Market Day and Dario's Officina della Bistecca

Sunday morning is market day in Panzano and went to get fresh produce and a chicken. (Mickey, there were no racing chickens today!)

After having been to Dario's butcher shop, his MacDario restaurant Saturday last and his Solociccia restauarnt on Thursday evening it was time to visit The Officina della Bistecca, his restaurant dedicated to the beef steak. As you can see there is some serious meat cooked at this establiishment and Dario is quite proud of it.

We meet some nice people there. The Tripps and their son, Jeff, from Seattle and a newlywed couple from Ohio.

It also gave us another photo opportunity with the master himself.

Cassie's new Italian beau.

The lady here and with Cassie is a Brit that was staying at our villa. She is a "wine master" of which there are only about 100 world wide. We were out for another beautiful Tuscan sunset.

Castellina, Radda and Back to the Villa

We had a full day but didn't take many pictures. We first drove to Castellina and explored the old city. The rock walls and tunnels on top of the hill are impressive.

Before heading to Radda we stopped at a restaurant in a little town called Piazza that had been recommended by a lady from Montana that was staying at our villa.

A Photos from our table on the terrace at the restaurant.

A beautiful wine cellar in Castillena.

This is, without a doubt, the cheesiest photo to date but I couldn't resist.

This is what we see from the table on our terrace looking west. Much of the view doesn't show up in photos. There are two other layers of mountains you can't see.

It Just Ain't Fair

OK, let's start this right. Nine months ago I started planning a trip to Tuscany based on a television show and some subsequent web seaches that lead me to, arguably, the most famous butcher in Italy, if not the world.

So, here I am with a woman who has no true appreciation for meat. And what happens? My idol and his right hand man scramble for, not me that has traveled half way around the world to meet them but, my wife, a beautiful blonde with no true appreciation for that that draws all men together, red meat.

Enough said. Here is Cassie with Dario, my hero, and one of his right-hand men (I don't blame them. I wouldn't want to squeeze me either).

Houston, we have a problem!

Just spent time with an American that has been in Italy over twenty years and learned some startling news. There are no cops on the interstate here, speeds are monitored electronically.

On Wednesday on our way back to Panzano after dropping Tom and Mickey at the airport in Rome I got a bit aggressive. The speed limit was 110 klicks (about 70 mph). Because I had never seen any cops, I was doing 170 klicks (about 105 mph). The problem is there were numerous unmanned electronic speed monitoring point equipped with license plate cameras all along the way that I was unaware of.

Supposedly I will receive notices in 4 to 5 months of the violations and the monetary penalties of each. I may not ever return to Italy.

Damn Big Brother.

Kicking Back in Panzano

OK, I know we've been bad. After a couple or three weeks we have had a decompression period with few pictures taken and even fewer posted. I am sitting here having a glass of Toscana La Gioia getting ready to head to the local Coop for some supplies and have dinner reservations at 7:00 so I must be somewhat brief.

Today was for strolling the streets of Panzano getting our bearings for our last week in Italy. Mary J. is on the iTunes and I am mustering the strength for another trip to town.


Outside my favorite butcher's shop (Dario, my main man. We are having dinner at one of his restaurants tonight.). National Geographic was shooting there. Guess its a nature show about the recently departed natural resources.









I will keep posting these but they just don't do it. Ya have to be here.

Our villa is the house to the right in this picture. Our bedroom is the window in the tower. The vision when we get up in the morning is unlike anything I have ever experienced. You can see the vineyards and the olive groves. EAT YOUR HEART OUT!!

This is my sweetheart midway up the hill to the historic fortress of Panzano. Isn't she pretty? Of course she is! I had to stop and sweat and breath really hard. It's no wonder few people ever see it.

It is obvious this dog hangs out in front (or back) of the butcher shop most days. He is extremely fat. The butcher here is chasing him off but I have a sneaking suspicion he will be back.

Travel Day

No update today. We took Mickey and Tom to Rome to catch their flight home. Six and a half hours on the roads with Italian drivers. Worn out.

At the Villa, Dario the Butcher, San Gimignano II

San Gimignano
A view of the central Piazza in San Giangnamo. It was historically an Etruscan and later a Roman settlement.

There are 14 towers remaining in the village of the original 70 built by competing families for show and defense. It is one of the best examples of midieval villages remaining today.







A view of one of the towers form our view form the outdoor cafe on the piazza where we enjoyed gelato. It doesn't show in the photo, but there are plants that have rooted in the mortar of the tower....also a home for pigeons.















A little Gelato.
Tom, Mickey and Cassie enjoy a Gelato on San Mimignano's main square. Behind the camera Mark is enjoying a 1/2 liter of the local fruit of the vine. As designated driver, it takes several wines to give one the courage to tackle the mountianous curves and Italian drivers. Gelato is only for passengers.










The streets of San Giangamo. Mickey and Cassie after an afternoon of shopping. The credit card blood-letting was extremely minor on this outing.














Tom and Mickey pose for a shot of the beautiful historic architecture in San Giangnamo. The streets are paved with cobblestone and the age of the architecture is hard to capture in photos...but, hey Tom and Mickey look great!















Cassie with the boar.
The sign above the boar's head says "Do not touch", an impossibility when Cassie shops. Notice she has the boar on the right squarely by the right ear and the one one the left by his right ear.











We found a great restaurant called La Griglia for lunch with a panaromic view. Looked like we could see 100 miles.












Another cheesy shot of the girls.