Buona Pasqua!

Pretty Swiss Chocolate Easter Eggs!

The past few weeks, since Valentine's day really, Lugano has been prepping for Easter. Over the past year it's amazed me how the entire city really gets into the spirit of the holidays and decorates everything. It makes the city even prettier than it already is! This weekend Lugano held "Easter in the City" a festival in the center of the city with live music, children's activities and tons of vendors selling handmade and homemade goods. I was able to get some homemade strawberry jam, although not as good as my moms, it's still delicious! In Switzerland you never need a reason to enjoy chocolate, but it seems as if for Easter there was so much more of it. I've never seen as many chocolate bunnies and eggs in my life!

Hazelnut Milk Chocolate and Stracciatella Bunnies

So many Chocolate Bunnies and so many flavors

The flowers are also beautiful. Manor, a department store and grocery store, has a mini flower shop outside and it is so nice to finally see spring flowers for sale! After a long winter, I can't wait for the tulips and other spring flowers to pop up around the city!

Walking around, there were so many signs of Easter. In every grocery store they sell dyed hard boiled eggs, in such bright and vibrant colors. Eggs are apparently a forbidden food during lent (who knew?!) and because of that, in the olden days they were hard boiled to preserve them until lent was over. Also, since eggs symbolize life, they were given as gifts at Easter. Why we began to dye eggs isn't certain. However, the dying of eggs can be traced back to Ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt and Persia where they were dyed for spring festivals and to Medieval Europe where the decorated eggs were given as gifts.

Hard boiled eggs at the grocery store

Easter Sunday, Jeannie and her fiance, Patrick, invited me to his parent's house for Easter lunch. The food was amazing and I was able to enjoy a Swiss Easter lunch including, pumpkin Gnocchi, venison, artichoke, mushrooms and more! It was so good and so nice to have an Easter meal! For dessert, we had Colomba di Pasqua, a traditional Italian Easter cake. Colomba (which means "Dove") is similar to panettone, but does not include raisins and is usually topped with sugar and almonds.

Mini Colomba di Pasqua

Hopefully, now that Easter has passed and we're entering into April, we will see some beautiful spring weather. On my run this morning I started noticing that the flowers are beginning to bloom! Here's to hoping that Spring is here to stay! 

Spring in bloom

Cooking in Como

After two weeks of Academic Travel, we came back to Lugano ready for some great Italian food. And what better way then to make it ourselves in a cooking class on Lago di Como? Tuesday morning Jeannie, Stephanie, Chris and I headed to Varenna, Italy, a small but beautiful town located on the eastern side of Lago di Como for a day filled of laughter, cooking and fun at Ristorante il Caminetto. In order to get there we drove to Menaggio, Italy and hopped on a 15 minute ferry ride to cross the lake.

Crossing Lago di Como with Menaggio behind us

Once in Varenna we were met at the ferry by Rossela, who brought us up to their small family run restaurant situated in the cliffs. Upon arrival, we were greeted by Moreno, the chef and owner, who would be our amazing instructor for the day!

Over the next few hours we watched and learned as he went step by step showing us how to make the dough for fresh pasta, fresh gnocchi, gorgonzola cream sauce and an amazing vegetable sauce.

Moreno making the pasta dough

We then donned our aprons and assembled around the wooden table to learn the proper steps of forming our pasta and gnocchi. We were each given a piece of both the doughs and were walked through the steps of rolling, cutting and forming our little gnocchi pillows and tagliatelle pasta!

Rolling out the dough for the Tagliatelle

Making Gnocchi

After a full day of cooking and anxiously waiting to try everything, at around 2pm lunch was served! We were able to enjoy all the food we made by hand with a few additions, made by Moreno. Throughout the day we were able to enjoy:

• Cappuccino and panforte (a traditional Italian fruit & nut cake) served upon arrival
• Meat & Cheese platter, Before we started cooking, we had a little snack to hold us over
• Gnocchi in a Gorgonzola cream sauce
• Tagliatelle in a fresh vegetable and basil sauce
• Vanilla gelato with strawberries reduced in sugar and orange juice, brandy and balsamic vinegar

Pasta with veggies, meat & cheese snack, dessert
& gnocchi with a gorgonzola cream sauce

Stuffed and content, we left Moreno's Ristorante al Caminetto armed with three pasta and sauce recipes and a certificate of completion from his class. His five hour class went by so quickly, as he filled it with stories and jokes, making everyone feel right at home. If ever in the Milan or Como region, I would most definitely recommend a day trip to his restaurant, to spend cooking and enjoying an authentic taste of Italy! Moreno and Rosella make you feel right at home and will cater the class specifically to your wants and needs. All four of us thought the class was a great experience and it is something that I will always remember. I can't wait to attempt to recreate the gnocchis back in NY! 

