Winter descends . . .

and it is getting cold in my beloved Puglia . . . ahhh, hard to believe, as it just seems like I was there reveling in the summer's warmth and abundant sunshine. Seasons change though, and as we are reminded, winter will be coming soon! With winter, and the changing climate, comes the season of giving, Natale, as it is known in Italy, Christmas here.

We are moving forward at Chemarci with our website and preparing some wonderful items for your selection . . . we have beautiful handmade linens and fabrics, some over 100 years old, made in Puglia. We will also showcase pottery and stoneware from the region, which is crafted and finished by the artisans in Puglia, each piece unique and one-of-a-kind in its individual beauty. I am proud of what we have found in our initial collection . . . everything was definitely made with an eye for detail, a desire to be true to the regional culture, and as gifts from the artist's spirit . . truly done with love! These artisans and craftsmen truly love what they do, they have done it for years, and they continue to be inspired to work with their hands for your appreciation.

Thank you for visiting our blog and spending time in our delightful pursuit of "la dolce vita" through all-things Italian . . . we cannot wait to show you our site! See you again soon,
buona giornata a te!

Cheryl Ries
CEO and Co-Founder
Chemarci Italian Imports

Building and Blogging . . .

Hello my friends . . .

We are making great progress with our Chemarci website and soon will have all the items from our initial launch available for you to see! They are exciting . . . take my word for it. I scoped out the best of the crafts people around particular areas of Puglia, in southern Italy. As I have mentioned, Puglia is one of my favorite regions, as it is filled with the most delightful mix of history and culture, beauty and all those things which comprise "la dolce vita" in Italy! It is a magical place . . .

I would like to get some of your feedback from you regarding what we will be having on our website. If possible, I would like to hear your comments about some of these potential posts:
ceramics, sculpture, and linens. These are the initial product types we will be including on our first pages . . . what do you think??

Have a wonderful weekend!
Cheryl Ries
CEO and Co-Founder
Chemarci Italian Imports

Building the Perfect Site . . .

and preparing for our "grand opening"! We are counting down to the great birthing of our new venture . . . expectantly and eagerly. Have we enticed you yet with our descriptions of this beautiful place called Italy? I'm sure if you have been one of our faithful readers, you are aware that we are passionate about all -things Italian . . . the landscape, the people, the culture, the diversity of all the regions and the delightful things which help to create the flavor of la dolce vita in Italia.

We are just days away, sorting through our wonderful selection of items which artisans and crafts people created with their skilled and loving hands. I was thrilled to meet these people, who are proud and amicable, wanting to share with us all the products of their labors. They are delighted to share . . . and Chemarci is pleased to enable you to discover these magnificent talents, with their regional diversity and special cultural habits, right inside your own home!

Waiting for Something Good

and it's coming! The debut of the Chemarci website is near . . . and our hope of providing you with original and unique handcrafted and artisan-made goods is approaching quickly. We are very excited!

Life is full of surprises and richly rewarding, in the simplest ways . . . just going to Puglia for me each time is a treasure chest of delights and sensory wonders, as it is that magical type of place. History and modern day mix to form the most amazing landscape . . . like fabrics sewn together to form a quilt, Italy is a mingling of many terrains, many subcultures and many people . . . it is like a garden of many flowers and plants. Strewn about in a random way, the colors ignite one another and the plants compliment one another to form a constantly-changing world. Opening the door upon this world is allowing yourself access to God . . . for only God can create someplace like Italy.

Let Chemarci be the portal to another world, one with unlimited splendor and constant discoveries! Open the door with us . . . soon!

Thanks for checking in with us . . .
Cheryl Ries
CEO and Co-Founder
Chemarci Italian Imports

Im remembering the beauty of Italy today, missing my time there enormously. It becomes a part of your soul, that place is like an organism, moving throughout your body, into your spirit and residing forever in your heart. Italy is that and more for me . .

I cannot wait for my next trip, but as I have just returned here, I must concentrate on the job at hand. That is to finish our Chemarci website, enabling you to see firsthand the quality and beauty of the items I have found there. They are astonishing, and the artisans and craftsmen give their heart and soul to their work.

I hope you will find yourself frequenting Chemarci, to discover for yourselves the magical qualities of Italy through the products and goods we provide for you. It truly is a place filled with richness and treasures . . for your senses and for your soul!

Celebrate this new week! Cheryl

Domenica in Italia

and I would be spending the afternoon quietly, enjoying the freshness of the air and nature all around me. I never tire of the atmosphere of bella Italia . . . it is a most exquisite place, with charm and wonderment to fill all your senses. I hope to return there very soon . . . but for now, I am back in the USA and able to work on the Chemarci website, loading the pages with the great items I discovered on my travels.

At Chemarci, we desire to bring to you the best of regional specialties, the artisan and handcrafted pieces which are unique to those regions. I'm partial to a region in the south called Puglia, but really for me, all of Italy is spectacular! I've never found a place I didn't find some magic in . . . although some of the bigger cities are not as charming as the littler towns dotting the map. I find the smaller the town, the more intimately you can discover its flavor, its people, its history and its unique wonders.

I hope you will allow us to be your personal tour guides for this region and all of Italy . . . we will open your eyes and enliven all of your senses with the bounty of beauty we will bring to you on our website. Just wait . . .

Make this week wonderful,
Cheryl Ries
CEO and Co-Founder,
Chemarci Italian Imports

Beautiful Creations

will soon be available through the Chemarci website! It's the exciting birth of our new venture, where we are able to bring all the best of the craftsmen and artisans of Puglia, in southern Italy to you via the internet. We are most fortunate to have met many talented and creative individuals, who are eager to provide you with unique and beautiful works of art.

This latest trip was productive, we found many centuries-old crafts which are still practiced expertly by the residents of this stunning and diverse region. Puglia is a gem, tucked into the south of Italy above the heel of the boot. The area is abundant in sunshine and natural splendor. I cannot say enough about the atmosphere in which I find myself each time I am amidst the people who reside there. Live is truly sweet . . . as sweet as the air which blows in from across the azure waters of the Adriatic.

Let Chemarci bring the best of Puglia to your doorstep. We want to share the natural and artisan creativity with you. Soon we will be "opening" our website, with an ample selection of various unique works for your pleasure. The excitement is ours to share with you, Puglia and all of Italy sparkle like jewels waiting to be discovered more fully. Let us help you find your treasure . . .

Buona giornata a tutti! Cheryl

Back to America

and restless . . . missing all the beauty of the people and places in Italia. Where did I leave my heart? Has anyone found it, beating aimlessly on some beach near the breathtaking Adriatic? Or perhaps you have seen the lonely organ pulsing in one of the many orchards of olive trees or intermingled with the grapes hanging on a vine somewhere in the countryside? I know it is there, for I feel the loss within my soul.

I am home now, finally . . . after some travel travails. Nonetheless, I am no worse for the wear as the expression goes, just a bit frustrated that I feel so much longing. Is it possible to become one with a place, a region, a group of people who are by nature very uniquely different from those I encounter normally here? When I think of Puglia, when I remember the details of each day, I swell with feelings. It is a place that impacts you to your very core. The heart of Puglia beats within me now . . . perhaps that is why I feel strange for leaving.

