Happy Holidays, New Mexico Style!!!

Ciao Readers! Today I thought I’d wish you happy holidays with uniquely New Mexico holiday traditions….I’m guessing we are the only state that has these things, but if I’m wrong, let me know! Whatever and however you celebrate, I hope it is joyful and peaceful!

Below are 1) some of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center’s entries in their pueblo gingerbread house contest, 2) the annual highway-side Tumbleweed Snowman put up by the Albuquerque Flood Control Authority, and 3) the yearly hot-air balloon menorah sponsored by Chabad of New Mexico. Merry Merry!!!

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by Newmexicotoitaly on December 23, 2022  •  Permalink
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Back Blogging (from Bologna)!

Ciao again Readers!
I had so much fun blogging yesterday I think I’m ready to get back to it (and as an added bonus I get to do it while enjoying my Rosenberg’s Deli delivery here in my hotel room – yum!).

If you’re anything like me, you may have been (metaphorically) hiding in a cave the last few years. Looking back I can more clearly see what a toll it was taking on my mental health. As I mentioned in my last blog, on an evening walk in June I had the spontaneous idea and right then on my phone bought a ticket to see the Counting Crows on October 7 in Milan. Well, as they say, in for a penny, in for a pound! I decided to go back to my first Italian School, Madrelingua in Bologna, for the week before the concert. Since I haven’t travelled in so long I guessed, correctly, that I had enough miles to make the flights free (yay!). I have to admit, I was still pretty hyper vigilant and scared of traveling and almost cancelled many times….then, in August, my Covid turn came…I was sick, but not too bad, and the amazing thing was all that fear and hyper vigilance stored up in my system for over 2 years eased up – it felt like breathing after holding my breath for years – whew! Plus, as an added bonus, I figured I had extra immunity for my trip….so off I went!

Many times during the trip and after I commented that I did more and met more people in those 9 days than I had done in the 3 years prior, and I think that’s true! As you may know from your own experience or my blog, when you fly with miles you have to take what you can – I knew there was very little chance my outward trip would go smoothly with all the transfers and short connections – but ya know what – I learned a great new skill for traveling – just assume every thing will go wrong – when it does you won’t be upset, and when something goes right you’ll be excited! True, I missed my connection to Milan in Munich, but ya know what – I got to chillax and have a delicious dinner in Munich (well, the airport) (and add a new country to my list), and when they finally found me a flight to Italy, it was going to Bologna – where I was actually trying to go (I was going to take a train from Milan)! From that point on, the trip was pretty amazing…here’s what I did, pretty much in order….

I was welcomed to my apartment in Bologna by the owner, Laura, with a plate of amazing food from a dinner party; the next day I enjoyed fresh (off menu) porcini pasta in a local place I accidentally found when all the recommended places were packed; that afternoon I walked the town for hours with Laura and her friends. On Monday I started language school full of students from all over the world – such an interesting and joyful group! Monday evening I did the 5 hour “Delicious Bologna” tour complete with interesting folks and amazing food! Tuesday school was closed for the Saint of Bologna day, so I headed to Ravenna to see the famous mosaics, which I have somehow missed all these years (and, as an added bonus, Ravenna is close to the sea)! The rest of the week included school, meals and apperativo with classmates, and a multicultural dinner with Laura, opera singers from Japan, and more delicious food and interesting company. Friday I headed to Milan for the Counting Crows concert at Teatro del Verme (and to my surprise an Italian audience that knew all the words)! To cap off the trip I had a ticket for a tour to see DaVinci’s Last Supper, which was the other thing I had managed to miss all these years. I came back from that trip reenergized and remembering how wonderful life and the world outside my cave can be……

I was so busy being in the moment that I didn’t take that many pictures, but here are a few, which follow my trip in order…. May you each get to take a deep breathe and enjoy the new year!!!

And a bit of the Counting Crows concert….

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by Newmexicotoitaly on December 10, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in Food, frequent flyers, Italy, here we come!, Trips In Italy
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on December 10, 2022

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Happy Holidays from the Blossoms of Lights (2022 edition)

Ciao Readers!

Is it possible that I haven’t blogged in 2 years?!?!? It must be, as the last entry is wishing you a happy 2021, from the Blossoms of Lights at the Denver Botanical Gardens…

Well, I am here again tonight and the lights are even more spectacular! As an aside, I came here to Denver for a quick trip with a travel voucher I got when I missed my connecting flight to Italy in Munich….Yes, you read that right….I have an entire trip to Bologna and Milan from October that still need blogging about! It all started one evening walk in June when I was feeling down and decided a Counting Crows concert would do me some good…I couldn’t find any in the US that fit…then I noticed they’d be touring Italy in the Fall…well one thing led to another, and, a blog post for another day!

For now, please enjoy these photos from Denver, and my sincere wishes for warm and peaceful holidays and a bright 2023!

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by Newmexicotoitaly on December 9, 2022  •  Permalink
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Happy Holidays from the Blossoms of Light

Ciao Readers and Happy Holidays!
I thought I’d ring out the old year and welcome the new with the wonders of the Denver Botanic Garden’s Blossom of Lights (with the help of a gorgeous evening sky). Walk with me as the evening progresses…

Wishing you and yours healthy and peaceful holidays and much joy in 2021!

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by Newmexicotoitaly on December 20, 2020  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on December 20, 2020

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Botanic Gardens of Albuquerque & Denver (a photo anthology)

Ciao Readers!

I hope this blog post finds you well. Today I shift from philosophizing to sharing pretty pictures!  Two of the places I’ve felt comfortable going these last many months is for a stroll outside at the Botanic Gardens in Albuquerque (which I have probably been to 100+ times) and the one in Denver (which I had never been to before). Unfortunately, the one in Albuquerque is closed for a bit (I think they could actually open under the health order as the zoo has, but I am guessing it’s staying closed for financial reasons), so these photos are from a couple of months ago.  The gardens in Denver are open and the photos are from when I ventured there several weeks ago.  Enjoy!

Albuquerque:

Denver:

 

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by Newmexicotoitaly on December 6, 2020  •  Permalink
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There’s Always Hope

Ciao Readers!

Boy, it’s feast or famine with me and blogging….

For those of you who don’t know me personally, I recently became a federal court of appeals mediator – so it’s basically my job to try and help folks who have been disagreeing, usually for several years or more, to reach a place of agreement (or at least of compromise). On a soon-to-be-related note, I only half-jokingly say that the best thing my mom ever did was give me my name.

I can’t tell you how many puns have been made about my name throughout my life – and I love it – I like to say it’s hard to be pessimistic with my name. In my new role, people often tell me that they are “not optimistic” or that there is “no hope” – to which I always get to agreeably disagree by saying something like “with my name, I have no choice but to have hope” – which usually lightens the mood and (I’d like to think) maybe infects some hope to boot.

I’ve noticed during the pandemic how important hope is to people – I keep seeing murals and rocks with “hope” painted on them. Hope is what keeps us going when all seems lost and we want to throw in the towel. So here is some of the “hope” I have gathered – from a sign in NY to murals in Denver, to rocks in ABQ.  Even in the bleakest of times, there really is always hope!

“There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope.” Bernard Williams

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by Newmexicotoitaly on November 29, 2020  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on November 29, 2020

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Same Time Last Year

Ciao Readers!

I hope this blog finds you and yours doing as well as can be expected. It has been quite some time since I blogged…I suppose like many of us I have just been at a loss for words (I’ve also been transitioning to a new job and semi-living in Denver – blogs to follow). However, on this day-after-Thanksgiving, in the most bizarre of years, having eaten leftovers and watched the usual holiday classics, my nostalgia has taken over and I had to say something….

I got to thinking about all of the “usual” holiday festivities, especially the ones I blogged about last year. While I think I have become pretty mindful these past few years, I know if someone had told me last year “you won’t get to do this next year” I would have stared at the lights a bit longer, lingered over tea with a friend until they kicked us out of the tea room, and soaked in running in a large group with a bit more appreciation. So far this year’s festivities have consisted of venturing out to the Denver train station to see it lit up for the holidays. Photos from that are right below; following that is a repeat of my holiday blog from last year – wanna get a bit nostalgic with me?

Harmonious Holiday Happenings (with helpful hints)

Ciao Readers!  And happy and healthy holidays to you and yours!

