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Sunday, September 27, 2009

Love Of My Life -- September 28, 2008


It was exactly one year ago today that I attended a Queen concert at the Assago Forum in Milano. To be perfectly honest, I hardly ever go to concerts, but how can one pass up the fun opportunity to experience a concert in another country? And I thought it would give me a chance to perhaps discover the answer to something that I'd always been curious about, namely, how audiences in non-English-speaking countries participate in a musical experience in the same way that I do, when they don't understand the words of the songs they are listening to. Cheering, clapping, the arms waving, whistling, that was all the same. But still, did the crowd know what they were cheering at? Was it just music, without any meaning behind it?

Touring with Queen to sing the parts that Freddy Mercury had sung was Paul Rogers. Somewhere in the middle of the concert he took a barstool, his guitar, and a microphone to the end of the runway, and with a lone spotlight pointed on him he recreated Freddy Mercury singing "Love of My Life." Here's a video taken from near my seat. Listen to these 11,000 people, let's assume mostly Italian, sing Love of My Life. For the first moments I forgot I was in Italy, as they sang loud and clear in English. After all, it sounded normal to me. Then the reality clicked about where I was, and it made the moment much more magical. It was one of those perfect moments, that come rarely in life, where all is aligned in the universe, and we were all speaking one common language, no translation necessary, No doubt, no doubt in my mind at all, that they totally knew what they were singing, that they totally got it. Listen for yourself...





See what's coming up at the Assago Forum (now called the Mediolanum Forum). Maybe there's a great concert when you'll be here. If you don't have a car you can still reach there by taking a train into Milan. Shuttles run from the MM2 Famagosta directly to the forum.
http://mediolanumforum.it/en/

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Ristorante il Vicoletto

The small terrace at Ristorante il Vicolleto.
Recently I spoke about the octopus dishes that I ate in Stresa. One of them was from Ristorante il Vicoletto, and I promised that I'd talk again about the entire meal that I ate there, as it was one of my favorites. Vicoletto is found on Vicolo del Poncivo, 3, a little bit off of the new Piazza Possi, on a charming side alley that also houses the post office, the K2 gelato shop, Marcello's coffee bar Torrefazione, and a variety of slightly eccentric buildings. When Massimiliano Quarenga, he's the chef, and Monica Francese, she's the house manager, took over the space they renovated both inside and out. An outside alcove has been turned into a terrace with five tables. It's a small and quiet spot, with three sides enclosed with walls, and the fourth, open to the street, is shielded with glass, which provides a nice barrier against wind on the terrace but still allows a view out. Inside, the restaurant seats 60. The decor inside is cozier, with white cloth-covered tables and cabinets filled with wine bottles. The food is traditional for the Lago Maggiore region, and the presentation, as you can see, is beautiful.

We were shown immediately to our table on the terrace, as we had made a prenotazione, a reservation, the day before. Grisini, breadsticks were already on the table. Water and our Vermentino Ligure were brought quickly, along with a basket of small breads. For our primo we had the carpaccio di polpo con pomodorini pachino and the insalata caprese. Both portions were large, fresh, and delicious. They were served on the square white plates that, it turned out, all the courses were served on.

Insalata caprese and my carpaccio di polpo were the primi piatti.

For our secondi, we both chose the pesto con trofie. This was a generous serving of the traditional, twisted little trofie pasta well-tossed with pesto. This pesto was a little lighter than some others I've had, which I liked, as others can become too heavy, and this was a generous portion. There were a few green beans and chunks of potatoes mixed into the dish, and for show, a parmesan cheese crisp decorating the top.

Perfectly prepared piatti di pesto.

Lucky us, because our pestos weren't too heavy, we still had room enough for these desserts. Again on the square plate with flared edges, I had the tiramisu. I liked that it was an individual serving, as everything stayed together, and as you can see, it had a wonderfully thick topping of cocoa. And the artistic dessert that looks like a volcano is pistachio ice cream with chocolate syrup.

A delicious tiramisu of my very own.

Vicoletto has an ambiance that I really like. It manages to have the service and the quality of food of a fancier restaurant but with a casual and comfortable feel. It's getting great reviews on lots of travel web sites. Dress is casual. Expect to spend about 30 to 50 euro/person. 


