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"FOOD MAKES WHO I AM." MY INTERVIEW WITH TUTTOFOOD MILANO

“FOOD MAKES WHO I AM.” MY INTERVIEW WITH TUTTOFOOD MILANO

Tuttofood Milano, a leading international B2B exhibition in food and beverage industry, recently opened a new section NEXT GEN on their official site interviewing the event ambassadors. Topics covered the expectations on innovative food products, valuable factors in choosing ingredient, trend in future food sector, etc. Being one of the ambassadors for the Tuttofood Milano 2021 edition, I’ve…

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PUFF PASTRY MOONCAKE WITH MEAT FILLING 酥皮鲜肉月饼 (Sū Pí XIĀN RÒU YUÈ BǏNG)

PUFF PASTRY MOONCAKE WITH MEAT FILLING 酥皮鲜肉月饼 (Sū Pí XIĀN RÒU YUÈ BǏNG)

September has always been my favorite month. Besides it is the month, where my birthday falls, it carries one of my favorite Chinese festival: the Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节 (Zhōng Qiū Jié).

One main reason for me to like the Mid-Autumn Festival is the cozy vibe to celebrate this day. Imagine sitting under a starry sky with your beloved family, sipping a cup of hot tea (or a glass of wine if you…

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SCALLION PANCAKES 葱油饼 (CŌNG YÓU BǏNG)

SCALLION PANCAKES 葱油饼 (CŌNG YÓU BǏNG)

Following my previous test on the gluten, I felt like to continuing playing with the Italian flour by transforming it into a classic Chinese flatbread: the Scallion Pancakes!

Scallion Pancake is a classic Chinese flatbread that is welcomed by almost every Asian food lover! It has become so popular over the years, and it seems everyone has his own recipe. This time I would like to make some…

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DINNER IN VINEYARD: ANNUAL SUMMER EVENT BY QUERCETO CASTELLINA

DINNER IN VINEYARD: ANNUAL SUMMER EVENT BY QUERCETO CASTELLINA

2020 is indeed a particular year. No matter where we go and whoever we meet, we need to always be concerned about the crowds, or be super cautious about getting too close to others. When I saw almost no people wearing masks during vacation in Austria, I felt unexpectedly insecure! It was insane to realize that the old normal now has become abnormal somehow! That was when it hit me that we had…

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Hand torn noodles 揪片儿 (JiŪ piÀn-er)

Recipe of Hand torn noodles 揪片儿 (JiŪ piÀn-er)

Having a China born and raised appetite, I constantly crave for noodles, especially the rustic hand pulled long noodles! However in Italy to make the ramen style noodles at home is not always easy.

(more…)

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summer in Sölden: A holiday of hiking with family

summer in Sölden: A holiday of hiking with family

For a few years my husband has been trying to convince me to spend a summer vacation in the mountain. But there was always something about the sea that I wouldn’t want to miss in the hot summer days. So we had never hit the mountains in the hot August break. This year due to the Covid-19, the packed seaside was no more a preferred option, I couldn’t think of a better time for us to head into a…

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All About Food! Join Me to TUTTOFOOD Milan 2021

All About Food! Join Me to TUTTOFOOD Milan 2021

Hello August! As I was super excited and busy packing for our summer vacation today, I realized that we have had major part of 2020 passed. During the quickly passed 7 months, many things had happened: I gave birth to my second baby Stefano, my first boy turned 6, I finally got my Italian driver license after working on it for one year and half. Oh! Don’t forget about the LOCKDOWN due to the…

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It is good to be back and update something fun here after a long break!

In the past few months we’ve been quiet and basically stayed around Florence, ever since the 2018 summer holiday in Puglia. The very first trip of 2019 was to Madrid, Spain. We went during the Easter holiday and stayed 4 nights. I must say: Madrid was lovely! It is a city lively, modern, friendly and full of inspirations!

I know that when traveling with kids, you have to give up part of your preferences and accommodate to their needs. And part of the reason for not updating so much on this blog during the past year was for this exact reason. We did go for certain short trips around Italy, however most of the time instead of doing “something fun”, we had to adapt our plan to our boy. This time in Madrid we made a deal of 40-40-20 interest dividing rule: morning was our (me and my husband) time, afternoon was his (our 4-year-old) time, and evening was the family time. Under this “taking turns to have fun” rule, we all had our time and we had managed to visit museums and parks. At the end of the trip, it was so rewarding to hear from my son telling me: I like Madrid, I want to come back!

