20 years ago today…

I hung out with my mom’s friend Karen, waiting for a call from the hospital.

Karen gave me a brunette Barbie doll, and I thought that was awesome.

But it wasn’t as awesome as the blue-green scrubs that said “Big Sister” on the back.

It wasn’t as awesome as the moment when mom came wheeling out of some big hospital room on a bed, with dad following close behind in matching blue-green scrubs, carrying a bundle of blankets.

It wasn’t as awesome as when that bundle of blankets turned out to be a baby.

And it certainly wasn’t as awesome as when that baby was put into my arms and I was told, “Jenny, this is your new little brother.”

“This is Eric.”

Dad was the first man I loved, but you were the first boy.

Getting you as my brother was the best gift I’ve ever received.

From the moment you were born we’ve had a special connection. A six-year age difference didn’t faze us in the least. We laughed together, played together and cried together.

Some of my friends were annoyed with their pesky little brothers.

I wanted to hang out with mine all the time. It helped that you were really cute.

And the best part was that you seemed to like me a lot, too.

We’ve been through a lot. YOU’VE been through a lot. I am so proud of you, not only because of the wonderful man you’re becoming but also because of the sweet and caring boy you’ve always been.

You are the best gift I’ve ever received.

Better than that brunette Barbie doll by far.

I can’t believe you’re now 20 years old, but I’m excited to see what the next 20 years will bring.

Happy birthday, little bro.

Abrazos,

Your big sis

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there!

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend and doing all of the things you love most. Yesterday the original Korducki foursome tore up the golf course. Mama Bender snapped a quick picture of Papa Bender and the “kids” before we started. It was a beautiful day in Arizona.

It was a great day for golf, too. I had three birdies – can’t remember the last time that happened – but the shot of the day went to baby bro, who nailed his second shot on a par 5 to land within a couple feet of the hole. Needless to say, he tapped that one in for eagle.

We had a great time out there and today Bobby is getting in on the action. He’s hoping to get an eagle, too. There is a lot to celebrate around Father’s Day – not only are we blessed with the world’s greatest dad (might be biased) but my brother turns 20 (I’m still in shock) on Monday. That’s another story for another post!

Today I just want to thank Papa Bender for always instilling in me the drive to do my best in everything I take on in work and life. His endless support and advice over the years means more to me than he knows, and I am so lucky to be his daughter.

Not to mention he does a pretty mean polka.

Thanks for leading by example for 26 years, Papa Bender. What happened prior to that I can’t account for, but I’m sure you were a pretty good guy before becoming a father, too. After all, you did snag an awesome lady while wearing these shorts.

I love you and your pun-tastic jokes so much! Thank you for being our #1 dad!

Abrazos,

Previous recaps:

• Day One – Paris via London
• Day Two – Versailles and the Latin Quarter
• Day Three – Four Corners, Four Views of Paris
• Day Four – Naples, Pompeii and Sorrento
• Day Five – Sorrento
• Day Six – Rome
• Day Seven – Vatican City, Rome and Trastevere
• Day Eight – Pisa and Florence
• Day Nine – In A Firenze-y Over Florence

It makes me a little – OK, a lot – sad that this will be my last post about Europe (for now, I hope!). Every day, every location brought something new and special. Barcelona was no exception!

Our stay at the NH Calderón was fantastic. We arrived at night but I snapped this picture the following morning. It was by far the most modern hotel of the trip.

The room was spacious even at the most basic level they offered.

Prices were reasonable, too. I’d highly recommend staying here based on its “niceness” and its proximity to all the action. We were steps away from Plaça de Catalunya, a major meeting point for the city’s most important streets and avenues – including La Rambla.

One of the things I’d heard many times about Spain during Spanish classes in high school and college – and from friends who studied abroad – is that the people there eat late and stay out even later. This post pretty much sums it up. Bobby and I actually tried to visit a discotheque (dance club) the night we arrived. It was a beautiful ballroom called La Paloma that was more than a century old, and the guidebook sang its praises. Unfortunately the hotel staff informed us that it had been closed down, so we settled for a midnight walk around La Rambla instead.

We woke up bright and early on our last day in Europe, got ready and went in search of breakfast. Our first tour was scheduled for 10:00, which made the search more problematic as most places didn’t open until 9:00 and we had a long walk ahead of us. Starbucks was the exception.

I sort of love the alternate spelling of “Jenn.” I think maybe I’ll use “Jhen” every once in a while just for fun. We grabbed coffee (me) and egg sandwiches to go and headed northeast toward the breathtaking, the beautiful La Sagrada Família. Even the cranes can’t take away from its grandeur.

The story of La Sagrada Família is a fascinating one. It is the masterpiece of Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí. Before coming to Barcelona I had never heard of Gaudí, and upon leaving I wanted to know everything about him (see if I can convince you of the same by the end of this post).

At the time of his death in 1926, the church was less than one quarter complete. That’s it! Construction progressed slowly after that and only just passed the midpoint in 2010. Gaudí’s successors have done an incredible job of bringing his vision to life based on the drawings and teachings he left them, but they also want to make sure they get it right. They anticipate the church will be completed in 2026 to mark the anniversary of his death. This is why it’s impossible to get a picture without those cranes in the background!

Many people have said that there is absolutely no church like it anywhere in the world, and I would have to agree. A look at this small portion of the front door (both doors are designed this way) gives you a hint at what sets La Sagrada Família apart.

Our adventure began with an elevator ride to the top of one of the spires in the Nativity Tower.

Ultimately there will be 18 of these spires in all – there are currently eight that correspond to four apostles at the Nativity façade and four apostles at the Passion façade. The Glory façade is the third and final grand façade of the church, and it is yet to be completed. It will face south, while the Nativity and Passion façades face east and west, respectively.

The views looking east were incredible. Barcelona is beautiful.

You see those white doves and green leaves in the left side of the picture? They are part of the Tree of Life, and one of the many reasons why the Nativity façade is my favorite. It is full of ornate sculptures and colorful designs like this one.

