Italian feast

My foodie story on Bologna from last year's Emirates media famil is published in the August/September issue of Food Magazine (click here to read). 

The need for speed

My story on the Ferrari and Ducati museums in Bologna is one of two stories I have in this week's NZ Woman's Weekly (click here to read).

Need for Speed in Bologna

My story on my visit to the Ferrari and Ducati HQs during the Emirates media trip to Bologna is published in today's Dominion Post (and Monday's Christchurch Press). Click here to read.

Another Bologna story

From November's Emirates media famil, this time published in the Flight Centre blog (click here to read).  

Bravo Bologna

The first cab off the Bologna rank is published in this week's NZ Woman's Weekly (click here to read).

Is this week over yet?

A week of insane proportions: the parentals to stay, friends over for drinks, two Xmas parties and three deadlines. And the part-time day gig, of course.

The Berocca has been taken and the smile has been slapped on.

In the meantime, this is the vintage poster I found in Bologna a few weeks ago - how freaking good does it look framed and propped on the woodpile at the bach? LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.

     

Last Bologna pix

I realised that I hadn't published the last pics from the recent Emirates famil to Bologna.

This is an absolutely stunning city and I will definitely be back.

Food and speed in Bologna

Our second day started with a cooking class at Cultura Italiana Bologna Cucina where we discovered the secret to Italian food (basically chucking lots of butter, wine and sugar at everything), before we got to scoff our delicious creations (tortellino, zucchini flan and panna cotta, since you asked).

The afternoon was spent at the Ducati factory and museum, one of this region's most famous companies. Despite having spent far too much time in Hutt growing up, I seem to have missed the petrol-head gene so I wasn't expecting to enjoy Ducati as much as I did. But, entwined as it is with WWII, the history of Ducati is fascinating. So even though I would usually rather stroke my face with a potato peeler than ride a motorbike, it was a great experience.

Later, there was a visit to a luxury galleria, dinner and a jazz concert.

            

Bella Bologna

We arrived in the capital of Emilia-Romagna at noon today, after a six-and-a-half-hour flight from Dubai (the early start was mitigated by the glorious Emirates lounge and the free reflexology session - God I love media trips!)

After lunch (pasta for the three carnivorous boys and a delicious Caprese Salad for me, with rounds of buffalo mozarella the size of bread plates) we embarked  upon a walking tour and ended up at Prendiparte Tower, one of about 20 fortifications left over from medieval times.

We huffed and puffed our way up hundreds of steps to the roof but it was worth it - this city is all manner of worth it.