Marlene's Life in Tuscany

Italy after a few years…

2011-02-05T15:05:00.002+01:00

After having lived in Italy for more than two years now, things have improved tremendously in my everyday life. I went to dinner with friends (and fellow expats) on Saturday, and we were discussing the little things that make us happy while living in a foreign land.

First, we understand the majority of what is being said in Italian. Second, we have actual moments where we can carry on complete conversations with Italians and are understood! What most people take for granted, we have worked long and hard to attain.

For example, I no longer have a problem ordering fruit and vegetables or bread and pastries from the local shops. When I want half a loaf of bread, I can say metá. And, when I go to the outdoor mercato or local shop to buy toiletries and supplies, I no longer mix up conditioner with body lotion.

Having Ruby and Ginger with me has been extremely helpful in allowing for ample opportunities to communicate with the locals. The majority of people in Italy love dogs and the elderly Italians especially are quick to stop me for a chat. This morning, I popped in the local panificio to buy some lovely nut and buccelatto rolls (a local Lucchese specialty) and couldn’t leave for at least five minutes because of all the “bellini” (beautiful little ones) and cooing that was going on. And, yes, they are allowed in the bakery with me. Dressed in their pink-striped sweaters I bought in the States, they get more than their fair share of compliments. “Sempre le canine, mai la mamma,” I continue to say (always the dogs, never the mamma).

Even though they get more compliments than I do, they are a constant source of attention. When asked if they are maschile or femminile, or sorelle or fratelli, I can answer that they are feminine and only quasi-sorelle (sort of sisters).

I have settled into my daily routines and am now used to riding my bike to and from work and schlepping up and down three flights of stairs each day – both at work and at home. I can’t imagine shopping for my fruit and vegetables at a large supermarket and am using terms such as supermarket instead of grocery store. That’s because of all the influences of my British friends and colleagues (I almost wrote “whilst” instead of “while” in the first paragraph).

Another very strange thing that has recently happened to me is I am forgetting how to say things in English. I’ve heard lots of people say that in the past and never thought it would happen to me, but it has.

I only speak in Italian to Ruby and Ginger unless I am really mad. It is good practice for me without worrying about saying something the wrong way. My new neighbors know no English so unless I practice the language, I will never be able to speak with them. And, I say, “allora” instead of “so” or “now then” and “basta” instead of “enough.”

So, life continues on here. I know I have not been as communicative lately, but my life just is what it is now. I know that for many people it is still interesting because it is totally a different experience than that of living in the States, but to me it is just what I live. I promise to do better, though.

A dopo…later…

2010-12-05T09:14:00.000+01:00

Learning things the hard way…take 2!

2010-07-28T11:53:00.000+02:00

You would think that living here for almost two years would have helped me get in tune with bureaucracy and the rules of the polizia municipale (municipal police). I rarely drive my car and keep it parked for days on end within legal parking spaces designated for residents of Lucca. If it is a yellow-striped space, it is for “A” resident parking.

Lo and behold, I came to my car during a rather hot day recently only to find a parking ticket on my windshield. As it was in Italian and illegible due to the ink fading from roasting in the hot sun all day, it was impossible for me to determine why I had received it. I took it to work to see if a colleague could help decipher it, but she couldn’t read the faded copy. She suggested we go to the polizia to see if we could see the original, but we weren’t able to get there that day. I thought that maybe there was a restriction on the number of days a car could be parked in any one spot so I moved my car.

The next day, there was another one! Both were for € 23,00 (about $30/each). The second ticket was legible and my colleague said she thought it said that my insurance had expired and something about my windshield. My insurance doesn’t expire until December so I was totally confused. I rode my bike over to take a look to see what they were referring to and noticed an insurance paper in my windshield that had belonged to the previous owner. It expired on May 28. I had no idea that you have to post your insurance information inside the windshield. I found the paper that I had received from my insurance company, made a photocopy and took the original to the polizia to see if they would give me a break – nope! I had to pay for both tickets and found out the hard way about the insurance posting rule. The original is now proudly displayed in my windshield.

I came home late Sunday evening and drove around for about 20 minutes trying to find a parking place. I ended up halfway across the city center before I found a lovely yellow-striped place on the end of a row of filled ones. I parked, locked my car and walked home.

The next day when I arrived home from work, my friend was waiting at my apartment because he had been in the hospital all day and needed a ride home. He had tried calling me and something was wrong with my SIM card so I didn’t receive the messages. We walked to where my car had been parked and there was no car!

I looked around and noticed a sign directly above the spot where there was a sign with a disabled emblem on it. There are no different color parking spaces here and no little disability emblem on the ground to tell you not to park there. Only a very small sign against the wall in the vicinity of the space. Of course at midnight, I was only looking at the space itself and not noticing signs. Another learning experience…sigh…my poor friend had to find another ride home after we had tramped through the crowds of people in the heat to get to where my car should have been. He was in no condition to walk, much less have to return by foot since I didn’t have my car.

I went again to the polizia the next morning to find out where my car was as, of course, there was no notice or phone number on the sign with the disabled emblem. They directed me to the tow yard and after paying € 60,00 to get it out, they also handed me my ticket for € 78,00 for parking in a disabled spot. What a mess – it makes me wonder why I think I need a car. Bikes are so much easier and you can park them anywhere!

Interesting Uses for the Bidet

2010-03-25T19:24:00.002+01:00

The bidet is a foreign concept to many Americans and people living outside of Europe. However, it is widely used and installed in most homes in Italy.

A bidet usually sits directly next to the toilet and is used to clean the nether regions after you use the toilet. It is also used by many for a quick freshening up after a lively romp in the hay or maybe for a more useful or boring reason. I don’t really think I need to be more specific, do I?

However, I have personally seen or heard of some very interesting other uses for it; many of which I have tried.

1. Cleaning one’s feet or soaking them after a hard day of trekking or hiking with tour groups. I have personally used it for this purpose on many occasions. The cool, fresh water feels absolutely wonderful splashing on my toes and massaging my very sore feet after a hard day of walking the many cobblestone streets.

2. Clipping one’s toenails. Yes, it is the perfect location for this nasty job. You can sit on the toilet and prop your foot directly on the bidet. After clipping your nails, you can easily wash the clippings down the drain.

3. Storing extra rolls of toilet tissue. Many people use the bidet to store extra rolls of toilet tissue. After all, it usually is installed directly next to the toilet. How convenient for many since the bathrooms are usually extremely small with no storage space.

4. Keeping flowers fresh. My colleague had her fresh-cut flowers stored in the bidet today at work. She filled it slightly full of water and it was the perfect location to keep them since the sink was off limits due to its frequent use.

5. Holding potted plants. Many people put their plants in the bidet because they don’t have to worry about water leakage from overwatering. And, the water can come directly out of the faucet so you don’t even need a watering can!

6. Throwing up. Okay, this one is a little sick (literally), but who hasn’t sat on the toilet with one problem coming from one end only to have the top half rear its ugly head a moment later? You can relieve both ends at the same time!

7. Taking a sponge bath. It’s a really convenient location to take a quick sponge bath when your caldaia (hot water heater) is on the blink, which often happens in Italy. You can fill it up with pots of hot water much easier than filling a bathtub.

8. Soaking your laundry. Bidets are great for soaking and helping get those tough stains out of your clothing. Generally, in Europe the washing machines are also in the bathroom so you can easily remove them from the bidet and throw them directly into the washing machine.

9. Washing your pets. If you have small pets, this is a marvelous invention. Fill up the bidet, dip in the dog, cat, or gerbil, give them a quick shampoo and rinse, and off they go.

10. Drinking fountain for pets. If your cat or dog loves to drink from the toilet or is always getting in your way at the sink, this is a much more hygienic option.

11. Shaving your legs. If you want to give your legs a quick shave, there is nothing more convenient. You can rinse the blade in the bidet tap and wash all that cruddy hair right down the drain.

12. Bathing the baby. Why bend over the tub or try to find room on the nonexistent counter tops in Italian kitchens? The bidet is great for giving your baby his nightly bath and much easier on the back.

13. Storing cold wine, beer or soda. When you have a party and don’t have a lot of fridge space, fill up your bidet with ice and your guests can grab a cold one when they go to the bathroom to get rid of the last one.

2010 Goals

2010-02-14T11:00:00.004+01:00

Okay, I am posting my 2010 goals and dreams so I will stay on track. My dream coach Serenella says if you share your dreams and aspirations with others, they will encourage you to stay focused on achieving them. Here goes:

1. Have a social life.
2. Meet some great men and go out on fun dates (changed from "Find a boyfriend" at the request of my friend Melanie :-)).
3. Go for the nightly passegiata in Lucca like the rest of the locals.
4. Be more patient when walking my dogs; e.g., try not to say, "hurry up already."
5. Be more patient with deserving colleagues.
6. Continue to focus on my ultimate dream of being an interior designer in Tuscany.
7. Balance my life more with exercise and meditation.
8. Include more stress-free relaxation techniques in my daily life.
9. Continue to eat healthy foods and cut back on stress-related eating of snack foods.
10. Don't chew or pick at fingernails.
11. Faithfully take vitamins and supplements.
12. Become more financially secure.
13. Eliminate or cut back on times spent with negative people/influences in my life.
14. Continue to improve my Italian.
15. Pamper myself more.

Sound achievable? Well, I'm on the right track. So far, I have worked on all these goals - especially the pampering one.

Yesterday, I went with my friend Anne to my favorite spa, Grotta Giusti, for a full day of pampering. We both had the Oriental package.

We began the day by changing into our sumptuous green robes and slippers and going down into the natural grotto. Picture a cavern with warm, humid air and stalactites and stalagmites growing up and down from it. The air was so humid that drips of water fall regularly down from the top onto my head and face.

We began in paradiso (paradise). This area was fairly tepid with only slight humidity. We were encouraged to begin in this area to gradually prepare ourselves for the other rooms. After only a few minutes, we made our way to purgatorio (purgatory). There are lovely reclining chairs all throughout where you can sit or lie down and breathe in the warm, moist air. It is around 91-92 degrees in this area.

After another 10-15 minutes, we proceeded to inferno (hell). Since it is so hot in this area (95-100 degrees with 99% humidity), you can't do much but just sit and relax. It was actually nicer than a steam room because, even though it's cavernous, there is air that circulates more freely than that which is found in an enclosed box. After another 30 minutes or so, we walked down to the Lago di Limbo. It was in the deepest area of the grotto and was crystal clear.

Next on the list was hydromassage. I had never experienced this sort of thing but had heard it was quite amazing. It was. You undress and stand under a very large waterfall-type shower head that comes on with amazingly warm water pouring down on your head. Then, a spa person blasts your body (front and back) with warm water from a fire nozzle gadget. It was heavenly. I asked her if she could do it for another 30 minutes when she was finished and she just laughed - I was serious!

The next amazing experience was a body peel. Again, sans clothing, I lay down on a towel-draped bed and waited to see what would happen. The woman began by draping a very warm towel over me and pushing down on pressure points which caused me to relax. She then removed the towel and began pouring warm oil all over my body and massaging it in. After 30 minutes I began wondering when the "peel" part would start but not really caring. It was heavenly. After about 45 minutes, she started massaging a warm paste of sea salt everywhere and then told me to rinse it off under another amazing warm shower.

Next - lunch next to the hot mineral pool.

After lunch, Anne and I went outside in the freezing cold to get in the pool. You could see the steam rising from it. We didn't realize until later that there is a separate cabana where you can disrobe and actually get into the pool without being exposed to the weather. Too late...we were already out in the cold.

Inside this amazingly warm, natural mineral pool are seating areas that have jets positioned at different locations so you can rotate around the seats and find just the one that hits the spots that need the most attention. The water was perfect and it was a very pleasant hour.

Following the pool, we took off for our last appointment for the day. Mine was a 80-minute Chinese massage with reflexology. By the time we left that day, I was seriously a limp noodle.

Why didn't I think of these goals earlier!?!?

I am so proud of myself…

2009-12-12T14:41:00.004+01:00

I bought a car! For those of you who are expatriates (especially in Italy) you will know just what a huge accomplishment that is. And, I am legally parking inside the walls of Lucca – that’s humongous!!!

I have accomplished in a little over a year what some people take 10 or more years to do. I have my permit to stay in the country. With that, I got my Tessera Sanitaria card which covers my entire medical needs. With the permesso (permit), I also became an official Lucca resident. As a resident, I became eligible to buy a car. And, with the residency permit, I was also able to get a parking permit to park inside the beloved walls of Lucca. Do you have any idea how few people can say that who have lived in Lucca for years?!?! Well, just trust me that there are few if they’re not born and raised Lucchese.

Now, my car isn’t anything to write home about, mind you, but it’s just what I need for driving in Italy. It’s a little ’98 Renault Clio with three doors including hatchback. It’s little and in great shape with approximately 50,000 miles on it. It was recently completely serviced, has excellent tires, and gets me places other than the distances my bicycle, a bus or train can get me. And, for all you worriers, I took it to my mechanic to thoroughly check out before I bought it.

With a car, I will now be able to go to the tartufo bianco (white truffle) festivals and local fairs that are difficult or impossible to get to without a car. And, I can stay out past 8:30 at night which is the time the final buses leave most little communities to return to Lucca. And, I can drive to IKEA and the outlet stores to save tons of money! Life is great!

Today, I took the girls with me to get my parking permit and then went to ArcaPlanet to buy their dog food. When I returned to the city, I had to drive around for about 20 minutes before a parking space became available but it was so much more pleasant to walk a few feet with my large bag of canned dog food rather than lugging it home by hand or winding my way through pedestrians with a full load on my bike.

Okay, so lots of people buy cars. Why am I so proud of myself? Because I sold a Mr. “T” style 18K gold necklace that I rarely wore and had for years which pretty much paid for the car! The car is completely mine with no monthly payments, I have full coverage insurance and parking paid for a year, and also purchased additional insurance similar to AAA which gives me free towing service anywhere in the country of Italy - and covers emergencies in other countries! Now I just get to deal with Italian drivers – yikes!