You aren’t going to find many churches with fruit-inspired spire tops. Gaudí’s work can best be described as Gothic naturalism that transforms nature on buildings and other structures.

I felt like I was in another world.

We continued walking along the Nativity façade, taking in the exterior of windows that would look completely different from the inside of the church.

As we walked down the staircase leading to the bottom of the spire, there were several balconies along the way where you could stop and look out – or up, in this case. The Tree of Life looks completely different from this angle, doesn’t it?

Barcelona does, too. This sculpture gives you a preview of the ornateness of the Nativity façade.

When we reached the foot of the stairs, we looked back from where we came and saw this gorgeousness. If it isn’t already obvious, La Sagrada Família was a favorite site from the trip.

So let’s talk about those façades! I’ve already showed you the Passion façade – it’s the one we first came to on our walk, facing west toward the setting sun. In contrast to the Nativity façade it is very plain, with a lot of bare stone. It’s meant to be harsh as it represents the Passion of Christ.

The Nativity façade is dedicated to the birth of Jesus and, as I mentioned, faces east toward the rising sun. There is no better way to describe the look and feel of its design than melted candle wax. I have no idea how they managed to achieve this effect but it is fantastic. The façade is decorated with scenes meant to be reminiscent of elements of life. It is divided into three porticos that each represent a theological virtue – hope, faith and charity.

It’s truly something you have to see in person to fully appreciate, but the pictures give you a glimpse.

There are those fruit spires again! Everything comes back to nature on this side of the church.

The Glory façade is set to be the most intricate and striking of them all. Construction began on it in 2002, and although you can’t see much of it yet, we were able to get a look at the door. Ultimately the Glory façade will serve as the main entrance, and in the center of all that bronze is the entire text of Paternoster (the Our Father, or Lord’s Prayer) in Catalan. On either side of the prayer is the phrase, “Give us this day our daily bread” in fifty different languages.

Once we had finished ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the outside, we headed indoors. We truly didn’t think it could get any more impressive, but it did. One look at the stained glass windows and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported into a kaleidoscope.

Then there were the columns. True to his love of nature, Gaudí designed them to look like trees and branches leading up to the ceiling. I think he achieved this feeling quite well, to say the least.

The ovals with pictures and text are symbols of the four gospel evangelists.

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: there is truly nothing like this church.

Even the altar is unique. I should also note that Gaudí’s tomb is in the crypt below it.

We left La Sagrada Família in awe, promising ourselves a return trip in 13 years.

Last but not least was the school that Gaudí designed for the sons of men working on the church. It’s not a large building by any means, but even something so tiny by comparison is considered a work of architectural greatness. He truly had his own style.

Our time at La Sagrada Família may have been over, but the Gaudí journey was only beginning. We decided to check out a few of his other buildings, along with the works of other architects that have been preserved on Barcelona streets. First we arrived at Casa Batlló (right) and Casa Amatller (left).

The former was completed by Gaudí in 1906 and is the centerpiece of the so-called “Block of Discord.” It glimmers in the sunlight with colorful ceramics and is thought to be a representation of the legend of Saint George and his dragon. The curved roof and blue-green scales are like a dragon’s back. We didn’t go inside, but I’ve heard that it is equally spectacular.

Casa Amatller was designed by the architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, a contemporary of Gaudí, in 1900. It also has a ceramics-covered façade, as well as beautiful stone and ironwork.

From there we headed north to see La Pedrera, which is thought by many to be the ultimate representation of the modernista movement. The name means “Stone Quarry,” and this one was also done by Gaudí. It was opened in 1907.

I loved the wavy shape of the limestone, another nod to nature.

We headed back south to visit Casa Lleó Morera, the final member of the “Block of Discord.” It was built in 1905 by Lluís Domènech i Montaner and is now home to an upscale leather-goods store.

The intricacy of the stone work on all of these buildings truly captivated me.

At this point we’d worked up quite an appetite, so we decided to stop for lunch at a tapas restaurant called Cerveseria Catalana. We took advantage of the warm weather by sitting outside, which was also perfect for people watching.

The restaurant had an extensive beer menu with selections from several countries, but we decided to go local and ordered a pair of Estrella Damms, a Catalan pilsener. They really hit the spot.

We shared a couple of tapas to start. The asparagus and mushroom combination was fantastic, with the perfect amount of marinade and flavor coated on each.

But it was the “bravas” potatoes that won us over with their spicy tomato and aioli topping.

We each also ordered a flauta, or mini-sized sandwich. Mine consisted of grilled pork loin with Roquefort cheese, and it was incredible. We couldn’t have asked for a better meal!

After lunch, we made our way down Rambla de Catalunya until we reached the plaza just south of our hotel. We enjoyed the fountains for a bit before heading still further south on the most popular street in Barcelona: La Rambla.

This street is busy no matter the time of day. There are sidewalks along the outside and one major pedestrian thoroughfare in the center, full of small shops, local artists and performers. And apparently, plenty of pickpockets, though we luckily had no problems while we were in town.

We veered off La Rambla into La Boqueria, Europe’s largest public market and a foodie paradise.

We wandered along the more than 300 stalls, checking out the various offerings from the vendors.

There was literally a shop for everything you can imagine.

Healthy, fresh foods galore. But of course my eye went straight to the “fresh candy.”

I mean, you can see why. There were SO. MANY. OPTIONS.

Bobby had to reel me in, but we left with a bag of goodies that I wished would last forever.

Fresh candy in tow, we made our way down to the end of La Rambla and the pier!

There was a wonderful walkway along the pier toward Barceloneta, a neighborhood that has become popular in recent years – especially after the 1992 Summer Olympics – due to the large number of restaurants and attractions.

We knew we were headed in the right direction when we spotted this sign offering “Kisses & Fun.”

By this time a few rain clouds had rolled in, but that didn’t stop us from walking the beach!

We snapped a few hilarious photo sequences of each other, but got a nice one of us, too.

