Settling In
With Michelle's good decorating eye, we arranged furniture this week, purchased many of the accessories for the villa this week, and reorganized cupboards and closets for more convenience. We are far from done but feel like a lot has been accomplished:
Towel racks for all the bathrooms
Dishes and racks for the kitchen
Several light fixtures for the bare bulbs
TV stand
Coat rack
Computer printer
File cabinet for office
Clothes hampers, ironing board
Bathrugs
Johnnie has shoveled more snow off every day and cleared a double wide parking spot, and now the access to the side gate and driveway as well. It is slowly melting and we have had very little new snow.
De-bugging
We are still having intermittent electrical problems where the lights all dim when the heaters kick on, and then on occasion, the main breaker trips and turns off everything in the house. This happened on Wed. night when the breaker kept tripping and we finally just went to bed because the electricity wouldn't stay on. Our DSP had the expert electricians out the next day to try and figure out what is going on, but they were unsuccessful. They say the 25 AMP switch is adequate, and when they turned on all the appliances, heaters and lights, the breaker was fine. It is a mystery and we are under instruction to phone day or night when it happens again and to note what is plugged into what outlets at the time it occurs.
The plumbers were out twice again this week trying to fix the hot water in the shower. It is sometimes hot, sometimes lukewarm, and sometimes is cold. Supposedly the hot water system is separate from the water radiators so should not be affected by the time of day we shower. To date I have not had one hot shower in 2 weeks (been finally finding a use for those bidets!), however I have had two lukewarm showers and one lukewarm bath. They worked on the system all day yesterday, ripped out the shower wall and replaced the mixer behind the tile so hopefully that fixes it.
There are still other things that remain to be installed or fixed but at this point, we are putting things into priority and tackling them one at a time!
US Electrical appliances
An important learning if you move to a place with different electrical current: don't bother to bring your small appliances from home. It is not worth the time or trouble. We have some things like table lights, iron, clock radios, room fresher, etc. that we brought from home and they will all go back in the box. It is not worth buying the power converters -- even the low watt ones are $20+ each -- to use on each one when you can replace the appliance for close to that amount of money. The only things that are worth bringing and buying the power converters are those things that are big items like my electronic sewing machine (which you can't even buy in Italy) and perhaps some power tools. That would be different for each person what is important to them but for us, there is very little that is not replaceable.
What would I do differently
So we had a lot of advise from different people and a lot of the advise depends on what kind of living space you end up having in Italy. Well, we didn't know where we would live when the movers came so we were guessing on what would be needed. As it turned out, we have a villa larger than our home in Everett and it is very empty right now because we only shipped bare minimum furniture.
We also had advice that said, don't ship a lot of knick knacks and paintings, etc. because you will buy that while you are in Italy. Well, that may be true, but it takes time to acquire those things and in the meantime, your house feels stark and like a hotel. I wish I would have brought more of my own paintings, photos, and decorative pieces so it feels more like home.
Bring more:
Decorative items - our house feels bare and the walls are empty
Linens - bedding, towels (Italian linens are not available in King size and in general, you will pay a lot more for high quality thread count sheets, and high quality soft towels)
All season clothes - who said it doesn't snow in Southern Italy?
Leave behind:
Table lamps
Small appliances (basically, anything that is not 220/240 volt)
Books I am not going to read in the next year
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Roman Holiday - wet and cold
Friday, Feb. 10, 2012
Headed to Rome at 5:30am to pick up Michelle, arriving at 8:05am. All that went off without a hitch and we checked into our hotel in old Rome by 10:30am. There is still some slush on the roads and it is raining. After a few minutes to get our bags settled, we ate some snacks and Michelle headed off to the Vatican tour and I went to a spa just about 3 blocks away.
http://www.hotelborgognoni.com/
Kami Spa
http://www.kamispa.com/
My spa treatment was wonderful! Hydrotherapy pool and steam room, followed by Reflexology and a Thai style massage. I haven't had a good massage in 7 months so she worked on lots of my "knots" and did lots of stretching with me. I felt so relaxed when I left! It was awesome.
Vatican Tour
Michelle loved the Vatican tour. She had a private guide for 4 hrs. and saw the Vatican museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. She took some great photos of the things she likes.
