The Bread Oven Saga Part 2: 15% Knowledge, 85% Hold My Beer
From Boat Ramps to Bread Ovens: A Percentile Philosophy A couple of years ago, our life revolved around boating adventures. I was the navigator, the trailer-back-upper, and, apparently, the family’s resident magician when it came to backing the boat down ramps without making it look like an amateur YouTube blooper. Dana, ever the cheerleader, once […]
Mission Impossible: Activating Utilities in Our Newly Bought Italian Fixer-Upper
Dialing Disaster: The Italian Phone Fiasco First up in our Italian escapade is acquiring a phone number, which, as it turns out, is as crucial as an espresso machine in an Italian household. You might think snagging a SIM card is no biggie, right? Wrong again! An Italian phone number is essential for setting up […]
Kitchen Remodel: Part Ground Zero
Spoiler Alert: My Romantic Vision of an Italian Kitchen Was a Lie If you’ve ever romanticized about Italian kitchens, Picture this: a massive island with double ovens, shiny stainless-steel appliances, and open shelves filled with olive oil bottles and fresh herbs. I mean, Italians love food, right? So naturally, they must have enormous kitchens with […]
Our Epic Gazebo Saga: From Online Debacle to Tree Rescue
When we bought the house in Abruzzo, it wasn’t just the charm of the old stone walls or the caves and cellars beneath it that sold us—it was the view. From the rooftop terrace, we get an unbeatable panorama: endless vineyards rolling across the countryside, rugged mountains that change colors with the seasons, ancient coliseums […]
Thinking Ahead: The Adventure of Relocating Our Kitchen (and the Bread Oven Saga) Part 1
When we first started discussing the relocation of our kitchen, the vision was clear, at least in some ways. We knew what we wanted: a functional, beautiful space that could meet all our cooking needs and, more importantly, a space that would accommodate something very special—a bread oven. Dana’s love for making bread is more […]
Our Italian Home Renovation: Dust, Drama, and a Dash of Chaos
There’s nothing quite like the thrill of a home renovation project in Italy. The views are breathtaking, the culture is inspiring, and then… reality hits. The first time we returned to our Italian house to start serious work, we were ready for the challenge. What we weren’t ready for was having neither power nor water! […]
The Art of Italian Living: A Journey of Gates, Garages, and Good Food
When you live in Italy, the quality of life is woven into every experience—whether you’re transforming your home, navigating Italian bureaucracy, or simply enjoying a meal. Recently, we embarked on a property renovation project, starting with our front gates, which had seen far better days. This journey led us not only into the world of […]
Restoring the Breath of History
Our Limestone Wall Project We dive into the heart of our renovation adventures in an Italian village! Today, we’re excited to share the story of one of our first and most enlightening projects—the restoration of a historic limestone wall that leads to our property’s garage, cellar, and barn. The Significance of Limestone When we first […]