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Merry Christmas from the Broads!

DO #90: My 'chin-chin' to Chin Chin Labs

Alright, London. Contrary to my previous opinion, you may, in fact, have it all. Today, I visited what appears to be your one and only ice cream shop. And it was out of this world.

Chin Chin Labs is a tiny ice cream laboratory tucked away in Camden Lock. I ventured there by myself today, which is significant because Camden is, well, let's go with eccentric. Let's also say my off-white peacoat and black and white striped dress greatly contrasted with the dreadlocks and nose piercings of the general population. But for the sake of the blog--and ice cream--I made the trip.

This place uses liquid nitrogen to freeze their ice cream, so it's made to order. They pack the ingredients into a mixer and stir it until it reaches the appropriate consistency. Then, they blast it with nitrogen and continue to stir the now-frozen concoction until it is ready to go. I went for the Valrhona chocolate flavor, as that is the same type of chocolate used at my ride or die ice cream location, Sprinkles Ice Cream. I picked the caramelized pretzel topping, which turned out to be a large, caramelized pretzel. Just one. It was kind of a weird display, but delicious nonetheless.

If you can believe it, this place was even more expensive than a scoop of Sprinks' best stuff. In fact, it was more expensive than a Sprinkles cupcake. But it was tasty and creamy and real ice cream and thank goodness I just found it today.

London, you may have an ice cream store (hallelujah), but you are not the good ol' U-S-A. The Broads are feeling particularly homesick as the holidays approach, and in observing a "Happy Christmas" (as the Brits say), we are going on a little hiatus. I promise there are more exciting adventures to come. But until then...

"We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas!"

xoxo, B & C

DO #89: The Best of Newport Beach

Greetings, blog readers! Today, this Broad had an unfortunate #tbt experience in the form of a throwback attack on Facebook from my dear friends from Newport. It's not even Thursday, guys. Their embarrassing photos definitely made me nostalgic, and more cognizant of the things I miss from home. Our time in London is coming to a close, but I think there are a few items of business that need to be taken care of before we hop on a plane at Heathrow.

Namely, ice cream. Sorry people, this may seem less sentimental than missing my friends from home, but this city has an ice cream problem. I can't find it anywhere. I definitely made up for it in the form of gelato on our two trips to Italy, but nothing beats a classic scoop of good, pure, American ice cream.

I went on a Google mission to find an ice cream shop and there were several results. All gelaterias and one nitrogen/techy ice cream place. London, this is my final task for you. I am going to give your take on ice cream a shot tomorrow, and if it's promising, I might come back for another extensive period of time.

I'm obviously exaggerating, but today we started packing up 2B and nothing too exciting happened. And then I realized that I have never dedicated a blog post to ice cream. Or my friends in Newport. So, I guess we're killing two birds with one Tumblr stone?

DO #88: Portobello is more than just a mushroom

The Broads are back in London, and we are trying to finish out our time here with some last minute items of business. Notting Hill--and the Portobello Road Market, specifically--was at the top of our list. Neither of us have seen the famous film, but Notting Hill is a staple in this city. We hopped on the 139 bus and saw the craziness of Oxford Street from the top of the double decker. It was as if all of the people in Times Square had been plopped onto this major shopping street in London. I don't really think "market" is the best word to describe this place. It is essentially miles and miles of one street with little shops and kiosks packed in. It was hectic, but so cool. And all of the houses lining this market are various colors (I promise, pictures will be posted soon). Notting Hill was definitely a more posh area, as it's just minutes away from Hyde Park. However, this market had affordable and expensive items alike. From vintage Burberry to Nutella crepes, this street had everything. So if you have a free day and feel the need for a new food or fashion purchase, check out Portobello Street Market. Unlike the controversial debate over the taste of mushrooms, this Portobello is sure to please everyone.

