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.

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.


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.

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.



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

Open for lunch and dinner every day except Thursday.

www.ristoranteilvicoletto.com

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.

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.

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.

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.


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...

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.

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.



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

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.

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.


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...


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.

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...

In almost every Italian town there is a piazza, the open public square which is the center of the town's public life. A piazza can be large, such as the Piazza del Campo in Siena, or just a small intersection where no traffic is allowed, such as Piazza Wagner in Milano. It can be a traditional square with the town church at the center, or some other shape, as is the oval Piazza dell'Anfiteatro in Lucca.

Stresa has at its center Piazza Cadorna. Only 100 meters inland from the Stresa imbarcadero, and pretty much truly geographically in the center of town, Piazza Cadorna is the spot where everyone gathers to meet, to watch, to eat, to listen, or to fare niente, to do nothing at all. It's difficult to believe that only a few years ago this bustling piazza wasn't what you see today. In winter months the open space was used as a parking lot. In summer, the cars were prohibited and restaurants allowed to use the space. But it's only within the past five years or so that the area has been closed permanently to traffic and used exclusively as a piazza. To me, it is a sign of the growing renaissance of Stresa, and of the understanding of the great value and meaning that a piazza gives to a small town such as this. It also allowed the piazza to develop its own style, with planters and flowers, and it has encouraged the restaurants and shops to invest in better tables, chairs, and lights that give it the special ambiance that it now has.

The piazza is lined with a nice selection of better shops, including those for books, eyewear, cosmetics, shoes, jewelry, stationery, and leather. A few small hotels, such as Hotel Elena, open onto the piazza. There are at least three gelato shops. The center of the piazza has been filled with the chairs and tables of various restaurants in a tight square pattern. Overhead, the umbrellas are large, and touching each other, creating an outdoor roof. Little lights and greenery complete the setting. Around the periphery all the restaurants have done the same, with tables extending out into the piazza. Waiters rush back and forth from kitchens out into the square, trays balanced on one hand.


I spent a lot of time in Piazza Cadorna this summer. I met friends for cappuccinos and shakeratos at Cafe Nazionale. I enjoyed several gelati at L'Angelo del Gelato. One evening, a jazz band played on a make-shift stage on the western side of the square; many of the restaurant chairs had been put into use to create curved seating for the audience. While the band played, a painter worked on a thirty-foot long mural close by, painting as inspired by the music. Another lovely evening, late, I shared pizzas with Colleague at Cafe Torino. Although almost midnight, the restaurant, in fact all the piazza, was still crowded. Joe Diverio played the piano at Cafe Torino that night, popular sing-a-long songs in Italian, German, French, and English. Touristy? Yes it was... Fun? You bet.

I had such a nice surprise this week when I stumbled upon Stresa Sights recently added to the list of Italian-related blogs on the blog site Italy Tutto. Therefore this Gratitude Friday I'd like to give a big thanks to Italy Tutto. Italy Tutto is a wonderful site, they locate blogs about Italy and arrange them by region. Take a look, I think you'll find some nice reading there...

So THANKS! Italy Tutto, for helping me to spread the word about Stresa. A good Friday to all, and don't forget to check out more gratitude at Creative Structures.

What a sweet story about Helga and Christoph Filke, from Germany, who have visited Stresa for thirty straight years beginning in 1979, staying always in the Hotel Primavera, always in the same room, #433. That first trip was during a bus tour from Rome, but each summer since they have returned on their own for two weeks. In the photo, the Filkes are in the center, with Canio Di Milia, the mayor of Stresa, on the left. On the right of the photo is Alberto Ferraris, owner of the Primavera Hotel. The Filkes proudly display the gifts the mayor has given to them -- a plaque, and the recently published book, Stresa, L'incanto. As proof that the Filkes were enchanted with Stresa right from the start Christoph Filke showed the reservation letter he received in 1979, and that he has saved all these years, for a double room at the Hotel Primavera, for which at that time he paid 10,000 lire.

How many times will YOU visit Stresa?

