One of my favorite things to do in Italy is to take a day trip to the countryside for lunch and wine tasting. Under sunny skies last November, my friends from NYC and I went for lunch and wine tasting at Poggio Robino just outside of Montalcino. The kind owner has taken in lots of feral cats. That was fine with us until one of them jumped up onto our table and began to eat our prosciutto! We let our fierce canine companion, Chia, out of her stroller, and that solved the problem.

After lunch we drove to Certaldo. Outside of town, is the Tinti family agriturismo and rustic wine tasting room. We called ahead, and found Daniele and his crew picking olives for their organic oil. He showed us the big vat of oil he had just pressed, and the scent was nothing less than amazing.

We tasted and bought lots of Daniele’s newly pressed olive oil as well as his organic wines.

My outfit for the day in Chianti included my Zagar sunglasses. Zagar eyewear are entirely hand-made in Italy from a small family owned business. I love these sunglasses, but cannot find them for sale online! I purchased them from a small shop, Centro Ottico Galileo Galilei in Desenzano del Garda, Lombardia.

The sweater is from my favorite store, Falconeri. It comes in lots of colors and is on sale now marked down from $380 to $195. It has a matching reversible vest which is cashmere on one side and puffy material on the other. It, too, is on sale marked down from $400 to $265. Falconeri.com

The scarf is Burberry that I found at Nordstrom Rack years ago. I still wear it lots! It is one of the few things that I bring back and forth from Florence to Seattle.

The pants are from Max Mara Weekend. They are the new shorter length, and look great with tennis shoes. On their website they are called cotton velvet trousers, and on sale for $147.

I think these are the cutest tennis shoes I have ever had! They are Fratelli Rossetti brand and ever so comfortable. I love the padded heel in tan leather and the perforated white leather. The laces are grosgrain ribbon. I purchased the last available pair at the Rinascente department store in October.

The necklace is Australian pearls with gold chain, made by the goldsmith. The earrings I purchased years ago at a little jewelry shop in San Gimignano. They are still some of my favorite earrings, and the goldsmith makes them now too.

Chia and I are still in rainy Seattle, but will be returning to Florence mid-March. I have scheduled several shopping tours already. Looks like it will be a busy spring!