Charlotte's First Days

As promised, here is the first installment of Cousin Charlotte's Tuscan vacation. 

We picked Charlotte up at the Pisa airport and, naturally, our first stop was the Leaning Tower of Pisa. She had done her homework and researched the best way to pose for the classic "holding up the tower" photo, so I did my best to follow instructions and recreate it. Ira, on the other hand, had a completely different idea. See what you think.

Leaning Tower of Pisa

Tower Detail

After several attempts at capturing the perfect shot, Charlotte declared it was time to sit at a cafe, people-watch, and if possible, enjoy some gelato. That sounded like a pretty good plan to us. Just like that, less than two hours after landing, we'd already checked two items off her Tuscany wish list. Next stop: Massa.

After a quick stop at our tiny rental house to drop off her luggage, freshen up, and give her the grand tour, we headed into town. Our first stop was our favorite local enoteca, where we were unexpectedly treated to a welcome glass of Franciacorta. Since we already had dinner reservations at Vanni's, there was only time for a spontaneous mini wine tasting, but it was the perfect introduction to Italian hospitality. 

From there we walked over to Vanni's for pizza. It was far too warm to sit inside, so we grabbed a table outdoors with a beautiful view of the Duomo. Pizza.....check.

Duomo after pizza

The next morning, Charlotte joined us for our daily walk through the countryside. She had mentioned wanting to see olive trees, and fortunately that's an easy request around here. Our usual route passes several olive groves, and starting the day with a peaceful walk throught the Tuscan countryside is never a bad idea.

After cleaning up, it was time for another item on Charlotte's list: a winery. We'd made reservations for lunch with pairings at Le Mortelle, a winery near Castiglione della Pescaia and one that we had been meaning to visit. We arrived to find a beautifully set table waiting for us.

Table set for three

Marinated chicken with artichoke pesto

Lemon meatballs with potatoes and spring onions

Cheesecake with blueberries from the garden

Lunch was wonderfully leisurely, exactly as it should be. When we finally felt ready to move again, we drove to the coast. Charlotte wanted to dip her toes in the "ocean," but after explaining that Italy is surrounded by seas rather than oceans, she was more than happy to officially check the Tyrrhenian Sea off her list instead.

We stopped at Torre Mozza, a 16th-century coastal watchtower that had been on our own list to visit. Today it's now home to a restaurant and lounge that's part of a beach club where you can rent daybeds.

Torre Mozza

It was a hot afternoon, so we headed back to the tiny house to cool off and relax before getting ready for dinner. That evening, Charlotte had asked if she could join us for our weekly reservation at Le Fate Briache. 

I'm including the food photos, mostly for Sofia, since I know she likes to see what Caterina has been cooking, but also for Ira's mom, Kim, who once told me she enjoys the food pictures too. So here you go!

Antipasti

Spinach Cannelloni

Tortelli

Pici with Pistacchio

Lemon Chiffon Cake

Apologies for the cake photo--we dug into it before remembering to take a picture! Caterina didn't actually call it a chiffon cake, but it was so incredibly light and fluffy that that's exactly what it reminded me of. 

And that's a wrap on Days One and Two of Charlotte's Tuscan vacation.

Next stop: Florence.

Ciao ciao!

















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