For the last three days I've been going running. I've gone in the morning, because let's be honest, what is better than a morning run and the smell of the fresh air to start the day. I truly believe this is the best way to start the day.
Today, I ran pretty fast. I am slowly getting back in shape to where I was last summer (2009) when I was running 4 or 5 times a week, I was in such a good shape but because of the cold winter in Brescia I stopped and started again some in the spring but never got to where I was over the summer.
While I wasn't running I joined the gym and started cycling. These work well if you want to get muscle but is completely different to running.
Tuesday, I went pretty late in the morning, around 10:15am and the following days I went earlier. For example, today, I went earlier with a pretty cold morning because Riccardo's nephew needed a sitter for a couple of hours. When Riccardo's sister asked me last minute, I accepted and even if I took care of him for like 30 minutes because he took his nap when he was with me for most of the time that he was with me, I realized how big he is getting. I realized that October starts tomorrow which means he is turning one on Monday! How fast time goes by...
This means that in about two months, my little brother will be graduating from college. Oh wow! How they grow up so fast....wow that made me feel sooo old. haha :)
Well with that said, I will leave this on your mind...
"A day without laughter is a day wasted."
I truly go by this.
Think about it. Could be a good way to start the new month with a new motto in mind.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Safety First
On the first Sunday of fall, I went with Riccardo bike riding.We went to Monte Maddalena (It was one stage as part of the Giro d'Italia in 1975).
We started our journey at about 4:40 p.m. and arrived home at around 7:20 p.m. We wanted to go test our bikes. Riccardo bought a new bike on Friday and mine is only one week old but I switched my seat and fixed my brakes.
This consists of about 8 km to this small mountain from home which are follwed by going up for 10.3 km up-hill and 7km down-hill and then 4 km to arrive home.
Today, was my second time I have done this since I got back to Brescia. Last week, I got a flat tire and it was quite a show. Thankfully, we were able to do it in time before it started to rain and the sun to go down.
This week, I didn't have a flat but I did see my first cycling accident. It was pretty bad.
There was a couple coming down while I was going up. I had passed the 7km mark when I saw a lady fly of her bike and soon after the man also flipped from his bike.
They had blood coming down from their nose and coming out from their lips. Knees were scrapped but thankfully no major injuries. They were conscious, speaking and walking.
I was so glad that they were wearing helmets because so many cyclists don't wear them. I think safety should come first!!!
Just like a construction worker should wear a vest and a hard-hat on a job site, or a driver should have their seatbelt while driving a cyclist should have a helmet while cycling. I agree, it is not the best and can be uncomfortable but it can save your life.
You can get safety items for your company from u-safenet. The company is based in Dallas but it ships nationwide.
Going back to the accident, by the time I got to where they had flipped, a car stopped and helped the couple, a guy from this car, called the emergency number and in 10 minutes there was an ambulance there. I didn't stay for the ambulance to arrive but I heard the sirens. Before Riccardo and I left the scene with the couple and the guy that called the ambulance, we helped them move their bikes off the road. We decided to go since it was starting to get cold and off we were to finish the 3 km we had to go.
When we arrived to the top, we put our wind jacket and finished this long journey.
I was so tired when I got home.
Luckily, I didn't have to cook because Riccardo's mom made us some peperonata. It's an Italian dish made with red pepper with tomato sause. It's more like a side but I love to eat it.
Here is a view from Maddalena
After dinner, we went to a nearby bar to enjoy a pirlo (the true Brescian drink).
That is all for now my friends.
Daniela
We started our journey at about 4:40 p.m. and arrived home at around 7:20 p.m. We wanted to go test our bikes. Riccardo bought a new bike on Friday and mine is only one week old but I switched my seat and fixed my brakes.
This consists of about 8 km to this small mountain from home which are follwed by going up for 10.3 km up-hill and 7km down-hill and then 4 km to arrive home.
Today, was my second time I have done this since I got back to Brescia. Last week, I got a flat tire and it was quite a show. Thankfully, we were able to do it in time before it started to rain and the sun to go down.
This week, I didn't have a flat but I did see my first cycling accident. It was pretty bad.
There was a couple coming down while I was going up. I had passed the 7km mark when I saw a lady fly of her bike and soon after the man also flipped from his bike.
They had blood coming down from their nose and coming out from their lips. Knees were scrapped but thankfully no major injuries. They were conscious, speaking and walking.
I was so glad that they were wearing helmets because so many cyclists don't wear them. I think safety should come first!!!
Just like a construction worker should wear a vest and a hard-hat on a job site, or a driver should have their seatbelt while driving a cyclist should have a helmet while cycling. I agree, it is not the best and can be uncomfortable but it can save your life.
