I have no proof that when my sister, Michelle came to visit with her husband and daughter (David and Elsa) that he was the tallest man in all of Italy… but I’d say there’s a good shot! When I picked them up at the airport, I simply looked for the tallest/shortest couple combo possible (he’s a hair over 6’8″ and she’s a modest 5’2″). I spotted them instantly and helped them get some caffeine before taking them home for our big Italian lunch.
David, Elsa and Michelle – he’s crouching down to make it in the frame
Julia’s younger cousin, Elsa was her newest obsession and she had been excited all week leading up to their visit. She would wake up every day and scroll to some of the video’s or pictures we had on our iPad and scream “ELSA!” When the real thing walked (or rather, crawled) through the door – she was like a kid on Christmas. She couldn’t stop hugging and kissing her. Although, she had an awkward way of pulling her in by the neck – so much so that we dubbed Julia the, “Scranton Strangler” (you “Office” fans will get the reference).
The girls all reunited – Julia just wanted to kiss Elsa all the time
“Is my cousin trying to strangle me?!”
Michelle and David have a high-paced, action-packed lifestyle in Chicago and they were looking forward to a couple weeks of unplugging from their demanding jobs that they both do so well. We were happy to accommodate and show them a slow-paced trip filled with lots of good food and wine. We spent a couple days in the area, taking it easy. We visited the local park with the girls, we walked around downtown Como, we drove through many of the smaller lake towns. I showed David my favorite 5k loop and we went running together nearly every morning. Michelle cracked up one day after her privacy was invaded by our little Julia, somewhere in the beginning stages of potty training. She barged in and saw Michelle on the “potty” and declared to her, “Michelle… potty… YAHHH!”
The girls playing at the park
Jules sporting a pose in Como
It was drizzling when we went to Menaggio
Getting close to the ducks
Elsa fell in love with Italian food – especially risotto
“Mom, why is Julia always all up on my grill?!”
The day we spent driving around the lake was not the most cooperative of days – the temperature was pleasant, but the views were impeded by a haze and a constant drizzle dampened our tour. We stopped for a coffee and a leg-strech in one of our favorite towns, Menaggio before two fussy babies told us it was time to get home. On our way back, the constant drizzle gave us a wonderful gift – a double rainbow! This was something I’d personally never seen and only heard about in the internet-sensation youtube video.
We pulled over and took about 10,000 photos. Below are my favorites.
You could really see both rainbows so clearly
The “inside” rainbow landed directly on Bellagio
All the girls
Family photo
David shooting the rainbow
The original plan for Michelle and David’s vacation was to spend a week with us and another week exploring another part of Europe. We convinced them that it was much easier to just stay with us, making our place the home-base. So a few days into the trip, they planned to go to Cinque Terre. Jen and I had plenty to keep us busy around the house so we sent them off exploring on their own.
Levanto (David’s photo)
Cinque Terre is a beautiful gem in the Italian Riveria. The area consists of five rural fishing villages (the name means, “five lands“) that are interconnected via a pedestrian walkway. I first discovered this not-so-well-known destination 10 years ago during a study abroad and instantly fell in love. Today, the popularity of the place has reached stratospheric heights and tourists from all over the world come to see the uniquely beautiful terrain. While the change in visitors has altered the local landscape and flavor, it does not deteriorate the beauty of the villages themselves. Michelle and David selected a beautiful B&B in a town just outside Cinque Terre, Levanto which offers beautiful panoramics of the area. They had such a lovely time that they extended their trip by an extra day to really soak it all up. I borrowed a few of David’s photos in order to post them.
