Sweet Italian Treats…While Remaining Flexible

Mio marito is back with a new report from the field….

First, stay flexible!

Our prowess as experienced travelers seems to always be put to the test by ‘out of the blue’ difficult situations. Life will always be full of those annoying and unforeseen disruptions to our plans, at any time and any place. The troubles, however, are magnified when traveling to and within a foreign country. These unbelievable events can easily trigger a tail spin in Europe, when you really can ‘ lose it’ and find yourself running so fast through an airport terminal or train station that the wheelies on your bag scarcely touch the ground. It’s those times when the word ‘flexibility’ is unfortunately absent from your mind, but you know that you must quickly regroup. If you are a believer, like us, of accepting even unforeseen changes –  your plane or train’s sudden cancellation, delay or departure platform changing at the last minute, or a new transportation strike happening out of the blue, be ready! And, be flexible in how you respond while trying to focus on a reasonable ‘Plan B.’ Just keep reminding yourself that you are on holiday, occasional adversity happens, but everything should turn out fine. Aw yes, wishful intentions…

And don’t forget some sweet treats along the way!

For us, food in Italy is an equal priority to any sightseeing or travel adventure.  I personally nourish my travel bug very well, thank you, with all the sweet treats Italy and the region of Liguria has to offer. I have a few favorite bakeries at home in Tacoma and Seattle, but otherwise the typical donuts, rolls and muffins don’t appeal to me. The breakfast (colazione) routine for the majority of local folks in Liguria, is standing at the counter of a bar or cafe, with a tiny strong cup of espresso and a plain slice of focaccia. Maybe it’s because they’ve had a very late dinner the night before, and don’t have the appetite for something more. What is somewhat overlooked but always available, however, is a variety of special pastries. 

Many of the sweeter treats available to accompany your morning cappuccino are variations of the Italian version of a croissant. As we all know, French croissants (meaning ‘crescent’ in French) are classically flaky with a texture thanks to lots of butter, no eggs and less sugar. The Italian version, also crescent-shaped, is called a cornetto (meaning ‘little horn’ in Italian) in most of the country, but also ‘brioche’ in Northern Italy. The brioche tag seems appropriate as the Italian version uses sweeter dough, with eggs, sugar and butter, similar to a true brioche. The brioche or cornetti in the Ligurian region mostly come filled with various jams, honey, cream or Nutella. Our favorite has always been them filled with apricot marmalade. It’s not too sweet but flavorful, and goes well with a morning cappuccino. A recent discovery is the Brioche Integrale, a ‘healthy’ whole wheat, seeded version with honey. Florence’s version is called a cremino and is filled with custard cream.

Another Ligurian favorite breakfast pastry is the girella, a spiral-shaped raisin roll, without cinnamon. A similar treat is a brioche sugar twist with raisins. We love the routine of having early coffee and tea in our apartment with yogurt and banana, but venturing to a few favorite bars for a girella or brioche marmalata and latte macchiato. Perfecto!

A favorite place for lunch pranzo in Sestri Levante was recommended years ago by some local friends, Carmine and Ornella, who unfortunately moved back to Naples. It’s a small, unobtrusive place called ‘Gold’s Cafe’ that is known for, and translated from Italian, it’s ‘business lunches.” There is lunch only and no menu, but a prefix (prefisso) selection of three pasta courses, three meat, ‘secondo’ courses & wine, printed on a black board. It’s always 15 euros for the entire meal. We have always enjoyed the pasta choices only for 10 euros and they are so phenomenally homemade Italian, it’s as if someone’s ‘Nonna’ was the cook. Well, they have a specialty dessert they make, called the Maritozzi con la panna. Hope you can pick out the photo of a large round brioche bun overfilled with fresh, slightly sweet whipped cream. The maritozzi is a Roman dessert that has found itself into one fantastic little cafe in Sestri Levante. My goodness, so GOOD!

