The Washington State Utility Outage Map (on ArcGIS) provides detailed information on currently participating electric utilities and their outages Electricity is essential to our daily life and is the lifeline for our communities Electricity pumps clean drinking water and operates our wastewater treatment plants; it moves natural gas through pipelines and powers critical facilities such as healthcare food and fuel operations.As the effects of natural and man-made disasters have become more frequent communities must prepare for potential energy disruptions that can significantly impact critical services Moving forward one of our priority areas is energy assurance planning and we will be updating Washington State’s Energy Assurance Plan in the coming year This is just the beginning of a series of projects and announcements that explore the intersection of energy vulnerabilities at critical facilities and disaster mitigation planning We are exploring how our communities can better assess their energy vulnerabilities specifically how to assess their critical facility power outage vulnerabilities and how they can plan and identify power sector mitigation activities Essential to this understanding is knowledge of a few key terms Energy Assurance is a broad term but in general means having the confidence or certainty in the ability to respond to an energy emergency or disruption This confidence or certainty comes from three main categories of activities: preparation and planning Energy Security can mean the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at affordable prices The uninterrupted availability of our energy resources can be threatened by both manmade and natural disasters which is why one element of energy security is focused on physical and cybersecurity is the interrupted availability of energy or the inability to afford energy energy reliability can be thought of as the ability of an energy production system to provide consistent and expected levels of energy under stated conditions for a specified period of time One definition of resilience comes from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) FERC poses that resilience means the ability to withstand and reduce the magnitude and/or duration of a disruptive event and includes the capability to anticipate © 2025 Washington State Department of Commerce The horse has been sold in time for the FEI ownership transfer deadline of 15 January 2016 in order for it to be eligible to compete under a different flag at the Olympics Eremo del Castegno is a 14-year old Italian warmblood by Rohdiamant out of Weltgirl (by Weltmeyer) He is bred in Italy by Guerino Boglioni and was listed as owned by Valentina's equestrian centre Centro Equestre Monferrato Valentina Truppa and Eremo del Castegno made their international Grand Prix debut at the CDI La Mandria in March 2010 They skipped the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky citing that the insurance coverage for the flight to the U.S.A but represented Italy at the 2011 European and 2013 European Championships They contested the 2012 Olympic Games in London where they finished 15th in the Kur to Music finals At  the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Caen Their career highlight was a third place at the 2012 World Cup Finals in 's Hertogenbosch After making a bad fall off a younger horse in June this year Truppa missed out on the European Championships She rode the 2015 Italian Championships but withdrew in the warm-up before the Special This autumn they showed at the CDI-W Stuttgart and CDI-W Salzburg Eremo del Castegno has now been sold to the 70-year old Jorge Ferreira Da Rocha who aims to qualify on the Brazilian team for the 2016 Olympic Games in his home country Rocha's last international competition was in October 2012 at the CDI Sao Paulo where he rode Valentino G to a 64.00% score in the Grand Prix Stalls for Rent at Durondeau Dressage in Peer, Belgium Exceptionally Well Located Equestrian Facility in Wellington, Florida Well-built Equestrian Estate With Multiple Business Opportunities in Sweden Stable Units for Rent at Lotje Schoots' Equestrian Center in Houten (NED) For Rent: Several Apartments and Stable Wing at High-End Equestrian Facility Stable Wing Available at Reiterhof Wensing on Dutch/German border Real Estate: Well-Appointed Country House with Extensive Equestrian Facility in the U.K. Rémi Blot 2023 Washington State Fuel Action Plan describes supply chain hazards OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington Energy Resilience and Emergency Management Office (EREMO) at the Department of Commerce recently published the 2023 State Fuel Action Plan Authorized in Washington State statute and through related Presidential directives and federal law and tactics available to the state for responding to a fuel shortage or disruption The Washington State Fuel Action Plan is meant to be an emergency response plan and is organized by the following actions: EREMO employed the state energy emergency planning committee that includes key state agencies Read the full Washington State Fuel Action Plan (PDF) or view a summary Fact Sheet (PDF) “We have experienced regional fuel supply shortages in Washington state and we used portions of this plan to ensure we are able to meet the needs of our communities,” said Washington Energy Resilience and Emergency Management Office Director Elizabeth King effort and coordination from all who served on the energy emergency planning committee and look forward to continued collaborative work with our partners.” EREMO is the lead state agency in working with a project with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Idaho National Lab (INL) on a Regional Resilience Assessment Program (RRAP) for a statewide last mile fuel supply chain assessment This assessment will provide additional information for EREMO to conduct an update to the Fuel Action Plan and provide local jurisdictions with additional information so they can conduct their own county and Tribal level planning EREMO is actively working with county and Tribal emergency managers who are interested in conducting a voluntary emergency fuel needs assessment which will further inform the state plan The Brazilian buyer of the Olympic horse Eremo del Castegno has accused former owner and International Equestrian Federation (FEI) 5* judge Vincenzo Truppa as representing the gelding as “never lame” at the same time he told the Italian federation the horse was being sold because it was unfit Jorge Ferreira da Rocha made the charges in an open letter addressed to Vincenzo Truppa after he learned of what he described as “shocking facts” surrounding his purchase of Eremo del Castegno at the end of 2015 in hopes of competing at the age of 70 at the 2016 Rio Olympics in his homeland da Rocha released documents and emails that he said supported his position over the sale of the horse that Valentina Truppa competed for Italy at the 2012 London Olympics 2011  and 2013 European Championships and the 2012 and 2013 World Cup Finals Their last CDI competition was at Salzburg sponsored international shows and dressage sport in Brazil and abroad and competed Quixote Lancia in dressage at the Sydney 2000 Olympics said he will not sue Vincenzo Truppa but provided documentation in support of his charges to some media outlets Da Rocha said the mention of his name in the lawsuit in Italy in which the Italian equestrian federation (FISE) stated it provided substantial financial support for Eremo del Castegno from 2012 through 2015 as a prospect for the 2016 Games disclosing his intentions to sell Eremo del Castegno and revealing the motivation for such a decision: Eremo was no longer fit for competitive purposes,” he wrote stating that ‘the horse was never lame and that his word as a five star FEI judge was worth taking,’ while vehemently and strongly objecting to my requests for more detailed investigations (namely MRI) on soundness issues of the horse I felt obliged to believe in the word of a man working inside FEI’s heart “While waiting for the results of the doping tests–and still giving full credit to Truppa’s statements and pleas–the deal was concluded based on acceptable findings in the clinical examination of Eremo I learned that the blood drawn for doping screening at the moment of the clinical examination had been discarded upon Truppa’s requests there was an agreement in this direction with the buyer The blood samples for drug screening were never sent to the laboratory due only to Truppa’s intervention and without our consent or knowledge.” da Rocha said the lawsuit now made it clear why Eremo del Castegno was unsound after the purchase “Truppa did not lie to FISE,” he said in the letter “There were health limitations to performance as he states in his letter to the federation later on these limitations implied in discomfort and my decision was clear and straightforward: Eremo was not going to compete at such high costs stating before court–while being prosecuted for contract violation and financial and moral impairment impinged to your national federation–that participating in the Olympics was the dream of this 70-year-old