The Rox Life

August 23, 2024September 11, 2024

Italy 2024, Firenze

We took a high speed train from Bologna Centrale to Florence, and the trip took about 40 minutes. I love that what would’ve taken about two hours driving can be cut down to a much more manageable time for a day trip.

As soon as we stepped off the train at Santa Maria Novella (the main train station in Florence) we were smacked with the observation that there were a lot more tourists in Florence than Bologna and Modena. A large group of people seemed to be waiting outside the train platform area – apparently many were waiting for platform information to be posted/announced on the departure boards. When we left later in the day, we had to do the same thing….it seems like the departure platform was only posted 15 minutes before departure. This was also the only station (in the three cities we visited) that had a security/ticket check in order to access the platforms.

I had the unfortunate circumstance of getting sick the night before we visited Florence. Fortunately, I did get into a pharmacy and was able to get some decongestant medication that helped immensely. The whole scenario did make me a little less enthusiastic than one should be about being in the birthplace of the Renaissance. Even though it was a quick in and out day trip and I didn’t feel great – I’m glad we were able to see a little glimpse of this iconic city.

Ronald wanted to see what the lines looked like for the Accademia Gallery (home to Michelangelo’s famous statue of David. We knew the lines would like be wild, and we were already under the impression that would would probably not be able to go in without a reservation and/or very long wait. As we navigated the 15 minute walk through narrow streets/sidewalks, crowds and the heat…I very quickly missed the Bolognese porticos. Not surprisingly there was an overwhelming crowd and lines of people WITH tickets/reservations awaiting their entrance times at the Accademia.

So, we then headed over to Mercato Centrale. This market is located in the San Lorenzo neighborhood just around the corner from the Duomo. The structure was designed by Giuseppe Mengoni and built in 1843. The typicaly 19th century building of iron and glass somewhat resembles a greenhouse and it essentially transformed the ancient city market in piazza della Repubblica to what it is today. When we walked in, there were people everywhere. The first floor is pimarily stalls and shops with meats, cheese, produce, oil, vinegar, wine, breads, pastries and more. There are also a few vendors where you can order food and small sections to sit and eat. The second floor is almost like a food court – filled with stalls serving a variety of dishes/foods and drinks. I quickly spied a mezzanine level perched above the food court tables. I noticed only a few people were sitting up there and I noticed arrows up a stairway indicating a pizzeria. I suggested we go check that out.

We were able to sit in relative comfort above the bustling crowd, and people watch while we ate…exactly what I needed.

view from the mezzanine at Mercato Centrale

I’m not usually one to pick my food based on where I get to sit to eat it…but the Neapolitan style pizza was great. I had a glass of Prosecco, and we finished everything off with tiramisu and coffee. I’m sure there are more epic & fantastic places to eat (All’Antico Vinaio, you’re still on my list), but I was just not up to the waiting, standing, and crowds.

Post lunch, we headed over to the Duomo. There was a line, but it was moving quickly. I don’t remember exactly how long we were in line, but the only bothersome thing was standing in the sun. Otherwise, the time flew by just studying the exterior of this beautiful building. The outside of the cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. There’s beautiful panels of marble and shades of white, pink, and green…and wondrous sculptures.

We did some walking around after seeing the main floor of the cathedral. We walked to Piazza della Singnoria – a large open square in front of Palazzo Vecchio (Florence’s town hall). There’s a replica of Michelangelo’s statue of David here and a famous Neptune fountain that was commissioned by the Medici family and completed in 1574. The Uffizi gallery is about a two minute walk from Palazzo Vecchio, but we did not make advance reservations. We will have to save a visit to this famous collection of Renaissance art for a future visit. We found our way to the Ano River and Ponte Vecchio (the “old bridge”). This is a medieval stone bridge that spans the river – it is also the only bridge in Florence that was spared from destruction in World War II. There’s quite a bit of history relevant to this landmark and the bridge now mainly houses jewelry and goldsmith shops since 1565.

We began walking back in the direction of the train station. We stopped in a pizza shop, ordered a spritz, and just sat people watching & sipping on the patio. There was some hubub at one point in the restaurant – someone trying to pickpocket a patron and a restaurant worker yelling. That pretty much wrapped up our excitement in Florence. It was short and sweet, but I’d love to see more in the future.

July 26, 2024July 26, 2024

Italy 2024, Modena

We only spent 5-6 hours in Modena, but what a fabulous place! It was easy to catch a train from Bologna Centrale to Modena- the ride was between 20 & 30 minutes. The central area of the city is about a 1 mile stroll from the train station. For some reason, I instantly felt more relaxed and at ease in Modena. It was like a breath of fresh air.

At the heart of the city, lies the main Cathedral, Piazza Grande, and Ghirlandina Tower. The glorious 12th century Romanesque architecture is just breathtaking. Don’t take my word for it, this area has been considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. In the main square, we quickly stepped into the official tourist information site of Modena and grabbed a map. Then we went next door to Caffè dell’Orologio, ordered a spritz, sat took in the scenery, and decided what we wanted to see.

