I am thrilled to write about our recent truffle hunting experience with Alessandro and Massimo in the sweeping hills of Pettino, Italy. We found Alessandro & Massimo after making an initial inquiry about truffle hunting with Francesca at Wild Foods Italy (see: https://www.umbrianculture.com/the-village-of-pettino/). All of the truffle hunting tours at Wild Foods Italy were booked so Francesca was kind enough to offer our group of nine an alternative truffle hunting option in Pettino with her cousin Alessandro (see: Pettino Hunting Outfittershttps://www.pettinohuntingoutfitters.com/ and Albergo Fontanellehttp://www.albergofontanelle.it/natura-e-relax-in-umbria/index.php/it/). We didn't know what to expect but came out of this experience feeling that all of our expectations were not only met but exceeded.
Alessandro
We arrived a bit late having not anticipated the winding roads to meet Alessandro at his family's restaurant Albergo Fontanelle. Alessandro was waiting in the driveway and greeted us with a very warm smile. After apologizing profusely for our tardiness, Alessandro warmly replied "When you are on vacation there is no such thing as being late." We knew we were in for a special experience.
Instead of heading straight out to the forest and fields for the hunt Alessandro brought us inside his family restaurant for a light breakfast of coffees and home made breakfast pastries. What a pleasant surprise!
With our bellies full we headed up into the hills of Pettino in two cars - a pickup truck with 5 truffle hunting dogs in the back and a Fiat 500L. Alessandro told us that he had several areas from which to choose from for the hunt but given that we were a group with children and city folk he chose a more leveled area to start with. I personally appreciated that he sized us up and was able to make a decision on where to take us based on our group makeup.
After a 15 minute drive we arrived to a place that looked liked a combination of the hills in the sound of music and a Michelangelo marble quarry.
The beautiful hills of Pettino, Italy
Alessandro and Massimo brought five dogs with them for the hunt. One of the dogs was the veteran truffle hunter and the others were still in the training stages. Pigs were no longer used to truffle hunt because they tend to eat the truffles when found.
When we reached our initial destination we were given a brief but informative overview of truffle history, varieties (black & white) and hunting (pigs vs dogs). Alessandro told us that in order to be a truffle hunter one must apply for and be granted a license for a specific area. This was purposefully done by the government in order to avoid excessive truffle hunting and to preserve jobs for the locals. All of the information Alessandro provided was interesting. Alessandro was very warm and pleasant and it was a pleasure to see someone who seemed to genuinely love his trade/craft and not just going through "the motions".
After a brief overview, Alessandro released the dogs from the metal cage in the back of his truck and you could see the dogs' exuberance. The dogs would run up and down the road sniffing everything while taking an occasional bathroom break.
Alessandro spoke to the dogs words of encouragement (and command) "dai lei la" and "dai la lei". This loosely translated to: "bring it to me", "go get it", "find it". The dogs all immediately understood the command and they would scatter off the road sniffing the earth nearby. The hunting had begun!
There is something magical about seeing just a wagging tail of a dog in the air because that sight got all of our attention and adrenalin rushing! When one of the dogs found a truffle they would dig with both their paws and their mouths until they retrieved the truffle. Once retrieved, the dogs would run to Alessandro and he would say "bidi bidi" (bring it) and then dig inside their mouth to find an uneaten truffle. Alessandro would then hold up the truffle high above his head to show off his truffle prize for everyone to see. The successful hunting dog would then receive a biscuit/cracker as their reward.
The truffles we found would vary in both size and coloration. Some were rather small like acorns while others were the size of a large walnut. All misshaped and none perfectly round. Some were dark black while others earthy brown. The smell was instantly recognizable but not overly pungent. Alessandro told us that white truffles were the most sought after (and expensive) and could be found only during a couple months of the year (October thru December).
We followed up the road for a little while before following Alessandro and Massimo down a rather steep hill that provided us with a spectacular view of the hills of Pettino. The hill lead us to and through a small forested area where we continued truffle hunting.
After the thrilling experience of truffle hunting with Alessandro, Massimo and their dogs we were taken to one of the small towns of Pettino where we enjoyed finely shaved truffles over scrambled eggs and homemade Pecorino cheese. So delicious!
Preparing fresh eggs with truffles
Perfect truffles!
Homemade Pecorino cheese with truffle shavings!
Fresh scramble eggs with truffles - a delicious staple meal!
After this light snack and an incredible authentic truffle hunting experience we were taken back to Albergo Fontanelle where we were treated to local wine, antipasta, a pasta making demonstration by Alessandro's mother and a full lunch with truffle pasta and meats. So much goodness! As if all of this wasn't enough we were treated afterwards with desert and limoncello by the swimming pool. WOW!
Pasta making demonstration
Look at that fresh pasta!
Fresh truffles with fresh homemade pasta!
Our truffle hunting experience with Alessandro, Massimo and their family at Albergo Fontanelle exceeded all of our expectations. Many thanks to Alessandro, Massimo and the entire Albergo Fontanelle family for providing us with such wonderful experiences and memories. A big thank you to Francesca for recommending Alessandro to us.