man.” “motivated by the genuine belief that animal welfare is of paramount importance in our sport and that it will only be accomplished and preserved through the immaculate demeanor of all parties involved Anything or anyone not driven by these principles should never be part of the horse family is the protagonist of a series of misleading acts that profoundly and negatively impacted the above-mentioned community I feel all other FEI members have been likewise affected “But that is a very small part of the dreams I hold dear I dream to see everyone in the sport treat horses and people involved with all the due respect I dream everyone in the sport share the same joy I experience when I walk in my stable every morning to greet my horses and lucky enough to have this experience together And I make sure that he has a whole team working for his rehabilitation respect and appreciation he deserves.” “From my part,” he directly addressed Vincenzo Truppa The suffering and damage caused by your acts are irreparable after having learned about the circumstances of the dealing of Eremo del Castegno it is not understandable that–with our so divergent principles and expectations–we stand as members of the same International Equestrian Federation It is beyond my comprehension that the FEI still has your name in the list of Official International Judges Or that you have horses under your training supervision “As I said in the beginning of this letter Anything or anyone not driven by these principles should never be part of the horse sport industry This is the reason I decided to come public in hope horses’ interests remain a priority warranting long life all equestrian disciplines.” Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker On Friday 8 January Stefano Ghisolfi completed his difficult project at Eremo di San Paolo In doing so he has established the most difficult sport climb in Italy this is the first route the 27-year-old climber from Turin ever bolted; Erebor dates back to last June and Ghisolfi immediately realised that the line he had imagined would be extremely difficult After the first lockdown attempts began in earnest and were documented as usual on Ghisolfi’s social media channels. When the summer heat gripped the country Ghisolfi travelled north to cooler Norway where he claimed the first repeat of the Adam Ondra’s 9b+ Change at Flatanger Crisp conditions accompanied the onset of winter and he finally redpointed the route after having fallen off the last moves about a dozen times Jonathan Siegrist repeated Tre Mou Polacche 5.14d (9a) in Arco Located at the picturesque Eremo di San Paolo crag where Erebor 5.15b is found the route was originally bolted and named by Gabri Moroni Stefano Ghisolfi and Gio Placci made the shared first ascent of the climb The pair worked the moves and unlocked the climb together Rather than focusing on who climbed the route first they took a collaborative approach and together claimed a shared first ascent something that isn’t often seen in the world of hard sport climbing “I’m still feeling pumped!” said Siegrist about Tre Mou Polacche on Instagram “This send was a bit of a consolation prize as the conditions proved to be just too cold for me on my primary objective I got so painfully close but my progress hit a wall once the temps dropped even lower last week That was disappointing to me if I’m honest is that we’ve discovered an absolute love for Arco Exploring this incredible place has brought an excitement and curiosity that I haven’t felt in a while The following month, in July, he repeated two 5.14d’s: BJ Tilden’s The Ritual in Ten Sleep and Crise de Panique in Switzerland. He also sent two 5.14d routes in August: an FA of Walk the Line in Colorado’s The Monastery and a repeat of Tilden’s Pneuma in Ten Sleep. On November 1, he made a rare repeat of L’étrange Ivresse des Lenteurs 5.15a at Céüse. The Adam Ondra first ascent is known for being hard for the grade and having some huge runouts, even by Céüse standards. A post shared by Jonathan Siegrist (@jonathansiegrist) Get the digital edition of Gripped for your chosen platform: Pope Francis on Wednesday advanced the causes for canonization of twelve holy men and women authorizing the publication of decrees recognizing various miracles as well as the martyrdom of an Italian missionary in El Salvador and a group of Cistercian monks in Italy The Congregation for the Causes of the Saints recognized miracles attributed to the intercession of Venerable Father Michael McGivney founder of the Knights of Columbus; and to Venerable Pauline-Marie Jaricot foundress of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and the Living Rosary Association The way is now cleared for the two to be beatified Miracles were also attributed to three Blesseds: Charles de Foucauld The official acceptance of the miracles means that all three can now be canonized The Congregation also determined that Franciscan priest Cosma Spessotto was killed in odium fidei Father Cosma was a missionary in El Salvador who was martyred in 1980 the Congregation recognized the martyrdom of six Cistercian monks who were killed as they tried to safeguard the Eucharist when their abbey was attacked by French soldiers during the Napoleonic wars The decrees on martyrdom will allow the causes of Father Cosma and the Cistercian monks to proceed please find the text of the notification of publication of decrees from Congregation for the Causes of Saints followed by brief biographical notices prepared by Vatican News the Holy Father Francis received in audience His Eminence Cardinal Angelo Becciu prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints the Supreme Pontiff authorized the same Congregation to promulgate the Decrees regarding: attributed to the intercession of Blessed Cesare de Bus Founder of the Congregation of the Fathers of Christian Doctrine (Doctrinari); born on February 3 1544 in Cavaillon (France) and died in Avignon (France) on April 15 attributed to the intercession of Blessed Charles de Foucauld (known as Charles of Jesus) diocesan priest; born in Strasbourg (France) on 15 September 1858 and died in Tamanrasset (Algeria) on 1 December 1916; attributed to the intercession of Blessed Maria Domenica Mantovani Co-founder and first Superior General of the Institute of the Little Sisters of the Holy Family; born on November 12 1862 in Castelletto di Brenzone (Italy) and died there on February 2 attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God Michael McGivney Founder of the Order of the Knights of Columbus; born on August 12 1852 in Waterbury (United States of America) and died in Thomaston (United States of America) on August 14 attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God Pauline Maria Jaricot Founder of the Works of the "Society for the Propagation of the Faith" and the "Living Rosary"; born on July 22 1799 in Lyon (France) and died there on January 9 - the martyrdom of the Servants of God Simeon Cardon and 5 companions professed religious of the Cistercian Congregation of Casamari; killed in Casamari - the martyrdom of the Servant of God Cosma Spessotto (in the world: Sante) a professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor; born in Mansué (Italy) and killed in San Juan Nonualco (El Salvador) Blessed Cesare de Bus was distinguished by works of charity and zeal in preaching and catechizing He founded the “Secular Priests of Christian Doctrine” devoted to preaching Christian doctrine Blessed Charles de Foucauld was an officer in the French army He was ordained to the priesthood in France De Foucauld was assassinated at his hermitage in 1916 Blessed Maria Domenica Mantovani was the co-founder with her spiritual director Fr Giuseppe Nascimbeni dedicated to educating children and young women and assisting the sick and elderly of the community She became the first superior of the order taking the name “Maria Giuseppina of the Immaculata” where you can read more about the life of Ven Michael McGivney and the work of the Knights.  Venerable Pauline-Marie Jaricot was devoted to assisting the work of missionaries encouraging all Catholics to involve themselves in the work of spreading the Gospel She founded the Society for the Propagation of the Faith dedicated to helping missionary efforts worldwide; and the Living Rosary Association whose associates are committed to saying a decade of the Rosary each day In 1835 she was healed of a serious illness after visiting the shrine of Saint Philomena in Italy The Servant of God Simeon Cardon was the prior of the Cistercian abbey in Casamari breaking into the Church and scattering consecrated Hosts on the floor The Servant of God Cosma Spessotto joined the Franciscans in 1940 at the time one of the poorest nations in the Americas He preached peace amidst the violence in the country He was killed in 1980 as he knelt in prayer in his church He is remembered for his love of the poor and his witness to fraternity Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here and has added many places there himself.  famous for being a hotspot for Grand Tour artists during the 18th and 19th-centuries,” he says.  