Another One

I feel I must post another Anniversary picture because our day was just that good! We had pizza for lunch (because I insisted on having pizza in Bellagio), but we also went out for a more "fancy" dinner, lest you all think we are uncivilized, pizza-eating cretins. That's right, we even made reservations and got dressed up (sort of!). We reserved a table right on the water's edge at the oldest hotel/restaurant in Bellagio, and it was beautiful! I thought the dinner would be really expensive, but it was about the same as our lunch (since lunch included appetizer and dessert). We didn't include any extras for dinner because we were still full, but it was delicious and the location was unbeatable. Its going to be really hard to top this anniversary, and it was only our first!

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Flag Day to everyone. Today is a special holiday when we celebrate the Stars and Stripes. Oh yeah, and its also our anniversary, so Happy Anniversary to us!

We have been married for one year. That's amazing. It seems like just yesterday that we were in Oregon at beautiful Bridal Veil Lakes having a wonderful wedding ceremony and spectacular reception. It was such a great day and we both have very happy memories of all the special people that were there to share it with us. Thanks again to everyone who made our wedding so incredible.

Now, one year later, we are still happily married and enjoying life. We have accomplished a lot in the last year. Bill is no longer in the Marine Corps and is now a full time student. He joined me in Italy and is living the good life! I received my new assignment in Panama and we're in the midst of getting ready to transfer. We have also traveled a lot this year: we spent our honeymoon on an Alaskan cruise; we've been to Milan for a Formula One race; we traveled to Elba, Pisa, and Lucca with visiting family; we went to Paris and EuroDisney; Bill traveled to Florence with his mom; we rented a car and drove around Sicily; we spent 9 days touring Egypt; we took a quick trip to Pompeii, Sorrento, and Capri; Bill flew to Texas for a wedding; and we are currently enjoying Lake Como. I guess its fitting that my blog is called "Taste & Travel" because we do a lot of traveling. (We also do a lot of eating, so the whole title is appropriate.) A lot has happened this year and we are happy to be experiencing it all together!

One year ago today we were eating delicious pizza from Bellagio's Pizza at our wedding. Now, on our First Anniversary, we are enjoying pizza in beautiful Bellagio, Italy. The food and the scenery are different, but we are still very happy and in love!

Anniversary in Bellagio

Pizza in Bellagio (not as good as Bellagio's Pizza)

Enjoying the pizza!

We even had cake that was similar to our delicious wedding tortes - but not nearly as good

Happy in Bellagio!

We are definitely enjoying our anniversary in Bellagio!

Happy Birthday Bill

Bill's birthday was on Friday. We had a lot of weekend plans so we decided to celebrate on Sunday. We spent Friday night at a Trivia Night event and I made birthday cookies for Bill. He was nice and shared them with everyone on our team. On Saturday we helped out at an embassy fundraiser, the Auction. It was fun, but it was a long night. So, on Sunday we were more than ready to relax and celebrate Bill's birthday.

I decided to take Bill out on his birthday for a special adventure. I told Bill we were just going for a walk, but we met up with some friends and headed for our secret location. We went to the ZOO!! As you may remember from my earlier post about the zoo signs, you know that we've been curious about this "legendary" zoo for some time. And, I figured if the quantity of signs pointing to the zoo was any indication of its quality, then it would be terrific! Besides, who doesn't love the zoo?!?

We insisted that Bill get a birthday balloon to identify him as the birthday boy all day long. The girls picked out a pretty pink unicorn balloon for him. Unfortunately, he wasn't allowed to take the balloon inside the zoo so we had to tie it to the entrance fence. The good news is that she was still there when we got out...so the pretty pink unicorn is happy in our living room.

We had a fun time at the zoo. It was bigger than I thought it would be but it still wasn't too impressive. The monkeys were very entertaining and funny. Other popular animals were the lemurs, the seals, the pygmy hippopotamus, and the entire reptile house.

After the zoo, we went back to our apartment for cake, ice cream, and presents. It was very fun to have everyone there to help celebrate Bill's birthday. He was surprised by the zoo outing and had fun with the cake and ice cream. Thanks to all our friends for coming and enjoying the afternoon with us.

Bill with his birthday balloon that the girls picked out

we're ready to see the whole zoo!
hanging out with the bison

looking at the funny monkeys

we are cute lemurs!

very cute!

walking home

now that we've been to the zoo, we all know where it is!

Bill's birthday cake with all the candles

waiting for cake

opening presents

happy birthday, Bill

I know that I didn't include any pictures of the animals, but a day at the zoo is about more than just exotic animals. Its about spending a sunny afternoon with good friends and having a great time. Yes, we did see the animals, but they were not the important part and you'll have to look at Bill's pictures to see them...he took lots!

Happy Birthday Bill!

**As a side note, this is my 100th blog post, and I think that's cause for celebration. Its a big deal...I've written something 100 times and people are still reading. So, I'm looking forward to 100 more.

