Design Hotels : Ferragamo's Il Borro

Salvatore Ferragamo left no stone unturned when restoring Il Borro, a Tuscan estate tucked in the  foothills of the Pratomagno mountains in the Valdarno region of Italy. Il Borro's deep medieval roots are evident, from the private countryside farmhouses to the Italian villas amid the vineyards. If you tire of your designer digs and infinity pool head over to the hotel's winery or the estate's medieval Italian village. And true to the Ferragamo design aesthetic, stylish simplicity and elegance blend seamlessly into this utterly gorgeous historical manor... Wouldn't you love to spend at least a weekend here?

Day-Tripping in Pisa

Though best known for its Leaning Tower of Pisa, this medieval town has tons more to see and do and has managed to retain that enchanting old appearance. The famous tower was built as a bell tower for the 1000 year old Duomo right "next door" which is full of amazing artwork and sculptures. The buildings (including the round Baptistery) combine Moorish, Gothic and Romanesque architectural design and just outside of the Piazza dei Miracoli, a walk along the gorgeous Arno river and through the town are just as nice, if not more. And did I mention how delicious the food was? Yeah, go. LoL

When to Go: Avoid the crowds and go during off season, late Sept - Nov. and May- Jun. 

The Chianti Wine Region of Italy

In case you missed my feature in last month's issue of Vécu magazine, here is the piece on Chianti. Make sure to check out my other stop in the Tuscan town of Lucca!

"Ok, I don't drink but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a little bit of wine-tasting... I absolutely love the art and cultivation of the wines and the delicious food culture that surrounds it. By the way, have you ever noticed how creative and graphic liquor bottle designs are? They're fantastic and another thing to love about wine culture. During our time in Tuscany, my sister and I decided to spend an afternoon in Chianti visiting one of many spectacular vineyards in the region. Unfortunately I have since forgotten its name but it was set in a splendid castle-style structure and surrounded by miles and miles of grape deliciousness. (I should have snatched a few while no one was looking) But no matter, we had our selection of cheeses and then went for a walk in the town where we had some of Caffe Lepanto's exceptional gelato... I went with raspberry :-)"

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A rooster , the symbol of Chianti Classico.

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I'm in Vécu Magazine!

I'm super excited to announce my first feature in the April issue of Vécu magazine. Vécu is a beautiful source of inspiration – fashion, art, and design, with absolutely gorgeous photography and interesting information I've not seen elsewhere. I was in total love with their aesthetic since I first came across Vécu, so I was thrilled when asked to contribute.

My feature begins on page 48 and covers two of my day trips in Tuscany, one which I posted about last month in Lucca and also a new one about wine tasting in Chianti. Hope you enjoy!

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My Name is Lucca

Do you remember that old song from the 90's by Susan Vega called 'My name is Luca'? No??..umm...ok, never mind!.. Anywho, Lucca (with 2 c's) is actually the name of a beautiful Tuscan town in Italy. My sister and I spent the afternoon (albeit rainy one) within its medieval walls and cobblestone streets. La, da, da, dee, dee dee...

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