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While traipsing around with my girlfriend we stumbled on a wonderful bar/pasticcieria. They make superlative frittelle and cornetti/brioche/croissants and best of all, is that they do not care if you sit at the tables all day. Now for two gum-flapping gals, that is a gift from the gods (giggle).
Between espressos and chatting and a frittelle here and there, we managed to burn up a good hour and a half! She just called and wanted me to join her and family for pizza tonight…god what a difficult decision because I am a total lush when it comes to pizza. The problem was, they were not going to leave until 8pm and it is colder than you-know-what right now with a strong north wind blowing (been blowing for the last three days), which has dropped the temp 4 more degrees Celsius. So we are hovering around 1 at night and 3-4 during the day. The thought of getting dressed and having to drive to meet her and gang in the cold, at night, overpowered my pizza desire. So, I made a few trips to the wood pile and have the stufa roaring and made an extra trip to the gas station for diesel and decided to hole up for the rest of the day and evening.
Since I have to leave at “O-dark-thirty” in the morning for my flight, I decided I would be getting up at that un-godly hour to a warm room on my last day (burn that diesel baby)! Tomorrow if it is not as wicked cold as today, which from the weather predictions does not look like a great possibility, then we may go out for lunch to a town where all the “whoop-dee-doos” have little places. You know, the Valentino’s of Italy, the Camilla Parker Bowles…
Ciao, ciao
A step down memory lane to Biffi's of Milano is definitely a treat. This coffee and pastry house is as much a part of the foundations of the city as the Castello Sforzesco. The prices may kill you but the experience is one of a kind.
Taking a little morning refreshment here is something your eyes and taste buds will remember and if you do this seated, which is really the only way to go to get the “full” Biffi experience, the weight of your wallet will be quickly lightened. ;-) The waiters are impeccably dressed; the service is flawless with tables done in the typical Milanese fancy cloths with upholstered chairs and matching cushions and back upholstery on the benches. The colors are relaxing, happy, cozy, and the din from the bar helps add to the ambiance. Upon entering besides the magnificent bar in polished brass and dark wood and Murano chandeliers, there is a nice little freestanding croissant case to grab your attention full of mini croissants filled with jam, cream, chocolate and other wicked things.
Once seated, she could explore the room and delight in the little flat ceramic sugar tray at the table (ceramic fanatic here) as well as, take in the sounds of the patrons; many regulars chatting with the waiters and the bartenders. We ordered cappuccino and two of the little brioche as well as 250ml of water. The cappuccinos were liquid cream on the tongue, the kind you want to take your spoon and scrape the sides! The croissant/brioche were morsels of divinity, fresh and flavorful. The water was brought to the table in the bottle, opened and poured for us into the glasses, such a luxury.
Unfortunately, we had to worry about the car since we did it Italian style by parking in pay for park area but you know how it is, we are just stopping for coffee so why pay? ;-) That meant, we could not spend a nice amount of time seated and 
at the prices they charge, you really should camp in for a while. When we asked for the bill she thought his face was going to fall off; 14,50 Euros for all that fanfare! We laughed while walking to the car and talked about how things have changed over the years (like the prices) knowing that a trip back there would have to be standing at the bar and even then, maybe not for a little while (gotta save up our pennies).
