Today when we went to have cappuccino at Lorenza's place, we asked her if there is a restaurant in Todi where we could get an 'American breakfast' of eggs, ham etc. Not that we don't adore her cornetti, but we have started missing our protein breakfasts. Apparently, however, there is no such place. I guess it's bad enough that we actually sit down to drink our coffee and to linger over our rolls since most all Italians just stop in, stand at the bar, gulp down their coffee, finish off their pastry in three bites and Ciao, they are on their way.
Since the housekeeper was coming today, we needed to go somewhere in spite of a questionable weather forecast, so we decided to head out towards Montefalco since the drive along that ridge was so pretty when we were wine tasting last week. It was overcast this morning so the views were not as photogenic but they are still striking. To compare wine growing areas, the Napa Valley in California is gorgeous too but that's a relatively narrow valley while Tuscany and Umbria go on forever
and ever
and ever.
Anyway we drove out to Montefalco and then headed into the little town square. Pretty quiet on a rainy morning but we stopped into the local version of a Starbucks - in as much as they had couches and overstuffed chairs for sitting in when I just told you that Italians don't sit to drink coffee. But we had another cappuccino because it's also a quirky reality here in Italy that it often costs less to buy a cappuccino in order to use the establishment's toilet than it costs to just use a toilet elsewhere. I.E. it can cost more to 'dispose' of your cappuccino than it costs to buy a cappuccino. So we enjoyed another round in the cozy warmth of the coffee shop and counted our blessings that we weren't one of the bikers we saw in the piazza or in the large, damp and bedraggled group we passed on our way into town who were touring Italy on Vespas! (Bet that sounded like a great idea at the time.)
Then as we were heading back to Todi for lunch, the sun came out. So we parked the car and high-tailed it up the hill to our little favorite restaurant to see if the garden terrace was open for lunch. And it was. And the sun was shining. And it was warm and beautiful. And just to prove it was ever so, we asked the folks from San Francisco who were eating at the next table to take our photo.
Look, Ma, no coats, no sweaters, no scarves, no hats, no layers!
(It rained later, of course, but I'm stopping here while I'm ahead.)
Since the housekeeper was coming today, we needed to go somewhere in spite of a questionable weather forecast, so we decided to head out towards Montefalco since the drive along that ridge was so pretty when we were wine tasting last week. It was overcast this morning so the views were not as photogenic but they are still striking. To compare wine growing areas, the Napa Valley in California is gorgeous too but that's a relatively narrow valley while Tuscany and Umbria go on forever
and ever
and ever.
Anyway we drove out to Montefalco and then headed into the little town square. Pretty quiet on a rainy morning but we stopped into the local version of a Starbucks - in as much as they had couches and overstuffed chairs for sitting in when I just told you that Italians don't sit to drink coffee. But we had another cappuccino because it's also a quirky reality here in Italy that it often costs less to buy a cappuccino in order to use the establishment's toilet than it costs to just use a toilet elsewhere. I.E. it can cost more to 'dispose' of your cappuccino than it costs to buy a cappuccino. So we enjoyed another round in the cozy warmth of the coffee shop and counted our blessings that we weren't one of the bikers we saw in the piazza or in the large, damp and bedraggled group we passed on our way into town who were touring Italy on Vespas! (Bet that sounded like a great idea at the time.)
Then as we were heading back to Todi for lunch, the sun came out. So we parked the car and high-tailed it up the hill to our little favorite restaurant to see if the garden terrace was open for lunch. And it was. And the sun was shining. And it was warm and beautiful. And just to prove it was ever so, we asked the folks from San Francisco who were eating at the next table to take our photo.
Look, Ma, no coats, no sweaters, no scarves, no hats, no layers!
(It rained later, of course, but I'm stopping here while I'm ahead.)
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