What’s Been Happening Up ‘Til Now

Ciao MWP Tribe!

It’s been a little while—actually, a few months! That’s far too long, but I’m finally getting back into the rhythm of things. So, what’s been happening since my last post in January? Well, do you have a few moments to spare? I hope you’re sitting in a comfortable chair and ready to hear the latest updates!

So! The biggest, most important thing besides birthday celebrations was hubby and I launched our own catering business here in Treviso. Hubby, aka Ale, has been running a lovely home restaurant called HORTi Simplicium, and we decided to branch out. There were a lot of steps along the way, and we wanted to make sure we felt grounded going in this direction. Consulting our commercialista (Italian tax accountant), we navigated through opening the right business license. Folks! When I tell you it is a complex process, this is not an understatement! And I’ll definitely write a post on our journey starting our business here in Italy.

For startups and small businesses, Italy does not make it easy. There are hoops and hurdles. Red tape, blue tape, green tape! All kinds of tape to getting something off the ground and running. My head was spinning and I was getting a bit overwhelmed. But we managed, and now we’ve been doing events around the area! Sometimes I’m amazed at how far we’ve come. Years ago, when we moved here in 2018, a lot of days it felt like the wrong decision. But we’re making it work the best way we can. Being an immigrant means you learn how to pivot, and we’re certainly doing that as entrepreneurs here too. The job climate is so chaotic and unstable at the moment that I’m thankful we’re able to have this business.

Birthdays, More Birthdays and Celebrating 15 years

February, March, and April were full of celebrations! Hubby and I celebrated 15 years of marriage. It’s quite an accomplishment, and we’re blessed to have come this far. It’s not always an easy road, and there are times when it’s super difficult. We’ve worked through communication issues and know we only want the best for each other.

So, how did we celebrate? We went to an amazing spa in Castelbrando called The Princess Spa. And it is absolutely magical. I’ll need to create a separate post for how spectacular it is. It’s essentially built into a castle with several saunas, outdoor heated pools and jacuzzis, steam rooms, salt baths, and more. Oh, and it has a charming outdoor garden with beautiful hedge sculptures, too!

We also celebrated Ale turning 40 and my son turning 7. So quite a lot of birthdays.

Family Visits and Tuscan Trips

Another lovely highlight was the opportunity for my mom to come visit. She usually comes twice a year and got to celebrate Sabele’s birthday. I always appreciate it when a friend or family member can trek it over here. I know it’s no small feat, and with what’s going on in the world right now, travel is seeming more like a luxury. Spending two weeks here, she was able to do some shopping in Treviso. And we also did a mini trip down to Tuscany, where we stayed in a little town called Fucecchio, where our friends hosted us in their beautiful apartment. When I say this apartment is stunning, believe it. From the 1800s, beautiful frescoes, sitting on top of a hill near the historical center, I couldn’t have asked for more.

We also took a day trip to Empoli and a charming little town called San Miniato. Each time I visit Tuscany, I fall more in love. This region just has everything, and the vibe is so chill. I highly recommend checking out Empoli too. It’s a cute town with a lot of energy similar to Florence, but on a smaller scale.

Energetic Empoli