Learning to live with habits…

2009-11-22T12:31:00.000+01:00

I have now lived in Lucca for almost 15 months! What a year it has been. Things are back to semi-normal now. Summer has come and gone and fall is in the air. The leaves are absolutely beautiful this time of year and there is a crispness in the air that you can almost taste. The sun has been shining brightly and everyone is out and about enjoying the break in the rain. I feel like I’m finally getting a fresh start on my life here.

The fortress walls are filled with strollers, people on bikes and rollerbladers. There’s something invigorating about walking in the brisk air and having leaves fall all around you. The walls are lined on both sides of much of the wall with beautiful trees that are so old that they create a bower over your head. I’ve seen unique leaves that are native to this area that are non-existent in the States (or at least I’m not aware of them). They almost resemble a large acorn with the end cut off.

The leaves are some of the most vivid colors imaginable. They are the same colors that are painted on the homes in Tuscany, so I am sure they have been the inspiration throughout the years for these gorgeous colors. Of course, autumn is my favorite time of year so it makes it extra special for me to be able to finally enjoy an actual change in seasons.

Things seem to be going very smoothly with my paperwork to stay here. My new company is very pleased with my work and has been great at helping me deal with the bureaucracy of getting to stay in the country. The company attorney went with me personally to meet with the head of Immigration and I was told I just need to renew my permesso (permit) to stay here. Hopefully, everything will continue to go smoothly and I can return to the States to visit for fun instead of dealing with the stress of bureaucracy for a while.

I plan to stay in Italy for the holidays this year so I can experience Christmas and New Year’s with the locals. Lucca is already getting prepared for Christmas and the streets are lined with lights and the store windows are filled with decorations.

My health is pretty much back to normal and I am once again eating more things than rice, potatoes and carrots. After a visit to a very well-respected doctor who is the father-in-law of a friend of mine, I was diagnosed with colitis and after a three-week period of drugs and a very bland diet, my problems seem to be gone. Yeah!

Now, I want to focus more on an actual social life. I know I’ve said that before but it seems a lack of work, then working at a new job, and then dealing with being sick for over four months had left me with no time or the desire for one.

The Italians seem to be people who develop and stick to life-long habits. I have habits that haven’t been that healthy such as holing myself up in the house after work. I plan to go for more walks around the walls now that I and the weather are better. I want to run into people I see on a daily basis and stop for chats. I also plan to get up a little earlier so I can stop by a local coffee shop for a cappuccino every morning. And, go out in the crowds for the afternoon passegiata through the streets. After all, how am I supposed to meet more of the locals if I don’t get out and about? They have seen their parents and grandparents do this and now are doing it themselves. It’s so nice to see people with routines that are more sociable.

I’ve resumed weekly conversational Italian lessons with a wonderful group of people, several of whom I already knew and was delighted to see in the class. I also go to a monthly English book club meeting where I’ve met lots of expats and several Lucchese.

I began a Meetup group last year for expats and locals who want to meet new friends. After a slow start, we now have lots of members and have had some very successful turnouts. I have met friends from all over the States, Great Britain and Europe. One of our most recent and favorite outings was to Il Desco. It is a mercato that is held indoors in the college behind San Frediano church. All the vendors are from the province of Lucca and sell the fruits of their long year of labor.

On the first floor you can find wonderful local wines, olive oils that are so green they bite when you taste them, breads, fagioli (beans) and legumes, polenta, formaggi, meats, pepperoncini, jams and many things made from chestnuts. On the top floor are beautiful works of art, including handcrafted items, paintings, sculptures, jewelry, and much more. In the afternoons you can listen to live music played by musicians from all over the world.

On Thanksgiving, I and several of the Meetup members will be attending an official Thanksgiving dinner put on for Americans and people who want to experience the holiday. I hope to meet many new friends there.

Hopefully, my blogs will become more interesting when I have more fun experiences to share. I’ll keep you posted…

Halloween in Lucca...

2009-10-25T12:09:00.003+01:00

Halloween is, without a doubt, my favorite holiday. It is the one day in the year when people can dress up to be anyone or anything they want without repercussions about it later. That said, I still have visions of my friend Steve dressed up in a very bright yellow wig, wearing garish makeup with tons of bright red lipstick and a dress. It wasn’t a pretty sight – sorry Steve…

I would love to go to a Halloween party here, but alas, there are few (if any) to be found. Many of you from the States and other countries are always curious (or automatically assume) that any holiday celebrated in the States is also celebrated everywhere else. Not!

Until very recently, Halloween wasn’t even really a word that was in the Italian’s vocabulary. As more Americans and other foreigners who celebrate Halloween come into the country, more Italians are finding out about it and having their own form of celebration.

In Italy, as in many other Latin countries, people celebrate Day of the Dead on November 1. On Hallow’s Eve (October 31), people take flowers to the cemetery and leave them on the graves and tombs of their loved ones. In ancient times, people believed it was the night when ghosts of the dead roamed the land of the living. In Italy people left bread and water for the ghosts and lit lamps so they could find their way. In America, jack-o-lanterns were invented and originally placed in people’s windows to scare the neighbors and the ghosts.

In the nineteenth century, immigrants took these traditions to America and over time, the holiday transformed into what is now celebrated as Halloween as you know it. Children dress in costume and go to people’s houses to get candy and trick or treat.

In Italy, the children are beginning to dress in costume for school, but they have not yet begun the tradition of going to people’s houses to trick or treat. They do get candy from some of the stores in town and say, “dolce o scherzo” (sweet or joke).

My young students, Sylvia and Valentina, are back taking English lessons again and I am having a great time teaching them all about the American Halloween customs. They are having loads of fun making faces on pumpkins, and learning how children celebrate in America. I am actively trying to find pumpkins to carve for next week’s lesson so they can have their very own jack-o-lanterns. In some of my previous lessons, I taught them about emotions and adjectives. Their compiti (homework) for this week is to draw faces on five paper pumpkins of some of the emotions that they learned; e.g., scary, silly, happy, sad.

On a different note, my beautiful grandson Jacob Allen Smith was born on October 15, weighing in at 7 lb. 2 oz. He is such a little doll. I hope you enjoy seeing his darling photos in the video this week.

Happy Halloween!

Things are better now, thank you very much…

2009-09-18T16:55:00.002+02:00

I was pleasantly surprised at all the wonderful support and encouragement I received after my last ranting and raving blog. I had a terrible month and didn’t feel like being my usual cheery self. Some of you actually thought I was thinking of leaving Lucca! Not a chance…

My life has gotten significantly better in the past few weeks. The weather cooled off to something more tolerable, my medical problems are better and I’m getting back into my old routines (which were good ones). And, I’m staying put so no worries about me packing it in and moving anywhere.

I went to a nutritionist who did a “Vega” test to find out what types of foods I might have an intolerance to. Well, the list sucks! Just a few of things I have had to eliminate from my diet include: all dairy products including cheese; tomatoes, eggs, white flour, white sugar, yeast, peas, and the biggy – alcohol! Okay, I wouldn’t consider myself a big drinker but it’s nice to have an occasional glass of wonderful Italian wine now and then... come on, now, really. How am I supposed to enjoy everything wonderfully Italian like pizza, spaghetti and parmesan cheese!?

I have been a very good girl, however, and have been sticking to my new diet. It hasn’t been easy but I hope after my stomach returns to normal, I can start incorporating things slowly back in to my diet and stop writing and talking about my problems so much.

Lucca has been very active this month. The Lucchese have returned from holiday en masse and it’s time for them to celebrate. In fact, this time of year is considered, “Settembre Lucchese.” All September long, we can enjoy operas performed in local teatros and piazzas, attend plant and flower shows on the fortress walls and celebrate local fairs.

Last weekend we had a medievale faire in the college parking lot where I take the girls for their daily walks. It was great! People were dressed in period costumes and there were crossbow tournaments and very old-fashioned booths where only food items and things that were made in medieval times were sold. A guy was weaving baskets by hand, old metal tools and knives were being honed and sharpened, and food was being prepared solely by cooking over wood fires.

There was even some sort of chicken event (which I missed, thank goodness) that involved hay because the next morning there were feathers and hay strewn everywhere. The girls went crazy when they smelled all the chicken feathers and started trying to roll in them and the hay. Special cleaning crews and trucks came in later to clean up all the mess. One thing I can say for Lucca is they don’t do anything halfway – it’s all or nothing. And, everyone has a great time!

A carnival has been going on for about three weeks across the street from where I work. It has roller coasters and all the usual rides. It’s called Wild Wesser – I think that might mean Wild West, but who knows? The air is filled with the sounds of screaming children and lots of laughter.

Every year on September 13, Lucca has a beautiful candlelit procession, the Luminaria di Santa Croce, from San Frediano to the Duomo to honor Lucca’s most prized holy relic, the Volto Santo statue of Christ that tradition holds was carved by Nicodemus himself. People from all the neighboring cities and throughout the world come to celebrate this special occasion. Many are dressed in costumes and the participants sing, play instruments and proceed down the center of Lucca streets which are lit solely by candlelight and torch, to the cathedral of San Martino. The evening ends with a giant fireworks display.

On a social front, I went to Viareggio with girlfriends from work to celebrate a friends’ birthday. We had a wonderful seafood dinner and then went to a nightclub in Marina di Pietrasanta to dance. It was interesting going to an all-Italian nightclub with a group of gorgeous women. The men literally walk around as if they are in a parade checking out every female in sight. They did a double-take when they saw our group since we had a mixture of blondes, redheads (me) and brunettes. Nightclubs in Italy don’t open until midnight and close at a minimum of 4:00 in the morning. After a night of revelry, followed by breakfast, I finally got back home at 5:30 in the morning. And, I only had one glass of champagne to toast my friend’s birthday. I hate this diet!

Next on the calendar for me is my year anniversary here. I moved to Lucca on September 30, 2008. Wonder what I can do to celebrate…a presto!

Bursting the Bubble

2009-08-23T14:08:00.009+02:00

I know…many of you might not like this blog, but living in Italy isn’t always “la dolce vita” (the sweet life). It isn’t for the faint-hearted or anyone who isn’t willing to work hard and be tough. Unless, of course, you are independently wealthy and live your life in a bubble.

For those of you who know me well, you know that I am a pretty tough cookie and have been able to get through the hardest of times. In the past year, I’ve moved to a foreign country, learned a new language (or at least I’m doing my best), started renting an apartment again, looked for and finally found a job, left my beloved pets in Italy while I went through a bureaucratic nightmare in the States, had a stint in the hospital, and left the warmth of my family and friends back home. I’ve made it through all that but this month, even I feel as if I’ve had my butt kicked.

On a health note, I am getting better although I still have days that aren’t so great. I just finished my first full-time week since March 2008 to try and make up for all the time I missed while I was in the hospital and recovering. It felt good to get back on a regular schedule.

The first horrifying experience I had was a few weeks ago when I had a medical procedure which involves a very long tube with a camera on the end that is inserted into a very private area and pushed and shoved to the end of your intestines. Sound familiar? Well, try it without the benefit of sedatives or medication!

I have to tell you that it was the worst experience I have ever had in my life. I was screaming in pain and hitting and grabbing everything I could to try and get off that table, only to be told to calm down so I wouldn’t scare the people waiting in the hall. It was truly agonizing and very distressing. I kept asking for sedatives in my broken Italian, to no avail. I was in tears and hysterical by the time I left the hospital.

When my boss picked me up to take me home, his little girl was in the car and still hugs and kisses me every time she sees me. It was her first experience seeing an adult in distress and I will restate for the record that I can’t remember having been in that much distress for years.

It has been really hot and humid here. Lucca, being inside those beautiful fortress walls, has very little air that circulates during the hot months. I feel like I’m living in a sauna. Very few stores and homes have air-conditioning and I have three circulating fans going pretty much 24 hours a day. My poor girls just lay around like beached whales all day.

All the tourists are out en masse and it’s very difficult weaving in and out of them to take the girls for their 4-time-per-day walks. That’s right…now that it’s hot, they drink more water which equals more bathroom breaks. They absolutely hate the heat and Ruby stops in her tracks every five seconds because she’s too hot to walk. I am too hot to walk, too, but it’s a necessary evil when you have pets.

I ride my bicycle to and from work. I ride home for lunch and to take the girls out, then get back on the bike to ride back to work. This is during the hottest time of the day, of course. By the time I get inside the office I feel as if I’ve just been through a sweat shower. It was so hot on Friday that my key broke off inside my bike lock when I tried to unlock it.

I thought I had been safe from those pesky mosquitoes that just love the humidity here in Lucca, but about a dozen of them decided to have a party on my back a few days ago. I usually sleep with the Vape thing plugged in but forgot one night. I won’t forget again. I have bites in places where it’s impossible to scratch.

The toughest time I’ve had, though, has been with friends - or those who I thought were my friends here in Italy. My Italian friends have been very concerned about my health. Some of my ex-pat friends who I felt closest to didn’t end up being there when I needed them most and others went out of their way to help me get through this month.

It has been a very enlightening and disheartening experience. Two of my "friends" have completely distanced themselves from me because of jealousies and hurt feelings because I relied on another friend more than them. What is this? Kindergarten? I was and am grateful that my new friend came through for me. Without her help, it would have been an even rougher experience for me than it was. Very strange…I’ve learned a lot about ex-pats during the past few weeks…and, it has made me very grateful to have the truly good and dear family and friends that I do have.

This past month has also made me realize that I have to stay tough to make it here. Nothing goes as smoothly as you think it will and there always seem to be glitches at every turn. As I’ve said before, “It’s a simpler way of living, but it definitely isn’t easy.”

I've spent the past month "nesting" with some lovely new things that were given to me or sold at a great bargain by a friend who had to leave her home in Italy. I have had time to think a lot about what I need to do or change in my life to keep things moving forward. And, I know that I have to keep faith that things will work out. And, if they don't...everything happens for a reason.

This past month has also made me realize how alone I am here. I plan to work on that...I know that will make many of my family members and friends very happy. I've spent the past year trying to find a job and getting settled and now it's time to focus more on my personal life.