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Passed the Easter holiday in the neighborhood country Spain in their capital, aka the city of Madrid 🇪🇸. Enjoyed tons of tapas, great park, friendly people, and most amazingly the awesome museums. Now I am ready to go home, satisfied and happy 🧡

A post shared by Sasha Wang (@staialborgo) on Apr 23, 2019 at 2:17pm PDT

OUR TIME

Museums: Thyssen-Bornemisza, Reina Sofia & Prado

I believe that when in Madrid, the museums are not to be missed, even for a person who knows very little about art (aka me).

We were very ambitious and bold to commit a museum pass, covering the access to all the three major museums in Madrid. Thyssen-Bornemisza, Reina Sofia & Prado, one morning one museum.

In case you wonder how did we manage to bring a kid into a museum and let him stay, here is how 📱😅

  HIS TIME

Railway Museum (Museo del Ferrocarril de Madrid)

We found the information about the railway museum a month before the trip. Ever since then my son had kept asking me about it. That’s how passionate boys are about wheels.

The museum was located inside an old station. Inside parked many old trains for people to visit. Most of them were from the first generation rail system. You can climb onto them, go inside the carriages, or have a peek of the first-class or the conductor’s cabin.

  Address: Paseo de las Delicias, 61, 28045 Madrid, Spain

Web: museodelferrocarril.org

  Rowing Boat in the Park: Jardines del Buen Retiro

One of the days when we were in Madrid, after the morning museum tour we took our son to the park in the city center and treated him by rowing a boat together in the lake. It was so much fun, as the weather was nice (the only time we had sun during the whole easter holiday in Madrid, yeah) and there was green all around us. Andrea had a wonderful time learning how to row the boat with Daddy, and then being the captain!

  Address: Plaza de la Independencia, 7, 28001 Madrid, Spain

Web: https://www.esmadrid.com/informacion-turistica/parque-del-retiro?

WHERE WE ATE

LA TASQUERIA

One particular restaurant worth thousand times of shout out. If you ask which is the restaurant during the trip you liked the most, this is the winner. Every dish is unique, and every bite were impressive. They worked hard on designing the dishes, as well as the way serving them. Definitely worth trying!

Web: https://latasqueria.com/en/la-tasqueria-and-javi-estevez/

  DeAtún

Every dish is about tuna in DeAtún! You go there to eat raw tuna in any form. The Bao Buns with tuna inside was my favorite.

The waiters there hardly spoke any English. That was how I found out it was actually a great authentic restaurants.

Web: http://deatun.com/

  LaKasa

A fancy place where you can plan for a romantic candle dinner with you loved ones. But not up to that level that you would feel isolated if you showed up wearing jeans.

The people were very friendly and well explained the menu. The portion of the dish was small, but at the end we were very happy and full with one appetizer and a main for each. It was my husband’s favorite restaurant during the trip.

Web: https://lakasa.es/

  CERVECERIA ALEMANA

Very traditional tapas bar where you get to taste kinds of small plates of tapas and enjoy the casual and busy vibe.

Web: http://www.cerveceriaalemana.com/main/

  WHERE WE STAYED

Iberostar Las Letras Gran Vía

Super convenient hotel, locating in the Grand Via street! Very happy about this accommodation choice

Web: https://www.iberostar.com/en/hotels/madrid/iberostar-las-letras-gran-via

Four-Day Family Trip to Madrid It is good to be back and update something fun here after a long break! In the past few months we've been quiet and basically stayed around Florence, ever since the 2018 summer holiday in Puglia.

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After one month of rainy early Spring, it is finally bright and sunny here in Florence. Flowers are blossoming, birds are singing, sunshine pours into your window when you get up in the early morning…… It is time again to enjoy outdoor activities and start planning something, which would make your week, month, year, etc.

  With May is approaching, I can’t help to remember the one of a kind annual event in town: Artigianato e Palazzo!

  ARTIGIANATO E PALAZZO … Its primary objective was to take a new look and provide a contemporary context for craftspeople and their crafts as the expression of quality and technique, not only in terms of clients, but also focusing on the concept of artisan workmanship which, by nature, is “modern” but solidly based in tradition.

Come with me to have a simple gleam of @artigianatoepalazzo . Sound track: via con me (by Paolo Conte) #artigianatoepalazzo | Inauguration by our Mayor @dario_nardella

A post shared by Sasha Wang (@staialborgo) on May 20, 2017 at 8:48am PDT

Last year I was there as one of the bloggers for the event. It turned out one of my favorites and I couldn’t stop admiring (and buying) the artisan products displayed there.

  THE EVENT IS IN A SECRET GARDEN

The Giardino Corsini  gets the event enchanted by surrounding each artisan’s booth with flowers and bushes.

Concealed behind the high walls along the viale, the Corsini Garden is usually a secret spot closed for public visit. But for this event, it opens its door and welcome the outside to come in and take a tour inside. It is an over 200 year garden with sculptures and plants all around. When you visit different artisan’s booth, you will actually take a tour around the garden itself.

