Hello everyone,

I am in the THICK of planning a VERY EXCITING week in Lake Como this June!  I feel really BLESSED right now and everything is coming together so perfectly. Little surprises and ideas I had hoped and dreamed would happen are coming TRUE!  It's all OVERWHELMING this week... in a GOOD way!

I can't spill EVERYTHING that I've been planning but I do want to start sharing some of it with you.

First, I wanted to say THANK YOU to Fancy Pants Designs for SPONSORING our Creative Retreat!  They have graciously offered to support this event and have some wonderful goodies for each student!  So THANK YOU Fancy Pants!!!

Now as you know,  we have some AMAZING teachers for this years Creative Retreat!  I am so honored that they both want to join me in the journey with YOU to Italy and be a part of something that is truly beautiful.  And these teachers have made some BEAUTIFUL class projects for this years event!

So TODAY I'm going to share some SNEAKS from one class of each of the teachers.

I'll start with Teresa Collins.  She is teaching 2 classes during the week and I have to say when she emailed me pictures of the 2 projects I was SO EXCITED!!  I was like kid in a candy store looking at the pictures of her projects!  So here's a SNEAK into one of those classes:

Our 2nd teacher is Jeanne Oliver.  She is also teaching 2 classes and these will focus on mixed media art.  She has some AMAZING classes for us and I can't WAIT to sit in on these classes and learn some new things!  So here's a SNEAK into one of her classes:

Lastly, I am teaching one class.  I wish I could teach 2 classes but with all that I have to organize during the week it's just best for me to teach one.  So I like to teach the first class and have it be a travel journal that everyone can use THROUGHOUT the week!  I like to have lots of pockets, lots of journaling pages, some art pages and just lots of interactive pages for you to put your thoughts in, hold all your ephemera from the week and put your photos in when you get home.  So here's a SNEAK of my Travel Journal:

So there you have it!  These are the 1st three SNEAKS of the classes.  I will share the other class SNEAKS next week.  All of these class projects are on their way to Italy and we shall see them in 2 months almost from the day...

Now I have quite an INCREDIBLE week planned for this event and some things will be kept SECRET until the event, but one of the things I have planned for that week is SO AMAZING, I want to share it with the world!!!

A little history before I do though...

In this age of technology it is just FASCINATING how "small" the world is.  At a touch of my phone or a click on my computer I can see anywhere I want through the eyes of people all over the world!  That brings me so much JOY because as you probably already gathered... I LOVE Italy!!  :)

So when I am missing Lake Como and want to "see" Italy I can communicate with friends over there on Facebook or look at pictures of Lake Como on Instagram.  I've always loved looking at "hashtags" on Instagram and seeing all the photos for #lakecomo or #lagodicomo and this is where the story unfolds.

One such photo on Instagram opened a whole new world to me.  And I made a new friend out of it too!  You see I was browsing #lakecomo on Instagram and found a picture of someones blog that lives in Como and it was SO CUTE!  It's called Live Love Create Inspire and the girl who created this website lives on Lake Como!  Of course just the title of her blog/website alone peaked my interest.  But then when I saw how LOVELY it is and full of inspiration I just HAD to email her!  Well that was quite a few months ago and now we have some EXCITING news to share!!!

We have joined forces for ONE INCREDIBLE NIGHT in Bellagio on June 25th!

Here's a PEAK at a flyer/poster I'm still creating that will be posted all around Lake Como... hopefully soon. But it's SO EXCITING to share this NEWS WITH YOU TODAY! How fun will this night be!?!

Evelyn, the owner of Live Love Create Inspire, will gather some of her friends and local artists on:

 Tuesday June 25th,  at the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni for  "A Night of Artists" in Bellagio, Italy!

