La Dolcevita's activity

I also know someone getting married in Lucca - I'm assuming her name is Maria too from the heading on your post - does she work in marketing for a pub company?  If she does I've passed on a couple of suggestion to her after a workshop I was running that she was a particpant on.  If it's not her I'll post the same info when you post back and if it is the same Maria I'll dig aorund and see what else I can come up with :)

I've just had a search through and her name is Charlotte Oliver. If you go into the second bar (the red one) at the top of the forum and click on groups - you'll see there is a group called succession law in italy which Charlotte "looks after".  You'll be able to send her a private message now you have her name.  Good luck

I can recommend a lawyer in Italy - if you're still living in the UK though it might be better to have one there.  There's someone on this forum called Charlotte who is either a lawyer (or if not should be a lawyer) - someone who has been on here longer can point you in her direction I'm sure

The situation you describe seems very complex - for your own peace of mind I would speak to a lawyer who will be able to give you sound legal advice to make sure you are protected.  I would recommend not signing ANYTHING until you have spoken to him/her As I understand it you own 50% of your mothers share ie 25%  of the house your father and step mother live in you are therefore liable for your 25% share of what was ICI and is now as of June called IMU (it's like council tax - in comparison to the UK it's not a lot that you will need to pay) But I would speak to a lawyer and take all the paperwork so you are clear on yur legal rights and also your responsibilities as a partial house owner.

We were having the very same conversation the other day with some friends who are the only permanent british ex pats in our town (that will be ruined then when we arrive!!)  They tip only for food/service when it's not included on the bill if it's good/great food/service.  In fact because they have a lot of friends/family coming to stay in the places which they frequent regularly the bill is often reduced - we've noticed that beginning to happen too - as well as the first round of drinks etc on them - don't mind if I do!!!

Have just discovered you have to be SIGNED IN to actually see the create content bar - if you're not signed in then it doesn't appear.  No wonder I sometimes got really frustrated..............thought I was going nuts/more nuts than usual!

That's really spooky - we've just come back from the Ideal Home Show and will be ordering our garden furniture for Italy from Oceans - some great stuff and at very reasonable prices too

Just come back from my caribbean cruise - and I did look at how the ships do sometimes seem incongrous to their surroundings - I've never seen a ship in the Venice lagoon and can see that it would look monstrous and if it's causing erosion problems then can see that an easy answer would be to do as our ship did - anchor elsewhere and tender/waterbus/taxi in. It seems to me that as a couple of poeple have already said it's a matter of balance - a cruise ship happens to "dump" a number of people at the same time - no different to lots of people arriving by other forms of transport - however without tourists what would happen to many cities/islands around the world.  Without tourism people would starve in some cases literally

I'm bemused by the concept of alcohol free anything - I love a good drink (just opening a bottle of Prosecco as I type!) - I'm also just as happy not drinking alcohol at all - in fact if I'm not drinking I usually have something totally different - tonic water/bitter lemon (and then maybe a gin or 2 can be snuck in too - only joking!!!) I've never yet come across anyone/anywhere who has a problem with me not drinking..........usually the opposite. Most of my friends struggle with the concept of not drinking alcohol so have the utmost respect when I choose not to!

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