We’ve just returned from a wedding at a villa in Umbria, and the desire to return is real! We spent a week lounging in the sun, drinking wine and eating delicious local food, swimming, playing with nieces and nephews, and making new friends.

My husband’s family is scattered all over, so this destination wedding was a way to bring us all together in an absolutely stunning part of Italy.

Villa Baroncino is in Umbria, just minutes from the border of Tuscany, down a long driveway and  atop a hill, minutes from the local town, but secluded from any sort of noise or traffic.

Italian Villa

Due to flights from Ireland and the two hour drive from Rome, we arrived at almost midnight. The next morning I couldn’t wait to open my eyes to explore the villa.

The drive up the gated driveway got me every time. It was just so beautiful and grand.

Villa in Italy

Views of nearby Lake Trasimeno greeted us every morning. The lake is great spot for swimming, kayaking, running, or having an aperitivo. More on that later!

Lake Trasimeno

Villa Baroncino sleeps 50 people, which makes it perfect for a wedding. Large families can all stay in the same spot, and its privacy and distance from any roads meant the kids in the family could run free.

We were in Villa #7, a studio-type room which included a small kitchen. The main villa building also has a kitchen that is stocked with all of the dishes, glasses, etc. you could need.

travel to Italy

The view to the right as we exited our room was of the pool and the eternally blue, cloudless sky.

villa in Italy

Our room was beautiful and comfortable. It came with air conditioning, but due to the stone structure, ceiling fan, and window covers, it was always naturally cool. There were times when I was a little cold in the mornings, despite it being hot and sunny outside.

Italian Wedding Villas. The bedroom of Suite villa 7.

Photo via Villa Baroncino

Villa Baroncino

Two saltwater pools kept us busy all day and into the night, and plenty of lounge chairs made it easy to find a spot to soak up the sunshine. . . and there was so much of it! The weather in Italy was truly perfect when we were there.

Villa pool

Umbria

The villa grounds were like something out of a movie. Grape vines, beautiful flowers, and plenty of green everywhere added to the feeling that we were far away from the rest of the world. It was a place to truly connect with nature while also being surrounded by rustic luxury.

vineyard   

Staying in the villa meant that we could cook our own meals, and two fire pit barbeques were perfect for grilling for our big group. I know a ton of planning went into all of us getting to the villa to enjoy the week and a beautiful wedding reception on the property, and I would say we all found it well worth it.

I can’t wait to share our day trips in Tuscany, the wineries we visited, and the food we ate along the way. Stay tuned!

Tags: Italy, Travel, travel blog, Umbria, villa

We’ve loved life in Dorchester for 11 years now, and while we always had a few restaurant favorites, the restaurant scene in the past year has grown like crazy. The Industry on Adams in bustling Adams Village is our new obsession. . . since they opened about a month ago we have been in five times!

Why do we love it?

First of all, it’s beautifully appointed; it definitely has an old Boston look and feel while also being chic and modern. It feels like it’s always been there.

Second, the staff is great. Everyone is super friendly and engaging, no matter how busy they are, and we like going in just to chat with them.

gin cocktails

And then there are the cocktails. They have an extensive selection of whiskeys, in addition to all sorts of other spirits, wines, and beers, and they’re always experimenting with new cocktails. The above grapefruit and gin with a salt simple syrup was simply amazing.

oysters

Every meal we have had at The Industry has been top notch, from their super fresh oysters, which are always the perfect size for me to their salads. I love when a menu has a number of salads on it to choose from, especially when they aren’t just boring old lettuce. We enjoyed the burratta and tomato on our first visit, and this warm mushroom and asparagus salad was to-die-for.

mushroom asparagus truffle egg

Look at that egg! This plate of truffle-y goodness made for the perfect dinner on a night where it was too hot to cook at home!

mushroom asparagus truffle egg

   steak frites On the same night, we also shared steak frites perfection and a heavenly chocolate soufflé because, despite being super full from dinner, we had to try their desserts! 

The soufflé was so light on the outside and molten inside, the perfect chocolate-y treat for us to share, and one I am still dreaming about. 

chocolate souffle

The burger at The Industry comes with bourbon and bacon jam, which tells you all you need to know. This jam is phenomenal, and the burger is equally delicious.

burger with bacon jam

When a new restaurant opens in the neighborhood, my first question is always if they are going to do brunch, and The Industry, though new, has already started serving brunch. We were some of the first brunch customers!

