Not only am I saddened that I don't get to write that much anymore, but every once in awhile I have an aahh moment where I think I should write about this.
This morning was one of those. My child will be entering first grade in the Fall. This is a huge transition for any parent especially one living abroad. I have to learn what it is all about and show no signs of anxiety in doing so.
Anyhow in our small town the Elementary School decided to invite all the future first graders to visit the new school. Each child was paired with an older child who will be leaving the school. They showed the children around, had a snack, games and even a small gift for the new students. The first grade teachers were present, parents and kindergarten teachers too. It made me feel much more at ease with the whole transition and I thought how great that in a small town it can be pulled off so easily. It was only organized the day prior! Will keep you informed.
Experience true Italy with me as I give you a real life glimpse of what it is like living in Italy. This is about living a slower, simpler, more fulfilling life as the Italian lifestyle. This is about all things Italian: renting or purchasing property, off the beaten path tours, raising a family in Italy,regional unbelievable food, recipes,bargain shopping in Italy,and much much more.Enjoy!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Selling Used Baby Equipment in Italy
Do garage sales exist in Italy? No. Can you put up flyers around your town in Italy wanting to sell your barely used baby equipment? No. Can you put them on the internet and hope to get some response? Not really. So how does one sell the plethora of baby items one has?
This is my dilemma. I have two garages full of baby equipment, toys, items that I need to get rid of. I want to try to sell them first even at a very discounted price before giving them to charity. I have baby playpens, high chairs, toys, bottle warmers, baby weighing scale, etc etc. Most of which is almost new, some never even used. Any ideas out there?? Thanks.
This is my dilemma. I have two garages full of baby equipment, toys, items that I need to get rid of. I want to try to sell them first even at a very discounted price before giving them to charity. I have baby playpens, high chairs, toys, bottle warmers, baby weighing scale, etc etc. Most of which is almost new, some never even used. Any ideas out there?? Thanks.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
La Focaccia Da Eva
It has been a long time I know since I have written so here goes:
One of the nice things I love about living in a small town is the simplicity of part of our morning routine. Although at times it can get to me especially when we are running late, I love stopping at the bakery across the street from the preschool for my son's little piece of foccaccia that we stick in his backpack for his daily school snack. All the parents stop there and it is usually the place for the first Buon giorno's before dropping your child off at school.
Eva is the girl behind the counter that knows everyone by name and every child's preference for foccaccia. The little piece of foccaccia at 30 cents everyday that she puts in a little white bag is one of those small things that I would miss if I moved to a big city. It just would not be the same.
One of the nice things I love about living in a small town is the simplicity of part of our morning routine. Although at times it can get to me especially when we are running late, I love stopping at the bakery across the street from the preschool for my son's little piece of foccaccia that we stick in his backpack for his daily school snack. All the parents stop there and it is usually the place for the first Buon giorno's before dropping your child off at school.
Eva is the girl behind the counter that knows everyone by name and every child's preference for foccaccia. The little piece of foccaccia at 30 cents everyday that she puts in a little white bag is one of those small things that I would miss if I moved to a big city. It just would not be the same.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
L'Aquila Earthquake
I know it has been such a long time I have last blogged. There is a lot going on. My thoughts right now are for all those who are suffering, lost family, friends, homes,possessions, hope in the Abruzzo earthquake. I am from Abruzzo. My family is from Abruzzo. You don't have to be from there to know these are resilient people. We feel for them and hope and pray they get the help they need, peace and comfort in every aspect.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Hospital Care in Italy
It has been awhile since I have blogged and for good reason. Now I am home full time with my youngest son and it is not easy to have any time to do much else. I did promise myself that I would write a blog about the healthcare system here in Italy.
For as much as I complain about the way things work here in Italy, I have to say that some things DO work. We unfortunately had to do a three day stint at a hospital in Italy and aside from having to wait 5 hours for a room (actually a bed) since everyone has to share rooms, I could not believe that we did not pay a single cent.
I mean how refreshing to walk into a hospital and NOT be asked first and foremost "What insurance do you have?" or "What is your deductible?" before even being asked your name! The questions instead were based on the patient, his symptoms, etc. THIS is how it should be. Sometimes I think cannot the United States just copy what they do in Italy as far as healthcare.
A few weeks ago I had to buy an antibiotic which cost $3.00, a minimal amount because some drugs are considered a necessity and the large discount is given to these drugs. The same exact antibiotic I bought in the USA last summer and it cost me $39.00. This is outrageous. The drug was American made!!
I am pro America, proud to be American, miss my country...the whole deal but something has to be done about these problems. I know the Obama Administration is working on it right now. I just hope it will change for the better and fast!
For as much as I complain about the way things work here in Italy, I have to say that some things DO work. We unfortunately had to do a three day stint at a hospital in Italy and aside from having to wait 5 hours for a room (actually a bed) since everyone has to share rooms, I could not believe that we did not pay a single cent.
I mean how refreshing to walk into a hospital and NOT be asked first and foremost "What insurance do you have?" or "What is your deductible?" before even being asked your name! The questions instead were based on the patient, his symptoms, etc. THIS is how it should be. Sometimes I think cannot the United States just copy what they do in Italy as far as healthcare.
A few weeks ago I had to buy an antibiotic which cost $3.00, a minimal amount because some drugs are considered a necessity and the large discount is given to these drugs. The same exact antibiotic I bought in the USA last summer and it cost me $39.00. This is outrageous. The drug was American made!!
I am pro America, proud to be American, miss my country...the whole deal but something has to be done about these problems. I know the Obama Administration is working on it right now. I just hope it will change for the better and fast!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Italians Shop At Outlets
I thought I would share some information with you I thought to be quite interesting. Gone are the days where Italians will shop only at the neighborhood boutique. While the small stores in town are really hurting with few sales and high rents to pay, the outlets are seeing a huge surge in traffic. Does this traffic mean sales? I am not sure.
I had the pleasure of visiting the nearest Outlet called Valdichiana Outlet Village this past Saturday. The parking lot was jammed full and stores were similarly full of people. I did not see everyone with shopping bags but I did see many many people taking their wallets out and purchasing. This is the wave of the future for Italy. I would not even say it is the future since it has been in the past ten years at least that these outlets are springing up everywhere. You cannot beat them though. This Village has over 200 designer lables for fashion and accessories. There are discounts up to 70 percent throughtout the whole year and it is open 7 days a week. It has a large playground for children and restaurants and bars to keep you happy.
Some stores include Benetton, Brums, Calvin Klein, Conte of Florence, Datch, Fila, Fornarina, Just Kavalli, John Ashfield, Lotto, Levis, Richard Ginori, Sisley, Stefanel, VFG Factory Store.
If you do visit this outlet, I recommend you go to the Lindt chocolate store and order the Varesino at the bar. It is a hot chocolate drink in a glass espresso cup covered with whipped cream, topped with chocolate cocoa and served with a chocolate spoon.
Enjoy!
I had the pleasure of visiting the nearest Outlet called Valdichiana Outlet Village this past Saturday. The parking lot was jammed full and stores were similarly full of people. I did not see everyone with shopping bags but I did see many many people taking their wallets out and purchasing. This is the wave of the future for Italy. I would not even say it is the future since it has been in the past ten years at least that these outlets are springing up everywhere. You cannot beat them though. This Village has over 200 designer lables for fashion and accessories. There are discounts up to 70 percent throughtout the whole year and it is open 7 days a week. It has a large playground for children and restaurants and bars to keep you happy.
