I suppose that I’ve sufficiently succeeded in being completely cheesy and unoriginal, using the two most obvious cliche’s to name my two posts about Rome (first post). Oh well, this is what you can expect from me when I’m faced with the monumental task of bringing you up to speed on our many recent adventures. So, let’s begin!
When I last left you, we had seen the Pope’s home (Vatican City), a bunch of steps (Spanish Steps) and a some running water (Trevi Fountain). The next day, we wanted to see a pile of stones (Colosseum) and a big dome (Pantheon). And if anyone ever describes some of the world’s most precious treasures like that again, smack them!
On our second day in Rome, we set out early to reach the Colosseum, the world’s largest ancient amphitheater and one of the most spectacular examples of Roman engineering and design. It is estimated that the colosseum could hold as many as 80,000 spectators. If you put that into perspective, that’s as big as most NFL football stadiums – only it was built almost 2000 years ago! I’m no historian, but I don’t think they had reinforced steel, engineering software and cement-mixing trucks back then. It’s no wonder that the Amphitheatrum Flavium (it’s Latin name) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of seven wonders of the world [source].
Amphitheatrum Flavium (Colosseum)
Julia found some horses that she wanted to ride
I hold Julia outside the massive stadium
Posing with Dad
Now momma gets a photo with Julia
“Cheese!”
We didn’t get to spend too much time at the Colosseum because we had something even more important to do as we approached mid-day. I know, you’re thinking… “Greg, I’ve been reading this blog long enough to know that your very important thing is just lunch”. On any other day, you would be correct. But on this particular day… lunch would have to wait. We had a meeting with someone you may have heard of. Oh you know… Pope Francis.
Papa Francesco greets us from a window in the Papal Residence
Now, when I say “meeting with the Pope” – I mean, a meeting of sorts. A meeting that I generously shared with about 5,000 other people. Every Sunday at noon, the Pope addresses the masses from the Papal Residence and delivers a short address to the crowd, followed by a blessing. It was quite a tremendous thing indeed to be blessed by the Pope!
Large crowds await the Pope’s appearance
We take a picture amongst the crowd
A somewhat grumpy Julia rises above the crowd to take a picture with the Papal Residence in the background
The crowd roared with jubilation when Pope Francis appeared
Jen and Julia listened intently during his address
A view of Saint Peter’s Basilica with the crowd
We left the Vatican feeling great and enthralled by the beautiful weather. We decided to continue our tour of Rome with wide detours, adding time and additional sights to our pedestrian footpath. We departed from the Vatican and walked past the Castel Sant’Angelo before crossing over the famous Ponte Sant’Angelo bridge. We strolled along the Fiume Tevere (Tiber River), Italy’s third longest river that courses directly through the city of Rome.
We were lost among a sea of people departing Vatican City along Via Della Conciliazione
We have our photo taken with Vatican City in the background
A direct shot of Saint Peter’s Basilica and the Obelisk that sits in front
Castel Sant’Angelo
The Italian flag waves proudly atop the castle
Angels fly overtop the Ponte Sant’Angelo
Crossing the Ponte Sant’Angelo I turned for a view of the castle
View along the Fiume Tevere (Tiber River)
Although, this was my favorite view along the river
Our destination was the chic neighborhood of Trastevere. Trastevere is to Rome as the West Village is to New York, but with fewer hipsters and MacBooks. Small streets are lined with great shops, cafes and restaurants. People spend time outside and congregate with neighbors. The short time we spent there was long enough to fantasize about owning a pied-à-terre in this particular part of Rome. We ate a fabulous lunch at a local place and continued on by foot.
A small ristorante in Trastevere
Even the Vespa’s look hipper
People gather at a cafe
The narrow streets don’t offer a lot of room for the public transportation
We wrapped around to the southwest portion of the city to see the Fonte Acqua Paola – a site that is seldom talked about, but worth a visit. A panoramic view of the city opens before you eyes from the elevated vantage point. The styling of the fountain is nearly as impressive as the Trevi Fountain, but without the crowds.
Julia leads the way up to the fountain
A beautiful panoramic view of Rome opens from this high vantage point
Fonte Acqua Paola – built in 1610 to mark the end of the Acqua Paola acqueduct
Julia is thrilled to have discovered another fountain
She allows me to take a picture with her
We next made our way to the east banks of the Tiber river and visited Campo dè Fiori, an outdoor marketplace. We followed a short arc back toward the Pantheon. Along the way, we saw the Area Sacra, one of Rome’s most significant archeological finds. Four temples dating as far back as the fourth century BC were discovered quite by accident in 1926. We planned to eat dinner in one of the restaurants in Piazza Navona, Rome’s largest piazza built on grounds of the ancient Stadio di Domiziano. After taking in the beauty of the piazza, we spent all of three minutes evaluating and then quickly dismissing the restaurant options. The places were obvious tourist traps, many of them boasting pictures of their food (which is always our first sign it’s time to scram). Instead we tucked into a little trattoria on a nearly unnoticed street and settled in for a couple nice glasses of wine.
