Firenze

How can I possibly sum up what the last two days have been like? It's a whirlwind and a blur but let me try.

We spent a day in Florence, well about 6 hours, not nearly enough time. We stopped in the most amazing working apothecary shop, sort of a ancient Bath and Body with a museum. The scents alone were worth the visit.

The first piazza we came to captivated us with its working carousel. My photography assignment was to "look up" Not hard in Florence when almost everything IS up. Then on to the Duomo in the center of the city. If you've watched the PBS series The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance you'll know the story of the Medici's and understand the significance of the completed dome. This is also the site of those famous gold doors. Unfortunately the crowds are huge and the lines snake for hours. An Italian style cafeteria, all the food is displayed in the case and all you have to do is point, easy and quick, was actually fabulous. After days of pastries and pasta it was nice to finally have some fresh fruit.
Most of the quick eating places have cut up fresh fruit gorgeously displayed.

The famous Ponte Vecchio, the bridge over the river Arno, was bustling with tourists looking for good deals on jewelry. Every one of the dozens of shops on the bridge sells jewelry. Sadly there was not enough time for more shopping or sightseeing

BTW...Love the trains in Italy.

After a day of shooting at Le Celli, (more later) founded by St. Francis in 1211, we headed to the top of Cortona for a cooking class (see entry).

Kindred Hearts

A word about my traveling companions, compatriots, and fast friends.

This was quite a leap of faith for me to go off to Italy, on my own, to take a workshop on photography (I take pictures not photographs) not knowing anyone on this trip,, with the exception of Jane Rosemont, the workshop director.
It took less than a day for this group to gel and form relationships. Ours is a tiny group of three but we seem to have known each other in another life. The other group of 16 or so, are here taking an assemblage class with artist Michael deMeng. For those who are not familiar with Michael or his process I have posted a few photos.

This group of people from all over the US, Canada, and one from England is not only fun to be with but all of them are so incredibly talented too. We have had a blast together. Although most times we go off on our photo shoots we regroup for sightseeing and meals. As soon as I get all the contacts I will link you to some of their websites or blogs.

A Jug of Wine; A Loaf of Bread

Our first field trip out of the city took us to the ceramics area of Deruta. We spent an amazing morning on a private tour of one of the finest Italian ceramics factories.

Then off to lunch and to the home and business of a family run olive oil maker. The olive oil is harvested and pressed in the old style, not mass produced and it was exquisite. What we assumed to be a picnic lunch turned out to be another large Italian style lunch starting with olive oil drenched bruschetta, spelt with tomatoes and fresh basil drizzled with olive oil, mixed grilled vegetables marinated and drizzled with, you guessed it, olive oil, salad with olive oil vinaigrette, melon, biscotti dipped in wine, and finally 2 grappe soaked grapes as a chaser and wine, wine and more wine. Just roll me home in a barrel.

On to a winery. By then we were all pretty woozy but what can you do? The winery, San Lucca, formerly a a monastery, hence the name, again is a small family run winery exporting primarily to the Umbrian area. Their wines are wonderful blends of various grapes and the servings were liberal.

Finally home to Cortona for a much needed detox. But, oh it was well worth it!

My photography assignment for the day was reflections. Although I took snapshots my main goal was to shoot images reflected in other objects; a wine bottle reflected in a window, water reflecting images from a branch, light reflected off of a glass designed door , a clock reflected off a large window. It was amazing how many things there were to shoot and the incredible images I captured.

Tomorrow it's off to Florence

Lights Camera

Heading up to Cortona

Camera and manual in hand we headed up the hill to Cortona for a day of shooting. Our assignment was to shoot with an eye to small detail rather than the whole picture. I'm using a point and shoot kinda gal so this was a challenge but so much more interesting.

We regrouped at Stacey's apartment to preview and review our photos and then it was back down to town, lunch, and a Duomo and cemetary for more shooting.

Last night the entire group of 25 got together for dinner at the most incredible Italian restaurant for a full 5 course traditional Italian meal; bruscetta, pasta, lemon chicken, salad and tiramisu for dessert with a lemoncello chaser. The walk back home was absolutely a must after so much great food.

Today we are off to Deruta, a ceramics town, a family run olive oil company and some wine tasting.

The hotel computer is acting cranky so I haven't been able to post pictures, much to my dismay. Hopefully tonight I will be able to remedy that.

Il Pozzo

The well in Italian but also the name of a beautiful gallery and gift shop in Cortona. The owner Evan built his shop in an old piazza in Cortona but as he was lowering the floor by some 3-4 feet ( he is very tall) he discovered the hidden well thus changing his design plan and the name of his shop. Check out his shop online. The well is inside the shop and is it's focal point. After a wine and pizza reception we wandered around the town, checked out the home of Stacy our tour organizer and headed home with a gelato stop along the way.

