by Loraine Pavich – July 19, 2010 -

I don’t think Frank Bruni needs any introduction.  He was the acclaimed NY Times food critic for 5 years, a position he held from 2004-2009.  He is also the author of several books. Most recent, Born Round: A Story of Family, Food and a Ferocious Appetite (now available in paperback) tells the story about the history of his food centered Italian American upbringing, and his battle with bulimia.  It is truly a wonderful read for anyone who is interested in food, life and love.  The book is filled with tons of laughter and humor.

Frank Bruni was born and raised in White Plains, NY and attended University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with B.A.  in English.  He had joined the New York Times in 1995.  Prior to that Frank was at the Detroit Free Press and the  New York Post. These days Frank is a writer at large at New York Times Magazine and working on personal projects.  It was very special to interview someone with such an incredible background in writing, food and restaurants.

Be sure to visit the website of Frank Bruni where you can learn much more and purchase his book: http://www.bornround.com

An Interview with Acclaimed NY Food Critic & Author Frank Bruni, by Loraine Pavich

How did you get such an amazing job at the New York Times?

I joined the Times in 1995, so had been there about 9 years when they asked me to be restaurant critic. They did so because they felt, based on the work I’d done for them to that point, that the job would be a good fit for me, and that I could do it with some distinction. They took a leap of faith and so, in turn, did I. Now I’m a staff writer at the Times’s Sunday magazine, another terrific assignment, given to me based in large part because of scattered stories I contributed to the magazine over the years.

What is your favorite restaurant in the world?

I have no one favorite. There are simply too many great restaurants in my mental Rolodex, each one satisfying different moods, different priorities.

What do you normally eat for breakfast?

It changes all the time. Sometimes I skip breakfast. I rarely have a full breakfast. When I do eat something, it’s most often either a toasted sesame bagel with some type of Swiss cheese and sliced tomato; a bowl of Greek yogurt with some granola mixed in; or a baguette with jam and butter from Levain Bakery, which is on my block.

How many meals a day do you have?

Usually two full ones and one half one: breakfast. I’m also a late-night snacker, and there are occasions when that late-night snack attains the heft of a meal.

What is the worst meal you ever had?

I’ve had many terrible meals across a lifetime of eating. No one of them stands out as the worst. If there was an experience more abysmal than all the others, I’ve probably repressed the memory. Who would want to cling to it?

What interests you other than food?

I pay attention to, and frequently write about, politics. I’m a movie lover. I’m a book lover. And when I have time, I like to do things like hike and take long bike rides, in part because it counteracts all the food I shovel down the hatch.

Your favorite meal and who makes it for you?

I’m truly an adventurous, wide-open eater. There’s no one favorite meal I have. Though I like, at least once every two months, to roast a chicken and slowly, while watching TV, pick my way through all of it. It satisfies a gluttony in me that will never go away.

Is there an unknown place in New York doesn’t know about that we should?

New York doesn’t have any unknown places anymore. There are so many passionate food lovers who do vigorous scouting and can share their experiences on the Internet that secrets don’t last – dont’ really exist.

What do you like most about New York?

New York is as inexhaustible a city as there is, and that holds true for food as for so much else. There are so many people here and there’s so much diversity here and there’s so much wealth that you can never, ever run out of experiences to savor and try. If you’re bored in New York, it’s your fault, never the city’s.

Your favorite television show?

This changes from season to season. Last year I found myself addicted to “The Good Wife,” which I thought was simply terrific. Whenever “Curb Your Enthusiasm” comes back on, I watch it faithfully. I still miss and mourn “The Comeback,” Lisa Kudrow’s send-up of reality TV. It had just one 13-episode season, but I think I watched each of those episodes four times.

Where in Italy do you like most?

For eating, I’m partial to the Piedmont region. In terms of cities, I don’t think there’s a one of them that matches the enchantment of Venice, if you can edit the hordes of tourists out. And that’s doable: by doing much of your walking around Venice at night; by wandering far from the most trammeled walking routes.

Do you ever cook for yourself?

Sure. Doesn’t everyone? I didn’t cook much for myself when I was the restaurant critic from June 2004 to August 2009, because I had to eat out pretty much every night. But since then I’ve begun to cook more and more for myself.

Do you sometimes feel you never want to see food again?

Never! Even in the minutes right after a too-big meal, when I’m full to bursting, I know that I’ll be hungry again soon enough, and I know that there are many, many wonderful things to eat. Food is one of life’s supreme pleasures. That never, ever escapes me.

Learn more about Loraine here: Italia Living Contributor Loraine Pavich

by Turid Emberland -

Tuscany belongs to everyone who’s ever dreamt about it, yearned for it or lived side by side with it. Regardless of where you are, the soul and essence of Tuscany is so present, that you don’t have to live there to know it. Live it where you are.

It’s almost a myth, the life that is being lived between farmhouses, olive trees and family recipes. It’s a life many people dream about, but it is not always within physical reach. What is this elevated dream and where does it stem from?

I believe a lot of it comes from the yearning a lot of people have, to live a more meaningful life in tact with nature and with them self. A life where you can get up with the birds in the morning and go to bed in the evening, knowing that your day has been full – that you are full. In between the birds in the morning and the sunset in the evening is the frame where you can pursue what makes you; You. Perhaps it is a love for art, the Italian language or the Italian man. (Whatever floats your Gondola). Perhaps you feel a calling for a life that can help quiet your mind and allow yourself to focus upon what is truly important in your life.

It is a place where time seems vaster. The landscape illustrates and underlines this with its sloping, soft hills and long lines stretched far into the horizon, where the mountaintops make a patchwork in blue. Time seems plentiful and packed with quality and beauty. It is a place where passion is given weight, where creativity is nurtured and, let me use a very poignant word from Alice in Wonderland; a place where you can begin the search for your muchness.

Most of us know that Tuscany is far more than poppy fields, gelato and sunshine. When the visitors go home, the land remains and turns into winter. Crops have been harvested, wine grapes have been collected and the hills are painted brown. Now, here comes the challenge… With winter comes reality and the cold months between November and March are there for you to go soul searching in the nooks and crannies of the house you live in. Building a fire in the morning feels like building character in yourself. There’s only you and the farmers down the road, and it’s your own responsibility to make meaning of your time, and to create the life that you yearned for – the life that is so much easier in the long days of the summer.

But in the winter, something happens. There arises a quiet joy and a melancholic harmony that brings you what you need to get through the bone chilling winters in a very old, dark and drafty house. I believe this feeling is the very soul of the land; persistence.

The satisfying feeling of making it through by building the fires, cooking on the fire, fixing your socks in front of the fire, reading in front of the fire, swearing and praying in front of the fire; it’s all there in the winter. Just like the leafless branches on the trees outside the window – uncovered, bare and honest.

The essence of Tuscany is so rich and complex, but a big part of it I believe is the frame it provides for finding oneself, and filling oneself to the brim of all that is good in life.

Tuscany will always be Tuscany – colored by the people who live here, the people who visit, the food that is being made and the overall love for the land, that goes deep into the soil, far beneath the vines. The rich history, the breathtaking art and the views that can leave you gasping for air, are all in the package that forms Tuscany. And it is all yours.

If you can’t make it here anytime soon, I suggest you start preparing. Start creating the frame you need to find your muchness where you are right now and Tuscany will always be here to nurture you and test you when you arrive.

Be sure to visit her website, Toscana Hus offering a vast array of exquisite holiday homes in Italy. Based in Tuscany and offering a charming selection of holiday houses concentrated in the Siena and Florence areas of Tuscany.

Palazzo Tornabuoni…Welcome to Florence…Welcome Home

We at Italia Living have always desired to bring you the very best of what encompasses fine living of the Italian lifestyle. We are extremely happy to have partnered in sharing the ultimate of la dolce vita in Florence with you – Palazzo Tornabuoni.

