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.

 

Back to My Lucca and My Tuscany in a month

It is one month until my wife and I head for Lucca again. It is our third time in 6 years. Ok I have been there numbers of times before and in between, but this is once again our time together in My Lucca - My Tuscany.

Find yourself a table at PARIS BOHEME Bistro at Piazza Cittadella

 

 



In the future it should be Our Lucca - Our Tuscany, but due to that it will be me that write the blog, will take the photos and will put my impressions and thoughts forward it will be… My Lucca – My Tuscany.

The old waterway (aqueduct) starts at Tenuta Setteventi, Vorno.

It is a nice short bike ride

 

We are preparing a move. Yes it is our dream that will be completed. Over the last two years we have been evaluating properties to find that unique place we can grow old together at the same time enjoy all Lucca and Tuscany can offer. Offer what we are looking for, that is something Lucca is able to do. Have missed out on some we wanted to be able to enjoy. I will miss out on the big happening this September, World Champion Bicycling.

Ok just have to live with it and remember, this is the city that has a fantastic music festival each summer including that it is the city of Puccini. In addition, as months and years goes by I will tease you all with the happenings, cultural activities, places to visit, places to eat and places to stay when you can't resist it anymore. You just have to visit My Lucca – My Tuscany.

Via del Fosso

To start teasing you already today I will just tell you about this year’s SummerFestival in Lucca. Look at the link and you will see all, I counted 15 concerts, but we will just join 3 of them. Diana Krall July 6^th, Leonard Cohan July 9^th and Neil Young & Crazy Horses July 25^th. All of these concerts at Piazza Napoleone. A place I have visited many times in July to enjoy great artists. We have seen Leonard Cohan 5 years ago and it was the best ever concert I have been to until today. Others I remember are Paul Simon, Alicia Keys, Eros Ramazzotti, Rod Stewart, Laura Pausini and last year’s concert with Tony Bennett. A large variety of music for many visitors to enjoy, so do I have to say more, make sure to look into the program to catch your favorite if you are to visit Lucca in July.

Giorgia at Summer Festival Lucca 2012

Hotel Ilaria will be our place this July. I have stayed there many times over the last 12 years and it is a pleasure every time. The people working there are the same and I recon them as my Italian family. Heading for our favorite restaurants in Lucca we feel as we do for the hotel. People working there they belong to our extended family.

 Mauro helping out at Restaurant Giglio

In July I will try to give some updates to what happens, our almost last surge for a place to live heading back to Europe from Houston. Over the last part of this year things should fall in place and as an optimist I am what could be better than enjoy Christmas in our new place in Lucca with the atmosphere that will bring.

 Typical picture from the outskirt of Lucca

 

Follow this new blog, it will give information in the years to come why we moved, why we love Lucca and Tuscany, why enjoy this part of the world. In addition people who knows us and will like to know us follow our adventure in life and love for our family, both our Norwegian and Italian.