Fuchsia Snails @ Milan

saw this pic at my pic bank and thought the Fuchsia snail is so cute

actually in my very very own opinion
Milan is a rather boring city
apart fr all its amazing impressive high streets
*like one whole row of dolce & Gabbana? as in the whole street has got only D&G boutiques*

the sight seeing + historical walk part is not as interesting as Rome or Venice
but makans in Milan are SUPERB!!!!!

I miss Cracco Peck
but Chef Lino said they are coming to Singapore soon!!!!
WHEN?????????????

Bottega Veneta, Nappa Belly

this one...is every woman & man's dream
:))))))))))))))))))

off topic:
we stayed at this hotel with fashionista buyers of a fashion house
and we met each other every morning for breakfast *bumped into.... of coz*
and paraded our individual fashion taste/style to each other...in a very tasteful manner of coz.

JS: "Hey look, HE HAS A BOTTEGA BAG....tmrw u bring yours down OK???"
"Can u pls stop eyeing his beautiful bag...he noticed kay!!!!! and that's wat he wanted...admiration....so oh pls dun give it to him!!!"

and JS bought Monkey a Bottega bag
out of love of coz!!! kekekekekeke....nothing to do with the other fashionista who happened to be a bagaholic and shoeholic and apparelholic and I-Love-Myself-So-so-much-holic

but I couldn't get any Bottega for JS coz all his choices were RM 20k and above
*u vely vely discerning taste huh?*
the softest intrecciato ever!!!
the nappa belly....
*drools...aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa*
** sayang sayang usap usap the bag**
OMG...this is my fav Bottega for the moment
*cabat is the other one :P*
**cabat is very cheap in Italy but I still kenot afford it**

and the color is so ME!!!!!

the men still call Bottega the Ketupat bag!!!!
*angry angry angry*

and last weekend I saw Si Fu Lawrence carrying one
-_-"
to do his marketing in the wet market
oh well that's another story...

anyway Nappa Belly Veneta Retails at Euro 1,280 = RM 5,632
*at Starhill Msia, it's retailing at RM 6,950*

www.bottegaveneta.com

Breakfast at Straf Hotel, Milan

yesssss cereals are very good for you....
i like to mix em up and have this funny sensation when it pops in your mouth
when it comes to milk.....greedy me alwiz opt for full cream milk
:P *spells FAT*
no...i dun like low fat milk, i dun like soy milk *come on, not for cereals*
and I dun like other weird milk like 75% less fat less watever
fruits pastries and NUTELLA a must have every morning!!!!

JS: "Do u know that u are eating butter flavoured with cocoa on tat thing????"
-__-
but I eat Nutella since I was 3 :P
comfort food :))))))))))))
well wat bout HIM???
it's parma ham and more prosciutto every morning
oh but Italian cold cuts are so nice and yummy and waxy
the fats just melts in your mouth
his fav food -_-"
u say I fat u lagi FAT!!!!!

Christmas tree in Milan

this post is dedicated to my reader Elly from Labuan
:))))))

the superb 10 storey christmas tree in Piazza Duomo in Milan
they were trimming the trees on the day we arrived....and it looked so normal
after 10 days of re-trimming and installing new branches and tweaks with 3 cranes
the tree couldn't look any better

yes for goodness sake it's a real tree!!!!
they worked through weekends and through the blizzard cold just trimming it
and spent another few days merchandising and decorating it

well this pic did no justice because there's more deco to it and my tiny camera didn't capture it.
enjoy!!!!

Zucca in Galleria, Milan

the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II with all the must have brands innit
situated just next to Duomo Square and it's just right at the back of our hotel
*the hotel is just so strategic :))))))))))*

Zucca cafe was inaugurated in 1857 when the Galleria was opened
we just lurve to laze around here
gazed at the Duomo
and do ppl-watching
and also pak tor :P hehehehehe
usually Monkey settled for a cuppa of cappu Euro 4.80 = RM 24
one of the famous drink chocolate with really really fresh cream
Euro 8.10 = RM 40.50
the cream was oh my.....I can almost taste the cow
*wat the heck am I toking bout?*
JS's fav toast with parma and cheese Euro 5.30 = RM26.50
the cheese was not salty and went very well with the parma
bread was superb crisp almost brie liked
this Monkey alwiz opt for kiddy food :P
Ta-Da!!! croissant!!! not just any croissant but it's a special one
with special sugary toppings

and pineapple jam innit!!!!
oh oh oh eppy eppy day!!!!!
*chomp chomp chomp*
after all the misc it's back to business
and we ordered our usual everyday fuel - espresso
every shot cost Euro 3...
so if it's double then Euro 6
easy peasy fuss free
and they served excellent coffee

