The Sambuca one-euro program was created by the mayor to help sell the town's vacant homes quickly and inexpensively. 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. To keep her mind off the issue, she dives into DIY projects, only to receive an update that will have consequences for her entire house. Frank Di Piero was born in Chicago and is 100% Italian origin. See production, box office & company info, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Vince Vaughn/Lorraine Bracco/Gus Dapperton. 'My Big Italian Adventure' season 1 releases on Friday, October 30, 2020, on HGTV, at 9 pm ET/PT and 8 pm CT. Each episode is available on the HGTV Go app on the same day and time as the tv premieres. The result, My Big Italian Adventure, began airing in October. The home she purchased was one of a handful of properties in. ". YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. New Yorker writers reflect on the years highs and lows. ), Ill be truthful: I was very cheeky, Bracco recalled of the email that got her selected into the program. It's a house I'd like to live in.". It also drove a whole lot of social-media chatter and attention to the tiny town. 937, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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My Big Italian Adventure will premiere on HGTV on Friday, October 30 at 9pm ET/PT. All rights reserved. "I'll be truthful I'm not above it. Watch My Big Italian Adventure from anywhere ", She tells her kids: "Think big, dream big you don't know what's out there.". Its best features: beautiful natural light and tiles original to the two-century-old house. 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. Use the snap-and-cut method to find the right place. 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. Bracco dreamed of turning her 1-euro wreck into a warm, inviting home. Well, a lot, as it turns out. "Nobody in their right mind would have bought this. 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 . Hoda Kotbs Today Absence Due to Family Health Matter, Copyright 2023 NTVB Media, Inc., All Rights Reserved, Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence, 7 'Sopranos' Locations to Visit in Honor of the 20th Anniversary (PHOTOS), Drea de Matteo Looks Back on 'The Sopranos' & Its Controversial Ending. 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. Lorraine Bracco gets one on one tutoring in pasta making, as seen on HGTV's My Big Italian Adventure. 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". E1 All episodes Cast & crew IMDbPro All topics Episode #1.1 Episode aired Oct 30, 2020 YOUR RATING Rate Adventure Reality-TV Add a plot in your language Stars Lorraine Bracco Monica Castellanos Trejo Cynthia See production, box office & company info Watch on HGTV Go to hgtv.com More watch options Add to Watchlist Photos Add photo Top cast Edit 1,490, This story has been shared 1,467 times. We made sinks for the house. And from that I should have known I was getting myself into a lot of trouble.. Keep up with your favorite shows delivered to your inbox! It's amazing.". Another special find: this antique window, which hints at the long history of Lorraines new home. 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. And she was blown away by the craftsmanship. That said to me, This could be fabulous, she explained, adding how she later used those tiles to make a tabletop. While it was a bargain at its one-euro price point, the centuries-old home has no electricity, running water, kitchen or bathrooms and needs to be gutted due to it's deteriorating floors, crumbling walls and dilapidated roof. 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. At the end of that decade, she popped up in a much more subdued and significant part, as Dr. Melfi, Tony Sopranos demure and righteous psychiatrist. 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. It's "never too late," she says. Genre. Lorraine opted for sliding doors, which create an easy flow from the main bedroom to the rest of the house. Lorraine said she had plenty of time to explore the region and to taste all of its famed dishes. On HGTV's "My Big Italian Adventure," Lorraine Bracco, best known for her roles in America's fictional mobster ecosystem, sets out to renovate her new Sicilian villa. The 66-year-old star of Goodfellas and The Sopranos admits she gamed the system to land one of the 16 sought-after (and basically free) Sicily fixer-uppers, which was really more of a tourism advertisement than an earnest real estate opportunity. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. The heartbreaking announcement has led to calls ringing with interest to buy the business. 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. 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? Five months. If the renovations didnt happen, they would lose their depositsand the houses. "Never say never. I have no idea what Im really getting into! "Thats not very common in Italy, to have such a big shower," says Piero. #MyBigItalianAdventure Consult Program Guide Main Episodes Tour Lorraine Bracco's Stunning, Historic Sicilian Home Two houses. "And I was like, oh, this. There was no sheetrock. 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. Im not a contractor. Also Read: Ty Pennington Lands His First HGTV Show. My Big Italian Adventure is indeed a modern production, but the actual construction was all old-school, according to Lorraine. This is beautiful. Braccos centuries-old home had no electricity, running water, kitchen or bathrooms and needed to be gutted due to its deteriorating floors, crumbling walls and dilapidated roof. And Id say yes, and she would make me pasta with wild asparagus. She also has noble plans to retain as much of the homes original details as possiblea goal that becomes a constant source of tension between Bracco and her dutiful Italian contractor, Piero. Frank Di Piero was born in Chicago and is 100% Italian origin. 'The Skinny Shot' on Hulu Is An Ozempic "Documentary" That Plays More Like A Commercial, Where Is Estonia Located? Shes brassy and kooky, presenting more as someone who would befriend a Tony Soprano-like figure than treat him medically. 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. "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. Beth Novey adapted it for the Web. Genres Unscripted, Documentary Subtitles English [CC] Audio languages English Buy Episode 1 HD $2.99 Buy Season 1 HD $5.99 More purchase options Add to Watchlist By ordering or viewing, you agree to our Terms. She enlists her close friends, including . Lorraine Bracco buys a fixer upper for one Euro in Sambucca Italy. 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? Three of the series most adored starsMichael Imperioli, Steve Schirripa, and Drea de Matteomake podcasts about The Sopranos. None of these ventures are particularly novel or well executed, but they all allow us to continue living in the fantasy world created by the show. In her new HGTV show, My Big Italian Adventure, Bracco renovates really renovates the abandoned house she bought in Sicily. With her contractor's help, she transforms the property into her breathtaking vacation home. All of the work, actually. 