Italy-Day Four

Day Four included a trip to an olive oil tasting. The olive oil won 'Best in Italy' and since Italy has the best olive oil in the world, we concluded that we must be trying THE best olive oil ever made.

This is the tasting room where we sampled the olive oil, after we saw how it was made.

During the harvest the olives are picked by hand and made into olive oil the same day.

We learned how to properly taste the olive oil by heating it up with our hand over the glass.

The hubs, sippin on some olive oil.

Next, we were on to our second cooking class which was 'homemade pasta'

I'm really glad I learned how to make my own pasta with flour and eggs, I'm sure I will use this skill often instead of opening a super easy box of already made pasta......

See, it only takes me and one other person to hold down the pasta cutter. I think you can tell on my face how serious I am that I will no longer eat pasta from a box.

My masterpiece.

After slaving away in the kitchen, we decided it was only natural to go congratulate ourselves with more wine

Then dinner was prepared, pretty sure they threw out our pasta and used the stuff they made.

Happy at dinner.

After a few glasses of vino, I decided it was time to liven up the party.

Did I mention, their wine doesn't give you hangovers?

I made the hubs join in too.

Next up, Roma!

Italy-Day Three

Daily Three started off with a cheese and farm tour. We met a husband and wife couple who make their own Mozzerella and other kinds of cheeses. I love cheese, but I'm not going to lie, the place stunk.

Then we went to the 'cheese cave' and saw where the cheese aged.

Next we were brought to see the farm animals. They were so cute, until I realized they were the delicious sausage I had been eating....

The highlight of the tour was of course the food, we had a wine and cheese lunch. Heaven.

The view on the walk back to our villa.

When the guide told us the place down the road had gelato, Dan and I ran the opposite way to from the villa and told everyone we would meet them later!

What's a meal without being followed up with gelato? Banana and chocolate was the flavor of the day

Later we took a risotto cooking class at the castle.

The cooking class started out here. Where we met other guests staying at the castle and were served wine and bruschetta. My kind of cooking class.

After the demonstration, we were served our dinner here.

We ate our dinner with two couples from Belgium. Luckily they spoke perfect English, and we had a great time joking around with them over several glasses of wine.

Dinner also included bread, wine, sausage, salad, and dessert... just in case the two kinds of risotto were not enough.

YUMMO.

Italy-Day Two

Well, day two got off to a late start when I awoke at 3pm Italy time. Oopsie. So we ended up laying by the pool for two hours and then it was time to get ready for dinner! Yes, more food:)

The little suite to the right was where the hub's and I were residing.

We moved the chairs at the pool to view this.

We drove about 25 minutes away to Todi for dinner. We had to walk up a hill to get to the town.

Beautiful church in the background

This was the scenery on our way up.

Gorge.

After a few wrong turns and trying to understand Italian directions, we ended up at our dinner destination, Ristorante Umbria.

We had a table on the terrace that looked out at the stunning landscape. Are you starting to see a pattern here?

After dinner, it was time for gelato of course! I think my flavor for the night was hazelnut. Delish.

We took a different way home, down some side streets. The stone buildings were amazing.

And that pretty much sums up day two. Sleeping, laying and eating....with some pretty views. Don't worry it get's more exciting.

Italy-Day One

Italy was amazing. The food, the wine, the sites! Major memories were made and I have some stellar pictures to show for it. I thought it would be easier to relay the trip day by day instead of all in one post, so here we go.

Day One:

We arrived at the Rome Airport after a long trip but still had to rent a car to drive 2 hours to Umbria where we were staying.

Villa Piersante

As you can see, all the traveling was well worth it..

Front of the villa

Dining Room

Back of the house and pool

The View

Umbria is supposed to be 'the new Tuscany' because it is not over run with touristas yet.

After we settled in, we went into town to eat dinner at a food fest that was being held in honor of our arrival (just joshing, but how perfecto!)

This is the town's church

Sweet dog checking out the view

We were so happy to be there

We were definitely the only Americans but they welcomed us as we tried to order. Luckily the word 'pasta' is universal.

Our bruschetta, and delicious wine that doesn't give you hangovers (!)

I am only drinking organic wine from now on.

We were off to a good start!

Ciao Bella

If you need me, I will be here.

(Umbria, Italy)

My agenda leads me to believe that by the time I return, I will know how they make cheese, be an olive oil connoisseur, make homemade pasta and risotto, and pick out the bouquets of red wines. I'm pretty sure, I will master the art of tasting a lot of delicious food, drinking a lot of delicious wine and not able to button my pants when I return...

I'll let ya know how it goes.

Ciao!

Ba-NAN-as

Are y'all watching 'The Rachel Zoe Project' tonight?

Yes, the catch phrases are annoying ( I DIE!), she needs to eat a hamburger (or eight) , own stock in Starbucks and her husband Rog, may be gay but....

The clothes are fab and the show is highly entertaining (at least in my book).

Hopefully tonight's premiere will be 'ba-NAN-as as Zoe herself would say.

Bravo, 10pm, watch it.

My New Fav

Black Honey by Clinique is my new obsession.

For a girl who doesn't like lipstick, this is just enough color to keep me happy and not feeling like a drag queen.

$14 dollars well spent.