This trip was quite promising for me, I found so many hidden treasures of this region . . within the narrow, cobbled ancient streets of Puglia there are jewels of extraordinary significance. I will be working with my partner to get our website up and filled with some samplings within the next few days for your enjoyment. I hope you will visit when we post our link to the website for Chemarci. There will be ceramics, stone sculptures, and beautiful handwoven and crafted decorative items. Please visit when you have the chance!

Thank you, and have a wonderful new day, wherever it is you are.

Cheryl Ries
CEO and Co-Founder
Chemarci Imports

Abundant Sunshine

washes over me and I am wondering where the traffic and the people I remember are . . . they are back in America and I am here, in the land of abundant sunshine and warmth. Italy, waiting to bring you new items for Chemarci very soon!

Til then, Cheryl

La bella vita, dolce . . .

and slow . . . not tedious, no . . . just at a different tempo. I am spending time in bella Italia now, as I told you I would. It's divine. Things are as I thought, days are warm and abundantly filled with sunshine . . and I am making my way from place to place, albeit at this pace. It is another world here in Italia, filled with beauty and joy, a bounty of richness which I hope to share with you all. We will soon have our Chemarci website up and running with many of the treasures you expect from this magical place. Keep watch for our next visit here and word of our website opening . . . soon!

Buona giornata a tutti! Cheryl

Just a Few Days

until I leave for Italy, my beloved second home away from home. Actually, if the truth be told, I would make it my primary residence and commute back and forth to America and all other locations from there. I adore Italy, just in case you hadn't guessed that. I was charmed from day 1 and the charm only developed into something so real . . . from there, I had to find my life's course headed in that direction, towards the east . . . towards those towering flowers a bloom in the meadows; towards the endless rows of olive trees which produce the most abundant crop of delicious olives; towards the vineyards nurturing those clusters of grapes, coaxing the most verdant fruits for wine makers to celebrate their diversity; and right towards the sun-baked soil, which is trailed with the footpaths leading to the water's edge of the inviting Adriatic beaches where the many Pugliese stretch outward in hopes of basking and baking into the perfect shade of bronze each summer. I love Italy, I love Puglia!

Let us take you on a fantastic journey to places you have never known before, but always wanted to discover. Chemarci is your ultimate tour guide, opening your eyes to the many beautiful and unique treasures of the region of Puglia, in southern Italy. Come with us! I'm leaving for this exquisite place in just four days, come along with me.

Almost Time

for this wonderful new adventure to begin . . . I'm eager and so delighted to be part of this new endeavor that is Chemarci! We will be your portal to all-things-Italian, all those wonderful treasures from regions like Puglia and the company you rely on to import special handcrafted, artisan goods and unique products representational of the people and culture of Italy's various areas. It's truly our pleasure to open this door for you, bringing a sense of "la dolce vita" to your life.

Please keep us posted of anything you desire from previous trips, or perhaps you have hopes of finding a certain item you remembered seeing while there. Maybe you just like the originality of what we are able to find and eager to purchase those items for friends and family. We would like nothing more than to provide you with an overall great experience shopping through our Chemarci website. We are here to help!

Have a wonderful new day, remember, we are just a few days away from presenting our finds . . . opening that treasure chest of Italia to you! Cheryl

Days of wine and wildflowers

are around the corner, awaiting me in Puglia. There are so many olive groves and so many vineyards just dotting the countryside in Puglia, that I could never begin to imagine the supply of these intrinsic commodities which enable the regional production of olive oil and other items containing olive oil, as well as the production of wines. It's just vast as the sea! The wildflowers which enumerate the countryside also are too plentiful to ever count and seem to grow naturally during all seasons in Puglia. The summertime is definitely a verdant season, filled with possibility for some crops and harvest for others. The fruits of the season are plentiful and abundant . . . peaches, which I have already commented on early in this blog, as the peaches define the season of warmth and sunshine for me. I have personally never tasted peaches as juicy and sweet as the ones I buy all over Puglia. Ahh, my mind, my soul, my spirit are awaiting all these treasures and more within just a few days now . . . perhaps that is why I don't sleep much now . . . the excitement is building to a crescendo for certain! I'm not even ready for my travels yet, having to pack . . . a big, onerous task ahead surely, but I am ready to go in my innermost being, prepared to experience the sweetness of Puglia, la dolce vita!

Chemarci is ready to bring you all the best of Puglia too . . . wait for it, it's just around the corner! Take care and enjoy the remainder of the holiday weekend. Cheryl

In a Hurry

to get to where I'm going . . . Italy, Puglia, my favorite little home away from home. I am ready, sort of anyway . . . my mind, my body, my spirit are prepared. My clothes and suitcases, not so much! But with the next few days left to me, I will manage even those incidental things too. I am ready in my heart, wanting to be in this place I adore, seeing my friends and spending time with my transatlantic family . . . I am ready.

Are you ready for the magical portal to be opened, Chemarci will open it for you very soon, and you will taste and savor the many colorful flavors of this region, spectacular and sublime. Let yourself enjoy a new journey with Chemarci! We are your tour guide to the world of your dreams. Enjoy!

Have a fabulous new day, Cheryl

The Italian Way

is the way to contentment, happiness and surely the sweet life! We've spoken of la dolce vita before . . . it is the best of life in Italy . . . tasting flavors of the simplest and most natural variety of all that life has to offer. When you are in Italy, you do things the way the Italians do . . . it's natural, you configure your life to parallel theirs. Not that you don't want to either I can assure you . . . for once you understand the beauty and ease of that life, it will be your desire to succumb. Take the "italian way" . . it's the road not necessarily less-travelled, but certainly the road most desired and preferred.

Let Chemarci bring the best of this country to your door, one flavor at a time . . . first we will taste Puglia . . in the south. Then we will broaden our horizons and reach out for more of the treasures you have yet to savor. Bella Italia . . . la dolce vita . . . all waiting for you!

Buona sera a tutti, Cheryl

La bella vita . . .

is a life lived fully and without regret . . . for me, that means doing and being all that I can and want to be and do. Life is truly a great big apple, the sweetest and most flavorful apple. When you hunger for a chance to try something new, to see a new place, or to voyage outside of your familiar realm of existence . . . it is time to taste the fruit of a new tree . . . there are many varieties to be tried. Each one of us is born in a certain place, we live our lives with the dreams and goals specific to our own heart's desire. Sometimes though, you are in the course of one dream, living your life with contentment, and along comes a moment that changes the course . . .

For me, that change happened two years ago, in May, when I was fortunate to travel with my family and friends throughout Europe, specifically the Mediterranean. I experienced a vast cultural swath of life's tapestry from Spain all the way to Croatia . . . I enjoyed each place and each new day as though I had opened my eyes for the first time. It was with special sweetness though, that upon entering beautiful Italy . . .I fell madly and hopefully in love. In travelling around this miraculous wealth of culture and beauty, I couldn't help but feel drawn, much like a moth to a flame. I wanted to return, I needed to return. It was inexplicable to me, as I had never really desired living abroad before . . . but the idea took form in my mind, but mostly, in my heart.