Before we head off to Portugal to eat as much seafood as deprived desert-dwellers can (and I run the Lisbon holiday 10k – yay!), I thought I’d share some happy holiday happenings with a helpful hint or two.

It’s been an interesting month and from what I’ve experienced in the universe (and on the inter- webs) many people are suffering.  I try not to be preachy, so I will just share my experience – Headspace is a meditation app that is really all that and a bag of chips (and no, they didn’t pay me to say that).  It’s pretty much how I go to sleep every night, plus there are cool mini meditations (3 minutes) for everything from feeling “overwhelmed” to “frustrated” to fear of flying. If you’re finding yourself frazzled this time of year (or any), you can try it out for free.

So, now that that “public service announcement” is over, on to the festivities.

Almost every year we go to the River of Lights at our bipoapark – it is super sparkly and festive. I blogged about it, complete with tons of photos, two years ago here. Since you can see those photos, I’ll just add a few new ones and a helpful hint. They now sell tickets to what they call the “magic hour” – this means you get in at 5:00 instead of 6:00 when it usually opens.  Now, granted, it is more expensive, but if you can swing it this is the difference: on a normal night you wait in a line of cars to get into the parking lot for 1+ hours, you are then sent to the farthest reaches of a back parking lot located in another state, and then you trudge through the River of Lights like a sardine lined up end-to-end. Pay the few bucks more and you drive right into the parking lot and pretty much have the entire place to yourself – score!!!   It’s gotten so big they even went into part of the Japanese Garden this year:

Another thing I do pretty much every year, but did much differently this year, is attend the Festival of Trees. It’s an annual fundraiser for Carrie Tingley Hospital Foundation which works with kids with disabilities. The Albuquerque Convention Center is stuffed full of 100+ trees and 200+ wreaths, plus festivities, a mini village, kids crafts, etc. You can go for free or donate any amount you like. While it’s over for this year, next year you can volunteer to help decorate!  That’s what I did this year – I had no idea they had to start in September or what a precise science tree and wreath decorating were.  I was mostly a “helper elf*” – for example, I made all the bows in the tree behind me in the photo (and sourced the supplies for the Hanukkah tree pictured). (*Okay, full disclosure, I relegated myself to helper elf as I don’t seem to have the decorating touch – the cool (at least I thought so) travel/foodie wreath I sourced and made (first photo) was in the silent auction – and purchased by me, the only bidder!)  Steve and I even went to the opening night shindig.  Fun, festive, and for a good cause:

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Finally, what Festivus would be complete without a festive holiday run and an indulgent ooh-laa-laa fancy-pants tea at St. James Tea Room:

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Whatever you do or do not celebrate Dear Readers, I hope you find a nice warm peaceful space this holiday season.  Here’s to a bright 2020!!!

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by Newmexicotoitaly on November 27, 2020  •  Permalink
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Peaceful Pandemic-Times Pics (a photo anthology)

Ciao Readers!

How are you doing?  Strange times, no doubt.  I am doing fairly well as long as I stick to my morning runs, evening walks and chillaxing at home.  I know why we’re doing it, but as someone who’s used to reading people, all the masks make me feel discombobulated, so I’ve pretty much stopped going anywhere. There’s been some amazing scenery on my walks and runs, with the spattering of cool painted rocks to make me smile (and some look like they were put there just for me).  Here are some of the things keeping me mindful and grounded (as much as possible) – walk with me….

All the pretty plants, scenery,  and rocks brighten up my daily runs:

The Sandias always make me feel more peaceful, whether I’m looking at them or hiking on them:

And, last but not least, I can watch these adorable twin brothers for hours…pure joy!

Until next time Dear Readers, stay healthy, breathe deeply, and be well.

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by Newmexicotoitaly on May 23, 2020  •  Permalink
Posted in Culture Shock, Musings, New Mexico, running
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on May 23, 2020

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It’s the End of the World as We Know It, and I Feel Fine – R.E.M.

Ciao Readers!  I am happy to have this forum to reach out to you, wherever you are, say “hello” and offer my warm thoughts for you and yours.

So, I knew I wanted to say something in these strange times, but I didn’t know what. It just came to me on a long walk (one of many over the past weeks). I wanted to share my thoughts about the “silver linings” to the apocalypse. I completely understand that folks are suffering – physically, financially, psychologically – and I do not mean to diminish their suffering. But for me, I have to look ahead and try and glean the good that will come to stay out of the dark. So, in no particular order, here are some of the long-term “positives” I think will result:

U.S. Society: I think the pandemic is showing us where our societal structural fabric is weak and needs adjustments. This situation has shed (even more) light on the need for universal health care, paid sick leave, fair wages, childcare and more. It has also forced the justice system to ask questions like “should we really be keeping a 70 year-old locked up for inability to pay a jaywalking fine right now?” (which begs the question, should we ever?). On a more human societal note, I think it is making us appreciate our interconnectedness and motivating people to help others. Even the small things, like more patience at the grocery and a kind word for the cashiers, can start ripple effects of good in the universe.

Corporations: This seems like a “rubber hits the road” moment where we get to truly see if corporations are or are not good global citizens. When Amazon raised its and Whole Foods’ employees wages by 2$/hr., I felt much better about shopping with them. I am also very impressed with t-mobile giving unlimited data, Xfinity free hot spots, and Audible free books to help us all through. In contrast, when McDonalds actively lobbied against paid sick time in the stimulus bill, it reinforced the fact that it is good that I haven’t stepped foot in one since I worked there (ages 14 – 16, yes, against child labor laws). Don’t get me started on Hobby Lobby, which I was already boycotting before this (if you want to read their rationale for staying open and making people come to work, you can read it here). If I get to be preachy at all, I would ask that you think carefully in the future about the corporations to which you’re giving your hard earned money.

Global/Cultural: This one’s a little hard, because I know there have been many incidences of racism.  However, on the bright side, I think we have all been made more aware of what other countries and peoples are going through and what they have or have not done in response. Maybe we gain some empathy for suffering Italians and some appreciation for law-respecting South Koreans.  Maybe we also decide that the liberty/safety balance in China is more than we are willing to give; maybe not.  Regardless of what our personal perspectives are, we are probably getting more world news now than we ever have and learning about other countries and their people on a very human level. I am personally still mind-boggled by all of the photos I have seen of Italians queuing politely outside grocery stores (who knew they actually could?!).

Personally:  I could go on about this one for a long time (as I am guessing you can as well – feel free to share in the comments). For those of you who know me, you know I can be a bit of a control freak. I see this as the universe’s way of finally ingraining the old proverb about “learning what you can’t control” into my thick skull….we shall see.  And even though I am fortunate and still have tons of work to do every day (which I should be doing now instead of writing this), there does seem to be more time to stop and smell the metaphorical roses. So, I will leave you as I often do, returning to food – two days ago Steve and I made pasta from hand (something we keep “meaning” to do but never seem to get around to). I was too busy rolling and covered in flour to take photos of the process, but pretend you can smell and taste the final product (that’s Tuscan sausage/kale/white bean sauce)…….   Until next time!

 

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by Newmexicotoitaly on March 25, 2020  •  Permalink
Posted in Culture Shock, Food, Musings
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on March 25, 2020

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Songs for Solidarity: Italians Unite through music from balconies, terraces and windows

Ciao readers!

So, I was going to blog about how amazing Italians are in the face of adversity – they’ve been having terrace “flash mobs” during this lock-down and I have seen pictures of them queuing in an orderly fashion at grocery stores (who knew?!), but this post from Girl in Florence already does the best job. Scroll down the post and you can see video clips from all over Italy. Grazie!    Source: Songs for Solidarity: Italians Unite through music from balconies, terraces and windows

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by Newmexicotoitaly on March 15, 2020  •  Permalink
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Picturesque Pena Palace, Portugal

Ciao Readers!

So, if you’re anything like me, you get back from a nice vacation with the “real world” already knocking on your door – whether in the form of a nasty cold, tons of voicemails, or a new home repair task…..

