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Posts filed under 'Milan'
 Milan is an expensive city, and when you are visiting on travel it’s probably even more difficult to have dinner without spending a fortune. During the day the ubiquitous bakeries allow you to eat on a budget easily but at night it’s easy to have to shell out a small fortune for a dinner, however nice it may be. If you take into account that children’s menus and small portions are hard to find, then the bill will be even higher for families with small children.
A nice solution might be to make the best of the Milanese aperitivo or “happy hour”. The hour is happy not because you get two drinks for the price of one, but because by paying for a drink you get unlimited access to a free buffet.
Most bars now, after 6 pm, will offer way more than a few crisps and a bowl of olives. The quality of the food will obviously depend on the venue, but most of them will offer some pasta or rice, focaccia and fritata, cold cuts, raw vegetables and many styles of bruschetta-style nibbles. More than enough for a light dinner and definitely food that appeals to children.
I have already written about an aperitivo option in Milan but the peculiarity of what has become a habit here has attracted the attention of Matt Gross, the NYT Frugal Traveller, who has spent a whole week in Milan without ever paying for food at dinner! (You can find all his suggestions and comments here.)
-Michela
Michela in Milan
October 10th, 2009
 Italians, or possibly just the people from Milan, have come up with their own version of brunch. In the last 10 years many restaurants have specialised in a particular Sunday lunch, that goes by the name of brunch.
It’s not too dissimilar from what the international crowd believes brunch should be, but it has its own peculiarities. First of all it happens at lunch time, not in between breakfast and lunch. The experience normally involves a big buffet table that offers food in a very wide range. You’ll find lasagna, pasta and risotto next to meatballs and sausages. All sorts of grain salads next to grilled vegetables. But also scrambled and hard boiled eggs, brownies, pancakes, fruit, yogurt and cereals. So it’s really hard not to find something everybody likes.
That’s why it has become a favourite family event — informal, quick and with lots of choice for the fussy children.
Today we tried the play-brunch at the San Vittore restaurant, named from the prison it faces (in the center of Milan!).  The place is light and modern and you get to sit either at normal tables or on small couches in front of coffee tables. It may sound weird but it actually works fine if you have very small children! We were welcomed with a tasty mimosa, the buffet had all of the brunch staples and included in the fixed price menu we were offered eggs (any style) and coffee. Not a gourmet meal, but definitely nice. What makes this place stand out is the entertainment for the children. Two girls went around the tables and joked with the children and built them swords and animals with balloon tubes. When most of the children were done eating they all ventured on the terrace and did some games and a magic show in which children could participate.
That gave us some time to drink our coffee and have some quiet adult conversation. Not bad after all!
-Michela
p.s. Yes, my son will be the next Harry Potter!
Michela in Milan
September 24th, 2009
 My son goes to a state school — teachers are well prepared, it’s nearly free and it’s around the corner. What else? Food is not great and the teachers face a constant lack of funding. Parents chip in on many occasions (Christmas and end of the year) and bring everyday supplies of tissues, wipes and plastic cups. The teachers though came up with an additional way of supplementing their class endowment: each child brings a present for the class on his birthday.
It’s a system that is working beautifully — parents ask for suggestions and teachers get what the class is in need of. But also the children love it! After all, they spend so much time between those walls and have no problem at all in giving a present to the class on their birthday because it’s a new toy that they will use too!
-Michela
Michela in Milan
May 12th, 2009
 BAC is the acronym for “Bambini Arte Cultura e Creatività” which is a pilot project by MUBA in cooperation with the Triennale Bovisa here in Milan. It has been running for three weeks but it will reopen permanently in September.
The idea behind BAC is to foster creativity in children ages 3-12 (and their parents and educators) through the re-interpretation of industrial waste.
