Press: The New York Times and the International Herald Tribune feature our renovation project in the article "Expatriate Bloggers chronicle details of Home Renovation"

The Guest Residence - the vaulted cellar of the palazzo with its private garden terrace became a pleasant guest residence which we are letting to vacationers.

Visit our "Best of" Photo Gallery for more impressions

Palazzo Pizzo logo 2006-2013

Palazzo Pizzo logo since 09/2013

May 02, 2013

Spring Cleaning in May - about updating and closing blogs

May 02, 2013/ - Susan -

In searching for a translation of the German proverb: "Alles neu macht der Mai", I found "April showers bring forth May flowers". It is not a very close translation, but it has the same optimistic feeling of change. And that's what I wanted to tell you. I made a few changes on this blog, a kind of spring cleaning.

Bougainvillea on the sidewalk, Bangkok

I was not happy with my side bar anymore. It was too cluttered. I remember, I had split the side bar into two columns to accommodate advertisers. Ha ha, but my blog has just one sponsored text link at the moment! So, I filled up the far right column with lots of eye candy books. But after all, it was too much. I feel, the trend goes back to more simple looks for blogs. Have you observed something similar?

That's why I moved all the beautiful coastal living and Italian interior books to my existing, but never used "BookStore". Check it out here :-) ! You will make me happy with a little amazon's commission (4% of the book sales price). No price difference for you. - BTW, talking about decluttering, I am still looking for a good book about Feng Shui - any recommendation?

My bookstore is not the only new "page" (or tab) on this blog. New is also "Life in Asia". I will explain.

kung fu vases from Spin, Beijing with red orchids

While living in China, I started my two blogs, Beijing Notebook and Palazzo Pizzo. This was over six years ago. Random observations noted in Beijing and a documentation of a renovation in the South of Italy - I decided to NOT combine the two subjects. My readership on both blogs had different interest. Just a few readers, came visiting me on both blogs.

After having moved from Beijing in 2008, I only sporadically updated my China blog. But my posts are still valuable and many new reader visit every day. Although, I am now looking for a nice last post, this blog will remain open for ever.

When we planned to move to Bangkok, Thailand in 2010, I started a third blog. And last week, I shut it down. Without prior notice. I was surprised myself. I just had to click one button. It is not deleted. But just not public anymore. Why? Lack of inspiration, lack of motivation. I deem Beijing is a lot more interesting than Bangkok. There was much more culture I was attracted to. My Bangkok blog bored myself more and more.

But being a good and happy blogger has not only to do with the subject you write about. Blogging is also interaction with readers - although, many blogger do not comment anymore on other blogs (I am pretty quiet myself). But even if I don't get comments on every post, I have an idea about who my readers are. I had a very nice readership over at Beijing Notebook. They enjoyed the information I provided, and that made me happy.

I also do have reliable and friendly readers here on Palazzo Pizzo. You know that, you are one of them! And I always enjoyed the blogging design community. I got and still get the best advises and inspiration online from design addict blogger and interior designers online! I love it!

I think, one of the reasons I had no more fun with my Bangkok blog, is that I never really connected with the readers. One day, I got my first insulting comment. When I published the comment and answered politely, it got even worse. I never ever had bad comments on my other blogs during my six years of blogging. Funnily enough, I am apparently not the only female blogger in this country who had to deal with strange comments. It seems a tricky environment.

While spring cleaning my blog today, I had a flash of inspiration. I want to give a new combination a try! I hope you are not only here to read about Italy, or renovation, and kitchen remodelling. Maybe, some readers wonder sometime about my life in our adopted home, away from our Italian home? These posts will be labeled "Life in Asia". And I promise, I will not overdo it. What do you think?

Spring cleaning... mmmhh, apart from some new content, maybe an even more visible face-lift is necessary?! Do you still like the look of my blog?? Although I am writing mainly about an over 200 years old house, it does not mean that this blog has to look like over 200 years old ...

Saluti
suzie

Photo copyright: Palazzo Pizzo

April 24, 2013

We have a New Renovation Project!

April 24, 2013/ - Susan -

Yes, we do! We do have a new renovation project! In Pizzo! Again!

I don't know where to start, I don't even know how it happened. I was against it. We just had enjoyed our first summer in our palazzo - how could I look at another house?! It felt like I would betray our beloved baby! - Which sounds stupid of course, especially to men.

And it was men - my husband and Angelo, his father - who layed eyes on a new property. I looked at it once, I thought it was overpriced - and refused to discuss any further. The more they showed interest the more I was against it.

Of course we would not give up / sell our palazzo. We would realize a new project for a third party - for sale. Or at least for rent.

But you don't have to have studied economics to make a simple calculation: purchase price + project costs roughly = I declared the project for unmarketable. Full stop. End of story.

Well, well. You see, we have a project, the men won.

The truth is: Angelo NEEDS another project!