  A SPECIAL OCCASION TO GATHER ARTISANS

The ultimate reason that this event is so special and not-to-be-missed is that it gathers artisans all over Italy into one place, where you can see their demonstration their works and also talk to them!

Each year the Artigianato e Palazzo event will pre-select artisans and present them in the exhibition. There are artisans of all kinds: hand craft jewelry, tailored costume, soap and perfume, book binding, oil and biscuits, etc.

Last year I had the chance to interview few of them, and it was a great experience to get to know the stories of their work and life, as well to appreciate their work in a more knowledgeable way.

  JOIN THE WORKSHOP & SEE AND LEARN WHAT ARTISANS DO

Certain artisans schedule their own workshop inside the exhibition to showcase and teach how they made their hand crafts, which makes this event a perfect educational occasion. Plan a special day of hanging out with your girlfriend, or a family day with your kids here will make you a day to remember.

  CEASE THE CHANCE AND SHOP SHOP SHOP!!!

Since many of the artisans joining the exhibition do not have a retail shop, or they only work on demand, it is almost impossible to find their work among the usual shops on the street. So when you are lucky to find them in the Artigianato e Palazzo, don’t let them or their craft slip away! Cease this once-a-year chance and do a little shopping. You only will regret for not buying enough later.

Last year I bought two pairs of handmade earrings from Vincenzo Spano, an artisan who found his passion in hand-making bead jewelry while resting on bed to recover from an accident. Now he works with fashion designers for tailored jewelry making, and has not yet open any retail shop in town.

Cute, colorful & elegant artisan jewelry pieces from Vincenzo Spano in @artigianatoepalazzo! Here you find many special and handmade unique items, made/making by the top artisans from all over Italy. Visit if you are in Florence for the next 3 days! #artigianatoepalazzo

A post shared by Sasha Wang (@staialborgo) on May 18, 2017 at 5:54am PDT

  This year the 24th edition of Artigianato e Palazzo will be held on 17 – 20 May.

Check here to see more fun events in May in Florence!

  Time For The Annual Event Again: ARTIGIANATO E PALAZZO After one month of rainy early Spring, it is finally bright and sunny here in Florence. Flowers are blossoming, birds are singing, sunshine pours into your window when you get up in the early morning......

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Winter is a tough period of the year. And for families with kids, it is even tougher.

Why is that? Putting aside that the weather is usually not preferred, aka either rainy or gloomy, we need to think of methods to entertaining the kids at home. During the whole almost always raining December, I scratched my head many times to figure out something fun to do together with Andrea, but at the end finding that we both stayed in front of the computer watching cartoon.

January has been a much better month comparing to the past one, as it is warmer and we’ve finally recovered from a devastating flu, which knocked down every single family member (from the kid to the senior). With fully charged energy, we start to fully use our weekend and did a few family day trips around. It feels so great back to the “exploring new places” mood after the dormant season.

🐟 Acquario di Genova | Genova, Liguria

This is a recent visit, and has been our favorite one!

The aquario is well maintained and tidy. There are various kinds of ocean animals to be seen, and the best part is that they looked alive! Before going there, I was a bit resistant to visit such “zoo” concept place. And because I’ve seen few small sized acquario before with fishes so depressed swimming inside the tank, I felt sad when thinking of acquario. But this time I was as excited as the kid.

Starfish, penguins, dolphins, and sharks, etc. It is an eyes-opening experiences for young generations.

Website: https://www.acquariodigenova.it/en/

Age suggested: 3 years old or above

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🍎 FICO Eataly World | Bologna, Emilia-Romagna

We went to FICO Eataly World at the beginning of January.

Food plays an essential part in Italian family, so letting the people learn more about what we eat is important. FICO Eataly World is a theme park by Eataly, where presents the concept of slow & tradition of Italian food and their production. There you can learn more knowledge and essential information of certain local specialties of different regions in Italy, also shop for some high quality products and make your own cuisine at home. And why it is also a kids-friendly place is that inside the park there are playgrounds to entertain them. Also if your kid is old enough to ride a bicycle, he/ she can even rent one and explore the food theme park on the wheels.

Website: https://www.eatalyworld.it/en/

Age suggested: 3 years old or above

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  🏎️ Ferrari Museum | Maranello, Emilia-Romagna

Knowing that my son is a fun of cars, we couldn’t avoid bringing him to the Ferrari Museum near Modena in Emilia-Romagna.

The museum archives various models of Ferrari from the very first one to the latest. Besides, there are also stories of the founder, the introductions of the previous racing drivers, and presentations of the Ferrari cars that made the F1 winning records, etc. As a total outsiders of automobile, I was only able to enjoy seeing the design and the crafts of the cars, but my husband and my son had a good time reviewing them.

