One of the true gems of the world…. Venezia (Venice). The name alone evokes powerful feelings for many people. Romantic gondola rides, historical architectural treasures, beautiful creations blown from Murano glass, unique hand-crafted masks and always… always a city constructed with streets of water. Amazingly, the entirecity is listed as a World Heritage Site in order to preserve it’s unique beauty. According to my Wiki research, Luigi Barzini described it in the New York Times as “undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man”. I’d have to agree with Luigi!
Panoramic view from the roof of our hotel
Venice from the water
The Grand Canal
More of the Grand Canal
Happy to be here
Our good friends Nathan and Danielle joined us recently for a whirlwind visit filled with food, wine and lots of fun (read about it HERE). We punctuated their trip with a stopover in this romantic city. I was intrigued by the history of such a unique place and just did a little research. Venice consists of 117 islands, formed by 177 canals and connected by 409 bridges. I kept waiting for that “ah-ha” moment when I discovered the name of the genius city planner that decided to create a magical city on the water. But unlike Bugsy Siegel’sLas Vegas or Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid’s reinvention of Dubai – there was no one person that can be credited with the conceptualization of Venice. The truth is that refugees fleeing from invasion of the Lombards sought shelter in the marshland that is now Venice. And how do any cities really get built? A collection of people working together to establish trade and industry, creating habitation and then services to support the population. And so the city grew around the marsh and homes and churches and municipal buildings were constructed. This begs another question. How can you build a city on water?
The city built on water
Piers and bridges everywhere
Loved this view
There is a tree that grows in Slovenia and Croatia called an alder tree that is noted for it’s water resistance. Thousands of these trees were imported (and subsequently credited as a contributing factor for the barren land of the Kras region). The tree trunks were fashioned into piles that were submerged in the water, penetrating the sand and mud until settling in the much denser layer of compressed clay. Foundations were laid on the piles and buildings of stone and brick were constructed on these footers.
Peekaboo!
Cheese!
So now that you know the history, you can join us on our journey. We arrived early in the day via train (the easiest way into the city) and checked into our hotel. Our hotel, Molino Stucky is on the island of Giudecca, set in a beautifully renovated flower mill. After a quick lunch on the roof, we hoped on our hotel’s private ferry to the main island. We toured through the streets and canals, passed over bridges and stopped in shops. The girls bought scarves, glass and other souvenirs while Nathan and I took in all the scenery. We visited the infamous Piazza San Marco and fought for space among the crowds of tourists. We stopped for an afternoon cocktail on the water and eventually made our way back to the hotel to change for dinner.
Our hotel from the water
Hotel from the opposite side
Nathan and Danielle on one the pedestrian bridges
Looking good
Having fun touring
Piazza San Marco
The lion is symbolic of the Veneto region
Incredible architecture – the Libreria (library)
The Campanile – Bell Tower
My three favorite people in the crowd
Procuratie Nuove built by Vincenzo Scamozzi c.1580
Those aren’t aprons – we just lifted our clothes
The girls enjoying their prosecco
Looks like a romantic moment – really it’s just Nathan and I clinking our beers
After freshening up, we met in the lobby and discovered that we were in for a real treat. Nathan and Danielle had reserved a private boat to tour us through Venice – a wonderful journey elevated by the setting sun . We stopped for some wine and cheese and sat back to enjoy the ride.
Now look a this couple!
Some similar boats to the one we had
Traveling in style
View of Piazza San Marco from the boat
Along the tour
Stopping for a photo on the boat
Nate and D
Magical at night
The gondoliers were still out as the sun was setting
Danielle on the water
From the rear of the boat
All of us on board
Similar to our boat
Eventually our driver dropped us at one of his local favorites for seafood. We settled into a table directly on the canal and enjoyed ordering a variety of food to taste and share. At one point, I felt something wet kissing my feet and realized the water in the grand canal had risen high enough to splash the patrons (me) sitting on the edge.
Our restaurant
What a wonderful setting
Starter – mixed seafood
Mussels and clams
Nathan and I shared grigliata mista di pesce (mixed grilled seafood)
Jen got pasta with a variety of seafood
Pasta Aglio e Olio
The water started rising above the pier
Our grappa and limoncello after dinner
When dinner was over, we wound our way through the city at night to discover an entirely different Venice than the one we had seen all day. Long after the sun sets, the landscape of the city changes significantly. Without droves of tourists jockeying for the position to snap a photo (myself included) you are able to re-discover an entirely new place. Piazza San Marco becomes a magical amphitheater where dueling bands play wonderful music and the crowd shifts back and forth to capture the best view possible. We outsmarted the crowd and took up seats directly in front after ordering a nightcap. It was a great way to end the day before hopping on a boat back to our hotel.
