Monday, back to work.

On Monday, I had planned to go back to STMicroelectronics in Agrate Brianza where I used to work to have lunch with my former colleagues and check out the old stomping grounds. I arrived around 1 pm and was met at the entrance to ST by 3 of my ex colleagues. Not having my badge anymore, my colleague Andrea vouched for me at the entrance and we stated that I was with NYU, seemingly at ST for the afternoon for important business.

We walked through the plant, past familiar buildings and some familiar faces. Once we walked into the cafeteria, I spotted my group of once colleagues, now great friends. Just as if no time had passed at all, we took our spots in the lunch line and started joking around and the guys started playing the classic practical jokes that had been constant between us while I worked at ST. Even the lunch pass that I was given by my colleague Marco stated that I was a representative of Motel Rona, a skeevy motel just across the road from ST that we always used to joke about. Classic!

Lunch at ST is provided by the company, so it's free to employees. Five courses: first course is pasta or rice, a second that's meat based, vegetable sides, water, fruit, bread..! And not like the cafeteria fare you might find in the US either, this food is really tasty.

After lunch we went back to the building where our lab is located, enjoyed a post-lunch espresso and a cigarette, and then went into the lab. It was really great to be back there. I had been a part of the research group when we first opened that lab, and from when we first moved into the lab and were busy choosing new equipment and apparatus to being in there on Monday a lot of work had been done. The PCR device that our team has been developing for the past few years has advanced leaps and bounds since I joined the team 3 years ago, and made huge progress even in the past 6 months. Great job ragazzi!

Aperitivo!

Of the things that I miss most about Milan, I think aperitivo is probably number one. I've written about this before; but briefly, it's a daily phenomenon that takes place in the majority of bars in Milan where you order a cocktail and gain access to a buffet full of freshly prepared treats. Clearly, an aperitivo was in order during my short weekend in Milan.

Maria and I arrived at Yguana early, in order to hold down a table for the 20 or so friends I expected to show up. Yguana has an awesome spread when it comes to the buffet, and the cocktails are served in swimming pool-sized chalices. It's located right in Piazza Vetra, which is just around the corner from the funky/bourgeoisie area of Corso Ticinese and Le Colonne di San Lorenzo. It's like the Williamsburg of Milan, if you will. Hipster central.

Marco and his girlfriend Anna were the first to show up, and the four of us ordered our first round of cocktails. My drink, the Negroni sbagliato (or Negroni gone wrong), is a cocktail that became my beverages of choice while living in Milan. It was invented in Milan I don't know how many years ago in a historical bar called Bar Basso, a Milanese friend once informed me. If you've never heard of this cocktail, you're not alone: I haven't found one bartender in New York who has (much to my chagrin). FYI, here is the recipes for the Negroni sbagliato, and a picture of me and mine from Saturday evening:

Negroni sbagliato

--> The classic Negroni uses an equal part of gin instead of prosecco. These cocktails are usually served on the rocks and with a slice of orange. 

• 3 cl prosecco
• 3 cl Vermouth Rosso
• 3 cl bitter Campari

The evening went on, and friendly faces started pouring into the bar. Colleagues, best friends and their new boyfriends, old friends that were in Milan for the weekend from London and France all filled our table. We hadn't been able to make reservations since it was a Saturday night, but even if we had it wouldn't have helped much because I had no idea that so many friends would show up to share some drinks and catch each other up on what's been going on in the past few months. It was a splendid evening, with my only complaint being that it went by too quickly!

Here's a snapshot of some of my lovely amici Milanesi from Saturday night!

il rientro

After a quick flight over the Atlantic, I landed early last Saturday morning in rainy London. I don't know if it was the butterflies in my stomach or the lingering suspense of the Swedish thriller movie "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" that I caught on the flight, but for some reason I couldn't sleep. After dashing through the security checkpoint obstacle course in Heathrow's terminal 5 I made it to my red eye flight to Milan, and before I knew it we had landed at Linate.

Instantly, I felt as though I had arrived at home. Rowdy Italians joked around with each other while waiting for luggage and the distinct smell of rich espresso emanated from the airport bar while I briskly made my way to the bus eager to get to Milan.

delicious breakfast, Milano style!

 I had to wait for my friend Maria to finish work on Saturday morning, and to kill time I enjoyed a cappuccino and brioche al cioccolato (which amazingly costs just 2 €) and tried one too many incorrect PIN codes for my Italian debit card, which was then eaten up by the ATM. No big deal, I just had to wait 2 days for the bank to open and 3 weeks to get a new bank card sent to me (anything less would be un-Italian).

Maria met me at Porta Genova a little while later. It's the most wonderful thing reuniting with great friends; even if a substantial amount of time has passed, it can feel like you just saw each other the other day and practically pick up a conversation that you left off months ago. She was just as bubbly and wonderful as she always has been and it was such a treat to catch up on that sunny Saturday afternoon. The weekend was off to a wonderful start!