Love is in the Air

I spent my day in search of love... the love of Valentine's day that is! I was pretty surprised at the results.... 

My first stop was completely unexpected. I came across this gem of a boutique as I was cruising down to Dana Point. I couldn't help but notice it and went out of my way to double back and check it out. Thank goodness I did. I've seen many floral shops but none quite like this one. Lisa, aka The Flower Girl, has everything one could want for a romantic Valentine's date. From cookies, to decor, plants, delicious scented candles, and the most unique and gorgeous floral arrangements, this is your one-stop shop for love!

Two of the many exquisite floral arrangements at The Flower Girl.What is it about flowers and Valentine's Day you ask? Is it cliche? Overdone?I think not! Especially when your sweetie goes out of their way to find something as unique and special as you are. Flowers have a way of making us feel happy and special. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but the scent of flowers is naturally appealing. There's nothing quite like the relaxing smell of lavender or the sweet scent of roses. My personal favorite - tuberose and gardenia.



Everywhere I went today I found generous displays of love. It's hard not to feel uplifted when there are hearts floating in the air around you. But it wasn't just the displays that were shooting the cupid arrow, I found the people that worked around them were too. I have worked in the floral business in the past and let me tell you first hand, it's A LOT of work. You would think these people would be tired and somewhat grumpy, but no. I think they love what they do so much and they love having the ability to spread love around that despite the hard work and many hours they put in around V.D., they spread nothing but smiles :)





But let's face it, not everyone is into big bouquets of flowers. That's ok! Succulents have become very popular over this past year. They are easy to maintain and environmentally conscious. I love them and yet I've never seen any as adorable as these!! I only have one question, can I fit my wallet in one?




Still need ideas? Well who doesn't love chocolate? Especially the kind that wafts through the air and leaves you begging for more! I smelled this candle burning and it made me look around for an oven to see what was baking. Simply amazing, undeniably delicious!  And on that note, add this to a basket with some champagne or vino and you're golden.

 I had to venture away from the floral at some point and this window display at Anthropologie made my heart go pitter patter. How adorable for the chef in all of us! I'm sure there is more than one use for this little beauty, I'm just sayin'!!

And the cookie goes modern. I couldn't help but laugh at some of the incredibly creative statements on these treats from Suzy's Cupcakes. Clever doesn't begin to describe them. I bet if you were so inclined, they could make one that says "Marry Me" !!!

 
What about the love that nature gives us everyday? As I sat here on a bench above the Dana Point Harbor, I felt overjoyed by the beauty before me. If you look closely, you might just be able to make out a heart within this picture. Love comes in all shapes and sizes. All you have to do is open your eyes, it's right in front of you.






There is nothing quite like the love that comes from a union of two hearts. It doesn't take a marriage to share love though. Giving love to others is by far the "greatest love of all" (love you Whitney) I like to share love with my friends and family on Valentine's day. Any opportunity to tell the people I love how much they mean to me is one I will gladly embrace.






Does anyone recognize this cup? Admit it, we've all been here. In fact, many of us are addicts. A caffeine fix is one thing but are you addicted to love? If not, you should be! Love is contagious, it's the best drug in the world! All you need is love. There are probably more songs written about love than any other subject combined. Why? Because love is universal. It has no boundaries. Still not convinced? All I have to say is you might as well face it .... :)

I found this window on PCH in Laguna Beach. Much and Often. There is no such thing as giving too much love. Even the simplest things are acts of love. A wink, a smile, a hug, a phone call, a text. Where love is concerned, it's always the more, the merrier!

Big displays of love are everywhere. Driving by the Laguna Nursery on PCH can't help but put a smile on your face. Wherever you are this Valentine's day and whomever you choose to spend it with, enjoy the moment and share the love :) :) :)

T O S C A N A ... parte due

Caparzo Winery has vineyards throughout Tuscany. I was searching for the one where they filmed the wedding scene in the movie "Letters to Juliet".  This took me on a journey down many dirt roads off the beaten path. Some people might get frustrated when they get lost or are unable to find their destination, but me, I was overjoyed by the experience. I welcomed the adventure that was to come and I was immediately thrown into it when I came across this book in the middle of nowhere....