Italy is my favorite apple, the one which quenches my soul . . . I never tire of it's flavors, nor it's unique combination of sweetness and savory goodness, how it swirls about my spirit's innermost chambers of mystery with the utmost magic. I cannot wait to satiate myself over and over again with the purest flavors I have ever imagined. When I am in Italy, I am home. It is not easily explained, but I feel alive there in ways I never dreamed possible before. And it is not the fantasy of some romantic dreamer only, the realist in me knows the difficulty of learning the language, preparing to travel each and every time between two continents with a vast ocean and 8 or 9 hours of time span between them. It is not always the easiest life to construct, but it is the one which feeds and nurtures my soul. Ahhh . . . .

Let Chemarci help to feed and nurture your soul, we'll bring Italy to you! Cheryl

Counting the Days . . .

until my flight, my transatlantic journey taking course, my course to Italy . . . how many days are there now left until that day?? HA It's funny to wish your life away, but whenever we know something really good is just ahead, we cannot help ourselves can we?? We surge forward, awaiting that day, thinking it is the thing we are most looking forward to . . . what about the days in between? Oh well, they are the preparation days, the ones we spend daydreaming about what we'll do when the special day arrives. It's a vicious cycle . . . tough to consider, isn't it?! LOL I know, there isn't much sympathy when you are discussing the downfalls of "waiting" to go to Italy . . . albeit not so patiently!

This is one of the most important trips I have made there . . . it is the inaugural trip as CEO and Co-Founder of Chemarci . . . big titles I know, but big dreams lie behind those titles. My partner and I want to open your world up . . . one region of Italy at a time. We are lofty in our goals, but that's the way we should all be in life. Take a bite out of the big apple which is this world . . . let's remember, with the prevalent examples from yesterday . . . life is short, don't waste a moment, let the world be your oyster . . . and Chemarci, the divers for your "pearls". ;)

Take care, have a great weekend! Cheryl

It's cold . . . autumnal

right now in my beloved Puglia . . . what has become of summer? I know I will surely find it when I arrive, it is perhaps holding out . . . in hopes of making a grand appearance for me!! HA HA No, like all places, weather can be wacky and weird, surprising us all with it's random patterns and then, patternless periods. These last few days in southern Italy have been a rebirth of autumnal weather, cool and rainy, even hailing one day. Now I don't say that to deter you from your newborn love of this place, but rather so you know, it is natural, of nature, truly a part of life in it's ability to transform from one day to the next. I love the endless sunshine I have encountered there, and I believe it will make its return shortly, but who doesn't appreciate a few clouds?? Afterall, there is no laying on the grass in some distant meadow forming shapes out of clouds if there aren't any?? Right? So enjoy this variation in the "normal", as we are today here in Phoenix, where the clouds have finally overtaken that great big fireball in the sky . . . maybe it will be a taste of something different here too!

Have a great almost Friday, Cheryl

Resting in Perfection

letting the swell of the sea follow me, bobble me, surround me . . . I give way to the comfort of the water enveloping me completely. It is to say, a moment of purity for my soul. I am resting there, in the azure Adriatic, in perfection.

What can I hope to find this trip?? I am hoping to find the many measures of my love for Puglia. I am an avid traveller, having spent many days discovering new and exciting ports of call. For me, the passion which manifested itself in my soul in Italy has never been rivaled. I remember it as though it were this day, feelings awakening in me, deeply housed and not easy to recognize. Once these mysterious and omniscient creations from my brain, and from regions much deeper, were released into the quiet atmosphere around me, it was already a dream I would desire realizing. I had to be in Italy, I had to dwell there often if not forever. I love my country, my friends, my family certainly . . . but I also found a new passion rising fully and most earnestly through to the surface. That passion can only be described as "la dolce vita" and for me, that sweet life is in Italy.

Buongiorno . . . ci vediamo! See you all again tomorrow, Cheryl

The Many Faces

of Italy . . . so exquisite and beautiful . . . it really is a world unto its own. I've read more of how Italy became a nation, once many separate entities becoming united as a country. It explains why there are still regional variances and diversities, unique to boundaries . . . or towns, or provinces. It explains how, just like in America, Italy is the sum of all its parts, yet the parts are not homogenous. Nothing is the same, there are many faces, many customs, many different styles evident in Italy.

Have you ever been to such a magical place as Italy? I hope in this lifetime you get the chance to go, but should you have missed this opportunity to this day, I can assure you of Chemarci's committment to bring it all to you. We are striving to bring the charm and unadulterated sweetness of Italian life, culture, and artistry to you. Italy is special, there is truly no place like it on this earth, so Chemarci wants to introduce you, region by region to the best of the best. We will open your eyes, ignite your passions and help you awaken your senses to Puglia first, a beautiful southern spot . . . much like Paradise.

Come with us to Puglia! Cheryl

Your "Inner Child"

needs to be released! Letting go of all of our hangups, our hesitations, our interferences . . . we are all victims of reality intruding upon our lives, causing our souls and spirits to fall aside, we become reactionary, not truly people of action. Now I know I have mentioned my interest in just being, not doing all the time . . . letting life happen and taking the time to notice the many special moments we live. This is not a counterpoint to that theory . . . it's a compliment . . . it reinforces those impulses we should let loose inside of our spirits. Life is happening now, not five minutes from now, when something has forced you to take notice. Take notice, take those moments now . . . life is occuring all around you. Take the time to see the butterflies flitting, the clouds randomly forming their cartoon-like shapes, and to remember the natural desire you have inside to explore the world. Like an oyster holding a fabulous, one-of-a-kind pearl inside, the world is waiting to open up like a treasure chest, revealing a vast array of jewels, gems, rarities and wonders.

Chemarci is your treasure hunter, your explorer, your discoverer . . . we are the ones who follow the clues, find the hidden treasures and reveal them to you upon our website. We will be the diver who finds the giant pearl, pries it open, and voila! Chemarci cannot wait to be your source . . . letting you discover your inner child on the way to making your dreams into realities.

Have a great new summer day! Cheryl

Wake Up in the Morning

on a brand new day . . . discover for yourself, how to chase the blues away! I'm making up my own music now, thinking of my dream awaiting in Puglia. I am happy to be going in three weeks . . . wishing for time to pass, knowing in reality, I shall need this time to prepare my things. Ah, a conundrum I am sure garners me no sympathies! HA HA

What have you been thinking when your mind is awash with these images of Italy, of Puglia . . . of all the marvels I've described? Perhaps I have done them some justice, hoping to live up to the truest heights in my powers of description. It is not easy to bring these intricate and phenomenal places to life in a flat dimension which is the written word. Of course, good writing transcends pure physics, conjuring up images which are multi-dimensional and lifelike. That is my hope with this blog, to capture the essence of these magical places, lost in time, which envelope my soul with a fiery passion no too overwhelming at all.

Chemarci desires to fill your life with all the magic! We want to be swept away in the beauty and mystique which is inherent in life in Italia. Afterall, where do milleniums and cultures blend, twist and wrap around themselves so seamlessly
as to cause polar-oppositional forces of nature to be at work there? Italy is a marvel for its old-world charms mixed effortlessly with nuovo, shiny and sleek. There is also an age-old familial culture based on customs from centuries past, combined with the modern family structure. And, let's not forget, Italy is like a quilt of many fabrics woven together to make the most interesting and amazing design, unlike anything else ever created. It is unique, and Chemarci will bring the singularity of Italy into your soul with ease. You will never tire of delving deeper into its set-apart magical world!