I hope I haven't burst too many of your bubbles. I don’t regret for a moment my decision to move here. I love Lucca, the people who live here, my walks on the walls, the wonderful food (although my bland diet doesn't allow me to eat many of these wondrous morsels), the incredible history, the delicious coffee and wine, and so many other things. All of these things get me through the tough times. So for now, I will continue to live “La Dolce Vita.”

Introducing the Locals...

2009-07-24T17:31:00.000+02:00

First, let me tell you that it took me being in the hospital to finish this blog. I’ve been here for three days and decided to take advantage of my boredom by finishing this blog that I began about a month ago.

I have had some stomach issues for the past 18 days and decided that I either had a very long-term flu or that I might need to consider something else was going on since I had no fever, chills, or nausea. I went to the doctor on Tuesday and she sent me directly to the emergency room. They admitted me after running a series of tests and I am still here sitting in my bed with my new best friend – my IV buddy Giorgio. He follows me everywhere. He’s a little on the thin side but tall, just like I like my men.

The health care system is much different here than in the States. First, Italy has a National health care system and there is no fee for my stay here. The hospital is exceptionally clean and the staff are very professional. Of course, the language barrier continues to be interesting.

After leaving the emergency room, I was wheeled into a room with three other women. The nurse turned on the light to position my bed even though everyone was sound asleep. After she left, I looked around for a gown and when I couldn’t find one, I walked to the nurse’s desk and asked for one. She looked at me very strangely and indicated there were none. When I continued to pester her for something to sleep in other than my dress, I was given a paper/fiber robe. When I realized it was much too hot to wear, I slept in my underwear. The next day my friend brought me a nightgown.

My friend, Serenella, informed me that in the past, patients even had to bring in their own toilet paper and silverware. They now have a huge roll of toilet paper in each bathroom which has come in handy since I spent the first few days in the bathroom. There is also soap, but no paper towels to dry your hands. However, did I mention everything is cost-free?

My doctor is very nice and speaks some English. He explained that unlike in the States, they keep the patients here for as long as it takes to diagnose the problem correctly. I have had ultrasounds and many blood tests and have been given many samples to be tested. I don’t know what’s next except that I want to get home.

I share a room with three other women. There are no privacy curtains and no visiting rules, so when the nurse or doctor comes in to speak with a patient, all the visitors are asked to leave. It was a little uncomfortable for me to be in the bed next to a woman who needed her diaper changed…sigh…I began doing my pelvic floor exercises immediately and then as new patients arrived, I realized there is another difference here. They don’t use catheters so diapers are the alternative for patients who can’t get out of bed. Boh!

Visiting hours are all day. Most family members come in and out all day long. Many family members are here from 7:30 in the morning until 9:00 at night. They take a break during the lunch hour as the nursing staff ask them to leave, but other than that they stay right next to their loved ones. It is very comforting and helpful for the patients to have so many friends and family nearby.

I have had a few visitors. I have an Australian friend, Sandy, who has been exceptionally helpful and a godsend. When she found out that the doctor told me to go to the hospital, she immediately came and got me and my dogs and took me directly there. She has had the girls ever since and is spoiling them rotten. They’ll probably forget I even exist. She has brought me everything I need from home and has come to visit me every day at least three times. This morning she called and told me to look outside my window as she was in her car with the girls so I could see that they were okay. It was very cute.

My friend Terry stopped by a few days ago and brought me a word search book. I’ve spent many hours completing them and am almost finished with the book.

My landlady Antonella called this morning because she noticed the apartment had been dark for a few days and asked if I was okay. When I told her I was in the hospital, she said she would be right here. Little did I know that she and her husband were in Garfagnana which is many miles away. When she told her husband Filiberto that I was in the hospital, they dropped everything and came straight here. She said she cautioned Filiberto to slow down as he was speeding the whole way.

All the original patients were discharged yesterday and I had the room all to myself. Today, three new patients were admitted and two have gone to surgery. The third is waiting patiently for her turn. No one is allowed to eat or drink anything but me at the moment. I am own a terribly bland diet that consists of potatoes, rice, carrots and apples. Boring! But, until they rule out what the issue is I’ll live with it. Oh yes, and they provide silverware now, too.

I’ll keep you posted on my progress. In the meantime, here’s my original blog:

I have been in Lucca long enough now to really get to know the locals. It’s very difficult for me to rush anywhere as every time I take the girls out for their walk, I get stopped by at least 4-5 friends for a chat or for them to pet the girls.

Gianfranco is an elderly guy who walks with his sweet little wife who is on crutches. He absolutely loves the girls and calls them “bellini” (beautiful little girls) every time he sees them. They love him as well and wag their tales as he stops to pet them. Gianfranco’s wife is no longer walking with him which saddens me deeply. He is getting thinner every time I see him and I worry about his and her health. He was very proud for me to ask him, “posso fare un fotografia?” (literal translation – is it possible for me to make your photograph?).

Sandra and Cesar own Miraglia Gelateria which is my all-time favorite place to go. I actually have to stop going because it’s so good that I’ve been eating it daily. Not good for the waistline. The girls love them, too, as they always stop whatever they’re doing to pet and love them and give them biscottini (little cookies). It’s the highlight of their day. They both drag me along at a fast pace when they see Sandra and Cesar so they can get/give them some love.

Marco – what can I say about Marco? I met Marco when I first moved to Lucca. He is a partner with my other Italian friend, Luca, and he is a dream. Sorry all you readers…he’s already married to Margherita and is not available. Marco was instrumental in helping me find my wonderful apartment, helping to find my friend Terry her apartment and taking me everywhere I need to go that’s outside of town. He always has a ready smile and baci (kisses) every time I see him.

Margherita and Ilaria are sisters and own the local vintage store. I met Ilaria back in September 2005 when I had the pleasure of touring her lovely home. Both of us didn’t realize we knew each other from that experience until a few months ago. As mentioned previously, Margherita is married to Marco. They had me over to their home for a wonderful Italian meal back in November. Margherita isn’t that fond of dogs and calls the girls, “tarponi” which means little rats. She did stop to pet them one day which took us all by surprise. We made such a big deal of it, though, that she hasn’t done it since.

Ilaria, on the other hand, absolutely loves Ginger. She doesn’t mind Ginger’s constant kisses and encourages them. She likes Ruby, too, but is crazy about Ginger.

The construction guy stops to say “ciao” to me every time he sees me. He is my neighbor and also has a Beagle who is very scared of other dogs and looks sideways at us when we pass. He works very hard doing various construction jobs and I see him carrying huge bags of concrete into and out of his truck morning and night. He always has time for a rather toothless smile. I am sorry to say that I don’t remember his name.

Principessa is a stray dog that lies on the road where I ride my bike every day. I don’t know her real name but she’s such a sweetheart that I named her “Princess.” She never acknowledges me but I always tell her hello as I pass.

My little students Sylvia and Valentina are little sweetie-pies. They are really smart and show up for class with a smile on their faces. They’re on break for the summer but I look forward to seeing them again in the fall.

I hope you enjoy watching the video and finding out more about my new friends.

A dopo…(until later)

Lenny live

2009-07-11T22:21:00.001+02:00

Trust and going back in time...

2009-05-28T07:59:00.004+02:00

I had three amazing “firsts” in my life in the past few weeks which dealt with trust. Well, I guess after the first one, it would be second and third…oh well.

I have met many kind and wonderful people since moving to Lucca and find it difficult to rush when I’m in a hurry because I have so many people stopping me to chat or play with the dogs. I always say ciao to the people I see daily and a few of these include the owners of my favorite gelateria, my neighbor who works really hard all day lugging cement bags to and from his truck; the guy on the corner who sells tourist souvenirs near the Anfiteatro, all the people I see in the shops near my home, and a little old man who walks with his little old wife who is on crutches. Two of my experiences were with the shop owners in the Anfiteatro.

I recently went into Mywalit and found a small shoulder bag that was the exact type and color I had been searching for! I was shopping with a friend and asked the clerk if she would hold it for me until the next day when I could return with the money to purchase it. She told me to just take it with me and bring her the money when I was in her shop again!

Then, I went to another shop, Le Sorrelle, because I kept admiring a tablecloth that was in the window. I brought a pillow and some other items that I wanted to match it with into the shop and the store owner told me to take as many of the tablecloths as I wanted upstairs with me and keep them for a few days to see which one I preferred.

However, the ultimate experience I had with trust was when I walked into an eyeglass shop to look for sunglasses. I was returning from a long walk with my friend and stopped in looking grubby and probably smelling worse. I had never met or even seen anyone in the shop before.

I told the owner that I needed prescription sunglasses but couldn't remember what my prescription was. She immediately sat me down in the chair to conduct an eye exam. I explained that I didn’t have any money with me because I hadn’t planned to stop and she just waved her hand at me and said I didn’t need any.

After the very lengthy exam, she wrote out a prescription for me. I stared at it in disbelief and asked her how much I owed her. She said I didn’t owe her anything. I asked her if I could look at some sunglasses and she took me downstairs and put contact lenses in my eyes so I could actually see what I looked like when trying them on! That had never happened to me before and I always had to rely on the store clerk or my friends to tell me if I looked good or didn’t.

Then, after I found the perfect pair and got the quote for them I asked how long they were open so I could run home and get my money to give them a deposit. She and her son, the gorgeous optometrist, looked at me curiously and he wrote the hours on the back of their business card. I told them I would return immediately with the money and they said, “You don’t need any. They’ll be ready for you on Monday. You can pay us then.”

Now tell me, when would that EVER happen in the States?

It is so nice to get back to basics and have people actually trust you to be an honest person and not rip them off.

Other cool things that happened or will be happening:

I got a wonderful job doing marketing for Mywalit in Lucca. I bought a wallet and some other products from them in September 2005 and have been a frequent customer every time I've returned. Now, I try my best to keep out of the shop. However, since my friend Katinka works there I stop in often. It will be easy to market their products because I am a huge fan.

I went with my friend Terry to Barga and the Garfagnana a few weeks ago and had a wonderful time. When we returned to our car in Barga, we actually ran into an Italian Barney Fife! Seriously! He was this skinny cop with his hands on his gun belt and a hat on his head directing traffic. He had the same attitude and everything! It was hilarious.

Terry and I went to a place that I've wanted to visit for almost three years - Il Giardino dei Tarocchi! It was absolutely beautiful. There were giant sculptures in beautiful leaded glass and ceramic of all the major arcana of the Tarot deck. My favorite was The Empress where the artist, Niki de Saint Phalle, lived for the 19 years it took her to complete the garden.

I had dinner with Katinka and her husband at their lovely home at the tip-top of a mountain overlooking all of Lucca. I saw so many fireflies during dinner that it was just like having Christmas all over again. The little white lights were flickering all around us. Dinner was spectacular, too.

This weekend I will be going with Terry and some other friends to a wine tasting on Friday night in a little mountain community; a cherry festival near Pisa on Saturday (they have festivals for everything in Italy); and a mangia-longa (long eating walk) on Sunday. We literally walk along a designated route and stop all along the way to experience delicious food and beverages. Who ever heard of such a thing?

Oh yes, I have an official local library card and even joined a book club. Life continues to be interesting in Lucca...

Too busy to blog...

2009-05-05T15:33:00.004+02:00

I know that sounds like a lame excuse, but seriously…these are just a few of the things I’ve done in the past few weeks:

met some wonderful new friends (Terry, Anne, Sandy, and Carolyn)
took the train to Viareggio where I met another new friend, Ambra, and went to Torre dei Lago to the Puccini Festival
attended the Santa Zita Flower Show down in the Anfiteatro at least 10 times
went to Firenze for dinner
rode to Pietrasanta with Terry and then walked on the beach with my dogs
made cookies and did the Hokey-Pokey with my two young students
attended two interior design shows in Lucca
went to approximately five job placement offices
attended an English book club meeting
walked almost 10 miles through the wonderful town of Marlia on a villa tour followed by imbibing in vino and eating marvelous food (the imbibing started at 9:30 a.m. after we finished the walk - yikes)
reconnected with a dear friend who I first came to Lucca with back in 2000
got my hair cut in a radical new hairstyle
went to an English-language library followed by a homemade lunch with friends
went apartment hunting with Terry
interviewed for a new job…and whew!

Life is getting crazy in Lucca...

Oh yes, and I also continued to teach English and take Italian lessons. Actually, everything I listed with the exception of the Puccini Festival, I did in the last week! I walked over 30 miles in five days and rode my bike at least another 10. I am proud to say that I am able to wear my skinny jeans again!

On Sunday, I had friends over for wine and appetizers and we got to enjoy the liftoff of a beautiful hot-air balloon from my kitchen window. The event was held in honor of a famous Lucchese, Vincenzo Lunardi, who helped pioneer mongolfiere (hot-air balloon) flights back in the 1700s. Apparently, he flew all over the world but was ignored in his own home town of Lucca. The city is making up for their error now to the glee of residents and visitors alike.

The balloon was huge and had beautiful stripes in vivid, bright colors. When unfurled, it laid across most of the ground in the Anfiteatro. As usual, the locals and tourists ignored the caution tape and little kids had to be asked to move so they wouldn't be hurt during takeoff. To their credit, the takeoff was delayed for about three hours so that the wind would die down to ensure the safety of the pilot and crew. But still, it isn't uncommon for parents to sit at a local cafe and eat and drink while their children are left to run and play in the piazza on their own.

Speaking of safety, it has been very difficult for me to get used to the idea that there are no laws within the city boundaries to protect children and infants from being hurt on bicycles. Parents strap their infants and children into child seats on their bikes and ride all around town. Children aren't required to wear helmets and I can just envision accidents waiting to happen. The children, of course, think they're in heaven flying on the front or back of mamma's bike with the wind blowing through their hair.

It is also very common for people to walk through construction zones as if there is no danger. I've seen people walk under steel beams and cranes and duck under caution tape because they don't want to be inconvenienced in their daily routes. The construction crew stops what they're doing to ensure the pedestrians' safety.

