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All of the work, actually. Frank Di Piero was born in Chicago and is 100% Italian origin. The result, My Big Italian Adventure, began airing in October. Happily, the new series My Big Italian Adventure, filmed in 2019, whisks wannabe tourists to the Italian island of Sicily with The Sopranos Lorraine Bracco as a companion. There were hidden costs, both monetary and mental. Worse than a dump! They also came with one big stipulation: They must be renovated and completed within three years. A Monkey Peed in Chase Stokes's Eye While Filming 'Outer Banks', 'Outer Banks' Season 3: That Kiss Between Jonathan Daviss and Carlacia Grant Wasn't in the Original Script, 'Outer Banks' Stars Rudy Pankow and Madison Bailey Break Down JJ and Kiaras "Overdue" Kiss: "I Love That Moment", 'Outer Banks' Stars Chase Stokes and Madelyn Cline Break Down That Cheating Plot: "I Was Really, Really Nervous", '1923' Season 1 Finale Recap: "Nothing Left To Lose", Is 'Yellowstone' On Tonight? But her onscreen work is not what got Bracco the keys to what equates to a $1.30 home in Sambuca, Italy: Bracco told TheWrap she is much better known over there for Rizzoli & Isles.. Get a peek inside Lorraine Bracco's newly renovated historic Sicilian home, including the dreamy kitchen big enough to prepare pasta meals for her family and friends. Six experts talk about what makes their music so appealing. 973, This story has been shared 959 times. Of course, though, it wasnt all work and no play in Sicily. Mangia, mangia?' As part of the one-euro program, the mayor of the village requires that each home purchased be renovated within three years. Tour Lorraine Braccos Stunning, Historic Sicilian Home, Gorgeous Glass Walls: 15 Seamless Indoor/Outdoor Living Spaces, How to Soundproof a Room Including the Doors and Windows, Maximum Value Energy Efficiency Projects: Windows and Doors, Basement Windows and Doors: What You Should Know, Tour a Newly Renovated 1920s Era Home in Atlanta. The HBO Max series doesnt just service a viewers mood but seeks to induce a new state of mindnamely, a deep state of relaxation, or even a good, long nap. Two houses. She was a regular at the Tuesday market, and locals called her Mama Rizzoli, a nod to her character on Rizzoli and Isles. The kitchen in her home was once in rough shape, as Lorraine found it with a broken oven from the 1900s. Brand-new show My Big Italian Adventure debuts on the home renovation network October 30, and it's guaranteed to fill the void left by a lack of vacations to the sun this year, as well as scratching the collective itch for taking on various DIY projects. HGTV's newest series, My Big Italian Adventure, follows the actress as she's tasked with transforming a 200 year-old-house sans electricity, running water, a kitchen, or bathroom into a. Ciao, Italia! A few years ago, Lorraine saw a news notification pop up on her phone, and it mentioned homes in Sambuca di Sicilia located about 50 miles south of Sicilys largest city, Palermo on the market for a grand total of 1 euro. "Thats not very common in Italy, to have such a big shower," says Piero. Here, Bracco, 66, tells The Post about her foray into construction, what it. . The people who built this house God bless them they were incredible artists, they did everything by hand. So does Bracco's buddy Monica Castellanos, her producing partner for more than 20 years and currently director of operations and COVID-19 compliance officer at The Surf Lodge, in Montauk. 2,514, This story has been shared 2,009 times. Building & Renovation Home. Given the context, this lends the show a sense of pathos. Also Read: HGTV Orders 16 New Series and Pilots, Including 'My Lottery Dream Home International'. Those offers to buy an Italian villa or a French chateau for less than the price of dental floss seem too good to be true, right? The bedroom is filled with noteworthy features: exposed beams, a gorgeous chandelier and an archway above the windows, which adds an extra layer of character. For the first episode of 'My Big Italian Adventure', the Oscar-nominated actress goes back to her Italian roots, 4,500 miles away from her current home in New York City. Ad Choices. When Lorraine called us saying she wanted to [do this], we jumped on board to join her from beginning to end, says Loren Ruch, HGTVs senior VP of programming and development. . 