Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!

Photo Hunt - Road

This week's theme is road. Now, having driven various portions of the coastal highway from south of LA to north of SF as well as the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island (both considered to be amongst the most visually stunning roads in the world) I had lots of great road shots. However, in the end I went with this one of the road to Buonconvento in Tuscany. It was taken on May 24th, from a hot air balloon (you see the shadow of the balloon reflected in the field) and yes, it was a truly memorable experience.

There are a bunch of slowtravel community members who are photohuntin' you can find there posts by clicking the links below. 

• Old Shoes, New Trip
• Eden's Wanderings and Wonderings
• My Place in the Sun
• Churches in Venice – Mosaics, Marble, and Miracle-Working Madonnas
• Palmabella's Passions
• What I Really Think
• shave Ice and Gelato
• Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!
• Keep your Feet in the Street
• Baked Alaska
• That's my story...and I'm stickin' to it!
• Postcards from the Trail

Photo Hunt - Wild

This week's theme is wild. I really wish I had some old photos of my university of high school days - there were many wild times there but alas I had no camera at the time (unlike today with cell phone cameras at the ready to record every embarassing momment for history - hmmm - perhaps that isn't a bad thing!) and even if I had had a camera I'm not sure I would have been in a condition to use it. That having been said I turned to nature for my 'wild' theme shots . . .

  Elephant seals come ashore at Piedras Blancas beach coves near San Simeon, California

  Sun tanning on the beach

Finding a home in the wall of an old house, Montisi, Italy

There are a bunch of slowtravel community members who are photohuntin' you can find there posts by clicking the links below. 

• Old Shoes, New Trip
• Eden's Wanderings and Wonderings
• My Place in the Sun
• Churches in Venice – Mosaics, Marble, and Miracle-Working Madonnas
• Palmabella's Passions
• What I Really Think
• shave Ice and Gelato
• Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!
• Keep your Feet in the Street
• Baked Alaska
• That's my story...and I'm stickin' to it!
• Postcards from the Trail

Photo Hunt - Strings

This week's theme is strings. I struggled a bit with this one as I looked through the hundreds of photos I have saved in electronic format. I then settled on the notion of 'sting' in more of an abstract form and not a literal piece of string.

 

A painting of strings. This giant painting above the tasting bar of Stratus winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake reminds me of a tangle of strings on a black surface.

 

'Strings' of chocolate decorate the martini glass. White chocolate martinis with dark chocolate strings and raspberries are perfect for Valentine's Day!

 

A bridge held aloft by strings - rather strong ones! The Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA

New this week - there are many of us who frequent the slowtravel web site who are also 'photohunters'. You can find us below:

• Old Shoes, New Trip
• Eden's Wanderings and Wonderings
• My Place in the Sun
• Churches in Venice – Mosaics, Marble, and Miracle-Working Madonnas
• Palmabella's Passions
• What I Really Think
• shave Ice and Gelato
• Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!
• Keep your Feet in the Street
• Baked Alaska
• That's my story...and I'm stickin' to it!
• Postcards from the Trail

Bits and Pieces

Some random thoughts today (which I have lost twice already when my PC froze! ARGH) some of which are happy, some sad, some funny, some odd . . . y'all can decided which is which.

Many of you will recall me writing about a group of slow travelers who have been working our way through Dolce Italiano by Gina DePalma. Not only Gina is the pastry chef at Babbo in New York, she is also a member of slow travel. It was fitting that the slow bakers should enjoy her collection of recipes first.

Imagine our shock when Diana, another member of the slow travel community (and owner of the BEST B and B in Piemonte) wrote about Gina last week. We knew that Gina had been in Italy for an extended time researching her new book. Apparently she had popped back home to NY for a short visit to take care of some business and while there was diagnosed with cancer. As most of us know, this diagnosis changes time-lines, plans and immediately she was in a round of surgery and chemo.

