Some of you might remember Mara, the very simpatica chef who joined us several times with our Northern Italian trips at Poggio Verde. Today Mara and 3 of her friends run MIXMI, a Cafè cum delicatessen cum bakery cum clothing and gift shop that is an extraordinarily nice place to enjoy.
I recently visited Mara at Mixmi for a cappuccino and to see again her delightful mix of Fashion, cafe, food, beauty and flowers.
You can have freshly baked cake with a cappuccino while chatting with a friend. Then you can book a makeup appointment to be ready for your next appointment. The shop offers a wide variety of services, including flower arrangements and bouquets, cafe, hairstyling/blow-drying, massages and makeup.
Mara’s idea is unique and you can see in her eyes her joy and pride of a successful project coming to life… even during a Pandemic!
We had a chat with Vrinda, one of the 6 ladies behind Mixmi. She walked us through the concept of the cafe and what they wanted to achieve.
“Milan is a hectic city – she said – but we wanted to offer people in our neighbourhood a place to relax and feel at home. It’s a very welcoming and home-like environment. People can just come in and enjoy a cup of coffee while working remotely. Especially in this period of time where most people are smart-working, it’s good to have a place where you can work without being all on your own. We wanted to become a well-known place in our neighbourhood, which is usually not that frequented”.
Mara and Rosy are the two minds behind the food area of the Cafe. Mara personally bakes all the patisserie and cakes available, inspired by French cuisine. Chef Rosy is in charge of the main courses offered at the cafe.
“Of course, it goes without saying that the pandemic hit hard on us. We weren’t even in our second year of activity. We had to pause most of our services, like makeup and hairstylist. But we jumped right back and we are now working well with delivery services”.
- Flowers
- Fashion
- Cafe
Everything is small and cozy! Many people turn to them to get help while organising events, like Birthday parties and NYE celebrations. The Mixmi ladies are also active on the cultural side. When it was possible they organised up to 4 events a week, both in Italian and English, spanning from olive oil tasting to History of Art Happy Hour, with an Art Historian. As for the workshops, they cannot be held in person but they found a solution. With Barbara Violi they organised and filmed tutorials to create decoration, with all the material available to purchase at their shop, like a “DIY kit”.
We wish them best for the future! If you happen to be in Milan, paying them a visit would be a good choice!
This is fantastic! It sound like the perfect place we want to be…I’ll fly over and join you!
I remember Mara’s delightful meals and the chocolate eclairs are still clinging to my waist, a very happy memory for me!
Best wishes for continued success with this most unique idea!
Margaret Cain
Columbia, South Carolina
Margaret, I am so glad you mentioned the chocolate eclairs! One of my dreams for this lockdown is to learn how to cook some of those dishes I have always loved but never dared attempt. Now I have the time, this memory makes me want to actually do it!
Warmest wishes
Gretchen
Wish I could be there! It looks amazingly charming!
She has created an amazing space Helen. It’s impressive!
http://www.mixmi.it/galleria/