Yes the price is a premium bcoz the standard price for a shot is Euro 1 elsewhere...
but u come to Zucca for its total coffee exprerience with the poised waiter in crisp white uniform, their history and beautiful porcelains
and good coffee of coz :))))))))

music composer Verdi and Toscanini were their usual patrons
erm like hundred of years ago?

anyway Zucca is more than a coffee house it's an ICON and symbol
to any Milanese :)))))

Zucca
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II,
Piazza Duomo,
21 20121 Milano,
Italy.
Tel: +02 864 64 435
www.caffemiani.it

IL Luogo di Aimo e Nadia *2 Michelin Stars*

this restaurant really do have a long name
run by husband and wife team so we supposed that's their name
it took 20 minutes to reach by taxi fr Duomo
and pls do have reservation in advance like at least 2 weeks

JS is alwiz that serious when it comes to wine list...
we had 4 other restaurants with Michelin stars in a row,
and this was the 5th one...so I supposed it's either we were sick of food
or just craving for more with a more discerning standard.
after nites of Gaja.....finally we settled for something more "normal"
which was Bruno Giacosa, Barbaresco 2001
*if Mr. Giacosa is considered normal then we have no other Italian wines left to drink*

Bruno Giacosa occupies the south bank of Barbaresco hill in Barbaresco
I think this will make a good visit at our next trip

anyway back to that bottle...the nose was leathery with mineral tint...it later developed to a beautiful bouquet....
however the palate was not as elegant *as Gaja* and it was quite tannic...
well I kenot compare here bcoz both winemakers have their own style.
when Monkey was seated, before she could even flip her bag hanger,
Mr. Maitre D pulled the seat with one hand,
used his bag hanger on the other and hooked Madame Bottega before I can say NO.
-_-

I still prefer the bag hanger that Bagaholic Tracie got for me :)))))))))))))

their grissini were so good....thin and crispy with biscotti texture
amuse buche of red mullet with artichoke in a very good stock, topped with a tempura of some leaves
this one is to die for
soft simmered egg *from Farmer Paolo Parisi*
topped with lard from Tuscany with breadcrumb crust, served with sweet onion and fennel puree
the dollop beside the baseil leaves was the LARD
*ohhhh eppy days!!!*
oooo double happiness!!!!!
fresh pasta with white truffles from Alba, Piedmonte
JS had mackarel marinated in citrus juice and mussels from Taranto
served with salad of Fregola vegetables, aromatic herbs and porcini

crisp sole & scampi in buckweat flour dough with artichokes
flavoured with mints and red onions fr Tropea

JS said if I continue to eat like this....my face will be as round as the painting behind me :P

hexagon of pine nuts, coffee and cream
think this dessert was called KISSpetit four

can't see his eyes -.-

Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia
*2 Michelin Stars*
via Montecuccoli 6,
20147 Milano,
Italy.
Tel: +39 02 416 886
www.aimoenadia.com

Prada Saffiano, Cruise 2010

whenever u r in Milan....Prada is a must buy!!!! :P
however I've laid my eyes on the latest collection before we were in Italy
so basically know wat I wanted...cept the color choice was a headache
Prada has a good mix of colors and I went with the mindset of getting the pink + white + dark blue mix
next headache was the different type of bags..
the clutch? the tote? the handbag? the shoulder bag? or the wallet?
GAH!!!!!!
I alwiz thank JS for being there to solve all my headaches and chose the col
that's MOST-ME!!!!

with perforated leather and hand stitched finish :)))))))))

it comes with a padlock and 2 set of keys :D

been 2 months since I got this so I can't really remember how much I got it for...
think it's around RM 4200 compared to Malaysia RM 5400

if u are asking already by now....yes I spent MORE than JS in Italy
:D
I'm the Champion :P for leather goods
and he's the Champion for household, fish roe, pasta, -_-" x 10000000
pots and pans...ermmm wat else? yeah designer households stuffs
one of those day....we went to a factory outlet in Rome and got some stuffs....
along the way..this Prada Travel Wallet in black Saffiano caught my eyes
and it was laying inside the glass display inside a massive huge factory outlets with everything u want
Monkey was like....."wat??? this can't be at the factory outlet yet???"
it's too new to sit here....and retailing about RM 2000++ in Malaysia
with like wat? 12 or 15 card compartments,
different currency holder and passport holder all in one
when Monkey saw the price...she told herself if she dun get it....she's soooo not gonna forgive herself...

it's F-king retailing at RM 450 OK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
so i bought it without thinking 1st :P
then gifted it away
to dear Mr. JS

JS: "WAHHH i got new travel wallet!!!"

yep we got *I mean I got* other stuffs as well fr this factory outlet and will blog bout it soon.

Prada Prada Prada!!!!
dee daa dee daa dee daa
who's the happiest of all :)))))))))))))

Fruits stall

enticing fruits stall in Milan

makes u wanna buy everything off the shelves

fr the sweet clementines to the soft persimmons and peaches :)))))))