Palazzo Tornabuoni is an independent private residence club in Florence, Italy, managed by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

Florence is one of those rare places in the world where the past and present live harmoniously side by side.  The cobble stone streets, palazzos, bell towers, and fortresses of 500 years ago still stand, now home to a thriving and exciting international community.  The quest for beauty during the Renaissance, lead by residents such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo – made Florence the cradle of western civilization.  Today new Florentine artisans, designers and artists continue to impact the world with their own sense of beauty.  At Palazzo Tornabuoni the beauty of the two periods are seamlessly interwoven to create elegant and contemporary homes.  Members of Palazzo Tornabuoni will enjoy a unique lifestyle born of the best of centuries of Florentine life.

Palazzo Tornabuoni members enjoy the ultimate Florentine lifestyle and will have access to one of Florence’s most important landmarks, comprised of 38 elegant studio, one, two and three-bedroom residences.

Each of the residences has its unique charm and appeal—some with magnificent views, others with terraces or frescos.  Every residence will be luxuriously equipped for comfort and convenience with state-of-the-art entertainment and communication systems and furnished with custom-designed Boffi kitchens and handcrafted tables, chairs, and draperies—many by Florentine artisans.

Palazzo Tornabuoni provides ample common areas for members including: a members-only lounge with an elegant 30-foot wooden ceiling; indoor and outdoor dining areas; a wine bar; a fitness room outfitted with Technogym equipment, sauna and steam room; a wine cellar to house favorites your private wine collections; and storage for a few personal belongings.  In addition, access will be granted to all members at the Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, which features an outdoor pool in a four-hectare private garden—the largest in the city of Florence.

This is all just a taste of the Palazzo Tornabuoni life and experience. Please see our other related articles below, and be sure to visit their website for much more detail.

Article content and photos supplied by Palazzo Tornabuoni, a sponsor of Italia Living.

Peter Kempf of Kempf International, recently announced that the Palazzo Tornabuoni, Florence’s first Private Residence Club, once a 15th century Medici Palace, has for the first time opened 18 whole ownership residences now available for sale. Kempf’s private brokerage firm, Peter Kempf International Ltd., is exclusively handling the transactions.

The Palazzo Tornabuoni Private Residence Club became quite a successful fractional ownership destination after it opened in 2007. The residences were fractionalized into 1/8 shares in 36 apartments. At that time the population who purchased were approximately 70% American and 30% European. It is now 50% American and 50% rest of the world, and they expect the “world” portion to continue to increase. Given the still somewhat unstable state of the world economy, they are very pleased – but given the unique nature of the offering, they are also not surprised.

Living room Brunelleschi Residence

Living room Galileo Residence

Kitchen

The wholly owned residences range in price from 1.6 to 5.1M Euro ($2,350,000 to $7,884,500 dollars), and are between one and two bedrooms, with one to three baths. Living space is between 700 sf to nearly 3000 sf in size. The wholly owned residences are part of the Palazzo Tornabuoni, an edifice that defines the architectural and historical significance of Florence, Italy, as it was built for the Medici family in the 15th century, original 16th-century frescoes by Ciampelli, and an exquisite fireplace adorned with micro-mosaics by the miniaturist Rafaelli (c.1800). Each property is set among the Palazzo Tornabuoni’s various courtyards and terraced gardens, and certain residences feature roof-top views of Florence and the Duomo.

Rooftop terrace of Galileo residence

It took five years to restore the Palazzo into residences. But with the collaboration of Michele Bonan, the award-winning Tuscan-born interior designer, Its contemporary design captures Bonan’s signature style in creating “an environment in which the owner feels they belong…and are not just visiting.” This was a complex undertaking considering the Palazzo’s Renaissance architectural style, and preserving it as a museum of sorts. There are original 16th-century frescoes by Ciampelli, and an exquisite fireplace adorned with micro-mosaics by the miniaturist Rafaelli (c.1800). Outside, a central courtyard still exists that was originally created by Renaissance architect Michelozzo (1400). But yet the residences do have a kind of contemporary comfort, even though surrounded by the finest 15th century Florence had to offer.

The Palazzo’s pietra serena staircase is home to this marble Diana the Huntress statue by Gherardo Silvani (1579-1675).

Bar / Club Lounge

Library

Whole owners are eligible for Tornabuoni’s Club membership status providing access to an extensive array of facilities and services. Faciltiies include use of the Palazzo’s indoor and outdoor communal areas: a cigar room; lobby lounge and library; fitness, sauna and steam rooms; covered outdoor terraces and gardens. Also, there is wine storage, access to the spa facilities at the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze. The Palazzo is managed by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts with available services to include housekeeping, maintenance, concierge and Attaché, a dedicated concierge service for the member/owners at the Palazzo.

If interested in whole ownership, visit Kempf International.

Article content and photos supplied by Palazzo Tornabuoni, a sponsor of Italia Living.

Florence’s historic Palazzo Tornabuoni is a milestone in the evolution of the private residence club. Now managed by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, it was originally built in the 15th century and was once home to Cardinal Alessandro de Medici—later Pope Leo XI. In 1598, it hosted the world’s first opera performance, Dafne by Jacopo Peri. Its external fabric, frescos and statuary come under the tutelage of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Affairs. But Palazzo Tornabuoni is much more than a museum. Meticulously restored over four years, and styled by international Florentine interior designer Michele Bönan, the Palazzo was named “one of the world’s ten most exciting developments” by the editors of Travel + Leisure magazine.

In Palazzo Tornabuoni’s 38 sophisticated and elegant private residences as well as its welcoming Club rooms, Bönan has created an ambience that balances contemporary flair with timeless grace. Some residences are embellished by priceless 16th-century frescos, others have terraces with breathtaking views over Florentine rooftops and Brunelleschi’s cathedral dome. All are spacious, and with their hi-tech Boffi kitchens, Bang & Olufsen entertainment systems and complete Wi-Fi coverage, they provide an extraordinary level of 21st-century comfort.

Palazzo Tornabuoni is also open to today’s Florence, with its instinct for fashion, talent for design, and love of good food and wine. Thanks to the Palace’s resident Attachés, Club members enjoy a series of insider privileges that enable them to live the ultimate contemporary Florentine lifestyle, including the opportunity to go backstage during an opera performance at the city’s Maggio Musicale festival or to take advantage of the exclusive entrée granted to Club members at several of Tuscany’s most prestigious vineyards.

The relaxed, book-lined Club library with its well-stocked bar and outside terrace is the focal point of Club life, and a forum for encounters with visiting experts, ranging from wine tastings to informal talks on everything from social entrepreneurship to contemporary Italian art. Club members also have full access to the unparalleled services and amenities at Four Seasons Hotel Firenze.

To date, 15 different nationalities are represented among those who have opted to become part of the world’s most stylish urban private residence club. A few memberships are still left in the studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom categories, with pricing starting from €218,000 plus applicable tax. In addition, Palazzo Tornabuoni offers a limited number of whole ownership residences, with prices starting at €1,200,000. Club members can stay in the Palace anytime they wish, subject only to reservation policies.

“From the moment you enter the Palazzo and walk up the grand staircase to the papal reception room, there is a feeling that you are part of something tremendous,” says J. Byrne Murphy, the CEO of Kitebrook Partners, co-developers of the property along with RDM of the Fingen Group. Transcending tourism, Palazzo Tornabuoni offers a stylish home away from home in one of Italy’s most beautiful cities.

There’s still time to become a part of the New Florentine Renaissance.

Article content and photos supplied by Palazzo Tornabuoni, a sponsor of Italia Living.

By Kristine Jannuzzi -

For Young Italian Americans in New York, an “Empire State of Mind” Includes a Passion for Il Bel Paese.

NEW YORK – Anyone who spends a day exploring the streets of Manhattan can tell that New Yorkers have a soft spot for almost everything Italian. From Vespas to vino, porchetta to piadine, and Versace to Verdi, symbols of Italian culture are thriving and abundant in the Big Apple.

