MILANO

LIKE ANY GOOD FAIRYTALE — THIS ONE IS DRESSED IN DESIGNER

May 21, 2023

Sitting in my secret garden (in the rear of the Senato Hotel), I am ending my time in Milano. I LOVE IT HERE. I had a friend who studied here many moons ago and fell in love with it. And why not? It’s incredible! I heart this city!

Milano is small enough to walk everywhere (which I did – ummm, every square inch), glamorous enough to assure you that you’ve entered city life, old enough to have appreciation for every cobble stone you trip over, and FASHIONABLE enough to … make you want (or maybe actually do) max out your credit card!

STYLE IS SERVED

Starting on the train.

I hadn’t noticed the dripping-in-designer ensembles that were riding next to me from Poppi. (Eh, probably because it was still dark out when I boarded. Ahem, 4am wake up call!). However, the second the train conductor announced that we were pulling into Milano my eyes popped wide opened. Designer was all I could see —because it was on everyone.

The lady next to me… Versace shades (already on by the way and we were still inside the station. No sun to be shaded from, but hey…her look!), a Balenciaga handbag that she held with her freshly painted turquoise nails, her Givenchy sneaks (stark white without one speck of Poppi dust) and who knows who made her coat. But lord did it draped over her like Dracula’s silk cape … yep… I had arrived in Milano. Fashion capital of the world!

I was in HEAVEN!!!

I checked into my hotel (green light room was ready at 9:30am. Wha???! Was that real?!), where I immediately vetoed all the clothes I had brought except for the only item I had packed that deserved a good strut in the streets of Milano. My prized Prada skirt. I found this navy full length number ions ago at a high end consignment in Union Square. I tried it on for fun and it fit like a glove! And oooop… up grade…. when I went up to pay, they saw that they had mis-marked the price. They meant to code it as $800 instead (green light ) it was $80. They honored it and now I honor her (the skirt) by wearing it in her homeland – Milano.

I stepped out on the street fueled with excitement. (Uh oh, Firenze… in this moment Milano “is my favorite right now”). I passed a man wearing a green silk bathrobe as a jacket for his suit, high heeled black sequined boots, and a baby blue alligator skinned purse. WHERE. WAS. I? And could I stay FOREVER?!

I stopped off at Cova Montenapoleone for a coffee. Asking the barista for a cappuccino, he promptly (with a wink of course… I’m still in Italy after all) pointed to the counter opposite of me for orders. Ah, yes! How could I forget? You pay first and then head to the counter to flirt … oop… I mean hand over your ticket to your tailored barista so that he can make your cappuccino (and deliver it with heart shaped foam).

By 10am I was standing amongst people who had already spent thousands upon thousands of dollars. Their arms were full of Burberry, Valentino, Cartier, Marni, Miu Miu, and Celine shopping bags. I found it so ironic that I hadn’t spent practically a dime yet, and we were all in Cova, we were all paying before we ordered, and we were all standing beside each other drinking the same €2.20 coffee. Regardless if you spend a fortune for your designer, or find your designer in a vintage bin… you all must pay the same price and all must stand to drink your cappuccinos.

We the same!

STREET SOUNDS

As a producer / hyper organizer would, I had a run-of-show for my 27 hour jaunt to Milano. No minute was to be spared.

Alas, no one had mentioned to me that Milano is a labyrinth and that I should plan for turn-arounds and getting lost. I’m talkin there was a mix of cobblestone streets and canals in the middle of historical centers with marble columns sprouting up like trees. There were highways in the middle of town, parks galore, and dead ends — always dead ends … especially after a 20 minute walk self-pep-talking that you’re definitely going the right way.

Aside from all the mazes disguised as streets… that I google mapped the heck out of…the sounds saved me.

Anytime I was certain I was lost – I would listen out for the sounds of people and watch them herd together from one place to the next. I don’t often like to do this. But here.. I followed the crowd. And OH MY GAWD am I happy I did!

By letting a stream of Canadian tourist lead the way — I found myself in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II mall. I get chills even writing it. My breath was lost immediately. How had I never seen this place before?! She was gleaming with grandiose and luxury. Ahhhhh I could have spent all day there watching her. Tourist poured in and the smiles were contagious — so were the selfies. I promptly whipped out my camera (I had become the ultimate crowd follower) to snap away.

Finally walking out of the magnificent “mall” — I did it again. Breath. Lost! I had arrived at The Duomo.

As I mentioned in previous EN ROUTEs I don’t always like to do the “must dos” – but I do like to see the “I dos!” Yes!! A proposal was happening. Can you imagine? The whole world (or at least the several thousand people roaming about this HUGE piazza) stopped their instagramming for an eruption of applause. She said yes! It appeared that a man was displaying his excitement by crouching down to invite tons of pigeons to rest on his arms.. Nope. Moment was over. That was for the Insta!