Take care this new week! Cheryl

The Tempest . . .

roaring through southern Italy this night did not put me off . . . in fact, as I listened through the phone line, I could hear the wonderous thunder, the rain pouring down. I'm not disturbed by a change in the weather . . . I enjoy sunshine surely, but the cleansing power of a good rain is incredible. It is refreshing, it leaves the air even cleaner and sweeter somehow . . . it is a force of nature sent to relieve the earth from its barren condition, to renew life at the most microscopic levels, to energize the atoms with some new power which strengthens all around.

I love Puglia, as you know from reading this blog. I cannot imagine a condition, a circumstance when I wouldn't feel that way. I find novels and other books everyday devoted to life in Italy and I snatch them up, as to read about my beloved second home is better than nothing, until the day I leave for my next trip. I just picked up two books yesterday, one a true story of a tragic event there in the late 60's and the other a novel set in Venice, taking place in the Murano glass manufacturing industry. I have been to Venice and recognize the places spoken about in the book. It is comforting to me to read of these things, as it brings me close to those memories I hold dear.

I am fortunate though, I am counting down the days now 'til I depart again . . . won't you come with me, following along on my journey and then letting me show you the wonderful treasures I have found for Chemarci Imports?? It won't be long now, in the meantime, find a good reference book . . . like those coffee table books you see at the bookstore, or a novel, or something else that highlights life in Italy (maybe this blog is enough?) . . . read and learn, savor and taste, discover and know . . . Italia . . . Puglia . . . che cosa bella!

Happy Saturday to you all! Cheryl

Looking towards Italy . . .

and seeing stars, the moon, the olive trees stretching out for miles . . . the clearest blue waters of the gently swaying Adriatic . . . those funny little three-wheeled trucks which dart in and out of traffic. It's all familiar to me and I'm awaiting everything, no matter how seemingly meaningless to my enjoyment of Italy. I cannot wait to eat peaches again, for they are the best peaches I have ever had in my entire lifetime. How can I describe the flavor, so sweet, juicy and heavenly?? Is it a mystery, found in ages-old soil, prospering and flourishing in this landscape? If you've never tried a peach during summer in Italy, take a bite! It's delicious, worth the price of a ticket! :) Alright, at today's prices for tickets, maybe that's a stretch. But I suppose it is a matter of what your priorities are. Mine, to savor and taste all the flavor of Italy.

Let Chemarci take you there, let us help you find your special flavors. We are eager to become your link to the best of Italy, particularly Puglia. Chemarci Imports . . . la dolce vita awaits!

Have a wonderful weekend, Cheryl

What is Summertime?

this is the time to celebrate the fullness of life . . each day springing forth with a freshness, a fullness of flavor, an overflowing of possibility. This is summertime, and with that happy seasonal fact comes the inevitable . . . the long days, the warm sunshine, the chance to refresh yourself in a sea of tranquility. It is the season most people find their "inner child", just waiting there to be released anew. Why? It's inherent in the season . . . how can you resist letting it all go when friends and family beckon, when the many hours of sunshine remind you of all the accomplishments one single day can hold?! It is a season of calm, being able to hear yourself think, in rhythm to the waves breaking upon the shore as you stroll upon sugary sand . . letting your feet savor each step. There are seagulls meandering upon that same beach, nothing seems too important in that moment to them . . . or to you. All of life is lingering in the surf, letting the water lap up upon their toes first, then letting the tepid water further engulf them, until they are one with the water. It's the ultimate season of release . . . summertime.

So this summer, what are your plans? Will you share every holiday with your family and friends, frolicking aimlessly amidst a field of contented wildflowers? Or will you romp and skitter upon an sandy beach just to feel the joy in those moments? Perhaps you will take a ride in your car to some new place, journeying further into a realm of exploration and adventure than ever before. Whatever you are planning or even not planning to do this summer, remember to enjoy yourself in the process . . . savor each new day and practice the subtle art of "nothingness". Afterall, God has given us an amazing and vast planet, full of variety and spice, go and find your "inner child" again!

I'm returning to my favorite places in Italy soon, and I will be releasing that young girl in me, the one who forgets the aches and pains of aging, the one who smiles for no reason, the one who laughs and plays naturally . . . I'll even share my adventures with you . . . come join me and Chemarci as we find the flavors of Italia.

Buon viaggio! Have a nice trip! Cheryl

Sunshine on My Shoulders

can make me smile! It's true, the lyrics from that John Denver song are playing like a soundtrack in my mind. I confess, there are many songs which pop onto the turntable spinning about in my thoughts. Could it be my swelling passion is so great, so enticing, so magnificent . . . all I can do is be inspired?? And it is developing at a fevered pitch, the "cost" of being so close to departing again for my beloved second home. Now I bet I can read your thoughts, "What cost is there in living the dream missy?!" . . . isn't that something close to your silent comments on my travel "travails". LOL

Surely I've told you about my passions?? So it comes as no surprise that I am finding myself utterly engaged in all the preplanning, for the planning, for the packing, for the doing, for the going . . . it is something building inside of me, as I draw nearer to that magical day, the day I arrive at my desired destination, Puglia.

Back to that soundtrack playing constantly now in my brain . . . the play list is long, varied and surely composed of the finest melodies and lyrics ever heard. What songs are on this list?? I have already given you one, "Sunshine on My Shoulders", well there are many others. It's every song ever sung about love, beauty, romance, passion, charm, sweetness, magic, and I could go on and on. To think of all the classical, R & B, jazz, country, pop, rock, instrumental, show tunes, etc. is to focus all my soul's energy on defining the place I so love . . . it is even the wind as it whisks through a row of Italian Cypress trees, standing like soldiers perfectly over an ancient wall, or around a cemetery's entrance gates. There is music inherently found in all of Italy, even the language has its musical qualities . . . music lives and breathes in Italy, in Puglia . . . it infiltrates your heart, your spirit, your soul, bringing rest to your mind. It is the siren's song upon your very essence of being.

Only you can make the play list for Italy . . . only you know the rhythms and melodies which swell through your nervous and muscular systems, sending impulse after impulse to dance along to the tempo. Only you know how it feels inside to discover your own heart's desires, but I can assure you, it will happen to you on this journey beside me . . . we will be humming and dancing to our singular inner soundtracks . . . but making beautiful music together. So, in a way, Chemarci will be the conductor, bringing the music to life within you!

Stay well, Cheryl

Today is

martedi, one month. That is the good news . . . just one more month and we can begin to experience Puglia together. Have you been thinking of what you would like to see, to taste, to find and to share with your loved ones? Let me know what you are considering as noteworthy, desirable and important to you. Let's have some fun exploring our passion . . . let's find our way through Puglia and savor "la dolce vita".

The good life, the sweet life, the life of the Italians . . . they know how to relish all that makes their country so charming, their individual regions so unique and special, and their people so utterly beautiful. Life is good, let Chemarci show you how good!!