You can get safety items for your company from u-safenet. The company is based in Dallas but it ships nationwide.
Going back to the accident, by the time I got to where they had flipped, a car stopped and helped the couple, a guy from this car, called the emergency number and in 10 minutes there was an ambulance there. I didn't stay for the ambulance to arrive but I heard the sirens. Before Riccardo and I left the scene with the couple and the guy that called the ambulance, we helped them move their bikes off the road. We decided to go since it was starting to get cold and off we were to finish the 3 km we had to go.
When we arrived to the top, we put our wind jacket and finished this long journey.
I was so tired when I got home.
Luckily, I didn't have to cook because Riccardo's mom made us some peperonata. It's an Italian dish made with red pepper with tomato sause. It's more like a side but I love to eat it.
Here is a view from Maddalena
 |
| View of the mountains in late February |
After dinner, we went to a nearby bar to enjoy a pirlo (the true Brescian drink).
That is all for now my friends.
Daniela
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Banana Nut Bread
For a few days, I've been seeing that my bananas are going bad and I have been thinking to make banana nut bread with these ripe bananas.
Finally this morning after only 5.5 hours of sleep, I decided I need to surf the internet for a recipe and make it.
Finding all the ingredients in a small Italian supermarket was easier than I thought.
I came home after grocery shopping and started preparing.
At the end, I didn't follow the recipe that I had found online but it's quite similar.
These "dessert" was actually pretty good. I got a good response and best of all, it was the first time that I made this in my life.
Below you can find the actual ingredients that I used:
I mixed the butter and the sugar first, then I added the eggs to the mix.
In a separate plate I smashed the bananas and added then to the mix once they were mushy.
I added one cup of flour and mixed to make the mixture thicker.
I added the milk and the remaining 2/3 cups of flour with the cornstarch and the vanilla flavoring.
Once the mixture is all mixed, I cut up all the walnuts in small pieces added them to the mix with the 1/2 Tbsp of salt and ta-da, the mix is done.
Pre-heat the oven to 225°C.
Put the mix in a baking pan and bake for 50 minutes at 175°C and then 10 minutes to 150°C.
Let it sit 10-15 minutes and it will be ready to eat.
Finally this morning after only 5.5 hours of sleep, I decided I need to surf the internet for a recipe and make it.
Finding all the ingredients in a small Italian supermarket was easier than I thought.
I came home after grocery shopping and started preparing.
At the end, I didn't follow the recipe that I had found online but it's quite similar.
These "dessert" was actually pretty good. I got a good response and best of all, it was the first time that I made this in my life.
Below you can find the actual ingredients that I used:
- 3 medium sized eggs
- 125 grams of sugar (if you want it very sweet, you will need to add more sugar)
- 3 ripe bananas
- 50 grams of butter
- 60g of walnuts
- 10g of vanilla flavoring in powder
- 16 grams of cornstarch
- 1 and 2/3 cups of flour (I used Pioneer pancake mix)
- 80ml of milk
- 1/2 table spoon of salt
I mixed the butter and the sugar first, then I added the eggs to the mix.
In a separate plate I smashed the bananas and added then to the mix once they were mushy.
I added one cup of flour and mixed to make the mixture thicker.
I added the milk and the remaining 2/3 cups of flour with the cornstarch and the vanilla flavoring.
Once the mixture is all mixed, I cut up all the walnuts in small pieces added them to the mix with the 1/2 Tbsp of salt and ta-da, the mix is done.
Pre-heat the oven to 225°C.
Put the mix in a baking pan and bake for 50 minutes at 175°C and then 10 minutes to 150°C.
Let it sit 10-15 minutes and it will be ready to eat.
 |
| Picture of the first banana nut bread |
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Italian gelato (ice-cream)
So now that I am back in Italy, I decided that I needed to have some ice-cream before these shops close for the winter. Today was the first day of Fall and these shops will close soon. I hear this weekend will be raining and the temperature is going to drop.
When my friend Clarissa came to visit me and we went to the Garda Lake and Rome, we went to get ice-cream pretty much everyday she was here.
I remember we went to Bedussi ice-cream in Brescia, 1 shop at the Lake, and 2 other times in Rome. Bedussi wasn't bad at all, they have many flavors. They have everything you can imagine and more. A good choice for sure
It was too bad I wasn't able to take her to Ribera Gelato because after having it again today, I have decided it's has the best ice-cream in Brescia. I always try the strawberry flavor. They have a lot of flavors but nothing like Bedussi.
I really would love to learn how to make ice-cream. This place makes it so creamy somehow and it's made just with real fruit and water. The Italian ice-cream is like sherbet but it's just soooo good!
When my friend Clarissa came to visit me and we went to the Garda Lake and Rome, we went to get ice-cream pretty much everyday she was here.