Children are invited to enter the cute Pink Pavilion and choose 7 objects from the loads of materials neatly stacked on shelves. Pieces of frames, old glasses, light reflecting plastic, wires, valves, plastic cones, and feathers are some of the objects available. They are then led into one of the Triennale workshops where they can take part in 4 activities using their chosen pieces.
 They can make art compositions over picture frames, build a house using their chosen things together with other pieces of wood, can experiment with projectors to see how colours and shapes change once you look at the objects’ shadows, and finally they can make a “painting” inside a tiny photoslide that is then projected on a wall.
BAC is a project in the spirit of remida, an organisation that collects industrial waste materials in the town of Reggio Emilia and then offers it to all the school labs in their territory in the full spirit of the Reggio approach to schools and education.
I’m so glad a “piece of Reggio” has finally reached Milan; it has been a great way of exploring new activities with my son and I’ll definitely be back as soon as the activities start again in the fall!
-Michela
Michela in Milan
April 5th, 2009
 A couple of weeks ago I discovered the cutest little shop here in Milan. Orangorilla is owned by Marta who will welcome you with a gentle smile and guide you through all the nice things she has in her shop.
Orangorilla sells a variety of products ranging from children’s clothes and shoes, to handmade jewellery, plates and frames. Everything is chosen by Marta either because it’s useful or because it looks good.
My favourite pieces were part of the collection from the the shop’s original brands Orangorilla and Tototti (the nickname of Marta’s 3-year-old daughter). They are mainly simple and classic designs made with Liberty prints (and not the most obvious ones) together with cotton and linen. The quality and the care in the making are great, and on top of it all the pieces are nearly unique as she makes just one per size in all her styles. The Orangorilla brand also offers stylish polo-shirts for little boys, in nice colours or stripes.
 She also sells a few other brands like Eddie Pen and the Portuguese Laranijnha, and she stocks very cute and inexpensive canvas sneakers which will be perfect for summer.
The shop is located in the very trendy area of Corso Sempione, near the Sempione Park and close to some cool aperitivo spots (and is facing my very favourite sushi place in Milan). Definitely worth a visit!
-Michela
Michela in Milan
March 28th, 2009
 Can’t believe how excited and proud we are. It was a full-term, healthy pregnancy, and after a long but painless delivery we have finally given birth to four wonderful, beautiful city guides!!!
Their names are Amsterdam, London, Milan and Paris and even though they are still tiny, all the features are present. So with a lot of love and nurture from their mummies, they will soon grow up to become big, complete travel guides!
No kidding. Visiting cities with kids in tow doesn’t mean you have to spend your days in the swimming pool of the hotel (if it even has one) feeling guilty about disturbing the other hotel guests who, without a doubt, are hoping to spend their first romantic weekend-away-from-kids in 15 years.
Or… ending up in the local Rainforest Café or McDonald’s restaurant because you’re hungry and frustrated and all those fancy-looking local restaurants didn’t look very kid-friendly.
No way. From now on, just check out the Babyccino city guides with inside information of all the cool places we like to visit in our cities, carefully selected and tested and proven to be kid or parent friendly! Discover the coolest kid-friendly restaurants, the cutest kiddie shops, the best parks and playgrounds, the most interesting museums, the best local products and more!
Of course, this is a work in progress so we will keep updating them — and we would love to hear back from you with feedback and tips!
Enjoy!
Love, the Babyccino girls
(Phew – time for a beer now!)
Esther in Amsterdam
February 19th, 2009
 Il Rosa al Caminetto is the restaurant of a 4 star hotel behind the Duomo, in the very centre of Milan. Thanks to Marcello Forti, a young entrepreneur and new dad, the restaurant has taken a turn and become quite family friendly.
First of all, children under 8 eat free on any day, lunch or dinner. Then they have a big amount of crayons, markers and colouring books which they will happily bring to the young customers to keep busy while waiting for their meals…or while waiting for their parents to eat their own (a rare thing to find in Milan!).
