The trip to Italy was about to leave Rome, and we were headed to Tuscany where the landscape changed. Even while just looking out of the window of the van as the country side zipped by you could see the beauty of Tuscany. Marco pointed out the olive vineyards and grape vineyards–both of them were beautiful. Another thing that we noticed was that cars were getting larger. In Rome it seemed like everyone drove something similar to a Smart Car and/or a scooter. On the way to Tuscany, the cars became larger, and scooters were not seen very much.
I’ve been to beautiful wineries in Texas, Napa and Mendocino, but Tuscany was always on my radar–it lived up to my expectations. From the moment we entered the gates to Tenuta Torciano I was in the movie “Under the Tuscan Sun”. The only thing missing was Diane Ladd.
After being greeted and given the history of the beautiful property, we were off to our wine tasting. The setting let us know that this would not be your run of the mill tasting. First of all it was set outside under a huge tent. The tables were beautifully set with each setting having a plate that had food that you were instructed to match with each wine. I have always been under the impression that if you like it, then you drink it.
The tasting was a lot of fun with everyone picking out their favorite wine. Then we had the honor of eating even more when they bought out what the host called “his mama’s lasagna”. With this dish he served a wine that he called the “Big Boy”.
The wine, food, olive oil and balsamic vinegar were all good, but the host made the experience even better. We even had fun with another group that was from Canada. Good food, excellent wine and great conversation made for an amazing experience.
Our next stop was to the the quaint looking town of San Gimignano. It seemed that each store had some likeness of Pinocchio in their windows or showcase. It was here that I finally purchased items that were needed (my luggage was still somewhere else).
After a leisurely walk through the town, we were on our way Impruneta which is a few miles outside of Florence. We would stay at the Bellavista Hotel in Impruneta which was situated in a neighborhood that was easy to walk around and see the sights. The Hotel Bellavista had a great rooftop where you could enjoy a glass of wine and look out over the town.
Florence was crowded with people, but not all of them were tourist. As soon as we stepped out of the van, we ran into a protest–it was very organized and seemed more like a parade. Florence is filled with great sculptures many of which are located in Piazza della Signoria. Most people would probably say that the replica of David was their favorite, but I think that my favorite was the one of Neptune. It’s just how he is looking at David–you have to see it to understand it.
Now many people go to Florence to shop for leather and jewelry, and there was no shortage there. ln fact so many people in our group purchased items that they shipped them home. There was so much that it all seemed to go together. The crowds seemed to grow larger because there was construction and preservation work everywhere. One of the highlights to Florence was an amazingly simple salad that we had. It featured watermelon, avocado, red onion, feta cheese and a little something drizzled over it. It doesn’t sound like it should go together, but it did. I’ve even made it since I have been home. We did have a Russell Crowe sighting–I only saw him walking away.
After two nights in the Hotel Bellavista we would be on our way to visit the city of Pisa. Before we were to leave Imprueneta there would be a Farmer’s Market in this huge parking lot in front of the hotel. My cousin and I took a quick look at the Farmer’s Market as they were setting up. There was the most beautiful fruits and vegetables that we had ever seen. The stems were still on the plants. There were food trucks starting to cook their foods. You could purchase clothing, cosmetics, plants and so much more. Our one regret is that we had to leave before they finished setting up.
Our visit to the town of Pisa was just that–a visit. A choo choo train took us to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Cattedrale di Pisa, Piazza dei Miracoli and more. One thing that we discovered was that after we saw the sites, we could just walk through the lovely area around it which had horse drawn carriages, restaurants, shops and more.
We had experienced wine, more wine, food, shopping til we dropped, history and more. It was time to move on to our next stop.
There is a disclaimer that I forgot to mention. All pictures of me are makeup free–it was in my lost luggage. So remember “thisisyourbestyear” you can get a natural glow without cosmetics.
**A special thank you to Ms. Fallon Alford for allowing us to use some of her photos. Fallon is a full time educator in Atlanta, Georgia who freelances as a photographer.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and everyone will be wearing pink in the form of ribbons, shirts, tee shirts and more. What we see doing this awareness month is everyone being “pretty in pink”.
Sometimes the chemo may cause the hair to fall out, it can even affect the color of ones skin tone. The scars of mastectomies may be covered, but they are there nonetheless. Some survivors have lymphedema in their arms after the mastectomies.
be expensive if you do not have health insurance. There are places in every community that offer free or low cost services. Below is a list of some of the ones in Tarrant County and the surrounding counties in Texas. Please share with us those in your area so that everyone can benefit from these services.
I keep singing the lyrics “I went to a garden party”. It was set in the beautiful Garden of Eve at the home of Stephonia W. Roberts. I can honestly say I know why she named her backyard paradise the Garden of Eve–it was breathtaking.
outside when you entered. Nature had decorated with so many plants and trees that not only shaded but served a health purpose.
Stephonia is the ower of Mrs Jacks Body Food, she is also an author and extraordinary spoken word poetess. Her expertise in all things natural was on full display as she walked through her garden.
When the hors-d’oeuvres were passed, we were informed about the natural ingredients that were 
prepared so deliciously. There were mocktails that were refreshing, and also cocktails that were light to the taste. It seemed that God had cooled off the garden just for that moment.
strong, she was confident, she was fit, she was fine, she was everything–she was not her hair. One of the best moments is when she is so uncomfortable with her alternative hair.
Fort Worth native, Amara Russell is the author of the much talked about novel “A Rare Diamond”. Even though this is her first novel to be published she is no stranger to writing. Her love for writing has been evident to those around her since elementary school when her first article was published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. It was our honor to have a great conversation with her.
Was “A Rare Diamond” the first manuscript that you finished?
around me. I would visit coffee shops, relatives houses and observe activities that I added to the story.
Celeste is witty, smart and beautiful. She is courageous, and she doesn’t bite her tongue about anything, but she says what she means in a subtle way. She takes her characteristics from her mother who was filled with integrity. Her mother could walk into a room and capture everyone’s attention. Celeste picked up a lot of those qualities.
the very end. So if we were going to the bookstore what two sections would we find “A Rare Diamond”?
kill her off at the beginning so I was kind of going back and forth, but Angela Bassett always came to mind when I was writing the story.