Buona giornata a tutti! Cheryl

Another lunedi . . .

and the June gloom is following me on my way out of LA . . . I have been visiting my family there. Ah, the weather lives up to it's name . . . there is rain, mist and cooler temperatures. Even my mood was overtaken by some forces of this chaotic state's nature . . . gloom was my doom! :) Now however, I have taken the horse by the reins as the saying goes, gotten my many-horse powered vehicle out of the mist, and returned to the sunshine of Arizona. From here I eagerly await my departure in just another month! The thoughts of Italy are profoundly intruding upon my life, day-in and day-0ut . . in fact, I find myself eagerly speaking to all the Italia-lovers I know, those who share my passion and travel back-and-forth more than some usual amount of time. Take Maria for example, I met her on the plane, returning last summer from Italy. We hit it off and have remained friends ever since. She is delightful, full of spirit; she is an Italian woman, born there, but raised here in America. Her energy and vivacity for life is equivalent to all the other beautiful and multi-faceted Italian women I know, but I can converse with her in my own language! We are sharing the details of our eminent returns to Italy, hers coming just weeks after mine. While there, we plan to cross the invisible regional line between us and meet up. Should be fun, sharing our lives, our passion and our experiences mutually.

Did I hear you say you are eager to journey to this beloved place? Can Chemarci help you find your way?? While bringing your senses to a fully-enticed state, knowing that we might help you learn . . . might we bring you tastes which you've never tried before, might we just bring you a part of the world which lights your soul on fire?!

I'm eager to be back in the place I adore, so come with me, follow my journey and excite at my finds . . . the jewels of the Mediterranean await us both in bella Italia.
Just another month, and Chemarci will be filling our website with the exquisite artisan and handcrafted goods from Puglia . . . maybe a few from nearby regions as well. Let us know what your preferences are, what you enjoy, what you hope to find . . we are eager to bring the best of Italy to your doorstep! Ciao! Cheryl

when the wind blows . . . it is the soft, gentle Italian breeze, whipping the chaotic thoughts from my mind. The serenity is most astonishing . . . as I cannot remember when it felt so good to not think of a single thing . . . to just vanish from the responsibilities of life, but without the concern of "what if" . . . what if I forgot this, what if I forgot to do that . . .it is finding the ultimate sense of being a "human being", not a human doing. We all do so much some days, we lose ourselves . . we lose our place of peace, our sense of what matters most in this life. In Puglia, I find it anew, waiting each new morning like the sun. It never fails me, it is always there . . . like the birds, the flowers, the sky, the Adriatic . . . it is a constant companion, and I wouldn't ask for anything more!

Let your peace come to the surface, like the foam on your favorite coffee concoction. It is waiting there to be released, to be freed . . . like your inner child! Let Chemarci help you find your true sense of self . . .

Buona domenica! Cheryl

Beach time . . .

is arriving in Puglia . . . it is summertime . . . it is the ultimate sunshine and warm water experience! Are you ready to dive in with me? The water is calm, just a slight lapping upon my legs as I wade into the azure Adriatic. The sun overhead soothes my nerves, a bit frazzled from the memory of my everyday life in America. Did I pay this bill, did I water the plants, did I call so and so . . . it is always something. But here, in Puglia, I am again at peace. I feel as though I have never been away at all. Isn't that my butcher over there, swimming with his wife and kids? They exchange a wave and a smile, as I start to wade further into the warm tranquility which is enveloping me. It covers my body, as I go deeper in, but it is also washing over my soul. It's magical!

Enter into the most serene sea with me . . . wade in to the world of wonder with Chemarci. Let's share this adventure together my friends! Take care, Cheryl

What is on my mind . . .

dreaming of Italia . . . finding my heartbeat . . . letting my heart sing . . . all these are the inspirations which motivate me every day. I love Italy . . . especially Puglia, most especially a little town call Ruvo di Puglia. It has captured my soul, with it's historic charm intermingled with family, friends and the freedom to be me. There is a magical quality to Ruvo . . . a mysterious way it draws me in . . . like a magnet . . and I am hooked! I cannot describe how I feel the most like myself when I am there . . . it is the ultimate sense of comfort and freedom, nothing is lost on me there, but also I am completely lost there. It is a complete contradiction, being free and letting it all go, giving myself away and finding all of me . . . . it's indescribable. It's a one-of-a-kind sensation. I absolutely love that feeling, like being under a sunny sky . . . perfection.

Is there a place like that for you? Someplace in the world where you are the most content, so much so that you have released your soul and all the stresses of this world? If you have not been to Puglia, come with me there, let Chemarci take you there . . . . you will not be disappointed!

I am happy to report,

that is is another ideal day in Italy! Ah, is there anything more soothing to us, in these crazy days most stressful, than to know we can indeed find a place where time is standing still? In Italy, in Puglia in particular, there are times when we are able to find this necessary peace, the kind that restores our souls. We are able to be "free" . . . to be the person we were meant to be. It is only when we are forced or pushed outside of ourselves by circumstances beyond our control that we lose our way. In Puglia, life and it's rhythms allow us to dally, to float effortlessly above the chaos. As the saying goes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do . . . . well that is true for all of Italy . . . so, when in Puglia, do as the Pugliese do . . . stop and smell the roses!

Chemarci was conceived in an effort to meld our passion for Italy with our desire to share that passion with others . . . everyone should have moments where life borders on near-perfection, when all your senses come alive and you are able to taste the many, varied flavors which swirl through life every day. Everyone should know the pleasures which await us in the smallest moments of doing nothing, but being everything. It is really what life is all about . . . let Chemarci help you find yourself all over again. Open the doorway to your soul . . .

Remember your comments and suggestions, we are eager to hear from you! Cheryl

What Am I Waiting For??

I'm just waiting on . . . . time . .wanting it to pass, excited to leave for Italy! In these next few weeks, I hope to get some feedback from you, as to what you want, what you would like to see on the Chemarci website, the great products we will offer you. Let us know where you have been, what you have experienced, your special preferences and tastes regarding all-things Italian! We are eager to bring you all the best of the beautiful and exquisite region of Puglia in southern Italy . . . a particular place where I have left my heart. It is utterly amazing in diversity, the people, the landscape and terrain, and surely the variety of special goods handcrafted and grown in those quaint little towns scattering the region.

Come to Puglia with me, let me take you through a journey of all your senses, as we make our way across the map! Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone! Cheryl

Turning the Tables . . .

Now is the time to share with us . . . what are your experiences with Italy . . . have you been to Puglia? Share with us some of the things you remember, the items you wanted, maybe something you hoped to find there . . . we are eager to accomodate you with our selection of merchandise at Chemarci. Our goal is to offer you the jewels which are unique to Italy, particularly to Puglia . . . we will find those one-of-a-kind items, but we are also willing to seek out the special goods you desire. Let us have your input, give us your feedback, help us make Chemarci your favorite connection to Italy, to Puglia, to all the charms of this beloved place.

As I travel next month, I will be on the lookout for artisan treasures, hand-crafted and finely made gifts, goods, products . . . things which will enhance your personal memories of this wonderful place, but also which will open your eyes to a culture and people diverse but special. Chemarci is your portal to all-things-Italian!

