All we can say is THANK YOU for everyone's continued support over the years 🙏 It means the world to us and to the community in Dasà! We all love Italy for its wonderful food, culture and people, but it's a place with its fair share of problems. Thanks to you, in some small way, we might be able to make a difference there ❤
There are a lot of small American towns with similar problems with population decline. Fortunately for Dasa it looks like there is still a lot of community cohesion to build on, and I assume they have kept the drugs out. Drugs are the deadliest problem, both actually and metaphorically, in small town America. It must be pretty amazing to the people of Dasa what has happened to the town since Eva came back from America trailing that videographer guy after her. 🙂
I can't tell you how proud I am of you guys. I live in a 1000 year old town in Ukraine that has gone through wars and the Soviet yoke. Renovating here was a nightmare but eventually we got our old home almost modern. The city, even during this current war, is making headway in restoration of old buildings and roads.. I feel your pain, and I am very very proud of you.
You put money into a community and it will grow like everything else. With more work comes more people. With more people more money is spent in the community including homes, goods, and services. Your doing a great service and that’s how you can make a difference. It only takes the first person todo it before others realize it’s possible.
American who owns a farmhouse in Italy (Umbria) here. I find the comments to this video really interesting and indicative of some subtle things that we have discovered in our property adventure, which are below the surface and many people from America would not know about. Everyone knows about the bureaucracy, the dying towns due to flight of the young, and cultural differences - those are obvious. What is not so obvious to many is that the Italians fall into many different camps in terms of their appreciation of what surrounds them. Sometimes it takes an outsider to recognize the beauty and potential of a place. We have found that many Italians, while they greatly value their cultures and above all their family traditions, feel overburdened by the stagnancy - the red tape, the fact that nothing ever changes, etc. it’s a double edged sword in that one of the main reasons Italy is so beautiful is precisely because of how difficult it is to make changes. Institutionally, they recognize this, but on an individual level, the economic realities take over, and many are forced to leave for better opportunities. Our house is in a tiny Umbrian village with one post office, one wine bar, one hair salon and one “bar,” which as the Italians know, is more than just a bar or pub; it is a cafe, a meeting spot, a place to play scopa, etc. This bar is closing down due to various reasons. We’ve dreamt of saving it: investing into it, resurrecting it, turning it back into a place where people come. We’ve found that it is much more difficult than just the money part of it. There is a great deal of cynicism in the local population. Many do not see the potential that there is in a place like this bar, just as in the video you see what happens to places like the mill. It is also very difficult to come in as an outsider/straniero and propose to improve something; we are very weary of being the outsider who comes in with a checkbook and an idealistic desire to rebuild something. In short, your video inspires me to try to save our bar, not as a monetary investment but an investment into the community. While it may not work out in the end, it is worth more effort.
hi, Thanks for sharing your story and your view as a foreigner investing in Italy. As an Italian living abroad, all I can tell you is that, as you say, you should definitely give it a try and do not mind much about what the locals say. Your opinion may be biased by many factors, which you partially listed (I would add probably feelings of envy for not having the resources to do what you want to do, among many other things that they may hide inside). As you probably know, Umbria is the new Tuscany, it's a wonderful region with people way nicer that Tuscans (I come from Puglia and I could easily sense this difference), so just believe in your project and enjoy the journey :) Good luck!
The man holding the bowl of pasta, at 13:24, is Robert Picardo who is a wonderful actor. The character I remember him most for is playing the hologram ship's doctor on Star Trek: Voyager. It's wonderful that he was at your restaurant. Love what you are doing for Dasa!!
it is a business. heritage and feeling should not be part of the calculation. it has to have enough customer to keep business profitable. There are reasons why prior restaurant(s) failed and mistake need to be corrected so new business will be success. Statistic is most restaurant will fail unless you run it really well. So many famous chief had failed because the business side of thing has to go well. Menu has to be right, quality of food has to be consistent, employees has to be good, pricing, customer flow, location and cost all has to be right. I wish them all the luck. As they said it is a rural area, not enough traffic, most locals are great in cooking so they don't eat out as much. Just not a great situation to begin with. I think they better setup constant Italian tours to come to that part of the city to drive up traffic. (if the local don't mind all the new traffic)
What a wonderful thing you both are doing Dasa looks heavenly ,and the people seem so friendly and happy , I really enjoyed hearing about your experiences with the rebuild and what this has brought to the town and its people I wished you both every success going forward ,it must be a wrench to have to leave Italy every time specially for Eva , it is so very beautiful and you both are a wonderful couple ❤
If you buy property in Italy, and especially Sicily, before paying and renovating make sure you get a property lawyer in your own country who speaks and reads Italian fluently to look through the paperwork. Make sure you OWN the property outright. There have been many including locals who have been scammed by the sellers who have paid off their lawyers to write up dodgy contracts. It happens a lot over there. I loved this video and what you’ve done for this special community.
My son is in the movie business in Los Angelos and I want to tell him about you guys and your incredible story. Under the Tuscan Sun isn’t anything, compared to your story. Starting from when you guys first met, fell in love, moved to the states and started your UA-cam channel. Then buying the restaurant and now completely reviving the beautiful town and people. And the story still has a long way to go. I know I skipped years of content but you get the idea. I think it will make the most beautiful, touching and inspiring film. I just wanted to say that. You make me smile every time I see your channel in my feed.
Update: I told my son about this and he wants to explore the possibilities. Right now he is in the very early stages of making a new movie though. They haven’t even finished the script yet and I’m going to be doing all the art for their story board and then later, for the actual movie and backgrounds. But I’m not going to forget about this story though. It’ll be awhile and I’d have to get the Pasta Grammar people on board first. lol. I forgot about them, while thinking about their amazing story. Well, I’m an artist, what can I say. lol
This is why Pasta Grammar is my favorite channel. It started as a charming cooking channel and has turned into all that you and miss Eva have put together. The joy you bring the people of Dasa and all of us who watch you is the best part of everything. Thank you :)
Harper, when you guys bought the Locanda, I thought to myself that it was going to be the catalyst to an economic boon to the little town. Well done! I can’t wait to see how this all turns out!
I'm in awe at how Italian Harper has become, from the deep-seated feeling of desperation about getting work done on the property, to the laser-accurate insights into small village relationships among people. Bravo! You deserve honorary citizenship :D
I was there in Dasa quite a few years ago my parents were both from Dasa and I had a vision of doing something similar with the town. At the time I was laughed out my the locals and was told it was impossible so I gave up on any idea of making it a tourist stop. But they were different times. I congratulate you both Harper and Eva for your great work in restoring the village it is amazing what you have both done. Btw two of thr “spice girls” are my first cousins I love them and miss them so much so thanks you for including them in your videos. Love from Australia 🇦🇺
Tourism tends to be quite difficult to inculcate where it doesn’t already exist. Where I live in Ireland there is scenery the equal of the tourist areas but it gets a fraction of the visitors each year. It’s not marketed properly as a region by the bodies tasked with doing so and there’s nothing an individual town and especially an individual business can really do the change that. Without footfall there’s no incentive to start businesses for tourists, without businesses, the tourists that do come don’t enjoy their visit as much as to more tourism orientated areas. It’s a vicious circle.
@@DreynoI love to travel all over the world, but so many of those tourist places are over touristed and no longer enjoyable due to crowds and lack of local culture. Some of us are just looking for the small but welcoming lesser known places. All you need is a few things, one or two restaurants and one or two places to stay, and then it can self perpetuate.
We don't want it to be a "tourist stop". Enough with everything being a fucking product to be sold. Especially to tourists. Tourism ruins everything original.
We live in Italy and are in the process of purchasing a house in Sardegna. We have seen many houses in a state of utter disrepair, from small towns where many people have left, to larger cities where the centro storio is basically empty. So sad! So happy you are helping to bring life back into Ava’s hometown!
