Road Trip – Maranello, Italy

When you speak of “Maranello” you can only be talking about: Ferrari.

And no discussion of Ferrari is complete without plenty of “sexy” adjectives sprinkled throughout.

Oh, and don’t forget the famous Ferrari red. Perhaps, the only other brand so associated with the color red is Coke.

A Coke and a smile? Really? Which one do you think is more likely to put a smile on your face? A Coke, or the sexiest car on the planet?

But there were plenty of classic cars on display too.

And more red. Always red.

Remember, Ferrari was born in Italy, so there is no escaping history. For instance, “[With] this car, Gilles Villenuve established the record for the fastest time driven on the Italian Autostrade. Specifically, from Monte Carlo to Maranello. This record still stands unbroken today: 432 KM (268.432 miles) in 2 hours and 25 minutes.”

Then there is the “Hall of Victories.” Here guests find the single-seater cars from Scuderia Ferrari’s most successful period, 1999 to 2008. In that time, Ferrari garnered 8 victories in 10 years.  

Ferrari is the only team that has taken part in all Formula One seasons since the race’s inception in 1950. The team earned its first Formula One victory the following year in 1951. Since then, through 2011, Ferrari has won 216 Grands Prix in Formula One. Not bad.

Enough said. Yes, Ferrari has an impressive race history, but it’s all about the cars. So, enjoy the rest of this post.

It may not be red…

but I LOVE this car.

Besides, it seems to me a gray Ferrari is much more practical for everyday.

What did I tell you? Sexy.

Arrivederci!

 

 

 

 

 

Road Trip – Roma, Italy

This year, we had the good fortune of spending New Year in Roma with my sister-in-law’s family.

New Year’s eve was filled with busy preparations: shopping, beautifying, etc. So, we began the afternoon by popping into a trattoria around the corner from my sister-in-law’s place for some hearty fortifications.

Wine at lunch. Not only civilized, but essential in preparing yourself for the evening’s festivities.

I have never encountered a dish of spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clams) that I could pass up and this day was no different.

Both G and my sister-in-law ordered this beautiful plate of pasta with chickpeas and shellfish.

Once properly fed, we braved the busy streets of Roma to make preparations for the rest of the evening.

Roma, being both beautiful and the seat of western civilization, is very popular with tourists, especially around any given holiday. So, the streets were quite crowded everywhere we went.

The building on the left is a wonderful example of Roma’s appeal. It is a bank building (new, and presumably “beautiful”) attached to some ruins (very old and historic). This type of juxtaposition is everywhere in Roma.

But the beauty of Roma is not only found in her streets among the ruins and art, but in the homes and hearts of her people.

These are just a few of the goodies my sister-in-law prepared for the festivities. I love the abundance of the table. I like to think it symbolically sets the tone for the new year ahead. And speaking of symbolism, the caprese salad above boasts the colors of the Italian flag.

Everything about the evening was wonderful: the food, company, setting, and warm feeling you get from being with family. No doubt, this was all due to my sister-in-law’s tireless efforts at setting the stage for a memorable evening.

New Year’s day we joined the throng of tourists to do a little sightseeing around town. First stop, the world-renowned Bartolucci.

The Bartolucci family excels at woodworking and their company has been awarded the Qualification of Artistic Craftsmanship, in addition to many industry awards.

The company primarily makes toys with a heavy emphasis on Pinocchio. (Pinocchio is Tuscan, remember?) But they also make many accessories for children’s rooms like clocks, lamps, picture frames, etc.

Bartolucci also takes special commission jobs.

The store was so packed with people buying everything in sight! I was so happy to see that people still value fine craftsmanship and are willing to pay for it.

Next stop: the Pantheon. The Pantheon began its life as a pagan temple somewhere between 27 and 25 B.C. and was the first religious building open to the public. Later, the structure was given over to Christianity. FYI: My nephew was christened in the Pantheon.

The building sits on the site where legend tells us Romulus, founder of Roma, died and was carried off by an eagle to join the gods.

The Pantheon’s structure is a masterpiece of engineering and architecture. In fact, its domed roof – a real breakthrough – made possible every skyscraper in existence today.

From there, we made our way over to la Piazza di Trevi and the Church of St. Ignatius (above) and la Fontana di Trevi, or Trevi Fountain (below).

La Fontana di Trevi is the largest Baroque fountain in Italy (the photo at the top of this post gives you a better sense of the size) and quite possibly the world. The fountain is situated at the end of the Aqua Virgo (Virgin), an aqueduct constructed in 19 B.C.

