Gala Placidia's activity

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The city of Lucca has always been my favourite. Not only because it is only 25 minutes away from our home and I go there at least two or three times a week, but also because you do not feel like a "tourist" there.

Thu, 02/09/2012 - 03:10

In this icy cold weather, hot drinks and comfort foods are a must. Preparing and consuming them are good ways to spend time when we cannot venture outdoors.

Wed, 02/08/2012 - 06:10

The cold weather is affecting most of Italy and creating difficulties concerning energy supplies. Russia, the most important supplier, has been reducing the provision of gas up to 30% due to increasing demand in their area.

Tue, 02/07/2012 - 02:22

The San Francisco Chronicle publishes today this most interesting article:http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/

Sun, 02/05/2012 - 12:45

Whenever we are in Italy, we love to visit antique and vintage markets and fairs, looking for that special piece that we would love to have. Sometimes, we find it...

Wed, 02/01/2012 - 02:47

One of my favourite activities in Italy is to visit those markets that sell antique and vintage items.

Tue, 01/31/2012 - 06:38

Some members may have noticed that I have been fairly quiet for the past month and a half. The reason for this was that we have been visiting our daughters who live in San Francisco (CA).

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 02:59

The new Italian government has been announced and it is obvious that we will have a fight between technocrats and politicians.

Wed, 11/16/2011 - 14:24

A lot has been written about the dangers of overheating Teflon coated cookware. Toxic fumes can be extremely dangerous for our health. Personally, I have never liked that type of cookware and I do not buy it anymore.

Sat, 10/29/2011 - 06:24

In another thread, we were discussing Tuscan herbs and "funghi porcini". Tuscany is a paradise for herb lovers and many varieties, such as rosemary, sage and "nipitella" grow wild.

Thu, 10/27/2011 - 11:23

Comments posted

Wed, 06/17/2009 - 06:11

It is difficult to combine the two, but you are doing very well, Rosietat. It is great to have advice from someone who is successful at it as there are quite a few members who have the same problems. And I agree with you, the deer are lovely. 

Wed, 06/17/2009 - 03:33

 Well, we must say it is an imaginative way to pay for their subscription; however, I found it useful and worth the expense. Parking downtown for nearly 6 hours would have costed us the same.

Wed, 06/17/2009 - 03:28

 Besides the energy and sound proofing ones do they intend to introduce other compulsory reports and disclosures for the sale of property? In France they also request inspections for termites and xylophagous insects and the presence of lead, asbestos and other dangerous products.I also find the cost of the report very high if we compare it with what we had to pay in France when we sold our property there, and it was a very comprehensive one.

Tue, 06/16/2009 - 14:48

 Yes, you can get them free of charge if you are prepared to spend a whole morning at the Agenzia del Territorio in your capital city. We tried to do it that way and it was an absolute waste of time. The amount they charge is very small, I think that it was around 10 euros and you get your copy at home via the Internet within a few minutes. 

Tue, 06/16/2009 - 08:47

 Not completely wrong Anne. I have dual nationality.

Tue, 06/16/2009 - 04:42

 Thank you, Andrew

Answer to: WELCOME
Tue, 06/16/2009 - 03:07

Good news, Yvonne! This winter has been so wet that if has helped to develop this kind of infestations. Fortunately, and as you experienced, it is easy to get rid of them without harming the tree.  

Tue, 06/16/2009 - 02:59

Anne, I think that this was more of a case of genetic idiocy on the side of Mademoiselle....or she did not like the guy.... There is a very well known expression in French to go out and have an informal bite to eat, which is "casser une croûte" (literally, to brake a crust of bread) and nobody (well, almost) nobody is offended by that.I agree with you, though,  that there are cultural differences, not only between countries but also between regions, but any person with a bit of good manners and education will make allowances for a foreigner.Mademoiselle had neither of those attributes and the English guy is better off without her. Actually, she did him a service 

Mon, 06/15/2009 - 08:01

Don't worry, it is not offensive; however, in view of the importance that Italians attach to body language in communications, it would be good to have a look at the site I gave you as it helps to understand many non-spoken messages.