Greve in Chianti Retreat
My friend, Aubrey Sanchez, who lives in my neighborhood back home in Idaho Falls, hosted a "Beauty and Connections" retreat here in Italy this past week. It was located in a gorgeous area of Tuscany, called Greve in Chianti. (Greh-veh en Kee-AHN-tee) Aubrey is an interior design major and owns her own business, plus she minored in Italian and did a 3-month internship in Italy several years ago. She wanted to create a space where people could connect to Italy, to their culture and their mindset, and then couple that with learning about yourself and what brings you joy so that you can design more purposeful spaces in your life (a room, a nightstand, a hangout spot, or a wardrobe, for example).
I really didn't know what to expect, but I was invited to be Aubrey's "assistant", so I was happy to tag along and see what I might learn at the same time. It turned out to be an amazing week and I am so glad that I went!
On Sunday, I picked up Catherine at the Vicenza train station. She flew all the way in from Cyprus, first to her hometown of Salzburg, and then she took a train down to explore Venice for a day. Later, she made her way by train to Vicenza so I could drive her down to the retreat with me. We talked and talked for hours as we drove south toward Florence and we learned a great deal about each other's backgrounds.
We picked up Andrea at the Florence Airport and continued on our way to the villa together, all crammed together with our luggage in my little white Ceat Leon car. Andrea lives in the Boise, Idaho area and this was her first time flying over to Europe.
The area south of Florence was incredible!! It reminded me of the Napa Valley, but much more expansive and vast. At one point, as I was driving along a somewhat curvy two-lane road out in the countryside, Catherine wanted to take a photo out her passenger window. I saw a large pullout just ahead, so I slowed down to steer off the main road. Just as I was pulling off the road and onto the large patch of dirt, I realized that something horrible was about to happen. And then it was like it was all happening in slow motion . . . the dropoff from the road to the shoulder was incredibly incompatible. The edge of the road was a good 8-10 inches TALLER than the dirt patch . . . and then, sure enough, as I pulled off the "cliff", I heard a little scraaaape of something underneath the car, and we all just kind of exhaled nervously as soon as I brought the car to a stop.
Everything appeared to be okay, thankfully, and we think maybe it just scraped somewhere that didn't matter so much, but oh my goodness, that could have been disastrous!! The ladies got a couple of photos of the countryside, and then we found a portion at the far end of the dirt patch that wasn't so disproportionate, which allowed me to pull back up onto the road without any further issues.
These were the views as we arrived at the villa just outside of Greve in Chianti a few minutes later.
As soon as I shared these photos with Scott, his response was: "You better come home." LOL
We were the last ones to arrive, but we received a lovely tour with several suites to choose from. This villa was huge, with MANY rooms. I chose this one because of the views and the opportunity to relish in the sunrises along with the abundant early morning sunshine. I had a bedroom, a "living room" area, and a spacious bathroom.
During our tour of the villa, Michelle (our guide) mentioned that there was an explorer named Verrazzano who helped discover parts of the U.S. and who also used to live in this same house! He was born in Tuscany in 1485 and received his education in the Florence area before enlisting in the French Navy to then go explore the world.
He and his crew mapped the entire Atlantic Coast, and there is even a bridge named after him in New York City. Sadly, he encountered a most unfortunate ending in 1528 during one of his expeditions. They anchored off the shores of the Lesser Antilles (a group of small Caribbean islands), where he was captured, killed and eaten by cannibals!!
I couldn't remember his name after the tour, so I googled him later that day. Below is one of the responses that I found.
A portion of it says: He was the first documented European to enter New York Harbor and the Hudson River.
Something we realized when discussing Verrazzano later that day is that when he lived here in the early 1500's, the house was already 500 years old!!
Video of the outdoor space where we spent most of our time: (18 seconds)
Video overlooking the pool space: (11 seconds)
- What places in our home bring us the most joy? And why? Is it the calmness of the room, or the vibrant energy of the room? Is it the colors? The smells? Is it the textures that we are drawn to, such as - is it soft, or rough, wood, or metal? Is there a taste involved that we really enjoy?
