Italy | RebeccaChapa.com

Journey to Italy Day Five: Perugia, Assisi and Montefalco

30 05 2010

A leisurely morning was spent at the hotel before we embarked to Perugia and met up with a tour guide who showed us the local sights there. Sylvia, our guide showed us the sites and commented on the town that benefited from their proximity to the Flaminia Road, a Roman road and major connector between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Adriatic over the Apennine mountains. A unique sight within the town is a gorgeous fountain with carvings that depict the daily life of man at the base of the fountain. To represent each month of the year there is a carving showing the activities such as pruning vines and tending sheep along to more intellectual pursuits towards the end of the year. The idea is that over the course of the year through daily life humans move from action to intellect and eventually to spiritual enlightenment represented by the more saintly beings at the next level of the fountain. The town church is modest compared to richer towns, with only faux marble columns and their one relic is the ring said to be that given from Joseph to Mary. The town was so lacking in relics back in the day that they tried to actually steal the bodies of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare, but were unsuccessful. Apparently relics were vital as they were a source of tourism, so without them your town suffered.

Perugia was a source of some of the best painters in Italy as home to both Perugino, Raphael and Pinturrichio. The history of the town is rather violent as f conflict between the popes and emperor creating a great deal of turmoil over its history. One leading family of the town, the Baglioni. The Baglione family lived in this town but opposed the pope and as such he destroyed the towers that housed their family. In its place a fortress was built where he sent delegates to control the town, but of course the locals of Perugia hated this as it was an insult and eventually also destroyed most of the fortress and in the process destroying much of their history. We were shown the ruins of the ancient town that lie under the Piazza Italia as well as the escape route these delegates would take to leave town. The weirdest thing is that you reach these ruins through a series of escalators, it feels like you are going into the NY Subway, but you are surrounded by ancient stonework. Nowadays this leads to the underground parking structure (weird!). One of the folks in our group got her dress caught in the escalator and luckily survived unscathed, but we joked that maybe this was the miracle the town was waiting for and she should sell them the pink shroud of life as their new relic. We left the town hearing nothing about the chocolates that are named for the town but someone did ask Sylvia about the “Baci” made by Perugino, she said that basically the Baci was a great marketing idea since they used to call the little chocolates “fists”. Really?

Off we headed for a quick jaunt to Assisi. I could have stayed in that town all day. While it seems a bit touristy it was really amazing to see all the incredibly narrow streets running throughout the town. Our van driver expertly navigated some really tight turns, I wouldn’t even drive a Smart car through this town, it was crazy tight. We visited the main Roman square where columns of the Minerva temple still sit. Built in about 100 BC this site has always been a religious site despite the fact that the religion changed over time. The city of Assisi was a bit smarter than Perugia and never adversarial towards Rome, which means that much of it is preserved. This square also housed the market and the old metal measures used for silk and bricks can be seen on the wall next to the temple. Assisi is famous of course for St. Francis, and also St. Clare, and the whole town’s names really resonate to me considering I am so familiar with California and the names of cities inspired by these saints, San Francisco, Santa Clara and even Los Angeles named for the church where Assisi found his inspiration, Santa Maria dei Angeli. St. Francis was born at the end of the 12th century to an upper class family. He had an easy life and was given the benefits of education and financial comfort. He determined that he wanted to go to war at the age of 19 but was captured and imprisoned and his father bailed him out. Then he decided to follow the Crusades, but got ill not far from home and again had to regroup. It was at this time that he discovered his path and decided to live by the Gospel. He had the benefit of being able to address the nobles as well as all levels of society and received entree to talk with the Pope due to his status. The Pope was being challenged by the Emperor at the time and so the new Franciscan movement that St. Francis proposed seemed like a good option so he actually gave it his blessing. The tenets of the religion 1. Poverty 2. Chastity and 3. Obedience to the Church, the last two are the longer lasting ideals… St. Francis was of course also famous for his respect for animals and the environment, he spoke to all creatures calling them all brothers and sisters. The Basilica of St. Francis is pretty incredible. The top story is where the public would attend mass, the next level down you find a more spiritual chapel and at the bottom level is the area in which St. Francis is interred. You can make an offering an buy a candle to be burned at a later time. It was really moving. Amazing also to think that here is the birthplace of a religion that ultimately spread across the world and brought winemaking to California with the Franciscan missionaries. While they were apparently from Spain they evolved from the teachings of St. Francis, and as our guide said, really a missionary has no home but the figurative home of the church.

