As you are all by now probably aware I love my job.  I live in the most utterly beautiful place, am surrounded by great friends, plenty of good wines and local food, and my business attracts great guys from all over the world to my door.

Bellaugello Gay Guest House has already established a loyal following, guys who return for holidays, guys who recommend friends who in turn visit and then recommend friends of their own.  Bellaugello is a place where friendships are made.  Several couples keep in touch with other guests, often across continents, one or other or both keeping me abreast of their friendships.  I love it so much. Some guys also become personal friends, kind and generous, their homes open to me.

I am often asked if I have a ‘black book’ of guests not allowed to return, asked to ‘spill the beans’ or ‘dish the dirt’.  I must confess to having few such stories to relate, a couple from last year, one from the year before, and this year none, I have had great guests, all a pleasure to have known and hosted.  Of course there have been disappointments, a couple of mediocre reviews on Tripadvisor which I felt unwarranted and got me down,  the indifferent summer weather that did so little to help the annuals bloom, and saw the chairs and cushions from the terrace yo-yoing indoors and outdoors, and has not helped the olives one bit, it is going to be a poor harvest this year.

However on the up side  there were lots of gorgeous men lazing languidly poolside, we hosted our first art show; paintings of the infinity pool by a Dutch artist Paul Van Andel, the subject of many paintings was decidedly male.  Many dinners and barbecues hosted, convivial evenings with engaging conversations, A friend realised another form of artwork using photographs of guys in the  Bellaugello infinity pool, and is now commissioned to produce personalized chairs.  Some great and thoughtful reviews on Google and Tripadvisor – guys there is still time to post your promised review…  The fruit trees were heavily laden this summer, delicious plum fruit ripe for the picking, I made kilo after kilo of marmalades, we killed our first pig – I had christened here Daphne, many of you ate and enjoyed bits of Daphne, our lavender ice cream was brought into production and as well as being served at dinner was also available poolside…

I digress.  The point of this post is for me to unashamedly promote another of my guests;  Bing Taylor, a fascinating cultured and well travelled guy a regular Bellaugello guest and now friend has sent me a link to a book he has written and is now published:

Hot off the press: I have read the publicists material and have already placed my order.  Why don’t you?  an ideal Christmas present for your loved one, author signed copes are available right now!  TO ORDER: Maquis – the Secret War of Joseph Quantock CLICK HERE FOR LINK