When we take a break from a lot of walking to burn off the morning brioches, girelle, and, a lunchtime maritozzi, a favorite for us has always been stopping for a small (piccolo) cup of gelato. And, I promise we don’t do this every day…  But everyone knows that gelato is healthier than ice cream due to its  lower milk fat content.  So why not a little gelato break? You have to make good on some sense of healthy eating obligation when in Italy, right? Our favorite is always pistacchio gelato, but chocolate and crema are close seconds. One thing you want to look for in your gelato search is gelato fresh-made by the gelateria, using natural products, and  stored and served from deep, covered, stainless steel containers. The heavy tourist locations in Italy are notorious for having giant open tubs of piled-high gelato in store fronts. The gelato looks most enticing and impressive, but they are loaded with preservatives that keep them from melting, and don’t taste nearly as good as they should. 

Time is nearing to unfortunately have to end this latest Italian adventure. I certainly will need to quickly get back to my gym routine, while I dream and visualize all the sweet delights I’ve been partaking of, in a totally ‘flexible’ manner. But it’s been so much fun doing it!

Arrivederci e buon appetito!

ITALY – A PUBLIC HEALTH VIEW

During our Italian Riviera travels, I not only keep an eye on street style but I also put my (long time) public health lens to (a limited) use. Here are just a few observations.

Smoking

There have been a number of changes over time when it comes to smoking.   When we first came to Italy in the mid 90’s, the bars and restaurants were full of smoke.  Smoking indoors has been vietato (prohibited) since 2003. We still see plenty of people smoking on terraces and walking along the street. I am noticing a number of young women smoking these days. 😡

Physical activity

I rarely see someone out running, but people walk everywhere.  Most towns have pedestrian only zones.  Parking is a big problem everywhere, so walking is a necessity.  And I can’t forget to mention the passeggiata – the daily late afternoon/early evening walk common in most Italian towns. In Sestri, people of all ages usually walk along the beach promenade – ranging from babies in strollers, kids on scooters, to older people with canes. And bikes are everywhere without a helmet in sight.

Alcohol

A glass of wine or a beer is a common sight at meals, including lunch.  I have seen people have a shot of alcohol even in the mornings.  Public intoxication is frowned upon, so people tend to not overindulge.  Alcohol is a restricted item for those under age 18.  When we buy wine at a self check out the staff need to approve the purchase.  

Healthy eating

We’ve been having our main meal at noon and I definitely sleep better.  When we go into the supermercato, the first thing we see are lots of fruits and vegetables – very different from home where doughnuts are right inside the door!  It would be quite easy to be a vegetarian here and gluten free items are readily available. I think it would be hard to be vegan and eat in restaurants.  Speaking of restaurants, portion sizes aren’t huge.  

COVID

Since we both tested positive for COVID on our last trip, I’ve kept an eye on things in Italy.  The region we are in, Liguria, has relatively few reported cases compared to the more populated areas.  The vaccine is available here and the population seems to be fairly well vaccinated, particularly the older crowd.  I occasionally see someone wearing a mask, but they never have it over their nose🙊.  There are COVID antigen tests and supplies in the pharmacies and drugstores.  And, of course, we took advantage of the current booster before we left! 

Social engagement

I do love how Italians interact!  We have a couple of hangouts and when we walk in we are greeted  warmly and they always know our coffee (and pastry) order.  Multigenerational gatherings are common, particularly for Sunday lunch.  Over the years, we have seen the same group of older women playing cards together on a daily basis at a local restaurant.  It has been fun to spot the same participants each year.  

Environment

Recycling is common and generally required here.  We separate our trash and have bins on the property.  Unfortunately, the water does not taste good at all!  Everyone seems to drink bottled water and large plastic bottles are available everywhere.  The change this year is that the caps don’t come completely off, so they are recycled with the bottles.  While plastic bags aren’t forbidden, there is a charge for them.  But plastic is a big problem!

Trains are probably the main form of transportation, but most people also own cars.  The cars seem to be getting bigger!  We have seen some hybrids and the electric vehicle market is growing.  Italy has a relatively higher reliance on natural gas for electricity generation and that is a key driver for the higher power costs here. 

And……dogs are warmly welcomed indoors in bars and restaurants!

