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Flavours News - October 2009
In this issue...
- Coming soon our 2010 brochure
- Places still remaining for 2009
Our 2010 brochure is at the printers!
After a busy couple of weeks collecting beautiful images of Italy from our painting, pilates and cooking holidays our 2010 brochure is now 'in production' at the printers. We're hoping it will be finished within the next couple of weeks and of course we will be holding a prosecco fuelled launch party here in Edinburgh! If you would like to recieve one then you can register your interest by filling in our 'request a brochure' form. There's already quite a waiting list!
Places still remaining for 2009
We have about 4 places left on our Italian cookery holidays for 2009 as I write, but this is decreasing all the time. Our painting and Pilates holidays have compleatly sold out - so you'll have to wait until next year! For the best up to the minute availability call our office on 0131 343 2500 or check out our last minute spaces page on our website!
Flavours News - July 2009
In this issue...
- Only 4 dates left for Tuscany in 2009!
- Flavours of Italy in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
- Just back from Sicily
- Flavours in the press
- Vintage Shopping in Florence
- Secure a place for 2010 for just £50
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'One of the best holidays I have had and I have had many good holidays!' - A Braid, Tuscany, 27th June 2009
If you're tempted to join us in Tuscany book now, we only have 4 dates left in October. Click here for up to date availability and to make a booking enquiry.
Flavours of Italy in the Edinburgh Fringe
Flavours of Italy will be part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year! We are exploring the history of the apron, a cook's best friend! We've scoured the globe to put together the story of this kitchen commodity from Adam and Eve to "Desperate Housewives"! Our exhibition is open from the 1st August to the 31st August from 10:30 to 17:00 Monday to Saturday.Have a look at our apron exhibition page for more details!
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Just back from Sicily...
David Waite, who joined us in Sicily in June has just returned with some really beautiful images from the Island. Sicily is an exotic and colourful island and he has skilfully captured the essence of this! His pictures are definitely worth a look! If you're interested in seeing more of his pictures, have a look on our Flavours Flickr!
In the press...
Casino Pisanelli has been recommended in this months British Airways inflight magazine. Casino Pisanelli is a beautiful property, in the heart of Puglia at the heel of Italy, don't just take our word for it, watch the video of when Nicky Chapman came with us as part of the BBC Holiday Programme. 
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Vintage shopping Guide to Florence
As ever our Flavours Blog is brimming with travel tips and recipe ideas we well as info for those planning one of our Pilates holidays or painting holidays. This month I put together a list of our favourite shops in Florence. Within the warren of medievial streets you can find some extraordinarily weird and wonderful shops, including a two hundred year old wig maker and the best sweet shop in town!
Secure a place for 2010 for just £50
If you've missed out on one of holidays this year then why not order our new brochure which includes dates for 2010. For a limited time only we are offering you the chance to reserve your space for 2010 at just £50 per person! To take advantage of this offer email Jess at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Ciao!
Oliver
Marketing Co-ordinator
Flavours of Italy Ltd
Cooking's Just the Half of It!
63 Raeburn Place
Edinburgh
EH4 1JF
T: 0131 625 7002
B: www.flavoursofitaly.blogspot.com
ATOL 6528
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Flavours Essential Summer Reads!
Cooking, Pilates and Painting, there’s no doubt that a Flavours Holiday is action packed, however there’s always time to lounge by the pool and enjoy a good book, we’ve come up with five summer reads which are perfect for whiling away those poolside hours!
In Tuscany...
Under the Tuscan Sun
Frances Mayes
This is lively and humorous memoir of buying, renovating, and living in an abandoned villa in Tuscany. In her book Mayers reveals the sensual pleasure she found living in rural Italy, and the generous spirit she brought with her. She revels in the sunlight and the colour, the long view of her valley, the warm homey architecture, the languor of the slow paced days, the vigor of working her garden, and the intimacy of her dealings with the locals. Mayes really does capture the Flavours of Italy and the unique feel of rural Tuscany, with all it’s delightful quirks!
A Thousand days in Tuscany
Marlena de Blasi
De Blasi's glittering descriptions and mouthwatering recipes take you directly into the heart of Italy and into the soul of la dolce vita, this book is filled with warmth and the rich and simple drama of a beautiful life. This book is a memoir of the seasons in a small Tuscan village rich with food, weather, romance, and, above all, life.
In Puglia...
Casa Rossa
Francesca Marciano
Set in hot Puglia, in Casa Rossa, a Roman native Francesca Marciano tells an ambitious and riveting tale of three generations of Italian women whose separate acts of betrayal set the stage for later destruction. Cassa Rosa is a highly entertaining and passionate book combining lovely writing and emotionally resonant characters, with the exotic mystique of Puglia.
In Sicily...
The Shape of Water
Andrea Camilleri
Andrea Camilleri’s Inspector Montalbano has become a phenomenal success whose adventures have been translated from Italian in eight languages, from Dutch to Japanese. His books are so successful because they accurately depict the unique Sicillian character in such a humorous way!
‘The Shape of Water’ is the first in Camilleri’s series of contemporary mystery novels featuring Inspector Salvo Montalbano and set in Vigáta, a fictional seacoast town in southern Sicily. Camilleri is a master at describing this part of Sicily and the vast array of interesting characters local to the area. While reading the Shape of water, you get the sense that this is an Italian mystery about true Italian characters and written by a superb Italian author.
In Bologna...
