Tag Archives: Domaso

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I needed a vacation like nobody’s business… Lasagna by the lake! Part 6

When it became clear that Zane and Arran were going to be okay after their Saturday night food orgy, Bill and I decided to take them for another walk.  This time, we walked them down the hill into the town.  Zane was feeling very frisky as he pranced along, taking in the sights and sounds of Italy on a Sunday morning.  Unfortunately, we had to cut their walk a bit short because I suddenly needed to pee.  One thing that Domaso doesn’t seem to have is public restrooms.  Yes, we could have stopped into a bar or a cafe and had a drink, but it was still kind of early for that.  So we walked the dogs back up the hill.  Really, it was a long enough walk for them, anyway.

At lunchtime, we decided to head back to the lake without the dogs.  I was going to get my lasagna.  I had read that the beach hostel had good lasagna and I knew it offered a prime spot right by the water. We got there a bit early for the lasagna.  We were told it wouldn’t be ready until 1:30pm.  Or, we could have pizza or a panini.  I wanted lasagna, though, and was willing to sit at a table and drink beer until it was available.  And that is exactly what I did.

The beach hostel offers two beers on tap.  Bill and I enjoyed them both.  I commented that the above beer was a bit like sex in a rowboat, though…  😉  

 

The staff at the beach hostel were very friendly during our visit.  The hostel was also very kid and dog friendly.  One lady brought a hilarious cocker spaniel, who was making the rounds saying hello to everyone, including a nearly identical cocker spaniel who passed by.

Sitting at the hostel, we were able to watch people enjoying the lake.  I didn’t see anyone swimming or wading, although I’m sure it’s acceptable.  I think the water was still a little cool for that.  However, we did see people windsurfing and there were plenty of sunbathers.  There were also many small sailboats on the water.  I’m sure in a month, people will really be enjoying watersports on the lake.

The above beer was less like sex in a rowboat.

After our second beer, the cute girl who waited on us said it would be another forty minutes for the lasagna.  We ordered another round and waited…  and finally, it came out piping hot and delicious.

This was worth the trip!  Made with bechamel sauce and a light Bolognese sauce, this lasagna really hit the spot. 

If you’re in Domaso looking for a laid back hangout that caters to kids and dogs, this is the place.

Bill bought some food at the market, so we had dinner in the apartment on our last evening in Domaso, paired with plenty of wine.  We planned an early departure for yesterday, knowing it would take several hours to get back to Germany.

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I needed a vacation like nobody’s business… A fantastic meal at Osteria Monti followed by an unpleasant surprise… Part 5

Bill and I decided that it wouldn’t do to drink our dinner on Saturday night.  So we decided to head back down the hill to a wine shop/osteria I had noticed during our earlier walk.  We neglected to make reservations, which was kind of a mistake.  Fortunately, there was an available table at Osteria Monti when we arrived at about seven o’clock.  We took a seat and proceeded to enjoy a fantastic dinner.

This place has wine for purchase as well as a delightful restaurant.

Bill decides on dinner.  I noticed a lot of tables had been booked, but most of the people never showed up.  By the time we left at about 9:30, the reserved tables were still empty and had been all evening.  The couple sitting behind Bill brought their well-behaved dog with them and the staff brought out a bowl of water.  Given what we discovered later, we should have brought ours, too.

This wine was superb!  I’m definitely going to look for it around here.

The amuse.  This was warm octopus with tomatoes and peppers.  It was delicious.

I had a substantial starter.  These were shrimp fried in phyllo and served with fried potatoes and a mild, citrusy sauce.  They were a hit with me!

Bill had dried beef, which was flavorful and satisfying.  I preferred my shrimp, though.

For dinner, I had Iberian pork served with mashed potatoes and mustard.  This pork was absolutely delicious.  It was tender, flavorful, and cooked to perfection.  And it was just the right size.

Bill had Irish beef with lentils, again perfectly cooked to medium.  

A pre-dessert dessert–  vanilla chantilly with a dash of strawberry.

