When you pack up both your belongings and your former sense of self, in the hope of finding more than just a cold work or study "opportunity", the first thing you do upon arrival is look for the little things that bring comfort. Things that take away the feeling of swimming underwater as an unfamiliar language swirls around you. Things that can be shared with enthusiasm with visitors from home. Things that make you feel like you belong, like it was all worth it, this upping of sticks and the chaos and the strangeness.
So in a new place I look for the things that bring comfort to me: a farmers' market, a good bakery, a cosy cafe, a beautiful yarn store (priorities...). Sometimes, though, the things that bring comfort find you. In spite of yourself, you learn to embrace them and before long, you realise certain things will never, should never be the same.
After years in Japan, I can't really imagine a hot summer's day without cold soba noodles, despite finding them slimy at first. After two decades in the UK, the only tea I will drink is Yorkshire, despite gagging at my first cup, aged 18. And now, after four years in Italy, I feel winter would not be winter without hot chocolate so thick you have to eat it with a spoon, despite asking for milk to thin it with at the first encounter (and being threatened with immediate repatriation to Britain by the husband if I dared to put the request to the waiter).
When it comes to comfort in Milan, then, it's not a good cuppa I seek (because, in all honestly, most places here will give you Liptons...). It's a hit of this:
So in a new place I look for the things that bring comfort to me: a farmers' market, a good bakery, a cosy cafe, a beautiful yarn store (priorities...). Sometimes, though, the things that bring comfort find you. In spite of yourself, you learn to embrace them and before long, you realise certain things will never, should never be the same.
After years in Japan, I can't really imagine a hot summer's day without cold soba noodles, despite finding them slimy at first. After two decades in the UK, the only tea I will drink is Yorkshire, despite gagging at my first cup, aged 18. And now, after four years in Italy, I feel winter would not be winter without hot chocolate so thick you have to eat it with a spoon, despite asking for milk to thin it with at the first encounter (and being threatened with immediate repatriation to Britain by the husband if I dared to put the request to the waiter).
When it comes to comfort in Milan, then, it's not a good cuppa I seek (because, in all honestly, most places here will give you Liptons...). It's a hit of this:
And the toddler gets a hit of this (in winter, because it's never too cold for ice cream even when you're only 30 miles from the Alps):
And we feast our eyes on all the colours, the lights, the prettines, the sheer kitsch and cheer of it all on the drizzliest of days.
The place is La Ciribiciaccola, a family-run patisserie/chocolate confectioner/gelateria to the East of the city centre. A little slice of heaven where they produce their own ice cream, chocolate pralines (including some savoury ones with cheese inside, for example), biscuits and cakes, stuff to make your own pretty ice creams with. The most amazing crepes. Oh and did I mention chocolate?
They do actually also have an impressive selection of teas and infusions, as well as some bits and bobs from outside of Italy.
If you ever find yourself in Milan and in need of comfort, come here.
I'm taking part in Style in Your City, a new fortnightly link-up series launched by two inspirational ladies, Fritha from Tigerlilly Quinn and Lori from Wild & Grizzly. As I wrote a few weeks ago, it's taken me some time to find the beauty in living in Milan, but I'm learning to see its charms.
This is also the year in which Milan will host EXPO 2015. Having been lucky enough to attend the previous two Expos, in Nagoya and Shanghai, I know how exciting an opportunity this is to showcase the best of what this city can offer. Never better the timing, then, to join in with this celebration of the place we call home.
This is also the year in which Milan will host EXPO 2015. Having been lucky enough to attend the previous two Expos, in Nagoya and Shanghai, I know how exciting an opportunity this is to showcase the best of what this city can offer. Never better the timing, then, to join in with this celebration of the place we call home.
Come say hello:
