Around the World in Reality: Milan, Italy

Four years ago, we took our first intercontinental trip to Barcelona. It was a work trip to ITMA 2019, the world’s largest textile and garment technology exhibition, which happens every four years. ITMA was in Milan this year, and I was excited to visit. In 2019, we didn’t extend our trip, but this time, we did. I’m excited to share part one of a four-part series capturing our summer European adventure. First up, Milan.

Travel Day – Wednesday, June 7

We headed to the airport on Wednesday evening, prepared for our two-week European adventure. One of my colleagues gave me a three-month trial to CLEAR, so we flew through security. We got to the gate, and it was business as usual. We boarded our first leg to CDG and made our way to our seats in Delta Comfort Plus, a great experience we’ve grown accustomed to.

Day 1 – Thursday, June 8

HIGHLIGHTS: Slice Milano

After a short seven-hour flight, we landed at CDG. It was hectic, and I was nervous we would miss our connecting flight. Luckily, we got through after about 30 minutes in line. We had a few minutes and stopped by the Air France lounge. I’m glad we did because I had one of the best croissants ever. I still regret not taking one to go.

After devouring my croissant, we proceeded to our gate and boarded our flight to Milan, which was just about an hour. Upon reaching Milan, we took a quick Uber ride to the lovely Lancaster Hotel. Though it wasn’t too close to the attractions, it was central to where we needed to be for the week. Checking in was a breeze, and we soon found ourselves in our room. The room was small, but that didn’t come as a surprise. However, the bathroom was extra small and a bit tough to navigate. Nonetheless, we were able to make it work. 

We were super hungry, so we decided to do what anyone else would do when coming to Italy – get pizza! We walked a short distance to Slice Pizza, a hip little pizza shop. First things first, I ordered an Aperol spritz. It was a right of passage; I rate it a solid nine. There were many unique pizza options, but we eventually selected the Four Maggie and the Linguire. The Four Maggie had organic tomatoes and four different types of cheese, mozzarella, scamorza, burrata, and gorgonzola. I loved the cheese overland and rated it a 9. Donnell enjoyed it as well and rated it an 8. The Lingure had organic tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, pine nuts, basil pesto, and olives. It was a solid choice. I rated it an 8.5, and Donnell rated it an 8. Both slices were VERY filling. After our pizza feast, we returned to the hotel and began attempting to adjust to the new time zone.

Day 2 – Friday, June 9

HIGHLIGHTS: Su Garden and Altrimenti Mixology Art

Friday morning began with breakfast at the hotel. One thing I did notice was the amount of carbs available for breakfast. Bread was everywhere! It was tough to deny.

We got ready for the day and headed to catch the metro to Fiero Milano. We purchased the ten rides ticket, which was a great decision. Because ITMA is the largest of its kind, the metros were near capacity. We arrived at Fiero Milano, and it was lunchtime. We didn’t want to leave the venue, so we grabbed this big plant-based cutlet sandwich that we cut in half. I wasn’t expecting much from it, but it was a solid 8.

After a day of work and hosting an alumni event, we joined some incredible young alumni for dinner. I had initially reserved another location, but realizing it was primarily meat-based options, I decided on Su Garden next door, which was a fantastic choice. The reserved lobster, sea bass, and shrimp with mango sauce earned a strong nine from me. We capped off the meal with a few limoncello shots.

After dinner, Donnell and I made our way to the marvelous Altrimenti Mixology Art, a vibrant bar playing a fantastic mix of music. Donnell enjoyed the El Coyote made with mezcal, lime juice, carmelized apple jam, and salt and pepper. I had the Javanise made with bourbon, cognac, pear liqueur, lemon juice, and bitters. For the second round, I had the first stage of the three-stage negroni. Though I’m not a big fan of Negronis, this one proved exceptional, earning a 9.5 on my rating scale. We had a great time at Altrimenti. The music felt like a curated playlist just for us. Our waiter also made our time memorable. He was phenomenal. Overall, Altrimenti Mixology Art was a complete vibe, and it’s a place I would definitely recommend visiting.