And I had a lime and gin ice cream creation.  The ice cream was so creamy and rich that it reminded me of custard.  That’s probably what it actually was.

Bill had moist chocolate cake with hazelnut and pistachio ice cream.  Our bill came to 115 euros and it was worth every euro cent.

 

The walk back to the apartment was very pleasant.  There was a warm breeze and the air smelled of flowers.  Little did we know, we’d come back to a mess.  While we were gone, Arran the mischief maker managed to pull a crate full of supplies off the counter.  In the crate were a couple of partially eaten chocolate bars, an entire bag of expensive Orijen dog treats, and a small bag of dry dog food.  Arran helped himself to the dog treats and the dog food and ate part of the chocolate.

As most dog owners know, chocolate is toxic to dogs.  Fortunately, the bars we had were not especially dark chocolate and Arran didn’t eat all of them.  I think he got about 100 grams.  Also, Arran apparently didn’t let Zane get into the booty because only Arran was looking pregnant.

Naturally, we were upset about the mess and the potential chocolate poisoning.  I went looking to see if the area had emergency vets.  Of course, both Bill and I had also been drinking wine at dinner, so neither of us was in any condition to drive.  As it turned out, Arran was totally fine.  He didn’t even so much as suffer a loose bowel movement or vomit even once.  For those who are wondering, yes, there are emergency vets near Domaso.  Fortunately, we didn’t have to pay a visit there.

We didn’t sleep well on Saturday night, though, because we were worried about Arran getting very sick.  Next time, we will do a better job of beagle proofing.  The kitchen in the apartment where we were staying does have a closing door.  In retrospect, we should have closed the door and that would have prevented this little mishap.  Lesson learned.

Just before Bill and I got married back in 2002, our dog CC broke into some chocolate that I hadn’t hidden well enough.  CC ate about two pounds of Hershey’s Kisses and Dove candies that I had used as wedding favors.  He did get pretty sick, although we were able to take care of him at home.  This situation with Arran wasn’t nearly as dramatic as that one was.  Every once in awhile, we have to be reminded not to get too complacent.  Consider us reminded.

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I needed a vacation like nobody’s business… International relations! Part 4

Saturday morning, we woke up to bright and sunny skies.  Bill’s ankle was still throbbing from his little mishap Friday morning.  We were still determined to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather.  After breakfast, we took the boys on the same walk we took the day prior, only we kept going a ways.  We climbed up a long hill, cheered on by a marauding dog at the top of a wall who was desperate to protect his territory.

That dog meant business!

Rocky road!

When we finally reached the top of the hill, we were greeted by a tiny, toothless, old Italian lady dressed all in black.  She smiled and offered a greeting, then engaged us (well, really, Bill) in a lengthy conversation.  She did not speak any English and we don’t speak Italian, but I’d studied enough Spanish to understand some of what she was saying.  Bill was gamely trying to respond to her as she rattled on about how the people in Domaso are nicer than the people in Milan.

I stood there in amazement because the conversation lasted several minutes with neither party being conversant in the other party’s language.  I gazed up the hill and noticed another lady standing on a terrace watching the whole thing.  The old lady who was talking to us obviously knew the other lady and called up to her to tell her we were visitors.  It turned out the lady was standing on the terrace of Sorsasso, Domaso’s well-regarded agritourism restaurant and shop.  Because you have to make reservations, we never did get a chance to visit there.  If we ever get back to Domaso, we will have to make a point of having dinner there.

After bidding the friendly local lady goodbye– and she thanked us for listening to her– we strolled to the end of the road where we captured a more stunning pictures of the enchanting landscape.  Really, I could spend all day simply taking in the beauty of this little town, watching the people, and drinking wine.  That’s pretty much what I did, too.

Sorsasso

 

After a short rest, we decided to go down to the lake without the dogs.  On the way back into town, we passed a grandmother taking her toddler aged granddaughter for a walk.  The lady was smiling and singing to the girl.  Bill said I got a huge delighted grin on my face as we passed them.  He said, “You love Italy, don’t you?”  Yes…  yes I do!  I also love Germany, although I have to admit I am always charmed by how friendly the Italians are.