Area Sacra a significant find in the middle of the modern city
The Pantheon was built in 126 AD
The Pantheon’s coffered dome was poured in concrete moulds- the oculus is the main source of natural light
Fontana del Pantheon across from Pantheon in Piazza della Rotonda
We stopped for some wine in a nearby piazza while Julia had dinner
The Pantheon and Piazza Rotunda at night
The fountain in front of the Pantheon
Altare della Patria (Alter of the Fatherland) also known as Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II
We had two big days in a magical city, but so much more still ahead of us. We were departing on our cruise the next day; eager to embark on another adventure on the sea.
If all roads lead to Rome, nowadays you could also say that all European cruises start from Rome. Well, maybe not all – but a good many of the cruise ships use this port of call as a starting point for their Mediterranean voyages. At least, this was the case on our cruise aboard Celebrity Cruise Lines ship, Silhouette. The Silhouette is one of five ships in their newest Solstice Class – a group of sleek, modern ships with a heavy emphasis on style and dining. The ship and the cruise did not disappoint. We had many ports of call and a lot of wonderful activities that I’d like to write about, so let’s start at the beginning…
A wonderful statue stands outside the port of our ship
We arrived in Rome two days ahead of our ship’s departure to explore the city’s history, experience the cuisine and absorb the magic of a place you absolutely must see in your lifetime. Two days is barely enough time to scratch the surface, but we did our best to fit in as much as possible. On this blog, I’ll often write about a city’s history before detailing our adventures. The history of Rome is so storied and captivating, that a single paragraph couldn’t possibly do it justice. Instead, I invite you to click on this link to read about Rome and this link to read about Ancient Rome. Or get off the internet and pick up a book (but not until you finish reading my blog post)!
A view of Rome – Altare della Patria stands prominently above the rest of the city
After living in Italy for nearly a year, we are still learning travel tips on a constant basis. A new lesson you may be surprised to learn (and one that could possibly be applied to real life) – procrastination doesn’t pay. Even though I knew our travel dates, I waited months to reserve our train tickets. I paid roughly €80 for two tickets from Milano to Roma on the express train (a great price), but more than triple that amount on the way back – they only had first class seats available. Suggestion – if you know your dates, book early! Better suggestion – if you have flexibility in your dates, book your train first and then schedule everything around it (for example, I could have stayed an extra night in Rome for the difference in train fare). Additionally, go talk to someone at the ticket counter (most of them speak English). They often have access to fares that are different (and better) than the kiosks. If you travel from Milano to Roma, book aboard the velocità alta (high speed train), which whisks you across the country at a remarkable 300km per hour, delivering you in just over three hours.
We arrived in Rome just after lunch and went immediately from our hotel to Città del Vaticano (Vatican City), thereby entering a country not apart of Italy. The city-state is sovereign territory of roughly 110 acres entirely enclosed behind large ancient walls. The city boasts a population of around 840 people, making it the world’s smallest internationally recognized independent nation in terms of both size and population. As they say, good things come in small packages. We opted to join a tour group, since there is so much to see and do inside the city walls. The tour included the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter’s Basilica – the three main attractions in the city.
Saint Peter’s Square at night – shown here are the Basilica and the obelisk
We started in the Vatican Museums, a collection of buildings that hold some of the world’s most priceless and inspiring works of art. My camera was smoking from staying on overdrive. In 2011 over five million people visited the museums founded by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century [source]. Our tour included passage through the Borgias’ house; family of the controversial Pope Callixtus III, popularized by the hit Showtime series, The Borgias.