Our main objectives were to walk the beach and find the restaurant we’d be dining at for dinner later that evening. Once both missions were accomplished, we said goodbye to the Mediterranean for a while and headed back into the Latin Quarter of the city. After visiting La Sagrada Família, the Catedral de Barcelona looked very traditional, indeed.

Still, it was beautiful outside and in with its massive archways and chandeliers.

Next we visited the Plaça de Ramon Berenguer el Gran, home of one of the largest surviving sections of the second Roman wall that dates to the 4th century A.D.

Rising above the wall is the 14th-century Palau Reial Major (Royal Palace), Santa Agata chapel and a Gothic tower. These were better viewed from Plaça del Rei, which is where the Catholic Monarchs are said to have received Columbus upon his return from the New World in 1493.

Next we saw the Temple d’Augustus, which basically consists of three Corinthian columns that are the best preserved relics of the Roman city. They are a bit off the beaten path and surrounded by another building these days, but still in pretty good shape all things considered.

We continued to explore, passing a bridge of carved stone over Carrer del Bisbe…

…and a random building with a gorgeous exterior that was hosting another market in its courtyard.

Before we wanted it to, the sun was beginning to set on our time in Barcelona. We headed back toward the beach, passing the monument to Christopher Columbus as we walked.

The lobster sculpture in the photo below was one of our favorite art pieces along the pier.

Finally we made it back to Can Majó for dinner.

Our waitress brought out bread and olives to start. The tomato paste on the bread was awesome.

Bobby and I decided to order cava over sangria, after hearing that it was the more authentic Spanish drink of choice. We shared a bottle of Sumarroca. The white sparkling wine was the perfect way to celebrate an unforgettable vacation.

For dinner we chose the shellfish paella marinera, and we weren’t disappointed.

It was warm, hearty and full of flavor. Between the two of us we demolished the pan!

As if we hadn’t done enough walking already, we decided to take one last stroll up La Rambla instead of riding the metro back to our hotel. We got a better look at Christopher Columbus in the spotlight on our way back. But there was one more Barcelona adventure we had to experience…

Bobby had heard that there was a fútbol game between FC Barcelona and Mallorca, and being the soccer fanatic that he is we decided it might be fun to visit a pub and watch the game with locals.

We ordered a pair of San Miguels, another Spanish beer option, and watched as FC Barcelona dominated Mallorca 5-0. It wasn’t the most exciting game, but it was still a lot of fun.

We had such an amazing time together on this trip and although it was exhausting (self-inflicted), we’d relive it over and over again if we could. Thankfully, these blog posts will help us do just that.

Until next time…

Abrazos,

Last night’s meeting of Reading Between the Wines was so much fun! Between the circus-themed goodies provided by Shanley (our hostess) and the Bacardi favors provided by Nicole (more on that in a bit), we had a great time. Oh, and the book discussion was fun, too.

I actually read The Night Circus at the end of last year and loved it, so it was nice to have a refresher when the book was chosen for this month’s meeting. Shanley did an amazing job with the main food items. You can see the delicious Barnum’s Animal Crackers in the photo above, which brought with them a trip down memory lane. She also prepared two types of popcorn, crescent dogs and pretzel bites. It was like being front and center at the concession stand inside the big top – so cool!

Emily brought us an appetizer of delicious deviled eggs…

…and Ari brought some yummy chips and dip. It was a great spread.

For dessert, Sheena brought us gelato from Dolce Vita!

I couldn’t resist having some of each flavor: strawberry, vanilla, espresso and creme brulee (if I remember correctly). All four were amazing, especially when combined!

As for the drinks – I was in charge of the wine, but ultimately it was Nicole’s Bacardi cocktail that stole the show! The company had supplied her with coupons, muddlers, visors and recipe books for all of us. And the cucumber-cilantro drink was delicious.

Ari and I tried out the visors. I may have to wear mine to my next golf round!

With plates in hands and visors on heads, we sat down to chat about The Night Circus.

In Short

This book is centered on Le Cirque des Rêves, a circus that arrives without warning and is only open at night. In the midst of all the crowd excitement and amazing performances, a duel is underway between two young magicians named Celia and Marco. They have been trained since childhood for this purpose, Celia by her magician father – Prospero the Enchanter – and Marco by the mysterious “man in the grey suit.” Unfortunately, this is a competition in which only one magician can come out victorious, which becomes problematic when Celia and Marco fall in love. The fate of the entire circus and everyone involved is in their hands. Read this book if you’re a fan of stories about magic, of course, but also if you want to be taken on a journey to an incredibly creative and well-plotted world that will stretch your imagination in unexpected ways.

The Details

What I appreciated most about this book is the level of detail that Erin Morgenstern puts into describing the circus. Although much of what astounds the attendees of Le Cirque des Rêves couldn’t happen in real life, you will want it to (though I guess I’d settle for an awesome movie). The book spans decades and oceans, which can at first feel confusing as it jumps forward and backward in both years and locations. But once you’re oriented with the characters, it gets easier.

Another aspect of the book that I enjoyed was the supporting characters, who each seemed to have colorful and imaginative stories of their own. There are the twins, Widget and Poppet, who were born and raised in the circus. There’s Chandresh, the circus owner, and Bailey, an ordinary boy who is entranced by the circus and finds a way to sneak in during the daytime. There’s Herr Friedrick Thiessen, a clockmaker who makes several important contributions to the circus. And there’s the feud beneath the surface of Celia and Marco’s fierce competition – the one between their trainers, Prospero (aka Hector Bowen) and Alexander. I love when an author is able to get me interested in more than just the main storyline, and Erin Morgenstern does this brilliantly.

This is the kind of book that you can’t read in a day (at least for me), not because it didn’t grab my attention enough, but because it really deserves to be read carefully and with attention to detail. It’s a complicated story from start to finish and if you miss an important piece along the way, it’s easy to get lost. But I think that’s part of its charm, and if you’re up for the challenge you will definitely be rewarded by the time you reach the last page.

