Chez Swelly Hits the Road: business suits, rain, and risotto

Milan Milano! We had a lovely train ride through the plains of Lombardy, caught some cat naps, and arrived in the big, beautiful, very Mussolini Milano Centrale Statzione.
It was, however, May 1st. May Day. Italian Bank Holiday. Everything was shut. After checking into our hotel and having a nice long wander through the Giardini Publici, our bloodsugar levels headed for the basement. It's really amazing how your brain function slows and decision making becomes...well, less decisive. We finally found a restaurant called Brickoven which was not only open, but full of people eating delicious food. Sean got foccacia and a dish called the 'Don Pedro'. I had risotto w/asparagus and shrimp. Victory! With the bonus of wonderful eavesdropping and people watching while i worked through my half carafe of red wine.

I failed to take any photos of our lovely hotel, the Best Western Felice Casati, but they had two major things working in their favor: Umbrellas for guests, and senza glutine breakfast options. I do love yogurt, but sometimes you want a vector for all that Italian butter, jam, and Nutella. See note above about bloodsugar. Gemma di Riso was my new best friend.

Day Two in Milan was a nostalgic journey back to the neighborhood we lived in when I was a kiddo - well, the second one. Largo Zandonai 8, right by Piazza Wagner, a public market full of wonderful Italian produce, cheese, meats, and candy. I absolutely MADE Sean eat some foccacia for me and tell me how completely awesome it was. It was awesome. There is also a wonderful cafe right there, Buonarotti's, but the pastries didn't tempt a now-full-Sean, and I could do nothing but PINE after the baked goods. I did find some wonderful 'senza glutine' biscuits to take back to the room at a grocery store, though. Small Victories. Then it was off to find the (ever elusive) DHL shop..."behind Rinascente". We found it, and grabbed some food before heading onto the roof of the Duomo. Even if you are an atheist existentialist like Sean, the roof is a stunning place from which to view Milan.