Naturally, we decided we must check out Mercato Albinelli – a must visit destination for food lovers. It was just a short walk through Piazza Grande. This historic covered market was established in 1931. Walking in, you’re quickly captivated – something wonderful to see everywhere your eyes land…meat, cheese, fish, wine, produce, merchants, tables, glasses, visitors enjoying charcuterie…it’s just a gastronomical wonderland. It’s a little glimpse into the glory of all the food products and traditions of Modenese cuisine. This market is open Monday- Saturday 7a-3p. I could easily spend a fortune in a place like this, but without a kitchen to cook in…we only purchased a rather large arancino to share.

some of the many amazing things in the historic Albinelli market

Our next stop was La Consorteria 1966. This shop is dedicated to Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena PDO, and you can taste and compare the products of many different vinegar makers from the area. There is a lot to know about traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena…there are rules/criteria to meet (origin, ingredients, age, certification, bottle, and labeling). While I do not know everything on the subject, I was quickly struck with how similar this can be to American bourbon whiskey. Both involve barrel aging, and criteria. A woman in the shop let us know we could pay for a tasting or that tasting is complimentary with a purchase. I could think of no better souvenir from Modena…so, this was a no brainer. My whiskey tasting experience helped me quickly steer toward my preferences. I landed on my favorite – a vinegar aged at least 25 year in oak barrels by Acetaia del Cristo. It was so much fun to taste things side by side – seeing how age, wood, and producer can change flavor. I already know I like things aged in oak…but it was fun to see that come across as true here, too. It’s also spectacular to taste how barrel aging can round off some of the sharp/sour/tart notes in vinegar.

We took a short walk from La Consorteria 1966 to Palazzo dei Musei (Museums Palace).
This is a historic complex housing several museums and historical archives, including the Galleria Estense and the Biblioteca Estense, showcasing a vast collection of art, artifacts, and manuscripts. We enjoyed browsing Roman artifacts in the west wing – Museo Lapidario Romano. You can also browse the portico of the internal courtyard which houses the Museo Lapidario Estense and more engraved/stone artifacts. We were going to check out the Civic Museum of Modena, but their hours are 9a-12p Tues-Fri and 10a-7p Saturday-Sunday.

We walked back toward the city center – we noticed a memorial service in process at the cathedral. It was also beginning to look like rain. We weren’t quite ready to leave – and it seemed we were likely to get caught in a shower on the way back to the train station. So, we wisely decided to stop at a large cafe situated right on the edge of the Piazza Grande – Caffè Concerto. I had a Negroni and Ronald had a spritz with Lambrusco. We were also served some traditional aperitivo snacks with our drinks.

Overall, I think Modena is a lovely place to slow down and enjoy the day. I’m sure there’s plenty more to explore here on a return visit. We didn’t even get into exploring the motor valley. Modena is known as he car capital of Italy (or even the world), the birthplace of Enzo Ferrari, home of Maserati, Pagani, and Autodromo di Modena. I know in my soul…there is more food here calling me to return.

July 22, 2024July 22, 2024

Italy 2024, all the Bolognese Food

Food may be a little bit of a “tyranny of choice” situation in Italy. There are so many fantastic choices – you start to get overwhelmed. Everywhere you turned – there was a spot to grab a tasty sandwich at the very least. We had a few occasions where that was exactly what we needed. The day we took a train to Florence – we stopped into the small grocery store attached to the Bologna Centrale station and grabbed quick lunch items. I had a sandwich roll, and I tore it open and filled it with prosciutto. A perfect meal on the go!

I did a little preliminary research, and I had some traditional Bolognese foods/dishes on my “hit list” and a few places bookmarked. We didn’t stress or plan too much…if we were near a spot on my list and hungry we ducked in. We had a tentative plan for a few lunches/dinners. I’ll just run down the list of things/places we enjoyed!

Tamburini – This salsamenteria (kind of like a deli counter) has been around since 1932. We ducked in around 11 am on a Monday morning and ordered a crescentina with mortadella 🤌🏻 and a second with prosciutto crudo. Crescentina is a fried bread delicacy from Emilia-Romagna – usually eaten with cured meat and/or cheese. This was a perfect take away grab and let me tell you it was RICH.

Inside Tamburini 🤯

MozzaBella – this location we happened on inside Mercato dell Erbe (the largest covered market in the historical city center). I believe this is a Bolognese small pizza chain with locations in Bologna and Modena. They take their pizza inspiration from Neapolitan style pizza. We had pizza a couple of times while in Italy – and it was shocking how good it always was. Simple…but high quality ingredients and you have a winner.

Sfoglia Rina – We enjoyed this spot so much – we went twice during our visit. This beloved restaurant has roots as a local fresh pasta shop in the 1960s. The family modernized, transformed and expanded the business beginning in the 2000s. There is a location near the Bologna historic city center – not far from Piazza Maggiore and Quadrilatero. They have some amazing prepared dishes and fresh pasta for takeaway, and they have a restaurant area. The menu is divided into two sections – a traditional section that always has the Bolognese classics and a seasonal section with a lean towards reinterpreting traditions. On our first visit, we went traditional Lasagna alla Bolognese and Tortellini in Parmesan Cream. Second visit, we split up traditional – Tagliatelle with Ragù and seasonal – Green Triangles of Mortadella and Stracciatella, pistachio, butter, tomatoes, honey, grated lemon. This place is very popular at lunch time – and there can be a line. We managed to be nearly first in line on our second visit (that bourbon hunting instinct paying off 🤣). When you’re seated – you can check out the menu boards, and there’s paper on the table where you write down your order. Your dish will come with the day’s side dish and bread. Everything we had here was spectacular and at the same time comforting.