We received an authentic, informative and rewarding truffle hunting experience and would recommend this experience with Pettino Hunting Outfitters to anyone wanting to go on an authentic truffle hunting experience!
This past summer we booked two full-day tours in Italy through Private Day Tours. (See http://www.privatedaytours.com/) Both full-day tour excursions exceeded our expectations thanks in part to the excellent service and guidance we received from Gianluca Savarese prior to the trips. Gianluca was very patient and quick in responding to our questions. The staff that accompanied us on our trips were knowledgeable, polite and informative. We would highly recommend Private Day Tours to anyone considering doing a tour of the Amalfi Coast.
Full day tour: Pompeii, Cantina del Vesuvio, Positano
We were picked up at our hotel in Sorrento by Gaetano and Lello (we were a party of 9) at around 9am and driven to see the ruins of Pompeii. The vans were very nice Mercedes and were very comfortable. The drivers were both very knowledgeable and pleasant to speak to.
We were greeted at the entrance of Pompeii by a private tour guide (only those who have a pompeii tour license can conduct the tour) who seemed genuinely interested in giving us an informative yet manageable tour of the ruins. Making the tour manageable and interesting was especially important to us since we were traveling with four children.
After the tour of Pompeii, Gaetano and Lello met us directly at the exit of the ruins and whisked us away to Cantina del Vesuvio to do an wine tasting and lunch. (see: http://www.cantinadelvesuvio.it/) The Lacryma Christi wines at the vinyard ranged from good to very good with the Reserva being the best. Interestingly, because of the richness of the Vesuvian soil (the vinyard is located on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius) it is not necessary to water the vinyard. We also should mention that the vinegar was exquisite. Lunch was pasta marinara. The owner was also very nice and personally helped us order and ship a box of wine back home to the United States. Overall, a very worthwhile experience.
After the trip to Cantina del Vesuvio, Gaetano and Lello drove us to Positano where we were taken to a small limoncello-making shop. It was interesting to see the limoncello-making process. We were left by our drivers as close to the the bottom of Positano as possible and enjoyed walking around and having a nice dinner at Le Tre Sorrelle. (See http://le-tre-sorelle.thefork.rest/en_GB/). By the end of the day we were pleasantly exhausted. Definitely a successful day!
A short slideshow of our full-day tour
Full day tour: Capri by boat
We were picked up at around 10am from our hotel in Sorrento by taxi and taken down to the docks where we greeted by Captain Arturo, Elena and his 32 foot boat. The boat itself was beautiful, clean and a perfect size for a party of nine. Both Captain Arturo and Elena had a pleasant demeanor and were very professional.
Our first stop would be the Blue Grotto as we wanted to avoid the long wait that often happens later in the day. When we arrived at the Blue Grotto we noticed that there were three lines: public boats (large groups), people entering from land and private boats (us). We were told the wait could be up to 3 hours. While waiting in line, Arturo masterfully used the boats motors and side thrusters to avoid hitting other boats. Thankfully, we waited only 1 hour. When it was our time to go we were greeted by a smaller row boat that could fit 4 people (max). The boat would take us to the entrance of the cave where the captain would have to time the entry perfectly to avoid getting our heads chopped off! The captain would wait for the water level to go to the top of the cave entrance and then he would pull the metal chain just as the water level subsided and whoosh we entered the cave. The color of the blue is breathtaking. It is possible to swim in the Grotto (we did!) but it is important to note that there are many boats inside the Grotto at the same time (watch out!) and it is customary to give a "special gift" to your captain after. We would highly recommend taking a quick swim!
After visiting the Blue Grotto we took the opportunity to take a quick swim off the boat which was a welcomed relief from the heat. We then headed to several other lesser-known grottos (heart grotto, white grotto, red grotto).
Then it was time for lunch. We ate at Le Serene which is located just off the dock at Piccola Marina. (See http://www.loscogliodellesirenecapri.com/eng/ristorante.html) There are two small beaches and places to swim and rocks to jump off of. The water was dazzlingly blue. The lunch at Le Serene was a mixed bag. On the one hand the view and location were excellent. On the other hand, however, the food was just okay and the service was subpar. It is important to note that we charged for drinks that we did not order and after reading other reviews of the restaurant this is not an isolated incident. A pity because the lunch experience could have been much better.
After eating at Le Serene we took open air taxis (expensive) to Capri's main town and were immediately struck by how beautiful and clean it was. The shops were high end luxury - Gucci, etc. The views from the top were amazing. We had about 30 minutes to explore before having to go back to the boat.
On our way back to the Sorrento docks Captain Arturo and Elena took their time to let us take in the views of the mainland and to enjoy the last moments of our adventure. We went through the Faraglioni rocks - an archway where lovers can get good luck if they kiss underneath it. (See http://www.capri.net/en/s/the-faraglioni-of-capri) Once at the Sorrento dock we were picked up by taxi and taken back to our hotel. Such an amazing fun-filled experience.
