Working hard . . . or hardly working at Pierotucci Leather Factory?

I’d say we are all working hard to get the last of the bags cut and assembled before we all head out to the beach for a few weeks of well earned relax and vacation! Marco is following up on the prep work that Betta started for the FORTUNATA Italian leather handbags. All the odd sized pieces of leather that are being used for the Fortunata Tote bag are gathered together and then Marco cuts the pattern pieces according to the detailed planning sheet.  He needs to be sure to have had his cup of expresso – because he needs to be wide awake, since the colors can change for every bag he needs to be continuously counting out the pattern pieces and making sure that the colors are all homogeneous when working with a limited amount of Italian leather.

Bike Ride in Cascine Park

With the weekend here it’s the perfect time for a bike ride. The weather in Florence is hot and humid but there’s nothing like an early evening stroll on the bicycle to cool you down, especially if you make the ever so important gelato stop.

One of my favorite places to bike ride is Cascine Park. It’s a park well-known to the locals of Florence but often missed by tourists as it lies right outside of the immediate city center. Having been owned by members of the Medici family (just like evrything else in Florence) it was once used as a gaming reserve and wasn’t until the late 1700′s that the park was restored for public use. Having gone through several changes and remodels, today Cascine Park has everything from a public swimming pool, race track, amphitheater, sports center, horseback riding, bicycle rentals, food stands, a seasonal fair for children, dancing at “Le Meccano”, a weekly open market, and so much more. There is something for everyone.

                       

With nearly 400 acres of space and greenery Cascine Park is the perfect filler for your free afternoon. Sometimes it’s just nice to get away from the cobblestone and city madness. Indulging oneself by going to Cascine and setting up a picnic after an ever so perfect bike ride is what Italian life is truly all about. So the nest time you’re there look for me! I’ll be the girl on the bicycle with a smile on her face and a slice of water melon in hand.

Cascine Amphitheater

A VIP View of Florence

Palazzo Vecchio, Florence

I’ve been in Florence long enough to casually walk around the city as the Italians do, forgetting the fact that I’m walking by monuments and architecture hundreds of years old, visited by millions of people every year. But every now and again, it hits me, you live in Florence. It’s a city filled with absolute beauty and art that can be found in even the simplest of surroundings.

One thing is for sure, no matter how long you have lived in Florence there is always a view of the city that you have yet to discover. Whether you’re enjoying the magnificent view of the city from Piazzale Michelangelo, a must see for tourists, or wining and dining atop the Grand Hotel’s new terrace, the views are always different and always spectacular.

Last night was another one of those discoveries when I saw the evening views of the city from Hotel Baglioni for aperitivo, a luxurious mix of happy hour and dinner. The evening was just right. After a swelteringly hot day, I sat on the rooftop with a fresh breeze, delicious italian food, and great live music, not to mention the sparkling panaramic view of every historical site in the city center of Florence. Just take a look at the Duomo by night, picturesque and perfectly lit up, like from and old black and white film. Florence truly never stops surprising me with it’s history and incomparible beauty. Day or night, from rooftop to rooftop Florence is truly one of a kind.

Well, it’s Friday evening here at Pierotucci and what does that mean? It means a weekend beach get-a-way.  With the weather finally shaping up, it’s looking like a beautiful start to a Tuscan summer.  And what’s a Tuscan summer if you can’t enjoy some of it on the seaside drinking capiroskas?

The destination I’ve chosen for my Tuscan seaside getaway is a little place south of Florence in Tuscany called Castiglione Della Pescaia. It’s absolutely picturesque with beautiful light blue water, white sand, and a hilltop medeival city right atop it. I plan on doing some serious sun bathing, my first of the season as a matter of fact.

Castiglione Della Pescaia is the perfect mixture of a relaxing beach experience during the day and a local Italian hangout during the night without the overwhelming amounts of tourists passing through. Take a look at where I’ll be spending my weekend of sun. Beach dreams and coconut sunscreen from Castiglione Della Pescaia

Candy Colors and Italian Leather Jackets

The fresh colors of summer mixed with the intoxicating smell of leather – what a sweet mix and match! I adore the distressed leather look on this cropped style genuine leather jacket with decorative snap collar. It has a fitted cut to it that works with bright colors like this sunshine yellow pants. I wanted to keep the florals in the game plan, since they are so hot this year and with that I added a Campo dei Fiori bag – just big enough for the essentials. I can so see myself climbing on board my sweeties Vespa and feel the warm breeze of summer as we dodge the tourists along the streets of Florence. Anyone want to meet up for drinks at the Uffizi tonight, on the roof top terrace?