Mio marito and I will be back soon with more reports from the field 😏

Allene 

La Cucina e Molto Importante…(The kitchen is very important)

Mio marito continues his reporting……

My goodness! What an interesting experience last week, that reinforced our 30 year travel mantra of always being curious but independent adventurers. Travel always has so many exciting elements, no matter where you are venturing, despite an occasional bit of adversity. So it was a week ago when we decided to hop on the train from ‘home’ in Sestri Levante for a short day ride to a favorite of the five villages of Cinque Terre, Vernazza. We had not met a single American in two weeks in Italy, but boarded a crowded train with probably more Seattle people than Pike Place Market on a Saturday! It was train car after train car of mostly tour groups, that did include hiker groups from Germany, headed for the day to Cinque Terre. The tour leaders still carry a familiar flag on a stick, but we weren’t up to date on the tech advances of tour travel. Every tour ‘groupee’ now wears a remote audio device around their neck with an earbud connected to the tour leader. But that didn’t stop the border collie instinct of the tour guide constantly circulating between the train cars in managing the flock. Honestly, there was little conversation amongst the poor souls on the tours as they were mostly, heads down, listening intently to the tour boss. It was kind of humorous to witness. Well, by the time we reached Vernazza, with more groups jumping on at every train stop, our car had 30 people tightly standing in the aisles! Needless to say, the tiny village of Vernazza, and Cinque Terre were jammed with people. A new rule went into effect the next day that restricted the much desired hiking between villages to one way traffic only. I can imagine the further effect that is now having on the trains, with people moving between villages. I just kept saying to myself that Cinque Terre is a national park and UNESCO site, and such places are crowded all over the World…

There were almost no passengers, thankfully, on the early afternoon train ride back to our little Italian seaside oasis of Sestri Levante. Coming back to our comfortable apartment was like returning home after a bad day at work. Apartment living for us, when traveling to Italy now for 30 years, has become a highlight of our trips. Our apartment in Sestri Levante over the past 10 years or so, has many of the comforts of home back in Tacoma . It offers a quiet, beautiful, country setting, with parking, and easy walking access to the seashore, train station, restaurants and stores. It couldn’t be a better arrangement!

Travelers on the move do well with hotel accommodations and the short term comforts they provide. But once you have seen the sites and want something more than being ‘on the move,’ an apartment or property rental is the answer. It’s also understandable why Airbnbs and VRBOs have proliferated throughout the world. But what separates a hotel room, besides a higher price, from an apartment, condo or home rental? The answer is, without a doubt, the KITCHEN (cucina). The kitchen is always the most important room of the casa. Allene and I are always quick to say that even in Italy, with the best food ever, a break from a restaurant is always appreciated. We love stocking our apartment kitchen with lots of easy stuff to prepare, especially when returning after a busy day of travel adventures. And, who wants to wait until 8pm when restaurants open for dinner?!

Our Sestri Levante abode, ‘Appartamento Dalcisa,’ is small but very functional with one bedroom, a bathroom, living/dining room and kitchen. True, we miss having a microwave and clothes washer, but otherwise it has everything we need for comfortable Italian living. The most interesting aspect is that we are located on the 2nd floor of a building as old as our own country’s independence. It’s just mind-boggling!

Yes, the building was originally constructed in the late 1700’s as part of staff quarters for the 18th Century, Villa Durazzo, at the head of a narrow valley above Sestri. The ancient, noble Villa Durazzo estate comprises many hectares of vineyards and olive groves, and is an Italian historical site. The manor house, located up the hill above our apartment, is a magnificent 4-5 story building with many elaborate rooms that overlook the Mediterranean coast. Today, it is used for elaborate weddings and other events. We got a memorable tour a couple years ago from a friend, who manages the facility and grounds.

Besides our apartment, the Mediterranean/Spanish style building has two upstairs units for rent and one large ground floor apartment. A separate home close by also rents for large families or groups. We have enjoyed all three of the smaller apartments but really enjoy our current place, the smallest but most functional and least expensive of the three. It’s perfect for two people. We can park within 30 feet of our door and there are no stairs to climb. It couldn’t be more ‘homey’ and the views of the vineyards and olive groves are fantastic. Over the past weeks, we have had families from the Netherlands, Germany and Italy as neighbors. Our rental manager, Luigi, lives on site, and we have known and communicated with him for years. Every year, he loves seeing our U.S. passports. 

Without question, it’s the culture here in Italy that entices us most and keeps us coming back. It’s basically the Italian people and their customs, interactions and mannerisms that create the culture, and visa versa. Our goal in recent years has been the less touristy Italian destinations. We are so blessed to have found the perfect location of Sestri Levante, and living situation, to enjoy the culture and accomplish our travel goal(s).

