Weekend in Tuscany

Chianti classico is one of our favorite wines, so when we found out the region of Tuscany is only a 3 to 4 hour drive from Naples, it was a no-brainer to make it our first weekend trip...even with me being pregnant! We ventured out the last weekend in July to beat vacationing Italians, who generally go away in August.

We stayed at a quaint inn in rural Arezzo, in the eastern part of Tuscany. Fields of iconic sunflowers and rolling hills full of vineyards were EVERYWHERE! And right outside the door to our "family room" were also fragrant lavender bushes; I was pleased to find a sachet in the room for the taking.

We spent Friday afternoon swimming in the pool at the inn. With plenty of snacks, we held out until 8pm to enjoy a gourmet Italian meal at the inn's restaurant. We told the waiter we wanted to try a chianti classico, and he returned with a half bottle (since I'd just be having a taste) of what he described as "a VERY good Chianti classico." We were slightly worried about what the price might be, since we hadn't even looked at the wine menu. Come to find out we could more than afford the 4 euro (about $6) price! Gotta love Italy! We also tried some regional cheeses and cured meats, a pasta dish with buttery white truffles and a delicious but huge portion of regional steak. Even after 10pm, the girls were most excited to finally get to the gelato dessert.

We eased into our Saturday morning with cappuccinos and an amazing, typical European breakfast spread including muesli topped with fresh nectarine (okay, only I ate that), cured meats and cheeses (and only Brian ate that), yogurt, breakfast cakes, and a variety of cornettos (croissants) filled with Nutello, marmalade, or cream (my personal favorite). Yum!

After breakfast, we drove about an hour to Greve in Chianti (the main city center of Tuscany). We enjoyed walking around the Saturday market, where you could find everything from fruits, vegetables, cheeses and meats, to rugs, shoes, and clothing, etc.

Then we ducked out of the main piazza (square) into an enoteca (wine store) to explore the possibilities. We moved on to a tasting center, where you could pay anywhere from a Euro to several for a taste of hundreds of different types of wine. We were happy to find our favorite (special occasion) super tuscan wine Antinori Tignanello Tuscano--you could buy a TASTE for about $8...the whole bottle for about $80. But we already know it is good, so we passed.

I snapped a photo (for my New York-born Mom) of a statue of Giovanni da Verrazzano, an Italian explorer who was the first European explorer of North America, and in particular New York Harbor (1524), since the vikings (around 1000 AD). I just knew he must be important since there's a bridge in NYC named after him.

For lunch, we had one of my favorite Italian dishes yet, ribollita, which is a "reboiled" white bean-based stew with cooked greens and day-old bread used as a thickener. It was wonderfully rustic and wholesome, but more importantly, delicious. (And the only reason I even knew what it was is because of my foodie friend, Darlene!)

On our way back to the inn, we stopped at a Chianti winery, Villa Vignamaggio. Although we missed out on the tour since it was booked, we really came for the free tastings, so it was all good! We bought two bottles of Chianti classico and two bottles of their Super Tuscan blend. Four bottles down, 496 more to go to reach our total wine shipment allowance!

Sunday we drove to Cortona, the city where Under the Tuscan Sun was partially filmed, to spend the day before driving home. The movie is loosely based on a book with the same title, which was written by a woman (Frances Mayes) who moved to and still lives in Cortona. We happened on the first day of the Tuscan Sun Festival, but most of those activities were either off the beaten path or taking place in the evening. So we walked around the town taking in the beautiful sights, enjoyed a nice lunch al fresco, and ate the obligatory gelato-reward-for-good-behavior before reluctantly heading home. But we will be back...preferably when I can drink more wine.

Downtown Naples

I couldn't have done it without my tour guide/navigator, Melissa, but I did it--I finally drove off-base in Italy! It was only about 10 minutes each way to and from the Aversa train station, but it's a start!

We were on our way to explore downtown Naples (complete with friendly nationals willing to smile and wave for my random photos), which I still hadn't seen in the eight weeks we've been here. So, we parked the Pilot in a big lot, bought our tickets for each way at one train station and walked the three blocks to the correct train station. We hopped on board and began our smooth journey into Naples! (With walking time and waiting time between trains, it probably took about 1 1/2 hours to go the 30 miles to Naples, but 10 minutes was all I was willing to drive for a first try!)

