Work/Life balance and filling my creative well
I absolutely LOVE my work. It brings me so much joy on a daily basis and I’m beyond lucky to be able to do what I do. I also adore my friends and family and find the balance between the two needs constant attention. Running a business is 24/7 – not complaining at all! I wouldn’t have it any other way! – so any time I get the opportunity to fully immerse myself in my family, guilt-free, is a blessing and holiday time is precious.
Planning a family holiday with all its variables can be time consuming at the best of times, so add in covid considerations and delays on top of that and it’s a whole other ballgame! Luckily, I worked with the wonderful team at Oliver’s Travels to make the process as smooth as possible. Being experts in luxury family and group holidays (and lets not forget their amazing offering for honeymoons) they have been a dream from start to finish, sensitively navigating this tricky time to find us the perfect villa in the perfect location. I can’t thank them enough for such personal service. It really felt like we had our own, personal travel agent!
In April, James, Slyv and I travelled with two other families to the utterly stunning Masseria Monte Piccinnu in Puglia. A recently restored Puglian farmhouse surrounded by olive groves and serene countryside, it feels secluded and relaxing, yet the historic town of Ceglie Messapica was just a five minute drive away. The large villa combines traditional architecture which has been sensitively restored and decked out with all the modern amenities you’d expect. It can sleep up to fourteen people so we had lots of space for privacy if we wanted, while the communal areas were so light and airy with lots of seating, everything a large group could need for a comfortable, relaxing stay. It would be the perfect luxury holiday cottage or party house to rent for a hen do, or perhaps for the entire wedding party to stay in for a destination wedding. I can imagine an epic tablescape under a canopy of fairy lights on the terrace for an intimate celebratory dinner. Dreamy!
The Oliver’s Travels concierge service arranged for our fridge to be stocked with delicious local produce and wine, and the villa owners had also left a welcome care package of goodies, so all we had to do when we arrived was relax and take in the gorgeous, minimalist décor (of course I was obsessed and had to photograph every inch of it) while the kids made a beeline for the natural swimming pool. The pool was wonderful! The kids loved it, of course, and it was such a treat for the adults too, to enjoy swimming with no chemicals on your skin. I love that it's naturally cleaned by the plants and is part of the owner’s eco-friendly design for the house and grounds.
We explored the local town of Ceglie Messapica which is one of the oldest in Italy with fascinating pre-historic and medieval ruins, and cobbled streets leading to pretty piazzas with restaurants and shops. We also ventured further afield to other towns and sights recommended by the Oliver’s Travels team. Stunning beaches were just a short drive away and I’d also highly recommend a day trip to Martina Franca to enjoy the local food market. I have such a weakness for lemons with the leaves still on! I’ve never tasted tomatoes like it, and we left with huge bags of olives and capers.
The ultimate aim for this holiday was relaxation and, through the concierge, we could have arranged a chef to cook for us - which sounds incredibly decadent but was much more affordable than you think – but we are all foodies so opted to take it in turns making the most of the well-equipped kitchen to whip up a feast to enjoy in one of the many al-fresco dining spots with breath-taking views of the Italian countryside, before a dip in the hot tub after the kids went to bed.
The grounds and garden were so inspiring and I was able to truly relax and just take it all in, filling my creative well before returning back to the boutique to give my all to my team and my brides, and readdress that eternally shifting balance once more.
Like I said, I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Love,
Kate xxx
Details: Seven nights at Masseria Monte Piccinnu start from £7,372 for up to 10 guests (4 additional guests can be accommodated at an extra charge). Visit www.oliverstravels.com or call the team on 0333 888 0205 for more details.
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