Domaso has a nice beach area and, we soon discovered, it’s a very popular place to camp.  There’s also a great youth hostel there, located right next to the water and offering cheap, basic rooms.

A charming sight on the walk down to the main drag.

I took this picture of Bill noting that there was evidently a Scottish wedding going on behind that wrought iron fencing.  There were guys in kilts standing outside the city hall.  I never thought I’d see guys in kilts in Italy.  On the other hand, why not?

In Italy, you have to pick up your dog’s poop…  

 

Domaso also has a shop where one can buy wine on tap.  We didn’t venture into this business because we ran out of time.  Maybe if we happen to go back to Domaso we’ll visit.

The kilted ones again.

After about an hour of strolling, it got to be time for lunch.  I was really in the mood for lasagna.  Alas, we fell victim to a very charming and assertive restaurant hawker who lured us to his terrace.  Lasagna was not on the menu at Ristorante da Mario.  I see his place doesn’t get the best reviews on Trip Advisor, but we managed to enjoy lunch there anyway.  It’s hard to get a bad meal in Italy.

Bill is laughing because the guy who lured us– I presume it was Mario himself– kept speaking to us in German.  He gave us German menus, even though he had ones in English.  His wife (again, I presume), spoke English and picked up that we are not German.  Mario never got a clue, though!  We were repeatedly mistaken for Germans this past weekend.  It was actually kind of funny.

I had noodles with Bolognese sauce.  These were pretty good, especially when paired with a nice wine.  We asked for sparkling water, but Mario brought us still water.

Bill had fish with risotto.  The risotto was very good– not gummy or sticky.  And the fish was well-prepared.  

For dessert, we had lovely tiramisu.  Bill’s piece was noticeably bigger than mine was, but that’s okay.

This lunch went for about 45 euros.  Although it wasn’t the lasagna I really wanted, it was fine.  We definitely made up for the experience at Mario’s later, when we ventured out for dinner.  More on that in the next post.

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I needed a vacation like nobody’s business… Restaurants with character and rainy Friday afternoons… Part 3

After a fitful night’s sleep on Thursday, we woke to cloudy skies on Friday morning.  Bill went to the store and picked up some bread, eggs, juice, and prosciutto.  We ate a leisurely breakfast, complete with the Peet’s coffee we brought with us.

Unfortunately, Bill’s Friday morning got off to a rough start.  He had taken the dogs out for a pee break before the sun had completely risen and lost his footing on the steps.  He took a spill and turned his ankle.  He hobbled around the apartment, complaining a little about the pain.  I went into the bedroom to do some reading while he nursed his ankle.  In the course of reading, I dozed off and took a short nap.

Later, we managed to take the boys for a short walk, where we caught the first views of Domaso not originating from our terrace.

The first time we encountered a sign directing us left or right.  We decided to go left, which took us up a cobbled path that offered lovely views.

 

Despite the clouds, I was enchanted by this scene.

 

Then I spotted this king-like donkey and was reminded of my old friend in France…

 

I had to get another shot.  Wish I’d brought my regular camera, so I could have zoomed in.

 

In some ways, I think the clouds made the scenery even more breathtaking.

A steep walk down to the town, which we didn’t brave.  There is a more gently sloping walk a bit past this that is much easier on the knees!

 

The local church!

After we put the dogs back in the house, Bill and I took our first walk to town.  We decided to have lunch at Trattoria Ruffino, which got fairly good ratings on TripAdvisor.  As the sky threatened to open, we walked into the restaurant, which was tucked into an alcove off the main drag.  I knew it was going to be a good lunch when I saw all the locals pouring in.  The proprietors had set out some fish next to a large fireplace, which was burning brightly.

This place is a bit tucked away…

Bill looks at the fish heavy menu.  Since we were right next to Lake Como, fish dishes were available everywhere.

