Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Siena and Twilight in Volterra
We had another long day of driving all over Tuscany. We headed to Central Tuscany - Siena which was beautiful. Legend has it that Siena was founded by Senius, son of Remus, the symbol of the wolf feeding the twins, Romulus and Remus. We spent half our morning exploring the main square, Piazza Del Campo & Palazzo Comunale. Siena is quite unique and charming with it's Etrusian tombs. We dined for lunch at Osteria Da Divo which is 3 levels, the lower two set amid Etrusian tombs. It was a welcome relief from the heat. It has been unseasonably warm in Tuscany and I have been attacked by mosquitos, Russell not so much. Our appetizer was rolled zucchini filled with fresh Pecorini cheese from Pianza and flavored with kale served on a small cake of brown red onions. It was unbelievably good along with the lasagna. We will definitely miss the food and I have gained no less than 10 lbs. I will miss my geleteria's on every street and street corner. There are no Starbucks or Peets here and it was only in Siena at a coffee shop called Illy that I was able to get a cappuchino to go, which was quite the treat for me.
From Siena we headed to Volterra which for any of you Twilight movie buffs (Russell and I have not personally read or seen the series) was set here because it is a well preserved medieval town perfect for vampires, the premise of the book series. Volterra is north of Siena which was about an hour and a half drive. Again, Russell mastered driving on the narrowing roads driving around 120 (kilometers that is, approximately 50 mph). Russell was actually quite a slow driver, we got passed a lot. I did my best to stay awake during our road trips but I just can't . Volterra is a lot smaller and less touristy than the 53,900 population of Siena. Volterra's population is approximately 11,200 so it was quite refreshing to visit. It sits high on a hill with stunning views at twilight. We ate at an interesting ristorante called Don Beta. I felt like the buffalo mozzarella cheese pizza while Russell feasted on wild boar (which was good and tasted like steak).
We headed back to Spannochia which I did manage to stay awake for the majority of our journey. We have gotten lost a little but all-in-all we've done fairly well. It didn't help that my Garmin Nuvi didn't work even though I bought the Italy map chip to download. We had to rely on various maps.
We checked out this morning and met one of the interns (Sarah from Michigan) who is doing a volunteer program for 3 months at Spannochia. It's unfortunate we came late in the season because just as we arrived most of the families were leaving. There are approximately 15 rooms in the main house where we were staying, then they have farmhouses if you stay more than a few days. Sarah went to school to be a dietician then decided to go to culinary school. She did say that the pigs are not slaughtered on-site since there are specific protocols to be followed since they sell their meat . I also asked her if Spannochia is haunted (I dont know how it can't be, it's so old) and indeed she shared a story of a haunting by a woman that has been seen. There was another intern who apparently heard the former owner (from centuries ago) calling for one of his workers all night, and it scared him so much he couldn't sleep. The next night he slept with his headphones and music on. I am very happy we did not experience this during our stay. This is why I refused to blog at night in the computer room which was a maze of turns and pitch black from our room. But it really was a nice stay. We were lucky to have experienced a 5 star hotel, a bed and breakfast, both downtown Florence, and a unique farmhouse bed and breakfast on the outskirts of Siena.
Today, Tuesday, October 4th we drove to a nice winery in the Chianti region called Il Mulino di Grace on our way back to Florence. We also had a great lunch in Panzano.
We are up early tomorrow morning to catch a 6:30 am flight.
See you all soon.
From Siena we headed to Volterra which for any of you Twilight movie buffs (Russell and I have not personally read or seen the series) was set here because it is a well preserved medieval town perfect for vampires, the premise of the book series. Volterra is north of Siena which was about an hour and a half drive. Again, Russell mastered driving on the narrowing roads driving around 120 (kilometers that is, approximately 50 mph). Russell was actually quite a slow driver, we got passed a lot. I did my best to stay awake during our road trips but I just can't . Volterra is a lot smaller and less touristy than the 53,900 population of Siena. Volterra's population is approximately 11,200 so it was quite refreshing to visit. It sits high on a hill with stunning views at twilight. We ate at an interesting ristorante called Don Beta. I felt like the buffalo mozzarella cheese pizza while Russell feasted on wild boar (which was good and tasted like steak).
We headed back to Spannochia which I did manage to stay awake for the majority of our journey. We have gotten lost a little but all-in-all we've done fairly well. It didn't help that my Garmin Nuvi didn't work even though I bought the Italy map chip to download. We had to rely on various maps.
We checked out this morning and met one of the interns (Sarah from Michigan) who is doing a volunteer program for 3 months at Spannochia. It's unfortunate we came late in the season because just as we arrived most of the families were leaving. There are approximately 15 rooms in the main house where we were staying, then they have farmhouses if you stay more than a few days. Sarah went to school to be a dietician then decided to go to culinary school. She did say that the pigs are not slaughtered on-site since there are specific protocols to be followed since they sell their meat . I also asked her if Spannochia is haunted (I dont know how it can't be, it's so old) and indeed she shared a story of a haunting by a woman that has been seen. There was another intern who apparently heard the former owner (from centuries ago) calling for one of his workers all night, and it scared him so much he couldn't sleep. The next night he slept with his headphones and music on. I am very happy we did not experience this during our stay. This is why I refused to blog at night in the computer room which was a maze of turns and pitch black from our room. But it really was a nice stay. We were lucky to have experienced a 5 star hotel, a bed and breakfast, both downtown Florence, and a unique farmhouse bed and breakfast on the outskirts of Siena.
