You may have recently read HERE about our trip to the Dolomiti (Dolomite Mountains) to visit Franco and Claudia over Easter weekend. What I wasn’t able to fit into that post, was all the imagery we captured of the most spectacular mountain range we have ever seen.
Hilltop view – I had to trespass to get this shot
Mountain view from “Claudia’s” bridge in Canale D’ Agordo
We extended our trip in Canale D’ Agordo (Claudia’s hometown) by a day, because the three days we planned was barely enough to just scratch the surface in this region of Italy. Claudia wanted to show us not only her town of Canale D’ Agordo, but also the surrounding towns. We would like to now share them with you.
The day after Easter, we went to neighboring Gares, Claudia’s actual hometown. While she was born in Canale D’ Agordo, she grew up in Gares – a small town with barely a couple hundred residents. The only doctor in the region was in Canale and so she was delivered there, in her mother’s home. The very next day, her mother bundled her up tight and walked the some 10k back to Gares through a snowstorm to bring her home.
Sheer mountain range in Gares
Claudia’s cousin’s restaurant sits at the bottom of the valley
Today, her cousin owns a wonderful restaurant, at the foothills of a large mountain range. Not only was it a treat to eat some of the regional cuisine, it was wonderful to spend time with her family and see this incredible valley.
An incredibly charming restaurant
Special VIP reservations
Franco demonstrating the high-tech weight, functioning as a door lock
When you live in the mountains, this is your futbol field
The “field” at the base of the mountain
After lunch we walked all through Gares, a voyage that only took a couple minutes by foot.
Julia sporting a fun hat for the mountains
The main street bend in Gares
Part of the house next to Claudia’s original home
I crack up when I see these little guys driving around
Poles mark the roads atop all the snow
Since we had extended our trip by a day, the next day we went with Franco and Claudia to see some of the other nearby towns. First, we went to Agordo – also in the same Province of Belluno. This town; at a lower elevation, displayed a striking contrast to the previous towns, which were still covered in snow. Green grass had already flourished in the center of town, showcasing a completely different juxtaposition with the mountainous backdrop than the previous towns, still primarily all white.
View from the center of Agordo
Main church
Franco and Claudia walk with Julia
Julia can’t get enough of the fountains
The chiesa (church) in Agordo is of significant importance to the region – and proudly displays it’s high stature by featuring two bell towers (as opposed to the standard one).
Two bell towers
A prominent family of Agordo, Familia di Grotta (the Grotta family) owned a large villa in the center of town. They adorned the outside wall of the villa with the Mutt di Grotta (the Mutes of Grotta) – different “mute” stone statues that represented various traits (poetry, agriculture, astronomy, etc.).
Mutt di Grotta
Perhaps this guy represented philosphy?
We took a quick detour to visit one of the Luxottica factories, just outside of town. Haven’t heard of Luxottica? Well, have you ever walked into a LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut or Pearle Vision? No? OK – perhaps you’ve put on a pair of Oakley, Ray-Ban or Revo sunglasses? These are all brands owned by the company. And even if you haven’t worn one of their brands, you’re sure to have worn a pair of glasses by Coach, Chanel, D&G, Ralph Lauren, Tiffany or Versace (to name a few). They don’t own these brands, but they do make their glasses with exclusive licensing agreements. The company moved it’s headquarters to Milano, but their factories all still remain in the Belluno region and is the main employer in the area.
The Luxottica factory
I’d fight hard for a corner office to get this view
Amazing how the landscape changes in the various towns
After touring Agordo we drove to Alleghe, a beautiful lake town with a very unique history. The town of Alleghe, which surrounds the lake and runs all the way to the foothills of the mountains is actually much younger than many of the nearby towns. The town was re-built “brand new” in 1771 (young by most measures here) after a severe landslide buried the original town under today’s vast lake. The original town remains buried forever under water. When the lake’s water level falls low enough – you can see the original church’s steeple peeking from atop the waterline.
We love seeing the Italian flag – reminds us we’re really here
View right from the lake
Jen and Julia soaking up the scenery
We were glad that we stayed the extra day to enjoy all the additional sights – we hope you did too.
This year we took full advantage of living in Italy and went to the Pope’s Church for Easter! Only, it wasn’t in Vatican City and it wasn’t the current Pope. But it was still his church! If I may explain…
Jen and Julia in front of the church in Canale D’ Agordo
If you’ve read a few posts (or know us), you’ll know that we’ve been fortunate enough to live in Jen’s parent’s condo while in Italy. Even more fortunate is that Jen’s Zio (Uncle) Franco and Zia (Aunt) Claudia live above us. This means we’re eaten countless meals upstairs (she’s a wonderful cook), have built in baby sitters, tour guides and translators… basically we have a third set of parents and new besties.
Franco and Claudia both have interesting life stories. We’ll save his for another post.
Claudia was born and raised in Canale D’ Agordo – a town in the Dolomite Mountains, one of the most spectacular places on earth. The Dolomites are a large mountain range in northeast Italy. In 2009 the Dolomiti were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means that the mountains are a site with significant importance (and beauty) and are therefore, protected. Interestingly enough, I have just now learned that Italy is home to more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any country in the world. After living here a short time, I cannot say that I am surprised.
Canale is in a valley surrounded by two mountains
Beautiful scenery at every turn
A statue stands near the center of town
The pedestrian bridge leading into town
We’ve been coming to Italy for many years with Jen’s family and I have always wanted to see the Dolomites. I have a strong love for the mountains, most likely due to my love of skiing. I have always been excited to see the Dolomites because they were bound to be at least a little more special than Sugarloaf or Wisp Mountains. They did not disappoint!
