"2 ITALY" - Una Vita Piu' Bella

Italian view of Basilicata

2012-01-14T17:27:00.003-05:00

Valerie found this video on a friend's Facebook page and passed it on to me. "Ho Scoperto la Basilicata", literally "I Uncovered Basilicata", is a fun clip about the essence of what makes this region of Italy special to us. We recognize these scenes and also many of the people as some of this was shot in Trivigno.

Between this and our House Hunters International episode, Trivigno is becoming quite accustomed to the camera!

Ho Scoperto la Basilicata

Buon Natale 2011

2011-12-24T20:33:00.002-05:00

Buon Natale!

Foto Friday - Shopping

2011-12-09T21:28:00.000-05:00

With Holiday shopping hitting a peak I was reminded of this view on a side street in Maratea, which located on the west coast of Basilicata. This is a beautiful town and this proprietor had a unique take on displaying their merchandise.

House Hunters International – Trivigno

2011-11-05T16:31:00.000-04:00

Last night HGTV aired the episode they filmed of us last spring about our house buying experience in Trivigno, Italy. This episode highlighted Trivigno, Basilicata (the region this small town is in) as well as Ascoli Piceno in the Marche region.

For those who may be finding this blog after watching the HGTV episode, we moved from Corrales, NM to Italy in 2006. We settled into Ascoli Piceno and after locating family connections for Valerie in Basilicata purchased a home in the small, but charming, hill town of Trivigno.

If you are look for more information about Trivigno and Basilicata, including available properties, be sure to visit My Bella Basilicata.

If you want to know more about our adventure in Italy and Trivigno then read more on this blog under the labels section.

House Hunters International

2011-10-23T09:03:00.014-04:00

We received notice that the episode we filmed for HHI in June will be aired on HGTV on November, 04 at 10:00 PM Eastern. We have not seen this episode so the final product that all of America will see is still a mystery to us.

Unfortunately our friends in Trivigno will not be able to watch this as HGTV is not accessible from Italy. They'll have to wait until we receive our DVD copy.

Be sure to tune into HGTV on the 4th to see a glimpse of Trivigno and Basilicata.

Here is the HGTV link for when they have our episode scheduled.

If you want to learn more about Trivigno and Basilicata look at My Bella Basilicata.com.

Venticinque anni!

2011-10-18T08:58:00.003-04:00

On a warm sunny day on October 18, 1986 we were married in Bellevue, Ohio.

We look forward to another twenty-five years together.

My Italian Wish List

2011-09-15T16:13:00.001-04:00

Peperoni drying in Senise

Peperoni cruschi

Italian food has always been my favorite and there are many dishes from Italy that I really enjoy. Trying to pick just one is difficult as I love to eat and I have been blessed by a wonderful wife who is una bella cuoca. One thing is certain; the foods of Basilicata top my “wish list”.

Meals and dishes in Italy are different than “American Italian” food in many ways – the ingredients, the portion size, the combinations and many of the flavors. Most of what places like The Olive Garden have on their menu you won’t find in Italy.

What Italians eat varies by the location…seafood predominates by the sea, polenta in the north, hearty meat dishes in the mountains, spicy in the south and fresh up and down the boot. Usually what is available within 100 miles makes up most dishes for an area (bacala/cod being the glaring exception).

Dried peperoni

The one dish that is unique and delicious, that I sometimes crave, is the simple Lucanian dish called peperoni cruschi. This dish is so simple that it only involves three ingredients and can be prepared in a few minutes. Peperoni in Italian are peppers and peperoni cruschi is a dish of fried dried sweet red peppers. Dried, lightly fried in olive oil and sprinkled with salt – always best eaten immediately. You eat them like candy and they are addictive.

Enjoy!

In Basilicata they are commonly a part of an antipasto or crushed and added to pasta dishes. A common topping for pasta with peperoni cruschi is mollica di pane. I have even had them in Laurenzana on a pizza. All of these are included on my “wish list”.

The peperoni for this originate from the area around Senise and the valle del Sinni but peperoni cruschi are popular in Campania, Calabria and Basilicata. So next time you are visiting one of these areas be sure to ask for some peperoni cruschi with your antipasto.

Two Bridges

2011-09-05T01:09:00.004-04:00

Along the Fiume Basento, a few kilometers from Trivigno, is located a medieval stone bridge. You can see this as you head north on the Basentana autostrada as it is partially under the highway bridges. I have seen several of this style of bridge, of different sizes, all around Italy.

Every time I would pass this I wondered how to get to it and recently we did a little exploring and found access to this structure. According to a nearby sign there is a stone in the bridge that says the bridge was “restored” in 1402. This bridge has been around for a few years, I expect the new modern bridges looming over it will not last that long.

Unfortunately the new concrete highway bridges are built so close; fortunately the antique bridge wasn’t torn down for the new ones. Despite the overhead traffic this is a charming location and was worth doing a little exploring to locate.

The view from the bridge

Estate a Trivigno

2011-09-01T06:54:00.000-04:00

Summer 2011

Trivigno is a small mountain village but there has been plenty to do during August. Just before Ferragosto people started to return to town from other parts of the country to spend a few weeks in the cool, clear mountain air…and see their family and friends. The Pro Loco office has organized several events each week to keep everyone entertained.

In addition to the religious events surrounding Ferragosto, there was a movie night in one piazza, two different nights of dancing in another piazza, a comedian put on a show in the local amphitheater, we had a pizza and music party in the piazza above our house, there was an artists’ show around town and August is not over, yet. The 3rd and 4th of September will be the climax event with the celebration for San’ Antonio with a large mercato, procession, two nights of dancing with bands and concluding with fireworks on the 5th.

There are towns around us who have had more and larger events but they are all larger towns and their events are designed more to attract visitors. The events in Trivigno are focused more on providing activities for the locals. A chance to go out in the evening chat with friends, take a stroll and have something new to do.

Trivigno has had many new faces, to us, during August and it has been an opportunity to meet new people. However, come September 5th these “turisiti” will depart and tranquility will return to our small village.

Southern Bounty

2011-08-27T13:24:00.000-04:00

Basilicata - Less Expensive

I wrote before about the difficulties international financial issues can have on us, but we have found that life here in Basilicata is relatively inexpensive. Utilities, fuel and anything dealing with an oil product can be expensive. However, many of the day-to-day items we need are much cheaper.

The Italian national statistical agency (Istituto nazionale di statistica) regularly puts out reports and the Potenza province is frequently cited as one with the lowest grocery costs, especially produce. Why, because Basilicata has a wide Ionian coast and the Val d’Agri area that are major producers of fruits, citrus and vegetables. These items only have to travel a short distance to make it to our table.

Another interesting statistic I saw recently was that the Lombardy Region (Milan) had almost double the household expenditures for food and services that the southern regions have. At first this may look like the poor south again, but if you know the south, there are other factors in play. “Campagna”. Most of the people we know have their own campagna where they may have a vegetable garden, vineyard, fruit orchard and/or raise a few animals. This supplements, or for some replaces, their weekly trips to the grocery store by providing fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and wine.

Another factor in the cost of living is, of course, housing. There are many small towns where you can find a good buy on a house or apartment for a fraction of the cost in other more populated areas. For example our house cost less than many of the large SUVs prowling US highways; a habitable house in a historic center.

So, despite the turmoil in the international markets there are definite positives about life in Italy, especially Basilicata.

Generosity

2011-08-21T13:22:00.000-04:00

The other day we were out in the evening walking with some friends, Antonio and Sylvia, when Antonio mentioned that he would be in his campagna the next day to zappare their vineyard. I offered to help seeing it as an opportunity to help and learn. However, when I arrived and saw how Antonio guided his motozappa, motorized tiller, up against the vines I was afraid I would end up tearing up the vines. Instead I spent most of the time practicing my Italian with his father and father-in-law.


My bounty

When I was leaving they gave me bag of vegetables from their orto. I said I really did nothing to help but they insisted I not go home empty handed. I was loaded down with zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and even fresh eggs.

A few days later Valerie and I returned home to find some gifts at our door. Antonio’s father-in-law had made a small broom for our caminetto from some local dried plants. This is too precious to sweep with and will be a keepsake for us.

Our gift

This is an example of the generosity of the Trivignesi…our neighbors. This was not a unique event but typical of how the locals have treated us since we arrived almost a year ago.

“Southern Hospitality” at its best.

Bella Acqua

2011-08-16T15:06:00.000-04:00

Lucania has good water. Punto!

The water company here in Basilicata has been praised by the national government for the quality of the tap water in this area and I agree. The water provided by Acquedotto Lucano is clear, odorless and without sediment straight from the faucet. We have been in areas of the US where the water supply is so heavily treated that you have to hold your nose to drink it, if you dare, when it comes out of the faucet.

One of the things I love about Italy is acqua frizzante, sparkling water. Not the stuff injected with gas that makes you burp, but the type that is effervescente naturale. Since this can cost as little as 20¢ a liter in the stores, I drink a lot of it (close to $2/liter in the US). No sugary sweet sodas for me when I can drink this.

Basilicata is well known in Italy for bottled water. The area around Monte Vulture in the northern part of the region supplies several bottling companies with high quality mineral water. In the local stores I have counted as many as seven different brands from that area. My favorite is Toka from Monticchio. These spring waters are so good that unfortunately even Coca-Cola has recently opened a bottling facility in the shadow of Monte Vulture.

So when in Lucania be sure to drink plenty of water, tap or bottled!

"YMCA" - Italian Style

2011-08-12T17:23:00.000-04:00

An Italian Party Favorite

This weekend is the height of the summer season for Italy and a good portion of the country is in ferie, or will be on the 15th, for Ferragosto. Summer in Italy, whether you are at the beach or in the mountains, means le feste and this always includes music and dancing. No festa in Italy is complete without a rendition of The Village People’s ballad “YMCA”.

Our first summer in Anzio we were introduced to this and amazed by how much Italians love this song. Everyone join in to dance along with the music, jumping and hands waving above their heads. We have tried to explain to several friends over the years what a YMCA actually is the background to this song with limited interest. Teaching anyone and the actual Y, M, C and A gestures is a lost cause.

But they still have fun…and it can be infectious.

Financial Storms

2011-08-09T12:42:00.000-04:00

With all of the dire financial news of the past week, it has made me think about how these events affect us as US expats in Italy. When we first started planning to move six years ago, the world’s economy was buzzing along and the dollar-euro exchange was about $1.20. Now the US has had its credit rating downgraded, several European Union (EU) countries are on the brink of default, the dollar-euro exchange hovers in the $1.45 range, and the signs for the near future aren’t too promising.

Italy has been in the news lately as it has a huge debt issue and the economy is stagnant. A few weeks ago, austerity measures were quickly passed by the government, but again dark clouds loom over the third largest economy in the EU. Italy is not in the same situation as Greece or Portugal, but none the less, it has economic problems that the current government keeps failing to adequately address.

How does all of this affect us, you may ask? One of the most obvious is the exchange rate. When there is bad financial news for the EU, the exchange rate improves. When there is bad US financial news, then the rate (for us) gets worse. Last week the currency markets were confused as the US credit rating was announced but at the same time Italy’s debt was center-stage again. Since arriving in Italy in 2006, we have seen rates rise above $1.60…I don’t expect to see $1.20 again. This means any dollars we have or earn don’t go as far as we hoped.

I had written before about some of the other issues with the economy in 2008, and many of these issues still hold true. For example a gallon of gas here, with the unit and currency exchange, costs about $8.65. Interest rates for savings are still rock bottom.

One of the most difficult impacts we have seen is with trying to earn a living (not just for expats, but for most Italians). The more Euros we can make the better - forget that lousy exchange rate. However, there are several obstacles for us on this front.

We have made ventures into the vacation and real estate fields in Le Marche but our timing was bad; soon after this the international economic crisis started and many people scaled back their travel plans to Italy, especially Americans. English-speaking Europeans became leery of property investments in the area due to their countries’ own economic struggles.