Have you read The Night Circus? If so, what did you think?

I also realized that I have yet to review last month’s book club pick, so expect that later this week! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Any big plans for the first week of June?

Abrazos,

Previous recaps:

• Day One – Paris via London
• Day Two – Versailles and the Latin Quarter
• Day Three – Four Corners, Four Views of Paris
• Day Four – Naples, Pompeii and Sorrento
• Day Five – Sorrento
• Day Six – Rome
• Day Seven – Vatican City, Rome and Trastevere
• Day Eight – Pisa and Florence

It’s hard to believe there are only two cities left to talk about from our European adventure, but I’ve really been enjoying the reminiscing and hope you are finding it interesting, too!

On our second to last day of vacation, we woke up at the Hotel Globus in Florence and headed downstairs for our final complimentary breakfast of the trip.

The selection at this hotel wasn’t as large as the others in Italy, but it was no less delicious. I decided to have a Nutella-topped croissant with a side of sliced ham and cheese…

…plus one more cappuccino for good measure.

After breakfast, we checked out of the hotel but left our bags at the front desk to begin our full day of Florentine exploration. Our first stop? The Accademia Gallery, home to the infamous and impressive David. Everyone who recommended seeing David prior to our trip promised that we would be amazed by just how massive the sculpture is in person, and they were right! Once we entered the museum, we turned a corner and our eyes were immediately drawn to the end of the hall where this 17-foot tall Michelangelo masterpiece is housed.

David is a true symbol of the Renaissance. Michelangelo was commissioned to sculpt him for the Duomo in 1501. Originally the statue was supposed to stand on the roof of the giant red dome of the cathedral, but ultimately it was decided that he would be placed at the entrance of the town hall (Palazzo Vecchio, which we visited later). He stood there for 350 years, during which time he sustained weather damage and also a broken arm during a riot in 1527. In 1873, the original statue was replaced with a copy and moved to this museum for preservation.

Seeing David in person really makes it clear just how much talent and work goes into sculpting. Combined with the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter’s, I’d say Michelangelo deserves all the praise and respect he’s given and then some! We had a chance to thank his bronze portrait bust.

We also viewed several of his unfinished works. It was cool to see the figures emerging from the stone, but not quite completed. Several of them were called “the prisoners.” There was the “awakening prisoner” who looks to be stretching…

…and the “young prisoner” who buries his face in his arm.

There was also an unfinished sculpture of St. Matthew…

…and the “bearded prisoner,” who is the most finished of them all.

We also saw the unfinished Palestrina Pietà, which was originally thought to be done by Michelangelo but has since been considered a creation from his followers. All of the sculptures were by far the highlights of our time at the gallery.

Following our morning trip to the museum, we headed back to the Duomo for a daytime visit.

I know I said this before, but I truly can’t get over how beautiful the exteriors are!

We decided to climb the 414 steps of Giotto’s Campanile instead of the dome because we’d heard that you could get the same views with a lot less crowds in the stairwells. For someone a little squeamish over heights and small spaces, this ended up being great.

Plus, by climbing the bell tower we had an actual view of the dome from high up!

The red roofs of Florence were positively breathtaking, even as it began to rain.

Once we were back on ground level, we decided to venture inside the cathedral. Our Rick Steves podcast had mentioned it was nothing too exciting, and I have to admit it was pretty bare compared to the other churches we’d seen.

Still, the Duomo is one of my all-time favorite sites from our trip, inside and out.

We continued our Renaissance tour with a walk down the pedestrian-only Via dei Calzaiuoli, Florence’s main street for oh, at least a few thousand years. It connects the religious center – Duomo – with the political center - Piazza della Signoria and the Palazzo Vecchio.

The latter was the city hall – in the 1400s it was where the city council met, but it later became the Medici’s personal palace. You can see the replica of David guarding the door in the picture above, which is where the original once stood. A bench tossed out of the window of the palace during the riot in 1527 is what caused his arm to break.

In the courtyard of the palace are statues and ornately decorated walls and columns.

To the right of the Palazzo Vecchio is an area called the Loggia dei Lanzi, which is full of statues.

And to the left of the Palazzo Vecchio is a Fountain of Neptune sculpted by Bartolomeo Ammannati.

We continued our walk until we had reached the Arno River and the Ponte Vecchio. This old bridge is lined with shops and has been around since Roman times. The stores used to be inhabited by traders and merchants but are now completely upscale with expensive gold and silver boutiques.

But what we found most interesting about the Ponte Vecchio is that it was the only bridge spared during World War II and the German retreat in 1944. While the rest of the bridges were completely destroyed, the commander decided to leave the Ponte Vecchio impassable but intact.

Once we had crossed over the bridge into Oltrarno (essentially Florence’s version of Rome’s Trastevere), we made our way to Trattoria Borgo Antico for a late lunch – our last full Italian meal!

The waiter immediately brought us a basket of bread and olives, which were very tasty.

We decided to live it up and order one final house wine – this time in a carafe made for two.

Bobby ordered a prosciutto e funghi pizza that consisted of tomato sauce, mozzarella, ham and mushrooms. He shared one of his pieces with me and it was awesome.

I decided to branch out with a calzoni, which turned out to be massive!

But again, so delicious. My filling was essentially the same as Bobby’s pizza, but it was cool to try out the puffy calzone crust. It was definitely different from what I’ve had in the U.S.

We needed all the fuel we could get for the hike to Piazzale Michelangelo, another must-do on our list in Florence. The walk begins with a slight uphill followed by a set of seemingly endless stairs.

The view from the top made it all worth it. Hello, Duomo! Hello, Ponte and Palazzo Vecchio!

Hello, Italian countryside meets city. It was absolutely gorgeous.

We could have spent the rest of the day gazing from Piazzale Michelangelo but it was getting late and our flight to Barcelona was leaving in a few hours. We decided to head back across the bridge and grab one last bite of Italian gelato, this time from well-recommended Vivoli.

