Lake Como - Villa d'Este

Mother's Day in Lake Como and mom found the garden of her dreams at Villa d'Este...

This Renaissance Garden was something I had only seen in my garden books and it absolutely took my breath away.

I had imagined that some day I would visit Hotel Villa d'Este, especially after seeing the movie - A Month by the Lake - with Vanessa Redgrave. I had imagined this for years and years...It was simply unforgetable!!! You breathe in all the history as you are there of all the Royalty and Movie Stars that have stayed in the hotel (which was once owned by a Russian Duke and Duchess) and you feel as if you are in another time...

Aunt Elaine

You are my inspiration and I will miss you forever, my beautiful Aunt Elaine. If only I could walk with you in the garden one more time...

O Sole Mio...

Meeting the owner of this Pizzeria in Sorrento was one of the highlights of traveling with my sisters. La Signora Anna Maria is an indescribably passionate, colorful and hardworking Neopolitan woman. We will never forget her and her amazingly strong hugs. Each time we went there (almost every day of our visit) she treated us with Prosecco and antipasti, fantastic Neopolitan Pizza for a good value and sent us home with bags of homemade Biscotti. Buonissimo!!!

She called herself our fourth sister - Le Quattro Sorelle - and filled us with joy!!!

Lucca

Lucca is a charming little walled city near Florence. Everyone rides bikes there - even the cute, little older ladies. Thanks to Rick Steves I was able to find the entrance into town through the wall.

I wandered through town on a Sunday when everything was closed and found a tower to climb...
While I was up there I wanted to call home and tell them I climbed a tower and was looking over the orange rooftops of a walled city, but it was three in the morning at home...(Actually, I did call Crystal - sorry, Honey!) Instead, I took a self-portrait in the wind. I was there! Really!!!

After the tower, I found a botanical garden at the edge of town! I thought I was in a dream...I spent hours walking through the garden in my heels. (Ah, Italia - mi e' piaciuto)...

I sat under a two hundred year old Magnolia tree and, again, I thought I was in a dream...

Che fantastica! C'era una Luccan tortuga nel giardino...

Weekend in the Cinqueterre

Panini!

My final assignment in Photography was a Hockney Joiner of my favorite panino shop in Florence - Pizzicheria near the school. It is one of my fondest memories of Florence and what I will always remember of my quarter abroad. Panini's for 3 Euro and Stefano e Stefania were such beautiful, hardworking people. The tiny shop was always packed full of Italian's. I would walk through the streets eating my panino of focaccia bread with salame toscana (sliced fresh), fresh mozzarella e rugola - topped with olive oil, salt and pepper. Buonissimo!
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School Days

On the way to school...



La Professoressa...Antoinetta