Back to the fun stuff...this week I am going to shop at the local IKEA (pronounced eeh-kay-ah) in Florence, go to a pub quiz with friends in Livorno, go on a private wine tour and tasting in a very old winery in Lucca, go the pane (bread) festival in Altopascio followed by al fresco dining with friends at their farmhouse, and...oh yes, that's just through Sunday.

I'll try to squeeze in time to blog more often but I hope you can understand my dilemma.

Ciao from Lucca!

Spring has sprung in Lucca...

2009-04-08T19:15:00.005+02:00

First, let me say that if you are not on my blog e-mail distribution list, you won’t know that the girls and I were not affected by the tragic earthquake that hit L’Aquila, Italy a few days ago. As of this date, there are over 250 dead and tens of thousands were left homeless. The death toll continues to rise and the aftershocks and weather aren’t helping the situation. No matter which religion (or not) that you believe in, please keep the survivors and family members in your thoughts and prayers. If you would like to assist those in need go to this website: Abruzzo/NIAF Relief fund.

Now for the blog:

If you ever want to kick your brain into high gear, move to a foreign country. Since I’ve moved to Italy, I’ve learned: to be totally immersed in and speak a new language; how to live my everyday life in a totally different manner and lifestyle; how to ride my bicycle through traffic and round-a-bouts without getting hit by crazy Italian drivers, and, things the hard way.

For example, I recently went to the larger market in town, Esselunga. I decided that I would try and fit in like the rest of the shoppers and grab a scanner to keep tally of my purchases. When you use this little gadget, you get a discount off your total bill. I very carefully scanned each item and proudly went to the cash register.

The cashier started ringing up my items and I held up the scanner to let her know I had used it for the first time. She became very irate and yelled on the loudspeaker for someone to assist her on aisle 15. I, being totally confused as usual, waited to see what I could possibly have done wrong.

Well, I guess I did plenty. When a customer uses the scanner, they can only go in one aisle to check out. I had gone in the wrong aisle and the manager not only took my scanner but told the checker to continue checking out my order. I didn’t get credit for using the scanner and got humiliated to boot. I know if I knew the language better, I could have argued the fact, but I decided to live and learn – again the hard way.

I also found out early on that you NEVER, and I mean NEVER, try to return an item after you’ve purchased it. The first week I moved here, I bought a cooking timer so I wouldn’t overcook my pasta. When I used it the first time, I couldn’t get it to work.

I took it back the very next morning to the store where I purchased it and the woman behind the counter began yelling at me. Her husband tried to explain to me how to use it and, thank goodness, a customer who spoke a little English came to my rescue. He informed me that I had to turn the dial all the way around and then back again to the time I wanted in order for it to work. I left the store feeling ashamed and confused about what I did wrong.

Later, my Italian friends informed me that we can’t return things the same way in Italy as we do in America. I remember returning a pair of shoes to Nordstrom that I bought six months earlier and they took them back with no arguments. To this day, the woman behind the counter won't acknowledge me when I go into her store and it's been six months! Needless to say, I rarely go in there anymore.

Last week (as if I hadn’t already learned my lesson), I tried to return an item to a store that I frequent at least once a week. The sales clerk is always very nice and patient with me because I am a regular customer. I had purchased a coffee pot part and it was for a smaller unit than I had. When I tried to exchange it for a larger one, she informed me that they didn’t have the larger size. I asked if I could exchange it for something else and she became the Wicked Witch of the West. She yelled at me for at least a full minute and I just stood there in shock. I told her that it was impossible for me to use the part and asked what I could possibly do with it. She finally conceded and let me exchange it for something else, but I will know next time to purchase the exact things I need.

I’ve also begun doing some new things since returning from America. I am listening to Italian radio stations so I will know the music the next time I go dancing and I’m getting my drinking water from a natural spring fountain in the center of a piazza.

I noticed many Italians filling their bottles up with water all over town but didn’t realize that many of the fountains have fresh water that has very little calcium and minerals like the water that comes from our taps. It’s not every fountain, mind you, but several.

When I arrived home from America, my pet sitter Daniele showed me a huge glass jug that he had left in my kitchen and told me to go to a fountain in San Corcordio to get my water. I rode approximately two miles each way to get it and my friend Vali told me I could get it in a piazza a few blocks away. She informed me that Italy is the one of the few countries that has these wonderful fountains. The water is amazingly fresh and delicious and I don’t ever spend my money buying bottled water anymore.

One thing I’ve yet to learn: how to ride my bicycle while holding my umbrella or cell phone in one hand and steering with the other. I don’t know how the Italians can do that. The first time I tried to ride my bike and talk on my cell phone at the same time, I almost ran into some tourists! I have learned to steer in and out of pedestrians and traffic, though, and have yet to hurt anyone or myself.

On a different note, spring has sprung in Lucca. The weather is beautiful and fresh flowers and trees are in bloom everywhere! Lucca, as a very important historical city, is being overrun by children from neighboring cities who come here on annual field trips during the weeks prior to Easter.

The older, teenage boys are showing off to the girls all around the piazza and streets. They have this macho thing where they try to impress the girls by picking them up and carrying them around in front of their friends. The girls squeal in delight and chase after the boys after they are put back on their feet. It’s really quite cute. During their breaks from the tours, they always have a soccer ball in tow and practice passes and kicks in the Anfiteatro.

My neighbor continues to have her regular late-night visitor – the visits seem to be occurring more frequently since the weather has warmed up a bit. Ever since I took her the brownies a few weeks ago, she comes down to my door offering fresh desserts at least once a week. Last week, she came down with a slice of birthday cake. She just celebrated her 86th birthday! I aspire to be just like her when I get that age…sigh…on the other hand – I aspire to be like her now!

Now for your Lucca tidbits...these were actually taken from the April issue of “Grapevine,” a monthly English language magazine written by fellow Lucchese expatriates. The author was asked to reflect why she missed Lucca during a few months spent in her native country and this was her response…I couldn’t have said it better:

Good coffee. You just can’t beat a hot, freshly made, stand up cappuccino. You don’t get the same atmosphere anywhere else in the world. And Italian coffee is always made with style.

The wall. Where else can you walk a 16th century wall every morning for exercise? The trees, the people, the history. It’s a one off.

Good produce. Italy has some of the best produce around. The tomatoes taste like tomatoes, the onions are full of juice, and the garlic has kick. Somehow the rest of the world hasn’t got it quite right.

Wine and cheese. A bottle of real Italian vino from a nearby vineyard, a round of cheese from the local shop, fresh bread. It makes the mouth water just thinking about it.

Speaking Italian. There’s something satisfying about being able to speak some Italian. The language is musical, alive, and vivacious. And who cares if you get the odd word or two mixed up. The locals are incredibly gracious and understanding.

Cycling. With the rest of the world on some sort of mission to wipe out cyclists, it is so refreshing to be able to hop on the bike and ride. Cars politely give way to you. Life is good on a bike at last.

Festivals. I can’t think of anywhere else in the world that has more festivals – Comics and Games, olive oil festivals, Volto Santo, Summer Music Festival, chocolate festivals. You name it and Lucca has it.

Bumping into people you know. Let’s face it, Lucca is like a village and you always seem to bump into someone you know. It’s old-fashioned and it’s nice.

Music. The place oozes with music. Puccini’s home town for heaven’s sake. Teatro del Giglio has wonderful opera, churches have recitals, choirs seem be singing everywhere. Even the likes of Elton John, Eric Clapton and Massive Attack have gotten into the act.

Wine bars. Everyone has their local, but it’s hard to top some of Lucca’s best hangouts for sitting and sipping among the bottles and snacks.

And, you wonder why I was eager to return to Italy...

Camellia Festival and More...

2009-03-28T19:14:00.004+01:00

Lots of stuff has been happening these past few weeks. I lost my two new English students because their restaurant is opening full-time and, through them, I gained new students. The newest student knows no English so it should be lots of fun. He is an architect here in Lucca and as a world-wide business traveler, decided to learn English because he is sick of having people translate for him.

I also met with a few women that may be able to help me in my field of design. They were referred to me by Italian-American friends. Since most of you know that interior design is my passion and one of the main reasons I moved to Italy, I was thrilled to make these new connections.

I started an online group when I first moved to Lucca to meet fellow expatriates and local folks who want to meet Americans. Through it, I’ve met some really nice friends.

A new friend and group member, Maria, has been visiting from the States and is staying nearby at her friend’s bed and breakfast. Maria and I have been very busy walking all around town and trying small cafes and wine bars. We found a great little deli that has the most amazing Zuppa di Farro (Farro Soup) I have ever eaten. Zuppa di Farro is a local soup that is served at most restaurants in Lucca. What made this one special is their secret ingredient was truffles (the mushroom type – not the chocolate variety).

Last weekend, Maria and I went to the local Antiche Camelie della Lucchesia – the annual camellia festival – in S. Andrea di Compito. It was absolutely breathtaking! There were camellias growing all around the beautiful, quaint hilltop town. It took us at least 3-4 hours to complete the tour, which meandered through the little single-lane streets all over town. In one tented area, there were well over 300 varieties of camellias displayed in single vases.

This weekend, the tops of the fortress walls were closed in several places for the annual Verde Mura. There, local vendors were selling many types of plants, gardening supplies and beautiful items to place in your gardens. Lucca definitely has seasons and the locals take pride in being able to share the fruits of their labor (or in this case, flowers and plants).

I found out something very interesting today. Back in 2005, I came to Lucca with several other women on a tour with my friend and dream coach Serenella Leoni. Serenella has her own travel business – Toscana Mia, and arranges amazing trips to Tuscany.

On our 2005 trip, we were introduced to a woman who let us tour her palazzo (palace). It was really beautiful and we felt honored that she allowed us this privilege. Well…I found out today that the woman was my good friend Ilaria and the palazzo is her home! I met Ilaria after I moved to Lucca and speak with her every day. She is the sister of my other friend Margherita. It just goes to show you what a small world it is – especially in Lucca!

Serenella is also a columnist for the San Francisco Examiner in San Francisco. As a native Tuscan, her column is about all things Italian.

Serenella recently asked me to write an article about the life of dogs in Lucca. I am proud to say that she had my story published this week! It was really fun to be able to share pictures and stories about Ruby and Ginger, my little wiener dogs. They are truly loved here – by me and all the locals. As I explained in the article…I am just the person who holds their leashes.

And, now for your Lucca tidbit (taken from a local booklet on “What to See in Lucca”): “Lucca is one of the few cities in the world to preserve its enclosing walls intact. Out of all of the city’s treasures and characteristic features, the circle of walls is without a doubt one of the most fascinating and evocative elements of Lucca’s millennial history. Three subsequent and progressively wider boundary walls were built through the centuries, starting from the 3^rd/2^nd century BC.”

Yes, you read correctly – that’s BC, not AD!

Lucky in Lucca...

2009-03-12T11:19:00.009+01:00

I know many of you wonder why on earth I chose to live in Lucca over anywhere else in Italy (or the world for that fact). If you want to go back to the first blog I ever wrote, you’ll find out what helped me to decide to come here to work. But, if I didn’t have to work ever again, I would still want to live in Lucca. I will try and add at least one tidbit about Lucca in every blog to help you understand why…

First and foremost, Lucca is beautiful. There is so much to see and do here and even though many people are finding out more and more about it, it is still fairly tourist-free. It is a very sophisticated little city with many amazing designer clothing shops, mouthwatering specialty food shops, coffee bars, and its fair share of churches and towers. And, it is very much Italian. Very few shop owners or staff speak English and if you don’t know Italian, good luck to you. Thank goodness I’ve been learning for quite a while so I get by fairly well.

And, since Lucca is still considered a small city, don’t even think about trying to find a store open before 4:00 p.m. on Mondays or after 1:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. The stores are generally open the remaining days (except for Sundays) from about 9:30 in the morning until 1:00 in the afternoon, then closed from 1:00 to 4:00 or 4:30 for lunch. They reopen at that time and close around 7:00 p.m. during the winter months – until 8:00 when it’s tourist season. The majority of stores are closed on Sundays. That means if I need any food items for Sunday or Monday morning, I’ll need to be at the store no later than 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Don’t even think about being in the store at actual closing time!

Now, some of you are probably wondering why I think this is cool. Now that I’ve lived here a while I’m used to the schedule and have learned to adapt. It’s nice to know that I have to be fairly on a schedule and also nice to know that if I don’t want to be disturbed during the hours when everyone else is at home, I can be alone.

When I go out (which is often), there are several cultural and special events happening in Lucca each month. This month, there is a Camellia flower exhibition; a gardening exhibition; many, many concerts, an Italy Sudoku Championship; and an exhibit celebrating 700 years of the famous local manufacture of terracotta featuring masterpieces by Brunelleschi, Della Robbia, and Desiderio di Settignano.

The Summer Festival in Lucca in July is always a huge hit for people all over the world. A few of this year’s headliners are Anastasia, Lenny Kravitz, Franz Ferdinand, James Taylor, John Fogerty and Burt Bacharach.

Speaking of concerts, one of my pet sitters is a young woman who is also a harpist. She has been playing with many symphonies in the area and was asked by the Portuguese Symphony to fill in for two weeks while their harpist was on maternity leave. She returned on Sunday and her harp is still in my living room where it’s been since I left back in December. She’s been coming to practice a couple of times daily and it’s like having my own private concert. The dogs sit on the sofa next to her and begin grooming each other and promptly fall asleep the second she starts playing.

I made brownies from scratch this week and the Italians loved them! The women are just like American women in that as they were tasting each bite, they were trying to determine what ingredients were in them. I found the perfect gelato – fiordilatte (flower of milk) – to top them with and it was a perfect match.

I didn’t want to risk eating the rest of them all by myself so I took the balance upstairs to my lovely neighbor to share with her rowdy students. She was so pleased that I got lots of kisses and last night she knocked on my door to give me something she made from scratch as a thanks for my generosity. She told me it needed to be put in the refrigerator when it cooled down so I’ve yet to taste it. It faintly smelled of pot roast gravy and I had a friend taste it to make sure it wasn’t. Most of you know I am a vegetarian so that would have been totally gross if I had actually eaten it.

