Travel – Page 10

Genoa – Antica Friggitoria Carega and Eataly

February 22, 2025 mmm-yoso Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Markets & Grocers, Seafood, Travel

We were sad to leave the Cinque Terre. We had really enjoyed our stay. My first instinct when planning our trip was to head back to Milan. But while planning things out, I watched Stanley Tucci's Searching for Italy and in the episode on Liguria he visited Genoa and basically indicated that it was the "home of pesto". The episode featured a restaurant, Il Genovese, yes I made sure to call Genoa, "Genova" during my time in Italy. Anyway, the owner of the restaurant established the Pesto World Championship. And heck, we'd had pesto almost everyday during our stay in Liguria, so it made sense to stay in the city, right?

It was a mere hour-and-a-half train ride from Monterosso to the main train station in Genoa. We were staying in near the Old Port, Porto Antico. It was an interesting half hour walk from the train station as we got an introduction to the Caruggi di Genova, the narrow alleyways of the city. Our hotel, the Best Western Hotel Porto Antico Genoa was right down one of these side streets. We had arrived too early to check in, so we stored our luggage and went for a walk.

There are quite a few things to see in the area. It seemed quite touristy during the days, but quiet during the evenings. We quickly figured out things when we saw two cruise ships in port. Still, in spite of having a population of over a half-million, things seemed so relaxed.

It was interesting to watch folks line up for the Bigo a lift on cranes which give you views of the city.

We decided to just relax, especially after all the walking and hiking we did in the Cinque Terre. Just take our two nights and enjoy things.

While walking down the lovely porticos of the waterfront we noticed this little shop. The smell of frying seafood wafting in the air.

Looking things over, we got a "Misto a Piacere" (mixed seafood), "medio" (medium) for a mere 9,5€!

The Missus didn't want the calamari, so we got just the Gamberi Fritti (Shrimp) and Fritto di Pesce (Anchovy). Man the shrimp was fried nicely, still crisp, and quite briny-sweet.

I loved the crisp-savory anchovy. Like I said before, the seafood in Liguria!

Nothing like some good fry-o-lated seafood to get started in Genoa!

Antica Friggitoria Carega
Via di Sottoripa 113r
Genova, Italy

We decided do a bit more exploring before heading back to the hotel. There's quite a bit to do. The Genoa Aquarium is right across…well, across and under highway SS1 which hugs the shoreline, there's Vascello Neptune, a replica of a Spanish Galleon. It was market day at the port.

Part of which ran right under the highway.

We took our time checking things out.

And though we didn't find anything we were interested in; this little one seemed to be happy with its purchase!

We passed this historic building. It's the Palazzo San Giorgio, which is currently the HQ of the Port Authority. This lovely building was built in the 13th Century and the palace was once a prison.

Which housed the one and only Marco Polo. It is said that during his time in the prison, Marco Polo dictated his travels to a fellow prisoner; the writer Rustichello da Pisa. The manuscript which eventually became The Travels of Marco Polo!

A bit further down the port we noticed a location of Eataly.

Well, we'd been to Eataly locations in Copenhagen, Florence, and Bologna, so we thought why not check it out?

As always, there's much to tempt you if you have the $$$$ or in this case the €€€€.

The cheese looked quite enticing, but we were only spending two nights in the city.

And we'd find better ways to spend our Euros.

Still, it was a fun exploring…..

Eataly Genova
Edificio Millo, Calata Cattaneo 15
Genova, Italy

As we left the shop, we figured it was time to check in and take a break before heading out to dinner.

We were enjoying our time in Genova!

Thanks for stopping by!

Road Trip – La Parisienne (Morro Bay) and Luna Coffee Bar (Cayucos)

February 7, 2025 mmm-yoso Bakery, Caffeine Fix, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Travel

We had a decent night's sleep at our hotel, the Harbor House Inn, which was super dog friendly. Of course JJ was still a really young pupper and had to go potty at 3am, but the hotel has a designated green space for that.

After waking and feeding the pup breakfast, we gave him time to "settle" then headed on out for a morning walk before checking out. On our last visit, we had spent time at the shops and such. This time around, we walked north toward the "rock". We had noticed a bakery of sorts during our last visit right off the Embarcadero and Front Street. In need of something for a light breakfast, this time we headed on in to the shop, named La Parisienne.

After looking over the rather large selection; I decided on getting a quiche and ended up choosing the Bacon and Caramelized Onion Quiche. I ordered a coffee for the Missus who was waiting with JJ at the table outside.

The really nice woman working heated up the quiche and even delivered it to our table outside.

She even provided two forks without me asking! This was pretty good, sweet-savory, nice crisp top, creamy-rich interior. Well worth the $5.75 to me!

Not bad at all!

La Parisienne
1140 Front St.
Morro Bay, CA 93442

On our last visit to the area we didn't take the time to check out "the rock", so we decided to walk on over.

Though JJ seemed to prefer the Ice Plants…..

In Coleman Park is this Plaque. Morro Bay is where the first Filipinos landed in the United States on October 18, 1587!

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Well, didn't the Pilgrim's land in 1620???? So….maybe we should be having Adobo for Thanksgiving? Hmmm……

Based on how many folks we'd seen the night before, we were surprised to find the park around Morro Rock to be quite quiet and peaceful.

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The views of the coast were also quite nice.