I've been following the news about this project for some time, and I'm happy to hear that it has finally come to fruition. For the first time, tourists are able to travel, by boat alone, from Ascona, Switzerland, to Venice. A group of 16 Swiss tourists booked the inaugural cruise, which travels through Lago Maggiore, the Ticino River, the Po River, and finally, the Adriatic Sea before arriving in Venice. This aquatic trek covers 670 kilometers, and stops in eight points of interest, the first being Isola Bella for a tour of the Palazzo Borromeo, and the last being a ride right into the Grand Canal in Venice. Four trips are planned for 2010, always with a focus on culture and food. For those of you who have already done it all, or have fond memories of cruises on French canals, this is one to add to your list.

We decided to have an American bbq. The kind you see on American TV shows let's say. We were doing this in a town called Druogno, in the Valle Vigezzo in the Italian Alps, where we were spending the weekend. We were a pretty international bunch, with me being the American, some Italians, and some South Africans. The weather on this July weekend was much cooler than in Stresa, the air was fresh, and the sky was crystal clear. Perfect barbeque weather.

Here's how it went: We found some supplies at Ipercoop, the large supermarket in the area.

We found hamburger patties at the local butcher shop. Not sure how often he makes them...


We found nacho chips and salsa, we even found a watermelon, but we couldn't find corn on the cob.

We made a cheesecake.

I know, I know, it should have been an apple pie, but a cheesecake called New York style seemed very American as well.

So how'd we do? Was it a truly American bbq? Well, we had our nachos, sprinkled with grated parmasan and served with focaccia and spinach tart...


We had our burgers and ribs, but we also had spicy salsiccia, which, it turns out, do not work well with hot dog buns.


While we did have some beer, we also had wine, prosecco, and grappa. The cheesecake was a big success, but we forgot about the watermelon, which we had put into the freezer for some reason.

It didn't take long at all for the table to look like this...


Oh well... I tried. And we had fun. Next time, I'm thinking to show them how to make s'mores... if I can find marshmallows that is...

A: There is indeed a supermarket in Stresa; a small branch of the Carrefour chain, and there are several other smaller market choices as well (continue to bottom of post for list). While it is not huge, it has a really good selection of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and breads. If you don't have access to a kitchen you can ask for prosciutto, buy yourself a loaf of bread and some cheese, and have easy sandwiches for a picnic along the lake. Estimate about 100 grams of meat per sandwich when you order. If you do have a kitchen, there's everything you'll need, including some fresh pasta in the back of the store, jars of ragu, or packaged tortellini in flavors much more special than our American 'emergency' food. There's also a nice selection of wine...

The store is right in the center of town, but you'll never see it unless you know what to look for. The market has entrances on both Via P. Tomaso and Via Roma, and is just one street further into town than Piazza Cadorna. If you are walking away from the lake on Via P. Tomaso, the entrance is on your right. On both streets the entrances are recessed, and the signage outside is a small Carrefour sign extending from the building.  Here is the entrance to Carrefour on Via P. Tomaso:

Hai una carota per me? Do you have a carrot for me?

One morning, instead of my usual jog along the lake, I decided to combine my exercise with bit of sightseeing. And so instead of turning left at the Stresa Imbarcadero, I turned right, and jogged about five minutes the short distance to the Parco and Zoo Pallavicino. I was able to do a good invigorating walk on the hilly paths of the 20 hectares of the park and zoo, and then, after cooling down with a water bottle bought at the Chalet Bar, I walked through again, more leisurely this time.

The Parco and Zoo Pallavicino is an interesting combination of zoo, historic villa, and beautiful Italian garden. From my perspective, visiting in July when all is in full bloom, I'd say it seemed more garden than zoo. But little travelers may see it differently, and that the cages and enclosures are hidden behind plants until one is directly upon them might give children a bit of a surprise-around-every-corner feel. Actually, it did for me as well. To walk through a rose garden, and then around a water pond, only to come nose-to-nose with a zebra in his cage, was quite novel. Make sure you notice both the famous cypress arches, and the over 40 species of mammals and exotic birds.




The interior of the villa, built in the 1800s, is not open to visitors, but its grounds are used as a venue for some of the Stresa Festival events. It, and all the parkland, is still owned by the Pallavicino family. They made the park available to the public in the 1950s, and it's become one of the popular sights in Stresa, whether you're looking for gardens, things to do with children, or tutte le due, both.