In this photo you see Ocean in the center atop his triumphal chariot. To his right stands Abundance and to his left is Health. The chariot is led by two horses each with a Triton for a rider. One horse is calm, the other restless. The horses represent the nature of the sea itself. Naturally, there is a lot more symbolism to be found in this image and the entire fountain, but I’ll hopefully save that for when you visit.

Legend has it if you turn your back to the fountain and toss a coin over your shoulder into the fountain’s waters you will return to Roma.

Those of you who know me know I’m not given to superstition. However, every time I’ve visited Roma I’ve made it a point to toss a coin in the fountain and to date, I’ve had the good fortune of visiting Roma five times! Coincidence? Maybe. But why take a chance?

Once again, I owe a debt of gratitude to my sister-in-law’s seemingly endless capacity for generosity. To say la Fontana di Trevi was a madhouse on New Year is an understatement. Getting to la Piazza was difficult enough, but the Fountain…well that seemed impossible as there were people – at least 40 deep – all the way around it.

My sister-in-law, knowing it was important to me to toss a coin in the Fountain, patiently helped us make our way (elbow our way?) through the groups of people until I was at the water’s edge. I turned around, closed my eyes (my idea, but not part of the legend), and tossed my fateful coin.

Thank you V. I know it was a production getting us there so that I could indulge a superstition and I greatly appreciate all your efforts that day.

Here’s wishing you all un buon anno!

Arrivederci!

Road Trip – Zurich, Switzerland

Zurich, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…

It’s not your size. Although you are the largest city in Switzerland, the truth is you are quite small. Still, you’re wonderful!

Perhaps, it’s your famous shopping street: Bahnhofstrasse. Your bank vaults are located below the street and are rumored to be bursting with gold and silver!

Or maybe it’s Jemoli, your high-end department store? Jemoli covers the gamut. The grocery section is in the basement and the top floor houses a spa.

Naturally, beautiful Lake Zurich adds to your appeal.

Your many sweet shops tickle my fancy.

And that’s okay, because culturally you enjoy your sweets regularly, but responsibly. My kind of people!

We were caught up in all your delights when we wandered into Cafe Schober, where we enjoyed the best hot chocolate in town. Quite an accolade, considering the Swiss reputation for chocolate.

Your St. Peter’s church boasts the largest clock face in all of Europe. A testament to your skill at watch-making and a reminder that G and I each should own a Rolex!

And your houses of worship inspire more than thoughts of worldly goods – like a Rolex. Zurich, at every turn you give your residents something more, something special. Like your Fraumünster Abbey (Church of Our Lady) above, which contains a complete set of Marc Chagall stained-glass windows that are considered some of the artist’s best work. The Fraumünster is a place of worship and as such, photographs are not permitted.

And if the Chagall windows and large clocks aren’t enough, there’s your Grossmünster Cathedral with its iconic twin towers.

Legend has it that Charlemagne himself founded the church on the burial site of the martyrs, Felix and Regina. The legend supports the idea that Grossmünster is Zurich’s oldest church. FYI: Archaeologists have confirmed the presence of a Roman burial ground at the site.

Not to be outdone, Grossmünster has its own impressive collection of modern stained-glass windows by Swiss artist Augusto Giacometti.The window above the main entrance, gives a small glimpse of what a visitor can expect to see inside. This window depicts images of the inside of sliced, semi-precious stones. The window reminded me of D, who I think would really love it.

But enough about churches. What is there to say about a city that elevates a lowly bowl of muesli to an art form? Zurich, what have you done to me? I’m waxing rhapsodic about Cafe Sprüngli’s cereal masterpiece!

And don’t even get me started on Hiltl, Europe’s oldest vegetarian restaurant founded – as a vegetarian restaurant – in 1898.

I’m overcome with sheer delight and left speechless (wordless?) at the thought of the restaurant’s vegetarian beef stroganoff. I think I may have heard an otherworldly chorus of “hallelujah” when the dish was placed before me.

Zurich, you are so special that Ireland’s son, the great James Joyce, wrote his magnum opus “Ulysses” here. So grateful was the pacifist for Zurich’s neutrality during WWI and the refuge the city offered him that he chose to spend eternity here in Fluntern Cemetary.

For these reasons, and many more like:

– The Swiss quality of life ranks highest among all industrialized nations with Zurich in the top spot.

– The Swiss national healthcare system is recognized as the world’s best and the care administered through that system is considered some of the finest in the world. A model of good social stewardship.

