Travel – Page 45

Anchorage – New Sagaya’s City Market, Anchorage Market & Festival, and the International House of Hotdogs

May 3, 2019 mmm-yoso Alaska, Hot Dogs, Markets & Grocers, Travel

It's been almost a year since we visited Alaska; I'd better get these posts done!

I had a rather fitful night of sleep in Anchorage. I guess bars close at 4am; which by the way, is when the sun was rising during our visit. Folks got back to the hotel with much banging and noise…no it wasn't the ghosts. So, after a couple more hours of restlessness, we headed downstairs. The breakfast set-up looked rather dismal, so we just grabbed some coffee and headed out. Not sure where. Past schools and houses…I believe on A Street.

We then cut westward and somehow ended up at New Sagaya's City Market, where there is a location of Kaladi Brothers Coffee.

So while the Missus stood in the queue for our caffeine fix.

It was interesting walking those aisles. I was rather surprised to see some of items being sold; like Aloha Shoyu!

We sat and enjoyed our coffee. It was interesting; you could tell who the visitors were; we still felt a bit chilly in the 50 degree weather; while we saw folks in the market walking around in shorts!

After our fix, we headed back out. But not before giving this friendly fella' a nice head scratch.

New Sagaya City Market
900 W 13th Ave.
Anchorage, AK 99501

We walked back up I Street, through the large Delaney Park; an eleven block strip that used to be the airfield. It's a now a vast looking green belt.

We stopped to take a look at the Anchorage Veterans Memorial.

Soon enough we were back in downtown. We did a bit of window shopping; heading down 4th Avenue. We decided to head on over to the Anchorage Market & Festival, which takes place on weekends from 10am to 6pm from Mid-May to Mid-September.

Right at the turn to the head down to the market, is the start of the Iditarod, and this mural.

right down the stairs and across the parking lot was the Market and Festival.

There was of course entertainment…

Tons of shopping…..

Don't you want some "chimes to irritate your neighbors"?

And of course food.

And while we didn't find anything we especially felt like eating; this was a fun little stop for us.

Anchorage Market & Festival
225 E 3rd Ave.
Anchorage, AK 99501
Sat – Sun 10am – 6pm
Mid-May thru Mid September
From May 11th to September 8 for 2019

The Missus had wanted to check out the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. So we headed west on 4th Avenue. I had a stop in mind for lunch. A place called IHOH – the International House of Hotdogs. Basically a trailer set-up right behind the very popular Snow City Café.

They were doing some pretty good business at 11am.

Having enjoyed reindeer in various forms over the last couple of years; I had wanted to try a Reindeer Dog; in this case the McKinley Dog, a Reindeer Polish Sausage. We also got an order of the Cilantro Fries.

For some reason the split sausage had been pretty much griddled to death and was on the tough side, The roll did a nice job and was nice and soft, and the griddled onions did quite well. The chipotle based sauce was a bit much, as reindeer, at least in my experience has a rather delicate flavor.

Loved the seasoning on the fries; but these "crinkle-cuts" were also fried too long, the interior of the fries were dry.

It was enough food for the Missus and I to share and the service was very friendly.

International House of Hot Dogs
415 L Street
Anchorage, AK 99501
Hours:
Tues – Sun 11am – 7pm

Now it was time for me to burn off all those fries……

Reims – Reims Cathedral and Dinner at Restaurant L’Alambic

April 24, 2019 mmm-yoso Champagne Region, France, France, French Restaurants, Travel

The Missus and I mulled through several travel options during our last trip to France. As you might gather from our posts; I enjoy train travel in Europe and especially Japan. I find it low stress, minimal hassle (though trains in Europe aren't nearly as prompt as Japan), and basically a rather relaxing way to travel. The Missus shares the same thoughts….except….She gets really bored and really does not want to do more than 3 – 3 1/2 hours on a train. So, while doing some research for this trip; we had decided to just do France, I was rather surprised to find out that Reims, the Capital of Champagne was basically a 45 minute train ride from Paris! And so our plans started coming together…..

We arrived promptly at Gare de Reims and walked….it was a lot shorter than it looked on my map to our hotel; the Ibis Styles.

Our room was ready when we arrived; so we dropped our bags off and decided to explore a bit. Reims was very laid back in comparison to Paris. And the walk to the rather grand Reims Cathedral is a straight shot down Rue Libergier.

It was mid-November and we could see all the booths being set-up for the upcoming Christmas Market as we approached the Cathedral.

The Cathedral itself is very impressive; built in the Gothic style.

And from the time the first stone was laid in 1211; it has had quite a history; Clovis I, who united the Franks, was baptized at Reims Cathedral in 496. From 1027 to 1825, a total of 30 Kings of France were coronated at Reims Cathedral!

Being such an important symbol made the cathedral a major target during World War I where it sustained major damage. Several of the 13th century stained glass windows were saved however, as glass makers removed the stained glass piece by piece and stored them. And many of those destroyed were replaced by works of Marc Chagall.