Momma with her baby
Elsa, the little adventurer
When they returned from their road trip, we spent a few more days locally (the seemingly endless rain kept us close to home) before embarking on another trip, this time all together. The destination – Tuscany. The specific area – open ended. Tuscany is probably the most well known region in Italy. What many people don’t realize is that it’s quite large with a lot of wonderful places to see. What you can’t do is pick a bad area, so I was confident that my internet search would yield a choice that was at least suitable for us. I underestimated just how perfect a location we would discover. A search across many of my favorite websites for this type of thing (trip-advisor, booking.com, agriturismo.net, etc.) lead me to a B&B in the Chianti region of central Tuscany. Borgo Sicelle was the perfect place. The location (midway between Florence and Sienna) offered us a chance to embark on great day trips. The property (originally an old farmhouse, carefully renovated) allowed us to rent a small apartment with individual rooms and a kitchen. The owners (Franco and Silvia) were so hospitable that we had everything we could want and more (including pack-n-plays in each bedroom). I don’t usually use this blog as a forum to recommend places to eat, see or stay (at least not intentionally) – but I will in this case. If you find yourself in Tuscany, stay at Borgo Sicelle!
Borgo Sicelle from the road
Inside one of the courtyards, showing some of the apartments
Another apartment with their own outdoor tables
One view from the property – the large open patch is a vineyard
Directly across is a small trattoria (restaurant) and next door is a church
Our “front yard”… at least for a few days
The upper terrace
When we arrived, Franco gave us the lay of the land. He also gifted us a bottle of wine made by his brother-in-law (a Chianti, of course) and helped us get settled in by touring us around his amazing property (complete with several private apartments, infinity pool, multiple terraces, a playground, rec room and more). He also explained that many of the local restaurants were participating in a pseudo “restaurant-week” where they were offering pre-fix menu’s at discounted prices. Silvia helped us call and make a reservation at a restaurant, La Torre in Castellina in Chianti, one of the main villages in the area. We arrived on time for our 7:00pm reservation and didn’t leave until all six courses had been served and we’d had our grappa. It was close to 11:00pm by the time we got home and got the girls in bed.
Outside the restaurant
Night fell while we were inside
The Rocca of Castellina at night
Another angle of the Rocca
Julia was exhausted by the time we got home
The next day, we all took our coffee outside before setting out on an excursion Franco helped us script. We visited a few of the nearby villages, including a stopover for lunch in Volpaia – a medieval village that is as rich in history and beauty as it is in quality wine.
Coffee on our patio
Exploring Volpaia
We had a wonderful lunch here
After lunch Julia took a stroll
David tried to keep up
The girls had fun together
Julia calling out to the people below
Looking cool with mommy
A street scene in Volpaia
Another street
In the center of town
At the end of the day, we pulled together a nice selection of food (meats, cheeses, olives, sardines, etc.) and dined outside while the sun set behind us.
Rustic dinner we threw together to dine al fresco
About to sit down to dinner
The girls were quick to finish eating so they could play
We loved the sunset
The Tuscan hills came to life with such vibrant colors
The following day we went to Siena, a short 30 minute drive from our hotel. Siena was settled by the Etrucans between 900 – 400 BC. Today, it stands as one of the most visited locations in Italy. The city center has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Besides the rich art, architecture, museums and cuisine – the city is famously known for Il Palio, a horserace held twice a year in the main square, Piazza del Campo.
Julia and Michelle made matching braids for the day
Inside Piazza del Campo
Teaching Julia how to use the camera
I took her for a walk in the piazza
Michelle with her hands full
Julia ate all of my mint gelatto
At the end of the day, we swung back by Castellina in Chianti to visit the Macellaio (butcher) and pick up some fresh fruit and vegetables. We had seen Franco using the BBQ the night before and David and I couldn’t get it out of our mind. Our first choice to grill… a big hunk of cinghiale (boar), a specialty of the Tuscan region. Unfortunately, the only boar he had in that day was in a salami (which we got – delicious). For the BBQ, we opted for another Tuscan speciality, bistecca (steak) and salsiccia (sausage). As David and I approached the grill, we admitted to each other that it had been a while since either of us had grilled using charcoal (hedging in case either of us made a critical error). We were further handicapped by the fact that the charcoal provided wasn’t the posh, self-burning American kind – but rather some hard-to-light wood variation. Finally, we both had the gnawing image of Franco’s perfect coals glowing like small pillows delivered straight from Hades the night before. We managed to get enough of a fire going to grill meat – our manhood was in tact and we delivered perfectly cooked steak and sausage to the family. Thousands of years of genetic programing proved to be successful.
