Author Archives: Fran Gatti

A delightful Cafè in old Milan – Mixmi

Posted on by

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. 

The Entrance to Mixmi

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”. 

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!

 

Packing for Italy – a guide

Posted on by

Visitors are coming back to Italy and we could not be more excited!

Traveling is always a great experience, but the prelude of every journey can be difficult to overcome. Is my suitcase too heavy? Or is it too small? Did I pack everything I need? Will I need sunscreen, it’s September, why would I? And an umbrella? Italy is sunny, I don’t think I’ll need it. 

Packing your suitcase will set the standard for your holiday. If you packed everything right, it will be okay, otherwise things could get problematic. 

So, that’s why we are offering you the ultimate “Packing for Northern Italy” guide.

Climate in Italy is very diverse and the weather in south Italy has almost nothing to do with weather in the center of the peninsula or in the North.

Poggio Verde is located in the area which is known as Brianza, the green lung near Milan. Brianza is very cool, figuratively speaking and literally speaking. We have creeks and rivers, high humidity, a lot of fog in Winter, breazy Spring, windy Fall and hot Summer, with a little bit more breeze in comparison to Milan or cities located in the Po plain. But, the weather here is also unpredictable. The clouds, especially in the lakes’ area, might decide they want to cover up the entire sky in a matter of minutes, and Summer storms happen from time to time.

People in Milan with umbrellas

Better bring an umbrella

Here’s what you should be packing for Northern Italy:

  1. Sunscreen and after-sun cream: Even in Spring, there is still the risk of sunburn, especially when visiting lake areas. Together with sunglasses, these two will be your best allies. If you plan to go hiking or visit some high altitude places, even a sun-protective chapstick could be necessary.
  2. Umbrella and wind jacket: In both Spring and Fall there is the chance of some good rain, and together with wind, the chances of having a rainy day during your visit, cannot be excluded. Pack a portable umbrella and a waterproof jacket to play it safe!
  3. Charger adapter: as you may have heard, Italy uses the Type L plug for most appliances, so be sure to pack an adapter for your chargers.
  4. Layers! Layerable clothes is always the best way to go when travelling, and for Italy is no exception. Be sure to bring a light scarf to protect yourself from the wind. Click here to find average monthly temperatures in nearby Lecco. 
  5. Euro cash and coins. You can change some cash at the airport upon arrival. Credit and debit cards are accepted by most stores but for small purchases, banknotes and coins are handy. One thing most foreign tourists don’t keep in mind is that euro coins are valuable: the €2 is worth $2.30!
Espresso
The reason why you need sunscreen and sunglasses
Use your own charger and a small adapter

Also be mindful of some cultural differences that not all tourists might be aware of.

  1. “Bar” is also the name we use for cafes, where you can have a snack or have breakfast
  2. Ordering a “caffé” or coffee in a bar, will result in an espresso, not an American style coffee. You can also order a “macchiato” (espresso with warmed milk), or a “decaffeinato” (a decaf espresso). For a typical American-style cup of coffee, request an “Americano”. 
  3. Tipping is more and more common in Italy. Servers will not expect a tip but are grateful for a small token of good service.
  4. Please stand on the right side on escalators. Milan is a hectic city, and there is the unspoken rule of standing on the right, leaving enough space on the left for people who are in a hurry.
  5. Avoid independent ATMs, such as Euronet or Cardpoint. They have ridiculously high fees and are scattered all over Milan and other major European cities. Opt for ATMs that are linked to a bank and be safe.

The most important thing you need to bring with you on your trip to Italy is enthusiasm to enjoy our beautiful country the best way possible. 

Brunate – The balcony on the Alps

Posted on by

Shelter-in-place measures have been lifted! We can travel around and enjoy day trips in Italy’s mild summer weather, in one of my favorite places on Earth: Lake Como. After so much time indoors I wanted to spend a day in the open, still respecting the safety measures. So facemask on and hand sanitiser in my bag, I left for Como with the intention of a short day trip.

Sitting right on the shore of Lake Como

Sitting right on the shore of Lake Como

Not even an hour from Poggio Verde, perched on the mountains above lake Como, there’s a little town called Brunate. It is a favorite place around here. The reason why, is that people can reach it by car or by the picturesque Bru-co funicular. “Bruco” in Italian means Caterpillar, but is also a combination of the two words Brunate and Como, the two towns the funicular connects. Funnily enough, in September (when I could not have known what life was about to become) I had gone to Como and bought a ticket to visit Brunate, but due to unforeseen circumstances I couldn’t do it. The end of the lockdown seemed like a perfect occasion to take advantage of my unused ticket!

