sun never seems to set – with the Hedleys at their amazing lodge on the Kenai River! http://cusacksonthekenai.com

Such a beautiful spot set right in the middle of the Kenai peninsula. Their lodge is majestic with direct access right to the river with everything you need to snag some beautiful salmon. We had a wonderful time just fishing and relaxing and taking in the fresh air and 60º temperatures…..not a bad place to unwind from the 115º heat of Arizona in July. Jenny Hedley and her sisters make the whole experience feel like home.

With the sun virtually setting at midnight and twilight at the end of the day merging into twilight of the next morning the kids wind things down at about 4am with tales being spun around the firepit and fishing ongoing day and night. I would wind things down around 1am and get up around 8am to complete silence as no one but the hardy fishermen would not move until about 2 or 3 pm. Perfect!

I would fish for a few hours, then come back and enjoy my coffee and get a couple hours of work, fish some more, then work for a bit, then squeeze in a nap before anyone even woke up! We even worked in some time to review their plans!

Then to top it all off they invited me into the kitchen where we made reindeer raviolis, fettuccini and spaghetti with my new Candelaria Collection pasta machine which has now traveled with me to Italy and Alaska. Yes most people bring their fishing and hunting gear….I brought my new Pasta Machine which we will be selling soon on our website. Making pasta is always an undertaking and tonight we went big as we had about 30 people here so after starting at about 5pm we wrapped the pasta making up at about midnight - but boy was it good. Add a delicious reindeer sausage ragu and the crew here at the lodge were in for a treat.

The fishing is amazing and there is nothing better than eating fresh salmon. But the time to sit and reflect and refresh was the best. My girls loved it and it and I know I am coming back with the whole Candelaria clan next summer as we start to explore more of this spectacular place.

Special thank you to Dr. Hedley and his lovely wife Jenny and their entire family who made us feel like we were a part of their family!

Italy - Design & Romance

Enjoying time with my friends in Assisi, Italy

It seems like every blog starts with sending prayers for someone, or something, or as with this week, for a nation. I send my prayers to all of the victims of the heinous attacks in Nice, France. As an avid traveler who loves having lunch on the street, enjoying farmer’s markets, and all of the wonderful sights and sounds of any place, whether here in Scottsdale or in France, this event really upsets me as it is an attack on our way of life.

As I write this blog and am watching the Sunday news shows, we have another shooting of officers in Baton Rouge.....the hatred continues.....

Despite these horrible acts, we must live our lives and spread goodness and so Friday night we kicked off our 14th Candelaria Design Tour Italy with our Pre-Trip dinner at Marcellino’s http://marcellinoristorante.com Yes – our trip and tour will continue. Will we always be keeping an eye around the corner, and aware of our surroundings….most definitely! Unfortunately, it is a fact of life in this unpredictable world….whether in Italy or in Scottsdale. So we won’t give in and my travelers are not either as we had a full house and have 18 travelers joining us on our September 2016 trip which will depart on September 7th.

What is exciting about this trip is that we are bringing our SKETCH film crew and we will be filming a 14 episode series, Italy – Design and Romance, featuring our entire Tour. The crew of Wedgie Creative http://www.wedgiecreative.com will follow the trip with 5k footage including drone footage of our travels. The series will not only be about the tour and its picturesque beauty, but will include the thoughts and experiences of our travelers, and the romance and love this trip has brought Isabel and I and many of our travelers.

Matt and Jennifer Gage with Isabel and Mark in Florence

So we kicked things off Friday night and I have a wonderful group of travelers joining us. This time all of my travelers are coming from the Phoenix metro area, although their backgrounds are from a broad spectrum including clients who are originally from Croatia and Poland and now summer in Calgary and winter in their Candelaria Design home in Litchfield Park. We have several repeat travelers – seven this time, a couple builders and their wives, a stone fabricator and his wife along with two of their friends, a lighting designer and his girlfriend, a couple clients who love our trip and are joining us on their third trip, and finally my associate, Rob Banach and his wife, Kimberly!

Pre-Trip Dinner for Trip 14 Candelaria Design Tour Italy

Follow our journey right here on our blog and then later on The Design Network https://www.thedesignnetwork.com with our new Series Italy – Design and Romance!!!