– Zurich is clean and well-organized.

– Zurich is incredibly elegant.

– The city was good enough for James Joyce, it’s good enough for me. C’mon people, the man wrote Ulysses!

Zurich, I love thee with all my heart and if fortune allows, I will again find myself warmly ensconced in one of your legendary beds outfitted entirely in down bedding one day soon.

Arrivederci!

Road Trip – Innsbruck, Austria

I suspect G and I are the only two people ever to pass through Innsbruck’s “Triumphal Arch” with no plans to ski.

Not that there isn’t great skiing here – this is Innsbruck, after all. To start, there’s the Bergisel Ski Jump pictured in the distance here. This is the site of the biggest event on the ski jumping calendar, the Vierschanzen-Tournee (Four Hills Tournament).

For you architecture buffs, the Nordpark Cable Railway tower at the top of the ski jump was designed by Zaha Hadid.

Instead, we opted to do some sightseeing. The Golden Roof museum commands your attention. The roof is capped with 3,657 gold plated tiles!

The balcony under the Golden Roof was added in the year 1500 by emperor Maximillian I. The emperor enjoyed viewing the beauty of the Alps and the hustle and bustle of the Herzog-Friedrichstrasse (main street) below from this privileged position.

Next stop: the Grassmayr Glockenmuseum.

The museum explores 400 years of the Grassmayr family’s bell-making tradition.

The museum has many fine examples of Romanesque and Gothic bells on display.

As well as, a bell made from a bomb casing! I think it’s ironic that this one can make you an angel first, then insure you get your wings! Very efficient.

Later, a leisurely stroll along the River Inn towards the clock tower below…

reminded us it was time for a snack.

So, we popped into Cafe Katzung for a traditional apres-ski treat: the “best hot chocolate in town.”

As we continued to survey this Tyrolean gem we realized Innsbruck has so much more to offer than just skiing. It’s no wonder this city hosted the Olympic winter games in both 1964 and 1976.

Who knows? Maybe next time we’ll ski.

Arrivederci!

 

 

Road Trip – Dachau Concentration Camp

Dachau was the model and training ground for the vast network of Nazi concentration camps that spread over half of Europe.

Perhaps the most distinguishing thing about Dachau is that it was a microcosm for the Nazi system as a whole. Everything that happened in that system happened at some level at Dachau.

The following is a list of a few of the many atrocities that took place at Dachau.

1. Human experiments.

2. Mass executions of Soviet prisoners.

3. Jewish prisoners were transported to the gas chambers of Auschwitz from Dachau.

 

The main gate into the Camp states “Freedom through Work.” Of course, every prisoner who walked through those gates was forced to give up his freedom, rights and human dignity.

The main grounds where roll call was called every morning.

The barracks were constructed to house 50 men, but on average held around 400 men.

The entrance to the gas chamber.

Although Dachau was equipped with this gas chamber, the chamber was never used. Historians are not sure why.

The memorial has done a good job of preserving some of the most important buildings and creating a space of calm and reflection.

I had an extremely difficult time emotionally at Dachau. In addition to the many feelings I experienced that day, the strongest was to tell my friends how much I love and respect each one of them.

Thank you for taking this abbreviated tour of Dachau with me.

 

Road Trip – Munich, Germany

We arrived in Munich in the early evening, so our first stop was dinner at Prinz Myshkin, considered by many to be the best vegetarian restaurant in Munich.

The restaurant and bar were bright, airy, and just trendy enough.

G began with a vibrantly colored beetroot concoction.

I chose a gastro-pleasing Indian curry stew.

Followed by a Thai curry and couscous.

And a vegetable stir-fry with tofu. The food was wonderful and a welcome reprieve from our usual Italian fare.

The next morning, Munich greeted us with gray skies and a persistent drizzle. So, we decided to counteract the day’s dreariness with an extra special breakfast at Dallmayr.

As you can see from the photo above, we went a little overboard. Easy to do at a place as special as Dallmayr where the food is perfection, the service and presentation are a dream, and the coffee is the best I’ve ever had.

Once sufficiently fortified – thanks to Dallmayr – we ventured out to the Marienplatz (St. Mary’s Square) to view the New Town Hall above and observe the famous Glockenspiel strike the hour. Upon striking, the figures emerge to reenact the Schäfferltanz, a dance first performed in 1517 to mark the end of the plague.

