Mary Freeland | May 29, 2011
Finally, you’ll be treading the paths of daVinci, Michelangelo and Sofia Lauren! After booking the flights and securing accommodations, naturally thoughts turn to perhaps the most daunting part of travel…what to pack.
Mary Freeland | May 19, 2011
Oh sure – plenty of things go well with wine. Plenty of things go nicely with bread. But arguably EVERYTHING goes with cheese. And it just so happens that wine, bread and cheese are the trifecta of winning Italian picnic fare!
Mary Freeland | May 4, 2011
Happy birthday little wooden boy! Long before Walt Disney introduced that theory into the collective American lexicon with his 1940 movie, Italian mothers were using that admonishment to keep their prevaricating progeny in line. For you see, that beloved wooden boy was actually BORN in Italy. In Tuscany, in fact!
Mary Freeland | April 30, 2011
No longer fighting for dominance these days, food and wine coexist peacefully on the Italian table. In fact, Italian wine and food pairing is very much a regional thing – quite often the most perfect vintage for a traditional regional dish is one whose grapes were grown in the same soil.
Mary Freeland | April 13, 2010
With Spring making her debut, I thought we would take a stroll through the gardens of Florence, Tuscany. Given the rain and overcast skies outside my window, there is no place I would rather be.
Mary Freeland | April 6, 2010
This town represents everything that is Tuscan. Some of the of the existing walls in Cortona,Tuscany were built by the Etruscans (where the name Tuscany comes from). You can find that bit of history here. There is also Fra Angelico’s masterpiece, “Annunciation,” housed in the Museo Diocesano. We also have repentant Saint Margaret.
Mary Freeland | March 30, 2010
There are so many beautiful places to visit in Tuscany, Italy. Siena,Tuscany is the home of Santo Caterina (Italian for Saint Catherine). Statues and frescos all depict this incredible woman. Altars are built in her honor. In Siena, she is the most beloved woman of the Middle Ages.
Mary Freeland | March 15, 2010
As you tour the Tuscan countryside taking in the historical sites, don’t forget to notice the beautiful landscape and architecture that is the basis for Tuscan décor. Our journey today takes us to Prato’s Duomo (Italian for cathedral) to see Mary’s sacred girdle and beheading of John the Baptist in awe-inspiring frescos.
Mary Freeland | March 9, 2010
I was browsing through the bookstore looking for a coffee table book with the famous sites of Tuscany and came across a book that looked interesting, “100 Places In Italy Every Woman Should Go” by Susan Van Allen. It is a wealth of information about where to go to truly experience the best Italy has to offer.
Mary Freeland | March 3, 2010
Let’s take a trip to Tuscany’s famous hill top city of Montalcino. This vibrant village is rich in history, color and traditions that evoke the very spirit of Tuscany.