We ate dinner at the hotel dining room which was decent but a little over-priced we thought. After Michelle's 20+ hr. flight, she was tired and we both retired early.
Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012
Because of the snow forecast the mayor of Rome closed all the museums today. That cancelled our tour for the day, so we just went around and walked the streets, did a little shopping and then made another early night of it. The streets were slushy and wet, pretty slippery but the snow that fell really melted pretty quickly. It was definitely wet and cold, not very many people out and about, even though today marked the beginning of Carnavale.
We are staying very close to Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. This is a wonderful location -- close to everything!
http://www.trevifountain.net/
I really felt the aches and pains of the massage work yesterday. I should have known to drink more water yesterday and take an ibuprofen before bed, cause I didn't sleep worth a hoot! It was great to get the kinks worked out, but when I have so many and it has been so long since someone worked on me, Mama Mia! I feel like I was run over by a train!
Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012
We are both ready to head back to Mercogliano today. Our hotel room was feeling cramped and the furnace was stuck on and way too hot for us so we kept opening the window to cool off. We hit the road by 10am and made it back to Mercogliano by 12:30 to be greeted by more snow!
Headed to Rome at 5:30am to pick up Michelle, arriving at 8:05am. All that went off without a hitch and we checked into our hotel in old Rome by 10:30am. There is still some slush on the roads and it is raining. After a few minutes to get our bags settled, we ate some snacks and Michelle headed off to the Vatican tour and I went to a spa just about 3 blocks away.
http://www.hotelborgognoni.com/
Kami Spa
http://www.kamispa.com/
My spa treatment was wonderful! Hydrotherapy pool and steam room, followed by Reflexology and a Thai style massage. I haven't had a good massage in 7 months so she worked on lots of my "knots" and did lots of stretching with me. I felt so relaxed when I left! It was awesome.
Vatican Tour
Michelle loved the Vatican tour. She had a private guide for 4 hrs. and saw the Vatican museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. She took some great photos of the things she likes.
We ate dinner at the hotel dining room which was decent but a little over-priced we thought. After Michelle's 20+ hr. flight, she was tired and we both retired early.
Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012
Because of the snow forecast the mayor of Rome closed all the museums today. That cancelled our tour for the day, so we just went around and walked the streets, did a little shopping and then made another early night of it. The streets were slushy and wet, pretty slippery but the snow that fell really melted pretty quickly. It was definitely wet and cold, not very many people out and about, even though today marked the beginning of Carnavale.
We are staying very close to Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. This is a wonderful location -- close to everything!
http://www.trevifountain.net/
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| Spanish Steps |
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| Where are we? |
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| Just be happy! |
Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012
We are both ready to head back to Mercogliano today. Our hotel room was feeling cramped and the furnace was stuck on and way too hot for us so we kept opening the window to cool off. We hit the road by 10am and made it back to Mercogliano by 12:30 to be greeted by more snow!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Exit from the mountain
Wed., Feb. 8 -- we made it down!
After a friend made a call to city hall for us, the plow came and scraped our road and then the salt truck came and treated the ice on the hill, and we finally made it down the mountain about 11am today.
We headed straight to the gommista for snow tires and chains and then to the mall for boots, coat, shovel and supplies. Whew! We both feel a lot better now that we are equipped. Even the trip back up the mountain we could tell a huge difference with the new tires on.
We had our little audi packed to the brim, between the four regular tires in the back, plus our suitcases because we were prepared to stay in the city if necessary, plus about 5 sacks of groceries. Amazing what you can cram into a small car when you get creative!
After a friend made a call to city hall for us, the plow came and scraped our road and then the salt truck came and treated the ice on the hill, and we finally made it down the mountain about 11am today.
We headed straight to the gommista for snow tires and chains and then to the mall for boots, coat, shovel and supplies. Whew! We both feel a lot better now that we are equipped. Even the trip back up the mountain we could tell a huge difference with the new tires on.
We had our little audi packed to the brim, between the four regular tires in the back, plus our suitcases because we were prepared to stay in the city if necessary, plus about 5 sacks of groceries. Amazing what you can cram into a small car when you get creative!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Moving Day 6 - More Snow!
We received another 3 inches of snow overnight. It is very windy and cold, so nothing going to melt today.