The Missus asked me what that town was in the distance. I told Her it's Cayucos. I also mentioned that there's a pier with some nice views, so we decided that should be our next stop. So, we walked back to the hotel, packed up, and checked out and drove the short distance to Cayucos.

It was fairly busy, but we still found parking on North Ocean Avenue and made the stroll down the pier.

I admired those surfers, cause the water looked fah-reezing!

We then took a stroll down Ocean Avenue with JJ. I had thoughts about having brunch at The Hidden Kitchen, but the line was crazy long, so we looked for a coffee place instead and saw this sign.

And went down the little passage way to this coffeehouse.

Which had a quaint patio.

And JJ and I had a seat, while the Missus went in and ordered a Latte for Her and a Cold Brew for myself. The breakfasts looked quite large, so we decided to just get our caffeine fix.

The Cold Brew was fine, it did the job; the Missus thought Her latte was on the weaker end of the spectrum, but we enjoyed the vibe here.

Luna Coffee Bar
84 North Ocean Ave.
Cayucos, CA 93430

As a bonus, right next door to the coffee shop is a location of the Brown Butter Cookie Company. We had been to the Paso Robles location, so we knew it was a nice place to grab a few omiyagi for folks.

Brown Butter Cookie Company
98 North Ocean Ave.
Cayucos, CA 93430

We enjoyed the beach town vibe of Cayucos and will think about staying here or perhaps at Avila Beach in the future.

So folks, between Cayucos, Avila Beach, or Pismo Beach, which so you prefer?

JJ would like to know!

Morro Bay – Giovanni’s Fish Market And Galley

February 6, 2025 mmm-yoso Markets & Grocers, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Seafood, Travel

JJ seemed to be enjoying Morro Bay. After taking a short break, we decided to head out for dinner.

Like I mentioned in previous post, I had forgotten that it was MLK Day, but during our pre-dinner walk, things didn't seem to busy. Well, when we set out for dinner it was a whole 'nother story. Places were packed; we stopped by the Galley which didn't take reservations hoping that because it was winter folks wouldn't be sitting on the patio…well there was an hour wait for a table! We went down my list and the story was the same…..man, it was busy!

In the end, we decided to check out the place we'd stopped by before Giovanni's Fish Market And Galley, which I recalled had an outdoor dining area to see what was going on.

So, the Missus went to take a look at the market, while went to the walk up window.

And while still waiting in line, the Missus returned with Her bounty. I ordered to supplement what She had bought.

She had gotten the smoked fish, which was mild in flavor.

IMG_5187b It was very moist; though it had a ton of bones. Still it was not bad.

She also got the smoked mussels, which had some "grit" and was on the chewy side, but still retained the oceany-sweetness and a touch of smokiness. Also not bad.

Of course, the important accompaniment was the Pitcher of Modelo.

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Our favorite item of the meal were the Garlic Fries, which had been dusted, thus making it quite crisp.

They weren't shy about the amount of garlic or cheese, which made this quite enjoyable.

I also got a Dozen Oysters.

They also strangely gave me some packets of Tapatio….and after tasting the oysters I knew why. I'm always a fan of the "finish" when having oysters; these were on the chewier side and really mild in flavor. The Missus lamented the lack of a Mignonette, which cracked me up….as this was just a food stand of sorts.

It wasn't quite the dinner we had in mind.

Giovanni's Fish Market And Galley
1001 Front St.
Morro Bay, CA 93442

Though JJ wasn't complaining about things.

In fact, I think he offered to catch dinner for us; but I quickly pointed out the "No Fishing" sign……

And our after dinner walk was quite lovely!

Thanks for stopping by!

Liquria – Visiting Levanto, a Pesto Class at Cinque Sensi, and dinner at Taverna del Capitano (Vernazza)

February 1, 2025 mmm-yoso Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Seafood, Travel, Wine Bars/Wineries

We were at the train station in Corniglia, wondering what to do. Well, we had already been to all five villages of the Cinque Terre, but I had an idea. The Northernmost stop on the train route is the town of Levanto, known for the beaches, surfing, and resorts. Getting there from Corniglia took less than 15 minutes!

It was about a fifteen minute walk from the train station into the Old Town. There's a daily market in the covered market hall, but it had already closed when we arrived.

We walked into the Old Town on Via Garibaldi where a gate dating from the 1700's marks the start of a charming pedestrian only street.

It was so calm on this day….which was a Saturday!

Via Dante Alighieri is one of the streets that go to the beach.

Interestingly, there's a "promenade" that rises above the shore, you need to cross thru one of passages under the promenade or go up cross the street, then back down the other side to access the beach.

It was quite a lovely winter day and not very crowded. We loved watching this pooch enjoying his "back scratch" moment!

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There were folks enjoying a winter days at the beach and a couple of surfers as well.

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I was told Levanto is a nice option to the busy Cinque Terre as it is still a short train ride from the villages, has beaches, is cheaper, and a bit more laid back.

I've also read that there's quite a bit to see and do beyond the beach as well.

And lots of history as well.

As for us, well we just did a quick hour or so walk before heading back to Vernazza.

Well, in contrast to Levanto, Vernazza was buzzing on this Saturday afternoon.

The Missus wanted to do some shopping then relax. So, I decided to take a pesto class, wine and olive oil tasting at one of the wine bars right past the train station.

