The Week in Review.

Heave ho!
Originally uploaded by Krista 1366.

It is Sunday afternoon. Women's Curling is currently on the TV, rather boring and I don't understand how this "event" is an Olympic "sport", and Sam is skyping with his brother in Latvia and cracking himself up. Over what, I'd really rather not know. Me? I am going to reflect on the week - minus the birthday parties. I will tell you a bit about what else has been going on here in little Chiavari.

See the nice men in the orange suits? No they are not the local prisoners on road clean up. They are the road crew who arrived this week to repave our street. As I was returning home Monday from my party at Barbara's, I caught these guys actually lifting a car, which was not supposed to be parked on the street, onto the sidewalk. I quickly took out my camera and took a few shots of the "men at work". I missed the men lifting the car, they were mighty fast, but I caught the rest of the "act". See here.

Friday evening, Sam and I were off to Genoa to go to an evening cocktail sponsored by the British Chamber of Commerce of Italy. The BCCI has recently renewed their chapter in Genoa and this was the kick off party. As these things go, it was what you would expect, no surprises, except, I bumped into one of teachers from my sommelier course. He taught us in our first level class all about beer and distilled liquor. Turns out, he, Angelo Matteucci, is married to an Englishwoman and his business is importing of English foods, as in beer, spirits, and cheeses from the UK to Italy. Small world, no? We had a lovely conversation - in English, for his was flawless - and he was most inspiring. He suggested that since I am striving to be a sommelier, to actually put my newly acquired knowledge of food and wine to practice. First suggestion, to start/host a pot luck dinner club.... Each participant/couple brings a dinner course with a bottle of wine to accompany it. We share the food and we share the wine! Great idea! Told Joanne about it, and we are going to do it. Who else wants to join us? Second, our new friend is, in addition to being a sommelier, the Vice President of the "Single Malt Club of Scotland" in Italy, and he invited Sam to join! And I think he will. Lastly, he mentioned to me, since I love food and wine, to think about joining the Slow Food club chapter in Genoa! Hmmm... Maybe I will. Most inspiring of all, this extraordinary man convinced me to get up in front of my next sommelier class and lead in one of the tastings! Last week my class started again, and since we are now at a more advanced second level, in other words, we should be able to lead a tasting by this point, were invited to do just that. Of course, we were all too shy! But, next time if I get up there and make a go of it with my mediocre Italian.... It might start a revolution!

To cap off the weekend. Sam and I had a lovely dinner Saturday night with our good friend Cristina and her husband, Jacopo. We were joined my Natalie and Marco, and Cristina's colleque from work Andrea and his wife, Anna. We had a lovely meal of mixed salumi and cheese to start, followed by a fiorentino di Carru'. Fiorentina, is the Italian version the T bone steak and Carru is the Piemontese version of Black Angus! Think a very thick chop and very fine cut of beef. All this accompanied by a Pinot Nero Cru from Frans Haas, in Alto Aldige. The wine was round and soft and paired perfectly with the meal. Only thing. The name. I looked at the bottle and looked and Sam and said in my best german accent, "I want to pump you up!" Who remembers the Hanz and Franz skits from Saturday Night live?

Now, it is Sunday night apperitivo time in the Riviera and Sam has just brought me my little drink.... Gotta go!

Cheers!

Krista