Tuscan: part three

The details and colors in Renaissance painting always amaze me. Lots of biking, lots of eating to even it all out. Delicious cheese around every corner in Tuscany!

For a real treat, we got to take a cooking class with a lovely Tuscan lady. We cooked a meal in her kitchen, then got to eat it in her beautiful dining room. Sorry for the blurry photos, it was evening and I already had a glass of wine.

If you are ever in the town of Montalcino, Lena and her husband Domenico rent out two lovely apartments in their home and Lena teaches cooking. You can see more here.

Happy Halloween!

Tuscan: part two

In Montefollonico. Beautiful little hotel and restaurant, La Chiusa.

Tuscan: part one

Hello again! Back home from Italy. Words can't really describe our experience there and the wonderful things we saw and the incredible people we met. Even my photos don't really capture the light and beauty of the landscape.

This was my second trip to Italy. My first was twenty years ago, when I lived there as a student in Florence for the span of an autumn. It felt like a bit of a pilgrimage to venture back there, older and wiser.

This time my husband and I were biking through Tuscany with Duvine Adventures. My husband does their website, so it was time for us to go on a trip and see it for ourselves. We were riding with 16 other fabulous (and I mean it, fabulous!) people from all over the US and we really had the best time with them.

So, I'll share some photos this week and next, first Tuscany, then Rome. Hope you enjoy this little glimpse of Italy in October.

Tonight I am leaving for Italy, so I will be away from this space for the next two weeks or so. I am pretty excited. I hope to come back with lots of photos to share!

My shop will still be open for purchases while I am away, but I won't be shipping any orders until October 27.

Wishing you all a good next couple of weeks!

Brooklyn Diary came in the mail. Garden is looking autumn-y. Working on this scarf in a charcoal color. Sunny today, but tomorrow brings rain, I hear.

I got a peek into my friend Angela's new studio! She's still unpacking and setting things up, but it is already filled with inspiration and wonderful things: ribbons, twine, cards, vintage stamps etc., all part of Angela's wonderful style. Let's hope she has an open house sometime this fall!

Two new sets of pillows in the shop! Vintage red and pink striped ticking from France and vintage red stripe European grainsack. Nice and cozy for your fall decor.

Stunning light in the clouds yesterday evening. Then this morning, the light was beautiful again.

Isn't this print from Anna Emilia's shop lovely?

Enjoy your weekend, wherever you may be!

Rosy reds today and kilim patterns. Something about fall makes me go for a bit of red. Pillows will be in my shop soon, maybe tomorrow or Monday?

Today is the first day of wearing a sweater dress, tights and boots. It will be my fall uniform.

Last night we went to see The Social Network. Great movie, lots of footage of Harvard Square and Cambridge, very cool to see our hometown on the screen. If you liked Jesse Eisenberg in The Squid and the Whale, he is equally convincing in this film.

Ferns on our hike, and a little fern indoors, hope I can keep it going through the winter. Not even sure what the little plant is in the last photo, I just liked the tiny round leaves. I think I'm too lazy to repot them, they will live in their green plastic pots and this otherwise unused cup and saucer.

Rainy here, too wet to go outdoors. Good day for sewing, which I need to do anyway.

Best interiors over at 16 House.

Sunday was a great day for a hike. Just the four of us, up a mountain I have hiked many times as a kid, as a teenager, as an adult, but never with my kids before. I think they liked it. It feels good to get these city kids out in the woods!

Apple picking, the kids complained bitterly about having to go, I'm not sure why. But once we were there, they enjoyed it. We have already made and eaten one apple pie and some applesauce. Still lots of apples left to make more.

First of October and it is balmy, stormy, and tropical here. How strange. That didn't stop me from dragging my kilim pillows out of storage this morning. I'm ready for change.

I'll be making some pillows out of the fabulous vintage French red on pink ticking in the middle photo. I'm crazy about the color combo, never seen ticking like this before.

Happy weekend, I'm really hoping mine will include hiking and apple picking...so ready for fall!

* just added three autumn banners to my shop, more coming soon...