The options were numerous, but I decided to stick with dark chocolate, vanilla and hazelnut.

We enjoyed our gelato al fresco before making our way back to the Hotel Globus and our beloved Fiat. After stuffing our bags back into the trunk, it was time for one last drive – hallelujah!

Of course, that task proved easier said than done. The hotel concierge was super helpful and said it would be “simple,” which we immediately took to mean “challenging” given our previous history. As it turns out, getting to the airport itself was a breeze – but finding the rental car return was a lot harder. Thanks to some guesswork and a bit of luck, we picked the right turn (in more ways than one) at a fork in the road, saving us a trip back into the city. The full relief we felt after putting the Fiat in park for the final time cannot be described in words. Arrivederci!

Italy, we love you, but we will likely take trains and planes on our next trip.

Soon enough, we had boarded our Vueling flight and were headed west across the Mediterranean. It was bittersweet to land in Barcelona, but we couldn’t wait to see what this bustling city had in store.

Abrazos,

1. Yesterday was Mama and Papa Bender’s 32nd wedding anniversary! It’s always fun to look back at old pictures of them. They are a truly wonderful example of what it means to love fully, embrace the importance of family and – perhaps most important of all – don’t take life too seriously.

2. I had the chance to see The Great Gatsby last weekend and it was everything I had hoped for and more after gushing over the trailers for months. It seems as though the reactions to the movie – and the soundtrack in particular – are mixed. People either love it or hate it with not much room in between. I’m in the “love” camp but that may stem from the fact that I really like all the artists on the soundtrack. I admit that there were moments where it was a bit bizarre to combine the modern music styles with the 1920s era, but overall I was a fan.

I also thought the actors and actresses were outstanding. I’m not always the biggest fan of Tobey Maguire but I thought he rocked it as Nick, and Leonardo DiCaprio is just Leonardo DiCaprio. He’s been my favorite since Titanic. Have you seen Gatsby yet?

3. Right before we went to see Gatsby, a group of us grabbed dinner at Grimaldi’s – appropriate since they are famous for their New York-style pizza. It was everybody’s first time there and we were all super impressed! You start with a base pizza that is either cheese and sauce, cheese and garlic or cheese and pesto, then add whatever toppings you like to it. Bobby and I went with the cheese and sauce pizza topped with tomatoes, mushrooms and sausage.

The result was fantastic, especially when served with the “house wine.” You can probably imagine how excited I was to find out that “house wine” does exist outside of Europe – and it was just as cheap and fantastic as it is there!

4. This workweek was made a bit more exciting when Jill came to town for a couple of days! We visited 32 Shea for a day just like last time and their Vienna coffee syrup still knocked my socks off. I really want to recreate this coffee at home.

5. Last night I went with a group of lovely ladies to Cowboy Ciao for Arizona Restaurant Week. In fact, it was many of the same ladies from our ARW trip to Cheuvront back in the fall. We had a great time chatting and the food was truly awesome.

I started out with the “Nuts About Scallops,” which was sea scallops crusted in corn nuts and seared with heirloom tomatoes and risotto. It comes with a Ciao “trail mix” made with Asiago, pepitas and dried black currants, as well as a pesto buttermilk dressing. YUM! For my entrée I chose the “Pig ‘n Puddin,’” which was pulled barbecue pork over creamy soft polenta with pepitas and dried cranberries. And for dessert I had a banana, peanut butter and chocolate upside-down cake.

Words truly can’t describe how delicious it all was and I left knowing I’d be back sooner rather than later! We snapped a quick group shot, too. From left to right (including front and back rows): Sheena, Megan, Ari, Nicole, Kristi, Emily, Robin and me.

6. One cause I’m definitely getting behind this week is in support of my friend Karla and her upcoming Million Dollar Marathon! To celebrate her 26th birthday, Karla is taking on 26.2 miles in a cross-country relay. If you’re interested in donating to her cause, you can do so directly or through buying one of her awesome new t-shirts. The money raised will be split between Above & Beyond Cancer, Livestrong and American Cancer Society. Check out more in her blog post.

7. Last but not least, I’m getting my decor ready for Memorial Day. Bobby’s parents will be coming into town for the long weekend. I think we may check out bull riding at the Buffalo Chip, go on a hike and see the Benders, among other things.

Hope everyone has a great long weekend! What are your Memorial Day Plans?

Abrazos,

Previous recaps:

• Day One – Paris via London
• Day Two – Versailles and the Latin Quarter
• Day Three – Four Corners, Four Views of Paris
• Day Four – Naples, Pompeii and Sorrento
• Day Five – Sorrento
• Day Six – Rome
• Day Seven – Vatican City, Rome and Trastevere

On our eighth morning in Europe, we checked out of Hotel Napoleon in Rome and made our way back into our friendly Fiat for the next driving leg of the trip. Before we left the city completely, though, we decided to visit one of the catacombs just outside of the town center.

Originally we were going to visit San Callisto, but passed it while driving one way down the Appian Way (one of the earliest Roman roads). We decided that instead of attempting to circle back (still a little sensitive to that whole getting lost thing) we’d check out San Sebastian instead.

I’m so glad we did! San Sebastian is a great deal smaller than San Callisto, but that made the entire tour experience more intimate. Although we weren’t able to take pictures down in the catacombs themselves, I snapped one just outside in a hall filled with pieces from the tombs.

The catacombs were created because Christian citizens of Rome were not allowed to bury their dead inside the city walls. Unlike the pagans who preferred cremation, they decided to head just outside the city to dig miles and miles of tomb-lined tunnels underground. The bodies were wrapped in linen and put into these tombs – you can imagine how great it must have smelled down there. Still, it’s pretty amazing that with such a dizzying maze of nearly dark tombs, people were able to find their specific family member’s plot and bring relics, gifts and more to those laid to rest.

