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Saturday, July 27, 2013

Outdoor Activity: Hiking The Orridi di Uriezzo



The charming town of Baceno, nestled in Italian Alps just a stone's throw from Switzerland.

So... a priest, an astronaut, an American and an Italian walk into the woods. Sounds like the classic joke? Well, it's no joke. It happened last weekend, when we went to see the Orridi di Uriezzo. This is a fascinating natural formation dating to the last Ice Age, when glaciers moving through Europe carved great, long lakes (Lago Maggiore among them) and deep, flat mountain valleys. But a certain combination of factors in this location left particularly beautiful results: the now-named Orridi and the Marmite Gigante.

We drove up to Baceno, a pretty Alpine town in Italy near the Swiss border. It took about 40 minutes from Stresa. Parking for the Orridi path is in front of the medieval church; worth peaking into as it was one of those churches that looks so unassuming on the exterior but then opens to glorious treasures inside. To begin the walk, enter the path on the left of the church, down and around the church and into the woods. The ground varies between ancient rock-paving, to dirt, to solid rock that shone in the sunlight like metal.   (continued ...   )

Friday, July 19, 2013

Food Festivals





There are so many different food festivals throughout the summer in Stresa and the surrounding towns. Like this one last night, and again this evening, the annual Cibi di Strada, Street Food, in Intra. In four areas around Intra, Piazza Ranzoni, Piazza San Vittore, Via San Vittore, and Corso Mameli, between 6 and 10 pm, more than a dozen restaurants set up serving tables outside. One could purchase tickets, 10 euro for three, and then exchange each for a plate of food. Pick up your wine glass and its holder to wear around your neck. Each glass of wine was also one ticket. Then sit at one of the tables also set up for dining, or wander to the next serving station, or across to the lake.




Want your mouth to water? Listen to some of these offerings... From Gattabuoa: Arancini di Riso con Gorgonzola e Panatura di Riso Venere; from Il Ristorante Piccolo Lago: Spiedino Maranata, Batida de Coco; and from La Pesa, the very intriguing Sandwich con Gelato al Parmigiano Reggiano e Prosciutto di Parma. Yes, that's an ice cream sandwich made with parmesan and prosciutto flavored gelatos.

Food: Cicinin - Panini al Metro. In Other Words, Subway Sandwiches!




Look at this adorable little sandwich 'shop' that opened this year in the center of Stresa, Cicinin - Panini al Metro. Just a window opening onto the street, like many gelato shops, but it's the first I've seen here done this way exclusively for sandwiches. Panini al METRO, translated to sandwiches in the subway style, is a reference to subway sandwiches, as in the American chain of Subway shops.


The shop is located there, on the left, at this junction of via Roma and via P. Tomaso. From this viewpoint the lake is directly in front of us, the Leone bookshop is on the right, and Piazza Cadorna is out of view, but to the right.
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Friday, July 12, 2013

News: Villa Taranto Is As Perfect As Ever!

Last August a terrible micro-tornado devastated the beautiful, almost one-hundred-year-old gardens of Villa Taranto (read here). In the immediate aftermath of that storm the damage seemed so vast that initially it was thought the garden would remain closed indefinitely. I'm so happy to tell you that instead of an indefinite closure, Villa Taranto opened this season on its normal opening date of March 16. I visited recently, and to be honest, I am in awe. There is (almost) no sign at all of the storm. (Almost) nothing to indicate it even occurred. I cannot imagine the works and organization that must have taken place all during the winter to make this happen. Huge kudos to everyone at Villa Taranto ... this is one job extremely well done. Following are some photos from my visit there last week.  
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Sunday, July 7, 2013

Caffe: Survival Tips For The Caffeine Deprived In Italy -- Part ll




Things are definitely looking better and better for me when it comes to finding sources of reliable caffeine here in Stresa. You may recall my early struggles and failures (read here). And you may already know that I totally caved last winter and now have an American-style drip coffee machine here, and bring several bags of coffee with me each time I come (read here). But now, there's a new weapon in my coffee survival arsenal. (con't ... )

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Sunday Near Cannero


What a wonderful surprise of a Sunday! First, the weather gods provided a perfect day. Second, that meant we could use the scooter. This is a larger BMW scooter, too large for me to manage as a driver, but plenty of space for me to travel as a passenger. It stores two helmets under the seat, and I find it very comfortable. And how about my banana yellow casco, helmet! 



We set out for Cannero, a perfect little jewel of a town up the lake, very near to Switzerland. The reason was to meet a friend, to take a look at some property he owns. This property is directly on the lake, and has an astounding view of the Castelli di Cannero from its terraces. I kept myself busy taking photos while they talked business.

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STRESA SIGHTS by DANA KAPLAN

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