Young Italian Americans bring their own unique perspective and sense of pride to this heritage that has been transformed over generations, and yet, in many ways, is appreciated much more now than when their ancestors first arrived in America.

Take Mike Del Guercio, 23, whose great grandparents on his father’s side immigrated to the US from Avellino around 1910. While his father’s knowledge of the Italian language is limited to dialect and colloquial phrases, Mike majored in Italian at Villanova and now teaches the language at a prestigious high school in New Jersey.

Mike Del Guercio with his dad at the World Cup

“In the 1950s, it was more important to become American than to retain Italian roots, and that generation was robbed of the right to learn the language and the culture,” Mike says.  “When my grandfather died, he was the last one in my family who spoke Italian. I realized then that if you lose language, you lose culture, and I didn’t want that to happen to my family.”

Mike’s first extended stay in Italy was when he spent six months studying in Perugia during college. “The experience of living amongst other Italians was incredible. It really opened my eyes, and I fell in love with everything about the Italian culture.” Like many young men in Italy, he’s especially passionate about soccer and Vasco Rossi. He adds, “Italian culture is very addictive.”

Alaina Sinopoli, whose great grandparents are from Naples and Sicily, is in complete agreement. “I am extremely proud to be Italian. Italians excel in all categories – music, art, fashion, food, cars, beautiful and kind people. It makes me happy to know that Italians contribute so much to society.”

Alaina Sinopoli (Front row 3rd from left)

Alaina, 24, hasn’t had the opportunity to visit Italy yet, but Italian culture and traditions are an important part of her life. “Last year I went to see Jovanotti when he performed in NYC. I also like listening to Laura Pausini, Andrea Bocelli, and Gigi D’Alessio. And, of course, we eat plenty of pasta in my house…breads, anything with mozzarella, bruschetta, prosciutto…” She adds that she loves her mother’s spaghetti and meatballs, the quintessential Italian American dish.

Christina Marraccini (Miss Italia USA 2009)

The emphasis placed on food and family forms an instant common bond among young Italian Americans in the New York area, where many other young people rarely share long, home-cooked meals with parents and relatives. Christina Marraccini, the winner of Miss Italia USA 2009, loves meeting Italian Americans because of such intrinsic connections. “Each Sunday, we have everyone from my dad’s side of the family over to my grandparents’ house for dinner.  They have been doing this since before I was born, and I greatly value this tradition,” she explains.

Christina’s great grandparents came to the US from Sicily in the early 1900s. She became involved in the Miss Italia New York contest last year at the suggestion of her Italian teacher, and at age 18, she visited Italy for the first time to compete in Miss Italia Nel Mondo. She and her family traveled around the country for two weeks after the pageant, and after that experience, Christina feels even more connected to her Italian heritage.

“Being Italian differentiates me as an American. It’s something I’ll embrace for the rest of my life,” she says.

Mike Del Guercio echoes this sentiment. “If I say I’m American, it doesn’t give me a definition. I could be someone from Texas. But being Italian American means doing things with passion and love and energy and a smile. It’s who I want to be, when I say I’m Italian American.”

So while some aspects of the Italian culture have evolved through the years here in New York, the essential elements have survived well in tact. And this generation of Italian Americans takes great pride in carrying on the heritage that has been passed on to them from their ancestors.

~Kristine Jannuzzi is a writer at New York University

FLORENCE, ITALY  - Palazzo Tornabuoni commissioned Tuscan-born interior designer Michele Bonan to furnish the Club’s common areas and 38 residences in a style that balances contemporary flair with timeless elegance. His work on such prestigious projects as the Ferragamo family’s Lungarno hotels in Florence and Rome, Casa Tua hotel and restaurant in Miami and JK Place hotels in Florence and Capri, not to mention a brace of domestic interiors from Chicago to Monte Carlo, has brought Bonan international acclaim.

Underpinning Bonan’s design philosophy is the conviction that “designing means creating an ideal environment in which the owner feels that they belong, not that they are just visiting.” Nowhere is this more evident than in his work for Palazzo Tornabuoni, which taps into the refined, cultured spirit of former owners like sixteenth-century art patron and composer Jacopo Corsi – but also exudes warmth and charm. It’s like entering the house of a stylish but unpretentious art collector with a talent for understatement.

Bonan’s interiors fuse past and present seamlessly:

-   Baroque statues, eighteenth-century mosaics and Mannerist frescoes sit alongside contemporary paintings and Bang & Olufsen entertainment systems;

-   Vintage designer tables blend in with finely crafted contemporary-classic sofas and armchairs by Chelini, upholstered in rich cream fabric;

-   Overhead, chandeliers painstakingly assembled by Italian artisan Gherardo degli Albizzi from bevel-cut glass lend a touch of opulence.

For Bonan, as for the painters of the Tuscan Renaissance, light is central to the final effect. The designer began his work by visiting the Palazzo at regular intervals through the year, observing rooms at different times of day and in different weather conditions. Only then did he choose paint colours – which were tested in situ before being applied – and upholstery fabrics.

Bonan also gave considerable thought to the Palazzo’s ambient lighting. One of his intuitions was to leave the frescoes in the Papal Suite deliberately unlit, just as they would have been in the seventeenth century.  Discretion was the keyword; now as is in the past, Palazzo Tornabuoni is a home, not a museum.

Though Bonan has worked all over the world, as a Florentine he brings a special, local sensibility to his work on the Palazzo. He worked with Tuscan artisans, using mostly Tuscan materials, from Carrara marble to the cypress wood used in drawers and cabinets.

Some rooms retain their original decorative terrazzo floors, while others have been laid in warm, durable oak by Giulio Tanini. Bathrooms, lined in gold-veined Calacatta marble, feature retro Victorian-style fittings and bathtubs by Devon & Devon. In the kitchens, sleekly minimalist but decidedly hi-tech Boffi units made to measure by designer Piero Lissoni play off against elaborate stuccoed ceilings and ruched curtains in cotton linen damask.

Palazzo Tornabuoni is a debut for Michele Bonan in Private Club Residences design.  “The Palazzo has had many illustrious owners over the centuries” Bonan explains. “We are very fortunate that it retains so much of the original decorative elements from the last five centuries. Our goal is to weave these elements into a tapestry of style, grace, and above all, comfort.”

Article content and photos supplied by Palazzo Tornabuoni, a sponsor of Italia Living.

London, November 2009: Palazzo Tornabuoni, a Private Residence Club located in central Florence, Italy, which opened earlier this year, is showing signs of out-performing the downturn in the property market.

Developed by RDM (the real estate division of Florence-based Fingen Group),and Kitebrook Partners of Washington DC, Palazzo Tornabuoni Co-owner and Co-developer Byrne Murphy has today announced plans to release a select number of apartments onto the market, with immediate effect.  The move, which comes as Palazzo Tornabuoni enters its second phase, is due to the success Tornabuoni has achieved to date in selling out its first phase, and the significant interest it has received in the whole ownership of apartments.

Palazzo Tornabuoni, the 15th century Florentine palace and home of the Medici family, took five years to restore with the collaroration of of Michele Bonan, the award-winning and acclaimed Tuscan-born interior designer.  Its contemporary design underpins Bonan’s signature style in creating “an environment in which the owner feels they belong…and are not just visiting”.  This he has certainly achieved, even in the grand historical context of Palazzo Tornabuoni, now the only privately owned Medici palace in Italy.  This historical treasure trove is home to a central courtyard by Renaissance architect Michelozzo (1400), original 16^th century frescoes by Ciampelli, a baroque statue of Diana the Huntress by architect and sculptor Gherardo Silvani and an exquisite fireplace adorned with micro-mosaics by the miniaturist Rafaelli (c.1800).

