Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles

As I prepared myself for the very last Women’s Series event this year, as always, I was feeling hopeful.  The Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles would be my last shot at a title this year.  Who knows when I would get this opportunity again.  Sad because it was all over, I was excited to travel to Denver, CO for a few reasons. 1. My sister and her family live not too far away in Colorado Springs, CO.  2. One of my best friends from high school, Nikki, lives in Denver. 3. It’s a mixed doubles tournament and I love any team tournaments.

Little did I know the week would end with a bright new memory that would be engraved in my mind forever.  Qualifying was 14 games.  After the first day of qualifying, I was in the hunt to make the top 16 cut.  After the final 7 games, I found myself in 12th place.  During the very last game of qualifying I looked up at the leader board.  I was in 16th place- I needed a good game to secure my position in the cut.  I shot 256 to secure that position, and push me up to 12th.

My sister, Kassy, and two nieces, Blaize and newborn Khyler were there all day to root me on.  As was my husband, John, and one of my best friends from high school, Nikki.  With all the support behind me, it was hard not to rise to my best. During the last game, my niece Blaize, gave me something she made for me.  It was a check for $1 billion if i shot a 300 game.  It was priceless, and something I will cherish forever.  As I sat in the bowlers area, I saw her drawing on the standing sheets.  I walked over to her to see what she was writing.  She would circle my name on all the standing sheets and put a star next to my name.  So sweet.

I was excited to make the cut in 12th and even more excited to see who I would be paired up with for the rest of the tournament.  The guys bowled at night and had 7 more games to determine their placing. I went back to the bowling center to watch the guys finish and going into the last game, there were multiple great bowlers that I could have been paired up with.  The last game I decided to stand right in front of Brian Voss’s pair.  I noticed he finished with 279 and couldn’t help but think hmmm, he wasn’t in the cut- and will be now.  I wonder if he just shot 279 to bowl with me.

Turns out he did. They made the announcement of the pairing and I was so excited to hear I would be bowling with a Hall of Famer. I knew I would be comfortable as Brian and I had worked together during clinics in the past. He found me right away, and gave me a hug.  He introduced me to his family who was there to watch.  They don’t come to his tournaments often, but when they do, he says, he always bowls well.  And every single tournament his one sister has come to, he has made the TV finals.  I knew that was a long way away, but it was a nice thought at the time.

After a good sleep, I was ready to go.  One of the first things Brian told me before we started bowling was, “I will try every single shot. I will never give up and I will leave everything on the lanes.” He also mentioned that he doesn’t talk too much when he bowls.  I responded with, “if you don’t want to talk to me for 4 hours while we bowl, I’m totally fine with that.  If you don’t want to slap fives, we don’t have to.”  My main concern was that we were comfortable and were best able to do our job.

We did talk throughout the morning. Some of it was small talk- he talked about his big family, and how his mother (who was there) has 12 grandchildren.  Whenever I felt confused whether I should move, or change balls I would run it by him and he would give me short, simple answers.  I took all his advice to heart, and made moves accordingly.

The morning block brought many, many, many strikes and many, many, many wins.  We only lost 2 games out of 8 which gave us a lot of extra bonus pins.  We moved from 12th the first game, to 14th after the first game together, and then shot right up the standings.  By the lunch break the leader board had us in 3rd.  The top 5 teams make the show.  Still a lot of work to do, a lot of pins to knock down, and a lot of bonus pins that could change everything.  I did know one thing for sure, if we bowled like we did in the morning- we would for sure be in the top 5.

After lunch with Mike Fagan, Jason Belmonte, Nikki, Emily Maier, and John, we headed back to what would be the most important block of the tournament.  The lanes were a bit different, and we found ourselves struggling to get the reaction we had earlier in the day.  The balls I used throughout the tournament so far were The C. System 3.5, and the Wild Card when the lanes were starting to get drier. The pins weren’t falling as easily the second block for us, or for anyone.  (luckily)

So there we sat.. going into the position round.. in 6th place, a few pins out of the show.  It was the first time we had dropped lower than 5th since the beginning of the day.  We knew if we won the match against Tom Smallwood and Jodi Woessner, we would have a good chance at making the show.  Turns out that we could have even gotten to 2nd place- as the scores were super close.

The last game was covered on Xtra Frame and I suggest that if you don’t already have a subscription, you should get one right now.  Check out our final game to make the show. Most importantly, check out the 8th frame!