Johnnie determined to check out the road conditions, so he bundled up like Nanook of the North and headed to town on foot. The bag is to carry back groceries, if he can find any, in the little market at the bottom of our hill.
What is a good improvisation for dry feet when you don't have snow boots? Red Green, eat your heart out!
Johnnie was able to get milk, chocolate (the most important thing), Ringo (the second most important thing) and a couple other items and climb his way back up the hill. It is very slippery. The salt trucks are slowly working their way through town but not sure if they will make it to the residential neighborhoods or not. So now, once again he is looking for some way to dig the car out, just in case the roads get salted.
My husband, he is so creative! Is there anything a man can't do with duct tape?!
This proved to be so popular, not only did he dig our car out, but the neighbor asked to borrow it! Way to go!
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| The steps were clean yesterday |
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| Dressing for a stroll in our winter storm! |
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| Another one of the many uses for a ziploc bag! |
My husband, he is so creative! Is there anything a man can't do with duct tape?!
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| The Italian Hillbilly Snow Shovel |
Moving updates - and about our dinner party
The Dinner party
What a wonderful, fun time! Getting up the hill was a bit treacherous, especially since we have no boots and the snow is thigh-high. Johnnie blazed the trail and I followed in his tracks. We almost did face-plants a couple of times but barely saved it. Warm clothes are a must!
Our hostess, Giugliana (I think that is the Italian spelling for Julia) and her husband, Emmanuele are really nice people. They are retired now and share similar interests to our own. She loves to cook and made an excellent, multi-course meal. He is quite the artist, wood and stone carving that is really intricate and also painting. He loves to garden as well, so I can see him and Johnnie spending lots of time this summer.
Also at the party was her brother and his wife, and their youngest son, Daniele. Daniele spent a couple of weeks in Boston recently and speaks pretty good English. He helped with the translations during the dinner. Giugliana and Emmanuele both speak some English as well, and they helped us with our faltering Italian. All in all, it was very fun. Let's face it; communication is at least half body language, gestures, tone of voice and expression, with a few words added here or there and it works!
The menu was served in courses as follows:
1. Home made Gnocchi with broccoli (but I thought it looked more like spinach) served with a sparkling Lambrusco (red wine) and water
2. Light bread rolls with squash blossoms in it and wedges of spinach and cheese pie that they said was traditional for Easter (the light bread rolls are often made with meat, they said)
3. Chunks of a spicy sausage cooked with fried potatoes - this was really delicious but I was getting so full already I couldn't eat much
4. Dessert was a cake, very light with a hazelnut filling and a light chocolate whipped topping. Very yummy! This was served with sugared hazelnuts. They explained that Avellino and the surrounds are know for the hazelnut production.
5. A small glass of Spumante (similar to champagne) to toast the happy birthday and our welcome to the neighborhood.
6. Italian coffee
The party started at 8 and ended at 11 or so. We were tired and went straight to bed but really don't like sleeping on such a full stomach. We are still not used to the later hours here.
Moving Adventures continue
Snowed in again on Sunday so a perfect day for unboxing, arranging furniture, putting stuff away. The house is starting to look like a house.
Snow Update
Johnnie tried to dig the car out but not going to happen; we are parked on a slant so the car keeps sliding into the snow bank. He is hampered by using a board as a shovel! We have nothing to give the car traction like gravel or sand or salt, so we'll just sit tight until it melts. More snow expected tonight.
What a wonderful, fun time! Getting up the hill was a bit treacherous, especially since we have no boots and the snow is thigh-high. Johnnie blazed the trail and I followed in his tracks. We almost did face-plants a couple of times but barely saved it. Warm clothes are a must!
Our hostess, Giugliana (I think that is the Italian spelling for Julia) and her husband, Emmanuele are really nice people. They are retired now and share similar interests to our own. She loves to cook and made an excellent, multi-course meal. He is quite the artist, wood and stone carving that is really intricate and also painting. He loves to garden as well, so I can see him and Johnnie spending lots of time this summer.