There are a limited number of one- and two-bedroom apartments for sale, alongside the 20 apartments that are available to buy under its fractional ownership concept.

Whole owners are eligible for Tornabuoni’s highly esteemed Club membership status providing access to an extensive array of facilities and services.  Faciltiies include use of the Palazzo’s well appointed indoor and outdoor communal areas: a cigar room; lobby lounge and library; fitness, sauna and steam rooms, covered outdoor terrace and winter garden.  Also, wine storage, access to the spa facilities at the Four Seasons Florence, along with Member transportation services can be arranged for additional fees.  Now, what is unique about the Palazzo is its distinctive Attaché Service, headed up by Florentine local Eleonora Lucifero. The Attaché Service – as  Lucifero says: is akin to having “a well-connected friend in the city” – ensures ‘entree’ into the contemporary Florentine lifestyle.  Its provision runs the gamut from private vineyard tours, behind the scenes tours of Florence’s musuems and galleries and bespoke tours of private art collections not availble to the public, to the more everyday tasks of setting-up a bank account or acquiring an Italian phone number.  Current members have used the service to enjoy backstage access at the opera; access to eminent Italian parfumier Lorenzo Villoresi; and even up-close tours of Santa Croce’s frescoes with one of Italy’s finest restorers. As Lucifero explains: “most of our members know and love Florence already; we help them transfer this enthusiasm into a profound and lasting connection with the city”.

Additional facilities and services within the Palace include two restaurants and a salumari.  Palazzo Tornabuoni prides itself on how easily its Private Residence Club eliminates many of the qualms and inconveniences associated with buying a home abroad.  The properties are managed by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts with available services to include house-keeping, maintenance, concierge and Attaché.

Situated in the heart of Florence, on the corner of Via Strozzi and Via Tornabuoni, and with the strong interest Palazzo Tornabuoni has already seen, Murphy himself anticipates that the whole ownership properties will sell even in today’s market:

“We have seen a substantial rise in interest in member ownership at Palazzo Tornabuoni and particularly in the whole ownership of certain apartments, showcasing the continued indication of recovery of the property sales market. Through word-of-mouth exchanges, existing member interest, and concerted campaigns to kick-start sales, I am confident these apartments will sell.”

The elegantly designed residences on the market feature elaborate stuccoed ceilings through to individually designed BOFFI kitchens, Bang & Olufson equipment and are fully-furnished by Bonan; or alternatively the whole ownership residences can be completely desinged to the owners specifications. Each property is set amongst Palazzo Tornabuoni’s various courtyards and terraced gardens, including its beautiful and elaborate ‘Winter Garden’ and certain residences feature roof-top views of Florence and the Duomo.  Prices start at €1.6m rising to €5m+ with the addition of annual membership fees.

Article content and photos supplied by Palazzo Tornabuoni, a sponsor of Italia Living.

Byrne Murphy

Byrne Murphy has more than twenty years experience in the field of international property investment and development.  His career includes investing in and developing projects in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Austria and Italy.

Prior to this latest venture, Murphy was Deputy Chief Executive and co-founder of BAA McArthurGlen, Europe’s largest owner and operator of designer outlet centres.  In 1993, Mr. Murphy launched McArthurGlen in Paris, France where he was responsible for establishing and expanding the company across continental Europe and creating joint ventures and overseeing all development activities.

Kitebrook Partners

Kitebrook Partners, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is headed by J. Byrne Murphy, one of the founding principals of McArthurGlen Europe, where he formed a Joint Venture with Fingen for McArthurGlen Italia.  Kitebrook has more than twenty years of experience in real estate development projects in the United States and in Europe.

RDM

RDM, S.r.l., the pioneer and leading developer of Historic Residence Clubs in Europe, is the real estate division of Fingen S.p.A., which is owned by Corrado and Marcello Fratini.  Fingen has a long tradition building international partnerships with brands including Four Seasons, McArthurGlen, Calvin Klein, Jean Paul Gautier and Guess.  Founded in 1979, the Fingen Group ranks as one of the foremost companies in Tuscany with 1,600 employees worldwide.  Dott. Jacopo Mazzei, CEO and a partner of RDM, comes from of one of the oldest Florentine families and, along with the Fratini brothers, is the visionary and driving force behind the multi-million euro restoration and redevelopment of the historical landmarks, Palazzo Tornabuoni and Palazzo della Gherardesca, now the home of Four Seasons Hotel Firenze.  The Mazzei family, which dates back to the 11th century, is synonymous with the finest wines, produced in the heart of Chianti as well as in the Maremma region in Tuscany and Sicily.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Four Seasons is dedicated to perfecting the travel experience through continuous innovation and the highest standards of hospitality.  From elegant surroundings of the finest quality, to caring, highly personalised 24-hour service, Four Seasons embodies a true home away from home for those who know and appreciate the best.  The deeply instilled Four Seasons culture is personified in its employees – people who share a single focus and are inspired to offer great service.  Founded in 1960, Four Seasons has followed a targeted course of expansion, opening hotels in major city centres and desirable resort destinations around the world. Currently with 82 hotels in 34 countries, and more than 25 properties under development, Four Seasons will continue to lead the hospitality industry with innovative enhancements, making business travel easier and leisure travel more rewarding.  For more information on Four Seasons, visit www.fourseasons.com.

Legal Disclaimer

Palazzo Tornabuoni is not owned, developed or sold by Four Seasons Hotels Limited or its affiliates. Tornabuoni S.R.L. uses the Four Seasons trademarks and trade names under a license from Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts B.V. The marks “FOUR SEASONS,” “FOUR SEASONS HOTELS AND RESORTS,” any combination thereof are registered trademarks of Four Seasons Hotels Limited in Canada and U.S.A. and of Four Seasons Hotels (Barbados) Ltd. elsewhere

Opened in April 2009, Palazzo Tornabuoni is the world’s first ‘Palace Residence Club’. Situated on one of Florence’s most aristocratic city-centre streets, this historic fifteenth century palazzo has been restored to exacting standards and styled by a leading Italian interior designer to provide 38 sophisticatedly elegant private residences for its members, plus a series of welcoming indoor and outdoor communal areas.

A joint venture between Florence’s RDM (a division of Fingen) and J. Byrne Murphy of Kitebrook Partners, Washington DC, Palazzo Tornabuoni is managed by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. In addition to the dedicated services of the club’s resident attachés, Palazzo Tornabuoni’s members can enjoy the extensive facilities at the new Four Seasons Hotel Florence, including the city’s first full-featured hotel spa.

Florence and Palazzo Tornabuoni: Life as art

Florence knows a thing or two about civilized living. American composer Virgil Thompson summed up the spirit of the city when he wrote: “In Paris you learn wit, in London you learn to crush your social rivals, and in Florence you learn poise”. But the poise of Florence is not a mannered facade. It’s based on a deep-rooted appreciation of life as a form of art. The grace of Botticelli’s Venus, the genius of Brunelleschi’s daring cathedral dome, the satisfying complexity of a Chianti Classico Riserva – these are all facets of the Florentine’s deep-rooted sense that life should be illuminated by good taste and infused by beauty.

Palazzo Tornabuoni taps into this philosophy in a way that no hotel could ever hope to do. Nothing quite like it exists anywhere in the world: it’s a home away from home, but it’s also a club; it’s a historic fifteenth-century palazzo adorned with museum-quality sculptures, friezes and frescoes, and yet it’s also open to the vibrant modern city, with its flair for fashion, talent for design, and love of good food and wine. It offers its guests a pied à terre in the centre of town, on elegant, boutique-lined via Tornabuoni; but it also opens doors onto the city’s private social and cultural scene, the one that tourists rarely glimpse. It’s the art gallery; but it’s also the curator.

