Category Archives: photos

Giardini Melzi – Lake Como

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The Giardini Melzi, a few minutes’ walk south of the justifiably famous little town of Bellagio, is a perennial favorite of our guests at Poggio Verde Country Villa.

Our “Bellagio Day,” which includes Giardini Melzi, usually begins mid-morning and includes about a 45-minute drive up the western side of Lake Lecco (the other leg of Lake Como) and over the bump into Bellagio, arriving in time for an early lunch.

We’ve enjoyed lunch at several places in Bellagio but one of our current favorites is Albergo Silvio, which is perched above the Melzi garden. The menu offers a very nice selection of local fish, including the traditional lake fish and rice, and has a very decent wine list. An outdoor patio overlooks the lake and the dining room is perfect – all glass! 

Interior dining room
The view from the interior dining room
The patio
The local favorite, lake fish and rice

 

After lunch we often take an interesting little path on the north side of the restaurant that leads right down to the south entrance of the garden. Don’t forget to look down as well as up as there are always little surprises (see the snail?).

 

We go out under the arch to the little street and turn right toward the entrance of the Giardini (and pass some other nice arches along the way).

 

We pick up our tickets at the entrance and walk south toward the villa. When we have time we take a peak into the tiny little chapel.

 

The villa comes into view. Villa Melzi d’Eril is one of the most important historical landmarks on the shore of Lake Como. It was built between 1808 and 1810 by Francesco Melzi d’Eril, duke of Lodi and vice president of the Italian Republic under Napoleon, who was also a personal friend. The most important architects and artists of the day were involved in the project. The villa’s architect (Canonica) and botanist (Villoresi) also designed the Villa Reale in Monza.

The villa comes into view
The lions guarding the villa entrance
Water lily basin and fountain. Photo: Austin Mann
Villa Melzi from the door of the museum
Photo: Austin Mann

 

The former Orangerie (greenhouse) of the villa is now a museum. (The villa itself is not open to the public). It contains a few historical artifacts from the Napoleonic period and Renaissance frescoes.

The former Orangerie is now a museum.
Photo: Austin Mann

 

The terraced gardens allow stunning views of Lake Como from three levels. The gardens are thoroughly enjoyable in all four seasons and in all weather and at all times of day but if you happen to be there on a somewhat cloudy day in the late afternoon you’re in for a special treat.

Photo: Austin Mann

Walking to the pond
View north toward the Alps
A glimpse of the roof of the Moorish Pavilion from an upper level path.
The lake-level path to Bellagio
The bridge over the pond is one of many great spots for photos.
The neogothic “sham ruin” near the north entrance.

 

The Moorish Pavilion in the garden has lovely views across the lake and four beautiful sculptures, including one of Lodovico Melzi d’Eril. Outside the pavilion is a memorial to the Italian writer Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) and his beloved Beatrice.

The Moorish Pavilion. Photo: Austin Mann
Maria Anna of Savoy or Josephine Barbo?
Dante and Beatrice…
…and Jack and Ann

 

From the gardens it’s a beautiful ten-minute walk along the lake into Bellagio for some wandering and surprisingly good shopping for such a small place. From there it’s about a 15-20 minute taxi boat ride to Villa Balbianello.

 

Be Charmed: Milan

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It was with a decided mixture of sadness and delight that the group greeted the last day of Be Charmed, 2015. After another nice Italian continental breakfast around that lovely table, it was time to board the bus for Milan.

We love our breakfast table!
Boarding the bus for our last day of Be Charmed 2015

 

The driver dropped the group off near the Santa Maria delle Grazie church, where they met their guide for the day, Francesca. She told us about the masterpiece we were about to see, the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. It is a remarkable work of art and it is a miracle that is has survived (roughly since the time Columbus sailed to America!). Photos are not allowed to be taken inside, so see the link for some photos and fascinating history, including of the original technique used to paint the fresco, the many restorations attempted over the centuries and the astonishing survival of the fresco after the bombing of the church and convent during World War II.

A beautiful alleyway near the Santa Maria delle Grazie church
Francesca explaining a bit about the Last Supper
Who’s who in the Last Supper
Santa Maria delle Grazie church
In to see the Last Supper
The Last Supper, exposed to the elements after World War II

 

After the allotted 15 minutes visiting the sublime fresco (be sure to walk to the back of the room for the best perspective!), the group walked around to see the inside of the church and then the beautiful cloister.

Outside the exit from the Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie
Inside of Santa Maria della Grazie
Cloister of Santa Maria delle Grazie
Cloister of Santa Maria delle Grazie
Cloister of Santa Maria delle Grazie

 

From the church they walked along a street toward the Piazza Duomo that has some of the oldest archaeological sites in Milan.