- What places in our home tend to stress us the most? And why? Is it the clutter, or the lack of purpose for the space? Is it the colors? The smells? Is it the lack of textures that we crave and enjoy? Is there a taste involved that we dislike? Is it too noisy? Or too quiet?
And then, she had us open our eyes and jot down all the things that we could recall.
I jumped back to Grandpa Linton and Grandma Lillian's front porch swing at their ranch on Helen Avenue in Ukiah, CA. That was a happy place for me. The notes I jotted down were:
"The wooden slats, the fresh air, the gentle swinging motion. The sense of freedom and not having a care in the world. The feeling of safety and protection and love. A feeling of belonging and that life is good. Bright sunlight. Colors are white (house) and green (yard and trees). I see trees, flowers, birds. Stillness."
Next she asked us to do the same exercise again, but this time to visualize a favorite place - one that we return to often. It was much more broad, so it took me a minute to slim it down, but for some reason I ended up with the Ukiah Cemetery, of all places! It really is a beautiful place and I have been there many times. Plus, I have 4 generations buried there, all the way back to my 3rd great grandparents.
These are the notes I jotted down afterwards: "Still, quiet, peaceful. The air is fresh and woodsy. Green trees, brown earth and tree trunks, white stones. I feel calm. I feel connected. I feel happy and that I belong. I matter. I see flowers, trees, deer. I see names of my family who are no longer here, but who are very much alive. They love me. The textures are dirt, rocks, shrubs, gravel, pavement. Clean lines. Organized plots and spaces. Filtered light through the trees."
The third and final exercise she had us do, was even more broad. She was trying to move us more into the abstract. She asked us to visualize what we love about ourselves: our body (what are we feeling right now - are we warm, cold, antsy, calm), our mind, our abilities, qualities we appreciate about ourself, etc.
This one was harder, for sure, but this is what I jotted down after we opened our eyes: "I am warm. Calm, but also full of energy. I can be still, but I am itching to move at the same time. I feel happy, tired, and calm. I love my friendly personality and my ability to draw others in. I love that I am positive and cheerful. I love that I love to understand myself and the world around me."
Something that I found fascinating is how she quoted Brene Brown: "Fitting in is the opposite of belonging." Oftentimes, we sacrifice something about ourselves in order to fit in. We think that by fitting in, we will feel like we belong. But that just isn't true. When we strive to fit in, we are hiding our true self and therefore we cannot fully belong because it's not our authentic self. We have to learn to love ourself enough to be true to ourself no matter where we are and no matter who we are with. Then we can feel like we truly belong.
We had an enlightening discussion about Beauty and what constitutes Beauty. Everyone attending this retreat has come with some sort of trauma in their past that they are still working through to some extent. One person shared how she suffers from PTSD, autism, sensory issues, and recovering from being homeless for a time. She said, "Everyone should get to have beauty and beautiful things. It shouldn't matter if you're poor or wealthy. Poor people need beauty in their lives, too."
On a different day, during a workshop, she expanded on that point by sharing how a simple plant helped her tremendously in a very difficult time of her life. Their family of five was living in a very small RV, a donated RV, one that they couldn't renovate or improve because it wasn't theirs. The RV was dumpy and rundown and the space was cramped and stressful. They were living next to family on the same land, so they were able to go back and forth between the RV and the house each day. At one point, she decided to plant a flower in a little pot and she set it right next to the steps going up into the RV. Whenever she entered or exited the RV, she would take notice of the beautiful flower in its pot, and the watering can next to it that reminded her to water it each day. As she did this repeatedly, she noticed that this small item of "beauty" provided a sanctuary experience for her. She felt reassured, she felt calm and strengthened at the same time. This plant became a symbol of strength, continuity, stability, and sturdiness in her life. It gave her hope for her future.
