House Dream #2

Nothing says love like getting a little something in the mail. My friend in Paris has just sent me a wonderful set of packages. Some of which are fueling my house dreaming. Did I mention we have offers in and so we are eagerly awaiting responses? Ahhhh, I hate the wait!

Anyway, I was thinking of how wonderful it would be to have sort of a retro 50's California kitchen. It isn't my usual taste but this couch definitely inspires me:

And cherry red too? I'm sold! Only problem is this is a french company and I don't even want to think about how much it would cost to cruise this little baby over! 

N.B. Merci mon ami!

What's for lunch in Napoli today

I was carefully considering what to post today when the door bell rang. God love her, it was my neighbor Anna. She is the epitome of a good Italian housewife. She does the following:

• makes the beds
  
• sweeps the floors 3 times
• washes the floor twice (the whole house)
• vacuums the floor (every chance she gets)
• dusts all items from the walls to the flowers
• washes all the windows and the shutters and the window sill
• cleans the stove top 3 times
• cleans up the sinks 10 times
• bathrooms get cleaned three times (top to
  
• bedrooms thrice as well
• cooks from scratch lunch and dinner (and any other snack her man child should want)
• cleans off all the glass top tables 4 times (at least)
• washes 3 loads of laundry then hangs it out to dry
• irons ALL laundry items (including the rags used to clean "so that they sit well folded in the drawer")
• goes grocery shopping (at the dry goods store, at the veggie man, at the butchers, at the fish mongers and at the cleaning supply store)
• picks up the children and drops them off at least 3 times

ALL this in just ONE day! You can't hire help that is that good! She is really amazing. Oh yes, and today for lunch she cooked up Risotto a la Verza. In English that would be rice and savoy cabbage which is now in season. I'm not the biggest fan of the cabbage family but when it is made this way it is kind of tasty especially if it is made for you! This time on my photo I didn't finish it all first (thought you might like to see it first!) ;-) So would you like to see what else she sends down?

Hideout in the hills

It is so hot right now in the city that I wish I could head for my favorite hideout in Umbria. The truth is that I relish the time that I have at my 12th century castle retreat. Everything is taken care of --food, babysitter, pool (pool towels), fresh herb scented air and tranquility. If I were truly industrious (which I'm not when I'm there) I would be visiting the towns of Assisi, Perugia and Gubbio. But no, instead I prefer to curl up under the giant tree and take a nap (or two).
My little heaven on earth is named Locanda del Gallo and I've been going there for a number of years now. I've been there in almost all of the seasons and none have been a disappointment. The hosts Paola and Irish are friendly and helpful. The chef Jimmy produces some of the best fresh and healthy food. The kitchen always smells divine!
I started going there when I went to my first yoga retreat with Jane Fryer. I'll never forget it because it was right after September 11th in the U.S. All of the attendees (except for me) were coming from the states less than a week after that tragic event. The time spent at Locanda was very therapeutic and relaxing. The yoga taught by Jane and Amy Ippoliti was so fantastic and in a setting like Locanda we were transported to another more peaceful world. There just is no other place like it in the world and with good friends it is the perfect combination.