Knowing my fascination with Shakespeare and especially the play I wrote a thesis on, Romeo & Juliet, how perfect that I should find "Juliet, Naked" under a gorgeous tree in the middle of Tuscany. But where did it come from? Obviously in good condition, and weighted with a rock, it was as if it were sitting there just waiting for me. When you travel through Tuscany, a bottle of red wine should always be in your car awaiting situations such as this. I read as much as I could and purchased the book when I got home to finish it. "Juliet," in this case is an album. It's a story of love, loneliness, & music, and that story struck a remarkable similarity to the novel I am currently writing. So why did I find it?  It was part of my journey leading me back to writing. There was also many humorous moments during my time under this tree reading a book by the NY Time's  best selling author Nick Hornby. My husband and I shared laughs, we looked at the sky & the vineyards surrounding us, in other words, we made memories that would last a lifetime. And to think, we pulled over and stopped here just to look at the view. We had no idea what we were getting into!
But Caparzo was yet to be found, so we traveled on.... and on.... and on..... until we came to this gate....
Finally!! I found my destination, but was happiness to follow? The gate appeared to be locked, and so it was.
The disappointment on my face must have been huge because my husband immediately came and put his arms around me. We traveled all this way... I wasn't giving up. I couldn't. Just then, a gentleman appeared out of nowhere and waved at us to stay. He went inside and reappeared with a lady by his side. She had a set of keys with her, opened the gate and with a huge smile invited us inside. Another thing I learned on this journey, determination & faith go a long way.

The lady who spoke in a very thick Italian accent was very sweet. She offered us tastings of all their most popular and best wines, all free of charge. She seemed to appreciate my love of the film and told us of the many locations in which they shot at. There were posters hung everywhere with scenes from the movie, all of them advertising their Brunello that was featured in the film. We, of course, took a few bottles of that with us. My favorite wine here was the La Casa. The Vigna La Casa is aged for a total of 36 months, the first 12 in French barriques, the last 24 in French Oak barrels. The long process makes this vino a tad more pricey than others, but oh so worth every penny! And then there is the Borgo Scopeto, an intense Chianti made from sangiovese grapes that come from the most important vineyards of the village. I left Caparzo with a free wine bag filled with my favorites and the feeling that the Italian winemakers love to share their passion with those who truly admire it.


Inside the estate of Caparzo vineyards, there are hanging flower baskets, wildflowers, and whispering trees that sing with the wind. My time here was magical, just like something out of the movie itself. Ok, ok, call me the hopeless romantic, all my friends do, but the words echoed in my head ever since I heard them ...
"What and If are two words as non-threatening as words can be. But put them together side by side and they have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life." I wasn't about to leave here with any sense of "what" "if"



There was plenty more wine tasting to be done in the hilltop towns of Montalcino & Montepulciano. But first we were fortunate enough to witness some of the farm life in Italy which included chickens, donkeys, and cats! Lots of cats!! Chicken roam free around the land of Tuscany and an interesting side note is that you don't see them on many menus either!

My playful friend, Chianti (left) was wondering around these streets in Montepulciano (right) The buildings are all really tall here and the streets narrow. People do live here in flats above the many cafes and shops below.

The hillside city of Montepulciano from afar resembles that of a fortress. We even did a wine tasting in an actual fort that sits at the highest point of this well protected town.  Bottles of wine lay like this (right) in every window and the glasses are always full.



I have to say my favorite part of these hilltop adventures was the sunsets. I'm not often at a loss for words, but these pictures of natural beauty leave me speechless...

 
As we bid adieu to the vineyards of Tuscany,
I am reminded of this quote from Hornby's book...

"All you need to know is that something profound and life changing took place"

T O S C A N A ... parte uno

Journeying through the hills of Tuscany feels like walking right into a painting. The skies are the bluest of blues, the clouds so puffy and white you want to jump in them, the hills roll around like nature's playground, and the vines are endless....

This was my favorite shot (above) of the 1,000+ I took while roaming the hills of Tuscany for 10 days. Our first stop was Castello Del Trebbio, a castle vineyard in the heart of the Chianti Region. I have to start by saying that wine in Italy has something magical in it. You can drink all day long and never feel sick or hungover. And you simply have to drink all day if you plan to taste even just a small percentage of the wineries here. To say this is Italy's wine country is a huge understatement! Tuscany makes Napa look like a speck on a map, and that's not to say I don't absolutely love Napa ... that blog will come later.
The people here at Trebbio are extremely knowledgeable and friendly. The tour was both informative and fun. And the tasting room includes some of their very own olive oils as well. The barrel room (right) was my favorite spot on this tour. The picture can not justify just how huge these barrels are. I just wanted a straw to enjoy what was inside!

I learned a thing or two about Chianti while visiting here. I learned, if you want to know if a Chianti is really from Italy, just check the neck of the bottle. All Chianti's grown in this region have a black rooster seal on the casing. Check out the link to learn more about it. I also learned about the different regions and how only 23 vineyards make Chianti Rufina compared to the 600 or so that make Classico. Of course, I didn't leave Trebbio empty handed, I left with 3 bottles of Chianti Rufina Riserva and 2 bottles of Olio Extra Virgin.