We highly recommend using Private Day Tours for any excursions in the Amalfi Coast!
This past summer we went on another fun-filled trip to Italy. We had the opportunity to explore parts of the Amalfi Coast and Tuscumbria (Tuscany/Umbria). Below is a slideshow of some of the portraits and pictures that we took.
For both the casual and experienced traveler, Italy is a wonderful place to visit. From its exquisite dishes, savory wines and sweeping landscapes to its architectural marvels and artistic masterpieces Italy offers something for everyone.
While our family has traveled throughout Italy over the years, there is one particular area that is nestled in between a narrow stretch of land bordering both Tuscany and Umbria that holds special significance for our family as it has become both a place of family gathering and a favorite holiday destination.
We call this area "Tuscumbria" as it is neither fully Tuscan nor fully Umbrian as a result of the constant border changes over the past centuries. While the area of Tuscumbria is not officially recognized by the Italian government and the boundaries have not been legally demarcated, we recognize this area as belonging to both Tuscany and Umbria because of the cultural similarities found in many of its small towns. As of today, this area loosely stretches from the environs of Cortona through the small towns in the Niccone Valley (up to Umbertide) to the small lake towns dotting the northern shores of Lago Sul Trasimeno. Indeed, there are some who believe that Tuscumbria should encompass a far bigger geographic area (to include Assisi, Cortona, Perugia, Gubbio, Todi, Orvieto) but we will leave that up to the experts to define.
Tuscumbria offers something for everyone and is an excellent place for families with children or for those who want to escape the heavily touristed areas and is truly a hidden gem of Italy. We love Tuscumbria because it offers the best of both Tuscany and Umbria along with a wide variety of activities for families and adventurers alike. With beaches (Lago Sul Trasimeno), golf courses, horse back riding, bicycling, truffle hunting, wine & olive oil tasting, vinyard tours, concerts, water parks, agriturismi, villa rentals and five star restaurants at three star prices Tuscumbria is an ideal travel destination for anyone.
This travel blog will outline some of the most basic and, in our opinion, most important information that you will need to plan your visit to Italy with a strong focus on the Tuscumbrian area of Italy. Because this area is both a part of Umbria and Tuscany regions, many towns and cities belonging to these two magnificent regions along with some of their restaurants, places of interest and accommodations will also be touched upon and talked about.
We are also big technology fans and will be providing our readers with information on tech gadgets that we believe will enhance (not detract from) one's travel experiences.
It is our hope that this travel blog will serve as resource for people who plan on taking their next trip to this wonderful part of Italy. If you have any reviews or comments you would like to submit please contact us and we'll be happy to consider adding them to this travel blog. Reviews of restaurants, places and accommodations will be periodically added to and/or updated.
Please always keep in mind that change happens constantly so please make sure to use this travel blog only as a supplement to the travel research you are conducting as doing so will further ensure that your travel information is both current and reliable.
Thank you for taking time to stop by our travel blog and we hope you check back periodically for upates, news and views on everything Tuscumbria!
(Picture taken in Umbria at Altabella Properties, 2015)
Umbria, Italy’s Best-Kept Culinary Secret, Is Budding
By ERIC ASIMOV via The NY TIMES
NORCIA,
Italy — Norcia, a small town in Umbria, is little known outside Italy.
It’s not a celebrity hill town like Siena or a religious destination
like Assisi, but in Italian food its name is even more resonant.
Norcia
has been famous for centuries for its butchers and the extraordinary
array of cured meats they produce. Last month it acquired a wider and
sadder renown as the town closest to the epicenter of a deadly earthquake.
Norcia,
like most of Umbria, was touched but not transformed. The most serious
damage was just south of Umbria, in the devastated towns of Amatrice and
Accumoli, which, like Norcia, lie in the foothills of the volatile
central Apennine mountain range. San Pellegrino di Norcia, a village
near here, was leveled; many of its residents are still living in tent
villages (where, photographs show, volunteers and field kitchens have
been dispatched to produce pasta and tomato-meat sauce from scratch).
Good
food may seem like a low priority when nearly 300 people have lost
their lives and thousands more their homes. But in Italy, it is an
obvious panacea in a disaster.
The
salumifici of Norcia (NOR-cha), where the magnificent prosciuttos and
salamis are produced, are intact. “To be honest, we were much more
scared for our lives than for the meats,” said Paolo Viola, the owner of
Norcineria Viola. “It didn’t even cross our minds.”
Structural
damage in Umbria was extensive, but there were no reports of
fatalities, largely because the province had been decimated by
earthquakes in 1979 and 1997, and most buildings had already been
rebuilt to code.
The
immediate problems for the province’s food producers and restaurant
chefs are logistical, according to Ramon Rustici, a pig farmer outside
Assisi, who said that many small roads remain closed. And their
long-term concern is that the disaster will deter people from coming to
the region to eat, just as gastro-tourism has begun to take off here.
