Missing Cafe della Basilica

Cafe della Basilica, our favorite cafe in Torino, creates delicious pasta dishes and the most refreshing tasting beer. Ahhhhhh, I'm gonna miss it so much!

Missing Gelato

Hey, I finally found out what the flavor, zuppa inglese (English soup? What heck is that for a gelato flavor?), is after living in Italy for 10 months! It's Rum!

Oh, I'm going to miss pistachio and pineapple gelatos so much!

Missing Focaccia

My favorite focaccia in Torino - SFashion style. Warm fluffy perfect dough with prosciutto crudo, ham, spicy salami, cured octopus slices, green olives, and mozzellera cheese. I'm going to miss this focaccia so much!

Drinking, Drinking, and More Drinking

Many of you know that Barolo is a signature red wine of Piemonte region in Italy, but do you know that Barolo Chinato (the dessert wine is a bit sweet... it tastes similiar to Port) is really, really, and I mean reallllllly good with chocolate?

We tried 6 different Torino chocolate with 6 different Chinato for only 10 euros per person. Syd can always eat more chocolate so the hostess gave him one more plate of 6 chocolate for free (and of course more chinato for both of us!) We were in heaven! Man, I'm going to miss Italy so much!

PS. Excuse the lousy photo as it was taken with my cell.

La Grande Festa del CioccolaTO

It's here! It's here!

The Great Festival of Chocolate: 10 days of tastings, entertainment, and culture in Torino. Free choco workshops, labs, and chocolate to bringing in choco-lovers while free concerts and street performances to attract the general crowd. The huge Piazza Vittorio was filled with people; of course the sunny weather (16C) helped as well.

Photo on Right: The famous Gianduia - 1) a mask/ person representing Torino and the Piemont Region of Italy and 2) a chocolate containing hazelnut which was first prepared by Caffarel (a well known chocolate factory in Torino).














Syd and I are already enjoying the yummy chocolate from the festival: dark chocolate with hazelnut and dark chocolate with chili peppers (spicy like me, haha). We will go back for more later this week.

Dear Mama

My mother stayed with us for a month in Torino last month. Now you have to know something about her... she's not a traveler. She has only traveled in 3 countries before coming to Torino: Taiwan, US, and China. So it was her first trip to Italy, to the entire Europe! Not only that, she came here alone, by herself. Yes, she was worried about locating the connecting flight and then finding us. But she did it (thanks to Antonia's help)! We were smiling at her when she came out from the Arrival Gate in Milan airport.

My mother's idea of 'having fun' in Torino is eating (she loves pizza and cheese), walking around the city, shopping (both in purchasing fresh food and clothes), and cooking. She loves Porta Palazzo, the biggest farmers' market in Europe. We went there at least twice a week and bought fresh produce, meats, and fresh & clean tripe/ intestine/ liver. For those of you don't eat the latter, just know that it is very difficult to CLEAN them! Anyways, my mother said that she hasn't had such good dishes for a very long time. As for walking, man, we practically walked all over Torino. Our daily exercising time is about 3 - 4 hours. I don't think I walked that much for the 6 months I've lived in Torino.

We also went to quite a few little towns around Torino (within 2 hours of train ride). I will just post some photos instead of writing a super-long blog entry. So my mom's favorites? Of course pizza and cheese! :) Her least favorite? Well, too many smokers on the streets. :(

Photo on Left: Santuario d'Oropa with Simone. Simone drove us from Biella to this sanctuary and later to his home town nearby for a festival. My mom was excited to talk to Simone in Mandarin.

Photo on Right: Simone's parents and Filippo's parents. Simone's parents were so kind to invite us to dinner in their house in Ubertino. My mom said this was the best experience she had traveling.

Grazie mille, la famiglia di Ubertino Rosso!














Photo on Left: Alba Truffle Festival! But I heard that with the bad economy this year, the price of the truffle has dropped 80%. Look how proudly the dog did on the sofa, haha, j/k.

Photo on Right: Yummy spaghetti with truffle (it tasted salty and light).














Photo on Left: Piazza San Carlo at night

Photo on Right: City Hall Market














Photo on Left: A friendly signora kitting with her doggie. She kept telling her dog to look at the camera.

Photo on Right: The only Roman gate left in Torino














Photo on Left: Hiking in Bardonecchia with beautiful autumn leaves

Photo on Right: The famous Duomo in Milan

French Castles

Another trip to France! This time is for Marilyn and Bryan's wedding. Marilyn and I have known each other since elementary school in Taiwan. Coincidentally, our families moved to US within a period of 6 months in 1986: mine to Colorado and then later to California and Marilyn's to Missouri. Marilyn was always the class president/ valedictorian (班 長/模範生) so it wasn't a surprise that she became a heart surgeon. We have lost touch with all of our friends from elementary school so it was special for me to make it to her wedding... all the way in France. Well, it is perfect timing as Syd and I are living in Italy this year.