Some stores include Benetton, Brums, Calvin Klein, Conte of Florence, Datch, Fila, Fornarina, Just Kavalli, John Ashfield, Lotto, Levis, Richard Ginori, Sisley, Stefanel, VFG Factory Store.
If you do visit this outlet, I recommend you go to the Lindt chocolate store and order the Varesino at the bar. It is a hot chocolate drink in a glass espresso cup covered with whipped cream, topped with chocolate cocoa and served with a chocolate spoon.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
An Economic Crisis-Surviving it in Italy
The economic crisis is alive and well in Italy just as so everywhere else in the world. Although it is easy to say that Italy's economic woes are the result of the world's financial mess, this country has had high unemployment, inflation out of control, low impossible salaries for years and years. In fact when I arrived here ten years ago and saw what the going salaries were (much less then those in the USA for comparable jobs), my first reaction was to get back on the airplane and return to the USA. I remember continuously saying "how do people live on these salaries?" I suspect that the problems go way way back prior to my arrival in Italy.
So how do people survive now with this enonomic crisis in Italy? Just from my research of how people live, I imagine that those that will survive with fewer problems are those that know how to get by. These being people who already were savers and not spenders, regardless of the economic crisis. Most of these people are the elderly people. Why? Because they have been through wars, depression, recessions and most of all because of their personalities. It is ingrained in them of what it means to save. They don't even think about it. They have no problems walking by stores and NOT buying that article. They use their cash wisely. They don't have debt. They never use credit cards. Many of them do not even own credit cards. Their homes are paid off. They have one small utility car. They walk when they can to save money on gas. They put on an extra sweater instead of turning on the heat. All of these qualities are mostly seen in the elderly here in Italy.
The younger generation will have the most problems. These are people in Italy that HAVE to have all designer clothing, HAVE to go on vacation every year, HAVE to have the latest model of the expensive automobiles, HAVE to have expensive furniture, and etc. etc. These people will have the greatest problems in surviving the crisis in Italy.
So how do people survive now with this enonomic crisis in Italy? Just from my research of how people live, I imagine that those that will survive with fewer problems are those that know how to get by. These being people who already were savers and not spenders, regardless of the economic crisis. Most of these people are the elderly people. Why? Because they have been through wars, depression, recessions and most of all because of their personalities. It is ingrained in them of what it means to save. They don't even think about it. They have no problems walking by stores and NOT buying that article. They use their cash wisely. They don't have debt. They never use credit cards. Many of them do not even own credit cards. Their homes are paid off. They have one small utility car. They walk when they can to save money on gas. They put on an extra sweater instead of turning on the heat. All of these qualities are mostly seen in the elderly here in Italy.
The younger generation will have the most problems. These are people in Italy that HAVE to have all designer clothing, HAVE to go on vacation every year, HAVE to have the latest model of the expensive automobiles, HAVE to have expensive furniture, and etc. etc. These people will have the greatest problems in surviving the crisis in Italy.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Making Sense of the Italian Language
First of all I apologize for being absent for some days. Last week was a challenge with two young children home with the flu. I was so satisfied though that I was able to catch the entire Obama swearing in ceremony on CNN. Thanks CNN and thanks hubby and inlaws for helping out with the kids. Now on to my post....
I am amazed on how many Italian words I did not know and on how many English words are used in Italian daily conversations. Let me explain:
In this region and in this small town the word "minestra" signifies the small noodles or pasta used inside soup. The word "minestra" to me growing up in my Italian American household always meant "soup". Italians use the word "box" to mean "playpen" but it is also used to mean "garage". That could be means for a safety disaster I know. They use the word "scatola" or "cartone" to mean "box".
Italians use the word "scottex" to mean paper towels and "cotton fioc" to mean "Q tip swaps". They use also many English words with an Italian flair. For instance they will say "bisogna faxare" meaning "you need to fax it". They don't say "email" but "a mail".
When it comes to clothing they have a whole different vocabulary. A "kway" is a sort of rain coat I believe and a "polo" is a shirt with a few buttons only at neck. A "golf" is a sweater and a "pull" is a sweater too. The "pinochietto" pants is a capri pair of pants (name from famous wooden boy!). I can go on and on. It is a learning process and an adventure. I still make all sorts of mistakes and frankly I am now unsure of the proper Italian from the improper.
What have been your experiences regarding Italian??
I am amazed on how many Italian words I did not know and on how many English words are used in Italian daily conversations. Let me explain:
In this region and in this small town the word "minestra" signifies the small noodles or pasta used inside soup. The word "minestra" to me growing up in my Italian American household always meant "soup". Italians use the word "box" to mean "playpen" but it is also used to mean "garage". That could be means for a safety disaster I know. They use the word "scatola" or "cartone" to mean "box".
Italians use the word "scottex" to mean paper towels and "cotton fioc" to mean "Q tip swaps". They use also many English words with an Italian flair. For instance they will say "bisogna faxare" meaning "you need to fax it". They don't say "email" but "a mail".
When it comes to clothing they have a whole different vocabulary. A "kway" is a sort of rain coat I believe and a "polo" is a shirt with a few buttons only at neck. A "golf" is a sweater and a "pull" is a sweater too. The "pinochietto" pants is a capri pair of pants (name from famous wooden boy!). I can go on and on. It is a learning process and an adventure. I still make all sorts of mistakes and frankly I am now unsure of the proper Italian from the improper.
What have been your experiences regarding Italian??
Monday, January 19, 2009
This American in Italy for Obama
I cannot help but want to be in Washington D.C. tomorrow for Obama's swearing in ceremony. I will be watching it live as will so many people. It will be a historic moment that we have all been waiting for.
No matter who you are or where you are, I think that everyone's eyes will be on Washington D.C. tomorrow. What an incredible moment to be American!
No matter who you are or where you are, I think that everyone's eyes will be on Washington D.C. tomorrow. What an incredible moment to be American!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Italy Property- Interesting Tips
It took us one year to find our present home in Italy. It was not that I was particularly picky. It was that I had no idea how the whole finding property in Italy phenomenon worked. Here are some interesting tips I learned about finding property in Italy.
1.Don't expect to find "for sale" signs in front of properties that are for sale. For some reason Italians are embarassed by this.
2.Don't expect to get a definitive answer from Italians if their property is for sale. You will get "yes, maybe if the price is right I can move" type of an answer.
3.Do expect to get prices quoted first in Lira, then in Euro, then in Lira, then in Euro.
4.Do expect the price to change continuously.
5.Do expect that the real estate agent will never return your calls, is not really interested in a sale, does not remember who you are or what you wanted.
6.Do keep a diary of the properties you already saw, the prices, date, description, contact name, location.
7.Do expect to be taken to see the same property again although you flat out said not interested.
8.Do expect the agent to not really care about what you want in a property.
9.Do scour the area you are interested in and ask anyone (farmers, residents,etc) if they know of properties for sale in the area. These people know more than anyone else.
10. Do use the internet www.casa.it to compare prices, areas, homes, etc.
11.Do be patient.
1.Don't expect to find "for sale" signs in front of properties that are for sale. For some reason Italians are embarassed by this.