Aubrey shared how while she was growing up, she absolutely hated to wash the dishes. She despised and detested the chore. But as an adult and a mother of 5 children, she had to figure out a way to make her peace with doing the dishes. One thing that helped her was to slow down and not feel like it's a job that needs to be rushed. Another thing she did was to buy a fancier dish soap that smells amazing. Now she enjoys the experience, because she does it slowly (so it's more relaxing) and she enjoys the floral scent as she washes the dishes, too.
Can you think of something you don't really enjoy in your life? Whether it's a situation or circumstance, or a task that you despise . . . Now, how can you make that experience or that task more enjoyable? How can you incorporate something beautiful into that "space" so that you can feel more relaxed, more fulfilled, and more joyful?
We had chef-catered meals each day, which is fabulous. It IS a lot of food, though. Two days into the retreat, I was already needing to slow down on the amount of food I was consuming. I usually just eat a solid 2 meals a day, and something really light for the 3rd meal (like 1/2 an apple with PB in it, or a few crackers and a slice of cheese).
This was lunch on Monday: Salad, tuna, sundried tomato, a tiny bit of pasta & melted cheese, burrata (sort of like fresh mozzarella but softer and creamier on the inside), and some strawberries and cream.
Once everyone else started arriving at the pool, I decided to tuck my notebook away and just engage with the other guests. We had a very lively discussion about politics, religion, the state of the world, and the LGBTQ+ community. One lady has a child who is non-binary, which means they do not identify as a male OR a female. She refers to her son as "They" or "Them". They are 19 years old and have been struggling this past week. A situation in their personal life caused their mental state to become critical very quickly. She was trying to navigate and prevent a possible suicide, at the same time as trying to take care of herself at this retreat and balance everything out. Her husband was doing all he could back home in her absence, and thankfully, they are doing better now. But she was very worried about this fragile situation. My heart truly went out to her, because this was not an easy thing to go through. We all rallied around her, offering support and hugs when needed. She is really so sweet.
Video of Simona letting us know that we were now entering the hunting area: (11 seconds)
Right away, the doggies smelled a truffle and started digging at the spot. Lucca went over to finish the job. He had to either distract or push the dogs out of the way a little bit so they don't EAT the truffle, ha ha.
Video of the dogs finding their first truffle of the day: (28 seconds)
Video of Lucca and Simona explaining that this area is not suitable for the white truffle, but there are a few other types of truffles to be found here: (22 seconds)
Sometimes the doggies located the scent of a truffle, but then Lucca couldn't find anything. He would dig around a little bit, or push the dirt around a little bit to get the dogs engaged in the hunt once again. This is what happened in the forest at one point.
Video of initial success, then a disoriented pause, then ACTUAL success: (42 seconds)
We also found out at the end of our hike that Lucca lives in this beautiful home across the way. It's slightly on the right in the center of the photo below. (click to enlarge)
We drove an hour back to our villa, on curvy country roads and through two or three little villages on the way. The ladies did surprisingly well, considering how squished they all were in the back seat . . .
Lunch consisted of smoked salmon, salad, a tiny portion of penne pasta, and a little eggplant thing rolled up with cheese inside. Buon apetito! Of course, there were always many more things for each meal, but I skipped many of them because of the carbs. There were always slices of bread, pasta, more bread, and more pasta, for those who like those tasty options.
After a much-needed shower, a little bit of quiet time, and another workshop with Aubrey, we began a cooking class wtih Gabriele in the villa's main kitchen. You can see Nashan tidying up a few things in the next photo, and then Gabriele is in the following photo standing next to Aubrey.
You break a long cookie in half, dip each half into the juice and then place them into your serving dish. Add some spoonsful of the cream, and then repeat until you fill the dish.
Video of Gabriele's Tiramisu demonstration: (33 seconds)
For the finishing touch, we sprinkled some dark cacao on top, with a little garnish (mint leaf or a tiny flower). I liked Gabriele's technique for the cacao: he put a little bit of cacao powder into a small mesh sieve and let it sort of sift through the tiny holes. When the content got low, he would use a small spoon to press the last bit of cacao out through the sieve.
