You Can Live In Italy For Under $50,000

Why spend thousands of dollars to buy and maintain a second home in Italy when you'll only use it for a month or two? Fractional ownership is a great way to own and live in Italy for a fraction of the cost of full ownership. The cost of the property and the maintenance are shared by all owners. No more chores and repairs, just immerse yourself in the Italian lifestyle with family and friends. Share this post and video.

Ciao e a presto,

Oh The Italian Life

Don't you want to spend more than one minute and 23 seconds living the Italian Life? To view video, click on start button on the left.

Ciao e a presto,

FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO SANTANDER D'ITALIA 2009

Don't miss the September 13, 2009 Formula One Race in Monza, Italy.

Number of Laps: 53

Circuit Length: 5.793 km

Race Distance: 306.720 km

Lap Record: 1:21.046 - R Barrichello (2004)

To obtain ticket information or see the track, teams, records, etc, visit the website at http://www.formula1.com/races/in_detail/italy_818/circuit_diagram.html
Ciao e a presto,

Italian Companies Seek USA Partnership with Biotech Companies

The Italian Trade Commission (http://www.italtrade.com) and the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (I.C.E.) are seeking USA partners for their biotech companies in Italy. To read more, go to the Trade Commission website, click on the business events link on the left sidebar and look for the news headlines on the right sidebar "Italian Biotech Takes Its Capacity For Innovation to BIO 2009".

For those of us who live in the southwest, biotech is our strength. As a member of the Italy-Chamber of Commerce West, I am anxious to get this message out to American businesses.

Unfortunately, we missed the biotech convention that took place two weeks ago in Atlanta, Georgia, but don't let that stop us from passing on this jewel of information.

If you are looking to start a new business, or expand an existing business, and want to develop a partnership with an Italian company, the Trade Commission is a great source of information. On their website you can access the business directory of Italian companies across a wide range of industries. You can also submit your own business proposal.

So, please pass this post onto individuals and businesses interested in All Things Italian and upcoming business opportunities with Italian companies.

Grazie e a presto,

Bello Giardino

Just about every Italian I know, and certainly every good cook, grows and harvests their own herbs. Creating your own small organic Italian herb garden is relatively easy and rewarding.

Six herbs most widely used in Italian cuisine are basilico (basil), origano (oregano), Rosmarino (rosemary), prezzemolo (flat Italian parsley), salvia (sage), and menta piperita (peppermint).

If you have a backyard, you can dedicate a small area of 4'x 6' to a garden. If not, herbs do just as well in pots. An east facing direction is ideal for a small garden or potted herbs.

To prepare your garden plot, you will need to build a border 2 feet in depth using wood, bricks or stone to hold in your soil. Once you have your border, add bags and bags of garden or vegetable soil and leave 5 inches from the top of your border. You can also use compost if you decide to add vegetables like carrots, garlic, and yellow peppers - veggies need good compost to flourish. If you use compost, make sure to turn the compost over numerous times. Then rake the compost until it has a nice even look and leave it undisturbed for two weeks.

After two weeks have passed, and the weather is somewhat mild (best time to plant is Spring when the frost is gone and the ground has warmed) you are ready to plant. My personal preference is to plant from already rooted plants and not from seed. I buy my herb plants from Home Depot or Lowe's and prefer ones that come from Monrovia California home to some of the country's best nurseries. I like Monrovia herbs because you can plant the entire container.

Dig a hole large hole and make sure its deep enough to allow for plant growth (width and height). Place the entire container in the hole, fill with soil, and give it a good watering.

Every few weeks, I feed my herbs and vegetables with organic vegetable food by sprinkling a few tablespoons around the base of the plants, and give them a good hand watering.

My garden is hooked up to an automatic timer which I have set to come on around 5:00 a.m. in summer, and run for a minimum of 3 hours. This is in addition to interim hand watering. If you live in a very hot climate, you will need to protect your herb garden during those hot summer days, and can do this inexpensively. Just measure your garden area and buy some tan shade screen netting or tarp, and place it over your garden. You can also buy, at a local hardware store, some plastic poles with notches and attach your tarp or netting to the poles. This not only protects your garden from the blazing sun, but provides enough filtered light to keep your herbs and veggies happy and green.

Treat your garden and all living things with love and care, and you will have many days of fresh aromatic seasonings for years to come.

Saliva (sage) is wonderful on Turkey, Pork, and Chicken. It's also the main ingredient in Tuscany White Bean Soup. Basilico (basil) and menta piperita (peppermint) are fabulous in salads and tossed with pasta and fresh tomato sauce. Both these herbs make great pesto. Try some fresh Rosmarino (rosemary) with lamb, and some prezzemolo (flat Italian parsely) on roasted potatoes. What would pizza be without fresh orgiano (oregano)!

One final note, as your herbs grow wide and full, cut them and dry them on a paper towel and make an aromatic container of herb d' Italia for those wonderful winter dishes.

Buon appetito!

Ciao e a presto,

The Decision

After eleven years of travelling between the US and Italy, I came to the realization that it was time for me to pursue my passion for All Things Italian which led to my launching When In Italy LLC in the fall of 2005.

When In Italy LLC offers like-minded Italophiles a chance to fulfill their dream of owning and living in Italy through a fractional share ownership program.