We were there on a Sunday lunch when they serve an Italian version of brunch. There was a starter buffet with cheese, cold cuts, salads, quiche and grilled vegetables. This was followed by an entree and a main course, and we finished the lunch with a trip to the dessert trolley!
The Sunday brunch is meant to be a family affair so on these occasions some toys are brought out — there were cars, a doll house and a play kitchen with pots and pans.
The décor is not too modern I’m afraid but the new Louis Ghost chairs by Philippe Starck have made the room look definitely less stuffy, and the location cannot be beaten: totally in the middle of the tourist and shopping attractions of Milan!
-Michela
Michela in Milan
February 7th, 2009
 Last Sunday we spent the perfect winter day visiting the Natural History Museum. We met there quite late in the morning, with another family with two children.
We first toured the ground floor where the main attractions for children are the skeletons and reproduction of dinosaurs; there is a life-size triceratops that is really impressive.
Then we headed to the cafeteria, which is on the top floor with a gorgeous view over the roofs and trees of this very central neighbourhood of the city. While, as usual in Milan, the cafeteria does not cater especially to children, the staff there are really patient and will help you compose a plate for the little ones. I was not sure what my little daughter was going to like, so they let me pick and mix among the various foods available. The quality is good and the price quite reasonable.
Then we headed to the first floor so that the children could burn off some of the energy accumulated while sitting at the table. They roamed enthusiastically through the corridors, looking at wild animals set in nicely restored dioramas that really help them envision where lions, polar bears, elephants and the like live in reality. 
Overall, this museum does not compare in grandeur and content to the one in London, but I think the size is perfect for little children whom cannot read and so do not appreciate the full amount of knowledge available over there. Surprisingly, it was not very crowded, so even my daughter could crawl and cruise while pointing at deer and penguins without running the risk of getting lost or run over!
We ended our trip with a nice walk in the park surrounding the museum. Everyone was dirty and tired when we headed home, but we were so pleased to have managed to spend such a family-friendly day in our city (as you know by now, it’s not that easy!).
-Michela
Michela in Milan
February 1st, 2009
 A couple of weeks ago my husband and I did something we had not done in a while; we went out for dinner on a Wednesday night. We picked a relatively new restaurant in our neighbourhood on the basis of a couple of reviews we had read (and their website) and we were so pleased with our choice!
Pane e Acqua is a very small restaurant opened by chef Francesco Passalacqua when he decided that the experience he had accumulated over the years working in the best Milanese restaurants was enough to start playing solo. The cuisine is delicious — a modern and elaborate take on traditional Piedmont recipes. The people who work with Francesco are all young and friendly; you can tell they enjoy what they do.
What also helped me fall in love with this place is the décor. It’s so not Milanese I’m afraid… it’s so young, understated and cool, not flashy but vibrant and colourful. It is a clever mixture of old, new, rich and poor!
I keep recommending it to everyone I talk to, and I can’t wait to go back!
-Michela
p.s. photo by studio Calatroni
Michela in Milan
January 5th, 2009
 I know it’s totally commercial, plus it’s always the same drink, but I just love this special holidays tram that travels around Milan these days. When you spot it on the street at night it really looks like a magic chariot!
Merry Christmas from Milan!
-Michela
Michela in Milan
December 25th, 2008
 For the second year running Milan will have its own Christmas Theme Park — the Villaggio delle Meraviglie. It all takes place in the lovely surroundings of the Giardini Pubblici Montanelli, one of the nicest parks in the very centre of Milan.
From the 6th of December until the 6th of January a fairytale village inspired by everything Christmas will be put in place for the entertainment of children and adults together.
There will be Santa’s house where children can meet Santa Clause and hand him their Christmas letter. After Christmas his place will be taken over by Befana, an old witch-looking lady, who flies on a broomstick and brings sweets and presents to well-behaved children on the night of the 6th of January. Next to Santa’s house there will be a toy factory where children can draw their favourite character and then see an animation of it.
