The city of Lucca has always been my favourite. Not only because it is only 25 minutes away from our home and I go there at least two or three times a week, but also because you do not feel like a "tourist" there.
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In this icy cold weather, hot drinks and comfort foods are a must. Preparing and consuming them are good ways to spend time when we cannot venture outdoors.
Wed, 02/08/2012 - 06:10
The cold weather is affecting most of Italy and creating difficulties concerning energy supplies. Russia, the most important supplier, has been reducing the provision of gas up to 30% due to increasing demand in their area.
Tue, 02/07/2012 - 02:22
The San Francisco Chronicle publishes today this most interesting article:
Sun, 02/05/2012 - 12:45
Whenever we are in Italy, we love to visit antique and vintage markets and fairs, looking for that special piece that we would love to have. Sometimes, we find it...
Wed, 02/01/2012 - 02:47
One of my favourite activities in Italy is to visit those markets that sell antique and vintage items.
Tue, 01/31/2012 - 06:38
Some members may have noticed that I have been fairly quiet for the past month and a half. The reason for this was that we have been visiting our daughters who live in San Francisco (CA).
Fri, 01/20/2012 - 02:59
The new ½ûÂþÌìÌà government has been announced and it is obvious that we will have a fight between technocrats and politicians.
Wed, 11/16/2011 - 14:24
A lot has been written about the dangers of overheating Teflon coated cookware. Toxic fumes can be extremely dangerous for our health. Personally, I have never liked that type of cookware and I do not buy it anymore.
Sat, 10/29/2011 - 06:24
In another thread, we were discussing Tuscan herbs and "funghi porcini". Tuscany is a paradise for herb lovers and many varieties, such as rosemary, sage and "nipitella" grow wild.
Thu, 10/27/2011 - 11:23
Comments posted
A beautiful, inspiring story. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Great blog, Phil. Next time, have the fig paste with Peccorino Toscano. It is also fantastic with quince paste. From time to time, Lidl has a Thai week and you can buy a small amount of ingredients there. Definitely not the same thing as shopping for Oriental spices in the East, or the USA, or Australia. But not bad at all.
A Forum - or community - with 2735 members cannot be dead. There are cycles in every forum. Personally, I have been away travelling for over a month and when I am not home I very rarely check what goes on. Dead? No!!! Asleep? Maybe... Time to wake up!
This is not an easy question and there is no easy answer. I would say that you need to know what you are doing and you endeavour to keep renovation costs within reasonable limits; otherwise, you end up with a "white elephant". But most important, it also depends on the initial price you pay for the property and how much those renovations increase its price. Good luck with your project!
We had a marble benchtop with grooves for drainage into the sink  installed in our new kitchen and I am delighted with it.
Welcome back and good luck with all your projects. We all look forward to hearing from you.
Hello and welcome to the Community. Perhaps some of our Abruzzo members will be able to help you with your question. Good luck and best wishes!
Hello neighbours, Lucy and Dennis. You have chosen a beautiful spot to live. We know!!! Regarding residency, as it has been said, with a German passport it is relatively easy to obtain residency in Italy, providing you show that you have property and enough money to survive (it is not a large amount). If you are under the age of 65, you must show proof of private health insurance. Over the age of 65, you must have your German Health Insurance entitlements transferred to Italy, which could be a bit of a complication if you do not reside in Germany. Check with the nearest German Consulate. In Lucy's case, you can obtain residency as a wife of EU citizen. We are in a similar situation, I have Spanish nationality and my husband is Australian; however, you are right about the problems that may arise in the event of the early death of the EU citizen. Generally, authorities will be willing to grant permanent residency to the spouse; however, I think it may be easier if Lucy takes up the German nationality as the spouse of a German national. It would not be necessary to relinquish the US citizenship as I believe that the US accepts nowadays dual nationality without problems. My husband is taking up the Spanish nationality to avoid any future paperwork. I would contact both the ½ûÂþÌìÌà and German consulates and check with them. I do not think that Council at Bagni di Lucca will be prepared to handle a similar situation. Best luck with your plans!
Hello Flip and welcome. Winter in Tuscany depends on the particular area where you will be living and there are lots of microclimates. Altitude also is very relevant. Best wishes regarding your future plans.
It is certainly a huge project, but I am sure that it will be a very rewarding one. The scenery is really superb. Best wishes