Before I totally lose the magic that was Portugal, I wanted to share some photos of a super quirky, beautiful, eclectic site – Pena Palace in Sintra (about a 45 minute train ride from Lisbon). I think this website describes it aptly: “The palace is a hedonistic mix of vividly painted terraces, decorative battlements and mythological statues, all of which stand at stark contrast to the lush greens of the Parque de Pena forest.”  The palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its existence goes back to the Middle Ages. I will spare you the entire history here – but what started off as a chapel, turned into a monastery – which was then battered by all sorts of things, including lightening and the great quake of 1755 (which destroyed much of Lisbon) –  and was eventually acquired and greatly added to by King Ferdinand in the mid 1800’s. It was commissioned to be a summer palace for the Royal family and was modeled, in part, on castles likely seen in Germany. Just to be quirky they decided to add some Medieval, Islamic, and other decorative elements to the palace (notice the Moorish tiles, the minaret-ish tower, the Triton gateway…..). We had read that the outside was much more the draw than the inside, so we bought tickets to the surrounding park (which also lets you access the scary-thin terraces surrounding the palace) and wandered around marveling…..returning down the very steep hill by tuk tuk (with a driver that knew where we live – Albuquerque  – through Breaking Bad – “Ah, Sim, Pollos Hermanos!!!”), for just a few euros more than the packed city buses.  All in all, a lovely last full day in Portugal:

 

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by Newmexicotoitaly on January 15, 2020  •  Permalink
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Museu da Marioneta (the Puppet Museum in Lisbon)

Ciao Readers!

We are back state-side and slowly adjusting to the 7 hour time difference after a 24-hour commute home (I love travel… traveling, not so much). I hope your new year has started off well.

Having recently shared my life-long affection for puppets (see my Muppet post), it will be no surprise that when I stumbled upon the fact that Lisbon has a puppet museum, I knew we had to go! (In contrast, feel free to skip their largest art Museum, the Gulbenkian – if you’ve been to any other large/famous museum you’ve seen better.) The puppet museum is funky and dark (even their tickets, below, are cool and weird). There are puppets from throughout the ages – from early Thai shadow puppets, Vietnamese water puppets, lots of old European and traditional Portuguese puppets, and on through modern day stop-action animation figures (complete with mini props!). It seems that puppets were often used as an entertaining way to make subversive cultural or political statements, including during the latest fascist regime in Portugal (did you know they had a dictator until 1974?!). It was kinda surreal and creepy in there, but supercool (they even have a place you can put on your own puppet show). I felt in-the-know finding this off-the-grid site, seeing how it’s not even in travel guru Rick Steves’ Lisbon book.  Take a look…..

Next time we travel to the nearby town of Sintra to see its very eclectic Pena Palace….

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by Newmexicotoitaly on January 9, 2020  •  Permalink
Posted in Art, Diversions to Other Places, Portugal, The Puppetinos, Travel Tips
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on January 9, 2020

https://newmexicotoitaly.com/2020/01/09/museu-da-marioneta-the-puppet-museum-in-lisbon/

Feliz 2020 from Lisbon, Portugal

Olá Readers! Happy 2020!

So far it’s been an interesting start to the new year here in Lisbon – last night we partook in what has to be the most mellow midnight celebration ever – just about 200+ folks, including lots of kids, hanging out by the Belém Tower (pictured below) watching fireworks go off in other parts of the city. There wasn’t even a real countdown, so maybe it’s still 2019…….? Then today we had a leisurely and delicious Indian food lunch out in the sun – never expected to eat Indian food here, but we kept walking by this place and it smelled so good, and it was! (And, unlike in every other place we’ve been to in Europe – especially Italy – it is okay to get your leftovers to go). If I have one major observation so far, it’s that Portugal is super chillax about most things compared to other EU countries – people seem mellower, not so fashion conscious, and fairly open and friendly. There don’t seem to be as many rules (i.e. obstacles) like you run into in Italy – for one small example, only post offices and tobacco stores in Italy sell stamps – the other day I bought some here at the gift store where I bought postcards – so simple, but who woulda thunk!?!

In any case, I thought I’d take this lazy day to post some of the photos I’ve been saving up – from our food tour, food and sights around town, and some more tiles and mosaics. Wishing you, dear Readers, peace and joy in the new year!

From our Taste of Lisboa  food tour, which was super fun and educational (and shared with tourists from Sweden, Wales, Luxembourg, and even Portugal!):

From our visit to the most famous pastry shop in Portugal, Pastéis de Belém, and our fancy New Year’s Eve day lunch:

From our walks around town and the tower on New Year’s Eve:

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by Newmexicotoitaly on January 1, 2020  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on January 1, 2020

https://newmexicotoitaly.com/2020/01/01/feliz-2020-from-lisbon-portugal/

Tiles of Lisbon (a photo anthology)

Olá Readers! Happy (almost) New Year!!!

I have many thoughts and insights (and food) to blog about, but for today I thought I’d just share some photos. Portugal is known for its beautiful tiles (azulejo), and you can pretty much see them covering buildings on any street. If you want a short history, you can find one here. In any case, to prove my point, here are some photos I just took, all within about 2 blocks from our apartment …enjoy!

 

Até a próxima!!!
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by Newmexicotoitaly on December 30, 2019  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on December 30, 2019

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Best Race Ever! (10k in Lisbon, Portugal)

Olá Readers! Boas festas!

I am blogging to you as I come down off my runner’s high, having just run the El Corte Inglés São Silvestre de Lisboa. I really don’t know where to start – this was a 10k race with over 10,000 runners through the center of Lisbon, which is all decked out for the holidays. It was one of the best run races ever – well organized, amazing swag, high-quality race shirt, chillaxed people, fantastic route, real bottles of water at the water stations, fancy finisher medals and even pretty printable certificates of your results! And, all for the amazing price of 10/12 euros (for comparison, US races of this caliber run 45$+). (It was also the easiest international race I’ve run – no EKG and health certificates like Italy, no local sponsor and finger prints like Japan – true stories). It was soooooo much fun, I wish I could truly share the experience…but these photos from my Luddite 89$ phone (and one from the official website) will have to suffice – we start with me after packet pickup the day before, continue on to the race start and past some of the sights – and end with the yummiest post-race meal ever!

Portugal is super cool by the way, so stay tuned!

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by Newmexicotoitaly on December 28, 2019  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on December 28, 2019

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Harmonious Holiday Happenings (with helpful hints)

Ciao Readers!  And happy and healthy holidays to you and yours!

Before we head off to Portugal to eat as much seafood as deprived desert-dwellers can (and I run the Lisbon holiday 10k – yay!), I thought I’d share some happy holiday happenings with a helpful hint or two.

It’s been an interesting month and from what I’ve experienced in the universe (and on the inter- webs) many people are suffering.  I try not to be preachy, so I will just share my experience – Headspace is a meditation app that is really all that and a bag of chips (and no, they didn’t pay me to say that).  It’s pretty much how I go to sleep every night, plus there are cool mini meditations (3 minutes) for everything from feeling “overwhelmed” to “frustrated” to fear of flying. If you’re finding yourself frazzled this time of year (or any), you can try it out for free.

So, now that that “public service announcement” is over, on to the festivities.

Almost every year we go to the River of Lights at our bipoapark – it is super sparkly and festive. I blogged about it, complete with tons of photos, two years ago here. Since you can see those photos, I’ll just add a few new ones and a helpful hint. They now sell tickets to what they call the “magic hour” – this means you get in at 5:00 instead of 6:00 when it usually opens.  Now, granted, it is more expensive, but if you can swing it this is the difference: on a normal night you wait in a line of cars to get into the parking lot for 1+ hours, you are then sent to the farthest reaches of a back parking lot located in another state, and then you trudge through the River of Lights like a sardine lined up end-to-end. Pay the few bucks more and you drive right into the parking lot and pretty much have the entire place to yourself – score!!!   It’s gotten so big they even went into part of the Japanese Garden this year:

Another thing I do pretty much every year, but did much differently this year, is attend the Festival of Trees. It’s an annual fundraiser for Carrie Tingley Hospital Foundation which works with kids with disabilities. The Albuquerque Convention Center is stuffed full of 100+ trees and 200+ wreaths, plus festivities, a mini village, kids crafts, etc. You can go for free or donate any amount you like. While it’s over for this year, next year you can volunteer to help decorate!  That’s what I did this year – I had no idea they had to start in September or what a precise science tree and wreath decorating were.  I was mostly a “helper elf*” – for example, I made all the bows in the tree behind me in the photo (and sourced the supplies for the Hanukkah tree pictured). (*Okay, full disclosure, I relegated myself to helper elf as I don’t seem to have the decorating touch – the cool (at least I thought so) travel/foodie wreath I sourced and made (first photo) was in the silent auction – and purchased by me, the only bidder!)  Steve and I even went to the opening night shindig.  Fun, festive, and for a good cause:

Finally, what Festivus would be complete without a festive holiday run and an indulgent ooh-laa-laa fancy-pants tea at St. James Tea Room:

Whatever you do or do not celebrate Dear Readers, I hope you find a nice warm peaceful space this holiday season.  Here’s to a bright 2020!!!