The Charterhouse of Parma
Stendhal
A real classic set in the golden landscapes of northern Italy. The Charterhouse of Parma conjures up the excitement and romance of youth in aristocratic 19th century Italy. The book traces the ill-starred exploits of a handsome young aristocrat called Fabrice del Dongo, and of his incomparable aunt Gina, her suitor Prime Minister Mosca, and Clelia, a typical heroine who makes use of her feminine whiles to the extreme!
What book would you recommend for a Flavours holiday in Italy? If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear more, email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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Just back from Italy...
Myself and Jess are just back from a trip in Tuscany - all in a days work at Flavours! We had a absolutley great time, with really interesting groups!
My week started with a group of old friends on a girls holiday to celebrate a 40th birthday, they coined the phrase 'learning with laughter' to describe the experience of a cooking holiday with Flavours! The next group was equally as good fun, a journalist from London, a scottish honeymooning couple, a BBC camera man with a ponchent for sports cars and good wine, a chiropodist and a teacher from Norfolk - there was no shortage of conversation and laughs!
I met a lot of people that had chosen Flavours as it offered zero single supplement, meaning it's a great solution for those travelling alone. Needless to say everyone had made plenty of friends when we all reluctantly returned home!
You can order a brochure for our cooking, painting and Pilates holidays on our website.
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New Brochure
For those of you that have still not seen our new brochure for 2009/2010, we have so many new holidays and destinations on offer that it's definitly worth a look! We have plenty of delicious new cooking holidays as well as our inspiring painting holidays and relaxing pilates! Why not order a brochure now - to plan your next holiday with us!
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Special offer from the Flavours Shop!
Flavours don't just organise holidays we also sell a range of products imported directly from Italy. We have an exclusive deal for subscribers to our newsletter, where you will recieve a free gift with every purchase if you order before the 1st July! Some of the products on offer...
The most perfect and stylish solution to the problem of muddy shoes in the suitcase!
The most stylish place to store sugar. Seletti, a design collective from Milan have a signiture quirky style, evident in this unique sugar box.
Italian design label Seletti have come up with this ultra chic cool bag, making picnic fashion faux pas a thing of the past! With a futuristic metallic lining and handy net pockets this cool bag is a muct have item!
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Holidays leaving soon - still with spaces!
For up to the minute availability - have a look at our dates and prices page. Some of the holidays departing soon with spaces are shown below - if you would like to find out more call us on 0800 612 6477...
Short breaks cooking in Bologna
As we specialise in small group holidays, we only have limited spaces available on all of these holidays – so you’d better hurry to escape to Italy with Flavours this year! We're always happy to answer your questions so get in touch on our freephone number 0800 612 6477.
Ciao!
Oliver
Marketing Co-ordinator
Flavours of Italy Ltd
Cooking's Just the Half of It!
63 Raeburn Place
Edinburgh
EH4 1JF
T: 0131 625 7002 or Freephone 0800 612 6477
B: www.flavoursofitaly.blogspot.com
ATOL 6528
Flavours Newsletter June 2009
New website!
New Website! Our new website is now up and running! We’ve packed it full of new exciting ingredients including destination facts and figures, new recipes, cook profiles and a handy search tool. The design is much clearer and provides us with plenty of extra functions to show you our ever widening choice of holidays, now including painting and Pilates holidays in Italy.
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Free Prosecco Offer!
We would love to know what you think of our new site. We have put together a 10 minute usability test, all you need to do is respond to this email with a contact telephone number and we will call you back and ask you to perform a series of tasks on the new website -it'll just take 10 minutes, just to check how easy it is to use. As a thank-you you will receive a bottle of Rocco Venezia Prosecco on us.
Congratulations to the winners of last months competition, a copy of Paulo Arrigo’s 'From Seed to Plate' is on it’s way!
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New Destination: Florence
Flavours now offer Italian Cookery holidays, painting courses and Pilates holidays in Florence, the region simply needs no introduction, a Renaissance gem and one of the most beautiful corners of Italy, there is a reason why Florence is one of the most visited cities in Europe!
Luckily our villa is tucked away in the countryside on it’s own private estate close to the medieval town of San Miniato, which is well known for truffles and other Tuscan delicacies that you will be sure to sample.
Florence is a great place to explore on foot with a compact historical centre. You can really get a feel for the city by getting lost in the tangle of ancient streets, taking in the stunning façades of art-studded churches and museums as you find them. Florence is a destination where cooking really is just the half of it!
If you would like to find out more call us on 0800 612 6477 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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New Brochure
We have so many new holidays and destinations on offer that we have a brand new brochure! We have plenty of delicous new cooking holidays as well as our inspiring painting holidays and relaxing pilates! If you would like a copy posted out to you, call us on 0800 612 6477 or send Jess an email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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Holidays still available for 2009
We still have some holidays available for this year - if you would like to find out more call us on 0800 612 6477...
Short breaks cooking in Tuscany
Short breaks cooking in Bologna
Short breaks cooking in Florence
As we specialise in small group holidays, we only have limited spaces available on all of these holidays – so you’d better hurry to escape to Italy with Flavours this year! We're always happy to answer your questions so get in touch on our freephone number 0800 612 6477.
Ciao!
Oliver
Marketing Co-ordinator
Flavours of Italy Ltd
Cooking's Just the Half of It!
63 Raeburn Place
Edinburgh
EH4 1JF
T: 0131 625 7002
B: www.flavoursofitaly.blogspot.com
ATOL 6528
