Amici

https://incampagna.com/our-history/

I'm starting today with a link. Please read it.  I don't think I could or would have written a better introduction to a very good friend,one who I love and admire deeply.

And this is how I spent the greater part of my day yesterday.....with Leti.

It's hard to conceptualize the whole scenario.  Mother, father, daughter and dog living very, very high up on a very, very exquisite mountain, far from the inner sanctum of Assisi.  The hows and whys then, are best explained at the website.  You have to be there to fully appreciate the hows and whys, to stand behind the house and take in the views. To breathe in the air, rarified.  To smell the scent of fresh herbs, growing as if they were competing at the County Fair, all of them in line for First Prize.

The first time I met Leti, she collected me at the base of town, not far from the Porta San Pietro. From there, we drove to her then "little" girl's bus stop where we collected the sweet child Tea (TEE AH) and drove up, up and away to their home for an afternoon.  I was struck by the long ride but more by the quiet beauty of Madonna alla Piatto (No, that's not Letizia.  It's the name of their B&B, explained in the above link).  I was also quite taken by the charm of the beautiful Tea.  And by Ruurd and all the work he had done and was still doing at their home.

  Over the years, we have kept in touch. Tea is now tall and still beautiful. She's preparing to go off to college in a few months. She still remembers the little package of napkins I brought on the first visit and is grateful for the package I brought this time.  She's very gracious and graceful for 18.

The beautiful Letizia, taken in Provincetown, first lobster roll ever for her!

  Letizia's cookbook https://madonnadelpiatto.com/cookbook/ is a mainstay in my own kitchen.  When I use it, I feel as if she's standing there with me and last Winter, she actually was, when she graced us with a visit.  My friends immediately grew to love her too and they often ask about her as she does, them.

Two weeks ago, Joe and I were invited to one of her cooking classes.  What a thrill it was to be
cooking with our author-friend, in the very Kitchen With a View.  The day was fun and the food was marvelous and now, we are prepared to take on ravioli when we return. Joe feels very confident so you know that the instruction was as good as it gets.

After her yoga class (this woman never stops learning) yesterday, we met up at our now-usual place, the Piazza San Rufino and carefully selected a place for lunch, one neither had been to and one we both had wanted to try. http://www.hostariaterrachiama.it/ was our perfect choice for a great meal, a nice glass of wine, and a woman-to-woman chat fest.  We caught up, did a bit of gossiping, solved a few problems, and wagged our chins for several hours.  And then, we took a passagiata in true Umbrian fashion, stopping by the shops of friends, making introductions and networking.

We had a most delightful time in my favorite shop in Assisi, Madame Bovary, owned by the incredibly beautiful Catia Piergentili, who will tell you in the sweetest voice that above all, she is a philosopher.  There's nothing in her tiny, packed shop that i don't love and she's the thing I love best in the place.  She and Leti had not met in person up until yesterday and when we left, they were good friends.  I almost left with a new blue dress but the jacket I bought this week might just have to be "the" item this year.  Time will tell.  They do "Black Friday Week" here too.

The beautiful Catia

The beautiful Jo Comodi

My poor, tired friend (she's done a series of cooking classes these past weeks and has more scheduled) and I made our way up towards the place where she parked her car but had to make yet one more stop along the way.  Just doors away from my apartment is the studio of old pal Jo Comodi.
I've written a lot about Jo, and friends have come to know her as my "scarf lady."
http://jocomodi.com/.  I have several of her art scarves, each handmade at her home in Perugia (she took me there once and showed me how it's done and I'm sworn to secrecy - as if I could eve
r do it).
If you were at the Umbrian dinner on the Cape (Letizia's recipes prepared at Firestarter Pizza in Dennis), you might recall the silk poncho I wore.  A long introduction and the two now are friends and hoping to maybe have a workshop at Alla Maddonna one day in the future.

My lovely day, filled with laughs, memories, new and old friendships, was not over until I returned home, met up with Joe and took our own passagiata , this time up again to the Rocca Maggiore to witness again, the beauty of the valley below, the entire town in one breathtaking view, and the promise of a sunset, one that is uniquely beautiful in a uniquely beautiful country filled with uniquely beautiful people.

Here's to friendships that endure, across seas and to the top of mountains. And to very full and good days behind and ahead.