As I sat throughout the match making sure my heart rate stayed steady and focused on making good shots, I realized that this game could go any direction.  We took an early lead, but the team of Smallwood/Woessner caught us in the middle.  It was neck and neck.  Meanwhile, Wendy and Mika were bowling to our right and shooting a really big game.  They potentially could have gone around us, but to the left of us, Kelly and Eugune were struggling. Could we pass them even if we didn’t win this game and get the extra 30pins?

Then.. it happened… in the 8th frame of a very tight match- Brian went up to throw a shot.  It looked great off his hand but what he left standing was anything but great.  I had just watched Kelly Kulick leave back to back 7-10s on the right lane, next door to us.  Then, Brian goes up and throws a great shot only to leave the 7-10.

I sat right behind him while he shot it.  I watched the entire frame.  As he released the ball hard and straight at the 10 pin, his body language showed he thought he had a chance at bouncing it.  Then, in slow motion- it bounced, and rolled the pins all the way across the deck to hit the 7 pin.  The crowds roar is not able to be described into words.  Everyone in the entire bowling center seemed to see this pickup.  Not often do you watch someone throw at the 7-10, because really, how often is it made?  I’m telling you- every single person in the place saw him make this 7-10.  And, it gave me goosebumps.

Still in the game, we finished out the last game clean but it wasn’t enough to take 30 pins from Smallwood and Woessner.  But it was, however, enough to go around Kelly and Eugene and to hold off Mika and Wendy who trailed right behind us.  We made the show!

I seriously could not have been more excited. Between the fact that I get to bowl for a title with Brian Voss, Hall of Famer, to the fact that my sister, and nieces were going to be able to be there, and that I would be going for my 2nd title ever… I was so elated.  No matter what happened on the show, I was truly just happy to be on it.

The next day, Brian and I went to the bowling center to sign autographs, and conduct our TV interviews.  One thing that caught my attention is when Randy asked Brian if he was trying to go for that 7-10 split. His response will be with me forever.  He said, “Every single time I leave a split I think I’m going to make it.” (I then began to think that was the reason maybe I have never picked up the 7-10)

Show day: When I arrived at the bowling center, I went right to the pro shop where I worked out the two balls that my Brunswick ball rep, Chuck Gardner drilled up for me.  He drilled up two more C. System 3.5’s.  One pin down, and one pin up- both with holes. In case the tv pair was tighter, he wanted to make sure that I had something to pick up early and roll.

After practicing on the pair to the side of the show pair, we were ready to head to the TV pair to practice.  I couldn’t be more excited to see my sister, Kassy, brother in law, Scott, and two little nieces, Blaize and Khyler there to cheer me on.  Blaize made me the cutest sign, too.  I was so excited to be able to bowl on live TV while they watched– especially Blaize, since we have watched the bowling shows live at her house.

The only way I can describe what happened that February day is by saying this:  You know those days where everything just feels right?  Everything fits together? That’s what it was like.  Mentally I felt clear headed.  Physically, I felt ready.  I knew what I needed to do, and I had the tools to do it.  During the warm up on the TV pair, I had an immediate good look hitting around 14 at the arrows with the new C System 3.5 pin down with hole that Chuck had drilled for me the night earlier. I had that look on both lanes but was aware that the right lane seemed a few boards tighter.

Everything on live TV flies by.  Unless you slow it down.  I made conscious effort to make sure that I didn’t rush.  I made sure to go only when I was ready.  I was determined to be me.  It was the best TV advice I have ever received– from Rick Benoit in 2007.  Before I won my very first PBA title, he said to me- “When you get out there, everything goes really quickly and it’s truly a crap shoot. You do have control over one major thing, though.  You can control who you are.  How do you want people to see you?”  I made up my mind that day, that every time I was on TV, I would be sure to make sure people saw me and thought one main thing: that I love what I do. Win or lose, that’s always my goal on TV.  I want people to see me for me- and it’s not always that easy on live TV.

After the first game, and shooting 278 together- I felt very comfortable with both our looks.  I didn’t miss on the left lane which made sense that when Rhino and Shannon came in to bowl us, that they chose to move us around.  The lane choice was always that of the higher seed, so we never had to worry about making that decision.  I like that- the less I have to think about, the better.