There's a lot to see here; in fact we'd return one more time before leaving Reims.

That's the Chapelle du Rosaire (Chapel of the Rosary) above.

On this visit; I was fascinated by first this statue…..

And then this one outside the Cathedral.

Yes, it's Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc). So what's the story of Joan of Arc and Reims Cathedral? Well, in 1415 Henry V and his English Army defeated the French at the Battle of Agincourt and Northern France fell into the hands of the English. In January of 1429, a 17 year old girl from Domrémy who saw visions and received divine orders to liberate the French. Joan of Arc. She managed to convince Charles VII of her divine mission and over the course of 5 months the French fought it's way to Reims. After Reims decided to ally itself with Charles VII and Charles was crowned in the Cathedral where 16 kings were coronated before him; sealing his claim as the rightful King.

And the rest, like they say….is history.

We walked out of the Cathedral and down Cours Jean-Baptiste Langlet. We needed to buy some gift for folks and I knew just the thing. Biscuit Roses de Reims is the classic snack of Reims, in fact it is said that the origin of the word "biscuit" ("bis-cuit" – "twice cooked") originated here. And the classic place to get these are at Fossier.

Which is what we did.

Maison Fossier
25 Cours Jean-Baptiste Langlet
51100 Reims, France

From here we explored a bit more.

And then headed back to the hotel to relax a bit before dinner.

I had made dinner reservations at a place a few blocks away named L'Alambic, a place that serves regional cuisine and booked a table in the "caveau" (the cellar)downstairs.

The customers were a combination of locals and visitors. A group of Spanish ladies in a nearby table were having a great time. The atmosphere seemed celebratory and festive….and this was Champagne, so of course we had our Server recommend and get us a bottle of bubbly.

We started with two appetizers; the escargot….in trendy "foam" was fine.

Decent richness and pungency, with a touch of decent acidity. The snails were a bit tough though and nothing like our favorites in Burgundy. This was not bad though.

The Portefeuille de Magret de Canard au Foie Gras, in spite of the temperature being a bit too cold for our tastes was quite good.

The rich, smooth foie gras, folded into a duck breast. I could have used a tad more sweetness to balance out the richness, but the duck, in spite of looks was pleasantly toothsome, and the dressing had the requisite acidity.

The Missus ordered the Filet d'Agneau, a filet of lamb.

Man, that lamb was wonderfully gamey and it went so well with the romarin gastrique; rosemary sauce, not too much rosemary, just enough red wine in the sauce. The herb topping had just enough pungency and chlorophyllic flavors to balance things out. The potatoes were wonderfully flavored, but the tops were a bit too hard for us. The vegetables were so delicious.

And, for some reason, it's the wonderful veggies I remember the most about my Pave de Cerf, basically venison. I believe a cut from the rear thigh.

Very tender, pleasantly gamey; the sweetness balanced things out nicely. But those seasonal vegetables….man, it was good!

Overall a nice meal. The service was warm and friendly.

L'Alambic
63 B rue de Chativesle
51100, Reims, France

After dinner we took a nice walk around the quiet streets of Reims. It drizzled a bit; which just added to the atmosphere.

It was a nice change of pace from Paris.

Thanks for stopping by!

Paris – Cafe Constant, Bar du Central, and Le Moulin de la Vierge

April 6, 2019 mmm-yoso Bakery, Croissants, France, French Restaurants, Paris, France, Travel

On our last evening before heading to Champagne, we decided to take it easy. We'd had a fun and busy trip so far and thought just heading down Rue Saint-Dominique to revisit Cafe Constant would just be low stress and relaxing – remember when they created a sitting space for the Missus under the stairway? Anyway, we hadn't made any reservations for dinner and thought revisiting this casual, affordable, low-stress might be just the thing. We had a plan B, but they had a table open.

**** Cafe Constant has closed

Instead of the typical three course meal, we wanted to try some of the other items on the menu. Plus, we knew that 2 apps and one main course would be more than enough for us.

We each started with some wine and then the Terrine of "Kakos", foie gras, pork shin, and lentil salad.

This was delicious; it was also quite a large portion. Definitely rich, porky, with the lentils adding a nice nutty-acidity. This was really good.

The Salmon Marinated like Herrings and boiled potatoes was not.

The salmon was a bit too fishy for us and it didn't have enough of the wonderful savory-acidity and clean finish of the stuff we really like.

The main we shared was more than enough for the both of us; Tete de Veau (Veal head), Langue et Cervelle (Tongue and Brain) Snackees, Pommes Vapeur, et Sauce Gribiche.