Ristorante Vicoletto
Vicolo del Poncivo 3, Stresa
tel. 0323 932102

Open for lunch and dinner every day except Thursday.

www.ristoranteilvicoletto.com

Thursday, September 24, 2009

FYI -- Is There An Internet Cafe In Stresa?


A reader wrote in to ask:

Q: Is there an Internet Cafe in Stresa?


A: Yes, there is... The Newdata Internet Point is located in the center of Stresa, on Via De Vit, 15/A. This is only a short street off of the Piazza Cadorna. From the piazza walk down the street on the right side of Cafe Torino.

Internet availability in hotels in Stresa is still haphazard at best. Sometimes even when a hotel advertises service it can be unreliable, and computers available for guests to use may be outdated and slow.

Apart from the Newdata Internet Cafe there's only one spot I would suggest going to for Internet access, and that is L'Idrovolante, the bar/restaurant/Internet Cafe at the Stresa Carciano boat imbarcadero. L'Idro has a computer for public use, for which they charge a very nominal fee.

Stresa's Internet Cafe on Via Bolongaro.

Important note: Do remember to bring identification, such as your passport or other official ID, with you to either Internet point. You won't be allowed to use the computers without it.


Friday, September 18, 2009

Gratitude Friday, But On Saturday


Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.
- Jim Rohn


Tick tock, tick tock... Time... This week I'm enormously grateful for time, and ironically so, because time is something I have had almost nothing of for the past ten days. During that time, I've given all my time to another, taking care of my father, who is recovering after a major surgery. And so, while I've had no time for my own pursuits, I'm grateful today that I've had all this time to give. And yes, I know I didn't get around to Gratitude Friday until Saturday, but, like so many things, meglio tardi che mai, better late than never...

This is also my way of apologizing for my lack of posts in these days. Until I do have the time again, please take a look at my friend girasoli's posts about her trip to Stresa on her blog Shave Ice and Gelato. Her photographs and observations are wonderful. And take a look at the other posts about gratitude with the links on Diana's blog, Creative Structures.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Serious Cappuccino

This is a "good" cappuccino from the IperCoop supermarket caffe bar, Gravellona.

We've been comparing cappuccinos... Giuseppe tells me that there is average cappuccino, there is good cappuccino, and then there is serious cappuccino, and I absolutely need to know the difference. This isn't about knowing how to make a perfect cappuccino, it's only about drinking them.

Just average cappuccino, hmm, try to stay away from it.

This is a "below average" looking cappuccino. There's just no... excitement to it.
Go at least for a good one. A good cappuccino has the following qualities: It should be the perfect temperature the moment it is put in front of you. Not so hot that you need to wait to drink it, and not so cool that it tastes like it's been sitting on the counter for some time. The foam should be foamy, but not too much or too little. That is, it shouldn't disappear like soda bubbles in just moments. It also shouldn't be like drinking coffee through whipped cream. It should be a perfect balance of steamed milk and caffe blending together as you drink, leaving only a bit of foam clinging to the side of the cup after you take that last sip. You can sprinkle chocolate on top of a good cappuccino, or you may be asked if you want some and it will be sprinkled in a design.

This is another "good" cappuccino. It's from Caffe Torino in Piazza Cadorna, Stresa.

Serious cappuccino takes all of the above good qualities and turns it into an art form. In serious cappuccino, after the steamed milk is poured, the barista moves the espresso through the milk with a stirrer to make those designs that make us go awwwwww...

Awww... This is a "serious" cappuccino, from Gigi Bar, Stresa.

Take a look at some really serious cappuccini in this video:





The Italian Espresso National Institute now safeguards and promotes Italian Espresso through a product certification process. Companies which comply with the manufacturing processes set forth by the organization have the right to display the Certified Italian Espresso mark, guaranteeing consumers of an espresso which meets the high standards:

On sight, a Certified Espresso Italiano has a hazel-brown to dark - brown foam – characterised by tawny reflexes – with a very fine texture (absence of large mesh and larger or smaller bubbles). The nose reveals an intense scent with notes of flowers, fruits, toasted bread and chocolate. All of these sensations are felt also after swallowing the coffee in the long lasting aroma that remains for several seconds, sometimes even for minutes. Its taste is round, substantial and velvet-like. Sour and bitter tastes are well balanced and neither one prevails over the other. There is no, or a barely perceptible, astringent taste.

