A date on the balcony

These days we are experiencing an unusual heat for the season here in Northern Italy. During the day we are way over the 85°F and we have started air conditioning. I like warm rather than cold, and considering that we have mostly cold months, I really enjoy this climate and I am trying to take advantage of this moment.

First of all, I must say that I have put lots of efforts to cure and display all the plants on our balcony to make it cozy and perfect to stay out and enjoy it. We bought new cushions for the chairs and new candles and lanterns to light up just before the sunset and enjoy a warm atmosphere also by night. The result of my cures and attentions really makes me proud of myself. I couldn't expect better flowers and I love love love the scent of my jasmin flowers, expecially when it comes dark and the breeze of the night is full of this flowers' odors. I have also planted some herbs to use for cooking, such as rosemary, basil, parsley, sage, thyme and mint. I love our little green angle of the house. It's made with love. Furthermore, our little furry friend - Rufy Pissy the cat! - loves to stay out and watches the world from a height. He usually doesn't like to go out (probably he associates going out with going to the veterinary!), but staying on the balcony is his new delight. Right now, while I am writing, he's enjoying the summer breeze and the light of the candles outside.

One of my favorite activities on the balcony - as well as Ely's - is eating outside. We have a little table with a coordinated cover with the cushions and a vase with peonies or lavender. This evening we have planned a romantic dinner on the balcony. We stopped at the grocery shop and we bought some fantastic mozzarella and fresh tomatos to make a caprese salad. We added only some basil (from our balcony!), some toasted bread, some olive oil, black salt and pepper and....voilà! La cena è servita. It was super yummy and so fresh and juicy. Candles are still burning outside and I am finishing my drink before to clean the table and just relax under a sky full of stars.

I love early summer. ;)

Ten on ten :: May 2011 :: A day in Genova

This 10 on 1o has been shot in Genova, the main city of the northern italian region Liguria. We were there for a short visit and this is what we photographed every hour. We loved the flowers, the excellent food and the great views of the city, of the aquarium and of the sea.

Happy 10 0n 10!! Can't wait to see all the other installments this month! ;))

Sunny days in London

Recently Ely and I made our annual trip to London, one of my favorite place on Earth. As I have already probably written in previous posts, I have a special feeling with London. Once I land in Heathrow, it's like being back home. Everything is so familiar in London(probably because I went visiting several times, almost once a year!) and to me it just feels good to be there. I love it! ;)

This time we were traveling with Ely's parents and all together we had a great time. Incredible for this period, we found a fantastic warm climate, mild temperatures, extremely over the average. When in London, we have a traditional first visit once we have settled in the hotel and have taken the tube to Piccadilly. In fact we always make it to Waterstones Book Shop, where we enjoy some time at the culinary section for new finds on cook books. Later we visit the always incredible chic and expensive Fortnum & Mason, with its incredible floors of food, luxury housewares and stationary among the others. Afterwards we go through the Burlington Arcade to Regent Street, then walk to the super commercial Oxford Street and end up somewhere between Soho and West End after many stops in different shops (and several Pounds later!). Our first very culinary stop in London is a great Jacked Potato at the food court of the Plaza Shopping Centre. Yummy!

F&M

Burlington Arcade

The days later we visited most of London's best markets such ad Borough Market, Camden Town Market, Portobello Road Market, Spitafields Market, Brick Lane Market. One of our favorite day was spent between Spitafield and Brick Lane, trying to pick some good occasions in the several vintage markets. It was fun! ;)

We also found an incredible place where to have a special Fish and Chips.

Every time we go back to London, another habit is to go to see a West-End musical. This time we made it for "Mamma mia". What a show! We like Abba music, and the performance was so absorbing and exciting. The cast made all the people in the theatre literally dance all together at the end of the show. Stunning and so much fun!!

We also met some friends in London, with whom it was a pleasure to catch up and talk about our weddings (in fact also these friends are getting married this year!!!).

For the first time we also climbed the 300-and-something steps of the Monument in the City of London, from which the view over the river Thames, the Tower Bridge and the skyscrapers of London were amazing.

Approaching the city

@ the top of the Monument

View from the top of the Monument #1

View from the top of the Monument #2

London Eye

Summary? Great city, great weather, great company, great food and great shopping (Ely found shoes for the wedding at Harrods! ;)) ) We have been missing London yet and are thinking about the next visit...to do as soon as possible.

God save the Queen, and the Royal Wedding, soon to be! :)

10 on 10 :: April 2011 :: Wedding church visit

This Sunday, on the way to visit my grandparents, we attended the Sunday Service at the Church of San Lorenzo where we will celebrate our wedding this summer. We love this location, overlooking all the valley from the terrace of the old romanic church. The view is breathtaking, especially these days of spring that seem summer! After the Holy Mass we enjoyed the sun on a bench on the pathway to the village and played with the camera...this is our belated 10 on 10!

Enjoy!!! ;)

Italy's 150° Anniversary :: Buon Compleanno Italia!!

Today I supposed to be at home on holiday, but considering all the work is expecting me at the office, I feel better to be productive and go to work.

By the way, today most of italians are on vacation and they have rediscovered a new national holiday. In fact today we celebrate our 150th anniversary since Italy has been united in one State in 1861. At that time we had a king and Italy wasn't a Republic (as it is known in the modern era) but it was a Reign (Regno d'Italia). The first capital was Turin, later Florence and in the end, only in 1870, Rome. At the beginning Turin was the seat of the kingdom and the place where the parliament was. Trentino-Alto Adige (the region where we live) was Austria in that period and we were annexed to the rest of the country only in 1919, after WW1. My ancestors, who left Italy to go to the U.S.A. before 1919 were registered upon arrival at Ellis Island in New York as austrian people and I had proof of this when I went to search their registration books when I visited Ellis Island in 2003. What an experience it was!!! :)

I must admit that Italians aren't usually very patriotic, but today something has changed. We identify ourselves more into the idea of State, upon politic parties or religions. Today my perception and prospective of being italian has improved a little more, and - beside the facts that I haven't an italian flag to expose on my balcony and that I have arbitrary decided to go to work today (sorry, mr. President!) I feel somehow proud to be part of a country that - among many problems and difficulties - has always been competitive and willing to excel in arts, manufacturing, design, fashion, food and so on. Italy has grown much in the last 150 years, and even though much has been done to reach what we are now, the road to perfection is still long and full of perils, so we must be united - today more than before - to face a world that is changing and a continuous economic competition from emerging countries.

Italy is an amazing place where to live, where to come visiting, where to have fun and where come to eat the best food. We are far from being the perfect place, the paradise is far far away and we are conscious of that, but I find it's a great idea to have a day to celebrate our status as citizens and our country, to improve our sense of State and a new sense of unity from the Alps to the greek temples in Sicily. Our story put together different parts - some very different from one another - of a country that has always been divided into different states, under the domination of foreign countries such as Austria, Germany, Spain and France. This diversification of people in a small country like Italy didn't help immediate identification into a whole country, but things have changed and now we try to be good citizens in a country that is rediscovering patriotism and love towards the 3-color flag.

Happy Birthday, Italia! Let's celebrate! ;)