The Bruco funicular is part of the joy of this experience. The cities of Como and Brunate built it in 1894 to ease movement between the two. The cars, renovated in 2011, still bear the typical colors: lilac going up and red to come down. From the windows one can admire the beautiful landscape opening on the lake as the cars go up. 

The view from the funicular

The view from the funicular

Once we arrived we immediately stopped to take pictures from one of the many viewpoints, which make the town famous. They are so many they grant Bruante the well-deserved name of “balcony of the Alps”. The sun was bright and the Lake shined at the bottom of the valley. What a marvellous view, even though the haze made it difficult to take perfect pictures.

We stopped for a coffee at one of the cafes near the viewpoint and got ready for a short walk. We wanted to enjoy the many art nouveau villas scattered throughout the town. Brunate has more than 20 architectural beauties, varying from art nouveau to Italian eclectic style, packed in just 2 square kilometers of surface (less than 1 square mile). 

Art nouveau Villa
One of the many Brunate Villas
Eclectic style Villa

Another main attraction in Brunate, less easy to reach, is the famous Lighthouse dedicated to Alessandro Volta. He invented the electric battery, and also the reason why Volts are the unit of measure for electic power. The lighthouse sits at the very top of the town and you can reach it on foot (a 30 minutes city hike) or by bus. The view from there is simply beautiful and, when open, it is also possible to climb on top of it, to see the world 100 feet on top of the mountain. The lighthouse is lit every evening and is colored red, green and white to light the Lake nights with the colors of the Italian flag. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic it was not possible to go inside it. I will surely come back one day to climb on top and see the world from above.

View from the Lighthouse belvedere
View on Lake Como

After taking loads of pictures and sitting for a little while under the shade with an ice lolly, we returned to the station. There we waited for the Brucoand returned to Como.

It was almost dinner time, and what better way to end a day trip than with a good restaurant dinner? If you are in Como, we recommend Gretchen’s favourite restaurant there, L’angolo del Silenzio (the corner of silence). Here’s her comment:

“The restaurant is a very low-key place, a typical “Trattoria” run by a family that has been managing this locale for more than three generations. It feels a little bit like going into someone’s home. Not terribly fancy but with food and service that makes you feel like a guest. I always enjoy going to restaurants in Italy where the other diners are not only other foreign visitors, but also “regulars“, members of the local community who return again and again. It is also a pleasure to support a restaurant like this that you know is run by several generations of people dedicated to fine Italian cuisine. In this case they are masters in specialities such as stuffed pasta, local lake fish and almond cake. I highly recommend it!”  

Pictures by: Judith Wencel and S. Bechi

A Golf Week at Poggio Verde Country Villa

Posted on by

The online travel blog Milanostyle.com, has featured an interview with some of our recent guests who came for a one week golf vacation. They stayed with us for 7 days and played 5 of the best golf courses in Milan and at Lake Como while still having time to enjoy gourmet lunches and relaxing by the pool. 

The article talks not only about how  the guests enjoyed the villa, but also touches on the history of golf in Italy and describes the different golf courses they played and the challenges they faced on the greens.

Willem shared his experience saying, “The Villa Poggio Verde was fantastic! It was close to all the courses, apart from Garda which was a longer drive. There was no need to take highways, we took small scenic roads, there’s beautiful scenery there. The atmosphere at the villa was comfortable and of course the surroundings at the villa, the pool and the gardens – it was absolutely spectacular. When we show pictures to friends, they really want to go and see it. It was really authentic and  we could feel the history. I would recommend it for couples or group of friends.”

Excerpt from “An Italy golf vacation in Milan at Poggio Verde Country Villa”

Many thanks to Willem Verloop and his golf buddies for taking the time to be interviewed and for sharing their experience with milanostyle.com!

Read the full article here: https://milanostyle.com/an-italy-golf-vacation-in-milan-at-poggio-verde-country-villa/

Barzanò market day

Posted on by

At Poggio Verde, we look forward to Thursdays, the Barzanò market day. In Piazza Mercato In the center of town, visitors can enjoy exploring more than 30 stalls of various local products, as well as Italian brands from across the country.

The fresh vegetable stalls are fantastic and inspire us with ideas for what to make for dinner – not an easy choice with all that is on offer this time of year!

Fantastic local salami and goat and cow cheeses, both fresh and seasoned, are offered here by one of the top local producers, Fattoria Selva of nearby Bosisio Parini. Their products are delicious – and the Valsecchi family are wonderful people.

At the La Molinata stall we always pick up the exquisite local honey made in the nearby village of Missaglia: our personal favorite is the lemony “Girasole” – but they are all worth tasting!