The butcher wielding his tools
Julia helped us pick our fruit
We had some of the antipasti in front of our “house” before the grilling commenced
Salami (boar salami on the left) and bread
Jen helping us stoke the fire
Our steaks!
A finocchio (fennel) salad
We had learned that we were a “three-bottle” family
Eventually, our time in Chianti came to an end (even after extending an extra day) and we headed back to home to Como. Sadly, Michelle and David’s visit to Italy had also come to an end and we helped Michelle pack for her flight home the next day. What about David, you ask? Well, he must have liked us so much that he stayed an extra night and flew to London the day following day on a business trip. We were thrilled to host their little family, Julia loved having Elsa and we will always remember that trip to Tuscany as something truly special.
Another edition in the series that highlights differences between our native America and Italy. In the first post (HERE), I briefly touched on small things such as uniquely Italian keys while in Part II (HERE), I expanded the list to include differences in culinary habits, banking and shopping. Like a Hobbit collecting stories or a dragon stashing treasure, I have been storing many more of gems for a later blog post (I just finished re-reading The Hobbit… that may explain those metaphors).
Much like the last post in this series, I will try to organize these examinations of our culture differences in their family of origin. The previous post also exclusively featured cultural digressions that we determined to be more positive than what we grew up accustomed to seeing. Here, we take the gloves off and highlight the good, the bad and the ugly – tutti (all).
♠♣♥♦ ♠♣♥♦ ♠♣♥♦
DRIVING
Like in the US – cars, trucks and motorcycles are the most common form of transport. We have spent a lot of time ourselves in our beloved little car touring the country and so, naturally we noticed quite a few differences.
Where are all the traffic lights?! If there are hardly any traffic lights in an entire country, how are there not piles of collisions and pent up road rage? Well, it’s because the Italians adopt a much more efficient system by maximizing the rotundo (roundabout). The roundabout dates back as far as 1768, with more well-known examples as far back as 1907 (around the Arc de Triomphe). More modern uses of the traffic-calming system were implemented in the 1960’s throughout Europe. Washington DC is one of the few US cities that actively adopted the roundabout, so the custom was not entirely foreign to us (it can be intimidating for newer drivers). I love blowing through a roundabout when I’m late for something instead of waiting anxiously at a red light for up to five minutes.
A roundabout in our town
Zzzzoooom!! What was THAT?! If you’re driving on four wheels you have to be aggressive just to fit in. In fact, you’re more likely to get in an accident if you’re timid or ride your breaks. Since I was probably already considered an aggressive driver by US standards, I feel right at home here. But what I can’t wrap my brain around is the motorcycles. They blow past traffic at double the speed limit and everyone just seems to accept it as normal. You can be driving at a comfortable 120 km/hr and feel like you’re standing still as three or four Ducati’s blow right past you. They pass other cars and each other, while facing oncoming traffic, in the rain and around blind corners. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.
Watch out for those crazy motorcycle riders
That better not be your car in the left lane! Don’t you dare drive slowly in the left lane here. And by slowly, I mean passing cars at 90 mph. If you’re not flying, the left lane is not for you. Along with the aforementioned motorcycles passing in the blink of an eye, you’d better keep an eye out for that Alfa Romeo that will drive three inches behind your bumper until you move into the right lane. I used to pull that tactic in the US (riding bumpers of anyone that dared to drive in the left lane)… man, is it annoying!
