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
 Hi Diana and welcome. Good to hear from you and share your experiences.We also had a dog called Max, many years ago. A black Chihuahua with a great personality.Best wishes,
 As you are serious foodlovers, you are welcome to join our "Il Buongustaio Circle" a group open to everyone interested in good ½ûÂþÌìÌà food and wine.
 Hi Samantha and welcome! It is great to see how well you have managed. Best wishes regarding all your plans.
 Welcome and best wishes.
 Hi, I am sending you a PM with the name of an agent who was helpful with rentals in the past. Best wishes,
 You are right, Carole, I missed the tail....
 Thanks, Garda, we have a similar situation in the Spanish language and it is sometimes difficult to interpret the correct meaning. A dictionary does not always cover those "grey" areas.Â
I agree with Carole in that we may never get a "Grazie" button because of past experiences and that we can always write a short message. It is also possible to use the rating as a way of conveying our appreciation for a thread or post. The problem is always the same, it is not the feature itself, it is the way of using it.Â
 I agree with Adriatica in that people who live in areas prone to earthquakes take a different, more detached look at thing. I have close family living in places notorious for the incidence of these events, such as San Francisco and Chile and they simply joke about it all. I believe that the chances of dying by being run over by a car are much higher than through an earthquake and also, I am a firm believer in fate.Practically, most of Italy is prone to earquakes, eruptions and other catastrophes and this has not stopped millions of people from living happily in those areas. I don't think it ever will. And if a town or city is destroyed, they will build it up again in the same spot. Historically, this has happened most of the time and it will keep on happening.The only thing that we can't stop is the suffering for the victims, but we can do something about it.
 I would bet it is a lynx. Here you have a few photos:They are highly protected as, at a certain stage, they were nearly extinct.