Borgo times june july 2014 by Arthouse PR

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BORGO TIMES Issue N°02 2014

The Summer issue

June / July

RIDING HIGH

IL PALIO - TUSCANY’S FAMOUS HORSE RACE Although known the world over for its architecture, proud population, and vibrant party spirit, Siena is perhaps best recognised for its famous Palio di Siena horse race. Though the event appears festive and joyous to outsiders, the honor at stake is no laughing matter. Each of the ten horses in the race represents one of Siena’s contrade, or districts (there are seventeen in all; the seven that aren’t selected automatically race the next year), and the rider who brings his steed to victory also brings great esteem to his contrade. Although no money is involved (at least not officially), a special hand-painted silk banner of the Virgin Mary created for each race goes to the winner. This banner (or “palio”) is thought to deliver great luck to the district that wins it. Although the race itself is brief, the medieval streets of Siena are alive with the sound of music, singing, parades, and feasts a week before the horses even make an appearance, and afterwards the winning contrade throws a blow-out street party that can last for days. THE RACE: The morning of the competition begins with a special mass to bless the riders and horses, followed by a colourful parade that ends in the Campo for the 60,000-plus spectators. Each contrade’s participant enters the square around 3:30pm, but the main procession

does not get going till around 5pm, when a pageant of flag throwers dressed in medieval costumes parade through the Piazza bearing the colours and symbols of their districts. As the riders enter, the air fills with cheers, whistles, and songs while the horses are coaxed, cajoled, and pulled into position. The race itself usually begins around 7pm, though the actual start time depends greatly on whether the skittish mares feel like lining up in the first place. Three laps around the Campo – a mere 90 seconds later – and the race is over. But the party has only just begun. Fever pitch celebrations erupt throughout the city after Il Palio and continue well into the night. PLANNING AHEAD: No tickets are necessary since entry into the Campo is free, but this event is only for the very intrepid traveller as the Campo will be jam-packed with over-exuberant Italians and tourists. The best option is to purchase bleacher or balcony seats for comfortable surroundings and unobstructed views, tickets are fairly tricky to get hold of but not impossible. Speak to our Concierge office for more information.

SEAFOOD ODYSSEY This has been nothing short of amazing! Simply WOW! Definitely will be back. Thank you so much for making our break so wonderful. Esa & Gian Kasper

An exciting new addition to our regular events calendar is our Thursday Crudo di Pesce evening. Offering a delicious selection of the freshest fish, Borgo’s crudo includes an enticing combination of carpaccios, tartares, caviars and shell-fish all served with perfectly chilled champagnes and wines hand-selected by our sommelier. With all the romantic elements of the Valle Serena restaurant the candlelit dining room offers a sensational backdrop to this fine dining experience. Price: €90 per person (excluding drinks)

Dates for your diary

Open air concerts in San Galgano on pg. 6

Need Anything?

Call the reception on nr 9

Vespa Rental

Call concierge on nr 871 to book one

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BORGO TIMES

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Issue N°02 2014

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SUMMER ISSUE

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June / July

The success of Yoga must not be measured by how flexible your body becomes, but rather by how much it opens your heart. - TKV Desikachar

1.Katrina’s Signature Breakthrough Healing Session (90 minutes) Katrina’s Breakthrough Healing Sessions are her signature work. Each session is completely unique and she has had remarkable results with people from all over the world. Katrina blends a combination of intuitive healing tools to release tension and stress from the body and mind. After a Breakthrough Healing session with Katrina, clients are left feeling lighter, brighter energised and revitalised. For two weeks in June, Katrina will be staying with us at Borgo Santo Pietro holding regular yoga and healing sessions for guests. Borgo Santo Pietro classes and sessions with Katrina.

A SENSE OF WELLBEING Joining us at Borgo this summer is Katrina Love Senn, the internationally renowned yoga teacher, healer and author of the ground breaking book ‘Losing Weight is a Healing Journey’ and the ‘Yoga for Weight Loss’ Program. Borgo offers the perfect setting for a fortnight of yoga, healing and meditation. Set amidst the heady scent of seasonal herbs, the gardens provide a tranquil haven for guests to enjoy uplifting and restorative sessions with a world famous healer and yoga expert. Having successfully overcome numerous serious health problems Katrina shares her wisdom, energy and vitality with oth-

CELLAR NOTES Borgo Santo Pietro has an exceptional wine cellar which has been created by respected Sommelier, Simona di Goro. Simona has successfully developed a unique collection of re-markable labels which includes some of the finest regional varieties such as wines from the Chianti hills, Brunellos from Montalcino and award winning wines from the Bolgheri estate. With a strong emphasis on local and organic varieties Borgo’s cellar also features some rare and collectable vintages. This month Simona has selected three wines that should be on your ‘must try’ list whilst visiting Tuscany.