A little romance at Lake Como - Wedding Day September 16, 2013

Ok summer is half over and we have an exciting second half of the summer coming so follow our blog as I depart for Alaska this Wednesday, followed by filming another one of our Candelaria Design homes in LaJolla, CA, followed by a Candelaria Design management retreat in Newport Beach. Then it’s off to New York, Santa Fe and then our Tour Italy! So yes we will be busy and I’ll be sharing some great sights, and dining spots along the way. Have a great summer everyone and thanks for the shares and VOTES!!!

http://azbigmedia.com/vote-ranking-arizona

Happy 4th of July - from San Diego!

I hope everyone had a fantastic 4th of July Holiday and week. Its definitely one of my favorite holidays for sure. The events of the week in this country definitely are troubling and I pray for our country especially with the upcoming political campaigns – it seems like everyone in this country is on edge and we all need to chill and keep the dialogue open and ease up on the hatred.

With that said, I am very honored and happy to have been selected and appointed to the board of Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona http://habitatcaz.org. I firmly believe that a lot of the problems out there are due to poor housing and the lack of opportunity that many face. As a community of whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, etc. we can come together on projects that are productive and bring families and people together – building versus destroying! http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/06/how-a-house-can-shape-a-childs-future/489242/

I am so excited to be a part of this group and hopefully can bring more of the design and building community to this amazing forum.

Tiffany, Isabel, MC, Bella and Sophia at Eddie V's.

I know I live a wonderful life and I am so blessed with a nice home, and beautiful family, supporting wife, fantastic career and business, and work with a talented staff and have the dearest clients. During this 4th of July week I had some time to reflect on all of this. First – thanks for the time to spend with my family and get away! The 4th of July is always great because nearly all of my clients take the week off too so it was definitely quiet and calm. Very appreciated!!!

So this 4th of July I packed up the troops and we rented a beach condo in Ocean Beach in San Diego! Just like the last few 4ths I had all of my girls. My oldest Tiffany flew down from Denver, my wife Isabel flew over from Phoenix, and my two youngest daughters, Sophia and Bella, and I all piled into the Highlander along with a friend each and we were off on our 4th of July adventure.

What a great week! Of course you cannot go to San Diego over the 4th without running into clients and friends from Arizona. In fact, I think half of Arizona including Arizona Governor, Doug Ducey, were all enjoying some down time and cool air in San Diego.

My clients are so wonderful and treat me and my family so graciously. From a fantastic beach party with our clients and good friends, Don and Sharon Ulrich along with Dave and Melissa Mullard and their family and friends, to an evening on the Charles Keller yacht, Just Sit Right Back in Coronado who made the trip down from Marina del Rey with my associate, Tim Mathewson and his fiancé Amber, to running into more Italy travelers, Gicela Dulcich and Julie Horne at the Marine Room in La Jolla http://www.marineroom.com, to finally a relaxing evening at the La Jolla courtyard casa of Erika and Russell Dickey – we were treated like royalty!!! THANK YOU!!!!

Night Yachting on the Just Sit Right Back

Chilling in Ocean Beach with Gicela and Anthony Dulcich

Such a wonderful week, from time on the beach, eating fish tacos and my share of oysters on the half shell, enjoying some margaritas and vino, the Coronado parade, some one-on-one time with the girls including a fund day at Balboa Park with Tiffany, and even squeezing in some time to make homemade pasta with our new and soon coming to market Candelaria Collection Pasta Maker. Nothing better than homemade raviolis!

We made it home last night in time for my good friend and amazing lighting designer http://www.cdltg.com , Walter Spitz’s 60th Birthday. 60 – seriously!!!! Well, all I can say is what a joy it was to be back in time for a wonderful evening at Avanti’s! http://avanti-az.com

Walter Spitz and Michele Watts at Avanti's

What fun and good times – now its back to it – second half of the year here we go!!! Let’s all do our best to share love, tolerance and generosity and let’s all try and make a positive difference.

American WWII Vet at breakfast at Margarita's Restaurant in Ocean Beach

Candelaria Design Tour Italy June 2016 - Day 9 - San Gimignano

Well I thought I would continue with some more from our Candelaria Design Tour Italy – Trip 13 now that I am back and have a few moments with my morning coffee out in the garden!

As you likely figured out by reading the blogs from the first eight days of our journey we were definitely celebrating Trip 13 and Day 9 continued the saga! Today we usually go to San Gimignano and then Siena but rain was in the forecast and both towns require a fair amount of driving from our remote farmhouse location in Umbria.