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by Newmexicotoitaly on December 21, 2019  •  Permalink
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(Not quite) More Muppets than Imaginable (or a trip to a museum closer to home)

Ciao Readers!  Happy Almost-Back-From-Turkey-Day!

So, today we venture to the Albuquerque Museum for the Jim Henson Exhibition, which just got underway this past week.  While our museums can’t compete with the big guns (or apparently even Omaha, Nebraska – which gets a Monet even though they have 100K less people than we do (see last post)), this is a pretty cool exhibit.  It features a history of Jim Henson and the muppets and we even get some of the real muppet puppets on loan from a bigger museum in NY.

So, a little personal history, which also explains why this exhibition is a big deal to me….

I was just a few months shy of turning 3 when Sesame Street premiered on November 10, 1969. As you may know, it just marked its 50th!!! anniversary!  When I was a kid I LOVED the muppets – so much so that my 13 imaginary brothers and sisters that all lived in an imaginary dresser were muppets, not people (insert psychoanalysis here). My favorite easy-read books were all from Sesame Street, and the one pictured below, The Monster at the End of This Book, was my all time favorite, and an original is on display at the museum (notice the price in the corner):

Even as an adult, I still love the muppets and my own Jim Henson Muppet Factory puppets have starred in their own epics, such as “The Puppetinos Move to Italy.”

 

In any case, there were several cool old muppets from the 50’s and 60’s (I didn’t realize most of the muppets were created for commercials, like Rowlf the dog for Purina), some old sketches, notes and videos, and several actual muppets (though not the 47 the museum in NY has – play small violin here). I tried my best to take photos without people in them, but this is a big deal for little ‘ol Albuquerque and it was a full house….Enjoy!:

 

 

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by Newmexicotoitaly on December 1, 2019  •  Permalink
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More Monets than Imaginable (or a VERY quick trip to Denver)

Happy Thanksgiving Readers!!!!!

I hope you are all safe and warm!  We are snowed in, which is perfect since we weren’t going anywhere and we cooked everything yesterday.  Pretty, huh?

 

In any case, this is a post about Monet and Denver, so on with it….

The Denver Museum of Art is a pretty amazing place, and right now it is showcasing the largest Monet exhibition in the U.S. When I read about it, I HAD to get tickets, which I did, for this past Monday at 12:00. So, off we go to Denver on Sunday….I had checked the weather several times throughout the week and the driving weather there, and back on Tuesday, looked great. Which is why it was a bit perplexing as we drove in Sunday evening to keep seeing road signs saying “Storm Warning: Expect Road Closures for Monday-Tuesday.” Being the modern age, I was able to get on my iPad and weather.com, and what d’ya know, it was supposed to start snowing Monday about 3:00 and then pretty much not stop. Time for an impromptu plan….

Our tickets were for 12:00 on Monday and it wasn’t supposed to start snowing until 3:00+, so no problem, we could see the exhibit, then hit the road and beat the snow! AND – I almost forgot – before we went I discovered Denver has a Shake Shack (you may recall my obsession with shake shack burgers from previous posts).  We had planned to go to Shake Shack after the museum, but new plan – get to Shake Shack before they open at 11:00, be the first in line, get our heavenly burgers, then high-tail it back the 40 minute walk to the museum just in time for our ticket time!   And, amazingly enough, we pulled it off!

The exhibition was beyond description – when I had read “100+” Monets, I expected a few big ones and lots of little half sketches, etc. NOPE – it was room after room after room of giant, gorgeous, mind-blowing Monets!!!  I read the info on each and every one because I wanted to know where they came from – they were sourced from all over the world including Tokyo and a museum in Omaha Nebraska!  Second only to the Stendhal Syndrome-inducing exhibit was my amazement at what it took to get all those paintings to the Denver Museum all at once for this show. In any case, if you are anywhere near Denver (when it is not snowed in) before February 2nd, I cannot recommend this exhibition enough.

So, street art on our walk to Shake Shack; our beloved burgers; and just a taste of the Monets….Enjoy!!!

 

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by Newmexicotoitaly on November 28, 2019  •  Permalink
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Sneak Peak of the Penguins at the ABQ Zoo!

Ciao Readers!  (and HELLO new readers who found me through the zoo’s twitter!)

Two blog posts in one week – I know! And both with us dudded up in black-and-white* to go to some fancy schmancy shindig!

Tonight we had the unique privilege of getting to go to the “sneak peak” event of the soon-to-open Penguin Chill exhibit at the ABQ Zoo.  Let me tell you, it is SUPER COOL!!!!! (bad pun intended). The exhibit itself is amazing – a multi-level sub-antarctic environment with various viewing areas (even underwater!), complete with interactive activities including Skyping with Antarctic scientists!  But of course the main attraction is the penguins (31 penguins, 3 different species – you can read all the info on the link, above). They are just getting used to being in Albuquerque and while they are trying to keep them on their usual wake/sleep cycle (and warned us they would be asleep), they were all fully awake and diving and swimming tonight – it was a site to see! You can’t use a flash and it was nighttime, so the one photo I got was dark (sorry) – but check out all the penguins in it!  (there are some good videos on the zoo’s twitter @abqbiopark)

On top of the cool penguins, there were h’orderves, sushi, drinks and catching up with old acquaintances. And, one really neat thing that made me smile (you’ll have to figure it out from the photos)…..Enjoy!

*see if you can spot all our penguin-themed attire

 

 

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by Newmexicotoitaly on July 11, 2019  •  Permalink
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Quirky & Cultured: The Santa Fe Opera

Ciao Readers!  Happy back-from-the-long-weekend!!!

Boy, it has been a while, huh?  I’ve missed you (almost as much as I’ve missed doing things I thought were “blog-worthy”).  I think this past weekend’s excursion counts, so….

For the very first time in our lives we went to the opera! Specifically, La bohème, at the Santa Fe Opera. Now, in full disclosure – the two biggest reasons we went were for 1) the quirky and cool tradition of fancy tailgating before hand, and 2) the amazing scenery at the venue (which I had seen years before when I went there to see an Indigo Girls concert).

So, as to the tailgating – this is a major tradition (you can read more about here) – everyone dressed in their finery gets to the venue a few hours early and sets up for dinner (anywhere from a cooler to an all out banquet table) – there is champagne, h’orderves, fancy food, etc. (you can also order dinner from the venue, as we did). It is a unique site for sure. We went semi-all out and brought a little table, fake flowers and some fake (i.e. dollar store plastic) “crystal.” Steve even brought a lawn-looking rug and an umbrella (which we needed as it started raining shortly after the picture, below, was taken). Here’s also some other folks (picture from the opera’s website):

In the background (when you are tailgating, but also inside the open-air venue) are both the Jemez Mountains and the Sangre De Cristo’s (since you can’t really get the full effect from my photos as it was raining, I’ve also included a youtube video):

 

So, fun fancy food, beautiful scenery and…..then the opera. Ack, this is the part where I have to admit, that despite desperately wanting to feel cultured and all (and really appreciating that my friend Julie’s daughter is an opera singer) – I’m just not that into opera. I can appreciate the singing and the costumes and all of it, but for some reason it just doesn’t hold my attention like a broadway show or a concert. And, while I could use the excuse that it was raining and COLD (in the 50’s) for summer and late by the time intermission rolled around and that’s why we left…I realized on the drive home that if it had been a Green Day concert it could have been hailing and 2:00 a.m. and I would have toughed it out.  But – we have been talking about going back – specifically for the tailgating (is that weird?) – we are pretty sure there were some other folks doing that as they packed up and drove off after the tailgate part (or it could have been the rain). In any case, a unique experience well worth it, even if I had to discover I am uncultured in the process!