But, before we greet the beautiful bride and her groom, we visited Angers first. We didn't realize at the time but this trip turned out to be an orientation of French castles. Chateau d'Angers is a neolithic royal fortress built with black and white rocks dating back to 14th century. It is constructed on a rocky promontory overlooking the river Maine for military defense yet it has a beautiful garden (must be planted recently for tourists). The most fascinating display of the castle was the Apocalypse tapestry (completed in 1382). It depicted rich details of the last book of the bible and it is the oldest surviving hanging of the size: 100m long x 4.5m high, with 70 scenes.














Yeahhhhh, our next stop was to Marilyn and Bryan's wedding castle (Chateau de Challain) in Challain la Potherie. The neogothic castle was a private residence of a count and countess who hired a very famous architect (known for the Louvre extension) from Paris, Louis Visconti. It is currently a B&B and hosts wedding receptions (http://www.chateauchallain.com/).

The chateau was breath-taking! The outdoor surrounding consisted of gardens and a lake while the interior was decorated with antique furniture and marble tiles/ stairway/ sculptures. However, the wedding reception was even more amazing! We joined Marilyn, Bryan, their family and friends for rehearsal and wedding dinners. The chef who prepared both dinners was exceptional! I had the best French cuisine in my life: scallops, lobster, steak with foie gras, and duck. Every dish was extremely delicious that it was emptied in minutes. All the guests were so thrilled by the chef's cooking that Bryan (he's a consultant) is now working on getting the chef and his family to America. The chef has sold his restaurant and wants to move to either America or Australia. I hope Bryan can work out the details so Syd and I can fly to Florida to enjoy the amazing cuisine again.

I've never attended a small and personal wedding reception before. This reception (~ 30 guests) felt intimate because everyone chat with one another. Marilyn and Bryan really get to spend time with their guests... very different when Syd and I had 160 guests! More importantly, the bride and the groom get to eat... very different when I only had 2 bowls of soup for the entire night while Syd missed his wedding cake! :(


This was the first time I met Bryan but immediately I knew why he is perfect for my dear friend: his sense of humor and fun attitude towards life. Marilyn has been 'perfect' throughout her life but it also has occupied a lot of her time instead of having fun. Now Bryan can make her laugh and show her to slow down and 'smell the roses'. I'm very happy for you guys. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Bryan and Marilyn King!


Chenonceau Chateau, our 3rd castle in France, is near Tours. Syd's college friend, Sera, had recommended this castle to us when we visited her in Bordeaux. This unique castle was built on top of a river in the 16th century. King Henri II gave it to his mistress, Diane De Poitiers (a duchess), as a gift. The duchess managed the castle like a business: drawing up a list of the premises/ properties and rent them out to make profits. She was also a great designer since she laid out the gardens of the castle that were among the most modern and spectacular of the time. However, after the King died, Queen Catherine De Medici requested the duchess to return Chenonceau and then lived there herself.


The most unique room in the castle to me is the Gallery which is the hallways on top of the arch. It was first used as a ballroom, then during WWI, it turned into a hospital with different services (huge kitchens were located downstairs). Furthermore, during WWII, many people went through the southern door of the Gallery to the FREE ZONE for freedom while the castle's entrance was in the occupied zone.
















The last castle on our trip was Chateau des Baux, a ruined castle in Les Baux, near Avignon (South France). Les Baux is a small village (pop. 422) yet picturesque since it is set atop of a rocky outcrop. My college friend, Dawn, thinks this is one of the most beautiful places in the world. We also stayed at a B&B recommended by her which was crafted out of the rocks. Very cool! :)














So overall, we had wonderful experiences to France. My only complaint is the cold weather on this trip because 1) we didn't prepare for it (only had T-shirts, shorts, and a light jacket) and 2) I couldn't take pretty photos with lavender and sunflowers since they were already withered. :( But we had great French food! I was so excited and pleased to found Ratatouille inside a crepe! Double bonus for me! Here is a proof of how happy Syd was with a plate full of cheese. :p

Grazie Mille, la Famiglia di Tempia-Bonda!

