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Author Archives: nutmeg
Provencal Laundry all Washed up in France’s Lavoirs
Water sloshes against the sides of the shallow stone basin of the lavoir as weathered hands vigorously scrub at stubborn stains. Kneeling on their augets washerwomen exchange tidbits of town gossip as they work to brighten their laundry.
Destination Bowen Island for Italian Cashmere
You read that right!
Artisanal cashmere – crafted in a country built on the fur trapping, canoe portaging, down-filled coats, Hudson Bay blankets, and Kodiak boots! Artigiani Milanesi established its bespoke Italian cashmere tailoring on Bowen Island in 2014.
The story of how luxury Italian-inspired weaving ends up on Canada’s wet coast began with a girl in a convent in Cremona, Italy. Rosa Palmira Feroldi (Rosetta) was only two-years-old when she and her five sisters, orphans of WWII, were taken in by the nuns at the Cremona convent. The nuns would knit clothing for the children, and Rosetta insisted they teach her how to use the knitting machines – a skill she honed for the next chapter of her life. At 21 years old, she left the convent and headed for the industrial city of Milan in 1958.
Milan was booming in the 1960s, rapidly becoming recognized as a fashion capital. Rosetta quickly put her knitting skills into practice and establishing her business (1959) catering to local Milanese clients and international brands (Prisco, Kiton, Doriani and others). Davide Bizzarri, Rosa’s son, apprenticed with his mother gaining an understanding of their business, the competitive local marketplace and international demands – he officially took over Artigiani Milanesi in 1995. Davide shares his mother’s enthusiasm, ruthless attention to detail and quality, and her design flair.
Milan is still booming today, frenetic, is the word Rebecca (Davide’s wife) used to describe the city. A change of pace, a sense of adventure and the potential of new markets prompted a move to Bowen Island. Artigiani Milanesi was packed into two 40-foot-long shipping containers destined for its new Howe Sound head office, a 1,600sqft boutique and workshop. Their concept is to offer tailored cashmere knitwear made by Italians in Canada. According to Rebecca tells me that they were seeking a slower pace of life on Bowen Island, but says, “Ironically we are busier now than when we were in Europe!” – proof that the appreciation for artisanal cashmere is strong in North America.
Almost, two years into living on Bowen Island the team at Artigiani Milanesi has established roots and gather inspiration for cashmere colour palettes from their natural surroundings. Rosa is still very much involved in the operations, training their group of local weavers, hand-tailoring some of the most complex designs and she does all the hand finishing. Davide and Rebecca are focused on expanding their market reach and North American awareness of their brand, which uses only the purest natural Italian cashmere yarns and artisanal methodology.
Artigiani Milanesi invites clients to invest in a part of Italian history and style, choosing authenticity and discerning luxury. You can order from the website or for those readers in the Vancouver area, head on over to Bowen Island for a day trip.
Rebecca shared a few of her favourite things to help you discover this destination:
DISCOVER
Cates Bay Beach a great bay for kayaking and stand up paddleboarding
Mount Gardner a day hike with extraordinary views over Howe Sound
The coastal walk along Cape Roger Curtis
TASTE
Pain au Chocolat at Artisan Eats, buttery and divine, made by a French patisserie chef
Organic homemade hot chocolate at The Chocolate Shop
The French onion soup at Rustique Bistro
RELAX
Take a class at Bowen Island Yoga a studio that Rebecca established with two partners in 2014
Shop for Cashmere!
Hike the Killarney Lake trail and hang out on the beach in the evening with friends for a potluck picnic dinner and fire pit
Image Credits: all photos provide by and published with the permission of Artigiani Milanesi
Old School Cars Cruising El Paseo
It is not often that Nutmeg revisits a post, but who can resist rumbling engines and polished cars?
Massacre in Merindol Provence’s Dark History
Blinded by the hues of lavender shutters.
Gently numbed by a glass or two of chilled local rosé.
It would be easy to overlook the hamlet of Mérindol during a visit to Provence.
The Luberon region is brimming with villages laying claim to le plus beau village de France (most beautiful village in France) and many of those proudly display Villages Fleuris (flowering villages) emblems on street signs.
Mérindol is not one.
Marseille Bouillabaisse a Provencal Classic
What is your favourite fish soup?
Residents of Marseille are adamant that French fishermen eked basic sustenance from their unsightly leftover fish bits concocted this fish broth/soup/stew on the shores of the now sprawling metropolis. The name for this dish is derived from two actions bouillir (to boil) and abaisser (to reduce or simmer). However, in the intense world of “Iron-chef” gastronomy the origins of bouillabaisse are up for debate.
The Peppercorn Reference List
Celebrity chefs flaunt their talents with teetering food towers, seared this and that, and sous vide experimentation, but they still rely heavily on spices to perfect the flavours.
Ubiquitous today, as the world’s most traded spice, the black peppercorn was once highly sought after for both its flavour and medicinal qualities. As Romans increased use of pepper in their cooking, savvy Spice Route merchants commanded gold and silver coins in exchange for the seasoning. This was not unreasonable as peppercorns had to travel long distances from Southeast Asia – parts of India and Java.
Taking Flight in Provence Gliding over St Remy
It is not often that Ginger gets to write about G&N adventures, but this experience warrants a post. As many of you know, Ginger is an airplane geek, and any experience related to flying gets serious precedence over most things. Man since the beginning of time, has wanted to escape the bonds of earth and fly like a bird. Fixed wing gliding provides man the opportunity to catch air currents and soar hour upon hour.
London Like You’ve Never Seen It Before
Nutmeg fully admits she is a Francophile, in her mind everything in France is superior to anywhere else – just ask Ginger. In fact, Nutmeg used a recent trip to the UK, for a family matter, as an excuse to head to France for 12 days. This year she has had the opportunity to expand her horizons with a couple recent trips to England and now has a growing appreciation for towpath walks and gastro-pubs. While Nutmeg definitely cannot understand driving on the “wrong side” of the road, she does appreciate an interesting travel tip, in this case, three…
How to Move to Paris
It is not easy to change careers or geography at any age.
Why is Patricia Sands a possibilitarian?
Why did Lisa and Johann Pepin move from Chicago to hunt for truffles in rural Provence?
Moving can fall into that “not easy” bucket, where it is seems easier to stick to the familiar than to pack your bags.