So we got up and set our google pins in everyone’s phone or gps to my favorite parking spot in San Gimignano – which no matter when I have come is always packed and full and this year even with the threat of rain the lot was full when we arrived.

The drive as you approach San Gimignano is always so picturesque as you occasionally get a far off vignette view of the towers of this medieval treasure with farm or sunflower fields as your foreground. It’s quite magical.

Using teamwork we were able to get the four parking spaces we needed. From there is was a short walk of course uphill to the village. San Gimignano is always one of the favorites of my travelers and it is a wonderful place to experience any time of the year as we were also here during the Holidays with my girls who loved it.

We made our way down the main thoroughfare to our lunch spot, the Ristorante - Bel Soggiorno http://www.ristorante-belsoggiorno.it/new/ which I discovered while exploring on last year’s trip. Of course they were not quite opened even though we had called ahead for reservations. I had all but two of my travelers, who chose to catch up with some friends traveling in the Chianti area. As we waited, of course the rain came…..We pitched our umbrellas and waited for the restaurant to open.

The view from the Bel Soggiorno restaurant is spectacular only to be outdone by the food which again was off the charts. From our nice lunch we did a little shopping and the rain just kept coming harder and harder.

We reconvened the group to make our way back to the cars where we contemplated our next destination, Siena….but I could feel my travelers had had it with the rain and driving and if we went to Siena we would not get out of there until late therefore likely driving in the rain in the darkness….The decision was made – we would head home and back to the farmhouses for a relaxing evening….or so I thought!

The drive home is about an hour and a half and the rain was coming down pretty good but we all made it safely home and I was looking forward to a quiet evening as it was nice to be home early and enjoy some time in the country houses. Well so I thought…..

The ladies traveling as a group had enough of the country and the rustic nature of being out in the Umbrian hills, the rain, and the driving and they were ready for the ambiance and services that would be provided by the Villa d’Este on Lake Como. Problem is we still had one more day in the country – but the woman were ready to go now!

So with some calls and research on the website we were able to get rooms a day early for the ladies and they would drive off the next morning. So I had two travelers off with friends in the Chianti area, and now five more would be leaving so I was now down to seven of 14 travelers! Well that’s the beauty of the trip – you have your own car and can choose to create your own itinerary and this group definitely embraced that opportunity!

The rest of us made use of our left over, made a fire and enjoyed the quiet of the country.

Happy Father's Day 2016

Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there and just like on Mother’s Day I send a special prayer to all of you who no longer have your Father. I have several friends this year also spending this day without their Father on Father’s Day for the first time….I cannot even imagine life without the one person on earth who is probably my best friend and mentor. I love you Dad and all you have done for me and our family. I know it wasn’t easy but you have two sons who have done pretty well!

My Dad is 81 years old and for those of you who have met or known “Donald” as we call him – he is the real “Donald” by the way – he is one of the nicest guys out there always with a smile on his face and ready for a good time! I love just hanging out with him and watching a Bronco game or the US Open…. You know, guy stuff!

Donald was born in Durango, Colorado in 1935 to the parents of Bernie and Rose Candelaria. He is the second oldest of six children – two boys and four girls – all still alive. Grampa Bernie worked for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad and was the machinist for the steam locomotives that still run from Durango to Silverton today. My father went to Durango High School, same school I graduated from, and then onto the US Army where he proudly served our country following World War II.

While serving in Germany he met my Mom, Karin, who was born in East Germany and fled the oncoming Russians and ended up as a refugee in Mannheim, Germany. There must have been some spark there as my father stayed in touch after her returned to the States through hand written letters that my mom would have to translate to German. My Mom took an Au Pair position in Calgary, Canada all the while the two kept exchanging their letters.

Well Dad must have been persistent and convincing and coaxed my Mom to take a Greyhound bus from Calgary, Canada down to Durango, Colorado. Ok this was in 1959 so you can imagine how the roads and stops were along the way back then and imagine my 19 year old Mom from Germany on a bus traveling through Idaho, Utah and finally to SW Colorado – in the middle of nowhere in the summer of 59!

My Grandmother and father’s sisters met her at the bus station when she arrived and my mom shared space with my Dad’s sisters while she visited. As it turned out , one of my father’s sisters was getting married during the stay and again with my Dad’s persuasion he popped the question and convinced my Mom to make it a double wedding. The rest is history – you wouldn’t be reading this blog right now had he not convinced her!

