Mal Tempo!

The Tiber
Originally uploaded by Krista 1366.

For the last few days the weather in Europe has reaped havoc! My sister in Law in Frankfurt woke to a blanket of snow on Sunday and the weather has not been any better since. The rivers have been rising and the snow has been falling. Last night I woke to the sound of hail and wind. According to the forecast we will have a short reprieve and then the bad weather will return!

BAD WEATHER STOPS FOR NOW, TIBER UNDER CONTROL
(AGI) - Rome, Italy, Nov. 28th - Bad weather seems to have temporarily stopped in Italy, although another disturbance is expected. It's snowing in Liguria, even at low altitudes. Snow on the motorway A7 Genoa-Milan from Busalla and on the A26 Voltri-Santhia' northbound from Masone. The Tiber is under control: the high level will last all week, but it will be monitored by technicians that will empty the dam of Corbara. The situation in Fiumicino is improving. In Tuscany the provinces of Arezzo, Pisa and Florence have been hit. Floods in Naples, rain and hailstones in Calabria since yesterday afternoon. (AGI) -

Dad goes back to NY on Thursday. Sam and the girls are off to Frankfurt on Friday. Me, I am off Saturday on a field trip with my Sommelier course to the Barola region of Piemonte. The weather has to improve. It just has too!

Krista

One More Time....

Happy Jack!
Originally uploaded by Krista 1366.

Here is Dad getting ready to tuck into his Thanksgiving Day feast. Look how happy he looks to finally be sitting down to dinner. Poor old Dad, who by the way just turned 80, flies to Italy from New York every year just to share Thanksgiving dinner with us. What do I do? I invite the United Nations to join us. At least that is how Joanne describes it. Read her blog, the link is in the sidebar. My suffering father was up at 7:30 Sunday morning to help me dress, stuff and put the turkey in the oven. Then he was slicing and dicing. He even peeled 10lbs of potatos! I must give a big round of applause to my dad. Without him, I couldn't have ever made such a feast for so many!

On a side note. I have been having some fun trying to teach myself HTML and CSS. Hey, you are never too old to learn something new! My frequent vistors might notice my handy work and a few additions to my sidebar. What I have really had a kick with is the site meter I added a couple of weeks ago. Now we can all see how many visitors stop on by to read the blog. How do I know I have frequent visitors? I can see who you are and what country you are from. So, now that we all know we are here. How about leaving a comment once in a while, even if it is just to say hello.

A tardi!

Krista

A Bizarre Bazaar!

Beautiful Sarah!
Originally uploaded by Krista 1366.

After rolling out of bed yesterday with my belly still full of turkey and pie, I got dressed and took the girls with me to the American International Women's Club of Genoa's annual Christmas Bazaar. Though the girls had to skip school, I thought it would be a good experience for them to help raise money for a good cause. Sarah pitched in and helped sell books at one table and Anna worked the crowd trying to sell assorted items and eventually helped sell at the handicrafts table. Most helpful of all, they spent my money at various tables! Their favorite one was the Bottle Table, a lottery where you buy a ticket and get a number then find the prize that has your number. The girls won 2 bottles of cleaning product, shampoo, soda, then finally, 2 bottles of wine and one of Whiskey! Sarah and Anna even brought their own money and bought themselves some lovely things. Anna even found a kilt to wear for Christmas for only 2 euros! Sarah bought an edition of Emily Post's Etiquette published in 1956! Go take a look over at the event at my home page. You might like to also check out what the AIWC of Genoa is all about and even discover more about Genoa!

Hopefully by next week the final accounting will be done and we will know how much we money raised for charity. By the way....FAWCO, the Federation of American Women's Clubs Overseas in being nominated this year for a Nobel Prize! This is in recognition for the charity work they do all over the world and money raised and donated to numerable good causes. If you feel the need to be giving this holiday season here is the link to the FAWCO site.

Ciao for Now!

Krista

Eatin' Turkey!

Thanksgiving 2005!
Originally uploaded by Krista 1366.

