The Best Delay Ever

I love it when lame and boring days turn into surprisingly memorable ones, and today seems to be one of them.

After a disappointing trip to San Antonio (too touristy) and Austin (uninteresting downtown and too short of a time to explore further), I was on a full flight heading back home. Knowing that I had a two-hour layover in Atlanta, I had called a friend of mine so we could catch up at the airport. I am not a big fan of Atlanta airport, as a matter of fact it happens to be one of my least favorite airports, but I am always cheered up at the possibility of catching up with a friend. However, by the time we got to Atlanta, our pilot announced that we had to circle and wait for a bad storm to pass... 30 minutes later, we were still circling the skies over the busiest airport in the world with a number of other planes, and facing the possibility of being diverted to another airport as our fuel levels were getting lower. "Great," I thought, "another long day at the airports, and possibly sleeping at an airport motel in Alabama" (the only positive thought was the fact that I'd never been to Alabama, and maybe this would tempt me to rent a car and drive back to DC...)

Fortunately, we were one of the first planes accepted for landing as soon as the storm passed, so when we hit the tarmack and I turned my phone on, I was expecting a message from my friend saying "sorry, I see that you are delayed, and am not going to make the trip to see you for 5 minutes" To be fair to him, these were my directions - who wants a friend to drive during rush hour traffic if there isn't enough time to catch up?

To my surprise, my friend had a different plan with specific instructions: "Your flight to DC is delayed 2 hours, met me outside the terminal" To a regular traveler, this may not mean much (or may sound like a major hassle as involves going outside the the security line and trying to come back), but my friend knows me well... Knowing what the message meant, I had a big smile on my face and was out the terminal within 10 minutes (one of the advantages of checking bags - you don't have to carry them around!)... and he was there to pick me up ... in his convertible!

By this time, the storm had passed and even though it was a little humid, the temperatures were bearable, so, of course my answer to his question of "should we put the top down?" was a big "YES!"

Friends who know who you are and what you like are always valuable... And this friend of mine knows how much I like cars, driving, and how I am fascinated by convertibles (especially with BMW convertibles, but that's another story) He sometimes happens to be on the receiving end of my never-ending driving trip ideas ("The South," cross-county, Northwest, New England, Denmark to the bottom of Italy, etc...) and I enjoy hearing his adventures with his convertible of 8 months. As a result, when we pull out of the airport with the music blasting (Blue October - happens to be one of my favorite bands) and my hair dancing in the wind, he knows why I am screaming with joy! I just feel like driving all the way to DC now, or whereever... Frankly I don't even care where we are going or how long, all I want to do is enjoy the wind, the music, the sun, and the feel of the road. I know my friend is watching me with the corner of his eye and having fun, because it is easy to make me happy and I don't hide it when I find it... At one of the red lights, he asks "so, what do you want to eat?" and when I answer "Eat? Who wants to eat?" he knows he's created a new devil in me. He always jokes about how I'm always ready to eat, and hungry almost at all times (which is true). If I cannot think of food, this must be really good - and he knows it.

Oh well, he's a proud guy with a convertible Jaguar, and I gotta give it to him after seeing the way people look at me. Most women give me the look of "oh, you lucky girl!" in a very different way than I've ever seen before. I am the same person I was 20 minutes ago, but suddenly I have become the "lucky woman who got a guy with the Jag" (envy). As for the guys, I don't know if they even notice me - they give my friend the "you lucky guy" look because of the car. Personally, I don't care for any of it... As good as the car feels and handles, the thing that makes me smile is the feel of a solid convertible (and a great sound system) more than the fact that it is a Jaguar. And ... I find that my heart still beats for a BMW, convertible or not...

When you know what you want, there is no comparison, only affirmation... But that shouldn't stop us from trying and exploring, should it?

P.S. Update on July 14: Every time I see a convertible Jaguar now, I remember that day and smile. I can feel the sun on my face, the wind in my hair, and Blue October blasting in my ear... How do we create memories that last for a long time and make us smile time after time???

Is everything big in Texas?

