Calm After the Storm

It was a little weird to watch the HHI show - after spending 5 days of filming and seeing it cut down to 23 minutes, it seemed a little thin and I think they edited it just to catch all my "wow"s. But the whole experience was fun and now seeing Ray walk away from watching it after 5 minutes kind of says it all!

I will post some photos of a festa we attended in Monzuno a couple of weekends ago. Twenty chefs came from Bologna to cook two different menus and we signed up for one each, then visited the various stalls to taste their goods. It was really a treat (also to drink wines from the local vineyards, one of which was my favorite: Tizzano) and I hope somebody stateside comes next year to try it with us. This weekend we will go to Urbino with Andrea's students, and the following to Rome where Andrea has a conference. Otherwise, the days are full of commuting and students for both of us. Ray is doing well at the International School. He is learning all the rules and comes home with a "well done" sticker most days.

Well, it's late and I have to get up in 5 hours so I'll post the photos in the next day or so. Buona notte.

Late summer Saturday

Saturdays are for:

gift of a basket of fresh vegetables from the neighbor's garden (again)

and with some help chopping from a little boy

turns into a late summer lunch

followed by an evening of bread making.

September I'll Remember....

I feel almost like a real local - the man at the forno (bread bakery) sold me bread on credit (I had only a big bill, not that I went shopping with no cash!), and the green grocer knows what I want before I open my mouth (almost always "5 peaches: 2 yellow, 3 white and a bunch of grapes"). I also make it a point to have a quick chat in our real estate agent's office as Albertina is very sweet and it cracks me up that she tells me more about our business than I know myself (for example, we are getting our driveway paved this weekend and I didn't even think she would know, but she had already told the mailperson not to go up to the house but to drop the mail to her for us to pick up).

September is lingering outside the door, and Ray begins his first day at the International School on the first. I am looking forward to some interesting conversations we will have in the car during our 45 minute commute, and also to having him in the classroom next door. He is going to love the school. I returned to work yesterday and it is lovely to reconnect with colleagues who are now good friends and we will go out for drinks after work tomorrow.

Ray has discovered a new life here in Monzuno. A typical day is helping me with the gardening, a hike on the trails that run along the property line (we had a picnic in a field my last day home), a little soccer practice in the yard, and running through the wet sheets on the clothesline. It's the childhood I hoped he would experience, and so am very happy. He is also enjoying the neighbor's dog, Asia, who comes to visit every day (at dinner time). As for Andrea - after his initial panic attack of moving out of the city - he can't wipe the smile off his face when we sit outside in the evening breezes, while those in Bologna swelter under the oppressive heat and humidity. It is a real slice of what I imagine heaven might be like.

I am a little embarrassed to post our Househunter's show info as I don't know how idiotically we will be portrayed, but here goes: http://www.hgtv.com/house-hunters-international/chris-and-her-husband-andrea-want-to-raise-their-son-in-the-countryside-outside-of-bologna-italy/index.html

Some of the photos below are another Monzuno sunrise (I can't catch the beauty on film), a day in the life of Ray, a Monzuno festa, and the one above is the pre-terrace entrance. We have to figure out what will tolerate the freeze of the winters here. Come see these things firsthand!

Dog Days Update

Our neighbor's welcome basket included a bottle of nocino (a wine made from walnuts, not in photo). Fresh picked from her garden, I hope Rita will help me next spring with vegetable and fruit choices to plant. Below is one of her husband's motorcycles, a Ducati. Filippo has a collection that includes many beautiful vintage ones.

I am almost done painting just over half of the walls. We had some of Andrea's furniture delivered from Lugo, and the moving guy, Giorgio, installed it and this Saturday is returning for a BBQ with his wife and four adopted children. We have used him for three moves so we are becoming friends and as he has a hardware and garden shop, is bringing us our new grill (I hope I like it as I really would like a Weber kettle grill but I know he doesn't carry those).

Monzuno sunrise. The weather these days are just gorgeous. When living in Bologna, I discouraged August visits as everything shuts down, but out here there is a festival in a nearby town every night, and the oppressive heat stays in the valley Bologna sits in.

One more link...