Jan grew up surrounded by the sights that impressed authors such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Stendhal Despite the urbanization that has swallowed up much of the areas surrounding Rome he has remained curious about the cultural and natural heritage of Lazio A high school teacher with degrees in archaeology and environmental sciences, Jan occupies his time out of the classroom hiking, kayaking, trail running, snowshoeing, and cycling to explore the Italian countryside. He often documents these excursions on his blog, Latium Mirabile with the hope of one day publishing an English guide to Lazio.  “I am particularly drawn to sights that exemplify our region’s [ancient] history especially rural Etruscan archaeological sites and medieval Christian hermitages,” he says as these are often extraordinary testimonies of the ascetic lifestyles of holy men who carved rustic dwellings from the limestone cliffs of the Appennine Mountains often in places previously associated with pagan beliefs and numinous connections.” are still important and cherished by local communities and are often sites of religious festivals and processions it’s the solitude and closeness to nature that lures him in: “I am particularly drawn to their quiet isolation and the way they harmoniously blend with the environment surrounding them.” Many of the locations listed below are located along the Sentiero dello Spirito (Path of the Spirit) a nearly 50-mile trail that Jan has tackled.  and other such archaeological traces are still visible,” he adds “This makes them particularly valuable for us to understand what drove these nonconformist renegade monks and individuals to pursue a spiritual lifestyle of deprivation and detachment from the material world of organized religion.” As for why he uses and contributes to the Atlas “I feel that Atlas Obscura is both a resource for my travels and an extraordinary platform for my contributions for a community of adventurers and explorers like me.”  Get credit for your contribution by submitting a complete place entry with photos Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders Italian number one Grand Prix rider Valentina Truppa can sigh in relief as the ride on her horse Eremo del Castegno has been secured until the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro The Italian Equestrian Federation as well as the Italian Olympic Committee have signed a contract to financially support the combination for four years so that the horse will not be sold and lost to Italian dressage Eremo del Castegno is an 11-year old Italian warmblood horse by Rohdiamant x Weltmeyer The bay gelding is owned by the company Gavan SRL which includes Valentina's father Enzo Truppa and some friends Before the 2012 Olympics the horse was on the market even though Truppa made vigorous attempts to find national sponsorship to keep the horse in the country Both FISE and the Italian OC stepped up to the plate in support At the 2012 Games the Italian combination finished 15th in the Kur to Music finals Both federations will now extend their support until 2016 "We have received many other offers for him but we decided not to sell him because FISE and the Italian Olympic Commitee have extended the contract for four more years and meanwhile we also found some sponsors," Enzo Truppa told Eurodressage "They give a financial contribution to reimburse the expenses of the horse The amount depends on expenses incurred based on a program agreed at beginning of the season." Related LinksValentina Truppa Cultivating Horses Like Good Wine, with Time and DedicationValentina Truppa Sweeps the 2011 Italian Dressage Championships Stefano Ghisolfi recently made the first ascent of Excalibur, a long-term project which he graded 5.15c. Read about his hard fought send here. During his projecting phase on Excalibur with Will Bosi, Ghisolfi decided to try a nearby route in Eremo di San Paolo called Gravity Games. “Considering the name of the route, we were under the impression that it would be fun and fitting to see if we could campus it,” said Ghisolfi. Climber Josh Mick jokingly commented, “Mom, the comp kid campusing my projects discovered rock outside the gym, too.” A post shared by Stefano Ghisolfi (@steghiso) The Regional Resiliency Assessment Program (RRAP) is a voluntary cooperative assessment among public and private sector partners of targeted critical infrastructure that identifies a range of security and resilience issues that could have regionally or nationally significant consequences Each RRAP project typically involves a year-long process to collect and analyze data on the critical infrastructure within the designated area followed by continued technical assistance to enhance the infrastructure’s resilience Individual projects can incorporate many different analytic activities and opportunities for valuable information and data exchanges and territorial government officials and private sector organizations across multiple disciplines are essential to the RRAP process and analysis is presented in a Resiliency Assessment documenting project results and findings including key regional resilience gaps and options for addressing these shortfalls and government agencies can use the results to help guide strategic investments in equipment and infrastructure development to enhance the resilience and security of critical infrastructure Due to the sensitive nature of critical infrastructure data we are working with the state’s PCII Officer to align data collection and distribution with the Protected Critical Infrastructure Information Program (PCII) This program provides legal protections from Freedom of Information Act and other public disclosure laws including civil actions More information about this program from the US Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) can be found in the .pdf attachment To further protect market-sensitive data which might fall under anti-trust laws If you have any further questions, please contact our PCII Officer, Alisha King, at CCIP@mil.wa.gov Washington is launching research into the fuel supply chain The Energy Resilience and Emergency Management Office in collaboration with the Idaho National Lab and U.S Department of Homeland Security will be studying the Washington’s fuel supply chain especially “the last mile” of distribution The study will be seeking to better understand how fuel is moved to consumers by truck and rail so that we can more accurately plan for future fuel disruptions and mitigation projects Johanna Hanson, Operations ManagerEnergy Resilience and Emergency Management Office (EREMO)Washington State Department of CommerceEmail: Johanna.Hanson@Commerce.wa.gov Steve Neal, Protective Security Advisor LeadCybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityEmail: Steven.Neal@cisa.dhs.gov The proposed grade of 9b/+ settled down to 9b and even though Schubert had made a mind-boggling repeat after just 4 days of attempts Carnati spend smost of his time studying environmental sciences at the University of Insubria in Como and the fact that he is a "weekend warrior" that he climbs outdoors predominantly on weekends further underlines the talent and all the hard work carried out by Carnati over the years Carnati had started trying the route last November after a few reconnaissance laps the previous year when Ghisolfi completed the first ascent The attempts were made with Luca Bana and Gabriele Moroni two other Italian climbers who have talent in abundance and who are making excellent progress on this "great power endurance testpiece." Carnati thanks CAMP, SCARPA before onsighting Terra Piatta 8b+ at Pizarra and repeating Zero Tolleranza (8b+/8c) later that day Omen Nomen 9a at Padaro ended his sending spree achieved in five days and with one one rest day in between A few weeks ago Schubert made the third ascent of Fugu 9a at Austria’s Schleierwasserfall and it was here that after lockdown he repeated Alexander Huber's famous Weiße Rose 9a one of his best performances to date went by almost unnoticed: a flash ascent at Schleierwasserfall of the classic Lichtjahre This superb route had been freed back in 1992 by Hannes Rieser and after a hold broke Markus Bendler redpointed the line and upgraded it to 8c+ Alex Megos repeated it on his third attempt recently while Schubert relied on the beta given to him by Michael Piccolruaz to complete what he has described as "certainly one of my harder flash ascents to date." Links: FB Jakob Schubert, Instagram Jakob Schubert, La Sportiva, MammutJakob Schubert Bio-logiko 9a After a hold broke the grade settled firmly in at 9a+ Here's the lowdown from the 21-year-old who previosuly sent four 9a BEGINNING by Giovanni PlacciI first started trying Beginning last year; the route is beautiful It was the first time I tried to seriously redpoint a hard route without working the sequences properly and finding the best beta The climb immediately became an obsession and for my entire stay at Arco I basically tried just this one route I discovered the best sequence for crux only right at the end when I was no longer on top form and I stood no real chance of sending it and the route played in the