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Sunday, June 5, 2005 Tuscan Wine Country: Greve in Chianti-San Gimigniano

San Gimignano is an enchanting archetypal Tuscan town that has preserved its medieval appearance more completely than any other town in the region. Historically, it is famous for a panorama of numerous towers built a thousand years ago. Greve in Chianti is everything anyone has ever imagined about a Tuscan town: picturesque and pristine with a rustic elegance and some of the friendliest people on earth.

Food (see 'Florence' below)
Wine
Amid super Tuscans and super wines named Chianti, Brunello and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, San Gimigniano is especially famous for being an island in a sea of red wine. Vernaccia di San Gimignano is a superb white wine dating back to the 14th century. We'll savor this wine and others during a special presentation and tasting at a private villa.

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Founded in 59 BC by Julius Caesar as "Florentia," Florence (Firenze in Italian) was first built on the Arno river as a Roman colony. The commune of Florence came was established in the 12th century. By the middle of the 13th century, Florentine merchants, whose prosperity was based on the woolen cloth industry, were established in trade and commerce. It was at this time that the 'florin' was used as the first gold cold in Europe. In the 14th century, Florence was one of the five largest cities in Europe, and the Palazzo Vecchio (city hall) was built by Arnolfo di Cambio and two churches, Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce were erected.

The rest, as they say, is history, a history as rich as anywhere else on earth. Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance, of modern literature, art and even the Italian language itself. Michelangelo, Leonardo, Dante, Donatello, Masaccio are just some of the monumental names associated with this city. The list is endless. Even modern gastronomy derives many of its most important elements here thanks to the passionate devotion of Catherine De Medici and her love for food and fine dining.

Today, Florence is the regional capital of Tuscany and the city is surrounded by delightful low hills, stunning architecture and picturesque bridges that cross the Arno river. Florence remains an important center for commerce especially for high fashion, leather goods, shoes, textiles, fine foods and wines, gold jewelry and, of course, art works from the past two thousand years.

Food & Wine
We'd need a lot more space than this to describe Tuscan cuisine in any detail. Besides being a result of its history, influences from past cultures and so on, Tuscan cuisine is primarily a product of this wondrous land. It is natural, one that respects nature and the genuineness of simplicity. These are elements that are much easier to understand once you visit here and have experienced it first hand, from the source.

With that being said, minestrone, pasta fagioli, and many types of stewed vegetables and legumes drizzled with extra virgin olive oil are all classic Tuscan. Wild game, famous 'chianina' beef, black truffles, cured meats, sheep's cheese, etc. are all perfectly complimented by the wonderfully unique Tuscan bread - Tuscany is the only region in Italy that makes its bread without salt. Florence is home to the best gelato in Italy.Gelato aficionados will come back often even while traveling elsewhere in Italy. Finish it all (yes AFTER the gelato) with 'cantucci' cookies soaked in Vin Santo (fruity dessert wine)...although a real Tuscan would finish with another famous local product: Antico Toscano, the most famous cigar in Italy...

The first DOCG wines in Italy were from Tuscany. Chianti was the first of the Italian wines to be exported. This simple but robust wine has been available at modest prices for the past fifty years. Recent agricultural and technological advanced have produced new Chianti Classicos that rival important reds from France and other parts of the world. Besides Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile and other high priced, high quality wines, Tuscany began producing optimum varietals before it was in fashion. Now, these 'Super Tuscans' are a favorite for collectors with prices rivaling famous Italian benchmarks such as Brunello and Barolo.

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Pisa, which extends to the seaside, was an ancient Roman port and great maritime republic and splendid past lives within its abundant historic and artistic monuments where narrow streets open into picturesque little squares with multicolored markets. History and architecture of incredible beauty and complexity abound with the noble 'Lungarni' with its splendid and majestic palaces; the Piazza dei Cavalieri and Piazza dei Miracoli, one of the most important and famous monumental complexes in the world. Here we find the Cathedral, Baptistery, Camposanto and, of course, the famous Leaning Tower, symbol of the city.

Food & Wine
Pisa has inherited all of Tuscany's other fabulous culinary and gastronomic traditions and treasure and its proximity to the seaside has added one more. The famous Zuppa di Pesce, a rich peppery fish stew can be enjoyed in Pisa with a number of fine Tuscan wines and Italy's most famous extra virgin olive from nearby Lucca.

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Thursday, June 9, 2005 Rome*

La Città Eterna - The Eternal City
Where does one begin to tell a 'brief' history of Rome? The Coliseum? The Vatican with its city within a city? The cuisine of Rome - saltimbocca, gnocchi and even spaghetti...and what about the Romans, the fashionable people moving so quickly in their cars or on their scooters, only to sit at a café for what seems like hours, talking with friends, with strangers, ...?

Three thousand years of history is a lot and since each of us have our own preferences arts, literature, history, food and shopping, please search the web, read a book or watch an Cecil B. Demille movie to decide on your favorite things to do in Rome before coming...but be rest assured, for as much or as little as you research, you'll love this eternal city.

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Milan is Italy's financial and commercial center and, as everywhere else in Italy, is a wonderful paradox. It is the home of the securities market and the stock exchange hosting Italy's mighty economy (Italy is the sixth wealthiest country in the world). It is also home to La Scala Opera House and Leonardo's Last Supper. It is the only city in the world where political 'communists' drive luxury sport cars. Milan rivals Paris for world importance in the sphere of modern art and is the fashion capital of the world, home to the miracle mile of fashion, "Quadrilatero della moda", with the original Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Ferré, Krizia, Missoni, Valentino, Versace and Zegna flagships. Both street and district take their name from a state pawnshop ("Monte"), opened here under Napoleonic rule.

Milan's international character is marked by a concentration of skyscrapers found nowhere else in Italy, contrasting and competing with the landmarks of historic Milan, but built in the same boastful spirit of civic pride that, 500 years ago, gave the city its splendid Gothic Duomo (Cathedral). Even today, this is one of the world's largest churches, yet despite its size, it creates an impression of delicate and ethereal beauty due to its pale color and the fine intricate carving that covers its exterior. The whole fabric of the city - its many palaces, piazzas and churches - speaks of centuries of continuous prosperity. The Pinacoteca di Brera displays some of the city's most valuable artistic treasures. Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece, The Last Supper, may be viewed at the convent of Santa Maria della Grazie. The Teatro della Scala, mentioned before, remains the undisputed world capital of opera and is well worth viewing for its magnificent opulence.

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