#19 Sketch daily

Have I done it? No. Not really. Not as much as I wanted.

Do I keep on trying? Yes. Often. It is frustrating, but inspiring at the same time.

I did not tease you here to look at a half accomplished item. I am not THAT self centered... Instead I have something new that I am trying, something that I am liking a lot, something that reminds me daily of the beauty of the world around us.

365 Days in Color. This is my daily dose of happiness. This is another way of sketching. I really, really, really like this project.

I am keeping a record. You can sneak a peek if you want.

Don't ever forget to keep your eyes open, and your camera ready.

#7, #30 and # 41

I am finally feeling one hundred percent myself and I have some free time to post on my neglected blog!

I am happy to report that the list is a never-ending source of smiles, and that, of course, makes me really happy! November has been so far a very productive month for the list as we celebrated Fernando's birthday on the 8th, and I got inspired by a couple items on it.

We planned and schemed, we wanted to surprise our dear Fernando with something pretty special. What to do? Where to take him? What to cook? Circumstances decided for us on several fronts, as he arrived at 8:00 AM local time, after a 24 hour LONG trip from the States. We were not going anywhere, we were going to take it easy and just enjoy each other's company. I decided to cook a Spanish inspired meal: a great Paella (overflowing with seafood) and Galician Octopus (#41), with some wine and a crème caramel for dessert. Not bad, I tell you, not bad. The Octopus is easy to cook, as long as you buy it fresh and clean from the seafood vendor you don't have to worry about a thing. Just boil, boil, boil (2 hours) and then, cut, cut, cut into little pieces. Cool, season, and let sit for a while... delicious!

When it came down to what to give him for his birthday, we wanted something original and unexpected. You know, something that he doesn't need, something that he has not even imagined... Well, the idea came to me on one of those beautiful clear days of fall while watching glider planes lazily travel the wide blue sky. A ride on a glider plane! The Alps and the lakes from a birds-eye point of view! We had our gift! He was surprised, yes he was! #7 accomplished!

#30 is half done... my half, that is. I love dancing; it is in my blood. My boys? Not so much. I guess I am the true Colombian of the three. On Fernando's birthday I managed to get them to join in the fun, if only for a while. I think this one is going on the list again, I am not giving up on them and the fun that is dancing together.

I want my mom.

I am sick. I want to get in bed and sleep until everything is better. I will be back when everything is better.

#12 Make gnocchi from scratch

It is almost November and the list is alive and well... I think I have crossed out half of the items on it, and another 5 are being planned and executed sometime soon!

As I said before many of these things I want to do, others are dreams I like to fulfill. Some of them were easy to do, others are not going to be done. Many exciting things that are not on the list have sneaked into my life. All in all, I am happy with the way things are.

Of course, I would like to be true to myself and find the time to make the things on the list that count the most, of course these are the most difficult to do. Step by step I am getting there. (I know I am rambling, and I know I must have lost many of you, but I also know that sometimes I need to talk to myself, even if by blogging)

So, if you found this post by googling Gnocchi recipe, and you have not left in frustration yet, your patience will pay. This is by far my favorite Italian recipe, easy, tasty and versatile.

Ennia, my sweet Italian cooking teacher taught me how to make these beauties. I hope to be able to put into words her ability and talent.

1 kilo red potatoes (these Italian potatoes remain dry and sturdy after cooking)
400 grams hard wheat flour or farina di grano duro
Salt to taste

Cover potatoes with water, add salt and boil until tender.
Peel potatoes when cool enough to handle, then extrude them with a potato ricer.

Add some flour to a working surface and knead the potato with flour and salt until you get a soft dough that is easy to shape and handle. Roll it so it is as thick as your arm.

Cut wide slices, then cut these slices in four or five pieces. Roll them into thin rolls, as thick as your index finger.

Roll the pieces with additional flour, and then cut into small pieces (as wide as they are thick).

Gnocchi could be boiled at this point, but Ennia is from the Venetto region of Italy and she works her magic with a fork to give the gnocchi their particular shape (it holds more sauce this way, you see?)

To shape the gnocchi like this, you will need to press the small piece of dough lightly into the fork, your finger leaves an indentation on one side, the fork leaves its own indentation on the other side. Beautiful, aren't they?