The two moved to Denver and I showed up a year later in October of 1960! My father got a job with the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad in Denver and of course became a big Denver Bronco fan and an original season ticket holder. We lived in Denver for 14 years whereupon my grandfather in Durango was retiring so my father decided to move the troops back to his hometown and take over my grandfather’s position as the head machinist on the steam trains and so we all loaded the trucks and moved to Durango!

We all loved living there and we all return often. I graduated from Durango High School in 1978 and went on the the University of Colorado for a year and then transferred to Arizona State University in 1979 and have been here ever since. I have so many friends still from there that I am very close with – many that live here in Phoenix and Scottsdale. The Denver and Rio Grande sold the Durango train to a private company and so to maintain his retirement, my father and Mom moved back to Denver in 1980 where they lived and retired until 2014 whereupon they moved here to Arizona to be closer to me and two of Dad’s sisters who live in Tucson and my Mom from Germany has a sister that lives in Mesa. I love the twist and turns life brings our way!

Anyway, it is so wonderful to have this time with my father! We have had some great times together including in 2001 going to Game 1 of the Diamondback-Yankee World Series together and celebrating his 80th birthday in style with a day at the Spa!

So that’s the story. Dad didn’t teach me or mentor me to be an artist or architect….no my Dad is just like the Dad in the TV series “The Wonder Years” – in fact that was virtually my family and life growing up in the 60’s and 70’s. My dad could fix anything –I’m the opposite…. I’m useless with any kind of power tool with the exception of an electric eraser or a cell phone. But what Dad did instill in me was hard work and that perseverance that I spoke about earlier in the blog. You see my Dad, despite never being rich or wealthy, just kept going! Dad, hopefully, you now see that you are rich and wealthy! You have two sons who love the hell out of you and we would be nowhere close to where we are without your inspiration, example and love.

I wish you and all the Dad’s out there a super Father’s Day!

Candelaria Design Tour Italy June 2016 - Day 8 - Cooking in Umbria

Trip 13 keeps us on our toes and Day 8 kept the tricksophobia streak in tact!

Well Day 8, Wednesday, is a day to chill and rest up and relax at the Farmhouses. At least some of my travelers did that. Isabel and I had a busy day ahead. We started with a little coffee and a light breakfast at the house while we watched the fog burn off after sleeping until 9am.

From there a group of us made it down the hill, and through the valley to the town of Umbertide and the local farmer’s market which I always love. I love the sounds, the people and of course the food.

The one thing I really noticed this year was the increase in the Muslim presence – something I never saw 16 years ago when I first came and a marketed increase from just last year. Perhaps twenty percent of the people at the market were Muslim. So things are definitely changing with the events of the world and its changing the makeup and culture of even the small towns and villages here in Italy. Even the restaurants around the town now have Kabab and Halal restaurants obviously catering to the new inhabitants.

But many of the same faces and vendors were in the same spots they have been for the 16 years I have been coming. So I grabbed my favorite porchetta sandwich and a cappuccino and life is good!

From there we made our way past Citta di Costello to the Lacole’ showroom. The Lacole’ http://www.lacolecasaitaliana.com showroom and Porte del Passato http://www.portedelpassato.com are two of my favorite stops. Both businesses are owned and operated by the Belli family whom I have known and done business with for over 16 years. We currently have several projects in the works! Of course they welcomed us in style with a plate of crostinis, fresh fruit, and blood orange juice.

Lacole’ is a spectacular showroom and outdoor yard featuring thousands of antiques, collectibles, and salvaged building materials, from wells, fountains, fireplaces, stone arches, tiles, pavers, furniture, well…..it’s pretty much endless. The showroom and yard are huge and you can easily spend hours here.

Isabel is working with Gabriele Belli on a line of doors from Italy and millwork that she will be carrying at her store Earth and Images. Gabriele is also making a beautiful custom set of doors for a home for one of our clients in Desert Mountain who went on last year’s trip. We are very excited with how our relationship has grown over the years with the Belli family. We had time for a conference call with our client to review details and then it was back to the houses to start our cooking class with Elizabeth Wholey.

The start of the cooking class marks the halfway point of the trip. It’s been a crazy first half and when we got to the house we got word that one of our travelers had twisted her back and it had locked up and she was now unable to move and was bedridden. Seriously….. they got some meds in her and iced her down and so we were down a traveler again.