The side of Santa Maria delle Grazie church
A detail on the side of the Santa Maria delle Grazie church
Francesca telling us about the Roman walls
One of many beautiful doorways and entrances along the streets in Milan
The Archaeological Museum
Roman ruins
A map of some of the archaeological sites

 

There was a  stop at the surprising little San Satiro church with the marvelous trompe l’oeil choir by Brunelleschi (he only had a depth of 3 feet to work with)…

Inside San Satiro church
The marvellous trompe l’oeil choir of San Satiro by Brunelleschi

 

… and then the group continued on to the Ristorante Arengario at the top of the Novecento Museum (museum of 20th century art) on the Piazza Duomo, where some typical Italian dishes were thoroughly enjoyed in a dining room with an extraordinary view, including of the truffle being shaved at the next table!

Pasta, tomatoes and basil. Italian through and through.
A semifreddo dessert
Enjoying one of many amusing moments on the Be Charmed trip
The view of the Piazza del Duomo to the Galleria from the restaurant
In the Museo Novecento (900)
In the Museo Novecento

 

The ladies left the Museo Novecento and crossed the Piazza Duomo in front of the magnificent Duomo (cathedral) of Milan, walked through the Galleria (one of the world’s first and most beautiful covered shopping centers). They continued to the Museo Poldi Pezzoli, a former palazzo that houses a private collection of art, and then on to the famous Montenapoleone shopping street for some window-shopping.

 

The bus picked up the ladies near the Piazza della Scala and took them to the brand new Piazza Gae Aulenti near the Porto Garibaldi train station to see the once-in-a-lifetime 360-degree, 16-screen video of the extraordinary beauty of Italy from its geography to the arts and design, and even its cuisine, over the millennia. The video link we’ve provided is not official but it’s the best example we found of what it was like to stand in the room and watch and listen to the 15-minute presentation. It was a profoundly beautiful and moving experience. The group then walked up the block or two to the pedestrian walking street, Corso di Como, and popped into Number 10, an eclectic small mix of shops and restaurant. Just before boarding the bus back to the villa, the group got to observe a photoshoot in process!

The Piazza della Scala
These gentlemen keep watch around the corner from the Piazza la Scala
The entrance to the Panorama 360 in Piazza Gae Aulenti
The entrance to 10 Corso Como
This way to 10 Corso di Como
The courtyard in Corso di Como
A photoshoot in process
The stairs up to the Piazza Gae Aulenti (there are elevators!)

 

On arrival at the villa, the ladies went up to pack and take a pause before celebrating a wonderful last evening. They began with a celebratory bubbly (Franciacorta, of course!) and hors d’oeuvres, and a toast to the wonderful Riza whose cooking and general assistance and very sweet spirit they had enjoyed all week. Gretchen and Luigi, the villa hosts and owners were also toasted, then the group adjourned to the dining room for their final dinner together. Favorite moments from the week were shared, questions about the villa and its history were asked and answered, and general merriment ensued, extending the evening as long as possible.

A final toast to Gretchen and Luigi, and to Riza!
Perfect accompaniments to the Franciacorta bubbly
Riza, the wonderful Riza

The next morning, the early risers came down for their final cup of Italian coffee and Fumagalli pastries and everyone boarded the bus for Malpensa Airport. As of this writing, two of the ladies are returning for a Be Charmed trip in October of 2016 and other groups are in the planning stages. We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly during this week and look forward to hosting guests for Be Charmed, Painters Retreat, Golf/Gourmet, Food/Wine, Italian Gourmet Cooking or other custom-designed trips.

Half-Day Trip to Piani d’Erna

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It was a particularly clear morning and the views toward Milan to the south and Monte Rosa to the northwest were quite something. A quick run was made to Rex Market for picnic provisions (the prosciutto cotto, prosciutto crudo and bresaola from the cured meats section are particularly excellent). Cheese, fruit and wine selections at Rex are also perfect for picnics.

A stunningly clear morning (view to the south)
Cured meats at Rex Market
Monte Rosa in the distance

The 20-minute drive straight north on SS36 goes by Lake Oggiono and Lecco, then it’s helpful to carefully watch for the sign to Piani d’Erna upon exiting the second tunnel after Lecco  as it’s easy to miss the exit. The funicular (cable car) takes visitors up several thousand feet in short order and the views over Lake Lecco toward the Grigna mountains are quite beautiful.