Day 3 – Saturday, June 10

HIGHLIGHTS: Cooking Class and Market Tour, Explore the Aromas of Top Italian Wines and Batey Cevicheria

Saturday morning began with breakfast at the hotel before we headed to our cooking class. Mercato Centrale was spacious, making it challenging to locate the meeting spot, but eventually, we found it in the middle of the market. We waited for our classmates and then went to our kitchen on the second floor, the perfect space for our cooking class.

Our first task was to make tiramisu. Previously, I’ve tolerated tiramisu but have yet to really enjoy it. Typically, it’s been just okay for me. However, I came to the class with an open mind that I was hopeful would be changed. The process was more involved than when I made it for Around the World in Quarantine: Italy, so it took some time. We finished our tiramisu and put those in the refrigerator to set.

Next, we made the dough for our ravioli. This part was simple and standard. We let our dough sit and started our tour of the market.

Our chef began with the cheese stall. We tried a few different types and learned about the region of Italy it was from. This cheese was likely the best cheese I’ve ever had. The were all so fresh and delicious. I wish I could’ve brought some home.

Our tour continued, where we learned about everything from pesto to truffles to Italian desserts and seafood. The market was an excellent experience and reminded me of a fresh food hall.

Upon returning, we took our time to flatten the dough and make each ravioli. You may wonder why I’m calling them ravioli and not tortellini. First, my chef said they were ravioli, so I’m calling them ravioli. Second, from what I gather, but I could be wrong, ravioli is more of a general term to describe stuffed pasta.

We finished our ravioli and took a front-row seat to our chef preparing the risotto. He gave us a bottle of vino to share and started to work his magic. I learned risotto should be flatter and denser than the usual mound that we often see. It was fun to watch. Once the chef finished cooking our risotto, he switched to cooking and plating our ravioli. It was absolutely perfect.

The food exceeded my expectations in every way. The flavor, the presentation, the amount. Chef’s kiss! To finish off, we took our tiramisu out and dived in. Though I initially had doubts, it turned out to be perfect. The entire cooking class experience quickly earned an absolute 10 in my book.

Following the unique cooking class, we ventured to another quaint neighborhood on the east side of Milan, where we participated in a unique Airbnb Experience. This class was called the Aromas of Top Italian Wines. Here, a level 3 sommelier taught us how to identify different scents within wine. It was a unique experience that will influence how I enjoy wine moving forward.

For dinner, we headed to Batey Cevicheria for dinner, a cute Peruvian restaurant nearby. Having recently canceled a trip to Peru, I was eager to connect with the flavors of the region. We started with the croquetas de bacalao and the stuffed pringles with prawns, guacamole, black bread rain, and lumpfish row. Both were delicious, but the stuffed pringles were my favorite. I rate the croquetas an 8 and the pringles a 9.5. I enjoyed the classic ceviche and pulpo for my main entree, which I would rate a 9, but only because of the size. Donnell enjoyed the shrimp, but there wasn’t much to the dish, so he ordered a salad for more sustenance. I have a big sweet tooth, so I had a unique mango and pisco parfait that I would rate a 7. Nonetheless, we enjoyed this little bit of Peru in Italy and look forward to visiting Peru soon.

Day 4 – Sunday, June 11

HIGHLIGHTS: PaninoLab Magenta, Nosh, Museo del Novecento, Duomo di Milano and Mediterranea

Sunday arrived, and after breakfast, I returned to Fiero Milano for some work. I’m sure Donnell was grateful for an opportunity to sleep in.

Donnell and I later headed to the PaninoLab Magenta for lunch. This charming restaurant specializes in slim sandwiches. It was quiet on Sunday morning, so we sat on the second floor and enjoyed some TV. Donnell opted for the favela consisting of Fava beans cream, chopped salad, eggplant, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, basil, oil, salt, and pepper for lunch. At the same time, I enjoyed the Nordic consisting of Rye bread, Norwegian smoked salmon, Italian herbs, cream cheese, avocado, oil, lemon, and pepper. Both sandwiches were delicious and surprisingly quite filling. As I wanted something different from the typical Aperol spritz, I tried the Hugo spritz, the best spritz I’ve ever had, deserving a solid 10 on my rating scale.