It will be a VERY SPECIAL night where local ARTISTS will come and share their work with us.  These are some VERY TALENTED people who are taking the time to come to our event and show us their beautiful designs, give us a chance to meet them, see their work, purchase some of their VERY SPECIAL handmade items AND enjoy an evening together with music and food!  I am THRILLED BEYOND WORDS to have a chance to bring together our group and these talented local artists to be a part of their community and share a night like this together.  This event will be OPEN TO THE PUBLIC and if YOU live in the Lake Como area, PLEASE JOIN US for this wonderful night!

Evelyn will have more details on her blog and we will both be sharing about these talented artists and more information about this event as we get closer to the date.  I plan to have some of our teachers doing some things that night as well to showcase their talents too!

ALSO, for those who live in the local area...  THE CLASSES all of us teachers are teaching will be open to SIGN UP FOR!!  All the teachers have made a few extra class kits for anyone who is interested in joining us throughout the week for one class, 2 classes or ALL of the classes!!  So please feel free to email me if you are interested in joining us!  These are some AMAZING teachers who teach all over the world and I know you will learn SO MUCH from them!  You can email for times and costs for each class at Laura@akissonthechic.com

So there you have just a few details on some AMAZING things going on during our Creative Retreat this June!!  If you want to join us for the whole week, I am holding ONE SPOT OPEN!  The time is coming to a close though, so sign up SOON if you want to be a part of this INCREDIBLE week! 

Have a WONDERFUL weekend everyone!!

Hugs to all,

Laura

P.S.  I'll leave with you a little tidbit of good news I just got this morning... One of my FAVORITE restaurants in Bellagio has just opened up their restaurant to us for one night during our week there!!  This is VERY EXCITING because he does not normally take big groups!!  But my dear, dear friend worked his magic and made it happen!  You are in for a TREAT!!

(Bellagio is the town below that goes to a point)

The time is fast approaching us... we have just over 2 months until our 2nd Annual Creative Retreat starts!!

Can I just say how in awe of the Lord and his blessings I am!    This "Creative Retreat" idea was just a wild DREAM of mine a few years ago... and look at it now!  I still remember talking to the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni Manager while we were there on vacation with the girls and saying how this place would be such a FABULOUS location for an event.  He didn't quite "get" what kind of EVENT I wanted to have, but he showed me the ballroom space anyways and we talked a bit out it.  But I really didn't think my dream (and prayers) would become a REALITY and then GROW to be an ANNUAL EVENT like this!!  God is good.

(Villa's on Lake Como)

Speaking on annually...

As most of you know this years is SOLD OUT (well, more on that down below...) and now that I have over 100 people on the INTEREST LIST for NEXT YEAR, I'm trying to figure out what to do about 2014's Creative Retreat!  I have asked the hotel and thought about things and I can bump things up to 40 people next year at the MAX.  But that's the maximum they can have in the event room for a class and that's taking up two 20-person busses for excursions that we may take.  Lake Como is SMALL and I really want to keep the event small and intimate as well.  So that means next year's Creative Retreat WILL be bigger than the 25 this year, but 40 still isn't NEAR the over 100 INTERESTED.   So I've been throwing around some ideas and MAY do TWO Creative Retreats next year OR do "back-to-back" Creative Retreats.  Meaning either One in May and one let's say in September OR do TWO events in May, one week at a time.  This will obviously be dependent on sign ups, but I REALLY WANT to make sure I can give EVERYONE a chance to experience this AMAZING place and WONDERFUL event!!

(One of the beautiful cobblestone streets in Bellagio)

Now I've already been talking to the TEACHERS for next years event and I'm sure YOU would like to know who they are, right???

Well I'm sorry... you're going to have to WAIT just a bit longer on that... but you will be IN LOVE with them!  I'm just SO excited and humbled that these AMAZING TEACHERS are wanting to be a part of this and I promise I will tell you SOON who they are!!

(Amazing architecture on Lake Como)

I will tell you WHEN it will be for next year though...

A while ago I mentioned that in JUNE OF THIS YEAR, I will be revealing more information and details on how to SIGN UP for next years Creative Retreat.  Well... I'm going to give you a "heads up" NOW on the DATES for Next Year's Creative Retreat...  You ready for it??!