Umbria
is known in Italy as the nation’s “cuore verde,” its green heart, where
the landscape still reflects ancient traditions — agricultural,
artistic and spiritual. But the rest of the world knows little about the
region and its cuisine: its gold-green olive oil, its rich red wines,
its diverse grains and its unmatched artistry in salumi.
In
the great medieval hill towns like Bevagna, Assisi and Todi, built by
counts and cardinals to show off their wealth, there are restaurants
with professional chefs who cook in a modern, creative style. They spin
global variations on the classic Umbrian dish porchetta, a juicy roast
of pork tightly rolled around garlic and herbs. But they do not seem to
cook much certifiably Umbrian food.
“The
young people here will take a Japanese cooking class or a tapas class,
but not an Umbrian cooking class,” said Letizia Mattiacci, who teaches
in her home kitchen in the hills above Assisi, where I visited several
weeks before the earthquake.
“Their
mothers and grandmothers make this, and it’s not interesting to them,”
she said, gesturing at the hand-cranked pasta roller she uses to cut
fresh strangozzi, long noodles that are fat and pointed at both ends.
Ms.
Mattiacci is part of a new wave of cooks, farmers, chefs and bakers
working to preserve and popularize the food of Umbria, which has long
been upstaged by its neighbors.
Like
Parma in Emilia-Romagna, Umbria produces spectacular aged prosciutto;
like the Roman province of Lazio, it has richly flavored sheep’s milk
cheeses and vegetables; like Tuscany, it boasts ancient traditions of
making bread, olive oil and wine, and it has a staggering variety of
beans and pulses. Umbria is Italy’s largest producer of black truffles,
which are lavishly used in season (but not as prestigious as the ones
from Piedmont).
Umbria’s
size — just over 3,000 square miles, smaller than Connecticut — may
have limited its global audience, but the scarcity of tourists has
helped preserve traditional cooking.
Many restaurants, like Centro de lu Munnu
in Foligno, which is run by three generations of the Savini family,
still produce classic Umbrian dishes like pasta with potato and veal
ragù; tomato-braised snails; and torta al testo, a griddled flatbread
that perfectly sets off the region’s salumi.
The
restaurant’s name means “center of the world” in old Umbrian dialect,
referring to an ancient belief that Umbria, because it is in the center
of the Italian peninsula, is the center of the world.
“Umbria
is small, so from ancient times, each area had its own way of calling
things, and many of them are still alive,” said Diego Mencaroni, who
manages an international artists’ retreat, Civitella Ranieri, in a grand and ramshackle 15th-century castle in Umbertide.
From
the top to the bottom of the Valle Umbra, a distance of only about 40
miles, the pasta made by Ms. Mattiacci has at least six other names:
umbricelli, ciriole, anguilette, manfricoli, bigoli, picchiarelli. Not
only the names are different; from one hilltop to the next, recipes and
tastes can vary tremendously. “Whether you mince the garlic or cut it
into slivers, or what you use to marinate the chicken for cacciatora,
here it makes a big difference,” Ms. Mattiacci said.
Umbrian
cooks traditionally agree on one thing: Fresh pasta here should be made
of nothing more than flour and water. Women pride themselves on being
able to make tender, springy pasta without eggs, using a vigorous
full-body kneading motion they call “a culu mossu” (with a moving butt),
which looks something like dancing a samba. (For modern or modest
cooks, the constant movement of the food processor is a good
substitute.)
Umbria
is landlocked, and its native vegetables and fruits, both domesticated
and wild, have always formed the basis of its cuisine. “Everywhere you
find growing nettles, flowers, asparagus, fennel,” said Romana Ciubini, a
native Umbrian who is the chef at Civitella Ranieri, as she prepared
sambuca (elderflower) sprigs for deep-frying.
Ancient
and native strains of beans and pulses are being unearthed and
cultivated anew. Most of Umbria’s foods that carry the European Union’s D.O.P.
label (certifying that the product is characteristic of a specific
place and produced there to traditional standards) are in this humble
category: farro (wheat) from Spoleto, lentils from Castelluccio and
several kinds of broad beans.
Roveja,
a kind of pea that was cultivated for centuries in the Apennine
foothills on Umbria’s eastern border and later thought to be extinct,
was rediscovered in 1998, when a woman digging a basement found a buried
jar of them. Now they are carefully nurtured, sold at premium prices
and prized for their nutritional properties and earthy flavor.
“Those
were considered food for poor people, even for animals,” Ms. Ciubini
said. “And now they are served in the best restaurants.”
The
prettiest landscape in the province, the Valle Umbra, runs from
Perugia, the Umbrian capital in the north, to Spoleto in the south. It
still looks like what it was in antiquity: the bottom of a shallow lake
chain that was later drained by the Romans.