You trust me to do what now?! Some things are a long-forgotten memory from an era far gone. 25¢ phone calls, hand-cranked car windows and floppy disks are all things of the past. I thought pumping your gas first and paying second also fit into that category. But here, people are a bit more trusting. And it’s nice. Reminds me of a more innocent time. The first few times I tried to pump my gas, I kept searching for that mistrusting credit card machine, until I realized that it’s a “pump-first pay-later” society. Which is kind of surprising, because…
Gas costs how much, again?! Did I hear you complain about the price you just paid at the pump? Is it the current administration’s fault? Or perhaps the previous administration? Go ahead and tell me all about how you just came close to hitting $4/gallon during the high-travel season… I remember when I used to grumble about that too. Never again. I was happy to see gas was so cheap here at first. Then I realized it was price per liter. And in Euro’s. I did the conversion one time (also… never again) and realized I was paying almost $9.50/gallon. I threw up a little on my sneakers.
Gas costs how much?!
A TIME ONCE LOST
Pumping your gas first and paying second is just one example of the trusting and warm society we’ve encountered while living here. Many (many, many) things here are rooted in tradition, which lends to a more easy-going lifestyle. One of relationships and trustworthiness. Personally, I find it refreshing.
I’d like to withdrawal some money please. Think about your bank. When you go there to conduct business, did you have your ID? Your ATM card and PIN code? Your account number? You bet you did. It just occurred to me recently that I’ve been walking into my local bank branch for months without knowing my account number, presenting an ID or passing any form of security check. This may sound somewhat alarming, but I kind of like it. They just know me. And I know them. It’s the same three people and they always help me find my account and transact my business. It sort of has that Mayberry vibe, where your smile and handshake are good enough.
Don’t feel well? Call the doctor and sit back. Doctor’s make house calls? Seriously? That’s amazing. The “house-call” era ended long before Jen and I grew up. We were surprised recently to see a doctor leaving a neighbor’s apartment. He even had the little black medical bag, like something straight out of a movie. Of course, they have normal doctors offices and hospitals, but apparently they also make house calls.
Don’t expect me to jump up to help you. The “slow-going, there’s time to do that later approach” can be charming, but at times it can also be madening. The local definition of customer service is uniquely Italian. It means, “I will be happy to help you… just as soon as I’m finished doing whatever it is I’m doing.” For example, when buying my car (which was an ordeal worthy of it’s own blog-post) the salesman would constantly show up late for appointments (slowly finishing his coffee at a nearby bar), take phone calls resulting in long conversations while I stared awkwardly at the wall and require me to come back multiple times for paperwork he could have mailed. “Surely, that must be isolated to this particular guy” you say. Wrong. Go to the bank. Just be sure you’ve planned for over an hour, because you will wait. Go to the butcher… or florist… or anywhere. Just be prepared to wait. Please understand – I don’t mean to say that people aren’t pleasant. They are incredibly nice and love to chat about nothing and everything. The only problem is that the 5 people waiting behind you are doing just that… waiting. Multi-tasking customer service is a concept that hasn’t arrived.
Babies get all the love. I had heard that Italians were incredibly nice to babies before we got here. I had no idea just how true that was. It’s not unusual to be stopped time and time again by kindly older ladies or men, asking Julia come ti chiami (what’s your name?). But even the younger kids (the tweens that don’t yet realize life exists outside of Facebook) are incredibly nice to babies. We recently took Julia to the doctor for a check-up and the pediatrician was as sweet as could be. He complimented Julia and even gave her a couple kisses on the check. As born and raised American’s our instinct was to think it peculiar (and even get a bit defensive) that a stranger kissed our daughter. But it was so very sweet and affectionate that we charmed by the act.
Some friends of friends… they just took to Julia and she took to them
Julia made a friend and shared her Nonno Franco with her
BABIES
Jen is the primary caregiver in our family – she is a wonderful mother and takes care of Julia (I like to just swoop in and be “the fun dad” – you know, avoid all the dirty work). Since she has done such a good job taking on this role, she has also been the one to notice many of the following differences between US and Italian babies.
I can’t kick the habit, mom! Know what a ciuccio is? Sure you do. You probably know it as a binky. A ba-ba. A nu-nu. C’mon, stay with me folks – a pacifier. You know who else knows what it is? That five year old little boy that’s walking around with it hanging off his lower lip or the six year old little girl that pops it in for a quick fix in between bites of her risotto. We tried to get Julia to stop using her ciuccio around 18 months and people thought we were crazy. “If she wants it, why not just give it to her?” they would ask. We eventually relented and the ciuccio is now as much a permanent fixture as her hair bows and coloring books.
