My Beautiful Fortress in Italy.
Thanks for stopping by. This space is devoted to our life in the Italian countryside. In the furthest northern part of Tuscany. A region known as Lunigiana. I am a photo/prop stylist and author.
What’s happening at La Fortezza this week?
Melinda Beck, Art opening party prep.
This week, we are in full-on party prep. Our artist-in-residence has completed three lovely collections. They will be on display Saturday night during our summer soiree. It is very exciting. Melinda Beck is an illustrator from Brooklyn, New York. We met through my book packager, Janice, and she illustrated two of my books: My Italian Guestbook and my latest fiction book, The Killer Menu.
It’s been a delight having Melinda work in the studio this month. It brings great energy to the place. Having an artist creating on-site is thrilling for me. I can’t wait to share the opening photos with you.
A bit about Melinda: Melinda Beck is an Emmy-nominated illustrator, animator, and graphic designer based in Brooklyn, New York. Her clients include Nickelodeon, Nike, Target, Random House, Simon & Schuster, Real Simple, Supreme, The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Time. She received many awards, including a gold medal from The Society of Illustrators; her work has also been exhibited in various shows. Recently, the Library of Congress acquired a series of her prints for their permanent collection. Melinda is currently the vice president of ICON, The Illustration Conference, which brings together top illustrators, designers, educators, representatives, and art buyers to explore the future of illustration.
Fivizzano Medieval Festival Weekend:
Last weekend, Fivizzano hosted the Medieval Festival, a yearly event always my favorite. I love the pageantry, flags, costumes, and, mainly, the sense of community. It happens in the piazza every summer, and it’s always thrilling. There are street performers, local food, parades of children and flag throwers, archery, stunning costumes, and musicians. The square is draped in silk banners that represent the various neighborhoods. It’s just magical.
ARE YOU BOOKING A LA FORTEZZA RETREAT IN 2025?
PICK YOUR DATES!
WE ARE NOW taking reservations for 2025 Custom La Fortezza Retreats: If you’re interested in planning your custom retreat in 2025, please email our guest liaison, Gen, and she will get you started.
Check the calendar and start planning. Every retreat comes with a pasta cooking lesson and a custom itinerary!
*Remember that the earlier, the better! So you can get your desired dates next year.
Contact Gen to reserve your place in 2025: Gen is our La Fortezza Guest Service Liaison: genesis.carlina@gmail.com
BIG NEWS ON YOUTUBE: La Fortezza Kitchen YouTube Channel launches on Monday.
I am launching a new all-cooking channel, La Fortezza Kitchen. It should be up and running over the next few weeks. Stay tuned for all new videos every Monday. The first one posts this Monday; it’s a Tomato Tart straight from our garden. As I release my fourth cookbook, La Dolce Vita, you can cook desserts from the book with me in the coming months. I am excited to share this new YouTube experience with all of you.
Please like and subscribe to be notified when a new recipe is posted. Thanks so much for your support; it means the world to me. Here’s a trailer about what’s in store on the channel. Food, fun, and a little madness sprinkled on top.
MY LATEST YOUTUBE VIDEO: An exceptional home for sale.
All About Annette YouTube: This week on Move to Italy, We visited a beautiful, move-in-ready home in a lovely village in the olive groves above our house. You won’t want to miss this one.
Thanks so much for watching my YouTube Channel, All About Annette. Please share my channel with your friends.
The channel has 7000+ subscribers! I am beyond thrilled! Now, let’s get to 10,000 by the end of this year…Please like and subscribe, and ring the bell to be notified when new videos are released.
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