Italy
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Living
Italy
February 11, 2016

My family takes a trip together every summer and three years ago we traveled to Italy. Tanner was just nine months old and it was one of the best trips Richard and I have ever taken. It was an especially meaningful trip for Richard, since his mother was born there and he had never been. We were so desperate to go back this past summer that we embarked on a family wide campaign to convince my parents to go back. We got Tanner to draw an Italian flag and even went so far as to snap a pic of him hitchhiking to Italy, in the cutest bathing suit, map in hand. Thankfully it worked and I was so happy to be able to take both of my kids to a place that my family loves so much.
Capri
We started in Capri and had so much fun trying out new things that we hadn’t done in our past adventures there. We loved Ristorante Aurora. They have the most amazing pizza and pastas. We also love da Paolino, known to us Americans as The Lemon Tree. It’s absolutely gorgeous and you sit under beautiful lemon trees in a garden while you dine. Inside there is a huge dining table completely dedicated to the most amazing antipasti and we ordered pesto pasta that Richard and I had wanted to try since we were last there. It was just as good as we remembered. They also have a little room filled with yummy deserts, which Tanner went crazy over. I loved looking back at the pictures of Tanner when we were there the first time as such a cute baby – he was chewing on a lemon we picked for him. This year he was so grown up, drinking his ice cream from his cup.
For lunch we took a boat to Da Luigi al Faraglioni – a restaurant and very chic beach club that reminds me of The Talented Mr. Ripley, which is of course one of my favorite movies. In case you haven’t made the connection, Ripley is my daughter’s name! We had a great lunch and ran into friends from LA and loved all the people watching.
My friends Marco and Melanie told me about a restaurant called Edivino. It’s a restaurant that’s located in an old house and they also grow their own produce in a garden on the property. We ran out of time and weren’t able to go but it will be one of my first stops when we go back next. It sounds amazing.
My sister Maggie’s close friend, Piero Golia , was in Capri and met up with us when we got there. He is from Naples but lives in LA and is an amazing artist. Maggie went with him to his gallery in Naples that he shows in called Galleria Fonti. He suggested we try a restaurant in Anacapri called La Trattoria Mamma Giovanna. It’s located in the upper town of Capri and you are dropped off by taxi or bus literally in the middle of a neighborhood with no street lights. There is a small sign pointing you down a long dark road. After you walk for sometime, you see a clearing with a beautiful courtyard filled with a combination of lemon and olive trees. It’s one of the most magical things I’ve seen. I love that it is a low-key restaurant amongst a lavish landscape. It was the perfect place for Richard and I to slip away to and celebrate our five-year anniversary and the food was amazing. We ate homemade pasta and the freshest Caprese salad.
We didn’t just eat our way through Capri, even though it sounds like it! My sisters went swimming in the Blue Grotto and I am so jealous that I missed it, again. The water there in August is so warm and refreshing, especially when it’s so hot out.
My sister and Mom went to the ruins near Naples and loved them. They are near Pompeii and called Herculaneum. They are smaller and better preserved than Pompeii, and are literally in the middle of Neapolitan suburbs. The mosaics there were amazing. They’ve been there for 2000 years and are stunning.
Porto Ercole
This is my new favorite place – it’s a beautiful seaside town in Tuscany. I am told it is where all the Romans come for the summer. I want to come back and stay longer next time, preferably at the Il Pellicano hotel, if I am lucky enough. We were only there for a night, which was not long enough. Richard and I loved it and its truly one of the more beautiful places I’ve seen. The hotel was insane, the food, décor, even the landscaping killed me. There were mounds dripping with rosemary that I took pictures of so I can try to mimic for my own house. We ate at the super fancy restaurant there, which was great but we both wish we had gone to the casual pasta bar instead. Next time, maybe we can come back for another anniversary!
Forte dei Marmi
We came two years ago and fell in love and had to come back. And I have to say… we loved it just as much this time around. It’s super chic and doesn’t feel touristy. It is where lots of people from Florence come for vacation so it feels really authentic and local. I would give anything to be able to check out and spend an entire summer there with my family. If you’re ever there, you have to rent bikes at Cicli Maggi and cruise through town. We rented bikes with the chicest baby seats. Two summers ago, I made the mistake of not asking to buy one and I regretted it. So this time I bought a cream one with a brown leather seat and shipped it home. Tanner loves it and it’s the best-looking baby seat I have ever seen – I am in love with it.
One day we ate lunch at Al Bocconcino, which is located in the center of town. The pizza was fantastic and we loved the prosciutto and melon with a glass of Prosecco before embarking on another one of our long bike rides. Another place we liked for dinner is Ristorante Il Fortino. It’s right in the center of town and is similar to Al Bocconcino. I love eating in the middle of the town – it is so lively and unlike anywhere in LA. Two years ago we had lunch at Pizzeria Orlando. They have the most unusual pizzas but so yummy. I am sad we didn’t have time to make it there this trip.
Pietrasanta
Next to Forte is the small town of Pietrasanta. We went two years ago and again this year to visit our friend Caio Fonseca. My sister’s boyfriend Michael has lived there for the past few summers filming a documentary with Caio, who is an abstract painter. Caio lives in NY but summers in Pietrasanta. Pietrasanta is also known for its sculptors. Since the Renaissance, they have gathered there to work on marble taken from the nearby quarries. It’s small, sleepy town. It is a really fun place to visit and was made even better because Michael knows it so well. This year we ate at Trattoria Il Marzocco, which is casual and delicious with a North African and Tuscan vibe and we followed it up with the best gelato we’ve had so far at Gelateria La Dolce Vita.
Ischia
Ischia is a volcanic island located off the coast of Italy. My mom visited an amazing garden called La Mortella. While she was there she caught a glimpse of lots of rare plants, including the Dutchman’s Pipe. It’s one of my favorite plants and when I started construction on my store, we discovered the growing in the back of the property. Something else not to be missed in Ischia are the hot springs. There are many different ones to try, and I suggest asking a local for their favorite one.
Elba
Elba was another place that reminded me of The Talented Mr. Ripley. It’s filled with gorgeous, bright beach clubs with tons of umbrellas. There are old boat boys with the greatest tans and it seems as though they’ve been been there hundreds of years. It’s also the island where Napoleon was exiled.
Positano
Positano is beautiful but was a bit too touristy for me, especially after discovering the places off the beaten path in the other stops we made. We did enjoy walking up to the top of the city and taking in the view. I found some really cute white dresses for Ripley and took some great pictures from the top. Last time we were there we stopped at La Sirenuse – a great hotel for a drink and take in the view.
We had an amazing two-week trip and I hope we can do it again soon. This trip definitely made us all appreciate the local treasures and the value of asking locals what they like, rather than following a tour guide or book.
Make sure to check out the video that my sister Saree’s boyfriend, Michael, who I mentioned above, made on the trip. Saree sported lots of my Fall 2011 collection while we were there and she’s one of the only people I know who can pull off the looks that she did, in the summer no less. Michael is so talented and this video really captures the mood of the trip. XXJKE