@ml_g This is a small town called Cuglieri, hilly, small shops, the next big shopping center is approx. 40km away. No much entertainment, unless you just want to go for a swimming. I mean just look at it.
My wife's family is from Dasa' and imagine our surprise when the town first appeared in your videos. Love to see this revitalization going on and hope the same occurs in the hilltop towns of where my family is from in Basilicata - we loved the caciocavallo video!
You may not remember me. I'm the guy with the cookbook you gave permission to use your Lasagna. I'm proud of both of you for what you are doing to this town. You have seen the light and your path. Great success and I hope to take your classes in the future.
Thank you for not sugarcoating how difficult this all is. So many of us have, or have had, the dream of "a place in Italy." We see movies like "Under the Tuscan Sun" and think it's all fun and games. I have to admit that I envy a little bit anyone who can do this, but these villages are such a precious resource and I'm glad that you are able to, and have the intestinal fortitude, to actually get all this done.
Under the Tuscany Sun is set in Tuscany which has no issue with population decline or economy. This is Calabria, I think it is the poorest region in Italy, completely different situation
@@francescofilippi2824 Would you say that even of the small towns in area? My family is historically from Pescaglia near Lucca...but something about revitalizing a small town like Harper and Eva are helping to do is very appealing.
@@donborvio Well, according to statistics, from 1951 to 2021 Dasà had a 44% decline in population while Pescaglia, over the same period, had a 58% decline in population.
Love what you are doing! You are a catalyst for change in Dasa. I was born in Chiaravalle Centrale just north of Dasa. Moved to the US as a kid , returned to find my hometown as an adult , I go back as often as I can. Each time I return I see another business closed or abandoned house. Seeing what you are doing to preserve our beautiful culture and way of life is inspiring.
I realize that you weren't there necessarily for the whole process, but I would GUARANTEE that a video documentation of ALL of this process would make great content that would definitely make a whole other group of viewers aware of your channel! This would make a great mini series that would get significant views. Love getting to see the process and interesting to see how its done in another country!
The lived experience of community buy-in to your space is great. Reminds me of Latin America a lot: there's a saying in Spanish: where one eats, two eat. To eat in front of someone and not share your food is unthinkable.
Harper, Eva, this video brought me to tears. The beauty of Calabrian culture and life in Italy in general is wonderful. We Americans can learn from this and learn to slow down and appreciate the beauty of the land, the people, and the communal act of sitting with people to enjoy a well-prepared meal no matter how long it takes to finish. Bellissimo!!!!!! Brava!!!!
About your comment, I feel the same way 100% with you. I personally would like to get out of the toxic country, the US. I actually would love to move to Italy.
Calabria is in the Extreme South of Italy and It Is very different from Central and North Italy, If you guys think that say Rome or Milan or Florence are as rural as a Little Town in Calabria you are wrong as can be.
@@alessandrom7181 Hi, I appreciate your comment however it does come across as condescending. I am aware of the geography of Italy and that cities like Rome, Milan, or Florence are very urban compared to southern Italy. My family, on my grandfather's side, is from Foggia in Puglia and my grandmother's family is from Naples in Campania. Both of those cities are urban centers for the regions they are located in. In my comment, I was expressing my admiration and longing of a simpler life. I recently moved from Baltimore to Central Pennsylvania to that end. I appreciate the sense of community that has been expressed in this most recent video. Something that is not very easy to do in a large city.😃😃😃
1) "Slow life" is what makes nothing work there. 2) "Community" is, as he has described, the reason why you don't choose who to buy from or who to work with based on how good he can do the job, but you do that because you're socially pressured to choose him, receiving then a badly done job. Slow life and community aren't inherently bad, but they can very very often become bad if they work the way it works in those places. It's a recipe for decline and, in fact, that's what has been happening for a long time to the country, expecially in the south.
@@stefamart7 What makes things to not to work here in southern Italy is nepotism and corruption. Communities are better because at least everyone knows who is who and who does a better job than someone else, and most importantly who you can trust. I live near Naples, and here all the Comuni (which are all big, so no small communities) have some influence from at least one Camorra clan. Some mayors are some clan's puppet, and they do what suits the clans better. I don't know what the situation in Calabria is, but what i know is that in Calabria there isn't a single big successful business and that the region is poorest in Italy, and i don't think that it is a coincidence that the 'Ndrangheta, one of the world's most powerful and richest (it if were a legal company it would be in the world's top 100 richest companies) criminal organizations comes from this region.
Well that's simply fabulous! Not restoring the place to stick a couple of golden arches but to preserve the culture, the food and the history. I'd visit that town way before any city - everything is so homogenous now, this is what I want to see when I travel. Bravo!
It's expensive to have your passion but what you've gained in return in beyond a price. Also, your storytelling skills, through the art of video, is beyond compare, Harper :)
Still find it wild how you had Robert Picardo there haha, love that man! And I love this idea of restoring unused/abandoned houses! It's a way to keep the business of visitors to the town a local thing and keep on top of the numbers, ensuring all of this will benefit the community.
I moved to Italy in 2005 to a small village in Northern Italy process of getting properties redeveloped is very arduous, complicated and expensive. Very happy to see you bringing new life to the village
In no way whatsoever is this a mistake!!! it’s actually taken on a life of its own and it’s evolving and growing into something beautiful❣️❣️❣️ Thank you for planting the seed and tending to the garden while sharing it with us ♥️. I’m actually very passionate about what is happening here and what you are doing and others with you❣️❣️❣️ I had a feeling when you found this restaurant and bought it that it was going to lead to even bigger and better things for the two of you and the community. You did not disappoint❣️👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🤸🏽♀️🥰😘👍🏼
Our trip to Dasa’ in September is one of our most memorable travel experiences. The people of Dasa’ are so warm and welcoming and Harper and Eva are amazing hosts. It is so evident what positive changes have resulted from the efforts of Pasta Grammar in letting the world know that Dasa’ is worthy of being on your travel bucket list. Sue and I treasure our memories and the many friends we made in this trip.
Was going to skip this video; I'm glad I did't! Revitalising an old disused building is important. Helping to be part of revitalising a community is a rare opportunity. Thank you all for sharing
This is what the millennium will have occur. Groups of people taking care of their villages, rich stepping in to share. Share what? Not just money but Life. Thank you. Found this today. So glad to see that it is occurring. The world is Blessed by our actions that are whole, benevolent. We can do this as humans loving our life on earth. Hooray
Worthwhile and meaningful? Absolutely! Your stewardship of these priceless properties goes above and beyond La Locanda. Yours is a message not only for the people of Dasa, but also for the world. Tutti bravi!
You and Eva basically created a Community Center for Eva's quint small town. You are revitaling the ancient hill top town. You and Eva did a beautiful thing! So much to be blessed with and greatful for!
I am now emotional to tears watching this Harper! I’m going to share this, your BEST video of all with my family! The next time I’m able to travel it’s Dasa’!!! You and Eva are very wonderful people! Much love to you!
You are the new blood! And family. Must be an amazing feeling. I would probably cry if I walked in that building. Makes my mind reel with thinking of all the people and memories past and to come. Well done. Maybe someday.
What a blessing! I hope you give us a video about how you and Ava met and became the couple that you are. I never thought that becoming A follower way back when I wanted to learn some cooking techniques would turn into an investment in the lives of a very large group of Italians.😘😘😘
My heart melts at this spectacular update. I can’t afford to go on a tour but I can watch and share your videos until my eyes bleed. Power to the people. I’d buy your flour and pasta from the mill in a heart beat 💕
What you bring to town is amazing. I'm sure your influence and drive will spread to others in such a quaint place. The gardens hopefully will draw many people to plant and grow new hopes for the area.
