the Pretty Woman Scene

Last full day for H and ML. First we walked around the town market here in CM. Got some yarn to knit Irene a shawl for her 80th bday, which is Sat. I hope it gets finished in time. Then, grabbed some focaccia at the Focacceria in the center, they always have a line going out the door - and with good reason!) Then went around Milan to do last minute shopping. (I hate getting on the Metro during the summer. The bad hygiene that is covered up layers of winter clothes and heavy jackets - unleashes itself and flourishes in the stuffy dirty cars of the Metro. And the smell just gets worse as the day goes on.)
ML and I went to Santa Della Grazia to see if she could get in on a cancellation to see the Last Supper, but no dice. Had to book at least a month or 2 in advance. So it was off to meet H and get some panzerotti - finally (ps TammyJo- they are like small calzone but deep fried, and stinkin good. There is always a line out the door to get them and then there is no where to sit, so you have to stand and eat them or go and stake out a seat on the steps of the Duomo). H had already eaten by the time we got there, so she went off to see if she could find some ties for Mike at one of the stores in the Galleria. ML and I finished up and went to go and meet her. Just as we got to the store, H walked out and you could see that she was perturbed, so of course we asked what was wrong. She said that when the store finally opened after the lunch break, she went in. She was in for at least 10 minutes, the 2 sales people did nothing other the gab about ice cream, and tho she neared them they didnt help her and she couldnt get a word in edgewise. So she started browsing and touching the ties. It wasnt until then that the salesman acknowledged her existence by yelling at her, 'Cant you read the sign, it says dont touch.' So thats when she walked out and ran into us. I asked her if she wanted me to say something about it, because visibly angry. And she said 'Would you?' So back in we went, I wasnt mean at all, honestly, even though I was hopping mad for H. I just calmly said 'You know you just lost a customer because instead of helping her all you did was gab with each other. Compliments!'. And there were customers by this time, so they started trying to explain themselves, so we just turned on our heels and walked out. Then we went to Andrew's Ties and got some nice things there instead. Walking out we had to pass the store again and I bet H a gelato to go and knock on the window, flash her Andrew's Tie bag (that is easily recognizable because it has a gigantic tie on the front) and wag her finger in that condescending 'tut tut' sort of way.

Needless to say, I owe Holly a gelato.

Holly and I went to Promod to do a little shopping for ourselves. (ML was awesome being our personal assistant and getting stuff for us, thanks MaryLou!!). Got back and went to get Soph from preschool. H and ML went to do a little souvenir grocery shopping, taking back some of the ingredients of the recipes they learned here.

And then we had our own Last Supper at Baja Sardigna - (which has the best and freshest seafood. and Ignazio the waiter is never less than happy and smiling despite how busy it is all the time! and its really inexpensive!)