 

Our waitress spoke heavily Italian accented English and offered us fish prepared many different ways.  I had a mixed grill of three different types of fish, caught fresh from the lake.

That fireplace was where the fish were cooked… and it made the dining room a bit smokey. 

 

We had bread, water, and a large carafe of local white wine.

 

Bill ordered a salad and it was enough for both of us.

 

So were the fries.

 

Three kinds of fresh fish!

 

Bill got only one kind.

 

After a leisurely lunch spent observing the locals engaging in lively banter, we decided to have dessert.  I have never regretted ordering dessert in Italy and this time was no exception.

Bill had the “house tart”, which was made with strawberries and tasted uncannily like a very fresh version of the Toastettes that we could still get in the 70s and 80s.  

 

I had a dark chocolate tartufo– basically rich chocolate ice cream covered in cocoa.  Our meal cost about 55 euros.  Consider how much we got for that price!  Especially since the day before, we spent 28 Swiss Francs

 

The charming outside area.  No one sat out there on Friday because it was raining.

We stopped by the toilet… which was one of these old style squat jobs.  Yes, this bathroom is unisex, too!  How progressive!

A stormy scene on the main drag!

 

We passed a couple of friendly pets on the way back.  That dog’s name was Phyllo and he never missed a chance to greet us with barking as we passed.  When Arran offered his chicken bark, the Italian ladies laughed!  It was kind of refreshing.  Here in Germany, we often get disapproving stares when the boys bark!

 

Because Bill’s foot was hurting, we decided to stay in on Friday night.  We listened to music and drank wine all evening!  Our lunch was enough to tide us over until Saturday morning.

And I took more pictures, too… these were a few of the better ones.

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I needed a vacation like nobody’s business… Our pet friendly Domaso Domicile! Part 2

Our apartment in Domaso was located on a pleasant but narrow street.  It was part of a large house with three levels.  We were in the middle level, as the top and bottom levels appeared to be undergoing renovation.  The middle level offered an enormous covered terrace with plenty of outdoor  seating.  Although the whole property was fenced in, we didn’t let our dogs loose because there were a couple of areas that were off limits due to the owner’s desire to landscape.

There was a parking spot, but it was a bit of a challenge to park our RAV 4 there.  Bill eventually got the hang of squeezing in the cozy spot.  To get to the apartment, we had to pass through a locked gate and climb some steps.  That would make this property unsuitable for anyone with mobility issues.  The climb wasn’t difficult for the able bodied, but could be tricky for anyone using crutches or someone in a wheelchair.

The floors of the apartment were either wood or tile, which is always a blessing if you have dogs.  There was a nice sitting room with a comfortable couch, a television, and a decorative fireplace (I don’t know if it functions).  WiFi was free, but a bit unreliable.  We had two small bedrooms with what appeared to be queen sized beds and a smaller kid’s room.  There were two bathrooms, one with a modern shower and the other rather old fashioned, with a bathtub and a bidet.  The kitchen was small, but had a table and chairs in it.  It also offered a great view of the lake.

The sitting room.  We spent a lot of time in there!

Great terrace!  The owner is working on a garden on the lower level as well.

The foyer.

The kitchen.  It lacks a microwave and the fridge is a bit old, but it had pretty much all we needed.  And again… fantastic view of the lake!

One bedroom.  I was glad we brought our own pillows.  The mattress was a bit hard and gave us backaches.

One bathroom.  It’s very pink!  Has a tub and a hand sprayer, as well as a bidet (which we didn’t use).  The other bathroom has a nice shower and a more modern toilet.

The other bedroom.  There’s also a tiny kid’s room.

Tight parking!  It takes some doing to get in and out of the space.

This waterfall is right next to the house.

 

All in all, this little apartment was very nice for four nights.  I wish the bed had been a little bigger and the mattress a little softer, and I wish the Internet had been a bit more reliable.  But we loved the neighborhood, which was very cute and offered a pleasant walk into town.  There’s also a nice cobbled rock pathway up the hillside, where the views are stunning and there’s a very well regarded agritourism restaurant/winery there.  I wish we had managed to make reservations there for a meal.  Now we have a reason to go back!