Our finished tiramisu desserts . . . mine is marked with the mint leaf to differentiate it from the coffee ones.
Once the dough is rolled out VERY thin, you roll it up into a little "log", and then slice it evenly into whatever width you want for your pasta noodles.
Demonstration video by Catherine, one of the guests at our retreat: (24 seconds)
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9NDR7QShWUEqTzrx6
My favorite part was after the dough was all sliced up, then you get to "fluff" the sliced pasta. It was so fun!!
Video of Catherine fluffing her pasta: (19 seconds)
Meanwhile, the eggplants were done baking. Gabriele used a spoon to sort of "chop up" the centers of each half, to prepare it for the pasta sauce and cheese to go on top. He explained that this would allow it to absorb more of the toppings and incorporate them into the meat of the eggplant.
Video of Gabriele chopping: (6 seconds)
Video of Gabriele spooning the sauce on: (9 seconds)
Our appetizers consisted of prosciutto, salami, cheeses, fruits, olives, marinated tomato slices, and my favorite - tiny little red onions that had been soaked in balsamic vinegar. We also had bruschetta, with a variety of toppings. The little dollop of white on my bread in the photo below was an interesting mix of lard and truffles, according to Gabriele. Some people LOVE the taste of truffles. For me, it's more like I "tolerate" them, ha ha. They are kind of strong, with a garlicky hint. I do love garlic, but truffles are just, well . . . different. I enjoyed the truffle hunting experience more than how they tasted.
Wednesday, April 17th: After our morning yoga and breakfast, we had another workshop with Aubrey. She mentioned several books, which included:
- "On Our Best Behavior", by Elise Loehnen. Something that Aubrey had posted on Facebook before she left Idaho for this trip to Italy was this book. The author taught that often we get jealous and envious of others' seemingly good fortunes, as if we can't have those same things for ourselves. We live in an abundant universe. There is enough beauty available for each of us and it is not a competition. In fact, if we see something that we would love for ourselves, we can work towards that and have it, too. We may not have that exact same thing, but we can make a similar goal and then create steps to accomplish that thing. In the book, the author also mentions how we sometimes self-sabotage when life actually does get good. We may look for evidences and proof that we don't deserve _______. We may create a "comfort zone" of anger, or create a constant survival mode for ourselves because it's predictable, or because we are more comfortable denying ourselves of what we truly deserve - and CAN HAVE.
- "The Big Leap", by Gay Hendricks. "Fear is excitement, without the breath." When we're afraid, we tend to inhale sharply, curl up or coil up, and draw ourselves inward. We are tense, and pulled inward. When we are excited or happy, we exhale or even let out a big WOOHOO. We might punch the air - "Yahoooo!!" or jump up and down. We are more open with our body and more outward in our expressions. The author talks about taking a leap of faith into the unknown, because of the potential for growth and adventure and increased joy. Instead of staying in a constant state of what is predictable and comfortable, however stressful or unsatisfying that may be, we can face our fears and take that first step into the unknown.
- "A Pattern Language", by Christopher Alexander. This was a book created by architects who wanted to understand patterns through the history of time in how people built common living spaces (a.k.a. homes). They looked for patterns of how, why, and where people gathered in homes and other buildings. They found some interesting threads of consistency in these places through the centuries and noted that many of those commonalities would have brought a sense of comfort and joy. We can also apply these same principles in our current situations, looking for strengths, comforts, and joys that draw us to a room in our home. We might be drawn to a happy memory from our childhood, maybe a room that made us feel peaceful and loved. What was it about that space that made you feel that way? Do you have a similar space that you have created for yourself in your current home environment? Do you notice any similarities?
It was a very enlightening workshop that morning. I took some notes, but mostly I just listened in awe as Aubrey taught us so many things. She has such a wealth of knowledge and understanding when it comes to creating meaningful spaces.