Investing in your community is never a mistake. People see others taking action and feel compelled to do help. I frequently attend and help organise charity/community events and I love the generosity of people.
Bought the cookbook for my Nigerian wife; we plan to go through and do as many of these as possible. One day, visit this village. Your video almost brings tears to my eyes!
What a lovely story. I am a North American who has lived in Verona, up north for over 8 years... I have never experienced this kind of solidarity in the small towns here... sure there is patriotism, love for food and community, but this Desa place seems like another level! It makes me want to move!
Loved this vid, as an Italian born person living overseas. I have always said “if only Italians see what others see” to respect and love our culture is truly a gift.
So true, I had to sell “as is” an old house because I didn’t have the stamina and the time to navigate the laws of my region, province and township ordinances. Thanks
What I love about this project is that it's aimed at preserving the local culture for the local people who in return share their culture with the world. I may be wrong but the impression I get with the €1 homes scheme is that foreigners are encouraged to renovate these homes that end up becoming tourist villages divorced from local traditions and culture. Perhaps I'm mistaken. What I like about this project is that it's bringing work/business that is rooted in local culture. This is really what these areas need and in time hopefully encourage people to stay as they see are able to see a future. I hope this will inspire similar projects in other areas as well.
I absolutely love this video! To see a a small village starting to boom economically makes my heart so full. I truly believe it has a lot to do with Pasta Grammar channel, how much y’all promote the town, the love that you really show for not just the area, the people, going back to the roots and investing in what you believe in. My goal is to one day be able to go on your tour, eat amazing food, interact with amazing people, and soak up everything that it has to offer! Wishing y’all nothing but the best!!!!
Love your project of restaurant, holiday housing, creating community connections! It couldn't have developped without friendshio and family involvement. Similar abandon of beautiful villages has occured all over Europe in the past thirty years. With creativity, honesty, authenticity and time, life will come back to villages, beautiful buildings will be saved. Bravo to both of you!
The positive impact yall have had on that town is unbelievable! In uncertain times it is community that we turn to- it is community that will save us. Godspeed!
We bought "nextdoor" in Puglia last winter, work started in February, the renovations were promised to be finished "before summer" and it was actually finished in November. You do have to push all of the contractors, but that is not so different from anywhere else. Luckily there aren't earthquakes here
I have the feeling of a silver lining for these gourgeous italian small villages to rise up again - the young people of today care so much more on in what world we live and appreciate the old values more. I think these small shops will come up again, because our future generations will see, that Quality is so much more than Quantity - and first of all community is the key to survive! Thank you for your efforts and things you already achieved and go ahead! 👍👍👍😘😘🥰🥰
I think younger generations are starting to pay closer attention to these things. Fast-paced corporate competition and monopolization of certain sectors has made it so that the world and its cities are designed with a handful of styles and cheap, utilitarian appearances designed to “appeal to the masses” instead of being integrated into the local cultures and histories, the narratives that shaped humans over time. Like everyone being brainwashed to think interior decor has to be gray and beige, especially if you’re trying to sell your house. Unique cultures are beautiful and tell stories.
Seeing this update has dispelled any misgivings I had that your efforts might harm the lifestyle there. What you are doing is very noble and visionary. Very few people would have the passion. Thank you.
What a fantastic work you have going in Dasa. I did get the cookbook it is excellent! God willing my wife and I will be able to join you in Dasa one day! You know, I don’t normally reveal so much as I’m a fairly private person, opinionated, but private. This video has really touched my heart and I can see you bring a new life to the area! How exciting!
Your love of Dasa and its people has blossomed into a community filled with love, laughter, and hope. You have started something that is way bigger than the sum of its parts. Bravo to you both! Someday I hope to join you.
It’s beautiful how a project can start off as one thing and then expand in so many directions - this is incredible guys!! You are filling Dasa with new life and making the whole area a happier place. You should be very proud!!!
What began as a bit of fun has now created so much opportunity for so many. Community is always special, and you have revitalized a dormant energy; created a flux that will continue to expand and benefit all whom become affected. You've changed many peoples lives, including your own, and made the world a better place in doing so. I appreciate your videos and all you do.
All home improvement projects ALWAYS run into problems and they are ALWAYS so much worse than you can imagine. I’ve been told this many times and never took it to heart. Then I bought an as is home. It was live able but a little rough around the edges. So, I learned to believe it with my first project; removing smoke stained wallpaper. You’ve done and amazing job and it’s ALWAYS well worth it. I have also learned in my 71 years, there are no coincidences. Everything happens for a reason; that reveals itself over time.
I am 62 and have been in the building trades for 45 years! I have always been fortunate and been able to do every trade myself! I do sympathize with anyone who has to rely on others for building needs!
Amazing Harper and Eva! I am thrilled to see the progress in the town since you began this venture. Your love for Italy and desire to revitalize Dasa' is obviously contagious and I am sure the new housing and hospitality projects as well as restoring the old mill is just the beginning. May your example, passion and influence spread across to all the towns in Calabria...Bravissimi!!!
Keep the faith! It will be amazing in the end. You're transforming and revitalizing the town. Before watching your channel I didn't know much about Calabria, but now it's top of my list on my next trip to Italy.
👍I'd be on the renovation team immediately! Having been to Southern Italy a lot I was shocked how many treasures were abandoned and just crumbling away. Great you are working against it!
Love their reaction to Costco, not surprising at all… especially their reaction to the air conditioning… my family had the same feelings. Hell, my aunts were convinced that heating things up in a microwave oven would put the microwaves in their chests. Great job on the videos.
After traveling to Dasà last June, this video warmed by heart and brought tears to my eyes. We can’t wait to return! I’m so happy for you guys and most importantly for Dasà!
What a great and informative video Harper! The living quarters for you and Eva above the restaurant will be gorgeous and what a perfect solution for when you stay there. The mill purchase was terrific, how wonderful of the couple who made this happen!
What an amazing story! It’s so funny the way things work in Italy. It’s fascinating to me and truly heartwarming how things like this bring a town together. I highly recommend the book Patron Saint of Second Chances by Christine Simon. It’s about a mayor who is trying to save his small Italian village. Very humorous and heartwarming. It was the first thing I thought of when watching this video.
I can see why buildings just sit. The 'red tape' is long! And most don't seem to know what to do about it. From someone who has some Calabrian roots, you two are a treasure. 💚🇮🇹💯
Almost brought a tear to my eyes. I am half Italian, family from Pozzuoli, near Napoli and lived there briefly as a young child. The narrow streets, of old homes are clear in my memory. No running water, you carried it upstairs from nearby in town. A chamber pot was the toilet and all the cooking was done in a fireplace. I remember my grandfather holding my hand, taking me to get some gelato, and a town bonfire, where everyone was expected to toss something in. The smells of wood fired ovens and the quietness of people just walking and talking on cobblestone roads. To see the vibrant people, celebrating, using their voices, pounding the table, that was what it was like when we got together. And your wife and "niece", that hair!! That's exactly the hair my youngest daughter has, those thick curls that everyone thinks she pays someone to put in, 100% Italian roots. Bet of luck, I hope to follow your journey, here on UA-cam.
I'm glad to see that the stone buildings in Dasa are being retrofitted to withstand earthquakes. The deadliest earthquake ever recorded in Europe was centered in the strait of Messina, about 45 miles west of Dasa. Around 80,000 people were killed in Sicily and Calabria. Stone buildings really don't like to be shaken sideways. I hope that steel mesh bonded to the sides of the wall are enough to hold things together.
Yeah, that earthquake completely destroyed Dasà. Completely. There are almost no traces of the pre-earthquake buildings, so the oldest houses you'll find are from the 1800's, even though the town goes back to ancient Greek colonial times.