Under the Ice Palace (though not really made of ice) there will be entertainment for the very little ones, a circus school and face painting.
One of the biggest attractions for children will be a rollercoaster in the shape of Santa’s sleigh that will ride along on mountains of snow. For a quieter and more tranquil ride, one can choose the “Park Express” train that will take adults and children on a tour of the park where they will meet the fairytale characters that live in it.
 The organisers have also set up a shopping area where vendors will showcase their products in nice little wooden huts, with all sorts of things for sale: little handcrafts, chocolates, cheese and wine and other regional products.
The village would not be complete without a proper ice skating rink where alongside the “free-skating” sessions (and lessons) many exhibitions and shows will take place.
It truly is a very festive and wintery activity! The park is open everyday until 8pm with the exception of the 31st of December when there will be a New Year’s Eve party inside the park.
-Michela
Michela in Milan
December 22nd, 2008
 Panpepato is a lovely little shop that faces Parco Solari, a small but very child-friendly park in Milan. This tiny space overflows with trendy clothes, cool jewelery, scarves, hats, bags – anything but shoes! It is the creation of Martina and Giulia who, after a degree and a few years behind a desk, decided to make their lifetime dream come true and open a shop. This shop is not ordinary in that it sells the products of over 50 artisans, making everything you buy original and often unique. They also stock clothes from small young producers like skunkfunk and Lo Spaventapasseri.
Next to the women’s collection of clothes and accessories they also sell baby and children’s clothes. They are all handmade by Monica and Roberta (both WAHMs) in a simple timeless style with nice colourful fabrics and often decorated with big matching fabric-covered buttons. They do not normally have a huge selection in stock, but if you see a style you like you can pick the size and the fabric and they will have it done for you at no extra cost.
The shop is not easy to spot, so look out for a pink wooden bench – it’s their sitting room and on sunny days many friends and locals alike stop by for chat. There is a good chance you’ll find me there with one or two of my children. Why? Because Martina is my sister!
-Michela
Michela in Milan
December 10th, 2008
 Cookie Magazine’s Going Places blog is featuring a week of last-minute getaway ideas, perfect for the holiday time. All their ideas are for easy-to-plan and relatively affordable holidays with kids.
The four of us have written about a quick, last-minute getaway from each of our cities. Check it out here, and also make sure to check out their other ideas… like, how about a sunny trip to Mauritius?!! Oh, how I’m craving some sunshine…
-Courtney
Courtney in London
December 10th, 2008
 You have heard me say many times how kid-unfriendly Milan is, but all I have done so far is to complain! My journalist friend, Carlotta Jesi, took it to a different level and started working to build a family-friendly Milan.
How? She set-up radiomamma.it — a portal for everything “family” in Milan. It has a diary that lists all children’s activities for that week, a section with nice walks you can do with a pushchair, interviews of people who have acted to bring about some welcomed change in the society, interviews of normal mums and dads, and best of all a list of family-friendly shops and restaurants… and professionals!
What is a family friendly professional? He or she will be somebody willing to work around a family’s schedule — happy to open his office after dinner or on Saturday afternoons, or someone who is willing to come to your home to do business.
To make everything reliable she has created the family-friendly certification (levels go from 1 to 3) and she personally checks that businesses meet the criteria. And in line with her project of building a more friendly Milan she will also help businesses make changes which will allow them to obtain the certification.
The whole project went live only just over a month ago but the list of family-friendly certified businesses is growing every week!
Who knows…. I might be finished complaining soon?
-Michela
Michela in Milan
December 1st, 2008
 Ties made by E.Marinella must be the most famous Italian ties. This family boutique opened in Naples in 1914 by Eugenio Marinella and it has been in the same family ever since. This family, now for nearly a century, has been the synonym of elegance and style first in Naples and now all over the world. The first historical shop in Naples is on one of the best sea promenades you can find, the second one is in Milan. You can now find a selection of Marinella ties in some of the boutiques of luxury hotels, but nothing beats the atmosphere of their flagship stores.