The veal head had been rolled and roasted perfectly. The out layer of fat was rich and crisp, the flavor deep and yet without offal tones. It was nicely seasoned as well. Same for the tongue, which seemed to have such a deep beefy flavor and was much more tender than it looked. The brain was a hard sell for the Missus; I think the iodine-metallic tones and almost fishy flavor freaked Her out a bit. And of course, the Missus had discovered how much She loved Sauce Gribiche the night before at Arnaud Nicolas. The potatoes were fine; firm, but cooked through….and that sauce really helped to cut any overly rich and oily tones the dish might have had. Perhaps we'll have the pigeon or the Oursins (uni) with Eggs next time.

Café Constant
139 rue Saint-Dominique
75007 Paris, France

On the way back to the apartment we stopped for a drink to end the evening at one of the many bars that line the street.

The Missus had a nice glass of Red and I had the "El Burro".

It looked like there were quite a few ex-pats here. The staff was super friendly.

Bar du Central
99 rue Saint-Dominique
75007 Paris, France

While the Missus was getting ready and packing the next morning, I headed on up the street to the other bakery on the block.

And I got a croissant and two expressos to go.

The verdict; well this croissant was crisp, but not flakey, and could have used more butter and salt flavor as it was rather bland overall. We're still looking for that "perfect croissant" for us.

Le Moulin de la Vierge
64 rue Saint-Dominique
75007 Paris, France

A few minutes later, we were ready to go. The La Tour-Maubourg metro station was basically a half block away. From there it was off to Gare L'est, which we had been to before. So we were familiar with the lay-out. Having a bit of time before our train, we walked to the café across the street and did the "Parisian thing".

Next stop – Reims!

Paris – A Revisit to the Louvre and Ramen at Hakata Choten (Opera Location)

April 5, 2019 mmm-yoso France, Japanese Restaurants, Paris, France, Ramen, Travel

On our first visit to Paris, the Missus overwhelmed by the Louvre. You could spend years there and still not see it all. So, much like revisiting Pere Lachaise, we decided we needed to return to the Louvre. This time, we'd have a bit more focus. There was no need to see the Mona Lisa again. I got advanced times tickets for 9am and this time we needed to use the pyramid entrance.

Right in the pyramid, before the stairs was a work called "The Throne" by Kyoto based artist Kohei Nawa. It was on display from July 2018 thru February 2019 to mark the 160th anniversary of French – Japanese relations.

This time we spent most of our time checking out the Department of Egyptian Antiquities. Here are some of what we saw.

The golden funerary mask of Khaemwaset, son of Ramesses II.

This impressive statue of the god Amun protecting Tutankhamun.

Amenophis IV – the shadows made it look kinda spooky.

Time just flew by…..by the time I saw Luini's "Salome with the Head of St John the Baptist", I was getting kinda hungry……

It was just past noon….it was chilly and drizzling. We were a few blocks away from the area of Paris dubbed "Little Tokyo" for all the Japanese restaurants and shops. Ramen seemed like the perfect thing on a day like this one.

I had a listing of three places; the first being Kotteri Ramen Naritake, but when we passed there were two pans in the window with all the skimmed soup scum, which kinda turned the Missus off. So we walked a bit further up rue des Petit Champs to one of the locations of Hakata Choten (the other shop is near Les Halles). The Missus really wanted some tonkotsu style ramen that we even braved the 25 minute wait outside for a seat.

We were seated at the small counter….so, the first thing was the staff were all Japanese. Secondly, man….ramen here is not cheap. I went with the Ajitama Tonkotsu which was 13 Euros ($14.50/US). The Missus got the Tonkotsu Ramen Noir avec Ajitama – this one had black garlic oil and was 14 Euros ($15.75/US).

She loved Her ramen; with the nice rather sweet and pungent black garlic oil.

I was more than happy with my straight up tonkotsu ramen. The broth had a good amount of rich and creamy "collagenic" goodness, though a bit light in porkiness.

The egg was decently cooked and nicely served….that would be the yolk while a tad past perfect, was warm. I didn't expect much in terms of flavor, but it had been marinated nicely.

The noodles were cooked nicely, good pull and chewiness.

The Missus thought the ramen here is better than anything in San Diego. I thought that Menya was better. But even after spending thirty bucks for two bowls of basic tonkotsu, we were satisfied. Decent ramen in Paris….who knew. Though I'm thinking we need to hit up Ippudo next time.

Hakata Choten
53 rue des Petits Champs
75001 Paris, France
Open Daily 12pm – 3pm
6pm – 10pm

We took our time on the 2 mile walk back to the apartment. It was definitely time for a nap!

Thanks for stopping by!

Ravenna – More Mosiacs, Wonders (the Flooded Crypt of San Francesco), and Dinner at Ristrorante La Gardela

April 3, 2019 mmm-yoso Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Travel

**** Note – this is a long post. If you want to come back on another for something shorter, or when you have more time to read, I wouldn't blame you. Otherwise, read on……

After the beautiful mosiacs at the Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia you'd think we'd seen a lot. But even after checking out Dante's Tomb, there was still much to see. Our next stop was a few blocks away, the Neonian Baptistery (Battistero Neoniano). Again, this looked like a rather simple octagonal structure.