Off we went to lunch at Hotel La Bastiglia in Spello, a gorgeous restaurant with an incredible view where we dined on a panzanella salad, fresh ricotta, free range pork prosciutto, herbed pecorino cheese and those were just the starters! I am getting used to this. These were of course followed by Tagliatelle with Chianina beef as well as a “mixed grill” of pork, beef and sausage. Just when I thought I could take no more in comes a molten chocolate cake that was incredibly decadent with strawberry sorbet. We also met Marco’s amazing family including Arnaldo Caprai, he seems ready to take over now…

A quick jaunt through our local town of Foligno and a 20 minute power nap and it was back to work at Arnaldo Caprai where Paolo Biccheri led through a tasting of Montefalco Rosso and Sagrantino de Montefalco from numerous local producers. My highlights were Tabarrini and of course Arnaldo Caprai. Then we tasted seven of the latest new wines from Arnaldo Caprai and were met with a gorgeous sunset over the vineyards while we discussed their latest clonal trials. They are working both with the traditional propagation of Sagrantino as well as using seeds to breed new clones in order to get the best vine material possible.

We headed off to the gorgeous town of Montefalco as the bats were coming out and the sky was a deep indigo and were greeted by Sylvia Santificetur and her husband Achille, who just happen to be parents of Maria Assunta’s grandson, the couple we met at lunch the day before. They own Spiritodivino, a gorgeous restaurant that has been getting incredible press lately http://www.spiritodivino.net. It was another one of those nights when the food and company were so wonderful it was hard to take notes, but highlights were an artichoke served with cauliflower puree and a poached egg as well as a 1996 Sagrantino de Montefalco.

Now it’s off to Montefalco and back to Bevagna for a tour and then onto the winery where they are having an open house and concert!

Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Assisi, Italy, Montefalco, Perugia, Travel
Categories : cult wine, Food, Travel, wine, Wine Regions

Journey to Italy Day Four: Umbria

28 05 2010

May 28, 2010

After some early morning blogging we headed off to Umbria in our “van”, a quick hour and fifteen minutes or so and arrived at the Hotel Villa dei Platani in Foligno http://www.villadeiplatani.com/it/camere_en.php, a really beautiful villa on the outside with swanky and trendy room furnishings inside. Just about as different as you can get from the Grand Hotel Villa Medici, you could tell right away by the fancy lamp and very different fruit plate.

After a quick email check we headed out to meet Marco Caprai, son of Arnaldo Caprai in the nearby town of Bevagna. This quaint Roman town is said to be the unique due to the two churches built facing each other, the first unfinished. When we were greeted by Marco Caprai he told use we were going to go on a quick walk to get an aperitif, which of course doesn’t sound too bad after a long trip, but imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered that this “aperitif” was pork based! On the way I could not help but notice a gorgeous little bottega with photos of Frida Kahlo in the window, luckily I saw Marco greet the owner so I anticipated our return.

I could tell the minute I saw the Nocineria (place where they sell “carne suina”, i.e. pigs) that I would love it because of my love of everything swine…