Just hanging out with my pal, Augustus – “hmm, I like his hair… but he needs a beard”
Amazing works of art carved from marble greet us in the entryway
Laocoön and His Sons excavated in Rome in 1506
The piece is dated between 200 BC and 70 AD
An example of the French painting style, trompe-l’œi (deceive the eye) – the image appears three-dimensional
Central portion of the tapestry, The Resurrection of Jesus
Eye-popping ceiling in the impressive Galleria delle Carte Geografiche (Gallery of Maps)
Jen stops for a photo
Next, we walked into the adjoining Sistine Chapel. On the tour, we learned that the Sistine Chapel is the largest chapel in the world. A chapel, practically by definition is a small place of worship (either freestanding or attached to a larger church). This is significant because the papal conclave (the sequestering of cardinals when electing a new Pope) is held in the Sistine Chapel (as opposed to the more spacious Basilica, next door). Inside the basilica, Michelangelo’sLast Judgement monopolizes the back wall, while the even more famous Creation of Adam rests prominently in the center of the ceiling. Words cannot describe the feeling that washes over you as you sit in such a historically significant place. The amazing frescoes inspire images of Michelangelo, resting on his back atop scaffolding and slowly painting each section, a brush in one hand and a candle in the other.
The most iconic portion of Michelangelo’s ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, The Creation of Adam
As the sun set on our tour, we visited Saint Peter’s Basilica, one of the largest churches in the world. The church sits in the center of St. Peter’s Square, which is flanked by large rounded colonnades – intentionally reaching out like long arms embracing visitors. From an aerial perspective, you’ll see that the church itself is designed in the shape of the cross, while the entire square resembles a keyhole (echoing Saint Peter’s role as holder of keys to heaven).
A beautiful blue night’s sky had settled over St. Peter’s Basilica
Pietà, also by Michelangelo
While our appetites for spiritual enlightenment had been quenched, our appetite for food was ravishing. We found a wonderful place, Gusto Forno and went in for dinner. What we found was even better – a happy hour with a buffet included in the price of your drink. And the drinks were magical! The bar-genius, Nina had created a cocktail inspired by a margherita pizza. Sounds weird, but the result was nothing short of fabulous. If you’re in Rome, stop by and see her.
I take a picture with our wonderful waitress and the fabulous bartender, Nina
Nina’s creation – the Pizza Margherita cocktail
Some of the buffet that was included with the order of a cocktail
Before the night was over, we stopped by Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti (Spanish Steps). Of course, no visit to Rome would be complete without throwing a coin over your shoulder (guaranteeing your return to the city) in the Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain).
Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti (Spanish Steps)
Julia on the Spanish Steps
Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain) at night
This magnificent fountain stands 86 ft. high
Julia gives her momma a hug
Jen and Julia in front of the Trevi Fountain
Family photo
Julia wanted to go for a swim
Julia gets ready to toss her coin and ensure her return to Rome
Italian architect Nicola Salvi lost the original contest to design the fountain, but was awarded the commission anyway due to public outcry in Rome that a Florentine (Alessandro Galilei) had won – a fortunate turn of events
As it turns out, two days in Rome is too action packed to fit into one post – so I’ll continue in a subsequent posting. Ciao for now!
Wow! We did it! SIPPING ESPRESSO officially turns one today. I distinctly remember starting our blog one year ago today. Jen had the idea to use a blog in order to maintain a “virtual journal” of our time in Italy. She also wanted a vessel to share our photos and stories with family and friends. I was intrigued by the idea of maintaining some sort of project and so I was happy to jump into the blogosphere. Over the past year that we have been posting – our tiny, insignificant blog has grown into something much, much more…a little, insignificant blog.
Over the summer, we took a cruise that concluded with a goodbye letter from the captain, along with “fun facts” about our time at sea. For example, they listed the number of crew on board, the amount of food consumed in terms of weight, our nautical miles traveled, etc. It gave me the idea that it may be fun to also look back at our own blogging voyage and break down the numbers from this past year.
So without further adieu… here you go.
Sipping Espresso by The Numbers
Number of Blog Posts
87 (including this one)
I couldn’t make it to the even 100 – even though I have a few half-written posts in the pipeline. Sometimes all I feel like I’m doing is sitting in front of my computer… blogging!
Total Number of Page Views
25,955
I was shocked and awed by the number of people that have visited our blog. Thanks, mom and dad for clicking on the blog 25,645 times and getting your friends to click on the links the remaining 310 times.
Most Unique Countries That Have Visited the Blog
Ukraine (we’re huge with the Ukrainian crowd), Russia, China, Japan, Korea and Australia. We also have a good amount of visits from our European neighbors – France, Spain, Norway, Germany and Denmark. Of course, our biggest base is still the good ‘ol U.S. of A.
Post With The Most Page Views
The View Overtop Como (link) – 1,114 page views
I was really surprised by this. It’s definitely not one of the better posts or subject matters. I think it must have some combination of key words that rank it fairly high in google searches about Lake Como.
