-
Summer is the Season for Limoncello
Limoncello is a vibrantly colored digestif that goes down easy on a hot summer’s day. Although the sweet liqueur is most often served, chilled, in a shot glass, it is meant to be sipped slowly after your meal. And although easy to make, limoncello has a complicated — and contested — history. Some people believe that Italian monks first made the spirit as early as the Middle Ages; others credit Southern Italian fishermen who were thought to drink it upon returning to shore to warm themselves and fight off colds. But most accounts attribute its creation to Maria Antonia Farace, who reportedly lived on a small island off Italy’s southern…
-
Required Research: Under the Tuscan Sun
If you really want to feel, smell and taste the poetic essence of Tuscany, you must devour this book. Frances Mayes, the best-selling author of the 1996 novel “Under the Tuscan Sun,” knows how to make a cozy nest in any space. Half the year she lives in the historic Chatwood, originally built by Quakers as a dignified Federal farmhouse in the early 1800s as a commercial and residential space. Hillsborough has been Mayes’ American home now for several years with her fellow poet/writer husband Ed. She continues to spend half the year in Cortona, Italy, the inspiration for many of her books. Fans first fell in love with Mayes…
You May Also Like
Required Research: A Room With a View
-
Required Research: A Room With a View
Before venturing into the bellissima chaos of your wedding adventure, one must set the tone of mystery and romance. There is no better way to jump into this world than to (re)watch Merchant-Ivory’s exquisite A Room with a View from 1985. Based upon the 1908 novel by E.M. Forster. A Room with a View, the film is set in both the Florentine and the English countrysides. Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter), a young Englishwoman, makes her first visit to Florence, Italy in the early 1900’s with her spinster aunt, Charlotte Bartlett (Dame Maggie Smith, most recently of PBS’s Downton Abbey), who chaperones her young niece with a discerning eye . There, she meets a quiet yet eccentric young man named…
You May Also Like
Required Research: Under the Tuscan Sun
-
Tuscan Wedding Style Inspiration
Although it is nice to actually be in Tuscany for your special day, sometimes we need to keep things closer to home — however still with a memorable ‘tuscan-style’ theme. By incorporating vivid colors in flowers and dresses, rustic place and table settings, delicious Tuscan recipes, and choosing an outdoor, natural, and relaxed setting for your reception, you can transport your guests to the heart of Italy. Don’t forget your style starts with your Save the Date card so let it set your Tuscan theme with delicate calligraphy and colorful details that paint a visual picture of your special day. Tips: A soft sage shade of green color paired with vibrant orange creates a Tuscan-feel. Bridesmaids’ bouquets were…
-
Wed in Tuscany, Rock Star Style
FLORENCE, ITALY – Sting and Trudie Styler were married under the Tuscan sun at the Villa Il Palagio, the couple’s rustic Italian countryside 16th century home located just an hour south of Florence near the medieval town of Figline Valdarno. Perched high above rolling Tuscan hills, Il Palagio offers endless views of the countryside, vineyards, olive groves, blossoming gardens and an unparalleled biodynamic culinary experience in a truly restorative retreat. Since purchasing the property from a Duke in 1999, Trudie and Sting have worked with their team of experts to restore the villa to its once glorious splendor. Over the years, Il Palagio has served as the setting for many family occasions…
You May Also Like
Tuscan Wedding Style Inspiration
