Spring Adventures!

Although the winter wasn't that harsh, it sure seemed long. And after months and months of gray, rainy skies and tired, dead looking trees and fields, Mama Natura flipped the Spring Switch to ON! This place went crazy with bright green leaves and beautifully bloomin' flowers. When the weather gets good after a long winter nap: lay on their front porch catchin' rays in their underwear, and boozin' it up admidst all of the beauty that Italy has to offer. Luckily (for you), Cyn and I went more for the latter rather than the former...


Prosecco Hills
For the last weekend in April we went to the "Prosecco Hills", an area about an hour and 30 minutes northeast of us. This hilly region is known for making the best Prosecco wine, espcially the town of Valdobbiadene. Our good friend Sandy arranted the excursion for about 15 of us. Our first stop was a little cantina to pick up a few bottles of Prosecco. And then over to Farro di Saligo to a little "Agriturismo". Agriturismi are farm houses that have been converted to B&B's and restaurants. Usually all of the food prepared there is fresh from the farm, and this agriturismo called "Al Credazzo" did not dissappoint. We had an 8 course meal of gnocchi pasta, bruschetta, cold cuts and cheese, and for the main entree, spit-roasted meats (yum!). We enjoyed our lunch inside, but then went outside to enjoy the gorgeous spring day.

Agriturismo Al Credazzo

The luncheon aftermath...

Cyn & Sandy enjoy some rays

Villa Sceriman
Our good friends and frequent blog all-stars, Marlene and Ann, have been telling us about this Villa in the town of Vo' down to the south of Vicenza. Villa Sceriman bottles there own wine (of course), but they also have a wonderful, wisteria-covered patio area where you can sit and while away an afternoon enjoying cheese, bread, and coldcuts. It sounded great, so we trekked out on a sparkling spring afternoon. Along the way we picked Giovanna, our good friend and Italian instructor, who lives in Castegnero, about halfway between us and Vo. Finding the place would've been impossible for me without Giovanna's direction. I went down tiny little country roads and hung a blind right into the villa's driveway. It was like crossing into an exclusive garden. Unfortunately the wisteria was already past its prime, however after the FIFTH bottle of wine, we really didn't notice.

Giovanna and Cyn pay for our gastronomic delights!

What we drank...

What we ate...

Where we spent the afternoon...

Cyn, Giovanna, and Marlene

Ann and Cyn

Well how could we top a leirsurely afternoon spent drinking wine and enjoying fresh bread, Asiago cheese, and Italian cold cuts? By going to a great Italian restaurant and having some pear and prosciutto pasta, that's how! Aeolia's is a popular haunt with a beautiful garden out front.

Cyn's Birthday and Easter Weekend

For Cynthia's birthday, she wanted to go to restaurant at Villa Godi Malinverni. This villa was designed by the famous Andrea Palladio in 1542. And when you live in Italy you can have your birthday at 500 year old villa if that strikes your fancy. After all the villa is only 15 minutes drive north of our house (although we still managed to get lost!). Of course we invited our good friends Marlene, Ann and Roland.

The boys enjoy a glass of wine

Marlene, Ann, and Cyn

Roland and Ann

The day after Cyn's Birthday was Easter Sunday, and for our Easter Celebrations we were invited over to Mama Luigina's for Brunch/Lunch/Dinner. These Catholics know how to celebrate the resurrection! This culinary extravaganza is like 3 meals rolled up into one long, lazy afternoon of pasta, carne, vino, and sweets... Mama Mia!

Here in Italia, when you say Lasagna, they think you're talking about just the flat noodles. What we think of Lasagna, they call "lasagna al forno" (lasagna in the oven), or "Pasticcio", Lasagna Pie. And Luigina's everyday run-of-the-mill Pasticcio is over the moon!! I've raved about it before in blogs past, and will do so again short order. Of course all of the pasta is hand-made on her own countertops, and the texture of the noodles is like biting into and italian cloud of love. And the ragu (meat) sauce that she creates from scratch is out of this world. I could just eat Pasticcio for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Well since Easter is such a special day we had not one, but TWO, types of pasticcio, and a white asparagus risotto to boot. That's just the first course people... Stay with me here. After that we had 2 types of lamb (chops and filets), beef filets, a goat meat dish (actually a lot better than it might sound), and a pork dish. All of them made fresh in Mama Luigina's kitchen with fresh herbs and the best olive oil. And if you have any room on your plate, the next round is the contorni, or side dishes, including half a dozen types of sauteed mushrooms, string beans, a salad with fresh-from-the-garden greens, and the most finely cut coleslaw-like cabbage salad that you have ever seen in your life. Of course all of it is washed down with bottle after glorious bottle of red and white wine...

