The Perfect Time to Dream a Little Dream.. of Guardia Sanframondi

Guardia from the surrounding vineyards 

Sunset and terraza at our home in Guardia

                                                      

I began writing this post mid March of 2020 and never finished....

As David and I begin our 2 week Coronavirus quarantine in Dallas Texas, there's a sense of nervousness surrounding us. We have our groceries and medicines for the next 2 weeks and plan to stay in our house and do our part in containing this unknown virus.  Sadly we've had to cancel our trip to Italy this year which was supposed to be a trip of a lifetime for my mom, and her first trip ever to Guardia.

Tasty breakfast of fresh eggs and pancetta

We've learned so many lessons from our brave Italian friends in Guardia Sanframondi, where its citizens have been sequestered at home for several weeks already and have done so with so much grace and humor.

Front door and terraza view 

Ponte Ratonelo and art studio of Carmine Maffei

We're fortunate we've received information on the virus from Italy before it even became a whisper in the US due to the informative almost daily updates from the Mayor of Guardia, Floriano Panza, as he prepared the citizens of his town.  In many ways, he helped prepare us here in Texas, and we are now looking at Italy now to see how this will all unfold.

Riding electric bikes around town

Fun night out with Orso family!

One of our favorite things .. drinks on the terraza

No one knows what all of this will mean to the health and economies of the world.  When will everything go back to normal? Is this the new normal?  Vacations are all on hold and I wonder when we can go back to our Guardia home?

The terraza to enjoy beautiful sunsets

The fireplace in the kitchen

Our cozy room

La cucina 

Entryway as you step in the front door

 

  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                Fast forward to September 2020 .....and its crazy to think those questions have still not been answered.. we're not quarantined, but still working from home, and the world has not recovered from the devastating toll of the virus.  Ugly politics and hateful rhetoric has taken over, with little hope for a solution or a way out any time soon. Fingers crossed on that vaccine!!

View from Ponte Ratonelo

Chiesa di San Rocco in Piazza Croce

The beautiful ladies of Piazza Croce and me and Kerry explaining something that required a lot of arm flapping :)  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          I digress.. but all of this makes me long for the magical place I've grown so accustomed to in my annual (or sometimes bi-annual) trips to Guardia.  To have a place to run away to reset your soul ..where neighbors look out for one another, the air is pure and clean, and you find joy in living a life with so much less "stuff". .. is a beautiful gift. Even during the stressful times of the pandemic.. I still have a happy place like Guardia to run away to in my mind. Have I idealized it?.. maybe a wee bit, but the longer this goes on, the more perfect it becomes :)

The walk home with our goodies from the Sunday market

 

Realizing we maybe got more than we could eat but it all looks so good!

laundry day .. old school

View from the cucina and terraza

One of the many festivals at the Castelo

In Guardia, while still cautious, they have contained the virus for now, and they are slowly getting back to normal..

Pasqual our friend and trusted project manager checked on our house and supervised some minor maintenance that were overdue .. grazie mil for keeping our home away from home ready for us just as soon as we can get there!

Before.. 

..and after roof repairs

Work in progress

Our wonderful neighbor Carmela took it upon herself to clean the entire street and it looks more beautiful than ever!!! Grazie Carmela!!

Front door.. all clean!!

Alley by the house

Steps leading to Ponte Ratonelo 

The restaurants in town are open and serving delicious meals..some of the best meals I've ever had were in Guardia.. my favorites.. 

One of many evenings spent with friends at the Tana dell' Orso Bar (cheers Linda and Rich!)

 

•  Diavola Pizza at La Vitoria
•  Pasta alle vongole at the Meridiana (also the fritura di mare or any pasta dish!!)      
•  Gin and Tonics and antipasto at Alchimie (serving everything from sushi to the old   classics with a twist)
•  Braised beef and fries at Il Platano
•  World Famous Roasted Chicken and always a glass of wine at the Orso Bar to finish off the night with the company of good friends
• Evening gelato at Rosy & Marys after a stroll through town
• The last glass of wine at the Tana dell Orso to finish off the night with the company of good friends (always our first and last stop in Guardia)  sending big hugs for Orsos..Luigi, Ana, Pasquale, Lilli and the girls!  

The artsy Alchimie 

La Meridiana - Open for business!!

Antipasto at Alchimie

Everyone in town is excitedly hoping everyone can come back soon!.. and we're hoping travel restrictions are lifted and we can travel back to our beloved town. 

In the meantime I'll write this blog and share some of my favorite sights, sounds and smells with all of you.. so you can dream too.  One day this will all be behind us and we will be able to travel again and go visit places like Guardia.. so turn off the news and the things that you can't control, and spend some time daydreaming and planning that trip, or that life in Italy that you always imagined but never thought possible. Trust me, dreams do come true, and until they do, feed your soul with a dream of a town called Guardia Sanframondi, Italy.  The pictures I posted here are a few of my favorites from previous trips, and just a 5 minute walk from home..   

The walk home at the end of the day (see the castle lit up in the background)

Buonanotte!

Ciao and stay well!!

Ceiling of one of the many beautiful churches in town 

Street view from the terraza

To all the expats living in Guardia permanently please keep posting your recent adventures and giving us a little tease and good reason to be jealous!!!

Here's a little inspiration to get you going.. Thanks Chris for the tip

Click on the link to see a list of 41 movies to Watch if You're Dreaming of Italy