La Dolce Vita Retreats

Wow!  I am just back from an amazing spring season on the French and Italian Rivieras and I am delighted to report back to you before I leave for Ravello on the divine Amalfi CoastChateau Saint Martin & Spa and two weeks in April at the enchanting Hotel Splendido, the exquisite sanctuary in Portofino, Italy with sumptuous gardens, centuries old wisteria and roses, royal palms and a vista to die for.  Absolute heaven!

I spent two magical weeks in March on the Cote d’Azur, at the magnificent 

While in France, we were kneaded, wrapped and scrubbed at the Chateau’s La Prarie Spa.   We enjoyed fabulous gourmet meals prepared by their Michelin star chef – Yannick Franque and tasted the superb wines of the region with sommelier, Jean-Christophe Rault.  We explored the medieval streets of the Pays Vencois, admiring the distinctive provencal architecture.  We roamed the streets of Tourettes-sur-Loup, the city of arts and violets, visiting the workshops and galleries of painters, sculptors, weavers, potters, and many more.   We explored the antiquaries of La Colle sur Loup, as well as learned the unusual method of wine making at Les Haute Collines in St. Jeannet., one of many picturesque perched villages  overlooking Nice, the Esterel and the Var valley.   

We hiked the magnificent “baous” of the surrounding areas, played petanque, enjoyed lazy afternoons reading while basking in the warm provencal sun and admiring the cascading hills that gently make their way to the spectacular Mediterranean sea.  We scoured the old city of Vence, stopping in the numerous ateliers, dining in some of my favorite local restaurants, in particular, La Farigoule.  We meandered the walled city of St. Paul de Vence, discovering magnificent old facades, both medieval and baroque.   We made our way up to the Fondation Maeght and strolled the sculpture gardens dotted with works of art by Miro, Calder, Braque, Leger, Giacometti among others, and surrounded by the wall mosaic, Les Amoureux, by Chagall.  At the Chateau, we enjoyed an exclusive exposition and private reception for Andrew Vicari, world renowned figurative artist.

We also participated in a lively aromatherapy/ beauty /nutrition workshop presented by London’s skincare guru, Alexandra Soveral, and popular Cote d’Azur nutritional therapist, Deborah Marzohl.  We practiced our daily yoga, implemented the ritual of journaling, beginning with our gratitude entry each morning, and best all, we made a point of  “enjoying the moment” and “dreaming big”!  We were living La Dolce Vita in “full color“.

April ushered in Portofino and our stay at Hotel Splendido – literally paradise on the Italian Riviera.  Every morning brought us delight as we awoke to the pleasure of pushing open the elegant, tall shutter windows to reveal what I consider to be the most beautiful little harbor in the world.  Because the yacht racing season was preparing for the inception, slender, elite racing boats were beginning to arrive.  In May, the Pirelli Cup and the Rolex Cup kick off the season.  I fell in love with the Pirelli yacht, KARIS.  Magnificent!  (I’d give anything to be able to race on that boat one day.)  The races take place in the Tigullian Bay, the same bay that we have our small match boat race on Portobello 28s. 

Breakfast each morning was on La Terraza, one of Splendido’s gourmet restaurants.  It’s perched overlooking the bay and slinky main road into Portofino’s piazetta, but also has views of some of the magnificent Ligurian villas of the region.  Later, we would take one of our invigorating hikes or walks, as Portofino has such wonderful trails to explore.  Some days we walked to Santa Margherita along the coastal trail, passing through the lovely village of Paraggi and its sandy cove, returning through the hills and national park, past the Abbey of Cevara and the residents’ gorgeous gardens.  Other days we would take the boat over to San Fruttuoso, a small eleventh century village accessible only by boat or foot, and then hike back to Portofino or, in the opposite direction towards Punta Chiappa, absolutely mesmerized by the glistening vistas of the Tigullian Gulf and surrounding wooded hills, viewed from the high cliffs.   Another day we explored the colorful medieval fishing village of Camogli on the Golfo di Paradiso,  and finally, we made our way to Cinque Terre, walking through three of the five towns renowned for its architectural accomplishment, as the buildings cling to the granite cliffs that plunge into the transparent sea.

Needless to say, after our hiking or walking expeditions, we were famished and always arrived just in time to dine for lunch at the many cafes which featured daily-caught local fish, typical Ligurian cuisine and great pasta dishes.  Restaurant Puny and Cafe Excelsior were two of our favorites. Afternoons were spent at the spa having luxe aromatherapy treatments or enjoying the “open air” massages overlooking the sparkling sea, surrounded by the brilliantly colored gardens.  The infinity pool was another restful spot, parked with a book or just napping in the warm Mediterranean sun.  