Canali D’ Agordo in the foreground of the Dolomiti mountains
Each year, Franco and Claudia spend several weeks together in each of their respective hometowns. Luckily for us – she invited us to join them for part of their trip, over the Easter weekend. This was great because we had no idea what we were going to do for Easter. We were also excited because her town, Canale D’ Agordo was the home to Pope Giovanni Paolo I (Pope John Paul I). Let that sink in for a moment… her small town of roughly 1,000 people was the hometown of the Pope. That’s like saying, “yeah… the President used to live right next to me… here’s his house” Only, he’s not just the leader of a single nation, but rather the spiritual leader of the world.
Pope Giovanni Paolo I – a hometown hero
Pope Giovanni Paolo I has an interesting history. He has the unusual honor of being the shortest reining Pope in history – just 33 days as Sovereign of Vatican City. He is also the most recent Italian-born Pope. It is widely whispered, even today – that his death was not due to natural causes (if you’re a fan of conspiracy theories, you can click HERE to read a few). This cloud of mystery and short reign does nothing to dispel the love and connection that people of Canale and Italy feel for Giovanni Paolo I, The Smiling Pope. In fact, the very next Pope adopted the name of Giovanni Paolo II, to honor and respect his predecessor.
Albino Luciano (as was his given name) was ordained a priest in 1935 and served for a time as the parish priest for the town church (also, one of the main churches in the region), Parraocchia di Canale D’ Agordo, the church you see pictured below.
Parraocchia di Canale D’ Agordo – a 550+ year old church
Jen and Julia in front by the town fountain
We arrived in Canale on Saturday – just in time for a wonderful lunch at Claudia’s home (the home where she was raised). Then she left us to walk around town as she went to help clean the church for Easter’s big service. We walked around the wonderful town, and bumped into about 30 of her cousins along the way.
Julia ridin in style with one of Claudia’s cousins
Julia strikes a pose
On Easter Sunday, we attended a wonderful service (where we understood everything that was said in Italian) in the Pope’s Church, Parracchia di Canale.We walked the short 200 yards back to our beautiful hotel, where the Easter Bunny had left Julia a surprise.
Our hotel on the right
We had her Easter basket ready for her
“What’s that up there?! Is that for ME?!”
“A soccer ball?! Well, I’ll just take this.”
“Don’t worry, I got THIS pops”
“I told you I got this!”
She loved her soccer ball, until she saw her chocolate chick
Which she loved so much, it’s head fell off!
“Here, Nonno Franco – take a bite. Please, it’s my pleasure”
Afterward we went to the town square, where they had set up an outdoor festival. We danced, we ate and we drank.
The festival in the main piazza (town square)
Coin tossing competition – you try to toss your coin into an egg
The winner is the person that sticks the most coins in the eggs
Julia “chill-axing” at the festival
Later in the day, we went to one of Claudia’s cousin’s (another cousin) restaurants and enjoyed some more delicious food.
We started with some antipasti
We each ended with a wonderful dessert
Even Julia got dessert out of a cup featuring her new favorite cartoon (Barbarapappa)
Day three in Dublin brought no less excitement than either of the first two days. If you haven’t read about the first couple days and are interested in reading about this wonderful vacation in sequential order, you can read about Day One HERE and Day Two HERE.
Julia getting ready to go outside for some fun
We had booked a return from Dublin on Monday morning so that we could enjoy the famous Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and all the corresponding festivities on Sunday. We had heard for quite some time that the People’s Parade was a wonderful sight to behold and that we should arrive early. Fortunately, our hotel was directly along the parade route. Even more fortunate was that we were given a room with a direct view of the parade.
Street level action
View from the room
Jen continued to tell me from the moment we woke that we needed to be standing along the parade route early. Everything she read said that should stake our spot at 9:00am for a 12:00pm start. I was far less excited about standing dormant for three hours with a toddler. And I’m notoriously famous for playing the risky game of “see, I was right” (me) versus “I told you… you never listen” (her). I lost track of the score years ago, but I’m willing to bet I’m in the lead. Unfortunately, I lost a point in this round.
Julia got in her “pouch” to watch in comfort
I had convinced Jen that the light drizzle would delay people’s arrival. I also reassured her that our pivotal view of the route would allow us to descend from our room and claim a prime spot as soon as the crowd grew. My theory proved to have merit when I checked the window at 10:00am, only to see a few stragglers standing by the gates. Twenty minutes later, I glanced down again – not expecting much change. I was wrong. The first row was already full and a second row was filling up quickly. We rushed to adorn ourselves in green and headed down – just in time to sneak a 2nd/3rd row position (depending on which way the crowd was swaying).
Of course, we got dressed in green
Mixed into the crowd
This was the first year that the famous parade opened it’s gates to people from all around the world. 8,000 participants from Brazil to Finland, New York to Hong Kong created their own floats and costumes to symbolize the pride they had in their customs and traditions.
Dancers from Brazil
Stagecoach from Austria
Sweater?! From… Norway?? Canada??
We watched the parade from the street for about an hour – but soon decided a little sitting and Guinness should be on the menu. I took Julia to the room while Jen ordered a couple of pints from the hotel bar. We had a great view of the parade and with the space to spread out – Julia couldn’t help herself from dancing.
We were thrilled that we got to see the parade at street level, but I think we were all thankful that we were able to also watch from the room and still join in the festivities.
Julia watching from above
Cheers!!
Julia and her momma
Paddy’s Day gear
Hugging my Irish princess…
… and teaching her bad habits I’ll live to regret!
Just a small crowd
After the parade wrapped up, we walked across the street to the Temple Bar area for lunch and another pint. Not a good move on Saint Patrick’s Day. Temple Bar is the “party” district of Dublin and the atmosphere was that of 1,000 fraternity houses melded into one. We couldn’t find anywhere to eat and had to settle for the only quiet place we could find. A wonderful restaurant that served the exact type of food you want to eat when you’re in Ireland… Chinese food! It certainly wasn’t part of the plan (I would have happily eaten fish and chips for every meal) , but it worked out just fine.
