La Festa dell’Olio Montisi

October 30- November 3, 2013:  Scott and I spent last weekend in Tuscany visiting great family friends, Suzanne and Walter Coppenrath, who live in Montisi.  Montisi is a beautiful little town nestled in the gorgeous rolling hills Tuscany surround by lots of vineyards and olive oil farms.  We timed our visit perfectly with the annual Olive Oil Festival- where all the local farmers sell their olive oil from the most recent harvest.  It is the most fresh, vibrant green olive oil I have ever tasted/seen.  I could live off this stuff!!

Scott and I spent Thursday exploring Pisa and taking a quick trip to the Leaning Tower.  We were immediately happy upon waking up to find a gorgeous, sunny day.  It was probably 75 ' F, a very welcome break from the cold, wet, rainy Denmark.  Pisa was a really nice city and there were lots of people walking and biking about.

Thursday night we arrived in Montisi and got settled at Walt and Suzanne's place.  They had some other friends visiting from Naples.  Dave and Lisa, and their 2 kids Devon and Dayli.  We all spent the weekend eating copious amount of pici (hand rolled noodles) with meat ragu sauce, sampling all different olive oils and drinking lots of local wine.  Scott and I would leave during the days in our rental car and drive to nearby villages to explore and do some shopping.   It was a perfect weekend with wonderful company and gorgeous weather! 

Here are some of the pictures from our trip:

 

Pisa

 

Leaning tower of Pisa

 

Scott wore his Rams shirt to support the CSU football team.  Go Rams!!!

 

Harvesting  olives

 

Scott feeling like a "local" in the Fiat 500.

 

Beautiful Montisi

 

Pretty much sums up the weekend- wine and olive oil : )

 

View from the Coppenrath's balcony.  Not a bad thing to wake up to every morning!

 

View from the perspective of the basil growing on the balcony : )

 

Misty the kitty napping in my suitcase.  

 

Scott got artistic on the balcony.

 

Scott and I in the backyard.  

 
The whole gang!   From the bottom, Walter, Suzanne, Dave, Lisa, Scott, me, Devon and Dayli.

Ciao!  Love, Jess and Scott