Also at the party was her brother and his wife, and their youngest son, Daniele. Daniele spent a couple of weeks in Boston recently and speaks pretty good English. He helped with the translations during the dinner. Giugliana and Emmanuele both speak some English as well, and they helped us with our faltering Italian. All in all, it was very fun. Let's face it; communication is at least half body language, gestures, tone of voice and expression, with a few words added here or there and it works!
The menu was served in courses as follows:
1. Home made Gnocchi with broccoli (but I thought it looked more like spinach) served with a sparkling Lambrusco (red wine) and water
2. Light bread rolls with squash blossoms in it and wedges of spinach and cheese pie that they said was traditional for Easter (the light bread rolls are often made with meat, they said)
3. Chunks of a spicy sausage cooked with fried potatoes - this was really delicious but I was getting so full already I couldn't eat much
4. Dessert was a cake, very light with a hazelnut filling and a light chocolate whipped topping. Very yummy! This was served with sugared hazelnuts. They explained that Avellino and the surrounds are know for the hazelnut production.
5. A small glass of Spumante (similar to champagne) to toast the happy birthday and our welcome to the neighborhood.
6. Italian coffee
The party started at 8 and ended at 11 or so. We were tired and went straight to bed but really don't like sleeping on such a full stomach. We are still not used to the later hours here.
Moving Adventures continue
Snowed in again on Sunday so a perfect day for unboxing, arranging furniture, putting stuff away. The house is starting to look like a house.
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| The Formal Sala |
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| The Formal Sala - other view |
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| Den and Dining room |
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| Den and dining room |
Johnnie tried to dig the car out but not going to happen; we are parked on a slant so the car keeps sliding into the snow bank. He is hampered by using a board as a shovel! We have nothing to give the car traction like gravel or sand or salt, so we'll just sit tight until it melts. More snow expected tonight.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
More Moving Saga and an Unexpected Twist
Thursday, Feb. 2, Day 2
But obviously this didn't work very well! About half of one step is all it lasted!
Took a big load of things in the car today: clothes, kitchen things, bathroom stuff and lots of our air shipment we had actually been storing all along. We stopped at Leroy Merlin (think Home Depot) and ordered a bathroom medicine cabinet and light, and a bathroom cupboard for the downstairs bath. I was very proud of myself for figuring out how and what to order, and for arranging for delivery to the house when it comes in. This is a major accomplishment in a foreign language! We also bought a light fixture for one of the other baths, and a few plants for the winter garden.
By the time we got to the villa, we had about 3 hrs. to unbox and start sorting through things before it was time to head back to Napoli for my appointment with the Ortho Dr. I finished my third round of fluid shots and in another 3 weeks will top them off with some cortisone which should make me good to go for 6 months or so. I look forward to having increased mobility.
By the time we got to the villa, we had about 3 hrs. to unbox and start sorting through things before it was time to head back to Napoli for my appointment with the Ortho Dr. I finished my third round of fluid shots and in another 3 weeks will top them off with some cortisone which should make me good to go for 6 months or so. I look forward to having increased mobility.
We had a nice dinner with two women from Boeing here on a temporary assignment and crawled in bed by 10pm exhausted.
Friday, Feb. 3, Day 3
Packed up and emptied the apartment today. A bit sad really as we have good memories of our first 5 months in Italy there. We have already made good friends there and will definitely go back for get togethers with our friends.
Headed out about 4pm for the villa. After seeing news reports of Rome and all the snow they have there, we are wondering what Avellino will be like. As we head of the mountain, there is definitely more snow than yesterday. By the time we get to the Avellino exit off the Autostrade, we are amazed by the amount of snow on the ground and it is still coming down!
At this point, the Lord is laughing at us, along with all our Italian friends who have been warning us that is snows in Avellino! We really didn't believe them, or at least figured that only meant a few flurries. Since the Italians think 50 degrees is cold, we just adjusted in our own minds the claims for snow. Well, we were really wrong!
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| Our parking lot |
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| Our car - as far as she could go! |
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| Our side gate |
At this point the snow is about 3 or 4 inches deep in Mercogliano (a little higher than Avellino) and we almost didn't get up our road to the villa. Our little car doesn't have snow tires, so Johnnie took a run at the hill a dozen times or so before he made it up. Whew! Not sure we'll get back down tomorrow, just depends. But we are here now, and warm inside our villa and watching it gently continue to snow.
