Benessere. Translates "Welfare"
In English, we say "Wellness"
We are speaking about one and the same here.
I've already spoken about the Italian spa experience, one that I will revisit next week, my swan song to Assisi, when my gal pal Giselle comes over from her home in Montefalco. She's been a constant coach during my stay here, telling me over and over to "relax" and to not worry as much as I am prone to do. She practically took a sledge hammer to me. But now, I am relaxed and a lot more carefree than I was when I arrived. She's going to be proud of how well I can do the spa circuit.
For years, during my career, I was considered a "Wellness Subject Matter Expert". I set up programs for employees and taught assiduously the tenets of total wellness, that it had very little to do with how one felt physically; it was so much more, a combination of physical, mental, spiritual and social. So, I really am familiar with all the spokes on the wheel.
Yesterday, I practiced what I have been preaching. Made a date with my friend Silvia, a gorgeous forty year old German woman who, along with a little help from her husband, runs a B&B up in the nether-reaches of Assisi. More about that later.
Got picked up at the little bus stop bench near the Porta Perlici (aka, the street where I live), and off we went, me and One-of-the-Most-Skillful-Drivers-I've-Ever-Met. I am totally comfortable in the passenger seat of cars driven by everyone who lives in Umbria. They make my daughter-in-law, who's been known to speeeeeed, look like Minnie Mouse. But, for some reason, Silvia has special skills and I own a Volkswagen so what can I tell you. We zigged and we zagged and before long we arrived in the town of Foligno, a place I had visited years ago but had mostly forgotten everything about. Two girls on the run, she, after a busy Summer being the perfect hostess, and me, seeking for both of us, a true girlie day.
It all started when Giselle showed up at her birthday party a few days after my arrival and all I could say, after not having seen her in two years was......"WHERE DID YOU GET THAT GLITTER EYELINER??????" Okay, I also did say "Happy Birthday Gorgeous" and then back to the basics....glitter!! In the U.S., we have Sephora. In Italy, it's Kiko-Milano. A smaller chain. Cheaper too. But, needless to say, there isn't a shop here in the center of Assisi. St. Clare would have frowned and from all that I have read (and read, and read), she rarely frowned.
Ah, back to wellness......let me just say that by the time we left the Kiko shop in Foligno, we pretty much looked ready for Las Vegas. Buy three, get three free (they have embraced "Black Friday" here). Silver glitter, gold glitter, lipsticks.....Mamma Mia!
Our next wellness stop was lunch at the lovely little Osteria del Teatro where we took care of our physical need to have the most delicate and delicious pastas, prepared by Pierino who put a tiny dent in our bliss when he told us that he wasn't serving the chocolate souffle today. He felt our pain and compensated with a complimentary chocolate semifreddo. After our lunch we asked him to show us "the cellar" as I had been advised to do. Down, down, down we went to a circular, domed, chilly room that he told us was constructed a mere 700 years ago, and used as the refrigerator for what we assumed had been a palazzo. Not even creepy.
A few errands, a stop at a Eurospin grocery store (where they actually had chestnut flour and zucchini flowers) and then off to Le Ginestre, the fabulous home of Silvia (leginestre-assisi.com) where we were greeted by a fleet of cats and a very happy dog named Mia. A tour of the beautiful, and I do mean BEEEutiful home, surrounded by an abundant supply of vegetation, terraces, swimming pool and what looks like and I know is, a lot of work for my friend. It was nearing dusk and time for Mia's walk up, up and up a long trail which led to the most fabulous views. Not only was Mia a lively companion, so were at least three of the cats who darted in between my legs and played together as we made our way.
Our day was absolute perfection. Two girls looking for a good time, Umbrian style. I could hardly wait to get up this morning to apply my make up.
In English, we say "Wellness"
We are speaking about one and the same here.
I've already spoken about the Italian spa experience, one that I will revisit next week, my swan song to Assisi, when my gal pal Giselle comes over from her home in Montefalco. She's been a constant coach during my stay here, telling me over and over to "relax" and to not worry as much as I am prone to do. She practically took a sledge hammer to me. But now, I am relaxed and a lot more carefree than I was when I arrived. She's going to be proud of how well I can do the spa circuit.
For years, during my career, I was considered a "Wellness Subject Matter Expert". I set up programs for employees and taught assiduously the tenets of total wellness, that it had very little to do with how one felt physically; it was so much more, a combination of physical, mental, spiritual and social. So, I really am familiar with all the spokes on the wheel.
Yesterday, I practiced what I have been preaching. Made a date with my friend Silvia, a gorgeous forty year old German woman who, along with a little help from her husband, runs a B&B up in the nether-reaches of Assisi. More about that later.
Got picked up at the little bus stop bench near the Porta Perlici (aka, the street where I live), and off we went, me and One-of-the-Most-Skillful-Drivers-I've-Ever-Met. I am totally comfortable in the passenger seat of cars driven by everyone who lives in Umbria. They make my daughter-in-law, who's been known to speeeeeed, look like Minnie Mouse. But, for some reason, Silvia has special skills and I own a Volkswagen so what can I tell you. We zigged and we zagged and before long we arrived in the town of Foligno, a place I had visited years ago but had mostly forgotten everything about. Two girls on the run, she, after a busy Summer being the perfect hostess, and me, seeking for both of us, a true girlie day.
It all started when Giselle showed up at her birthday party a few days after my arrival and all I could say, after not having seen her in two years was......"WHERE DID YOU GET THAT GLITTER EYELINER??????" Okay, I also did say "Happy Birthday Gorgeous" and then back to the basics....glitter!! In the U.S., we have Sephora. In Italy, it's Kiko-Milano. A smaller chain. Cheaper too. But, needless to say, there isn't a shop here in the center of Assisi. St. Clare would have frowned and from all that I have read (and read, and read), she rarely frowned.
Ah, back to wellness......let me just say that by the time we left the Kiko shop in Foligno, we pretty much looked ready for Las Vegas. Buy three, get three free (they have embraced "Black Friday" here). Silver glitter, gold glitter, lipsticks.....Mamma Mia!
Our next wellness stop was lunch at the lovely little Osteria del Teatro where we took care of our physical need to have the most delicate and delicious pastas, prepared by Pierino who put a tiny dent in our bliss when he told us that he wasn't serving the chocolate souffle today. He felt our pain and compensated with a complimentary chocolate semifreddo. After our lunch we asked him to show us "the cellar" as I had been advised to do. Down, down, down we went to a circular, domed, chilly room that he told us was constructed a mere 700 years ago, and used as the refrigerator for what we assumed had been a palazzo. Not even creepy.
 |
| See, I told you it wasn't even creepy |
 |
| My partner in crime or, the pursuit of benessere |
A few errands, a stop at a Eurospin grocery store (where they actually had chestnut flour and zucchini flowers) and then off to Le Ginestre, the fabulous home of Silvia (leginestre-assisi.com) where we were greeted by a fleet of cats and a very happy dog named Mia. A tour of the beautiful, and I do mean BEEEutiful home, surrounded by an abundant supply of vegetation, terraces, swimming pool and what looks like and I know is, a lot of work for my friend. It was nearing dusk and time for Mia's walk up, up and up a long trail which led to the most fabulous views. Not only was Mia a lively companion, so were at least three of the cats who darted in between my legs and played together as we made our way.
 |
| The back of Le Ginestere. Breath-taking views from here. |
Our day was absolute perfection. Two girls looking for a good time, Umbrian style. I could hardly wait to get up this morning to apply my make up.
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