Monday, December 5, 2011
Italy catches up with one
Remember Alan's famous drive down the Via Fluongo? Well, so did the Italian police. This week, they sent two traffic tickets for $50 each for driving in, er, places you shouldn't drive. HaHa! At least, Mrs C's other two guest drivers also got tickets.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thanksgiving in Switzerland
Here we are, back in Zug, for what has become a tradition of making Thanksgiving dinner with Nan in Switzerland. It's actually quite a convenient time to travel abroad because few Americans are doing it and it's also a quiet week at work so taking the three days isn't a problem. And so we arrived Tuesday morning without incident, back to foggy, cold Zug. It's about 32 degrees fahrenheit and damp -- enough to put a chill in your bones. That hasn't stopped us from shopping for our dinner, though, and roasting in the oven is a turkey from Aklin (4.5 kg!) and there are brussel sprouts and romanesco (combo broccoli, cauliflower -- google it!) awaiting preparation. And I brought cornbread stuffing from the states, as well as cranberry sauce.
Actually, there are so many Americans in Zug now (Last night, we tried a new place, the Widder, and there were more American tables than Swiss) that there are quite a few turkeys for sale. That didn't used to be the case. In fact, the supplement to the morning paper had a recipe for Thanksgiving dinner!
There are certain challenges to making Thanksgiving dinner at Nan's, the largest being size. Her oven and dishes are suitable for cooking small amounts, not a 10 lb turkey. Absent a properly sized roasting pan, the turkey is sitting in the broiler pan. We put it breast side up for 10 minutes at 220 and then flipped it over to let the juices from the dark meat penetrate the breast. Hopefully, it will be good as there is a lot of it!
Zug is changing with new shops and lots of new buildings. There are cranes everywhere and the traffic is worse than ever. I took a long walk yesterday past Oberwill along the lake; that, at least, is unchanged.
Post-meal, I am happy to report it was a delicious dinner -- I first put the oven to 220 and then place the bird in breast side up for 10 minutes. Took it out, flipped the bird and lowered the oven to 170. Next time I might do 160 or take the meat out earlier. It went in at 2:30 and I took it out at 4:45. Rested for 20 minutes or so while we finished the sides and the gravy.
Things to bring to Zug next time:
turkey baster
poultry bag?
pine nuts (for brussel sprouts)
pumpkin for pie
Actually, there are so many Americans in Zug now (Last night, we tried a new place, the Widder, and there were more American tables than Swiss) that there are quite a few turkeys for sale. That didn't used to be the case. In fact, the supplement to the morning paper had a recipe for Thanksgiving dinner!
There are certain challenges to making Thanksgiving dinner at Nan's, the largest being size. Her oven and dishes are suitable for cooking small amounts, not a 10 lb turkey. Absent a properly sized roasting pan, the turkey is sitting in the broiler pan. We put it breast side up for 10 minutes at 220 and then flipped it over to let the juices from the dark meat penetrate the breast. Hopefully, it will be good as there is a lot of it!
Zug is changing with new shops and lots of new buildings. There are cranes everywhere and the traffic is worse than ever. I took a long walk yesterday past Oberwill along the lake; that, at least, is unchanged.
Post-meal, I am happy to report it was a delicious dinner -- I first put the oven to 220 and then place the bird in breast side up for 10 minutes. Took it out, flipped the bird and lowered the oven to 170. Next time I might do 160 or take the meat out earlier. It went in at 2:30 and I took it out at 4:45. Rested for 20 minutes or so while we finished the sides and the gravy.
Things to bring to Zug next time:
turkey baster
poultry bag?
pine nuts (for brussel sprouts)
pumpkin for pie
Monday, October 3, 2011
The Solace of Peaceful Places
We have landed at Papelousu once again, the final time of 2011. It is truly amazing to now be watching the ferns we saw incipient in May now browning and crumbling to the ground. A brief summer season here in the NEK, to be sure.
On our way north, we stopped on Long Island to visit with the whole family, including representation from the European branch, Jean Felicien and Claude. We had a memorable dinner on Friday night with three generations of Cattiers all together, young and old. Then, over the weekend there were individual get togethers with sub-branches of the family. Memories new and old were shared and rejuvenated and it was truly a joyous, special opportunity to spend time together. I got to add some new things to Ancestry.com (anyone out there an expert) and need to do more. Always, there is more to do.
Sunday morning, we were up at 5am to head to JFK. The roads were empty and time to the airport quick. Once there, they have put into place a transit system that seamlessly takes you from the rental car to the terminals and then on into the city. All in all, our travel to BTV was easy and by a little after 10am we were in our rental Escape headed down the road feeling....tired. :-)
The clouds were low, promising a cold and -- maybe? -- snow. Yikes. We were happy, nonetheless, as cold never scared us and the scenery was so beautiful -- reds and golds and greens muted by the high humidity into a lovely maelstrom of color. Yay, back in Vermont!
And then we were on to favorite fall activities like stopping in Waterbury at Cold Hollow to pick up cider (OMG), cider doughnuts, and cider pumpkin pie. Oh yea, baby. Later on up the road, we hit up a favorite farm stand in Newport for the last Vermont corn, local brussel sprouts, wax beans, and lettuce. What with is up in the freezer at camp, we should be good to go!
We arrived at Camp in the rain -- but who cares, we were here. Ready to relax....Well, not quite. Sunday night was quite the comedy of...something.... After relaxing quite a bit in the afternoon in front of the fire (first of the season) and starting a puzzle, we went into the kitchen to enjoy some re-heated chicken soup Suzy had gotten at Cosco -- YUM. Really, really good and hearty, perfect for an evening meal. While we were eating, we got a phone call from home from our pet sitter who reported that she had smelled gas near our new gas dryer....Oh no. Long story short, we called the gas company, they came, confirmed it was the dryer and turned off that supply. In the meantime, however, while we were having those back and forth phone calls, we discovered that the fireplace in the living room was now sending serious amounts of smoke not up the chimney but into the rest of the house. Hmmm, first fire of the season revealing some problems.....
Dealt with that and then clearly, bed and a good long sleep were in order. And that's just what we did!