Greg’s Favorite Posts
Scotland – Where Real Men Wear Skirts (link)
Kiss me, I’m Irish in Dublin (link)
I’ll Take a Pint of the Black Stuff, Gov’na (link)
Recreating a Photo 63 Years Later (link)
This was a tough one for me. It’s like choosing among your children. OK, that’s not true at all – it was much easier than that. I liked these particular posts because I had such fond memories of the events, there was usually a good combination of food/travel/photography in the story and there was most likely a quip or joke I made that I still find to be particularly witty today.
Jen’s Favorite Posts
Beaches, Wine and Pasta Making – What a Vacation (link)
Make My Order of Haggis a Double, Please (link)
Recreating a Photo 63 Years Later (link)
Five Villages – One Day (link)
Our Final Days at Sea (link)
Oktoberfest…What More Can I Say?! (link)
Revenue Earned Through Blogging
$0
Well, I guess I won’t be making a profession out of this anytime soon.
Our Time Abroad… In a Nutshell
Number of Visitors
23
We have had the good fortunate to have shared many of our adventures with friends and family. Here are the people that came to see us.
Diane (2 visits), Dominic, Jessica, S David (2 visits), Deborah (2 visits), Nathan, Danielle, Michelle, David, Elsa, Giovanni, Sonny, Stefani, Lauren, Josh, Abby, Dave, Jill, Matt and Lindsey.
Average Days in Between Visitors
5.9 days*
When you have that many visitors in a short period of time, it doesn’t give you a lot of time to change the sheets. To our guests… I promise, they were changed (wink, wink).
*This average was taken from the last day of our first visitor and the first day of our last visitor.
Total Amount of Euros Spent on Traffic Violations
€1,710.78 ($2,318.44)
UGHHH! That’s a lot of cannoli’s! This wonderful figure includes the fines themselves as well as the “convenience fee” our local government charges in order to pay the ticket, the mailing fee I have to pay to receive the ticket and the commission I have to pay to use a credit card. I may not be paying taxes in Italy, but I’ve sure given more than my fair share.
Breakdown of tickets
•Speeding – €1,369.48
•Limited Zone – €288.80
•Parking – €52.50
Approximate Grams of Pasta Consumed
44,200 grams (97.44 lbs of pasta)
This [somewhat shocking] math was fairly simple. An average serving of pasta is 80 grams per person (although, I usually have a little more).
2 people (Greg and Jen) eating pasta 4x week = 640 grams per week +1 child (Julia) eats a third portion = 210 grams per week
Total of 850 grams per week
850 grams x 52 weeks = 44,200 grams of pasta
I’d venture to guess it’s a little more than this (let’s call it a ‘cool’ 100 pounds of pasta). Wow… that’s gross when you add it all up!
Approximate Number of Pizza’s Eaten
208 pizzas
Pizza in Italy is thin and served in individual portions. So if we both want pizza, we will order two pies. Not only is pizza delicious – it’s quick, mess-free and simple when you’re on the road. You can always find a good pizza place anywhere in Italy. Apart from that, we discovered an amazing brand of frozen pizza that we enjoy probably once a week (Jen cooks amazing lunches, we’re usually more low-key for dinner).
This was also simple math.
4 pizzas per week x 52 weeks = 208 pizzas
I actually think my average my be higher, but I don’t want to embarrass myself any further.
European Countries Visited
13
Traveling as much as possible was always a major goal in moving here. Over the past year we have seen Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Vatican City, Greece, Turkey, Montenegro, Croatia, Switzerland, Scotland, Ireland and Monaco.
Regions Visited Within Italy
11
There are 20 regions in Italy, each of them remarkable in their own way. Every region could make their own argument for having the tastiest food, producing the best wine, boasting the most magical scenery and on and on. Truthfully, your opinion may be swayed in favor of the region making it’s case… until you visit another region and have to decide all over again. Seeing each of Italy’s 20 diverse regions is an important part of our experience here. Even though we may only be able to get a “flavor” of the local place, we’d like to see them all. We’ve just tipped past the half-way point and we’ve got our fingers crossed that we’ll be able to see all 20.
We have visited:
Lombardia (Lombardy)
Piemonte (Piedmont)
Liguria
Trentino Alto-Adige
Veneto
Emilia Romagna
Toscana (Tuscany)
Lazio
Abruzzo
Campania
Sicilia (Sicily)
UNESCO World Heritage Sites Visited
21
World Heritage Sites are places that have been listed by UNESCO as possessing important cultural significance. They all share one thing in common – they are beautiful and awe-inspiring. Viewing these magical sites has been a highlight of our time abroad and a blessing that only Europe can offer in such abundance.
We have acquired (and drank) more grappa in our first month here than either of us had consumed in our lifetimes. It’s just how it is… we love it! Plus, we love making our guests try grappa to gauge their reactions. These 26 bottles have either been purchased, received as gifts or made at home.