For a boy of 3 years and half, he lost his patient after 15 minutes inside the museum. For this reason, I would say this place is recommended for kids above 5 years old, who could eventually appreciate more about the work. But as a souvenir, my kid got his own Ferrari after the visit.

And to make the trip more interesting, we also stayed one night in the Ferrari hotel near by: Maranello Village. It was a Ferrari themed hotel, with a real F1 Ferrari race car presented at the reception, Ferrari-red carpet all over the ground, as well tons of Ferrari related posters/ photos on the wall, etc. For kids who are into automobile, it could be an interesting experience.

Website: https://musei.ferrari.com/en/maranello

Age suggested: 5 years old or above

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Thinking where to go for a weekend with kids? Here I'm sharing my 3 previous trips for your considerations. #travelwithkids #traveltips #travelinitaly Winter is a tough period of the year. And for families with kids, it is even tougher.

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Cinque Terre being one of the most famous places in Italy has been visited, talked, reviewed million times in different platforms. I was shy to admit that after living in Italy for more than two years, I hadn’t visited this enchanted place. But this October things had been changed! Thanks to my girl Iris, who came to visit me from Shanghai, I was dragged on a trip to Cinque Terre in the early fall! It has been a while for me to travel solo with my girlfriend, and enjoy being a tourist in another place.

Our 2-day Cinque Terre tour started outside Cinque Terre though. We arrived early afternoon in La Spezia, then spent the first afternoon in a nearby town Portovenere.

  We spent the full second day visiting the five towns. With the Cinque Terre ticket we started from La Spezia heading to furthest Monterosso, then visited south-wards one after the other.

One of the towns me and my friend we both liked a lot is Vernazza. Maybe because we arrived in late morning, when the weather and temperature were the best of the day, maybe we spent a while sitting in front of the sea, or maybe we fulfilled the duty of tourists, aka shop the local products, Vernazza was a place with happy memories.

  Moving south-wards, after Corniglia we jumped over Manarola going directly to Riomaggiore. Because we wanted to save Manarola, the most beautiful one, for the sunset. The light 1 hour before sunset is the golden light for photographs. That’s why we came back to Manarola around 5pm. We saw Manarola with a golden view under the golden light.

  My Audrey Hepburn enjoying a gelato in Corniglia.

  The most frequently photographed village among Cinque Terre: Manarola! I feel lucky to be there in the golden hour.

  My Cinque Terre Trip | Photo diary and travel tips Cinque Terre being one of the most famous places in Italy has been visited, talked, reviewed million times in different platforms.

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Summer is over, officially! But don’t be sad, as Autumn in October is still lively.

Temperature has dropped and the weather is cooler. But for the ocean lovers, although it is now too cold to swim, it is still warm enough to lay on the beach for a sunny afternoon; for those are gelato addicted, it is still fine to have one or two per week; for those who likes wearing shorts and dresses, it is still hot enough during the day to show off your tanned skins, and by adding an extra layer of jacket, you transfer the summer dresses into an autumn outfit. It is cooler now, and it is cool!

With all that said, Autumn in the month of October gives me the highest expectations for weekends. I always plan in mind how should I pass the up-coming weekend in this golden season that full of food festivals, foliage, and good companies.

Tour with view and wine in Montepulciano

Locating in the south Tuscany, Montepulciano, together with the other middle-sized towns in the Valdichiana senese, is the most enchanted part in the region.

Besides the classic rolling hills that bedded by vineyards and olive trees, which is used by the whole region as a trump card to attract tourists, Montepulciano and the other Sienese towns around also have many local flavors to offer: pici pasta, chianina meat, pecorino cheese, and, not to be forgotten, Vino Nobile!

Vino Nobile is the first Italian wine that is labeled DOCG on the bottle. It requires minimum 70% Sangiovese grape (locally known as Prugnolo gentile), and aging for 2 years. Coming to the vineyard for a Vino Nobile tasting, with the enchanted grape fields in front, helps to forget (temporarily) the problems at work.

La Braccesca vineyard locates in the boarder of Tuscany and Umbria, where three provinces (Siena, Arezzo, Perugia) meet. This geographic position provides an unique micro-climate to the land, so that to construct their wine in a characteristic way.

If you are a pici lover like me, do get your hands dirty by joining a pici class in the cantina La Braccesca. It is not one of those “cooking class”, where you go into the kitchen and watch the cook making everything. Instead you really have the opportunity to put on an apron, mix the flour and water together with bare hands, and roll up each string yourself.