Here we all are at the big Pig Out!! Dinner was a complete success. We do hope that all had a great time because Sam and I know we did. In all, we were 28. The kids were well behaved, in fact, we hardly saw them at all. The turkey was succulent and tasty and we left the table with our bellies full. Thank you all for your help and for joining us to make this a fantastic day. Most of all. I have to thank Sam for doing the dishes and Barbara for her pumpkin pie. And Ian....your Brunello was mighty fine too.

I am pooped from cooking and cleaning and I just want to sit down and veg on the couch with Sam. Before I do that, here is the link to my home page, go and take a look at the photos. I am off to watch the BBC and "We've got a new life!" I love to watch other people's misery when they move to another country, tonight, an English family who moves to Provence...How cliche'!

Buona Sera!

Krista

Talkin' Turkey

Thanksgiving 2004
Originally uploaded by Krista 1366.

Here are the kids at last year's annual Crockford Family Thanksgiving Feast!

Today we are gearing up for another pig out at tomorrow's Thanksgiving Dinner. We must carry on with tradition, no? Dad has arrived from the states and we have invited all of our dearest friends from Chiavari - and their families - to join us for dinner. The turkey is ordered, the vegetables are ready to chop, and the dessert is in oven as I type. Seated at the table we will be 28 in all, 13 adults and 15 kids ranging from a 1 year old to a 13 years old! Yikes!!! We are going to be out numbered!

Wish you all could be here to share this day with us.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of all . It is simplicity in itself. A day where we cook a good meal, share it with friends and family, and reflect on the bounty that life gives us. Maybe, we even reach out a hand to a someone who needs it. Girlfriend, I am thinking of you.....Be strong.

I know that my American friends already had their turkey day and if they keep with American tradition, they filled their bellies and hit the shops yesterday, A.K.A. Black Friday, to catch all the big Christmas sales!

And just for you Barbara....

Gobble Gobble,

Krista

Weekend in the Monferratto

Piemonte in the Fall
Originally uploaded by Krista 1366.

Saturday afternoon we headed for the hills of Piemonte looking for infamous tartufo bianco d'Alba and a bit of antiquing. We stayed at Chris and Nicola Norton's beautiful hotel, La Villa, which is always a lovely experience. In their ever gracious hospitality, they made a dinner reservation for us at a one star rated Michelin restaurant, San Marco, in nearby Canelli. Being high season, back to the tartufo bianco (white truffle), this booking was made a week in advance. Off we went with our appetites only to walk into the restaurant and find that it was booked for a private party!!!! A bit a confusion ensued and phone calls back to the hotel to make sure we were at the right place. Next thing I knew Sam was being led back into the dining room and up some stairs to the owner's living room! There they were setting up dinner for us and in a flash we were all upstairs sitting down for the most memorable meal of my life, which also included updates from the Roma versus Juventus soccer match from the nonno as he passed by from time to time to check up on us. Upon returning to the hotel we learned that when Nicola phoned to make the reservation, she spoke to the senile old nonna (grandmother) who is not living in our reality! The owner of San Marco must have had this happen to him before and handled the situation with grace and humility and we enjoyed a meal that none of us will ever forget. My dad can go home to NY and tell everyone he has eaten dinner in a real Italian's home! I on the other hand received a written thank you from the owners for our cooperation and understanding! Imagine that! Go on over to my home page and you can see some of the plates that we were served and our happy faces!

Sunday morning we were off to the Antique Market in Nizza Monferatto for a little shopping and to visit with our friends, Oddile and Rosanna, who we buy many of our antiques from. The girls stayed back at the hotel and played with the Norton's daughters, Kelley and Gemma. We strolled the market, bought a few items then met up with Oddile and Rosanna. What was the first thing they asked us? Where were we going for Sunday lunch? Out were the cell phones and next thing we knew we were on our way to another restaurant for a outstanding meal. Sarah and Anna were no sooner dropped off at the market we were in the car and heading for another feast. This time we found ourselves eating at Il Quartino, which is family owned and specializes in the famous Piemontese dish, Bolitto Misto! Yet again we were stuffed to the gills and rolled out of the dining room screaming uncle! We must of been served at the minimum 9 different plates of various typical dishes from the region under the watchful eyes of the truffle hunters and their faithful dogs in the paintings covering the dining room walls!