Number of Grappas Made at Home
2
It’s surprisingly easy. If you’d like to try, click HERE
“Strange” Foods Tried by Julia
Julia is quite the adventurous eater. She’s always happy to eat off our plates and we are happy to expose her to new things. Among the dishes she’s tried this year are:
Foie gras (goose liver), caviar, pigeon, pâté, haggis (heart, liver and lungs encased in a sheep’s stomach), black pudding (mixture of pork fat, onion, oatmeal and pig’s blood), goat, rabbit, lamb, boar, octopus, squid, freshly shaved truffles, lardo (cured pork fat), fondue, mussels, king prawns and lobster.
These were the only facts and and figures that I had the foresight to include or the smarts to calculate. If I’ve left anything out, please let me know! I look forward to Sipping Espresso making it another year and entering our “terrible two’s”. Thanks for coming along on this voyage with us!
When you are young, the world is your oyster. You can do anything… be anything. Many kids have grand plans to become a cowboy or a princess or even travel through space and time. Most kid’s plans become a little bit more grounded in “this” world as they get a little older. But that doesn’t mean they can’t still be grand. I specifically remember sitting in my seventh grade Spanish class, penning a list of activities that I absolutely had to do in my lifetime. This list included activities such as climbing Mount Everest, sky diving and hang-gliding, running with the bulls in Pamplona and skiing the Swiss Alps. I think even then, I knew that I would be lucky to complete more than a handful of the activities. The one activity that persisted most in my mind was skiing the Swiss Alps. All throughout high school and college, my friends and I spoke of the day we would make this dream a reality. But after a decade and a half of dreaming, I started to believe that was all it would ever be. Sometimes the real world (jobs, kids, schedules, finances) just get in the way.
The Matterhorn serves as the iconic image of Zermatt
That’s why I was giddy when our friends Matt and Lindsey told us they would be visiting us for New Years. Matt and I devised a plan to go skiing for a couple days while they were here. Matt was tasked with the job of picking a mountain, a job which he took very seriously. With the precision of a surgeon, he dissected the various pros and cons of Europe’s best mountains before narrowing it down to two famous ski locations; Chamonix, France (with Mont Blanc) and Zermatt, Switzerland (with the Matterhorn). We went back and forth for over a week, analyzing the choice ad nauseam. Our analytical brains lead us toward Chamonix for practical reasons such as cost, proximity to Como and hotel availability. I wrote Matt a final email confirming that it was the correct choice “even though skiing the Swiss Alps would have been cool.” Matt surprised me by writing back and telling me that he booked the hotel in Zermatt because my email only confirmed that the emotional part of his brain beat out the analytical part – a decision that I was happy with!
We were all set to depart after lunch on New Years Day. I carefully wound the car along the windy and snowy roads, zigzagging our way through the Swiss Alps before coming upon Zermatt. It was at this point in time Matt decided to inform me that we would have to park the car in a nearby town and take a train in to Zermatt. You see, Zermatt is a town like no other. The streets are made of snow and no outside vehicles are allowed. The town is truly a winter wonderland; high-end shops and expensive restaurants frame the main streets, while charming gingerbread houses line the side streets. We found our hotel, Hotel Blauherd set in a part of town reserved for hotels that fit in perfectly with my vision of an ideal ski town.
Our hotel, Hotel Blauherd
“Our” street with a view of the Matterhorn
A street in the Altstadt (Old Town)
Horse drawn carriages are a classic Zermatt image
Upon checking in, we set out to eat dinner and discovered something along the way. Zermatt is EXPENSIVE! We knew this going in, but I don’t think any of us were quite prepared for just how expensive it really is. For example – we found a place that looked great and so we glanced at the menu. One item in particular stood out – a lamb burger for Fr39 ($43). I’m sorry, but if it has “burger” in the title – I have a hard time paying over $40. Eventually, a problem more pressing than cost presented itself. Availability was the buzz word that became our stumbling block. Every single restaurant was at maximum capacity and we were turned away half a dozen times. We finally found a place that would seat us, a Mexican restaurant that only had one remaining table. Mexican food in a ski town in Europe may seem like a strange choice, but Jen and I were actually excited because it had been over a year since we’d dipped our last nacho. The service was awful, but the food was pretty darn good! And yes, even the Mexican food was outrageously priced ($45 for a single portion of fajitas seemed a bit steep to me).
Zermatt!