Once we had finished our tour, we hopped back in the car and made our way further down the Appian Way to get back to the main road and the highway to Pisa. And then…

 Source

Do you see above how the nice paved road at the back of the photo suddenly changes to what can only be described as a disaster for car wheels? Yeah. We did, too. We weren’t sure what to do when we came to this new, uh, pavement, but since we saw a car parked on it in the distance we figured it must be safe to drive on. I can now say with certainty that it wasn’t. Our poor little Fiat was bumping around like an ancient chariot, and we thought for sure that a wheel was going to pop on us any minute. I guess there’s a reason why so many axles used to break back then!

Although in the moment it was terrifying, we can now look back and laugh. We can officially say that we drove on the original stones of the Appian Way and thanks to Bobby’s careful driving, we were able to turn around relatively quickly and make it back to the nicely paved road. As a bonus, there was a small tour group standing in the road and pointing at us as we passed them by again. I didn’t really appreciate it as it was happening, but thank you, sirs, for laughing at our expense!

Once we could breathe again, we followed our directions and were able to get on the right highway toward Pisa. The drive was roughly three and a half hours, so we passed the time by listening to Italian radio stations and playing road games. It began to rain just as we reached the Tuscany region, but that didn’t stop us from checking out the Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), home of the Baptistry of St. John, the Duomo (cathedral) and, of course, the Leaning Tower of Pisa!

The other buildings were great, but the main draw was that crazy bell tower. Look at that lean!

The Leaning Tower of Pisa was built in three stages starting in 1173. It first began to lean during the construction process, when it was discovered to be built on a weak foundation.

We couldn’t leave without doing what we could to hold the tower up. Did you know there is a continuous line of people there every hour of the day to make sure it stays standing? Here’s Bobby using all his strength at the base of the tower.

I went for a more mid-level support. It was a Pisa cake.

OK, so the whole “holding up the tower” thing is a lame joke. But I’m not kidding about the continuous line of people taking pictures just like ours. It’s a must-do when in Pisa.

After our brief detour, we got back in the car to make the one-hour drive from Pisa to Florence. Well, at least it should have been a one-hour drive. The driving powers that be had it in for us again once we arrived in the city. Although we had printed and digital maps on our side, there was just no finding Via San Antonino. I could see it on the map but it refused to show itself on the street. We must have circled the same area at least five or six times. It was starting to get dark and there were people walking everywhere, making it difficult to navigate some of the narrower streets.

Finally Bobby and I decided that I should get out of the car and ask a different hotel if they could point us in the right direction. Fortunately, the lady at the front desk was super nice and helpful. When I asked her where the Hotel Globus was, she said it was “one block down.”

Great! I asked her how we could get there by driving, and she looked at me like I was crazy.

“Hotel Globus is on a pedestrian-only street,” she said.

Oh. Turns out, the reason we couldn’t find the street to turn on was because there was no street to turn on – for a car, at least. I quickly ran down the pedestrian-only block and turned the corner onto Via San Antonino. Victory!!

The staff at Hotel Globus laughed (with me, not at me) as I retold the tale. They quickly checked me in and told me where we could park nearby. I sprinted back to Bobby, who by this time was looking ready to leap from the car, and we made a few quick turns to arrive at a parking garage we had already passed several times that evening. What a trip.

We were so grateful to finally make it to our hotel room that we could even overlook the fact that it was two twin beds. It was fine for the one night we stayed at Hotel Globus, but we would clarify that if we were to stay there again.

We quickly threw down our things and made our way toward the dinner reservations that we were running late for. Fortunately, the staff at Acqua al 2 (another tip from Hannah and also from Sammy – thanks ladies!) were very accommodating and still had room for us when we arrived.

Good thing, too, since this place was FANTASTIC! We started out with bread served with bean dip and fresh tomatoes, realizing early on that we’d need a bread refill.

We also ordered the – what else? – house wine, which was yet another winner.

For my entrée I chose the blueberry steak, which I had heard so much about. You need only look at the sauce in the picture below to get an idea for how amazing this was. I had no idea that blueberry and steak went together so well, but they are definitely a new favorite pairing.

Bobby chose the chicken with porcini mushrooms, which came with another amazing gravy sauce. We each took plenty of bites from both plates. It was a wonderful first meal in Florence.

After dinner, we appreciated our first night in Florence all the more with a walk by the candy-colored Duomo, which was right near our hotel. From the moment I saw it, I could appreciate the huge red dome of the cathedral and the pink and green marble design throughout the cathedral, bell tower and baptistry. It became and remains one of my top sights from the whole trip.

I also loved how quiet it was in this area. Even with a lot of tourists still out and about, the fact that most of the roads near the Duomo are pedestrian-only make it that much more peaceful. Perhaps there is something to that whole “no car” thing. When you aren’t driving in one, that is!

We went to bed with the true glamor and awe of Florence awaiting us in the morning.

Abrazos,

Previous recaps:

• Day One – Paris via London
• Day Two – Versailles and the Latin Quarter
• Day Three – Four Corners, Four Views of Paris
• Day Four – Naples, Pompeii and Sorrento
• Day Five – Sorrento
• Day Six – Rome

Following our wine happy trip to the Trevi Fountain, we returned to the hotel and promptly fell asleep in preparation for a big day of walking. We began the next morning with a complimentary breakfast – almost all hotels in Italy seemed to have them – from Hotel Napoleon. I decided to go with the scrambled eggs, sausage and a sweet bread made with chocolate chips.

Plus a cappuccino. Just as I suspected, it was as tasty as the ones I’d had in Sorrento.

Following breakfast, we hopped on the metro train that was literally steps from our hotel and took it from our stop, Vittorio Emanuele, toward Vatican City. And just like that, we were in another country. I purchased tickets to the Vatican Museum in advance, which made entering a breeze.

We decided to make our way toward the Sistine Chapel right away, but had no idea how many rooms there were between the starting point and the chapel itself. They were so unique that we took our time exploring each one. The ceilings alone were enough reason to stop and look up.