It’s a beautiful little walk from the Funicular to the overlook. Brave visitors can also take the walk out to the scary promontory; it drops precipitously for thousands of feet on either side. Back toward the funicular there’s a “Sentiero Natura”, or nature trail, that leads to another beautiful walk. See more photos of Piani d’Erna in a previous post.

Trail to Piani d’Erna
Explanation of the depth of area lakes
The promontory
Climbers coming up another way
Wonderful hiking and picnic at Piani d’Erna above Lake Lecco
Piani d’Erna
View from the Funicular exit at the top

After an hour or two at Piani d’Erna, it’s a good idea to stop in at the excellent Pasticceria Fumagalli in the little town of Barzanò for a gelato, and perhaps to pick up a dessert for dinner. Or if the timing is right for an aperitivo, that’s an excellent choice, as well. The bar snacks are particularly tasty here.

The south terrace outside the kitchen of Poggio Verde Country Villa is such a wonderful spot for gathering and chatting.

Afternoon siesta on the south terrace
Setting the table
Ready for dinner

 

Working up an appetite with a few more rounds of pre-dinner bocce:

Bocce and Badminton at the villa

 

Another wonderful dinner was prepared and enjoyed under the lovely “Portico Coperto”.

Prepping the grilled octopus
Octopus – a new taste for most of the group
Dinner under the “Portico Coperto”
View at sunset
Beautiful view

 

 

Arrival, Rex Market, Montevecchia

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A wonderful group of guests arrived recently from Kansas, Oklahoma and Michigan for a five-day stay at Poggio Verde and by all accounts they enjoyed themselves thoroughly! The first couple arrived on a Friday, got settled in and took a few photos of the beautiful villa.

Checking the kitchen garden
Ready for the chef
The second and third terraces (pool under renovation)
The south terrace of the villa
The view from the master bedroom
Gardenias on the terrace of the master bedroom
Checking the flowers on the terrace outside the master bedroom
The south terrace
Unloading in the courtyard

While waiting for the second couple to arrive, one of the guests took a walk down the road outside the gates to get a closer look at the wildflowers she had passed on the way in. They were in full bloom!

Wildflowers in the field outside the gate
Interesting one
More wildflowers

The second couple arrived and after settling in a bit, the group made a run to Rex Market for provisions. They arrived around 2:00 and discovered that Rex is closed mid-day so they made a quick little visit to Montevecchia, the lovely hilltop village about ten minutes from the market (15 from Poggio Verde). The Gelateria in the center of town turned out to be excellent!

The second couple arrives
Chatting on the terrace
Rex hours of operation (Mon-Fri 8:30-1:00 and 2:30-7:30; Sat all day, Sun 8:30-1:00)
Garden near the parking lot of Montevecchia
Another view of a garden in Montevecchia
Lots of options for walking trails from Montevecchia
Go that way… under the tunnel
The Hannings
A selfie of the first two couples
The stairs to the church. Great views!
Outside the church in Montevecchia
Excellent options at the little gelato shop in Montevecchia
Nice poster in the Gelateria
The Hannings at Montevecchia
The courtyard of the villa in Montevecchia

After picking up provisions, dinner was started while it rained heavily outside. The rain stopped just in time to grill the lamb chops! After dinner it was barely drizzling so the group took a little walk around the grounds before an early bedtime to de-jetlag.

Preparing the base for the second course
Lamb chops for a first course
Starting the potatoes
Sunset after a nice cleansing rain
Grilling the lamb chops outside the kitchen
Final prep of the lamb chops
Fish with tomatoes and fennel
View from the “Portico Coperto”
View of the south side of the villa from the Portico Coperto
Nice image from the top of the stairs to the second terrace
A corner of the villa
View from the Roccolo
Roses growing at the corner of the Roccolo
Walking near the Roccolo

Poggio Verde Hosts Photo Shoot for New Cookbook

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The photoshoot team and Italian Friends of TCF supporters ready two fresh Branzino (Seabass) for the photoshoot.

Recent months have brought photo and video crews to Poggio Verde to photograph some beautiful Italian food for a lovely cookbook currently under development.

The cookbook will support The Italian Friends of The Citizens Foundation,   a highly-regarded organization that is building schools in Pakistan.

The cookbook is a collection of prized recipes from some of the supporters of the organization who happen to be excellent cooks. The book will be sold online and at events and markets in Milan beginning in May.

The photos here are of a recent video and photo shoot.

Here are the beautiful finished products of our 3 days of arduous work!

 

Preparing the Cream Cheese and Caviar for photographing
Cream Cheese and Caviar Aperitif will be served with crackers

 

Preparing the dough for the Cherry Strudel
Here’s Cicchi’s Cherry Strudel an hour later…. scrumptious!