Julia has a love affair – with a cuiccio
You’re going to use a scarf, right? Baby scarfs. Did you know an entire market exists for baby scarfs? Italians are paranoid about the warmth of their babies. They will quite literally wrap them in layer after layer of clothing, covered with a down jacket, accessorized with a fashionable scarf (tied in that tricky Italian bow-knot), topped off with a wool hat and sandwiched in between their sleeping-bag stroller thingy’s. We were less concerned about the warmth of our baby (or perhaps, less prepared), often draping a ghetto sheet over our stroller, hoping she wouldn’t kick it off while trying to avoid the judging stares. Next year, we will be armed with all the latest baby high-heat fashion.
Pass me those clippers, I’ve got a head to shave. Italians believe that if you shave your babies head, their hair will grow back faster and thicker. Who knows, maybe it’s true. I’m not taking a position either way – but I sure know that Jen (and her mom before her) were ready to claw, scratch and pull the hair of anyone that came close to their babies with clippers.
I like my butt shiny and clean! After a dirty diaper (pee or poo), they don’t just use wipes here. It is almost imperative that you clean your babies butt the proper way. In a bidet and with lots of soap. Pat dry and wrap in a new diaper. Just wiping with those pre-soaped wipes is not nearly enough.
MISCELLANEOUS
The miscellaneous. Don’t really have a category for these times – just a few more things we’ve noticed.
Bring me a chair… please!! Jen is much more obsessed with this than I am. Partly because I’m not entirely convinced it’s different, but she insists that it is. The cashiers in the grocery stores sit down. I can’t picture it, but Jen reminds me that our cashiers are on their feet all day. Having been [on occasion] all day on my feet – I do hope they’re wearing proper footwear!
Let’s build them just for show! We have come to love the grocery stores here – with one exception. When it’s time to checkout, the stress begins. The two grocery stores we frequent the most have lane after lane of checkout desks. I would estimate over 30 in each store. But I have never seen more than four or five open at any given time. It doesn’t mean the store is any less busy… they just never have a sufficient cashier-to-customer ratio.
Tons of people crowded into three lanes
Push, don’t pull. Not an earth shattering revelation, but something that might help you prevent a broken nose on your next trip to Italy. I’m sure you’ve never thought about the swing pattern of the door at the local store. So let me help you. To open, you pull – it swings out. To exit, you push as you leave the store. Here, it’s the opposite. The only reason I would notice such a thing is that 30+ years of natural instinct had to be re-learned.
Spingere – Push
Bidet’s aren’t just for babies. I mentioned above that the bidet is used to clean a baby after a dirty diaper. Well, it’s original purpose was not for babies, but for us big babies. And let me tell you something… it’s glorious! I always caution all visitors – be weary of any hand towels hanging next to a bidet – do not use it to dry your hands.
Bidet on the right
That’s all for this post – more observations to come in Parte Quattro as time goes on!
One of the true gems of the world…. Venezia (Venice). The name alone evokes powerful feelings for many people. Romantic gondola rides, historical architectural treasures, beautiful creations blown from Murano glass, unique hand-crafted masks and always… always a city constructed with streets of water. Amazingly, the entirecity is listed as a World Heritage Site in order to preserve it’s unique beauty. According to my Wiki research, Luigi Barzini described it in the New York Times as “undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man”. I’d have to agree with Luigi!