Don't even get me started on the desserts... And I can't figure out why my clothes don't fit!

The Ladies of Easter

Cyn breaks open a Sorpresa Easter Egg!

Enjoying a Great Spring Afternoon after a Great Easter Lunch

Ciao for now!

London Calling!

London in four days. Not enough and we are definitely going back. In March we saw the sites, had tea with the queen, chatted with some “celebs,” rode the “Eye” and then said “Cheerio.”


England is part of the United Kingdom. The “UK” consists of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is governed by a parliamentary system with its seat of government in London, the capital, with three decentralized national administrations in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh – the respective capitals of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.




Queen Elizabeth II is the reigning Queen that provides the constitutional monarchy over the countries that make up the UK.

The flight only took two hours from Venice and cost around $150 (USD). We splurged on the hotel staying at the Athenaeum that was only two blocks from Buckingham Palace and Kensington Gardens. We lucked out as the weather was sunny and warm for March in old foggy London town.

Fun at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum

Westminster Abbey

Views of Big Ben

The London Eye

The Beefeaters of London Tower

We saw the show Wicked at the Apollo Vic

Tally ho!
Cyn

It's a celebration! It's a new sensation! It's the Carnival!

On Valentine’s Day one of my dreams came true. I went to Carnevale in Venice with my sweetheart. Michael and I booked a hotel, braved the crowds, assembled our costumes and spent the weekend in Venice. The weather was perfect and our time was magical.

Hundred and hundreds of years ago, the followers of the Catholic religion in Italy started the tradition of holding a wild costume festival right before the first day of Lent. Because Catholics are not supposed to eat meat during Lent, they called their festival, carnevale — which means “to put away the meat.” As time passed, carnivals in Italy became quite famous; and in fact the practice spread to France, Spain, and all the Catholic countries in Europe. Then as the French, Spanish, and Portuguese began to take control of the Americas and other parts of the world, they brought with them their tradition of celebrating carnival.





Children dress up in costumes, throw confetti at each other, and generally raise a ruckus. Adults dress in lavish costumes and may host theme parties at their homes, attend masquerade balls, or go out on the town.




The most famous city to host Carnevale in Europe is Venice, Italy. Carnevale in Venice dates back to the 11th century and today it is celebrated over a span of two weeks. It’s a huge winter festival with parades, masquerade balls, entertainment, music, food and parties. Mischief and pranks are also common during Carnevale – thus the saying A Carnevale Ogni Scherzo Vale, anything goes at carnival.




Masks have always been a central feature of the Venetian carnival. The practice of wearing masks for disguise reached its peak in the 18th century when Venetians of different social classes used Carnevale as an excuse to mingle and in some cases, to engage in sexual liaisons without fear of recognition or retribution. Venice is the best city for traditional carnival masks (and sexual liaisons). People can be seen in elaborate masks and costumes for the festival and there are both private and public masquerade balls.


Mussolini’s fascist party banned the Venice carnival during the 1930’s. It was later resurrected by a number of local artisans around 1979.





We witnessed one of the most spectacular opening events of the Carnevale – the Volo dell’Angelo (flight of the Angel). The history is that a Turkish acrobat would climb a rope aided by a balancing rod to the top of the belfry of the belltower (Campanile) in San Marco’s square and then descend upside down gliding along the rope to the loggia of the Doge’s (King’s) Palace.


This event has evolved into an exciting and secretive spectacle as the “angel” of the flight is a celebrity and their identity is not revealed until the actual event. Last year it was American rapper Coolio who took the flight. This year is was 25 year old Margherita Missoni the niece of famous Italian fashion designer Ottavio Missoni. “When I was up there I was terrified, and immediately regretted ever having agreed to do it,” Missoni now laughs. “But after a few minutes of tears and saying no over and over, I closed my eyes and told them to do it. And then I was flying over Venice. Amazing. I could even see the mountains in the distance, and the 100,000 people looking up at me.” But she was looking for a few people in particular: “I could see my mother and my grandmother crying, and it made me so happy.”


We loved it and plan to return again next year with a group of masked partiers to further experience Carnevale.