Since I started my discovery of the U.S. I wanted to go to Texas. Maybe it is the image of the "Dallas" TV series I had watched in my childhood, maybe it is because Texas is the largest state in the union, maybe it is because people who grew up in Texas seem to have a bond the rest of us cannot understand. After the way I was impressed with Colorado (which may be my favorite state amongst the 25 I have seen) and understood what it meant to have lived or to have seen Colorado, I've been curious to see if there was such a feel to Texas. Knowing Colorado made me a better person and gave me a lot of new perspectives in life, I wondered if Texas had anything to offer in a similar way... Whether I was missing something "big" for so many years.

When you have high expectations, generally you end up with disappointment, and I think that is what happened to me. I didn't expect to find Colorado in Texas, but I expected to find something that defines Texas and Texans in a way that would make the rest of us envious. Well, in three days, I didn't find much of it.

The top experiences were the Blue October concert (who happen to be from Texas) in New Braunfells (which is located in between Austin and San Antonio) and an unexpected guided tour at the historic Driskill Hotel in Austin (more on that later - but make sure to ask for Glenn if you go). Other than that, the area we covered were pretty unimpressive for me, mostly flat with some elevation, but not much to write home about. Yes, I saw a couple longhorns happily grazing across the land, and some cows spread around the pasture... And I found the area we passed to be much more green than what I expected. Another positive - it rained pretty much every day cooling off the temperature for a little while, which, to my surprise, was not as bad as I thought.

NEW BRAUNFELS

New Braunfells area is mostly for water activities in the lake, and of course, tubing which seems to be the state sport in the summer in Texas. Since we had only about an hour before the concert, we passed on all that, but I kept my eyes on the kids happily tubing down the river. The venue was quite large for a small open air stage, and as the sun set and the stars appeared, it became quite cosy and intimate. I won't say much about the concert since I am a big fan of Blue October, and you can find detailed reports on many websites. (OK, a litle recap: as usual, they were incredible on stage touching all kinds of emotions and tantalizing all our musical senses. I must also mention that, in order to honor July 5, they started the concert with a violin solo of the Star Spangled Banner, which always makes me emotional knowing how much this country and being an "American" means to me.)

SAN ANTONIO

San Antonio is much bigger than I had expected - and the best part is: it is alive. When we arrived at our hotel around midnight, the streets were still full of people walking around, singing, and going to clubs. There aren't that many cities in the US where you can go out comfortably for an exploration tour after midnight, and it was nice to be able to do it for a while before I heard the call of the comfortable bed.

However, when you wake up to San Antonio, you quickly realize that it is primarily a tourist town. If you take out the Alamo, pretty much everything is made for tourists, and overall it reminded me of a small Las Vegas - without the casinos of course. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency, which I would highly recommend mostly due to its location - between the Alamo and the Riverwalk, you literally walk out the door to the canal. Yes, it happens to be a convention hotel with the regular offerings of a chain, but I found the rooms comfortable and tasteful (maybe because it appeals to my "fresh and contemporary comfort" tastes). We had a view of the Alamo which made it a little bit more special. The rooftop has a small pool which seems to be a good spot for families with young kids - and a nice place to look around and put things in perspective.

Other than that, for a more personalized service and less convention feel, I'd recommend The Watermark Hotel. It is also on the Riverwalk but offers a more intimate and exclusive experience.

As busy as it may be, El Mercado (Market Square) probably is the most interesting place in San Antonio to spend the Sunday morning. One thing I loved about it is the fact that you see as many locals as tourists, and a lot of Mexicans shopping at the cute little stores. You can't go wrong with the two big restaurants on the main road (Mi Tierra - which also has a bakery if you achieve to get by the door,- and La Marguerita). They are owned by the same company and offer pretty much the same Mexican fare. The quality is not very impressive, but the operation is - as the door is almost never shut with constant movement of customers going in and out, and a waiting list of 30-45 minutes. Watch out for the margaritas - they may not be the best you have had, but depending on how long you waited, they quench the thirst very fast! (however, due to the volume I believe they are made with a mix, and are way too sweet for me) If you prefer to bypass the restaurants, I highly recommend the street vendors, especially the handmade gordita stand (which also has a line, but moves fast), and definitely the roasted corn. It probably was the tastiest corn I ever had!