2.Don't expect to get a definitive answer from Italians if their property is for sale. You will get "yes, maybe if the price is right I can move" type of an answer.
3.Do expect to get prices quoted first in Lira, then in Euro, then in Lira, then in Euro.
4.Do expect the price to change continuously.
5.Do expect that the real estate agent will never return your calls, is not really interested in a sale, does not remember who you are or what you wanted.
6.Do keep a diary of the properties you already saw, the prices, date, description, contact name, location.
7.Do expect to be taken to see the same property again although you flat out said not interested.
8.Do expect the agent to not really care about what you want in a property.
9.Do scour the area you are interested in and ask anyone (farmers, residents,etc) if they know of properties for sale in the area. These people know more than anyone else.
10. Do use the internet www.casa.it to compare prices, areas, homes, etc.
11.Do be patient.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Standard of Living Italy
Everyone assumes that the standard of living in Italy, especially Tuscany, must be very high. The most sought after question for those wanting to move to Italy is if the quality of life will be better or worse than their present situation.
No one can say for sure if the quality of life is better or worse. This depends directly on what "standard of living" means for that person. What is important? What can one do without?
For instance a retired couple from the USA moving to Tuscany may not care that the unemployment rate is very high or that the school system is very much lacking whereas a couple looking for work with school age children may find that those two parameters (employment and schools) are very important indeed.
Some standard of living parameters are lifestyle, work, environment, health care, crime rate, population, leisure time. Again, what is imperative to one may be less pressing for another. The best advice is to research and research what is important to you and your family and find out before moving what the town or city in Italy offers. If possible, spend some time in the town or city before moving there and do not quit your job before having a paying job with a legal binding contract in Italy.
No one can say for sure if the quality of life is better or worse. This depends directly on what "standard of living" means for that person. What is important? What can one do without?
For instance a retired couple from the USA moving to Tuscany may not care that the unemployment rate is very high or that the school system is very much lacking whereas a couple looking for work with school age children may find that those two parameters (employment and schools) are very important indeed.
Some standard of living parameters are lifestyle, work, environment, health care, crime rate, population, leisure time. Again, what is imperative to one may be less pressing for another. The best advice is to research and research what is important to you and your family and find out before moving what the town or city in Italy offers. If possible, spend some time in the town or city before moving there and do not quit your job before having a paying job with a legal binding contract in Italy.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Raising Bilingual Children in Italy
I received many comments regarding raising bilingual children in Italy. It is a learning process for the parents and for the children. It is so interesting to hear how my children are acquiring both languages of Italian and English.
So the stuttering stopped for a few months as my older son was speaking more and more Italian then we had my sister over visiting (speaking mostly English) and the stuttering started again but only slightly. Now that my sister left the stuttering stopped again and we are speaking more Italian. I am trying more and more to speak only English to both kids and it is helping. I would like that the language mostly used between the two children be English but we will see what happens once the younger child begins to speak more.
I imagine when we go back to visit the grandparents in the USA, the English will come back full force again and maybe even the stuttering. I tried to get my husband to speak English at home but did not work. It is just awkward for him plus his Italian is better than his English.
I guess it is a lot of vocabulary to learn for a child in both languages but they have the ability and skill to acquire both and even more. I don't push it and never reprimand if he does not speak it. I just repeat what he says in Italian, in English and that seems to work. Any advice out there??
So the stuttering stopped for a few months as my older son was speaking more and more Italian then we had my sister over visiting (speaking mostly English) and the stuttering started again but only slightly. Now that my sister left the stuttering stopped again and we are speaking more Italian. I am trying more and more to speak only English to both kids and it is helping. I would like that the language mostly used between the two children be English but we will see what happens once the younger child begins to speak more.
I imagine when we go back to visit the grandparents in the USA, the English will come back full force again and maybe even the stuttering. I tried to get my husband to speak English at home but did not work. It is just awkward for him plus his Italian is better than his English.
I guess it is a lot of vocabulary to learn for a child in both languages but they have the ability and skill to acquire both and even more. I don't push it and never reprimand if he does not speak it. I just repeat what he says in Italian, in English and that seems to work. Any advice out there??
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The Climate Crisis in Italy
The climate crisis and clean environment movement is contagious and thank goodness it is. In Italy, suddenly, every magazine or newspaper you pick up has at least one article on cleaning up the environment. Am I more aware of this now myself or has it become a sudden important trend? I am not quite sure.
In a way, Italy is much more advanced than the USA in keeping the environment clean. The very things I complained about before are the things that have kept carbon dioxide emissions down in the country. Each household is allowed only 3 kw of power and this means to you and me that if you have your washing machine running you cannot use your hair dryer! This means that if you have your dishwasher going, you cannot turn on your air conditioner. I used to complain about this but now I realize that it is actually for our own good. I now wonder what would happen in a country like the USA if Americans were told to do the same. It would be difficult to get used to. What if Americans were told (and they are) to put their clothes out to airdry instead of using a dryer. I immagine sheer chaos.
Italians are used to living like this. For them it is also a matter of keeping their electricity, gas and water bills down which can be very steep. Few Italians even own dryers nor air conditioners. Is it because they are worried about emissions? I don't think so. It is partly due to a culture that never used these appliances and partly due to high prices which few can afford. No matter what the reason, it least the end result is fewer emissions.
So in a way, Americans can learn a lot from Italians. According to www.climatecrisis.net, the average American generates about 15,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year from personal transportation, home energy use and from the energy used to produce all of the products and services we consume. That is mind boggling.
In a way, Italy is much more advanced than the USA in keeping the environment clean. The very things I complained about before are the things that have kept carbon dioxide emissions down in the country. Each household is allowed only 3 kw of power and this means to you and me that if you have your washing machine running you cannot use your hair dryer! This means that if you have your dishwasher going, you cannot turn on your air conditioner. I used to complain about this but now I realize that it is actually for our own good. I now wonder what would happen in a country like the USA if Americans were told to do the same. It would be difficult to get used to. What if Americans were told (and they are) to put their clothes out to airdry instead of using a dryer. I immagine sheer chaos.
Italians are used to living like this. For them it is also a matter of keeping their electricity, gas and water bills down which can be very steep. Few Italians even own dryers nor air conditioners. Is it because they are worried about emissions? I don't think so. It is partly due to a culture that never used these appliances and partly due to high prices which few can afford. No matter what the reason, it least the end result is fewer emissions.
So in a way, Americans can learn a lot from Italians. According to www.climatecrisis.net, the average American generates about 15,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year from personal transportation, home energy use and from the energy used to produce all of the products and services we consume. That is mind boggling.
Monday, January 12, 2009
After Christmas Sales in Italy
I am not quite sure if it is because of the recession or if it is just in my small town of Chiusi and the vicinity but the after Christmas sales so far are quite disappointing. In Tuscany the sales were supposed to start on January 7th so I armed myself with some cash and started hitting the stores where I had seen certain items I was interested in. I was shocked when I saw no sales. I asked the store personnel when the sales would start and they said "oh we are not having sales this year." So I thought it must be an isolated thing. I went to two other larger stores and the same response. I went to another store and they told me "Oh I don't know when they will start."I finally hit the last store, a franchise store for children's things, and they said "oh those items (the ones I wanted) are not on sale."
What a disappointment. The only stores that are having sales are those with items that had outrageous original prices. The sale price is a joke.