We are not citizens of Italy or of another EU country and some jobs postings specifically state that this is a requirement. Also, it is not uncommon in Italy for job descriptions to specifically list certain ages and/or physical traits as a requirement. Though our Italian continuously improves, language issues can limit the type of work available. We are both able to do some work teaching English but this is a very difficult way to support oneself, even in an inexpensive area like Basilicata.

I have had several students who are professionals, including top managers in international companies, and they have provided some additional insights on hiring practices in Italy. For example, when you submit a reference letter for a job, the content of the letter is not as important as whose signature is on the bottom. Officially, candidates are chosen based on qualifications, but it seems common that it is just as important as to who you know.

I have noticed that many positions are offered on a short term contract basis, two to four months. I had a discussion with one of my students who confirmed this practice aimed at reducing an employer’s exposure to costs. If you have to cut costs just wait for an employee’s contract to expire. Long-term contracts seem to be more difficult to find.

Just as in any other part of the world this economic crisis affects us. Our remaining dollars don’t go as far and investments can be perilous. Long term jobs are difficult for us and Italians to find. Many tourist initiatives by the government have been scaled back and people are hesitant to travel or invest abroad when their own economy is in a slump.

Despite these difficulties we have been blessed by our experiences here in Italy and especially in Trivigno.

Auguri Don Tonino

2011-08-03T07:14:00.004-04:00

Don Tonino's 10 Year Anniversary

Trivigno has one priest, Don Tonino. (“Don” is a title of esteem for the clergy in Italy.) He is a friendly man who works well with the local kids and always greets us on the street. Soon after we moved into our house he came down and did a traditional blessing. Since everyone in our small town knows the mass by heart there are none of the printed weekly bulletins with the liturgy. We don’t know the mass in Italian and when we mentioned this to him he obtained several upcoming editions for us to be able to review in advance.

Don Tonino recently celebrated ten years as the parish priest. There was a special mass attended by the bishop and during the mass the townspeople assembled a surprise party in the piazza. When Don Tonino emerged from the church he was greeted by a piazza filled with well-wishers. No festa is complete without music, dancing, food and sparkling wine to celebrate. The kids put on a couple special presentations, a few toasts were made and then Don Tonino joined in with the dance music.

Our town priest can dance!

Mountain View

2011-07-29T04:34:00.000-04:00

New Mexico is known as a land with enchanting vistas. Our last house in Corrales had wonderful views of the Sandia Mountains where we could watch the colors of the mountains change as the sun moved across the sky, ending in many spectacular sunsets. When we were looking at houses here in Trivigno and saw our house one of the things that was a big plus for us was the view.

The Dolomiti Lucane are just to the south of us with the exposed rock face, similar to that of the Sandias. We are able to watch the changes in colors as the day progresses and also get to experience many spectacular sunsets. The shadows and hues change as the sun moves across the sky and the colors of the landscape also change with the shifting seasons.

Our view from morning, noon, afternoon, eve and sunset.

Mi piace le montagne!

Musical Barista

2011-07-20T05:06:00.000-04:00

Bar Oscar, Ascoli Piceno

When we lived in Ascoli Piceno one of our regular bars for caffé in the morning and also stuzziccini in the evening was Bar Oscar on Corso Mazzini. Oscar and his wife, Anna Laura, run this establishment and they became our good friends who always took the time to chat with us.

Oscar makes a very good caffé and cappuccino. He also has a hidden musical talent that he expresses on his coffee equipment: he enjoys tapping out a tune that always ends with a big smile. We visited Ascoli Piceno recently for our House Hunters International shoot and Oscar serenaded us with this tune...

Nothing like a little entertainment to go with your caffé in the morning.

A double jolt to start your day.

Unofficial Car of Basilicata

2011-07-15T15:41:00.020-04:00

Pre-2003 Fiat Panda

Fiat Panda

The local vigile drives an older model, the postina drives a newer model and it seems that one in five vehicles on the road in Basilicata is a Fiat Panda. The Unofficial Car of Basilicata. They are a very practical vehicle for this mountainous region with a high clearance, easy parking ability and very good gas mileage (40 to 50 mpg).

We have recently become the proud owners of this Unofficial Car of Basilicata, a 2009 Fiat Panda.

Soon after we arrived in Italy in 2006 we realized we would need a car and started to look in the Anzio area with the help of our friend Giorgio. We eventually found a car that was 10 years old at that time but with low kilometers and in very good condition. Five years and 100,000 kilometers later (we’ve seen a lot of Italy) our Ford Fiesta was beginning to require a few too many visits from the meccanico.

We visited several dealers in Potenza to look at the new vehicle offerings but they were beyond our budget. I also found it interesting some of the items that are options on a new car in Italy that would be standard items in the US: rear passenger seat belts and air-bags for anyone other than the driver?!

I did a lot of searching on Italian web-sites, local publications and some lots for a used vehicle more in our budget range. We mentioned our search to a local friend who told us his cousin had a used vehicle lot in Rome. We had met this cousin before, Osvaldo, who taught us how to find asparagi. We knew Osvaldo lived in Rome but he never mentioned he sold cars.

Soon after, we saw him in Trivigno and told him of our search. He asked what kind of vehicles and price range we were looking for and said that he might have some good deals coming on his lot, I started to ask details about the process to actually purchase a vehicle and Osvaldo just said “Don’t worry about it, you’re just like family”. This is true in that we know his mother, his uncles, several of his cousins, nieces and some nephews. The small town advantage.

Our "nuova" Fiat Panda

A few emails and phone calls later and we had agreed on this black 2009 Fiat Panda with low kilometers. We took the bus to Rome on a Saturday where Osvaldo met us at the bus station with our vehicle to take us to his lot where he and his wife finalized the paperwork; they are usually closed on Saturdays. Who says there is no customer service in Italy?

We are pleased with our purchase and look forward to touring Basilicata and more of Italy.

A Garden Spot

2011-07-11T12:47:00.000-04:00

il orto

When I was a kid I dug up a small plot in our back yard to have a vegetable garden. I continued this habit with the houses we had in New Mexico. Since we moved from New Mexico I have not had the opportunity to have another garden…until this year.

All of the other Trivignesi we know have una campagna, a plot near town where they have their orto for vegetables, perhaps a vigneto for grapes and raise some animals. This land provides a year-round source of fresh food for their tables. We are frequently the lucky recipients of their abundance and generosity.

Our chosen plot

The plot has been cleared

Our first plantings

We do not have una campagna, we’d like one but our place did not include this bonus. We are, however, fortunate to live on the edge of town and below our house is some communal land that is not being used. A friend told us to go ahead and use it for un orto and this past spring I spent a few days pulling weeds and clearing rocks and debris from a small plot. In true small town fashion everyone could see my activities and we got a few suggestions on what to plant, how, etc.

We stated out with some lattuga (lettuce), carota and prezzemolo (parsley). Soon a neighbor gave us several fragola plants which we quickly planted. We then added some pomodoro (tomato) and basilica plants.

The stairs!

There is no water at our orto so I have to haul down a ten liter jug each day, the steps down are rather narrow and steep. As the summer heat has intensified we used all of the lattuga before it wilted. Soon we will start picking some of the pomodori and basilica for sauces and to add some mozzarella for a cool summer lunch.

We may only have a small garden, but for our first year it is a start…and an experiment.

The Big Italian Wedding

2011-07-04T01:48:00.003-04:00

Gli Sposi

Il Matrimonio nel Sud

This weekend was our first experience with a wedding here in Trivigno, it certainly was a fun experience. Our friends Giuseppe and Elisa had il loro matrimonio (their wedding) on Saturday.

It all started Friday night, when we joined with friends and family of il sposo (the groom) in the piazza and then with song this growing group headed off to the house of la sposa (the bride). Giuseppe serenaded his bride-to-be with the help of friends and a good portion of the townspeople. With some friendly prodding Elisa came out and joined in the singing. In typical Italian fashion, food and drink soon emerged and the festa lasted past midnight.

Gli Amici

Saturday morning I joined Giuseppe and a few of the other men in the main piazza and we walked up the hill to the chiesa madre to await the arrival of la sposa. A short while later the bride came walking up the hill followed by a throng of well-wishers and everyone entered for the Mass. It was a beautiful matrimonio and as the couple exited the church they were bombarded by rice and small coins tossed by all those waiting outside.

I Parenti

A caravan of cars soon headed off to nearby Brindisi Montagna for il ricevimento (the reception). Receptions in Basilicata are no small undertaking. We were seated at assigned tables soon after 2PM and the first plate of antipasti arrived. This was followed by a break for some dancing, and then more antipasti. More dancing then the primi (pastas and risotto) with more dancing and the secondi with more interludes of dancing. All together, over a period of six hours we had three plates of antipasti, three primi, two secondi and then cake.

I Piatti

While everyone broke for caffé, the tables were cleared and we returned to more dancing. Then i dolci were brought out in a grand buffet. Of course this was followed by more dancing with pauses for pizza and porchetta panini. The dancing and eating finally broke-up around midnight and we were back home in bed soon after 1AM.

The night would not be over yet for gli sposi (the newlyweds) as tradition is that their hardier, and younger, friends and family continue the festa at their house until the early hours of Sunday morning.

Certainly a more grand experience with almost 300 guests and two bands than any wedding we have attended in the US. The food and its presentation at times seemed to be as much of a focus during the reception as were gli sposi. We were honored to be invited and had a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

School is Out!

2011-06-30T17:32:00.000-04:00

At least for the kids...

I have been teaching English as a Second Language since I returned to Italy last October. This is at a private language school in Potenza, about a 25 minute drive from our house. The owner of this British language school is Italian, I’m an American, there is another American teacher and a girl from Ireland. A British language school and I find it amusing that none of us are mother-tongue from Britain. I am not trained as teacher, my qualifications are my degree and madre-lingua.

As any expat in Italy doing this will confirm, teaching English will not make you wealthy; it barely pays to put food on the table. My position is part-time but helps to stretch our funds while we look for other opportunities. Fortunately living expenses here in Basilicata are low compared to other parts of Italy so we can stretch our euros even farther.

The majority of my students had been between the ages of 10 and 15 so their lessons corresponded with the school year. When their school was finished for the summer their lessons with me concluded. This included a final week of exams for our courses as well as several exams for different English certification programs.

It has been interesting to talk to these kids about their public school experiences. All of them have more than one language class during the week including Italian and English at the grade school level. Once in high school they usually add Latin and Greek and perhaps French. By the time they get to my class in the evening their brains have worked around two or three languages that day.

I will continue to have a few business people with one-on-one lessons through the summer, except for August when Italy shuts down for holiday. Our group classes for the school kids will gear-up again in the fall after they return to school.

Bachelor Party...Italian Style

2011-06-27T05:22:00.000-04:00

Grigliata

Since moving to Trivigno we have experienced several new experiences in Italian life that we were not exposed to in our two plus years in Ascoli Piceno. We’ve participated in our first vendammia, wine making and pig kill. Saturday night I experienced another first.

Our friends, Elisa and Giuseppe, are getting married next week-end I was invited to the bachelor party, I had no idea what to expect. I have been to several of these over the years in the US and they are many times not memories the groom would want to share with his bride.

This was different…

The festa took place at Giuseppe’s uncle’s house in the country a few kilometers away. We all arrived before 9 PM and that was when the eating started…a grilling feast. First there was the spiedini (shish-kabob). Then we had agnello (lamp chops). Excitement built as it was announced the porchetta would be arriving soon and when this stuffed and cooked pig arrived several of the men skillfully sliced it up for all to enjoy.

Once we finished the porchetta there was a short break of singing before salsiccia was put on the grille. We then had more agnelo. After three hours the meal was finished off with grilled pancetta (think bacon). All of this was accompanied of course by bread, wine and beer. No verdura to be found…a grigliata.

When I departed signing folk songs was in full swing and I heard the next day that this and an assortment of drinking games was carried on by at least some in attendance until just before sunrise.