What should we do tomorrow? How about a gelato tasting adventure? Si!

Arrivederci.

The Lowly Anchovy is King in Italy

Mio marito is back reporting on one of our Italian favorites..

Most of us can remember times when we had a small, flat tin of anchovies buried in our kitchen cupboard for some unknown reason, or at least a reason we can’t quite recall. One great pizza parlor we had growing up in Great Falls, Montana, Howard’s Pizza, was a favorite place for me and my high school friends to eat. I still don’t understand why, but Howard’s would sneak a small anchovy filet onto the large pizzas. We started looking for it and fought over who got the pizza slice with the anchovy. But, there was always the same reaction, “Eww, that tastes so salty and fishy…”

Our long ago acquired taste for those salty thin filets, has us now buying anchovies in jars and even in tubes of anchovy paste. They are not only traditional on caesar salads and pizza, but are great for adding flavor and zip to sauces and pasta. One of Allene’s Mediterranean cooking specialties is Pasta Puttanesca, with the spaghetti sauce including capers, olives, crushed tomatoes, and anchovies. The anchovies simply dissolve or melt into the sauce for a savory, flavorful punch, much like umami.  Absolutely delicious!

The poor anchovy has the reputation as the poor man’s fish of the world, due to its abundance and source of protein over thousands of years. It is closely related to herring and sardines, but is a different species and tastes less fishy. Anchovies are very healthy to eat, loaded with protein and high in Omega 3 fatty acids. The species in the Mediterranean is the ‘european anchovy’ and is plentiful off all coasts of Europe. It’s a small silvery green fish about 5 inches in length and its abundance may be due to it spawning continuously throughout the year. Italy’s peninsula shape and lengthy coastline contributes to its history with anchovies that precede the Roman Empire. As long as fishermen could net or catch anchovies, they’ve been a major source of food along the coasts.

The word for anchovy in Italian is acciughe, pronounced ‘Aw-choo-gu,” even though that may sound to you like an Italian sneeze😁. Many people say the best anchovies ever are fresh caught ones in Italy, as they are mild, and delicious to eat. And, they are prepared in hundreds of ways. 

So take your mind off the salty critters in cans and focus on fresh caught anchovies. You see tubs of them at the fish markets in Italy and people buy bags of them by the kilo. Typically, Italians bring them home and prepare them by removing the head, cleaning, easily removing the backbone, rinsing, and patting dry. They can be grilled, stuffed, batter fried or baked many different ways. We often see huge platters of fried anchovy, garnished with chopped parsley and lemon, and served as restaurant finger food. Another excellent cooked version is baked fresh anchovies with herbed breadcrumbs.

Common in Italy and very popular is marinated raw anchovies.  A mix of white wine vinegar, sea salt and lemon juice provides a curing process over 8 hrs or longer. I like to think of the curing as the raw fish being transformed to doneness by the acids of vinegar, lemon juice and salt marinade, similar to creating salmon lox.

Allene and I honestly crave fresh marinated anchovies when we visit Italy.  All of the coastal Italian restaurants and cafes serve an antipasto plate of Acciughe al Limone. You receive a dozen or more fileted and spread open anchovies, with marinade and a drizzle of olive oil. They are so mild and flavorful, even fish haters will enjoy them. 

I only wish that I could buy fresh anchovies at home. There is an abundance of similar ‘north pacific anchovies’ off the Washington coast that I’ve used as salmon bait in the past. But there just doesn’t seem to be a market for the fresh ones. It’s very difficult being left with only canned anchovies for cooking, but I will have to be satisfied and dream about the fresh marinated anchovies in Italy…

Buon Appetito!

ITALIAN STREET STYLE – PART 1

Those of you who know me well are familiar with my annual style updates from Italy.  It is interesting to see what has changed and what has stayed pretty much the same over the years.

I’m doing my ‘report’ in 2 parts this year to reflect the changes in seasons.  It has felt like early spring over the past couple of weeks – some sun, cool weather, and some rain.  Since Italians are ‘always cold’ (as I was informed by an Italian) many of them are still dressed for winter.

Before I launch, here is a bit of context.  I focus more on the style of older women. My observations are primarily from our time in a small town on the Italian Riviera.  It is more casual than Portofino (the more stereotypical Italian Riviera town).  We have also been to Genoa, an urban center. 

