Actually had an uneventful drive from Siena to our villa. We are finally learning to let the GPS do her job and not second-guess her. I should clarify that by saying "I", as Jim has let the GPS do her job all along!
Jim and I were the couple responsible for bringing food for last night's dinner and this morning's breakfast. We stopped in a tiny village, Pergo, and the adventure began. I cannot express how incredible it is to shop in an Italian grocery store - fresh vegetables and herbs, a meat and cheese counter beyond compare (Jim was in heaven!), freshly made pasta........ Of courseh,attempting to read all of the Italian labels can pose quite a challenge. Thank God Jim worked so hard on his Italian before we left. Groceries purchased, it was on the the villa.
We could see Cortona as we began to work our way into the mountains. When the receptionist at our Siena hotel heard that we were off to Cortona, she sighed and told us that in her mind it is the most beautiful of the hill towns. Arriving at the villa was an OMG moment. It sits of the side of a mountain overlooking Cortona and Camucia, at it's base. The gardens surrounding the villa are stunning. I have been so proud of myself with the lavender I have been growing; the lavender here forms the bordering hedges; the fragrance wafting on the breeze is warm and inviting. The terrace out the front is enormous with a table large enough to seat ten, if needed. Needless to say, we ate al fresco last night overlooking the twinkling lights of Cortona. Inside the kitchen is massive. Yahoo! We even have a dishwasher. There are three bedrooms and three washrooms, beautifully decorated in stunning tiles and ceramic surrounds. Enough on the villa.
Cath and Dave and Donna and David arrived within a short time of each other. After everyone had settled in, we sat out on the terrace and popped the cork on Prosecco. No sooner had we done so when Giusi, the owner of our villa, showed up with a large tray appetizers. At this juncture, I need to tell you that Giusi is a well known chef in Cortona and a close friend of Frances Mayes (Under The Tuscan Sun, Bella Tuscany) for whom she often cooks. I am telling you this so you can imagine how wonderful these appetizers were. Giusi's English is minimal, but there was much laughter and hand gesturing. She will be cooking dinner for us on Tuesday evening. Wow!
We ate dinner al fresco on the terrace, while holding a photo contest - who can get the best sunset photo?
We all crashed at ten o'clock. Must be getting older. Couldn't be the amount of wine consumed, of course!
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