If you haven't noticed the focus on the food, you haven't really read this post. After living in Italy for as long as I have now, I have come to realize that Sunday afternoon lunch is the most important meal of the week! It borders on a religion for some Italians. It is not uncommon to sit around a table from about 1 p.m. till 4 eating till you cannot anymore. What is wonderful about this tradition? It gives the suffering housewife a break from cooking and it also gathers family and friends together in a warm and inviting setting. Is there anything better in this world than good food, a good bottle of wine, and sharing it with the people closest to you? I think not.

Last thought, we were ever so lucky in the weather, it was clear skies and not too cold. Normally this time of the year the skies in Piemonte are gray and the air cold and wet. And, we started to make inquires about real estate for sale in the area.....

A tardi!

Krista

Mangia Mangia!

Lunch!
Originally uploaded by Krista 1366.

Here is our little Anna tucking into a huge plate of roast pork and french fries! My dad, who was sitting next to her, could not believe his eyes when Anna finished her plate and ordered dessert!

Following up on the previous post, Jack has noticed how much more pleasant it is to enjoy his morning cappuccino and have a nice meal out for this is his first visit to Italy since the smoking ban went into effect. Though like most cities that have banned smoking, you trip over many people smoking outdoors, but at least you don't need to sit next to them while you are trying to enjoy a meal. A surprising upside to the ban, since you can still smoke outside, the bars and cafes have left the outdoor seating set up even as it grows colder, and some have actually added propane heaters!

This evening Sarah is going to her first opera! Gabriele, Sarah's violin teacher, is taking Sarah and Virginia along with her to the Carlo Felice opera house for this evening's performance of "Don Giovanni" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Gabriele is playing violin in the orchestra which includes her husband and brother who play the violin as well. It should be a fantastic experience for all. Seeing that Sarah and Vi will be at the theater early with the musicians they will able to hear the orchestra warm up and the opera singers cue on stage! The girls will be meeting up with the rest of their classmates for the show. If you really want to be cultured, click here for the history and story of the opera and composer!

Tomorrow morning we are leaving for Piemonte. Ahh... isn't life grand?!

Vietato Fumare

Vietato Fumare
Originally uploaded by Krista 1366.

Wow, who would ever think the laws banning smoking in all of Italy would actually decrease the numbers of smokers?! I thought the ban only drove the smokers outside. I have to add that since the law went into effect, dining out is a much more pleasurable experience.

Italy's smoking ban has led to an 8% drop in tobacco consumption

Roger Dobson



The restriction of smoking in public places in Italy has led to an 8% drop in cigarette consumption, a new study says.

And the ban on smoking in indoor public places has been almost universally accepted and does not seem to have had an adverse effect on business, say the authors of the study, which was published online ahead of print publication on 7 November in the Annals of Oncology (http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/, doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdj070[Abstract/Free Full Text]).

"The results of our study on the first extensive smoking ban in a large country show the advantages of smoke-free legislation, which may have major public health implications," wrote the authors, who come from a number of centres and organisations in Milan and Rome, including the Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche, the Istituto Superiore di Sanita, the Istituto DOXA, and Gallup International.


On 10 January this year the Italian government banned smoking in all indoor public places, including cafes, restaurants (except for a few with separate and regulated smoking areas), airports, and railway stations, as well as in all public and private workplaces.

The authors also compared smoking consumption data from nationally representative, population based surveys and from official sales figures.

Data from official legal sales data show that 28.3 million kg of cigarettes were sold in Italy in the period January to April 2005. In the same period last year 31.1 million kg were sold.

"This corresponds to a decline in cigarette sales by 8.9%. This compares well with a 7.6% fall in consumption revealed by the comparison between results from the 2005 survey and those from a companion survey conducted in March-April 2004," the authors wrote.

The fall in consumption from 2004 to 2005 was 23% for the 15-24 year age group.

A Day in Genova!

Dad at the home of Christopher Columbus
Originally uploaded by Krista 1366.

Here is old Jack in front of the alleged childhood home of Christopher Columbus! I dragged him to Genova this morning to see the sights. We walked and walked, had a cappuccino or two, then, capped off the day with lunch. We met up with Sam, who had meetings in Genova, and headed back to Chiavari. Dad is now on the couch sleeping, I mean, how much walking can an 80 year old take? Me, I am off to Sarah's parent teacher conference. I hope to hear only good reports....