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. Fuhgeddaboudit. 45,000 Braccos additional payment, in Euros, for the private-sale home next door needed for expanding the kitchen. My Big Italian Adventure is a series that is currently running and has 1 seasons (3 episodes). The terrace, located just off the guest bathroom, is the ideal spot for sipping on wine with pals and taking in the surrounding countryside. (No kidding, Piero!). I had the town blacksmiths make the ironwork to hold up the sinks, Lorraine told us. "My Big Italian Adventure" premieres Friday, Oct. 30 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV. ", 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.' Lorraine wanted the courtyard to have an "Old Italy" vibe, complete with custom stone flooring. The new HGTV series My Big Italian Adventure, premiering Friday, Oct. 30, at 9|8c, 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. Im not a decorator. Piero and his team were able to salvage many of the original bricks, and we love the final product. During the reno, they salvaged centuries-old tiles, which Lorraine noted were one of the first things that convinced her of the houses potential. Lorraine Bracco is best known for her roles in The Sopranos and Goodfellas. 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. HGTV knows how to pick hosts, and, in this particular case, they've really nailed it. Lorraine will tell you that every house needs a Ping-Pong room and shes not wrong. Actress Lorraine Bracco buys a 200-year-old Italian home and quickly realizes the challenges of bringing a dilapidated property into the modern age. 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. Before the renovation, there was no bathroom (yikes). We also talk about his series called "The Italian American Moment" where he tells the stories of our unsung heroes. This story has been shared 5,626 times. Her renovation budget was many, many, many multiples of her one-euro purchase price. 2023 Warner Bros. 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. The dining area features ceramic plates and bowls crafted by local artisans. 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. "I've not been able to do that because of COVID. Like the time when her contractor Piero removed all the ancient tiles from the floor for plumbing purposes that Bracco specifically asked not to do. . 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. However, neither "Goodfellas" nor "The Sopranos" had been especially popular in Italy, Bracco says. 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. Lorraine rushes to put the finishing touches on her home before her family arrives in Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy. My Big Italian Adventure premieres Friday at 9/8c on HGTV. Stars Lorraine Bracco Piero Verardo Monica Castellanos See production, box office & company info Watch on HGTV S1 Go to hgtv.com "When I went in, I saw these beautiful tiled floors under 3 inches of dust and dirt," she recalls. Photograph courtesy. 1,036, This story has been shared 973 times. In her endeavor, she takes the help of an architect, a contractor named Piero, translator Cynthia, and other local experts. 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.. The houses, she says candidly, were "s***holes.". We also talk about his series called "The Italian American Moment" where he tells the stories of our unsung heroes. In early 2019, a piece of news threw daydreaming Americans into a frenzy. While you may have ev. The show follows Bracco, sixty-six, as she becomes the lucky owner of an Italian villaand as she realizes, almost immediately, how hard it will be to yank the house into the twenty-first century. In her new HGTV show, My Big Italian Adventure, Bracco renovates really renovates the abandoned house she bought in Sicily. Rating. Lorraine Bracco purchased this home for only 1 euro plus, the house next door for $50,000 in hopes of transforming the property into the ultimate Italian getaway. The shadow of Sopranos fandom is what makes My Big Italian Adventure such a captivating idea. But, you know, you had to have that adventurous spirit and I sadly have that," she laughs. One of these inquiries came from Lorraine Bracco, the Italian-American actress best known for her roles in Americas fictional mobster ecosystem. As Piero tells Bracco, buying something new is easy: It takes a lot more effort to save something. Obsessives will know that this is the spirit of The Sopranos, tooa desire to breathe new life into old ways, and to find oneself in the process. How many times have you watched the news or scrolled online and heard reports of properties for sale in idyllic European towns for mere pennies? Its been plastered once, twice, three, four, five times. Molly Yeh and her husband, Nick, head to Texas for creative inspiration during a one-hour special featuring Joanna Gaines on Sunday, 10/24 at 11a|10c and streaming on discovery+. The available homes, however, were another story. I really wanted to watch this show because the concept of it seem really interesting. Mangia, mangia?' 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)! "I can't wait to go there and spend two or three months in the house living in Sambuca," she says. After visiting in person, she fell in love with the town, saying it was charming and perfectly situated near a gorgeous beach. Meet Emily Swallow, Stream It or Skip It: 'The Mandalorian' Season 3 on Disney+, Where Pedro Pascal Is Still Daddy (But in a Helmet), 'The Last of Us' Episode 7 Recap: Mallrats, Yes, Ellie Has Always Been Gay in 'The Last of Us', Who Plays Riley in 'The Last of Us'? She chronicles her renovation efforts in My Big Italian Adventure on HGTV. The kitchen in her home was once in rough shape, as Lorraine found it with a broken oven from the 1900s. Ciao, Italia! Just outside the entrance to the bathroom, the sink is *chefs kiss*. I got to pick out cheese that they just made. Bridgehampton's Lorraine Bracco, whose work includes an Academy Award nomination for her role in Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas" and four Emmy nominations for HBO's "The Sopranos," renovates a nearly 200-year-old Sicilian town house in HGTV's new reality-TV series "My Big Italian Adventure," premiering Friday at 9 p.m. The new series will feature three hour-long episodes that detail the entire process of buying the home, renovating it and showing off the finished product. "They moved rocks that weighed 300 pounds up by hand, by pulley.. The house is ready and waiting for Lorraine now, though shes only been able to visit for a few weeks at a time. HGTV's 'Flip or Flop' Contractors Ranked by Profitability (Photos) HGTV 1 of 21 No, Izzy's not No. . Where to Watch My Big Italian Adventure My Big Italian Adventure is available for streaming on the HGTV website, both individual episodes and full seasons.