We entered and our senses were overtaken by the rich smell of all the hanging meats. I was of course in hog heaven. We were treated by a selection of items, Pancetta made from a slab of the pig that is salted and then rolled and wrapped in paper and hung to age, Lonza, the loin of the animal, Ciauscolo which is a fattier sausage, Porchetta, and my all time favorite, a dry salsiccia aged with Montefalco wine that had a much harder and chewier consistency and incredible flavor. Owner Rosita Cariani is a fourth generation producer of these products while her partner whose name I did not catch is only third generation, so basically it seems that she is the boss of the place. They noticed how excited we all were to taste and so they sliced thinly some Coppa di Testa, basically a head cheese usually made in winter that includes all parts of the animal, the guanciale (cheeks), head, gelatin, etc. along with garlic, orange rind, lemon rind and nutmeg. They were sure to come out and show us the type of garlic, red garlic, which seemed to be very important to the production of this product. It had a melt in the mouth texture and was just delicious, I think the reason I haven’t enjoyed many head cheeses in the past is the chunky fatty globules that don’t seem quite appetizing, but this texture was just perfect. We ended it off with a well-aged pecorino, a sheep’s milk cheese aged and rubbed with olive oil. And of course we had to accompany this with some Arnaldo Caprai Grecante. The reception at this wonderful Nocineria was so warm and friendly, with that the wine and cheese and these amazing meats I would have been happy to stay there all day. They also sold fresh cuts of Chianina beef and the local specialty, lamb. When we shook hands I could not help but notice and feel comforted by the super soft buttery feel of these hands that not only butcher, but craft such exquisite and time honored recipes. I have always loved salumi, but lately in San Francisco it has seemed overdone, but now I really understand the passion that is imbued in those who have visited an authentic Nocineria and understand their quest to emulate such a place. It was truly magical. And I was so proud to be wearing the jacket from my friend Stephen Gerike of the National Pork Board that features his own farm’s logo, Boris Max. If you visit the store is called “Da Tagliavento”, Gran Maestro di Salumeria, Corso Amendola, 15/a Bevagna.

coppa di testa

Sad to leave the Nocineria, we stepped out to find that school had just gotten out for lunch break and little children were walking through the town excited to go and join their families for lunch. This town of about 5000 inhabitants still operates much like it did in ancient times, and it was refreshing to see that this culture is still strong in Italy. We headed over to La Bottega di Assu, the restaurant I had seen on the way in.

Upon entering you immediately notice the organized chaos of the place. It is tiny with only about maybe 10 seats at three tables. We combined two tables and began to admire the charm of Maria Assunta, the proprietor (Assu is her nickname) and the incredible surroundings. Marco explained that this spot is the place to be in town, famous for local Umbrian dishes, wines, but also sort of a mecca of culture. Stacks and stacks of books line the shelves as they intermingle with the bottles. Under the bar that hosts black truffles, bread and prosciutto you find boxes of pasta and ceramic ware. And the left wall is covered with a scrapbook of photographs of Maria and her family, including the apple of her eye, her 9 month old grandson, who also made an appearance during lunch when his mother and father came in to help with the lunch rush (there are also four outdoor tables). The eye darts from photo to photo and book to book while Maria carves some prosciutto and serves water, some Franciacorta and hearty wheat bread. Those that have seen my house and office will understand how comforting that type of controlled chaos is to me, but it is clear that everything also has its place. When we asked about some of the photos of the family she grabbed a book, seemingly at random, and pulled out a photo of her mother in 1955, pregnant with her. Then she ran off to continue to cook, and I carefully filed said photo back in the book and replaced it. The tables are complete with flowers and colored pencils in case you get the urge to draw, which I did, and music fills the air. We had a simple local specialty, basically bruschetta or grilled bread doused in olive oil and nothing else. Marco explained that the locals did not use salt in their bread because the popes started taxing salt, so salt was very valuable and they saved it for the salumi (which I thought was very reasonable). We enjoyed a very nice panzanella salad with fresh mozzarella, lots of olive oil, tomatoes, olives, red peppers and celery, and then Marco tempted (and dared?) us to have a “little” bit of pasta which we enjoyed with guanciale (cured pork cheeks, kind of like a fresher version of bacon). Maria zipped around and expertly served the table, throwing in a few comments here and there and when I expect I looked like I was about to burst she jokingly wafted a plate that was headed outside in front of my nose, teasing that it was coming my way. Her smile and vibrant personality was both infectious and addictive. I really felt like I had walked into an Italian version of the movie Chocolat, she could have easily inspired such a story. From her photos you can tell that she has a mischievous streak and the glimmer in her eye just shows her zeal for what she does. Another amazing meal. We enjoyed Marco Caprai Montefalco Rosso Riserva with lunch, and I was not taking notes so I do not even know what vintage it was. I do know that we had about four bottles amongst seven of us (it was one of those the wine just keeps coming deals) and we left the lunch happy and fulfilled. We chatted outside with a bunch of folks, some from Memphis, some from Pennsylvania, the gentleman had just run into a former student. It was like this place had a magnetic vibe to it. Just an amazing time.

