Sunday 15 June 2008

La Spinosa...

This time last year I had just returned from a wonderful long weekend away in Tuscany to celebrate my 40th birthday. I stayed in this beautiful farmhouse, being served delicious food, drinking wine produced from their own vineyards and relaxing with four of my close friends.




We spent a day in Florence - one of my favourite cities.



But mostly, we just sat about chatting and enjoying our child-free time! It was my second visit and I would go back again anytime. The family who run it are lovely; very laid back, but attentive at the same time and you are constantly reminded by the smells wafting from the kitchen about your next meal. GianFranco, who served our dinner each evening, always made us smile with the little ritual he performed each time he opened a bottle of wine (let me tell you, this was quite often!)

Since returning, I have hankered after all things La Spinosa. In a previous post I showed a pile of wood.
I have had a delivery from the marvellous Crocus.


I have found and bought some bargains in Homebase. On my first visit they were 50% off...after a couple of days deliberating, I went back to buy them and they had another 50% off PLUS, it was 10% off everything day! Bargain!

And now I have a pergola on my deck just like the ones at La Spinosa, where we would eat breakfast.

I decided to weave a couple of panels of reed fencing through the rafters until the grape vine gets established and does the job of shading the area underneath. The vines are planted together with scarlet geraniums and white lantana to keep the Mediterranean feel. The straggly-looking barrels just on the left of the photo have also been planted with scarlet geraniums so look brighter now the remains of spring's tulips and narcissi have been cut back.

A couple of weekends ago, we had a little reunion, and I cooked a meal inspired by what we had eaten last year. I made a pecorino and fig salad with a warm honey dressing from the Ottolenghi cookbook followed by roasted guinea fowl with rosemary new potatoes and green vegetables (although I made sure all my veg was British!). For dessert we had Gordon Ramsey's quick tiramisu. We drank the last of our wine stash brought home tucked into suitcases - this no liquid thing in hand-luggage makes it impossible to bring back wine now. Having already had a smashed bottle of red in my suitcase once before, I'm very reluctant to do that anymore...

It seems that since I posted about my lovely hammock, the sun has decided to go elsewhere for the summer - sorry! But I do wish it would come back so I can enjoy more alfresco meals in my own little corner of Italy.

15 comments:

  1. Oooh! Now I really want to move into your garden: not only is it amazingly beautiful but there's delicious food as well :) It sounds like you had the best birthday, and what a lovely way to remember it. K x

    ReplyDelete
  2. You have the most fantastic garden. The pergola is wonderful and will be even more so once the grape vine grows over it. I wish I was sitting under it sharing such fine food with you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Is that really your pergola on your deck? I thought for a while that it was the one in Italy and then I realised you were describing the planting in the photograph. How impressive - you will have fabulous meals out there and so many happy memories.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tracy, is that your pergola or a photo from Italy? Becsause if it's yours. when are we all coming round? I'll happily bring wine - and get you to come and design my garden for me!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh boy - I hope the summer improves for you because you really have done an amazing job of recreating a wonderful part of Italian life.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a beautiful garden. Your pergola looks so enticing...can we have a bloggers' party please?!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love your pergola - a perfectly beautiful place for breakfast. I hope the sun comes back soon so that you can enjoy it. Hope your grapevines do well - we planed one 3 years ago and it's not grown much until this year when it's exploded with new growth!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your garden is stunning - it makes me wonder how gorgeous the house is? Because I'm nosey like that *blush*

    Seriously though, thank you for showing us - I just know it's going to look fantastic when the vines have clambered up and over the pergola.

    x

    ReplyDelete
  9. Serious, serious garden envy going on here. Please could I move in?

    ReplyDelete
  10. I seriously am inviting myself over for dinner. Just let me know which day suits you!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your garden is absolutely beautiful- I was looking at the photo and skim reading (v.naughty) and then went back and read it sensibly, whilst muttering 'is that her garden? her pergola? ohmygod I thought it was from the holiday house...ohmygod it's BEAUTIFUL!' etc. You get the idea. You are very clever, Tracy,and think we should definitely do Chelsea next year, sweetie!!Have you done a garden design course?Have you thought of a career change??xx

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sooo lovely...this whole post is delicious! Is that your pergola?! It's gorgeous...I've always wanted one of those. I had a crazy idea of us building one over our small, very small deck, but not sure if it would work...Your Italian birthday adventured sounded a treat and precioud memory. Happy Days ((HUGS))

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a great way to celebrate your 40th birthday! Great photos. Your garden is so lovely.
    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  14. gorgeous gorgeous pergola!

    My parents in Tuscany covered theirs with Jasmine... such a beautiful fragrance!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. We are headed to Tuscany in 2 weeks and I've been wondering about the rules bringing back wine and olive oil.
    It looks and sounds like you stayed at a beautiful place.

    ReplyDelete

Hi! Thanks for leaving me a comment, I really enjoy reading them and I will try to reply if I can find an email address for you...