How did I get lucky this week? I started my first private English lessons and they have been a huge success. I will be teaching two students four times a week for an indefinite period. I also posted my ad all over town and expect to get a large response since many business owners are preparing for the tourist season.

And, the long awaited date with Marco finally happened. I met him before I left for the States and he patiently sent me text messages and e-mails asking when I’d be returning home. We’ve had two dates now and he seems like a very nice guy. He is Italian and was raised in the States. He spent every summer in Italy from the time he was 6-months old and moved here permanently about five years ago. So, he’s Italian and speaks perfect English so it’s nice to be able to communicate freely.

Now for the first tidbit: Lucca is the birthplace of composer Giacomo Puccini (La Boheme and Madama Butterfly). There are many statues, restaurants, shops and buildings dedicated to him throughout Lucca and this year they are having the first festival dedicated specifically to Puccini. Concerts and recitals featuring Puccini’s music are being held every day of 2009 in his honor. In fact the “Puccini e la sua Lucca” festival is considered the only permanent festival in the world.

Oh, and girls...the hot colors that are "in" right now are all shades of lavender and a beautiful coral.

I'm Baaaack!

2009-03-06T16:22:00.002+01:00

I finally returned to Lucca on March 1 after being in the States for two and one-half months. It was dreary and rainy when I arrived in Pisa – but hey – I'm back in Italy!

Ruby and Ginger, my beloved Dachshunds, greeted me at the door enthusiastically and with tons of kisses. It was so good to see them again. I missed them every day I was gone and couldn’t wait to see them again. I could hardly recognize the change in their appearance though. Ruby had been a bit on the large side for a Dachshund and she is now thinner than Ginger was before I left. Ginger is positively svelte. They both resemble other Dachshunds in Italy now.

Daniele, one of my pet sitters, was here when I arrived and explained that he had stopped giving them canned food and fed them the same amount each day. With a regular diet and lots of exercise, they were in great shape physically.

On the other hand, it took Ruby five days to get out of her depression. I think she has been worried that I will leave again. She’s now back to her normal bouncy and loving self.

When I was in the States, I decided that since it is so difficult to find food products in Italy that I would bring things back with me. I brought tons of spices and many types of Mexican food products, including cumin, poultry seasoning, pumpkin pie spices, cheddar cheese, flour and corn tortillas, pinto beans, cinnamon, shortening, pecans, peanut butter, chili powder and chilies.

With all these products now on hand, I made a wonderful Mexican dinner for five of my friends this week and they absolutely loved it. One thing that is consistent between Italians and Mexicans is their love for spicy food. I made Sangria, mushroom quesadillas, homemade cheese enchiladas, beans, rice, and fish tacos. They couldn’t get enough of my hot sauce and loved the fish tacos best (thanks Carole for your help with the recipes).

Other than making dinner, I have spent the week cleaning house, doing laundry, running errands and gathering the documentation for my permesso di soggiorno (permit to stay in Italy). I have a friend at the Questura who helped me bypass the incredibly long lines to apply for the permit and I was in and out of the office today within 15 minutes. Now, I don’t have to worry about being in the country illegally.

It feels so good to be home…

What's Happening to Me?

2009-02-06T04:59:00.003+01:00

Bet you're all wondering what the heck has happened to me. Well, I left for California in mid-December to go to the dreaded Italian Consulate in Los Angeles to get my work visa only to be turned away - not once but twice! As I write this blog, I am still in California.

The woman from hell was behind the window at the Consulate office and refused to even acknowledge or look at the paperwork I brought in as she said it was all wrong without giving any indication of why. I was in shock, to say the least, and wondered how on earth I could figure out what I needed. I had gone to the website that the Consulate had sent me via e-mail for guidance and picked what I thought was the type of visa I needed. She informed me that the type I collected all the information for was for corporations -- not individuals. She referred me to a web address and refused to assist me further. I walked out of the office in tears as my flight home was scheduled for December 31 and I didn't know if I'd be on the plane after all.

After looking at the site that she referred me to, writing the Consulate several times (with no response) and calling and leaving several messages for someone to assist me (with no response), I tried to figure out what I needed on my own. I was able to get a few documents from Italy (via fax) and was hopeful that my next appointment would be more fruitful.

When I returned (on my birthday of all days), you guessed it -- the same witch was at the window and took pride in letting me know I had it all wrong again! I told her that I had tried calling the Consulate office, writing them, and looking at the web site she recommended and thought I had it right. She just shook her head and pushed everything back at me again and said they weren't there to help me.

I was really furious and pushed it back at her and told her I wanted her to look at it and help me because I had a job waiting for me in Italy, two dogs who were with pet sitters and an apartment that I needed to get home to. She started yelling at me and said they couldn't accept faxed documents as they could be forged and shoved everything back at me again.

I told her that my entire trip had been a nightmare and that I had been so stressed that I hadn't been able to enjoy the holidays and my time with my family and friends and she just laughed at me! I told her I didn't think it was funny in the least and she just said she didn't mean it as "ha ha" funny. I asked her what possible other way she could mean it and she just changed the subject.

I insisted she let me know if any of the documents I had were accurate and she flipped through them and told me I had a few correct but most of them were not right for some minor reason. I told her I had used the forms from the website that she recommended to me and she just made more excuses. I left again in tears and knew at that point that I wouldn't be coming home as scheduled.

When I got back to my son's house, I tried to change my flight and found out it wasn't possible. Therefore, I not only didn't get to go home, I have to buy a whole new ticket when I finally get everything resolved.

In any event, after gathering the paperwork I could from here and my company working very hard to figure out all the documents I need from Italy, I think they'll finally be mailing everything to me by the end of this week (fingers crossed!!!). IF I get everything and it's correct, I will make yet another appointment with the Consulate, turn everything into them and hope that it will be accepted and I can be on my way home.

I'll put more videos and fun stuff up when I return to Italy. I've been so stressed and disheartened by this whole bureaucratic nightmare that I haven't had the heart to write about it or keep my blog updated.

On a positive note, my son and his wife have gladly opened their home to me for my time here. I couldn't have done it without their love and support. I've also had a lot more time to spend with my friends and am working on my next teaching certificate so I'll be ready to get back to work when I get home. My Italian friends both here and in Italy have been invaluable in their assistance and support and have kept me sane. I also have two wonderful pet sitters who are taking turns staying with the girls in my absence. One day I will laugh as I remember this nightmare, but until that day...

Hope my next blog will be full of joy and good news about being back home.

Christmas in Italy

2008-12-14T09:22:00.004+01:00

A little over a month ago I began noticing quite a bit of activity in the piazza below my kitchen and office windows. Men were pouring a concrete pad and I found out it was to support a huge Christmas tree that was being delivered very soon. Everyone was talking about how exciting it was going to be because the tree ornaments were made of hand-blown glass from Murano, Italy.

Murano is a little island near Venice where many beautiful glass products are made. I visited Murano in 2000 and found out the glass used to be blown in Venice, however, after a huge fire that destroyed most of Venice, all glass production was removed to Murano.

I decided that I wanted to capture the development of the tree by taking photographs of each stage/day so I could share it with my blog readers. I positioned my camera out the office window and took the first shot.

A few weeks after the pad was poured, electricians begin to add wire all around the amphitheater and in long covered tunnels which led directly to the tree. My excitement grew as I envisioned a lovely traditional Christmas tree with beautiful glass ornaments. I kept wondering how they were going to prevent people from removing the ornaments and how long it would take to decorate it.

I heard a lot of cranes and large trucks drive in to the piazza one morning and saw some huge metal cylindrical objects in tow. In addition, there were many very large boxes with colorful tubes in them. I couldn't imagine what was happening.

The cranes began to remove the cylindrical pieces from the truck and men below positioned them into place. After the first piece was secure, the men had to ride in a hydraulic lift to position the top two pieces. The first night, they hooked up the electrical and all I could see when they turned on the light was a bright, very tall metal protrusion coming from the ground. It is about 100 feet high!

The next day they began adding the ornaments which ended up being various colored glass tubes. First they added the little curlicue pieces to the top (via the hydraulic lift) and then started adding different lengths of the glass to the different sections (smaller at the top and gradually getting larger at the bottom). When they completed it the following day, I wasn't sure if I liked it or hated it.

I went down to walk the dogs and saw the men who had been working on it all looking at it with complete satisfaction and awe. I stood there for a few minutes and said "bello" (beautiful) for a lack of a better word. One of the men pointed out a man who was supposed to be the artist. They explained to me that the tree had been in Piazza San Marco the previous Christmas and Lucca was special enough to be able to have it this year. That made it more intriguing to me.

I told the artist that I had been taking photographs of it and would be happy to send him copies if he gave me his e-mail address. He promptly handed me his card and a special invitation to a Spectaccolo that was to take place on December 6 during the official lighting of the tree. There were to be acrobats, fire-breathing and sword-swallowing performers and all kinds of other wondrous things. I was thrilled and asked him to sign the invitation for me since he was such an important person.

A few months ago, I began a Meetup group in Lucca so I could meet fellow expatriates and friends who might be interested in joining English-speaking friends for social events. I added the Spectaccolo to the calendar and on December 6 we waited patiently for the big event.

It had been raining all morning and apparently, the circus performers and other activities had been cancelled. The rain had stopped mid-day but by that time, it was too late to ask them to return so we heard a very short speech (in Italian) followed by the official turning on of the light switch. No hooplah - nothing, nada, niente!

I saw the "artist" standing next to the tree and went over to say hello to him. He introduced me to his son, Simone Cenedese, who was actually the real artist. It's so fun trying to comprehend things when you aren't fluent in the language...

I gave a CD of the photos to a representative of the artist a few days ago, and they were so pleased that they gave me several complimentary gifts in return - one of which was a beautiful necklace made of Murano glass.

Now, for a few other details and such. I saw and experienced a wide range of things/events this past couple of weeks.

First and most important - I got a job as a Business English teacher! I completed my TEFL certificate and it paid off! I met a wonderful American woman who hired me and have five students. After my first very intimidating day, I relaxed and now I thoroughly enjoy it. I have many other private students who want me to teach them beginning in January.

I will be returning to America this week to get my work visa stamped by the Italian Consulate and preparing for that has been a huge drag. I have been working non-stop on completing my certificate, preparing lesson plans, gathering documents and finding pet sitters that I haven't had time to breathe. I think it's all coming together though and hope everything works out well in America with the Consulate.

I saw two movies this week - one on television and one at the cinema. I am very proud to say that I understood the majority of what was being said - thanks, Ada, for being such a wonderful Italian tutor!

After a hectic few weeks of paperwork and craziness, I was delighted last night when a friend asked me to go to Pisa with her to see a movie. Pisa was so beautiful with Christmas lights everywhere. I didn't realize the Arno River flowed through the city and was frightened and amazed at how fast it was flowing due to all the storms we've been having. I had a terrible experience in a river (rafting) one year and it brought back bad memories.

We had a wonderful pizza and glass of prosecco each before watching the movie and it was great to take a break. Now, I can look forward to spending the holidays with friends and family in America.

Happy holidays!

Thanksgiving in Lucca

2008-12-01T15:36:00.005+01:00

Happy belated Thanksgiving! Thanks to everyone who has been concerned about me missing this American holiday, however, a day of giving thanks is becoming very popular in Tuscany, too. In fact, my friend Margherita asked me how to cook a tacchino a few weeks back. I thought she said “taquito” and I asked her how on earth she knew what a taquito was. She laughed for the longest time before she corrected me and said “tacchino” which is Italian for turkey.

She told me she wanted to make a traditional holiday meal like we have in America. Surprised, I said, “you mean Thanksgiving?” She nodded and explained that in Italy they call it Ringraziamento which my friend Serenella translated to a day of giving thanks - La Festa del Ringraziamento or Il Giorno del Ringraziamento. Italians love to celebrate holidays and especially love to cook so it gives them one additional day in the year to have a reason to do both. And, of course, they have many reasons to be thankful as we all do for our health and loving friends and families.

So, for all those who are interested in what I did for the holiday – let me remind you that I can’t stand poultry so I didn’t really miss the traditional Thanksgiving fare at all. Of course I missed my family and friends, but I was lucky enough to be invited by the owners of my apartment to the most wonderful traditional Italian meal I have ever experienced. Filiberto and Antonella are two of the nicest people I have met since I arrived in Lucca. Antonella is not only nice but one of the most beautiful, sweet, intelligent and hard-working women I have met anywhere. And, she’s a fabulous cook!

Filiberto and Antonella own a working farm in Garfagnana which is north of Lucca. They have been going every weekend to harvest the olives before the bad weather set in. In addition to olives, they grow pretty much every type of fruit or vegetable that is native to this area. Antonella told me that everything we ate for dinner came from their farm except for the carrots.

I experienced this bit of artistry on Thanksgiving Eve. Yes, in Italy, people don’t just cook…they put their heart and soul into their food and it is difficult to describe to someone who hasn’t experienced it just how wonderful it was.

Prior to the meal, Filiberto showed me around their lovely home which is filled with antiques. As antique dealers and collectors, there house is completely filled with things that would make your jaw drop. Their main collection was of little, tiny Carrara marble dishes that were used for holy water in old churches. They also have a collection of the little boxes that you drop coins into after lighting a candle. Carrara's marble quarries are where Michelangelo got his marble to make all his beautiful works of art.

They have some amazing furniture, lots of original large clay pots, and a concrete slab above one of their fireplaces that has a date chiseled into it that is well before A.D. They also had lots of beautiful large Carrara marble angels that used to adorn the interiors and exteriors of churches. They have an original Roman Carrara marble tub sitting in the room next to their kitchen and a huge old concrete slab-type sink in the kitchen. I’m not sure if it was originally in a villa or if it was one of those sinks where the women used to wash their clothes in but it was so beautiful. They explained that they had been collecting these items for well over 30 years.