So, here’s what I’m seeing on the streets in April, 2024:

Color – I am not seeing black very often (this may be due to the change in season).  Monochromatic looks are still common (usually beige – see the top right photo in today’s collage), but I am seeing more color overall this year (see the lower right photo).

Starting at the top – no hats, gray hair is now more common, oversized sunglasses or glasses are the norm. Umbrellas for rainy days

Jewelry – always!  And it is more likely to be fine jewelry in silver or gold than costume jewelry; Pearl posts or hoops; bracelets and necklaces; everyone wears a watch, but I haven’t spotted a smart watch yet on an Italian

Jackets (since it has been chilly or wet) – fitted hip length quilted jackets (not necessarily puffy coats) or rain jackets; a few denim jackets

Note: Fitted hip length jackets have been part of the coat ‘uniform’ here as long as I can remember.

Scarves – another always!  I see women in simple tee shirts wearing scarves.  The scarves are usually lightweight this time of year and wrapped around the neck vs. tied.  When women are seated in a restaurant, the first thing they do is unwrap their scarf. 

Handbags – almost always oversized (think totes) and cross body bags are also common

Pants – jeans are now very common on women of all ages (skinny, slim, ankle length, raw hem) or ankle length slim pants.  I’ve spotted some long full leg pants/jeans and some cropped pants (I may see more when the weather warms up); no skirts or dresses yet

Athleisure – here is a big change!  I never used to see women in athleisure unless they were running or hiking.  I spotted 2 local women looking very chic in WHITE sweatpants; I have seen joggers on women in shops – check out the top left photo and the lower middle photo in today’s collage. Since I like athleisure to travel, this has been a welcome sight!

And ending with shoes – sneakers rule!  They are not necessarily white, but most I have spotted are light colored.  I have also noticed a patch work color scheme – check out the upper middle picture in today’s collage.

Overall – if I had to describe a ‘uniform’ for an Italian woman this time of year, she would be wearing oversized glasses, carrying a tote bag under one arm, and wearing jewelry.  Her coat would be hip length and fitted (usually quilted).  She would be wearing slim ankle pants or jeans (skinny or straight – often with a raw hem), and rocking a scarf and sneakers🤗. But every Italian woman is unique!

I’ll be back with Style Part 2 when it warms up🥵.

Ciao,

Allene

Spring Holiday Celebrations – Italian Style

Mio marito continuing his reporting from Italy…..

Easter (Pasqua) in Italy is a huge holiday that can extend through the entire week. Including Easter, Italy has a trio of national Spring holidays, starting on April 25th, Liberation Day.

We were here for Liberation Day last Thursday. It commemorates the victory by Italy’s resistance movement against the Nazis and Fascists in World War II. It ended 2 ½ years of Nazi occupation and 23 years of fascist dictatorship. 

We may have been too sick with Covid a year ago to venture out and enjoy Liberation Day, but we made up for it this year. We had excellent spring weather in Sestri Levante on Liberation Day and we were amazed how this seaside resort town came alive. More than anything, Liberation Day is an opportunity for communities in Italy to celebrate outdoors with relatives and friends. The restaurants, bars, beaches, gelaterias, and streets were full of people. We noticed a lot of craft vendors, music and children’s activities, but mostly people were leisurely walking about, visiting and laughing with friends and extended families. The seaside ‘promenade’ and main shopping streets were crowded with people. No parades or fireworks, just Sestri locals relaxing and enjoying themselves. You definitely needed a reservation for afternoon lunch (pranzo) at any of the restaurants, because they were all packed!

We are quickly blessed this week on Wednesday, May 1st, with another major national holiday, Workers Day  (Festa del Lavoro/Primo Maggio). Italy’s Workers Day is always celebrated on May Day and its tone is similar to our Labor Day – bringing communities together to recognize the contributions of workers and social justice. Parades and rallies are common but also celebrations with music and cultural performances in public squares and parks. The weather around Workers Day is usually terrific (although rain is in the forecast this year), with family picnics and gatherings in parks and beaches. Last year, Sestri Levante was packed with people. Visitors flocked to the beaches and the streets, pretty similar to the recent Liberation Day festivities. We had a reservation for lunch at a favorite seaside restaurant and continued our celebration with a long relaxing walk along the beach. We always love the people watching more than ever!