The
valley’s soft green hills, spreading views and famously fertile soil
all derive from this history. Today, the landscape is largely unchanged
from that painted in 15th-century frescoes by Giotto and Piero della
Francesca in the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. Francis, as depicted
in churches around the region, loved the Umbrian countryside so much,
he insisted on being carried from his grand church on the rocky mountain
to die on its grassy floor.
For
centuries, Umbrian farmers were small producers of diverse crops, fully
occupied by feeding their own families and supplying the local castles
and monasteries. (Both the Franciscan and the Benedictine orders were
founded here and lived rather grandly at times.)
In
the 20th century, agricultural and transportation technology inspired
many regions of Italy to move toward large-scale farming, planting acres
of tomatoes, olive trees and grapevines to meet international demand.
But Umbria mostly kept its polyculture family farms, and the province
fell behind others in culinary production, tourism and self-promotion.
Ramon
Rustici, a young farmer in the hills above Assisi, said that today, the
region is reaping the advantages of maintaining the old ways. “When
times became very hard for Italian farmers in between and after the
wars,” he said, “the families here sustained ourselves, instead of
losing our land.” Now, under the custodianship of three brothers, the
Fratelli Rustici pig farm embodies modern values of sustainability and
animal welfare.
Even
the earthquake has brought Umbria some welcome attention. Filippo
Gallinella, an Umbrian legislator, called last week on Italians to
support the region by choosing products like prosciutto di Norcia and
Castelluccio lentils for their cesti natalizi, baskets stuffed with
delicacies that are traditionally made and exchanged at Christmastime.
If
Umbria is truly famous for anything, it is for salumi, salt-cured pork
products that expertly use every bit of the animal. The attention is all
focused on this town: Norcia, so synonymous with sausages and salamis
that anywhere you see a restaurant dish labeled al norcino, or alla
norcina, you know it will be enriched with pork fat and flavor.
Umbria
is on about the same latitude as other places that produce magnificent,
naturally slow-cured hams: Virginia and Kentucky, the forests of
southern Spain where Iberico pigs prowl for acorns, and the breezy
Zhejiang province of China, where Jinhua ham is made.
Umbrian
prosciutto, which has a protected status similar to the famous hams of
Parma and San Daniele, tastes quite different from those. Prosciutto di
Norcia is aged for at least two years, not 12 to 18 months, allowing the
meat more time to cure, contract and concentrate its flavors.
Umbrian
prosciutto and salumi are wonderful, but are prized in Italy, so very
little makes it beyond national borders. Local cooks like Ms. Ciubini
use small amounts of local prosciutto, guanciale (jowl) and pancetta
(belly) to add richness to traditional cucina povera, the cooking of the
poor. (In Italian, that phrase is not as patronizing as it sounds in
English; it is a respectful description of the art of thrifty cooking.)
Ms.
Ciubini, when faced with stale breadcrumbs, may create a classic
panzanella salad or thick tomato soup, but she can also make them into a
really luxurious dish, in which they are soaked in eggs, milk and
grated cheese, then squeezed out and pinched into gnocchi.
For
a simple sauce, any seasonal vegetables are braised with olive oil and
minced salumi while the gnocchi have a quick boil; the vegetable pot is
deglazed with white wine, the gnocchi drained, and all is tossed
together over low heat in a huge pot. At Civitella Ranieri, Ms. Ciubini
often makes this for the visiting painters, poets, sound artists and
graphic novelists — all of whom have a hot, handmade lunch delivered
daily to the studios where they work.
“Cooking everything from scratch takes a lot of time,” she said. “But it is the only kind of cooking that is worth the work.”
FOR THE FULL ARTICLE: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/14/dining/umbria-italy-food-cooking.html?ref=dining&_r=0
This past summer we had the opportunity to visit Italy once again and our trip did not disappoint!
Venice
was an amazing experience. We walked the streets of Venice with the our friends and traversed the canals with ease while captivated by
how beautiful each little piazza was.
We loved the island of Murano
where we saw a live demonstration of Venetian glass blowing.
The kids
took in the magnitude of the bridge of sighs and were especially
thrilled to feed the pigeons in San Marco Square.
The kids seemed to
really be mesmerized by our gondola ride and riding back in style in a
Venetian water taxi.
Pino
Teresi took us on an informative full day wine tour in Tuscany where we
visited Montepulciano, Pienza and Castello Banfi.
We also found time to visit Assisi, Orvieto, Cortona, Siena, Umbertide, Lake Trasimeno and Gubbio.
One
of the highlights of the trip was when Chefs Elizabetta & Paola
(http://www.Altabellaproperties.com) brought their Tuscan/Umbrian culinary expertise to teach the kids how to
make a complete Italian meal for everyone. The
kids made Tiramisu, fresh pasta (from scratch), caprese and bruschetta
which was served to everyone for a truly enjoyable and memorable outdoor dinner.
We
finished up our trip with a couple days in Rome where we met some more friends
for dinner, crepes & gelato.
It was a very full and enjoyable vacation!
Over the next couple of weeks we will be posting some of our pictures, slideshows, travel tips and thoughts about our trip.....