Gelato

I haven't forgotten about my "walking home" series. I still have a few posts before I finish that up. I have walked home and taken pictures of things, but I haven't had time to write about them. I'm finally starting to catch up...

Probably my favorite thing about Italy is gelato. During my first two weeks in Rome, I went out for gelato every night. I had to sample each gelateria near my house to find my favorite. I managed to find it just 2 blocks away. Since then, I've had much gelato!

If you've never had gelato, its much more than just ice cream. Its richer and creamier and better! It is usually made with very fresh ingredients, including fruits, nuts, chocolates, and other flavors you might not normally think of. It is so good! I was already a fan of gelato before arriving in Italy because I grew up spending many Sunday nights at 4D, an Italian gelateria in Peru. I have fond memories of the gelato from 4D...Pesca (peach) was always my favorite flavor.

Since I've been in Rome, I've decided that my favorite flavors are Limone (lemon) and Cacao (chocolate). They make a very sour lemon and a very dark, bitter chocolate. I think they go wonderfully together, and I rarely get any other flavor. I also like to stick with the same flavors at various gelaterias to more properly judge them. If I venture out and get a different flavor, I will always pair it with either Lemon or Chocolate so I can compare it to previous experiences.

As I'm walking home, I pass at least 6 gelaterias. My favorite one is Gelateria DG. (I have no idea what the DG stands for.) I've even been known to stop on my walk home and get some gelato, which defeats the purpose of walking home, I guess, but it sure is tasty! Many gelaterias in Rome have a giant ice cream cone outside so you can find them quickly. Its always a comforting sight to see a bright, colorful cone on the street!

I will miss my gelateria and I will miss having the opportunity to eat gelato all the time, every where! Its sad to think of a world without gelato. Too sad, in fact, I can't handle it! I will just have to find a nice place to get my gelato fix after I leave Rome.

slightly cracked ice cream cone...still good!

Gelateria DG

so many delicious flavors
even more flavors

my coppetta

gelateria at night

Packing

This is what we've been doing for the last two days. Well, I guess we haven't been doing much because we haven't been the ones doing the packing...but we've been here and we supervise and organize and sort and make lists. I'm very good at making lists. Now we have a fairly accurate inventory that includes most of our belongings by box number. Tomorrow they bring the big crates to take everything away. I've enjoyed having two days off of work to spend packing and getting ready to leave! Now we have less than 2 months before we depart...can't wait! Enjoy the pictures, and notice how bare the walls are and how empty the apartment feels. Its kind of sad, but also very exciting!

Coming Soon...

I promise, more updates are coming soon! Right now we're a little busy preparing for our pack-out (that's when professional packers come and take away most of our earthly possessions). I can't let that happen unless things are organized a certain way...so we've been organizing, and stacking, and sorting, and cleaning, and moving, and sorting some more. Bill has been very understanding and he's helping me even though he doesn't agree that its all necessary. I really appreciate his help anyway!

As soon as the packing is finished, and we take a long weekend to relax, I will resume updating my blog on a more regular basis. I have a lot to say and good pictures to share so hang on just a little longer and I'll make sure its worth it! Thanks.

Final Brunch

Yesterday I hosted my final brunch here in Italy. We're leaving in a few months and we're packing our household goods this month. That means I will be without most of my belongings for a while. Before that happens, I wanted a chance to use all my fun serving dishes and entertaining items. That meant I had to host something. And, what do I like hosting more than anything??? BRUNCH! Brunch is my favorite meal, and its my favorite thing to host. I went all out for my final brunch, making all the food myself instead of hosting a potluck brunch (even though my friends generously offered to bring things). I was able to showcase all my fun stuff, and I made a lot of good food. I was afraid we might have tons of leftovers, but we did alright. Just the right number of people came and ate just the right amount of food. There were only a few things leftover and I can handle that!

Even though we were running a little late at the beginning, it turned out great. Thanks to the early arrivals for helping (you know who you are!). The menu was delicious and the company was even better. It really was an excellent brunch! It was just the way I want to remember all my Italian brunches. We had a lovely day (in the morning) and people sat out on the patio. Then, in the afternoon, a thunderstorm rolled through and everyone sat in the living room listening to the rain outside. On the menu: Mike's Casserole, Baked French Toast, Zucchini Egg Bake, Mini Muffins, Scones (I made scones for the first time in my new scone pan - very cool), Devilled Eggs, Mini Cheesecakes, Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Jumbo Muffins, Fruit Plate with Yogurt Spice Fruit Dip, Banana Trifle, Ham-Pickle Rolls, Cheese & Crackers, Mini Sandwiches, Coffee, Tea, Water, Orange Juice, Iced Tea, and Strawberry-Banana Smoothies. It was a lot of food, but it was all so good I couldn't leave anything out! Everything was very yummy and I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Maybe I should go eat some leftovers!

"before" picture of table with all my fun dishes

empty dishes just waiting for food
oooohhhh, yummy food!

so pretty (one casserole is still in the oven)

banana trifle

mini cheesecakes

let's eat!