La Prosciutteria – I first bookmarked a location of La Prosciutteria in Florence while watching a travel video. When my friend Renee discovered I was in Bologna, she sent me a link for the location in Bologna and recommended we check it out. SOLD! So, this place is a chain, and it seems very popular. It’s hard to know if it’s locally popular or – you know – tourist popular. We enjoyed a bottle of wine and the gourmet Tuscan cutting board that featured cured meat cuts, cheeses, crostini, vegetables, fruit, and jam. I also couldn’t resist finishing off the experience with a little Vin Santo and cantucci. There is no shortage of places to eat a sampling of local cured meat and/or cheese. They’re everywhere!

Cremeria la Vecchia Stalla – OMG…Gelato! I wish I had something right now – as divine as the “Divino” gelato I had from this spot. It’s described as pistachio pesto with cervia salt…it has that lightly sweet and rich thing going on…with a hint of salty pistachio. So good! I’m trying to remember what flavor Ronald had, and I think I must’ve been too engrossed in mine to notice 🤣. We also had a drive by gelato at OGGI, but I didn’t think it was as good as Cremeria la Vecchia Stalla.

Osteria Al 15 – This was a delightful and completely unpretentious spot to close out our visit to Bologna. Style and presentation may have been a bit “homey”, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying ourselves. The service was warm and not intrusive. We shared a bottle of wine and we started with Pesto alla Modenese and Tigelle. The best way to describe Pesto Modenese is like pork butter with herbs – a spread made from ground up lardo, garlic and rosemary. As the name would suggest, it hails from Modena. Tigelle is a traditional type of flat bread from Emilia-Romagna. It is usually shaped like a little flat disc, and it is cut open and spread with pesto alla Modenese or stuffed with cured meat or cheese. We had a first course that we shared of lasagne alla Bolognese and tortelloni with butter and sage. We shared a second course of pork Milanese – a crispy breaded pork cutlet with sauce/gravy and potatoes. We finished up with delicious cheesecake and Americanos. It was quite decadent for a late lunch, but a perfect fit for the day. We basically finished our packing and did a little walking around before getting to bed early for an early flight.

Let’s talk about coffee/espresso and breakfast. Good espresso is EVERYWHERE in Italy. It’s like a divine right. Most mornings we stopped in some new spot. Ronald would have an Americano, and I would have a cappuccino. We usually paired it with a croissant. Just people watching this daily ritual is quite fun – taking an espresso is something very no nonsense.

We discovered a humorous spot for coffee called 12oz Coffee Joint. I suppose it caught our attention because there were several locations around where we stayed, and the noticeably larger coffee cups stood out. The story is it’s something like an American coffee inspired experience popular with the younger crowds in Italy. The company’s founder claims his teenage children would send him photos of giant coffee cups with whipped cream when they were abroad. He also realized after seeing a typical woman from Milan carrying a big cup of coffee along with her Louis Vuitton handbag – the time had come for this style of coffee shop in Italy. Read more on this background story here. We found it convenient on a few occasions, but mostly we found it entertaining. It’s like Italy’s Super Size or Route 44…but still just 12 oz 🤣🤣.

Also worth mentioning – we woke up Thursday morning to observe lots of vans and tents being set up in the plaza outside our hotel (Piazza XX Settembre). When we returned later in the day – it was clear a fair or market with street food galore was moving in. We found the information on Facebook , and noticed it would essentially be there for the rest of our stay. We couldn’t resist filled to order cannolis! Ronald had a few more adventurous options from some of the stalls. I started feeling kind of under the weather Thursday – so I was generally less interested in eating and drinking.

I’m certain we only scratched the surface, and we may have to return and experience more Bolognese cuisine. I was able to check many things off my list though…tortellini, tortelloni, tagliatelle with ragu, lasagne alla Bolognese, pidadina, crescentina, tigelle, mortadella, prosciuotto di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano, balsamic vinegar (the good stuff! another post is coming about Modena), squacquerone, gelato, Lambrusco, and Pignoletto.

July 11, 2024July 11, 2024

Italy 2024, Portico di San Luca

The Porticoes of Bologna were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2021. Porticoes are everywhere in Bologna – over 60km worth. These covered walkways are definitely one of the city’s defining architectural features. Beginning in the middle ages, porticoes were established and spread in a somewhat capillary network- they were once made of wood and eventually brick and stone and finally reinforced concrete. In fact, 13th century law made porticoes compulsory – they were required for all new construction and any already existing buildings. This video is a great introduction to the mystique of porticoes in Bologna.

One of the most famous Porticoes in the city is the Portico di San Luca. It is the longest uninterrupted covered walkway in the world. It begins at Porta Saragozza (an ancient gate that was part of the original 13th century wall that surrounded the city) and takes you uphill to Santuario della Madonna di San Luca. (Sanctuary of the Madonna of Saint Luke). The path from Saragozza is just under 4km and it’s about 4,9km from the city center. The Sanctuary has been referenced as early as 1100 A.D. as a hermitage famous for a specific hermit called Euthymius who arrived from Constantinople carrying a cedar board with an ancient Byzantine image of the Virgin painted upon it. The current sanctuary church was built in the 18th century – replacing an earlier 15th century construction. The painting of the Madonna with Child, said to be painted by Saint Luke, is kept in a silver-plated copper case for protection. The sanctuary provides some amazing and panoramic views of the city below. The portico walk from Porta Saragozza to Santuario della Madonna di San Luca has been a pilgrimage or Bolognese rite of passage for centuries – a truly unique and exemplary version of this type of devotional covered walkway built in Italy’s baroque period/style.