Haven't these people heard of the recession going on? Are they hurting so bad they cannot put anything on sale? Probably. It is no wonder people are going more and more to larger shopping malls and outlets to do their shopping or not shopping at all. No wonder the rate of consumer spending has fallen so low.
Shopping in Italy is not what it used to be. In the past you could get some really nice things out here at decent prices. You could get quality Made in Italy clothing, shoes, bags, etc and they would last years. Now finding Made in Italy anything is a real challenge in Italy.
What a disappointment. The only stores that are having sales are those with items that had outrageous original prices. The sale price is a joke.
Haven't these people heard of the recession going on? Are they hurting so bad they cannot put anything on sale? Probably. It is no wonder people are going more and more to larger shopping malls and outlets to do their shopping or not shopping at all. No wonder the rate of consumer spending has fallen so low.
Shopping in Italy is not what it used to be. In the past you could get some really nice things out here at decent prices. You could get quality Made in Italy clothing, shoes, bags, etc and they would last years. Now finding Made in Italy anything is a real challenge in Italy.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Can You Continue to Live as An American While Residing in Italy??
Before moving to Italy over ten years ago, I remember saying to myself that I would try to continue to live as an American while residing in Italy. The point being that I would try to avoid all the negative aspects of living in Italy and yes there are negative aspects. I would not fall into the "image is everything" philosophy, would not rush home to make meals, would not buy fresh bread everyday, would not turn into one of "those Italian women" who are at the beck and call of their families, and would not burden myself with all the bureaucratic mazes one has to go through almost daily in Italy.
Interestingly enough during the first years while I was still single and living in the metropolitan city of Milan, I was able to continue to be the American. As any single person, I ate when I wanted to, dressed as I wanted to, went to the gym, worked hard at a job I somewhat liked and all in all I was able to continue to be the American.
Things slowly changed as I moved to smaller and smaller towns. I found myself doing more and more the things that "those Italian women" do. While I am not single anymore, I don't think I am at the beck and call of my familly but I am buying into some of the Italian ways of doing things. Now my philosophy is "don't reinvent the wheel". If Italians have been getting by doing things this way, it must work and if it doesn't work no skin off my nose. There is always "domani" or tomorrow.
I have also realized I have the incredible luxury to be L'Americana (the American) or be Italian when it is convenient for me but that is our little secret. If I want to dress down and wear flip flops until October...I am The American! If I want to not have fresh bread in the house for days...I am The American! If I want to be overly obsessed with safety for my children....I am The American! It works both ways you see. I can also be the Italian when I want to let things slide until tomorrow or double park, etc.
I haven't figured out how to avoid the whole bureaucratic maze but am constantly researching how the Italians get around it. Will keep you informed with details. In the meantime remember if you move to Italy, you really have the best of both worlds. It is not so bad being L'Americana!!
Interestingly enough during the first years while I was still single and living in the metropolitan city of Milan, I was able to continue to be the American. As any single person, I ate when I wanted to, dressed as I wanted to, went to the gym, worked hard at a job I somewhat liked and all in all I was able to continue to be the American.
Things slowly changed as I moved to smaller and smaller towns. I found myself doing more and more the things that "those Italian women" do. While I am not single anymore, I don't think I am at the beck and call of my familly but I am buying into some of the Italian ways of doing things. Now my philosophy is "don't reinvent the wheel". If Italians have been getting by doing things this way, it must work and if it doesn't work no skin off my nose. There is always "domani" or tomorrow.
I have also realized I have the incredible luxury to be L'Americana (the American) or be Italian when it is convenient for me but that is our little secret. If I want to dress down and wear flip flops until October...I am The American! If I want to not have fresh bread in the house for days...I am The American! If I want to be overly obsessed with safety for my children....I am The American! It works both ways you see. I can also be the Italian when I want to let things slide until tomorrow or double park, etc.
I haven't figured out how to avoid the whole bureaucratic maze but am constantly researching how the Italians get around it. Will keep you informed with details. In the meantime remember if you move to Italy, you really have the best of both worlds. It is not so bad being L'Americana!!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Montepulciano Italy- Great Restaurant
I thought I would give you the head's up on a great restaurant we found just before reaching Montepulciano. It is called Il Covo and is located at Localita S.Biagio n. 3/5 just off the SS for Chianciano. They serve everything from great appetizers to hand made pasta dishes, specialty meats, fish, and pizza. We were with native Italians who said it was one of the best meals they have had.
We had bruschetta, hot crostini, cinghiale al sugo, risotto ai frutti di mare, braesola, pici a ragu and some house wine. The restaurant itself is large and kid friendly. Prices are good. If you are in the area and don't know where to eat, stop there. You will be pleased.
www.ristoranteilcovo.net (Tel.0578.757228)
We had bruschetta, hot crostini, cinghiale al sugo, risotto ai frutti di mare, braesola, pici a ragu and some house wine. The restaurant itself is large and kid friendly. Prices are good. If you are in the area and don't know where to eat, stop there. You will be pleased.
www.ristoranteilcovo.net (Tel.0578.757228)
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The Best Places to Live in Italy -Quality of Life
Happy New Year to all. I found a great article in "Il Sole 24 Ore" of December 29th 2008 on the best places to live in Italy and thought I would share with those interested...
The research done by the newspaper for the 2008 rating of provinces with the highest quality of life is as follows:
1. Aosta
2. Belluna
3.Bolzano
4.Trento
5.Sondrio
6.Trieste
7.Siena
8.Gorizia
9.Piacenza
10.Parma
The province of Florence is placed at number 12.
The parameters determining high quality of life for the research are : standard of living, business and employment, services/air quality/health, crime, population, leisure time. Not surprisingly, there is a definite relationship between a higher quality of life and living in the smaller and medium sized towns.
As for any research study, you have to make up your own mind. For instance while the quality of life in a small town in the province of Siena may be high, you may be at a disadvantage if you want to find work as a manager of a big company. Also I could not find education as one of the important parameters on the study which I find very important.
The best advice I can give someone who wants to move to Italy is to research, research and do more research. Visit the town or towns first and repeatedly during different times of the year and if you can, try to live in the town renting a place first before moving there. Also do not give up your job in your native home before getting a contract for work in Italy. The unemployment rate is extremely high.
That is my two cents!
The research done by the newspaper for the 2008 rating of provinces with the highest quality of life is as follows:
1. Aosta
2. Belluna
3.Bolzano
4.Trento
5.Sondrio
6.Trieste
7.Siena
8.Gorizia
9.Piacenza
10.Parma
The province of Florence is placed at number 12.
The parameters determining high quality of life for the research are : standard of living, business and employment, services/air quality/health, crime, population, leisure time. Not surprisingly, there is a definite relationship between a higher quality of life and living in the smaller and medium sized towns.
As for any research study, you have to make up your own mind. For instance while the quality of life in a small town in the province of Siena may be high, you may be at a disadvantage if you want to find work as a manager of a big company. Also I could not find education as one of the important parameters on the study which I find very important.
The best advice I can give someone who wants to move to Italy is to research, research and do more research. Visit the town or towns first and repeatedly during different times of the year and if you can, try to live in the town renting a place first before moving there. Also do not give up your job in your native home before getting a contract for work in Italy. The unemployment rate is extremely high.
That is my two cents!