Julia got a lollipop after her lunch
We walked for quite some time more and crossed the river toward the northern end of the city to get away from all the chaos and explore some new areas. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, but admittedly we longed a bit for the carefree fun of our youth – what with all the rebel rousing around us. We were just about to walk into the Brazen Head, Dublin’s oldest pub (est. 1198) when the line instantly tripled (one in one out).
The Brazen Head (est. 1198)
We continued on and found a quiet, out of the way pub. It certainly didn’t have the atmosphere we were looking for (it actually looked rather boring) – but we could rest assured no one would try to use Julia’s head as a coaster. By chance (or Irish luck), I decided to poke my head into one last pub as an alternative option. I came out with a grin from ear to ear. “Jen, come on! It’s a pub for kids!”
Our “Pub for Kids”
It really wasn’t a pub for kids… but the loud music we heard blasting was for a kids dance competition. And the candy they were passing around was for the kids. And the cider they were offering was for the kids. And everything else was for the adults! What a perfect place. It turns out, we found a locals pub and they were hosting a place for families to participate in the partying without having to leave the kids behind. Everyone was so sweet to Julia, she instantly made friends. We also made friends with a nice Irish lass, Victoria and her mother. We enjoyed talking to her, and pretended to understand her mother. Even though we spoke the same language – we were far apart in accents.
You have a baby…in a bar?!
Great juxtaposition, huh?!
“I think I’ll take some… CANDY!”
Happy family – I claimed their Irish blood for the day
Our friends
Our new friend, Victoria who was very sweet to Julia
We finished our final day in Dublin completely content with our trip. The only regret was not booking a ticket to stay longer in Ireland. We both eagerly agreed that we would happily come back to one of our new favorite cities.
About to get on a plane – no one told him Paddy’s Day was over
We arrived in Dublin on Friday with plenty of time to enjoy the day, which you can read about HERE. We woke up Saturday even more eager to get started after everything we had seen the day before. We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast of eggs, soda bread and black pudding (blood sausage) in our hotel’s restaurant. As Jen drank her fresh-squeezed orange juice, I poured over my cheesy, hyper-animated tourist map of the city. I came to two conclusions – animated graphics of tourist attractions are as helpful as pictures on a menu at Denny’s. That, and we were going to do a lot of walking!
A helpful reminder to Americans that they drive on the opposite side
I had a route strategically designed to maximize the enjoyment of our walking tour. I imagined the original architects of the city would be proud of my clairvoyant understanding of their intentions. But Jen had a different plan – she wanted to go to Merrion Square to scout a kids festival she had read about (a few miles due east of where I wanted to go). “Sure thing, honey – sounds perfect!!” Ladies and gentleman – I’m no rookie.
We departed from the hotel and walked along Nassau Street (no via‘s or strada‘s in Dublin) toward the 250 year old Merrion Square, largely considered one of the city’s finest parks. The city had set up the, Big Day Out which included street theatre, music, fun zones for kids, workshops, arts and crafts, etc. A perfect place for a family… if it were open. We had gotten a bit too early of a start and arrived ahead of the opening. I consulted my map and re-routed our course. Our primary destination – the Guinness Factory… with a few “pit-stops” along the way. You know, things of lesser importance such as the infamous St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Dublin’s Castle. Only a few impressive, historical sights were in between me and my freshly brewed pint.
Walking west in the southern section of the city, we passed the back-side of Leinster House (currently the National Parliament Building) and then Department of the Taoiseach (the most impressive in a complex of Government Buildings), sights we took in through the gates along Merrion Street.
Department of the Taoiseach
Leinster House
We passed by St. Stephen’s Green and subsequently the St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, which houses the largest indoor clock in Europe (according to the advertisement on my map). While the building was beautiful and everyone loves a giant clock… it wasn’t enough of a draw to lure us inside.
St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre
We crossed over South Great George Street, which houses the South City Market (also referred to as George’s Street Arcade). The Victorian-style indoor market was originally opened in 1876 and re-built as it stands today after a great fire in 1892.
South City Market -or- George’s Street Arcade
We arrived at St Patrick’s Cathedral early enough to enjoy some quality time before many of the other tourists arrived. In the year of it’s founding, 1191 – St. Patrick’s Cathedral was dedicated to the same Saint for which we now devote a day of drinking Guinness and dressing in green. The cathedral is Dublin’s second largest cathedral. Since there was no precedent for two cathedrals in one city – many believe it was built 100+ years after Christ Church Cathedral in order to replace the larger church just up the street. If that was the intent, they were unsuccessful in crushing the competition. They should have consulted Sam Walton’s Irish ancestors.
Saint Patrick’s Cathedral
Julia, who had been kissed by a leprechaun
My Irish lassies
The sky was simply beautiful over the cathedral
By the time the crowds descended on St. Patrick’s Cathedral, we had departed toward the Viking/Medieval area to continue our tour. We arrived at Christ Church Cathedral just as a light drizzle cut through the otherwise strikingly blue sky we’d enjoyed all morning.
Christ Church Cathedral – the larger and older of the two
A perfect time for lunch – and as fortune would have it, a make-shift food market had been set up on the grounds of the church. An easy decision was made easier because we are always huge fans of vendor-food.
Vendors in front of the church
Kilts are back in fashion this spring
After lunch we stopped by Dublin Castle which was sadly, a bit disappointing. We have had grand visions of seeing many of Europe’s castles this year and this was to be our first “real” castle. What we didn’t know is that most of the original structure no longer stands – only one tower from medieval times remains and it is now attached to a much more modern government building. Oh well, there’s still time for more castles – I don’t suppose they’re going anywhere anytime soon.
Dublin Castle – what remains
We had made the perfect loop to put us in line with the Guinness Factory, or Guinness Storehouse as it’s called in Dublin – about two miles due west. We still didn’t know quite what to expect when we made the left onto Crane Street, except that we’d be in for a treat. The brewery-site was absolutely enormous and filled with Irish charm. Outside of Las Vegas, there’s only one other “candy store” for adults – and we had found it!