As we sat down to lunch, the clouds above us were absolutely massive and crisply white. So stunning!
Video of our lunch buffet: (20 seconds)
I usually just sampled about 25% of whatever was being offered, on account of all the carbs. :)
After lunch, we walked into Greve in Chianti for an afternoon/evening field trip. It started raining almost immediately and rained the entire 2 km that we walked into town, but then it cleared up and it was lovely for the rest of the day.
Aubrey, Laura, and Andrea walking down the lane . . .
Photo credit: Daron Barnes
I loved seeing all the light purple irises that were blooming across the street. After I took the photo, I saw an elderly man in the upper right window of his house. I waved to him and he waved back. I indicated my appreciation of his beautiful flowers by pointing to them and then giving him two thumbs up. He smiled and waved again.
The main piazza of Greve in Chianti has sort of a triangular shape, with quaint shops lining all three sides of the triangle.
The floral shop had such vibrant blooms!! I wanted to scoop them all up and take them all home.
This boar came to an unfortunate end, and now he marks the entrance of the butcher shop . . .
The butcher has a really cool car parked in front of his shop, too . . .
Some Google Translation of the events for Wednesday, April 17th . . . (click photo to enlarge)
I wandered slowly through the piazza and its shops, while the rest of the group had an appointment nearby for some wine & cheese tasting.
Seen both above and below, the courthouse is the browner building on the left. The Tourist Info office was inside the building on the right. I noted the US flag flying in front, probably to welcome the small delegation of Americans who had come to participate in the festivities. A lady inside the tourist information office verified the location for me of where the parade would be starting shortly.
This is the statue of Verrazzano located in a corner of the piazza, and where the parade would lead to shortly.
Video of the band playing some jazzy music: (41 seconds)
https://photos.app.goo.gl/geP3875KQTxPggeaA
Giovanni da Verrazzano . . .
On the Tourist Info building, I noticed the large symbols painted on its exterior:
"Take Two" -
Once the delegations got situated inside the gates around the statue, there were some speeches by some important people. The mayor of Greve in Chianti, Paolo Sottani, spoke first. He was followed by a couple of other mayors of nearby towns. The US Consul General, Daniela Ballard, also spoke. I will share the link to her speech below, because she spoke in paragraphs of both Italian and English. She works in Florence at the US Consulate there. How do I know this? Because I walked over to greet her afterwards and we had a nice chat. I told her that my husband was serving up in Vicenza and she knew right where that was and who the Consulate representative was for the Vicenza area. She also thanked us for our service and was very friendly and professional.
I got a couple of embroidered towels at a little shop along the piazza while I waited for everyone else to return from the wine & cheese tasting. We ordered some pizza at Caffe Le Logge Ristorante Pizzeria and everyone swapped stories and photos from the afternoon.
The "Quattro Stagioni" pizza had mozzarella, proscuitto, mushrooms, artichokes, and black olives. The olives have PITS in them, even on a pizza, so you have to take care to not chomp down, ha ha.
This is a classic Margherita pizza with just sauce, mozzarella, and fresh basil.
For dessert, some of us ordered cheesecake, while some ordered "profiteroles".
They are essentially cream puffs with chocolate drizzled over the top, but an interesting fun fact is that they had their origins in Italy, NOT France.
Thursday, April 18th: After yoga and breakfast, we had a little free time, which was nice. I got a Shiatsu massage from Michelle, our yoga instructor, and worked on my blog before lunch.
That evening was our "Fancy Night". We had been invited to bring something to wear that made us feel fancy, whatever that might be. I brought the sequined dress that I had borrowed from Marnie, and in that Tuscany villa setting, I felt like a million bucks.
Me and Laura - the green twins . . .
Aubrey, Laura, and Me . . .
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Another view of the outdoor photography "studio" . . .
Meanwhile, dinner was set up indoors due to the cold weather . . .
Brooke and Daron . . .