Last Sunday Filippo and Alberto invited us to their 'hometown' for BBQ. The town's name, 'Bonda', is a part of their family name. The family crest is also painted on the external wall of their home. The town is cute and unique like no other in Italy because it is decorated with many different forms of art (sculpture with metal/ stone/ ceramic materials, painting, etc.). I agree with Filippo that many Americans would be interested to stay in Bonda (ex. B&B) for some R&R, hiking, art, and local cuisine. However, one must have a car to get through the narrow roads from the closest train station to the town. On the other hand, I'm not sure if Bonda would be the same lovely town after visiting of too many tourists. Having the right balance is always difficult.

Photo on Left: Filippo shows us his 'hometown' on map. He's the one who brought all of us (including our friends and family) to Torino. The city should give him an award for 'Best Promotion of Torino to Smart and Sexy Foreigners'. :p

Photo on Right: Group picture in the main piazza - Filippo, Trevor, Beth, 'naked body art', Alberto, Lily, Syd, and Simone.














Mmmmm, the Tempia-Bonda brothers both have the hots for American cities.

Photo on Left: Filippo and Alberto's wonderful parents. They are so generous and friendly preparing all the food and making us feel like at home.

Photo on Right: The Greatest BBQ Grill! No American BBQ can beat it!























We started off with cheese, bread, and fried zucchini flowers with apertivo wine. Then grilled skewers (see photo above), pork chops, and sausages were served with house-made red wine. Those yummy yummy home-made chocolate cake with fresh cream then appeared on our plates. Of course, to properly wrap up Italian cuisine, one must have digestivo drinks. Filippo's dad makes his own wine and alcohol... Trevor asked him for the recipe and the most important element is that the alcohol must be 90% proof! One can imagine how full and sleepy we were after such a delicious feast.

Photo on Left: Our lunch table on a scenic balcony on top of a hill. It's also under beautiful grapevines.

Photo on Right: See so many grapes on top of Syd's head! These grapes turn into wine later in the year in Filippo's dad's hands.
























Photo on Left: Socializing during apertivo time! See the balcony behind Alberto and Syd? That's where we had lunch.

Photo on Right: Group Photo - Simone, Filippo, Alberto, Simone's mom, Filippo & Alberto's parents, Trevor, Beth, and Syd.














Filippo's dad kept calling on me during lunch because I was so quiet. Well, I was busy eating! Man, I gotta get my share before it was grabbed by all these boys! :p Oh yes, the lunch was truly international since we communicated in Italian, English, and Mandarin (Simone and me). I enjoyed and actually understood the 15-minute conversation of solo-Italiano! It must have been the wine.

Sashimi, Sashimi, How I Love Thee!

I'm interrupting the Vacation Report again to tell you how happy I'm today. You know how much I've been craving for sashimi but today I've finally found a Japanese restaurant that offers good sashimi at an acceptable price (15 euros) for lunch. Japanese cuisine is extremely expensive in Italy: typically 20 euros for lunch and 35 euros for dinner. Syd had a lunch special which consisted 6 pieces good-sized sashimi and vegetable tempura while I enjoyed a chirashi bowl with 10 pieces of sashimi! When I tasted my first sashimi in over 2 months, I couldn't help but thinking of Jason. No, he's not an ex-boyfriend or a lover. Jason is a great chef/ owner of Sendai, a wonderful Japanese restaurant with delicious fresh sushi and sashimi in Milpitas. Syd and I used to go to Sendai at least once every week. Ohhhhhhh, how I miss him and the food!

Surprisingly the Japanese restaurants have California rolls here as well... I guess it is famous everywhere except in Japan. :p Let me give you the price of a few of the dishes so you can see how expensive it is in Italy. A cheapest sushi roll is 1.50 euros; a miso soup is 3 euros; and a green tea ice cream is 4 euros. Yikes! Get stock up on your sushi and sashimi before you come to Italy!

Vacation from 'Long Vacation' - Venice

Venice, Venice, the most romantic city in the world, how I love thee.

Yes, Venice is one of my most beloved cities despite that every time I go there, it's always hot and humid. Although Piazza San Marco was full of tourists (again), I'm happy to report that I have finally visited Basilia di San Marco (3rd time is the charm). The line was unbearably long the previous 2 times so we went there this time before it opened. The inside of the church was unbelievably amazing with mosaics dated from 13th - 17th century. No wonder people were willing to wait in line.

