Beginning to get it all back

Wow! technological problems have abounded.  I am SO tired of technological problems, I know that my emails are not getting through or being received, and for this I apologise, it is not as if I do not want to reply, I am simply not able to. Luckily I have great people with infinite expertise and patience helping me, some in Spain and one right here, and it seems that we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel.

Anyway onto nice things, and that is Bellaugello Gay Country House which is looking absolutely splendid as a wee tour round the garden with my camera this morning shows:

Bellaugello the lower terrace Bellaugello the pool and upper terraces leading into infinity Bellaugello the steps drenched in spring colour Bellaugello the giardino terrace and lower lawn Bellaugello down the garden path Bellaugello the terrace in the sun colour in ghe garden at BellugelloCome and see for yourselves, the weather forecast is great and we have some suites still available.  Contact me on Facebook or through my blog.

 

Summer dining, spring planting

This morning I am off to the weekly market in our local town of Gubbio, it is still artichoke and orange time, they are abundant, and so good, but I am heading by way of the consorzio, the local farmers’ store for potatoes and then straight on to the stall run by the guy from Assisi who grows and sells the most amazing young vegetable and salad plants, and so we will start planting beans, salad leaves and potatoes in our vegetable garden here at Bellaugello.

This afternoon I am spending with a fellow hotelier discussing menus and looking at new recipes.  I am so looking forward to the summer at Bellaugello Gay Country House and our dinners served at our long table on the south facing terrace

Table at Bellaugello Gay Country House

Bravo Nebraska!

Nebraska Gay Marriage #Bellaugello

“(Reuters) – A federal judge on Monday ruled Nebraska’s ban on gay marriage unconstitutional in a decision that could allow same-sex couples to marry in the state within a week.

U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon issued a preliminary injunction in the case brought by seven same-sex couples in the state, calling Nebraska’s ban an “unabashedly gender-specific infringement of the equal rights of its citizens.”

 

Such great news from the American State of Nebraska  that we had to celebrate and what fun we had here in Umbria, Italy at Bellaugello Gay Guest House all because Vince, our Workawayer is from Nebraska we felt so much involved and closer to the ‘action’ that we had to celebrate by my inviting friends and neighbours for what I christened a ‘Cena Nebraskana’ or Nebraskan dinner which of  course Vince cooked using recipes from his Grandmother who was originally from Sicily. 

We dined off home stuffed artichokes, fresh from the market, home made pasta and turkey breast with a lemon and caper sauce, finished off with a Nebraskan fruit crisp and a goodly selection of local cakes and of course a toast to Nebraska!  Well done guys Fabulous news!

 

Such love

Oh! I have been naughty!

I have been slow in putting some wonderful photos on my blog.  Recently I have been really busy with this mysterious big announcement that I wrote about in my Christmas cards.  This, rather delightfully has been taking up a great deal of my time and energy, so I have regretfully sidelined other things. AND of course it is behind schedule… this is Italy after all!

Time to begin to make amends;  I continue my theme of couples by posting a photograph of two fabulous guys who not only got engaged here at Bellaugello Gay Guest House, but chose to return with their family to celebrate their commitment ceremony with an ‘exchange of rings’ and family dinner.

These are the most splendid guys you could hope to meet, not only really handsome, but also really great guys.  For me and my team here at Bellaugello near Gubbio in Umbria it was an amazing experience and one that Bellaugello is well suited to.

True love at Bellaugello

The guys rented the entire house, brought their family and close friends and had a real romantic time.  They had planned everything down to the last detail, and even had a back-up plan should the weather have been unkind.   Indeed there was a rain shower at the most inopportune time and the ceremony was hastily moved to one of the covered terraces.  We catered, a very talented couple of musicians played, and everybody danced.

I guess this post is really a chance for me to say a huge and very heartfelt “THANK YOU” to the guys, I am so honoured to be part of such a special moment in your lives. Big hugs to you both!

It’s not what you think…. Honest!

The photos just get more and more inventive! This time a guest from Belgium.

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If you look carefully you can see he is not doing what you thought he was..  Of course he can happily water my garden anytime here at Bellaugello Gay Guest House!

Stylish summer dining

A balmy evening at Bellaugello, some guys lingering late in the infinity swimming pool, others busy styling the terrace table for another of our dinners.