Brooke is Aubrey's younger sister and she is truly an amazing woman. She has been through a lot in her young life, but somehow found a way to rise from the ashes. She is an aspiring musician and has written several songs, some are catchy and fun, while others are inspiring and offer light and hope.
Champagne was poured and toasts were made (mine was water). We truly witnessed something magical that evening. Not only were we on a high from Brooke's performances (she also sang 3 other songs that meant a great deal to her), but we were also full of gratitude for Aubrey for allowing us to come and have this amazing opportunity. We were each aware and very appreciative of the inner growth that we had experienced so far, and we were all filled with the hope that as we go back to our homes, we can continue on that same upward trajectory.
I didn't eat any of the appetizers ("antipasti" in Italian) because I still wasn't very eager to eat yet. The offerings were olives, peanuts, and something else . . . I can't remember.
The band asked someone to take their photo, so I figured why not join in on the photo shoot, ha ha.
The snail says, "Commune di Greve in Chianti. 25 years of 'cittaslow'. (Slow city)" (A relaxed place)
The black rooster is a symbol of the region, but is also included on all the bottles of Chianti wine. On the building it adds that "Chianti Classico" has been around since 1716.
To learn more about the cute legend of the black rooster, you can visit the Chianti website:
Almost ready for the parade . . . while the band still kept everyone entertained: (33 seconds)
Parade begins - "Take One": (30 seconds)
There was a lady that was clearly in charge of all the details this whole time. As the band started their march, she ran up to stop them because someone had forgotten to carry the cardboard cutout of Verrazzano over to the statue area first. LOL
Video of the little parade from the office buildings over to the Verrazzano statue: (27 seconds)
Final steps arriving at the Verrazzano statue: (28 seconds)
Before the main speeches, the band played both the U.S. National Anthem and the Italian National Anthem. It was so cool to hear the US anthem being played on Italian soil, and also it was super cool that I was standing so close to the band!
U.S. Anthem: (1 minute, 16 seconds)
Italian Anthem: (1 min, 43 seconds)
Link to the Mayor's speech: (2 min, 35 seconds)
I could pick out a few phrases that he was connecting between Verrazzano arriving in America in 1524 and the relationship that Tuscany has built with New York and the U.S. since then.
Link to the Consul General's speech: (2 min, 29 seconds)
Those in attendance numbered 80 people (give or take), which was pretty good for a small town. It felt SO COOL to have stumbled upon something so special and patriotic for both our countries.
Final song by the band: *SEE IF YOU RECOGNIZE IT (2 minutes)
Clockwise from bottom left: Andrea, Catherine, Me, Brooke, Daron, Laura, and Aubrey
Photo credit: Andrea Andrus
Here is the fun fact:
While profiteroles likely existed beforehand, they first made an appearance in recorded history in Francois Rabelais’ book Gargantua, penned in the 1500s. And while profiteroles are now considered to be a classic French pastry, they actually had their origins in Italy. When Catherine de Medici, of Italy, married King Henry II, of France, the Queen made sure to bring her chefs with her. While the texture was a bit different from what we’re familiar with now, Catherine’s chefs prepared their version of profiteroles for the royals and their court, and thus, the pastry was introduced in French culture, which they would later go on to perfect.
After a delightful dinner and delicious dessert, we began our walk home as twilight settled in and the moon watched over us from above.
Photo credit for photo below: Daron Barnes
After so many food options during the week, I started to not be hungry. When lunchtime arrived, I was NOT READY. I was happy to see that there was a lentil soup, and I served myself a small piece of bruschetta and a small square of a spinach-filled pastry. I didn't like the pastry or the bruschetta (it had anchovies on it), so I just focused on the soup and that was plenty for me!
Aubrey hired a professional photographer for a couple of days so the retreat could be documented for future bookings. He was VERY thorough, ha ha, and it felt like we were subjects of the paparazzi. He was super nice and very friendly. He was also young and very handsome. :)
We each took turns with the photographer before dinner. A light rain started to sprinkle outside, so we found a covered outdoor area instead. It was very chilly, so when it wasn't our turn for pictures, we huddled in blankets and visited and took a few selfies.