Candy Colors with Italian Leather by naturalitalianwoman featuring wide belts

Motel crop top
£22 - houseoffraser.co.uk

Hudson jeans
£102 - farfetch.com

TOMS ballerina flat
$79 - toms.com

Clutch
€66 - pierotucci.com

Jewelry
€77 - pierotucci.com

Wide belt
€63 - pierotucci.com

By Terry lip gloss
$44 - barneys.com

Shu uemura mascara
$28 - shuuemura-usa.com

Fragrance
$105 - saksfifthavenue.com

Fitted Genuine Leather Jacket with decorative snap collar, style…
€345 - pierotucci.com

Hey Bro! Cortona, Under the Tuscan Sun and Leather Handbags

So, my dear brother and his wife are coming to Florence from London for the weekend. They came the same time last year and the weather was perfect, so hopefully we will get lucky again. We hated each other as kids but now, as we get older, we thankfully get on like a house on fire. This year I have set my sights on Cortona – a beautiful hilltop town and yes, the fabulous setting for “Under the Tuscan Sun.

It’s a real treat to see places with him that I don’t get the time to do otherwise. A wander around, him taking bucket loads of pictures ….yawn and then a well earned rest at a typical Tuscan restaurant. This is one of the most exclusive areas in Tuscany for the big wines, such as Super Tuscan, Brunello and Montepulciano. I think one or two ….. or three glasses would be in order, or not, depending on who will be driving home. I think I will nominate my DH! Fortunately, he won’t be reading this.

Another treat on the agenda is a wine tasting at a medieval villa on the outskirts of Florence.  Chianti country is again, the perfect climate for superb wines and this is going to be another tricky number as there is a half hour’s drive home afterwards. Maybe a night at the villa could be an option?

Keeping my brother and his wife entertained is really not difficult. They are easy to please and as long as they are eating and drinking and seeing the wonderful sights of Tuscany, and enjoying my company of course, there really isn’t anything else to worry about.

Oh, maybe one last thing – a quick visit to the Pierotucci leather factory to show him how they make hand made leather bags -  a fast becoming almost obsolete trade. He is a bit of a shopaholic and may not be able to resist one of their superb hand made messenger bags.

I did! I did taw a puddy cat at Braccialini.

Perhaps Braccialini from Italy is best know for its colorful and sometimes whacky (or whimsical) styles.  Personally, I like the idea of adding a bit of comic relief to an outfit especially when I am going out with friends or being the average tourist, traveling the beautiful hotspots in Europe.  This selection from Braccialini, which mixes purses, wallets and scarves with the delightful little Tweety bird immediately appealed to my playful side.   Many don’t know but the name “Tweety” is a play on words between  “sweetie” and “tweet,” and despite the fact that this little charmer is the mascot on the Braccialini selection womens’ handbag collection, even with  those envious long lashes and high pitched voice, Tweety is actually a male!

This mini clutch has gold trim and all the typical Braccialini “bells and whistles,”  I find it is a cute item to be toting around with its practical cross body strap.  I particularly like the double zip for the many compartments where it is easy to keep all my goodies in their place (at least for a couple of hours!)  I can stash my passport, credit cards, mad money, a cell phone (or camera) , lipstick, eyeliner, hotel key and business cards – what else would you possible want to put into this bag!  It is lightweight and fits my description of adding a little bit of comical relief to an otherwise serious outfit.

A silk scarf is another fun element to add to any outfit, these 50 x 50 cm squares showing Tweety in a bed of roses looks great attached to a handbag, wrapped around your neck or spilling outside of your briefcase.  The bright spring colors pink, yellow, blue and of course let’s not forget the flowers  are just in time for Mother’s Day.  The size is what I really like about this scarf, because it becomes literally a splash of color – and not something that I need to learn a bunch of intricate knots in order to wear

But I realize not everyone is as eager to publicly display their passion for little yellow birds or daring enough to announce the more playful side of their personality.  These are the types of persons that secretly crave to have  something fun with them all the time, but prefer that it would stay hidden inside their purse, and only come out on select occasions, like one of these nifty little wallets:

In any case Braccialini has an appeal that attracts all ages from young to old – nothing like mixing a little American playfulness like Tweety Bird with Italian quality!