I was glad to learn Melissa also likes to go "by the book" when it comes to tourist recommendations, and she'd even brought a useful book. So, after our train ride, we wandered into a coffee shop mentioned in her tour book, since it was right across from the station. We bought our ticket for "un cafe" (an espresso) for 80 Euro cents (about a buck) from the cashier, edged our way up to the counter, plunked down the ticket plus an extra 20 Euro cents as a tip, and answered an emphatic "si" when asked if we'd like sugar in our espresso. After chugging it down in about two sips, we chased it with the glass of sparkling water that was provided. After no more than 10 minutes, we were on our way to see some sights. Truthfully, it felt noticeably weird to be done so quick, having bought into the Starbucks strategic marketing plan to linger and savor your coffee...but then again, an Italian espresso is a fraction of the size and cost of a Starbucks espresso drink, so we moved on to put our jolt of caffeine to good use.

We walked down near the port of Naples, first stopping in the Galleria Umberto shopping arcade. It forms the shape of a cross, its roof is made of glass, and its floor is an impressive mosaic of the zodiac. Since all the Norwood women are Scorpios, I only snapped this one.

Then we caught a glimpse of Castle Nuovo from across the street, saving a visit there for another day. We meandered on (chuckling at the international toilet flag) by way of the Opera House, each of us vowing to see an opera while living in Italy. We ended up at Gran Caffe Gambrinus, a famous historical coffee bar, where we just had to partake in our second espresso of the morning (only the third espresso of my life).

After that, we geared up for a trek across town to find some famous Neapolitan pizza. The guide book recommended L'antica Pizzeria "da Michele", where Julia Roberts ate in the movie Eat, Pray, Love. But since it was already 2pm, the 50+people standing outside sealed the deal for Trianon (also in the guidebook) across the street. Not a disappointment in the least, it was most certainly the best pizza I've had yet! Now to bring Brian and the girls downtown...maybe once it cools off a bit.

The Newest Norwood

We are excited to announce the newest Norwood will be born in Naples, Italy in January!

Hence, I haven't been reporting on the wine (or food, for that matter) in Italy...but there will be plenty of time for that! And don't let this deter you from visiting--we plan to be as mobile as ever!

Defeated at Ikea

We have been in Italy seven weeks now. In our apartment three weeks. We are unpacked. But everything is NOT in its final resting place. Main living areas are decluttered for the most part. But bedrooms and closets are crammed just to conceal things, the piles high and leaning like the tower of Pisa. We are need of some organization in the worst way. So, naturally we went to Ikea!

We (Brian, that is, I still haven't driven yet) geared up for the drive to Ikea last night, a Wednesday evening. We were warned that a weekend would be far too crowded, so we ate leftovers for dinner and scooted off with the kids in tow.

Which probably was our first mistake. Wandering through a one-way-maze-of-a-store with these helpers at 7pm (or anytime, really) is not ideal. And it never fails, someone needs to use the bathroom at the most inopportune moment...Sydney emergently notified me of her need for a bathroom as soon as we got started. So, away we raced through the many crowds (don't know how there could be MORE people in this store on a weekend, it was that crowded), muttering "scuzi" now and then (which clearly doesn't mean "move out of the way please" like "excuse me" does, since no one budged!) Sure enough, the bathroom was located at the END, which was also the beginning of the maze, near the cafeteria. At least we didn't have to backtrack...we just restarted the circuit all over again.

I instructed the kids to stay with Daddy, and got a 30-second head start. I raced around looking for everything on my list: a (pink?) rug for Sydney's room, something to organize the hall closets, something to organize the girls' toy closets, some more of the same shelving I've been using in the kitchen cabinets, curtains (although I forgot my measurements), and whatever else caught my fancy. But caught in the current of people, I reached the end with only two small storage items in my big yellow Ikea shopping bag. Not a good indication of success, but I trudged on and descended to the lower level to continue my search of the entire lower level despite feeling somewhat defeated already.

By this time, Brian had the brilliant idea to take the kids to the outdoor play area. And after about 45 minutes of "shopping," I'd reached the check-out area. Self-service lines for 15 items or fewer were empty. But alas, I don't read Italian to serve myself! All the other lines? Full of at least 15 people each with 50+ items! I hesitated and switched lines a few times, trying to estimate how much time this would take for my two items totaling less than $10...I figured at least 30 more minutes. So, I surrendered my big yellow Ikea bag on a nearby display of flower pots and walked toward the exit.

I tell myself I could have had this same experience at the Ikea in Northern Virginia or even Japan. But deep down, I know there's more to it than simple shopping frustration. Moving to a foreign country has its benefits, but it also has its initial challenges--which in my experience, usually require adjustments in my expectations and attitude. I'm not there quite yet, but I know I'll get there! But not with the help from the GPS, but that's another story...