@@PastaGrammar That would explain why so many walls seem to be built with random materials -- stone mixed with brick -- all mortared together. They probably started rebuilding with the stuff that had collapsed onto the street during the earthquake, because one of the first things you have to do is clear the streets.
You've done more for the community than many Southerners who ran away spitting on their homeland. It really tears my heart to see so many towns and areas of my country in this slow, seemingly inevitable and never-ending decline. Thank you and congrats on your strength and tenaciousness
The ones spitting on the South of Italy are the ones who are leading this country right now and the people keep voting them for some unknown reason... I'm from the North, but I just want to leave Italy forever, because we're past the line of salvation. We can't expect a millions of Evas and Harpers to come and save the day unfortunately. I wish the best to them and all the people in Dasà, but Italy is not a place with a great future in general imho.
Sorry that both my parents offended you because they went to prosper in Canada. Though they both learned a trade in Italy, in my mother's case, she really couldn't have a future fixing the odd hemline or making the odd dress for a neighbor, while my father would chase clients because they wouldn't pay him once the work was done (he made furniture, doors and windows). So, I apologize on behalf of both my late parents that my mother made fancy wedding dresses and altered expensive suits in Canada while my father made store fixtures and was well paid for his job.
@@fuferito Spitting on your homeland is different from simply looking for a better life and keeping it in your heart. And I didn't even have in mind Italian Americans while writing the comment
@@Piggelgesicht Not what I meant. To be a Southerner who spits on your country refusing it and hating it while not doing shit for it, you don't have to emigrate. In fact, it doesn't have anything to do with leaving or staying
This is the first video I recall having a young person shown in Dasa. I was unwittingly under the impression that it was just older people in a dying village. It is nice to see there is some life there and very interesting to see it coming "back to life"
Your renovations are going as most do....everything is twice what you expect! The cost, the time, the headaches....BUT it's always worth the effort when you realize you've accomplished your goals! Lovely story.
I think what you both are doing for that small Italian village is amazing! I completely understand what renovations are like in Italy. In my father’s small Italian village in Abruzzo, we had struggles and delays in renovating an old, run-down house that he and 2 of his brothers purchased back in the late 80’s. (My Nonno sold the original house that my father and his siblings were all born and raised in when they immigrated to the US in the 1950’s.) It was only about a decade past the end of WWII and I don’t think any of them believed that they would ever return. But a few decades later, in the mid-80’s, my father and uncles made a trip back to their hometown and decided that they would be making many more visits back home during the summer months. Hence the need for a more permanent place to stay while visiting. Anyway, lots of starts, stops and plenty of red tape when trying to do anything to the house that they purchased. But eventually, it was finished and is still used quite frequently by different members of our family to this day. So, don’t worry, it will be worth the wait when your place is completely finished! I just wanted to tell you how much I have enjoyed watching these videos the past couple of years. I think you guys were still living in Maine when I first discovered your UA-cam videos. I love learning new Italian dishes that I’m not familiar with and I have tried several of Eva’s recipes and most have been well received. I myself am partial to Italian food, food from Abruzzo in particular and have learned to cook authentic recipes from my own mom, my aunts and my grandmothers quite successfully. But I still want to learn even more from other parts of Italy. So I just purchased your 1st cookbook and I can’t wait to get it and try some new dishes! I will take pics and send them to you. Ciao for now and please never stop doing what you guys are doing! 😉👍🏻
Greetings from Southern California to Harper, Eva, all the friends and family in Dasa. This is a beautiful story filled with love, community, and great food. Your projects bring hope and excitement of what is to come. I cannot wait to see the future updates. My husband and I hope to visit Dasa in the near future. ❤❤❤
I imagine the Prime Minister of Italy would be thrilled with what you all are doing, coming together to revitalize Dasá! It warms my heart and gives me hope to see the snowball of progress and especially the enthusiasm and dedication of your young "niece" to her community. My ancestors' tiny town of Roccacaramanico in Abruzzo has similarly been revitalizing and reinventing itself- as a hub for nature tourism in the surrounding mountains and national park- and it makes me proud to be descended from it. I hope to visit both "La Rocca" and Dasá someday. ❤ 🇮🇹
It's wonderful that you are reviving the town and creating jobs for the people. This is what Italy needs more of. I wish you all of the success and luck in the world. I truly enjoy your channel. Much love from Miami ❤️🌞🌊🏖️
This has to be one of my FAVORITE videos of all❣️❣️. You have accomplished somewhat of a miracle: a RESURRECTION of sorts💖. To see the reality of the state of many southern villages brings tears to my eyes, but you have brought & laid out a map for HOPE! The vibrancy of the people who live there should be matched by the buildings. Possa vivere per sempre💛❤️🧡♥️
My wife is a fan of the pioneer woman, so a few years ago we went to Pawhuska, Oklahoma Where she renovated a building to make a restaurant, shop and hotel. Subsequently the downtown area has gone through an amazing renovation with hotels and other businesses. It’s amazing what can happen when someone invest time energy and money to renovate something in a village and it leads to positive change now people feel about the place they live. congratulations
I stumbled on your channel and then this video... I LOVE IT!!! I am in a similar situation in North East Texas. I bought an old home with some land in a town that isn't a town anymore, just a few homes and a sign on the highway. After finishing my home and moving in, I found an old cemetery, over grown and forgotten, on my property. After cleaning it up and restoring the road and fence, I was told about the old church, which I started hunting for and found. after folks found out about it, I was flooded with offers to help restore this native stone, 200+ year old building. Once the roof and windows were in, people started wanting to rent it for different things to help with the costs of restoring it. The best thing that has happened is with the old cemetery. There is a group of volunteers that are going through and restoring the markers that they can, some dating back to the early 1700's and putting this once forgotten site back on the registry. I never ever planned on any of this, but my love of history and the way it has been bringing this old community together has made it something I really love!
All we can say is THANK YOU for everyone's continued support over the years 🙏 It means the world to us and to the community in Dasà! We all love Italy for its wonderful food, culture and people, but it's a place with its fair share of problems. Thanks to you, in some small way, we might be able to make a difference there ❤
There are a lot of small American towns with similar problems with population decline. Fortunately for Dasa it looks like there is still a lot of community cohesion to build on, and I assume they have kept the drugs out. Drugs are the deadliest problem, both actually and metaphorically, in small town America. It must be pretty amazing to the people of Dasa what has happened to the town since Eva came back from America trailing that videographer guy after her. 🙂
I can't tell you how proud I am of you guys. I live in a 1000 year old town in Ukraine that has gone through wars and the Soviet yoke. Renovating here was a nightmare but eventually we got our old home almost modern. The city, even during this current war, is making headway in restoration of old buildings and roads.. I feel your pain, and I am very very proud of you.
❤😍👍🙏
You put money into a community and it will grow like everything else. With more work comes more people. With more people more money is spent in the community including homes, goods, and services. Your doing a great service and that’s how you can make a difference. It only takes the first person todo it before others realize it’s possible.
This is so special!!! It's great to hear!!!