I had noticed that Cinque Sensi had pesto classes three times a day; the 3pm and 530 pm classes also did a wine and olive oil tasting. Not cheap at 50 Euros, but this ended up being a lot of fun.

I learned that there are over 60 varieties of basil in Liguria! Also, you should never use a food processor; heat is the enemy of basil, so the colder the temp the better.

And of course, we had to pick the basil leaves by hand!

First crush the garlic; then the pine nuts. You add salt to the mortar, then the basil leaves and crush. To types of cheese are used Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Sardo.

This is what my final product looked like.

Of course, just as we were about to taste guess who showed up? Yep, so the Missus got a chance to taste the pesto, which She said was delicious and could not believe I made. And also some wine and olive oil.

This was a fun hour-and-a-half class.

Cinque Sensi Vernazza
Via Roma 71
Vernazza, Italy

We took another stroll down to the piazza and harbor.

It was much calmer on this afternoon.

We then headed back to the flat and took a break. And since I know, no post in Vernazza is complete without a photo of stairs…..

This was the view from the living room as the sun went down.

We decided to head on down to the harbor and piazza for our last meal in Vernazza. This being the winter season, not all the restaurant are open. The only other place we hadn't tried was next to Ananasso Bar, a place specializing is seafood named Taverna del Capitano. We had been forewarned that the service here was awful, but we decided to go ahead and try it out. A big plus was that it was a decent evening and we had a table outside.

And our experience with the service was fine. A bit slow, but of course a Negroni makes everything better right?

The bread offered was terrible; sorry to say I forgot to take a photo. Our strategy stayed the same; go for local seafood, don't order anything too fancy, keep it simple. Which worked out for us again.

The smoked swordfish was quite meaty; though not as "smoky" in flavor as we like. The Balsamic did add some personality to the dish which would have been pretty bland otherwise.

The house preparation of Anchovy – three ways was a winnah!

We were told that these came from Monterosso; the fried version was crisp and salty; so umami. The version with lemon was tart and rich, the soaked in olive oil on the potent oily-rich scale. All different, all enjoyable in their own way.

Of course we got the Mussels.

Plump, sweet, this version had more butter and a more pronounced acidity, which really added to the flavors. We polished it off in no time.

Not a bad last dinner at all!

Taverna del Capitano
Piazza Guglielmo Marconi 21
Vernazza, Italy

Now here's were it gets a bit interesting. Remember how I mentioned that being in a little village during the slow season means you'll notice things? Well, while we were eating, we noticed this woman having a drink at Taverna del Capitano.

Well, we had seen her the night before having a drink at Ananasso Bar and then at the bar at Gianni Franzi and on our first night at the bar across from 5 Terre Bistrot. Always alone; always wearing the white jacket.

We went to have a drink to mark our last evening in Vernazza at Ananasso Bar.

And guess who was getting another drink there?

By this time we'd gotten to know one of the Servers at Ananasso Bar and we mentioned the woman to him. He looked at us and smiled saying "ah yes, mystery woman, she showed up a few weeks back by herself and has been here since!" Mystery woman?!??!

Oh the stories that must ride the tides in the Cinque Terre!

Well, for us it was getting late, it was time to head on back to finish packing and hopefully get a good night sleep before heading out the next day.

The next morning we did the typical espresso routine, took a last stroll around the town, packed, then dropped off the keys to the flat at one of the restaurants. We caught our train to Monterosso for our transfer to Genoa.

There's a nice bar/cafe at the train station, Bar Della Stazione, which has a nice view.

The Missus and I got a caffeine fix and shared a panini for a light lunch.

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And soon we were off to our next stop; Genoa! It was going to be interesting to see how we'd deal with a big city after enjoying the relaxed confines of winter in the Cinque Terre!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cinque Terre – Castello Doria (Vernazza), Corniglia, and Caffè Matteo (Corniglia)

January 31, 2025 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Croissants, Italy, Travel

It was our third full day in the Cinque Terre, but it for some reason, it felt like we'd been here for a while. We kept running into a very friendly Aussie couple, like 2-3 times a day. They were staying in a flat we could see from our window with a patio overlooking the sea. We'd see them having wine every evening. We gotta stay there next time!

By now, our morning coffee routine was a visit to Ananasso Bar.

Where the views from one of the tables overlooking the harbor is wonderful.

The wind and the rain from the night before had made for fairly clear skies and the winter air was crisp.

This seemed like a perfect time to visit Castello Doria (Doria Castle) and the tower of the ruins which stands on the edge of a ridge overlooking the village and the sea. Of course, there were a good number of stairs to climb!

The views from the tower are fantastic; especially on a clear day like this was.

From one side you could see the south shoreline.

From the other the North.

And of course a postcard view of Vernazza below.

While admiring the views, the Missus and I discussed our plans for the day. Well, it ended up being pretty easy; we'd been to four of the five villages f the Cinque Terre. There was just one left, Corniglia. We decided we needed to complete the "set".

So, it was back to the apartment to get our stuffs….yes, more stairs…..

On the way up to the train station, we decided to take a peek at the tiny chapel on the main street, Via Roma.

This lovely little temple is the Chapel of Santa Marta.