Enjoy this day, Cheryl

Wanderlust

Happy Monday . . . lunedi, as it is called in Italia . . . it is another new week, and just five more weeks 'til my return to the land I love. Yes, my "wanderlust" is at an all time high, the sheer excitement for the trip is mounting. Mostly, I am happy to be returning to the place I also call home. I love the people, I have many friends and acquaintances there . . . I enjoy the beauty of summertime in Italy . . . ripe with sunshine, warmth, and explorations expanding over long, easy-going days . . I am filled with the sense of awakening, all the riches waiting to be found.
Perhaps I am like a modern-day explorer, only wishing to expand my own horizons, find my own cities of gold, and detail my own daily journal of adventures. Italia, the grand jewel of the Mediterranean . . . Puglia, the bluest topaz of Italy . . . Ruvo di Puglia, my own personal place of utmost serenity and peace, the "Emerald City". Just like in "The Wizard of Oz", it is where I find my heart, my answers, my inner calm, my reward.

What can you find waiting for you in Italia? Much the same, I suspect. Whether you have been fortunate enough to have visited some of these places or not, I am sure you can find your heartbeat, your center, and your magical oasis of contentment just by sharing in this journey with me. Let Chemarci take you to the fabulous land of enchantment, not to take too much away from New Mexico's title . . . but Italy has it's very own wonders which truly are nothing less than enchanting. Italy . . . the region of Puglia in the south, and all the minute but most meaningful towns dotting this area, are jewels filling a wonderful treasure chest completely full. Come with me, as I follow the map which leads me to one treasure after another. With each "jewel" we find, we'll just open the lid and take hold of the gems; old and new, ornate and simple, precious and semi-precious . . . feel the riches as they pour out of your imagination, igniting your senses; let them fall all around you in a kaleidoscope of color, texture and value. Explore with me, set your soul free . . .wanderlust!

Best wishes for a bright, new day! Buona giornata! Cheryl

Easy Does It

from one day to the next . . . instead of just accepting the fact that life is chaotic most days. When was the last time you stopped to actually smell a rose, or any flower in bloom, for that matter? What about looking skyward and imagining the shapes in the clouds . . . is that a poodle floating overhead or perhaps it is your favorite aunt Betty, just after a visit to the salon for her weekly wash-and-set?? Ah, it is the smallest, most insignificant moments in life where the real and full measure of joy is found . . . it is taking the time to be peaceful, to follow your heart, to stop and smell all the flowers which beautify our unimaginably vast and varied planet. The singular and defining characteristics of each place, each map dot, are the inspirational lullabies which soothe our souls, enabling peace to envelope us even at the most chaotic times in our lives. Don't we all feel a bit more frazzled right in this moment because we as a universe seem to have lost our way . . . we have forgotten how to soothe our inner child with laughter, with a carefree sense of abandon . . . letting go and just being. We are, afterall, human beings . . . we are not human doings!! :)

No matter what you do, who you are, how you spend your day . . . I am certain you have lost some of that essence of your "inner child". Do you remember how fun it was just to explore a field awash with wildflowers . . . hunting amidst the blooms for ladybugs and butterflies? Did you once throw yourself down into the patch of fragrant flowers and cast nothing but your observant eyes towards the puffy white pillows floating overhead to see what shapes they formed? Did you run willy-nilly towards the slightest wave upon the beach, hoping to feel the excitement of the sea as it lapped up and splashed you . . . the sand disappearing beneath your feet?
Have you laughed for no apparent reason, just because you watched some little creatures, like squirrels or rabbits, at play? Truly, if you haven't had these tastes of child-like joy lately, isn't it time? Life is short, live it to the fullest and with your senses fully engaged each and every day . . . take some chances, taste something new and different . . . take a bite out of life and let the sweet flavor linger on your lips, your tongue, your tastebuds and let it nourish your soul!

The Pugliese people seem to remember the fine art of living life each and every day . . . they spend time as a community, as a family, with friends . . . being, just being. Perhaps it is what we used to do here more often, but many of us now are convinced that unless we "do something" in every moment of a day, we are useless.
Ah, so not the case! Take a moment today to explore, to play, to see the beauty of this world . . . it's a way to restore your soul. Visit the exquisite . . . take time to appreciate the beauty of the world . . . Puglia awaits you. Just take a bite.

To Sing . . .

"oh what a beautiful morning . . . oh what a beautiful day . . I've got a wonderful feeling, everything's going my way". These are the very words which come to mind when I awaken each morning in Puglia, Italy. I've already shared some of the magical and mysterious qualities of this place I love, but have I conveyed the intensity of the feelings which stir inside my soul?? It is like a musical, epic and grand, a song-swell of emotion, rising up from deep within my spirit. Remember the first time you saw "Oklahoma" and the music, the score so beloved, struck you some place deep and hidden . . . you sang along, didn't you? And that was just for a small, dusty track of land in the midwest of America. Can you even begin to
imagine being inspired to write the soundtrack for a place like Puglia . . . in Italia, so magical and magnificent in every sense?? Ah, the lyrics would be most poetic, a lilting off your tongue as the melody lulls your senses into a paradise, idyllic and emotional. Your body would be swaying with subtle rhythms, keeping tempo with the slight swells of the Adriatic, not wanting to interrupt the beauty with forced, nor harsh beats . . . that is not what Puglia brings to mind . . it is a spiritual place, it is melodic, it is ripe with thoughts and feelings provoked not by chaos and despair, but rather with an old-world charm, elegance and demeanor. It inspires the perfect melding of simple with complex, rustic and ornate, and nostalgia mixed with nouveau. That is the tone of all of Italy . . . a divergence of simply old and new.

Waking up in Puglia each new day is inspirational . . . to the soul, the mind and the body . . . renew your spirit with a trip to Puglia . . . find your own words, your own music and compose a masterful, melodic score for this very special place in the south of Italy . . . let Chemarci bring you the very best of this treasure, notes and lyrics included! See you soon, ciao, Cheryl

June in Puglia

is the welcoming of warmth, sunshine and the season of basking on the beaches bordering the beautiful azure Adriatic. It is what all Italians do . . . each weekend
they make their way to the many sandy or rocky shores, lay out their towels, put up their umbrellas, and arrange their chaise lounges. Much as they do on the more well-known sunbathing paradises, such as the south of France or even in Italy along the Amalfi coastline, the Pugliese share in the ritual of sun-worship at the nearby shores. In Italy, Amalfi and some of the islands are more known for this summer activity, but in Puglia and all along the Adriatic, the coastline is no less spectacular, no less enjoyable, and no less abundant in sunshine.

Everything in this process is uniquely Italian . . . these people love to bask for hours with their bronzed olive tones almost blackening by summer's end. They are not shy, everyone celebrates a day at the beach by wearing as little as possible, in order to maximize the darkening bronze all over their bodies. Women of all ages, shapes and sizes frolic in bikinis, even the proverbial grandmotherly types. The men, no less eager to look good and feel great, often don the smallest types of swimwear possible. Everyone is dark, bronzing being the natural state of their mediterranean complexions . . . so when someone like me, fair-skinned and blond appears . . . I am helpless to do anything but standout. Not for my bathing suit, not for my "tan", but for my lack there of. Fortunately, I do not believe there is a bronze prejudice . . . perhaps just pity! :) I aspire to this Italian, radiant-level of "solar abandonment", letting myself become one with the sun, the sand or often the rocks, and of course, the gentle azure waters of the Adriatic . . . but I am a weakling by comparison, realizing my lobster-like coloring is less appealing and more painful. I can dream though, can't I??