A presto!

Krista

Wow!

Having just read this little piece of news, I am shocked. Though if I think about it, no, I am not. Having struggled with getting through to very thick teachers and seeing exactly how the education system here in Italy works. I am not surprised. I have to wonder how many of these "illiterates" have a learning disability/difference that was never addressed?

EDUCATION: NEARLY 6 MILLION ITALIANS ARE ILLITERATE
(AGI) - Rome, Nov 14 - In Italy, nearly 6 million people (11.11pct of the population) are illiterate, a study conducted by the National Anti-Illiteracy Union reveals. The conclusions of the study were presented this morning at a meeting featuring the likes of former Education Minister and reknown linguist Tullio De Mauro and Senator and former RAI CEO Sergio Zavoli. Based on figures taken from the latest census (2001), the study shows that on top of the 'education ladder' is the 7.51pct of Italians who hold a university degree, followed by 25.85 pct who hold a high school degree. Another 30.12pct of the population holds a junior high-school certificate, whereas 36.2pct have an elementary school certificate or, as is the case with nearly 6,000 Italians, can be regarded as illiterate. (AGI) -
141829 NOV 05

And maybe the translater of this page should brush up on his English. In Italian one thousand is the word, mille, which is a false friend of the English, million. The last number should be, 6,000,000. Six million. According to the World Fact Book, there are as of July 2005, 58,103,033 people living in Italy. I have no opinion. I am just writing the facts.

Krista

A Truffle Not To Be Trifled With!

Tartufo Mania
Originally uploaded by Krista 1366.

Yesterday was the big auction for the rare white truffle from Alba.

Giant truffle fetches ?62,000 in auction
By Marco Giannangeli
(Filed: 14/11/2005)

The world's most expensive truffle sold for more than ?60,000 yesterday after an international auction dominated by a handful of celebrity chefs.


The Alba truffle: the identity of the winning bidder is still unknown
Weighing 2lb 10oz, the rare white Alba truffle, which is only found in Piedmont, Italy, for two months of the year, was described by auctioneers as "the size of a small handbag".

Buyers, linked by satellite, gathered in Shanghai, Honk Kong, Italy and London for the live event organised by the Piedmontese tourist board in aid of charity.

The Italian chef Umberto Vezzoli's Fiore restaurant in St James's was chosen as the British venue, where more than 200 guests - ranging from the Belgian Ambassador Baron de Gruben to a group of "high-profile lawyers" - enjoyed Champagne and a menu that started with potato cream and white truffles and the atmosphere was of well-ordered Italian pandemonium.

Marco Pierre-White, who attended the event with his wife, Matti, and their daughter, Mirabell, bid successfully for four out of five truffles on offer in London, which will be served at his new Luciano restaurant. But the chef gave his last win - a 14oz truffle snapped up for ?4,000 - to his rival, Bruno Giorgi, of Mayfair's Sketch restaurant.

The culinary delicacy has long been a much sought-after ingredient, a fact supported by Gordon Ramsay's recent announcement to sell a pizza topped with white truffle for ?100 at his Maze restaurant.

Then the satellite links started to relay the bidding on the mother of all truffles, uncovered under an oak tree by specially trained dogs and being cherished like a new born baby at the Castello di Grinzane Cavour, in Alba, 43 miles from Turin.

The joviality took on a hard edge when Antonio Signiorini, of the Consortia olive oil group, began to match the bids from the Ritz Carlton hotel in Hong Kong.

With the voice of William O'Reilly, the Christie's auctioneer and master of ceremony, raising by several octaves, Signiorini remained cool, and dropped out only when the bid reached ?57,000.

The identity of the bidder who finally scooped the giant truffle for 95,000 euros (?62,000) remained a mystery last night.

My dad is here visiting with us for a couple of weeks. Next weekend we are off to see what all the fuss about a truffle is and hopefully taste some of the lovely wines the region has to offer. We will be staying at our English friend's new hotel, "La Villa" smack in the heart of truffle country. If you ever want to visit the region, I strongly suggest you stay at their wonderful bed and breakfast. By the way, question mark should be a British pound sign. I have no idea how to correct it. I tried, but, no luck.