back of my mind for a whole year This season I returned to Arco and as soon as the temperatures dropped a little I jumped back onto the route I knew I was stronger than last year and after only 10 sessions I settled the score Beginning was originally graded 9a/+ but after Stefano Ghisolfi's first ascent a hold broke and speaking with Stefano and Silvio Reffo who is trying it at the moment I am very happy with my current form and the process of sending Beginning has taught me a lot GIOVANNI PLACCI'S PROGRESSION8b Shaolin 20188c Una vita nomada, Covolo 20198c+ Zauber fee, Arco 20199a Biologico, Rovereto 20209a+ Beginning, Arco, 2022Giovanni thanks SCARPA and his trainer Stanislao Zama View this post on Instagram A post shared by Giovanni Placci (@gioplacci.sk) Nothing passes as quickly as time and it seems like only yesterday that Heinz Mariacher told me about the splendidly overhanging climbs at Buoux: "magnificent rock full of pockets!" Heinz was an inspiration who At the time getting information about the few existing crags was by no means easy but they devoted little attention to "those in lycra tights ..." The best source therefore was by word of mouth and maybe you were lucky enough to meet someone who had up-to-date information and was at the forefront of climbing at the time I chanced upon Heinz Mariacher and Roberto Bassi In autumn 1986 I’d planned on discovering Buoux, the futuristic French crag. I wanted to train properly for its famous pockets and, seeing that at Arco at the time we only had slabs to climb on, seeing that the closest limestone pockets were two hours away (Lumignano) and seeing that climbing walls hadn't been invented yet I decided to create my own gym (at home I had a pull-up bar an edge to hang off and a home-made hang board and as such I was already viewed as being groundbreaking) Armed with a new Bosch drill I’d borrowed off Roberto Bassi overhanging rock believed to be unclimbable and started drilling pockets creating sequences that would link to the few natural holds That Bosch drill was the first battery-powered ever The first pitch to be bolted at Arco with this novelty was Resting at Grotta di Toblino in spring 1985 by Fabrizio Defrancesco and Roberto Bassi investing all the prize money he had won at Bardonecchia for being the 1st Italian Until then all the routes had been bolted using a manual drill hammering and toiling away for 10-15 minutes for every bolt I started trying the moves and began to understand the logic of working a route In retrospect it seems as if all this was back in the Middle Ages but in those days the concept of "working a work" wasn’t that clear and codified We used to climb almost exclusively onsight and the most we did was a few laps on a route so completely different from the technical slabs we were used to Although it was created for a specific purpose this climb still required a name and a grade the nickname Hanspeter Eisendle ironically gave me Seeing that this was the hardest thing I’d ever climbed and after comparing it with some of the burley routes in Val San Nicolò It was early September and my holiday in France was still a long way off and so riding the wave of enthusiasm of this new "artificial" experience I moved north from Pilastro delle Vergini to Eremo di San Paolo Once again I chose a smooth and unclimbable wall this time though it was far more overhanging and after a huge effort another training route was made Here the climbing became even more pumpy; I needed more days to get to grips with it but in November I made the first ascent because climbing on an over 50° steep face really was a new game at the time partly because there weren’t many this difficult but mainly because they’d been drilled My aim had been to create a training route but quite rightly my actions were criticised At the time there was great turmoil within the climbing scene ideas were being experimented with because we were pioneers of this new child which had its origins in mountaineering and which would evolve into a sport and has now made it all the way to the Olympics Now that everything is pretty much encoded that we evolved and defined the accepted ethics of sport climbing For their 30th anniversary I rebolted Elephant Baby and then climbed it together with my son Alessandro This was an opportunity to show someone from "indoor climbing wall generation" something about the origins of the sport Gravity Games didn’t need any maintenance because in the ensuing years other routes were added nearby and the old bolts were replaced The grade is no longer the original 8a+ as it has transformed into a 8b/b+ after an "excessive" amount of resin was added by François Legrand Stefano Ghisolfi has made the first ascent of The Bow, a new 5.15a at Padaro in Arco, Ital. It’s a linkup of two existing routes that he first sent in 2017: Fine di un’epoca 5.13+ and Omen Nomen 5.14d. The route name comes from the crux move, which Ghisolfi shared a photo of below; it involves two underclings and a bow downwards in order to traverse. The crux involves 25 powerful moves with no rests. He sent The Bow during extremely hot temperatures and said he’s now going to re-focus on his other project call Project Eremo at Eremo di San Paolo, which promises to be in the hard 5.15 range. A post shared by Stefano Ghisolfi (@steghiso) on Jul 12 Phenomenal Giovanni Placci It was clear the 23-year-old Italian had what it takes to send 9b but after almost a year and a half away from climbing due to injury Especially in a sport like climbing where gravity is equally cruel with everyone On Tuesday 19 November the 23-year-old Italian managed to improve on his personal best - in the space of two months at the end of 2022 he sent the 9a+ Beginning Trofeo dell'Adriatico and Bombardino - and send his first 9b This is the "classic" testpiece at Eremo di San Paolo close to Arco freed by Stefano Ghisolfi in 2021 and repeated by Laura Rogora Placci needed about 10 days of attempts to up the ante Placci described the feeling of sending such a difficult route as "pure magic" Writing to planetmountain.com after his ascent he explained "The injury made me understand a lot of things and this year I managed to improve many of the weaknesses I had I managed to send my first 8C boulder (4-low in Val Bavona) flash my first 8c sport climb (Spanish Caravan at Ramirol in Verdon) and send my first 9b In competitions I achieved my best result in the World Cup and I won both the Italian Cup and Italian Championship I'd like to thank my new coach Riccardo Moroni for the incredible support this year, Crimp Films for the photos and the beautiful moments spent together during this period in Arco, and finally my sponsors: Visit Trentino, Spaghetti Boulder, Rock Experience, Petzl e SCARPA." A post shared by Giovanni Placci (@gioplacci.sk) the grand prix gelding ridden by Italy’s Valentina Truppa Valentina, who suffered a serious fall in June last year which left her side-lined from competition for four months with a serious head injury had recently clocked up good placings at CDI-W Stuttgart (seventh) and CDI-W Salzburg (fourth) She had looked on track for the Rio Olympics with the now 15-year-old gelding, but the sale was announced at the end of last month – in time for the Rio ownership transfer deadline of 15 January Eremo Del Castegno’s new partner will be Jorge Ferreira Da Rocha sponsor and long-term investor in dressage in Brazil who aims to qualify for his home Olympic Games The sale comes amid a flurry of high profile transactions – Denmark’s Anne Van Olst’s recently announced she had sold her grand prix partner Clearwater, while Dutch rider Imke Schellekens-Bartels’ has relinquished the ride on Toots. Both horses are now in Japanese ownership Valentina teamed up with Eremo Del Castegno in 2010 and together the pair have four championship caps for Italy They competed at the 2011 and 2013 FEI European Championships contested London 2012 – where they finished 15th in the grand prix freestyle – and came 20th in the grand prix special at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2014 They also clinched third place at the 2012 World Cup Finals in s’Hertogenbosch The 29-year-old was forced to withdraw from the Italian team for the FEI European Championships in August last year after doctors told she wouldn’t be cleared to ride until September which can happen to anyone who like me has dedicated her life to horses it is most important to stand up again more determined than before.” Stefano Ghisolfi’s garage lockdown training has evidently been extremely effective as in the last few days the Italian has repeated three 8c+ and made short work of his 9a/+ project After redpointing X-Large at nearby Massone he returned to Eremo di San Paolo for St Anger the 8c+/9a located immediately to the right of Zauberfee which he sent after just 5 attempts A bolt needed replacing on St Anger and while doing the necessary maintenance Ghisolfi also added a new bolt to connect the intense start of St Anger with finishing crux section of Zauberfee This superb project withstood a mere three days but too easy to be 9a+" was the 27-year-old’s comment who has now called the linkup Beginning