It is one of the oldest monuments in the city; believed to be built as a bath house at the beginning of the 5th century. During the end of the 5th century it was renovated and turned into a baptistery; supposedly by Bishop Neon. Hence the name.

The interior is stunning.

The mosaic in the center of the dome represents the baptism of Christ.

This and the Museo Arcivescovile (Archiepiscopal Museum), and the two sites in my previous post on Ravenna were all covered by the combined ticket we purchased earlier in the day.

The museum is located on the first two floors of Archiepiscopal Palace and contains many precious works of Christian churches and the ancient Basilica, many of which; like the Basilica have been demolished. Like the Cappella di Sant'Andrea (Chapel of Saint Andrew), which was once the private chapel of the Bishop.

One of the other items of interest is the Ivory Throne of Maximian. This finely carved ivory masterpiece was once the throne of Archbishop Maximian and completed in the 6th century. Each of the four panels was carved by a different ivory masters. It is something to see.

Also of interest was the Easter (Paschal) Calendar, a set of rules – after the vernal equinox, the revolution of the moon around the Earth, taking into consideration the seven day week…the whole cycle revolves around Easter (Paschal). Confusing? Try and read about Computus….yikes!

We took a short break after this….grabbing some much needed caffeine.

Then it was a longer walk, in the direction of the train station to this wall…..

And this octagonal structure, which has now sunk over two meters into the ground.

King Theoderic was a Goth and when he took power the Arian (Goth) Christianity became the official religion. He did let Orthodox Christians and Arian Christians live together though. This structure was the first that Theoderic had built once he took the throne.

The main feature of this structure is the mosaic roof which depicts the 12 Apostles and the Baptism of Christ.

Our next stop we had passed on our way into town the previous day. Close to the train station is the The Church of San Giovanni Evangelista .

We had noticed it the day before because of the 14th Century Gothic Portal made of marble.

Originally constructed in the 5th Century, it had sustained major damage during the Second World War and almost all of the church has been rebuilt or restored.

A few streets over is the Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo which was constructed by King Theoderic.

The interior is beautiful as mosaic friezes line each wall down to the apse.

On one side 22 virgin martyrs are led by the three Maggi to the Virgin and Christ. On the other are 26 male martyrs walking toward Christ sitting on a throne.

There's also something interesting that you might miss if you don't know about it.

If you look closely at some of the mosaics you'll see disembodied hands. So what do these mean?

Well, it means that somebody else was in power. In 561 the church was deconsecrated as a Orthodox Christian Church. This end of the mosaic featured Theoderic and his court looking grand and powerful….well, that was just not going to do with Justinian in power would it? So Bishop Agnellus had him basically "blacked out" (Some things never change, do they?)…….but I guess working over those hands was going to be too much work?

You think perhaps we were "churched out"? For some reason we weren't, but it was getting later in the day. There was just one more place I wanted to see. Remember I mentioned visiting the Basilica di San Francesco in my earlier post? Well, that was our last stop for the day. Yes, this is where Dante's funeral was held and where his remains were kept and hidden. But there was one other reason I wanted to visit.

Well, the crypt of this church is flooded (and somewhere in this pool is supposedly the remains of Bishop Neon). For .50 Euros; you get the lights turned on. The water is amazingly clean and clear.

And yes, there are goldfish swimming around.

Whew, it was now time to head back to Casa Masoli and take a break. And soon enough, it was time to head off to dinner. Our hosts at Casa Masoli had booked us a table at a place named Ristorante La Gardela. The place was quite charming, the service very friendly. The restaurant was empty when we arrived….obviously early by Italian standards, but filled up quickly….lots of families out to have a good time.

It was amazing to watch these folks go thru the antipasti, then the primi, then the secondi, with some cortoni (side dishes – usually veggies and salads, but also fries and other stuff), and even formaggi (cheese), before finishing with a dessert from the case! All in the time it took us to finish our rather limited meal! We loved this place.

Of course I started with the Prosciutto Crudo Nostrano – crudo means "never cooked" i.e. cured, and nostrano I believe means local or even home made.

This was good; though perhaps lacking in the complexity of other versions I'd had.

I also just had to have the Lardo di Patanegra su Bruschetta Calda. Aged lard from the legs of "Black" (Iberian) Pigs…melted beautifully on bruschetta.

Oh, baby…….what can I say. And there was even a nice salad underneath….the radicchio here is ridiculously good…..both bitter, vegetal, with sweet tones.

The Missus also ordered the Contorno Misto di Verdure Grigliate - mixed grilled vegetable. First off, let me say the tomatoes here taste like the sweetest, tangiest, sunshine!

And the endive was delish as well.

The Missus ordered what might have been one of Her favorite pasta dishes (along with the Strigoli con Funghi from Il Fantino), the Tagliolini al Radicchio Appassito al Sangiovese.

