Take note all of my faithful readers! I have received my second comment from a perfect stranger which coincides with the escalation of hits I have been getting on my blog. Why is it only Italian men leave me comments? hmmmm. That could be a whole other post. Back to today's topic, which is... Getting to know each other.
Yes, I do have faithful readers. How do I know? Has anyone noticed the site meter on the sidebar of this blog? The service lets me SEE who has been visiting my blog and how often. I have to tell you, I am really happy you all stop by and more than flattered that some of you check in daily. It makes me think you guys really like me. At least I hope that you do.
Now that the cat is out of the bag and we all know that we are here. Even perfect strangers are starting to leave me comments. Don't send me emails with comments, post it! Why don't all of you lurkers come out of the dark and throw me a bone. Come on. Post a comment on my blog. I have the comment forum set up so you can remain anonymous or let us know who you are. Say hi and let me know that I am not blogging in vain. I promise to say hi back!
Please don't get panicky about the site meter, it is not like "Big Brother" is watching you. I cannot stalk you or anything like that. I don't know who you really are. Only information I receive about my readers is - where in the world you are, where you clicked over from, and how long you stay on the site.
My site meter is rapidly approaching the 1,000 hit mark! I average about 20 to 30 hits a day. At that pace I should hit the mark in less than 2 days. Keep on clicking over and see if we can get there any faster!
Grazie!
Krista
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Monday, February 06, 2006
A glass of wine a day....
Seems to keep the years away. At least according to a new Italian study!
What perfect timing! My birthday is just one week away and my sommelier course starts on the 14th! So drink to your health and as you raise that glass of vino rosso, just think of the years your are adding to your life!
Countdown to the big 40.... 7 days!
Salute!
Krista
Red wine a fountain of youth
Red wine can make you live longer and feel better while you're at it, a new Italian study indicates .
A chemical in the wine slows aging and wards off two things the elderly often gripe about, feeling weaker and slower on the uptake, the scientists said .
What perfect timing! My birthday is just one week away and my sommelier course starts on the 14th! So drink to your health and as you raise that glass of vino rosso, just think of the years your are adding to your life!
Countdown to the big 40.... 7 days!
Salute!
Krista
Sam's Birthday Surprise
All last week I had been planning, organizing, and scheming with friends to give Sam a memorable birthday. What did we do? We had a surprise party for him at a local osteria. Everyone played it cool, and the party went according to plan. Even Sarah and Anna, who were bursting to tell Daddy, kept the secret. Though I think Anna almost slipped. The most difficult thing to do? Get Sam there without him suspecting anything was going on!!! I had to play it cool. Not my best trait. I even baked Sam a very plain birthday cake and the girls and I sang Happy Birthday and Sam opened his presents that afternoon. Sam seemed a bit disappointed, but, the plan worked. I told him we were going for a romantic dinner, just him and I. He was off our trail!
For all of you that know me well, I am a constant planner and always a bundle of nerves when planning a party. When I couldn't get Sam out of the house on time, I counted to 10 and reassured myself that someone would be late to the restaurant. Not a chance. Everyone listened to me and was seated at the table by 8 p.m.!!! Sam and I walked in at 8:30. He was so funny. All men check out women in a room, right? Sam only saw the chicks! It took a minute, but it sank in. He was at his birthday party!
A week of planning and it was all over in a few hours! We had a great time and thank you to everyone who joined us, you presence and presents made it a special night for Sam. Joanne was the resident photo journalist. Take a look here to see her work and our fun! Once again, our group of friends, who hail from many nations, helped us make Saturday special for Sam. We had representatives from: Peru, Canada, Germany, Belgium, United States, Italy, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and of course, Finland, that being Sam! A special thanks to Nicole and Bruno. They gave Sam that huge jar of Nutella! See his face! Sam is one happy boy and Sarah and Anna are even happier little girls!
Auguri Sam!