Turn left for fun
Want to increase your “cool factor” – stand here
I was a bit nervous when we saw the size of the line (our two-year old has many wonderful qualities, but patience is not one of them). I walked to the front and realized that was only the first leg – it wrapped around the building in a depressing right angle. I was slowly walking back to ask Jen the inevitable, “should we wait” when fortune stepped in and saved the day. A Storehouse employee saw us with our stroller and whisked us out of line and in through a back door. He escorted us to a special ticket counter and then directly into the Storehouse. Thank you, Mr. Guinness for mixing in customer service with your perfect balance of hops and barley.
Guinness St. Jame’s Gate – our VIP entrance
I would highly recommend this tour to anyone! The Guinness Storehouse is a single building in a larger campus of buildings designated for brewing. Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease for the property, so you can rest assured there will be many more pints to come. The Storehouse is a modern architectural dream, with glass and steel set around a museum, shop and multiple bars.
Just a portion of the enormous campus where Guinness is brewed
“I’m so excited, I could dance”
You start the tour in the atrium, at the bottom of the worlds largest glass pint (which, if full could hold 14.3 million pints of the delicious black brew). The tour winds it’s way up four of the seven stories in the building and then back down to the first floor.
Escalator to start the tour
Part of the giant pint
The Store to buy merchandise
The tour…
Hops grown in one of two parts of the world
Water is critical in the brewing proces
An old barrel used for aging
Old barrels now serve as a gate to a bar
Quote by Rupert Guinness
At the end of the tour, you can sample a free taste of Guinness. It was funny to watch people go back again and again and again. Although a bit awkward when we kept running into each other at the bar!
I heard more consecutive glasses break than ever before
Just a taste…
Then, with your paid admission – you are entitled to one free full pint of Guinness at any of the many bars of your choice. We chose the most popular, Gravity Bar at the top of the building. The Gravity Bar offers panoramic 365 degree views of the city. On a beautiful blue day like we had – we couldn’t get there fast enough.
Imagine the most amazing club you’ve ever been to – great music, tons of pretty faces, and a wonderful mood. Then add the best views of an incredible city and free Guinness… and you’ve got a proper image of Gravity Bar.
Gravity Bar overtop Dublin
The perfect pour…
…complete with shamrock…
…and a mate!
Only trouble… Julia didn’t quite get into the fun. Whether it was the loud music, the packed room or the gaggle of buzzed patrons that got a kick out of seeing a baby in a bar… she lost it and could not be consoled. We took our freshly poured pints and descended down to a quieter level to finish our drinks. Since it is our intention for this blog to one day serve as a journal for our travels… it is my hope that Julia reads this (many years from now) and knows the sacrifice we made for her!
Julia couldn’t be consoled
“Well, maybe just a sip will help”
“Why would you give me that?! I’m just a baby!”
Since we had so much fun walking and sightseeing, we decided a walk back to the hotel was not the proper way to put a punctuation mark on the end of our day. I flagged down a handsome cab and thought we would ride back in high fashion. Only thing… these horses were trained to run, not stroll! Julia loved having the wind push back her hair and even pretended to drive for a bit. Good thing she’d only had a little Guinness!!*
Riding that horse like a boss!
Julia’s view
The wind was blowing her hair back
“Who’s next? Only 20 quid!”
*No babies were harmed or really given any Guinness in the making of this post
We had exactly two trips pre-planned before we moved to Italy. One to Scotland with Jen’s family this coming June and the other; something way to good pass up… Saint Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Ireland! Jen suggested we participate in one of the largest parties in the world and I happily obliged. We booked a flight on a local carrier and headed to Dublin for a long weekend. I’m going to publish three separate posts dedicated to Dublin – too many stories and photos to fit all into one!
On our way to Dublin
We boarded our flight on Ryan Air from a small, regional airport. As it turns out Ryan Air (an Irish Airline) is simultaneously the coolest and the absolute worst airline on the planet. They offer low-cost airfare throughout Europe (great), but those flights are tricky to find and they nickel and dime you to death (not great). When you book your ticket, you have to navigate through 5 pages of extras that they try to trick you into buying (“would you like trip insurance for your goat?”). By the end, you’re too burned out to read their luggage policy and you might end up in a pickle like we did.
We arrived at the airport and were sent to a different counter because we hadn’t printed our boarding passes. €10 to print?? Err… OK, no biggie. That’s when I started to notice all the mini-luggage people were towing around (picture the novelty suitcase you would buy your 8 year-old). I glanced back at our behemoth US sized carry on bags and knew we were going to be in trouble. I didn’t even bother to try to cram it into the “your bag must fit in this cage” contraption and went to the desk to check them. AGENT: “Oh, you didn’t pre-check online? That will be €120″.
ME:“I’m sorry, I’m only on level one of Rosetta Stone – that sounds like you said one hundred and twenty euro’s for two carry-on bags?!!” AGENT: “Yes. That’s just for this leg of your flight” Gulp!
Jen and Julia boarding
With a €130 lighter jig in my step – we eagerly boarded the plane. The nickel and diming continued… “would you like water – €4″ (I’m not exaggerating). But also… “would you like lottery scratch offs and smokeless cigarettes for the flight?” Haha… hmmm, kind of cool. But I’m with my wife and baby, lady – no dice!
“Uhhh… sir, there’s a hole in the bottom of your plane!”
We departed the best/worst flight of our life and arrived in the center of Dublin. We were instantly taken with the cleanliness, beauty and charm of the city. We were going to enjoy this trip!! The forecast had called for rain, but yet the sun was shining as bright as all the red hair atop everyone’s heads.
We checked into our beautiful hotel, adjacent to one of the most popular parts of town – Temple Bar. Temple Bar houses street after street of wonderful pubs and restaurants. Admittedly, it may have been a location that suited us better 3 years ago (the partying can get a bit rowdy)… but it was still spectacular. On the other side of our hotel, we were flanked by Trinity College, one of the world’s top ranking universities established in 1592. When Julia asks, I’ll be sure to tell her that’s why I selected the site.