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by Newmexicotoitaly on July 8, 2019  •  Permalink
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There’s No Going Home Again (A trip to Florence)

Ciao Readers!

So, before I even left home, I had planned a blog post with this title.  I had imagined it as an allegory for how much things and people change – especially me.  Aside from the fact that we are all totally replaced every 7-10 years (all of our cells that is), I feel very far away from the person who lived here 5 years ago.  At least I did until today, when I walked around Firenze all day and found that nothing much had changed.  It’s really weird – the shops are almost all the same (plus some new vape stores), the shopkeepers are all the same (they don’t even look like they’ve aged), the kebabs at Mesopotamia are still delicious, the Bargello is still a quiet refuge hidden from the throngs of tourists, the Ponte Vecchio is still picturesque, and the aperitivo at Serafini is still the best (though more expensive now).  So, I guess you can go home again, and instead of a philosophical lecture, all I have for you today are some photos, which look very similar to ones posted here 5 years ago….. (with some new Clet street signs and a new foodie floor to Mercato Centrale)….Buona giornata!

Wondering around Florence:

 

 

The Bargello:

 

 

New additions:

 

 

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by Newmexicotoitaly on November 10, 2018  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on November 10, 2018

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Balloons of Joy

Hello Readers!

So, these have been somewhat heavy times for me and maybe for many of us.  However, this is not that kind of blog (if you’re interested in the heavier stuff, follow me on twitter); it’s a blog to share exciting adventures, delicious food and cool pics.  There could not have been a better day for taking and sharing some AMAZING photos from the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta than this morning.  All of these were taken either on my cheap phone or my real camera and I have done nothing to them (not even cropping), so you can share this morning’s beauty as it was.  Have a wonderful day!!!

 

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by Newmexicotoitaly on October 11, 2018  •  Permalink
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Thought for the Day

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by Newmexicotoitaly on October 1, 2018  •  Image  •  Permalink
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This Time the Pandas were ALIVE!

Ciao Readers!

As I promised, this blog post is about the cutest of all creatures – LIVE pandas.  Why the stress on the “aliveness” you may ask…let me explain….

For those of you that have been following this blog (or my adventures) for a while, you might remember an ill-fated trip to the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, where, after much panda-phanelia hoopla we were unceremoniously (well, a little ceremoniously) informed that the panda was dead (and told to have a nice day at the zoo).  You can read about it in my post about Japan (or simply scroll to the bottom where I cut-and-pasted the relevant part).

In any case, unlike my love of Shake Shack burgers, my desire to see a cuddly (live) panda remained unrequited – that is until last weekend.  Steve planned a surprise birthday weekend in San Diego, mostly to see the sea and eat seafood, but where, coincidentally, 3 of the 12 pandas in the U.S. live!  San Diego Zoo, here we come!

So, until this trip I knew nothing about the San Diego Zoo; I could not believe it when I read online that the tickets are $54!!!  For those of you also previously unfamiliar with the zoo, once you’ve been there you get the ticket price (mostly) – this place isn’t a zoo, it’s animal Disney!

In any case, the Universe decided to be generous to me – either for the disappointment I felt at the Ueno Zoo a decade ago, or maybe just for the “ack” year that was 2017 – either way, I got a panda-stravaganza!  After trying to catch glimpses of the mom panda walking back-and-forth in her area (cute, but…), we finally snapped that just a little further down there was much more excitement  to be had – the youngest panda (Xiao Li Wu) was about to eat lunch!  While I know the pictures below probably don’t do it justice, this adorable panda just sat there and ate bamboo and played in bamboo and basically acted as adorable as if he were starring in all the adorable viral panda videos (yes, I am overusing the word “adorable” on purpose).  And just to make it a little more fun was the hysterical (unintentionally) docent, who after making it very clear that she was NOT a volunteer and had been doing her job for 21 years, proceeded to tell us of all the ailments and less pleasant aspects of the pandas (things like the fact that the father panda gets acupuncture for his arthritis on Tuesdays, and how much “food” comes out of pandas).  In such a fancy zoo with such an amazing exhibit you’d expect someone peppy telling you all the great facts about how adorable the pandas are….maybe because that part needs no explaining (or maybe because after 21 years the adorableness eats at your soul), this docent preferred to tell us how the pandas would rip our faces off if we tried to cuddle with them.  In any case, her banter somehow only added to the experience (an appeal to Steve and my respective dark senses of humor), and she seemed unfazed when I motioned for permission to snap a photo of her instead of the panda (below).   (And, oh, yes there was an adorable baby koala and other cute things…..). Enjoy!

elusive mother panda
Xiao Li Wu
Xiao Li Wu
me and panda
Xiao Li Wu
Xiao Li Wu
Xiao Li Wu
docent
koalas

 

From May, 2012 post:
Tale of the (Dead) Panda
When we were in Tokyo we decided to venture out to the Ueno zoo since they had a giant panda (Ling Ling) and I had never seen one in person.  The anticipation built as we neared the zoo and encountered all sorts of panda-related items – giant statues, posters, vending carts with stuffed pandas, you name it!  The entrance to the zoo was similarly decorated with panda-phanelia.  When we got into the zoo, there was even a place to take your picture with a stuffed panda.  We excitedly went in the direction of the panda sign, but after at least 15 minutes of searching and walking in circles by cute (but little) pandas, we gave up and went to the information booth.  A women bowed her head and handed Steve a laminated piece of paper that said (in English) something close to “We apologize.  Ling Ling dead.  Please enjoy your day at zoo.”   It turns out that Ling Ling had passed away quite some time ago, but as we had already learned on our trip, refunds are really not heard of in Japan, so we did the best we could to heed the advice on the laminated paper and enjoy our day!  (Here is a picture of me making the Japanese “ja nai” sign [no, can’t, forbidden, not here] in front of the stuffed panda):

 

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by Newmexicotoitaly on February 7, 2018  •  Permalink
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Five Reasons to Boycott Valentine’s Day

Ciao Readers!
Just in time for Valentine’s Day I thought I’d reblog this past post about boycotting it (most “liked” post I’ve written, hmmm….). And as a tickler for a more warm-and-fuzzy post to come…notice the somewhat (okay, very) grumpy picture of me with the stuffed panda in Japan…it will be pivotal to an upcoming blog (“This Time the Pandas were ALIVE!”). Happy V-Day!

New Mexico to Italy

Ciao Readers!

So, today I go off on a tangent (i.e. mini-rant); one of my only posts not about travel or food. I figure, I have this grand public forum, why not totally abuse it?  If you don’t know this about me, I HATE (yes H-A-T-E) Valentine’s Day and have since I was a teenager.  I honestly think it is the worst, most sadistic/masochistic, commercialised abomination ever.  I hope you’ll agree and join my 3-decades long boycott.  Here’s why…. (in no specific order and somewhat redundant)….

  1. No one ends up satisfied.  Seriously, how many people are out there right now building up their expectations for Valentine’s Day and how many people are fretting about the expectations put on them? What percentage of people on February 15 think “YAY, let’s do that again!” v. “Whew, thank goodness that’s over!” or “Boy, am I disappointed!”?
  2. It makes kids feel bad.  Do…

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by Newmexicotoitaly on February 3, 2018  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on February 3, 2018

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River of Lights!!!

Ciao Readers! Happy Festivus!

So, while I have one more Italy blog in me (“Siena’s 500+ year-old Palio: violent horse race or community therapy?”), it’s going to take some research and be a little heady, and after the melancholy note on which I left my last post, I thought I’d share some holiday cheer….

Tonight we went to the River of Lights, a ginormous light display throughout the Albuquerque Botanical Gardens.  The display has over 500 sculptures and millions of bulbs, requiring workers to start setting it up in early October (using over 90,000 zip-ties)! Next to the Balloon Fiesta, I think it’s my most favorite (non-edible) thing about Albuquerque.  So, instead of blather on about it, I’ll share it as best I can (notice one of the quirky new additions, a UFO over the corn field):

 

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by Newmexicotoitaly on November 29, 2017  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on November 29, 2017

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Choose Your Own Adventure: A. Lovely light-hearted photos; B. It’s been a weird week

Ciao Readers! Happy Thanksgiving Week!

