Los Angeles to Florence

Birthday Parties Italian style

2008-06-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

We were invited to celebrate Spencer's friend Ludo's birthday at his parents country home just outside of Florence. It was a gorgeous day, great food and we had such a nice time.

Rome...first weekend of May

2008-06-18T08:40:00.000-07:00

The boys had a three day weekend the first of May so we headed down by train (along with every other Italian) to Rome. We had such a great time seeing the most amazing buildings and history. We also were lucky enough to get a small glimpse of the Pope!!! The only bummer was our camera lost juice so we only have a few pitures.

Sports Day at ISF

2008-06-18T08:10:00.000-07:00

Brendan and Spencer just love their school. They had the annual sports day and had so much fun running and playing with all their friends at school.

Susan and Sydney come to visit

2008-06-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Susan, who was my college roomate at UCLA, and her friend Sydney came to visit it us late April. It was Susan's first visit to Italy and we had a great time having them both!!! We definately plan on living life to it's fullest where ever we may be. y be!!

The boat

2008-06-18T07:49:00.000-07:00

We were invited by new friends of ours to sail the Med with them for three weeks in August. It was such a great invitation so the first nice weekend we decided to make a test sail up the coast from Carrera (where all that beautiful marble comes from) to Cinque Terre. It was really fun and although it will be tight with 11 of us on board, we are going for it!!!!

Spring

2008-05-17T02:01:00.000-07:00

I can't get over the stunnning beauty that Tuscany reveils in Spring. The colors are absolutely stunning. Here are some photos that we have taken.

Julie's visit

2008-05-17T01:48:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Julie came out to visit us for a week. It has been 20 years since we were here together and it was at that time that I fell in love with Italy.

Andrea and Diane

2008-05-17T01:41:00.000-07:00

Andrea and Diane had all of us over for a bbq in their home which they have been renovating for the past 3 years. We cooked meat in the fireplace and of course drank Chianti!!!

Castello di Poppiano

2008-05-15T07:51:00.000-07:00

Our friends Camillo and Flaminia invited us all out to see the Castello di Poppiano where they produce wine and olive oil and to have dinner at his parents villa next door. It was really a special night for all of us. We don't get to experience such history in California and it was fun to see where and how the wine is made and then drink it!!!!

Siena and San Gimignano

2008-05-15T07:17:00.000-07:00

We drove out to Siena and San Gimignano for the day and than Marcella came over and helped us make a delicous meal.

Dad and Kathy arrive-April 6-13

2008-05-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

We were very excited to see Dad again and also to have Kathy with us. We had a great week together...cramming in as much as possible. The first couple of days they went to the boys school, had dinner at our friends home and walked around.

April is here-Springtime in Florence

2008-05-15T06:38:00.000-07:00

The flowers are so beautiful here. They are popping up on roadsides, gardens and hillsides. It is as though you are living in a picture book of Italy.

Hotel Terme di Medici-Fonte verde

2008-05-15T06:12:00.000-07:00

Mark and I went to the hills of Siena and spent one night at the nice hotel that has fantastic thermal spas. These are natural water sources that come from the ground. It was a great experience and the hills were gorgeous!!!

Easter with the Russells

2008-05-15T06:07:00.000-07:00

The explosion of the cart at Easter is sort of fortune-telling ritual dating back to the end of the 11th century. Four oxen draw the cart to the baptistery. A metal wire is run from the cart all the way to the choir of the cathedral. A small dove-shaped rocket is lit and shot down the length of the church. When it hits the cart at the fireworks go off and square becomes alive with smoke and sparks.

The Russell's visit

2008-04-22T01:53:00.000-07:00

Laura, Glenn and Jimmy Russell came to visit over Easter. It was so gret to see our dear friends here in Florence and show them a bit of our Italian life. We took the kids on Easter morning down to the Duomo where we stood outside and watched the procession of the cart and than the exlosion of it.

