A Vacation in Italy!
A Realtor doesn't get paid vacation or designated vacation time, so we take them as we have the money, time or simply because we can't keep working 7 days a week.
My last vacation was Thanksgiving of last year when we were fortunate enough to spend 9 days in Florence; I booked the hotel on expedia or one of "those" web sites and we stayed at the Hotel Villa Medici for $220 (dollars NOT Euros) great room with a balcony.
I am going to Rome on October 2nd with a girlfriend and meeting our friend who lives there (Italian/American girl who married an Italian). We are all looking forward to the trip. Due to the time change, I depart on the 2nd and arrive in Rome on the 3rd; we will be staying in Florence for 3 days. I have searched nearly every travel site and have realized that hotel rooms are much more expensive than last year... My husband just gave me a "boat load" of his airline miles and I booked the hotel with his miles (very generous of him).
We have reserved Martino Bartoletti to take us wine tasting and perhaps to the "Mall". Martino took our family on a tour last year and it was phenomenal (the scenery, the wine and we stopped someplace fabulous for lunch).
There are amazing outlets outside of Florence - The Mall'... with discount shopping at Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Ungaro, Zegna, Fendi, Armani, Gucci, Hogan, La Perla, Loro Piana, Ferragamo, Stella McCartney, Valentino, Emilio Pucci, Miss Sixty and more. The outlet is not what I expected; immaculate and well stocked - last year we found great buys BUT you have to be careful of our $$ exchange. Some of the items are marked down 70% and a few bargains are marked down even more. There is a cafeteria there, but a shame to eat there... because the food is so good everywhere else.
We have reserved Martino Bartoletti to take us wine tasting and perhaps to the "Mall". Martino took our family on a tour last year and it was phenomenal (the scenery, the wine and we stopped someplace fabulous for lunch).
There are amazing outlets outside of Florence - The Mall'... with discount shopping at Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Ungaro, Zegna, Fendi, Armani, Gucci, Hogan, La Perla, Loro Piana, Ferragamo, Stella McCartney, Valentino, Emilio Pucci, Miss Sixty and more. The outlet is not what I expected; immaculate and well stocked - last year we found great buys BUT you have to be careful of our $$ exchange. Some of the items are marked down 70% and a few bargains are marked down even more. There is a cafeteria there, but a shame to eat there... because the food is so good everywhere else.
So, who minds the store? I am fortunate to have two Realtors assisting my clients, my licensed assistant Natalie Bustillo and Chris Zastrow. Everyone will be in excellent hands.
Posted by Phyllis Harb at 9/15/2007 3:13 PM 
Categories: Los Angeles events and things to do, Vacation
Categories: Los Angeles events and things to do, Vacation
Trackbacks
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5/1/2008 4:51 AM
Los Angeles Real Estate Blog wrote:
Loro Piana is currently selling their cashmere as carpet, yes carpet! It must be fabulous under your bare feet, I can’t even imagine. "Their newest expression of cashmere is the ONE STEP TO HEAVEN collection of naturally colored pure cashmere carpeting designed for the most intimate atmosphere, not just for the home, but for private yachts, planes and helicopters as well." So, I suppose they mean, it's expensive and I wouldn't carpet my dog's house with it Before the $$ plummeted, I was a Loro Piana fan – there is a Loro Piana outlet outside of Florence and the ... -
8/22/2008 9:35 AM
Los Angeles Real Estate Blog wrote:
Your Realtor is going on vacation; the question is “are they going to tell you about it”. With cell phones and easy Internet access you may not even know. Then of course, there are vacations and then there are amazing vacations. In January I was in Puerto Vallarta for five days. I woke each morning checked my email, checked it again after lunch and again just before dinner. Natalie was hard at work in the office, so there were few calls made from my cell phone. She and I successfully negotiated an offer ... -
8/22/2008 9:41 AM
Los Angeles Real Estate Blog wrote:
Your Realtor is going on vacation; the question is “are they going to tell you about it”. With cell phones and easy Internet access you may not even know. Then of course, there are vacations and then there are amazing vacations. In January I was in Puerto Vallarta for five days. I woke each morning checked my email, checked it again after lunch and again just before dinner. Natalie was hard at work in the office, so there were few calls made from my cell phone. She and I ... -
8/22/2008 9:44 AM
Los Angeles Real Estate Blog wrote:
Your Realtor is going on vacation; the question is “Are they going to tell you about it”? With cell phones and easy Internet access you may not even know. Then of course, there are vacations and then there are amazing vacations. In January I was in Puerto Vallarta for five days. I woke each morning checked my email, checked it again after lunch and again just before dinner. Natalie was hard at work in the office, so there were few calls made from my cell phone. She and I ... -
8/22/2008 9:45 AM
Los Angeles Real Estate Blog wrote:
Your Realtor is going on vacation; the question is “Are they going to tell you about it”? With cell phones and easy Internet access you may not even know. Then of course, there are vacations and then there are amazing vacations. In January I was in Puerto Vallarta for five days. I woke each morning checked my email, checked it again after lunch and again just before dinner. Natalie was hard at work in the office, so there were few calls made from my cell phone. She and I ... -
8/22/2008 5:45 PM
Los Angeles Real Estate Blog wrote:
Your Realtor is going on vacation; the question is “Are they going to tell you about it”? With cell phones and easy Internet access you may not even know. Then of course, there are vacations and then there are amazing vacations. In January I was in Puerto Vallarta for five days. I woke each morning checked my email, checked it again after lunch and again just before dinner. Natalie was hard at work in the office, so there were few calls made from my cell phone. She and I ...
That is really very good article. I am glad to know. Thanks!
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