Similar to our Fourth of July, is Republic Day, June 2nd. It is Italy’s most important holiday as it commemorates the end of the monarchy (and king) and birth of the Italian Republic. This was accomplished by vote of the people in 1946. Republic Day has a military recognition element and features major parades, mostly in Rome, with the traditional ‘tri- color’ smoke by the Italian Air Force. We have not been in Italy in recent years on June 2nd but understand it is a major seaside holiday draw with crowds at the beaches.

Besides Ferragosto on August 15th , no other major additional holidays happen until November in Italy.

We loved celebrating Liberation Day last week in Sestri Levante and look forward to getting out-and-about with all the local people on Workers Day later this week. Si!

Arrivederci!

Time for an IT Adventure…

Mio marito – reporting from Italy

An old favorite Beatles tune, ‘A Day in the Life,’ starts something like, ‘Woke up, got out of bed, drug a comb across my head. Found my way downstairs and drank a cup. Looking up I knew that I was late…’ We have followed a lifelong obsession with requiring a cup of coffee immediately upon awakening, and ‘rapido.’ Allene, these days, mostly prefers tea but I can’t take two baby steps in the morning without my coffee. And, I mean brewed coffee, and not any of that nasty stuff like hotel room coffee.  One of the truly seasoned traveler gifts we have bestowed on ourselves over time is the ability to always remember our ground coffee, filters, travel cup and pour over gizmo. We need nothing more to begin our day of adventure in Italy. 

Yesterday, we needed to get out the door of our Italian apartment early to catch the express train to Genoa (it makes fewer stops). We got that necessary first infusion of caffeine and made the train with time to spare.  Our day trip of this journey, and to a favorite spot, was becoming a reality! The train ride is only partly scenic due to numerous dark tunnels. But this one hour ride could not have been more enjoyable as we met the most delightful young lady sitting across from us on the crowded train. You may remember the old saying, “We don’t meet people by accident, we meet them for a reason.” It was just a unique circumstance that found us at the same place and same time as a Genoa University of Law student on her last day of school, and last class, before graduating. We were totally captivated by ‘Elena,’ who talked about her university experiences, including an exchange to a college in Illinois. She was hoping for an internship in Brussels (and is learning French on Duolingo), but told us her true interest was the area of ‘intellectual property’ law. Our conversation even touched on the impact of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) on intellectual property. It was a fun and intriguing exchange. Unfortunately, as soon as the train arrived in Genoa, Elena needed to dash, but it was a memorable encounter…

Genoa is the nearest ‘big city’ to our hometown of Sestri Levante, and is a clean, walkable and fun place to visit. Genoa’s maritime wealth from centuries ago is still apparent in its classic buildings, piazzas, and even the mosaic pedestrian walkways in the main shopping areas. 

We followed our usual day trip routine in exploring Genoa. We did find a new cafe for our mid morning latte macchiato, extra hot (molto caldo), and a terrific pastry. Very friendly staff and the people watching was priceless! We enjoyed the color, smells and excitement of walking through the main indoor market of Genoa,‘Mercato Orientale.’ The variety and freshness of all the fruits, vegetables and seafood was incredible. This was the first time I had seen so many varieties of squid (calamari) and octopus (pulpo) with some squid as big as your arm!

Always a highlight of a street walking tour of Genoa is the ‘Old Town’ section, including Genoa’s cathedral, the zebra-stripped Church of San Lorenzo (St. Lawrence), which dates to the 9th Century. The wealth of Genoa is really evident in the Church’s paintings, sculptures and ceilings.

We always enjoy a stroll and window shopping along the main shopping streets of Genoa. We like to take a walk through one large department store, COIN, and check out the latest clothes. Allene wanted to stop at a cosmetics store so I detoured next door to none other than McDonald’s. Sorry, but I needed a midday pick-me-up and ‘McCafe’s’ 1.50 euro cappuccino was excellent. And, the best part, it was served in a ceramic cup with a saucer and spoon. Yay!

After lunch and more walking, we headed back to the train station. One last stop is one of the best pasticceria in Italy for a bag of their excellent cantucci.. You may know them as biscotti.

A great day of sightseeing, good weather and walking in Genoa. We certainly recommend it and will be back. Be sure and check out the great photos in today’s collage.