Over the past decade consolidation in the airline industry has had an adverse effect upon flyers -higher ticket costs and extra charges here and there that can add up in a big way (especially for families on a budget!).
The lack of competition has seemingly given airlines carte blanche when it comes to price gauging the consumer with added charges (bag fees, select seating, drinks/snacks, etc.) and reduction of services.
This summer our family traveled on American Airlines to Italy. When we placed our reservations we had hoped to get 4 seats together (or at least 2 and 2) as we were traveling with two young children ages 5 & 9.
When we attempted to make our seat arrangements we were told by an American Airlines representative that we could only have seats together if we paid an additional $68 per ticket each way for the s"select" seats which meant that this would push our already expensive ticket price of $1,300 per ticket to $1,556 per ticket! For a family of four that is $544 extra!
We told the American Airlines representative that we were traveling with two young children one of which needed special attention and who we knew would become super anxious sitting alone and undoubtedly annoy the passengers he sat next to.
We also expressed our concerns to the representative. What would happen to our children should the plane encounter an emergency. What passengers/strangers would feel responsible for two young children not their own? Who would put the oxygen mask on our kids? Who would make sure our kids are buckled in properly? Would someone else make sure their food is opened and cut properly? What if the adult sitting next to my child is a molester or pedophile? (You can bet a suit would follow quicker than quick!)
The American Airlines representative told us that we could either ask at the check in desk for seat availability (couldn't do this at JFK as it is fully computer automated now!) or ask at the gate (no such luck!).
We decided not to pay the additional $544 and take our chances and hope that the passengers sitting next to our children would find the idea of 7+ hours on a flight next to young kids unappealing enough to swap seats with us.
Fortunately for us, the two seats next to each child were empty! We lucked out but are sure that there are many hundreds if not thousands of families that have not been so lucky.
Airlines must change this rule. Families should not be separated from their young children or expected to pay a handsome fee in order to do so. Airlines have a legal responsibility to look after children flying on their own. We believe that airlines should also have a legal responsibility to sit young children with at least 1 family adult member. Governments should mandate this!
The airline industry can do better and it is up to us, the consumer, to demand higher standards.
Trattoria Lo Scoiattolo is a pleasant place to stop for a quick bite to eat if
you are traveling between Tuoro Sul Trasimeno and Cortona. We often stop by Trattoria Lo Scoiattolo for a 30 minute cappuccino on our way from the Niccone Valley to the Lido at Tuoro Sul Trasimeno. The
ristorante offers fantastic panoramic views of Lake Trasimeno and is
absolutely a must visit on a gorgeous day. The staff and management are
pleasant but not remarkable. We definitely recommend visiting Trattoria Lo
Scoiattolo if you're passing through the area. Here is a link to TripAdvisor Reviews: Trattoria Lo Scoiattolo RATING: Highly Recommend [HR]
The richness of
life lies in memories we have forgotten."
-Cesare Pavese
Here at Tuscumbria.com we couldn't agree more with this statement and believe its meaning is just as relevant today as it was to Cesare Pavese back in the early 20th Century.
To help "collect, sort and protect" all of our life memories we've found a neat new hardware device called LyveHome that claims to be the perfect, effortless, solution for preserving all of our memories so that they are not forgotten.
LyveHome was officially introduced at CES 2014 and from what we can tell it looks like a very promising option for anyone who takes pictures and videos to preserve their life memories. We have taken thousands of pictures and hundreds of videos of our boys, family and friends both at home and abroad and think that LyveHome could prove to be very useful for helping anyone to preserve, organize and collect all of their most treasured memories.
(Image: Mylyve.com)
(Image: Mylyve.com)
(Image: Mylyve.com)
What we find particularly appealing about this piece of hardware is the potential to share - in near real time - pictures & videos that you take from anywhere in the world with your friends and family whose devices you choose to include on your LyveHome network.
From what we know, each cellular device, computer and/or TV must have the free Lyve App installed and be recognized by the LyveHome server as an authorized network device. The LyveHome server will act as a personal cloud to store abut 2 terabytes of data. What distinguishes this hardware from other similar products is that the LyveHome server manages the data across all your devices (iOS, Android, etc.) allowing its user to determine which physical copies of each file to keep on which devices. The LyveHome server never uploads any of your pictures or videos to the Lyve cloud but, rather, uploads only the metadata which can then be used to download to other LyveHome app devices. Essentially, the Lyve cloud never stores any of your picture or video information.
LyveHome has an exclusive deal with Vizio and the Lyve App will be added to Vizio's Internet App Plus lineup sometime in April, 2014. The Lyve App is expected to be available on other smart TV's at some point too.
LyveHome is expected to be available in the United States sometime in the Spring of 2014. To learn more about the LyveHome product click HERE
If you've used LyveHome and would like to share your thoughts on this product please feel free to leave them in the comments section below.
Many years ago while window shopping in
Firenze (Florence), Italy, we came across a small boutique watch store called
Officine Panerai. We fell instantly in love with the rugged elegance of the Panerai design, its rich history with the Italian Navy and its early relationship with Rolex.
