The term "shaken not stirred" has taken on a new meaning on the set of the latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace". A stunt driver crashed 007's Aston Martin into Lake Garda in northern Italy. The driver was delivering the Aston Martin to the film set in heavy rain when he lost control around one of the lake's narrow curves: he wasn't hurt but the $300 000 car was a write off.

My wife Ginny happened to be in Riva del Garda (visual tour here) where the crew is filming; she and a couple of our friends are staying at our house ‘Villa Teggiole’ to get the house ready for the rental season; if you are interested in renting a villa overlooking the largest and most beautiful lake in Italy than check out our website www.VillaTeggiole.com where you can read all the details and see the pictures.

Ginny told me that my Italian cousin, Mauro Morandi, who is an ambulance driver, is present at the film set in case somebody would get hurt. Yesterday, they were filming in Limone; a quaint little town right on the lake. I have always loved this part of Italy. Ginny saw the ambulance go by with sirens on and and Mauro driving. Most likely he was taking the injured driver from the second crash in two days to the hospital.

In my previous life when I worked for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, I used to travel all over the world but every time when I came back to Lake Garda I thought this is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. For Ginny’s friends, Rebecca and Michelle, it is their first time at our house and they are both blown away by the beauty of the area. The last couple of days they have visited: Malcesine, Limone, Torbole and Riva del Garda. Tomorrow they will be in Venice which is only 2 hours away and on Friday they will visit Verona, the town of Romeo and Juliette, at the south part of Lake Garda.

Ginny and I are Realtors in the Bay Area. Together, with our partners, we form the real estate team Harper Mees and Associates. In addition to being experts on local residential real estate, we specialize in international real estate and foreign investors, people that are relocating for work or people that are looking for properties abroad. Since we are opening our first European office in The Hague in The Netherlands later this year, we have decided to sell the villa; a great opportunity for anybody who is looking for a brand new villa on a private location, with a pool and overlooking vineyards and amazing views of the Dolomites and Lake Garda  - details here.