Milan in Spring and Salone del Mobile 2016

Paris may be beautiful in Spring, but so is Milan! In recent years the city has become greener, cleaner and more livable, mixing the old and the new with style and gusto. Every time I visit I discover a new gem, and this year it was San Maurizio, a recently restored sconsacrated church in the centre of the city, free entry and beautiful art! Another novelty: Ape trucks dot the city as food trucks, selling everything from gelato to strawberries, from beer to hot food. What a cool city!

Tip: if you are seeking serious coffee, New Zealand style, (and perhaps Eggs Benedict) go to Taglio, in the Navigli area.

Salone del Mobile 2016

This year the Salone del Mobile was great, and I really enjoyed all the new designs, and the very popular exhibition event Before Design: Classic (classic decor revisited). 

Photos by Alessandra Zecchini ©

PPP Panettone Pinguino Pao!

If you live in Italy (especially in Milan) you may be familiar with Pao, the cute penguin created by artist Paolo Bordino. Last year I posted a few photos about a Milan Christmas tram decorated by Paolo with the penguin Pao for Motta, and the other day I saw this great image on Paolo's FB wall, and I asked him to use it: a panettone iced like Pao! The author is Tiziana Amitrano.

Thank you Tiziana and Paolo for letting me use the image, and Merry Xmas Pao!!!

PS
PPP is just because yesterday's post was a TTT...

Photos by Tiziana Amitrano ©

A Christmas Tram to colour Milan

Per le strade di Milano gira un tram morbido morbido, disegnato da Pao.

Fotografie: Massimiliano Morgante

My second Christmas post is dedicated to my birth city, Milan. I was born there by chance, and left too young to think of it as my own city, but I do visit often, and my brother lives there, so it is a special place for me.

I was going to write something completely different today, and then I saw some great pics on FB. My friend Pao has painted this tram for Motta (they make panettone), if you live in Milan maybe you have seen it!

I love Pao's penguins, these look like the three wise penguins bringing Panettone.

I remember when graffiti artists had to work quickly and dangerously to colour Milan's grey walls and dirty train carriages, and now they are finally given space :-), and credit!

Hahahaha, robber penguins!

And the Duomo!

Look inside! The walls are soft panettone... I wander if they could also add the fragrance! Better catch this tram after, and not before, breakfast! Wait that I show these photos to my kids! They would go "Ohhhh!!! I so much want to ride on Pao's tram!!"

Designer: Pao

Photos: Massimiliano Morgante

Milano

What I like most about Milano is that it is full of hidden art. Of course there are the usual landmarks, not as many as in other Italian cities, but still landmarks, full of tourists.

Yet, for example, not far from the Duomo there is the impressive Villa Reale, which host the Museum of Modern Art, it is free and... empty! No tourists go there, they all look at the Duomo/Galleria/Last Supper, a few go as far as the Castle...

I highly recommend this place, The palace itself is beauriful, with lovely gardens, and there are some amazing paintings inside, like this Van Gogh Les bretonnes et le pardon de pont Aven, 1888-1890 ca. The last painting in the gallery is one of my favourite, which I didn't feel like photographing... it felt kind of wrong, don't know if you can understand what I mean, sometimes it happens when I am looking at something I really feel for. Anyway, it is here.

And if you look closely you find Art everywhere in Milan, and not just 'design', also alternative, pulsating, live art, like street art.

I find the one below very funny...

And of course I have to finish with a visit to the studio of painter Marco Teatro :-) One of the things I will miss most from Italy will be Art, Art with the capital A, and Art everywhere.

Photos by Alessandra Zecchini ©