The streets of Zermatt are a winter wonderland
Zermatt at night
A view of some of the hotels at town at night
The next morning I was up early and dressed in my ski gear. Matt, Lindsey and I had agreed to hit the mountain just after they opened the lifts. I ate breakfast. I looked at the trail map. I “read” German ski magazines. And I sweated. Then I sweated some more (ski gear is hot when you wear it inside). Finally, Matt and Lindsey came down to breakfast. Then I waited some more. And some more. Eventually, we made our way to the mountain. It turns out a later departure wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Skiing Zermatt is tough work and our legs were wiped out by the end of our day. The skiing was indisputably the best any of us had ever experienced. After a brief lunch at the top of the mountain, the skies cleared up (we had been shrouded in a dense white cloud prior to lunch) and the Matterhorn appeared before us. I was left speechless. We quickly hoped back on our planks to enjoy the rest of our day.
Lindsey, Matt and I pose for a picture before our first run
On the way up in the gondola
Matterhorn “selfie”
“Let’s go skiing!”
We walked out of lunch to this view – the Matterhorn had been completely covered previously
Happy couple
Happy guy!
Jen doesn’t ski much and the elevation would have been too high for Julia, so they stayed in the town. While we enjoying ourselves on the mountain, Jen and Julia were having fun walking around Zermatt. They poked in shops, took in a nice lunch and played in a snow covered playground.
Jen and Julia catch snowflakes
They found a park…
…and played in the snow
As the sun was setting on the mountain’s final runs, we made our way to Zermatt’s most famous après-ski place, Hennu Stall. Après-ski (literally, after skiing) is the act of getting drinks and socializing after a day spent skiing. Europe’s mountains host some of the best après-ski destinations in the world and Zermatt is no exception. We all promised Jen that we wouldn’t be too late for dinner, but we found ourselves among the last patrons left on the mountain. It is important that you don’t stay too late or drink too much at après-ski, regardless of whether or not you have a wife waiting at the base of the mountain. Once the sun sets, the temperature plummets and you still need to have enough wits about you to ski the remaining way down the mountain. We barely escaped before both the temperature and the booze created a problem for us.
Hennu Stall – Zermatt’s best après-ski
Nothing better than a beer after a great day skiing
We were among the last group “parked” in the “lot”
The view of Zermatt from the deck of Hennu Stall
When we regrouped at the hotel, we all got ready for a nice dinner in town. Our group of five strolled along the streets with a very specific plan. We wanted to find a restaurant where we could enjoy something Zermatt is well known for – their fondue! We were worried that max-occupancy would once again be the theme of the night, but Matt became the hero of the group at our first stop. His ability to speak German got us the last table in a charming little restaurant. We eagerly dove into our pot of fondue and reveled in cheesy delight. The fondue set the stage perfectly for the rest of a wonderful meal and Matt and Lindsey surprised us by treating us to this memorable Zermatt meal.
Jen and Julia before our dinner
Our group in front of the restaurant, Zermatterstübli
On the second day, Jen rented a sled for Julia and they spent the day taking turns riding and pulling. For some strange reason Julia seemed to be more interested in pushing and pulling her sled than riding in it. Jen kept commenting to her that she was the only kid in the town pulling her own sled, as opposed to riding in it. It certainly slowed down their progress, which was just fine because we were busy shredding up the mountain on a glorious, clear day.
Julia sleds throughout the streets of Zermatt
Although she was more interested in pulling than sledding
Even up the hills!
A riding on the sled “selfie”
Matt and I stop for a photo before our second day of skiing – Matterhorn in the background
Matt found some deep powder – but not the best way to discover it
“Matterhorn… what, what?!”
Take it up a notch… Matterhorn, goggle-eyed, ski-lift “selfie”
A picture from the highest point of the mountain on our final run – the most amazing run of my life
Jen pulls Julia to the top to sled down the hill
“Here we go!”
I tried to take Julia, but she only wanted to push
She finally let me take her for a spin!
Julia tries to ski, “like daddy”
Lindsey hurt her hand and so of course Julia needed medical attention too
We closed on our final runs of the day and eventually made our way back the car. All of us could not believe how amazing our little vacation had been – the town was perfect and the skiing was amazing. On the car ride home, we talked about our favorite runs until Jen was sick of hearing about them. As we pulled back into Como, I smiled to myself. I had done it. I checked a major item off my bucket list. I skied the Swiss Alps! Now having been refueled, recharged, reenergized and reminded of that once forgotten list… I’ve decided I need to check a few more of those “completed” boxes! Who knows what’s next… I’m definitely thinking “the running of the bulls”- Olé!!
