Reverb 10: Moment

December 3 Prompt: Moment. 

Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors).

It is early evening. A sea the colour of wine sparkles beneath the lights of the cruise ships and fishing boats anchored just off Santa Margherita, in Liguria, Italy, where we are spending a magical couple of days on our Italian honeymoon. We navigate a slow, painfully twisting road up a steep hill in a van driven by our Backroads tour guide. When we arrive at our destination, a restaurant called La Stalla dei Frati, we are greeted by beautiful candlelit tables, and a view overlooking the entire Gulf of Tigullio.

Santa Margherita’s elegant buildings are graceful silhouttes in the dark; the snug embrace of the marina wraps big white yachts and dark wooden fishing boats; and, out to sea, the silvery glow of the moon shimmers upon the midnight blue waters. The earthy scents of pine and salt perfume the night and the gentle sounds of laughter and music drift up from the bay.

Lovingly arranged on the table lies a feast for the senses. Tiny, shiny Taggiasca olives, dazzling red and yellow peppers, white anchovies glistening in pale golden olive oil and lemon juice—and that’s just the starters.

Next is real pesto, the aroma of basil billowing in the mouth in a perfect counterpoint to the homemade trofie ( a type of pasta). There follows platters of vegetables and seafood, grilled Ligurian style, drizzled with oil and lemon and couched with olives and potatoes, washed down with a glass of clean, crisp white wine.

We toast to our unbelievable good fortune to be dining on what just might be the most incredible food of our lives in the Italian Riviera, quite possibly the prettiest, most charming place in the world.  We feel so lucky, so in love, and so very alive.

Italy, Part 3: Chianti, Tuscany

After spending a few days in the Cinque Terre, we hopped a bus to the Chianti region of Tuscany.  I've read Frances Mayes' books and have heard friends and family members wax poetic about this land of surreal beauty.  Still, I was not prepared for how deeply and completely in love I would fall with the Tuscan countryside.

We hiked right through lush vineyards and picturesque olive groves.

I couldn't believe such a divine place existed.  I kept thinking to myself, Wow, this kind of beauty exists right here, on Planet Earth!  How lucky are we humans?

We stayed at the Villa le Barone, one of the many Tuscan villas which dot the landscape.  

This was the view from the window of our room: a small hill town called Radda (and a very large Cypress tree).

One afternoon, I got back from a hike early and decided to take a stroll through the villa's serene little rose garden.

Another stunning view while hiking.

In one of the small hill towns, we came across a farmer selling eggplant, sugar snap peas, and endless varieties of tomato in all different shades of red, orange, and yellow.

Jason leading the charge.

 

The last afternoon, our tour leaders prepared the most incredible Italian picnic lunch. Above, a mixed greens salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salumi, and grapes.  The bottle in the foreground is Vin Santo, a type of sweet dessert wine traditionally paired with cantucci (which we know as biscotti).

Slices of juicy beefsteak tomatoes, paired with fresh basil and ricotta.

The best veggie platter ever: eggplant, roasted red and yellow pepper, sundried tomatoes, peppadew stuffed with fresh tuna and capers, mixed olives and grilled artichokes.

And of course, bread.

I couldn't have asked for a lovelier place to conclude our honeymoon.  I've already decided that a return trip to Italy is really the only proper way to celebrate all of our future anniversaries...  

xo,

Italy, Part 2: Cinque Terre

After our time in Florence, we took a train to La Spezia where we met up with our Backroads tour group for a week of hiking in the Cinque Terre and the Chianti region of Tuscany.  I loved Florence, but the serene hillside trails and stunning vistas of the Cinque Terre were a welcome respite after the hustle and bustle of the big city.    

We hiked between 5 and 10 miles each day, oftentimes on quite hilly terrain.  The physical activity was tiring, but in a really satisfying sort of way.  Hiking in such beautiful surroundings felt almost meditative.  And I'm pretty sure I've never slept better in my entire life! 

Incredible view from the trail

The port at Santa Margarita Ligure, a town near the Cinque Terre

A view of Riomaggiore, one of the pastel-hued towns that comprise the Cinque Terre (which means "Five Lands").

Another view from the trail

We took a boat to dinner at Locanda Lorena, a waterfront restaurant located on a private island across from the town of Portovenere.

Beautiful hydrangea in shades of baby pink and periwinkle

The water is so blue...I was mesmerized.

The view from our table at dinner in Portovenere

The hiking was tough at times (there were some serious hills), but it was well worth it for views like this one, of Vernazza another one of the Cinque Terre villages.

Pretty bushels of lavender for sale in Santa Margarita Ligure.

I'm so glad we decided to do the hiking trip, as there really is no better way to see this region than to walk right through it.  There really aren't words for how beautiful it is, but hopefully I've captured some sense of it in these photos.

Up next...Tuscany!

xo,

Italy, Part 1: Florence

Hello!  After an incredible honeymoon, we're back in the states and already missing our beautiful time in Italy. The scenery, the art, the gorgeous language, the food...oh my, the food.  Let's just say it was a very good thing we did LOTS of hiking on the second leg of our trip!  As promised, I snapped a great many photos, and I'll be sharing highlights over the next couple of days.  (I will also do a little food-centric roundup with descriptions of favorite restaurants/meals...methinks la buona cucina deserves its own dedicated post, no?)  

Let's start with Florence, shall we?  We spent three nights in this beautiful city.

I couldn't get enough of the Florence skyline.  The first photo is a sunset view of the Ponte Vecchio, with the city lights twinkling across the Arno river.

A view of the city from the Piazzale Michelangelo.

Another sunset view of the Arno.

  

And again, from the Piazzale Michelangelo.

The Duomo, as seen from Piazzale Michelangelo, framed by moody blue-gray hills.  Dusk is truly magical in this city.

Strolling along the river, near the Ponte Vecchio.

We loved walking along the river and across the city's numerous bridges.

Husband looking handsome.

Sculpture outside the Museo del Bargello

The perfect picnic lunch: chewy whole grain focaccia and caprese salad from the Mercato Centrale.

We visited all of the major museums as well...the Uffizi, the Accademia (where Michelangelo's David resides), the Palazzo Pitti, etc., but since the museums generally don't allow photography (or flash photography anyway), we're a bit lacking in photos from those places.

Stay tuned for highlights from the Liguria region (Cinque Terre, Santa Margarita Ligure, Portofino) tomorrow!

Ciao (I can't stop saying it yet, so please indulge me for another day or so...),

And...we're off!

Lovelies, we'll be on our honeymoon till July 16th.  See you later this month!  (And yes, I promise to take lots of pictures!)

Ciao! 


Image via Casa Miraglio

Icing on the cake

Thank you all so much for your sweet comments and well wishes.  Here's another favorite moment from the reception.  Doesn't it look like I have one lady arm and one man arm because of the way Jason's arm is angled around me?

Now we're excitedly preparing for our honeymoon!  We leave next Wednesday and stay through July 16 - I couldn't be more excited.  I have been obsessing over this gelato place in Florence, which one of my co-workers said we must try.  I'm a bit crazy for gelato, so this will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of our trip!

If any of you have been to Florence, Cinque Terre, or the Chianti region of Tuscany - any can't-miss recommendations?

xo,