Saturday, Feb. 4, Day 4
What is all that white stuff? We must have 2 or 3 ft. of snow on the ground! Yikes! It is still coming down.
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| Garden gate |
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| Blue Spruce in the front garden |
We lost power sometime in the middle of the night. The breaker tripped but we were warm and all snuggled down in our own king size bed. It was wonderful! After 5 months on a small, hard Italian bed, we were enjoying this thoroughly. Johnnie says it is the first time in weeks he woke up without a back ache.
So we are not sure why the breaker tripped because the only thing on besides the heat is the refrigerator. We phoned it in this morning and an electrician will come out as soon as they can get through the snow
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| Front garden and porch |
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| Through to side door - wrap around porch |
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| Balcony off the second story Master Bedroom |
Today we stayed in and spent the day sorting through boxes and putting things away. Without a snow shovel we were really having to improvise something to clean off the steps to the gate. So Johnnie rigged up the true hillbilly snow shovel: a broom handle attached to a dustpan with packing tape!
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| WalMart -- eat your heart out! |
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| There goes my dust pan! |
So then he went to Plan B and used a 2 x 6 board from the basement and did manage to get enough snow scraped off you can at least walk down the steps.
A Critter in the Garage
Not sure what it is, but we have a critter in the garage. We saw the tracks in the snow this morning leading to the garage, and there is a hole about 6 inches across where it came in. We tried to lure it out with some tuna (thinking maybe a cat or a raccoon?) but so far, not interested in tuna. We'll see what tomorrow brings. I guess, I would be looking for indoor shelter as well in this weather!
A Neighbor's Help
Our landlord called the neighbor behind us to come down and look at our circuit breaker box. He advised turning on the lower switches which did activate the yard lights, but didn't really help our situation with the rest of the house. Our DSP thinks we need a larger amp switch. We are now doing an experiment, plugging things in trying to figure out where the max out point in and on which outlets.
An Unexpected Invitation
We just got a visit from the wife of the neighbor who came down earlier, and she has invited us to their house tonight for a party in honor of her birthday! Wow, imagine that! We have been here just 24 hrs. and we have a party invitation! We are both looking very scrubby (I didn't' do my hair or make up today), but we'll clean up the best we can before we go over. This will be great fun!
God is good all the time. All the time God is good. We will deal with tomorrow's problems tomorrow and in the meantime, savor the moments we have right now.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Moving Day Madness!
February 1, 2012 (exactly 7 months from when I started the new job)
It is colder in the mountains
All my Italian friends keep saying "Oh it is colder in the mountains" when I tell them we are moving to Mercogliano. One man told me I needed chains or snow tires up there. Most have admonished us to get heavy coats, gloves, and scarves for the switch.
Wow! After living 30 years in Kansas, and 6 years in Washington and experiencing lots of inclement weather, we are having a hard time believing this.
Today was one of those days that would rank in the Italian scheme of things as really BAD weather! Our moving guys were not happy campers as we had heavy rain, snow, hail, more rain, and then snow again.
By WA or KS standards, it was merely wet and slushy and not much sticking, but Mercogliano does have steep hills and it can freeze over night, so tomorrow morning it could be more tricky.
So I have a Snow-Ice-O-Meter that I have developed for rating the weather. It is a relative scale, only good for me and the place that I currently live:
One a scale of one to ten, todays weather was:
2 if you live in Kansas
3.5 if you live in Washington
5 if you live in Italy!
The Move
So really, these people had nothing to complain about. We shipped very little compared to others I know (we had 4,400 lbs vs. the max of 12,500 lbs). The only furniture going up the stairs was the Master bedroom furniture and mattress, and the sewing room items. All the rest was the first floor. Even with all our stuff it looks a bit empty and a bit chaotic!
Weird things
So every move has weird things that happen. This one was no different:
The glass top to the patio table came but no table or chairs!
Two of the living room tables (sofa table and end table) legs came but no glass tops
Last time we moved, we found trash, still in the can, very carefully wrapped! We may discover more tomorrow as we unpack the boxes and sort out the different rooms.