Remember how I mentioned how good the radicchio was? Well here it was balanced out with a perfect acidity and light sweetness of the sauce. The pasta was cooked perfectly. And take a look at it…….it was dressed for success….not floating around in a ton of "gravy".

My Cappelletti al Ragù Tipico was sauced nicely, the pasta cooked perfectly.

The meat wasn't too rich and was fairly tender. But compared to what the Missus had…..well, the name said it all "tipico". It was a nice dish.

And of course "I Dolce" for the Missus.

The prices were quite reasonable as well. The antipasti and primi were priced at 7 Euros, the veggies, 4….we even had a bottle of wine.

Ristorante La Gardela
Via Ponte Marino 3
48121, Ravenna, Italy

I think Ravenna is truly worthy of an overnight stay. Heck, it's even on our "return to" list!

If you've managed to read thru these 1300+ words, I thank you so much for sharing this with us!

Paris – Arnaud Nicolas Revisited

March 30, 2019 mmm-yoso France, French Restaurants, Paris, France, Travel

This was our fourth visit to Paris. By this point in time we had developed a couple of rituals; places that we really enjoyed and Arnaud Nicolas was one of them.

We just love the charcuterie here. As I mentioned in my first post on the place. Arnaud Nicolas achieved the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF) at the age of 24!

The place just feels comfortable and relaxed to us.

We had early reservations and there was just one other table occupied. As is the tradition here; we were given a small aperitif as we were seated. This time around; it was a nice clean and crisp Sauvignon from Thauvenay in the Loire Valley. The Missus enjoyed it, so we bought a bottle.

We placed our orders; sadly, the wonderful boudin blanc with truffle is a seasonal item and wasn't available so we ordered a risotto to go with our charcuterie.

As always the "Volailles et Foie gras de Canard", foie gras, duck, chicken and the "Caille, Poire et Pistache", quail and foie gras with pear and pistachio were excellent.

And of course our favorite is the Foie Gras mi-cuit. Wonderful balanced flavors, slightly livery balanced with a mild sweetness. The smooth creaminess makes you really feel you're having something oh-so decadent.

On this visit, I noticed that there was a traditional Fromage de Tete on the menu; head cheese. It was served with the traditional accompaniment of Sauce Gribiche, a wonderfully pungent and refreshingly sour sauce made of egg, cornichons, capers, tarragon, and the like. The Missus just loved the stuff! The texture of the head cheese was perfect, a bit of jellied toothsomeness, wonderful deep and complex beefy flavors, with a hint of tangy-sourness. This wasn't too salty and was just delici-yoso!

What wasn't delici-yoso was the risotto. I've often mentioned the "issues" I have with par cooked risotto and this one was another "strike".

Hard centers of the rice and a lack of enough "earthy" mushroom flavors made this somewhat disappointing.

Of course, the Missus had Her Rum Baba.

But I got the real award winner. I'd noticed a Whiskey on the digestif list. It was from Taiwan, from a label named Kavalan. It was also 24 Euros a pour….which, I've come to find is really not expensive…..I've seen it here for over $45 a pour!

This was wonderful; the flavors so complex, the nose full of vanilla tones.

I came to find out that this was the Gold Medal winning Kavalan Sherry Cask "Solist"!

Man was it good. It was this drink that got us started on Kavalan.

Even though we'd been to Arnaud Nicolas three times…..there always seems to be some new wrinkle, a new taste that we experience.

I guess that's why we keep coming back.

Arnaud Nicolas
46 Avenue de la Bourdonnais
75007 Paris, France

We headed back to our apartment and had a wonderful night's sleep and headed out the next morning well rested.

And while the skies were overcast, with intermittent drizzles….it was still Paris!

And a revisit to the Louvre was on the docket for the morning.

Thanks for stopping by!

Ravenna – The Basilica of San Vitale, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Lunch at Al Cairoli, and Dante’s Tomb

March 23, 2019 mmm-yoso Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Sandwiches, Travel

We'd had such a great time in Emiligia-Romagna, from the Castles, to the "Devil's Bridge", to our amazing food tour, there were so many memorable experiences. And even though we had but two more nights left in the region, I had one more ace up my sleeve. Our Airbnb was very inexpensive, so I decided to book an overnight stay in Ravenna, a short hour train ride from Bologna. I'd read a bit about the city, which was once the capital of Western Roman Empire. When Theodosius I died; he split the Roman Empire into to halves, one of his sons, Honorius and he moved the Imperial Court and Administrative offices there in 401 because it was easily defended.

Well, enough of the history lesson, no?

The train station in Ravenna is but a short walk into the heart of the city. The vibe is relaxed and friendly; the city is pedestrian friendly and there's obviously a lot going as we passed this while walking past one of the many piazzas on the way to our hotel.

Our hotel; the Casa Masoli was close to everything we wanted to see; the woman running the place was warm and friendly and even made dinner reservations for us at a place she highly recommended. The prices were quite affordable; we got the Teodora e Giustiniano Suite for like a hundred Euros. The building has long history and our suite was amazing! And quite unique; it's like we entered a time machine and travelled into the past. From the Venetian four post beds and antiques lining the room….