A group from slow trav wanted to know what we could do to help out. The first order of business was to bring Gina's cats back home. Gina had taken her beloved pets to Rome but hadn't brought them back for what was planned to be a short visit. When she didn't return to Rome the cats were stranded in her rented apartment being taken care of by the owners. Gina was worried about her kitties and they were no doubt missing their mom.

Diana did her research and discovered that it would take $ 4000 to fly someone to Rome to retrieve the kitties and to fly them back in the cabin to NY where they would be united with their mom. She issued a challenge to help out. Help poured in. In fact, as if this morning $ 2800 had been raised. We're almost there.

If you want to help bring Gina's kitties home you can e-mail Diana at diana@baurbb.com.

Not only is Diana the world's greatest B and B owner she is also the world greatest friend.

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Switching gears a bit.

I am always curious about the way in which folks arrive at my blog. I get close to 300 visitors a day, most of whom arrive by way of a google search. Because I have no life I track this every now and then. Some of the google searches are just plain odd.

For example, last night someone searched for spell to force someone to obay Hmmmm NO, there are no spells on my blog. I did post about an ad campaign sponsored by the Ontario Community Colleges that featured a mysterious wonder drug called Obay. Ironically it was designed to encourage adolescents to think for themselves and to not make the decisions that others wanted them to make.

Anyway, the end result was that someone searching for a spell left unhappy.

I suspect the intended victim is quite happy (even if they do not know it).

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In our modern world information is created and shared so quickly it never ceases to make me dizzy. Last night I was at the Toronto Star web site and saw some breaking news about the lead singer for the group the Barenaked Ladies. (have fun with that one google searchers) It seems he was arrested for drug possession in Syracuse, NY. I was surprised by this because I thought he lived in Toronto. I popped over to wikipedia and discovered that someone had updated his wikipedia page already with information about the drug bust not 27 minutes after it was released to the media.

Remember when the only news you got was the news reel of week old news at the start of a movie at the theatre? Actually, I don't recall this at all. Mom has told me about this from her childhood - some of you might remember though *smile*

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Speaking of 'news'.

What does it say about our world when so much ink and newsprint (to say nothing of bits and bytes) are devoted to the birth of twins in a french hospital. We live in a world where millions of folks do not have access to food, medical care, drinking water, security, housing, education, or the means to better their existence. We are facing an economic crisis. What to talk about? The Jolie-Pitt twins.

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And finally (actually there is more but after having typed this three times my wrists are getting sore) there is an election south of the border. Now anyone who knows me knows that I love politics. It has been fascinating watching the twists and turns in the seemingly never-ending US (AKA the nation that LOST the war of 1812) election campaign.

Last night jib jab posted a very funny video that satires the campaign without being offensive (New Yorker magazine take note!). It is hilarious and you should pop over and have a look.

What is this Slow Travel All About Anyway?

I've had lots of folks ask me what slow travel is all about - for some reason they have this image of elderly folks pushing their walkers slowly through the streets of Rome. Truth be told, most slow travelers move about as spryly as everyone else.

Slow travelers try and form a bond with the place they are visiting. They avoid the superficial ten cities in 2 days mentality. They want to experience a spot in a deeper way.

Slow travel does not come naturally to me. I am a hyper person and I like to be on the move. However, I have come to appreciate the beauty of just hanging out and listening the the sounds of a new spot while watching the world go by.

Many travel far more slowly than we do - unfortunately we are bound by constraints of money, vacation time, and a LONG lists of places we want to see. This list seems to grow, rather than diminish, with each passing trip!

This Monty Python clip really alludes to why slow travel is special - I love the way customer describes package tours!

Oh, and most slow travelers wouldn't use a travel agent - they prefer to research and make the arrangements themselves. It is a big part of the 'fun'!

Remaining Italian Top 10

Nothing earth shattering happened last night (sorry Stanley Cup fans - really though, who cares about hockey in June anyway) so I can continue with my top ten experiences form our trip.

We left off with number 6 . . .

