f r i e n d s of the lake 🤍. These are my gorgeous friends, Giorgia e Davide. If you have been following along for awhile now you might already be familiar with them. You may have in fact already met them yourselves. We met back in 2016 when my friend Lucy and I booked a room at their heavenly B&B, Villa Derrière. It was one of the most charming and love-filled places I have found on my travels so far... an ivy-covered villa tucked away in a secret garden off the main street of Cernobbio, just across the road from Villa d’Este. Full of antiques they had collected from all over Italy, Giorgia e Davide would prepare the most delicious, love-filled (and pretty) breakfasts in this charming space each morning (using only local ingredients, mostly from Davide’s organic farm on the other side of the lake, in Nesso). We would wake up to the smell of a freshly baked cake or delicious loaf of homemade sourdough bread each morning. Very quickly into our stay they told us about their farm and invited us to join them for a long lunch one afternoon. We toured the farm, sat by the glittering lake, and shared delicious food, wine, and stories. It was the start of something very special. Since that time, I have been lucky enough to return to the Villa on many occasions and spend more long, slow, heavenly days at the farm with friends (twice in 2017 and then again in 2019, when I was joined by some of my closest friends from home). Many of you have also enjoyed this incredible experience and I am sure you would agree it is an unforgettable one. Sadly, Villa Derrière is no more... but Giorgia and Davide are just putting the finishing touches on a beautiful new project, @talea.lakecomo. Talea will be an antique shop / flower shop / warm and welcoming place to gather for a piece of cake. They might even host private dinners down the track. The space is incredible - again, somewhat secret and hard to find, tucked away off one of Como’s most beautiful streets. [continued in comments...]