"Did We Have a Good Time or What??...Cartolinas #9, #10 and a Surprise from Italy:)""

Cartolina #10

Piazza Gaetane

Cartolina #9

Waiting for David

My how time flies when you're having a good time:))

My, how crazy some cats are (not mentioning names here) with the things they try to bring back into the country.

Somebody got held up in customs for concealing high grade Italian catnip.

As a result, he also had all of his salmon pate confiscated.

He  somehow managed to still arrive home with one can.

I'm am not asking where he hid it. 

 Figure that comes under the TMI category.

The Last Supper

He finally cheered up when I informed him that there were still 3 winners to draw for--evidently it reminded him that he had some bribes to collect on.....you "cats" know who you are;))

So I am not going to say that the trip to Italy has come to an end.  We are just going home for a visit---like the Terminator.....We'll be baaack:)))

We have to! 

Eddie was in such a snit over the catnip that  he had his friends in the old country do a little painting 

on David!!

Remember the big paint brush?

We're gonna need two of them on our next trip.

I have to say, aside from the gelato, tiramisu, the beautiful sunsets and old villages of the Tuscan hillsides--

one of the happiest parts of the trip has been painting postcards to share with you:)))

I have so enjoyed the conversations they have elicited!

Threats, bribes, questions, advice, admonitions and more have added lots of fun to the collective adventure:)!

Hugs and thanks to you my friend for traveling to Italy with me.

So Eddie, in between eating his Italian salmon pate and grumbling about the missing catnip, has managed to claw 

not one, not two, but three winning names from the heap:)))!!

Winner of Cartolina #9 is

Lisa Riedl

Winner of Cartolina #10 is

Kathy Cousart

And the mystery gift??

Well, I decided to post two for the winner to choose from.

One, the chef's hat handmade by momma in Panzano at one of my favorite restaurants there---for you to pretend like your "cheffing" it up in Tuscany at your own place 

OR 

One Italian leather petite purse--suitable for an over the shoulder evening out with keys, credit card and a lip gloss.  It's soft as butter and hello.....it's Caribbean blue;))

And the winner for the little treasure from Italy??

"What a lovely time you are having! 

Each day has treated us with delightful creative daydreams! 

Thanks for sharing!!!!"  ~Beulah

Congrats Kathy, Lisa, and Beulah!!

All you gals get me your addresses so I can get your cartolina's, etc out in the mail to you:)!

Big hugs and sincere thanks for being part of the this time in Italy.

Keep your bags packed----you never know what's on the horizon.

It's the only break I can get from Eddie, so I am already planning our next great escape;)))

Last but not least, a little lemoncello to toast our trip to Italy...

One for me, one for you, and one for customs agent who bailed Eddie's butt out;))

Arrivederci!!

P.S.  I have had a considerable amount of email while traveling----if I missed anything important, please just email me again:)) 

P.S.S.  I will be doing a follow up post on the Tuscany, Italy trip.  You can leave your comments on this blog to let me know the stuff you'd like to hear more about.  If it involves how Eddie smuggled in the one can of pate, I can tell you now--you really don't wanna know....

P.S.S.S.  My workshop in California starts this coming Wednesday....never a dull moment 'round here:))  Eddie is wanting to go--says they are requesting his paw prints on the Hollywood Walk of Fame...

I know.  I didn't know what to say either.

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"Cartolina #8"

Cartolina #8

Up the Hill in Panzano

The gelato high has cleared a bit, Eddie is on a one way ticket back to the states (courtesy the Italian government) and I am feeling almost local these days;)) 

 If only I could figure out how these savvy Italian gals manage to ride their bicycles in heels--- life would be practically perfect;)))

In my last post I suggested you get your name in the hat for the possible  drawing of  3 of the original watercolor postcards and then promptly provided you with a link ---that didn't work!  Crikey---let's just blame that on Eddie!! 

In order to make amends, I think the only right thing to do is to draw for one cartolina on this post and then do the grand finale for the other two next time.  

Fair is fair:))

And to sweeten the pot even more, I am gonna throw in a little something I picked up while in Florence.....and no, I am not referring to either Eddie OR the extra 5 pounds that seems to have found a new home on my hips;))

Obviously, I  am going to have to start behaving more local...

eat my fresh fruits and veggies

 get in some exercise riding the horses....

and hang some laundry.

