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Back to the Blog and tell you what is going on around our move a challenge moving to Lucca.
A couple of weeks ago I visited Lucca again, signed the contract for the house, signed on my local bank account, and enjoyed watching the start of the great bike race for this season heading for Florence.

Bikers out the Port Elisa on a rainy Sunday

 



Things take time so we expect to have the keys by the end of the year and move in during spring like April or May. Will be nice to have a walk around in our own small garden and make ready the guest house (storage) for the children and grand children.

The garden

The Guest house

The Pool

 

It is always nice to see our friends in Lucca, either it is the guys at Hotel Ilaria or the local restaurants. To enjoy the food at Samuele at Gli Orti via Elise or Luis at Piazza Citadelle are always a pleasure.

You feel the season at Paris Bohem

Enjoy the food

Puccini watching his piazza

 

 

And after a nice evening with music that follows me home and a quite evening in the streets of Lucca I sence that this is my home for the future.

 

 

 

 

 

 



 



House hunting in Italy

Over budget

Can be a challenge and you need to know what you are looking for. However you not always know what you look for before the house is there in front of you or after a few days or weeks you admit that one special property cover most of your wishes you did not all know when you started your viewing.

Nice view  

 

My wife and I have looked for a place to retire. For how long? I guess it started already with our first visit to Lucca 5,5 years ago. The search got more serious the last two years and since last summer we have viewed 40-50 properties in total. The reason to have viewed all these has been to verify and get the inspiration to what we want and tie down the location.

Maybe a roof terrace

 

We will get older. Just have to understand how we need the property to be when this happens. So location ended up as very important, including layout of the house and the whole property. End of the day we have found what we was looking for so hopefully by the end of the year we have signed a contract and received the keys for our new home for the future.

150m2 covered outdoor space…nice

 

 

The Tuscan feeling is up in the mountain with a great view and your own wine stock, olive and fruit growing along with your kitchen garden. But are you a city person like us and want to participate in the larger community and embrace the culture a city have it will be a tradeoff. For us we chose the “city” life, our friends in Lucca, to see them more often, visit their restaurants, arrange “parties” with our friends in our garden. Not to forget all the visitors from our native country, family and friends. A place they can learn about an interesting country and enjoy the short distances to the coast as to the hills. Summer as winter the city have a track record of cultural events that we will dig into. That is our chosen track for the future.

Your own wine ???

 

For it will be a home we purchase, other will have a holiday home and wish list can be different. In Italy the charges also are different when you purchase a home or a holyday home. If it is your home charges will be 3% of purchased price compared to 10% on holiday home. Than we also have all the other charges that the real estate company add on or other taxes from the local authorities. Our expectations are 10% total on purchased price so if it was a holiday home it would be 17%.

Closer to the city, with pool and house for visitors?

 

To us this has been a journey and we see the shore not too far away. We appreciate the effort the guys at the different real estate companies in Lucca in assisting us, for one the work is not yet over. For us it is not over either, will keep you updated as we either move in or need to do changes to our life situation in close the contract and sign.

A good reason to Love Lucca

Is for me the Summer Festival arranged 16 times, first time in 1998, but I discovered it first time in 2002 and could enjoy Paul Simon and not to forget Eros Ramazzotti. It was a blast with the passion of an Italian musician along with passionate Italians singing along.

Summer Festival

 

In the years that passed I have been there many summers in July so I could get to listen to some of the best musicians the world has to offer.

In 2008 my wife and I along with friends could enjoy Leonard Cohan, no one above, no one along his side. This year again we could enjoy his poetic lyrics and the music that follows.

 

2012 we enjoyed Nora Jones, Laura Pausini, Georgia and Tony Bennet, a variance of music and just a few of the wide program the festival with Mimmo D’Aessendro comes up with each year.

 

It will be a challenge to top this year 70 thousand people to the 14 concerts of very high level music. It closed with July 30^th with Pino Daniele and Marcus Miller. Just have a look at their web site to see what was going on this year. Our last concert was the Neil Young with his Crazy Horses and other that Leonard Cohan we also enjoyed Diana Kroll.

We did make sure we could listen into a couple of other concerts too; Mark Knopfler and Earth, Wind & Fire when we dined at Giglio those days.



