Ok......let the stories begin!!

 just have to write about last night...........even before the first day of the trip!  Why, you ask?  Because there was such a sensual explosion that if I don't write about it right now, I'm going to pop!

We left Lucca....and the girls from retreat - it ended Friday night - and traveled to Vicopisano.  It is about 15 miles from Pisa, 30 from Lucca.  Everyone asked why did I want to go to such an out of the way, small place?  Well, online many months ago, I found this apt and began communicating with owner, Marie.  We developed a friendship and once I saw pics of her place, I just knew.  I also knew that I would have just spent the previous 9 days with 9 other women ... and "quiet" would be perfect to hang for a few days.  We arrived here about 3 yesterday afternoon and by 4, I had spent an hour with Marie and knew this was a great decision.  Hoping the pics show you how precious that apt is......

 

the loggia (sun room) with its view!

view outside the window in sitting room

We were so exhausted when we got here that we both took naps until 7:50 pm!!  which turned out to be a very good thing because our "concierge dinner" was last night and we didn't get home until  1 am.  That's how they eat here.....franco, the chef, picked us and Marie up at 8:30 and we literally ate until 1am!!  And a dining experience it was!  Franco is friends with the owner of the restaurant and they showed us 5star treatment.  First of all, every single thing was to die for. And there were lots of courses, with franco and marie translating and teaching us everything to know about tuscan dining.

Let me just tell you in words what we ate and then I'll show you
~the welcome soup....tomato based seasoned perfectly and thickenen with bread
~vegetable fritatta pieces
~chicken live bruchette...yum
~a tomato/cheese spread for bread
~square linquine pasta with fresh mushroom sauce
~rigotoni with roasted eggplant
THEN THE MAIN COURSE COMES OUT:
~fried zuchini flowers
~and a 3-4 inch bone in steak that they are famous for.  No, boyfriend, it wasn't as tasty as yours but after 2 weeks of hardly any meat....it was awesome!
~Dessert platter with tiramisu and about 4 different kinds of cookies
OH AND DID I MENTION THE WINE?  Began with the house red with their own label, then a sparkling chilled red with the meat and dessert wine to finish the meal.

 

When I say we literally rolled out, I mean it!  But we rolled to the wine cellar that the owner took us to below the restaurant and were taught about every kind of wine they own.....including a 5,000 dollar bottle!!

For those of you who know Lisa and I well................you can only imagine the looks on our faces the whole entire night.....in heaven, I tell ya!

Today, we explored the town, visiting the towers and getting lost walking to find a lunch spot.  But guess what?  By getting lost, we ended up walking right thru Tuscan fields of sunflowers and olive trees! It was beautiful.  My hubbs told me that "the difference between and adventure and an ordeal is the attitude"......and he was right.  Because soon after I got some gorgeous photography, we walked right up to the place we were looking for!!  Magnifico!!
Tomorrow is our cooking class with Franco and the shopping trip for ingredients.  Very excited for that and to taste the final product.  I feel like a great big ol' bottle of olive oil!!!!