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In this episode, we try to give you a bit of behind the scenes look at what it\\u2019s like to run a villa, especially from the tour and vacation rental aspect.

We cover all sorts of topics, including:

\\u2022\\xa0 Breakfasts, as far as what we serve and why a simple breakfast is never a simple breakfast

\\u2022\\xa0 Laundry.\\xa0 Again, while for most a load of laundry here and there during their week is a normal chore.\\xa0 There\\u2019s nothing normal about it when you have 10 bedrooms of sheets and towels to wash each week.\\xa0 Plus, you have to head down to hang them up to dry, which is another trip in and of itself.

\\u2022\\xa0 Meals.\\xa0 How we design meals and cook them, with and without guests.\\xa0 If you\\u2019ve ever made a big holiday meal for your family, you probably have some idea the amount of work that goes into that.\\xa0 So when are cooking for say 15 to 20 people each day, the chopping, cooking, and cleaning all add up.

\\u2022 Touring.\\xa0 Paul is the man who drives everyone around on tours.\\xa0 So after breakfast, he\\u2019s driving everyone to the next site and leading the tour at that location.\\xa0 He also sticks with everyone to order everything for each meal, and make sure everyone is taken care of at the restaurant.

\\u2022 Shopping.\\xa0 This is never a quick task when food shopping in Italy. You could just go to a supermarket, but we never do.\\xa0 So you head to your butcher.\\xa0 Then the local produce vendor (aka farm stand essentially).\\xa0 The baker/breadman.\\xa0 The local cheesemaker.\\xa0 Etc. Etc. Etc.\\xa0 We, of course, have our favorites spread all over town.\\xa0 So Paul is either driving guests around to visit each store during our tour.\\xa0 Or if we are making meals for guests, he is doing the shopping for that.

\\u2022\\xa0 Cleaning.\\xa0 This isn\\u2019t just about a turnover day, which is always a very long day, but also about during the week.\\xa0 On the turnover day, you have to clean up the whole villa. Which meals cleaning 10 bedrooms, 2 common rooms, the kitchen, and all the outside spaces.\\xa0 During the week, there\\u2019s just normal everyday cleaning, but also clean up after a meal with guests. Which if you are serving a four-course meal to 20 people means 80 plates alone, not counting pots, glasses, etc.

\\u2022\\xa0 Entertaining.\\xa0 Probably the most fun, but this would include handling happy hour drinks, taking guests on special outings, and at as a concierge.\\xa0

\\u2022 Product work.\\xa0 So when we don\\u2019t have guests, we switch to making products to sell to mainly the U.S.\\xa0 So this includes, of course, harvesting olives, taking them to the mill, etc.\\xa0 It includes catching up on inventory and making other products like our conserves.\\xa0 It\\u2019s putting labels on all the packaging and making sure everything is ready to ship the states.\\xa0 All the stuff you might think of with a business like that.

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So, that\\u2019s just a bit of our excuse for being so tardy with doing more podcasts, but we do hope to do more very soon!