On our way north, we stopped on Long Island to visit with the whole family, including representation from the European branch, Jean Felicien and Claude. We had a memorable dinner on Friday night with three generations of Cattiers all together, young and old. Then, over the weekend there were individual get togethers with sub-branches of the family. Memories new and old were shared and rejuvenated and it was truly a joyous, special opportunity to spend time together. I got to add some new things to Ancestry.com (anyone out there an expert) and need to do more. Always, there is more to do.
Sunday morning, we were up at 5am to head to JFK. The roads were empty and time to the airport quick. Once there, they have put into place a transit system that seamlessly takes you from the rental car to the terminals and then on into the city. All in all, our travel to BTV was easy and by a little after 10am we were in our rental Escape headed down the road feeling....tired. :-)
The clouds were low, promising a cold and -- maybe? -- snow. Yikes. We were happy, nonetheless, as cold never scared us and the scenery was so beautiful -- reds and golds and greens muted by the high humidity into a lovely maelstrom of color. Yay, back in Vermont!
And then we were on to favorite fall activities like stopping in Waterbury at Cold Hollow to pick up cider (OMG), cider doughnuts, and cider pumpkin pie. Oh yea, baby. Later on up the road, we hit up a favorite farm stand in Newport for the last Vermont corn, local brussel sprouts, wax beans, and lettuce. What with is up in the freezer at camp, we should be good to go!
We arrived at Camp in the rain -- but who cares, we were here. Ready to relax....Well, not quite. Sunday night was quite the comedy of...something.... After relaxing quite a bit in the afternoon in front of the fire (first of the season) and starting a puzzle, we went into the kitchen to enjoy some re-heated chicken soup Suzy had gotten at Cosco -- YUM. Really, really good and hearty, perfect for an evening meal. While we were eating, we got a phone call from home from our pet sitter who reported that she had smelled gas near our new gas dryer....Oh no. Long story short, we called the gas company, they came, confirmed it was the dryer and turned off that supply. In the meantime, however, while we were having those back and forth phone calls, we discovered that the fireplace in the living room was now sending serious amounts of smoke not up the chimney but into the rest of the house. Hmmm, first fire of the season revealing some problems.....
Dealt with that and then clearly, bed and a good long sleep were in order. And that's just what we did!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Beautiful evening on the Connecticut
{from yesterday}
Hard to believe the week has gone this quickly but it always does in Vermont. Earlier in the week, we joined Hardy to fish a bend of the Connecticut just below Canaan. A beautiful pool with plenty of room for three to fish. We had brought Quimby’s float tubes but after struggling with them a bit, Hardy and I both abandoned them and just waded. Hardy and Alan each had two nice fish – fat rainbows. Alan hooked his in the tongue and it didn’t make it, so we brought it home for breakfast – he pronounced it the best meal all week!
While the first half of the week was sunny and warm, perfect for swimming, the last couple of days have been cloudy, rainy, and cold. Wednesday we headed south to Barre to pick up water bottles that unfortunately hadn’t been delivered to John’s. We remedied that by stopping at Shaw’s for some smaller bottles that will hopefully fit the stand. En route south, we encountered a ferocious storm with torrential rain, lightning, and thunder. One lightning bolt was literally right on us! It was pretty intense.
On our way home, we stopped in Hardwick to have dinner with Roni and Warren at Claire’s, which promised locally sourced vegetables and meats. It was excellent. Left around 10:00pm and made it home by 11:15, ready for bed.
Today, Alan and I investigated the Canadian grocery scene, the first stop being US Customs to find out what we were allowed to bring back into the States. The good news – beef and chicken now okay. The bad – no tomatoes or corn. Boo!
Back at the house, we lunched on yummy pasta from Vine and Table and then Alan and I ventured over to New Hampshire for some driving and fishing. Surveyed Junction Pool and Carr Bridge and found them packed – five fishermen within 15’ of Carr Bridge alone. We thought we were out of luck but decided to check the dam below First Connecticut and found it empty! Yea! Waders on in a flash, we trouped down the trail and headed upstream. Beautiful evening – cool with blue skies, no insect life to be seen but the night was young.
After we found the working floatant (I do have some bottles to discard), we dry flied up and down the stretch, catching one nice rainbow and not seeing much other action. But it was nice to be on the water, fishing together. And the Trident 5 weight is casting beautifully now that we put 5 weight line on it.
Unfortunately, evenings on the Connecticut always end too early when you have to journey back over to Vermont to make dinner, so at 6:30, just when the insect action was starting (something small), we packed up and headed west. A relatively short drive later, we’re about to dine on filets on the grill, corn, ratatouille, and pan-fried potatoes. Oh, and salad – with a tomato from Georgia!
Another excellent day in the North Country.
Hard to believe the week has gone this quickly but it always does in Vermont. Earlier in the week, we joined Hardy to fish a bend of the Connecticut just below Canaan. A beautiful pool with plenty of room for three to fish. We had brought Quimby’s float tubes but after struggling with them a bit, Hardy and I both abandoned them and just waded. Hardy and Alan each had two nice fish – fat rainbows. Alan hooked his in the tongue and it didn’t make it, so we brought it home for breakfast – he pronounced it the best meal all week!
While the first half of the week was sunny and warm, perfect for swimming, the last couple of days have been cloudy, rainy, and cold. Wednesday we headed south to Barre to pick up water bottles that unfortunately hadn’t been delivered to John’s. We remedied that by stopping at Shaw’s for some smaller bottles that will hopefully fit the stand. En route south, we encountered a ferocious storm with torrential rain, lightning, and thunder. One lightning bolt was literally right on us! It was pretty intense.
On our way home, we stopped in Hardwick to have dinner with Roni and Warren at Claire’s, which promised locally sourced vegetables and meats. It was excellent. Left around 10:00pm and made it home by 11:15, ready for bed.
Today, Alan and I investigated the Canadian grocery scene, the first stop being US Customs to find out what we were allowed to bring back into the States. The good news – beef and chicken now okay. The bad – no tomatoes or corn. Boo!
