Under the Tuscan Sun

Hello dear friends.  It is raining cats and dogs here.  I can't complain because we need the rain.  Tomorrow promises sunshine for my day at the showhouse.

If you haven't been bored to tears from hearing about my summer vacation yet, here is the third segment.  The first two posts, if you missed them, can be found here and here.

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The cruise ship offers at least five different excursions at each port. I chose our first adventure.  It was purely emotional.  I loved the movie Under the Tuscan Sun and have seen it at least a thousand times.  

Our fellow ship mates climbed onto the gigantic air conditioned bus en route to a day in Tuscany. We were to visit two towns and have lunch at a farmhouse.  This was right up my Tuscan alley.   

It wasn't until then that I asked the Mister how long the drive was and he told me about 90 minutes.  Ugh.  Along with my phobia of down escalators, I also have a tendency towards car sickness.  Being the brave soldier, I took a deep breath and said a quick Hail Mary and buckled down for the ride.

By the time we reached our destination, I had said a full Rosary.  This drive is not for the feint of heart.  Our gargantuan bus traveled up one-lane winding roads through the hills.  Every twenty minutes we had to slow down (thankfully) for another hairpin turn.

  

I took these from the bus.  

Although it was a white knuckle ride, the scenery was beautiful.

This small guard rail was our only protection.  Many parts of the rail were missing.  I didn't even want to a think about that.

Panoramio

Before entering the town of Volterra, we passed the prison.  This jail is like no other.  It is housed in a fifteenth century castle with towers built by Lorenzo de Medici.  It is also the home of one of the best theater companies in the area.     

New York Times

The jail mates take part in all facets of the theater production. They are serving time for everything from armed robbery to murder.  No white collar crime guys in this joint.

New York Times

It is known as Compagnia della Fortezza which translates as the Company of the Fortress.  It was launched in 1988 and began as "drama therapy" for the prisoners.    

reuters

Not only does the prison operate the theater, it also houses The Fortezza Medicea Restaurant.  It is open to the public once a month.  

The prisoners are trained in all capacities: cooking, baking, waiting tables, and wine selection.  The sommelier class includes wine tasting for the inmates.  I bet that class is popular!!

Entertainment Designer

I told the Mister that if we ever go back to that area, I want to dine there.  The tour guide told us that there is a long wait - a few months - for a reservation.  Guess I have to break the law to get in there.  Whatever it takes.

We made a stop in Volterra, which is a beautiful hilltop town.  It is known for a couple of things.

Volterra was the inspiration for the Twilight series.  It was home to Volturri, a coven of rich, powerful vampires.  I did not see any there, but I did keep my eyes open and my turkey neck covered.

  

This town is filled with beautiful antique doors.  Our tour guide told us that the doors were customary wedding presents from the in-laws.

Volterra is also known as the land of alabaster.  Alabaster is the only translucent stone in existence.

I asked if they carried any busts of George Clooney.  They told me that they just sold out. 

If you are in the market for alabaster, this is the town for you!

Our tour guide gave us an hour to walk around town.  He said if we needed to use the facilities, we should order a cup of coffee in one of the cafes, and use one there.

Looks like this lady was just caught flirting with the Mister!!  
HANDS OFF LADY!  HE'S TAKEN!!

I did not want to spoil my petite appetite for lunch.  The Mister didn't care and indulged at his every whim.  I think he would have sold me to the vampires for one of those meringues.

Needless to say, no matter where we are, the Mister and I spend about eighty-five percent of our lifetimes in search of the almighty wash room.  It is no different in Italy.

This is where we stopped for our "coffee."  Note to self:  check out the facility before making a purchase.  This place was a double YUCK!

We left loving Volterra and hopped onto the bus to head for the  local farmhouse for some Tuscan cuisine.

We arrived at the farmhouse about 45 minutes and 7 hairpin turns later.

We got to meet and socialize with our ship mates.  They were lovely.  The food was delicious and featured grilled vegetables, salami made from boar, lasagna, and sheep cheese, olives, and pine nuts which are indigenous of the area.  The sheep cheese was my favorite.  The cheese is soft and almost buttery.  We even had sheep cheesecake for desert.  We washed it all down with a glass or two of Chianti.  

Can you tell that they are big on sheep around here?

Many artists visit this farmhouse for inspiration.  The views are spectacular.

The next stop was San Gimignano.  It is an enchanting medieval village named after Bishop Gimignano, who saved the city from a barbarian attack.  Glad we weren't visiting on that day!

There were many shops that sold beautiful hand painted pottery. 

Also featured were fabulous fabrics from Provence.

I wanted to bring that big ol' boar home with me.  He would keep Chow in line.  But the Mister said that my suitcase was over the weight limit already.

A Tuscan Selfie.

I think the Mister is still thinking about that lady in the bakery!

Until next time...

Capturing la Vita

2 Compromising Movies and a Great Book

Hello dear friends.  The Mister and I had a very laid back, relaxing weekend.  It had been awhile since we had been to a movie and there were a few that we wanted to see.  The problem was, they were not the same ones.

So, on Saturday morning, the Mister and I tried to choose a movie that we could mutually agree upon.  Naturally, I wanted to see the new Meryl Streep movie.  The Mister, not so much.  He had his eye on Mission Impossible.  The thing about Mission Impossible films is if you've see one, you've seen them all.  Evidently, my narrow thinking is in the minority because it was number one at the box office this week.   