Evenings were pure Portofino – sometimes dining at Chuflay at Spendido Mare, listening to live jazz and feasting on selections from a marvelous menu, one night even watching the bonfire!  There’s  a marvelous wine bar and several wonderful gelaterias in the piazetta, and if you enjoy shopping, it is definitely couture.  We always ended our evenings in the bar at Splendido, where one can enjoy sparkling water or aperitifs, dancing to Vlady’s piano music or participating in his trivia contest, and enjoying our marvelous host, Antonio, who loves to sing and takes such fine care of us.

One needs to spend time in Portofino to truly understand its “persona” - a melange of incredible beauty, tremendous heart and soul, and earthy culture.  Portofino replenishes and restores “mind, body and soul”, which is why I adore it and the reason I have selected it for La Dolce Vita Retreats.

I had the pleasure of attending a meeting for Stepup Women’s Network this morning and the speaker was Sally Frame Kasaks, Chairman and CEO of Pacific Sunwear.  She was fantastic!  What an interesting woman with a great sense of humor!

She shared her successes, as well as trials and tribulations, throughout her ground breaking fashion career, and shared insights with the young professional women in the audience that will prove most valuable to them as they pursue their dreams. 

What a dynamic role model.  She is in my view, the epitome of the La Dolce Vita woman – intelligent, savvy, unique, generous, and possessing of a developed, independent point of view that is consistent with her values.

Kudos to a wonderfully inspirational woman!

Janice Briggs, Founder and President of La Dolce Vita Retreats, LLC,  is pleased to announce one of the highlights of the April 2010 La Dolce Vita Retreat in Portofino, Italy.  One of the activities will be a creativity workshop using watercolor presented by internationally renown artist, Carla Cecere.

This workshop is a special time for self discovery through the use of watercolor. The heart and soul of this workshop is learning about watercolor while at the same time learning about yourself.  Using painting you will be guided to playfully and joyfully bring to life the subconscious and super conscious self as well as enhance your artistic skill.  Artistic activities are combined with brief theoretical presentations and opportunities for experiential sharing; a facilitated, rather than “instructional” approach is used in conducting this workshop to encourage the development of individual creativity and self-discovery – an effective and powerful means of learning and change.  The emphasis is on the painting process, not the finished art piece.  Those with or without artistic experience are welcomed.

Workshop Objectives

• Make contact with, and explore, the creative artist within you.  Uncover your talents.  Be inspired and find your unique individual expression.
•  Discover, for yourself, your own watercolor techniques. 
•  Watercolor is the ideal medium to help you access your “right brain.”  Experience what it is like to spontaneously trust your intuition and deepen your creativity.
•  Learn how to value and use expressive art as a creative process to guide you to your inner truth, harmony and therefore, well-being.

 Workshop Outcome

 By the end of this workshop, in addition to what you have learned, you will have had the opportunity to create at least 2 paintings per session.

About Carla Cecere

Carla Cecere feels passionately about sharing her knowledge and helping others discover their own creativity and well-being. She believes that art is a powerful key for spiritual and cultural connection. Her own work with herself, and her rich cultural and professional background have contributed towards her success as an artist and sought out consultant.

 As artist, Carla’s imaginative creations have received numerous awards and recognition from private collectors as well from organizations such as:  the Peggy Guggenheim Collection – Venice, Los Angeles County Museum – California, Ubaldo Grazia – Deruta, Bank of America – California, and the United Nations – Vienna.

 Carla has also worked as an international management consultant and trainer. She lived in many countries and worked with leading organizations throughout Europe, Asia and the United States. Her experience included initiating numerous “start-up” projects in the area of cross cultural behavior with clients including: Harvard University, MIT, INSEAD, Università Bocconi, IMEDE, the World Health Organization, J P Morgan, Hong Kong International Terminals.

 Carla’s Formal Training Includes:   Bachelors of Arts, Psychology, Fine Arts – Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles, Rome);  Masters in Public Administration – University of Southern California;  Certificate in International Human Resource Development ;  3^rd Level Medical Qi Gong, Prof. Li Xiao Ming – University of Beijing. Carla is continuing her research and training in the arts and complementary medicine.

I’ll be giving sneak previews of other activities in a “Burma Shave” fashion so keep checking back for updates!