Panoramic view from the roof of our hotel
Venice from the water
The Grand Canal
More of the Grand Canal
Happy to be here
Our good friends Nathan and Danielle joined us recently for a whirlwind visit filled with food, wine and lots of fun (read about it HERE). We punctuated their trip with a stopover in this romantic city. I was intrigued by the history of such a unique place and just did a little research. Venice consists of 117 islands, formed by 177 canals and connected by 409 bridges. I kept waiting for that “ah-ha” moment when I discovered the name of the genius city planner that decided to create a magical city on the water. But unlike Bugsy Siegel’sLas Vegas or Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid’s reinvention of Dubai – there was no one person that can be credited with the conceptualization of Venice. The truth is that refugees fleeing from invasion of the Lombards sought shelter in the marshland that is now Venice. And how do any cities really get built? A collection of people working together to establish trade and industry, creating habitation and then services to support the population. And so the city grew around the marsh and homes and churches and municipal buildings were constructed. This begs another question. How can you build a city on water?
The city built on water
Piers and bridges everywhere
Loved this view
There is a tree that grows in Slovenia and Croatia called an alder tree that is noted for it’s water resistance. Thousands of these trees were imported (and subsequently credited as a contributing factor for the barren land of the Kras region). The tree trunks were fashioned into piles that were submerged in the water, penetrating the sand and mud until settling in the much denser layer of compressed clay. Foundations were laid on the piles and buildings of stone and brick were constructed on these footers.
Peekaboo!
Cheese!
So now that you know the history, you can join us on our journey. We arrived early in the day via train (the easiest way into the city) and checked into our hotel. Our hotel, Molino Stucky is on the island of Giudecca, set in a beautifully renovated flower mill. After a quick lunch on the roof, we hoped on our hotel’s private ferry to the main island. We toured through the streets and canals, passed over bridges and stopped in shops. The girls bought scarves, glass and other souvenirs while Nathan and I took in all the scenery. We visited the infamous Piazza San Marco and fought for space among the crowds of tourists. We stopped for an afternoon cocktail on the water and eventually made our way back to the hotel to change for dinner.
Our hotel from the water
Hotel from the opposite side
Nathan and Danielle on one the pedestrian bridges
Looking good
Having fun touring
Piazza San Marco
The lion is symbolic of the Veneto region
Incredible architecture – the Libreria (library)
The Campanile – Bell Tower
My three favorite people in the crowd
Procuratie Nuove built by Vincenzo Scamozzi c.1580
Those aren’t aprons – we just lifted our clothes
The girls enjoying their prosecco
Looks like a romantic moment – really it’s just Nathan and I clinking our beers
After freshening up, we met in the lobby and discovered that we were in for a real treat. Nathan and Danielle had reserved a private boat to tour us through Venice – a wonderful journey elevated by the setting sun . We stopped for some wine and cheese and sat back to enjoy the ride.
Now look a this couple!
Some similar boats to the one we had
Traveling in style
View of Piazza San Marco from the boat
Along the tour
Stopping for a photo on the boat
Nate and D
Magical at night
The gondoliers were still out as the sun was setting
Danielle on the water
From the rear of the boat
All of us on board
Similar to our boat
Eventually our driver dropped us at one of his local favorites for seafood. We settled into a table directly on the canal and enjoyed ordering a variety of food to taste and share. At one point, I felt something wet kissing my feet and realized the water in the grand canal had risen high enough to splash the patrons (me) sitting on the edge.
Our restaurant
What a wonderful setting
Starter – mixed seafood
Mussels and clams
Nathan and I shared grigliata mista di pesce (mixed grilled seafood)
Jen got pasta with a variety of seafood
Pasta Aglio e Olio
The water started rising above the pier
Our grappa and limoncello after dinner
When dinner was over, we wound our way through the city at night to discover an entirely different Venice than the one we had seen all day. Long after the sun sets, the landscape of the city changes significantly. Without droves of tourists jockeying for the position to snap a photo (myself included) you are able to re-discover an entirely new place. Piazza San Marco becomes a magical amphitheater where dueling bands play wonderful music and the crowd shifts back and forth to capture the best view possible. We outsmarted the crowd and took up seats directly in front after ordering a nightcap. It was a great way to end the day before hopping on a boat back to our hotel.