Forty men eating well and singing the night away…Italian Style!

House Hunters International in Trivigno

2011-06-23T02:30:00.000-04:00

We just finished-up almost a week of shooting here in Trivigno and Ascoli Piceno for an upcoming episode of the popular American show called House Hunter's International (HHI) that airs on HGTV. They will focus as much on our lifestyle here in Basilicata and how we have been welcomed in Trivigno, as on the house purchase process itself.

A year ago when we were in Northern Virginia the program emailed me and we corresponded some but I didn't see the benefit of pursuing the project at that time. HHI contacted Valerie just over a month ago (they found us via our blogs) and she corresponded via email and talked to them by phone. We had not watched much of this show previously but we viewed a few segments on YouTube to get a better idea of what it is about. We put together a short video so they could see and hear us and emailed that off. They liked our unique story of finding Valerie’s family roots in this area and locating a house without a real estate agent.

Steve, Bryan, Paul, Bill, Valerie

The film crew, based in London, arrived last Tuesday and we spent three days together doing scenes in Trivigno, Anzi and Matera. Saturday we drove to Ascoli Piceno for a day of shooting. The story line will follow our house search from Ascoli since we were already living in Italy when we started looking for a house. Bill the director, Paul the cameraman and Steve the sound tech were all great to work with. They made the process easy and fun and also appreciated the Southern Italy hospitality that we find so endearing.

We hope this will be a boost for some of our friends here who have an agriturismo, our friend Tonino who is an engineer that has helped us so much in the process and for Trivigno itself. When others see why we find it so inviting they will also be interested. With the new web-site, My Bella Basilicata, and our desire to help the town that has been so inviting to us, we decided this is a good project for us to pursue. The actual episode will air in a few months; I will share the date when we are notified.

Besides, the film crew of Bill, Steve and Paul made it fun!

Trivigno is the Name

2011-06-19T01:03:00.001-04:00

I had written back in November that we were trying to keep our town a secret…we didn’t want to give away our little gem. Friends here have mentioned to us how glad they are that we have found this town and they hope that others would too. The more we became a part of Trivigno the more we felt we should share it with others, it would just be good for the town.

This week we are busy with a project that we hope will make our town, Trivigno, better known to others in the United States. We will be busy and I will soon post details on how this will help others to see why we find Trivigno to be a little gem in southern Italy.

Trivigno it is!

Dish Rack 102

2011-06-14T01:10:00.000-04:00

Why can’t you find these in the US?!

I wrote about kitchen dish drying cabinets back in September 2006 and it has been a popular search item on this blog over the years. We have always found these to be very practical and had them in both of our apartments in Ascoli Piceno.

Our house here in Trivigno does not have cabinets as our plans for the kitchen we eventually want is a work in progress. When we arrived we installed a functional kitchen to use the space we have within our budget. With our limited counter space we were longing for somewhere to dry dishes and IKEA came to the rescue. We found a rack that hangs on the wall that I have placed above the sink. The best part is that it folds up and is out of the way when not in use.

When we lived in Northern Virginia we never saw anything like this in the IKEA stores in that area. Why?!

We try to make most of our purchases at smaller local stores in and around Potenza but sometimes it can be difficult to locate what we need. I’m not a big-box store fan but I must admit that here IKEA has always been a good source for useful products at reasonable prices. However, IKEA for us means about an hour and a half drive to one of their newest stores in Salerno. Another incentive to buy local!

All Together

2011-06-08T08:59:00.002-04:00

Recently during la passeggiata I was talking to a friend who asked me if people in the US meet out in the piazze and streets to talk everyday. My first response was “Obviously you’ve never been to America”…piazze are hard to find. America has not been a land of meeting in the square or on the street for many years, it is becoming a land of suburbs and malls.

Every Italian city has a daily flow of people through the piazza going to work, out to buy the day’s groceries or just to meet some friends and have a caffé. This flow has high and low points based on the time of day when i cittadini are at home for a meal. Trivigno is no different from any other Italian town in this regard.

I do think it is different in that everyone knows everyone else. Either they are related in some way or they have known each other since they were kids. One contrast I have noticed to larger Italian cities is that here everyone greets everyone else, usually with the informal “Ciao”, even if you just saw them five minutes ago. I now notice the contrast with the cities where not everyone will look at you and greet you.

It did not take long after we settled in when we started being greeted by everyone. Young, old and every age in between. It sure makes it feel familiar.

When people gather for a caffé, to share a beer or for a social event there is always a mix of ages, there is minimal separation by generation. We might have a caffé in the morning with the local Carabinieri captain, an afternoon caffé with the supermercato owner and a beer in the evening to watch some calcio with a mix of people from pensioners to members of the youngest generation. There is little noticeable separation between ages or “classes” of people; we are all in the mix together.

Tutti insieme!

Essentials

2011-06-02T05:33:00.005-04:00

Just before our return to Italy last October I had a birthday and my sister-in-law, Cara, gave me a pair of heavy work gloves. At the time I thought these were a bit unnecessary as I already had some cotton gloves. I had always used lighter cotton or leather gloves around our house in Corrales and only used heavy ones in my constant battle against tumbleweeds.

After starting to do some projects around our place I soon learned that Cara’s gift was very insightful. Working on a house that is three hundred years old with three-foot-thick stone and concrete walls requires two essential tools: heavy work gloves and eye protection.

Whether I am chipping away at some stone work, pulling debris from our stalla, hauling firewood for our heating or grinding rust off a piece of steel, then one or both of these are a basic safety requirement. Usually both.

So if you happen to be in the market for a unique house in an Italian hill town, be sure to put these two essentials on your shopping list.

Organ Music in the Night

2011-05-26T01:25:00.001-04:00

Chiesa San Pietro Apostolo

Our small town has five churches but only the chiesa madre, San Pietro Apostolo, is used regularly. This is where daily and Sunday mass is held and is in the piazza above our house in the centro storico. This is not a large or impressive church but is well cared for and on most Sundays there is standing room only. On holidays and special events you will find people spilling out into the piazza.

In the rear choir there is a beautiful pipe organ that we had not had the opportunity to hear until a few nights ago. Despite the presence of this instrument, the music during mass is provided by several women singing in unison accompanied by a guitar. On Tuesday a couple of musicians from the music conservatory in Potenza came to perform a special concert with the organ as the center piece.

The church and piazza were packed as the music filled the church and the adjoining streets through open windows. It was amazing the melodies and sounds that these musicians could entice from the organ, including the sounds of birds and various instruments. I have always enjoyed the sound of a pipe organ and especially under the control of a skilled musician.

After the concert stuzzichini and wine were served as everyone mingled and chatted. A concert, friends and some food on a cool spring evening…una vita piú bella.

Sagra Season has Begun!

2011-05-20T04:49:00.003-04:00

Festival della Podolica
Brindisi Montagna 14/15 Maggio

Summer must be on the horizon as the sagra season has begun here in Basilicata!

Brindisi Montagna

Last week-end nearby Brindisi Montagna hosted their 3rd annual Festival della Podolica (http://www.prolocobrindisimontagna.it/eventi/32DEventiview.asp?key=51). The festival honors this unique breed of cattle from southern Italy that has genetic roots going back over 2000 years. Podolica cattle are prized for their milk which is used to make cheese, especially a southern favorite called caciocavallo. Podolica are a hearty breed that is adapted to the rugged terrain of the south and the sometimes sparse vegetation, especially during the hottest period of the summer. Their digestive system is adapted to eating some forage that other livestock would avoid.

The stands around the centro storico featured grilled meats and Podolica cheese along with other local products. A stage was set-up in the main piazza where some local folk dancers performed traditional routines. Since Brindisi Montagna is less than fifteen minutes from our town we encountered many of our friends amongst the crowds.

This sagra also honored the town’s patron saint, San Nicola, and the night’s activities kicked off with a large falò, bonfire, in his honor. The sticks and pine trees were piled two stories high and when lit it sent sparks into the air showering the nearby buildings and spectators alike. Feste with a falò are a common event here in Basilicata as we have attended or heard about several where this is a center piece of the activities. It would seem that mountains with an abundance of forests have long made for a tradition of falò.

The chiesa madre bells rang for almost an hour as San Nicola’s statue was carried from the church and paraded through town. The ringing of the bells and crackling of the fire were also accompanied by fireworks over the town before San Nicola was returned to his place of honor in the Chiesa di San Nicola di Bari.

Let the food and fun begin!

My Bella Basilicata

2011-05-16T01:27:00.001-04:00

In search of their ancestors

It has happened twice since we arrived here in Trivigno, we have come across Americans in town looking for their family roots. Both times it has been older couples who knew almost no Italian but wanted to make the connection with the small town in Basilicata where their families originated from.

The first time, I was in Bar Centrale when two couples came in who were obviously not locals and were dressed like Americans. They kind of stood off in the corner while their driver made some inquiries of the barista. I approached them and they were surprised to hear English. They were on a cruise ship stopping for the day in Naples and hired a driver for the 2 hour trip to visit this town where the one man’s mother had been born.

Just last week Valerie was walking through the piazza when she was flagged down by a friend who said there were some strangers here who only spoke English. Valerie found out this couple had driven over from Sorrento to see the town where from where the woman’s grandparents had emigrated over 100 years ago.

In both instances we helped them try and locate any relatives in town and to piece together who might still live here based on the limited information and available time they had. They were all thrilled to have someone who could translate for them with potential family and we enjoyed showing them some of the town their ancestors left many years ago.

If you too are interested in locating your family roots here in Basilicata…or wanting to find a place to call home or just plan a trip to this hospitable region…then you must check-out My Bella Basilicata. A new web-site focused on helping you do just that in the land the locals call Lucania.

Siamo Gatti

2011-05-11T04:06:00.000-04:00

There is a small street near our house that always has several gatti; I’ve counted as many as twelve. These cats are usually sunning themselves or out looking for their next meal, any tipolini in our part of town don’t have a breath of a chance. I have seldom seen or heard this pack fighting amongst themselves and there always seems to be a few kittens prancing around the group.

When we first started learning who everyone in our village was and to whom they were related we frequently heard the term “Siamo gatti”. My first thought is they were talking about a cat fight - usually you put a bunch of cats together and there is bound to be some quarreling. The more people we met the more we learned that everyone is related to everyone else in one way or another.

“I would like you to meet Antonio, he’s my cousin”

“But if course he is”

They may be cousins, second cousins, or related by marriage. They are like a bunch of town cats, they are all related.

Valerie’s great-grandparents are from nearby Anzi and one of the older ladies in town has claimed her as "mia cugina", they both have the name Cutro in their family trees. It appears anyone from Anzi with this name must be related. Anche noi… Siamo gatti!

Foto Friday: Basilicata Verde

2011-05-06T09:34:00.000-04:00

Our winter view

Since Pasque we had a regular dose of rain and it seemed like we wouldn't see the sun again, except for an occasional peak from behind the clouds. The skies have cleared and now everything has transformed to green. Basilicata has exchanged her leafless brown winter coat for the verdant green of forests and fields.

Our view today

We look forward to the warmer temperatures here in the higher elevations and the chance to finally put our winter coats away for the season.

Easter Lucanian Style

2011-05-01T16:29:00.001-04:00

Holy Week 2011

The events in our town leading up to Pasqua were a little different than what we had experienced when we lived in Ascoli Piceno. This began with Palm Sunday where olive branches were used as we had seen in Ascoli Piceno, but during the service parts of the branches were exchanged as a sign of Pace (peace) amongst the congregation. This continued after the service during the passeggiata before pranzo around town.

The priest had posted at various locations the schedule for the week so we knew when different events would occur. Some parts of the events we had to ask friends and Don Tonino about, as everyone assumes we know what would be happening. We had to explain that even in the Catholic Church in the US, some things are different than here in small town Italy.

