Oh my goodness, this post is so long overdue!!! The pictures are a collection from 2016 through summer of 2017. Guardia continues to grow and sparkle... each time I return I am always amazed at the beauty of the town and its people. Many restoration projects had been beautifully completed and many were underway.
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| The newly renovated Chiesa di San Rocco |
I've been looking back at everything that has happened in Guardia since I first landed here four years ago, It has been a most unbelievable experience!!.. Watching this sleepy little village grow to stardom by appearing in House Hunters International, CBS Sunday Morning, and the NBC Today show. All of this has been like having a front row seat to the most exciting fairy tale ever!!! .. As you can imagine, there have highs and lows, villains and heroes, high drama, side splitting comedy and above all ..lots of love. (and by villians, I mean in the very amusing way, certainly
not anything scary!)
As in some fairy tales, moving forward becomes possible only after making drastic changes. With big changes comes the excitement of new opportunities and possibilities, the anxiety of trying to hang on to the things you treasure that are slipping away, and sadness of letting go of things you've been hanging on to for too long and need to move away from. .. a little personal, and a little about changes going on in Guardia.
For me with this blog, I've found the need to step back a bit from the endless stream of house hunters arriving to preserve the parts of Guardia that I treasure and love.
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| Me at the casa! |
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| Laundry day! |
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| My favorite view of Guardia days! |
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| Guardia nights me and David |
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| The produce store in town. |
To all the new House Hunters arriving in Guardia, you will undoubtedly shape the future of Guardia.. I am excited for each of you and hope that you find what you are looking for, and can appreciate the magical quirky quality of Guardia Sanframondi. Please be respectful of the community that welcomed us with open arms, and remember that we are incredibly fortunate guests. I am forever grateful for finding my own slice of heaven here.
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| Sunday Market in Guardia |
I am not an expert on finding or buying a house in Guardia. There are many who have come after me and each has their own story and a different way of doing things. This is mine, a completely heartfelt blog that includes all my adventures and misadventures of chasing dreams, falling down, getting back up and finding true joy in all of it. Everything I know is in this blog. Starting with my first post in December 2012 and all the 28 subsequent posts throughout the years. I am blessed to have the help and support of the Orso family which continues to help me and many many others navigate the process and find their dream.
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| Anna, Pasquale and me |
For those that want to know a little more about this magical place, and for those of you planning a trip soon, here are some of the welcoming faces that you will find when you arrive in Guardia:
The Jardino at the Tana del Orso Bar
My favorite addition this summer was the Orso's Garden at the Tana del Orso. Owned and run by my favorite family in Guardia ..Pasquale, Luigi and Anna Orso. They recently opened up a garden terrace in front of the B&B and bar. It has a feel of being in a private garden in the middle of the town. If you peek though the foliage, you get a view of the Castelo, beautifully lit at night. This is the perfect spot to enjoy a glass of wine, eat a small bite and on some nights, listen to some live music.
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| So much fun when 100 Canadians arrive in town for a wedding!! |
Neighborhood grocery store
In Piazza Castelo there is a tiny grocery store behind this large brown modest door. Inside you will find the sisters Garafano. They greet everyone with a giant smile and a Ciao!, and will go out of their way to figure out just what you need, (even if you don't speak any Italian). Just like Mary Poppins, they seem to magically have most everything in this tiniest of spaces, and carry a great assortment of deli meats and cheeses.
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| See the brown doors at the top of the stairs at Piazza Castelo |
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| La sorelle Garafano |
I Piacere della Carne - Butcher Shop
Just up the street is on Corso Umberto is the meat market owned by the Sanzari family. They have an amazing selection of the freshest cuts of meat. Some of our favorite nights in Guardia are spent grilling on the terraza with a good glass of wine. Gabrielle speaks perfect english and is there most days to help you pick out that perfect cut of meat or recommend something new.
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| On Corso Umberto across from the Municipio |
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| My favorite butcher Gabby :) all suited up and ready for work! |
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| Elvio, Ada and Gabby |
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| Yumm, I see the beginnings of dinner! |
La Meridiana Restaurant:
If you are not in the mood for cooking and are looking for a great place for a meal in Guardia, check out the
La Meridiana. Giovanni Sanzari owns and runs this fantastic restaurant and has been feeding hungry travelers for many years. He specializes in seafood, pasta, pizzas and salads. Everything is always wonderfully served and they have a very nice outdoor patio on Piazza Mercato.
This was the first place we ate four years ago, and they continue to deliver amazing food and service. No visit is complete without filling up at the La Meridiana!
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| The outdoor patio at La Meridiana |
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| Ciao Giovanni!! |
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| Pasta a la vongole.. one of my favorites! |
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| View of Piazza Mercato from the patio |
Hope to see your friendly faces in Guardia some day soon!
Ciao Guardia!! ci vediamo presto!
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| Guardia through the vineyards |
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 :)
