This (past) weekend I had the great pleasure of playing hostess to the first friend I made at NYU, Sandra. She spent five days in Bologna, where I tried to be the best tour guide possible, considering that there's still so much I don't know.
Luckily, Sandra is adventurous, easygoing, and a good eater. These are very important characteristics for all Italy travelers.
We explored Bologna, which was especially nice considering that the temperatures were in the 70s for five days straight, without a cloud in the sky. We embarked on our own eating tour, sampling characteristic Bolognese food. By her second day here, Sandra and I had tried ragu at three different restaurants - and she'd also eaten her new favorite gelato, ricotta with caramelized fig, at two different spots. I'll give you her contact info if you'd like a detailed report.
We climbed Bologna's famous tower, from which you can see all the red roofs of the city. Other than being red, Bologna is known for being "fat" (due to the heavy cuisine) and "learned", because of the University.
Later, we took a day trip to Venice. (I love the fact that I can take day trips to Venice!)
(The requisite tourist photo.)
It was Sandra's first time there, and I loved seeing the city through her eyes. Because she studied art history, she was super informed and knew a lot more about the art we were seeing than I did. And Venice was so beautiful on the second weekend in April - cheerful, sunny, and bursting with flowers.
We also went to Modena, the home of balsamic vinegar, where we found a Sicilian food fair. Along with massive loaves of bread, cookies, sausages, and cheese, there was an entire section of marzipan fruit. Every bakery in Sicily is full of marzipan, molded in a million different shapes. It's pretty to look at - though it can be overwhelmingly sweet.
Sandra headed home with a suitcase full of cheese, sausage, chocolate, pasta, and marinated vegetables. (Let's not talk about her encounter with US Customs.) I wish I could attend the dinner party she's going to have in Brooklyn.
4 comments:
Oh my gosh, Sandra tackled pasta with fresh ricotta! Looked like a different style from the one at La Zucca. The photos are gorgeous -- expect more visitors, pronto!
Yeah! I wish I could attend the so-called "dinner party" Sandra will be having in the apartment known for dinner parties.
And wasn't I your first NYU friend? If I recall correctly, Sandra failed to attend the orientation prior to the start of Fall Semester '02 (sandra, where ARE your priorities?!). At least I was there, sitting at a table with you on the fifth floor of that former Student Life place or whatever it was on Greene Street. Who cares if I was standoffish. Or a prick. At least I attended! and sat next to you.
im hungry
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