Rooftop terrace of Galileo residence

Florence and Palazzo Tornabuoni: an international community at the heart of the city

There’s no small pleasure to be gleaned from owning a stake in a palazzo where the world’s first opera performance took place; in knowing that that statue of Diana that welcomes you at the foot of the stairs has been there for three and a half centuries; in coming home to a spacious apartment whose sapient design – by leading Florentine architect Michele Bonan – captures perfectly the spirit of the city in its balance of effortless traditional elegance and contemporary flair.

But club members know that this is only one side of Palazzo Tornabuoni. The other is the chance to be part of a community of cultured, like-minded citizens of the world who have contacts and experiences to share, and who are driven by curiosity, a thirst for cultural enrichment, and the desire for personal growth. This is a place where, thanks to the club’s extensive resources, talk and action are never far removed – where a discussion in the Members’ Salon about Tuscany’s most refined reds can turn into a wine tasting courtesy of Palazzo Tornabuoni’s resident sommelier, where a question about Giotto’s frescoes in Santa Croce may be answered a few days later by a private seminar given by a leading art historian, where shared musical interests might lead to an impromptu song recital – or to front-row seats at a Maggio Musciale concert conducted by Zubin Mehta.

In the past, Grand Tourists would travel with letters of introduction to consuls, artists and princes. Buying into Palazzo Tornabuoni is like being given literally hundreds of letters of introduction – to winemakers and chefs, owners of art-filled palazzos and hidden Renaissance gardens, exclusive golf and tennis clubs, private hunting reserves, craftsmen, academics and fashion designers.

Florence and Palazzo Tornabuoni: the best things in life take time

The foundation stone of Palazzo Tornabuoni was laid in the mid-fifteenth century, when the Renaissance was in full bloom, its art and architecture animated by a new-found interest in classical theories of harmonic proportions, based on the human figure.

But in their fascination with the grandeur of Greece and Rome, the artists and thinkers of the Florentine Renaissance were also engaging in a debate about time and timelessness. “Impatience, the mother of stupidity, praises brevity”, wrote Leonardo – a genius with a multitude of interests, and yet also a man who realised that each one needed time to cultivate and perfect. In his Lives of the Artists, Vasari reports that Leonardo would sometimes spend half a day just looking at his Last Supper, without adding a single brushstroke.

In a world of increasingly short attention spans, Florence has not forgotten Leonardo’s lesson. Just across the river from Palazzo Tornabuoni, an intagliatore is patiently chiselling away at a block of oak to make an ornate lintel, using tools that have the changed little since the Middle Ages. Further down the road, bespoke cobbler Stefano Bemer uses the same tools to fashion the forma, or wooden model, of his latest client’s feet. Several consultations and fitting sessions and a couple of months later, the shoes themselves will be ready. Those who want ready-to-go should look elsewhere; Florence knows that the best things in life take time.

Palazzo Tornabuoni is as wired and techno-friendly as any international business traveller could desire; but it’s also about those areas of life that are beyond the range of wi-fi and instant messaging. On any given day, you may find yourself learning to make ribollita soup or papardelle in hare sauce with a real Florentine homemaker; indulging in a spa session at the Four Seasons, Palazzo Tornabuoni’s partner in Florence; or spending a day connecting with the terroir and the people behind the wine at one of Tuscany’s leading estates.

Palazzo Tornabuoni aims to be a living example of Florence’s great intuition: that time and quality go hand and hand.

Article content and photos supplied by Palazzo Tornabuoni, a sponsor of Italia Living.

FLORENCE, ITALY - Florence knows a thing or two about civilized living. American composer Virgil Thompson summed up the spirit of the city when he wrote: “In Paris you learn wit, in London you learn to crush your social rivals, and in Florence you learn poise”. But the poise of Florence is not a mannered facade. It’s based on a deep-rooted appreciation of life as a form of art. The grace of Botticelli’s Venus, the genius of Brunelleschi’s daring cathedral dome, the satisfying complexity of a Chianti Classico Riserva – these are all facets of the Florentine’s deep-rooted sense that life should be illuminated by good taste and infused by beauty.

Palazzo Tornabuoni taps into this philosophy in a way that no hotel could ever hope to do. Nothing quite like it exists anywhere in the world: it’s a home away from home, but it’s also a club; it’s a historic fifteenth-century palazzo adorned with museum-quality sculptures, friezes and frescoes, and yet it’s also open to the vibrant modern city, with its flair for fashion, talent for design, and love of good food and wine. It offers its guests a pied à terre in the centre of town, on elegant, boutique-lined via Tornabuoni; but it also opens doors onto the city’s private social and cultural scene, the one that tourists rarely glimpse. It’s the art gallery; but it’s also the curator.

There’s no small satisfaction in owning a slice of real estate in a palazzo where the world’s first opera performance took place; in knowing that that statue of Diana that welcomes you at the foot of the stairs has been there for four centuries; in coming home to a spacious apartment  whose sapient design – by leading Florentine architect Michele Bonan – captures perfectly the spirit of the city in its balance of effortless traditional elegance and contemporary flair.

Club members know that this is only one side of Palazzo Tornabuoni. The other is the chance to be part of a community of cultured, like-minded globetrotters who have contacts and experiences to share, and who are driven by curiosity, a thrist for cultural enrichment, and the desire to live life to the full. This is a place where, thanks to the club’s extensive resources, talk and action are never far removed – where a discussion in the Members’ Salon about Tuscany’s most refined reds can turn into a wine tasting courtesy of Palazzo Tornabuoni’s resident sommelier, where a question about Giotto’s frescoes in Santa Croce may be answered a few days later by a private seminar given by a leading art historian, where shared musical interests might lead to an impromptu song recital – or seats at a Maggio Musciale concert conducted by Zubin Mehta,Honorary Member at Palazzo Tornabuoni.

In the past, Grand Tourists would travel with letters of introduction to consuls, artists and princes. Buying into Palazzo Tornabuoni is like being given literally hundreds of letters of introduction – to winemakers and chefs, owners of art-filled palazzos and hidden Renaissance gardens, exclusive golf and tennis clubs, private hunting reserves, craftsmen, academics and fashion designers.

The cultural foundation stone of Palazzo Tornabuoni was laid in the mid-fifteenth century, when the Renaissance was in full bloom, its art and architecture animated by a new-found interest in classical theories of harmonic proportions, based on the human figure. But in their fascination with the grandeur of Greece and Rome, the artists and thinkers of the Florentine Renaissance were also engaging in a debate about time and timelessness. “Impatience, the mother of stupidity, praises brevity”, wrote Leonardo – a genius with a multitude of interests, and yet also a man who realised that each one needed time to cultivate and perfect. In his Lives of the Artists, Vasari reports that Leonardo would sometimes spend half a day just looking at his Last Supper, without adding a single brushstroke.

In a world of increasingly short attention spans, Florence has not forgotten Leonardo’s lesson. Just across the river from Palazzo Tornabuoni, an intagliatore is patiently chiselling away at a block of oak to make an ornate lintel, using tools that have the changed little since the Middle Ages. Further down the road, bespoke cobbler Stefano Bemer uses the same tools to fashion the forma, or wooden model, of his latest client’s feet. Several consultations and fitting sessions and a couple of months later, the shoes themselves will be ready. Those who want ready-to-go should look elsewhere; Florence knows that the best things in life take time.

Palazzo Tornabuoni is as wired and techno-friendly as any international business traveller could desire; but it’s also about those areas of life that are beyond the range of wi-fi and instant messaging. On any given day, you may find yourself learning to make ribollita soup or papardelle in hare sauce with a real Florentine homemaker; indulging in a spa session at the Four Seasons, Palazzo Tornabuoni’s partner in Florence; or spending a day connecting with the terroir and the people behind the wine at one of Tuscany’s leading estates.

Palazzo Tornabuoni will help to ground you in Florence’s great intuition: that time and quality go hand and hand.

Visit the Palazzo Tornabuoni website for more information.

