They say you can’t go home again.
Lies.
We drove 9.5 hours.
Weaving through four countries.
With a carsick, vomiting four year old.
Just to go home.
To Vicenza.
There is no place like it.
I left my heart there in 2017.
It was time to go back.
Fortunately, my #rideordie Jamie agreed.
And then hosted my entire entourage in her lovely Castegnero country home.
For the week.
Saint.
Jamie and I nearly died together in Iceland.
A Band of Brothers sort of trip.
(I exaggerate a smidge.)
I digress.
Back to Vicenza.
Wine tastings and antique mercatos filled our days.
Laughter filled our nights.
And the kids gloriously disappeared, falling naturally into old friendships from yesterday.
Can you eat pizza every day for a week?
We did our best.
Is gelato the food of the gods?
Likely.
Are Hugos the most delightful cocktail in Italia?
Assolutamente!
Hugos + hot days. Perfetto.
And then we visited. Everything.
First, my favorite, Bonamini, the premiere olive oil grove of the Veneto region.
Also. Boasting decade-aged balsamic in which you could bathe or devour by the spoonful.
Ladies choice.
Bonamini is understated and unrivaled.
Yes. Even by Modena.
I would throw down over this.
Then, splendid Sirmione, silhouetted against the cerulean blue backdrop of Lago di Gardo.
Ancient elegance, Roman ruins, dreamy, crumbling castles.
Breezy boat rides under brilliant skies.
Magenta-hued-begonia bathing brick walls.
Perfetto!
#TB Colson was once bit by a dog here.
The Italians were irate. With Col. Who was bloody and shrieking. And needed antibiotics.
Stupid bambino!
It’s shocking their birthrate is on the decline.
Caserma Ederle - The Army’s Joint base in Norhtern Italy will never be featured on any travel blog.
Save for this one.
Nostalgia compelled a return.
To the PX. To the commissary. To the chapel. And yes *ahem* the bowling alley.
Kids and their memories. Allora.
I’m their slave.
Carmine’s Pizzeria Six years later and this pizza kingpin (Carmine) remembered us.
Or he’s an excellent liar.
Either way. I’m flattered.
Biron Di Sopra Villa We lived here a hot minute ago.
In a 500 year old convent turned villa on a vineyard.
Surprising our landlord Paula- we visited again.
…And she nearly had a heart attack.
It was a sweet reunion.
*Promise*
I’m not crying, Paula. You are.
(Incidentally. The villa is on the market for a cool $1.5 million. Any takers?)
#TB Our home was featured on Apartment Therapy. Click here to see how well I cleaned for the shoot.
Venezia (Venice) This mythical floating kingdom on the Grande Canal still steals my breath away.
Now. A day trip that began again with a carsick four-year-old may have deterred some.
Nope.
Or perhaps been a warning that said four year old would then sloth walk through Venice.
But, nope.
Because that is EXACTLY what happened.
All. Day. Long.
I still do not regret dragging 7 kids to see Venice for the 7 millionth time.
#TB Jamie and I once kayaked through Venice before it became illegal.
Folklore goes that we killed a rat with our paddle.
Reality goes that we just screamed when a dead one floated past.
I have dreamed about Osteria Monelli since I last dined there in 2017. So great is my love obsession for food.
Snuggly situated in downtown Vicenza with its Palladian architecture, famed basilica and white-washed gleaming Italian hauteur, the osteria proffers artful cuisine to rival the setting.
Happily. This balmy Friday evening, the risotto with prawns with nearly as good as the company.
And I could have died and flown to Jesus after that meal.
#TB Osteria Monelli once served tartare di manzo to my friend Adrienne for her 40th birthday.
I gagged.
Adrienne did not.
Instead. She bravely ate what appeared to be an uncooked hamburger like an Anthony Bourdain boss!
There is a line from Under the Tuscan Sun:
“If you smash into something good, hold onto until it’s time to let go.”
We smashed into something good in Vicenza.
We can’t quite let go.
And I have nothing sarcastic to say about that.
No comments:
Post a Comment