I haven’t written in a long while it seems but I was working very hard before going on a 10 day trip to Il Bel Paese. I’m staying with friends at the moment near my second home, Milan. My dear friend Silvia got married yesterday in Bobbio, a beautiful little town near Piacenza to a lovely man named Michele. As luck would have it, while it was hailing in Milan, the sun was shining over their beautiful church in Bobbio.

I’m a bit overcome with emotions at seeing my friend so happy and about 120 people I know well from Milan. La nostalgia sta salendo…Meaning, I’m getting very nostalgic for this country and that life that I loved so well.

Oddly enough, the last weekend in New York before my trip, I saw a movie set in Bobbio called Le Sorelle Mai by Marco Bellocchio. It was fascinating as only a European film can be, small and intimate about families and their intricate balancing act.

Emilia-Romagna has been at the front of my mind for weeks now. In addition to this wonderful event in Bobbio (Emilia-Romagna), I just saw a group of friends from my master’s program at SAIS in Bologna and went to an event in New York for alumni from the school.

Additionally, I just worked on a great project for the University of Bologna Alma Graduate School, a new MBA in Food and Wine. For more information on the program and the 10 scholarships being offered by Ferrarelle, read this article from I-Italy.

At the wedding, we had traditional wines from the Colli Piacentini – Ortrugo, Gutturnio e Malvasia. As a fan of indigenous grapes, I was happy to drink light hearted wines with local fare. Emilia-Romagna is very well known for its salumi which pair perfectly with both Ortrugo and Gutturnio, although the first is a white wine and the second a red. I’ve had still and frizzante Gutturnio throughout the years and have voted for the still each time.

In sum, I think I may need to make a stop over in Bologna before heading towards Tuscany later this week, after my brief trip to the Veneto. It’s nice to be back and see so many smiling faces, especially these three.

My dear friends, Anne Caterine and Stefano at their wedding a few years ago who are wonderful friends, perfect hosts and amazing cooks and their little jewel, Matilde, one of my favorite little girls.