Krista

Art and Erotica

Cupid and Pysche
Originally uploaded by Krista 1366.

Ok. Now I have got your attention. I had to blog this nonsense on art and the human reaction to the nude form.

"For tourists here, the classical nude can seem like wallpaper, one particularly abundant commodity in the full Italian experience, to be chased then checked off somewhere between Chianti and Santa Croce.

But Dr. Graziella Magherini, a top psychiatrist in Florence, urges caution all the same. The nude, she warns, can be dangerous to one's mental health."

Click here and read the entire article.

What is the implication? People cannot handle the nude form? What about all those surfing on the web for their daily kicks? Hmmmm..... Seems like dodgy science to me. Or maybe the museums are desparate for entrance fees, so, they are resorting to the tried and surest form of advertising. SEX. Ooh.....

Krista

Advice for All

IMG_2504
Originally uploaded by sam0402.

Last week Sam and I went on our favorite walk from Santa Margarita to Portofino and had a picnic under the olive trees. Even though we must have been on this walking path dozens of times, we noticed this tile for the first time on a gate to one of the villas above Portofino.

Translated....

"Life is like a Christmas Tree, There is always someone who breaks the balls".

Very appropriate saying, no? I think my birthday boy brother would agree.

This time of the year in Liguria is olive harvesting time. As we were walking in and under the branches we happened upon the contadini (farmhands) picking the fruit from the trees. They still do it in the same manner as they did when the trees were first planted 100's of years ago. By hand. That means big ladders, nets, and lots of Porca Miserias.....
Click on over see how pretty the olive harvest can be.

Off to cook dinner for the kiddies....

Krista

Happy 50th Uncle Billy

Uncle Billy and Anna
Originally uploaded by Krista 1366.

Today is my big brother Billy's 50th birthday.....Caspita!!!!!! Wow!!!!! That means, gasp, my 40th is almost upon me!

All kidding aside, I hope he has a great day and his wife doesn't burn down the house lighting the candles on his cake!

Tanti auguri and Happy Birthday!

Krista

Dinner at the Crockfords

Dinner at the Crockfords
Originally uploaded by Krista 1366.

October has been a very busy month. I have been negligent in my blogging. I apologize to my many fans.

October in Liguria has been warm and dare I say, summer like. We have been busy doing all sorts of outdoor activities, hiking, biking, and of course the best of all, bbqing at the Lewis's. All that fun all ended last week. A cool wind blew in from the north, and I am not just talking about the arrival of my mother in law, Halloween arrived and so did the rain! Wardrobes needed to be changed, the housework caught up on, and now finally my blogging.

To recap the last weeks of October, Sarah was invited to accompany a choir at a historic church in Lavagna, Sam started his own company, Saranna, and we had a lovely dinner party in our home. You can sneek a peek over at my homepage here.

A presto!

Happy Halloween!

Which Witch
Originally uploaded by Krista 1366.

Here are Sarah and Anna with the scariest of disguises! Saturday night the girls dressed to kill and took off on their brooms to Barbara's for a night of fright. Sunday, Sarah was off with Virginia to Lerma for some more high jinx and Anna to Elenora's for.....well look at the next post.

Boo!

Krista

The Patient!

Anna at Lago Maggiore
Originally uploaded by Krista 1366.

Hello again! Been quite busy the last week or so. I fill you all in on our goings on later....

First, here is Anna Monday at Lago Maggiore. Notice the hand? We were visiting friends who have a home above the lake last weekend. No sooner we arrive and finish lunch all hell broke loose! Anna crashed into a wall with an ATV, a quad, or whatever you choose to call it. She fell off the bike and the bike fell on her. When we got the scene Anna was standing - although in a bit in shock. When we took a good look we saw that her left wrist was swelling up and didn't look too good. Off we went to Pronto Soccorso! We spent the rest of the afternoon in the emergency room. Luckily for Anna, she only sprained her wrist. They wrapped her up and off we went!

I know Dad, I should have known better than to let her get on one of those things.....

Krista