Roll up some pici pasta over a glass of vino nobile is for sure a no-regret choice.

Cantina La Braccesca: http://www.antinori.it/en/passione-in-evoluzione/la-braccesca/how-reach

More themed tours in Montepulciano: https://valdichianaliving.it/?lang=en

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A chestnuts themed feast in Lunigiana

October is the month for celebrating harvest in Tuscany. Many kinds of seasonal food are taken down from where they grow, and then put into our stomach. One of them being the chestnuts.

I went on a trip to Lunigiana, north Tuscany, and was lucky to experience a chestnut themed tour by Montagna Verde in the ancient village Apella.

Montagna Verde, owned by the Maffei family, has been efforting in pursuing sustainable tourism and organic agriculture, as well protecting the village of Apella, since 1995. Nowadays run by Barbara Maffei and her brother Luca Maffei, Montagna Verde has successfully turned this aged village into an agriturismo. Besides, they keep working hard on maintaining the surrounding agricultural landscape, running the biopark and fattoria, offering km0 food in their restaurant.

the organic farm outside the restaurant

One of their best quality products is the chestnuts, so as the chestnut flour and chestnut flower honey. I was lucky to taste a table of local cuisine made of chestnuts (somehow).

Chestnuts wrapped with lardo (a type of salumi made by cured fatback), and drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

Other appetizers including pickled chestnuts; tagliatelle made of chestnut flour

More information for the agricultural tourism experience by Montagna Verde: http://montagnaverde.it/

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Gathering with friends in a Tuscany farm house

Good company matters, especially in weekend gathering. Have some friends over, or find a farm house in the countryside where caters guests; eat outdoor under the Tuscan sun, or next to a fireplace during a rainy day… such cozy and casual celebration makes a simple weekend lovely and memorable.

EaTravel, founded by Maria and Tania, organizes creative gatherings and events. I’ve been to their gatherings in the countryside twice and every time I ended up full with food in my tummy, satisfactions, and photos in my camera. The two girls are very good in creating the vibes. By adding simple decorations, they manage to turn the table into a place, where you do not want to leave!

New year is approaching!!! And we are excited about it! Thinking of 2016 and so many nice events and people it has brought…forever grateful! We are looking forward to new, big and challenging projects, trips and gatherings ✨ So many cool things are in making: new website, EaTravel blog, exciting travel experiences and new collaborations! ❓and a question for you: what would you like to read on our IG and Facebook? Stories about creative people? Travel destinations? Cooking tips? Make your suggestions! And have a great New Year's Eve 🎉🎉 Love, Maria and Tania #EaTravel #gathering #creative #feedthefeed #newyear

A post shared by EaTravel (@_eatravel) on Dec 31, 2016 at 8:09am PST

Here we go with another #eatravel_tips! Mind color spectrum. Choose one color that will be dominant and play around it (use flowers, napkins, ribbons, candles etc of this color). Even when it comes to your daily meal – why not style your table with some pleasing to the eye, creative details?#onthetable #creativeminds #dailyinspiration

A post shared by EaTravel (@_eatravel) on Jan 20, 2017 at 12:50am PST

And if you can’t join their events, simply DIY at home by taking out some of your favorite places, adding candles and flowers to the table. It is gonna be an unforgettable occasion for both you and your guests.

Last September gathering with EaTravel (Photo by Olga Makarova)

Details of more events by EaTravel: http://www.justeatravel.com/#our-projects-

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  Wish everyone of you a memorable October. And happy Autumn days!

Happy Autober! My Favorite Autumn October Weekend in Tuscany Summer is over, officially! But don't be sad, as Autumn in October is still lively. Temperature has dropped and the weather is cooler.

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After posting my sarcastic post 11 Reasons to Dislike Sardinia, I felt that I owe the island a proper “Thank You” and “Miss You” post.

My two-week stay in the North-East part of Sardinia had been relaxing. The first week we stayed in Golfo Aranci, and the second one we moved down a bit to Arbatax. Our days basically were filled with beach, eating, sleeping, more beach/ pool, then eat and sleep. So rather than a travel diary, my “love letter” to Sardinia will be a list of my favorite things that I’ve done there.

🏖️ Explore the wild beaches

It may be a rule for people visiting anywhere in Sardinia that you must spend some time in the wild beaches there. Unlike in Tuscany/ Emilia-Romagna, where you need to pay to the “bagno” to access to the beaches, In Sardinia most of the beaches are freely open to public. Of course you may need to bring your own umbrella and chairs, but the idea of keeping the “public resources public” makes me falling in love more with Sardinia.

During our two-week stay in Northeast Sardinia, we moved from Golfo Aranci to Arbatax. Most of the time, we hit the beaches, sometimes on the beach close to the hotel, or to those a little bit far taking 30-40 minute drive from our accommodation.