The food by the Riverwalk is average, and the beer is not as cold as it should (probably it is hard to keep up with the demand). So don't expect much, and simply enjoy the view - until you can no longer take it and feel like running up to the hills! I found that the best time to experience the Riverwalk is mid-afternoon, you have the sun filtering through the leaves, a pleasant breeze, and not a constant flow of people pushing their way through. During that time, the restaurants and cafes are open but are not busting at the seams yet, and the servers are not running at full speed making you feel exhausted just at the sight of it. You can sit back and enjoy a nice pint of beer or a glass of margarita without people buzzing through, and then you can slowly find your way back to the hotel for a quick nap in order to get ready for the craze of the night.

Of course you need to pay a visit to the Alamo - I'd say either early in the morning or just before it closes. The line was long pretty much all day, and it is not easy to stand in the middle of a plaza in the scorching Texan heat. The exhibits are interesting, and if you get someone to tell you what Alamo is all about (like we did, with one of the National Park Guides in the shaded area behind the building) it certainly becomes more meaningful. [just of the story: Alamo wasn't the last battle that made Texas independent. Because of the bravery of people who defended the Alamo - they died to protect it - the people who fought the next battle had extra inspiration to fight and lead the way for the Texan independence. The name of that battle? Anybody??? The answer is "San Jacinto." Oh by the way, did you know Texas was an independent country between the US and Mexico for 10 years? Another trivia - did you know Texas's first flag was designed after the Mexican flag - they simply took out the eagle-?]

I can't recommend any restaurant in San Antonio since we were there for a short time and I wasn't impressed with much... except for the Guadalajara Grill (in the historic Villita area right behind the Hilton). This is your very down to earth Mexican eatery, practically run by two Mexican guys and a cook in the back. They offer real Mexican cooking ("cochinita pibil" anyone?) affordable prices, cold beer, and plenty of good humor in the decor that keeps you busy until you get your food. Don't think this is a whole in the wall shack, this is a great casual place with bar, table, and outdoor seating, and they have been in business for more than 15 years. They are dedicated to authentic Mexican food - so much so that they bring the chiles and the spices from Mexico! If you go to San Antonio, you must go here to kick back and enjoy unpretentious but real home cooking... (http://www.guadalajaragrill.us/) I don't know about the rest, but this place I can go back to!

GRUENE (pronounced "Green")

This is a cute little town in the hills and has the biggest dance hall in Texas. Has a couple of nice casual restaurants (one with views of the river), couple antique shops, and interesting knick-knack shops. It is a nice place to stop at, but if you have bigger and better things to do, you don't need to get out of your way.

AUSTIN

How to say? Where to begin? It may be the capital of Texas, but this is a pretty small city, especially downtown feels like a small town (except for the new and tall skyscrapers). The main area can easily be discovered on foot but... there isn't that much to discover. Naturally you can visit the Capitol building (designed after the nation's Capitol building in DC) and the Texas History Museum. And you can check out the many clubs and restaurants. But during the 24 hours I spent there, I had a difficult time finding a "sense of place" (which is very unusual for me). The best part probably was the walk by the river, it is really pretty, green, and natural. The sunset is pretty, and there are many people running, walking, biking, plus the rowers on the river create pretty vistas.

The best place to stay undoubtedly is the Four Seasons. With the beautiful vistas of the river, manicured lawn, and comfortable chairs on the deck, it offers the usual comforts and high standard of The Four Seasons. Across from it are a number of well known restaurant chains such as Roy's, Flemming's etc. You'll probably be very happy if you go to Austin for business and stay in this area. Of course, you can also walk around and discover further. There are a number of nice restaurants (my favorite was Cuba Libre - casual but elegant, great martinis and appetizers as large as a typical entree, and the largest rum selection in Texas, with rum flights, too. http://www.cubalibreaustin.com/) plenty of clubs, venues, and bars to chose from to listen to live music - even on a Monday.

Another great place to visit is the Driskill Hotel. If you are a history buff, or like historical experiences, this is the place for you. Even for someone like me (I prefer contemporary, fresh, and comfortable design) this would be a unique hotel to stay at. So much history, and an opportunity to travel back in time. If you choose not to stay here, you must go for a breakfast or lunch at the beautiful 1886 Cafe, or at least a drink at the bar. And when you do, make sure to ask for Glenn, whose official title is the director of engineering, however, he is one of the best guides I have ever seen. He'll open each and every door for you, tell you all the details of the incredible artwork, who is who in the photos, who sat in which chair, and what happened in each room, and you will have a lot of appreciation for not only the hotel, but probably for the history of Texas. And you'll probably like Austin so much more when you leave the hotel...