So back to dinner… It was a traditional Italian dinner in that there were several courses. The table was beautifully set and a very nice warm fire was blazing in the fireplace. Antonella had insisted I bring my dogs so they curled up in a comfortable chair next to the fireplace and promptly went to sleep.

The wine was excellent and Filiberto explained to me that they trade a nearby farmer potatoes for his wine. I was there to help them celebrate the completion of their olive harvest and to experience their very fresh olive oil. I can’t even begin to tell you how yummy it was. I’ve never had such “green” olive oil before in my life!

We started with a local zuppa (soup) called Frantoiana. It had bread, spinach, potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, several herbs and I’m sure many other things. We, of course, had to pour their fresh-pressed olive oil on top before we ate it – yummy!

We then had a dish with two kinds of calamari in a tomato-based sauce served side-by-side with amazing polenta. Once again, Antonella used the corn from her garden to make the polenta and had ground it by hand. She said it only took her about 40 minutes and waved her hand in the air like it was nothing when I look shocked that she would go to so much trouble.

We then had some very large scampi (heads on) with a delicious dressing of olive oil, orange juice and lemon juice drizzled over the top. The flavors in the dressing were perfect.

This was followed by something totally new to me – crudo carciofi or raw artichokes. Antonella had already trimmed all the leaves off and had them sitting in one of her old large clay pots. They were the small type with purple-leaves. She offered me one and I said it would probably take too long to cook. She just smiled, handed me one and told me they eat it raw. She poured some olive oil on a plate and had me peel off the leaves and eat it the same way we do cooked ones. They were delicious and not at all tough or hard like the ones in America.

Following that, we had some of the most amazing mussels I’ve ever eaten. I believe it had to be my favorite dish of the evening. She had flash-baked them and each one was drizzled with an olive oil, garlic, pepperoncini, and herb mixture. We made sure to get every drop of the sauce with chunks of fresh Italian bread!

Finally, for dessert, we had an amazing tart of fresh apples, raisins, and pinolis (pine nuts) dusted with powdered sugar. Since apples are one of my favorite fruits and because they were fresh off their apple trees, it was truly amazing!

Oh, one more thing…Filiberto pulled out the topper of the evening which was an elixir of his own fermented maraschino cherries. They, of course look nothing like our bright red ones. They were really tiny and very pungent with the flavor of liquor. He only had a small amount left and explained that he won’t be able to make it again until June when their cherries are ripe. I told him I felt honored that he would share his last few drops with me.

And, in case you’re wondering how I could possibly eat such a feast, it took us well over 3-1/2 hours to complete and every portion was small compared to what you think it may have been. Each course was prepared with love by Antonella and my only regret is that you couldn’t share this experience with me.

Oh, and I got a large bottle of their olive oil with a label on it with their names and the year to bring home!

Don't worry, Chip...next time is all about the Christmas tree!

Love is in the Air...

2008-11-17T18:15:00.001+01:00

It's been fun and interesting getting used to so many new things this past six weeks: a completely different language, interesting and very old architecture; a totally different way of life; and life in general. But one thing that has been very much in the forefront is the difference between Americans and Italians in public displays of affection and love in general. I will try and keep this very clean since my children, grandchildren and mother read it…

Love is in the air everywhere. Couples have no qualms whatsoever in passionately kissing and embracing each other anywhere and at anytime the urge strikes. It’s almost winter…I can just imagine how it’s going to be in spring! Don’t get me wrong…I’m not complaining…just stating an observation (and maybe being a little envious).

As I walk along the streets or in piazzas whether it be night or day, couples are passionately expressing themselves at every turn of the corner. Most often, they are standing in the middle of the street as people nonchalantly walk around them as if nothing is happening.

Even the dogs are involved! Ruby and Ginger were playing in a grassy area and a very large dog jumped a creek so he could get a little more familiar with Ruby. She, of course, thought he was playing with her and dashed to and fro as if she were playing keep-away. The more she did this, the more “Rudy” (as the owner called him) became more and more interested. Ginger was barking incessantly because she was scared to death that he was hurting her sister.

I finally realized what the fellow’s intentions were and grabbed Ruby’s leash and started dragging her away as quickly as possible. The owner, who was on the other side of the creek, called Rudy over and over again to no avail. He finally asked me in Italian to stop so he could get his dog as Rudy had no intention of leaving Ruby’s side. Rudy finally joined his owner and he and his friends laughed gleefully at Rudy’s antics.

Later on the same day, I was sitting enjoying lunch in the anfiteatro with my friends and saw another couple walking their male dog. Everytime they stopped, he would jump up on one of their legs (you know what I mean) and they acted as if nothing was happening. They continued their window shopping and he continued his interest around the piazza.

I went dancing with my friend Morena on Thursday evening and it was the same thing. The men are very blatant in their interest and don’t mind showing it. Morena is what we would refer to as a “sexpot.” She is very attractive and has a very curvy shape. In fact some of her attributes are quite pronounced. When we arrived at the dance hall, she was wearing very tight white jeans, stilettos (of course), and a gold puffy jacket.

When we got inside there was a grouping of tables reserved for her. A guy was sitting on one of the little sofas and she picked up the “Reserved for Morena” sign and waved it under his nose and promptly told him to remove himself, which he did in a flash.

About one-half hour after we arrived I noticed she was being ogled by pretty much every man in the place (and there were at least 200 people there). Then, she very deliberately unzipped her jacket and out popped the attributes in an extremely low-cut black lacy top.

Well, I tell you, ALL the men were looking at that point. She had guys come over as if they owned the place and one tried to touch her and she immediately jerked her body away from him and told him to get lost. I swear that I saw him pining over her for about an hour afterward. He looked so forlorn and was leaning against the stage (still staring at her) where the band was and one of the band members stomped his foot next to him to try and help him come out of his daze. He kind of smiled and went right back to looking at her.

Then, she started dancing... At that time (and most of the evening) she was just dancing in the little space in front of our couch area, not on the dance floor. There were actually men who had the audacity to try and walk through the aisles in the couch area so they could be in her presence and she very forcefully shoved cocktail tables in front of the gaps between the sofas so no one could enter and went right back to dancing. A few were brave enough to actually come and sit within 5 feet of her on the couches and just ogle at her for minutes (or hours) on end. Seriously! She just acted like they weren't there and kept dancing.

And, of course, let’s not forget my 70+ upstairs neighbor…

For those of you who have been concerned and asked about my well-being I am doing well. I had my first paying job this week and hope to continue finding new opportunities.

While walking on Villa Fillungo (the main street in town) on Thursday evening, I ran into Susan Sarandon walking with some friends. It took me aback to see her. I heard from some of my friends that there are several celebrities who live here and/or visit often. Jodie Foster lives in Lucca six months out of the year and Sting has a large villa nearby where he records music. Andrea Boccelli lives in Pisa which is about 10 minutes from here and is known to be out and about often.

I am getting used to the differences and new ways and find that I can live just fine in a much simpler way of life and without all the modern conveniences of home. I’ve added some fun videos and pictures of just how different it is.

Living with Little Creatures and Other Interesting Tidbits...

2008-11-05T20:33:00.006+01:00

Whoever heard of mosquitos at Halloween?!? Every morning for a few days I woke up with little red bumps on my face. The first day I thought that I was getting zits at my age. Then, when the next day I had a few more, I started wondering if I wasn’t cleaning my face that well…but nope, my routine is the same here as it was in America. Then, when I woke up one morning with four new ones on my face plus one on my eyelid, I thought “what the heck???” It must be spiders.

I went over to “Tutto Per La Casa” as I seem to do every day and asked for something to kill spiders. The sales clerk walked over to an item in a box, called “Vape” and said this will kill mosquitos. I told her I didn’t need to kill mosquitos, I needed to kill spiders and she replied (in Italian, of course), “There are no spiders in Lucca! Only mosquitos.” I asked her how that could possiby be at this time of year and she said it was because it was hot for a few days and then became very cold and rainy, so they’re all coming indoors to keep warm. Geez!

With Vape in hand, I came home and immediately plugged that sucker in. Here, the insecticide comes in a few ways. One is a coil that you light and burn at night which is similar to our citronella candle. Another is a smaller rectangle type thing that you hook on a gadget and light the same way you do the coil. The third comes in the form of a plug, like our Glade air fresheners. You insert the little disk into the unit and plug it in and are supposedly able to get a respite from mosquitos for 12 hours! So far, so good…no new bumps in the morning.

Last weekend for four days, the Lucca Comics & Games came to town. What a spectacular event! I thought it was going to be a bunch of comics who did stand-up and I was trying to figure out how I could attend and actually understand what they were saying.

Well, wrong! My friend Serenella informed me ahead of time that it was a huge event that is scheduled each year for comic book and video/board game enthusiasts. This includes Dungeons and Dragons afficianados.

I was exposed to the strangest bunch of people I’ve seen in a long time. Nothing much makes me drop my mouth in awe, but this did. Out of at least 10,000 attendees (all of whom were inside the Lucca walls), approximately 30% were dressed in outrageous costumes depicting their favorite comic book, video game or super hero. I saw people with extra limbs coming out of their bodies, large groups of people dressed as different cards in a deck, strange “Tinker Toy” characters, people with swords taped to their fingers - similar to Edward Scissorhands, and, of course, princesses and Superman. It was a sight to behold.

The odd thing (in my opinion at least) was that they were very self-controlled and quiet for such a large group. I took the girls for a walk a few times and ended up getting stuck in the crowds and everyone was very polite and well-mannered.

The bad thing was that the anfiteatro where I live was filled with huge tents which housed all the comic book and video game paraphenalia. The attendees had to purchase tickets to get inside each tent. The tents were set up several weeks in advance and were only taken down yesterday. I actually sat and watched for about an hour as one guy with a forklift methodically took apart the entire tent structure and placed each steel beam and component next to each other until everything was down. Then, he methodically put everything upon this large truck until the anfiteatro was completely empty. It was like watching a single bee in action. This was one Italian who knew exactly what he was doing and was very good at his job! I was mesmorized at how efficient he was.

I am lucky enough to be able to see down into the center of the anfiteatro from my office, kitchen and bathroom windows. It’s the ultimate for people-watching. What I found out that is completely different here than in America, is that there is no security or added barriers for construction and de-construction of projects. I was amazed at all the locals and tourists who meandered through the square while the construction crew was dismantling the tents. The guy on the forklift had to wait many times for sightseers or pedestrians to get out of the way so he could continue on to where he was going.

Anyway, the minute everything was cleaned up this morning, someone else began erecting a new structure. I found out later that it is going to be an 8-meter tall Christmas tree complete with glass ornaments from Murano, Italy. Murano is an island off Venice where they make blown glass items that are absolutely beautiful and sold all over the world. I can hardly wait to have that in the anfiteatro! I’m sure it will be absolutely beautiful!

Speaking of security and protection, a really positive thing that I found here (of which there are plenty) is the packaging. Even a toddler can open it!! That was a really big pet peeve of mine in America. They packaged everything so well that you needed a crowbar to open a package of crackers! Here, they open very easily and I am so relieved. I’m sure the packaging is secure for items that would hurt a toddler, but a package of crackers??? Get real!

I’ve been trying every Italian recipe I can now that I’m in Italy and can find the ingredients fresh at the markets or little outdoor vendors. Unfortunately, some of the dishes aren’t that low in calories. For example, tonight I made fried zucchini blossoms. They were incredible, but I don’t think I was supposed to eat them all by myself! I justified it because I went for a walk around the fortress walls again.

I’ve been taking a Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate course to try and earn some money in the interim until I get some design work. It’s a tough course but it will help me stay in the country so it will be worth it. It’s been a challenge learning all the parts of speech and how difficult a language English actually is. It certainly makes me appreciate my Italian tutor even more now that I know what I will have to do when I begin teaching.

Speaking of teaching, the woman who lives upstairs from me is quite a character. She jabbers to me every time she sees me and I can’t understand a word of what she says because she speaks so quickly. She was a teacher for years (she’s about 70 years old) and now tutors children in her home every day. The girls are still getting used to all the racket when her students run up and down the stairs on their way to and from her apartment. They are mostly young teens and she seems to have a couple of classes a day.

She also has these routines that she keeps every day. I see bags downstairs from the local market that are full of bread and other groceries and always wondered if someone did her shopping for her and, if so, why they left them downstairs.

Every morning I hear her pounding away. At first I thought she was hanging pictures but I thought her walls must be completely filled already with all the pounding. Then, one morning I looked outside and saw tons of birds flying around. Then I saw debris falling all around my windows and found out she was tossing bread crumbs to them. I now figured out that she’s pounding the bread into small pieces so it will be easier for the birds to eat. It's also why she doesn't mind that her groceries are left downstairs...what a lovely woman.

She also has a suitor that comes late at night to visit. I’ve run into him a couple of times when I’m taking the girls out for their final walk. It’s always a bit uncomfortable because the girls get scared to see someone strange in the stairwell and start barking like crazy. His clandestine attempts are for naught and it always embarrasses me for some reason that I've caught him in the act…

My friend Serenella pointed out to me that she has covered many of the things that I've mentioned about living in Italy and Lucca in her blogs. I read them faithfully but I guess everything slipped my mind during the past few months before I left due to the craziness of getting ready for my move. It was fun re-reading them and seeing that I could have come more prepared for the cultural differences and know more of what to expect in terms of paperwork and other day-to-day activities. She has also written several e-books, one of which is all about buying property here if any of what I’ve written about has you dying to be my neighbor!

Living La Dolce Vita...

2008-10-23T15:04:00.002+02:00

Very few things set my heart on fire more than: 1) Scottish men in kilts, and 2) real down-home Blues music. I got to experience both of those things today – right here in Lucca. In fact, as I write this blog, I am listening to the most wonderful Blues music – complete with harmonica and vocals – directly below my window in the anfiteatro. I have to admit, though, that the Scottish guy wearing the kilt and playing bagpipes as he walked down my street was the ultimate! Darn it! I didn’t have my camera with me…sigh…

So, how does one live on a day-to-day basis in Lucca you might ask? I’ve had lots of chances to learn this week now that I’m in my own apartment. I’ve purchased (or tried to purchase) many items that I used at home, shopped at a large grocery store and tried to find items I thought I needed only to buy new ones that looked more interesting, and dealt with conversions and measurements. Also, I forgot to mention a big one – getting used to the plumbing and electricity in a centuries-old city!