I've already talked to the hotel and the teachers and everyone is open this week, so I might as well give YOU the dates too!  So...

NEXT YEARS CREATIVE RETREAT WILL BE:  

May 17-24, 2014*

(The stunning Villa Balbianello)

I'm SO EXCITED!!!

This is a GREAT time on Lake Como, the weather is PERFECT, not too hot and not too cold.  The flowers are all blooming and the lake is GORGEOUS!!  It's a little bit before the summer crowds come in and I'm really excited about doing the event in May!  If  you ask the people who live there when the best time to come is, they always say May and September!  The week planned is in between Mother's Day and Memorial Day so I think it's a great time to slip away for an AMAZING women's retreat in Italy!  Don't you think so too?  :)

(Another street in Bellagio leading down to the lake)

So hopefully you can JOIN US next year and experience a week long event of Art and Beauty in this unbelievable location!  I WILL have more updates on this blog, so keep checking back here.  ALSO, if you are not on the INTEREST LIST, send me an email through this blog or at Laura@akissonthechic.com and let me know you want to be added to that list!  I will be sending out a newsletter to ALL THOSE ON THE INTEREST LIST IN MAY to give them a heads up on when they can sign up.  Then in early JUNE OF THIS YEAR, I will send out an "INVITATION" to ALL ON THE INTEREST LIST with the Announcement of next years Creative Retreat AND a link to where you can RESERVE YOUR SPOT!!  So that's a very important email to be looking for if you want to get in on next years retreat.

(A perfect setting for an Al Fresco dinner)

**Now as far as THIS YEARS Creative Retreat...  I have ONE SPOT THAT IS AVAILABLE!  Yes... FOR THIS JUNE'S RETREAT!!  I forgot to post this on here last week, but a lady had to back out due to hip surgery, so if you want to join us THIS JUNE, 2013...  YOU STILL CAN!!  I have only one spot and it's for a studio apartment that would hold 2 people at the most. (If you want to bring a spouse or friend)  So EMAIL ME ASAP if you want to join the fun this June!!**

(Varenna, across the lake from Bellagio)

If you already are joining us this June... well I can't WAIT to meet you SOON!!  I can't believe it's just two months away and we will be THERE!  I will be posting more in the Yahoo Group soon to find out some details about your food choices and travel plans.  It's going to be an UNFORGETTABLE week in a GORGEOUS place that time has kind of stepped back from and just let it be...  Real Italy.

Ciao,

Laura

(Villa Carlotta)

** All photos are from by Pinterest Board.

*Please note:  The date for 2014 is not set in stone.  It looks like that's the best week and I am going forward with it, but it could change due to unforeseen circumstances.  The newsletter in May will confirm the dates so you have enough time to plan for it before you secure your spot in June.

We are counting down the days now to our Creative Retreat in Italy!!  I'm SO excited about the 2nd Annual Retreat and I found an App to help me!

This App is called 365 by Big Day Lite, and you can add any photo and date to it and it will count down the days until your BIG EVENT!  I love it and it's actually now down to 91 days!!  So I better get walking on the treadmill because my legs are out of shape for all those steps...

If you haven't gotten your airline tickets yet, Tuesday and Wednesday are always the best days to book!  I'm not sure what the rates are at this point, but they may be going back up so I would book ASAP!  The Air Berlin flight still seems like the best route to Italy, but just check around on all the websites to find the best deal from your city.

I am emailing the hotel this week with LOTS of questions, so if you have one feel free to email me and I'll add it to the list.  I want to also make sure if there are any people going that have any FOOD ALLERGIES!  So please let me know.  I talked about that in the contract, but just want to make sure I have everything listed for the hotel and restaurants we will be eating at.

Have a GREAT week everyone!

Hugs,

Laura

Ok ladies, we are MAXED OUT on the Creative Retreat in Italy this year!!! 

THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO SIGNED UP!! I feel REALLY BLESSED that you want to join me in this beautiful place for a week of everything I LOVE... Traveling, Art, Food, Photography and creating beautiful things as we share this journey together in Italy!

There is STILL time to get your name of the INTERESTED LIST for NEXT YEARS Creative Retreat in Italy though, so just send me an email at: Laura@akissonthechic.com and I will add you to that list.  Next years will be revealed in the beginning of JUNE, of THIS YEAR!  

PLEASE NOTE:  Next years Creative Retreat in Italy can only have about the same number of people as this year and I already have THREE TIMES that many people on the "Interest List" for next year!  I really hate to limit it, but this is just a small town and there isn't room for a big event here.

So if you want to join us, I suggest you watch for that email in June and make your DEPOSIT to SECURE YOUR SPOT as soon as you get the information!  I will be sending out this email (to those ONLY on the Interested/Wait List) in June with the dates, the cost, the teachers and how to secure your spot with a deposit via PayPal.  I will also announce it on my blog, but the people on the Interested List will get the information first.

Thank you again for sharing in this wonderful journey with me!

xoxo Laura

How are we at the last day of February?  This is just blowing my mind today.  I don't know about you, but is this year flying by in super speed??

I wanted to come on here before the weekend and give you an update on the Creative Retreat in Italy and where we are as far as rooms and what's available.

I sent out the emails to those who were on the WAIT LIST for THIS YEAR and have had two more ladies want to sign up.  So I have only TWO MORE SPOTS LEFT!  And that's final, final...  As I said last week, I was able to squeeze a couple more rooms out of the hotels I'm using in Bellagio, and so that is ALL I can get now.

SO... if you are still wanting to go THIS YEAR, sign up SOON before someone else takes your spot!!

Oh, and if you are thinking of joining us, I have heard from some of the people coming that they are getting REALLY GREAT pricing on their tickets to Milan, Italy!!  I don't know if these prices will last long, so if you want to join us or are already signed up and don't have your ticket... GO CHECK THE FLIGHTS SOON!!  I'm hearing of prices around $1,000 which is REALLY GOOD for the Summer months!  I was looking at pricing around $1400-1500 just a few weeks ago, so this would be the PERFECT time to book those flights!

Next week I will be posting the 1st SNEAKS of the classes!!  These lovely teachers have done some AMAZING things for us and I'm SO excited to share!!   I know you will be INSPIRED by the scenery in Italy AND by these wonderful teachers!!

I also have some really cool surprises for the week we are sharing together in Italy!  I will start spilling some of those as we get closer to our adventure!

Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend and a GREAT March!!

Hugs,

Laura

P.S.  I posted this picture on FB this week and had quite a few comments on it.  This is just one of MANY cobblestone streets in Bellagio and I know for myself, I'm needing to get back on the treadmill (or outside) and get my legs in shape for these beautiful streets.  You are NOT going to want to miss out on these beautiful areas!!  So ladies (and gentlemen)... Get your walking shoes on and get ready!!

2 GREAT BITS OF NEWS...
First, I found a GREAT price on airfare to Milan from LAX on Expedia!! $1165 from LAX TO MILAN ON AIR BERLIN WITH ONLY ONE STOP!! So check that out RIGHT NOW if you need a flight! It may be even CHEAPER from YOUR town!!

Here's the links to two of the websites that are showing this LOW FARE:

Expedia

Vayama


So go check those out b/c those prices WILL NOT LAST LONG!!!


Secondly, I heard back from the La Limonera Apartments AND the Hotel Florence and BOTH have a couple rooms available! 

Here are the LINKS to both hotel/apartment choices so you can see where they are and the look of both places.

Hotel Florence

Residenze La Limonera

And just to give you an idea where everything is in the village, here is a LINK to show you each choice of accomodations and where they are in town:  BELLAGIO MAP

Click on the link or the photo above to see the location of each place.  Remember each place is no more than 3-4 minutes from each other at the most!