I have celebrated the year changing exactly thirty-four times. That is a lot of ball drops, backward counting and champagne toasts. In the thirty-four times I have seen the calendar progress another year, I have experienced elaborate dinners, small family gatherings, massive ballroom parties and cozy nights in. I have had “the night of my life” and “the disappointment of a lifetime.” In all this time, I have learned that a valuable life lesson. When you place an unhealthy amount of expectations on any one thing (in this case, an evening), it is hard to meet or exceed the vision you’ve created in your own head.
Fireworks light up the sky behind Milan’s Duomo
Fortunately, disappointment was not the theme as we rang in 2014. The stakes were at an all-time high and the night came together as well as anyone could have hoped. A couple months ago we got an email from our friends Matt and Lindsey that they wanted to come to Italy and ring in the new year with us. Our plans for a low-key Italian New Years with the traditional zampone and lentils quickly changed as I scoured the dinner venues of Milan. After a lot of research, we came up with a plan that we thought was perfect. A prix-fixe meal at a lounge just steps from Milan’s Duomo in the main piazza (square). Jen read that there would be fireworks visible at midnight and so the plan sounded perfect.
A stage was set up in front of the Duomo for live performances throughout the night
Matt and Lindsey arrived the night before New Years and we enjoyed a low-key dinner that Jen prepared. Matt got to the train station in typical “Matt fashion”… three hours late, without any warning of his delay and a frantic look in his eyes. We were both glad I waited for the last train to pull into the station!
When I made our New Year’s dinner reservation, I was told that we should arrive at 8:30pm. I knew the Italians wouldn’t be arriving at that time, so I planned our arrival at 9:00pm. We were still about an hour early! So much for looking like a local! We started our evening with a little prosecco (Italian champagne) and moved through our four course meal accompanied by some great red wine and sparkling conversation. The atmosphere for a New Year’s dinner was perfect. The music and lights were set just right, as if to say, “this place is hip and you’ve still got it” as opposed to saying, “this place is entirely too formal – what are you doing here, you’re still sort of young!” Or even worse, “this is a club with twenty-somethings and you old fogies don’t fit in at all.” By the time all the Italians had arrived, it was evident we picked the right place for dinner. We were surrounded by some of Milan’s elite – fashion designers and models.
Matt and Lindsey
Greg and Jen
We’re ready to have some fun!
Our group at dinner
Out of nowhere, it was almost midnight. We surprised our server by telling him we wanted the bill, as opposed to staying for their champagne toast. We had bigger plans in place! We rushed to the Duomo, a five minute walk through a dense sea of people. We arrived with just a couple minutes left until midnight and I struggled to prepare everything. We had brought bottles of prosecco and Jen insisted on plastic champagne glasses. While thousands of other people were counting down and swigging from their bottles, I was fiddling with the bases for the plastic glasses. I had only finished two glasses when the countdown reached five, so I threw the remaining glasses on the ground in desperation. I’d be damned if “etiquette” was going to get in the way of us having our bubbly at midnight!
Jen and Lindsey in front of the Duomo
Me and Jen just after midnight
In keeping with tradition, Jen tried calling our family to wish them a “Happy New Year”
We had been excited to see the fireworks light up the night’s sky behind the Duomo all night. When we arrived in the piazza, we learned that the firework show Jen had read about was a different kind of event altogether. Please allow me to give a small background for our international readers. You see, Americans do fireworks right! I think it’s in our DNA, like baseball and childhood obesity. So when we read that there would be fireworks, we assumed it was going to be a major production – administered by professionals at a safe distance from the crowd. We have never been so wrong. All the fireworks being set were ignited by people from within the crowd. There were literally explosions at our feet, above our heads, behind our backs at regular minute-long intervals. It was not uncommon to see a huge gap in the crowd as dozens of people pushed and shoved their way away from a ready to explode M-80 or Excalibur Artillery Shell. It evoked a strange sensation of festive revelry with an ever-present sense of impending doom. The Outkast song “Bombs Over Baghdad” kept playing over and over in my mind.
Fireworks above the crowd
Jen and Lindsey show their sheer terror
Someone (ehehm… Jen) spilled prosecco all over Matt
We all agreed that the night would land in the “Epic New Year’s Eve” column as opposed the other column, “How Much Did I Spend For This Awful Disappointment?!” We stayed in the piazza until roughly 1:00am before heading home. We didn’t want to get back too late, we had to depart early the next day for the road trip of a lifetime. Matt and I were ringing in the new year by checking off a lifelong bucket list item… skiing the Swiss Alps!