Officine Panerai store in Florence, Italy
While the allure of a Panerai is somewhat subjective, we believe watch enthusiasts find Panerai watches to be most appealing because of:
- It's rich history - Panerai started out in 1860 as an exclusive watch for the Italian Navy.
- Aesthetics & build quality - The combination of Italian design aesthetics & Swiss Rolex movement (in earlier versions).
- Distinct branding - The unmistakable clean elegance of the Italian design & the fonts used on the dial.
- The signature crown guard on many Panerai watch models.
- The friendliness of the Paneristi (Panerai watch enthusiasts).
- The exclusivity of the brand (almost every watch production is "limited").
Model shown: Panerai Radiomir 288K
After being purchased by the Richemont Group in 1997, Officine Panerai has grown in popularity. Luminor & Radiomir models are often considered the most sought after Panerai watches today. Panerai collectors also place significantly more value on Panerai models that contain the Officine Panerai in-house movements (e.g. p.9000, etc.).
Officine Panerai is, by far, our favorite Italian watch brand and we would not hesitate
to recommend this brand to any watch enthusiast looking for a watch that
they want to wear for the rest of their lives or to add to their
watch collection as an investment.
Panerai Radiomir 288K
Panerai Radiomir 288K
To learn more about the Panerai brand and watches click here: Officine Panerai
We are always looking for fun and interesting family activities in the Tuscumbria area and we think the Casa del Cioccolato is a must-see place for both visitors and chocolate lovers.
The
Casa del Cioccolato (Perugina Chocalate Factory) is located a short taxi ride from downtown Perugia,
Italy, and is where the famous Italian Baci chocolates are
manufactured.
It's hard not to feel like Charlie at the Wonka Factory when you visit
the Perugina Chocolate Factory in Perugia, Italy. The deliciously sweet
smell of chocolate greets you as you pull into the factory's parking
lot. At the factory you can take a tour to see how the Baci chocolates
are manufactured. Baci (Italian for "kisses") is a hazelnut covered by
sweet chocolate that is then wrapped in a love note.
English-speaking tours require advance booking and tour reservations can be made up to 15 days before your visit. We strongly suggest that you call ahead to make sure the factory is open on the day you wish to visit.
Every now and then we like to post a gadget review that we think might make traveling a little easier and more enjoyable for the entire family.
When we stay in Tuscumbria, Italy, our sole connection to the world is through an internet connection at the house we stay at. There is no television. The phone is rarely used. Our smart phones and tablets are no longer glued to our hands.....and we wouldn't dream of having it any other way...that is, until we had kids.
While there is something immensely appealing about being disconnected from the outside world (and we do love the disconnect), there are some gadgets that we feel enhance any family traveling experience.
For a while now we have always thought how nice it would be to have a family movie night while traveling abroad. No, we're not talking about family night out at the movie theater or in front of the tv curled up on the couch (though that does sound nice!) but, rather, family movie night outside on the front lawn which looks down upon and across the undulating mountains of Tuscumbria.
So how would this fantasy become a reality? The cost alone of renting a large projection screen would be enough to discourage most people from even considering this. And what about the projector? Good projectors cost at least $500 dollars these days and for one movie night outdoors the benefit just didn't seem to outweigh the cost. What about the power source? Would we be able to run a power cord all the way outside to power the projector? Lastly, the idea of getting all of this equipment (either renting or buying) while abroad or bringing it all with us just seemed like too much of a hassle and expense. So we let the idea simmer on the back burner for a couple of years.
Recently, our fantasy of having a movie night outside with the kids while traveling abroad took a giant step forward into reality. We found a relatively inexpensive way to put together a portable movie kit that we can bring anywhere we travel and here's what we came up with.
STEP ONE: PICO PROJECTOR
Brookstone Pocket Projector ($199)
The first step we needed to solve was finding a projector that was both portable, powerful enough to give a decently bright/colorful image and could run off of its own power source. We came across the Brookstone Pocket Projector which was exactly what we were looking for. The Brookstone Pocket Projector works in conjunction with your iPhone 4/4S (sorry, no compatibility with iPhone 5) and can project a reasonably bright image (18 Lumens) of up to 50" in diameter. Ofcourse, it is possible to get the projector to project larger images but keep in mind that the brightness and detail will degrade accordingly. The Brookstone Pocket Projector runs for about 2 hours on a single charge and can also be used to charge your iPhone 4 too. The sound on the projector is not very good but you can use the bluetooth option or the aux jack on your phone to improve the sound (we will address this down below). The Brookstone Pocket Projector will project any video source from your phone including Netflix, Youtube, etc. This becomes particularly handy if you are near a wifi source which will enable you to stream movies. If you have movies from home you can upload them prior to your trip through iTunes and into your iPhone which then can be projected through the Brookstone Pocket Projector. The Brookstone Projector as of the date of this post is going for $199 and we think this is a great price for a great product.
