Have a Lucky Weekend...

...we need one here in Cortina! After 3 regular season games, the boys have lost every.single.one. Mostly in shoot outs, but we need the win on Saturday, so send some luck our way!

And. Since we're on the subject, after a 5-1 loss last night in Asiago, Ryan managed to bring home 2 huge blocks of....Asiago cheese, of course.

We cut it up and ate it on crackers. Apparently you are supposed to eat it one of three ways: plain, on crackers, or on boiled potatoes. I tried it plain and it was very strong so we put it on crackers (we didn't have boiled potatoes on hand) and it was delicious. So - some good things come out of Asiago: the cheese and apparently the hockey team.

PS: This is an interesting piece written by a Canadian hockey wife living in Germany.

Let the Games Begin

Here we go again! Another season began last night....it felt good to be back in our old familiar rink where we knew everyone. There was a lot of frantic cheek-kissing going on.

Audrey and I made it in time to see warm ups and have a glass of prosecco before the game (for those of you who know Audrey and me, this was obviously the first time we've ever seen warm ups). 

Ryan got an assist....and the other team looked like race car drivers! 

We all think the new coach looks like Clark Kent...and they could have used him last night - they lost 5-4 in a shoot out! All serious Cortina fans will be heading to Alleghe on Saturday night for the next game there, against our biggest rivals!

Sunday

Yesterday we hiked up and around Cinque Torri with a few friends. We had done it last year in October, but this trip was completely different. It was a beautiful, warm day (last year it was cold and windy) and all of the rifugios were still open (last year they were closed because it was so late in the season). The rifugios all have a tiny restaurant and rooms that more serious hikers can rent for 50 euro a night - some people hike from town to town this way, so we saw a lot of people with huge backpacks full of all their things.

We had a surprise when we got to the very top (which we also didn't do last year); the rifugio there was owned by someone we knew! They welcomed all 10 of us very warmly and we sat on long benches in the sun and looked out at the view, while they fed us sausages and polenta, cheese and mushrooms, crispy potatoes with onions and cold German beer. It was the perfect Sunday adventure - here's a few pictures if you'd like to see:

Off we go....

This is only halfway up!

 

 The terrain gets a little tougher closer to the top!

 Exhausted at the top!

Regaining our strength

Ryan and the chef (who had a great hat!)

That's Cortina wayyyy down there

The First Week

Last week we got settled in to our new home, took lots of walks, got back to Italian cooking, and spent Saturday afternoon up at the Zanatta's cabin in the mountains. The weather is beautiful and still warm, and there are lots of tourists and German bikers walking (and biking) around town....it's been fun to sit outside and watch them go by and pick out the different languages. Here's a few pictures from our first week:

And We're Back!

We're back to our sweet two-burner-no-oven apartment, and we couldn't be happier! We've spent our first two days here unpacking (sadly, one of my suitcases is still floating around in Munich somewhere and has yet to join us in Cortina), eating spaghetti carbonara at our favorite restaurant, Cinque Torri, shopping for 2 euro bottles of wine at the grocery store (finally!!) and receiving the warmest welcomes from everyone in town, complete with lots of cheek kisses.

As we settle into our Italian routine, we miss everyone at home, but we're thrilled to be back here (even though it's a bit cold!). Lots of love!

Home Sweet Home!