Lucca, a less traveled destination
When we rented houses in Levanto over the summer with our family many years ago, we discovered Lucca. Lucca is a beautiful walled city with lovely churches and a wonderful antiques market held the 3rd...
View ArticleWhat to Expect on a Truffle Hunt in Italy
We’re gearing-up for our fall workshops around here which start soon. Workshop guests are starting to nail down their plans for their free day. One of the options that I always recommend they take...
View ArticlePreserving Italy Workshop:: the slow food experience
We just wrapped up the Slow Food Experience workshop, and I must say it was a wonderful experience not only for our attendees but for me too. We visited food artisans in the area and sampled local food...
View ArticleOur First Ever La Fortezza Antiques and Merchants of Italy Shopping Retreat
Ciao Tutti! We had amazing whirlwind of a week with our first ever La Fortezza Antiques and Merchants of Italy Shopping Retreat. My co-leader Lisa Burnett of Inner Pieces Inc. could not have been a...
View ArticleSlow Food Cheese Event in Bra Italy 2019
Ciao Tutti! As you may have seen from the complete coverage on my instagram feed, Philip Meeker our chef, and Rachel Ritchie our guest liaison, and I headed to the region of the Piedmont, known for...
View ArticleArrivederci Italia 2019
It’s always hard to say arrivederci, but his year, in particular, was bittersweet because it was such a wonderful season. Our La Fortezza Workshops started off with a bang: 2 styling workshops in June...
View ArticleAnnouncing 2020 Workshops and Retreats: run don’t walk to sign up!
Run don’t walk to sign up for 2020 La Fortezza Workshops and Retreats. I feel like this year we have hit the sweet spot with our selections. Photography and styling are, as always, center stage, but we...
View ArticleHer Dark Materials Workshop, 2019 recap
Sometimes, one just has a girl crush, and with Instagram out there, it’s more likely that these crushes occur. That sentiment pretty much sums up my feelings towards Ros Atkinson, the woman behind the...
View ArticleWilliam Abranowicz 2019 Photography Workshop recap
There are some people that just impress you. Bill Abranowicz is one of those people. He and I worked on a Rolex photoshoot together, at Augusta National Golf Course. It was a bit stressful as the...
View ArticleFresh Pasta Recipe:: Pasta Puttanesca
Over the past few weeks, our workshop chef, Philip Meeker and I have been hosting cooking demonstrations on Instagram LIVE. In fact, we had another one last week! Each lesson utilizes our quick and...
View ArticleFocaccia La Fortezza Instagram Live Cooking Lesson
Ciao Everyone! We had a big demand to do a La Fortezza Virtual cooking lesson on focaccia, so we are answering your wishes! Join Chef Philip and me on my IG Live Wednesday at 5 pm EST. Below is the...
View ArticleAJS Team in Quarantine:: Philip Meeker
Hello! I’m Philip Meeker, the chef at La Fortezza. Some of you might know me from the cooking classes Annette and I do on her Instagram or from pictures of all the cool things we explore in Italy. I...
View ArticleNOW AVAILABLE: Italy is My Boyfriend
I am thrilled to announce my memoir, Italy is My Boyfriend, is finally here! I am so excited to share my adventures in Italy with you. To celebrate, I am hosting a giveaway on my Instagram page. The...
View ArticleAJS Team in Quarantine:: Laura Giannatempo
Hello, Everyone, My name is Laura Giannatempo, and I’m Annette’s travel concierge. When you take one of her future workshops, you can ask me for advice about where to go, what to do and where to eat if...
View ArticleJuly Recap:: Lots of things and offerings
Ciao All! I hope you are all well and staying safe. I wanted to update all of you about happenings in July. There are lots of things and offerings to discuss… Offerings: La Fortezza Workshops and...
View ArticleInstagram Live Cooking Class from Italy, October 1 Noon EST
Ciao! If you’d like to cook with me in Italy at La Fortezza, I would love to share a recipe from my new cookbook that I am here working on this month, La Fortezza Cookbook. Since we can’t be together...
View ArticleAutumn Chapter Shoot for La Fortezza Cookbook
Ciao Guys! If you follow me on Instagram, you know the legendary food photographer David Loftus was back during the first week of October to photograph the autumn chapter of La Fortezza Cookbook....
View ArticleMeet my new neighbor, Julie Montagu, the Viscountess Hinchingbrooke
Ciao All! I wanted you to meet my new neighbor in Fivizzano. Much to my surprise, I received a direct message from a woman that follows both of us on Instagram. The message read, “You must meet Julie...
View ArticleGarden Update
Ciao Everyone! If you’re following me on instagram, you most likely saw me at the local garden center yesterday. My groundskeeper/gardener Gianluca accompanied me. We had a great time. I thought I’d...
View ArticleMeet our new Guest Liaison- Jenna Galowich
I would like to introduce our newest Annette Joseph Style team member. Jenna Galowich. Full disclosure: I have been looking to fill this position for a few years. But I took my time to find someone...
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