Writers, Artists, Creatives, Friends…
Join Me in Northern Italy
September, 2022
Join me! Write, Create, Explore, and Relax with me in the foothills of the Northern Italian Alps for a transformative 6-night retreat.
{ retreat – reboot – restore – resist – risotto }
In September 2022, a handful of us will retreat for six nights to the sleepy mountain village of Mosso Santa Maria in Piemonte, Italy for my annual Writing and Art Retreat, co-sponsored by Casa Regis – center for culture and contemporary art.
Are you in?
Join me as we stay in a beautiful private villa, eat local cheeses, vegetables, salamis, and pasta, drink fresh water from the source and local wines, stroll the villa grounds, and write, draw, create, reflect, and enjoy.
In addition to your bedroom and shared space at the villa where we?ll live, you will be assigned studio space at Casa Regis – a quick walk from the villa ? to work on your craft.
Casa Regis is an 18th century historic villa that our host, the photographer L. Mikelle Standbridge, is restoring and transforming into an international contemporary arts center.
You can WRITE. You can PAINT. And. Or!
You may choose to visit a beyond-organic farm, hike in the alps, wine taste in the shadows of a castle, take a day trip to the historic city of Biella, eat a “slow food” lunch at a local agriturismo, explore the stonemason’s town of Rosazza, or drink cappuccino and beer in the local café near Mosso’s 13th century bell tower.
You may also consult with me privately on your manuscript or creative process, practice the prompts I offer daily, or use your time to simply recharge.
In the beautiful village of Mosso Santa Maria, we are so far from the tourist track. You will hear cowbells and church bells and maybe no other Americans at all. This feels like a remote location? yet it?s still just a short, easy-to-navigate distance to Milan, Turin, France, Switzerland, and the rest of Europe if you want to extend your stay (I do!).
What Does it Cost? What is included?
The base charge of $990 includes:
- All breakfasts, + coffee and tea all day
- Double occupancy bedroom (shared bathroom) – see below.
- Studio space at Casa Regis (for writing, painting, dance, and more)
- 3 group dinners at the villa
- Morning focus sessions with writing/art prompts
- Guided walks through Mosso (get your own water at the local source, eat cheese from cows living behind the cheese shop, visit the hidden bakery)
- Travel advice, suggestions, resources
- Companionship. Fun.
What isn’t included?
- Private room upcharge (see bedrooms below)
- Manuscript review and creative process consultations ($150 an hour)
- Group van from Milan (Malpensa airport) ? 1.5 hours (rate on request)
- Costs for excursions, entrance fees, transportation, lunches and additional dinners, airfare, extended stays in other locations, or anything not specifically stated above.
A Typical Day in Mosso
7:30am Meditation/yoga (or sleep in!)
7:30am Enjoy coffee and breakfast at your own pace.
9:00am Guided free-write session or craft workshop
10:00am [optional] Writing session/consultations with Ericka
10:00am-6:00pm Explore! Work! Eat cheese! Practice your Italian!
12:30pm Lunch at the villa at your leisure, or explore our small village
2:30pm [optional] Writing session/consultations with Ericka
6:30pm [optional] A glass of wine and check-in gathering
8:00pm Group dinner
NOTES
- Individual consultations and manuscript review sessions with Ericka will be scheduled on arrival; advance manuscripts due May 31.
- In Italy, many shops close after lunch for the riposo, or rest period, and re-open in the early afternoon.
- We’ll have opportunities to sample the regional cuisine and wine in local restaurants, and shop throughout the region.
{ Refresh: Lunch: freshly husked peas with Pecorino Sardo, roasted red and yellow bell peppers with anchovy sauce, torta salata and toasted walnuts, local goat cheeses, fig jam… }
About Our Village
Mosso Santa Maria is located in northwestern Italy, in the Piedmont region, in the foothills of the alps.
Stroll in the woods or launch into a serious Alpine trek right from the villa door, and drink pure mountain water from stone fountains along the way. It?s a 40 minute hike to a local agriturismo. The historic town of Biella is a 30-40 minute drive/bus ride.
{ Dinner: bollito misto with salsa verde and mostarda, tortellini in broth, salad, wine. }
About Our Accommodations
For our group, my longtime friend Mikelle and her Italian husband Simone open their beautiful private villa for us to live and work.
(Mikelle is a noted fine-arts photographer and the founder of Associazione Casa Regis.)
Bedroom Choices (Assigned on a first-come reservation basis)
La Principessa (2 twins), opens to a balcony/terrace at each door-window. Shared bathroom across the hall.
La Perla (1 twin), shared bathroom across the hall; upcharge of $350.
Il Botanico (1 double), with private bathroom. Il Botanico has an upcharge of $450 for single occupancy.
Il Giardino (1 double/2 twins), simple room, patio/pine tree view, semi-private bathroom. Il Giardino has an upcharge of $250 for single occupancy.
A couple more details.
- There will be a maximum number of six participants in 2020.
- The villa has no disabled access, and there are many stairs.
- A deposit of $350 books your place on the trip. Deposits are not refundable.
- Balance is due May 1, 2020.
- You may make payments via PayPal, Venmo, or personal check.
Interested? Let’s talk! Schedule a Connection Call…
I?m SO excited to hear from you and answer your questions! xo Ericka
About Ericka Lutz
Ericka is the award-winning author of eight books, including the novel The Edge of Maybe (Last Light Studio Press). Her essays and short stories are widely anthologized. She?s taught writing at UC Berkeley and privately for over 20 years, and has edited and coached writers since 1992. She’s also taught writing in Russia, Hungary, and Peru. She’s passionate about travel, great food, and working with amazing writers. This retreat offers her all three!