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Not only did they scour the gardens here at Bellaugello gay guest house for a table centre, resplendent with rosemary, roses and artichoke flowers, but the napery was stylishly folded and has set a very high standard for future table settings

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The other evening we dined off figs hand plucked by the guys in the gardens at Bellaugello. The figs were gently stuffed with Gorgonzola, wrapped in pancetta and baked in the oven

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tonight we feasted on deep fried zucchini flowers, delicately stuffed with mozzarella and anchovies, a house summer speciality at Bellaugello and a heavenly starter to a delightful evening.
One of the things that never cease to amaze me is just how quickly friendships are made by visiting couples and just how small the world is. As one guy commented last night at dinner we have gone from a table dominated by Dutch guests to one dominated by French guests, so quickly does the language change. Although not previously known to each other it was soon discovered that two of the couples belong to the same naked swimming club in Paris and two other couples have mutual friends who recommended to each that they visit Bellaugello, and both couples live in different countries! A real network of Bellaugello guys is growing round the world

Auguri Sposi

The sun shone, and as the newly wed couple stepped out of the council chamber in our local historic town of Gubbio and into the Piazza Grande the crowds applauded.  It was a simple but beautiful ceremony, the bride looking delicate as a porcelain doll, the groom suave and elegant, and their young daughter one of the angelically pretty bridesmaids, as against the backdrop of the medieval city and an azure sky cameras flashed and photographs were taken.

A lavish reception was held in a local villa resplendent in crumbling grandeur.  Battered old masters reminiscent of Caravaggios lined the walls, antique tomes filled the shelves, and gargoyles looked down on the proceedings in gardens filled with overgrown cascading roses, heady scents, and magnificent trees, prosecco flowed liberally.  The band played tarantellas all night and we danced until the “wee sma’ ours”

A lovely time to spend with friends made here in Umbria who are seen in the photo below taken at the reception, no thanks to Apple iPhone for the diamond eyes!

Umbrian guests at the weddingLast week I quietly celebrated six years of my moving here to Umbria, I have reflected on how my life has changed, how fortunate I am to have chosen such a beautiful place to live, to have met such wonderful, kind and helpful people, so many of whom have become real friends, on how lucky I am to be running Bellaugello Gay Guest House, to host and meet such interesting guys and help them enjoy the Umbrian experience.

Of all the places in the world I have been, here is the best, it is home, and now as my good friends Sarah and Salvatore enter married life and continue to run their gorgeous b&b their roots are more firmly fixed to the Umbrian soil, we are indeed fortunate.

Sunny Saturday At Bellaugello Gay Guest House

TulipsA glorious morning, blue skies, big fleecy clouds, and so much colour in the garden here at Bellaugello Gay bed and breakfast.

Temperatures still rising we are up to 22˚c today and I need to get round to dusting down the pool loungers…. Looks like summer is going to be a hot one again!

 

Summer in the SUN – Work at Bellaugello

Fancy a summer job in the great Italian Sunshine?

At Bellaugello Gay Guest House we are looking to recruit a young enthusiastic dynamic conscientious cheerful (and cute!) guy who loves working with people for our busy summer season.

This post of GENERAL ASSISTANT would ideally suit a guy who has an interest in the hospitality business, maybe a student or recent graduate of a college or university course of hospitality or related field.  In exchange for board and lodgings and some financial remuneration we are looking for a guy happy to take on flexible working pattern whose duties include helping at breakfasts and dinners, pool maintenance, cleaning, gardening/watering plants, and kitchen help.  Of course the successful applicant will be working in a friendly environment, Bellaugello is run along the lines of a home, and be able to make use of the infinity pool and facilities at Bellaugello.

Post dates: Mid May to Mid October – Do you yourself or do you know someone who might like to take up this opportunity – even for a couple of months in the summer,   Email Alec for a job description with some details about yourself and current photo to: info@bellaugello.com

…………………………..

Are you a MASSEUR?   Do you know of a masseur who would enjoy a summer in the sun?  At Bellaugello we are frequently asked for a massage service.  Masseuse there are plenty, and great ones at that, but the guests want a masseur.  If you fit the above job criterion and would like to do the above GA job and in your free time as a qualified masseur work on your own account as a masseur then drop Alec an email.  info@bellaugello.com

If you would simply like to offer a massage service at Bellaugello get in touch all the same by email: info@bellaugello.com  Please note we are a small guest house and unable to guarantee a minimum number of massages, but will gladly put you in touch with other hospitality business in the area.

Previous applicants need not apply