Beach in Arbatax

Beach in Golfo Aranci

Spiaggia Cala Brandinchi

Spiaggia del Lido di Orri

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🛒 Thursday market in San Pantaleo

If you would like to take a break from the water, then Thursday is good day doing it, as it is the day for the weekly local artisan market in San Pantaleo.

San Pantaleo is a village in the mountain. Wandering among the booths of the market, there are not only various local products displayed, from food to clothing, you also can admire the mountainous scene surrounding.

Every Thursday in San Pantaleo there is an outdoor market selling clothing, fruit, cheese, and many kinds of local artisan products. A good place to find crowds and shop some goods #tlpicks

A post shared by Sasha Wang (@staialborgo) on Jul 2, 2017 at 3:21am PDT

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🐑 Slowfood restaurants in the mountains

Mentioned in my earlier post on renting holiday apartment, I mentioned my favorite app Osterie d’Italia 2017 when searching for local authentic km0 restaurants. So we used it as well in Sardinia! The app brought us to many adventures on reaching to the destinations: after 30-40 minute drive passing over mountain ridges, we found us in a tiny village 1,000 meters above the sea level, where the friendly hosts welcoming us with their local treats. That was just another highlight, after the seaside, of the day!

Stazzu li Paladini was one of our favorite discovers. It is a family-run agriturismo,where the restaurant is outstanding. It offers fixed menu, containing 3 appetizers, 2 primi, 2 main courses, desserts, plus wine. Besides the huge amount of food included in the menu, the agriturismo itself was a romantic fairytale spot to visit. Kids can play around while parents enjoying the dinner, such a win-win situation.

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

A very interesting fact I found was that in Sardinia, most of the recommended restaurants are in the mountain, rather at the seaside; plus seafood was not so popular in Sardinian cuisine. I believed it was because I hadn’t found the right place, but then later during our visit to the Golfo di Orosei I found the reason to it from the tour guide.

Of course you can find good seafood plates in restaurants, but the way of cooking them was nothing outstanding.

The reason for seafood not gaining its popularity in Sardinia was historically the island was constantly under wars with foreign forces from the neighbor countries. In order to better hide and defend themselves, as well as to occupy more lands, the Sardinian people moved from the seaside and to live in the mountains. This move not only explained why fishing didn’t become an industry here, so as cooking seafood, it also gave more sense to the popularity of the shepherds, and the famous cheese Pecorino Sardo.

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🛥️ Boat trip to Golfo di Orosei

If you ask me what is the ONE thing in Sardinia you should do. I would say this is it! A one-day boat trip sailing to the golf area, which can only be reached by boat. It was absolutely the purpose for me to visit Sardinia, to swim in that pool-alike water.

There are many companies providing boat trips visiting the Golfo di Orosei, and you can easily find some on TripAdviser. (The one I took was a convenient option booked through the hotel we stayed. It was just OK, and I am sure many others are much better.) Just remember to bring enough SPF!

Cala Mariolu was my favorite beach among all stops during the boat tour. The water was flat in a bright azure color, clean and clear! You can rent an umbrella for a reasonable price of 3euro at the bar of the beach.

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🏔️ Visit the grotta

During the boat tour, you may have option to get off and visit a grotta. I would say: Don’t miss it. It is a great opportunity to see such unique geologic land form and learn some history of Sardinia. Also you take a break from the heat and stay in a natural fridge of 19C.

Grotta del Fico (www.grottadelfico.it), one of the few places in Sardinia that with a Roman name.

If you are planning to visit north-east Sardinia during the hot month of August, hope my list will be helpful. And if you’ve been there as well, don’t hesitate to share your favs if they are not listed above.

🌞🌞🌞HAPPY SUMMER DAYS!👙👙👙

Things You Shouldn’t Miss in North-East Sardinia After posting my sarcastic post 11 Reasons to Dislike Sardinia, I felt that I owe the island a proper “Thank You” and “Miss You” post.

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11 Reasons to (Dis)like Sardinia

11 Reasons to (Dis)like Sardinia #summerholiday #travel #Sardinia

I am back from Sardinia after spending two weeks there, taking sun baths, diving in the sea, and playing together with my boys (husband and son). If you follow my Instagram as well, you probably already know that I didn’t enjoy this holiday. Why? I’ve come up with 11 reasons to dislike Sardinia to share with you here. Check them out, so that you will be more careful when booking a trip to…

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The recent month had been busy for me, because, first I re-started taking Italian classes three times a week, and second the main reason was that I had been working on the renovation of my little apartment in Borgo San Frediano, and now it is finally ready!

