Work Progress in Pizzo

The street pavement in the heart of Pizzo's historic center - that had initiated some three years ago (Rome also wasn't built in a day) - seems finally to come to an end with some last alleys getting paved (photo below: Via Roma).

The garage with the two "No Parking" signs is ours and can be used by our guest on request and availability.  

The garage with the two "No Parking" signs is ours and can be used by our guest on request and availability.  

Monday evening break.  Via Roma, Pizzo.

Monday evening break.  Via Roma, Pizzo.

Although things take time in the South, Monday was a busy day in Pizzo. We can also report about some other progress of our project, just a few steps away:

Alindar from Maida delivers the kitchens

Alindar from Maida delivers the kitchens

Kitchen planning started in August last year, and went smooth. But the more time we had, the more changes I made ... and now our custom made kitchens are delivered! 

Delivery through the garage makes the studio comes first. 

Delivery through the garage makes the studio comes first. 

We always favored local products. And I am glad and proud to support Calabrian businesses. If you need a new kitchen, we definitely can recommend Alindar from Maidar. Great customer service, very good quality, fair prices. If you buy an IKEA kitchen, you pay probably the same and have to mount it by yourself. Check out Alindar, they even have customers in Switzerland.  

Kitchen in the studio's entrance area. 

Kitchen in the studio's entrance area. 

I am glad, I changed from a red kitchen to a white kitchen at the last minute. I really prefer to have this modern red and white interpretation of a classic Vietri floor tile pattern instead of a bold red kitchen. The area is too small for a red kitchen - like we have it at the residence.

BTW, we never agreed on white wall tiles here (photo above). We said we will use waterproofed paint and decide on the colour later. But in the meantime I am used to Angelo who goes ahead when he has his own ideas. Sometimes, the result is not too bad actually. And after three projects of 'long-distance' renovations, I am way more cool and relaxed than in the beginning. - And what is that stripe on the wall below the ceiling in the other kitchen (photo below)?? - Angelo assured me, if I do not like it, we can take it down, or overpaint it. It's a decorative paper border. I guess, since he is not 'allowed' to paint the walls other than white (see his previous colourful folly), his creativity needs to burst somewhere ...

Our special customised kitchen for the Dependance! - LIKE it ! 

Our special customised kitchen for the Dependance! - LIKE it ! 

So far it looks all good. Grazie Angelo, for the photos. I hope the hoot is not misused as hairdryer by the cook...  

For the kitchen counter top we need to look for a matching natural stone as the layout is a bit unique. What seems like a built in oven in the corner is the vaulted ceiling of the stairways below. We built the kitchen around it to optimise the space in that room. When you turn around and look through the windows, you have sea view! Absolutely stunning sea view, and castello view!

What can't be seen in the photo (above) properly yet - details will be published later - is the beautiful ceramic artwork by Antonio Montesanti. He made for us a band of Pizzo's history. The history and stories of Pizzo in ceramic tiles (photo below), which are now stretching along the kitchen counter.

History of Pizzo told in ceramic tiles by Antonio Montesanti ... Here in the making, now in our kitchen! 

History of Pizzo told in ceramic tiles by Antonio Montesanti ... Here in the making, now in our kitchen! 

Of course the very popular retro fridge by Smeg is not going to be missed! One light blue fridge - as our guest already know from the residence - is ordered for the larger kitchen at the Dependance. And a red version is ordered for the Studio downstairs. 

 
Retro fridges by Smeg - L means hinges are left, and R means Hinges are Right ... important details!

Retro fridges by Smeg - L means hinges are left, and R means Hinges are Right ... important details!

 

What I have not yet posted, but received from Angelo, are report photos of the bathrooms. All bathrooms are tiled and mainly done. However, the photos don't do justice yet. Again, we bought local. All products, sanitary equipment and tiles, were ordered and delivered via the local company Callipo in Vibo Valentia. We used them also for our previous project and are very satisfied. Mirrors, shower boxes, hooks, shelves and other accessories and details are next! That's why we are going to be on site soon! - So far, mille grazie Angelo

Creating Postcards

Creative morning! Woke up with the idea to must do a new postcard for our guests this sumeer. Since we are going to have the new vacation rentals in a different house in Pizzo's centro storico, we need neutral cards. 

 
Palazzo Pizzo's new guest postcard  

Palazzo Pizzo's new guest postcard  

 

I used different tools. On my smart phone I used the app 'Pic Collage' but then turned to my computer where I have better resolution photos and used 'Publisher'. Funnily, I then emailed the result in JPEG format to myself, opened it on my phone and edited (exposure, contrast, and crop to a postcard format). For my previous postcards I have used also the free software 'PicMonkey' at PicMonkey.com.  

 
Playing with style and layout ... 

Playing with style and layout ... 

 
 
maybe we need business cards as well

maybe we need business cards as well

 

I don't think our guests will use these postcards, write on the back and mail them. But maybe someone use one as a bookmark or just take one or two home as a souvenir. Maybe they stick them in their photo album, or share it with their friends. Then my mission would be accomplished :-)

BTW, my new postcard is based on my oil painting which is based on a photograph of a beach, most likely between Pizzo and Tropea. 