The legend goes – that in the 15th century, excessive rain ruined crops and brought on famine. Monks decided to go down into the city in search of food. They, of course, took the Madonna with Child down into the city center with them. When they arrived, the rain stopped and the sun began to shine. The famine had been thwarted and an annual procession of the Madonna down into Bologna was born. This procession is a spring festival organized yearly – and the image of the Madonna is exhibited for a week in the center of Bologna at the cathedral of San Pietro. Some say the Portico di San Luca was established to protect the Madonna on this annual procession down into Bologna and back up to the sanctuary.

The ascent to the sanctuary through the portico is considered by the Bolognese an act of sacrifice, and it is said that reaching the sanctuary by foot can make a wish some true.

beginning Portico di San Luca near Porta Saragozza

If you know me, you know I love some mileage and memorial walking or rucking. So, there was never any doubt about my desire to tackle this ascent myself. Humorously enough, after our very long day walking for F1 in Imola, we told ourselves we would take it easy. Apparently, “take it easy” meant tackling the ascent of Portico di San Luca.

Shortly after leaving Porta Saragozza in under Portico di San Luca

We took a bus from our hotel area at Porta Galliera to Porta Saragozza, and off we went. The first 2km or so is fairly flat; and along this first section, you will find shops and cafés. We actually discovered the coolest vending area. Almost every snack and beverage imaginable is available in the vending machines…and more (see video below). There were signs in 7 languages on how to use the vending machines…and we must have been near the stadium primarily used for Bologna FC home games because there was another sign in Italian that said something about the purchase of alcohol in bottles and cans 2 hours before, during, and an hour after matches. We were so taken with it, we stopped and purchased some San Pellegrino Aranciata.

Vending area near Stadio Renato Dell’Ara

Shortly after the vending area, we passed through Arco del Meloncello. This is a very ornate 18th century Rococo structure/arch/portico/walkway that allowed pilgrims to cross the road (Via Saragozza) covered and uninterrupted. This is where your portico walk transitions from relatively flat/even to an ascent of alternating steps and inclines. This is also the point where shops and cafés are not longer along the route – so make sure you’ve got some water and have used the restroom before proceeding. This next 2km or so is where you begin to question your life choices 🤣. Fortunately, there are many little chapels, artwork, and dedications/memorials to honor the families that participated in the loan to establish/build the Portico di San Luca. These are great spots to stop and take a breather along the way.

The views from the top and the church are definitely worth the climb. While the Portico di San Luca may be the most famous in Bologna – it is only about 4km of the over 60km of such covered walkways throughout the city. They’re everywhere and quite unique. We actually encountered rain several days during our visit, but abundant porticoes nearly made it a non issue.

I wish I had taken more photos of other porticoes – there are large/wide ones, narrow ones, high ones, ornate ones, etc. Here’s a great link with some more images. I remember specifically the Portico della Morte (portico of death) which now is home to a large bookstore, Liberia A. Nanni. If you visit Bologna, it’s impossible to miss the Porticoes. I highly recommend the adventure of Portico di San Luca. If you’re not up for walking – I understand there is also a tourist train that will take you from Piazza Maggiore up to the Santuraio della Madonna di San Luca, too.

porticoes near our hotel and along Via dell’Indipendenza

July 10, 2024August 23, 2024

Italy 2024, Bologna

The inspiration for this adventure kicked off with F1 in Imola (see that entry here). Bologna is the nearest largely populated city to the circuit in Imola- making it an easy choice for our stay. It is the capital city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. This region is well-known for its food production (Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, balsamic vinegar, Prosciutto di Parma, wine, tortellini, mortadella, and so much more) and also automobile production (home of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, and more). It didn’t take much to convince me I would enjoy this visit – based on its gastronomy alone.

Bologna is often referred to as “La Dotta, la Grassa, e la Rossa” (The Learned, the Fat, and the Red). The Learned – represents the city is the home of the Western world’s oldest university with history beginning in 1088. La Grassa – represents the exquisite cuisine and gastronomic heritage. La Rossa – is in reference to the red hued teracotta rooftops and historically left leaning politics.

We essentially stayed 8 nights in Bologna, and we opted to stay near the main train/transit station – Bologna Centrale. This served us well – as we essentially also made day trips from our home base to Imola, Modena and Florence, too. (Modena and Florence will get their own posts soon.) Our hotel was straightforward and seemed to generally be business traveler oriented. The woman at reception was so fantastic on our arrival. I suspect we were probably the last reservation to check in (as it was VERY LATE), and she greeted us by name. She smartly deduced we were there for “Formula Uno”, and gave us some great directions on getting to the train and walking from the Imola station to the track. She also gave us a map and quick orientation to where we were and in relation to most of the central/major attractions.

I loved that just outside our hotel was Porta Galliera, an old gate/portal that was once part of the city’s medieval outer wall. Best I can tell- the old gate was originally constructed in the 14th century, completely rebuilt in the 17th century and has seen many restorations and improvements through the years. Just a short distance away from the gate – you can also find some ruins of an ancient castle – Castello di Galliera or Rocca di Galliera. It was built close to the gate and former outer city walls by the papal government. It was also destroyed five times by the population in rebellion against the papal government.

some ruins of the old city wall and Castello di Galliera near our hotel

Just across Via dell’Indipendenza from our hotel you can see the steps leading up to Parco della Montagnola. This park is the oldest in the city – and it sits on an artificial plateau created by debris from the ruins of the 14th century Castello di Galliera. The park’s current layout is the direct result of a redesign ordered by Napoleon.