Brian asked me before the second match, which lane I want to bowl on.  I told him I am comfortable on both, but if I had a choice, I’d stay on the left since I was 5/5 on that lane.  He explained that I would have to finish then, and get the 10th frame.  I’m fine with that, but we hadn’t changed our lineup the entire time we bowled. I felt comfortable leading off, and I felt comfortable with him finishing.  I didn’t want to change the dynamic of that. So, we didn’t.  I decided to start on the right lane, and had just as good of a look.. shooting back to back 270 games.

Wes and Shannon O Keefe had a hard time lining up- and all of a sudden Brian and I found ourselves in the title match against Jason Belmonte and Michelle Feldman, who had dominated the entire tournament (by a lot!)

What an interesting last match.  It’s always hard to come in from the first position and immediately get it together. I’ve been there- I know.  It’s also hard to climb the ladder from the 5th position.  Both of us were in tough positions. Brian and I got off to a good start, whereas Jason and Michelle got off to a little less of one.  Towards the middle of the game, we were up by 30, with still a lot of game left to bowl. It was hard not to breathe easier when I looked behind my chair and saw my niece, Blaize holding that sign that said, “Get a strike, Aunt Dee.”  I even felt my eyes well up a few times coming back from a shot to see her, and my sister- who was always my role model growing up cheering me on.  Brian and I were so fortunate to have our family there behind us the entire way.

It was at that point that I was able to repay Brian the favor he gave me the night earlier. In the 7th frame, I left the 4-7/10. I never doubted I would get it. The first thought in my head after I saw I left it was, “i’m going to pick it up.”  Thanks to Brian’s lesson in split making during the interview the night before.. I never had a doubt in my mind. People asked if I was trying to get two, or actually trying to make it.  I was most definitely trying to make it.  And, I’m so glad I was able to repay Brian that favor.

After I picked up that split, Brian unfortunately missed a 10 pin in the 8th.  Taking my approach for the 9th shot in the final match, I knew I needed to make a good shot to set Brian up.  It might have been the best shot I threw the entire day- Brian needed the first one in the tenth and 7 pins to win his 25th title, and for me to win my 2nd.  He struck out- and we beat the odds. Coming from 5th place through such a great field of bowlers- to beat the two bowlers who were dominate the entire tournament was truly amazing.

A part of me did feel bad for Michelle and Jason, I am not unaware of their fantastic bowling all week.  No one was. Everyone knew how great they bowled together.  It’s the blessing and the curse of live TV.  Everyone who has ever bowled for a title has probably felt both situations.

What an incredible day.  The outpouring of messages, (72 texts when I got to my phone after the show, and 15 calls) and the incredibly nice notes that were sent from people I didn’t even know… was so touching.  Some said that it was the best show they have seen in a very long time- maybe ever. That really affects me because I want more than anything to be able to display my talent so people want to watch, and to be able to inspire people along the way.

Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles

Thanks to all who sent messages, and for who watched our show.. Thanks for rooting us on!

The most inspiring message I received was from Don and Paula Carter.  That, was pretty freakin cool!

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I asked Kelly a few weeks earlier if I could take her to dinner to celebrate. (my way of making sure she didn’t make plans for that night!) She was excited I asked, and looked forward to our little dinner together.  The dinner was anything but little, she would soon find out.

As Stefanie, Clara, Kelly and I headed downtown Denver to a little place called Armida’s (who was famous for their Karoake) the rest of the bunch were already there, hanging banners, balloons, and making sure everyone had the t-shirts I made for them that celebrated Kelly.

The night could not have been any more perfect. Everyone had on their Kelly t-shirts, and yelled “Surprise” when we arrived.  Kelly was in shock.  She didn’t have a clue that everyone planned on getting together to celebrate her.

The night full of Mexican food, Margaritas (for some), and fun Karaoke will be in my memory forever.  I laughed so hard all night enjoying the company of all of my competitors.  Except that night they weren’t my competitors.  They were my friends.  I can’t thank everyone enough for making this party a success.

The night was for Kelly, and by the end of it all- she left with a feeling of sincerity- That although we all compete against one another, we couldn’t have been happier for her breaking the barriers she had broken.

My only regret is that we didn’t get together like that more often during the women’s series.  That’s one fun group of ladies!