Brendan..our artist.

2008-04-10T05:06:00.000-07:00

Brendan has become so creative while living in Italy. We are really amazed at some of the things he has created. One day he took the camera and went into the garden and came back with these shots of Spring.

Skiing in Abetone

2008-04-10T04:42:00.000-07:00

We met an Italian family here in Firenze that invited us up to the local mountains to ski. Mark took the boys and they had the best time. Camillo and Flaminia showed them special slopes and the weather was fantastic. The boys are becoming quite the skiers.

Dad's visit.

2008-03-07T09:42:00.000-08:00

It was really great to have Dad here for 10 days. I took some wonderful pictures of Firenze. We are looking forward to his spring trip with his girlfriend Kathi.

Valentines Day 2008

2008-02-16T12:24:00.000-08:00

We went with Dad and our friends, the Braheems for the day to Portofino.

2008-02-16T12:07:00.000-08:00

Day two

2008-02-16T12:01:00.000-08:00

Walking around Firenze

2008-02-16T11:46:00.000-08:00

Dad's first visit.

2008-02-16T11:41:00.000-08:00

Dad has made his first trip to Italy to visit with us for 10 days. He will be returning in April with his girlfriend, Kathy. We have been walking the streets of Firenze, eating at the various restaurants and some excursions. It has been really great to have Dad here to show him some of the things we are loving about our trip.

Pisa...the leaning tower.

2008-02-16T11:37:00.000-08:00

Mark and I drove out to Pisa, which is only an hour away, to show the kids the leaning tower.

Venezia Carnivale

2008-02-02T02:44:00.000-08:00

On Friday, Feb. 1st we went with the Braheems to Venezia to experience Carnivale. To say it was amazing is an understatement. First of all, there is no place on earth that is similar to Venezia (Venice) ; Than you throw in the winter fog and people dressed up in the most incredible costumes you have ever seen. To quote Anna Braheem "I was like stepping onto the set of Eyes Wide Shut. It was a great day...one to never forget and it was also great to experience it with our friends.

The boys are really loving their new school.

2008-02-02T02:28:00.000-08:00

One glorious winter day in Firenze

2008-02-02T02:16:00.000-08:00

Cooking lessons with Marcella

2008-02-02T01:34:00.000-08:00

Our friends, the Braheems, who have been living here in Firenze since August have been having this fantastic chef come to their home once a week to give them a cooking lesson. We are lucky enough to also have her come to our home. It has been a great experience for all of us. Not only does she teach us about Tuscan cooking but she also takes us to the San Lorenzo Market to pick the seasonal food out for that night's dinner and shares so many her ideas about Italy that is today and the Italy of yesterday. It is a fabulous night!!!

The Bidet... Everything You Ever Wanted to Know and More...

2008-01-21T13:40:00.000-08:00

By Mark...

We were having dinner with our Italian friends Andrea & Diane at our house and after several bottles of wine I had to ask the bidet question.

Do people really use the Bidet or does it just sit there?

Oh, yes... we use it everyday! All the time... So then I had ask more questions (Children might not want to continue here...)

How do you use it? I know we have all seen one and probably just turned on the water, checked it out and then turned it off. Well... here goes "Bidet 101" After you do the business you are supposed to wipe a couple of times until clean. Then you move over to the Bidet and turn on the water to the right temperature. Face the nozzle down and don't have the nozzle full blast. Then sit over the Bidet with you back to the wall and reach around and re-adjust the nozzle to hit the right spots. Sit and enjoy a few moments. Then use a bar of soap or there are now special rear end soft soaps and wash the derriere so everything is happy. Then dry off. Evidently there usually are small towel rails just above the bidet with a small Bidet towel on it. (So, two valuable lessons here... beware of Bidet soap bar and never grab the small towel above the bidet the dry your face!) Andrea is helping an American client redo a property here and they did not want to add bidets in the new bathrooms but Andrea insisted otherwise they would really hurt their resale value down the road! Its a MUST!!!