We then made our way through Florence and had a wonderful dinner at Cebrio's Trattoria, where we met our new French friends, Daniel & Brigette. Once again, here, I was reminded of how happiness is the journey, not the destination. Florence, for me, was over-rated, but the 3 hours we spent with a couple who we would have never met had we not made the stop, were priceless. Our first hillside cities were San Gimignano & Siena. I absolutely loved them both. The history, the culture, the wine, the food, all of it was fabulous! We arrived at San G in the morning, the sun was shining a bright orange glow on the city walls. The narrow cobblestone streets are filled with tourists, all wanting to see the most beautiful views of Tuscany which is what San G is known for. I couldn't escape the fact that I felt like I was back in medieval times and there are knights thumping up and down the streets on horses, running to guard the walls as intruders approach them. Okay, yes, my imagination was in high gear here! My imagination only grew once we got to Siena....

This is the entrance to the medieval looking town. I thought the gate almost looked like a chopping block and was a little leary of walking under it. Once inside, I pictured myself as the daughter of Tolomei, one of the primary families that lived here in Siena and yes, there was a rival family of course! I found my way to Tolomei piazza, and indulged in some delicious gelato! I now felt at home inside the walls of one of the most respected towns in Tuscany. It was here, that I learned of the rivalry between Siena and Florence and immediately knew I belonged in the Tolomei family :)
 
The Palio Horse Race (above right) takes place every year on July 2nd in this courtyard in the middle of Siena. The courtyard is surrounded by restaurants, all with outdoor patios overlooking the arena. As night fell in Siena, I left feeling rich both in culture and in history. 

Of course, we had to sleep while in Tuscany and after much research I had done before leaving on our trip, I found this little gem of a resort in a small town called Pari. The Petriola Spa & Resort is unique in many ways. It is one of the top ten healing hotels in the world known for it's thermal pools, aromatherapy showers, and world-renowned Spa treatments. Just walking in the door after a long day made me melt, truly one of the most breathtaking hotels I have ever stayed at!

We spent our first day relaxing at the spa and getting revitalized for our many upcoming wine tours!
In my next post, we will visit the one I was most looking forward to, Carparzo Vineyards....

R O M A

It's Valentines week and as promised, this week we will travel throughout Italy and France. I emphasize "week" because in my opinion, the celebration of love should last more than one day! I actually took this vacation with my husband during the months of September and October of 2011 as a second honeymoon for our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.  It was the greatest journey of my life in many ways and while I loved every place I was fortunate enough to visit, this trip gave new meaning to the saying, "Happiness is a journey, not a destination"  The first part of that journey I'm going to share is actually the last place we visited... Roma.

So why start at the end you may ask? Well, it was here in Rome that I realized my destino, aka - Destiny.
My first impression of this ancient city was a delightful surprise, although getting around took some getting used to. Driving through Rome can make one feel awfully dizzy. Every street goes in circles and people weave in and out of them like swarms of bees, all ready to sting ya if you get in their way! Trying to find our Hotel was like trying to find the Queen Bee. Once we made our way down the tiny alleyways that took us to the Hotel Forum, I was back to feeling like a butterfly and I didn't mind being perched on the rooftop of this famous Hotel where you could see all of Rome.

Hotel Forum

We spent the next four days seeing all the usual sights of Rome including Colosseo, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain,  Pantheon, Saint Peter's Square, the Vatican, and the Ancient Ruins, all of them remarkable.....

 COLOSSEO

 PIAZZA DI SPAGNA

FONTANA DI TREVI

PANTHEON

ST PETER'S SQUARE

THE RUINS

But there were two less traveled paths that brought me to where I am today, back home but continuing my journey. The first of these is known as Bocca Della Verita, "The Mouth of Truth".  I first became aware of this legend while watching the movie, "Only You" starring Marissa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr. Their  characters were imitating the classic movie "Roman Holiday" starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn. As stated in both movies, legend has it if you put your hand inside the mouth, that is immured on the wall of the vestibule of the Santa Maria in Cosmedin, and tell a lie, your hand will be bitten off.

 After much searching, we found the Church and approached the legendary mouth. From that moment on, my truth was known. I know this because I still have both hands!

I wanted to spend my final day in Europe at a place that I knew would stay with me even long after I was gone so I put my favorite walking boots on and headed straight to the Keats/Shelley House. I first fell in love with Keats work in a college literature class. "I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the heart's affections, and the truth of imagination".  Walking through the library of this house and seeing authentic original letters written by one of the great Romantic Poets was truly inspiring and when I walked out of the room in which Keats wrote his final words, I knew exactly what he meant.

The Library, left

Me in front of the house, right 

John Keats desk
"A thing of beauty is a joy forever: it's loveliness increases;
it will never pass into nothingness."








February is a good time to remember John Keats who passed away on February 23, 1821 at the age of 25 - not because of his passing, but because of everything he brought to the world of romance and love.

I left Europe knowing I wanted to write. Scratch that. I need to write! The journey continues as we visit the vineyards of Tuscany next which means wine, wine, and oh, more wine!!

Arrivederci! Until we meet again....