Audrey Smith (1974)

“Damatrà” or Milanese dialect for “look at me” (because I’m speaking to you), is a cozy and welcoming trattoria (family restaurant). Prints and paintings cover the walls and warm wooden furniture make you feel nice and comfortable. Recently they have been putting little lights on the ceiling so it’s like your under the stars. Tacky?! You be the judge!

The menu could be also described as “cozy”, with hearty traditional Northern Italian cuisine. Steady favorites such as Osso Buco and Cotaletta Milanese can be found on the menu as well as a type of fried pasta dough served with prosciutto and cheese.

Be careful! If you eat too many there will be no room for your main meal! I have yet to find this in any other place, but the owner tells me it is traditional Milanese food. On my latest visit we made the mistake of also ordering the potatoes for entree. They are potato skins fried in butter… I was worried my heart wouldn’t keep working…but so tasty!

The prices are reasonable for Milan standards and the portions are generous. If you feel like it, the pizza’s are also good. Regardless, there is no doubt that you will feel like you’ve eaten well.

This restaurant is nestled in a nice little corner of the beautiful area of Piazza di San Lorenzo and “Le Colonne” – The Columns (Roman of course).

After a nice stroll around the area, or maybe after a drink in one of the many bars in the area, you may feel like sitting down and enjoying the view. This can sometimes be a dangerous thing in a somewhat touristic area. Will the prices be outrageous tourist prices? Will the food be sub-quality? Don’t fret! This restaurant will see you right.

Perfect for a good pizza and a beer or you call also try some of the Lazio (region of Rome) cuisine. The service is attentive and there is an English menu. I wouldn’t rate it as one of my favourite restaurants in terms of food, but more for it’s location. It’s beautiful sitting near the piazza, people watching and just soaking in the atmosphere.

You will find it most alive from Wednesday to Saturday and more alive during the warmer periods.

If you’re planning a weekend trip to Milan, why not plan a little stroll on your Sunday afternoon? But make sure you plan your trip for the last Sunday of the month, except for July and August.

On these Sunday’s you can find the Naviglio Grande (the larger canal in Milan) Antique Markets opening up the area to second-hand vintage clothes, antiques, old books and local shops are open too.

A lot of the shops on the canal are local artists and if you wander into some of the courtyards you can see more art on display as well as see the traditional public style housing of the past.

On a nice day it really is pleasurable to stroll down the canal and see what interesting or strange things are on sale. On a colder day, maybe a nice lunch or coffee and some people watching?!

If you want to stop for lunch, many of the restaurants are open. I am often tempted by a takeaway chocolate and pear crepe or a coffee at Bar Stazione. You can then stare out the window and watch the world go by before joining the crowd.

Il Trullo is a restaurant with cuisine from the southern Italian region of Puglia. Having never been to Puglia, I can’t pretend to be really “in the know” about the cuisine but over the years I’ve been familiar with a few dishes as many of my students like to tell me about their favourite dishes.

A type of pasta, orecchiette, which means “little ear” in Italian; is predominant on the menu and very tasty! My favourite is chick peas and mussels or tomato and ricotta, simple but wonderful. Be warned however, the portions of the pasta dishes are huge! I’ve seen some couples share one portion, something I would never do I’m afraid, I want enjoy it all myself!

Meat dishes include horse and fish. Horse meat is a big tradition of Puglia. I’ve tried some of the fish and it was fresh and tasty. The restaurant is little and bookings are recommended on the weekend, it’s a place to enjoy with friends, not a quiet, romantic dinner. The price is honest, just like the wines and the average bill is around € 30 which is good for Milan.

When I’m looking for some shoes which are a little different and I want to pay a good price for good quality, Mon Amour Les Chaussures is a shop for me.

I’ve bought a few pairs and never had complaints about the quality. The clothes and accessories are also great and follow the latest trends without being too over the top.

In addition to the Corso Porta Ticinese location which focuses on shoes, clothes and accessories you can also find them near other shopping strips. (Via Cherubini 3 (C.so Vercelli) and Via Nino Bixio 1 (Viale Piave/Porta Venezia). Definitely worth a pass by if you feel like buying some new shoes!