Still, for the first time in a very long time (OK, I need to admit, I don't know if I ever had this feling before) I didn't feel like staying. I didn't have long list of places I didn't get to, and I didn't leave my curiosity behind... I am sure Austin has a lot more to offer in the surrounding areas and in the hills, but for now it is not on my list of "places to go back to as soon as I can." Of course if an opportunity rises to explore further (or meet Lance Armstrong) I'd be back...

A little lost at West End Bistro

You should never turn down an offer to eat at a famous chef's restaurant, even when he's not in the kitchen. Even when he's not on the same continent... So I am ready to check-out Eric Ripert's West End Bistro, especially after so many months of opening, when all the issues should have been cleared out.

Eric Ripert is known for his perfectionism, the way he brings flavors to the table as fresh as possible and without disguising them. When he brought his touch to Washington DC, we all foodies got excited and had to try what was cooking in his kitchen, so the place got popular fast. It is refreshing to see a Ritz-Carlton hotel shed its traditional layer, and present something different than what has always been the same. West End Cafe is lighter, brighter, livelier, and cheerier than its precedent. Most importantly, it is much more casual so that we don't have to check our attire, go back home to get a jacket (on this humid July day!) and change our behavior as if we are going to our grandma's house. We can make a stop after a casual day at work and not be too concerned about it (disclaimer - my casual day at work still consists of nice clothes because I like to look nice. If your "casual" day means torn jeans and flip flops, this is not the place for you) For a change, I don't feel out of place with my sleeveless black top, and I don't see anybody with a jacket or tie, which is a great sign.

We are seated at one of the banquettes by the window, which may or not be a good thing depending on the day. The view is not particularly attractive - another busy Washington DC street, with people walking by and possibly glancing at what you are eating. Window seats may be more interesting for kids of certain age due to the Fire Station across the street, but I definitely would not suggest that this is a kid-friendly restaurant. It certainly is a grown-up place. One thing nice about the window seats are the fact that they have more light, and more space. The other tables across from the window seem too cramped, and based on experience at my previous visit, too close to hear other people's conversations (and touch their elbows).

The decor is much lighter than one would expect at a Ritz-Carlton (which they clearly tried to distinguish from, there is a separate entrance from the lobby) with striped banquette seats, bare tables (i.e. no tablecloth), and whimsical china. The open kitchen and elevated ceiling makes the atmosphere lighter, even though I can't figure out who came up with those lights - totally in the wrong place.

The service is friendly still not overly enthusiastic, our bread and butter is delivered almost instantly and we get the usual question of "sparkling, flat or tap water?" Upon ordering sparkling, I am expecting something nice and fancy, at least different, but we get the same old San Pellegrino I buy for $1.29 at the market. It makes me wonder if the menu has an Italian twist - which it clearly does not, except for the tuna carpaccio and the tagliatelle bolognese. I would have loved to see either some interesting bottle, or even better, one that gets bottled on premises (see my blog on Poste) helping both the environment and my pocket - I bet we'll go through these bottles pretty fast, and get charged an-arm-and-a-leg for it.

They are quick to get our beverage order (which is a Caymus Conundrum, a very reliable choice, and to my surprise presented at the right temperature as opposed to my last experience) but not as attentive with the food order. And they forget the glass with ice one of my companions ordered until after we are almost done with our entrees.

Menu is nicely presented with beverages on one side, and food on the other. It has plenty of options to tantalize your desires and make you wonder. Being a big fan of rabbit and finding it so rarely on the menus today, I settle on the rabbit rillette, yet leave my heart divided between the Soft Shell Crab and the Fried Poached Duck Egg Salad. Fortunately, one of my companions ordered the salad so I can see what I missed. As soon as my rillette is delivered I am not impressed. It said apple, radish, and celery salad. I don't see any radish, and I don't see any salad. All I see is rabbit pate smeared on two slices of toasted bread with apples and celery julienned over it. The taste is fine, but nothing to write home about, especially in the shadow of the Fried Poached Duck Egg Salad, which looks exciting and intriguing with the perfectly balanced egg cooked to perfect consistency so it oozes on top of the asparagus salad when you break into it. That's what I want on my plate!

