Progressing, Unpacking and the Bar

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We are progressing. Half of the house is now ready for furnishing - but the other half is still dusty construction. Although we are closing doors between ready and non-ready areas, the workers (and ourselves) walk up and down between clean and dusty areas. So by now, dust is mainly everywhere... but we are progressing. Here in photos:

the blue bathroom got flooring:
restored terra cotta tiles previously used in other areas of the house 

We also finally got flooring in the entrance:
restored old tiles with floral pattern previously used in a room in the first floor

we visited an antique dealer in Vibo Valentia to look for some wardrobes and commodes since we need to store clothes, bed linnen, towels etc somewhere - the above wardrobe is French, but we bought it nevertheless

ahh, the kitchen... la cucina.... the planning seems endless, but it's coming

the guestroom looks like this now... no matress yet, but tons of cushions...

it took us 3 days to find all parts and screws and to understand how to mount this bunk bed

unpacked boxes awaiting to be thrown out

If you take a closer look, you will see, that the boxes are from three different moving companies! Why? Because we have been moving a couple of times and there are boxes that are almost waiting since three years to be unpacked and some were even packed more than eight (!!!) years ago. No wonder, we are sometimes surprised about what we find inside...

it seems to take ages to unpack - maybe because I can't take my eyes from that view !!!
Just now, during my little phototaking break, CC comes upstairs to take me to the bar for an espresso ...

11 am espresso at the bar
(I always take espresso macchiato, with a spot of milk)

Angelo kept working. We bring him an espresso from the bar, also one for the carpenter who is having appointment with us now on site.

12 am another espresso at the bar
(this time CC in company of a friend and the carpenter)

Finally, our first tartuffo ! CC and I shared one (it's almost lunch time)

Katia and Pino
 
The piazza is like the living room of the village, you always meet someone you know!

La vita e bella! Especially when the sun is shining warm on you, the sky is blue, it's 12 am in Pizzo and all the churches bells are ringing, with the view over the sea ... it feels like you have yet reached paradise. 

Top 10 Impressions from the Renovation Work

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In the last five days I have taken many pictures from the house and the work progress. Every day, I am on site measuring, looking into details, unpacking, helping whatever I can do. Yesterday, while showing friends around, I realized that I have some new favorite spots that I want to show you too:

My first favorite spot is the small sunny piazza infront of the house.
Here, at the main entrance three generations of (future) inhabitants are posing happily.

Angelo's art work at entrance #37

more stucco and paint art work on ceilings

my favorite bathroom in the vaulted cellar


good news: we found enough original floral tiles for the main entrance

measuring and calculating the floor space in the vaulted cellar (seminterrato),
we will have natural oak wook parquet since Angelo had insolated the floor perfectly.
It is difficult to say which is my favorite floor, but I really like this unique basement!

father and son at work in the living room
we bought stucco deco borders for the walls and sample colours to try out the effect (soon). Can't wait to see the trial paint on the walls....

my favorite room for the moment is our guest room with view into orange trees, the yellow of the ceiling is so warm and friendly - even the chandelier, that is not really my taste, can stay.

interesting perspective on the primo piano - the door frames turned out nice!

My favorite spot for the view is our balcony on the piano terra

Of course there are many more beautiful spots in the house, but these are the top 10 of the last five days. More is coming. 

Impressions from Pizzo

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Pizzo view from above

Today is the forth day after our arrival in Bella Italia. The house looks spectacular, we are very happy to see everything in reality. It even looks better than in the pictures Angelo has sent!

So far, we have been super busy and efficient. We could call our holidays quasi "vacation on the building site" and "vacation in building centers" (Ferien auf der Baustelle oder Ferien auf dem Baumarkt!).

I am also very happy to be in Pizzo. The weather is great, we have incredible deep blue skies and a fantastic sunset last night. I met some old friends and very nice new people. I realised that I have not posted about Pizzo, the village itself, for a long time. So I am going to intruduce you (again) to the centro storico of Pizzo with some photo impressions:





Impressions of Pizzo copyright Suzie @ PalazzoPizzo

Departure tonight and still packing ....

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Today I am packing. Actually, I am STILL packing! I started packing already yesterday. I am such a sloooow packer... It takes me hours. Always! Does anybody has a packing secret for fast and efficient packing to share?!

I really should be better prepared for travelling. We not only travel overseas quite often but also do escape the city almost every weekend. I should have an extra beauty bag ready just for travel, including my favorite cremes, mascara, Labello, nose spray, mosquito repellent, sun protection...(ha ha! yes, that's me)  I just need everything double. The 1l plastic zipper bag(s) for flights - with cremes for face and hands, lipcare, nose spray and other emergency medicine for son -  should be packed and ready anytime. I have no idea why I have to re-pack my beauty bag all the time.

Since our holiday home becomes livable now, I also need to store things there. Shampoo, soaps and clothes of course. So I might have to pack less. Might...

Thinking of that, the other night, I came across an interview with Ivana Trump (yellow press from the plane). She poses in front of her summer house in Palm Beach with her Rolls and LV suitcases. Her saying, that she does not know how many rooms her villa got, was highlighted ... Hey, come on, how could she know, when she has so many houses?! Nothing unusual. (I have not counted my rooms either, ha ha!)

But the interesting question was, whether Ivana Trump travels with tons of luggage in between her properties. - Her answer: No! - She said, she would never carry with her basic casual clothes or pyjamas. This is all on site. Also Florida requires different outfits than New York. So each residence has its own selection suitable for each climate and activities. She just carries her actual favorite things. - Probably she also has someone who files her outfits by photo, so she knows what she has where - and if not she just drives in her Rolls to a boutique.

Actually, that's how my husband packs: He is done in 15 minutes, more or less. He packs passport, credit cards and ticket. And if he forgets his tooth brush, so what? He buys a new one.  

Now, I checked the weather forecast and also the pictures of last year Easter holiday. My son was wearing a woolen hat and scarf... so I opened our metal travel boxes in where I store my winter clothes here in Thailand. When we are landing, there will be chilly 14 degrees Celsius only!


But now, I really have to run. I still need to stop buy the Apple store to buy the "iPad Camera Connection Kit" to enable the download of photos from my camera to our ipad. I want to try out to blog from the ipad while travelling. And I would love a last food massage, but maybe no more time left before a parents teacher conference this afternoon.... and then the beauty case, is always last.