Maybe then I can have some more of Mama's amazing cheesecake at the Trattoria Pandemonio;)

The photo here is of the equally amazing mousse.

Someone ate the cheesecake before I could get my camera in focus.....(when you said you liked cheesecake I didn't realize how serious of a "like" it was....)

  Eddie says  if no one sees you eat it,  then the calories don't count.

Of course this is the same cat who advised me to get a fanny pack for Italy, saying all the "smart dressed" women were wearing them.

Thanks Eddie.

So 1 winner, and 3 more chances to win (2 cartolinas and 1 surprise gift from Florence:)))

And after that.... oil paintings of Italy,  answers to some of the questions you have posed

 and more:))

Want your name in the hat one more time for the love of all things Italian??

Then click here to leave a comment or

click here to email me.

And no matter how it falls, consider yourself a winner.

I don't take just anybody to Italy --

they must be funny, interesting and willing to not let me eat alone---

you were awesome on all three:))))

And now for the winner of Cartolina #8...

 

Roseanne Campagna!!

Bellissimo!!!  Get your mailing address to me Roseanne--your cartolina awaits:)))!

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"Cartolina #7"

"Cartolina #7"

Farmacia in Certaldo

Bicycles abound in Italy---I decided I needed to get some exercise in---thank goodness for spandex;))  

Can you spot me in the crowd??

No??  Well, maybe you just need to look a little harder--could be your eyes are getting weak from gelatoitis....jus' sayin';)) 

As you know, antiquities

And trattorias 

Abound  in Italy--so much to paint!

Thank goodness my missing paintbrush finally turned up...

Walk softly and carry a big brush...you never know what you'll come upon that needs painting:)!

It has been a bit warm, so I figured you needed to cool down with one of the local drinks....

and some tiramisu...

Well, it's not my fault.  I tried to share with you, but doggone it, you just eat too slow!!

 I am curious.  Have you ever run into the BSS guy??

He's everywhere.  He poses  somewhere right in sight of the camera shot you are wanting, usually doesn't move and is ALWAYS wearing a Bold Striped Shirt.

Jus' wonderin'.

I mean, there is a real art to wearing a shirt that can actually make you look at it instead of the world famous Ponte Vecchio in Florence;))

Well, I am toying with the idea of drawing for the 3 remaining cartolinas from the response on this very blog post.  I mean, with Eddie running amuck here in Italy,  I am left to do it myself.  So it may be one grand finale post with 3 names announced.  I haven't decided for sure yet.  Sorry to be ambivalent, but I am not thinking too clearly these days, what with all the gelato, coffee, pastas and Eddies in my life.

So stay tuned and make sure to leave a comment on this blog post (click here) or email me (click here) to get your name in the hat:)))

And oh yeah---the winner for Cartolina #7 is...

Ruth Ann Sturgill!! 

Yippee Ruth Ann!!!  Send your address to me so I can pop it in the mail:))

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"Cartolina #6 --Still Havin' Fun!!"

Cartolina #6

"Certaldo"

Perhaps you are wondering what happened to me yesterday--

why I missed a day of posting here in Italy.  

Could it have been my internet connection??  Maybe just one to many gelatos were ingested??  

Or maybe I just hit overload on all the natural beauty surrounding me and had to sleep it off.  

Well it could have been any of those things except it wasn't.  

My day got a little derailed when I saw this hanging on a hillside in Italy...attempting to camouflage itself behind a spindly little tree.

Yep, you know who has made his way to Italy.  When Eddie stopped texting me to complain about the "quality" of his food, I realized  something was afoot.

How do I know it was him for sure?  I saw him first and called his name---to which he provided that instant head swivel of recognition-- before assuming the mask of "Oh, I'm Italian--I don't speak any English and my name is not Ed..."

Anyway, I was just to shaken to do the post yesterday, but have slept on it and realize there's nothing I can do.  Bad Boy Eddie is in Italy....God help the Italians....

In other news, I found us a car today.  If you can drive a standard, I think it has "Artists At Work" stamped all over it:))))

I had promised to not eat any gelato today but then I remembered YOLO!!!

YOLO--- You Only Live Once;)))

Besides, I knew when you started coughing and said you needed to go inside there to get a bottle of water that something was up. 

 Don't even try and lie to me-- I saw that single drop of tell-tale pistachio on your pants;)))

Also--found us a great spot for lunch tomorrow!!