This was predestined to be a low-key Christmas. In fact, the most low-key Christmas either of us had ever experienced. When I was young, we would gather as a family and open mountains of presents before our grandparents came and joined in the fun. Jen’s experience of Christmas as a little girl was no different. Since we started dating over ten years ago, our two families have merged and we have always made the holidays the grand event it should be. Since it’s just the three of us here in Italy, we knew this year would be small in comparison. But at the same time, we were eager to set our own family traditions now that Julia is old enough to understand what’s going on.
Our low-key Christmas
We developed a plan based on our vision of how we wanted the day to unfold (OK, OK. Jen’s vision… Jen’s plan. I just helped when possible). Fortunately, our low-key Christmas did not disappoint. First we had to set up the tree, which we did well before the big day. We capped that evening off with popcorn (a real treat for Julia) and a movie (The Polar Express).
Julia strikes a fashionable pose after I set the tree in place
She helps her mother trim the tree
Then it’s time for a break and a Christmas movie
On Christmas morning, we struggled to roll out of bed – still full from an epic Christmas Eve dinner the night before. We could barely keep out in front of Julia with the camera flashing and the video rolling. She was beyond eager to see what Santa brought her and went for his presents first.
Julia opens a present from Babbo Natale (Santa Claus)
“It’s a SAXOPHONE?!”
“Is this how it works?”
“Oh, no – like this!”
Jen takes a picture with Julia, but I think she’s more interesting her Peppa Pig chocolate bar
“Wow, a guitar too?!”
“Are you for real? Is this for ME?!”
“I can be my own band – bring my my microphone, please!”
After opening Santa’s musical gifts, she next moved onto the gifts from her nonni (Jen’s parents) and her Grandma and Pop-Pop (my parents). Franco and Claudia (Jen’s aunt and uncle that live above us) came down for part of the gift opening. We took a brief pause for breakfast – it was already 9:00am and the Italians from upstairs were freaking out that they were eating off-schedule. Jen fixed a delicious french toast casserole, made even better with sciroppo d’acero (maple syrup – which is not easy to find in Italy). She served it with fresh fruit and cappuccino. Franco and Claudia retired upstairs after breakfast and we helped Julia open her remaining presents. We spent a pleasant afternoon playing with Julia and her new booty. Later that evening, we hosted Franco and Claudia for dinner. We put on a simple spread – real Italian comfort food. Antipasti followed by brodo con tortellini and simple salads.
Julia works on removing her brand new Furby from Nonna
Julia plays with her new cash register from her accountant, Pop-Pop
Jen’s breakfast
Julia and I jam out after breakfast
The day after Christmas is the day of Santo Stefano – another good reason for families to gather and feast once again. This time, Franco and Claudia wanted to host the whole family. This included our family, as well as the families of Franco’s sons – Massimo and Gianni. We all gathered at the standard lunch time and feasted on antipasti (many, many appetizers), primi (a choice of pasta bolognese or zuppa di pesce – my choice was both), secondi (an arrosto di vitello and a turkey that Jen prepared at the request of Gianni). Of course there were plenty of contorni (side dishes) and wonderful wine. When the traditional panettone was served, Gianni thought it would be fun to whip up some crema al mascarpone (mascarpone cream), which we also put in our espresso.
The table is set for the family
Jen brought up some dates stuffed with mascarpone & formaggio di capra, wrapped in prosciutto
One of our favorite types of antipasto – spicy peppers stuff with tuna. Try before you judge, it’s delicious
Julia dressed up in some of her fancy new princess treasures
Gianni’s wife, Giussi helps him whip up some crema al mascarpone
It made for a delicious topper on our espresso
You may think the fun is over by now… but you see – Italians know how to keep a good thing going (i.e. our six-hour meal on Christmas Eve). It should come as no surprise that extending their holidays are no different. On January 6th, La Festa dell’Epifania (The Epiphany) marks the final celebration of the season. Just as Santa Claus often overshadows the birth of Christ, so too does the candy-weilding Befana monopolize the day God revealed his son as a human being. Oh well, presents and candy are certainly more fun than religion and history – especially for a child. Just as Santa flies in his sleigh to deliver presents to the world’s boys and girls, the Befana flies on her broom to leave candy in the socks of children. Although she hasn’t quite racked up the amount of frequent flyer miles as the big guy – she always stops at the border of Italy. Just like her bearded counterpart, she even leaves coal for the bad kids. Although they don’t really come out empty handed – it’s actually carbone dolce (candy shaped coal… which turns out to be pure sugar… as well as my coffee sweetener this past week).
The Befana visits Julia
“Just look at this spread!”
Of course, we missed our friends and family this year – but as far as low-key Christmases go, we sure had a lot of fun (and great food)!
