Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images Giada De Laurentiisis soaking up every last minute of bonding time before her daughter, Jade, heads off to college. The restaurateur spoke with PEOPLE about the college road trip she took with Jade, 17, in March which she documented on social media as the pair traveled from city to city. "Because she's 17, there isn't a ton of time for me," De Laurentiis said. "Sometimes I feel like she's sort of in a living in a hotel at my house, you know, she's in and she's out, and she has such a full life." She continued: "Just to have her all to myself for that week was one of the best gifts, especially as we entered the last year of her living at home and all of the mixed emotions I have behind that. I'm super excited for her to fly and find herself and be who she wants to be, but at the same time, it's incredibly sad. I'm gonna miss her terribly." giadadelaurentiis/Instagram The 54-year-old Foot Network alum shares Jade with her ex-husband, clothing designer Todd Thompson, whom she divorced in 2014. De Laurentiis admits that she's struggling with the idea of empty nesting and the impact it will have on her day-to-day when Jade goes off to college. "As a mom, you spend all 18 years of your life sort of cracking your schedule around her, you know your child and their needs, and all of a sudden it's all going to be gone," she explains. " And I don't know it's really scary. It scares the s--- out of me, to be honest." Giada DeLaurentiis/Instagram TheSuper Italianauthor shared that Jade will be living in New York for the summer as she'll be taking two theater camps to further her love for the art. De Laurentiis previously touted her daughter's musical ability in an interview with PEOPLE last October, where she admitted that she was constantly in "awe" of her Jade's talents. "It's crazy because neither her father or I sing," she said at the time. "Nobody in my family sings. I mean, we all love music, but not like that. Maybe in the shower. I'm always speechless when it comes to Jade and her music, because she's able to write music." Giada DeLaurentiis/Instagram As for her own summer schedule, De Laurentiis plans to spend some time in Europe (namely Italy) before heading to Chicago in August to begin training staff ahead of the opening of her new outpost, Sorellina. "I want you to feel like you've gotten a big, giant hug from me, that all will be okay while we're here, and we're gonna have a blast," she says of her new spot. Sorellina is slated to open in late 2025. Read the original article onPeople