1,675, This story has been shared 1,490 times. The goal is to encourage families to return to the rural oasis, but the catch is that the homes must be completed within three years of purchase. I did I used it!". Lets step inside for a better look. My Big Italian Adventure TV Series 2020- IMDb RATING 6.6 /10 60 YOUR RATING Rate Play trailer 1:01 1 Video 7 Photos Adventure Reality-TV Lorraine Bracco buys a fixer upper for one Euro in Sambucca Italy. Decorated with antique lamps and hanging crate shelves, this bar makes great use of the area between the prep kitchen and the dining space. Im very excited to be here, meet and work with the locals, and live amongst them. Catch the premiere of HGTV's My Big Italian Adventure with Lorraine Bracco on Friday, Oct. 30 at 9|8c. 3,416, This story has been shared 3,035 times. The new HGTV series My Big Italian Adventure, premiering Friday, Oct. 30, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, will follow Lorraine's journey to renovate the 1,075-square-foot property in the tiny hilltop town of Sambuca di Sicilia with help from an architect, contractor and other local experts. In her endeavor, she takes the help of an architect, a contractor named Piero, translator Cynthia, and other local experts. 26 Minutes into the opener before she cries over the amount of work needed. It was crazy. Actress Lorraine Bracco buys a 200-year-old house for one euro in Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy, that is fraught with structural issues. Highlights from the week in culture, every Saturday. She says this house struck her as one that had potential: In addition to having good bones, it was situated on a corner, which allowed for plenty of light. We made sinks for the house. valuable learnings and triumphant reveals. Keep up with your favorite shows delivered to your inbox! The goal is to encourage families to return to the rural oasis, but the catch is that the homes must be completed within three years of purchase. Also appearing are Bracco's daughter Margaux, whose father was the star's first husband, French businessman Daniel Guerard, and son-in-law Deric Bradford. 1 Number of times Bracco asks the mayor to hold my tushie so she can climb up for a better look at one homes lake view. The new HGTV series 'My Big Italian Adventure' will be premiering on Friday, Oct. 30, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. We had problems getting water from the town into the house that was a long time, a couple months.. "This is my favorite thing," Lorraine says of the water feature, which was crafted by hand to give it an authentic look. We did everything old-school as much as we could.. Bracco's paternal grandparents were born in Sicily, so she has a family connection to the place, but she hasn't had the opportunity to really get to know it. Lorraine rushes to put the finishing touches on her home before her family arrives in Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy. S1. "I can't wait to go there and spend two or three months in the house living in Sambuca," she says. The home she purchased was one of a handful of properties in. ", She tells her kids: "Think big, dream big you don't know what's out there.". Youd think Lorraine Bracco would have been to Italy by now, but it took a one-euro home and HGTV to get her there. The Sopranosactress is set to star in a new HGTV reality series titledMy Big Italian Adventure, which will follow Bracco as she renovates a home she purchased for one euro not a typo, by the way, ONE EURO! I believe that. The New Yorker may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. 'Mandalorian' Funko Pops up to 77% Off Baby Yoda and More for Season 3, Who Plays the Armorer in 'The Mandalorian'? Unfortunately I just can't stand the over dramatic acting it just ruins the whole thing. The series first aired on October 30, 2020. A small and dilapidated Sicilian town, Sambuca, was hoping to address its dwindling population and flagging tourist economy. HGTV's 'Brother vs Brother' Season 7: And the Winner Is HGTV Orders 16 New Series and Pilots, Including 'My Lottery Dream Home International'. The available homes, however, were another story. Bracco dreamed of turning her 1-euro wreck into a warm, inviting home. 2023 Cond Nast. I got to pick out cheese that they just made. This is beautiful. 1 Number of times Bracco considers having contractor Piero whacked. They were out of this world, she said, explaining that it was the cream filling (not too sweet!) There were fees and deposits, of course, in addition to the 1 euro, and the 5-month gut renovation cost Bracco 87,000 euros, according to the show. Before the renovation, there was no bathroom (yikes). Celebrate a sweet new year with the ultimate shareable app. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Sophia Boyd and Melissa Gray produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bracco says she's a big fan of HGTV and it occurred to her that this project would be a fun renovation show. In early 2019, a piece of news threw daydreaming Americans into a frenzy. It also drove a whole lot of social-media chatter and attention to the tiny town. On "My Big Italian Adventure," Bracco heads to the tiny hilltop town of Sambuca di Sicilia accompanied by an architect, a contractor (Piero) and a translator (Cynthia) and remodels a 200 . Because, to me, "pumpkin spice season" lasts well past November. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE. Use the snap-and-cut method to find the right place. Piero Verardo and Lorraine Bracco check on the construction of the roof of her Sicilian home, as seen on HGTV's My Big Italian Adventure. The actress got an offer she couldnt refuse, scoring a major fixer-upper in the hilltop town of Sambucafor a single Euro (about $1.10 in U.S. currency)! Lorraine Bracco purchased an abandoned home in Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy, for a single euro. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories, To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. To further complicate things, Bracco has also decided to acquire the house next door. "I've not been able to do that because of COVID. It turns out those homes and those deals are very real just ask actress Lorraine Bracco of Goodfellas and The Sopranos fame. BTS and other stars have taken off in America. Of course, Bracco ultimately needed more than a cable-TV procedural, her Italian heritage and that one euro note. She ended up with a corner house thats nearly 1,100 square feet, located on a hilltop and full of incredible light. (Spotted: more original floor tiles.). In her new HGTV show, My Big Italian Adventure, Bracco renovates really renovates the abandoned house she bought in Sicily. She amuses us, too, but she also exudes a real care for the history and homeland she is only just getting to know. ", Virtually none of the 16 houses that the town sold in May 2019 went for 1 euro literally that was the starting bid for blind auctions that eventually saw the properties go for between 1,000 and 25,000 euros (about $1,181 to $29,534), according to town records available online. All rights reserved. I was planning to go there in March. Ciao, Italia! Overcome with . However, neither "Goodfellas" nor "The Sopranos" had been especially popular in Italy, Bracco says. My Big Italian Adventure Episodes Season 1, Episode 1 1 Euro Dream Home: Episode 1 Actress Lorraine Bracco buys a 200-year-old Italian home and quickly realizes the challenges of bringing a dilapidated property into the modern age. This former antique chest was painted with a fresh coat and now functions as a side table. Discovery, Inc. or its subsidiaries and affiliates. This contrastand the notion of an alternate-universe Melfiis what makes My Big Italian Adventure so much fun, despite its otherwise boilerplate premise. They say the kitchen is the most important room in a house, and Lorraines is no exception. I believe life is an adventure, Bracco said in a press release today. "Never say never. My Big Italian Adventure Season 1 (110) 2020 ALL Actress Lorraine Bracco renovates an Italian property into a vacation home. Many of these homes fell into disrepair after the 1968 Belice earthquake, Bracco explains. My Big Italian Adventure premieres Friday at 9/8c on HGTV. I really wanted to watch this show because the concept of it seem really interesting. "They moved rocks that weighed 300 pounds up by hand, by pulley.. (He later confesses that no such tradition exists.) Ive never done this before. And I did mention that I could get HGTV to come with me and cover it.. I had water in the basement that we couldnt get rid of. Jeff Probst Dishes on Survivor 44s Sophisticated Players, Night Court: Faith Ford Breaks Down Her Joyous Guest Star Appearance. (No kidding, Piero!). Lorraine Bracco is best known for her roles in The Sopranos and Goodfellas. Once she learned about the houses in Sambuca, she reached out to an HGTV executive and pitched him a show that was part home-renovation diary, part returning-to-her-roots documentary. Lorraine worked with her contractor, Piero, to save as much of the original tile as possible, and the 200-year-old pieces are on full display in the living room. But in the end, HGTV promises a stunning entryway with a custom tiled rug, a dreamy Sicilian-inspired bedroom and an indoor courtyard with a custom water feature.. Season 1, Episode 2 1 Euro Dream Home: Episode 2 Lorraine will tell you that every house needs a Ping-Pong room and shes not wrong. Lorraine Bracco purchased an abandoned home in Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy, for a single euro. #MyBigItalianAdventure Consult Program Guide Main Episodes Tour Lorraine Bracco's Stunning, Historic Sicilian Home Two houses. So, I came on the plane. The end of the renovation was cause for celebration for the entire town literally, there were people dancing in the streets. She enlists her close friends, including actress Angie Harmon, to help her transform the first floor. Please login to access advanced features like popularity charts. The goal was to encourage families to return to the rural oasis, but the catch is that renovation on the homes must be completed within three years of purchase. The new HGTV series will follow Lorraine's journey to renovate the 1,075-square-foot property in the tiny hilltop town of Sambuca di Sicilia with help from an architect, contractor and other local experts. 2 Friends who show up to offer emotional support in the same episode: producing partner Monica Castellanos and Angie Harmon, who played Braccos daughter on Rizzoli & Isles. She chronicles her renovation efforts in My Big Italian Adventure on HGTV. 45,000 Braccos additional payment, in Euros, for the private-sale home next door needed for expanding the kitchen. 