Daybed Upholstery

My Chinese daybed before ...

... and after upholstery.
I am very happy with the result - Chinese style mattress and rectangular cushions - very comfortable!

This is the floor of the 'soggiorno', the room the daybed goes. To check on the colours of the tiles I spread a bucket of water over the floor (last summer), and surprise!

The tiles are well-preserved and will get a nice polishing treatment.

Since fabric and labour for upholstery is so affordable here in China, I wonder if I should do a second cover for my daybed? Matching the floor?

We do not know yet what else will go in this room. It might be a "Chinese Room". But one that meets the West. That's why I have not chosen Chinese silk or Dragon patterns...

So far the mattress and cushions are realised in a nice blue cotton - no idea, how to name the colour appropriately - maybe medium dark blue with a touch of petroleum.
The candy-striped fabric was chosen by my husband, it fits the blue well.
Now, the spare cover I could do in a warm ox red velvet for winter time.
Or maybe I just pick another cotton. Neutral creme white ? Or light blue ? Any idea ?

Blue and White

It looks like...

... someone from Bavaria...

... is moving in ...

... or Greeks have returned.

More blue and white details of the terrace:

I like the idea of our architetto.

Pizzo Calabro - Spring Impressions

Old train station in Pizzo.





Since yesterday my parents are in Calabria for the first time. And they saw Pizzo and the house for the first time. I hope they like it.

Unfortunately the weather is not very spring like. It is rainy and fresh... I hope they will get some sunshine the next days, because everything looks so much friendlier when the sun shines on it!

It is not that the house and the location need to please my parents, but I would like to hear that they will come again - when the house is ready and the weather warmer.

Travel Writer wants Apartment to Rent

Lara Dunston, a travel writer and blogger from Cool Travel Guide and her photographer husband Terry Carter are going to be in Calabria in a few weeks. Not on holiday, but for work - to write the first edition of a quality guide book in English language devoted to Calabria. So far, globetrotter Lara has authored and contributed to over 30 travel guidebooks like Lonely Planet, DK and many more. - What a nice working life ! - Any tips?!, Lara asked me. Of course! (... this will be another post...)

More important, Lara and Terry are looking for apartments to rent. Lara wrote me that they have trouble finding an apartment with Internet access. They will be in Calabria for about a month and they are looking at renting apartments for a week in 4 different destinations and using them as a base to explore and research the surrounding areas. She has found lots of lovely apartments but none has Internet access... Lara prefers not to stay in a hotel as hotels do not suit their work.

Ah, Lara, you are just some months too early. Our palazzo is not ready yet! Our apartment in the seminterrato would have been the perfect and most inspiring place to write the most beautiful guidebook about Calabria ... well, I hope you come back for a 2ND edition in a couple of years !

Meanwhile I will ask around in Pizzo, as this would be a charming and peaceful base to explore the region.

Job Offer: Wedding Planner in Pizzo * Cercasi Organizzatore di Matrimoni !

Job offer: wedding planner in Pizzo for American couple that speaks Italian!

There seems no such word in Italian language. I found "organizzatore di matrimoni". In Italy (and rest of Europe) it is not as popular to use a wedding planner as it is in America.

But a young American couple wants to tie the knot in the castello Murat in Pizzo Calabro! And they need some help! Pizzitani, do you remember the movie "The Wedding Planner" with J.Lo who falls in love with the guy who's wedding she is organizing? So, the job of a wedding planner is basically helping through all the hassle of organizing a wedding (and not to fall in love with the groom!).

Again in Italian language: Cerciamo un(a) organizzatore di matrimoni, qualcuno che progetta un matrimonio - che coordina il caterer, la musica, gli fiori, il posto per la cerimonia, il transporto etc.

So, is there somebody out there in Pizzo who want to start a new business? Or somebody who has experience in weddings? This could be your trial wedding that you can use as future reference for future customers. This could be a side job for a talented organizer.



Here are some more details about the sposi, the bride and the groom:
Erica and her fiancé Andrea (Andy) recently spent their holidays in Calabria and felt in love with Pizzo. They are both American living in Dallas. However, Andrea's parents are from Lamezia. Erica and Andrea like to get married in the castle, il castello Murat. They need help to organize a wedding in oversea, and they found my blog and asked me if I would know somebody. I would love to help, but I am not yet living in Pizzo.

They would like to get married on April 18, 2009. And they will probably come to Pizzo a few days before the wedding. From a wedding planner they would need flowers, music, transportation, chairs, possibly give-aways (bomboniere), etc. They might bring the printed stuff with them and Erica thinks the hotel will do the menus. The reception and dinner will be at the Hotel Marinella, about 5 minutes drive north of downtown Pizzo. They plan to invite about 100 guests to their wedding in Pizzo.

They have talked to a signora in the castle via email, in Italian, as they both are fluent in Italian (that makes me think, Erica, that you could translate this blog post in Italian, as a you could communicate with the wedding planner in spe in Italian, right?).

Here an extract from Erica's email in Italian:
"Vorremmo sposarci al castello con piu o meno 100 ospiti. Vorremmo usare il cortile per la cerimonia, ma se piovesse, la sala dei giudici. Dopo la cerimonia, vorremmo servire cocktail o spumante mentre gli ospiti visitano il castello e il gruppo di matrimonio (la sposa, il sposo, le damigelle, ecc) fanno le foto al castello. E’ disponibile il 18 aprile 2009? Se no, il 25?"

However, they have no answer from the castle yet, although they need to plan vacation and invitations one year ahead. This would be another task for the wedding planner: to get in contact with the castle.

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Picture Source: I took the two pictures above last year outside the castle and you might recognize a bride and a groom. She is wearing a white wedding dress and he is wearing some uniform which is quiet common in Italy.