Brookstone HDMI Projector ($299)
It is possible to pay a bit more for the Brookstone HDMI Pocket Projector ($299) and have the ability to use the projector with any HDMI device (iPhone users will need an additional cable adapter). The Brookstone HDMI projector will offer more power (85 lumens), a slightly longer battery life and the improved compatibility with more devices.
We like both products as both are very portable and offer outstanding picture quality given their diminutive size.
STEP TWO: PROJECTION SCREEN
Da-Lite Pico Screen
The next step we needed to solve was finding a suitable screen on which to project the movie on. All of the outdoor screens that we researched in the past were bulky and too expensive. Some screens were difficult to set up while others just simply were not portable enough for plane travel.
With the emergence of pico projectors companies started getting wise and making pico screens to compliment the diminutive projectors. Two companies that offer great-quality screens were Da-Lite & Epson. Da-Lite offers a pico line of projection screens and we found the most affordable to be the 30" diagonal screen. Epson offers a slightly larger pico screen with a 50" diagonal which they claim is still small enough to fit onboard a plane in the overhead bins. Both fit very nicely on a tabletop and collapse very easily (shown below on the Epson ES1000). At the time of this post the Epson ES1000 was selling for about $70 and the Da-Lite Pico 30" screen was selling for about $68.
Epson ES1000 screen
While both screens offer an excellent choice in quality and portability it is also possible to simply project your images/movies off the side of a house, on a white wall, on the ceiling or on a white sheet. Sure, you might lose brightness and color quality but doing away with the portable pico screen makes the whole movie package more portable, versatile and affordable.
STEP THREE: SOUND
The next step we needed to solve was to find a sound source that would provide enough sound to make the movie experience come to life. None of the pico projectors we've tried or read reviews about output enough sound to make movie watching satisfying.
There are two ways we can recommend to amplify the sound of your pico projector that will make your outside movie watching experience satisfying and memorable.
Big Jambox by Jawbone ($199)
The first way is to use the bluetooth in your phone to output the sound to a bluetooth enabled speaker instead of through the pico projector itself. Simply connect your phone via bluetooth to the bluetooth enabled speaker and you have instant sound improvement. The second way to amplify the sound of your projector is by directly connecting the projector (or phone) to external speakers via the aux in jack (you will need a 3.5mm aux cable to do this).
We recommend two brands of bluetooth speakers that will provide excellent sound outside for your movies. The Big Jambox by Jawbone and the Bose Soundlink by Bose. Both of these bluetooth enabled speakers offer incredible sound and are perfect companions for your pico projector. Both offer long hours of use from their internal rechargeable batteries. We believe that the Big Jambox is a better value as it offers comparable sound to the Bose Soundlink but at a lower price.
Bose Soundlink ($299)
So, in conclusion, we hope we showed that there is a relatively affordable way to put together a portable movie kit that can be enjoyed outside while traveling abroad, camping or just hanging out in your backyard. Movie nights outside are always memorable for the kids and we like to think that there are plenty of adults who can still enjoy it too.
Please feel free to let us know below in the comments section what ideas you might have for making your travel with the kids more enjoyable and memorable.
Sustenance: Food Traditions in Italy's Heartland
By Elizabeth Wholey
Description: "A Guide to Farms, Markets, and Fairs in the Upper Tiber Valley.
In Sustenance, Elizabeth Wholey explores the Upper Tiber Valley and the
ways in which its peasants fed and sustained themselves throughout
history. Their ancient food traditions are still alive today, often
with a modern twist, and are accessible to visitors as well as to the
local populace. Highlighting sixteen farmers and food producers who share their stories
and treasured recipes, Wholey guides your way to the farms, markets and
fairs where these traditional products are sold. Fifteen towns near the
Tiber River--from its source on Monte Fumaiolo to Umbertide--are
introduced, along with their yearly celebrations, markets and fairs, as
well as important sites and monuments. This book is a must for the tourist who seeks a fuller experience than
the usual by delving into the history, agriculture, and culinary
practices of this beautiful and fertile valley."
Our Thoughts:
One of our most treasured pleasures when visiting the cities and towns in the Upper Tiber Valley is sampling the delicious foods and dishes offered by the various family run restaurants, agriturismi and local markets.
Elizabeth Wholey's book has given us new and invaluable insight into the history, agriculture and culinary practices behind some of the foods that we have eaten in the Upper Tiber Valley and has further fueled our desire to sample and explore new foods during future visits.
We also have gained a more intimate picture of both the cultural and family traditions that are so inextricably linked to the recipes, foods and dishes that are prepared for and served to visitors and locals alike.
This is a must read for all culinary enthusiasts and anyone traveling to Central Italy!
I am thrilled to write about our recent truffle hunting experience with Alessandro and Massimo in the sweeping hills of Pettino, Italy. We found Alessandro & Massimo after making an initial inquiry about truffle hunting with Francesca at Wild Foods Italy (see: https://www.
