Mercado Victoria, Cordoba

"Happy ever after in the market place..."

 

 The Mercado Victoria is one of those pleasant surprises Cordoba has to offer. Especially for market nuts like myself.

10 ideas for the summer in Milan

Summer is finally here but... what if everyone is leaving town and you're stuck in Milan?

Here are 10 ideas to survive the Milanese summer:

A day in Macau - part 1

Macau is a Special Administrative Region of China. It was once a Portuguese colony and it is now the Asian capital of gambling, which is why it's called the "Las Vegas of Asia", although it generates more revenue than Las Vegas itself.

Macau is not only gambling and big hotels, after centuries of Portuguese colonization (it was the first and last European colony in Asia), historical, cultural and culinary remains can be seen all over the place.

Hong Kong: useful info

After 5 days in Shanghai, we continued our trip to Hong Kong. Here's some useful information that I wish I had known before leaving and that I learned in HK:

Yang's Fry Dumplings @ Reel, Shanghai

If you go to Shanghai and don't eat at least once at Yang's, it's like you were never there!

Shanghai: useful info

This trip marked my first (and hopefully not last) visit to the Far East. Here's some useful information that I wish I had known before leaving and that I learned in my trip:

Dear Oscar... (Eataly Smeraldo)

Since Eataly Smeraldo, the long-waited new Milanese branch of Eataly, just opened last week (in the place that once was the famous Smeraldo theater), I decided to write a letter to the owner, Oscar Farinetti,whom I saw on my visit to Eataly:

 

Dear Oscar,
thanks for finally opening a decent Eataly in Milan, I've never liked the tiny one in the basement of Coin. However, I was expecting something a bit bigger, after having been to the one in Rome, but I guess you used all the space you had available as best as you could.

I will be coming back to Eataly Smeraldo once in a while because:

- the carne cruda (meat tartar) is amazing, so soft and tender it doesn't feel like raw meat;

- I think it's a good idea to put together the Meat and Seafood restaurants;

- I could stare at the people making the mozzarella for hours;

- I like the green Superga sneakers you gave your employees;

-I love that you kept the stage of the theater and that there's live music playing while I dine;
- you seem so nice and smiley (of course I would be as smiley as you are with all the money you're making :) )

-UPDATE 25/3/2014: WE LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT ALICE RESTAURANT!

However, I won't be coming as often as I thought because:

- you didn't invite me to the press opening;
- the market spaces are reduced, I was hoping for something bigger;
- the wine selection is not as wide as the ones in Rome and Turin, and you prefered to keep the mediocre wines of J.Bastianich instead of other, better and less expensive, wines;

- Fruit and vegetables are too expensive;

- There's no tuna in the menu (I love Eataly's tuna);

- but mostly because you have all the varieties of pasta Cavalieri but not my favorite Spaghettoni!!! Unforgivable! -UPDATE 25/3/2014: WENT BACK TODAY AND FOUND MY SPAGHETTONI!!! OSCAR, YOU'RE SO FORGIVEN! 

Anyhow, good luck with the coming openings.

Sincerely,

M.

If you're in Milan and you haven't done so, you can visit Eataly Smeraldo:

EATALY MILANO SMERALDO
Open daily from 10.00 to 24.00 (restaurants normally open at lunch and dinner time only, check their website for special closing days)
Piazza XXV Aprile, 10 - 20121 Milan

Tel. +39 02 49497301 

 Email eatalysmeraldo@eataly.it

Spring Colors

Fashion Week is in Milan and although the collections being presented now are for the coming seasons and I still haven't been invited to any front row shows, it will be Spring soon (hopefully!) so here is the Pantone for the colors of this Spring 2014:

Inspired by this Pantone I have created some sets using these color combinations, just to get an idea on what we'll be wearing this Spring:

Cupcakes on a rainy day

A new branch of the paradise for cupcake lovers has just opened in downtown Milan!

Viva Las Vegas!

Here are some photos of our trip to Las Vegas. Even if I'm not a gambler, I enjoyed our stay very much; what's not to like about a city full of lights, shops, restaurants, bars, with great weather all-year-round and with copies of many of the world's nicest monuments?!
(P.S.: The fact that I got asked for my ID in the casinos twice because I looked too young to be there helped me love Vegas even more)

Treasure Island, Las Vegas

TI (or Treasure Island, as everyone still calls it) is a good alternative to Las Vegas' most famous hotels like the Bellagio, Ceasar's Palace and MGM, in a great location.

Di viole di liquirizia

I had heard so much about this place that the other day, while walking on the beautiful Via Madonnina, I decided to visit Di Viole Di Liquirizia.

 

Hilton London Kensington

A couple of weeks ago we were in London visiting a friend. Taking advantage of the "Any Weekend Anywhere" sale, we were able to get an affordable rate for the weekend at the Hilton London Kensington. Even if the name says Kensington, this one is not in Kensington, but conveniently located in Holland Park Avenue, a 3-minute walk from the Sheppherd's Bush Underground and Overground stations and, most importantly, Westfield shopping center.

Photo from the hotel's website

My wishlist

So, Christmas is officially around the corner! I love the atmosphere everywhere these days, everyone looking for presents for friends and loved ones (perhaps a bit warmer weather wouldn't hurt), lights, music, etc. Since I love speding time thinking of the best presents for my friends and loved ones (I started planning since last month!) I'm sharing my wishlist so in case you're looking for ideas on what to buy for Xmas for your traveler, foodie or fashion lover friends this might help!