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Welcome To Casale Di Valle!

September 22, 2014 by Kristin 6 Comments

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Vinci 01

It seems like just yesterday I received the phone call letting me know I had been selected as one of four storytellers in this year’s DaVinci Wine Storyteller Experience.  Details were provided, time flew by, and before I knew it, I was flying across the Atlantic wondering what I had gotten myself into.  Obviously it was going to be great. Obviously. But I couldn’t yet picture how it would all come together.  The flight over felt much like Christmas Eve – if the Santa list was forgotten, courage to sneak a peak through wrapping paper was lost, and present destiny was in someone else’s hands.

Vinci 02

Thankfully I had a day in Florence to adjust.  A day to walk miles and miles from one side of the city to the other and back.  A day to live in a typical hotel, with a typical staff, and typical amenities.  A day {after 20 hours of travel} to completely wipe myself out and sleep the heaviest of sleeps.  I needed this exact combination of things to prepare me for what was about to come.

Vinci 03

As soon as we arrived to Casale Di Valle, we were welcomed by gorgeous Tuscan views, a warm-hearted crew, and the comfort of knowing that every experience during this upcoming week would be better than anything we could have anticipated.  Every sight we saw was magical.  And how could it not be?  We were in the middle of a 16th century hunting lodge with 360 degree surrounds of vineyard.

Vinci 17

After touring the property, each of the storytellers were led to their rooms.  My path consisted of walking up a stone stairway with rope handrails, down a long, narrow hallway that branched off to a secondary kitchen, sitting area, and large, formal dining room, which led me to the Rose room.  A room so cozy, I couldn’t wait to unpack my belongings and call home for the next week.

Vinci 06

After a few minutes to let it all sink in, we regrouped downstairs for lunch under the gazebo.  A gazebo with a built in pizza oven that we’ll soon be using to bake homemade pizza!

Vinci 16

I could dance around adjectives for hours to find a way to describe our lunch only to arrive back at the word perfect, so I’ll stick to lunch was perfect.  Bruschetta, salamis, prosciutto, grilled bread drizzled with olive oil, a selection of cheeses, and an abundance of DaVinci pinot grigio – I couldn’t have dreamt up a dreamier meal.

Vinci 10

We cheersed the first of many cheerses and, once again, let it all sink in.  We are here, at the Casale Di Valle, for the next week.  And in the next week we will create memories that will be incomparable to anything any of us have ever experienced.

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Filed Under: lifestyle, Travel Tagged With: 2014 storyteller experience, casale di valle, davinci wine, italy, vinci

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Comments

  1. Jessica says

    September 22, 2014 at 8:49 am

    Looks like you are having an amazing trip!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      September 22, 2014 at 5:05 pm

      I am! I can’t believe how much we’ve experienced in only 3 days! You need to apply next year.

      Reply
  2. Val says

    September 22, 2014 at 9:58 am

    Looks absolutely gorgeous, so jealous!!! Can’t wait to see all the other pictures and updates

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      September 22, 2014 at 5:05 pm

      I bet you’re looking forward to pizza pics 😉

      Reply
  3. Karista says

    September 22, 2014 at 10:23 am

    Absolutely lovely Kristin! It thrills me to read how this experience has touched you so far… I love the words “I could dance around adjectives for hours to describe our lunch”. Everything just tastes better in Tuscany. 🙂

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      September 22, 2014 at 5:06 pm

      Thank you! You were absolutely correct when you said this would be a life-changing experience.

      Reply

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Hello and Welcome!

I'm Kristin - a Florida girl turned Austinite, adventuring my way through life. Whether I'm in the kitchen, around town, or 1000 miles away, I'm sure to put myself in the midst of merriment.... and then write about it! Read More…

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🔆🔆🔆DO🔆🔆🔆
🔸Choose a property with hotel room doors that open to the outdoors. It was such a relief staying at a place where we could minimize touching public surfaces. 
🔸Stay in a place that is closed to the public and requires reservations for amenities. I loved being able to make reservations for the pool area and being able to keep our distance from other guests. It was stressful that the time slots we wanted were full on the first day, but it ended up working out both days. 
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🔸Give extra smiles and tip generously if you're able. Many hospitality employees have been out of work and/or have reduced tips/income based on establishments operating at lower capacities. Extra tips and being friendly go a long way!

🔆🔆🔆DON'T🔆🔆🔆
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