At our home base for this adventure, we were certainly in the midst of history rich places. The city center and famous Piazza Maggiore were about a 20 minute walk south down Via Indipendenza. This historic square was originally established around 1200 and was the first square to be built after the fall of the Roman empire. There’s lots to see in the central area – like the large clock tower, Neptune Fountain, Basilica di San Petronio, Le Due Torre (two ancient medieval leaning towers – Asinelli and Garisenda), Quadrilatero (all the gourmet vendors and cafés), and Biblioteca Salaborsa (the city’s library and a spot to view some ancient underground Roman ruins).

Most of our time in Bologna was spent walking, taking in the sites, and eating. As I started writing this Bologna blog, I realized I would again need to break things up. So, here are the links for separate posts on these some other Bologna visit topics:

Porticos of Bologna
Food Talk & Places we ate
Side Quests (cuz I’m not really sure I’d simply call it “shopping”)

July 8, 2024July 8, 2024

Italy 2024, First Stop – IMOLA

Well, we finally made it to Italy! We were supposed to visit in March 2020, but we all know how that story went.

Humorously enough, when we were discussing where we wanted to go in Europe after what was supposed to be a work start for Ronald in Stockholm…we asked each other, “What’s the F1 schedule that week?” As it turned out, we discovered there would be racing at Imola May 17-19. That made things pretty easy to decide…we would travel from Stockholm to Bologna. We left Stockholm on Saturday morning, and had some significant flight delays…but we eventually made it to Bologna VERY late Saturday evening.

We were able to sleep and and have a bit of a slow start and get a little bit of our bearings before taking a train to Imola. Clearly, there were lots of other F1 fans along for this train ride. The train was full but not too crowded and it took about 20 something minutes to arrive. Pretty much everyone was walking from the train station to the track. It’s a fairly direct and short 25 minute walk directly to the circuit from the station. We enjoyed strolling with all the other F1 fans through town. Many restaurants and shops had tables, booths, etc. set up along the street outside of their businesses to serve the influx of potential customers. As we were passing Piazza Antonio Gramsci (somewhat adjacent/near the major square – Piazza Matteotti), I spied a man making pizza with an oven mounted on a little truck/trike. (Later googling I discovered it was ironpinsa and a little Ape Car three wheeled vehicle.) I could tell by the crust coloring/blistering that we needed to pause and get some. Oh man! My visual crust detection game is strong! How good this simple slice of pizza was blew our minds!! We got a second slice.

It took some time to get through the lines to get our tickets scanned and into the circuit. (If you’re interested in reading more about the history of the track check out this article – Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari.) Once inside, we made our way to the F1 Fanzone and we decided to grab a drink – Ronald got a beer and I was ecstatic to see that there was a spritz option. (After a week in Italy, it became obvious spritzes were EVERYWHERE…so of course this was an option.) Drinks were also very reasonably priced (reasonable for concessions at an event anyway) at €6 each. We hit up the official merchandise areas, and then we wandered to some of the nearer General Admission areas. We would have preferred to have seats, but we opted to do general admission as 1) in 2023 the race was canceled due to flooding and 2) you never know with air travel these days. Number 2 almost came into effect, too.

We walked between the famous Tamburello and Acque Minerali sections of the track…ultimately hanging out more near the grandstands by Acque Minerali because we could see some of the video coverage there. As the end of the race was nearing, we wandered again and found an area where we could essentially see the cars coming out of the DRS detection zone and traveling between turns 1 and 2…and we really were amazed at the perspective of being able to see in person just how fast the cars where going from right to left. As the race was in its closing laps, we actually made our way out of the circuit. We were hoping to be amongst the first back at the train station. Well, we were successful…but our timing just missed a departing train. Unfortunately, everyone caught up to us back at the station, too. The next train was running like 20 minutes late. So, the return trip was VERY crowded.

Getting back into Bologna, we grabbed in a sandwiches, chips, and drinks in a shop between the station and our hotel. We were DOG TIRED. The long travel day the day before plus all the walking and sun caught up with us. I think we covered around 9 miles that day. We basically showered, ate, and started to rewatch the race coverage and fell asleep straight away.

July 2, 2024July 2, 2024

Tantolunden May 2024

This is quite a large park near Årstaviken on the island of Sõdermalm. It’s not too far from the Hornstull metro station. It seems like quite a lovely and popular places for walking, picnicking, swimming, and there’s also many allotment gardens and garden sheds.

I first found myself in Tantolunden completely by accident. I think I wrote about it in this blog previously – but essentially I was walking off some jet lag and it also happened to be Midsummer. I was quite taken by the cute garden sheds, and as soon as I began strolling along the “beach” and bay…I remember thinking of Cooper my Labrador. I didn’t see too many dog walkers on that first walk. However, on this most recent visit to Stockholm in May, Ronald and I saw several people leisurely strolling with dogs. It particularly made me think of Cooper because I knew he would want to swim there. For part of the year, dogs are allowed to swim in this location…in summer they are not allowed as it is a pretty popular place to swim for people. I couldn’t help but wonder and also imagine that cold weather would not deter his desire to swim there.