Article content and photos supplied by Palazzo Tornabuoni, a sponsor of Italia Living.

About RDM

RDM, S.r.l., the pioneer and leading developer of Historic Residence Clubs in Europe, is the real estate division of Fingen S.p.A., which is owned by Corrado and Marcello Fratini.  Fingen has a long tradition building international partnerships with brands including Four Seasons, McArthur Glen, Calvin Klein, Jean Paul Gautier and Guess.  Founded in 1979, the Fingen ranks as one of the foremost companies in Tuscany with 1,600 employees worldwide.  Dott. Jacopo Mazzei, CEO and a partner of RDM, comes from of one of the oldest Florentine families and, along with the Fratini brothers, is the visionary and driving force behind the multi-million euro restoration and redevelopment of the historical landmarks, Palazzo Tornabuoni and Palazzo della Gherardesca, the future home of Four Seasons Hotel Firenze.  The Mazzei family, which dates back to the 11th century, is synonymous with the finest wines, produced in the heart of Chianti as well as in the Maremma region in Tuscany and Sicily.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Vik Seshadri / Anna Huggins

Murphy O’Brien, Inc.

310-453-2539

vseshadri@murphyobrien.com

ahuggins@murphyobrien.com

Concept

An international Residence Club has opened January 1^st,2009 in Florence.  Palazzo Tornabuoni, housed in a magnificent 15^th century palace, occupies an entire city block on Florence’s most fashionable street, Via Tornabuoni.  Through the grand arched entrances of the imposing Michelozzo façade, one steps into an oasis of terraced gardens, courtyards, towers and private residences – unimaginable to passers by.  This private world – that includes a club lounge, indoor and outdoor dining, spa,  fitness room, wine bar, cigar room and 38 private residences-20 on a Club membership basis and up to 18 as individual ownesrship- lives just above an elegant collection of boutiques (Bulgari, Bottega Veneta, Cartier, Max Mara, Stefano Ricci) and restaurants on the ground level.  The two restaurants are the renowned Italian bar and bistro “Obikà” and the easy Classic, but chic, “Osteria Tornabuoni” which surround the elegant Michelozzo designed courtyard.

Partners

Palazzo Tornabuoni is a joint venture between RDM Fingen Group in Florence and J. Byrne Murphy of Kitebrook Partners, Washington DC.

Club Management

The exquisite and internationally renowned Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts will manage the daily operations of the club.  In addition, to ensure that members may live like a native Florentine, an entirely new service – the Palace Attache – has been created to bring the private world of Florence immediately to the fingertips of every club member.

Location

Next to the geographical center of Florence, on the corner of via Tornabuoni and via Strozzi, across from Palazzo Strozzi and just minutes from the Duomo, Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens, the Ponte Vecchio and some of the world’s best museums, art collections and finest designer boutiques.

History

The Tornabuoni rose to prominence under Cosimo de’ Medici, and soon married into Tuscany’s ruling dynasty. Lucrezia Tornabuoni, a gifted poet, was the wife of Piero de’ Medici and mother of the original Renaissance man, Lorenzo the Magnificent. Midway through the fifteenth century, the family commissioned leading architect Michelozzo to unify the properties they owned in via Tornabuoni – then as now one of the city’s most prestigious, upscale addresses ­– into a single, imposing edifice. Palazzo Tornabuoni passed into Medici hands in 1574 when it was acquired by Alessandro Ottaviano de’ Medici, who would later be known as the ‘lightning Pope’ – he died just 26 days after being elected Leo XI.

By the 1590s, Palazzo Tornabuoni had become the home of marchese Jacopo Corsi, a patron of the arts with a passionate interest in music. It was here, in 1598, that the first performance of what is widely considered to be the world’s first opera took place, when Dafne, composed by Jacopo Peri with contributions from Corsi himself, was staged in the Salone delle Muse. The Corsi-Salviati family owned the Palazzo for over three centuries, embellishing it with statues, frescoes and decorative stucco-work, but escalating costs force them to sell in 1894, and in 1901 Palazzo Tornabuoni was acquired by a bank, which set about converting it into offices.

It took a four-year restoration effort,between 2004 and 2008, to return the fabric of the Palazzo to its original splendour.

Interiors

Palazzo Tornabuoni commissioned Tuscan-born interior designer Michele Bonan to furnish the Club’s common areas and 38 apartments in a way that balances contemporary flair with timeless style. His work on such prestigious projects as the Lungarno Hotels Group in Florence and Rome, “Casa Tua” hotel and restaurant in Miami and “JK Place” hotels in Florence and Capri, not to mention a brace of domestic interiors from Chicago to Monte Carlo, has brought Bonan international acclaim.

Underpinning Bonan’s design philosophy is the conviction that “designing means creating an ideal environment in which the owner feels that they belong, not that they are just visiting.” Nowhere is this more evident than in his work for Palazzo Tornabuoni, which taps into the refined, cultured spirit of former owners like sixteenth-century art patron and composer Jacopo Corsi – but also exudes warmth and charm. It’s like stepping into the house of a hip, refined art collector with a talent for understatement.

Bonan’s interiors fuse past and present; Baroque statues, eighteenth-century mosaics and Mannerist frescoes sit alongside contemporary paintings, discreet lighting and air-conditioning panels and flatscreen TVs. Vintage designer tables blend in with finely crafted contemporary-classic sofas and armchairs by Chelini, upholstered in rich cream fabric, while overhead, chandeliers painstakingly assembled by Italian artisan Gherardo degli Albizzi from bevel-cut glass lend a touch of opulence.

Some rooms retain their original decorative terrazzo floors, while others have been laid in warm, durable oak by Giulio Tanini. Bathrooms, lined in gold-veined Calacatta marble, feature retro Victorian-style fittings and bathtubs by Devon & Devon. In the kitchens, sleekly minimalist but decidely hi-tech Boffi units made to measure by designer Piero Lissoni play off against elaborate stuccoed ceilings and ruched curtains in cotton linen damask.

Amenities

Magnificent indoor and outdoor communal living areas, a salon, indoor and outdoor dining areas, a wine bar, cigar room with provate humidors, sauna,steam room, fitness facilities and access to the pool, spa and gymnasium at the Four Seasons Hotel Florence.

Club Residences

There are 38 elegant and individually designed residences within the Club – no two are the same. Each one has its own character and feel, taking advantage of the unique variety of architectural details.  Apartments on the top floors offer views of the surrounding hills, cupolas and bell towers of the city, apartments on the piano nobile offer and array of frescoed and stuccoed ceilings. But all residences is fully equipped with state of the art entertainment systems and internet access.

Membership Fees

The Membership fees, are as follows, to date (February 2010).

Available today,:

3 – Studios (85m² approximately) – € 245,000 each

7 –  One bedroom apartments (115 m² approximately) – €364,000 each

10 – Two/three bedroom apartments (210 m² approximately)- €575,000 each

Membership will allow up to 8 members per residence. Using a reservation system which has been in successful use for over 15 years, all members are assured of fair access for themselves, their friends as well as business associates. Pricing will vary depending upon the residence.

Services

Full club management,Concierge service, daily housekeeping, pre-arrival grocery shopping, in-house sommelier, private airport transfers.

Club operation costs are covered by annual Club fees,priced according to the category of membership bought. These range from €8,200 for a studio residence, to €13,200 for a one bedroom residence and €21,100 for a two or three bedroom residence

Housekeeping charges are charged per occupancy and paid on departure; they include full daily cleaning. Sample costs for a one week stay are €215 for a studio residence, €290 for a one bedroom residence and €500 for a two to three bedroom residence.