After our cooking class in front of Ristorante il Caminetto

Dubai (Academic Travel Part 1)

Sunday March 10, my class and I left for Academic Travel, a 2 week trip visiting Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur to look at the Global City. We left Milan in the morning to fly to Dubai for 5 days and arrived late Sunday night. Dubai was a whirlwind! Monday I had two meetings for a business plan that I am writing, one in the morning on the Palm Island and the second in the Dubai International Financial Center. In between meetings I was able to meet my brother-in-law for lunch. He took me to the cafe at the top of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. We were on the 122nd floor and were able to see all of Dubai. The view was incredible and I was able to see the Palm Islands and the World Islands from above. It was so great to be able to meet up up with Chris in his new hometown and catch up! That night a group of us saw the Dubai Fountain Show. The fountain is the largest in the world and every half hour they have a fountain show choreographed to different music. We watched one to Michael Jackson. After we got dinner at Lebanese restaurant which began our juice obsession for the rest of the trip.

Burj Khalifa

Tuesday we toured Dubai because our professor had gotten us the hop on hop off bus tickets. It was my first time using a tour bus and although we had some difficulty finding the stops at the beginning by the end of the day we had figured it out. The bus was good in the sense that it brought us to all the sites but I don't think I'll use one again. We got to see the gold and spice souks, the Dubai Mall, the Palm Island, the Burj al Arab (the world's only 7 star hotel) and more. We ended the day at dusk on the beach, with our tours in the Arabian Sea!

Gold Souk

Me, Jeannie & Shannon on the beach with the Burj al Arab behind us

On Wednesday, we left for Abu Dhabi where we met with NYU Abu Dhabi and then with masters students from the Men's College of the Higher College of Technology. The last visit was interesting because we got to speak to Emiratis about their experiences in the UAE and learn more about their lives and businesses. My favorite part of the day was our trip to Masdar City, a zero carbon, zero waste and totally sustainable city that Abu Dhabi is constructing around 15 km outside of the city. The construction is around 80% complete and currently, people are living there, business are operating and they have a masters and phd program. We had a guided tour of the city which started with a ride in the magnetic cars to the city center. We saw their solar panel farm which consists of 87,777 panels and their wind tower that helps cool the city. Their residential apartments are brown colored and the facade is made from sand. They use slanted windows and proximity of the buildings to help cool the city to around 10 degrees cooler than Abu Dhabi. Having studied Masdar city at Colgate it was so interesting to go there in person and was definitely a highlight of our visit to the UAE!

Masdar City!

The following day Jeannie, Shannon and I headed to the Dubai Mall for some speed shipping! We spent the morning in the mall and had lunch before heading back to the hotel to go see some camels. We were told we were going to see the races but the races are at 7am so we went to a camel dairy farm instead, which smelled disgusting. We fed the camels some carrots for some prime photos and then went to the camel milk shop, appropriately named "Camelicious." They sell camel milk and camel milk chocolate, and we were able to try both. For dinner the entire class went on a boat cruise on the Dubai Creek, a nice ending to our trip first part of the trip.

Dubai was definitely a very interesting city, and I'm so glad I had the chance to visit. They had everything written in both Arabic and English so it was cool to see both side by side to understand what it was. It was interesting to see first hand the attempt to balance the large expat population, around 90% of Dubai, with the Arabic culture and Islamic law. The built environment is unreal and they're continuing to build it up. It would be interesting to go back in 10 years to see how much it will change. The food was delicious and their fresh squeezed juices were out of this world. Being in the UAE is definitely a cultural experience I will never forget!

Singapore (Academic Travel Part 2)

Sunday, while in Kuala Lumpur, we were free so Jeannie, Stephanie, Chris and I decided to head to Singapore for the day. It was only an hour flight so we left extremely early and arrived around 8:20am. Singapore is an independent city state south of Malaysia. The city is extremely clean, there's no litter or graffiti, the public transportation system is on point and their crime rate is one of the lowest in the world. Singapore is known as one of the best run Asian countries due partly to some of their crazy laws. Such as:

• Selling gum is illegal
• Eating or drinking on the metro or anywhere in the metro stations is illegal
• When getting on the metro you must stand to the sides of the doors until the exiting passengers get off
• Failure to flush a public toilet is a public offense which can result in caning or large fines
• Connecting to unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots is considered hacking
• If caught littering 3 times, one must pick up trash on Sundays wearing a bib that says "I'm a litterer"

Not breaking any rules in the metro!

Therefore, we made sure not to break any rules in order to make it back to Kuala Lumpur! Our first stop was the Singapore Botanical Gardens, where we were able to see some of the native plants to southeast Asia.

After, we had lunch at Newton Food Center, an open air market known as a great place to go to sample the many local cuisines of Singapore. We had a great Indian lunch from a small stand, but since it was Sunday, a lot of the stands were closed so we didn't get the whole experience of the market. However, it was worth the trip for the great, inexpensive food.