It’s already the end of my trip and I’m still trying to process the past week. In the past I’ve noted that travel blogs are best kept light-hearted with lots of photos, lest you lose your audience. However, this has been a weird week and it deserves some reflection. So, what I’ve decided to do is a two-part blog, starting with the breezy photo anthology; if that’s your interest, by all means, enjoy the scenery and then stop reading. If you’re curious for a little peak into the darker parts of my psyche and the week, read on (or skip down) to the second part….

A. PHOTO ANTHOLOGY

A trip to an olive oil factory in a lovely little town in Chianti:

The Duomo of Siena (originally intended to best rival Florence’s – an unrealized goal):

Lunch in the piazza:

A stroll around Siena:

B. IT’S BEEN A WEIRD WEEK

Okay, this is the part of the blog where we get down to the nitty gritty. I’m actually starting this on the plane ride back, where I scored an hour free wifi. I have no idea how or why, but this flight from Rome to Atlanta is 11.5 hours long!!!

So, some of you may remember me mentioning (and others know first hand), that when you go to language school in Italy there’s always an interesting and diverse group of students, and you always meet folks to go out to lunch, dinner, museums, etc. with – yes? Honestly, on this trip that was more of a draw than the classes themselves – I really needed to get out and about and out of my own head, where I’ve been spending way too much time.  So….you can imagine my surprise and chagrin when I ended up being the ONLY student at school all week. That’s right, not the only student in my class – IN THE ENTIRE SCHOOL!

For those of you who are more serious students than I, the thought of an entire school and a teacher at your disposal may be a dream come true…for me it was just the opposite. Now, not only was I spending too much time in my own head, but I was literally doing it alone in a foreign country to boot! I have been to many Italian schools and there’s never been less than 4-5 people in my class, even during the off-season; I didn’t even know there being zero was a possibility.  If you read my truffle post carefully, notice that I said “we,” but I didn’t say who “we” were – we were me and the owner of the school.  And the lunch in the piazza photos above was solo…. I think you’ve got the picture.

Okay, now lest I come across as completely unappreciative, the school owner and teachers were molto gentile and we did go on a few excursions together (and a former student joined us on one). But it was just strange – it almost felt like paying for people to play with me. Since the excursions seemed to interest the school folks (the owner Mauro is actually contemplating getting a truffle dog), I eventually got over that feeling, but it was indeed a weird week.  For example, while the ride and the town in Chianti were gorgeous, the olive oil factory was modern stainless steel, the workers were cleaning up for the day and we ended up hanging out in their breakroom and eating food Mauro brought (albeit with some nice freshly pressed oil). All the workers were men and in their break room was a semi-naked bikini calendar, which was not at all quaint and frankly made me uncomfortable (especially in light of how woke we’re all supposed to be getting about sexual harassment and the like).  I resisted the urge to take a photo (I try to keep my blog PG, which is also why I’m not including the photo of the dead thing I would pass on my way to school I took to see if Steve or anyone at school could identify what type of animal it was).  Okay, free wifi time is almost over and the turbulence is making me nauseous, will continue this during my 4-hour layover….

Ack, that flight was long and bumpy!  Okay, where were we…. suffice it to say it was not the week I had in mind. Below are some photos from the beautiful but lonely walk to school, ending with a view from the door to the building (it’s supposed to be poignant, humor me). After school/excursions for the day were over I basically did what I’ve been doing at home too much lately – crawling into bed with my iPad.  Now, this is a travel blog and going any deeper would be a bit too much (though it is appropriate fodder for a book) – I’ll end by quoting the astute observation in the tag-line of another travel blog I follow – “No matter how far you run, you still bring yourself along for the ride.”

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by Newmexicotoitaly on November 20, 2017  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on November 20, 2017

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Truffle Hunting!

Ciao Readers! Happy Monday!

Today (Sunday) I got to do something amazing that I had no idea I was going to do – I went on a real truffle hunt!

So, to back up for a bit, when we lived in Florence we went to a fabulous truffle “sagra” (“sagra” = festival) in San Miniato. It was exactly what you’d picture – tons of booths featuring all types of truffles and truffle-based foods. I went on about it in detail in this blog post.  The event we attended today was called a “mostra” – I didn’t get the difference before hand and expected a festival very similar to the one in San Miniato….

The trip started off well – the rains held off and we drove into the beautiful town of San Giovanni D’Asso:

But once we got into town, I have to admit my heart sank a bit – while the town is gorgeous, look at the small area of booths we encountered:

What I hadn’t understood is that unlike a “sagra,” a “mostra” is an “exhibition” – more about learning than just booth-wandering. I also didn’t know we were signed up to go on a real truffle hunt. I stress the word “real” because there are apparently ones staged just for tourists – the truffles are purposely buried before-hand, so it takes no time for the dog to find it and success is guaranteed. Our hunt was nothing like that – we started with about a 45 minute lecture about the process from a life-long professional truffle hunter (all in Italian; the rest of the participants were Italians, not tourists). We then proceeded to trek through the woods for about an hour, over hills, through mud, you name it.  Then came the real excitement – at the top of a very steep hill, behind a ton of pokey brambles, one of the dogs signaled it had found something!  I didn’t take any pictures climbing the hill because it was all I could do to stay upright and continually untangle myself from the brambles (and I thought breaking a second iPad in a week would be a bit much, even for me), but aside from that part, here’s the adventure (full disclosure, despite the enthusiasm of the white dog, the other dog actually found the truffle – can you pick it out in the hole it/its owner dug once it found it?):

And, of course, I had to pretend to eat the truffle (I hid it and said “delicioso” to the truffle hunter, cheesy I know):

Our truffle hunt and the accompanying (mostly) educational lectures lasted till after 1:30 – we were hungry! Now, lest you worry that I never actually got to eat my beloved truffles, all of the (very packed) restaurants in town were featuring truffle dishes, and we chose ours on the recommendation of the professional truffle hunter.  (In one of his tangents during the hunt he explained how much he hates people taking pictures of their food, but since he wasn’t at lunch, I couldn’t help myself) – Buon Pranzo!

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by Newmexicotoitaly on November 13, 2017  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on November 13, 2017

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Benvenuti a Siena!

Ciao Readers!

Well, here I am in lovely Siena Italy (after a “short” journey involving 2 cars, 2 planes and 3 trains)!  I got in yesterday afternoon and did all I could to stay up and sleep in ’till Italy times, but alas, I was asleep before 8 and awake at 4.  Fortunately, it was a beautiful day today, which I spent trying to shake my jet lag by wandering all over the city, taking lots of photos to share with YOU….

Which brings me to two things I learned today… first, Siena is called a “hill town” because it is at the TOP of a hill!  You’d think I’d have figured that out from the context clues – but no – I just kept wondering why everyone insisted on telling me which bus to take into the city when it’s just a “measly” 2k (about 1.3 miles) walk from my apartment (at the bottom of town).  I still plan on walking to school in the morning…but I may pick up a few bus tickets – just in case….  The second thing I learned today is that my bad luck with electronics is not over (does breaking an iPad screen give you 7 years bad iPad luck?)! My very detailed “things to bring” list not withstanding, the camera cable-to-iPad connector got packed, but not the actual camera cable. So, despite taking a ton a pictures to share with you today, I have no way to post them (yes, I know, if I wasn’t such a Luddite I’d have a fancy camera phone and not an old-school camera).   From here on out I’ll be bringing my iPad in place of my camera, but for now I searched YouTube for a video that actually shows everything I walked by today with surprisingly similar light and crowd size. So let’s just pretend you’re coming with me on my walk through the city today….until next time!

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by Newmexicotoitaly on November 11, 2017  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on November 11, 2017

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Fun Fact: iPads are NOT machine-washable

Ciao Readers!  Happy (not) Daylight Savings!

If you’re thinking it’s been a while since I’ve posted, you are correct.  AND, if you’re thinking I am posting now because I may be headed off somewhere, you are two-for-two! So before (and after) I give the low-down, I have two embarrassing things (embarrassing for very different reasons) to admit.