Picture yourself celebrating life's special moments, like your hard earned law degree, or 25 years of marriage, surrounded by family and new friends in the privacy of your own home overlooking the Tuscany valley.

Fractional share ownership is an affordable and practical way to live overseas where you can truly savor and immerse yourself in the culture and lifestyle Italy has to offer. To read more about fractional share ownership, visit my website at http://www.myitalianhideaway.com/

There's more to follow in the days ahead about Italian real estate, wine, food, festivals, hideaways and All Things Italian.

Ciao and a presto,

The Potato Croquette

The end of a two-week business trip is coming to a close and my italian team and I will need to make some decisions on which properties best meets the high standards for U.S. fractional share offering by My Italian Hideaway. We covered over 160 kilometeres of driving and inspected over 15 villas, apartments, and townhomes immediately eliminating 5 properties.We have met with the geometra (surveryor) poured over technical floor plans for hours.

Now I take the day off and am getting an early start because I am going to have lunch with my friend Claudia and it's my turn to bring pranzo. I love the drive to Asciano as it takes me through the Le Crete Senese rolling hills of limestone and clay, a landscape too surreal for Toscana. The surrounding hill towns of Montecontieri, Val d'Asso, and Trequanda shimmer in the light of early morning.

Just beyond the hills, I see flocks of sheep sway their heads to the music of the morning sun. I am determined to get to the fresco mercato in Rapolano Terme ensuring my arrival for just after the vendors place the finishing touches to their meticulous and mouth watering stands of fresh fruits, flowers, herbs and vegetables.

Parking can be tough because the market, my italian hideaway market, is set in a tiny parking lot outside the tabaccheria (smoke shop where you buy bus tickets, phone cards) and by 8:00 a.m. the locals have scooped up the perfectly shaped deep purple carciofi (artichokes), roasted chickens, fresh fish. - so by 9:00 a.m. it may be too late!

Fresh outdoor local markets usually open by 7:00 and close by 1:00 p.m. and can be found in nearly very town, village, and neighborhood on a given day.What makes this market so special is, well, ok, I'll tell you. The Potato Croquette. Nonna's Potato Croquettes. Not just any potato croquette, but Nonna's potato croquette made with sheep's milk!!

Parking is easy so I begin my morning stroll up and down each isle selecting a few pieces of fruita, un po di pecorino, and a large loaf of Toscana bread (which is made with no salt). I head to Stefano's for chicken. Per piacere (polite for please) un pollo. I order one roasted chicken.

Si, signora, ritorna in un ore. Come back in an hour. Now I peak down the isle and see that Nonna has started to prepare the croquettes with her tiny but strong hands. It's too early, she won't be ready to fry them for at least an hour.

Time to get an espresso and see Eva. We spent some time chatting, laughing, and catching up on properties for sale when I check my watch and an hour has gone by. O dio mio I must get back to check on my pollo.

Stefano sees me approaching and grabs my plump beautiful golden skinned chicken, I pay and head to Nonna. Perfect timinig. She has started the frying. The line is long and I think I will faint from the smell of the potatoes . Now its my turn.

Dica! Tell me! Nonna, io vuolo (I want or take) cinque patate (potatotes). Cinque? (5). Si, cinque (5). She asks if I am sure that I want only 5 croquettes. Si, yes, certo (certainly).

I am taking pranzo to my friend and I need 5 patate croquettes. Nonna takes her hands and the croquettes and gently places them into the beautiful golden olive oil . Within minutes they are golden and bagged for me.

I've got everything I need. Claudia will have the table set, wine glasses in place next to her beautiful torta. It's not long before I steer my Opal thru the gates crazily beeping my horn. Now it is time to have some fun with Claudia. Ciao, Claudia, sono qui! Hi Claudia, I am here. I have goodies just like you asked.

Do you have the bread? Si, Claudia, I have the bread. What about the cheese? Did you get cheese? Yes, Claudia I have the cheese. How is the chicken? Just like you asked. A beautiful plump farm raised golden roasted pollo - look Claudio how fresh and juicy. Ok, I hope you didn't forget the croqettes! No, Claudia, no. I got 4 just like you asked.

To Be Continued Monday - The Decision

My Italian Hideaway

Italy, there is no place like it in the world. As I take my morning stroll through the piazza to the local mercato where fresh produce awaits me to prepare today's pranzo, I gaze at the breaktaking views of the swaying cypress trees over the Val d' Orcia.

Italy, there is no place in the world like it. Stopping for my morning espresso to catch up on the news of the village. Marco is ready to bring in the Brunello grapes and Maria just had another baby girl, Isabella.

Italy, there is no place like it in the world. You have lost your way back to the road and no cars around when you hear the chug of the tiniest car and a shy man calls out "follow me" and suddenly you are back on the main road. You yell "grazie signore, grazie" and he replies with a soft whisper and a twinkle in his eye, "prego signora" .

Follow the my story which leads you to finding and owning a charming italian hideaway somewhere in romantic Italy. Foolow me and you will find hidden gems and authentic italian products, and before long you will embrace the time you have to spend in Italy discovering and exploring hideaway villages and towns. Immerse yourself and feed your passion for All Things Italian.

TO BE CONTINUED...A DOMANI