HK Independent Traveller Blog

Locals affectionately call it Ca'dell'Oreggia (Ear House i Milanese dialect).  Can you guess what it is? It is a doorbell-intercom created in 1930.  At time the intercom served to visitors to communicate with the guardian who then to announce the visit to the families who lived there. Today it does not function anymore but has become mysterious.  It is said that anyone who comes near his ear and whispers their dreams, they will come true one day. The intercom was created by Adolfo Wildt , a sculptor specialising in auricles.  No one know how the designer of Sola-Busca house' designer, Aldo Andreani  got the unusual idea.  But during the interwar years, it was a fashion of mixing different cultures and epochs. Architects liked to put all sorts of design and styles together. It is a time that strange figures started appearing on the city's facades. The influence of this fashion can be seen at a number of buildings in the neighbourhood. Nearby is the   v

Normally shopping is not in my travel programme with Mr. Dear. He does not like shopping.  And I never want to spend a big bill in Milan for clothing.   But this time, a cloudy day, Saturday afternoon. I went alone to a fashion outlet in town, il Salvagente .  My guide ' 111 Places in Milan that You Must See '  says it is near Porta Venezia .  But in the reality, it is just the nearest underground station.   It is far but once I am there, I thought it's worth while to shed off the calories by walking more than half hour from the fashion street of Via della Spiga .  My impression on this street: elegant and crazy. It's out of curiosity to visit  il Salvagente .  Is it good?  Is it worthwhile?  And to satisfy myself that I can find it.  The answers drove me to get to it. Once I was away from the centre, the streets I passed by were quite empty. Walking endlessly I found the street.  Nobody!  Until I reached it, there were people queuing up to pay.  A good s

Sadlerino is the sister of high end restaurant Sadler .   It is chic 'n quick.   My guide ' 111 Places in Milan that You Must See ' names it a fast food trattoria.  But I rate it highly.  It is a decent restaurant with creative and nice food.  We visited Sadlerino at lunch.  It charged 21 Euro for two-course meal and a dessert (excluding drinks).  The food was superb.   I am sure you will pay the same price in the centre of Milan, for a plate of microwaved pasta and a mixed salad in any uninspired bar.  So, try Sadlerino . Once inside Sadlerino , one feels comfortable and welcome.  White table cloth and innovative glasses, like a piece of cherry sitting at the bottom. We were served with a basket of different bread, nicely baked.  Normally, nice bread tells that the food next will be fabulous. I had a seafood soup served with millet.  Very nice.  The millet was filling at the end.  My friend's menu includes gnocci with butter and sage.   I was seduce