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Cindy, the founder of Tuscan Holiday
Consultants LLC, relocated to
Italy
from her native state of
California
in 1978. She spent the first 12 years of
her ‘Tuscan’ life residing in a
renovated,
three hundred year old farmhouse
in the Chianti wine region of
Tuscany
midway between
Florence
and
Siena
. During those years, Cindy, together
with her Florentine husband, purchased
and restored an ancient dwelling in a
quaint medieval hamlet not far from the
farmhouse.
The renovation of their charming
rooftop
apartment took nearly two years.
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During
this period, she had ample time to mingle with
the village folk. The
women of the hamlet were quick to see Cindy’s
interest in their cuisine and culture and before
she knew it they were taking her
under their wings, proud to share their stories,
recipes and family cooking secrets with this
young and eager American woman.
Cindy, coming from an Italian background
herself (her
mother’s parents were from southern
Italy
), was keen on learning from
the best; the mothers and grandmothers of the
village and countryside. Her
morning jaunts to the baker, butcher and
vegetable market turned into priceless lessons
in the art of Tuscan cooking.
Cooking wasn’t her only passion. Her love of
art and architecture lead her to deeper explore
the hidden treasures of her newly adopted
region. Each and every discovery she shared with
family and friends abroad through letters and
pictures. Then,
her desire to ‘show and tell’ the world
about her enchanting
Tuscany
lead to the creation of THC or The Tuscan
Holiday Club s.a.s. in 1982.
Catering to primarily a North American
clientele, Cindy and her Florentine business
partner not only placed clients in vacation
rentals, they organized Tuscan cooking courses,
week long retreats, catered theme dinners and
more. Catered theme dinners and more. |
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They
were indeed pioneers in opening
Tuscany
’s hidden doors to their eager clients in the
early 1980s.
Experiencing Tuscan daily life, meeting
the locals, feeling a part of it all, not just a
spectator, was no longer a dream, it became a
reality to the many who stumbled upon their
small company.
Then, in 1988 two important changes came about
which greatly affected THC; the birth of
Cindy’s second son and her Florentine business
partner’s relocating to
Paris
.
The original T.H.C. was losing one founder. What
was the other to do? Forced to weigh her
choices, knowing that full dedication to any
project was the key to its growth and success,
Cindy had no option but to close the company. She
knew she wouldn’t be able to handle two full
time jobs; THC and raising her sons
bi-culturally. The
company could be put on hold, raising her sons
could not.
So, THC s. a. s. quietly disappeared into the
Tuscan sunset and Cindy retreated to her
farmhouse, then later to the medieval hamlet, to
be a full time American/Italian mom, albeit
bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and
contacts which she continued to build over the
years.
Now, more than twenty years later, with her boys
grown, Cindy has renewed her dedication to share
her knowledge and love of
Tuscany
, the region that adopted her nearly thirty
years ago. Although
on a smaller, more exclusive scale, Tuscan
Holiday Consultants LLC has allowed her to pick
up where she left off.
Although, not a placement agency per se,
Cindy’s expertise on the area coupled with her
passion for sharing one of life’s most
important elements… good food (and good wine)
has inspired her to offer her services to those
who are truly anxious to experience Tuscany. Cindy
will introduce you to the hidden corners of this
magical region, enabling you to mingle with the
locals. She
will also have you dappling in the culinary art
of Tuscan cooking if so inclined. So,
if you fancy getting off the beaten track
and want to bring an ‘air’ of
Tuscany
back home with you along with a handful of
lifetime memories, feel free to knock on
Cindy’s door…For the new THC…
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Tuscan
Holiday Consultants LLC holds the key to an amazing
Tuscan Experience.
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Florence, Italy