Our hotel
Temple Bar – too early for the crowds
Temple Bar pubs
Jameson and Guinness run this town
Enjoying Temple Bar
Temple Bar at night
We searched for a good pub to eat lunch and found the perfect place. Inside The Stags Head, the atmosphere was great, the Guinness was tremendous and the fish and chips were the best I’d ever had. Well, they’ve had over 100 years to get it right – The Stags Head was established in 1895. Julia loved the crowd she gained while feigning drinking her mom’s Guinness. We let her get close enough to get an adorable Guinness mustache.
The Stags Head est. 1895
Our first Guinness in Dublin
“Mommy, you’re so silly!”
“What’s all the fuss about?”
“Oh, now I see… delicious!”
Our food was wonderful. Here are some pictures of what we enjoyed.
Cocktail sausages and chips
Beef and Guinness Pie
Slow cooked Irish beef with roast vegetables in Guinness broth served with rosemary potatoes
Beef and Guinness pie
Traditional Fish and Chips
Fresh Haddock in a light crisp beer batter served with home-cut chips and a tartare sauce
Traditional fish and chips
After lunch we walked for miles and miles, taking in the sites and the festivities that seemed to be at every turn (a carnival, band, show or jokesters like these guys were everywhere).
Everyone was getting in on the fun
We particularly enjoyed walking down Grafton Street, a pedestrian street full of incredible shopping. If there is anything that I know, it’s that a crowded street full of pedestrians brings out the street performers!
Grafton Street – Dublin’s pedestrian shopping district
A fire juggler
He saw my camera and stopped performing to pose
The Irish are taller than the Italian
A little taste of Venice in Dublin
We passed through Fusiliers’ Arch into Saint Stephen’s Green. Fusiliers’ Arch was completed in 1907 in honor of the enlisted men and officers of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers that fought in the Second Boer War.
Fusiliers’ Arch at the northwest corner of St. Stephen’s Green
Saint Stephen’s Green is a picturesque park toward the southern end of the city. The perfectly manicured lawns matched the beautiful duck pond and stunning fountains with blissful harmony – a perfect backdrop for a curious 2 year old to run wild and wreak havoc! We chased Julia all the way into a playground we discovered and loved watching her have fun with her new Irish friends.
Saint Stephen’s Green Park
A little duck watching
A bridge spanning the duck pond
Julia by the fountains – she made her first wish
By the time the sun set we were thrilled to see another surprise. The “greening” of the city. During the St. Patrick’s Day festivities the entire city seems to participate in this tradition of green uplighting. All in all – we decided after a magical first day, we had the Luck of the Irish on our side (OK, I had to fit that in there somewhere)!
Custom House 1791
Trinity College
A Temple Bar pub
Temple Bar at night
Julia and Jen certainly loved getting in touch with their Irish roots and I was just happy to be a part of it all!
That title will make sense soon. Please, read on. Unless you’re a member of PETA. Then, please stop and choose another post!
“I’m getting out of here – I don’t want to hear about bunnies for lunch!”
You may have read HERE about when our Uncle S. and Aunt Deborah came to see us last week and we enjoyed a very nice visit with three days full of wonderful food. Well, the meal we shared on day three was truly blog-worthy!
I don’t think S. or Deb knew what to expect when they came; and so they came open for anything. But since one of their good friends had been to Lake Como some time ago, he mentioned a few top sights and restaurants to consider. One particular restaurant, Al Veluu appeared to be unbelieveably perfect for us. Al Veluu sits atop a hillside in the wonderful lake town of Tremezzo, thus extending picturesque views of Lake Como (a town we wanted to show them anyway). Their well designed and informative website features images of the lake that somehow seem to take second place to the images of their food. And since I happen to know their referring friend has impeccable taste, it was evidence enough for me!
Hilltop view of Tremezzo
Jen and I discovered the town of Tremezzo whilst exploring the lake at the beginning of our trip, this past January. We were just out for a drive and promised that we would return to explore further as soon as we could. One of the main sights of Tremezzo is Villa Carlotta, a stunning villa with impeccable gardens. Unfortunately, we were three days ahead of the seasonal opening of the villa and thus unable to see. Expect a blog post about it in the near future.
Villa Carlotta
We allotted plenty of time for a relatively short drive. We needed to wind our way to the base of the lake and up with western side of the west leg. In this case, it was as much about the journey as the destination. While winding through the narrow streets of lake town after lake town, we took in the sites of the water and incredible villas (including that of the local celebrity, George Clooney – no, he wasn’t out).
Al Veluu – our intended destination
Timing it perfectly, we arrived at Al Veluu just as they should have been opening for pranzo (lunch). However, as you know – the best laid plans are always the first to go awry. The place seemed to have a few too many construction workers and too few diners. I went up to talk to the proprietors and see what was going on. Turns out, the only thing on the menu was renovations. Fortunately, the owner, Luca was very nice and suggested another place, La Fagurida. He even invited us to stop by on the way back for a limoncello (lemon drink). He also shared that if we were fans of rabbit (I am), we could do no better than La Fagurida.
Easy-to-miss sign to La Fagurida
Tight squeeze down the driveway – took it sloooow
La Fagurida – the owners live above
We drove up the hill another 300 meters and found the restaurant (he cautioned us not to drive too quickly, lest we miss the small sign). We were charmed by the restaurant’s exterior and even more amazed to see the menu’s pièce de résistance in an open-air cage out front. There was a large cage of bunnies out front. They looked so cute and playful, it even made me think twice about ordering one! While the title jests that I got to pick my own – I assure you, that wasn’t the case. I don’t know if I could have handled that (strangely though, when it comes to lobster I have no problems).
Coniglio Gabbia (Rabbit Cage)
As delicious as they are adorable!