I am going to be looking through the emails today and see who is on the WAIT LIST for THIS YEAR and will email those who were interested later today!!!  If you aren't on the wait list and want to come this summer to our Creative Retreat, just shoot me an email at:  Laura@akissonthechic.com and I'll put you on the wait list and let you know if I have any more rooms available.

Lastly, I will be sharing some SNEAKS and information on the CLASSES we will be enjoying during our week in Italy soon!  

I am just SO THRILLED to share a WEEK in Italy with all of you as we enjoy the Food,  the Art and the Beauty of Lake Como and are INSPIRED to CREATE our own Art with our beautiful teachers!!  

Oh, and one last thing...

One of those teachers, Jeanne Oliver, just posted about the Creative Retreat and I thought I would share a LINK to her blog so you can check out her excitement about this summers weeklong event!!

Some come join us as we explore the beauty of Italy...

A great DAY to all of you! xoxo Laura

Waterfront in Varenna

Good morning everyone!!

I wanted to post a few updates on our Creative Retreat in Italy today.

First,  I wanted to say that it's only 130 DAYS until our AMAZING WEEK BEGINS IN BELLAGIO, ITALY!!  I'm SO excited and can't wait to share this wonderful place and event with all of you that are joining us!!

Secondly, 2 more people have signed up this past weekend and so this years Creative Retreat in Italy is SOLD OUT!  It's exciting and sad all at the same time.  I know there are some of you who were still thinking about joining us and I feel bad about that.

SO...

There are two things you can do about that.

1. If you are still interested in joining us THIS JUNE, I can put you on a WAIT LIST.  Some times things fall through with sickness, etc.  So just email me at:  Laura@akissonthechic.com and I will start a WAIT LIST for THIS YEARS EVENT.

2. I can put you on the WAIT LIST for NEXT YEARS EVENT, 2014!  Wow, that sounds so far away...  But I am SO excited that next years event is already in the WORKS and I can't WAIT to share with you what we will be doing!  So this would give you more time to plan and save for next years event and there will be a TWIST in things for the 2014 event that you WON'T want to miss...  Also, 2014's event will either be in the Spring or Fall, most likely May or September, so you can start thinking of your schedule for those times of year.  I would LOVE to do it during the San Giovanni Festival again, but things are just so much more expensive during the Summer and I think the better time is during the "shoulder" months of Summer.  As a side note:  I do have over 60 ladies on the list ALREADY for next years event!  If you email me,  I can put your name on that list and you will be the FIRST to know about next years event AND the FIRST to be able to sign up!!  Remember, I can only take 24 people TOTAL, so information about next years event will be sent to those on that "wait list" BEFORE I announce it to the public!  So again, just email me at: Laura@akissonthechic.com and let me know what year you want to be on the WAIT LIST FOR. (This years or next years, that's as far out as I'm planning for)

So I hope those options will work for all of you who want to join us in Lake Como.  I know you've seen a lot of my pictures and it really IS that beautiful there.  It's almost like a "dream" or surreal that a place can have so many gorgeous views everywhere you turn!  And not only the views, but the food,  the people, the pace of life there and combining ALL THAT with learning and being creative and inspired.  It's truly a Rejuvenation for the SOUL.

I hope you will consider joining us for one of my events in Italy some day...

Have a GREAT day,

Laura


P.S.  I don't normally share photos on here of my family in Lake Como, but I wanted to share some today to show you some OTHER places around the lake that are SO perfect for taking beautiful photographs.  Here's some that I think are just too pretty not to share!  :)

In the village of Tremezzo

On the waterfront of Bellagio

At the Villa Serbelloni

At Al Veluu in Tremezzo

A beautiful cobblestone path in Tremezzo

Another photo in the old village of Tremezzo

A pathway next to our apartment

Pathway in Tremezzo

The Grand Hotel Tremezzo

One of our FAV places, Baba Yaga in Bellagio

Mennagio lakefront

A terraced restaurant Salice Blu 

Sala Comacina lakefront

Gelateria in Bellagio on the waterfront!