DO #87: Serial and Cereal Crazes

Remember yesterday's post? My sentences were kind of short, ending abruptly. Or at least more abruptly than usual...kind of like my syntax now. Well, I realized that it's because of NPR's podcast Serial. In this 12 episode podcast, journalist Sarah Koenig investigates the murder of a star high school student. The victim's ex-boyfriend was charged and later convicted of her murder, and has been serving his life sentence since 1999. But, as Koenig expressed, the story is muddled and the evidence is inconclusive. This is kind of tangential to my DOs abroad, but it definitely got me through the many train rides we took in Italia. Oh, and it's the No. 1 podcast in the US and I'm hooked and you all need to listen in. And from potential serial killers to Cereal Killer Cafè, the UK's first cereal restaurant has just touched down in London Town. My foodie friend and HuffPo travel extraordinaire Suzy told me I had to go. I read some articles about it, especially because there had been some criticism from reviewers about their prices. And after a long week of traveling, I thought a bowl of cereal could be good for the soul. I headed to Shoreditch, and almost couldn't find it. There isn't a huge sign or anything, just some small lettering across the front window. But the inside is a completely different story. Cereal bowls have been reconstructed to serve as light fixtures, cereal portraits line the walls and one side is dedicated to displaying their 150 different cereals. Some are vintage, rare and even international. I was missing my Cap 'n Crunch that I always prepared at Kappa, so I went for that. You can get a regular (£2.50) or large (£3.50) bowl and I believe milk is extra. Once my bowl was filled by one friendly staff member, I went down a small winding staircase to their underground dining area. One lady was reading, two friends were chatting and a group of teenagers were planning their night out. It was truly a place for all. And the best part? I sat at the table with a view of two specialty cereal boxes made honoring Will and Kate. That's right people: the Duke and Duchess are among Tony the Tiger and Snap, Crackle and Pop. From the decor to awesome staff to nostalgic treats to THAT PUN, this place is heaven for any cereal lover. In fact, they even have cereal beverages. (Not really sure what that entails, but...) I have two recs today: Serial and cereal. You gotta listen and you gotta go. I'm not kidding. I'm so serial/cereal about this.

Florence

#Florence #italy

Venice

Verona

#verona #italy #romeoandjuliet

A Florentine dream

DO #86: Florence and The (Trenitalia) Machine

Hi guys! Today—despite very unfortunate circumstances regarding the restaurant I have been dreaming of, talking about and obsessing over for the past two years—the Broads and Patrick took a train to Firenze.

Notice my word choice there. “A train.” It wasn’t “our” train. We missed that one by approximately 11 seconds, after sprinting through the Verona train station, almost slipping and falling and even checking elderly Italian women in the process (I’m looking at you, Patrick). We felt slightly demoralized and exhausted after waking up at 6:30 a.m. to catch the most inexpensive route to Florence.

I then proceeded to use my Spanglitalian to unsuccessfully score discounted tickets. “Un (Spanish?) tren (Italian) to (English) Firenze (Italian)?” He promptly responded in English. I officially give up.

"Student discount" I begged. He laughed. Three tickets in first class, for a price. And the next train wasn’t going to arrive for another seven hours. Mom, this is my public apology for the pending credit card statement. It might by ugly.

We finally made it on the train an hour later than planned, and sat comfortably in our swanky seats. Some free drinks and snacks were offered, and we eventually arrived in the glorious city of Florence. My dream for the past three months has been to return to my favorite restaurant in the entire world, il Profeta. Claudio and his wife have the most adorable place and the absolute best food I think I’ve ever had. But sadly, they are closed from December 1 to Christmas Day. Jesus, I love you dearly, but sometimes your birthday clashes with my travel schedule.

Luckily, Patrick’s cousin had been studying in Florence all semester, so she knew some great places. We started our journey at Gusta Pizza. After overhearing countless study abroad students’ conversations and eagerly awaiting our pies, they emerged from an tiled, open fire pizza oven. I got the daily special: cotto (ham), fungi (mushroom), pomodoro (tomato sauce) and mozzarella (you should know this one). It was delicious. Caroline and Patrick got the margherita pizza and only had wonderful things to say about their choices.

Patrick’s cousin also recommended Piazza di Michelangelo, which provided a view of the entire city. After a little uphill hike, we made it to the top. The Ponte Vecchio? Check. The Duomo? Check. A cool synagogue with a turquoise dome? Check. Lovely orange scaffolding? Check. (You gotta love Europe in the off-season, right?)