I remember we went to Bedussi ice-cream in Brescia, 1 shop at the Lake, and 2 other times in Rome. Bedussi wasn't bad at all, they have many flavors. They have everything you can imagine and more. A good choice for sure
It was too bad I wasn't able to take her to Ribera Gelato because after having it again today, I have decided it's has the best ice-cream in Brescia. I always try the strawberry flavor. They have a lot of flavors but nothing like Bedussi.
I really would love to learn how to make ice-cream. This place makes it so creamy somehow and it's made just with real fruit and water. The Italian ice-cream is like sherbet but it's just soooo good!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Still gray but so much better!!!
Many of you might remember back in mid-July right before I went on summer vacation, my beloved bike got stolen.
With that bike, I did so many things I thought I could never do. I went to so many amazing places. For example, I went to the Giro d'Italia in Ponte di Legno to Passo Tonale, the Dolomites VIDEO (Sella Ronda Bike Day), I suffered a lot of pain but accomplished a lot as well. I became a cyclist. There was a point I preferred to go to school with my bike rather than using public transportation. With that said, I discovered a new sport I didn't think I could like and as it turns out, I liked it a lot and enjoyed doing. Therefore, I was super sad when my bike was stolen.
Well no more sadness, today I got a new bike.
It hasn't even been a day and I already went to Monte Maddalena. It's a 10.3 km uphill.
It was a great feeling of accomplishment finishing it after no training for almost 2 months.
Here is a picture of my new bike.
Only happiness here with great memories and ready for more.
Love,
Daniela
P.S. I will always remember you.
With that bike, I did so many things I thought I could never do. I went to so many amazing places. For example, I went to the Giro d'Italia in Ponte di Legno to Passo Tonale, the Dolomites VIDEO (Sella Ronda Bike Day), I suffered a lot of pain but accomplished a lot as well. I became a cyclist. There was a point I preferred to go to school with my bike rather than using public transportation. With that said, I discovered a new sport I didn't think I could like and as it turns out, I liked it a lot and enjoyed doing. Therefore, I was super sad when my bike was stolen.
Well no more sadness, today I got a new bike.
It hasn't even been a day and I already went to Monte Maddalena. It's a 10.3 km uphill.
It was a great feeling of accomplishment finishing it after no training for almost 2 months.
Here is a picture of my new bike.
Only happiness here with great memories and ready for more.
Love,
Daniela
P.S. I will always remember you.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Back again in Brescia
Back in Brescia. I got in yesterday morning. Brescia is just amazing. The scenery is nothing like Texas. It's probably the reason I like it so much.
Riccardo picked me up and I got home to shower after a long trip. My flight from Texas got to Frankfurt. It was a forever flight, because I got almost no sleep. I usually sit on a plane and there is no way to wake me up but this time, I had a very chatty guy telling me his story and all about his hopes and dreams.
I usually love to talk but I prefer to sleep when the night before I only got 2 hours of sleep.
Riccardo and I went to have some American food and a Texan style restaurant, Old Wild West.
Today, I just finished my morning run and I got to hurry because Riccardo and friends want to make a good bye to summer B-B-Q.
Will post pics soon.
Gotta run!!
Riccardo picked me up and I got home to shower after a long trip. My flight from Texas got to Frankfurt. It was a forever flight, because I got almost no sleep. I usually sit on a plane and there is no way to wake me up but this time, I had a very chatty guy telling me his story and all about his hopes and dreams.
I usually love to talk but I prefer to sleep when the night before I only got 2 hours of sleep.
Riccardo and I went to have some American food and a Texan style restaurant, Old Wild West.
Today, I just finished my morning run and I got to hurry because Riccardo and friends want to make a good bye to summer B-B-Q.
Will post pics soon.
Gotta run!!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Tomorrow....SA!!!
Tomorrow I will have my 5-hour drive to the city where I went to university. On my way to SA, I will pass by the capital of this wonderful state and pick up my dear friend Valerie.
The decision of this last minute trip is that my friend won a party in a bar during happy hour.
It's been a year since I graduated and so many things have changed in my life, I can't wait to hear all the stories I have missed from all my friends.
I am sure the foursome will have an amazing weekend.
I get drive back home tomorrow because I want to see my brother and that way I can spend Labor Day with my sister and mom since it's the last few days before I go back to Brescia.
See you soon!
The decision of this last minute trip is that my friend won a party in a bar during happy hour.
It's been a year since I graduated and so many things have changed in my life, I can't wait to hear all the stories I have missed from all my friends.
I am sure the foursome will have an amazing weekend.
I get drive back home tomorrow because I want to see my brother and that way I can spend Labor Day with my sister and mom since it's the last few days before I go back to Brescia.
See you soon!
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