On Holy Thursday the mass focused on the last supper. There was a ceremonial washing of the feet of twelve people symbolizing the disciples. They also had a blessing of bread which was new to us. The local forno cooked special small loaves of bread which were brought to the mass by families to be blessed and eaten during the weekend festivities.

On Good Friday there was a procession through town after the mass involving carrying a statue of a crucified Jesus with Bible readings and prayers at each Station of the Cross. The procession ended back at the church and the entire mass and procession was almost three hours long. Many towns in this area have complete reenactments of the Stations including all of the participants mentioned in the Biblical account.

In the US we were familiar with sunrise services for Easter morning but when we mentioned that to friends here their response was “Why would anyone get up that early on a holiday?”. The custom here is a service on Saturday night starting at 11PM. This begins with the lighting of the Pasquale candle at a small fire in front of the church which is carried back into the church and everyone lights a candle as the church is illuminated. The almost three hour service that follows includes lengthy Scripture readings and the placement of new Holy water for the coming year.

The Easter mass here is traditionally a day for Baptisms, appropriate given the significance of Christ’s resurrection. Our church had one with a building full of family and friends. Fortunately we had a warm and sunny day allowing everyone to enjoy a lengthy passeggiata exchanging “Auguri e Buon Pasqua” to all who we encountered. Friends invited us to join their family for pranzo which always involves agnello (lamb) on this holiday.

The Monday after Pasqua is also a national holiday, Pasquetta. This is traditionally a day of picnics in the country. We took advantage of this and drove into the calanchi of southern Basilicata for a picnic and the opportunity to collect some more asparagi for our dinner that night.

The population of our town swelled with people returning for the lengthy holiday but things have now returned to normal with all the faces we are familiar with.

Buona Pasqua 2011

2011-04-24T04:44:00.000-04:00

The Son has Risen!

Happy Easter!

Spring is Trying to Arrive

2011-04-19T16:58:00.001-04:00

Primavera?

Spring had arrived last month cold and dreary; a few days later it was warm and sunny. Since then we have traded a week to ten days of warm sunny weather with equal periods of cool and damp. Spring is trying to make itself felt but winter keeps butting in.

Just over a week ago we were out walking the hills around our town in light jackets, this past weekend we were donning winter coats again. A few weeks ago we learned how to hunt the elusive asparagine and then temperatures changed delaying another venture into the lower forests to forage for enough for a delicious plate of pasta.

Living in Southern Italy many people, Italians included, think we have long warm sunny days all year. Living in a Lucanian mountain village more than 100 Km from the nearest coast means winter can linger. Friends here remind us that it has been known to snow on Easter…and in May!

Since Palm Sunday the weather has steadily improved once more to spring like conditions and with the arrival of Valerie’s sister in Rome tomorrow we hope the treand continues.

As a side…Spring always has the hope of new things so I am trying some new looks for this blog. This may be a work in progress!

Let Me Pay!

2011-04-13T05:12:00.001-04:00

Small town etiquette.

One of the pleasures of life in Italy is the coffee. Those who follow this blog know I am passionate about caffé, and my struggles with getting a decent tazza in the USA.

Having a caffé at an Italian bar is more than just the drink, but also the interactions with the barista and other patrons. I also quickly realized that there is a slightly different interaction here in Lucanella as to who pays for the coffee.

In Ascoli Piceno the person who said “prendiamo un caffé” was the person who expected to pay. At less than a euro for a caffé this was as much a symbolic offering as a courtesy. Here in Lucanella I have discovered a different take on who buys the caffé.

The first few times we were in a bar with local friends and tried to buy a caffé we got the “you must be kidding” look from the barista. It can create a brutta figura to let a guest buy their own caffé. We also had several experiences where we would enter the bar and there would be another patron already present who we didn’t yet know. When we finished we would learn that the person who just left had already paid for our caffé.

We have since determined that the custom is that if you are in the bar and others come in after you for a caffé, you buy for everyone. This can be tricky, as in any small town everyone knows each other; though they may not all like each other. Politics and family histories can go way way back. Our dilemma is often that we enjoy having a pastry with our morning caffé but it can be a brutta figura to order a caffé and cornetto when someone else is paying.

Such is life in small town Italy. We learn new things day by day – piano, piano.

Narrowest Street in Italy?!

2011-04-02T13:12:00.000-04:00

Which one is it?

In our travels around Italy we have found four towns that lay claim to the narrowest street in Italy. Okay to be fair each town calls it something different: a vicoletto in Accettura, a vicolo in Ripatransone, a ruetta in Civatella del Tronto or a via in Città della Pieve.

Vicolo in Ripatransone

Ruetta in Civitella del Tronto

Vicoletto in Accettura

Nevertheless they are all claiming to have the narrowest public way or thoroughfare in a city or town. Who is right!?

We visited the Via Baciadonna in Città della Pieve several years ago and I do not recall the width. We visited Vicoletto Pozzo in Accettura a few weeks ago and it comes in a close second in width. The ruetta in Civatella del Tronto does not appear to have an actual name, signs just point to “La Ruetta”, but its width varies over the length of the ruetta. Of these thoroughfares that claim to be the narrowest I believe that the vicolo in Ripatransone is the one that can rightfully lay claim to the title of the Narrowest Street in Italy.

But there is still a lot of Italy we haven’t seen, perhaps there are more contenders?!

True Southern Hospitality

2011-03-28T06:39:00.000-04:00

Friendly Lucania

It seems to be a common thread in guide books about Basilicata that it is populated by unfriendly people who are suspicious of everyone. This is also repeated on several websites; apparently no one does their own research they just copy what others write without fact checks.

They are wrong, or they just have never been to Basilicata!

Our experiences in the land known as Lucania have proven to be just the opposite.

From our first visit to this area almost ten years ago we found the people to be open, hospitable and welcoming. If we would be touring a town and just say buongiorno to someone, more often than not they would then start up a conversation, usually surprised that we were not Italians. Frequently we would be offered caffé or perhaps a tip on what to see. We never felt uncomfortable or that the people were suspicious of us.

Since we purchased our home our experience with Lucanian hospitality has been heartwarming. We have been invited to the homes of numerous people for meals, been given fruits, vegetables, meats and even homemade wine. When I started asking about sources for firewood to heat our house several people offered to deliver wood, take me to the local forest to collect wood or drive me in their truck to the local wood yard to load up.

Sometimes It Takes a Village.

Even our experiences with the dreaded Italian burocrazia have been unusually pleasant. When we renewed our PdiS’s in November the officers at the immigration office were friendly and talkative. When we signed up for the health system in January they were apologetic for having to research how to enroll Americans, we were their first.

Shop owners and their employees are all friendly and inquisitive. This is frequently helped when they learn where we live and undoubtedly they have some relative from the same town.

We live in a small town and everyone knows who we are, however we are still learning who everyone else is. Though this is a small town we do not get the impression that has been the complaint of some other people that small towns are where people “peer” into your lives, we do find people who express a concern for how we are adjusting to a new country.

We know more of our neighbors by their first name and have eaten in more of their homes in the five months we have been in our small town than we did in a year living in Northern Virginia.

If you want to experience true Southern Hospitality…Basilicata is a must on your next trip to Italy!

A Little Catching-Up

2011-03-20T12:33:00.002-04:00

Long-time friends

La Soucera

When we moved to Italy in 2006 I found myself writing posts for this blog a couple times a week. Everything was new and we did a lot of exploring. Now we seem to be busier with work and all the activities that go with owning a house in Italy. Besides being off to work 6 or 8 hours a day there is wood to be split and carried in for the fireplace, less Valerie gets cold. Friends want to chat in the piazza, errands to run and then there is the ongoing stalla project.

So I’m going to catch-up for the past couple weeks. As Valerie posted on her blog, her Mom was here to visit with a high school friend who she had not spent a lot of time with for many years. They had a lot of catching-up to do. As predicted the weather was mostly cold and wet while they were in Lucanella. It started to rain the day they arrived. They endured some record rainfall that washed out a bridge on the highway south of us which is the main route between Potenza and Metaponto.

The broken bridge

Many of our friends who knew of the arrival of mia suocera were please to meet la mamma. They were fortunate to pick the best day we had to take a trip to Matera, always a jewel to see in any weather. I was not able to join them but they had a great time there seeing the wonders of the sassi.

Despite the dreary weather we enjoyed our first American visitors to our new home town and our new house. I know we will have more in the coming weeks and months.

150˚ Anniversario dell’Unità d’Italia

2011-03-17T01:25:00.001-04:00

150 Years Together

Today is the 150th anniversary of the reunification of Italy, the climax of the Risorgimento. The country of Italy, as we know it today, is a relatively recent phenomenon considering the long history on this peninsula.

You would think that this would be a big event here but there has been much debate in the previous months about how much “celebrating” there will be. The government in Rome has flip-flopped more than once on whether or not to make it a national holiday with government, business and school closures. The President of Basilicata has declared that schools will be closed today.

It is interesting as to the lack of events we are able to find to celebrate this event. No parades or festivals in our area. Why you might ask? It depends on your location in Italy. This day marks the final triumph of the Garibaldi invasion of the Kingdom of Naples. For some in the south this was considered an occupation and resulted in farmer uprisings that lasted many years. For some in the north the unification of northern and southern Italy is not seen as a positive step, they consider the south a financial burden.

The reunification created the map outline that was under a monarchy while many consider that modern Italy emerged after Mussolini with the creation of the Republic. A famous politician in the 1860’s said “We have created Italy, now we must create Italians”.

Either way we will take some time to raise a glass of alianico that there is an Italy, with all of her warts and splendor together.

Cooking With Giorgio

2011-03-05T10:51:00.000-05:00

YouTube Recipes

Our friend Giorgio of La Cucina dello Zio Giorgio has put together several short videos on YouTube of some of his delicious recipes. These are not complicated recipes but simple dishes anyone who knows their way around a kitchen can prepare.

The videos are in Italian but the visual aspect makes them easy enough to follow so anyone can understand the recipes. There are currently six videos and each lasts less than four minutes.

We have had the pleasure of enjoying these recipes over the many years we have known Giorgio so I am sure you too will enjoy them. Give Giorgio a quick look, you won’t be disappointed.

Stall Diving

2011-02-26T12:34:00.001-05:00

La Stalla

We recently acquired a space next to our apartment that had been owned by our upstairs neighbor. This was in reality little more than transferring the ownership from him to us, not a bad deal for some added real estate. Suffice it to say that this space can increase our living area by about 60%...at some time in the future.

Our first view of la stalla

The new space we call la stalla as it had been a stall for animals. Not uncommon for older for homes at one time to have kept animals in a lower level of the house…the original central heating. There is a stone and wood trough for feeding, a stall gate and various animal implements. The problem is that this is all buried under decades of debris as Fabrizio had used this as a collection point for everything he didn’t want, but for some reason didn’t throw away. This includes hundreds of glass bottles and a lot of lumber.

My new hobby since we have taken procession of la stalla is “stall diving”. Originally there was not much more than a narrow path from the front door to the only window. Slowly I have hauled some trash up to the dumpsters in the piazza above us. There is an abundance of lumber and various wood crates, much of which has insect damage. The worst of this I am breaking down for our fireplace while I sort through the rest to see what may be salvageable for some future project.

I have found a few interesting items like old wood feed buckets, some wood harnesses, wood boxes, copper kettles, unique bottles, etc. I am developing quite a collection in our magazino. Some of this may be junk but for this suburban American they are unique and interesting.

Riciclare

I have hauled out bags, boxes, bags and more boxes of glass bottles and cardboard. Fortunately our town has an active recycling program and I arranged with the guys that do the pick-up to recently do a big load. I spent a morning hauling glass, cardboard, lots of metal and a couple tires up the stairs that lead from our house to the nearest location where they can get to with a motorized vehicle. The next day it was all gone, thankfully.

Some progress

This will be a long term project as adding this area to our living space is a future project. However, it is something to keep me occupied on some of the current cold winter days.

