PIZZA AND PROSECCO

 





People who know us from Moscow and Houston know that we have a very strong Saturday habit. It is our Pizza and Prosecco time in the afternoon that special day of the week.

 

Heading for Montecarlo and Lucca knowing we have limited with time to see all our friends and restaurants we are selective and know in advance the days where and whom to visit. A part of my logistical mind and difficult to get away from, so as we arrived on a Saturday, midday our mind went to Samuele, Silvia and Gli Orti. We love their pizza and when we could have Spumante Particulare Rose Brut from Buonamico along with it, it was a good enough reason to skip to look at the house, but enjoy our Saturday tradition.

 

Gli Orti at Via di Elisa had been through a 12 day makeover. Done very well, kept the familiar cozy environment, it had changed colors and wall decorations. To me it was not the restaurant I went to first time 15 years ago, but as the food had developed it is the right thing to do and have a minor makeover in the restaurant too.

 

Also to be mentioned is that it was the same architect doing our house that had been involved here and some of the same companies like the electrical guys. The architect had been busy lately as he also had been involved in a minor change at Buca di Sant Antonio.

 

Buca S.Antonio is maybe the most famous restaurant in Lucca going back to 1782. But even before that this place had been a horse postal station so “Buca” was a place to stop. In ancient Tuscan “Buca” is the equivalent to “Taverna” or “Osteria”.

 

One of the owners of “Buca” we know well, even it is at the hotel in Lucca we used to stay at “Ilaria” we normally would see him. Franco Barbieri have been a person who have brought “Buca” to what it is today along with the chef Giuliano Pacini.

 

It is a sophisticated restaurant, with wonderful environment, great food, English and Russian speaking waiters, so yes we once again got to practice our Russian skill. When we were there a group of Americans were in for lunch. And yes Galileo had done a good job in the basement, made changes, but not dramatically, I would say “touchup”.

 

Even Montecarlo is a rather small place with its couple of thousand inhibitors there were restaurants we had not been to and we visited for the first time. Not only did our lovely and busy B&B manager organize dinners at the B&B Antica Dimora Patrizia dinner on the Saturday we arrived, but also on the last night and only for us. So if you stay there and have the request if you will join for dinner (in separate room) if they have a party going on (this time a 50 year birthday party) or special made for you one evening. Do not refuse; it is real homemade Tuscan food by Erica and her mother. Food created with love and passion.

 

Sunday afternoon we discovered the restaurant in Montecarlo closed early for lunch, so that was the reason for us to visit La Terazza for the first time. We knew about it as we have seen it during the summer months, but not moved down the stairs. And it is like Moscow, just open the door and have a look what is inside. There is always a way out if you do not enjoy it. But I must say, we loved it and will be back. If you like the view of Italian wine yards and a nice sunset this is the place for you. A glass of the house red wine gives you the right mood along with great food. Even we only had Gnocchi to fill up the empty stomach we understood the have a great kitchen to enjoy the coming summer.

 

Last time we visited Carl IV it was not a good experience, not because of the food but for other reasons. OK, we loved the Seafood dish they have there for two persons and once again it is something to get back there for. Special when you can enjoy the Buonamica Rose Particulare Brut along with it.

 

 

One of the last nights in Montecarlo we headed for “La Bucadel Norcino”. Again it was by coincident. Our restaurant choice for the evening was closed as choice number two was closed; we had seen this new part of an older restaurant we had not tried before. And eager to learn about all the local restaurants we headed for it.

 

Nothing fancy, warm and welcoming, with a modern touch. A family business with food from the family farm up north in Italy. Specialist on “crudo”, starters so if you love salt dried meat like me it is like heaven. Their main course from the grill with vegetables we enjoyed as well. The nice thing was that they also had a shop along with the restaurant, so dinner this week in Moscow is delicious meat from their shop. We cannot pass by this place in the summer either.

 

As you all will see, not too many place to sleep in Montecarlo, but if you stay in the surrounding, go there and enjoy their restaurants.

LAST VISIT AND UPDATE FOR 2015

 

Yes it was time to visit our home in refurbishment for the last time this year. Wondering if the house looked like the last pictures we received.

 

With 14 degree C during the day and down to almost 0 at night made the weather a bit strange for the season in Lucca Province and in our commune Montecarlo. It should be Christmas, and Christmas it was. More in Montecarlo and in Antica Dimora Patrizia  than in Lucca, the way I remember it in Lucca 15 years ago with real Christmas feeling was a bit gone. They have still a week to make the extra touch, as streets were almost empty at lunch time and no tourist to see.

Back to the house both in sunshine and morning mist. Work ongoing with plaster on the outside walls, roof on our office / hobby part of the house and fire in the fire place, it was the way it should be along with Christmas present from the construction company.

 



Upstairs in first floor agreement needed on what type of floor we wanted, wood or “cotto”. A decision that had to wait until I was back in Moscow, now I know it will be “cotto”, hope to find some extra special stuff that make the “cotto” easy to clean, but it would give the family visiting the extra touch of remembering that they are in Tuscany and Italy.

 



The refurbishing goes fast, keep spare time to ensure that there could be other delay later for unknown reasons they need some extra time later on. One of the reasons Galileo (the architect) and I went to the shop to look at tiles for the bathrooms as well the floors.



When meeting up with Limpresa (Pasqual and Gianluca) as well Galileo at the house I had organized a meeting with an alarm company (Verisure) as family uses in Norway. With offices in 14 countries in Europe and special for years in Norway I knew what they could assist me on securing the house from burglars. For only 2 years in Italy, but leaning on to the many years’ experience from other countries I am sure they will do the job, ok remain to be seen. However my friends from Limpresa and Galileo listened with interest, and learned something new this day, and were happy with information they got.



Now I am waiting for the bid from Lorenzo at Verisure to see some cost savings to our budget.

Another learning I hope that the architect would look into is the Microsoft Project or similar. He is good looking at details and progress, but our architect would benefit of looking into a project management system. A lot easier to keep track and give advises of where in the process they are.

 



Looking at the house this time was to see a milestone. How it was finished upstairs and ready to get some new walls and installation in the bathroom along with “cotto” on the floor.

 



Downstairs it is ready for water proofing and another layer of concrete, electrical lines to be laid and the heating in the rooms we need it. The bathroom and wardrobe and plaster on the walls along with injection into the walls to secure against moist coming up from the lower earth levels. We do not want to see the walls in the years to come, either outside, nor inside moist damages that needs to be fixed.

 

 



So at last in the sunshine Thursday afternoon it was some last pictures of the house for this time. With the workers having a coffee and make the house look good from the north towards our neighbors with plaster on the walls we could see the changes from a year ago and so can they.

 

 

 

 

 

Other than visiting the house and have time with the architect there was time to have walk in Lucca and Montecarlo. Eat at my favorite restaurants in Lucca like ParisBohem at Pizza Citadelle and Gli Orti via Elise. Visiting Trattoria Montecarlo and La Fortezza, also popped into Hotel Ilaria to see the newly wed Mauro and hand him and his wife a small present along with see our dear friend Claudia and give her a little design present from us to her beautiful daughter Emma.

 

We are soon becoming real Luccese, embracing the area with all it can give us.

 



Now it is time to fixe all the outstanding details and “minor” changes along with prepare for the garden. It will take time, but time is what we have plenty of and best to be, prepared for changes, who know what next year will bring?

 

Sunflowers or potatoes, or whatever the garden will be full of. Follow and see and have a wonderful Christmas all and a Happy New Year.