Back at the house, we lunched on yummy pasta from Vine and Table and then Alan and I ventured over to New Hampshire for some driving and fishing. Surveyed Junction Pool and Carr Bridge and found them packed – five fishermen within 15’ of Carr Bridge alone. We thought we were out of luck but decided to check the dam below First Connecticut and found it empty! Yea! Waders on in a flash, we trouped down the trail and headed upstream. Beautiful evening – cool with blue skies, no insect life to be seen but the night was young.
After we found the working floatant (I do have some bottles to discard), we dry flied up and down the stretch, catching one nice rainbow and not seeing much other action. But it was nice to be on the water, fishing together. And the Trident 5 weight is casting beautifully now that we put 5 weight line on it.
Unfortunately, evenings on the Connecticut always end too early when you have to journey back over to Vermont to make dinner, so at 6:30, just when the insect action was starting (something small), we packed up and headed west. A relatively short drive later, we’re about to dine on filets on the grill, corn, ratatouille, and pan-fried potatoes. Oh, and salad – with a tomato from Georgia!
Another excellent day in the North Country.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Unknown Pond, Found!
The last couple of years, we have been exploring south of Camp in the Silvio Conte Wilderness Area and surrounding privately owned land. Picnics at the Lewis Pond Overlook and a couple of fishing expeditions later, we are reasonably acquainted with the area. However, one pond had eluded our grasp, despite Alan, Jacques, Bandit and I giving it a real try last fall. But, yesterday, after much climbing and much mud, we found it -- and Unknown Pond was unknown no more.
Having missed the whole month of July, which we never do, we arrived here to spend the first week of August with Mrs. Cattier. Hardy is working this summer as a sous chef at Quimby's, so he was already here. Hardly had I walked in the door than the phone rang! (Pause to watch a heron gliding across a calm Great Averill.) We decided we would hook up Sunday morning and try the Gore Mt road to Unknown, which Hardy had found gated in late June.
He arrived at Camp at 8:30am, bearing breakfast fixings and proceeded to make himself comfortable in the kitchen, whipping up a bacon, onion, potato and egg scramble that was delicious and filling. Later in the day, we sure were grateful for that filling breakfast! Hopped in Hardy's Suburban and rolled down south on 114 to Island Pond and then on to Henshaw Road. Back in the woods, we split off onto Gore Road and then came to the gate -- locked. Bummer.
But Alan was not willing to give up that easily. He had the Garmin and triangulating our position, pronounced triumphantly, "It's only 2.7 miles, guys, and not much elevation gain. Come on!" Never one to pass up an adventure, Hardy and I looked at each other and said "ok!" Now, since we were not anticipating hiking, we weren't exactly outfitted for it -- except for Alan, who has his hiking boots and socks (maybe he had this plan all along?). My choice was Tevas or sneakers without socks (went for the Tevas); Hardy's was Crocs or put on his waders and wading boots -- he went for the latter. And off we went.
An hour and fifteen minutes later, and nowhere near the pond, I looked at Alan and said, "This isn't a 2.7 mile hike." "No," he admitted, "It's not. But we're almost there." Soon after that, we arrived at the logging clearing that signalled the end of the road. A path continued on through muck and grass (Tevas were a good choice). Oh, and did I mention that it has been and continued to be quite steep?
While mucking it up the mountain, Hardy's sharp eyes spotted a whole moose skeleton. No rack but an intact skull and other bones. A little past that, Alan headed right off into the woods. Hardy and I continued on the path until Alan shouted that he had found the pond. Hardy spotted a way through walking through a little creek that was obviously headed for the lake. Creek is probably not the right word -- it was more like a moving bog with earth sucking pools that threatened to consume your whole body. Hardy bounded his way through the mud, even carrying two rods; I was much less graceful but did emerge eventually, to have my faithful heroes prepared to assist me by photographing me staggering out of the brush. Chivalry is dead, ladies and gentlemen!
The pond was kind of anticlimatic. It was low (been dry here) and algae-ridden and had a really muddy bottom. Hardy waded in (had to make some use of those waders) and cast some but couldn't get far enough out to where the fish were. There was an amazing abundance of frogs. Never seen so many in my life. And it was a beautiful place -- very remote, only populated by three cabins. A little reminiscent of Perry Pond, although warmer.
As Hardy and I piddled around the lake, exploring and catching frogs, geek guy Alan fiddled with the GPS. "Hey guys," he announced,"it was 2.7 miles *as the crow flies* -- we did more like 4.1!" Yes, Alan, we did. And we were about to do it again since Hardy had to be at work in like....an hour. Oops.
Suffice it to say, walking down and out went faster than going up and in (as it always does).
And that is the story of how Unknown Pond became known.
Having missed the whole month of July, which we never do, we arrived here to spend the first week of August with Mrs. Cattier. Hardy is working this summer as a sous chef at Quimby's, so he was already here. Hardly had I walked in the door than the phone rang! (Pause to watch a heron gliding across a calm Great Averill.) We decided we would hook up Sunday morning and try the Gore Mt road to Unknown, which Hardy had found gated in late June.
He arrived at Camp at 8:30am, bearing breakfast fixings and proceeded to make himself comfortable in the kitchen, whipping up a bacon, onion, potato and egg scramble that was delicious and filling. Later in the day, we sure were grateful for that filling breakfast! Hopped in Hardy's Suburban and rolled down south on 114 to Island Pond and then on to Henshaw Road. Back in the woods, we split off onto Gore Road and then came to the gate -- locked. Bummer.
But Alan was not willing to give up that easily. He had the Garmin and triangulating our position, pronounced triumphantly, "It's only 2.7 miles, guys, and not much elevation gain. Come on!" Never one to pass up an adventure, Hardy and I looked at each other and said "ok!" Now, since we were not anticipating hiking, we weren't exactly outfitted for it -- except for Alan, who has his hiking boots and socks (maybe he had this plan all along?). My choice was Tevas or sneakers without socks (went for the Tevas); Hardy's was Crocs or put on his waders and wading boots -- he went for the latter. And off we went.
An hour and fifteen minutes later, and nowhere near the pond, I looked at Alan and said, "This isn't a 2.7 mile hike." "No," he admitted, "It's not. But we're almost there." Soon after that, we arrived at the logging clearing that signalled the end of the road. A path continued on through muck and grass (Tevas were a good choice). Oh, and did I mention that it has been and continued to be quite steep?