'Yellowstone' Return Date Info, When Does The Next New Episode of 'Yellowstone' Air on Paramount Network? 4,083, This story has been shared 3,416 times. Theres plenty of space for Lorraines guests to make themselves at home, including this cozy seating nook next to the entryway. oven and stove. Im here to pay homage to my family that comes from Sicily., Theres plenty to work on in the new home according to HGTV, Braccos place has no running water, kitchen, or bathrooms, and needs to be gutted because of its deteriorating floors, crumbling walls and dilapidated roof. The new HGTV series will follow Lorraine's journey to renovate the 1,075-square-foot property in the tiny hilltop town of Sambuca di Sicilia with help from an architect, contractor and other local experts. There was no sheetrock. I had to send that one euro from my bank and wire transfer it into a municipality bank account over there, which cost me $30! Bracco said. two minutes from Westbury Music Fair," adding, "I loved Cantiague Park." Since the house had no electricity, running water, kitchen or bathrooms, and needed to be gutted due to its deteriorating floors, crumbling walls and dilapidated roof, the job, true to the title, was both big and an adventure. Sneak Peek: My Big Italian Adventure 00:59 Check out this sneak peek as actress Lorraine Bracco renovates an Italian property into a vacation home. As the clock ticks down, she overcomes obstacles and narrowly avoids a kitchen disaster just in time to celebrate the home's completion. He is the former President of The Harlem . . But, you know, you had to have that adventurous spirit and I sadly have that," she laughs. Those deserted properties really were for sale on the cheap, but they were far extremely far from turnkey. The year-long renovation is chronicled in "My Big Italian Adventure," which premieres Friday, Oct. 30, at 9 p.m. No one knows home-improvement projects quite like HGTV, so Lorraine, whos a self-described big HGTV fan, partnered with our sister channel to create the all-new series My Big Italian Adventure, premiering Friday, Oct. 30 at 9|8c. Photograph courtesy. And although she'll have a vacation home in Sicily, Bracco's heart remains on Long Island. And from that I should have known I was getting myself into a lot of trouble.. The 66-year-old actress, who was raised in Westbury, had bought the property in the town of Sambuca di Sicilia in a widely publicized offer by the local government to sell abandoned homes for 1 euro (about $1.18) with the caveat that renovation must be completed within three years. Lorraine Bracco sits on her back stoop during the renovations, as seen on My Big Italian Adventure. Im not a decorator. When the owner would see me coming, Lorraine explained, shed make the gesture to the mouth, like, 'Hungry? Another room in the house that didnt exist prior to the renovation: the loft. With her contractor Piero, translator Cynthia, several American friends and a welcoming town on her side, the . What could go wrong? "Those 16 houses, from what I understood, were either abandoned in 1968 because of the earthquake and/or the family just didn't have any more family to pass it down to. Within weeks, Sambucas municipal department had received more than a hundred thousand e-mails inquiring about the homes. HGTV knows how to pick hosts, and, in this particular case, they've really nailed it. Top Filming Locations For the Tom Hanks Movie, Never Forget Joe Manganiellos Iconic Gas Station Strip Scene Now That Magic Mike XXL is on Netflix, Stream It Or Skip It: 'A Man Called Otto' on VOD, Starring Tom Hanks as a Stereotypical Grumpy Old Man, Chris Rock Will Finally Address SlapGate In Netflix Comedy Special, Chris Pine Laughs Off Rumors of Harry Styles Feud: "It Did Look Like Harry Spit on Me", How To Watch 'Magic Mike's Last Dance,' Now Available From On-Demand Retailers, Stream It Or Skip It: EO on the Criterion Channel, a Donkey's Life Interpreted as Art. And as is the case for all home-improvement projects, its best to expect the unexpected in this new show, because Lorraine said not everything went according to plan. Lorraine Bracco, the Oscar and Emmy-nominated actress from Goodfellas and The Sopranos, will take a break from Hollywood for her next gig on the island of Sicily?renovating a 200-year-old home she purchased for only one euro. I got to do fantastic things that I would like to be able to do every year now., Though Lorraine admitted she may have gone a tad over budget, she still feels like it was a good deal. The entire process is so stressful that we take some necessary detours from the renovation, following Bracco on a field trip to an olive farm, where she is disappointed to learn that she will not be served wine. Actress Lorraine Bracco buys a 200-year-old Italian home and quickly realizes the challenges of bringing a