PATRICIA O'NEILL

Adventures in Milan

When my fashionista friend Mary suggested a trip to Milan — the undisputed Fashion Capital of the world — my response was Yes! Now that I’m back, was it worth it? YES a hundred times over. It did not disappoint. Not at all.

Negatives:

• It was very expensive (especially bling, and sitting in people-watching cafes)
• Noisy, because of the tram tracks everywhere, and trams going non-stop
• Difficulty walking over the cobblestone walkways
• The HEAT! Too damn hot for me! I bought a fan and always carried water.
• The Italians speak English like I speak Italian — I don’t!! Learn some Italian before you go.

Positives:

• Everything else…
• Delicious cappuccinos
• Glamour, glitz and FASHION 24/7 like you’ve never before seen!
• Emmanuel Vittoria Centre — the best people-watching mall in the world
• Via Montenapoleone (where all the big name shops are located) — Gucci, Prada, etc.
• La Scala Opera House (Teatro alla scala) the biggest opera house in Europe
• Duomo Cathedral — an oasis of calm with magnificent architecture (cover shoulders)
• Duoma Square — the heart of Milan, in my estimation
• BRERA (the artsy area, and one of my favourite for eating and parading)
• Bastianello Pasticceria, Via Borgogna 5, 20122 Milan — BEST gelato in town!

In fairness, I was only there for a few days. We devoted almost two days to Venice, a day for Verona, and a day for Lake Como, all of which were totally worth the time investment. So, I had to be fast and furious in getting a feel for Milan and the mad Milanesi. It was my third visit to Italy. I was in the North of Italy many years ago, then Roma for my 50th, and now Milan. And it was third time lucky…with the gelato that is. In prior visits I was frustrated, to say the least, that I could not get a decent gelato to satisfy my ever-so-fussy tastebuds. And it happened in the final hour, Hurrah!! I found  ‘The One’ on my last day in Milan. A lot came together in the final day. I found a terrific restaurant which served me the best salad I had eaten in my 8 Italian days. It was aptly named the ‘Victory Milano’, Via Borgogna 5 – 20122 Milano. It heralded Victory for me in the food and gelato department.

Sitting in the cool, sophisticated, and shady VM restaurant, surrounded by suave business people, being perfectly fussed over by immaculately dressed waiters, I spied with my little eye all these gorgeous Armani-clad fellows strolling by, dribbling and licking their gelatos in a way that told me they were ‘special’ (the gelatos I mean). As soon as we finished our lunch I followed them, and lo and behold, they led me to the ‘Harrods’ of Milan, namely Bastianello Pasticerria, Via Borgogna 5, 20122, Milano. Google them and see what I mean. You can only fantasize, I know. Please do not bother with any other gelato shop in Milan. If you want to taste what real gelato tastes like, visit the mama and papa of gelatos, and see what I mean. They have the largest selection in town. The presentation and quality is a Harrods food hall experience without the exhorbitant prices I am happy to say!

Food-wise, unlike other cities in Italy, Milan is not all about the pasta. No. In fact some of Milan’s staple dishes don’t even include pasta. The Milanesi are famous for their ‘Risotto alla Milanese’ which is a yellow-saffron rice. I’m not big into risotto so it was wasted on me. I did, however, enjoy the seafood tagliatelle and stuck with that. I know what I like and am not hugely into experimentation with food. Boring? Perhaps. Since we’re still talking food, did you know it was the Milanesi folk who actually started the ‘Apertivo’, also known as the ‘Happy Hour’? In other words, free finger-food to keep you thirsty so you will drink loads and loads of fine wine and beer. It works. By finger-food I mean olives (the black being tastier than the green ones), tasteless crisps, prawns (in some swish establishments), and various bits and bobs of salty food.

Last but not least: shopping in Milan was expensive. I avoided the generic clothes shops you see everywhere in the world as time was precious, and I wanted to experience ‘The Real-Deal’ fashion experience — just to gawk and educate myself. By golly what pleasure! I did Prada, Armani, Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Massimo Dutti, Louis Vuitton, and Vivienne Westwood, to name but a juicy few. When you enter these pleasure-palaces you are greeted by a host of beautiful shop assistants, mostly gay men (quelle surprise). They give you a polite 2 second lookover from the shoes up. They know in an instant whether you are going to shop or not. Despite my obvious poverty, I found them very pleasant and chatty, unlike similar establishments in Canada. They all have their ‘Sheiks Corner’ at the back of the shop where the Sheiks sit in velvet splendour while their many wives shop til they drop. If you are a Sheik or have won the lotto, personal shoppers will accompany you in stretch limousines to such pleasure domes. Just thought you’d like this bit of useless info.

Last, but not least, do you like soccer? If so, Milan is the place for you. It is home to two of the strongest soccer teams in the Italian League, namely ‘Inter’ and ‘A.C. Milan’. They are soccer krazeeee in this town.

My favourite and abiding memory of Milan is walking around Duoma Square in the cool of the evening, watching all the kids playing and chasing the birds, grown-ups linking each other; people eating gelato, newlyweds all around, everybody happy and smiling and joyful. It would appear nobody goes to bed around here until after 1.00 a.m. I was lining up at 12.45 AM (yes quarter to one in the morning) for a gelato, and kids aged around 7 or 8 were lining up beside me. It wouldn’t happen in Ireland or Canada for that matter!

So there you have it me darlings…some of the things that moved me in Milan!

Love,

Patricia xxx