Week One at Villa Graziella

This first week at Graziella has been such a whirl wind of events that I'm doing a postcard series of the week. We moved from Villa San Lorenzo into our rental, Villa Graziella, in the sweet next door town of Bossolasco. We are on "the road" which means "traffic" is the occasional work truck driving by or neighborhood child biking by. Needless to say, life here is at a SLOWER pa

ce (you thought California was slow?)  The girls have reunited with their babysitter, B, who has been with Petite since she was 2 months old. Bambina still can't speak Italian, but seems to get along just fine.  B now has a baby of her own, Baby Kate, who serves as the perfect toy/playmate for my girls.  Really, I wonder who is babysitting whom?

My bathing beauties at the pool at Monforte.  Public pools here are pristine, with gorgeous cafe/pizzerias attached.  Petite's big thrill is to go buy her own popsicles (which cost the same as at supermarket).   Petite and I hung out at a similar pool when she was a baby.  Great way to meet other mamas and bimbas.

 Our first night at Graziella, we walked through town center to see the Festa di Formaggio (Cheese fest) - turned out to be a formal dinner right in the center of the town square.

 Front of Villa Graziella. It has been a family summer house that the owner hasn't used in years. Our dear friend/caretaker has spent HOURS cleaning the place.

 Postal delivery Italian style (in the town of Alba)

 Moving into to Graziella - this was our easiest move yet. We could drive right up to the window and load things in! (Compared to carrying things up 70 stairs in Sausalito).

 Mattress purchase made easy. Mattresses roll up here! We thought we would have to tie them to the top of the car!

 Shoe shopping with Clay.  Feel I have been on holiday since the girls are thrilled to stay with our babysitter!

 We signed the papers with our architect, Sabrina (a gem!) work on Villa dei Bracchi is about to begin!

 I visited Villa dei Bracchi for the first time today.  Yes, I had signed off on hubbie buying an entire villa without me even seeing it.

Lunch today at Trattoria del Bivio

 Hubbie accidentally left his precious live yeast in California. It is currently in the care of Maison Reve.  The yeast was his third child.  So we have to start the yeast anew - for pizza and bread making.  BioForno is the only place that sells the natural yeast hubbie uses, and apparently business is either very good or very slow because it is now open ONLY Thursdays 4-7pm.  Of course, we scheduled our day around it.

 Waiting in the car while hubbie procures yeast.

 View from winery Flavio Roddollo

 Alba

 Shopping for mattresses in Alba.

 Flavio Roddello Winery.

 Mondovi - shopping for Italian mobiles. After 10 years we finally have a phone plan!

 Noli, Liguria - one of my most favorite seaside locations. We take the girls there every summer. There's a night time carnival that they love to visit. I took Petite in the Fun House (for fun?) because she was begging to go. Didn't realize there were air blowers underneath - my skirt ended up around my neck and I flashed the entire Festa from the second floor balcony of the Fun House. That's enough fun for me.

Wine tasting with Flavio Roddello himself. I appreciate a glass of wine, but don't have the refined appreciation Hubbie does.  So for me, it's a lot of "blah blah grapes, blah blah terroire, blah blah fruit, nose, bouquet, barrels…"