In case you’re wondering, that’s the column of St. Mary in front of the New Town Hall. The column commemorates the end of Swedish invasion and is topped by a gilded statue of the Virgin Mary.

After a long day of sightseeing – some of it emotionally taxing (stay tuned) – we left Munich and headed out to Andechs where we drove up a dark hill to reach the monastery at the top.

At first, we thought we’d made a mistake. The place was dark and deserted. We walked down a dark alley into an unmarked building, went up the stairs and were confronted by this: long wooden tables filled with people, beer and pork in Renaissance fair style cuts and sizes!

Absolutely no on spoke English at this place, but we managed to mime and point an order to our jovial server.

This is probably the best thing I ate in Munich. Not because it was so much better than anything else I ate. (It’d be pretty hard to beat Dallmayr.) But because it was exactly what I wanted: a huge beer, a soft pretzel, some sauerkraut, lots of “atmosphere,” and the joyous sound of laughter and glasses clinking everywhere  – perfection!

Arrivederci!

 

Road Trip – Stuttgart, Germany

Naturally, the thing to do in Stuttgart is tour the Porsche factory and museum. G and I toured the museum only, as the factory was closed for the holidays.

The Porsche 911 GT1 StraBenversion: considered the perfect car by many professional drivers, critics and car enthusiasts alike.

Warning: I’ve used the rest of this post to engage in a bit of “car porn.” (Be sure to scroll to the end to see what I managed to buy at the museum.) Enjoy!

My snack at the museum cafe. I enjoyed the pretzel and hot chocolate, but not as much as I’m sure I would have enjoyed a brand new Porsche! Maybe next Christmas?

Arrivederci!

Road Trip – Strasbourg, France

G and I spent Christmas in Strasbourg, France.

Many of you may already know that Strasbourg is considered the Christmas capital.

And there’s good reason for this.

You see, (spoiler alert), if Santa really did exist then Strasbourg is what he’d model his North Pole after.

The best thing about Christmas in Strasbourg is the palpable holiday spirit that envelopes the place.

And the fact that it’s in France is also a plus (A+), because that means loads of wonderful French food.

G and I stopped by this cheese stand to sample their specialty dish: tartine.

The cheese monger carefully cut a hunk of cheese, assembled the tartine on a paper plate with some bread, basil and garlic, heated it in a portable oven and …

Voila! Outdoor market food the French way.

But there is more to this city than food and its famed Christmas market. There’s the Strasbourg Cathedral de Notre-Dame, considered one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals in Europe.

A section of Strasbourg known as “La Petite France” is so special it is a UNESCO world heritage site.

The European Parliament makes Strasbourg its home.

As does the European Court of Human Rights.

After so much sightseeing it was time for some French-style fortification.

A couple of drinking bowls of hot chocolate warmed us inside and out, and prepared us for the next leg of our journey.

We hope you all had a lovely holiday. We look forward to seeing you all again (here or in the U.S.) in 2013.

Arrivederci!

 

We’re Back!

You know how much I love a good road trip, and Europe offers some of the best.

A few weeks ago G and I hopped in our SUV (they pronounce it “soove” over here) and headed for the border.

First stop: Strasbourg, France

From there it was off to Stuttgart, Germany.

Essentially, Stuttgart served as a pit stop on our way to Munich, Germany.

Fourth Stop: Innsbruck, Austria.

Innsbruck was very nice, but nothing prepared me for the love affair I experienced with Zurich, Switzerland.

Although it was not easy to leave the comfort of my new found city, it was off to Rome for New Year.

I am grateful to the Via Michelin maps pictured here and their written directions. When our GPS failed to detect our location – and that happened a lot on this trip – our trusty Michelin directions saved the day.

Much has happened since my last post. G was transferred to the Milan office, so we moved to the big city. Yeah! (In the process, I lost my access to the internet for approximately ten days. Well, I didn’t actually “lose” my connection. Instead, I refused to pay 18 Euros a day for it.) As many of you know, we lived in Milan for a short while back in 2008, so the city feels very much like a second home for us and it was easy to establish a routine here.

Stay tuned. In upcoming days ‘ll post more specifics about the many destinations I mentioned here and bring you up to speed on our time in Milan.

Arrivederci!

 

 

Merry Christmas to All

G and I are traveling all next week, so don’t expect any posts until we return in the new year, when I’ll have plenty of new stuff to share with you all. In the meantime, I will leave you with this assortment of holiday images I’ve collected from around town. Auguri!

And last but not least: our very own tabletop Christmas tree. Buon Natale!