From there, we ventured to Patrick’s cousin’s favorite gelato shop. Gelateria de Neri did not disappoint. In fact, maybe-probably-lactose-intolerant Caroline got to try out some soy hazelnut gelato. She was in non-dairy heaven.

We ended our time in Florence with a quick stroll through a Christmas market and then a trip to the Duomo. I lit a candle (the second one of the trip) and we were all in awe of the beautiful art and architecture. This beauty exists throughout Europe, but I think Florence is particularly superior. There’s a feeling of tradition, but it has an approachability that is almost incomparable to any other city.

Florence, you’re a beaut. And echoing Caroline’s sentiments about Paris, I think you have my heart. Until we meet again—and Claudio, you better be open for me.

We returned to Verona just as our favorite pizza shop in the Christmas market was closing. I am now certain that this potato and cheese pizza is one of the best things I have ever had. When we were ordering, the kind Italian worker asked where we were from. Then he asked the tough question.

“So, USA or Europe? Be honest.”

I almost immediately responded, “The US,” sort of apologetically cringing. I later explained that I just always feel like a tourist here, and that I wasn’t “cool enough” to fully adapt.

As we walked away with piping hot pizzas in hand, the man yelled good luck and then something I’ll hopefully remember forever (and if not, thank goodness for this blog):

"Be cool."

Ciao, Italia. Thanks for being cool.

Venice ice baby

DO #85: Nice to see ya, Venezia

Hellooo Tumblrers! Let’s talk Venice. Or Venezia—you choose. For a cool 8.55€, the Broads and Patrick scored second class train tickets to Venice.

We hopped off the train and were in awe of Venice’s beauty. Sort of like Italianized, less hectic version of Amsterdam, there are canals and bridges and SUN. I don’t think we have seen the entirety of the sun since we landed in London three months ago. At times, we just stood there, basking in the sun.

As the sun set, however, it definitely got colder. Before daylight photo opportunities were totally lost, we went on a gondola cruise to St. Marco’s Basilica. The ride was glorious. Our gondola driver had the classic red and white striped shirt, whistled and even sang lovely Italian tunes.

It was beyond idyllic—but unfortunately rather expensive. We didn’t eat over the top, sublime things, but for once, I was happy to choose quality of transportation over quality of food.

Venezia was awesome, and I would love to tell you more, but we have an early, crazy day planned tomorrow. With plenty of sites to see and food recommendations in tow, there’s a lot more for the Broads in good ol’ Italia.

Arrivederci!

Verona: Act 2, Scenes 1-8

DO #84: Rain or shine, Verona's divine

Ciao! Welcome to Day 2 of our Veronadventure. Today, as you probably guessed, it rained. But I got a sweet leopard print umbrella from a gypsy and we powered through. Luckily, Verona is very, very small (relatively). It's so easy to walk almost anywhere, and even if you get lost, one right or left turn and a five minute walk will usually get you back on track. We got going a little later than usual (my fault...) and grabbed some brunch before returning to Giulietta's. We didn't want to pay for the museum, as there really isn't much history behind it, so we hung around outside. This place is called Casa di Giulietta because people think--if the story of R + J is real--that she lived there. It was owned by the Cappello family, which people found strikingly similar to Capulet. The house dates back to the 13th century and the well-known balcony was constructed in the 20th century. And whether Shakespeare was being a non-fiction or fiction playwright, his words have certainly had an impact on this city. With letters and notes lining the walls and a bronze (I think...not a metal fiend) statue of the young Giulietta, her little house was cute and romantic. And apparently it's good luck to touch her boob...so we all did that, too. Then, an Italian woman working in one of the shops near the house heard my obnoxious California-slowly-becoming-Chicago accent and asked where I was from. For some reason, this prompted her to give me a freebie: a piece of paper with my name beautifully stitched on it. It was awesome. Have we become the most embarrassing tourists in the history of tourism yet? I think so. After that, we wanted to get out of the rain for a while, so we went back to the apartment to recharge (ourselves and our iPhones, of course). What followed is fairly grim. Apparently, none of the restaurants in Verona open until 7 p.m. Very different than London's early closing times, that's for sure. We went on an hour long trek to find a decent place to eat, ended up getting yelled at and shooed by a chef resistant to opening his restaurant and eager to eat his bowl of pappardelle bolognese and eventually returned to our original destination. By the time we got back, it was 7, so the world (of Veronese food) was our oyster. I didn't get the name, but this place was fantastic. Free bread (not always a thing) and excellent pasta--what more do you really need in life? Caroline and I got tagliatelle e porcini (tagliatelle with mushroom) and Patrick ordered the tortellini con zucca (tortellini with pumpkin). Ours was indescribably delicious and Patrick said each bite tasted like a piece of pumpkin pie inside a pasta casing. Worth the wait? Most definitely. Gelato obviously followed. It was obviously perfect. And so was today--despite the weather. Now it's time for more adventures through Italia, so I need to rest up for tomorrow. Canals and maybe a game of Marco Polo awaits...