Damage
Unfortunately, our king mattress pillow top has a hole in it, one dresser has two very large gouges in the top, one of Johnnie's prize fishing poles is broken, and the leg to our coffee table is broken. These are not huge things but disappointing and will require paperwork, insurance forms and either repair or replacement. Ah well, good thing we didn't ship the antiques!
Discoveries
The electricians came out to show us how to program the security system and gave up with our three words of Italian. We will need a translator for the next time they come. They looked at the dishwasher and determined it is DOA. Oh well, get another one. After they left we decided to beat a hasty retreat as the weather looked ominous and we were both tired, mostly from excitement.
Tomorrow we will unpack boxes and figure out the next steps.
Down the Mountain
The view is really wonderful, even with the weather setting in and the low clouds.
It is colder in the mountains
All my Italian friends keep saying "Oh it is colder in the mountains" when I tell them we are moving to Mercogliano. One man told me I needed chains or snow tires up there. Most have admonished us to get heavy coats, gloves, and scarves for the switch.
Wow! After living 30 years in Kansas, and 6 years in Washington and experiencing lots of inclement weather, we are having a hard time believing this.
Today was one of those days that would rank in the Italian scheme of things as really BAD weather! Our moving guys were not happy campers as we had heavy rain, snow, hail, more rain, and then snow again.
By WA or KS standards, it was merely wet and slushy and not much sticking, but Mercogliano does have steep hills and it can freeze over night, so tomorrow morning it could be more tricky.
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| Snowing in Mercogliano |
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| Main street of Mercogliano |
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| In front of the villa |
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| Garden of the villa |
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| Front steps of the villa |
So I have a Snow-Ice-O-Meter that I have developed for rating the weather. It is a relative scale, only good for me and the place that I currently live:
One a scale of one to ten, todays weather was:
2 if you live in Kansas
3.5 if you live in Washington
5 if you live in Italy!
The Move
So really, these people had nothing to complain about. We shipped very little compared to others I know (we had 4,400 lbs vs. the max of 12,500 lbs). The only furniture going up the stairs was the Master bedroom furniture and mattress, and the sewing room items. All the rest was the first floor. Even with all our stuff it looks a bit empty and a bit chaotic!
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| This is going to be my office with a sofa/day bed for guest overflow |
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| Den/Dining room |
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| "What next?" |
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| More Home office -- the staging area |
So every move has weird things that happen. This one was no different:
The glass top to the patio table came but no table or chairs!
Two of the living room tables (sofa table and end table) legs came but no glass tops
Last time we moved, we found trash, still in the can, very carefully wrapped! We may discover more tomorrow as we unpack the boxes and sort out the different rooms.
Damage
Unfortunately, our king mattress pillow top has a hole in it, one dresser has two very large gouges in the top, one of Johnnie's prize fishing poles is broken, and the leg to our coffee table is broken. These are not huge things but disappointing and will require paperwork, insurance forms and either repair or replacement. Ah well, good thing we didn't ship the antiques!
Discoveries
The electricians came out to show us how to program the security system and gave up with our three words of Italian. We will need a translator for the next time they come. They looked at the dishwasher and determined it is DOA. Oh well, get another one. After they left we decided to beat a hasty retreat as the weather looked ominous and we were both tired, mostly from excitement.
Tomorrow we will unpack boxes and figure out the next steps.
Down the Mountain
The view is really wonderful, even with the weather setting in and the low clouds.
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| Autostrade from Mercogliano west to Napoli |
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| Snow dusting the mountains |
At the Outlet Mall
La Reggia Outlet Mall in Caserta
This is a large designer outlet mall north of Napoli about 20 km. It is easy to get to off the A1 Autostrade going north and has lots of parking. Yea! Across the highway is the Campania Mall which will be the next shopping trip.
A couple of interesting things about shopping in here. There were lots of sales people and most were very willing to help. It seems like in the US the last few years stores have cut back there staff so far, even when you are in Nordstroms, Macy's and other high end stores, you still have to look to find someone to help you. Not so in this mall.
Also, here the stores are smaller, and the merchandize on display is really just that. Don't expect to find a full range of sizes on the rack. If your see something you like, ask for your size and they will go in back to get it. This includes sale merchandise as well as regular merchandise.
