a weekend in rome, part 2

As I mentioned in part 1, we spent last weekend in Rome with my husband's family who live in an around the city.  He has one aunt who lives on a small farm in the hills outside of Rome.  We congregated at this beautiful spot for a family feast on Saturday afternoon.  Though this post is a little less about design and more about the good things in life, I thought you'd enjoy a look at the De Angelis farm and rural living in Italia...

The view from the farm yard...complete with sheep in the background.

Every farm needs a dog...this is Tobia

"Mummy, where the chickens go?"

Ah ha....hiding amongst the olives....

 

 Zia Piera has fruit trees, a grape arbour and a small olive grove from which she and her daughter Irene produce a wonderful olive oil.  Just enough to keep the whole family in supply...

A fig tree!  Bursting with fruit...

Thought they were grapefruit from a distance....nope, pomegranate!

The grape arbour - much to Elly's delight.

Olives will be ready for harvest in November!

 Zia Piera and Irene hosted us all and prepared enough food for an army...then loaded us up with farm fresh goodies to take home to Florence!

Potatoes roasted with rosemary...

...in the outdoor wood oven!

Slowing down after round one...really must remember there's always more to come!

Here's our haul: three litres of olive oil...fresh eggs....apricot preserves....and grapes for Elly.  Yum!

a weekend in rome, part 1

Now that we're feeling somewhat settled in Florence and my husband Sandro is about to start his culinary education, we decided to take a quick trip south for a visit with the family.  Sandro's aunts & uncles (zia's & zio's) and every one of his cousins and their children live in and around Rome.  With just three days and a lot of family to see, we skipped the usual tourist fare and settled quite happily for life as Italians live it...I thought you'd like a glimpse!

Sandro, Elly and I camped out for the weekend with cousin Antonella and her husband Lorenzo.  They live in the city, but well outside the hustle of the centre.  The day we arrived, Antonella recommended a children's park within walking distance of their appartment.  We found it easily, but what we discovered was a huge urban green space set in and around the archeological remains of a Roman Aqueduct. 

"Aqua Felice"

The Aqueduct up close...

   I was amazed at the size of the structure, but more so at our ability to get close to the ruins.  There are no guard rails or "stay off" signs.  In fact there are stairs provided to give you better access and pathways to move from one side to the other.  It's a beautiful marriage between history and modern necessity.  What better way to acknowledge and appreciate history than to play with your children, have a game of soccer or walk your dog along side it?  I'm sure for most Romans, the presence of ruins like these goes unnoticed in the day to day routine.  But when you're surrounded by this kind of aesthetic, I think you can't help but be inspired by it!

Inside the Aqueduct....complete with biking trails and a duck pond.  Bellissimo!

A support wall with stairs to get nice and close...

...from the top of the wall...

Playing field with Aqueduct in the background

my new muse

The first thing I want to show you is a building that for me, right now, is the most inspiring piece of architecture in Florence.  It's a building that most tourists don't even see.  Off the beaten path but right around the corner from our apartment is Piazza Santo Spirito.  This is Elly's favourite bird chasing spot and where we stop in the morning for fresh produce at the daily market.  There are also some great restaurants, a gelato spot and a fantastic pizzeria!  And presiding quietly over it all is the Basilica di Santa Maria del Santo Spirito.

The Basilica of Santo Spirito

This was Brunelleschi's final architectural project.  The design couldn't be more different from his better known work - Florence's Duomo, pictured below.  Where the pink and grey marble-clad Duomo looms large over the Florence city scape (but that's for a later post), this simple Basilica offers a peaceful and inviting lack of adornment tucked away in a quiet Florentine piazza.  

A glimpse of the Florence Duomo...and my handsome husband ;)

The Basilica has it's own Duomo, but the facade is the star of this show

The facade front and centre...diners in the foreground

  
I'm in love with the effortless serenity of this facade.  I want to create rooms that feel just like this!  Paired down, quiet, yet somehow glamorous.  The uncomplicated symmetry and sweeping curves are all it seems to need.  In a way, the bedroom of our rented apartment achieves this feeling....simple furnishings and artwork against pale pink plaster walls.  Maybe it's the light or maybe it's the exposed timber ceiling, but it gives me the same peacefulness I feel when I pass by the Basilica each morning.

Our spartan but peaceful bedroom

A whole new reality!

My family -- aka my husband Alessandro, our two year old daughter Elly and I -- arrived in Italy at the end of August (2012) to begin our year abroad.  Or as we refer to it, our "family adventure".  Maggie, our beloved chocolate labrodoodle is spending her year in the rockie mountains and from the looks of things so far, not missing us a bit.

Maggie, swimming in a mountain lake

Home base for us is Firenze, Italia.  Sandro speaks the language...I'm embarking on an intenesive immersion program....and Elly is newly enrolled in an Italian pre-school.  She'll be fluent before I am - that's certain.

We've spent the past two weeks getting the lay of the land.  Sandro knows where to get the best produce and prosciutto.  Elly has been introduced to gelato (there's no going back now!).  

...nothing better

I on the other hand, have been amassing a camera full of amazing doors - beautiful tiled floors - aesthetic compositions - inspiring structures...and the list goes on.  As a designer, Florence is a wonderland!  This blog will share my observations, thoughts and inspiration from my wanderings throughout this beautiful city.  And of course, plenty of pictures!

As this is just an introduction, I'll leave off with a few pictures of a newfound pleasure.  Elly chasing birds in Piazza Santo Spirito.  She truly believes she'll catch one if she just keeps at it....

On the hunt...

"That was fun mamma!"

Contemplating her attack strategy