I’ve been wanting to renovate the apartment since last year. And finally after hosting my parents, we kicked off the work in April. Now this rental apartment is refreshed and open for new guests again!

Actually this apartment had been listed on Airbnb for over a year before the renovation, so technically I am an “experienced” host already. But with the re-opening of my newly renovated rental apartment, I thought I would shout out some useful tips learned during the past-year hosting experience, as well as a local resident! Hopefully it will help those, who decide to rent an apartment during their stay in Florence over a hotel.

Street on Oltrarno side

🏘️ Mind the color of the Florentine street number

If you pay close attentions to the street number in Florence, you will discovery that there are two categories of street number signs in town: the ones in Blue, and those in Red. This is a very typical Florentine thing.

The differences between the two kinds of signs are: Blue numbers are used to mark the doors/ entrance for residential places; while the Red are for commercial/ business spots (such as restaurants, artisan workshops, etc.). If a Florentine gives you an address, by default he refers to the Blue number. And if he means the Red number, he will put a “r” behind the number. For example:

“Borgo San Frediano 83” “Borgo San Frediano 83r”

But this Florentine way of numbering the street confuses Google map. Many times I’ve found Google gave the default searching result to the Red numbers, which were controversial to the real case. When trying to locate the rental apartment in Florence, make sure you double check/ test in advance on Google Map before arriving to avoid getting lost. You don’t want to end up in front of a local grocery store with your heavy luggage while sweating like crazy, and ask for a check-in.

  🏞️ Stay in the Oltrarno side

If you choose a rental over hotel, you probably look for that “live like a local” experience. As a Florentine resident living in the Oltrarno side, I would say: This is the right side!

One of the reasons is that comparing to the city center side, Oltrarno is less touristic. Of course “touristic” is unnecessarily bad, and if you really want to stay next to the Duomo, I am sure there are very nice places around. But if you prefer the “residential vibe”, and are curious to explore the city a little deeper, and would love to try some new restaurants or creative dishes, then come to the Oltrarno!

Starting from the Pitti Palace to Piazza della Passera, then to Piazza Santo Spirito. This area is my favorite on the Oltrarno. Tons of restaurants and bars are here. And many local people also come here for aperitivo and dinner. I like to take my kid to Santo Spirito to play, and we often find many other Moms with their kids there. It is a perfect place also for tourists to make some local friends, and have some conversations over a glass of bubbles.

It is #aperitif season in town 🍸 #YourFlorence

A post shared by Sasha Wang (@staialborgo) on May 17, 2017 at 11:25am PDT

Read the article A PERSONAL GUIDE TO THE SANTO SPIRITO NEIGHBORHOOD, to find more hidden gem in the Santo Spirito neighborhood

My rental apartment is in the neighborhood of San Frediano, which is only 850 meters from Santo Spirito. So close to the best part of Oltrarno, yet kinda far from the noisy center.

Sunday outdoor market in Santo Spirito

🚴 Use Foodora to get food delivered to the apartment

One of the best things about staying in a rental is that you can cook your own meals, and eat in your PJ any time you want. And for those who want to try some local restaurants but at the same time are too tired to go out, Foodora can be a good solution!

Foodora is a platform that provides food delivery services from local restaurants to the nearby residence. Customers can use their website or mobile app to browse menus, place orders, and pay. And Foodora will pick up the orders from the restaurants and deliver to the door “within 30 minutes”.

For guests staying in my apartment, simple set the address as “Borgo San Frediano 83”. You will find many choices under the radar!

È sempre il giorno giusto per ordinare sushi. #cipensafoodora #milano #torino #roma #firenze #sushi #food #foodie #sushilover #light #foodporn #foodpics #foodphotography #colors #colorful #f52grams #fooddelivery #foodlover #italy #italia #foodora #healthyfood #jj #yummy #taste #tasty #dinner #lunch

A post shared by foodora Italia (@foodora.it) on Jan 31, 2017 at 2:19am PST

  🐌 Osterie d’Italia 2017 App: a reliable restaurant guide

Talking about EAT, I would highly recommend another app Osterie d’Italia 2017 (by Slow Food Editore) to those, who put the quality and authenticity at first when it comes to food, and are willing to drive a bit far away to a small village to taste their specialty.

Using this app, you can search the restaurants based on many criteria. For example, if you are planning to visit a small village in the countryside, you can search directly by the name of the place and book a restaurant. Or you can search by the kind of food you’d like to try (meat, vegan, etc). The fun way to use the app, and sometimes me and my husband do this when we just want to try some good food but have no idea where to go, is to use the Map in the app, zoom in and see what are the restaurants in certain area. Each restaurant on the Map is marked with a pin, by clicking on the pin, you can see the info about that restaurant.