Since our trip to Europe this year also coincided with the date that marked one year since saying goodbye to Cooper – I brought just a little of Coop’s ashes. I wanted to have a bit of of him with me especially on that day. I thought it would be nice to bring him to a place in Stockholm I always dreamed to take him…I often told him how much he would love it there. I cherish imagining him in that spot – running free and swimming and having the best day ever…as was always his way. We had a little drink of Weller 12 which was the end of the bottle and symbolized saying farewell as well as a nod to what should have been his 12th birthday. It was a peaceful moment and beautiful surroundings.

July 2, 2024July 10, 2024

Brännerian and Stockholms Bränneri…and more spirited places in Stockholm.

So, during my May trip to Stockholm – I was originally going to be entertaining myself. Ronald was set to be working while I did whatever I wanted. Being the spirits/cocktail nerd that I am, I had a list going of places I wanted to visit. I suppose Stockholms Bränneri had escaped my interest in my 2017 and 2019 visits – perhaps because I was not as much into spirits beyond whisk(e)y (yet). However, in bookmarking places – it quickly went to the top of my to do list. I noticed on their website they offer English tours, but our travel dates did not coincide with the English tour. We emailed the staff, and they recommended (as I was suspecting would work best) we book a table at their cocktail bar Brännerian. They advised flights of their spirits were available and someone could discuss with me the history and processes of the distillery.

Stockholms Bränneri is the first craft distillery in Stockholm. They primarily produce gin, but also some vodka, aquavit, apèritifs, and some alcoholic and non-alcoholic packaged cocktails. They’re located in an old Jaguar shop on the island of Södermalm (sometimes referred to as the Brooklyn of Stockholm…this island is known for its trendy, hip, and creative vibes as well as an active nightlife). The distillery was founded in 2016, and is the vision of husband & wife pair Anna & Calle. Inspired by visiting such places in Canada, their goal is to have a production facility with high quality drinkables and also include space for people to visit, enjoy, and learn. Driven by a passion for food and drink – they’ve accomplished this with their distillery and on site bar Brännerian. The bar program is innovative and experimental – producing nearly everything that goes in to the drinks in their own lab.

I started my visit with a flight of gin. Shocking…I know…lol. The Dry Gin has a Nordic spin on the botanicals – juniper, coriander, angelica, lemon peel, heather, elderflower and rosemary. I found it quite enjoyable. It would be versatile and work in many gin cocktails. There’s a Pink Gin which incorporates rhubarb and rose petals – so it takes on the slightest touch of floral notes. I particularly enjoy the Oak Gin (again shocking) as it spends some time in ex bourbon barrels and takes on some of the vanilla/wood sugar notes. Their Akvavit is like a marriage between aquavit and gin – it has notes of dill, caraway, fennel, and elderflower. I’m a big fan of aquavit…and I love it with strong caraway/rye bread flavor. The caraway is more subtle here and the dill is more prominent. Ronald started with a Rockefeller martini – it was Dry Gin, Navy Gin, vermouth, house made citrus bitters, spruce and mushroom oil and it’s served with an oyster. We also ordered bread with whipped butter and some Swedish cheese with a tart cherry spread. Everything was delicious. I also ordered the Hygge Old Fashioned. Their dry gin is fatwashed with bown butter, and it’s made into an old fashioned style cocktail with a bit of house made caramelized artichoke spirit, maple syrup and house made citrus and chocolate/cacao bitters.

As we were finishing up these beverages. Sean, the Brännerian bar manager, offered to show us the production facility and give us some background/history on the distillery. I didn’t know it at the time, but we were in the hands of one of Sweden’s highly accomplished bartenders. My first hint – we stepped into the distillery and bar “lab” and Sean began talking about the rotovap and how it is used to create various components for various cocktails. Conversation bloomed and the next thing you know I was asking for any recommendations on bars with good cocktail programs. He was so kind – and provided a list. I highly recommend checking out Brännerian and the distillery – the vibe and service are EXCELLENT. You can also pick up some of the spirits from Stockholms Bränneri at Systembologet. At home in Texas, I have been able to acquire the Akvavit, Dry Gin, and Pink Gin from Total Wine.

Sean’s recommendations took us to some really fun places and fantastic cocktails during the rest of our Stockholm stay.

First, we went to Tjoget. He advised that it would probably be better to check it out on a week night – because on the weekends it can get quite busy and have a very lively club like atmosphere. During the week it stays a little calmer – and the vibe is more popular neighborhood restaurant with a really solid bar/cocktail program. Between us, we had a Saturn (gin, vermouth. lemon oleo saccharum, salt, champagne vinegar), Fawlty Mai Tai (Cognac, rum, Yellow Chartreuse, rock candy syrup, basil orgeat, pistachio, lime) and Only The Fans (bourbon, rum, vermouth, pomegranate, absinthe, bitters). All cocktails were well executed and appropriate extensions of classics. The winner for me was the Only The Fans (that doesn’t really come as a surprise as whiskey is my general favorite spirit and stirred boozy cocktails are usually my preferred style).

Fairly late one evening- we made our way to Le Hibou at the Bank Hotel. This is a swanky/elegant rooftop/terrace bar on the top floor of the Bank Hotel in the city center. You can have a cocktail and scope out the view of the Stockholm “skyline”. Their menu tells a story with cocktails inspired by the various places (sights and buildings) that you can see from your seat along with a little history on them. The cocktails DO NOT disappoint – they’re imaginative and well executed. I fell in love with their take on a Manhattan – the Upper East Side which featured Maker’s Mark, Lillet Rosé, artic rasbperry, vanilla sugar and malic acid. I think it was probably my favorite of all cocktails from all the spots I visited in Stockholm this trip.