Some of the fun can be seen here:

http://www.facebook.com/diandraasbaty?v=app_2392950137&ref=profile#!/video/video.php?v=695844789577

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Below are my personal reviews of the four latest Brunswick additions. I hope that these reviews inspire you to go out and get these balls, because I promise you- they are the best on the market. Brunswick’s R&D department (Billy Orlikowski, Aaron Koch, and Ray Edwards) have spent many hours researching and studying what Brunswick bowlers need.  Thanks for all the hard work R&D staff! Thanks for all the strikes.

+Wild Card

Facts:

-Cover: ConneXion

- RG diff: 0.045

-Out of the box: 2000 Siaair Micro Pad

-Core: Symmetrical Paragon

My opinion:

The Wild Card reminds me most of the old Strike Zone. (And i LOOVED that ball!) It’s medium aggressive, reads the midlane perfectly and is best used on medium -heavy oil where you want your ball to get through the heads clean, read the midlane which yields an increased back-end reaction.

+ Diamondback

Facts:

-Cover: Activator

- RG diff: 0.044

-Out of the box: 2000 Siaair Micro Pad

-Core: Symmetrical Rocket

My Opinion: I’ve always loved my Rattler so when Brunswick decided to come out with their version of a Solid Rattler: Diamondback, I was very excited. I decided to rough buff the balls I drilled and really love how they roll. I used the Diamondback when I was bowling in Vegas at the Team USA Trials. My two favorite drillings for the Diamondback are: Pin above my ring finger, no hole, and Pin above (a little higher) the ring finger with a hole on axis. This ball is smooth. The Diamondback because of it’s Rocket Core and original activator coverstock, makes a more aggressive move at the breakpoint but is still clean through the front. Good for medium to oily lanes.

+Evil Siege

Facts:

-Cover: Propel Pearl

- RG diff: 0.056

-Out of the box: 4,000 Micro Pad Finish

-Core: Asymetrical MACE

My opinion: I always use my Siege. Now I know what to go to when the Siege is hooking too much.  The Evil Siege is cleaner than the C.System 2.5 and is very strong.  It’s one of Brunswick’s cleanest balls with the most angle.  My favorite layout was my pin above my bridge, no hole and secondary pin 70 degrees.  I also drilled one that is stronger on the back, and a bit earlier: pin above my middle finger, secondary pin 45 degrees. Another layout I tried which doesn’t read early, but still hits like a truck is pin under bridge, secondary pin below thumb about 2″ down. The Evil Siege will be a great compliment to the regular Siege. I can’t wait to compete with it!

+C. System 3.5

Facts:

-Cover: CFT 3.5 Reactive

- RG diff: 0.050

-Out of the box: 4000 Micro Pad Finish

-Core: asymmetrical I-Block

My opinion: I have a new love and his name is C. System 3.5. Thanks goes out to the Brunwick R&D department and Carmen Salvino for developing this monster ball.  This is the ball that you will start with on heavy oil when you are looking for a quicker response. You start with this ball, and then you can move to the C. System 2.5 when the lanes start to break down.  This ball hooks and hits unlike any ball I have ever seen. Here are the drillings I chose: (well, Rick Benoit chose)

1. 1″ hole,45 degrees, pin above middle finger 5.5″, This ball gave me more length than the others.

2. no hole, pin above ring finger, 55mb: Rough Buffed

3. pin above ring finger 5″, 45 degree mb

4. I drilled one just like my favorite C. System 2.5 with pin above bridge and secondary pin under thumb

5. Pin in palm, Secondary pin kicked out right, no hole

Thanks, Brunswick!

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To see Blaize’s reaction on Christmas Day, go here: I’ll warn you now: It’s priceless!!

http://s853.photobucket.com/albums/ab95/Kolobolo/Christmas%202009/?action=view&current=20091225073606.flv

Check out http://ontheballbowling.com to learn more about this great company!

Note: Interested in having Sherif and I design a ball especially for you or someone you know? Email me at diandrabowling@aol.com to get more details!

