Monday, January 16, 2006

Tuscany for me? Si!

So, if you'd have asked me a few months ago what I'd be doing in April, I wouldn't have answered "going to Italy".

But I will now.

Evan Kleiman, who you may know from her cool NPR show Good Food, is also owns her own restaurant and catering company. And several times a year, she hosts cooking classes in her favorite country -- Italy -- where she teaches the lucky attendees secrets of Italian cooking. Of course, there's shopping too. In Firenze. [That's Florence, for people like me who haven't cracked open the "Learn Italian" podcast just yet.] Evan books an entire villa, so the attendees stay in one beautiful location, where the classes are also held.

Why am I so excited? Because this April, Evan's going to hold her first cooking/knitting class. And she's asked me to be the instructor! I will be teaching "Learn to Love Lace", and we'll be knitting an original shawl I'm designing in Handmaiden Silken. I'm designing this shawl specifically for the class, so that it's an easy, encouraging knit for lace newbies, with a surprisingly sophisticated result. Remember all that talk about swatching silk lace? What an enjoyable task I've got!

Oh. And there are YARN STORES in Italy, people. And I believe we'll be hitting at least one.

So...this isn't an inexpensive adventure, but it will be an amazing, memorable one. For more information, you can download Evan's brochure here.

You can find a quick overview of Evan's tours here. This fabulous cooking/knitting adventure in Tuscany is set for April 20-29, 2006.

[Eeeeee! I've never been to Italy before!]

posted by amy [Knitty] @ 5:06 PM 14 comments

Comments:
Congratulations!! What a wonderful opportunity! You are going to have such an awesome time.
# posted by Blogger Heather : 3:36 PM, January 16, 2006
 
Congratulaions, you'l have a blast.
While in Firenze, you need to go to Campolmi Filati:
http://www.campolmifilati.it/index.php?action=home
It's very easy to find and worth the trip - an outlet!
Another worthy store is Beatrice Galli Yarn Shop:
http://www.beatriceyarnshop.com/default.htm
# posted by Blogger Lu : 4:21 PM, January 16, 2006
 
Ripeta: pura seta - poorah say-ta.

See? You're set!
# posted by Anonymous zib : 4:21 PM, January 16, 2006
 
Let me know if you need the location of the prada outlet. That was one of my fave stops there (it's just outside of Florence If memory serves...) and even if you don't buy anything -- it's an experience! I can't even start to summarize all the vineyards/wineries we visited.. Tuscany rocks! I know you will have a wonderful time!
# posted by Blogger shetha : 6:08 PM, January 16, 2006
 
Also in Firenze, if you need a little bit of a english romantic poetry injection, try to have a look at Elizabeth Barrett Browning's apartment Casa Guidi, just south of the Ponte Vecchio at the bottom of Via Maggio opposite the Piazza de Pitti and- it's open 3-6 pm, mondays, wednesdays and fridays from April to November and is really worth a quick trip. You can stay in the flat too- I've stayed twice- as it is owned by the Landmark Trust http://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/ . It sleeps up to 6 if you want to take friends, has a massive kitchen and is just a hysterical place to stay.

Man, I love Florence.
# posted by Anonymous Skitten : 5:47 AM, January 17, 2006
 
I did not see Venice in the trip description but if you do go there I know there is one yarn shop on the island. Also in the town of Chicaniamo Terme in Tuscany there is a lovely little shop.
# posted by Blogger stacey : 9:00 AM, January 17, 2006
 
Wow, jealous!! I nearly went on a Tuscan cooking trip last summer but ended up in France instead. I can think of almost nothing better in life than a cooking/knitting trip. SO wish I could go!
# posted by Anonymous jackie : 11:09 AM, January 17, 2006
 
congrats! what great news! so happy for you.
# posted by Anonymous katcoyle : 12:36 PM, January 17, 2006
 
AWESOME. That's all I can say. Florence was hands-down my favorite city when I was in Italy, and not just because of the gelato (although damn, that city's got some fine gelato). The Uffizi...oh yum.

Sure you don't need an assistant? I can even say "Where is the train station?" in Italian! That's gotta count for something...

(p.s. did you see Deb Stoller's doing a knitting thing in Tuscany this year, too?)
# posted by Blogger Shannon : 12:05 AM, January 18, 2006
 
Enjoy your trip! Firenze in spring is awesome. And don't forget to eat ice cream at VIVOLI. Best gelateria ever! ...and the shoe stores...
# posted by Anonymous Susann : 11:36 AM, January 19, 2006
 
That's so fun...I hope you have a great time!
# posted by Anonymous effrontery : 10:03 AM, January 22, 2006
 
This sounds like a fabulous time!
i go to Tuscany every year and take a project to knit while I'm there.

there is a little yarn shop below street level on the piazza near San lorenzo. It's not obvious but if you ask your hostess, she may know of it. I boughtsome gorgeous italian yarns there.....for reasonable prices too!
Have a great trip!
# posted by Anonymous The nace lady from Seattle : 9:07 PM, January 22, 2006
 
Oh, AMY! You MUST chronicle this trip. Hubby & I will be in Italy in late July, sans the Things. I think we're even going to stay two nights in a castle in Tuscany before heading further South and over to...Catania (Hee hee! Wonder who I might be meeting there, eh?). I can't wait to hear what YS's you find!
# posted by Blogger ericah64 : 8:37 PM, February 01, 2006
 
Debbie Stoller and guests will be visiting the yarn shops mentioned above as well as a cashmere farm in Chianti and the new outlets near Cortona during a week Stich 'n Bitch workshop in Tuscany. See http://hometown.aol.com/infotuscany/StitchBitchinTuscanyHomepag.html
# posted by Anonymous infotuscany : 12:14 AM, April 09, 2006
 
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