With  a little bit of walking/climbing  involved;))  

And a nice view from the top...

I think you'll find it worth your time;))

The winner for Cartolina #6 is....

Tatjana Kaiser!!!  

Congrats Tatjana!!  Send your address along and I'll get your cartolina in the mail:)!!

The mail boxes are so pretty here that it seems like a crime to not be using snail mail:))  Get your name in the hat for Cartolina #7--leave a comment on this blog post (click here) or email me (click here):))

And no worries--when you get my auto vacation reply email, that means you're name is in for the drawing:))!

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"Cartolina #5"

"Cartolina #5"

Lunch in Panzano

On the way to lunch today I spied another potential place for us to hang out for a summer...or two.  I figure with an entrance like this, the house can't be too bad;))  

Is that you I see down there ahead of me on the path???  

Cypress and Terracotta =  Italy

Also spied some grapes.  And these aren't just any old grapes.  They are growing in the vineyards that originated THE Chianti wine that the entire region is known for!

Fresh flowers and a well worn table are too inviting to pass up....

Especially in a ristorante that has chef's hats "made by mamma"!

Cheese studded with pistachios, fresh bread and a soft cheese served with grape marmalade...

and crespelle  stuffed with ricotta and spinach:))

By now you may be wondering... where ARE the cats of Italy?

Well, some wander out in the afternoon and sit in the shade of the cypress trees.

Others have a habit of showing up for dinner at the pizza place.

 Then some are really into the night life of Tuscany;))

Whatever you do, do not share these photos with Eddie.  

The only way I was able to slide out and leave him in Kentucky was to tell him 

(1) that I needed him there in order to draw winning names for the cartolinas and 

(2) that Italian cats had a different look and then showed him this pic....

Worked like a charm;))

And the winner for today's cartolina, clawed out of the hat by Eddie,  is:

Elisabeth Phillipson!!!!

Yeah Elisabeth:)) Just email me with your snail mail address to receive your postcard!

Guess who's been mailing cartolinas???

We are at the half-way mark, with 5 more to go in the mail!

 Leave a comment on this blog post (click here) or email me (click here) to get your name in the hat for the next original watercolor postcard from Italy:))))!

And how cool is it that you can "take a friend to Italy" for free;))  Just forward them this blog post and they're in;))!
No ticket to buy, no long plane ride....and absolutely no calories to work off when returning home from gelato eating marathons....:)))

P.S.  I am enjoying the heck out of your comments and emails.  Funny, helpful , inspiring, fashion tips, what kinds of flavors of gelatos to try, reminders to call the pasta--pasta, not noodles---even Eddie has been getting an inordinate amount of mail.  Some with promises (good looking girly cats involved here) and others with connections in Sicily and threats of the "cat fathers".  Once I am back home, I will do my best to answer some of the questions that have come up most frequently--but 'til then, I have to stay on track with my gelato eating program.

So many flavors.
So little time;)

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"Another Day in Italy and Cartolina #4"

"Cartolina #4"

Greve in Chianti, Tuscany

From sunrise

to sunset

Tuscany is filled with the natural beauty of well tended grapevines and the silvery groves of olive trees.

I know, it's hard to see the sunset for the 4 gelatos blocking the view...

2 for me, 2 for you;)

Some artists will work for food.....

Ummmm....I would be one of those;))

So many pizzas, so little time....

dipped in the most amazing olive oil:)!

Today was the start of the wine festival in Greve.  There are vineyards everywhere, so naturally, so many local wines to sample---along with marvelous organic olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars:)!

Can I just say the Italians are a late bunch---as I write this (11 PM in Tuscany) there is much singing and laughter happening just across the street:)))  

On a warm, balmy night in September it's good to hear laughter and joy in the voices of those I will never meet.  

All is well :)))

 I just wish I had enough time to do cards for each of you.  

You inspire me---more than you know:))

In Other News:   Eddie has clawed another winning name from the hat....

Today's winner of the Cartolina #4 is.....

Jayne Waldrop!!!

So happy for you Jayne:))!--drop me an email with your snail mail address and look for your cartolina in the mail:)!

Still 6 more cartolina's to be mailed from Italy!

Eddie is anxiously waiting to draw your name;)  

Just leave a comment on the blog (click here) or drop me an email (click here) and your name will be in the hat;))! 

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