I rise earlier than I want to, of course. I've talked to the children, lessons on geography and realities of air transportation versus teleportation are covered in depth..."no, honey, I can't come home right now". Since it's late in the summer and still dark at 6:30 I don't feel like tempting the hunters. But at 7, I take a walk down the hill through the vineyards in the misty dawn, and find that the harvest has begun.
As usual in Italy, a female is always reason enough to stop work, wave, smile and tip your hat. The foreman blows me a kiss. What a nice way to start the day!
This particular female is peeking through the bushes trying to get a good photo, so I have to step out, sweatpants and all, to ask in toddler Italian if I can take their picture. What a bunch of hams. Shameless. Enchanting.
Off I go to the hills of northeastern Tuscany, armed with my Italian Canon to take photos for our master designer, a rebel needing one more cause. One of the areas I had wanted to check out, driving to Sansepolcro past Arezzo, is a tad further than I think, but worth the trip.
I meet with another agency to discuss Carrara's project, and we make plans to view houses, narrowing the list down to 3…which is a good thing because I have no idea how I am going to meet with everyone that wants to meet this week (eeek). One owned by a British resident, in 2 separate houses, both large enough to fit our profile, sharing a pool. The second, overlooking a beautiful lake, owned by an American. The third is a bit too large.
Interesting facts about Sansepolcro - it is a 50-minute drive from the eastern seaside. An hour and a half from Firenze and probably an hour from Siena and less to Chianti proper.
Lunch in Sansepolcro at Ristorante Fiorentino is nothing short of awesome. A tiny sidewalk cafe turns out to be a large charming dining room upstairs, with one of those fireplaces big enough to roast anyone you wish. Homemade fettuccine with Fiori di Zucca (zucchini flower sauce), a fresh salad, and then I see (duh duh….duh duh….the great white of the dining experience)…..the DESSERT CART. There is this pink concoction with strawberries on top, that is translated as strawberry biscuit (i.e. shortcake).If that is what it was, I have been making it wrong for years. This is more like a "whipped cream shortcake with a strawberry garnish". The biscuit is delicate and crumbly and has pine nuts in it. The whipped cream has a bit of pureed strawberry folded in. It is layered 3 times.
I stop to see 3 rental villas in the area for sale by owner, or considering selling. Two need a lot of work, one again is too large. On the way back I notice more...the scenery is quite different now than in July. It is still warm, but a soft haze has settled over the hills, not quite foggy, just....soft. Tobacco is being harvested as well. There is a sense of anticipation, and a relaxation. The tourist rush is past, kids are back in school, quiet time is settling in.
After driving 2 hours back to Villa Saulina, I park myself to write, plan and answer email, succumb to jet lag for an hour, and then force myself to sleep walk downstairs for dinner. Home-cooking. Close to, make that AT, home. Cantucci. Skip the espresso and crash.
Laugh of the day….All truck drivers on the Autostrada honk when you pass them. Not an angry honk. Not even a "hey baby" honk. It's more of a "you go girl" honk. You get the feeling that they're flirting but how do they know who's driving? The cabs are higher than here in the U.S. Perhaps the smiling faces in the vineyard this morning has skewed my perspective. Must be.
As I drop off…."Ice Age" in Italian is VERY funny.
Status on goal achievement:
- 1 day down, 3 to go
- 0 weight gain (doubtful after that dessert)
- 3 homes viewed, 37 to go
- 1 agency visited, 3 to go
- 1 attorney
*Ristorante Fiorentino, Sansepolcro, www.ristorantefiorentino.it
Carrara partners with owners of luxury vacation homes in Italy, managing the conversion and marketing of these beautiful homes to fractional, shared ownership vacation properties. We also represent buyers seeking the lifestyle of a European home and the convenience of a professionally managed, shared investment.
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