Add some more flour to prevent them from sticking to each other.

Bring salted water to a boil and drop the gnocchi gently into it. Raise the heat so the gnocchi raises to the top. Once the gnocchi floats, it is ready, so take it out with a slotted spoon and serve onto plates accompanied with your favorite sauce.

When running gets you places

I am a runner. I am a runner now. Three years ago? Not so much.

I started running because Fernando runs. I kept on running because I was turning 40 and it made me feel stronger than ever before. I keep running because it gives me more than it takes. Really.

When we moved to Italy, the thing I wanted more than anything else was to start a running group. I had a fabulous group of running friends back in California and I missed them. I missed their energy and support, as well as their incredible strength. Running on my own was fine, but running with friends? There is just no comparison.

I started a so called running club among the expat community members, but lets just say that it was more a name than anything else. My friend and neighbor Pien was my only companion during the first year. Then she got a dog, and after that, three more awesome ladies joined. Running with dogs, it was.

A couple of us decided to train for a Marathon. I got injured during training, at about kilometer 29, and  I did not run a marathon, but my friend Heidi did! Her first! She is a strong lady, she just keeps on going! Other friends run shorter races, or no races. Everybody's favorite is our weekly Thursday's meet when we get to talk and run to our hearts content.

This fall our group has grown exponentially. It might be that I am not a newcomer anymore and I know more people in the area, or it might be the natural evolution of things. Whatever the reason, I am so lucky to have the opportunity to hang out with a very diverse and interesting group of women. We come from all corners of the globe to find our best friends on the sneaker wearing lady running next to us. Life is just great!

Milano Centrale

Milan Central Station is an impressive piece of architecture, and one of my favorite places in Milan. (Just in case you don't know, I have a weakness for all things related to travel: suitcases, maps, airports, train stations, etc.) In addition to my modest opinion,  Milano Centrale has been called one of the most beautiful stations in the world by the likes of Frank Lloyd Wright. Do I have your attention now?

You can click on the pictures to see them larger.

The building we use today is a simplified version of the original design by architect Ulisse Stacchini. His monumental project was designed for the 1912 competition, later modified and simplified, and finally approved in 1924. Heavy ornamentation of towers, statues, clocks and chariots was eliminated, and a more austere, simple and functional design emerged. Engineer Alberto Fava replaced the initial cantilever roofing over the tracks with unprecedented iron canopies. The main arch measures 72 meters, the largest in Italy, the canopies extend for a length of 341 meters. Just as Lloyd Wright would have it: "form follows function." Personally the canopies fit in my category of ugly-beautiful, I love their simplicity, their size, but i find them too industrial and austere. They make for great pictures though!

The station was finally opened in 1931, finished at last by the fascist regime of the time. Mussolini found the grandiose architecture of the station fitting to his ideas, and various motifs expressing the regime and depicting the Duce were added. It would be a mistake to call the station an example of fascist architecture, as they just appropriated a magnificent building. Most of the regime's elements were removed after 1945.

If not fascist architecture, then what? It is difficult to narrow down the style of the station to one word, the most prevalent style is Art Deco, mixed with some Liberty style, with a heavy influence from the Roman Thermae architecture.

A recent renovation project has left the building shining under a new light. All the architectural details have been cleaned, not to limit the facelift to the old, new access ramps have been installed, and a brand new ticket office has opened its doors. Long lines still await you, but not to worry, you can just stop and enjoy your surroundings. Happy travel.

What it is

It is beautiful at the moment, a mild, sunny, blue skies kind of beautiful.

It is interesting, reading "The Lost Symbol" and learning about things hiding in plain sight.

It is colorful, participating in 365 Days in Color, opening my eyes and really looking.

It is intelligent, listening to The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe.

It is busy, starting my new art class, complete with a companion blog.

It is fun, learning how to play tennis, and applying myself to something different.

It is creative, the series of drawings I am making inspired by my surroundings.

It is informative, travel guides I write for ItalyItalia.

It is lovely, baking with Nicolas, and watching favorite old movies.

It is wonderful, having good friends for a visit.

It is exciting, that my "sis" has asked me to be her son's Godmother!

This is what it is.