Comforts

Everyone has their own rituals for comfort. Things they go to when having a bad day, or if its just one of those lovely rainy/snowy days that we are fortunate to have once a while. You know the ones, you can hole up in your home, watch movies, eat, work on projects. Here are some things I go to when I'm in search of comfort. A perfect day of comfort for me would include Macaroni and Cheese, watching Anne of Green Gables, sipping a warm cup of tea during the day, maybe having a delicious glass of wine at night. I'd slip into my most comfortable clothes, hoodies, yoga pants, my Minnetonka Moccasins, I'd knit, enjoy some I Love Lucy episodes, listen to John Lennon's solo albums. 

Wonderful Getaway in Tuscany

While I was over in Italy, one of the highlights of my trip was staying at this gorgeous apartmen t. Located just outside of the wonderful town of Pontassieve in Tuscany, this place was exactly what I was looking for. It was just outside Florence and we rode the train into Florence one day. We had planned on going again but loved this place so much we decided to hang out here instead. I found it on homeaway and it was everything I hoped for. The apartment we rented is one of five on the property. This building was a watchtower that was built in the 16th century, it overlooks vineyards, olive tree groves, and the town, nestled between the mountains. I stayed in the studio apartment which was the perfect size, it had a bed, a bathroom with a great shower (which was well appreciated after hostel showers, train rides, and dragging my suitcase all over town), a small kitchenette, and a terrace with a wonderful view. I absolutely loved the town itself too, if you don't mind walking you can get to the town in about 45 minutes or less (we did stop to take lots of pictures.) We felt truly immersed in Italian culture, we were the only tourists there, we hung out outside the cafe on the square and watched as the kids got out of school, the people got off work, and the old men gathered to talk and watch the bike races inside. Everyone was very friendly and we really enjoyed our time there. Jane, the lovely woman who owns the property with her husband was a wonderful host and went out of her way to make us feel comfortable. She has the sweetest daughter, Vita, who was a joy to talk to and Peggy the cat, who made appearances and really made me feel at home. If you get the chance to go to Tuscany, this is the place to stay, wonderfully priced, homey and clean, you'll never want to leave!

mmm, good wine

I love to drink wine. but alas, I am a college student and cannot afford to drink the incredibly fancy, expensive stuff. I absolutely love Fetzer wines though. They are very affordable and taste great and the best thing about them is their commitment to sustainability. Their wines are completely organic, their grapes are grown among other gardens and chickens are brought in to eat the bugs. Their bottles are even made with recycled glass. I love their Cabernet and their Pinot Grigio.