Newsletter - December 08

Villa Mimma: overview of the year
And here we are at the end of another year, under the snow and with the fire on! Too many things to tell, but I will try to catch some of the highlights.

• Back again
  This year we had many guests who came back for the second time, some who were here only a few months before and some (Jean and Ginette) who came back all the way from Canada and enjoyed another holiday with us. This is most rewarding, especially when guests become friends, spends time in the courtyard and in the veranda! I have asked Jean and Ginette: "Why did you come back to Villa Mimma?" and this is their answer: "why did we return at Villa Mimma....we find that we are returning home in Italy. We feel part of the family. Your parents and Andrea make you very comfortable when you arrive. They always give you a warmth welcome. when we got to our house....she had bought 2 kinds of cheese....some cold meat (she remembered thatJean loved it) orange juice and some milk....its little attention like this that you appreciate. In Treville it is a small quiet village with beautiful people. It is a place that you never forget in your heart. At night sometimes your mother came and chatted with us. we were always having supper outside in the gazebo....after playing cards. we had time to relax before heading the other big cities. we also met your Dads mom. she is quite in shape for her age. We had a visit of the basement and the other part of the house....very special. We wish Villa Mimma a long lasting life and God bless you all. .. Jean and ginette "
  
  
• Children writer Anna Vivarelli presents her books.
  On the 12th of April Villa Mimma hosted a workshop organised by the village library aimed at children, where the writer Anna Vivarelli presented some of her books, interpreting her stories for an audience of little readers and their parents. The children were captivated by her fantasy tales and most of them went home with books under their arms.
  
  
• Tapestry exposition
  One of the highlights of the year was the carpetry exposition of Vera Vermeersch's work. From the 3rd to the 11th of May in the ex-church of San Giacomo in Treville, people had the opportunity to come and appreciate the beautiful rugs in wool produced by hand tufting in Vera's atelier in Belgium.
  



• Cooking with Paola
  Sharing an Italian meal with my family is always one of the hights of people's vacation, especially those who stay for a few nights. Although we cannot offer proper cooking classes or proper restaurant meals, it is always possible to prepare a meal together and to sit around the table to eat it in good company. We now have two agas, one is in my Mum's kitchen and one is in the veranda, so it will be possible to cook using a stove with wood birning fire instead of electricity or gas!If you are after a proper cuisine class, instead, we know where it is possible to arrange a cooking lesson for something between €20 and €60 per person, depending on the duration of the teaching session.
  
  
• Wifi at Villa Mimma
  Thanks to Glen hard work we now have a wifi network at Villa Mimma. It is linked to my family's private line but if you really cannot stay away from your emails and need to connect to the Internet, I am sure you can beg a password from my Dad!

Reviews are important
Reviews are proving to be vital for Villa Mimma survival! We now have quite a number especially on TripAdvisor. If you have been and want to leave your comment, even very brief, or if you want to read what people say about Villa Mimma, these are the sites to check:
Trip Advisor Website
Trip Advisor Website
Slow Travel
Italia Dream
Homelidays

I think I have summarised an exciting 2008 year for Villa Mimma. We are now looking forward to the festivities and the year to come.

From Paola, Alberto and Andrea I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2009!

Claudia

First snow: ready for skiing!

The first snow has fallen - heavy and thick!

If it stays it will be a white Christmas!

Farm shop and historical beauty at Lucedio - Piedmont

Lucedio’s Abbey was built in 1123 by the Cistercian Monk, coming from The Fertè, on the grounds of the marchionesses Ranieri of Monferrato.

The Cistercian reclaimed the territory introducing for the first time in Italy the cultivation of the rice at the beginning of the XV century. With the passing of time the Abbey became a true economical and political power: three Popes passed from Lucedio, confirming the role of the Abbey and its lucky geographical position along the Francigena Way.

Because of its increasing political and economical power and its location, Lucedio was the reason behind some of the fights between the Italian dynasties. Owned by the Gonzaga family and later on by the Savoys, at the beginning of the XVIII century the Abbey became property of Napoleon. Subsequently it went to the marchionesses Giovanni Gozani of San Giorgio, ancestor of the present proprietor, the Countess Rosetta Clara Horses d' Olivola Salvadori of Wiesenhoff.

The splendid medieval rooms of the Abbey are opened to the public for guided tours, wine and food tasting events, receptions, congresses and concerts; some of the rooms are also used for television filming or are used as the setting for some adverts.

From the naturalistic point of view it must be remembered that Lucedio is located inside a protected area whose regulation, together with technologies of low environmental impact used in Lucedio’s Farm, facilitated the return of the typical fauna of the rice field: as well as the frogs, a number of herons and of Italian knights have chosen Lucedio as their residence.

As well as visiting the historical part of the Abbey, it is possible to visit the Farm of the Principato of Lucedio and, in particular, to see the machinery used for the entire production cycle of the rice. It is also possible to combine the visit of the grounds with a sampling experience of the typical products of the territory followed by a tour of the Farm shop “Temptations of the rice” where visitors can buy all the products of the "Principato of Lucedio".

Price freeze - 2009 at the cost of 2008!

SPECIAL OFFER DEADLINE: 30th November 2008

Book Villa Mimma for 2009 before the end of November and you will pay the same price as 2008.

The prices for 2009 will soon be published and then the new prices will apply.

Hurry!!! Book now and save!!!!

.

Theatre - Carlo Felice in Genoa

For those who love concerts and the opera, there is a variety of theatres that are reachable in approximately an hour from Villa Mimma.

Here I would like to point the attention to the theatre in Genoa, the "Carlo Felice". This is a new theatre that was rebuilt after the original theatre was bombarded during the Second World War, as nicely described on the theatre's website.

Its fame is due to the fact that the inside is like being in a "covered" square. The photo shown in the main website doesn't give you the full feeling, so why not taking a trip there?

The calendar for the 2008/2009 season can be found through the following links:
- Opera and ballet;
- Symphonic season.

If you attend any event or if you visit this unique theatre, please do let me know and I'd love to see some recent pictures.

.

September in festival - Food and Wine

On the weekend of the 13th/14th of September in Asti there is the Festival Delle Sagre, where the big Campo del Palio (the square that hosts the traditional horse racing event - this year on the 21st of September) hosts stalls from about 50 local towns, where you can sample the food and wine of the region. On Sunday there is also a parade with floats representing traditional farm themes. The official website is in Italian!, but it can give you an idea of what to expect.

Also, in Asti there is the Douja d'Or wine festival from the 12th to the 21st of September, where you can sample around 400 local wines (you can also buy them!). Some information in English can be found on the world events guide.

.

Palio di Asti - 21st of September 2008

The traditional festival of the "Palio di Asti" is getting closer again.

The medieval town of Asti is hosting its renowned Palio on Sunday the 21st of September, although celebrations will start on the Friday and Saturday before then. Music, food, wine, market stalls, parades, fireworks... will be part of the fun.

The first notion of the Palio goes back to 1275, so it has been around for quite a few centuries.

Don't miss the opportunity to take part in it if you are in Piedmont at the right time!