SIMPLE LIFE
Our House Hunters International Episode
During our first skype conversation with producer Ethan, we asked him if we would be right for House Hunters International.
Our house isn’t grand in fact quite the opposite. We are closer to fifty than thirty and have two young children…….’yes yes don’t worry it’ll be great’.
Now, I think his vision was spot on.
Our valley shone and the people of Bobbio Pellice and Malpertus became part of the story just as they are in our daily lives. We got to show off our beautiful valley in Piedmont and why we fell in love with it.
I don’t want to let too many ‘cat’s out of the bag but I can say that we had the best time with the crew from House Hunters International, we filmed through snow, rain, and dropping temperatures for a total of five days (Now you know where we disappeared to).
We had to re do many shots as Sam kept saying ‘Bloody Hell’ and I got over enthusiastic with the ‘Oh my God’. We didn’t realize how often we said it until we had to stop ourselves.
Other than that what you see is what you get. The crew are now like our adopted family. They were beyond wonderful, encouraging all the way and fantastic with the kids.
Luca can’t make up his mind which job he wants to take. We couldn’t get him away from behind the camera. Carina glowed and was a natural. I got to see so many ways our kids could take on a life outside the box.
Sitting together for a final interview gave us a chance to reflect on our new life in Italy…..(you’ll have to wait and see!)
This quiet location saw us stop filming for sheep, men on horseback, a small child on a very squeaky trike, cows being led to barns (all with huge bells), the town hall bell, and curious locals…..still the show went on and nothing fazed our House Hunters International team.
Our Italian estate agent Bruna bought a touch of elegance and of course properties to view, wait till you hear her gorgeous accent.
This lovely store owner called us in to taste his local salami and cheeses, the House Hunters International crew couldn’t help but buy something and we all got photos taken, what a great business man, he had us literally eating out of the palm of his hand.
Luca fell in love with Joe’s ‘skunk’ and thought it wonderful that he could hear us all talking in the other room. Whoever said never work with kids or animals had it all wrong.
So if you ever get that call from House Hunters International I hope you’ll grasp the opportunity with both hands like we did. It’s an experience none of us will ever forget and one I’ll always treasure.
A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO…
Patrizia Geymonat (Mayor) – Sindaco Comune Bobbio Pellice
Community of Malpertus
Community of Bobbio Pellice
Trattoria del Centro – Bobbio Pellice
Bar 1990 – Bobbio Pellice
Ristorante L’Alpina – Bobbio Pellice
Macelleria Dario Geymonat – Bobbio Pellice
Hotel Villa Glicini – San Secondo Di Pinerolo
Claudio | Paolo | Jane | Enzo | Sarah | Allie | Gill | Ian and Laura
HOUSE HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL CREW
Producer – Ethan | Director – David | Camera Men – Gordon and Mike | Sound – Simon and Joe | Behind the scenes – Andrea
And our wonderful Estate Agent Bruna
and the gang x
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Just found your blog and and love it and the renovations of old homes. My husband and I retired and spent 18 months renovating our retirement home. Hope we can see House Hunters International and your show. When will it be shown?
Ciao Dorothy, great to hear from you and the House Hunters episode was shown only in the USA, if you are on fb you can send me a message to my Renovating Italy page and I might be able to work something out so you could see the episode. ciao for now love lisa x
For sure I’ll let you know Sarah when it airs and if we get a youtube link etc. We get a copy but not until after it goes to air. I think Carina gets a good slice of her personality from my Mum she’s very outgoing and passionate. Thanks for your thanks lol, it does take time but so worthwhile xxx
Your life really is a movie! I’m not sure if we get the show over here so maybe you could let us know when it airs so we can get a copy somehow. I think your Mum was right about Carina – she is a natural!! So happy for you all to be living the dream and thanks for all the time you put into sharing it with us. Lots of love xxx
Following you guys through pictures and blog has been very entertaining, I can’t wait to see it all come together movie style. 🙂
Oh yeah that’s us lol ….movie stars (now who could I get to play me?)
xxx
This is beyond incredible xx Corrina Tough
It’s great isn’t it xxx
ciao lisa
Looks like you guys had an awesome time. If it didn’t air here in oz I’d love a link to somewhere to see it I know Riley would love to see you guys and especially the kids. I think he would be very pleased and go around showing people “his friends on tv!“ 🙂 miss you guys!