Krista
For all of you that know me well, I am a constant planner and always a bundle of nerves when planning a party. When I couldn't get Sam out of the house on time, I counted to 10 and reassured myself that someone would be late to the restaurant. Not a chance. Everyone listened to me and was seated at the table by 8 p.m.!!! Sam and I walked in at 8:30. He was so funny. All men check out women in a room, right? Sam only saw the chicks! It took a minute, but it sank in. He was at his birthday party!
A week of planning and it was all over in a few hours! We had a great time and thank you to everyone who joined us, you presence and presents made it a special night for Sam. Joanne was the resident photo journalist. Take a look here to see her work and our fun! Once again, our group of friends, who hail from many nations, helped us make Saturday special for Sam. We had representatives from: Peru, Canada, Germany, Belgium, United States, Italy, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and of course, Finland, that being Sam! A special thanks to Nicole and Bruno. They gave Sam that huge jar of Nutella! See his face! Sam is one happy boy and Sarah and Anna are even happier little girls!
Auguri Sam!
Krista
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Happy Birthday Sam!
Sam
A lad in a uniform
Who dared to live
Ran a race
Who set the pace
A world to take
A life to make
He took a bride
Stood with pride
Along came two
And began our zoo
A life on the run
Always full of fun
Your love keeps me alive
My pace is your stride
My shining blind date
My love and fate
Happy Birthday Sam!
39 years old today!
A lad in a uniform
Who dared to live
Ran a race
Who set the pace
A world to take
A life to make
He took a bride
Stood with pride
Along came two
And began our zoo
A life on the run
Always full of fun
Your love keeps me alive
My pace is your stride
My shining blind date
My love and fate
Happy Birthday Sam!
39 years old today!
Friday, February 03, 2006
Life's Little Surprises
I can say that I never woke up one day and said, hey, I want to move to Italy. I was in every way dragged to this blessed land, mind you kicking and screaming with two small kids in hand, by my better half, Sam. I remember vividly our arrival in Genoa and the drive from the airport to Santa Margharita. It was the middle of August and the height of tourist season. I was completely overwhelmed by the city's density and the shock of seeing the laundry hanging off the terraces. No subdivisions or order, and not a single family house in sight. Chaos reigned. The traffic was intense and the noise of the scooters overwhelming. Sam tried to lighten the mood and show us a better side of Genoa. He took us for a drive past the harbor and the seaside. Genoa is a port city with lots of ships coming and going. Watching the activity of a harbor is one of my favorite pastimes, Sam had a good idea. He turned onto the Sopralevata (ring road) that goes over old Genoa and past the port. The sight of the water would brighten my spirit. Guess what the first thing we saw on the road? A horrible accident. A helmet was on the road and a scooter was down. I turned my head for I couldn't bear to see the blood or a dead body. Welcome to Italy.
Things were certainly difficult in the beginning, I won't deny that. We all have our likes, dislikes and our passions. One of my true passions is food, wine, and cooking. That was my salvation. Underneath all the roughness of Genoa, and there are many, you can find many extraordinary and surprising things. Yes, my taste buds in the end redeemed Genoa from its ugly start.
Here I am today shopping in one of the true gems of Genoa and one of my first gastronomic finds, Antica Drogheria di M. Torielli. Don't be fooled by the name, Antica means old, and Drogheria, in this context, grocery shop. In reality, this a spice shop. It has been here for centuries and for the last one, it has been owned and run by one family. First the father, then his son, and now the granddaughters, one of which is pictured here. In this tiny corner store in the most unlikely of places, you can find anything and everything from any part of the world. From tea to curry, from allspice to homemade chocolate and even every type of bean, rice and nut. The store is just as it has been for centuries and the aroma from the mix of spices hits you before you step into the door. It is strictly standing room only and always full of stock and customers. As you can see the shelves are lined with jars and the floor is littered with sacks of nuts. They have no register and shun digital scales. Your purchases are wrapped as they always have been, in paper tied with a string. The only nod to modernity, the scotch tape to seal your package closed. Walking into the Antica Drogheria is truly a step back in time.
