As we wrap up the summer season, I thought I’d point you to a few essays I’ve written elsewhere over the past few weeks. It’s an honor to have my words at The Rabbit Room and The Art of Simple this month. As always, thanks for reading! If you’re so inclined, drop me a line and let me know what…
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Legacy: Part 4 in Stories for the Armchair Traveler
Tiny, crop-haired Giuditta greeted our tour group in front of her childhood home, where it sat at the crest of a hill, gazing down over lane upon lane of the family vineyard. They call their home, with its sweeping front porch and terra cotta tiled roof, Nostra Signora della Vita. Our Lady of Life. Just outside the bedroom window sits…
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Tending: Part 3 in Stories for the Armchair Traveler
“A house that is uninhabited falls to pieces.” ~ Donata Origo Our group met Donata Origo, Iris Origo’s youngest daughter, on a golden day, the breeze tinged with lavender. She greeted us in the stone courtyard of her home, Chiarentana, where at seventy+ years old, she continues to oversee the olive oil production of the estate. Chiarentana produces award winning…
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Unfurling: Part Two in Stories for the Armchair Traveler
Our first evening at Villa La Foce, we toured the gardens of Iris and Antonio Origo’s estate with our guide Sybilla. Part manicured hedges, part lush blooms, the garden was both contained order and a riot of blowsy color. From La Foce’s hilltop view, my eyes traveled over miles of the Val D’Orcia. Fields of gold separated by low, green…
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Becoming: Part One in Stories for the Armchair Traveler
For most of my childhood, I spent every Friday evening in a tiny mom and pop pizzeria sandwiched between my siblings in a wooden booth. Every week ended at Joseph’s Pizza with a plain cheese or pepperoni pie, giving my mom a break from cooking and my dad a break from church-life before the start of another work week. For…
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