It was really fun amie but lots of work, can’t wait to see the end result. Luca send love and always talks about William and Riley, we have that photo in the bedroom of them all last year. It snowed yesterday so everything here is white and looks like we will have our first white Christmas xx
Say hi to all the school gang xxx
What fun! HHI is one of my favorite shows. I can’t wait to see your episode. From the pictures you posted your home is coming along beautifully. Keep warm and the Merriest of Christmas Wishes form here in San Diego, California. 🙂
Grazie Andreana and Buon Natale to you, the house is now comfy and taking shape. I guess you’ll be nice and warm for Christmas xxx
LOL…We sure are! But the downside to that is that we really don’t get to experience the different seasons. I sometimes long for the colorful and crunchy leaves under my feet in the fall and as a kid I would pray every year hoping for the miracle of a snowy Christmas like the kids on TV would have. I guess we’re never satisfied. 🙂
I know in Queensland the seasons didn’t change dramatically like they do here, it’s so beautiful and we have snow last night. Think we’ll be getting our first white Christmas Ho HO Ho xxxx
Sooo excited for you all , I’m hopping we will be able to see HHI here in oz .. I can see you all enjoy the moments and your home is coming together , looking great . Love to all xxx
I’m hoping it airs in Australia as well but should get a copy so we can show you that.. have a wonderful Christmas and give kisses to everyone from us Christmas day at Rhonda’s xxx
What a buzz Lisa. I had great plans to send you a Chrissy card but I’m sorry I’ve missed it for this year. Hope you and Sam and Carina and Luca have a snuggly Christmas in your beautiful valley. Thank you for sharing all your ups and downs and roundabouts with us this year. From the Hogan clan in Oz xxxx
Oh that’s okay and I really didn’t expect the response and it has been wonderful opening them all, they are all over the house and I am trying to work out the best way to thank everyone,
Wishing you and the gang a fabulous Christmas in Oz and here’s to another year of blogging, can’t wait to see where it leads us xxx
x 🙂
Lisa, this is fantastic news! You’ll let us know when and where we can watch, I presume. So glad your family had this opportunity! These folks contact me several years ago, but I was way too shy, so I’m especially impressed by how brave you all are, and ready for any adventure. Complimenti & Auguri xxxxxx
Oh we’re certainly not shy Jann, I was doing wardrobe changes in the car and in the end just thought ‘Oh well this is us, no make up and totally exhausted towards the end’…..I figure that if we tried to put it on and act in some way that wasn’t us then why bother, we want people to see that dreams are possible and changing country can be the best thing you ever do xx
So much fun! These guys contacted us a while back but our renovations were already over! Glad the kids enjoyed. House looks so warm and welcoming! Bet you have heaps of snow xxx
They caught us at just the right moment in time then, although they were talking about doing a renovation episode. Timing just wasn’t right and we needed to get our windows and doors in asap. Our house is coming together and we are keeping it as rustic and original as possible. No more snow yet but I know it’s coming….sending love xxx
How awesome Lisa Sam CarinaAndLuca ,
I really hope we get to see the show in Oz .
It looks like you all had a ball doing it .As usual I drool at all the photos and suffer serious “living in Italy envy”
Well done everyone and Merry Christmas to you all from Macleay Island ,Queensland
We ended up doing five days in total of filming Lynda, and it gave me a new awareness of the production behind a TV show. My cousins had a house on lamb island x
A big Merry Christmas to you from Italy
Buon Natale xxx
What an exciting time you all had. You must be very proud of your family and you are certainly an inspiration to many. I’ll be following your blog to see when the show is aired – hope I can watch it here in Oz.
Hi Carolyn, I’m hoping it’s aired in Australia it has a massive following so I think it will be shown. If not we’ll find a way to have everyone see it. I am proud of our family, even though we are often dysfunctional we get things done and now it’s time to enjoy the Christmas season without all the stress of moving and setting up home.
ciao ciao and have a wonderful Christmas xx
HHI was one of my fave shows when I had cable, and I really miss watching it. I’ll have to keep an eye on your posts to see when it airs and then see if there is a way I can watch it online. Congrats to you all and everything looks gorgeous!! 🙂
Hey Kelly I have grown up watching these kinds of programs with my Mum, she has every back issue of Home Beautiful and as a kid we would often stop so Mum could do a little sketch of something that caught her eye, she’d then go home and work out how to do it by herself. She even bought herself a set of power tools. Very independent woman my Mum, we’ll make sure to find a way for everyone to see the episode xx
Buon Natale xxx
Now to start thanking everyone for the wonderful Christmas cards xxx
Wow, the house is looking great, and it seems like you all really enjoyed the filming. Can’t wait to see the show now! And Luca’s found several future careers! 😉
Well it certainly got the renovations moving along Richard, having a deadline kept us up late at night. Luca was so funny and Carina just shone. Should we send the crew your way??? lol xx
How exciting…..I don’t know if we will ever get to see the show though. Your house is looking fantastic, what I could see in the backgrounds…….if I don’t get to chat again…….have a very Merry Christmas and Bon Natale xoxo Love from Oz.