First, I am running off to Italy for the second time this year (to Siena this time).  I guess I’m embarrassed to admit that because it sounds so privileged (don’t ya think?).  In my defense (if I need one), a trip to Italy is actually less expensive (and more delicious) than a stay at a mental health facility, so I see it as a win-win.  Also, as many of you know from past blog posts, I kinda have the miles/cheap apartments/etc. thing down to a science. Okay, enough justification – I’m going to Italy and purposely timed it to arrive in time for truffle season and specifically La Mostra del Tartufo in San Giovanni D’Asso (i.e. TRUFFLE FESTIVAL – YAY!!!).  I even found a language school that is going to take a trip to the festival (it is not reachable by train) – you can tell how serious my language studies are when I pick the school for the festival trip, not the reviews of the quality of the classes (the top rated school said “sorry” when I asked them if we could go to the festival)…

Which brings me to the second (more) embarrassing admission…  Since I planned this trip not long-ago, there’s TONS to get done/ready in a short amount of time.  The other day I was on a roll – multi-tasking like nobody’s business; I was getting my to-do list organized, charging my iPod, finding my travel documents, setting up my “out of office reply,” finding my Italy plug converters, cleaning, etc., and in the middle of all that scooped up all the laundry off the bed and threw in a load to wash….  Feeling VERY accomplished about an hour later, I decided to put the laundry in the dryer and make myself an ice cream sundae and watch the Good Place.  So, I get all the laundry out of the washing machine, and (you can tell where this is going I am sure)….there – at –  the – bottom – of – the – washer – is – MY iPAD!!!!   And in case the warning in the title of this post does not drive home the message clear enough, here is the visual:

Stay tuned for hopefully more funny, but less embarrassing (and costly) adventures!

 

 

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by Newmexicotoitaly on November 6, 2017  •  Permalink
Posted in Fun Facts, Italy, here we come!, Musings, Trips In Italy
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on November 6, 2017

https://newmexicotoitaly.com/2017/11/06/fun-fact-ipads-are-not-machine-washable/

A Last Look at Lovely Lucca

Ciao Readers!  Happy Monday!

So, here we are at the end of my trip to Lucca (boo hoo)….  I still have so many nifty photos I haven’t posted as well as some random stories, so thought I’d do a final photo-centric wrap-up with some  sights and info from my adventure.  Enjoy:

Photos from the “Verdemura” (green walls) flower and growers festival:

Check out  the facade of the Cathedral of San Martino (building began in the 1100’s!). Notice how each column is different from the others?  Legend has it that there was a competition to design the columns for the church (these artistic competitions were common in Italy during the Renaissance) – but instead of picking a winner, the town stole and used all the designs and didn’t award a prize or pay anyone!:

This is the “famous” Torre Guingi (the one in the background with the trees growing on top of it – pretty unique feature, no?), which has 227 step to the top that I did not climb:


Remember the handmade pumpkin torteloni I bought back in the “shopping” post?  This is me turning it into a scrumptious dinner – just add butter, sage and parmesan:

One day I just wandered all over town, including down empty alleyways (always so picturesque); I happened upon this large (about 12 feet tall) piece of art made entirely from recycled cardboard, literally in the middle of nowhere….

And, finally, a peak-a-boo farewell to the sea (though technnically not in Lucca):

Thank you, Dear Readers for coming with me to New York and Italy.  Hopefully I will have more blog fodder (i.e. ADVENTURES) soon!

 

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by Newmexicotoitaly on April 17, 2017  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on April 17, 2017

https://newmexicotoitaly.com/2017/04/17/a-last-look-at-lovely-lucca/

La Cucina Italiana, A Trilogy (Part III, Eating)

Ciao Readers!

Today we finish our foodie tour of Lucca (sigh).  So far we’ve covered shopping and cooking – today we simply indulge in EATING (and drinking wine – after all, it is Italy)! While Italian food is not that “difficult” to cook, there’s nothing like having it expertly prepared for you at a local restaurant (or osteria or trattoria or pizzeria).  And, of course, enjoying it over a leisurely two-hour lunch with friends (or dinner, if you can wait to eat till the restaurants open at 8:00 p.m.), just adds to the pleasure of the experience.  Since I still can’t figure out a proper way to share these experiences with you, all I can do is try and paint a picture with words (and pictures).  Join me for some of the dining-out highlights from my trip… included a leisurely lunchtime visit to Gli Orti di via Elisa with two of my lovely classmates from language school where we enjoyed an amazing antipasto platter (the little white square thing is not cheese as it appears, but baccala – perfectly prepared salt cod spread) as well as lovely half-bottles of local wine and maccheroni (the local specialty pasta as we learned from the “cooking” post) with fiore de zucca (zucchini flowers). Instead of trying to describe how wonderful the food and company were, just take a look at the experession on my face – I think it says it all.

There was also a solo visit to indulge in more grilled “polipo” at Il Cuore (actually a gourmet food shop, with a few chairs outside for eating).  I am sorry (and not) to say it put the grilled octopus from Marea in NYC to shame (as good as that was) – melt in your mouth tender and fresh from the sea.  I sat outside in a little square on a beautiful day making “yummy noises” till the very last bite of my seafood salad (and also enjoyed a plate of truffle-infused delicacies).  Add Steve and it would have been the perfect meal:

Next, while I think we both agreed the food wasn’t the best we had in Lucca, my classmate Terri (pictured holding up some fried stuffed anchovies) and I managed to finally stay out late enough one night to eat dinner out, at Ristorante L’anciua Pesce Povero.  I guess we should have realized from the “povero” (poor) in the title that at the ridiculously low price of 20 euros for 4 starters, a main dish, a half bottle of wine (each), bread, coffee, sparkling water, dessert, coffee and limoncello that we were not going to get giant plates of whole fish (“pesce”) (though we did get our mutual favorite, the pictured plate of fried anchovies).  While not as drool-worthy as other meals we shared, we agreed that we enjoyed the family-style meal (no menu), the fact that is was almost all local patrons, and each others’ company!

And, finally, no trip to Italy would be complete without the quintessential Napoletana-syle pizza (thin crust, super hot wood-fired oven).  I’m a traditionalist and stick to the margherita (tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil)  – this is the best one I had on my trip, from a nifty little pizzeria only blocks away from my apartment (which I unfortunately did not discover until the last night of my stay):

Until we eat again…..

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by Newmexicotoitaly on April 13, 2017  •  Permalink
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https://newmexicotoitaly.com/2017/04/13/la-cucina-italiana-a-trilogy-part-iii-eating/

La Cucina Italiana, A Trilogy (Part II, Cooking)

Ciao Readers!  And Happy Passover and Easter!

So, today we’re going to cook in Italy – specifically my language classmate, Terri, and I are cooking with Chef Giuseppe from “Extra Virgin” cooking school.  As you may recall, I have taken a variety of cooking courses in many countries, ranging from the super casual paella cooking with a fun bunch of well-lubricated Australians in Barcelona to the more “professional” kitchen of Le Cordon Bleu in Paris (ooh la la).

While honestly, I already knew much of what we learned (cooking in Italy, unlike France, is “simple” in the best way – a few excellent ingredients combined to perfection), the class with Chef Giuseppe was a wonderful way to end my stay in Lucca (and yes, of course, a DELICIOUS one!).  (As a side note – Chef Giuseppe was featured on House Hunters International with his American love interest, Liz – Liz and I e-chatted about our respective experience with house hunters before I arrived.)  We met up with Giuseppe in the morning and went to a few small shops to get ingredients for the day, where he would fill us in on the products and their “back stories” (and have long leisurely chats with the proprietors).  Once we arrived at the “palazzo” (their apartment, which is Artchitectural-digest-worthy gorgeous!) we were offered drinks (including, of course, prosecco) and enjoyed olive oil and cheese tastings with mini-lessons before we got to cooking. There was obviously great attention to detail paid before we even arrived as there was a beautifully printed menu and place cards with our names on them (more “ooh la la”s).