Top three wines to taste this summer >>>>

ers worldwide. She now travels extensively inspiring others with her passion for yoga, healing and vibrant health. Katrina’s breakthrough healing sessions address many areas of life such as exhaustion, over-eating, fear, stress and other issues that prevent you from achieving a state of happiness? If you feel that you are in need of a boost why not book a session with Katrina whilst she is at Borgo Santo Pietro.

2. Morning Yoga Classes (1 hour - for guests only) Katrina Love Senn teaches Healing Hatha Yoga which is her own blend of yoga, breathing, stretching, visualisation, intention and personal enquiry. Her unique Yoga techniques help students to strengthen their body-mind connection, promoting richer levels of creativity and spirituality. She infuses her yoga classes with kindness, compassion and a sense of play and her classes are suitable for students of all levels including beginners. 3. Meditation Classes (1 hour) These relaxing classes are perfect for beginners and anyone who wishes to learn more about the benefits of meditation. Make the most of the magical Tuscan climate and sign up to Katrina’s open-air meditation sessions which will be held in the enchanting gardens at Borgo. Designed to improve concentration, focus and relaxation, the meditation sessions also promote an overall sense of wellbeing and calm. Contact Concierge to book a session or course of classes with Katrina at Borgo Santo Pietro. Morning yoga at Borgo will be complimentary to guests, whilst individual sessions of yoga start at €80. Private guided meditation sessions start at €80 whilst the private Breakthrough Healing sessions are priced at €175. For more information about Katrina check out www.KatrinaLoveSenn.com

FLAVOURS OF A TUSCAN SUMMER A truly seasonal Tuscan dish, Francesco’s prawn and parsley risotto combines fresh flavours with a depth of taste. A refined interpretation of good old-fashioned comfort food, this vibrant risotto makes the perfect summer lunch for friends. Choose the freshest ingredients, prawns from the Mediterranean and organic parsley, if you have time try and use homemade stock. RISOTTO PREZZEMOLO & GAMBERI Instructions for 2 Servings

YOU WILL NEED 200g Carnaroli rice • 30g chopped onion • 80g parsley • 20g oil • 30g butter • vegetable stock • 4 large shelled prawns DIRECTIONS

Bright golden colour, rich to the sight, offering flowery and fruited fragrances, as well as those of cedar wood. A balsamic touch is also present. Great structure and persistence. It is an uncommon wine, perfect with cheeses.

Numero Sei

Sassotondo Sovana Grosseto IGT Grapes: Greco 50%, Sauvignon 50%

Saignée (blending red and white) is carried out after 5 hours on the skins in order to obtain only smooth tannins. After that, fermentation follows for about 10 days and then maturation on the lees for 2 months. Rosè colour like onion skin, fruity with cherries, violet and wild strawberries, smooth, sensual and elegant.

Spaziolibero Rosèe

Villa La Ripa Antria Arezzo IGT Grapes: 50% Sangiovese, 50% Shiraz

Brunello Le Chiuse is a clear and bright wine and has a vivid garnet-red colour. Its bouquet is intense and persistent, with various scents: soft fruit, jam and vanilla. The wine is round, elegant and persistent. It stands long ageings and improves with age. Each year has its own organoleptic characteristics and little differences. 20% of the best years production is left ageing in our wine cellars for one more year, giving life to the Riserva.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Le Chiuse Sangiovese Grosso

Mix the parsley with a little stock to form a paste and set aside. Sauté the onion in oil then add the rice and cook gently by adding the stock a little at a time. Stirring continuously, after about 15 min the rice should be cooked, adjust with salt and pepper. At this point, add the parsley paste and butter and mix well. Sauté the prawns & cut into four pieces. Serve the risotto garnished with the prawns & edible flower petals.