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Introducing the brand new diandra asbaty logo! Courtesy of my favorite graphic artist ever: Sherif Adel. To view his work, check out his site here: http://chubby-cherry.deviantart.com/

He’s available to do work for you, too.  If you’re interested in having Sherif design something for you or your company contact him at:  design@stonegrafx.com

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+ I got a new rug. It’s not just a normal rug, though.  It’s pretty awesome. It’s called Interface Flor and you can check it out here: http://interfaceflor.com/

We needed a rug for under our couch/coffee table and for the space we needed, it was going to cost probably over $500 and then after you buy the big rug, you need to get the backing so it sticks to the ground and doesn’t slide around. Could have been close to $600. Oh, and it wouldn’t be to our exact dimensions. My very good friend, Jason is an interior designer and is currently working for one of the best hotel design firms in the world in Singapore! You can read about the experience of a guy who has never even stepped foot outside the United States, never had a passport, and had to ask what he needs to do when he goes through customs..  here: http://jasondaniels300.blogspot.com/

Jason helped me put together a very cool, custom rug at the Chicago Flor store. (The only store in the US! Most orders are done through secondary stores like CB2 or online sales.)  I can tell you after spending about 1.5hours in the Flor store, I can’t even imagine designing a rug online.  There are so many different patterns, colors, and textures that it would have been difficult if I couldn’t feel the tiles.

You choose the tiles you like, and put together the rug yourself.  You can mix different textures, patterns, and colors to form your own creation.  It’s pretty dang cool so if any of you guys need a new rug- I highly suggest Interflor! Here is how mine turned out: Oh, and it was way less expensive than the $600 I thought I was going to have to spend! And, it was the exact dimensions I needed. Sweet deal.

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I’m not writing New Year’s resolutions this year because I feel like it’s just setting me up to break them.  So, my new years resolution is not to have any resolutions but to live each day as if it’s the first of the year.  This will allow me to live each day with the motivation to be a better me, and to make a positive difference in the world.

What’s your New Years Resolution?

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We woke up to the sight of Mount Etna.  Such a great view from our hotel room!  After our quaint breakfast we headed back to Modica.  Why? Because Sara’s mom invited us over for lunch and John COULD NOT pass up a chance to be in the same kitchen as an authentic Italian “nonna” (grandma).  So, the ride there was much easier than the ride from Modica the night before.  It took us a quick two hours (quick for me because I got a nap in on the way)

We pulled into her driveway and were so excited for this very unique experience.  When we arrived at her house, she was in the process of making tagliatelle.  While we spoke to her husband, Santo in their own kitchen, we brought them back to their days in Chicago.  They had lived there for 25 years and really enjoyed the city.  John was so excited to have this Sunday meal with them as a family and really looks forward to having Sunday lunch or dinner when we have our own family.  I can’t express how intimate and special it was to spend this afternoon with such a generous, kind family.  We met Francesca, Sara sister’s daughter and enjoyed an authentic Italian lunch of ravioli with ricotta cheese, tagliatelle, meatballs, pork belly, and her own chicken.  Everything was perfect.  After the enjoyable meal, we had desserts from her daughter’s pastry shop down the street.  Before we left, I spent some time talking to Francesca who was too shy early in our visit to speak English.  She has a passion for reading and showed us all the (very big) books she has read.  She’s only 16 and has read bigger books than John and I have put together.  I gave her an opportunity to practice her English since she doesn’t have a chance very often. I have a feeling that we will meet them all again in the future.

John and I were off just north of Modica- to Noto which is a baroque city.  Very old and historic.  We took great photos in the ancient streets and enjoyed gelato at what’s known as the “best ice cream shop in the world.” (says Lonely Planet) charming town.  Quiet, and romantic.  Oh yeah, and great gelato!

Next stop: Siracusa.  Since our stop in Siracusa was just a few hours long, John decided we should go to the old town of Ortygia.  It’s a really cute island that is way more posh than we expected.  We felt totally underdressed walking around the cobblestone streets of Ortygia.  Everyone was dressed in dresses, leather boots, and definitely had a different attitude than the other little towns we have visited in Sicily. We spent a lot of time walking down the very charming streets and checking out the expensive shops.  I love getting lost with John.  We didn’t know where we were walking but somehow it felt very safe.  The crime level is so low in Sicily, you don’t really have to watch your back like you do in the US.  We walked from one cobblestone road to the other and before we knew it, we had no idea where we were.

We did know one thing: dinner this night would be pizza since we hadn’t had pizza yet in the 10 days we have been in Sicily.  Interestingly enough after walking around for a few hours, we stumbled upon our car.  We decided to ask a local where we should find some pizza.  We found two very nice older women who directed us to what would be the perfect pizzeria.  I got a pizza with sausage, ricotta, and mozzerella, and John’s pizza had tuna, sweet onions, and a hard cooked egg.