Haji Lane was next, a small shopping street, located in the Muslim quarter. They are known for their small, colorful, independent shops and we spent some time wandering in and out of the many stores.

We then headed down to the Marina, where the Financial Center is located. We walked through part of the Financial Center to the Marina and got drinks at Sky on 57 at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. The view was stunning and we could see for miles. We had views overlooking the city and the water. Singapore is busiest port in the world, which was not surprising considering the shipping vessels waiting off shore.

View from Sky on 57

Our day ended with a ride on the Singapore Flyer, the world's tallest Ferris wheel. The ride lasted around 30 minutes and we were able to see all of Singapore. There is so much to do there that we barely touched any of it. While we saw what many say are the main attractions, we all saw other places we would like to visit. However, it was time to return to Kuala Lumpur for the rest of our travel!

Jeannie, Me, Stephanie & Chris on the Flyer

Kuala Lumpur (Academic Travel Part 3)

March 15, the group left Dubai and headed further west to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for our last week of travel. We arrived late Friday night after a long day of traveling. Malaysia is home to three main ethnic groups, Malay, Chinese and Indians. Therefore, although their official language is Malay, their unofficial language is English. Malay's will usually speak Malay and English while the Chinese will usually speak Mandarin, Malay, English and sometimes another Chinese dialect. The three cultures keep their customs and languages but also seamlessly mix adding to the charm of Kuala Lumpur. It's a beautiful city with a lot of urban green interspersed between the old and the new, creating a vibrant city.

Saturday, Jeannie and I were able to meet up with some old Sleepy Hollow friends. We spent the day touring Kuala Lumpur with Jeya, who brought us to a great restaurant for breakfast called Lotus. We had a traditional breakfast of roti, coconut rice and noodles. Jeya then took us on a tour of the city and we saw sites such as the the old British Prime Minister's Mansion, the old Palace and Putrajaya. Putrajaya is a planned city outside of Kuala Lumpur that now serves as the federal administrative center of Malaysia. The name symbolizes the success of the Malay government, combining Jaya, which means success in Malay and Putra, the name of the first Malaysian Prime Minister. For lunch we went back to their house where they had prepared a fantastic meal for us. Jeya taught us so much about Malaysia and it was great to see her and her family again!

The Old Palace

Monday morning, the group went to meetings in Cyberjaya, a key part of the Multimedia Super Corridor in Malaysia, which aspires to be the next Silicon Valley. The talks were on how Malaysia is staying competitive in both the Internet and Green Technologies. We learned about their current activities and future plans in order to stay competitive while continuing to grow and advance.

Tuesday we left for a canopy walk in the forest preservation. The canopy walk was a suspension bridge that didn't seem so stable, the walkway consisted of ladders with 2x4s laying over them. There were zip ties holding some of the boards to the ladders, however most were broken. Although, the view was very pretty, I was glad to be back on solid ground!

Jeannie's view from the Canopy

We then headed to the Batu Caves, a limestone hill which houses one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside of India. To reach the temple you climb 272 steps up to the caves. Once in the caves there are multiple shrines built and dedicated to Lord Murugan, the Hindu God of War and Victory. At the base of the caves, there stands the largest statue of Lord Muragan at 42.7 meters high!

Entrance to the Batu Caves

After we stopped at a store that specializes in hand make batiks, cloths made using a wax resist dying technique. Batik prints are associated with Malaysia and Indonesia. The textiles are produced by applying liquid wax to the cloth, then dyed, the wax prevents the dye from seeping through to the fabric. When finished the wax is removed with boiling water which also fixes the colors onto the cloth. The designs were beautiful and each print was unique since each is done by hand.

Batik Prints Drying

Our last stop of the day was the Thean Hou Temple, a six tier Chinese temple dedicated to the Goddess Tian Hou, the Heavenly Mother. The temple is one of the largest in Southeast Asia and represents aspects of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. The architecture showcases the traditional Chinese design and was absolutely stunning!

Our last day we visited Taylor's University, a private Chinese University in Malaysia. We met with some students and learned about the Malay education system. The students took us for a tour of their campus and over lunch we were able to share our experiences. For dinner Jeannie, Stephanie, Chris and I went to a Malay restaurant called Bijan. The food was amazing and it was a great way to end the trip!

Last night at Batik!

Kuala Lumpur was an amazing city and I would love to one day return!

Audrey Takes on Lugano

Audrey, a friend from Colgate who is teaching English in Dijon, came to visit this past weekend! I was lucky enough to visit her in October and this time around she got to see Lugano. It's great having a friend living abroad at the same time because although in different countries, we have similar experiences. Audrey arrived Thursday afternoon with the snow and left Sunday morning with more snow. She was way too kind and brought me delicious French food such as macaroons, Dijon Mustard and the most amazing Fig bread that we discovered when I was in Dijon.