Well the rest of us carried on and went up to the big Farmhouse to start some cooking. This year we had a surprise as I had my office Fed-ex our newest creation, the Candelaria Collection Pasta Machine and it was going to get its first testing where else but in Italy, on our trip, by true Italian chefs! So we would be making some pasta today!

Add some prosciutto wrapped asparagus, fried pepper bruschettas, grilled pork shoulder, local sausages, and then raviolis with the Candelaria Collection Pasta machine! Elizabeth and her staff guide us through the various dishes and of course the best part is enjoying all the smells and flavors not to mention the camaraderie that occurs when all cooking in these homes. We made a big fire, opened some wine and prosecco, and enjoyed the lovely sunset along with the sounds of laughter and music.

Despite being down one traveler everyone got the aprons on and got into the act. I loved watching the new pasta machine in action and the Italian cooks loved it and gave us the thumbs up – not to mention the ravioli was fantastic!

We all sat down to eat, went around the table and spoke about how and why we came on this trip, and then gradually made our way to dessert, which we also made, and then retired to the porch for a cigar and solved the world’s problems….where what is said and solved in Umbria….. stays in Umbria!

Candelaria Design Tour Italy June 2016 - Day 7 - Wine Tour with Pino

Every trip has it’s twists and challenges and trip 13 definitely is having its share! Today is Winesday – actually Tuesday but today we go on our wine tour with Pino Teresi. Pino has been my wine guide since 2000. He is amazing and a good friend.

Today we had to start early and meet Pino and the bus driver in Mercatale at 9am so it was an early rise. It is definitely nice to have the bus on wine day. Last thing with trip 13 I need is fourteen travelers out driving around Tuscany after wine tastings all day!

So we made it into Mercatale and grabbed some coffee and a pastry at the little restaurant by the park where we left the cars and met our bus and Pino!

Because we are in the middle of nowhere in Italy it is about a two hour drive to the Banfi Winery near Montalcino. It’s a beautiful ride through gorgeous countryside including the farms of the Chianina cows which provide my favorite steaks!

The Banfi winery, which is American owned, is spectacular http://castellobanfi.com/en/ . Every year Pino introduces us to another winery and this year lived up to our expectations. The grounds and architecture were impeccable and the winery, cellar and most importantly, the wines were exquisite.

We enjoyed a private tour of the cellar which is very high tech and state of the art and then went up to the private dining room for a fabulous tasting lunch. Each course was paired with a different wine starting of course with a sparkling wine.

The dining room was not large and we shared lunch with people from across the world….and that’s where the fun began! Trip 13 remember…. Well one of my travelers was sitting next to a table where the their phone kept buzzing and dinging. My traveler politely asked them to silence their phone about the same time we were all raising a toast to the moment. Well that set this person off the deep end and he started going into a tirade’ “You idiot Americans – so noisy, rude, loud….you idiot Americans go home to your noisy and rude country….Idiot Americans – you are so loud….” Repeating this mantra about eight times….. talk about rude and noisy! Geez!!! It was all we could do to keep our composure and it definitely caught the winery staff off guard. Fortunately, everyone just stayed calm and let this guy run out of steam without any of us confirming his accusations. In the end, he definitely came across as the idiot…especially given the fact he was at and supporting an American winery!

Nothing like a little excitement…. That’s for sure. Nothing like that has ever happened on my 16 years of coming here…. In fact quite the opposite. The Italians are always so friendly….Turns out he was from Brazil. All’s I can say is Brazil your Olympics are just a few months away….good luck!

Well we went on and enjoyed our lunch and wine paring and then made our way back to the bus for the drive to Montepulciano for another stop and visit. The drive from Montalcino to Montepulciano is one of my favorites with the cypress lined hills and beautiful rolling hills of Tuscany.

Once to Montepulciano we hiked up the roadway, through the portal of the fortressed walls and into this absolutely picturesque Italian hill town. Our first stop was the coppersmith shop where I have purchased my fabulous osso bucco pans. Nice little chat there with Pino and the artisan and then it was off to the Cantina del Redi cellar http://www.dericci.it. From the high tech cellar of Banfi we go old school here at the Redi cellar. It is the real deal and one of the most beautiful cellars buried under the streets of Montepulciano. Nothing like the smell of these cellars.

After the darkness and dankness of the cellar you pop out to this amazing view of the countryside and a beautiful walk down the streets of Montepulciano where time has stood still for centuries.