Tornabuoni’s “Club Attaché” teams up with Four Seasons Concierge

Tornabuoni’s Attaché service has been created to help members feel at home in the city, putting the private world of Florence and Tuscany at members’ fingertips.  Private introductions, wine-tasting tours; entry to private wine estates, palaces and villas; private chefs; preferential access to private art collections, galleries and museums; private tours with palace ‘friends’ –(professors or experts, not necessarily guides), will all serve to help members of the club experience the private life of Florence as a resident in their home away from home.  In addition, special lecture series, country weekend outings –riding through private estates, hunting wild boar ; invitations to previews of art and fashion collections will ensure that members are experiencing the best of the region.  Collaborating with the impeccable Four Seasons concierge who will be available 24 hours a day and manage the daily lives of members — providing recommendations and bookings whether it be for restaurants, theatre, tennis, golf and riding or childcare, cooking classes, airport transfers, pre-arrival grocery shopping and valet parking.

Membership

Membership will be no more than 160 for the 20 residences in the Club.  Memberships are divided by category (see above). The club year runs from April 1 to March 31^st, with the first round of reservations accepted in November for the following year. Members have unlimited, flexible usage and may, subject to the Club’s reservation policy and availability, stay as often as they wish.A Rotating Priority System® provides fair access to all Members during high-demand periods over the years.  Membership of Palazzo Tornabuoni is assignable, transferable and willable.  Should a Member choose to transfer their Membership at some future date, any appreciation shall accrue to that Member. What makes Membership in Palazzo Tornabuoni special is that the Club is the owner of the residences and common areas, including the art contained in each residence of the Club. Members own a transferable,willable proprietary interest in the Club.

Background information

R.D.M.-Fingen Group

R.D.M. is the pioneer and leading developer of Historic Residence Clubs in Europe, is the real estate division of Fingen S.p.A., which is owned by Corrado and Marcello Fratini.  Fingen has a long tradition building international partnerships with brands including Four Seasons, McArthur Glen, Calvin Klein, Jean Paul Gautier and Guess.  Founded in 1979, the Fingen Group ranks as one of the foremost companies in Tuscany with 1,600 employees worldwide.  Dott. Jacopo Mazzei, CEO and a partner of RDM, comes from of one of the oldest Florentine families and, along with the Fratini brothers, is the visionary and driving force behind the multi-million euro restoration and redevelopment of the historical landmarks, Palazzo Tornabuoni and Palazzo della Gherardesca, now the home of Four Seasons Hotel Firenze.  The Mazzei family, which dates back to the 11th century, is synonymous with the finest wines, produced in the heart of Chianti as well as in the Maremma region in Tuscany and Sicily.

Kitebrook Partners

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Kitebrook Partners is headed by J. Byrne Murphy, one of the founding principals of McArthurGlen Europe, where he formed a Joint Venture with Fingen for McArthurGlen Italia.  Kitebrook has more than twenty years of experience in real estate development projects in the United States and in Europe.

Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts

Four Seasons is dedicated to perfecting the travel experience through continuous innovation and the highest standards of hospitality.From elegant surroundings of the finest quality, to caring, highly personalised 24-hour service, Four Seasons embodies a true home away from home for those who know and appreciate the best.  The deeply instilled Four Seasons culture is personified in its employees – people who share a single focus and are inspired to offer great service. Founded in 1960, Four Seasons has followed a targeted course of expansion, opening hotels in major city centres and desirable resort destinations around the world. Currently with 78 hotels in 31 countries, and more than 25 properties under development, Four Seasons will continue to lead the hospitality industry with innovative enhancements, making business travel easier and leisure travel more rewarding.  For more information on Four Seasons, visit www.fourseasons.com.

Agreement between Palazzo Tornabuoni and Four Seasons

Palazzo Tornabuoni is not owned, developed or sold by Four Seasons Hotels Limited or its affiliates. Tornabuoni S.R.L. uses the Four Seasons trademarks and tradenames under a license from Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts B.V. The marks “FOUR SEASONS,” “FOUR SEASONS HOTELS AND RESORTS,” any combination thereof are registered trademarks of Four Seasons Hotels Limited in Canada and U.S.A. and of Four Seasons Hotels (Barbados) Ltd. elsewhere.

Article content and photos supplied by Palazzo Tornabuoni, a sponsor of Italia Living.

Silversea has long recognised that authentic luxury is often simply a scent, a texture, an image or a taste that stirs the emotions and deepens one’s enjoyment of life, so it should not be surprising that some of the luxury innovations aboard Silver Spirit are subtle, almost elusive touches.

One such amenity you’ll be pleased to learn about is a new option for guests to personalize their suite experience with a trio of scents created by renowned Italian perfumer Laura Tonatto. The fragrances are gently dispersed throughout the room by a reed diffuser placed in each suite, and of course, the service is complimentary.

Born in Turin, Laura Tonatto has a devoted following in Italy and is famous for developing scents inspired by literature. Her award-winning perfume Oltre, for example, gives a sense of the sea as being “oltre” or “beyond.” It was inspired by Plutarch’s essay, “On Contentment of the Mind.” She has also reconstructed many ancient recipes for perfumes, including Syrian Water from the 1st century BCE. Among her personal clients are the King and Queen of Sweden.

Imagine yourself walking along a sandy shore, letting the natural scent of the boundless sea free your thoughts and shape your mood.  Such a rich emotional atmosphere is captured by Laura Tonatto’s Oltre, the standard aromatherapy fragrance featured in all suites.

Feeling stressed by the pace and pressures of daily life?  Then you might opt to sample Albi, one of the alternative room scents that are also available.  With its head note of lavender, Albi could be the perfect choice for a totally relaxing experience.  Lavender has long been used in aromatherapy to ease exhaustion, irritability and even insomnia.

Or maybe the sweet scent of orange blossoms is your personal favourite.  The calming, soothing benefits of this flower are well known to aromatherapists.  Laura Tonatto chose orange blossom as the head note for her fragrance Fiori d’Arancio, available as an alternative scent for your suite.

Whether it’s Oltre, Albi or Fiori d’Arancio, these refreshing room scents are sure to make your voyage aboard Silver Spirit the ultimate sensory experience.  Just let your butler know your preference.

Laura Tonatto room scents will also be offered throughout the Silversea fleet starting in early 2010.

Visit their website for more information on Silversea Cruises.

If you can’t make a Silversea cruise, thus not having access to one of their butlers on hand…you can still endulge your senses to these scents and others by Laura Tonatto by visiting www.FashionableFragrances.com

“Italian Touch”…a book of portraits of refined Italian families which presents a rich sampling of Italian life. Tod’s exclusive coffee table book, is a collection of captivating images and stunning photos of Italian high society families and friends in luxurious towns and castles, reflecting the most elegant Italian look, casual yet sophisticated. Italian Touch is a collaboration between Donatella Sartorio, an Italian fashion and style journalist, and TODs, one of the most important and successful Italian companies producing luxury leather goods.

An exquisite masterpiece, sensible, elegant and beautifully designed, this book is meant to complement any table, while also depicting the luxury influence of Tod’s brand.

Several photographed people throughout the book wear Tod’s shoes, but these are from their own wardrobe, not supplied by a stylist for the shoot. The purpose of this tome is to promote not products but a lifestyle of good taste, high value and understated refinement – qualities embodied in Italian culture and craftsmanship and thus, by definition, Tod’s. Or, as Tod’s Group President and CEO Diego Della Valle puts it, “a beautiful feeling of Italian style – luxurious, simple and sophisticated”.

The essence of this coffee table book is to tell a beautiful story of Italian luxury living. It delivers…and satisfies.

Purchase Italian Touch here

For more information visit Tod’s website

LA Law actors Michael Tucker and Jill Eikenberry were on holiday in Italy when they came across a small cottage nestled in the Umbrian countryside. The 350-year-old rustico sat perched on a hill amid an olive grove and fruit trees. It was love at first sight. Casting aside their life in America established over 20 years, they endeavoured to learn the language and understand the nuances of Italian culture with just two criteria – to eat well and drink plenty of wine. Jacqueline Hayler spoke to the couple about their hopes and dreams as they started a new chapter in their lives.