So off we went, fat and happy, to Arnaldo Caprai. Boasting a very slick tasting room the place has a stunning view. We were treated to a tour of the vineyards where experiments are being conducted on various vine trellising systems. Of course we then enjoyed a tasting of their wines. Two whites, Anima Umbria Grechetto IGT 2009 and Grecante 2009, followed by a red Anima Umbria Rosso 2007 made from Sangiovese (85%) and Canaiolo (15%) before we were presented with the blockbusters. Montefalco Rosso 2007 was a mix of 70% Sangiovese and 15% Sagrantino a really chewy rich wine with great balance but a large expression of concentrated fruit. This was followed by the Montefalco Rosso Riserva 2005, super dense deep and earthy with gum gripping tannins but this was no match for the Sagrantino di Montefalco Collepiano and the Sagrantino di Montefalco 25 Anni. These wines are MASSIVE. Full of tannin that takes over your entire mouth and won’t let go. Tasting them without food was tough but luckily later in the evening we had the chance to taste older vintages with dinner, only then can you truly understand the purpose of these wines that adeptly navigate the rich Umbrian cuisine. We finished the tasting with Sagrantino di Montefalco Passito 2006, a dried grape wine that is really intense. Both sweet and still very high in tannins I could not imagine what pairing would match it. Marco suggested it was a little wine to “drink alone during the day.” But he also suggested it was great with dessert. I thought perhaps cheese and luckily he wanted to prove me wrong which he did by bringing out some 12 month old Pecorino and a 36 year old Parmeggiano (I was happy to admit my error in the pairing but the cheese was amazing.) He said that cheesemonger has a limited number of molds so the cheese is very hard to get.

We finished up and after a quick nap at the hotel it was back to eating. We arrived at the beautiful Villa Roncalli where chef Maria Louisa created an exceptional meal for us. We drank the Arnaldo Caprai Nero Outsider, a lush expression of Pinot Noir with an amazing Chianina meatball with capers and shaved parmesan on super fresh lettuce. Monkfish with tiny slivers of zucchini and fried squash blossoms with Arnaldo Caprai Montefalco Rosso Riserva 1998 was amazing, but the Farro soup with many drizzles of olive oil and ricotta ravioli stole the show along with the Arnaldo Caprai Sagrantino di Montefalco 1997. This was where it became evident that although the soup was super rich the wine just lifted it and made the meal work. Amazing that such a huge wine could be a delicate foil for a rich dish, but the tannins wafted away and you found that you could not help but drink the wine, food, wine, food, wine, bite, sip, bite, sip, the way it was intended. Pigeon was served with a thick noodle and then a lamb (I got the shank) but by that time I was done. Until of course we were presented with more Sagrantino di Montefalco passito with one of the best desserts I have ever had, pears delicately poached with a semolina type cobbler type thing on them sitting in a bed of zabbaglione served with what to me tasted like an eggnog type ice cream, no doubt just a rich egg base with some nutmeg. And just like Marco said, it was incredible with the passito, amazing! To top off the evening their dog came by to say goodnight and we retired back to the hotel where I slept like a log.

Today it’s off to Assisi, Perugia and Spello!

Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Arnaldo Caprai, Italy, Marco Caprai, Pigs, Pork, Sagrantino, Salumi, Umbria
Categories : Food, Travel, wine, Wine Regions

Journey to Italy Day Three Continued: Florence

27 05 2010

May 27, 2010 continued

So despite a lack of sleep I managed to get up on time and head off to meet the rest of our group at breakfast at about 8am and then head along in a Mercedes Benz “van” if you could call it that to Chianti Rufina. There is a lot of diversity within what the consumer may just know as “Chianti” and Chianti has very little to do with the fiasco, or the woven bottle that you would put a colorful candle into. The wines of Chianti have always had renown, partially due to the fact that this Tuscan wine growing area is very close to Florence, a major area for banking and a traditionally wealthy city. Chianti Classico, the original area and a separate DOCG, is just one of multiple Chianti regions, for example Chianti Colli Senese (the area near Siena), Chianti Fiorentini (on the hills near Florence) and Chianti Rufina, not to be confused with the brand named Ruffino which is a totally separate thing. Maybe I am tired… It’s really not that confusing, it’s just that each of these regions has different characteristics that make the wines taste different so they are kept separate, the concept the French call “terroir”. We headed out to Rufina which was an easy 30 km drive northeast of Florence, to Castello di Nipozzano which passed hands in 1877 to the noble family of Frescobaldi when Angelo de Frescobaldi wed Leonia Albizi.