dilapidated property into the modern age. Because the house was small, Bracco also purchased the renovated home next door for 45,000 euros, combining the two buildings and bringing the total to 132,000 euros (about $145,201) at least as budgeted; Bracco says the final cost was perhaps twice that. One gets the sense that the locals she encounters see her as a source of constant future amusement. That was fantastic. Lorraine said she did learn how to make fresh pasta, but its not exactly in her regular dinner rotation these days. What We Know About Her Continued 'Today Show' Absence, Drew Barrymore and Ross Mathews Disgusted After Guy Fieri Feeds Them Spray Cheese on 'The Drew Barrymore Show', Savannah Guthrie Rushed Out Of 'Today' After Testing Positive For COVID-19 During Live Broadcast. (Mission accomplished!) Lorraine wanted the courtyard to have an "Old Italy" vibe, complete with custom stone flooring. And she was blown away by the craftsmanship. In my second interview with Frank Di Piero, host of "Keeping it Real with Frankie D", we discuss his two great children's books "My Big Family" and "Teddy Bianco Goes to Italy". . The series first aired on October 30, 2020. November 13, 2020 In real life, Bracco is more sympathetic to the bond between Italian-Americans and their ancestors. (When done correctly though, like by Bracco in My Big Italian Adventure, its a win-win. Lorraine Bracco gets one on one tutoring in pasta making, as seen on HGTV's My Big Italian Adventure. Lorraine Bracco buys a fixer upper for one Euro in Sambucca Italy. I had everything made. The building is more than two hundred years old and will need close to a full gutting. When I wrote to the mayor, I wrote that I was an Italian-American actress and I was really interested in getting one of the one euro [houses]. Credit: HGTV. Revitalization has become especially urgent in small Italian towns. Its best features: beautiful natural light and tiles original to the two-century-old house. Well say it: this staircase is so cool. Fuhgeddaboudit. Braccos grandparents hail from Sicily, but, until recently, she had never been there. I never in my life had a cannoli like I did at this restaurant in Sicily. Which TV Series would you suggest to people who enjoy My Big Italian Adventure? Lorraine Bracco stars in the HGTV series "My Big Italian Adventure," premiering Friday. The home she purchased was one of a handful of properties in Sambuca di Sicilia offered for a single euro with the requirement that the new owners would spend a boatload of money fixing up the dilapidated homes. New Yorker writers reflect on the years highs and lows. "Little did I know that there were 16 houses and there were 100,000 emails [from] people all over the world for these homes," she says. Well, a lot, as it turns out. ", Privacy Policy |Terms of service |Subscription terms |Your ad choices |Cookie Settings |California Privacy Rights |About Us |Contact Newsday |Reprints & permissions |Advertise with Newsday |Help. All rights reserved. With her contractor Piero, translator Cynthia, several American friends and a welcoming town on her side, the impossible will become a breathtaking reality when together they complete a gorgeous Italian retreat where Lorraine can spend time with her family. Plot. Ciao, Italia! As old walls turn to rubble, Bracco exclaims, My whole house is a shithole. At one point, she admits, tearfully, Im starting to be a little overwhelmed and a little scared. Bracco is especially fixated on turning the homes lower level into a Ping-Pong room for her grandchildren; shes so enamored with the idea, and with Ping-Pong, that she has her table shipped all the way from New York. The heartbreaking announcement has led to calls ringing with interest to buy the business. Im not a contractor. On My Big Italian Adventure, Bracco heads to the tiny hilltop town of Sambuca di Sicilia accompanied by an architect, a contractor (Piero) and a translator (Cynthia) and remodels a 200-year-old, 1,075-square-foot home that she purchased. Bracco played Karen Hill, the erratic wife of Ray Liottas Henry Hill, in Martin Scorseses Goodfellas, from 1990. Behind the Scenes Tour Lorraine Bracco's Stunning, Historic Sicilian Home 20 Photos Lorraine Bracco Breathes New Life Into 200-Year-Old Sicilian Home on 'My Big Italian Adventure' 13 Photos Big News . . HGTV Watch My Big Italian Adventure from anywhere ", She says her children were unfazed: "When I told them that I wanted to do this, they said, 'Well, it's not crazier than anything else you've ever wanted to do, Mom.' 944, This story has been shared 937 times. Its been plastered once, twice, three, four, five times. The houses, she says candidly, were "s***holes.". Eventually, despite the constant hurdles, the property is slowly transformed into a picturesque little home, full of exposed stone, salvaged tile, and jaw-dropping views of the Sicilian countryside. We also talk about his series called "The Italian American Moment" where he tells the stories of our unsung heroes.