Agriturismo

Food and then more food and then even more food. That pretty much sums up my day....throw in some splashes of wine...more wine...some laughter..new people..new culture..and that about sums it all up. Days like today are why I am here. I really enjoyed today. Jenn, the blonde haired girl in the photos, invited me to spend the day with her Italian boyfriend and all of his friends. They were all couples, very cute couples and also Sarah and Stephen are a couple that work at the school.
We all met in Noverasco and then carpooled from there. It was about an hour drive through the country. An Agriturismo is somewhat like a winery. Except that the people here grow and make all of their own food as well. So not only did they make all of their own wine and have a label, but they make pasta and risotto from scratch. Butcher their own meats and even create their own cheeses. The flavors that I had today were quite unexplainable. The food that I have been eating in Milan and around is something that I will always cherish when I move back to the states. I look at pictures of myself and am beginning to look like a balloon...but I cannot say no the flavors that I am experiencing.
The old lady in the photo owns the place. Her son helps her out. People from all over the world make reservations for places like this. It was funny because for some reason the lady chose to continuously talk to me and I am the one in the group that knows the least of Italian. Here's how it began. First wine...red or white rosso or bianco. The wine flows throughout the entire meal before, during and after. Then whenever you go to Italian you have two types of water Frizzante or Naturale. We began with several spreads and bread. The spreads varied from olive, lard, to onions...it was a little bit gross. The bread was homeade. Then all of the meats came out. Here in Italy, you have dozens of choices of sausages,priscioutto, etc. After that we had homeade divine pasta. Then risotto, then another type of pasta, then another type of risotto. No joke. At this point I was stuffed. Then we had a salad. Then some weird duck. Then some more meat (cow meat with I can't remember what's it called.) After that, we had a gold sweet dessert wine. Then a berry cobbler. Then she brought out more homeade bread with various marmalade dessert spreads. The after that Tiramisou. After that a shot called Grapa and then coffee..................unbelievable!
All of the food is served family style. Jenn teaches second grade and has become a good friend. There are so many people here....I really like Jenn. She's from Florida and this is her last year here on her contract. However she lives with her Italian boyfriend Fabio, who is also very nice. He brought his friends. One couple was very cute. They are actually from Paris, living in Italy and speak Italian,French and English. We all had a good time communicating. It is soooooooooo funny. Italians associate Seattle with "music". Nirvanna, Pearl Jam...all of it. Fortunately......I was able to see all of those bands but think it is so funny that they associate me with that. Serriously.
Sarah and Stephen also came. Sarah was my very first contact online when I was looking into the job. She is VERY nice. She is a kindergarten teacher and has done International Schools all over. She is engaged to Stephen whom she met while teaching in the Bahamas. Stephen honestly holds the school in his hands. He is the network computer guy and more or less runs it all. The school would be lost without him.
I had such a good time and really enjoyed myself. Started to feel the "single" thing abit. Ihave been very happy being single and not dating at all. It frees up so many feelings and drama. Sometimes I think I can think clearer when I do not have a man in my life. I did start to want one this afternoon though. It was funny because I got up to go the bathroom and this guy kinda followed me.............HOT handsome Italian man. He held the bathroom door for me and then turned around and kissed me. Not like some big kiss.. He introduced himself to me Fabio and then I tried to talk to him and we couldn't communicate. So we both laughed ..I explained I was from America.then I went to the bathroom. I went back to my table and told Jenn about it and was like.............now is it normal for strangers to kiss you............Italians can be very, very, very cold and then veryyyyy friendly and the men are almost feminine. Jen was like..........no Laura.....why would he kiss you before going to the bathroom...........we cracked up for a bit. And that was it.
One thing that I am learning is that I want a man that will complement me. Someone who will travel and enjoy meeting new people..but that it won't be completely about him. Balance. I have this weird feeling that I will be single for awhile and I am o.k. with it. Usually I jump from relationship to relationship and it has been quite sometime since I have been involved in one. Maybe because Iam so afraid of being hurt and let down or maybe it's because I really just want to figure my self out without the drama of men. I don't know ......actually I don't know how much longer I can go being single. We shall see.
I would like to go more of these Agriturismos.....maybe with some friends or family that will fly out and visit me..........