Junefinnigan's Weblog

Benvenuti and Welcome to all my Lovely Followers

Here in our little bit of Tuscany, we are once again horrified at the latest news from London and our love and support goes out to all our family, friends and colleagues in that hard-working and glorious city.

The view from here, parched fields and garden.  Foto J Finnigan

Back once again in Tuscany, the first week in June looks and feels a lot like August.  No rain for weeks has resulted in bleached fields and gardens, and masses of dust flying up behind vehicles along the strade bianche (white roads) that are actually gravelly dirt tracks.  However, this was good news for La Mostra di Chianti (Wine Exhibition/Fair) in Montespertoli.  It was the first dry week in years; it is normally rained out!  Some rain is forecast tomorrow, but who really knows?

Mini Rock Festival at Ristorante Quinoa.  La Repubblica

Meanwhile, in our local village of Fiano we enjoy coffee at La Dispensa, and read the papers.  I see that a Mini Rock Festival celebrating the ‘Grande Icons di Rock’ will be staged at the Quinoa Restaurant in Florence.  This is a double whammy for me as the restuarant is Gluten Free too!  The Festival, in the restuarant’s ‘ZAP’ space, will have exhibitions and live music from today through to 7 September. Visit Website

50 years of Sgt Pepper.  La Repubblica

To coincide with this, there was also a big write-up about the 50 year anniversary of the release of Sgt Pepper’s Lonly Hearts Club Band.  The Italians, or at least the journalists, really keep up with what is happening in the music world!  I love it!

Stefano Bartalesi Foto P Finnigan

And, continuing on the same theme, The Rock Chick band had its first rehearsal yesterday and its lead singer, yours truly, got the date wrong and my fabulous lead guitarist and ‘boss,’ Stefano Bartalesi, had to ring me up!  We have a great new line-up this year and I am really pleased to welcome back our original rythmn guitarist from 2011, Riccardo Bagnoli, who has been with the professional circuit for the last six years, so we are very lucky to have him.  We also have  English bassist and good friend Charlie Lucas and a great charismatic drummer, Filippo Colca.  Yesterday, over lunch, I expressed some concern to my man about some of the dubious characters that came last year, you know the pot smoking Glastifarian types?  My man responded “Well that rules out the Band then!”  “Very ha ha.” I groaned.  One person has asked to bring a tent this year; things are hotting up!  Email me at email  if you would like an invite to our Tuscan concert on 24 June.

Fresh fruit and Buffalo Mozzarelli at my desk.  Foto J Finnigan

Oh, what’s that you said, yes I know I have been talking a lot about Rock Music, but you should know that I do also work very hard at my desk during the day, so much so that I even have working breakfasts!

Anyway, may I wish all you lovely people a safe and happy week.  Hopefully with the election out-of-the-way, the UK will become a little calmer.

Salute June x

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