Kaye we will find a way I’m sure!!
I haven’t put any photos of the house yet but I will asap,
you have a wonderful Christmas, I’m just writing thanks and doing a post about all the Christmas cards
sending hugs love from Lisa Sam Carina and Luca xxx
Ahhhhhh how awesome! Cant wait to see the episode. Your babies sure loved the whole filming process I see. Nice to see yr house coming along. Susan xxx
Hey Susan it was great, even in the snow and freezing cold the show went on lol x
the kids loved being stars for a few days and the house moved along in the renovations because of the tight deadlines xx
Next year we are hitting the road xx
Wow! Just wow! The house looks fabulous and so do you all. Congratulations and Buon Natale.
Can’t wait to see it on film Jenny, although I didn’t get to have a private hair and makeup person Drat!
Buon Natale xxx
What fun you had!! I love your kitchen. The kids had a ball also.
Everything looked beautiful.
It was surprisingly tiring filming over the four days, we would get back to the house exhausted but happy. So much happens behind the scenes and the crew were fantastic, really great guys with a million stories from all over the world x
Well done, it looks like you guys had a lot of fun.
It is about time someone tried to renovate Italy
We’re working on it you know how it is!!
We’ll have to all get together after Christmas xxx
the fireplace enclosure looks great
Claudio was here the night before filming working on it with Sam, yesterday he arrived with a massive slab of rock to use as a mantle, the house was total bedlam right up until the day of our final filming. It was fascinating seeing how these programs are put together and all the work that goes into just a half hour show. ciao lisa
So over the moon happy for you!! The crew looks so nice and amiable and kind and I’m SO thrilled you grasped this opportunity even though some bits have been scary or intimidating. 🙂 You are all so brave and lovely and I can’t wait to see this episode. 🙂
The crew were all gorgeous and so great with the kids, especially Luca. I feel that things are finally coming together for us at last xxx
Buon Natale dear Krista and love to your ‘Bear’ xx
Hope we get to see it in Australia. What great photos you have of the whole experience. All so exciting. Congratulations
I have so many photos and also of the wonderful B & B we filmed at which I want to turn into another blog post about the renovations they did. Incredible wait till you see them. Have a wonderful warm Christmas Jackie lol (lots of love) xxx
House is really coming along!
It did Linda, all of a sudden now i just have to keep things from sliding back into the chaos of daily life lol xx
Wow, the place looks great…even the couch looks comfy! What a great experience. You’ve got a large fan base just dying to see it all. Now just rest and enjoy the holiday season. xo
hmmmm the couch isn’t comfy but it will do for now, we pulled it out the other night and stayed down in the lounge with the heater going and watched movies. Sam has got us a large screen TV (ever the practical one) so we will be able to watch ourselves in high definition lol xxx
Now to enjoy our first Italian Christmas in the valley and do some Christmas shopping for the kids xx
take care and your room is always here waiting when you get back to Italy xx
It’s nice to see you “stick it up’m” all those who doubted. You are all truly a reflection that IT IS possible. Just commit & believe. How awesome xxx
Rosie you guys never doubted us and know us so well. Without you my dear friend I wouldn’t have kept my sanity or my spirits up!!! Don’t underestimate the difference you make in the world and turn that love and belief to yourself and Vinnie and start creating a dream…..little by little it will happen. xxx
sending love and hugs xxx
Looking fabulous……..what an adventure for you all…..love what you’ve done to your little house………made it a home 🙂 Just gorgeous <3 Merry Christmas to you all xxoo
It is starting to feel like things are coming together now Lyn, although we did have a massive argument just days before the final filming…..all the pressure and stress of the last six months erupted. Cleared the air and gave us room to move along, now to create an income lol arghhhh xxx
Merry Christmas to you xxx
What fun and fabulous, cannot wait to see the programme, hope I can anyway. x
Anne it was great fun, tiring but just incredible. The guys were all gorgeous and so good with the kids especially Luca. We need to get them back every few months so we get work done to a deadline lol xxx