Slowly we make our way back to the bus, visit another church, and then take the long drive home to Mercatale where we finish the day with a seven course meal at Mimmi’s http://www.tuscanydimimmi.it. It is a big meal after a long day…. And when I say seven course that is what it is! Start with crostinis and bruschetta, then onto three different pasta dishes, and finally roasted meats, vegetables, and finally dessert. Our day of indulgence is completed.

Its then a short walk through Mercatale – take in a little local bocce ball and its back to the farmhouses…..now you don’t want to leave a window open as of course a friendly bat may want to join you for the evening! After all this is Trip 13!

Ciao!

Candelaria Design Tour Italy June 2016 - Day 6 - Assisi

So we made it through our first day in the country, hospital and all! I had all 14 travelers again! We had been going at a pretty good clip and with the excitement and drama of yesterday it was a good opportunity to let my travelers sleep in!

Isabel made a delicious frittata and we enjoyed our coffee and of course the rising fog from the Niccone Valley below.

I had two travelers that wanted to go to Deruta to do some ceramic shopping and the rest of us made our way to Assis for the day. Our good friend in Deruta, Roberta Niccacci of the Cama family, whose factory we used to tour many years ago was kind enough to connect my travelers with her family who closed the factory a few years ago but still had a few pieces available.

On the road to Assisi driving through Perugia.

About the time we arrived in Assisi my two travelers from Deruta also arrived so I had my entire group together. When we arrive at any town my first step is to point out the rendezvous point for later in the day when we leave. Then I try to keep the blinders on everyone as we make our way through town to the main cathedral of Saint Francis. Get a group photo and then everyone is on their own adventure here in Assisi for the day.

Assisi has a calmness and quiet to it that is hard to explain. It is really a beautiful hill town with very picturesque views to the valley and farmland below. The pink stone is everywhere and that color seems to add to the subconscious calmness.

I brought my family here over the Holidays on a foggy day which was absolutely beautiful and spiritual…not that Assisi needs any help with that! It is quite different to see it both in the winter and summer.

Candelaria's in Assisi during the Christmas Holiday 2015/16

Isabel and I made our way back through town and found a nice spot for lunch and the others did the same. I had the Guinea Hen with grapes in a red wine sauce, and Isabel had the roasted chicken breast with chicory from the owner’s garden – delicious.

We then did a little exploring some of the side streets, popped into some churches to say prayers while enjoying the architecture, did a little shopping and made our way to the rendezvous piazza! Set up my computer, hook into the wifi and get a little work done along with some water and a cappuccino. As I am working I see familiar faces from my trips of now 16 years here…. The same men and women sitting on the same benches likely having the same conversations…..that’s what I love about Italy – it is somewhat of a living time capsule.

Slowly my travelers arrived and we hiked up the hill to the cars and then off to the lake view restaurant in a driving afternoon thunderstorm for a light dinner and home for the evening.

Candelaria Design Tour Italy June 2016 - Day 5 - First day in Umbria

Sunday is our first full day in the country and there is no better way to start than with a lovely brunch and personal tour at the spectacular Villa di Piazzano near Cortona. Start the morning on the porch with a delicious cup of Italian coffee watching the fog slowly lift off the Umbrian hills.

We gathered the troops for out 11 am reservation at the Villa. A drive down the dirt road, through the Nicconne Valley and then up and over the hills and down to the next valley over. You turn onto an Italian cypress line road that mesmerizes your way into and through the walls into the Villa.

We are always warmly greeted by the staff and then the owner, Alessandra, who welcomes us to our brunch. With the threat of rains we dined inside this year which is still a real delight. First of course we spend a little time on the terrace where we were offered a glass of prosecco and the beauty and splendor of the grounds. We also celebrated the anniversary of John and Diane Whittaker!!!

The brunch is always fabulous and the setting is so beautiful. Yet, as in life, your situation can change in an instant. This year one of our travelers apparently was not feeling tip top and went outside to get some fresh air and suddenly passed out and came unconscious. We all rushed out to assist, including other guests and the villa staff. Our traveler regained consciousness and the staff brought blankets, pillows, water and cold towels to comfort our guest. Shortly thereafter the ambulance arrived but fortunately all vital signs were positive. Of course to be safe they took our traveler to the nearby hospital accompanied by one of the staff members of the hotel who graciously offered to go to translate. Fortunately later in the day our traveler was given a clean bill of health…..but what a shock it was to be in one state of mind one second and complete other a second later. Again, just like life….in other words treasure every moment and be satisfied with what this life gives us.