S. and Jules playing with the bunnies
We ordered several wonderful primi (first courses) from the menu and settled in for what looked to be a promising meal. Our table was quickly covered with delectable treats, including the most amazing polenta that any of us had ever had. In fact, we ordered so much that we couldn’t even finish (wanting to save room for our main courses). We should have known that not finishing your food is not an option in an Italian woman’s kitchen and she literally made me and S. finish every plate.
Antipasti della casa
Prosciutto, salami and bresaola
Insalata fagioli borlotti
Insalata gelatina
Cipolle, carciofi e peperoni arrostiti
(Onions, artichokes and roasted peppers)
Polenta uncia e classica
Our secondo (main course) was brought to the table and we each eagerly dove in.
Coniglio arrosto (roasted rabbit) for two
Verdure alla griglia (grilled vegetables)
Spiedino de carne mista (skewer of mixed meats)
Vino della casa in a wonderful bottle
We finished with dessert for Julia and soaked up the view one last time. We wound our way back into town for some coffee and pastries.
Did I feel a bit guilty about staring my lunch in it’s adorable little face? Perhaps a bit – but my guilt was eased by the memory of the delectable meal. As it turns out, they serve about 1,000 rabbits a year – so I was just one of many guilty parties.
When we first moved here, we noticed that while many things are very much the same as the States… there are also many, many subtle (and not so subtle) differences. Early on, I did a quick post about things being different HERE but I didn’t go into many of the specifics.
Now that we’ve been here a while, it makes sense to go a bit deeper. You know, the kind of “hard-hitting journalism” you’ve come to expect here at Sipping Espresso. For this post we’ve focused on some of the differences that we find particularly charming, beneficial or just plain better. So here we go…
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RESTAURANTS
Let’s start with the food. If you’ve been a follower of this blog for a while (or read more than one post), you’ll notice that many things here are cuisine related. This in itself is something amazing, but not an entry. Regarding food/eating, I’m referring to:
Get it while it’s hot! In the States, it is polite to eat only when all the food has arrived at the table. This means most of your dishes have been baking under a heat lamp anywhere from 5 – 10 minutes while your buddy-with-no-taste-bud’s extra well-done steak continues to char. Here, the food arrives at the table just after it’s been cooked – and it’s meant to be enjoyed that way. You can eat when the food arrives – in fact, people might think your pazzo (crazy) if you sit and let your food get cold. Admittedly, this takes some getting used to – but it makes all the sense in the world.
Gnocci Castelmagno and Papparadelle Cinghiale
This dish would lose texture/flavor quickly if allowed to get cold
Help decide for me! Most restaurants (from the ordinary to the high-end) feature a pre-fix lunch menu, or Menu del Giorno (Menu of the Day). They are usually between $10 – $12 and often feature a first course, a second course, a half-liter of wine, sparkling water and a coffee. Not a bad deal!
Menu of the Day at Il Solito Posto
Waiter – where’s the bill?! Since waiters are paid fair wages here, tipping is not necessary and usually only for service above and beyond. This should probably stand alone as an entry – but there’s an extra benefit. There is no pressure to “turn over” a table. If you want to sit and enjoy your espresso, your gelato or just your conversation – feel free to stay put. In fact, most places don’t even “drop the bill”. Rather, you get up when you are ready and pay on your way out.
Where’s the Burger King? You can ask in English or Italian – you’ll get the same confused look. Fast food joints are not prevalent, in fact – they’re almost nonexistent. McDonalds has made some headway in the past decade (to the pleasure of the younger generation and chagrin of the old-school), but they are few and far between. In fact, we find it humorous that if you see a sign for a McDonald’s – it is not just off the next exit. It’s probably the closest one and still 15 miles away. This has obvious health benefits on the country as a whole. Furthermore, it cultivates a healthy relationship with food. Food is meant to be healthy, fresh and enjoyed slowly.
Wine, wine and more wine! Unless you live in wine country, USA – you can’t imagine how nice it is to be surrounded by such love of wine. This means it is readily available, delicious and affordable. Our grocery stores have huge aisles dedicated only to wine, often on sale at deep discounts. Just the other day, when I was spending time with Franco and we stopped to talk to a group of his friends. I thought I understood someone to say that they were “waiting for it to rain wine” which didn’t make sense to me. I was sure I misunderstood until a truck pulled up. Franco explained that this truck came from Venito, loaded with wine for sale. These guys were literally buying 100 liter quantities to store in their homes. I’m presently trying to convince Franco to split 50 liters with me on the next truck that rolls into town!
Some wonderful Italian wines
Our favorite day – WINE MEGA SALE day!
Can you say, “kid in candy store”
FINANCE
This next section is finance related. While I’m getting crushed on the exchange from dollars to euro’s, and the Italians pay an incredibly high amount of taxes (you think you had it bad?!) – there are a few things that I love here as it relates to their finances.
The price is, what the price is! OK, the tax is in there somewhere – but restaurants, merchants, stores and everyone else marks a price and lo and beyond… it’s final! There are no extras, taxes or tips (see above) required. You don’t have to calculate the tax or wait for someone to do for you. You just pull out your fourteen euro’s and pay… fourteen euro’s (as opposed to $14.84). Now that’s a relief.
You can’t fool me! At home, we love the .99 cent trick. Or the $990 dollar trick. As in, “I only paid $8 bucks for this thing” when in reality it was $8.99 plus tax. I admit, it has a purpose – but it is a bit deceitful to consumers and can sometimes be annoying when figuring out what you are really paying. Instead of $9.99 – it will be marked as an honest $10. I find this very refreshing.
No €9.99 here!
How do you say Fort Knox in Italian?! Their security for banking is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. After I opened my account, I was given an online security key fob. This device generates one of my three pin codes I need to login online. You press the button and it generates a random code that you have limited time to enter, thus guaranteeing the utmost in online security. Furthermore, if you wish to make a purchase online – you can enter the amount you wish to authorize and even the merchant you plan to do business with. You will be given an randomly generated 16-digit number that can be entered one time (for the amount specified) as opposed to entering your actual card number. So internet thieves, go right ahead and steal my credit card number – it won’t be good ever again.