Arrivederci!

SIMPLE BUT SUBLIME

Waking up in Italy has a ‘Christmas morning’ feeling for me.  I look forward to the simple pleasures I count on each day…..but every day also has its share of surprises.

We have a lovely routine here:

Each morning I have a cup or two of tea with soy milk. I am also quite fond of their SKYR yogurt with organic muesli.  Mio marito is a big fan of the Special K we buy in Italy.  He is SURE it is a different recipe from the one used in the U.S. At home, toast is a must for me.  But we don’t have a toaster in our apartment and I find I don’t miss it too much.

Once we get cleaned up a bit, we head into Sestri for a  latte macchiato.  A pastry sometimes finds its way into our hands as well, but I try not to indulge every day.  My new favorite is a cornetto integrale al miele – a whole wheat croissant filled with honey or apricot jam. I’m calling it healthy because it is made with whole wheat. 🙄.

After our caffe, we wander around a bit.  We might take a stroll along the seaside promenade if it is a nice day; do some window shopping; grocery shop; or do some other errand we have on our minds.

We then head back to our apartment and ‘rest up’ a bit before lunch.  We usually go back to town for lunch and have a number of favorite places, depending on our mood and hunger level.  I do enjoy a stop after lunch for a piccolo cup of gelato artigianale, always pistachio, and always a treat!

Following that, we go back to our apartment again to ‘rest up’, yet again.  After a nap, it is time for a walk around the grounds – the property is lovely and there are views from all directions.  

Most late afternoons we take our 3rd trip back to town, this time for aperitivi, an Italian happy hour.  We have 2 favorite hangouts.  Mio marito usually coaches the bartender on making a martini cocktail and I sample some local wine.  At a minimum, potato chips, olives, and peanuts accompany our drinks.  But that is just the baseline!  We also get served a variety of lovely Italian appetizers that we consider our dinner.

We then settle down in our apartment for the evening and have a salad at some point.  I spend the evening reading and mio marito watches Italian TV.  We have a couple of favorite game shows that have been on for years. And just like at home, we go to bed early😏.

Now for some surprises:

We spot or experience something new every day.  

We often wander down a street we haven’t seen before.  We find a new place to eat or a new menu item to try.  We notice new flowers or plants.  We take a side trip to a town we haven’t been to before or find a new way to explore familiar places.  

On Monday’s walk, a flock of sheep were grazing on the grounds and being guarded by 3 serious dogs and 2 puppies.  We have no idea how the sheep got there!?

And I love spotting Italian street style!  On this trip, I saw 2 older women rocking WHITE sweat pants and looking very chic in the process. 

We had a particularly happy surprise this trip – the self service laundromat in Sestri has reopened!  That may not sound like much, but last year we had to drive to a different town to do our laundry, so this was a very welcome sight!

Ciao,

Allene

A FEW MINOR MISHAPS

Mio marito and I were reflecting on our travel experiences over the years. It seems like every trip has a few ‘downs’ along the way. A number of years ago we were in Rome. Mio marito was INTO running during those days and had to go out for a run as soon as we landed. He immediately took a tumble that included a number of rolls. Passersby were quite horrified! My mishaps are a bit more recent. A few years ago in Italy we went out for our first aperitivi. I foolishly had 2 glasses of wine and took a nasty fall in a dark parking garage. Mio marito was sure that I had a head injury at a minimum. Fortunately, I was OK, just bruised and with a fat lip. Last year, both of us immediately tested positive for COVID and had to visit a local urgent care. That experience took a chunk of time out of our 2023 visit.

This year our misfortune occurred a bit earlier. When we got to the airport, the Delta agent wasn’t able to check us through to Milan.

Note: we have worked with AAA and they have booked flights and 3 hotel rooms for us through Delta vacations for years, without incident.

As the story unfolded, Delta vacations and Delta Airlines weren’t communicating electronically. Delta saw our reservation in their system, but didn’t see the actual ticket for our Amsterdam to Milan leg. Some fun at the 11th hour! Delta finally gave us a boarding pass for the first leg and checked our bags all the way. When we got to Amsterdam, the KLM people gave us our boarding passes. So, crisis averted! Our bags even made it to Milan on our flight.