We are happy to say our traveler is doing fine and as I am typing this we are all on our way this morning to Assisi!

With the stress and excitement of that incident we returned to our brunch and quietly said our prayers for our traveler. With brunch completed we were given a nice tour of the villa by Alessandra and then it was off to Cortona for the afternoon.

Cortona is likely the most well known hilltown in Italy with the making of the book and then movie, Under the Tuscan Sun. Not much sun this trip! I just always love the energy and vibe of this place not to mention I have many fond memories of this place with family and friends over the last 16 years. It’s always the first hill town I take my travelers to and so it definitely sets the tone for the week in Tuscany and Umbrian. I love it here…..

I get my travelers set with our restaurant spot which is new spot for my repeat travelers as I stumbled upon it last year and then we came here for one of our best dinners during our family Christmas Holiday trip – NessunDorma http://www.ristorantenessundorma.com.

With everyone set it was off to do a little shopping, photography and then blogging in a wonderful people watching spot. After 16 trips here I think I have pictures of every arch, door and geranium…. Not to mention the fact I recognize my people that I love to photograph – which happen to be the same over the years. I have captured them all growing old.

My travelers shopped as with virtually every time we come there is a street fair of local vendors and this time was not different. Throw in a Renaissance parade for a little added color and my travelers were in for a real spectacle.

Then the rain came just in time for us to go to dinner and what a treat. Isabel and I started with the truffeled quail eggs and moved to the wild venison with juniper berries and a herb polenta. Throw in a couple bottles of Rosso di Montalcino and our dinner in the cellar was set. Fabulous! I highly recommend this restaurant on your stop to Cortona.

By the time we finished dinner and left the cellar the rain had stopped and the sun was shining! Pick up some gelatos and make our way back down the hill to our cars and our drive home.

On a final note I want to personally thank the owners of the Villa di Piazzano who personally escorted my traveler to the hospital and stayed the entire course of their stay to help in translation and support. I cannot express my appreciation for this act of unselfish kindness. The Wimpole family are stellar people and friends who always, quite obviously, treat us and I’m sure every guest at their Villa, like family. You are all cherished!

Candelaria Design Tour Italy June 2016 - Day 4 - Off to Umbria!

Ok so now is when the trip always gets a little exciting / stressful! Day 4 – of course my lucky number right, and this is our 13th Candelaria Design Tour Italy….right??? Ok – get ready!

We started the day, Saturday, with breakfast at the hotel and then another morning walk, this time to the San Lorenzo Market! As I have said many times, I love this place and wish we had even half of this in Phoenix. Wow! It also makes me want to rent a flat here and come to the market every morning to stock up and then cook for everyone….. Too many ideas and too little time.

The market is great and I enjoyed watching and listening to the people and enjoying the sights, sounds and smells. It’s the best.

We did a little shopping from the street vendors which is always fun. One thing I did notice, even since just being here over the Holidays, is the absence of the counterfit vendors – they seemed to finally gotten rid of them which is great. They were always so annoying and for someone who produces original work, the thought of these imposters selling their fake bags and goods just disgusts me. So I was glad to see them gone! With our shopping done it was back to the hotel to pack up and get ready to check out of the hotel, load up our transports back to the airport to pick up our rental cars. Sounds easy right?

Well the check out went perfect and then we got to the vans and loaded the luggage….all good! Off to the airport where the transport drivers (two vans) were to drop us off at the rental car lot….not the airport departure curb. Well convincing the drivers of this request was a challenge especially when they were trying to drop us off at the departure curb. With a little coaxing we were able to get them to the rental car lot where of course it started to rain!

We unloaded all the luggage on the deck and the drivers went inside to get the paperwork filled out and get the keys to the cars. Meanwhile the rest of our travelers pitched the umbrellas and waited with their bags doing their best to stay dry. With keys in hands we loaded our luggage respectively and got our cars – all 6 cars – in order for our departure to Umbria. One of my rules is to just stay in your parking spot until I call upon you to get your car in line but one of my drivers thought they saw us leave so off the went….. luckly not too far out of the lot before they panicked and called me wondering where we went? I told them to stop and I would find them, got the other cars to them and got everyone in order again. I introduced everyone to Google Maps, gave them pins to our first stop which with 11 women and only 3 men was the Prada Outlet about an hour south of Florence.