Genoa has always been a port city and as such a city of immigrants. At one time in it's history Genoa was a center of trade for the spice business. One of the great gastonomic ironies of Genoa: for a city that traded spices, their cuisine is rather bland. Go figure. But, since Genoa still has a vibrant immigrant community you can count on this store to find all the culinary must haves for your kitchen. Even tabasco sauce from the United States! You can stand here next to a Chinaman or African and be an American next to an Italian and no one turns their head for we are all there for the same reason, to satisfy our gastonomic demands.
Buon Appetito!
Krista
Things were certainly difficult in the beginning, I won't deny that. We all have our likes, dislikes and our passions. One of my true passions is food, wine, and cooking. That was my salvation. Underneath all the roughness of Genoa, and there are many, you can find many extraordinary and surprising things. Yes, my taste buds in the end redeemed Genoa from its ugly start.
Here I am today shopping in one of the true gems of Genoa and one of my first gastronomic finds, Antica Drogheria di M. Torielli. Don't be fooled by the name, Antica means old, and Drogheria, in this context, grocery shop. In reality, this a spice shop. It has been here for centuries and for the last one, it has been owned and run by one family. First the father, then his son, and now the granddaughters, one of which is pictured here. In this tiny corner store in the most unlikely of places, you can find anything and everything from any part of the world. From tea to curry, from allspice to homemade chocolate and even every type of bean, rice and nut. The store is just as it has been for centuries and the aroma from the mix of spices hits you before you step into the door. It is strictly standing room only and always full of stock and customers. As you can see the shelves are lined with jars and the floor is littered with sacks of nuts. They have no register and shun digital scales. Your purchases are wrapped as they always have been, in paper tied with a string. The only nod to modernity, the scotch tape to seal your package closed. Walking into the Antica Drogheria is truly a step back in time.
Genoa has always been a port city and as such a city of immigrants. At one time in it's history Genoa was a center of trade for the spice business. One of the great gastonomic ironies of Genoa: for a city that traded spices, their cuisine is rather bland. Go figure. But, since Genoa still has a vibrant immigrant community you can count on this store to find all the culinary must haves for your kitchen. Even tabasco sauce from the United States! You can stand here next to a Chinaman or African and be an American next to an Italian and no one turns their head for we are all there for the same reason, to satisfy our gastonomic demands.
Buon Appetito!
Krista
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Today is Groundhog Day!
Must mean Sam's birthday is around the corner! And mine.... Less than two weeks away! Yikes...
Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his hibernation today, crawled out of his hole and saw his shadow!
Six more weeks of winter....
What is groundhog day? Some pagan tradition the european settlers brought to the colonies that over the years has been commercialized to the max. A winter version of Halloween.
See you later....
Krista
Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his hibernation today, crawled out of his hole and saw his shadow!
Six more weeks of winter....
What is groundhog day? Some pagan tradition the european settlers brought to the colonies that over the years has been commercialized to the max. A winter version of Halloween.
In 1723, the Delaware Indians settled Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania as a campsite halfway between the Allegheny and the Susquehanna Rivers. The town is 90 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, at the intersection of Route 36 and Route 119. The Delawares considered groundhogs honorable ancestors. According to the original creation beliefs of the Delaware Indians, their forebears began life as animals in "Mother Earth" and emerged centuries later to hunt and live as men.
The name Punxsutawney comes from the Indian name for the location
"ponksad-uteney" which means "the town of the sandflies."
The name woodchuck comes from the Indian legend of "Wojak,
the groundhog" considered by them to be their ancestral grandfather.
When German settlers arrived in the 1700s, they brought a tradition known as Candlemas Day, which has an early origin in the pagan celebration of Imbolc. It came at the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Superstition held that if the weather was fair, the second half of Winter would be stormy and cold. For the early Christians in Europe, it was the custom on Candlemas Day for clergy to bless candles and distribute them to the people in the dark of Winter. A lighted candle was placed in each window of the home. The day's weather continued to be important. If the sun came out February 2, halfway between Winter and Spring, it meant six more weeks of wintry weather.
