Walk with Me to Italy, to Baita Bondella

The view from the terrace of Baita Bondella - postcard ready!

I love travel and I love food. Put the two together and it's a wonderful trip. My trip to Florence has so far been my best culinary travel experience to date, but I still have many unexplored dining room and kitchens to encounter. One of them, if I want to live to see another birthday, will be soon, and will take me back to Italy but this time to the lovely region of Como. I have friends all over the place - Trinis at that. There is a saying, "Trinis in everything, like salt" and that rings true cause we are everywhere. Even near the stunning Lake Como.

It is there that my friend, from as far back as high school, the ever lovely Kisha and her husband, Stefano run Baita Bondella, gleefully located at Via del Colme 9, Brunate, Como, where it offers a magnificent view over the Brianza region and Milan. 

Having been a patron of their Tobago-based establishments, I can give an honest-to-goodness plug for the personal attention to detail in everything they do - from the way Stefano prepares every dish, to the extra personal service and the genuine warmth they bring to the experience, whether it be via their daughters' childish charms, or, dare I say, Kisha's unique Trini touch (we Trinis are fun people!). It is indeed a true family experience, coupled with the pristine environment - clean, fresh air, nature trails, and if you're lucky, you can sometimes spot some of the other residents like deer and wild boar.

Dining at Baita Bondella

Kisha recommends the brasato with polenta, and polenta with cheese. They also have a wide variety of wines, which should satisfy even the most demanding wine palate.

Previously, the Montis ran establishments in Tobago, the smaller of the two islands of my lovely homeland, Trinidad and Tobago. Having moved back to Italy, the family first settled in Puglia but I guess once a dream has been born, it's pretty hard to ignore it.

Kisha explains:

Very early in my marriage, during one of our yearly trips to Italy, my husband took me to see this lovely baita in Brunate that he and his family had run for many years. He had left it to open a trendy type thing in the centre of Como. And I commented, "Its really lovely up here. What ever influenced you to move away?" 

Famous last words. Eight years after that trip, he comes home one day ( in Puglia) to announce that he had taken up the lease at the Baita and the rest is history

A sample of what you can expect from Baita Bondella - freshly prepared food and a variety of fine wines

She loves Como, and explains why its charm enthralls her.

Well, its just beautiful. Lovely villas and palaces wrapped onto pine covered hills. Its like living in a postcard. And then, well, it is a very cosmopolitian area. Apart from the Italian dishes that one can try here, there are also Chinese resaurants and I saw an Indian one the other day. Lots of Arab stuff as well.

(No Trini roti shop. Yet. I am drafting my business plan as I type this, cause I am a wicked Afro-Caribbean curry star!)

And you can imagine, it has not been easy, with her moving miles away from her Caribbean home, her family and friends, to live in Italy. Yet, as a true adventurer, she takes it in stride. So, what are some of the unique and quirky charms that only a Trini can point out?

I still cannot get over the fact that stores close from 1 to 3 (in Puglia it was from 130 to 5) and then they reopen. What is the sense to open from 9 to 1? It has been explained to me but I still dont get it and never will. 

Pigeon peas. The only place I have been able to find pigeon peas is in a small Latin American grocery in Milan that sells it at the beauty of three euro a tin. Yes folks I pay $30TT for a can of pigeon peas!!! 

My little village is out of the main city of Como and like Princes Town (in Trinidad), we have our village intrigues, like who don’t shop there because thirty years ago, the man give me short change and that kinda stuff. 

Still getting to know the place since I have been here for a little more than two months but so far I am liking it

($30TT for pigeon peas is really rough. But then I pay almost $60TT for a roti here in London. It's tough being a Trini expat, lemme tell ya).

And in true Kisha style, and almost thinking like me, she adds,

"Oh and did I mention the fashion and the cars? I have always been dowdy and frumpy but Como is making me look like a bag lady. In need of a make over!!!!

Call Baita Bondella next time you're in the area

(Don't listen to her. She's a beautiful girl).

And when I asked her what has been the best part of the experience for her thus far, she did not answer from her seat as manageress, or as Trini expat in Italy. She answered as mummy.

Seeing my kids integrate after yet another move. I spent all my childhood in one place and I am always petrified that I am ruining my kids' childhood by continually uprooting them. So, yes that is the best thing so far - that they have new friends here, and that they are happy to be here.

Her girls are beautiful, by the way.

I plan to visit (soon, promise) so I will have photos and tales for sure, but if ever you are in Como, please do take a day to visit the area and Baita Bondella. You can tell them I sent you. No, you won't get any discounts, but you're sure to get an amazing experience. This I can guarantee!

You can also follow them on Facebook.

