#422-2016: I guess…read moreI'll not be able to get Home Depot or Lowe's experience on this side of the ocean... but this Leroy Merlin comes pretty dang close to it! Granted the prices aren't as advantageous as the North-American counterparts, but they are (on an average) cheaper than any other self-help store around. We have come to check on water-heaters and they had pretty good deals. Nice were also the shower door options (another item we may have to shop for soon). I liked how spacious the store actually was (smaller stores feel much more cluttered). This is a French franchise and I would normally feel on the edge about liking it so much, but... if I have to pick a fave between Leroy Merlin and Brico Center, I would probably choose the first option. Prices can be great when there are promotional discounts and on certain items whilst they can be pricey for others. It is just a matter of comparing pricetags in different stores (or online) before making the final choice.

This maze of home decor items is a must visit for those looking for anything for the house, gifts,…read morehousewarmings: candles, home fragrances, dishes, cookware, tablecloths, baking accessories, coffeemakers, bath towels and decor, shelves, drawers, photo frames, bedding, some design furniture, lamps, pet stuff, etc. They close early on weekdays and are super crowded on weekends so I guess that's the only thing stopping me from buying there everyday! (that and the high prices of some of their stuff - especially furniture and lamps) It develops in 3 floors, the underground one being the largest with corridors and steps (watch out!) bringing you from room to room. Among the brands they have for home decor: Seletti, Joseph & Joseph, Le Creuset, KitchenAid and many, many more.

A fabulous Home store in Milan - a must visit for anyone looking for home decor, perfumes, kitchen,…read morepets, stationary, bedding gifts or to simply outfit their home! As a tourist in Milan my friends and I were looking for a place to explore fabulous, well curated home items. Cargo & High Tech blew us away. It's easy to get lost in the store as it's spread across several buildings over two floors - which makes it fun to explore and discover all the great product. Plan on spending a good hour or so here when you visit - you won't be disappointed!

My children and I (4 adults) took a cooking class at Chef per Caso during our stay in Genoa.  It…read morewas definitely the highlight of our trip!  Donatella and her translator (Barbara) were great host.  We prepared focaccia (2 different kinds), pesto, pasta, vegetable pie, and cookies.  Everything was made from scratch with the freshest ingredients.  The food turned out amazing!  We enjoyed eating all the food that we had cooked and they packed the leftovers for us for our train ride.  I would highly recommend this experience if you are in the area.

On our family vacation to Liguria, we attended a cooking class with Donatella while on a day trip…read moreto Genoa. This cooking class - and spending time with bubbly Donatella and her charming English speaking helper, Simona - was an absolute highlight of our trip. I emailed Donatella after seeing the listing on tripadvisor, and checking out her website and yelp. I emailed her and she responded within hours. She let me know availability and was absolutely accommodating to our request for vegetarian dishes only. I had a good feeling about the class even before we got to Genoa as Donatella 1. didn't request payment up front (always a question when booking internationally) and 2. emailed the day before to reconfirm. The price was also fair and comparable per person to cooking classes in the U.S. Her well established and equipped facility is a fifteen minute walk along mainroads from Genoa Principe station. Google walking directions were accurate - it looks confusing because of the many overpassing roads, but basically just keep walking one street up from the harbor opposite the cruise ships and you will get there just fine. We were greeted by Donatella and her friend Simona, who we understand gives excellent tours of Genoa and is a delight. Donatella had asked her to help to ensure we understood all the instructions. Six of us attended the class, each taking turns working on one of the five courses we would later be eating others observing or working on prepping for the next round. Donatella was great at demonstrating and explaining the procedure and reasoning for the various methods and ingredients - we made two variations on most dishes to contrast and compare. It was therefore fun but also truly educational. She even answered our questions about the many wonderful gadgets in her well equipped kitchen and we each left with a mental shopping list of kitchen gadgets to buy at home. The lesson moved along at a brisk pace, and soon there were delicious aromas emanating from the ovens. We wrapped up the cooking and sat down to eat all the courses we had prepared at Donatella's excellent direction. It was all delicious and a wonderful way to spend a few hours. We took home the leftovers and are excited to incorporate her recipes and techniques into our cooking at home. Molto bene!!!