People in Italy do not shower everyday and the Bidet is also a way to keep the special parts clean. Hair can get a little dirty but its said that the oil is good for the scalp. They also wash their feet in it too. Now you know...

Our first experience with a Doctor.

2008-01-16T08:50:00.000-08:00

Sophia has been sick with a cold that somedays seems to get better and than others worse so on Monday Mark and I decided we needed to find a Doctor to have her looked at. We were referred to a Doctor that spoke English so we rang him at 8:30 am. After explaining our situation to him he told us he could come over to the house at 9 am to see Sophia or we could bring her into his office at 2 pm. We opted for the latter since she was sleeping...I really couldn't believe though that he was actually going to make a house call. Now, when we finally arrived at his office, I knocked on the door and the Doctor opened the door himself and guided me to his office. There were no mounds of paperwork to be filled out, no waivers, no insurance, nothing. He immediately started to gently caress Sophia's cheek in a loving way and to giver her an exam. Unfortunately, Sophia was very sick with Pneamonia and an ear infection. We were given a pad with the medication to get and he left us with "You have my home number and cell number to call me in teh morning" I have gotten increasingly annoyed by our health care system and how it is run. There are the personal touches in life that give quality and meaning. Italy is a country that still values this and it is wonderful to experience!!! P.S. Sophia is getting better.

Now this is what I call a fireplace

2008-01-10T12:18:00.000-08:00

View of the Tuscan Hills

2008-01-10T12:17:00.001-08:00

Riding through the tuscan hills

2008-01-10T12:17:00.000-08:00

Andrea took the kids on a horse ride. Kathryn is Brendan's new friend

2008-01-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

Roasting chestnuts at their home

2008-01-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

Our friends Andrea and Diane's house. They have been renovating it for the past 3 years.

2008-01-10T12:14:00.000-08:00

Santa found us in Florence!!!!Merry Christmas

2008-01-10T12:13:00.000-08:00

Our patio...

2008-01-10T12:12:00.000-08:00

Our family room

2008-01-10T12:11:00.000-08:00

Our Kitchen...Carrara marble is very popular in Tuscan homes.

2008-01-10T12:10:00.000-08:00

Another picture of our yard

2008-01-10T12:09:00.001-08:00

This is a view from the back yard...yes, it's the Duomo!!!

2008-01-10T12:09:00.000-08:00

It is over 300 years old

2008-01-10T12:08:00.000-08:00

Our home is on a seven acre walled compound

2008-01-10T12:07:00.000-08:00

The front door to our new home in Florence

2008-01-10T12:06:00.000-08:00

Driving through the white mountains of France

2008-01-10T12:05:00.000-08:00

Sophia and Brendan...true love

2008-01-10T12:04:00.000-08:00

view of Flaine from slopes

2008-01-10T12:03:00.000-08:00

Having a break for lunch...

2008-01-10T12:02:00.001-08:00

Soph skiing L.A. style

2008-01-10T12:02:00.000-08:00

Mark and his beard

2008-01-10T12:01:00.000-08:00

Swiss Alps

2008-01-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

Mark and Brendan

2008-01-10T11:59:00.000-08:00

About to go through the Mont Blanc Tunnel

2008-01-10T11:50:00.000-08:00

Its the tallest mountain in Europe and we had to go through it to get to France. 14 km long!

Skiing in Flaine, France

2008-01-10T11:27:00.000-08:00

We drove seven hours (one hour wait to get into the Mont Blanc tunnel) to arrive in Flaine, France. It is situated in a high valley in the French Alps. Mark's cousin Antony and his family have an apartent their so we decided to rent one out for a week. Now, Mark's a great skier, Spencer is on his way, Brendan has absolutely no fear and I , well, let's just say that it's difficult to start skiing when you and a "mother". Flaine is a great ski resort for families. There are no cars and our positioning couldn't be better. The French people were warm and friendly and the mountains were breathtaking. We had a lot of fun!!!!