Gas is expensive here!!  It cost about 70 Euro to fill up a tank of Diesel fuel in our Mercedez.  Right now, the dollar is equal to 1.60 Euro.

Very sad tomorrow will be our last day.  Although very enjoyable, our vacation went too fast.  Sicily will always hold a very special place in our hearts.  John and I shared some incredible memories here, and I’m so fortunate to have the opportunity to travel with my favorite person in the whole world.

December 7.

John and I decided to watch the sunrise this morning.  I took out my camera, with tripod and we set it up at approximately 6:55am.  It wasn’t that difficult to wake up since it was our very last day here.  After taking some cool shots of the sunrise with different exposures, it was, however, hard to stay awake. So, before we started our day for good, we took a quick nap.

Today was spent in the city of Taormina.  Rumor has it, many celebrities spend time in this picturesque (I know, what city isn’t picturesque in Italy!?) I could see why celebrities would be drawn to this city up in the mountains.  There were many expensive stores and everyone I saw was very put-together.

John and I spent our very last day (In a long time) in Sicily just walking in and out of the cute streets.  I did some last minute Xmas shopping, and we had a nice lunch at Maffei’s.  We didn’t want to hit a spot that was too touristy- as this town can be, so we walked down a few side streets before finding Maffei’s.  Lunch was good. I had farfalle with parmesan cream sauce with pistachio.  (Yum!) John started with marinated anchovies, then had spaghetti with botarga, and finished with Sicilian style tuna dish with vinegar onions.

After walking off our lunch we headed back to Tenuta San Michele to pack (ew) and relax.  Our flight is at 6am so we have to leave around 3am.  We will be pulling an all-nighter (that is, until we hit the plane) and will arrive in Chicago around 10:30am.  We will be stopping in Rome, and Washington D.C. on our route home.

Although sad to end this very amazing trip, I am trying to focus on how lucky we are to even have this opportunity.  John told me tonight he feels so lucky to be able to share these special moments in such amazing places, with just me.  Whether it’s Sicily, Dyer, IN, or Chicago- I feel so lucky to create moments everywhere in the world with John.

Thanks for being a part of our experience to Sicily.  Here’s to many more!

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Our day started by meeting Sara, who works for Francesco at the olive mill, in the center of Modica.  At the end of the day yesterday, she offered to take to her uncle’s house who makes his own ricotta cheese.  We would soon find out that this would be one of the most meaningful days in John’s culinary career.  One even I won’t forget!

The next morning we met Sara, and our first stop was to meet her sister at the coffee and pastry shop she owns in Modica.  They both grew up in Chicago so it was fun to talk about where they came from and the places they would hang out as kids.  We also met their mother, Carmela.  They all grew up right around the bowling center that I bowl at, Diversey River Bowl in downtown Chicago.  We had a few very good pastries, and as we were leaving Sara’s mom invited us over to her house for Sunday lunch the following day.  We had only talked to her for about ten minutes and were already invited into to her home to eat with her family….that’s how they roll down here in Modica.  Obviously, we gladly accepted her offer (more on that later).

Then we were off to meet her Uncle, Salvatore (a common name here in Sicily). He lives in a farmhouse in the Modica countryside.   He starts the ricotta process very early in the morning so when we arrived in their home kitchen, he was in the process of ladeling the ricotta out of the big huge pot and into the little cups he would sell the cheese in.  While he was carefully ladeling the cheese so as not to break up the curds too much, they allowed us to try the still hot cheese with the homemade bread that Sara’s cousin made.  I am not a cheese lover so I wasn’t sure how I would like it.  It had a sweetness to it and it melted in your mouth.  John couldn’t put into words how great it tasted and how he had never had anything like it.

He still makes it the really old fashioned way with a wood burning fire in a big pot and stirs it for hours. (not kidding). They allowed us to take photos and I urge all who are reading to check them out in the photoworks library when they are all uploaded.

The cheese comes from the cows on his land.  He milks them EVERY morning at 5am.  He makes the cheese every day and sells it in town.  I asked how long had he made ricotta cheese and he said he had been making it since he was 9.  He’s now 71.  He has never had a vacation or had a day off, and this is the only job he has ever had.  As it was described to me, the cows don’t understand the idea of a “vacation.”  Someone has to milk them every single day.

Her uncle seemed very happy with his life.  It was a very humbling (and even a little emotional) experience for both John and I.  All he knows is making ricotta cheese… and it’s good enough for him.

