For our last major trip before returning stateside, we got last-minute news that The Major was approved for language training in Nice, France.
There being no objections from the peanut gallery, we headed North towards the blue coast of the French Riviera.
Along the way we stopped in Rome to visit St. Peter's with Smalls.
I had been dreading the Vatican. My last visit there was anything but spiritual... And this time we were encountering a near-miss with the sanctification of two popes, with two popes scheduled for attendance...
But the reaction by Smalls to the chiesa grande was worth it.
She is finally old enough to be struck by the grandeur. And it just shows how much she has grown in our time here.
Finally, instead of sleeping through the experience, she got to explore some of the curiosities.
And it was quite lovely to roam the city without the pressure of seing anything in particular - which of course allowed us to enjoy everything we did discover just a little more...
Smalls took a decidedly "when in Rome" attitude and mounted a tiny trusted steed.
Then it was off to collect balsamic in Modena for our shipment back home. We stumbled into town just at the right time for lunch.
At the highest rated restaurant in the city...
So we sampled some fantastic fresh pasta,
And steak in balsamic...
And where else but Italy would you be served warm prunes in balsamic for desert?
Seriously delish.
Like so many things edible in Italy, sounds like nothing you would ever order - till you try it... Then you wonder why in the world you thought it would be a bad idea.
Tricky Italy.
After locating the dispensary,
We dropped a small fortune on a year's supply of liquid pleasure.
We may have gone a bit overboard...
Then again, wait till you see the wine collection...
As we headed onwards to Milan, I really had one thing on my mind...
And thanks to the Major's navigational SA (situational awareness), we hit our target shortly after checking in to the hotel.
His aptitude for finding (or re-finding) edible treats, leads me to believe that arriving in cities just in time for dinner, but too late for any kind of shopping - with the exception of through windows -
Is probably much more than a coincidence...
But since we have a date set to meet our new au pair and her family in Aqua Terme, we leave Milan sans fashion statements, with happy bellies once again.
...and speaking of happy bellies...
Our lunch date with the Au Pair's family turned into A Big Night kind of an affair. It was like the food would never stop appearing from the kitchen.
Smalls got a heavy dose of cheek pinching and hand kissing, and within minutes was dragging her new playmate from room to room, exploring. We left with Smalls chattering, rehashing her day with the au pair, all of us a little more excited about the adventure approaching around the corner.
Two weeks in Nice went by in a flash of baked goods,
playgrounds,
and foie gras.
Smalls and I made a concentrated effort to walk more than we stopped to eat, but France was at her best, throwing crepes with sea salted caramel,
and even an artiginal, organic gelateria (serving lavender and chocolate-orange flavors) in our path.
Fortunately these stumbling blocks were matched by the massive underwater themed playground,
with a life-sized whale,
and public splash park.
Of course, there was also the sparkling blue beach,
And hilltop parks with amazing views...
On our last night we went for an accidental epic adventure looking for an open creperie. Failing miserably, we happened upon an interesting looking eaterie with a fixed menu. Normally this would not be our first choice - however - there IS something relaxing about letting someone else make the decisions. Especially when you don't speak the language...
When our first course, bowls of asparagus soup, arrived, and Smalls commandeered one for herself, we knew that we had made a good decision.
When the next plates arrived full of celery "foam", I was sure The Major was instantly over it.
But the next couple of courses balanced out the eclectic offerings,
and the decorative desert more than sealed the deal. For two of us, at least...
As we headed back down south, we swung through Montepulciano, to taste a couple of wines,
and continue the education of our sommelier...
But she was unsurprisingly more interested in the frozen offerings.
Really it was just a pit stop en route to our final destination - the medieval city of Casperia, outside of Rome, for a lesson in olive oil.
A city without cars - due to the tiny streets and Escher-evoking staircases,
We tasted the history of olive oil overlooking Roman hills.
It was the perfect way to round out our culinary adventures.