The electrical is okay once you get conversion plugs. After reading many expatriate sites, I was smart enough to leave the majority of my electrical gadgets and appliances at home. I had to purchase many new ones here, but at least I don’t have to fear that they will explode on me. The surprising thing that didn’t work was a small alarm clock. It turned on after I found a conversion plug for it and then it went kapoot!

The plumbing’s another story…I told you about the small shower I had in the B&B. Now, I have a much larger shower and bathtub combination and no shower curtain. Rarely does one use (or even own) a shower curtain in Italy and subsequently, the floor gets drenched no matter how much I try to shift the shower head toward the wall. The walls have tile all the way up so I don’t have to worry about getting plaster wet, but my rug is always drenched. I don’t think it will ever dry while I’m here unless I don’t take a shower one day.

The shower is the type that is hand-held with a long metal hose and there’s a catch on the wall where you can hang it for a shower. I thought I’d be smart yesterday and only use the shower as a hand-held, but the floor still got wet.

Did I mention the smell? Okay, I know this isn’t the most pleasant topic, but when it rains, the overflow of the rain goes down into the deep, dark recesses under the city and up comes the most wonderful aroma from your drains…yuck! My landlords kind of waved their hands in the air and laughed when I asked about it and said (in Italian) – that’s what comes with living in the anfiteatro! They said to just run water in all the fixtures with drains in the bathrooms and it would go away. It does go away, but it’s not the most pleasant thing to wake up to in the morning.

Cooking 101 in Italy: Oh my goodness! You have to lift the lid on the stove and push in a button that makes the burner click and then you have to push in the actual knob and move it just so and hold it in until it catches and both buttons can be released. Things tend to cook faster here than at home. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve scalded my milk for my coffee in the morning.

I learned how to use a new percolator of sorts for making coffee and it’s stupendous. Coffee and wine can’t be beat here in Italy.

Baking 101 in Italy: I had to read the conversion system online in order to bake some fish last night. Our 250 degrees Fahrenheit is equal to 130 Celsius here so that’s been an interesting adjustment. I thought I’d be smart (once again) and bring my teaspoon and tablespoon measuring gadgets along with my cookbooks with me but didn’t think to bring the stupid cup measurements! I have to weigh everything out to see that it equates to the amount I need and go from there.

I have friends who are coming for dinner and insisted that I make an American meal. Little do they know but most of the meals I prepared at home were Italian! I decided to make vegetarian chili and cornbread. It was really fun finding chili powder, baking powder and baking soda here. Now, if I can just bake it correctly. I found some beans that are very similar to pinto and everything else I need so it will hopefully come out as tasty as at home.

Cleaning 101 in Italy: I thought I’d be smart and get down on my hands and knees and clean the tiles in the bathroom this week. I think I mentioned that the building is very old. I don’t know why I thought I could get the tiles cleaner than they already were. It was if I thought magic would occur or something. They didn’t look any different than when I started even though I used a heavy-duty boar bristle brush and scrubbed like crazy. The good thing is I knew it was “my” clean even though it looked the same.

Shopping 101 in Italy: I ride to the mercato every Wednesday on my bici to get discounted items for my house and fresh fruit and vegetables. Everything is fresh out of the ground and the basilico (basil) I bought yesterday still had the roots on it – fantastico! For the things that aren’t available at the mercato, I buy at EsseLunga or Sidis – the local large grocery markets. I found out the first day at EsseLunga that you get the discounts on items just like you do in America only if you have one of their cards! Darn it! All those things I picked up that were sconto (discounted) were only if you had a card. Yesterday, when I went there, I proudly showed my card like a real local.

Transportation 101 in Italy: I rode the train to and from Florence to be with friends. Needless to say, I didn’t realize the train was a local that stopped at every town on the way back to Lucca so it took me almost exactly two hours to return. I found out later that it’s best to take an express bus that makes no stops.

I took the bus to Viareggio a couple of days ago to get my hair cut by the master Mario and barely made it to the station before the bus left. I couldn’t for the life of me find the transportation schedule in English online and, of course, the bus station (and train station) are on the other side of Lucca so I had to swerve in and out of people on my bici in order to get there.

When I arrived in Viareggio, I found out that I left the address to Mario’s salon on my desk at home. I called the salon to ask for the indirizzo (address) and asked a girl in a local shop the way. She said she had no idea, and when I said that I was going to StudioMario, she pointed in a direction and I quickly went that way. The directions didn’t seem correct for some reason as I’d been to the shop before.

When I got about two blocks away, I asked another woman on the street where it was and she pointed back the direction I came and told me to turn right at the main street and follow it down along the coastline. After about a mile, I found the salon but realized that it was at least the second or third time people have given me the wrong information when I’ve asked directions. It sucks not knowing the language sometimes. I think they must do it to have fun with tourists or something.

Anyway, a mile or so back to the bus station and guess what? The bus was a local and it took me an hour to make it back (30 minutes going). I looked at it in a positive way, though. I got to see some amazing hilltop towns along the way and hear some very interesting conversations between the passengers.

And, of course, Transportation 101 wouldn't be complete without adding a note about my bici. It has been the best purchase I could have made. I ride it around the walls with my dogs in tow, and back and forth to the many mercatos and other modes of transportation to be found in Lucca. It has saved me from missing a train or bus on many occasions. I can even take it on a train if I want (of course we could do that in San Francisco, too). The baskets on the front and back have carried many a parcel and plant.

Still no work, but I have things in the making and have taken the time to get settled and work on my website and marketing materials. I have faith that everything will connect soon. How can it not after experiencing my two favorite things today – right here in Lucca!

Life in Lucca Continues...

2008-10-17T14:40:00.000+02:00

Okay, so this week I found and moved into the perfect apartment for me. It is in the heart of the city (inside the walls) so I will be able to benefit from the energy and life that is part of Italy and Lucca.

The apartment is in the Piazza Anfiteatro where my friend Serenella had her photos taken by Chico’s magazine a few months ago. It is a really important part of the city and tourists flock to it on a regular basis to marvel at its oval shape and see some of the homes that began to built in 56 B.C. My kitchen, bathroom and sitting room windows all look out onto the piazza.

I was so happy to move out of the bed and breakfast for so many reasons – the main of which is I have finally been able to unpack and have a home I can call my own.

A huge bonus of the apartment is that it is completely furnished. It has a lot of superfluous stuff, but it’s also got some intriguing items in it since the owners also own an antique shop. It has an old bread-kneading trough that looks like a baby crib in the sitting room. I had no idea what it was when I first saw it and have no idea what I will use it for but it makes for a great conversation piece.

I have found that most apartments (unfurnished) are approximately 100 Euros for every 10 mq (100 square feet) and since this one is furnished and 90-100 mq (900-1000 square feet) I am getting a bargain for 800 Euros per month. As the dollar went up in value and the Euro went down this week, it will run me approximately $1065 per month.

The entry door to the building is very old and the inside foyer and stairs are made of very old cement, bricks and metal fittings that were used to keep the formed concrete in place. It’s quite scary walking up the stairwell, however there is plenty of lighting so I don’t have to worry about tripping and falling. Of course, because of the time this apartment was built, there were absolutely no elevators.

To maintain the integrity of the building, all the electrical and heating elements have been carefully placed inside the walls in copper conduit rather than digging into the structure. Many walls inside the apartment have the original brick exposed so as to see the construction. It’s quite intriguing. There are many different sizes of bricks and stones and old mortar. All the ceilings have the original beautiful wooden beams and the ceillings are approximately 10-11 feet tall.

The landlords of my flat are wonderful. Their antique store is a few doors down from the apartment and Antonella, the wife, actually came to the B&B the day I moved to not only pick me up with all my luggage and dogs in tow, but also help me move everything down the three flights of stairs to her truck! She greeted me with a smile, complete makeup and stilettos all at 8:30 in the morning! I don’t know how these Italian women do it…

That has been one adjustment that has been a little difficult for me. Coming from Menifee (and southern California) I am used to being much more relaxed in my attire. I wouldn’t be caught dead now going outside to walk the dogs without my nice shoes, jeans and a jacket. I draw the line at makeup first thing in the morning, though, because the poor dogs would probably go to the bathroom on my floor while they waited for me to finish.

I had an interesting experience a few days ago. I saw what would be the equivalent of our checkpoint. The carabinieri (policeman) actually stood by the side of the street with a stick with a stop sign affixed to it, randomly waving it in front of cars that he thought should stop. He and his partner would then run the registration and information from their vehicle and, if everything was okay, they’d let the driver continue on. At the time, I happened to be sitting in the park with my dogs watching everything happen while enjoying gelato – one flavor with pinenuts, the other with pistacchios.

Last Friday I also got the wonderful news that my remaining boxes arrived with NO EXTRA CUSTOMS FEES! I guess whatever we wrote on the Customs forms was accepted and they delivered them with no questions asked. The first thing I did was get my little dog basket out that fits on the bicycle and Marco helped to install it. I spent the evening riding around the fortress walls with one girl in the front basket and one in the back basket.

It was a little unwieldly at first to ride in a straight line with both girls in tow, but I soon figured it out and was weaving through the throngs of people like the rest of the natives. The girls seemed to thoroughly enjoy the ride.

I don’t think I mentioned how loud it is here. I am used to the serene quiet of my Menifee home (with the exception of a few golf balls hitting the house once in a while). Well, the noises rarely stop because I am, after all, now living in a city with all the city noises that come along with that. The girls are having a tough time relaxing because just as they do, along comes a new noise. They’re favorite is the neighbor cat meowing to be let in next door. I’m glad they’re short or they’d probably jump out the window to get at it.

The Italians love children and any kind of pet. I think the Italians love their children to remain children their entire lives as I’ve seen many 5-6 year olds still nursing on a bottle or sucking a pacifier. They all seem to be cuddled and spoiled, yet they are (so far) remarkably pleasant to be around. All of them love the girls and stop and pet them.

My friend John from Menifee happened to come to Pisa for business this week and was kind enough to bring a suitcase full of my things with him. My son packed the things I asked for and threw in a few others he thought I might want. It was fun to open it and see what was included – kind of like an early Christmas. I had dinner with John and his boss that evening and it was nice to be able to speak complete sentences in the correct tense. They seemed to really enjoy Lucca and it was fun to see them experience a taste of what I’ve been able to live the past few weeks.

Most of this week has been spent unpacking and buying food items and things I need for the apartment. I visited another rustico (old villa) in Montecarlo with Luca and Marco that is being purchased by a Danish man who will, hopefully, want me to assist him with the remodel. I’ve also been patiently and quickly trying to complete my permesso di soggiorno which is my permit to stay in Italy. I have to complete it within eight days of moving into the apartment and can only process it through a few post offices in the vicinity. Of course, it is only in Italian so my translation lessons continue…

I posted this blog by using an internet “key” that you purchase from the local telefonino (cell phone) shop. It’s quite handy. You just plug it into a USB port and are in business. After purchasing the key, you pay 25 Euros a month for 100 hours of internet connectivity. At the end of the month, you renew the access again at the store. Thank goodness it’s near my apartment.

I met another woman this week who owns a high-end furniture business and wants to collaborate with me on business. I also visited Elisabetta’s fabric shop again yesterday to see all the new products that arrived. I can hardly wait to begin actively working since I seem to have caught up on my sleep. Now, if my poor feet and legs can just get used to all these hard surfaces…

A presto!

Life in Lucca - Week One

2008-10-12T13:09:00.000+02:00

What a whirlwind and chaotic ride these past few months have been since I decided to move to Lucca, Italy! Lots of ups and downs but the end result has been wonderful so far.

My son Jeff and daughter-in-law Kandy took off work so they could take me, my four large suitcases and crate with two dogs to LAX on September 29, only to find out the flight had been delayed for two hours. This was actually a blessing for several reasons. The first was that I got to spend more time with Jeff and Kandy and also got to take the dogs out of the crate for a nice long walk to tire them out before our 12-hour flight to Rome. Another reason was that after I arrived in Rome, my layover to Pisa was only two hours rather than four.

After paying approximately $800 extra for the two dogs, two extra suitcases and over-the-limit luggage, I boarded and was off on my new adventure. Thankfully, no one was sitting next to me on the flight from LAX to Rome so I got to lie down for part of the trip. Alitalia, like most airlines, has cut back tremendously on anything considered frivolous, so we went for about 10 hours between meals or even an offer to bring a glass of water. We received dinner during the first hour after take-off and breakfast during the last 45 minutes before landing. The flight was 12 hours from LAX to Rome.

After searching frantically all over the airport in Rome, I found little children petting and loving my dogs over in the large-baggage area. After making sure the girls were okay and taking them to the bathroom and giving them some extra attention and love, I had to check them back into cargo for our next leg of the trip – Rome to Pisa. I wanted to call my friend Samanta to let her know I would be arriving in Pisa on time but could not get any phone to work. Thankfully, a nice young Italian man offered me the use of his cell phone so I was able to alert her to my arrival.

When I arrived in Pisa, I had another handsome young Italian man offer to assist me with my two trolleys of luggage so that I could get out of the baggage area without too much trouble. Samanta was waiting for me with a gorgeous smile and kisses for me and the girls. With much trouble, we were able to pack everything into her little car and leave for Lucca (about a 20 minute drive). We arrived at the bed and breakfast and, of course, since it is in a former palace that was built many hundreds of years ago, we had to schlep everything up three very large flights of stairs to my room.

My room was nice and clean, however, the shower is one of the smallest I have ever seen and I've seen a lot since I've been to Italy often in the past. It has these small wires that fan out and are supposed to hold up the shower curtain and when you try to close them they just keep popping open again. Then, when I took a shower the curtain clogged up the drain and there was water everywhere.