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And then we were off to Corniglia; the train there takes only 4 minutes! Corniglia has the distinction of being the only one of the five villages not on the ocean; instead it is perched on a hill above the water. Though the train station is at the bottom of the hill.

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So, to get up to this village of 150, you need to catch the shuttle……or…..

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Yep, you guessed it; take the stairs, all 382 of them! Guess which option the Missus picked?

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No, I didn't count them. It actually wasn't too bad because they were nicely maintained and quite even.

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Once near the top, you simply walk thru some narrow streets and end up where the shuttle buses actually stop.

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We strolled along Via Stazione into the charming little village. And ended up at a lovely little square in front of a church.

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This is the lovely Chiesa Di San Pietro.

Which was built way back in 1334!

While enjoying the white marble interior, we quickly noticed a pooch walking thru the church. The dog had a harness on and we thought he was with the nice gentleman and his son. However, when they left the church, the pup did not!

He just hung around and greeted people.

And when folks started coming in for what appeared to be services, he took his leave! Such a well mannered pooch!

You'd weave your way between buildings.

And then suddenly find yourself on the edge with a view.

Crossing over we entered what looked like the "downtown" of Corniglia, there were some cafes and restaurants and a nice little square. And an interesting chapel.

With an even more interesting…and kinda gory statue in the front.

Later on, I did a search in Google maps and found that this is the Cappella dei Flagellati Corniglia, the "Chapel of the Flagellants". Which explains the statue; because you know what Flagellants are, right?

It's quite a lovely area.

Following the instructions of Rick Steves Cinque Terre guide we walked down the little street named Via Fieschi.

Which led us to a lovely terrace known as Santa Maria Belvedere, which had beautiful 180 degree views of the Ligurian Coast.

Corniglia was so chill!

We decided to get a very light brunch and some espresso and headed back to the square, Largo Taragio. Where the Caffè Matteo was doing some good business! This was the most folks we saw in Corniglia.

And they had a bunch of breakfast deals going.

The Missus got a croissant and coffee for 3 Euros; I got the croissant, coffee, and OJ for 5 Euros. The prices were indeed quite fair; even though the croissant, as expected was not very good.

The exterior hard, the interior too brady and doughy, not enough butter…but of course, we expected that.

Between the carbs and the coffee; well, that was enough to keep us until later in the day.

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And at 8 Euros for two?

Caffè Matteo
Via Fieschi 157
Corniglia, Italy

And carbs were good, because well, remember those 382 steps???

I also loved this sign that was in the cafe…..

As the Missus and I waited for the train; we made a decision on where we'd be going to next….since we'd been to all five villages in the Cinque Terre; we thought we'd visit one to the North where the local train ended.

Stay Tuned!

Road Trip – Ojai Rotie Revisited (Ojai)

January 26, 2025 mmm-yoso Dog Friendly, Lebanese Restaurants, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Travel, Ventura County

We just got back from a short two night road trip with JJ. It was actually going to be longer, but then the wildfires that have ravaged SoCal happened, and with me monitoring things (Watch Duty is a awesome app), we cut two nights out of the trip (donated the funds to fire relief) and just decided to do Morro Bay and one of our favorite towns in SLO County, Cambria.

We always regretted not taking Sammy and Frankie on Road Trips and we wanted to make sure to have no such regrets with the "J". JJ also seemed to do really well during car rides though he barks and whines like a banshee when waiting for the ride to begin and once the car permanently stops. We're not sure how he knows we've reached our destination, but he strangely does. Hopefully his puppy classes will ease that. However, during the drive he is a perfect angel!

Well, we were amazed to find that JJ handles the drive quite well. In fact, we made one stop at a usual place, which I've posted on three times already in Oxnard. Traffic on the 101 seemed quite typical and while there was haze and smoke it didn't seem too bad. I was concerned about the Auto Fire, but it was fully contained before we left and we really didn't notice much smoke or ash when we stopped at The Collection and took JJ for his "break". He was such a champ.

In fact, when we were back on the 101, the Missus saw the exit to Ojai, another town we enjoy, and requested a detour for lunch. So, off we went. It was Sunday, so the Ojai Farmers Market, another favorite of ours was taking place. Man, the town was packed! I had forgotten that it was MLK weekend! Anyway, we found parking down one of the side streets. We quickly noticed, that unlike our previous visits, with the friendly locals, this was tourist heaven, many of whom were quite pushy and plain rude. The Missus did a quick walk thru the Farmers Market while I took JJ for a walk….dogs are strictly not allowed at the market, folks would be waiting for their partners at the entrance with their pooches.

And then we headed off to find a place for a dog friendly lunch.

We noticed that Ojai Rotie, which we visited before (remember that cool shirt the guy gave me?) was just opening, so that would be it for lunch. I did wish I had brought my "Ojai Psychic Friends Network" t-shirt. Folks and families were cutting in line to get in and all.

Folks didn't know that once in, unless you had reservations you needed to order at the counter. Once in, I headed right to the counter, only to have folks cut in front of me again. When I casually mentioned this to the four guys who cut in front of me they told me "we were in front of you in the other line, so f-off". Nice, huh? The folks A really felt bad for were the locals working, who were just as nice as on our previous visit.

Anyway, I just went and ordered a Grilled Eggplant Sandwich ($19). I told them to pack it to go "just in case", though the Missus and JJ did find a two top.