Upon leaving lunch, I realized we hadn’t tried gelato yet, so we stopped by Nosh, a boutique gelato shop. With all of the unique flavors, I didn’t want to try your typical flavors, so I chose a scoop of lavender gelato and a scoop of rose gelato. They both were divine! I would give the lavender a ten, and the rose a 9.5. Donnell enjoyed the vegan strawberry not pictured, and he said it was good.

We had some time to spare for our tour at the Duomo, so we headed to Museo del Novecento. Over the last few years, I’ve enjoyed spending time at museums, and this one did not disappoint. We enjoyed various unique paintings and exhibits. To cap off our visit, we were able to experience a special exhibition featuring textiles, a perfect way to pass the time before our next tour.

When it was time, we headed over to the Duomo. We were excited to take this unique rooftop tour, allowing us to stroll around the entire top of the cathedral and learn about its history from our knowledgeable tour guide. There is so much history here.

As we were touring the rooftop, an employee opened a door with a great view into the Duomo. I half-jokingly asked if I could come inside, and he said I couldn’t, but he let me get a pretty cool picture.

We finished our tour inside the Duomo. We had to be quiet as mass occurred, but the cathedral was stunning. The gorgeous stained glass windows and the intricate details blew me away.

For dinner, we visited Mediterranea, a place we truly enjoyed. Though it was a bit hard to find, it was worth not giving up on. We decided to sit outside in the covered space near the restaurant and enjoy the nice weather. We started with roasted chickpea hummus which was really for Donnell. We had to the Cecilia and the lagoon polpette for the main entre. Donnell had a power red juice, while I chose kombucha and another Hugo spritz.

One aspect of travel that I enjoy is learning and understanding cultural norms. I was halfway through my spritz before the restaurant closed. The waiter kindly offered me a cup. I was puzzled for a split second and then asked if I could take it with me, and he reassured me it was perfectly fine to do so. He explained how this was acceptable here. Though it was a short exchange, it was a moment of learning and understanding that I appreciated. 

Day 5 – Monday, June 12

HIGHLIGHTS: Castello Sforzesco, Starbucks Reserve, Quore Italiano and Montecristo

Monday marked our final full day in Milan, and I was ecstatic to have a dear friend visit me. We spent time exploring the castle and enjoying each other’s company, but we realized the museum was closed on Mondays. After getting some steps in around the castle, we went around the corner to browse a vintage clothing shop. Nothing caught our eye, so we decided to check out the Starbucks Reserve, where I witnessed the fascinating process of coffee bean roasting. Later, we found a nearby café, QUORE Italiano, where we spent the rest of the morning conversing about life. I’m so grateful to have friends like her that I can pick back up with no matter how much time has passed.

After my final work event of the trip, Donnell and I had dinner at Montecristo, a seafood restaurant offering some of the freshest seafood we’ve ever tasted. The ambiance, with its blue lights, created a whole vibe. We started dinner with the au gratin assorted appetizers, I rate them a solid 8. For my main entree, I enjoyed the lobster pasta, which was absolutely delicious. I would rate it a 10. Donnell chose something equally delightful, but somehow, I didn’t get a photo of it. Also, I had a delicious gin and tonic prepared tableside with a surprising pepper twist. This fantastic meal was a perfect way to end our time in Milano.

Travel Day – Tuesday, June 13

Tuesday marked our departure day, and we had our last breakfast at the hotel. Our wait staff offered us a cappuccino which we decided to try for the first time. My reply was met with amusement as he remarked I was finally becoming a bit Italian. Honestly, I regret not having tried it earlier.

Final Thoughts

Milan was an incredible personal and professional trip. Donnell and I both agree that our favorite activity was the cooking class, and our favorite restaurant was Montecristo. Overall, we both enjoyed our trip to Milan. It was a great start to our European adventure.

Stay tuned for my next blog post on our second stop, Venice!