In front of the Basilica
One of the “dueling bands”
Our trip to Venice had come to an end as had Nathan and Danielle’s visit with us. We spent one final day with them in Milano (Milan) and bid them buon viaggio (a good trip) back home. We were so thankful we got to do so many wonderful things with friends so special to us. After dropping them off, we rushed home and immediately started prepping for my sister’s visit… she would be arrived just a couple days later. Stay tuned for upcoming posts about their visit – more action packed fun.
On May 4, 2013 a tornado touched down in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. A path of chaos was carved throughout the area best known for a city that inspired a processed meat in the US nowhere near an authentic representation of it’s namesake – Bologna.
One day prior, a different type of tornado touched down in the Lombardia region just north of Emilia-Romagna. Our friends, Nathan and Danielle landed in Milan and a whirlwind of food, fun, wine was about to begin – our own path of chaos would be carved throughout northern Italy.
Our very good friends, Nathan and Danielle
I picked them up at the airport while Jen stayed home to prepare a proper welcome – an Italian pranzo (lunch) done right. We greeted them with an aperitivo (an alcoholic beverage used to stimulate the appetite) and then began stuffing them with salami, prosciutto, lardo (cured meat – basically just pork fat thinly sliced), cheese and olives. Then it was on to the pasta course, with a simple red sauce before our secondo, veal Milanese. Next of course were the salads and then dessert – fresh fruit and pastries we bought that morning. Plenty of wine flowed throughout the meal and we finished with grappa. The only problem… our large lunch had an effect opposite of our intention to keep them awake and perky in order to stave off jet-lag. They were both crying out for a nap, but we were merciless with our plans. We whisked them to downtown Como, where we walked off lunch and eventually made our way to a bar for happy hour outdoors under the sun.
Our next day (and pretty much every day following) was even more action packed than the first. We woke up early and headed to Como to catch the “fast-ferry” to Bellagio. The hydro-foil was going to bring us half-way up Lake Como to one of our favorite towns. Bellagio is often referred to as the Pearl of Lake Como, a very fitting nickname. The beauty of the town inspired the grand casino and resort in Las Vegas that shares the same name. We arrived at the pier a few minutes too late and watched as the faster hydro-foil departed without us. We booked tickets for the next ferry, the slower boat that would take two hours to reach our destination. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as we positioned ourselves in the open bow of the boat (we later learned the faster boat was entirely enclosed) and spent a full two hours marveling at the beauty of the lake. It also helped pass the time that we drank individual portions of boxed wine (imagine a juice box with wine as opposed to juice… “don’t take mommy’s juice-boxes, little Johnny”).
Nate and Danielle on the boat
Danielle gave Julia her first piece of gum (which she swallowed in seconds)
The whole crew
Some towns we saw along the lake – love the light coming through the clouds
Isola Comacina (an island in Lake Como)
Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo
The town of Tremezzo
Julia having fun with Danielle onboard
We’re HERE!
We arrived at Bellagio cheerful and ready to explore. But the internal Italian clock had already set in with our guests and it was just past noon – nearly time for lunch (without exception). We headed to Aperitivio et Al, where we had already made reservations. We ordered antipasto and then moved on to our main dishes. We ordered an extra dish for the table to share, a local specialty called pizzoccheri. Jen and I have enjoyed this unique local pasta many times over the years and they prepared the dish quite well here.
Bellagio from the opposite side of the lake
A baby in a stroller is no match for two strong guys!
Antipasto
Selection of cheeses
Danielle served our grappa
One of my favorite streets in Bellagio – right where ate
The girls having fun
“SAY WHAAAT?!”
The flowers in Bellagio are stunning – even Julia was taken aback
After lunch we set out to explore a bit before heading to Villa Serbelloni – a beautiful resort that sits directly on the lake. We commandeered a perfect spot in the corner of their terrace and ordered a round of the popular Italian afternoon drink, Aperol Sprtiz. As we finished our drinks, Nathan and I mulled over our next order of business when Danielle came back in true “Sweet D” fashion – two Cuban cigars in hand and two waiters in tow, carrying a bottle of champagne (for the girls) and two beers (for the guys). I guess we weren’t going anywhere anytime soon, which was just fine with us. Eventually we departed in time to catch the ferry (this time we made it to the fast boat) and headed back home for a late dinner.