My favorite structure this time in Venice is the new remodeled clock tower, Torre dell' Orologio, which is adjacent to the basilia and the Campanile. On the top of the tower, 2 bronze man statues hit the bells at every hour. It gave me a sense of peace watching the statues. I apologize for not having pictures... surprisingly, I took the least photos in Venice. We were pretty tired due to the heat and crowd that we decided to explore Venice individually after visiting the island of Murano (known for blowing glass) together. I sat next to a pretty narrow canal in a tranquil back alley and read for the afternoon. One of the reasons I love Venice is even with the crowd and heat, one is able to find a quiet place watching people and condolas walking/ swinging by and simply relax.

Picture on right: Syd in Piazza San Marco. If you look at it closely, you can see the 2 bronze statues on top of the clock tower behind Syd.

Picture below: Dawn and I with The Bridge of Sighs - a passageway between Palazzo Ducale and prison. It took its name from the sighs of prisoners being led to trial.













Warning! The next 2 photos may be unpleasant.

In Venice, I had the best Spaghetti with Squid's Ink. The dish didn't look appetizing but it was really delicious. Oh, and of course, I didn't look pretty afterwards either but it was worth it. :p Syd laughed at me a little too long and too loud.

Vacation from 'Long Vacation' - Verona

Dawn, Syd, and I started our adventure in northern Italy on 7/14 Monday. The first destination was Verona (again) because we wanted to relive the romance of Romeo and Juliet. Well, Juliet's balcony and courtyard were classic and pretty but with so many tourists (one of the main problems everywhere we went during the busy tourist season) and the big souvenir store right next to the house (casa di Giulietta), it was not that appealing to us. Nevertheless, I tried to imagine Romeo serenading to Juliet, "But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon. It is my lady, O, it is my love! O, that she knew she were." (Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare)

Picture on right - Juliet and me (her shining right breast is due to the rubbing of many tourists' hands: it'll bring a man great vitality and a woman her Romeo! But I feel disrespectful to this fictional lady so I just held on to her skirt instead.)

Picture below - Juliet's balcony














Guess what surprised me most in Verona?! We had the best gelato so far in Italy! I don't advertise in my blog but you guys definitely need to try it otherwise you'll regret. It's called 'Gelateria Artigianale Ponte Pietra' (Via Ponte Pietra, 23) which makes homemade gelato daily and it's located near the Stone Bridge (Ponte Pietra). Also, if you are into traditional Veronese cuisine, then you'll have to go to this amazing restaurant, 'Osteria al Duca' (Duke's Inn on Via Arche Scaligere, 2). It's right next door to Romeo's house. I highly recommend you arrive there before 7:30pm, otherwise you should make a reservation.

Picture on right - the entire restaurant only has 1 duke's chair and guess who was sitting on it? The answer is on the chair.

Picture below - we loved the dishes at 'Osteria al Duca'! Syd had a hamburger-like horse tartar, Dawn ordered escargo with polenta, and mine was carpaccio (raw beef) with rucula. Yummy yum yum!













Verona's beautiful beautiful sunset

Eating and Hiking in Alps

Dawn, my college friend and our first visitor, arrived Torino on July 10th. The first meal she tried was our typical lunch and she loved bufala (buffalo) mozzerella cheese and sashimi-like salami. Before we explore other cities together, Syd took us to a small town (Bardonecchia) in the Alps for some hiking and eating! In case you haven't heard it before, Torino area is known for 'Slow-Food Movement'. Obviously it is to fight against Fast-Foods (Sayonara, McDonald's!), however, more importantly, it aims to preserve the cultural cuisine and the associated food plants and seeds, domestic animals, and farming within the local region (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_Food). In other words, the movement promotes preparing cuisines using local and quality ingredients to appreciate their taste and nurition.

The slow-food event consisted 6 courses: Antipasti, Primi, Secondi, Formaggi, Dolci, and Forte Bramafam. The hungry hikers hike 10 -15 minutes to each course to taste a dish accompanied by a choice of 6 - 8 different wines. The best part is that you can go back for seconds! :) Since Dawn doesn't drink wine, we forced her to get a glass at every course anyways... well, you know where the wine went. :p At the end of the hike/ lunch, Syd have tasted 15 wines and 2 liquors!

Picture on left: Entree - cosciotto di maialino cotto nel fieno maggengo con polenta concia (tender pork cooked in hay with polenta)
Picture on right: Formaggi - plates of cheese!













Picture on left: molti molti vini
Picture on right: the result of too much food and wine













Syd is a mountain guy so he really likes Bardonecchia. Well, can't complain much since the weather was cool and the scenery was beautiful. The town apparently hosted events for Winter Olympics 2006. It also looked like a good place for skiing (so you know where we'll go in the winter). But before winter comes, we already plan to revisit in August when Torino heat is supposed to be unbearable (well, I hope it's not as devilish as Taiwan's summer).