Inspired by their new life, Michael decided to share their experiences with others and wrote Living in a Foreign Language – a Memoir of Food, Wine and Love in Italy. It charts their experience from finding the rustico and extending it to his love of gourmet food.

The couple, who starred as married lawyers in the iconic series of the 80s, were not even considering buying in Italy initially but in France.

In his book, Michael writes: “I geared up to convince Jill we should buy a house in Italy. This was an old bone of contention between us. I had tried for years to convenience her that we should buy a house in the south of France…A friend asked me why I wanted to buy a house in the south of France and I told him it was because it was close to Italy. Eureka!”

Michael said: “What first changed our focus from France to Italy was the house. Jill fell in love. Then it was the people we met – both ex-pats and Italians – many of whom have become our dearest friends. For us, simplicity and authenticity is the draw. We don’t go in so much for elegantly decorated houses or groomed landscapes so we instantly knew this was “the one”.

They embarked on the purchase of the rustico without any formal checks and with limited language – but that has all since changed.

“We’ve come a long way since those early days. We took an intensive course in Rome for a couple of weeks which kicked up our skills a bit. But it’s our all-Italian evenings that help the most. Spending time with people who speak no English is definitely the way to go.”

“We have made many friends in the village and surrounding area. Our neighbours were the most welcoming, generous people we have ever met. And we notice the better our Italian gets, they warmer they are.”

And he added that from day one, it very much became Jill’s dream as much as his own. “Jill is a country girl, she loves nature. Living in New York can get difficult for her after a while.”

It was a health scare 25 years ago that proved a significant event in both their lives and was probably the inspiration they needed to follow their dreams. Jill was diagnosed with breast cancer which was successfully treated over two years. And it was this, they believe, which made them braver in their choices, allowed them to take the leap of faith to buy a house half way around the world.

Michael said: “It was definitely a turning point for us. Finally coming to grips with our own mortality made us bolder about our life choices. Our friends and family have never understood what we are doing – that’s why they love us. I think, perhaps, we jump off the cliff in a way they would like to – so we do it for them as well as ourselves.”

Jill added: “The illness changed our priorities. LA Law was an amazing trip – a fantastic ride in our careers – but we experienced huge freedom after the illness. Life throws you curves and it is how you deal with them that count the most. We are much less recognized in Italy – especially in the countryside – and we treasure that anonymity.”

It was their faith that kept them going throughout the renovations which saw them add two bedrooms, extend the kitchen and put in a pool. “There was almost a terrible disaster when we broke through the wall of the old house. Our architect told us that he was afraid the whole house was going to come down. It wasn’t until they poured some cement underneath and shored up the foundations, he felt secure to finally tell us as we were back in the States while all the construction work was taking place, oblivious of any disaster which could have befallen us.”

Today it is their professions as actors that enable them to spend as much time as they can at their home in the Spoleto Valley in Umbria. “We seem to do quite well at balancing our careers with time spent in Italy. We manage to have periods of intense work which allow us longer periods of “down time”. Actors are always semi-retired – I always claim I have been semi-retired since I was 17 years old. Our plan is always to look for work in the theatre in New York and, when we can’t find it, to go to Italy. It seems to work out very well.”

During their love affair with Il Bel Paese, they have ventured from their Umbrian idyll and have discovered their love for the country extends further than simply the perimeter of their land and village.

Michael said: “We have started to travel on a regular basis within Italy. Venice in November is a favorite, Bologna any time, and I am in love with Naples, perhaps a bit more than Jill is. We visited the Dolomites last summer and that was a highlight – the Piemonte is a staple for us because of the food and wine. We took trips to Amatrice near the Abruzzo/Lazio border to have pasta all’amatriciana at the source.”

It is his love of all food – Jill says that he is a gourmet cook and a gourmet eater – that is perhaps the biggest draw for Michael.

“I feel I have a great affinity with Italians through my love of food. The Italians have cooking in their blood – from centuries past – from mamma to mamma. They are not so much innovators as keepers of the sacred flame.”

And despite their love of all things Italian, when back in the States they don’t necessarily search out all things Italian. “What the country and its people have taught us is to eat fresh and local so that means when we are in New York, we search out the freshest, most local food we can find there.”

Their most recent stage production, Life is a Duet, was a multimedia cabaret evening featuring songs, stories and film clips, not to mention a cooking segment, tracing the couple’s 35-year marriage, dual careers, raising kids, frequent uprootings and other challenges of a life in show business.

Jill added: “It is about our life and the wonderful time we have had discovering things together. We have a great relationship and the message in the show is that together you can do anything.”

And between their stage careers, their publishing responsibilities and their family and friends, it appears that Michael and Jill have certainly worked out the perfect balance.

“At the moment, moving back and forth seems perfect to us. We treasure the excitement of New York as well as the more relaxed pace of Italy. It is a good combination for us.”

By Jacqueline Carroll

To purchase their book or get more information about Michael Tucker & Jill Eikenberry, visit their website at:

http://www.tuckerberry.com/

“Who is wealthy? One who is happy with what they have.”

Here especially in the US, people often think that wealth and happiness go hand in hand. Yes wealth will surely give you a feeling of accomplishment and the means to provide well for your family, but if you read the headlines, some of the wealthiest people in the world, have the most problems. Money is not evil, and the people that usually say it is are the one’s that don’t have enough of it. How we treat, respect, and what we do with our money is what is key. In your home, do you look at your possessions as a measure of success – or do you you look at your surrounding friends, family, and children with pride and see your true accomplishments?

In Italy, the most important thing is family and friends. Enjoying life and embracing it, instead of just watching if zip by in front of your eyes. In Italy for instance, lunch is a 1 to 2 hour affair with traditionally a two to three course meal, most businesses halt for two hours during the day. Stores shut down, banks close, and the streets are empty. At around 2 o’clock people start to emerge from their houses and populate the streets again until around 7:30pm when it is time for dinner. After dinner, the streets come to life again as Italians stroll around the piazza to work off their meal or head off for their evening engagements.

Yes, this does not seem realistic for us here in America, we will always have the quick power lunch or even be working right through lunch. But we need to slow down a bit. We need to adapt a bit of mindset from the Italians, for our total wellness of health and happiness. America’s #1 health problem is the overlooked epidemic of stress, and with the hectic lives most of us have here and struggles with the economy, there is not a whole lot we can do about it. But we need to work on small things to reduce our stress. The medical fields are discovering more that stress alone and worrying causes many serious health challenges. Wealth is much more than just money. But for most of us here in America, the money part of wealth will continue to be of upmost importance…and the number one cause of stress. Studies have shown people in Italy have greater longevity, are less stressed, and show lower levels of heart disease, obesity, and mental disturbance.

So what is the Italian lifestyle in Italy? Well, for starters, money is far from everything. It’s embracing what you have, being happy with it, and proud of it. Counting your blessings. Taking the time to enjoy good food, good wine, and good company. Eating fresh healthy foods from a Mediterranean diet. Living life with passion, serenity and enjoyment. And, considering your true wealth to be what you already have and are able to share with family and friends.

So do as the Italians do. Make a conscious effort to slow down a bit, and savor every moment in life. Spend less time wanting and more time giving. Enjoy time spent among those you love over a nice Chianti, cannoli, espresso, or biscotti and Vin Santo. Put a bit of an ease on your hectic life of living in America, and start living la dolce vita now. Life is not perfect in Italy, but incorporating some of their lifestyle into yours may just give you a wealth of health and happiness…and that my friends is fine living.

~ Richard J. Michelli, Italia Living

Visit our friends at HealthyStyleNY to assist you in your quest for a healthier and happier life.

Italia Living contributor Vanessa Alfano is the founder of HealthyStyleNY.com, the ultimate NYC girl’s guide to all things healthy and beautiful.  Also presenting some content for guys too!