He loves to supervise these kind (and much bigger) projects. That was his job for decades. He enjoys
DIY flooring, painting, craftsmen work. However, since there is not much more to do in our home, Palazzo Pizzo, he got bored. Our visitors can testify that Angelo appeared every morning to just fix something. (Of course we are lucky and thankful for these quick fixes!)

But now, he gets a whole new construction site all for his own! Well, not now, really. The project has not started yet. We don't even have the layout finally defined or decided on the contructors. (But we already got a friendly letter from the lawyer of our neighbour who has never met us, warning us about any changes in general. Seems to be a popular way in Pizzo to greet new neighbours).

Anyway, after my first resistance to the project, I seem to slowly get into the mood for renovation again. It is strange though, to do it for a "third party". Meaning, I don't want to get involved emotionally too much, since this casa (no, no more palazzo) will not be ours to live in... does that make sense?

We are not professional interior designers (although we would love to), so I wonder how one feels when doing that job for a customer? How much passion and commitment do you put into a project? And how does it feel to leave the keyes for someone else? Any comments?

I guess, it depends on the customer, the briefing, the budget. Since our "customer" is a future, to be defined, customer, we have to do it the way WE like it, however with a closer eye on the budget.

Since our last visit to Pizzo this April, I am more curious about the new project. Last Sunday, I came across a book with a stunning Sicilian casa. I love these hand painted blue window cornici. Paint costs not much and Angelo enjoys painting... blue especially, remember?... I showed him these pages via skype the same evening. I think, he likes it. So here is my first idea for our new project:

"Casa Grotta" by William Brockschmidt in Modica, Sicily

Source: Designers Abroad (also in my BookStore)

I will document the new project in my blog under the label Casa delle Grazie. So, here we go, the project has a name!

***

Follow Palazzo Pizzo's board Palazzo Pizzo NEW Project on Pinterest.

***

April 22, 2013

Arriving at Lamezia Airport and driving to Pizzo

April 22, 2013/ - Susan -

Welcome to the International Airport of Lamezia Terme (SUF)!

When there is not much traffic, you can enjoy a short walk to the terminal :-)

When arriving from outside the EU you collect your luggage on the right hand side, where friendly customs officers await you to scan your bags. (One asked me to take him back to Bangkok due to lots of rain in Calabria in the last weeks.)

It always takes a bit of time to get your luggage, even just one plane has landed. Luggage from the EU will be delivered first.

If you have not ordered pick-up service by a hotel or friends, you can catch a taxi outside the terminal. It costs around 35-40 Euro to the historic center of Pizzo. Pre-ordered service might cost more.

If you have rented a car, it is easy to find your way to Pizzo. It's direction south, Reggio Calabria. You can either take the highway which is free in the South of Italy (green sign) or follow the national road (blue sign). We always take the national road, and drive below the highway viaduct, following the signs to PIZZO (about 25km).

Watch out for goat crossing! This is country side!

A taxi driver might not know all the streets of Pizzo. Also some might be reluctant to drive through the narrow alleys. Our friends were dropped in Pizza last summer and had to pull their trolleys down the bumpy alleys to the doorsteps of our house.

Same here this April! Angelo dropped us at San Giorgio church, since our alley is under renovation and no cars can pass (since November 2012!).

That's why we packed light!

Home!

More about the pavement progress later.

April 18, 2013

Summer Feelings in a special April

April 18, 2013/ - Susan -

from left: pranzo in piazza, castle and beach, fruit scetch

This April, the weather in Pizzo is much more gentle than last year. When the sun is shining, and it has been shining every single day for the last ten days - it feels like summer!

We all agree, that for us it feels more special being in Pizzo in April, than in summer.

There are only few tourists around. The

Pizzitani

are among themselves. Including us! We feel more like

Pizzitani

, inhabitants of Pizzo, now, in April, when socializing with the locals seems effortless.

People have time to talk. You don't wait two hours for a pizza (ok, that happened only once in August). And the

piazza

and

gelati

are even more enjoyable.

The beaches are empty. You can sun bath and kids can dig holes all over the place. However, the sea is yet too cold for a swim. Even the weatherproof Brits would only bath their feet.

This April was also special for us, since we had planned a lunch with family and friends for a belated celebration of our son's first communion. When we met in the church San Giorgio on that Sunday, an unexpected small and very special ceremony was organized for us.

Now, our stay is almost over. But no one wants to leave!! It was our best April ever!

We had not much to do in the house. Mission accomplished. Just "bonding" with the house and enjoying :-)

It's always sad to say good-bye. But the comfort is that summer is near. And with it a very long summer holidays around the corner that we will spend in this

Bel Paese

As soon as I have a computer and Internet (not just a smart phone) available, I will post some more. For now, please visit us on

Facebook

for more pics.

Ciao e a presto!

---

PS: I merged the the above photo with the text again. Somehow when you upload a post via email, the text that you write before the photo will appear in the post behind the photo (as I like it), but the text behind the photo does not appear. When I tried to add the missing text, I accidentally deleted the photo. Apparently you can now add photos from your phone to your post via Google+. I downloaded the app, but did not manage. Also, I am a bit reluctant to too much Google services.