As before, the sourdough bread was wonderful. It was grilled nice and crisp, slight yeastiness, mild yogurty-sourness, very pleasant.

As for the rest? Well, the pepper-bitter arugula sprouts really dominated the sandwich. We really couldn't make out the pesto. The texture of the eggplant was good, but again, the seasoning-flavor was nullified. At least the milky-nutty Manchego cheese did come thru.

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Not terrible; good bread, but if we return we'll try something else next time.

Ojai Rotie
469 E Ojai Ave.
Ojai, CA 93023

We then got the heck out of town as quick as we could. We were really thinking about doing a road trip here. If we do, we'll make sure it's in the off season and also not during a holiday weekend!

The trip to Morro Bay took a bit less than 3 hours and JJ did perfect. We booked the Harbor House Inn which was described as being dog friendly, which it was indeed. They even had a little welcome bag for JJ. It was just a few blocks from the Embarcadero. After checking in, we took JJ right down to the harbor and strolled past all those familiar places.

And had a photo-op or two…..

Before taking a short pre-dinner break. JJ seemed to be enjoying things; which made us happy.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cinque Terre – Back to Monterosso al Mare, Aperitivo at Ananasso Bar, and Dinner at Gambero Rosso (Vernazza)

January 18, 2025 mmm-yoso Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Cocktails, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Seafood, Travel

After enjoying our time in Riomaggiore and Manarola, the Missus decided She wanted to revisit Monterosso. Which was not a big deal since it was just a 12 minute train ride to Monterosso and boy was I happy we weren't hiking there! My knees were still stiff from that one! Like before, we got out at the station in the New Town and walked thru the tunnel to the Old Town. This time we went further up the main street, Via Roma.

Along the way, we came across something that kinda reminded us of Japan in a way. A vending machine. This one is like a portable pharmacy!

We enjoyed doing the "Flâneur" thing. After a busy morning, just wandering in the largest village of the Cinque Terre with a "massive" population of 1,300, away from the major tourist stops was relaxing.

It gave us time to really appreciate the beautiful colors of the Cinque Terre.

As we got closer to the train tracks and the shoreline more businesses appeared, but because this was the winter season, things seemed quite sedate.

Sometimes, just meandering around can be more fun then having to see all the required sights.

As we headed back to the New Town and the train station, the Missus decided She wanted another gelato from Gelateria La Scogliera. And of course we needed to sit and have that view of the bay as well.

Gelateria La Scogliera
Via Fegina 20
Monterosso al Mare, Italy

Back in Vernazza, we climbed those stairs back to the apartment and relaxed, before heading back out. We strolled down Via Visconti toward the breakwater to get that "typical" view of Vernazza Harbor and Piazza Guglielmo Marconi.

It seems that more than a few folks had the same idea in mind.

Then it was time for something I'd really taken to during our stay in Milan; aperitivo time. And the lovely Piazza Guglielmo Marconi seemed like the perfect place.

So, we were back at Ananasso Bar, where we'd had our morning espresso. We actually sat at the two top right out the door of the shop. And guess who decided to take a "break" below my seat?

Yep, it was the ferocious feline we saw earlier in the day! Of course, I wasn't going to try to make it move, nor even bother it at all!

As for our aperotivo.

The Missus ordered the "non si sa", the "bartender's choice"! In this case an interesting aperol with tequila and mezcal, which was right down the Missus's alley. I got the Negroni Basilico; made with Cinque Terre Basil and Cocchi Americano which added a nice bitter-sweet tone; the basil added some interesting peppery-anise flavors.

Ananasso Bar
Piazza Guglielmo Marconi 30
Vernazza, Italy

We also got some free entertainment, courtesy of this fellow.

I guess he's one of the caretakers of the piazza. He came on down singing, greeting everyone, playing "air guitar" on his broom!

Such a nice and friendly fellow.

By this time, the waves started picking up.

Quite dramatically.

At one point, the first couple of tables nearest the beach on the piazza got splashed. I'm glad we sat where we did!

For dinner, we picked a spot next to Gianni Franzi where we'd had dinner the previous night. We were told that Gambero Rosso was the "finest" restaurant in the area, so we had to check it out, right?

It had started drizzling and the waves were pounding the shore, so we dined in the warm, stone walled dining room.

The service was a bit rushed, but the place was pretty busy. Prices were a bit more than on the previous night. Sticking with local seafood/products and uncomplicated dishes had served us well thus far so we weren't going to deviate.

First up was the Misto de Acciughe alla Gambero Rosso. The house style anchovies. Basically both fried and filet of anchovies.

These were fine; the fried version crisp and savory, the salted filets fine, though not as full of umami as we'd had the night before.

The Trofie al Pesto was better than we'd had the previous night, though not as enjoyable as what we'd had at 5 Terre Bistrot.

The real "winnah" of the evening were the Mussels. Oh my, so plump, mildly sweet – oceany, not a bit of grit to be found!

Cooked simply and perfectly. We plowed thru this in no time!

Like I said, simple and local…….

Ristorante Il Gambero Rosso
Piazza Guglielmo Marconi 7
Vernazza, Italy

Things were quite damp when we left the restaurant. And not all of it due to the mild drizzle.

Looking between the buildings you could see what the waves had brought ashore. In fact, waves were hitting the window of the living room of the apartment! I wish I had taken a photo of that!

