Hide & Seek in Design week

My Mum said to me when I first moved out here 'Aren't you going to get bored of showing people round the same places' and she couldn't of been more wrong. Milan is large, everywhere is quicker via public transport but so many people have claimed its so small. Now moving into our 2nd month of living here it's becoming more apparent that with every wrong turn or moments of getting lost, we find the most gorgeous building, or beautiful little park. With every new visitor brings new opinions, interests and loves and with my family and boyfriend everyones opinions have been very interesting.

But before I go into detail about my recent visitor, I have an obligation to explain how amazing Milan Design Week or Salone del Mobile was. 

Milan Design week is an event held in various areas around Milan for example this year exhibition spaces were held mainly in Brera - a beautiful district in Milan with its typical winding and cobbled streets with restaurant upon restaurant tricking out into the streets. Showroom spaces were held almost every 2 buildings with large signs inviting you in to an unknown space exhibiting anything from taps to tiles to lights. The 3 of us either being conceptual design students or secretly just big kids LOVED and seeked the interactive installations from following instagram posts from WGSN and various bloggers.

These interactive events ranged from an 8 piece swing set to a tour inside 5 giant tanks exploiting every natural element from rain to sun to the moon. 

Sometimes we stumbled upon these installations however we did city mapper (it took a while) most of them. 

The COS vs Snarchitecture installation was by far my favourite. Entering this never ending room with fabric cascading from the ceiling making it impossible to create a memorable route through the space let alone find Jess and Gina. We easily spent an hour walking around laughing and giggling like big kids in this mass of material.

Other areas that design week featured in was Porta Venezia, Lambrate and Porta Genova. One bit of advice would be to do research way in advance, we definitely got caught out and missed so many fabulous exhibitions due to being unprepared at how important and amazing design week was.

On Friday night we planned a night in Brera where we were going to TRY and attempt to crash any 'Invitation only' closing parties, safe to say we failed massively and decided to head towards the canals. We walked towards a mass of people only to find a silent disco within some old ruins. Groups of youths in circles on the floor drinking bottles and bottles of alcohol. Cheapest area to buy a beer in Milan apparently and we definitely inclined. They do say that unplanned nights are always the best and that says it all for this Friday night in Milan. The perfect way to end a very exciting and adventurous week.

University seemed to hit us like a ton of bricks last week with deadline after deadline and I can safely say that I'm glad the weeks over. Our deadline for our Italian tailoring of a blazer was this week and I'm SO glad its done, never has a garment had such blood, sweat and tears put into it. At various points during the week I'm certain Jess would've turned round and hit me. Learning how to make such a technical garment is hard enough let alone solely taught in another language. Videoing the teacher just so we can replay to watch her hand movements is a new way to be taught but we got there and all in all I couldn't be more proud of the outcome (minus a couple of faults.)

A very anticipated visit from Nick came and went very quickly this past weekend, we pretty much live with each other at University so going from that to 7 weeks apart has been exceedingly difficult. Unlike my Dad's stay the weather decided to be awful so pictures are limited except a beautiful trip to Stresa on Friday where his farmer tan was fabulous. 

I think the one main thing Nick was surprised with was the quality of the food out here in Italy. Every night I made him choose his best meal and every day it seemed to change. However one to definitely note is the Seafood Risotto in Como Corso. The seafood dishes out here are brimming with seafood with such variation from clams to squid to octopus and prawns. 

I finally after little persuasion from Jess copied and bought a 2 litre bottle of wine from Eataly which is refillable. Simple - you buy the bottle, choose the wine and then away you go. For only 8 euros you really can't complain and that sets me up for a while (well i hope anyway.)

On Saturday evening we went for an Aperitivo with the girls and a night out. We detoured through Colonne so i was able to show Nick where the majority of students and youths congregated on an evening and in reflection was his favourite place of the night. Buying a large bottle of Birra Morretti for 2.50 euros to takeaway felt like I should've been a 16 year old. We finally reached a high end bar/club called The Ordinary Market and entered through the club entrance. I wouldn't be able to tell you the music choice if i tried. Almost a mix between a catwalk beat to garage to perhaps house music. Yet everyone was enjoying it, slightly bizarre and it's safe to say we were on the last bus home. Whoops.

On Nicks final night we decided to have dinner on a boat on the less busy canal and it was definitely the best decision I've made.

The upper deck on the boat was completely empty on arrival and with little persuasion the host allowed us to go up there on our own (I would love to say I planned it however It was all by chance.) We had the most friendly waiter and both went with his recommendations of a white wine sea bass (deboned in front of us at the table) and a seafood pasta teamed with a litre carafe of frizzante for only 9 euros. 

We finished with a home made Tirimasu despite Nick not liking it he managed to finish the majority.

It was the perfect way to end such a perfect few days and saying goodbye to him at the airport was so upsetting but the excitement of him walking back through arrivals soon is uplifting. 

Now with no more visitors booked in, I can start focusing more on University work and my next adventure … 

Wish me luck,

S xx

Mad Hatters Tea Party.

This blog is long overdue I know but I've had the most hectic 2 weeks so I do apologise.

I made an impromptu visit home during our Easter break (being 5 days long not the 3 weeks we're used to at University in England.) Having 5 days at home gave me the chance to see everyone who I missed and spend Easter Sunday making rice crispy cakes with my cousins and having an Easter egg hunt in the garden with the cats. It felt so good to be surrounded with everything you crave when you're not there.