While mucking it up the mountain, Hardy's sharp eyes spotted a whole moose skeleton. No rack but an intact skull and other bones. A little past that, Alan headed right off into the woods. Hardy and I continued on the path until Alan shouted that he had found the pond. Hardy spotted a way through walking through a little creek that was obviously headed for the lake. Creek is probably not the right word -- it was more like a moving bog with earth sucking pools that threatened to consume your whole body. Hardy bounded his way through the mud, even carrying two rods; I was much less graceful but did emerge eventually, to have my faithful heroes prepared to assist me by photographing me staggering out of the brush. Chivalry is dead, ladies and gentlemen!
The pond was kind of anticlimatic. It was low (been dry here) and algae-ridden and had a really muddy bottom. Hardy waded in (had to make some use of those waders) and cast some but couldn't get far enough out to where the fish were. There was an amazing abundance of frogs. Never seen so many in my life. And it was a beautiful place -- very remote, only populated by three cabins. A little reminiscent of Perry Pond, although warmer.
As Hardy and I piddled around the lake, exploring and catching frogs, geek guy Alan fiddled with the GPS. "Hey guys," he announced,"it was 2.7 miles *as the crow flies* -- we did more like 4.1!" Yes, Alan, we did. And we were about to do it again since Hardy had to be at work in like....an hour. Oops.
Suffice it to say, walking down and out went faster than going up and in (as it always does).
And that is the story of how Unknown Pond became known.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Volterra
Yesterday, we wandered further afield than we had before and travelled about an hour and a half south to the hilltop town of Volterra, which 2,000 years ago was one of the most important Etruscan cities and today is a major stop for Twilight fans, retracing Edward and Bella's trip to see the Volturi in New Moon.
Volterra is a hilly city, set high (1700 f) above the plains. We got there around lunchtime and had excellent fare at Enteco Del Duca. Alan had boar two ways -- cured like a ham and also tagliatelle with boar ragu. Marianne had an excellent ricotta omelette with funghi and I had pasta with oxtail sauce. After lunch, Marianne settled down with a Herald Tribune for a cup of tea and we went exploring, higher and higher, until we were almost at the top of the hill, at the Acropolis ruins.
There was lots more to explore but time was ticking away so we picked up Marianne and Alan retrieved the car from its spot five floors down into the mountain and we were on our way. We took a different route back through some true Tuscan countryside of rolling hills dotted with Cyprus trees.
Back at the house, Alan had a swim and then we made lamb chops, cauliflower, flageolet, and salad for dinner.
The pool beckons, so I will sign off.
Volterra is a hilly city, set high (1700 f) above the plains. We got there around lunchtime and had excellent fare at Enteco Del Duca. Alan had boar two ways -- cured like a ham and also tagliatelle with boar ragu. Marianne had an excellent ricotta omelette with funghi and I had pasta with oxtail sauce. After lunch, Marianne settled down with a Herald Tribune for a cup of tea and we went exploring, higher and higher, until we were almost at the top of the hill, at the Acropolis ruins.
There was lots more to explore but time was ticking away so we picked up Marianne and Alan retrieved the car from its spot five floors down into the mountain and we were on our way. We took a different route back through some true Tuscan countryside of rolling hills dotted with Cyprus trees.
Back at the house, Alan had a swim and then we made lamb chops, cauliflower, flageolet, and salad for dinner.
The pool beckons, so I will sign off.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Bag number two -- found!
Got the call last night that Alan's bag had been, at last, found. It is now awaiting us at the Pisa airport as we didn't want to trust to the courier services to find this remote place, which is locked behind a closed gate. At least we will fly back with two bags, same number we started out with.
We've done quite a bit the last two days. Thursday morning, we headed off for Forte dei Marmi (which means marble), a resort town on the beach. It's quite a lovely town and we enjoyed walking out the pier to watch the swimmers. Beach access is controlled -- for between seven and fifty euros, you can have your own cabana (all named) and lounge chair or seating area, in addition to access to the water. Not too many people were swimming; surprisingly, there were waves enough for the surfers out there. But I don't think the boys of Hawaii are in any danger.
Returning from Forte dei Marmi, we stopped by the Pisa airport to drop Bess and Sarah at the train station and to swap back the larger car for our small BMW. At that time, there was no word on Alan's bag. Back at the house, it was time for a swim, with ominous clouds lurking overhead. Several times it has seemed like it just had to rain based on the clouds, wind, and smell, but it never has. Too bad -- it's pretty hazy.
Friday we started the day with a swim and sun session -- Alan and I are getting quite brown. Then, we headed out to a local vineyard, Colle Verde, that had fantastic views, even on a cloudy day. Alan and I took an olive oil and wine production tour and then joined Marianne for a tasting. Christina, our local host, was knowledgeable and personable. Our visit was cut short by the need to get Marianne to her hair appointment at 4pm but overall, highly recommended.
Last night was the culinary highlight of the trip so far, a trip just down the road to La Cecca. Lovely outdoor dining area, excellent service, and wonderful food. All for a good price.
We've done quite a bit the last two days. Thursday morning, we headed off for Forte dei Marmi (which means marble), a resort town on the beach. It's quite a lovely town and we enjoyed walking out the pier to watch the swimmers. Beach access is controlled -- for between seven and fifty euros, you can have your own cabana (all named) and lounge chair or seating area, in addition to access to the water. Not too many people were swimming; surprisingly, there were waves enough for the surfers out there. But I don't think the boys of Hawaii are in any danger.
Returning from Forte dei Marmi, we stopped by the Pisa airport to drop Bess and Sarah at the train station and to swap back the larger car for our small BMW. At that time, there was no word on Alan's bag. Back at the house, it was time for a swim, with ominous clouds lurking overhead. Several times it has seemed like it just had to rain based on the clouds, wind, and smell, but it never has. Too bad -- it's pretty hazy.
Friday we started the day with a swim and sun session -- Alan and I are getting quite brown. Then, we headed out to a local vineyard, Colle Verde, that had fantastic views, even on a cloudy day. Alan and I took an olive oil and wine production tour and then joined Marianne for a tasting. Christina, our local host, was knowledgeable and personable. Our visit was cut short by the need to get Marianne to her hair appointment at 4pm but overall, highly recommended.