To the huge bathroom with a marble bath tub!

To the rather dramatic sitting area.

The woman pointed to a part of the high ceiling and told us…."this is where a bomb landed during World War I"!

We had also arrived early and expected to drop off our bags; but our room was ready!

And so were we. The first order of business was head on out to the bookstore located at Via Giuliano Argentario 22 and purchase a combined ticket for five of the sites. And, it right down the street from our first site; the Basilica of San Vitale.

Commissioned by Bishop Ecclesius in 527; the church was still unfinished when Ravenna fell to Justinian I in 1540. It was then that the mosaics were done and the church completed in 1547. From the exterior, the building really looks rather staid and simple, but the octagonal plan and the use of terra-cotta bricks was revolutionary in those times.

It's upon entering the interior where you really understand the importance of this structure……

The amazing Byzantine Mosiacs are second to none and just amazing to see. It is rumored that San Vitale was used as the model for the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul. And even though we've been to the Hagia Sofia, twice this really made an impression on us.

It is undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited.

I'm wondering what the dome would have been like had the intended mosaic design been carried out. The painting on the dome is from the 18th century.

I mean, the mosaic on the ceiling of the presbytery is dramatic enough.

There's actually a tape that goes "ssshhhssshhh" when folks start talking too loud in the place. We actually loved it!

For a wonderful article on the history and mosaics, check out this site.

Across the courtyard is the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, named after the daughter of Theodosius I. There are three sarcophagi in the structure; it is said that these are of Galla Placidia, who is said to have been placed in sitting position, Galla's son, Valentinian III is to her right, and to her left is that of Emporer Constantius III, her husband. Though because of study and dating, it is no longer thought to be so.

Some say the mosaics here outshine those in the Basilica and I can see why.

It was an amazing visit; something I wish everyone could see.

From here we headed to the next thing I wanted to see. While on one of the many wonderful pedestrian side streets, we decided to stop for lunch here.

It was a quaint shop; the upstairs was a dining area and the bottom floor like a very comfortable café.

the main reason we stopped is because the place served a small menu for lunch that featured Piadine. We'd been wanting to try an Italian version since having on Malta and I knew that this flatbread is traditionally from this region.

The Missus thoroughly enjoyed her Verdure Gratinate Squacquerone (a nice lightly acidic fresh cheese) – basically roasted vegetables in a nice, warm flatbread.

I had the Prosciutto (of course) Arugula Squacquerone version. Which was just enough for a light lunch.

This, along with two espressos was perfect since we still had a bunch of places to visit and didn't want to get filled up. It was also a nice change from all of the rather hearty food we'd been having over the last couple of days.

Nicely priced as well.

Al Cairoli
Via Benedetto Cairoli 16
48121, Ravenna, Italy

We headed straight down the street. Past all of the locals chatting, having espresso, eating lunch……

Via Benedetto Cairoli had become Via Corrado Ricci and we had arrived at this piazza. This is the Piazza San Francesco.

We'd gone a street too far. We would return here to visit the Basilica di San Francesco later on….there's something really cool in the church. But for now, I was focused on this place right around the corner in an area called "Zona del Silenzio" (Area of Silence). Remember when we visited the Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence? I noted that Dante's tomb "monument" was located in the church, but he wasn't interred there? Well, here he is.

On January 27th 1302, Dante was exiled from his home in Florence. He ended up in Ravenna in 1318 and wrote Paradiso, the third and last part of his Divine Comedy. When Dante died in 1321, he was entombed and hidden in what is now named the Basilica di San Francesco not to be found until 1865. Thus began what some say is a 700 year "battle" over the remains of Dante, which is quite a story in itself.

So many stories…….

And it was barely past noon!

Yes, there's more to come.

Thanks for stopping by!

Oahu – The Alley Restaurant Bar & Grill Revisted

March 16, 2019 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Hawaiian Food, Oahu, Travel

We'd had a great time on Lana'i and we'll certainly be back.

When we got back to Ewa Beach; the Missus decided that we'd go out to an early dinner. There was one place She'd been wanting to revisit since we first ate there years ago; the Alley. Oxtail soup has a long history in Hawai'i, especially in bowling alleys. And the Missus really enjoyed the version at the Alley ; it was one place She really wanted to revisit. So we headed on down for an early dinner.

The place was fairly empty when we arrived; right before 5pm; but quickly filled up.

The Missus's "leaning tower of plates" soon arrived.

Served with minced ginger and cilantro; ponzu, brown rice, with one empty bowl for da' bones.

Man; this was good ono! The wonderful beefy-ginger-anise flavors; peanuts; that really delicious shiitake mushroom.

It's "rich and delish"! Oh yeah, the tender oxtails, cooked perfectly, not falling to pieces, but still spoon tender, was great. We still haven't found a real use case for that ponzu….

