Venice has long been on my travel agenda, same for my traveling companions Jenny and Ross and thus we found ourselves toting luggage from the carparks to the water bus to find our way to our Venetian accommodation…this part of our European journey alone worthy of great reward for managing with elegant aplomb…a very stiff G&T, but I digress…
Imagine our relief when we stepped off our water bus on the Grand Canal, right at the door step of our latest digs…the beautiful Palazzo Giovanelli. An historic building, dating from the 1500s, painted with mythological figures by Zelotti, rich in charm and with a history that includes tenants such as the Mozart family and the King of Denmark, Frederick Christian IV and…us!
Yet again Jenny had excelled in her selection of interesting places to lay our weary heads. What’s more, Rossie had discreetly upgraded their suite to the presidential as a treat for her birthday and it is this suite you are viewing here…
As promised, another of our fabulous Chateau, Maison, Villa finds this in one of Italy’s most beautiful cities…
I’ve always wanted to sleep in a Castle…preferably right up there in a turret…how about you? Well I got to do exactly that in a hauntingly beautiful genuine medieval castle in Umbria, Italy.
The Castello di Petroia, dating back to the Middle Ages, around 1163 to be more precise, is right up there on my ‘magical experiences’ list. And that’s why it rates in my continuing ‘fabulous accommodation finds’ theme.
My Rapunzel moment was not without it’s challenges I must add. A flight of steps up to the front door, bathroom down a flight, bedroom up two flights, rooftop vista yet another. Not for the faint hearted yet affording the most magnificent 360 degree view across a tapestry of rich green undulating valleys.
Walls a meter thick, barely space for my big feather four poster bed, moonlight to guide my way I was completely entranced and all thoughts of being haunted by the turret’s ancestry were replaced with the luxury of pleasant dreams…until a Wood Pecker tapped on my window to wake me. I’m glad he did. Watching the sun rise across the misty valleys was absolutely breathtaking. It felt good to be alive!
Oh! If the thought of the turret is just too daunting, there are similar evocatively atmospheric rooms in the main castle, and just a single flight of stairs.
Had the good fortune to entertain my work colleagues and their families recently, my place being the perfect spot to pop the kids in the pool while parents put their feet up and enjoy a well deserved chill.
Now this could have been just a simple, savvy BBQ sausage sizzle…we all love a snag ‘n sauce in bread, its an Aussie tradition after all and the gang is more than happy to just hang a while…but no!
It started with a simple menu. Which needed a simple theme. And complimentary decor. A gift for each guest. Flowers, games, prizes, kiddy activities, more prizes. Tasked with feeding just 24, I’d turned the whole damn gig into a juggernaut! But isn’t that half the fun of entertaining?
My colleagues spend their limited down time rushing kids between dancing classes, football, little league, sitters, doctors, schools, sleep overs, grocery shopping, housework, study and work…and being kidless myself, the whole thought of this relentless activity does my head in! These folk seriously need relaxation time and as making guests relaxed and comfortable is what hosting’s all about, we need cocktails stat!
I find greeting guests as they arrive with a good cocktail (virgin or otherwise) always takes the edge off…my edge too I must say! Couple this with big kids into pool, smaller tots on an easter egg hunt, then furnishing all with an ice cold drink and the first box successfully ticked!
Now, with partners who only get to meet each other on these occasions, selecting activities to engage and entertain and remove temptation to talk work or move to the ‘man corner’ is also essential. In lieu of a cricket pitch, a good robust word game should do the trick. Introducing games can bring forth mutterings of ‘must we?’ But I say well yes we must!
It’s standard to get a few whinges to begin with, however choosing games that challenge the intellect, even as simple as guessing who voiced a movie one liner, ignites the competitive amongst them and within minutes the movie buffs are in action, the aspiring actors in full swing and the wine flowing. So who said ‘tell em he’s dreamin!’? And who played the character? And what was the movie’s title? You get the picture? Haa ha!
And which of us was once in a rock band? Had been a Croupier? Could recite the Alphabet backwards? Had sponsored a Donkey? Danced with Princess Di? And who knew our boss loved Parasailing? ‘Amazing Me’ – an additional guessing game, gave the whole gang fabulous insights into the rich tapestries binding each of our lives well beyond our company’s walls.
Of course all that competition builds appetite and thankfully my Asian inspired menu tickled everyone’s taste buds, chopsticks and bamboo boats the perfect weaponry while small ribboned chinese takeaway boxes made cute little carriers for fortune cookie gifts.
Bright paper lanterns fluttering in the breeze, good conversation and laughter, the Ministry of Sound DJ compilations combined with the cadences of giggling happy kids wafting across the balmy afternoon… well that took care of the ambience.
Exhausted kids still scored their snags ‘n bread, adults enjoyed their ‘adult’ nosh, we discovered a whole lot more about each other and everyone smiling in the happy snaps. Seems the juggernaut weaved it’s rightful magic. Now here’s a toast to another brilliant year team, it’s an absolute pleasure working with you!
Imagine our relief when we stepped off our water bus on the Grand Canal, right at the door step of our latest digs…the beautiful Palazzo Giovanelli. An historic building, dating from the 1500s, painted with mythological figures by Zelotti, rich in charm and with a history that includes tenants such as the Mozart family and the King of Denmark, Frederick Christian IV and…us!
My Rapunzel moment was not without it’s challenges I must add. A flight of steps up to the front door, bathroom down a flight, bedroom up two flights, rooftop vista yet another. Not for the faint hearted yet affording the most magnificent 360 degree view across a tapestry of rich green undulating valleys.
