Driving Miss Pauline

On Saturday my mom and dad and I had the good fortune of spending another day with Contessa Witts, this time on a drive to the Tuscan countryside. Pauline had hired her personal driver, Beppe, to take us on this adventure. He picked us up at Pauline’s hotel, Hotel Botticelli, and we immediately learned why Pauline is so attached to this particular driver.

Beppe hails from Prato, a town northwest of Florence, an important textile-manufacturing city that is best known for being the home of the Virgin’s Girdle (I’m serious!). The girdle is believed to have belonged to the Virgin Mary, and it attracts pilgrims from all over Italy, who come to see it when it is displayed once a year. Beppe’s family has been in the wool-trading industry since World War II, but he also earns an income by driving tourists around the area.

I can’t even begin to tell you how charming, witting, and personable he is! He immediately began calling me Carolina, my mom Jo-an (two syllables), and my dad Franco. Just hearing him say our names in this way made us seriously consider permanently changing them! And the relationship that he and Pauline have is priceless, much like Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy in Driving Miss Daisy. Pauline’s grandson Ben describes them as “an old married bickering couple,” and there’s certainly a grain of truth in that! Here’s an example of the type of dialogue we heard all day:

Pauline: “It’s really crappy.”

Beppe: “But I do not understand this word. What does ‘crappy’ mean”?

Pauline: no response

Carolina: “’Crappy’ means male or non buono”

Beppe: “Pauline, why you not define ‘crappy’ for me, but Carolina does? I am starting to prefer Carolina.”

Pauline: “Watch it, buster. Her husband is arriving next Saturday.”

Beppe: “Now I am beginning to prefer you again.”

Needless to say, this was a day we will always remember!

Beppe drove us west, out of downtown Florence and into the Tuscan countryside, through little towns such as Doccia (meaning “shower”) that don’t even appear on most maps. The hills were green, and mustard was just starting to bloom, creating a glorious yellow carpet through the vineyards. Olive trees dotted the hillsides, and every once in a while a small village would appear, its buildings made of stone dating back many centuries.

After about an hour we reached our destination: Casa Cheli Bed & Breakfast. But this was no ordinary bed and breakfast; this was an azienda agricola (an “agricultural business”). Sure enough, chickens roamed the yard, and two dogs ran out to greet us. We were immediately charmed by our hostess Vanna, a good friend of Pauline, who opened her home to us. Of course, she opened her kitchen too, a charming room with hanging dried herbs and tantalizing smells.

Before lunch was served, we had a chance to explore the grounds. Casa Cheli sits high on a hill overlooking a beautiful valley. The main house, which contains several charming rooms for tourists to rent, has thick stone walls and amazing views. Even more alluring is the tower, another stone structure that was constructed in the 500s (yes, it’s really that old!). Vanna, her husband, and her two sons are in the process of renovating it in order to create additional rooms for guests, and she proudly showed us the project. They are doing everything they can to respect the original construction, and in the process they have uncovered frescoes, secret passages, and hidden walls. Their plan it to have the renovation completed by Easter, a task which seem insurmountable!

After touring the construction site, it was time for lunch, and Vanna had cooked up a feast. We began with crostini, warm Tuscan bread, a plate of various meats, cheeses drizzled with honey, and a salad of blood oranges tossed with olive oil and garlic. My parents were enjoying it so much that I had to tell them to slow down, that there was more coming. And there was more indeed!

Next Vanna served us bowls of fusilli pasta with a four-cheese sauce. My parents dug in with gumption. Again, I had to say, “Slow down, this is just the primi.” My mom replied incredulously, “There’s more?” They’ve never had a meal quite like this! And, yes, there was even more. Next came a gigantic platter with roasted potatoes in the center, surrounded with grilled meats: chicken, pork, and rabbit. Remember the “agricultural” part? Yes, these meats came from animals that were actually raised right there on the property. None of us had ever tasted meat so fresh!

Throughout the meal, the Chianti flowed, the little dog begged, and Beppe had my mom practically falling out of her seat with laughter. And the best part? We were joined at lunch by the workers! If you’ve ever read or seen Under the Tuscan Sun, you know just how we felt! It was a meal too magical for words.

After lunch was finished, the workers went back to the tower, their bellies full of good Tuscan food and wine. And Vanna gave us a tour of the bed and breakfast. Each room is individually decorated with antiques, and Vanna does all of the stenciling herself. After the tour, we went back to the main room for a digestive, Limoncella. This was another first for my mom! And finally it was time to say goodbye, but I know that I’ll see Vanna again one day. In fact, I hope to bring one of my classes out to her charming B&B for an authentic Tuscan meal. I know it will be something they’ll never forget, just as we’ll never forget this special day.

We ended the day be stopping in the town of Fiesole, which is just north of Florence. A strenuous walk up a cobbled road rewards you with a panoramic view of Florence, seeming a world away (can you spot the Duomo?).

Finally, we had to return to Florence. We all hated to see this day come to an end, but it did so fittingly with a glorious sunset, as seen from the terrace of my parents’ hotel.

And just how much did we enjoy spending the day with Beppe? Well, my parents hired him to take them to the airport for their flight home. That says it all!