Italy: Outside in the piazza, the view from a window

My view of Piazza Plebiscito from the windows of the
Cooking and Wine school in Squinzano, Puglia shows a slice of Italian life.  

For me this is better than viewing a monument, visiting a museum or even a famous building.  The daily life around me while I am Home to Italy is why I return every year for longer trips.



View from the BnB across the square of the Cooking and Wine School

The square was very quiet when our group arrived and all the local residents were either at home having lunch or at work in towns too far away to return for the home cooked meal most Italians grew up enjoying.

After our wonderful lunch and wine tastings at the Cooking and Wine school ,  the square began to come alive.   Several older men started to drift into the square.  Some re-occupied seats that may have been designated 'theirs' for the past 10+ years!   I wonder  if seats are rotated when one of the group moves away or passes on?  Some questions there is no one to ask.



The men of the piazza

I have been told by Italians that the main square or central street becomes the 'living room' where you meet and greet friends and neighbors.   
Some Italian apartments are small so instead of inviting people to your home, you will chat with them in these communal spaces. 
Often you will see large groups out for lunch or dinner on Sunday.   A restaurant is another location where an entire family and friends can meet and enjoy time together.    

The local bar is the gathering place for the entire town.  In the early afternoon there were only men here

The local bar opened and small tables were being set up in the square.  Reading the paper, chatting about any topic and playing cards appeared to be the afternoons agenda.



Tables will move outside soon and the cards would be shuffled

I annoyed this lovely man until I received this great
smile, his friends told me he was in his 80's

Enjoy a cooking class and wine and/or oil tasting class in the Cooking and Wine school created by  Ylenia Sambati, CEO of yltourcongressi.com  info@cookinpuglia.com    info@pgliawineschool.com  

Italy: Only cooking and wine school in Puglia

Cooking and Wine School in Puglia
a new venture with Yltour.com

For the past 15 years
countless travelers have had memorable vacations created by Yltour.  Short or long trips that are crafted to the show you Puglia with a local.
   

No dream vacation is too

difficult for Yle to arrange:  make pasta with a Nonna, bike along the coast of Puglia, visit a local artist...........all you need to do is ask........

Cooking and Wine School in  Puglia

Expanding from the 'cook with a Mamma' program, Ylenia Sambati, CEO of yltourcongressi.com  in Puglia, has opened a cooking and wine school.
info@cookinpuglia.com    info@pgliawineschool.com  
 

Located in the town of Squinzano,  the second floor of the palazzo  Pleblscito resonates with the smells of cooking and happy conversation when Mamma Anna and her young assistant begin to create.

  And the dishes Mamma creates from treasured recipes and  local ingredients made me rethink my concept of Italian food and perhaps I need to join a class this spring.

The second floor 'school' overlooks the piazza.  This is the domain of the men of the village of Squinzano who meet to play cards, sit in the sun and debate the news of the day.

Yle tells me if the windows are open she will have calls from the street 'what are you cooking today?'


Today the table is overloaded with dishes from fish to pasta.   Many of the dishes are vegetarian and surprised everyone who tried them.  As an Italian American I never think of Italian food as 'vegetarian' but
Yle has developed a wide range of exceptional vegetarian dishes that unique to her cooking school. 

Trofie pasta with pesto, pies and fresh tomatoes

"Our wine and oil tasting room is the first of its kind where the most and less celebrated boutique producers making phenomenal wines, are all available to taste" is the description you will find on the webpage.

Vegetarian burgers with eggplants and barley

As part of a group of travel professionals, I spent 3 amazing days exploring Puglia, visiting country estates, private villas and BnB's.  Sampling meals at a variety of restaurants.  Meeting local artists, a olive farm and touring a private palazzo.  

Cured meats and cheeses (il Tagliere)

Bean salad with onions, tuna, evoo

Savory pie with ricotta and spinaches

The Wine School does tastings and offers instructions on how to appreciate the wines of Puglia. 