American who owns a farmhouse in Italy (Umbria) here. I find the comments to this video really interesting and indicative of some subtle things that we have discovered in our property adventure, which are below the surface and many people from America would not know about. Everyone knows about the bureaucracy, the dying towns due to flight of the young, and cultural differences - those are obvious. What is not so obvious to many is that the Italians fall into many different camps in terms of their appreciation of what surrounds them. Sometimes it takes an outsider to recognize the beauty and potential of a place. We have found that many Italians, while they greatly value their cultures and above all their family traditions, feel overburdened by the stagnancy - the red tape, the fact that nothing ever changes, etc. it’s a double edged sword in that one of the main reasons Italy is so beautiful is precisely because of how difficult it is to make changes. Institutionally, they recognize this, but on an individual level, the economic realities take over, and many are forced to leave for better opportunities. Our house is in a tiny Umbrian village with one post office, one wine bar, one hair salon and one “bar,” which as the Italians know, is more than just a bar or pub; it is a cafe, a meeting spot, a place to play scopa, etc. This bar is closing down due to various reasons. We’ve dreamt of saving it: investing into it, resurrecting it, turning it back into a place where people come. We’ve found that it is much more difficult than just the money part of it. There is a great deal of cynicism in the local population. Many do not see the potential that there is in a place like this bar, just as in the video you see what happens to places like the mill. It is also very difficult to come in as an outsider/straniero and propose to improve something; we are very weary of being the outsider who comes in with a checkbook and an idealistic desire to rebuild something. In short, your video inspires me to try to save our bar, not as a monetary investment but an investment into the community. While it may not work out in the end, it is worth more effort.
hi, Thanks for sharing your story and your view as a foreigner investing in Italy. As an Italian living abroad, all I can tell you is that, as you say, you should definitely give it a try and do not mind much about what the locals say. Your opinion may be biased by many factors, which you partially listed (I would add probably feelings of envy for not having the resources to do what you want to do, among many other things that they may hide inside). As you probably know, Umbria is the new Tuscany, it's a wonderful region with people way nicer that Tuscans (I come from Puglia and I could easily sense this difference), so just believe in your project and enjoy the journey :) Good luck!
The man holding the bowl of pasta, at 13:24, is Robert Picardo who is a wonderful actor. The character I remember him most for is playing the hologram ship's doctor on Star Trek: Voyager. It's wonderful that he was at your restaurant. Love what you are doing for Dasa!!
Preserving the heritage is NEVER a mistake.
One can do that while bringing in new ideas and make that heritage even richer.
it is a business. heritage and feeling should not be part of the calculation. it has to have enough customer to keep business profitable. There are reasons why prior restaurant(s) failed and mistake need to be corrected so new business will be success. Statistic is most restaurant will fail unless you run it really well. So many famous chief had failed because the business side of thing has to go well. Menu has to be right, quality of food has to be consistent, employees has to be good, pricing, customer flow, location and cost all has to be right. I wish them all the luck. As they said it is a rural area, not enough traffic, most locals are great in cooking so they don't eat out as much. Just not a great situation to begin with. I think they better setup constant Italian tours to come to that part of the city to drive up traffic. (if the local don't mind all the new traffic)
@ayayoutuber We BOUGHT a restaurant but we're not running a restaurant! 😉
You bought a restaurant but maid a small town in Italy a tourist spot were the community is completely involved and that’s what matters
What a wonderful thing you both are doing Dasa looks heavenly ,and the people seem so friendly and happy , I really enjoyed hearing about your experiences with the rebuild and what this has brought to the town and its people I wished you both every success going forward ,it must be a wrench to have to leave Italy every time specially for Eva , it is so very beautiful and you both are a wonderful couple ❤
If you buy property in Italy, and especially Sicily, before paying and renovating make sure you get a property lawyer in your own country who speaks and reads Italian fluently to look through the paperwork. Make sure you OWN the property outright. There have been many including locals who have been scammed by the sellers who have paid off their lawyers to write up dodgy contracts. It happens a lot over there.
I loved this video and what you’ve done for this special community.
I love this episode. It's 1 part this old house, 1 part cooking and 1 part history.
You forgot the bucket full of love.
Exactly @@mignon7777
And the cornerstone is...community!
My son is in the movie business in Los Angelos and I want to tell him about you guys and your incredible story. Under the Tuscan Sun isn’t anything, compared to your story. Starting from when you guys first met, fell in love, moved to the states and started your UA-cam channel. Then buying the restaurant and now completely reviving the beautiful town and people. And the story still has a long way to go. I know I skipped years of content but you get the idea. I think it will make the most beautiful, touching and inspiring film.
I just wanted to say that.
You make me smile every time I see your channel in my feed.
I’d watch that movie!!
Sounds like a beautiful love story!!! I would love to see it!!!
Update: I told my son about this and he wants to explore the possibilities. Right now he is in the very early stages of making a new movie though. They haven’t even finished the script yet and I’m going to be doing all the art for their story board and then later, for the actual movie and backgrounds.
But I’m not going to forget about this story though. It’ll be awhile and I’d have to get the Pasta Grammar people on board first. lol. I forgot about them, while thinking about their amazing story. Well, I’m an artist, what can I say. lol
@@donnasalvador678 isnt Harper a film/movie maker ? He used to live in LA before he got married and he was some kind of film maker.
@@anastasia10017
I believe you're correct, as i remember hearing him mention that in one of their videos
This is why Pasta Grammar is my favorite channel. It started as a charming cooking channel and has turned into all that you and miss Eva have put together. The joy you bring the people of Dasa and all of us who watch you is the best part of everything. Thank you :)
Harper, when you guys bought the Locanda, I thought to myself that it was going to be the catalyst to an economic boon to the little town. Well done! I can’t wait to see how this all turns out!
I'm in awe at how Italian Harper has become, from the deep-seated feeling of desperation about getting work done on the property, to the laser-accurate insights into small village relationships among people. Bravo! You deserve honorary citizenship :D
How a youtube couple with big hearts helped save a town! ❤
I was there in Dasa quite a few years ago my parents were both from Dasa and I had a vision of doing something similar with the town. At the time I was laughed out my the locals and was told it was impossible so I gave up on any idea of making it a tourist stop. But they were different times. I congratulate you both Harper and Eva for your great work in restoring the village it is amazing what you have both done. Btw two of thr “spice girls” are my first cousins I love them and miss them so much so thanks you for including them in your videos. Love from Australia 🇦🇺
Tourism tends to be quite difficult to inculcate where it doesn’t already exist. Where I live in Ireland there is scenery the equal of the tourist areas but it gets a fraction of the visitors each year. It’s not marketed properly as a region by the bodies tasked with doing so and there’s nothing an individual town and especially an individual business can really do the change that.
Without footfall there’s no incentive to start businesses for tourists, without businesses, the tourists that do come don’t enjoy their visit as much as to more tourism orientated areas. It’s a vicious circle.
@@Dreyno where is your town, spread the word, so people can visit. 🙏
@@DreynoI love to travel all over the world, but so many of those tourist places are over touristed and no longer enjoyable due to crowds and lack of local culture. Some of us are just looking for the small but welcoming lesser known places. All you need is a few things, one or two restaurants and one or two places to stay, and then it can self perpetuate.
We don't want it to be a "tourist stop". Enough with everything being a fucking product to be sold. Especially to tourists. Tourism ruins everything original.
@@skyboat345 Tourism creates jobs and brings money. Not everywhere needs to turn into Venice.
We live in Italy and are in the process of purchasing a house in Sardegna. We have seen many houses in a state of utter disrepair, from small towns where many people have left, to larger cities where the centro storio is basically empty. So sad! So happy you are helping to bring life back into Ava’s hometown!
I bought one, big mistake. Hope you feel comfortable.
@@Carletta-nt2xj Can you explain your experience Carletta?
@ml_g
This is a small town called Cuglieri, hilly, small shops, the next big shopping center is approx. 40km away. No much entertainment, unless you just want to go for a swimming. I mean just look at it.
The stars aligned when your parents met Eva. What a blessing you all are to each other in that community.
I was just thinking the same thing! ❤
My wife's family is from Dasa' and imagine our surprise when the town first appeared in your videos. Love to see this revitalization going on and hope the same occurs in the hilltop towns of where my family is from in Basilicata - we loved the caciocavallo video!
You may not remember me. I'm the guy with the cookbook you gave permission to use your Lasagna. I'm proud of both of you for what you are doing to this town. You have seen the light and your path. Great success and I hope to take your classes in the future.
