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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In preparation to move to Lucca

In our preparation moving to My Lucca my wife and I started in January with Italian lessons. At ICCC her in Houston (Italian Culture and Community Centre) we got ourselves a great teacher. Daniel Cooper who took his masters in Florence. He guides us in to the challenging language. When I have some time I also use Rosetta Stone on my computer, and those two in combination make me understand. In addition I feel it is a question of practicing and we will be able to at least have some minor conversation other than just manage ordering the food at the restaurants.

 

The ICCC is not only holding Italian lessons but all from wine tasting and cooking classes (for both adults and children), to showing Italian movies and in general presenting the large variety of Italian culture.

Festa Italiana

 

In one way it is our Italian hideaway in Houston every Tuesday as we have our classes with Daniel.

Cooking classes for children

In addition to our classes and study material we have a great dictionary. I am all for visualizations and that is what we got in this dictionary.



The grammar can at times be a challenge, but as we are two and my wife is an ex teacher from years back, and have a brain that remember more than what I can, we are an excellent combination. I pick up more words and she the grammar.

We better be prepared as the guys at Hotel Ilaria will challenge us as we arrive July 5^th.

Visits to winery this summer around Lucca

For many good reasons we will be visiting some wineries in the area around Lucca this summer. We will enjoy the tasting and hopefully bring some of the wines across to Houston area so more people worldwide can enjoy the taste of local products from the region.

 

We already have in process the wine from Tenuta Setteventi. A small boutique winery located in Vorno. This small estate of around 50 hectare produce at this time white wine LISIDORO and SPUMANTE, Olive Oil and have a great resort in progress.

The LISIDORO 2011 has been presented by Capital Grill in Houston and will be on their wine list from August 2013. We expect the wine will be on the wine list around US and the more than 50 restaurants they have in the states.

 

I am glad we have been building a good relation to the importer in Houston who also does the distribution around the country. Also I am glad that they are looking for more Italian wine so I can promote other producers that may lean more to the red wine that most people are used to from Tuscany.

 

Casata Davini is one of the two other wineries we will visit along with Pietro Beconcini. Casata Davini are located in Montecarlo just 20 minute drive from Lucca (20 km). Pietro Beconcini is located in San Miniato Pisa and is around 50 minutes away from Lucca (46 km).

 

Both wineries have a varied selection of wine to bring to the Texan market and it will be interesting to spend the days finding the wine to present in Houston area and around in Texas.

 

Just to have mentioned it, we will not restrict ourselves to these wineries if someone come up with proposals that we could be a “short” bike ride and spend a day or afternoon among the wine stocks and the beauty of the countryside we are open to other places to see and wine to taste.

Finding a home in Lucca

Finding a home in Lucca can be challenging. It takes time, first of all to accept your own wishes in what you are looking for. Thereafter acknowledge who is to live in the home, for what period. In addition who do you expect will visit you and time frame they will be allowed to stay.

From Migliano

 

Finding someone to work with in the process is also a challenge. Language issues could be a challenge in addition accepting the culture difference in responding to your questions. In 2012 we had 3 different companies/persons showing us places of interest. We picked one of them to have contact with over the last year and this person have to get into his car and show us the latest properties we want to look at this summer of 2013. We do not have language problems with this person, but at times I wish he was a bit more Norwegian in his respond time. Italian culture and Italian time is something many have had experience of. So at times I could be a bit impatient.  
 

Casa Corte at San Marco

Last year we looked at house both in the larger outskirt of Lucca and close to the walls. Not at any apartment, but our list of want’s may have changed over the year and we will implement in our look around both apartments outside the wall in addition to inside the walls of Lucca city.
 

A great kitchen can make you wrong choices

 

We have to accept our age and have to look at our needs and want’s in the year to come. I am sure we will have all our five children and 12 grandchildren wanting visits almost every year. This indicates at least we need to make some space available for visitors. With so many grandchildren growing up, and children, we also need to make a visitor list so all can have the opportunity in addition make good relation with people that rent out properties in our close neighborhood.

 

All brand new! An alternative, missing the Tuscany touch.

As you see on the pictures I have added we looked at many alternatives last year and we have been looking at the real estate companies web pages for the last year and at present down to 10-12 properties we want to look at this summer. 

 

 

I am glad we have had a lot of time for this process. It is needed to make the right choices. So if some of you will jump in to this process please ask for advises we will be more than happy to give from our experience.