To Italy and Back

Although I should probably allow the jet lag to wear off before I attempt to compose a note about my trip, I fear that my work week will consume me and erase my amazing memories before I have a chance to jot them all down. So, in no order in particular, here are some of my favorite moments and adventures in Italy...

A 20 person dinner at a classic Milan restaurant for Carlo's birthday. As traditional as it gets, a grandmother serves all the guests with prosciutto, bread and wine when they enter the restaurant then lists off the few menu items quickly. Before jotting down your menu selection she dashes across the room at least 10 different times to discuss items with the kitchen and then serves you with the same efficiency and speed....







An amazing trip to Florence including late night strolls by the Duomo, two sunsets at piazza Micheal Angelo, lunch at Trattoria Anita and my favorite Osteria near Via San Zanobi, dashes through the Uffici and David (Academia), a quick trip to school to visit Jane, and more vino than I thought I could drink...








More to come soon...

Italy...T-minus 7 days

Jerome and I are headed back to Italy to visit a friend in Milan and see how Florence has changed next week. I will begin my count-down here and will add one thing I'm dying to do, see or experience while I'm there per day.

Italy List:
Number 1 -

Trattoria Anita Lunch - The tiny reustuarnt across the street from Jerom's old apartment that serves the most amazing food, the best table wine and the best charaters in all of Florence.

Nashville - The Family Edition

My very kind friend Melissa decided to boldly go where no one has gone before. On spring break with me, my mom and her mom. Luckily, we were headed to her city, to take over for a few days so she didn't have to travel to far.

But, she did manage to show all of us all the tourist attractions, side shows, local favorites and even a brewery we'd never seen before. From the Carnton Historic Plantation, in Franklin TN where the Franklin Battle took place in 1864 (photo above) to the Jack Daniels distillery in Lynchburg, TN (a "dry county" is no place for a distillery or a Collins) we saw it all. We even sipped on fine California wine at Kix Brooks new TN winery with my old pal Jessie from High School. It was a blast, and won't be forgotten for quite some time (even if I have to burn the image of the band leader at Robert's Western world eyeing my mom).



Mom and I poising with Jack Daniele's at his distillery...




A little rocking chair fun after the JD tour...





An overly kind welcome to the city...




Melissa and the Mean Machine...

Restless

You know when you come down with a cold or a flu, and it keeps you bottled up in bed for a full day against your will? For some reason, it always makes me so restless. If I choose to spend a lazy day watching movies or cooking, it never evokes the same emotion as sick restlessness.

After a fun-filled Easter weekend, surrounded by friends, parties and good food I came down with the sniffles Monday morning. The sniffles were quickly followed by the aches and flu-like symptoms before I crawled back into bed at 6 pm. Today, after a morning on work on the couch and afternoon of naps on the couch I'm tempted to dash outside and breath in the NYC air. I'm not to sure what part of my brain has been mis-wired but I don't like to sit still for to long.

Perhaps I can use this time to hit up Duane Reede for some more TheraFlu....woooo hooo.