Update: Photos from our project

The new year has just started and it's already February! While Angelo works on our project in Pizzo - the wooden and tile flooring now is all done - I am sitting at my desk in Bangkok searching online for some decent outdoor furniture. Calabria has not yet been discovered by IKEA & co and so it is not easy to find cool stuff. Beside having done some shopping in Northern Italy lately, ordering online seems a good solution to save time, but not being able to see and touch what you get and shipping cost to the most distant region of the Italian mainland are the downside. And while we are working on getting the apartments furnished before early summer, I get already many booking enquiries. I am really delighted to see that we get credits for our 5 star rated hospitality. But of course, our potential guests want to see photos! - Photos? But it's not furnished! - However, Angelo sends us on our what's app group (yes, that's how we manage another long distance project) almost daily updates. Although these are not for advertisement, I am posting them today as an update from the project side. And I promise the furnishing will be as nice as in our residence: a mix of old and new decorated with local art. Expect nice shots mid April. For now, please accept that we are at this state:

Dependance: entrance area from the street with view into second bedroom

Dependance: entrance area from the street with view into second bedroom

Dependance: The second bedroom with small balcony facing the sea and restored stone wall 

Dependance: The second bedroom with small balcony facing the sea and restored stone wall 

Dependance: living room with passage to the kitchen and restored original stone wall

Dependance: living room with passage to the kitchen and restored original stone wall

Dependance: living room and restored original stone wall - I am curious myself how the staircase leading to the attic will look like ...

Dependance: living room and restored original stone wall - I am curious myself how the staircase leading to the attic will look like ...

Dependance: restored wooden ceiling

Dependance: restored wooden ceiling

Dependance: roof terrace detail (wrought iron railing still coming)

Dependance: roof terrace detail (wrought iron railing still coming)

Dependance: roof terrace stone bench (wrought iron railing still coming)

Dependance: roof terrace stone bench (wrought iron railing still coming)

Dependance: kitchen not yet delivered but floor tiles look great!

Dependance: kitchen not yet delivered but floor tiles look great!

Dependance: open window in the kitchen with a view

Dependance: open window in the kitchen with a view

Dependance: kitchen will be on the left, passage to living room, kitchen balcony

Dependance: kitchen will be on the left, passage to living room, kitchen balcony

Dependance: master bedroom with original stone wall and small balcony 

Dependance: master bedroom with original stone wall and small balcony 

The house: Studio Bellavista entrance below left, Dependance entrance upstairs 

The house: Studio Bellavista entrance below left, Dependance entrance upstairs

 

Studio: entrance and kitchen area

Studio: entrance and kitchen area

Studio Bellavista: The bedroom with a small balcony facing the sea

Studio Bellavista: The bedroom with a small balcony facing the sea

Studio Bellavista: living room with 2 windows facing the sea

Studio Bellavista: living room with 2 windows facing the sea

Studio: balcony of bedroom facing the sea 

Studio: balcony of bedroom facing the sea 

All photos by Angelo, shot with his phone and sent via what's app group. Please expect big progress in April and more photos on the way. 

Splendid December Greetings from Pizzo

Where in Europe do we find the month of December so sunny and beautiful? In Calabria, in the South of Italy. Calabria is a very green region which usually means rain in December and January. But not so much this year. Pizzitani are lucky with a splendid December. I wish I could enjoy Natale and le Buone Feste in Pizzo.  

December 7, 2015 (photo credit: Alfonso Salutato) 

December 7, 2015 (photo credit: Alfonso Salutato) 

The sea so beautiful and calm that one would like to take out the boat and go fishing or sunbath at the beach. 

View from our new roof top terrace (photo credit: Alfonso Salutato) 

View from our new roof top terrace (photo credit: Alfonso Salutato) 

But it wouldn't be Christmas without the festive Christmas lighting in the Piazza Della Repubblica!

La Piazza di Pizzo, Natale 2015 (photo credit: Il blog di Gianluca Callipo)

La Piazza di Pizzo, Natale 2015 (photo credit: Il blog di Gianluca Callipo)

And since temperatures are still reaching almost 20 degrees Celsius during the day all bars in the piazza are well frequented.

Talking bars - which means always gelateria too - the Gelateria & Bar Ercole will celebrate its 50th anniversary on December 22nd! Auguri!

The piazza in December 2015 (photo credit: Giuseppe Pagnotta) 

The piazza in December 2015 (photo credit: Giuseppe Pagnotta) 

What I like about Pizzo and other Calabrian villages are the many religious processions that are celebrate within the village community. The nocturnal processions are especially festive. On December 8, there is the procession of the Madonna Immaculata.

Questo video mostra la uscita serale della Madonna Immacolata per le vie del centro storico di Pizzo - this video shows the exit of the Madonna from the church in the evening and the beginning of the procession through the alleys of the centro storico of Pizzo. (There are more videos on YouTube).

With these impressions from a festive Pizzo, I wish my readers a Merry Christmas and all the best for a wonderful New Year.

Our new project illuminated from the inside in December 2015 (photo credit: Angelo)

Our new project illuminated from the inside in December 2015 (photo credit: Angelo)

Buon Natale & Buone Feste!  

We are Superhost

Thank you to all my dear Airbnb guest for having chosen to spend your holiday in Pizzo di Calabria and for staying with us. We had great experiences with all our guest from different countries. Thank you for having been great guest! And mille grazie for having taken a moment to write a review for us.

Thanks to you it was possible to reach airbnb superhost status! 

Palazzo Pizzo Residence has earned superhost status with Airbnb

Palazzo Pizzo Residence has earned superhost status with Airbnb

 

Feeling proud! Mille Grazie and hope to welcome you all back in Pizzo in the near future! 

Greetings from Pizzo!! 

Flow yoga on the roof terrace

Flow yoga on the roof terrace

Feeling blessed to start the day with my friend and yoga instructor Bianca who is visiting from Germany. 

Looking forward to a sundowner aperitivo with our new airbnb guests, old friends and family. 

GT at sunset to celebrate airbnb superhost status 

GT at sunset to celebrate airbnb superhost status