So what will happen next summer? Already Mimmo make sure I have to book July 7^th. Never heard him live and he have been in Lucca 4 times before and have sold out..Elton John. Two other names will be released shortly so this blog will be updated as soon as I get the information.

 

The people behind the festival have creative idea of how and what they will do next year so it will be interesting to follow.

And not only are they arranging a summer festival, they have also expanded it into an additional Winter Festival with a few concerts in November and December.

Winter festival

 

All this along with a jazz festival end of June at the Piazza Anfiteatro that had success this year, not to forget it was the home town of Puccini, so the variance of music is there if you enjoy music.

 

This is one of the many reasons I Love Lucca and I am sure you will too just bring the gospel to the world and let them come each July, the city is ready for the visitors.

Back in Houston after 3,5 week in Lucca

Original I had planned to write as I was in Lucca this summer, but due to the “tool” was not as good as I had hoped to do so I cancelled the plans and better have the words over the next week or so with picture show some of the fun we had during the time.

 

We had a mission to complete, or at least first step of the mission in finding our place in or close to Lucca. It looks like we completed that part, but the final touch of the deal will not be completed before in October/November. The market in Italy is not like other places, like Norway, so if it has not been sold for more than a year, it will not the next 3 months. Ok if it goes, it goes, and it was not to be. Than we know what we look for next time.

Bike ride some Sundays was fun and at times challenging. Visited Tenuta San Pietro Lucca, and Pinocchio Park in Collodi along with other smaller bike rides in Lucca area to get even more familiar with the city and surroundings, will be back to it another day.

 

The same with the restaurants visits we had with the new experience and the development of the restaurants in the area.

All in all, the time in Lucca was as expected, just fantastic. Our Italian friends from the real estate brokers to our dear friends at the Hotel Ilaria and the many restaurants we visit.

Touching was the statement from Samuele Cosentino's wife, Silvia, declared when we told them it was our last dinner for this summer in Lucca;

When you leave the summer leaves.

Silvia and Samuele

When we arrived the summer got to Lucca, but we will make sure that the sun is back later in the year. Even I will lose out on the world championship in cycling I will bring back the summer in October at latest.

Andare oltre si può

You can go beyond




 Andare Oltre si puo

 

And that is what this is all about. In Norway we have been used to Dissimilis in more than 30 years and see all those that have gone beyond. Every Norwegian from the King to whoever you ask knows them and enjoys their laugh, excitement and expressions of their talents and skills.

 

In front line to bring these talents in focus in Lucca is my dear friend Samuele Cosentino. It has been fantastic and emotional to see what he managed to bring to the podium. First of all the record and video with Iacopo, second

Italian music is full of emotion. The beauty of the sounds of the lyric and most of the time with a tune that embrace the lyric in a way that you only can embrace the result yourself.

So from a record and a video Andare oltre si può has become a very interesting event with participants in different area like music, graphic arts, painting, sculpture, photography and video.

 

The Prize "Go beyond you can" was created to stimulate, enhance and promote creativity in the arts / cultural solidarity on the issue of social rights.

The name is inspired by the song written by Sam Cosentino and sang along with Iacopo Grisafi published in December 2012.

Art, in all its forms, is a medium capable of describing, to tell, to communicate.

A jury of 15 experts from the world of art, design and communication and the program includes a group exhibition in Lucca in the prestigious Palazzo Ducale 14 to 21 December 2013.

The award ceremony will take place December 21, 2013 in conjunction with a charity auction of all the works submitted to the Association Down Lucca.

Palazzo Ducale - Lucca



Mentioned is the Norwegian Dissimilis and maybe there is something for them in this event in Lucca or maybe there is some experience from the 30 year’s work at Dissimilis building relation and tie knots is part of my game and what I will do for them and bring on a new passion as I am settling down in Lucca.

Restaurants in Lucca

It will be something I will write a lot about. It is almost a passion with the food in Lucca. Yes in general all over Italy, with the environment, the noise from the locals is music in my ears.

The harmony between the locals, the food and the wine gives you an exciting experience most places. So I will talk about both, the not so pleasant experience and the so much more pleasant experiences.