For those of you who didn't see his post on facebook, Kenji is scoring in magazine write-ups:

http://www.rentedspaces.com/2010/08/03/big-deal-chef-in-a-small-kitchen-10-questions-with-kenji-lopez/

some links

I wanted to post some newish links. Andrea has updated the BCSP site and Sky, the student who filmed our househunters audition tape for us, did this very nice intro of the program: http://www.bcsp.unibo.it/index.htm You can imagine how happy Ray was when Alexandra would babysit, and check out Rodolfo on the Internship Profile video on the same page.
Check out Sky's personal experiences of Bologna food at: http://www.skymedia.tv/SKYMEDIA/sky_media.html (my favorite is Cioccolato but listen to the caffeine buzzed guy in Il Caffe)
And then there is Marc, whose blog I still enjoy reading: http://www.marcbologna.blogspot.com/ (and we get an honorable mention again in "Goodbye BCSP")
And of course, if you come visit, Florence is an hour away: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/travel/25hours.html but who needs all that history when you have your own American in Italy stuffing you with ragu and pasta and wine?

We're in. Monzuno Rocks.

From this to this:

We are two weeks into the new place and it has been a long haul. Moving was stressful due to Andrea's last-minute cold feet of moving out of civilization, but he has been won over by the beauty of nature, the peace and quiet (except for the deer calls at night), and the space we have to put all our things (no more washing machine in the bathroom). The best part is having the outdoor space for our plants and for Ray to play. We'll be busy in the spring putting in the 40 lavender plants we have planned for the dry, rocky soil of the area.

Andrea was busy setting up his new (off-limits) office and is counting on some privacy. Ray asks on occassion when we are going back to Bologna, but is starting to understand that this isn't vacation and yesterday during a trip into town, discovered a classmate from Bo who spends time here with his grandparents so they have a play date tomorrow. In addition, friends Harriett and Philippa visited on different occassions with their 3 kids each and it is great to have them play hard and not be underfoot. This is something new for us after years in tiny spaces. We also hiked the trail behind our house with the Hoddells and it was quite beautiful (and challenging, I must admit). I have already seen the truffle hunters behind our house with their dogs, seeking out where the gold is hidden to return in October to collect them at maturity.

This past weekend we were invited to lunch at an agriturismo with Andrea's friends. Their daughter has a restaurant and it is not far from here. See her holding up the Florentine steaks for approval before cooking. I bought a bottle of their wine since it was so delicious, and now that I can actually start storing bottles in the cantina.

Today I will start painting the walls while Andrea takes Ray into Bologna for some errands. The house is still a mess and we are trying to sort out all the stuff - how we fit all this into our little place in Bologna, I will never know but am taking this opportunity to donate many things to a local place. I admit, though, I am loving the kitchen, our neighbor's dog Asia (who joins us for a meal now and then) and the mornings of juice and coffee outdoors while Ray takes a quick swim and sunbathes.

Visit. xxoo

Why I love the Italian (European) Football Culture

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/25/sports/soccer/25slovakiagame.html?hp

As you know, football (don't call it soccer) isn't just a national obsession. It runs in the blood so it is in the DNA of Italians and a huge part of the culture. I have learned that the best time to go food shopping or to the park is when there is a big game on, and as a result, little traffic and no crowds. I just finished watching the Italy/Slovakia game, and Italy lost (3-2)and is out of the World Cup games. They were the champions of the last World Cup, and so this is especially disappointing. But we did have the pleasure of being in Sicily for final game four years ago. We watched it outdoors in the piazza of the small town we were staying at- the game was projected onto a bedsheet hung by the young men onto the side of the town hall. Unfortunately, a torrential rainstorm came through half way and the tv lost its reception, and our friend Marco (who, with Kathryn, was vacationing with us) ran all the way back to our apartment to continue watching the game.

When I went to get Ray at school today, the Italy game had just started. The classroom had been converted to a TV room. The teachers lined up chairs in front of a small TV and the students - 3, 4, and 5 year olds - had the Italian colors painted on their cheeks and were all sitting quietly and watching the game. They sure start them young, eh?