Today, Tuesday, October 4th we drove to a nice winery in the Chianti region called Il Mulino di Grace on our way back to Florence. We also had a great lunch in Panzano.
We are up early tomorrow morning to catch a 6:30 am flight.
See you all soon.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
FYI about our Blog
There are many typos, etc! Please forgive since most of the blog is rushed and I am typing on an iPad which is difficult for me! Also to navigate to see older posts, at the bottom of the post you will see older post to the bottom right which if you click on will take you back to the beginning of the blog.
La Vita e Bella (Life is Beautiful)
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Our farmhouse, The Tenuta di Spannochia is a very unique place. The name refers to the Italian "pannocchia" meaning the ear of corn. The Tenuta (estate) shares its name with the important Spannochia family which built and kept it over seven centuries (the estate dates back to the 12th century.) It is believed the Spannochia's were part of the feudal clans that along with the church, controlled most of the countryside of Tuscany during the medieval period. They were one of the most influential Sienese families. The family sold the property to Delfino Cinelli in 1925 a Florentine aristocrat and writer who bought the property as an investment and for it's value to him as a tranquil place to pursue his writing.
There are over 1200 acres of land, 950 of it is forested. In 2006 it made Conde Nast's Green List. It is an organic farm specializing in heirloom produce and almost-extinct animal breeds, a wildlife preserve, and educational center. They offer internships to young people to help run the farm. However, as I mentioned in my prior post, at night when it's dark, it turns into the house from "The Shining" and there isn't enough money in the world to get me to go downstairs where there is Internet and type my blog.
We set out today to head to Arezzo which is a large town in Eastern Tuscany. It was a long drive, about an hour and a half. The biggest reason I wanted to go there was because the film "La Vita e Bella" was filmed here because of the regions beauty and because the first Sunday of the month is the furniture/antique flea market. I learned a couple of things about this Italian flea market, 1. There is no bargaining, prices are fixed and 2. It is expensive. I found a couple of small old books dating back to 1788 and they were $250. Yes, they were original, but really? I looked at other books vendors had for sale and they were around the same price.
We had lunch at Trattoria il Saraceno. I had the best truffle lasagna while Russell had the gnocchi. I have realized that you can't be in a hurry to eat anywhere in Italy. Italians love to enjoy their meals.
We then headed to the Montalcino (Siena) region which is the region know for the Brunello di Montalcino wine which has to be 100% Sangiovese grapes. This was another long drive, about 2 hours. The winery we were going to was Poggio Antico which was the first winery to receive the most prestigious wine classification, D.O.C.G. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita-controlled and guaranteed from the origin). Back in 1970 there were only 20 wineries in the region which consists of only 10 miles. Now there are approximately 208 wineries. In order to call your wine a Brunello di Montalcino, there are many criteria that have to be followed aside from the Sangiovese grape. The alcohol content cannot exceed 15% and there are minimum aging requirements depending on if it's a reserve, etc. We received a tour of the winery and since they are in the middle of their harvest taste the Sangiovese grapes. Accompanying us on the tour was a couple from Minnesota and another couple from Maryland. We ended our evening with a fabulous meal from the restaurant on sight. Italian wine is very complicated (at least I think so). It's not done by type of grape like Pinot Noir or Chardonnay but by region. We did buy two bottles and will be looking forward to drinking them someday!
We are off to Siena tomorrow!
Our farmhouse, The Tenuta di Spannochia is a very unique place. The name refers to the Italian "pannocchia" meaning the ear of corn. The Tenuta (estate) shares its name with the important Spannochia family which built and kept it over seven centuries (the estate dates back to the 12th century.) It is believed the Spannochia's were part of the feudal clans that along with the church, controlled most of the countryside of Tuscany during the medieval period. They were one of the most influential Sienese families. The family sold the property to Delfino Cinelli in 1925 a Florentine aristocrat and writer who bought the property as an investment and for it's value to him as a tranquil place to pursue his writing.
There are over 1200 acres of land, 950 of it is forested. In 2006 it made Conde Nast's Green List. It is an organic farm specializing in heirloom produce and almost-extinct animal breeds, a wildlife preserve, and educational center. They offer internships to young people to help run the farm. However, as I mentioned in my prior post, at night when it's dark, it turns into the house from "The Shining" and there isn't enough money in the world to get me to go downstairs where there is Internet and type my blog.
We set out today to head to Arezzo which is a large town in Eastern Tuscany. It was a long drive, about an hour and a half. The biggest reason I wanted to go there was because the film "La Vita e Bella" was filmed here because of the regions beauty and because the first Sunday of the month is the furniture/antique flea market. I learned a couple of things about this Italian flea market, 1. There is no bargaining, prices are fixed and 2. It is expensive. I found a couple of small old books dating back to 1788 and they were $250. Yes, they were original, but really? I looked at other books vendors had for sale and they were around the same price.
