Italy Anyone?
For the past 15 years, I’ve travelled to Verona, Italy each
summer. I first went there in 2006, primarily because I had found out they had
an open- air opera that took place in a Roman arena.
So, off I went on my adventure, and I enjoyed not only the
opera, but also the city itself.
Verona is a small city, situated in the north. It has a very
strategic position in history, as it is between Milan (west) and Venice (east).
Most trains from the north come down to Italy through Verona as well.
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| Enjoying gelato in Verona |
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My landlord who was a banker, had a client who
owns a knitting manufacturing mill
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I would strike up a conversation with a small
group at the next table in a restaurant, only to find out that he was a food
tour guide
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One of my girlfriends had a friend who was
restructuring her grandmother’s home in central Verona into tourist apartments
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The wife of a restaurant owner was a felter who
gives workshops
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My growing network of friends would watch out
for textile/fashion/food things for me
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Milan and Venice each are just over an hour
train ride from Verona and trains run often
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The ‘nonna’ (grandmother) of the knitting
manufacturer’s family enjoys teaching pasta making and cooking to me and my
friends
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The gelateria owner would be willing to let us
taste gelato in the realm of wine tasting
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There is an amazing fashion museum in the
country in the middle of nowhere; it was once the summer estate of a lord.
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Verona is very fashion forward; store windows
change constantly and are full of innovative design
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And so on..
A few years in, I felt I had enough connections to lead
small group tours of my second home, Verona. I first organized Fashion retreats
and involve artisans, travel to Venice/Milan, and related. People are always
gracious to us, and we have some of the most amazing experiences.
Below are some images
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| The Roman wall that touches our apartment building |
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| Store window in Verona |
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| Day trip to Venice |
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| Visits to Jenny Klaer, a yarn store in Verona |
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| A typical vineyard in Valpolicello region |
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| Watching a purse making demo at Dolce and Gabbana in Milan |
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| The sales woman modeling for us at Issey Miyake in Milan |
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| More Issey Miyake fashion, Milan |
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| Nonna... making pasta |
This year, I’m hosting two retreats in the month of June.
One for food (it’s great for couples), followed by one for fashion. Information can be found at the links below.