I spent my day wandering Cortona , after I caught my breath, that is, hauling myself up the hill to town. Cortona is, after all, a hill town, a VERY STEEP hill town.

By the way, Italy is BIG on Obama. Stickers, buttons, and passionate support. Too bad we can't transport some Italians to America to vote. I met a delightful women in a local shop and we ended up chatting for about an hour, mostly about Obama. She runs a beautiful gift shop and she shared her photography with me as well.

Had lunch at a Trattoria; bruschetta and spaghetti pomodor, waited out a driving rain storm under the archway of the museum and then back to the hotel to dry out.

Planes and Train and a Train Strike

I've arrived in Italy safe and sound with very little sleep but with less confusion that I thought. I'll try to post as often as possible and maybe even post a picture or two...stolen from the internet right now...until I can figure out how to pull pictures from online and post them on the computer at the hotel or else download what Ive taken.
The last time I was in Italy, Florence, there was a strike and nothing was open. Yesterday, the trains in Italy went on strike leaving millions of people stranded and much of our workshop group scrambling to get to Cortona. I beat the strike by about 2 hours and arrived with out any hassle.
My biggest concern was negotiating the trains and the phone (and this computer with the Italilan keyboard) In Italy, phones do not use coins so you have to buy a carte telephonica, tear off the perforation and stick it in the phone the right way (8 possibilities), stick it in far enough to activate the phone, dial and push OK. Great as long as you do it right, a bit of a problem when you don't and the operator tells you what the problem is in Italian.
My big adventure last night, after getting a ride up the very steep hill, was a trip into Cortona proper. Beautiful as it is in pictures. Did a little grocery shopping, pizza and gelato eating and then headed home. Well, at least made the attempt to head home. It was thundering, it was lightening, it was raining,, I had what I thought were great directions for getting back but somewhere I got lost. So I retraced my steps to my first turn and went another way, another fork in the road and I thankfully made the right choice. I imagined tomorrows headlines American Tourist Hit By Lightening, Struck Dead in Cortona. A little overdramatic I suppose but in my mind it was a real possibility. So I'm headed up the hill today, a daunting task but every step up I will be repeating think how many calories you are burning. That of course if BIG with all the incredible food in Italy not to mention, amazingly enough, the amount of food I was served in transit.
Till tomorrow
Ciao

My Italian Villa

This will be my "home" for the next week or so. The Hotel Oasi has a fascinating history.


Hotel OASI was founded in 1225, thanks to a generous "Cortonese" Agnolo Ranieri (man who lived in Cortona). He built the house and gave it the Damianite nuns (today called Clarisse), who lived there till 1237.In 1290 the countesses Bandinucci dei Conti di Cegliolo and Giasconi di Montemaggio entrusted the monastery to Benedictine sisters. From this period derives the name "Le Contesse" (the Countesses) by which it is still known today.In 1945 the Bishop Petrella joined Le Contesse with the monastery of Santa Caterina greatly increasing the number of sisters who lived there.

At the beginning of the 18th century the church was renovated and enlarged following the design of Architect Jannelli. The church was consecrated by the Bishop Puccini and dedicated to Mother Mary.On 20th May 1782 according to an order of Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo the convent Le Contesse was closed, although was still flourishing. This was a considerable blow to the noble families of the area, many of whom had daughters there. Some saw it as an attempt to weaken their power.


In the second half of the 19th century grounds and buildings were bought by the monastery of the Holy Trinity who rented to laymen, who used it as a farm for silk-worms breeding. The devastation ended in 1891 when the Redemptorists bought the church and grounds and with the help of Architect Mirri, began the revival of the monastery.From 1891 till 1966 the building was used as seminary. During both world-wars Le Contesse was very useful to the Fatherland: in those tragic moments it became a military hospital.From 1967 owing to the decrease of vocations the seminary moved to RomeIn 1973 under the guidance of Father Tommaso Natalizia put the basis for the birth of Hotel OASI.

Winging My Way

Headed to Italy!!!! I'm off to Italy under the Tuscan sun. The next time I post I should be sharing photos (after all it IS a photography trip) from Cortona, Rome, Florence and other charming Italian cities.

Ciao!

Quinn in Oxford

My nephew Quinn is off to Oxford to study this semester. Follow his travels through his blog www.quinninoxford.blogspot.com.
There's a permanent link from this site in the side bar

I Declare!

The Olympics are over and now the excitement really begins as the Democratic Convention starts today.

I've decided to get involved this year and I'm working for the Obama Campaign making calls right now and eventually registering voters and doing some canvassing.

The excitement is palpable at headquarters and I'm looking forward to the convention watching party this Thursday when Obama speaks.

Go to http://www.barackobama.com/ for excellent coverage of the issues, answers to all the negative PR., and events in your area.