We also stopped in at A Bar Called Gemma – kind of early evening. If I were going to have a home base or my “Cheers” in Stockholm, it would be this bar. The atmosphere is contemporary/hip but also comfortable and laid back. It’s clear that they are passionate about cocktails, ingredients and process here. On our visit the menu was called “Devotion”. They had special sections devoted to “Jacking”, “Fermentation”, and “Pickling” on this menu as well as a selection of ABCG (A Bar Called Gemma) classics. The Jacking section features cocktails inspired by the early American process of making Applejack by freezing apple cider to concentrate it – often called “freeze distillation”. “Fermentation” features cocktails inspired by and utilizing the world’d oldest form of preservation – fermentation. The “Pickling” section features cocktails inspired by techniques using brine to draw out moisture prevent oxidation and again preserve things. The classics section features the bars more popular cocktails that are on the menu year round versus part of a seasonal menu. Another thing to note, their are numerous non-alcoholic options available on all sections of the menu that are created with the same passions and level of detail directed toward the alcoholic ones. During our visit, we tried the Velvet Thunder (from Fermentation- Maker’s Mark, Laird’s Jersey Lightning, Lustau PX Sherry, Fermented Chicha Morada, Citrus), Gemma (Classics- Bombay Sapphire Gin, Sake, Pistachio, Ginger, Citrus), Holy Wood (Fermentation- non-alcoholic, Palo Santo, Fermented Banana, Almond Orgeat, Tiki Tea, Orange, Lime), and Monferatto Hills (Jacking- non-alcoholic, Cloudberry Lemonade, Martini Floreale, Honey, Citrus, Soda water). Everything was fantastic – the namesake Gemma cocktail was a star and we loved the non-alcoholic Monferatto Hills.

Sean’s recommendations also included Lucy’s Flower Shop. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it there on this Stockholm trip, but I’m sure we will be able to in a future visit. I felt good about my pre-trip research/place bookmarking, too…basically, I already had A Bar Called Gemma and Lucy’s Flower Shop saved in my Stockholm map. I probably wouldn’t have considered Tjoget and Le Hibou though…and that Le Hibou Upper East Side really stole the show.

June 26, 2024July 26, 2024

Stockholm, again 💙💛

My last visit to Stockholm was in 2019. It was so good to be back this past May! Generally, Stockholm is our jumping off point for a European adventure…because Ronald has some sort of work engagement there. Things got changed up on us (Ronald’s work engagement was canceled), but we decided to keep our itineraries the same and start in Stockholm.

We arrived about 13:00, and made our way to the commuter rail (Pendeltåg) area. As it was not rush hour – we were able to take a commuter train directly from Arlanda airport to Stockholms södra station and walk about 15 min directly to our hotel on Södermalm. Usually, we take the Arlanda Express – which is very direct and fast (also more expensive) to Stockholm Central Station (which is normally the area we stay in but the Taylor Swift Eras Tour that coincided with our visit made that complicated this trip 😂).

After getting checked in and settled, we made our way out again. Generally, we just needed to accomplish food, SIM card, and topping up our travelcards (we went with the 72 hour option that allowed us to do whatever during those 72 hours). As we were not too far, and their hours cooperated with our “we’ve traveled many time zones” early dinner hunger – we stopped in Blå Dorren. This is a a somewhat historic and traditional beer and dining hall in Södermalm near Slussen station and Katarinahissen. I had the traditional meatballs and Ronald had fried herring. I also had a shot of snaps – it was some of their house made/infused akvavit (lemon, orange, caraway and ginger).

We made a quick errand to System Bologet, Sweden’s government run chain store that sells all alcohol above 3.5% ABV. I snagged a bottle of Kavalan Vinho Barrique Cask Strength – a single cask selected for Sweden. Then we ducked into a Telenor store and purchased a prepaid SIM card for my phone. As we were beginning to drag a bit, we stopped in at one of my favorite places in the city – Vete-Katten off of Kungsgatan. This is one of Sweden’s largest and oldest patisseries – founded by Ester Nordhammar in 1928. This is a great spot for classic Swedish pastries and coffee and the atmosphere is old world charming but also elegant. Musts for me here – traditional Swedish kardemummabulle (cardamom bun) and Prinsesstårta (a traditional layer cake consisting of sponge, raspberry jam, pastry cream and covered in marzipan)…alongside a plain brewed coffee or cappuccino. Later in our trip – we made our way to a newer location (they seem to have expanded quite a bit since my original discovery) on Södermalm at Götgatan. It’s a lovely location with an almost Parisian outdoor café charm.

We made our way back to our hotel to generally clean up and drop off our purchases. While we were actually quite tired and ready to turn in, we decided around 7:15p that it was too early to go to bed. We walked around the corner from our hotel to Mikkeller Södermalm and enjoyed a few beers.

Pretty much every day we started with breakfast downstairs in our hotel – as it was quite good and included. We were in Stockholm Wednesday – Saturday morning. These were the general highlights:

I finally got to re-visit Östermalm’s Market Hall – post an extensive renovation completed in 2020. It first opened in 1888 and has been an institution and premier food destination – known for high quality produce, meats, seafood, gourmet foods and some restaurants. The renovation has left the food hall modernized but it is not lacking it’s original charm.