Dreaming is just a part of life in Puglia . . . to dream of a day at the beach, is not so implausible at all. To dream of all the other pleasures which awaken the senses while in Puglia is not so impossible either . . . there are so many things which arouse the soul here in the south . . . so many dreams fulfilled, just by opening your eyes, taking in the sounds with your ears and tasting the fullness of flavor with your mouth. It is an adventure in exploration, which remains a part of your spirit and soul even after you leave, for years to come. Let us help you experience Puglia . . . let us help you remember the sweetness of Puglia with all your senses, let Chemarci be your guide to Puglia.

Dream big, live big . . . have a wonderful day! Cheryl

La Bella Citta`

and a glorious array of churches, the architecture of all the houses and commercial buildings is amazing, the stone-lined streets intricately woven through the city in a noticeable pattern . . . behind every edifice, every door, every face as I pass by is a story, one which echoes across this landscape, erasing time and any measure it has. La bella citta` per me e` Ruvo di Puglia. The beautiful city for me is Ruvo in Puglia.

Take a walk beside me, with me, see through my eyes as I amass the visual textures, the optic realities which inundate my mind . . . then my other senses are awakened too. It is a constant discovery for them all . . . scents of foods, distinctive and regional . . . the touch of the slightest wisp of air as I turn the corner of a little alleyway through the ancient remains of this place. Then as I run into a friend, who has lived in the enchanting town all her life, I share a two-sided kiss from cheek to cheek, a most affable greeting between friends and a cultural norm here in Italy. The people are warm, they are curious at first, finding not so many strangers as a regular part of life in Ruvo. The population is only 20,000, so imagine a tall. blond giraffe of a woman like me first appearing in wintertime there amongst the shorter, darker residents. I stood out, just a bit. But once you immerse yourself into their world, attempting to share the life of these people, speaking your broken . . .yet-to-be-mastered Italian, you are made to feel welcome and "at home". It is a gift of a place like Ruvo, the "smallness" enables a foreigner to find familiarity sooner, not later . . .

Now with my Italian skills blossoming a bit, at least my comprehension . . . I am able to find my way quite ably through this place, not feeling at all a foreigner in a strange new land, but rather, feeling the indelible quality of "home". Don't we all long to feel exactly that way, no matter where are feet land, no matter where the road takes us . . . don't we share some very common desires as people?? We share our humanity, our need to communicate, our need to embrace one another, no matter our differences. We share more as cultures mixing, than we know our distinctive separation. We want to learn, to grow, to discover . . . while we smile, love and laugh . . . those characteristics and behaviors are cross-cultural.

Finding my way around this little gem takes me under an hour . . . a nice walk, an morning stroll . . . a time to attend to errands, while I open myself to all the joy of this beautiful city.

Imagine

This beautiful morning . . .

opening your eyes upon the warm sun-drenched landscape of Puglia, which seems just like tasting paradise. It is serene this day, not many cars or motorbikes filling the streets yet. The people are just getting up to work, or to do their daily marketing . . . from shop to shop. My favorite smells . . . the clean air, the fresh produce, the wildflowers growing randomly in any unused space, are circulating around me. There is an energy which is unique to this place, lively, yet not stressful . . . busy with the "everyday", but not chaotic. If I could possibly guess, nothing bigger than a Jeep Cherokee or a similar-sized vehicle can make it's way through these narrow, ancient streets . . . surely not an Escalade nor a Suburban. The layout of this most historic part of town is reminiscent of the catacombs, I would imagine . . . with turning, winding paths, and not so random at all. It was afterall, designed in medieval times, when the pattern coincided with a purpose . . safety, usefulness, around a center feature which was to be protected, serving as a "hub" of all activity back then. The streets themselves are charming, made from cobbled stone, bumpy when driven on, but charming nonetheless. In this old part, many people are walking, as nothing is far away at all . . . in fact the whole town can be navigated with relative ease in very little time. As I said, it is all designed in a pattern, which still persists to this day. Learning the locations of pertinent shops and stops is not so hard for the visitor . . . knowing every street, every nook and cranny, every tiny surface in this town is routine for a lifetime resident. The pathways carved through the ancient and newer portions of Ruvo di Puglia are familiar to me as well. I've explored them thoroughly now, in the three prior trips I have made to this small, yet utterly beautiful place. My favorite cheese shop, my preferred fruit vendor, the little stand where I find the best selection of specialty items . . . the supermercato nearby the B & B where I stay . . . all familiar, all comfortable, all just like home to me. The old and the new are randomly intermingled here, some buildings remain from the 1500's . . . and right outside town lies the cemetary housing everyone from the very beginning of Ruvo. It excites me to know that life has coexisted here with so many memories for centuries . . . evolving, changing, altering a bit, but yet consistently the same. It is magical . . .

Ruvo di Puglia is magical, this region of Puglia itself exudes its charming power over me . . . in a few more weeks, I will be able to share some more of the beauty from this region I adore! Have an amazing new day . . . Cheryl

La Dolce Vita

speaking of good things . . .

it won't be long now and our Chemarci web site, featuring some delightful new products from Italy will be up and running! Chemarci is committed to bringing you the very best "tastes and textures" of this beautiful place called Italy. In the next few weeks, I will be traveling back to Puglia, where I will make my way from town to town, looking eagerly for "la dolce vita" . . . in the form of personal goods, gifts, and the very best handcrafted products of the region. Yes, it is true, I like Italy, I'm passionate about it . . . it stirs my soul.

If you share this passion, wanting to remember how your heart sang while you wandered through the treasure of the various regions, let Chemarci help. Even if you've never been to Italy, but your desire, your imagination leads your soul there, Chemarci can open a magic doorway for you. You can experience all the rich flavors of Italy, especially Puglia, at Chemarci.

We are looking forward to helping you discover your dreams, set your soul alight and make memories real all over again. Buon martedi . . . good Tuesday! Cheryl

Tasting . . .

the bread, the wine, the olives and olive oil . . . the tomatoes, the fruits, the vegetables, the cheeses . . . it is all so good! Why? It is grown locally, sold only in season, and brought right from the soil or the trees to the markets. Every flavor is heightened in taste. When compared to what we have gotten used to in America, unless you are lucky enough to eat something grown in the old-fashioned way (from a backyard garden), the taste and flavors are often absent. Here, we have growers and producers who found the costs for mass-production were less when they learned the secrets to longevity and consistent quality. What are those secrets? It means the produce is taken from the vine, tree, or ground usually before it is ripe, where it remains in a warehouse for a significant time until it is then brought to the grocery store nearby you. Ah, fresh you say? It also means that the very plant or seed is the one which gives the most consistency to the actual crop which is grown . . . the reddest apple, the prettiest skin on the fruit, the most disease-resistent tree or plant, etc. Sometimes, the very thing which makes the crop so perfect for the growers to produce in larger quantities, for less cost, is what makes the crop so lackluster to the consumer. Where did the taste go?