The room above is called the Gallery of Maps and contains a series of painted topographical maps of Italy along its walls. The maps were based on drawings by friar and geographer Ignazio Danti.

The rooms also had a lot of relics, books and artifacts preserved by the Vatican.

It was truly gorgeous and a treat to see the work done by artists such as Raphael. It made me appreciate the grandeur of what was to come even more. Finally, we arrived at the Sistine Chapel!

Technically my picture is contraband, but I honestly did not see the signs banning photography until one of the guards came and pointed it out to me. And there was no flash, so no ceilings were harmed. We sat inside the chapel for almost half an hour listening to our podcast and learning more about the different depictions. I left with so much respect for Michelangelo. Did you know that he actually painted the ceiling standing up, rather than on his back as some sources claim?

He was literally arching his back and reaching up with his arm all day for those brush strokes and would often end up with paint in his eye. It takes a certain level of dedication – and craziness – to do that over a period of four years!

After exiting the chapel, we went down a funky spiral staircase that was designed in 1932.

We walked along the wall of the city until we reached Saint Peter’s Square. The loud cheers and large crowd told us that something was going on – and suddenly Pope Francis appeared on the television screens! Turns out we had arrived just in time for his weekly audience. You can see him sitting down directly in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, looking out at all of us.

Although we weren’t sure what was being said, it was fun to watch the crowd go wild. There were a lot of women – appropriate since we later learned this particular audience discussed the “fundamental” value of women in the Church – and a lot of Argentinian flags!

I took a short video at the end of the audience. Originally I thought it was Pope Francis who was leading the group in song, but it was brought to my attention by Hil that that may not have been the case because he really doesn’t sing. Still very cool. You can view his entire talk here.

Since St. Peter’s Basilica was closed while the audience was finishing up, we decided to grab some lunch and come back a little later. We walked along the Tiber, taking in the gorgeous day.

We passed by the Castel Sant’Angelo, which was once the tallest building in Rome.

Our lunch destination was Pastificio, a delicious homemade pasta shop that offers generous portions for a mere four euros. Every day there is a line, and they sell until the food runs out.

You can eat at one of the small tables inside or take your lunch to-go. We opted for the latter, knowing that there was a prime seating area less than a block away: the Spanish Steps!

We found our place among the tourists and pigeons, enjoying our pasta while taking in the scenery. I went with a cheesy variety that had thick penne noodles and a peppery seasoning.

Once we had finished lunch, we continued our climb to the top of the stairs…

…and looked backward at Rome.

We decided to continue walking down Viale Gabriele D’Annunzio toward the Villa Borghese gardens. The overview of Rome from this angle was truly impressive and made us realize just how far we’d hiked already – and the day was only half over!

As for the gardens? Serene, peaceful, beautiful – I would use pretty much every positive adjective to describe them. Busts of notable Italian figures line the walking paths, and as we could tell by the many families who were there, it was a great place for kids to run around.

We strolled for a bit, then found a park bench in the sun to relax on for a while.

It was so warm and comfortable with the sun beaming down on us that Bobby fell asleep! I nearly did, too, but thoughts of pickpockets kept me conscious. In all seriousness, our time inside Villa Borghese was another top highlight of the trip.

From Villa Borghese we walked through Piazza del Popolo, a large urban square that was apparently the site of public executions up until 1826. I loved how vast it was.

We decided to head back over to Saint Peter’s Square, but had to make a pit stop along the way when I saw “fresh candy” in the window! If you’re wondering what in the world fresh candy might be…that’s a good question. It’s a bit of an oxymoron, but hear me out.

Bobby was a bit confused when I used the term, but I suppose in my head I meant that it was the kind of candy that sits in bins that you’re able to select yourself, rather than the bagged candy that has already been prepackaged and sealed. Whether that makes candy “fresh” or not is debatable, but it became a running joke for the rest of the trip. We picked up some yummy blackberries and raspberries (Erica, I seem to recall you being a fan of these, too).

And we picked up some of the prepackaged stuff – these were called “puro frutto” and were hard candies filled with pureed fruit pulp including apricot, cherry, plum, blackberry, raspberry and peach.

Snacks in hand, we made our way back to St. Peter’s Basilica and its large bronze doors. The center door dates from 1450 and is considered the first Renaissance work in Rome.

The door furthest right is called the “Holy Door,” and is opened only during the Holy Year (every 25 years, on Christmas eve). The last time it was opened was in 2000. The Pope strikes the wall three times with a silver hammer and the door opens, welcoming pilgrims to pass through.

Once inside, we took in the grand view of the nave (central hallway). Pictures can’t do justice to how massive St. Peter’s Basilica is! Even the exterior doesn’t give it away. The inside is truly impressive – my camera seemed to think so, too, as there was a halo effect in almost every picture.

The golden dove window at the far end was two football fields away from where we were standing.

The bronze canopy over the altar is seven stories tall, and the church covers six acres.

The dome of St. Peter’s is higher than a football field on end – 430 feet from floor to top. Michelangelo began working on the dome in 1546. When he died nearly 20 years later, he’d completed only the drum of the dome, which is the cylindrical base up to the windows. The next generation of architects used his blueprints to finish the masterpiece.

The altar and its bronze canopy – Bernini’s Baldacchino – were truly spectacular. Roughly 23 feet below the marble floor at this spot is the tomb of St. Peter, the foundation upon which the church was built. The main altar is used only when the pope says Mass.

There was so much to see and learn about. We also got a glimpse of Michelangelo’s Pietà.

After covering every corner, we headed back to Rome for a gelato break. My friend Hannah had recommended checking out La Gelateria Frigidarium, which in addition to offering a plethora of flavors will also dip your cup in white or dark chocolate.

I ended up going with the dark chocolate dip over vanilla, strawberry and caramel. Perfection.

Thanks for the great tip, Hannah! With our sweet teeth satiated, we had enough energy for one final exploratory adventure around the neighborhood of Trastevere.