Blå Porten – Blue Gate at the entrance of Djurgården

We did some walking and headed toward Djurgården – one of my favorite spots since my original 2011 visit to Stockholm. In the 1500s, it served at as King Eric XIV’s private recreation and hunting grounds. Today, it has many notable and popular attractions – Nordiska Museet (The Nordic Museum), The Vasa Museum (a museum featuring the best preserved 17th century ship), The ABBA Museum , Gröna Lund (an amusement park), Skansen (the oldest open air museum in the world and a popular traditional spot to visit during the Midsummer holiday), and many more such worthy attractions. Personally, I love to see Blå Porten (literally translates as the blue gate) which is a beautiful cast iron gate – the only preserved gate that once served as an entrance to Royal Djurgården. Designed by architect Johan Adolf Hawerman, it was erected in 1848 and moved and restored a few times through history…eventually it landed at its current location between 1967-1968. Another spot I love on Djurgården is Flikorna Helin. I have actually been there on every trip to Stockholm – except this one. It’s a precious little café in a castle like building just off the pedestrian path (not too far from (Blå Porten). I have been in summer and spring…and it’s so cozy either way. Why did I not make my way over on this trip? Lol, one can only eat so many pastries in a day… Ronald had discovered a new spot and he believed I would enjoy it. He was SO RIGHT!

We made our way to Komet, and oh my! They may have the best pastries I can call to mind. It was DIVINE! Ronald had coffee and I had a cappuccino. We shared a kardemummabulle and pistachio roll. That pistachio roll made with croissant style pastry…it’s just the stuff of dreams! I don’t know whether to be grateful for my waistline that there’s nothing like this here…or immensely sad.

I will make a separate post on our visit to Stockholms Bränneri / Brännerian – as it will make this tooooo long to add here. We had a delightful visit at the bar, and the bar manager showed us some of the distilling facilities and the bar lab. Also, he was so kind to give me some recommendations for additional places with high level cocktail programs. (You can find the post dedicated to this here.)

No Stockholm trip is complete without a trip or two to MAX – Sweden’s favorite hamburger chain. They are fun for a quick familiar fast food bite and people watching. It seems to be popular after some drinks. The one near our hotel in Södermalm seemed to be very busy at all hours. We also enjoy that they have easy to use kiosks where you can flip the language to English, order and pay. Then you just wait for your number to appear and grab your food.

Gosh, I really thought I had enough adventuring to last me…but writing this has me already wanting to return.

One other final note – We also made a special trip to Tantolunden near the Årstaviken bay. It’s quite a large park and a popular meeting spot for people of all ages to do some picnicking and swimming. I first discovered it completely by accident walking off some jet lag in the early EARLY morning hours. I was taken by the many allotment gardens and red garden sheds. I have also written a separate post about this visit as well.

April 24, 2024July 2, 2024

In loving memory 🖤

My most favorite boy, Dixie’s Blackened Creole “Cooper” took his last breath on May 25, 2023. Other than one short post about it to let everyone know it happened…I haven’t really written about it. Honestly, the whole thing was (sometimes still is) a lot harder and more painful than I ever expected it to be. I had just a few weeks short of exactly 11 years with Cooper…and I treasure all the memories.

I guess I always wanted a black Labrador Retriever. I blame it on my Dad. I was five years old when Beau, the first of my two younger brothers was born. Drake also joined our family around the same time. He was an amazing little ball of jet black. I watched my Dad train Drake to heel, whistle recall and retrieve. Drake was quite the hunting partner to Dad. I just remember being in awe of how well behaved and connected to my Dad he was. That’s probably where the deep seated desire to have my own black lab someday started.

Cooper with Hendrix first trip to the vet

Cooper joined Ronald, Hendrix and I in 2012. Hendrix (and maybe Ronald) thought I was crazy 🤣. He was an amazing guy from the start – picked up all the good dog life skills so fast. Maybe his only fault- he was a little sensitive. When we began training and playing agility- he didn’t initially love the movement and bang of the teeter. He seemed to get used to it in time. As he grew older, he had very little love for his mom being stressed or not pleased…he was a little soft…not one bit hard headed. We did so many things together. He had agility titles…he had hunting titles…he had a working dog certificate…he had canine good citizen titles. That dog had so many letters after his name (titles) and earned so many medals and ribbons…I couldn’t keep track of them if I wanted to. None of those things mattered to me or to Cooper. It didn’t matter what we were doing…if he was doing it with me, he was all in. In 2016 (I think that’s right), I started rucking (carry a weighted pack). Cooper was an amazing rucking companion…he covered so many miles with me. On several occasions, he went 10-12 miles, and on one occasion he went 20 miles with me overnight. I will never forget that long walk in the dark with him – it stirs some strong emotions. Simple changes in his body language kept me aware of my surroundings…he definitely knew how to be an extension of my senses.

the best ruck companion
10 miles at Ray Roberts Lake State Park
12 miles for time
20 miles overnight
the first CTL minus Cooper

Coming up on the 1 year anniversary of saying goodbye…I felt like I wanted to do something to remember my sweet, Cooper. I’ve participated in Memorial Day rucks for many years now, and I have also participated in Carry The Load several years. This year, Ronald and I will not be able to participate in the Dallas march. However, I can put in miles anywhere. So, between April 22, 2024 and May 25, 2024 – I’ve pledged to ruck 100 miles. This is a way for me to remember and honor sacrifices made by our military, veterans and first responders…but also a way to honor Cooper and all the miles he covered with me doing this before. If you’d like to participate or donate to support Carry The Load see my CTL page.