Before leaving, we stopped to say hi to his cows, chickens, and a sheep with its baby.  It was the coolest, most authentic family farm we have ever seen and are both so grateful for the experience.

Next stop was to Sara’s cousin’s farm.  Her cousin has a more modern farm specializing in the production of Cacciocavallo Ragusano D.O.P. The first place we went on her farm was to the barn with her cows.  She had the cutest baby cow, born just the night earlier.  I have never seen a cow that young, and was really surprised at how big it actually was.  It had hair, and could actually stand and wobble to walk.  After tasting their specialty cheeses, we headed off to have lunch with Alessandro and Pierpaolo (from the Bonajuto chocolate shop we mentioned earlier).

They took us to a really great local restaurant with a young chef who is the friend of both Alessandro and Pierpaolo.  Once again, we didn’t see a menu.  He cooked 5 courses for us and each were spot on.  It was a very impressive meal with great conversation and company.  Although Alessandro doesn’t speak English, we were able to communicate well with him- even if it was through Pierpaolo. Really fun time!

It was about 5pm, and we were off to Santa Venerina.  We didn’t know how long it would take, but knew it would be at least 2 hours.  Turned out to be 3 because a highway we needed to take was closed, and Mariella (aka Garmin) decided to take us the long way through the winding mountains instead of along the coast.  It was actually a pretty scary ride and one that was better at night, so we couldn’t see how far up we were on the mountains.  Although there are no street lights, the reflectors on the side of the road were very helpful. (let me just say thank you for high beams!!).

It took us 3 hours to get to our hotel: Tenuta San Michele in Santa Venerina, which is RIGHT beside Mount Etna and just south of Taormina.  We couldn’t see the active volcano but were excited to see it the next morning.  We had a great dinner at the hotel and met all the nice employees.  Our room was really great..very high wood log ceilings, a spacious bathroom and very comfy bed.  It’s been an adventure travelling from hotel to hotel not exactly knowing what to expect.  Some hotel rooms have been better than others.  Just a quick thanks to Mariella (not the GPS but the inspiration for us naming our GPS Mariella) from Hidden Treasures of Italy.  I highly suggest that if anyone is planning any trip in any part of Italy, that they go through this agency.  She set up an incredible itinerary and made sure we had everything we needed.  (www.hiddentreasuresofitaly.com)

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Hey everyone, it’s John, and it’s my turn again.  Today started off looking a little gloomy and rainy outside.  We decided to check out of our agriturismo in Piazza Armerina this morning (one day early) since we would be spending the entire day and most of the evening about 2.5 hours away in the southeastern part of Sicily.

We started off the day by driving to Pozzallo, a small resort town on the southeast coast.  Here, we were meeting Francesco’s brother, Salvatore.  We arrived a little earlier than expected, so I wandered into a very small Pescheria (fish shop), to take a few pictures of that morning’s catch.  They had a very small amount of beautiful fresh anchovies, sardines and sea bass, and very politely made conversation with me…in Italian of course.  It was good practice and they were very friendly…as everyone is here apparently.

When Salvatore arrived, we followed him to his family’s olive mill just outside of town.  This is where they bring the olives after harvest to press them and make the oil, blend the different oils, and bottle them.  They also make oil for local residents who bring in their own olives for pressing (did we mention that there are olive trees everywhere??!!).   Neither of us had ever been to a mill before so it was very interesting to see the process involved in the production of olive oil.  It is an ingredient that I use so regularly in my kitchen, so I was inspired to really understand how it is made, especially from someone as passionate as Salvatore.  Sara, who works at the mill, also accompanied us on our tour and acted as our translator.  They both explained each step of the olive oil production process while showing us the machinery involved and exactly how it works.  Everything is so clean and the monitoring of each step is so precise.

They harvested all of their olives just a few weeks ago and pressed them all into oil already, but the smell of fresh olives was still very prevalent in the mill.  They took us into a room containing five enormous stainless steel vats with all of the new oil that was just pressed.  Each vat contained the oil of a single variety of olive (FYI, there are around 300 olive varieties that grow in Sicily).  They grow and press three types of olives (Nocellara de Belice, Moresca and Verdese), and make two different oil blends…the Due Sicilie and Riserva, both of which we sell at Panozzo’s.