Once the appetizers are cleaned out, we are ready for our entrees, which take a while to come out. I know my fish won't take that long, my companion's roasted chicken should have already been cooked, and the carpaccio won't hold the order up. To my surprise, the fish and the chicken are delivered first, and about 3-4 minutes later, our companion gets his carpaccio. And it doesn't look like it was just made. I feel sorry for him - such a disappointing dish to follow a wonderful appetite tantalizer? Good thing we ordered the mac-and-cheese and the fries!

I think I've ordered the best entree at the table - skate with brown butter sauce and braised endives. Skate definitely is worth writing about, and makes me slow down in order to extend the joy of eating it (which doesn't happen that often). As the piece gets smaller on my plate, I cherish every bite of it and the lemony caper sauce that came with it. The endives are overcooked, almost to a tasteless point, and one of them is burnt at the bottom. But I happily munch along, adding some of the fries to my plate which are a better companion. They are crisp light, and perfectly balanced with a touch of spice. Mac-and-cheese with its crunchy breadcrumb topping and the slight meatiness from the ham is a close-second. If you are a fan of the classic mac-and-cheese, this may not make you happy, but I am a big fan of creative mac-and-cheese options, so couple more servings find their way to my plate. Yet, I am not sure, if I'd be back for mac-and-cheese alone. As for the rest of the table, chicken looks uninteresting to me, so much so that I don't even have a desire to taste, which is unsual. The stuffing is cut in big rectangles, raisins are sprinkled in between, and the chicken is cut up in chunks underneath. From the expression on my companion's face, and the fact that he's left about half of his dish on his plate, I know he's not too impressed either. The carpaccio is gone fast probably because my companion is hungry, but he never mentions a word of it, which tells me there's nothing to talk about.

By the time we get to dessert, we have a totally different server pouring new bottles of water, and he is as serious as a worker at a nuclear plant, precisely focusing on the glasses but paying no attention to us. Pot de creme is exactly what you'd get anywhere, a little too cold for me, and I'm not sure how fresh it is. It tastes as if it was made a day or two ago. The "lemon tart" has very little lemon cream in it, it is basically a blueberry pie with lemon cream as a base, and the shell is hard as a rock - confirming my theory of desserts being older than a day. Probably the best sweet in-house is the rice pudding, unpretentious, simple and definitely fresh. It is slightly warm, not as creamy as it should (but I like mine on the lighter side), and nicely balanced with a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg. I like that it is not overly sweet which most desserts are in this country, but if you are used to the typical "American-sweet" desserts, you may be disappointed.

Overall, I would go back for the skate and the fries, and I'd love to try that poached fried duck egg salad. But other than that, the service is unimpressive, food is not consistently exciting, with a number of hit-or-miss items on the menu. From past experience, I know the tagliatelle bolognese is a dish to go for, as well as the Chesapeake Bay Stew (hoping they are delivered at the same level consistently). I know a number of people who go to West End for the burger, but for my money, there are plenty of good burgers around town without having to pay $18 plus $7 for the fries. This certainly is an expense account place where the staff isn't that interested in taking care of you or making sure you return. If you don't care what the bill is, go give Eric Ripert a try, but if it is your money, there are plenty of other places around town to leave with a happier stomach and better appreication of yor business.

P.S. In case you are wondering, we paid close to $300 without the tip, which in my mind is a little too high for what we got (or didn't!)

West End Bistro: 1190 22nd Street, N.W., Washington D.C. 20037 (located in the same building as The Ritz-Carlton) Phone: 202-974-4900 http://www.westendbistrodc.com/

For the Love of Gelato

When you know what you want and you want the real thing, it is hard to be satisfied with anything else. I don't think I had ice cream the whole summer of 2007 since my favorite gelato place was closed due to renovations at the hotel it is part of. Every time I passed by, I glanced and hoped that one day, it would be back... And finally, it is: Aromi d'Italia ("Aromas of Italy") on Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda.

I am not a big fan of hotel outlets, so I didn't stumble upon this place by chance. Rather, I discovered their primary operation in Annapolis, at the harbor (yes, it is that place right next door to Phillips Seafood. Yes, it is the place where you can see many colors and types of gelato through the window - they also have great coffee and pastries) and have been hooked since them. No matter how full I am when I am in Annapolis, Aromi d'Italia deserves a visit, and the tough part is choosing from all the flavors - one reason to bring all your friends and order as many flavors as possible! There used to be days I thought of jumping in the car just to get my favorite gelato, but during the summer the traffic towards the bay and the long delays make the trip unworth it in my opinion.

