Olive oil, wine tastings and Vespa's... can it get any more Italian?!

Only a few more weeks of our 2022 season to go and it has certainly flown by!  We have had the most amazing year with some wonderful guests and five star reviews which we are, of course, very proud of.

Lots of our groups have been to the Ravagni olive oil tour and tasting plus lunch which takes place just a few minutes drive from Casa Leana.  Francessco, the owner, collects our guests (if required) and drives them to the venue which allows everyone to have a few glasses of wine (included in the price).  Fran is a wonderful character and is a great guy to spend the afternoon with - one of my favourite things to do while staying at Casa Leana, such a fun experience.  CL guests this year have also been enjoying yoga down by the pool, bike rides, spa days not to mention wine tastings with the lovely Claudia at the San Fabiano vineyard in Arezzo. 

Next week a couple of our group have booked a masseuse and are planning a cookery class with one of the chefs in Anghiari.  There is so much to do here although many of our groups just hang out around the pool with a couple of trips to the local towns and villages for ice cream, cakes and a few nights out to the wonderful family run restaurants.

Leigh's family have been out for a couple of weeks this month which has seen us visiting lots of cake shops and ice cream parlours again not to mention more clothes purchases - I now have my summer wardrobe sorted for the rest of this year and next.  As Leigh often says, "how many baggy summer trousers does one woman need?!" Ha ha.. Baggy trousers and hats have been an ongoing trend for me for a few years now - I've even got a pink hat now which I love.. Not sure how many times I will be brave enough to wear it though!  

Lots of events in the local area in September, the palio (flag throwing and horses galloping!) and antiques market in Arezzo, another palio in Sansepolcro and a vintage Vespa get together in and around Anghiari. 

I really like using the fruit and vegetables that come from the Casa Leana garden.  I remember at the end of one year we had a huge amount of left over green tomatoes and I madechutney.  It was delicious but we've never had that many left over since so I haven't done that for a few years now.  However, there are always plenty of apples so we have been picking mountains of them over the last few weeks and we now have plenty to freeze in readiness to make apple crumbles for the winter, one of our favourite comfort foods.  

You may have noticed that I haven't mentioned cycling for quite some time now.  We have had so many visitors both here in our own house and at Casa Leana that we just haven't found the time or the energy to be honest!  I plan to start in earnest next month once our last visitor has left. Otherwise I won't be able to fit into all the fabulous clothes I have been buying by next summer!  Ha ha.

Well, I think that's it for the month.  Grape, olives and chesnut picking in October.  Always things happening here in Tuscany, we feel very lucky.  

Have a good weekend everyone.

D I A N A   xxx