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Christmastime In This Small Town- Italy
I am often asked what it is like during the Christmas season in my small town called Chiusi. I have spent now a number of holidays here to know what the lineup of festivities are. During the whole month of December, the stores are open on Sundays as well as the other days of the week. The first Sunday in December is devoted to the town fair or "Fiera." The streets are closed to traffic and there are stands outside selling everything from clothing to shoes to food to animals. Every year I get my great wicker baskets at this Fair that I use for magazines, wood, toys, etc. A great bargain. Many people do all their Christmas shopping at the Fair just because the prices are so good.
The last week before Christmas is the most exciting, especially for children. In one of the smaller piazza's, there is a wooden shed named "Santa's House" that is decorated and has a small mail box in the front where children leave their Christmas letters for Santa. On the Sunday before Christmas Santa "drops down from the sky." He actually comes out of a window from a 5 story palazzo and slowly lets himself down a rope while he throws candy down at the children. This takes place in the town piazza and is usually a crowd pleaser. During the week before Christmas there is also the horse and carriage where children or adults can take rides around town.
There may not be the hustle or bustle of Rome, Milan, New York, or London but there is something really comfy and quaint about Christmastime in Chiusi.
The last week before Christmas is the most exciting, especially for children. In one of the smaller piazza's, there is a wooden shed named "Santa's House" that is decorated and has a small mail box in the front where children leave their Christmas letters for Santa. On the Sunday before Christmas Santa "drops down from the sky." He actually comes out of a window from a 5 story palazzo and slowly lets himself down a rope while he throws candy down at the children. This takes place in the town piazza and is usually a crowd pleaser. During the week before Christmas there is also the horse and carriage where children or adults can take rides around town.
There may not be the hustle or bustle of Rome, Milan, New York, or London but there is something really comfy and quaint about Christmastime in Chiusi.
How and Why Do Italian Women Pamper Themselves?
After living in Italy for several years, I have discovered some interesting facts about Italian women. I can speak only of the smaller towns where I have resided. Women here have a fast paced lifestyle but not because they have to rush to get to work but because they have to rush to get home! Since the whole family returns home for lunch, it is the responsiblity of the woman usually (mother,wife, grandmother) to have everything ready for a sit down lunch. Since most supermarkets, bakeries, butcher shops, fish markets close at 1pm these means the person responsible for making lunch has to run to get shopping done and then rush home to prepare it.
The whole affair includes shopping, cooking, setting the table, cleaning up afterward on a daily basis. I see women running around like mad people trying to get everything done for their loved ones. It is quite stressful. It is the responsiblity also of this person to do the banking, go to the post office, take care of the bureaucratic papers at the town hall, do the paying of bills. This person also has to wait in long lines at the doctor's office, other long lines to get prescriptions for drugs and medical tests. Usually a family has one person who either works or does not work that is given the task of getting all these things done. Sometimes it is a retired grandmother. Sometimes it is a mother who works part time. Sometimes it is the mother who works full time.
So what happens? Inevitably the women are stressed and they need pampering.
The most common way Italian women pamper themselves is by going to the hair salon. The hair salon in Italy is a phenomenon. I could never understand why an Italian woman would go to the hair salon on a weekly basis in some cases but usually every other week. Now I understand. Women here need pampering and it is very common to go to the hair salon to get some pampering by way of a hair trim, hair set, color, etc. It is their way to get away! There is no excuse necessary to go to the hair salon frequently. It is something expected. Sometimes going to the hair salon means spending hours there waiting for your turn which means hours away from all the running around and stresses. What better way to pamper yourself?
The whole affair includes shopping, cooking, setting the table, cleaning up afterward on a daily basis. I see women running around like mad people trying to get everything done for their loved ones. It is quite stressful. It is the responsiblity also of this person to do the banking, go to the post office, take care of the bureaucratic papers at the town hall, do the paying of bills. This person also has to wait in long lines at the doctor's office, other long lines to get prescriptions for drugs and medical tests. Usually a family has one person who either works or does not work that is given the task of getting all these things done. Sometimes it is a retired grandmother. Sometimes it is a mother who works part time. Sometimes it is the mother who works full time.
So what happens? Inevitably the women are stressed and they need pampering.
The most common way Italian women pamper themselves is by going to the hair salon. The hair salon in Italy is a phenomenon. I could never understand why an Italian woman would go to the hair salon on a weekly basis in some cases but usually every other week. Now I understand. Women here need pampering and it is very common to go to the hair salon to get some pampering by way of a hair trim, hair set, color, etc. It is their way to get away! There is no excuse necessary to go to the hair salon frequently. It is something expected. Sometimes going to the hair salon means spending hours there waiting for your turn which means hours away from all the running around and stresses. What better way to pamper yourself?
Friday, December 19, 2008
Bilingual Children At Home - In Italy
Raising bilingual children at home is a learning process for both the parents and the children. My native language is English and I am almost completely fluent in Italian while my husband's native language is Italian and he is not fluent in English. Since we live in Italy and since our common language (between my husband and I) has always been Italian, we have continued to speak Italian to eachother in the home. This I believe has been a negative influence on our children.
I have always tried to speak only English with our children but I find myself more and more speaking Italian to them just because it is becoming more and more natural for me. I really have to stop myself, think and then start over in English. My eldest child who spoke consistently in English with me is now speaking more and more only Italian. This may also have to do with the fact that he is in preschool and speaks Italian with everyone but me. So after doing some research and talking to my husband, we decided that we will try to bring back the English language in our household so that at home we will speak English with eachother, no matter how strange it might feel. It would be the best not only for our children, but also for my husband who has never taken a formal English language class in his life!
The other thing that happened to us regarding our bilingual children, is that my eldest son after returning from a three month vacation in the United States, began to stutter quite profusely. It seemed like the words just could not come out. After speaking with the kind and helpful people at the Stuttering Foundation and reading their literature (www.stutteringhelp.org), we realized that it is a very normal occurence with bilingual children that may come and go, but that will pass in many instances. After a month of stuttering, he is now speaking normally...but in Italian mostly.
There is a lot of literature available about dealing with bilingual children at home but the best advice I found on www.italiakids.com "Raising Bilingual Children: The Most Successful Methods" by Christina Bosemark or visit www.MultilingualChildren.org. These are both very helpful sites for raising bilingual children. I will let you know how we do! Buona fortuna.
I have always tried to speak only English with our children but I find myself more and more speaking Italian to them just because it is becoming more and more natural for me. I really have to stop myself, think and then start over in English. My eldest child who spoke consistently in English with me is now speaking more and more only Italian. This may also have to do with the fact that he is in preschool and speaks Italian with everyone but me. So after doing some research and talking to my husband, we decided that we will try to bring back the English language in our household so that at home we will speak English with eachother, no matter how strange it might feel. It would be the best not only for our children, but also for my husband who has never taken a formal English language class in his life!
The other thing that happened to us regarding our bilingual children, is that my eldest son after returning from a three month vacation in the United States, began to stutter quite profusely. It seemed like the words just could not come out. After speaking with the kind and helpful people at the Stuttering Foundation and reading their literature (www.stutteringhelp.org), we realized that it is a very normal occurence with bilingual children that may come and go, but that will pass in many instances. After a month of stuttering, he is now speaking normally...but in Italian mostly.