Good until the last drop……

I went with the Tasty Chicken…bowl. The plate would be just too much for me….though I did see one aunty whack the entire plate herself! I; of my own free will actually ordered this with brown rice. No tell anybody; but I like the way the Alley makes their brown rice. And when they asked me if it was mac salad or greens….the Missus, ahem, answered for me….

Oh, and I got the sauce on the side; it's a bit too much with the chicken glazed in it. But a light dip….the chicken is nicely seasoned on its own; light, crisp, moist; like a good karaage. It's best with just a touch of sauce as the flavor of the chicken and spices come through. And it goes strangely well with the brown rice.

This was such a satisfying meal. The service was very friendly. Man, we can't wait to return next time I'm back "home".

The Alley Restaurant Bar & Grill
in Aiea Bowl
99-115 Aiea Heights Dr, Ste 310
Aiea, HI 96701

Emilia-Romagna: The Italian Days Food Experience

March 14, 2019 mmm-yoso Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Italy, Travel

If you've followed our blog for a while; you'll know that the Missus and I are not big on tours. We'd rather do our own thing at our own pace and rushing through things when on a tour is just not a lot of fun for us. We were however, in Emilia-Romagna, home to so many Italian gastronomic treasures. Trying to hunt them down in the amount of time we had would have been quite a task. While doing my research; I'd read so many good reviews of the Italian Days Food Experience. And it delivered. It was a small group tour, a must for the Missus and I, our guide Eleanora was wonderful; funny, enthusiastic, and very knowledgeable; especially when it came to all the questions I had. And I did have many of them. This experience changed our minds when it comes to actually doing a tour. We're still cautious about it; but we're now believers. Anyway; this is already 150 words and change. I'll try to keep the verbiage to a minimum; otherwise you'd easily have 10,000 words plus. I want you to go to Bologna and take the tour, experience what we did….it ain't cheap at 150 Euros a person, but well worth it. I now truly understand the hard work, dedication, and passion the folks who make that wheel of Parmesan cheese or prosciutto, and now when I look at a bottle of Traditional Balsamico; I'll know if it's the "real thing".

We were picked up right on time from our apartment in Bologna and after a quick coffee stop headed off to our first destination in Castelvetro; San Silvestro Societa Agricola, a cooperative that takes the local farmer's milk and produces Parmesan Reggiano.

We suited up and then walked into an area with large vats of milk.

Each vat holds 1100 liters; that's 290 gallons of milk. From which the curds makes…..

Only 2 wheels ("the twins") of Parmesan Reggiano!

We all had a chance to taste the curds.

And I got the most wonderful answer when I asked what was done with all the leftover whey. Eleanora explained that some of the whey goes to make ricotta cheese and the rest to local pig farmers….hmmm…..I always thought that the great Prosciutto de Parma and Culatello had a sort of cheesy finish. Could it be?

It is then put into the classic round mold; the "fascera".

The cheese rests for a couple of days. A band is placed inside the molds which have the distinctive marks; the number of the producer, the month and year of production. The cheese also has a specific ID number; this way the actual cheese can be tracked back to the dairy which produced the milk. Only one dairy's milk is used for each production, so things can be traced.

The wheels are then put into a salt water solution and turned daily.

For up to three weeks!

Then it's time for the aging process. After twelve months an inspector from the official agency called the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano will inspect the wheels. Those that….ahem, don't "cut the cheese" have all identifying marks cut off. Those that make it get branded with the seal of the PDO (Protected Designation of Origin).

The cheese wheels are turned on a specific schedule. This is what Parmesan heaven looks like.

I'll never look at Parmesan Reggiano the same ever again.

Next up what a stop was this lovely Farm House nearby.

And yes; those are grape vines……

This was the Antico Acetaia Cavedoni, a balsamic vinegar house that has been producing the product for 7 generations…since 1860!

The current head of the family; Paolo Cavedoni, a very energetic gentleman, led us on a tour of the "vinegar loft" and production.

He also explained the specifics of "DOP" ("Denominazione di Origine Protetta") designation; which is done by a panel of 5 master tasters. If the vinegar hits a certain "score" it will be labelled Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale. This is the good stuff and can only be sold in the specific 100 ml bottle that was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, a famous car designer….after all Modena is home to Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati.

The balsamic is aged in several successive aging barrels for a minimum of 12 years. Every year, vinegar is taken from the smallest barrel, and it is then replenished with product from the next barrel up, and so on. A barrel is never emptied.

Paolo explained that when girls are born into a household, traditionally they would start an entire line – such as "Beatrice" above; which was initiated upon her birth in 1972. In the olden days; the barrels were used as a dowry when the young lady was wed.

In the "back office" we saw barrels going back to the 1800's.

The oldest Balsamico here produces four bottles a year and is sold to one restaurant in Macau.