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Penis on the Train and other Funny Weekend Moments

Nicki Minaj rocks this orange wig. Hot!
Photo credit: Thirsty Roots

Something is wrong with me. Why was I awake at 8.00am on a Sunday, especially considering that I have not had a full night's sleep in a few days, that I was up at the crack of dawn yesterday to keep my salon appointment, and that I was out late last night? I really do not appreciate you, internal alarm!

So as I mentioned at the end of the last post, my hair seems to be totally f...d. It was just falling out and was completely jacked. It caused some minor to major depression and I just decided my hairdresser in London would have to double as therapist. I was perfectly prepared to go pixie short for the cause, but she told me not to do anything that drastic just yet. So while it looks a bit better, it's still pretty crap. I'm not happy.

Needless to say, I joined the hordes of black women in London yesterday who wear fake hair as I pulled out my awesome wig for a night out. Funny, as I walked through the tube station, a gust of wind caught it and I was praying to all the gods under the moon and sun that this thing did not blow off. lol. I pictured the wig blowing off my head, landing on the tracks just before the train gets there, causing a disruption on the Northern line, thus causing hundreds of London commuters to be plotting to kill me, all because I am a bit vain. Well, I held on to said wig to avert this scenario.

Then I had a good chuckle when I went into Sainsbury's after dinner cause I had a craving for sausages again. You know how I love me some UK sausages. And behold, there were sausage bargains. And 25p bread. A student's wet dream!! The 25p bread caused a bit of a scene in the bread aisle as I, poor, hungry, unemployed student, thought - wow...25p bread. I must have this. On the other hand, employed Londoner, was aghast that I would consider buying bargain bread and made such a big deal about the bread. Really, buddy? But then he makes a big deal about a lot of things beyond my comprehension. Nothing was wrong with the bread except that its expiration date is Aug 2, by which time the bread would be consumed anyway. But noooo...it was a bread argument between me and the Sainsbury's girl, trying to explain that 25p bread was perfectly good bread, and employed Londoner on high horse, who felt I should get 89p bread. lol. Needless to say, the 25p bread is in my fridge and I had 2 rolls for breakfast and they were lovely. I have no problem in buying 89p bread, dammit, but why let a bargain pass me by?

And no Saturday night would be complete without a night cap and some penis. On the train, no less. Look away if you are a prude. Look away now. Faces hidden to protect the innocent.

Hen night, obviously. She and her tool caused quite a stir! lol.

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Visiting the Queen and Rocking the Runway

In all the time I have been here, I had not yet been to Windsor.

Now you know I have a special relationship with the royal family, having been part of the royal wedding earlier this year. I loved Windsor and I had a great time. Being in London all the time makes you appreciate everything outside of London even more, especially a town as beautiful as Windsor. The tour of Windsor Castle was amazing, and though we did not meet the queen (we called ahead and she said she would be out), being a lover of castles, this was fabulous to me. I especially loved the Royal Exhibition celebrating Prince Philip's 90th birthday.  No photography was allowed inside the castle I'm afraid but here are a couple shots from outside.

Truly a lovely day out. The weather was perfect (it was actually warm!), the sights were wonderful, and the company was fantabulous. :-)

And after weeks of anticipation, Project Runway hit the tv screens last night and Anya Ayoung-Chee showed the "horrified" Tim Gunn and the sceptical Michael Kors and Nina Garcia that she can keep up with the fashion Joneses. Though she admitted she only learnt to sew after applying to be on the show, she showed that one can do anything if there is enough determinaton and commitment. She not only silenced her critics but she was one the designers with the highest scores this week. Trini power!

I was so proud of her - she did well and her outfit was totally fabulish!

Photo credit: Project Runway/Lifetime.com

Hope everyone has a great weekend planned? I will be dissertationing and trying to bring sexy back with a much needed visit to the salon. I may have to cut my hair off but anything is better than the dire straits it's in now - with hair falling out everywhere. Ugh. Depressing.

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Norway Reminds Me...

Memorial for those who lost their lives in 1990
Photo credit: Newsday

When one thinks of Norway, one does not automatically think of strife and political upheaval. I usually think of pristine snow capped mountains and serenity. The horror which they had to face in the past few days is so foreign to not only the Norwegian people but to the world looking on.

When one thought of Trinidad and Tobago in 1990, one did not automatically think about insurrection and rampage. It was still fun, still flamboyant, still a gem in the southern Caribbean. On the evening of July 27,1990, that all changed.

