We are new to the ST community and have found that we have many interests in common with our fellow "lovers of all things Italian." We would like to meet any of you who are traveling in Italy, to our villa in Castellina in Chianti (between Firenza and Siena). We will be there for the first part of October, so maybe the 6th or 7th?. We were thinking perhaps drinks (Proseco and Chianti Classico???) and if there is any interest, we'll make our version of authentic Cajun Bread Pudding. The villa has room to accommodate 30 people on the veranda and sitting rooms, so come one, come all.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Tina
[date added to title]
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Colleen,
Hi Tina -- welcome to SlowTrav. I won't be in Italy in early October, but you might want to check out the GTG for Southeastern STers thread. We are having a GTG in Nashville on Oct. 21. It would be great if you could meet us home bound bodies there.
We are working for the la vandemmia for a few days, so we are flexible in the evenings of Oct. 4, 5, 6. Let us know if you would like to meet up for some procecco and good conversation.
hi tina, this sounds like fun. my girlfriend and i will be staying in Cellole for that whole week so a trip into castellina would be great. let me know what the actual date will be and count us in. elizabeth lizardla@aol.com
Posts: 178 | Location: Los Angeles/Rome | Registered: 13 October 2003
I won't get into Montalcino until the evening of Oct. 5th but could make it on Oct. 6th. My parents will be with me too if that's okay. How wonderful does sitting on the veranda with a glass of anything meeting new friends while enjoying the Italian landscape and maybe a sunset. I'm thinking it can't get much better then that. If the timing works out let us know what we can bring.
I'm a huge bread pudding fan but no need to go out of your way to make, sharing the recipe would be wonderful.
Linda
Posts: 67 | Location: Chandler, AZ | Registered: 08 June 2006
Okay then, looks like we have several dinner dates for the trip and we are happy to add anyone else who may want to join in.
Elizabeth, if you are nearby for the first week in October, how does dinner at Villa Casalecchi on Oct. 6th sound?
LRU, we would love to have you and your folks join us on Oct. 6th if you like. The villa where we are staying produces Chianti Classico from their vineyard, which we can see from the veranda....MMMMmmmmmm......Prosecco, Sunset over the vineyard and olive orchard, new friends, Bella Itailia!
Tina - we may take you up on the offer of a GTG on the 6th - there are 4 of us. It will be out last evening in Tuscany and we have a 8:30 train to Venice the next day (ARGH) but a night out sounds grand!
My e-mail is in my profile for details, etc.
Jerry
Jerry
The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see. ~G.K. Chesterton
Got your email - so, this next week I will send out a message to all who will be coming on Oct. 6th to confirm our number and provide directions. We are a group of 11 so far, and there is plenty room for more at the villa.
Elizabeth, if you are nearby for the first week in October, how does dinner at Villa Casalecchi on Oct. 6th sound?
YOU BET!! Count us in. My girlfriend Margi and I will be staying fairly close by and will plan our day's jaunt around arriving to Villa Casalecchi for dinner. I went onto the website link you sent and it's great. Are there more detailed directions as to how to get there? The ones on this site are pretty vague...or do we just head to Castellina in Chianti and look for signs? all the more reason to arrive there before dark. Looking forward to it, Elizabeth
Posts: 178 | Location: Los Angeles/Rome | Registered: 13 October 2003
Hi Tina, well as it turns out we will be headed up to Tavarnelle Val di Pesa from Cetona on the 7th not the 6th...so my girlfriend and I have have decided to come up on the 6th for the GTG and spend the night! We contacted the hotel (Umberto) and he has booked us a room. That also means that there will be no need to drive following a night of "frivolity". They have other rooms available in case anybody else is thinking like we are. What's for dinner? Elizabeth
Posts: 178 | Location: Los Angeles/Rome | Registered: 13 October 2003
Looks like our party is official now, Umberto is prepared for our arrival...
I am bringing all the ingredients for bread pudding, look out, I've been experimenting with lemoncello, and will have a fresh, warm, batch ready for all who are interested.