There is a lot of literature available about dealing with bilingual children at home but the best advice I found on www.italiakids.com "Raising Bilingual Children: The Most Successful Methods" by Christina Bosemark or visit www.MultilingualChildren.org. These are both very helpful sites for raising bilingual children. I will let you know how we do! Buona fortuna.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Postal Service in Italy
Have you ever had to deal with Italian postal service? Have you ever had your mail or packages lost and had no idea how to retrieve them? Are you unsure of what you can or cannot send to and from Italy? All these questions come back to haunt us during the holiday season.
I try to avoid as much as possible the Italian post office. I only go there occasionally to pay bills and then we keep our distance from eachother. However now and then I do not have a choice if I want to send packages to my family back home in the United States. I only discovered yesterday, to my delight, that it is much simpler and cheaper to send things by priority mail in big padded envelopes than to send the same things in a package. I can send up to one kilo of articles in a big padded envelope from Italy to the United States and it costs a little over 8 euros (about $11). You can send pretty much anything that is legal like foods, clothing, books. Whereas if you send a package the same weight costs about 40 euros ($56) and there is a long list of items you cannot send.
Receiving packages in Italy is always a mystery until you actually hold the package in your hand. I have had such bad experiences with this scenario. Several years ago, my family had sent me prenatal vitamins for my pregnancy that were stopped in customs for 3 months because they were unsure if they were pharmaceuticals. (You cannot send pharmaceuticals.) After my obgyn wrote and signed a declaration saying they were vitamins and after I paid an additional 130 euros to get them out of customs, I received them. If you don't do these two requirements, they destroy the package or send them back to the sender for a fee. Suffice to say I received the vitamins days prior to my going to the USA to deliver the baby!
Last year was the last straw. My good intentioned family sent Christmas gifts to my boys and to us that we never received. We are convinced there is some family in Italy where the son is wearing a toddler tshirt reading "Obama for President" and the mother is wearing a nice new designer purse.
I have also received birthday cards that are torn and open, with missing money or checks. We now unfortunately or not do not do much gift exchanging by mail. We have pretty much resolved the problem by sending eachother flowers. Long live internet and credit cards!
I try to avoid as much as possible the Italian post office. I only go there occasionally to pay bills and then we keep our distance from eachother. However now and then I do not have a choice if I want to send packages to my family back home in the United States. I only discovered yesterday, to my delight, that it is much simpler and cheaper to send things by priority mail in big padded envelopes than to send the same things in a package. I can send up to one kilo of articles in a big padded envelope from Italy to the United States and it costs a little over 8 euros (about $11). You can send pretty much anything that is legal like foods, clothing, books. Whereas if you send a package the same weight costs about 40 euros ($56) and there is a long list of items you cannot send.
Receiving packages in Italy is always a mystery until you actually hold the package in your hand. I have had such bad experiences with this scenario. Several years ago, my family had sent me prenatal vitamins for my pregnancy that were stopped in customs for 3 months because they were unsure if they were pharmaceuticals. (You cannot send pharmaceuticals.) After my obgyn wrote and signed a declaration saying they were vitamins and after I paid an additional 130 euros to get them out of customs, I received them. If you don't do these two requirements, they destroy the package or send them back to the sender for a fee. Suffice to say I received the vitamins days prior to my going to the USA to deliver the baby!
Last year was the last straw. My good intentioned family sent Christmas gifts to my boys and to us that we never received. We are convinced there is some family in Italy where the son is wearing a toddler tshirt reading "Obama for President" and the mother is wearing a nice new designer purse.
I have also received birthday cards that are torn and open, with missing money or checks. We now unfortunately or not do not do much gift exchanging by mail. We have pretty much resolved the problem by sending eachother flowers. Long live internet and credit cards!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Tips on How to Purchase Italian Womens' Dress Shoes
Here are some insider tips on how to purchase Italian womens' dress shoes. There is a multitude of different makers of Italian dress shoes available in every department store, specialty boutique, outlet, online retailer, etc. However sometimes many of these shoes lack quality and are over priced. What should you look for before pulling out your wallet??
The three most important attributes when buying Italian dress shoes are :
-quality
-fit/comfort
-price
1.Quality- this is probably the most important factor when purchasing dress shoes. If the dress shoe is high quality, there is a good chance you will be able to wear it for years to come. Quality means that accessories or anything applied to the shoe does not come off. It also means that the shoe is not made of synthetic material but of high quality leather or high quality fabric. Look for the symbol showing that the entire shoe is made of leather and not just the tip, bottom, etc. If have your doubts, use your nose. Leather smells like leather and plastic smells like plastic. Ask the salesperson for further information. The shoe should be strong and not have any weak points. The heel should not be wobbly. The trim, lining, sole and seams should be exact without any visible creases. You should never see glue,spots or stains. Every detail should be precise. You should always look for the symbol "made in Italy." Many shoes nowadays have an Italian name, Italian packaging but are NOT made in Italy.
2.Fit/comfort- If the shoe is not comfortable, you will end up not wearing it. Although you will accessorize your closet, you will not be utilizing the shoe. Most of the time if the shoe is a quality shoe as stated above, it will be comfortable and wearable. Don't ever buy a shoe that is too big or too small. Don't ever believe a salesperson that says "oh the shoes will stretch" or "you will grow into them." Also don't buy a shoe knowing you will have to put another sole into it to get it to fit. These tactics seldom work.
3.Price- You should never pay more than what the shoe is worth. How do you know what it is worth? If it is a high quality shoe, you can use the prices of designer shoes as a gauge. If the shoe is high quality, comfortable, Italian and not designer, then its price should not be as high as the designer shoe. A shoe that is not made in Italy should never be priced as an Italian shoe. A shoe that is not all leather should never be priced as an all leather shoe.
I hope you keep in mind these tips before buying those beautiful Italian dress shoes.
Fotographs courtesy of Gerardine shoes (www.gerardine.it)
Monday, December 15, 2008
What Makes An Expat Want to Remain in Italy?
I am not sure what percentage of people who move to Italy, actually remain in the "bel paese." I always suggest to those wanting to move to Italy, to try living in Italy temporarily, before quitting their job or selling their house in their home country. Why? For the simple reason that vacationing in Italy is much different than actually living in Italy. When you are on vacation, you don't have to deal with the majority of things you have to face on a daily basis when living in Italy. I assume this is the case for any country you move to. Vacation is bliss no matter where you go.
I thought deep and hard about what makes an expat want to remain in Italy and I believe it comes down to this:
1.one remains when expectations are met or are surpassed and/or
2.one remains when discovers new positive features in the country he/she moved to
I am sure there a zillions of more reasons people remain but the two that stand out are these.
For instance I was thinking of how lucky I am in my little town to be able to always park pretty much anywhere I want. Even if I am illegally parked in front of the bakery, the street police or vigile know I am getting my ciabatta for the day and will quickly move my car. Or when I illegally park because it is raining and I have to get as close to the school entrance as possible, otherwise my little angel will get wet. It seems the street police have unwritten rules of what we can do and not do under certain circumstances. Well all these are new positive features of Italy that I discovered while living here. Now I don't know if I can handle a normal parking situation in my home country where I do have to abide by the law...all the time.
Also you get spoiled when you live in Italy and certain extras become necessities like espresso coffee at the bar, fresh bread at the bakery, afternoon nap if possible, sleepy Sundays with great lunches, views of rolling hills and olive groves.