Can you figure out which is the bottle of Balsamico Tradizionale?

We had a nice "snack" break here….which included quite a bit of food.

What was really amazing was the ricotta cheese topped with Saba; this was amazing stuff and we ended up buying two bottles of it.

Our next stop was at the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Modena, a producer of Prosciutto, right outside Modena.

Eleanora went through the entire process….it was funny when I asked her where on the pig culatello came from and she proceeded to heartily whack a certain body part.

Everything is regulated; from the pig, what it's fed, weight, age…..

There's a specific salting process, and then the washing, drying, the long curing process.

Man, this place smelled amazing.

And the very generous samples….and Lambrusco went down real well.

So, after all of this? Well, it was time for a late lunch! Man, I was kinda full from all of the samples and such. But locale was quite nice.

And there was way too much food and drink…..

We wouldn't be having dinner tonight, that's for sure.

Like I said in the beginning; this small group (ten of us) tour by Italian Days changed our opinion when it comes to taking tours. Yes, you still need to pick well. And definitely read those reviews.

I had learned so much….food is "our thing" when we travel, and Italian Days really delivered. It was well worth the 300 Euros for the both of us.

I hope you get the chance to experience what we did.

Thanks for stopping by!

Paris – Revisiting Pere Lachaise Cemetery and Lunch at Dong Phat

March 8, 2019 mmm-yoso France, Paris, France, Travel, Vietnamese Restaurants

There were a couple of places the Missus wanted to revisit during this trip to Paris. One of those was Pere Lachaise Cemetery. We were a bit overwhelmed during our previous visit and couldn't find a lot graves and sites we wanted to see. This time we were a lot more organized as we got to the Porte Gambetta entry to the cemetery.

The first thing you past as you make your way up L'avenue des Combattants are the various war memorials.

And you soon come to the Crematorium. The building is surrounded by tons of small niches; cubicles for the cremated. We spent some time wondering the courtyard and came across some really fascinating niches.

I found the following really touching.

"Toi et Moi" it simply says….."Me and You".

There are some interesting niches in the structure.

Must've been a Rolling Stones fan?

Painter and Poet.

And of course; the famous soprano Maria Callas.

One could spend a good amount of time here.

Many families have crypts for entire families.

There are graves that look ancient ruins……

To the sweet and touching.

Close by is this tomb.

This is where Oscar Wilde is buried. It is one of the most visited tombs in Pere Lachaise; there's quite a story behind the build. It had become a tradition for women to put on lipstick and leave an imprint of a "kiss" on the tomb. It would be covered with thousands of kisses; the cleaning effort was causing damage to the stone; so they put up a plastic barrier around the tomb.

Monument to national airline disasters.

Gertrude Stein's grave.

There's an entire area which memorializes the victims of Concentration Camps and the Nazi Resistance.

Gaunt, haunting statues top the memorials with names like Dachau, Auschwitz, Buchenwald, Oranienburg and Sachsenhausen.

The concentration camp at Ravensbrück was created specifically for women prisoners and was used from 1939 – 1945. I had never heard of this concentration camp until I saw the memorial. After which, I came home and looked it up. Of the over 130,000 women imprisoned during the period of 1939 – 1945; only 15,000 survived.

My good friend Ale is a big fan of Edith Piaf; so I promised that I'd find her final resting place for her.

Her daughter who died at the age of two is buried beside her.

Bernard Verlhac might not be a name you recognize.

He was one of the twelve people assassinated in the Charlie Hebdo shooting.

Other famous gravesites.

Molière

Chopin

Colette

I guess you're really famous when everyone knows you by just one name. I already took a photo of Jim Morrison's grave on my previous post; so while we walked by, I refrained.

Though I couldn't help but take another photo of this one.

We got back to the apartment in the 7th a bit pooped. It was a pretty damp and cold day. So, we decided to head up two blocks to Restaurant Dong Phat. Some pho sounded like just the thing. The menu is rather small; the seating tight, the two young ladies working fairly nice.

The place was quite busy and it seemed like most of the folks really liked the shrimp chips?????

The Missus went with the Pho Tai and I went with the Pho Sate.

Man, these folks love their sauces….from the cup of Hoisin to the jar of chili sauce; folks on other tables were just dumping it into their soup. Also, notice that mint seems to be a standard herb for pho 'round these parts.

This was a pretty small portion for over ten Euros. It was pretty weak and bland….no wonder folks were dumping all of that stuff into their pho. Just a few slices of rare beef; decent fat, but on the tough side and very squeaky beef balls. The Banh Pho used were really wide and undercooked.

The Missus fared no better with her cloudy, bland, beef ball filled bowl.

I'd read good things about this place and with the history of the French in Vietnam, I thought that would be one cuisine that would be excellent in Paris. Well, this made it "oh-for-one".

Dong Phat
10 rue Malar
75007 Paris, France

Well, at least I was fairly certain dinner was going to be good…..

Thanks for stopping by!