papa kao wanted something light so we took him to the new whole foods @ park lane after their first time visit to wm w/ us. the midtown location is supposedly the biggest in texas w/ abounding choices... we cooled off with dessert at lena's italian ice, which we discovered the day before, after direly missing daily (or bi-daily, tri-daily?) gelato. their stuff is homemade w/ real fruit, much like in italy (though the owner told us he was greek :D). they've got this unique treat called "gelati" which are their "water ices" mixed with custard, almost dreamsicle-sque... like a mix of sorbet + froyo. so, so, so, SO good! and generous cups, too.
papa ong received text wishes. didn't get to send something in time w/ g's first two book signings keeping us busy. so it's the ong authors first mention here. like father, like daughter-in-law. :) dad's released 1st early this year -- over 30 years of experience & research in management consulting, followed by g's -- over 12 years of wondering and wandering in wistfulness. haha.
we bless our fathers, but above all our Father. who are we to be called His sons and daughters? yet we are, unrightly so...
it's ironic to need rest from vacations... good trip but pretty exhausting, especially after missing a connecting flight and getting stranded at LGA for one night. us airways, never again. watching ny characters at odd hours while fading in and out of sleep, holding tight our luggage is an experience to remember! :P
some highlights...
rome: gulliver's b&b and awesome hostess maria; ancient rome: colosseum, roman forum, palatine hill; pantheon; piazza navona & artists; infamous tre scalini bar for tartufo, the world renowned "death by (dark!) chocolate" gelato; tossing the coin @ trevi fountain; setting the precedence of gelato n times a day (!); spanish steps and pink john keats house; old bridge gelato (our fave in rome) and mandarin-speaking (or learning) italian dude; vatican/museum & glorious sistine chapel - left w/ crick-ed necks for staring so long; trastevere; campo de'fiori & mkt (nice vendors who stayed opened for us); froufrou giolitti; via sannio mkt; san crispino gelato; ponte sant'angelo to castel sant'angelo (tomb/castle/prison/papal apts w/ sweeping rooftop views of the city); awe-inspiring st. peter's basilica (two trips -- so much to drink in); risking an unstamped eurrail pass to florence (prayed for 2 hours straight!); funny babu on return trip before flight back home; shopping & people-watching shoppers (fobs mad-dashing for brands)
florence: arrive 11:00pm to our grandma for the next three days: marcella rabatti who welcomed us w/ hugs and kisses on both cheecks; cappuccinos (for y); galleria dell'accademia -- david, another marveling masterpiece; SCORE -- happens to be gelato festival of firenze for entire weekend(!); demo by gelato university (yes, there IS such a thing) w/ free triple-mounded cups; "acquapublic" stands w/ free gassy water (for g); duomo & 463-step climb for up-close looks at the dome's interior; giotti's tower (campanile) and ghiberti's intricate bronze door baptistery; orsanmichele church; ponte vechio w/ italian guitarist serenading while watching the sunset over the arno river; tiramisu from ritzy rivoire cafe; street drumming; the singaporean family at the atm machine; more cappuccinos; mercato centrale and san lorenzo mkts; japanese lady yuki who befriended us; uffizi gallery -- crazy lines we got to bypass w/ reserved tix; straw mkt & porcellino the wild boar; l'antico trippaio tripe sandwich (y); much calamari/octupi/squidy stuff (g); pitti palace; kansas mom; santa croce church (galileo & michelangelo's tombs); lady magdalena's underground handmade jewelry shoppe (two visits for gifts); university of tampa italian professor @ train station while reserving venice tix; following our tradition of eating chinky once @ chinatown resto; medici chapels; harrod's like gilli's (w/o the hicks, jokes y); almost missing our train for "gelsi" at last gelato stop in firenze
venice: no cars!; palazzo hotel; off-the-beaten path wandering and meandering; stumble upon a vintage benefit store w/ rare one-of-a-kind finds; gondolas, traghetti, speed boats, water buses; chat qui rit & cute cat mascot; rialto bridge & mkt; campanile; st. mark's square; more crazy queuing for st. mark's basilica; doge's (palazzo ducale); bridge of sighs (to prison cells); strict dress code enforcement for churches (no bare arms or short shorts); san giorgio maggiore island (church & ride up bell tower for panorama of venice and the canal); grom gelato; walk into an "italian crazy dance" night & asked to dance w/ them (hehe); island of murano and amazing glass-blowing; la boutique del gelato for final, final i.c. before heading home
... kinda good to be home, minus the 30 degree jump in temps (almost melted @ our first cars & coffee outing) ... and def refreshing to be back @ church on sunday. :)