Photo credit: Laura Fitzsimmons
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She shared with us that as she began to emerge from a period in her life where she felt suicidal, she noticed how the sunrise each morning kept her going. It was consistent, and it offered light to her soul. She wrote a song called "Sunrise" and it will be available on Spotify, iTunes, and all the major music sites on APRIL 24th. Her profile for her music will be under "Dessa Skye".
She also performed "Sunrise" for all of us on Thursday evening. It was so moving. I found myself crying, both from sadness that she had had such a dark time in her life, but I also felt joy that she had found a way out and a way up from her pit of despair.
After she finished singing, her sister Aubrey ran over to embrace her. What a special moment for them to share together.
But I DO remember this . . . Parmigiana. Oh. My. Land. Mom, I'm so sorry, but your eggplant parmesan has finally found its match!! I have sampled several varieties of this around the world and nobody has ever come close to my mom's version. Until now. Wowzers. This dish had circular slices of eggplant stacked up, with a little bit of Parmesan cheese in between the layers. A drizzle of olive oil plus the Pepe Rosa (pink peppercorns) added a burst of flavor, as well.
I found a couple of options that might provide a replica of what we ate in Tuscany. The first link is a YouTube video with Lidia Bastianich, a famous Italian chef. Her video is about 4 minutes long, and she demonstrates the process for Parmigiana nicely, even though she sliced her eggplants lengthwise.
The second link is for a recipe from an Italian couple. The shape of their stacks is closer to what we ate, and they provide all of the ingredients, too.
This was our second course, or main dish: Sea Bass. The chef showed it to us first, and then he proceeded to portion it out onto plates for us.
Photo credit: Andrea Andrus
L to R: Laura, Aubrey, Brooke, Daron, Me, Catherine, and Andrea
Photo credit for the next 3 photos: Andrea Andrus
The three of us also made a grand entry with "Dancing Queen" by ABBA: (2 min, 44 seconds)
I've never been to a high school reunion, but I imagine that this is what it would be like!
Friday, April 19th: After yoga and breakfast, we were all on different schedules for the day. If we weren't having a massage, we were meeting one-on-one with Aubrey to discuss whatever questions and/or plans we wanted to implement once we got back home.
The studio where Michelle administered her healing massages was really beautiful.
Before I drove away, I made a video testimonial on Aubrey's i-Pad. She really wants to market the success of this retreat so that she can do more retreats in the near future.
In my 2-minute video, I summarized my experience, which I will try to recall:
- I learned that beauty exists in many places and forms, and that there is enough beauty in this world for everyone, rich or poor.
- Beauty exists in flowers (our floral arranging class)
- It exists in food (colors, textures, aromas, tastes)
- Beauty exists in our surroundings (whether it's an Italian countryside, or a back yard in Idaho)
- It exists in our relationships (we can learn much from each other if we just take the time)
- Beauty exists in relaxation and pampering (anyone can replicate elements from this retreat - whether you choose to do yoga or to dress up for a self-made fancy dinner at home)
- It exists in nature (truffle hunting or even just looking around at the flowers coming into season and noticing the birds singing out your window)
- Beauty even exists in the weather (we had sunny days, moody and cloudy days, cold and rainy days)
- I gained confidence in how to design a specific space in my home that has been a big stressor (our home office back in Idaho Falls)
- I gained confidence in my abilities. I gained new friends. I gained a new motivation to forge ahead because I have more understanding now.
Saturday, April 20th: Scott and I spent a nice relaxing day together. We slept in, we did 3 loads of laundry together and hung it on the drying rack upstairs on the terrace, we ran a couple of errands, and then we made a special birthday dinner for Scott. He wanted salmon, mussels, and green beans.
Here is the recipe we used:
Hot, steamy mussels on a chilly spring night in Italy: (6 seconds) YUM!!
In the next post: Amsterdam and millions of bloomin' tulips!!
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