House Calls

2011-02-19T12:22:00.002-05:00

visita a domicilio

We live in a small town that does not have every service people need…at least not in a fixed location. However, in our area of Basilicata the tradition of house calls is alive and well.

Valerie first learned of this when she was here by herself and had car problems last May. Our friend Tonino put her in contact with his meccanico who is in another town about an hour away. No problem, the meccanico will come here, pick-up the car for repairs and then return it to us. We have since done this more than once with this meccanico. Oh yeah, there is no extra charge for this service.

Lucanella also has a parrucchiere who visits twice a week and always has a full schedule. There are a couple food vendors, selling fresh fruits and cheeses, who drive their trucks from piazza to piazza each week. This is in addition to the regular weekly market on Saturdays.

We recently ran out of gas in our bombola that powers or cook top. No problem, we stopped by the local supermercato and told Giovanni who promised to deliver a full tank that afternoon. “Do you need our address?”, “Why? Of course I know where you live.” Giovanni arrived as promised with a new bombola hoisted over his back.

We have had Don Tonino, the town priest, make a house call to bless our home. There is also a medico who comes to town each week to see patients, her husband the veterinario also comes at the same time. A lot of locals have farms animals so he is always busy.

Lucano has had two visits from the veterinario. The first time was soon after he became a resident of our house, to check him over and give him the necessary shots. The most recent time was when we had Lucano “fixed”. Yes the veterinario came to our house, gave Lucano an anesthesia and performed the quick procedure on our kitchen table. While Lucano recovered we toasted with a digestivo and talked about locals we know in common with il veterinario. In case you wonder, Lucano has had a full recovery and is warming my lap as I type.

I’m certain there are other visita a domicilio we have yet to discover.

Too bad this seems to have become a lost tradition in the USA.

Lucano on Flip

2011-02-14T05:58:00.000-05:00

We received a Flip camera for Christmas and have been playing around with it a bit since. I finally figured out the best way to load videos for others to watch - YouTube. Linking to emails or directly loading via Blogger was not working so here is a sample of a montage of footage of our micio Lucano.

Il Quartiere Etnico

2011-02-08T06:34:00.000-05:00

Ethnic Neighborhood

A local friend was helping me unload and carry wood down to our house a few weeks ago while we discussed why we moved to a small hill town in the heart of Basilicata. Many of the people in this area wonder why we moved here: mountains, great food, history, clean air, fresh local food and lots of friendly people.

During this conversation my friend jokingly commented that we live in il quartiere etnico. This is a town of only 700 people how can there be an ethnic quarter?! He explained, with a smirk, that in our neighborhood there lived a neighbor’s companion from Russia, a Napolitano, a woman from Sardinia and of course gli americani. If you aren’t born and raised here everyone knows it.

We are happy to add some diversity to our village!

Pig Thanksgiving

2011-02-01T03:36:00.001-05:00

Ringraziamento, Italian-Style

In this part of central Basilicata the meats that rule the table are maiale (pork), agnello (lamb) and coniglio (rabbit). Many of the people in our village raise their own animals, and each time we have dined at a friend’s house we have sampled the meat from their campagna.

Not long after we had introduced local friends to an American Thanksgiving feast, we were introduced to the Lucanella version of “Thanksgiving”. This involves a pig that has been raised for many months specifically for this time of year when people do their annual slaughter.

We have a friend who is a vegetarian who frequently told us that if we weren’t willing to kill the animal then we shouldn’t eat meat. In suburban and urban America that opportunity does not present itself very often. However, here in the mountain communities of Lucania it is a regularly-occurring event during this time of year.

(If you are squeamish about animals being slaughtered for food…stop here)

Twice we were invited to join friends when they guided their prized pig to a shed specially prepared for the event. A fire was raging in one corner with boiling water for cleaning…and some heat. The pig is hoisted up by one leg and then one of the men, called il macellaio, who is skilled at making the process quick for the pig, performs the necessary cut. Soon a bucket is full of blood and the pig has succumbed.

The animal is then lowered onto a cart where the men begin the process of cleaning the hide. This involves boiling water and sharp knives. The hair is scraped off the entire body, including the feet and face. Later il macellaio will continue his work in butchering the body.

After the butchering, the men gather at the owner’s house for what friends started calling il Ringraziamento, the pig thanksgiving. Pasta and maiale are served along with plenty of local wine, while the merits of the pig are discussed and compared with previous years. Two special dishes for this occasion are le frittole, a savory fried dish of red peppers and meat from the neck of the pig, and maiale grigliata, grilled meat fresh from the butchering. As with a typical American Thanksgiving, everyone leaves the table more than comfortably full.

The actual meat preparation and sausage making is done the following day by the women of the family. A time for chiacchiari about family, friends and the new americani who now call Lucanella home.

Festa di Sant'Antonio Abate

2011-01-26T11:43:00.003-05:00

Dancin' in the streets

January 17 is the feast day of Sant’Antonio Abate, a favorite amongst those who raise and love animals. This is also a big festa for Lucanella. Before we left for the holidays everyone kept telling us we had to be back in time for la festa.

Saturday the 15th was the day it was celebrated here and this meant a HUGE bonfire was assembled in the main piazza. Several days were required to collect the trees from the nearby forest and assemble the bonfire. Two smaller ones were built in a second piazza and in front of la Chiesa di Sant’Antonio Abate.

In addition to the warm fires there was of course, plenty of local food to taste, music to dance to and wine to drink. Costumed dancers from nearby Tricarico came to prance around the fire and also up and down the streets. It was a good time to enjoy the clear weather and to see our friends and make new friends.


With the Tricarico dancers

Glad to be Back Home

2011-01-12T12:32:00.002-05:00

Holland America Cruise 2011

We returned a few days ago from our cruise in the Caribbean, a trip with our worst flight experiences ever. The night before we left Valerie awoke coughing and by the time we arrived at the airport in Rome she was dealing with the flu. Not a pleasant way to spend 11 hours on a trans-Atlantic flight.

We had a six hour lay-over in Atlanta, where Delta “misplaced” our luggage and we finally located it with some persistent questioning. New Years Eve we were in the Miami Airport and Valerie spent the next two days in Miami in bed recuperating.

We boarded the cruise in Ft. Lauderdale and had an enjoyable time in the Eastern Caribbean with my family. The weather was warm and sunny and there were no problems on the ship. We even filled the sports bar onboard with Buckeye fans to watch the Sugar Bowl, no Razorback fans to be found.

O-H-I-O Go Buckeyes!

The problems with Delta continued on our return flights when there was a delay leaving Miami which bumped us off our flight from JFK to FCO. After some scrambling we were booked on a later flight but when we arrived at FCO our luggage was nowhere to be found. Delta claimed they could not find our luggage but fortunately yesterday we had a call from FCO that our two bags were located and are to be delivered to our house on Thursday.

We are glad to be back home and Lucano’s constant purring indicates he is happy to have us here.

Festeggiamo!

2010-12-29T11:21:00.001-05:00

Eating our way through Christmas

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. Our first Natale in our Italian home was filled with time among friends and a lot of eating – festeggiamo.

This started with Vigilia where the Pro Loco arranged for parents to deposit gifts at the office and then Babbo Natale, with a small band in tow, went around town delivering the presents to waiting children. Then we had the traditional late Christmas Eve dinner at our friends’ agriturismo where we finished eating just in time to attend midnight mass. After mass we exchanged “auguri” with all the people we have come to know in the past few months.

We stopped into the church Christmas morning to see the presepe and our local priest, Don Tonino, came over to greet us. He said he noticed us at mass the night before and offered to do the customary blessing of our home. Just after the morning mass he arrived with two altar boys and did a short blessing of our humble abode.

Christmas pranzo was spent at our neighbors’ house with their family. As with all of our encounters here a large portion of the conversation focused on our relocation to Italy and specifically why this area. After several hours of feasting we headed home for a riposo. Christmas night we strolled around town with friends to work off some of the food from lunch.

The day after Christmas is Santo Stefano, a national holiday. This is also the patron saint day for a friend of ours and his daughter from Laurenzana. so we were invited for another pranzo. We accompanied their family to an agriturismo for several hours of festeggiamo, followed by dessert and cake in honor of Stefano and Stefana at their home.

The following day we were invited to the house of some other friends for pranzo to celebrate the butchering of their pig. This will need to be another blog entry but suffice it to say we were again at the table for a couple hours.

We will be having a couple days of vegetables only…only to be followed by us taking a trip to Miami to board a cruise with my family for a week. Thank God for the blessing of friends and lots of steep streets in our hill town to help control our waistlines.

Buon Anno!

Buon Natale 2010!

2010-12-25T01:17:00.002-05:00

We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Heating the Old Fashioned Way

2010-12-20T06:50:00.000-05:00

Il Caminetto

The news this weekend has been about the severe winter weather across much of Europe, we had our first taste of winter in the mountains of Lucania last week. There was a week of temperatures at or just below freezing with two days when we had a small amount of snow. I enjoy snow…for a day, or at a distance. We had enough snow last year in Virginia (140cm) to hold us over for many years to come.

The cold weather has kept me busy hauling wood from our cantina to the house as our primary heating source is a caminetto. These are common in this area and are not much more than a small hole about 14” wide at floor level with a wide tile hearth. The fire is built at the opening, not back in the fireplace, and the smoke draws up the chimney while the heat radiates out. We supplement this with a stufa elettrica (electric heater) in the bedroom that has a timer so it is warm when we go to bed and get up in the morning.

Since our house has a southern exposure with large windows this set-up works well on sunny days. However, a couple cloudy and cold days in a row and we are huddled with Lucano under our wool blanket to ward off the chill.

My years of Scouting and fire building is getting regular practice and fortunately Valerie and I did enough camping and picnic grilling in New Mexico that she is no slacker at building and stocking the fire.

However, since winter doesn’t officially start until tomorrow, we may be looking at other heating alternative for next year.

Our First Lucanella Snow

2010-12-11T10:40:00.000-05:00

View from our balcony

This is what we awoke to this morning, our first snow here at our new house. Fortunately we don't expect the severe weather northern Europe has experienced but two days ago it was close to 20 C, today we hope to hit 5 C. Just in time for Natale!

Mi Chiamo "Lucano"

2010-12-08T11:33:00.003-05:00

We are cat people.

This fact became obvious to our friends who have a kitten, every time we were at their house. We cuddled and petted it. So what do they do…they bring us a cute little orange ball that purrs non-stop.

We call him Lucano, Luca for short. He is the runt of the litter and he quickly inserted himself into our home. So far he has been a very good kitten; he has refrained from chewing on things and scratching on what furniture we have. Luca splits his time between being in the house when we are here, outside when we are gone and nights in our cantina.

When we are in the US for the holidays our friends will take him in our absence. And yes we are committed to returning to Lucano and Lucanella.

Permessi renewal 2010

2010-12-03T21:57:00.001-05:00

When we decided to return to Italy earlier this fall the fact that our Permesso di Soggiorno (PdiS) were due for renewal was a strong reason for us to come now rather than some date in the future. Soon after my arrival we started the process that in the past has taken as long as seven months but never less than three months. Our experience here in Basilicata with the PdiS, like so many other things, was easier than any of the previous times.

In Ascoli Piceno we used the local CISL/ANOLF office to help with submitting our documents. Valerie had talked to the Immigrazione in Potenza before I arrived and they recommended we contact the local ACLI office, a Catholic Church organization that will help anyone. They input our information into state approved forms, checked to make sure everything was correct and printed copies for us to take to the Ufficio Postale.

At the Ufficio Postale they gave us appointments for our fingerprinting at the Immigrazione. The officer there remembered Valerie and was very pleasant to talk to as he input our photos and fingerprints. He informed us our PdiS should be ready in about three weeks.

I checked the Immigrazione website earlier this week and our PdiS were indeed ready one month after our visit for fingerprinting. We picked them up today. The entire process was less than seven weeks and we have our new PdiS which are valid for another two years.