We aren’t sure how this whole ordeal could have been prevented, but it helped to have AAA deal with the mess. And it also helps to get to the airport early for international travel in case of some mishap. We had time to get things sorted and boarded on time. Our plane was packed to the brim.

Once we arrived in Milan, it was rental car time. We now rent cars with automatic transmissions because all that shifting can be a pain, particularly with jetlag. Hertz rented us a BIG car which is great for the autostrada, but a challenge to park in small villages. We were too tired to argue so off we went in our Peugeot.

We stayed at the Crowne Plaza Malpensa Airport, which was fine and dandy, but very hard to find. It is near the airport, but it took us a number of wrong turns to drive just under 2 miles. Oh well, we are blaming jetlag, yet again.

We are now settled in Sestri Levante and hope this trip’s mishaps are in our rear view mirror and we have gotten them out of the way.

A few minor mishaps are probably the price to pay for travel these days. At this point, it is price we are still willing to pay.

Ciao,

Allene

DON’T FORGET THE ZIPLOCKS!

Mio marito and I are in prep mode for our ‘annual’ trip to Italy.  We have made this trip a number of times but, for some reason, the preparation never seems to get any easier. We still travel independently, which we love, but it means a lot more logistics to get everything set!

To prepare for this trip, I’ve done something a little different.  I’ve always wanted to be able to speak complete sentences in Italian, so I downloaded the Duolingo app and practice daily. I’m up to 70+ days in a row. I have no idea if it will help; I’ll report back.  I want to thank KJ for inspiring me.

At the end of each trip, I update our checklist and my packing list.  I try to learn from my many mistakes over the years! 🤔

Clothes:

As far as clothes are concerned, I find it somewhat challenging to pack for spring travel due to unpredictable weather.  It was COLD and RAINY last year, but who knows what this year will bring? I always bring a waterproof jacket with a hood and it comes in handy.  I also bring some long sleeve tops/sweaters that can be layered if needed.  I am debating about bringing a quilted vest.  I wore one a fair amount last year for extra warmth.  And, I’ve decided jeans are a must.

Note:  when I first traveled to Italy, ‘older’ Italian women did not wear jeans.  That has changed and they are now ubiquitous.

I end up packing more clothes than I would like because the apartment we stay in does not have a washing machine.  Last year, we had to go to another village to find a lavanderia.  

Fortunately, sneakers/trainers are seen everywhere and for every occasion. I’m not talking about obvious athletic shoes, such as Hokas, but a more streamlined street shoe.  Even though scarves seem to go in and out of fashion here, they are still seen all the time on women in Italy, even with casual outfits.

On past trips, I didn’t bring a blow dryer and would go out for coffee with wet hair.  THAT IS NOT DONE IN ITALY!

Never go out with wet hair. If you want to see an Italian seriously lose their cool, just go out with wet hair. In Italy, if you go out without drying your hair, you’ll risk getting a “colpo d’aria” – or, literally, a “blast of air”. This is said to cause anything from a sore neck to indigestion.

Medications, etc:

Italian pharmacies are wonderful and you can find almost anything in one.  Here is a link to more information about what is available over the counter (OTC) in Italy. Most pharmacists speak English and are very helpful.  It is important to know that these are small businesses and not every farmacia has everything.  I do bring some of my basic over the counter medications to get me started, such as benadryl, tylenol, etc.  But I no longer bring cold medication because I rely on the pharmacist to fix me up if needed.

COVID Note: It is easy to find OTC COVID antigen tests in the farmacias.  I will be masking up on the plane and bringing a couple of tests with me, just in case.  We tested positive while we were there last year and don’t want a repeat!

On the subject of getting sick in a foreign country, be sure and check your health insurance to see if you are covered when traveling.  Our plan has worldwide coverage, but I would rather not put it to the test. 

Here are just a few other packing/prep notes:

• Insect repellent – I’ve been eaten alive by mosquitos/zanzari and love these picardian wipes for travel. 

• I’m scent sensitive so I bring body lotion, etc. from home.  It is hard to find unscented products in Italy. 

• A satin pillowcase – it saves my hair so I don’t have to wash it daily.  Italian water does no favors to either my hair or skin! 

• And finally, ziplock bags – we use them for everything!

We are signing off for a bit, but plan on some travel posts along the way.

Ciao for now,

Allene