I'd like to thank my colleague, who put in some serious time helping me research serious cappuccini.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Stresa Remembers


This morning, the mayor of Stresa, Canio Di Milia, placed a vase of flowers at the base of the monument in Stresa commemorating 9/11. The monument, a pair of six-meter tall steel columns representing the Twin Towers, was designed by world-renowned artist Helidon Xhixha, and set in its place on Stresa's lakefront on September 11, 2002. A matching statue was given by the artist to the United States, and after being exhibited in numerous cities around the world was placed in its permanent home in Manhattan in 2008.

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This link shows a few other 9/11 memorials in the Milan U.S. Consulate District.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Polpo Three Ways

Octopus, polpo, has become one of my favorite foods to eat when I'm in Stresa. Part of the reason is that I rarely see polpo on menus here in my part of the United States. But the main reason is that it's just so delicious, simple, and healthy. Here are three memorable polpo dishes from my recent stay in Stresa:

Insalata di Polpo con Patate
Caffe Torino, in Piazza Cadorna, is becoming my casual restaurant of choice, and this salad is one of the reasons why. This couldn't be any simpler. Chunks of polpo and chunks of potato, boiled, and then tossed together and served warm with a light oil and vinegar dressing and a bit of parsley. I had this as my primo piatto; I followed it with a plate of ravioli con brie e speck, and only sparkling water on that hot evening, sitting outside in the piazza.

Insalata di Polpo con Patate.

Carpaccio di Polpo con Pomodorini Pachino
At Ristorante Vicoletto I had as my primo one evening this plate of very thinly sliced octopus, served with what I call cherry tomatoes, pomodorini pachino. The dish was lightly tossed with very nice olive oil, and the plate drizzled with the most delicious balsalmic vinegar. Vicoletto is a lovely little restaurant in Via Bolongaro. My portion of polpo was quite large, as was the pesto dish I had as a second. This evening, white wine, and there was still room for dessert.

Carpaccio di Polpo con Pomodorini Pachino.

Insalata Tiepida di Mare
I feel a little funny talking about O'Connor's Pub in this post. It is, obviously, not an Italian restaurant. It's a typical Irish pub, but it happens to serve surprisingly good Italian food. There are several reasons I like going to O'Connors. First, definitely the food. Then, the atmosphere. O'Connors is clearly not a tourist destination. It has a comfortable enclosed garden set with many tables. Part of the garden is covered with a porch; I ate under there one rainy evening. It's always been crowded when I've been there, and if the locals think the food is that good they must be right. This salad with polpo I've had a couple of times. The bowl is a fascinating mix of pieces of polpo, calamari, shrimp, potato, green beans, pomodorini pachino, rucola lettuce, and green olives. Oh, and one other ingredient, moscardini. Moscardini were a new thing for me. They are teeny tiny complete little octopuses, each being maybe the size of those large olives. If you look closely you can see a couple of them in this bowl. And yes, you just pop them in your mouth whole. This salad, like the others, is dressed with a light oil and vinegar dressing. The blend of flavors is incredible. This would definitely make for a very complete light meal for me. But I followed it with a fillet wrapped in pastry dough, and, since it is O'Connor's, of course Guinness. What a meal...

Insalata Tiepida di Mare.

There you have it. Polpo, three different ways, at three different restaurants that are favorites of mine. If polpo is as unique for you as it is for me I recommend trying these, as they are very traditional dishes in the region. Note that sometimes you may see polpo spelled polipo on menus or recipes, the words are uguale, the same.

I've been told that cooking polpo is another thing that I must learn to do, and that it is on the next-time-in-Stresa-things-to-do list. Chissa, forse un giorno sara' una festa di polpo sul terrazo dalla casa mia! Who knows, maybe one day there will be a big polpo party on the terrace of my house! Chissa!


Thursday, September 3, 2009

My House

When I first started this blog I clearly stated that it was my plan to live in Stresa some day. Today, I'm happy to say that I've moved one step closer towards that goal. I've found my house. It is perfect. It has a pool and a view of the lake. It has everything that's on my wish list. It doesn't matter that this house isn't for sale. Or that I don't know where it is. Those are just minor details of little importance... the house is, will be, mine...


The view from my future terrace. My future pool is just off to the left.


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