Villa Serbelloni
A view from one of the hotel’s terraces
Nathan became giddy at the view
This is what he was looking at
Julia soaking it all up
The gang’s all here
Having fun with Daddy
The girls with their sprtiz’s
The aftermath of our afternoon
Another view from the hotel
Sunday (day three) was a continuation of the first two. I had prearranged a wine tasting in the Piemonte region – an area in the northwest of the country that produces some of the world’s best wines. Several weeks back, my father-in-law sent me an email about a three day event that was divided between six venues (mostly private villas and castles), spread among four villages and serving hundreds of the best Barolo’s, Barbaresco’s and Diano d’Alba’s (to name a few). The only problem – it was reserved for professionals in the wine industry. I was dismayed to learn that I may be prevented from attending a seemingly perfect day of free wine tasting. I viewed the registration form anyways and decided that it wouldn’t hurt to let them know I was a wine importer and therefore worthy of a badge (along with my three “co-workers”). It isn’t that far-fetched of a tale, as I would love to get into the trade and figured I could do some networking in between sips. The ruse worked and we had a day planned to experience some of the best wine in Italy.
Grandi Langhe DOCG Wine Event
The three hour drive to the Langhe province flew by and we were welcomed with warm weather and bright blue skies. Our anticipation built as we passed rolling hills and fields of vines dotting the landscape in perfect lines like ants on their way to a picnic. We arrived in the town of Monforte d’ Alba and teetered our way down the small cobblestone street toward the location of our first tasting, Palazzo Martinengo. The venue was wonderful and I was amazed to see how many local producers were in attendance, eager to showcase their wine and talk about their grapes’ unique prowess. I had a blast chatting in a combination of English and Italian, evaluating how the local terroir affects the flavor of each wine. It was no small coincidence that I chose this particular day of the three to attend the tasting – the first venue was featuring only Barolo’s (the most sought-after of all the wines in the region). We enjoyed a lunch on the terrace – steak tartare, pasta (of course) and some other goodies before moving onto the next venue.
Monforte d’ Alba
Inside the event
Lunch was served on the terrace
Badges and glasses ready
Danielle goes in for a taste
These guys must be big time wine importers – I mean, look at those pink shirts!
Stepping out for a bit
What a day!
As we piled into the shuttle we noticed some dark clouds moving in. By the time we arrived at Tenuta Abbene, a heavy rain had broken through the clouds. I was particularly bummed, because this venue was stunning – a private villa set back behind a long driveway. Situated behind many hectares of grape fields and atop a hill that produced a view of the entire valley. The event had planned this portion of the tasting to be outside – a plan that was wasted because everyone was crowded inside a small space to avoid the blistering cold rain. Eventually we decided the rain wasn’t letting up and opted to drive home, but not after stopping at one of our favorite restaurants, Antique Sapore for Como’s best pizza.
The villa – shot from the safety of cover
More of the outdoor space we weren’t able to enjoy
Hiding inside
Danielle fashioned a couture raincoat out of a garbage bag
Monday, we needed a break before our next big trip (we were leaving for Venice the next morning) and so we enjoyed a slow morning before headed to our absolute favorite dining establishment… Franco and Claudia’s home, just upstairs. She prepared a wonderful lunch which we all thoroughly enjoyed (I even caught her in a picture… a rare feat indeed).
Everyone for lunch – Franco… SMILE like you like us!
Preparing the food in the kitchen
Afterward we took a nice long drive, winding our way up the lake past some more of our favorite towns and ended up in Menaggio.
Walking around Menaggio
Walking along the lake
I was helping Julia attract the ducks so she could “pet them”
Family photo
River that leads to the lake
Soaking up the scenery
Can you believe that we just happened to be sitting like this?!
Just like Nathan and Danielle’s visit, we have a lot packed into this post and so I will conclude this first part and resume again next with our exciting trip to Venice. Ciao for now…
Well, we didn’t run into Edward Cullen, Bella Swan or that creepy little girl that can induce pain in people’s mind (I suppose the world’s largest and most powerful coven of vampires was in hiding) during our visit to Volterra in Tuscany.
Now this is Tuscany!