We began by crossing the Ponte Cestio onto Isola Tiberina. During times of plagues and epidemics, the sick were isolated here. Today the island has a public hospital favored by women for childbirth.

Once we had crossed over the bridge we visited Chiesa di San Benedetto in Piscinula, a square famous for its church bell tower. Dating from 1069, it’s the oldest working bell tower in the city.

I loved the greenery on the exterior of all the buildings. Trastevere is a very quiet neighborhood with a lot fewer tourists, so you get the feeling that you’re seeing how the people of Rome really live.

We passed under a low arch, which is how these buildings were connected in medieval times.

We also saw a school from the Mussolini era.

The Church of St. Cecilia was eclectic with its mismatched columns recycled from pagan temples and a medieval bell tower with an 18th-century facade. The church is dedicated to Cecilia, patron saint of musicians and singers, which makes it popular for weddings.

We also visited the heart of the neighborhood, Piazza di Santa Maria. The Basilica of Our Lady in Trastevere is considered the first church dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

The portico is decorated with ancient fragments carved with Christian symbolism.

Our dinner reservations were right around the corner at Ai Bozzi Da Giovanni, a recommendation from Danielle (thank you!). We arrived a little early but they seated us right away.

We started out with – can you guess? – the house wine, which came in a bottle this time. Phew.

It was once again delicious and reasonably priced. I wish they had house wines here!

For my entrée I chose a seafood risotto, which was warm, rich and hearty.

Bobby went with a lobster seafood pasta, which turned out to be crab instead of lobster, but he still enjoyed it. We soaked up the chance to sit and reflect on another busy but very fun day.

We crossed the Tiber heading back to the hotel with St. Peter’s dome looming in the distance.

Our time in Rome was almost over, but there were still a few surprises in store for us before we said goodbye completely. After all, we had to drive again in the morning…

Abrazos,

Thank you all for the birthday wishes last week! They capped off a pretty spectacular day that was followed by an equally wonderful Mother’s Day weekend in St. Louis.

Being able to spend the holiday with Mama Bender is always a treat. Since Mother’s Day usually falls on or close to my birthday, it’s an extra reminder that I have this amazing woman to thank for giving me life – and so much happiness. Love you, Mama B.

We shared a lot of laughs over the weekend, both with each other and with our family. On Sunday we took my Grandma Gige to a Cardinals game (she is a diehard – and I mean diehard – fan) with my Aunt Diane. The stadium gave all the women special red hats to celebrate. Don’t we look stylish?

I also had the chance to see my cousin Lisa’s daughter, Morgan. We had a blast at the park and played several games of chase where she’d yell, “Run! Run!” before coming after us all, giggling nonstop. It was awesome.

I was also treated to a delicious birthday dinner at Brio last week. My date was sharply dressed.

Brio remains one of my all-time favorite Italian restaurants. Their bread alone can win you over.

Their chopped salads are also amazing. You can order them as a side with any meal.

For my entrée, I went with the Penne Mediterranean, a pasta dish served with mushrooms, spinach, sundried tomatoes, caramelized onions, Feta, pine nuts and a light vegetable broth.

For dessert, the waiter said he’d bring out any of their “dolchinos” as a complimentary treat. I decided to try the cheesecake, which is layered in a small glass with berry compote, cheesecake crust, and cream cheese icing, then topped with a sprig of mint and a raspberry. It was fantastic!

We both left with happy bellies…

…that were made even happier when presented with candy! Bobby knows me well.

Hope you all are having a great week so far. Can’t believe the month of May is half over already!

What did you do for Mother’s Day weekend?

Abrazos,

(Me and my Dzia Dzia on our 1st and 60th birthdays. He celebrates his 85th birthday on May 12!)

Leave it to the history nerd to look up these facts about May 9 through the ages.

On this day in…

1502 – Columbus left Spain on his fourth and final trip to New World.
1573 – Polish Parliament selects Duke of Anjou as king (hurray, Poland).
1753 – King Louis XV disbands French parliament.
1754 – First newspaper cartoon in America of severed snake entitled “Join, or Die.”
1785 – British inventor Joseph Bramah patents beer-pump handle (very important).
1887 – Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show opens in London.
1899 – Lawn mower patented (Papa Bender will appreciate this one).
1914 – President Woodrow Wilson proclaims the first Mother’s Day.
1936 – First KLM airplane to land on Bonaire.
1956 – First ascent of Manaslu, the world’s eighth-highest mountain.
1962 – Beatles sign their first contract with EMI Parlophone.
1969 – BPAA All-Star Bowling Tournament won by Billy Hardwick.
1976 – Sally Little wins LPGA Ladies Masters at Moss Creek Golf Tournament (cool!).
1982 – Sally Little wins LPGA United Virginia Bank Golf Classic (doubly cool!).
1984 – Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers play 8:06 based game, the longest timed.
1987 – Mama Bender says, “Finally!” (or something like that) at 8:07 a.m. in Lake Forest, IL.
1992 – Final episode of “Golden Girls” airs on NBC-TV (sad).
1993 – Meg Mallon wins LPGA Sara Lee Golf Classic (excellent).
1994 – South Africa’s newly elected parliament chooses Nelson Mandela to be president.
2005 – The Huffington Post is launched.
2008 – Weird-looking Cheese Danish pancakes made, first “21-year-old” mojito consumed.
2009 – One of the best weeks of my life – a birthday and an engagement!
2010 – Many a Papa Bender special enjoyed during a visit to Arizona.
2011 – Fantastic day courtesy of Jill, fantastic night courtesy of Bobby.
2012 – My last celebration as a Chicago resident.
2013 – Plenty of fun in Arizona so far – but this year from our own house as residents!

OK. Those last few are definitely not historically relevant. But it’s still fun to take a look back.

It remains to be seen what the next year will bring. I have no doubt that a lot will change – it always does – but one thing that I know will stay the same is the love and appreciation I have for my family, friends and all of you who make this day so special. Thank you.

“Another year over, and a new one just begun!”

Abrazos,