Thank you for not sugarcoating how difficult this all is. So many of us have, or have had, the dream of "a place in Italy." We see movies like "Under the Tuscan Sun" and think it's all fun and games. I have to admit that I envy a little bit anyone who can do this, but these villages are such a precious resource and I'm glad that you are able to, and have the intestinal fortitude, to actually get all this done.
Under the Tuscany Sun is set in Tuscany which has no issue with population decline or economy. This is Calabria, I think it is the poorest region in Italy, completely different situation
@@francescofilippi2824 Would you say that even of the small towns in area? My family is historically from Pescaglia near Lucca...but something about revitalizing a small town like Harper and Eva are helping to do is very appealing.
@@donborvio Well, according to statistics, from 1951 to 2021 Dasà had a 44% decline in population while Pescaglia, over the same period, had a 58% decline in population.
@@francescofilippi2824 My point is that doing this is not as easy as it looks in the movies.
It was not all fun and games. It looked like a long, expensive, and problematic restoration process, sped up for the movie.
Love what you are doing! You are a catalyst for change in Dasa. I was born in Chiaravalle Centrale just north of Dasa. Moved to the US as a kid , returned to find my hometown as an adult , I go back as often as I can. Each time I return I see another business closed or abandoned house. Seeing what you are doing to preserve our beautiful culture and way of life is inspiring.
I realize that you weren't there necessarily for the whole process, but I would GUARANTEE that a video documentation of ALL of this process would make great content that would definitely make a whole other group of viewers aware of your channel! This would make a great mini series that would get significant views. Love getting to see the process and interesting to see how its done in another country!
The lived experience of community buy-in to your space is great. Reminds me of Latin America a lot: there's a saying in Spanish: where one eats, two eat. To eat in front of someone and not share your food is unthinkable.
Harper, Eva, this video brought me to tears. The beauty of Calabrian culture and life in Italy in general is wonderful. We Americans can learn from this and learn to slow down and appreciate the beauty of the land, the people, and the communal act of sitting with people to enjoy a well-prepared meal no matter how long it takes to finish. Bellissimo!!!!!! Brava!!!!
About your comment, I feel the same way 100% with you. I personally would like to get out of the toxic country, the US. I actually would love to move to Italy.
Calabria is in the Extreme South of Italy and It Is very different from Central and North Italy, If you guys think that say Rome or Milan or Florence are as rural as a Little Town in Calabria you are wrong as can be.
@@alessandrom7181 Hi, I appreciate your comment however it does come across as condescending. I am aware of the geography of Italy and that cities like Rome, Milan, or Florence are very urban compared to southern Italy. My family, on my grandfather's side, is from Foggia in Puglia and my grandmother's family is from Naples in Campania. Both of those cities are urban centers for the regions they are located in. In my comment, I was expressing my admiration and longing of a simpler life. I recently moved from Baltimore to Central Pennsylvania to that end. I appreciate the sense of community that has been expressed in this most recent video. Something that is not very easy to do in a large city.😃😃😃
1) "Slow life" is what makes nothing work there.
2) "Community" is, as he has described, the reason why you don't choose who to buy from or who to work with based on how good he can do the job, but you do that because you're socially pressured to choose him, receiving then a badly done job.
Slow life and community aren't inherently bad, but they can very very often become bad if they work the way it works in those places. It's a recipe for decline and, in fact, that's what has been happening for a long time to the country, expecially in the south.
@@stefamart7 What makes things to not to work here in southern Italy is nepotism and corruption. Communities are better because at least everyone knows who is who and who does a better job than someone else, and most importantly who you can trust. I live near Naples, and here all the Comuni (which are all big, so no small communities) have some influence from at least one Camorra clan. Some mayors are some clan's puppet, and they do what suits the clans better. I don't know what the situation in Calabria is, but what i know is that in Calabria there isn't a single big successful business and that the region is poorest in Italy, and i don't think that it is a coincidence that the 'Ndrangheta, one of the world's most powerful and richest (it if were a legal company it would be in the world's top 100 richest companies) criminal organizations comes from this region.
How amazing it must be to live in a community where the people genuinely give a shit about each other.
Sorry about your situation.
all small communities that need to rely on each other are like that
Well that's simply fabulous! Not restoring the place to stick a couple of golden arches but to preserve the culture, the food and the history. I'd visit that town way before any city - everything is so homogenous now, this is what I want to see when I travel. Bravo!
It's expensive to have your passion but what you've gained in return in beyond a price.
Also, your storytelling skills, through the art of video, is beyond compare, Harper :)
I am 100 percent enchanted with Pasta Grammar! These stories are incredible!
Still find it wild how you had Robert Picardo there haha, love that man! And I love this idea of restoring unused/abandoned houses! It's a way to keep the business of visitors to the town a local thing and keep on top of the numbers, ensuring all of this will benefit the community.
I moved to Italy in 2005 to a small village in Northern Italy process of getting properties redeveloped is very arduous, complicated and expensive. Very happy to see you bringing new life to the village
Keep it up. Bringing back a part of Italy that can teach the rest of the world about Italy’s heritage
In no way whatsoever is this a mistake!!! it’s actually taken on a life of its own and it’s evolving and growing into something beautiful❣️❣️❣️
Thank you for planting the seed and tending to the garden while sharing it with us ♥️.
I’m actually very passionate about what is happening here and what you are doing and others with you❣️❣️❣️
I had a feeling when you found this restaurant and bought it that it was going to lead to even bigger and better things for the two of you and the community. You did not disappoint❣️👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🤸🏽♀️🥰😘👍🏼
All the effort and money you two are putting in this project will return much more and for decades, congrats guys, it's already a huge success!
Our trip to Dasa’ in September is one of our most memorable travel experiences. The people of Dasa’ are so warm and welcoming and Harper and Eva are amazing hosts. It is so evident what positive changes have resulted from the efforts of Pasta Grammar in letting the world know that Dasa’ is worthy of being on your travel bucket list. Sue and I treasure our memories and the many friends we made in this trip.
Was going to skip this video; I'm glad I did't!
Revitalising an old disused building is important. Helping to be part of revitalising a community is a rare opportunity. Thank you all for sharing
Siete assolutamente persone squisite,brava gente. La nipotina è meravigliosa. Buon lavoro ❤
This is what the millennium will have occur. Groups of people taking care of their villages, rich stepping in to share. Share what? Not just money but Life. Thank you. Found this today. So glad to see that it is occurring. The world is Blessed by our actions that are whole, benevolent. We can do this as humans loving our life on earth. Hooray
Worthwhile and meaningful? Absolutely! Your stewardship of these priceless properties goes above and beyond La Locanda. Yours is a message not only for the people of Dasa, but also for the world. Tutti bravi!
You and Eva basically created a Community Center for Eva's quint small town. You are revitaling the ancient hill top town. You and Eva did a beautiful thing! So much to be blessed with and greatful for!
I am now emotional to tears watching this Harper! I’m going to share this, your BEST video of all with my family! The next time I’m able to travel it’s Dasa’!!! You and Eva are very wonderful people! Much love to you!
A single person can make a difference. In your case it’s two people can change a town. Congratulations!
You are the new blood! And family. Must be an amazing feeling. I would probably cry if I walked in that building. Makes my mind reel with thinking of all the people and memories past and to come. Well done. Maybe someday.
What a blessing!
I hope you give us a video about how you and Ava met and became the couple that you are.
I never thought that becoming A follower way back when I wanted to learn some cooking techniques would turn into an investment in the lives of a very large group of Italians.😘😘😘
This is by far one the coolest videos you have done, making such a big impact. Hopefully, it continues,the community seems amazing there
My heart melts at this spectacular update. I can’t afford to go on a tour but I can watch and share your videos until my eyes bleed. Power to the people. I’d buy your flour and pasta from the mill in a heart beat 💕
What you bring to town is amazing. I'm sure your influence and drive will spread to others in such a quaint place. The gardens hopefully will draw many people to plant and grow new hopes for the area.