because it marks the start of a new "normality" A post shared by Stefano Ghisolfi (@steghiso) on May 23 Watching Adam Ondra climb is always exciting. Planetmountain.com got the opportunity to see him in action at the start of September when the 27-year-old visited the beautiful Italian Garda Trentino region, and Ondra immediately hopped onto Beginning, the route freed by Stefano Ghisolfi right after the lockdown at Eremo di San Paolo Ghisolfi has suggested 9a/+ for this connection of the cruxes of St Anger and Zauberfee but during his quick first go Ondra discovered an improbable kneebar thanks to which he sent the route second go A pretty tough 9a was Ondra's comment immediately after the send Info: www.adamondra.com, Instagram Adam Ondra, La Sportiva Despite far from ideal conditions, yesterday at the Padaro crag above Arco, Italy, Stefano Ghisolfi completed his spectacular Bow project. The line is a linkup of two existing routes, Fine di un'epoca 8b and Omen Nomen 9a that Ghioslfi himself had established in 2017 The name of the new route derives from the fact that on the crux Ghisolfi had to bow downwards in order to traverse left towards Omen Nomen only the first chapter in Ghisofi’s summer escapades as he can now focus his energies on another line: Project Eremo at Eremo di San Paolo This is the first route Ghisofi has cleaned and bolted all by himself (under the expert eye of Severino Scassa) and the route promises to be very Link: FB Stefano Ghisolfi, IG Stefano Ghisolfi, La Sportiva, Camp, The North Face Jakob Schubert is currently enjoying an absolutely devastating run of form and after having made a clean sweep at the Capella sector in Siurana a few weeks ago with the swift redpoints of King Capella (9b), Furia de Jabali (9a +), La Capella (9a +) and a flash of Jungle Speed ​​(8c+/9a ) the Austrian has now climbed Erebor at Eremo di San Paolo on the outskirts of Arco Established in January 2021 by Stefano Ghisolfi in repeated by Laura Rogora in October and Adam Ondra in November this 9b was repeated by the 31-year-old after only 4 days of attempts 2 of which in less than optimal conditions and after a foothold broke off right at the top View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jakob Schubert (@jakob.schubert) In an area famed for its Barolo and Spumante a different type of wine is paving the way for a new kind of vintage emerging from within the sprawling vineyards of the Asti hills albeit a four-legged one: he is the horse with whom Valentina Truppa celebrated her first big successes as a Young Rider and who kick-started her ascent in senior international dressage Valentina will step into her father’s footprints this summer when she becomes the sole Italian representative for dressage in London but it is on board Eremo del Castegno that she will be potentially bidding for Italy’s first-ever dressage medal as uniforms are not allowed under IOC rules taking bronze at the World Cup Final in s’Hertogenbosch this April Eremo is a horse who has come on so much with age “Eremo had so much power at the start and he was so over-eager that he would lose his balance if I pushed too much,” explains Valentina; “It has taken time to make him really sit and come up instead of rushing” and time is a word that appears with striking frequency in any conversation with the Truppas “Horses are a bit like young gymnasts: you cannot ask for everything right from the start” “We don't do anything that the horse is not truly able to do It’s a huge advantage that my dad is my only owner as this means there is no undue pressure on me to push the horses We don't have any owners demanding their horses should go out at PSG tomorrow and therefore we’re able to do it only when they are truly ready” “Because of his over-eagerness – when he was eight you could almost hear him scream ‘What can I do now “a movement such as piaffe could prove difficult: the risk with over-willing horses is that they can become claustrophobic in piaffe even at the risk of sacrificing some marks It was only last year that Valentina finally asked him to piaffe truly on the spot and now we probably have one of the very best piaffes on the international circuit.” Time is also the reason why young horse classes are not high up on Valentina’s list of priorities: despite some emerging talents on the yard the long-term aim is obviously Grand Prix and no youngster is actively campaigned with young horse championships in mind – although she doesn’t rule out competing in some if and when the horse in question is ready horse-friendly training methods are the only rules in Asti “There are no gadgets at all here,” enthuses Dr Truppa there is not one single pair of draw reins – Valentina would not even know how to put them on George Theodorescu used to say that they are a ‘road to hell’ and we agree with that sentiment There is no place in proper training for shortcuts like that.” Theodorescu was one of the greatest influences on Valentina’s development as a rider and trainer but like blending grapes can produce more versatile wines pieces of wisdom have been happily taken from diverse trainers “We have worked with Monica Theodorescu and her father; Valentina spent several months at Hubertus Schmidt’s yard a few years ago and we try and organise clinics with top trainers – such as Jan Bemelmans Wolfram Wittig – coming over to Asti regularly It’s always extremely useful to exchange ideas and to borrow tips from different trainers Even if it’s only to get confirmation that the way we are working is correct: you truly never stop learning in this sport and you can be the most successful rider on earth This medley of different voices has led to the creation of a clearly successful training system which is very much the Truppas’ own “Each horse is an individual and you can’t just have one single working method for all: it is imperative that you adapt it according to each horse’s particular needs Even something as simple as the warm-up has to be tailored to each horse’s characteristics – for instance spirited horses like Eremo or Teknik (Valentina’s first horse) benefit from starting the warm-up with the canter work first we do use the same basic system for all horses We use leg-yielding as an important training tool both as a means of improving suppleness and relaxation in the horse in order to develop reach in the half-passes to improve bend in the ribcage we often incorporate a small circle or volte after the half-pass so that the horse learns to maintain flexion and bend all the way until the end We also do lots of counter canter and lots of tempo variations within the counter canter We always try and ride the corners in counter canter rather than change immediately even with the really established GP horses It all helps keep them supple and on the aids the flying change almost becomes a reward” an exercise is carried out in a particularly satisfactory manner – even something as relatively simple as a perfect square halt on the centreline – then Valentina will get off on the basis that this is the best possible reward for the horse and Ranieri (a Danish WB by Blue Hors Romanov) can be over-eager at times we like to lunge them in freedom before riding That’s another tip we got from George Theodorescu: he encouraged horses to move as they pleased on the lunge for ten minutes or so so that the rider is then in a better position to ask the horse to concentrate on the work at hand for the next twenty minutes." Valentina demonstrates this with Nilo del Castegno who was hugely successful in young horse classes in Italy) “Nilo can be very cheeky and definitely has a sense of humour,” says Dr Truppa “So much so that the breeder almost didn’t want us to have him But he’s been here since he was three and he’s really settled now” This is undoubtedly helped by the fact that Valentina takes her time with him not only when riding him but also when handling him from the ground “I love being around horses – obviously I love riding spending time with them,” she emphasises as she puts turnout boots on Nilo who is patiently standing in the cross ties “I think a horse like Nilo has improved so much in terms of relaxation and self-confidence partly because of the time I spend with him on the ground I always try to do small stuff like putting bandages on myself so that we can really develop a relationship which can then be advanced under saddle." Valentina’s ample experience with youngsters has come almost out of necessity world-class Grand Prix horses,” she lucidly explains we’ve bought most of our horses as 6-month-old foals They are then broken in at three with horse-friendly by the time they come to the yard after being broken we can crack on with their ridden education I find the ethological approach particularly fascinating – we recently organised a clinic with a Parelli trainer at the end of which I rode Ranieri bareback and Chablis in a headcollar,” she continues the youngsters aren’t ridden every day: I alternate between schooling relaxation.” The Truppas buy a few foals most years; in 2011 they bought a full sister to Eremo a filly called Romea bred by the Castegno stud on Enzo’s request (Weltgirl is not getting any