Next we will be changing our Residenza to our new home town.

I highly recommend any expatriate who is involved in any permesso process to contact their local CISL or ACLI office. Free competent assistance is available for all at these locations.

A Feast with Friends

2010-11-30T08:41:00.002-05:00

Salute!

Thanksgiving 2010

Valerie wrote on her blog 2Baci about our plans to have a Thanksgiving feast for our Italian friends and despite a few snags along the way we were able to feed twenty-six of our friends and local relatives this past Saturday. A dinner for that many is quiet an undertaking and something we would not have been able to do without the generosity and help of many of our fellow paesani.


Cuttin' the bird

Three friends came down from the Marche Region and Valerie’s cousin and his family from Anzi was there and the rest were our fellow residents of Lucanella. Some provided fruit or vegetables, some provided helping hands and none of this could have happened without our friends Peppino and Maria Giovanna’s agriturismo as Valerie did the cooking in their kitchen and we used their dining room for the feast.


A full table

There were a lot of new things for people to try as many of the standard American Thanksgiving dishes are unfamiliar to Italians. It was a great day to share with friends and family the meaning of Thanksgiving, the blessings God has provided for all of us.

Making a House a Home

2010-11-19T08:08:00.000-05:00

Our house came with walls, floors, a toilet, bidet, shower pan and a bathroom sink…and a few bare light bulbs. Typical for a house in Italy. It is a slow process but our house is becoming a home piece by piece. Our budget is limited and we have ideas for our house that may require several years to bring to fruition but it is now a comfortable place.

We have a working kitchen, a table and I recently helped the delivery man carry a large wood cabinet for dishes down several narrow streets to our house. This is such an improvement that we recently had our first guests for Sunday pranzo.

Our kitchen before and now.

I have installed a shower box so that so that we aren’t washing the entire room each time we take a shower. We have a washing machine so we don’t have to make trips to Potenza to wash clothes.

Our bedroom is actually starting to look like one. Since I installed shelves we can now hang clothes in our closet and we have night stands to accent our bed. No more sorting through piles of clothes on the floor everyday for something to wear.

Friends have generously given us a couch which we carried down those narrow streets to the house. I am becoming very familiar with this activity; perhaps a second calling for me in the delivery business. We still have bare walls, a few bare light bulbs and many ideas of what we want to do. This is a process to change a house into a home and this is just the beginning.

Piano, piano…

The scents of San Martino

2010-11-11T16:37:00.001-05:00

Wine in the streets

As you walk the narrow streets of our little town over the past few weeks there has been the aroma of grapes everywhere. Our town is dotted with several hundred cantine, or caves and many of these are used by the locals to make their own wine. The vendemmia we did a couple weeks ago was on some land of our friends and this past weekend they did the next step in turning the grapes into wine.

After the grapes have been crushed and sat for a week or so the juice is transferred into wooded kegs called botte. The grape musk is then squeezed to extract the remaining juice. These botte will then sit for about a year before the wine is considered drinkable.

Since today is San Martino, the traditional day for new wine it only seems appropriate to talk about making wine. We are amongst the few in town who haven’t made their own wine. We know some people who will drink only wine that they have made, none of that store bought stuff. Why? Because they will tell you that you never know what someone else is putting into the bottle. Sounds reasonable.

We have visited some of the most prominent wineries in Marche and tasted some of the best wines that Italy has to offer. The wine being made in our local process is not to produce “fine” wine. The alcohol content tends to be low, there may be a mix of grapes, the taste a little fruity, but it goes well with local dishes and is part of the cycle of life for many people.

Our Town

2010-11-06T12:41:00.003-04:00

"Lucanella"

There is no grand castle overlooking the town. There are no majestic walls protecting the inhabitants. There are no Roman ruins. There is no famous Renaissance art.

Perched on a ridge of rock overlooking a majestic valley our town has a population of less than 800, but we have found this small group of people to be very friendly and hospitable. Your typical people from Basilicata.

We have three bars, a supermercato, an alimentari, a frutta-vedura, a tabaccheria, a forno, a parrucchiere, a macelleria, a farmacia, an ufficio postale and of course the weekly mercato. In addition we know that a doctor makes house calls in town twice a week, there is another parrucchiere who sets-up temporary shop once a week and on varying days traveling vendors will pass through selling mozzarella, vegetable, and various clothing items.

Our location provides relatively easy access to the regional capital of Potenza and all the bureaucracy and services that city provides. However, we find that with all that our town provides we can be comfortable without venturing out of town for several days at a time. Any walk to a shop or just to get a coffee will involve meeting at least a few friends who will want to chat, share a coffee or just say “Ciao”.

“Lucanella” is a fictional name we use in our blogs to refer to our town as we are admittedly being a little selfish. We have seen the results of too many stranieri flocking to one area and we want to keep this location “our little secret”. Suffice it to say we are in the hills of Basilicata south of Potenza.

If you can find the new shutters...that is our house.

Vendemmiare

2010-10-30T13:08:00.004-04:00

Vendemmia, the verb

I admit I did not know that there was such a word as vendemmiare. I knew about a vendammia, the harvest of the grapes, but we were introduced to this verb form recently.

When we lived in Ascoli Piceno we frequently saw and tasted the results of the vendemmia but despite our frequent offers no one ever asked us to help. That changed quickly here Basilicata. We offered to help some friends with their private plots and we were called upon when the weather cooperated to vendemmiare, harvest the grapes. This is not just going into the vineyard and collecting the grapes; as with everything in Italy food is involved.

We gathered in the morning on the slope where the small vineyard is located just outside of town and started with some food and samples of last years harvest. Once we were fortified it was off into the slightly muddy fields to cut the grapes off the vines. The family we helped was chatty all morning with a barrage of questions for us as well as chitchat amongst themselves.

After all of the grapes were collected they were then weighed. This was done the old fashioned way with two strong backs and a balance. The grapes are then run through a machine that separates the stems, crushes the grape and pumps it into a large vat. The results do not necessarily look appetizing but this only the first step in turning the grapes into wine.

We then all gathered to finish the day with a large spread of food for the entire family composed of various local dishes. And of course more wine.

Most of the grapes in our area have now been harvested but all of our friends know that we are willing and able to vendemmiare.

Seven Moves in Seven Days!

2010-10-21T09:32:00.000-04:00

Back in Lucania!

Okay so maybe I didn’t make that many moves from Alexandria, VA to Cleveland, OH to Roma and finally to Lucanella. When I was done my body thought it was too much and I had a nasty cold for a few days that prevented me from doing most of the things I wanted to do at our new place.

Now I am settling into our house in Basilicata.

I have been catching up with meeting the people Valerie become friends with here since our house purchase was finalized at the beginning of the year. Young and old have welcomed us to the town; it will take me awhile to remember all the new faces and names.

We have been busy determining priorities for house purchases and where to put things while also dealing with some bureaucracy. Since that was one of the reasons for returning now we jumped into that process last week and I will have more later.

We are here, we have a home, and we are being welcomed by new friends. Everything else will happen in its appointed time.

“Piano, piano”

Packed Again

2010-10-03T12:52:00.000-04:00

The Penske frequent renter...

I have loaded the Penske truck, cleaned the house and now we’ll hit the road. Since we moved to Italy once before and never really planted roots since our return to the US in May 2009 this move back is less complicated. I didn’t say easy, just less complicated. We know the process, what to expect and more of what we don’t need to take with us. Always enlightening the things you think you can’t do without…but pack and never use.

Our friend Al will drive up with me to Ohio where we will be depositing some furniture, clothes, books and of course my Gaggia. This will give me the chance to see some of my family before I depart for Roma on Saturday from Columbus. Since our furniture has taken up residence at my sister-in-laws house for the past few years she will be happy to have the use of Valerie’s Ekornes chair again. One of the most comfortable arm chairs you can buy.

By this time next week I will be fighting jetlag and once again loading a vehicle to move. We still have stuff stored at our friend’s place in Roma and one more move will transport all of that to our house in Basilicata.

Vado giu!

Ritorniamo

2010-09-15T14:39:00.002-04:00

Live and Learn

I always thought I could live just about anywhere in the US: Big city or small town, costal or highlands, east or west, north or south. Perhaps as I get older I get more set in my ways but I have learned I am more particular about where I could live than I thought.

Northern Virginia is not for us!

Valerie has returned to Lucanella and I will soon follow. We plan to be there until the week before Christmas, hopefully longer.

Our Permesso di Soggiorno (PdiS) will be due for renewal in November, our fourth time to renew them. Our experience has been that it is much easier to renew our PdiS than it would be to get a new Visa to start the process all over again if we allowed the PdiS to lapse.

We know we do not want to be in Northern Virginia and are pursuing work opportunities in Italy. If they do not work out then when we return to the US in December we will again start the process to find employment here in America. I do not know where that will be but I have some good ideas as to where it won’t be.

Lucanella

In Bucca al Lupo!

Houses on a Hill

2010-09-07T17:10:00.000-04:00

Muro Lucano

The Romans tended to build their towns on the plains and would build fortifications around them. By the Middle Ages towns in Italy were being built on hills as a defensive strategy. This move uphill has given the Italian countryside the charm of hills dotted with stone or brick towns perched on hills that glisten in the sun. As you drive around the country it really is a picturesque scene.

Castelmezzano

Looking at these towns it sometimes appears that these houses will just roll off the hill as they seem to be perched one on top of the other. In many towns they have been perched in this setting for hundreds of years. Our house in Lucanella is one of these houses.

Pisticci

You will find towns where the houses all appear to be the same; same color or same stone. Others will have a mix of colors and textures. I find that either combination makes for an interesting mix and walking the narrow streets between these houses while hearing the sounds and taking in the smells is one of the little treats offered by Italy.

Ferrandina

Foto Friday: Big Chief

2010-08-27T12:34:00.001-04:00

I always like these old Indian Cigar statues, there is also one in Albuquerque's Old Town. I posed with this regal fellow in Annapolis, MD.

Foto Friday: Sweet Dreams

2010-08-13T09:52:00.000-04:00

The Washington, DC area has had over 50 days with temperatures above 90F this summer, we still have a couple weeks left. I help keep myself cool by thinking of my favorite gelateria in Italy.

Ragazzi in DC

2010-08-04T16:39:00.001-04:00

Giorgio e Fabio

We may have had record heat and humidity but our recent visitors from Italy enjoyed their brief visit to the Washington, DC area. The night they arrived it was hot and humid; we worked up a sweat well after dark walking around a few monuments. On the next day the temperature broke a record as we went from one air conditioned museum to another.

I first “met” Giorgio when he was an exchange student in the US and we had recently moved to Ascoli Piceno. Giorgio was born and raised in Ascoli and was writing a blog,”Un anno a stele e strisce”, about his experiences in America. At the same time I was writing about our experiences in Ascoli Piceno and Giorgio contacted me via email. We eventually met in Ascoli when he returned and we have become good friends with his family.

Giorgio will be attending a semester at UNC Greensboro. Before classes start he and a college friend, Fabio, are spending the last part of their summer break visiting the US. Fabio also has spent a year in the US as an exchange student and they have seen various parts of the country. We did have the opportunity to show them some new sights in the area and they were great sports considering the oppressive heat and humidity.

Looking after Fido

2010-07-22T08:36:00.000-04:00

Dog clean up

There are parks designed specifically to take Fido for some free time to run, services to walk your dog if your schedule is too busy, pet groomers and even psychologists for your pet. This is the world of pets in America but could be in any country in the world.

One thing that is universal is cleaning up after your pet in public areas. Italy has compact cities with limited green space in these cities and not cleaning up after your dog is frowned upon. I have seen in both the US and Italy convenient bag dispensers and trash receptacles specifically for this issue.

America

So no matter where your travels might take Fido you can always be the responsible owner.

Italia

Il Mio Favorito

2010-07-10T18:19:00.002-04:00

What is the favorite brand for your espresso?

