ABOUT

From Texas to Tuscany…

The name of Texas is derived from an Indian word - tejas - which means “friendly.”

Dennis and Cheryl Soderquist live in Texas. And, like many people from the Lone Star State, they are adventurous. Their congenial nature allows them to easily make friends as they share new experiences together. In recent years, they have been inspired to travel extensively in Tuscany, Italy - exploring many of its small towns at a leisurely pace. Ultimately, their quest to appreciate the charm of Italy - the beautiful landscape, timeless artwork, fantastic culture and Mediterranean cuisine is best shared with friends.

After years of working together in a variety of projects, including successfully operating a destination restaurant called the Cottonseed Cafe & Deli, they created the opportunity to combine two great ideas:  discovering new areas of interest and sharing them with like-minded travelers. This new adventure became Reflections of Tuscany and they held their first Art & Cooking Retreat in July 2017.

Cheryl is a remarkable woman, an accomplished chef and talented teacher.  While living in Tuscany during the Summer of 2017, she met many local artisans - experts in their craft.  Knowing fellow travelers would also be amazed to see these skills and techniques, she began to make plans for their next Reflections Retreat.

Dennis is a man of many talents as well.  His management background and experience in the construction trade have made their many ventures successful. He likes to make the most of his surroundings - always offering a unique perspective on life.  Also, he likes to play guitar - often accompanying the evening dinners or playing in the local villages.

In January of 2018, they visited the area of Serravalle-Pistoiese to finalize the details for hosting the Artisans & Gardens Retreat.  They made all of the arrangements for accommodations and excursions to nearby villages, restaurants and a (family-owned) winery to compliment the week-long retreat. The Retreat in June was fantastic - complimented with cooler weather before the rising Summer temps.

In the Summer of 2019, Dennis & Cheryl researched more locations in Tuscany - great finds to share with fellow travelers - like the small farming operation north of Pistoia with superbly-fresh pecorino cheese; the vineyards at Corzano e Paterno near Florence; olive groves near Montecatini and; the marvelous 17th century Villa Reale di Marlia. See Gallery 2019 for a glimpse of those travels.

The world seemed to stop spinning in 2020. Fortunately, travel restrictions were lifted in June of 2022 and they hosted a Mediterranean Cooking Holiday in September. The 2023 Medieval Villages tour was fantastic!

Currently, they have September trips scheduled for 2024 - Medieval Villages & Enchanted Chianti… join them in Tuscany for a wonderful travel experience.

Please contact them if you would like to know more… they have great contacts and suggestions to help you make travel arrangements too!!