First we visited the famed estate vineyards that range in altitude from the Arno River at 250 meters in elevation to the crest of the hill at 500m. Soils change as you get futher from the river with sand close to the river, ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon, calcareous clay mid-slope, great for Merlot and the famed soil of the area, galestro, a schistous compressed clay soil towards the higher elevations, ideal for the picky Sangiovese.

Sangiovese is a difficult grape to grow as many California producers have noticed, due to the fact that it has a lot of vigor, it grows and grows, so rocky soils with less nutrients are ideal for it. These vineyards are at the foot of the Appenine Mountains that run down the spine of Italy from North to South offering cooling air at night to retain aromatics and finesse in the wines. We met with winemaker Niccolo D’Afflitto at the vineyards and he also guided us through the cellar explaining how he keeps the pumpovers in the winery under close guard by keeping the system closed and only adding oxygen as needed to retain aromatics. He said he does not ever want to walk into the winery and smell wine, he would rather save that beautiful smell for the consumer when they open the bottle to enjoy it!

We entered the villa and were met by Leonardo Frescobaldi, the President and tasted through the Mormoreto 2006, 2007 and barrel samples of the 2008 and 2009. The wines are a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot which seems strange until you learn that these grapes were grown on the property for ages. Due to unfavorable relations between the Frescobaldi family and the Medici some Frescobaldis left Italy for a time and spent time in France. One of these ancestors was famed for bringing back these grapes in the 1850s along with some Pinot Noir and Chardonnay now planted in the neighboring area of Pomino. The Colors of the wines were intense hues of magenta and just as Niccolo had suggested the aromatics were astonishing. Aromas of mulberry, blackcurrant, resinous herbs jump from the glass and despite the Bordeaux varieties have no resemblance to Bordeaux. Lifted by vibrant acidity and balanced in their oakiness (the Marchesi de Frescobaldi says “If you like vanilla go buy a vanilla ice cream”) these are wines great for a meal.

We left our wines to open up with some more air and took our “van” up to the nearby estate Castello di Pomino. This area used to be connected to the Chianti Rufina appellation but has no resemblance to it in either soil or climate. Way back in 1715 it was demarcated as significant wine growing area, and in 1983 was separated from Chianti Rufina. The Frescobaldi family are the largest landowners and producers in the region, so it is almost a monopole.

The minute you start winding up the hills to reach this region (a mere 15 minutes from Nipozzano) you feel like you are in a different country. Leonardo Frescobaldi joked with us to be sure we had our passports! It really did feel more like an alpine region as pines and different vegetation became visible. Vineyards here sit at higher elevation, 400-750 meters, so different vines are at home here. It is named after apples, grown here on the gravelly, acidic soils. Of course with the different microclimate the grapes grown are also distinct including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Moscato.

Most exciting for me was the Vin Santeria, or the room where Vin Santo is produced. Here they take harvested Chardonnay and Trebbiano grape bunches and hang them from wooden rafters with hooks. The grapes stay there for about three months, in the fall and winter and most importantly this room is up high and has windows that are opened to allow for breezes, always strong in Pomino, to dry the grapes and also prevent spoilage. After pressing the juice is put into exile in barrels (Caratelli sigillati) 2/3 filled where it ferments slowly. They close these barrels with wooden tops and try to forget about them for four or five years (they cannot reopen these to check on the wine.) When they revisit the wine it has evolved into a coppery toned elixir that is sweet (180 g/l residual sugar) and luscious. We tasted a Chardonnay that they oak and lees stir to produce Benefizio and also a Pinot Noir out of barrel that had a tart cherry nose and a concentrated core of fruit but was unique to Pinot Noir from other wine regions.