This spot is reserved for being with great friends in Montisi. The villa Gail had booked was luxurious with a lovely terrace and stunning views. To be there with Gail, John, Sandi, Palma, and Brad was amazing. It wasn't long before we got to know Sandi's sister Holly - we quickly realized that she was a lot of fun to be around. It didn't matter whether we were on a tour, getting the morning coffee, sipping wine at the end of the day, or just passing on the street - laughter was spontaneous and infectious! This was a great group to hang out with!

Palma in front of 'her' poppy field

Drinking wine (and an entire bottle of lemoncello creama) on the terrace into the night (someone, who shall remain nameless, was 'overserved').

Sandi assists in balloon inflation. We look mighty fine for 6 am with NO coffee. I believe she has just informed Paul that she has found some tiny holes in the balloon.

Sandi and Gail shove Liz (the real singer) aside and hog the microphone with Pino. Notice painting # 2 and 4 on the fireplace mantle, aren't they grand? Yes, yes they are!

OK. Enough of the pics of US!

Number 7? The concert we attended in San Giovanni in Lucca San Giovanni was built in the 1100s as Lucca's Cathedral. Later the townspeople built another Cathedral even more grand and eventually this beautiful church was deconsecrated. Today it is most famous for the excavations underneath which have revealed Roman and Lombardian ruins. It is also used as an event hall. What better spot to enjoy a concert devoted to Lucca's favourite son: Puccini?

Now at the risk of being labeled as trailer trash, I must admit that I am not a fan of opera. In fact to me it sounds a bit like cats screeching in the night, except it is on stage to music. Having said that, hearing the words song by the two singers bouncing off of the vaulted ceilings of the Cathedral brought goose bumps to me. This was a spectacular experience and all for 15 euro!

Awaiting the performance

My eighth favourite experience was the Egyptian Museum in Torino. The museum contains the most important collection in the world after the one in Cairo. It documents the history and civilization of ancient Egypt and contains about 30,000 exhibits - artifacts, papyri and funeral caskets. Among these, the exceptional rock temple of Ellesjia, the intact tomb of Kha and Merit and the imposing statues of Ramses Il, Thutmoses I, Tutanchamon. 

On the day we visited it was raining outside - a perfect museum day in our books. The place was full of school groups - I enjoyed seeing that Italian students enjoy being dragged off to museums about as much as my students used to.

Gelato makes my list at # 9. You knew it had to be there sooner of later didn't you? Apparently gelato eaten in Italy has no calories at all! We embraced this theory and tried to enjoy gelato every day if possible - heck, sometimes it replaced lunch of dinner! In Torinowe visited GROM - the company many folks feel makes the best gelato in the world . . . it was AWESOME!

The least expensive gelato - 1 euro for a cup in Torino. The most expensive - 5 euro for the same sized cup near the Accademia Gallery in Florence (we went elsewhere).

My favourite flavours? Amarena, lemoncello, chocolate, gianduia, and Crema di Grom. Heck, I just like it ALL!

Our first gelato of the trip. . . Torino.  . . eaten from a cup whilst sitting on the steps of a church.  . . ah . . . Italy!

Where to round out the list? There is so much to include!

My tenth favourite experience of the trip is a HUGE one - Piemonte. Piemonte doesn't receive the press that Tuscany does and we were happy for that. It didn't matter if we were in Acqui Terme, Torino, or Barolo . . . we weren't overrun with tourists. In many instances we were the only English speaking folks within hearing range. I thought Piemonte was more beautiful than Tuscany. It had great wines, awesome foods, and incredible museums/galleries. Piemonte became the standard for the trip - I can't count the number of times Paul said 'it wasn't like THIS in Piemonte' . . often accompanied by a judgmental sniff.

Midway through our eight days in the area our lexicon changed . . no longer did we talk about if we might return. Instead we started to talk about what we would want to do or see WHEN we returned.

Vineyards, castles, and hill towns near Barolo.

My Italian Top Five

By nature I am a reflective person. The elongated plane trek home on Sunday provided lots of time to reflect upon our trip. One of the things we often do on the trip home is to list our ten favourite things about the trip . . . . it was difficult for us this time because with a three week trip there were many things.