Simple flavours of the summer. Risotto always reminds me of my childhood. - Francesco Gasbarro Executive Chef Valle Serena

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Life in the City Tuscany offers a number of thriving cities where property choices are diverse and include new-builds, historic palazzos, contemporary apartments and cool boutique environments. Florence is a hotspot for inter-continental life with a melting pot of wealthy ex-pats choosing to relocate to the city. With so much culture on your doorstep Florence provides just about the perfect combination of architectural richness, gastronomic delights and a healthy social calendar. Also, for traveling around Italy and further afield Rome is 90 minutes by train and both Venice and Milan are within two hours.’ For savvy Florentine buyers the hills around the city itself offer space, beauty, gardens and parking and enjoy far-reaching views over the city’s landmarks all within 10 minutes of the centre. The San Niccolò area of the city is an up-and coming artisan quarter where new restaurants and bars are springing up alongside the stunning riverside location on the banks of the Arno. Here properties are becoming popular with designers, fashionistas, young creatives and overseas buyers looking for a more contemporary Florence. Another city that offers the heady mixture of Tuscan culture yet without compromise on travel routes and commercial opportunities is Lucca where prices of city properties have dipped in recent years. The birthplace of Puccini provides a backdrop for opera and theatre, good restaurants and bars all within an hour of Pisa airport. UK based buyers are also looking at Siena, arguably Tuscany’s most beautiful town and certainly one of its most prestigious. ‘Siena has a relaxed ambience and, apart from during the Palio in July and August, when Piazza del Campo is overwhelmed with frenzied Senese, it’s quieter and more laid back than many other Tuscan cities.

Country living - Big is beautiful

TIME TO BUY IN TUSCANY FROM COTTAGES TO CASTLES, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE The undulating hills dotted with olives and vines paint a pretty picture and the skyward bound cypress trees and heady scent of jasmine make a mouthwatering cocktail, yet, it is the combination of culture and pleasure that keep buyers coming back to Tuscany.

Big changes are afoot in the Tuscan Countryside as larger properties become more available, entire estates, small villages and old castellos are finally becoming accessible with the help of property experts who can help buyers navigate planning laws. In the past, joint ownership issues have prevented the smooth sales of grand-scale properties. However, the complexity of selling ‘noble’ or family owned estates has lessoned in recent years and now many intriguing opportunities are openly on the market. Wine producing estates overlooking the Mediterranean, Hilltop fortress villages, Ancient Palazzos and Medieval Castles all present interesting opportunities for those with a commercial interest.

The romanticism behind purchasing a second home in Tuscany may remain unchanged, but the top locations are changing to incorporate a desire for culture combinations.

If you are simply looking for a comfortable retreat in the Tuscan countryside then a farmhouse or Casa Colonica would make the perfect choice. Throw in a small vineyard a few olive groves and a private pool and the Tuscan dream is complete. For example properties for sale contact www.pnhomes.eu

With the Italian economy continuing its state of insecurity the impact on property prices is opening doors to many overseas buyers searching for the Tuscan dream. With such an intoxicating mix of culture, art, gastronomy, music and heritage Tuscany truly offers a richness and vibrancy impossible to find elsewhere. From Botticelli’s Birth of Venus in Florence’s Uffizi Gallery to an unknown historic fresco located in the village chapel, there is beauty and art in every corner. UNESCO figures show that 60% of the world’s most important artworks are in Italy and half of those are in Florence.

Diverse landscapes, from the mountainous Garfagnana to the sweeping vineyards and olive groves of Chianti and the agricultural hills of the Val d’Orcia, Tuscany provides plenty of options. Five star beaches of Forte di Marmi, Punta Ala and Castiglione Della Pescaia are also all within a quick jaunt from the ski resorts-of Abetone and Monte Amiata.

CRYSTAL ARTISANS Keeping heritage skills alive in Tuscany The medieval town of Colle di Val d’Elsa has produced glassware since the 1300’s and more than 90 percent of Italy’s crystalware is still made here. The town is home to numerous Crystal Manufacturers and also boasts several galleries and a designated Crystal museum. Why not plan a day trip to the town and enjoy a behind the scenes tour of an artisan crystal factory. Inside the crystal-blowing workshop at Vilca (53 Via Fratelli Bandiera, Località Gracciano, Colle di Val d’Elsa; 39-0577/929-188; w w w.vilca.it; weekday mornings only), teams of artisans gracefully transform glowing strands of crystal into twisted wine glasses, sculptural vases, and delicate fig urines. The adjacent factory shop sells items ranging from tall, opaque-and transparent vases by Scotsman Charles Rennie Mackintosh to chunky-stemmed goblets, all at 50 percent below retail prices.