Anyone can help. So get on board!

A Little Taste of Heaven

A new and fabulous Pastry shop has opened in East Lansing's Hannah Plaza called Chapelure. I read the wonderful review in the City Pulse and even though the photo in the CP does not do justice to the spectacularly decorated cakes it made me rush right out and check it out on my own. Trouble...for me...especially so close to the Italy trip and all that wonderful food but I just had to! (The photo here is a generic photo. I wasn't able to capture the one from City Pulse but Chapelure's is just as tempting)

It is absolutely as close to East Coast style pastries as you can get. I tried the unfussy croissant because I knew it would be the test! If it was crunchy and flaky and didn't need butter, it passed my test. It was everything I had hoped for. I'm in love. They have an outstanding array of gorgeous cakes and individual pastries as well as coffee drinks.

So pick up a City Pulse; read the article and the interesting background of the owners and then rush out and give them your business.

A Little Brains, A Little Talent

"With an emphasis on the former" That would be my daughter. Although the talent is in large supply too. Katie designed a professional looking handout for an assignment for her externship that everyone thought was done by a graphic designer. And you should see the website she designed for CMA!

So here's the proud mom sharing her camping photos.

Confessions of a Late Merger

I admit it. I have always been a late merger, much to the chagrin of my family and most of my friends. But it seems I HAVE BEEN RIGHT ALL ALONG! It has always been my theory that if you keep going in both lanes, traffic won't back up as much, as far, and as slowly and then when you get to the merge point you just zip in one at a time. In fact there is an actual name for it......."The Zipper Effect".

The Pennsylvania DOT got it right a long time ago. I love their signs before a merge. The first one says: MERGE AHEAD - USE BOTH LANES. Another one will alert you to a work area and finally the last one says: MERGE HERE.

As it turns out quite a bit of studies have been conducted by many many states trying to figure out this whole merge thing.

When you merge later YOU ARE ACTUALLY HELPING EVERYONE ELSE move faster. I know, I know. It's counterintuitive but research shows that cars move an estimated 15 % faster when drivers wait to merge.

So there you have it. LATE MERGERS UNITE!

Want move information of the authoritative kind? Pick up Tom Vanderbilt's book Traffic or check out the companion blog at http://www.howwedrive.com/ for other fascinating information about, well, how we drive. It may make your next trip less stressful

Waking the Sleeping Bear

We're heading "Up North" this weekend to the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Katie has been home on a short break before she starts her second year of med school so we thought we'd head to our absolutely most favorite spot in Michigan, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Platte River, Traverse City, and Glen Arbor. Water, sun, sand, lighthouses, shopping. Ah, What could be better. (This is the view from the beach just down the road from our campground; the Platte River as it empties into Lake Michigan)

On the Road Again

Moving Day...Home that is. Yup. No longer empty nesters.

Small Town 4th

I LOVE the 4th of July. It's always been one of my favorite holidays and a time of celebration. I think it stems back to my childhood where my parent's friends the Mayans had an absolutely fabulous party; Chines lanterns and all.

So every year I have hosted a 4th of July party. This year it was preempted by another big occasion; John's high school graduation party.

I was at loose ends about what we'd do for the 4th until the stars began to align. Someone told me about Mason's 4th celebration with a classic car show and Katie decided to come home for the weekend.

What a glorious 4th. The car show was awesome and made me nostalgic for the antique car shows my Dad used to take me to in another small town; Greenport, NY. The cars were incredible and we had a blast shopping, hitting up the great little bookstore in town, the new ice cream parlor and my favorite eclectic store, Keens. Katie found some awesome material to make a gorgeous and very professionally crafted laptop bag.

We didn't quite make it to the fireworks but we sat around watching movies and had a bonfire where we made S'mores. What could be better. All in all the looooong weekend was packed with tons of things to do and culminated with the hilarious movie "Get Smart". Silly, improbable, wacky....everything you remember from the TV series.

"A String and a Prayer"

This Saturday, I spent a glorious 6 hours with 15 amazing women and Eleanor Wiley. Eleanor is a nationally recognized bead artist and author (of A string and a Prayer) and who specializes in making and sharing prayer beads.

I have been making prayer beads myself, very different from the ones I created this weekend, as well as Chakra bracelets however, I did not grow up with a religious tradition that used beads for prayer. What I learned was that prayer beads can also help us remember the things we are thankful for, things we need to pay more attention to, and of course people we want to remember in thought and prayer, and reminding us to be present.

I couldn't imagine how I would fill 6 hours with making prayer beads but the camaraderie, exploration, sharing and listening to Eleanor share her stories and experiences wasn't nearly enough time. I look forward to getting together with this group of women to continue to create and share.

The great news is that Eleanor will be back here again next year for another workshop.