younger and the Truppas long desired a full sibling to Eremo) as well as a Painted Black foal international 5* dressage judge and trainer of numerous Italian Grand Prix riders has been suspended for four months and ordered to pay a fine of 10,000 euro by the FISE Federal Tribunal Truppa filed an appeal against the decision of the Italian Equestrian Federation to suspend him from all his FISE positions as chair of the Italian Judges committee and president of his local riding club for selling his horse Eremo del Castegno in December 2015 an Italian warmblood by Rohdiamant x Weltmeyer was  financially sponsored by FISE by contract until the Rio Games The Italian federation gave 280,000 euro to Truppa from 2012 till 2015 for keeping the horse secured for Italy until the 2016 Olympics Truppa disagreed with FISE's suspension and filed an appeal against it On 23 June 2016 the FISE Federal Tribunal cast its verdict The tribunal was presided by Giuseppe Sigillò Massara assisted by Daniele Piva and Fabio Iudica They ordered Truppa to pay a 10,000 euro fine and suspended him for four months The suspension will start on 1 September 2016 as Truppa is coaching Italy's two Rio short-listed combinations Valentina Truppa and Micol Rustignoli "It's like a joke," Truppa told Eurodressage "The real truth is that this FISE is not interested at all in dressage." Today at Grotta dell'Arenauta close to Sperlonga in Italy Stefano Ghisolfi managed to free L'Arenauta which the 28-year-old believes could warrant 9b The route is an old project bolted over 20 years ago by Giuliano Tarquini straight through the center of the cave via a spectacular line that crosses a 20m horizontal roof The line is split into two distinct sections the first up to a rest is about 8b+ from where with a bouldery move which is always really touch-and-go and also very technical." Ghisolfi attempted the route at the start of January but then had to go return home where he trained specifically for the knee bar rest He sent the line earlier today in perfect conditions and should the grade be confirmed this would be the first 9b in Central Italy After a mere four days of effort Adam Ondra clipped the chains of Erebor, the testpiece at Eremo di San Paolo just outside Arco, Italy, put up by local Stefano Ghisolfi at the start of the year and repeated a month ago by Laura Rogora View this post on Instagram A post shared by Adam Ondra (@adam.ondra) Stefano Ghisolfi is the chosen one The 29-year-old from Turin was the first to "draw" Excalibur on that smooth sheet of limestone above Drena close to Arco which until Friday 3 February had resisted the valiant attempts of some of the best in the world Ghisolfi has suggested 9b+ for this fierce test bolted by Cristian Dorigatti and Morris Fontanari and the climb now stands as one of the hardest in Italy Over the course of several months Ghisolfi Adam Ondra and Will Bosi attempted the route which ushers in a level of power hitherto unseen on the world's hardest climbs; indeed who established one of the hardest routes in Italy in 1987 at the age of just 16 stated quite rightly: until a few years ago crimps this small were barely holdable on vertical slabs While the size of the holds has remained almost the same The last day of the World Dressage Masters in Munich was more than a success In a field of eight world class riders the Italian Valentina Truppa scored a first place on amazing 84.250% aboard her eleven year old Eremo del Castegno and the audience couldn't help but burst into spontaneous applause during their ride a piaffe and passage tour in absolute perfection and with a show-factor that was hard to beat on the score of 84.050% landed number two Isabell Werth with her El Santo To the tunes of David Bowie they showed what real extensions should look like and literary exploded of power to get standing ovations from the crowds that flocked around the arena to see the mighty duo The third place was taken by Austrian star Victoria Max-Theurer and her Augustin OLD Italy's dressage queen performed an absolute top-program and scored the amazing 84.250% so there is still margin for improvement," Truppa told Eurodressage "I never expected the public to clap so much during the actual test – in Stuttgart they clapped once after the line of one-handed one-tempis after my extended canter and after the final piaffe pirouette and counter-pirouette I didn’t find it distracting at all – maybe because the music is so loud anyway so it didn't feel anywhere as intrusive as clapping during a normal test I was a little worried Eremo might get scared and jump out of the arena but he was very very good and did not mind the clapping at all He probably thought it was part of the music and by the end I had a big smile on my face It’s just fantastic to have this kind of response from the public." Truppa received several 10s on her score sheets her first being on Friday in the Grand Prix "It was also especially satisfying to get quite a lot of tens for the piaffe and passage We had been getting increasingly high scores for the piaffe and finally during the Grand Prix on Friday we got our first 10s – quite a handful of them actually including at least one from each judge – so it’s lovely to see that we’re finally getting these marks he probably has the best piaffe in the world right now." Truppa will ride one more show with Eremo at Aachen I know that a lot of riders won’t take their first horses there but I have nothing to lose and everything to gain and Eremo and I still have to try the Special so I think Aachen will be a good test for us With Chablis I will do Fritzens and then Lipica I can get started with my World Cup campaign quite early on I will compete Chablis first in the World Cup tour while Eremo will concentrate on Aachen and then London and then I will finish the World Cup campaign with Eremo." Judge at C Katrina Wüst couldn't praise the three top finishing rides enough you can always compensate that with something else And that is really what we try to look for We are looking at the total expression of the horse and rider the attempts to compensate small mistakes with greater risk-taking and power in other movements And what we saw today was three riders and horses that gave the maximum in everything who compensated small mistakes with the highest power and perfection and that truly performed with happiness and harmony" Austrian Max-Theurer became the most successful dressage rider during the entire event at Pferd International she thanked the organizers for the fantastic show: "It is always an honor to come here This is a wonderful chance for us riders to compete on different levels at an arena that has a perfect setting and a wonderful audience and that is always such a great success!" Text WDM press release edited by EurodressagePhotos © Selene Scarsi Related LinksScores 2012 CDI MunichRichard Davison and Hiscox Artemis win WDM Grand Prix Special at 2012 CDI MunichWerth and El Santo Win WDM Grand Prix at 2012 CDI Munich 18–Valentina Truppa rode her spectacular Eremo del Castegno to victory in the Grand Prix Freestyle Sunday to become the first Italian ever to win a Western European World Cup event The 24-year-old Valentina won the fifth of eight legs in the World Cup Western European League (WEL) The pair won in the Central European League earlier this year now fully recovered from almost a year off with an injury was second on 78.200 per cent and Dorothee Schneider on Diva Royal third on 77.025 per cent Fourth place for Sweden’s Patrik Kittel on Toy Story with 76.375 per cent elevated him to the top of the WEL standings for the World Cup Final to be held in ‘s-Hertgenbosch As a result of the win on the 10-year-old UNIRE gelding (Rhodiamant x Weltgirl x Weltmeyer) Valentina moved into second place in the WEL standings with 53 points one point behind Patrik Kittel and one ahead of Tinne Vilhelmsson-Silfven Valentine won the Young Rider World Cup at this same Festhallen three years in a row “This a lucky place for me to compete,” she laughed after her win Sunday against a strong German contingent that also included Isabell Werth on Don Johnson who had won the Grand Prix on Saturday They came sixth with 74.100 per cent on Sunday “I did not believe when I came here that I could win although I know my horse can be very good and powerful and we had good results in Stuttgart recently.” In addition to seeking a start in the World Cup Final she is also seeking to qualify as an individual in the Olympics with Eremo del Castegna an Italian-bred horse the family bought at age six months “It is the only for us,” she said “to buy young horses and train them to the top I have two other younger horses that we also bought as six month old horses including a five year-old who is Eremo’s brother.” Valentina also explained the uniform she wears in all international competitions–it is that of the .Carabinieri Two dressage riders and one three-day eventer wear the uniform Monica Theodorescu said that despite success with Whisper since his return to competition that has placed them seventh in the WEL rankings she will not pursue competing in the Final After consulting with the German national