Newport Beach — It is 2:11 a.m. on the West Coast, but my mind and body still thinks we’re in Milan! Oh well, no time like the present to unpack, organize, and what else–WRITE! I love the release I get from writing…it is absolutely the best therapy, and the most effective utilization of sleepless hours. 🙂

I am also very happy to report the the back-up hard drives containing a great deal of the footage we shot made it home safely with me…actually I was instructed never to part with it, so wherever I went, it went also! I hope Howard’s set also made it home since he has the complete entire one-month long shoot on his set of hard drives!

You’ve got to check out my defined biceps after hauling around through three international airport terminals my extremely heavy computer bag, and my hard drive-filled Louis Vuitton bag too. Who needs a personal trainer when you’ve got these?

Well, as I was unpacking, I found the miniature flash drive containing a rough cut ‘sample vignette’ containing some of the beautiful images we captured of Florence with our 2nd back-up camera; also included is a segment of our visit with the STROZZI Princesses, Natalia and Irina, along with their beautiful Mama, at their historic 1014 year-old STROZZI ESTATE in Tuscany, where frequent illustrious guests included Gregory Peck whom the Princesses (at Mr. Peck’s request) referred to lovingly as their “second Daddy”.

Another very interesting footnote, Princess Natalia learned ballet from Rudolf Nureyev, who often gave her private lessons barefoot during their frequent holidays spent on the beach! Princess Natalia had an illustrious ballet career of her own, dancing for the Russian ballet, often performing at Teatro Marinskii Kirov. Oh, did I mention that the Princesses are proven direct descendants of THE Mona Lisa? Yes, of Da Vinci portrait fame! Can our adventure get any more interesting? Well it could, and it did! You just have to stay tune to watch the premiere episode when it airs in February.

I must mention that the footage below were NOT shot on our big RED HD cinematography camera–but it will still give you an idea of what an artistically inspiring place the Florentine/Tuscan region of Italy is to all fortunate enough to set their eyes upon this magical place. The classical guitarist featured is none other than Italian virtuoso, EDOARDO CATEMARIO.

It is no wonder the RENAISSANCE movement began in Florence. Take a peak…and you will know why I can’t wait to get to work on the REAL complete version of the premiere episode of ESCAPESEEKER.

Thanks Dale for putting this together on the eve of your departure from Venice–especially since you did it just from your own private make-shift editing bay–your hotel room!

Enjoy, and get a glimpse of the reasons why our entire ESCAPESEEKER team found Florence and Tuscany absolutely MESMERIZING!

Important note: Before viewing the video, you must scroll down on the right side of the ESCAPESEEKER blogpage, find the playlist bar, and click ‘stop’ so that the playlist music will not conflict with the video.

Love, Mel aka ESCAPESEEKER