227. Chocoblocoflop!

I was reading a newspaper article reviewing several chocolate festivals - one of which was the Perugia 'Eurchocolate' festival from 15-23 October and remembered that we missed last year's event by one week!


So this year the pilgrimage had to be made... We had planned to go last Sunday, but due to illness couldn't and choose the last day of the festival. Will there be any chocolate left?

We leave at 10.00 am and are taking our good friends, Gemma and Tiziano. A brief brunch stop off at the pretty Lake Trasimeno and we enjoy some glorious sun and views across the lake.


We arrive outside Perugia at around 1.30pm and decide on the park and ride option of getting into the city. Our first journey from the car park is a bus ride to Ellera station, followed by a train ride to Perugia station and then another bus ride to the city centre!


It seems as if the world and his wife have come to Perugia today and we spend the next few hours walking around like sardines in a can! It is totally overwhelming. We split up from gemma and Tiziano and fight our way through the crowds. There aren't many 'freebies' and people are scrabbling for a few tiny handouts. We eventually manage to see a 'lindt' show and a 'choc and wine' seminar, where they give us the most measely bit of chocolate you've ever seen in your life!!! We can't get away quick enough...


Exceptr the return bus, train, bus, car journey home is a complete nightmare... Never again!

226. Vin Ar and La Guide de l'Espresso release at the Stazione Leopolda

Well, just when I thought I'd seen it all... I find myself at the 'Vin Ar' exhibition at the Stazione Leopolda. It'a a kind of five senses journey into the world of wine. A wine Auction and seminars on the Saturday and Sunday and of course tasting. However the serious action is on the Thursday, when one of the top Italian wine guides, L'Espresso, is being nationally released, with tastings afterwards of the top 127 wines chosen. It's by invite only, but a few phone calls to the Florentine newspaper and the organisers and I'm in!

The place is absolutely packed, I pick up my free guide and settle down for the release. There is an amazing free buffet lunch and afterwards I have about three hours to try some of the finest wines in Italy...




This is the crème della crème, wines that I could not possibly afford to buy! I get to try some very special wines, the memory of which linger well on after this day...

Some highlights include;




Ferrari's 110 euro Riserva della Fondatore Spumante, arguably the best sparkling wine made in Italy.


Avignonesi's 185 euro Vin Santo, very rich and concentrated.


Gaja's Barbaresco retailing for about 250 euro.


Giacomo Conterno's  250 euro Monfortino Barolo.


Tua Rita's 250 euro Redigaffi


Roberto Voerzio's Cerrequio Barolo


Ornellaia's 2002 Masetto




The list is endless... it is one of those unforgettable days!


(23/10/05)

225. San Miniato

After last week's fiasco I manage not to get lost and manage to find San Miniato. Unfortunately I'm a bit under the weather (bad back and sore throat) still, the weather is glorious, so we just have to get out.

It's Saturday afternoon and we go for a pleasant ramble to the top of San Miniato (was it really three years ago that we were here?)

Sunday afternoon and we take a drive out to the Chianti and stop for a read on someone's vineyard between Impruneta and Falciani, I hope they didn't mind!

224. Florence Biennial

Every two years they hold a very special antiques festival at the huge Palazzo Corsini on the Lungarno. The palazzo is opposite the Harold Acton Library, part of the British Institute, where I work. We were curious to have a peek inside and this seemed like the perfect opportunity...

The Palace dates from the 17th century and is in the Baroque style. It was built by the Grand Duke Ferdinando II de' Medici and sold to the Corsini family in 1649.

As well as some incredible pieces of furniture for sale there were also paintings actually for sale by famous artists such as Canaletto, Poussin, Van Dyck, Canova and Tintoretto.

The palazzo inside was incredible, with enormous ballrooms, monumental staircase and even a grotto in the basement! We also enjoy a stroll on the terrace, with some great views across the river. Unfortunately our budget doesn't quite stretch to afford a Titian painting!

223. Collodi

We had decided to visit San Miniato, but somehow I manage to take the wrong road and we decide to carry on to Collodi in Pescia. It's the unlikeliest of destinations and here we are in the hometown of Italy's greatest children's stories, Pinocchio. The guy that wrote the book was called Carlo Lorenzini, better known as Carlo Collodi, because he came from the town of Collodi, near Pescia.