Last night was the culinary highlight of the trip so far, a trip just down the road to La Cecca. Lovely outdoor dining area, excellent service, and wonderful food. All for a good price.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Lazy days in Italy
Yesterday, we had a big Lucca adventure in the second half of the day. Alan took Sarah and I to Vivisports to get shorts and I also got some sneakers and then we walked into Lucca, while Alan headed home to get Marianne and Bess to take them into town. Once we reconnoitered in St. Martin's Square, Bess and I rented bikes to ride the embarkment around the city, which was a ton of fun. Hardly any tourists, all Luccans, walking, riding, sitting, on a beautiful walkway around the central city. Lovely trees and picnic grounds have taken the place of the traditional fortifications. It is wonderful civic space.
After we turned our bikes in to the very friendly shop owner, we went next door to the wine shop to order that nights vintages. We got a white wine Marianne has been liking, a trebbiano from a local winery, and a sangiovese-merlot blend since we were having filette of beef (which is not the same as filet -- more a slice of beef, pan fried). Then, she and I got a cab back to the Casele, barely making it for the 7:30pm appointed time of dinner.
In the meantime, Alan met up with Marianne and Sarah on the Via Fillungo, the main shopping drag. Marianne was in scouting mode and constrained herself to some jewelry, postcards, three shirts for Alan, and a hat for herself. More to come, I am sure.
Today was a lazy day. We hung around the house, playing in the pool with Bess and Sarah and reading poolside. Alan headed over to Pisa to the airport to track down our bags and, as luck would have it, mine had just arrived. Apparently, because of the strike, no Air France flights had come in to Pisa since Saturday. Alan's bag is still awol, however, and, worryingly, has no record in the system. It has lots of identification, though, so we can hope it will show up at home. I was pleased to get the clothes I had bought for the trip but I will say it was disconcerting to look in the closet and see two options for white shirts -- it seems like an embarassment of riches after living on two shirts and a pair of pants.
Tonight, Bess and Sarah took us to dinner at a lovely restaurant on the north side of Lucca, in the hills over looking the city. Locanda Vigna Ilaria serves locally grown food and espouses the values of the slow food movement. We all enjoyed our meals, particularly the insalata mista of fresh local greens and the pasta. Excellent deserts as well.
As the clock ticks 11pm here in Lucca, we are turning in, readying ourselves for a trip to the sea in the morning before putting Sarah and Bess on a train back to Florence and eventually the US.
ilaria vigna
After we turned our bikes in to the very friendly shop owner, we went next door to the wine shop to order that nights vintages. We got a white wine Marianne has been liking, a trebbiano from a local winery, and a sangiovese-merlot blend since we were having filette of beef (which is not the same as filet -- more a slice of beef, pan fried). Then, she and I got a cab back to the Casele, barely making it for the 7:30pm appointed time of dinner.
In the meantime, Alan met up with Marianne and Sarah on the Via Fillungo, the main shopping drag. Marianne was in scouting mode and constrained herself to some jewelry, postcards, three shirts for Alan, and a hat for herself. More to come, I am sure.
Today was a lazy day. We hung around the house, playing in the pool with Bess and Sarah and reading poolside. Alan headed over to Pisa to the airport to track down our bags and, as luck would have it, mine had just arrived. Apparently, because of the strike, no Air France flights had come in to Pisa since Saturday. Alan's bag is still awol, however, and, worryingly, has no record in the system. It has lots of identification, though, so we can hope it will show up at home. I was pleased to get the clothes I had bought for the trip but I will say it was disconcerting to look in the closet and see two options for white shirts -- it seems like an embarassment of riches after living on two shirts and a pair of pants.
Tonight, Bess and Sarah took us to dinner at a lovely restaurant on the north side of Lucca, in the hills over looking the city. Locanda Vigna Ilaria serves locally grown food and espouses the values of the slow food movement. We all enjoyed our meals, particularly the insalata mista of fresh local greens and the pasta. Excellent deserts as well.
As the clock ticks 11pm here in Lucca, we are turning in, readying ourselves for a trip to the sea in the morning before putting Sarah and Bess on a train back to Florence and eventually the US.
ilaria vigna
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Italy Day Four
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Day four here in Vorney, Italia, and still no luggage. We have no idea where the bags could be or whether we'll ever see their contents again. There are a few special items in my bag -- some jewelry and a scarf from a friend -- but unfortunately, there was also a lot of new clothing I had purchased for the trip. So far, I am making do with the t-shirts that Air France provided, along with some new underwear purchased at the supermarket. But, Alan was in worse shape, so yesterday we got him new sneakers and socks and today he found a sporting goods store to buy shorts and a shirt.
Sunday we headed into Lucca to have a look around and have lunch. Found our way easily enough and just squeaked in before a cafe closed at 3pm for some antipasto. I will say that it was almost too hot to eat, with temperatures hovering near 100. After lunch, we decided to take a driving tour of the town. It immediately became apparent that Lucca was a walking city, with narrow streets and abrupt turns, as well as cryptic signage. We twisted and turned and twisted and turned and then found ourselves on a narrow street where we were the only car and there were tons of pedestrians. I said to Alan, "I don't think you're supposed to be driving on this street." He said, "Fair enough, but how do I get off?!" Finally, we dead-ended into the middle of a street fair, and with no choice, Alan had to back up a block through the crowds of people. I didn't look and he did a great job. After that, we just wanted to get out of there and back to Casale Sodini.
Dinner Sunday night at Bimbotto was okay but very rich. At this point, we were all a little tired of restaurant fare.
Monday, we braved EsseLuongo, which turned out to be a nice supermarket, and an easy drive from the house. Bought fixings for lunch of prosciutto, dried beef, salami, salad, bread, and cheese. Very nice to be in control of what was ingested. Later that afternoon, Marianne's friend Sarah and her daughter Bess, were scheduled to arrive, so while Marianne waited for them, Alan and I headed back to Lucca to try to get some wine for dinner and some clothes. We were very successful in getting regional wines and Alan was successful in getting a shirt and some sneakers, which he wore out of the store. Lucca is a walker's paradise, with new sights around every corner, and we started to get the lay of the land.
