24 November 2015: Visitng My New Italian Home!

Masseria Il Frantoio

I'm sitting on board my Alitalia flight from London to Rome. I'm exhausted because I didn't sleep at all last night for fear of missing my early morning flight. And, unlike most of my fellow passengers, I can't sleep now either. Fortunately for me, the breathtaking snow-capped mountains on display out the right side of the plane provide a pleasant distraction.

This is the second of three legs of my journey from Los Angeles to Puglia. My 18th visit to Italy. My first visit to Italy as a homeowner.

Yep. I did it. I can't believe I actually did it! I bought a house in Italy. I've cemented my decades-long, irrational love affair with this country and I 'm doing what I promised myself I would do when I turned 50 (I have four days left before my 51st birthday). I sold my condo in Los Angeles.  I quit my job. And I am moving to Italy. I bought a property that needs complete renovation. And I am working with a contractor who speaks VERY little English. And today it feels really real.

Now just to clarify, I'm not doing this alone. My ex-husband Craig, from whom I have been divorced for six and a half years, also sold his house, quit his job and bought a property in Italy.....a villa that happens to sit right on top of my property. (His propery is already renovated.) He's moving to Italy too. He turns 50 in four months.

Also moving to Italy are our four dogs, Natalia, Elisabetta, Mario and Luigi. And our fish, Fred. We're chartering a private jet to get us all there. Kardashians eat your hearts out.

Unconventional? Most definitely. Do I get crazy looks when I tell people what we're doing? Yes. But no matter. This journey is about letting go. Letting go of pre-conceived notions of how life should look. About not always being in control. And about fulfilling a dream....for better or worse.

So here goes....

I arrive to Bari Airport, which is small, but has everything you need....including short immigration lines and on-site rental car pick up (a big plus on a chilly, damp day). I check in with a lovely young woman at the Avis counter. We chat. She seems very happy that Americans are buying property in Puglia. And is very enamored of Los Angeles. And she convinces me to buy the extra coverage for my car. After all, it's Italy. And it's raining. So I  hop in my well- (and probably over-) insured, zippy little Citroen and head to Masseria Il Frantoio, about an hour South near the town of Ostuni.

Masseria Il Frantoio, one of the many old farmhouses in Puglia that has been converted for guest accommodation, has to be the most charming, welcoming property in which I've stayed. As a returning customer I was treated to 10% off my room rate (nice loyalty programme) and they remembered that I am a vegetarian (even more loyalty points). They had asked ahead of time whether I'd be joining for dinner to which I replied an enthusiastic yes! You have a choice of four, six, or eight courses. No menu. You get whatever they're preparing that evening....along with wine and a detailed description of what you're eating, much of which comes from their organic farm. I ate here four nights during my last trip and never was a meal repeated. Nor was a meal anything short of amazing.  Once again, tonight, they did not disappoint. I would be lying if I said that Masseria Il Frantoio was not part of the reason we bought property in this part of Puglia.

While I was enjoying dinner I had the pleasure of meeting a young couple from Boston who had driven up from Lecce for dinner. It was fun to share stories and learn about their experiences as they explored Rome and Puglia. He was driving for the first time in Italy and joked that the pomegranate liqueur that came with dessert might actually be a good thing to bolster his nerve. I hoped he was right.

Pleasantly full and sufficiently tired, I climb up to my room and get ready for the adventure ahead. And my first official visit as the owner of my new home.