For the Tibetan monk that has been living in isolation in Bhutan… and my sister, the only two people in the world that haven’t a clue who Edward or Bella are – I am making a playful reference to the Twilight Series. Buddhist monk and Michelle, listen up – the premise of the fictional story is simple. Girl falls in love with boy. Boy happens to be a blood-sucking vampire. Girl also falls in love with another boy. Boy happens to be a shape-shifting werewolf. Love triangle ensues. They all get in trouble when the Volturi (fictional Vampire royalty from the non-fictional town of Volterra, Italy) get involved. Giant battle rages. Extend story over five books. Produce six movies and collect hundreds of millions of non-fictional dollars. You know – your classic love story.
Julia reading in Volterra
Julia’s new pose while strolling
While we didn’t see any vampires (darn), we did find something better in Volterra. We found an amazing city with an incredible history and beauty worthy of a hundred stories – let alone a few blockbuster movies.
Street scene
A government building in the main piazza
In the main piazza
Torture museums are popular here
Jacob??
“Come take a load off”
Another street scene
Remains of Etruscan-Roman Acropolis
Rooftops
I call this… “lonely albero“
Love the roofline
About to break into a run
I love this little peanut
We were given the opportunity to see Volterra with a local, Beth – whom we had recently re-connected with via Facebook. We stayed with her family in their amazing farmhouse for a long weekend that began with a wonderful party you can read about HERE. The first day of we partook in the festivities of Festa della Liberazione. The next day, we woke up and enjoyed our coffee and breakfast in true Tuscan style – piano, piano (slowly). I drank my coffee in Beth’s amazing backyard and watched Julia play while soaking up the scenery.
Beth and her son Indi
Beth’s backyard… what a yard!!
I could spend all day soaking this up
After lunch, we ventured to Volterra and spent the day strolling through the wonderful city. I was particularly interested in the large castle, Medicean Fortress perched at the main gate of the city. We decided to visit the caste and include this large fortress among the many we plan to see this year. I was greeted at the gate (and then turned away) by an armed guard. That seemed odd. Then I noticed armed guards on the roof. And industrial-size surveillance cameras. Boy, these Italians take the preservation of their historical treasures seriously. Or maybe the Volturi do exist…
Medecian Fortress in Volterra – no vampires living here as far as we could tell
Beth told us that there was a prison in Volterra, but we all agreed that it didn’t seem to make sense to convert a 14th century landmark positioned in the center of a tourist town into a prison for hardened criminals. I just discovered (thank you internet) that we were wrong. The castle was converted into a high-security prison for criminals that are serving sentences longer than seven years. I have also learned another interesting fact about the prison – there is a restaurant inside that serves gourmet food. This was part of a rehabilitation project and has been highly publicized. The food is prepared and served by inmates and the restaurant is open to the public (provided you pass a security clearance, don’t mind eating with plastic silverware and have some stones of your own). I think I’ll have to make a reservation next time we visit – my kind of joint.
Another angle
One of the main city gates
The drive from Beth’s home to Volterra was simply amazing – we got to see some of the incredible Tuscan country-side. Beth explained that there are essentially “twelve colors of Tuscany” throughout the year. A painter had once told her that the look of Tuscany changes each month with the growth of new plants and flowers each month. We must have come during the most vibrant green month – because the scenery was just stunning.
Julia and Indi ready to go
Vibrant green hillside
Tuscany in spring is a dream
Incredible scenery
Couldn’t wait to make a panoramic photo
We picked up some cheese, salami and sott’olio (“under oils” which are a variety of vegetables stored in olive oil) and headed back for a late dinner. Andrea (Beth’s husband) arrived home just as we were setting out the food and we all ate and drank until we crawled into our beds.
The following day was particularly exciting for both me and Andrea. You see, Beth is a vegetarian and so he relishes any opportunity to cook meat. I happen to love meat and so a match was made in heaven. He was particularly excited to try a new lamb recipe and was particularly excited to be his guinea pig (having grown up loving lamb). The women prepared for the feast and tended to the children while the men asserted our male dominance and hunted for the meat…at the local grocery store. We were triumphant! Andrea set to work preparing the lamb and I was eager to assist him. I gathered some rosemary from the yard – and evidently snapped a living branch in the process. He casually brushed it off, as he had “only been growing that plant for three years”. I felt awful – they were kind enough to laugh. Andrea selected a great bottle of wine they had been saving for the right occasion. I took this to mean that they liked having us and we hadn’t yet worn out our welcome. The meal surpassed all my high expectations! But we made a critical mistake – eating that much meat had put us in a food coma. We needed grappa (Italian alcoholic drink used to aid in digestion) – stat! We drove to a local pasticceria (pastry shop) for some sweets and grappa. Eventually, day turned into night and we each fell into bed, sleeping quite soundly.