Irish breakfast

It was an Irish breakfast for him. . . if there’s an Irish breakfast on the menu he will have to have it!

I went with the bacon wrapped Benedict because how could you not? Jalapeño Cornbread, BBQ Hollandaise, Pickled Red Onion, Crispy Onion . . . amazing! This was one decadent brunch, and my only wish was that I could order it in half size. Together we couldn’t finish it!

bacon wrapped benedict

We can walk to The Industry from our house, which is a good thing, as we need to burn off some of the stellar and indulgent meals we’ll be enjoying there. If you haven’t been to Dorchester recently, now’s the time to visit!

Tags: Boston, brunch, cocktails, dinner, Dorchester

 

The TASTE OF CAMBRIDGE Is On The Move to

Canal Park at CambridgeSide!

Event Date: TUESDAY, JULY 11th 2017

Rain date: THURSDAY, JULY 13th 2017

5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Engage in one of the best food sampling events in the region featuring local restaurants, specialty foods, cheese, ice-cream, wine, beer, mocktails, coffee purveyors and entertainment.

Cambridge, MA– The 15th “Taste of Cambridge” is on the move! This year we are headed to Lechmere Canal Park at CambridgeSide. Enjoy spectacular food & drinks overlooking Canal Park, featuring beer and wine gardens, games, grills, craft beer, The Dirty Water Brass Band, Celebrity DJ Rich DiMare, a Mocktail Contest and dancing!

Highlights of this Year’s Annual Taste of Cambridge include:

This year, the whole event is VIP! We are offering a “Taste and Spirit” tier for $75, which includes all food, beverages, and 4 beer, wine or specialty cocktails.        

The “Taste” tier for $50 includes all food and non-alcoholic beverages (juices, teas, and specialty coffees). Children and Families are welcome! Get the ultimate Tasting Ticket for the under 12 set (accompanied by a parent):  Kids Tasting Tickets are available for $15.00 each for children 6 to 12; kids under six are free.

Mocktail contest! This year watch Cambridge mixologists compete to make the most innovative and best-tasting mocktail in the “Peoples Republic”. Local celebrity judges will decide the winner!

Best in Taste! Everyone gets a vote to elect the best “Taste” of Cambridge.  Your vote counts!

Feel good and do good!

Buy a ticket to this benefit and provide support to local Cambridge non-profits doing direct service work in Cambridge on alcohol and drug prevention.  The Taste of Cambridge helps to support multiple non-profit alcohol and drug prevention and treatment programs each year. This year’s recipients include: Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC), Caspar, Cambridge Camping Association, Cambridge Housing Assistance Fund, Paine Senior Services, and On the Rise.

The Taste of Cambridge (TOC) was founded by the Cambridge License Advisory Board (CLAB), a registered 501 c 3, and is produced by dedicated CLAB volunteers in partnership with the City of Cambridge. CLAB works year-round to prevent underage drinking and to educate and support liquor license holders. The TOC is primarily a charitable event! Our participating restaurants, sponsors, and volunteers present the best “Taste of” event to provide financial support to our beneficiaries!

Tickets:

Tickets can be purchased online at www.tasteofcambridge.com

Please note:  This is a charitable event and we do not issue ticket refunds.

In case of inclement weather we have a rain date of 7/13/17.

SPONSORS:

Many thanks to this years site sponsor, CambridgeSide for graciously hosting the 15th Annual Taste of Cambridge.  This year’s event has been graciously sponsored by: Anheuser-Busch, Bombay Sapphire, Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, Cambridge Office for Tourism, Cambridge Savings Bank, Cambridge Trust, CambridgeSide, Down the Road Brewery, Downeast Cider, East Cambridge Savings Bank, Farmer Willies Craft Ginger Beer, GoPuff, GrubHub, Irving House, Late July, Mad River Distillers, MIT, Olivia’s Organics, PEAK Event Services, Pegasystems, Privateer Rum, Purity Juice, Sparkling Ice, and Whole Foods

Tags: beer, benefit, cambridge, cocktails, community, events, Food, tasting events, wine

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