Back at Casele Sodini, we had to shake off our Lucca sweat with a swim in the fabulous pool. It is truly the best thing about this place -- large, great temperature, and on top of a hill, so there are nice breezes. Lemon trees next to the pool provide excellent balls or grenades, depending on the application. Dinner Monday night was salmon on the grill plus salad and carrots. We ate on the back porch with views of the neighboring hills.
Tuesday morning dawned hot and hazier than the day before. We took an extended morning swim and read some by the pool before enjoying lunch on the back porch. Later today, we're headed back to Lucca and then Annie the chef is coming to fix dinner.
Day four here in Vorney, Italia, and still no luggage. We have no idea where the bags could be or whether we'll ever see their contents again. There are a few special items in my bag -- some jewelry and a scarf from a friend -- but unfortunately, there was also a lot of new clothing I had purchased for the trip. So far, I am making do with the t-shirts that Air France provided, along with some new underwear purchased at the supermarket. But, Alan was in worse shape, so yesterday we got him new sneakers and socks and today he found a sporting goods store to buy shorts and a shirt.
Sunday we headed into Lucca to have a look around and have lunch. Found our way easily enough and just squeaked in before a cafe closed at 3pm for some antipasto. I will say that it was almost too hot to eat, with temperatures hovering near 100. After lunch, we decided to take a driving tour of the town. It immediately became apparent that Lucca was a walking city, with narrow streets and abrupt turns, as well as cryptic signage. We twisted and turned and twisted and turned and then found ourselves on a narrow street where we were the only car and there were tons of pedestrians. I said to Alan, "I don't think you're supposed to be driving on this street." He said, "Fair enough, but how do I get off?!" Finally, we dead-ended into the middle of a street fair, and with no choice, Alan had to back up a block through the crowds of people. I didn't look and he did a great job. After that, we just wanted to get out of there and back to Casale Sodini.
Dinner Sunday night at Bimbotto was okay but very rich. At this point, we were all a little tired of restaurant fare.
Monday, we braved EsseLuongo, which turned out to be a nice supermarket, and an easy drive from the house. Bought fixings for lunch of prosciutto, dried beef, salami, salad, bread, and cheese. Very nice to be in control of what was ingested. Later that afternoon, Marianne's friend Sarah and her daughter Bess, were scheduled to arrive, so while Marianne waited for them, Alan and I headed back to Lucca to try to get some wine for dinner and some clothes. We were very successful in getting regional wines and Alan was successful in getting a shirt and some sneakers, which he wore out of the store. Lucca is a walker's paradise, with new sights around every corner, and we started to get the lay of the land.
Back at Casele Sodini, we had to shake off our Lucca sweat with a swim in the fabulous pool. It is truly the best thing about this place -- large, great temperature, and on top of a hill, so there are nice breezes. Lemon trees next to the pool provide excellent balls or grenades, depending on the application. Dinner Monday night was salmon on the grill plus salad and carrots. We ate on the back porch with views of the neighboring hills.
Tuesday morning dawned hot and hazier than the day before. We took an extended morning swim and read some by the pool before enjoying lunch on the back porch. Later today, we're headed back to Lucca and then Annie the chef is coming to fix dinner.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Casele Sodini
Woke up this morning in Vorno, Italy! The birds are chirping and the owl hooting. A sweet cocker spaniel and a kitty cat on property and we are right at home.
But it was an adventure to get here, to put it mildly. We left Atlanta on Friday as planned (thanks, Barb, for the airport ride) and made our flight to Miami with no problem. Once we got there, however, it became rapidly apparent that our plans were going to run amuck as our flight from Miami to JFK was already two hours late, meaning we would miss our connection in New York, where we were supposed to join up with Marianne for the flight to Pisa. Over a late lunch, we pondered our alternatives and finally arrived at a plan to take the 5:50pm flight from Miami to Charles de Gaulle and then a flight to Pisa later Saturday afternoon. There was an earlier flight from CDG to Pisa but we were assured that it was full and we wouldn't make it.
Aboard the 747, we had an uneventful trip to Paris. I will say, though, that we both found the Delta experience to be superior to the Air France experience, where we were hard pressed to even get water. Food was good but service less so. In any event, we landed in Paris Saturday morning around 8:30am. Checked in with the Air France service desk and, again, were advised that we could try for the 9:55am to Pisa but would likely not get on. Intrepid as ever, Alan said, "we're trying anyways." Passport control, long walk, shuttle bus, another security checkpoint, and we were at the Pisa gate -- along with a whole host of other people. No way we were making it on, but we stuck around anyways, until everyone had boarded and the gate agent said, "what are you doing?" We said, "stand by?" and she said, "come on!". So, there we were, on the plane to Pisa, landing about the same time as originally planned.
Arriving in Pisa, we were just about positive that we would have been separated from our luggage -- and we were. It still hasn't shown up. Filed the claim and headed out into the utter madness of the Pisa airport to await Marianne. Her flight was an hour late, so it was awhile, but finally she emerged from the baggage area, with an attendant pushing her wheelchair while pulling two bags. Her driver was waiting to whisk her away and we were, shall we say, superfluous. :-)
In any event -- onward ho to the Avis counter where after a somewhat longish wait Italian style, we were given not the car we had reserved but at least an automatic. But without the GPS that Alan had ordered. Hmmm. We, of course, had no paper maps. He had downloaded the full Italian map system onto his phone but it was completely dead. So, off we went courtesy of Google maps on my phone. We did very well until the end when the G failed us entirely with our endpoint. It had us up a truly vertical, narrow, rocky dirt road where we ended up in someone's front yard. Small front yard, I might add. And keep in mind that we are jet lagged and in a foreign land. I have to say we handled it admirably. I got out of the car, directed the turn around, and Alan headed back down the twisty turny road.
Back in the town of Vorno, we poked around in multiple ways, to no avail. We got out Alan's iphone, newly charged, and it gave us a new set of directions, which we attempted to follow. Nothing was seeming to work but we also thought we were close (or, at least, the phone thought we were), so we finally pulled the car over, prepared to walk. No sooner had Alan had turned down a road than he said, "there it is!" Indeed, Casele Sodini, at last.
