day 11

wednesday 19 may 2010 monteriggioni

please note the magic words, 'pasta fresca fatta in casa'* sear them into your brain and settle for nothing less the next time you're in italy. this is the key to life-changing pasta. i can never eat the dry stuff from an, ugh, packet again. in fact, i rather starve than eat pasta that isn't fatta in casa. that's how life-altering it was. it's inspired me to invest in my own pasta machine, and flour, and to churn out pasta of various colour, shape and size to feed myself (and a select few friends) because anything else is sacrilege.

also, san gimigiano had the cutest signs

we picked up a little 'chinko chenka' (sorry to massacre the language) sign to commemorate our love for our italian steed. and then to take a break from the exhaustion of souvenir shopping, we popped into this bustling little bar where, according to some sources, i unsuccessfully attempted to cheat the ice cream man of some change. something i neither admit to nor deny doing.

and something on where we stayed...

another charming agriturismo, one ida set us up with. it's along the pilgrim's road to rome and has centuries of history within its walls. they didn't do rooms but apartments, which were practically suites. luxuriously kitted up and very very comfortable. loved waking to endless rows of vines and the novelty of living in a vineyard. plus, they gifted us with 3 bottles of extremely drinkable wine, that they do not sell. we felt so special that we bought check-in allowance just to bring our precious cargo to paris to share with the Bs. J, the main man, had plenty of awesome food recommendations too and he sent us on a connoisseur's tour of the region. ahh! i'm getting hungry just thinking about it!

*fresh pasta, home-made