So it is difficult to say what exactly makes an expat want to remain in Italy but it has something to do with the positives outweighting the negatives at least for the time being!
I thought deep and hard about what makes an expat want to remain in Italy and I believe it comes down to this:
1.one remains when expectations are met or are surpassed and/or
2.one remains when discovers new positive features in the country he/she moved to
I am sure there a zillions of more reasons people remain but the two that stand out are these.
For instance I was thinking of how lucky I am in my little town to be able to always park pretty much anywhere I want. Even if I am illegally parked in front of the bakery, the street police or vigile know I am getting my ciabatta for the day and will quickly move my car. Or when I illegally park because it is raining and I have to get as close to the school entrance as possible, otherwise my little angel will get wet. It seems the street police have unwritten rules of what we can do and not do under certain circumstances. Well all these are new positive features of Italy that I discovered while living here. Now I don't know if I can handle a normal parking situation in my home country where I do have to abide by the law...all the time.
Also you get spoiled when you live in Italy and certain extras become necessities like espresso coffee at the bar, fresh bread at the bakery, afternoon nap if possible, sleepy Sundays with great lunches, views of rolling hills and olive groves.
So it is difficult to say what exactly makes an expat want to remain in Italy but it has something to do with the positives outweighting the negatives at least for the time being!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Country Living In Tuscany On This Cold Sunday
A typical Tuscan Sunday for us in the Winter is spending the most part of the day home with the fire burning and some cozy blankets munching on "panettone" or "pandoro" (Christmas cake) and some hot tea.
We went out only this morning to go to Sunday Mass and then make a quick run to the grocery store to buy the much needed bread for our "bruschetta". Returning home, we noticed our neighbor Anita had many cars parked in her front yard and one of her pigs was missing. This scenario is always equivalent to one thing...they slaughter one of their pigs for their big Christmas meal and then divide it amongst close family and friends. I have learned not to become buddies with her "pets." In the following days, Anita will surely come by our house with some remnants of Mr.Pig.
For lunch, this Sunday my husband and I decided to stay with Italian tradition and cook our meat and bruschetta in our fireplace. After a great lunch of spaghetti sauteed in a cherry tomato and garlic sauce, bbq steak, cauliflower and bruschetta. We washed it all done with "il vino del contadino," (the farmer's wine) and then celebrated pre Christmas style with "Pandoro" or Christmas cake.
Buona Domenica. Happy Sunday
We went out only this morning to go to Sunday Mass and then make a quick run to the grocery store to buy the much needed bread for our "bruschetta". Returning home, we noticed our neighbor Anita had many cars parked in her front yard and one of her pigs was missing. This scenario is always equivalent to one thing...they slaughter one of their pigs for their big Christmas meal and then divide it amongst close family and friends. I have learned not to become buddies with her "pets." In the following days, Anita will surely come by our house with some remnants of Mr.Pig.
For lunch, this Sunday my husband and I decided to stay with Italian tradition and cook our meat and bruschetta in our fireplace. After a great lunch of spaghetti sauteed in a cherry tomato and garlic sauce, bbq steak, cauliflower and bruschetta. We washed it all done with "il vino del contadino," (the farmer's wine) and then celebrated pre Christmas style with "Pandoro" or Christmas cake.
Buona Domenica. Happy Sunday
Thursday, December 11, 2008
How to Save Money on Gifts This Christmas
There are a few simple strategies to help you save money on gifts this Christmas. We all know Christmas is not about giving and receiving gifts and with consumers facing a financial crunch right now, these would be even more reason to end the gift exchange. But we know this is not going to happen and it is not realistic to think we will stop exchanging gifts. So here are some great tips to help you save money on gifts this holiday season.
1. Make a list of people and the gifts you want to buy them. Check it twice and then again and again until you have fine tuned it. Is it really necessary to give a gift to the man behind the counter at the gas station? You should be giving gifts to the people you know, like, feel strong about. Bring your list with you when you shop and stick with it. On the list you should have name, gift and budget for gift for each person. You should have a total budget of how much you will spend on gifts this Christmas and stick with it! You don't want to receive your credit card bill after the holidays and wonder how in the world it got out of whack!
2. Do not start your Christmas shopping early. Why? The earlier you shop the more you are going to spend. Don't worry, stores will NOT run out of gifts this year, or any year at that. Don't be harassed by the "only 2 more weeks until Christmas" ads you see and hear. You should say to yourself "yes and I have not spent a dime yet!" When is the best time to shop? Ten days early is more than enough time to start shopping.
3. What you should do before pulling out your wallets is research prices and retail establishments or online stores. You need to comparison shop online before actually buying anything. There are some superb websites to do this. Check out for instance www.pricegrabber.com and www.dealtime.com for best prices, stores and consumer reviews.
4.What to buy? Don't buy items that are frivolous. Buy items that people can use. If your son needs a new backpack for school. Buy it. Wrap it. Put it under the tree. You are teaching him about gift giving and about not wasting money. Does he really need his fourth green Ben 10 watch that he will play with for 2 days and then toss aside? Great gifts can also be foods, wine, useful household appliances or accessories. A gift does not have to be expensive to be a good gift. Think useful and non frivolous. In fact, it may not be the warmest gift but for close family, the gift of money is always appreciated. And if you really want to stay in the spirit of Christmas why not make a donation to a charity of choice in a friend or family member's name? That would be a great gift this Christmas.
Happy shopping and happy gift giving!
1. Make a list of people and the gifts you want to buy them. Check it twice and then again and again until you have fine tuned it. Is it really necessary to give a gift to the man behind the counter at the gas station? You should be giving gifts to the people you know, like, feel strong about. Bring your list with you when you shop and stick with it. On the list you should have name, gift and budget for gift for each person. You should have a total budget of how much you will spend on gifts this Christmas and stick with it! You don't want to receive your credit card bill after the holidays and wonder how in the world it got out of whack!
2. Do not start your Christmas shopping early. Why? The earlier you shop the more you are going to spend. Don't worry, stores will NOT run out of gifts this year, or any year at that. Don't be harassed by the "only 2 more weeks until Christmas" ads you see and hear. You should say to yourself "yes and I have not spent a dime yet!" When is the best time to shop? Ten days early is more than enough time to start shopping.
3. What you should do before pulling out your wallets is research prices and retail establishments or online stores. You need to comparison shop online before actually buying anything. There are some superb websites to do this. Check out for instance www.pricegrabber.com and www.dealtime.com for best prices, stores and consumer reviews.
4.What to buy? Don't buy items that are frivolous. Buy items that people can use. If your son needs a new backpack for school. Buy it. Wrap it. Put it under the tree. You are teaching him about gift giving and about not wasting money. Does he really need his fourth green Ben 10 watch that he will play with for 2 days and then toss aside? Great gifts can also be foods, wine, useful household appliances or accessories. A gift does not have to be expensive to be a good gift. Think useful and non frivolous. In fact, it may not be the warmest gift but for close family, the gift of money is always appreciated. And if you really want to stay in the spirit of Christmas why not make a donation to a charity of choice in a friend or family member's name? That would be a great gift this Christmas.
Happy shopping and happy gift giving!
