We arrived home last night after a time in Italy which was a true delight from beginning to end.
We were very fortunate with the consistently good weather, but we were even more fortunate to be in your
house, which made our stay in Todi very special for us. We have arranged for rentals before, but we have
never had a house that was so comfortable and so visually pleasing that we often had to force ourselves to drive off to visit other places in Umbria. The only way we managed to do it was to remind ourselves
that we could count on breakfast and dinner on the patio every morning and evening.
The simplicity of the house and the beauty of every detail was a constant pleasure to us, and we valued
the quiet surroundings, the comfortable beds, and the spacious kitchen, as well as the extraordinary
“touristic” library you provided and your detailed instructions about the house and about what was
available to us inTodi and its environs. Thank you for being such a thoughtful and attentive landlord.
We trust we left the house in as good condition as when we arrived; we did water all the inside plants
according to schedule and gave them their final watering the night before we left. We hope one day to
come back, and in the meantime we will certainly recommend your wonderful house to any friends who
want an unforgettable experience of Umbria.
With best wishes,
Robert Lyons
New York City
Dear George,
Received your check and want to let you know that my stay in Todi was indeed a memorable one and
your beautiful house an integral part of making it so. How very lucky to have found such a perfect
place-so pleasing both aesthetically and “comfort-wise.” I was also pleased we had a chance to meet.
My very best wishes to you and your family.
Irene Gianoutsos,
S.Francisco, CA
Dear George,
As you know, in direct contradiction to Newton’s first law of landlords, we enjoyed corresponding with
you and meeting you, enjoying your former home and understanding what excellent and thoughtful
service you provided for during our stay. If Barbara thought you knew anything about it, I’m certain
she would not have hesitated to call you in Florence and ask you for the name of the best hairdresser
in Todi. Lest this become a totally embarrassing encomium let me conclude by saying we
are most grateful for your service and friendship and should the occasion arise where we could do
something for you on this end, don’t hesitate to call.
Best regards,
Zevi Blum Ithaca, NY
Dear George,
Simon and I arrived in Todi with the help of Stefano and made our way down to Via di Firenzuola 4.
Upon entering the house we thought that we had found our own private paradise. Your restoration
of the structure is in perfect taste. It combines the truth of the medieval with the modern. The mixture
is exquisite.There is no one who would not appreciate the view of the Tiber valley in the morning.
Stefano gave Simon a “guided tour” of Todi in the hire car and by the end of half an hour we were quite
able to negotiate the streets and find our way when we went touring. In the house everything was
welcoming and comfortable. By the second day we felt that we had lived there a long time.
(Your photographs by the door were much appreciated.) One of the most delightful and remarkable
things is that we had access to so many hill towns (Gubbio, Orvieto, Assisi, etc.) Driving around
was made easy by the good Italian roads. We also went to the magnificent Urbino and Viterbo.
Rome was accessible because of the easy train connection from nearby Orvieto.
Todi as a town is a perfect respite from a day on the road. There were no interfering noisy joints,
and the charm of the Piazza del Popolo with its Romanesque church and the statue of Garibaldi with
his great cypress tree was unforgettable. Part of what Simon and I relished was the sheer
thrill of so much dramatic architecture and painting. As an art historian I could not think of a better
location in which to be. Federico di Montefeltro(though not quite Umbrian) is one of my
Renaissance heroes. We dined and drank well, bought ceramics for pasta at home, envied
the Italians for living in Italy and will return next year. Everyone we met was gracious and helpful
and we tried to leave your lovely house as we found it.
Saluti affetuosi,
Kristine and Simon Basely
Ann Arbor, MI