Marianne was waiting for us and after a brief chat, we headed for a little nap. Dinner at a local restaurant, La Bettola, completed a very pleasant evening. Highlights of the meal -- fantastic cantelope with prosciutto, ravioli with sage and ricotta, and lemon sorbet.
This morning Alan and Marianne are sleeping and I'm the one wide awake. How odd is that?
But it was an adventure to get here, to put it mildly. We left Atlanta on Friday as planned (thanks, Barb, for the airport ride) and made our flight to Miami with no problem. Once we got there, however, it became rapidly apparent that our plans were going to run amuck as our flight from Miami to JFK was already two hours late, meaning we would miss our connection in New York, where we were supposed to join up with Marianne for the flight to Pisa. Over a late lunch, we pondered our alternatives and finally arrived at a plan to take the 5:50pm flight from Miami to Charles de Gaulle and then a flight to Pisa later Saturday afternoon. There was an earlier flight from CDG to Pisa but we were assured that it was full and we wouldn't make it.
Aboard the 747, we had an uneventful trip to Paris. I will say, though, that we both found the Delta experience to be superior to the Air France experience, where we were hard pressed to even get water. Food was good but service less so. In any event, we landed in Paris Saturday morning around 8:30am. Checked in with the Air France service desk and, again, were advised that we could try for the 9:55am to Pisa but would likely not get on. Intrepid as ever, Alan said, "we're trying anyways." Passport control, long walk, shuttle bus, another security checkpoint, and we were at the Pisa gate -- along with a whole host of other people. No way we were making it on, but we stuck around anyways, until everyone had boarded and the gate agent said, "what are you doing?" We said, "stand by?" and she said, "come on!". So, there we were, on the plane to Pisa, landing about the same time as originally planned.
Arriving in Pisa, we were just about positive that we would have been separated from our luggage -- and we were. It still hasn't shown up. Filed the claim and headed out into the utter madness of the Pisa airport to await Marianne. Her flight was an hour late, so it was awhile, but finally she emerged from the baggage area, with an attendant pushing her wheelchair while pulling two bags. Her driver was waiting to whisk her away and we were, shall we say, superfluous. :-)
In any event -- onward ho to the Avis counter where after a somewhat longish wait Italian style, we were given not the car we had reserved but at least an automatic. But without the GPS that Alan had ordered. Hmmm. We, of course, had no paper maps. He had downloaded the full Italian map system onto his phone but it was completely dead. So, off we went courtesy of Google maps on my phone. We did very well until the end when the G failed us entirely with our endpoint. It had us up a truly vertical, narrow, rocky dirt road where we ended up in someone's front yard. Small front yard, I might add. And keep in mind that we are jet lagged and in a foreign land. I have to say we handled it admirably. I got out of the car, directed the turn around, and Alan headed back down the twisty turny road.
Back in the town of Vorno, we poked around in multiple ways, to no avail. We got out Alan's iphone, newly charged, and it gave us a new set of directions, which we attempted to follow. Nothing was seeming to work but we also thought we were close (or, at least, the phone thought we were), so we finally pulled the car over, prepared to walk. No sooner had Alan had turned down a road than he said, "there it is!" Indeed, Casele Sodini, at last.
Marianne was waiting for us and after a brief chat, we headed for a little nap. Dinner at a local restaurant, La Bettola, completed a very pleasant evening. Highlights of the meal -- fantastic cantelope with prosciutto, ravioli with sage and ricotta, and lemon sorbet.
This morning Alan and Marianne are sleeping and I'm the one wide awake. How odd is that?
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Holiday winding down
Happy New Year! Time to write "2011" in the date field. Wow. This year, Alan and I will have been married ten years and I will turn 45. Yikes. Of course, Alan turned 47 yesterday, so we are all getting older.
The first week of this year's holiday season was *busy* with both sides of the family. We spent Sunday through Christmas morning on Long Island. Decorated the Christmas tree -- which was gorgeous -- ran errands for Mom and spent lots of time with the kids. On Wednesday, we took Trevor, Pierce, and Avery on a long walk around Planting Fields before heading back to their house to exchange presents with Henri's family. Our gift to the kids -- a tabletop slot hockey game -- was a huge hit and proved to be a very fun game indeed. Alan clearly has played many, many hours! Suz and Jim hosted us for dinner at Suzy's Christmas Cottage and that was a lot of fun and very tasty!
Then Thursday we took the kids into the city for the Angler's Club Family luncheon. Henri couldn't attend because of his knee, so piled them into the Prius, and headed into the city to meet Jacques, Jenn, Adele, and Suzy for a delicious lunch of pheasant pot pie, venison meatloaf, and chicken fingers. All the kids got an ornament that was a glass ball with a dry or wet fly in it. After lunch, we joined the rest of Manhattan heading out of the city -- what had been a 20 minute ride heading in was more like a 2.5 hour trip going out. To pass the time, we sang Christmas Carols that we then posted to Facebook for Henri's viewing pleasure. Thursday night dinner was a quiet one at the club with Mom and Aunt Mary.
Friday was our last day on LI. Lots of errands, including mailing the Quimby Country Christmas cards that I finished Thursday night. Pizza lunch with Jacques and Henri and the kids and then I headed over to Jenn and Jacques' house to help them get ready to host Christmas eve. They have a very cute rental house on the former estate of one of the Marshall Fields family members. In a curious twist, the current owners gutted the estate mansion, selling off all of the interior materials and fixtures, to pay for the property. Dinner was lamb chops, mashed potatoes, salad, with lemon mousse for dessert. Quite yummy.
Christmas morning, we got up early and stopped in at Henri's to see the kids in their pajamas and to say goodbye. It was then time to hit to road for Philly. As you might expect, there was no traffic Christmas morning and we drove through Manhattan in about ten minutes. Kind of eery, actually. Pulled up at Steve's just shy of the 11am brunch event. Presents had been finished since about 7:30am and were even put away! The kids got video games for presents and they were very interested in them, although we did talk Clay into trying out his new bike outside. Mid-afternoon we headed over to Nancy's where we were spending the night.