Like this summer we can’t avoid our favorites in Lucca. Osteria Baralla, Orti Di Via Elisa, Ristorante Giglio and Paris Boheme – Lucca. But a visit to the famous Buca di Sant’Antonio is needed so I can put some words and experience around that as well. If there will be others this summer, sure if not in Lucca so on some of our bike trips in the surrounding.

 

 

So why do we love these restaurants?

They have different character, different kitchen, and as well different environment around. So it all in all gives different experience to enjoy.

Where to start?

Orti Di ViaElisa

 

It must be Orti Di Via Elisa that is my number one. Since my first visit to Lucca in November 2001 it is the restaurant with that special local family atmosphere that I enjoy. In addition they have over these 12 years had a fantastic staff that at times can go crazy along with the manager Samuele Cosentino.

Samuele Cosentino

 

Have a look at the video J I hope I can come across some crazy activity this summer as well and in the future.

 Il pulcino Pio (Gli Orti di via Elisa)

But not at least…. THE FOOD.

Just look at some of the plates we had last summer and sound of the menu…I am counting days and hours until I have my first visit this year July 5^th at 7pm.

Carpaccio 

 

Coniglio

 

Next will be: 

Osteria Baralla 

 

Not like the Orti De Via Elise during July, but I love our corner outside and see the tourist come out from the Piazza Anfiteatro.

Great Location

 

Both restaurants have a menu full of local specialties and they are to love. Osteria Baralla is a bit smaller so it is not always easy during the summer months to get a seat or the seat you want, but just hang around and wait, because the kitchen serve you a fantastic meal. If you chose what they have on the grill it is just the best.

Great people

 

The owner and people working there are very friendly. Assist you in your choice so you can have the best evening and your will remember your dinners as you will remember your cultural activities in Tuscany.

Our favorite starter : Proscute e Melone



I love this corner at Osteria Baralla

 

Osteria Baralla have a great indoor environment too

 

  



Restaurante Giglio

So we are walking across to Piazza Napoleone where we normally enjoy the Lucca Summer Festival. This year I have counted 15 different events during July. However no concerts tonight, we are rounding the corner at the hotel and sit down so we have a view to Teatro Giglio and we are at the restaurant with the same name Restaurante Giglio.

We have special days in July we love to be there. It is a combination that we do not go to the concert we may should have, but could enjoy the music at the same time we enjoy great food.

Uno per tre

 

The menu is a bit different than the other two mentioned. It is more a step up on the scale and that you see on the menu, but hardly on the prices.

Our favorite waiter know our choise of wine so the Rosé “Five Roses Rosato Pugliese”  when we enter at agreed time. To be safe for a table at Giglio, book your table in advance.

 “Five Roses Rosato Pugliese” is ready

My wife and I enjoy the outside space during summer time. I was even sitting outside when I was across in October last year.

Inside you can enjoy the frescos in the dining room and put yourself back in time.

 

And once again FOOD is why we are there and the restaurant and their chef knows how to be creative and make the plates as art to see and food that melt on your tongue and your mind is blown away. Last summer I was surprised with the Norwegian Stock fish as a Carpaccio. What it will be this year it remains to see, but I am sure I am up for new great surprises.

 

 

At last we look forward to visit:

Paris Boheme

Not a typical Lucca restaurant, but with a location at Piazza Cittadella and a view to a statue of the famous Luccese Giacomo Puccini.

 

Around at the Piazza in the evening normally you will see children play, tourist to take photo of the statue or visiting one of the other restaurants here. The Piazza is not large so it has a nice intimate atmosphere.  All in all it gives a wonderful background to the wonderful food the serve at Paris Boheme.

 

The owner of Paris Boheme is an artist that just a few years ago came back to Lucca to establish this restaurant. He put the hole soul into it what he do, and as many creative souls, they do not have to come from fine restaurants some place in Europe to create what you are looking for in fine dining with atmosphere.

 

Here I would like the pictures again show the pleasure of visiting this restaurant in Lucca as we will do during our stay in July. So you may see us at this or any of the other restaurants mentioned today. Hope this as well make you feel like travel again and set sail for Lucca.