As a child, the biggest crisis in your life, after a day of playing, is what snack can I get tonight, mummy? That night, after my brother and I were good little monsters all day, my mother was going to reward us with coconut sugarcake - my favourite!! We had grated the coconut, my brother and I, taking turns, and it was on the stove. We had taken our baths and we were all clean and cute, waiting for this magical treat to come off the stove, cool and set (sugarcake recipe here, for the curious).

We never got the sugarcake and for 2 little kids, this was a tragedy. A crisis! What could have been more important than the sugarcake? We had been good all day. We took our baths without fuss. But after talking to my the neighbour in the front yard, I saw my father put the television on hastily and then he called out to my mother in the kitchen to come quick, leaving me to stir the sugarcake mixture. But she never came back and only told me to turn the stove off. There was this man on television and men surrounding him, with guns, and they were on the Panorama primetime news set - but it was not the regular anchorman. This guy was not smiling nor was he welcoming. And guns!!

When I asked mummy later that evening what a coup was, she told me it was not a good thing. My parents explained to me that the man on television and his men had burst into the Red House - the official house of Parliament - and had taken the Prime Minister and members of the government hostage. They had set fire to the capital and the armed forces were now hastily being called out from wherever they were, to go face this unexpected monster. To some, this episode was thrilling, brought a rush - those who used the opportunity to loot and cart off appliances and clothes, while destroying property, and those who thought it would be a good time, by hosting curfew parties over the next few days.

Port of Spain, Trinidad as it is today

But even as young as I was, it was not fun for me. It became rather scary as I watched my own mother put her uniform on and head to what was now police headquarters, after the main HQ were firebombed and gutted in Port of Spain. I would see her sporadically over the next few days, when she came home to shower, grab a couple hours of sleep and head back. The rumours about the Muslimeen targeting the San Fernando HQ made it hard to sleep. Not even all the fast food we got - a great joy for kids who only got fast food as special treats - could make me feel better.

It was not a good time. The news that the insurrectionists had surrendered some 6 days later brought a huge sigh of relief. The mess of amnesty and the unforeseen release of all 114 men, after the tragic loss of human life and assault to the human spirit was insult to injury.

The world since then has become a truly evil place with many self-involved and delusioned people, taking matters into their own hands, at the expense of the innocent. But even in the darkest hours, the human spirit has the capacity to rise above the madness, narcissism and selfishness of those who seek to create turmoil and  darkness. We find the strength to move ahead. I believe Norway has started on the road to recovery. And twenty-odd years later, on the eve of our history's defining moment, I hope Trinidad and Tobago will learn from past mistakes and find the strength in solidarity.

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Pinterest - Pin What???

So when I started using Pinterest, I was like...what the hell is this? How is this supposed to be interesting? What's the point? Who came up with this?

I just could not see the point. But after using it for a while, I have seen the point.

Pinterest is like an online/digital scrapbook, where you can "pin" things that interest you - hence the name. Duh. However, I would describe it as a great resource where I can put together things according to lists so I can go back to them, without having to bookmark them on my toolbar. And my mind is like a sieve these days - I often take a list to the supermarket to avoid catastrophe, like forgetting the macaroni when the plan was to make macaroni pie! This is perfect for me.

So for example, being a broke superstar, there are a lot of things I lust after at the moment that I simply am not in the position to buy right now. So I pin them. God help the retailers when I get a job! Beware!

My Style Pinboard on Pinterest

Another example, let's say I was lucky enough to have some dude get down on one knee and ask to spend the rest of his days with him, then I would need to do the dress, the invites, the honeymoon - all the bridezilla type things. Great tool for bookmarking ideas and stuff you like, and then going back to them to make final decisions.

I have this burning desire to have my own home and make it so me, and while I am not actively looking for ideas, sometimes you just come across things that you find interesting or "you". I say, pin 'em, suckers.

• Home makeover ideas - pin those ideas.
• Baby stuff or ideas for nursery - pin those ideas.
• Books you simply must read one day - pin them.
• Places you want to visit - pin them.
• Hairstyle or complete MILF makeover ideas - pin them.
• Recipes - pin them
• Clever quotes you want to keep for posterity - pin 'em.
• Party ideas - pin them
• Carnival costume choices - pin them
• Diets to fit into said skimpy Carnival costumes - pin them. lol.
• Men you wanna date or marry - lol...well, maybe not so much. But hey, don't let me stop you!

As far as I see, if you have something that really rocks your world, and you want one place where you can keep it all together, then why not pin it?

I am not addicted but it can be addictive especially if you are indeed working on a personal project, and you can meet "pinners" with the same interests who may also have fabbo ideas that you can then "re-pin" to your own scrapbook. So there you go! Pinterest, in a few words.

For more step by step Pinterest stuff, visit here.
To follow me on Pinterest, click here.

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