If you have followed this blog you know I have a passion for caffe’, caffe’ vero. We are not able to enjoy a quality caffe’ at any coffee establishments here but we are content with what we make at home with our Gaggia.

We have tried many brands of beans both in the US and in Italy and I find that Bristot beans provide a quality crema, flavor and aroma in both regular and decaf. I get good prices and quick service from Espresso Zone for my beans.

What is your favorite brand of coffee to make in your espresso machine?

Red, White and Blue!

2010-07-04T04:08:00.000-04:00

Happy 4th of July!

I Ladri!

2010-06-29T21:07:00.003-04:00

One of the simple pleasures in Italy is the food. It is abundant, flavorful, fresh and relatively inexpensive. Case in point is pizza. Pizza made in a wood fired oven by a pizzaiolo is relatively simple, made fresh and a pizza margherita will cost less than $7 or $8 each. Throw in an appetizer, bottled water, cold beer and a pizza for each and we usually had pizza in a pizzeria for less than $30.

Not so here in the DC area. The other night we tried another pizzeria we have passed by before and the pizza was acceptable but the price shock left a bad taste in our mouths. We split a pizza margherita, a salad and an appetizer and had two draft beers. By the time we left we were $47 poorer. More than 50% more for less food than what we would get in Italy.

When we lived in Albuquerque we were blessed by many great places to eat, and with reasonable prices. Visitors would tell us this but it never really became reality until we lived here in Alexandria. As a comparison check out these two menus:

Il Vicino
Ella's

Our experience is that Il Vicino does make some of the best wood fired pizza in true Italian style.

Beyond Camping

2010-06-25T18:08:00.000-04:00

Bed delivered!

While Valerie was in Italy recently getting some work done on our place she also made arrangements for things to happen once she returned. This week our bed was delivered, with the help of our friend Tonino. This is no simple feat in a medieval hill town.

Our place in Italy is now beyond the camping stages and what we consider habitable. We have water and electric service. We have a functional bathroom and kitchen. We have a place to sleep. It may not be 4 star accommodations…but it is ours.

There is still a car load of items at our friends’ house in Roma to be moved down on our next trip but we now have a place to go to in Italy where we can keep our toothbrush and not have to lug a bunch a suitcases. I am itching to be there to unpack, explore and enjoy Lucanella.

Doors and windows...

2010-06-14T10:19:00.010-04:00

Completed

Valerie returned from her visit to Italy last week and she had pretty good success with the projects that spurred the trip. Thanks again to friends in Lucanella. As I mentioned previously doing things in Italy involves knowing the right people and doing things on a face to face basis.

Our friend Tonino is the one who originally helped us to find the house and he has been an immense help since in getting a few things accomplished so we can stay there. After Valerie’s winter trip he set up to have the doors made and also arranged for the masons to come and do some prep work for the openings. When a building is several hundred years old and made out of stone nothing involved is “standardized”.

Valerie arrived to watch the muratore perform his stone magic, pulling out some old wood lintels that showed deterioration and putting in new marble thresholds. They also carted off all off the debris and threw in some added wall patch work. After the masons then came the falegname with the new doors and shutters. Both of these were local craftsmen working with their sons performing top quality work.

And it all cost less than the initial estimates! For those who have dealt with contractors in any country know that this is a rarity.

Where am I from?

2010-06-04T09:36:00.002-04:00

Somebody asked me this the other day and I realized that there is not an easy answer. When you move to a new area you will often be asked this question and most people will reply with the city or state where they were born. When I rattle of the places where I have lived I feel like what we used to call an “Army brat”, having moved from one location to another.

I was born outside of Chicago but grew up near Akron. I went to college in Columbus, OH and moved to Albuquerque soon after getting married. We lived in the Albuquerque area for 20 years with a short stay in Denver then moved to Italy. After three years we returned from Italy to Cleveland for a few months before relocating here to Alexandria, VA.

I grew up in Ohio but when people ask me where I’m from I usually respond Albuquerque. I lived there longer than anywhere else. The high desert area has left a strong impression on me and our time there has shaped our lives and our marriage.

I grew up in Akron, I’m from Albuquerque, but my dreams are firmly planted in Italy.

Posta Veloce

2010-05-29T21:37:00.009-04:00

Speedy mail

I have been one to complain about the speed of postal services, both in the US and in Italy. (We never did receive the bag of books we mailed over four years ago) There have been various stories on expat sites and blogs about mail being diverted for months, held up in customs, or just never arriving. This, however, is to praise the speed and efficiency of the mail service.

I mailed a letter to Valerie at our address in Lucanella thinking she probably would not receive it before she returned to the US. I wrote a brief note and sent it of regular mail addressed to her and thought I’d wait to see if it arrived. Amazingly she called and said the letter had arrived, four days after I mailed it. It was misdirected to another Valeria in Lucanella but they saw the return address and new it must be the only “americana” in town.

La posta e` veloce!

Doors and windows

2010-05-26T05:44:00.000-04:00

Italy is a country where who you know makes a big difference. It is a land of face to face relationships; not Facebook, Twitter or some other social network. It is not to say that these aren’t also popular but if you want to get things done, advance a career or develop a friendship then it is accomplished based on face to face contact.

This has affected us with our house purchase in both negative and positive ways. If not for face to face contact and our knowledge of the language (mainly Valerie) then we would never have found the house we now own. This has also allowed us to arrange for some work on the house while we live in Virginia. Through a series of emails and some phone calls we were able to arrange to have a couple of old doors and windows replaced and their openings repaired.

This requires a carpenter to make the doors and windows as “standard size” is not the norm, some stone and marble work is also required at the openings. We are fortunate to have a friend in Lucanella who has been making these arrangements for us. We have read the stories and heard expatriates talk about how their building projects turned into money pits and nothing but endless frustrations, fortunately for us the work we require is minimal compared to many other projects others have taken on.

A few weeks ago Valerie saw a posting about an airfare sale and she did a quick search and found a very good price for a direct flight from Dulles to Rome. Booked! She left last week and arrived in Lucanella a few days ago. She has been checking on the door and window project and will also be making arrangements so that for our next trip we can stay in our own house. A few things need to be done before that is more than a “camping” experience but she has jumped at the task.

Doors, windows and a few other items and our place in Italy will be a home.

Diane in DC

2010-05-20T21:55:00.001-04:00

Okay I admit I have been neglecting my blog. It has just been rather busy for the past few weeks as my sister Diane visited us from Ohio for a couple days and then just after that Valerie’s mom Judy was in town for almost a week. Judy flew home and two days later Valerie left for Italy to oversee some work on our house in Lucanella. On top of that my work schedule has gotten busy with the approach of the summer months.

Diane had not been to the DC area since we were young kids and there were a lot of things to pack in during her short stay. Valerie played tour guide for some of the time while I was working but they always get along great. Diane loves to see and experience new things and Valerie enjoys showing people some of the hidden treasures no matter where we may be living.

One of these was the chance to get their photo taken with the President. You don’t believe me? But we have the photographic proof!

We showed Diane the major sites that no visitor to DC should miss plus several that you won’t find in most tour guides and we even saw a new place for all of us; the tower on the Old Post Office. That makes for some great views over the city without the lines you will find at the Washington Monument.

Spring and Mr J in Pink

2010-04-22T17:22:00.000-04:00

Memorial or Monument?

Easter weekend was the peak of the cherry blossoms here in the Washington DC area, fortunate for the organizers of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. This marks the arrival of spring, something we are welcoming with open arms after the harsh winter this area experienced. Despite the daily coating of pollen on our vehicles every morning we are enjoying the greening of Northern Virginia.

We had the opportunity to see the blossoms in all their color around the Tidal Basin and as they frame the Jefferson Memorial. This is Valerie’s favorite memorial in the District, which she affectionately calls “Mr. J”.

One thing we learned recently is the difference between a memorial and a monument. As you will notice in the middle of the Jefferson Memorial is a large statue of Thomas Jefferson. The obelisk that is the Washington Monument has no large statue of George Washington. Thus the difference in naming…memorials have large statues as a part of them where monuments do not.

The significance of Easter

2010-04-14T22:31:00.000-04:00

Easter and a funeral

My parents drove up from South Carolina for Easter weekend. They endured the crush of traffic to get here that was associated with the crowds coming into the DC area for the Cherry Blossom Festival, school trips and a holiday weekend.

We attended sunrise service on Easter Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial, watching the sun break through the clouds and rise over the Capital and Washington Monument. It was a great setting for an inspirational message. Afterwards we walked along the tidal basin amongst the colorful cherry blossoms and enjoyed the great spring weather.

Unfortunately that weekend my father also received a phone call that his oldest sister had passed away. Though this was not unexpected it was still sad news. My aunt was always a positive and Godly woman and that significance was not lost to us on Easter.

Last weekend I drove to the Dayton area to attend my aunt’s funeral. Irene grew up a city girl and had a full though not always the easy life living on a small farm in rural Ohio. She always had a positive outlook while she and her husband had a strong impact on their children by their Godly example. When we announced our intent to move to Italy she also wrote an encouraging letter to us about our plans and we exchanged several letters and cards during our three years in Italy.

Funerals are times to remember the positive impacts people’s lives can have on those around them, even in small ways. They can also be opportunities to see family members who have been spread across the continent for many years. We did both.

Buona Pasqua

2010-04-04T13:57:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter!

Almost like Italy…a trip to IKEA

2010-03-29T21:01:00.000-04:00

Sunday we made a trip to the IKEA store at Potomac Mills just down Interstate 95 to get some inspiration for our place in Lucania. An IKEA store in America is very similar to the ones we visited in Italy. When we left the store I commented to Valerie that other than the lack of a good caffé, a visit to IKEA is almost like being in Italy. Almost.

IKEA is not an Italian company but the experience is what brings back memories for us. Wandering the maze to get through the store, the cafeteria and seeing the room layouts is the same on both continents. They carry many of the same items in the store close to us here in Northern Virginia as they do at the store we would visit in Ancona.

We were inspired to visit IKEA after I saw on Ciao Amalfi that the newest IKEA in Italy has open in Salerno. This store is just over an hour drive from our little casa in the hills of Lucania.

Italian visitors in DC

2010-03-13T16:55:00.001-05:00

A sunny day in the District

This weekend is wet and dreary in Northern Virginia but last weekend the weather was warm and the sun was bright. A beautiful day for visitors from Italy.

We met Alfonso about a year ago while buying mozzarella di bufala in the Campania region. Valerie was in the shop and Alfonso just started up a conversation with her and we ended up meeting up with him on a couple occasions in Italy since that first encounter. Come to think of it…the initial meeting with most of our friends in Italy is associated with food!

Alfonso told us several months ago that he and his family had a trip planned to New York and they hoped to visit us in Washington, DC. They were coming on a package deal to New York so they would only be able to come to our area for a day and they did. This involved a five hour bus ride each way on their behalf to spend an afternoon with us seeing a few sites in the District. Those are friends!

We had not met Alfonso’s wife Dolores nor their son Gulio before but the five of us had a great time over some “typical” American food and seeing a few select sites around the Mall. The constant Italian chatter was music to our ears and we enjoyed Italians’ views of some typical American quirks.

A chance meeting while buying cheese and new friends spend a good portion of a day traveling to spend a few hours with us. We were honored.

Foto Friday: Von Steuben

2010-02-26T09:44:00.001-05:00

Me and Von Steuben

How many degrees of separation are there between the two of us?

Last Sunday we went into the District to visit a couple museums and enjoy the warming temperatures after all the snow this area has had. In LaFayette Square across from the White House is a statue of General Von Steuben, a Prussian military officer who helped shape the fledging Continental Army into a fighting unit. I do not have a lot of information on my ancesters but I do know that some of them came from Prussia in the late 1800's. (Valerie has all of the Italian genes.)

Von Steuben also served under kings in Prussia named Frederick. Frederico II was an influential Germanic ruler in southern Italy in the 13th Century. Our new house is in southern Italy...