Verona: Act 1, Scenes 1-7

DO #83: "In fair Verona, where we lay our scene"

Buona sera and buon natale (almost) readers! The Broads and Patrick have landed in Verona and are in “love.” The Don Draper-worshipping Caroline has requested that I put scare quotes around the word “love” because “Love was invented by guys like [Don Draper] to sell nylons.” On that note, I highly recommend my new TV obsession: Mad Men (available on Netflix).

But back to abroading. Today, we ran through Gatwick to make our 8:30 a.m. flight, cabbed to our apartment in Verona, ate a quick lunch and promptly returned to take a power nap. I also had my first gelato of the trip: a piccolo-sized cone of chocolate/hazelnut. Need I say more?

After a longer-than-expected slumber, we went out to check out the center of town. Our amazing apartment (props to Coco for the find) is minutes away from everything. We stumbled upon a Christmas market that was absolutely adorable AND provided one of the best meals I have ever had.

Santa or “Babbo Natale” was also there, so we got our quintessential Broads, bro ‘n Santa pic. But let’s return to the pizza…

Nestled in the corner of the market/piazza was an open fire pizza oven and some of the most heavenly smells in the world. Caroline and I got the patate e formaggio and Patrick opted for a bacon-y one. It was so hot, so cheesy, so divine and so cheap. €4 for probably the best pizza ever? My life is complete.

After that, we passed by Giulietta’s (or Juliet’s house and saw as much as we could see. Tomorrow we will return for a more extensive view of her place. But the notes, letters and pictures written/taped on the wall and her famous statue were the perfect teasers.

We then wined at a cozy little place and returned to the apartment. There’s something about this city that is beyond comparison to any other one I have visited. It has the charm and history of all the others, but there’s an ease and calmness to the atmosphere that is so nice and very much appreciated. After a few hectic weeks of traveling and finals, I think Verona has offered the ideal venue for a breather. No crowds, no noise, just pure bliss.

Verona, I’m not sure it’s valid to say I “love” you yet, but I’m definitely crushing.

DO #82: Departmental approval

Happy December 14, blog readers! It's not really a holiday, but the Broads kept the holiday spirit going with our Christmas department store crawl. It's kind of a like a pub crawl, but there's no alcohol and a lot of bows, ornaments and crackers.

"Crackers?" you hear yourself asking.

"Yes, crackers," I answer.

When I was first told of these Christmas crackers, I imagined those things you get on the side of a bowl of soup. Then again, my mind always goes to food. But these crackers are cutely packaged gift sets that you have to pop to open. They probably go pretty well with a big bowl of soup, too, I imagine.

Today, we toured the Christmas decorations at Liberty, Hamley's and Harrods. Liberty's entire fourth floor has been converted into a Christmas shop, Hamley's was too hectic to even see the decorations and Harrods had a Christmas grotto and store. There's something about the holidays and London, but man do the Brits know how to do it.

We are heading to Gatwick tomorrow for our final international adventure, and hopefully the holidays will follow us to the land of pasta, pizza and gelato--Mamma Mia, here we go again.

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