We had lunch at Trattoria il Saraceno. I had the best truffle lasagna while Russell had the gnocchi. I have realized that you can't be in a hurry to eat anywhere in Italy. Italians love to enjoy their meals.
We then headed to the Montalcino (Siena) region which is the region know for the Brunello di Montalcino wine which has to be 100% Sangiovese grapes. This was another long drive, about 2 hours. The winery we were going to was Poggio Antico which was the first winery to receive the most prestigious wine classification, D.O.C.G. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita-controlled and guaranteed from the origin). Back in 1970 there were only 20 wineries in the region which consists of only 10 miles. Now there are approximately 208 wineries. In order to call your wine a Brunello di Montalcino, there are many criteria that have to be followed aside from the Sangiovese grape. The alcohol content cannot exceed 15% and there are minimum aging requirements depending on if it's a reserve, etc. We received a tour of the winery and since they are in the middle of their harvest taste the Sangiovese grapes. Accompanying us on the tour was a couple from Minnesota and another couple from Maryland. We ended our evening with a fabulous meal from the restaurant on sight. Italian wine is very complicated (at least I think so). It's not done by type of grape like Pinot Noir or Chardonnay but by region. We did buy two bottles and will be looking forward to drinking them someday!
We are off to Siena tomorrow!
Under the Tuscan Sun
I don't think I have ever seen such beautiful countryside anywhere in any of my travels as I saw on our drive from Florence to Siena. We had a wonderful breakfast at our B&B overlooking the square then headed for a 15 minute walk with our luggage through Florence. We don't have a lot of stuff so it was a pleasant morning walk. We have a Fiat 500, not a large car but enough to be comfortable. Russell did a great job driving and has mastered driving in Italy.
Our first stop was to Greve which has a Saturday morning outdoor market. It is where the locals buy all their fruits, housewares, and even underwear which was prominently displayed. They had a fabulous meat market with hanging meat. We also went to a fabulous wine bar called Le Cantine Di Greve in Chianti which displays approximately 140 different wines. They have automatic pourers similar to a wine bar in Walnut Creek (if you have been) where you purchase a card (like a prepaid credit card) and dispense the type of wine you want and prices are listed on the wine choice). Did you know that the legal drinking age here is 16? I found that interesting,
We then headed back on our journey to Siena and made a stop for lunch in Panzano where we had what Jack Nicholson claims to be the best burger in the world by a famous butcher named Dario Cecchini. His butcher shop is called Antica Macelleria Cecchini and his burger shop is upstairs called Dario Doc. I wish we could say we felt the same way as Jack, and albeit it was good, our medium burger was still slightly moving on our plates. I did meet the famous butcher and took a photo. We also sat next to a lovely older couple named Frank and Barbara from Buffalo, New York and exchanged our travels through Italy.
Our farmhouse is about 30 minutes outside Siena and it is very quaint...and rustic and a little spooky. Russell thinks he heard a gunshot this morning as we were waking up of a pig being killed. They do raise pigs so he is probably correct. It is a little harder for us to get Internet here. We have to. come down to the computer room and at night this very large farmhouse turns into the house from the movie "The Shining". Lots of rooms that twist into other rooms and very quiet.
Our first stop was to Greve which has a Saturday morning outdoor market. It is where the locals buy all their fruits, housewares, and even underwear which was prominently displayed. They had a fabulous meat market with hanging meat. We also went to a fabulous wine bar called Le Cantine Di Greve in Chianti which displays approximately 140 different wines. They have automatic pourers similar to a wine bar in Walnut Creek (if you have been) where you purchase a card (like a prepaid credit card) and dispense the type of wine you want and prices are listed on the wine choice). Did you know that the legal drinking age here is 16? I found that interesting,
We then headed back on our journey to Siena and made a stop for lunch in Panzano where we had what Jack Nicholson claims to be the best burger in the world by a famous butcher named Dario Cecchini. His butcher shop is called Antica Macelleria Cecchini and his burger shop is upstairs called Dario Doc. I wish we could say we felt the same way as Jack, and albeit it was good, our medium burger was still slightly moving on our plates. I did meet the famous butcher and took a photo. We also sat next to a lovely older couple named Frank and Barbara from Buffalo, New York and exchanged our travels through Italy.
Our farmhouse is about 30 minutes outside Siena and it is very quaint...and rustic and a little spooky. Russell thinks he heard a gunshot this morning as we were waking up of a pig being killed. They do raise pigs so he is probably correct. It is a little harder for us to get Internet here. We have to. come down to the computer room and at night this very large farmhouse turns into the house from the movie "The Shining". Lots of rooms that twist into other rooms and very quiet.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
Duomo, dinner Antica Trattoria "da Tito", Piazza Della Signoria
Sent from my iPad
Begin forwarded message:
From: Kathleen West <kathleenwwest@yahoo.com>
Date: September 30, 2011 2:29:12 PM PDT
To: kathleenwwest.chloewest@blogspot.com
Subject: Random Florence Photos 1
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