coaches she decided to focus on qualifying for the Olympics as she has only the one horse and has been restored to the German  national squad “should be the first and principal goal I am really sorry because I love the World Cup but I have to take care of my horse.” Those who follow Stefano Ghisolfi's or Adam Ondra's social media channels know that the two have started trying Excalibur short and steep sheet of limestone with minuscule holds In this latest episode of his Climbing Diaries Ghisolfi discusses details of the route while bolters Cristian Dorigatti and Morris Fontanari explain how they found the line and how it got its name Enzo Truppa has received a fine of €10,000 after he sold a horse to Brazil ahead of this summer’s Olympics Mr Truppa was the former owner of grand prix dressage horse Eremo Del Castegno (pictured which had achieved qualifying results for Rio 2016 with his daughter Valentina But the horse was sold in January to Brazilian millionaire Jorge Ferreira Da Rocha a long-term sponsor and investor in Brazilian dressage who was hoping to ride at his home Games The Italian Equestrian Federation (FISE) who brought the case against Mr Truppa claimed the sale was in breach of contract he has been given a four-month suspension from his FISE roles Mr Truppa told H&H that he plans to appeal the decision The suspension has been postponed until 1 September as Mr Truppa is the current coach of all Italy’s dressage hopefuls for this year’s Games Italy has one dressage place at Rio — Valentina has two horses (Chablis and Ranieri) on the long-list of three combinations The other rider in contention is Micol Rustignoli (Black Coral) H&H reported in 2012 that FISE had renewed a 2010 agreement with Enzo that Italy’s top grand prix horse would be retained for the country until the Rio Games The federation gave Enzo €70,000 per year for securing the horse which Enzo’s daughter Valentina competed for Italy in two European championships and the London Olympics A statement from the FISE said: “The president and the federal council of the FISE express full support for the work of the secretary general in the affair which involved the sale of Eremo Del Castegno and that had to be maintained contractually available to the rider Valentina Truppa through to the Rio Olympics 2016.” Mr Truppa has told H&H that the money was given not only for Eremo and Chablis He said these included training horses and riders up to grand prix level with the purpose of taking part with a team at European and World Championships to qualify for the Olympics “All obligations up to 31 December 2015 were fulfilled including qualification for Rio,” said Mr Truppa The incredibly intense Excalibur close to Arco Just like King Arthur's legendary sword in the stone despite valiant attempts by the "nobles" Stefano Ghisolfi Last December it was tried by another climber with fingers of steel and almost magical powers Italian food is where it all began for Spicers group executive chef Cameron Matthews and his latest venture is a return to those culinary roots.  All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe former head chef at Long Apron Restaurant is opening Eremo the first modern Italian restaurant of the Spicers group at Pokolbin’s Spicers Guesthouse in November. Spicers Retreats purchased Peppers Guest House in 2016 Matthews will also “oversee operations” at Restaurant Botanica located at the nearby Spicers Vineyards Estate Matthews was general manager of Spicers Clovelly Estate at Montville on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and in 2016 was awarded a prestigious Churchill Fellowship for his vision to eliminate food waste in high-end Australian restaurants Matthews spent the first 10 years of his career working at Syd’s Place He worked alongside Patrizia Simone and her mother who he affectionately refers to as “Nonna”.  “Nonna is my barometer when it comes to food,” Matthews said “My restaurant up in Queensland was hatted and won all sorts of awards but my aim is still to be able to cook like Nonna. She used to braise tomatoes in olive oil with a little bit of potato in it and I couldn’t stop eating it out of the pot. How did she get so much flavour out of three simple ingredients I try but my memory of her cooking is still better than anything I have been able to produce “At Eremo I want to have another crack at giving people the kind of thrill I experienced when eating Nonna’s food.” An artist's depiction of Eremo's dining space Picture: SuppliedEverything will be made in-house where possible.  “That’s not lip service either,” Matthews said. “For me Italian food is about finding the best local produce and cooking it simply The many regions in Italy all do things differently when it comes to food. I want to create a region of Italy right here in the Hunter Valley so to speak. I want it to be different than what anybody else is doing out there an understatement. He has been living in the Hunter Valley for six weeks when the Herald calls and it’s his first official day off but he can’t sit still “I’m confident in my ability but I’m nervous about doing things to the best of my ability. I want Eremo to be amazing from the get go – that’s what the venue deserves,” he said. “Nervousness is fresh and constructive and I get excited about it Seriously, I’m bouncing around on the lawn just talking about it. I know some of the chefs down here already and they’re being really supportive What Eremo's private dining area will look like Picture: SuppliedHis wife and three children who are happy and settled in their schools, remain on the Sunshine Coast He admits it has made it easier for him to focus on the task – or tasks – at hand.  It might sound terrible to some but this requires every ounce of energy I’ve got.” Today's top stories curated by our news team Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters Don't miss your weekly Knights update Get the latest property and development news here tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert Your digital replica of Today's Paper Test your skills with interactive crosswords Ramona Depares spends a Sicilian weekend with InCampagna Malta discovering gorgeous organic produce at luxury boutique hotel Eremo della Giubiliana and experiencing the best dishes cooked up in the Ragusa region green fields surround me as far as the eye can see and I’m feeding biscuits to the tamest bunch of hogs (fondly referred too as Maiali Siciliani dei Nebrodi) – and easily the most well-treated bunch too as they frolic in their massive grounds and laze about in their own pool – I’ve ever met Fifteen minutes earlier I was eating freshly churned ricotta straight from a bowl dipping chunks of homemade Ragusan bread in the concoction Ragusan bread is somewhat thicker in consistency than what we are used to The location is the grounds of the Eremo della Giubiliana luxury boutique hotel where a group of us had arrived about one hour earlier straight from the Virtu Ferries in Pozzallo the Eremo della Giubiliana is not quite your usual boutique hotel an unparalleled pool nestled in the centre of a grove of trees with the countryside stretching exquisitely all around and not a hint of grey concrete or high-rises and a personal service that never once faltered Starting with its fascinating connection to the Knights of Malta evidence of which remains strewn around the hotel building itself It was later restored by the Nifosi family and transformed into a hotel that somehow manages to keep its mediaeval identity with its curios artefacts and architecture each conjoined room yielding particularly wonderful finds Antiques and fascinating artifacts are scattered all over the hotel housed in a large hall in the ancient refectory used by the Knights of the Order of St John The hotel is run by a team of professionals all naturals when it comes to that elusive homely and individual touch The team includes a host of wonderfully adorable pets – such as Lilly professional customer relations facilitator and continuous tail-wagger each purring contentedly and walking up to selected (lucky) guests for some back scratching with antique furniture that makes you feel as though you’ve been transported into some other But back to our group and our experience with the hotel hogs there on a familiarisation experience for InCampagna’s first-ever tour to this spectacular area of Sicily which offers the perfect gateway for towns like Ragusa InCampagna exports organic produce to Malta through its online portal and these tours – which focus on an organic food tasting experience – are set to become a regular InCampagna event sustainable agriculture and eco-tourism for discerning holidaymakers And there was no better way to kick it off than at the Eremo della Giubiliana itself which pretty much is the embodiment of a zero-kilometre ethos Most of the food served is grown – or raised – on the hotel grounds in a completely chemical-free and animal-friendly manner Bacon is produced from the aforementioned hogs which I’m happy to report do lead a dignified and serene life rather than being dealt the miserable hand that so many animals that are reared for food end up leading nowadays the goats and all the other farm animals that help produce food for the guests and this does go a long way towards ensuring that we can enjoy the food in a way that doesn’t lead to pangs of conscience These InCampagna tours are set to become a regular event Something that really surprised me during our stay at the Eremo della Giubiliana is how easy it is to follow a mostly-vegetarian diet given the right produce and someone who knows their stuff in the kitchen All manner of vegetables are grown by the hotel evidence of which can be found on the breakfast and dinner table everyday There are the freshly-made sundries tomatoes cherry tomatoes and crispy lettuce in a variety of options.. also using fresh fruits and spices for a wonderfully light finish homemade salamis...  