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.
Gala Placidia's activity
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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
This old thread may be of assistance regarding health insurance: Regarding residency, my advice would be to request it only if you are certain that you will be living in Italy for more than 6 months + 1 day in the year and that you wish to make income tax declarations, etc. The extra percentage that you pay as tax on your property if you are not a resident is small, as you will only be paying on cadastral value which is considerably less than purchase price. I do not think that your American Health Insurance will cover you if you become an ½ûÂþÌìÌà resident, but check with them. Good luck with all your future plans!
Generali will insure you. Check . Also, it may be a good idea to contact your bank in Italy as they generally offer those services. We have insured with our bank, Monte dei Paschi without any problems and their rates were fine.
Hello Etna Mary and welcome. We look forward to hearing more from you.
Very sound advice, Steve! It is always better to start with local seeds and varieties. The problem sounds like a fungus or some type of infestation. It will be better to burn what remains of the plants to avoid spreading disease.
There is a Brico Io centre in Massa that should have what you need. Here is the link:
I think that Giovanni refers to the traditional Bordeaux mixture or bouillie bordelaise, a fungicide used mainly on vines although it also helps other plants. It has a certain level of toxicity. Here you have some information on it:
Sorry, I have been away for a few weeks. A good place to look for paint, materials and DIY needs is Leroy Merlin at the "Il Giglio" Shopping Centre just before you reach Florence. We have done the trip several times from Bagni di Lucca as you find many things you would not find elsewhere. Pam, I had a similar problem with pain a few years ago when we were refurbishing a house in Granada, (Spain). A specialist recommended to use a base coat which was specially formulated for this purpose and we did not need to strip the old paint which was very flaky. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the name or the brand.... but it was a miracle product. Perhaps your brother may be able to find out. Good luck with the renovations!
Ciao Parma and welcome. We look forward to hearing more from you.
We obtained our Codice Fiscale about a couple of years ago without having an ½ûÂþÌìÌà address and through the ½ûÂþÌìÌà Consulate in Madrid (Spain). No problems at all.
You can use an ordinary frying pan as long as you can fill it up with about 1 inch of extra virgin olive oil (some would say it is a waste of good oil.... no, it is not) Batter: any of the above mentioned recipes would do. Oil temperature is very important, this is why extra virgin olive oil is so important... it would not burn. This is a delicious dish, possibly one of the best in ½ûÂþÌìÌà cuisine.