BACKDROPS

I saw it all - babies getting diaper changed in the middle of the park (standing up no-less. Euros! C'est la vie), a rally that I’m still unsure if the Italian public was for or against, an Uber Eats cyclist taking a toilet break on the side of the street, a dog fight, a mother daughter date on the canal, a wedding parade… oh, and all the landmarks… Arco Della Pace, Castello Sforzescoa, Piazza Dei Mercanti, The Basilica of Sant’ Ambrogio, Milan Canals, Colonne Di San Lorenzo. Those were my backdrops to my short Milano day.

I walked to the port area and crossed the canals. Who knew?! (I’m sure someone did. But I didn’t know there would be this part of town in Milan.) Incredible! It reminded me of Copenhagen and Berlin. Key locks looked like barnacles on the pedestrian bridges. So many travelers locking in their special memories.

On that side of town, I made it to Armani/Selio. Something I had sought out to do for sure! Can’t come to the fashion capital of the world and not walk through a fashion museum. It was EVERYTHING. Felt like a hybrid of the Guggenheim and the Met in one. Again – my heaven! I couldn’t get enough of the clothes. The fabrics, the details in the threading, the bead work, the sheer shirt paired with the satin gown like skirt, the colors, the people who walked the halls with me (were they designers?! I always wonder who I’m standing beside in a museum. We’re all there to get inspiration. And yet some of us actually create masterpieces after the inso.)… Ah, again, I was in HEAVEN!

WILL WALK FOR FOOD

… I’m talking 14 MILES of walking this day for the yummiest of yums!

Leaving the museum on a high I practically skipped my way over to Il Salumai Di Montenapoleone. When they were “fully, I said, fully book madame” I decided this was a sign to head straight to Bar Basso – a Milano landmark. Hey, what’s another 4 miles?!

I parked it out front and downed their signature cocktail: Negroni Sbagliato. Oh yeah, baby! Extra 4 miles… worth every stride! They served me chips and olives and looked surprised when I went to lick the bowl. Have I mentioned this was my first morsel of food all the live long day? It was 4pm.

After I slurped the final red sip of my Negroni, I strolled down to Osteria Alla Concorrenza. MUST GO HERE if you’re in town. And warning, all food is served on paper plates. Here, I ordered stracciatella with anchovy toast. And for my second course, I decided to forgo the “raw horse” — Something my waiter was selling hard to me — and instead, order the white asparagus dressed in parmisano. Safer choice. He sent me over a taste (with a wink) of the pastisada di cavallo — horse stew (a cooked version of what we was peddling).

I sat in the window overlooking a friend group that started out with four and by the 90mins I was there, grew to nine. Friends coming on motorbikes and bicicletas. Bottles of wine flowed, loose tobacco rolled, and laughter had me in stitches. Ahhhh I want to be a part of them! I wonder if they’ll think I’m Italian if I double fist an espresso and fizzy water?!! Trick them like I did that Italian lady back in Poppi who was positive I bled red, white, and green.

Walking back to my side of town I passed Oggi (ok, ok, already … I google mapped twenty minutes out of the way to get there. So what!)

Stopping in for my final gelato of Italy (can you believe it? I’ve only had it three times in the 14 days I’ve been in the homeland.) I ordered a trio: pulcinella (orange, cream, and chocolate — signature flavor. must get it!!), yogurt, carmello salato (salted caramel).

MAGNIFICO!

BEFORE I GO…

I walked (got turned around 1,000 times and finally found it again) to the Duomo for a farewell. Sun was setting — Balisimo!

Then strolled right into my hotel where I practically collapsed into bed.

I woke this morning to get another stand-up-at-the-counter-coffee — this time at Marchesi 1824 (famous Milano cafe, blocks from my hotel) and then returned to Senato for breakfast in my private secret garden in the rear. It’s a rainy morning here so far so no one wants to join me just yet. The waiters have turned on the outside heaters for me and applaud my bravery to withstand the cold and drizzle. The steady stream of hot café au laits and toasted cornettos are helping!

Once I’ve had my fill — I’ll head up to pack and then taxi to the station. Where I’ll take a 7 hour express train EN ROUTE to Paris!

ADDRESS BOOK

SENATO // HOTEL // Via Senato, 22, 20121
COVA MONTENAPOLEONE // COFFEE // Via Monte Napoleone, 8, 20121
ARMANI / SILOS // MUSEUM // Via Bergognone, 40, 20144
IL SALUMAI DI MONTENAPOLEONE // LUNCH OR DINNER // Via Santo Spirito, 10, 20121
1. Must make a reservation. Even as a solo diner (something that typically works in my favor when I chose to go out solo) won’t work here. You must have a resie.
BAR BASSO // BAR // Via Plinio, 39, 20133
OSTERIA ALLA CONCORRENZA // RESTAURANT // Via Melzo, 12, 20129
1. Served on paper plates and everything on bread. GO!
OGGI GELATO // GELATO // Corso Garibaldi, 60, 20121
MARCHESI 1824 // COFFEE // Via Monte Napoleone, 9
1. There is also one in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II mall – the famous one.

All I can say is STOP what you’re doing and book yourself a (I would recommend more than 27 hour) trip to Milano!

Next, Paris. One fashion capital to another. Can’t wait! Stay tuned…