So, rather than calling on Judge Judy to solve our conundrum, we compromised and went to see The Gift.  I didn't want to tell the Mister that this was my second choice, fearing that he wouldn't have considered it a compromise on my part. 

Before I begin my reviews, let me fill you in on a little background story.  

The first movie that the Mister and I attended together when we began dating was The Silence of the Lambs.  You can find out a lot about a man by how he reacts to a scary movie.  The Mister spent three quarters of the movie, sitting on my lap covering his eyes.  If you ask him about it, he'll deny it.  

I loved every nail biting, white knuckled, suspenseful moment of this flick.  Jason Bateman (still as cute as ever) and Rebecca Hall have great chemistry and play the perfect upwardly mobile young couple.  Joel Edgerton, who also directed the film, nailed it in his role as the creepy Gordo. 

I give this movie a strong A minus.  The Mister gave it a C. 

As a side note... there is very little blood and gore.  That is, except when the Mister dug his finger nails into my hand.

On Sunday, we were planning to head for the Cape, but the weather was grey and overcast.  Not a Cape worthy day. 

So we enjoyed a nice lunch and went back to the movies.  I don't know how I did it, but I dodged Mission Impossible again!  I told the Mister that my friend Marsha, from Pinehurst Place, went to see Mr. Holmes and gave it a wonderful review.  The Mister enthusiastically agreed to see it.  Another compromise.  I didn't want to tell the Mister that this movie was on my top three must-see list of flicks  to see this weekend.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about this film.  The cinematography is positively breathtaking.  I highly recommend seeing this one on the big screen so you can inhale the full effect of the exquisite scenery.

Ian McKellen and Laura Linney delivered their usual award-winning performances.  They are two of my favorite actors, and they never disappoint.

But this is the guy who stole my heart along with every scene in this movie.  Milo Parker has the ability to light up the screen with his abundant talent at such a young age.  No question about it ... this kid is going to make a name for himself.  

The Mister and I actually agreed on our grade for this one.  
We both gave it an A+.  

I think that was the first thing we agreed on all weekend! 

Amazon

Just finished this page turner.  If you missed my post on Beatriz Williams and the literary luncheon, you can find it here.

This novel holds the perfect recipe for a delicious book.  It's got glamour, intrigue, believable characters, love, lust, and a great twist at the conclusion.  I highly recommend this book.


This week I am off to join Dude and her posse at another show house.  My new mantra goes something like this:

A woman can never be too rich, too thin, or attend too many show houses.

Feel free to quote me.
   

Until next time...

O'Doyle Rules

#2's Hidden Agenda

Good morning, dear friends.  I hope that you are enjoying your weekend.  The weather here in the Northeast is beautiful.  

I am delighted to tell you that my #2 has prepared today's post.


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My family has made fun of me for years for my “codes.” These are comments that I make that come accompanied by a double meaning.

For example: “Mom, I can do a blog for you on planners. It’s the perfect time of year with school starting in a few weeks, and there are a ton of new ones that are debuting around this time.”

Translation: “Mom, if I do a blog on planners for you, will you buy me one for school?”

My codes are a *wink wink, nudge nudge* kind of thing.  Although, on occasion I run across a language barrier.

The first agenda I really fell for this year was the Day Designer.

The Day Designer has a spot for your daily top 3 to-dos, a longer to-do list, a scheduling area, and even a place to jot down something you are grateful for.  The pages span 12 months; August 2015 to July 2016.

The Day Designer is 9” wide x 9.75” tall. Think a little wider than a piece of printer paper and a near perfect square.  I’ve personally always gravitated towards the larger planners – not because I have a lot to do, but because I like to write in big letters that even the Empty Nester could read without her glasses.

Also, if you aren't ready to commit, and want to test it out, the Day Designers have a free planner download where you can test out the system and see if it works with your scheduling style. 

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Then there’s the Simplified Planner by Emily Ley.  Let me forewarn you, these planners sell out faster than Taylor Swift tickets.  Kid you not.

The Simplified Planner 2016 weekly and daily editions are being released in early September and won't last long.  When I say that, I mean September 8^th at 11:59 p.m. have your computer open and your credit card ready.

This Daily Agenda begins in January 2016 and spans 12 months. At least when you order in September you have something to look forward to… Early Christmas present (to yourself)?

The Weekly is actually the same price but runs from August 2015 to December 2016.

Both the Daily and Weekly are a bit smaller, coming in at 7.75” wide x 9” tall. There’s a spot on every page of the Daily edition for an hourly schedule, to-do list, some notes, and even a spot to plan dinner.  In the Weekly, there’s room for scheduling, a daily to-do list and notes.

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One more planner that I’ve been admiring lately is the myAgenda from the makers of the momAgenda.

The myAgenda also runs from August 2015 to December 2016.

Sidenote: I love reading planner product descriptions because they always make me feel important. They always tell me I’m a “busy woman” and that I need tools like this to keep myself straight when I just have so much going on.

Back to the myAgenda. This planner has a main scheduling area and is set up in a weekly format where one week spans two pages. In addition to the scheduling spot, there are four more places to designate as you wish, and a spot to label them for consistency. 

I’m starting to think I could be a really motivated and efficient person with one of these. 

Hey momma, what do you think? *code*

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Great job, #2.  
I would be happy to pick up the cost of a new planner, if it keeps you organized and helps you to achieve straight A's. *code*

Until next time...