The shop in Milan is in a very old and elegant building, the décor of the place is antique and classic yet airy and not stuffy at all! You will find many tables covered in big wooden boxes full of ties, all of them quite classic, but never boring and you can always find ties in the season’s fashion colours. Very smart looking shop assistants will help you pick the right one, so do not be put off by the reputation.
My husband thinks they are superior in the quality of the silk, the cut, the make and also the prints — although I must say that the prints he picks look all very similar to me.
Even if you do not trust my husband you should definitely trust the endless list of famous people who have chosen Marinella over the decades — including all American presidents since Kennedy!
They must be really excellent if even my very sober father bought two of them in the last 4 years, one to wear at my wedding and one at my sister’s.
Just one suggestion, try to avoid the week before Christmas if you can — it’s just mad!
-Michela
Michela in Milan
November 23rd, 2008
 Although it is now the symbol of Christmas lunch and dinners all over Italy, Panettone is the ultimate Milanese Christmas dessert. Its origin is the subject of many legends, but what is certain is that it dates back to the XV century. It is shaped like a cylinder with a rounded top, it can be high (30cm) or low (15cm), and in its original recipe the dough contains eggs, butter, raisins and candied oranges. These days you can find it without candied fruit or raisins, or with chocolate chips and custard cream. But, as any true panettone lover would say, those may taste good…but they are not the real thing!
Italians normally have it at the end of a special meal (lunch or dinner) together with coffee or a sweet wine. When one feels really indulgent you can have some fresh mascarpone cream on the side. 
Panettone should not be heated before serving, but does, especially in the winter, benefit from a few minutes in a warm place, like in front of an open oven or on top of a radiator. Left-over panettone makes for a very delicious breakfast. You can find loads of industrially produced ones, and some of them are quite good but nothing beats the panettone which comes from one of the traditional patisseries in Milan.
My all-time favourite is from Marchesi, a patisserie that has been around since 1824 and whose atmosphere still has the power to bring you back in time, to the beginning of the last century.  Right before Christmas, as soon as you enter their shop, you will immediately notice the table with the big pile of panettoni wrapped in white with a red ribbon. If you stay in the shop for a few minutes you’ll see this pile disappear quickly, as many people enter the shop just once a year and for the sole purpose of buying their lovely 1kg panettone.
Luckily now panettone is produced almost all year round, with the exception of the very warm months of July and August. So any time you are in town you can pick one up to take home!
-Michela
Michela in Milan
October 25th, 2008
 The Science Museum in Milan hosts, in its backyard, a real war submarine. The “Enrico Toti” was built in 1967 and was used during the cold war to spy, and possibly destroy, the big missile ships of the Soviet army. In 2000, after 30 years of service, it was decided it would gloriously end its career and reside in the Museum named after Leonardo da Vinci. Children, but not only they, could not be happier.
Visits are organised in groups of six, helmets must be worn, and children below 3 are not allowed. Once you are in, the first thing you realize is how cramped it is inside. (I couldn’t imagine actually living in one of those!) Then you are shown the periscope (and get to see the nearby roofs!), the sonar and the big slots to launch torpedoes. Admittedly the explanations may be a bit complicated for 3-year-old kids, unless they are already acquainted with the terminology, but I would think that a 5-year-old would really have a blast here.
Tickets can be bought at the Museum counter or booked in advance on the phone, and if you don’t want to risk it, I suggest you buy them before, especially on a weekend.
I think this is the perfect father and son outing; what’s better than a little bonding over an old battle-ship?
-Michela
Michela in Milan
October 24th, 2008
 Fungo Matto means ‘crazy mushroom’ and such a funny name is perfect for one of my favourite clothing shops in Milan. It is a tiny one-window shop in the Navigli area that has been carefully decorated with red mushrooms with white dots, vintage wooden toys, antique but simple furniture and a sweet collection of antique children’s chairs.
