Today is August 11th!

Well, not really, but that's just the point! It's a surprise for Zeno's birthday!

First, we have to get one thing straight. I know that many of my readers are over there across the ocean in the US, and might not recognize the sumptuous and delectable dessert pictured above. If that is the case, YOU MUST COME TO ITALY STRAIGHT AWAY! For you haven’t truly lived until you’ve had Panna Cotta, (for that’s what it’s called), melt away in your mouth.

Indeed, a celebration of Zeno wouldn’t be complete without a dessert as marvelous as Panna Cotta! And, as James had never tasted it, we simply had to take the occasion to introduce him… not to mention the fact that ‘Manda is always looking for a reason, any reason, to bring Panna Cotta into the picture.

After an entire day of hunting for the perfect grill, not to mention getting lost in Milan and eventually discovering new places, ‘Manda and James made it home and James set straight to work on assembling. He completed the project in record time! … with only a few parts left over that didn’t seem to fit into the picture anywhere… (we stored those away in the basement just in case they’re useful for something).

Sarah would be proud, we celebrated in Mexican style with Tacoes – YUMMY! If I, as the chef, must say so myself. And of course, LOTS of candles!

Prior to the unveiling, Zeno managed to pop two of his three birthday balloons, for which he was VERY proud.

Proof, as you can see, that all the desk work he’s been subject to, hasn’t diminished his strength one bit – Macho Man!

READY….

SET….

INTRODUCING…

The HOT… the SIZZLING… the FLAMING…

SUPER GRILL-MAN!!!

Oh, but wait! Of course, we forgot...

His magical GRILL-MAN-INSTRUMENTS! With these, SUPER GRILL-MAN can perform miracles of wonder and delight that will leave you speechless. We’ll have to wait to see just what kind of delightful wonders those might be…

The instruments are also necessary for the proper primping preparatory to the production of marvelous wonders.

There we go, that should do it!

Who would have ever thought a grill could be such fun!?!

Thank you everyone for making Zeno's early surprise birthday such a great experience!!! Now, we get to continue to party until the real August 11th... right!?!

Those miracles of wonder and delight...

You know, in the end, SUPER GRILL-MAN did in fact turn some of them out! Mmmmmmmm...

Non-Traditional Alpini

Aniko, my friend from Torino, and I have decided to become Alpini!

What do you think? Do we fit the part?

A Summer Candlelight Dinner

Hooray for summer!!!! Hooray for sharing a summer candle light dinner with the one you love! A few weeks ago we thought summer was really upon us. With the heat and humidity we were feeling like eating nothing but fresh vegetables and fruit… yesterday I was walking around town in the evening with my winder coat on and my princess-blue umbrella to protect me from the hail and cold rain… Come on Summer! You can make it!

Washer Women of Milan!

A few weeks ago, my friends Rachel, Natalie and I had a free day together and decided to stroll around and explore near the canal... we should have guessed there was no such thing as a "free" day. We ended up where the women of Milan have washed their cloths in the Grand Canal for centuries! Why is it that our cloths never seem to come out bright white? It must be the smog...

Welcome to Vienna!!! - take two

The trail we were hiking continued along twisting and turning past quaint vineyards and a farmhouse where they had fresh, raw honey (Honig)! Unfortunately they weren't open, else we would have taken some home. We saw a young wild deer, a rabbit, and, of course, many more snails and slugs...

We came upon an area that claimed to be the oldest area in Vienna and boasted to have at one time hosted Albert Einstein! Zeno is sitting on the oldest windowsill in Grinzing! I found it to be delightfully cute. It reminded me of a little hobbit window!

By this time, we had begun working up quite and appetite. Fortunately, we didn't make reservations as this restaurant! The Schiefer - very similar in Italian to the word "Disgusting". We had a good laugh at that and made a bet that they didn't boast many Italian patrons.

Instead, we found a little Mom-&-Pop place, laid-back, family style with good hearty German food. Outside the entrance Zeno and I couldn't resist perching upon the old-fashioned farm tractor. Zeno looks much more like he would actually know what to do if it started up! I look exactly as described, perched... how does one sit on a tractor properly anyways?

It was absolutely delicious and filling. Just what we needed after our exploration into the outskirts of Vienna. It was so good, in fact, that, as you'll notice, we received and unexpected visitor who was hoping that some of the kitchen scraps might fall to him... meow!

The atmosphere was fun too. We were in a quite little corner with a good view for taking in everything that was going on, but we could here merry singing taking place in the rooms adjoining ours and see the kitchen help bustling past with trays full of savory food. Of course, to top off the evening, we shared a slice of both apple and cheese strudel. Yum!

Buongiorno Amore!!!! Can you think of a more romantic breakfast than to have it served by a smiley old Viennese gentleman in the setting of a magnificent castle?

The Castle Schonbrunn to be exact. Our last tourist exploration before we have to head home. Though the day threatened rain, it never fully made it's appearance until we had to leave. Perfect timing! For the rest of the time the wind blew the clouds through the blue sky putting on a spectacular dance for us.

The wind did make picture taking somewhat of a trick... just a minute, let me get my hair out of my face... there we go!... no, hold on again... there, how's that... one more time, ok... did you get it?... still had a strand across my face? ... ready, set... did you get it? Ok, that's good enough?

WHEW!

Then, guess what?!?!!? We got to go through a real garden labyrinth!!!It was so great! Throughout the labyrinth there were little areas where you could do an obstacle or solve a riddle, play an oversized set of chimes by dancing on tiles on the ground... On this one, you had to climb the pole and ring the chime. While we were there a few men came along with their wives/sweethearts and gave it a go. After great effort one of them did make it to the top! Hooray! While we watched I urged Zeno to try, but he was a little bashful and said he'd rather not... until the others left and then he shimmied up to the top of all three poles and rang all the chimes without barely breaking into a sweat!!!! He just didn't want to show off... Except for me. That's my Amore!!! See how the sunshine broke through the clouds so magnificently as he rang the final chime? Even the skies were impressed!


I did it too!!! Notice my red face belying the fact that for me it took quite a lot of work... and even had a bit of assistance from my handsome photographer (Quick! Take the picture already!!!!).


So that was our last hurrah in Vienna exploring the grounds of the Schonbrunn Castle. The only part we didn't have time to see was the zoo. Though, from some of the looks we received from our fellow guests as we ran through the labyrinth I think they thought that's where we'd escaped from...

Maybe next time we'll make it to the part of the castle where we belong, but for now, we're happily back home in Milan. That is, after planes were delayed, after Amanda was bumped from her flight to the next... our adventures once again brought us back home.