31.10.12

Pumpkin risotto

You know how much I love risotto, so when this season comes, I can't avoid getting some pumpkin chunks and making a nice risotto.

28.10.12

Lady Dior as seen by


One of the most famous handbags ever, the Lady Dior was created in 1995. Princess Diana got it as a gift from the French first lady while she was visiting Paris. It became Diana's favorite and, therefore, women in the world's favorite. It has become an iconic accessory and a symbol of timeless style and class. So of course it had to inspire the greatest artists of our times: David Lynch, John Cameron Mitchell, Patrick Demarchelier, Arne Quinze, Wen Fang, Maarten Baas, Olympia Scarry, Recycle Group, Luca Trevisani, Vedovamazzei, and Alessandro Carano and Davide Stucchi. At the Triennale there are more than 70 art pieces on display, each of which honours in its own way this iconic bag.

And while I'm saving to buy my own Lady Dior (it might take me a couple of years), I just had to visit the exhibition!




24.10.12

Sunday in Hangar Bicocca

So, it's Sunday again in Milan and you don't have any plans?
Get up and take the train or the tram (the new Metro line 5 will be opening soon) and visit Bicocca, the quarter in northern Milan that used to be the old Pirelli factory area.
To get there: Get on the train to Chiasso (Switzerland) from Porta Garibaldi station and get off after just 5 minutes in Greco Pirelli station. Or take the subway (red line to Precotto or yellow line to Zara) and then tram number 7.
A short walk up north through the quarter's modern buildings (the University, Arcimboldi theater, Deutsche Bank and Siemens headquarters, etc.) will bring you to the Hangar Bicocca.


20.10.12

Snapshots of Düsseldorf



if you remember my last year's trip to Cologne then you remember my discovery of Kölsch bier, the fresh and drinkable beer typical from Cologne. Well, there's a bit of rivalry between Cologne and Düsseldorf to see who has the best beer and, please D'dorfers, don't be mad at me, but as a girl, not-beer drinker, I prefer Cologne's kölsch... Altbier, the beer from Düsseldorf is a bit too strong for my uneducated beer taste (hey, I warned you, you know I love the girly Belgian cherry beer), but that didn't stop me from tasting the Frankenheimer Alt, which is sold at the characteristic Zum Schiffchen brewery and the Schlussen Alt, served at Zum Schlussen brewery, both in the Altstadt.

As you may have read, Düsseldorf is also called the largest bar in the world because of its hundreds of bars. Well, I might be getting old but it's such a mess! I wasn't expecting this mass of beer drinkers all over the old town! I didn't enjoy the over-crowded breweries, but I did enjoy the hearty, big portions of the food (German breweries are the only places that succeed in making me leave something on my plate) and the market we found on the Rhein promenade.


Anyhow, here are some pictures of Dusseldorf, its Media harbor new buildings (some by Frank Gehry, my architect crush), monuments and the beautiful views we enjoyed. Can't wait to go back!

Gehry buidings in Media Harbor (Rhein tower in the back)
Media Harbor
My favorite
Love the forms
Traditional buildings facing the Rhein
Rhein promenade
in case the dogs get thirsty :)
Seems like a Pöggeler statue, right?
lovely to find Leopardi's quotes here
D'dorf's town hall
Cartwheelers' Fountain
The river Düssel, which gave the city its name
City Monument

Königsallee or "Kö", the shopping street

Düsseldorf skyline

18.10.12

More statues... now in Milan

Talking about statues by contemporary artists... Guess what I found this afternoon while walking around Milan's downtown? More statues!

13.10.12

Statue-hunting in Düsseldorf

When I was doing some research for our weekend in Düsseldorf, I read about Christoph Pöggeler's 'Pillar Saints', 9 sculptures spread accross the city that represent people from different groups of society removed from their daily routine and put on a pedestal, displayed as individuals. At first I didn't pay too much attention to them but when I tried to find a website in English showing their exact location and couldn't, then I thought (as Barney Stinson would say): "Challenge accepted!". And so the hunt began, which we'll call "Project Pöggeler".

12.10.12

20 clothes

Since fall has officially arrived, I came up with a list of the 20 basic items of clothing I should have for this season, then I started putting them together and 21 different combinations came out! so I thought of sharing them with you, enjoy!

10.10.12

Japan? No, Düsseldorf!

When you look at the following picture, ignoring the title of this post, where do you think I am?

If you thought of Japan, you know that you're wrong, first of all because of the title of the post (I gave too much away with it) and also because the day I'll finally visit Japan I'll be blogging about it for weeks and weeks before even getting there.

7.10.12

Wine tasting weekend

Autumn brings wind, falling leaves and darker colors but also wine festivals and tastings all over Italy.
If you are planing a wine tasting weekend somewhere (Trentino, Tuscany, Franciacorta, Piedmont, etc.) you should be prepared. Besides studying the wine guides (like the Italian Sommelier Association, Gambero Rosso or any other), maps, accommodations and making appointments to visit the wine cellars, you should be dressed properly. For this once, leave at home your high heels and dress comfortably because you might have to walk through the vineyards, and perhaps after the fifth cellar (or the fifth glass, whatever happens first) you won't be holding your balance very well. Enjoy!


4.10.12

Tequila!

Tequila is Mexico's national drink. It is a type of mezcal (the liquor with the worm in the bottle) made from blue agave plants from the region of Jalisco, mainly. Agave plants mature in a period of 7 to 10 years.



To make it, the heart of the plant is cooked and then squeezed in a stone wheel to extract the juice. This juice is then fermented in tanks until it evaporates and then condenses to become tequila. A good tequila is made 100% of blue agave (one of the 135 species of agave in Mexico), so check the label of your bottle to be sure; it has to have a monogram label of the Tequila Regulatory Council which proofs its authenticity.

 There are three types of tequila: blanco, añejo and reposado.
Blanco is the clear one, produced after final fermentation, it has a pure flavor. This is the one that should be used to prepare cocktails.
Reposado is tequila aged in oak barrels for at least two months, its color is slightly darker and the taste is a bit smoother. It can be drank pure or in cocktails.
Añejo is an aged tequila which has been in the barrels for at least one year. It has full flavor and a Woody color. Better drank pure and straight (no lemon or salt).


Tequila is drank pure in a shot glass called caballito or in cocktails like tequila sunrise (with orange juice and grenadine), charro negro (with cola and lemon), paloma (with grapefruit soda, salt & lemon), etc. A caballito of tequila is sometimes served with another caballito of sangrita (a mix of tomato juice, orange juice, pepper and lime). You take a sip of tequila, taste it and feel it in your mouth, then a sip of sangrita. I love this way of drinking it!