The earliest American reference to Groundhog Day can be found at the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center at Franklin and Marshall College:
February 4, 1841 - from Morgantown, Berks County (Pennsylvania) storekeeper James Morris' diary..."Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate."
According to the old English saying:
If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Winter has another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Winter will not come again.
From Scotland:
If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,
There'll be two winters in the year.
From Germany:
For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,
So far will the snow swirl until May.
For as the snow blows on Candlemas Day,
So far will the sun shine before May.
And from America:
If the sun shines on Groundhog Day;
Half the fuel and half the hay.
If the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, an animal would cast a shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of Winter. Germans watched a badger for the shadow. In Pennsylvania, the groundhog, upon waking from mid-Winter hibernation, was selected as the replacement. Read more here
See you later....
Krista
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Simple Pleasures for Simple Measures
Ok. I am officially admitting to my mid life crisis. First it was the blue mini, complete with the Union Jack on the roof. Then it was the new wardrobe I bought myself this spring, after I lost a few kilos. Now, I am finally hitting rock bottom. Today I went to buy tickets to see Simple Minds in concert in Verona. I cannot even believe that I did this. The last time I went to a concert.... I cannot even recall. But this, I cannot miss.
Way back when, in the 1980s, I was a square peg in a round hole growing up during the punk years of rock -n-roll on Long Island. I was completely into all things British and new wave. My favorite bands were, U2, Simple Minds, and Depeche Mode. I loved the Clash, though they soon broke up, and I wanted to grow up to be just like Debbie Harry or Crissie Hynde (Who incidently, was briefly married to Jim Kerr of Simple Minds, they even toured together). I was sneaking into NYC when I could out fox my mom and going to every seedy downtown nightclub catching the latest acts from the UK or, hanging in the discos that catered to the new sound trying to look oh so cool in my latest new outfit. (Sorry Dad, but hey, I had fun and was always careful)
Amazingly, many of these bands I was chasing to see put out new CD's last year and are touring again! OK. U2 is, hands down, the megaband of the last two decades and still going strong, but who new back then we would still be listening to this sound and these new wave/alternative college radio acts and their music would still be relevant today. I can remember having this discussion with my older (by 13 years) brother of mine who was convinced this new sound was going nowhere and the 1960's was where rock and roll began and where it ended. This new wave/punk sound, according to him and many of the others of his generation, was going the way of disco, nowhere. How wrong he was! Bono and U2 put that theory to the rest with their success and talent and now all things 80's are back again including the music. If you live long enough, all things cycle back into fashion. A nod to my brother, even the Rolling Stones are on tour now and coming to Milan! But, I think I will pass on that one just like I did when I was in my teens.
In 1984, when I left High School, I was a rebel screaming just like others of my generation who had to follow the dinosaur bands of the 60's or the Disco queens of the 70's, which, by the way, were the only choices on the FM radio back then. For us, the generation who became know as "Generation X", what crumbs were the baby boomers going to leave us and did we want them? They had all the good jobs and the "me generation" dominated the culture by their sheer number, they weren't called baby boomers for nothing, who wanted to listen to their music too? I, like so many others of my age, choose the punks of England, and marched to the beat of their drum! I craved the new and different. I dared to be different! WLIR changed their format from AOR/Southern Rock to Alternative/New Wave and my world would never be the same again. In 1984 I started to work at the station with my best friend and partner in crime, Sharon, we answered the request lines for free, just for the chance to meet the artists and get the free perks, like concert tickets and our names on the guest lists at clubs. I have many an autograph and many a back stage pass and many a story to tell. I lived that rock and roll life till 1988. And what fun I had and how many different colors of hair I went through!