Investing in your community is never a mistake. People see others taking action and feel compelled to do help. I frequently attend and help organise charity/community events and I love the generosity of people.
Bought the cookbook for my Nigerian wife; we plan to go through and do as many of these as possible. One day, visit this village.
Your video almost brings tears to my eyes!
What a lovely story. I am a North American who has lived in Verona, up north for over 8 years... I have never experienced this kind of solidarity in the small towns here... sure there is patriotism, love for food and community, but this Desa place seems like another level! It makes me want to move!
It's magnificent to see a village being revitalized like that.
Loved this vid, as an Italian born person living overseas. I have always said “if only Italians see what others see” to respect and love our culture is truly a gift.
So true, I had to sell “as is” an old house because I didn’t have the stamina and the time to navigate the laws of my region, province and township ordinances. Thanks
What I love about this project is that it's aimed at preserving the local culture for the local people who in return share their culture with the world. I may be wrong but the impression I get with the €1 homes scheme is that foreigners are encouraged to renovate these homes that end up becoming tourist villages divorced from local traditions and culture. Perhaps I'm mistaken. What I like about this project is that it's bringing work/business that is rooted in local culture. This is really what these areas need and in time hopefully encourage people to stay as they see are able to see a future. I hope this will inspire similar projects in other areas as well.
I absolutely love this video! To see a a small village starting to boom economically makes my heart so full. I truly believe it has a lot to do with Pasta Grammar channel, how much y’all promote the town, the love that you really show for not just the area, the people, going back to the roots and investing in what you believe in.
My goal is to one day be able to go on your tour, eat amazing food, interact with amazing people, and soak up everything that it has to offer!
Wishing y’all nothing but the best!!!!
This chokes me up. Incredible things are happening.
Love your project of restaurant, holiday housing, creating community connections! It couldn't have developped without friendshio and family involvement. Similar abandon of beautiful villages has occured all over Europe in the past thirty years. With creativity, honesty, authenticity and time, life will come back to villages, beautiful buildings will be saved. Bravo to both of you!
This is how it MUST be with beautiful old properties. Thank you for putting in this enormous effort!
The positive impact yall have had on that town is unbelievable! In uncertain times it is community that we turn to- it is community that will save us. Godspeed!
The citizenry know how to GET DOWN!
Thanks for revitalizing the town.
We bought "nextdoor" in Puglia last winter, work started in February, the renovations were promised to be finished "before summer" and it was actually finished in November. You do have to push all of the contractors, but that is not so different from anywhere else. Luckily there aren't earthquakes here
Mates you're doing GREAT , If you both ever decide to visit Tuscany please be my guests....We need more of people like You
I have the feeling of a silver lining for these gourgeous italian small villages to rise up again - the young people of today care so much more on in what world we live and appreciate the old values more. I think these small shops will come up again, because our future generations will see, that Quality is so much more than Quantity - and first of all community is the key to survive! Thank you for your efforts and things you already achieved and go ahead! 👍👍👍😘😘🥰🥰
I think younger generations are starting to pay closer attention to these things. Fast-paced corporate competition and monopolization of certain sectors has made it so that the world and its cities are designed with a handful of styles and cheap, utilitarian appearances designed to “appeal to the masses” instead of being integrated into the local cultures and histories, the narratives that shaped humans over time. Like everyone being brainwashed to think interior decor has to be gray and beige, especially if you’re trying to sell your house. Unique cultures are beautiful and tell stories.
Seeing this update has dispelled any misgivings I had that your efforts might harm the lifestyle there. What you are doing is very noble and visionary. Very few people would have the passion. Thank you.
What a fantastic work you have going in Dasa. I did get the cookbook it is excellent! God willing my wife and I will be able to join you in Dasa one day! You know, I don’t normally reveal so much as I’m a fairly private person, opinionated, but private. This video has really touched my heart and I can see you bring a new life to the area! How exciting!
Your love of Dasa and its people has blossomed into a community filled with love, laughter, and hope. You have started something that is way bigger than the sum of its parts. Bravo to you both! Someday I hope to join you.
It’s beautiful how a project can start off as one thing and then expand in so many directions - this is incredible guys!! You are filling Dasa with new life and making the whole area a happier place. You should be very proud!!!
What began as a bit of fun has now created so much opportunity for so many. Community is always special, and you have revitalized a dormant energy; created a flux that will continue to expand and benefit all whom become affected. You've changed many peoples lives, including your own, and made the world a better place in doing so. I appreciate your videos and all you do.
All home improvement projects ALWAYS run into problems and they are ALWAYS so much worse than you can imagine. I’ve been told this many times and never took it to heart. Then I bought an as is home. It was live able but a little rough around the edges. So, I learned to believe it with my first project; removing smoke stained wallpaper. You’ve done and amazing job and it’s ALWAYS well worth it.
I have also learned in my 71 years, there are no coincidences. Everything happens for a reason; that reveals itself over time.
I am 62 and have been in the building trades for 45 years! I have always been fortunate and been able to do every trade myself! I do sympathize with anyone who has to rely on others for building needs!
Amazing Harper and Eva! I am thrilled to see the progress in the town since you began this venture. Your love for Italy and desire to revitalize Dasa' is obviously contagious and I am sure the new housing and hospitality projects as well as restoring the old mill is just the beginning. May your example, passion and influence spread across to all the towns in Calabria...Bravissimi!!!
This can be a small starter. Where can we financially contribute to your endeavors to revitalize Dasà? God bless y'all 🙏🏼
Thank you! Write us an email and we can answer to all your questions! ♥️
Terrific efforts. Thanks. I may never get there but love that humans who can do the work WILL do the work for us all.
People like you will always be welcome here in Italy. Benvenuto e grazie .
P.S.
we need more couples like Harper & Eva to help restore and revitalize many dying little towns in Italy.
Arriviamo 😊
Can't think of anything better than this...SUBSCRIBED.
Seeing this makes me very happy. God's blessings for your efforts ❤
Harper and Eva you made me cry tears of joy and endearment...an American of abruzzo descent❤
Keep the faith! It will be amazing in the end. You're transforming and revitalizing the town. Before watching your channel I didn't know much about Calabria, but now it's top of my list on my next trip to Italy.
Everyone across this entire planet should be as joyous as the people of Dasà are in the videos you have posted.
👍I'd be on the renovation team immediately!
Having been to Southern Italy a lot I was shocked how many treasures were abandoned and just crumbling away. Great you are working against it!
Love their reaction to Costco, not surprising at all… especially their reaction to the air conditioning… my family had the same feelings. Hell, my aunts were convinced that heating things up in a microwave oven would put the microwaves in their chests. Great job on the videos.
After traveling to Dasà last June, this video warmed by heart and brought tears to my eyes. We can’t wait to return! I’m so happy for you guys and most importantly for Dasà!
What a great and informative video Harper! The living quarters for you and Eva above the restaurant will be gorgeous and what a perfect solution for when you stay there. The mill purchase was terrific, how wonderful of the couple who made this happen!
What an amazing story! It’s so funny the way things work in Italy. It’s fascinating to me and truly heartwarming how things like this bring a town together. I highly recommend the book Patron Saint of Second Chances by Christine Simon. It’s about a mayor who is trying to save his small Italian village. Very humorous and heartwarming. It was the first thing I thought of when watching this video.
I can see why buildings just sit. The 'red tape' is long! And most don't seem to know what to do about it. From someone who has some Calabrian roots, you two are a treasure. 💚🇮🇹💯
Such a beautiful story. Thanks for bringing us all along. More power to you all!