We were really enjoying ourselves. The charming and colorful villages, the views, the wildness of the sea….but, to be honest, it was those little special moments that really made our stay memorable!

Cinque Terre – Morning Coffee at Ananasso Bar, Checking Out Riomaggiore and Manarola

January 17, 2025 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Italy, Travel

**** No food in this one, but if you'd like to see where we visited in Riomaggiore and Manarola read on!

We woke early on our second morning in Vernazza. We walked on over to Piazza Guglielmo Marconi and took a look at the waves breaking. Yes, it was fall and it was pretty rough out there. Right at the end of the piazza and on the harbor is the popular Ananasso Bar, which serves coffee in the mornings and cocktails during the evening.

A nice espresso.

We'd end up stopping by on our next morning as well.

You get a front row seat of the harbour as well!

Ananasso Bar
Piazza Guglielmo Marconi 30
Vernazza, Italy

Speaking of a front row seat. During rough seas, the fishermen will bring their boats ashore and while passing among the boats we heard a loud whimper and saw a large Golden Retreiver run to it's owner for comfort. What was the cause for this distress. Well, the source soon walked out from among the boats…..

Like I mentioned in a previous post, these cats have no fear and apparently are not to be trifled with. We saw this feline hiss at a couple who tried to pet it making them back away, it also scared away a fairly large mutt on the next morning. After my previous experience with a "Killer Pussy" on Easter Island, I knew better than to mess with them!

After our coffee we headed on out. We decided on visiting the two southern most villages of the Cinque Terre, Riomaggiore and Manarola. We went and purchased the two day train card at the stop in Vernazza. This gave us free access to the La Spezia – Cinque Terre – Levanto railway line, free use of restrooms, etc. It took us just 10 minutes by train from Vernazza to Riomaggiore, the second largest of the five villages. It's an interesting train station, overlooking a ravine. You access the village via a tunnel.

From there we got onto Via Telemaco Signorini and walked on up to the village.

It's a fairly steep hike, but the views are quite fabulous.

We took a turn around the bend and found the stairs (yep more stairs!) up to Castello di Riomaggiore.

The hulking structure, built in the 13th century, has some pretty nice views, though it wasn't open to visitors. There's also an interesting small church the Oratorio di San Rocco which was built to commemorate the end of the plague.

Walking inland along Via Pecunia, you'll get some nice views of the town.

Via Pecunia ends at a piazza where the Church of San Giovanni Battista stands.

The grey stone church stands above the village. While originally constructed in 1340 and dedicated to John the Baptist, the church went thru a huge renovation in 1870.

From here we headed down to the main street of the village; Via Colombo.

At the end of Via Colombo was one of my favorite spots on this trip. As you approach the train tracks, you'll find stairs leading up to a square. This is Piazza Vignaioli and is right above the train tracks.

And also nice views of the lovely pastel colored buildings in the town.

But what really caught our attention were the views of the "harbor"….I'll just use quotes on that. Because of the rather rough weather, the boats had been pulled up onto the square…which really look like the street! It really look like the waves are breaking on the village streets.

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Quite dramatic looking, huh?

On our next stop, we were going from the second largest, to the second smallest village in the Cinque Terre, Manarola with a population of about 350. And in keeping with the number 2, the train ride from Riomaggiore to Manarola takes about 2 minutes! The village is tucked into a ravine and to get to it from the train station means a 200 yard walk thru a tunnel. The tunnel opens right up in the center of town, which was pretty busy on this day.

The view from the harbor was lovely and you can see the trail that we took along the vineyards to the cemetery…with of course, a wonderful view a short time later.

We then headed back up the main street, lined with shops and restaurants, for some reason, this seemed to be the most touristy of the villages.

The higher up into the the village, the less tourists we saw.

As you get to the bend in the road you'll come across a large water wheel.

Manarola is the oldest of villages in the Cinque Terre, supposedly dating back to the 13th century founded by the Romans. The town was built alongside a large creek and according to the story there was a large waterwheel (magna rota in Latin) in the village from which it got it's name .

Things seemed a lot quieter here.

And so it seemed like a nice time for a Limonata break.

Before heading onward.

We finally came upon the trail we were looking for. It was right next to this church.

This is the Church of San Lorenzo which dates back to 1338.

The namesake of the church is Saint Lawrence, who is the patron saint of the Cinque Terre. I found the ceiling fresco to be quite "interesting". It has San Lorenzo holding a grill…..

The grill "gridiron" is the symbol of San Lorenzo as he was roasted alive on it. It is the symbol of his martyrdom!

To quote the Wikipedia page:

After the martyr had suffered pain for a long time, the legend concludes, he cheerfully declared: "I'm well done on this side. Turn me over!"

Thus Saint Lawrence is not only the patron saint of Cooks, but also the patron saint of comedians as well!

Turning back down the street, next to a wine bar you'll see the sign for Trail 502C. This trail heads up past lovely vineyards to the cemetery, which of course means that the best views.

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I mentioned that cemeteries were moved out of villages for hygienic purposes and many seemed to have ended up on hills with wonderful views.

From the cemetery, you can take some stairs and end up with amazing views!

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Check out the harbor and breakwater!

We then took Via di Corniglia back to the town and the train station.

Since it was still fairly early, the Missus decided that we should head back to Monterosso before calling it a day!

