It started in Italy . . .
“She had first traveled to Italy as a graduate student in architecture. She captured images of Roman ruins and historic Renaissance buildings and absorbed the sensuous landscape of rural Italy. And that’s when it happened—the beginning of her love affair with a foreign country.” ITALY FEVER: 14 Ways to Satisfy Your Love Affair with Italy by Darlene Marwitz

What started for me as a passion for Italy during architecture school next followed in the form of a book, ITALY FEVER: 14 Ways to Satisfy Your Love Affair with Italy. In addition to my love of Italian architecture, the food and countryside of Tuscany and Umbria reminded me of my own experiences in rural Texas, childhood memories where farming and ranching and gardening were an inherited legacy.

Today, the longing and appreciation for all things Italian continues at VILLA TEXAS and “the Lavender Market at Villa Texas,” a Mediterranean lifestyle store in Uptown Fredericksburg, Texas.

Every day I’m reminded that my definition of la dolce vita includes the daily ritual of ‘eating local’ and being surrounded by simple, yet elegant, pleasures in the home and garden. Living a beautiful life is a centuries-old art in Italy and finding ways to bring pieces of Italy home is an ongoing mission for me.

Together with my husband, David, and our yellow Labrador and weekend shop dog, Hanna, we invite you to share the passion, explore the many treasures and activities at VILLA TEXAS and “the Lavender Market at Villa Texas.” Experience a slice of la dolce vita in the beautiful Texas Hill Country!