Imagine my surprise, when, couple years ago I was driving towards Bethesda with my gelato craving still unsatisfied, and noticed the sign of Aromi d'Italia at the corner of my eye. "I must be dreaming" I thought - food cravings do that to me at times, they get so strong I can smell the food I am craving for, or can feel the texture of it in my mouth or on the tip of my fingers. Of course I made a quick U-turn and rushed to the store. It was a small and cozy place, with couple coffee canisters on the shelves, small counter to order food, and a few tables tucked by the window. And of course there was a colorful display of gelato (and some cookies and pastries to the side) which I was immeditately attracted to. I remember being instantly happy and ordering a nice portion of straticiella and tiramisu. And I remember closing my eyes and going to the "mmm mmm mmm world".

Since this little cafe was on my way home from work, it became a regular stop many days, especially during the long and frustrating ones - there is so little a good cup of gelato can't take away!

I introduced many friends to the store, and it became my regular gift for dinner parties. Pleasantly I watched people around the table first complain they had no space for dessert (thanks to many talented hosts) and then gobble up the corners of their dishes... My proudest moment was when I took it to an Italian chef's house and offered it on the side of his delicious pie (always a safe bet - present your gift as an addition to the menu, in case people don't like it)... And once again the gelato box was cleaned up with lots of good remarks.

On couple of occasions, I brought the take-out boxes home hoping that I'd save myself a trip or two to Bethesda. But no matter how much I tried, and no matter what size box I got, the gelato was gone within 2 days, and generally in two servings. Eventually, I decided it was not the best way to handle it and made many happy trips to my litte gelato place...

Then unfortunately, one day... the little gelato heaven was closed!!! I had never seen the place busy, but it didn't look like they were suffering either. When I stopped the car and rushed to read the sign I found out that they were closed due to the renovations at the hotel and did not have a definite opening date. That was when I needed a big take out box of gelato and lots of cold water...

Many months went by, and my little gelato place didn't open... The sign got old, and the building got a new facelift... Still, the little cafe didn't come back. Until one day... Finally... I noticed the chairs back on the patio and some preparation inside. I hoped and waited that my little gelato place would be back.

I am happy to report that it is! Today finally I went with a friend of mine. Despite the fact that we were in another part of Bethesda and we had plenty of options to choose from, and despite the fact that he had an injured foot, I didn't want to go anywhere else. As passionate as I am for food, I am not cruel, so I asked him to wait for me, picked him up by car and drove at my gelato place - not even half a mile away. I was so excited I almost parked illegally, but I am glad I didn't. As soon as I walked in, I was in that familiar place and with a big smile on my face. Everything looked the same but newer and fresher. The gelato case was in its place, and as usual, many flavors were half empty - good sign that people know this place. Starving as I was, I went for a sandwich first (grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, creamy pesto, and oozingly warm cheese stuffed in a fresh and warm bread... When was the last time you got excited about a sandwich??? I know this won't be the last one for me!) and of course gelato to top it off. Bacci (which means "kisses" and includes chocolate and hazelnut) and straticiella (which is vanilla gelato with chocolate sauce strands broken up in the mix, hence the name "strands") is a good way of getting as much as you can in one scoop. Of course you also have to try chocolate, vanilla, the fruit flavors, and the pistachio... While we were enjoying our gelati, other people walked in and out, with that familiar smile on their faces. I know I will be back to this place many times, espcially because I can't keep a stash of it in the freezer. If you go, try the gelato for sure, and the sandwiches are great as well. If you happen to pass by in the morning, stop by for good coffee, and fresh pastries. Whatever you get, you'll get friendly smile with it, and a willingness to please the customer... Ask for a taste of the flavors you won't get today, and make a list for your next trip. You won't be disappointed.

P.S. Did you know they have a branch at the Italian Embassy? That on its own should be sign of how good their gelato is!

Aromi d'Italia: 8120 Wisconsin Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814 (at the Doubletree Hotel, couple doors down Guapo's) Phone: 301-654-9669 www.aromiditalia.com