Why do I LOVE watching football here?
1. Because the English (and non-) teachers I work with all went to the nursery room (where the biggest TV is) after school to watch England play yesterday, armed with beer and wine.
2. Because the carpenter who is working on the garage outside our apartment pulled his car closer to listen to the game on the radio while he continued working (which is surprising as most people go home or to a bar but I suspect he is not Italian).
3. Because the Italian players broke down and cried like babies on the field when the game was over.
4. Because the coach of the Slovakian team did the victory walk around the field, waving at the fans with tears running down his stoic face.
5. Because businesses close, and schools shut down whenever Italy makes it to the finals.
6. Because when Italy wins an important game, you can always here the cars honking for 30 minutes after the game is over - and if you are lucky enough to be in the main piazza, watch the waves of Italian flags out of car windows and motorbikes. The police take a step back and just watch.
7. Because I was able to attend/watch many of the World Cup games held in the NJ/NY area in 1994 and I can remember the Irish fans going absolutely crazy (they won against Italy) and walking on the shoulders of the highways to walk back to where ever they were staying, singing and waving their flags. I didn't get it then, but I do now.

Updates

http://nymag.com/arts/all/approvalmatrix/66753/ - go Kenji! Are those french fries?

We are packing up, finishing off the last days of school, and heading to the beach for a week on Saturday and then to visit the Hoddells in the Marche for a couple of days (they are returning this week from DC) . We have been so busy socially as well that we are pretty wiped out and looking forward to doing nothing but building sand castles and eating pizza (the end of the school year brings tons of events for each of us). I have loads of photos to show, but I left my camera at the last party we attended but will get it tonight at an aperitivo I am going to. Funny, not having that thing felt like I lost my left hand. I take it everywhere with me.

Ray is going to attend my school next fall. He is so excited and this will make my new commute incredibly easier. We are renting a garage a block over from it so it couldn't be more convenient. Here is a photo of him at the new house when we went to visit last weekend. He went straight into the sprinkler with all his clothes on.

I'll write more later -

Movin' to the Country

With one phone call, we know that we are probably moving homes on or about July 15th. We are getting really psyched, and will book a moving company this week so that we get some boxes delivered to begin packing. I am going to do it all myself: curtains, dishes, clothes, hanging lamps, etc. In Italy, unlike in the USA, homeowners take everything including light bulbs. It is common to move into a home requiring a new kitchen and bathroom fixtures (I am talking toilets and bathtubs here) than to have them in place. We agreed to leave all that in our house, though we will take some of our light fixtures - a traditional Venetian hanging light, some sconces we bought on our trip through Sicily (Caltagirone - famous for ceramics), and a couple of our favorite smaller ones. Fortunately, our new house will be mostly furnished in the sense that the only things we have to buy are a dishwasher and a washing machine (dryers are becomming more common, but for the most part Italians line dry and I will have a clothesline, finally! No more laundry on the balcony rail.) and of course some bits and pieces of furniture. At this point in life, I would like to minimize purchasing as that just feels like more of a burden than anything else.

Ray is telling his friends how happy he is to move too - which is a relief as I think we are doing this just in time. If we had waited even another year or two he would have put up more of a fight, I think, but the promise of a new cat and another hamster, and a tent along with a plastic pool seems to do the trick for now.

Plan to visit!


And there are some things I will miss about the city, but I think there will be other scapes to distract me.

May events

There was a lot going on in May. After our stint of "reality" TV, we finally celebrated Ray's 5th birthday with Nonna and Godmother Kathryn and Uncle Marco, our 7th wedding anniversary, an end-of-the-year school party at Ray's scuola materna (Patty, you would not believe how many parents asked me for the recipe for the confetti cake mix you mailed me!), and a rock 'n roll (for a 6th!) and a pirate themed (including parrot) birthday parties. Don't laugh at the scotch tape on the pirate hat I made for Ray - he loved it and the paper eye patch!

Musica

My friend, Kathryn, organized a very successful musical instrument "fiera" - a convention of dealers. We attended last Sunday in Bologna and though it was really loud, it was great fun to see not just the instruments but the exhibits with all the canned bands that show off all the cool products. I hope we will buy a digital piano soon, though Ray really really wants a guitar (half size, of course).