I luckily managed to time it so I was able to fly back out to Milano with my Dad and Georgia who were already booked to come and visit. SO excited.
We arrived early evening and set off to the Duomo getting on the first mode of public transport out of (what it felt like) 1000 during their stay here.
Being in Milan for nearly 7 weeks now I feel that the Duomo is the pinnacle of being in the city, it has this unwritten aura that you've actually made it there more so then any other historical feature. The shopping around the Duomo is second to none, there is streets lined with high end to high street shops with high end (touch screen menu) restaurants entwined and a few coffee shops. The main street Corso Vittorio Emanuele II is the busiest with street acts, protruding restaurants with waiters guiding you in and an array of stalls selling anything from beer to roasted chestnuts (in 27 degree heat in April.) Of course dad being dad had to taste the roasted chestnut in April - I'm not sure if he was expecting it to taste any different as it did not however it felt extremely strange and yes we did enjoy a beer too.

Castello Sforesco is brimming with history and is in the centre of Milan with only a short walk to the Duomo from the Castle front. In the sun it draws tourists and locals into its vibrant Parco Sempione. We  took a stroll and sat in the cafe in the middle of the park sipping on a cappuccino and tasting a foccacia sandwich. Milan is so beautiful in the sun, in 27 degree heat in England everyone would be gallivanting around the parks in little to nothing however over here the locals have only just managed to peel back the puffer jackets and show off the tailored blazer look - HOW can they not be showing just a little bit of flesh? I'm looking forward to when it is hot enough for them to perhaps show a little bit of leg.

The Garibaldi area in Milan is the up and coming vibrant area to be with the uni credit building towering over the modern square of 'Via Gaetano De Castillia' with its gorgeous water feature and subtle alfresco bars in the sun. It also hosts 'Eataly' a high end Italian food market comprising an array of restaurants, bakery and retail items. You have the option to fill up (and refill) a litre carafe of wine for  only 3 euros. If the experience of the cobbled streets and multicoloured parasols of Como Corso isn't beautiful enough then it also is host to Como Corso 10 - one of my favourite places in Milan being a gallery, renowned coffee shop, high end boutique with an amazing roof garden.

We then experienced an Apertivo in Navagilli. Apertivo is so popular here in Milan, It's an unplanned affair where you just sit down for a drink and then have a full meal for pretty much the price of the drink. Its a brilliant deal however sometimes it just gets little too busy and perhaps takes away the beauty of it.
Having to queue 3 deep on a Saturday or Sunday is certainly avoidable so experiencing an array of Italian food is recommend for a weekday only unless you fancy one massive cuddle at dinner.

My dad's first holiday in his late teens was to Stresa by Lake Maggiore and it felt only apt to return there. We caught an early train for Centrale which got us to Stresa within the hour and for only 16 euro return its a bargain for the sights you see. We took a stroll down to the lake front to be faced with a clear view of the 3 little islands in the middle of the lake (Isola Madre, Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori) and a beautiful backdrop of the Alps. We admired the view over breakfast and decided to catch a boat to Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori for only 10 euro return. The boats ran every hour so spending time on the islands was entirely up to us. Both of the Islands were beautiful in their own way but Isola dei Pecatori was undoubtedly my favourite. It was quaint and charming with earthy coloured buildings contrasting against the blue of the fresh water lake. The steps leading you down right to the rocks and back up to the lake front restaurants selling the morning's catch of fish. We opted for a Birra Moretti whilst soaking the sun.
Isola Bella is home to a large palace which is divided between a beautiful italianate garden and a small fishing village. The cobbled streets protrude upwards offering an array of homemade goods from glassware to personalised sewing products. We opted for a traditional gelato and then returned to the boat for a short trip back to Stresa.
By recommendation of Mum and her friends when they visited Stresa a couple of weeks ago we ventured to find Pizzeria Ristorante Centrale in Stresa and what a find it was. Centred in a small square in Stresa surrounded by restaurants, shops and buzzing with people was this small, quaint restaurant with the most amazing food. I chose the Ravioli with prawns and squid, Georgia went for the Carbonara and Dad opted for the Fish and Chips (the fish being slightly fried sea bass - absolutely amazing.)
The sun being so hot and being Hutchins' we proceeded to swap chairs in order to
1. prevent burning a already burnt part of the body
2. to achieve maximum tanning.
Almost feeling like we were on the set of Alice and Wonderland and partaking in the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.
The perfect way to end a perfect day was sitting back on the lake front awaiting our train home with a lemon cello basking in the late afternoon sun with Georgia finally claiming she feels like she's in Italy.

We spent the next two days touring Milan, experiencing the Duomo both inside and on the terrace. The terrace is without a doubt my favourite place in Milan, looking out over the city from every angle and understanding the city better from the roof tops. Its so interesting seeing how close everything is compared to on foot. I can't wait to know the city inside out and no longer feel like a tourist however I know that this 'holiday' feeling won't go for the entirety of my stay out here.
We tried the best snack food from Luini - almost a calzone type pastry filled with tomato and mozzarella. It was so delicious and for only 3 euro's it was an affordable light snack.
We took the metro to the canals to view them in the daytime and stopped off at Vicolo Lavandi - a gorgeous old waterway leading on to the canal where women used to wash their clothes. Which has now turned into a prestigious bar and restaurant.

Saying Goodbye to them both at Centrale was probably the sadest moment I've felt since being out here. I could not have had a funnier and memorable past few days and It was a shame to see them go.

The girls decided to meet for a drink at Blanco, selling the best Mojitos in Milan, it was great to be back and chatting away with them only to receive a call that due to unforeseen circumstances Dad and G didn't manage to catch their plane and were on their way back to me - panicked I rushed over to Centrale and greeted them with a massive hug. Fate has somehow given me a few more days with them and I'm SO excited to show them more around this new place I call home.

Ciao for now
S
x