Almost brought a tear to my eyes. I am half Italian, family from Pozzuoli, near Napoli and lived there briefly as a young child. The narrow streets, of old homes are clear in my memory. No running water, you carried it upstairs from nearby in town. A chamber pot was the toilet and all the cooking was done in a fireplace.
I remember my grandfather holding my hand, taking me to get some gelato, and a town bonfire, where everyone was expected to toss something in. The smells of wood fired ovens and the quietness of people just walking and talking on cobblestone roads.
To see the vibrant people, celebrating, using their voices, pounding the table, that was what it was like when we got together.
And your wife and "niece", that hair!! That's exactly the hair my youngest daughter has, those thick curls that everyone thinks she pays someone to put in, 100% Italian roots.
Bet of luck, I hope to follow your journey, here on UA-cam.
Yes! Revitalize! Rebuild!
You two should be commended for being such wonderful humans!!! I hope to travel to Dasa one day and eat in your restaurant!!! Blessings to you both.
I'm glad to see that the stone buildings in Dasa are being retrofitted to withstand earthquakes. The deadliest earthquake ever recorded in Europe was centered in the strait of Messina, about 45 miles west of Dasa. Around 80,000 people were killed in Sicily and Calabria. Stone buildings really don't like to be shaken sideways. I hope that steel mesh bonded to the sides of the wall are enough to hold things together.
Yeah, that earthquake completely destroyed Dasà. Completely. There are almost no traces of the pre-earthquake buildings, so the oldest houses you'll find are from the 1800's, even though the town goes back to ancient Greek colonial times.
@@PastaGrammar That would explain why so many walls seem to be built with random materials -- stone mixed with brick -- all mortared together. They probably started rebuilding with the stuff that had collapsed onto the street during the earthquake, because one of the first things you have to do is clear the streets.
You guys blow my mind - you exemplify how we can all "be the change we want to see in the world"! I can't wait to see what you will do in the future!
You've done more for the community than many Southerners who ran away spitting on their homeland. It really tears my heart to see so many towns and areas of my country in this slow, seemingly inevitable and never-ending decline. Thank you and congrats on your strength and tenaciousness
Spitting on their homeland or not having the money for such a project isn't the same, though. Don't judge too easily.
The ones spitting on the South of Italy are the ones who are leading this country right now and the people keep voting them for some unknown reason... I'm from the North, but I just want to leave Italy forever, because we're past the line of salvation. We can't expect a millions of Evas and Harpers to come and save the day unfortunately. I wish the best to them and all the people in Dasà, but Italy is not a place with a great future in general imho.
Sorry that both my parents offended you because they went to prosper in Canada.
Though they both learned a trade in Italy, in my mother's case, she really couldn't have a future fixing the odd hemline or making the odd dress for a neighbor, while my father would chase clients because they wouldn't pay him once the work was done (he made furniture, doors and windows).
So, I apologize on behalf of both my late parents that my mother made fancy wedding dresses and altered expensive suits in Canada while my father made store fixtures and was well paid for his job.
@@fuferito Spitting on your homeland is different from simply looking for a better life and keeping it in your heart. And I didn't even have in mind Italian Americans while writing the comment
@@Piggelgesicht Not what I meant. To be a Southerner who spits on your country refusing it and hating it while not doing shit for it, you don't have to emigrate. In fact, it doesn't have anything to do with leaving or staying
This is the first video I recall having a young person shown in Dasa. I was unwittingly under the impression that it was just older people in a dying village. It is nice to see there is some life there and very interesting to see it coming "back to life"
Your renovations are going as most do....everything is twice what you expect! The cost, the time, the headaches....BUT it's always worth the effort when you realize you've accomplished your goals! Lovely story.
I think what you both are doing for that small Italian village is amazing! I completely understand what renovations are like in Italy. In my father’s small Italian village in Abruzzo, we had struggles and delays in renovating an old, run-down house that he and 2 of his brothers purchased back in the late 80’s. (My Nonno sold the original house that my father and his siblings were all born and raised in when they immigrated to the US in the 1950’s.) It was only about a decade past the end of WWII and I don’t think any of them believed that they would ever return. But a few decades later, in the mid-80’s, my father and uncles made a trip back to their hometown and decided that they would be making many more visits back home during the summer months. Hence the need for a more permanent place to stay while visiting. Anyway, lots of starts, stops and plenty of red tape when trying to do anything to the house that they purchased. But eventually, it was finished and is still used quite frequently by different members of our family to this day. So, don’t worry, it will be worth the wait when your place is completely finished! I just wanted to tell you how much I have enjoyed watching these videos the past couple of years. I think you guys were still living in Maine when I first discovered your UA-cam videos. I love learning new Italian dishes that I’m not familiar with and I have tried several of Eva’s recipes and most have been well received. I myself am partial to Italian food, food from Abruzzo in particular and have learned to cook authentic recipes from my own mom, my aunts and my grandmothers quite successfully. But I still want to learn even more from other parts of Italy. So I just purchased your 1st cookbook and I can’t wait to get it and try some new dishes! I will take pics and send them to you. Ciao for now and please never stop doing what you guys are doing! 😉👍🏻
Greetings from Southern California to Harper, Eva, all the friends and family in Dasa. This is a beautiful story filled with love, community, and great food. Your projects bring hope and excitement of what is to come. I cannot wait to see the future updates. My husband and I hope to visit Dasa in the near future. ❤❤❤
I imagine the Prime Minister of Italy would be thrilled with what you all are doing, coming together to revitalize Dasá! It warms my heart and gives me hope to see the snowball of progress and especially the enthusiasm and dedication of your young "niece" to her community.
My ancestors' tiny town of Roccacaramanico in Abruzzo has similarly been revitalizing and reinventing itself- as a hub for nature tourism in the surrounding mountains and national park- and it makes me proud to be descended from it. I hope to visit both "La Rocca" and Dasá someday. ❤ 🇮🇹
It's wonderful that you are reviving the town and creating jobs for the people. This is what Italy needs more of. I wish you all of the success and luck in the world. I truly enjoy your channel. Much love from Miami ❤️🌞🌊🏖️
This has to be one of my FAVORITE videos of all❣️❣️. You have accomplished somewhat of a miracle: a RESURRECTION of sorts💖. To see the reality of the state of many southern villages brings tears to my eyes, but you have brought & laid out a map for HOPE! The vibrancy of the people who live there should be matched by the buildings. Possa vivere per sempre💛❤️🧡♥️
My favourite Pasta Grammar video by far! Your channel is literally contributing to revive an entire community! This is amazing! God bless you ❤🎉🎉
My wife is a fan of the pioneer woman, so a few years ago we went to Pawhuska, Oklahoma Where she renovated a building to make a restaurant, shop and hotel. Subsequently the downtown area has gone through an amazing renovation with hotels and other businesses. It’s amazing what can happen when someone invest time energy and money to renovate something in a village and it leads to positive change now people feel about the place they live. congratulations
What a wonderful story. I’m so happy for you and the town.
I stumbled on your channel and then this video... I LOVE IT!!! I am in a similar situation in North East Texas. I bought an old home with some land in a town that isn't a town anymore, just a few homes and a sign on the highway. After finishing my home and moving in, I found an old cemetery, over grown and forgotten, on my property. After cleaning it up and restoring the road and fence, I was told about the old church, which I started hunting for and found. after folks found out about it, I was flooded with offers to help restore this native stone, 200+ year old building. Once the roof and windows were in, people started wanting to rent it for different things to help with the costs of restoring it. The best thing that has happened is with the old cemetery. There is a group of volunteers that are going through and restoring the markers that they can, some dating back to the early 1700's and putting this once forgotten site back on the registry.
I never ever planned on any of this, but my love of history and the way it has been bringing this old community together has made it something I really love!