I went with two girlfriends and we actually found a few great deals. I bought a purse, my friend bought a purse and a dress. So, not bad! We stopped for a "coffee" at 12:30 and had a couple snacks then, and later had a nice long lunch Italian style about 3pm.
Sizes
Size 42 (about a size 8 US) is not a 42, even in Italy! Some things are marked with US/UK/IT/EURO sizes, some are not. But in any case it is like everywhere, it depends on the cut, the style, the garment manufacturer, etc. My two friends are both tall and slender and can wear many different styles successfully. Both of them had to try on several different sizes to find one that fits, and even then, the cuts were not the same. It almost seems like the designer outlet clothes had a wider range of size variation than standard off the rack clothes in a mid price range. Go figure!
Designer labels
Gucci, Prada, Escada, Feragamo, etc., lots of designer shops at this mall and most of the clothes are very trendy. These are definitely marketed to the younger, fashionable set. For me, of course, none of this will work even if they had my size. It is interesting to see what the trends are and to be able to step back from that and truly evaluate what has a nice cut and good design, vs. what is just plain weird so that it stands out from the crowd.
Unfortunately this season is full of just weird stuff. There are 3 24 hr. fashion stations on TV here that air the latest designer showings from London, Paris, Milan, NYC, and all over. I have not seen much this season that impresses me; it seems like the designers are desperate to find the next big wave of clothing design and they haven't hit it yet.
Fabrics in Italy
The fabrics I am finding here are lovely. The wools are really fine, soft, and beautiful colors and weaves. Also the linens and silks are great with natural fibers still being the predominant trend this year. I can't wait to get my design center organized and going so I can start having some fun with the beautiful fabrics and trims. There are little stores here that specialize in trims -- laces, buttons, fringe -- you name it. Go with a specific thing in mind, though, because it is overwhelming!
This is a large designer outlet mall north of Napoli about 20 km. It is easy to get to off the A1 Autostrade going north and has lots of parking. Yea! Across the highway is the Campania Mall which will be the next shopping trip.
A couple of interesting things about shopping in here. There were lots of sales people and most were very willing to help. It seems like in the US the last few years stores have cut back there staff so far, even when you are in Nordstroms, Macy's and other high end stores, you still have to look to find someone to help you. Not so in this mall.
Also, here the stores are smaller, and the merchandize on display is really just that. Don't expect to find a full range of sizes on the rack. If your see something you like, ask for your size and they will go in back to get it. This includes sale merchandise as well as regular merchandise.
I went with two girlfriends and we actually found a few great deals. I bought a purse, my friend bought a purse and a dress. So, not bad! We stopped for a "coffee" at 12:30 and had a couple snacks then, and later had a nice long lunch Italian style about 3pm.
Sizes
Size 42 (about a size 8 US) is not a 42, even in Italy! Some things are marked with US/UK/IT/EURO sizes, some are not. But in any case it is like everywhere, it depends on the cut, the style, the garment manufacturer, etc. My two friends are both tall and slender and can wear many different styles successfully. Both of them had to try on several different sizes to find one that fits, and even then, the cuts were not the same. It almost seems like the designer outlet clothes had a wider range of size variation than standard off the rack clothes in a mid price range. Go figure!
Designer labels
Gucci, Prada, Escada, Feragamo, etc., lots of designer shops at this mall and most of the clothes are very trendy. These are definitely marketed to the younger, fashionable set. For me, of course, none of this will work even if they had my size. It is interesting to see what the trends are and to be able to step back from that and truly evaluate what has a nice cut and good design, vs. what is just plain weird so that it stands out from the crowd.
Unfortunately this season is full of just weird stuff. There are 3 24 hr. fashion stations on TV here that air the latest designer showings from London, Paris, Milan, NYC, and all over. I have not seen much this season that impresses me; it seems like the designers are desperate to find the next big wave of clothing design and they haven't hit it yet.
Fabrics in Italy
The fabrics I am finding here are lovely. The wools are really fine, soft, and beautiful colors and weaves. Also the linens and silks are great with natural fibers still being the predominant trend this year. I can't wait to get my design center organized and going so I can start having some fun with the beautiful fabrics and trims. There are little stores here that specialize in trims -- laces, buttons, fringe -- you name it. Go with a specific thing in mind, though, because it is overwhelming!
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