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I needed a vacation like nobody’s business… Italy to the rescue! Part 1

Some years ago, I remember an ad that aired on TV that had a jingle that went “I need a vacation like nobody’s business!”  That’s how I was feeling a couple of weeks ago.  Although Bill and I currently have the privilege of being able to take lots of trips fairly frequently, it had been a couple of months since our last one.  We’ve had a pretty stressful spring, too, and the recently crappy weather did little to enhance my joy for living in Germany.  I told Bill I wanted to get out of town for a few days.  He agreed we needed to go somewhere.

Off I went to Booking.com to find pet friendly accommodations somewhere… anywhere within a reasonable driving distance.  Bill arranged to take last Thursday, Friday, and today off of work.  I considered places in The Netherlands, France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Italy.  After a few coin tosses, we wound up booking our trip to the little town of Domaso, Italy, which sits right next to Lake Como.

Bill and I had visited Lake Como before.  In fact, it has the distinction of being the very first place we visited during our first Germany experience together.  In May 2008, we booked a hotel in a little mountain town called Pellio Intelvi, which is above Lake Como.  Although it was a nice hotel, it was in a rather remote area and was a pain to get to.  Of course, the last time we were in the vicinity of Lake Como was June 2009, when we unexpectedly got trapped there while day tripping.  I am happy to report that this time, we did not get stuck anywhere.  In fact, we had a marvelous time over our pre-holiday long weekend.

I booked Casa Oliva di Domaso for four nights.  I chose it because it was pet friendly, with no extra pet fees, and near the lake.  It had free WiFi and parking.  Those are pretty much my main criteria when I book self-catered accommodations.  I usually book them because I’m bringing my dogs, who are sweet, but occasionally loud.  The price for this apartment was right, too.  We paid under $500 for four nights.  For that, we got a three bedroom, two bathroom house that included linens and towels and didn’t require us to clean extensively before we left.

After packing up the car on Thursday morning, we set off for Italy.  I remember being pretty tense during the drive down, probably due to some stupid argument I had on Facebook.  Bill was fretting over a job interview he had last week.  The dogs were also nervous– especially Zane, who always frets when he’s in the car, yet delights in getting to go with us.  Although traffic wasn’t too terrible, it still took us about seven hours to get to our destination.  I entertained myself by taking some photos.

In Germany, very close to the Swiss border… Hohentwiel!

As we headed south, we passed through some absolutely stunning areas…

And lots of tunnels!

The road around Lake Como can get very tight.  At one point, we were stuck for a couple of minutes as we took turns passing through a narrow part.  That gave me the chance to see a funny exchange between a couple of twin boys and an older girl.  The girl was giving the boys what for, and the boys responded by yelling back and wagging their fingers.  It was so stereotypically Italian that I laughed out loud.

Italians like their asparagus, too.

One thing I noticed as I took photos was that the air smelled heavily of flowers.  When I took pictures in Switzerland, I smelled a lot of manure.

Ferries are everywhere!

 

We passed through one part of Switzerland that was absolutely stunning!  But on the way down, we had a lot of clouds.  Today’s weather on the way back was much nicer, but I was on the wrong side of the car to take good pictures.  I almost wanted to book a trip to Switzerland based on the pretty scenery we saw, but then realized that when we stopped at Burger King for two combo meals, we paid the Swiss Franc equivalent of about $28!  Switzerland is bloody expensive!

We were tired when we arrived in Domaso.  It was about 5:30pm and we really just wanted a little dinner, a lot of wine, and a good night’s sleep.  I sent Bill out for pizza and vino and enjoyed the views of our little apartment on the hillside.

Our host left us some homemade wine.

My first view from our terrace.  When the weather improved, so did the view!

Real Italian pizza!  This was delicious, even though the restaurant that made it got rather mediocre reviews!

And wine to wash it down!

 
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