Andrea preparing the rosemary
Andrea was excited to make a meat dish
Baby swap – feeding the kids early
Beth shows Julia how to twirl like she’s “up in the club”
Andrea showcases his cooking skills and great taste in wine
Full-bodied, flavorful Tuscan wine
The table is set…
…with copious amounts of succulent meat…
…and the best roasted potatoes we’d ever had!
The gang’s all here
After lunch, Andrea played some music for the kids – both drums and guitar. He had an instant collection of groupies (I’m including Jen in that lot).
Andrea lays a beat
And has a collection of fans
Julia had to get in on the action
Somehow we had already arrived at Sunday and our magical weekend in Tuscany came to a close. We enjoyed our morning coffee and some of Beth’s homemade muffins (Jen borrowed the recipe) and hit the road. We had such a nice time with Andrea, Beth and their son Indi – we hope to host them in our home in Como soon.
I recently realized that our “Home Cooking” section of the blog was growing the slowest throughout the entire site. I’m only partly ashamed to admit that the one consistent about our trip is that we’ve been indulging in some of the most amazing food we’ve ever had. However, my OCD recently kicked in when I noticed all our food posts landed in the “Restaurant” or “Jen’s Kitchen” sections. So, in an effort to right this wrong… here is one very memorable home-cooked meal we hosted a little while ago.
Eugenio brought a wonderful Champagne
Jen has a warm and wonderful family, with whom we love spending time. Recently, her cousin Eugenio drove from Torino to spend time with us and get reacquainted with Julia. He brought his lovely girlfriend, Barbara as well.
But enough jabbering… this post is all about the food and drink!
Let’s pop this cork and get the party started!
The night Eugenio and Barbara arrived, we set out a light dinner – just some typical Italian antipasti to nibble on, as well as some regional snacks we all like to enjoy.
Eugenio brought the Champagne
I think we’re going to need a bigger table
Oh wait, there was a free corner – let’s fill it with food
The next day, we had Jen’s cousin Massimo and his beautiful family over for a proper meal.
Vitello (veil) roast from our local butcher…
…after a nice sear
Antipasti for our guests
Claudia and Eugenio horsing around
Wait – who hit who?! Love both their expressions
Jen made a delicious prima (first course) – pasta pomodoro
Yummy!
The secondo, our vitello (veil roast)
Alessandra (Massimo’s wife) made a beautiful torta
We picked up some chiacchiere
Eugenio got some additional pastries
Julia’s cousin Bea, enjoying her ice-cream
Julia stole a taste
Everyone was so stuffed we needed a break with some scotch
It’s not a party unless you serve a second dessert
It was a wonderful weekend filled with too many delicious treats. Hopefully you were able to enjoy as well.
The requests have been flooding in by the virtual truckload…
“Now that you live in Italy… what are you cooking?”
Well, we’re here to tell you two things:
1) Not a single person actually asked the aforementioned question (I just thought the subject might make a fun post).
2) Some things are not that different – some things are very different.
And since I’ve thrown myself headfirst into this “blogosphere” and haven’t posted in a couple days… I’m starting to feel like an addict without an outlet. So here we go – we’re going to let you into our kitchen and show you our pantry and refrigerator. You’ll be able to get a first-hand glimpse at what we’ve been eating (when we eat at home that is)!
OUR PANTRY (my favorite)
Pantry Overview
It’s my favorite because I can so easily organize and stack everything neatly, as you see above. This image was not “doctored”. I did not straighten up before taking this shot, but I must confess – I did just unload some groceries and so it was freshly organized. For those that now me best, they won’t be surprised to see all labels out. OK… let’s break it down.
Top shelf – cookies, biscotti, baby biscotti (yes, it exists), dry cereal, etc. Jen’s convinced the fiber in those biscuits make them good for breakfast. I’m still too Americanized and prefer a bowl of cereal.
Top Shelf
Next is “Jen’s shelf”. I call it “Jen’s shelf” because I have no interest in it other than making sure it’s straight and tidy. Here you’ll find the dried beans and canned goods she uses to make her various soups, her tomatoes which are sometimes used as a base in her delicious sugo (sauce) and some other stuff I know nothing about. Oh, I picked up those artichoke hearts – they were on sale. Can’t figure out when/how we should eat them.