Wild violets in my front yard

I always thought of violets as the ones you see in the florist shop with the thick fuzzy leaves yet I had to change my mind when I moved into my Chianti home about 4 years ago.  One spring day while soaking up the sun, my neighbor invited me into her tiny little plot of land, saying how she hated to cut the lawn,  though I couldn’t figure why it looked awful…until I saw the carpet of green and purple – wild violets.  Wow! – I was ohhhing and ahhhhing, when she looked at me and said “you have them too.”

It is one of those things that sometimes you get so used to seeing something that it doesn’t even register.  Four years ago there were little patches in my front yard and  now (because they spread with an incredible deftness) they are decorating my entire corner.  This afternoon DH walk out to soak up a little sun and he says, where did these come from  (what did I tell you – they were there all the time but you only see what you want to see).  With a little smile (yes I could say it was a smile with a smudge of superiority in it) I nodded and said they were always here.

I wanted to show you all – but my camera just didn’t capture the delicateness and tenderness of the flowers so  I had to borrow an image – but I swear those that you see in my front yard look just like the photo – except that they are everywhere!  It’s gorgeous and selvatico (wild) at the same time.

Not only is viola (purple) Florence’s city color – but it is also the color of our soccer team which, may the gods help us, needs to start winning!  (FORZA VIOLA – which means go purple team!)

And keeping in with the theme of purple, here are two bags in nappa leather featured in this heart warming color:

Italian leather messenger bag, in puple colored nappa

and if you need something just a little bigger to carry around your stuff:

Italian Leather Handbag style satchel ion purple colored nappa

Planning my exotic cruise in Bali

I am so excited to be celebrating 25 years of marital….well at this moment it seems like bliss even though there are many moments when I want to bop him on the head!  A wonderful surprise happened our way and I am now busy programming how to pack all of my goodies for an exotic luxury cruise from Bali to Singapore!

And while I am considering all the dress requirements, travelling needs and outfits that mix and match  . . . not to mention all the airline rules and regulations about the minimum number of bags and how much they can weigh … I am taking a mental inventory of all the things I have yet to add to my wardrobe! – and time is short, we leave on the 15 of Jan!!!!

My first concern is to have a way to tote all my things with me on the many events and activities that will happen on the cruise, so here are my choices:

I just know that I will be wanting to participate in all the excursions – and that means carrying around a mix of documents, wallets, cameras, sunglasses, sun screen and then on the way back to the ship I will be collecting all kinds of souvenirs for my children, friends and colleagues at work.  The Gherardini Moonsilk Small Duffel Bag with adjustable shoulder strap is my number one choice for tours and excursions.  It’s big with many organizing pockets.  Just count them:  one internal zip pocket,  5 internal organizing pockets and 2 external pockets with pull cord closures.   It has an adjustable cross body strap and a shoulder strap, so it will be easy to carry around. AND  Its made from the signature Gherardini Moonsilk – and though they do not proclaim it as water proof, it will definitely deflect a grand part of the rain . . . while being extremely light!

Next on my list is a bag to carry around with me while on board floating from the casino where I will win a few dollars before dinner, the formal seating at the dining room, then to after dinner show in the on board theater then tripping the light fantastic with my romantic hubby to sighing over the selection at the midnight buffet.  So I will be looking for something compact to hold my room key, my lipstick, a few dollars for the slot machine and of course … my camera!  I thought this Cosci bag in a metallic leather weave would be convenient – showing silver and gold it will go well with warm colors as well as cool colors and the metallic touch makes it more suitable for the evenings.  The long strap allows me to keep my hands free for dancing, clapping and eating. BUT  I also like the classic black … choices choices choices…
The last thing I am looking for is a bag that I can carry around on board during the day to hold my keys,  sun glasses,  sunscreen,  light reading and maybe a shirt to cover me from too much sun.   I was immediately leaning towards Taiuti Leather Hand Bag in a bucket style which come in great colors like yellow, beige and blue.  It has the bare minimum of two organizing pockets for the little stuff and an easy shoulder strap. I thought this bag would move well with me from poolside to the lunch lounge to a quick trip off into town for some port side shopping. Not too big – but then not too small.

My requirements were:  lightweight – size is important but absolutely something that is not going to get heavier with every step I take.  Weather proof, though the weather should be warm – it can also be quite humid with sudden rain burst  – so I want something that will not get wet and soggy.  Colorful – hey I am on vacation, so lets add some color!! besides when it is bright then I will have a harder time losing it!  And with these three handbag choices, I think I am covered!