Cinque Terre – Passo del Termine, Monterosso, Gelateria La Scogliera, and Trattoria Gianni Franzi

January 10, 2025 mmm-yoso Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Desserts, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Seafood, Travel

So, on our first morning, the Missus was rarin' to go. She wanted to do the typical hike from Vernazza to Monterosso. Unfortunately, due to some landslides that oceanside hike was not available. So, instead it was decided to do the Via Passo del Termine route, which is over 4 miles long and considered at challenging route, sigh.

Instead of starting where the Alltrails hike starts, we went up to the beginning of Via Brigate Partigiane, like we did the previous day.

Because frankly, the views are fabulous.

And also because of the lovely, serene cemetery that resides on a hilltop.

Those "residing" here have one of the most beautiful views of the village. You can read more about it in this post by Rick Steves. Cemeteries were located outside of town by law for hygenic reasons in the early 19th century.

And then we were back on the trail again.

Sometimes you'd get a peak at Vernazza below.

And soon we ended up in a clearing and this church.

This is the Santuario di Nostra Signora di Reggio. And right on the other side is a road that leads to Highway 51.

It was fairly easy to find our way as you'll look for the "signs"…..

We started walking among the terraces; grapes were grown along the steep hills. There were often these devices on rails that went up and down the terraces so folks could maintain and harvest the grapes.

From here we walked along the highway, until we saw the signs indicating the way to Monterosso. At that point we got back onto the trail. This would be the last view of Vernazza on the trail.

And of course, what goes up, must come down.

And soon enough we could see Monterosso in the distance.

And then it was really "downhill all the way". Alltrails says the elevation gain is 1,771 feet and my knees could feel every foot as we descended. Said joints didn't recover until we were in Paris later on during the trip.

Somehow, we ended up in Centro Storico, the Old Town of Monterosso. Monterosso al Mare is made up of two distinct "towns" which are separated by a pedestrian tunnel. One of the first buildings we saw was the Oratorio di Santa Croce o dei Bianchi.

In need of a break, we decided to take a look inside.

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The Oratory was built in the 15th century as is named for the brotherhood, who ran the hospital and dressed in white (Bianchi) robes.

From here we headed toward the shore on the main street in the Old Town, Via Roma.

Taking time to stop at a few more churches; the Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista….

And the Oratorio Mortis et Orationis – Confraternita dei Neri.

Basically, the Oratory of the Dead.

So, we'd seen the "White Brotherhood"; this was the home of the "Black Brotherhood" who took care of burials for those who could not afford it. The interior is adorned with skeletons and skulls.

Eventually, you get to the railroad tracks….the actual station is in the New Town and right past the tracks is the beach.

Monterosso is the "resort" town of the Cinque Terre with hotels and beaches.

We took the pedestrian tunnel over to the New Town. And took a stroll along the Fegina, the waterfront of the New Town. This being winter, things were quite peaceful and relaxed. That's the distinctive "Eden Rock" in the photo below.

At about this time, I wanted a break. It was indeed winter, but I thought some gelato would be nice. And this shop is right along Via Fegina.

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And the tables with a view of the beach across from the shop were unoccupied. It was a nice and refreshing stop.

And the view was wonderful as well.

Gelateria La Scogliera
Via Fegina 20
Monterosso al Mare, Italy

After a nice break, we strolled, or in my case "lurched" our way to the Monterosso Train Station…. I'm kinda glad the Blue Trail back to Vernazza was closed due to blockage because there ain't no way I'd make it back.

Needless to say, it was nice to be able to rest my aching knees back at the apartment. When dinner time came around we picked a spot that had been recommended to us; Trattoria Gianni Franzi, which was located right on Piazza Guglielmo Marconi.

The waves were riding high on this day and it had started drizzling so there would be no al fresco dining on this winter evening. The warm and cozy interior of the restaurant was quite busy on this evening, yet we were able to get a table.

The menu is quite large and there was a section of "typico" dishes, which is where we made our selections. The prices were 4-5 Euros more per dish than on the previous evening. The service was a bit rushed, but professional.

We ordered two Antipasti and two Primi. First up was the Pulpo con Patate, yes octopus and potatoes.

Sometimes simple is best, like in this case, the pulpo was just the perfect texture, firm, but not chewy, with a mild "oceany" flavor highlighted by the olive oil. The potatoes brought a bit of starchiness to the dish.

Now, if you wanted an umami boost, well, the Accinghe Salate, salted anchovies had that in spades.

The textures of the anchovies were almost buttery, the flavor was very salty-briny and umami….while I wouldn't call it fishy at all. Just a plain umami bomb.

Of course I got the Trofie al Pesto.

I didn't enjoy this as much as what I'd had the previous evening. The flavors seemed watered down. And indeed, there was a pool of thin liquid at the bottom of the bowl as if the pasta had not been drained properly. I would have also enjoyed a bit more pesto on this as well.

The Mussels in the Spaghetti ai Muscoli might have been the highlight of the meal.

I enjoy my pasta to be nicely coated, not overly drowned in sauce like many places do in the states, so this version perfectly al dente, coated in peppery-fruity olive oil, with a hint of garlic and hidden red peppers did fine. Those mussels were very good, sweet, tender, and without any grit. This got us ordering mussels when we'd see it on the menu from this point forward. And though we'd have even better mussels a day later, this paved the way for our future ordering.

