Our Dream
We didn't set off to be owners of an Inn. We had our own careers. We had own thoughts of what we wanted for ourselves. We planned our wedding like anyone else.
But for our honeymoon Shawn asked Julie, "if you could 'Dream' where would you like to go?"
She jokingly said "Well Europe of course." So on a mission Shawn set off. He wasn't sure where or what to do, but he did know Venice and Paris are for honeymoons. Two weeks before the wedding Shawn surprised Julie with tickets to Europe. A Week in Italy and a week in Paris.
First Rome, we found home, then Florence, we fell in love, and well Venice was just perfect. We knew we never wanted to forget our honeymoon, so we came back with a plan to build a house, but not a normal house. We loved the way our rooms were in Italy. The statues, the fountains, the buildings, we wanted it all!
Shawn sold his house and business, Julie quit her career, and we set out on a venture to build Villa Di Casa, (our 'Home Villa'). But it wasn't enough. We wanted others to share this dream with us.... But how?
A Boutique Hotel, Italian style. It took us about 6 months of planning before we could even cut the ground, then another year to the week to build it.
Yes we built it ourselves. We did have help with trusses, concrete floor and stucco exterior. But the rest that you see, including electrical and plumbing etc. we actually did the work. Even making the trim from scratch.
Now we want to share our dream with you!
From Your hosts,
Shawn and Julie Ellis
Shawn's 10th Grandfather:
Being involved in ancestry from the age of 14 Shawn learned of this legend, 'Prince' Francois Joseph Savoie. Born about 1621 in France and married in Acadia (Nova Scotia) about 1651 to Catherine Lejuene and died about 1685 in Port Royal Acadia.
The legend goes that he was not a 'Frenchman' but actually the Illegitimate son of an Italian nobleman named Tommaso Francesco Savoie, 1st Prince of Carignano 21 December 1596 – 22 January 1656) was an Italian military commander and the founder of the Carignano branch of the House of Savoy, which reigned as kings of Sardinia from 1831 to 1861, and as kings of Italy from 1861 until the dynasty's deposition in 1946..
While both sides fight to prove if this is right or wrong they both have some evidence to back their claims. To the point that new evidence using DNA might even be helping the claim that he was.
This legend may not be proven true or false.
But we choose to Believe!
The Build and our future dreams...
As you can see we did 90% of the work, normally only having one person working with us. This was the dream to build it ourselves!
This dream is what we want to continue!
Our plans for the future will be Fun and Romantic.
With new fountains, statues, boxwood hedges, formal gardens, swimming pool, and hot tub. We will be working non stop to be adding more and more to this Villa making it a surprise with each visit!
But, Again .... "Rome wasn't built in a day!"
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