Womens' Italian Dress Shoes- Looking Good
There is no comparison. Womens' Italian dress shoes are far more superior to any other footwear. Not only have I been studying the Italian women's style of dress for the past ten years, but I live within the Italian footwear industry. My husband and his family have been making Italian womens' footwear for the past 35 years in Italy. Through them, I have been continuously exposed to everything that goes into making this fabulous product. There is an attention to every detail within every phase of production. The outcome of this work is obvious when you pick up an Italian made shoe and wear it. But even the best Italian shoe will not look good if you don't know how to wear it.
How do you look good wearing womens' Italian dress shoes? You have to know which shoe looks good with your style, body, clothing. Even if the shoe is beautiful, it will not come across if it does not match everything else. Matching does not mean just getting the color of the shoe to match the clothing. For instance you should not wear a knee high boot with a dress slack that has a flair leg. It just does not look good. Here are some tips for matching shoes with clothing:
Weather permitting, the pump shoe can pretty much be worn with everything. It can be worn with dresses, skirts, dress slacks and jeans. Nude color pantyhose or no foot covering is best.
Ankle boots are very much in style this season and can be worn with slacks and jeans. It is very trendy right now to also wear them with skirts and leggings, making sure to wear them with winter tights.
Knee high boots should be worn with jeans (tucked in), skirts, and dresses.
The color and style of the footwear should match the outfit. For instance, you don't want to wear western boots with a cocktail dress or business suit. You also don't want to wear black motorcycle boots with a tan camel hair coat.
These are just a few tips to keep in mind when getting dressed this winter. If the shoe fits, wear it.
How do you look good wearing womens' Italian dress shoes? You have to know which shoe looks good with your style, body, clothing. Even if the shoe is beautiful, it will not come across if it does not match everything else. Matching does not mean just getting the color of the shoe to match the clothing. For instance you should not wear a knee high boot with a dress slack that has a flair leg. It just does not look good. Here are some tips for matching shoes with clothing:
Weather permitting, the pump shoe can pretty much be worn with everything. It can be worn with dresses, skirts, dress slacks and jeans. Nude color pantyhose or no foot covering is best.
Ankle boots are very much in style this season and can be worn with slacks and jeans. It is very trendy right now to also wear them with skirts and leggings, making sure to wear them with winter tights.
Knee high boots should be worn with jeans (tucked in), skirts, and dresses.
The color and style of the footwear should match the outfit. For instance, you don't want to wear western boots with a cocktail dress or business suit. You also don't want to wear black motorcycle boots with a tan camel hair coat.
These are just a few tips to keep in mind when getting dressed this winter. If the shoe fits, wear it.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
What Makes Someone Want to Relocate??
There have to be some really good reasons to make people pick up and leave their homes to move to another country. Most times people are moving somewhere where they do not speak the language, do not know anyone, are not employed, nor have a place to live. Yet they still decide to quit their job, leave or sell their home and move to another country. Sometimes it is a matter of following a dream or a desire to just get away.
For many Italian Americans like me, a compelling reason is that we feel very Italian and we move to Italy to see if we can be happy in Italy, our country of origin or origin of our parents or grandparents and so forth.
For many, Italy is viewed as that "bel paese" where the people are smiling all day long, everything moves at a snail's pace in a relaxed atmosphere, great food, wine and espresso are abundantly available everywhere and everyone dresses well! Although these definitely attract the foreigner, I just don't think they are what makes people move here.
Whether it be because you fell in love with someone who lives here, a job took you to Italy, or you really are following a dream, the reasons can be many. I guess the next question would be what makes someone want to stay in Italy??
For many Italian Americans like me, a compelling reason is that we feel very Italian and we move to Italy to see if we can be happy in Italy, our country of origin or origin of our parents or grandparents and so forth.
For many, Italy is viewed as that "bel paese" where the people are smiling all day long, everything moves at a snail's pace in a relaxed atmosphere, great food, wine and espresso are abundantly available everywhere and everyone dresses well! Although these definitely attract the foreigner, I just don't think they are what makes people move here.
Whether it be because you fell in love with someone who lives here, a job took you to Italy, or you really are following a dream, the reasons can be many. I guess the next question would be what makes someone want to stay in Italy??
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Research Before Moving to Italy
After ten years of living in the "bel paese", I think I can safely pass on some suggestions to those considering moving to Italy. The single most important advice is to do a lot of research before relocating to Italy.
You should have a job before moving or at least some strong job leads. Know which city or cities would best suit your needs and personality. Obviously if you want to work for a large corporation, you should not move to a small town in the middle of nowhere. You should spend some time in the city or town you want to move to before you actually move there. You may realize that that city is not what you had in mind or does not offer you what you were looking for. While in that town, talk to as many people as possible asking as many questions that come to mind about living there. Talk to both locals and foreigners living there.
A huge consideration of course is if you will be moving by yourself or with your family. What consequences are there for your companion and/or children? What are the schools like? Will your companion be able to find work if looking? What is the health care like? What are monthly expenses?
Nowadays through the internet you can get a plethora of information from people who have a lot of hands on experience, have been there. The forums are a great place for information. Three great forums are within www.italymag.co.uk, www.slowtrav.com and www.lifeinitaly.com. I wish I had access to these before I moved to Italy! You will find people more than willing to answer your questions.
What I would have done differently? Ten years ago I brought all my hardware (fax,computer, printer) and then spent the following year dealing with transformers, electrical outages, etc. Buy your hardware in Italy. Nowadays the costs are similar and the products too. Plus who uses faxes anymore??! I would have done more research talking to people who had already lived in Italy for years learning the upside and the downside. I was so excited about moving here. I did not want to hear anything negative about it. But it was a tough few years full of disappointments and a lot of loneliness too. I had had high expectations and when they did not pan out, was ready to pack and leave. So do your research and be realistic of how it will be utilizing all the information you have and gather. Let me know if you have any specific questions regarding your wanting to move!
You should have a job before moving or at least some strong job leads. Know which city or cities would best suit your needs and personality. Obviously if you want to work for a large corporation, you should not move to a small town in the middle of nowhere. You should spend some time in the city or town you want to move to before you actually move there. You may realize that that city is not what you had in mind or does not offer you what you were looking for. While in that town, talk to as many people as possible asking as many questions that come to mind about living there. Talk to both locals and foreigners living there.
A huge consideration of course is if you will be moving by yourself or with your family. What consequences are there for your companion and/or children? What are the schools like? Will your companion be able to find work if looking? What is the health care like? What are monthly expenses?
Nowadays through the internet you can get a plethora of information from people who have a lot of hands on experience, have been there. The forums are a great place for information. Three great forums are within www.italymag.co.uk, www.slowtrav.com and www.lifeinitaly.com. I wish I had access to these before I moved to Italy! You will find people more than willing to answer your questions.
What I would have done differently? Ten years ago I brought all my hardware (fax,computer, printer) and then spent the following year dealing with transformers, electrical outages, etc. Buy your hardware in Italy. Nowadays the costs are similar and the products too. Plus who uses faxes anymore??! I would have done more research talking to people who had already lived in Italy for years learning the upside and the downside. I was so excited about moving here. I did not want to hear anything negative about it. But it was a tough few years full of disappointments and a lot of loneliness too. I had had high expectations and when they did not pan out, was ready to pack and leave. So do your research and be realistic of how it will be utilizing all the information you have and gather. Let me know if you have any specific questions regarding your wanting to move!
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