Walking in Squares

I just got back from dinner. I ate one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. Parmignana di Melanzane at Antica Cereria. This restaurant that has eluded me despite it literally being on the same street as my apartment is phenomenal. It really was the Eggplant Parmesan of all Eggplant Parmesans. It was came to me still bubbling from the oven and clearly, like everything else at the place was prepared for me completely from start to finish while I waited. I know, it doesn't seem that complicated, but when you really nail something that well, it's remarkable. Not only that, the Tortelli stuffed with Ricotta and Erbette (leafy green that is a staple here in Parma) and topped only with butter, the water they were cooked in and grated Parmignano Reggiano, was phenomenal. I didn't get dessert, but tomorrow I'm going back and I'll get dessert. I really don't care if I spend $35 for dinner. Fresh, high quality food is so worth it. This was by far the best meal I had of the whole trip.
The interior of the restaurant was quite unique as well. It used to be a candle factory and it sits right next to the house where Auturo Toscanini was born. Inside, you felt like you were sitting in someone's house. I think the owner, who was the only waiter, and his family must live upstairs. Apparently they have a great wine collection in the basement as well. The family dog would come through every once in a while, wagging his tail as he did the rounds, making sure to pass under every occupied table. It was great, you really felt at home.

I also had great gelato today. There is this great gelateria called GROM, with locations all over Italy, which only uses the finest ingredients. Their gelato really is a cut above the rest, but it's the same price. And they have awesome flavors. Today I had extra-dark chocolate and salted caramel (made with Himalayan pink salt) gelato in a very high quality cone. Most gelato places add lots of colorants, have crappy cones, and never manage to get the gelato to fill the cone. These people are masters. Not only is the gelato the best, so is the cone and their filling technique. I can't wait to go back tomorrow and Saturday to try more flavors. Maybe I'll even go twice in one day! What the hell, I'm only here for two more days!

Today, I walked around Parma... a lot. I am on a mission, which I don't think will be successful, to find street markets here in Parma. I have a list from the city's website, but so far, I haven't actually found any of them. Some may not run every week, some may not run during August. I don't know. The site has no other information except where they are and the day/ time. I'm really looking for something more artsy. I'm a little sick of the chain stores. That's one great thing about Firenze. You know San Lorenzo Market will be there pretty much 365 days a year.

I also walked all the way out to where that vintage shop was supposed to be. They must have closed their storefront and only do online sales now, despite what it says on Google maps. A bit of a disappointment. I was really looking forward to that.

Along the way, and basically ever since I've been in Italy, I've been searching every single kitchen store, hardware store (yes hardware stores here sell tools and nails and make keys right along with kitchen utensils and pots and pans). My quest for the Demetra Cavatelli, Gnocchi di Sardi, and Orecchiete machine has proven unsuccessful. I think I'm going to have to spend time trying to convince Fante's that they need to get if for me. They should have that in their store. They have everything else! I haven't seen a store like that anywhere in Italy. And considering that the machine makes southern Italian shapes, I get a lot of responses like "no we don't have that. This is Parma" said in a way that implies, "we don't eat that southern Italian macaroni crap here in Parma". Needless to say there is a lot of Northern snootiness towards the South, just like in America (yeah, I'm guilty of it, okay).

I also visited the birth house of Auturo Toscanini. It is now a small museum highlighting his career and housing a bit of his stuff. The most interesting thing there was seeing some hand-witten music he wrote. His handwriting was remarkable. But that really only took all of 15 minutes. Luckily, it's just down the street.

Of course, yet again, I didn't ride. I woke up to rain this morning, so I went back to bed for an extra hour. When I woke up and got on with my day, it rained again, and it wasn't until about 18:00 (6pm) that the sun came out and the Italians were comfortable to go out without their umbrellas (Italians really don't like to get wet, I've noticed).

Tomorrow, barring any bad weather, I've got to get one more ride in. It's not all I came here for though and if I wanted to just put in miles, I could do that at home for a lot less money. Being in Italy for me is about all of it. Spending time sorting through the bargain bins of CDs and flipping through Italian cookbooks is part of what I'm here for too. I'm here to visit, I here to eat, I'm here to shop... and I'm here to ride. But this isn't some training camp. If I walk too much one day and then my legs are dead the next, so be it. There is no Gran Fondo to race, I'm just here taking it all in, enjoying my vacation. I have a few days left, surely more to post about, but if you've been following along, I hope you've been vicariously enjoying my vacation too. Thanks for reading!

Also, check this out! I made an awesome panorama of the Baptistry (pictured above) with this app called Photosynth. I'll concede, it the one thing that Microsoft trumps Apple with. You can't do this with the Camera app. Here is it.

Look who it is! Mark Cavendish... you won't see this ad in America.

Coolest bike in Parma.

The opera house. Giuseppe Verdi, who is the hometown hero, premiered many works here. It was destroyed during WWII so they just built an exact replica.

From Piazza Giuseppe Garabaldi, Pallazo del Governatore and Santa Maria della Steccata in the background.