Anna Barbavara realised there was a gap in what Milan had to offer in terms of children clothing: shops were either selling very expensive traditional outfits which made children look like miniature versions of very stuffy parents, or offered scruffy-looking clothes full of big loud prints and stitched teddy bears.
She set the style of her shop when she discovered the Imps & Elfs collection. But she didn’t stop there; she continued to look for cool, good quality brands, designed with children in mind.
 She now stocks pieces also from Quincy, Minimù, Muchacha, Mosquito en Alaska , Sara Rotta Loria and Jeep.
Every time I enter the shop just to have a look, I always end up getting something… maybe just one piece, and I never regretted it!
This is definitely a little gem of shop, certainly not ordinary and with a non-ordinary owner as well — Anna runs the shop during the day and is an opera singer by night!
-Michela
Michela in Milan
October 23rd, 2008
 Milan is not a city full of spaces for great outdoor activities; people just make the best of what is available! The biggest park in the center of town is Parco Sempione, bordered by the Sforzesco Castle, the Triennale, the Arco della Pace and the Aquarium. It’s no wonder it has been central to Milanese leisure time activities since its creation in 1888.
So even if it’s not comparable to the beautiful (and unique) London parks, it constitutes a very good and effective outlet for kid’s energy. They can run, ride bicycles and play football, and on the side nearer Arco della Pace there is a nice playground with big climbing structures that will appeal even to the most experienced kid. Nearby there are kids’ electrical motorbikes and cars — the dream of every preschooler, and a cute (and old) electrical train that will be the joy of the younger ones.
 If you go in the afternoon then, when everybody is in need of a break, you can indulge in what Milanese excel at: aperitivo! The park is in fact surrounded by very cool and stylish bars that around 6pm get ready for the big “happy hour” crowd. Happy hour in Milan does not mean cheaper drinks; it means free food!
Arriving early, and having booked a table, means you can enjoy a drink even with children in tow. The counters are normally covered in trays of food, maybe not Michelin-starred, but of the type children love. There will be carrot and celery sticks, pizza and focaccia squares, little bruschettas, chunks of salami and mortadella, tofu cubes, a warm pasta, little sausages, meatballs, cheese cubes, sometimes fruit and, if you are lucky, raw fish… and all of this is on free buffet.  These places become busy once office people set free, which is normally around 8pm, so you will have plenty of time to enjoy the chilled-out atmosphere before calling it a day and taking your kids home!
There are a few nice bars around the Arco della Pace and my favourite place is Living, just on the right of the arc, especially in the summer when they have nice tables on the pavement with great views of the park trees just in front of you.
-Michela
Michela in Milan
October 22nd, 2008
 This chain of toy shops is really a ray of light in a town where (nice) toy shops are difficult to find! The Città del Sole was founded over 30 years ago by Carlo Basso who still today carefully chooses the selections of toys that will be part of the catalogue.
Since my childhood Città del Sole has been a synonym of good quality educational toys. They sell funny, imaginative toys from big and small brands with a particular predilection for traditional toys. For example, you can find Schleich animals, Sigikid stuffed animals, Plan Toys pull-alongs, Galt toys and a big selection of arts and crafts material.
They have also been the main dealers of all the books by Bruno Munari and have been partners in a few of the exhibitions devoted to the great artist who thought so fondly of children and their playtime.
If the shop is not too crowded (Saturday afternoons or Christmas time) the owners will gladly take their time to help you choose that little present you are desperate to buy; they will listen to you, ask your budget and always find something you will be happy with, big or small. Oh, and they will also gift-wrap it for you!
They have four shops in Milan, so refer to the website for addresses. They also happen to be one of the few toy retailers which has a good web-shop.
How’s that? So modern, yet very traditional.
-Michela
Michela in Milan
October 21st, 2008
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