AND JUST LIKE THAT ITS SUMMER IN ITALY! WORK - PLAY - GETAWAY

Pillows at Hotel Chiostro dei Domenicani

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As a barware, lighting and  home accessories design company, we at Thomas Fuchs Creative specialize in handmade goods. Every week we give you behind the scenes to the people, places and things that inspire us.

Thomas Views The Courtyard From Our Balcony

This week we give you a well deserved break. Since its summer all you need to do is scroll through pretty photos and watch videos of this amazing hotel we are staying in. The best part of our job as owners of the our own company is being able to come to Italy multiple times of the year and soaking in the beauty while gaining inspiration from our surroundings.

The Courtyard

We hope you have been following our journey on instagram @michou.de.brickell from Rome to Sicily to work on our secret capsule collection then on to Milan for Salone del Mobile 2022 where we walked 8 miles (12Km) in one day and back to Sicily crossing on the ferry to Altomonte and driving to Puglia. Lets start by giving a very well deserved shout out to native Sicilian travel agent, based in Miami, Gino (Eugenio@foresttravel.com).

The Hallway Outside The Bedrooms

We gave Gino all our stops we had to make for work, conventions and factory visits after 2 years of not having visited the factories and with gas prices going up in Murano we decided, with Gino's consent to rent a hybrid car from Hertz and do an Italian Road Trip.

A Hand-painted Decal Adorns Each Room Portal

What must be said is we had planned a month in Italy to celebrate my Mom's 80th with our dogs in tow but after much scheduling nightmares we decided it was too much for Mom and Kids (dogs) to traipsing along packing and unpacking suitcases from one location to the other. 

Our Bedroom

After trips to Vietrie Sul Mare (ceramics) to Tropea on to Sicily for our secret collaboration to Milan for the furniture fair and much much more we have reach our half way point in our journey. It is so appropriate we ended up at a Monastery to reflect on our gratitude for this amazing life of love, health and work. 

Thomas Walking To The Pool

Chiostro dei Domenicani is an historic residence dating back to 1400 and it is located just outside the old city wall of Lecce. A proof of the ancient origins of the monastery is a papal bull from Eugenio IV dated June 15th 1442.

Thomas Recharging 

Today, due to the renovation work, this ancient facility wears novelties with modern indoor kitchens and a pool within the intimate back courtyard. Starting this year, it is also possible to stay at the new Albergo Dimora Storica with 18 large luxurious comfortable rooms and suites

Dinner Party Hosted By Our Clients at Gimmi

Chiostro dei Domenicani - Dimora Storica features a restaurant, seasonal outdoor swimming pool, a bar and garden in Lecce. Featuring family rooms, this property also provides guests with a terrace. The accommodation provides a 24-hour front desk, airport transfers, room service and free WiFi throughout the property.

Thomas at Dinner in The Garden of Gimmi

The hotel will provide guests with air-conditioned rooms with a desk, a kettle, a minibar, a safety deposit box, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with a bidet for those of you who like to remain Euro Clean (lol). An amazing continental breakfast is available daily at Chiostro dei Domenicani with an unlimited supply of Michou's favourite Nutella and croissants. There goes my Optivia Diet Plan LOL. 

My Spumone Dessert which reminded me of Spumoni in NY

Gimmi Restaurant is the new fine dining immersed in the ancient whisper of Chiostro dei Domenicani. An eclectic tangle. Distant sounds, foreign languages entangling in warm traditions knotted by the wind. A thread warmed up by the sun, braided by centuries-old mixes. The Chef Donato Episcopo is on a constant quest to unravel the knot.

The Gardens

After breakfast on the way to the pool or back to the room you pass small lush gardens that make you dream of times past while smelling jasmine and magnolia trees all around. This makes for a dream like sequence for this location which has just opened 2 months ago.  

Thomas at Work in His New Office at The Hotel

We are here for one week and Thomas has found a nook in the lobby which he has made into his office. The hotel has great wifi which is not always the case at hotels in Italy and even more important great air-conditioning. 

Thomas and I at Doppio Zero in The Historic District

Every once in awhile we manage to peel ourselves away from the hotel back to the historic district where last year we stumbled upon "Doppio Zero" a small eatery which has become one of our favourite in the region. 

Have a great weekend we wave hello from Puglia!

Michou & Thomas