Tour through Tuscany

In one of my last weeks in Italy, I toured the Tuscan countryside via Vespa; the eight hour tour took us to some of the most picturesque locations outside of Florence and brought us to some of Tuscany's oldest and most well known wineries in the area. Fattoria Le Corti is a vast estate, still owned by the Corsini family, who live in the villa, as well as run the winery and olive oil production, all located within the property. The Santi di Tito-designed villa sits at the head of the estate and acts as a centerpiece for the entire compound, while being complimented by the sweeping views of rolling hills with never-stopping grape vines, some making the Florence-made Chianti Classico wine, only native to the region. The vast compound is only as beautiful as its surroundings, along with the wine and olive oil is produces onsite. I did not get the pleasure of touring the villa, but I am currently collecting photos of the interior, and will share them soon! Ciao!

All photos by Tim Schroeder for Standard Luxe

Luxe Goes on Vacation

Starting today, Standard Luxe will be on vacation until next Monday. I just finished all of my work in Rome and Greece, and am headed back to Italy for one last week. You can expect some great posts the following week, complete with details from my worldwind Greek adventure.

Until next week, ciao!

Off to Greece

As I have finished my time in Rome, I will heading to Athens, Greece for a ten day course all about Greek Art. I cannot wait to leave Rome and see the country of Greece. This coming week I will be devoting a whole day to people I would like to have dinner with. Five days, five people. Some of these individuals would probably never have dinner with a blogger, some might not even know what a blog is, but nonetheless, the five people that I look up to and simply love to have a casual conversation with. Enjoy the weekend!

Italian Countryside(s)

I thought I'd throw myself a bone today and showcase a little Italian luxury at its finest. Spending most of my time in Rome, which is much like a big city, I have had only one weekend in the country. Living and working in Rome is beautiful, but these country estates scattered around the boot really make you feel like your living in the land of wine and pasta. Whether you're looking at the sea or overlooking a massive vineyard, the Italian scenery s

Photos courtesy of Architectural Digest

Luxe in Other Places

I've decided to make this week all about self-promotion. Like I said on Wednesday, I like to be everywhere on the internet, so if you're looking for a detailed account of my trip, in regards to travel and such, you can read an additional blog written by me, here. I was asked by my program to blog about about my experiences abroad. It doesn't really follow my luxe theme from here, but it still has some good information and a couple of pictures too. 

Ciao from Italy! I returned yesterday afternoon from a weekend in the mountainside. The region I hiked and ate in was Abruzzo, and it was the epitome of picturesque. I was there Friday through Sunday, and all three days consisted of hiking through the Valle Roveto, and eating in Civita d’Antino. The historic town is well known to be the town of Danish painter Kristian Zahrtmann. The first night, after our short hike, we had a wine cheese tasting at Osteria Zahrtmann where mayor of the town came to welcome us to the quaint town, followed by a musical performance and an art exhibit of Zahrtmann prints in a local museum. While we perused the prints, we had the opportunity to listen to a trio of a loca trio play Italian swing music. After the art and music, we retreated back to the restaurant for a meal that consisted of only locally grown products made into a bean and noodle soup along with a rack of lamb. It was delicious. The second day of hiking was challenging, but also rewarding because we had the most amazing dinner afterwards, back at Osteria Zahrtmann, accompanied by a demonstration on how to marinate the chicken and prepare the gnocchi noodles. The next day was another hike with a tasty lunch of pasta and roast before we left to travel back to Rome. I am completely exhausted from the hiking, and looking at these pictures make my legs a little weary, but it was for the best. The Italian countryside is seriously luxe.

All photos by Tim Schroeder for Standard Luxe