In the past two days, the news had been full of the weather -- and specifically, the storm approaching the Northeast. Our first hint of its effect on us happened when I went to check our flight out on Sunday afternoon to find it had been cancelled. The automatic booking option on the site was already overworked and calls to Delta were not encouraging. They thought they could get us out....Wednesday. Oh well, dinner was ready -- we'll figure it out later.
Sunday morning dawned and, as the morning progressed, it became more and more evident that the storm was really going to be a problem -- for awhile. After much back and forth, we decided the best option was to drive back. Only issue was that the shortest route down I-95 was directly in the storm's path, so we would have to take a longer, more western route via Harrisburg and down I-81. The roads were fine although there were flurries and periodic times when visibility wasn't optimal. One of those grey, soft winter days. Just how you want to spend the day after Christmas!
Once we hit Virginia, we decided to call Frank and Sue to see if they were at their ski house which wasn't all that far off of our path. We reached Frank who told us they had been at the house -- last night -- but now were back home and why didn't we come stay with them for the night? It would mean backtracking east and a longer trip but a night with friends at their lovely farmhouse sounded worth it, so at Staunton we headed east on I-26 towards Charlottesville. This leg was by far the worst of the trip -- it was dark, we were tired, and we were gaining elevation and heading towards the snow. A long hour and a half later, we pulled into their driveway on fumes. Never has a house looked so welcome and we eagerly entered for dinner and then bed. I think I fell asleep in about 15 seconds.
The next morning the sun was up and shining and we were on our way by 9am. The roads were full of holiday travelers and truck traffic, so while we made good time, it wasn't easy driving, especially as we approached Atlanta and the sun was setting in the west. But we finally made it. Home -- it felt very good. And, looking at the news reports, we made the right choice. Those airports looked awful.
A quiet week culminated with a peaceful birthday dinner last night that was also Christmas because we never got around to it! No, with the hoppin john on the stove, and the Winter Classic to come tonight, the holiday is winding down. January here we come.
The first week of this year's holiday season was *busy* with both sides of the family. We spent Sunday through Christmas morning on Long Island. Decorated the Christmas tree -- which was gorgeous -- ran errands for Mom and spent lots of time with the kids. On Wednesday, we took Trevor, Pierce, and Avery on a long walk around Planting Fields before heading back to their house to exchange presents with Henri's family. Our gift to the kids -- a tabletop slot hockey game -- was a huge hit and proved to be a very fun game indeed. Alan clearly has played many, many hours! Suz and Jim hosted us for dinner at Suzy's Christmas Cottage and that was a lot of fun and very tasty!
Then Thursday we took the kids into the city for the Angler's Club Family luncheon. Henri couldn't attend because of his knee, so piled them into the Prius, and headed into the city to meet Jacques, Jenn, Adele, and Suzy for a delicious lunch of pheasant pot pie, venison meatloaf, and chicken fingers. All the kids got an ornament that was a glass ball with a dry or wet fly in it. After lunch, we joined the rest of Manhattan heading out of the city -- what had been a 20 minute ride heading in was more like a 2.5 hour trip going out. To pass the time, we sang Christmas Carols that we then posted to Facebook for Henri's viewing pleasure. Thursday night dinner was a quiet one at the club with Mom and Aunt Mary.
Friday was our last day on LI. Lots of errands, including mailing the Quimby Country Christmas cards that I finished Thursday night. Pizza lunch with Jacques and Henri and the kids and then I headed over to Jenn and Jacques' house to help them get ready to host Christmas eve. They have a very cute rental house on the former estate of one of the Marshall Fields family members. In a curious twist, the current owners gutted the estate mansion, selling off all of the interior materials and fixtures, to pay for the property. Dinner was lamb chops, mashed potatoes, salad, with lemon mousse for dessert. Quite yummy.
Christmas morning, we got up early and stopped in at Henri's to see the kids in their pajamas and to say goodbye. It was then time to hit to road for Philly. As you might expect, there was no traffic Christmas morning and we drove through Manhattan in about ten minutes. Kind of eery, actually. Pulled up at Steve's just shy of the 11am brunch event. Presents had been finished since about 7:30am and were even put away! The kids got video games for presents and they were very interested in them, although we did talk Clay into trying out his new bike outside. Mid-afternoon we headed over to Nancy's where we were spending the night.
In the past two days, the news had been full of the weather -- and specifically, the storm approaching the Northeast. Our first hint of its effect on us happened when I went to check our flight out on Sunday afternoon to find it had been cancelled. The automatic booking option on the site was already overworked and calls to Delta were not encouraging. They thought they could get us out....Wednesday. Oh well, dinner was ready -- we'll figure it out later.
Sunday morning dawned and, as the morning progressed, it became more and more evident that the storm was really going to be a problem -- for awhile. After much back and forth, we decided the best option was to drive back. Only issue was that the shortest route down I-95 was directly in the storm's path, so we would have to take a longer, more western route via Harrisburg and down I-81. The roads were fine although there were flurries and periodic times when visibility wasn't optimal. One of those grey, soft winter days. Just how you want to spend the day after Christmas!
Once we hit Virginia, we decided to call Frank and Sue to see if they were at their ski house which wasn't all that far off of our path. We reached Frank who told us they had been at the house -- last night -- but now were back home and why didn't we come stay with them for the night? It would mean backtracking east and a longer trip but a night with friends at their lovely farmhouse sounded worth it, so at Staunton we headed east on I-26 towards Charlottesville. This leg was by far the worst of the trip -- it was dark, we were tired, and we were gaining elevation and heading towards the snow. A long hour and a half later, we pulled into their driveway on fumes. Never has a house looked so welcome and we eagerly entered for dinner and then bed. I think I fell asleep in about 15 seconds.
The next morning the sun was up and shining and we were on our way by 9am. The roads were full of holiday travelers and truck traffic, so while we made good time, it wasn't easy driving, especially as we approached Atlanta and the sun was setting in the west. But we finally made it. Home -- it felt very good. And, looking at the news reports, we made the right choice. Those airports looked awful.
A quiet week culminated with a peaceful birthday dinner last night that was also Christmas because we never got around to it! No, with the hoppin john on the stove, and the Winter Classic to come tonight, the holiday is winding down. January here we come.
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