It is a paid app (€8.99), and totally worth it.

Stazzu li Paladini, an agriturismo with a great restaurant offering local treats. They offer fixed menu, which contains 3 appetiters, 2 primi, 2 main course, desserts, plus wine. 

  💰 Pay your Occupancy Tax on check-in (€2.5 per person per night)

The occupancy tax (aka tourist tax) is to be paid by the guests, while the hosts are obligated to remit the collected taxes to the government. Read more here. Many hosts on Airbnb (including me) decide to collect the tax in cash on check-in.

To avoid any awkward, it is recommended to check with your host in advance, and to know if the occupancy tax (€2.5 per person per night) is included in the room fee, or not.

Read here: Airbnb and Florence sign tourism tax agreement

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Check the detail of the apartment here

Hope you find the tips useful. Don’t forget to check out my rental in Florence, and book your stay!

5 Tips for Tourists Staying in Rental Apartments in Florence The recent month had been busy for me, because, first I re-started taking Italian classes three times a week, and second the main reason was that I had been working on the renovation of my little apartment in Borgo San Frediano, and now it is finally ready!

[sashawong33]

Hello my dear readers,

How are you enjoying the hot summer days so far! Here in Florence we have bright sunshine almost every day, long daytime that allows us to explore the city, and many new interesting places in town to be discovered… Are you also wondering how to turn these hidden gem, or suggestions from the local experts, into a personal portable city guide? That’s right, today I have a suggestion for you!

Recently I’ve collaborated with GPSmyCity, a travel app providing city walks, to turn some of my blog posts into travel routes. With an upgraded package, you can browse the articles and use their in-app GPS map without accessing to internet!

Does it sounds an innovative method for your travel planning? Let’s get to know more details about it…

A typical summer scene on my street #YourFlorence 🌞

A post shared by Sasha Wang (@staialborgo) on May 25, 2017 at 12:16am PDT

What is GPSmyCity Apps

GPSmyCity is a series of travel Apps that provide city walks covering around 750 cities around the world. Each city has an individual app dedicated to itself, where multiple interesting articles can be found. With a small amount of upgrade fee, you can download the articles to your phone, and turn them into travel guides to explore the city without getting lost.

  Why it worth upgrading your GPSmyCity Apps?

These days with many open sources providing free travel information, you may wonder why we should use a paid app for travel planning. Here is what I think:

a. It contains many articles contributed by local experts/ bloggers

It is true that travel information nowadays is too much to be missed, especially for those famous tourist cities. However aren’t those free information too general as well?

Rather than gathering those general information that can be found everywhere, GPSmyCity publishes articles drafted by local bloggers, which are more authentic and trust-able. Before publishing on the apps, GPSmyCity administrator screens the content and makes sure it has the features to be turned into a city-walk guide.

b. It saves your time spent in travel planning

Since all points of interests mentioned in the article are pre-embedded inside the article, rather than marking down each place on another note, all you need to do is to save the article directly from the app. When you would like to go to your place of interest, click on the “GO THERE” button. The app will guide you to the destination.

  c. It works off-line!

The beauty of the GPSmyCity app is that it has an off-line map, which works well even without access to internet.

The map of the route described in the article is pre-embedded. Once you choose to UPGRADE the plan, the article is downloaded to your phone, so as the GPS coordinates. Even you decide not to purchase a local internet plan, you are still able to use the guide in the app.

photo by GPSmyCity

photo by GPSmyCity

An Upgrade Apps Giveaway

Certain of my articles have been featured on the GPSmyCity app. As a “Thank You” gift to YOU, my readers, I am having a give-away of an upgrade on the app to one of my articles: How I Spend €5 Three Ways in Florence!

What you need to do is:

1. Download the App to your phone: http://www.gpsmycity.com/; 2. Click on the link to download the city-walk article in the app; 3. This giveaway is valid until 18-June.

Hope it will offer you a new way of discovering the attractive foreign city. And happy GPS Walking!

Stai Al Borgo Featured on GPSmyCity Apps & Upgrade Giveaway Hello my dear readers, How are you enjoying the hot summer days so far! Here in Florence we have bright sunshine almost every day, long daytime that allows us to explore the city, and many new interesting places in town to be discovered...

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5 Questions To: Louisa & Francesca (from Gentili Fragranze)

5 Questions To: Louisa & Francesca (from Gentili Fragranze)

In the past week, I was invited to attend the annual event Artigianato e Palazzo, where 80 artisans from all over Italy (even beyond) gather together to present their works. Jewelry, costume, shoes, books, food…… it was the best, and an unique, opportunities to see the artisans working on live, and talk with them to learn their personal stories. One of the artisans I had talked with were Louisa…