In Puglia, the produce is taken right from the ground, the vine, or the tree and brought to the smaller vendors who often are selling it on a street corner or in one of the shops on almost every street or block in town. The olives are brought to the neighborhood factory directly after picking, loaded up on a small tractor or truck, and placed right onto a belt which begins the processing. You cannot get much more fresh than that!! It's the same with the grapes, wine and other such products, which are grown locally; that is the habit of all the little towns dotting the map in Puglia. The fragrance of the bread baking in the local shops is enough to set your heart racing, like a cloud of flavor wafting through the air just outside the bakery! Truly everything you eat has the most intense flavor and is the freshest tasting you can imagine, because it comes right to you, directly from the fields nearby. In Puglia, you can walk into one of many cheese shops and watch the cheesemaker form the fresh, most creamy mozzarella balls right there. The quality is assured by watching the producers as they work in the shops and out in the fields nearby for yourself.

Ahhh, enough of my little tutorial on the benefits of local versus mass-produced for quality, taste and price benefits. Let me just assure you from my own experience . . . I have never tasted tomatoes and the seasonal fruits I enjoy like I have tasted in Italy! Specifically, when I visit the towns in my beloved Puglia, my mouth bursts with the flavor awakening all of my senses. Possibly you have not realized how deprived your senses have become, but I can assure you, they are! When you eat the simple way like the Italians, using the seasonal crops, often just making the one or two ingredients used for each dish taste like intricate layers of flavor . . . you realize that you have in fact been cheated by our growers, supermarkets, producers of ready-made food items and restauranteurs alike. It's the simplicity of growing things in fields rich with organic material, limiting the processing which robs them of taste, and making the concerted effort to offer unique items specific to each region which are found prolifically.

We hope to bring you the tastes and textures of all of Puglia . . . including these treasures I have mentioned. Stay tuned . . . Cheryl

What the world needs now . . .

. . . is to be swept away in the carefree and easy . . . to feel awash in the simplistic beauty of a life before cellphones and superhighways . . . to have a sense of peace and tranquility unrivaled and incomparable. Ahhh, to know the calm majesty of an endless sea, spotted occasionally with sailboats or fishermen . . . watching the tides ebb and flow, standing before it's vast expanse of nothingness. All of this and more awaits in Puglia, on the Adriatic. Time is standing still . . .

As I drive through the countryside, marvelling at the space which is infinite, wondering how I could feel so peaceful and at my ease in this foreign land . . . I surrender to it, I give my cares a toss into the warm, languishing breezes which envelope me. This is the power of this place upon my soul. Each spot on the map here in Puglia is a little hidden jewel . . a possible historical and cultural bonanza, for time has stood still seemingly, nothing much as changed, other than the D & G t-shirt worn by that man driving past on his tractor! There is a fusion of present tense and a society, at it's rapid-fire pace, multi-tasking itself to death. But here, there is also an acceptable blank spot, a void, a mysterious "other world" . . . the past! It remains, intermingled with the cadence of the present and all the hope for the future. And I can pass through that magical portal in just seconds, taking a leap into the past just by opening my eyes . . . it is all around me. Buildings and customs which have existed in this place for centuries . . . everywhere I look, I am able to see history, a culture developing and evolving over time into what I see in this "here and now". Yet the past is respected, the history is accepted and the time is reflected.

When can I return?? How soon can I fall eagerly into the sea of this tranquility? Well, fortunately for me, and for Chemarci and our customers, I will return in mid-July! In just a few weeks I will be immersed in this culture I love, among the people I respect and value for their intellect, spirituality, historical regard, and artistic expression. Family is important too, that is evident everywhere amongst the people of Puglia, as they celebrate life and special occasions together. There is truly "no place like home", and "home is where your heart is", and as evidenced, my heart now calls Puglia home.

As I wander the country lanes, making my way from map-dot to map-dot, I will be able to find those treasures for you, those momentos, those beloved reminders and those incomparable rare finds . . . so look ahead with expectation . . . as I open the doorway into my "home" in Puglia, bringing the very best of it all to you!

Ciao and buona giornata! Cheryl

Takes my breathe away

I'm thinking of summertime in bella Italia . . . Puglia, awash with sunshine, as I'm basking in the warmth of it's people, their embrace . . a moment of unadulterated, pure light. As I take in the endless rows of olive trees, with their centuries-old trunks and branches, the clarity of how long this place has endured astonishes me. So many of the things my eyes take in in those moments are not much different than centuries before me . . . how many of those stones, which make up the walls I see dividing those olive trees, are there? There must be millions, no billions! Who put them all together, picking each one up off the ground, aligning them in such definitive ways? When did the Pugliese people first begin their unique and centuries-old customs? I am enthralled and enraptured by the magnitude of time as it has come and gone across these same fields. Who worked the soil then? As I move to a lazy field of wildflowers, lying just beneath the mysterious, octagonal-walled Castel del Monte, I can smell the fresh scent of . . . well, what is it? Ahhh, it's the fresh scent of clean air! The region is untouched in so many ways, it only adds to the delight of my visit. Just reflecting upwards toward that strange castle, sitting majestically up there upon this isolated hill, with the 360 degree view to all of Puglia . . . ahhh, beyond words.

I think you can sense the unique characteristics of this place, it is truly inspirational to all my senses . . many people who visit bella Italia for a taste of the "sweet life", la dolce vita, have no chance, nor idea what lies off the beaten path. They are only able to experience the grandeur of Florence or Rome, the canals of Venice, the absolute charm of Italy escapes them in those few days of vacation. Chemarci will bring those places and people, those regional delights tucked under the same sun that brightens the day in Tuscany, to you. I'm going again to the places I treasure, the people I have grown to love, in just six weeks . . . and I will find even more of the gems which are cast about Puglia like those stones which comprise the infinite walls dotting the countryside.

Come with me to Puglia . . . explore the beauty and charm with me . . . bring a taste of Puglia into your life!

See you soon . . . Cheryl

Join me in my passion . . . all things Italian

Ciao ciao . . . buona giornata!

I am the cofounder and partner of Chemarci . . . we are importers of fabulous Italian goods, found throughout Italy, primarily focusing on the charming southern region of Puglia. Ahhh, la dolce vita . . . in Puglia, the warm Italian sun radiates over the endless olive-tree groves and fields verdant with crops of fresh tomatoes, artichokes, wheat and of course, grapes. It is a beautiful patch of countryside located on the top of the heel of Italy's boot. It encompasses a lovely stretch of tranquility along the Adriatic sea, with crystalline, azzure waters and magical vistas along every turn in the road.

I've visited this region many times and find delightful hidden jewels where artisans reside and craft pottery, jewelry and specialty gift items which are signatures for their beloved towns. The charm and old-world magic of this area is evident at every stop . . . let us transport you there through our wonderful and varied merchandise.

I'm traveling again this summer, in just six weeks . . . I will have a new supply of products to share with you on our website, which will be up and running in just a few days! We will also have our own blogging page, so that you can keep in contact with us and informed about our latest items for sale. If you have suggestions for things we should make available for sale, we are always eager to hear from you. Thank you all very much for your visit to my site, have a wonderful day! Or I should say, "Buona giornata a tutti!"