As I was feeling tired and lazy on my last day in Lucca, and Terri was interested in mastering technique (though she is actually a “professional” herself – she sells her artisinal homemade gelato in her native Seattle!), I mostly nibbled and drank prosecco while Guiseppe and Terri cooked (and Giuseppe somewhat obsesively cleaned-up behind us throughout the day). Don’t let the photo of me laying out the maccheroni to dry fool you (yes, that’s what Lucca’s local specialty pasta is called, and yes, it’s pronounced “macaroni”), Terri did the hard part – all of the kneading of the dough.  The cooking ended with a drool-worthy multi-course meal (artichoke frittatta and salad, risotto with asparagus and truffle butter, maccheroni with ragu, all topped off with a dessert of buccellato (Lucchesi specialty sweet bread with anise), strawberries and lemon custard), served at a beautiful table with well-paired wine.  We left with little gifts, the aprons you see us wearing, and a little cheesiness for good measure (“official” certificates).  Buon Appetito!

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by Newmexicotoitaly on April 10, 2017  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on April 10, 2017

https://newmexicotoitaly.com/2017/04/10/la-cucina-italiana-a-trilogy-part-ii-cooking/

La Cucina Italiana, A Trilogy (Part I, Shopping)

Ciao Readers!

Did you think I forgot you?  Never. I just got busy with language school, leisurely meals…and a cooking class before I left Lucca (and now I am busy with things we lawyers do – not very interesting or delicious blog fodder).  But before the glories of Italian food totally fade from memory, I thought I’d share some of the highlights….

First – and the focus of this post – there is grocery shopping in Italy.  And by “grocery” shopping I don’t necessarily mean going to a grocery store (though if you’re interested in the somewhat amusing “how to” of grocery stores in Italy, check out this earlier post); it will as likely (or more likely) be a cool little outdoor market selling whatever is fresh and local at the time (at this time it was artichokes and strawberries).  Admire some of the market offerings from this past weekend – fruits and veggies and cheeses, oh my!  I am already suffering pangs of longing for the strawberries and cantaloupe I had – why doesn’t the fruit here taste that sweet?!? Then, of course, you can wander into any of the little specialty shops – handmade pumpkin tortoloni, truffle tasting or pistachio cookies anyone?  And no day would be complete without a stop at a panificio (bread shop) for a daily loaf of fresh bread (mine would usually run about 50 cents). It was all so darn YUMMY! (And affordable!) I have to say, I went grocery shopping here yesterday and I was just sad* – look at the fancy lettuces I bought at the grocery store in Italy (last photo)…then zoom in and look at the prices – yes, that’s right – mere cents for fancy speckled radicchio and frisée and baby arugula….

*Of course, when we lived in Italy and ingredients to make Mexican food were nowhere to be found I was equally sad – as they say “L’erba del vicino è sempre piu verde” (roughly, the grass is always greener….)

Next time…join me in my cooking class!

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by Newmexicotoitaly on April 6, 2017  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on April 6, 2017

https://newmexicotoitaly.com/2017/04/06/grocery-shopping-cooking-and-eating-in-italy-part-i-shopping/

“Another” Day by the Sea

Ciao Readers!

So, when we lived in Florence (the more times I write that the less real it seems) we took a day trip to a little town called Castiglioncello to see the ocean, which I followed with the blog post “A Day by the Sea.”  Hence the title of this post…

When you go to tourist language schools in Italy they want to make sure you have a nice time, so there are usually optional activities most afternoons.  Sometimes they are educational, sometimes cultural, sometimes culinary, and sometimes just a chance to get out and about with other students…. Wednesday’s “giro” was a drive to a little seaside town, Portovenere.  If you’re familiar with the Italian coastline (NW side), Portovenere is just a short ways from the much more famous Cinque Terre, in Liguria.  While it is an adorable little town and there are a couple of minor “sights,” including a couple of very old churches, it’s really all about the sea….

Enjoy:

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by Newmexicotoitaly on March 29, 2017  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on March 29, 2017

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“The Wanderer’s Guide to Lucca”

Ciao Readers! And happy Monday after Spring Break! We have finally made it to Italy….

The title of this post reflects both its focus, as well as the book from which I got most of the substantive information.  As you may recall, back when we lived in Florence (was that real?!), we took a day trip here and had a thoroughly lovely time.  Now I have 10 days in which to really explore this place…

Lucca is mainly known for two things – primarily, its wall; secondly, Puccini.  Apparently there have been 3 sets of walls built around Lucca, dating back to Roman times;  the current wall, which completely circles the town, was built from 1550 to 1650, using much of the town’s resources (human and economic) for 100 years!   Either it was money and time well-spent or wasted, depending on your perspective – no one ever tried to bombard the town again (Pisa had in the past).  Of course, the walls did little to protect Lucca from “modern” warfare, and Napoleon took over in the early 1800’s and “gifted” the city to his sister, Elisa.  Now the wall basically serves one perfect function – THE town park where everyone bikes and jogs and partakes in the lovely Italian ritual known as the “Passeggiata” (ambling, chatting, and basically passing the time).  I spent my first two days here doing my own passeggiata – come along with me:

In addition to the lovely wall, the entire town has lots of cool old architecture, complete with more churches than you can count, and relaxing little bistros and shops now occupying the old historical buildings.  I am sure I will learn more and post some specifics, but for now, take a wander with me around Lucca (saving my stop at the truffle store to taste and shop for a future post about food), ending at the picturersque building that is my school (which I start tomorrow/today when this posts):

Thanks for joining me!

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by Newmexicotoitaly on March 27, 2017  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on March 27, 2017

https://newmexicotoitaly.com/2017/03/27/the-wanderers-guide-to-lucca/

Fast to Fancy – NYC Food is Fab!

Ciao Readers!

So, as I sit here in Lucca Italy on a rainy Sunday and try and think deep thoughts (time to think = large part of my motivation for this trip), I’ve decided a light-hearted blog about food (what else?!) fits the bill until I have something more profound to share….

Every time I go to New York I am overwhelmed (in a “I wish I had more room in my stomach” way) by all the food choices. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’d be adrift without a steady supply of New Mexico green chile (everything’s better with it – including matzo ball soup!), but it’s a big wonderful world full of food out there and no matter what you want, New York has it (in contrast, NM does not have any of the following things we enjoyed on our trip): Octopus cooked to perfection? -check. NYC style pizza and linguini with clam sauce? -check. Lobster rolls to rival Maine? -check. Korean food court? -check. Egg bagel with whitefish salad? -check. 100+ year-old Italian bakery with tricolor cookies? -check.  Shake Shack? -check and check! But instead of continuing to drool in my mind, I’ll “share” some of these delicacies with you – Bon appetite!

Two subways and a walk for the tri-color cookies of my dreams (and some requested pignoli cookies for our friend Sue, formerly of NYC) – totally worth it:

Carbo-loading before the NYC half at our perennial favorite, John’s – YUM!

An expedition to Food Gallery 32 in “Koreatown” for spicy squid and bibimbap:

Our splurge lunch at Marea on the outskirts of Central Park (I didn’t have the chutzpah to pull out my camera too often in this place, but here’s the best thing we had – from the menu – “POLIPO – grilled octopus, smoked potatoes, pickled red onion, radish, chilies, tonnato”):

A trip to a hip new food court, where Luke’s Lobster serves a mean lobster roll (i.e. butter soaked bun filled with sweet and tender lobster):

And, of course, the joy of once again requietting my new-found love of a “fast food” burger – SHAKE SHACK!

Thanks for reading (and dream-eating with me)!!!

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by Newmexicotoitaly on March 26, 2017  •  Permalink
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Posted by Newmexicotoitaly on March 26, 2017

https://newmexicotoitaly.com/2017/03/26/fast-to-fancy-nyc-food-is-fab/

New York City Half Marathon

Ciao Readers!

I am already in Lucca Italy, so slower strolling on my mind and agenda, but I couldn’t let the NYC half marathon come and go without a post!  Honestly, I’ve been waiting for 2 reasons – 1) the internet here in my apartment in Lucca is down for the second day in a row (add in gross sheets and ARG!) and 2) I was still holding out hope that the “nice” runners I met in the subway were actually going to email photos from the run as promised (I really regret not running with a phone/camera, that’s what I get for joining the 21st century so late).  But alas, we will do the best we can with what we have….

The day before the run (actually for 3 days before the run), there was a big expo/packet pick-up, where you got to get your number, shirt, spend money on more shirts, and find your name on the wall of runners (and panic wondering if your plane would get in on time in the snow so you didn’t miss the window to get your number):