Snowy Lugano

Friday we started the morning at Grand Cafe Al Porto, because no Lugano trip is complete without it. We had coffee, tea and pastries while we chatted. After, we went to the Museo Cantonale d'Arte in Lugano where they were having a special exhibition, "enoisullillusione" (and we illusion) by Mariapia Borgnini, a contemporary Ticinese artist. The exibit was a mix of photos, videos, drawings and sound that represented the uncertainty of an individual's relationship with the outside world. Many of the pieces were in Italian, so it was good practice translating [almost] everything into English for Audrey. Borgnini's exhibit was extremely interesting and we really enjoyed it.

Audrey & I in Lugano

Luckily, the snow stopped and we had a beautiful afternoon complete with blue skies. We were able to walk around the city and through the park enjoying the scenery. For lunch, we enjoyed amazing pizza from Gabbani while looking out over the lake. We then went to the Lugano Art Gallery to see a Marc Chagall exhibit. Chagall, one of the most successful artists of the 20th century, created works on almost every medium in bright, vivid colors. In addition to his paintings, he created many stained glass windows, including one in the Union Church in Pocantico Hills, NY! The gallery was tiny but filled with a wide range of his paintings.

In the Park

Saturday we heading to the Alprose Chocolate Factory, a 30 minute train ride from the city. Sadly, they don't make chocolate on Saturdays but, we could still see the machines and the chocolate museum. Audrey was able to bring local Swiss made chocolate back to France, a total necessity when one visits Switzerland!

Dinner Saturday was Raclette, a traditional Swiss dish, consisting of cheese, potatoes, dried meat, mini corn, gherkins and raclette spice. Raclette derives from the French word, racler, "to scrape." The cheese round is melted in a machine and scraped onto your plate, over the potatoes. It is served with white wine and not water or other drinks, because according to local tradition, water causes the cheese to harden in your stomach.

Raclette from Giardino Ristorante

Sunday morning, we awoke to a blizzard and Audrey hopped on the train to head back to Dijon. It was great to see her and I can't believe the weekend is already over. Next time we see each other will be back in the US!

When in Switzerland, do as the Swiss do

With a four day weekend ahead of me, I knew there were a few things on my Swiss bucket list that I could check off. The first one, skiing in the Swiss Alps. Shannon and I hopped in her car early in the morning and drove around an hour and a half north to Andermatt. Andermatt, just north of Ticino and positioned in the heart of the Swiss Alps, is a quaint village known for the excellent snow and ski conditions. It's amazing how different the weather is! It's been warm here in Lugano, around 40 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny with just the snow capped mountains in the distance. However, in Andermatt, it snowed almost all day and was in the 20s, giving us fresh snow to ski on!

Getting Ready to ski!

We arrived at 830 in the morning and were able to rent our skis, boots, poles and helmets for the day. After, we made our way to Gemstocck, the southern mountain and took the two Gondolas to the top. When we got off the visibility was horrendous, and the wind was crazy. By the time we made it half way down the mountain, my eyebrows and eyelashes were frozen and my sunglasses completely iced over! Once we made it down we switched to the northern mountains, Nätschen and Gütsch, where visibility was clearer and the conditions ideal. Andermatt wasn't crowded and most of the time we had the runs to ourselves. A 6 km run, that brought us back down to the base, was open to other winter activities such as sledding and walking and therefore, parts were catwalks. The one thing I cannot stand when skiing are catwalks because I never have the momentum to keep me going long enough to reach the decline again. Needless to say, I got a full body workout navigating that run. We spent the day exploring the different areas of the mountains, taking just one quick lunch break to refuel. By 3:30 after an exhausting day on the slopes, we packed it up and headed home. After not skiing since I was abroad here last time, it was great to get back on the slopes!

Bundled up to beat the cold!

Thursday night also marked the beginning of Carnivale, a week long celebration before lent begins. Bellinzona, the capital of Ticino, hosts one of the largest Carnivale celebrations in Switzerland. This was their 150th year celebration of "Rabadan,", which translates to 'uproar' or 'noise' On Thursday, the mayor of Bellinzona hands over the city keys to King Rabadan, and for the following week a giant party ensues. Bellinzona goes on lock down, with fences surrounding the area of the city where Carnivale takes place. Throughout the week there are parades and scores of people wandering the streets in costume partying.

Castelgrande's Black Tower outfitted with a Carnivale Mask

Friday night, I headed to Carnivale with Shannon and some of her teammates. One of her teammate's mom has made her awesome Carnivale costumes for the past few years so I was able to borrow one for the night. The costumes we were wearing were amazing and the thought and time that goes into making not only these but the many others I saw throughout the night is insane!

Shannon & I as Robin Hood & a Pink Cow

Carnivale Cookie from Münger