After visiting the newly restored chapel frescoes we jumped back into our “van” and zipped back to Nipozzano where we enjoyed lunch with Marchesi de Frescobaldi and Tiziana Frescobaldi Board Member and Director of Press Relations. We enjoyed a ricotta puff pastry on a bed of spinach drizzled with pesto, which was perfect with the Pomino Benefizio 2007, Capellini pasta with a simple and delicious tomato basil sauce, with Nipozzano 2007 Chianti Rufina Riserva (90% Sangiovese with the traditional grapes completing the blend) and then a Gallentine en Pollo (stuffed chicken) with rosemary potatoes and cauliflower with Montesodi Riserva Chianti Rufina 2007 (100% Sangiovese). We finished with an almond cake and Vin Santo.

After saying goodbye to the family we toured the old wine cellar where the family’s ration of wines are stored in anticipation of their use when they are born and then headed back to Florence.

Upon entering the hotel I was met with the effusive smell of jasmine, did a quick change into shorts and FitFlops and hit the city of Florence hard (I only had three hours). I made a bee line to the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella at 16 Via della Scala www.smnovella.com. Santa Maria Novella is one of the oldest pharmacies in the world founded by Dominican friars after 1221 who made medications from the herbs grown in their gardens. Amazingly it has been open to the public since 1612. For anyone that loves perfume and scent this place is mecca. When you open the doors you enter a marble corridor and are immediately greeted by an intriguing mix of aromatic essences all of which mingle into a unique scent reminiscent of light top notes of fields of flowers but also incense and heavier aromas. The main room is gorgeous and impossible to capture on film despite the numerous tourists who are there trying. It seems almost sacrilege to try to photograph this ancient site and the filtered light gives a very serene calm to the place. Three rooms house the wares, one for the edible items, one for the home fragrances and accessories and the main room for the essential oils and perfume. Scent strips are available and you can peruse the list in multiple languages and ask to smell anything you wish.

After enjoying Santa Maria Novella I hoofed around in search of leather goods and found them over at the boar where you can rub its snout. I ended up walking all the way to Santa Croce and then walked across the Arno on the Ponte Vecchio, focal point of the city, over to Palazzo Pitti and Santo Spirito and then back across and yes, back to Santa Maria Novella to revisit an aroma and ultimately back to the hotel.

Dinner was at Cibreo where we were treated like royalty (I guess that is what happens when the Frescobaldi family makes your reservation). Waiters here have no written menu but sit with your table for consultation, many extra dishes were brought to taste. We drank Luce della Vite, a more modern style wine coming from the Montalcino area and 2005 Mormoreto. Dishes were too numerous to mention but the highlights included pickled carrots and zucchini, a flan with meat sauce and parmesan, spicy tomato aspic, a minestrone with amberjack (a fish) that was killer, and my entrée, rabbit in a dark chocolate sauce with spices including cumin and raw hazelnuts. The dish was so intriguing and made me think of mole from Mexico. It was truly delicious and made me wonder how these cultures melding created this dish that son of owner Fabio Picchi said has been passed down through his family for generations.

Overall it was a great day, fueled by adrenaline and vibrant sights and smells I never even lagged. I tried to write when I returned to the room, but fell into a happy slumber and awoke this morning at about 5:25 eager to write and hearing all the glorious birdsong that’s just a bit different than that in the US. Stepping onto the balcony I got a strong waft of the just extinguished waxy smell of the citronella candles on the cool morning breeze, kind of a mix of summer picnics and church.

Today we leave Florence and head to Umbria.

Cibreo Ristorante Via A. Del Verrocchio, 8 r Florence 055 234 11 00

http://www.frescobaldi.it

Santa Maria Novella Via della Scala, 16, Firenze http://www.smnovella.com

Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: Chianti, Chianti Rufina, Cibreo, Florence, Frescobaldi, Italy, Nipozzano, Santa Maria Novella
Categories : Food, Travel, Uncategorized, wine, Wine Regions

Journey to Italy Day One, Two and Maybe Three

27 05 2010

May 25-26, 2010

Always one to cut things close, I decided that it would be no problem at all to roll three projects into one the last two weeks of May. That’s not including a huge tasting of 115 Ribera del Duero wines earlier in the month and multiple other business such as the launch of the SF Chefs 2010 website and ticket sales and a few wine buff commitments. Overall I knew I was making the month insane for myself but I can’t very often say no and surely I was not going to say no to a trip to Italy to visit Luce, Frescobaldi and Arnaldo Caprai.