and this is just for breakfast winner of The Sunday Times of Malta/InCampagna competition heart surgeon Alex Manche (first from right) and part of the Maltese contingent at the Bio Gold reserve This was confirmed by one member of our group There wasn’t even any need for him to make specific requests with the kitchen as there is ample choice for those following a specific diet the InCampagna tour pretty much included food tasting at every hour of the day – not that any of us were complaining A foray at Quertzal’s chocolate factory in the heart of Modica kicked off what was to be an exquisite weekend that would totally spoil our tastebuds A fair trade cooperative that offers employment opportunities to those with a disadvantaged background Quertzal is definitely the destination for anyone who genuinely is into chocolate fashioned into chocolate bars sporting myriad flavours As we watched the workers make the chocolate by hand thanks to the fact that the authentic Aztec recipe uses only up of 50 per cent fat (cocoa butter) and 50 per cent dry This turned out to be only the start of an experience that would spoil our tastebuds forever Another highlight of the weekend was definitely the visit to BioGold at the Riserva Naturale del Bosco di Santo Pietro in Caltagirone this family outfit is known for its beekeeping and organic honey production – as pure as can be but also the base ingredient in a number of health and beauty products there is also the organic agriculture side to BioGold – and we were about to taste it right for lunch as dish after dish homecooked by Nicolo’s charming mother buttersquash… it was like stumbling on vegetable heaven if you don’t think veggies sound particularly exciting well that’s because you haven’t yet seen what Nicolo’s mother can make with them Try the pumpkin served with breadcrumbs and vino cotto Or maybe the different lettuce and peppers served with a dressing of homemade olive oil and various other citrusy oils Because we can’t forget the homemade cheeses which turned out to be quite the Sicilian forte This feast was followed by plump peaches and the sweetest melons and proper Sicilian coffee sweetened with It was difficult to imagine me being happy with my usual boring food again some of which actually sulphite-free (goodbye headaches and jaw pain) A visit to the winefarm near Comiso was particularly intriguing as we picked the grapes straight off the vine and enjoyed their sweetness each accompanied by the appropriate cheeses from the area and a superbly interesting donkey salami (so rich) made using Nero D’Avola and really intense taste We left Sicily on Sunday night in mourning – mourning for the genuine produce the decadence of the wines and the chocolate the kindness and charisma of the producers we met… once you’ve tasted the real deal it’s difficult to go back to the mundane A lot of this produce is actually available online via the InCampagna Malta portal (Incampagna.com.mt) the provenance is guaranteed and you’ll know exactly where each tomato hails from please register for free or log in to your account The Hunter Valley is one of Australia’s oldest and most famous wine regions and sets the scene for many boutique country getaways A little over two hours north-west of Sydney But it’s much better when getting there is part of the fun Break the drive up with a stop at a gourmet cafe a decadent lunch and maybe even some day-spa pampering Here are our top tips for turning the drive to the Hunter Valley into a road trip to remember but getting to Wahroonga in the Upper North Shore means you’re through most of the city’s traffic Stop for breakfast and coffee at The Butcher’s Block Its aesthetic still leans heavily on the building’s former incarnation as a butcher shop and choice cuts still anchor the menu (though plenty of vegetarian But you might prefer to ease into the day with something lighter travel spots and more – curated by those who know Set course north on the M1 and turn off at Morisset to stretch your legs at a lakeside nature haven on the shores of Lake Macquarie It’s a huge area (the lake is twice the size of Sydney Harbour) with countless coves to explore A fun 6.6-kilometre track loops along the lake shore from Marmong Point to Bolton Point and offers great water views Spend as much or as little time here as you need before jumping back in the car Waterways give way to wineries as you head inland to the Hunter Valley éRemo restaurant is part of Spicers Guesthouse a classic 1980s country homestead near Pokolbin modelled after rural European elegance Using the talents of local producers is the éRemo remit Head chef Jayden Casinelli scours the Hunter Valley for seasonal ingredients and inspiration A farm-style contemporary Italian a la carte menu is offered daily and the Avido menu (from the Italian word for “greedy”) is a shared set menu available Friday to Sunday and Dutch cream potato gnocchi are all winners The wine list showcases both the best of the Hunter Valley and choice international selections including some Burgundy vintages available by the bottle To get a sense of the scale of the Hunter Valley wine region Mount Bright is perfect for the post-lunch visitor because you can drive there (or you can walk A patchwork of vineyards is laid out below you But why stop at one lookout when you can visit two Bimbadeen Lookout is just south of Mount Bright (access it from Mount View Road) and Pokolbin Mountains Road Lookout is just to the north this whole area is fantastic for mountain views End your big day out sinking into a blissful spa treatment surrounded by native bush at Spicers Vineyards Estate Spa Anise offers a range of signature face and body rituals using oils and body balms from Australian label Waterlily A couple’s treatment includes a full body massage and exfoliation followed by a glass of sparkling wine and a fruit platter outside in the gorgeous garden estate A “vino therapy” skin facial is like the Hunter Valley in treatment form – it works its magic with pressings of shiraz This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Spicers Retreats Be First To See Wes Anderson’s Latest (Star-Studded) Flick at a Private Pre-Screening Catch The Australian Ballet at Sydney Opera House With Broadsheet Access “It’s a Good Thing”: Martha Stewart Announced for Vivid Sydney 2025 Manzo and DeMonaco tied the knot in Italy on October 25, 2023 among their friends and family, People reported while the "Manzo'd With Children" star wore a simple black tux with a white tie The luxe ceremony came complete with a harpist and the aisle was decorated with rows of flowers With Manzo's family in the catering business it's no surprise they know how to throw a wedding and we're sure they pulled out all the stops for this happy occasion gowns can run from as little as $2,000 to a whopping $10,000 In attendance was, of course, the whole immediate Manzo family, including Albie's sister Lauren Manzo, and her daughter Markie. However, Caroline Manzo's sister Dina Cantin wasn't invited, as well as Jacqueline Laurita, Albie revealed on the "All About TRH" podcast Although it's not clear if his best friend and Lauren's estranged husband he was clearly there to celebrate Albie and DeMonaco's second wedding As if an elaborate Italy wedding wasn't enough for Albie Manzo and Chelsea DeMonaco. The lovebirds got hitched again on November 25, 2023, at the Manzo family restaurant The Brownstone, per Bravo "Spent my entire wedding 2.0 night saying hi to everyone by the time I was done with that I was saying bye to everyone Thank you all the wonderful friends and family from near and far who made it out to celebrate us Love you all so much!" DeMonaco wrote on her Instagram Story As reported by Page Six Lauren's estranged husband Vito Scalia made it to the U.S Scalia and Lauren were both seen in separate Instagram Stories and they were both all smiles as they celebrated Albie's (second) big day Although Albie and DeMonaco must have spent a pretty penny on two weddings, they made out well with their wedding presents. Per their registry friends and family gifted the couple with HomeGoods gift cards valued at $250 as well as a $449.99 KitchenAid Stand Mixer Other items on the list included serving ware from Anthropologie and a digital picture frame News of Albie and DeMonaco's honeymoon has yet to break but we're sure it'll be just as lavish as their two weddings.