Getting to the Prada Outlet, called Space, all went fine! They have built a new bridge and faster route to it and so it was a slam dunk. We shopped for about an hour and then it was off to the market near the Umbrian Farmhouses. Again no issues – everyone followed right along and we made it to the market in Mercatale where we stocked up on our provisions for the week!

From there it was to the houses up the dusty (this year with all the rain not so dusty) dirt road to our destination and home for the week. Ok – these are farmhouses! They are rustic – there is no room service, they are in the middle of nowhere with no TV limited cell phone service and wifi that cuts in and out. But that’s the point – its an escape to the rustic countryside and an experience and environment few people ever see when they come to Italy – but to me this is real Italy. Fresh air, quiet, down time…..we all need it. Is it luxury 5 star accommodations and service. No – it’s a Farmhouse and you embrace it! We share rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, living spaces, the porch…. Ahhh the porch – where what is said or happens in Umbria stays in Umbria….and so will be the case here and on this trip and every trip!

We gradually settled in and got everyone situated….some year’s that is easy some year’s it proves a bit more challenging. But as with everything in life perseverance, patience, and the right attitude can overcome any challenges!

Soon Elizabeth Wholey and her partner of some 16 years Paola came to the house and started preparing our farmhouse welcome dinner which is always fantastic. Meat and veggie homemade lasagna, peppers stuffed with local sausage, veggies with a beet and garbanzo bean dip, and of course their fantastic dessert – panna cotta with fruiti di bossco - we were home in Umbria and it was time to relax!

Candelaria Design Tour Italy June 2016 - Day 3 - Firenze

Today is our first and only full day in Firenze. There is no way you can see or appreciate this Renaissance masterpiece in one day. But the idea is to get a macro feel and view and come back again and explore in more detail. With just two weeks in Italy there is not enough time to get into the micro as you would never grasp enough of what this fabulous country has to offer.

So to start the day in the spirit of the macro view I love to get up early and do my morning walk. So much of how you experience any town or city filled with tourists is with every space filled with tourists. But to get up early with not a soul in sight and have the ability to experience the architecture on your own, in quiet solitude is truly an experience I don’t think many people every make the effort to embrace. It’s the best and fortunately I had a nice group of my travelers who made it. We met in the hotel lobby at 6:30 am and we were off. I love it.

I took my travelers on a little different route from previous walks and in an hour an half we had made a good dent in our exercise goals for the day and it was only 8am.

Grab a nice breakfast at the Hotel Brunellschi http://www.hotelbrunelleschi.it and then it was off to climb the Duomo campanelli with Isabel. 414 steps straight up but worth it for the view and exercise. I love the view from up here as you truly get a macro perspective. It is really amazing how much is packed into a few square miles here. Yet it is endless and every time I come – this is probably my 15th time here – I never quite see it the same and I discover something new each time. Hence why I keep returning.

Isabel and I then grabbed a quick lunch and then it was back to the hotel for a power nap to get ready for the second half of the day.

This year Isabel and I did a photo shoot with a photographer and stylist. So while Isabel got ready I went and did a little shopping and exploring. With Isabel set and ready we went to the Café Florian http://www.caffeflorian.com/en/florence for our shoot. This little restaurant and bar is so artsy and cool. Definitely make it a point to check it out. From there we shot some photos at the bridge on the Arno with the Pointe Vecchio in the background all while in a driving rainstorm with broken sunlight streaming through. I’m excited to see these pics! As we made it back to the hotel we stopped at the Michaelangelo Palazzo Strozz http://www.palazzostrozzi.org/?lang=en for some final shots. What a fun way to spend an afternoon and it will be so nice to have some professional photos of the two of us in one of our favorite places on earth!

Then it was time for dinner. My group all descended at the hotel bar for a quick cocktail and then we were off for dinner on the street at the Buca San Giovanni located right in front of the Duomo. It was a bit rainy and chilly so we had cocktails – aperol spritzsaccompanied by roses from one of the vendors – on the street and then went down into the cellar for a fabulous dinner. Great food and top notch service. The bisteca florentina is fabulous.

From dinner it was off for a little gelato and then a few of us made it to the Westin Grand Hotel for after dinner drinks. What a wonderful full day in Florence. Tomorrow we head to our farmhouse compound in Umbria!!!!