So May 18 is really when my crazy journey began. I packed two suitcases (more like lots of planning and then tossing everything into two bags and hoping for the best) one which traveled with me and the other that my husband was going to exchange with me later in the week (Southwest doesn’t charge for two bags! I flew Virgin America to LAX). I flew into LAX where I picked up a rental car for my journey to the Inland Empire to judge the Los Angeles International Wine Competition (May 18-21), stay the weekend and run the Los Angeles International Spirits Competition (May 23-25). Both were a blast and filled with lots of partying and great people, and luckily my husband helps me with spirits so I was able to see him again (and exchange bags) before heading off, same day as the end of the competition, to LAX for my flight to Munich/Florence. I arrived at the airport at 4:30 for a 9 pm flight (way too early in my opinion) and was greeted by the fact that there is very little to do at LAX Int’l terminal. Had a wedge salad and a beer at the Daily Grill, it was acceptable only because of the double power outlet next to me and a friendly waitress, but otherwise uneventful. At least LAX has free wireless out there. In true Chapa fashion more beers were had at the airport bar to allow for plane sleep.

I flew Lufthansa, suspiciously comfortable and easy despite the lack of seat pockets for my stuff. I watched the Princess and the Frog (made me cry when the firefly died) with my meal, enjoyed some Nero d’Avola/Syrah and dozed off watching Up in the Air. I found myself rudely awakened by a jerky guy who decided he wanted to wake up the plane by opening his window shade, but luckily another 45 minutes later they were serving breakfast (finished watching the movie, all movies are available at your leisure and can be stopped or fast forwarded which was cool) and we were almost there. Despite my aisle seat and no neck pillow I awoke all chipper and happy, so of course there would need to be some type of crazy twist right?

Got to Munich, relatively easy deplaning and rechecking and then I walked into their gorgeous terminal complete with luxury cars on display and boutiques, Kiehls, Jo Malone and MAC right when you enter, got some free lotion to revive my dried out body and then went to the pharmacy where they had my favorite shower gel, Korres Basil Lemon, which I have been missing since I forgot to pack it a week ago. Things were great, I grabbed a Weissbier (ya gotta when you are only in Germany for an hour.) So things were clearly too good to be true.

My flight was completely cancelled due to equipment failure so they are routing me through Bologna and then taking me on a ground transfer to Florence. Only adds another three or four hours to the trip, but at this point does that really matter?

I am trying not to let it get me and instead I am taking the opportunity to explore the airport. Nothing like the smell of the duty free store to refresh you after a long trip, wish I had my perfume books on hand so I could do some investigating. The good thing about this airport is they may not have wireless but they do have the Allianz Arena, a news lounge open to all passengers where you can visit news sites. Although I couldn’t get onto my Earthlink webmail, but apparently they think that Facebook and Twitter qualify as “News”. I was able to connect to my friends/family although at first it tried to bump me off. The keyboard wasn’t so easy to type on with the y and z interchanged and so while they had Word Press too I opted to write this on my laptop instead. The also bump you off after about 20 minutes, but there seem to be plenty of terminals.

Another great feature of this airport is multiple free coffee and tea stations! Although I had vowed to wait until Italy for a coffee, I have to say that automatic machine makes a mean espresso macchiato, so despite the 14 hours of travel I am still relatively awake and hopeful that this is an adventure not a debaucle through Bologna. See you in Firenze.

May 27, 2010 1:33 AM

Well I finally made it to Florence after more than 25 hours of travel. I arrived in Bologna around 10:30 and had to wait about an hour for a bus to take us to Florence which took at least an hour. Of course there was no one waiting so I had to grab a cab and get cash before I made it to my hotel, Grand Hotel Villa Medici, but luckily the hotel was still open (at about 1am) and very friendly and I came up to my room to find a delicious fruit bowl and a bottle of Frescobaldi Bubbles. I quickly jumped into my bathing suit and ran down to the piscine (pool) and hopped into some pretty cold but invigorating water. That along with the bubbles is washing all the worries of my travel away, but I have an early day tomorrow so I must crash ASAP. Grand Hotel Villa Medici was a palace in the 1700s and now as part of SINA Fine Italian Hotels it meshes historical ambiance with contemporary comfort.