If anyone would like to stay for dinner, the villa has a dining room and a full menu. So, we can part take of local Tuscan treats. Just let me know how many of you plan on staying and I will be sure Umberto knows our plans.
Well, here are the directions we used last year to get to Castellina in Chianti (CinC) from Firenza and Siena:
-From Firenze, take A1/E35 towards Bologna/Siena/Raccordo Autostradale/Pisa NORD); -Exit at Firenze/Certosa (heading SUD)-may look for Siena also; -At the roundabout, take the 1st exit and continue along Raccordo Autostradale Firenze-Siena; -Take the exit towards San Donato look for CinC and Gaiole in Chianti; -Take a left on SP101 towards Madonna Di Pietracupa (Siena); -Take a right continuing on SP101 towards Madonna di Pietracupa (Siena); -Take SP76 towards CinC; -Look for signs to Villa Casalecchi; -Take SS222 to Villa Casalecchi Trave time: 45 min
-From Siena head towards Firenze by taking SS222, not Autostrada/A1 to the village of CinC. -Look for signs to Villa Casalecchi after 20 min. -You will arrive at Villa Casalecchi before CinC. Travel time: 30 min
Ciao Tina, I would love to be included with those that are staying for dinner since I will be staying there for the night with my friend, Margi (from Seattle). Count us in. Elizabeth ps Thanks for the directions too.
Posts: 178 | Location: Los Angeles/Rome | Registered: 13 October 2003
Good point...well, if we want to gather before the sunset, we should probably say around 6pm. According to the weather.com site, the sun is setting around 7pm these days.
So, I guess now all we need is for the days to speed by so that time can stand still for us all in Italy
Well, I am sitting in Jane and Ken's apartment after a wonderful meal celebrating Ken's birthday - you all will NOT believe their apartment...you must give them a call if you can.
We are settled into our room on the veranda at Villa Casalecchi, and the good news is this...the roses, marigolds, rhodadendren(sp?), are still blooming AND we have a full and complete view of the sunrise and sunset every day. So, No Doubt About It, we will have a wonderful time during our gathering on Friday, Oct. 6th.
We are looking to meeting everyone - We already feel like we are seeing friends. If you can, please let us know if you plan on coming by.
We have the opportunity to have a cooking lesson with the Chef, Aldo, here at Villa Casalecchi on Friday during the day, and we thought it might be nice to cook a meal for everyone...looks like we will be making a brushetta for the antipasta, lasangna with wild boar sauce for the antipasti, veal with potatoes & rosemary and then our bread pudding with rum sauce.
If you are interested in staying for dinner, we can serve it between 7:00 and 7:30pm.
Please let us know how many will be staying for dinner so that we will prepare enough food.
Yes, you can count my parents and me "in" for your dinner = 3 people.
We will arrive around 6pm but after our picking up the car in Pisa yesterday and making our way to Montalcino yesterday we could be early or late depending on the lost factor. I have your cell phone. Will call you.
So looking forward to this GTG. The other 2 GTGs have been great.
Ciao, Linda
Posts: 67 | Location: Chandler, AZ | Registered: 08 June 2006
What a wonderful time we had meeting up in CinC - Elizabeth, Margie, Linda and her folks and a couple of Bostonians who will be joining ST soon.
We drank prosecco watching the sunset and ate at the 4star restaurant at the Villa - they even included my bread pudding on the menu that day... I was honored.
We met up again later with Jane, Ken, Casey, Elizabeth, Margie and Jimmy and I at Solo Ciccia - what a great time we all had! It is true, ONLY MEAT! I had a little fun with Dario-telling him I was a vegetarian, to which he retorted, patting both hands on his chest "SOLO CICCIA." We all had a good laugh, as I knew good and well I was there for the enjoyment of lots of meat dishes.
Can't wait to go to my next ST GTG - Southeasterners, here I come...
Slow Travel Talk 
I was honored.