During our tour of the mill, we also noticed a few workers packaging almond flour from the almonds that also grow on the Padova family farm.  Salvatore was kind enough to give us a taste of their almond flour (it’s just pure, finely ground almonds), and actually gave us a bag to take home with us…come over for cookies when we get back!

We then took a drive to the farm where they grow the olives for their oils.  It’s just outside a small town a little north of Pozzallo called Ispica, where Salvatore and Francesco were born.  They are in the process of restoring the original San Basilio farmhouse that has been standing on this property since their family started the farm back in 1888…it’s going to look amazing.  We saw the olive trees that grow the Moresca and Verdese varieties, which are indigenous to the Ispica area (Nocellara de Belice come from a different region of Sicily called Castelvetrano (southwest)…in case you were wondering.

We then followed Salvatore and Sara through more of the beautiful countryside to an area about five minutes away where they have their almond trees.  Their almonds are very famous, unique, and very expensive.  The almonds had already been harvested during the summer, but there were still a few remaining on the trees.  Salvatore cracked a couple open (yes, almonds actually have shells and don’t grow inside the plastic bags in which we usually find them in grocery stores).  I’ve never tasted an almond directly off the tree before (I don’t think Dee has either), so this was pretty special.  It’s really inspiring to see the passion and pride that Salvatore has for his products…it’s a large reason why the quality is so high and the products are so well respected.

At this point we were pretty hungry (or at least I was), so our tour guides led us to a small restaurant that they recommended for lunch in a small town called Rosolini.  They had to return to work so they couldn’t join us, but Dee and I enjoyed a nice lunch (just the two of us again) of local cured meats, octopus salad, and spaghetti with clams.

(continued by Diandra…)

After lunch, John and I went to pick up our special glass art from our new friend and glass artist, Alessandro Di Rosa.  John and I always like to pick up a piece of art from every country we experience together.  This trip we got a very cool glass art piece that I can’t wait to put in our house!  We also picked up some great Christmas gifts for our friends.  His gallery is so great and to meet and talk to the person who created such great art was a very cool experience.  I know we will know Alessandro for a long time to come.  Maybe I’ll even collaborate in the future to create some glass art of my own!  We weren’t sure which hotel we would stay at tonight so we asked Alessandro for ideas.  Of course he knew someone connected to a hotel in Modica.  (everyone knows everyone here in this town of 45,000) He didn’t just suggest a hotel for us to stay at, he literally drove us there.  This is something we have seen throughout our trip in Sicily.  The people here are not only friendly- they go out of their way to show you the way.

We checked into Hotel Isula Relax which was very close to his studio.  We were able to relax for a few hours in our very nice room before heading to our biggest dinner of our vacation.  Dinner would be at Duomo, Sicily’s only two star Michelin restaurant.  The chef, Ciccio Sultano, is a friend of Alessandro and in fact, uses his glass plates for some of his dishes.  Ciccio is also a good friend of Francesco’s (Francesco was kind enough to call him and make the reservation for us).  I’m telling you- everyone knows everyone!

John was so excited to experience the fine dining of Duomo.  Located in Ragusa Ibla (lower Ragusa) the drive there was not an easy one.  Winding roads in the mountains is a theme we have seen throughout the trip.  When Mariella (we named our GPS) finally got us to Duomo, we realized why it was called Duomo.  Duomo is Italian word for church and the church that the restaurant was next to was magnificent.  After walking down 43 steps to get to Duomo restaurant- we were ready to eat!

And, eat we did.  Much like La Madia, the meal was very intense.  We had about 10 courses- all which were equally impressive.  Most Sicilian cooking is rustic- so it was interesting to see how the chef stayed true to Sicilian flavors and ingredients, but reinterpreted them in modern and creative ways.  John was VERY impressed with the wine pairings for each dish.  He felt that they couldn’t compliment each dish better.  A lot of small regionally specific grapes varieties that John had never heard of.  The staff at Duomo was nice enough to give John a DVD on the way out highlighting the chef and his works.

After dinner we decided to meet Alessandro at the bar that he owns, Hemingway, in Modica.  This is a very well known bar and we even discovered it in our Sicily guide book! He has owned this bar for about 6 years and it is a hotspot in Modica.  We met some of his friends there and enjoyed a couple after dinner drinks.

A very full day in Sicily! I feel like I’m really learning a lot about this culture- and loving every second of it.

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