The F Word
Labels: going places, home life
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
I'm still reeling from our week's holiday. No, it wasn't hectic but my brain and tummy is in overdrive from all that wonderful culture, art and food of the last week.
So much has happened and I will try and describe our holiday in a few F words. Not that one, these:
F is for Ferrari
This is of course the main reason why we were in Italy. To visit the museum followed by the Hubby's private tour of the factory. My birthday present to him. Which most of you know by now so I shall just zip it before I keep repeating myself ad nauseum.
I do want to say that I did send Hubs over the moon (twice over, I think). Thanks to S and her hubby's help, I am now the Bestest Wife in The Whole Wide World and Beyond. I only hope he remembers it when I have to explain why I need yet another whatever when my wardrobes are already creaking at the hinges under the pressure of its contents.
F is for Florence
Florence is a wonderful city. It truly is. There's always something to see, do, eat or buy. I don't even know where to start. It's one of those things where you've got to experience it for yourself. We had to pace ourselves on account of Sonny-boy where museums were concerned. We did manage to visit the Pitti Palace and Palatina Gallery, a Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition where they focused on Leonardo the scientist, the Duomo and lastly the Ferragamo museum. Which leads me to the next F word.
F is for Ferragamo
Yes! After years of wanting to visit the museum, I finally got my wish! My love affair with Ferragamo shoes began when I was a pimply teen oogling at fashion magazines. I promised myself I would own a pair one day and after recieving my first official paycheck at twenty, bought myself a pair of black Vara patent pumps. I couldn't afford them of course but since I was living with my parents, I didn't have to worry about things like rent. Needless to say, I was on a tight budget for the rest of the month. Things are a little different now but I still get the same rush when I walk out of a boutique with one of them red paper bags. Over the years, I've gone on to their bags and wallets too. And yes, I've also bought other designer shoes but I always, always go back to Ferragamo shoes for its comfort, quality and quiet, elegant style.
The museum itself is a must-see for fans of shoes, not neccessarily of the Ferragamo brand. It consists of collections of photos and shoes dating back from the 30s to 70s. You see the originals or mock copy made for specific stars and get to study the handiwork and material used up close and personal. As a former fashion student and ardent crafter, I thought I was going to pop from excitement. I took mental notes and tips for future personal use. There was also a screening room complete with LCD screen and plush leather seats featuring the life and work of the man himself, Salvatore Ferragamo. We all enjoyed it immensely.
F is for Food
Mamamia! What can I say? Tuscan food is the best in the whole world. No, make that Tuscan and French food. Hubs and I, who are not luncheon people, actually had daily 2 course lunches followed by 2 or 3 course dinners in the evening, not to mention the in between meals and snacks. We just ate and ate and ate. And ate some more. We've always enjoyed Italian cuisine and certainly gave our digestive systems a good workout. Our legs too, from all that walking. Which probably explains why I didn't gain weight from the week's excesses. *silent prayer of thanks*
I had a food game plan before we left. I wanted to cover all the major food groups, namely: Pasta / Risotto, Carpaccio, Seafood and finally, Pizza. I did manage to get all sorts of variations on my list but there was still one item missing on my Pasta list. I couldn't find pasta in cream sauce made from the black ink of squid. It's an Italian specialty and I absolutely love it, even though you end up with black lips, tongue and teeth. The dish itself is quite frightful if you're seeing it for the first time. It's just one big black mass.
Anyway, it was our last day and I had just about given up all hope until we went to this restaurant called La Posta (came highly recommended by Beau Lotus) for lunch. It's called La Posta because it's situated oppostite the Post Office (duh!). Imagine my glee when I saw Tagliatele Nero something something (I can't remember the rest of the name *blush*)Tagliatele! Nero! Magic words! May I have that please?
Lunch was simply super. We dined alfresco on the sidewalk and opted for a long lunch. For the first course, I had carpaccio of smoked duck while Hubs had a cold plate of Parma ham and sheep's cheese. It was then followed by a Beef Steak ala Florentina for Hubs (again, another recommendation from Beau Lotus) and Tagliatele Nero something something for me. Sonny-boy had his beloved Tagliatele in Carbonara Sauce. We were all uncharacteristically quiet during the second course. But only because we were all focused on our plates. To shut us up like that can only mean the food is either beyond excellent or we are beyond hungry. That afternoon, we were not hungry.
The only drawback of being papmered gastronomically is, upon returning home, everything you taste resembles sawdust. Yes, even your own cooking.
The holiday is over.
*****
P/S: Photos to follow, as soon as I sort through them.
The Dutchess of Cookalot whipped this up at 12:17 pm
