An apartment in Torino!

Since we will be here fairly regularly, we wanted to be able to find a place to unpack the six weeks of clothes we brought, do some laundry, relax and for Tim, have a bowl of cereal! This is on via Sant' Anselmo in Turin...No. 8. When I looked for a place, I wanted one in a neighborhood, but especially with a balcony. Oh, and TWO bedrooms for the snore master. Here is a view from the little balcony.

Upon researching, the owner - Giusi - pronounced Juicy! - assured us there was coffee. 

Well, not exactly what we are used to in the US. She taught me how to turn on the gas, then how to make the coffee in the um...thingy. Came out great! Watered down with a little hot water! 

This is a view of the living space, kitchen on left, one of the two bathrooms with the washer on the right. TWO bedrooms and another bath too. Nice. 

 Another view of the neighborhood....the rounded tops of the windows belong to a synagogue.

We discovered that all synagogues in Italy are guarded 24/7 since 2001. The feature on his cap makes him look very menacing! I walked the neighborhood a bit. The guards make you feel safe, but sometimes there are leering Italian guys standing along the sidewalk....eek. Plus, I was worried with my AWESOME sense of direction, I would probably get lost. Stopped in and bought a piece of pizza ala funghi, prosciutto that happened to have a couple grapes in it....not bad! 

San Remo on the Mediterranean...

So from Alba we drove THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS down to San Remo, Italy 

on the coast of the Mediterranean. About an hour from Nice, France and Monaco. 

After one misfire on a hotel, we found this gem called the Royal Hotel of San Remo. 

Reminded me quite a bit of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island inside. 

Outside on the balcony, here was the amazing view! 

 The veranda below there is attached to someone's ROOM. Another on the other side had a hot tub.
 Wow.

Before dinner, we had drinks which always are accompanied by nuts and many little munchies. I learned that my favorite drink is called a mirtillo ross and vodka! (Take a guess!) We had dinner on this patio, overlooking the pool and ocean, Tim had steak and I had lamb chops "agnello",  finished off with probably the BEST dessert I've ever had....I have a thing for meringue, whipped cream and raspberries. WOW. 

The turn down service includes a little linen next to the bed that says "Good Night" and complimentary slippers. 

The next day, we sat by the sea water pool, right above the ocean.

It was really warm in the pool too! 

San Remo, like Monaco and Nice, has a Vegas flavor to it. A big casino near the hotel...

we walked the back streets to dinner and came upon this cool church. 

                                         Another view from the pool. Interesting "Ombrelli".

Beautiful place we hope to return soon...now back to reality, a new apartment! 

On to Alba!

On to Alba!

A walking trip in Torino. I came across one of many bakeries and bought some goodies. 

Notice the back rack with the loaves of bread stored upside down! 

After Torino, we decided to try out a little place called Alba. 

One interesting thing I noticed, as we drove through the vineyards, farms and countryside of Piedmont. There were little paths into the crops that popped up in one area. At the edge of the path there say some really colorfully dressed women. Italian hookers! Wow. 

Stayed in Alba for a few days at a place called the Hotel Langhe. 

The exterior was a big ramshackle so we 

were a bit skeptical....but we opened the doors to the veranda and WOW. 

This was the view. During the day you could hear roosters crow, pheasants and 

even the crazy dog pack plus the air compressor from the auto repair shop next door!

 Lavender grew on the veranda. 

This is the infinity pool out in the back. Again, gorgeous! 

I was given my coffee with water to make the way I like, on a tray to take up to the room. 

Very nice people. Breakfast consisted of breads, fruits, cheese and HAM. Lots and lots of ham.

   


 While Tim is at work, the hotel lends out bicycles and locks to its guests....
                                                                                         some things I saw on my rides...
When I parked the bike near a post with a bulletin board in the middle of the village, people were
gathering around. We couldn't figure out why but soon discovered it had the recent obituaries and funeral arrangements posted for the town to see. Hmm.

