Please forgive our delay — the photos had to be taken live!
Usually, we publish on the very last day of the month. It’s a rule we care about: keeping the rhythm of the “elephant” — reliable, with a great memory, but admittedly… slow. Still, being late always feels a bit wrong.
But let’s skip the excuses. The end-of-season dinner, all together, was last night (the 31st), and telling the story before it happened — without photos — would’ve been impossible.
Especially because the photos turned out so good ?.
All summer long, Carlo had been telling Viktor the same thing:
“No thanks, I’ll skip the carne salada tonight. I’ll have the real one at the end of the season.”
He’s a purist. Even if the dish might come with garlic — which he can’t stand — our region’s iconic specialty must be eaten where they truly master it. We had it on our menu this summer; it belonged there, of course, as part of the full range for every palate. But we never pretended it could compete with, say, Trattoria Belvedere, a place so traditional that it only opens in winter.
And that’s exactly where we were last night — all together, as hadn’t happened in years.
To celebrate a beautiful season just ended.
We’ve been lucky: in good health, meeting many new guests, and — as always — with the joy of welcoming back familiar faces.
Last night Marco and Manuela were with us. Early this morning he drove back to his beloved Puglia, where he’ll finally have time to embrace his sister, recovering from a bad accident months ago. Work called him back here soon after it happened, and we were so grateful for his skill and grace all season long.
Manuela, instead, left in the night — off on a family trip to celebrate her upcoming 50th birthday.
Then there was Mirand, or Orlando, or Metko, depending on which nickname you prefer. He’s the perfect example of how to learn a foreign language: just dive in, unafraid of mistakes. He talks a lot, shares his passions in great detail… though we rarely understand a word he says ?.
In the kitchen this year he worked alongside Viktor and Badri — sadly absent last night — while Hamza and Simona kept the evening lively with their smiles.
They all worked incredibly well this year, every single one of them. And Simona — young, talented, and finally serene after some tough times in the past — was the perfect closing image for this season.
The “team,” as people like to say, was a real team.
Mirella, in her first season as “boss,” immediately found great chemistry with Vera — indispensable as ever — and all the morning crew working behind the scenes.
With them, besides Marco, there was also Umberto, who confessed last night that he has two sides to his personality (Gemini, after all!). We only got to know one of them — and it was wonderful. Guests loved him, colleagues appreciated him, and yes, he sings ?.
And then there’s Alessio…
We met him last winter. A short, honest interview that left us wondering:
“Could he really be as genuine as he seems, or is there a hidden catch?”
He was polite, attentive, humble.
I’m emotional by nature — I’ve often let first impressions mislead me. But Alessio really is that person. Exemplary.
And let’s just say… two lovely young German ladies almost tried to take him home ?.
Too bad Dragos, our elegant maître d’, couldn’t join us. We also missed Elena from the bar — she and Dragos make such a great pair. Their presence would’ve made the evening even warmer.
We celebrated Betty’s birthday too — she’s a Halloween baby (but no, she doesn’t scare anyone; she’s sweet as candy!).
And finally spent some time with Nikolin and Debora, who often worked alone at the hotel: she in the laundry, he in the garden — both bringing real added value to Brione.
Nikolin seemed especially pleased to find himself seated next to Mariel in her “long legs & mini skirt” version ??.
How did it all end?
The spotlight went to Carmen, retiring at midnight (?), and Sofia with her baby bump. After a flood of questions and an intense guess-the-name contest, she’ll soon be telling her daughter how delicious the Belvedere’s fruit tart is.
A few years ago, Cristina shared the wonderful news that she was expecting. After Manuel came Mailo — and though she couldn’t always be here, she never really left us. This year, finally, she was back, and we couldn’t have been happier.
Now Sofia and her Jack are about to live their own magical moment. There will always be a special place in our hearts for her — and if one day she wants to come back to work, her spot at Brione will be waiting ?.
What a beautiful season it’s been.
Too bad it’s already over.
Until next time!