The crystal boutiques in Colle’s sandstone-and-cobbled Old Town might be picturesque, but Cristallerie Mezzetti (13 Via Oberdan, Colle di Val d’Elsa; 39-0577/920-395; w w w.cristalleriemezzetti.com), in the commercial area, is the only shop that stocks all the local producers, with affordable collections and wine tasting sets — a glass in a different shape for each type of wine — by Calp, handblown vases by Arnolfo di Cambio, and silk-screened glassware by Egizia. Not al l of T usca n y’s best cr ystalware comes from Col le. W hen T usca n aristocrats brea k a n a ntique cara fe, they com m ission La Moler ia L occhi (10 Via Bu rch iel lo, F lorence; 39-055/229-8371; w w w.locch i.com) to ma ke a n exact dupl icate i n cr ystal or glass, often usi ng mach i ner y that dates back to the 1800’s. Visitors to the centu r y-old workshop ca n choose from a selection of read ymade objects: cr ystal ca ndelabra; vases eng raved w ith fr u it, f lowers, or fish.

y Rainy Da Ideas

• Wine Tasting

Why not join our sommelier for a private wine-tasting where you can sample a selection of regional and awardwinning wines in our well-stocked cellar. PRICE: €95 pp

• Cooking Class

Sign up to a day’s cooking where you will create regional specialities such as fresh tortellini, foccacia and crostini under the guidance of one of our talented chefs. PRICE: €85 for kids €185 for adults

Check your in-room ipad for more information.

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BORGO TIMES

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Issue N°02 2014

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SUMMER ISSUE

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June / July

“ARTE CON AMORE” SCULPTOR’S WORK ON DISPLAY AT BORGO

LA BOTTEGA DEL BUON CAFFÈ FLORENCE RESTAURANT REVEALS ELEGANT NEW INTERIOR

Swiss born artist Magi Wittwer has been based in the beautiful region of Chianti for over 20 years where she produces unique pieces of sculpture in her studio space.

One of the city’s top eateries, La Bottega del Buon Caffè has revealed its new interior this month. Designed by Jeanette Thottrup (founder of Borgo Santo Pietro), the new restaurant combines laidback elegance with a sense of cool city chic

Magit studied in Hungary with artist Sandor Kecskeméti where she learned all about sculptural techniques, firing and glazing. Her ever-changing surroundings inspire Magit and allow her the full diversity of Raku-firing. Using a mixed media of gres (clay mixed with fired clay) the main themes of her work are “the relationship” which she expresses through sculptures, wall and garden art. Working closely with her husband Hans-Peter, Magit’s original pieces of art are inspired by the need for and a longing for love and security which she interprets through her art. In observing and absorbing the environment around her studio she often uses old discarded or rust covered items which she combines with

clay. Drawing further inspiration from her favorite elements, earth and fire she completes her creations by firing in a Raku kiln under a tin cask, in a earth pit or in a self-made kiln. This way, the sculptures obtain their unique character. Also a few selected pieces are then cast in bronze. This season Magit’s sculptures can be found beautifully displayed at Borgo Santo Pietro where her work can also bought. Individual pieces from her Impressione d’Amore collection can be seen in the Valle Serena Restaurant. Also, if you would like to visit her studio near Siena private viewings can be arranged through our Concierge.

SAN GALGANO INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL During the summer there are concerts, ballets and several theatrical performances in the picturesque setting of San Galgano Abbey. For many years the ancient ruined abbey of San Galgano has been the venue for concerts in collaboration with the Chigi Academy of Music. This summer why not book tickets for one or two events at this spectacular open air venue. Enjoy some culture under a blanket of stars and indulge in exceptional music, theatre and dance. Events include a diverse variety of entertainment including operas, concerts, musicals and ballets. This season, San Galgano festival kicks off with a performance of the Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ arranged for choir and orchestra. See overleaf for the 2014 full list of events taking place at the San Galgano International Music Festival, please ask at reception or at our Concierge office for availability and to book tickets.

En l isti ng the help of ar tisa n cra ftsmen who have created u n ique wal l-ar t decorations the atmosphere is upbeat, fresh a nd contemporar y. The new menu ref lects the ver y best elements of the orig i nal restau ra nt wh ilst com for tably i ntroduci ng new a nd exciti ng variations of trad itional T usca n d ishes. Chef F ra ncesco Gasbarro (of Borgo Sa nto Pietro fa me) has a n outsta nd i ng reputation for produci ng beauti fu l ly presented seasonal orga n ic d ishes. Bri ng i ng the ver y freshest i ng red ients da ily from a n orga n ic farm at Palazzetto, the k itchen creates i n novative seasonal

d ishes i nclud i ng Cappel letti w ith Pigeon, butter a nd sage, Mal lard D uck w ith g reen apple a nd fois g ras or the Salt Cod w ith Zol fi n i Bea ns a nd Cavalo Nero.

“non c’è amore più onesto che il mio amore per la cucina” A ntonel lo Sardo - Chef at the Buon Ca ffè w w w.labottegadelbuonca ffe.com

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Location

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The Wall