Jen’s Shelf
Next is my favorite shelf, because it’s easy to put stuff away and very easy to keep clean. So, I guess I’ll call it my shelf. Let’s see… we’ve got (from left to right) acqua naturale (flat water), acqua frizzante (sparkling water), milk… ok let’s pause a moment. Yes, I said milk. You see, milk is sold here in an aisle as well as the refrigerated section. Initially, we were only getting the refrigerated milk – but it goes bad after a couple days, so after my insescent “encouraging” – we tried this stuff and it’s actually pretty good. Plus, you don’t have to drive frantically to the store if you’re low on milk – you just go the pantry. OK… where were we? Ah, yes. Wine. You’ll see one of our new favorites in the front there. Just picked up four of these puppies for the low-low price of 3€ a piece! And it’s goooood! Moving on we have a row of various vinegar’s and then several types of olive oil – including a special one in front from Civitella, the town of Jen’s nonna (grandmother).
Greg’s Shelf
Our Fridge…
“Shut the damn door!”
We don’t have anything too fancy, several common things based on Italian dietary habits. Yogurt, for your afternoon “snack”. Beer (for Greg) – sold in three packs (weird), bitters (for Jen… I hate the stuff), minestrone soup fresh from last night’s dinner, herbs, frutti di mare (seafood mixtures) that we’ll have for lunch tomorrow over spaghettini (thin spaghetti), Illy coffee, salad and water.
Oh, the good stuff you can’t really see. At the top is a slide out drawer where we keep the ever-present salami, prosciutto, parmigiano cheese, and today we got a real treat… a hunk of speck from Jen’s Aunt upstairs.
A peak inside our fridge
Well, it may not have been the most exciting adventure into our lives – but now you know what we eat on a normal day. I have to say, with Jen’s culinary skills improving at a rate much faster than our lingual skills – I’d rather stay home and eat any day!!
What a wonderful tradition happy hour is! A time when friends can gather and join in a few post-work drinks and perhaps a little nibble to eat. We’ve always known happy hour to be a 5:00pm – 7:00pm (ish) time to partake in a few cocktails at a discounted price.
Caffè Mazzini – Our favorite Happy Hour in Como
We were pleased to find that the tradition of “happy hour” also exists in Italy and it’s even called the same thing (just imagine saying it with a funny little accent… drop the sound the “h” makes). However, it’s a bit different here.
Instead of discounted drinks and food, you usually pay the same price for the drinks (which always tends to be low anyways… between $4 – $6) but get a big bonus. ALL YOU CAN EAT heavy hors d’oeuvres – Italian style!!! Imagine a bar full of pasta, pizza and other wonderful treats. If you’re not to embarrassed to fill a plate – you can easily have enough for dinner.
Since eating and drinking are two of my favorite things to do thus far on this trip, we have explored a few of the best happy hours the city has to offer (literally every place that serves drinks or coffee puts some sort of food out after 5:00pm).
However, on this particular day (after exploring the markets of Como), we encountered our first bad happy hour experience. We came across Specialita` Apretivi – a place where the food looked better than any we had seen before. The combination of a desire for a good glass of wine, a hungry baby and my grumbling stomach drew us in like a magnet.
Jen and Julia out front of Specialita` Aperitivi
Since we’re still a bit embarrassed to just start eating the food after ordering a drink, we also ordered two panini’s to feign the appearance of reputable patrons. This did not impress the waitress. She gave us more attitude than a teenage girl with a limited texting plan. My perfect command over the pronunciation of our hard-to-pronounce Montepulciano and Nero d’ Avola did nothing to win her over either. Attitude = Strike ONE!
While we waited for our wine to come, I kept glancing over at the delectable spread presented before us and decided which treats I’d try first. The wine came quickly and it was the smallest pour we had seen in any restaurant this entire trip. Cheap = Strike TWO!
Some of the food at Specialita` Apretivi
Nevertheless, I shrugged these things off and made a beeline for the tomato and mozzarella panini. Insert screeching halt sound here. Wait a minute, these treats are only for people that ordered an aperitif, not a wine (even though they’re priced the same). ME: “OK… well, can I have some of your free food anyway?!” WAITRESS: “No… you cannot!”
While my family that reads this shrieks in embarrassment… I did not actually say that. But my body language sure suggested it. And still, the answer was “no.” Strike THREE – we’re out of here!
Some more images of the tasty food we couldn’t eat…
…all because we ordered the wrong drink!
So… we headed home to much better meal, prepared by Jen (pasta in a pesto sauce and a finnocio (fennel) salad with fresh bread and wine). Also, don’t feel too badly for us after the crushing happy hour experience. Since we believe in controlling your own destiny, we stopped and got ourselves a “pick-me up” to make up for it!