Can’t hack into my online account!
Stay away Western Union – I go where I want! Because the Euro is adopted as the central currency for the European Union, we can cross the border into France, Spain, Germany and many more without having to worry about changing bills and getting killed on commissions.* Incidentally, please use Western Union… for some stupid reason, I’m a stockholder.
I have more change than an 80 year old woman!
*I promised this would be a positive post – but I do have to add one additional note here. I’m not crazy about the actual currency itself (blame the E.U… not Italy). Their monopoly money consists of bills of different sizes and tons of coins (€1 coin, €2 coin, etc). This results in many bills falling on the floor as I rush through the checkout line and a pocket that sounds like a Mexican mariachi band as I chink-chink down the street.
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I’ve got many more to go, but this already turned out to be longer than I realized. I feel it is a good time to break in the series and continue with a “All Things Are a Little Different… Parte Tre” (Part Three) soon. Ciao for now!
Last week, we received a visit from our Uncle S. and Aunt Deborah who were traveling through Europe on business. They had planned a stop over visit us before traveling by train to their next destination. We had also coordinated with Jen’s mom, who was departing on the same day they arrived, which saved us a trip to the airport and allowed us to spend the day in Milano (never a bad thing). Whoever said planning is overrated never had traffic and a two year old to contend with.
Julia with her great-uncle S.
Julia was sad to see her Nonna leave, but excited to have new visitors to play with. She instantly recognized S. and Deb as they arrived through customs. Since it was early evening when they landed, we took them back to our condo and had a “light” dinner of bread, salami, salami piccante (spicy salami) prosciutto, cheese, a cannelloni bean salad, acciughe in salsa verde (anchovies in green sauce), insalata finocchio (fennel salad) and insalata caprese with some wonderful buffalo mozzarella. Franco and Claudia came downstairs to join the party and brought some additional goodies of their own. Of course, we had more than a bottle or two of some good vino along with grappa and limoncello to wash it all down.
Julia found a left-handed drinking buddy
We had a long list of activities we wanted to accomplish while they were here, but the three days we had wasn’t enough time to do it all. The only thing to do… plan our lunches and work backwards from there! Since most restaurants are closed one day a week (either Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday depending on the restaurant) and the weather predicted to change dramatically over those three days – I spent a good 30 minutes figuring out the rubik’s-cube that was their trip.
We spent the first day in Lecco (the other “leg” of the lake), the second day eating sopra (above) with Franco and Claudia (who live above us) and the final day in Tremezzo (another lake town). Since both S. and Deb had read the blog post HERE about a wonderful restaurant we discovered who’s cuisine is matched only by the adventure you must undertake to arrive – that was pre-penciled in.
Julia was excited to return to Osteria Montalbano
A quick summary of the restaurant, Osteria Belvedere Montalbano in Lecco (or click the link above); Lake Como has two “legs” with Como at the “foot” of the west leg and Lecco at the foot of the east leg. Lecco has stunning mountains that surround the lake. In order to find the restaurant, you must drive through the town, into a residential area on one of the mountains, enter a private road and continue to wind your way up the mountain. As you approach the end of the road, you’ll find a dirt path that is covered with stones and trees. Turn on your all wheel drive and wind your way up the path for 20 minutes before finding this jewel.
Everyone in front of one of our favorite restaurants
On our first trip, we were lucky enough to make it up this tiny/dangerous road unscathed. This time everything appeared to be going well, when suddenly we came across an obstacle. The road was closed half-way up because a local farmer was chopping trees and one laid clear across the “road”, blocking our path. There is NO turning around or backing down – our only option was to push forward. I hopped out of the car and asked him when he would be done. He said that it would be about 20-30 minutes. I volunteered to help and S and I became his gofers while he continued to skillfully wield his chainsaw. He jokingly said, avete fame (you must be hungry)! We were on our way in less than 10 minutes!
Nothing is going to keep us from getting there!
The food was as spectacular as the first visit and the quantity could have fed a small army, let alone four travelers. Since the menu is seasonal, many of the dishes were repeats for Jen and myself – but we had a couple new dishes, pictured below.
Filet with radicchio and a gorgonzola cream sauce
Roasted rabbit with a white wine reduction
Pan fried polenta
Half pear / half blubbery torte with custard
As we were leaving, we noticed a bocce-ball court that looked like it will be a lot of fun when the weather warms. S. made an astute and funny observation that there wasn’t a flat patch of earth anywhere to be seen for miles, yet they had a perfectly manicured surface to play bocce-ball on the top of a mountain!
Anyone up for a game?
This is my bench… don’t even think about it!
Deb and Julia sharing a laugh
We’re looking forward to visiting Osteria Belvedere Montalbano again when our next adventurous visitors come to see us!
Here is something my Mom, Greg and I all have in common…we love Pizza. And pizza in Italy is the best! Pizza originated in Italy and they have continued to perfect the art ever since. When my Mom was in town we decided to make our own versions of our favorite pizza’s at home. We had so much fun and Julia even got in on the action.
Rolling out her dough
When I told my uncle our plan to try to duplicate our favorite pizza’s at home he gave us a brief history lesson on the pizza. As it turns out, pizza started as a flatbread consumed by many people in Europe. In 16th century this was a common meal sold on the streets to the poor throughout Naples. It was an inexpensive dish that offered many different types of toppings. Credit for the first Margherita pizza is given to pizza maker Raffaele Esposito of Naples. The story is that in June of 1889 to honor the Queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, he created a “Pizza Margherita” for the Queen (I had to get that from Wiki – History of Pizza) . This pizza consisted of tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil to represent the colors of the Italian flag. Thank you Raffaele! Today people around the world enjoy this simple but delicious pizza.
