Last December I was around with my parents looking for some tobacco, when I found some Mikkeller in this little cozy shop, that smells like pipe and rom. I´m not a beer expert, but I like to taste them and enjoy them, like you´d do with a good wine. And being a fan of the Danish Mikkeller, I bought a bottle of their IBU 1000. As my boyfriend´s friend said, it´s a beer for grown up.:) It´s a strong, dark brown beer with an intense smell of hop and a quite bitter taste. I loved the fact, that you could taste the honey and there was acidity thanks to some fruit (don´t ask me which kind. I´m not so good!:D). Anyway! It´s a “taste and enjoy” beer, suitable with a cozy evening with loads of talk.

Remember that, if you are in Copenhagen, you have to visit their bar: click me.

Lo scorso dicembre, mentre ero alla ricerca di un po´ di buon tabacco in compagnia dei miei genitori, siamo finiti in un negozietto molto carino, che profuma di pipa e di rum. Non sono un´esperta di birra, ma mi piace assaggiarne e gustarne di nuove, come si fa con del buon vino. Ed essendo una fan della etichetta danese Mikkeller, mi sono comprata una bottiglia della loro IBU 1000. Come ha detto l´amico del mio ragazzo, é una birra da adulti.:) É forte, da colore marrone scuro, con un intenso profumo di luppolo e un sapore alquanto amaro. Mi é piaciuto il fatto che si potesse sentire un retrogusto di miele e un´aciditá data da qualche frutto (non chiedetemi quale, non sono brava!:D). Comunque! É una birra che si deve gustare in una serata tranquilla tra amici, dove si chiacchera un sacco.

E ricordatevi che se siete in Copehagen, potete passare dal bar Mikkeller e gustare alcune delle loro creazioni: clicca qui.

THIS IS A NOVEL NARRATED BY DEATH.

it´s a small story, about: 

a girl

+ an accordionist

+ some fanatical Germans

+ a jewish fist fighter

+ and quite a lot of thievery.

Here is a brief passage, when Liesel enters a room full of books in the house of a Nazi:

´Jesus, Mary…`

She said it out loud, the words distributed into a room that was full of cold air and books. Books everywhere! Each wall was armed with overcrowded yet immaculate shelving. It was barely possible to see the paintwork. There were all different styles and sizes of lettering on the spines of the black, the red, the grey, the every-coloured books. it was one of the most beautiful things Liesel Meminger had ever seen.

With wonder, she smiled.

That such a room existed!

Even when she tried to wipe the smile away with her forearm, she realised instantly that it was a pointless exercise. She could feel the eyes of he woman travelling her body, and when she looked at her, they had rested on her face.

There was more silence that she ever thought possible. It extended like an elastic, dying to break. The girl broke it.

´Can I?´ The two words stood amongst acres and acres of vacant, wooden.floored land. The books were miles away. The woman nodded. Yes, you can.

Steadily, the room shrank, till the book thief could touch the shelves within a few small steps. She ran the back of her hand along the first shelf, listening to the shuffle of her fingernails gliding across the spinal cord of each book. It sounded like an instrument, or the notes of running feet. She used both hands. She raced them. One shelf against the other. And she laughed. Her voice was sprawled out, high in her throat, and when she eventually stopped and stood in the middle of the room, she spent many minutes looking from the shelves to her finders and back again.

How many books had she touched?

How many had she felt?

She walked over and did it again, this time much more slowly, with her hand facing forward, allowing the dough of her palm to feel the small hurdle of each book. It felt like magic, like beauty, as bright lines of light shone down from chandelier. Several times she almost pulled a title from its place but didn´t dare disturb them. They were too perfect.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 4,300 times in 2011. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 4 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Happy New Year!:D 

I hope you all had a nice and cozy Christmas! My parents came to Denmark, and for the first time in their lives, they spent a Christmas without cooking and cleaning! I have to say, my mom was more than happy!:D

Now it´s time to say goodbye to 2011, and I´m glad to do it!:D It has been a sad year, with far too many goodbyes. Enjoy the last evening of this year!:D See you in 2012!:D