For me one of the nicest things about this trip was its variety. We stayed in cities and in the country; never long enough to get sick of either. We traveled with friends and on our own, again never long enough to get sick of our friends or one another. We traveled in touristy areas and in non touristy areas. We walked, we drove, we napped, we ballooned, we visited museums, we tasted wine, we reflected upon the grandeur of churches, we shopped, we ate . . . again lots of variety. It would be difficult to 'pigeon hole' this trip in a category or box - I guess a lot like ourselves.

So what were my top 10 experiences while in Italy?

The top for me by far was our dinner at I Caffi in Acqui Terme. It was such an amazing experience that there will be an entire blog post just about that! When I e-mailed Diana, the owner of the B and B in which we were staying, for suggestions of a great restaurant to celebrate our anniversary she suggested this one. Clearly Diana knows her food! Course after course of brilliantly prepared and presented food, each paired with a wine from the area.

To tantalize your taste buds . . . this is just the assortment of chocolates, cookies, and candies that came out with dessert. Oh my!

The second on my list has to be staying at the Baur B and B. Much has been written about this small B and B located in the hills above Acqui Terme. There is a reason for this. Diana, Micha, and Max work together to create a peaceful sanctuary for their guests. The location is beautiful, the accommodations stunning, and the breakfasts the best we have ever had in Italy.

This was our bedroom (and one of the most comfortable beds I have ever slept on!).

My third favourite experience has to be seeing the real statue of David by Michelangelo while we were in Florence. On our last trip to Italy we had seen the 'fake' David that stands in the spot the real statue occupied for more than three centuries in the Piazza della Signoria. Later, when we went to see the 'real' statue in the gallery where it had been moved to protect it from the elements, the gallery was closed for a staff meeting (even though we had scheduled a timed entrance). My goal was to correct that lapse on this trip . . . and I did. The feeling that you get when you turn the corner and gaze upon this colossal masterpiece, sculpted by a 24 year old is difficult to explain, you are struck by the size, the genius, and the magnitude of this stunning work of art.

No, I didn't break the rules (for a change) and snap a pic . . . I downloaded this from the net.

# 4? Ballooning with Robert Etherington. Today is the anniversary of the first balloon flight in history so it seems even more fitting that this activity makes the list. It was fascinating to watch the preparations for the flight (even though it was 6 a.m. and I was uncaffinated). It was a brilliant experience to feel the basket lift off and soar about the ground. From the balloon we could see castles, villas, farms, great churches, deer, pheasants, sheep . . . all rendered minuscule from the air. This truly was an experience of a lifetime!

This is our shadow as we soared over fields and forest.

After we landed we enjoyed a champagne (and wine) breakfast. It was a great finish to a wonderful experience. It wasn't finished there as Robert and Liz drove us through the countryside to Buonconvento where they treated us to an impromptu tour, coffee, and gelato.

My number five experience is the wine tasting we enjoyed in Acqui Terme. Diana drove is to Domenico's house where we met this third generation wine maker, his dog, and his cat. He invited us into his dining room where he opened his wines and shared them with us. This is the way wine should be enjoyed!

Later he brought us into the cellars below where he provided us with a barrel tasting. We tried two different vintages to get a sense as to how they change with the aging process. As we left with our purchased wine in tow, he gave us each of a bottle to take home and to remember him when we drank it.

A bad pic of Domenico and Diana enjoying the barrel tasting. The pic may be bad but it captures the joy of tasting a wine in the process of being made.

Numbers 6 - 10 to follow tomorrow (barring some world event which desperately requires my pithy commentary).

Ballooning - Montisi Day 4

Yesterday was a hectic day. We started with ballooning, spent the afternoon driving about, and then enjoyed a wonderful dinner 'tossed' together by Palma and Brad back at the villa.

I don't know who these folks but this YouTube video will give you a sense of what it was like to glide over the Tuscan hills.

I'm hoping that this isn't how we end our trek.