This is a new concept to bring the two popular topics together.  Yle explains it best:

"A Modern idea of Wine Experience in Puglia: Take a wine appreciation experience at the Puglia Wine School. To join us you don’t have to be a sommelier, a wine expert, or even a wine professional of any sort. 

 Simply enjoy good wine.  Join us and immerse all your senses into actually experiencing all the facets of wine and food appreciation. Small groups are welcome. The tasting room is available to
host private wine and food events. We can accomodate individual casual or tailored tasting experiences. Host your special event with us. 
Interested in booking: contact info@yltourcongressi.com www.pugliawineschool.com"



Your instructor for the wines of Puglia

On your next adventure to Italy be sure to reserve your space in a class at the Cooking and Wine school.


Contact Ylenia Sambati at info@yltourcongressi.com

Don't Drag Your Bag Through Rome

Don't drag that suitcase with you in Rome when you can store it for a day, a week or longer.

Photo from the Bags Free web site

Thanks to a post on the Beehive Blog I found  http://www.cross-pollinate.com/blog/2192/where-to-leave-bags-for-the-day-in-rome/  thank you Steve

                         Bags Free 

 near the Termini train station in Rome

On month long trips I often travel from Northern Italy south to Puglia.   Dragging a large suitcase on and off trains in Italy can be difficult:   the platform is often two steps below the train entrance and large bags will not fit above your seat.

Several Italian train stations still offer baggage storage.    The location in Rome and Florence are convenient to leave a bag and return later during your trip.   In Florence I use Mail Box Etc for weekly storage and for forwarding luggage to my next planned stop.  http://hometoitaly.blogspot.com/2013/04/mailbox-etc-in-florence-italy.html

Now there is another option for storage in Rome.    If you have stood for an hour waiting to leave luggage or pick up a bag at the Termini luggage storage (located in the lower level) you know you have to plan perhaps an extra hour to catch you train.

Bags Free has a location only a few streets from the station.   Their web site (http://www.bags-free.com) has a video showing you how to find the location.     

The staff quickly helps you bring your bag into the store

I left a bag in Rome while I traveled for a week in southern Italy.  My bag was quickly checked in.
There was no line, no waiting.  A plastic lock was attached to the zipper to insure that the bag would not be opened.   Upon my return the pick up process took only minutes.

Additional service:
Bags Free offers a transport service too.  I did not take advantage of this but shall consider using it next time.    Their web site states:

1.  Bags-Free will collect your luggage at the hotel, BnB or private home where you are staying
2.  They will bring the baggage to the storage area
3.  At a scheduled time specified by you, they will deliver the bag to 1. airport, train station, bus station etc

Check the web site for rates or email email them for an estimate of fees.    My 10 day storage was LESS than the train station and far easier to drop off and pick up.

There are plans to expand to other cities.     If you are visiting Brindisi and Lecce and visit the Bags Free let me know!

NOTE:  I personally used this company to ship a bag from Rome to Florence MBect who ships my bag and shopping home to the USA every year.

Please remember:  no one works on the weekend in Italy.  I took my bag to this office on Saturday and was told it would not go out until Monday.  Therefore I did not receive the bag until Tuesday.

Keep this in mind so you have your bag when you need it.

______________________________________________________________________________________

A recent article in Smarter Travel by Ed Perkins described where to store your luggage with LAX storage during an airport layover.   http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/the-best-way-to-store-your-luggage-on-layover.html?id=21112894.

I hope more locations are added for short and long term travelers to leave luggage.


Thanks to Steve at Cross Pollination
"Just read this for a location in Venice:

You're now ready to roam the winding streets and canals of Venice, hands free."

Venice Luggage Deposit
Castello 5496, Calle de la Malvasia
Email: info@veniceluggagedeposit.com
(+39) 041 476 4907; Cell (+39) 320 294 05 00
Hours: 9:30am to 5:30pm (holidays included)

Luggage Storage: 3 Places to Leave Your Bags in Barcelona by Steve