Tuscany: The Wine Region of Chianti.

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Tuscany.

Oh my Gosh. Tuscany. It's stupendous. I don't even know how to use other words. Heaven on Earth? Precious to my soul? I truly think Tuscany is a special gift from God. He was like, “Eh, humankind could use a sneak preview of eternity.” So he created Tuscany.

Let me show you.

// He got a big kick out of driving such a tiny toy car. //

The Mountains and the Valleys.

Seriously. It's nothing like ANYTHING I've ever seen. I lived in northern California for a while, and I remember visiting Napa and being so wowed by its beauty. I thought that Tuscany would be similar, since they're both wine country. But they are so different, and in wonderfully unique ways. Tuscany is laid-back, lazy in a delicious way, and hosts an appreciative attitude for the good things in life. The people are just happy. They love watching their children play. The fields are distinctly narrow, golden green, supple and rich. The olive trees are humorously short and scrappy. The winding roads are dotted with fast sports cars, sometimes a red Ferrari. The wine is pretty and satisfying (and cheap! - at least the kind we buy.) The pace. Is. Slow. Somehow you are ready for it even before you arrive. Something in your belly tells you that Tuscany is a place for calm reflection, rejuvenation, reawakening. And so that's exactly what you experience while you're here.

B&B Babes.

We stayed at a beautiful B&B in Greve called Le Lame, tucked into the hills of Chianti. In this tiny little hamlet wineries flourish at each corner and markets boast fresh bufala mozarela and basili pesto. We ate breakfast overlooking the incredible views of the grape fields. We jogged around the town, poked around old yards and tasted everything we could.

The Answer.

Need a vacation? Tuscany is the answer. Going on a honeymoon? Tuscany is the answer. Contemplating a crossroad in your life? TUSCANY IS THE ANSWER. Go to there. Drink the wine, practice your broken Italian (they will forgive you) and take a weekend-long deep breath. You probably need it more than you think.