Our ballooning excursion was led by Robert Etherington. He has been doing this for years so I was confident that we wouldn't end up on our side or marooned in a lake. We showed up at his house at about 6 am. It was about 5 minutes from the villa which was great because we could 'sleep in' until 5:00 (ARGH).

We helped get the balloon ready for flight and then hopped into the basket. Robert briefed us on safety issues and the we lifted off. What a truly stunning experience this was. At no time was it scary. We floated over the Tuscan hills listening to the running commentary provided by Robert - he seemed to know every farmer or villa owner in the area. Even from the air we could see flocks of sheep, deer, rabbits, and pheasants as they scurried out of the way from this strange object floating over head.

We landed in a field and soon a crowd of local farmers rushed over to meet us and see us back up the balloon. It wasn't long before we were joined by Robert's wife Liz in the tracking car. She had our breakfast (champagne, water, wine, slaps of pizza, fruit, veggies, and a lovely tart). After breakfast we loaded everything onto the trailer, loaded ourselves into the safari jeep, and we were off, it was our lucky day because Robert gave us a tour of the area!

We stopped in Buonconvento where he and Liz provided a tour of the town. We stopped at a local bar, clearly a favourite hang out for Robert and Liz, for coffee. Later we visited Robert's favourite gelato shop in the area. This spot makes their own gelato and makes some unconventional flavours - I can attest that the mojhito and lemoncello was fab!

Our final stop was back at their home we we settled up with Robert (the best € 200 I've ever spent) and he provided us with our certificates. Liz is an artist and has had a number of children's books printed. One in particular tugged at our hearts so we bought it and she signed it for us.

It was a very special morning!

It was lunch time back at the villa. Palma was just sering penne and roasted meats when we arrived. Frankly all I could think of was sleep! LOL We took a shower which revived us a bit and then enjoyed lunch.

Later we had to decide what to do. Paul thought it might be nice to visit the monastery - Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggoire - that we had flown over in the morning. We had no trouble finding this special spot. After parking the car we walked down along a steep cedar lined walkway to the abbey. Inside we admired the church and we blown away by the fabulous fresco cycle by Sodoma and Signorelli - beautiful work!

We got back to the villa in time for a nap. It seemed like we had just put our heads down when Sandi was at the door telling us that dinner was ready. Palma had out done herself. We started with a salad with figs (what else) and the most amazing goat cheese fritters. Next was picci with a lemon cream sauce. The main event was roasted pork with Gorgonzola or guava sauce, potatoes baked with Gorgonzola, and carrots baked in honey and thyme. For dessert she and Brad had prepared Panna Cotta with strawberry sauce and they even had found the time to make a cake stuffed with peach and strawberry gelato.

AMAZING

The entire table gave them a round of applause!

SSB - Week 5 - Lemony Semolina Cookies (Biscotti di Limone e Semolino)

Happy Mother's Day!

Krista came up with the notion that it might be interesting to get a group of folks together to bake and blog each week. A group of us on Slow Travel are going to do just that. Each participant selects a recipe from the cookbook and we all work our way through it. Today is the fifth entry in our baking challenge as we continue to work our way through Dolce Italiano by Gina DePalma (who also happens to be a member of the slowtravel community). This is my last entry before I head to Italy to experience some of these treats in their 'home' country.

This week it was my turn to select the recipe for the slowbakers to make -  Lemon Semolina Cookies (biscotti di limone e semolino). I selected it because I thought that the cookies would go nicely with the dessert I was making for Mother's Day dinner - a Champagne Gelatin with Strawberries. I also selfishly thought it would be a simple thing to put together two days before we leave for Italy (hmmm, I wonder how many different ways I can weave that into the post?).

These cookies are deliciously crunchy, lemony enough to suit any lemonfan and not too sweet. They would go equally with tea or coffee and would probably be very nice along with a glass of limoncello after a heavy dinner in place of a more traditional dolce. I like the way that the light coating of sugar glistens in the light.

Lemony Semolina Cookies

Source: Dolce Italiano by Gina De Palma
Makes 5 dozen cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup semolina
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
freshly grated zest and juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons limonccello
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk flour, semolina, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.