                    Wandered around Alba looking for a restaurant, couldn't find it but stumbled upon this                             one in a cellar. The picture's not great. But the food was amazing. Called Enoclub.
                             Alba is very well known for its Truffle Festival, so the food was all about the                                          funghi - mushrooms and truffles - tartufo.              Pigeon and truffles

                                                                   

The last evening, we wanted to keep it low key and went to a local pizza place. Great pizza. Everyone starts arriving at dinner in Italy around 8:30-10pm or 20:30-22:00 as they say. I did a When Harry Met Sally and said, "I'll have what she's having." with the dessert. It was one of the best I've ever had. It was a frothy, icy, lemon dessert with a couple blueberries. Didn't catch the name though.
                                        Tim is having his dessert - red wine and caffe!

After Alba, we decided to rent an apartment in Torino, since Alba was about an hour from Tim's office. But before that, we went to SAN REMO!! Wow....

Italians also love CARS!

                                                             Italians also love CARS!

 Last weekend, thousands of people gathered in la Piazza
Castello to view many fancy Maseratis, new and old. It was
the Centennial Gathering of Maserati. Very cool.
All the cars were displayed in the piazza, the media was everywhere and they actually drove a couple race cars around inside the square, revving the engines very loudly!
I have more pictures I have to download. But it was cool!

Torino - FOOD!

Torino - FOOD!

When people think of travelling in Italy, the first thought is usually 

FOOD! This is a cake made by a little bakery we came across honoring 

Game of Thrones. Cool! 

 This is from a dinner we attended with some guys from Tim's work. It's all focused on MEAT. You choose your cut of meat and they cook it and bring it to the table on a wood cutting board.
The meat was UNREAL!

This was a brunch sort of meal. It's thinly sliced prosciutto on top of deep fried DOUGH (yum), which sits on a crumpled piece of brown paper to soak up the grease. Delicious! Oh yeah, and cheese on the side. Wow.

This was a classic chocolate dessert - dolci - from the area. Just like a panna cotta which was basically formed in a loaf and sliced, then covered in chocolate syrup. Awesome with a limoncello! 

First week in Italy...observations

The view from our hotel room in Turin. The church bells chime intermittently. Gorgeous. 

 We took a walk on a rainy day and saw some great architecture, stories and had to stop for a beer and some food! Oh yes, and a cigar.
Here is the tobacco shop with all their ornate pipes and smoking stuff!



You can order a handmade suit here, with fabric swatches displayed in the window.
OR handmade boxer shorts! Who's game?

    

Our food from a buffet during happy hour. 

Why don't Americans put hot dogs on their pizza? We are missing quite the delicacy! 

 

Over a couple of beers, we chatted with a German couple. The subject turned to the violence in the US, to which the Germans are mystified as to why we are able to own guns, hunt, etc. 

He made an interesting point: People around the world consider the word "freedom" as "freedom FROM" but Americans use the word "freedom" as "freedom TO". Big difference. 

Stay tuned for a very interesting dinner we had! 

T minus six days and counting...

Getting ready for the Big Trip to Italy.
Tim is already over in Europe. This week in Cologne, Germany for a convention.
Going through my clothes, trying to decide what I will need for September through mid-November in Italy perhaps?

Coats, shorts, boots, flip-flops?
Hmm...
The woman at the post office vehemently told me NOT to wear a fanny pack or I'll look like an American, thus a target for thieves.
Don't worry, I won't.
Also, don't carry a purse, wear gym shoes or anything else that would make me look American.
She told me, the oh-so-styling woman at the Post Office window, that I should be STUNNING and FASHIONABLE. And look like a native.
OK.
Ummm....
Back to packing...sweatshirts, skirts, um....?
I have fought the good fight with insurance to okay my prescriptions to take over there. Just have to go pick up the BOX of them for three months. Yay.
Probably need another big suitcase. Hey, if they're charging me $100 for a second one, I'd better make it count right?
Let's see....lists everywhere. Advice from everyone.
The latest thing I TRIED to tackle is getting my mother on Skype over the phone on her IPAD.
Yeah no.
THEN Big Howard getting ready for his trip too.
Wanna go for a walk, buddy?