What a trip!!!! It was the most incredible experience - the very best art retreat and more...full of local flare, crazy fun stories and lifelong memories! We were so blessed by Monica Foye and Heather Deyo with Casa Erica Retreats and all they did for us! I will also add, my awesome art group was amazing, gracious and kind - it couldnt have been more perfect! Here is a little recap of our time together!
Day 1: Eleven of us landed in Rome in small groups, toured and explored, ate and walked, and soaked up as much as we could before the retreat started. Eccitato!!!
Day 2: We were whisked away to the quiet little hilltop town of Lubriano, Italy where we were welcomed with a beautiful brunch in the garden. After settling in, we learned more about our Etruscan village history and the "Dying City" called Civita. Every morning we woke up to this stunning view from the bedroom windows! It is crumbling away, which is why it is dying, but still has foot traffic and about 6 residents! The view was stunning, We all stayed in authentic little villas stacked on top of each other like lego with off centered doors and windows everywhere. Most of the area we stayed in was once a Jesuit Monastery in the 1600's! In each of our rooms was a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers and an adorable white box, full of all our wonderful art supplies. We then went to dinner below the city (Lubriano), in a cave where olive oil was once manufactured! We had our first art lesson (value and water soluble graphite), here along with Etruscan specialties, Italian wine and yummy desserts. Molto Bene!!!.
Day 3: We headed out to the unmarked, and off the map, stunning D'Amico Sculpture Garden and Winery. We meandered through their beautiful botanical garden located directly above the winery, taking photos and learning about all of the history and sculpture. Once inside the candlelit winery we were greeted by exquisite opera playing to the oak barrels filled with aging wine. We had a beautiful wine tasting and then enjoyed a spontaneous breaking of the bread and doxology. It was truly an unforgettable moment. We returned to Casa Erica for lunch in the garden and our next art lesson (perspective and architecture). After a fulfilling afternoon of drawing, we headed to the local Trattoria for wonderful appetizers, dinner, Italian wine and desserts. All of the food in our little town was fresh, locally sourced and excellent! Sorprendente!!!!
Day 4: We were thrilled to see the breathtaking Tenuta Le Velette Winery which has been run by the same family for seven generations! This place was gorgeous and even had its very own chapel. We started with our next art lesson, (faces and figures) and enjoyed drawing in and around the villa. The estate was awe-inspiring and had magnificent views. We then had a wonderful lunch and wine tasting in the family dining room. Did I mention the views were stunning? We headed out next to the nearby town of Orvieto where we toured the Duomo where Michelangelo studied for four months under the artist Luca Signorelli - supposedly! It was so interesting learning about all of the crazy stories and history of the town and cathedral! Afterwards, we had amazing gelato and shopped! Once we were home, we enjoyed a quiet chef prepared meal from Nadia in our lovely kitchen. Gustoso!!!!
Day 5: It was a doozy - Some of the group stayed back for a more quiet and restful day, however 6 of us, plus Monica (one of our fearless leaders) headed out to Orvieto to take the train to Florence for the day. Unfortunately the train was canceled so we decided to drive the 2+ hours there and 2+ hours back. The catch, I was one of the drivers and it was a manual transmission! It felt a little like a fast and furious scene as my little Citroen followed Monica in and out of traffic filled Florence! But what a day! We saw Michelangelo's incredible David, plus one of my favorites - The Birth of Venus by Botticelli, more from Michaelangelo, Davinci's and stunning architecture everywhere! I even got a shot of the Ponte Vecchio! Florence is also known for its shopping and food, and that did not disappoint - we practically ran through the city to see as much as we could - and it was worth it! We raced home and were met with the best take out Pizza from the local Pizzeria. We laughed and talked about our crazy adventures until it was time for bed! Avventura!
Day 6: Today we started slower, with a wonderful brunch and painting class. Unfortunately we had rain, so we were not able to paint in the garden, but split up in a few villa kitchens and learned how to paint a little looser, and really focus on colors! It was so fun to see how different everyone's still life turned out! Next we headed out to meet our adorable Pasta Nonna, Felicity and her daughter Henrietta. They were treating us to a cooking class in one of their beautiful homes. What an incredible experience!!! We walked into a very large, gorgeous open floor plan kitchen, dining and hearth room. On a long work table were monogrammed aprons with the cutest chefs hats perfectly placed at each of our work stations already set with flour, rolling pins and eggs. But first we had wonderful appetizers and prosecco to start the evening off right! We kneaded and rolled out our dough to make pappardelle, a wide flat noodle larger than fettuccine. They even had gluten free flour for me! We then made some gnocchi (potato pasta) and we were finished. They did all the cooking, and we sat down at a beautifully decorated table for a 4 course meal. The pasta we made was great, but their vegetable sauce on the gnocchi and the wild boar stew with the pappardelle were the stars! They also grilled sausages, pork chops and bacon over the fireplace and served it with roasted potatoes and salad. A biscotti dipped in wine for dessert and we were completely in awe - it was a beautiful experience! Did I mention the pasta nonna was 83? Toccante!!!!
Day 7: We headed back to Orvieto for more shopping and a quick lunch. The shopping here was my favorite, with great little shops with leather, ceramics, spices, clothing, and more. Almost all of us had to buy an extra bag to take home! The weather was clearing so we met in the garden and talked about our art and how to bring it all together to tell a story. We then worked individually on whatever we wanted to try and finish! We definitely wanted to stay longer! However, we had plans we didn't want to miss - a private tour and apero at the Palazzo Monaldeschi, Lubriano's ancient palace. It was as beautiful inside as in the gardens outside. We enjoyed small appetizers and a very special sparkling wine. Next we strolled down the street to the local wine and pizza bar where we had the restaurant to ourselves for the night. We ate more traditional Etrustcan dishes, wine and dessert. It was a perfect evening. Fantastico!!!
Day 8: We rose early to head out on our way, with breakfast sandwiches to go of course. It was sad to leave, but our hearts were full. Monica and Heather did such an amazing job taking care of every little detail, along with Nadia and Magda - we were truly blessed to be able to spend time here in this charming town with these lovely people. I already can't wait to go back! Grazie di Tutto!!!!
PS - A few of us spent an extra night in London because of a plane delay, but finally made it home on day 9! Others headed out to a few other places and then home. Until next time - Grato!!!
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Grace and Peace,
Beth Affolter
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