You see, there are multiple connections.

No Kitchen Provided

2010-02-11T10:37:00.001-05:00

Why would I want someone else's?

I was discussing our house purchase with a family member and when I started to talk about the kitchen we would have to install a puzzled look came over his face.

“You mean you will remodel the kitchen once you move in?”
“No we have to install a kitchen as there is none.”

What you get when you buy a house in Italy, and most of Europe, is different than what most Americans are accustomed to. Our house comes without a kitchen, light fixtures or closets. It does have bathroom fixtures. This is standard. The kitchen area has tiles walls but no sink, no cabinets, no appliances. The lighting is provided by bare light bulbs. We will need to procure armoires in which to hang our clothes.

A few years ago we were discussing the light fixture issue with a couple where he was Swiss and she was American. The Swiss’ comment on the lack of light fixtures was “Why would I want someone else’s light fixtures?” The concept makes a bit more sense once you look at it that way.

The house is habitable as it is, we just need the utilities turned on and to put in a bed and a basic kitchen. There are some changes we would like to make, like moving the kitchen location, but those will probably be future endeavors. We saw a lot of properties that need a LOT more work…more on that later.

Snow again!? ...and Again!

2010-02-06T17:53:00.003-05:00

It can stop now!

Yes the Washington DC area has been inundated again with a record snow storm…lucky us. When we moved to Northern Virginia from Cleveland this past summer I was looking to get away from the northern Ohio winter. It seems it followed us here; perhaps I owe Virginia an apology.

The snow finally stopped around 5:30 PM after more than 30 hours of constant snowing and we probably have close to 24 inches (about 61 cm) on the ground. I have been out to shovel three times to keep ahead of the accumulation but townhouses have limited space for putting snow.

Tomorrow the forecast is for cold but sunny skies, the clearing skies in the distance as the snow stopped is encouraging. It always seems easier to shovel snow in sunshine!

Sunday update:

The sun is out today and despite the temperature some of the snow is melting in the sunshine. I measured on Valerie’s Mustang and the hood showed 18” while there were 22” on the trunk (there has been some drifting).

In the three years we lived in Italy we only had snow once in Ascoli Piceno.

Ascoli Piceno 2007

Record snowfall:

Just in time to clean-up from that snow late Tuesday it started again. After the blizzard finally moved off late Wednesday (2/10) the area had recorded 55” (140cm) of snow for the season, a new record. Once again we dug out our vehicles and slowly the roads are being cleared…however they are talking about the possibility of some more flakes in the air for President’s Day!

Over 8' tall!

Divieto di Scarico!

2010-02-03T09:17:00.001-05:00

Rifiuti

One of the problems in Italy that has been widely publicized in the media is trash. Over the years Naples’ on-going problem with trash collection and disposal has been a regular blight for the people of Naples and for the various administrations running the country. Photos of trash heaped along the streets are familiar to everyone.

Discarded roadside trash is also a common problem. In the US there are various state and federal programs target to reducing the amount of litter along the roadways. In Italy we never noticed similar programs and it was not uncommon to see people regularly discarding wrappers in the middle of a beautiful piazza.

Some areas have more of a problem than others; the roadsides around major cities tend to have their fair share of rifiuti. We would see less to none in more rural areas. If you travel around Italy enough you will also notice differences from region to region.

This photo was taken at a beautiful overlook along the Cilento coast. The meaning is “don’t litter”…notice the bags at the base of the tree.

Foto Friday: Laterza

2010-01-29T09:07:00.001-05:00

Do cats grow in planters? This feline was enjoying a warm early Spring day in Laterza, Puglia.

In the City...or in the Country?

2010-01-24T21:44:00.000-05:00

Valerie and Maria have spent the last week in Lucanella cleaning up the house since it has sat empty for more than a year. They have been taking measurements and talking to sources for work we might want done, all the while enjoying the hospitality of the people in our “new” home town.

During our three years in Italy and on previous trips we had the opportunity to live both in cities and in the countryside of Italy. We love aspects of both of these options, though neither one would be perfect. For us we want to be able to have daily interaction with Italians and not have to drive somewhere everyday to do that…a drawback of country living. We also want to be able to sleep at night without the late night activities of the city going on outside our bedroom window. How do you avoid both?

You probably can’t, but we found small towns offer the best of both scenarios – people to talk to, stores for daily needs yet without the bustle of a long Italian summer season. When looking at houses in different areas these were some of the specific things we looked for about the area and location, besides what the house itself had to offer.

We think we have found that in Lucanella.

A small habitable house in a small town that happens to have spectacular views. The town has a supermercato, an alimentari, a forno, a frutta verdura, a macelleria, post office and three bars. I’m sure there are some other shops hidden behind some unmarked doors that we have not yet seen. The location is also an easy driving distance to a provincial capital with all the additional services that provides.

There will be plenty of time to explore more…

Our little piece of Italy

2010-01-18T12:03:00.003-05:00

Who wouldn’t love to own a place in Italy?

We certainly would. Now we do!

Before we moved to Italy in 2006 we would peruse the web to see what the real estate market was like in various parts of Italy. It was always hard to get a good feel for what a place was really like based on the few photos and a limited description available on the internet. Once we arrived in the Rome area for our first summer we quickly realized that market area was well out of our reach.

Once we settled into Ascoli Piceno and I started to get involved in the local housing market we began to keep an eye and ear open to what the real estate market was like in that area. I had the opportunity to see several properties of various designs and degrees of ruin. In Italy it is not uncommon for a property that an American would consider condemned to be sold for a hefty price. These are either lovingly rebuilt to their former glory or torn down and replaced with a new structure. In Italy it is easier to build a house where one already exists than to build on a vacant plot of land.

We also looked at properties in Abruzzo and last winter when we relocated to Campania we looked at several areas in Campania and Basilicata. IN our last weeks in Italy before returning to the US in May we found a place that met all of our requirements and was affordable. The day before we flew back to Cleveland we had an oral agreement with the owner to become owners of a house in Basilicata.

Since our return to the US the seller has had to clear up the legal ownership of the house as several of her family members recently passed away and the property was never officially passed from one owner to the next. This was cleared up and last Friday Valerie and her friend Maria flew to Rome. Today Valerie met with the Notaio and we now own a place in Italy.

Mind you this is not a grand place, but a small apartment in a stone building that is situated in the medieval section of a small hill town. We will call the town "Lucanella", which is close to the ancestral area of Valerie’s Italian roots and in the region we find most captivating – Basilicata.

There will be more posts on why, where and what next but for now Valerie and I will raise a glass of Aglianico together, though on different continents, alla nostra casa in Italia.

Foto Friday: Amici

2010-01-08T09:23:00.000-05:00

Everyone knows cats and dogs don't like each other! These two look like siblings.

The end of 2009, the start of 2010

2010-01-01T13:15:00.005-05:00

Christmas to New Years

With the deep snow we had in Northern Virginia two weeks ago we went to Cleveland a little earlier than planned and had a wonderful time with our families for the Christmas holiday. It has been many years since we spent Christmas with this much family as we were in Italy for the last three and when we lived in New Mexico for twenty years we always stayed there. It was a nice change for us to spend the holiday with parts of both of our families.

Christmas Day was a large family gathering at Valerie’s sister’s house where we opened gifts and stayed indoors most of that blustery day. On the 26th we celebrated Santo Stefano as we had in Italy with a big polenta feast, a first for most of the family and friends who came.

On Sunday we joined the thousands traveling back home as the service plazas along the Ohio and Pennsylvania turnpikes were packed and we returned to find most of the snow gone here in Alexandria, Va.

New Years Day 2010 will be an opportunity for me to watch a few of the college bowl games. That is one of the things I missed with living in Italy; plopping down in front of the television with snacks and watching football all day.

We will of course be cheering for the Buckeyes as they battle the Ducks in the grand-daddy of them all, The Rose Bowl.

A 26-17 win for OSU over Oregon! GO BUCKEYES!

Buon Natale!

2009-12-24T12:00:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas!

Snow for Christmas

2009-12-20T14:42:00.000-05:00

Record snow for NOVA

This was not what I had in mind when we moved to Northern Virginia!. The snow started Friday evening and continued unabated up until late last night. We have about 15" at our house with reports of as much as two feet in some areas. There was a reason we moved from Ohio some 20+ years ago, to get away from snow!

However, shoveling snow is like riding a bicycle - you never forget how to do it. Unfortunately my snow shoveling muscles forgot long ago and they are in full rebellion.

Foto Friday: Christmas Windows

2009-12-18T11:41:00.000-05:00

One of the things I enjoyed about Christmas in Italy was the simple displays businesses would do in Ascoli Piceno. Decorated windows were the norm for the shops in the centro storico and the glowed at night.

La Cucina dello Zio Giorgio

2009-12-02T21:03:00.004-05:00

Authentic Italian cuisine at your door

Would you like to have authentic Italian food products but wondered if what you were buying was made by someone located somewhere other than Italy? Our good friend Giorgio who has been in the food business all his life, most recently owning an osteria in Rome for many years, is now offering a hand picked selection of Italian products that can be shipped anywhere.

Giorgio has a passion for cooking as a true Romano, having grown-up in the hills near Rome. We have frequently benefited from his cooking marvels and we know of no better cook. Our family and friends who have savored his dishes will all agree.

Giorgio has launched La Cucina dello Zio Giorgio, a line of foods that he has personally selected and in many cases developed the recipes himself. We have been his willing guinea pigs on several occasions to try new products.

Be sure to order now for delivery in time for Christmas.
Click: La Cucina dello Zio Giorgio

Buon Natale!

The final colors of Autumn

2009-11-25T22:19:00.001-05:00

Over the past few weeks most of the trees in Northern Virginia have been dropping their leaves as the fall colors come to an end and the winter season approaches. Some of the signs of fall all across America are the stands that sprout up for the sale of the bounty of farmers. As this week-end approaches many people will begin to turn their energies to shopping as the autumn season turns into the Christmas Season. With the prevalence of Christmas commercials it seems we are already in December.

We have many things to be thankful for, even though we wish we were spending this holiday in Italy. We hope you and your family have a blessed Thanksgiving Day.

Foto Friday: Mini Tractor

2009-11-20T12:04:00.001-05:00

One of the interesting things about Italy is the various sizes and types of vehicles that you will find - from Lamborghini tractors to the hearty little three wheeled Ape. This small tractor is practical in the steep hillside farms that dot the Italian landscape.

Italia 2010 Calendar

2009-11-15T19:09:00.004-05:00

Do you love Italy and want to share the beauty of the country with your friends and family this Christmas season? Then be sure to check out this calendar of some of our favorite places in Italy.

Italia 2010 Calendar

Veterans Day

2009-11-11T07:08:00.002-05:00

We recently visited Gettysburg National Military Park and the quiet of these rolling hills of Pennsylvania reminds visitors of the sacrifices our veterans have made for over two hundred years. As you drive around Gettysburg you notice the various markers erected by states to honor their sons who fought on this decisive battlefield, from a time when individual States yielded as much influence as the Federal government.

When we lived in Italy we also had the opportunity to visit some of the cemeteries from World War II where thousands of Americans are interned. These are Americans who made the sacrifice so both Europeans and Americans could be free.

Today is a day to honor the men and women who have served our country in uniform so that we, and others, can enjoy the freedoms we now have.

Hacked!

2009-11-04T19:16:00.000-05:00

Not 2 Italy...

A site we started last winter to share unique things about Italy, Italy Panorama, was recently hacked and infected with viruses. The site is currently not operational as we try to work our way through the process of debugging and getting it up an running again.

I guess no site is safe from people searching to make a mess of this useful tool called the internet. It appears the culprits originated from Russia but I'll post here once we can get Italy Panorama up and running again.

Foto Friday: Riposo

2009-10-23T13:57:00.002-04:00

This canine is enjoy his afternoon nap on the sunny steps of the mother church in Civitella del Tronto, Abruzzo.