There is a small theme park here and a famous villa and gardens called 'Garzoni'. The latter is what we've actually come to visit. The garden is built into the hillside and has some cool waterfalls, somewhat reminiscent of Tivoli gardens and some huge statues. The villa is closed, but we a stroll around the gardens. 

222. Certaldo and Montespertoli

Autumn has come early and this weekend the forecast is sun on Saturday and rain on Sunday, so we force ourselves out today and take a picnic and drive out to Montespertoli and stretch out on the rug in an olive grove on the ridge of a hill at Lucolena.






Afterwards we head on to Certaldo - birthplace of Giovanni Boccaccio. We last came here three years ago, but only rushed around. This time we take it a little more leisurely - A short funicular ride takes you up to Certaldo 'Alto' and the historic part of the town.






There is a wedding going on and we follow the bride and groom around the town, meeting up with them in the 'Governer's Palace - where there is an erotic art exhibition taking place. However the town is prettier than we remembered and we even stop to enjoy an aperitivo in an outside bar.




For a Saturday evening it's still quiet and we discover that all the locals are down in the new part of the town for their evening 'passeggiata'.

221. Cala Violina and Scarlino

Our last visit to the beach this year and we choose to go to Cala Violina in Grosetto.




We start out nice and early and by midday we're sunning ourselves on the powder white sand and dipping outr toes in the turquoise waters.




The beach is half empty as Tuscany is already in Autumn mode, with more people hunting for mushrooms than sunbathing!




I somehow manage to get myself sunburnt for the first time this summer, but we have an enjoyable time and even manage a '50' ralley with our bat and ball!




In the evening we pop into the hill-top town of Scarlino. There isn't much going on there, but the views are pretty awe-inspiring!




(Original journal entry 25/9/05)

220. Pratolino 'Broadway' and Tijuana

It's a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Far tto  nice to stay in, so after work in the morning, we pop to our favourite park at Pratolino for some relaxation and what do you know there's a free concert at 5 pm!


A selection of Gershwin and Bernstein classics in the red room of the Villa Demidoff.


In the evening we book a table at Tijuana, a Mexican restaurant we went to a few years ago. It's crowded and noisy, but the food is red hot!


 (Original journal entry 24/9/05)

223. Biennial at the Palazzo Corsini

Every two years they hold a very special antiques festival at the huge Palazzo Corsini on the Lungarno. The palazzo is opposite the Harold Acton Library, part of the British Institute, where I work. We were curious to have a peek inside and this seemed like the perfect opportunity...

The Palace dates from the 17th century and is in the Baroque style. It was built by the Grand Duke Ferdinando II de' Medici and sold to the Corsini family in 1649.

As well as some incredible pieces of furniture for sale there were also paintings actually for sale by famous artists such as Canaletto, Poussin, Van Dyck, Canova and Tintoretto.

The palazzo inside was incredible, with enormous ballrooms, monumental staircase and even a grotto in the basement! We also enjoy a stroll on the terrace, with some great views across the river. Unfortunately our budget doesn't quite stretch to afford a Titian painting!

219. Vino e Piacere - Impruneta

And so onto this year's Vino e Piacere wine festival. It's chucking it down with rain, but we don't let this dampen our spirits. This year their holding it in the cloisters of the church in Impruneta.

Saturday afternoon and we head straight down underground to the the red department, as this year they have two of Italy's most famous wines, Sassicaia and Ornellaia on the list! There are two spaces where the wines should be, but as we know most of the sommeliers we both get a taste of the 2002 Sassicaia... wow! at 105 euro a bottle, it's not every day you get to drink this beauty! The Ornellaia has finished for the day as have some of the other top wines, but that's ok as I return on Sunday a bit earlier to try them too!

Still we enjoy our Saturday afternoon, with Spumante and Champagnes to taste, as well as the white and dessert wines. There is also plenty of food to taste, including some interesting lentil and bean salads and those wicked soft chocolate cantucci biscuits.

So all-in-all a very successful weekend, oh and I still have that box of wine from Stefano Chioccioli to dip into...




(Original journal entry 18/9/05)