Using KitchenAid (or similar) cream together the butter, oil and 1 cup sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and egg yolk, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Continue to add the lemon zest, juice, limoncello and vanilla, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl down.

Using low speed beat in the dry ingredients until a very soft dough is formed. Scrape out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, flatten into a disc, wrap and chill for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease two baking sheets, line with baking parchment or line with a teflon sheet.

Break off teaspoon-sized bits of dough and roll them into balls about an inch in diameter. Roll each in a small bowl of sugar and place on the tray. Make sure to space them an inch apart as they'll spread.

Bake for 14-15 minutes until they've flattened out and are crinkly on top. Cool on the sheet for 2 minute and then use a spatula to transfer to a wire rack.

Packing

Six days to go. I need to think about packing . . .

Palma has already packed her bags and weighed them to see if they will be accepted on a plane without penalty.

Me? I am making lists . . .

One of the great on going debates  discussion on the slowtravel community message board generally revolves around packing. There are those who swear by their ability to pack enough clothing for an entire three week European adventure in a carry on bag. We are not in that camp. No, not evening close.

I see nothing to be gained by rinsing out my jockey shorts each evening with shampoo and hanging them to dry in the window.

Someone posted this a few weeks back:

We just returned from one week in Paris, and it (a BACKPACK) performed very well. I was able to pack a pair of jeans, a pair of chinos, two polos, two long sleeve button down shirts, one sweater, one pair of shoes, six pairs of socks, six pairs of boxers, one heavy jacket, three under shirts, one long sleeve tee, one short sleeve, tee, a pair of mesh shorts, two books, four magazines, shaving kit, notebook, maps, and other smaller items. It was comfortable to carry through airports, the Paris metro, and while walking down the street. If you regularly can use a 22" roller for one week trips, then you can use this too. It was perfect.

Nothing about this, other than a week in Paris, sounds perfect to me. Hell, I need a backpack just for my camera, iPod, video camera, cell phone, assorted chargers, international plug, etc.

Frankly I do NOT pack lightly at all. Why, you ask?

1. Read the jockeys in the bathroom sink drying in the window for  # 1.
2. I don't care to wear the same outfit five days in a row. I suppose no one would know. The problem is I would and I wouldn't be able to live with ME!
3. Yes, I know that the people I see don't know me and I will likely never run into them again. However, I just do NOT like the thought of wandering about with my clothing looking like Phyllis Diller's ankles because I have rolled it up in a tube to fit it all in a carry-on.
4. I am addicted to guidebooks. Guidebooks take up room in the suitcase. Hell, just printing out hotel reservations, plane reservations, directions to the villa, car rental agreements, etc has filled a file folder.
5. I am not a nudist (and the world gives thanks for that). I like clothing.
6. Apparently I have shoe issues. I bring different pairs with me. I bring walking shoes, sandals, running shoes, dress shoes. Sometimes I bring river shoes or hiking boots. Have you ever tried to put a pair of hiking boots in a backpack?
7. Some folk enjoy wearing nothing but black for weeks on end. I am neither a monk nor a goth. I enjoy some colour in my life. Having a clothing palette involves a variety of colours. This takes luggage room to mix and match appropriately.
8. I like to bring wine home with me. Thanks to those pinheads who tried to down an airliner with the contents of a coke can I can no longer bring my wine home as carry-on. Now I have a wine suitcase, carefully fitted with styrofoam, to safely bring that liquid gold home with me.
9. I have been known to purchase a thing or two. Actually I have been known to purchase so many things that I was forced to mail boxes of dirty clothing home in order to make room for my purchases in my suitcase. I could fill a carry-on in 5 seconds in Florence.

So you see, I just don't get it. To those who like to pack lightly, I say - good for you. I shall have my two bags, changes of clothing, clean jockey shorts, shoes, wine, and purchases.

This You-tube has some helpful advice for those of you who wish to pack lightly. At first I thought it was helpful, having watched it a few times I now think it is mocking light packers. I like it more now. :-)