What is a nun?

2007-12-25T04:05:00.003-08:00

We are learning so much every minute of the day. The kids have seen gypsies in the streets, new food, new way of driving and nuns...We were walking down the street and Spencer turned to me and asked "Mom, are nuns the ladies that wear skirts on their heads?"

Walking the streets of Florence!!! We love it.

2007-12-25T03:54:00.000-08:00

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Get your own

We drove into Florence to see homes to rent.

2007-12-25T03:29:00.000-08:00

Wendy's house in Citta di Castello

2007-12-25T03:21:00.001-08:00

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Get your own

2007-12-23T12:03:00.000-08:00

Wemade it.

2007-12-23T11:08:00.000-08:00

2007-12-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

Today we said good bye to Zermatt and made our 6 hour trip to Citta di Castello, Umbria where we were going to stay. My girlfriend Wendy bought and restored this old farm house about 15 years ago...The trick is to heat the thick stone walls and kill the 1000's of flies...A great job for Mark. The boys couldn't wait to go exploring in the morning.

Oh my God!!!

2007-12-23T00:02:00.000-08:00

Well, I have to admit, we American's live in a Puritanical mind set...Or atleast I do. Today I had a massage appointment at the spa in the hotel. Mark suggested I go down and use the steam room etc. That sounded great...would sweat out the jet leg toxins. So I put my robe on over my bathing suit and went down there early for my appointment. Well, I walk into the spa, look around, notice a coat pole with a man's bathing suit on it, say hum to my self, look to the steam room to my left, put my robe on the coat pole and open the door. "WHAT" I say to myself "Oh my God, A naked man is sitting in the steam room." I couldn't control myself, I quickly turn around, grab the door handle, get my robe and run up to our room. Mark looks at me with puzzled eyes..."They are all naked in the spa!!! I just can't do that!!"

Long Day of Skiing & Beer

2007-12-22T11:52:00.000-08:00

December 13, 2007

2007-12-14T02:58:00.000-08:00

What a glorious day!!! The boys had ski lessons and Sophia and I watched. We took the lift up to the top of the mountain to the most spectacular setting you can imagine!!!

December 12, 2007

2007-12-14T01:49:00.000-08:00

We all woke up this morning grateful to have arrived safely to this beautiful, quaint, Swiss village. Zermatt is a "car free" town which meant we had to park our car last night in a car park outside the town and take an electic taxi in. The town is filled with soft powdery snow and the kids cannot wait to dive in. Sophia is not quite sure what to make of it!!! Brendan is on a hunt to find the big icecycle and I am looking forward to having Fondue and a hot toddie!!! Life is Great!!!

Dec. 11, 2007

2007-12-14T01:01:00.000-08:00

Dec. 10 was the day we left Los Angeles for our seven month adventure. We arrived at LAX to find out that Spencer, Brendan and Sophia's last name were spelled wrong by one letter!!! Air France insisted that we get it corrected by Delta who issued the tickets. So Mark ran like a Gizelle across the airport to the Delta counter to haggle for 1 hour. Basically they needed to cancel our round trip tickets and rebook which we were told we couldn't get on this flight but the next on which left 3 hours later. Mark stood there until the man finally found a way to get us on but change our return to have a four day layover in New York City!!! We will spend the fourth of July there!!! Can't complain too much. So than we ran with the kids through the airport to board with 5 minutes left and hearing our names called through the loud speaker. We were sooo thankful to sit in our seats!!!

We arrived in Milan after a 2 hour wait in Paris to find all our luggage except Sophia's car seat. So Mark filed a lost report and I went out to find the "Puegot Lady" who was to be delivering our car... There she was but WOULD OUR LUGGAGE FIT? And Sophia had to sit on my lap for our 3 hour journey up to Zermatt, Switzerland.