June 2016 | Page 2 of 3 | so then they say

Masseria San Domenico has my heart. My whole heart! When deciding where to travel to this summer Brice (the hubs) and I knew we wanted four things: quiet, non-touristy, warm, and easy to get to from Geneva. We looked into Lake Como, the Amalfi Coast, Positano, and Greece. None of which satisfied our every need. We were feeling a bit stressed as our trip was approaching, when his parents recommended a place they had visited and loved – Masseria San Domenico in Puglia, Italy. It wasn’t but two minutes after googling this place that we were sold.

Not only was Masseria San Domenico absolutely stunning, but it is located in a part of Italy that is still quiet under the radar, which made me love this place even more. We took a direct flight from Geneva to the Brindisi airport, got in our little Fiat 500 and drove about 1.5 hours north. Through fields of olive trees and the ancient lands of Italy, we arrived at one of the most beautiful and tranquil places I have ever been.

Masseria San Domenico has a long history and dates back to the XIV century. It was used by the Knights of Malta as a watch tower against Saracens’ attacks. The hotel has since been restored with the utmost attention to detail. It is surrounded by fields of Olive trees – which are used to make their very own olive oil which is delicious (be sure to buy a can before you leave). One of the things we loved most, besides all the colorful flowers, was the pool! It was gigantic yet so peaceful. The staff wait on you hand and food which makes a normal “day by the pool” that much more enjoyable. The beach is about a three minute drive from the hotel and is done impeccably well. Everything from their lounge chairs to the all white dining area is perfection! You could spend all day here and it still wouldn’t be enough!

If you can’t tell, I am so in love with this place! I am very weird about visiting the same place twice. I actually have a rule against it. However, before leaving I made my husband promise we would be back! It is that amazing!

–

***If you plan on going to Puglia we took a great road trip along the southern coast which I will be sharing in the next few days!

–

Mary Summers Naturalizer-4

We arrived! We (the hubs and I) are finally on our Italian getaway! I have been waiting for this trip for what seems like forever. I imagined this relaxing holiday, staying at a beautiful Italian hotel, and driving from little town to little town. And guess what, that is exactly what it is! I plan to post more about this gorgeous hotel, shall you ever find yourself in need of a little escape 🙂 But for now, the outfit!

I bought this entire outfit right before leaving. While packing I realized I had cleaned out all of my summer dresses and didn’t have one that was “plain and simple”. I had been looking at this Crepe Shift Dress for a while and decided to give it a try! Good thing I did because now I am in love! It comes in over 7 colors and I plan to buy three more! It is the quintessential “dress up or down” (which you know I love) and it is under $100! I have already worn it to a dinner party (hosted by my sweet mother-in-law), exploring Italy, and to dinner last night! It seriously is an amazing dress to add to your closet.

Like I mentioned here, these shoes made it into my suitcase. The Davenport Naturalizer are too comfortable and too versatile to leave behind. I wore them all yesterday while we explored Savelletri, Italy, and they were a dream! If you have any plans to travel this summer, I recommend checking them out! They are the travelers dream – cute and comfortable!

Ciao! Ciao!

Mary Summers Naturalizer-6 Mary Summers Naturalizer-7 Mary Summers Naturalizer-8 Mary Summers Naturalizer-9 Mary Summers Naturalizer-10 Mary Summers Naturalizer-12 Mary Summers Naturalizer-13