Our own Pizza Margherita
After our history lesson we were ready to prepare dinner. On the menu were our three favorite dishes. Diane’s favorite, Pizza Margarita; Greg’s, a Napoli Pizza; and my go to, Quattro Formaggi (four cheese).
Pizza Napoli
Quattro formaggio
We wanted dinner to be “easy” so we opted for store bought pizza dough. We will try making the dough another day. We also don’t have any fancy pizza stones or brick ovens here but we managed to create a crispy crust and pretty darn good pizza. Here is what we did:
All of the pizza’s started off with the same crust. Coat the baking pan with a little bit of olive oil so that the dough doesn’t stick. Instead of rolling out the dough we used our hands to stretch it and work it into a circle for the baking sheet. Once on the baking sheet we used a fork to poke a few holes in the dough (to prevent bubbles). Next we drizzled some olive oil and added some sea salt. Below is how to make the different types of pizza.
Drizzle olive oil on the dough
Pizza Margarita
For the sauce use a can of crushed San Marzano tomatoes. Simple is always best! Next you need to add slices of mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. Or, you can also choose to add the basil to the pizza after it comes out of the oven. It’s totally up to you! Either way you end up with a beautiful red, white and green pizza.
Crushed tomatoes as the sauce
Next, add your toppings
Pizza Napoli
Again, for the sauce simply use a can of crushed San Marzano tomatoes. Next, add slices of mozzarella, provolone and grated parmigiano reggiano cheese. What makes this a Napoli Pizza is adding acciughe(anchovies) as the final step. Feel comfortable to arrange them in any pattern you like.
The acciughe (anchovies) – Greg’s favorite
Pizza Quattro Formaggi
There is no need for sauce when making this pizza. Since the pizza is a four cheese, it does not need any sauce as a base. Instead, use some olive oil and crushed garlic on the dough. Our four cheese pizza consisted of mozzarella, provolone, grated parmigiano reggiano and gorgonzola cheese. Feel free to substitute any or all of the cheeses for your favorite (and if you’re feeling really crazy, make it a five or even six cheese pizza!).
Give spacing for your gorgonzola – it will melt over a large surface
All three pizza’s will cook in under 10 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. The trick is to watch the pizza and look for the crust to brown and the cheese to start to bubble. Once the crust is crispy enough to transfer, remove the pizza from the baking sheet and finish cooking it directly on the oven rack. This will give it a crispy crust without the brick oven. When you remove the pizza’s allow the cheese to cool for a few minutes before you cut and serve.
Julia and her Nonna
Jen and her Mom
Julia “rolling” on her own!
I hope you enjoy making pizza at your home. You can try these or invent one of your own with your favorite toppings.
Jen picked a wonderful restaurant in the heart of Verona, romantically hidden from site, lending the feeling of authenticity (as opposed to “touristy”). We were visiting the amazing city for the day (read all about our visit HERE) and had pre-selected, Ristorante Greppia as our place for pranzo (lunch).
The small street leading to Ristorante Greppia
We were instantly taken in by the charm and warmth of the restaurant. The wait staff elevated our excitement for the meal to come by extending great courteousness and hospitality (indulging me as I took photos with this blog in mind).
Jen and Julia out front
Dining al fresco
We eagerly reviewed the menu and decisions came easily for the women (pasta for both). I had a bit of a harder time deciding between the Ossobucco di Vitella con Polenta (braised veil shanks with polenta), Fegato di Vitella con Polenta (veil liver with polenta) or Cervello Dorate di Vitello (“golden” veil brain). I’m not afraid to gamble and I’m certainly adventurous with my food – so I left the meal to chance and asked the server for his recomendation of the three (rather hoping he’d land on the liver or brain). Of course he chose the brain (why oh why couldn’t he have just suggested the rather normal and delicious ossobucco?!) and so I willingly obliged.
Some of Ristorante Greppia’s Wine Selection
Jen and her mother Diane started with an Insalata Caprese (tomato and mozzarella salad) and I added a side of Patate al Forno (roasted potatoes) with my brains. “Yes, I’d like a side of potatoes with my brains please”… I didn’t quite realize how silly this all sounds until just now as I was typing!
The salads were brought out after we’d had a nice chance to enjoy some wine.
Insalata Caprese
Jen’s mom, Diane chose a delicious Rigatoni al Ragu (a rigatoni noodle in a meat sauce), while Jen chose the Tris della Casa (three of the house) pastas which included a gnocchi, a spaghetti and a pappardelle.
Rigatoni al Ragu
Tris della Casa
When my cervello (brains) were served, they looked perfectly breaded (just ever-so lightly) and wonderfully pan fried. I took my first bite and… the consistency was a bit – well, perhaps brainy?! I took a second bite. I think I’ll go with… “rich”. I took another and another. My descriptors to the ladies moved from “good” to “unique” to “interesting” to “a one time experience” to “I’m done” rather quickly!
Five LARGE sections of the cervello (brain)
Potate al Forno (roasted potatoes) on the side
Had there been one section for me to nibble on as just an appetizer, I likely would have left feeling elated I was brave enough to eat brain and content with my meal. But since there were five little buggers staring me in the face and it was my entree, I was filled with dread after my second section. I decided two and a half sections (out of five) was enough. This was the first time since I’ve lived in Italy that I can remember leaving a meal hungry!
It may look like fried mozzarella – I assure you, it’s not!
The girls thoroughly enjoyed their pasta and Diane (who is very consistent with her ordering) joked with me after the meal; “you guys (myself, Jen and her husband Dominic) love to order these strange things – but you never know if you’re going to like your meal. I can always tell you that I’m going to love mine!” And she’s absolutely right – but I’ll continue to double down when possible and try the unusual menu items – because those have often been the best meals I’ve ever had. This experience will not rate in that category, but it will certainly land in the more memorable section!
I kept imagining the zombies from my favorite iPhone game saying “BRAINS!”
Next time you’re in Verona – check out Ristorante Greppia and enjoy your food. Just use your brain and steer clear of theirs. Buon appetito!