The next day when I returned to the room, it was in the same condition as I left it. I was wondering why they hadn’t cleaned it and saw a sign on the door that said cleaning is extra! I spoke with the young woman who runs the place and she said they change towels every three days and clean the room and change sheets once a week. Since I arrived on Tuesday evening, I had to wait until yesterday (Monday) for clean sheets.

The girls and I got settled in and I slept for 14 hours the first night. The past few months has been a huge drain on my energy and psyche dealing with everything I've had to do and doing it for the most part all on my own. Now that I'm here, I'm enjoying a little rest and relaxation and also running back and forth across Lucca buying electronic things that will work here and meeting people.

Everyone has been very lovely since I’ve arrived. I'm lucky enough to know quite a few friends already and have met many more through my friend Serenella.

I spent the first few days searching for apartments and meeting up with friends and potential business partners. The first thing I had to do was purchase a cell phone so I could be available at a moment’s notice for coffee or an appointment. Then, of course, the beauty items were essential – a new hair dryer and flat iron that work on this electrical current.

On Wednesday, I met with the young textile designer Elisabetta who was thrilled that I had arrived. She invited me to dinner at her home with another friend, Simone (male), and her son Philippo. She asked me to bring the girls along because she really wants a dog and wanted her son to play with them. Dinner was spectacular – a local type of pasta known only in this region topped by my favorite – pesto! This was followed by some sort of fish that was steamed in a foil packet with vegetables and a wonderful white wine. Simone and Philippo left to get three kinds of gelato and some cookies that were out of this world.

The good thing is I’ve been walking a minimum of 5 miles a day since my bed and breakfast is just outside the city walls. That way, I am burning off many more calories than I am taking in.

My typical day is as follows:

* Sleep for at least 10 hours every night (very abnormal for me).
* Take the dogs out to the local park
* Meet someone for coffee and pasticerrie (pastry).
* walk around a lot and meet people or just walk around a lot.
* Come back to the hotel and walk the dogs.
* Return to Lucca for the passegiata where everyone walks around a lot and have dinner (or have dinner before I leave the hotel (unheard of!).
* Return to the B&B to walk the dogs again and have another night of sleep.

Now, this isn’t typical for the Lucchesi. After I find an apartment and a job this routine will definitely change. Most people get up early and are out the door by the time I am waking up. They go to work and if they’re lucky, they have a break in the middle of the day (1:00 to 4:00 or 4:30 when everything closes down) and then back to the city for the passegiata, followed by a dinner that is at least 3-4 hours long. I am still adapting to this schedule and have been trying to catch up on my rest in between meeting people and seeing apartments and other things.

I got to go with Luca (the businessman who has been a godsend to me since I arrived) to see a lovely villa that I hope to be remodeling soon. I pretended that I was a buyer since the real buyer was stuck in South Africa and couldn’t make it. It was very beautiful and was built at least 1,000 years ago and the old farmhouses definitely look it. Nevertheless, they were beautiful and the villa manager had us walk across the planks on the second floor so we wouldn’t fall through to the bottom. The walls were built so amazingly well and I could imagine so many possibilities if I get a chance to help with the remodel. I would definitely keep the exterior structure in place and fill in the walls with a thick glass or something so as to retain the beauty.

The villa itself was a little trippy with all the Trompe L’oleil everywhere. The previous owners obviously had a thing for birds and they were painted on every wall. They also painted draperies on lots of the walls and every room had its own color scheme. I would rip everything out and start over – yeah, I know…you think I’m crazy but really…it was over the top. What was really cool is there was one section that had remained intact that you could open to reveal the original fresco that was painted at least a thousand years ago!

Outside, there was a lovely portico and we got to tour the old kitchen and refrigerator areas of the outbuildings. The refrigerator was literally an old tunnel of bricks that ended in a larger area of bricks where food would stay cool in the summer and cold in the winter. The kitchen included an original pizza oven that was extraordinary. I would like nothing better than to be a part of the reconstruction and remodel of this place. It is the main reason of why I moved here.

Elisabetta introduced me to a young land developer who wants me to work at his architectural firm. Interior designers work for these types of firms in Italy. Luca also introduced me to the architectural firm that he uses and highly recommended me to them. Elisabetta also showed me some beautiful window treatments her company made for the land developer and said she was eager for me to help her with these as soon as possible. It’s so nice to be made to feel important. I am definitely the exception rather than the rule here and am introduced as a “veep” – Very Important Person. Luca said that the Lucchesi are not quick to change their customs but he hopes he and I will be trailblazers in this regard. I hope so, too.

So, back to the apartment hunting. I saw the most ideal apartment ever a couple of days ago. It is on the third floor (with no elevator) and is on three levels once you arrive at the front door. The bottom floor is a beautiful master bedroom with a large wardrobe and full bath which includes a shower, bathtub, toilet and bidet.

The second floor has a really large living room with attached kitchen and dining room. It also includes a very large terrace for my dogs. From this terrace I would have almost a panoramic view of the city. Bellisima! The third floor has another bedroom and another full bath. All these things are unheard of in Lucca. The price tag is also out of my range, however Luca has an appointment with the owner for tomorrow night (Wednesday) to see if he can get her to come down in the price.

I saw another apartment the following day that is on the fourth floor (also no elevator – yikes!). It is in the Piazza Napoleone where just about everything happens in Lucca. I don’t know if that would be a good thing or a bad thing but it’s really a nice apartment with a separate bedroom and bath also. Both apartments also have a dishwasher and washing machine (also unheard of). They are also both furnished which would be great for me since I no longer have any.

The rest of the week has been spent having coffee with friends and visiting other villas with other friends. I got to see Morena last night, who is one of the most vivacious Italian women I have ever met. I originally met her back in 2005 on my second trip to Italy. She was our villa manager.

Morena picked me up at the local train station and took me out to a farmhouse she wants me to rent instead of living in the city. The problem with most of the places I’ve seen (with the exception of the two mentioned above) is that in the spring come the tourists and all the prices for places are raised considerably. This would be the case for the farmhouse as well.

There are also the special events that happen in Lucca quite often. The next is a weekend of comedy and all the hotels are booked. I need to find a place before October 25 or I might be on the street somewhere. I have faith that something will happen quickly. I look forward to the day I can put everything away and say I have a home of my own again.

Did I mention I bought a bike? It’s a necessity for Lucca. After walking a minimum of 5-10 miles a day the first few days, I decided to invest in a used one. Luca and Marco (his partner) followed me over the bike shop to make sure the guy (Poli) took care of me and didn’t overcharge me. They also insisted that he include a new basket for the back so I could have one for each dog. What Luca doesn’t know, is Paulie charged me for it when I returned…non buon, Poli!

So, today (Tuesday) on my 7th day in Lucca, I went to the local lavanderia (laundromat). What a unique experience. I rode my bicycle over with all my dirty laundry and since everything was in Italian, I couldn’t figure anything out. It’s very different here and one of the few things that is much more modern than in America. The soap, disinfectant and fabric softener are already included when you wash so you just have to put your money into a central machine (like at our gas stations), push the number of the washer or dryer, and it automatically starts. There’s even a really nice ironing station area where you can iron your underwear (like they do here). I put in one Euro and got to iron for 15 minutes! What was weird is that the ironing board got hot – not the iron. I kept touching the iron to see when I could begin ironing and when I placed my blouse on the board, I realized it was hot instead.

Okay, I think I’ve gone on and on about this week and probably bored half of you to death with my ramblings so I’ll sign off for now.

Ciao dalla Lucca!

What Inspired Me to Move to Tuscany (and Lucca)

2008-08-19T17:26:00.000+02:00

I first visited Italy in 2000 when a friend turned 50 and asked me to go with her to celebrate reaching this new decade. We traveled all over Italy and I fell in love with every place we visited. Our tour began and ended in Firenze (Florence).

After staying in Florence for a few days, we rented a car and began our drive to Cinque Terre. Along the way, it began to rain and we decided to stop for lunch. The town where we happened to stop was Lucca. I fell in love with it the minute I saw it and was amazed that it was medieval and surrounded by fortress walls.

As we drove around trying to find the entrance to the town, we ended up on top of the walls. They're quite wide (50 feet) and tall (40 feet) and look like they could accommodate two lanes of traffic, but wouldn't you know it? We weren't allowed to drive up there and it isn't possible to drive into the town except to transport supplies. After people who were taking a stroll started staring at us and waving at us, we realized our mistake and found how to drive back off the walls...in utter humiliation I might add.

The walls that surround Lucca are approximately 2.4 miles around the town so it's pretty small, however it's very sophisticated. We were immediately drawn to the lovely squares, churches and amazing trattorias where we had the best soup I've ever eaten...perfect for a cool, rainy day.

So, back to my reasons for wanting to live there...

Back in 2001, I began working for a nonprofit organization, Parca, that had programs for developmentally disabled adults and children. Our president of the Board of Directors was Serenella Leoni. We had an annual fundraising event called, "Festa Italiana" which I immediately fell in love with because it was about all things Italian. As marketing and communication director, I was heavily involved in the fundraising efforts and became friends with Serenella. Serenella happens to be a native Italian. She was born and raised in Viareggio which is a coastal town about 20 miles from where I will be living.

Serenella had been working for a large corporation and decided to follow her dream of beginning her own tour business, Toscana Mia, and taking groups to visit her homeland. On her tours, she exposes the participants to visits, events and surprises they would rarely be able to experience as a typical tourist as many of her relatives and friends live there who have connections to some amazing things and places. Because her dream was so fulfilling, she began coaching other people to follow their dreams: personal, business, financial, or otherwise.

In late 2003, she gave a sample workshop on how the dream coaching worked and I attended. I had moved on in my career to work in a large corporation in downtown San Francisco and hated what I was doing but needed extra money to live comfortably in the Bay Area. After attending the workshop, I decided I wanted to work with Serenella as my dream coach and find out what I wanted to be when I grew up. I called in early 2004 to let her know I wanted to begin the sessions and she said she was going on a week-long holiday to Hawaii and would begin working with me when she returned. During her trip, I was laid off my corporate job and thought, "I can't really afford to do this now." Then, I decided I couldn't afford not to do it so I began my work with her.

During this process, I found out that my passion was (and still is) interior design. My first dream was to become an interior designer, which I have accomplished. I began my own interior design business and have worked as a design consultant for some very large businesses. My ultimate dream, however, was to live and work in Italy as a interior designer.

I love Italy and mentioned that to Serenella on several occasions and told her about my ultimate dream. She has been very instrumental in making that happen.

In 2005, I decided to go on one of her tours. Coincidentally, or not, our villa where we stayed during the trip was just outside of Lucca. Actually, I've been told there are no such things as coincidences, so this path has been opening up for me for several years now...

As part of my design experience, I also do home staging. This is a new concept to Italy and Serenella arranged with some very important business people for me and one of my friends who is a color specialist to give a presentation on home staging at the villa. One man in particular was the organizer of the event and arranged everything (including the translation of the presentation). About 25 Italian businessmen/women, architects, designers, real estate agents, artists, etc., attended and Serenella translated as I spoke in English. The presentation was well received and my hope was that they would hire me to come and stage villas. Because of the costs involved with paying for travel and lodging, however, everything was placed on hold and has been at a standstill for the past few years.

Then, last year in 2007, we decided to go back to Italy for a vacation of sorts rather than a tour, although Serenella spent many hard hours putting it all together for us. There were seven women who went and about two months into the planning stages, I heard from a young woman from Lucca whose family was in their fifth generation of designing beautiful fabrics. She had heard about me from the original businessman who had arranged the presentation in 2005, and asked if I (and my friend the color specialist) would be interested in collaborating with her on a business venture whereby I would be selling her fabrics in the States. I was thrilled at the prospect!

I arranged to meet with her on our trip in late September. Her fabrics are amazing and she shipped me all the samples I asked for, however, because of the exchange rate, they're out of the price range for most Americans (about $400/yard).

Before I left for Italy all three times, I took Italian lessons. Just prior to my trip in 2007, I met a fabulous Italian woman, Ada, on Craigslist who happens to be an Italian native as well and taught in the Bay Area at Stanford before moving with her family to southern California. In August, I began taking personal lessons from her again to get geared up for my life in Italy.

Ada translated my resume into Italian and I sent it to several business people in Lucca and also sent e-mails to other contacts I received from Serenella. They were all thrilled that I am coming and are looking for apartments for me as well as wanting me to do business with them.

The businessman has lots of villas throughout Italy and Europe and asked if I would be interested in helping him remodel them. He's going to build villas on eight acres of one of his properties, and asked if I would be interested in helping him with those, too. He's closing escrow on a large villa at the end of September and asked if I could be there by then to help him remodel it.

Again, coincidence or not, Serenella was asked by a famous women's clothing retailer to model for them in Lucca a few weeks ago and she flew back for the photo shoot. They wanted to sponsor women who have their own businesses in other countries in their fall catalog and ran across her website. While she was there, she went to the businessman's office and they telephoned me to talk more about my jobs while I'm there. My Italian contacts know very little English and I can get by with my Italian, so it should be an interesting experience for me.

The young fabric designer is extremely excited that I will be a designer in her town and using her fabrics and supplies. She already has a well-established business that is quite successful and writes me often to ask when I will be there because she's so thrilled to get started with me.

I knew quite a few Italians from my visit back in 2005 and Serenella sent me contact information for many more when I told her the news about my moving there. She was very excited and knows lots of ex-pats in Italy who she referred me to for asking questions about the whole moving experience.

I have been in contact with many new friends who have been searching for apartments for me. I have been offered a stay at the businessman's villa until I can find an apartment of my own and have gladly taken him up on the offer.

As you can see, the planets seem to be aligned on this one. I've been using a postcard of Lucca as a bookmark for years and also have it as my wallpaper on my computer. I've been thinking about this for a long time and figured with the economy and not having a job I can rely on, that it's the perfect time to make the move. Also, why wait until I'm older when I won't be able to enjoy it as much??? And, the best thing about it is that I'm following my dreams!