In front of the Basilica
One of the “dueling bands”
Our trip to Venice had come to an end as had Nathan and Danielle’s visit with us. We spent one final day with them in Milano (Milan) and bid them buon viaggio (a good trip) back home. We were so thankful we got to do so many wonderful things with friends so special to us. After dropping them off, we rushed home and immediately started prepping for my sister’s visit… she would be arrived just a couple days later. Stay tuned for upcoming posts about their visit – more action packed fun.
On May 4, 2013 a tornado touched down in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. A path of chaos was carved throughout the area best known for a city that inspired a processed meat in the US nowhere near an authentic representation of it’s namesake – Bologna.
One day prior, a different type of tornado touched down in the Lombardia region just north of Emilia-Romagna. Our friends, Nathan and Danielle landed in Milan and a whirlwind of food, fun, wine was about to begin – our own path of chaos would be carved throughout northern Italy.
Our very good friends, Nathan and Danielle
I picked them up at the airport while Jen stayed home to prepare a proper welcome – an Italian pranzo (lunch) done right. We greeted them with an aperitivo (an alcoholic beverage used to stimulate the appetite) and then began stuffing them with salami, prosciutto, lardo (cured meat – basically just pork fat thinly sliced), cheese and olives. Then it was on to the pasta course, with a simple red sauce before our secondo, veal Milanese. Next of course were the salads and then dessert – fresh fruit and pastries we bought that morning. Plenty of wine flowed throughout the meal and we finished with grappa. The only problem… our large lunch had an effect opposite of our intention to keep them awake and perky in order to stave off jet-lag. They were both crying out for a nap, but we were merciless with our plans. We whisked them to downtown Como, where we walked off lunch and eventually made our way to a bar for happy hour outdoors under the sun.
Our next day (and pretty much every day following) was even more action packed than the first. We woke up early and headed to Como to catch the “fast-ferry” to Bellagio. The hydro-foil was going to bring us half-way up Lake Como to one of our favorite towns. Bellagio is often referred to as the Pearl of Lake Como, a very fitting nickname. The beauty of the town inspired the grand casino and resort in Las Vegas that shares the same name. We arrived at the pier a few minutes too late and watched as the faster hydro-foil departed without us. We booked tickets for the next ferry, the slower boat that would take two hours to reach our destination. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as we positioned ourselves in the open bow of the boat (we later learned the faster boat was entirely enclosed) and spent a full two hours marveling at the beauty of the lake. It also helped pass the time that we drank individual portions of boxed wine (imagine a juice box with wine as opposed to juice… “don’t take mommy’s juice-boxes, little Johnny”).
Nate and Danielle on the boat
Danielle gave Julia her first piece of gum (which she swallowed in seconds)
The whole crew
Some towns we saw along the lake – love the light coming through the clouds
Isola Comacina (an island in Lake Como)
Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo
The town of Tremezzo
Julia having fun with Danielle onboard
We’re HERE!
We arrived at Bellagio cheerful and ready to explore. But the internal Italian clock had already set in with our guests and it was just past noon – nearly time for lunch (without exception). We headed to Aperitivio et Al, where we had already made reservations. We ordered antipasto and then moved on to our main dishes. We ordered an extra dish for the table to share, a local specialty called pizzoccheri. Jen and I have enjoyed this unique local pasta many times over the years and they prepared the dish quite well here.
Bellagio from the opposite side of the lake
A baby in a stroller is no match for two strong guys!
Antipasto
Selection of cheeses
Danielle served our grappa
One of my favorite streets in Bellagio – right where ate
The girls having fun
“SAY WHAAAT?!”
The flowers in Bellagio are stunning – even Julia was taken aback
After lunch we set out to explore a bit before heading to Villa Serbelloni – a beautiful resort that sits directly on the lake. We commandeered a perfect spot in the corner of their terrace and ordered a round of the popular Italian afternoon drink, Aperol Sprtiz. As we finished our drinks, Nathan and I mulled over our next order of business when Danielle came back in true “Sweet D” fashion – two Cuban cigars in hand and two waiters in tow, carrying a bottle of champagne (for the girls) and two beers (for the guys). I guess we weren’t going anywhere anytime soon, which was just fine with us. Eventually we departed in time to catch the ferry (this time we made it to the fast boat) and headed back home for a late dinner.