Today, the eighties are back, even more popular, and some of it still sounds fresh. The 80's are hip once again. Even many new bands today sound like the music back then, even ska is back. And, have you looked at what the teenagers are wearing today? It is all so 1985! Thank god that the puffy shirt didn't make it to the revival!
Keep rocking, and remember, you are only as young as you feel and choose to live! And, as Jim Kerr says....
Don't you forget about me....
Krista
PS. The first time I got to see Simple Minds in concert I sat 2nd row at Radio City Music Hall. I was so close, that I had his sweat all over me. I had only 2 tickets and brought my best friend Sharon. 6 of my other friends who were in like row 15, rushed the stage and we all were singing, dancing and having a great time, that is, until the ushers made us sit in our seats! Ahh... Those were the days.
Way back when, in the 1980s, I was a square peg in a round hole growing up during the punk years of rock -n-roll on Long Island. I was completely into all things British and new wave. My favorite bands were, U2, Simple Minds, and Depeche Mode. I loved the Clash, though they soon broke up, and I wanted to grow up to be just like Debbie Harry or Crissie Hynde (Who incidently, was briefly married to Jim Kerr of Simple Minds, they even toured together). I was sneaking into NYC when I could out fox my mom and going to every seedy downtown nightclub catching the latest acts from the UK or, hanging in the discos that catered to the new sound trying to look oh so cool in my latest new outfit. (Sorry Dad, but hey, I had fun and was always careful)
Amazingly, many of these bands I was chasing to see put out new CD's last year and are touring again! OK. U2 is, hands down, the megaband of the last two decades and still going strong, but who new back then we would still be listening to this sound and these new wave/alternative college radio acts and their music would still be relevant today. I can remember having this discussion with my older (by 13 years) brother of mine who was convinced this new sound was going nowhere and the 1960's was where rock and roll began and where it ended. This new wave/punk sound, according to him and many of the others of his generation, was going the way of disco, nowhere. How wrong he was! Bono and U2 put that theory to the rest with their success and talent and now all things 80's are back again including the music. If you live long enough, all things cycle back into fashion. A nod to my brother, even the Rolling Stones are on tour now and coming to Milan! But, I think I will pass on that one just like I did when I was in my teens.
In 1984, when I left High School, I was a rebel screaming just like others of my generation who had to follow the dinosaur bands of the 60's or the Disco queens of the 70's, which, by the way, were the only choices on the FM radio back then. For us, the generation who became know as "Generation X", what crumbs were the baby boomers going to leave us and did we want them? They had all the good jobs and the "me generation" dominated the culture by their sheer number, they weren't called baby boomers for nothing, who wanted to listen to their music too? I, like so many others of my age, choose the punks of England, and marched to the beat of their drum! I craved the new and different. I dared to be different! WLIR changed their format from AOR/Southern Rock to Alternative/New Wave and my world would never be the same again. In 1984 I started to work at the station with my best friend and partner in crime, Sharon, we answered the request lines for free, just for the chance to meet the artists and get the free perks, like concert tickets and our names on the guest lists at clubs. I have many an autograph and many a back stage pass and many a story to tell. I lived that rock and roll life till 1988. And what fun I had and how many different colors of hair I went through!
Today, the eighties are back, even more popular, and some of it still sounds fresh. The 80's are hip once again. Even many new bands today sound like the music back then, even ska is back. And, have you looked at what the teenagers are wearing today? It is all so 1985! Thank god that the puffy shirt didn't make it to the revival!
Keep rocking, and remember, you are only as young as you feel and choose to live! And, as Jim Kerr says....
Don't you forget about me....
Krista
PS. The first time I got to see Simple Minds in concert I sat 2nd row at Radio City Music Hall. I was so close, that I had his sweat all over me. I had only 2 tickets and brought my best friend Sharon. 6 of my other friends who were in like row 15, rushed the stage and we all were singing, dancing and having a great time, that is, until the ushers made us sit in our seats! Ahh... Those were the days.
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