Buon anno!:D

Spero abbiate passato un bel Natale! I miei genitori sono venuti in Danimarca, e, per la prima volta nella loro vita, hanno passato un Natale senza dover cucinare e pulire! Devo dire che mia mamma era piú che contenta!:D

Adesso dobbiamo dire addio al 2011, e sono felicissima di farlo!:D É stato un anno triste, con troppi addii. Buona serata!:D Ci vediamo nel 2012!:D

When we were in London, we ate at Ramsay´s Maze. My boyfriend wanted to see, if he´s really good as they say. And I have to say, that we had the most amazing meal of our lives. The service was fantastic. They were fast, competent, precise, polite and efficient. The food was divine! We chose the Chef´s menu and a good Italian wine. I´m going to post some pictures… yes. My boyfriend took some pics with his iPhone! Luckily they were without flash!

The staff was really sweet to offer us a glass of champagne before dinner and an extra desert to celebrate our engagement. We couldn´t really complain!:D

CHEF´S MENU:

• Celeriac velouté, pears and cockle vinaigrette
• Pressed confit chicken and foie gras, spiced pear carpaccio, green tea caramel
• Daurade with squid Bolognaise, chorizo, garlic, basil and lemon
• Rack of lamb, spiced red lentils and caramelised onions
• Banana and salted caramel sundae
  or
  Fourme d’Ambert, verjus grapes, fennel salad
• Apple and blackberry crumble

Eccomi! Non sto scrivendo molto ultimamente. Mi sto godendo l´altmosfera nataliazia con alcuni pranzi e cene, alcune giornate passate in famiglia e, naturalmente, lavoro lavoro lavoro. Questo é il periodo dell´influenza, quindi c´é sempre qualcuno che é malato, e qualcuno che deve lavorare un po´ di piú.

Quando eravamo a Londra, siamo andati a cenare  al ristorante Maze di Gordon Ramsay. Il mio ragazzo voleva vedere se la fama di Ramsey corrisponde anche ad un´alta qualitá. E direi che abbiamo mangiato i piatti piú buoni della nostra vita. Il servizio era fantistico. Sono stati veloci, competenti, precisi, gentili ed efficienti. Il cibo era divino! Abbiamo ordinato entrambi il Menú dello Chef e un buon vino rosso italiano. Ci sono anche delle foto… si! Il mo ragazzo ha fatto delle foto con il suo iPhone! Per fortuna senza flash!

Lo staff é stato veramente gentile, e ci ha offerto un bicchiere di champagne prima di iniziare a cenare, e un dessert extra per celebrare il nostro fidanzamento. Direi che non ci potevamo lamentare!:D

Celeriac velouté, pears and cockle vinaigrette

Pressed confit chicken and foie gras, spiced pear carpaccio, green tea caramel

Awful picture, amazing food! My favourite! Daurade with squid Bolognaise, chorizo, garlic, basil and lemon

Rack of lamb, spiced red lentils and caramelised onions

Apple and blackberry crumble

Extra desert to celebrate our engagement!:)

http://www.elpiratadetapas.co.uk/

Last weekend I was in London with my boyfriend, and the first night we went to a tapas restaurant with my cousin and her boyfriend. I can only recommend it! You eat really well and it´s not expensive! You just have to remember to have some light clothes on, because the place is so so so hot! Or maybe was the wine-effect! I don´t know!:D

I din´t take any pictures. I left my camera home on purpose. This vacation was strictly dedicated to Mr. Boyfriend!:D But London is beautiful as always!

Lo scorso weekend sono stata a Londra con il mio fidanzato, e la prima sera abbiamo mangiato ad un ristorante spagnolo dove servono tapas, con mia cugina e il suo ragazzo. Posso vivamente consigliarlo! Si mangia molto bene e non é caro! Ricordatevi peró di indossare qualcosa di leggero, perché il locale é molto molto caldo! O sará stato il vino! Boh!:D

Ho lasciato volutamente la macchina fotografica a casa, in quanto in weekend era dedicato a Mr. Boyfriend, quindi niente foto!:D Ma Londra é fantastica come sempre!