Villa Serbelloni
A view from one of the hotel’s terraces
Nathan became giddy at the view
This is what he was looking at
Julia soaking it all up
The gang’s all here
Having fun with Daddy
The girls with their sprtiz’s
The aftermath of our afternoon
Another view from the hotel
Sunday (day three) was a continuation of the first two. I had prearranged a wine tasting in the Piemonte region – an area in the northwest of the country that produces some of the world’s best wines. Several weeks back, my father-in-law sent me an email about a three day event that was divided between six venues (mostly private villas and castles), spread among four villages and serving hundreds of the best Barolo’s, Barbaresco’s and Diano d’Alba’s (to name a few). The only problem – it was reserved for professionals in the wine industry. I was dismayed to learn that I may be prevented from attending a seemingly perfect day of free wine tasting. I viewed the registration form anyways and decided that it wouldn’t hurt to let them know I was a wine importer and therefore worthy of a badge (along with my three “co-workers”). It isn’t that far-fetched of a tale, as I would love to get into the trade and figured I could do some networking in between sips. The ruse worked and we had a day planned to experience some of the best wine in Italy.
Grandi Langhe DOCG Wine Event
The three hour drive to the Langhe province flew by and we were welcomed with warm weather and bright blue skies. Our anticipation built as we passed rolling hills and fields of vines dotting the landscape in perfect lines like ants on their way to a picnic. We arrived in the town of Monforte d’ Alba and teetered our way down the small cobblestone street toward the location of our first tasting, Palazzo Martinengo. The venue was wonderful and I was amazed to see how many local producers were in attendance, eager to showcase their wine and talk about their grapes’ unique prowess. I had a blast chatting in a combination of English and Italian, evaluating how the local terroir affects the flavor of each wine. It was no small coincidence that I chose this particular day of the three to attend the tasting – the first venue was featuring only Barolo’s (the most sought-after of all the wines in the region). We enjoyed a lunch on the terrace – steak tartare, pasta (of course) and some other goodies before moving onto the next venue.
Monforte d’ Alba
Inside the event
Lunch was served on the terrace
Badges and glasses ready
Danielle goes in for a taste
These guys must be big time wine importers – I mean, look at those pink shirts!
Stepping out for a bit
What a day!
As we piled into the shuttle we noticed some dark clouds moving in. By the time we arrived at Tenuta Abbene, a heavy rain had broken through the clouds. I was particularly bummed, because this venue was stunning – a private villa set back behind a long driveway. Situated behind many hectares of grape fields and atop a hill that produced a view of the entire valley. The event had planned this portion of the tasting to be outside – a plan that was wasted because everyone was crowded inside a small space to avoid the blistering cold rain. Eventually we decided the rain wasn’t letting up and opted to drive home, but not after stopping at one of our favorite restaurants, Antique Sapore for Como’s best pizza.
The villa – shot from the safety of cover
More of the outdoor space we weren’t able to enjoy
Hiding inside
Danielle fashioned a couture raincoat out of a garbage bag
Monday, we needed a break before our next big trip (we were leaving for Venice the next morning) and so we enjoyed a slow morning before headed to our absolute favorite dining establishment… Franco and Claudia’s home, just upstairs. She prepared a wonderful lunch which we all thoroughly enjoyed (I even caught her in a picture… a rare feat indeed).
Everyone for lunch – Franco… SMILE like you like us!
Preparing the food in the kitchen
Afterward we took a nice long drive, winding our way up the lake past some more of our favorite towns and ended up in Menaggio.
Walking around Menaggio
Walking along the lake
I was helping Julia attract the ducks so she could “pet them”
Family photo
River that leads to the lake
Soaking up the scenery
Can you believe that we just happened to be sitting like this?!
Just like Nathan and Danielle’s visit, we have a lot packed into this post and so I will conclude this first part and resume again next with our exciting trip to Venice. Ciao for now…