Even though we were eating in touristy type restaurants; we were enjoying our meals

Trattoria Gianni Franzi
Piazza Guglielmo Marconi 1
Vernazza, Italy

When we got back to the apartment, I took a quick look at my walking distance for the day.

Whoa….164 floors! No wonder my knees were screaming for mercy!

Vernazza – Exploring the Town and Dinner at 5 Terre Bistrot

January 3, 2025 mmm-yoso Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Seafood, Travel

We had really enjoyed exploring Milan, but it was time for us to head to our next stop. The Cinque Terre, five towns that hug the Ligurian coast had been on the Missus's "list" for years. In doing a bit research, I found that trains from Milan took only three hours to get to Monterosso, the largest and northernmost village. From there the local train service runs every 15-20 minutes or so to each village. The Cinque Terre is a very popular tourist destination, so I thought visiting during the early winter….after all, if we wanted beaches and such, we'd just head "home", right? I figured…quite correctly that the villages wouldn't be swamped.

Our train left Milano Centrale right on time at noon and we got into Monterosso a bit after three. From there, we found the local train which took 4 minutes to get to Vernazza, where we were staying. I decided on Vernazza after looking at all the wonderful photos, it just seemed like the right place. There basically one main street, Via Roma which heads downhill from the train stop.

As you can see, it was pretty quiet when we arrived. Our AirBnb was wonderful, the kitchen, the awesome bedroom, the views. But first, you needed to climb up a good amount of winding stairs…huff…huff…

And the flat was actually two floors with a kitchen on the bottom and the bedroom, bathroom, and a sitting room above.

All the stairs were worth it….just for the views.

You see the couple in the photo below? Well, they were from Australia. We'd end up seeing them almost 5-6 times during our stay. They were so nice and inspired us to travel "down under".

Later during our stay there would be a rather stormy evening and the waves would actually crash against our window.

Of course once settled, the Missus wanted to head on out. So now, it was back down those stairs. It seemed much busier as we headed to the main piazza and the harbor.

Vernazza is known for having the only natural harbor of the 5 villages, there's a breakwater and the waves were indeed breaking!

We would actually see waves breaking on the piazza later on! Folks sitting having drinks got soaked!

The pastel toned buildings, the green mountains….which house vineyards, make for a lovely backdrop.

Right past the waterfront buildings on the Piazza is the Church of St. Margaret.

Which was built in 1318! We took a quick look inside. Saint Margaret is the Patron Saint of Vernazza. And for an even more interesting story, check out this page.

The Missus really wanted to see a bit more of the town, so we, you got it, took more stairs from behind the church.

Where the views start getting really nice.

Then more stairs….

And somehow ended up at the beginning of Via Brigate Partigiane, where the walk begins to the cemetery, which we'd see the next day.

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We decided on taking a walk part of the way up anyway.

Where we could see the vineyards on terraces along the hillside. And get a good view of Doria Castle, which used to protect the village from pirates.

Another place we'd visit a bit later on during our stay.

It was so lovely. There were simple things, like this parked scooter that just seemed to be posed for a photograph…..like a two wheeled, Instagram ready, Vernazza "influencer".

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And the cats, which seemed totally unafraid of anything.

We'd see one scaring the crap out of a huge mutt in the Piazza the next evening! I guess you don't fool around with the felines here!

Of course all good things must come to an end….so it was back down all those steps. My poor knees!

We headed back to the flat and took a nice rest.

When dinner time came along, instead of heading down to the harbor and piazza, we decided on a place on Via Roma named 5 Terre Bistrot. While the street seemed fairly sedate.

The al fresco tables of the restaurant, which overlooked the pedestrian street were busy.

The menu is small, with a total of maybe 12 items, but I still needed a Negroni to help me make a decision. Plus, we hadn't done Aperitivo time on this day! Yikes, a mortal sin!

In end we had one antipasti, one primi, and one secondi.

We started with the Pulpo e Patate con Bottarga. I'd read that the combination of octopus and potatoes is a Ligurian specialty, so I thought we'd try it here. This version also featured cured mullet roe.

This version is in the form of a Tortino e Patate, a potato based pie. The pulpo was so tender, the potatoes nice and starchy, the cured mullet roe was very savory….an umami blast.

Of course this is Liguria, so I had to have the Trofie al Pesto.

My goodness, what's up with Ligurian Basil?!? This was bright and peppery, nice garlic, the pasta a bit over cooked, but still that pesto. I enjoyed the pesto so much, we had it I think the first 5 straight days in Liguria?

The secondi was Calamari. This version came with a Garbanzo cream, nice and nutty, dots of nice sour lemon jelly, and sweet and sour pickled onions.

The calamari was surprisingly tender, the breading added a nice textural contrast.

This was a nice meal to start our stay in Vernazza. From this point on, we'd be having seafood and pesto all the time! The service was friendly and relaxed; perhaps too much so. But we really enjoyed our meal.

5 Terre Bistrot
Via Roma 44
Vernazza, Italy

After dinner we took a stroll down to the busy, but not crowded harbor.

It was so relaxed….well compared to Milan where we'd been the night before, that it felt like we were on a different planet.

I was looking forward to a nice restful night. Especially since the Missus had a hike in mind for the next day!

Thanks for stopping by!